Still struggling with where to "put" my 6th grader...please help!

[I.Dup.]

DD will be in 6th grade this next year. I am struggling so much with where to put her in history and science, and how to flesh these out. I have been looking at MFW, HOD, Sonlight, VP (which looked the most promising, but I just found out it is very anti-Catholic, ugh!!!!!), SOTW, Biblioplan, MoH....my mind is spinning.

 

I really want her on the 4-year cycle but we've done ancients 2 years in a row and STILL haven't completed it. It just never gets done all the way through, and of course now I'm kicking myself with not being more organized in her early years. One reason history has not gotten done consistently is because the programs I've chosen so far (SOTW for 2 years, TOG for 1 year) have required so much planning and preparing on my part and as I posted in another thread, I lose motivation about halfway through. She has only retained the very beginning. We've done the ancients year enough times that she is very familiar with ancient Egypt but she didn't retain much beyond that.

 

I also have a 3rd grader who I have not done much formal history with yet, and a 1st grader. I really want to get my boys on a good, solid history cycle, and put my daughter somewhere where she will get caught up in chronological order. For some reason it REALLY bugs me to suddenly put her in American history or something when she does not have a good chronological foundation. But obviously I dropped the ball, so I'm willing to think outside the box.

 

Can someone attempt to figure this out for me? lol....

 

1st grader

3rd grader

6th grader

 

All with not much knowledge past ancient Egypt and the pyramids/pharaohs/Nile.

[Ann.without.an.e]

I, too, got overwhelmed with planning. I found MOH a good fit because you can simply open it and read/discuss if your day is too busy to add anything to it. I am not Catholic but my absolute favorite so far has been VP Online. My kids love it and they learn so much from it. I only purchase one subscription and mine share it.

[Hunter]

Because the 3Rs take up so much time and are such a priority, there is little time left over for me to teach content. The ORIGINAL Doubleday hardback What Your _ Grader Needs to Know series grades 1-6, came to my rescue last year. This is the reality of the amount of content that I am going to squeeze in, and at least that reality is presented in a organized fashion. Sometimes I supplement; sometimes I don't. If I didn't supplement at all one week, I move along anyway.

 

There are 3 social studies strands in each book: World, American, and geography. There has been a real effort to integrate the 3 threads and provide mostly chronological presentation. For example the South American pyramids are presented in book one along with the Egyptian pyramids. Egypt only takes up a few pages. You can read through them for the little ones, and provide some reading books for them, but gloss over it with your older daughter, and focus on the South American lessons instead.

[Ellie]

Pick one. Do it with all of your dc. Don't worry about whether or not you finished the last one. Move on. You'll be repeating everything at least a couple more times, right? Well...

 

Believe me when I tell you that your dc will do just fine with American history even if they don't have a "foundation" in ancient history. Truly.

[Hunter]

 

Believe me when I tell you that your dc will do just fine with American history even if they don't have a "foundation" in ancient history. Truly.

 

:iagree:

[TraceyS/FL]

Did you look at History Odyssey Level 2? I'm not sure how much it coordinates with the level 1 stuff - ie, are they on the same period each week. One plus is that it is a secular program and you can add what you want to fit your faith. The Level 1 Early Modern and Modern might be a fit for the older too depending on her ability.

 

I think my DD would like the VP Online class I looked at (it would drive *me* nuts, but I am not her!). I'm keenly aware these days of faith issues and it often makes me want to just throw in the towel and stick with all secular.

 

Anyway, have a piece of chocolate - and maybe make a spinner that lists the choices and go with it?? :D :grouphug:

[KathyBC]

Is there any problem with her doing American History in grade 7? If it were me, I would spend the rest of this year finishing off Ancients. Just find where you left off in SOTW and read it out loud. Or get it on audio book. It's amazing how fast it goes, just reading a chapter per day until it's done. If there's time for an extra book or project about the Greeks and one about the Romans, great. If not, move on. For next year, I would plan to move on to Medieval Times, and read aloud SOTW II to everyone. Assign some reading, mapwork, timeline stuff, what-have-you to the oldest from the applicable Sonlight core.

 

That's just me, though. I know you can find a healthy balance that will work for you and your family!

