ciyates Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 How do you combine the Sonlight and WTM method? It seems that Sonlight is much more literature based. Please correct me if I am missing a huge part of the system. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 I plan on adding more. I have found in the 3 years of homeschooling I have spent more time planning than actually teaching and as the kids get older that is becoming an issue. As a result I have decided that next year I am ordering cores from sonlight(previously only bought their books to build our library and as tie-ins to what we were already doing etc), and then will add in the grammar, spelling, latin, logic etc that I want them to use. At a bare minimum we will use what is already planned each day in the IG along with our grammar and spelling, and when we have the time to add more (art, latin, logic etc) we will. I am hoping that will keep me from spending all of my time planning and actually get me teaching them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lydiasmommy Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 Couple different approaches: 1) Add stuff: more structured, rigorous grammar, writing about history/science topics, timelines (well, SL has these) and notebooks structured a la WTM, latin/greek 2) Tweak Sonlight - insert WTM recommendations for books in place of some of SL's, use SL cores in WTM sequence - some of them work pretty well. Use more primary sources as the kids get older. Include epics and literature from the time period. Hard not to overload yourself or your kids. 3) Use SL materials, not IG, but make WTM the "driver." You can find lists online that arrange SL books in chronological order. You can just use SL books as extra reading material, include their poetry selections for memorization, etc. We are doing the first option. My oldest DD is using Core 1 and I have added bits and pieces of SOTW, items from VP, etc. We'll be using FLL and WWE and doing WTM notebooks, too. I have decided to ditch SL's science in favor of studies in the sequence outlined in TWTM. We're still going to follow the SL cores in order but I'm going to add to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdromick Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 I like SL though I love the structure with the FLL and WWE. So I'm not crazy for thinking I'll buy SL, just to have the books, but not use their LA?? I'm wondering if I can just use TWTM LA recommendations with SL readers etc... though I kinda like the SOTW too! I love the history activities and maps. Can't decide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pata Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 We use Sonlight for our history, read-alouds and readers. We use classical materials for the rest. I'm kinda floundering with LA right now because FLL didn't work for us, but next year we will begin Classical Writing's Primer series. I also add in narrations, copywork, some mapwork and a wall timeline. My best advice is to read WTM and write down what speaks to you and what the goals are, then find a way to make it work with Sonlight. Here's what I've put together for second grade, just to give you an idea of my thought process, in the parathesis are my thought/goals in a nutshell after reading WTM, the what I plan to use to accomplish this... Language Arts: Spelling(teach rules)-Word Attack Grammar(teach definitions of parts of speech)-Read Grammar Land, then begin Kiss Grammar Reading(work on fluency, 20-30 minutes a day, oral narrations)-Readers from Sonlight Writing(Copywork/diction & Narrations)-Classical Writing Poetry(8 poems to memorize)-read from Ambleside's lists, choose 8 to memorize for the year Math(do daily)-continue Singapore and Miquon History(broad sweep of history, read a selection, narrate, timeline and map, repeat)-Sonlight Core 2 Science(introduce a field)-Earth Science & Astronomy for the Grammar Stage Art & Music (appreciation)-Artist/Composer Study, Art Adventures @ Home, piano lessons?? Hope that helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdromick Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 my dd is soon to be 7. I'm wondering why FLL didn't fit for y'all? I've used it along with LA2, it's going to take us about 1 1/2 yrs to finish all of core 1 including the LA2. I just feel like SL LA is lacking repetition needed to learn key concepts. I'm unfamiliar with classical writing primer. I did read the first edition of TWTM, think I'll go ahead and buy the new one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMCassandra Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 3) Use SL materials, not IG, but make WTM the "driver." You can find lists online that arrange SL books in chronological order. You can just use SL books as extra reading material, include their poetry selections for memorization, etc. This is what I have done. I just fold in some of the coolest SL titles into the WTM/Biblioplan schedule. I have also been known to give SL books as gifts (shhhh, don't tell them they are for school--they are on the "fun books shelf.") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pata Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 my dd is soon to be 7. I'm wondering why FLL didn't fit for y'all? I've used it along with LA2, it's going to take us about 1 1/2 yrs to finish all of core 1 including the LA2. I just feel like SL LA is lacking repetition needed to learn key concepts. I'm unfamiliar with classical writing primer. I did read the first edition of TWTM, think I'll go ahead and buy the new one! I loved FLL, but my dd didn't, our sessions were boring her to tears and she would moan everytime I go the book out. So we ended up dropping it. I also don't like Sonlight LA because it feels so disjointed to me and it does lack repetition. The Classical Writing Primer is actually not available yet, it's suppose to be out later this spring, but here's a look at the webpage for it. We plan to continue the series alongside of Sonlight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 It's really no problem to use SL and a different LA through Core 7. The LA is separate and until Core 3 the readers don't correlate with the history. You can easily substitute FLL and WWE or R&S or GWG or whatever you prefer without interupting the flow of the Core. You can use the readers for free reading or as readers with another phonics program once you've covered long vowels, consonant blends and digraphs. The SL readers are usually classic easy readers you won't want to miss. There is a huge jump in reading level in Core 3 and at that point the readers do correlate with the history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciyates Posted April 4, 2009 Author Share Posted April 4, 2009 Thanks for the input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coralloyd Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 Here's a link that lists the SL books in WTM 4 year cycle: http://homescool-ed.blogspot.com/2007/04/sonlight-books-arranged-by-well-trained.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoo Keeper Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 Sonlight and WTM have been very compatible for us. I have been stretching out each core over two years and folding in SOTW and making history and science notebooks a la WTM. I love the literature rich style of SL, but I wanted more structured grammar and writing than SL provides for elementary. I plan on adding in more literary analysis and Great Books work as we continue to work through the cores. I feel SL can be beefed up nicely to have a more classical flavor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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