I did this last year...but I forget...and I guess I was silly and forgot to save a copy for myself. :tongue_smilie: For the curriculum description, we just need to include a list of subjects to be studied....like literally a list, correct? I know a couple years ago they needed a brief description too, but that changed. My list should look something like this: Bible Spelling Math U.S. History Science etc... correct? (without the etc... ;)) The form for my notice of intent I have comes directly from the town website and says "I have included a description of the curriculum, limited to a list of subjects to be studied during the coming school year..." and I've read this elsewhere, but this list just seems so simple and basic. That said, I do not want to give them any more than is required by law. Thank you!!

FLL is meant to start on grade level. The student does not need any prior grammar knowledge to start it. So, for FLL, I'd go for level 2 for your 2nd grader. However, since you have a 1st grader too, you could do FLL1 with both. That would be fine because grammar doesn't need to be started yet. So, it's not a big deal to go at it slowly in 2nd. You could skip FLL completely for your 1st grader...I didn't use it till the end of first, after phonics and reading were solid. Really, you could go either way. Just know the FLL1 is very slow and might be too slow for your 2nd grader, but also that FLL2 moves faster and might be too much for your 1st grader. WWE should be started at level 1 unless your children have done prior copywork and narration. They can both start on level 1 of that and it's appropriate for both a 1st grader and a 2nd grader to be on level 1. The book gives two sentences to choose from for copywork. What you will probably want to do (at least at first) is have your 1st grader copy the shorter and your 2nd grader copy the longer. That said, if your 2nd grader struggles, have her do the shorter one as well and if your 1st grader excels in copywork, she can do the longer. Even though you have in your mind that the younger might do the short and the older do the longer, it doesn't have to end up that way in practice.

Crystal - That makes a lot of sense with developing a love for science. I can see that and realize that benefit. I just really don't care for those little Usborne books. The pages look so....cluttered. :blushing: I also find that I want to explain the activity more, but the book doesn't give that and I don't understand it well enough to tell my kids why it's happening. So, I'd like something that gives slightly more info, not tons more, but a little. I also did not like doing 2 months of water experiments over and over... :tongue_smilie: (Although, it looks like in MFW 1st there the books are mixed up more. So, that makes me happy.) But, really the big problems are that we struggle to do so much hands and feel like we need a little more balance with just reading and I just don't like those Usborne books. I'm really hoping as MFW moves onto other types of science books, I'll like them more. I'm definitely planning to assess it every year. I'm assuming that there will be at least some years we do like it. I'm looking forward to that. Plus, we are trying to incorporate some of it into what we do because I like the variety. So, some weeks, we will do Flying Creatures and some we might do the MFW stuff depending on topic and integration with Bible. Some weeks we may do both if neither is super involved that week. I'm planning to mix it up a bit. :thumbup1: This week we are doing a little of both because both are about air pressure.....the kids are having fun..... Oh and I have seen stuff on the Jay Wile elementary books. They look good. Too bad they aren't available here...maybe eventually.

I'm finding this interesting. I love, love MFW. We have used K and 1st and are finishing week 3 of Adv. Of course, I liked the science in K. It's awesome. But, so far, I didn't like the science in 1st and I don't like it again in Adv. I'm nervous that MFW science just isn't a good fit for us. I don't mind all the hands on stuff, but we have a hard time doing so much of it because of littles. But, the other thing is I feel like it is lacking in actual informational content. I get library books to help with that, but still, I just don't seem to click with what they are doing. It makes me sad. :( Anyway, I'm wondering about future years and if I'm going to end up subbing the science out or at least heavily supplement it in most of the years. So, I'm watching this thread.....

