I teach for the local, home-school Co-op. One thing we all love is candy! Add some candy to your science labs: Edible Aquifer, Oreo Mitosis, Gummy Bear Dissection, and Candy DNA Model. Now if I could come up with candy ideas for literature or history.
Yes, I feel it is a public service to highlight interesting items at Good Will. Be sure to check the shipping costs before you bid! Yes, I did bid on the Identiflyer. (I didn’t know Identiflyer had frog calls, too! We have a pond in our backyard, full of frogs. I took an amphibian course one time. Just like birds, frog call recordings can be used for identification.) The glassware available is useful for Chemistry experiments, especially beakers. Scientific glassware is typically borosilicate or Pyrex. Take a look!
Good Will online has some headsets available. Here is a review. Many home-school families take classes online. A good headset is a must! Good Will does NOT retain your credit card information and accepts Pay Pal. Be sure to check the cost of shipping before you bid. Yes, there are adapters for USB, such as the one below, to use with an iPad or another device.
Good Will has a set of Lifepac online. Look at these Grades 3-5 Samples. The lot at Good Will has third and fourth grade materials. Here is the home page for the Lifepac curriculum. If you use these materials, the price is right!
What core curriculum is suitable for seventh grade? Naturally, there are factors to consider. What are your child’s math and reading levels? Does your kiddo like to read? Does he need a structured schedule with specific goals? I’m working with a child who doesn’t like to read, is on grade level, and likes a schedule. Let’s choose books with workbooks for him, when possible.
First, look at Kolbe Academy’s Junior Literature manual. Choose books to read and to report, say at least four. Make vocabulary lists from the books. They can serve as spelling lists, too. Copy the words to practice handwriting. It is not cheating to substitute an Illustrated Classic. Some kids need an abridged book in order to wallow through and finish it. Here is a book report template. (Decide whether or not you want the child to use a basal reader, too.) Kiddos like efficiency. Use one book to address loads of skills.
Secondly, try Saxon Math first. We can always switch. It can be tricky to determine a child’s math level. This is why I recommend used copies. Try both Math 7/6 and 6/5. Here is a Saxon Middle School Sampler. Don’t be concerned about labels. The goal is a math program which is a little hard; however, the child isn’t weeping at the table every day.
Science has loads of options. I love the Apologia Homeschool Science Curriculum for elementary-age students. However, the Chemistry and Physics is really better for seventh grade. Look at the General Science, too, for Middle School, often used for sixth or seventh grade. All of these have student notebooks. The child can read and work in the notebook everyday using daily planner in the notebook or Notebooking journal. Often public and private middle schools teach Earth, Life, and Physical Science. Try to find a study guide for the textbook. However, there are usually questions in the textbook to answer. Again, the vocabulary can become part of the child’s weekly spelling test.
For History, I stand by the Catholic Textbook Project’s History series. They all have workbooks, too. There is nothing wrong with using a fourth grade textbook for a seventh grader, especially if you like the entire series, and might want to use all of them. Look at the sample for sixth grade All Ye Lands. We used seventh and eighth grade textbooks with workbooks for Lacie in high school because they were at her level. There are quizzes and tests, too.
You are planning for your child. So what if you use a textbook and need two years to complete it. Other kids need to advance a grade level or two. Look at the samples and review the table of contents for any textbook you use. How does your kiddo learn? Does she like to read? Would she be happier at a faster pace? The goal is to help your child learn and progress well. It’s not a race or a competition.
For over the past thirteen or fourteen years, I’ve helped families evaluate portfolios. Some states require a licensed teacher to evaluate home-school portfolios even when they are enrolled in an online school. Virginia and West Virginia. HEAV offers this Evaluation Letter as a guide. This Academic Assessment Report must be submitted to the local public school administration in West Virginia.
Here is what I do. First I meet with the families, usually in their home. I ask the family to pull out their textbooks and syllabi. Each family approaches school differently. Most of the first interview is about understanding how the family home-schools. Do they use a program? Are they enrolled in an online school? Do they use a curriculum? I worked with one family who devised their own curriculum successfully. What is the school day? What would the family like to show me? Often the children like to guide me on a tour of their school space. Sometimes, the kids share interesting projects.
The first interview usually takes two or three hours. I want the family to tell me as much as possible about their home-school approach. One family created an annual theme. There was an extensive timeline of music bordering the school room. Other families stick to a strict daily routine and never deviate from planned lessons and the syllabus ordered from an online program.
Here is what I need to see if the child has made adequate progress: work samples, photos, time-lines, projects, models, dioramas, LEGO creations, and lists. I like reading logs with the titles of books read—ideally prepared by the kids. Did the family assign book reports? Are there hand-writing samples? What about tests or other assessments, such as a completed lapbook were performed?
One family creates a digital portfolio similar to this one, Paul’s grade report. The mom copies the curriculum guide and scans samples, tests, essays, etc, for each child. (The family has eleven children.) The same mom sends along photos of everything the family does during the year: fieldtrips, service work, scouting events, and family celebrations. Many families overlook the educational value of a trip to the Air and Space Museum. I’ve helped this family for over ten years. The mom just sends we digital copies of everyone’s work for me to write letters.
My job is to write a brief letter stating that I have evaluated the student’s work to ensure adequate progress. Guess what? Adequate progress looks different for every child. High school teens may pursue Civil Air Patrol or train through the local Rescue Squad. Sometimes families don’t think about this as part of the teen’s education. The training modules are quite similar to those taught in ROTC classes in public schools. Did the child take a Dave Ramsay program? Is she studying music? Yes, core subjects such as math, English, history, and science are key. But, the Co-op sports club is part of the child’s education.
Below is a generic evaluation letter. Usually, I tailor the letter to each child’s completed work: the number of books read and details from an essay or book report. The letter for the public school system is invariably formal. I usually make suggestions to the family. Sometimes, I have a few recommendations, as well. Those comments are separate from the letter. The letter is a formality. Is the child making progress or not? My job is to encourage families who take on the heroic job of home-schooling their children, not berate them. Find an evaluator who will support you!
