I have been eyeing up Guest Hollow’s elementary Chemistry plans. It’s called “Knowledge of Nature”, and it is literature based. It uses Apologia as the spine. It might be worth checking out. I’m considering using next year. http://www.guesthollow.com/homeschool/science/knowledge/knowledge_of_nature.html

I know a lot of you keep 2 math programs going at the same time. I'm at the point where I'd like to do this for my 9 yo. She's just started her 5th grade year. She's working through a few final chapters of BJU 4 (DLO), then she'll move into BJU 5. We're doing BJU for a few reasons : 1) It's a solid program, 2) she doesn't "hate it", and 3) Daddy wants her to have a "normal" looking math curriculum for his own comfort. (He's good with all of the other choices we've made, but he wants a good foundation in Math and things like MUS, Singapore, Right Start... make him nervous. He does not have time to invest in understanding these either. I respect his opinion/decision.) So, last year I purchased MUS Gamma because I considered adding it to her BJU studies. I let her do a week of MUS and then a week of BJU. Well, all she wanted to do was MUS. She called it her Fun Math! We still had to keep the BJU going though, so we didn't get to fit in MUS as much as we'd like. For those of you who keep 2 maths going at the same time, how do you schedule it? Alternating weeks didn't work well for us because the BJU chapters are longer than a week and it would take forever to get through the year of BJU. I'd like to hear how everyone is fitting 2 maths into their weekly schedule. Dad would be fine with adding MUS to BJU, but not giving up on BJU yet. Suggestions? (I also own MUS Alpha, and if I can figure out the scheduling I would love to add that for my youngest who is also doing BJU Math.)

I agree with others that each subject probably won’t take as long as you have scheduled. For 1st - I would not do keyboarding. Let her learn to read first. I would also not do RSO Science. It’s a great curriculum, but it’s going to take a lot of time. I would choose reading through “Let’s Read and Find Out” science series, watch the Magic School Bus series, and possibly sign up for the MSB Experiment subscription (or something simpler and not so time consuming). I would also not do Science every day - even though that’s what she asks for. Have her watch a Science video on the “off” days. Go on nature walks in the evening or on weekends. If you’re not combining kids, it’s best to choose easier to implement resources and alternate subjects/days. Otherwise, you will find yourself sinking. I have a 5th and 2nd grader this fall. I encourage my 5th grader to do most work on her own. I can review her work in the evenings and discuss if necessary. Also, don’t be afraid to assign a half hour for science or history, and whatever isn’t completed could be finished on her own after dinner. (Like actual homework) We are implementing that with our 5th grader this year. And... you can also start the year with a smaller schedule and add things when you’re ready.

I would love to hear more about how that worked. Do you know how they scheduled this? We have US&Y planned for our 5th grader this fall. I've spent some time reading through the material. It is a LOT to read every day. I like the idea of spreading it out alongside US History. I have always liked Sonlight D and E as well!!

Oh Kickball. Last year our girls were at an overnight camp with our local troop. They announced that kickball was next on the agenda. I sunk deep in my chair and had a slight panic attack. We are NOT a sports family. We don’t watch sports. We don’t do sports. I’m not sure any of us are coordinated enough for sports. I was forced to play the game in public school growing up. I knew my girls had no idea what their friends were talking about. They kicked the ball, and they had no idea what to do or where to run. It was bad. Since then, we’ve gone to a few Durham Bulls baseball games so I can start teaching them basics and terminology. We’ve also started bowling. (It has been an eye opener!) Try not to worry about the gaps. Think of all the gaps public school kids have. They have to get used to a new teacher every single year, and most will never read a full classic novel - EVER!

