I got a reply from an email. It said they are still waiting on an exact date from the publisher and they'll contact me when they get a date. I am seriously thinking of just asking for my pp to be refunded, but then I hear wonderful things about the book :confused:

ditto to all of the above:iagree: My ds loved animal books, and still does at 5yo. He likes books with real pictures of animals and just enough info to learn something new. My dd is 3.5yo and she prefers books with people -LOL. Madeline is one of her favorites. Robert McClosky books are well loved by both ds and dd.

I preordered the ATtA 3rd ed. guide a while back, and now I'm waiting...and rethinking.... Is anyone else waiting for a copy?

Spell to Write and Read teaches the spelling rules and phonograms, and the pace is set by your dc. The words are not grouped in word families, but in order of frequency (Ayers list) which requires dc to think logically about how to spell...as opposed to knowing that all words this week rhyme with ____ . The list goes up to collegiate level words, yet starts with two and three letter words so most dc will fit in there somewhere:tongue_smilie: There are diagnostic tests in the tm to help you learn where your dc needs to be.

I am using SWR for spelling/phonics. It makes complete sense to combine spelling and phonics:001_smile:

Well, I'm just starting out. My oldest is 5yo.;) I'm doing most of what has already been said. I chose SWR and Miquon Math. I like them for academic reasons, but I also like that they will be used multiple years by all three of my dc (I will have to get Miquon workbooks, but they are less than $6 a piece.) I bought these "kindergarten year" and instead of buying a K curriculum, I'm spending K doing the recommended activities to prepare for 1st grade......isn't that what K is supposed to be anyway:tongue_smilie: We are also reading several public domain books from OFE. Now, I'm working on my 1st grade wishlist with math and phonics/spelling already bought. I'm focusing my 1st grade wishlist on living books and things like SOTW and Apologia science that will be used over again (and have a good resell value if not). I search GCF, dollar stores, etc. but I don't buy unless I know I need it in the next year or so (unless it's free). I have a HS consignmet shop close and I go browse once in a while. Watching this thread for more ideas:lurk5:

I have been contemplating the same question. I copied the AO yr1 schedule to a word doc, deleted their history and added in SOTW. For yr 2 I will do AO yr 1 history readings or maybe SOTW2 or a combination. I'm not sure how it will play out in the long run, but I really want to do the AO literature readings AND the SOTW 4yr rotation (I've got 3 dc within 4yrs of each other). I also deleted the Burgess Bird's book, and am going to insert an Apologia Elem. book in that slot. (we are reading Burgess books now in K) I love lindafay's blog:), but I think after spending some time here that I'm an official "tweaker":lol: I would like to spin my dc off onto the AO schedule as written (for the most part LOL) after they are independant readers and have gone through all 4 SOTW. I need to think more on that one. Another thing I've thought about.....is just doing a year of SOTW yr1 before starting the AO schedule. Lmk what you decide on....I'm obviously still waivering:lol:

I am beginning Spell to Write and Read with my ds who's 5yo. I would recommend keeping the phonics learning casual at 4yo though. My ds LOVES doing verbal games like "glue the word." I basically say the sounds, phonetically and seperately, to a word and he glues the word together by shouting it out. I also teach letter sounds as I teach the correct way to write the letter so he is making that connection.....and now he is "glueing" words together in written form. He has fine motor delay, so when I say "written form" I'm using the term loosely - LOL! He loves magnet letters too. Spelling to Write and Read has a yahoo group that has been helpful in finding fun activities. The SWR teacher's manual has a chapter of ideas for young children if you can get your hands on a copy.

Oh, I am looking forward to beginning SOTW!!! I am waiting for ds to turn 6yo LOL, but it's on my wishlist:001_smile:

My top 3 reasons are English vocab, grammer, and the value of studying the words of influential ancient world leaders in their own words. My dc aren't old enough to begin Latin study yet, but I took it in high school. I am glad I did! Etymology was an insanely easy course after taking Latin. My ONLY real instruction in English grammer was in LATIN class:001_huh: (wtg public school system:tongue_smilie:), but that was enough to get me through college without embarrasing myself.

We are going through Seven Little Sisters Who Live on a Big Ball that Floats in the Air by Jane Andrews. It's public domain on www.mainlessons.com and there are links to it on www.oldfashionededucation.com There are some big differences, this one doesn't go to specific countries, and focuses more on the biome and life from the perspective of a child. There is another pubic domain book I liked, Highroads of Geography. It's also linked on www.oldfashionededucation.com . Father goes on a trip around the world and writes letters home to his children and tells about the different places he visits. This is more specific to the country. We will likely do this one too in the future:) There is also Canturing the Country (made by the same folks who wrote GtG) which I've not used nor seen, but I've heard good things.

