If you have a long loop schedule for your homeschool, can you share?

[Halcyon 5,927]

Thanks!

[AimeeM 8,138]

I'm not sure if it's long, but here it is:

 

 

Math (Exploring Elementary Mathematics)

English (Seton)

Spelling

Math (Key To... )

Writing With Ease

History with written narration/summary

Memory Work

Handwriting/copywork

Science with written narration/summary

Religion

 

*Logic

*Latin

(we do these daily, regardless of loop, after everything else, because she finds them "fun")

[Halcyon 5,927]

Hmmmm. I think mine's too long :D

[AimeeM 8,138]

Hmmmm. I think mine's too long :D

What does it look like?

Lol - I've been told MINE is too long :D

[Halcyon 5,927]

Do you really want to see mine LOL...I am new to loop scheduling and was hoping to get through the loop in one week...or so.. I guess that's sorta "against" the whole idea of the loop, isn't it :lol: Some things appear more than once because I want to hit them more often than other things....oh, and I've already eliminated typing practice....

 

Daily: (Begin at 8 am)

__ Reading (45-60 min)

__ Math (45 min)

__ Latin (30 min)

__ Writing (20 min)

__ Xtramath.com (10 min)

__ Memory Work (10 min)

__ Piano (10 min)

 

Finish by 11:30. Have Lunch. 12:00 noon begin Loop.

Weekly Loop:

__ Science

__ Grammar

__ Composer/Artist Studies

__ Spanish (maybe...)

__ Weekly Reader (15 min)

__ Geography

__ Singapore CWP

__ Yoga

__ Free Writing

__ Spanish

__ History

__ Grammar

__ Singapore IP/Math Games

__ Spanish

__ Yoga

__ Mythology

[AimeeM 8,138]

I'm speechless. You are a loop scheduling Goddess.

Now I don't feel badly about mine being "too long" :D

Do you really want to see mine LOL...I am new to loop scheduling and was hoping to get through the loop in one week...or so.. I guess that's sorta "against" the whole idea of the loop, isn't it :lol: Some things appear more than once because I want to hit them more often than other things....oh, and I've already eliminated typing practice....

 

Daily: (Begin at 8 am)

__ Reading (45-60 min)

__ Math (45 min)

__ Latin (30 min)

__ Writing (20 min)

__ Xtramath.com (10 min)

__ Memory Work (10 min)

__ Piano (10 min)

 

Finish by 11:30. Have Lunch. 12:00 noon begin Loop.

Weekly Loop:

__ Science

__ Grammar

__ Composer/Artist Studies

__ Spanish (maybe...)

__ Weekly Reader (15 min)

__ Geography

__ Singapore CWP

__ Yoga

__ Free Writing

__ Spanish

__ History

__ Grammar

__ Singapore IP/Math Games

__ Spanish

__ Yoga

__ Mythology

[happycc 385]

does this mean you go through the list and the next day you just do where you last stopped and continue around again.

 

Oh boy...for the long loops that would mean you don't touch science or history for awhile is that correct?

[Hadassah 10]

I'm speechless. You are a loop scheduling Goddess.

:iagree:

 

The only advice I have is that because your loop is so long, any subject that appears on the loop only once will be more of a "special treat". So, for example, it's ok for mythology to appear only once if you don't consider that to be a "core subject" (and I believe most of us don't :bigear:) but you might want, say, science to come around a bit more often.

[Halcyon 5,927]

:iagree:

 

The only advice I have is that because your loop is so long, any subject that appears on the loop only once will be more of a "special treat". So, for example, it's ok for mythology to appear only once if you don't consider that to be a "core subject" (and I believe most of us don't :bigear:) but you might want, say, science to come around a bit more often.

 

Right. GOod point. Which is why the first loop schedule i made (i think i posted it on here and people were...um....surprised ;)) had science more frequently, and history too. That said, when we DO get to those topics (which I had intended to get to once a week) we do them for about 4 hours or more. The problem is that we didn't get through the entire loop last week. I was sick, so that might have had something to do with it, or the loop is too long.

[Halcyon 5,927]

does this mean you go through the list and the next day you just do where you last stopped and continue around again.

 

Oh boy...for the long loops that would mean you don't touch science or history for awhile is that correct?

 

Yes, except you can put Science and History in more often. With my loop, we usually only do Science and History once a week, each. But when we do them, we do them for a loooong time, so I don't mind getting to them just once a week. But as I mentioned above, we didn't get through the loop last week, which means Science and History are going to be less frequent unless I change something.

