My dd (13yo, 7thgr), started this book last week for Lightning Lit 7. She was funny. She said, "Mom, I actually like this. I didn't think I would. It started in a really interesting way. I like this writer." (all from the first chapter) So here I am, realizing that in order to really discuss this with her I need to read it also. Thanks for the encouragement to just read it. Hopefully I'll get to start tonight or tomorrow.

Yes you can use CC any way you want. Many folks do a separate history at home, sometimes close to what CC is doing, sometimes not. Many use SOTW, infact I think CC sells the SOTW books. If you want you can just do the memory work on a weekly basis and not worry about remembering it all. Memory Masters is optional, totally optional to try at the end of the year. Each class is supposed to do review for a 1/2hr, but that's using games. No pressure for any of the kids. hth

Sure what would you like to know? This is our 2nd year doing Foundations and my first year Tutoring a class. I think I'm the most reluctant person who has joined CC! I didn't want to leave the 4 year rotation and found it difficult to appreciate the speed of the history and timeline work. However we have found our groove. I am really seeing my kids learn, even at this pace! [Proof: when they watch a history program with Dad and hear something we've covered, they usually know it... repeat the memory work and sometimes make other connections.] At this point I just have my kids read more on each history sentence that they are memorizing and they usually do their oral presentation on that subject. Sometimes they read more on a timeline card and do their presentation on that instead. I do enjoy learning all the different methods of teaching/learning how to memorize! hth

Thank you all for your great advice. A few of you mentioned the MOH book. I wonder if this would really help me. I make schedules on excel all the time. I do consider things like what needs to be done, by whom, and about how long it should take. You should see the cleaning schedule I've just finnished... it's really scary but it has everything in it (morning routines, evening routines, daily, weekly, 2x/wk, monthly, 2x/mo, and even yearly plans). I like the idea of changing around our homeschool schedule based on Mom's available time and a break down of their work (need mom to do, need mom to start, can do on own). So, do you think I should still consider getting Managers of their Home? Does it have some great info that you think I could use?? TIA

I too love these books, but it's soo hard to figure how to work them in when you don't have lots of years to work thru them. We have Story of the Greeks & Story of the Romans which we went somewhat thru a few years ago. I was working our way thru STOW I but wanted something for my older kids to read on their own. We used these. Then we moved onto the middle ages. I tried to use Truthquest (which by the way, schedules these books in and gives you a great intro and great questions to ponder, discuss and maybe write on). However we were doing too much that year and it got dropped. I did read Story of the Middle Ages aloud to my 11 and 8 year old boys. We did this really fast because I wanted to keep pace with the history sentences we were memorizing with Classical Conversations-Foundations. We loved it but it was too fast and we didn't get to reading the Story of the Ren/Ref .. which I also own. My oldest dd (gr 7) wanted to do her own thing and study Am History. So I got her the Story of the 13 Colonies and Story of the Great Republic. She hasn't gotten too far, appearently she doesn't do too well on her own yet. Anyway, I'd love to just use these books because they are written so well and are so interesting. I also love the Truthquest guides but again there are so many of them! I'd prefer to do at least 2 cycles of history, but there are 8 Truthquest books! ug. Our Co-op ends in a few weeks so I'm thinking of picking up the Story of the Ren/Ref book and using it as a read aloud/discussion just to cruise thru that timeperiod. If we do that and it works then I might just keep going with the other books. I might just read as far as possible for a few days and then stop for discussions for a day or two.

This is our 2nd year with CC-Foundations (my 1st yr tutoring). How can I help? The history sentences are basically a framework of history for that cycle. We read more about each history sentence in whatever books we have here and what I can find at the library. Some folks just memorize it for later recall and do their own history subject via something else like SOTW. The timeline cards are a full outline of history. We memorize the title of the cards only. Parents are encouraged to read the backs and other books for further information if they want. All kids do a 3 min presentation each week. The younger ones tend to just do a show and tell but the older ones tend to do theirs on the last weeks history sentence, science sentence, or one of the timeline cards. This also serves to give the class a bit more info on those topics. hth some

