gvs 8th grade sample

Whole Child, Healthy Planet

Global Village Grade 8 Curriculum Guide SAMPLE 1

Thank you for your interest in the Global Village Whole Child, Healthy Planet curriculum guides. This sample contains the full Table of Contents along with excerpts from the 8th grade curriculum guide.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction to the Global Village “Whole Child, Healthy Planet” Method ...........................................1

About the Curriculum ...............................................................................................................1

About Global Village School ....................................................................................................2

Homeschooling from the Heart ................................................................................................3

A Special Note to the New Homeschooling Parent: .................................................................3

How the System Works ...........................................................................................................4

Getting Started – Step One is Ordering Your Books and Resources ....................................5

Planning Your School Year ..................................................................................................5

Chapter 2: The Global Village Philosophy, Untangling the Myths about Education and Learning ............................................6

Am I Going to Ruin My Child’s Life If…? ..................................................................................6

Observing the Role Fear Plays in the Educational Process .....................................................6

Allowing Time for the Healing Process ....................................................................................7

Learning Styles ........................................................................................................................8

Assessment, Testing, and Grades ...........................................................................................9

About “Standards” and Grade Level ......................................................................................11

Some Thoughts on Vocabulary, Grammar, and Spelling .......................................................12

Music, Art, and Nature, and Imagination ................................................................................13

Chapter 3: Resources ..........................................................................................................15

About the Resources .............................................................................................................15

Core, Recommended, and Optional Resources .................................................................15

Global Village Homeschool Toolbox (Kits) .........................................................................15



How to get the materials: ...................................................................................................16

Grade 8 List of Resources.........................................................................................................17

Social Studies/Literature ........................................................................................................17

English ..................................................................................................................................19

Science .................................................................................................................................21

Math ......................................................................................................................................22

Eco-Integrity/Citizenship/Service Learning ............................................................................22

Values/Character ...................................................................................................................23

Art/Nature ..............................................................................................................................23

Psychology (Optional) ...........................................................................................................23

Study Skills (Optional) ...........................................................................................................24

Films......................................................................................................................................24

Chapter 4: How to Use the Materials: A Suggested Structure for the Year ..........................26

How to use the materials .......................................................................................................26

How do you know if you are “doing enough?” ....................................................................26

What if My Kids Finish Early or We Run Out of Things to Do? (You’re in Luck–We Live on a Fascinating Planet!) ............................................................27

8th Grade Study Guide ..........................................................................................................28

UNIT 1 (Weeks 1-4) ...........................................................................................................28

UNIT 2 (Weeks 5-8) ...........................................................................................................34

UNIT 3 (Weeks 9-12) .........................................................................................................40

UNIT 4 (Weeks 13-16) .......................................................................................................45

UNIT 5 (Weeks 17-20) .......................................................................................................50

UNIT 6 (Weeks 21-24) .......................................................................................................55

UNIT 7 (Weeks 25-28) .......................................................................................................60

UNIT 8 (Weeks 29-32) .......................................................................................................65



UNIT 9 (Weeks 33-36) .......................................................................................................70

Chapter 5: How to Work with the Materials: Ideas and Activities ..........................................75

Part 1: How to Use the Books in Our Curriculum – A Learning Model ...................................75

Drawing Out the Learning: .................................................................................................75

Book Project: .....................................................................................................................76

Re-Tell and Re-Create: The Value of Narrative Learning: ..................................................77

Making Your Own Workbooks and Creative Ways to Use Traditional Workbooks: ...................................................................78

Saturation Projects: ............................................................................................................81

Part 2: Projects and Activities ...............................................................................................81

Activity Ideas ......................................................................................................................81

Chapter 6 Additional Resources and Support ..........................................................................86

Consultations – If you would like additional support with this curriculum ................................86

Recommended Books and Music – Some of Our Staff Favorites ...........................................86

Books for Instilling a Love of Reading (by Mary Kate Considine) .......................................86

Global Village Links and Resources .................................................................................... 101

A Few More of Our Favorite Resources ............................................................................... 101

