Need Some Advice - 1st timer a bit overwhelmed

[love4God]

My wife and I are a little late and we're starting home school with our 3 kids, coming out of the public school system. We have a K, 4th, and 6th grader. I read the entire WTM book and took a ton of notes. Honestly i'm a bit overwhelmed by all the curriculum. I am hoping to get some help with this thread. I am going to tell a little about us and then some of the things we're thinking we're going to start with an why. I'm hoping some kind souls who have some experience to share can read through and correct some misconceptions I may have and suggest some other courses of action. I already have a few obvious things ordered and hope to order all my curriculum by tomorrow night. We need to get going. Up until this point we've just filling some time with math worksheets, some basic reporting, and whatever else we come up with until we decide on curriculum.

 

I read the WTM and am totally sold on the classical education system. We'll probably ease into it because our children are transition from a progressive public school system, but the goal is to classically educate our children. We are a Christian family. If a curriculum teaches using scripture or has some foundational Christian principles, that is a plus. However, I wouldn't choose an inferior curriculum to a more superior one just because it's Christian. I would prefer a history "spine" (I believe that is the right term) that includes biblical history intertwined throughout it but I would like my it to be well rounded and not JUST teach everything through a Christian lens. As far as language arts and math go, I want tools to help them learn to read, write, and learn math most effectively whether it has scriptures in the stories or world problems or not.

 

Also, I see there are several curriculum in a box type sets that include everything. The WTM certainly seems to bit and piece everything together. Is there an advantage to the school in a box system? Some of them are VERY expensive and I don't know if we could afford it, however if it's a good system perhaps I should go that away instead of the plan below. If anyone could give some advice on this that would be great.

 

We have 3 kids. Daughter going into K, two sons going into 4th and 6th. I think we're going to start both boys off with the Ancients and just start from there. I think it would be too difficult to teach two different time periods. For science we're deciding between Biology and Earth Science/Astrology. We're going to be travelling all year and we'll have a lot of outdoors time. I was thinking we would have more opportunity for practical experience with the 2nd year science. But I'm not sure if I should veer from the course.

 

DAUGHTER K:

(She LOVES doing school, knows all her letters, can count to 20 something, has a very good vocabulary for her age. I think she is going to be a good student)

OPGTTR - ordered, this seems like a no brainer.

Plaid Phonics K - ordered. The above seems like a great systematic reading program, but my daughter loves worksheets and "doing school" and this looked like the ticket for that.

Zane & Bloser Level K - At this point I am just going with the book recommendations because I don't know any better. We liked the look of this better than handwriting without tears. It looked more "fun" for my young daughter.

Saxon Math K. We have many homeschool friends and almost all of them use Saxon math. I'm DIZZY from reading about math. Math U See, Singapore, Calvert, Right Start... somebody stop me i want to get off. Saxon seems well proven so for our first year we're all doing Saxon. I know at this age I don't NEED a math curriculum so we wont push with this, we'll just use it sparingly.

We'll probably ease her in with this and then in a month or two start looking at....

Mudpies to Magnets

Everybody has a Body

Artistic Pursuits (this looks AWESOME, but so expensive)

 

SON 4TH GRADE:

(He is a very bright boy. He enjoys reading but reads stuff beneath his grade level, lots of junk like Cpt. Underpants and Wimpy Kid stuff. He can probably read better than that but likes graphical stuff. He is a very good math student. He struggle with writing early on but really caught up last school year. A very literal, thinking child. Probably an earlier jumper into LOGIC).

Modern Curriculum Press Workout - I don't know where to start, do I start w/ the first level? Regardless of age?

Zane & Bloser Writing - again, not sure what level to start at.

Saxon Math - we're going to test both boys tomorrow and see where they end up. We'll probably order tomorrow.

Life of Fred looks fun, we'll probably get this as well.

History: This is our big unkown. I'm just not sure what to get. I was looking at the resources in the books and was going to get one of the Encyclopedias. However, from reading these forums I started seeing things like Sonlight and Tapestry of Grace. I'm a bit lost now. I really don't know what to go with. I was looking at KingFisher and it looked possible too rigorous, i'm not sure. Please help.

Science: depending on what we go with, Bio or Earth/Astronomy. We'll get something like More Mudpies, Night Sky Spotter, or Green thumbs. We'll probalby start science a month in after getting into a schedule. Great Science Adventures looked neat.

Same with art, we'll hold off, but if I can find some used resources I like Artistic Pursuits.

 

SON 6TH GRADE:

Critical Thinking: I actually can't wait to go through this with him. I'm excited.

Saxon Math: We'll test tomorrow

Life of Fred

Spelling Workout: Again i'm not sure where to start here

Rod & Staff: I'm thinking of going with Rod and Staff. I was looking at the 6th GR book and I don't think he learned any of this, I may go back to the 5th GR book. Does anyone have another suggestion for a kid who has been learning public school grammar moving into a more classical, language art based education?

Again, i'm not sure where to go with the history text. This seems like it's almost the most important resource. I was looking at Usborne, Kindersley, Nat Geo... then I started reading about A Beka, Sonlight, Tapestry of Grace. I just don't know. I think being beginners, something that guides us along a little will be great.

Science: We're deciding on Bio or Earth/Astronomy. I think we're going to start either way with Creepy Crawlies & Scientific Method. Then buy some experiment packs.

Again, Artistic Pursuits if I can find a deal.

 

 

Two more items....

 

I don't know if we're going to start Latin. We're already a little overwhelmed and behind. If we get rolling and really enjoy it and feel like we have extra time at the end of the day I may start them on Prima Latina and Latina Christiana. However, we're considering skipping it this year and just doing Rosetta Stone Spanish with them. I already have it and I think Spanish is going to be invaluable to them in their every day life. I think we're all going to do it as a family.

