Continuing in their use of Andrew Pudewa’s Teaching Structure & Style, the goal of Grammar 6 Composition is to improve student’s writing skills through weekly compositions & two research papers. Poetry & creative writing are also studied. Often composition assignments draw from the History lesson of the week allowing students to delve into a topic more deeply. By writing often, students discover that they enjoy writing which prepares them well for the analytical phase of the Dialectic years.

Shurley English Level 7 begins witha review of all the basics of grammar from previous years. Following this review, more complex grammar concepts are introduced laying the groundwork for understanding the structure of a sentence within a paragraph in preparation for the Dialectic years. Grammar 6 students continue to work on Shurley grammar at home using lesson plans provided by ACTS. Quarterly testing allows for feedback on their grasp of basic & complex concepts.

Using Veritas Press History Cards, 1815 to the Present and History of US Volumes 4-10, major events & interesting people who lived during this era are studied. Making crafts, listening to music, and eating foods that go along with the history topics engage the student in experiencing this fascinating period. Other activities include map skills, memorizing speeches, and acting in plays. Special days find students dressing in costumes reflecting the topic of study. A strong emphasis on US Geography corresponds to each topic. Undergirding these various activities & skill development is instilling a love of history that will accompany each student into high school, college, and beyond. 

Recognizing this level is a time of transition between the grammar & dialectic phases, Grammar 6 Jr. Chemistry capitalizes on the elastic memory of the grammar stage & the beginning analysis of the dialectic stage. Using the God’s Design Series, Properties of Atoms & Molecules, Properties of Matter, the vocabulary of Chemistry is introduced, explained & incorporated into class projects. The student is challenged through a discovery-based observation of in-class experiments & application of those observations through regular interaction with the Scientific Method culminating in a Science Fair Project which is presented at either the ACTS STEM fair or at the in class Science Fair.  

Students work through the first 12 chapters of Wheelock’s Latin using note sheets written at a Grammar 6 level. In class, students are guided through basic and complex Latin concepts by translating sentences from Latin into English and English in Latin. Review of vocabulary is integrated in these translations & students gain a fluency in their ability. For use at home, parents are loaned an answer key enabling them to guide their student through translation exercises assigned as homework. Participation in the National Latin Exam during the spring is a goal of this year.