Same here. Before the workbox system, we were struggling to get the basics done. We are doing much better now!! We were using a file folder system but I just bought these to use instead for more room. It is going even better than using the file folders. We are getting so much accomplished even art, fun lapbooks, and craft projects!!

I haven't updated in the last two weeks but my oldest is just a year older than your 11 yr old. He just turned 12 last month.

Us born. :)

We believe in an old earth Christian perspective, and we love Apologia. We are finishing Astronomy right now and it is definitely from a young earth perspective. Since I read the book to my children, I just left out the parts I didn't want to teach. It worked out fine. There was one point where I didn't catch something I would have left out, but we discussed it and it wasn't a big deal at all. I have heard that young earth is mentioned more in the Astronomy book than the others, but I haven't looked through them enough to know for sure.

This is what I did this past summer. I didn't do *everything* though and now wish I had. I will do it all this next summer. It just makes things so much easier with everything printed and prepared in the binders. I organized any needed crafts materials (glue, crayons, etc) for the week on Sunday night. Beyond getting the binders organized, we follow the *do the next lesson* method with all of our subjects.

We use Saxon and Math Mammoth. I LOVE MM!! I would probably use it independently with my k'ner if I didn't have Saxon math already. If you sign up for the MM newsletter, you'll get a link to download a sample of worksheets from each series and grade.

I agree. It's also important for children to learn how to work and learn well with others, and not get stuck on being so independent in their studies that they isolate themselves from everyone else. Me too!! I LOVE science and history!!

I found that my 12 yr old works better on his own. He would be very independent if we didn't do history and science together, although next year he will have his own science program. He comes to me when it's time for English (a struggle right now). We use R&S so we go over the whole lesson completely and then I sent him on his way to complete the work. I grade all of his previous day's work first thing in the morning with him so we can discuss it and then we talk briefly about the current day's work. The off he goes to the school room until it's time for lunch. We meet again for history and science, and then he finishes up his lessons. He knows he can come to me if he has questions or problems, and I peek in on him from time to time. He has his own copy of his lesson plans so he can keep track of his progress. I also have a copy to double check as I grade his work. His work has improved and he is retaining more since I started allowing him to be more independent. I still keep a close eye on him and do occasionally have to guide him back to his work (he is after all a 12 yr old boy full of energy!! :D), but he is doing well with the independence.

My plans are to just use what books are available from my local library as others have suggested. I might check out some of the websites for printables, but that will probably be about it. Btw, I will have one 1st grader and one pre-ker.

This is what we do for science and my boys LOVE it!! I tried with history and it wasn't working out for some reason. I don't know if its me and I'm just more excited/motivated with science (which would be weird since I am much more of a history person) or maybe our spine (MOH) just isn't motivating me. We're going solely with SOTW because my boys like it a lot better than MOH. I'm hoping I can find something exciting so they will have a really cool history notebook to match their science notebook. I have this!!! I forgot all about it!! Thanks!! I'm thinking we're going to add this to the SOTW activity guide and Homeschool Share's lapbooks. Thanks! Is there not a Middle Ages book? I have one or two of the American History books. Thank you Melanie! I had forgotten about this resource as well. I LOVE the HO materials, but unfortunately not in our budget. Thank you for all the ideas and links, ladies!! :001_smile:

Does anyone know of a lapbook or notebooking pages specifically or closely matches SOTW? Thanks!

This is what we're using. We started the book a few nights ago. Daddy reads a chapter a night and then in the morning we do the lapbook chapter that goes along with the chapter we read the night before. My boys are loving the story too!!

We love Saxon! My oldest is very independent and thriving. He was struggling with fractions for quite a while so I added Math Mammoth blue book Fractions 1, and he has done very well with it. I do agree with Karin, though. I am currently looking for something like CWP.

It looks like we may need to wait just a bit longer before starting this series. Thank you ladies!!

We use and love Explode the Code. I didn't even know there was a Beyond the Code until I saw it mentioned on here. What do they cover? And if my k'ner is almost finished with ETC book 2, should I get book 2 or 3 of BTC or do I still start with book 1? Thank you!

I started my 6th grader who had very little grammar (ps) in 5. It is a challenge for him but 4 seemed too easy for him.

:iagree: AAS and ETC. Also check your library for SOTW. Mine has 1 and I bet if I ask nicely, they will order the others too!! :)

What do you do? I love Saxon 54 and up. I can't stand Saxon K-3.....boooooooring!!! My k'ner likes Saxon 1, but I just can't get into it. So what do you do? How do you make sure your kids are ready for 54? And what grade do you start 54? Thank you!!

So funny. I was coming to the board to post the exact same question. :D My k'ner LOVES Saxon math. I love it for my oldest son, but *I* am SOOO bored with Math 1!!! I have to admit, we're playing math games and doing some cheap fun workbooks more than we're doing Saxon. I realize we'll never move forward if we don't do the lessons, but its hard for me to sit down with it!! I've looked into switching to Singapore or Math Mammoth, but I really think I just need to buckle down and DO the work. I think we're going to do 2-3 lessons a day too. At least until we get to something he needs to work on more.

Ours is up!! :001_smile:

My k'ner was in a similar place as yours. We use Ordinary Parents Guide to Reading. We skipped the lessons on letter sounds and moved right into cvc words. Started him with ETC primers and moved quickly through them for letter writing practice. BOB books. Saxon Math 1. Handwriting is just pages I make and print off for him to go along with the words he is learning in OPGTR. Also I print sentences from the BOB books for him to copy. He enjoys this. We do science and history with his older brother. If he were my oldest, I probably wouldn't have purchased these books. However he really enjoys both science and history, and is retaining so much!! We are using Apologia Astronomy and Mystery of History 1. We also have FLL that I plan on starting soon.

I found several things I need from CBD on sale (30%)!! Just wanted to see if there were any current free shipping coupons? Thanks!

Thank you for your replies. I had decided earlier that I would insist my boys do both this year since we have never done it before. However I don't know if I would force them to every year if they really aren't interested.

Besides a bible study and handwriting, I have it all planned and have already started purchasing some things. We are sticking with Saxon math, R&S English (for oldest), FLL (for 2nd child), Apologia science, OPG, ETC, WW, and MOH/SOTW. :D

We are usually finished by 3pm, but there have been days when we didn't put the books away until 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11pm. It depends. Usually a late night school time means someone dilly-dallied all day and didn't get the work done earlier in the day.