So I was wrong (octopi):tongue_smilie:. At least I'm not alone:D. Thanks for our "word of the day" today!

Okay, I'm showing my computer illiteracy here, :blushing:, but I've been searching in the archives and can't find it. Can anyone give me the ISBN # for this?? And the DVT's to go with? Or a link to where I can get them inexpensively?? Thanks!

Mostly I'm bumping you, hoping you get better responses:D. In the meantime...I haven't used AAS but both my boys use SWO. It has its pros and cons. Here's just some facts: -inexpensive (rainbow resource was the cheapest place I found it) -simple to use -simple to understand -all the lessons follow a very similar format -workbook style Hope this helps.

:iagree::iagree: It's one of those books I couldn't stop thinking about for a long time. "Haunting" but not in a bad way. There was a lot of swearing, but it was all in German so I knew they were swearing but had no idea what they were saying. There were some tough scenes, but nothing over the top and nothing terribly graphic. I highly recommend it.

We're military tricare prime....ask your dd's new doc. If they can't help you ask for a referral. This is something that should be covered. I've never had a primary care doc that was obnoxious about anything, but if you do find one you should ask to switch primary care docs. That's always an option. If you're in a tiny place and there's only one primary care doc find your tricare patient rep. S/he should be able to help advocate for you and your dd. Feel free to pm me if that doesn't help! Good luck!:grouphug:

After reading through all your posts, I'd give it a try! It sounds like it might work for you. If not, at least it's cheap so you haven't spent a ton of money if you end up not liking it.:001_smile:

:iagree: IHMO, the point at this level is to learn comprehension, narrating back, and how properly written english looks (copywork of excellent examples from classic works: master writers). WWE 2 is working on summarization skills and picturing sentences in your head then writing them down. Have you read the "textbook" SWB wrote for WWE? It's not necessary to have, but if your library has it you might want to check it out to get an overview of WWE, how the program works and where it's taking you. This would help you decide what direction you want to go. HTH!

She might just need more time for her brain to develop. I have found different things develop at different times. My ds7 is finally reading but can't picture the word in his mind to spell it to save his life. We started WWE1 last spring (2nd semester of 1st grade, he was 6). We did 2 days worth of work each day/5 days a week. He did great at that and now we just started WWE2. I'm finding we can't necessarily combine 2 days worth of work into 1 day anymore. That's okay, I'd rather he get it and be comfortable with it and like (or at least tolerate, he is a 7 year old boy, after all) it and cover less more thoroughly than rush through and have him hate it or not really understand it. So, all this rambling to say, it's a fantastic program, your dd might just need to wait till next year. If you want to finish it early you can easily accelerate like I did (2 days of work in 1 calendar day). I know I'm not the only one who does that! Hope this helps!

I am combining levels 1 & 2 Ancients this year. Actually, I'm not really using level 1 anymore but I can tell you what their lessons include. This is Ancients only, I've never seen the other levels! A Level 1 lesson is simply a list: -which chapters in SOTW and CHOW to read -which pages of the History Pockets to do that week -which pages in "Ancient Egyptians/Israelites and their Neighbors" correspond to the country you're currently studying and then a recommendation to let your dc choose one and do it. -a word they say to look up in a children's dictionary and write the definition for copywork -instruction to color a picture about the topic (some coloring books are recommended in the program and other chapters you just have dc draw their own picture) -some lessons (but not all) have maps and instructions on how to color them and what to label -a list of recommended picture books, DK/Eyewitness-type books, & occassional chapter books to get from the library. That's all my lesson plans for Level 1 Ancients ever include. I don't care for them, I think you get far more with SOTW and it's AG. But, there are others who feel differently. I hope someone who likes them chimes in here to tell you why so you get both points of view!:001_smile: Level 1 is useable, definitely! I was frustrated however because I already owned SOTW1 and the AG and had hoped for something that would really help me coordinate with the level 2 I'm using for my olders. Hope that helps.

Narnia series Little Britches series Little House series Just for starters, there's lots more but these have created great discussions and funny stories!

If it's not working for you, change it, drop it or find something else! That's the beauty of hsing, right? I find I change things a lot more than I wish I did.:tongue_smilie: I'm a tweaker first off, but sometimes things that sound or look great end up falling flat with my kids! So, we change or adjust. If you're looking for permission, I give it to you! Why torture yourself or your dc? You might even call MFW and see what their return policy is. HTH!

Thanks Jackie!!:001_smile:

Not to hijack the thread, bu I've never heard of Kinetic Books. How does this compare to college-prep programs? I have the same problem as the OP (dd12 just finished TT7 and did well, not great, but well, etc. etc.). I've heard that TT is not great from Pre-Algebra on on a college prep track but I've heard the same thing about MUS (which I *love* for my youngest).

