6th Grade Curriculum choices for 2013-14 school year

HISTORY:
Mystery of History Volume 2 and Story of the World Vol. 1 (a few chapters) and then Vol. 2

 

LITERATURE:
Books to correspond with history. Titles include The Door in the Wall, Pompeii, Augustine came to Kent, Castle, King Arthur, Beowulf, Arabian Nights, The Story of Rolf and the Viking Bow, Greenland Mummies, Eric the Red, Queen Eleanor, Robin Hood, Trumpeter of Krakow, a few Canterbury Tales, and the biographies from What Really Happened During the Middle Ages. I purchased all new or used from Amazon, with the exception of the last book (see link below the picture below).
http://www.knowledgequestmaps.com/What-Really-Happened-During-the-Middle-Ages.html

WRITING
http://www.essentialsinwriting.com/
Essentials in Writing/ Grade 6. I am very excited about this curriculum. It is only $40, and includes a video teaching session for each lesson (similar to Math-U-See). It also came with a 200 page book of handouts (I printed it out, but I think it's only $20 to get a copy sent to you). Looking through the handouts, it is very similar to the way I taught my 6th graders to write back in the day when I taught in public school. 

SPELLING
Spelling Workout- he will need to finish level E. For 5th grade, we did several weeks of All About Spelling, and then moved to this book. After he finishes E, I will probably use some spelling curriculum I already have from when I taught. 



MATH
Teaching Textbooks. Math has always been the most challenging subject for us. It has caused more tears and doubts than any other thing about homeschooling. I had a break-down half-way through last year, let them quit their then-curriculum, and bought Teaching Textbooks. Things have been much, much better. Unfortunately, they are behind because both boys will have to finish last year's curriculum before moving on, but I think we stand a chance due to the shorter length of this curriculum. 


SCIENCE
Apologia Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology

Both boys love Apologia. We will also use the notebook they publish in conjunction with this. My son is not looking forward to this year, and is calling it the year of "Butts and guts, tongues and lungs." Spoken in true 11-year-old boy fashion. 

VOCABULARY
When Scholastic holds their $1 e-book sale, I purchase vocabulary curriculum! This year, he will complete both of these books: (website: http://shop.scholastic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreView?storeId=10751&catalogId=10051&langId=-1)


 

PE
He will be going through the Couch to 5K plan again in co-op this year. He will need to do a workout on the treadmill twice a week. 

SCRIPTURE/ BIBLE/ CURSIVE
In addition to our morning work, he will also be doing a personal Bible study called The Dig. He'll go through the book of Luke through two volumes of this study. Here is the website:
http://thedigforkids.com/

He will also do scripture copywork to continue improving his cursive. I am using the advanced cursive version of this book in the Handwriting without Tears format: (website: http://characterwritingworksheets.com/)


We also plan to add some typing and some electives as the year goes on. Here's praying for a great 6th grade year!!

Workboxes on Display- my 8th grader's boxes for Mon. 4/16/12

Here are what his boxes look like:

I have really enjoyed these flat boxes that I got from Walmart last year. He usually stacks 2-3 at a time and brings them to a desk in his room to work. Our two cats often join him (and one like to put herself into the boxes) and he likes the company. He stacks them on the floor of our schoolroom when finished for me to go through each night. I usually include all his assignments for the week in the boxes so I don't have to do much each night to get ready for the next day other than grade, which I loathe. His history supplements are in the magazine holder to the right.

Box 1 is "Words on the Vine"~ Greek and Latin root words. He does one unit per week. 

Box 2 is Apologia Physical Science. He does this once a week in co-op so while we mainly follow MFW's plans (I buy only science from them because it is cheaper than Apologia AND they include lesson plans that he can check off as he goes along) sometimes we have to do more to be ready for co-op on Thursday.  I print out his "On Your Own" questions and we add them to his big three ring binder when he is done with each unit. 

Box 3 is Spelling. We have really liked Spelling Workout. He does a page a day and then on Friday he studies and I give him the final quiz. I like how this book is in units so it is more than just memorizing the words for the "test." For example, last week was words based on French words. They also do latin roots, greek roots, etc. so each week has a theme. 

Box 4 is History. We are using Notgrass America the Beautiful, which we love. It includes novels so it covers reading as well. It also has Bible, timeline, and map activities and even vocabulary. I've shown some of the supplements that don't fit in the box and are instead housed in the magazine holder. 

Box 5 is math. Both my boys hate math and it is my (and their) biggest source of stress. For today, he has to go back and do corrections for last week's work before beginning his current unit. We are using MathUSee this year. He is taking Algebra but we won't quite finish the book and will have 5-6 weeks left to finish at the beginning of next year. This stressed me at one point but he is not a math person so if he is a little behind, so be it! I am not going to move on if he doesn't get it because that would invalidate one of the reasons I think homeschooling is so fantastic: don't move on until it's understood! If he doesn't take Calculus that is fine with me!

Box 6 is Spanish. These are just his resources; he started Rosetta Stone Spanish last week when I finally bit the bullet and purchased it, so this is more for a reminder to go and do that. Our computer for this is in the schoolroom. So far, so good. Fingers crossed : ).

Box 7 is Bible. We were doing this together each morning (and still get together to discuss it once a week) but we begin our days now with videos on the 50 states. I actually like that they are doing Bible individually. We have finished our curriculum for the year and instead of starting a new one, I am filling in with things I have found on the Internet. This week, he is taking a self-assessment on character traits stressed in the Bible. I'm sure he will love it (no!!)

Box 8 (last box) is writing/ grammar. He is finishing up analyzing a poem today. 

These are pretty typical of what our boxes look like! This year I am keeping the order and subjects the same. Next year, I plan to have some subjects he only does a few days a week to add some variety. He is almost too independent while my 4th grader is almost too dependent (on me). My goal is to even them out more next year! (Okay, that's one goal of about 58 but don't want to get off topic).