Friday, December 2, 2016

Homeschool Bookshelves

We recently moved from Washington state to Ohio and we love it here!  We have more room in our new home and are able to have a homeschool room that isn't also our dining room (so thankful for that!).  So far, I've unpacked the homeschool room and set up the bookshelves:


Friday, July 22, 2016

Logic Stage Outlining

Starting in the Logic Stage, which is grades 5-8, you will want to teach the child to outline.  The Well-Trained Mind explains why a slow progression of this is best as it prepares the child for high school.  Don't make it any more complicated than you should, it really is quite simple!

5th Grade - Begin to teach the child to outline once a week.  Explain that outlining is simply finding the main point (summary) in the paragraph.  You will want to choose a text from that week's history resources that the child read about the topic they found most interesting.  You will start using a text that contains 5-6 paragraphs, or one page.  Have the child take each paragraph, one at a time, and find the main point by answering the question, "What is the main thing or person and why is it or are they important?"

Example of one-level outline:

I.    Main point of 1st paragraph
II.   Main point of 2nd paragraph
III.  Main point of 3rd paragraph

6th Grade - Same as before but you add in subpoints under each main point, which are lettered A, B and so forth.  Use 2-4 subpoints under each main point it relates to.  Outline up to two pages.  To find the subpoints, simply write the additional information given that correlates with the main point.

Example of two-level outline:

I.    Main point of 1st paragraph
      A.  First supporting point
      B.  Second supporting point
II.  Main point of 2nd paragraph
      A.  First supporting point
      B.  Second supporting point
      C.  Third supporting point

7th Grade - Same as before and when the child has got down the two-level outline well, you can start adding in more supporting points.  These points are numbers (1, 2, etc.) that give details for the letters (A, B, etc.).  If the child isn't ready, they can hold off until the start of 8th grade.  Now the child outlines 2-3 pages.

Example of three-level outline:

I.    Main point of 1st paragraph
      A.  First supporting point
            1.  First subpoint
            2.  Second subpoint
      B.  Second supporting point
            1. First subpoint
            2. Second subpoint
II.  Main point of 2nd paragraph

8th Grade - Same as before but now outlining 3-4 pages and doing three-level outlines.

Example of three-level outline that sums it all up:

I.    Main point
      A.  Additional information about the main point.
            1.  Detail about that additional information

In The Well-Trained Mind, she states a simple question the child can ask themselves as they write the outline for supporting points - "What else is important to know in this paragraph?"  You can read the whole section on how to outline in the book on pages 297-301.

Thursday, July 21, 2016

7th Grade Curriculum Plans

I planned out our 7th grade year earlier this year and since then, I've made a few changes.  This is our tentative 7th grade plans:


Bible - Memoria Press Christian Studies IV

Logic - Memoria Press Traditional Logic I with DVD

Math - Saxon Algebra 1/2 with Saxon Teacher CDs

Grammar - Rod and Staff English 6

Vocabulary - Vocabulary from Classical Roots A & B

Latin - Henle Latin I with Memoria Press Guides & Quizzes/Tests

History - Medieval history

Reading - Medieval history book list & Classics book list

Science - Earth Science & Astronomy

6th Grade Ancient History Book List

K's book list for 6th grade to go along with what she is reading in her Ancient history studies:

  1. Tales of Ancient Egypt - Green
  2. The Golden Goblet - McGraw
  3. Mara, Daughter of the Nile - McGraw
  4. The Golden Fleece and the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles - Colum
  5. Tales of Greek Heroes - Green
  6. The Children's Homer: The Adventures of Odysseus and the Tale of Troy - Colum
  7. Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of the Illiad - Sutcliff
  8. Aesop's Fables - McGovern
  9. Cleopatra - Vennema
  10. The Bronze Bow - Speare
  11. The Eagle of the Ninth - Sutcliff
  12. The Silver Branch - Sutcliff

Friday, February 19, 2016

How Do You Homeschool?

A common question I have been asked over the past 7 years that I've homeschooled has been: "How do you homeschool?"  There are 2 books that I recommend and they are the KJV Bible and The Well-Trained Mind:


I've read both of these books so much and I find that tabbing is helpful and highlighting the WTM is a must.  It is that easy and almost all of the answers about life and homeschooling and are in these books!  I like seeing the whole picture of what I set out to do and both of these allow you to see that - the Bible allows you to see the whole picture of life and eternity and the WTM allows you to see the whole picture of education from birth to college.

The thing is, people won't read anymore!  That is the reason they have problems with life and God because they don't read His Word and then they have problems with homeschooling because they aren't reading the book that shows them the way.  READ!  I can't say it enough but this is my answer to those that ask how I homeschool and it works!