Curriculum Suggestions for 6th Grade

[MFA323]

We homeschooled when our older kids were little but have been sending them to a public Montessori school since 2015. Now we're thinking about bringing #2 (6th grade) back home midyear. She is intelligent but lazy. She does well with literature, creative writing, and history. She has a knack for languages. She has performed above grade level in math up until now but is starting to struggle as it gets more complicated because she doesn't really understand what's going on. Please give me curriculum suggestions! I have six kids and work from home teaching online, so I'm flexible but busy. We didn't budget for homeschooling and are recovering from major medical bills, so inexpensive would be great. Next year we can plan ahead and have more to spend. Here's what I think we need:

 1. My husband and I are classicists, so a lot of our homeschooling time would be used to speed up her Greek (Athenaze) and start Latin (probably Wheelock with a lot of supplementation). 

2. A grammar curriculum with quick and simple lessons

3. A reading-heavy history text 

4. A science curriculum with clear goals and measurable outcomes that will get the job done without busy work

5. A math book that has clear explanations (bonus points for lessons that use manipulatives) and a lot of repetition

6. Something for English literature and maybe creative writing

Thank you!

[Lori D.]

Welcome back to homeschooling!

Just a quick side note: You might consider transitioning gently to give both DD and yourselves a chance to figure out what homeschooling at the middle school level looks like. For example: start off with just a few of your core subjects (Math, Reading/Literature, Writing, and Greek), and then get out and about with "field trips", schedule time for exploration of interests of DD, and start History/Science more gently with an interest-led unit study or two on topics that would be of high interest to DD. You could get more rigorous and add in additional subjects once you all have had a month (or three) to get acclimated to your new way of schooling (and home life).

2 hours ago, MFA323 said:

... She is intelligent but lazy. She does well with literature, creative writing, and history. She has a knack for languages. She has performed above grade level in math up until now but is starting to struggle as it gets more complicated because she doesn't really understand what's going on. Please give me curriculum suggestions! I have six kids and work from home teaching online, so I'm flexible but busy. We didn't budget for homeschooling...

Your answers to some quick questions will help us better suggest things that are a good fit:

Overall perspective of the curricula:
- Secular or Christian or doesn't matter?

Reading/Literature:
- What is your DD's reading level? -- at grade level? above? below?
- What is her level of enjoyment of reading?
- Is she ready for/do you want some "beginning classics" (examples: Adventures of Tom Sawyer; 
- And is she ready for/do you want some gentle, beginning, formal literary analysis?

Math:
- What is her math level: Pre-Algebra program? Or "grade 5" or "grade 6" math?
- What program or publisher was she using previously when she was successfully working above grade level?
- What kinds of topics are giving her trouble -- examples: division, fractions, etc.? basic "solving for X"? setting up/solving word problems?

Grammar:
- diagramming? or not?


Without knowing your answers, here are a few ideas to get things started:

2 hours ago, MFA323 said:

2. A grammar curriculum with quick and simple lessons

- Growing with Grammar -- $35

2 hours ago, MFA323 said:

4. A science curriculum with clear goals and measurable outcomes that will get the job done without busy work

Clear goals, measurable outcomes, much can be done solo by the student:
- Exploration Education (gr. 4-6 level) -- $124
- Nancy Larson Science (level 5, for ages 10-13) -- $339
- Singapore Science "I-Science" (either grade 5 or grade 6)
   each grade level requires purchase of TWO books for EACH SEMESTER of the year: course book and activity book

Text + separate kits to complement the science topic
- Pearson Science Explorer -- texts (can find used on Amazon for cheaper)
- TOPS Science -- kits
- Delta Education Nutshell -- kits

Some craft-like activities, along with the text and experiments:
- Ellen McHenry science units -- Carbon Chemistry ($22; ages 10-14); Rocks and Dirt ($32; ages 10-14);

FREE, but will require more parent/teacher time:
- ACS: Middle School Chemistry -- (gr. 6-8) FREE lesson plans

2 hours ago, MFA323 said:

5. A math book that has clear explanations (bonus points for lessons that use manipulatives) and a lot of repetition

- Math Mammoth -- also has: placement test; skill review workbooks -- no manipulatives, but video-based lessons
- Mathematics Enhancement Program (MEP) -- FREE -- you print from online files; closer to an Asian-based method; no manipulatives
 

2 hours ago, MFA323 said:

6. Something for English literature and maybe creative writing

Writing
- Cover Story (gr. 6-8) -- $149; creative writing based writing + some grammar; video lessons; largely solo working
- Jump In (gr. 6-9) -- $32 = student + teacher books; Christian; largely solo working
- Essentials in Writing (by grade level) -- $87 program + $27 assessment book -- video-based lessons; largely solo working
- Winning With Writing (by grade level) -- $28

Literature
- Lightning Literature & Composition 7 -- beginning intro to formal lit., with short mini-lit. lessons
- choice of books + individual lit. guides (Blackbird & Company; Garlic Press Discovering Literature; etc.)