Thank you for the suggestions. Some of these seem very interesting. I've spent some time reading up on the various methods. I think, at this time, the two that stand out to me are Phonics Pathways and ABeCeDarian. I am not interested in attempting anything that will make her feel like she's "starting over". I need to make her feel encouraged so she feels like she's moving forward. I'm also not interested in investing a lot of my time learning a new method. If we were just starting out or had other little ones to teach, I would consider some of these. They look great. PHONICS PATHWAYS - I like this because it's simple. One book. We can start on the page where I feel we need to and just move forward. I'm not sure it will give her enough practice, though. I did find lesson plans from Cornerstone Confessions blog that includes recommended readers to go along with the PP lessons. Does anyone know if the Explode the Code workbooks would match up to this or if there are any others that would offer additional practice? ABeCeDarian - I really like the looks of this. The teacher's manual is scripted, and the workbook seems to give good practice without being crowded and overwhelming. I also like that it doesn't have cut, paste, color activities and games. These seem to confuse her instead of help. I'm not happy about the cost of shipping, but I will try to call the company. For some reason, the prices on Amazon are higher than the company website. (Ex. Workbook is $17.75 on Amazon, but only $10.95 on the ABCD site). It seems like I have some work and thinking to do. As always, I appreciate the wisdom and experience of this group!

Ktgrok or anyone else who knows ... what is the best way to order ABeCeDarian? Their website suggests Amazon, but shipping is crazy! (It doesn’t qualify for Prime shipping). (These prices are obviously subject to change, but are current pricing for 7-5-18). B-1 Teachers Manual - $15.95 B-1 Student WB - $17.75 Aesop reader - $5.00 sub-total - $38.70 SHIPPING - $11.97 !!!! (Ouch!) Total - $50.67 And, this is only the cost for level B-1. Any other ordering suggestions?

This looks great. I wish I would have heard of this a year or so ago. It seems like there is an A and B book to work through for each level, including workbooks and readers to buy. My dd would probably place in level 2 since she can read CVC and has been introduced to Th, sh, ck. I’m not sure that I want to make the investment in all of the materials at this point, though. That said - I will continue to look at and consider this. Do you know if there are any samples online that I can look at? I saw that you can download the level 1 teacher guide, but I’d like to see the workbook as well. Thank you for sharing this. I think this is what so many people are looking for, but they end up using AAR because it’s more we’ll known.

Thank you for the suggestions so far. I think I should take a second look at Phonics Pathways. I like the idea that I can just pick up at the lesson I feel is most appropriate and move forward. I have looked at it before, and it didn’t seem like you had to learn a new method to teach it. I think our library has it. Dancing bears looks interesting, but I don’t like the idea of progressing through various levels. I like that PP is one book.

My 8 yo dd has been "learning to read" for about 2-3 years now. It took her about 2 years to learn her letters and sounds. She spent a lot of her early years in and out of hospitals, so she has dealt with many learning delays. She's now to a point where she is home most of the time, and she only has to go to hospital about 1-2 x / month for clinic. We have worked on AAR Level 1 throughout this past year. She has made "okay" progress. She still can't read things outside of the curriculum when asked, though. We still have some of Level 1 to finish, and we already own level 2. I feel like if we keep moving with AAR, it will be another year or two before she's reading well. It moves slow. I understand why it moves slow, but I need to get her up to speed sooner. I don't want her inability to read to effect her other studies. I believe she is finally "ready" to start reading. I would love to hear any suggestions of a quicker paced reading curriculum - that doesn't have a lot of components. She doesn't need lots of worksheets, word flippers, games, etc. We don't need lots of bells and whistles and extras to keep track of. My older daughter used MFW K and 1st to learn to read, and it was great. I've thought of buying MFW 1st grade just so I can have her go through that. She would be reading by the end of this coming year. I'm guessing there are other cheaper options, though. Note : She has been followed by an ophthalmologist since birth. She has had glasses for 6 years, and she has seen specialists at Duke that have told us exactly what she can and can not see. We are not asking her to read anything that would be difficult for her to see.

