We will begin our new school year on June 30th. I will have 8th and 10th graders. This is our curriculum for this coming year: Language arts/spelling/grammar: Total Language Plus Daily Silent Reading: Age appropriate books of their choice Math: Teaching textbooks Algebra for both kids. The oldest will move to Geometry after Xmas. Science: Apologia Physical Science Typing: Free on line program ASL for 8th grader: Free on line program German for 10th grader: Rosetta Stone American History (our own curriculum): We will be reading the following books this year, and doing assignments/projects based on these books....... •George Washington: True Patriot •Thomas Jefferson for Kids •Thomas Jefferson Biography •The Journals of Lewis and Clark •Women’s Diaries of Westward Expansion •Haunted Virginia: Legends, Myths, & True Tales •A Kid’s Guide to Washington D.C. •Uncle Tom’s Cabin •Stonewall Jackson’s Battle of Harpers Ferry •Abraham Lincoln Biography •The Red Badge of Courage •Harriet Tubman •Stories in Uniform Have any of you read any of these books?
Ds is 13 and going into 8th grade. Math: Ds really wants to do Life of Fred (Beginning Algebra into Advanced Algebra) for 8th grade. We're using it now over the summer a few days a week. We also have Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1 and Saxon Algebra 1/2 on hand along with Algebra for Dummies, Painless Algebra, and No Fear Algebra (leftovers from his sisters). They're always good to have for extra problems and different ways of explaining certain concepts. English: I have so much leftover from my girls that it's silly to buy anything new. We'll be using a mixed bag of Wordsmith Apprentice, Jump In, Daily Sparks Spelling & Grammar, Daily Sparks Vocabulary, Painless Vocabulary, Painless Grammar, Simply Grammar, and Basic Series Grammar & Usage. It's a lot, but ds likes to switch things up every so often. Nothing really builds on previous lessons, so it should work fine. Literature: I'm sticking with Shel Silverstein poetry since ds loves it and it helps his reading ability (visual processing disorder causing dyslexia and dysgraphia). We'll also try to read at least 3 novels with narrations and discussions. I have so many on my shelf - we'll just choose what sounds good. Science: We'll finish Apologia General Science over the summer - we really just do the great experiments and base the lesson off of those. For 8th grade I'll either get Apologia Physical Science (again mainly for the experiments) or use the Holt Science & Technology Series Physical Science since I already have that one on hand. Ds doesn't care for it, though. I'll see how the Apologia goes over the summer. If it's a real big hit I'll get the next one. Ds gets writing in with the lab reports, as well. Geography: We're happy with Runkle's and will continue it through 8th grade. We're also starting Our Great Restaurant Adventure this summer where we'll go to a different ethnic restaurant every 2 weeks, then study that country for the 2 weeks until the next one. We're going alphabetically and starting with Afghan cuisine next Wednesday. Can't wait! History: We'll finish K12 Human Odyssey 1 (Ancients) hopefully sometime in the fall and move on to Volume 2. We also have The Complete Book of World History which is a fun and concise supplement. Spanish: Getting Started with Spanish is by far the best book for ds. He does this completely independently. It's a spiral program that builds on the previous lessons. Ds reads, translates, and conjugates in every lesson. Love this. Miscellaneous: Summer Bridge Gr. 7-8 and Summer Express Gr. 7-8 are great for a variety of subject work any time of year. Spectrum Gr. 8 Test Prep for basic skills, and Artistic Pursuits Junior High Book One for art, but ds isn't really into this. I'll try it again over the summer. Religion: He goes to CCD once a week and will make his Confirmation in the spring. P.E.: He goes to Mixed Martial Arts 3 days a week (4-5 classes) doing Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu jitsu.
Unless someone comes beating down my door and begging me to school their kid (about as likely as me taking flight to the moon), we'll be HOMEschooling DGS. He's 9 and will be a fourth grader. Bible - CLE 4 Reading - finish CLE 3 (second half) and 4 English - I like CLE a lot and had thought to use it, but I already have the whole series of R&S 2-10 so I might as well use it. Spelling - As much as I like CLE, whether I use it or not, I'm going to try R&S because DGS needs more phonics, and CLE isn't as phonics based after 4th. Handwriting - Pentime 4, whether I use CLE or R&S for English. Math - CLE 4 Science - R&S 4, followed by 5. This year we did 3 and went on to a couple of units of 4, so I'm pretty sure we'll finish that and start on 5. Social studies - CLE 4 world geography, and if we get done early, we'll do some or all of R&S 4 which is also geography but with different countries. Music - he says he wants to learn guitar, so maybe. In between, when there's time, we'll probably do Daily Grams 4. He needs the extra practice... I'd like to introduce a foreign language, but I don't know when we'd have the time. If they're still going to have Cub Scouts next year, I'd like him to do that. Our pack leader quit.
DS #1: 10th grade at local High School DS #2: 9th grade at the local High School DS#3: 7th grade at the local Middle School (with a revaluation at the end of the 1st quarter) DS #4: MBTP 6-8, HWOT, All About Spelling, (Supplement with HOP) McRuffy Color Math grade 2 DS#5: MBTP 5-7, HWOT, All About Spelling (Supplement with HOP) and McRuffy Color Math Kinder I'll supplement with Story of the World and Magic School Bus Science Kits as needed.
