2017-2018 Curriculum Choices - 7th Grade

It's hard to believe that my "baby" is heading into 7th grade.  It's funny how some milestones seem so much bigger than others, and 7th grade compared to 6th grade, is like that for me where she is concerned.

Lindsey has always been my accelerated learner.  When I've taught a subject with both girls, I've taught at the older one's level, and Lindsey has just learned along with her.   One thing I've noticed, especially this year, is that while she has amazing verbal skills, her written language skills just aren't what I feel they need to be.   This is very noticeable with her writing assignments.   This year, my goal is to strengthen that weak spot, because I want her to be successful in higher education, and I want her to be able to write a letter that isn't horribly drab.

Language Arts:  I want to really focus on Lindsey's understating and ability to identify the parts of speech and how they are used.  I decided to go back and revisit a product I used when she was probably in 2nd or 3rd grade, Jr. Analytical Grammar.   This is a really well done, easy to understand program, but like I said it was taught on a 5th grade level when she was in 2nd grade...so we're backing up to punt and give her time to gain the knowledge she needs.
  
Literature:  Lindsey has always been a strong reader, but I want to strengthen her comprehension and understanding, and challenge her more than she has been in the past.   We'll be using the Memoria Press 7th grade literature to work on this area.   This will consist of reading The Bronze Bow, Anne of Green Gables, The Hobbit and the Trojan War.  Truthfully, she's already read the Bronze Bow, but I want her to get a better understanding of the book, culture and time period.

Math:     Horizons Pre-Algebra including the tests and resource book (enter the world of the worksheet).   This program worked really well with Olivia and I'm hoping to have the same success with Lindsey.   She's already looking at it saying "well it doesn't look hard"...I hope she still thinks that come the new school year.

Spelling:  No big change up here, we'll continue with the same vendor, Christian Liberty Press Spelling 7.

History:  After finishing up our study of the Middle Ages, we've decided to move into the Renaissance.   We'll be using History Thru the Ages: Project Passport - Renaissance and Reformation to take us through the year.  Granted this is not a year long history program, but I want to take it slow and focus on the people and events of that time frame.   As I've mentioned before, Lindsey isn't a huge fan of history, so bite size portions of information, stretched out over time seem to work better for her.

Science:   We'll be using both Apologia Botany and the  Apologia botany notebooking journal to accompany what she'll be learning in co-op.

Sewing:  We will be using Simply Sewing to give my little seamstress some basic skills.   She's had a sewing machine for almost two years now and we've yet to do anything with it.  Time to make that a reality for her.

Co-op classes:   Botany,  Creative Writing/Language Arts, Advanced ASL.    As or right now, the co-op thing is up in the air due to lack of teachers & students (which sounds nicer than saying lack of interest in the community, ahem).