 

 

Ok, so any advice, comments, or help I can get would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking for a few people to help me along these first couple of weeks. We have some home schooling friends that would be happy to mentor us through this but we're going to be travelling.

 

I think my biggest problem is the history spines. I just don't know what to do. Also, the big choices of just putting a lot of this other stuff aside and picking a big multi-subject school in a box from one of the A Beka, Calvert, Sonlight type companies.

 

Thanks for any advice you can give us.

[warneral]

We are new to HS as well.

 

A few thoughts:

I would keep history simple. Your youngest is pretty young for it but your other kids are at a great age for Mystery of History. It follows a 4 year classical cycle (warning - book 4 is not out yet, but it probablly will be by the time you got to it). I plan to use this in the next year or two. I like how it weaves biblical history with world history in the spine. You can then assign some encyclopedia work to your two older kids (ala TWTM). You could get the coloring pages for your little. Let her listen along but don't worry if she doesn't pay much attention. She'll probably surprise you.

 

 

 

Or you could do

The Story of the World. I think what I will do is Mystery of History and then add in Story of the World audio cd's in the car.

 

For science - that's a tough one. I can't help. There aren't too many great HS science programs out there. BJU has some great science programs you could consider.

[OK Family]

Well first, for a first time homeschooler it sounds like you have been doing your homework! There are a lot of options out there and it can be very overwhelming.

 

Start slow and as you feel comfortable add in subjects, like Latin. We started Prima Latina (we're using the dvds) and it's been easy to understand.

 

History one thought might be using Story of the World by Susan Bauer. Some people think it's geared toward younger kids, but I think it would be great for the kids to read or mom/dad. The activity book is in my opinion for the younger kids but they have a test booklet geared for older kids. We listen to the audio a lot, we are on year 3 Early Modern Years. You could use SOTW as your spine and do other books along with it whether they are ones from Sonlight (I use their catalog as my reading list some years) or some of the books from WTM. My oldest is in third and I was previously a fourth grade teacher, I don't have much input for your sixth grader, sorry. Although I think yes you should combine their history.

 

 

Zaner Bloser is that handwriting? If money is tight that is one area you don't need to spend money. Their are so many free handwriting sheets online. Not to mention they can simply copy something out of a book.

Have fun traveling. Our family travels biweekly between two states, we love it.

 

You definitely came to the right place for advise, you will probably get a lot of good ideas on this forum. Enjoy homeschooling!

two states, so I have had to really organize everything so it would be easy to transport and would be all kept together. I have milk crate with labeled hanging files for each subject. Light books and workbooks are kept in the file and heavier books and binders are kept behind the appropriate hanging file.

[Critterfixer]

Well, I'm not a veteran by any stretch of the imagination, but I could suggest something for history that won't cost you anything but the price of gas.

 

Go hit your library. Even if it's not that great. Go in with your list of books you'd like to look at, leave that at the desk to get on loan, and then go browse for an hour. I've been shocked and thrilled at some of the gems I've found there, enough to use the resources to fill my own gaps in history and to use based on SOTW as the spine. Without getting SOTW you could look at the recommendations in TWTM and get books that relate to people and places in each of the historical periods.

 

For science I'd do the same thing. The older student might really enjoy reading Hakim's series The Story of Science. See if you can get it at the library first. Even in my small town, the amount of science related material languishing on library shelves is astounding. Go check it out. And don't forget to look into Janice Van Cleave's Experiment Books for some good projects.

 

As you can see from the signature I like free, and I like quality vintage materials for a lot of things. Probably the best advice I can give you is not to rush out and buy just to say you've got some subject covered. Look around a little bit, especially if what you want has a hefty price-tag. Ask the board. Check the old threads for pros and cons. And USE your library!

[serendipitous journey]

Welcome! What a marvelous introduction! You certainly have your hands full.

 

I am sure you will soon have more replies than you know what to do with, and most of them with apparently contradictory advice. If you read them, maybe do some searches for other relevant threads, let it sit with you (and pray about it) I think you'll find fruitful advice.

 

Regarding history, which seems your biggest unsettled: why not go with Story of the World? The history series authored by Susan W. Bauer. You can buy an accompanying student guide, teach the same era to both your older children (or all of them together) and have a year to feel around for another solution if that one doesn't fit.

 

Esp. if you are traveling and since price is a concern, you could also look at the Ambleside Online history, but I think you will find STOW much more straightforward, esp. for the first year. An advantage of Ambleside Online for the longer term is that many of the books recommended are available online and are in the public domain, since Ambleside is concerned with providing a low-cost and highly portable education.

 

I think your plan to go with Saxon sounds incredibly sensible.

 

We do not use R&S grammar because we are not Christian. I am using Growing with Grammar (GWG), and I must say that my little one enjoys it pretty well (though not as much as S.W.Bauer's writing series, Writing With Ease). Some children were not retaining the grammar learned with GWG but it has apparently been reformatted and now includes frequent reviews and tests. -- I am sure other posters will have good feedback regarding R&S.

 

Until you find an art program you like, you might consider using Ambleside Online's art study and perhaps drawing instruction like this one for young children. I've found some excellent resources simply by Googling for art lessons of the appropriate age, or the grade level + "homeschool".

 

You sound content with science, but I personally detested Mudpies to Magnets. Bite-sized science suited much better. You might enjoy the Apologia books, esp. for astronomy and the life sciences; they have an elementary series and free samples are available on their website. They are young earth, but even if you are not the Christian families seem to find it simple to adapt Apologia to their own Creation beliefs.

 

again, welcome; best of luck; and blessings.

