:iagree: We did Sonlight Core C with our 2nd grader this year and the 1st paragraph above sums it all up. We didn't use their Science so I have no experience with that. We used the level 4/5 reader package and my son really enjoyed every book he read. We also loved almost every read-aloud, so while we will not be using Sonlight again - we will use their book lists to supplement our curriculum in the future.

My ds will be in 3rd grade next year. So far we have followed the 4-yr cycle of science: life, earth/space. Next year would bring us to Chemistry. I'm just wondering if many of you actually wait to do chemistry until the logic stage. If so, why? If you do/did study chem in grammar stage, how did it go? Did your child enjoy/understand it? Would you do it again? Is there a curriculum that you really enjoyed? Thanks for your thoughts! We'll be doing MFW Adventures which already has science scheduled but I'm still debating whether to skip it, supplement it w/chem, or skip the chem and just follow MFW's plans. If you have any personal experience with this, I'd love to hear it as well!:001_smile:

Thanks for all the responses - it sounds as if I would be happy doing their science as is. In response to one of the posts, we don't currently do science every day. It's actually more like once a week, and we just do a big chunk of science at once. So as far as chemistry, did any of you ever actually do a chemistry-only year during the grammar stage? If so, what were your thoughts? Would you recommend it or feel that just spending time discovering the more tangible parts of our world is more beneficial at this point? My ds will be in 3rd grade. Thanks!

We'll be doing MFW Adventures next year for 3rd grade and I'm very excited about that. However, I'm wondering if any of you can share your thoughts on the science portion. We have been following the 4-yr cycle so next year would be Chemistry. I was planning to use RSO Chemistry because the science in MFW seemed light and spread all over the map in topics. But now for simplicity's sake, having 3 other little ones, I'm wondering is the science in MFW enough on it's own. Is it really that big of a deal if we don't do chemistry next year in elementary? Thanks for your thoughts!

Thank you all for your replies and the reassurance that it IS more than just reading a booklist. I had my dh sit down and he feels that this is something he'd like me to try with the kids as well, so I think I may give it a try. I'm excited - I've always been interested in SL and I guess there's no way to find out if it will be a fit for our family until we actually give it a try.

I enjoy reading the HOD catalog as well but am not really considering it for next year because I'd really like to cover the middle ages/renaissance period with my son. HOD doesn't really have those periods for his age level.

My 4 and 7yo boys do love read-alouds and have very good attention spans, so I'm sure we would enjoy this aspect of the program. With a brand new baby, maybe I should be rethinking worrying about extra projects/activities and keep things simple. I would just be using the core for history/Bible/read-alouds and readers. Thanks for everyone's input so far.

So I LOVE the Sonlight catalog and cannot tell you how much time I have spent poring over its pages. It just seems so perfect. But then everytime I think I might actually buy it, I download the 3-week IG sample and my bubble just bursts. I am specifically looking at Core C for my 2nd grader. It just seems like the IG has you read a selection - then there are either discussion questions or main points to remember, a little mapwork and a timeline. Is this all you really do with Sonlight?? Wouldn't this get boring and repetitive after awhile? I know some don't like Sonlight because of their lack of hands-on activities but they've said they've added some to this year's curriculum so I was really hoping to see some of it in the sample. If there really is a wider range of ways that the IG has you apply the information you learn and it's just not represented in the sample, could any of you give me some examples? Thank you!

Hi! We're expecting our 4th baby here in May and since I've got a toddler and a very on-the-go preschooler, I figure I may need my hands free quite a bit. :) For my 3rd baby, a friend lent me a non-adjustable PeanutShell sling which I really didn't use very much. I couldn't get it to fit comfortably on my body and I always felt like baby didn't have enough room and his neck wasn't in good alignment. I was wondering if you ladies could give me some recommendations on a sling or wrap that's worked well for you, or what hasn't been easy to use/comfortable. Thanks!

We're doing 1st grade this year and pretty much following WTM recommendations. We're using FLL, WWE and Spelling Workout. We do FLL 3 x week, WWE 4 x week. We do spelling about 10 min/day and usually work through 1 or 1/2 lessons a week at his own pace. For History, we're doing SOTW Ancients and my son LOVES it. He's very happy to color a picture from the Activity Guide while I read to him. I get any supplementary books from the Library. The same goes for science. We don't really buy any books, except for a 1st Animal/Human Body Encyclopedia. The rest come from the library. For science, we're also using Living Learning Books which adds in a coloring page and living book suggestions. Math - we're using Singapore 1A/1B but used Saxon for K last year. I think the key is to follow your son's lead and work at his pace. You'll be able to see if he's getting frustrated or overwhelmed. I've adjusted our schedule from the fall when we started and things are going on at a pretty smooth pace now. It all seems to be a very manageable amount of work for my son and the 3 R's take us only a little over an hour every day, giving us plenty of time to play, and do our 'fun' subjects of history/science throughout the week.