I have 4 kiddos: 13yo dd in 7th, 11yo ds in 6th, 8yo ds in 2nd+, and 3yo dd. I'm having a hard time getting to each kid. My oldest is complaining that I don't give her enough time... and she may be right. Right now we basically follow a schedule where each do their own thing in the morning. I bounce between them for the beginning of each one's subject to ensure they know what to do or teach the lesson etc. Although it's hard to stay focused with the 3yo. She is still potty training and wanting attention. Sometimes when I stop to deal with her issues, I don't get back to the right kid before another one is ready for me. ug. I do send the 8yo boy to deal with the 3yo at times but he has stuff to do also. There are other interruptions besides the little too. Then there's the cases where one needs me longer then expected and the other is waiting. I'm starting to think that maybe we need a different type of schedule. Perhaps a 1/2 hr or hr of Mom time per kid. If it's not their time to work with me then they must work on their own, holding all questions till it's their time with me. I'll have to line up work they can do on their own while waiting, but all are reading so that can always be a standby. Memory work is also another standby. What do ya think? Has anyone else tried something like this? If not, what else do you do? tia

Tis sad but true, I don't have enough bookshelves to hold all my school book plus all the other books that dh wants to store in the 'school room or library'... but he's building more for me... I just don't know when :rolleyes: Sooo I also use plastic crate boxes turned on their sides, stacked up to hold books. umm and I also use old diaper boxes (like the Huggies ones), also turned on their sides & stacked up to make more shelves. There are also a few on the floor. For 'stuff' I use a set of bins and a wooden bin holder from Ikea. Old stuff is currently in a box on top of the shelves I do have. Works for now! ;)

Depends on which books you are getting. CW Aesop: Includes one day of spelling work and one day of copywork (dictation later in Aesop B). I supplement with a separate spelling program since my kids aren't natural spellers and really need it. I didn't use a separate vocab prgm because we just don't do vocab till around 7th. CW Homer: Does not include any spelling analysis. It does include a day of vocabulary analysis. Dictation is still one day/wk. I am still early in Homer A, but my dd still uses a separate spelling program because.. well she needs it. We also have a separate vocab program and a separate Latin program (but life has gotten in the way of these two). CW for older beginners (or whatever they call it): This is for older students (I think 8th grade+ just starting CW)- I haven't seen this one but I would guess that it covers some spelling analysis and vocab analysis. I don't know much about the upper levels except to say that at some point they will include some review of logic. hth

I really, really second the suggestion for typing. Handwriting, spelling, and composition (& grammar & punctuation) are all separate skills that need work. Not to mention the ability to take what is in your head and get it out in an orderly fashion and on paper in an orderly fashion. I've found that typing really helps to eliminate the handwriting and spelling issues (& some punctuation) since the word processor helps out. I just think it's even harder to work on one skill if you have to also worry about all the other new skills (although once the other skills are mastered this really isn't an issue). BTW: we used Typing Instructor from Timberdoodle. As for a writing program, my personal favorite for my kids is CW. Since we retell a given model more of our time is spent on writing skills then daydreaming about what to write about and what to write next.... although my kids have taken to altering the models with their own character or settings. It just keeps getting more interesting. hth

I really liked the idea of WTM and the 4 year history cycle. I considered CM but never did read all about it as I liked WTM and got enough there to take off. I considered LCC also but somethings tells me that it's not for us. I do like the idea of doing less subjects but that's not really what LCC is all about. It's about putting Latin at the center and I don't think I'm there. I have altered our 4 year history schedule though. I ended up trying out Classical Conversations - Foundations program. They do a 3 year history rotation. It did bother me and I tried to do our own history in addition but for me it just didn't work. We are now in our second year and I've finally found a way to make it work for me, although I do miss reading a narrative of history using SOTW. Instead we read up on each history sentence that we are memorizing to add depth. Usually that is what my kids do their weekly oral presentation on. It's amazing how this is sticking with my kiddos. I'll go back to a narrative history with my older kids that are out of Foundations. I'm still flipping around with what to use for the older two kids (rising 7th and 8th graders) as I am not putting them into the Challenge programs.... that one just doesn't fit what I want to do.

My boy really liked the Great Illustrated Classics. He has also read some of the books from Wishbone.. these he really liked. It's a great way to introduce great, classic literature to young kids. We checked the out of the library. They also have some of the videos, which we started with so he was familiar with it before reading that style book. hth

You should also note that each of the workbooks are only about a 1/3 of a year, I think (if you do one model per week).... so some fill in the year with one of the poetry books.

My 7th grader is working thru this slowly as she has another writing class to deal with (although I really like this one better). There are schedule suggestions in the book. I go for a 4 day/wk schedule as that's how the work book breaks it down. We try to do one lesson or model per week but it does sometimes stretch to two weeks.... doing the grammar and workbook one week and the paper the next week. hth

I wasn't sure if someone here already linked it... but just in case I thought I'd put it here: http://hslda.org/elink.asp?ID=4831 There will also be a broadcast discussing this issue: Broadcast: Focus on the Family daily radio broadcast with Dr. James Dobson. Program Title: California's Threat to Homeschooling Families. Airdate: Friday, March 7, 2008. Since the broadcast is aired on stations across the country at different times, please visit ---- http://listen.family.org/findastation/ and search for "Daily Focus on the Family Broadcast" to find the station that covers your area.

