Individual Studies: Lesson Plans for Grade 8

The convenient tips, reminders, and pre-planned schedule in this book make it simple to guide your eighth-grade student using Charlotte Mason’s effective methods. Grade 8 is a year when the individual work load continues to increase in preparation for high school. The lesson plans in this book cover language arts, science, Latin, personal development, and math. The eighth-grade student is also expected to work on creating his own Book of Centuries and Book of Mottoes/commonplace book as he progresses in all subjects.

These Individual Studies will

• Encourage growth in language arts through living books and literature.
• Introduce Latin in short, interesting lessons.
• Help your student get to know the possibilities and dangers within himself.
• Guide you in science through nature study, conversational textbooks, and living books.
• Allow you to use the math curriculum of your choice.
• Provide a thorough education at an enjoyable pace.

Book List

Book List for Individual Studies, Grade 8

• [SCM]My Book of Centuries
• [Exodus]Spelling Wisdom, Book 3
• Students will complete the last half of the book this year; the first half was covered in grade 7.
• [Exodus]Using Language Well, Book 3, Student Book
  Students will complete the last half of the book this year; the first half was covered in grade 7.
• [Exodus]Using Language Well, Book 3, Teacher Guide & Answer Key
• (optional, Exodus) Analytical Grammar, Student Book and Teacher Book
  A companion video is also available that features the authors teaching the units.
• [Exodus] Exploring Creation with Physical Science, 2nd edition, by Dr. Jay Wile; Student textbook; Solutions and Test Booklet
• [Exodus] Johannes Kepler, Giant of Faith and Science by John Hudson Tiner
• [SCM]Journaling a Year in Nature notebooks, one per person
• [Exodus] Getting Started with Latin by William E. Linney
  Students will complete the last half of the book this year; the first half was covered in grade 7.
• [SCM]Self-Knowledge by Charlotte Mason, (Ourselves, Book 1, Youth Edition)
  Students will complete the last half of the book this year; the first half was covered in grade 7. Alternately, a condensed one-year reading schedule is included in the youth edition. If you want to read the entire book this year, follow that two-days-a-week schedule.
• Math course of choice
• Book of Mottoes, or commonplace journal

[SCM]: Available from SCM.
[Exodus]: Available from Exodus Books

Language Arts

Students will continue a focus on English grammar by analyzing sentences. They will also progress in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and English usage guidelines using the literary passages presented in Spelling Wisdom, Book 3, and the guided discovery lessons in Using Language Well, Book 3. The second half of these books is completed this year; the rest was covered in grade 7.

Written narration will be assigned to encourage your student to continue to progress in organizing his thoughts on paper and applying guidelines he has learned about English grammar, usage, and mechanics. Rubrics and further instructions are provided in the Using Language Well, Book 3, Teacher Guide & Answer Key.

(Students also have the option of including additional grammar studies using Analytical Grammar. The lessons in this book cover Units 18–35 of that course. Units 1–17 were covered in grade 6 and grade 7.)

Latin

A gentle introduction to Latin is continued with lessons just twice a week. The last half of the book, Getting Started with Latin, is completed this year; the first half was covered in grade 7.

Personal Development

Students will continue to read, narrate, and discuss Self-Knowledge (Ourselves, Book 1) by Charlotte Mason. We recommend the Youth Edition, which is divided into individual readings with side notes, points to narrate and discuss, and exam questions.

The last half of the book is completed this year; the first half was covered in grade 8. Alternately, there is a compressed one-year reading schedule.

Science

In grade 8, science lessons are more in-depth and should be completed individually. We recommend the use of a conversational textbook with a study of Exploring Creation with Physical Science, 2nd edition, this year. The lesson plans will reflect narration options, as well as include an optional living science book on Johannes Kepler, who is mentioned in the course of study. Journaling a Year in Nature is recommended for nature study.

Math

Lessons include reminders to work on your choice of math curriculum.

Sample Schedule

The lesson plans in Individual Studies, Grade 8 are very doable. Your weekly schedule would look something like this: