Completing our first week of school, here are our keepers. What are yours?

[Jane]

Here are a couple of new items for us this year that are definitely keepers in our home (all homes differs). A BIG "Thank-you!" to those who recommended them.

 

 

My two busy mom/time saving programs for the year:

 

1. Critical Thinking Company's "Word Roots" on CD. My 11yo is delighted too have completed two pieces of her city this week. I'm delighted to not have to correct her work as the program is self-correcting. :)

 

2. Calvert's Spelling CDs. My dyslexic & dysgraphic(!) student has already started her 2nd lesson for the week and I haven't had to read off any word lists. (Where's the happy mom dancing smilie?)

 

Others:

1. Rewards Intermediate for my dyslexic daughter. Excellent. I am enjoying watching her spell words through this program too. Words like disdain, display, etc. (Bonus spelling lessons.) I think this is going to be very effective. THANK YOU moms who took the time to answer my questions here on the WTM boards!!

 

2. Prentice Hall's Science Explorer, specifically "Human Biology and Health" right now. My daughter and I both LOVE the layout and color in these books. The experiments on the CD are so doable in the home. We're excited! The workbook, including the guided reading activity is such an awesome study tool that will help my daughter build study skills for coming years. My daughter is learning much, continually sharing tidbits of information she is absorbing; and we're both delighted with the non-wordy approach with lots of charts and other visuals to help one absorb the information. (Mostly visual learners here.)

 

These are *my* new finds for this year. I realize they are *old* and hopefully favorites for others. I'm also enjoying old favorites of ours w/my younger schoolers.

 

What are the new favorites in your house?

[sagira]

Thanks for sharing. How old is your dd? :001_smile:

[Jane]

Thanks for sharing. How old is your dd? :001_smile:

 

I have several daughters. I'm assuming you mean my dyslexic daughter. She is 10. :)

[elegantlion]

We start next week. I am glad to hear REWARDS is working well. I'm ordering it this week for my ds.

[Jane]

We start next week. I am glad to hear REWARDS is working well. I'm ordering it this week for my ds.

 

Ah, a 5th grade REWARDS buddy. :) Great. Here's to hoping we share great success stories upon completion!

[sagira]

The Prentice Hall Science Explorer dd :)

[Jane]

The Prentice Hall Science Explorer dd :)

 

She is 11, nearly 12 and historically has not enjoyed science like her other siblings. I'm thrilled to have found a program she is excited about.

[nukeswife]

We've been at it a week and we're liking everything so far although some I'm on the fence about, but want to give it a fair shake so we'll keep at it for a few more weeks and re-evaluate.

 

Here's our definite keepers

1. Writing with Ease

2. NOEO Biology

3. Growing with Grammar

4. Saxon Math

5. Daily Geography by Evan Moor

 

 

On the fence...

1. All About Spelling, I don't remember being taught spelling rules so I'm not sure how this will work out, but the kids like it so far.

2. History Odyssey. I love that it uses SOTW, but I'm not sure how it will work out or if we'll end up back with the SOTW activity book.

 

 

Don't love but will deal with it...

1. A reason for handwriting. My kids love the format, but none of us care for the bible passages since we're not a religious family. I wish I could find something like this that's not religion based.

[HollyDay]

Keeper so Far for 4th:

GWG

TT5

Noeo Chem 2

SWR

DITHOR

Latin's Not So TOugh

 

7th:

BF Jr History

BJU Science 7

TT pre Algebra

Jensen's Format writing

 

Still have some on the fence

[Meljoy]

I love Hake Grammar :thumbup: I even like the writing part which is mostly dictation and journaling. Saxon math we are well acquainted with and enjoy, I am really excited about the US history program I FINALLY set up lesson plans for using various resources I pulled together (now if it will only go according to plan...) I am glad to hear about WordRoots. I bought the workbook but have not gotten int yet. I may invest in the CD later. I like CKEB now that I have found some supplemental sheets to carry it a little further.

 

I made a big mistake buying AAS!. I WAY underjudged my sons spelling ability. He is actually not a bad speller at all (rules or not) and this program is WAY below his level. I do like the program and wish I had had it several of years ago. As it is he does remember some of my phonics teaching ;-) after all. I am returning AAS and ordering Sequential Spelling.

