danybug Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 First, why am I always researching curriculum? :glare: Anyway, I am trying to formulate my plan for 6th grade. Here is what we will be continuing with next year: Saxon 7/8 Rod & Staff English 6 Spelling Workout G WWS (continuing wherever we end this year) Rod & Staff Bible Rosetta Stone German Science we are doing Apologia Human Body, so I am not sure where we will go from here, but that is a whole separate issue ;) So, our weakness right now is history and reading. I was perusing the SL website and I felt drawn to try it again. I used it in 1st grade, since I was just starting out I was unsure with it and switched. I am thinking I would buy Core G. I guess I am looking for others positive and negative thoughts on ordering it and using it for history and reading. Is it silly to use it to fill in my gaps? And it is considered quality for middle school and high school? Thanks for helping me decide! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 (edited) We love SL and plan to continue using it next year. I will be using core G with my 7th grader. We're both excited! I want to ask you, though, if you've read the list that SL puts out of reasons why you shouldn't use Sonlight. The only reason I ask is because I noticed that you use R&S for bible and seeing that, I assume you are pretty conservative (knowing what I do about R&S's bible curriculum). I might be wrong, and I truly don't mean to make false assumptions. I only want to caution you that you might not be totally happy with the reading selections if you are very conservative. We are Christians, though we are pretty moderate. I've been happy with almost every book we've read using SL. Feel free to ignore me if I'm way off base. You might be fully aware of the way SL approaches history. Just wanted to give you a heads up. Either way, good luck! :001_smile: ETA: I am researching curriculum like mad! I don't know why either. Argh! LOL! Edited February 4, 2012 by Nakia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danybug Posted February 4, 2012 Author Share Posted February 4, 2012 Thanks for the response! I would actually say we are moderate as well. I just picked up the Bible curriculum at a convention last year. I was surprised to find that it was just working your way through Genesis and Exodus reading the actual Bible and then answering comprehension questions and mapping. I was pleasantly surprised that it was exactly the style of Bible work I had in mind. I did not find anything in it that I noticed was specific to the Mennonite's, it was really just actual KJV Bible work. So, thanks for considering this for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
placeofgrace Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 I think it sounds great. I'm doing core 5/F right now with my fifth grader. When we finish, we'll move on to core 6/G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camikins2010 Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 This is our 4th year using SL and absolutely LOVE to books. My husband and I both read the books before our daughters do just in case and found only one to be questionable from CORE 200 for my older DD. For our 6th grade DD, she is currently doing Core G. We highly recommend SL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joy at Home Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 I think it sounds great. I'm doing core 5/F right now with my fifth grader. When we finish, we'll move on to core 6/G. How is your dd doing with Core 5? Is it difficult for her? Just curious if my dd would be able to handle it next year for 6th. tx lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candid Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 I think a better question is what do you want from your history and reading program? The more definitive you can be the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillehei Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 We are in Sonlight right now (F & B) and are seriously considering something else. I don't like how it is set up. Sometimes the kids have 5 books going at once, e.g. a history spine, historical fiction, missions, reader, and read-aloud. My younger in Core B is struggling with reading comprehension. I think he has a hard time holding all that info and then discussing it with me. I am very ill and cannot do the read alouds. They are just reading them and discussing them with me before and after each chapter or section. We do like having the four day schedule. It just feels to me that I could streamline or simplify history and reading. I have already dropped Sonlight language arts and science. We have had a much better time using other curricula. I do feel a sense of loyalty to Sonlight, which is a little silly, and am nervous about striking out on my own. I am thinking of starting SOTW and Kingfisher next year. As pp said, if reading out loud and having a very literature heavy curriculum is not up your alley, then Sonlight might not work for you. Reading the 27 reasons not to do it is worthwhile. I do like the idea of doing all four SOTW in 2 years and could maybe just get the 4 day IG for Core G & H and use some of their ideas for readers but get them from the library. We will have to see. HTH! Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillehei Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 How is your dd doing with Core 5? Is it difficult for her? Just curious if my dd would be able to handle it next year for 6th. tx lisa Lisa, Core 5 is really interesting and I like the fact that she is learning about the 10/40 window. Unfortunately, the read alouds are dry, the EHE (Eastern Hemisphere Explorer - research pages for all the different countries being studied) is unbearable and she doesn't seem to be retaining lots of it like I was hoping. She is just frustrated. My dd started F in 5th grade and is now 11. She did D+E the year before in her first year of homeschooling as a newcomer package. Core F was next in line. On the SL forums, people recommend that kids are in 6th grade or around 12 when starting. HTH, Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murrayshire Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 We are in Sonlight right now (F & B) and are seriously considering something else. I don't like how it is set up. Sometimes the kids have 5 books going at once, e.g. a history spine, historical fiction, missions, reader, and read-aloud. My younger in Core B is struggling with reading comprehension. I think he has a hard time holding all that info and then discussing it with me. I am very ill and cannot do the read alouds. They are just reading them and discussing them with me before and after each chapter or section. We do like having the four day schedule. It just feels to me that I could streamline or simplify history and reading. I have already dropped Sonlight language arts and science. We have had a much better time using other curricula. I do feel a sense of loyalty to Sonlight, which is a little silly, and am nervous about striking out on my own. I am thinking of starting SOTW and Kingfisher next year. As pp said, if reading out loud and having a very literature heavy curriculum is not up your alley, then Sonlight might not work for you. Reading the 27 reasons not to do it is worthwhile. I do like the idea of doing all four SOTW in 2 years and could maybe just get the 4 day IG for Core G & H and use some of their ideas for readers but get them from the library. We will have to see. HTH! Jen We also like the idea of using SOTW in 2 years which is what my dd will do for her 7th grade year...Using 4 day history and getting literature through the library...makes it most cost effective for us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murrayshire Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 How is your dd doing with Core 5? Is it difficult for her? Just curious if my dd would be able to handle it next year for 6th. tx lisa My dd is using Core 5(F) this year for 6th grade....she is doing the EHE independently(except for discussion)....sometimes needs help on the mapping if she has trouble finding a country or area. She is very much enjoying it....we don't read all the RA's from core 5....She hasn't complained much about the readers but there is alot to read b/w history and readers.....So, if your dd is pretty independent, then this may work well for her. If not, be prepared to tweak or work with her on the EHE. Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 We use SL for reading and history and love it. I think it is the two strengths of the program. Dd did Core 6 in 6th grade and it was a great fit. I haven't used Core 5 to comment on that possibility. If your and your kids love reading and read a lot, you are likely to love SL. Their "reasons not to use SL" are very true. There are plenty of them. It isn't a fit for everyone. Don't read those as snide or as "surely you really do want these things". Take them for what they are and if it isn't a fit, don't go there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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