[Algebra with a balance of review and new material]

Thanks all!

[Algebra with a balance of review and new material]

Looking for the holy grail of algebra books I guess.  We have tried Saxon (not enough time on the new topic) and are now in Jacobs (not enough time on review).  I suppose I could reorganize either of the books to suit our needs, but don't really want to spend the time doing that if something exists already.  The one thing from Saxon we like was that it gave the lesson number for the review problems so we could easily flip back to it.  

Any ideas?

[What have you been reading aloud? Any new favorites?]

Just finished The War that Saved My Life and The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate and we are almost done with Wonder.  All huge hits.  Just started A Christmas Carol.  

[Secular and quick/easy US Government? Same for Economics?]

I think I am going to combine Walch Power Basics Government with Crash Course videos.  Easy, breezy, done!

 

[I hate Lial's prealgebra... please suggest something else]

One of my kids used Saxon Algebra 1/2, the other is currently using Math Mammoth 7.  I really wanted to use AOPS but we all looked at it and said "Gah, too many words!".  

[Timeless (TV show)]

Yes!  The boys and I love it. This is the first scripted show we have watched in ages.  

[Homeschooling an Elite Athlete in Middle School – Help please]

Just seeing this now, sorry. My kids are 12&13, and this year we use Analytical Grammar, AOPS algebra, Pandia Press Biology 2 till new year, and Chemistry after new year... etc So definitely the mix of things.

 

What age group your kids play? 'Maybe I will see you in Tuscon at Winter Nats :)

My boy is 12.  Really hoping to get to Tuscon--looking for cheap flights this week.   :)  We have the National Selection next weekend that got postponed from Hurricane Matthew.

[light science for 8th grade]

My 8th grader is doing Runkle's World Physical Geography as an earth science class this year. Not too time consuming, and includes material he probably won't study again in high school.

 

A workbook option I have heard mentioned a few times is Science By The Grade. I just ordered the 7th grade one for my 12 year old.

HTH!

[What are you using for 7th grade science?]

My 7th grader this year is using Oak Meadow Earth Science, my 7th grader last year used RSO Biology 2.  Totally different kinds of students, happy with both choices so far.  

[2016-2017 8th grade planning]

At the moment...

 

Math:  Finish Saxon Algebra 1, then start Jacobs Geometry

 

Lit:  LL8 (with MBTP Animal Farm unit subbing for the Hobbit since we did that last year)

 

 

History:  American History using first 2 concise volumes of Hakim's History of US with US History Detective

 

Science:  Looking at Exploration Education Advanced  ETA:  Runkle's Physical Geography and some crash course videos.  

 

Writing:  Ugh.  either Writing Skills 3, EPS's The Paragraph Book, or Wordsmith.    

To say this child is a reluctant writer might be the understatement of the century.  

ETA:  Started Cover Story--so far, so good.

 

Foreign Language:  Rosetta Stone Spanish. We want to pick Latin back up with Latin Alive--may wait until 9th grade though.

 

Other:  Excavating English

ETA:  Using Excavating English in place of a foreign language right now--then will start Latin Alive

 

PE:  Tennis 4-5 times a week

 

 

Changes in blue, didn't stray too far from our original plans.  

[Who Suggested Wednesday Wars?! THANK YOU!! (Read Aloud Thread)]

I read both with my almost 12 year old DS.  I MAY have been the one who recommended it :)

[Multiplayer iPad/tablet games]

Scrabble, Backgammon, Blokus

[Great read alouds for 8th grade boys?]

The Wednesday Wars and Okay for Now, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind and Bomb were recent hits here.

[8th grade plan for LA]

I will be using LL8 and Cover Story for 8th grade LA.  We will skip some of the writing assignments in LL8.  

[What back to school supplies are on your list?]

These came out today at Walmart. I hadn't seen them before but, they look great. I bought six, but might pick up a few more to stock up.

 

 

Ooh, thanks for the heads up!

I also bought five pencil sharpeners. Four personal and one to stay with the school supplies.

 

We don't need too much this year.

[What back to school supplies are on your list?]

Graph paper composition books!!

 

[I'm afraid to ask, but...]

We are doing Lightning Lit 8 but subbing Animal Farm for The Hobbit since he already read that.  We always have 1 or 2 additional read alouds going also, not sure what that list will be.  

[Middle schooler reading--the summer edition]

We are reading The Boys in the Boat (young reader edition) to go along with our Olympic fever.

 

11 year old and I are also reading Okay for Now, and 13 year old is reading newest Rick Riordan about Apollo.  

 

OP:  We really liked Long Walk to Water.

[2016-2017 8th grade planning]

 Hey!

Looks like you are planning to do the first part of American History for 8th grade, which is what I'll be teaching at my co-op for middle schoolers. My dd 8th grader will be in my class......Have you thought about what you'll do for your dc for 9th grade? Will you continue with the 2nd half of US? Or have any idea what you'll use?

I'd prefer my dd to study all the way through Modern times for 8th...... I'm just seeking out others' paths to help me figure it all out.....

Sorry to put you on the spot and I understand if you have no idea! 

Thanks in advance....

 

So, I think we are going to do World Geography next. We just finished up SOTW 3 and 4 this year so he doesn't want to get right back into modern history.  We actually started the early American history already and it is going well.  If we do just keep going with American, I will use the second 2 Hakim concise books with the 2nd US History Detective.  

So...

9th:  world geography

10th: World History

11th: American History/Government

12th ??

 

HTH!!

[A Moment Comes ~ Read-Aloud for BookShark / Sonlight. Thoughts on this book??]

We skipped that one (Bookshark 5).  

[CTC's New US History Detective book- anyone used it?]

We are just getting started with the first one, combined with the concise History of US books.  Looks good so far!

[Recommend a book for my picky reader?]

Has he tried anything by Gordon Korman? I find him quirky and funny. Some of them might be too easy, but there are a few with high school protagonists that are probably the right level.

 

We loved the 2 Masterminds books!

[Recommend a book for my picky reader?]

The London Eye Mystery might work.  My picky DS loved it.  Or some of the Stuart Gibbs books, those have all been hits here.  

[Oak Meadow..any and all reviews?]

I have OM7 (except math) to use for my younger boy in the fall, and I think it looks great.  I like the variety of assignments in the history book and the lit selections seem like they will hold his interest.  I am hoping to stick with OM through high school with this kid, as he is an athlete, and we needed to streamline and simplify his schooling.  I think this will cover all the bases in an engaging way without too much extra fluff.  Having said that, if we do stick with OM, I may sub out lit for 8, since I was not crazy about the chosen books.

[Need Summer Writing "Curriculum"]

I like EPS Writing skills 2 by Diana King. It's got grammar, mechanics and writing in it and is easy to implement.

Yes.  I am using this now after several writing curricula failed miserably.  Also look at The Paragraph Book (I think there are 4 of them) by the same publisher.