Basic Pictionary. Who can guess the drawing first (like charades on paper). Also, I have no idea what this is called, but it’s always fun and challenging. Using words, letters, plus and minus signs , create a word or saying. Example : (draw a hat) - t + (draw a pea) = [happy]

Thank you all for the advice. I have looked at so many Latin books online this week! I believe I am going to go with MP. I have a Prima Latina set. I’m debating doing that with my youngest dd instead of Song School. From the reviews I’ve read, I think I’m going to go with MP First Form (instead of Latina Christiana). I like that the MP books aren’t cluttered. My little girl is visually impaired, and the more white space on a page, the better.

I need Latin advice for 5th grade. My dd’s only Latin experience is watching half of the DVD’s from Song School Latin 1. I had purchased CAP Latin for Children A last year (right before they released the new edition). ? We never fit it into our plans last year. I want to make Latin a priority this year. My debate is... I’m really drawn to the MP Latin series, and quite honestly - I’m frustrated with CAP. I have a younger dd that I will need to re-use resources with. If we use CAP LFC A, I will have to purchase a full new Latin curriculum for my younger dd because apparently you can’t use the LFC A resources with the new consumables. So, what would you do? Should I sell the complete LFC A set since it’s all new and has everything needed and then buy the MP Latina Christiana? I’m afraid I won’t be able to sell any of LFC if we use it. If I choose MP, would I start with Latina Christiana 1?

I agree with “HomeAgain”. Ask their opinions. Let them get involved in choosing (from your list of choices). I also have a 9 1/2 yo daughter. She does not love school, but we get through the days. Spelling - Soelling You See, I tried it, and I saw no progress! We ended up buying BJU workbooks, but no teachers guides. This really works well for us! I am finally seeing progress! I think Spelling shouldn’t take that much of the child’s time and focus. Also, AAS is beautiful, but I don’t think it’s necessary for most kids. Language - I’m assuming you mean writing and grammar. We have floundered in this area. My dd is behind as well. Have you considered using WTM Writing With Ease and First Language Lessons or the IEW products? After investigating just about everything out there, these seem to be the best for a child with little experience. We’ve decided to use IEW -SWI-A and FLL 3. I’m hoping the DVD lessons for writing will help! Reading - I would hesitate to add a curriculum. Maybe set some reading goals. Have 3 reading periods with her each week. Have her read aloud to you 1) above level book (challenges her) 2) at level book (strengthens her skills) and 3) below level (helps her remember that reading can be fun, and it’s not always a chore). As for Science and History, keep it simple. It sounds like she could benefit with some time to focus on the core subjects first. Maybe do 1 semester of history study and the next semester study Science. Let her choose the topics. Also, I would not do more than 1 or 2 BJU DLO courses. They can take a long time. My dd does their math, but it wears her out sometimes. Best of luck to you with choosing. I think we all wish there was a magic 8 ball to tell us exactly what will work. (It would save me a lot of money!)

I am wanting to hear some opinions from those who have had a year with MFW and a different year just using SOTW w/ Activity Book for history. I am wondering how smoothly your year went? Was your day longer with one vs the other? Did you combine kids successfully? Pros/cons? We have a plan for the fall (see my signature). However, I’m trying to schedule this, and I feel like we’ll be doing school all day long -with evening work! I was going to have my 9yo do Civics with Notgrass. She’d like to learn about government. My 8 yo has several LD’s. She’s still learning to read and trying to conquer 1st grade math. So, I was going to have her work through SOTW 2. I started thinking how nice it would be to combine them for Bible, History, Literature, and possibly science. It would also be nice to have a plan laid out for me. I have a friend who uses MFW, and it’s been a blessing for her large family. They are definitely not doing school all day. I am considering ditching my plan and combining my girls in MFW Rome to the Reformation. I could still offer lots of great books to cover civics and government for my older dd. So, I need to decide to stick with the original plan or combine them and do MFW. It sounds like MFW would make my life easier, or, am I just fooling myself? If you’ve had experience that could help me make a more informed decision, I would love to hear about it.

