6th Grade Reading Log 2015-16

This is my daughter's reading log for 6th grade. I will add books as she reads them. Books marked * are required for school.

1. History Spies: The Great Exhibition Mission (Jo Foster)*
2. Caddie Woodlawn's Family (Carol Ryrie Brink)*
3. Rifles for Watie (Harold Keith)*
4. The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien)*
5. Shades of Gray (Carolyn Reeder)* (NOTE: This is a historical fiction story for children)
6. Adam of the Road (Elizabeth Janet Gray)*
7. Round the Clock Stories (Enid Blyton)
8. Grandmother Oma (Ilse Kleberger)
9. Tom's Midnight Garden (Philippa Pearce)*
10. Waiting for Mama (Marietta D. Moskin)*
11. The Secret of the Old Clock (Carolyn Keene)*
12. American Tall Tales (Adrien Stoutenburg)*
13. The Golden Key and Other Stories (George MacDonald)*
14. Esperanza Rising (Pam Muñoz Ryan)*
15. When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit (Judith Kerr)*
16. The Victory Garden (Lee Kochenderfer)*
17. The Last Battle (C.S. Lewis)

6th Grade Curriculum 2015-16

My middle child is in 6th grade.  How did that happen so quickly?  It seems like yesterday that I was posting this list for my oldest.  Anyway, here’s what my daughter will be using this coming school year.

1.  Math:  Teaching Textbooks 6—This program has been very successful for my family, and I highly recommend it.  In the past, I’ve read a lot of negative feedback on the program, which I completely disagreed with.  If you’re afraid to use TT because of what you’ve read (about it being too easy), I would recommend reading this post from Timberdoodle:  Is Teaching Textbooks Math Too Easy?  The only downside is the cost, but for us, it’s been totally worth it.

2.  Reading:  Drawn Into the Heart of Reading—We’ve used this program from Heart of Dakota since my oldest was in 4th grade.  This year, my daughter will be reading the following books for the program (not all choices are final at this point): 

Biography:  Jane Austen: The Girl With the Magic Pen! (Gill Hornby)

Adventure:  The Hobbit (J.R.R Tolkien) OR The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (Joan Aiken)

Historical Fiction:  Adam of the Road (Elizabeth Janet Gray)

Fantasy:  Tom’s Midnight Garden (Phillipa Pearce)

Mystery:  Secret of the Old Clock (Carolyn Keene) OR Mandie and the Fiery Rescue (Lois Gladys Leppard)

Folk Tales:  American Tall Tales (Adrien Stoutenburg) AND The Golden Key and Other Stories (George MacDonald)

Nonfiction:  The Great Fire (Jim Murphy)

Humor:  Ginger Pye (Eleanor Estes) OR The Moffats (Eleanor Estes)

Realistic Fiction:  Treasures of the Snow (Patricia M. St. John)

3.  History:  Story of the World, Volume 4: The Modern Age—We supplement with the accompanying activity book and plenty of good literature and videos.

4.  Language:  Easy Grammar:  Grade 6—This will be the second time I’ve used this program, and I find it to be a very effective method for learning grammar.  Along with Easy Grammar, we do Daily Grams: Grade 6 for extra practice. 

5.  Spelling:  All About Spelling, Level 6

6.  Science:  Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Botany and Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics—The chemistry and physics book will be new for us because they hadn’t yet released that title when my oldest was in 6th grade.  We always do two Apologia titles a year between grades 4-6 by doing science daily.  Otherwise, we would never get through them all.

7.  Read-Aloud Time:  I’m hoping to read aloud to my daughter from some classics this year.  We’ll just read as we’re able, so I won’t have a schedule.  Here’s a list of possibilities:  Little Women (Louisa May Alcott), Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll), Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (Kate Douglas Wiggin), The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett), The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (L. Frank Baum), Heidi (Johanna Spyri), Black Beauty (Anna Sewell), and The Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens).

8.  Electives: 

Music—Singing Made Easy, piano, and recorder and Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool Modern Music

Art—Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool Modern Art

Thinking Skills—Critical and Creative Thinking Activities

P.E.—Family Time Fitness

Typing—Typing Instructor for Kids Platinum

Click on links to view my 2015-16 curriculum choices for 2nd and 9th grades.

This post is linked to iHomeschool Network's 7th Annual "Not" Back to School Blog Hop.

