If you had only one book......

[CCJWGM]

If you had only one book to use with your children what would it be?

Please excuse me if this has been done before.

I'm starting "preschool" with my 4 y.o this year. I've done a lot of research on curriculum and ways of homeschooling. Right now I'm happy just doing Seasons of Joy with her. But I have noticed homeschooling can get VERY expensive and am planning for the future.

I personally don't have a lot of money to buy books and we live in the country so library access isn't always feasible. I know the internet is a great resource but let's just pretend that doesn't exist right now.

I'm truly curious what books you use most. If you can't narrow it down then you can list several or maybe one a subject. I'm especially curious about reference books. I figure if I know what is truly useful I can use what little money I do have more effectively.

As always, a big big big THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

[craft_media_hero]

A nice, hardbound copy of Grimm's Fairy Tales! That could take you through literature, copywork, making your own readers, and a springboard for art and math, for at least 2-3 years! My daughter never gets tired of hearing the stories read and re-read to her. That's just me, though. I'm kind of a wing-it and throw it together myself kinda girl.

I'm looking forward to seeing other people's responses.

[Momma Aimee]

Originally Posted by beezer75

If you had only one book to use with your children what would it be?

Please excuse me if this has been done before.

I'm starting "preschool" with my 4 y.o this year. I've done a lot of research on curriculum and ways of homeschooling. Right now I'm happy just doing Seasons of Joy with her. But I have noticed homeschooling can get VERY expensive and am planning for the future.

I personally don't have a lot of money to buy books and we live in the country so library access isn't always feasible. I know the internet is a great resource but let's just pretend that doesn't exist right now.

I'm truly curious what books you use most. If you can't narrow it down then you can list several or maybe one a subject. I'm especially curious about reference books. I figure if I know what is truly useful I can use what little money I do have more effectively.

As always, a big big big THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

ILL -- we live very rural and our living room is bigger than our local Lib. butttttttttttttt we are great freinds with the director adn she is a gem.

We request a ton of books ILL ... mainly for me. I will read them, skim them -- and then decied what i want to buy. I have ILL so many homeschooling book, parenting book, education theory books.

We have started ILL requesting books for the boys too. Even though theodore is only 4. We jsut got 5 books on caves -- children's books.

We will being Peak with Books in 2010 and we'll be woking with our Director Buddy to get all the books we need since there is no way i can buy them all - and some we might not want anyway.




ok i know this wasn't the reply to the posted discussion question -- but wanted to throw it out there as a "how to make it homeschooling in a rural area" ....

[lach]

The New First Dictionary of Cultural Literacy. Everything a child needs to know.

http://www.amazon.com/New-First-Dict...0073532&sr=1-1

[Satori]

I've read a lot of books and I Loved "The Well Trained Mind" but I think your asking more for what to do with your kids. None of the books I read really helped beyond TWTM, the internet has been my #1 resource and there is sooooo much out there that's free online you could literally never spend a dime on education as long as you have access to the internet and library (ILL is your best friend! Its worth it to make a trip every 2-3 weeks to get books)

[LilyGrace]

One book?? Eek. I would have to say a history encyclopedia, either Kingfisher or Usborne.

Science can be done through mostly observation, math builds on itself, reading and writing are cross-skills that go through every subject (especially with a CM approach). But I would rely on the history encyclopedia to help with the minor details of fact and order.

If I could have more than one book, I'd add these as well:
A science encyclopedia
Usborne Mystery & Marvels books
A Child's History of the World
and a set of good literature: fairy tales, Winnie The Pooh, The Secret Garden, Kim, A Christmas Carol, Tom Sawyer, The Jungle, 1984, A Tree Grows In Brooklyn...

[CCJWGM]

I'm greatly enjoying this!!! Keep the responses coming!!!!

On a side note: I'd love more info on rural homeschooling and we actually do get to the library once every couple of weeks. The kids can check out 25 books but I can only check out one at a time unless I pay extra money. My frustration has been that every book I want they either don't have or is checked out. I'll look into requesting books. That's a great idea.

[lach]

Originally Posted by beezer75

I'm greatly enjoying this!!! Keep the responses coming!!!!

On a side note: I'd love more info on rural homeschooling and we actually do get to the library once every couple of weeks. The kids can check out 25 books but I can only check out one at a time unless I pay extra money. My frustration has been that every book I want they either don't have or is checked out. I'll look into requesting books. That's a great idea.

What are your library's online services like? At my library, I can reserve books, do ILL, and renew books all online. Then I just have to go to the library to pick the books up.

[kathymuggle]

I would probably get a copy of The Well Trained Mind.

I am not a classical homeschooler - (really, I am more relaxed eclectic/unschooler than anything else) but there are so many ideas for mulling over in it.

The Dangerous Book for Boy has lots of cool ideas.

The Tightwad Gazette has lots of cool DIY info. Real life-learning stuff!

[eilonwy]

If I only had one book, it would probably be one of those giant, illustrated encyclopedia.

We do not have a lot of money at all, but we've got a lot of books in the house. I'm really good at finding them for free or dirt cheap-- too good, in fact, and too compulsive about picking them up. We're also blessed to have a wonderful library within walking distance. I can't imagine homeschooling without it, and we're enrolled in a virtual academy (so they send us all kinds of materials for free). I'm kind of addicted to books, though.

[mommy2abigail]

Home Learning Year by Year by Rebecca Rupp. It takes you from PK to HS and gives lists for things they 'should' know by each grade. You could use the internet for everything...math worksheets/games, reading/phonics games, old books online for free at Googlebooks, ect. HTH!

[Momma Aimee]

Originally Posted by lach

What are your library's online services like? At my library, I can reserve books, do ILL, and renew books all online. Then I just have to go to the library to pick the books up.

see we are way too rural for anything like that here. I can e-mail the Director and she is GREAT .. but the catologe is not "computerized" -- she and the asssit have it on the desk computer -- but it is not set up for people to search in the building or from home.

We jsyut buddy with the Director

[DaughterOfKali]

I don't think I could get by on just one book.
I'm pretty new to homeschooling so I'll be keeping an eye on this thread.

[ocelotmom]

Originally Posted by DaughterOfKali

I don't think I could get by on just one book.
I'm pretty new to homeschooling so I'll be keeping an eye on this thread.

Yeah, if it were just one book for *everything*, I don't think I'd be homeschooling

If you're talking one curriculum book, probably The Well-Trained Mind.