Thanks everyone for posting. I always appreciate the hives willingness to help. Thank you Jan. That is very true. Thanks Ellie. I will look into Spalding. Thanks CA Dreaming. I do fear SS would cause tears here too. Better keep this in mind for the future. Spelling Wisdom sounds interesting, I'll look into that too.

So I started my son who is 7, on a spelling program this fall. I went with EM Building Spelling Skills 2. He can spell the words for the test, but the next week forget it. I am about to scrap it. I am leaning towards a program which focuses on fewer rules at once. I am thinking about All About Spelling or Sequential Spelling. That said we do our spelling words with scrabble tiles once a week and he hates it. He is a very hands on learner so I thought that the tiles would be a win. ... So is AAS going to be a bust? Is there another program out there that might be a better fit? Thanks for your help. :)

I forgot they ran blood too. I will call today and see if they tested D and what the results are. Thank you Maize.

Feeling exposed so deleted. Sorry.

We have a few of the Magic School Bus Chapter Books. They are around 8 chapters long and involve the Frizz going on a adventure with her class. My 7 year old son likes them. They have the kids reports in the chapters and a list of questions in the back of the book. At co-op we lapbooked the Rock one. There was a free template at www.yeeshallknow.com . This might be one option for you. I would love to hear about other science based stories. :)

Its just a mile for the kids, it is before the adults 5K that my husband runs. My son just runs the mile. We live on a farm so my son has regularly gotten use to walking out and about with me around for a mile or more. When he started to ask to run races like his father, we let him run/walk at his pace with an adult building up to a little over a mile. He practices as interested before his event and can back out at anytime. Last year he practiced running a mile twice before his race, this year he ran four times. The rest of the year he runs around for soccer or on some of our farm road walks, where there are no cars. He has one speed it seems, run and the fun mile is a good outlet for that. The event he runs is put on by a local running club and they go all out for the kids. They set up the road race timer, make a finish shoot, post the times, do age division medals and finisher medals. There is music, food and an awards. Its a really fun morning for everyone.

In some ways I feel like Hurray first grade is over! But than I'm like I have a second grader? Guess that comes with still being new at this. Our plans for Second Grade are looking like this: Math- CLE 200 Reading- Readers of his choice, finish Phonics Pathways (Or not?), and lots of read alouds. Grammar/ Writing - Copying selections from our read alouds, alternated with CTGE 2 ( not doing respelling) Spelling- EM Building Spelling Skills 2 History- SOTW1 with activity book Science- Earth and space from library books and the Eyewitness Explorer books Fossil Hunter and Night Sky Detective for hands on ideas. Music & Art- Ideas from Arttango, tempted to try Home Art Studio and for music well try some appreciation and music making. PE- Fall Soccer, Spring Kids fun mile Summer is looking like swim lessons, VBS, a family visit and 6 Flags trip (thanks read to succeed).

My first thought was " Well the cat sat on it". And we both know she won't get off.

My sons a little younger, 6, he likes spider. I read it to him. They do still make Ranger Rick. I get Ranger Rick Jr for my daughter.

My old moms group did this. Hits were paper white bulbs planted in a nice planter, coffee gift card, nice travel mug and nice mug with nice tea set. Also one of those thingergigs that melts fragrant wax with a light bulb. Chocolates always good IMHO. Good luck.

Not so for us. I was working full time and had a 9lb er. Than my second I was down to working 30 hours and she was almost 11 pounds. I even gained less weight with my second. I want a third, but everyone likes to say things like that baby will walk out of my womb and be some crazy weight. That and a second section really makes me think twice about it too.

I am using the 1st Grade Enrichment Guide and art cards. I bought the guide and take the books out of the library. We are currently in week 9. What is nice is that everything is in the guide. You just use what you want. For example we read The Caboose That Got Loose, it has questions, vocab words, an author bio, est. I read Bill Peets bio because it was interesting, we rarely do this. I also talked about personification, because the guide noted it. Something I would not thought to explain. For the music we listened to a Mozart piece. I am clueless when it come to art and music, so it is so nice to have it all there. And its short and sweet. My son was blown away that Mozart was playing piano so well at 5 he gave a concert and toured at 13. The music selection we heard today was a choral piece and was written as a gift for a friend. Things I learned today for the first time from the guide. We have had a lot of fun with it. So far we have made ink, had a tea party and listened to some nice music and stories. If you have read most of 1st grade enrichment books, I suggest getting the guide for the list of books that you like best. I know some people have multiple grade kids but do one level of the Enrichment guide for all of them and cycle through.

Can You Hear It by Lach is a great book that takes classical music pieces and pairs them with art pics. Each selection has some questions to guide you through the piece. We used this book over the summer and my kids ask for the music selections still. It was fun. Its not really a picture story book though. You might like it.

We have been having regular yard games with his cousin and aunt and uncle. Sometimes its good sometimes its really ugly. Last night was ugly. We are coaching him on the realities of soccer. Its a team sport, not a Me sport. Letting practice passing, ball control ect. on his request. In his head I think he thinks it is going to be him with the ball making dozens of goals (cried last night because he his team scored ONLY two goals) and cheering fans. He has always been my show off. I think he needs to watch a little of a real soccer game to maybe get acquainted with the idea of team sport. It would be good for him to hang out with some boys his own age. I feel like he is surrounded by girls (his sister, cousins and coop). And it could be a good growing experience, just hard on mom to watch sometimes. I keep flipping sides yes, no next year. He's my oldest and has always been very tall for his age and very active. He does need this growing experience. I think we'll keep coaching him on having fun and playing together not dominating. Put him on the team and let him try. Pull him if it turns toxic. We live in a rural area. So there are no YMCA type places that are close. Thanks for listening to me whine, but mostly for your kind responses.

