Quiver0f10 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 I have always used a check list with my kids that just had the days of the week and it would say the subjects on the top and they checked off that they did that subject that day. We have always just done the next page/lesson type of thing. However this year I am finding we all need more accountability so I am thinking of an actual detailed lesson plan telling them what pages to read or complete each and every day. Where do I begin? Any helpful tips would be appreciated! Anyone else do this with lots of kids? I am wondering how long this is going to take LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchel210 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 This week I printed up a blank weekly schedule...it goes to 36 weeks...and I filled in days 1-5 with my science schedule. I opened up my books I want to use and added book name, and page number under it...and then in a big box under each week...I added the supplies I would need for each week or books from library.(I just did topics...since I didnt look for names of books) I imagine you could do that for books as well...but you would want the books in front of you...then figure out how many chapters you want per day...then you could write that in the lesson plans. I am sure if you dont have the book...you could find it online somewhere to see how many chapters are in the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trivium Academy Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 You could create a blank form with the subjects and days of the week with spaces to fill in, each week you'd just fill in the specific pg numbers or assignments. Monday Bible ________ ________ Math _______ _______ Subject _______ _______ Like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in Austin Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 I'm wondering if you could have your older kids do their own, not only to cut down on the amount of work you have to do but because this is a valuable life skill--esp. if they go to college and need to pace themselves, KWIM? So I'd print out what you have before but with a blank after the word Math and tell your child, "Here's your math book. Figure out how many pages you have to do each day to finish by the end of the year and then write it all down." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2cents Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 For about the last 5 mos I've been doing our sched in Publisher. I have each general subj area listed and on Sat of every week I fill it in with the specifics. Some things like math only require changing a page or lesson number so once you get the working model, updating can be done pretty quickly. We print each childs weekly schedule and refer to it daily to make sure everything is done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karensk Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 I have always used a check list with my kids that just had the days of the week and it would say the subjects on the top and they checked off that they did that subject that day. We have always just done the next page/lesson type of thing. However this year I am finding we all need more accountability so I am thinking of an actual detailed lesson plan telling them what pages to read or complete each and every day. Where do I begin? Any helpful tips would be appreciated! Anyone else do this with lots of kids? I am wondering how long this is going to take LOL She has 8 kids and spoke at a homeschool support group meeting several years ago about how she does the scheduling. I think this works for many (but not all) subjects, esp. ones where the work is more independent like workbooks/texts. During the summer, she prepares a list of lessons for each workbook like this (I did mine in a Word doc, but I believe she used plain notebook paper)-- She sits down with the workbook and blank lined paper and goes through the entire workbook from beginning to end, dividing up the pages into daily assignments. On the lined paper, she starts numbering each line as she goes. She lists the page numbers (or section numbers or however the text is divided up) for each daily assignment -- one assignment per line. There's also space on each line for the date that will be filled in later. She attaches this list to the inside cover of the workbook. After setting up the List of Lessons, she can see how many school days it will take to finish the workbook. That way, if there's an interruption to their school pace (need to take a few days off), they can easily see how many lessons are remaining and adjust their pace accordingly (double up on lessons for a few days or extend out the academic year). For example, I prepared a list like this for Wordly Wise. The column headings are "Date," "Day," and "Exercise"; I filled in the "Day" column with numbers 1-172 (172 daily lessons, going at the normal rate) and filled in the "Exercise" column with 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, etc., including days for quizzes. If I had made a sheet for Spelling Workout, the headings would've been "Date," "Day," and "Page(s)" and then filled in the "Page(s)" column with the daily page assignments. Here's a List of Lessons for Carry On, Mr. Bowditch Progeny Press guide So, making all these lists is done during the summer. When it comes time to do the schoolwork, the student looks at the list attached inside his workbook, does the next daily assignment on the list, then fills in the date it was completed. This made it easy to kind of go on autopilot. I think these sheets were saved at the end of the year for recordkeeping. Another variation (which adds an extra layer but works if you want the kids to use assignment books/sheets).... At the beginning of each school week, have each child grab their stack of workbooks that have this list inside, plus his assignment book (or sheet). Then have him copy the next five assignments from each list into his assignment book sheet for that week (for a full 5-day week). If he's checking off completed work in the assignment book (and filling in the date on the List of Lessons), then you only have to check his assignment book to see if things are getting done, rather than all those workbooks. In the summer, maybe your older kids could help prepare some of these lists for the younger ones' workbooks, to help lighten your load? HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Closeacademy Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 I really liked these: http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=124&products_id=21205&it=1&filters=0_0&manufacturers_id=124 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicheleinMN Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 I'm not sure how I did that, but I'll delete one of these. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicheleinMN Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Hi Jean, If you already have a checklist for each person, could you add the page numbers/lesson assignments next to the subject? I did this for over a year for my eldest son. He just was not ready to look at a week's worth of assignments at once. We now use the Elan type weekly planner. (I got ours at http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com ; this is the Milestone Ministries website under R&S Curriculum *Teacher Helps.) The other thing that was really helpful is a book called The Organized Student. (I can look up the author later, as I can't think of her name right now.) The best piece of advice from that book for me was to fold over the edge of the page so that I did not have to rewrite the subject list each week. On Saturday, I write out the next week's assignments. I try to have another planning page to see how many weeks are for each subject, but that isn't in my weekly lesson plan. Maybe you could just pick a few subjects to start requiring a set amount be done daily, and write those out on your checklist. HTH, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELaurie Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 At the beginning of each year, I use the Overview page to plan how I will use the curricula and materials I have selected for each of my dc. I list the materials I will use, the number of lessons I plan to complete each week, and my target date for completion of the lessons. Then I divide the number of lessons for the year by 6, and establish six week benchmarks. I note these on my Six Week Review pages, and place them in my planning notebook. I attach adhesive backed tabs (made by Post It) to each of the Six Week update pages so that I can locate them easily. After that, I transfer information from the Overview to individual planner pages for each week. I plan six weeks at a time, and "tweak" my plans from week to week as needed. I use the planner page in a flexible way, both to note what I hope to do in a given week, as well as to check off what we have done. Some subjects are done every day; others I fit in as needed. As long as I can see that I have at least 4 checks in the row for spelling, 2-3 for grammar, one for art, 2 for history, etc. I can see at a glance whether we are on track. I use the "Notes" section to remind myself about supplies for art projects, library books we have read, upcoming field trips, and anything else that doesn't fit neatly in all of those little boxes :) Every 6 weeks, we take a week off, and I review and update the plan, making notes about everything from character goals to phonics, math facts, art projects, independent reading, poetry memorization, and projects in the AG for SOTW. I posted this a week or so ago, and oakmom posted this great suggestion: Thanks ELaurie! You must have posted this about a year ago and I copied it. It has worked so well for us this year! I photocopied 36 of the weekly sheets for each child and bound them together at Staples so that each of my children has a personalized planner book. I made a different color cover for each child. Next year I'll designate a color for each child and print his/her weekly sheets on that color paper so that even when the book is opened I will easily be able to tell to which child it belongs. In case the attachments don't transfer, here's a link to the original post. Happy planning! 2nd grade - Blank.pdf Six Week Review -.pdf Overview revised bank.pdf 2nd grade - Blank.pdf Six Week Review -.pdf Overview revised bank.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 There is a lesson in the BJU 7th Writing & Grammar on this i gather. I was looking at my Homesat Teacher Notes and saw that is the first thing she goes over. Planning for them and accepting more responsibility for their own. I'll have to go actually LOOK at the section in the book (its in the back i gather). The other thing i'm doing for her to "own" her work is I bought her a NARS Log book to start using. I need her to see how much time she is doing on what.... Otherwise, i'm not sure what i'm totally doing either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kim in ks Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 http://www.thehomeschoolshop.com/sh-masterplanner.htm I love the Master Planner from Westvon kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 I use Homeschool Tracker. You can download the basic edition free online. You have to input all the information, but you can make templates of the assignments so you don't have much to do for lessons that are similar. I went through all my curriculum and made a list of lesson numbers or chapters so that I could figure out how to divide each subject throughout the year. My husband teaches public school so he works 190 days during 10 months. So we start when he does. This allows us to take all his breaks off plus 2 more weeks. What I'm doing this summer is making a month-by-month lesson plan on paper where I can make lots of notes, then