heidip2p Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Ok, this year I am really learning what works and what does not for our family. This year I have 5 kids in school and it has been a big adjustment for me. The things I had planned and hoped to work just haven't. I have tried combining and not combining and neither have worked. Is there anything out there for science and history that has different levels but similar topics up through 8th grade? For example....I want to put my 1st and 3rd together and my 5th and 7th together but I would like them to be on the same topic. I love using living books. I need things very planned out. My kids are very artsy and love crafts. I would be so happy to find something like this for both history and science. I was looking at Beautiful Feet Early American both primary and intermediate. This looks perfect! However, not sure what I would use next year that would be similar to this for another year of history. I have looked at SCM but I am not crazy about doing 6 year cycles. Every other year for the next 3 years we will be adding another child into the mix too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purduemeche Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Are you asking for something all in the same curric? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeegal Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Tapestry of Grace is leveled for history, literature, arts, geography, and writing. The entire family is on the same topic, but everyone studies at their own level. K-3 -Lower Grammar, 3-6 Upper Grammar, 6-9 Dialectic, and 9-12 Rhetoric. There is some overlap because children don't mature and develop at the same rate. I love it! :001_smile: Science... That's another matter. Good luck! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeegal Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Oh a thought about science. One possibility is to find a curriculum for the oldest, and then level it down for the other children. For instance Earth Science and Astronomy is a fun one to combine. First quarter study Geology, second quarter study weather, third quarter oceanography, and 4th quarter astronomy. Each quarter choose 9 topics and find appropriate books for the children. Combine for experiments and demonstrations. Biology can also be divided down easily. Chemistry gave me a headache, so the family divided studies again. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 You could do BF Early American this year... and next year do some of the Homeschool in the Woods Time Travelers/Project Passport kits (since your kids like crafts and your youngest would be pretty close to "old enough" at that point. Your oldest can add more research/living books, youngest can just focus on the more "fun" projects.) *That's my plan for the next couple of years, anyway. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidip2p Posted January 31, 2014 Author Share Posted January 31, 2014 This has been by far the hardest year to make something work. Not sure why that is but it is. At this point I think I am just going to keep my 1st and 3rd together and my 5th and 7th together and not worry about staying on the same topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2blessings Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Just wanted to add that if you use SCM and don't use the Bible portion, you can complete Ancients (Modules 1-3) in one year. Since Bible is intertwined w/history and the OT is so large, 3 days a week are spent just on Bible. So, you could do: 1st Year: Module 1-3 (Ancients) 2nd Year: Module 4: Ren./Ref. 3rd Year: Module 5: Early American 4th Year: Module 6: Modern American Just a thought....I only have 2, but I think the modules work well for large families/combining. They have science options to combine, too. We used Apologia, then in 7th/8th my eldest did Apologia General/Physical mostly independently and my younger son kept on w/Apologia elementary (if I had youngers they would have stayed w/that, too). But if I had it to do all over again I'd likely use the SCM/living books for science in the early years w/more nature study! Blessings as you figure it out:) Gina P.S. The SCM guides are cheap and mom-friendly, too...I love that it's a day-by-day schedule rather than weekly. Just do the next day:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarynB Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Elemental Science TMs offer suggestions for keeping different ages of students working together. Its the most open and go science I've used. It has memory work, vocabulary, written work for the olders, weekly hands-on activities, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another Lynn Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 What about Biblioplan? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 I love the idea of SCM, but I certainly understand if that doesn't fit your needs. For science what about Christian Kids Explore Series? The way it is set up you have the basic info in the guide to read to your children. Then each child would have library books on the topic at there level to read that week. So say if you are reading about caves in the Earth and Space guide you could have your 1st grader reading a picture book about caves and your 8th grader a more in depth book on the same topic. The guide has fun experiments, notebooking pages, questions and more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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