I'm coming up empty on my searches for used SM books on our classifieds board (texts, HIGs etc) - is there anything cheaper than paying full price from their SM website? Amazon and ebay seem to be about the same? Is there another option I don't know about? :)

Thanks, this looks good! I got the CWP book along with my others because I bought a used set off the forums. I'm very glad I had it on hand so we could try it out, but I think going forward I'll look at the Process Skills book. If the skills taught/reinforced are the same, I definitely prefer some of the diagrams/solutions in that one!

AHHH! Yes!! Thank you, thank you!! That makes sense to me now. I knew it had to do with 2 numbers but I didn't draw 2 diagrams (the book only had one and then the dotted line to represent the more beyond the original number). I do MUCH better thinking algebraically, but with this being our first year with Singapore, I wanted to be sure he got to understand the "bar" method. So far he gets it, but he doesn't think it's useful. He'd much rather just use numbers than draw all those bars LOL ;)

We're 5 weeks into our SM 4a book and I know 2 things - 1. This math was made for my son's brain!! (YAY! :hurray: ) 2. This math was NOT made for my brain. (LOL :confused1: ) We've also been working through CWP 4 once a week as the topics line up fairly well but make us both THINK a little more than just the textbook + workbook combo. Today I hit my first real mental road block. I was trying to help him solve using the bar method (which I just learned but makes sense to me, mostly). It asked us to use the bar method to determine 2 numbers, given the sum and the difference. "I am thinking of 2 numbers. Their sum is 1544 and their difference is 152. What are the 2 numbers?" The way they set up the bars makes sense to me, but then they do these equations: 1544-152=1392 1392/2=696 696+152=848 SO - can anyone tell me where they get those first 2 equations from?? Why are they subtracting the difference from the sum and then dividing that by 2? Is it because there are 2 numbers? Seriously - I promise I did well on my AP Cal exam 20 years ago. :glare:

We did it when the kids were 8, 10, 11 and it was wonderful!! Definitely more challenging for my 2nd grader at the time but he was an older 2nd and rose to the challenge. I used the Jr journal for him. I might wait a year in your shoes.

From what I can tell, they are revising their math all the way up to be like Sunrise math. Dd1 is loving CLE and asked to continue but I wasn't sure if the upper level math books were thorough enough or similar at all to the Sunrise we've so enjoyed. My other thought was to go with Lial's Algebra via 'Jann in TX' classes for 9th (next year).

Ok thanks! That was my thought when I saw it online but we did enjoy the Usborne Medieval book last year and it had a similar layout. I'm not really needing a spine per se but I probably need more depth than the atlas. Wish I could get both!! Lol I need to deal with my reference material addiction!!! ;)

If I'm using Standards edition, will the IP correlate? Do you use it behind for reinforcement or on track like the workbook? Wondering how they would make place value more challenging or if it even needs to be? I don't want to frustrate him but I do want to get the most from this program. He is a natural 'math thinker' - I am not!! ;)

I was about to recommend Lightning Lit also! We're starting 7 (with our 8th grader) and I think it's a very gentle introduction into literary analysis.

Yeah, I wondered about that, but I wanted to be sure I wasn't missing anything because it's our first foray into SM. ;) I didn't get the IP because I didn't think he needed more reinforcement of the same topics that the workbook provides - or are they different in some way. Maybe I'll get the level 3 CWP and start those. He's typically the kind of student that once he has it, he just wants to move on. I think I'll skip ahead in my HIG and see where the new material picks up - I was a little paranoid because this is such a new style of math that we would somehow miss something foundational doing that.

So my order is backordered for the Kingfisher Encyclopedia, and in the meantime I've come across the Kingfisher Atlas of World History - now I'm wondering which is better for our needs. Has anyone seen both or used both for different things? I plan to use it to provide some addiitonal reading/depth of study to our SOTW history lessons this year (for my middle schoolers). I also have the National Geo Altas of World History, but the text in that seems more like an upper level (maybe even high school) reading level. I thought I could have my 4th grader use it next year too, but hI don't feel he would benefit from the Nat Geo one yet - hence the idea of a more readable history supplement for my younger 2. Thoughts?

