Please help with curriculum choices for 7th grade starting mid-year!

[zibby3]

Ok! I'm officially overwhelmed. I would really value your input and advice!

 

Our kids had been attending a private classical school up until December (7th grade, 5th grade, and 1st grade, plus a toddler at home). Our financial situation is not good right now, so we had no choice but to pull them out. We decided to homeschool the rest of the year with as similar a curriculum as we could to give some consistency. I have no idea what next year will look like. I'm just trying to do the best I can to finish this school year. I'm reading The Well-Trained Mind right now, which is helpful.

 

I have been able to gather a bunch of curriculum through friends who have given it to me or allowed me to borrow things. But I still have some gaps, especially in 7th grade. I had my older 2 kids doing a free trial of the Monarch Online Curriculum for the last month so that they would have some work to do while I figured things out. Monarch was definitely helpful, but it's not really right for us. 

 

So here's what I have for 7th grade. I would really love input and ideas especially if they don't involve a lot of money and aren't terribly teacher intensive. (I know that is asking a lot!). My 7th grader is a strong student and works diligently, I just need to know what work to give her!

 

Literature: She read Gilgamesh earlier in the school year and they had started The Iliad. I have a few books from the library to help and I think we can listen to the Vandiver lectures free online. I feel like I should be giving her more assignments along with the reading, but feeling a little lost.

 

Composition: Not sure! Thinking about getting Writing With Skill 2? Or is there something else that would tie in well with The Iliad?

 

Grammar/Spelling: The school just integrates this into Literature and Composition after 6th grade. She had Shurley Grammer 1st-6th grade as well as the school's own spelling curriculum. She is strong in these areas. I do have Rod and Staff Progressing with Courage English 6. Should I use that or focus my efforts elsewhere?

 

Math: Pre-Algebra, An Accelerated Course (McDougal Little/Houghton Mifflin) - This is the textbook she was using at school. I don't have the teacher's manual, but I think I can get through it with the answer key in the back of the book helping and with Khan Academy online.

 

History: Ancient History/Egyptian Civilization - Not sure! I was looking at The Book of the Ancient World Set from Memoria Press. Do you think that could be enough to get us through the rest of the year? If we could swing it, I would love to do the Veritas Press Omnibus and have that cover history, Literature, and Bible. Good idea if we can do it? Something else?

 

Science: Not sure! She was doing Earth Science at school. I have several science textbooks, but I'm not sure that any of them is quite right. Some that I have: Apologia Astronomy (I think more for elementary, but I like their books), Scott Foresman Science 6th grade (Maybe I should use this for both my 5th grader and 7th grader?), and I have Archimedes and the Door of Science to supplement (Just lacking assignment ideas for this).

 

Latin: I have Wheelocks Latin, which is what she was doing at school.

 

Bible: They were doing Old Testament at school. Not sure what I am doing with this. Someone from school recommended the book Christ of the Covenants by Robertson.

 

Art: Books from the library? Free online classes on You Tube? Anything else?

 

Typing: She wasn't doing this at school, but I am throwing it in - we started with Dance Mat Typing (BBC) free online, good lessons but too kiddie. Need to look for something else.

 

Home Economics: Also not from school, but we'll focus on cooking and I think we can pull this together pretty easily.

 

Thankful for any input you have!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Aloha2U]

My ds is currently a 7th grader. Perhaps the key here is that you're going to want to streamline a bit.

 

Ok! I'm officially overwhelmed. I would really value your input and advice!

 

Our kids had been attending a private classical school up until December (7th grade, 5th grade, and 1st grade, plus a toddler at home). Our financial situation is not good right now, so we had no choice but to pull them out. We decided to homeschool the rest of the year with as similar a curriculum as we could to give some consistency. I have no idea what next year will look like. I'm just trying to do the best I can to finish this school year. I'm reading The Well-Trained Mind right now, which is helpful.

 

I have been able to gather a bunch of curriculum through friends who have given it to me or allowed me to borrow things. But I still have some gaps, especially in 7th grade. I had my older 2 kids doing a free trial of the Monarch Online Curriculum for the last month so that they would have some work to do while I figured things out. Monarch was definitely helpful, but it's not really right for us. 

 

So here's what I have for 7th grade. I would really love input and ideas especially if they don't involve a lot of money and aren't terribly teacher intensive. (I know that is asking a lot!). My 7th grader is a strong student and works diligently, I just need to know what work to give her!

 

Literature: She read Gilgamesh earlier in the school year and they had started The Iliad. I have a few books from the library to help and I think we can listen to the Vandiver lectures free online. I feel like I should be giving her more assignments along with the reading, but feeling a little lost. Notes under History. Notes under History.