Isaac's 6th Grade Reading Log

This will be a running list of books Isaac reads during 6th grade. I will be adding to it throughout the year. This is mostly for my own records. This list includes books I require for school as well as books he is reading on his own. If you'd like to view his 5th grade reading list, click HERE.

1. Children in History: Victorians (Kate Jackson-Bedford)
2. The Adventurous Four (Enid Blyton)
3. Carry On, Mr. Bowditch (Jean Lee Latham)
4. The Adventurous Four Again! (Enid Byton)
5. Rifles for Watie (Harold Keith)
6. The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien)
7. Pigeon Post (Arthur Ransome)
8. Shades of Gray (Carolyn Reeder) [NOT to be confused with another book of similar title!]
9. Trapped at the Bottom of the Sea (Frank E. Peretti)
10. History Spies: The Great Exhibition Mission (Jo Foster)
11. ...If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War (Kay Moore)
12. The Door in the Dragon's Throat (Frank E. Peretti)
13. The Wizard of Oz (L. Frank Baum)
14. Adam of the Road (Elizabeth Janet Gray)
15. The Deadly Curse of Toco-Rey (Frank E. Peretti)
16. The Tombs of Anak (Frank E. Peretti)
17. Tom's Midnight Garden (Philippa Pearce)
18. Peter Duck (Arthur Ransome)
19. Meet Samantha (Susan S. Adler)
20. ...If Your Name was Changed at Ellis Island (Ellen Levine)
21. ...If You Lived at the Time of the Great San Francisco Earthquake (Ellen Levine)
22. Road Race Round the World (Robert B. Jackson)
23. Titanic (Victoria Sherrow)
24. The Mysterious Message (Steve and Susie Castleberry)
25. A Letter to Mrs. Roosevelt (C. Coco de Young)
26. Esperanza Rising (Pam Muñoz Ryan)
27. Toro! Toro! (Michael Morpurgo)
28. Tales of the Greek Heroes (Roger Lancelyn Green)
29. Run for Your Life! (Betty Swinford)
30. Winter Holiday (Arthur Ransome)
31. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Leigh Brackett & Lawrence Kasdan)
32. The Victory Garden (Lee Kochenderfer)
33. Miracles on Maple Hill (Virginia Sorensen)
34. The Great Fire (Jim Murphy)
35. The Enchanted Wood (Enid Blyton)
36. The Magic Faraway Tree (Enid Blyton)
37. The Folk of the Faraway Tree (Enid Blyton)
38. Apollo 13: The Junior Novelization (Dina Anastasio)
39. The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips (Michael Morpurgo)
40. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (Mildred D. Taylor)
41. Cows in Action: The Moo-My's Curse (Steve Cole)
42. Cows in Action: The Ter-Moo-Nators (Steve Cole)
43. Ginger Pye (Eleanor Estes)
44. Kensuke's Kingdom (Michael Morpurgo)
45. Treasures of the Snow (Patricia M. St. John)

SUMMER READING:
1. The Island of Adventure (Enid Blyton)
2. The Castle of Adventure (Enid Blyton)
3. The Valley of Adventure (Enid Blyton)
4. The Sea of Adventure (Enid Blyton)
5. Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator (Roald Dahl)
6. The Ring O' Bells (Enid Blyton)
7. The Rubadub Mystery (Enid Blyton)
8. Stormbreaker (Anthony Horowitz)
9. The Tombs of Anak (Frank E. Peretti)
10. The Deadly Curse of Toco-Rey (Frank E. Peretti)
11. Homer Price (Robert McCloskey)
12. Emil and the Detectives (Erich Kästner)

6th Grade Curriculum

I’ve just about finished ordering curriculum for the upcoming school year.  As of right now, here are my plans for Isaac’s 6th grade.  I will list his subjects by workbox number, but there will only be 8 instead of 12 this time.  I made this change so that Gabriela could have her own boxes, and because I didn’t have the space to add another 12 for her.  I’ll post Moriah’s and Gabriela’s (3rd grade and preschool) separately.

