Need advice for a 7th grader using CTC

[janeen721]

I just started using CTC with my 7th grader who is learning at an 8/9th grade level. He is very bright for his age so I need to add some things to CTC to make it more challenging for him. I have read a lot of the threads on here about "beefing" it up for high school level and researched some of the recommended resources. My question is this: Are the books I listed below too challenging for him right now? He needs to be challenged but not so much that he gets frustrated because it's over his head. Does that make sense?

So here are the books I am thinking of adding to the Story of the Ancient World readings.

Unwrapping the Pharaohs
Unveiling the Kings of Israel
The Children's Plutarch: Tales of the Romans
The Children's Plutarch: Tales of the Greeks
In Search of a Homeland
D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths
The Hittite Warrior
Victory on the Walls: A Story of Nehemiah
Gilgamesh the Hero by McCaughrean, Geraldine

He won't read all of these so I would really like some recommendations on which ones would be best for him, if any, or maybe some better, age appropriate recommendations.

After he reads the chapters in Story of the Ancient World, he writes down important facts and then writes a summary of those facts at the end of the week. When he reads his more in-depth history books, he will do an outline and narration. I am also wondering if these books can be used with DITHOR or should I have different books for that? I am worried it might be too much reading.

I am considering Mapping the World with Art for geography because he loves drawing and sketching.

I have one more question regarding memory work. We used to attend Classical Conversations and have continued with the memory work but I am considering dropping it for him once he gets to 8th grade. Does anyone else do memory work? Do you think it is beneficial enough to continue or does it just add one more thing to an already full load of work for him?

Thanks in advance for your help! We love being a part of HOD and I love all the helpful people here, especially Carrie, who is already so busy yet still takes the time to help us.

Janeen
3yo and 5yo in LHTH
11yo in Preparing
13yo in CTC

[Kteni]

I look forward to seeing advice here as my DD will be using CTC for G7 too. We beefed up PHFHG for G6 this year and SO love it. I am nervous to add too much as the program with ex tenants I'd just so rich and rewarding. Would not want to tip that scale too much in any direction, kwim?

[Tidbits of Learning]

Are you going to use the extension package? The extension package contains the Hittite Warrior and one of the Famous Men books as well as several other titles. We did CTC when the girls were 5th and 6th (my then 6th is gifted) and the extension package was plenty for extending the history portion. The famous men audios are free public domain and we had them downloaded and listened to them during CTC. I don't know all of the titles but know that Hittite Warrior is included in the extension package and I also like the book on Greek Myths. I would lean towards listening to some audio books if you are doing the extension readings. Famous Men of Rome and Famous Men of Greece are online for free. Link removed by board moderator per board rules. If you search for famous men you will find the whole series for free. It is the Greenleaf Press version on audio book.
If you aren't using the extension package already, I would suggest starting with it and seeing if that made it challenging for him. Is he looking for more of a challenge? Does he seem bored? HOD is much different than the goals for CC. CC is a lot of memory work and seems to have a different focus than HOD. The elements of oral and written narration are more the focus and them relaying what they took from the readings than looking for specific memorization of specific facts. I would probably not continue memorization if it were me.
Did he place in CTC? When using the placement chart or were you trying to start with the history cycle? Did he use any previous HOD guides? Personally, for my goals (ease of use and minimal tweaking) that would be adding a lot and would make more sense for me to see if instead he should be placed in Rev2Rev or MTMM. I love the living books aspect of HOD, but we needed to beef up for high school for my dd13 who we are placing in Rev2Rev to combine with a sibling. dd12 is 8th grade so she can receive 2-3 high school credits this year for her transcript as well. So we are adding in a grade level text alongside instead of adding a ton more books. The reason being that I want the kids to enjoy school and adding too much reading gets so confusing and you (the teacher) have to make a schedule to go with the time period and then you have spent hours lesson planning to make the guide work for your child so that it is challenging. It just loses the open and go feature.
We are also coming out of 2 years with a charter where dd was in classes grade levels higher than her grade and her day was long. So long and so challenging but it was also draining. She had no time to explore interests outside of school. When we came back to HOD, I really wanted the kids to regain their love of learning and be placed where they fit. I have 4 kids and I need to ensure that I can juggle with all of them and where they are able to enjoy school plus explore learning outside of school.
For me, I would revisit the placement chart first b/c it sounds like one of the higher guides would be a better fit. That is just what I would do though. Also, is your 7th grader 13 years old working on 8th/9th grade level? There are plenty of 13 year olds in 8th and 9th grade. We came out of charter with dd13 who was 8th grade working in all high school classes. I was not going to register her as 8th grade this year and have her only able to have 2-3 credits from high school level work on her transcript. If she is doing high school level work, I want to be able to give her credit for it...so we moved up to 9th grade when we registered as home study and backed it up with a CAT test showing she was that level. dd12 was 7th grade working in all 8th grade classes. We did the same thing. We registered her as 8th grade home study and backed it up with a CAT test. I would probably lean more towards something similar with your son instead of trying to beef up lower levels for high school worthiness. My dd did not want to do high school level work and then have to do it again when she was in high school b/c she couldn't count the credits from middle school. Why not move him up a grade or 2 and see if he places in one of the higher guides?

[janeen721]

Thank you for your advice, it has been a great help. I did not use the placement guide and was instead trying to stay in the same time period we have been studying. But after looking at the placement guide, he should be in Rev2Rev, but I am afraid it might be too much for him in some areas, so I think I will put him into R2R and go from there.

Thanks for all your help!

[my3sons]

Thank you for your advice, it has been a great help. I did not use the placement guide and was instead trying to stay in the same time period we have been studying. But after looking at the placement guide, he should be in Rev2Rev, but I am afraid it might be too much for him in some areas, so I think I will put him into R2R and go from there.

Thanks for all your help!

I'm so glad you've made this decision! It sounds like a more fitting placement for your ds, and one of the many things I love about HOD is being
able to open my guides and just enjoy the day. I'm so glad you won't have to do all that extra planning and tweaking. RTR is a terrific guide to start ds with! I think the two of you will enjoy it so much!

Also, thanks Tidbits of Learning for all of your wonderful help to janeen721 here!!! What good thoughts you shared!

In Christ,
Julie