I'll be using SL core 100 with my kids this year. I'm considering getting tests for the History of US books also. I'm not sure if they are really necessary after all the help in the SL guides. With SL we will be listening to some of it read aloud, reading some of it silently, doing the mapwork, maintaining a timeline book, and going over the student questions (probably orally but maybe some of that written work). We might do some of the papers, but I want to focus on the papers from our writing program this year. If I add in some actual tests on the History of US bks then we will have an easy way to get some grades and practice test taking skills. So if I go the test taking route, which tests should I get? There are the History of US Assessment tests. Amazon sells these for about $50. They seems to be multiple choice type tests, which would be fine. Then there is the History Of US Junior High Syllabus & Tests from Hewitt Homeschool. This only sells for $9, a big difference! Problem is I can't tell what kind of tests these are, how many tests it includes (is it one per bk? per chapter? per few chapters?). Can anyone clarify this for me? Any suggestions/comments? :bigear: TIA

I prefer to teach logic. I was first introduced to 'logic' as a course when I was in college. It was required for a computer Science degree. This was a formal logic class and I found it very helpful. Now that I've taken my kids thru some pre-logic and some informal logic I see how we are all thinking clearer. Learning the terminology for informal logic has been a great benefit. Now some of it was/is common sense to all of us.. but some of them my kids did get tripped up on. I'm really glad we did go thru it and I didn't just assume that they knew what I thought they knew or would learn at some point. We are going to do more informal logic this year, and my oldest will do some work on debate. I will move them onto formal logic. I'd like to do that Socratic Logic text also, but I've heard it's better to do that after something like Traditional Logic. All this will lead to a formal study of Rhetoric. I can't imagine learning rhetoric without actually studying logic first. I guess it's doable but I think it will be better having had logic. jm2c hth

Alpha Phonics Mastering Mathematics FLL Rod & Staff Eng (done orally) Classical Conversations: Foundations Disliking school is something I deal with also... with my dd who is now 13yo. Yours is young... maybe you could add in or replace subjects with fun basics: ed computer games TimezAttack Right Start Math (lots of games instead of worksheets) write letters to friends and family (you type, they dictate, edit together) enter contests etc. hth

I think it's taught separately because it is seen as a collection of skills. Handwriting gets taught specifically so they can learn how to form each letter and how to connect them in cursive type fonts. I can review this with copywork using history, but I think it works better to learn the similar letters together first. Since there are patterns/rules in spelling, it bennefits most to teach that specifically instead of only correcting mistakes. The same goes for grammar and writing skills. With both of these, review can utilize models from history/science though. Now that said, I do think it can be well done all together IF carefully planned out. We do some of this with Classical Writing prgm. Another reason I think LA is separated is so that the grades on history papers & other non LA papers, can really reflect the students understanding of that subject. A paper shows two things: an understanding of the subject/assignment and the ability to communicate this understanding. As the student gets older, both parts become more important. One thing I think we all need to watch out for are writing assignments for history that require more writing ability than has been taught. I discovered this with Classical Writing where they don't teach essay skills or compare/contrast type writing till after many history prgms start asking for them. When I asked the authors of CW about this, they did make a good point. Here is a small portion of that discussion: Here's the link to the full discussion: http://lene.proboards15.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=184 hth

These ideas are great, keep them coming! But I just have to say :lol:, Linda I've thought of an air horn (or fog horn)!! :lol:

I'm looking for ways to encourage my kids to get up early and get started on time this year. I'm thinking of starting with subjects they like .... such as reading history or lit together. We've also started with Bible for awhile, but this year they are using different things. My hubby thinks I should get them exercising right away to pump the blood... but dd (13yo) hates that.. (she's in the moody years so I'd like to start the day without attitude if possible). Math is always a good idea to start with because they are fresh... but it's not too exciting to get them out of bed, thru morn routines and ready to start. I'd rather not use food as a reward and I really don't have extra money around to use as rewards. So any ideas to get the day started on a good note, for those of us who have kids that aren't thrilled about school? BTW: my kids are rising 8th dd, 7th ds, 3rd ds and a 3 year old dd. TIA

I'm thinking of getting RS for my 13yodd, 12yods, and ?8yods to use. How often should I schedule this? 4days/wk? 2-3days/wk?? What about duration? about 15min/sesson? 30min/session? or 1hr/session? I have soo many ideas for this year that I really need to see how it can fit before placing orders! kwim?? thanks for any help! --Kathie :bigear:

How are you fitting Homer B into a 45 min time slot? We'll be doing Homer also. My dd started A last year but it fell off the schedule due to an outside writing class. This year I'm considering Older Beginners for her and my ds. I've scheduled about 1 1/2hrs, 4 days/wk for the CW analysis, CW writing, and the grammar (we'll use Harvys)... although I don't expect the actual grammar work to be much. Are you taking 2 wks for each lesson or am I really setting aside more time than should be needed for Homer? tia

Thanks Pongo. That makes sense. We make up hand signs to go with each card and to remember one to the next.

um Pongo... there's a song to this? I know VP has one but their order is different... what are you using??? tia

We memorize the titles of the timeline cards. If time permits we read the backs and other books for deeper info. But we memorize the titles in chron order. We do this with Classical Conversations - Foundations prgm.

Neat! Thanks for sharing.. that was really kind. :001_smile:

SL core alt 6 is a one yr world hist/lit all figured out for you. You can pick some of the reading to do together and assign the rest. Then just do the discussion questions or lead your own socratic discussions. My kids have memorized all the VP Timeline cards via Classical Conversations and this has helped to really form the timeline in their head. They do 8 timeline cards a week for 20 weeks and then memorized all the presidents. You could that or something similar. You could take the number of wks you are meeting and div that into 160 (#of VP cards I think) and memorize that amount per week. But then also read the back of each card and take the time to learn about each one. Go over the basics of what, when, how and who and then discuss they whys. It's neat to talk about why one card or event follow another. Each card has a list of bks for further reading. hth

I don't have a high schooler yet but I have noticed that Sonlight core 100 uses these books and targets grades 7 - 11. hth

Hey I just took my teen & preTeen to the Rebelution conference, just yesterday! It was great! It was a really big turnout... 3,200 teens and their parents! These guys are very impressive. We've always known are kids could do much more then our current society expects.. it was nice to have our kids see other teens who believe this and are into 'doing hard things'! Their book and the whole conference began with an idea that teens are more capable then society expects. They then created a blog to share their ideas. That's it. They idea took off from there. The wonders of God are so clear here. He is so great! Here is their website: http://www.therebelution.com/ hth

I agree with Luna, the best program varies. I don't know what to suggest for you. I've considered AG / JAG. I does look good but it didn't fit our budge at the time. (always in the back of my head though :D ) I've used FLL with 2 of my boys for 1st-2nd grade and it worked really well. I've used R&S Eng 3 with my dd and that worked really well also. I did plan to continue with R&S Eng but our paths soon parted. We started with Classical Conversations- Foundations prgm and memorized lots of grammar terms in that class. (We didn't do Essentials .. which is more grammar) We use Classical Writing for our writing. The first level (Aesop) teaches grammar terms and we work on finding them in the model. It even introduces basic diagramming. The next level (Homer) takes the grammar much farther and we will learn more diagramming/parsing etc. In this level we began to use Harvey's Elementary Grammar as CW has lined up their work with it. I believe Diogenes will cover advanced grammar concepts and then we will be done with grammar! hths

<I use CW but haven't seen WWE> CW suggests use of copywork/dictation before CW A, WWE starts younger so no prior writing skills are needed. Someone said WWE is scripted (neat!), CW is not. The workbooks really help it to be pick up and go, and so does the weekly and daily routines... but it's not scripted. Now that can be pro or con, depends on your situation. One of the main differences I've heard is that WWE doesn't start on progym exercises till much later. I don't remember when they start but I think it's not untill Jr or Sr high school. CW gently starts with the progym exercises in 3rd and work on them thru 12th. I also see CW as more then a writing progrm and even more then a LA program. In the earlier levels (Aesop, Homer, and Diogenes) they teach grammar concepts, find them in the model and practice applying them in prep for using them in their writing. In the later models this shifts to working with formal logic and then rhetoric. I'm hoping to do formal logic and rhetoric with my kids but I'm excited that I'll also have a program that will help me apply what we are learning there into another subject. CW will lay out a way to find the concepts learned in formal logic and rhetoric courses in the CW models, analize them and use them in the writing projects. I see CW as a way to pull it all together instead of having all separate subjects. I've heard WWE is mainly a writing prgm but I just don't know if they do or will incorporate grammar, logic and rhetoric skills into their writing lessons. Like I said, I haven't seen it. hths

Yea me too. I'm going to do the Older Beginners this year so I can get my 7th and 8th graders thru Homer in one yr. I'm really looking forward to this for next year and will try to budget for it. I kinda wish they offered it for Homer. (probably will at some point I guess). They just keep making this better!

