We like Prima Latina and we use the DVD. It is designed for a lesson a week, but we can successfully do a lesson in two days with continued review of vocabulary.

Weekly Report and BIG NEWS at our homeschool

The defense doesn't even make sense. If they were aborted prior to being expelled, why on earth would he need to snip their spines? If the baby was already dead, what would be the point? The snipping off of limbs too - is all so grotesque. Evil even.

We took a year to do Units 3 and 4 from Yr. 2.

I am looking for a book appropriate for a 3rd/4th grader that is about Turkey or a story that takes place in Turkey. It's okay if it is a missionary story or a true story, but it doesn't have to be. Any suggestions??

Nope, and on the bad days I can think of 100 other things I'd rather be doing. I am committed to giving the kids close family relationships and a quality education. I keep reminding myself this is just a season. Don't get me wrong, I do love homeschooling, but it isn't easy.

Can you confirm for me that I can start with SWI-A without having to use TWSS? If I watch the SWI-A video with my child, will that be enough?

Thanks ladies. I forgot to list Science and Bible - for Bible we are using Classical Academic Press OT for now. For science, I can't decide. We've also been using Wordly Wise, but I am thinking of moving to Vocabulary From Classical Roots when we finish the WW book. We have been doing CC at home and we did a memory work class at co-op that was loosley modeled after CC memory work.

If you are a Classical Homeschooler, loosely or strictly following TWTM and/or The Core (Classical Conversations) please tell me what your 4th grader is doing or what you are planning for an upcoming 4th grader. I am trying to determine if I am planning for too much. We are wrapping up 3rd grade, but I am planning 4th grade. Presently, the plan is to continue with TOG for history and literature and using Classical Conversations memory work. As well as: Prima Latina Latin Rod and Staff Grammar and Spelling TOG Writing Aids with Excellence in Writing Saxon Math (currently using 5/4 - will move to 6/5 when done) TOG Geography with an additional map skills book Health - Abeka Logic - Mind Benders

I am a reviewer who receives things for free and I am not obligated in any way to say I like something when I don't. I give honest reviews and I say what I like and don't like. I don't need to bash a company if I don't like something, I just nicely say it didn't work for us and explain why. Just because I don't like something or it didn't suit us, doesn't mean it is that way for everyone. That said, most of the things I review, we enjoy.

Thanks for all the great responses. To answer a few questions - it is a Baptist church. We have only recently started attending - we haven't had a "home church" in years. We attend a weekly bible study with friends that all used to attend another church we went to. I miss the music worship aspect and my youngest son enjoys going to "children's church" - so for now it is a place to go.

If you are a christian homeschooler, can you please share your reasons as a christian, why you homeschool. If there are bible verses you believe back up your reasons, please share and explain. I am asking because we are attending a new church where there is only a small number of homeschoolers, and the pastor is decidedly anti-homeschool. We are not members at this church, but will be attending regularly for an unspecified time and I know at some point there is going to be an opportunity for me to defend why I homeschool. I know why my family homeschools and I can give biblical reasons, but I am curious what others say about this. Just FYI- the pastor is big on the kids being "salt and light" in the public school - which I couldn't disagree with more.

Yes, I saw it was listed as a college course. He currently takes college courses through dual enrollment, but I did miss that he would need Calculus, which he doesn't have. I will cross them off the list. Thanks.

http://www.thinkwellhomeschool.com/products/physics-1

In your opinion/experience which Physics curriculum is the best preparation for college science? We are currently looking at Saxon, Thinkwell, and Apologia. Any suggestions?

I am trying to use the search feature on Pinterest and it isn't working. Is anyone else having this issue?

In Philadelphia our favorite spots were Ben Franklin's grave, Independence Hall, and Liberty Bell. The Betsy Ross house is neat. The Constitution Museum wasn't worth the money when we went - it was during election season and seemed pretty one sided ideologically. Also, the special exhibit when we went was Bruce Springsteen, which for the most part was boring and didn't interest my kids at all. Boston - The Old North Church was awesome to experience, the old cemetary down the street was very cool. Paul Revere's house was fun - just follow the red line and you can see it all. If you are going to be in Virginia, you should for sure see Monticello and Mt. Vernon.

Like national nightly news programs? Do many watch those anymore? I think they take their cues from the 24 hour news cycle. I don't find much U.S. media to be credible or reliable- every one of them are about being first, being sensationalist - not vetting, not facts. I can think of at least one thing/person that hasn't been vetted by our media that should have been. They are all asleep on the job.

What are the "major networks" you are referring to that allegedly have "more of a vetting process?" Just curious.

Not defending Justin Bieber, but given that Anne was a 13 yo girl, she may very well have liked him. I don't see the big deal about that. I am more disturbed by the hundreds of tweets/comments by his fans asking, "Who is Anne Frank?"

Having used both over the years, it is my opinion that BJU is dry, standard textbook fare. Notgrass is at least a conversational writing style which my son enjoyed much better than regular textbooks. The addition of literature to the Notgrass helped.

Apologia, RSO and Elemental Science.

Our week in pictures.

I use TOG for LG and a D/R combo. Even at LG we get so much out of it. SOTW is an alternate resource with TOG. The point for me is it is not just a list of books- so much more is included and it saves me the time of trying to make a bunch of connections myself. For LG I use the vocabulary, the famous people lists, the writing assignments, the readings, the map work, the projects - it's all in one for me and I can easily add other resources if I want to, and I can ignore whatever I don't want to do.

It's not too bad. I look for books used on Amazon - sometimes for a penny plus $3.99 shipping - they are always in good shape. I have two local libraries that I use, so I mark my master with the library initials and call number - and about three weeks before I check to see if they are checked out - if they are I put a hold request so I get it next. If not I get to the library and check them out. I can renew up to 3 times online and if I need to go past that I just call the library. Some things I have found free for Kindle - so if you have a Kindle - always check those when you are doing your searches. I have never spent $500 or even close for the books we use with TOG. We school year round, so I end up planning stuff year round anyway. To give you an idea of time spent - for me - printing, hole punching, putting in all the binders, looking up books, making notes, choosing projects and activities, highlighting important information, choosing writing assignments etc takes me about 8 hours total for one unit. I tend to write a lot of things down though, because I will get a "brilliant idea" and if I don't write it down I will forget. After the unit is planned, I then print my weekly assignment checklists and I don't fill out the TOG stuff until the week before - because if we get behind, I don't want to re-write stuff and move things around. Usually Sunday afternoon or evening I sit down and fill out the TOG portion of our assignment checklists.