If you've done MFW ADV, please tell me it gets better...

[monalisa]

We are on week 4 and so far, there seems like very little to it, especially science and Bible. The readings are so SHORT. After doing SOTW 1&2 (and last year w/ Biblioplan), plus a separate science, plus a separate Bible curriculum it just seems like there is very little substance here for 3rd grade. Is it just me? I have and am using all the materials except the art book (which I had last year and dd didn't enjoy) and I'm getting quite a few book basket books (though that is stressing me out too, having to keep up on what to get from ILL, what's due etc.). The science feels like the thinnest part...I think I'm about to order BJU 3 though I don't really want to spend more $. I wanted a planned out American history curriculum and I debated between this and HOD, but now I think I made the wrong decision. I don't have the personality or time to supplement (we're about to adopt). I wanted a plan to follow but I'm feeling like dd8.5 is not getting "enough". She likes the history part (though I usually have to read more than 1 days' worth of material to satisfy her), but the rest is lacking for her. She wanted more hands-on, but so far the ADV activities aren't doing much for her. Today we did the Jesus window poster which was a waxy mess, and she didn't even want to try to do it again even though she usually is the crafty type. Anyone else have this experience? Does it ramp up or improve in any way? If you jumped ship from MFW ADV, what did you jump to? We like the Pioneers & Patriots book and Story of the US. The Usborne science books are a little babyish for an almost 9 year old, IMO. Thanks for any advice!

[cbollin]

It might not get better for you depending on what you like.

 

I like ADV and it's fun getting to use it with my youngest. I didn't think it would turn out this way, but she needs it instead of doing EX1850 as younger sib the way her older sister got to do that.

 

 

I think the Usborne book and especially with its internet links to have more experiments and more reading are fine for this stage.

Also, have your child do a lab report each time as suggested.

But then again, my dh has a phd in science, so we have a very relaxed approach in early elementary with science. In spite of it being enough for us for youngest, since I already had a copy of the science in EX 1850 and my daughter's speech therapist was working on categories and taxonomy stuff... we do that book as well. But not because we think ADV lacks, but to meet a unique need for our daughter.

 

 

Less reading isn't always a bad thing for history at this age. I know some people hate the state sheets, so you might end up hating that too. I like those. It didn't bother me when we did them 5 years ago in EX1850.

 

Story of US - is 2 or 3 page biographies of key people. But those are full pages. not picture book pages.

Are you notebooking enough?

 

Ways to kick up Bible for 3rd grader: make sure the child can look up the verses all by himself (some children that is duh, do you think I'm a baby, and for others, that is a big thing to learn and practice. My 9 y. o is loving doing that part on her own. and reading it out loud to me.) remember too - it's a year to work on seeing God in science and how science isn't separate thing or not something that religious people can't do.

 

in week 6, there is a note for 3rd graders to kick it up and make sure they are doing dictations in language arts.

 

I'm sorry book basket seems to be stressing you out. I sorta understand multiple libraries. I have a card for the city library, and then an out of county resident card for the county library and have to sort between them.

 

3rd grade is a time to transition between upper grammar and getting ready for beginning logic stage. Yes, I think the Bible might be lighter than some 3rd graders would like. My daughter seems to like to repeat the lessons -but she has autism, so that could be some of it.

 

We just had fun with the yeast experiments and making bread, and she really enjoys her names of Jesus poster. She ended up cutting out a lot of the pieces and gluing them already. But given that she's my youngest, I'm not too concerned.

 

I don't know if it will change for you. It might not. It's working out for us. We have more time for math and English and other stuff for her. We're able to get done with the sunday school "homework" lessons because Bible isn't draining our day in ADV.

 

hope you find something you like.

 

-crystal

[mama25angels]

I don't know, maybe look at the MFW message boards, there's tons of posts on how to tweak the curriculum, maybe add in the Sonlight core D/3 readers. My DS is 9 and he enjoys it, so maybe give it another week or two and see if you'll like it better.

[cbollin]

oh the waxy mess...

 

ours did not turn out that bad. We had out a spoonful of crayon shavings to spread around. used a hand held pencil sharpener - the type that come in pencil boxes.

 

(((hugs))) maybe when you add in read aloud books from deluxe it will pick up a little more. and if she gets a week's worth of history done in a day, then you can just do other subjects the rest of the week. and if/when the adoption goes through, you may not have time to read more each day and she'll have to hear "it has to wait until tomorrow". or she can read more on her own.

 

-crystal

[cbollin]

I don't know, maybe look at the MFW message boards, there's tons of posts on how to tweak the curriculum, maybe add in the Sonlight core D/3 readers. My DS is 9 and he enjoys it, so maybe give it another week or two and see if you'll like it better.

