I would do reading practice and memory work daily = 30 min Then I would loop spelling, writing, and grammar, doing 2 of the 3 each day. = 60 min

I forgot to add friendly defenders when I posted before. I put a new card up each week and we role play it each morning during our circle time.

My children attend faith formation at church. At home we use classically Catholic memory, which includes scripture and catechism questions. We study bible history/church history/ saints along with history. I normally use connecting with history for that, but this year we are doing American history, which wasn't yet available via CWH. I like making music praying twice as a music and movement program for the preschool crowd. If you are able to find a Catechesis of the good shepherd program nearby for your youngers, I highly recommend it. I can't say enough good things about it.

For ods, continued loves are: Mbtp la (I will need more explicit teaching help soon, so I plan for this to be his last year with it) Bfsu New loves are: Mp astronomy Hoffman academy Bombed and kicked to the curb: Seton spelling For DD, loves: Shiller math IEW bible heroes For both, my homegrown history is rocking on...

On this board it generally means the analysis of an argument. It would mainly be logic and rhetoric. Out in the rest of America, I believe it is an empty buzzword frequently used by people who abhor "rote" learning. It sounds better than, "We're not teaching the kids anything because we believe they can always look up whatever they need."

I switched my DD to Shiller for this year. She did mm last year, but I had to make it hands on and spiral to make it palatable. That took a lot of time from me. Her short attention span and trouble focusing on things at arm's length made mm as is really difficult. She showered me with hugs and kisses after the first day of Shiller. She didn't want to stop when her time was up and asked on the weekend if she could do more math. The novelty will wear off, I'm sure, but she is really happy now. It's kind of tough because I have to be at her side for every. Single. Thing. for school. She is so cuddly and affectionate though, so I wouldn't want to miss it. Congrats on finding your happy spot. Feels good, huh?

If the grumbling is phrased as a question, I say that I will be happy to answer after the thing has been done. For example, "ugh, why do I have to clean my room right now?" Will be answered with, "I'll be happy to tell you when you've done it." Of course, he doesn't really want an answer. He just wants to make me listen to his complaining. Other questions, which might be legitimate if they didn't already know the answer get a different reply. "Ughhhhhh, why do I have to take a shower?" will get the reply, "I've told you the answer several times. If I need to tell you again, you can write it down so you don't forget." A plain complaint about something that simply must be done such as, " ugh, I hate this" stomp. Stomp. might get, "Thank you for sharing," delivered with a huge cheesy grin.

She probably knows what open and closed syllables are but doesn't know the label for the concept. I would just have her read and use a spelling program that covers phonics rules. Some options are all about spelling, reading lessons through literature, Spalding, spell to write and read, logic of English essentials...there are surely others I missed.

Did you sign up last year? If so, that's why you can't get in. I signed up last year, but I could never get the videos to work on my iPad. It looks like they have the videos sort of fixed, but now I can't have the trial. 👎ðŸ»

If they don't have it, you could also get the PDFs. I use the PDFs exclusively, but a lot of people buy the $5 PDF to see if they like it, then make a choice on hard copy. http://outskirtspress.com/webpage?isbn=9781478738695

I always like these threads. I get good ideas for myself to read. Ds is reading the second Shiloh book and has the third ready to go. He's also reading YWWT ...Inca, Aztec, Maya. DD is reading Mad About Madeline and the Complete Collection of Beatrix Potter. I'm reading Winter Fortress by Neil Bascomb. It's an account of the mission to sabotage a heavy water plant in Norway during Nazi Occupation. It's really good. I stay awake far too late reading it.

You could look at reading lessons through literature. I found the spell to read approach to be great for this situation. I use a different spell to read, but if rltl had been published I would have done that. Its method is based on Spalding, but it's all in one book for each grade (including the reader) and open and go. It would cover phonics/spelling, and handwriting.

