My curriculum maps are organized by grade level with a whole year of monthly curriculum calendars. We do 48 weeks of school with 4 weeks off at different times of the year to accommodate our work and vacation schedules. None of our days are fully packed with school since I’m balancing working full-time from home as well as homeschooling in these curriculum map lesson calendars. If you have more time or more motivated kids, you could always compress the schedule into 6 months or add additional lessons that fit your learning goals.
If you’d like the calendar Word version (pictured here) that you can edit to customize, please visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store. You get the whole package of curated monthly curriculum map homeschool resources for Pre-K through 10th grade for less than $20. Completely worth it considering the hundreds of hours it took me to compile this resource and then format it into something incredibly useable. If you do purchase, thank you for your support! This resource is for personal use only.
If you’d just like the lists for each month, scroll down.
The learning blocks contain links to a variety of resources including free printables, Teachers Pay Teachers printables, Amazon games/workbooks/toys/products, paid print curriculums, free online subscriptions, paid online subscriptions, YouTube videos, free blogs/websites demonstrating hands-on science experiments or art projects, specialty educational products, etc. Recommended books are listed for each month. I also encourage kids to pick out any books they want to read at the library a couple times a month.
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September
8th Grade (age 13)
20 days of lessons if complete 2 lessons per day.
Science
- Gardening
- Energy (Khan Academy)
- Waves (Khan Academy)
- What Materials Can Block a Wi-Fi Signal?
- Build your own survival kit
- Pixar in a Box – Unit 2 – Lesson 1 (Khan Academy)
- Pixar in a Box – Unit 2 – Lesson 2 (Khan Academy)
- Pixar in a Box – Unit 2 – Lesson 3 (Khan Academy)
- CodaKid: fun coding and game design for kids
- Creation Crate
Math
- Expressions, equations, and inequalities – Two-step equations intro
- Expressions, equations, and inequalities – Two-step equations with decimals and fractions
- Expressions, equations, and inequalities – Two-step equation word problems
- Expressions, equations, and inequalities – One-step inequalities
- Expressions, equations, and inequalities – Two-step inequalities
- Generation Genius – Area and Circumference of Circles
- Generation Genius – How Many Triangles Can You Make?
- Generation Genius – Scale Drawings (Using Scale Factor)
- Geometry – Area and circumference of circles
- Geometry – Area and circumference challenge problems
English
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 1
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 1
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 1
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 1
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 2
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 2
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 2
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 2
- Outline/Write 600-word Essay: What are you most proud of accomplishing? How do you feel when you reflect on it?
- Write/Edit 600-word Essay: What are you most proud of accomplishing? How do you feel when you reflect on it?
Social Studies
- American Revolution Video 1
- American Revolution Video 2 + Make a timeline of the major events leading up to and during the Revolution
- Washington State History Short Video + Make a timeline of the major events and people in WA history
- Colonizing America Video
- English Colonists and Native Peoples Video
- DIY George Washington White Wig (sign of class and power for colonists)
- Declaration of Independence Video + Choose one person who signed the Declaration of Independence and research that person’s importance in our history
- US Constitution Video + discuss liberty and patriotism
- The Seven Years War Video
- Native Americans Video
Books
- The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings Part 1) – J.R.R. Tolkien
- Animal Farm – George Orwell
October
8th Grade (age 13)
20 days of lessons if complete 2 lessons per day.
