Comments on: Curriculum Choices: Sonlight Explored

By: Emily @CreativeDisaster

Emily @CreativeDisaster — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 03:39:15 +0000

I love your map idea! Especially because we are a family that moves often and all over the place, we can also compare where we have been with stories we read. Thanks for lighting that bulb!
Emily @CreativeDisaster’s latest post: Dutch Apple Pie

By: Luke Holzmann

Luke Holzmann — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 20:33:28 +0000

I noticed that this post still has old link codes. Please consider updating to the new Affiliate links or switching to the Rewards Program: http://www.sonlight.com/rewards.html

Feel free to delete this comment. I couldn’t find an email address quickly, so I decide to leave a comment instead.

~Luke
Luke Holzmann’s latest post: What Good is Christianity

By: erin

erin — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:53:43 +0000

We also use Sonlight and love it. Like many, I have modified our use of the IG. We use a unit study approach; one week of science, one week of history/geography, etc. This allows us to go more in-depth with each topic and delve into any questions that arise as the result of our reading. I am so content with Sonlight that at a recent curriculum fair nothing seemed interesting!
erin’s latest post: Woefully Wednesday

By: Jamie ~ Simple Homeschool

Jamie ~ Simple Homeschool — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 01:06:49 +0000

That’s right, Heather – we use many of the Sonlight selections along with Oak Meadow’s Kindergarten program. We’re not using SL as strictly as we once did, more informally and still loving the great books!

By: Heather

Heather — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 12:13:18 +0000

So you use Oak Meadows curriculum plus part of the Sonlight curriculum? What else do you use? I’d love to see a run-down of all you use right now to design your family’s learning experience (BTW– I’m an adoptive mama, too– of 1 from Russia and 1 in process from the U.S.

By: Amy Taylor

Amy Taylor — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 22:57:19 +0000

I agree that the level of some of the books are way above what my son could comprehend. He is 7 and has Asperger disorder. I was assured that this would not be a problem from the curriculum advisors. I have core 1, and was amazed at some of the read alouds. The back of the books even state they’re for 10 year old and up! The history curriculum I will be saving because I think it’s great, but maybe at a six or seventh grade level. I think that the science program is great, language arts, not to bad, but they could use more spelling reinforcement. I won’t be using Sonlight next year. I’m really amazed that more people don’t think that Sonlight has advanced curriculum beyond age level. Even though I have a special needs child, I am hands on and sit with him the whole day so he has an understanding of the curriculum.

By: Suzi

Suzi — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 23:02:45 +0000

I am currently using the complete Core K (excluding math instead we use Math*U*See) with my oldest son who is 6 years old. This is his first official year of Kindergarten. My son is thriving!

He knew his letter sounds and vowels prior to beginning our school year but wasn’t reading yet. By week 7 using Sonlight he was full on reading. I was thrilled!!

We are currently on week 13 and for the most part loving Sonlight. I don’t know what I would do if I did not have the IG’s. It is an absolute lifesaver for our busy lifestyle.

I personally am very happy with the Language Arts, Reading and Science programs.

I feel like the History is a little weak however it is only Kindergarten.

I couldn’t keep his attention during Bible so we switched to another children’s storybook Bible. He loves the “Arnold Lobel Book of Mother Goose” and “The Lama Who Had No Pajama” and “The Box Car Children” however, many of the re-alouds are way over his head so I am saving them for next year or the following and supplementing with other books instead.

Hope this helps.

By: jennifer

jennifer — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 22:10:41 +0000

As I stated in earlier post, I recently bought second hand an almost complete sonlight curriculum. After I plunked down a big chunk of change (150 dollars) I got home to realize that a few weeks were missing. I was sick. The binder was so well organized, i really think some were just somehow inadvertently taken out. After I stopped hyperventilating, I noticed in the instructors guide intro, there was a very clear layout of what books and subjects were covered in what weeks. 7 of the activity sheets are also missing, but they are skippy, some are used in 4 day, some in the 5 day. Also I should mention while it is completely laid out, there is even in la and science a topics layout, I am very excited to look ahead have fun library choices for those subjects, or maybe rent a dvd that relates to what we are studying. I don’t want ‘everything done for me’, but I like that base so I am free to add all the fun things to it.

By: jennifer

jennifer — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 22:03:50 +0000

Have you checked local curriclum fairs? They are in full swing right now, I picked up a 95% complete sonlight core,la, and science 1 for 150$. I needed to order some of the activity sheets, missing magic school bus, but I think we are going to be fine skipping a few and hitting the library. They had pieces and instructors guides for almost every level. Also we have a used book store with a homeschool section. Just a thought!

By: Jamie ~ Simple Homeschool

Jamie ~ Simple Homeschool — Sun, 16 May 2010 00:38:10 +0000

Hi Rosemarie. Sorry it’s taken me so long to get back to you! The IG isn’t essential, but we have just started Core K and I do like how the History Readings from various books have been connected in the IG–so we’ll read a bit about Ancient Egypt in one book and the next day a bit from another book.

I like that they’ve figured that out for me. But the read-aloud schedule is not a necessity at all. I’d love to take a look at the Christopherus materials sometime if you don’t mind!
.-= Jamie ~ Simple Homeschool’s last blog: The 7 Keys of Great Teaching in Leadership Education =-.