You might bookmark this site and check back over the next few weeks to see what her summer/fall set will include. Each kit has included a sewing project in the past. I really love her sets. Hearts and Trees blog

I am using the Intro. to Classical Studies. We began it last year and will pick it up again when we begin this year. The guide is definitely not as in-depth/detailed as the individual guides. The reading schedule is set up with four days of Golden Bible reading and one day each of D'Aulaire's Greek Myths and FMR. Below the reading guide you are given questions for deeper study (with an answer key in back), facts and a Bible verse to memorize for the week, as well as ideas for art work (suggestions, not projects). I think the intent is that if you use this program you won't be studying these books with the individual guides. If you don't get the answers you need here, I would recommend you join the Memoria Press forum if you haven't already and ask any specific questions there. Their customer service is exceptional, and they answer questions asked on the forum in a very timely and thorough manner.

I added in the spelling rules cards from the SWR program. My dd was doing fine with the CLE LA as is, but I decided to add those in 1) because I already had them and 2) because I felt it would give her more tools to understand spelling. When we start back this year, I plan to continue to review the cards with her in addition to the spelling included in CLE.

Thanks, Beth! :001_smile:

:grouphug: I think we've all been there, to a degree. I have a tendency to overthink things, and I can get all wrapped up in the planning stages...trying to figure out the "best" material in each subject. Fortunately, BJU Math was a great fit for us from the beginning, and I have been very pleased with it. I did switch from GWG to CLE, but I had issues with GWG that were resolved by CLE. I supplement with MCT, but only because it is fun for dd. So, in regards to math and grammar, I'm comfortable continuing this path for several years. I think you will be, too, soon enough. It's a big dive to take, when it becomes "real." You've already done a great job, and you will continue to do so. And, it will be enough. :001_smile:

You won't be disappointed! :) My plan is to continue to use CLE while adding MCT in at intervals. CLE is like my meat and potatoes while MCT is like the chocolate lava cake. We took a mid-way break to do Grammar Island, which was a breath of fresh air, and added CLE back in when we got to the extra materials (vocab., poetry, Sentence Island). I'm still trying to decipher how we will do this longterm, but, even as an expensive supplement, I find MCT well worth the cost.

I've kept math consistent through our three years of homeschooling, but that is because I found something that worked well for both of us early on. I haven't stressed about changing grammar programs (from GWG to CLE with a sprinkling of MCT) because, in my opinion, she's still young for formal grammar. What she gets now will be pegs for her older years. I agree that it is important to give materials time, but sometimes something is so obviously a disaster for a particular child that it takes very little time to discover that. I think the stem of this change is more often fear than fad. We've undertaken the education of our children, and at any sign of struggle there is fear that we are not using the "best" material for them. The truth is learning often involves struggle, so struggle is not necessarily cause for change. It's hard to decipher sometimes, though, when change would be beneficial or when it's best to stick to it. Also, the wealth of resources available to us now can be extremely distracting and overwhelming. For me, I have an incredibly difficult time choosing--what we'll use for Latin, for history, for science, for art, etc. Once I FINALLY make my decision, I am generally very satisfied and happy with the result. I agonize SO much during the research phase, though.