[Embassy 676]

I have just adjusted our schedule and we are doing an adapted loop. Each subject area is looped. We have an hour of math/logic time and all the resources we use for math and logic are listed according to how frequently I want them to appear. I have loops for Bible, Language Arts, Literature/Reading, History/Geography, Science, Foreign Language, and Art and Music. When I did a loop for all the non-daily subjects/resources I did not make much of a dent in the list. This seems to be working better.

 

Here is an example of a Language Arts loop for one child.

 

 

Rod and Staff English

Jump In

Handwriting

Rod and Staff Spelling Test

Excavating English

Daily Diagram

Jump In

Handwriting

Webster’s Spelling

Rod and Staff English

Sentence Combining

Copywork

Mavis Beacon Typing

Rod and Staff English

Jump In

Handwriting

Rod and Staff Spelling

Excavating English

 

Here is a math loop for one child:

 

Singapore

LOF

Singapore

Xtra Math

Grid Perplexors

Singapore

LOF

Xtra Math

Singapore

Logic workbook

Math video

Singapore

LOF

Xtra Math

Singapore

Chess Curriculum

Singapore

LOF

Singapore

Xtra Math

Grid Perplexors

Singapore

LOF

Xtra Math

Singapore

Logic workbook

Math video

Singapore

LOF

Xtra Math

Singapore

Chess Game

[Hadassah 10]

Whoops, I posted to the wrong thread. Sorry!

[lakshmi 12]

Loops! My favorite topic of the day. I found another thread recently that got me thinking about this idea. My husband will be grateful that someone else wants to talk about it.

 

While I don't set exact times to start we do have habits. So we start when we start and end when we end. But usually mornings are time for playing around and we get to books between 10 and 11, usually we stop around 4 or 5 without the loops classes. I was hoping that the idea of art or music would help them get motivated to stay focused get done with core to get onto the loop.

 

I have two children so I have some alternating focuses:

 

DAILY:

 

 

• 7yo----------------------------------6yo
  
• Reading (30 min SSR)---------Math (RightStart Level B)
  
• Math ( 45 min RS Level B)-----------Hooked on Phonics (First Grade)
  
• --------------------------------- Reading (15 SSR) >>> break until Math is done
  
• Snack/or Lunch and
  
• Tickle fight or some other silly active thing
   
   
  
• Moving Beyond the Page. 6-8 (Just starting to put them together.)
  
• Spelling (Moving Beyond the Page words on Spellingcity.com)
  
• Phonics (Modern Curriculum Press Plaid, A and C)
  
• Handwriting (MBTP or D'Nealian depending on the lesson)
   
   
  
• Then the loop starts here.
  
• Geography
  
• Fabric arts/cooking
  
• Art
  
• Music
  
• Typing
  
• Foreign Language --- Chinese and French but may switch both to Chinese.
  

 

What I am trying to decide is whether to just assign them a day rather than looping through. Right now we're at 4 hours ± depending on their focus and the activities for the MBTP 60-120 minutes. Math tends to ride at 45 minutes or less for each lesson.

 

I don't restrict the time and that is what is causing me to miss the loop. They can get into some games on Spelling City and easily spend 30 minutes instead of the 15 I have allotted for it. And with MBTP sometimes they can spend more time than I think that it will take.

 

So thanks for posting about loops!

[Hadassah 10]

I'm getting the impression that you really want to fit the loop into one week. IMHO it's more important to nail the subject frequency then to focus on fitting the loop into a time frame. If it makes you feel any better, the preschool loop schedules for each of my three eldest kiddos were about four times as long as yours. They took us about three weeks to get through. But they worked well for us.

 

Edit: Yes, I am addressing Halcyon here. Sorry about any confusion!

[lakshmi 12]

... When I did a loop for all the non-daily subjects/resources I did not make much of a dent in the list. ...

 

This is what I was afraid of happening.

 

And I doubt that Hadassah was talking to me, but I hadn't really thought of a longer loop! Need to evaluate how this is working and then may need to change something.

[Evanthe 2,565]

Halcyon, your loop is too long!

 

This is our third week trying the loop schedule and you really have to keep your loop short. I even shortened mine.

 

Daily (this changes based on what I want to emphasize that week):

 

Math

English

 

Loop:

 

Latin

Logic

History

Lit

Foreign Language

Religion

Art History

Science

 

I want to get to each loop subject twice a week. I also don't want to do more than 4 loop subjects a day.

[Evanthe 2,565]

I have just adjusted our schedule and we are doing an adapted loop. Each subject area is looped. We have an hour of math/logic time and all the resources we use for math and logic are listed according to how frequently I want them to appear. I have loops for Bible, Language Arts, Literature/Reading, History/Geography, Science, Foreign Language, and Art and Music. When I did a loop for all the non-daily subjects/resources I did not make much of a dent in the list. This seems to be working better.

