I thought it was time for a mid-year eighth grade homeschool curriculum update. We have definitely made some changes and had one really big loser curriculum. Read on and find out what is working and what I feel is one of the worst science curriculums we’ve ever seen. Here are our winners, losers, and changes for our eighth grade homeschool curriculum.
This post contains affiliate links, including Amazon associate links. If you purchase through my links, I may be compensated. Thank you for supporting this site! You can read my affiliate and advertising disclosure here.
Math U See Pre-Algebra
This one has stayed the same, but also changed. We are sticking with Math U See, but we changed the plan. Originally I thought he would finish pre-algebra before Christmas (he did), then he would go right into Algebra 1 (he didn’t). Let me explain.
My oldest has never been a mathy kid. He’s always gotten through it and “passed” each level, but I can’t say he ever mastered or conquered math. The thought of moving into Algebra and beyond was starting to make me a little anxious. My sister told me that she felt Algebra 1 was tough for her kid to get through. I started thinking maybe we should do a pre-algebra re-do, not because of failure, because he didn’t fail, but so that he can truly master the material. I will probably write another post about our do over, because it really is a positive thing. He is quickly moving through his pre-algebra do over and will start algebra 1 when he is done.
Math U See: Winner
Essentials in Writing
He already finished this one for the year! I switched him to level eight Essentials in Writing part way through seventh grade, so he finished it up already.
Instead of starting the next level, he’s been enjoying creative writing. He picks his writing project, then sets a timer and writes until the timer tells him to stop. He has written stories, video game instructions, created a board game and created several weird characters that will fit somewhere.
Essentials in Writing: Winner
Essentials in Literature
I really like this curriculum. This is our first time using it and it’s as good as I expected coming from the Essentials in Writing people. I love that he is studying so many different types of literature. The novel for Essentials in Writing Eight is Night by Elie Wiesel, which is a beautiful story of a Holocaust survivor. Carter wrote an excellent article on Hitler’s rise to power that was inspired by this story. If you can’t tell, I really like this one.
Essentials in Literature: Winner
Spelling You See
This is one that I really like, but Carter asked to switch. Spelling is this kid’s Achilles heel and he just didn’t feel like this was working for him. Spelling You See is very visual as the name suggests, but he is not a visual learner. He also deals with dyslexia so we decided to go with a more targeted spelling program. We switched to Apples and Pears and it’s going really well. We will go through the whole series, probably by the end of next year, then we will call it done for spelling instruction.
Even though we switched, I have no complaints about Spelling You See
Spelling You See: Neither Winner or Loser
Beautiful Feet Books Modern American and World History
We have always like Beautiful Feet and this one is no different. It’s a lot of reading to keep up with, so I do some as read alouds and he reads some of the books independently. While I love the study of history, I don’t want it to be the main priority of our homeschool because there are other things that are also important to learn. Dividing up the books between us helps to not overload the history study.
Beautiful Feet Books Modern American and World History: Winner
Master Books Historical Geology
Okay, here we go. I am going to try to be as nice as possible, but I am a tell it like it is person so I make no guarantees. This is probably the worst science curriculum I’ve ever seen. Like really, really bad. There are lot’s of Master Books offerings that we have really liked, but my honest opinion is that they should stop publishing this course because they lose credibility by putting this out there. I don’t know where to even begin to tell you all of the reasons we have such a low opinion of this one. You know it’s bad when your kid pauses the video every five seconds to tell me what was wrong. And the kid hosting the videos…I don’t want to criticize a child, but the adults behind this series should be taken out back and beat. They made this kid look like an annoying know it all and it is just really terrible. Again, it’s not the kid’s fault, I’m sure he didn’t write the script.
Anyway, this is my very honest opinion. It didn’t take us long to toss this one. We ended up going with a different course from Master Books (see, I like some of their stuff). He is now using General Science 1, and it’s so much better. These books are professionally written and actually contain science, which is what I look for in a science course.
Master Books Historical Geology: Big Loser
Living Art Lessons from Master Books
This is one we haven’t done. We ended up joining a Charlotte Mason style co-op that offers art instruction, so we aren’t doing the Living Art Lessons. I am holding onto this curriculum as it looks beautiful, but we don’t have a need for it at the moment.
Master Books Introduction to Logic
I think this is Carter’s favorite subject this year! He absolutely loves this one. There have been situations where adults have said some things and he took out his logic book and told me why the thing the adults said was a bad argument. We only wish that this author would write another logic course.
Introduction to Logic: Winner
Homeschooling High School Coming Soon
We are about to enter the high school years here at My Homeschool with a View and I am in full planning and preparing mode. I am excited to take you all on this adventure with us. You will get to read a lot more about planning and preparing for homeschooling high school in the weeks and months to come. Right now I am in the process of deciding what I want the high school years to look like. Stay tuned!