Science
- solar desalination
- Solar System, Planets, and Space Video + Create planet bookmarks
- The Reasons for the Seasons
- Watch PBS Nova Video: Looking for Life on Mars – Full Documentary
- The Moon and Tides
- First Aid Race
- Pixar in a Box – Unit 2 – Lesson 4 (Khan Academy)
- Pixar in a Box – Unit 2 – Lesson 5 (Khan Academy)
- Pixar in a Box – Unit 2 – Lesson 6 (Khan Academy)
- CodaKid: fun coding and game design for kids
Math
- Geometry – Vertical, complementary, and supplementary angles
- Geometry – Missing angle problems
- Geometry – Constructing triangles
- Geometry – Slicing geometric shapes
- Geometry – Scale copies
- Geometry – Scale drawings
- Geometry – Volume and surface area word problems
- Generation Genius – Probability: Single Events
- Generation Genius – Probability: Compound Events
- Statistics and Probability – Basic probability
English
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 3
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 3
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 3
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 3
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 4
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 4
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 4
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 4
- Research/Outline Research Paper on Student-Chosen Topic
- Write/Edit Research Paper
Social Studies
- Research different types of government systems and create a Venn Diagram comparing a direct democracy and a representative democracy. Include at least 4 items (with examples) in each part of the Venn Diagram.
- Linocut Block Print
- Purpose of Government Video + Discuss types of government and what they do for their people
- American Revolution Facts Video + Add on to your previously made timeline of the major events leading up to and during the American Revolution
- Field Trip: Tour your state capitol
- Taxes and Smuggling American Revolution Video
- Who Won the American Revolution? Video
- Make a map to show European settlement across the Americas (with dates) overlapped with Native American tribal lands
- Quakers, the Dutch, Ladies, Salem Witch Trials, and Colonial Economics Video
- The Constitution, Articles, and Federalism Video
Books
November
8th Grade (age 13)
20 days of lessons if complete 2 lessons per day.
Science
- Movement and Forces (Khan Academy)
- Newton’s 2nd law of motion experiments (acceleration (gaining speed) happens when a force acts on a mass (object).) + video about 2nd law
- Forces at a Distance (Khan Academy)
- Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion – Experiments and Learning
- Pixar in a Box – Unit 3 – Lesson 1 (Khan Academy)
- Pixar in a Box – Unit 4 – Lesson 1 (Khan Academy)
- Pixar in a Box – Unit 4 – Lesson 2 (Khan Academy)
- Kid’s Choice Science Experiment
- CodaKid: fun coding and game design for kids
- Creation Crate
Math
- Statistics and Probability – Probability models
- Statistics and Probability – Compound events and sample spaces
- Statistics and Probability – Comparing and sampling populations
- Get ready for numbers and operations – Converting fractions to decimals
- Get ready for numbers and operations – Exponents
- Get ready for numbers and operations – Evaluating exponent expressions
- Get ready for numbers and operations – Order of operations
- Get ready for numbers and operations – Powers of ten
- Get ready for numbers and operations – Multiplying and dividing with powers of ten
- Get ready for numbers and operations – Estimating with multiplying and dividing decimals
English
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 5
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 5
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 5
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 5
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 6
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 6
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 6
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 6
- Haiku Poetry
- Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) – Fix It! Grammar Level 5
Social Studies
- Since Time Immemorial – Washington State History-7th Grade – Unit 1: Fighting for Independence and Framing the Constitution: Revolution and Constitution in Indian Country
- Since Time Immemorial – Washington State History-7th Grade – Unit 2: Slavery, Expansion, and Removal: Jackson, Marshall, and Indian Removal
- Politics After the Constitution Video
- Discussion: What was it like to be a pioneer?
- The Scrambled States of America Game
- Thomas Jefferson and Democracy Video + Read a short biography of Jefferson
- The War of 1812 Video + Create a comic strip that explains how the War of 1812 began
- Slavery Video + Read about abolitionists
- Read about the Underground Railroad and learn how people navigated by the stars + DIY constellation cards
- Age of President Andrew Jackson Video + Read a short biography of Andrew Jackson
Books
- The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings Part 3) – J.R.R. Tolkien
- Lord of the Flies – William Golding
December
8th Grade (age 13)
1 week of Winter Break between Christmas and New Year’s Day
16 days of lessons if complete 2 lessons per day.
