http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112490&highlight=finger+knitting Here's a post that is similar to what you are asking about. Hope this helps, Katie

Hi, We are doing to year 2 rotation of history. I want to do science in a chronological/science discovery way along with history. I have found Janice VanCleave's Science Through the Ages. It looks pretty good, but I wanted maybe a little more? Has anyone used this and what did you think? Anyone know of other experiment books that would cover that time period or at least chronological? I have 3 girls, 6th, 4th, and 1st. I want to gear it more towards the older two. Thanks, Katie

Have you tried changing his diet? No more sugar. I would cut out other things too, but in baby steps. This is a great site for health problems. It has helped me greatly. www.knowthecause.com Blessings, Katie

I am planning to read from these books. I will throw in the scientists as we reach them in our history studies. These are all free online books. http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=fabre&book=science&story=_contents http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=fabre&book=everyday&story=_contents http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=long&book=secrets&story=_contents http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=long&book=ways&story=_contents You may already know about these. I am going to have them do oral/written narrations, drawings and notes in a nature journal, experiments, etc... It's going to be a mostly free science year for us. Hope this helps, Katie

Thank you Heather and Beth! Do either of you think the CW teacher manual is necessary? Or should I only get the tm and not the student text? $ is tight. Does the tm have the same pages as the student but notes for teacher included? Thanks, Katie

Off topic, Razorbackmama, are you from Arkansas? We moved from Rogers to NW Kansas a year ago. I see you are in Colorado. Katie

I have the core books for Classical Writing Aesop and Homer. I am trying to start reading Homer. Sometimes it makes my head spin. Do you think that Write with the Best does the same thing, but is simpler to use? I like that it is all in one volume, no teacher's or student's guides to buy too. I also don't want to use the grammar part of CW, because we use R&S. Any thoughts or comparisons would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much, Katie

You could make some out of cardstock strips cut the same size and color. Draw in the lines, just like the blocks. Katie

bump Thanks

I'm not sure if this is what you are looking for... http://www.mainlesson.com/displayauthor.php?author=keysor but ran across these a few months ago and thought they were great. Katie

Have you looked at Mara Pratt's history series on mainlesson.com? These are great and free. Here's the link: http://www.mainlesson.com/displayauthor.php?author=pratt Katie

I was wondering if anyone has used the great science books on www.mainlesson.com for their science lessons? I am maybe wanting to try this this year and have them do oral/written narrations, drawings, and experiements to go along. Would also like to coordinate them to the time of year/ or weather. If you did do this, did you find that it was very planning intensive? Thanks, Katie

I am going to use the Guerber books Middle Ages and Ren. and Ref. this year as our spines. I used to do history 3 days/week. But I really like these books and want to get through them both in one year. I have divided the number of chapters into 32 weeks. We are going to read 8 chapters/week, so we'll do 2 per day M-Th. I have picked out books to have them read to themselves and some read alouds too. Things like: Otto of the silver hand The door in the wall Adam of the Road Castle-McCaulay Fine Print some of Diane Stanley's bio's - Good Queen Bess, Leonardo, Michelangelo I like the CM/Ambleside way of stretching out books over a longer time so they spend a longer time thinking about the setting and characters. I hope this works for us. We'll see. I would love to see mcconnellboys book list too! Thanks, Katie

I am having the same issue. I am looking at Christian Kids explore... series, but I am not sure this is what I want to do. I am considering reading science stories from books on www.mainlesson.com. I might then have them draw a diagram or picture, or do oral or written narration, or do a simple experiment. Have them keep a notebook WTM style. I am worried that it could require too much planning for me too. I may try it for a week, since we don't start school until the end of August, and see how it goes. I want to somewhat coordinate it with the weather outside too. I am like you, I want something simple. I don't want science to be skipped because I didn't plan a lesson. I had hoped my idea above might be very open and go, except some planning for experiments. I too, like the idea of using the handbook of nature study and hands-on things. I know I haven't helped much... just throwing ideas out there. I was planning on asking on the board if anyone has used books from mainlesson.com for science. Katie

We moved and my really large one won't fit in our new school room. So, I used a poster frame with glass (you can use plexiglass too.) I put matte board with 2 sheets of scrapbook paper behind it. I use the blocks of color to make notes for my two older daughters. Here's a picture, Katie

*We love Guerber's The Story of the Thirteen Colonies and The Story of the Great Republic. *I agree with the post above about Mara Pratt's books. They are great. *I also really love Genevieve Foster's books. There is Columbus and his sons, World of William Penn, George Washington and his sons, an Abraham Lincoln book too. They are story format and very interesting. These also tell what was going on in the world at the time of each person's story. Katie

We had a 83 or so year old man at our church that was taught to knit by his grandmother. She said that busy hands keep little boys out of trouble. He is legally blind now. He made hats for all the children in our church. Finger knitting is okay for boys too. Katie