DS 7 is in 1st grade and we just finished OPGTR last week. He's able to decode just about any word but we definitely still need to work on his fluency. What suggestions do you have for phonics practice now that we've finished OPGTR? Some ideas I've come up with are: 1. just keep checking easy readers out of the library to build fluency and move the level up as we go, 2. do the above but add in some ETC workbooks. We've already worked through level 4 so I'd be starting with 5. 3. Buy one of McGuffey's Eclectic Readers and have him read from that 20 or so min/day I'd love to hear what others have done. Thanks!

Since the original WTM has been out for quite a while, I was wondering if any of you have children/grandchildren who have graduated from high school level and you pretty much followed TWTM as outlined in the book? Do you have any suggestions/anything you would've done differently? Just curious!

Something else that has never occurred to me.. Great idea, thanks!

This is so true, it's what is familiar to them and the way that they remember learning in school. Thank's for reminding me of this and to keep a clear perspective.

Thanks for all your great replies. We know dh parent's aren't supportive of our homeschooling and MIL is very outspoken and believes that her way is best and loves to impart her 'wisdom and advice' to all, whether asked for our not. I'm pretty quiet and laid back and usually just nod and smile - but sometimes - I wish I could just tell her how I really feel. I've tried to bring up/show her our actual books, kits, manipulatives etc, but the funny thing is, she then acts completely disinterested and changes the subject. I know alot of you have dealt with the same and don't want to go on a MIL rant -she really is great when the subject doesn't involve hs, etc. I'll probably give the workbooks to my 3yo to scribble in when he pretends to "do school." :)

sorry!! Meant to post on General Board.

My MIL is visiting and told me today that she thought my ds6 needed more learning opportunities so they bought him some flashcards and workbooks. My response, "oh," and then left the room so as not to visibly show my irritation. How many 6yo boys do you know that will enjoy their "learning opportunity" of flashcards and workbooks? :confused: Because we're going to do our regular schoolwork and then bring out her extra workbooks??!! Argghh. I'm not going to try to prove to her that he's actually learning and that I have real, quality curriculum that's enjoyable to my son. What do you ladies do? Just bite your tongues and say thank you? Some guidance in being kind and gracious would be most appreciative.. Thanks!

My MIL is visiting and told me today that she thought my ds6 needed more learning opportunities so they bought him some flashcards and workbooks. My response, "oh," and then left the room so as not to visibly show my irritation. How many 6yo boys do you know that will enjoy their "learning opportunity" of flashcards and workbooks? :confused: Because we're going to do our regular schoolwork and then bring out her extra workbooks??!! Argghh. I'm not going to try to prove to her that he's actually learning and that I have real, quality curriculum that's enjoyable to my son. What do you ladies do? Just bite your tongues and say thank you? Some guidance in being kind and gracious would be most appreciative.. Thanks!

We're doing 1A & 1B this year and I'm very happy that I got the HIG. I debated at first, but since we've begun 1A I really like all of the concrete activities, games, etc that they recommend we do prior to the text and workbooks. It helps me understand more how to first concretely present the new topic and my son enjoys the manipulative aspect of the activities.

Interested to see the comments and I have another question about Rosetta Stone spanish - I saw that it's recommended for ages 6 to adult. I have 6 yo ds who will be in 1st grade next year - would any of you actually recommend this product at such a young age?

We'll be doing first grade during this upcoming year with my son and I also plan to folllow TWTM's plan. I decided to stick with Kingfisher for both the First Animal Encyclopedia and the Human Body. When viewing the DK at the bookstore and on Amazon, I just preferred the layout of the Kingfisher books better. I will also be using Living Learning Books to supplement. It includes a library list, web sites, coloring pages, etc and basically follows the WTM with 20 wks animal science, 10 wks, human body and 6 wks plants. http://www.livinglearningbooks.com/newllb/ They've just redone their site, so now you can buy each unit a la carte. I've bought a couple and really like them.

Born in 1980. Graduated high school in 1999.

My 6yo DS was also recently diagnosed with TS and my MIL asked me the same thing. She said that perhaps if he was around kids or in a learning environment (ie. public school) it would just go away. :confused:

We're doing Saxon 1 this year and did not order the Meeting Book. I'm just using a large calendar and printed off a Hundred's Chart from a website.