Science
- separating water into hydrogen and oxygen
- Kinetic energy, mass, speed graph activity + watch a relevant YouTube video if have time
- build a light bulb
- rainbow flames
- Pixar in a Box – Unit 5 – Lesson 1 (Khan Academy)
- Pixar in a Box – Unit 5 – Lesson 2 (Khan Academy)
- CodaKid: fun coding and game design for kids
- Creation Crate
Math
- Get ready for solving equations and systems of equations – Algebraic equations basics
- Get ready for solving equations and systems of equations – One-step addition and subtraction equations
- Get ready for solving equations and systems of equations – One-step multiplication and division equations
- Get ready for solving equations and systems of equations – Combining like terms
- Get ready for solving equations and systems of equations – The distributive property and equivalent expressions
- Get ready for solving equations and systems of equations – Two-step equations intro
- Get ready for solving equations and systems of equations – Two-step equations with decimals and fractions
- Generation Genius – Intro to Functions
English
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 7
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 7
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 7
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 7
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 8
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 8
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 8
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 8
Social Studies
- War and Expansion Video
- Create a map of the US with callouts on regional weather/climate patterns
- The Election of 1860 and the Road to Disunion Video
- Civil War Part 1 Video
- Civil War Part 2 Video + Make a timeline of the major events leading up to and during the Civil War
- Cooking – Civil War Snacks (Hardtack)
- 1876 and Reconstruction Video + Teach younger sibling/parent what you just learned
- Industrial Economy Video
Books
January
8th Grade (age 13)
20 days of lessons if complete 2 lessons per day.
Science
- Former FBI Agent Explains Criminal Profiling Video + Research criminology and/or serial killers
- fingerprint analysis
- How Well Do Disinfectants Work?
- Watch PBS Nova Arctic Sinkholes Documentary + Discuss
- Explore Fox Permafrost Tunnel: Facts, Research, Virtual Tour
- Watch PBS Nova: This Cave Has Been Frozen Since the Last Ice Age
- Pixar in a Box – Unit 6 – Lesson 1 (Khan Academy)
- Pixar in a Box – Unit 6 – Lesson 2 (Khan Academy)
- CodaKid: fun coding and game design for kids
- Creation Crate
Math
- Get ready for linear equations and functions – Constant of proportionality
- Get ready for linear equations and functions – Compare and interpret constant of proportionality
- Get ready for linear equations and functions – Identifying proportional relationships
- Get ready for linear equations and functions – Graphs of proportional relationships
- Get ready for linear equations and functions – Equations of proportional relationships
- Get ready for geometry – Coordinate plane
- Get ready for geometry – Polygons on the coordinate plane
- Get ready for geometry – Missing angle problems
- Generation Genius – Square Roots and Cube Roots
- Generation Genius – Irrational Numbers
English
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 9
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 9
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 9
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 9
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 10
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 10
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 10
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 10
- Outline/Write 700-word Essay: Write an alternate version of an event from your life as the antagonist rather than protagonist.
- Write/Edit 700-word Essay: Write an alternate version of an event from your life as the antagonist rather than protagonist.
Social Studies
- Art Kit from Let’s Make Art
- Discussion: Do CEOs of big corporations deserve to make as much money as they do? Why or why not?
- Growth, Cities, and Immigration Video + Genealogy: Where did our ancestors immigrate from?
- Westward Expansion Video + Research: why did cowboys wear bandanas?
- Gilded Age Politics Video
- Progressive Era Video
- Progressive Era Presidents Video
- American Imperialism Video
- America in World War 1 Video
- Woman’s Suffrage Video
Books
February
8th Grade (age 13)
20 days of lessons if complete 2 lessons per day.
Science
- Make a Lichtenberg Figure
- What Is An Atom And How Do We Know?