once a month next year I'll sit down and input it into the Homeschool Tracker. When you print the assignments it will separate it by child. You can choose to print it out for a single day or the whole week. I've really enjoyed it. Amy of GA Darin's wife for 17 years 11yo dd 5yo ds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Each week, my dc have a personal "conference" with me. I do this anytime between Friday afternoon and Monday mid-day. Each kid takes me about 15 minutes. During this time, they "present" the work they completed in the last week, and we talk about how they've done. As we're doing that, I give them an overview of where I'd like them to go with each subject for the next week. The older kids take their stuff after our little conference, and they write up their lesson plan for the week. For the younger kids, I write the lesson plan or have them write it with me watching. I think the presentation time has been very useful in terms of helping the kids take responsibility for doing good work that they're proud to show off to me during their meeting time, and it affords me a little bit of accountability in getting back to them with input and things like editing of writing assignments and then assigning re-writes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 I "mostly" just do the next thing too so it's easy enough to just list subjects and check them off. However some subjects, it's important that we stay caught up... I have several books for them to read divided up over our term, so that they read 1/10 of each book each week (10 weeks terms here). So, I just made up a Word document with the weeks across the top and the books/subjects down the side, and filled in how much they had to do each week, what chapters or how many pages, showing where we should be up to each week. This keeps ME accountable, and when the kids ask what page or how many chapters for each book, I tell them. I have the master sheet on my desk....they just have their normal timetables and/or checklists on their desks. I still try not to plan too far ahead...10 weeks at a time works well for me. I have actually left the last week free this time, because I want to do some exams, CM style with the kids. This way I can use the last week to either catch up, or have an exam, in each subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosemomma Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 I use the forms from http://donnayoung.org . For your older kids, do as Julie in Austin suggested - they create their own planner notebooks and be responsible for them. They can create their own checklist, calendar and weekly planner sheet. Your can create something similar for the younger children. Then create a master planner for yourself - large binder with dividers for each child. You create a subject or term planner for each subject a child is taking. Set aside time each week to plan out subjects. Plan what you can during the summer. Then when school starts - every Monday, sit down with the kids and they fill out their slim planners for the week. Older children can help the younger children. As things are completed - you can check them off in the subject planners. Jill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jail warden Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 This is such a great thread! So many GREAT ideas. I have been thinking this over for quite a while, I just wasn't sure where to start. I will check out several of these ideas and see which I think will serve our family best. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted May 31, 2008 Author Share Posted May 31, 2008 Thank you everyone for the great ideas!!! I am going to try to do 6 weeks of plans and see what happens. I know our BJU stuff has some kind of lesson plan but I haven't looked through the materials yet to see exactly what. I need to get organized soon lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oceandaughter Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Now please keep in mind that I am due to have a baby any day now and am nesting.... But here are my schedules (with kids names replaced by the nicknames I use on my blog). I have started to go ahead and personalize the lit selections for each term. I have my year divided up kind of weird because of the baby and the fact that all of November is "vacation" since we are moving across the ocean to the UK. (But within walking distance of surfable beach. We are pretty psyched about that!) So here is the schedule I use for both of my boys. It has worked well in various forms this past year. I like having the boxes to check. I pencil in my plans and then if we don't do something I either don't check it off or I erase or cross it off. I don't think we've ever done everything on the schedule every week, but it does help us stay on track more. http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=540283&da=y http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=540343&da=y http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=540333&da=y I also have on their a key that explains the book abbreviations and a family plan. The family plan is more just a weekly calendar of sorts I may start using so that my nine year old knows what to expect (and so he won't ask a million times what we are doing next!) Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna A. Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Simply Charlotte Mason has a new planner and DVD available now. http://simplycharlottemason.com/books/planning-your-charlotte-mason-education/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClassicMom Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 for the NAHRS planbook for HS...good or bad? Does it have a place to keep track of hours for each class? TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kim in ks Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Jo, keepandshare, keeps telliing me i need your permission? i've not used this before, can you help me thanks kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H.S. Burrow Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 I use Homeschool Easy Records. I believe there is a free version, but I bought it for the ability to download other lesson plans. It does require you to create and input the lessons (unless you find one online you like!) so it can be time intensive at first. If you live in a state that requires you to keep attendance records and grades this is set up for that. It also have immunization schedules, yearly forms, etc...if you live where those are required. This is the link to the website: http://www.dataplus.biz/HER/ they have pdf documents that you can download at no charge that further explains the software. IMO the only way to improve this would be to "merge" it with Homeschool Tracker. It has completly changed the way we "do" school....It has made my life MUCH easier...and I only have 2 kids!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kls126s Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 I use EduTrack so I just print a weekly assignment sheet out that way. If life happens and plans have to be altered, it's easy to bump a whole day or just a certain subject. However, before I bought that, I bookmarked this blog post with instructions for a great DIY planner. Maybe this person is even on this board - if so, thanks! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaLisa Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 I try to plan each book for each child during the year. Some books don't require lesson plans; I know that we'll just do the next lesson for Saxon math or Calvert Spelling or Sequential Spelling. Some books simply require that I divide the book into a set number of pages per day -- so, for example, my ds might do 2 pages of ETC per day, or 2 pages of Building Thinking Skills. But some books -- Apologia sciences, history, Health, writing, require me to plan out daily lessons during the summer. I make up weekly lessons on Sunday evening, as it's a good time for me to preview and prepare for the week. I specify the pages that need to be read or the lesson number or "see mom" if it's a lesson that I need to work with them on (e.g. Shurley English). I include extras such as vocabulary that should be studied during a science reading, or a narration that should follow a reading. I also include any outside commitments such as dr. appts, lessons, extracurricular practices, jobs, birthday parties with the time of the appt. I'd be happy to send you an example of a weekly lesson for one of my dc. I don't have a fancy, schmancy blog on which to upload it. ;) HTH, Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnUK Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I've been using this one for four years now, and I haven't found one that I like better. There are 18 boxes for each day. Beacuse of that, I can separate out each thing--spelling, writing, dictation, reading, and grammar, instead of having a 'language arts' box. I think that it really helps them to feel like they are making progress when they can cross things off as they finish them. It's been the single most helpful thing that I've done since we started homeschooling. HTH, --Dawn http://www.amazon.com/Carson-Dellosa-Publishing-Teachers-Plan-Pages/dp/B0013L5FCS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=office-products&qid=1217831706&sr=8-2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura W. Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I use a student homework book for each of my children. I like to have a broad plan in place at the beginning of the year, but do detailed plans each week. For my younger ones, I'll list out what they need to do each day - both in my master plan book and in their homework books. For my fifth grader, I'm thinking about handing her a weekly list and letting her decide how to break it up. I have a friend who prints out a daily schedule for her dds (in 6th and 8th grades) on the computer. They check each thing off as its done. I think she does all the planning and breaking up into daily assignments during a couple of weeks in the summer. Blessings, Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I have always used a check list with my kids that just had the days of the week and it would say the subjects on the top and they checked off that they did that subject that day. We have always just done the next page/lesson type of thing. However this year I am finding we all need more accountability so I am thinking of an actual detailed lesson plan telling them what pages to read or complete each and every day. Where do I begin? Any helpful tips would be appreciated! Anyone else do this with lots of kids? I am wondering how long this is going to take LOL I do something like this. I have a checklist in Word using tables. I list each subject to be completed and checked-off along with some extra space to fill in the assignment. I'll pencil in the specific assignment, it will list Grammar - R&S lesson 4, do every odd number, Written Practice and Review and Practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole M Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 http://www.thehomeschoolshop.com/sh-masterplanner.htmI love the Master Planner from Westvon kim This happens to be half off at CurrClick right now: http://www.currclick.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=master+planner&x=0&y=0&quicksearch=1&search_filter=0_0&filters=0_0&search_free=&search_manufacturer=124&search_in_description=1&search_in_author=1&search_in_artist=1 If it interests anyone... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Yes it does. I have one here if you have other questions. hth for the NAHRS planbook for HS...good or bad? Does it have a place to keep track of hours for each class? TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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