BIBLE - God’s Great Covenant OT1 w/ little sister. HISTORY - Notgrass From Adam to Us SCIENCE - Apologia General Science 2nd Edition MATH - CLE 7 (Thanks to all of the great advice on the K-8 board to help me make this decision!) GRAMMAR - Analytical Grammar WRITING - WriteShop 1 LITERATURE - Progeny Press (I let her pick 4 books) LOOP - Artistic Pursuits, Music Theory, Composer Study, and Health / PE EXTRAS - American Heritage Girls, Homeschool Swim Team

I need help choosing. I’m planning on doing a solid overview of elementary math for my 7th grader this year. I own 2 curriculum sets that I think would accomplish this well, but I cannot choose! I’m aware that one is mastery and one is spiral. She does fine with either approach, so that isn’t a concern. Does anyone have experience with these that they can share? BJU Fundamentals of Math - This looks more challenging, but I think it will prepare her very well for Pre-Algebra and High School Math. I am concerned it might be overwhelming. I would not require all problems to be completed each day though. R&S Math 6 - I’ve heard this is a great overview, but it definitely looks less challenging than BJU. Obviously it is written for 6th grade so it wouldn’t be as challenging. Would it be enough to prepare for Pre-Algebra?

I guess I’m overwhelmed because my younger daughter still needs so much from me. She’s 10 yo, but at a 2nd grade level. (Legally blind, learning delays, Chronic health issues...) I feel like I wouldn’t have a solid day by day plan with my choices. That’s definitely what is so appealing with BJU. It’s all laid out with a very clear plan. I really appreciate the comment on R&S Math 6. That does give me comfort!

After spending weeks looking at everything available for 7th grade, my head is spinning. I put together a full plan, but now I'm looking at BJU 7th grade and thinking it looks really good! Have any of you actually used the full 7th grade textbook kit? My daughter does not like the DLO option. We've tried it for Math in the past and it was a nightmare. She didn't learn anything for months. My alternative is to go with the plan I originally came up with, although, I feel overwhelmed with it. Anyone care to critique my plan or offer their experience using BJU 7th? MY ORIGINAL PLAN BIBLE - CAP God's Great Covenant OT1 (with little sister) HISTORY - Notgrass From Adam to Us SCIENCE - Apologia Gen. Sci (2nd edition) with Lab Kit MATH - Considered using R&S 6 for a solid overview of elementary arithmetic WRITING COMP - Write Shop 1 GRAMMAR - Analytical Grammar SPELLING AND HANDWRITING - Considered using R&S (She's a terrible speller and her writing has always been awful) LATIN - I Considered using First Form Latin and I would do it with her, but now I'm thinking that would just be too much!

I've also been looking into this for my 7th grader next fall. The two that I have found interesting were: 1. Veritas Press Transition History Course 2. Notgrass From Adam to Us I have decided to choose Notgrass. They both look like wonderful programs. I think my daughter would enjoy the Notgrass more.

For those of you that use the Writing & Rhetoric series, how do you schedule it? We will be starting the series for my 11 yo daughter in the fall. She will begin with Level 3 according to the FAQ on the CAP website. I looked at the samples, and it has 4 lessons a week, but there was a note on the page that suggested it could be done differently. Does anyone complete the weekly lessons in 3 days? Also approximately how long do you spend on each days lesson? We plan on working through 2 books a year.

I’ve decided that I’d like to use SOTW (all 4 books over the next two years). It’s the perfect level for my 10 yo with LD’s, but it’s not quite enough for my 12 yo. I’ve been looking at ways to “beef it up”. i discovered last night that Sonlight uses all 4 books in 2 years in Cores G/H. I have tried to find actual user reviews, but all I can find are “unboxing” reviews. I would follow Sonlight history for my 12 yo, but only do the SOTW readings with my 10 yo. I have the pdf of the Activity Book that I could use for ideas for her. I would also use the Bible and Read Alouds for both. Has anyone actually used these cores that can share your experience?

Thank you all so much for your responses. I am thinking 3 chapters a week. I like the idea of looking at the Sonlight cores for literature ideas!