Hmm I have been basing my opinion on how he handles backyard games with his cousin. Sometimes its ok, sometimes it's ugly. I hadn't thought it maybe different outside of the house. Or that other kids are starting off at the same level. Its a county league that is made up of volunteer coaches. So I don't know how win oriented it is. I do know someone who quit coaching because the parents were to win focused. His kids were a little older though. Guess I'll have to dig a little more. As a kid I played soccer from 1st to 8th grade. I was always on the losing team. So it was just a normal fact of life when we lost. We played and had fun, but ultimately lost. It was like winning the lottery when we finally won. My son is high energy. He wouldn't be a soccer super star. This is not my hoped career for him. It would be more for fun and to positively use some of his energy. I just don't want it to be at the cost of his self esteem. He did a mile kids run and handled that well. I guess I will have to talk to the league before we decide. Thank you for your help. :)

What age did your kids start sports? My son won't turn 6 until Nov. Our local community sports league lets kids start T-Ball and soccer at 4. My son has expressed interest both last year and this year to play a team sport. The problem is I don't think he's ready. He acts very young for his age. Makes screamy whine noises when he doesn't like how things are going. Its like he is trying to act like his 2 yr old sister. I have been working with him on expressing frustration in words instead. I'm afraid the kids will pick on him for being a baby. He's also working on good sportsmanship. He has told our whole family and everyone at church he is playing soccer this year. Am I holding him back? I am feeling like mean Mom, because Dad is all for it.

I used The Reading Lsn and Phonics Pathways last year for K. We also used Math Reasoning B. Last year we started with The Reading Lsn, but at lsn 7 it is out of short vowel territory (first 1/4 of book about the first 110 pages) We went trucking along but eventually hit a wall. I switched it up and borrowed Phonics Pathways from the library. I liked it enough to buy and we worked through the K section of it. Phonics Pathways teaches the vowels than letter combination sounds for the letters. Ex letter T, Ta, Te, Ti, To, Tu . I feel it builds up "training" or building the sounds together nicely. It has little game suggestions in it. It also has little phrases of wisdom on the pages, which my son loves. If I knew what I do now I'd start with Phonics Pathways, as I feel it built a better foundation. The Reading lsn doesn't teach what vowels are, but jumps into sounding out and beginner reading. The end of lsn 1 the child masters at, sat, cat. It works short story and two word phrases in as it progresses. My son liked it because he got to show off with reading stories. It also has slashes under the sounds, so he could see that TH is one sound, and no slash for silent e. If I remember right, it doesn't teach the phonic rules. Some people use both texts together as each has as a strengths. For example Phonic Pathways is more word lists and two or three word phrases while Reading Lsn has stories. I have used Math Reasoning A and the book before it. My son liked it. We did seven pages a week and he finished them in one or two days. We would review them also a third day and used Inchimals for a 4th day. I felt it was fine for K. Going in my kid could write 1-10 count to 100 and do simple addition with his fingers. I felt it was gentle. A child without those skills would be ok, as number writing, counting 1's 2's 5's and 10's is in there as well as many other topics. I can't compare it to anything as I haven't tried anything else. We are switching math programs next year because I feel it would be too light for 1st. My math goal was to build confidence and a math is fun attitude. If another math program speaks to you more, go with it. You know your goals and child. Last year was my first year homeschooling and I am no expert. Take my option at your own risk. Our K year we used a combo of BYO Library and Timberdoodle. Hope this helps. :)

Geology Rocks has some great hands on stuff. Like " earth mining' with a cookies, grow a stalactite with salt and others. You could probably check it out from the library and look it over. http://www.amazon.com/Geology-Rocks-Hands--Activities-Kaleidoscope/dp/1885593295/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1438011248&sr=8-1&keywords=geology+rocks Also Rock On! is a rock bingo with specimens, as you pull the bingo cards it has info about each specimen and the bingo pieces are polished stones. I have bought it for me niece

I cross posted this on the MP Families FB and it turns out I had to follow this awesome mom who had put together a playlist. Yay !!!

I have read on the forums that the music playlist for the MP Enrichment is on Spotify for free. I downloaded the program and searched and can't find it. :( Is there something I'm missing? I am looking for the 1st grade selection. I'm out of town of course and didn't bring the book or I'd just search each selection. Does anyone know? I hope the playlist wasn't deleted. Thanks for reading.

Online maybe Art Tango? http://arttango.com/

Not a living book, but Adventures in America might fit the bill. Maybe The Children's Book of America by William Bennett. On second thought it is a nice collection but jumps quickly from indians through the man on the moon.

Gail Gibbons has a bunch of holiday books. Some better than others. I really like Thanksgiving Is... and The Night Before Thanksgiving by N. Wing is cute. Memoria Press has holiday picture books listed in their K & 1st Grade Read Aloud Program.

At that age DS really liked Roadwork and Little Blue Truck. Both are oversized board books. They have seen a lot of love. His sister now enjoys them. Roadwork by Sally Sutton and Brian Lovelock Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle and Jill McElmurry

Little Pear (When he's 5) Little Pear and His Friends (he's 6 ) More About Little Pear (7) They all have the fun adventure per chapter. My son also liked Milly Molly Mandy. We read it twice. Our copy has a map of the village in the cover, so we followed her adventures after each story.