Appendix ................................................................................................................................. 102

About the Author ................................................................................................................. 102

Acknowledgements: ............................................................................................................ 102

The Earth Charter ................................................................................................................ 103

Sample Planning Calendar .................................................................................................. 105

Sample Planning and/or Record-Keeping Format ................................................................ 107



Chapter 1: Introduction to the Global Village “Whole Child, Healthy Planet” Method

It's an amazing world we live in. We are delighted to be your guides as your family explores the wonders of life on this planet together. We hope that this curriculum facilitates a powerful and engaging experience that opens your children's hearts, eyes, and minds to all the magical people, places, and experiences this world has to offer.

This is such an incredible time to be alive because so much of the world is open to us - people in other centuries did not have access to the amount of knowledge and information that we do. The thought of homeschooling may be intimidating if you are a first-time homeschooler, but we trust that you will soon feel much more confident as your view of learning expands to include the world around you. In fact, you'll likely have trouble remembering what you were so worried about!

Homeschooling from the Heart (Excerpt)

We have been working with new homeschool parents for many years now and have found that the thing we do more than anything else is aid them as they create the learning environment they know is best for their child. There are so many pressures homeschooling parents face, particularly those doing it for the first time; so many myths about education that rear their ugly heads as soon as someone steps outside the norm…

… Our goal is to assist you in homeschooling your child in a humane, inspiring, and socially conscious way. We encourage you to listen to your heart and to listen to your child: observe them – what lights them up? What fascinates them? When do they come alive? That is where to start your “curriculum.”…

How the System Works

People who are "products" of traditional schooling methods are taught to follow directions (and not to get started without them, because you might do something wrong!) So it is natural to be concerned that you "do it right," and to want detailed instructions. That is how most parents start out. What we have observed over the years is that people get more and more comfortable with the process and soon find (often during their first homeschool year) that they do not want or need as much instruction as they thought they did. Kids and their parents get "into the flow" and they are off and running. School life is never the same again.

We want to help parents and children make the learning process their own. We provide a multitude of ideas; by following your child’s interests and learning style you are free to branch out in numerous ways. There is no reason for every fourth grader to answer the same questions about the same topic at the same time. Some families will probably structure their year exactly as we have suggested, while others may be so excited by one of the books that they spend several weeks following where it takes them, and, accordingly, spend less time on some of the other topics.



Homeschooling affords you the opportunity to keep the learning process alive; we encourage you to make the most of it!

Getting Started – Step One is Ordering Your Books a nd Resources

If you have not already done so, we suggest that you start by reviewing the list of suggested resources (see Chapter 3). Check your local library first, then order anything that you or your library do not already have. We recommend that you get your own copies of all the core resources, since you will be using them throughout the year. If your particular grade level contains movie recommendations and you have a local video store, you can rent the suggested movies from them. Otherwise, you may want to rent them from Netflix.

Once you have ordered the materials—or at least a good portion of them—then take your time and read through the rest of this guide.

Planning Your School Year

While some people do fine “just winging it,” we highly recommend that you look at the full year in the beginning, and plan around when your vacations and other family activities and trips might be. See the Appendix (page Error! Bookmark not defined. ) for a calendar format that you may find helpful.

Observing the Role Fear Plays in the Educational Pr ocess (Excerpt)

Most of the traditional views on education are oriented around fear, particularly in the so-called “No Child Left Behind,” era. Now it is not just kids failing, it is entire schools under threat of being taken over if their kids do not do well enough on standardized tests created by people who think they know how to quantify learning and define what is essential. The government pressures the administrators, who pressure the teachers, who pressure the kids.

Then there is the idea we mentioned earlier and it's one that pretty much everyone buys into: “to get a good job you have to have a good education.” Putting aside disagreements over what a “good education” is, we see that this emphasis on jobs and competition has created a tremendous climate of fear that impacts families almost from the time their children are born. Fairly early on many worry about being able to get their child into a good preschool. And so it goes, right through high school and into college…

Assessment, Testing, and Grades (Excerpt)

Friends and family members of homeschool students often want to know what grades they are getting. New homeschool parents feel the pressure. They want to be able to reassure everyone that their children are doing fine, that they have not made a big mistake by pulling them out of school.



