Emmy Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 I started schooling with WP and quickly found I was such a tweaker that SOTW was easier for me. We've done SOTW the last 2 years and now I'm feeling like I wouldn't mind a schedule that ties things together for me. I've also been quite remiss in doing bible. I've been browsing the MFW site and there are portions of it that really resonate for me. If I wanted to do MFW next year - I'm not sure which program would be best. This fall I will have: just turned 9yo boy - has done SOTW 1 and 2 the last 2 years, excellent reader, loves to write but very poor speller (we're working on that) Age-wise and academically he would be considered a 4th grader. However, he is a summer birthday boy and we've always referred to him one grade back so he'll be in 3rd grade at coop, church, etc. 7 year old boy - has done SOTW 1 and 2 the last 2 years, will be 2nd grade next year. 5 1/2 year old boy - supposedly kinder this fall but the MFW kinder looks too young for him. 3yo boy that doesn't really factor in but I hate to not list him. ;) Since we've just done ancients and middle ages, I want to do the early modern time era but the Exploration to 1850 package looks advanced in book choices. Am I correct in that assessment? I'm wondering if Adventures would be too light for my oldest? If you're fluent in MFW I'd be interested in your thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudreyTN Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Yes, Adventures would be a little light for your oldest. You could do Exploration to 1850 and buy the 2nd-3rd grade supplement. It includes a lot of books that are used in Adventures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowWhite Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Here's one more suggestion, Emmy... have you looked at Heart of Dakota? I think you could use Bigger Hearts for His Glory for your oldest. You know I'm a big WP fan, but HOD is my "second in line" if I ever decide to switch, unless I went with Truthquest and did it all on my own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmy Posted March 26, 2009 Author Share Posted March 26, 2009 (edited) Thanks Audrey, I suspected Adventures might be too light. I'll look at the 2nd/3rd pack that goes to Exp. to 1850. Jennifer - I still own American Story 1 of course (minues the IG) so I could just use that and add in additional books for my oldest. But I am desiring an IG that provides some commentary in it, particularly on the biblical worldview. That is what prompted me to look at MFW. I have never looked at Heart of Dakota, I will check them out. I'm really interested in MFW kinder or 1st for my 5yo because it seems to include some of the fun things that I don't give him enough of. But what I use for him (the 5yo) is probably a separate issue from the older boys. Edited March 26, 2009 by Emmy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Hi Emmy, I guess I'm fluent in MFW. :) I've been using it very happily since 2003. I think if you used Adventures for the whole year for your just turned 9 year old, it would be too light. I'm not really sure that I would jump into EX1850 with younger sibling supplement next year as my first year of MFW. I'm not seeing in your post that your child is used to that kind of workload with EX1850 as a whole curriculum. Memorizing the whole book of James is quite a step up too. So if you with EX1850, it's ok to scale back if needed for your oldest and not do all of the assignments marked advanced. (I think that's what Audrey was saying and I'm just saying it too from the perspective of someone who has done all of the MFW programs except high school.) Here's a crazy idea, but maybe it doesn't interest you: how about using some of the books in the younger sib supplement for some summer reading fun for your oldest to be just enough for some US history? another really crazy idea: If MFW is offering what you want to use next year as a full curriculum, then look at the idea of ECC (Exploring Countries and Cultures). You can so easily add in readings in American history (it could be the books from ADV). When my oldest did ECC in 2nd grade, the ADV program wasn't yet written. So we added in fun history reading and field trips and School House Rock America rocks to have just enough information for a few years. I liked doing ECC, but I know on this forum breaking up history cycles isn't always favored. And people don't like that. But I found that having a year of geography and cultures really has helped us to see current events, current places and to begin to give my children's God's heart for the world. Lots of good programs out there. Now in terms of is MFW K not the right program for your 5.5 year old? I'll type more in a moment on that. -crystal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Now in terms of is MFW K not the right program for your 5.5 year old? I'll type more in a moment on that. -crystal Is my 5 year old ready to start first grade program or not? Is your child fluently reading short vowels readers without much help? Is he blending? How much writing can your child do? Can he comfortably copy 4-6 short vowel words and not have you or him in tears? In MFW first grade they'll work on composition, copywork. Age wise: getting ready to turn 6 pretty close to the time you start first grade? Is he ready for up to 2 hours of school on some days? Can he sit cooperatively for 20-30 minute segments for structured school work? When trying to be fluent in MFW, I encourage others to talk with the MFW office on some of it. You want to have them old enough, reading well and ready for a fast pace of phonics (or spelling if they are already reading), able to write, and able to sit long enough to do the work. -crystal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmy Posted March 26, 2009 Author Share Posted