What program do you love that you are surprised is not more well-known/liked?

[amtmcm]

I love Landmark Freedom Baptist Curriculum! Their History and Geography courses are great. I also like their Science - particularly the Earth Science and the Scientific Creationism.

 

:iagree:

 

The 8th grade World History and 9th grade US History are excellent 1 year programs for completing these two subjects during middle school. We supplement with Literature and my DD retained a lot!

[sweetstitches]

Cozy Grammar--We bought this several years ago after reading good reviews, but I never hear it mentioned anymore. My kids love this program because she makes grammar easy to understand. It's a short dvd lesson (no more than 10 min.) and then a worksheet. They find her amusing too.

 

Rainbow Science--we'd had great success with this program. The down side is that it's pricey.

 

Writing Strands--at least for the younger grades (haven't used past book 4.)

[Hannah]

I also like the Reading A-Z program (http://www.readinga-z.com).

 

I signed up for this when when my eldest dd was 5 (and I have to say it was a lot cheaper then than it is now) and used the phonics program to teach her to read.

I liked it because

- its all available online (postage costs are always a killer for us)

- it has lesssons for the teacher and worksheets for the child that systematically go through the phonemes.

- as soon as the child has mastered blending and a few letters, she can start reading the booklets.

Edited September 20, 2009 by Hannah
Typo!

[MissKNG]

The math books by Critical Thinking Company! :drool:

 

 

I am totally in love with them and rarely hear about them on this forum!! :blink:

[kalanamak]

 

The significant expense is DVD package -- which you could skip if you understand Algebra..

 

Algebra is big....when you say understand, how much of it are you talking about? All the way into non-linear?

[Lovedtodeath]

The math books by Critical Thinking Company! :drool:

 

 

I am totally in love with them and rarely hear about them on this forum!! :blink:

I was planning on getting these, but someone said that the age span was too large and they were only appropriate for the youngest students?

[MissKNG]

I was planning on getting these, but someone said that the age span was too large and they were only appropriate for the youngest students?

 

 

Really? They seem advanced to me. Actually, the math book we completed over the summer is discontinued because customer feedback said that it was too hard for the younger 3 year olds starting math. And the book was actually meant for 3 AND 4 year olds. So now they broke it out into two books - one for 3 year olds and the next for 4 year olds. So that doesn't align with what you were told since the youngest were having the hardship. And I got that info right from the customer representative when I ordered the Level A book (this is the Kinder book).

 

Not sure how old your dc are but this is the discontinued book:

 

http://www.criticalthinking.com/getProductDetails.do?code=p&id=06905

 

We are now working through the next Level and that has concepts in it that Singapore Math (our core math) doesn't even cover.

 

This is the book we are in:

 

http://www.criticalthinking.com/getProductDetails.do?code=p&id=06906

 

My dd is getting brand new concepts from the CT and the Singapore is pretty much review right now.

[LadyAberlin]

We are using the CTC math books and love them. I have the Beginning 1 for my 3 yr old and Level A for my kindy. They are a hit here!

[radiobrain]

Zaccarro's Primary Challenge Math, Challenge Math, etc.

 

The Reading lesson

 

Dr. Art's Guide to Science

 

Penrose the Mathematical Cat 1 & 2 by Theoni Pappas

 

that's all I can think of off the top of my head.

[MomsintheGarden]

More votes for:

 

Rod & Staff Grammer - the 3rd all the way through the 10th grade books.

 

Complete A Sketch - a great "next step" for Drawing Textbook

 

100 EZ Lessons - I've taught my 5 youngest to read using this.

 

Pathway Readers

 

Queen Homeschool Copywork books - We have used and like a bunch of these.

 

Homeschool in the Woods Timeline stuff - the timeline book, CD, and Placement book.

 

Rainbow Science

 

 

We also like:

 

Bread of Life Bible Study - fill in the blank workbook with at least one question for each chapter of the Bible.

 

Drawing Textbook

 

Phonics for Reading - it's really old, another program based on The Writing Road to Reading

[laughing lioness]

I just discovered Writing With Ease by SWB and it is awesome!!

We are also doing Trojan Wars with an MP study guide and reallly enjoying it.

I have to add AlphaPhonics. It is a tried and true blue method of teaching reading.

[Lovedtodeath]

Really? They seem advanced to me. Actually, the math book we completed over the summer is discontinued because customer feedback said that it was too hard for the younger 3 year olds starting math. And the book was actually meant for 3 AND 4 year olds. So now they broke it out into two books - one for 3 year olds and the next for 4 year olds. So that doesn't align with what you were told since the youngest were having the hardship. And I got that info right from the customer representative when I ordered the Level A book (this is the Kinder book).