[masaki]

Sounds like you guys have a good plan in place for each of your dc. I recommend you check out Elemental Science. It's a classical style approach to science, follows the 4-year cycle, and includes weekly lesson plans along with diagrams for dc to label, lab sheets, discussion questions, and unit tests. The author also provides suggestions for how to teach multiple ages using the same program. You can see sample pages on the ES website, these may help you decide between Bio and Earth/Astronomy, (whether or not you go with this particular program). We have only used logic-stage Biology, but both ds and I like it. It's very well-organized and easy to use. I especially appreciate having the discussion questions and tests handy. Ds really enjoys the experiments and generally sets them up and does them on his own.

 

Ds also uses Rosetta Stone Spanish. It's been great. Your dc have the added bonus of being able to practice what they learn with each other. If you still want to do a bit of Latin this year, but not a full blown program, you might want to look at English From the Roots Up and have your kiddos learn Latin and Greek word roots. It's flexible and fun. We use this and the Word Roots workbooks from Critical Thinking Company.

 

Welcome to homeschooling!

[AEC]

That's quite a list! And - welcome to homeschooling. It's a great family adventure.

 

 

re: history...I know people do, but I cannot imagine doing different time periods w/ different kids. This is such a family event/process for us, even if we could manage it I'd hate to miss out on the group discussion and learning.

 

I think the plan to 'begin at the beginning' is a good one. History in public schools lacks for the conference and chronological structure that's (IMO) so necessary to its understanding.

 

SO - start w/ the Ancients. STOW is light in some ways (esp for the 6th grader) but a good place to begin. Were I in your shoes, i'd use that as the spine and get some more in-depth supplemental materials to go with it or expect to take a weekly trip the library for books on the week's history topics.

 

re: math...yes, opinions abound. Saxon is not my favorite, and not what I'd pick, but I also don't think you're going to ruin your kids.

 

 

Final suggestion....don't start on day 1 doing that complete set. Pick one or two...say...math and history. Do those, on whatever schedule you think you'll be doing them, for a week or more. See how it's going, adjust the schedule and expectations, and then add in something else. Keep in mind..you have lots of flexibility the PS doesn't have. If you really felt you had to cram it all in, you CAN go 6 even 7 days a week. FWIW, we homeschool year-round. It lets us take vacations at any time of the year and not feel guilty, the kids don't forget so much over the summer, and it avoids the conflict that sometimes happens at the 'start of school'. You DO NOT have to start everything RIGHT NOW...better to work up to it, and find out what works best for your family.

Edited September 22, 2011 by AEC

[love4God]

Wow, I was away a short while and I already got so much awesome advice.

 

Going to do a lot of reading tonight. I'll post back in morning with any questions after some research on these responses... keep it coming.

 

Also, i mentioned traveling. We're actually going to be in our RV. So internet is not always reliable and we need to conserve space somewhat. We do plan on weekly library stops but will probably have trouble checking out books and will need to rely on some used books stores, downloading classic (public domain) into our kindle, and studying AT the library.

 

I am going to check out everything that is suggested, thank you.

[LittleIzumi]

I agree with starting a little at a time. Maybe pick your most important subjects--say history, math, phonics--and do just those for a bit. Then, when those feel comfortable, add a couple more subjects. Soon you'll be doing the whole list but it won't feel overwhelming like it might starting all at once. We are official now and I've been adding about a subject a week to our core. Welcome!

[love4God]

Also, i was ordering some of the basic stuff tonight. I need to pick a spelling course. I was looking at Spelling Workout but saw a thread on Spelling Power, looking at both.

 

Does my 6th grader still need spelling and handwriting or do they just move to all the writing/outlining/narrating assignments?

 

I already bought a 6th Grade Zaner Bloser book but don't know if I need it.

 

I was looking at Spelling Workout for my 4th and 6th graders but didn't know if you start at A no matter what, or pick up at a later level? I just can't seem to figure that out.

 

Will be doing a lot of reading on the history spines.

 

Someone else said Mudpies was not their favorite and suggested I look elsewhere, i will check out your suggestion.

[ktgrok]

I'm also going to suggest Story of the World for history. Your kindy can color the coloring pages in the activity guide while you read aloud and do some of the crafts. Add in the corresponding pages in the kingfisher book for the older student (the activity guide for SOTW tells you what pages go with each chapter)and books from the library. Watch some documentaries, and you are good.

 

For grammar, what about First Language Lessons? You could do level 3 or 4 with both kids. It is by level, not grade, so they could do it together, saving you time.

 

I'd personally let science be more unschooly the first year....have them do some reading a few times a week on a topic of their choice, watch Nova documentaries, etc.

[ktgrok]

For spelling, check out Phonetic Zoo. If you get the budget package it will come with all the levels for only 29 dollars, and will work for both kids. You start from the beginning, no matter what age/grade.

[justamouse]

I'm bleary eyed and about to get off the net and get some Zs, but I wanted to say that you're both doing an awesome job.

 

Curriculum choices are *overwhelming* and that anxiety can lead you down the golden path of the boxed curriculum. Now, I'm not going to say they're horrid or that they're good for nothing, because some families use them and do well with them. But I wouldn't use one. :D

 

The other thing I would advise is to go slow. Not meaning do nothing, or do a few worksheets and call it a day, but go slow in that skills like narration take time to build up. Dictation is another solid brick of the foundation that needs to be established. Obviously your kinder won't need any reinforcement, but the kiddos you pulled out of school may need some work on those skills.

 

If I were you, I would stick with Story of the World, Vol 1, with the activity guide. That guide is gold. Between the mapwork and fun books to read and stuff to do, they'll all have a blast. If I were you, I'd get the Kingfisher, too, because your 6th grader is going to need to learn how to outline, and it's an excellent way to do it. With the little one, spend that history time in wonderful, rich, picture story books that go along with the spine you'll be working on with the older boys. No need to have everyone off in a different time. Build up her stories with books like D'Aulaire's Greek myths, Exodus, Joseph, Gilgamesh the King, (read them to the older ones, too, they'll need the bones of the stories stuck in their heads for later when they crack the books). Classic fairy tales, Lang's books of fairy tales.

