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Writer's pictureNiki Lavin

8th Grade Curriculum Picks 2023/24


It's so hard for me to believe, but our oldest will be working on her 8th grade year this upcoming 2023 - 2024 school year. Which means we are entering our 9th year of homeschooling. Crazy talk y'all!


We are both excited and a little nervous about what that means. Highschool is just around the corner. Time to start getting serious about what we are covering and what we need to cover to be ready. I will share more about that process in another post. Today's focus... what we are using for her 8th grade year!


Disclaimer: All of the images below are links to where you can find the curriculum. Some links are affiliate links. This means that I may receive a few cents if you decide to purchase. There is no additional charge to you.



Math

We made the switch to Saxon Algebra 1 at the tail end of her 7th grade year. We are also using Nicole the Math Lady to teach those lessons. So far things are going well. It takes her a little longer than her previous lessons (Math U See), but we are adjusting to that.


She is using Nicole the Math Lady for lesson instruction and really enjoying it. I love that it records are all of her work so that I have a record and I don't have to grade it! It makes my life that much easier.



Language Arts

This category has several pieces we are using:

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Grammar

We used Fix-it Grammar! last year for the first time and fell head over heals in love with the program. She will be continuing with that. She will be finishing up Level 3 and then start on Level 4. One note about this program, I wish I had started her a level before the one we started with. So you may want to think about starting a level lower than you think. It was not that it was too hard for her, but I feel like she could have used a little stronger foundation.



Literature

We have been using Brave Writer for many years and just keeping coming back to it. So we will continue to use the Dart Level (maybe a few Boomerang as well) for the upcoming year. We may try a different brand of Literature Guide here and there along the way, but mostly the Brave Writer ones.


Spelling/Word Study

This year we will be trying out the Spelling Connections from Zanner Bloser. It is not just spelling, but also word study. I think it is going to be a good addition for her. We just ordered it, so we will not start it until late August. But we will keep you updated once we try it out.



Word Study

We will also continue Root Words form Critical Learning Company. We do this as a group with my almost 4th grader as well. They really love it, so we will be continuing it. We are about halfway through the beginner level, but if we finish, we will move on to the next level. This has really helped with decoding and spelling.


Writing

We will be trying out something new to us this year for composition. We will be trying Layers of Learning Writer's Workshop. So far I'm really loving the idea. It is short and sweet lessons that you can pick and choose, but they are still scripted and ready to go for you. A win-win for me! I will of course update you guys once we've started using it!


History/Science

This year we will be using The Big History Project from OER Project. It covers History from the Big Bang, so there is a heavy science focus as well. For that reason, we will be combining History and Science into one unit this year. Here are all the resources we will be using:


Big History Project

It is a free curriculum intended for public schools, but it can be adapted for homeschooling. It is an online program. I shared a video more about this on my YouTube channel here:





Curiosity Chronicles

We will be using this as a spine to expand on the Big History Project when we get to the written history part of the timeline. It is recommended for younger students, and we will be using it together with younger sister. We will be adding a few more text for my 8th grader to expand on the subject content. They are:




History Quest: Ancient Times

I originally purchased both Curiosity Chronicles and History Quest because I could not decide which I preferred based on the samples along. My intent was to sell the one I didn't like as much. But when I got them, I liked both of them. I did prefer the teacher manual and activities from Curiosity Chronicles, so we will be using those. But we will be using the text (and a little of the Study Guide) in conjunction with Curiosity Chronicles.





Science Chunks

This is a neutral program (not secular), but I have not see anything I find blatantly un-secular for our family so far. So we are going with it. I love that they are scripted activities with complete directions, literature based, and easy to follow activities. Yet there is still flexibility to learn what we want, when we want. We will be using the units that tie into our Big History Project well. They are meant for a younger age range, so we will supplement with videos from Crash Course and a few texts:














Art

We will also be using Layers of Learning for art this year. We will be using Art Beginnings. I starts with a little bit of art basics, but we will be skipping that part as we have covered that recently. We will start with the second part that starts with covering art through history. I'm super excited because it lines up very well with our history/science unit.


Family Subjects

This may be one of our last years to try to get in some full family learning. So we will be doing two literature unit studies and Woven Melodies together as a family this year. We will be covering Winnie-the-Pooh and the Beatrix Poter series. I will share more about those later. We will also complete Woven Melodies from Thistles and Biscuits.



Computer Science

We will be using a combination of Google Applied Digital Skills and Typing Instruction to work on computer safety and typing skills.

I shared a video over on my channel about the Google Classroom and Google Applied Digital Skills if you would like more information.

Watch Here: https://youtu.be/0T5HV6hcQP0



Online Course

In Florida there are no specific requirements for graduation from homeschooling. But I am going to follow the requirements for public school students to make it easier for her to get into college if she decides to go. One of the requirements in our state is they must complete one online course. I do not want that course in high school to be her first attempt at an online course, so she will complete a digital art course this year through our state virtual school.


If you would like to hear more about these choices including why and how we choose them, check out the video over on YouTube:



What curriculum are you most excited to be using in the upcoming 2023 - 2024 school year? Have you tried any of these curriculum? What did you think about them? If you have/had an 8th grader, what was your favorite curriculum?



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