- compare electrolytes
- Wind Energy: interactive virtual lab
- Kid’s choice science experiment
- Pixar in a Box – Unit 7 – Lesson 1 (Khan Academy)
- Pixar in a Box – Unit 7 – Lesson 2 (Khan Academy)
- Art Project
- CodaKid: fun coding and game design for kids
- Creation Crate
Math
- Numbers and operations – Repeating decimals
- Numbers and operations – Square roots and cube roots
- Numbers and operations – Irrational numbers
- Numbers and operations – Approximating irrational numbers
- Numbers and operations – Exponents with negative bases
- Numbers and operations – Exponents properties intro
- Numbers and operations – Negative exponents
- Numbers and operations – Exponent properties
- Generation Genius – Scientific Notation
- Numbers and operations – Working with powers of 10
English
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 11
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 11
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 11
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 11
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 12
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 12
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 12
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 12
- Outline/Write 600-word Essay: What does it mean to be a part of a community?
- Write/Edit 600-word Essay: What does it mean to be a part of a community?
Social Studies
- Since Time Immemorial – Washington State History-7th Grade – Unit 3: Civil War and Reconstruction: Indian Treaties: Goals and Effects
- Read: Compare 3 works of literature with a similar theme (800-word essay)
- Outline: Compare 3 works of literature with a similar theme (800-word essay)
- Write: Compare 3 works of literature with a similar theme (800-word essay)
- Edit/Revise: Compare 3 works of literature with a similar theme (800-word essay)
- The Roaring 20s Video
- The Great Depression Video + Imagine you and your family are living in a time of Depression. How would you help your family survive without much money to live in?
- The New Deal Video
- World War 2 Part 1 Video + Create a timeline of WW2 events (to continue with 2nd video)
- World War 2 Part 2 Video + Finish Timeline of WW2 Events
Books
March
8th Grade (age 13)
20 days of lessons if complete 2 lessons per day.
Science
- build an infinity mirror
- Price vs Quality of variety of brands of some product experiment
- How Does Color Affect Heating by Absorption of Light?
- iodine and starch
- Kid’s choice science experiment
- Gardening
- Pixar in a Box – Unit 8 – Lesson 1 (Khan Academy)
- Pixar in a Box – Unit 8 – Lesson 2 (Khan Academy)
- CodaKid: fun coding and game design for kids
- Creation Crate
Math
- Numbers and operations – Scientific notation intro
- Numbers and operations – Arithmetic with numbers in scientific notation
- Numbers and operations – Scientific notation word problems
- Solving equations with one unknown – Equations with variables on both sides
- Solving equations with one unknown – Equations with parentheses
- Solving equations with one unknown – Number of solutions to equations
- Solving equations with one unknown – Equations word problems
- Generation Genius – Determine the Number of Solutions for Linear Equations
- Generation Genius – Graphing Linear Equations: Slope and y-intercept (y=mx+b)
- Linear equations and functions – Graphing proportional relationships
English
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 13
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 13
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 13
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 13
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 14
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 14
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 14
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 14
- Outline/Write 500-word Essay: Write about a person or activity that makes you feel inspired.
- Write/Edit 500-word Essay: Write about a person or activity that makes you feel inspired.
Social Studies
- Since Time Immemorial – Washington State History-7th Grade – Unit 4: Development and Struggles in the West: The Dawes Act
- The Cold War Video
- The Cold War in Asia Video
- Civil Rights and the 1950s Video
- The 1960s in America Video
- Ford, Carter, and Economic Malaise Video
- The Reagan Revolution Video
- The Rise of Conservatism Video
- George HW Bush and the End of the Cold War Video
- Women in the 19th Century Video
Books
- The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking Book 1) – Patrick Ness
- The Making of America: Susan B. Anthony – Teri Kanefield
April
8th Grade (age 13)
20 days of lessons if complete 2 lessons per day.