 

Focus on the bricks this first year, because they'll need them every year after. Narration, dictation, outlining. They seem like simple things, and to a kid who has been narrating since the get go they are-but there's a learning curve to it. Narrating helps build writing bones.

 

The Spelling Workout-just pick their grade. You'll be working with them, testing them, so it will work out.

 

Pick the the evens or the odds to do in Saxon, don't try and do it all.

 

Hope that helps a bit.

 

You know YOUR kids. You know what will work, what is too much for them, what's not pushing them enough. Trust yourself to find that balance.

[MyLittleBears]

Wow! I wish I had been this prepared when we started. Congratulations on your decision. Just for starters let me say, start with the very basics first. Math and language arts will be subjects your children will need to master, the other subjects are mainly exposure subjects that are usually only mastered by people specializing in a particular facet of that particular subject. I wouldn't sweat what you pick over those, just pick something you think you will be comfortable with. As far as "boxed" curriculum goes, there are those of us who love to be within the comfortable confines of the schedules and books already picked for us, and there are those who feel restricted by this. You just have to choose which catagory you fit into.

 

For a kindergartener, I would keep it "light". OPGTR is a great book but don't feel you have to stick with it just because TWTM recommends it as best. Many people still use the old phonics pathways and others. You also don't necessarily need phonics workbooks unless you child wants to do them. The library is full a beautiful art books and craft books for children this age. You don't have to invest in artistic pursits unless you want to. Read alouds and audio books are something we prize in this house, especially at this age! Our library card is our best friend.

 

Once you've established a daily routine of the 3 r's, for a week or two, then I would begin to slowly add in the science and history. I would definately keep everyone on the same history and science year, just for your own sanity.

 

On a side note, if you plan on using R&S grammar, start with the 5th grade book. TWTM says all the other grades build on what is learned in this book first. Most people miss this little tid bit the first time throught the book.

 

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say, you don't have to study Latin. It is certainly beneficial and TWTM makes an excellent case for it, but if it messes with your sanity to add one more subject to your homeschool your first year, don't do it, or do it less rigorously with flashcards or root games. You don't want to start out too quickly or you will burn yourself out. Well, I guess that's my 2 cents FWIW.

Enjoy your children! It is truly a blessing and a privilage to be able to guide them. God bless your homeschool!

Edited September 22, 2011 by MyLittleBears

[Ellie]

The only advantage to buying school-in-a-box is that you don't have to think about it. :-)

 

Sonlight is not school-in-a-box. ABeka, BJUP, CLASS, Calvert...those are school-in-a-box. You would buy Sonlight not because you get everything in a box (which you don't really) but because you like the idea of a literature-based study.

 

My advice is to keep it simple. Teach the dc together whenever possible. Don't sweat the small stuff. :)

[MyLittleBears]

I'm bleary eyed and about to get off the net and get some Zs, but I wanted to say that you're both doing an awesome job.

 

Curriculum choices are *overwhelming* and that anxiety can lead you down the golden path of the boxed curriculum. Now, I'm not going to say they're horrid or that they're good for nothing, because some families use them and do well with them. But I wouldn't use one. :D

 

The other thing I would advise is to go slow. Not meaning do nothing, or do a few worksheets and call it a day, but go slow in that skills like narration take time to build up. Dictation is another solid brick of the foundation that needs to be established. Obviously your kinder won't need any reinforcement, but the kiddos you pulled out of school may need some work on those skills.

 

If I were you, I would stick with Story of the World, Vol 1, with the activity guide. That guide is gold. Between the mapwork and fun books to read and stuff to do, they'll all have a blast. If I were you, I'd get the Kingfisher, too, because your 6th grader is going to need to learn how to outline, and it's an excellent way to do it. With the little one, spend that history time in wonderful, rich, picture story books that go along with the spine you'll be working on with the older boys. No need to have everyone off in a different time. Build up her stories with books like D'Aulaire's Greek myths, Exodus, Joseph, Gilgamesh the King, (read them to the older ones, too, they'll need the bones of the stories stuck in their heads for later when they crack the books). Classic fairy tales, Lang's books of fairy tales.

 

Focus on the bricks this first year, because they'll need them every year after. Narration, dictation, outlining. They seem like simple things, and to a kid who has been narrating since the get go they are-but there's a learning curve to it. Narrating helps build writing bones.

 

The Spelling Workout-just pick their grade. You'll be working with them, testing them, so it will work out.

 

Pick the the evens or the odds to do in Saxon, don't try and do it all.

 

Hope that helps a bit.

 

You know YOUR kids. You know what will work, what is too much for them, what's not pushing them enough. Trust yourself to find that balance.

 

:iagree: This is an execellent post! Also, just seconding the SOTW AG- it truly is gold. We love it here. ---Off.. to...bed...(yawn)

[ElizabethB]

Sounds like a great start!

 

For your 4th grader for sure, but you might as well add in your 6th grader while you're at it, I would do a reading assessment just to make sure.

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/readinggradeleve.html

 

For reading grade level, do the NRRF part 2, then if they pass 6th grade on that (1 error or less on the grade 6 test), do the 3 grade level tests (8, 10, and 12) at the bottom of my test page. If they are reading below 12th grade level, I would also do the MWIA test as a diagnostic test and then have them work through my phonics and spelling lessons. You can sneak in extra phonics practice if they end up needing it by having them "help" play my phonics concentration game with their little sister. (It's a good complement to OPG, a good, strong phonics program.)

[love4God]

reading through all of this now, thanks everyone. Great stuff so far.

