Mosdos Press Jade Schedule?

[deerforest]

I've searched the forums (using Google search), and I get the impression that not many people have used Mosdos, probably because of the cost. But, the Jade level included a lot of material that I liked so we are giving it a try. We tend to be disappointed when using curriculum like this, but I really didn't have the time to put together the lit program I wanted for next year. So, I am hoping we will be successful. It clearly sells itself as secular, and I can find no religious references so I'm surprised by how many small Christian schools seem to use this program.

 

Anyway... to my question! I have the materials (student text, workbook, teacher's guide); the only thing I didn't buy was the assessment CD. The teacher's guide includes a detailed scope and sequence and a lot of material, but I was surprised to not see a recommended schedule. 

 

There is so much included in this program, and I'm struggling to see how it's possible to complete in 1 year. I'd just love to see some example schedules before I start building out our own.

 

 

[Cindyz]

We did 5th grade Coral and this was our schedule:

 

Day 1 - Lesson in Literature & vocabulary 1 & 2

Day 2 - Background Bytes & Read the Selection - verbally answer questions at the end of the selection

Day 3 - Close Reading 1/2 of the selection & 1 workbook page - This is when we go over the information in the side panels of the teacher's guide.  I also focus a lot on the analytical questions.  We do this verbally, and usually have a very lively discussion. After our discussion, he did the 1st workbook page (comprehension questions) typed in google docs so that he could give adequate answers because there usually weren't enough lines in the workbook itself, and he could do it faster.

Day 4 - Close Reading 2nd 1/2 of the selection & 2nd workbook page which was usually some kind of graphic organizer.

Day 5 - Writing assignment - He could choose from one of the writing suggestions from the focus, or creating and writing section in the book at the end of the selection, or the One Step Further question in the workbook.  After going over everything closely throughout the week, he's usually quite prepared to write something intelligent at this point.   ;)  He also liked having the choice to pick the writing assignment that interested him most.

 

I found most of our learning really took place on day 2 and day 3 when I would point out things from the side panels of the teacher's guide and really analyze what we read with the analytical questions.  I didn't really bother with the literal questions.

 

This would take us through one section per week, and there were 39 selections

 

I'm about to start planning for 6th grade.  I have the books, and the workbook is THICK (it has 500 pages!!).  I'm not sure how my 5th grade schedule will translate.

Edited June 20, 2016 by Cindyz

[deerforest]

Thanks for the feedback, but I think that we will have to move at a much more accelerated pace for 7th. I've counted:

- 25 short fictional stories-

- 40 poems

- 9 non-fiction essays

- 2 plays

- 1 full novel

 

I think we will definitely need to figure out the best way to combine the selections.

[Cindyz]

I just look in the front of the Teacher's Guide where it lists the units and the selections.  Count those up, and then decide how many you need to do each week to finish in the number of weeks that you school for the year.  It lists the workbook pages that correspond to each selection there as well.  You could just decide that you'll do X number of workbook pages per selection and choose the ones that resonate with you the most when the time comes.  There's most likely no way to do it all.  Pick and choose what works best for you.  

 

I see 6th grade has 76 selections compared to 39 in 5th.  The workbook has more workbook pages per selection than 5th had.  It looks like we'll be working double time, but there will obviously be many workbook pages we won't do. Personally, I'd rather leave out workbook pages in favor of the discussion from the side panels and analytical questions from the teacher's guide.    

[deerforest]

Thanks--I can work out a schedule without a problem. I was just hoping to hear what worked well in reality. The poems have no workbook items, and we are unlikely to use all of the workbook output anyway.

 

I'm not a very schedule-based teacher so it's more of a guideline of what I want to complete each month rather than per week. So, I just have to think through it!

[BusyMom5]

I would do one story/play/essay per week, take 2 weeks for the novel.  I would do the poems as either a week per unit (so one poem per day for a week at the end of the section), or one per week as we work through the section.  I used Coral last year and really liked it.  This year I will be doing both Opal and Pearl.  I'm not sure if it will be possible to do all of pearl in one year!  THere is a LOT to cover and I am cutting out my other LA stuff to use the Pearl writing assignments. 

[deerforest]

I actually emailed Mosdos and then spoke to the editor who was very helpful. She helped me prioritize the selections and also assured me if we were doing this daily that we'd likely get through it just fine. DD and I went through the first one as a test to get an idea of how long it will take for deep reading, our discussions, and some of the output from the workbook. So, we're in good shape!