I remember reading and loving: Harriet the Spy Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret Deenie Freaky Friday A Gift of Magic Newer but very good: Pie by Sarah Weeks Smells Like Dog (and sequels) by Suzanne Selfors

Sooooo, I'm in an 88% eclipse area—do I need glasses to look at it or not? I know, dumb question < sigh>.

I have completed a B.A. magna cum laude, an M.Ed. and a PhD. Reading these posts has been very interesting : ).

I second The Giver, The Sign of the Beaver and, of course, the Harry Potter books if she hasn't read them. Also: Black Beauty Poppy (and sequels) The Tale of Despereaux The One and Only Ivan The City of Ember (and sequels) The Doll People (and sequels) The Little House series of books The Devil's Arithmetic Turtle in Paradise The Borrowers (and sequels) Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Ella Enchanted Pippi Longstocking (and sequels) The Sisters Grimm novels (series) The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (and sequels)

I started using GGC OT 2 toward the end of last year with my then 3rd grader DD and I plan to finish it this year with her in 4th. I broke up lessons over several days and usually read the actual scripture rather than relying on just the summary in the book (so that could take longer as well). She typically enjoyed doing the puzzles and filling in the blanks type of questions. Sometimes the questions could be somewhat difficult for her because some pertained to specific people and the names were often confusing and, let's face it, "weird" to our American ears/eyes in the 21st century. This is to be expected, though, when doing anything with OT scripture (sometimes even with NT scripture!) Overall, I have really liked the quality and thoroughness of the GGC OT 2 curriculum. I can't comment on the Apologia program because I haven't used it, but it is definitely on my radar for 5th or 6th grade for her.

Sorry, accidental double post.

My middle school aged son has enjoyed: The Wednesday Wars The Candymakers (and sequel) The Sisters Grimm books The Cay Right now we are reading Half Upon a Time by James Riley (my son really likes the fantasy genre)

Following, as it's on my radar as well.....

I really like using the TM with CAP W & R— if nothing else, it steps "in the gap" on those days I am feeling "less than motivated" so to speak. Have you tried finding TMs used on homeschoolclassifieds.com, Ebay, Amazon, these forums and bookfinder.com? I'm not familiar enough with the other programs you have mentioned to comment on them.

Thank you so much!!!!! : )

Oh No, I have never done tests with Singapore and I have been doing it for years! There are tests for 1st grade? : ) Seriously, I took my DS through Singapore Standards 3rd with no tests given as I did not see a point. He did fine with our required standardized testing at the end of the year. With one of my DDs, I will be doing Singapore Standards 4 this fall (we have used Singapore all through with no tests) and I am considering using tests this year only because she is test phobic and standardized testing causes her anxiety at the end of the year. She scores well, but she gets anxious and I'm thinking that maybe a few tests throughout the year (with no pressure at all) could help reduce her test anxiety. I have another one using Singapore 1 Math in Focus with no tests. I guess I just don't think it's necessary to test with Singapore math until maybe middle school.

Oh, I forgot about Veritas Press!: https://www.veritaspress.com/curriculum/

See Also: Calvert http://www.calverteducation.com/curriculum/2nd-grade Moving beyond the Page (done by age not by grade) http://www.movingbeyondthepage.com/purchase/?purchaseTab=6to8 or http://www.movingbeyondthepage.com/purchase/?purchaseTab=7to9 K12 (available with teacher or without) https://www.k12courses.com/grades/grade-2.html I also wanted to add that whole year curricula often are available used on Ebay or homeschoolclassifieds.com. For example, search Calvert Homeschool or just Calvert, Moving Beyond the Page or K12 on Ebay, and someone may be selling all the books and lesson guides (or at least the lesson guides) for a certain year (or subject). You won't get any of the online components (subscriptions) purchasing used, but you will save a whole lot of $$$.

The point about using too many subjects from one publisher is a good idea to consider (unless you already know that your DD really, really enjoys that publisher's materials). Also, the idea that you may want to examine what is making the difference for your child after spending some time in a B & M school setting is worthwhile. My son went to a B & M school after being homeschooled for grades K-3. He came back last year willing to work at home without complaining all day and disrupting my other kids and the entire household. He needed to experience for himself that doing some kind of schoolwork most days of the week was indeed "normal" for kids his age and our once weekly co-op was not providing this for him. He definitely now is more appreciative of the opportunity to homeschool and is more focused and mature about his workload. It's been lovely having him back! Otherwise, your curricula looks fine to me and I wish you a great year ahead!! : )

Thanks for bringing this up. I've got lots of novel study guides and also some literature interactive notebooks on my wish list so far. I'll be watching for the sale!