I'm a mom of 6 who are 7 and under.... ;) I use My Father's Word (MFW). It's is sort of a box, very similar to HOD. Personally, I'm very happy I do. I definitely do tweak the program and I skip things as needed. But, I really like having the schedule and to know it's all planned out and fits together so nicely. I've thought about branching out and pulling things together on my own, but I just don't have the time. I could get a separate company/program for each subject that is open and go. I could probably handle that, but I could not pull my own together on anything. I just don't have the time or energy to spend on that. And, prior to this year, I didn't even feel like I had a handle on exactly what subjects I needed. MFW really helped me figure that out. I like my box and I plan to stick with them long term. Not everyone likes it and some feel if you have to tweak it isn't worth it. For me, with so many littles it's exactly what we need and I actually like tweaking it. :D One key is to allow yourself to relax and use the curriculum to the advantage of your family and not feel you have to check every box. Use your curriculum as a guide not a set in stone plan. Now, a side note: one thing to think about with HOD is that it isn't quite as easy to use with multiple children down the road. For now, it won't matter, but it might later on. MFW is meant to be multi-age and used with several children in different grades...perfect for our family. You don't have to have history or science formally in 1st. We used MFW 1st last year and it was outstanding. Everything is wonderfully integrated in. It is extremely streamlined. History is incorporated right into phonics/reading lessons. You really can't not do history because of that. Science is a bit separate, but it's short and sweet. We ended up ditching it because of lack of time. We just read science books from the library, explored outside, followed my kids science interests and watched Magic School Bus videos once a week...sometimes we did something small related to that video of the week. (You can get all of them on Amazon for around $40.) But, MFW 1st is very focused on the Bible. The history is ancient Biblical history directly from the Bible. The reading is in a Bible reader. For us, it was great and wonderful. Anyway, (I really wasn't trying to plug MFW...that just happened...LOL) point is streamline your curriculum as much as you can. Get science in everyday life. Feel free to skip history for now. Focus on the 3 R's and everything else is gravy. Try not to let it bog you down. :D

So, first grade? I don't do spelling in 1st. I wait till at least 2nd. :) Have fun!

I love it!! So cute!

This is exactly what I needed to hear. You are exact right. Thank you very much for reminding me of all this. It truly helped a lot. I breathed a huge sigh of relief after reading it. :D Good idea, except that we aren't in the car much. LOL. When we are, it's typically for 10 minutes or less. He does read his Bible aloud to me. Sometimes he reads to siblings. Thanks! :)

He loves it. He loves that he remembers and he loves it when I let him tell them the info or help them. You are right. It's great review. Yesterday went great. We were finished by 2:30 and even got to do some science and a quick/easy experiment. Yay!! When I needed him to get something done without me, I told him if he did it he would get 5 minutes of extra reading before bed. I wrote his name on our window (which he thought was hilarious) and put tally marks under it for each time he finished without me there. It worked and it was very helpful. He is doing it again as I type. :D The other thing we did was get up earlier and do some math. That was very helpful also. The only problem with that is if the other kids hear us they wake up and that plan is foiled. But, there are usually a couple less kids anyway because some sleep in and that makes for less chaos. We weren't able to get math done today, but we did get up earlier and get started a little earlier. We are going to try to get up earlier each day with the goal of getting math done or at least getting started earlier. I'm just going to keep doing the best I can. It is what it is and it won't last forever. Sometimes it just feels overwhelming and like I can't do it and I start to panic. Every now and again, I need to vent about it and seek advice/encouragement. But, ultimately, I wake up again the next day and just keep going. I am doing this. He is learning (and so are my K'ers ;)). We got an awesome and very validating HS review at the end of 1st. So, I remind myself that obviously, I can do this because I *am* doing it. Just keep swimming.....just keep swimming..... Thank you for your encouragement. I really appreciated it. Also, I like your user name. I have 5 boys....(and one girl tossed in for good measure.)

I'm in VA.......;) Which GoodWill are you going to?? :lol:

FLL1 is easy, but, I just don't see the need to push ahead. If you are going to do grammar in first, a gentle, easy approach is perfect IMHO. No need to rush. :) (I have both FLL1 and 2. I've never given thought about 2 being too hard for 1st because I wouldn't use it in first. So, I can't say if it's too hard or fast. ;))

This is driving me nuts. It's happening almost constantly to me...it is making me nervous honestly Let me know if you need another screenshot.