Why all this emphasis on grades? What do they think grades mean? What are they really asking: Are your children learning as much as mine? Are they learning as much as they would in a “regular” school? Most of us have been taught that grades are a valid way of assessing children and comparing them to each other, but are they? …

Music, Art, and Nature, and Imagination (Excerpt)

For many children, the arts are what make the soul come alive and sing its song. We hope that you will put as much art, music, nature study, and time for imagining into your child’s life as you can…

… We have provided a substantial number of resources for you. Some are listed in the main Resource List (Chapter 3); others are in the Resources section (Chapter 6) at the end of this guide.



Chapter 3: Resources

About the Resources

Okay, here we go!

We have spent many months researching and combing through our collective resources to come up with a list of materials to inspire and enliven your family. There is a lot here – most likely much more than you will be able to get through in a year. So please remember that we have designed it to be like a big smörgåsbord, which means you probably do not want to put everything on your plate all at once, and some of it might not even make it onto your plate this time round!

Core, Recommended, and Optional Resources

We have categorized the materials in the following way:

Core – you need to get it; it is a core part of the curriculum for the year (If a resource is not labeled as optional or recommended then you can assume that it is core)

Recommended – we strongly recommend that you get it

Optional – we really like it, but it’s up to you (depends on your time, interest, budget, etc.)

In addition to the resources listed in this chapter, there are many more in Chapter 6. These are all optional.

Global Village Homeschool Toolbox (Kits)

There are some books and resources that you will use for more than one year. We call these the homeschool “kit.” Some are optional and some are a core part of the curriculum. You will find notations about this in your resource list. Some are optional and some are a core part of the curriculum.

Again, please remember: this is just a place to start. We do not believe there are any education standards (even ours) that work for everyone.

How to get the materials:

Most of the materials we have chosen are readily available. If we have not told you where to get something, it means it can easily be found at either a local bookstore or library or online. We have provided information on where to get the resources that are not so easy to find.



Grade 8 List of Resources (Excerpts)

Social Studies/Literature

Emphasis: U.S. History, Human Rights, Social Issue s

A Young People's History of the United States, Vol. 1: Columbus to the Spanish-American War

A Young People's History of the United States, Vol. 2: Class Struggle to the War On Terror by Howard Zinn and Rebecca Stefoff (available at www.sevenstories.com or at amazon) History is usually presented through the eyes of the victor. Howard Zinn approaches history through the eyes of the worker, the immigrant, the slave, and the natives as well beginning with Columbus landing on Hispaniola and his encounter with the Arawak Indians. Follow a very readable account of history as seen through the eyes of all of the people. The book is interspersed with several quotes from the journals and writings of people who were there. History comes alive under Zinn’s writing.

(this section contains 10 other books)

English

Novels already listed above, plus:

2 writing options

2 grammar options

2 vocabulary options

1 poetry option

2 mythology options

Science

Emphasis: Physical Science/Physics

Contains 2 core books, plus 1 recommended software download ($10) and 1 optional book

Math

Describes the program we recommend, also mentions other options



Eco-Integrity/Citizenship/Service Learning

One Makes the Difference: Inspiring Actions that Ch ange our World by Julia Hill and Jessica Hurley Learn how to reduce your contribution to waste and pollution with this guideline to living in an environmentally-friendly way. The book not only discusses living with environmental consciousness, but also how to be proactive in your community to save the planet.

Values/Character

Includes one resource that is part of the homeschool Kit (used in several grade levels)

Art/Nature

Includes one resource

Psychology (Optional)

Two resources to choose from

Study Skills (Optional)

Includes one resource

Films

About the Films:

We have listed these films in the order that we recommend them so that you can easily plan ahead. We coordinated the movies with the topics covered in the texts, which means that some months have more than others do.

While all films have been selected with the appropriate age level in mind, please use your own judgment. Even though a particular movie may be commonly recommended for this age level, use your own knowledge of your children’s level of sensitivity to decide whether to watch a particular film, since some contain topics such as suffering of animals, war, etc.

