What are you using? What do you like? What do you not like? I've been looking at curriculums and I just haven't found one I like.
I have used Lifepacs for 3 years. We're stopping this year and doing our own thing. We're going to do either Easy Grammar or Daily Grams for Daily Grammar review. They'll be reading historical fiction that goes with the period of history we're studying. Each day they'll complete a sheet with a synopsis of the chapter, and words they need to look up (which they'll look up in the dictionary and record the definition), and then a spot for them to pick out some of their favorite nouns, adjectives, etc. from the chapter....and a line for their favorite sentence. Handwriting is going to be historical documents (Dec of Independence, Bill of Rights, etc.). And spelling will be the freebies from www.superteacherworksheets.com for my 3rd grader, and Sequential Spelling 2 for my 5th grader. For Writing, they'll be using Writing Strands. 2 for the younger, and 3 for my older. I do like Lifepacs, but my daughter did not really enjoy them much this year. I think each period of history we'll also look at a poem style or something and write a poem like that.
I've used a lot over the years. Did LLATL one year, liked it the first year, but didn't the next. Used "Language Lessons for the Young Child" one year; again, it worked well for ONE year, but I felt I needed something more after that. Picked up Easy Grammar Plus at a used sale for cheap; REALLY liked that!!! Right now, we're doing Rod and Staff, and I REALLY like that, too. We'll do it again next year.
I just got Easy Grammar and really like it.. it's kind of dry in my opinion, but I think it teaches what it needs to teach. We are also using Writing Strands next year.
We love grammar, vocabulary, and poetics by Michael Clay Thompson from www.rfwp.com. We are beginning their writing books. For literature, check out their book series - What if the Wolf Were an Octopus. These books are not scripted lessons, but they are beautiful, particularly the elementary level. They are designed to seduce the child into a love a language, and they worked well for my daughter. She loves classic literature now, like Jane Austin and Mark Twain. She loves to play with language, to analyze the parts, and think about how to construct what she wants to say. They aren't immediately obvious how to use when you first get them, but we have always loved them once we got started. We are starting the secondary level books now.
We are doing Writing Strands and Daily Grams, plus a vocabulary book , reading whatever goes with what we are studying in History and Science. Plus I have a feeling that the reading we will be doing with the lesson s in the vocabulary books will require critical thinking skills to be sharpened as well!
We use Winston Grammar and my daughter is writing a book, has a nature journal that we edit. We've also used Writing Tales 2 and will again in the summer when hopefully a couple of her schooled friends will join in with us. Writing Tales is excellent. Very easy to implement, lots of fun for the kids and gives a great foundation for a classical writing curriculum.
I have coming in today a book called "Grammarland" - I can't WAIT to get it in my hands Granted - it's available free online and I have it but I'm a shiny book person and wanted it printed out for me. From what I have seen it's really good at all the different "types" of words etc. I know more once I read it (which I plan on doing this week) If you want to take a look it's available on google books: Grammarland
For 7th/8th Combined Spelling - Spelling Power Vocabulary - Vocabulary From Cassical Roots (last year) but next year I am switching back to Pathway Readers Working With Words - much, MUCH better in my opinion. Writing - Jump In Writing Reading - I make it up...this is the main reason why I don't just go with BJU language arts. I want reading to always be the one thing he looks forward to and that has worked well this year. I only choose high interest books and I don't care how "classic" it is, it cannot be boring, must be about kids, and it must have minimal "old" language. Before we started doing a literature approach we used Pathway Readers and I am their Number 1 fan! I love that program! Working With Words (vocabulary) comes from them. Grammar - I've been using Climbing to Good English for years but next year we are using Easy Grammar Plus
A hodge-podge We use a variety of curricula. Spelling: All About Spelling -- This is the best spelling program available, IMO, and I've tried at least five different ones. Writing: IEW -- my boys love Andrew Pudewa. Grammar: Rod & Staff English -- very thorough and well-written lessons for the student, which means that the parent doesn't really have to teach much; teacher's book includes oral review exercises so that the student doesn't forget a lot Reading/literature study: Teaching the Classics Phonics: Alpha-Phonics -- I used this to teach all four of my children to read. It's inexpensive and very simple to use, and the pages don't have any distractions on them. Vocabulary: I don't use anything for this. My older boys have learned so much from doing lots and lots of reading, plus they've done Latin study. We tried Vocabulary From Classical Roots, but that totally bored us and wasn't effective. We bought Vocabulary Bridges from English to Latin & Greek, but I knew from just looking at it that it wouldn't work well for my kids; I want to use that for myself some day. I just remembered that we've used Red Hot Root Words and Words on the Vine, and my boys sort of liked doing them, since some of the activities are rather enjoyable. I think a good vocabulary program must include study of Latin and Greek roots. I need to add vocabulary study with Red Hot Root Words to dd's schedule next year. We should have been doing it this year.
We are using BJU English. It alternates between Grammar and Writing. It teaches writing and library skills so It has what I wanted to cover this year. I usually select curriculum according to what it covers taking any gaps we have into consideration.
See that's the thing.... I actually ordered an older Palm Pilot today that I can read PDF files on which will be nice so I don't have to carry the book with me. But I go through probably 1 case of paper per year with our business and schooling. BUT - for $8.95 at Amazon I got it delivered Bummed though - it won't be here until tomorrow. Got 2 new shiny books though
oh thats true, and I can actually have ds read the wokr and write the answeres on notebooks which I have a million of still! Lol