 

Here is an example of a Language Arts loop for one child.

 

 

Rod and Staff English

Jump In

Handwriting

Rod and Staff Spelling Test

Excavating English

Daily Diagram

Jump In

Handwriting

Webster’s Spelling

Rod and Staff English

Sentence Combining

Copywork

Mavis Beacon Typing

Rod and Staff English

Jump In

Handwriting

Rod and Staff Spelling

Excavating English

 

 

How do you guys even do this? :eek: We must be slackers!!

[Embassy 676]

How do you guys even do this? :eek: We must be slackers!!

 

This isn't all in one week. It is a go-on-to-the-next-thing list.

[Evanthe 2,565]

This isn't all in one week. It is a go-on-to-the-next-thing list.

 

:lol: Ah, I see!

[Halcyon 5,927]

I have just adjusted our schedule and we are doing an adapted loop. Each subject area is looped. We have an hour of math/logic time and all the resources we use for math and logic are listed according to how frequently I want them to appear. I have loops for Bible, Language Arts, Literature/Reading, History/Geography, Science, Foreign Language, and Art and Music. When I did a loop for all the non-daily subjects/resources I did not make much of a dent in the list. This seems to be working better.

 

Here is an example of a Language Arts loop for one child.

 

 

Rod and Staff English

Jump In

Handwriting

Rod and Staff Spelling Test

Excavating English

Daily Diagram

Jump In

Handwriting

Webster’s Spelling

Rod and Staff English

Sentence Combining

Copywork

Mavis Beacon Typing

Rod and Staff English

Jump In

Handwriting

Rod and Staff Spelling

Excavating English

 

Here is a math loop for one child:

 

Singapore

LOF

Singapore

Xtra Math

Grid Perplexors

Singapore

LOF

Xtra Math

Singapore

Logic workbook

Math video

Singapore

LOF

Xtra Math

Singapore

Chess Curriculum

Singapore

LOF

Singapore

Xtra Math

Grid Perplexors

Singapore

LOF

Xtra Math

Singapore

Logic workbook

Math video

Singapore

LOF

Xtra Math

Singapore

Chess Game

 

That's a nice idea! I was thinking of something similar--having "leveled" loops...the primary loop will be core subjects, and all must be done daily (so isn't really a loop) The secondary level will be science, history and grammar, and one subject will be begun each day upon the completion of the primary loop. Then there is the 3rd loop, which will compose of typing, mythology, yoga, IP, CWP, etc.

 

Still thinking. I like your idea, but my concern is that, like you, we wouldn't get to our non-core subjects. Maybe make that a required loop also?

[Halcyon 5,927]

I don't restrict the time and that is what is causing me to miss the loop

 

:iagree::iagree: We can often spend 3-5 hours on Science or History...grammar often ends up being an hour simply because my kids enjoy diagramming....which means I don't get to things on my loop. I think the answer is to chill out LOL but the idea of getting to science and history less than once a week does not make me happy.

[Halcyon 5,927]

Halcyon, your loop is too long!

 

This is our third week trying the loop schedule and you really have to keep your loop short. I even shortened mine.

 

Daily (this changes based on what I want to emphasize that week):

 

Math

English

 

Loop:

 

Latin

Logic

History

Lit

Foreign Language

Religion

Art History

Science

 

I want to get to each loop subject twice a week. I also don't want to do more than 4 loop subjects a day.

 

Sigh. I hear you. :tongue_smilie: But we need to get to Latin daily. And xtramath is non-negotiable, as is piano. (luckily both take very little time). I am thinking of using multiple loops....It might look something like this:

 

Daily "Loop" (all required): (Begin at 8 am)

__ Reading (45-60 min)

__ Math (45 min)

__ Latin (30 min)

__ Writing (20 min)

__ Xtramath.com (10 min)

__ Memory Work (10 min)

__ Piano (10 min)

 

Finish by 11:30. Have Lunch. 12:00 noon begin Secondary Loop.

Secondary Loop (one subject group daily)

__ Science & Grammar

__ Geography & Grammar

__ History & Spanish

 

Tertiary Loop (to be work through more leisurely)

__ Composer/Artist Studies

__ Weekly Reader (15 min)

__ Yoga

__ Singapore CWP

__ Free Writing

__ Mythology

__ Singapore IP/Math Games

[Embassy 676]

That's a nice idea! I was thinking of something similar--having "leveled" loops...the primary loop will be core subjects, and all must be done daily (so isn't really a loop) The secondary level will be science, history and grammar, and one subject will be begun each day upon the completion of the primary loop. Then there is the 3rd loop, which will compose of typing, mythology, yoga, IP, CWP, etc.

