so far i have an eclectic bunch of materials.. i have a complete curriculum book for for my 5 year old for grade K it is very easy for her and she is doing two weeks in one.. i also have one for the 5th grader but it is 6th grade book. i have bid on some more on ebay.. are these type of books good materials? should i be using abeka or something like that??? i am adding to the complete c books with some science and history.. the math and english seems to be pretty thorough..what are thoughts on these books?? my husband feels maybe we should be buying whole curriculums from abeka or saxon or types like that. :-?
It varies from person to person. I've bought some of the "complete" Science, or whatever, workbook, but found them lacking. I personally use this and that. I know that some of the ladies here will use a "boxed curriculum" and think they're wonderful. I don't. To me, that would be too confining. My kids are 11, 9, and 5 1/2. But I do science and history together with them. I individualize for math, reading, spelling, language. I think it would be next to impossible to teach a boxed curriculum at three different levels! That would be too much like doing school at home, rather than homeschooling. Again, others use them and really like them. The advantage of homeschooling is that you can decide what works best for your family.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7985088755&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWN:IT&rd=1 this is what i am talking about.. i have one already for K and one for 6th grade... they are really cool and very complete... does anyone use these types of books? I also will combine the science and history and such for the three of them then do math and reading separate for each girl. thanks for all the replies it is so nice ot have input form other homeschool moms!!!! :-D
We're homeschooling a 5yo and 4yo and using Kindergarten curriculum for both. We use a mix of things, but our main source of curriculum is Sonlight. I like the way that you get the instructor's guide that has everything laid out for you day by day to check off; you can use a 4-day ro 5-day schedule; they give you ideas of projects and field trips to take; and they make sure and drill into you that it's just a suggestion and you can schedule any way you want. My Sonlight curriculum includes Language Arts, Math, Science, History, Bible, Handwriting, Reading, and Physical Education. I supplement with Critical Thinking books, Muzzy for Spanish, and any other fun stuff that I can get my hands on cheap. Everyone is so different. And, what works for you might not work for your kids. So, don't invest too much to start until you know you can use the materials. This is a great board and you'll get lots of great advice and support, here. Welcome!
I checked out the link. I have bought those in the past super-cheap before I knew better; would NOT buy them again. To me, they're just a book a various worksheets. Much to basic to be a "complete" curriculum. I still use the one or two I bought to reinforce certain skills, but there's too much missing.
Hi, I will be homeschooling kindergarden with my daughter next year. I have bought alot of workbooks like that from the dollar store, tj maxx ( some really great ones there) and wal-mart. I have bought them in reading, spelling, english and math. I like them cause my daughter LOVES doing workbooks! However we are also going to get her a phonics kit made for her leappad they just came out with ( 3 different ones that build off each other) we found great writting and math wipe off flash cards ( again at the dollar store!) we have a music cd and computer games as well. For social studies we will be doing our city and stae next year which will be stories and feild trips and anything else I can do to make it fun! For science we are concentraiting on flower s9 going to let her grow one!) the earth sun and moon and parts of the body! I figure I will teach the science with what I think of! She also wants to learn Spanish so we are going to use the computer, movies and books to try to teach that! WE also go for walks and I'm going to teach her more about strangers and saftey for the health requirement here! I say go with what you and your children find work best! We are going this way cause we can't afford boxed curr or the individual things through companies! Oh...almost forgot tons of arts and crafts! Have fun!
When we pulled ds out of 1st grade at the public school, I bought some McGraw Hill "Complete Book of Math Grades 1-2" and that sort of thing cuz it was cheap and I wasn't sure just where he was to place him. I found that the way those books are written didn't do him much good. It took a few tries to get a math curriculum that works for how he processes it best. We use Math-U-See. We use a mix of all sorts of stuff for each subject....or no text at all . I like to be able to pick and choose what program works best for each child. Like my 6yo dd is using Explode the Code for phonics. With ds, he was an excellent reader and didn't need much reinforcement so we are now just focusing on good literature and adding language arts. I'd suggest starting at with a curriculum and style that is comfortable for you. That way you will be relaxed enough to notice how your child is responding to it and alter it if needed. Have fun with it!
I just bought very similar workbooks at WalMart tonight. Mine are called The Complete Book of.. and there are various titles. I bought Presidents and states, , Spanish, and handwriting.We already had reading, and grammar. There is a lot to them, really. I wouldn't rely on them as a whole curriculum for upper grades, but for K they are perfect, I think. It's all right there. Maybe mine are different, but I think there's plenty in there. I actually bought the Spanish, Handwriting and Presidents ones because we were already using the reading and grammar ones, and I liked how they were laid out. Our actual curriculum will be Calvert. We'll keep using these wkbks, too.
babymama, go to your library and look for a series called Hello U.S.A. These are about different states. First Step NonFiction is a series that has titles called Where is My... and you can get Town, State, Continent and Neighborhood. Pull Ahead Books is a series that has titles about American Symbols. There's The Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, The White House, etc. We just finished a study on insects using these little books that are from a series I can't find the name for. All these books are small, easy to read, and should be in the easy nonfiction area in the library. Welcome Books is another series good for this age and they have many interesting titles to form a unit around. If you will google the word 'kindergarten' with the words of the things you want to cover ( like 'American Symbols lessons for Kindergarten') you'll come up with plenty.
