My4arrows Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Can someone talk tome about block scheduling for elementary (1 and 3 grades here working together at the same level)? What would it look like? Does it make sense to do if you have a "boxed" curriculum like MFW? Can you block LA (reading, writing, spelling)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Are you thinking of every-other-day blocks or semester blocks? I would be extremely reluctant to block reading, writing, or math, as these are skills that really require distributed practice. Subjects such as science or history block very well, and for students who are already fluent readers, literature blocks very well as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My4arrows Posted March 30, 2015 Author Share Posted March 30, 2015 More of a daily or weekly block is what I'm thinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco_Clark Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 We do a weekly rotation of afternoon blocks. So Monday is for History, Tuesday is for Science, Wednesday is for Art, Thursday is History again, and Friday is Nature Study. I think most families on this board do something along that line. Its hard to hit every single subject every single day. I am strongly considering doing a monthly rotation next year. So focusing on History in the afternoons for an entire week, then Science for a week, then an Art/Music week, then a Shakespeare/Poetry week. I feel like this would give us more time to really pursue rabbit trails and focus on what's at hand. Of course they will end up bleeding into each other (long range science projects like tracking the moon or our garden, read-alouds based in historical time periods, ect and so on). We do hit math every single day. And I tend to alternate LA subjects (phonics and spelling focus one day, grammar and writing focus the next). I think the only way it would work to block skill-based subject is if you were to schedule regular time to practice and review during off-times anyways, ala Waldorf. They have a math block, where they focus intensely on the new skill, and then during their next few blocks they continue to practice and hone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 When my kids were little I did science for a unit (say 2 weeks), then history alternating. I thinks subjects like that work better blocked. I wouldn't block math, reading, or similar skill subjects that need regular reinforcement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Even on a daily or weekly basis I'd still want to get reading and math in. I could easily see writing working on an alternating-day block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6wildhorses Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Our mornings are based on a block schedule. My daughters are 8 and 11. Normally the topic is science or history based, but I've also based it on a specific project. We rotate the topic every 2-4 weeks, depending on interest level. We study each topic through reading, researching, art, music, drama, writing, etc. Most of our Language Arts work is done through our study of these topics. It's really more of a project-based approach. We much prefer delving into one major topic at a time, and it gives our other subjects a primary focus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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