TESS- I have considered that very thing. In fact, we are leaning pretty heavily towards sonlight. Very very heavily. One of my drawbacks is that my kiddo loves activities, so the SOTW AG was a huge draw for us. We won't do science from Sonlight, and I think that is where most activities are located? Did you find that to be a problem, or was it easy to add in activities to sonlight? Also, when we were looking at sonlight we were continually recommended to start with core P4/5, which seems too easy for k, but people warned that Core A might be too old for k? For background, my oldest has had two years of preschool, is starting to read, very interested in EVERYTHING, especially sciences. Loves to be read to. For example, right now, my husband is reading the Chronicles of Narnia to him at bedtime, several chapters a night. We have also been reading Magic Tree House books for a few years. He enjoys all of that, but I don't know how much he is LEARNING from them....

BPSKOWSKI-So, following the SOTW, I would just pause to add in more amiercan history as we came to it in context of the world timeline? HAPPY- Do you find it to be too much to have multiple history programs going? I had thought about doing SOTW and then adding a separate American study to it, but thought it might be confusing...

Thanks a lot guys. I have considered doing MM or Singapore because of the different way that they approach math and maybe adding in extra practice?Or just lots of trial and error... I guess we will find out soon!

Okay, so here is my conundrum. I am trying to have a broad plan for what will be covered when, not set in stone, but just a general scope and sequence for the elementary years. (Yes, I know I am just starting kindergarten, but without a large plan I feel that I won't be comfortable moving forward. I need to know where we are going next, even if that is not a specific curriculum.) Skills based courses are pretty easy to figure out, but those content based areas are a booger. Especially history. And since so many of the curriculums tie literature and history together, a large portion of my plan has glaring question marks on it. So, my question is this: If I do a 4 year cycle of histo ystarting in 1st grade do we miss out on american history? (we have already decided to just do basic geography and unit studies on different cultures this year as time permits. It's kindergarten, it's supposed to be fun!) Especially at the younger grades, it seems that there is a lot of great literature for American history that I don't want to miss out on! But the four year cycle speaks to me too. Our original plan was to start SOTW in first grade with the AG. But I don't know. I don't want to teach my children that America is central to everything, but don't they understand what is closer to them at this age? Oh, what do I do?!! This was our original plan : SOTW w/ AG for 1-4 MOH for 5-8 See how neat and tidy that is? lol. But then I started looking at sonlight, and beautiful feet, and heart of dakota, and Trail Guide to Learning (which I really like but is out of age range) and and and and and

So, how do you know which to try? Is it just a shot in the dark? We will be starting k in the fall, or maybe this summer, and I am trying to figure out which to use... Everyone seems to be so pro singapore, MM, etc. that it is easy to assume that mastery is the end all cure all for the math woes of the world. :blink: Which it obviously is not. (Sorry to interrupt the thread)

Thank you! This is what I was thinking, well, trying to formulate anyway. I have done a lot of work in science and while reading original works may have helped me later, I don't think there is any way I would have benefited from it being my introduction to phsyics. Doing the work, in the upper grades, is what made science work for me. But as you said, that is for the upper grades. Do you feel that TWTM approach and suggestions for the younger grades is appropriate and that following them would set my children up for a solid science understanding later?

I am fairly new on the homeschooling scene, in fact, I haven't technically started yet. However, I have been reading books to help me define what my own goals and philosophy for education will be. In reading the Well Trained Mind, it seems to be very focused on the content areas. Literature, history etc. But it seems to not focus much on science, math, and the like. Is this accurate? Will I just need to add to the program to achieve enough math and science emphasis? (We are pretty nerdy in the math and sciences around this house.) Does TWTM devalue those studies or are they just not covered in as much detail because they are skill based vs content based? Should I keep searching for a different method that has a stronger focus on those subjects? I want my children to be well equipped for whatever they want to pursue in life, and while I think that literature and history is very important, there is a lot more out there than that. I feel like I am missing something... I should add, I am looking big picture. My oldest will be a k-er this year, so I am not expecting dissections and calculus this year or something. I also have not read the entire book, primarily only the grammar section and skimmed the rest so far, so there is a very real chance that I am missing a shift in focus later.

Thanks isitnaptime!I will have to check out the Bible.

On one hand it makes sense that if I start low he is always on the high end of the spectrum instead of the low end, expecially if they get a lot more out of it, but on the other hand it is so hard to look at something marketed for preschool for my kindergartner. KWIM? I know I should get out of that kind of mentality, but I don't want him to be 'behind" especially since we are homeschooling on a year to year basis right now. (Which really means I am terrified I will mess up and reserve the right to change my mind and let him go to school if I am terrible at being his teacher) And I definitely think I want the IG. That makes more sense to me at this point. Thanks for everyone's help. It is so confusing!