Science
- cast animal tracks
- Watch Crash Course Videos on Heredity (#9), Natural Selection (#14), Speciation (#15), and Population Genetics (#18)
- Natural and Artificial Selection (Khan Academy)
- The Chemistry of Clean: Make Your Own Soap to Study Soap Synthesis
- Draw types of clouds and research how they form + Make a Cloud Spotter
- Newton’s cradle momentum
- Kid’s choice science experiment
- Kid’s choice science experiment
- CodaKid: fun coding and game design for kids
- Creation Crate
Math
- Linear equations and functions – Solutions to linear equations
- Linear equations and functions – Intercepts
- Linear equations and functions – Slope
- Linear equations and functions – Intro to slope-intercept form
- Linear equations and functions – Graphing slope-intercept form
- Linear equations and functions – Writing slope-intercept equations
- Linear equations and functions – Functions
- Linear equations and functions – Linear models
- Generation Genius – Solve Systems of Equations
- Linear equations and functions – Comparing linear functions
English
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 15
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 15
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 15
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 15
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 16
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 16
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 16
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 16
- Outline/Write 500-word Essay: What does it mean to be emotionally intelligent?
- Write/Edit 500-word Essay: What does it mean to be emotionally intelligent?
Social Studies
- Study the US Bill of Rights. Add five more rights that you believe should be guaranteed to every citizen of a country.
- The Clinton Years and the 1990s Video
- Civil Rights Movement Video
- US Government Power Structures Video + Describe and Compare the 10 Government Structures: Democracy, Communism, Socialism, Oligarchy, Aristocracy, Monarchy, Theocracy, Colonialism, Totalitarianism, Military Dictatorship
- Terrorism and Bush 43 Video
- Obamanation Video
- Agricultural Revolution Video
- Mesopotamia Video
- Ancient Egypt Video
- Indus Valley Civilization Video
Books
- The Ask and the Answer (Chaos Walking Book 2) – Patrick Ness
- Graceling (Graceling Realm, book 1) – Kristin Cashore
May
8th Grade (age 13)
1 week of Spring Break for family vacation
16 days of lessons if complete 2 lessons per day.
Science
- Outline a Video
- Record a Video
- Edit a Video
- Research/Outline Research Paper on Student-Chosen Topic
- Write Research Paper on Student-Chosen Topic
- Edit/Revise Research Paper
- CodaKid: fun coding and game design for kids
- Creation Crate
Math
- Linear equations and functions – Constructing linear models for real-world relationships
- Linear equations and functions – Recognizing functions
- Linear equations and functions – Linear and nonlinear functions
- Systems of equations – Intro to systems of equations
- Systems of equations – Systems of equations with graphing
- Systems of equations – Solving systems with substitution
- Systems of equations – Number of solutions to systems of equations
- Systems of equations – Systems of equations word problems
English
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 17
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 17
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 17
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 17
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 18
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 18
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 18
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 18
Social Studies
- Discussion: Do you think euthanasia is moral?
- The Persians and the Greeks Video
- Buddha and Ashoka Video
- Crash Course U.S. Government and Politics Video
- Bicameral Congress Video
- Separation of Power and Checks and Balances Video
- Federalism Video
- Constitutional Compromises Video
Books
- Monsters of Men (Chaos Walking Book 3) – Patrick Ness
- Fire (Graceling Realm, book 2) – Kristin Cashore
June
8th Grade (age 13)
20 days of lessons if complete 2 lessons per day.
Science
- Gardening
- ATP & Cellular Respiration: Crash Course Biology #7 Video
- Photosynthesis: Crash Course Biology #8 Video about transforming light energy to stored chemical energy
- nitrogen fixing bacteria
- water and plant growth
- fertilizer and algae
- CodaKid: fun coding and game design for kids
- Creation Crate
- Generation Genius – Angle Relationships in Triangles and Transversals
- Generation Genius – Pythagorean Theorem
Math
- Generation Genius – Volume of Cylinders, Cones, and Spheres
- Geometry – Angles between intersecting lines
- Geometry – Triangle angles
- Geometry – Pythagorean theorem
- Geometry – Pythagorean theorem application
- Geometry – Pythagorean theorem and distance between points
- Geometry – Pythagorean theorem proofs
- Geometry – Volume
- Generation Genius – Transformations: Reflections and Translations
- Generation Genius – Transformations: Rotations and Dilations
English
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 19
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 19
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 19
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 19
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 20
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 20
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 20
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 20
- Outline/Write 700-word Essay: Write about something that comes easily to you. What makes you so good at it? Write about something that you find challenging. Why is it hard? What could you do to improve?