 

Not sure how old your dc are but this is the discontinued book:

 

http://www.criticalthinking.com/getProductDetails.do?code=p&id=06905

 

We are now working through the next Level and that has concepts in it that Singapore Math (our core math) doesn't even cover.

 

This is the book we are in:

 

http://www.criticalthinking.com/getProductDetails.do?code=p&id=06906

 

My dd is getting brand new concepts from the CT and the Singapore is pretty much review right now.

 

We are using the CTC math books and love them. I have the Beginning 1 for my 3 yr old and Level A for my kindy. They are a hit here!

Thanks to both of you... I will look into these again. Though it looks like DD is not taking after me in the math department, she is more into LA, we'll see.

[storkyswan]

Rod & Staff Math and Phonics....

 

I like them as much as Grammar. You can do some oral, some written. It is very neat... not busy with gawdy cartoons and fancy pictures (which are only distractions in a math book). It is not expensive either.

 

The Math lessons are very similar to the ones that I used in elementary school and math was a breeze for me. I do cut the lessons in 1/2 though. Then, if they miss several.... we add 1 or 2 more lines of problem.

 

I have been very pleased with R & S!

 

Uhm, this might be inappropriate, but I just want to say I really like your avatar!:tongue_smilie:

[Paintedlady]

IEW's Developing Linguistics Through Poetry Memorization. If I were braver, I'd drop all other subjects except for math, and learn everything from our poetry.

[nata]

I have to give a vote to TOPS for science. We used to get very frustrated by the Usborne experiments books, but TOPS we loved because it went in depth into the subject, built on the previous lessons, needed easy to find materials which really illustrated the point.

 

Another science book we like but which is no longer in print is Sciencewise book 1 by Critical Thinking Co. Puts the scientific process in a fun and manageable context.

 

We just now started Usbornes How things Work and are really enjoying it too. Surprisingly Sonlight replaced it this year...

 

Renata in CT

[Verity]

Aw - I did this when my oldest was 4!! It was indeed wonderful - but then I loaned my copy away, and it disappeared. Sniff.

 

How is this different from FIAR? The concept appears to be similar.

[kalanamak]

Think about it... when was the last time someone served you three meals a day, cleaned up after you, let you wander aimlessly around the yard, and had you take naps in the afternoon? And that's not even mentioning the happy, mind-altering drugs they give you.

 

 

There are actually people who like to live in these. If you have any sense, you can "cheek" the meds you don't like and spit them out in the toilet. The only hassle is that you either have to keep acting up or mope constantly, or you will be directed to "pre-placement visits" and coming up with creative, but believable things to get rejected is tiresome.

Now there are "groups" in the afternoon, not naps, but a wee bit of s*xual inappropriateness can get you out of these. :D

[coffeefreak]

Beautiful Feet

We are doing the Early American History Intermediate Program and we LOVE it! The Living books it uses are fabulous and my dd is learning so much using the Principal approach. Plus the Teacher's Guides are $15! If you want to follow the 4 year history cycle, it's still possible.

 

Drawn Into The Heart of Reading

We love the activities and the fact that YOU pick the books. You can fit your own reading list into the program and the activities work wonderfully! I had been wasting time creating my own study guides when I came across this one. It's a great foundation in literature.

 

Blessings!

Dorinda

[Stacia]

IEW's Developing Linguistics Through Poetry Memorization.

 

:iagree:

[Guest Cindie2dds]

Queen's Language Lessons, Right Start Math, Simply Charlotte Mason's booklists. Major hits with all of us. :)

[sbaloue]

Heart of Dakota.

 

I wish I had found this earlier.:glare:

[djkapp]

Challenge Math, Primary Challenge Math, and Real-World Algebra--- these are some of my favorite supplemental math books! Set up to quickly review math topics such as fractions, decimals, perimeter, area, all the way up to simple trigonometry, each chapter has three levels of questions at the end-- level 1, level 2, and Einstein level. I've had my children go through this book at least two times at different points in pre-high school years. At younger ages, I assigned only the level one problems; as they became more facile with math, we worked our way through the Einstein level. My youngest is working through this book for the second time right now. I think this book is one that I'll keep on my shelves!

Yvonne

[Sue G in PA]

So far, I must second The Phonics Road to Reading and Spelling. Tina sold me on it and now that I've been using it...I love it! I also love AAS, but I know that is pretty popular here anyway.

 

For 1st grade math...I always like the Sadlier-Oxford Progress in Mathematics workbook. K12 uses it and I just loved it. Colorful, thorough, short lessons, manipulative-driven, etc. I picked up a copy at our local hs consignment shop for ds6 and he really likes it. We'll move to Singapore next year and he should be very well prepared to start in 1B or 2A.

