Oak Meadow for middle school

[skaterbabs]

For those of you who have used OM with WTM, what things have you found to "mesh" between the two and what OM materials have you found you needed to suppliment to get a really thorough grounding in pretty much everything? I've noticed that some of you have specified that the OM materials are actually very good, which allays my concern that my sons would need a lot of supplimentary material, but even though I have their sample packs I didn't get a real feel of the program for the upper levels.

Edited April 3, 2009 by skaterbabs

[Guest]

Spelling! The OM has the child or you choose words. I would use SWO or Evan Moor's Building Spelling Skills books.

I have heard the math is a pass, as well.

For history, I would add a timeline and some outlining of the passages they read. It doesn't follow a classical model 4 year rotation, either. I would also buy Knowledge Quest maps. I seem to remember OM had the child draw their own maps free hand. Great if you have a budding cartographer on your hands.

I would use the lit. lists from TWTM along with the books OM includes.

 

I actually bought grades 3-5 at one time. It wasn't a fit then for us. My second son still says he wishes we could go back to 'play school', as he called OM. Maybe we will for him.

 

Have you looked at the online samples?

 

HTH!

[skaterbabs]

We have the samples for grades 1,2,3 and 6,7,8. I believe they use Saxon math (someone correct me if I'm wrong) at the middle-school stage, which is what we plan to use for the boys anyway. We're planning to do some etymology with them (so much more fun than plain old spelling! lol) so that doesn't really bother me.

[Audrey]

The math is OM math until grade 8, and then Saxon for Algebra and up.

 

We are using OM 4 right now. I have OM 6 & 7 as well. OM middle grades is really great. It can mesh somewhat with WTM, but it's accelerated. Grade 6 covers Ancients & Medieval. Grade 7 covers Renaissance to Current.

 

Ds will be grade 5 next year, but since we're in Canada, I don't want OM grade 5 which is a whole year of American history. Instead, we'll be doing the first half of grade 6 for grade 5, then complete it in grade 6. Likewise, we'll take two years for grade 7, as the grade 8 curriculum is all American Civics. There is a lot of writing, and MANY assignments in OM history, so I don't think it will be too light to break it into 2 years. We will add in some more literature to read, though.

 

The only things I supplement are Canadian Studies (obviously), grammar and writing. I add grammar because it's just ds's thing and he is ahead of the OM level by a lot. I supplement writing because ds is actually behind OM on that. He hates to write. At. All. So, we've backed up and are using Writing With Ease to try to get him up to speed and fill in some skill gaps.

 

Although OM middle grades science doesn't exactly line up to WTM, it is SO GOOD! We will be using each science on grade level, as we get there.

 

You can buy all the components separately in the middle grades, which is good for picking and choosing, mixing and matching. We don't use OM math. Ds does well with Saxon, and I'm not making the same mistake of switching math programs on him like I did back in early elementary.

 

If you're unsure of what will work best for you, I encourage you to call OM offices. They are very helpful there and can answer any questions, and offer suggestions. I know they've been exceptionally helpful to me. :001_smile:

[skaterbabs]

Thank you, Audrey! Our boys are new to both WTM, and OM, so we may just use OM out of the box (at least to begin with).

[Melissa B]

We use OM 6 and 7 over four years (5th-8th) as well. That way it lines up nicely with WTM. I also really like the science. I add in a RS4K book each year. It is only ten lessons (most people think RS4K is much too short to work as a stand alone program anyway) so it isn't difficult to add to OM.

I do use a different language arts program beginning in 5th and a different math program throughout.