So much of history builds on itself. I would just work through SOTW1 as fast as your dc want to go. If you find a bunny trail that interests your dc, stay there! Let them feel the excitement and love of learning! Then, move on. When it's something they don't really seem to care about, move more quicly. If nothing strikes them from one chapter, do 2 chapters that week. They're not going to remember everything anyway so why rush? Let the first time through history be a time to engage with the material and learn to be interested in history. If it's all a time of work and speed to "catch up." They may learn to hate it. JMHO, FWIW. You have to do what's right for your family. Why not spend a few hours perusing the book yourself and decide what are "can't miss" chapters and then let the kids dictate the pacing of the rest?? Hope that helps! I'm a box checker so I hate to skip anything, but I can rush or slow down as needed.:D

I've been doing level 1 with ds7 and level 2 (both Ancients) with dd12 and ds10 this year. I've had to correlate the two levels. It became so much work I quit doing anything from Level 1 except SOTW. I already had SOTW 1 and the AG before the year started and I wish I had just stuck with that. If you spend a little time (like 2-3 hours is all) at the beginning of the year you could easily line up the SOTW chapters based on their titles with the subjects in level 2. (or pm me and I can send you mine when I'm done making it;). I've been staying about 6 weeks ahead of the kids in being ready for school so I'm not done yet...). What I usually do is read the SOTW aloud to everyone (the olders started in ps so this is their first exposure to world history) and ds7 does an oral narration which I write down for him. The olders listen to that and contribute when he's done. Then, I turn them loose to do their HO lesson for the day which we discuss again when they are done. This keeps us all on the same time period/subject which is important to me because we do our projects and read-alouds (which *almost* all relate somehow to history topics) together. I wouldn't spend the money on HO Level 1 ever again. SOTW and the AG are simply better and less money! Yes, I have to lilne them up but I'd have to line them up anyway. FWIW, I hope that's helpful to you. :001_smile:, Jen

:lurk5:

If it's an attitude problem or a not understanding the application to real life problem then Fred might be good. We've found it to be fun to read and Fred does a great job of putting math in a real-life-this-is-why-we-need-to-know-this-and-how-we'll-use-it-in-the-future program. I wouldn't use Fractions or Decimals/Percents as a stand-alone program. LoF can be used stand-alone at the upper levels (I think, we're not there yet). But, we've used Fractions and Decimals/Percents for fun with our TT math and LoF makes them laugh and not hate it. FWIW. IMHO, it's a great supplement to help cure the "why do I have to learn this" problem. HTH!

:iagree: :iagree: :iagree: :iagree: It's all just for fun. I know I, personally, do so much reading to learn and to prep for school with my kids that when I get a moment to relax and just read for pleasure I don't just want and escape, I need to escape!! So, most of what I read is fantasy. Not dark or evil, but fantasy nonetheless.

If you're wanting to stay with American history then SL core 4 was a lot of fun. I did it with dd in 6th, ds in 4th and ds in 1st. There were tons of fun read-alouds that even my younger ds enjoyed (and several that he didn't listen to because they were too much like Across Five Aprils and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry). There's no hands-on with SL and if you have a reluctant reader it would be too much. But, if you have voracious readers like I do, then you'll find yourself adding things in. We added in Joy Hakim's volume on the Civil War because I felt SL's treatment was too light. You could easily use SL's reading list as a guide to add to something else or make up your own stuff, whether you do an American focus or not. HTH!! Good luck!

My kids have loved just about anything on CD. Some of our favorite audio books: Little House on the Prairie (great with background fiddle music and such) Harry Potter (the narrator Jim Dale is amazing! Where the Red Fern Grows was powerful for my kids. Hardy Boys Artemis Fowl Beverly Cleary (I prefer Henry Huggins to Ramona Quimby, Henry is more responsible and obedient). HTH

I agree with Story of the World. We're using it with the youngers and HO Ancients Level 2 this year with the olders. SOTW is Fabulous, lots of great suggestions for supplemental books and easy to understand stories and great craft suggestions that are not.at.all. like History Pockets (which I hate, too). You must get the Activity Guide, too, though for the narration questions and book suggestions and craft info, along with maps and coloring pages which you can use or not depending on your families' needs. We've done SOTW Ancients and I've already purchased vol 2 to use next year!

:smilielol5::smilielol5: Once we started copywork with ds7 I quit the handwriting, he just couldn't handle both and I figured copywork (in your best writing) was more important. My older two went to ps up through 4th and 3rd grades so we are doing enough cursive that they can read it and I'm teaching them to type. Honestly, with all the things in the world they could be spending their time on, formal handwriting instruction is just not that high up on my list.:blush: I figure typing is a more realistic skill for today's world.

We lived in CA during the 2008 elections (hot issue was prop 8 on gay marriage). One night I got a phone call for my then 3 year old from one of the campaigns. Apparently, she was a registered voter in CA under our actual phone#. By the time I figured out what was going on (I didn't recognize the # on caller ID or the obviously adult male voice who did NOT identify himself, just asked for my 3 year old) I told him I was a firm supporter of the other side of the issue and said, "Good, where can I take her to go vote?" He wasn't amused. ;) I got a good laugh out of it.

Thanks Angie! That website is a wealth of information. Of all the symptons listed my son only has 2 so I'm thinking dyseidetic dyslexia is probably not the problem. I think I'll wait for his brain to develop a little more and take him in to have his vision checked out more thoroughly. Thanks everyone! I'm feeling a lot better now (amazing what a little vent can do for you!:D)

Thanks, Priscilla, blend phonics (from those websites) are actually how I finally got him reading (that and bribery!;)). Maybe it's time to go over the phonics rules again. Ugh, neither of us enjoyed that.