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Suggested Resources

Math

• Singapore Mathematics ( http://www.singaporemath.com)
• Sonlight ( http://www.sonlight.com/singapore-grade-overview.html) has the best description of the Singapore program
• http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/singaporeword.htm - Singapore’s word problems compared to Saxon and ABeka
• Placement tests for Singapore Math ( http://www.singaporemath.com/Placement_Test_s/86.htm)– a must for anyone transferring in after grade 1.
• I suggest that students using other programs supplement with Singapore’s Challenging Word Problems book.
• Right Start Mathematics ( http://www.alabacus.com)
• Another Asian approach to math. Very hands-on and great for younger kids. A thorough review of Right Start can be found in The Home School Magazine ( http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/Homeschool_Reviews/reviews.php?rid=659)

Writing

• One of the areas that students often do not perform as well in is writing. A strong writing program is very important. Students need to have strong writing skills before high school. By grade 4 students should be using something for formal writing instruction.
• Writing Strands ( http://www.writing-strands.com/home.asp) has been a popular resource for years.
• Institute for Excellence in Writing ( http://www.writing-edu.com/writing/)materials are popular because of the DVD component and the strong writing instruction.
• An easy program to use for the primary grades is Just Write ( http://www.epsbooks.com/dynamic/catalog/series.asp?seriesonly=2625M) from EPS; this is the one included in our resource packages:
• If a student is in grade 7, 8, or 9 and needs help with writing use Put That in Writing ( http://www.barrettsbookshelf.com).
• My personal favourite is Classical Writing ( http://www.classicalwriting.com). The FAQs tell a lot about the program. It does take a lot of parental time and it’s different from modern writing programs.
• If a student is using Abeka they are probably getting enough writing instruction in their language arts. Some people recommend using a formal program (like one of the above) in order to get a better quality of instruction – this wouldn’t be an issue until grade 6 or 7. You may want to encourage students to apply what they’ve learned about writing to other areas of study so that they are producing more writing on a regular basis
• If a student is using Rod & Staff they are getting quality writing instruction. Now they just need encouragement to use their skills in other areas of study so that they are writing on a regular basis.

Grammar:

There are many, many good resources on the market.

• Easy Grammar
• Winston Grammar
• Analytical Grammar ( http://www.analyticalgrammar.com) (for grades 6 and up)
• Abeka and Rod & Staff are both very solid grammar programs (these two are not available from Cornerstone).

Spelling:

• Spelling Workout is probably the most popular spelling resource. It is often not a good fit for those who struggle with spelling.
• Sequential Spelling ( http://www.avko.org/sequentialspelling.html) is a good option for students who struggle with spelling.
• Spell to Write and Read ( http://www.bhibooks.net/swr.html) – quickly becoming a popular choice for teaching reading, spelling, and early writing. This approach has helped students who struggle with spelling as well as those who struggle with reading. It is a multi-grade resource taking a student from beginning reading skills to high school level spelling. It requires a lot of parental time compared with other programs.

Reading:

• The Ordinary Parent’s Guide to Teaching Reading ( http://www.peacehillpress.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=9)
• I like the old stand-by, Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons ( http://www.startreading.com). It’s easy to use, it’s efficient and it’s effective.
• Reading Rods ( http://www.etacuisenaire.com/readingrodsphonics/readingrods_phonics.jsp) is a great choice for hands-on learners.

Comprehension/Literary Analysis:

• Teaching the Classics (http://www.centerforlit.com/). With this program you would never need to buy another “novel study”. It teaches you through a set of DVDs and a workbook. It teaches literary analysis from kindergarten through high school. This approach relies on heavy interaction between the student and teacher.
• Progeny Press (http://www.progenypress.com) – probably the best Christian novel studies on the market. They actually get kids looking up scripture and applying Biblical wisdom to the books. There are a lot of thinking questions in these studies.
• If you have a student using an “all-in-one” type of language arts program I highly recommend adding one of the above resources.

Science:

• Dr. Wile’s series, Apologia (http://www.highschoolscience.com).
• I also like Apologia’s elementary books, the Exploring Creation (http://www.highschoolscience.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1) series.
• Considering God’s Creation (http://www.eagleswingsed.com/products/cgc.html) is another good choice - This covers most of the Earth and Space and Life Science PLO’s from K to grade 5.
• I really like Rainbow Science (http://www.beginningspublishing.com/) for the junior high years - This one needs to be ordered directly from the publisher.

Social Studies:

• Story of the World (http://www.peacehillpress.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=2) – Learn world history chronologically with this lively narrative. The series is written for elementary grades but is also a great overview for older students. With assignments and extra reading tailored to an appropriate grade level the SOTW series can be a great resource for grades 7 and 8 students to use.
• Mystery of History (http://www.themysteryofhistory.com/) is what I recommend for grades 7 and 8. It is designed to be used by these grades without modification. This program comes from a strong Christian perspective. The reading is included and there are also assignments for each week.
• Donna Ward (http://www.donnaward.ca/index.asp) has some great resources for studying Canada
• Kids Can Press also carries great books, I particularly like The Kids’ Book of Canadian Exploration.
• Tapestry of Grace (http://www.tapestryofgrace.com) is an excellent resource for studying history, geography, literature, philosophy, art, church history and Bible. It’s a multi-grade resource. There is a lot of US content after level 1 but that can be modified by substituting Canadian content. This curriculum has four levels to move through from Ancient History to modern day.
• Sonlight (http://www.sonlight.com) is a literature based program that integrates history, literature, and Bible. They also carry great science materials.
• The Canadian History Booklist (http://www.onlineschool.ca/downloads/Canadian_History_Book_List_by_Topic.pdf) includes core resources and novels that could be used for a chronological study of Canadian history. You may also want to use this list to target a certain time frame in our history and find book suggestions at many different reading levels. This list would also be a great asset for those who want to combine Canadian history with a variety of world history curriculums.

Bible Study:

• A great resource for understanding the Bible better is the Victor Journey through the Bible.
• A popular resource is The Bible Study Guide for all Ages ( http://www.biblestudyguide.com/ ).
• Another great resource is Character Building for Families ( http://www.characterbuildingforfamilies.com/ ).
• For little ones I like Leading Little Ones to God.

Family Resources

• I think every teacher and parent should have a copy of Hold on to Your Kids ( http://www.gordonneufeld.com/ )
• The Maxwells ( http://www.titus2.com/ ) carry a number of resources on how to manage a household how to handle chores, and how to parent.
• Parents and teachers will benefit from Teresa Moon’s book, Evaluating for Excellence, which includes a CD to print off the many forms in the book.
• Creative Homeschooling for Smart Families ( http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0910707480?v=glance ) is probably the best resource on the market for homeschooling a gifted child.
• Debra Bell’s Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling is an excellent book for new homeschoolers or for teachers who are new to homeschooling.

Second Language:

• My favourite resource for second languages is The Easy French ( http://www.theeasyfrench.com ). The author is a Francophone, Christian, homeschooling mom. There is also The Easy Spanish ( http://www.theeasyspanish.com ).
• Many students are now doing Latin. I like the Latina Christiana ( http://www.memoriapress.com ) series.
• Another great series is Latin for Children ( http://www.classicalacademicpress.com/ ).
• Rosetta Stone is great for immersion based learning but does need to be supplemented with some conversational phrases, cultural information, and (in the later years) formal grammar instruction.