 

Still thinking. I like your idea, but my concern is that, like you, we wouldn't get to our non-core subjects. Maybe make that a required loop also?

 

Maybe it would work for you. A regular loop schedule lasted 2 days here before I realized it was not going to work at all. I have loops or assignment lists for every subject and a set time per day to work on the loop/list. This allows me to get to everything and helps me budget my time so I'm not hogging all the time with one subject.

[lakshmi 12]

Halcyon, your loop is too long!

 

This is our third week trying the loop schedule and you really have to keep your loop short. I even shortened mine.

 

Daily (this changes based on what I want to emphasize that week):

 

Math

English

 

Loop:

 

Latin

Logic

History

Lit

Foreign Language

Religion

Art History

Science

 

I want to get to each loop subject twice a week. I also don't want to do more than 4 loop subjects a day.

 

Nice idea to throw Art History in there. Perhaps instead of Fine Arts if I don't have enough time I could do some Art History.

 

Maybe it would work for you. A regular loop schedule lasted 2 days here before I realized it was not going to work at all. I have loops or assignment lists for every subject and a set time per day to work on the loop/list. This allows me to get to everything and helps me budget my time so I'm not hogging all the time with one subject.

 

Yes, I think that the loop may not last long here either. A set day might work better for what I am looping right now.

 

Sigh. I hear you. :tongue_smilie: But we need to get to Latin daily. And xtramath is non-negotiable, as is piano. (luckily both take very little time). I am thinking of using multiple loops....It might look something like this:

 

Daily "Loop" (all required): (Begin at 8 am)

__ Reading (45-60 min)

__ Math (45 min)

__ Latin (30 min)

__ Writing (20 min)

__ Xtramath.com (10 min)

__ Memory Work (10 min)

__ Piano (10 min)

 

Finish by 11:30. Have Lunch. 12:00 noon begin Secondary Loop.

Secondary Loop (one subject group daily)

__ Science & Grammar

__ Geography & Grammar

__ History & Spanish

 

Tertiary Loop (to be work through more leisurely)

__ Composer/Artist Studies

__ Weekly Reader (15 min)

__ Yoga

__ Singapore CWP

__ Free Writing

__ Mythology

__ Singapore IP/Math Games

 

You could move yoga up to your daily and rather than doing a whole set of something you could do one position as just a wiggle break? And I think that the tertiary loop is going to bite the the dust with that schedule. To get all of that in, I would take your Primary list make it MWF and your Secondary list TR, with your Tertiary going to loop after those subjects are done. You could even add Latin and piano to the Tuesday Thursday schedule.

 

I guess you have to decide whether the last group is important to you or not. Because I know that my loop subjects aren't even getting touched which is why I want to loop them.

 

The only other thing I could see is that you could add something from secondary list to primary one day a week. Latin and Grammar on Monday, Latin and spanish on Tuesday. etc...

 

Good luck. Scheduling is the hardest part for me. But I am starting to get a handle on it. Especially since I started using Homeschool Skedtrack. It has really helped a lot.

 

Thanks again for bringing this subject up. It is something I've been thinking a lot about. Oh, and I did see somewhere folks discussing a Sabbath Schedule--working for six weeks then off a week. You could do a Six week loop with all of these subjects but just change the order. At least then you'd be hitting them every six or seven weeks.

[julikins 69]

I thought I was crazy trying to come up with different levels of the loop, so reading this thread makes me feel better. I've tweaked this list a couple times, rearranging it to fit into our lives better. We're working on it this way this week. So we'll see how it works. Tell me what you think...

Read-Alone Bible and Journal 15 minutes (not during school time)

Daily Together Assignments: (1 hr 45 minutes)

Bible & Bible Memory (15 minutes)

Read-Alouds (30 minutes)

Together Loop (1 hour)

Together Loop (included above)

Geography—MFW and EE (reading and/or activity)

Portuguese—Rosetta Stone

Science—Animal Classifications based on Geography Country (EE) Some MFW ECC

Grammar Activity

Geography Game

Science Experiment or Video

 

Daily Individual Assignments: (1hr. 30 min.)