My kiddos love Singapore's Rainbow Rock and Vroot and Vroom. We don't use Singapore, but these games are great! Katie

Dixie, I am looking at Uncle Josh's blackline maps and Knowledge Quest. I am thinking I may have them draw a nice map of the regions we'll be covering (year 2 of WTM history.) I found this book http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/Kingfisher+Atlas+of+the+Medieval+World/038257/1246981783-1115695 and thought it might be good for them to look at to draw the maps. I don't think they should need too many throughout the year. They would make fun art projects. Katie

I am going to use the H. Guerber books as mine spine this year with my 4th and 6th grade dds. I am also going to mix in the Genevieve Foster books. I plan to do mapwork, oral and written narration, and other activities. I hope I can pull it all off.:D Katie

Thank you all for your help. I have looked at Truthquest and thought it might be a good fit. Do you always read the commentary at the beginning to your children? The sample I read seemed over their heads to me. I was hoping for a free booklist online maybe? I would rather spend our money on some of the books we will be reading. Our town and library is small. I would have to do I.L.Loan for quite a few of them, which requires even more planning ahead. Uugh. All through the Ages looks interesting too! Thanks, Katie

I like the Drawing Textbook by Bruce MacIntyre, too. I also really like Barry Stebbing's I Can Do All Things. It has some neat shading, blending, painting, drawing techniques. There are enough lessons to last 2 years. It says for ages 6 and up. I can't remember what the next level is, but I was planning to check it out this week. Katie

I am seeing stars. I can't seem to find a history program that is a good fit. I will explain what I would like. Can anyone tell me if there is a good fit for me out there? We want to do the last half of the ren/ref period (year 2 WTM) then stretch out year 3 into a year and a half to cover more US history. -So this fall start at 1000 A.D., by January start 1500 or so -the following year continue where we left off and end at 1850. We have 1st, 4th, and 6th grade dds (my 1st grader will just be along for the ride.) I am looking for a guide that uses maybe Guerber as a spine. I really like the G. Foster books too. * I want a guide to show me what to cover, and in what order, including scientists. * I want to then have recommended reading for each level. Books like the Diane Stanley bio's, Macaulay's Castle/Cathedral type books, historical fiction (Door in the Wall), etc... I can throw in things from activity books. * I guess I really just want a reading list with grade levels, in chronological order, with character building stories, biblical point of view, lots of good books to choose from. *I think I can handle the timeline and maybe have them draw maps of the different areas we are covering. I love the illustrations in the Foster books for the timelines, maybe maps too, I can't recall. I can also arrange their narrations, outlines, etc... *The Guerber books do have rec. reading list in the back, which I can use but would like more options. Does any such creature exist? I have looked at so many (Truthquest, Biblioplan, SOTW, MOH, VP, and maybe a couple of others.) Nothing seems just quite right. Or they seem too expensive for what I need them for. I would rather spend my $ on books, not the guide. I would really appreciate any thoughts. Thanks, Katie

I am a big fan of MUS. Oldest dd did saxon in public school for K-1st grade. My 3 girls all love MUS. It sounds like your daughter still needs the manipulatives. According to MUS's Mr. Demme, using the man. for several years is fine. He even uses them with fractions (5th grade.) I think my daughters really understand their math. I would think she'll be able to see it in her head when the light goes on for her. My older 2 went to public school this past year (3rd and 5th grades.) I made them both do their MUS at home through the year, because I knew we would be going back to hs'ing this coming fall. They did excellent in math. I like that MUS sticks with 1 subject per year and covers it very well. For instance, my 3rd grader finished up her year in public school learning her multiplication facts doing mult. like this: 24 x5 In MUS, she is doing this type of mult. by the end of the year: 4587 x348 They really master a topic before moving on. It has 6 sheets for each lesson. Three of them are on the new concept, the last three are systematic review (includes a few problems from the new concept too.) I love that the lessons pages are neat and orderly. I am funny about that. So far, I haven't used the TM much but for the answers. We have used it up through Epsilon- 5th grade. I hope this helps, Katie

Coffeetime, I think I am going with the Guerber books this coming year too. I had started the SOTW 2 the year before last, but didn't finish it. Then last year my older girls went to public school for 3rd and 5th grades. We are back to hsing this fall as planned. I have had such a hard time with this too. I really like the Guerber books. I was a little worried my 4th grade dd wouldn't understand the language as well as my 6th grade dd would. From what I have read on here and other sites, she should get used to it. I also wanted to use Foster's The World of George Washington and His Sons, when we get to that time period. It has great pictures that would work wonderfully for a timeline. We are doing the same time time period as you are. But I wanted to start around 1000ad in the fall and get to 1400 or so around Christmas break. Then we could spend the rest of the year, plus the whole next year, doing US/world history (a little more US than world.) I love the American History Stories series by Mara Pratt (free on www.mainlesson.com) Sorry to ramble on, Katie Hope I helped some?