We are using ROAR as well, going through the Narnia series this year as our read alouds. ROAR is not a reading comprehension program, though. It has a two-page spread per chapter which highlights some discussion topics and Biblical correlations. It also has fun activities (Turkish Delight recipe, plant your own Narnia tree, etc) and the essays mentioned above.

Also, many people use AAS as a reading program as well, so it would definitely help with reading skills.

I HIGHLY recommend All About Spelling. You can read lots of reviews on this board or on others, but other than the price there isn't any cons. My oldest was a struggling speller, and after trying several other options, AAS is finally working, and working well. She and I both enjoy it. It's also working well for my first grader who doesn't struggle with spelling.

I'd love to hear how you like it! I'm thinking next year but maybe even as a change of pace for next semester.

Here's another fun one: http://countingcoconuts.blogspot.com/2011/01/diy-activity-board.html This blog has many other great ideas for that age.

Dickens, of course! A Christmas Carol would be perfect for December!

That may be the case. For me, it was easier to just set up one set and use it... the second set is collecting dust unopened. I'm going to gift it to a friend who is switching soon. On another note, I am very pleased with the results I'm seeing in these first few weeks. It's exciting that we are finally thoroughly learning how to spell and not just memorizing words.

If you have pattern blocks, this site has a large variety of free printables. I put these on DDs trays often. http://prekinders.com/pattern-blocks/

:iagree: Also, my kids enjoyed The Railway Children. It begins in London I believe, but then the family moves to the countryside.

And good point! I hadn't thought about that.

Thanks all! I think we're going to start doing 2 lessons a day, without the crafts, unless of course DD needs to slow down at any point. At four days a week, we should get through it in 10 weeks and be ready to start AAR 1 in January.

I bought two student packets but only ended up using one. I just put sticky tabs of two different colors on the cards to help remember which child is where. But my oldest is an excellent reader in third grade, so she's been moving through AAS 1 fast. If you are starting with an older child and a younger, I don't think it's worth it to have two separate student packages.

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

Thanks for the reply! Did you do all of the "My Book of Letters" assignments, some here and there, or skip altogether?

DD is almost ready to read, but not quite. We just bought AAR Pre-1, and I knew it would be a lot of review, but after looking through the materials I'm wondering how to implement it so we can get through it in a semester. Did anyone skip parts, combine upper/lowercase study, or move through the program quickly another way? DD is comfortable with letters and their sounds, but not rhyming, saying the words sssslllloooowwwlllyyy, and the other additional language exploration exercises in Pre-1.

Though we're focusing on Latin for now, I want to implement French sometime in the next few years. Like you, I'm not fluent by any means, but I did take 4 years in HS and 2 semesters in college. Here's another thread that might be helpful: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/showthread.php?t=426629 After researching a bit, I am leaning toward L'art de Lire (Nallenart French). It looks comprehensive, easy to use for parent and child, and enjoyable.

I also have a gifted reader/writer who is a horrible speller! Watching this video helped me to understand what SWB is going for in regards to dictation. She helps her son immediately with spelling questions. Also, as a side note, we just started from scratch with All About Spelling and I am already seeing exciting results.

I don't have any advice, except not to compare your house to someone else's... cleanliness is not close to godliness. Talk to DH and decide between you what is most important, and let that be your standard. I also know that my kids are not going to remember if our house was spotless. They want and need my time more than anything else.

Thanks again for all the advice. We shall see how it all pans out but I think we're starting to figure it out.

It does depend on the kid, but I would surmise that Level 1 and 2 will take anywhere from 3-9 months.

First Language Lessons 1 & 2 in combo book. It has 2 years worth of instruction. We've loved it so far!

We love HOD's Emerging Readers schedule. Here's the link: http://www.heartofdakota.com/emerging-reader.php Your library wouldn't likely have the Emerging Reader's Bible (and I'm not sure you want to use it) but most of the other titles are very popular. They flow very well from one to the next, and HOD schedules one "chapter" a day and basic comprehension questions. We sometimes went through them quicker, and also added a fun project at the end of each book (paper bag Owl puppet after Owl at Home, sherbert frog floats after Frog and Toad, etc). Keep in mind, though, that this is for structured read aloud time. I would also let DC check out other readers that interested them to read on their own.

I've read one or two people who took a year for Level 1, but it's honestly difficult to stretch it out that far. My DS is 6, reads at about a third grade level but hates to write, and has never done formal spelling or in depth phonics. We are already on Step 9 of 24 six weeks in. DD is 8 and was a very early reader, can memorize any spelling list after day 1 but struggles horribly with spelling in her own writing. She is not phonetic at all, and has already learned a whole lot from Level 1, but she is going through it almost 1 step per day (and we are using the tiles). I hope that gives you some idea of how long the program takes. I would budget for at least 2 levels for the first year, and look for them used.

My first year of K I was in a similar situation, and we ended up using Heart of Dakota Little Hearts For His Glory with all of their recommended resources. It worked really well for that time- structured, engaging, easy to use, quality learning, and not a huge financial investment. After a couple of years of having things planned out for me, I finally decided to branch out and do my own thing, which made K for my youngers a little different. But I am so, so thankful I started with HOD, because it made school fun and doable for DC and me.

My 3rd and 1st graders are learning states and capitals this year as well. Our Co-Op is doing a state study this year with lots of activities, but at home it's just a supplement so all we're doing is CC Cycle 3 memory work (basically just audio of states and capitals by region) and flashcards. They've got 20 down so far and we're only 6 weeks in. It's not the most thrilling for me, but they honestly are loving memorizing them.