[ChrissySC]

I know that it is your first time, but you might consider mixing SOTW and MOH (Mystery of History) to cover the grade span as well as incorporate some of your requests, such as the Christian perspective.

 

I am a firm believer in the value of copywork. Your oldest will improve her handwriting, enrich her vocabulary, and continue to improve sentence structure and spelling through this practice. Choose rich selections from classical literature, for example Dickens.

 

I often intertwine some of the Charlotte Mason approaches into our classical style to provide a great deal of opportunity to learn unconventionally and allow for those moments of exploration.

 

Have fun!

 

http://www.charlottemasonhelp.com/

 

 

http://charlottemasonhome.com/

 

 

Edit:

 

Science: Check out Elemental Science and R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey

Engish: What are your grammar choices?

Writing: What are you doing for writing?

Edited September 22, 2011 by ChrissySC

[justamouse]

I know that it is your first time, but you might consider mixing SOTW and MOH (Mystery of History) to cover the grade span as well as incorporate some of your requests, such as the Christian perspective.

 

I am a firm believer in the value of copywork. Your oldest will improve her handwriting, enrich her vocabulary, and continue to improve sentence structure and spelling through this practice. Choose rich selections from classical literature, for example Dickens.

 

I often intertwine some of the Charlotte Mason approaches into our classical style to provide a great deal of opportunity to learn unconventionally and allow for those moments of exploration.

 

Have fun!

 

http://www.charlottemasonhelp.com/

 

 

http://charlottemasonhome.com/

 

 

Edit:

 

Science: Check out Elemental Science and R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey

Engish: What are your grammar choices?

Writing: What are you doing for writing?

:iagree: with the copywork.

 

 

Again, if I were you, I would get First Language Lessons and so forth. They are like Emma Serl's Primary Language Lessons, but mapped out for a first time homeschooler.

[kristinannie]

.

 

DAUGHTER K:

(She LOVES doing school, knows all her letters, can count to 20 something, has a very good vocabulary for her age. I think she is going to be a good student)

OPGTTR - ordered, this seems like a no brainer.

Plaid Phonics K - ordered. The above seems like a great systematic reading program, but my daughter loves worksheets and "doing school" and this looked like the ticket for that.

Zane & Bloser Level K - At this point I am just going with the book recommendations because I don't know any better. We liked the look of this better than handwriting without tears. It looked more "fun" for my young daughter.

Saxon Math K. We have many homeschool friends and almost all of them use Saxon math. I'm DIZZY from reading about math. Math U See, Singapore, Calvert, Right Start... somebody stop me i want to get off. Saxon seems well proven so for our first year we're all doing Saxon. I know at this age I don't NEED a math curriculum so we wont push with this, we'll just use it sparingly.

We'll probably ease her in with this and then in a month or two start looking at....

Mudpies to Magnets

Everybody has a Body

Artistic Pursuits (this looks AWESOME, but so expensive)

 

 

I can comment a lot on your K choices because my son is in K right now. I think things look good. I would hold off on Artistic Pursuits. I love it, but we are saving it until 1st grade. We just do lots of art projects and crafts this year. I would seriously suggest adding Miquon math to your mix. It is an amazing way to teach math at this age. You will not believe what your child will pick up from just playing with the C-rods. It is a little overwhelming to the parent AT FIRST, but basically the child teaches math to themselves uses the rods. You need to buy the three parent books so you can understand the program. I truly cannot recommend it enough. I have heard that Saxon Math isn't that great for K-3 (I considered it as well). You might consider McRuffy Color Math or Singapore (although I have heard this isn't great for K). I also cannot recommend ZB handwriting strongly enough. It is easy to get through and a wonderful program!!! DS5 loves it! We use Plaid Phonics as well. DS5 used to hate it, but now he loves it. It is a very solid program. We are doing the 1st grade book since DS5 was already starting to read CVC words, etc when we started K. OPGTTR is solid, but can be very boring. You might want to read some old threads. Writing the sentences on a whiteboard or printing them off and cutting them into strips are some ways to make it more interesting. I have the book, but don't use it anymore because DS5 would cry. I do use it to help me see what else we need to cover. You might also want to consider All About Spelling for phonics. It is wonderful. We are doing Level 1 this year. It is fun and hands on. We do a lot of reading. We read great books and also get a lot of books about interesting subjects from the library. You sound like you have a really great plan!!!!!

 

 

SON 4TH GRADE:

(He is a very bright boy. He enjoys reading but reads stuff beneath his grade level, lots of junk like Cpt. Underpants and Wimpy Kid stuff. He can probably read better than that but likes graphical stuff. He is a very good math student. He struggle with writing early on but really caught up last school year. A very literal, thinking child. Probably an earlier jumper into LOGIC).

Modern Curriculum Press Workout - I don't know where to start, do I start w/ the first level? Regardless of age?

Zane & Bloser Writing - again, not sure what level to start at.

Saxon Math - we're going to test both boys tomorrow and see where they end up. We'll probably order tomorrow.

Life of Fred looks fun, we'll probably get this as well.

History: This is our big unkown. I'm just not sure what to get. I was looking at the resources in the books and was going to get one of the Encyclopedias. However, from reading these forums I started seeing things like Sonlight and Tapestry of Grace. I'm a bit lost now. I really don't know what to go with. I was looking at KingFisher and it looked possible too rigorous, i'm not sure. Please help.

Science: depending on what we go with, Bio or Earth/Astronomy. We'll get something like More Mudpies, Night Sky Spotter, or Green thumbs. We'll probalby start science a month in after getting into a schedule. Great Science Adventures looked neat.

Same with art, we'll hold off, but if I can find some used resources I like Artistic Pursuits.

 

SON 6TH GRADE:

Critical Thinking: I actually can't wait to go through this with him. I'm excited.

