What is the minimum you would require for a 6th grader?

[rookie]

If you had to do an edited school year for a 6th grader, what would you do and what curriculum would you use?

[lauracolumbus]

Math (we're doing Saxon and Challenge Math), Latin (we just finished LCII and will do Henle), Writing (Classical Writing), Reading (along our history studies). I might have to do this for the month of January and this is what I've decided to focus on. I might have him listen to the SOTW cds. I would do the first three in the am, then reading in the afternoon.

 

Laura

[patchfire]

Math - based on whatever had been previously used.

Grammar - Daily Paragraph Editing 6, without the Friday writing prompts.

Reading - literature pulled from whatever list fits the best.

Writing - probably whatever had been previously used. If something new was needed or it was just a one year thing, something like Writeshop or Wordsmith, maybe.

History - again, I don't know what would have previously been covered. I'd be tempted to get Joy Hakim's Story of US series and just read that, call it American History. Use the syllabus and tests from Hewitt.

Science - get one of the bigger chemistry or physics kits from Thames & Kosmos, throw in a few supplemental books.

 

I don't know that I'd do any foreign language unless it was really important to retain previously learned skills.

[LanaTron]

First, I guess it depends on if you live in a state where you have to cover certain subjects each year. I don't, so I would focus on skills: math, drillwork (including memory work), and language arts (grammar, writing, and spelling or vocabulary).

 

I would then require a certain amount of reading each day. I might ask my dc to read a little science, history, and lit each day, or I might ask that those each be covered over a week, or something like that.

 

Otherwise, I'd let history and science be "unschooled," but I'd bring in as many videos as I could from the library/Netflix, or find websites the dc could explore, etc. I just wouldn't schedule them.

 

As far as curricula go...

 

I was looking at the Christian Light Education stuff the other day. I would seriously consider using these, if you didn't need secular. Otherwise, I would certainly use things that are efficient, but it all depends on what works for you and your dc.

 

Rod & Staff English could cover grammar and writing, and I like Megawords for spelling at this age. Or you could use Growing With Grammar for grammar, and use some inexpensive writing workbooks from EPS or Evan Moore for writing.

 

For math, it depends on where the dc is in his/her math journey. If dc has all four operations down well, then I would go into Life of Fred Fractions and Decimals/Percents, supplemented by Keys To books if necessary. If the dc is past that, then a pre-algebra program, like Lial's Basic College Math, or again Life of Fred.

 

HTH

[lisabees]

I don't think it matters what programs you use, as long as they are efficient and incremental, so you make the most of the time.

 

I like Patchfire's recommendations a lot, but if you were going to do world history, I would probably just watch videos and do Memoria Press's Famous Men and Greenleaf Guide. Or, if you haven't done SOTW, have him read it and do the tests.

 

I started Write Shop recently and I am really enjoying it. ;)

[Stacy in NJ]

strengths and weaknesses. I would continue with skill subjects that the child has any struggles with. If they had a particular strength, I'd "unschool" it.

 

I'd definately continue with math, some type of composition, reading literature, and reading non-fiction that related to history and/or science topics.

[Soph the vet]

Need more details to answer this adequately but...

Math, Language Arts, Bible....that would be bare bones.

Let them delve into history and science that they are interested in if there is an "overwhelming" factor here.

Latin and Logic are extras. Music, art, PE, all extras.

I use Saxon Math and Rod and Staff grammar...talk about boring! Spelling Workout F is the 6th grade level. And Read, read, and read some more, and then write, write, write at will.

[Melanie]

This is what we have done in the past when we've needed to streamline our schooling due to less than ideal circumstances:

 

Math: one lesson

Latin: one lesson

Composition: write one page per day

Reading: read two hours per day, choosing books from a list including both literature and nonfiction

 

Everything on the list can be completed by the student with little or no adult supervision as long as he or she has a good work ethic.

[rookie]

through this pregnancy and need to figure out the minimum for each of my dc that we can accomplish and I can stop feeling guilty.

 

I have a 6th grader, a 3rd/4th grader, a 1st grader, and a preschooler.

 

The two olders are good independent readers. The 1st grader can read but needs some help with big words.

 

The preK is learning is phonics.

 

I have zero energy.

[Stacy in NJ]

:grouphug:

 

It will be okay. Since your older kids are strong readers, why not:

 

 

1. get together a a reading list of both fiction and non-fiction that relate to their history and science cycles? If you can make a library run every-other week you can resupply as needed.

 

2. Find an independent math program for the 6th and 3rd/4th graders, something like TT or Saxon with Dive.

 

3. How about LLATL for grammar, composition, spelling and literature? http://www.commonsensepress.com/tan.htm

 

4. Use any software or online programs that they can do independently for extras like languages. http://www.power-glide.com/courses.html

 

HTH, Stacy

[rookie]

and suggestions. Many thanks. :001_smile:

[Another Lynn]

through this pregnancy and need to figure out the minimum for each of my dc that we can accomplish and I can stop feeling guilty.

 

I have a 6th grader, a 3rd/4th grader, a 1st grader, and a preschooler.

 

The two olders are good independent readers. The 1st grader can read but needs some help with big words.

 

The preK is learning is phonics.

 

I have zero energy.

 

Bless your heart! I understand sick and tired pregnancies! What have you been using? Can you use it in a more independent way? You have light at the end of your tunnel, so I wouldn't make wholesale changes (unless you need to for other reasons). As pp suggested, I would just cut back on content subjects like history/science and make up for that with "assigned" free reading or cds. Keep skills subjects moving forward. Maybe there's a way to keep using what you have in a more independent way.

[siloam]

If you had to do an edited school year for a 6th grader, what would you do and what curriculum would you use?

 

Math and LA and drop the rest. I agree with using a video text for math, and I would look for an online LA/writing class if I could find one.

 

Then I would have them just read.

 

Heather

[PeterPan]

Well what are you using (or attempting to use) right now? Some things you might be able to change how you're using. When I was pregnant I realized I had to get really serious about daily checklists. They can be either daily or weekly, but each dc NEEDS one. Those two olders can wake up and hit their checklists utterly without you. When you make the checklists, group the things that are done independently and the things that are done with you, and then within those by your preferred order of getting them done. That way they know if you're in bed they should start with their independent work and work straight through the list.

 

If when you do that the together with mom part is too long (more than 1 hour total per day), then you need to start editing those subjects. So it's not that you toss everything. You need to change the things that require you and help them do more consistently the things they can do without you.

 

Take some time and make those lists for each dc and post them here. Then people can give you helpful feedback. People can help you tweak what you're already doing to make it work better, rather than taking what we do (which is of course our style, not yours) and foisting it on you.

 

I'm trying to think what I did while I was pregnant and in those early days after the birth. I know we did school, but it's all a blur, lol. Definitely the schedules we helpful. And we picked single things we wanted to work on, something like a workbook that was very do the next thing. I think we worked on Ludre Latine stuff. I wanted my dd to build patience with word searches, so I had her doing them. So it wasn't even for the latin but for the character building, lol. You might have something like that too, something special you'd like to focus on in this season, something concrete you'd like to accomplish that wouldn't be hard but would give you something you could say you DID. Maybe you'd like a character read aloud? I mean it could be something as simple as that. So everything else they would do during the day would be independent and on their checklists, and once a day they'd come together and have a character-building read aloud. Nuts, you don't even have to read it. They could take turns reading. But you get the idea. It could be a series of science videos you'd like to watch together. (That takes no energy at all!) Think about your goals and how you can turn this time period into a positive.

[AngieW in Texas]

I would definitely keep going with math.

 

Reading would still need to happen every day. That could be choosing books from a list or choosing based on genre or whatever, but reading would have to happen every day. My current 6th grader is reading 25 minutes from a book of her choice (anything at an appropriate level that isn't a comic book or graphic novel so long as she hasn't read it before) and 25 minutes from a book related to history.

 

I would also keep going with spelling. My middle dd did Megawords mostly independently. I just had to check her work and occasionally dictate a list of words.

 

I would keep going with something for grammar to, but it wouldn't have to be hard-core. 2-3x/week would be okay. Winston Grammar works nicely that way and won't take very long. Most 6th graders should be albe to do it independently.

 

For an abbreviated school, I'd probably do science and history through videos. There wouldn't be anything to grade. Just watch the video.

[homeschoolally]

Have you looked at www.time4learning.com? It isn't 'Classical' education, but it could help you get through this tough time. One of my kids needed to do this for a brief time, and I felt it was worthwhile for a few months. It was totally independent, and he was able to brush up on some old skills and fill in a few gaps--I also found that he was exposed to quite a few things in L Arts that we hadn't covered at all.

 

:grouphug: I also think you should take a look at the Robinson Curriculum, not necessarily to follow it exactly or buy their materials--but to help you feel good about streamlining your school until you're able to get back to your 'normal' school. They basically have a child spend 2 hrs doing math independently (they use Saxon, and fwiw I think 2 hrs is overkill) and have the kids write a paper each day. The rest of the day is spent reading great, classic books. In this season of your homeschool, this might be a good fit. There's plenty you can read about it online, including the booklist. I don't think this is a great option for the long-term, but if you're like us, there isn't enough time to get enough reading done when we're in full-school mode.

 

You could also get one of the 'Core Knowledge' books and work through that.

 

Hope some of this was helpful to you!

Edited December 25, 2009 by homeschoolally