Almost all of these films are optional. As you will see, some units have many films. Do not feel pressured to watch them all. If we have listed more films than you want to watch in a month, feel free to skip them or to watch them at another time.

The 8th grade list contains approximately 50 movies, selected to correspond with the topics of study.



8th Grade Study Guide (excerpts from Unit 1)

UNIT 1 (Weeks 1-4)

Planning

One page - Includes general instructions and a chart for planning the month’s activities

Instructions

Reminder: Chapter 5 of this curriculum guide lists a large number of activities that you can use to integrate and demonstrate learning as you work with the various books and resources listed below.

Social Studies (emphasis on U.S. History, Human Rig hts)

A Young People’s History of the United States, vol. 1

Introduction

Columbus and the Indians

Black and White

Who Were the Colonists?

Suggested Films: ____________, _____________, Roots, Vol’s 1 and 2

Note : Although it is fine just to watch the movies, we recommend subscribing to ____________. Many of the movies we list throughout this course are on their site. You can access detailed information on the movies including descriptions, background, historical implications, study questions and activities, and more.

Second History text:

1. ________________

2. ________________

Third text (human rights)

Read the first two sections: ______________ and _________________



English

Literature :

This month’s special book is ______________________.

Additional reading: If you would like to read more, choose something from our booklist at the end of this study guide, or something you may have at home, or find something at the library or bookstore.

The English section also contains brief instructions for writing, spelling, vocabulary, mythology, and grammar.

Science (emphasis on physical science/physics)

First text

Choose one activity each week.

Second text

Read ___________, _______________, and ___________________.

Other Science options: If you would like to do more, choose something from one or both of these:

____________ or ______________

The unit also contains instructions for:

Current Events (includes several websites)

Math

Eco-Integrity / Service Learning

Values / Character

Art / Nature

Music

Psychology

Study Skills

P.E.

Units 2-9 have a similar structure.



Chapter 5: How to Work with the Materials: Ideas an d Activities

Part 1: How to Use the Books in Our Curriculum – A Learning Model (Excerpt)

This article comes from Michele Blumberg’s many yea rs of experience as a very successful tutor. While some of it is directed more towards younger children, much of it applies to children of all ages.

In our curriculum guide we present a suggested book list you can use as the framework upon which to build your child’s learning year. This is by no means a complete list of all books you need or could use. You can get more suggestions from your GVS teacher.

Our hope is that you will utilize these books as a springboard into the many ideas and discoveries they present. At best these are a representation of what is out there. In exploring these suggested books you may be led to many others.

Most curricula are built around a textbook and a workbook. Ours is built around the inspiration found in many types of literature. Sometimes we do suggest a text or a workbook, but more often we look for a book that will bring about the same learning in a more creative, beautiful and fulfilling way. In many ways our choice of books resembles the idea of “living books” that early home educator Charlotte Mason proposes. Some of the qualities of living books are:

• Literature created by a person with an obvious special interest in his/her subject. • A personal, human, emotional quality to what is presented. • Books that are inspiring and attractive to the spirit as well as intellect. • Material that promotes a sense of wonder and appreciation. • Books that fulfill the learning goals of that grade.

Drawing Out the Learning:

Our suggested books (and those that you can find for yourself) can be used as a way into your own creativity. You can do this in lots of ways, specifically: Book Projects, Re-tell or Re-Create, Make Your Own Workbook, and Saturation Projects.

Book Project:

Select your book and read it. Stop now and then to ask your student to make predictions about what they think may happen in the story, or to find out what they are noticing about this book. Take time to notice the illustrations and discuss them. How do you discuss a picture? You can talk about the colors used, the content of the pictures, whether you feel the illustrations really express what is written or not, how they make you feel, if the illustrations match the ‘pictures’ the story brings to mind, etc.