Our Universe is a good series to cover the solar system. We used these to study the planets, moon, sun and stars.
My homeschooling style is very similar to Jackie's. We use a little bit of everything- what suits both my girls and my needs and style- and we work together on science, history, music, art, etc. This works best for us. Years ago, I started out with a boxed curriculum- Abeka- it's a good program, but I just didn't like being tied down to their rigid schedule, etc. I like going out on my own a bit. We've become more relaxed and more eclectic, but I think that's normal as you get more comfortable. For someone just starting out, I think a boxed curriculum is very helpful, especially if you're feeling uncertain about your abilities to put something together with this and that. I have had similar workbooks to the one that you purchased, but I would not rely on them for a full-year's curriculum. I do not feel that they are complete enough. As Jackie said, they are basically a big workbook. I have used mine to supplement our curriculum here and there, as I thought one of my daughters could use extra practice on something. As for kindergarten, they may be fine. I would probably pull in some other, non-workbook-type things to go with it, though. But, that's just me. Enjoy your year, relax, and have fun!
We bought the Spanish I from Alpha Omega last year, my boys didnt really connect with it. So this year we bought the Spanish I from Abeka, looking at the books and such that just came in I think it is what we have been looking for. One reason for going with AO last year the price, $160.00 vs. $370.00 with Abeka. Price isnt a good way to choose curr. but I thought that because we didnt have the money for the Abeka Spanish that the other was better than nothing. My boys are visual and hands on learners just like me so I think the Abeka will work. Staci
I, too, have bought those "complete curriculum" type books. I don't find that they cover what they need to. I do like to use them as review (kind of homework). We use a variety of publishers. My 3rd graders mostly has Scott-Foresman. I think they are very good and cover what should be covered. My ds is 4 and this year he's doing kindergarten work. I lucked up and found a Harcourt Brace workbook like I used when I taught kindergarten. I am using that for Math and Sadlier-Oxford & Hooked on Phonics for Reading/Phonics. We use dd's 3rd grade SS/Sci/Music/Art for both children.
I agree that my first year teaching I bought sets of everything. This is my third year teaching my two girls and I get almost all of our work off the internet for free. It can take a little time to find what you need but I have found some key websites. check out the link below lots of free information and cool work sheets!
I haven't bought the boxed stuff but I looked at it before and immeadiately got a headache... I like doing things my own way too much for scripted books or rigid schedules, that's just my personality though. The workbooks like that one, I buy now and then and give them to Sami and say "Here's A present!" She loves workbooks and will sit and do them as she feels like it. Once in awhile I go in her room and look at them and she will have done quite a bit. I got those wipe off cards at the dollar store too and she loves those too. I never ask her to do that stuff though... it's just an extra thing. I use a varied mixture of stuff, can't just say a company name.... Professor B's math (plus worksheets that fit what we are doing and a mastering math video on patterns), Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons (Only scripted thing I could handle and I use their Handwriting excercises plus some for writing), phonics Junior game & videos, The internet covers alot. I use online stuff mostly for science/social studies (looking for mystery of History for next year), I have two Bible curriculums (don't know what companies), one is way too hard and the other is way too easy for her so I mix and match.
I spent a ton of money for my 3rd grader and bought mostly Scott Foresman products. I really like SF for certain subjects. However, I noticed that the science was about a year behind as far as topics are concerned. The 4th grade book covers the topics that ps teaches in 3rd. So, I supplement with other workbooks and books. I just bought the complete book of Science for dd and I think it covers all the topics for her grade level. I was actually pretty impressed with it. I also got the Complete book of Time/Money for my ds (prek). It looks good and will supplement his Math curriculum.
The science topics "for her grade level" are just arbitrary! No where is it written that you must do space in grade 3, magnets in grade 3, or electricity in grade 5. With science, go with whatever interests your kids! Get books from the library; they're full of do-able experiments. Also, you can easily do it "across grades".
i have used those before and I like them. If your kids like workbooks use them. I have also used Abecka, Rod and Staff, etc. I didn't just love a boxed set. Not my kids. They want to study something and if they like it learn more so I go to the library and get books too. I use the internet for more worksheets if I feel we need to cover more. Do what feels right to you! You will know if they are behind somewhere. Good luck!
Jackie.... I like to follow the ps curriculum in case my kids ever have to go to ps. Also, Avery will be testing at the end of this year (GA requires this) so I want her to be prepared for what might be on the test. Do you know what I mean? I would love to spend time just learning about what interests her but it certainly wouldn't be everything she NEEDS to know. I guess I'm just very realistic. I've had lots of serious health issues that concerned me. It makes me wonder if I will be able to teach my kids thru middle/high school.
