Comments on: What Are Your Favorite Pieces of Curriculum?

By: Tina Solar

Tina Solar — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 01:57:44 +0000

We are considering the Math U See curriculum simply because my kids do great with hands on learning. I think just the demo simplified things I learn in school, and made them more clear to me. I really think it would be the same for my kids as well. Plus they already love legos, so this would be right up their alley.

We really enjoyed the Bob Books to start my daughter off on reading, and the Now I am Reading series of books inspired my son to read at 3. Now he is nearly 12, and has a real passion for reading.

The kids enjoy our Phonics game as well as a few homemade games we have made. We also like some of the felt sets on http://www.funfelt.com.

We are in transition and seeking out alternative curriculum for the kids currently and I want to thank everyone for posting and sharing!

By: Shannon Wallace

Shannon Wallace — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:07:03 +0000

I am a “newbie” homeschooler, but in our few short months of homeschool, we have really enjoyed Math-U-See. I’m not strong in math whatsoever, and Steve Demme has given me the confidence to teach my son, and my 4 year old even likes to watch the DVD too!

One of my absolute favorite things that I can’t live without (besides God’s Word) is my nifty “The Homeschoolers Journal” that I purchased from cbd.com this past summer. It is simplistic, yet has everything I need to keep track of what we’ve done each day. ISBN 0978541308

I highly suggest having a good magnetic dry erase board, which I found for only $25 at Costco! I write the date at the top, our Bible verse, and use it to “teach” on of a question comes up (usually a math problem, or the spelling of a particualr word).

By: Lesley

Lesley — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:35:20 +0000

We are in our fall/winter season of homeschooling, as we only have another 5-6 years to go till our last graduates. Through our 15+ years we have used many different tools for our school. Here is a partial list of some of our favorite must haves:
* Library Card
* Books of tape/cd
* Wipe off boards and good wipe off markers.
* We have pretty much always used the literature approach, so books would are vital. :o)
* Living Room–We have spent countless hours in the living room reading books, doing projects, playing games, watching dvds, and learning tons.
* Large Kitchen Table~ No matter how many times I have attempted to have a “school room” everyone ends up at the kitchen table. :o)
*Poster Board for making posters, games, mini offices, and more. :o)
* Lesson Planner~ I buy a lesson planner from Staples every year and it has never failed me. I am not the most lesson orientated person, but having things written down certainly helps keep me focused.

By: Marci Johnson

Marci Johnson — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:06:16 +0000

One of my favorite pieces of curriculum is the DVD that comes with the Math U See curriculum. I can’t believe how much I’m learning about math from this DVD. The teacher on the DVD explains things so well, I wish he’d been my teacher in 3rd grade!

I also love The Story of the World history series. The activities and suggestions for extra reading in the activity book are wonderful.
.-= Marci Johnson´s last blog ..The Simple Woman’s Daybook: Jan. 4 =-.

By: Kelly@ In Everything...

Kelly@ In Everything... — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 17:39:01 +0000

I have younger children and to help with teaching reading I have LOVED< LOVED, LOVED LeapFrog products!!! We started off with the Letter Factory DVD and the kids learned all their letters and sounds within months!! Amazing to hear a two yr do all the letters and basic phonic sounds! Then we invested in the DVD boxed set… great for beginning counting and demonstrations of how letters put together makes words:)

I'm now using the TAG and that library to encourage reading and for reading practice… my tried-n-true reading program is The Ordiniary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading…. but then we use the BOB books and now the TAG Learn to Read Book Sets (I found them at toys r us and used a coupon!!!) for more practcie:)
.-= Kelly@ In Everything…´s last blog ..Sitting Pretty =-.

By: Tonya Prater

Tonya Prater — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:10:31 +0000

I love anything that livens up our school day. I guess my favorite tool would be field trips- but you’ve read about that before. Some other favorites: I love ordering material from Timberdoodle. They have great reviews of their products and they are normally discounted. I’ve purchased games and books from them since we began homeschooling years ago.

Since we don’t use as much curriculum as we do life lessons and books, I also make my own notebooking pages for the kids to record what they’ve learned. I’ve also found and use the material from Westvon Publishing- The History Scribe (when they were younger) and now The History Scholar.
.-= Tonya Prater´s last blog ..For the love of Paris… =-.

By: Abbie Steffensen

Abbie Steffensen — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 07:11:52 +0000

So far we have loved Apologia zoology, Horizons math, Draw write now, CLP nature readers, and Handwriting without tears.

By: Angie

Angie — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 05:12:24 +0000

We started using WorkBoxes this fall, and it was a life saver! It has made things so much smoother for us. .-= Angie´s last blog ..Looking for Great Low Calorie Meals =-.

By: Dana♥

Dana♥ — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 05:03:17 +0000

Our day runs so much smoother with our work pockets. You can see them here – http://nogginsandnonsense.blogspot.com/2009/10/work-boxes-to-work-pockets.html

I also couldn’t survive without my library card! We can’t get enough historical fiction!
.-= Dana♥´s last blog ..Personalized Notebooks =-.

By: GroovieMom

GroovieMom — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:51:05 +0000

My kids have thoroughly enjoyed the Along the American History Trail lesson plans from Elizabeth Foss’s Serendipity website this year. Best of all it is FREE since I am able to get most of the books at the library or at least find reasonable substitutes.
We also like Noeo’s science curriculum. We just finished up Physics I with my 3rd-grader and start Chemistry I tomorrow. It is not free, but my son is a science nut and that is not a subject I am comfortable winging it on so I don’t mind paying for it.