Over the past month or so, I have compiled the typical course of study from grades 1-12. The purpose is to let you know what public school children around the country are studying, and to give a guideline to anyone who might want to write their own curriculum based on what most kids are learning at the same time. As homeschoolers, however, many of us are free to deviate from that typical course of study (depending upon the rules in your state). The question is, however, just how much should we deviate? While we want our kids to have unique … Continue reading →

In previous years, most schools required 3 years of math for graduation. These days, most school districts in most states require a student study math for four years. There are several different math courses for a student to choose from according to their comfort and success with math. If your student is college bound, they will want to take the most difficult courses. Typical math courses for high schools students include: General mathematics (also called math 1) is for students who don’t intend to go to college teaches subjects like ratio, proportion, measurement, budgeting, insurance, taxation, elementary algebra, informal geometry … Continue reading →

Middle school is a time when students are growing physically at break-neck speed and also going through a bit of emotional turmoil. Perhaps that is the reason many school and curriculum designers spend these three years teaching the same subject matter each year, adding slightly more detailed level each year. This may also be the reason that many homeschoolers, who have a bit less social stress than middle school public schoolers then do complete middle school in one or two years instead of the usual three. In summarizing the basic curriculum for sixth, seventh, and eighth grade, I have condensed … Continue reading →

Middle school math, i.e. 6th 7th and 8th grade math are generally the same math concepts repeated at a slightly greater difficulty each year. It basically prepares students for algebra. If middle school students do, very well with middle school math they can start Algebra in 8th grade. Here are the concepts your middle school student must master (at 90% accuracy) before moving on to Algebra. Place Value: Students should be able to name place value up to a billion Decimals: Estimating, rounding, adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing and conversion to fractions Percent: Students should be able to calculate a percentage … Continue reading →