:lurk5:

I guess I need to look at the lower list again. Everyone seems to think it is better to go down than up. Also, how do you just buy the reading schedule? What is in the instructor's guide versus the reading schedule? Just questions to ask about the book and things like that?

This is what I am hoping to gain by using sonlight. I feel like I could just get all of the same books, but that it wouldn't be the same as using sonlight, as least at first. I have never scheduled it together before, and even with looking at schedules online, I don't feel like I really "get" it yet.

This is kind of my loose plan. We already have a plan for language arts and own it, so I don't want to spend the money. At later grades I know that it is included, but the language arts that I own will be finished probably in k or 1st, so that won't be a problem. I like the idea of just buying the first few weeks and then trying it out. I own severalof the read alouds already, and it seems that the "readers" are part of the LA program, teaching the children to read. So, I think I will buy the instructor's guide and try it out. Also, we were thinking of starting with core A, mainly because he has been in preschool and seems to be past most of the books listed. We read a LOT in our home!

What is it about it that you love?

So, since you have done both, I have a quick question. You say that the Elemental "experiments" are not really experiments. Can you elaborate> /what are they? Does REAL have actual experiments? I don't mind if it more handson because I think my son would enjoy that, but not if it is useless time spent.

I am definitely listening in here. If you added BFSU to the list you would have my list of possibilities.

Thanks everyone. It seems like pretty much everyone agrees that the core is worth it!

Sorry about the amazing grammar and spelling issues. Apparently typing on my tablet makes me much more interesting to read! I really can type and spell, promise!

Myplan was notto buy the whole core, since I don't need language arts portion. I can buy the instructos guide and elements for the history portin from sonlight, and either buy the read alouds used or get them from the library. We also own severa; that are listed for the first year. Bulding our library is something that I am not opposed to! Mmy only thought is that I am drawn to sonlight because it seems that it is all planned out, but if I am using different components that wouldn't be true....So, is there a beneft to using it versus, like Ambleside online? As far as the science and math, my hubby is very opinionated about those sunjects and feels that they are lacking, especially the science, in most of the complete curriculums we have looked at, sonlight, heart of dakota and my fathers world. So we have agreed tto chooise different programs for the most part. Granted, we have only looked at the samples available, but still.

Thanks for this! I didn't know about this site. I downloaded it and can't wait to look through it!

I am currently looking into curriculum for the upcoming school year. This will be our first year homeschooling. I have a 5 year old boy that will be in kindergarten. He has been to a private preschool for the last 2 years. I am a little overwhelmed with all of the choices so I have thought that a boxed curriculum would be the best choice for us the first year, even though I could see myself becoming more eclectic in my choices over time because I am a researcher and want the best program. So, my question is, it Sonlight worth it if I am not going to buy the multi subject full curriculum. In fact, I am looking at only buying the instructor guide and read alouds and history portion. We already have a language arts program that we are using to learn to read that includes phonics and reawders, so I don'tthink we would need that portion for k and I have chosen different math and science. Does picking other curriculum not listed in sonlight and not using it as a whole program negate the benefit of having a curriculum being planned for me already? Or is sonlight such a great program that it is worth it for the read alouds and history/geography portion? I just don't know!

I am currently trying to decide my own philosophy as well, so I will be listening in too!

Hi there. I'm a 26 year old momma of two little boys, 5 and 2.5. My oldest has been in preschool 3 days a week for a few hours and while that has been great for him, we know that we will be homeschooling next year (kindergarten). We have already started a few subjects, reading and math, to help him transition and make sure mommy could be mommy and teacher since he already had experience with a teacher. That right there should tell you that I tend to be a bit of a worrier, And the process of homeschooling and planning has brought on its own set of worries. But, we do feel confident in our decision, so now I am plugging away at next year's plan. P.S. I may or may not have been stalking this board since we made our decision, and so now I hope to get to know some of you. No more creepy stalking for me!

Brookspr- Thanks for the info that you could buy the instructor guides by themself. I didn't know that! Part of the problem for me with sonlight is that we already own several of the Core A books, definitely not all, but enough that I didn't want to buy them again!

Can I just say thank you for posting this? Since we have decided to homeschool for sure (we had been considering and praying for a long time) I have been spinning my wheels. I am a planner through and through, but for some reason I have been completely overwhelmed. What would our day look like? How would I keep my head above water? I have seen a lot of different planning examples, and nothing has rang true for me, I felt that I would be recreating the wheel if I didn't find something, but looking at your example, even though it seems to be far ahead of what I will be doing with my son, made me feel better. So, thank you for sharing.