Advanced 6th grader? Please share your plans.

[Mom2OregonBoys]

We're ending for summer break this week. Today, we finished the very last lesson in R&S English 7 and my son asked if he could burn it on our campfire during our upcoming camping trip. Yep, it's time to make a few changes around here. Along with R&S English, we'll be saying goodbye to Saxon (too repetitive), and Latin for Children (finished Primer C).

 

So, as we're launching out into the middle years, I need to rework my curriculum choices.

 

I'd love to hear what others have in the works for 6th grade. I'm considering the following:

 

Math: He's doing Thinkwell Algebra I currently. I'll keep it for our light summer schedule and early fall. But I'm thinking AOPS will be a better choice long term.

 

History: SL7

 

Geography: Continue with Trail Guide to Geography

 

English: CLE Language Arts 8

 

Writing: IEW SWI B (We did SWI A a couple years ago and DS liked it.)

 

Vocab: Vocabulary from Classical Roots A

 

Logic: Fallacy Detective and Logic Puzzles. I don't think I want a formal program on logic for DS just yet.

 

Science: Rainbow Science

 

Spanish: Continue with "Tell me More" 3Xweek.

 

Latin: Are we going to continue with Latin??? I really need suggestions here.

 

He'll also continue with his private piano lessons, Boy Scouts and First Lego League.

 

I'd love your comments and suggestions.

 

Malinda

[Halcyon]

How much Latin have you done? Have you looked at Henle?

 

(I dont' have kids your age, yet, but I've done some research. I hope my post isn't inappropriate.)

[Mom2OregonBoys]

Thank you for your question. I like the idea of continuing with Latin. DS actually mentioned Latin Alive! as a possibility. I was somewhat surprised. He doesn't dislike Latin, but it's not his favorite subject either. He's done well with LFC, completing all three primers over the past three years.

 

It's just that he's really, really mathy and is passionate about science. I'm just wondering if he doesn't need more of the subjects that really inspire him. And he's really doing well with Spanish and is motivated to continue with it. Isn't one language enough? ???

 

Yes, I've looked at Henle. It's a possibility. . . but I kind of feel that continuing with Latin requires significant "buy in" from my son. He really needs to own the study of Latin and be motivated to continue with it next year. I've been learning Latin with him as we've worked the LFC program together. I don't know if I want to continue--honestly--and I'm questioning whether or not he'll be motivated to study on his own.

 

I don't know. Maybe a break will give us both clarity here.

[yvonne]

Can't help with the others, but I've been looking at a lot of Latin texts recently. Your son might find Latin for the New Millennium more interesting. (There are lots of sample pages posted.)

 

We've done LfC A&B, and I do think it is a substantive program from a grammar perspective. However, it does not have much in the way of Roman culture & history. LNM is beautifully done. It has solid grammar instruction, along with interesting Roman culture and history. It is very visually appealing... clean pages and many images of actual Roman art and architecture.

 

If I had advanced 6th graders, I would hands-down move to LNM or Wheelock's for 6th. And, if I wanted him to be more excited about Latin, I'd definitely go to LNM. (Wheelock's is similar to LfC with its primary focus on grammar, though it does have readings from Roman writers.)

 

My .02!

 

ETA: If you search for Latin and Ester Maria, you'll come up with a number of informative posts about Latin by Ester Maria.

Edited June 10, 2011 by yvonne

[Mom2OregonBoys]

Thanks for the Latin suggestion. It looks like a fresh and unique program. I'll take some time this weekend to get a good look at the samples.

 

Thank you.

[lewelma]

I have just finished my book list for the middle ages (not quite it exact order). The first list he will read. The second list my husband will read out loud to both boys ages 11 and 8 and also read to them Kingfisher on the topics listed.

 

I could also list our curriculum if you wish, or just answer questions.

 

Hope this is helpful,

 

ruth in NZ

 

 

400-1000 Early Middle ages: Knights and Castles, Feudalism, Vikings, King Arthur, Canterbury Tales, Beowulf

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight ,Tolkien

Beowulf the Warrior , Sutcliff ,

Canturbury Tales, Original, just a few stories,

Tales from Arabian Nights Lang,

The Once and Future King, White,

Conn Yankee in King Arthur's Court

The story of Rolf and the Viking Bow French ,

 

1000-1400 High Middle ages: Crusades, Holy Roman Empire Byzentine empire, Plague

 

Ivanho

Crispin: Cross of Lead, Avi

Catherine Called Birdy, Cushman

Mary, bloody Mary Meyer

Sir Nigel, Doyle

The White Company, Doyle

 

Lord of the Rings, Tolkien,

 

Eastern China, India, Japan

A Single Shard, Park

Lady of Ch'lao Kuo diary series

 

South America Incas, Aztecs, Conquistadors

Lady of Palenque diary series

The Left-handed Spirit

Early Rennaissance

Joan of Arc, Twain,

Black Arrow, Stephenson

Trumpeter of Krakow

Dante's divine comedy Chwast (graphic novel),

Optional by Sutcliff

 

Outcast- Britain under roman rule, focus on celts and picts

Sutcliff has a series on Arthur

Mark of the horse lord – brtian under roman rul, N tribes

Shining Company – britain, fuedal chiefs, saxons

Blood Fued , Sutcliff , britain, constantinople

Sword Song – vikings

 

Daughter of Time, Tey L Queen Elizabeth mystery, modern

 

Read alouds

 

 

400-1000 Early Middle ages: Knights and Castles, Feudalism, Vikings

 

White Stag (Attila the Hun)

Canterbury Tales McCaughrean

One Thousand and One Nights, McCaughrean

Castle, City Macaulay

King Arthur and His Knights, Pyle

 

1000-1400 High Middle ages: Crusades, Holy Roman Empire Byzentine empire, Plague

Shadow of a bull – Bull fighting

Adventures of Robin Hood, Pyle

Midwife's apprentice

Adam of the Road, Gray - 13th C england, NE Award

Eastern China, India, Japan

Samurai's Tale, Haugaard

 

South America Incas, Aztecs, Conquistadors

Secret of the Andes

Around the World's Rim

 

Early Rennaissance

Shakespeare Macbeth, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream;

Taming of the Shrew; Much Ado About

Master Cronhhill – Plague in 1654, London fire

Edited June 10, 2011 by lewelma
formatting

[Chez J]

We are putting my rising 6th grader ahead to 7th at a local university-model part-time school. They will cover science with Apologia General Science. I want to have two courses, so I'm going to cover chemistry. I also am going to have more history than the school teaches. My signature has my choices for next year.

[patchfire]

I have a really mathy, likes science, advanced rising sixth grader, too, but mine's a girl. :)

 

Here's what she's got on tap for next year:

Math: AoPS Geometry + AoPS Alg 3 + maybe AoPS Mathcounts class or AoPS Number Theory (she's done Counting & PRobability)

 

Science: Spectrum Chemistry + random supplements I've found

 

English: LLfLOTR via onlineg3 + TIP King Arthur + W&M units + lots of different stuff for writing that I'm mostly pulling together myself (not a formal curriculum) + AAS 6 & 7 + Vocabulary Workshop A + Exercises in English G & Editor in Chief

 

Social Sciences: Mapping the World with Art (she'll read library books about the current countries in a given geographic region to add some cultural geo to it)

 

Foreign Language: German Sat. School + Rosetta Stone

 

Logic: Art of Argument + The Snake and the Fox

 

Fine Arts: piano + trumpet + world music appreciation + art history + drawing

[Capt_Uhura]

Ruth in NZ - Thank you for posting that list! I'd love to see your curriculum list!

[Luckymama]

I have a science-y, history-loving, book-devouring 11yo girl :001_smile:

 

Math: AoPS Algebra + Patty Paper Geometry + Math Olympiad + MathCounts perhaps (anyone compete as an individual? pm me)

 

Science: CPO Life Science + botany ala me + Science Olympiad division B team

 

History: K12's text The Human Odyssey Vol. 2 (from 1400-1914) + lots of reading still tbd (geography is incorporated through the text)

 

English: still determining what to do...definitely Vocabulary Workshop B + Exercises in English + writing through her history work...non-history literature unknown

 

Foreign Language: Galore Park's So You Really Want to Learn French, finishing up book 1 (have 2 chapters remaining) and hopefully all of book 2. We are learning French together :001_smile:

 

Logic: unsure, I need to see some books in person. She enjoys math-based logic puzzles.

 

Girl Scouts

ballet 4x week, Nutcracker in the fall/winter and another full-length ballet in the spring

flute lessons and hopefully an affordable ensemble that doesn't meet on Saturdays

[Mom2OregonBoys]

Ruth in NZ: Love the book choices. DS has read several of the books you have listed, and I've added the remainder to my list. You mentioned that you could post your other curriculum choices . . . I'd like to see what you're planning--if you wouldn't mind.

 

Thanks also to Chez J. You're planning on CLE for English. Since we're pretty well Rod & Staffed "up to here," we're opting for CLE, too, though I've never seen it IRL.

 

Patchfire and Luckymama: I can't believe I didn't discover AoPS sooner; I would have chosen their Algebra over Thinkwell. After years of Saxon, I've been looking for something deeper and more focused on creative problem solving. I'm thinking of MathCounts as an option, too.

 

This weekend, when I have more time, I'll enjoy doing a bit of research on your choices. Thank you all.

[lewelma]

Here is our curriculum for ds for 6th grade. He is a young 6th grader (Aug birthday), so I find that his writing is what is holding him back. That will be a huge focus this year.

 

Math: AoPS intro Algebra second half. We have found that this is a 2 year program for younger children, as it does go far beyond typical algebra 1.

 

Literature: book list posted previously. I listen to the books on audio (librivox) while doing house work every day, and then we discuss using the absolutely fabulous and very cheap book "Deconstructing Penguins." I don't cheat and look up any book analysis, so this become a true hunt for meaning, rather than me trying to pull out of him what I already know is the underlying message in the book. Later, I read some analyses to make sure I did not miss anything major. :glare:

Lit devices: Figuratively Speaking

 

Language:

Writing: MCT Voyage for big picture, we will be trying Killgallon this year for style (not sure about this choice, we will see).

Spelling: SWR last year (his weakest thing)

Vocab: MCT CE2

Poetry: MCT WoP

Grammar: KISS grammar free online (more difficult than MCT)

 

History: WTM approach "lite". At night, dh reads and discusses history books from the library based on the plan laid out in previous post. We will focus in science from now on.

 

Logic: Art of Argument and Philosophy for kids

 

Mandarin using a tutor.

 

Latin. Nope. He will learn roots using MCT. (yes, I did take Latin for 6 years and loved it, and started up again last year with Wheelocks. But there is simply not room in ds's schedule to do it justice.)

 

Violin: aiming for grade 5 exam ABRSM in Feb.

 

PE: Martial Arts and Swimming and playing in the woods with his friends.

 

Technicraft: Fridays for 3 hours for 2 terms. It is like old fashioned shop and home ec combined.

 

Science: I saved the best for last! Oh, so many options for earth science I am swimming in it. As has been discussed before, often Non-majors intro college texts are far superior to High school texts, and cover similar material. He will not finish a full text, we will pick and choose units.

 

Option 1: Earth Science (Tarbuck, intro college not the HS text) including the activity manual which is mostly reading and interpreting graphs and diagrams with little experimenting. (hard to experiment in astronomy etc). + TTC lecture series on Earth Science (forget its name)

 

Option 2: Astronomy using "The Cosmos" by Pasachoff, and the TTC lecture series on Astronomy (also forget its name)

 

Option 3: Astronomy for only one term using "A brief history of time" by Hawking and TTC lectures, and then Environmental Science by Biozone for next 2 terms. The new version looks absolutely great.

 

Then, we do a science fair project a la my long-winded posts on http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=263107

 

Our Schedule: We have "mother time" over lunch for 1 hour each day where we read together: MCT EV, MCT CE2, Killagallon, Logic, poetry, Fig Speaking. So his morning schedule is only Math, Language (spelling, gram, writing), and Science 4x per week (5th day is technicraft). Afternoon schedule includes outings, reading, relaxing, and his evening schedule includes Violin, Mandarin, and history read alouds. If this schedule is too full, the first thing to go will be logic, and then poetry and then reducing science and literature.

 

Hope this is helpful,

 

Ruth

[Mom2OregonBoys]

I appreciate the details about your daily schedule, too. I often struggle with coordinating the different parts of our curriculum day by day.

 

I've added Deconstructing Penguins and Figuratively Speaking to my Rainbow Resource order. Lit analysis is definitely a weak area for me. Both of these choices look like something I can implement realistically into our plan.

 

Your plan looks very rich and thorough. I was given a loan last year of MCT CE1. We incorporated it alongside our regular LA as a read-aloud. I was amazed at DS's retention of the vocabulary and roots with just simply reading aloud together. Months later, he still references EC1. Perhaps I should plan for EC2 in place of Vocabulary from Classical Roots.

 

Your science plan is amazing! We do FIRST Lego League in place of a science fair option. Last year, the FLL theme was biomedical engineering and the my son's team did their research project on improvements to portable oxygen devices. I think the experience of researching and then presenting (or publishing) science projects is invaluable training, especially for an aspiring scientist.

 

I appreciate you posting such detail.

 

Blessings,

[Storm Bay]

Math: He's doing Thinkwell Algebra I currently. I'll keep it for our light summer schedule and early fall. But I'm thinking AOPS will be a better choice long term.

 

Logic: Fallacy Detective and Logic Puzzles. I don't think I want a formal program on logic for DS just yet.

 

He'll also continue with his private piano lessons, Boy Scouts and First Lego League.

 

I'd love your comments and suggestions.

 

Malinda

 

AOPS can be good. My dd did Lial's at about that age, and then followed it with the 1965 Dolciani (we do Algebra 1 twice.) I am thinking abut getting the Thinkwell lecture for ds, but he won't be starting Algebra before grade 7.

 

I agree with you on the logic, and would save formal logic for a year or two. Piano lessons sound good, and at some point you may wish to add a second instrument if there is a band he has access to (just a thought, as my younger two are doing piano, one has added flute (she's grade 7) and ds is going to add an instrument around the time he turns 12.)

[Jenny in Atl]

Math: NEM & Kahn

Science: Botany (Keepers of Life & New Eyes for Plants)

English/Grammar: MCT

Reading: US Lit 1600-present. (It's a big old list from The Last of the Mohicans to Native Son)

Latin: Latin Prep 2

Logic: Book of Think

History: US History (Joy Hakim & People's History of the US by Howard Zinn)

Art & Music: US Artists and Composers. Clay (wheel) classes, sewing, and other crafts she enjoys.

PE: Swimming, rock climbing, and just being a kid.

Extras: Continued lessons in patience.. waiting in car pool line for big sister.

[PollyOR]

I've added Deconstructing Penguins and Figuratively Speaking to my Rainbow Resource order. Lit analysis is definitely a weak area for me. Both of these choices look like something I can implement realistically into our plan.

 

Is this the book you are referring to? Figuratively Speaking

 

BTW, congrats to your Duck! ;)

[Mom2OregonBoys]

Is this the book you are referring to? Figuratively Speaking

 

BTW, congrats to your Duck! ;)

 

Yes, this is the one I was referring to. I hope Ruth in NZ will pipe in if this isn't the book she's planning to use.

 

Thanks for the congrats to my Duck! We had his graduation ceremony yesterday--he earned a BS in Economics. I was so proud to see him walk across the stage.

 

Thanks for sharing your plans and input, Jenny and Karin. I've considered adding another instrument, but I think I'll opt for something more physical, like martial arts, if I can find a place in our schedule.

[lewelma]

Yes, that is the book I will use. Its poetry terms do overlap with MCT poetry series, so we will only be using 2/3 of the book that contains all the lit analysis terms.

 

ruth

[Storm Bay]

Yes, this is the one I was referring to. I hope Ruth in NZ will pipe in if this isn't the book she's planning to use.

 

Thanks for the congrats to my Duck! We had his graduation ceremony yesterday--he earned a BS in Economics. I was so proud to see him walk across the stage.

 

Thanks for sharing your plans and input, Jenny and Karin. I've considered adding another instrument, but I think I'll opt for something more physical, like martial arts, if I can find a place in our schedule.

One of mine does Judo, and if she has to cut back next year, she'd drop almost anything before that.