My two younger children learned to write using HWt and they have never had any problems. It is a straigh forward program and they both enjoyed it.:D

It looks like you have a plan! Every family is different. Do you like box curriculums? Do you like living books? Does price matter much? There are so many curriculums out there! I am going to try TOG next year. I am getting familiar with Y2, and so far I think we are going to love it, but I will have a 2ond a 3rd and and 8th grader next year. We have used Sonlight in the past, and we have done a free American History curriculum ( You can check it online: Guest Hallow), I have put my own together using STOW and a variety of workbooks, but I have a feeling that TOG is going to be right for us. Good luck.:001_smile:

Dd did Pre-Algebra with MUS last year in 6th grade, (she was finishing Saxon 76, too) . This year we are doing Jacob's Algebra and she is not having any problems. She is a young 7th grader (just turn 12 in August). If your child is ready, go right ahead!:001_smile:

We used Writing Without Tears for pre-k and K, and now I have my 1st grader do copy work. We use Draw-Write-Now but almost anything would do. I have used WritingWizard (free online, just google) to create my own pages before I found DWN (used and very cheap).

Something else I am doing is using the Sonlight catalog for reading ideas (as the catalog gives you a synopsis of what the book is about) and then using my library to find the books.

These are the last of the audio books we listen to: “All of a Kind Family†and “More of All of a Kind Family.†My children loved them. We have listen to Anne of Green Gables (and the sequels), the Little House books, and so many more. I like to read to them, but when we are in the car they behave so much better if they are listening to a story. I usually check them out of the library. Many times I have used my Sonlight catalog and just check my library to see if they the books on CD.:)

My 1st/2ond ds and 3rd grader dd, use SOS. I like that they can do it on their own on the computer. They love the story format. It is a gentle way to learn vocabulary. When the story begins there are just a few words in Spanish mixed in the English , but as the “adventure†progresses, they add more and more words in Spanish. The children don’t move to another lesson until they prove “mastery†of the words presented in that lesson (they have a quiz).

My oldest dd started it in 5th grade. I am a native speaker but we don't speak Spanish at home (my dh doesn't speak it). I like it but I have added other resources for grammar. It does not hold my youngest dd and ds 's intrest so I use SOS spanish with them.

We are doing animals too, and we use the library for extra reading too. With my 2nd grader I don't keep a notebook but we are making a huge wall poster (we titled it "Our Natural World") and as we learn about each group of animals we add to it ( a bit like a family tree).:D

The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease You can try to check it out from the library ( I bought a copy after I checked one out of the library) and/or you can visit his website (just google his name). He updates the reading list every so often, and the updated list is there for anybody to see. :001_smile:

I am also a native speaker. I am using Bob Jones Spanish (High School) for a class I am teaching. If you are looking for Grammar, this curriculum has lots of grammar. It is Christian in nature. You may also check Hewitt- that’s where I bough mine- and check out what they use for Spanish (Espanol Esencial I and II for Grammar only, and Susana and Javier en Espana and Susana and Javier en Latino America --I think, I have the one on Spain, these books are for reading comprehension--so after the student reads a story about Susana and Javier in different situations, they have to answer questions to see how well they understood it, it builds vocabulary). Amazon also carries a ton of books on grammar and one of my favorites is the Madrigalian way to Spanish.

A solid 5 hours on school work 5 days a week (that includes piano lessons and practice). We are also involved with American Heritage Girls twice a month (2h each time + service hours). An extra hour and a half for Drama Club, every Friday. She has Church Youth Group on Wednesdays. She spends about 1h a day on chores. She reads 1-2 hours each evening on her own (It could count for school, but I don’t). I guess when you look at everything she really keeps busy.:glare:

:001_smile: One more vote for SL Sci. 5! My oldest daughter used SL Science 5 last year, and she also learned a lot. We loved the books they chose for this level.

The original post asked for advice on what curriculum to use for a 1st grader learning American History. I think the lady who wrote GuestHallow did a great job with her American Curriculum and my intention was to share this website with the lady who originally posted. Free is not always better, but in this case been free doesn’t mean it is not good. I would not recommend something just because it is free. GuestHallow is just another choice. Not the same, not better, nor worse, than WP, or Sonlight or any other curriculum that has American History for Elementary age children, just a very good alternative. Every body has their favorite. People are welcome to check thing out and make up their own minds, that is why we home school. Choices.:glare:

I like the fact that it has so much to choose from. Just because it is there doesn’t mean it needs to be done. Pick and chose or just do it over the course of two years. She put a lot of effort into it, and it is a great program. I am not saying WP is not a good program too, but GuestHallow is FREE.

I used it with both my two younger ones two years ago: I like STOW better to make History come alive, but the Usborne Book of World History does a beautiful job of creating concrete pictures to go with the story. So once I read a topic from STOW I used Usborne to show the pictures and then read some extra things about it. I hope it makes sense.

Math Math Advantage by HartCourt Making Math Meaningful Language Arts Read, Read and Read (I use Sonlight, Winter Promise, Vertia for list ideas)--Read aloud and readers Writing Strands Level 2 Copy Work (Draw-Write-Now) Vocabulary Connections by Steck-Vaughn SpellingCity.Com

May be if he only needs help with decimals or what ever, you could try the Key to curriculum (Key to Decimals, Key to percents, Key to fractions, etc..). You just target one concept at a time. I think Rainbow Resources carries them.

Thank you all for your advice. I will check ://derekowens.com/0910/course_info_geometry.php But I also glad to see that there are quite a few families happy with TT geometry. TT would be easier on me.:001_smile:

I am not an English native speaker, but my children read a lot so their vocabulary is very rich. My recommendation is to read to them and when you come to a word they don’t know stop and explain it. Have them read, read and read some more. All kinds of materials (magazines, fiction, biographies, picture books, etc). read every day. We also use Vocabulary Connections by Steck-Voughn (Rainbow Resources carries it). They teach words in context.

Spelling.City I am not an English native speaker, but my children read a lot so their spelling has improved over the years. Their spelling was awful until about 4th grade, then all of the sudden it seamed to click (I strongly believe is all the reading). We use Spelling.City to work on words they misspell in their writing. It is a free online program and the children have fun with the spelling games.

We also use Spelling.City I am not an English native speaker, but my children read a lot so their spelling has improved over the years. Their spelling was awful until about 4th grade, then all of the sudden it seamed to click (I strongly believe is all the reading). We use Spelling.City to work on words they misspell in their writing. It is a free online program and the children have fun with the spelling games.

I have been searching post on Geometry curriculum, until my head hurts. Dd has been using Jacob’s Elementary Algebra this year. Next year she will be taking Geometry. I always did well in math and I thought we would continue with Jacob’s Geometry. I really would like to find something that she can do on her own. This year we are using Dr.Callahan, but after viewing the Geometry demo I don’t think I want to use it (the man stands in front on the board and you can’t see very clearly what is on the board). TT geometry looks good but its reviews on this board are pretty negative (Dd wants to be a Vet). Anybody has something good to say about Saxon Geometry ?? I want a program that has someone else teaching, with the occasional input from me when she gets stuck ( I have two more children to home school). I want clear solutions, step by step so I can tell her to look it up if she gets very stuck and I can’t help her. Ideas…recommendations…please!

We use the Spectrum Test Prep. Books too. I start testing my children in the 3rd grade so I can use it as a spring board to know where they need more help. They take the IOWA test every two years (3rd, 5th and 7th). I have not decided what I will do when we reach High School (provably test them every year). They have always done very well on the tests.