 

dd9:

Math 30 minutes

Spelling 15 minutes

Alternate R&S Grammar (combine 2 lessons) or ILL Language 30 minutes

Piano Practice 15 minutes

ds6:

Piano Practice 15 minutes

Math 30 minutes

Phonics 25 minutes

Handwriting 20 minutes

 

2-A-Day Activities (30 minutes)

Typing (dd) Complete Book of Animals (ds)

Math Facts Review/Flashcards

Art Lesson

Book Basket with Narration

Typing (dd) Complete Book of Animals (ds)

Vocabulary: Geography Terms and Review Worksheet

Art Lesson

Letter Writing/Make cards

[Penelope 901]

I am trying to figure out something similar, so I don't have a list that works to post, but I was thinking:

 

what if you looped in mythology and artist/composer study as part of your history schedule? IOW when you do those things, do them as all or part of your history day. Or at least try to integrate the artist/composer into the general history time period you are studying.

 

Another idea is to have mythology books and biographies of artists, composers, and art books, and have them as part of his assigned reading during school time. Then you could briefly discuss what he reads and have the paintings hung up in your school area or by the table so you can look at them while you eat. Maybe not as thorough as what you had planned, but at least a little bit gets done. Or, if you have school 5 days per week, change just one day per week of Latin to mythology/art/music/free writing. Then you would get each done once per month.

 

How we do CWP of late: about one day per week instead of a new math lesson, we do only the CWP for an hour plus. I was adding a page a day to his regular work, but having days with only word problems is working much better. However, the CWP is a big part of our math program, and it may be less so for you.

[MeganW 172]

I think your 3 loop idea is best, but to be honest I think you are going to have to live it and work it until you figure out what works for you.

 

There are strange considerations that you don't notice until you live it. Here, I have to have something in between subjects that require writing so little hands can rest. I have to have more active, on the floor stuff in between table stuff. I have each kids' workbooks all in one big school binder. I don't want to get out binders then put them away them get them back out then put them back away, b/c it just takes them *forever* to flip the sections over the binder rings to get them closed. If I am going to be reading/talking for more than a minute, they need to either be eating or have something else to occupy their hands. Etc. etc.

 

It's not all just about the subjects in the list, which makes it really hard for anyone else to advise.

 

I love your 3 loop idea, though! Thinking about modifying mine now!

[kristinannie 206]

Everyday we do: circle time (memorization, devotions, conversational German, calendar, read alouds), German, SM, handwriting, phonics games, reading lesson, and read alouds.

 

ETC

Religion

Miquon

Science

History

Music

 

ETC

Religion

McRuffy Math

Science

History

Art

 

ETC

Religion

Miquon

Science

History

Critical Thinking

 

ETC

Religion

Miquon

Science

History

Music

 

ETC

Religion

McRuffy Math

Science

History

Art

 

 

Most days I can get through the miniloop, but if I can't...no worries! I just start there the next day. This has literally saved art and music.

[Halcyon 5,927]

I am trying to figure out something similar, so I don't have a list that works to post, but I was thinking:

 

what if you looped in mythology and artist/composer study as part of your history schedule? IOW when you do those things, do them as all or part of your history day. Or at least try to integrate the artist/composer into the general history time period you are studying.

That's an idea. We're using a particular book now for Composer Studies....The issue is that we are about to start SOTW4 whcih i am aiming to finish by September (we school year round) and not sure if I want to slow that down. But thank you--food for thought.

 

Another idea is to have mythology books and biographies of artists, composers, and art books, and have them as part of his assigned reading during school time. Then you could briefly discuss what he reads and have the paintings hung up in your school area or by the table so you can look at them while you eat. Maybe not as thorough as what you had planned, but at least a little bit gets done. Or, if you have school 5 days per week, change just one day per week of Latin to mythology/art/music/free writing. Then you would get each done once per month.

 

 

Oh, I like the idea of swapping out Latin once a week-he's so intense with it the other four days that I don't mind swapping out Friday (he'd do a little vocab review over the weekend, but that's normal). I like this! Free writing needs to be done once a week, so i wouldn't include that (he loves it too much, I am trying to encourage his nascent writer) ;)

 

How we do CWP of late: about one day per week instead of a new math lesson, we do only the CWP for an hour plus. I was adding a page a day to his regular work, but having days with only word problems is working much better. However, the CWP is a big part of our math program, and it may be less so for you.

 

We definitely do CWP once a week, usually for about 45 minutes. I can see swapping out MM for one day, as we're ahead of schedule in that. Thank you!!!

[Halcyon 5,927]

I thought I was crazy trying to come up with different levels of the loop, so reading this thread makes me feel better. I've tweaked this list a couple times, rearranging it to fit into our lives better. We're working on it this way this week. So we'll see how it works. Tell me what you think...

 

Read-Alone Bible and Journal 15 minutes (not during school time)

 

Daily Together Assignments: (1 hr 45 minutes)

Bible & Bible Memory (15 minutes)

Read-Alouds (30 minutes)

Together Loop (1 hour)

 

Together Loop (included above)

Geography—MFW and EE (reading and/or activity)

Portuguese—Rosetta Stone

Science—Animal Classifications based on Geography Country (EE) Some MFW ECC

Grammar Activity

Geography Game

Science Experiment or Video

 

Daily Individual Assignments: (1hr. 30 min.)

