Dumb questions for Sonlight users

[ereks mom]

I've never used Sonlight, but I've been researching, and there's something I don't understand. The IG has weekly lesson plans in grid format, right? And it has notes for the teacher for... which subjects? History, literature, and Bible? And aren't there study guides for the read-alouds and read-alones? Are these printable, or just questions for the teacher to discuss with the students? Are there suggested hands-on activities? Is map work assigned? Do you have to buy a separate student pack for maps, worksheets, etc.? And finally, what do you think is a reasonable price for a 2004 Core 6 IG? Thanks for your help!

[MerryAtHope]

Not dumb at all!

 

I'm such a geek--I actually have the 04-05 catalog because I loved the cover! Here's an example listing from the Core 6 guide:

 

Includes the following resources for teaching all Core 6 subjects: full schedule; teaching helps; geography and time-line activities; study guides for history, readers, and read-alouds (including Discovery questions and vocabulary development); full answers and definitions; and much more. Ready for your binder. $54.97

 

Binder (3"): $9.97

Index Tabs $5.97

 

The schedule is in grid-form (I think you can see samples online--just know the IG's have changed since 2004).

 

Are these printable, or just questions for the teacher to discuss with the students?

 

The Core IG doesn't have printable pages. The Language Arts and Science guides do come with worksheets in the current year--but SL changes their guides every year and does significant changes about every 5 years or so--so what they have today is not necessarily what the 2004 guide you are considering would have. You'd probably have to ask the seller a lot of these questions.

 

Are there suggested hands-on activities? Is map work assigned?

 

Back then, I don't think there were many, if any hands-on. Now, some of the younger cores do have some...you may be able to access suggestions on the Sonlight Forum. Map work is assigned.

 

Do you have to buy a separate student pack for maps, worksheets, etc.?

 

The maps should be included in the guide, but in older IG's, kids mainly did the mapwork on the markable map you get from Sonlight. I think there are more paper maps now (they started adding these as my kids were aging out).

 

And finally, what do you think is a reasonable price for a 2004 Core 6 IG? Thanks for your help!

 

 

For that old of a guide, I think $20, maybe a bit more if you are getting a binder in good condition.

 

HTH some!

 

Merry :-)

[ereks mom]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Merry!! I kept all my old Sonlight catalogs until a couple of years ago, and then I tossed them. I have since regretted doing that. :(

 

I have been researching for awhile now, and I've enjoyed your blog. I am interested in using Core 6/G with my high school girls. The main reason I'm wanting to buy an IG is for the study guides for literature. The girls don't enjoy reading, but those books seem very engaging, and we will likely do most of them as read-aloud/read-alongs anyway. I did look at the Sonlight updates page, and didn't see any changes in the readers or read-alouds from 2004 when Core 6 was apparently introduced to (I think) 2011, so can I assume that the same readers are used?

 

I'm about to PM you!

[MerryAtHope]

Off to read your PM! I never used the Core 6 IG, but I can tell you that I was never impressed with the lit guides for Cores 5 and under (now called F). I'd look at the online samples for 6 and see what's there for lit. guides now--if they're good, then you could ask the seller for questions on similar weeks in the old one to see how they compare.

 

I like Glencoe's lit guides, and they are free online. You could check those out to see if any SL 6 books are covered.

 

Merry :-)