so I am always open to trying something new!

I do not want to change from MUS, but the rest I guess is pretty flexible. We are about to start SOTW3 which is Renaissance to Early Modern. If i was to use winter promise then I think I would need to start with the American Story 1 and then American Story 2.

Which, i thought, might be a good place to go in a year's time. FInish up the SOTW series and then go back and do the American Story 1 to fill in some of the blanks that I hear it has in terms of slavery, etc....

I want more books for DS to read. he devours them so the more info I cn get him the better. Any suggestions maybe, if winterpromise isn't the route?

And why do you like WP?

I really like the book selections in WP. This year I don't think I am going to get the guides because my boys don't like read a few pages out of several books, they would rather read one book at a time. I am going to use the WP book list and also the book list on simplycharlottemason.com this year for our readers. Also I will use some of the other selections on SCM for readers in literature, poetry and art.

I love the idea of WP but as a whole we didn't use the guide this year and I am going to use the readers from LA but not WP LA this coming year.

I don't know if that helps or not.

I have the American Story 1 Guide, so I can answer any specific questions you might have. I LOVE WinterPromise, and I am excited I found them while I am at the beginning of our homeschool so I can use all their products over the next 12 years or so!

We will be doing Animals and Their Worlds science Theme this year. A theme includes science or social studies (a few themes provide both!), arts and crafts, a scheduled Bible or devotional resource and "adventure" reading, which is literature to read aloud.

I am completely sold on WP, so I am also doing WP LA this year. It is "workbooky" but so am I, so it fits me to a tee. (Explode the Code, Right into Reading Workbook are the framework for LA1). It includes readers to match your Theme. Spelling and English instruction are included in the IG. (one sheet of English practice per week, a list of 10 phonetically similar words for spelling)

Either in January or next fall (if this year keeps us busier than I think it might), we will start AS1. I am so excited about this study. I have been getting books second hand and on Paperbackswap (which is the same as free for shipping) ever since March! I am going to Strrrretch out our American History study over 3 years (using Truthquest's 3 year framework to give us extra material) because I want to add in extra history reading and also because IMO ds is a little young yet, so he can mature over the course of our study. I think it makes more sense to study World War II with an older fourth grader than with a young third grader.

The IGs are so much more than just a schedule. They tell you where to place the timeline figures, and give DVD and website suggestions. There is a list of all the scheduled activities with materials needed and ratings (easy, low prep, etc). The AS1 guide also includes card games for learning facts, characters and dates in American history (Jeopardy-like games, etc.) Suggestions are given for older and younger students for extra resources.

The way I view the schedule is as a "weekly" plan, so we might read all of the readings for one book on Monday, then another book on Tuesday, etc. An exception would be the Encyclopedia, because my ds can't listen to more than one topic from that at a sitting.

I am really happy with our classical education approach as laid out in The Well-Trained Mind. I just want to find somewhere I can get like a book lot from or something along those lines. Now that I am more comfortable with HSing and know what I am doing ;) I can check out some of these sites again and really delve into them.. I will look at SCM and see what is there.

I love the diversity here and the help you can get.

Thanks!

Ashley, I was looking for exactly that... a book lot that I could buy to go along with SOTW. You would think that by now someone would have such a thing! lol