I guess I wasn't clear. He definitely isn't doing school work all day long...We have constant interruptions from his siblings. We can't do school work all day long. But, our focus all day is getting back to the table to finish school work. Some of the interruptions last 30+ minutes and he plays and draws or whatever. As I said, yesterday was a little extreme. Most days we don't start till 10 or 10:30 and we finish up around 3:30. His lack of focus starts when we start school...it isn't limited to beyond a certain amount of time or after a specific time of day. He rarely complains. He just doesn't focus. I'm not standing over him making him sit at the table and do school all day long. It isn't that I *want* to do school all day. It's that I have 6 kids all 7 and under. We get interrupted A LOT even when things go super well. Even if he didn't lack focus, it would take us a lot more time in the day than the average family to get it done because of the youngers. That is our life for now. There are many days we do very little school work because I just can't, which is why we school year round. My biggest issue is not the interruptions because with my young children interruptions can't be helped. The biggest problem is that he can't do anything while I get interrupted. If I could change a diaper and he could do a few math problems, we would be done much, MUCH earlier every day. I would love to be done earlier in the day, which is what I'm trying to achieve, but he has to do school. I can't just stop after a certain amount of time of trying or after a specific time in the day. If I do that, he won't get done and will fall behind...in skill subjects too, not just content. (BTDT and had to play catch up.) Oh and I have 2 K'ers also....he doesn't have to sit with us while they do school....he chooses to. Anyway, I'm sure my frustration with the issue is coming through. It isn't directed at you...sorry if it comes across that way. I just want to do school and be done with it, not have it stretch out all day long and have it be the focus of my entire day because I'm always trying to get back to the table to finish. I just wish we could finish by lunch or just after. I'd like to have time to do other things. Oh well....this stage will pass.....he will get older.....and so will his siblings..... :D

Thanks. The work definitely isn't too hard though somehow when I leave he forgets how to do math. LOL! I don't know if I can condense, but I'm thinking of dropping grammar or doing it very sporadically. I'm not convinced kids need it in 2nd grade. We already rarely get to art or music and only do science randomly...maybe once a week and sometimes it's just a Magic School Bus video. We do a lot of things orally. I could probably do more, but he has no problem writing. Plus, I'm trying to get him to do it without me. So, orally defeats the purpose, KWIM. I may try the timer. He tends to get upset when I set a time limit, but may try it for a couple days and see if he gets used to it and if it helps. The reward jar sounds like it might be a good plan. That type of thing motivates him. It isn't the only way for him to get one on one time. He gets a lot of one on one time not during school time with both me and Dad. Thanks everyone! Any other thoughts?

My oldest just started 2nd grade, 8 in Oct. Keeping him focused has been an issue since the day we started formal school. I thought it would get a good bit better by now. It has not. We have about 2.5-3 hrs of school work a day. But typically, we are doing school ALL day long. Today was a little more extreme, but not uncommon. We started at 9:30 and finished at 4. I do have 5 other younger children who are 5 year old twins, 3 year old twins and a 9 month old nursling. So, we have LOTS of interruptions. We weren't literally working from 9:30 to 4. Still, it should be able to get done before lunch or close after, IMO. The problem is my son can't do ANYTHING without me sitting right next to him and literally directing him to the next thing, the next math problem, the next word in his copywork or whatever. I can't get up and do anything (change a diaper, deal with a sibling squabble, make lunch in the same room or even work on something for the next day's school right next to him). It's very exhausting. I feel like there are a few things he should be able to do without me right there. I should be able to leave him with a math or spelling page for 5 minutes and him do at least some of it while I put his baby brother down for a nap. He will rarely even do one problem. If I disengage for 30 seconds, I've lost him. He struggles to focus even when I'm completely engaged and helping him. But, at least I'm moving us forward even if slower than I would like. Any ideas on how to get him to focus....oh, things that distract him....really anything, if there is nothing around to distract him, he will draw all over his page. He LOVES to draw. I am really struggling to get everything in. I have twin K'ers too and other kids and a house and bills and meals to make...how can I get him to do some things independently? This doesn't feel normal, but maybe it is still for a boy at almost 8...if so...when is it going to end.......*sigh*

We aren't quite at that point. My oldest son is 7, almost 8, and just starting 2nd. But, I think it looks good based on the things I've seen. I agree the mistakes they made are not excessive and seem age appropriate. Also agree that being normal doesn't mean it shouldn't be gently pointed out and/or worked on in another way. ;)

I had media mail take 51 days recently...though it was across the world practically....but the other things would be a big red flag to me and I'd be a little worried. I might wait another week and then file with pp or I may just do it now because of the other issues. Sorry you are dealing with this...bummer!