 

Composition: Not sure! Thinking about getting Writing With Skill 2? Or is there something else that would tie in well with The Iliad? I can't really help here, writing instruction is my week area. But I can tell you that we strongly disliked Writing With Skill 1. Perhaps WWS 2 is different. I've heard that it's better than WWS 1, but we still jumped ship and went back to Writing & Rhetoric by Classical Academic Press.

 

Grammar/Spelling: The school just integrates this into Literature and Composition after 6th grade. She had Shurley Grammer 1st-6th grade as well as the school's own spelling curriculum. She is strong in these areas. I do have Rod and Staff Progressing with Courage English 6. Should I use that or focus my efforts elsewhere? Unless there is remedial work needed, which doesn't seem the case here, this can be dropped officially dropped, especially if she continues Latin.

 

Math: Pre-Algebra, An Accelerated Course (McDougal Little/Houghton Mifflin) - This is the textbook she was using at school. I don't have the teacher's manual, but I think I can get through it with the answer key in the back of the book helping and with Khan Academy online. That works!

 

History: Ancient History/Egyptian Civilization - Not sure! I was looking at The Book of the Ancient World Set from Memoria Press. Do you think that could be enough to get us through the rest of the year? If we could swing it, I would love to do the Veritas Press Omnibus and have that cover history, Literature, and Bible. Good idea if we can do it? Something else? This could be definitely covered with Literature and Bible, especially if you choose to use VP's Omnibus I. 

 

We started that route this year (with Omnibus I), but ended up switching to Old Western Culture: The Greeks and adding a history text. (OWC covers Gilgamesh and The Iliad, as well as the Odyssey, etc... similar to Omnibus. And in response to your other post, my little man far prefers Lattimore translations as suggested by the teacher, Wesley Callihan.) While OWC covers Literature and History with some references to the Bible, presently my little man is now doing his own Bible devotions. (Previously, he completed VP's 5-year Bible and History cycles.) That said, I recommend following along with Pastor Bob Davis of North Country Chapel (a Calvary Chapel)—which we also do—to complement personal Bible studies.

 

Science: Not sure! She was doing Earth Science at school. I have several science textbooks, but I'm not sure that any of them is quite right. Some that I have: Apologia Astronomy (I think more for elementary, but I like their books), Scott Foresman Science 6th grade (Maybe I should use this for both my 5th grader and 7th grader?), and I have Archimedes and the Door of Science to supplement (Just lacking assignment ideas for this). Combining would be a good idea. 

 

Latin: I have Wheelocks Latin, which is what she was doing at school. Great! Does she like it? Can you learn it with her?

 

Not say you have to do this, but it's a huge help that I'm learning Latin alongside my little man. I have Wheelock's Latin and The Comprehensive Guide to Wheelock's Latin that flip I through, here a bit and there a bit, but we're mainly using Latin Alive! by Classical Academic Press. 

 

Bible: They were doing Old Testament at school. Not sure what I am doing with this. Someone from school recommended the book Christ of the Covenants by Robertson. Notes under History. 

 

Art: Books from the library? Free online classes on You Tube? Anything else? Yes and Yes! Though this doesn't need to be an officially covered subject, unless it's something she's seriously interested in doing. She could do it in her spare time and/or over the summer.

 

Mark Kistler is my little man's favorite drawing instructor. He has books and online classes, often discounted through Homeschool Buyers Co-op.

 

Typing: She wasn't doing this at school, but I am throwing it in - we started with Dance Mat Typing (BBC) free online, good lessons but too kiddie. Need to look for something else. Again, doesn't need to be officially covered at any further at this point, but she could type her writing assignments for practice. Perhaps practice over the summer?

 

Home Economics: Also not from school, but we'll focus on cooking and I think we can pull this together pretty easily. Ever heard of Cook's Country? ;)  We love that show!  :) 

 

Thankful for any input you have!

 

Hopefully others with more experience will chime in here, but this should get the ball rolling.  :001_cool:

 

The Purpose of Middle School by Lee Binz of The Home Scholar — Thankful for the info this woman shares, especially in preparation for high school!

 

How to Have a Morning Meeting by Lee Binz of The Home Scholar

 

Edited February 5, 2017 by NCAmusings

[zibby3]

Thank you, CMama! 

 

-For the Writing and Rhetoric, do you think book 6 or 7 would be appropriate?

 

-Can you tell me why you prefered OWC over VP omnibus? It sounds like you like separating the Bible out a little more? Any other notes on differences between the programs? Can you share which history text you added?