 

WWE is on the way -but now I am afraid it will be under his level too. I still plan to read it -I am sure I t can help me as a teacher..

[Michelle in AL]

We're done with our first week! Our keepers are :

Omnibus 1 (easy to use, thought provoking for all, great discussion~I'm so thankful for this)

Megawords 2 for 9th grade dd with spelling troubles, still! I like the logic of this.

I'm really liking my math choices, but it's only week 1 so we'll have to see:

BJU Pre-algebra & Foerster's Algebra & Trig

[JaniceO]

We're new to homeschooling and we've been at it for about 3 weeks now. So far the keepers seem to be:

 

Story of the World Vol. 1

First Language Lessons (we're using 1 and 3)

Daily Paragraph Editing from Evan Moor

Lively Latin

Trail Guide to World Geography

Handwriting Without Tears: I am loving both the printing for my 1st grader, and the cursive for my 3rd grader, but the different paper is difficult for them to use

 

Saxon seems to be going ok, but I'm still trying to figure out if it's right for us or not.

 

We really don't like, but have to finish them out because we spent the money and DH says so, lol:

 

MPH Science 3 and 5

Early Bird Start Up Science

Daily Geography Practice

[rafiki]

.

[Trivium Academy]

The only things I'm on the fence about is:

-Drawing with Children

-studying both latin and french at the same time, I'm hoping it will not be a problem but I'm being very aware

- my own ability to overcome bad habits and be more productive with my kids, following a new routine that involves a LOT of planned 1-on-1 time with them

 

Otherwise I'm very comfortable and happy with the products we're using, which are listed below. :)

[Jane]

We're done with our first week! Our keepers are :

Omnibus 1 (easy to use, thought provoking for all, great discussion~I'm so thankful for this)....I'm really liking my math choices, but it's only week 1 so we'll have to see:

BJU Pre-algebra & Foerster's Algebra & Trig

 

I keep looking at Omnibus. Can you tell me how often you schedule it and how long you work on it each session? This may be my plan for next year.

 

Also, do the Foerster books have proofs in their answer booklet? My oldest is using Saxon Algebra 1/2 this year so I need to look for an Algebra 1 book.

 

Thanks.

[Jane]

Trail Guide to World Geography

 

We like this program too!

 

Enjoy,

~Jane

[Dawn E]

We're finishing week three and so far I am very pleased with our materials. Dd seems to be enjoying them and the days have been very pleasant.

 

Some of our faves:

GWG 1/2

Classically Cursive

BJU Math

Our Young Folks' Josephus

Burgess Bird Book

Christian Liberty Press Nature Reader 1

 

We are starting slowly and have more materials to add later on, but for now I'm not on the fence about anything. I will admit though that I am intimidated by SWR and nervous about jumping in. We are going to have our first art day next Friday using Atelier. I've previewed the first dvd lesson, and I'm pretty certain this will also be a favorite. We're doing some catch-up today, and will have our first Song School Latin lesson. She already loves the cd.

[SmallChanges]

We just finished our 4th week of school!

 

Keepers:

 

TOG Year 1 Redesigned

IEW

 

These were our BIG changes for this year.

 

Making it work:

CKEB (really need to beef it up for ds-5th grade)

[Donna A.]

Keepers:

 

My Father's World for history/geography/Bible (though I'm tweaking it a bit to emphasize some parts over others)

 

PLL/ILL

Applications in Grammar (7th grader)

Saxon math

Singapore math

Abeka Science & Health (7th grader really likes this)

Building Spelling Skills from CLP (we've used this forever and no one complains)

Studying God's Word from CLP

Artpacs from R&S

English from the Roots Up (the girls think this is fun)

 

Still trying to figure out the best approach to phonics with my K'er.

 

We're also looking forward to starting Latin and French later this fall. That's one reason I'm downsizing our LA choices from what I thought we were going to do a month ago.

[Closeacademy]

We are a few months in now but here is our list:

 

Singapore Math

Spell to Write and Read

 

As for new stuff:

 

homeschoolshare.com lapbooks

 

 

Something that I will be trying with my daycare preschoolers:

 

Before Five in a Row

:001_smile:

[...................]

