Medieval History Curriculum for the Logic Stage

notesfromtheparsonage — Sat, 28 Aug 2021 23:31:42 +0000

This Medieval History Curriculum for the Logic stage covers history, literature, science, and more during the medieval time period in a classical four-year history rotation.

The logic stage is about fifth to eighth grade. These students are largely independent, though I do try to pick a subject each year to do with them just to connect with them a little more. While the curriculum is based around the medieval time period, it is NOT just for history!

Bible/Apologetics Curriculum for Middle Grades

For Bible, all my kids who can read use the SOAP method of Bible study to do their own personal Bible reading each day. They choose the book of the Bible they’re reading. They keep their notes in a notebook of their choice. This helps them learn to read, analyze, and apply the Bible for themselves without always counting on someone else to tell them what to see and what to think.

This year, Logic and Rhetoric stages are doing Apologetics for Bible class. They read these books on their own and at the end of each book, we sit and discuss. I encourage them to write down questions they may have as they go. We’ll discuss the questions that didn’t get answered in their reading as they finish each book. For logic, these books include:

Case for Christ for Kids

Case for Faith for Kids

Case for a Creator for Kids

Case for Grace for Kids

God’s Crime Scene for Kids

Cold-Case Christianity for Kids

It Couldn’t Just Happen

Medieval History Curriculum for Logic Stage Students

For history, my logic stage students also use The Story of the World, Volume 2. I do print all the coloring sheets and maps for them, as well, and include them in projects from the Activity Guide that I do with the grammar stage kids. We use this as a “spine”. We read it slowly through the year and work the rest of our supplemental readings into the timeline of the “spine” book.

They also have history supplements that they read by themselves to supplement their learning. I don’t have them answer questions or do worksheets for these books. I don’t find worksheets particularly useful for homeschooling. I find note taking guides or study guides to be better when they are necessary. But for most book, they keep notes as they read and at the end of each book, they’ll write a book summary. I also have them keep a master timeline, adding things from all the books they read to the timeline as they go.

Queen Eleanor

The Dragon and The Raven

Where is the Great Wall?

Who Was Confucius?

Guts & Glory: The Vikings

Who Was Leif Erikson?

The Story of Rolf and the Viking Bow

Who Was Ferdinand Magellan?

The Bard of Avon

The World of Columbus and Sons

Who Was Queen Elizabeth?

Who Was Genghis Khan?

Fine Print

Marco Polo: His Travels and Adventures

Medieval Literature for Logic Students

For literature, all reading is based on the medieval time period. Again, the students keep notes on what they are reading and write a book summary at the end of each book. If a book has a movie based on it, even loosely, I’ll make sure we watch that once they finish reading the book.

King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table

Tales from Shakespeare

Jack

Red

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court

Winning His Spurs

Grump

English Literature for Boys and Girls

Time Castaway: The Mona Lisa Key

The Adventures of Robin Hood

The White Company

Beowulf (This is a retelling! They’ll read the real one when we circle back through medieval history in four years.)

Viking Tales

The Door in the Wall

Adam of the Road

The Pied Piper of Hamelin

Grammar and Writing Curriculum

For grammar, my middle school students are using 180 Daily Lessons on their level. I usually rotate years with Easy Grammar one year and 180 Daily Lessons the next. These are quick grammar reminders each day, since they should be grammar proficient by this stage.

For writing, my logic stage kids are using The Creative Writer, Level 2. They used Level 1 last year and loved it. They begged to continue the series.

For handwriting, my logic stage students do copywork twice a week. They pick a paragraph from something they’ve read this week or can use their memory verse or poetry memory. They keep a handwriting notebook for this copywork. They are expected to write cleanly and neatly in this notebook. I don’t usually harass them about their handwriting anywhere but this notebook. I just need to know they CAN write well. I also let them choose if they want to print or use cursive.

Biology Curriculum for Logic Stage Students

For science, my logic stage kids are doing biology, as well. They’re reading independently, keeping notes as they read, and they’ll be doing some experiments from Janice VanCleave’s Biology for Every Kid.

Super Simple Biology

Cells Close Up

Barron’s Visual Learning Biology

GIANTmicrobes Cells Coloring Book

My First Book About Genetics

Basher Science: Microbiology

Basher Science: Biology: Life as We Know It!

The Biology Coloring Book

Exploring the World of Biology

Who Was George Washington Carver?

Who Was Jacques Cousteau?

Who Was Jane Goodall?

Who Was Rachel Carson?

Where are the Galapagos Islands?

Logic for Middle Grade Students

For logic, this stage is using The Fallacy Detective this year. This is one of my kids’ favorite logic books. I think they’d use it every year if I let them.

Foreign Languages Curriculum

For foreign languages, my logic stage students use Rosetta Stone 3-4 days a week to learn their language of choice. They can pick a new language at the beginning of the year, but must stick with it all year.

Math Curriculum

For math, my logic stage kids are using Life of Fred. They use Fractions, Decimals and Percents, and then the Pre-Algebra series.

Math is so specific to each kid. If what you have is working– keep using it! Don’t switch a kid’s math curriculum unless you really have to as the switch will set them back in the subject. If a math program is working– keep using it until it isn’t or they graduate!

middle school curriculum Archives - Notes From the Parsonage