Isaac’s 6th Grade Curriculum

In brief:

Box 1:  Bible—Discover 4 Yourself series

Box 2:  Math—Teaching Textbooks 6 and Life of Fred: Fractions

Box 3:  Reading—Drawn into the Heart of Reading

Box 4:  History—Story of the World, Volume 4: The Modern Age

Also Box 4:  Read aloud time (classics)

Box 5:  Language Arts 1--Easy Grammar, Daily Grams, Vocabulary Cartoons, copywork

Box 6:  Language Arts 2--All About Spelling, Story Builders (writing)

Box 7:  Science—Investigate the Possibilities set (Physical Science) and Exploring Creation with Botany

Box 8:  Extracurricular—Fine Arts, P.E., Thinking Skills (Critical and Creative Thinking Activities)

With explanations:

Box 1:  Bible—Discover 4 Yourself series (This year, we studying Genesis and 2 Timothy).  We’re using the following books: 

God’s Amazing Creation

Digging Up the Past

Abraham: God’s Brave Explorer

Extreme Adventures with God

Joseph: God’s Superhero

Becoming God’s Champion

Box 2:  Math—Teaching Textbooks: Math 6 and Life of Fred: Fractions

Box 3:  Reading—Drawn into the Heart of Reading (I haven’t finalized the book choices)

Biography: Carry On, Mr. Bowditch (Jean Lee Latham)

Adventure: The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien)

Historical Fiction: Adam of the Road (E.J. Gray)

Fantasy: Tom’s Midnight Garden (Phillipa Pearce)

Mystery:  The Mysterious Message (Stephen and Susie Castleberry)

Folk Tale: Tales of the Greek Heroes (Roger Lancelyn Green)

Nonfiction: The Great Fire (Jim Murphy)

Humor:  Ginger Pye (Eleanor Estes)

Realistic Fiction: Treasures of the Snow (Patricia M. St. John)

Box 4:  History—Story of the World, Volume 4 (The Modern Age), supplemental books (historical fiction, nonfiction, biographies), History Pockets: The Civil War

Read-Aloud Time—I will be reading aloud to Isaac from a number of classics.  I’m choosing stories that take place during (or were written during) the same time periods that Isaac is studying.  So far my list includes the following (although we may not get to all of them):

Little Lord Fauntleroy

Little Women (I may only do the first half)

The Mysterious Island

Treasure Island

The Story of the Treasure Seekers

White Fang

Pollyanna

Box 5:  Language Arts 1—Grammar and Vocabulary/Handwriting

Easy Grammar: Grade 6 (Monday-Thursday)

Daily Grams: Grade 6  (daily)

Vocabulary Cartoons (Friday)

Handwriting Practice (Friday)—I’m going to have Isaac do copy work on Fridays (using Bible verses, quotations, book excerpts, etc.) because he needs the practice, particularly with cursive capital letters and overall neatness.  And yes, I am a believer in teaching neat penmanship!

Box 6: Language Arts 2--Spelling and Writing

All About Spelling, Levels 4-6 (Monday-Thursday)--We are most of the way through book 4 and will continue at a normal sort of pace and see where we come out at.

Story Builders: World of Animals (Friday)—I absolutely love WriteShop; however, I felt I had too much for Isaac to do each school day, and he will be doing a lot of writing in other subjects anyway.  I already had the Story Builders set we hadn’t used yet, so I’ll let him do this on Fridays.  I feel like WriteShop C gave him the skills he needs to progress with his writing.  Hopefully it was enough of a foundation, and I think it gave him the confidence he needed. I may change my mind and get WriteShop Junior, book D later in the year

Box 7:  Science—Physical Science and Botany

Investigate the Possibilities set

Exploring Creation with Botany

Box 8: Extracurricular--Fine Arts/P.E./Thinking Skills

Fine Arts (Monday/Friday):  I haven’t decided yet how to teach this.  I found 2 programs that I can purchase online (ebooks), and I love both of them.  However, both programs require supplemental books.  They’re just not in the budget this year.  I may come up with my own program, or I may substitute just art and music.  We’ll see.

Thinking Skills (Tuesday/Wednesday):  Critical and Creative Thinking Activities and other books and games

P.E. (Thursdays):  We do different things for P.E., but the focus is mostly on fun exercise and basic skills.  You can read my P.E. post HERE to see what we generally do for P.E.  I recently purchased a long jumping rope and some plastic bases to add to our P.E. equipment.

I'm also adding a new typing program (Typing Instructor for Kids Platinum) and maybe a little art and music.

I’m linking this post to the “Link Your 2012-2013 Curriculum Picks!” blogroll at {School} Days Gone By.  If you have any questions or need links for any of the curriculum I mentioned, let me know.  Adding links to everything on this list would take more time than I currently have. I did add nearly everything to Amazon widgets in my sidebar, so you can click on that as well.