Today is day 2 of SM 4A. It's a new curriculum to us - we have done Abeka up until this point with my DS and he had no trouble with it but found it beyond boring. I'm using the textbook, workbook, and HIG (for discussion) in addition to Abeka 4 speed drills (our comfort zone ;) ). We're done with math in around 20 - 30 minutes and it seems very, very easy. I recall Abeka 4 being a massive chore for my olders - they were fine with the work (not struggling with math) but it took forever because it was SO heavy on the repetition. I just want to be sure I'm not "missing" something with this. He is loving it - of course! ;) I do have the CWP but I got 4 (it was a used set) and they seem too difficult so I thought I'd introduce those in the second semester when we move on to 4B. I realize it's early days and much of this is probably review, but I've heard so much about how quickly SM moves, and honestly after spending 2 entire days on place value (not a new concept for us), I'm bored already! ;) Are we doing it wrong? LOL Will it ramp up soon?

I third this! 2 years on and going strong. We LOVE it!

Have you looked at Notgrass? Also I believe 'Drive Through History' offers a DVD set with lesson plans etc. Both of these are not secular but I'm not sure how religious because I don't own either of them (just researched). :)

Those were the first ones I looked at! I love the idea of them - are they comfy? My only concern was no back support but then, they are sitting upright, not lounging LOL What ages are your students?

That's funny! We have that in my DDs room in bubblegum pink!

We just converted our unused dining space into a school room and I'm trying to decide what to do for desk chairs. We will have a 4' round table in the space and it will double as additional seating whenever we have families over for a meal etc. I'm trying not to spend the earth on chairs but I also don't want anything wildly uncomfy since the kids all do like to work together in the same space. We've been schooling at our kitchen table for 2 years and using the chairs in there - which are nothing fancy, but wooden with a rush seat. Any votes for a specific style or brand? I'm currently day-dreaming about some from IKEA but they are a 5 hour drive away from me LOL ;) I would love them to be red since we have other red accents in the space, but it's not a requirement. I'll be purchasing 4 chairs to start. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S79842531/

CLE - check the topics because they cover prealgebra in both the 700 and 800 series. I've just moved my DD from 7/6 (she was on lesson 30) to Saxon 600 for 6th grade but if your child is finished with 7/6 I think 700 would be better.

Thanks everyone! I guess I was hoping a magical list was out there somewhere lol I'll be printing out the Jerry's list and going from there. I know it's easier to just purchase directly from them, but I sure can't turn down free or heavily discounted supplies ;)

Our kids used to love it! Years ago when it was a free download and we weren't even homeschooling yet, the kids played it all the time! Fun stuff :)

Are the black Ticonderoga pencils different somehow from the yellow ones? I've always wondered!

I have Staples rewards and would prefer to get my art supplies there or even at Hobby Lobby with a 40% coupon, but I can't seem to find a master list for supplies that I can take with me to go shopping. Any blogs or websites that might make this simpler? I have level 3 and level 4 - so anyone who knows which products are overlapping, that would also be helpful. I'm buying for 3 kids, I assume I'll need duplicate brushes etc but I think I'll get by with just one set of pastels and paints etc (not needing supplies x 3 necessarily).

If you've never used MM, I do think the "try it out" idea is a good one. It's quite a different style of math from CLE (from my understanding). I have a younger starting Singapore Math next month and my older 2 are using CLE - I love love CLE. I'm using SP because I think it will more closely fit the learning style of my DS but I know that *I* like CLE ;) If you determine you really need to go with CLE, you could order just half the year now and half later when she's ready for it. I think ordering half the program would only be around $16 (if you already have the teacher guides from your previous kiddos).

I'll help you out and tell you our least favorite? We tried an Explorer's Bible Study last year and found it to be very dry, WAY overkill for 7th grade. My DD says she learned a lot, but it really broke both of us by second quarter. I didn't care for it at all. This year I've ordered "Wise Up" by Positive Action for Christ. So far, I really like the look of it - time will tell how it works for both of us! Praying it's a better fit than last year's study!

This makes me feel better! I was feeling like our day was dragging last year when my 7th grader worked from 9 - 4ish with a 45min break for lunch and often had corrections, reading, piano, dance etc in the afternoons. Looks like our 6-7 hour day is right on target. I'd always heard to guesstimate around an hour per grade level - it has worked like that here, with the exception of my 3rd grader last year who could zip through his work in 2 hours or draw it out for 5 - depending on his mood. ;) LOL