Blood and Guts (I think this is used in Sonlight 5 Science)

I love Sonlight in the younger years, but have concerns with some of the upper level cores (which I haven't used yet). I've used Sonlight for 7 years now. I plan on using it into high school for history unless my kids need something different, but I will stray another direction for literature/writing - probably Excellence in Literature. I have picked through TOG and while I think it looks great, it wouldn't fit ME so well. I'd go crazy trying to do everything.

I also use the Illustrated Guide for Home Chemisty Labs for labwork. I love it, but it's not for the faint of heart. The author tells you where/how to obtain the chemicals and glassware. It is expensive, but it makes it "real" chemistry lab. To finish all the labs would take over 100 hours of lab time plus setup, discussion questions, time looking for "extra" items for labs, etc. This lab book can be used alongside any chemistry text.

For first grade, I use: Sonlight - usually core 1 Singapore math with Miquon Math Reading Reflex with Bob books and the Sing, Spell, Read and Write readers various science art and music

He could also handle Hewitt's Conceptual Physics which I think is a great place to start reguardless of the math background.

You might look at Excellence in Literature.

Things I've taught in co-op: IEW - lots of fun in a group setting (I assign "optional" homework and do not grade; but everyone does this differently) Mystery Disease (Prufrock Press) Mathematical Mystery Tour (Prufrock Press) Elementary Chemistry Lab Things I hope to teach someday: Crime Scene Investigations Bob Jones Physical Science Other things I've seen taught well: Apologia Five in A Row Many books from Prufrock Press Reader's Theatre

I also use the Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments and I love it. It's not for the faint of heart and it is expensive, but I love it. I have been teaching it to a group of high schoolers in my garage. Most of the labs take 1 1/2 to 3 hours each. Feel free to pm any questions. I am also very impressed with the author's attention to safety and all the information that is jam packed into the labs.

If you want to ask on the Sonlight boards, then the Choosing Sonlight Curriculum is a public forum - you just can't go ask on the core 6 specific forum. I'll be doing core 6 next year with an eleven year old.

I've had the teacher guide in my hands but didn't feel like paying for it. I've been happy without it this year. The higher order thinking skills adds another level of thinking in the questions, but the program can be done without it if you want. To get the most out of Singapore Science, I'd add the HOTS book either orally or as a workbook.

I'm in my seventh year of Sonlight and I love it. I would pick the core based on your kids LISTENING ability to listen to long history and read-alouds. Picking a core a little younger than what you might use for only your oldest is fine because older children using the core often get more out of it. Don't worry about trying to match the LA with the core until core 3. It's okay to use an "easier" LA and then add harder readers from the library. If you want to know more about Sonlight, go ask on the Sonlight forums and you'll get lots of advice.

Have you done Marine Biology with your high schooler? If so, what text did you use? what supplementary materials? any other fun related activities? How did the course go? Did you enjoy it?

I use Atelier and love it.

Reading Reflex - for teaching reading. This is marketed to teach remedial reading, but I think it's a fantastic source to learn how reading is learned and to teach reading from day 1. I've taught three kids to read with it and looking forward to the fourth.

I haven't used spelling power, but I do use Institute for Excellence's spelling program. It is very independent (doesn't take much of mom's time) and the kids are doing well with it. There is a placement test with it to determine what level to start at. It's expensive, but has a high resale value.

I use the primary edition, but all my Singapore texts are softcover including New Elementary Math.

Calling it a "lab" on a transcript implies a traditional definition (hands-on lab). If you put this on a transcript, I'd call it a video-based lab or something else. I don't think it is equivalent.

We did Apologia's Elementary Astronomy as a co-op. It certainly isn't secular, but only the teacher needs the text. You can ignore the religeous comments and teach it in a totally secular manner. The activities and experiments are great and from easily available material.

So far I've been impressed with it. I've done part of American Lit and part of British Lit. I have a friend who is using Lit. 1 and Lit. 3 (American Lit.) with her boys and they are both liking it. As far as history, I personally think there are so many different appoaches and what works for one won't work for another. I think if kids are studying, learning, and somewhat being pushed then that is great, but how you push one child will be very different than the next.

Not history, but Excellence in Literature has most of the requirements outside of history. Excellence in Literature is student-driven, independent learning (lots of guidance of where and what to learn), that includes learning about the history of the time period of the literature and fine arts that are related to the literature. It has varied writing assignments with each unit. Each "unit" is designed to be done over four weeks with students reading a literature selection and having the option of reading the honors texts as well. There are many, many sources (mostly scholarly internet links) that give direction for independent learning related to the literature including historical context, literature analysis music, video, art related to the literature, as well as varied writing assignments. Take a look at www.excellenceinliterature.com for more information and to be able to download sample units. What makes this program most appealing to me is that this is how I like to learn.

I made it through high school and college calculus as well as an engineering degree without anything but the basic calculator. In engineering if I really needed more than I could do by hand, I'd just write a computer program to solve it. In reality I understood everything better than my peers becuase I did it myself. I have mixed feelings about using calculators in math today.

Once you've done SWI-A then you move on to SICC-A and progress to B and then C. (Never do any more SWIs - this is the introduction geared at three different levels.) Since you are doing All Things Fun and Fascinating, you'll find SWI somewhat repetative since it is an introductory course - though great! After doing these you can either continue with dvds or theme-based, depending on what you want to do and if you want to do the teaching.

Agreee with Renaissance Mom. The author definately states his faith in a few comments, but nothing about the teaching hinges on his faith, it's just a part of who he is - you don't have to agree.

We like the Good Times Travel Agency books.

I also like Chessmaster for multiple levels.