How do you make a materials and routine look like a curriculum?

[Kendall]

I’m going to list below what my 2^nd grader did this year.   I have a dear SIL who will have a 1^st grader next year(and 4^th) and wants to do(already does) things in a similar manner and she uses many of the same materials.  It is for her rising 1st grader that I ask.

 

How do you make this list/method/materials “look†like a curriculum both:

 

 

To others(you will be preaching to the choir if you tell me someone should NOT need to make this look like a curriculum for anybody else!)

 

But more importantly for yourself in order to be able to just “do the next thing†if you have a chronic disease that gives you good and bad days health wise(as my SIL does).

 

-Alphaphonics(5-15 min day)  - My second grader was finished with this, but her 1^st is in the middle, we just reviewed sounds daily

-Give spelling words

-Copywork

-Dictation

-Read aloud to Mom (which included the two of us looking up words, places, things that she didn’t know and discussing anything I felt she might not understand)

-Handwriting

-MEP math

 

This is really all I did for my 2^nd grader this year.  Which doesn’t really look like much but she also did the following things (substitute violin for ASL and change the nature and maybe quantity of the read alouds and my SIL’s house looked much like this also).  My 2^nd grader:

 

-watched occasional art, geography,  or science videos with siblings.

-Listened to me read aloud to everyone daily (including some non fiction and a Dickens book and 2 Jane Austin books),

-listened to me read aloud to a smaller subset of my children(usually biography or fiction),

-listened to my husband read aloud(some history and biography and some fiction including The Hobbit),

-listened to me read the occasional picture book to her and her younger sister,

-did shepherd science geography and learned where all of the US states are, learned some of Europe

-The second half of the year she was reading well enough to read silently from a history and a science book(not text) each afternoon on her own

-She was a participant in our daily Bible and song time, our 2-3 times a week ASL practice

-Attended with us a 2-ten week ASL classes,

-Drew, created, played, sometimes wrote her own stories

-Participated in a time when I discussed an informal logic fallacy, a figure of speech, and worked on memory work both poetry and Bible verses, (this all went by the wayside the second half of the year)

 

I feel like this is enough for a 1^st/2^nd grader even though only a few things are being directly targeted to her. 

 

Any tips on how to make this look and act like a curriculum?

 

 

Thanks in advance,

Kendall 

[73349]

You could plug it into a planner or spreadsheet with the weeks listed. Divide the Language Arts section into copywork, dictation, phonics, independent reading, writing, etc. List the books or topics to read for non-fiction as science/social studies if you wish. Sign language, violin, or other minor items can all be listed in an Enrichment column.

 

Then you have an official-looking record.

[Sherry in OH]

I agree that a spreadsheet would work.  You could make a separate table for each subject.  That way she would not have to worry about moving more quickly or slowly in one subject.  Each one would be do the next thing. 

 

You could also make a word processing document for each subject.  List the resources you plan to use.  As the year progresses remove the titles you don’t use and add others you discover along the way. 

 

I would arrange the list you provided as:

 

Math: MEP – (print out learning objectives and scope and scheme of works)

 

Language Arts:

Reading – read aloud to an adult (list the books she read)

Spelling – spelling word list (if you have a source list it)

Handwriting – (list resource used)

Composition, Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage – copywork and dictation from y;

            Creative writing

Literature – exposure to a variety of genres including children’s fiction, fantasy,

classic literature, poetry, biography, and non-fiction; poetry memorization

(list the titles of books read and poems memorized.)

 

Geography – Shepard Geography, (resource list)

History – (resource list)

Science – (resource list)

Art – hands-on creativity; Art history/appreciation/instruction via video (list videos)

Music – daily singing (list songs learned)

Religion – scripture/Bible story, memorization of selected verses (list verses memorized and Bible or other resource used for daily Bible time)

Foreign Language – ASL [external class]

Enrichment – Exploration and discovery AKA play and field trips/outings (list or photographs of selected activities)

[Tanikit]

I have a couple of chronic diseases that mean my days can be very up and down and it is also not predictable. On top of that I work when called to work which is also unpredictable and can result in having to school in the afternoons sometime. For my first grader I have minimum standards - for days when I am working and also for days when I am not working - we must touch reading, writing and math in some form each day that is a full day, on half days when I am working we must touch at least two of those and on days when I am working and the children have afternoon activities then we may just do reading in the evenings and call that a day. We also do school on Saturdays and school year round to manage. On days when I am struggling I have had to give myself grace and know that during the struggling it is not the time to plan ahead but that when I feel better I can make a plan about catching up or sorting something out.