This may not be popular, but I don't think all kids are created equal in their ability or desire to sit quietly and listen to (or look at) books at a young age. I read of moms reading to their young children for hours and I just don't get it. My kids have never been interested in reading a lot until slightly older. I couldn't read chapter books to my 5 year olds and barely to my 6 year old. He is 7 now and loves them, but the 5.5 year olds still aren't very interested. Audio chapter books are a complete no-go for them. My son and I like to listen to those in the car, but they complain. :( For our family, reading aloud is tough. The kids don't listen. They wiggle and giggle and play around. I have a 7 year old (who gets frustrated too), 2 5 year olds, 2 3 year olds and an 8 month old. (2 sets of twins) My 7 year old loves me to read and always has, though I feel like I remember him going through a phase around 4/5-ish where he wasn't as engaged. The 2 5 year olds are pretty hit or miss, mostly miss. One of my 3 year olds loves to be read to. The other will rarely sit and listen. I don't try to read more than one or two books a day to them because it's just too difficult. I often try to do it while they are eating a meal...or snack. I do try to engage them. I usually pick picture books with no more than 3-5 sentences on each page unless I'm reading specifically to the 7 year old and the others happen to be listening in (like at a meal). I engage them in the pictures....meaning, at each page, I ask questions, "Who can find the butterfly?" "What color is the bird?" and on and on I go. Then, I let them ask me questions too sometimes. Of course, while this sounds nice, it doesn't always help and sometimes they fight over who gets to answer....you know how that goes. :glare: Bottom line, I don't believe all kids are developmentally ready to sit and listen. But, I still think it's important to try a get a little in each day. I also think it is still beneficial for them just to be hearing it even if they aren't engaged. So, even if only one child is listening (or even none), I'll often just keep reading. One thing I don't do...I won't read books that I don't like, find annoying to read (Cat in the Hat) or I find tough to read. I'm not going to bother with those if they aren't interested. Anyway, I would just keep trying and give it time. I know it's frustrating. :cursing:

I would have said the same as above. I haven't used AAR. MFW does a very good job of teaching phonics fully. :)

Why not? (My kids aren't old enough or close enough to anything. But, I'm still curious what your reasoning is. This is sort of what I lean toward, but I'm not sure why I tend to feel that way other than having heard stories of kids being hassled by authorities and I'm too chicken to take that risk. :tongue_smilie: ) ETA - Of course if there is a law that is a good reason. :D

Found it! http://www.mystudentlogbook.blogspot.com/

I haven't ever used or bought this one, but it looks so awesome to me. I think I'll be getting it at some point. Here is a link... Oh....bummer...the link is on my other computer....hopefully, I'll remember and come back and post the link. It's really cool. I don't even really know how to describe it, but it's cool....:lol:

I take everything to GoodWill. I can say that since we have only been HS'ing for 2 years, I have taken very little HS'ing stuff. However, I frequent GoodWill for books and I LOVE finding good quality HS materials there. I've gotten some pretty good stuff for great deals. I love it. Everyone deserves to a good deal sometimes. Recently, I came away with a Saxon 54 textbook and a McGraw-Hill science text book...for reference material...and I saw some BJU highschool material while I was there. I've also gotten a health text book...Harcourt...and a few other things along with all the great literature I find there. I get a nice big smile when I come across good stuff. :D

I'm thinking about asking for one for Christmas...... It's really good info to know I can use regular binding if I want to. It seems like it is very versatile. :D Thanks for the thread, OP!

My 5 year old was obviously a left from the time he started feeding himself. Sometimes, he does things with his right hand because he is watching us, like throwing a ball or reeling in the fishing line. We have to remind him he is left handed and to switch. It always goes better for him when he switches to his left hand. That said, I wouldn't push him to use his left (or right) if he felt more comfortable the other way. But, he is always more coordinated with the left. One of my 3 year olds might be left handed. We thought he was when he was younger, but he started to use his right more. It's been a while since I paid any attention. I keep meaning to see which hand he is using to eat and draw with, but I forget. LOL. It doesn't matter yet anyway since kids can still switch back and forth at 3 and for a while longer. In your case, I would just put the pencil down in the middle of the paper and have her pick it up with whichever hand she natural chooses. Then, help her position her grip properly and go from there. I'd do that at every lesson until it becomes clear which side she prefers, which could be a while still.