[TheAutumnOak]

I am in a similar situation as you (I have an upcoming 7th grader, 3rd grader, and 1st grader), and my oldest did not finish year 2 this year...We have finished ancients...

 

This is what I would do if I were you...I would listen to SOTW 1 on audio before you start next year (it is about 8 hrs of listening time, my boys have listened to it several times...They even listened to the entire thing in one day once)...I would then start year 2 of whatever curriculum you choose with your upcoming 6th grader, putting her in the perfect spot for the 4 year cycle...I wouldn't even bother doing formal History with the 1st and 3rd grader...Many here will disagree, but it is not really necessary...You can get plenty of History in doing only two cycles and starting around the 5th grade...You can easily start the 3rd and 1st graders on Ancients when your oldest is in 9th grade and they are in 4th and 6th...Just concentrate on the essentials with the younger two - reading, writing, and math...You can always let your younger two listen to SOTW audios if you don't want them to completely miss out...

 

My disclaimer is to always take what I say with a grain of salt, as I am no expert here...I just say what I would do in whatever situation...Now I need someone to tell me what to do... :blushing:

[TraceyS/FL]

...Now I need someone to tell me what to do... :blushing:

 

Listen to the rest of SOTW2, then start with year 3 next year :D

[TheAutumnOak]

Listen to the rest of SOTW2, then start with year 3 next year :D

 

 

:lol:

[RootAnn]

For your older one, is she a really good reader? If she is ...

I'm going with Catholic Textbook Publisher's Light to the Nations 1 which starts with Jesus's time & goes through the Counter Reformation. I *think* Light to the Nations 2 will get her to the end of World War II the following year. (It kinda combines three of the four year rotation into two.)

One of the WTM moms has a syllabus she put together (and you could use as a base - but cross off as much as you like!!) using LttN 1 for her oldest & saints books for the youngers (along with SOTW & a Catholic spine or three). The planning is already done for you. You just check which books you already have (or your library has) and cross off everything else. It is kind of "HO"ish because I think she used HO to plan it out.

 

If she isn't a strong reader, you could read aloud Light to the Nations to all your kids & add whatever saint stories & readers you have. (I've read that the reading level for LttN is pretty high.)

 

Whatever you do, get something planned out that isn't really complicated. And get something you can use for all the kids.

[I.Dup.]

Pick one.

 

 

This ^^ Not helpful. :lol:

 

I am in a similar situation as you (I have an upcoming 7th grader, 3rd grader, and 1st grader), and my oldest did not finish year 2 this year...We have finished ancients...

 

This is what I would do if I were you...I would listen to SOTW 1 on audio before you start next year (it is about 8 hrs of listening time, my boys have listened to it several times...They even listened to the entire thing in one day once)...I would then start year 2 of whatever curriculum you choose with your upcoming 6th grader, putting her in the perfect spot for the 4 year cycle...I wouldn't even bother doing formal History with the 1st and 3rd grader...Many here will disagree, but it is not really necessary...You can get plenty of History in doing only two cycles and starting around the 5th grade...You can easily start the 3rd and 1st graders on Ancients when your oldest is in 9th grade and they are in 4th and 6th...Just concentrate on the essentials with the younger two - reading, writing, and math...You can always let your younger two listen to SOTW audios if you don't want them to completely miss out...

 

My disclaimer is to always take what I say with a grain of salt, as I am no expert here...I just say what I would do in whatever situation...Now I need someone to tell me what to do... :blushing:

 

 

Thank you, this is exactly what I needed!!! I will do that. I will finish up ancients with her over the summer. Do you think starting her in core G (world history 1 of 2) and then doing core H next year would be a good idea? I just found a good deal on an older core G IG....

[Ellie]

This ^^ Not helpful. :lol:

 

 

Yeah. :D

 

I spent some time agonizing over which thing to choose--I don't even remember which thing it was, only that I even dreamed about it, lol. And I finally realized that all the things I was considering were good...I just needed to *pick one.* The next time (year? month? whenever) I could choose one of the others. It's all good. :D

[2_girls_mommy]

I have really found that WTM style logic stage history is so child led and independent that I don't have to plan anything except that we go to the library once a week in our schedule. While there we pick out a book or two on each topic for her to read on her own and write a paper. It took a bit of training at the beginning of the year to teach her to outline, timeline, pick a topic and to write a summary weekly. But now she does it on her own.

 

I outsourced science for a lot of the year. That way the months that I didn't were fun to plan, and not overwhelming. We did a month unit study at the beginning of the year before co-op. The rest of the year at home was just reading and writing assigned by the other teacher, plus extra reading that I threw in, plus through scouts and community activities and field trips related to what we were learning. Now that co-op is over, I am planning a study for this month, and that is it. 2 units for the year for me to plan. Not bad. I have already picked a class for each for next year that complements our WTM rotation at co-op next year. Then I picked up MPs science that correlates to it (Astronomy and Exploring Earth). DD6th grade will do the reading and workbook on her own with that at home. She will do hands on at co-op class (with no homework in that class next year) and she will have a month of Robotics competion. Science, done. No real planning from me except to assign the reading to a certain day of the week half of the year in the Astronomy and half of the year in the Earth science.

 

For the littles, I don't plan much w/SOTW. I read it aloud. I have a day of the week that I do this consistantly in my schedule. I make copies of the color page and map. I don't do a bunch of projects with it. I don't feel guilty in the least about it. If it isn't on paper and quick (make a poster, cut and paste this, draw this, or copy this poem) it likely isn't going to be one we do. My kids do art and crafts and hands on in other ways this year. I do take narrations and have dd8 copy it into her history notebook. But there are weeks that even that gets skipped. This week is one of them. I am just reading her SOTW chapter aloud and a couple of related library books on the topic. I do pick up library books from the A.g, but I am at the library taking older to get her books once a week. I just sit at the computer for 10 min and reserve them while there for the upcoming couple of chapters and pick up the reserves I ordered last week. I read them at bedtime or over breakfast or assign them to my 3rd grader to read to herself.

[I.Dup.]

Okay so what about this:

 

grade 6- core G (world history 1 of 2)

grade 7- core H (world history 2 of 2)

grade 8- core 100 (Am. history)

grade 9- who knows. By then they will be in high school and more independent, so we can probably start them on a 4-year cycle more independently this time.

 

Obviously I want to get this figured out if it will work for the others before I spend hundreds of dollars on a core or other major history materials. Does that sound solid for middle school?

 

I like the idea of not super worrying until 5th grade, and they can sit in on the readings I do for the Sonlight cores starting at G. Or do you think I should get a Sonlight core for the youngers as well?

[RootAnn]

Don't try to do two cores! They can always listen in on the current core you are doing.

 

Remember, get something you can use for all the kids. Sonlight, if you decide to go that way, can be used for olders & youngers. Don't make it complicated!

[EmilyK]

I have a similar issue. I did a good job with (mostly afterschooling) his older brother in history, and now I realize my 5th grader has slipped through the cracks.

 

Here's my plan (critique welcome):

 

-- right now we are immersing American history in a fun way. He is working through some vision issues, so we are trying not to make content through reading a big issue (though I think we have a good plan for the 3rs). We are listening to the Hakim audios (truly enjoyable) and watching US history documentaries, Liberty's Kids, etc. Although he knows it is for school, I'm treating it as fun stuff and he mostly agrees. I hope to work in some historical fiction audios too, and maybe some of the Collier audios. He and I spend most evenings in the living room with candles lit listening to the audios and it is a fun time for us, and sometimes dad and big brother join us too.

 

I know having had a 5th grader in public school that even if we stopped now (we've been doing this for 2 months) that he would have had way more US history than they do in public school.

 

--at some point, maybe when summer starts, I want to do the SOTW audios. They were a big hit with his older brother but we've never made it past disk one with my 10 year old. Again, if nothing else, it will give him a sense of the story and flow of history. Maybe if there is time we will explore something more, or listen to some historical fiction or watch documentaries. I'm telling myself not to get too attached to doing tons.

 

-- Hunter has gotten me intrigued with the "What Your Grader Should Know" series. I used to own some of them but I think I gave/loaned them away. I'm thinking of getting them on Kindle so they'd always be handy to read aloud when we have some time, even out and about. I can't find them all on Kindle, however. And I'm wondering about getting some of the lower grades ones even though I don't have a younger kid -- I think the content in the history and related areas is suitable to read to olders, but I'm not sure.