Saxon Math: We'll test tomorrow

Life of Fred

Spelling Workout: Again i'm not sure where to start here

Rod & Staff: I'm thinking of going with Rod and Staff. I was looking at the 6th GR book and I don't think he learned any of this, I may go back to the 5th GR book. Does anyone have another suggestion for a kid who has been learning public school grammar moving into a more classical, language art based education?

Again, i'm not sure where to go with the history text. This seems like it's almost the most important resource. I was looking at Usborne, Kindersley, Nat Geo... then I started reading about A Beka, Sonlight, Tapestry of Grace. I just don't know. I think being beginners, something that guides us along a little will be great.

Science: We're deciding on Bio or Earth/Astronomy. I think we're going to start either way with Creepy Crawlies & Scientific Method. Then buy some experiment packs.

Again, Artistic Pursuits if I can find a deal.

 

From what you mentioned, I would suggest either using Story of the World (and supplementing it with age appropriate books) with the two older children or using something like Mystery of History. You might really like NOEO science as well. If you want experiment packs, these are awesome. If you are interested in Earth Science, this is really great. Since these kids have been in PS for a long time, I would take it really easy easing into HSing. I wouldn't start off with everything at the beginning. Give them (and you and your wife) some time to adjust. You might even want to start off with something really fun like a unit study or just doing lots of great read alouds.

 

My best advice to you would be to just have a lot of fun the first year. Of course, academics are important. Your kids are getting older, but really learn as a family how great homeschooling is. You will have more time together, fewer bad outside influences, life will just be calmer and less choatic. Enjoy the ride. There will be bumps in the road. Don't be afraid to ditch a curriculum if it is just not working for you, but be careful not to curriculum hop too much either (that is an easy trap to fall into). Everyone on here has so much helpful advice, but it can be overwhelming as well. I actually start getting stressed sometimes because I hear of a new and more exciting program that I should switch to. Just pray about things and go with your gut! There are so many great programs out there and most of them will work great for your family.

 

As far as boxed curricula, they can be really great for someone starting out because a lot of the planning and stuff is done for you, but I haven't been able to find anything that fits my needs completely so I choose to just piece together on my own (as do most people). The choices you have made will be easy to implement. The only work you will have in planning is science and history. Homeschool Tracker + is an awesome planning software that costs about $50. It was worth every penny to me. You can print out daily or weekly schedules and hand them to your kids. Your two older kids are at an age where that can do some independent work. Best of luck! Enjoy the journey!!!!

 

 

 

My best advice to you would be to just have a lot of fun the first year. Of course, academics are important. Your kids are getting older, but really learn as a family how great homeschooling is. You will have more time together, fewer bad outside influences, life will just be calmer and less choatic. Enjoy the ride. There will be bumps in the road. Don't be afraid to ditch a curriculum if it is just not working for you, but be careful not to curriculum hop too much either (that is an easy trap to fall into). Everyone on here has so much helpful advice, but it can be overwhelming as well. I actually start getting stressed sometimes because I hear of a new and more exciting program that I should switch to. Just pray about things and go with your gut! There are so many great programs out there and most of them will work great for your family.

 

As far as boxed curricula, they can be really great for someone starting out because a lot of the planning and stuff is done for you, but I haven't been able to find anything that fits my needs completely so I choose to just piece together on my own (as do most people). The choices you have made will be easy to implement. The only work you will have in planning is science and history. Homeschool Tracker + is an awesome planning software that costs about $50. It was worth every penny to me. You can print out daily or weekly schedules and hand them to your kids. Your two older kids are at an age where that can do some independent work. Best of luck! Enjoy the journey!!!!

[ChrissySC]

Homeschool Tracker + is an awesome planning software that costs about $50. It was worth every penny to me. You can print out daily or weekly schedules and hand them to your kids. Your two older kids are at an age where that can do some independent work. Best of luck! Enjoy the journey!!!!

 

:iagree:

[Five More Minutes]

My wife and I are a little late and we're starting home school with our 3 kids, coming out of the public school system. We have a K, 4th, and 6th grader. I read the entire WTM book and took a ton of notes. Honestly i'm a bit overwhelmed by all the curriculum.

 

Also, I see there are several curriculum in a box type sets that include everything. The WTM certainly seems to bit and piece everything together. Is there an advantage to the school in a box system? Some of them are VERY expensive and I don't know if we could afford it, however if it's a good system perhaps I should go that away instead of the plan below. If anyone could give some advice on this that would be great.

 

We have 3 kids. Daughter going into K, two sons going into 4th and 6th. I think we're going to start both boys off with the Ancients and just start from there. I think it would be too difficult to teach two different time periods. For science we're deciding between Biology and Earth Science/Astrology. We're going to be travelling all year and we'll have a lot of outdoors time. I was thinking we would have more opportunity for practical experience with the 2nd year science. But I'm not sure if I should veer from the course.

 

DAUGHTER K:

(She LOVES doing school, knows all her letters, can count to 20 something, has a very good vocabulary for her age. I think she is going to be a good student)

OPGTTR - ordered, this seems like a no brainer.

Plaid Phonics K - ordered. The above seems like a great systematic reading program, but my daughter loves worksheets and "doing school" and this looked like the ticket for that.

Zane & Bloser Level K - At this point I am just going with the book recommendations because I don't know any better. We liked the look of this better than handwriting without tears. It looked more "fun" for my young daughter.

Saxon Math K. We have many homeschool friends and almost all of them use Saxon math. I'm DIZZY from reading about math. Math U See, Singapore, Calvert, Right Start... somebody stop me i want to get off. Saxon seems well proven so for our first year we're all doing Saxon. I know at this age I don't NEED a math curriculum so we wont push with this, we'll just use it sparingly.

We'll probably ease her in with this and then in a month or two start looking at....

