What would your ideal middle school curriculum look like?

[Kfamily]

I would love to read the advice and opinions of those who have been there, those in the thick of it and those almost there and your ideal middle school curriculum. I have floundered sooo much this year (I think I'm finally finished and have found peace in that) and wish I would have sorted this out sooner. Middle school hit me like a ton of bricks-only it hit me right in the middle of planning for 6th!:001_smile:A little too late I know.

So, if you could set up your ideal middle school what would it look like?

 

Would you include logic? If so, when and what?

What would you use for science? What aspects of science are important at this age? Would you lean more towards a lighter study of science like LCC or Veritas Press or really start pushing science?

What would you consider most important in studying history and literature? Does the curriculum you use support this and if so what are you using?

Which middle school math programs support your ideas for middle school math?

What about Latin, other languages?

Lastly, what are your goals in regards to writing? Which programs support these goals?

 

I don't have all of my own questions answered but I have enough settled that I finally feel ready to tackle middle school. I don't think I realized how much of a bridge this is to high school and therefore how incredibly important is is to get this mostly right.

 

Thank you!:001_smile:

[Mandy in TN]

Well, I have BTDT and will get to do it again.

 

Would you include logic? If so, when and what?

Yes, Dandylion Logic- I would like to use Blast Off in grade 5. After that I am not certain.

 

What would you use for science? What aspects of science are important at this age? Would you lean more towards a lighter study of science like LCC or Veritas Press or really start pushing science?

We plan to use living books until 4 grade at least. Then, we will move toward something a little more formal. I am looking at- TC Joy of Science, Conceptual Physical Science, RS4K, and WP's Human Body and Forensics, I also like WP's new programs Jiggle, Jostle & Jolt and Sizzle, Solve & Survive. I would like to provide a strong foundation in earth, physical and life science while moving from narration and viewing experiments toward performing and recording experiments.

 

What would you consider most important in studying history and literature? Does the curriculum you use support this and if so what are you using?

Right now I am planning for the little man to use SL cores 5, 6, and 7. SL was great for oldest ds, but we have really enjoyed WP this year. I like living book history and plan to use that all the way through high school.

 

Which middle school math programs support your ideas for middle school math?

I plan to let the little man continue with Saxon and then switch over to CD at either Pre-Alg or Alg1. I also want to continue Kumon Math at least through level M. I want ds to use Singapore CWP through 6 and then move over to AoPS. I want to continue a mastery, exploration, and review approach.

 

What about Latin, other languages?

I currently have no plans for the little man to learn Latin. He is using RS Farsi, because his father is Persian. We will add in Spanish at some point- perhaps with Learnables in the beginning.

 

Lastly, what are your goals in regards to writing? Which programs support these goals?

I plan to begin copywork next year and continue copywork until middle school. We used CLE LA1 this year and plan to use CLE LA2 next year. After that I am leaning toward MCT. I like that it all ties together and it teaches formal writing. If needed, we will also use IEW.

 

HTH-

Mandy

[FloridaLisa]

So, if you could set up your ideal middle school what would it look like?

 

Would you include logic? If so, when and what?

 

Yes. I'd start with Thinking Toolbox and Fallacy Dective in 6th. I'll tell you this weekend whether I'd start with Intro to Logic (Nance/Wilson) or Traditional Logic (Cothran) in 7th after I finish my comparison. So far, my dc have done Intro to Logic in 7th.

 

What would you use for science? What aspects of science are important at this age? Would you lean more towards a lighter study of science like LCC or Veritas Press or really start pushing science?

 

Okay, ideally, I would have my dc do a year of delight-directed science in 6th. Then I'd do Runkle Physical Geography in 7th and biology in 8th. While I want to cover those subject areas, it is just as important to use the 7th and 8th grade years to nail down outlining from a text, notetaking from a text and study skills. Ideally, these are *in place* for 9th grade.

 

What would you consider most important in studying history and literature?

Which middle school math programs support your ideas for middle school math?

 

This is not what I'd consider my area. So I'll look forward to reading others' answers. :)

 

What about Latin, other languages?

 

We've started high school Latin in 8th grade (though they had exposure through Latina Christiana and now Lively Latin in earlier grades). Ideally? Well, I'd love my dc to go through AP Latin. But, that didn't work out practically for ds#1. Two years are our minimum requirements. By starting my dc out in 8th, they can finish up at least 4th year Latin by 11th (possibly 5th if they work through the summers) and then pursue a living language through community college in 12th.

 

You didn't ask about this, but I'll put in a plug for debate. My dc have all begun debating in 6th or 7th grades and continued into high school. Hands down, it's been the best vehicle for teaching research, thinking, speaking and analysis (not to mention the substantive areas of economics, government, foreign relations, history, etc.). Debate has far surpassed what I'd hoped it would teach my dc.

 

HTH,

Lisa

Edited April 10, 2009 by FloridaLisa

[Kfamily]

Thank you Mandy!

 

I feel the same way about science for middle school (moving from narration and viewing experiments to performing and recording experiments) and really like how you expressed that.

[Kfamily]

Thanks Lisa! You're right-I didn't ask about debate. I forgot about this-did you join a homeschool coop? I can definitely see how this would be very beneficial.

We will be doing botany this year but I'm really still sorting out how to handle science. I agree I need to let dd work on skills like note-taking and outlining from a text.

[Laura Corin]

 

Would you include logic? If so, when and what?

We have a slot that we use for logic/RE/philosopy. Right now we are doing RE. I have promised Calvin that we will do more of Philosophy for Kids after that. Then I will be searching for a logic course.