I would like to do a 2 year overview of World History with my kids. I have a 12 yo and 10 yo. My 10 yo is working on a 2nd grade level due to many LD's. I am thinking of using SOTW Volumes 1 and 2 for the first year, then Volumes 3 and 4 for the next year. I like the idea of SOTW because it can be as simple as it needs to be for my 10 yo, but I can add literature, encyclopedia research, note taking, outlines,... for my 12 yo. I've also considered using History Odyssey for extension ideas. Am I crazy to think we can fit 2 volumes in each year? The reason for the 2 year overview of World History -- We are currently studying Modern History with SCM. It is going well, but I don't want to continue with SCM for History. My 12 yo will be 7th grade and 8th grade over the next 2 years. I would like her to have a thorough overview before beginning high school. Help me to determine if this is a good idea or if I'm setting us up for failure and why.

So, I really like the looks of Jump In! It seems broken down into “doable” chunks. It’s affordable too! I spent some time looking into Bravewriter, and although it does look lovely, I don’t think it’s quite what we need. I bought Jump In! On Amazon. It will be here Tuesday. Thank you all for your suggestions!

Thank you all for these suggestions. Several of these look interesting. I have a friend who has encouraged me to read “The Writer’s Jungle” and look into writing projects with Bravewriter. I’m going to focus on researching these options for the next few weeks.

I would like to find a writing curriculum for my 6th grader that teaches basic skills such as writing a book report, a letter, a short story... We have started our year using IEW SWI-B. We are about a month in, and I find it to be so boring and annoying. I don’t feel like she is really learning anything, and we are both tired of key word outlines. I would love to have her working on writing projects that have a purpose so she can see why these skills are important. She has also been using Fix It Grammar, and she likes it so we will continue with this. Any suggestions?

Thank you for so many great suggestions. I guess I’ll spend the evening doing research. A friend had also recommended using Sonlight LA2 along with Easy Grammar. I was planning on going through the SL LEVEL 2 readers anyway, so that might make sense. She said they’re LA is great for writing,but not Grammar. So much to consider.

My 9 yo daughter is still learning to read. She has many delays, but is making progress. I bought IEW Bible Heroes for this year, thinking that it would be a gentle approach to grammar and writing. I really don't like it - already. She really really doesn't like it! It requires too much writing, and she just can't grasp the "key word outline". I feel like I have looked at just about every English curriculum out there, and I feel even more lost than when I started my search. We will be doing AAS for spelling and phonics/reading instruction is covered by other resources. We are also doing literature units from CAHS (Confessions of a Homeschooler). So, all I need is Grammar and Writing. I have looked at BJU and Abeka. I struggle so much with the BJU teacher's guides. They are just information overload, and the workbook is so so boring! I don't want to drop down to a level of English that covers phonics either. Abeka seems to include all of Language Arts, and I don't need or want that. Any ideas for English curriculum that only covers Grammar and Writing. This can not be a DVD or online curriculum either, as she has visual issues and these don't work well for her. Also, we don't want multiple components. Lots of manipulatives frustrate her. I don't know if there is anything out there that will meet our needs, but I figured you all might have some suggestions.

WP AS1 - I bought the old version about 4 years ago. I fell in love with the stacks of real picture books! I loved the idea that they would learn about Native American history. The LA looked so cute with all the animals! I bought the whole set and ordered ALL of the books for the year from Amazon. Then, we started the year. Things didn’t line up. We would read about one group of Native Americans and do a notebook page about another group. The Read Aloud was about a totally different group. Unfortunately the curriculum plans didn’t have the flow that the “American Story” needed and were not aligned well. Soon my kids were confused and so was I. (It was a pretty curriculum though!). The LA was okay, but a lot of reading. I really don’t remember much from the science. We packed it all up and sold what we could after about 6 weeks. Fast forward - Last year I bought the LA readers (Pine Nut Park) for my daughter. I paid so much for these, but my daughter loves them. The rest of the LA just isn’t our cup of tea. ALSO, WP has been REDESIGNED! They changed from assigning reading from all of those beautiful picture books to assigning reading from the books that they (WP) have written. There are still some extra books assigned, but not the beautiful stack of picture books. I prefer having my kids exposed to the point of view from many different authors rather than one so WP no longer appeals to me. So, if you’re reading past reviews, be aware that it’s probably a very different curriculum and experience now. Some might love the new design. I would try to find reviews specific to the revised version, though.