 

dd9:

Math 30 minutes

Spelling 15 minutes

Alternate R&S Grammar (combine 2 lessons) or ILL Language 30 minutes

Piano Practice 15 minutes

ds6:

Piano Practice 15 minutes

Math 30 minutes

Phonics 25 minutes

Handwriting 20 minutes

 

2-A-Day Activities (30 minutes)

Typing (dd) Complete Book of Animals (ds)

Math Facts Review/Flashcards

Art Lesson

Book Basket with Narration

Typing (dd) Complete Book of Animals (ds)

Vocabulary: Geography Terms and Review Worksheet

Art Lesson

Letter Writing/Make cards

 

 

I like this-I like how you've really tailored it to make it work for YOU.

[Halcyon 5,927]

I'm getting the impression that you really want to fit the loop into one week. IMHO it's more important to nail the subject frequency then to focus on fitting the loop into a time frame. If it makes you feel any better, the preschool loop schedules for each of my three eldest kiddos were about four times as long as yours. They took us about three weeks to get through. But they worked well for us.

 

Edit: Yes, I am addressing Halcyon here. Sorry about any confusion!

 

Yes, I do. Science and History have to be done at least once a week in our house, or there's revolt. But I can see that the frequency might be more important, so that's what I have to figure out.

 

FWIW, we did start our loop again today, and completed Science. But that's because I decided to do Mythology as a read aloud this week in the evenings. Hmm, that might be a permanent change.....

[Halcyon 5,927]

okay, so trying Penelope's advice, here's what I came up with:

 

 

Daily Core: (Begin at 8 am)

__ Reading (45-60 min)

__ Math (45 min)(MM except Friday, when replaced with IP/CWP)

__ Latin (40 min) (except Friday, when replaced with Artist/Composer Study/Mythology)

__ WWE/WWS (30 min) (except Friday, when replaced with Free Writing)

__ Xtramath.com (10 min)

__ Memory Work (10 min)

__ Piano (10 min)

 

Finish by 11:30. Have Lunch. 12:00 noon begin Weekly Loop.

Weekly Loop:

__ Science (4 hours)

__ Spanish (15 minutes)

__ Weekly Reader (15 min)

__ Yoga (15 min)

__ Grammar (30 min)

__ Geography (2 hours)

__ Singapore CWP (1 hour)

__ Yoga (30 min)

__ Grammar (30 min-1 hour)

__ Spanish (15 min)

__ History (4 hours)

__ Math Games (1 hour)

__ Spanish (15 min)

__ Yoga (15 min)

 

By limiting our Core Loop on Fridays, it will allow me to fill in more subjects from the Weekly Loop.

 

For younger, his Core Loop would be

__ Reading

__ Math

__ Latin

__ WWE

__ Memory Work

__ Piano

 

and then on to the Weekly, which he does mostly with older (science is separate)

[Wabi Sabi 1,904]

I think this might work well for my first grader. This is what I've been kind of playing around with today-

 

Daily work:

 

Primary math program (MM)

Reading

Phonics (ETC)

Writing (WWE)

Spelling/FLL

 

Loop:

 

Science

Word puzzles

Free choice of computer games

Miquon

Logic

Write a letter (he corresponds with a penpal and an elderly great-aunt)

History

Math facts

Geography

Nature studies

Art history

Typing

 

Ideally, I'd love to get through the loop 1.5/times a week. Some things on the loop might take several hours at one time (ie: completing a history activity) but practicing math facts or doing a word puzzle might only take 15-20 minutes at most.

[iona 89]

another idea for halcyon :)

 

What if you had your core morning routine then you have a science afternoon, a history afternoon and three loop afternoons. You could either assign them to a particular day(science mondays), or see how the day went and decide if it would be a good day for a four hour extended study or a variety of things from the loop. Then you wouldn't have to get through the loop each week to get science and history in.

[Halcyon 5,927]

another idea for halcyon :)

 

What if you had your core morning routine then you have a science afternoon, a history afternoon and three loop afternoons. You could either assign them to a particular day(science mondays), or see how the day went and decide if it would be a good day for a four hour extended study or a variety of things from the loop. Then you wouldn't have to get through the loop each week to get science and history in.

 

 

 

Hmmmm...I like this too!!! We have two days (Monday and Friday) that are totally 'open' in terms of no afternoon activities. So we could do Science and History on those two days, and our loop the other days. I really don't care how often we get to the other subjects in our loop, so I could even add stuff back! Tuesdays is also fairly open, so that's another idea.