I used GWG 1/2 and we then moved into CLE 3. That kind of puts me in a place of knowing about both programs, while not being certain of the comparisons/contrasts within the same age level. I found GWG 1/2 to be a very gentle introduction to grammar, which is what I wanted at that level. My dd enjoyed it and could do a lot of it independently after a short lesson. I was pleased with it in many ways; however, I didn't like the review method. In these early levels there were lessons on each part of speech with a little review of previous material included at the end of the new lesson. I felt it was not adequate review. It seemed very chunky as opposed to a blended presentation, building upon itself. However, again, that was just my feelings. I actually was fond of the program, consider it a solid one, and reluctantly changed. I love CLE. I, too, have heard it is excelled, but my dd had no trouble moving right into 3 after GWG 1/2. CLE provides excellent review without beating her over the head with material. My daughter is a fast learner, but I feel that the review/practice is necessary in grammar like it is in math to help internalize the concepts and cement them to memory. I also love the way that CLE teaches children to study, to prepare for tests, what steps to take to memorize...study skills that are very necessary are woven into the lessons. My daughter also enjoys the material. I feel CLE provides a very thorough foundation in grammar while also providing many other skills. Now, I also use MCT as a supplement...My daughter is a very language oriented child. She has written stories since she could write her letters. When I first saw all the posts on MCT I was intrigued because it seemed to be a grammar program that was tailored to my little wordsmith. Even though I was pleased with what we were using, I purchased MCT to take a look at it. We took a break from CLE long enough to finish Grammar Island and begin the supplemental books. I am still finding my way in regards to using both, but have found that I like to have seasons within my year--times that are heavily teacher intensive flowing into times that foster more independent work. This works with combining these two programs...and since dd is working a year ahead in CLE, for a while I can stretch the levels out. I hope some of this was at least somewhat helpful to someone. :D

This thread will likely help you. :001_smile:

Memoria Press updated Men of the Middle Ages If you click on the table of contents all of those men are listed.

Here are a few. It is on my shelf to use next year, but I can't offer a review yet. :001_smile: It looks great, though.

I purchased both Famous Men of Rome books and much preferred the Memoria Press version. Perhaps Greenleaf has done a recent update, but my book did not have color pictures like the Memoria Press edition did.

A fully-stocked Montessori classroom attached to my house. :)

I will be going through Portraits of American Girlhood with my dd who will be in 3rd next year. I guess it may not be what you're looking for since it is an organized program for the full year, but I just thought I'd mention it. It uses the American Girl books. You can also incorporate the books into your study using the free lapbooks here at homeschoolshare.

Thank you so much for your contribution to this thread. I have greatly appreciated reading your comments and will definitely pre-read these to make a decision on when to introduce them.

Thank you so much!

I don't think it matters. I think the only reason for having the column of the number being multiplied on the left is to make that number the constant...emphasizing that something is happening to it. Most children quickly grasp that the equations have the same product despite the order of factors, so I'm not sure either way is "best."

Also found this site with the books in order and a description of each (when you click on the book).

Don't forget to check Paperbackswap if you have credits! I just got the first two there.

Saw this post at Pioneer Woman and remembered this thread: Flash Tables. Look down at the 4th and 5th pictures...

We did not use the full MFW 1st grade curriculum, but I did use the combination of the Bible stories in the TM, the Bible reader and the Student Bible Notebook for our Bible time during our K/1st year. I loved the set up of her hearing the story one day, reading it herself the next and then copying a sentence or two from the reader and illustrating the story in the notebook. It was a beautiful process. However, I know that it is an expensive program to purchase only to use partway. Another devotion we used was Stepping Stones to Bigger Faith for Little People. And, we have been very happy with the Rod and Staff readers as well.

If you don't mind Christian materials, Prima Latina is a gentle introduction that focuses on vocabulary as well as teaching some grammar (what part of speech the vocabulary words are). My dd, 2nd grade, has enjoyed this program. We also love Minimus. PL is Ecclesiastical pronunciation, but I have been told not to get hung up on that. We are familiar with both pronunciations, since Minimus is classical.

We use and have been very satisfied with Bob Jones math.

Also take a look at Christian Light Education's LA. I know that it includes penmanship and spelling in the early years, I assume that is carried throughout the series. It is very thorough and everything is contained in the workbook for the student. (You can see samples by clicking on the grade level and then clicking on the individual numbers for the lightunits.)

Interesting...I'm not positive since I seem to have a swiss-cheese kind of memory, but I'm pretty certain I learned it the way your son is learning it. The first column was all the same number and then multiplied by 1-12. I'm curious to read other responses though...