 

If she wants a scheduled curriculum then it would help to have a lot of space for catch up days and days off. She could also plan in smaller sections - plan for a month and then some time off which can be used to catch up or reevaluate.

 

I have found that some schooling can take place even in the evenings - reading at bed time, read alouds at bed time (which even my husband can do - he does not do much of this, but it is a possibility if there is a crisis). It also means that I need to be disciplined when my health is good and not waste time then.

 

I am not sure what you mean by making it look like a curriculum - does this mean having a full plan beforehand? I tend to make mine look like a curriculum afterward actually - I write down what we did each day in a book and may at times have plans for the next day, but not much beyond that. At the end of the year I keep the book from the previous year which looks very like a curriculum and I can use that to show people without having a real curriculum for the year I am busy with. Sorry that might not help now, but she could always plan now and write down what really happens at the same time to see how they differ.

[almondbutterandjelly]

Wouldn't a list of subjects, books, and perhaps how many times a week, do the job?  (I'm just guessing on your # of times per week)

Phonics/Reading: Alphaphonics, daily, plus leveled readers

Spelling:  (do you use a book or list from somewhere?), daily

Language Arts:  (do you use Writing with Ease or something for your copywork and dictation?  LLATL?  Queen homeschool?), daily

     This includes Copywork, Mondays, Dictation, Tuesdays, Free Writing, Wednesdays, etc.

Penmanship:  (do you use Handwriting without Tears?  Reason for Handwriting?  Something else?), daily

Mathematics:  MEP, daily

Art:  Videos about ____, once a week or once a month

Geography:  Shepherd Science and Videos, weekly

Science:  Books and Videos about these topics: _______, weekly

Literature:  Read alouds, daily.  Read the following books:  ______

History:  Studied the following time periods/topics:  _________, weekly

American Sign Language, two ten-week class sessions

Memory Work:  Bible verses plus the following poems: ____, daily

 

HTH!

 

 

 

 

 

[Kendall]

Please don't stop the ideas!  But I wanted to jump in and thank you so much for the suggestions so far.  It has really gotten my mind going on this!  I should have quizzed her a little better about what she needs a curriculum to do for her.  She and I are going to talk soon.  But I've got new ideas to share with her now.

 

I used to do the "plan" afterwards, too.  Then I dropped even that!  I just have my routine on a spreadsheet, but I knew she needed something more. You've given great ideas on how to expand and make this work for her and  also "look" like she has a plan.  She is a great Mom and a great homeschooler and she provides a very rich learning environment for her kids.  

 

 

 

 

[k8c]

If planning on the computer does not work for her (I really tried to make it work for me, but would get irritated), I plan out everything ahead of time in a physical weekly planner, but use square sticky notes for each lesson.  This way they are moveable if something doesn't get done, or more gets done.  I also use it as "week 1," "week 2" and so on, rather than planning specific dates for each thing, with potential break weeks every 6-8 or so depending on DH's schedule or holidays.  Those break weeks could also be built-in buffers for make-up for days if she isn't able to teach for a few days.   I have one giant one that holds all the subjects, but she could even get a cheap one for each subject, and instead of even planning by weeks, just plan out X number of lessons (depending on the curriculum), and then it would be very easy to just do the next.  

[lewelma]

I used a daily routine for the basics and did them 4 days per week. This allowed me to have a field trip day which could vary based on my mood and what was on offer.

 

I always used 'do the next thing' materials, so there was no planning.  My planning looked like Sherry in OH wrote in post 3. 

 

30 minutes math

20 minutes read to me or read independently when ready

10 minutes handwriting

20 minutes dictation alternating with copywork

10 minutes phonics or spelling

 

read aloud history or science (at night with dad)

read to self in bed for 30 minutes before lights out

 

I divided the work up into 2 'blocks'. Block one math, handwriting, and reading to me.  Block 2 was copywork/dictation and spelling. With a small break in the middle. We started typically at 8am and finished by 10.

 

This routine kept me honest and helped my son know what to expect each day.