 

Thank you so much!!! So many good ideas!!!!!

[Hadassah 10]

another idea for halcyon :)

 

What if you had your core morning routine then you have a science afternoon, a history afternoon and three loop afternoons. You could either assign them to a particular day(science mondays), or see how the day went and decide if it would be a good day for a four hour extended study or a variety of things from the loop. Then you wouldn't have to get through the loop each week to get science and history in.

 

:iagree:

[Halcyon 5,927]

I think this might work well for my first grader. This is what I've been kind of playing around with today-

 

Daily work:

 

Primary math program (MM)

Reading

Phonics (ETC)

Writing (WWE)

Spelling/FLL

 

Loop:

 

Science

Word puzzles

Free choice of computer games

Miquon

Logic

Write a letter (he corresponds with a penpal and an elderly great-aunt)

History

Math facts

Geography

Nature studies

Art history

Typing

 

Ideally, I'd love to get through the loop 1.5/times a week. Some things on the loop might take several hours at one time (ie: completing a history activity) but practicing math facts or doing a word puzzle might only take 15-20 minutes at most.

 

This looks great!

[Osaubi 24]

I have 2 loops and a non loop.

 

Things we do together loop (1hr)

Bible

Geography

Art

Music

Science

 

Things done daily (1.5hrs) non looped

Latin

Math

Reading

 

Individual loop schedules depending on the child (1.5hrs)

 

 

I have found it takes 3 days to get through the top loop. Art seems to take up at least 2hrs when we do it. On art day I usually only have 1/2 hr for the individual loop. We stay pretty consistant with the time on the daily activities. If someone is done early then they just start on their individual loop earlier.

[Halcyon 5,927]

Following iona's idea (and this is more for me to keep track of everyone's ideas, but maybe someone else can benefit)

 

Daily Core: (Begin at 8 am)

__ Reading (45-60 min)

__ Math (45 min) [On Fridays, do Singapore CWP/IP instead of MM]

__ Latin (40 min)

__ WWE/WWS (30 min) [On Fridays, do Free Writing instead]

__ Xtramath.com (10 min)

__ Memory Work (10 min)

__ Piano (10 min)

 

Finish by 11:30. Have Lunch. 12:00 noon begin below.

______________________________________________________

 

Monday: Science Afternoon [finish with 15 min yoga]

Friday: History Afternoon [finish with 15 min yoga]

 

Tues-Wed-Thursday Loop

__ Spanish (15-30 minutes)

__ Weekly Reader (15-30 min)

__ Yoga (15-30 min)

__ Mythology

__ Typing Practice

__ Grammar (30 min)

__ Geography (1-2 hours)

__ Math Games (1 hour)

[stm4him 771]

Reviving an old thread!

 

Ok, so I'm considering a 4 loop schedule. How crazy is that? Before I share details, I will give the overall idea:

 

There would be only 2 daily subjects: Bible and Composition (IEW). I may have to add grammar to this, but I'm undecided about that right now so right now it goes in a loop.

 

The loops would be called Essentials, Scribblers, Foundations, and The Core. They are loosely associated with the way CC lays out their subjects, but The Core is going to be what I call our extra stuff just because it was the only other CC type title I could come up with and I'm sure the activities we will do are referenced in The Core in some way. I'm using Scribblers as a reference to the basic 3R's that all kids preschool through 6th grade do. I'm using Essentials to mean the subjects that are intensely studied in 4th-6th grade, though my 1st-3rd graders will tag along one room schoolhouse style for most of it. Foundations refers to our memory work and activities which are directly tied to our memory work or the activities we did at CC in fine arts and science, and will also include presentations since we do those at Foundations. Map drawing will also be in the Foundations loop. And The Core will be extra history, science, fine arts, and Bible related activities that I hope to get around to.

 

Bible will be daily for obvious reasons and will include praise (hymns and hymn study), Proverbs (a few verses), Psalms (one per day with a focus on a few verses), 2 OT and 1 NT chapter, and a OT and NT story for the younger kids. We will also pray and will include one prayer request for another country we are praying for. We'll likely continue going over one manner per day. We will drop character and catechism and put them in a loop because our devotions were going too long. We may go back and forth having this at night or in the morning depending on our schedule.

 

Composition (IEW) has to be daily to make sure my daughter gets her writing assignment done on time each week.

