We use LoF as a supplement to Singapore. My dd finds it funny and she understands his explanations. I thought it reinforced what she was learning in Primary Math very well. I haven't seen the upper levels of the program but for this stage I wouldn't use it alone. There were very few word problems and the ones that were there were terribly simplistic compared to Singapore. As for Saxon...my "mathy" dh dislikes Saxon. I am fairly "mathy" myself, though not as much as dh. I have no personal experience with Saxon. I've never looked at it because dh wouldn't let me :lol:. My plan is to continue with Singapore up through NEM, adding in Fred for fun as long as dd continues to enjoy it. More math practice = good. :001_smile:

I read this aloud to dd 2 years ago. I enjoyed it, though I never read it as a kid. I just asked dd for her opinion of the book and she says she liked it, too.

I think it's hard to drag EB out to a full year. With the two kids who have gone through it so far, we have just jumped right into 1A when EB is finished. So what's the point? I think it's a fun and colorful introduction to math. I see it as something that gets them thinking about numbers before we really get to "work".

Bumping. DH has approved the purchase of a real atlas for our homeschool. I'm swimming in Amazon reviews. Help?

We're doing mapwork today for TOG (Year 1), and I am noticing a pattern. We are often at a loss completing the TOG map assignments and I end up having to go online to help the kids finish their mapwork. We have the Kingfisher Atlas of the Ancient World, a book of Bible maps and a fairly simple picture atlas for kids. I would like to be able to find a more detailed atlas. The Kingfisher atlas is very helpful for historical cities, but we are still having trouble with some more detailed features on our maps like mountain ranges, bodies of water and such. The kiddie atlas we have is just not very detailed. What is your absolute favorite atlas? I'd prefer something inexpensive, but I suppose this is something I could splurge on considering how much use it will get over the years.

:iagree: Answers in Genesis has fantastic free resources for adults and kids. In fact, for TOG's writing assignment this week, dd is supposed to outline an encyclopedia article and I am using a free AiG article on dating methods (carbon/radiometric dating) that is written on a "kid-level". Good stuff.

My dd has used R&S science. My dd liked it a lot. She has enjoyed all of the R&S science she has done so far. We will be leaving R&S next year because she wants to learn more about chemistry specifically, but she has learned a lot from R&S and I intend to reuse it with my other kids.

I use Singapore and Miquon for grades 1-3. For this year I also bought the Blacklines from R&S 1 & 2, but we've really only used a few of the drill sheets. I sometimes print out some Calculadders pages for some drill. For grades 4 and 5 (this is as far as I've gotten with the kids), we're using Singapore exclusively....except dd just finished up LoF fractions for fun... We like math here. I like to supplement with Miquon because I really think it helps my kids to see the math. I supplement Singapore with some drill work because it's not really built into the written program. However, I have noticed ds5 hasn't had to drill as much as dd did back in the day because he actually plays the Rainbow Rock game that is part of the Singapore Math program. He seems to have picked up his addition facts from Rainbow Rock. Since Rainbow Rock focuses on these as number bonds I'm hoping he won't need much subtraction drill either. Dd played Rainbow Rock too, but I think she just played the shape games over and over again. I had to drill with her a LOT. I used to think Singapore needed lots of drill supplements because of dd's experience. Now I think it just depends on the kid (and how much they like repetitive PC games).

:iagree: US edition covers both.

When my eldest dd was a toddler and she needed a tissue she would say she needed a "deez wop" (nose wipe). We still sometimes say the kids need a "deez wop". I loved it when each kid said "foots" instead of "feet". I never corrected them. The two older kids figured it out now. I'm still enjoying my 3 yo talk about her "foots".

We're doing TOG for the first time this year. We're doing Year One. Dd9 is doing a mom-created hybrid of UG and Dialectic. Ds5 is doing LG. I am using SOTW with ds as a spine for LG. We just finished up Unit 1 and we're loving it!

