Hello! We are also doing ECC and 1st grade this year, but I am really limiting what we do in the 1st grade curriculum because it was our main program just two years ago and even though my dd was a PreK'er at the time, she did all of the science, music, art, Bible read alouds with us at that time. If you are needing to do the same subject from both programs you could do both Bible readings together, both science lessons, etc. But, I think a lot of families choose one science or art instead of doing both of everything. Right now we are not doing the Proverbs in 1st grade because my dd is doing the ECC Bible and those verses and that is enough. When we get into more of the 1st grade Bible stories for the Bible reader I may add those into the morning Bible or do them with her during her 1st grade time, I'm not sure, yet. If you combine as much as you can, it may take less time than you think.
We also began using workboxes for independent work this year, but we don't use workboxes for our group work. They have helped me to keep each child busy while I am working with the other child and it also helps me to rotate what they are doing each day and add a little variety. (Workboxes are not in the MFW curriculum and they are not my idea, they are something from Sue Patrick, a homeschooling mom.)
This is just what is working for us, it will not work for everyone.

So here is how our day works:
Bible/Hero Tales at breakfast
finish morning chores
Morning meeting - I have a list written on our white board of things to do including calendar, 100 chart, exercises, pledge to the flag, memory verse and they do some of it individually, then we do the rest together
Box 1 - handwriting
Math - then we go into boxes for Math U See, math drill, or fun math activities or a combination of those things in 2-3 boxes (Usually I go back and forth between working with one child and the other one working on their own)
ECC - we do geography together (sometimes we do it during or after our snack or in the afternoon if it is just reading aloud, we tend to move this block around some days)
snack/break to play outside
1st grade with dd, ds is working on 2-3 workboxes (like educational computer software or activities that I assign to him, usually something more "fun")
Barton reading/spelling and PLL with ds, dd does her more "fun" 2-3 boxes
lunch - we may listen to our Wee Sing cd's
walk the puppy and dog
Science (if it is a nature walk, we can combine it with walking the dogs)
Read alouds (Kingdom Tales or library books if we didn't get to read something for ECC in the morning, we might do it here)
Book basket - might be at lunch or while the other sibling is practicing their instrument
Music - kids have instruments to practice each day
Our schedule on Fridays is a little different. I am trying to move Art to Fridays, unless we have to have a 4 day week and then we can have more time for those projects than on Tuesdays.
I hope something here helps you!
Rachel
Posted Thu May 06, 2010 10:41 pm by RachelT
I think I've posted this somewhere else, but don't remember where? We began using workboxes this year and it's helped the children to get more work done, with me nearby, but more on their own. We don't use them for every single thing and I decided that 8 were enough for each child because I don't use them for subjects that we do together like science, read-alouds, etc.
We read our Bible assignment at the breakfast table.
I have a short list on the white board for them to do while I fill the boxes. Usually it is calendar, 5 min. of stretching or exercises (mini-trampoline, etc.), practice memory verse.
Then they go to the boxes.
1. Handwriting Without Tears/ or copywork
2. Logic/critical thinking workbook page
3. practice Tae Kwon Do words
4. Math U See
5. Quarter mile math, math game with mom, Math mat, etc.
6. ECC worksheet
7. Typing practice/ music theory workbook/or educational computer game (while I do reading and language arts with the other child)
8. Musical instrument practice
They can be used in so many ways. This is just what has worked this year.
Rachel