BJU, MFW, HOD

We also did one subsection per day for three days per week, and activities on Friday. I added in maps, coloring pages, etc. when we were reading about them. You could consider cutting the stories/lit sections (like about Sinbad) and just having your child read their own literature in their reading time. I wouldn't be able to split history and science half and half. We've always needed a little more time for history. If you want 36 weeks for your school year, maybe more like two weeks for history, one for science would help get it all in. This year we are doing MFW RTR, and they squeeze SOTW 2 into 21 weeks with activities and supplemental readings scheduled. It's really tough. They cut lots of maps, some subsections, and some days and read up to 5 subsections. I can't imagine doing it in 18 weeks unless you cut a lot of activities and work requirements and only read a lot.

I don't have W&R book 3. But I don't think you should skip. I think it's good to go in order. They will build in difficulty, and you could even challenge him further in levels 2-3 yourself, by making him add more dialogue, for example, or practice the skills across the curriculum, as you are already doing. I do the same. I think W&R2-3 will prepare him fine for WWS in 6th grade, especially if he's gifted. Somewhere on this site, SWB recommends CAP W&R as an alternative in-between, and in preparation for, WWS, and I don't think it's the later levels, so levels 2-3 should be perfect.

I think Simply Charlotte Mason recommends Right Start Math or Math U See. We use MUS and I really like it. I still spend 10-15 minutes with each child per day, however. Even with my oldest in the Zeta level, I will still spend some time with him almost daily to make sure that he can teach back the material and that he understands it. Even with the teacher DVDs, I still watch the lesson with him. But, it's only 1 or 2 lessons per week. The rest is review time, which I farm much of the drill out to xtramath.org or iPad apps. You could continue using some of your RS games, but still get the conceptual instruction with manipulatives with MUS, without taking so much teacher time. However, if you're really happy with RS, you may regret switching to anything else, no matter what it is. You will have to decide as a teacher what resources you most want to use, and how much time you're willing to give to them. If you want to stay with RS, you may have to choose a more independent spelling instead of, say, AAS, for example.

Yes, I think that will be enough. :)

My Father's World Exploring Countries and Cultures (for 2nd -8th graders) Galloping the Globe Confessions of a Homeschooler blog has a curriculum for the USA (Roadtrip USA) and for the world. There are a couple of mapping resources that might not be a main curriculum but more of a meaty add-on. Mapping the World with Art by Ellen McHenry may be more for older kids, but it could also be an overview of world history if you wanted. Brookdale House has a simpler one for younger kids for learning to draw the maps and memorize states and countries. If you wait a bit, she usually has sales twice a year for up to 40% off her .pdfs. Memoria Press has some geography courses, but I think they start in 4th grade.

I think in general Singapore 3A and B would be similar to ABeka 3. They do approach it in quite different ways IMO. I use ABeka math for K5. I like it, but I like MUS better. Now that I understand from ABeka how important it is to continually drill, I make sure to add that in to how I teach MUS. But I like how MUS explains and shows with the manipulatives what is happening. My kids' understanding of place value is rock solid with MUS. With ABeka, you explain a lot with flashcards. Flashcards with arrows pointing to a digit to show place value, flashcards with domino dots to illustrate addition, lots of flashcards and speed tests. I think that's the difference people are thinking of when they contrast conceptual with procedural. I really liked ABeka for their wonderful scripted, open-and-go teacher's manual, colorful workbook, and spiral and thorough scope and sequence.

I just started my first 5th grader two weeks ago. This is what we're using right now: Math: MUS Zeta and LOF Decimals and Percents English: R&S 5 Grammar (only, no writing) and Spelling, CW Homer A and Poetry for Beginners A, English from the Roots Up (Latin roots, scheduled with MFW), my reading list based on TWTM and MFW Logic: CTC workbook and The Great Chocolate Caper. If he does well with these, we may start Fallacy Detective. He's a bit young for logic yet. outside lessons in instruments and art modern African tribal language everything else: MFW Rome to the Reformation He's learning typing as well. We're using typingclub.com I'm excited about this year. My biggest worries are how to fit everything in now that I'm teaching four kids. :)

I have it, but it looked boring to me--lots of similar state info pages, with not much history. Perhaps it would be nice if you added a few Yesterday's Classics type American history readers with it. I preferred (and used) MFW's Adventures in American History. Roadtrip kind of based her curriculum off of MFW's, but MFW is kind of expensive if you only want the history portion with the notebooking pages.

