Update: Looks like the praire primer co-op might take more weekly time then I thought. So this means I probably will need to drop any ideas for a separate history/lit with either TOG 3 or SOTW 3. :( But some sort of consistent co-op is important for dd. Science ideas may also get dumped due to co-op. Math will need to be SM 3b n 4a as I can not seem to get her to work over summer and breaks to start the year on an A book. Spelling. Decided to stick with R&S spelling since there are less books to complete. I like SWBs idea of finishing spelling and the using that time slot for logic. Need to start cleaning out the school room.

Lial's Basic College Math. It reviews arithmetic n goes straight through preAlhebra.

We have used TimesAttack, calculadders, flash cards n some xtramath. Does anyone still use Flashmaster? That's one I've looked into but never got.

I agree with you on the importance of learning to read more complex non-fiction. However, I am discovering a need for learning from audio/visual media. There is such a push to offer more instruction thru these means that our kids will need to be able to gather detailed information from more then books and the occasional lecture. Now I wonder if I should ensure that some of their studies require them to learn from videos. Taking notes from a book or lecture is a something we teach. Perhaps so should taking notes during videos/movies?

Well I missed that other thread. ...and I'm still debating.. Math: Singapore 3b n 4a , hopefully add in CWP Suplementing with flash cards, TimesAttack, calc u ladders, n hopefully a game coop that will use some math games Spelling: R&S spelling 4 Writing/grammar: CW Aesop B (main focus is to get her to not use me to write her narrations down before copying or having it dictated back) Foreign Lang/grammar: Lively Latin Handwriting. Handwriting skills simplified C Typing: Thping Instructor Delux (if I can get it working again) Supplement LA with: Reading Detective History/Literature: either TOG 3 UG or SoTW 3 Science: probably Lyrical life science Human body .. Cause I already have it n dd loves to sing with the 3 yr old. Might add other stuff I already have or just do wtm ideas. Art-- draw squad? (Already own it) Music-piano lessons? PE- swim?, soccer?, gym class? CoOp: praire primer?

I really liked using the abacus. We learned how with the RightStart Tutorial book. It was a very good intro for dd. we switched to Singapore and still use the abacus whenever we can. It helped so much with place value and with number bonds.

I usually start with the younger ones to get a basic narrative. Then the older one is expected to give a more complete or detailed narration. You can also have the younger one do their narration while the older one does something else like map work or additional reading. Then review with the older one n start their narration. Whe the younger one is copying theirs or doing a picture.

I also used Typing Instructor. Worked great n was fun for the kids.

My dd still had problems w spelling by then. Honestly what helped her was her realization of the problem since her friends couldn't understand her emails because of her poor spelling. I did get her Apples Daily Spelling Spelling Drills and it helped a lot. Ymmv ....

Check out Harvey's Revised English Grammar It covers grammar, writing, and punctuation. CBD offers the ability to view a few pages online including the TOC.

I don't find CW hard to teach. I've taught Aesop, Homer, & Diogenes levels n had on ds sort of go thru Herodotus in a coop. I've taught homer n maxim in a coop. The uppers levels are a lot of work but you are covering a lot of material. So I don't think of it as writing but as writing n grammar or logic n some intro to rhetoric.

For levels 1 and 2 I just use the original single book FLL text with out a workbook. This was written before WWE.

:lol: ROTF LOL "a pretty little soap bubble on the wind " :smilielol5: Thanks, you gals are right. He's probably past the window for it.... although he's entering 9th not 10th. [This co-op shifts TOG to 3 years so that the students will have time their last year to dual enroll or focus more on an area of interest]. Looks like most of the classes will be honors level or close to it so I really need to avoid overloading him... besides (as I remind myself) this is the kid that looks forward to reading the Imprimis when it arrives (a monthly digest from Hillsdale College http://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/current ) and the TOG discussions with the co-op went fine at the dialectic level the last 2 years and the rhetoric level discussions and papers should be all he will need. Thanks so much for helping me to clear my head. This all makes sense now. :hurray:

Thank you really appreciate 'exploring alternatives' .. The English is a separate class that will coordinate with all the others but it won't be using the TOG writing curriculum. Oh and he will be continuing with Boy Scouts... Plus it looks like he will start winter swim (so there's PE) I hadn't considered spreading it out more .. a thought. hmm his own interest would probably but more computer programming ... ok, guess I'll need to talk with him a bit ...

I will 2nd Alpha Phonics

I kept hoping to have ds take Traditional Logic. But it looks like if I push for it his days will get too long. :( He will be in a coop doing rhetoric level TOG y1-2. (They are doing it in 3 yrs). He did 2 yrs of dialectic TOG in another coop. They are doing the hist, lit. Phil/gov, plus biology, English, n speech club. I am adding in an Algebra class n a Latin class (he did 2 yrs of Lingua Latina and liked it but fell behind so starting over should really cement it). ... N maybe piano lessons.... Ug. So tempted to put it in but worried about it being too much.

I too have a science kid. Here is one way to consider this issue. When they do get to college they will take the needed English n "social studies" (which may not be history...could be psychology too) but mainly focus on math n science. So given that, now is a great time to spend learning history and reading great literature. It is also a great time to focus on the leRning skills that will be needed: reading, note taking, presentations, essays, test taking, research, etc.

Apples Daily Spelling Deills reviews the rules over n over. http://www.christianbook.com/apps/product?item_no=727011;item_code=WW

When mine are getting defensive I will sometimes blame the curriculum. That is I will tell them , "oh the book says the answer needs to be in a complete sentence. Can you do that for me?" Somehow they respond to that better.

Thanks. Your site is great. I like your idea for brain teasers n challenging math problems also. Now I'm not sure if I want to focus on math or make it multi subject. Guess it will depend on others who want to participate. Thanks for this review of the Algebra app. That looks great! Reminds me of TimesAttack.

Thanks for all the ideas. Hopefully someone will have muggings as I don't. But I do have JellyBeans n KnockOut for the younger ones to play during board game time. I'm open to ideas but actually I was thinking of a quick round of flash cards but each to their own level. This morning I came up with the idea to work the competition time like a swim team.... Where the goal is to beat your own times. And each type of flash cards (+ - x / ) could be treated like different strokes/events. ... Hmm medleys and relays could get interesting...

We use Handwriting Skills Simplified from EPS.

Hmm I've done Jeopardy games. Those are fun. That does tend to be a content game so it might need many in similar history, lit, or science. But I can prob make this work. For math competitions I was thinking of sticking to basic facts ... Maybe teams to do anything more like basic word problems. We can do some basic spelling bees or even phonics (sounds to phonograms or phonograms to sounds) After the competitions we would shift to board games. I can even put out some ed computer games. Now to find ways to keep it all fun.

I would like to give an insentive to my rising 4th grader to learn her math facts. So I am thinking of starting a co-op where we compete with math facts, spelling, map locations, etc but also take time to dust off and pay those eductional games. I have many here including RS Math Games, Into the Forest, Vocabulary roots, etc. there will be more choices as others bring their games. So any ideas for easy to admin and fun to do completions n games?

Spelling workout might work. How To Spell. Is a workbook approach similar to SWR, WRTR approaches. Rod And Staff Spelling wkbks Megawords but this starts in 4 th grade