Discuss the story itself…



Part 2: Projects and Activities (Excerpt)

Below you will find a long list of potential activities you can use to integrate and demonstrate learning. These suggestions can be used with literature, science, history – wherever you feel the need for something additional. If you think of an idea that we have not listed, you are welcome to do that as well! It is important to incorporate a wide variety of activities so that the student does not get bored doing the same old thing all the time. Having a choice gives students the opportunity to select or create activities that are well suited to their interests and learning styles.

Activity Ideas:

This section contains over 30 different suggestions; they match a variety of different learning styles. Below are three examples:

• Quotes: Select quotes from the books and respond to them.

• Cartooning: Create cartoons based on the events in a book or as a sequel to a book.

• Book review (includes 17 different questions for students to choose from)



Chapter 6 Additional Resources and Support

Consultations – If you would like additional suppor t with this curriculum

If your children are enrolled in Global Village School, then contact your GVS teacher for support. They will be happy to help you. If your kids are not enrolled, then you can arrange for individual consultations. Call 805-646-9792 or e-mail [email protected] for more information.

Recommended Books and Music – Some of Our Staff Fav orites

Books for Instilling a Love of Reading (by Mary Kat e Considine) (Short Excerpt)

Every educator agrees that the key to a successful student experience is instilling a love of reading at an early age. The statistics go on ad nauseum about the importance of reading to your child, but in the world of parenting there is nothing so valuable as curling up on a couch or holding your little one on your lap as you read them a story…

This section contains over 70 books. We include the full article and resource list with each grade level. (Approximately 30 of the books are for younger children, grades 4 and below.)

Special Circumstances (Emotions, Body Changes, etc. ):

A half dozen books that may be helpful as students or their families go through the changes that life brings…

Addressing Sexual Orientation (Full Section)

Some families have an LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender) family member. Some parents may wonder if their child is gay. A child might think they are gay, but be afraid to talk about it. Even if none of these is the case, every child hears about the issue in the media or some other way, at a very early age. “Sexual orientation” is an unfortunate term in a way, because—just like heterosexuals— there is so much more to an LGBT person, and to their relationships with those whom they love, than sex. Know that there are many beautiful sensitively written books out there that open the door to the conversation without talking about sex at all. If you feel the need or desire to address the idea of sexual orientation in age-appropriate ways with your children—or if you would like to be better educated yourself—here are some resources that may be helpful.



And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson, Pre-K-3. We fell in love with this one. It’s a true story about two male penguins at the Central Park Zoo in New York City. There’s no discussion about sex – just a description of their special relationship – and the way they hatched an orphan penguin egg and cared for the baby.

GLBTQ: The Survival Guide for Queer and Questioning Teens by Kelly Huegel, Ages 13 and up. The teen years are full of challenges. For gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning teens, these challenges can include prejudice, discrimination, rejection, reprisals, insensitive remarks (even among friends and families) and violence. Topics include coming out (the pluses and minuses), facing prejudice and pressure, getting support, navigating relationships, staying safe, making healthy choices, surviving and thriving in high school, and more. (Description from the publisher, freesprit.com)

For other great books:

GLSEN (The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) has compiled a wonderful comprehensive list of books that they have screened for accuracy, sensitivity, and age-appropriateness:

http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/booklink/K-6.html

http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/booklink/7-12.html

For the Heart and Soul

A list of about a dozen of our favorites

Great Music for Kids

A list of several great CDs and/or downloads

Global Village Links and Resources

Global Village School (GVS): http://www.globalvillageschool.org/

The Global Village Voice (GVS Blog): http://www.globalvillageschool.org/gvsblog

GVS Bookstore: http://astore.amazon.com/globalvillage-20

Progressive Resources: http://www.globalvillageresources.org/

GVS on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/globalvillageschool

GVS on Facebook: www.facebook.com/globalvillageschool



The curriculum guide concludes with author information and acknowledgements, a copy of the Earth Charter, a sample planning calendar, and a sample record-keeping format.

To order a Global Village Whole Child, Healthy Planet curriculum guide, write to [email protected] or call (805) 646-9792. Thank you for your interest; we look forward to sharing our curriculum with you!

gvs 8th grade sample

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