 

here's a quick link

http://board.mfwbooks.com/viewforum.php?f=24

 

sorry.. I'm just in a helping mood. -crystal

[monalisa]

Thanks for the input & ideas. I need to read more on the MFW board. I have read some off & on but not this week. I dislike having to research and plan more stuff to do, get all the materials etc., which is why I haven't done much of that honestly. I spend too much time on the hs boards as it is. I sort of wonder if I am a repressed textbook homeschooler.

 

I think I might just order the Sonlight readers and reduce my library stress.

 

For the crayon shavings, my Zyliss crank grater made nice neat little pieces, but they ended up looking horrible after ironing. Maybe we used too many. Now I have to clean my grater! It is soaking in hot water. :tongue_smilie:

 

Lisa

[mama25angels]

Thanks for the input & ideas. I need to read more on the MFW board. I have read some off & on but not this week. I dislike having to research and plan more stuff to do, get all the materials etc., which is why I haven't done much of that honestly. I spend too much time on the hs boards as it is. I sort of wonder if I am a repressed textbook homeschooler.

 

I think I might just order the Sonlight readers and reduce my library stress.

 

For the crayon shavings, my Zyliss crank grater made nice neat little pieces, but they ended up looking horrible after ironing. Maybe we used too many. Now I have to clean my grater! It is soaking in hot water. :tongue_smilie:

 

Lisa

 

 

 

:lol: for some reason, my ds absolutely loved doing that project, and ours didn't turn out to bad.

[Mommy22alyns]

I think ADV does pick up some. I didn't quite ease into things like they suggested (i.e. starting spelling/English several weeks in). I bought a lot of the SL readers and BF Early American books for the book basket. The crayon shaving projects do get messy if you use too many shavings - we had to redo the Light of the World one. We used a vegetable peeler for the shavings. I also did just start Apologia Anatomy with the girls because the science is pretty light. But overall we are really having a LOT of fun. Oh, we're also doing History Pockets (Pilgrims) too. And do go check out the MFW forums; there's a whole section with ideas for MFW and I've learned a lot already! We just finished Week 7.

[C&R]

As my recent thread of MFW versus Sonlight will show you I have had very similar problems with ADV that you are having at week 4. We have been with it since January.

 

After MFW 1 (Great Bible, Great phonics) I expected more from the Bible of ADV. It is one of my biggest disappointments, and simultaneously my favorite part of the program. I love the angle Marie brings to ADV Bible, I love the fact they read it on their own. Shh.. don't tell, but my ds has at times had better answers to the questions and pulled better scriptures out of the Bible on his own to address the topic then was in the TM.

 

ADV History - light, light, light. Pioneers book is awesome, but we read the entire book and all the read-aloud in the first 2 months. Coming from SL, I guess it is just our style.

 

State sheets... hmm.. my ds loved the stickers, and it just didn't stick. Bored both of us. He has been able to put together a state puzzle of the US since age 6.

 

Science.. he reads apologia astronomy on his own, and I gave up trying to pull in ADV science. We unfortunately ended up not really doing science this year as a result. I wasn't up for implementing Apologia for just him, and the other was too elementary for his understanding level (he really already knows that material from SL science which didn't help). I am feeling more science motivated again lately.

 

Crafts.. we need more interest for them. Some of them worked out.

 

Oh well, for us it didn't get better. I really love the Hazels though, their CDs, and the heart & soul they put into MFW. MFW 1 was wonderful for our family.

 

Book basket - doesn't fit my already in place home school style, and I would rather have ALL of my curriculum show up at my door if I am paying money. I understand the idea behind it, but my kids love books so it wasn't a great fit.

 

HOWEVER, try the MFW board. You will get some good help that might be able to make it better for you.

[campmom]

My boys are loving ADV so far, they are really loving making the history notebook and show it to everyone who comes over.

Some things that I found that I think you could add to ADV :

Hold that thought - notebooking cd for history, I am planning to order this to add in some people and events that are not covered in the student pack for the notebook.

Time Travelers cds from homeschool in the woods -I have purchased the Revolutionary war one and will probably purchase more if we like the things from it. These would add more meat into your study.

We already own a lot of American History books so with the few I have gotten from the library we have not been able to get them all read.

We will also be doing as many American History field trips as we have the opportunity to do around here. In October we will go to a Civil War battle ground homeschool day, my boys have already asked for uniforms to wear. (The timetravelers cd for civil war free sample has some great ideas for putting costumes together easily for the time periods you are studying)

I believe every curriculum is going to be what you make it. Get excited about it and build up the excitement in your kids, add in as many of the SL books as you would like, check thrift stores for books, that is where we get most of ours) there are also great dvds out there to add to your study.

I would really be surprised if anyone out there really loves their curriculum choice without making any changes to it. I am having alot more fun adding in the things that I want to then I did when I did SL and felt overwhelmed constantly because I couldn't get it all done.

[Mommy22alyns]

We will also be doing as many American History field trips as we have the opportunity to do around here.

 

 

I forgot about this too. We just took a field trip to Pinson Mounds for Archaeofest and the girls loved it.