Edited November 1, 2019 by Lori D.

[MFA323]

3 hours ago, Lori D. said:

Thank you for your response! I like the idea of starting slowly. I had already decided not to do formal composition this year but hadn't really thought about cutting anything else. Our top priorities are math and Greek. I think that we could all have a great year unschooling for everything else. I may still want a formal grammar. I'm not sure I could bring myself to cut that.

Overall perspective of the curricula:
- Secular or Christian or doesn't matter? Doesn't matter. We're Christian but don't need a Christian curriculum.

Reading/Literature:
- What is your DD's reading level? -- at grade level? above? below? Well above. 
- What is her level of enjoyment of reading? She will happily read for hours each day.
- Is she ready for/do you want some "beginning classics" (examples: Adventures of Tom Sawyer; She devours the classics. Your questions have made me wonder if I should just give her a list of good books and let her read to her heart's content this year.
- And is she ready for/do you want some gentle, beginning, formal literary analysis? Possibly.

Math:
- What is her math level: Pre-Algebra program? Or "grade 5" or "grade 6" math? She's in 6th grade math. She's in the advanced math group at school but made a D this quarter.
- What program or publisher was she using previously when she was successfully working above grade level? We did Singapore in 1st grade. It worked but was difficult. We had to go back to the manipulatives over and over. She would hit a wall at the questions with just numbers. She needed at least pictures and preferably something she could touch. When she went to school she did well with a traditional Montessori approach. Once she got older and her school went with more book work, she started struggling again. 
- What kinds of topics are giving her trouble -- examples: division, fractions, etc.? basic "solving for X"? setting up/solving word problems? division, setting up word problems

Grammar:
- diagramming? or not? Yes!



 

 

 

[Momto6inIN]

Analytical Grammar is awesome for straightforward and thorough middle school grammar! For Math I'd look into the Math Mammoth books that go by topic, not grade level, to shore up where she's weak. We like the Human Odyssey texts by K12 for middle school world history. I wouldn't call them heavy reading, but they are engaging and well done. And I'd let her loose on a good classic book list. Other than that, I'd keep it low key until you all figure out your new normal.

[Lori D.]

1 hour ago, Momto6inIN said:

Analytical Grammar is awesome for straightforward and thorough middle school grammar! For Math I'd look into the Math Mammoth books that go by topic, not grade level, to shore up where she's weak. We like the Human Odyssey texts by K12 for middle school world history. I wouldn't call them heavy reading, but they are engaging and well done. And I'd let her loose on a good classic book list. Other than that, I'd keep it low key until you all figure out your new normal.

^^^ Totally agree -- that's a great plan for this year! 😄 

[MFA323]

8 hours ago, Paradox5 said:

8 hours ago, Paradox5 said:

Math U See uses manipulatives to explain concepts. The downside is it is arranged by topic.

I have never used c-rods but perhaps that would help. Others here are much more knowledgeable about them.

Math U See sounds like what she needs, but I've never looked through the books in person. It might be helpful to have something arranged by topic as we to fill in some gaps. C-rods were the thing that got us through first grade!

 

14 hours ago, Momto6inIN said:

Analytical Grammar is awesome for straightforward and thorough middle school grammar! For Math I'd look into the Math Mammoth books that go by topic, not grade level, to shore up where she's weak. We like the Human Odyssey texts by K12 for middle school world history. I wouldn't call them heavy reading, but they are engaging and well done. And I'd let her loose on a good classic book list. Other than that, I'd keep it low key until you all figure out your new normal.

That sounds like a good plan. It would get her back on track but still give her plenty of time to run around outside in the afternoons and me plenty of time to work. It would also allow us to set a positive tone as we began homeschooling. The idea of homeschooling is beginning to feel less overwhelming. Thank you!