I would let him quit. There are so many good books to read. Since this is the first book he hated, he's clearly not making it up in an attempt to get out of reading in general. In a class he would have to read it because that is the only way the teacher can discuss a book with all the students. It would be impossible to let every kid pick a different book. The schools simply can't customize. It's a benefit of homeschooling. You can choose curricula that engage him. You can choose books that engage him. There are plenty other areas in life and probably in your homeschool where he will need to suck it up and do something he doesn't like. There's no need to create additional situations to practice that.

Yes, that's correct. The top two levels only have 10 units rather than 12 like the others. I wouldn't personally choose these for literature only if you are already doing another writing. I agree with pp that it will be too much.

Rr does carry the colored version now. I think it is new this year.

I print at home, duplex in b/w with a laser printer. On the rare occasion that color is necessary I just color the critical item with a colored pencil. I pro click using a fun folder as a cover. If you want it to look more fun, you could also print with a b/w laser onto colored paper. That is still way cheaper than printing in color if you get a sizable stock of colored paper at a back to school sale.

Glad you got it worked out. And welcome to the Church and the forum. Hope your family has a great year!

Tanaqui, I appreciate all your help and insight, so I hope I don't come across as argumentative, but I also had the same issue as MistyMountain. The scissors that are $6.03 are righties. I looked quite a bit and couldn't find kiddie blunt tip sized except at special stores, which charged more than I was willing to pay for scissors for a 3 year old. I certainly would have preferred blunt for him! I will probably be willing to pay that when he is older and it is more important.

How about loe instead of spelling plus reading Sorry, I know you already had enough to consider...ducking.

FYI Right start recommends beginning level a at 5 yo or sooner; before the child starts to rely on counting. Loe recommends level a for pre-k or k. It is comparable to what most private preschools around here cover. Those are both game based, multi sensory curricula that should be relatively fun. I am fairly certain that the reason op's home doesn't look like a traditional preschool is due to youngers throwing wrenches into the plans. It is not due to an inappropriate selection of materials.

Was the chemistry program Ellen McHenry? Everyone says how great it is but those thumbprint people make me want to poke my eyes out. I decided to suck it up for the sake of my kid because it would be soooooo much fun. Guess what? He thought it was dumb!

I've only read the first two volumes of sotw in their entirety so I'm not sure on volume 3. Fwiw in volume 2 I didn't find anything that was hateful or an outright lie; it was more like I wanted to give a broader understanding. When I was trying to decide between CWH and sotw, I found this blog with notes and suggested supplements. Maybe it will help you out. Note that the column header says sotw 2, but that is a typo; it should say volume 3. http://www.sevenkids.net/files/story-of-the-world-iii-1.pdf

I've used the first 3 volumes of CWH, and this year I made my own American history using secular resources but adding some Saint biographies. I don't think you will run into a lot of issues with a secular American history. Unfortunately, there isn't much available in that arena, which is why I had to make my own. Renaissance and reformation are where it will be important to do your homework on the Catholic perspective. The Protestant programs also seem to overlook a bunch of super important stuff that happened between the fall of Rome and the reformation. I expect that we'll use sotw4 for younger and Light to the Nations for the older for modern history. For this year, I think you should get volume 3 of CWH (syllabus only) to see where issues might arise, then just start wherever you left off last year and move into American history from there. That eliminates the repeating issue and allows you to get to early American history this year, leaving modern world history for next year. The Betsy maestro books are forming the spine of my early American plans this year. Check those out. The only problem I've found in there is page 8 of Exploration and Conquest where she says the priests forced the natives to convert. I'm using the True Book Spanish Mission book to give some perspective to that statement. The Footsteps of the saints series for grammar stage kids are good to purchase, as are the vision series for logic stage kids. You could probably use the sotw ag for activity ideas if you feel like you need that, but the internet is brimming with American history activities. Btw, adoremus books is running a sale. They carry the vision series Saint biographies.

Yikes, ChC charges so darn much for shipping and they don't sell it anywhere else that I know of. How is the seton book bound?

They are similarly priced at Walmart. I've seen them in several other mainstream b&m stores as well.