I have copywork WWE style, not history memory sentences, but my own copywork to do for WWE2 and SOTW2. Here it is, just in case you are also using WWE2. And here is a free timeline song someone else made to correlate the 4-year history with CC, if you want it. you could make your own copywork for free online.

I would love to use that study guide! Where can I find it? Thanks for mentioning that! As far as grammar, I feel much more confident about grammar than writing. :)

I would not put MUS aside right now. I'd put BA aside for now and work on one program at a time. That is what has worked for us with MUS. Finish Zeta level, so you've basically covered all of your basic elementary math concepts thoroughly. Then go back and work on BA at his own pace. If he's struggling in MUS Zeta or BA 3A right now in 6th grade, he may need more time before trying AOPS. I'd try to get him through all of MUS Alpha through Zeta, then MUS Pre-A or all the levels of BA or both, before starting AOPS pre-A next year. I am not planning on doing all the levels of BA before pre-A, though I wish we had tons of money, because then I'd do it! We will finish MUS Zeta, then do LOF Decimals and Percents, then MUS pre-A, and then I'm not sure, maybe AOPS pre-A.

Anyone? :lurk5:

I forgot to mention that we also did BA 3A, like you. I haven't chosen to go on with the series because it was pricey, mainly, but also because I felt it wouldn't work as a main math for us, so it was really too much money to buy as just supplementation. My son loved the graphic novel format of the textbook and the instruction, but he wasn't a great reader, so I had to sit with him and go slowly through it. Kind of the same thing with the workbook. I had to review ones he didn't read well, and often he made mistakes because of impatience with the more difficult problems, or simple lack of mental maturity to work through some of the difficult problems. He might do better with it now, but it's over $100 to buy a complete level with workbooks, so... wow.

So far for Alpha through Delta, I've supplemented with SM1-4. I don't have SM levels 5-6. I don't remember which version. I think it's the version MFW uses, because I bought levels 2-4 used off of a MFW FB sale group, and got the little MFW teacher guides with them. I don't have HIGs for levels 2-4. We just read through the textbook and do a lot of the work orally. If they need more practice, I pick a few pages for them to do in the workbook. I only have challenging problems for level 3. So far SM has been a breeze after finishing MUS's corresponding level, (except for the occasional division topic covered in 1st grade in SM, lol!) After Epsilon, since I didn't have SM, I used LOF Fractions. My son just went straight through it, almost indepedently. I'd check his work and explain some things if he didn't understand. He liked it. I have LOF Decimals and Percents here for him to do after Zeta. Then I have MUS Pre-A, and after that level, I'm not sure what we'll do. Thinking to do MUS as an intro to topics, and then use Foerster's math as our main high school text. Yes, it would. I have the supplement series on PDF, I think it's called the Blue series, bought from homeschool buyers' co-op. I believe I bought it for $50, which is a great price for supplementing all of grades 1-6. It's a bit overwhelming to me, so I haven't used much of it. But I did use it for clocks, since MUS doesn't review very much with clocks.

Thanks! It does look like I'd have to buy the TM. Do you think I need it? and do you think I'd need the TM for both pre-level and level 1 on the same topic? or get by with one. I'm not sure if I need the TM in order to do any experiments or something.

Do you think just doing two levels in a year would be good enough for a 5th grader? Perhaps I'd have to have him read the MFW text as well for enough?

Someone gave me several RS4K books, and I have several questions about it. It looks secular, is that correct? If I want to do a pre-level with level 1 (for say, 5th and 2nd graders), could they mesh pretty well? Or does the older study his level on his own while I work with the youngers? Do the topics match up? Do I need a teacher's manual for both pre-level and level 1 in the same topic? What grades is the pre-level for? What do you like or not like about it? I was given... Physics: pre-level1 book and 2 prelevel1 lab workbooks Chemistry: level 1 TM, student book, and lab workbook + 2 pre-level1 lab workbooks Astronomy: level 1 TM, student book, and 2 lab workbooks Biology: level 1 book and 2 level 1 lab workbooks I am considering using the physics and chemistry in place of MFW's science for their 1850MOD year, which covers physics and chemistry. It would be with a fifth grader and two second graders. I'm not sure right now what I'd do with the astronomy and biology.

