This is difficult to say. We tend to spend more time on history than most; I can never get it done in the time frame others say they can. Possibly because we discuss too much. The material given is very rich and deep, and can be covered briefly or extensively. The World View will take a week, the Tooth Pick time will take 2 to 3 days, the rest can take much longer. It can be done in a 3 month time frame, or can be stretched. Actually, at the end, I tended to rush it a little more because my kids had no exposure to modern history (we are on SOTW 4 now) and because there is so much info, very condensed, in the modern times. We will go back and review using the Brimwood materials. I love the coloring book and am trying to find a cheap way to get the pages laminated to use as placemats. Much info is included on each one, so every meal could be a period history review! We could not read all of the stories included in the World View. Some were too disturbing. Blessings, Penny

Ann, You may have read all I have to say in one of the previous threads. The World View was outstanding. Although it took only a week, the concepts really stuck with my kids as to why people in history acted the ways they did. Also, when reading books we will talk about the author's world view. There is much to say about the rest of the products, so please let me know if you have any specific questions. Penny

We thought it was excellent. I'm bumping this and will reply more thoroughly when I have time! Penny

Here's what we plan to do, although I think the required subjects may be too much in and of themselves. The 'Spanish in the Car' is Pimsuler (spelling??). We do lots of history and read-a-louds and related reading using Sonlight and Biblioplan. I am too heavy on writing with IEW and Jamestown, but have a tutor leading them through this. Our best vocabulary is not WW, but making flash cards from read-a-louds and reviewing them along with the sentence they are used in. (I use Flash My Brain, a wonderful resource.) Thanks for posting yours! Required Subjects Devotional (Right now we are using Pearables) Math – R&S 6 and 7 Grammar R&S 6 Writing – IEW Class History and Reading Latin Prep Book 2 Literature Study (Jamestown Best Of) Geography Games (Shepherd Software) Spelling – Spelling Workout (Finish F and start G) (Note this gets alot harder after E) Vocabulary – Wordly Wise 7 and Words from Read-A-Louds Typing (been doing this a while!! Use Typing Instructor and Mavis Beacon) Memory Work (various and IEW, scripture and poetry) Spanish in the Car Optional / Love to Do Subjects Classical Music Start Up Kit Chemistry Picture Study Computer Science Pure and Simple MicroSoft Word (Mavis Beacon)

My dc did Latin Prep 1 in 4th grade, with the workbook, every exercise, and it took 12 months to get through it. We 'over-learned' the material, chanting conjugations and writing declensions every day, along with constant review. This method worked fantastically, and set an awesome foundation for the rest of our Latin studies. I'm glad we didn't rush, or try to stick to a schedule. Some concepts took longer than others, some chapters are more difficult. I will say that neither I nor the dc had prior experience in a foreign language, so just the idea of inflection was entirely new.

Here is the book: http://www.workboxsystem.com/id85.html

I have dc 12 and 9. Thanks!

Pongo, The cart looks great to me! Where did you get it?

We use Latin Prep and Cambridge. They work nicely together. Cambridge, although designed for HS use, is about 10 times easier than LP. However, I think Cambridge would be very frustrating without LP. (Or at least I would be frustrated, not knowing the why's behind the inflection.) Using only LP, we hit a sort of wall. It was just too difficult to keep everything in memory and page (mentally) through the conjugations and declensions to build sentences. Also, we were having trouble with pronunciations (which is somewhat important because if one cannot wrap their tongue around the words, it is impossible to remember them.) The Cambridge CD's and the book have helped tremendously. Now my dc go around the house speaking everything possible in Latin. Absolutely, get a program with CD's. Penny

Well, I'm really just bumping this. We used Times Tales and had the upper multiplication table memorized over the weekend. It works wonderfully. My older dc used it about 3 years ago and my younger just this year. I have no regrets.

Oh! Get RS Level A!!! It is the best. We couldn't stick with RS through all the levels, but RS A is fabulous for the child, and for you to know ways to teach the child. Absolutely un-matched.

Lisa, Thanks for the response. This helps immensely. I really wanted to begin with the Short Stories or Chapters first for fun. But I'll look again at the Nonfiction. It may be just as fun...I haven't examined it thoroughly yet. Would you mind letting me know your literature plans for the ages of your children? Did you begin with LL before the Best series? Penny

I think the reason some fantasy liturature is excluded is the blurring of lines between right and wrong. Fantasy is fine as long as good is portrayed as good, and evil, evil. There is a great book written about this by a Catholic author but I can't remember the title (something about Dragons). I borrowed it and read it; very thought provoking.

