I just bought used CPO Life Science to try. I guess once I get it, I'll price the lab materials. We like all that nifty hands-on stuff here.

I always buy the text used on amazon and the workbook from Rainbow Resources. My texts are not common core and workbooks are. The pages don't line up, but the lesson titles do. It's super easy to sort out.

Is there a text that goes with it, or just the lesson plans? SBS that is.

Interesting. Tell me more about this?

I see second and fourth, but how about a fifth grade planning thread? I could really use some good ideas. So far: Math: Don't know. We'll finish up Beast Academy in the next couple weeks and I'm not sure where to go from there. I might just pass time in Zaccaro Upper Elementary Challenge Math and start next year in AoPS pre-algebra. Science: CPO Life Science History: Don't know. We'll finish up SOTW this year and I'm not sure where we will go from there. I've bought Human Odyssey, so I guess we will try that. Language Arts: Apples and Pears, Literature from the Mensa Kids list, CAP Writing and Rhetoric, IEW Fix It Lots of dance and piano. What else? What are you doing? Maybe it will give me some good ideas. Teresa

Thank you for the image of an alligator in a little black dress. You've brightened my day. :)

I would buy two if they are going to be working at the same time. Copying some things to a whiteboard is impractical when they are puzzles. I'm all about saving time even if it does cost a little extra.

For the first time, I'm actually really happy with the things I chose for this year (hooray!) so we will keep to that. He's our second grade plan. Memory Work Science: Nancy Larson Science 2 Language Arts: Bravewriter, quality literature off the Mensa kids list, Apples and Pears for Spelling, copywork for cursive practice Math: Math in Focus transitioning to Beast Academy History: probably living books as she loathes SOTW. :( Continue with extracurriculars: dance, violin and soccer It was more exciting planning the year when we were trying new things, but I guess I'm happy to have found things that work. Teresa

Thank you for this review. My oldest daughter is an advanced math student with working memory issues. I've been trying to figure out what our next step would be. I think she is prepared for pre algebra and I have AoPS pre-algebra. I've been working through it. It's tough. I've also been looking into JA and have been close to making that purchase several times. I have been worried about all the text on the page in AoPS and just assumed JA was less wordy. I do agree that AOPS is very well organized and this makes the text less overwhelming. I like that they have videos and Alcumus too. You have been a big help.

Hugs people when she meets them? Must be a southern girl at heart. (From a northern girl with personal space issues.)

I find that there are things that I love to do, but just don't get to. I've moved those things to the first part of the day so that they actually get done. The things that have to get done here, like math, are non-negotiable so it doesn't matter that they didn't happen first, they are going to get done anyway. That way, everything I want to get done, gets done. Don't know if that helps... T

My daughter is in the ballet company this year and she dances through the house with a smile on her face most of the time. This is the first year I've had two to homeschool and I was terrified. There was a settling in period, but it's been so much easier than expected and I really enjoy cutting out the commute to take my youngest to the (incredibly fabulous) Montessori school she was attending. CAP Writing and Rhetoric is really helping my 4th grader's writing blossom. I love it! Beast Academy continues to make math the favorite subject of the day. I'll be sad when we finish the last book in the next month or so. I have two wonderful children who both seem to enjoy our school day (though they certainly enjoy knowing it's over too). ;) And yes, the coffee maker (hallelujah) and a glass of wine if the evenings (thanks be to God). Amen. Teresa

No advice really, but I wouldn't consider it "throwing in the towel." I'd think of it more as going another direction. It's never giving up if its the best choice for your family. If you aren't happy, then you need to make some kind of change. I'd try to finish out the year if it were me, but I can understand why some wouldn't.

Isn't phonetic zoo another rule based program? I have no experience with it so am just curious? My oldest has similar spelling issues but we are only in Apples and Pears B so I am hoping she really improves. She failed to make progress with two rule based programs: AAS and Logic of English. I'm all ears.

Thanks lazaronni for the link to that article. I especially enjoyed this part: "Prior research found that students who memorized more easily were not higher achieving – in fact, they did not have what the researchers described as more "math ability" or higher IQ scores. Using an MRI scanner, the only brain differences the researchers found were in a brain region called the hippocampus, which is the area in the brain responsible for memorizing facts – the working memory section." My daughter has working memory difficulties and difficulty with math facts. I've printed this article so I can reassure myself everytime I start doubting. She's an advanced math student who is still uncertain with a number of her math facts. Teresa

Last year my daughter was in 3rd and we worked our way through CAP Fable. She wrote summaries of fables, amplified fables (retelling short fables by adding description). She worked on creating interesting sentences. We also worked through MCT Island level. We didn't do all the writing exercises, but she did spend time learning to write metaphors, similes, short poems and some other short works that were probably a couple of paragraphs on the given subject. She also did the occasional freewrite Friday a la Bravewriter. I gave a topic and she could either write about that or a topic of her choosing for five minutes (she always chose longer). I'm not a fan of book reports. I always found them boring to write and as a teacher, I find them boring to read. :) On the other hand, my daughter spent half an hour in the car last night narrating a Seekers book (her current obsession). My daughter was a reluctant writer last year and I've seen a real increase in quality output this year (4th).

Last year for third we used MCT island with CAP.

Well, I'm a little biased because my daughter has working memory issues. That said, we don't spend a lot of time memorizing at our house. I have found in my own experience that I learn better when I understand something. It is then that I have mastered the information. Obviously, some things have to be memorized (math facts) but lots of things other people spend time memorizing are lost on me. The periodic table for instance. I have a minor in chemistry and worked in a lab for years before having kids. My husband is a chemist and a chemical engineer. Neither of us has ever made an effort to memorize the periodic table, though lots of that information has been internalized through years of use. It is also information that is easily accessible in any chemical laboratory. Why spend hours memorizing? I think there is a place for memorization, but I also think it is overdone in some homeschool environments. IMO

Thrilled with this idea and love the names being tossed around. These are folks that never come to Atlanta. I can't wait to see what you manage to put together and who will participate.

I donate, because I can afford to and I know their schools need it. Teachers frequently end up footing the bill for a variety of supplies and these fundraisers hopefully prevent that. But, I don't feel obligated, and neither should you.

It is horrifying, but a dear friend of mine has had the same experience. Her daughter was reading chapter books in the first grade and was given an unsatisfactory in reading while the other students were still reading easy readers. She was told, by the teacher even, "I have to give everyone that grade so I can show they improved later. But don't worry, she doing very well." ???

I KNOW there's something wrong with me. That's just added value. :)

I'm seconding this. With my first, we tried a number of things and I just didn't feel like we were getting a lot out of them. My plan going forward with my second is to finish LoE Foundations. I may pull MCT island off the shelf in late second grade. When we finish LoE, we will do some copywork and dictation. We have Friday freewrites a la Bravewriter where she dictates as fast as she can and I struggle to keep up putting all her ideas on paper. When we hit 3rd we should have enough down to start CAP W&R.

I think anyone who has taught a child to read feels your pain. Where my daughter went to Montessori, they had a parent volunteer who came several times a week. You know what her job was? Listening to children read. That was one amazing parent volunteer. Talk about patience. This too shall pass.

We switched this year. My daughter had been using HWoT at her Montessori school. We moved to italic and she does well. Then she decided she wanted to learn cursive, so she is doing that as well. Pick what you prefer and enjoy teaching. They are young and flexible, not old and set in their ways like we are. ;)