Someone gave me FLL3, but I don't have the workbook. I already have R&S 3 and have done it with my oldest and was just about to start it with my second ds. R&S 3 was a bit hard for the oldest when we started, and kinda boring, but it was thorough and cheap. I use FLL1&2 for the younger grades. So I'm wondering if FLL3 is so much better than R&S3 that I should pay for the workbook and switch to FLL3. I'm also using CW Aesop A with my third grader this year, which I believe also has some grammar coverage in there. So for that reason I wondered if FLL3 would be better, because maybe it would be easier to pare down. But that's at least $18 extra for the student workbook pdf. Is it worth it?

I also like MUS and use it as our main program. I would definitely say, don't work to supplement as you're going through a level unless your child needs extra time on a lesson. I use SM or LOF as a review after we've finished a level. So far, the fact that they haven't learned, say fractions from Epsilon, hasn't been a problem with reviewing with SM at all. However, your thought of waiting till after zeta might be good. I've always heard MUS's pre-a is a review of alpha through zeta, so maybe you could just do that and then move on to adding in other programs. At first when I read your final suggestion, I didn't like it though, because then I thought there wouldn't be much to do with supplementation or add on. The first four levels at least of most other math programs would be way too easy after finishing zeta, so I wonder what you'd be supplementing with or adding to. Once you've finished zeta, it's supposedly complete. I like having a review after the immediate level, and buying more time before we rush into another level best so far. My oldest son (about to start 5th grade) is in zeta now, and my almost-third grader is in gamma.

I can't remember whether I read on this thread or somewhere else recently, someone said if you decide to graduate your child a year early, then you count the 8th grade as the 9th grade year on the transcript. In that case, my question above, though poorly worded, sounds like it could still be a potential in some cases? Say if my son graduated a year early, then even if he didn't take math in his last year, his math for grades 8-10 would have counted as 3 credits on his high school transcript, correct? Wow! Both of you, your kids sound amazing! Great job. Congratulations! I hope I can do such a good service to my children as well. Now I feel like a complete loser! I didn't even know there existed so many upper level math courses! :crying: I do plan on sending my kids to college, equipping them as well as I can, and strengthening them in both their weaknesses and strengths. I agree, I don't think the ultimate goal of education is simply to get whatever he needs on a transcript in order to go to college and get a job. I want him to be a wholly educated person, inside and out, to love learning, to love God, and not to "waste his life." I thought if a person had x amount of credits in math, even if taken before high school, that perhaps they could pursue other interests with their time for maybe 11th or at least 12th grade, but I am getting a resounding NO on that! lol. Thanks, everyone. This has been helpful. Lisabees, I'm assuming you never went that far in math yourself. Did your son have other tutors, or take online courses for those upper-level math courses?