I am still trying to figure out History for my soon to be 6th grade daughter. We have tried History Odyssey in the past and that we s the one curriculum that she absolutely will not do. We are also not fans of SOTW. I have been looking at both Veritas Press and Memoria Press. I like the looks of both, although I’m not entirely sure what I would need from MP. First, has anyone here used the VP transition guide(s) for middle school? How did it go? How long were you spending on History each day? Please share the good and the bad. Next, Memoria Press - what would I want or need to buy for a child that is new to MP? We have not studied history chronologically in the past. I read somewhere to start with year 5, but I’m still not sure what I would need for history/classical studies. Also, if you have used this, how was your experience? About how long were you spending on this each day? i appreciate hearing of your experiences.

[Speaking calmly and non-judgemental] When I mentioned reconsidering her lifestyle, I was referring to the many things we consider while planning our lives. Some things she might consider if she really wants to homeschool are moving to an area where she would have more family close by to help, or looking for another job that would allow her to either work less hours or even work from home. I have great compassion for single parents. I realize that often they must make sacrifices daily to just get by. I am not speaking at all to how she spends her resources, including time. I think it’s noble that you are trying to help a friend. However, I think your friend has limited choices. If she can not look for different employment, she could also consider moving to a nearby town in a different school district. It sounds like this thread has angered you. It is extremely difficult to communicate with “expression” in a forum. Often, we can feel defensive and interpret an individual’s advice as ridicule when that is usually not the case. I believe most are simply concerned and want to offer the best advice from their experience. I hope you have a good evening, and your friend finds a solution that will benefit both her son and herself.

Honestly, I think the mother needs to reconsider her priorities. I understand that it can be difficult to manage things as a single parent, but I think she’ll have herself in a legal situation fast if she tries to leave a 9 yo special needs child at home by himself and technically teaching himself. Maybe it isn’t illegal there, but I’m guessing neighbors or concerned friends and family would be quick to contact child services. If the mother really wants him to be homeschooled, she’ll need to consider changes in her lifestyle, including her work schedule. If she’s dedicated to her child, I’m sure she can figure out a solution that will serve him well. Curriculum recommendations aren’t going to help a situation like this.

I’m typically very excited for this sale, but it was so disappointing! Math Mammoth seemed like a good deal, but I don’t need it. That was the only thing I saw that I would even consider. I usually spend at least $40 on this sale, but I guess I’ll use that money on physical resources instead.

I still use Rubber Cement often. Also, I looked everywhere online trying to find a trapper keeper for my 10 yo dd. The only ones I could find were either very old, extremely expensive, or the new bulky version... so I had to build my own. ..... I miss the Trapper Keeper.

Teaching the Classics. See the Center for Lit website.

I love these too! Our county had the annual library book sale last week. I got the full set of 2017 Commemorative Edition World Book encyclopedias for only $22! They are like new. You could tell some of them were never even used! (It was like Christmas morning for me!)

Be prepared for BJu Math DLO to not be as independent as you hope. It works well for some kids, but many have a different experience. Often, the parent watches along with the child to get a feel for what the child is understanding and what they need extra focus on. I personally found it much easier to teach the lesson myself. The DLO videos can be quite lengthy. My children lose interest in the videos quickly Also, don’t forget that the child will learn so much from having hours of free play. I would choose to not do every subject every day, and shorten the “seat work” part of the day. That free time can be much more important than checking off another subject.

I don't know how "old fashioned" this would be, but I love plain wooden pencils (preferably Ticonderoga), and a Pink Pearl eraser. I own many, many mechanical pencils, but there's nothing like a freshly sharpened wooden pencil.

You might enjoy Elemental Science. It would work well for those ages.