Block scheduling at home

[Ravin]

I'm contemplating using a block schedule for my DD this year. Our school days are Sun-Mon-Wed-Fri. She is in an all day enrichment program on Tu-Th. I'll have class M-W mornings and work half-day on Friday, so those days I need to give her a fair bit of independent work.

 

Sunday is our best day for hands-on activities as we have the most time. She's also more amenable to weekend schooling if I make it fun.

 

Does this look like it'll work?

 

Sun:

Geography activities (once a week block)

Diagramming game

Spelling tests

Math game

Flashcards/chants for Latin

Activities for MPTP lit unit

Band practice

 

M-W-F

Math: independent work in morning, Fred and prep for next independent assignment in afternoon

Latin (together)

Indep. Reading

Read Theory (indep., on computer for comprehension practice)

Handwriting with Draw Write Now (independent) (cursive or calligraphy instead of print)

Keyboarding (independent on computer)

Band practice

F: drawing lesson on DVD for Mapping the World with Art (indep.)

[2queens&1princenmyhouse]

I'm guessing that history and science are adequately covered in the enrichment program.  Look's great to me.

 

A side ? since your DD is in 5th.  My 5th grader, while I could assign that much independent work and she would do most of it, I have trouble with keeping her accountable (especially in the neatness and fully thinking things through--I get a lot of 5 word sentences for answers when a paragraph would be more appropriate and she's able to do that).  It seems that even though she is able to do the work independently, she still needs consistent monitoring.  How do you deal with that?

[Bang!Zoom!]

That's a really nice mix Ravin. Very smart to separate the independent work as well. She's been doing Fred for a while and has the hang of it?

[Ravin]

There's a history component to the geography, and she's got 3 science classes at the enrichment program this year, so that's covered, yeah.

 

For accountability, she has a to-do list, and if she finishes before I get home, her dad will check to make sure she at least made a fair attempt before giving her free time. I go over and "grade" her work, and make her re-do things, make corrections, or add effort as warranted. She is allowed to mark something as needing help if she doesn't understand it.

 

Fred we do as a read-aloud, then DD does the problems either on the dry erase board or paper.

 

I also forgot grammar, which we will do MWF. We use Simply Grammar, and do some orally, some written, and some exercises I make worksheets for. For 5th I'm working to move her to more writing.