DS First Grade:

 

CLP Building Spelling Skills

 

Hey Andrew Greek level 2

 

Queen's Language Lessons

 

School Aid Climbing to Good English

 

Abeka Arithmetic (totally thrilled with this)

 

DD preschool:

Kumon Books

 

MCP Phonics

 

 

Some stuff that hasn't been so great was MCP Math, Pathway Learning Through Sounds

[ldee]

We are finished our first week:

Keepers:....for 3rd and 5th

CLE Reading and LA CLE Language Arts....new to us

Saxon 3

and ds finishing up Saxon 5/4

Teaching Textbooks 6 for same ds finishing 5/4(he likes TT SO much better)

IEW

VPand SOTW 1 for 7 and 8 yo

Diana Waring Ancients for 10yo...new and love it

WWE I have only been using this level 1, I will add this next week for the older dc

 

My 2nd grader( he is a young 2nd) is using BJUP dvd's. It is a long story but I got these in Feb. for my daughter to use. She had auditory processing and went through a tutoring program which recommended a more traditional approach with textbooks to finish up the year. It was a good fit. Well, I paid big $$ for the program so I will continue to use it until my 13 months are up!! My ds uses is for math, spelling, English, and will do reading when he is reading on that level. He is not up to a 2nd grade reading level. BJUP's reading is the only thing that I think is on level.

[sweetbaby]

We haven't began our new stuff as yet but I've been reading and flipping through all of it in order to prepare. I haven't seen anything that may pose a problem although I did start my preschooler with HOD only to stop after week two. She's just a little too young for it right now. I know its for 2-5yo but all children are different, of course. She's just not ready for something structured at such young age. Overall, everything else looks pretty good.

[elegantlion]

Keepers after week 1...

 

 

• LFC A - we both adore this
  
• LOF - Fractions (ds laughed all the way through the first chapter)
  
• Singapore Math - a returning favorite
  
• CW Aesop B
  
• God's Design Science - Chemistry (ds loves experiments)

 

[hsmamainva]

Here are our winners and losers after week 1:

 

12th -

 

Winners:

Visual Manna's Master Drawing

Lial's College Algebra and Trigonometry

Jensen's Vocabulary

Apologia Marine Biology

Learnables Spanish 4

(Her community college classes start on the 25th)

 

Loser:

Fraser's The Story of Britain (*snore*)

 

9th -

 

Winners:

Life of Fred Beginning Algebra

Apologia Biology

Natural Speller

Learnables Spanish 1

Smarr's Introduction to Literature

Cathy Johnson's Sketching and Drawing

 

So / So (not a loser, but not a real winner either):

BJU Geography

 

4th -

 

Winners:

Teaching Textbooks Math 5

Apologia Zoology 1

Rod & Staff English 4

Natural Speller

Wordly Wise 3000 Book 2

Handwriting Without Tears Cursive Success

Story of the World Volume 4 with Sonlight Core 4

How Great Thou Art's I Can Do All Things

 

Losers:

None!! Keep your fingers crossed!! :D

 

1st -

 

Winners:

Pathway Readers & Workbooks

Abeka Math 1

Handwriting Without Tears My Printing Book

Abeka Art 1

 

So / So (not a loser, but not a real winner either):

BJU Heritage Studies 1

BJU Science 1

 

Losers:

Alpha Phonics

Explode the Code

Sonlight Core 1

 

(My youngest has autism and listening to loooong read alouds and learning to read phonetically had her in tears!! She loves the Pathway Readers series - so far - and I'm using shorter read alouds from books that I have here at home .. when they run out, I'll hit the library!)

[Mosaicmind]

Here are my keepers:

 

Rod & Staff English; although we have had to tweak and place dc in different levels than I had placed them in, it has been a great change for us.

 

Teaching Textbooks. We are using math 5, and I wished I could afford all the other levels for my other dc. Maybe next year.

 

Apples Spelling, this has been a life saver for dd/12 who has a difficult time with reading and now spelling.

[JeannineW]

It's been more like a month or two but I am loving the OPGTR for my son. It is so much more straight forward than the LLATL Blue book I used with my first two readers and moves at the students speed. The stories have him laughing his head off.