March 26, 2009 Crystal - thanks for your input, your posts are both quite helpful. Re: the kinder issue. My 5yo is reading short vowel readers well and is blending well. But, I'm not sure on the other points - I think he might do well with copying 5-6 words but not sure he could do that much work in one day. He'll be 6 in December but we are definitely considering this fall his kinder year so there's no rush. I think the phonics portion of the MFW-K is what made me question it. Re: the other stuff. My oldest actually did an american history program in kinder and he recalls a lot of it. I wouldn't be bothered by having him wait another year to do american history but I'd like my 7yo to do some sooner than that. So I'll do ECC with my 9yo, Adventures with my 7yo and the kinder with my 5yo. That'll work. KIDDING!!!! ha. Ok, I need to give this more thought. :) Clearly these kids gotta be combined..... One possible solution I was considering was to do Adventures with my oldest 2 and add in additional reading and writing for my oldest. Then do ECC the next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmy Posted March 26, 2009 Author Share Posted March 26, 2009 It hadn't occurred to me that I could do ECC and then go to Exploration to 1850 after that. For some reason I was thinking I "had" to do CTG after ECC. That might be a good plan because none of the kids have had a lot of Geography since we haven't followed through on mapping much with SOTW. I'll have to go look at the lesson sample for ECC, I hadn't really looked at it much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmy Posted March 26, 2009 Author Share Posted March 26, 2009 What is the book basket? Is there a list of books in the IG that I should put in the book basket? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kisa in CA Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 After ECC I bet you could go into Ex - 1850 with the younger sibling supplement and do great. The history years are different than ECC but both are wonderful. I think that is great advice. Adventures would be too light for your eldest, and who wants the hassle of beefing up a curriculum that much. The point is ease of use right? Besides, ECC is a wonderful curriculum that you don't want to miss and that is well suited for your kids age. My boys LOVED it last year. They were in K and 4th. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razorbackmama Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Adventures would be light I am guessing. If it were me..... I would take a year off of the cycle to do ECC. It gives everyone a chance to grow up a bit and it is a really wonderful way to get your feet wet with MFW. ECC is where their world view stuff really comes clear. This is where you learn about missionaries and the great commission and you read the book of Matthew to study the life of Jesus. Even your little one will be able to color the flags and put stickers in their own "passport" when you "fly" to other countries. I started everyday with a song or two from the WEE Sing Around the World and if we were starting a new country I lined up the dining room chairs and we pretended to flay to that country. As they got off the "plane" I would put a new sticker in their passport and welcomed them to the new country. You stay in one country about 2 weeks so I always tried to cook a dinner that ( might sort of resemble something) made in that country sometime in the two weeks. For each country the kids color a black flag outline to match that country. I had them cut out the flags and we decorated our nook/ school/ craft area with the flags throughout the year. It was fun to show the grandparents all of the places we visited. After ECC I bet you could go into Ex - 1850 with the younger sibling supplement and do great. The history years are different than ECC but both are wonderful. Don't mean to jump into your thread Emmy, but I LOVE THIS IDEA!!!!!!!!! We are using RTR right now because we had gotten to the fall of Rome in our other curriculum. We do our own geography/world cultures curriculum in addition, and since we were planning to use EXP-1850 next year I was sort of dreading it timewise. But we could just do ECC THEN EXP-1850 - problem solved!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhudson Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 You know the other great benefit for doing ECC then Exp to 1850 is the Biblical worldview in ECC. I think that year more than all the rest set my kids up to have a heart for the whole world. It really set the foundation for them to understand that God loves the whole world and His plan for us is to fulfill the Great Commission. Directly because of ECC and what we learned in that year our family have gone on two family mission trips to Mexico, now support a child in India, my kids have raised money for an orphange in Mexico, to print Bibles in Russia, dig wells in Kenya and as a family we saved enough money to buy a ox and plow for a church in Uganda. I also have a little girl who has a heart for missions which she discovered during that year in ECC (she was MFWK but listened into big brothers reading). I think you mentioned on of the reasons to switch was the Biblical Worlview so I think ECC might be the perfect choice for next year and then you could easily go in to Exp to 1850 which is a more intense year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori in MS Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 And you are just in time for the 2nd Edition of ECC which looks wonderful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmy Posted March 26, 2009 Author Share Posted March 26, 2009 The Book basket sounds great - very similar to what I do with extra books now. I think that will work well for the kids. I am going to talk to my dh about ECC, thanks so much for all the help. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Re: the kinder issue. My 5yo is reading short vowel readers well and is blending well. But, I'm not sure on the other points - I think he might do well with copying 5-6 words but not sure he could do that much work in one day. He'll be 6 in December but we are definitely considering this fall his kinder year so there's no rush. I think the phonics portion of the MFW-K is what made me question it. I have MFW K and I think what you should do is just add phonics to it. You can use donpotter.net or OPGTR and use the same concept as MFW (they build the words out of Lauri letters and sound them out) just with more advanced words. The other part of phonics is writing and spelling, so that will be fine to use. IMO, Phonics is not such a huge part of MFW K that it cannot be customized to your kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmy Posted March 26, 2009 Author Share Posted March 26, 2009 Thanks Carmen, I think that would work well for him. I actually wasn't in the market for a new phonics program as much as I wanted a fun Kinder program kwim that had little themes and stuff - so doing my own thing on phonics would be a good plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudreyTN Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 MFW K definitely has the "fun kindergarten" stuff. You could buy the TM used and skip the phonics portion of it.... if you wanted to do something extra for your Ker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 My dd will be 9 in September and a 3rd grader. I have still chosen to do Adventures (deluxe) with her. IF I need to beef it up a bit, well, I'm willing to do that. This will put her in ECC in 4th and then through the cycle from 5th-8th. She has hung around for big sis's history for the past 3 years and I want to get her a foundational start all her own. After looking through the T.M. I think it's going to be perfect. Just wanted to offer another opinion at the end of the discussion. Although I hate to offer a differing opinion than Crystal (Queen of MFW):D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razorbackmama Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Question re: the plan to do ECC then jump back into the cycle with EXP-1850...I'm sure that we would just do ECC again when we cycle back around after 1850-MT. Should I go ahead and buy the 1st edition of ECC so that when we do it again in 3 years it's not exactly the same? Or should I just go ahead and wait for the new edition? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Hi! I just wanted to say that we have done MFW ECC and K this year, and we all love it so much! I feel so blessed to have found MFW. And doing both programs is very doable! HaVe FuN!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 You aren't going against Crystal btw. The boy in question will be a 10 yo 5th grader by Fall, not a 9 yo 3rd grader. Adventures is made for 2nd and 3rd graders so you are right on. It wouldn't be enough for a 10 yo working at a 5th grade level though (even if he has a Summer birthday and is called a 4th grader in social settings) Ah, Ok. Her siggie said 8 so I was thinking he would be 9 next school year. Gotcha;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Question re: the plan to do ECC then jump back into the cycle with EXP-1850...I'm sure that we would just do ECC again when we cycle back around after 1850-MT. Should I go ahead and buy the 1st edition of ECC so that when we do it again in 3 years it's not exactly the same? Or should I just go ahead and wait for the new edition? new edition. You will want the jr. high recommendations scheduled for you and you'll like the convenience of the new student packet and pre made geography game. The vast majority of the content will remain the same from first to 2nd edition. -crystal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Ah, Ok. Her siggie said 8 so I was thinking he would be 9 next school year. Gotcha;) Angel, You'll be fine. I was working under the assumption of the other kid being in 4th grade and hearing that he was advanced reader and all of that. Hints for using ADV in 3rd grade to make some beefing up easier: make good use of book basket, and remember to use the general reading list at the back of the manual too. Do the extra/optional dictation exercise that begin in week 6 (that's a beef up in the manual itself for older 3rd graders). Use the internet links in the science book for more cool stuff to do. Try to encourage simple lab reports (I think the manual has some suggestions on that). and enjoy the year. It's ok to not listen to me too. ;):lol: -crystal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmy Posted March 27, 2009 Author Share Posted March 27, 2009 (edited) You aren't going against Crystal btw. The boy in question will be a 10 yo 5th grader by Fall, not a 9 yo 3rd grader. Adventures is made for 2nd and 3rd graders so you are right on. It wouldn't be enough for a 10 yo working at a 5th grade level though (even if he has a Summer birthday and is called a 4th grader in social settings) Actually....no, the info I gave was for next fall. My oldest son is 8 now. He participates in coop and church as a 2nd grader but is doing 3rd grade math and grammar and such. He will turn 9 in July and I will consider this fall to be his 4th grade year (academically). Does this change anyone's assessment btw??? Honestly I think I could go either way - I could see doing ECC with my rising 4th grader and 2nd grader or I could do Adventures with them both and give my oldest some books from sonlight or WP for additional reading. I am kind of excited about doing ECC though - and I like the idea of doing it and then continuing on with the Exp. to 1850 after that. Edited March 27, 2009 by Emmy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmy Posted March 27, 2009 Author Share