 

-The Latin - I would say it's ok. I don't think she would say she likes it, but she doesn't hate it either. I can't really learn along with her at this point because I have too much on my plate. Maybe next year? I have picked things up along the way since she has been doing Latin since 3rd grade. I started trying to have her do 1 chapter a week of Wheelocks, but that seemed to be too much for her, so we are now doing 1 chapter over 2 weeks. 

 

Thanks for your input and advice! 

[Aloha2U]

CAP's writing series is still a work in progress. They've only completed Books 1 thru 8, of 12. It's my understanding that they are releasing 1-2 books per year, so you'll want to consider that when planning out writing for now and the possible future. That being said, I'll share with you my plans and thought process for W&R, which is what I would recommend as well. Book 5, a mix of fairly easy and yet challenging as well, is an intro from which Book 6 is built upon. After completing WWS 1 last year for 6th grade, and then going back to W&R this year for 7th grade, I though it best to start our first semester with Book 5. Now in our second semester of 7th grade, he is currently working through Book 6. Not only do I think this is spot on, but it also leaves Books 7 & 8 for next year in 8th grade—especially just in case there are any hiccups in their release schedule, Books 9 & 10 for 9th grade, and Books 11 & 12 for 10th grade.

 

I loved the idea behind Omnibus, but we both felt the actual execution was lacking. Also, for us, there were blaring and undeniable doctrinal discrepancies in Omnibus, so much so that we no longer trusted the resource, either Biblically and Historically. OWC is literature based, similar to Omnibus, but with video lectures instead of the Omnibus text. However, it is considered a high school course, one level each year for four years, grades 9-12, whereas Omnibus is designed for grades 7-12, one level each year for six years. It is my understanding that Omnibus earns three HS credits (one for Literature, one for History, and one for Theology), if both primary and secondary literature selections are completed. OWC earns two HS credits (one for Literature, and one for History  â€”or—  one for Literature, one-half for History, one-half for Philosophy or Theology  â€”  I've seen it both ways.). We're keeping and using the history text, Western Civilization, that's recommended by VP to use alongside Omnibus. I believe it is a college text, but there are other options out there for a JH or HS history text. My little man loves OWC, whereas he dreaded Omnibus and begged to drop it for something else. The work load is doable and enjoyable. The Bible is discussed as it relates to history, but that is not the focus or main topic of discussion. Though one must be an attentive reader, I highly recommend OWC for capable middle schoolers.

 

I believe your Latin plan is a good one. Consistency, mastery, and progress are the keys. 

[freelylearned]

I agree with CMama that book 6 is a very appropriate starting place for 7th grade. We've been with Writing and Rhetoric from the beginning and they are very reliably putting out books. I'm not worried at all that we will run out of books before they finish. If you get W&R for your writing curriculum, you will have to worry less about incorporating writing with the Illiad since W&R focuses a lot on writing about shorter pieces of literature. You could have her practice note taking with the Illiad.

 

We are using the Book of the Ancient World set from Memoria Press. I think that it is a solid history program, but it would be a lot to try to do all three books in a semester, especially if you use the study guides. I have the study guides, but I don't require my son to write out all of the answers (he's dysgraphic). Instead, I use them to quiz and discuss what he read.

 

Typing.com is online and it's free. Definitely not "kiddy" either!

[zibby3]

I agree with CMama that book 6 is a very appropriate starting place for 7th grade. We've been with Writing and Rhetoric from the beginning and they are very reliably putting out books. I'm not worried at all that we will run out of books before they finish. If you get W&R for your writing curriculum, you will have to worry less about incorporating writing with the Illiad since W&R focuses a lot on writing about shorter pieces of literature. You could have her practice note taking with the Illiad.

 

We are using the Book of the Ancient World set from Memoria Press. I think that it is a solid history program, but it would be a lot to try to do all three books in a semester, especially if you use the study guides. I have the study guides, but I don't require my son to write out all of the answers (he's dysgraphic). Instead, I use them to quiz and discuss what he read.

 

Typing.com is online and it's free. Definitely not "kiddy" either!

Thanks freelylearned!

 

I was all ready to order book W&R book 6, but then I realized that she already wrote a thesis confirmation essay this school year, and she needs to learn how to write an Encomium, so I'm pretty sure I should go ahead with book 7. I think I will also get W&R book 4 for my 5th grader, because he needs to learn to write a Chreia. 

 

I'm planning to get the student edition, teacher's edition, and audio files. Do you find all of those useful?

[Aloha2U]

The student's workbook and teacher's manual are must-haves for us, but we never use the audio files, even though I did purchase them.

Edited February 8, 2017 by NCAmusings