How to Approach Middle & Early High School Science with Literature

Homeschooling middle school and high school can be intimidating especially because those of us who began homeschooling using literature start to feel like we need to leave it behind. How to Approach Middle & Early High School Science with Literature is focused on using the Bookshark Level 8 History of Science All Subject Package.

Disclaimer: I was given the Level 8 all subject package from Bookshark and I was compensated for my time in preparing this review. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.

Do you know what they say about teaching middle school?

You either love it or you hate it.

Middle schoolers come with so much energy and it’s fueled by hormonal changes.

As a former public middle school teacher, I fall into the LOVE camp.

I adore teaching middle school!

The cool part about middle schoolers is that they have all the energy of elementary schoolers and they aren’t jaded like high schoolers quite yet.

So, the key is to capture their energy and channel it in positive ways!

Part of capturing a middle schooler’s energy is finding the right curriculum.

Bookshark Level 8 History of Science All Subject Package is jam packed with tools to help you and your middle schooler (and even early high schooler!) enjoy a full school year of rich and storied learning.

Teaching Middle & High School with a Literature Based Program

Is it really still possible to teach middle and high school with a foundation of literature.

Yes.

In fact, why would you try it any other way?

Especially if your family is already steeped in story.

Let’s look at some benefits of teaching with literature:

• Provides an Introduction to Many Books– so your middle schooler will become even more well read.
• Brings Us out of Our Comfort Zone– and has us read books we might not ordinarily choose.
• Learn from Experts– who have written whole books on their subject. In the Charlotte Mason world we call these living books because they truly bring the topic to life.
• Biographies Help Us to Learn about People– in a given time who contributed to our cultures in specific ways. Usually they are extraordinary people with a story to tell. More on biographies in a moment!
• Sparks meaningful Discussions– of all kinds with our young teens. Conversations with our teens over books are not to be underestimated!
• Well Written Books Teach Us about Writing– which is part of the program as well
• Reading Books Together Encourages Relationship– whether we are reading them for school assignments or for a family book club or simply for pleasure.

These truths apply to educating our children at home no matter how old they are or what grade they are in.

As our teens head for late middle school and early high school, it’s important not to abandon a literature rich approach.

In fact, it’s the perfect time to remain connected through story!

What’s Included with Bookshark Level 8 History of Science All Subject Package

Joshua, our youngest, joined me for an unboxing of our Bookshark box.

We had a lot of fun with this.

Trust me, when it’s your turn, you will too!

Bookshark Level 8 History of Science for Middle School & Early High School

Bookshark Level 8 Science is all about physical science:

• Electromagnetism– the interaction of electric currents or fields and magnetic fields
• Waves– disturbances or oscillations through space and time accompanied by a transfer of energy
• Other Topics in Physics– the science of matter and how things move

The teacher’s manual is a guide in doing the lab activities and student lab sheets are included.

Plus, there’s the box of science fun!

How cool is it to learn about angular momentum using every middle schooler’s dream, the figit spinner?

When you organize the giant binder, the science portion can be split into weeks, so it’s easy to follow and to keep up!

Bookshark Level 8 History of Science for Middle School & Early High School

Honestly, I think the history with science is my favorite part.

Just look at that stack of science goodness!

• Learn about scientific discoveries and advancements- through the lives of the people who made them
• Hear the story of scientific achievements- and the consequences both good and bad
• Read about common substances- and how they work in our everyday lives
• Discover how landmark advances have affected our culture from that time forward

Pro tip- if you are working with gifted learners, the lives of the people who are extraordinary and who made extraordinary contributions will be their favorite too.

The book selection will bring the history of science to life for your students.

Bookshark Level 8 History of Science Language Arts

The Language Arts program offers several areas of study that will help your middle and early high schooler with skill acquisition and practice.

Choose from:

• Poetry reading
• Literature study and discussion
• Spelling in grammar- either through a suggested program of its own or what they provide as part of the program including spelling
• Creative Writing
• Written responses to the reading

This is just the baseline of the program. You’ll find all kinds of written expression opportunities throughout the course.

Benefits of Using Bookshark Level 8 for Middle School & Early High School

If your family needs a robust, literature based, easy curriculum to implement, you will love Bookshark Level 8 History of Science!

Maybe you have a middle school language arts that you love, but you want a fun history or science with history.

Bookshark Level 8 History of Science is available a la carte as well.

Simply pick the way you want to buy the curriculum.

• All in One Package– so there’s no need to purchase separate history, language arts, and science. It’s all there.
• Purchase Core Subjects Separately– so you can do just one or do them all
• Based on Living Books– the foundation of the curriculum is a set of wonderful books
• Science Materials are Included– if you purchase the All Subject Package, you even get all the materials you need to do the science labs. For busy or non-sciency moms this is a win!
• Maps and Timeline Are in the Box– so you don’t have to search for the perfect one to accompany all the books. Come to think of it, so are the wet erase markers for the maps!
• Format of Weekly Lessons Is Easy to Follow– so you don’t have to spent a lot of time parsing out lessons or figuring out how to implement the program
• The Front Matter is Limited– have you ever purchased large curriculum where you need a half a year to figure out how to use it well? Bookshark is almost open and go. Save a few minutes to put together your binder!

Using Bookshark Level 8 History of Science with Early High Schoolers

You might be wondering if Bookshark Level 8 History of Science is really enough for high school.

The program is designed for ages 13-15.

That’s perfect for a high school freshman

Let’s take a look:

• The Age Range Fits– high school freshman fit the same range, so this material is right
• Physical Science is a typical 9th grade course– in many high school programs
• The Reading List is a good set– for 9th graders
• The Language Arts Skills– are appropriate writing assignments for early high school
• Options for Transferring Responsibility– are many from reading to labs to projects

Bookshark Level 8 History of Science is a win for both 8th and 9th grade students.