We are starting school Aug 18th for our co-op, and Aug 25th for everything else: Math: Math U See Epsilon for 6th grader and Pre-Algebra for 8th grader. Our first year with Math U See - we've always used Saxon. History/Language Arts:Sonlight Core E - American History Year 2 Language Arts:Fix It Grammar, IEW Writing Intensive B for both kids. For 8th grader Illiad and Odyssey from Memoria Press. Science: Apologia Physical Science taken online at Currclick.com for 8th grader, and Apologia Science Flying Creatures taken at Currclick.com for 6th grader. Electives:8th grader - Traditional Logic I (Memoria Press), Survival Skills (co-op class), Lego Physics (co-op class). 6th grader - drama (co-op class), Cooking (co-op class) and I THINK Spelling U See. I'm looking for a good bible curriulum still. We used Grapevine Bible, but I don't want to use it anymore. They are growing out of it.
Elle = off to University of Michigan Will be rooting for her success, skypeing WAY too often, and thinking up excuses to visit her. LOL. Me = still figuring it out. Thinking of expanding my education in medical lab technology and going into crime scene forensics. Lot of different options. Have had a job offer to work with developmentally disabled adults as a job shadow in a work program. Not quite sure what I'll do!
Man....to type it all out....let me see.... 10th Grader - History - Notgrass American English - Literature from Notgrass, Lit Class at a Co-op and IEW Elegant Essay at a co-op Math - TT Geometry Science - Apologia Chemistry Language - Spanish 1 at a co-op PE, Home Ec, Drama I'm really excited about the Lit Class she'll take at our co-op as they will be doing an in depth study of 1984 and Brave New World while also studying Amusing Ourselves to Death which looks at how our society mimics the societies in those books based on our entertainment driven culture. i'm hoping they'll let me sit in sometimes!!! We are a very "distopian future" loving family here, so even my husband is jealous he can't be in the class! LOL 8th Grader History - Keystones 2 PA History English - Lit Component of Keystones History, Daily Grams 8, Vocabulary from Classical Roots B, Apples Daily Drills 2 Math - TT Algebra Science - Apologia General Science (at a coop) PE, Art, Drama, etc. 4th Grader History - Keystones PA History, Finish "Meet The American Girls" Study (we're about halfway through, she attends an American Girl Book Club year round, so we fit this in around the books as they do them). English - Lit component of Keystones, A Reason For Handwriting D, BJU Spelling 4 Science - Real Science for Kids Biology (through our Co-op) Math - TT 5 (she's finishing 4 tomorrow, yayayayaya!!!) PE, Art, Music through co-op I think that's it!!! LOL
We homeschool year-round, so we're still finishing our current grades. 5th grader--CLE for everything except science (Apologia's Zoology 1, moving into Zoology 2) Also supplimenting CLE's Social Studies with Mystery of History 3rd grader--CLE (Abeka's 4th grade science) and sitting in on the MOH lessons 1st grader--CLE (Christian Liberty's 1st grade science) and we're trying BJU's Heritage Studies 1 soon. K4 -- Rod and Staff's ABC series Plus they're all taking an instrument (Violin, piano, Double Bass)
We school year round too, but #4 finished up "early" and it will be a couple months before the new curriculum comes in. And #5 hasn't started yet and I'm waiting for his curriculum. So this summer we will be working on handwriting and reading/phonics. It is my first year our curriculum didn't stretch into the summer.
I should have added on mine that my oldest is doing the literature component with Notgrass, too...but she and I made a deal, if she read them all this summer, she only had to track vocabulary and write a short summary paper of the book vs. doing it during the school year with all the work that would be involved with questions, tests and long papers. She's opted to attempt 13 books in 9 weeks. She finished one (and the paper already which was beautifully written!) and she's about 1/3rd through the 2nd so far in 3 weeks...she better get a moving! LOL
We are trying 12 books in 11 weeks. (Though one is a work on almost everyday, Beowulf) I know 2 of my boys could do it, it will be interesting to see if this one can.
This is what we are doing for dd who will be officially in 6th grade next year: Math: Saxon Algebra 1 Science: Apologia Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology Health: our science book along with sections from Abeka History: Finish Mystery of History II and part of Mystery of History III along with Story of the World 3 and 4, Maps,Charts and Graphs G Language Arts: Sections from Daily Grams 6, Easy Grammar Plus, and the Language Mechanic, Spelling Power and Wordly Wise 3000 6 Reading: Sections from Reading Detective along with a selection of readers mainly taken from Sonlight Core G and H with a little of Core F thrown in. Writing: Finish last unit on IEW-SICC A and then do sections from their Medieval History book. French: Tell Me More Computers: Kid Coder Logic: Mindbenders, and finish Building Thinking Skills Art: Artistic Pursuits grades 4-6 book 1 Music: trombone lessons
This academic year is the last for me. A difficult educational time is ahead - passing exams so that in the future there will be no difficulties and problems with time. And also have time to live a student life!