 

Diana Waring's History program is another that doesn't get too much press around here and I think it is an awesome middle-high school Bible-based History program. She teaches to all learning styles; spending 4 weeks in each "Unit" and appealing to different learning styles each week (auditory, visual, hands-on, etc.).

 

I guess that's about it. I'm off to check out the Sentence Family book for ds8!

[Cindyg]

Algebra is big....when you say understand, how much of it are you talking about? All the way into non-linear?

 

I don't even know what non-linear means. Hands on Equation only goes as far as solve for X. It doesn't even get into two variables. So, if you know algebra, that *should* be simple. (It isn't simple to me, and I *don't* know algebra!) (I loved the DVD.)

 

But the solve for X stuff gets hard.

 

I'm just going to make up this example. Don't try to solve it. But there would be problems like this:

 

Ted, Sam, and Bob had 650 jelly beans. Sam had 14 times more than Ted, and Ted had 3 times + 18 more than Bob. How many jelly beans did each boy have?

 

OR (Here's another made up example).

 

Jill had $4.61 in coins. She had twice as many quarters as nickles, three times as many nickles as dimes, and half as many pennies as she had nickles. How many of each coin did she have?

 

If you know how to lay out something like that (and the book does explain it), you're home free.

 

My ds (who was 11 when we finished) could answer these questions almost as quickly as I could read them. I don't know whether it's him that's brilliant or the program. Either way. :)

[Nan in Mass]

Sweet Pipes recorder books, Draw Squad, History of Everyday Things, Ecce Romani, Anno's Math Games.

[love2read]

Movingbeyondthepage.com for me too. I regret not having bought at least a few units for this year and will be placing an order tomorrow.

[mom2abcd]

The math books by Critical Thinking Company! :drool:

 

 

I am totally in love with them and rarely hear about them on this forum!! :blink:

 

Which ones do you like? Are they supplemental to a regular math program?

[oakmom]

Mark Kistler's online art lessons. You can get a deal on them through the Homeschool Buyer's Co-op. My kids are really enjoying these lessons and their drawing skills are improving by leaps and bounds.

[afruitfulbranch]

:iagree:

Pathway readers are great!!

[afruitfulbranch]

Play 'n Talk phonics

I used this with all my older children. If I can find the dog-eared books I will use it with my youngest. Perhaps there are much more reading programs to choose from but 15 years ago, this was the best thing for my crew. All of my children learned to read well and easily. Never had any problems. Maybe that would have been the case no matter what I chose....

[cschnee]

Here's one that no one at all has mentioned! GEMS (Great Explorations in Math and Science) guides. http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/gems/gemsguidesgrade.html

 

We have done Secret Formulas, Mystery Festival, Treasure Boxes and In all Probablity. This year we will be doing Math on the Menu, Bubble-ology, Crime Lab Chemistry and Algebraic Reasoning: Prof. Arbelga Introduces Variables and Functions for Grades 3-5

 

I also second the voice for TOPS and in this house we like Real Science for Kids and Latin for Children.

[cin]

:lol::lol::lol:

 

The longer I homeschool, the more I think that asylums may be under-rated. Think about it... when was the last time someone served you three meals a day, cleaned up after you, let you wander aimlessly around the yard, and had you take naps in the afternoon? And that's not even mentioning the happy, mind-altering drugs they give you.

 

The whole asylum thing is starting to sound better and better... ;)

 

Cat

 

:iagree:

 

 

:smilielol5::biggrinjester::smilielol5:

 

 

[christielee7278]

Saxon 1. I've read that Saxon k-3 get bad reviews, but we are LOVING Saxon 1. My k'ner especially loves it. He keeps saying "I am LEARNING math!!" lol I love a living math approach and we incorporate some of that into our day, but he is digging that Saxon 1!! I like the script. I don't *follow* it but use it for an idea of what to say. Love the worksheets. Love it all!!

 

Also I guess I should say my oldest son is also using Saxon and love it as well!!

[corbie]

Play 'n Talk phonics

I used this with all my older children. If I can find the dog-eared books I will use it with my youngest. Perhaps there are much more reading programs to choose from but 15 years ago, this was the best thing for my crew. All of my children learned to read well and easily. Never had any problems. Maybe that would have been the case no matter what I chose....

 

We are using this too. So far, so good. Someone at our church gave it to us. I love it.

[afruitfulbranch]

We are using this too. So far, so good. Someone at our church gave it to us. I love it.

 

Did you get the old albums too? That's how old mine is!