You might consider getting an Amazon Echo or Dot. It has a speaker, can play music and read books from Audible. This would not work as a portable device or with earbuds, but it can be useful for so many things.

I would consider joining the 5th and 8th grader together and do Notgrass America the Beautiful. They have 2 different levels of workbook. They could study the same thing, and it can be done mostly independent. You can choose to add more or less of the activities and extra reading based on the students needs. I’m really impressed with what I’ve seen in the Notgrass series.

I would recommend speaking with other homeschool families in your area. They will have experience and specific advice on how to plan and record hours. I think it’s safe to say that most of us don’t have such strict HS requirements in our states. As for planning lessons, I’ve found the best approach is to plan by the subject - not the days. For example, create a spreadsheet with 180 squares (or how many lessons you’ll plan for the year.) Each square, enter a lesson number, page numbers, additional reading, workbooks, etc. Be prepared to be flexible! Your child (and you) will not always be up to doing everything in that “square”. Create one of these for each subject. They may be multiple pages long, but try to keep it simple. Don’t include teaching tips... Before the start of each week, look over the next lessons for each subject. Cross off or highlight lessons when completed.

I have a plastic 2 tier paper tray. When work is completed, they put it in their tray. This forces me to make sure I’m looking at all of their work. I then file it in the correct notebook (binder). They know exactly what to do, and it keeps things neat.

A large number of kids aren’t ready to learn to read in kindergarten. Be careful not to push this too much. You will do more damage than good. If you really need to have her reading by the fall, get either Phonics Pathways or Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Lessons. Most libraries have these. Work through the program. Let her choose one library book each week. Teach her to use phonics to read 1-2 pages a day. When she’s read it (slowly), then you can re-read it to her. I would also give her a month off before trying again. I have 2 daughters. One learned to read in 1st grade (when she was ready). She is now a great reader (age9). My youngest is 8. She has learning delays, and she is just now ready to learn to read. Now that she’s ready, she’s making progress.

Big Truths for Little Kids is great for that age. If you’re ready for something a bit deeper, Old Story New by Marty Machowski is great for family devotions!

I’ve “tried” a few of these with my daughter in 3rd & 4th. I love the idea of them, but WOW, they require a lot of writing! It ruined the book for my daughter. We ended up completing most of the guide orally. I felt like we could have accomplished a lot more simply using narration techniques (oral & written). The MP guides might be an excellent choice for the right student, but I felt like it took the joy out of reading for my student. I actually liked the Veritas Press guides more, but they still require a ton of writing. I would definitely look closely at the samples.

BJU Reading is more of a reading comprehension curriculum. There are some phonics lessons included for reinforcement, but if your child has not completed a phonics curriculum, you’ll want to include that as well. I have purchased several levels of BJU Reading. I have never stuck with it, though. It is too much, in my opinion. Reading great books from start to finish is a better choice. Talk about story elements and genres. Practice narrations. I believe you will get better results, and you and your child will enjoy it more. As for phonics, we love AAR. It is solid. I only completed the first 2 levels with my oldest, but I wish I completed them all. My youngest is near the end of level 1, and we’ll continue through all of the levels with her. So, AAR and BJU Reading can’t really be compared because they both answer a different need. I hope this info was helpful.

We started using Evan Moor Daily Geography 4 this spring. It is not teacher intensive at all. Here is how we do it : Before the week starts I copy all of the pages for the week. (I fold the 1st page before copying to hide the “answers”.). I staple the pages together and put them in her work drawer. On Monday she reads the first page that teaches the topic. She reviews the vocabulary words that are listed, then she answers the 2-3 questions for Monday. Each day after that she answers the daily 2-3 questions. On Friday she turns it in to me, and we discuss briefly. That’s it. It takes her an average of 5 - 10 minutes at most each day.

They don’t have glitter and unicorns, but Magic House pencils can be bright and fun. My 9 yo loves them! The never need sharpening or clicking. They auto-feed. http://www.magichouseusa.com/