 

Ruth in NZ

 

 

 

 

[kagmypts]

I am going to attempt to upload a file to show how I organize my kids' work each week.  Each child has her/his own list, and I highlight the item as each child completes that subject.  If we opt to take a day off of school or skip a subject, the box just stays empty.  

 

Attempting to upload a sample file now... I can't keep the formatting when I paste it from Excel.

 

  

 

Here's a sample of the grammar work that I had for my daughter this past year.  Before the school year started, I sat down and made a comprehensive list of her daily assignments.  On her assignment sheet under the grammar heading, her schedule read, "Day XX."  She knew how to find the proper assignment based on the day, and she also knew how much work she had to complete before she was done for the year.  :-)

 

[Farrar]

A routine just is a curriculum.  I guess I'm not sure how it "should" look.  Of course, a fancy, well made spreadsheet bound into a booklet can be took, but there's nothing wrong with one piece of paper listing something like what Ruth has above.  We also have routines that are based on the day of the week, though we've fallen away from them as activities have changed, we've also had things like Monday is copywork, Tuesday is math games and oral narration, Wednesday is documentaries and science read alouds, etc.

 

If it's about things feeling like they all came together, I do that afterwards, not before.  That's what I use portfolios for.  And I have to say that it really makes me feel like, wow, we did a bunch of stuff and have improved and learned, we're awesome!  Every time.

[kiwik]

could you just do it a bit like those old weight watcher diet sheets but by the week?

 

Something like Maths 4 x 30 mins with four check boxes. Then a variation for each of the others. She could just tick off as she goes, knowing how much she had to.get completed over 7 days.

[RootAnn]

How to make it look like a curriculum - I'm assuming this is "for show":

- Just keep written work in a binder or notebook with dates (good way to practice knowing the date & writing it).

- Have a printed "calendar" in the front (one month per page) where names of movies, books, or whatever is written if you read them or watched them that day/week.

 

How to make it "do the next thing" :

- have a list of books, movies, etc. to choose from & cross off as you go so you can just look at the list & pick something else.

- have the spelling list, copywork, dictation stuff ready to go so you can just grab it. Something like English Lessons Through Literature has this all ready for you, I think.

- print the MEP math ahead of time & have a "math box" full of manipulatives if you want/need them

 

[pehp]

Ruth's planning seems a lot like mine.  I keep it very straightforward. In kindergarten I did a TON of advance planning and I really sort of over-planned myself (I started to get crazy after about 2 months).  So now I just keep plugging along with a routine and I feel much better. We typically begin with math (30 mins or so, I'm not wedded to the clock), followed by 20ish minutes reading/phonics, 10ish for handwriting, 10ish for reading aloud to me. That ends the major stuff and we have a break.  Then my basic weekly layout is Monday: history; Tuesday: narrating Aesop; Wednesday: cultures/geography; Thurs or Fri: science/nature study.  I try to read literature, poetry and Bible stories regularly, but I'm not hyperventilating if I miss out.  It is very much 'do the next thing' but I am committed to doing school after breakfast and chores each day. Just a tiny little routine......

 

Like farrarwilliams, I like a retrospective.  I started to keep a journal recently for this very reason....our routine doesn't feel very 'hard' or 'schoolish'.  Then I started to keep the journal and realize our days are pretty rich.  And it makes me happy.  

 

I do sometimes use a checklist, just a chart I make in Microsoft Word.  It's very straightforward, cheap, sensible, meets my needs and I ditch it when I don't feel like doing it!  I only have one student right now; when my daughter joins us I will probably use the checklist more consistently because my brain doesn't multitask very well these days. 

[Kendall]

Thanks again everyone.  I hope others find this thread useful as well.  I traveled to see my SIL today and shared everything with her and she has a plan now that she feels good about and that she thinks will work for her.  She talked herself down from feeling like she needed a "curriculum"  or needed to make hers look like one for someone else.  She is going to go with a routine and checklist(which will also keep track of school weeks) with the most important things at the top so that if she has a bad day those will get done.  She's also going to keep their notebooks that they do much of their work in, like a portfolio.  We both really appreciated all of your ideas and I'm going to tweak a few things for a few of my  younger ones also.

 

I also know I will share some of the things she didn't decide to use with others because others homeschool moms ask me about things from time to time. Something about having schooled 8 children gives the false impression that I know what I'm doing!  But I do have lots of ideas to share(and more thanks to you all) and lots of mistakes to share(did these myself:)).