Posted March 27, 2009 Hi! I just wanted to say that we have done MFW ECC and K this year, and we all love it so much! I feel so blessed to have found MFW. And doing both programs is very doable! HaVe FuN!!!! thanks for your comment - I was motivated to check out MFW based on your posts and Christina's (cadam) posts - I'm not sure what specifically prompted it, but I'd taken note that both of you were using MFW and it led me to check out their site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 thanks for your comment - I was motivated to check out MFW based on your posts and Christina's (cadam) posts - I'm not sure what specifically prompted it, but I'd taken note that both of you were using MFW and it led me to check out their site. How cool! If you do decide to go with MFW, I know you will love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChicoryChick Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Jennifer - I still own American Story 1 of course (minues the IG) so I could just use that and add in additional books for my oldest. But I am desiring an IG that provides some commentary in it, particularly on the biblical worldview. That is what prompted me to look at MFW. I have never looked at Heart of Dakota, I will check them out. I'm really interested in MFW kinder or 1st for my 5yo because it seems to include some of the fun things that I don't give him enough of. But what I use for him (the 5yo) is probably a separate issue from the older boys. HOD definitely has a Biblical Worldview (as does MFW) and has fun yet easy to stuff included in their manuals. I second giving them a once over (at least) :D! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Hints for using ADV in 3rd grade to make some beefing up easier: make good use of book basket, and remember to use the general reading list at the back of the manual too. Do the extra/optional dictation exercise that begin in week 6 (that's a beef up in the manual itself for older 3rd graders). Use the internet links in the science book for more cool stuff to do. Try to encourage simple lab reports (I think the manual has some suggestions on that). and enjoy the year. It's ok to not listen to me too. ;):lol: -crystal Thanks for the advice! Dd LOVED the Book Basket when we did RtR last year. She has no problem sitting down and "browsing" through a book. It drove my older aspie dd nuts:tongue_smilie: I just got my hands on the TM last week and can't wait to start planning next year. I am excited with all the stuff Adventures has for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 I am going to use Bigger Hearts for his Glory with my sons who will be 6 and 10 next fall and it has been exactly what I needed to combine them for history and Science. It teaches to the younger students, but adds enrichments for the olders. Perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 He will turn 9 in July and I will consider this fall to be his 4th grade year (academically). Does this change anyone's assessment btw??? . If he is academically and age going into 4th grade (summer birthday), then my assessment doesn't change. ECC is for 3rd-8th graders and 2nd graders who have older sib in the program. ADV is for when oldest is 2nd-3rd grade. Your oldest is more in the 3rd-4th grade range both age and academically. If that weren't the case, I might think differently. I probably said this already. My oldest did ECC in 2nd grade before ADV was written. I wanted her to have some very basics of US history before getting to in it in chronological cycle. So, we watched School House Rock America Rocks and Liberty's Kids (back when it was on PBS), and then grabbed library books on key national holidays. So, you might consider something like that. The US is included in ECC and there are 2 extra weeks at the end of the year. Like Christina said, there's something to be said when you're excited about what you are teaching. -crystal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmy Posted March 27, 2009 Author Share Posted March 27, 2009 Thanks for chiming in again Christina and Crystal! You have both been quite helpful. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momofeat Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 It hadn't occurred to me that I could do ECC and then go to Exploration to 1850 after that. This is exactly what I did with my dd(9), and it has worked out really well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noah&emmasmommy Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 I have been using MFW R2R this year and I have absolutely loved it. As far as the scheduling goes, the chart format works very well for us. We just look at the week and find the day and there's the assignments already printed out for us. As for book basket, this is where a lot of enrichment comes in. I like to use a laundry basket, and I fill it with books geared toward both ages of my kids, which 11 and 5, and at book basket every day, they choose books and spend a half hour (less with my 5 year old) reading on topics that we are learning for that week. MFW chooses books for you. In the back of the teacher manual, is a listing of each week, and the books they suggest for you. Some weeks have HUGE lists, others are lighter. I usually choose 3-4 books, or maybe just 2, depending on the content of the book, and that pretty much covers it. The book basket resource list in the back of the guide is fairly thorough, and I almost always find several books at the library that I check out. The trick here is, staying 1-3 weeks ahead of schedule on getting your books. A couple of times, I've walked away from teh library unsatisfied because I waited until the weekend before to check out my books, and can't get them in time, or they are checked out. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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