Curriculum and Unit Studies

This is a list of what we used grade by grade.  I would never claim we used or read every page of each book.  We use most of the (or significant  parts) of the core texts, sprinkle in the supplements and read from the book list.

5th Grade

Core Texts

• Math:  Epsilon (Math U See)
  
• Science:  Astronomy Level I and Physics Level I (Real Science 4 Kids)
• Language Arts:  English 5 for Young Catholics (Seton);  All About Spelling Level 3 (All About Learning Press);  Vocabulary 5 for Young Catholics (Seton); Reading 6 for Young Catholics Comprehension (Seton); Reading 5& 6 for Young Catholics Thinking Skills (Seton)
• Writing:  either Ancient History-Based Writing Lessons or Rockets, Radar and Robotics (both from Excellence in Writing)
• Latin: Latina Christiana Book 1 (Memoria Press)
• Geography:  Mapping the World by Heart (FableVision Learning)
• Health & PE:  Health 5 (Seton); President’s Fitness Challenge; Running Club
• Computer Tech: Computer Projects grades 2-4 (Teacher Created Resources); Internet Literacy grades 3-5 (Teacher Created Resources)
• Art: class at co-op (mixed media and art appreciation)
• Music:  self designed music appreciation unit studies
• Religion: Christian Studies Book I (Memoria Press); the New Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism, Bible
• History*:  The Book of the Ancient World (Memoria Press); All Ye Lands World Cultures and Geography (Catholic School Textbook Project); The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt (Landmark Books); Science in Ancient Mesopotamia, Carol Moss; Science in Ancient Egypt, Gerladine Woods; The World in Ancient Times Primary Sources and Reference Volume, Ronald Mellor and Amanda Podany

Supplements

• English: English from the Roots Up; Diagraming Sentences (Mark Twain Media/Carson-Dellosa Publishing); Analogies for Critical Thinking grade 5 (Teacher Created Resources)
• Science: Classical Conversation Cards (Classical Conversations); The Book of Astronomy (Memoria Press); Astronomy for All Ages,  Harrington and Pascuzzi; Lego Mindstorms projects
• Religion: Saint Frances of the Seven Seas, Albert Nevins; Saint Isaac and the Indians, Milton Lomask; Faith and Life 5 online course (through My Catholic Faith Delivered)
• History: The Egyptian News, Scott Steedman; Ancient World internet linked (Usborne), Fiona Chandler; If I Were a Kid in Ancient Egypt (Children of the Ancient World Cricket Books); Chronicle of the Pharaohs, Peter Clayton; Tales of Ancient Egypt (Puffin Classics); Exploring the History of Medicine, John Hudson Tiner; Write Like an Ancient Egyptian (The Metropolitan Museum of Art); Egyptian Dig (GeoSafari Buried Treasure); You Wouldn’t Want to…books (a variety of them with themes of the Ancient World)
• Geography: A Child’s Introduction to the World Geography, Cultures, and People, Heather Alexander

Reading List

• The Golden Key and Other Stories, George MacDonald
• The King of the Golden City, Mother Mary Loyola
• Father Brown Reader I&II Stories from Chesterton, Nancy Carpentier Brown
• The Cat of Bubastes A Tale of Ancient Egypt, G.A. Henty
• Gilgamesh the King, Ludmilla Zima

*I have a history confession.  Either The Book of the Ancient World (Memoria Press) or All Ye Lands World Cultures and Geography (Catholic School Textbook Project) offers a well rounded history course.   I don’t teach history the way most people do and I weave a lot of primary documents into the lessons.  I haven’t found a text yet that divides history (the time periods and areas) the way I would like for a year’s study, though many have come close.  I have a tendency to use two to three text books and just lift sections/chapters out of them.