- Write/Edit 700-word Essay: Write about something that comes easily to you. What makes you so good at it? Write about something that you find challenging. Why is it hard? What could you do to improve?
Social Studies
- Supply and Demand: Crash Course Economics #4 Video
- Discussion: How do you know if you’re happy?
- Discussion: Do you think it’s okay to take a life in order to save 5, 10, 20 or more people?
- Congressional Elections Video
- Congressional Committees Video
- Congressional Leadership Video
- How a Bill Becomes a Law Video
- 2,000 Years of Chinese History Video
- Alexander the Great Video
- The Silk Road and Ancient Trade Video
Books
July
8th Grade (age 13)
1 week of Summer Break for annual family camping trip
16 days of lessons if complete 2 lessons per day.
Math
- Geometric transformations – Transformations intro
- Geometric transformations – Translations
- Geometric transformations – Rotations
- Geometric transformations – Reflections
- Geometric transformations – Properties and definitions of transformations
- Geometric transformations – Dilations
- Geometric transformations – Congruence and similarity
- Generation Genius – Scatter Plots (Displaying Bivariate Data)
Math 2
- Generation Genius – Statistics: Random Samples and Comparing Data Sets
- Data and modeling – Introduction to scatter plots
- Data and modeling – Interpreting scatter plots
- Data and modeling – Estimating lines of best fit
- Data and modeling – Two-way tables
- Algebra foundations – Overview and history of algebra
- CodaKid: fun coding and game design for kids
- CodaKid: fun coding and game design for kids
English
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 21
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 21
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 21
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 21
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 22
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 22
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 22
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 22
Social Studies
- Write Research Paper on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Basic Needs and the 4 basic needs of humans (food, water, air, and shelter). Are Americans disconnected from directly meeting the basic needs? How does this positively/negatively impact the hierarchy of needs other than food, water, air, or shelter?
- The Roman Empire Video
- Christianity: from Judaism to Constantine Video
- Congressional Decisions Video
- Outline/Write 500-word Essay: If you could cure any single disease, which one would you cure—and why?
- Write/Edit 500-word Essay: If you could cure any single disease, which one would you cure—and why?
- CodaKid: fun coding and game design for kids
- Creation Crate
Books
August
8th Grade (age 13)
Parents take 7-day solo trip! Kids attend overnight summer camp or stay with grandparents
16 days of lessons if complete 2 lessons per day.
Math
- Algebra foundations – Introduction to variables
- Algebra foundations – Substitution and evaluating expressions
- Algebra foundations – Combining like terms
- Algebra foundations – Introduction to equivalent expressions
- Algebra foundations – Division by zero
- Solving equations and inequalities – Linear equations with variables on both sides
- Solving equations and inequalities – Linear equations with parentheses
- Solving equations and inequalities – Analyzing the number of solutions to linear equations
Math 2
- Solving equations and inequalities – Linear equations with unknown coefficients
- Solving equations and inequalities – Multi-step inequalities
- Solving equations and inequalities – Compound inequalities
- Working with units – Rate conversion
- Working with units – Appropriate units
- Working with units – Word problems with multiple units
- CodaKid: fun coding and game design for kids
- CodaKid: fun coding and game design for kids
English
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 23
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 23
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 23
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 23
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 24
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 24
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 24
- IEW – Year 1 (Level C) – Week 24
Social Studies
- Presidential Power
- Presidential Power 2
- Fall of the Roman Empire Video
- Outline 700-word Essay: If you could create your own country, what would it be called? What laws would you put in place?