Mudpies to Magnets

Everybody has a Body

Artistic Pursuits (this looks AWESOME, but so expensive)

 

 

Welcome to homeschooling!

 

I feel that I can only really comment on your K selections.

 

Saxon K is a good kindergarten choice, although you may find with a student as bright as yours that she will finish it quite quickly. (It's a very, very gentle K program.) If you end up in that situation, as I did, I'd recommend adding in some Miquon Math or Singapore Essential Math K. You could, of course, go into Saxon 1 early; however, I found that the leap in terms of writing expectations for my children was too much.

 

I would definitely keep all of your students studying the same time period in history, and the same general topic in science. SOTW is a great read-aloud for any age, and can be easily ramped up for older students and kept simple and light for younger ones. I highly recommend it.

 

RS4K is one science curriculum that offers the same subject (i.e. biology) at different levels and in very complementary ways. If you went with something like that, then all of your children would be studying the same science topic and their readings would actually be reinforcing each others' learning. It has mixed reviews (I like it, but would probably only get it in PDF form in the future).

 

As for boxed curriculum ... I haven't considered any simply because I know that I am prone to tweaking the very best programs anyways. :tongue_smilie: At least if I mix and match my programs to suit my students' academic levels in each subject area, I have slightly less tweaking ahead of me!

[Nscribe]

My suggestion would be a little different I guess.

 

How bout picking two you know you are pretty settled on, Saxon and Spelling Workout (Handwriting for the K), and introducing them along with some reading off the Newberry List for about three weeks. In the meantime, take a dart let each child throw it at a map of the world. Each child will thus have a country or body of water selected. Hit the library, let them learn about their country and present to the family about a week later. While at the library have them each pick a book on a science topic of their choice.

 

This will buy you a little more time. Smooth the transition and give you a chance to see how they do with what comes in curriculum wise. Then before you spend more you have more time and data from working with them to guage your choices, but they are still learning in the meantime.

 

We liked Story of the World and Real Science for Kids.

 

I spent a good bit our first year on what I thought would match, to find out in doing a bit so much that guided me well. Just a thought, and they come cheap :001_smile:.

[Coffeetime]

DAUGHTER K:

(She LOVES doing school, knows all her letters, can count to 20 something, has a very good vocabulary for her age. I think she is going to be a good student)

OPGTTR - ordered, this seems like a no brainer.

Plaid Phonics K - ordered. The above seems like a great systematic reading program, but my daughter loves worksheets and "doing school" and this looked like the ticket for that.

Zane & Bloser Level K - At this point I am just going with the book recommendations because I don't know any better. We liked the look of this better than handwriting without tears. It looked more "fun" for my young daughter.

 

 

Personally, I think you should choose to do OPGTR with EITHER Zaner Bloser OR Plaid Phonics- you certainly don't need to do both and you probably don't want to buy curriculum that you don't end up using. :tongue_smilie: I'm doing OPGTR with Zaner Bloser K with my kindy currently and it works wonderfully.

 

 

Saxon Math K. We have many homeschool friends and almost all of them use Saxon math. I'm DIZZY from reading about math. Math U See, Singapore, Calvert, Right Start... somebody stop me i want to get off. Saxon seems well proven so for our first year we're all doing Saxon.

 

 

Saxon is a great place to start- you can always change it up in years to come if you decide to take a different approach.

 

 

I know at this age I don't NEED a math curriculum so we wont push with this, we'll just use it sparingly.

We'll probably ease her in with this and then in a month or two start looking at....

Mudpies to Magnets

Everybody has a Body

Artistic Pursuits (this looks AWESOME, but so expensive)

 

SON 4TH GRADE:

(He is a very bright boy. He enjoys reading but reads stuff beneath his grade level, lots of junk like Cpt. Underpants and Wimpy Kid stuff. He can probably read better than that but likes graphical stuff. He is a very good math student. He struggle with writing early on but really caught up last school year. A very literal, thinking child. Probably an earlier jumper into LOGIC).

Modern Curriculum Press Workout - I don't know where to start, do I start w/ the first level? Regardless of age?

Zane & Bloser Writing - again, not sure what level to start at.

Saxon Math - we're going to test both boys tomorrow and see where they end up. We'll probably order tomorrow.

Life of Fred looks fun, we'll probably get this as well.

History: This is our big unkown. I'm just not sure what to get. I was looking at the resources in the books and was going to get one of the Encyclopedias. However, from reading these forums I started seeing things like Sonlight and Tapestry of Grace. I'm a bit lost now. I really don't know what to go with. I was looking at KingFisher and it looked possible too rigorous, i'm not sure. Please help.

Science: depending on what we go with, Bio or Earth/Astronomy. We'll get something like More Mudpies, Night Sky Spotter, or Green thumbs. We'll probalby start science a month in after getting into a schedule. Great Science Adventures looked neat.

Same with art, we'll hold off, but if I can find some used resources I like Artistic Pursuits.

 

SON 6TH GRADE:

Critical Thinking: I actually can't wait to go through this with him. I'm excited.

Saxon Math: We'll test tomorrow

Life of Fred

Spelling Workout: Again i'm not sure where to start here

Rod & Staff: I'm thinking of going with Rod and Staff. I was looking at the 6th GR book and I don't think he learned any of this, I may go back to the 5th GR book. Does anyone have another suggestion for a kid who has been learning public school grammar moving into a more classical, language art based education?

Again, i'm not sure where to go with the history text. This seems like it's almost the most important resource. I was looking at Usborne, Kindersley, Nat Geo... then I started reading about A Beka, Sonlight, Tapestry of Grace. I just don't know. I think being beginners, something that guides us along a little will be great.

Science: We're deciding on Bio or Earth/Astronomy. I think we're going to start either way with Creepy Crawlies & Scientific Method. Then buy some experiment packs.