What is the best book to begin with? I have all the books (Nonfiction, Plays, Poems, Chapters, Short Stories (purchased inexpensively at Amazon)). Now I can't decide which are the ones I want to use for literature studies so I can buy the teacher's guide. (The rest will be read for fun.) Any help? Thanks to whoever recommended these!!! They look fantastic and I believe they will take my kids writing to a new level. They already love to write stories and do a great job with IEW. But these will really set them off. Penny

No, I didn't realize it is a translation! So that's it. Well, if one really wants to improve their vocabulary, choose The Whole Story version and get ready to work! I had to pre-read and have definitions ready before reading to the kids. It's funny though, the wording is almost identical, except the tough vocab words are left out. Flash My Brain is software for making and playing games with flash cards. It is really worth it. I use it for Latin and Vocab, and it has been wonderful.http://flashmybrain.com/ I have all of Unit 1 Cambridge Latin on it (each verb with 4 principle parts, and each noun in standard dictionary form) and am beginning Latin Prep Book 2 words. I also have vocab words for Witch of Blackbird Pond and Mocassin Trail and quite a few others and am so willing to share the hard work if anyone needs these. Penny

I have been reading aloud to my kids (11 yrs) the Whole Story series of Around the World in 80 Days and it has been challenging but so worth it. The vocabulary in particular has set this book apart from our usual read alouds. I have developed (using Flash My Brain) over 130 or so vocabulary cards for the text, and our vocabulary has skyrocketed. (As an aside, the cards can be shared on Flash My Brain for anyone interested. They contain the words, then the sentence the words are used in, with the definition on the back. These represent quite a bit of work!) After reading the story and drilling those flash cards, I bought the Jim Dale 'unabridged' audio. Guess what?? All those difficult vocab words have been replaced in the audio with a dumbed down version!!!!! I bought the audio to listen and review the words in context. I am extremely disappointed. Evidently the word unabridged does not mean what I think it does. Better add it to to the flash card set.

I think R$S math is great for a slower learner. It drills the basics, and gives enough time for brain development before attacking the more advanced problems. You won't find any early algebra or geometry concepts. However, the word problems are basic but good. CLE math is more advanced than R&S and does contain early algebra and geometry (not sure when it is introduced in CLE but I know it was in the grade 5 Light Units and R&S does not tackle some of the same concepts until I believe grade 7.) Penny

SOTW AND BiblioPlan. Why choose? (In other words, why not load yourself up with more than you can possibly accomplish like we do???) Blessings!

Kissy, Latin Prep 1 AND 2 is very ambitious. Does your child have a solid Latin background? I do like your choices!

:lurk5: I'm curious too. Latin is extremely intense; is their a benefit to studying it if one is not going to be a serious student?

Thanks Mich elle. You know I can't say my ds struggles with R&S E. 5, WHEN HE USES HIS BRAIN, that is. But about half the time I can't get him to use that God given gift of grey matter. I'm so hoping he out grows this......When he wants to do the work, he can, no problem. So, I'm hoping he wants to do it someday.

I'm very seriously considering switching to CLE Language. I like the all in one aspect, the spelling looks very good, but mainly it's that R&S starts at the beginning every year. EVERY YEAR it takes 8 months to get to prepositions, maybe 6 months to get to adverbs, and so on. I just feel like the kids forget between those times. CLE looks very thorough and possibly even more advanced. Yet, I'm afraid. Anyone else in this boat? BTW, we are finishing R&S 5 this year.

I have to agree with Alilac about possible frustration. The higher levels of RS frustrated my kids because many ways are presented to solve a problem. For kids with math difficulties, one way should be presented, practiced, and solidified. The understanding will come with time, but practice in just doing is important. However, I LOVE the way place value is presented in RS. You may want to just learn the method used by RS, get the abacus and the place value cards, and teach the RS way without using level B or higher. The RS program above level B is really a program for a kid who gets math and understands numbers. My ds did not. However, the foundation of place value set by RS is fantastic. So, since your girls are older, I would make sure they need to go back to place value basics before investing in RS, and then I would only by something like "Activities for the AL Abacus". If place value is the problem, they will have much trouble counting backwards. It is possible they are just not thinking much about it when they present the crazy subtraction answers, and if they were shown what they did, they would understand that an impossible answer was given. (Lots of kids do this.)

Thanks so much for your reply! And yes, I have to agree with you that CLE math is ahead of R&S math, and as such would be a better prep for algebra. I actually tried Light Units 501, 502 (and maybe 503) and found it to be a great program. I even recommended it to one of my friends. My real problem is that my child simply cannot handle a spiral math program, and needs the drill and kill aspect of R&S. At this point, I am trying to get him ahead in R&S and finish R&S 8 by grade 7. Then I will either do a pre-algebra, or easy algebra (maybe MUS?) and possibly he won't do algebra until 9th. At any rate, we do math year around, so hopefully we'll be able to make up for lost time. I'm also praying for and holding out for some brain maturity. So, for a more math oriented child, CLE is fantastic. For my child, R&S is just what he needs. I do love the way R&S concentrates on getting the basics down; his mental math is really good. There, that is my final confession!! Blessings to you and yours.

Mic elle, Do you consider R&S Gr. 6 English to be more difficult than CLE grade 6 and why? When I look at the samples, CLE seems to be very rigorous. We just finished R&S Gr. 5 and I am seriously considering your recommendations, but it is just so wrenching to leave R&S because I know it is so thorough. Thank you for your posts about CLE reading. I planning to get this for 6th. Blessings!