 

What would you use for science? What aspects of science are important at this age? Would you lean more towards a lighter study of science like LCC or Veritas Press or really start pushing science?

Our science is quite heavy. Calvin has taken a serious high school biology course, and is now doing computing and geography in that slot.

 

What would you consider most important in studying history and literature? Does the curriculum you use support this and if so what are you using?

We use Galore Park English, plus Lighting Literature 7. I like the all-in-one GP approach, but the LL7 allows us to approach whole texts. History is on hold at present, as we are spending a lot of time on Classical Civilisation.

 

Which middle school math programs support your ideas for middle school math?

We have just started using Life of Fred as review - the Galore Park maths programme doesn't give enough reinforcement and we need to step back and regroup.

 

What about Latin, other languages?

Galore Park for Latin and French. Community school for Mandarin.

 

Lastly, what are your goals in regards to writing? Which programs support these goals?

I pretty much teach writing myself through various subjects in the curriculum, although he is also learning from his Class Civ tutor. My goals are the ability to write a decent essay at quite a simple level, with points clearly made and supported. I want him also to be able to come up with a vivid and interesting story.

 

 

 

Laura

[Kfamily]

Thanks Laura! I like your idea of rotating the study of logic with philosophy and RE (religious education?)

I was thinking about science and how I could compromise/balance our approach (with younger dd only) by rotating a serious year of science with a lighter/nature study year.

[MommyThrice]

What I would do differently...

 

The one thing I would do differently is NOT give up on Latin so quickly. We went through LCI & II & about 3/4 through Henle I. I will stick with it longer with my next children.

 

What worked...

 

1. Hands down, the most important is speech & debate!!!

2. Fallacy Detective & Thinking Toolbox in 7th grade.

3. Apologia General & Physical Science in 7th & 8th

(We skipped all labs, but will definately do them in biology.)

4. Saxon Algebra 1/2 & 1

5. Daily writing. Speech has helped tremendously here. Both impromptu speeches (which are just oral essays) and a prepared speech (which was an entire research paper, but ds didn't KNOW it was a research paper:001_cool:)

6. Starting Points & lots of discussion in 8th grade.

[Kfamily]

Great advice! I will look into Starting Points and I like the idea of skipping labs to better handle Apologia. I have to admit I have really not kept that as an option because it seemed like it would really use a lot of our time. We are doing botany for 7th but we will do most of the labs. I was thinking about General Science or maybe Physical Science for 8th.

 

Thanks!

[SheWhoWaits]

Would you include logic? If so, when and what?

We ended up putting off logic until high school. I intended to do it in middle school, but for various reasons, it didn't happen. We did use Mind Benders in upper elementary (5th & 6th). Putting off logic until high school actually turned out very well for us. I'm glad it happened. The kids were ready, learned it quickly, and benefited a lot from it. Whatever we study now, they are always able to analyze the arguments and determine their strength.

What would you use for science? What aspects of science are important at this age? Would you lean more towards a lighter study of science like LCC or Veritas Press or really start pushing science?

For my older ds, who loved science at the time, I let him pick topics that interested him (chemistry, genetics, etc.). Then I located resources for him on those topics. I tried to include lots of variety in the resources--web sites, board games, living books, videos, etc. It was fun for both of us.

For the younger, who doesn't really like science, I used Abeka. I enjoyed that, too. Abeka science is very thorough and well written.

What would you consider most important in studying history and literature? Does the curriculum you use support this and if so what are you using?

These are my favorite subjects. I tend to use a hybrid of WTM and Sonlight. For history, my goals are 1)a chronological approach Sonlight does not do this well, but you can use their book choices rearranged in chronological order. Sonlight has great book selections for both literature and history and I love their IGs. The Holzmanns (Sonlight curriculum writers) think the same way I do--question everything, evaluate everything, try to understand other points of view. 2)a thorough grounding in WORLD history. I managed to get through 12 years of public school barely knowing that there were any other countries besides the United States. I don't want that to happen to my kids. We also use read-alouds in chronological order to go with our history studies. We still do this--even in high school. It's one of our favorite parts.

For literature, I just gave them a reading list of books I thought they would like. They were supposed to read 2 books per month and do a book report or test on each book. I could email you my lists if you're interested.

Which middle school math programs support your ideas for middle school math?

My dc started out in public school using Chicago math. That worked well with them, so we continued to use it.

What about Latin, other languages?

I started Latin in 5th grade with my oldest. We used Salvete. It made Latin fun, but moved very slowly. After 2 years of that, he barely knew any grammar. Then we dropped Latin until high school and started again in 10th grade. My youngest hasn't started Latin yet (9th grade) but my goal is to get to it before this school year is over. I think Latin in middle school is a great idea, but choose your curriculum carefully or it just won't work.

Lastly, what are your goals in regards to writing? Which programs support these goals?

My dc have always taken their writing classes at our co-op by their own choice because our co-op has some great writing teachers, so I haven't even thought about this. Why do any more work than I have to?

 

I don't have all of my own questions answered but I have enough settled that I finally feel ready to tackle middle school. I don't think I realized how much of a bridge this is to high school and therefore how incredibly important is is to get this mostly right.

 

Thank you!:001_smile:

Enjoy yourself. As your children get older and more able to discuss things at an adult level, schooling them becomes incredibly satisfying.

[Laura Corin]

Thanks Laura! I like your idea of rotating the study of logic with philosophy and RE (religious education?)

I was thinking about science and how I could compromise/balance our approach (with younger dd only) by rotating a serious year of science with a lighter/nature study year.

 

We are not believers, so RE is not something that we have to study all the time, hence the rotation.

 

I do science separately with my two - Hobbes is doing Physics With Toys.

 

Laura