I see both sides here. (my oldest in only 5 so take what I say with a grain of salt;)) I wouldn't want to overload a 6yo with drill, yet I wouldn't want her picking up bad habits as she naturally absorbs the language either. I've read Ruth Beechick, and I like and agree with her 95% of the time. However, I do think it's best to verbally tell/teach a child how to do some things. I am teaching spelling and grammer, but keeping those lessons short and focused. I think it's better to teach something correctly from the beginning rather than have to unlearn/re-teach later on. The fact that she's reading so well tells me that she is gifted in that area and will probably enjoy the lessons if kept short and sweet. just my thoughts:)

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!:thumbup: I want to do something very similar, only I'm going to use SOTW1 instead of CHOW. You should post your other adapted years! (so I can copy, LOL!)

I had a package lost, and another BADLY damaged by USPS. I had a media mail package inspected this week too:001_huh: It too about 2 wks to get to me. I bet the bad weather in the midwest could be keeping your package held up. Even if it's not going to or leaving from those areas, postal routes are weird.

I think we are going to get a huge binder for a science notebook, and add scrapbook/lapbook type projects/drawings/writings as we go. I'd like to have one big notebook for the grammer stage for each dc. (I am just now planning 1st grade for my oldest, so this doesn't come from experience;)) We'll have separate sections for each area of science covered. For us, it will probably be sky, earth, plants, animals.

Thanks Christi! I think I'll pass on the FMO books, and Apologia Astronomy for now. MUST.KEEP.THINGS.SIMPLE.:lol: Knowing my ds, he will love getting books from the library for history, and he'll love making his own science notebook. (someone link this thread to me when I start changing my mind LOL!)

Awesome plans! Thanks for sharing!:)

Thanks for your thoughts! I wasn't planning on doing the guides. What I want is more of just some bio's with pictures to read aloud. I probably will only do a few people out of each book for 1st, and hang on to the books for 5th and 9th grades (at which point i might look into the guides). ds has very good comprehension in read alouds. We read KJV Bible often. Do you think it's too much for read alouds???

We have SWR for reading/phonics/spelling. He is beginning reading, but certainly not fluent yet. He understands how to decode and knows his letter sounds and a few other phonograms. Math - he's picking up by osmosis it seems. The 3R's will definitely be the 1st things in the daily schedule.

Bible/History: Greenleaf Guide to the Old Testament SOTW 1 (getting CD and AB too) MP Famous Men of Greece, and Rome (we won't do it all) Some kind of encyclopedia (ideas please;)), or reference for life/culture w/pics... Library books (I've got All Through the Ages 3rd ed. coming for book selection, although I'd love to hear your favorites for SOTW1) Literature: AO suggested list/schedule Foreign Language: Rosetta Stone Korean ( starting w/ Korean b/c we have family who speak the language) Science: I'm see-sawing between Apologia Astronomy and just making a big Notebook/scrapbook for nature study as we go. I have a book for 1st-2nd grade science experiments (various concepts) that I found free so I could do one experiment per week combined with the nature notebook. I think both would be wonderful, but I can't decide which:confused: dh thinks we should go with FREE (go figure:tongue_smilie:), but I've heard so many raves on Apologia and I don't want to miss out. I found "I Can Do ALL Things" CHEAP for art:hurray: so I just need to buy supplies. I am a musician, so I'm teaching singing, piano, and general music ( I knew my degree was good for something:lol:).....praying for a violin teacher. I've already got SWR for reading and Miquon for math, so I've got the basics and am spending K preparing ds to really dig into these when he's 6yo.:) It's just the rest that I'm obsessing over:lol: What am I missing??? (besides a few extra hours in the day:lol:) What are your experiences with these materials? How can I schedule all this in (with a 3yo and a 2yo tagging along for the ride) TIA

Hello! I am introducing myself before I begin posting away:) I am Paula, SAHM and HS mom to 3 (ages 5, 3, 2). I just found this message board, and have enjoyed reading the posts on curriculum choices. I am using...or preparing to use...Miquon Math and SWR. I have been debating whether or not to do a 4yr or 6yr rotation through history (glad I have another year before I HAVE to decide that one:lol:), and am looking at Apologia Science for elementary grades. For Kindy, we are just reading, playing outside, and *trying* to learn how to write our numbers and letters. We also do Kumon workbooks while the littles are napping. p.s. I'm glad I found a place where I'm not the only "planner" who dreams of curriculum in her sleep:blushing: