If you wanted to help an unschooled neighbor get ready for high school...

[happygrrl]

..what would you use for 8th? This guy is really smart, but has had no formal learning. I am thinking of courses that do an overview, and are sort of self-teaching. I am thinking:

 

Chalkdust Pre-Algebra or Lials BCM

R&S? What year? or is AG better for this?

Maybe IEW for writing? I think we are not even at a "good sentence" level.

A one year history overview perhaps? What would that be?

Would you do a root word study?

Reading comprehension is high, so maybe work through Figuratively Speaking? Then what classics are needed to be ready for HS lit?

What science?

 

I am sure there are things I am missing. I plan to grab LCC and WTM this afternoon and see what they say about coming in late. I am not sure I am going to be able to undertake this myself, but thinking about it.

Thanks so much!!

[Carol in Cal.]

Evaluation first. Is he articulate? Does he know arithmetic really well? Does he read well? What does he like? Has he studied anything in depth?

 

If he is articulate, I would probably use Jenson's Format Writing to polish his essays, etc.

 

If he is good at arithmetic, I'd give him an evaluation with an eye toward getting him through Algebra 1 if possible.

 

If he reads well, I'd use "Teach Like Your Hair Is On Fire" to teach basic literary discussion elements, and then assign books and dialogue about them using TWTM logic stage questions. I would not tie them to history. I would try for a range--a Shakespeare play, a Greek play, a couple of novels (19th and 20 century, one British, one American, one Russian), a range of short stories (probably 1 each of O'Henry, Poe, Hawthorne, "The Most Dangerous Game"), some poetry (Dickenson, "The Chambered Nautilus", and probably some literary movies like "The Dead Poet's Society". Alternatively, you could do the basic elements and then Literary Lessons from the Lord of the Rings, including and paying special attention to the unit studies at the end of each half book.

 

Whatever he likes or has studied in depth I would try to use for a lengthier project so that he has the experience of researching and developing a long paper or presentation.

 

For science I would be inclined to go with Science Explorer Earth Science AND RS4K Chemistry Level 2 (which is just 10 lessons).

 

Next summer he should go to a foreign language immersion summer camp. Concordia Villages is a good one.

[WishboneDawn]

If he is articulate, I would probably use Jenson's Format Writing to polish his essays, etc.

 

I'd add in Jensen's Punctuation if he needs help there and Grammar Voyage would be friendly for an unschooling kid who needed grammar basics. I wouldn't go to JG until he had that under his belt.

 

I know it might be a little behind but I think Key to Algebra is an excellent bridge for someone coming from unschooling into formal learning. I'd probably run him through it before starting on a more rigourous Algrebra course.

[happygrrl]

Thank you both! He has expressed a wish to go to a public HS, but his father has been very hands off on learning to this point. I want to tread carefully, so that it does not seem like I am making a judgment (I am really not; the father is just sensitive bordering on paranoid). I think the boy in question is bright, and could really do whatever he wanted to. I don't want the local HS to put him on a remedial track and limit his possibilities.

 

I will do further (gentle! sneaky!) evaluation and meanwhile research the things y'all mentioned. Thank you!

[WishboneDawn]

Just another note, Lively Art of Writing would be great for a former unschooler as well!

[redsquirrel]

One hs'd young woman told me that her unschooled friends all freak out about the college essay. They have never had to write in any formal way or to any length and feel totally unprepared.

 

So, after evaluation and determining where he is, I would find ways to make sure he knows how to express himself in writing. I would focus on that particular skill while dealing with any content area such as science or history etc.

[In The Great White North]

The public school will only place him in a remedial track based on math or English. So...

 

The Khan Academy would be a great, fun, self-directed way to go through alg (and some geo and trig.) And do some practice standardized tests. If he is as smart as you think, he may be interested in AoPS algebra I.

 

I second Format Writing. That is the writing style expected in a lot of high school writing. If necessary, Jensen has a Punctuation and Grammar too. Again, practice some standardized tests. Have him write a lot of essays.

 

I don't think there are any "classics" required for high school. The "Good Books" lead up to the "Great Books" and would be good for 8th grade.

 

 

I would try for a range--a Shakespeare play, a Greek play, a couple of novels (19th and 20 century, one British, one American, one Russian), a range of short stories (probably 1 each of O'Henry, Poe, Hawthorne, "The Most Dangerous Game"), some poetry (Dickenson, "The Chambered Nautilus", and probably some literary movies like "The Dead Poet's Society".

 

Honestly, unless he does a lot of reading, I'd leave those for high school. I think it would be a very unusual 8th grader who has read any Shakespeare, any Greek plays or any Russian novels!

 

I'd let him follow his interests in history and science. High school courses don't build on middle school courses in any meaningful way for either. The math test is used here for placement in Honors Bio for incoming 9th graders.

[happygrrl]

Thank you both so much! This really helps.

[PeterPan]

Check this out. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0929895932/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-5&pf_rd_r=0YYB5FP72RRYXHWCGGV5&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470939291&pf_rd_i=507846 I came across it last night and haven't seen it in person yet.

 

As far as the math, I'd probably look for something straightforward that he could do independently. I know an unschooler who later used TT with her boys and liked it.

[Carol in Cal.]

 

I don't think there are any "classics" required for high school. The "Good Books" lead up to the "Great Books" and would be good for 8th grade.

 

 

Honestly, unless he does a lot of reading, I'd leave those for high school. I think it would be a very unusual 8th grader who has read any Shakespeare, any Greek plays or any Russian novels!

 

 

Oh, I dunno. The thing about plays is that you can start with a synopsis, continue to a movie or live performance, and THEN read the play. Also, for Shakespeare at least, it's pretty easy to find either annotated versions or side by side modern vs. original English versions. I'm not suggesting reading and discussing it at a high school level, but I think that being pretty familiar (exposure and some discussion) with one Shakespeare play and one Greek play is a really good preparation for high school. You want to be sure that you have seen old construction as well as new, and old vocabulary as well. I think that that's the easiest way to get there.

 

So what I might use for a good reader at the eighth grade level in the three categories in question is:

Shakespeare: Macbeth

Greek: Oedipus Rex

Russian: One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch (or maybe a Tolstoy short story, like "God Sees the Truth, But Waits".)

[happygrrl]

Thanks! I am furiously writing all this down!

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

..what would you use for 8th? This guy is really smart, but has had no formal learning. I am thinking of courses that do an overview, and are sort of self-teaching. I am thinking:

 

Chalkdust Pre-Algebra or Lials BCM

R&S? What year? or is AG better for this?

Maybe IEW for writing? I think we are not even at a "good sentence" level.

A one year history overview perhaps? What would that be?

Would you do a root word study?

Reading comprehension is high, so maybe work through Figuratively Speaking? Then what classics are needed to be ready for HS lit?

What science?

 

I am sure there are things I am missing. I plan to grab LCC and WTM this afternoon and see what they say about coming in late. I am not sure I am going to be able to undertake this myself, but thinking about it.

Thanks so much!!

 

 

For math, I would do Lials BCM just for a good year of solidifying concepts before jumping into Algebra 1. BCM is a great program!

 

Maybe Sonlight Alt 7 for a world history overview?

 

Vocabulary Vine is a great vocabulary program!! I HIGHLY recommend that!

 

What has he done for science already? That might be a hard one! I think I would get a good list of non-fiction books for science. Use the library and do a good survey year. Get a good selection of high quality books for all the 4 major science topics- life science, earth science, chemistry and physics. If you spent about 2 months per topic (2 months on life science topics, 2 months on earth science topics- you might need a bit longer here since there is so much for this category-, 2 months on chemistry topics and 2 months on physics topics that should be a good rounded survey year for science)

[happygrrl]

For math, I would do Lials BCM just for a good year of solidifying concepts before jumping into Algebra 1. BCM is a great program!

 

Maybe Sonlight Alt 7 for a world history overview?

 

Vocabulary Vine is a great vocabulary program!! I HIGHLY recommend that!

 

What has he done for science already? That might be a hard one! I think I would get a good list of non-fiction books for science. Use the library and do a good survey year. Get a good selection of high quality books for all the 4 major science topics- life science, earth science, chemistry and physics. If you spent about 2 months per topic (2 months on life science topics, 2 months on earth science topics- you might need a bit longer here since there is so much for this category-, 2 months on chemistry topics and 2 months on physics topics that should be a good rounded survey year for science)

 

I forgot about Sonlight Alt 7, thanks! I like your science survey year too... in fact, I think I want to do that for my bunch! Love it!

[Momling]

If he's planning to go to a public hs and then on to college... I'd focus only on two things -- Math and Writing.

 

He needs to be ready for algebra 1 by 9th grade if he's aiming for a 4 year university. I'd seriously think about Lial's Basic College Math because it goes through all of the elementary math that a person needs to know... and it's not aimed at elementary aged students. The Keys To series or Math Mammoth would work too, but Lial's is aimed at a remedial adult audience.

 

Secondly, he needs to be able to write legible sentences with decent spelling. I'd think about Killgallon's Sentence Composing for Middle School. Unless his spelling and handwriting and mechanics are great, I'd also work on that (take your pick of curricular options for those!). Lots of high schoolers do not have organized writing, but spelling, handwriting and punctuation really ought to have been mastered before high school.

 

With science or history or literature or any other subject... I think it's safe to say that in within the typical American educational system, no child will actually have the same set of knowledge or background as any other child and it won't be noticeable if he doesn't know a thing about chemistry or a thing about Shakespeare as long as he's ready to learn. But math and writing will likely be assessed.

[happygrrl]

If he's planning to go to a public hs and then on to college... I'd focus only on two things -- Math and Writing.

 

He needs to be ready for algebra 1 by 9th grade if he's aiming for a 4 year university. I'd seriously think about Lial's Basic College Math because it goes through all of the elementary math that a person needs to know... and it's not aimed at elementary aged students. The Keys To series or Math Mammoth would work too, but Lial's is aimed at a remedial adult audience.

 

Secondly, he needs to be able to write legible sentences with decent spelling. I'd think about Killgallon's Sentence Composing for Middle School. Unless his spelling and handwriting and mechanics are great, I'd also work on that (take your pick of curricular options for those!). Lots of high schoolers do not have organized writing, but spelling, handwriting and punctuation really ought to have been mastered before high school.

 

With science or history or literature or any other subject... I think it's safe to say that in within the typical American educational system, no child will actually have the same set of knowledge or background as any other child and it won't be noticeable if he doesn't know a thing about chemistry or a thing about Shakespeare as long as he's ready to learn. But math and writing will likely be assessed.

 

Thank you, that does help!