Parents of 5th Graders

[glingo]

I am going to HS my DD next year for the first time and need advice. She will be entering the 5th grade in the Fall. I have Math covered. I have Social Studies covered. I need some good suggestions on what to use for Science and English.

 

For the most part I want her to be able to work on her own with assistance coming from me when needed and it needs to be portable - so not alot of heavy books. Also something that has a built in agenda would be helpful since it will be my first year.

 

I have promised her that if this does not work that she can go back to public school after giving it atry. I think that she will love it and there will be no issues, but in case she doesn't I want to make sure that she is not behind her peers and can pick back up easily in a year.

 

She has always been a "A" student, but the girl drama at her school is off the charts and she is stressed out all the time. I am hoping that this will be the solution.

 

Thanks.

[Sara in WA]

Have you read WTM? It is overflowing with wonderful recommendations. Apologia is excellent for science. Or you could do geography for a science and use A Child's Geography. These are rich beyond text books - using living books, copy work and hands-on experiments.

 

If you need a built in agenda or schedule, then perhaps you should go a route where it is set up for you - like My Father's World?

 

This next year could be a sweet time for you and your daughter to take her education outside of the "check boxes" for each subject and to ignite her passions of learning. If my child was stressed out all the time, I would love to first give her time to "detox" and give her the gift of time spent of her passions - maybe reading, art, music?

 

Just some thoughts...

[Jenny Piaaree]

I agree about WTM. Also, if you haven't already tried this, what helps me is to look up general threads on these boards, see what all is out there, and then look up specific threads and investigate the interesting-sounding things on the web. For instance, this is a recent thread:

 

www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=159732&highlight=language+arts+5th

 

Next year for 5th I'm pretty sure I'm going to follow WTM recommendations (from the previous edition) for science using Reader's Digest guides as spines. (These are out of print, but available and inexpensive on Amazon.) I may also incorporate MrQ's free life science. For LA I plan on using WWE, along with IEW or MCT or both. If I don't use MCT, then it'll be back to the boards to research grammar programs!

 

ETA: I also meant to give you a warm welcome to hsing. Hopefully it will be the solution you are looking for. Remember that the first year is likely to be the hardest, so don't get discouraged if you hit some rough patches. Just keep going; you'll gain a ton of experience. This year for me has gone way smoother than last year. Best wishes to you!

Edited March 15, 2010 by Jenny Piaaree

[momto5blessings]

that you would be wise to consider the first year as your "learning year" and that you may make mistakes, etc. but your second year will be much smoother. (At least I have found that to be true for me and many of my friends.)

 

As to materials, do you prefer secular or religious?

 

I also would agree that reading the WTM would be helpful to you, please try not to feel overwhelmed in reading it....maybe just the spots that apply to you now, where you currently are. I also cannot recommend highly enough the MP3 audio lectures that are available on the Peacehill Press website. Look through those and maybe download one to listen to... there is some REALLY good stuff in those!

 

I think you are right that your daughter will enjoy it much more than the "girl drama" she is dealing with now. Our daughter is only in 3rd grade and it is unreal what those kiddos are dealing with! I do think you might enjoy also finding a group that has field trips/social opportunities as well. She may really miss some of the social aspect of ps. While we are Christian, we did find secular groups to be a good "fit" for us, because a lot of the groups that were religious were a bit "clique-ish" and everyone needing to dress/think alike to be accepted and we didn't enjoy that so much. (Sorry if that offends anyone, but that was our experience. I'm sure others can chime in on that.)

 

I'm excited for you and your daughter!! Teaching our kids is such a rewarding and wonderful task!

 

HTH,

Pamela

[....]

In addition to reading WTM, read Cathy Duffy's Top 100 Homeschool Curriculum Picks - that book helped me out a lot when we first started.

 

Also, BJU English always gets good ratings and follows what kids study in public school, so she won't be shocked by its format.

[dsacco]

Welcome!

 

Also - if the program has a placement test - TAKE IT! Don't be shocked to find out that your daughter who made straight "A's" is behind in some areas because all curriculum is different. When I pulled my ds going into 5th, he tested at a 3rd-4th grade level in Language Arts. Mainly he was just missing some of he concepts, so we spent the summer going through the 3rd & 4th grade stuff he was struggling with and then started with 5th in the late fall.

 

We like CLE (clp.org) for language arts - when the kids finish a unit, they are happy it's behind them.

[glingo]

Wow! So many abbreviations I feel like I am back in the military!

 

The ones that I know are:

 

WTM = Well Trained Mind

BJU = Bob Jones University

 

But what about... IEW, MCT, WWE?

 

Hopefully it won't take long to learn the lingo.

[Chloe]

Wow! So many abbreviations I feel like I am back in the military!

 

The ones that I know are:

 

WTM = Well Trained Mind

BJU = Bob Jones University

 

But what about... IEW, MCT, WWE?

 

Hopefully it won't take long to learn the lingo.

 

IEW = Institute for Excellence in Writing

WWE = Writing With Ease

 

I don't know about MCT.

 

Oh, and welcome to the boards!

[woolybear]

If you go to the beginning of this board section (Parent's forum K-8 Curriculum Board) the first thread is an abbreviation sticky. That should help you learn some of the abbreviations here.

 

Welcome to the boards.

Woolybear

[Mommyof4ks]

We love Apologia science. It is a Christian series. I have heard great things about IEW, and we are going to try it next year.

 

Welcome!

[robsiew]

Just want to welcome you! Do check out the abbreviations thread... it is necessary to understand most posts here! :001_smile: It's a whole 'nother language!

 

The first year is challenging, learning your "groove" (that was last year for us, we're still new!), but this year is much better! Don't underestimate your daughter needing time to adjust! I would say it was spring our first year before I really felt like we were running well.

 

I echo a pp in encouraging you to let your daughter take some time to unwind. The social issues kids face at school are unreal. I was talking to a mom of a 2nd grader (same age as my dd, in fact when dd went to public school (PS) they were in the same class) and the things I would hear 4th grade teachers saying their girls were dealing with 10 years ago, is now down in 2nd grade. (I taught 1st grade 10 years ago...) Crazy stuff.

 

I'm guessing over time you will see your daughter begin to relax. She will be able to focus on learning during the day, not all the social garbage. I think you will see the "daughter you used to know" come back to you. Nothing will replace the time you will spend with her these next few years. (You have to remember these things on the days when you want to quit!! There will be some of those days too!)

 

Ask lots of questions! There are many wonderful helpful people here! I don't think I could make a curricular decision any more without consulting the hive! It's a great wealth of experience and research!

[melmichigan]

MCT- Michael Clay Thompson, a language arts program.

 

Welcome to homeschooling!

[HeidiKC]

I am also going to be homeschooling for the first time next year - 5th grade son. Even though I keep coming across lots of great-sounding science programs, we are going with TWTM's recommendation of "The Reader's Digest" because 1) I got it (hardback, excellent condition) for $5 including S&H on Amazon!!! and 2) my son LOVES science and this is the one book that he thinks looks really good (big, colorful photos, not too much text on each page) and has said the book "looks really goo". He has not said that about any of the other texts or guides or books I've shown him. He just says, "oh, ok". This is the one book he seems somewhat excited about!

 

Since we'll be using this book, it's the one subject I feel like he will have more control over. He'll get to pick from a couple of experiments in the book (unlike many science programs where there is the one experiment per topic), or if he doesn't like those, I have another book on science experiments I told him he can pick from. Anyway, this will be our one sort of loosey-goosey subject since it won't be scripted out. Which is a bit intimidating for me - but very exciting for him. So I think that'll be a good thing for him to have when we start homeschooling. I also plan on getting a lot of science DVDs from the library that will be related to the topic he'll be studying. So he also thinks that sounds good - lying on the couch watching TV instead of sitting in a classroom taking notes.

[Jenny Piaaree]

I am also going to be homeschooling for the first time next year - 5th grade son. Even though I keep coming across lots of great-sounding science programs, we are going with TWTM's recommendation of "The Reader's Digest" because 1) I got it (hardback, excellent condition) for $5 including S&H on Amazon!!! and 2) my son LOVES science and this is the one book that he thinks looks really good (big, colorful photos, not too much text on each page) and has said the book "looks really goo". He has not said that about any of the other texts or guides or books I've shown him. He just says, "oh, ok". This is the one book he seems somewhat excited about!

 

Since we'll be using this book, it's the one subject I feel like he will have more control over. He'll get to pick from a couple of experiments in the book (unlike many science programs where there is the one experiment per topic), or if he doesn't like those, I have another book on science experiments I told him he can pick from. Anyway, this will be our one sort of loosey-goosey subject since it won't be scripted out. Which is a bit intimidating for me - but very exciting for him. So I think that'll be a good thing for him to have when we start homeschooling. I also plan on getting a lot of science DVDs from the library that will be related to the topic he'll be studying. So he also thinks that sounds good - lying on the couch watching TV instead of sitting in a classroom taking notes.

 

Well, hey, welcome to you, too! Sounds like you are getting a good start and that you both are getting excited about it. That's so great. Same advice: TONS of helpful, practical information on the boards; don't get discouraged by first-year bumps. (You might like to do an advanced search and check out posts by Nest of 3. A while back she posted a whole slew of cool websites, many science related.) Best wishes to you!

[aready]

Hi- welcome to the boards! I would check out Peace Hill Press Store

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/

and listen to her audio library. If I could do it over again, and how to get your child to work independently have been great resources for me! There are other audio things to listen too as well, but I have just gotten to those 2 so far!

 

You'll find a wealth of information on this board!

[jlovebaker]

Sonlight Science 5 - Human Anatomy. My two 5ths are doing it independently. Scheduled for you. You can make it secular by taking out a few books (we did).

 

English - Love IEW. Recommend starting with SWI B - We watch the DVD and do the lesson that is all planned out for you - Note: You will be the editor so it is not entirely independent - in fact, this is teacher intensive but I have not found another way to teach writing - I think the teacher has to be involved. We've now moved on to SICC B (another DVD set with the daily lessons all planned out).

 

We are also doing Wordly Wise (busy work but I'm sure they pick up something - I don't even bother correcting these - I just make sure they do the work) and Grammar Key (self-correcting program on the laptop - independent to the max).

 

By the way, we came from public schools too and my kids were not behind at all. So don't assume your kid is behind - this probably depends greatly on the quality of the public schools - where we used to live they were awesome and provided me with a great starting point for homeschooling.

 

Scheduling - I agree with the last poster who is encouraging her kid to be independent. I love to see that my kids take the schedule I give them for the week and make sure it's all done by the end. They have freedom to choose when they will do what ... I love that they are learning to manage their time and be responsible for completing everything on time. That being said, I do provide ALOT of encouragement and guidance to get it all done :). Another bonus to homeschooling, we are able to get "school" done in alot less time then the traditional brick and mortar school. That gives my kids time to play sports (they're both on three teams each this spring) and pursue their own interests (my oldest spends most of his extra time in his lab). All three read more than they used to. Good luck to you on your journey!

Edited March 16, 2010 by jlovebaker

[branycbur]

We are entering 5th grade as well and I pulled my girl in 2nd grade because of all the social drama. She has thrived at home and I think it was the best decision we could have made!

 

I second and third Well Trained Mind (I am still learning abbreviations, too:)). I find it a filled with so much amazing information. So...

 

Science: We are either going to go with what WTM recommends and do half year with How the Body Works and the other half with How Nature Works. I've checked both out from the library and they are filled with great information and useful experiments. My dd loves performing experiments. We might also switch it up and go with The Elements.

 

Grammar: this year we worked through Junior Analytical Grammar and my dd absolutely loved it. I am amazed at the amount of information she has retained. So with that program you do JAG for 4th grade and the AG beginning in 6th grade. We are looking at some supplements for 5th grade, like Editor in Chief. I also think that So You Really Want to Learn English looks interesting. We tried Learning Language Arts through Literature and dd didn't like that one at all.

 

Finding curriculum can be overwhelming at first...actually, there are so many amazing programs that I still feel overwhelmed. I want it all! :)

[branycbur]

Scheduling - I agree with the last poster who is encouraging her kid to be independent. I love to see that my kids take the schedule I give them for the week and make sure it's all done by the end. They have freedom to choose when they will do what ... I love that they are learning to manage their time and be responsible for completing everything on time. That being said, I do provide ALOT of encouragement and guidance to get it all done

 

I was just curious how you do this. Do you give your child a list of things to do at the beginning of the week? I am interested in more independent learning next year but can't quite get my head around the best way to do that? Thanks!

[jlovebaker]

and then print off each week's schedule for each kid - I try to have it ready Monday morning - and if I don't, they complain. As you can imagine, I have to make adjustments every week because we get either ahead or behind depending on ortho appointments and field trips!

 

It is a bit time intensive but I am a scheduling junkie so I like it. I like that a have a record of everything the kids do and it keeps us on track. I've heard good things about Homeschool Tracker too - it sounds like it works similiarly to what I do but probably a whole heck of a lot easier.

[Pippen]

I echo a pp in encouraging you to let your daughter take some time to unwind. The social issues kids face at school are unreal. I was talking to a mom of a 2nd grader (same age as my dd, in fact when dd went to public school (PS) they were in the same class) and the things I would hear 4th grade teachers saying their girls were dealing with 10 years ago, is now down in 2nd grade. (I taught 1st grade 10 years ago...) Crazy stuff.

 

I'm guessing over time you will see your daughter begin to relax. She will be able to focus on learning during the day, not all the social garbage. I think you will see the "daughter you used to know" come back to you. Nothing will replace the time you will spend with her these next few years. (You have to remember these things on the days when you want to quit!! There will be some of those days too!)!

 

Just another perspective, but my 5th grade daughter needed exactly the opposite of unwinding. She was so frustrated from not learning at her ability level the previous year and having to deal with the behavioral problems/girl drama, that when fall rolled around she was very happy to dive right in and do some serious learning. She was so better rested and less stressed than she had been in school that the transition was super easy.

 

And yes, mine did have to start dealing with the girl garbage by 2nd grade.

 

glingo, I pulled my daughter out for 5th grade this year and it's been a very positive experience for both of us.

[Maddysmom26]

Welcome! Im rather new here also! I will be starting HSing in the fall for the first time. We are going to be doing 5th grade also! My daughter is very excited , as am I for our new journey!

It has been very overwhelming trying to decide on curriculum, theres so much out there!

But Im slowly getting great ideas put together!

Good luck and would love to see what curriculums you choose along the way.

 

:)

[branycbur]

It is a bit time intensive but I am a scheduling junkie so I like it. I like that a have a record of everything the kids do and it keeps us on track. I've heard good things about Homeschool Tracker too - it sounds like it works similiarly to what I do but probably a whole heck of a lot easier.

 

Thank you so much JLOVEBAKER! I am a scheduling junkie as well, but am a pen and paper lover which makes it hard to share or print out. I just downloaded the free version of Homeschool Tracker and it is awesome! I think it is really going to help us next year.

Thanks again!

[jlovebaker]

Thank you so much JLOVEBAKER! I am a scheduling junkie as well, but am a pen and paper lover which makes it hard to share or print out. I just downloaded the free version of Homeschool Tracker and it is awesome! I think it is really going to help us next year.

Thanks again!

 

All right now that we both admitted we "love" scheduling ... here's a yahoo group that provides free lesson plans for Homeschool Tracker - I'm not sure it works though with the trial version but here ya go: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hstlessons/

 

Spelling Power (in the LA group), SOTW (in the social group), Latina Christiana (in the elective group) and Saxon are all on there. You're supposed to be able to upload these files directly into HST so you don't have to type the plans in manually. It's sort of strange but you have to become a member of all the separate groups for each subject but that just takes a few minutes. I use them even though I don't have HST (the files are all in MS ACCESS which I just transfer over to my excel spreadsheet). Have fun!

[HSMom2One]

Welcome to hs'ing to you newbie's on this thread. I have one dd that I brought home to school just after she finished 2nd grade. We pulled her out largely due to the girl drama that had already been going on at her school. The first year was challenging in some ways, but now we are in our third year and we both couldn't be happier with the decision.

 

As to science, I have heard wonderful things about Apologia. We are in a general science group that my friend teaches and that is working for us this year for 5th grade. If it weren't for our group, I'd be using Apologia.

 

For grammar, I would recommend Shurley English. It is scripted out for you as the teacher and there are some great jingles for your dd to memorize that help tremendously with the parts of speech. This might help a lot as you get established in hs'ing. We did SE for the first two years and I can see that it was a great foundation for my dd. We've moved on to another grammar curriculum, but we may go back to SE because it is excellent. Other really good programs are Analytical Grammar and Abeka, but I have not used them and don't know how teacher friendly they are.

 

As others have suggested, I can't recommend that you get a copy of the Well Trained Mind book. It is an excellent resource for hs'ing families.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[branycbur]

All right now that we both admitted we "love" scheduling ... here's a yahoo group that provides free lesson plans for Homeschool Tracker - I'm not sure it works though with the trial version but here ya go: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hstlessons/

 

Spelling Power (in the LA group), SOTW (in the social group), Latina Christiana (in the elective group) and Saxon are all on there. You're supposed to be able to upload these files directly into HST so you don't have to type the plans in manually. It's sort of strange but you have to become a member of all the separate groups for each subject but that just takes a few minutes. I use them even though I don't have HST (the files are all in MS ACCESS which I just transfer over to my excel spreadsheet). Have fun!

 

 

Wow, thanks again! Such amazing resources...I will get my scheduling fix :)

[Paisley Hedgehog]

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