Mid-Year Curricula Ideas (2nd/3rd grade)

[umsami]

So, we're looking at pulling my second grader from school this week.  Does anybody know of any curricula that are designed for mid-year switchers?  I already have Math  Mammoth, which we can use for math.  But I'm not sure what to do for the rest.  Do people typically just go up a grade for an advanced kid? (He's bored stiff.)

TIA.

[pigpokey]

Singapore has a placement test on the website to let you know what book to order, and the books are by the half-year (2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, etc.)

My children are using Timez Attack for multiplication tables and division facts this year.  There is a placement test when you first create a user, so that known facts are not drilled.

We are using Click N Spell.  There's a place on the site where you can look at a list of all the spelling words.  You could quiz him on them and figure out what lesson to start (it does not do this automatically -- wish it did).  I did this with my child who'd rather be challenged than perfect, and moved him ahead to the point where he missed a word. 

We use Rosetta Stone.  That's grade-independent.

We use Getty-Dubay for writing.  I would think handwriting skill would vary widely within a classroom anyway.  You can view sample pages to figure out what book to start in.

I think you'll find that homeschooling is super flexible.  If you can't look at something ahead of time and you find out it's too easy, you can send it back or sell it. If it's too hard, put it away and buy the book before it.

[IncompetentHousewife]

I wonder if you might be best off just looking at where your son is in each area, then finding curriculum that would meet his needs. I mean rather than saying he's halfway through second grade, think about what skills he has and what he can learn next. If he can add and subtract multiple digit numbers and is ready for multiplication, look for curriculum that fits that need. Or if he knows parts of speech, but not punctuation, or whatever skill in whatever subject.

Because homeschoolers tend to not associate so much with grade levels and more with wherever their children are, I don't think you'd have much luck finding something specifically geared toward midyear. My advice would be yes, if he's bored and more challenging work would satisfy his curiosity, then by all means go for it. While you could buy materials labeled for third grade, it might work better to look at the scope and sequence charts offered by curriculum publishers, or do the placement tests, to determine exactly where he should be.

Maybe a child should be in 5th grade math, but 2nd grade language and 1st grade something else. It's up to you!

Best of luck.

[Rik-E]

Marking my spot -- we just pulled my son from 2nd grade at a charter school this week. So far we have a plan of math, reading, writing, and science experiments with a GeoSafari, telescope, arts/ crafts, and tumbling thrown in.