 

After that, we will start the loops, but it won't work the way most loops do. Instead, they would have a notebook with 4 tabs, one for each loop. Each loop would have 4 days of work in them in order of that loop. We would start our week at the first tab and go through all four days of work from the Essentials tab. That will most likely mean hitting those subjects more than once in a day, but there will be a break in between so at least they wouldn't be back to back. When we finish all the weekly work for Essentials we would go to the next tab. We would go through all the work for Foundations for the week. Then Scribblers and finally, The Core. Even though we will have 4 days worth of work we will have only 24 weeks of work so there is wiggle room. Some weeks of the year we can work 5 days.

 

So the reason for this is that we can make absolutely sure we hit Essentials for my oldest to be prepared for class. Foundations will go next because it is directly tied to CC. If we actually finish what I want to finish for that then there will be several weeks of the year when there are no papers in this loop (or just a simple quick review). Scribblers will go third because it does not have to be done on certain weeks of the year and really should go year round to keep it fresh. And the last loop can span several years and can be done when other loops drop out.

 

 

If we are really struggling for some reason then the Foundations loop can be dropped and we will stick to just singing our playlist in the car. We will not continually sacrifice the 3 Rs for other activities.

 

In our Essentials loop will be a math game so math will always be part of our day no matter what. Some things like Latin and Greek don't fit into any particular loop but I am putting them with Essentials. If they are taking too much time they will be put in at the end.

 

Also, we will have two book lists at the front of the notebook for them to highlight as they go along when I am hung up and can't help or whatever the case may be. That will stay there all year. One list will be their literature and the other will be related to Cycle 2.

 

The beauty of this is you make sure you get through the subjects of the week that have to be done to keep up with CC. Each week you start with the most important loop in terms of urgency and you are not held up by getting through the whole loop. At times this may mean that you end up doing two math lessons per day, but my kids are doing that currently so it can be done if it has to be.

 

I know there are kinks in here but the baby is crying so point them out to me and then I'll address them if I've already thought of an answer and if I haven't, even better! Then I can go ponder that problem before I hit it in real life......

 

I'm trying to figure it all out BEFORE I put together their notebooks this summer....

[TraceyS/FL 546]

Hmmm, so you want to do 4 days of certain subjects all on one day? I would think it would make more sense to hit the Essentials for a time period, then move to the next loop for a set time.

 

So your Essentials loop could be say, 2 hours, then you move on for an hour and then another hour. Then the next day you pick up where you left off on the work, Bible, Essentials at the next spot, then the 4th and 1st loop - and at the end of the week anything left gets moved forward.

 

Bible & Comp

Essentials loop - for a set time

 

daily - again for blocks of time

1: loop 2 & 3

2: loop 4 & 2

3: loop 3 & 4

4: loop 2 & 3

 

But I also confess to not being a person that could do the loop thing exactly, but I am pondering a rotating schedule for certain things in set spots in the day.

[stm4him 771]

I'm not sure I would do it that way because loop 4 is likely to not make it in on some weeks, but it made me think about starting each day with the Essentials loop and then going on to Foundations until the end of the day or until a day's work is done and then moving to Scribblers at the end of the day. I suppose if we start the day with the same loop every time it should work out to get that done at least. Or rotating between Scribblers and Foundations like this:

 

Day 1: loop 1 and 2

 

Day 2: loop 1 and 3

 

Day 3: loop 1 and 2

 

Day 4: loop 1 and 3

 

Loop 4 would replace loops 1 and 2 on weeks when they weren't there or on an amazing week when we have extra time.....

 

Loop 4 might need to be in its own notebook.......

 

Gotta think about that idea.....

 

Actually, what I think I'm still wrestling with is the question of whether it would be better to cover our Foundations loop (extensions of our memory work) during the week we do them at CC (or as close as I can) and let 3 R's slide since I know we can finish them in the summer when we're not in CC or let the extensions slide so that if we hit the end of the CC year I don't have to feel such pressure to finish subjects. Does that make sense? Well, just typing that out makes me realize I probably need to do Scribblers as loop 2 and let Foundations extensions come as time permits and if we don't get to it then that is less of a big deal than if we don't get to the 3 R's.........Then for summer it can be up to me whether or not to finish those.....

[scrapbabe 525]

Ha ha! You would not believe how many times I had to read your post to understand it all. ;). I would definitely say scribblers should be loop 2. We have fallen behind In those subjects before and it's no fun trying to catch up. Our summers don't always turn out like I plan so I'd hate to rely on summer to fit those in. I like the idea of starting with the same loop every morning. I didn't like your first post where you said some subjects would turn up again in the same day. If that's the case then I would start a new loop instead of doubling up on any subject. Does that make sense? Starting loop 1 over in the same day could get old. If we made it thru one loop 1 cycle I'd move on to loop 2. But I think that's what you're saying by beginning each day with loop 1, right?