Okay I'll mention yet another one: How to Teach Spelling with the workbooks How to Spell. It teaches and reviews all the phonograms and spelling rules. There are no tests. Instead after introducing and doing some copywork, you do dictation from the TE. We do some oral dictation of words. The offer phrases also. Then we do the sentences. This is a great way to review all the old phonograms, rules, and sight words covered. I think its the only program that actually reviews the lessons. Oh, and there are only 4 workbooks to the whole program. I think it works out to wkbk 1 for grade 1, wkbk 2 for grades 2-3, wkbk 3 for grades 4-5, and wkbk 4 for grades 6-7. hth

I like the idea of learning them in groups, I may go back and do that. We did the books of the bible when we were in AWANAs. Some did it with songs or small chants and others did it with small flash cards. The cards can also be index cards with the name of each book of the bible on a different card. Then you can give out a few and ask them to put them in order. Eventually they'll be able to put them all in order... even if they can't pronounce them! Sword drills are also fun. Our Sunday school does these for the kids in 5th & 6th grade.

about how long would you expect each lesson to take? I took a look at the samples for Fractions and it seems that it might be done in about one lesson per day? Maybe more days on the bridge work? Is that about right?

Thanks for the clarification! I do usually order the CAT-E so that will work for us again. I think I'll have them do the other sections in the test prep book... just to see where they are but I'd rather not test where we don't have to test. For me the testing is: 1- to satisfy the state, 2- to practice testing, and then 3- so dh can see where they are in respect to other students. I kinda know where they are since I'm working with them all the time. Okay, I feel better now. Thanks!

I bought the Spectrum Test Booklets for my kids to prep for the CAT tests and noticed that it now has a section on Social Studies and a section on Science. Last years didn't have these sections. Anyone know if these are now on the CAT tests? I thought I only needed to test LA and Math for VA requirements so I wasn't planning on these extra subjects. tia

Do you need to start LOF with the Fractions and Percent books or could you start with the Beginning Algebra book? tia

AlphaPhonics has worked twice so far with great results. It's low key. My kiddos are easily distracted so this worked great because it didn't have any pictures to zoom into. It is also very fast... about 10-15 min per day which leave lots of time to go a play with things meant for playing. It covers all the phonograms (being based on Orton Gillingham like SWR), so it's complete. We didn't need any phonics lessons after finnishing the book. We did supplement with Bob books (although they do have their own readers now). My younger son likes workbooks so we did some ETC but kept AlphaPhonics leading the way. hth

Thank you Karen and Chris, I think you two are right, so I just might hold off on Omnibus for now. We have a few ideas for history that are failing right now ... I probably need to get them going again (instead of just dropping them) before really planing what to do next year. Then I'll take another look at Omnibus, TOG, and some simple text book approaches like Streams of Civilization. I really need to determine if we will do the great books (omni), combine history and lit (TOG) or do a separate history and lit (via a history text and Lightening Lit). Thanks for your help.

I didn't care for it. I did sit through a few of the videos. I know many, many people like him, but I .. just didn't. Sorry all. He was amusing at times but I also found him annoying at times. I think you will need to continue a separate grammar program because I don't think IEW is big on grammar... I remember that actually being said in one of the videos. I thought it was very pricey, but then again I do believe that LA is the most important subject to work on. hth

I'm considering Omnibus III for my rising 8th grade dd and rising 7th grade ds to use together. However they haven't covered this time-period yet, they have only touched on parts of it. I've heard that it's better for those who have a strong background in history... would this still be good for them? This would be their main access to history for next year. (I'm hoping to restart with Ancients the following year.) Oh and I'm also considering VP's online tutorial (for accountability) so we would then probably need to stick to the suggested schedule.... thus less chance to swap books around I guess. Oh and would I need two student texts or is it something they can share? This seems like a pricey choice if I'm adding it up correctly (that is, IF one was to purchase everything new and from VP. I know I don't need it all and I will probably need to check the library and sale/swap boards.): 1st student: student text w/cd $100.00 semester 1 pri 93.50 semester 2 pri 82.71 Online course 500.00 per kid for primary readings semester 1 sec 53.02 semester 2 sec 104.33 Online course 500.00 per kid for secondary readings Reference pkge 232.15 2nd student: student text 75.00 Online course 500.00 per kid for primary readings Online course 500.00 per kid for secondary readings