- Write 700-word Essay: If you could create your own country, what would it be called? What laws would you put in place?
- Edit 700-word Essay: If you could create your own country, what would it be called? What laws would you put in place?
- CodaKid: fun coding and game design for kids
- Creation Crate
Books
Field Trip Ideas for 8th Grade
- 6.5-mile hike + get food at a new restaurant
- Indoor skydiving
- Planetarium/Observatory
- Tour a big city in your state
- Visit a National Historical Park
- Visit a Museum of Natural History
- Go on a Historical Tour
- Visit a Military History Site
- Visit a government location
- Bowling Alley
- Concert
- Water treatment plant
- Go-Karts
- Bird watching
- Wildlife refuge or nature center
- Geocaching
- Archaeology site
- Fossil dig site
- Snowboarding/Skiing
- Visit a National Park
- Visit a National Monument
- Visit a space museum
- Whale Watching
- Build a shelter in the woods using only a tarp and rope
- Treasure hunt (compass and map reading)
- Making fire with matches and fire (Ferro) rods + Campfire and S’mores (Fire building)
- Building and finding primitive shelters
- Water Purification / Wild Hot Chocolate
- Forest Feast (Identifying and harvesting wild edible plants)
- U-pick blueberry patch
- Shellfish foraging
- Rockhounding
- Visit a local geological feature
- U-pick apple orchard + make applesauce at home
- Mushroom foraging in the forest
- Visit a local river or hatchery to see spawning salmon
- Bike ride
- Go fishing with parent(s)
- Visit a u-cut Christmas tree farm
- Camping trip
- Visit a bakery
Daily Rhythm (Schedule) for Homeschooling 8th Grade
| Time | Kid | Mom |
|---|---|---|
| 6:00 AM | Yoga, Exercise, Shower, Free Time | |
| 7:00 AM | Work | |
| 8:00 AM | Wake-up, DIY Breakfast | Work |
| 8:30 AM | Spanish Lesson: Rosetta Stone | Work |
| 8:45 AM | Typing Practice: typedojo.com | Work |
| 9:00 AM | Project or Interest Based Learning | Work |
| 9:45 AM | Yoga, Exercise, Affirmations | Yoga, Exercise, Affirmations |
| 10:00 AM | Independent Reading, Snack | Reading |
| 10:15 AM | Learning Block 1 (harder/longer lesson) | Homeschool |
| 11:00 AM | Music Jam Session | Homeschool |
| 11:15 AM | Lunch | Lunch |
| 11:45 AM | Learning Block 2 (online lesson, Independently) | Work |
| 12:30 PM | Workbooks | Quick Clean |
| 12:45 PM | Independent Reading, Snack | Reading |
| 1:00 PM | Chore of the Day | Laundry |
| 1:15 PM | Free Time | Work |
| 2:45 PM | Go for a walk together | Go for a walk together |
| 3:30 PM | Extracurriculars/Free Time | Work |
| 5:30 PM | Dinner | Dinner |
| 6:30 PM | Play with Dad | Free Time |
| 8:30 PM | Bedtime Routine with Mom/Dad | Bedtime Routine with Kid |
| 9:00 PM | Parent Time |
8th Grade Homeschool Curriculum and Subscriptions
- Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) – Structure and Style for Students: Year 1 (Level C)
- Khan Academy Math (free)
- Foreign Language Lessons from Rosetta Stone
- Creation Crate
- Typing practice from typedojo.com (free)
- Generation Genius Math and Science
- CodaKid – Online Coding and Game Design for Kids
Workbooks for 8th Grade
- Everything You Need to Ace English Language Arts in One Big Fat Notebook: The Complete Middle School Study Guide
- Everything You Need to Ace World History in One Big Fat Notebook: The Complete Middle School Study Guide
- Everything You Need to Ace Science in One Big Fat Notebook: The Complete Middle School Study Guide
- Everything You Need to Ace American History in One Big Fat Notebook: The Complete Middle School Study Guide
- The Big Fat Middle School Math Workbook
- Summer Bridge Activities 8-9 Workbook
- Huge Coloring Poster
Project Based Learning Ideas for 8th Grade
Interest, or project, based learning lets kids learn by exploring topics they’re passionate about. For example, a child interested in the topic of volcanoes might research active volcanoes, might learn how to create a working volcano model and then execute the experiment, might play a board game, might make a presentation about how volcanoes work. They often cover multiple subjects (e.g. reading, writing, research, history, science, math, and critical thinking) all while learning through curiosity. This website has some great examples of how a few topics could make an excellent interest-led learning projects (with an in-depth example for gardening). Projects can be anything your child would like to explore more in depth and are geared towards encouraging life-long learning by using the idea that we learn more when we’re interested in the topic.