Bumping up and following for more ideas while I work out a schedule for my kiddos.

Mrs. Twain, could you tell us a bit more about Word Wealth Jr.? I can find it for sale but there are no pictures of the interior of the book (too old) and, while the reviews are outstanding, no reviewers say exactly what the exercises are like. What is the format, are there new word lists weekly (what types of lists/words from where?), how is each list learned, etc.? Thank you. For my middle school son (8th grade) I am currently looking at Wordbuild and Vocabulary from Classical Roots. I am signing him up for Witty Wordsmith an online class from Lukeion this fall. My focus for him mostly will be working with, and learning vocabulary from, Greek and Latin roots.

Hake Grammar (like Saxon Math) is very thorough, spiral and easy for a student to get through on her own.

I think I selected 6-7 novels for DS to analyze over the course of the year (from various genres). DS also will have an independent book to read alongside but I have seen those long lists for middle school literature analysis and always end up feeling somewhat "inadequate" that my DS will not be reading/analyzing 6-7 books per semester instead over the entire year <sigh>. I think I am doing the right thing for my son, but it's nice to hear from others that they also think less can be more especially in Middle School : )

Nini, Can I say this is one reason why I love the Hive??? : ) Now, if someone had the DVDs for IEW SWI (just the DVDs) and would either give them to me or sell them to me for price I can afford....lol :)

Bless you for what you are doing to help and blessings for her mom, too, who wants better for her daughter than she had and (even "late") is following her intuition in knowing something is going wrong for her little girl and that the public school is not fixing it. Please keep us posted regarding what you find out and how things are going for everybody.

Yes, A Light in the Forest : ) Thanks for that list Lori!!!!

The Light in the Forest by Conrad Richter (setting circa 1760's) Not involving Native Americans: Carry on Mr. Bowditch

For my just turned 9 yo DD, who will be in 4th grade this fall, we will be using Mosdos Ruby for short stories and poetry analysis. This year will be the first time I will have her read novels specifically for analysis with me (part of her Literature subject) and not just "free/quiet time" reading. She also is expected to have another novel going alongside that is for "free/quiet time reading. The analysis novels I choose; the "free/quiet time" reading novels I provide suggestions but she chooses. This child (unlike DS 8th grade mentioned upthread) actually loves reading fiction. Novels for Literature (subject): Sarah, Plain and Tall Poppy The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Little House on the Prairie The Trouble with Chickens: A J.J. Tully Mystery Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Charlotte in Giverny Greek Myth Study for Literature: D'Aulaire's Greek Myths using the Memoria Press study guide Some Novel Suggestions for DD for her "free/quiet time" reading: The Borrowers sequels (she is finishing The Borrowers right now) Little House sequels Poppy sequels Narnia sequels Caddie Woodlawn Stuart Little Welcome to the Bed and Biscuit (and sequels) The Bell Family The Dragon of Lonely Island The Case of the Missing Moonstone (and sequel) The Frog Princess (and sequels) The Doll Shop Downstairs (and sequel) All of a Kind Family sequels (we are reading All of a Kind Family now as a read-aloud)

I have decided on the following novels for my DS (8th grade this fall) for literature analysis. We also use Mosdos Literature for short stories and poetry. DS loves non-fiction but is somewhat weak with fiction reading skills (and also generally unmotivated to read fiction): The Giver The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (tried this for 7th but the dialect was too distracting for him at the time) Where the Red Fern Grows The Westing Game Surviving the Applewhites Hatchet The Shakespeare Stealer Red Scarf Girl (actually an autobiography) My DS is also expected to have a "free" reading fiction book going alongside. He already reads a lot of non fiction. I will give him ideas for the "free" reading book but he gets to choose. Here are some titles I will suggest to him: Al Capone Does My Shirts Because of Mr. Terupt The Light in the Forest Fever 1793 The City of Ember and sequels The Great Trouble: A Mystery of London, the Blue Death and a Boy Called Eel Brian's Winter, etc. (sequels to Hatchet)