7th grade next year

[Gypsymama22girls]

Anyone have any textbook/workbook/other book recommendations for homeschooling a 7th grader? We are Jewish so I don't want any religious recommendations unless they are Jewish based. But other ideas are welcomed specifically math, language arts and life science that avoids the creation/evolution theme.

Thanks for any ideas!!!

[mom2ponygirl]

Is your 7th grader ready for pre-algebra or algebra?  Do they really like math and are they strong in math?  I can give better recommendations with a little more info.  

Life science, check out Plato Life science at www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.com  It is free to join the co-op and they have great deals on lots of curriculum.  Singapore science is solid as well, www.singaporemath.com. 

We liked the 7th grade Lightning literature from Hewitt Homeschool.  It contains some grammar/vocab/writing components as well.  Hewitt sells Christian curriculum, but the Lightning LIt is secular.  That was very important to me.

However, for even better grammar, vocabulary, and writing books, check out www.rfwp.com and look at the Michael Clay Thompson books.  They are awesome.  He is coming out with a new literature curriculum this fall. 

HTH - My daughter and I have been planning some stuff for next year which will be 8th grade on her paperwork, although we really don't stick to grade levels.  

[tankgirl73]

Heh, there are just so many options out there, so a little more info on what your 7th grader is interested in, their strengths and weaknesses, learning styles etc, would be helpful.

My son is currently 'in 7th grade' right now though we don't really "do" grades.  I'll tell you what resources we've been using this year if that's helpful.

RightStart intermediate math (Geometry)

Teaching Textbooks Pre-Algebra

Life of Fred Pre-Algebra I With Biology

Live! Online Math Pre-Algebra (did the trial in the fall, will do Algebra program with them next year)

Mathletics (website)

Tenmarks (website)

Intellego Unit Studies -- WWII; Whales; Baseball

Teacher's Book Bag Unit Studies -- Our Ocean Community

Sequential Spelling (finished level 1, starting 2)

L'art de lire (just finishing level 3)

Ecouter parlez (currently in book 4)

Misc. french reading resources

Boomerang literature units

Ellen J McHenry's The Elements

Meet the Masters art study

Harmony Arts - Ancient Art and the Orchestra

Music Theory - Beginning Rudiments

Italics: Beautiful Handwriting for Children

KidCoder Computer Programming (completed Windows course, now doing Game Programming)

Geography Colouring Book

Mosaic Introduction to World History

Philosophy for Kids

There's also lots of reading, of course, as well as knitting, music practice, science kits he gets as gifts, other crafts, etc.  It looks like way too much on paper but he actually only does a little bit at a time.  We're very influenced by Charlotte Mason and Waldorf in terms of scheduling, methodology, etc as well, so I also have some general "how-to" resources on those topics.  

[AnnR33]

Here are some things I am using for sure:

Teaching Textbooks 7 and then Pre-Algebra

Life of fred Fractions (this is a weak area for my son so this is a supplement)

Growing with Grammar 7 (will finish 6 mid year)

Write Shop

Oak Meadow Science

Oak Meadow History

Lightening Lit 7 (Hewitt Publishing)

Here are things I've looked at or still looking at or may use later:

Oak Meadow English 7

Prentice Hall Science Explorer series

Teaching Company Great Courses on DVD:

World history with Linwood Thompson

Understanding Astronomy

Physics in Your Life

I'm still looking for geography.

I second Ellen McHenry's The Elements-we are using it this summer