...and we're back with seventh grade!

Wow, the start of our third year homeschooling! I will eventually get up a what's-been-going-on post but for now, it's time to get back into a blogging routine :)

(I'm having some difficulties writing this on the iPad. I'll be back to finish the post tomorrow.)

Daisy will be continuing with math and science as her school focus. The plans for seventh grade are

Math

• Introduction to Algebra from Art of Problem Solving (AoPS). She'll be picking up with Chapter 5 Introduction to two variable linear equations. Even though the book is an "introduction," it is equivalent to the traditional Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 courses. The plan is to go through Chapter 13 then switch to the Introduction to Geometry text.
• Introduction to Counting and Probability also from AoPS. She will study this text one or two days each week.
• Alumnus, the online problem solving website, will be used to reinforce the topics from both AoPS books each week. I can set up Daisy's account to follow her two books.  She spent hours upon hours on Alcumus this summer.
• Each week or so she will take an old released AMC8 exam. She will be taking this year's exam for the first time in November. Last year we learned about the exam a week after it was given.

Science

• The first part of the school year will be spent using the free Middle School Chemistry curriculum from the American Chemical Society (www.middleschoolchemistry.com). Each lesson includes hands-on discovery activities for the student. We will add in the huge coffee table book The Elements, its companion website www.periodictable.com, videos from www.periodicvideos.com, and interesting books such as The Disappearing Spoon and Uncle Tungsten.
• Daisy will be once again participating on the homeschool association's Science Olympiad team. Last year was her first at the Division B level; she did quite well at the state competition, placing second in Rocks and Minerals, fourth in Forestry (tree ID and botany), and tenth in Towers (she designed and built a load-bearing balsa wood tower). I will again serve as an assistant coach for the team. The coach and I still do not have the official rules manual and we won't know the event schedule grid for the competition, so events cannot yet be chosen by and assigned to the kids. Daisy does want to continue with Rocks and Minerals and Forestry, and she would like to give the Tower replacement, Boomilever, a try. I expect Science Olympiad studying and building to consume science from early December through the state competition on March 30!
• After that, science will be her choice. More botany? Perhaps some physics? Astronomy?

History

We will continue our love affair with the third volume in the K12 series, The Human Odyssey: From Modern Times to Our Contemporary Era! The readings and discussions we have will be supplemented and complemented by a long list of non-fiction, historical fiction, and documentaries. I hope to add a page with the list here soon.

English

• Grammar will continue with a quick review of The Magic Lens 1 from Michael Clay Thomas and Royal Fireworks Press (www.rfwp.com) and the last half of the corresponding 4Practice book.
• Vocabulary will continue with Word Within the Word also from MCT. This roots-based vocabulary program was incredibly challenging last year. Daisy will be picking up with List 18 (aka unit 18) out of 30. Once she finishes the book, she'll move on to WWtW 2.