5th Grade Homeschool Curriculum Choices

Back in my classroom days, the fifth graders down the hall kinda scared me. They had reached the age when school just wasn't cool anymore. They'd roll their eyes and sigh great heaves of exasperation at any and all authority figures.

But my fifth grader? He's naturally curious and passionate about learning. His eyes still light up when he discovers something new. Which is great, because there's lots of NEW on his horizon.

Here's what he'll be learning this year.

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Items with an asterisk indicate a new-to-us resource. All subjects will be completed four times a week unless otherwise noted. 

Content-rich Subjects

As in year's past, he will do most of his content-rich subjects like morning time/Bible, history, science, art, and creative writing with his siblings. You can see all of those curriculum choices here>>>

Personal Devotions-everyday

• ESV Seek-and-Find Bible
• How To Study Your Bible for Kids

Language

• BJU English 5
• Continue to add the final drafts of his BJU English writing assignments to his writer's notebook. (every few weeks)
• All About Spelling levels 4 & 5
• Read for pleasure. (everyday)
• Read a book that I assign to him each month (classics, biographies, exceptional fiction).
• Complete one Reading Horizons lesson each day. (While my son reads and comprehends at grade level, he has a mild neurological disorder that is often accompanied by dyslexia. Although we have never had him formally tested for reading struggles, we can see some tell-tale signs. Daily phonics practice in some form or another helps to keep all of these reading skills "well-greased" making his oral and silent reading time so much more smooth. Reading Horizons is an on-line game based phonics program that has helped him immensely.)

Math

• Teaching Textbooks 6
• Minute Math Drills- While I absolutely love the Teaching Textbooks math program, I do not think that it drills basic math concepts enough. I'm a firm believer that until a child can prattle off math facts quickly from memory, he does not actually know them. He might know the concept of HOW to add, subtract, multiply, and divide. But, does not actually know the facts. In order to have success at higher level math, a child should be able to recall math families with speed and accuracy. 

Copywork

• Character Handwriting Cursive***- Last year, my son did daily copywork exercises that emphasized quotations from famous heroes of the faith and the country. Why not build character while also teaching proper grammar, mechanics, and handwriting? The only problem was, I had to hand pick the selections for him each week and that took time...something that I had precious little of during the school year. This past spring, I stumbled upon Character Handwriting which emphasizes character traits through copywork. My son will still be able to rehurse the quotations of noteworthy men and women of history. But now, I won't have to find and organize them all myself!

Critical Thinking/World View

• Created for Work (1x a week)- This is the second in a three-part series for boys designed to nurture Godly character and bold manhood. He will read this one-time-a-week in place of his normal mom-assigned book. 
• Mind Benders level 4 (1x a week)

Life Skills

• He will continue his child-of-the-day privileges and responsibilities. 
• The Boy's Body Book
• Typing Instructor for Kids (1x a week)
• Code Monkey*** (This is the PBL topic he has chosen to start his year with.)

I feel like he's heading into all the BIG STUFF and I'm so excited for him! He's gonna do great and I can't wait to cheer from the sideline.