Well I'm looking at a 7 hr day for my 7th and 8th graders this year. I asked about the length on the high school board and quite a few said that is what they did also. Some of the differences in lengths of day is because of the curriculum chosen (some just take longer then others for the same subject) and the use (or not) of outside classes or co-ops. We tend to go from 8:00am to 4:00pm but that includes breaks & lunch. Homework time is only for the work not complete during the day. subject wise, for my 7th grade ds I have (at this point) math writing/grammar spelling vocab history, lit bible science latin informal logic scout merit badge work piano art (drawing) w/mom 1 day/wk & one day/wk to a chess club I'm considering switching to an art class just to give him an outside class. Outside activity is Boy Scouts 1 night/wk plus events.

Oh I hadn't thought of them for things like our VP Timeline cards! That would work. I have used them for displaying various awards. At the end of some of our curr it offers a 'certificate' for completing the course. I've filled these out and put them into page protectors and hung them on the wall. So we now have what we call a "Hurray for me" wall. ;) I've also used them for holding the weekly schedule. Then the kids can cross off what the've done in dry erase marker. At the end of the week we wipe it clean and it's ready to go again next week! (of course we'll take note of anything htat wasn't gotten to :D ).

I used Alpha Phonics for teaching reading. It is also based on Orton Gillingham so the phonograms are similar... although it does have some sight words that the other programs don't. This is a simple, pick up and go program. No color and no tiles or flash cards needed (unless you want to add them). They show you a phonogram and one of its sounds. Then you practice sounding out and reading lots of words that use the new lesson. Then at some point they have sentences that use the new lesson and past lessons. All words in the sentence are readable by your dc. It builds slowly but goes all the way thru till you've covered all the phonics you need. period... all in one book! My ds was reading just find before we even finnished the book. I did add in Bob Books for fun and other readers as we went along. We even did some Explode the Code just for more color and fun. Once reading was underway I added How to Teach Spelling with their workbooks How to Spell. It is also based on Orton Gillingham research (which is where WRTR, SWR, AAS and others are all based on). I like this spelling prgm because it includes dictation of words, phrases, and sentences for practice instead of tests. hths

I'm having a hard time with spelling prgms too. I guess it's because it's one of those skill that I gathered would be learned without too much trouble (like handwriting or typing) ... but that's not the case. I've tried Sequential Spelling and it does work well. We had a strange situation here and dropped it for other reasons... needed a prgm that wasn't mom intensive. I was also worried about getting thru all the books... my dd was already in 7th grade. I love the look of MegaWords but at that time my dd still had trouble with small one syllable words... MW starts with multi-syllable words. We ended up with Apples Daily Spelling Drills (meant for older students). It's easy to use. It works on the rules, phonograms and other ideas to help remember how to spell words. There is a bit of bible in there but it's not much. I also increased her writing and the two seemed to help her quite a bit. I'm thinking that when we are done with Apples my dd still might need some spelling work. So I'm debating on the 2nd Apples bk, going back to SS (I now see they have a bk for teens/adults to use so it shouldn't take too long), or even trying MegaWords. BUT I will be a mean mom and make dd finnish Apples before getting anything else! hth

If you're already doing CW Homer, what grammar have you been using with it? Chances are you can continue to use the same prgm with CW. I believe Diogenes continues grammar instruction and application so you will need something.

When I went looking for these last year I was only able to find them at Walmart... but in the crafts section. So there were only a couple per package. These are the kind where the ends just hook together. It's not too strong. I found similar ones at amazon in a package of 100 that I was considering (I need more this year, I think). http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00008XPLC/ref=ord_cart_shr?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance However, I think I'll go check with my local Dollar store. I like the sound of ones that fold inward to close! [off to check if I really do need to get some more this year... so I can at least get it on my list of things to get!] :auto:

Alpha Phonics user here. Love it because: pick up and go no manipulatives to drop or lose... unless you want to add them lots and lots of practice of words sentences that can be completely read by your dc no distracting pictures... want to know what it says? read it. based on Orton Gillingham so all the phonograms are covered no writing required (but it can be added if you want!) all in one book, from prereading to a full reader! My ds was reading b4 we finnished (but we finnished anyway ;)) Some may not like it because: no pictures no color not scripted the teachers guides are in the back of the book, not with each lesson writing and manipulative are considered extras hth