Here are some ideas that could be incorporated into the topic of interest your child picks or could act as starting points as projects for kids who are struggling with ideas of where to start with an interest:
- art exhibition
- build something
- Create a YouTube channel or a YouTube video tutorial
- Build a website
- design and create a game
- write a book
- Plant a garden – learn about seed growth, pollination, soil composition, fertilization, history of agriculture, crop rotation, read about gardening, craft a report on a specific plant, count seeds, graph germination results, plan out square foot garden, measure daily plant growth, learn scientific names or foreign names for plants, make crafts from the garden, eat a meal from the garden, learn about entrepreneurship, do color scavenger hunts
- prepare a treasure hunt
- make a costume
- set up the Christmas tree
- crochet/knit a scarf or hat
- make a model of the solar system
- make a model anatomy of some animal
- make a model ecosystem
- make a model of parts of a plant
- choreograph a dance
- master a survival skill
- make a calendar
- prepare a meal/learn new cooking method
- design and build an obstacle course
- make your own Mad Libs
- write and perform a song for remembering some learning
- write and illustrate a comic book
- create a field guide
- research a fishery/fish species/fishing method and go fishing to catch that species or use that method
- write a biography of a famous/influential person from history
- learn origami
- write a book of poetry
- write a book of haiku poems
- learn calligraphy
- photography project
- write to your Congressman or Congresswoman
- create a magazine
- Write trivia (Kahoot is a great online trivia game program)
- write a newsletter
- Create a piece of artwork that illustrates the project topic
- Design a t-shirt and list it online for sale
- Make charts and graphs (to illustrate survey results for example)
- Create an interactive family tree with voice-overs from living family
- Using the best thinking of major world civilizations, design the perfect civilization. Identify critical characteristics, resources, and habits, etc.
- Identify, analyze, and visualize recurring themes in human history; then contextualize those themes in modern society.
- Re-imagine the American Constitution–or similar governing documents–as if they were designed today.
- Study local land regions and resources to identify a geological-based response to the Zombie Apocalypse.
- Report or model on what happened to the dinosaurs
- Write and perform an original song
- Write a script and make a video (tutorial, vlog, fiction, etc.)
- Map making with QGIS
- Publish a hiking guide book
- Design a book cover
- Bonsai
- Design a scientific research project and then collect, analyze, and present data
- Create a budget to reach a financial goal
- Public speaking skills
- Teach the dog a new task/trick/command
- Create a stock photography portfolio and submit to major websites
- Plan an event (party, gathering, adventure, etc.)
- Create trading cards for learning history
- Explore pointillism (painting or drawing)
- Create your own illustrations for popular poems
- The Hero’s Journey lesson + book analysis
- Inform with infographics lesson and then create your own: research information already available or collect first-hand data on a topic (natural world or social scientific data), create charts/graphs, analyze the data/information, and create an infographic to display to display your findings.
