I'm sure this has been discussed before on here, but I just noticed that GSWS is available for the Kindle (and Nook) for only $10 (compared with $20+ for hardcopy). So I'm just wondering what other good deals are out there for the Kindle? I have my eye on the BFSU books, which are also $10 (compared with $20 or $30.) I'd also like to get SOTW but it is basically the same price as the paperback. Any other good deals? And in a related question, I have given up all discretionary spending for Lent. Is curriculum discretionary? I mean, my children NEED to learn, right?! ;):D Elena

Thank you! ¡Gracias! :001_smile: Elena

Same here!! :iagree: Elena

Yes,like the others have said you just need the lesson plan and the practice book. We've done years 1 and 2 and there are hardly any references to the textbook at all. I just wanted to mention that the lesson plans ARE an integral part of the program as they include activitities that are not in the practice books. (We use MEP as our main program and supplement with Miquon.) Elena

It is ONLY native speakers who would make that mistake ;)

You might also like something like Sonlight which gives you a reading schedule so you don't have to spend a lot of time planning things out. Although that is mainly for literature and it sounds like you are wanting to do a lot of science. Have you checked out the Lets Read and Find Out series of science books? I love the way they're written and they often have a few extension activities in them. Also I LOVE Building a Foundation of Scientific Understanding. He has a lot of greatf advice on how to teach science. He also has a book that is more general about Elementary Ed. but i don't have it scince there is a supposedly a lot of overlap with the science one. Might be worthlooking into if the library has a copy.

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

The only thing I really 'teach' for kindergarten is handwriting, reading and math. (I use open and go programs that make the teaching mostly idiot proof.) For science, literature and everything else I'm of the opinion that just reading good books and discussing anything that naturally comes up is more beneficial than anything too 'schooly.' If you read a book about animals, your child will absorb it even if you didn't prepare a list of questions and activities. I say just realax and enjoy it :)

Oops, and just noticed there should only be one 'n' in 'conectados' too.

We also have this game which is fun: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2674779 (Although I really doubt I paid $25 for it...must have gotten it on sale somewhere.) It helps my kids jog their brains and think about all the Spanish words they know. Elena

If I had money to blow I would definitely get Calico and try it out, but I don't. :glare: What I do is teach about half of my lessons in Spanish. I do MEP in SPanish (switching to English if the concept is too difficult for him.) I also use Rod and Staff in Spanish which I love. Its geared towards learning to read, phonemic awareness, basic concepts (above, below, etc.) I think it would be perfect for your 5 year old. If it were in English, it would be way too easy for my 7 year old but I use it because he is not strong in Spanish--so just understanding the directions is the struggle for him, then once he understands what he's supposed to do, the doing it is the easy part.) Other than that I'd just recommend that you speak as often as you can in Spanish and like the PP said, not respond unless your child speaks to you in Spanish. Elena

Just wanted to point out the missing silent 'h'. It should be 'ahora hablemos.' :) Elena

Thanks for your response! Can I ask HOW you use it? I love MEP and have no intention of switching programs, but I'd like to use them both. I'm very comfortable with math, but I fear that if I use LOF as a starting point, and then 'expand and explore' like you mentioned, I'd end up overteaching. For instance the chapter in Apples that has 3x + 4x = 7x. Is that an invitation to jump off and start doing a bunch of stuff with algebra? Or do you just read it, do the problems, talk about it if anything comes up naturally, and then move on? On his own, my son would do the problem, not think about it at all, and then move on. Is that OK? With MEP and Miquon I've noticed that the concepts are approached from many different angles and eventually he 'gets it'. But just seeing a problem one time, like in the few chapters I've looked at with LOF, I'm worried he'd just do them and move on and that's it. I don't mean this as a criticism at all, I'm just looking for reassurance I suppose that its OK to just do them and move on, and that some magic will happen later on :) Or in your opinion is it the kind of program that requires me to come up with creative ways to help the concepts sink in? I'll also look up previous LOF Elemenatary threads like a PP suggested. Elena

Yes I think you could use it as long as you supervise closely as it is an adult environment. You/they will get a lot of emails from other adult users but there is probably a way to turn off that function. I haven't tried with my kids because I think it would be too boring for them, but its worth a try! HBO has some fun little videos on you tube for kids learning Spanish called El Perro y el Gato. I don't know if they're part of a larger program? But my son realy enjoys them. Elena

Have you looked into Calico Spanish? I haven't used it but it always looked like a good approach.

I agree with everything you wrote in your post, but I think I understand what the PP meant. When my son was in Year 1, there were many times that he would be getting the right answers, but I could tell he just didn't 'get it'. This was frustrating for me at first. But then as I progressed through the year, I saw how MEP kept sprinkling the concepts in throughout and eventually he would have his lightbulb moment. I think its something you just have to get used to in teaching something that's spiral instead of linear. Elena

OK, thanks. I'm already using MEP as my main program and supplementing with Miquon, and will definitely need something for math facts. I was just surprised that their website listed math facts as the distinguishing factor for where to start with LOF, implying that is what you will have mastered if you go through it. 10 books at $16 ea. is an expensive addition for us, but I'm intrigued enough to really want to do it... Elena

I would look into getting some version of Herodotus for kids. Good luck, Elena

I have a question about the LOF Elementary Series. On their website they say you should start with Apples if your child does not know their addition and multiplication facts cold. Does that mean that if you go through all of the elem books your child will have their facts memorized? I have Apples, and want to get the others, but it doesn't strike me as the kind of program that will aid in memorization. In other words, I would expect that after going through the program, UNLESS I worked on math facts on my own, my child would not have them memorized. But that doesn't make sense because then by their own standards wouldn't be ready to go onto Fractions.:confused: Also, what time span does the average child take to go through all 10 books? Do you do one right after the other, do you go through them slowly? quickly? Thanks!! Elena

I use MEP as my main program, supplementing with Miquon. My son is in year 2.

Actually that IS the St. John's I went to, but we don't study as the OP described so I was curious if he was talking about another school...its a common enough name :) And yes, :eek: It was a huge culture shock when I graduated and came out into the 'real' world, and suddenly you couldn't bring up Hegel in everyday conversation and people called me by, gasp, my first name! :lol: Elena

Just curious which St. John's your talking about? I went to St. John's but apparently not that one :) Elena

I don't know, but my daughter loooooves jumpstart, which I got at tjmxx for $6 so don't rule that out. :) I know that on the library computers, my kids play an Arthur game and also a Miss Spider Sunny Patch game that both seem to have a lot of educational value. (Though now that I think about it I think my 7 yo plays them more than my 5. Also look on your computer...ours has a game preinstalled called Purble Place that has some logic games that are fun and educational. Elena

Yes I agree...that's what I did when my son was 5. I just stopped wherever we were after 20 minutes and then picked it up in the same place the next day. I also find the time estimates to be completely inaccurate for me. But I have to say, I find MEP to be completely open and go for me. It rarely requires any extra 'props' and it helps me that each activity is in its own little box...it makes it clearer for me to just open up and go because I don't have to read ahead. Desertmum what do you find yourself spending time on that keeps it from being open and go for you?