There is a pseudo-schedule in the front of my HIGs that schedules the work from the workbooks and texts on a weekly basis. I use that loosely. The textbooks at higher levels have assignments as well, and the HIG schedules those in. My dd doesn't like the Text assignments because she has to write them out on separate paper :rolleyes:. I add in IP assignments for extra reinforcement of concepts. I do not try to complete the IPs. I have never bought Singapore used. I think Rainbow Resource has the best prices though (unless you are a Sonlight Core user, then I believe they are the lowest with the 10% Core discount).

I need to find my glasses... I didn't see this part until after I posted. Singapore's levels don't necessarily mesh with other programs. A placement test may be helpful.

I'm no expert on all the various and sundry Singapore products but I've used it with two of my kids from the beginning (the other two kids haven't begun school yet :001_smile:). I think at a minimum you need the workbooks and textbooks for each level and the Home Instructor's Guide is very helpful. All books are broken up into A/B: two workbooks, two textbooks, two HIGs for each level. Intensive Practice is a fantastic supplement. I like Challenging Word Problems but they are out of print. I've read there is some replacement for it this year but I do not know how it compares with the old CWP. There are two IP books (A/B) for each level as well. The HIG should give you all the instruction you need for teaching the material. I know it can sound intimidating, but it is really not that bad :001_smile:. HTH! Oh, and I am only familiar with the US Edition. There is a Standards edition that was designed for the California Public Schools (?) which I have never seen personally.

You could always move through the lessons faster if it is too easy, but it is a great, gentle introduction to grammar. My ds loves it. I wish I had it when dd was starting out in grammar. Writing With Ease is also a great program.

If something already exists I'd love to hear about it, too :001_smile:. I generally wing it. If I think some concept needs a little reinforcing, I assign the IP or CWP. Sometimes I am more diligent and I try to match up topics and I will double up IP/CWP assignments when the Workbook assignment looks light. This year for my ds using PM1 I found old handwritten lessons I had made for dd back before I had HST+, so I copied them into HST+. I don't think I scheduled every single thing though, so I have been adding in a little IP every now and then. I don't feel compelled to finish IP or CWP.

Chicken Ala King over Herb Drop Biscuits

I only assign points for tests. I am not required to keep records of any kind in my state but I like to keep an eye on progress in each subject and test grades help me do that.

I don't have any commentary to add on Saxon's elementary series, but my dh was homeschooled in high school using Saxon math and this is his assessment of the program. He told me Saxon "catechises" kids in math instead of teaching problem solving/mathematical thinking. Dh is very "mathy" and he managed to come out of Saxon ok in the end. "Mathy" kids can probably function well with almost any program since they can intuit the problem solving without direct instruction and practice. BUT, dh didn't want me using Saxon with our kids because of his experience with the program. We use Singapore.

This is only our first year using TOG but I think it's worth it.

:iagree:

I was planning to use Apologia Bio as a spine and then supplementing heavily from a college level Campbell's text. My dd has decided she wants to do the Ellen McHenry Elements and Organic Chemistry courses next year. I'm not sure how indepth these elementary courses go. Hopefully that will be sufficient...if not she may have to return to Biology at some point in high school after she has had Chem. I could save the Biochem topics for an "AP Bio" type course. Lots to think about. Thank you. :001_smile: Now I still am not sure how "common" 8th grade Biology is :tongue_smilie:. I'd like to know because I want to know what my kids' transcripts will look like next to the "competition" from PS high schools if that makes sense. I don't want to find out too late that there has been some kind of sea change in the science sequence and I was operating on outdated information.

Hijacking my own thread here :001_smile:: How much chemistry have you found to be useful as a pre-req? Has it been just basic concepts?

Oh, this is my favorite Schoolhouse Rock! I agree it would be a great resource for teaching this (though I never thought of it....thank you!). This video is available on Youtube.

My dd is on course to begin Algebra early, too. I just wanted to reassure you. I took Algebra in the 7th grade and did just fine in math in high school and college. You don't sound like you need reassurance though :001_smile:. I once knew someone who went through two years of Calc in high school. She went into Calc III freshman year of college.