In one sense, it would be very easy to speed up parts and add Rome at the end. Yes, there are some weeks with straight Bible, no Streams or SOTW readings scheduled. In another sense, it wouldn't be easy IF you want to keep your Bible [history] and history timeline learning together. If you speed up to fit in Rome, I think your history would have to get ahead of your Bible. Another option would be to do what MOH does, which is to basically get to Christ, but I don't know if they get to the resurrection, or just His birth. So they stop kind of in the middle of a Rome unit. I felt that TOG rushes their first two years of history, as they get through the American Revolution in the last unit of the second year, and spend the last two years of their curriculum from 1800 on. I didn't like that. It does make sense to me why MFW only goes through Greece, because they're trying to keep it with the Bible. But then I feel their RTR year is really rushed, because they spend 13 weeks on Rome, and then shove all of SOTW2 into about 26 weeks. (SOTW2 is my favorite time in history!) So, I think every history curriculum has to decide where to rush and where to spread out their time. I remember feeling this way when I followed BP's year 1 plan with my oldest in first grade. The Bible was SO rushed, and the SOTW readings were all jumbled up, with several readings on some weeks, and few on others. Eventually, I just did SOTW1 in order, 3 readings per week, and read a children's Bible in order, one reading per day, and I didn't worry about them going together. Personally, I didn't care for Streams or Journey. Other people rave about both. I love SOTW and used that mainly, but I also read Streams and Journey. I didn't have Ancient World. Sometimes I found similar topics and read from Kingfisher Ancient for those readings, and I found the book Ancient Egypt to be a total drag. If you chose to use Science in the Beginning, you could skip the little 3-week unit on science in ancient Egypt, and just go straight through SITB, which MFW's schedule could help for the most part. For the weeks you're supposed to do science in ancient Egypt, you could just not do science and add more history in. You could do that in many places, but then you'd have two tabs in your TM--one for Bible and one for history. And of course, the TM would only cover through Greece. So you'd be paying about $50 for a used manual for 3/4 of your year, and you would be changing a lot. However, the Bible would be very thorough, so thorough that you could "count" it as part of your history, in which case, I think it would be a lot to do all of that history and Bible. Perhaps if you only went through Julius Caesar in SOTW1 and stopped and finished Rome with ACW the following year. I have thought a lot about it, since I was unhappy with the pacing of RTR the following year. In the end, rather than rushing the history and losing the Bible/history integration, I chose to rush my science curriculum during those purely Bible or just light weeks of MFW CTG. That way I could get about 5-6 weeks ahead in science in RTR, which would allow me to not do science on the really full history weeks in RTR. I bought TOG 1-2 really cheap this year--the printed version. So I wonder about the next time around, what I'll do, because I am already pretty sure that I don't want to fly all the way through the American Revolution in the first two years of history. So IF I did TOG, I'd probably want to slow down the pacing so that the first 7 units took the time of 8, and the final 9 were in the space of 7 units. Crazy, right? So many great curricula, and yet, they're still not perfect for ME. :lol: But I did like MFW's Bible, science, vocab!, read-alouds (they help with discussion in The Children's Homer), and music! And I didn't dislike the history; there were just some negatives that I keep thinking about. So it depends what you want most. If you're going to tweak that much and it'll bother you to be skipping some things in the TM, then maybe you'd better go with your own plan. But if you can be happy just checking off boxes and activities as they get done, not really worrying about whether the Bible and history is integrated, then MFW might be helpful for you. If you would like help planning when to do activities and have some notebook pages all ready for you (although some of them weren't that great-looking, and you still have to find some on your own), it might be helpful. A lot of activities were connected to Bible: plagues, making a Tabernacle, manna, measuring the ark, and most notably, celebrating the Biblical feasts. You could do all of that on your own, but I wouldn't have. However, I also wouldn't spend $50 for, essentially, a really great Bible curriculum for one year. It would have to add enough in other subjects to make it worth it to me. :) I'd be happy to answer more questions if you like.

I haven't seriously thought much about this or researched, since we're just entering the logic stage, but I have been getting emails from a company called Lumerit, and wondered... I thought some year, I'd get around to asking the forums if anyone's used them. It sounds similar to Unbound. But yes! That's what I was hinting at when I mentioned an out of the box option. World magazine has been urging readers for a while to think in other ways about university and higher education. They're concerned about the debt racked up students, and observed that trade schools might be a good idea for some kids, as well as a trend in distance learning for college.

Wow, your answers were very helpful, and I really appreciate your taking the time to type all of that out, as well as your kind tone in the statements above and validation of the idea of "slowing down" or "delaying" in certain situations, as well as your explanations of different ways I could do that well. The breakdown of credit expectations was helpful as well. Yes, we are also thinking about the "tent-making" route, so that's another reason I have encouraged him to get a bachelor's degree in something more "useful," and then going on to seminary for direct theological training. We'll see! For now, I think I will continue to circle around with different curricula on the same topics before speeding ahead with MUS.

Really? 9 is WAYYYY too early? I've been very clear that he is on a trajectory to start high school level math (algebra 1) before he turns 11. And if I hadn't "slowed him down proactively" to this point, he may well have reached that point by now or this year. How is this way too early to start finding out how one records high school level subjects, or how that would affect high school level math requirements? You guys keep using words like "worry" or "slow down." If you don't like the words "slow down," then I'll use the words "go deeper," which you or someone up thread used. That's what I've been doing. Going deeper. Especially since MUS is frowned upon, I'd think I'd be given thumbs up for "going deeper." I'm not that worried about it, but I do want to think about how to channel this child, since I don't let him dictate his own homeschooling. Thank you for answering my question. You mention "all similar questions." I suppose you mean that the same answer goes for say, science, literature, history, foreign language--whether or not the child needs to take four years in high school of that subject depends on the college? If that is so, then I feel justified in taking into account the type of college to which we expect to apply... and in what degree. And I am enlightened: I was under the same impression that high schoolers weren't required to take 4 years of science, etc. Thanks for your tips.