Another 2nd grade question? (if you can stand it)

[christall]

We withdrew my daughter from the private school she attended (since preschool) in January of this year. Since then we've both been trying to figure out this homeschool thing. I think we're (kind of) getting it - but now it's time to think about next year and I'm not sure what to do.

 

When we took her out of school she was approx. 1 grade level ahead of those in her class in most subjects. In math and reading she was 2-3 grade levels ahead.

 

We began our homeschool journey with the following:

 

SOTW1

Spelling Workout

Singapore 3a

FLL

K12 science

K12 art

Prima Latina

 

Next year I've decided to change to Horizons Spelling Saxon Math. My question is with SOTW in particular. Do we stop SOTW1 when we finish the year - and pick up SOTW2 at the beginning of our year?

 

Am I missing something? I don't want to continue with any of the K12 curriculum - so can you recommend a good science and art curriculum?

 

Thanks for your thoughts,

 

Christall

[ArwenA]

When you finish SOTW 1 I'd move on to SOTW 2, there's no rush.

As for art and science, are you wanting a Christian or secular curriculum for science and is you're art hands on, appreciation or a mixture?

[PeterPan]

Christall, many people combine Singapore with another curriculum that has more spiral review and practice. Would that solve your problem? It's common to add horizons or saxon alongside SM, doing them concurrently. That way your dd retains the thought process of SM but gets the practice she needs. Just a thought.

 

On the spelling, there are lots of programs out there. She might enjoy the calvert cd's, which they do on the computer. If she aces the list, it adjusts and gives her harder words in the activities. My dd enjoys it and others on the accelerated board have used it successfully.

 

For science, you have a ton of options and can basically do anything you want. We've done the BJU science, Apologia elementary books, MWS (My World Science, written by a lady from the boards here), and studies I've put together, all of which we've enjoyed. It's nice to rotate, doing hands-on, exploratory stuff using the One Small Square books, etc. in the summer and doing more bookish things during the school year or for short term study. But the world doesn't rise and set with it. Just pick something that sounds interesting.

 

History, you just keep going... Since she's reading well, you might like to get the VP catalog and other lists and add in books for her to read on the topics. My dd is a little history buff, so that's big in our house.

 

Are you going on to LC next year? My dd did LC1 in 2nd and it was fine. You might like to have her play the online Quia drill games for it. Just google and you'll find them.

 

Are you going on to FLL3? Your goal for 2nd is to have her writing her own narrations by the end of the year. We did some Imitations in Writing (Aesops Fables) and CW Aesop B/WT1 in the latter part of 2nd, which was nice. The Imitations book is more basic, so I'd start there, then proceed to WT, just my two cents. No need to rush though and certainly no need to make it start and end with the school year. Just when she seems ready, transition into it. I find my dd takes leaps with each growth spurt (emotional, mental and physical), so I reevaluate where we are, how I'm challenging her, what I need to tweak, etc. You'll get your feel for it.

 

They say it takes 3 years to really find your groove in homeschooling, so it's not crazy that you're trying different things. Math is the one thing I'd try to be stable with, just my suggestion.