What are your thoughts on using Bookshark's 8th grade US history for 10th grade? A secular curriculum is a requirement for my 10th grader so it's been tough trying to find one, and it does say ages 12-16. My younger son used the Hakim books and I really liked them, but I know they are not high school reading level. I say that but I feel like I learned more about US history reading them as an adult than I ever did in high school, so part of me thinks, what does it matter if they're an easy (but enjoyable!) read? But then maybe it *does* matter when colleges look over your transcript and see what textbookss were used. Any input is appreciated! *We'd only use the history portion of Bookshark, not the lit. We're going with OakMeadow for literature.

I ended up talking to the publisher about my concerns. She said it is not to be considered a high school level biology course. It is solidly middle school level, but that the genetics unit is the most difficult level in the curriculum and that it would seem much easier (more middle school level) once we passed that unit. So we're working our way through the genetics unit with adjusted expectations and plan to purchase a high school level course at 10th grade.

Tammy, the early chapters are easy, I agree. Chapter 7 is when I began to have qualms about the details within the chapter, then reading ahead to chp 8 and 9 is when I began have serious qualms. I'm trying to balance realistic life use vs. what they'll need to learn for ACT entrance exams (which in that case, why learn all of the minutiae now only to recover in high school?).

The labs are doable, yes. I would say the writing is on middle school level too. I'm speaking specifically about the details within the lessons. And not for students in a gifted program, but for an A-B student in a typical middle school course. The first few chapters were fine and appropriate imo, but once we reached DNA (chp 7) and reading ahead to chp 8 & 9, I don't know, the depth of material seems more high school level, or advanced middle school level for those intending to do AP level biology in high school. I'm all for a middle schooler having a foundational understanding of DNA/RNA, replication, cell division, etc. But to have to learn the sub-phases within interphase? Ploidy, haploid, and diploid cells in chromosomes? Seems like a basic understanding of chromosomes and genetics would be more appropriate for middle school level, unless you're looking at advanced placement, which in that case, this minutiae would be reasonable.

Is anyone on here using RSO's new level 2 biology course? We're 7 chapters into it and I'm curious if anyone is finding the material covered advanced for middle school. When I compare what is covered in the chapters, I'm finding it falls more in line with high school standards than middle schools standards. I'm wondering if I'm alone in this observation or if I need a new perspective on the difficulty level. Thanks!

Thanks for the input. I'd decided to not get the Usborne encyclopedia after all...glad to know I made the right decision. I got in my copy of OUP's Near East book yesterday. I've only read the first 4 chapters but so far I like it much better than K12's HO.

I bought K12's Human Odyssey vol 1 for my rising 7th grader last month and have been reading chapters here and there through out it to see what I think. I do not like it. I think it's very dry and it puts this history-lovin' mama to sleep in every section. I jumped around from Mesopotamia to Rome to see if it was just Mesopotamia I personally found boring. (I love Roman history.) Nope, I even struggled to get through the reading on Rome. HO is definitely not the worst textbookish material I've come across, but it's still textbookish enough to me to not want to use it. Christian Bookstore has a few sample pages, I believe. I'm looking into The World in Ancient Time series now to see if it'll be a better fit. I'm also looking into Creekedge Press's task cards for ancient history and History Portfolio. Not sure on those yet.

I tried Mr. Q's regular Chemistry for my then 5th grader. We ended up ditching it. I thought the experiments weren't very good. Mr. Q very much follows a public school science class: read this text, fill out these worksheets (busy work), and then here's an experiment or two that may or may not really cement the lesson. Here's a free middle school chemistry curriculum I thought was better. We used it and the elementary level version. It was almost information overload in the teacher's guide and I ended up feeling overwhelmed just by the teacher prep reading, which is why I'm going with RSO's chem for my younger son. As far as physical science, I haven't tried this curriculum myself, but I have a friend who did and her son really enjoyed it. It's secular and hands-on.

Oh, and my library has the People of the Ancient World series (but not OUP's series, darn it). I checked out the one on Rome to see how it would work. I don't think I'll end up using it for Rome or Greek history. Right off the bat, I didn't think it gave enough detail on the myths of the founding of Rome. OUP's goes into the two different legends and then discusses archeological evidence that possibly backs one up. People of the Ancient World just had a very short blurb about the story of Remus and Romulus. That alone made me decide not to go with it as the main spine.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one! I bought HO too b/c of the glowing reviews. I've sat down and tried to read through different sections and it puts me to sleep every time. And I love history! I've definitely read more textbookish history, so this one isn't the worst, but it's still too boring for my taste. I'm glad I bought HO used and didn't spend a lot of money on it, though I still don't like it was $25 used. I read the excerpt of OUP's Near East book on Amazon and decided to buy it to see if it's better. I purchased a used copy for $11 (including shipping). If I like it, I'm going to get the Greek and Roman one also, but use books from the library for the other time periods. I've read on this forum that the Egypt book isn't as good. We have the Kingfisher encyclopedia of history already, but I don't feel like it gives enough detail to use as a spine. But I'm planning this for a 7th grader who is ALL about the details. I've wondered, though, if the Usborne ancient world encyclopedia would be better.

If you got with IEW, I would start with level A, unless you have an advanced reader and writer. A & B cover the same writing lessons, but B has more advanced and longer passages that they write from, and I think you're expected to go at a faster pace. I started IEW A with my 4th grader, but we are taking it VERY slow. He only did half of it this year. I don't intend for him to complete it until 6th grade. One of the units is writing a multi-paragraph report from multiple sources. That's not a skill I'm interested in him learning until 6th or 7th grade. I also started my 6th grader on A along with my 4th grader, and also only covered half with him. The plan is to switch over to their ancient history writing for 7th, do SICC B in 8th, and get him to high school level material in 9th. So it's possible to start IEW A with an older student and still get the skills in.

I'd like to hear some feedback from people who've used Homeschool Journey's History Portfolios. I'm considering it for my rising 7th grader to go along with OUP's The World in Ancient Times. What did you think about the product? Would it be too easy for 7th grade? How is the map work?

I'm looking into OUP's World in Ancient Times series instead of K12's Human Odyssey. I found the old post where someone matched up HO and OUP, which was incredibly helpful! I also read where a couple of people didn't like the ancient Egypt book, which is good to know too b/c I have a book we can use instead. But what do people think about the Ancient South Asian book? Is it necessary? Is there a substitute that would work in its place? Thanks!

Ok, I keep trying to read this book and I'm finding it so boring! I wanted to love it, I really did. I've skipped around to different time periods, thinking maybe I just find Mesopotamian history boring. I thought Confucius was boring, Rome was boring. I'm a bit history nut...it's my favorite subject! So I don't know what gives. I think the book reads like a textbook and not much at all like Joy Hakim's U.S. history books. :sad: I guess I'm back on the hunt for a spine for 7th grade ancient history. Maybe the World in Ancient Times series?? SOTW is too easy for my 7th grader.

I'd argue WoW is educational too. :tongue_smilie: We're just a household of geeks here, I guess, and all of the humans with Y chromosomes in my house are into gaming. My 12 year old was absorbed in WoW for a while too. He began talking about characters with me and we researched the mythological & fantasy roots of many of the characters, we talked about the hero's journey in stories. He used WoW in creative writing by writing about new mythological characters and story lines for it too. These were all spontaneous learning opportunities we simply took advantage off by thinking outside the box of what could be "educational."