Again, Artistic Pursuits if I can find a deal.

 

 

Two more items....

 

I don't know if we're going to start Latin. We're already a little overwhelmed and behind. If we get rolling and really enjoy it and feel like we have extra time at the end of the day I may start them on Prima Latina and Latina Christiana. However, we're considering skipping it this year and just doing Rosetta Stone Spanish with them. I already have it and I think Spanish is going to be invaluable to them in their every day life. I think we're all going to do it as a family.

 

 

Ok, so any advice, comments, or help I can get would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking for a few people to help me along these first couple of weeks. We have some home schooling friends that would be happy to mentor us through this but we're going to be travelling.

 

I think my biggest problem is the history spines. I just don't know what to do. Also, the big choices of just putting a lot of this other stuff aside and picking a big multi-subject school in a box from one of the A Beka, Calvert, Sonlight type companies.

 

Thanks for any advice you can give us.

For history I would recommend either Story of the World with the Activity Guide or Mystery of History. I think you'll greatly appreciate using a history spine that's written in a narrative style vs. using an encyclopedia- especially with the ages of your children. If you do SOTW you'll definitely need to have a good encyclopedia handy for your 6th grader so he can begin learning to outline.

 

You're 6th grader probably doesn't need a "handwriting" curriculum unless he's struggling with penmanship- he'll be able to practice his penmanship via his various writing assignments etc.

 

I would consider adding a writing program to both your older boy's curriculum. SWB's Writing with Ease is excellent and I think you would find that being "walked" through narrations/dictations invaluable- for both you AND the kids. In fact, if I were you I would consider just putting both older boys in WWE 4. It's also a great jumping off point for finding literature and read aloud books.

 

 

For grammar, Rod and Staff is solid, but personally I much prefer the format of SWB's First Language Lessons for grammar. It's a great program and is scripted- which I like when it comes to explaining some more difficult concepts. The workbook is very minimalist, and has plenty of room for writing. It also incorporates dictation and narration exercises. Good luck to you as you begin your homeschooling journey! :001_smile:

ETA- we really enjoy Apologia for science. And FWIW, I've never followed the rotation schedule recommended for science. :)

Edited September 23, 2011 by Coffeetime

[mhaddon]

It is very overwhealming at first! I would suggest sticking to what is needed right now and figure out the rest as you go :) I would for the K do a phonics program and math (both bought) and then get her started and in a grove. Honestly she doesn't need her own history and science in K, just read books and follow along. Art can be fun crafts and add ins. If you do handwriting maybe look into a Reason for Handwriting, Bibilical based and I'm sure she would love it.

 

For the boys and age spread you have, yes I would do all history on the same level. SL will make it impossible b/c of your age spread. I would also say SOTW may be too easy, but maybe not? I would suggest TOG or Veritas Press. TOG is what we use so I'm biased ;) but it has a lower grammer for your K, Upper grammer for the 4th grader, and then dialectic for the 6th grader. To go easy the first year I would just maybe do all Upper grammer to get them into homeschooling. Also for science maybe they could all do Apologia together?? I will probably eventually switch to this. Nature studies are fun and can be done as a family. Beyond the K level I'm not too much help... sorry! But best of luck :)

[mom31257]

How great that you are starting this wonderful adventure!

 

I'm using Biblioplan for Ancients, which schedules reading Story of the World or Mystery of History as your spine, then gives you suggested reading for each age group (K-12). It's scheduled 3 days a week and there are timeline figures, maps, coloring pages, etc. to go along with it if you choose them. I think it is laid out very well. There are also lots of options on the fiction reading so that hopefully you can find most in your library. I'm having to purchase very few.

 

If writing is something that you are looking into, I went through IEW's Teaching Writing with Structure and Style(TWSS) this summer. It was amazing to me. I have a math degree, so writing instruction has always been my fear. No longer! I've started teaching it to my son and am so excited I think I want to find others to do a co-op type class so he can do it in a group. I'm using All Things Fun and Fascinating, but you could use SWI-A with your boys. My son is watching the workshop for his age that is in TWSS and he finds Mr. Pudewa really funny. I think boys would really enjoy him. I want to purchase SWI-A as soon as I can.

 

I know you listed some interest in science, so I thought I'd share what I'm using this year, Christian Kids Explore Earth and Space. I think it is an easy program to use and well written. It's scheduled for 2 days a week, one for the instruction, one for an experiment. This is designed for 3rd - 6th grade, but your daughter could listen in and participate in the experiments.

 

I pray that you will find what works for you. If I was going to give any advice, I would say try to keep it simple at first. Have fun together and enjoy that they are home.

[kristinannie]

I just wanted to add that if the writing portion of MCP phonics is too much for your Ker, you can just do the writing yourself. I do that since DS5 is in the 1st grade book and they require more writing. I just have him tell me what to write (although now he is doing most of it on his own). Also, as far as workbooks go, never feel obligated to do every.single.page. Once I let go of that, things went much more smoothly for us!

[acurtis75]

It sounds like you have a great outline for starting and are probably overwhelmed with responses so I'll keep my suggestions short. I agree with the others who said start slow. Focus on making sure you cover essentials (reading, grammar, math, etc) at first and build up to incorporating other subjects as you move forward. I also think SOTW is great and you can supplement with lots of kindle books or library books. I find science is the most difficult for me to get to with dd6 but it's not because we don't love our books. We have Apologia for Human Anatomy & Physiology and Astronomy and they're both great. They are distinctly Christian and content rich. They can be used with any elementary age students and offer notebooks to accompany the book in two versions. Jr. Notebook with lots of coloring pages and easier crafts, etc and then a regular version which would be good for the older kids. Just like history, if you can combine the study for all ages instead of using 3 different curriculums it's a lot easier and more fun.