Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Plans for 2010-11: 8th grade

I've been needing to get this all written out so I know what we are doing this year.  And then I saw the Not Back to School Blog Hop over at Heart of the Matter Online again this year.  Week 1 is Curriculum Week.  I'm going to do three posts... starting with my 8th grader.  Tomorrow, I'll write about my 6th and 4th graders.  Then I'll write about my 1st grader and 4 year old.

Connor, my 8th grader, is advanced in math and science and just can't get enough.  He struggles a bit in language arts areas, specifically writing and spelling.  We are tracking this year as though it is 9th grade, just so we have options of graduating him early and still knowing what he did this first year.

Sonlight Core 7:  He actually has to finish up the last bit of Core 6 first.  This is the 2nd half of World History. Unfortunately, we've had to piece this together, and don't have it all.  Lots of library again this year.  But this is what it is supposed to look like!

Science:  He's finishing up Apologia Biology through the Virtual Homeschool Group, and he'll be starting Apologia Chemistry with them on August 31.  Yes, that means he'll be doing both Biology and Chemistry for two months.  Of course, he'll also be doing additional reading, and working on science-related merit badges, and whatever else he comes up with.  Things such as Digital Frog.  Because this is Connor we're talking about.

Math: He'll be taking Geometry, using a combination of resources.

English: Readers to Writers through the Virtual Homeschool Group.  All About SpellingFix-It for grammar study.  We'll see how this pans out before deciding about other things to add, but there will be something as far as literature study, whether we take a couple of the SL books a bit more seriously, or get some study guides, or (what I want to do) use Introduction to Literature.

Latin: Lone Pine Classical School is fantastic.  Karen took a chance on Connor doing high school Latin last year as a 7th grader.  While Connor learned a lot, he didn't necessarily learn a lot of Latin.  I think by year end, he learned a lot about deadlines and procrastination, and a fair amount of Latin too (and a ton of ancient history).  Karen has been wonderful with him, and he will be retaking Latin 100 this year.  I cannot possibly say enough good things about Lone Pine Classical, I really can't.  If you are considering high school Latin, you really need to check them out first.  I keep hoping she'll be doing online Pre-Calculus soon... next year would be ideal, the year after might work too.  So if you are looking at Pre-Calculus, contact her too.  Please.

Logic: Logic I: Tools for Thinking.

Technology:  Studying for the Intro to Computers DSST.  Then something for computer programming.

Other:  Various things for PE, including merit badges like hiking and personal fitness.  Various things for art and music.  Working with Faber & Faber Piano Adventures for music.  Assorted other crew products, undoubtedly.

I guess that is it.  I know there are still some other things up in the air, but that is the gist of the plans this year.  Subject to change, particularly with new Crew products.


5 comments:

Catherine (Alecat Music) said...

Thank you for sharing this. :)
We'll be entering the high school years next year. Some of the curriculum you've mentioned are on my list, but there are others I've not seen before.

We're enjoying Sonlight too. :)

Anonymous said...

So he's not taking Latin? Trying to plan books. *(Karen K)

Tess said...

I really need to take the time to write things out. I thought about doing the overlap with Biology and Chemistry for my 10th grader (yikes that sounds so old!) but she'll be overlapping Algebra and Geometry. I do like that idea for your 8th grader though!

The Happy Homeschool Mom said...

We did Sonlight 7 last year and loved it! Stopping by on a Blog Walk to say hi!

Debra said...

Love hearing about people enjoying Sonlight 7! Thanks Lisa!

Tess, you'd have to overlap a lot longer, and I think that would be a challenge. I don't think we'd be able to do it if we were overlapping more than two months. Plus, well, we're getting into the part of biology that he's pretty familiar with (except the dissection part), so I just don't think it will be that tough for him.

Karen - yeah, Latin. LOL. Got that added to the list, thanks!

alecat-- there are so many great things out there!!