 

Okay, I know this isn't terribly ambitious, but I'm thinking if I get though this he will have an okay first pass, we've kept the love of learning, and we can go into more depth next year. Just a thought.

 

Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good!

[TheAutumnOak]

Okay so what about this:

 

grade 6- core G (world history 1 of 2)

grade 7- core H (world history 2 of 2)

grade 8- core 100 (Am. history)

grade 9- who knows. By then they will be in high school and more independent, so we can probably start them on a 4-year cycle more independently this time.

 

Obviously I want to get this figured out if it will work for the others before I spend hundreds of dollars on a core or other major history materials. Does that sound solid for middle school?

 

I like the idea of not super worrying until 5th grade, and they can sit in on the readings I do for the Sonlight cores starting at G. Or do you think I should get a Sonlight core for the youngers as well?

 

This sounds good, but I am not at all familiar with Sonlight, so I am not sure how many "cores" there are...I have Tapestry of Grace and it goes by years, like SOTW so I only know year 1, 2, 3 and 4 and what those mean...Is there more than 4 cores?...How many years does it take to cycle through Sonlight?...I just assumed all this time it was a 4 year rotation like the others...

[I.Dup.]

 

This sounds good, but I am not at all familiar with Sonlight, so I am not sure how many "cores" there are...I have Tapestry of Grace and it goes by years, like SOTW so I only know year 1, 2, 3 and 4 and what those mean...Is there more than 4 cores?...How many years does it take to cycle through Sonlight?...I just assumed all this time it was a 4 year rotation like the others...

 

There's a core for each year from pre-K to high school. They do not do the 4-year cycle but my dd's grade happens to line up with their year 1 world history core so she could do that one for 6th, year 2 for 7th (that would cover 4 years, similar to SOTW from what I understand, just condensed into 2 years) and then 1 year of American History for 8th grade (core 100 covers American History and is for around 8th grade).

 

By then she would be in 9th and could re-start the proper 4 year cycle if we choose to do that, and be more independent with it.

[KathyBC]

Okay so what about this:

 

grade 6- core G (world history 1 of 2)

grade 7- core H (world history 2 of 2)

grade 8- core 100 (Am. history)

grade 9- who knows. By then they will be in high school and more independent, so we can probably start them on a 4-year cycle more independently this time.

 

Obviously I want to get this figured out if it will work for the others before I spend hundreds of dollars on a core or other major history materials. Does that sound solid for middle school?

 

I like the idea of not super worrying until 5th grade, and they can sit in on the readings I do for the Sonlight cores starting at G. Or do you think I should get a Sonlight core for the youngers as well?

 

 

You don't want to start Ancients all over again, right? With this plan, next year you would need to jump in to core G somewhere in the middle (week 19?), wherever they start SOTW 2. Agreeing with other posters, do NOT get another core for the younger ones, just let them listen to the read aloud portions. It will be plenty. (If you happen to have the SOTW Activity Guide, maybe they could do a coloring page or a map if there is time or interest, but don't stress about it.)

[kiwik]

Declare ancients over for this cycle and move on to year 2.

[brookspr]

I have no experience homeschooling yet, I will be starting next year with my 5th grade son and 7th grade daughter, so they will be 6th and 8th next year. Better late than never?

 

I have decided to use Sonlight G and H (history only) over the next two years with my son. He loves to read and I think this will be a good way to interest him in learning. He's not one that enjoys being "taught" if you know what I mean. My daughter will be studying the same time frame, but she will use the TRISMS curriculum, which is more of a self-directed learning program. I will use it with my son in a few years when we cycle thru again.

 

I don't mind using two different curricula because they will be studying the same time period. So any extra activities we do will fit right in with what they both are studying.

 

We will be using IEW for writing/language arts, a mish-mash of materials for science (DH and I were both chemists, so we I have LOTS of science-y stuff around), plus math, foreign language and music.

[kaymom]

My only advice to chime in with is don't pick another curriculum where you have to be the one planning everything. I love to plan, but I am only homeschooling one child! Buy something preplanned and all there like Sonlight and history will get done :-)

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

How about American History next year using From Sea to Shining Sea? Then use Light to the Nations 1 and 2 in 7th and 8th grades.