year round homeschoolers planning thread for 2020

[Melissa in Australia]

Year round homeschoolers,

 how are you plans for next year going?

have you started planning yet? 

Edited December 3, 2019 by Melissa in Australia

[LMD]

Yes! I have!

I had to send off registration for my youngest, which now must include a learning plan, so I was forced to start planning. I've got most of the plan thought through. I like planning. 😁

I'll have 9th, 7th, 4th & 1st graders in 2020.

[Melissa in Australia]

We are  thinking that ds16 will be going to TAFE next year. We are just waiting to complete the application process.  So I am only planning on homeschooling  the twins, they will be in grade 2 next year.

I like planning as well. I  have almost completed my planning and purchasing.  

[....]

We're year-round calendar schoolers.  I don't like planning - stresses me out.  I like the actual teaching part better.  Also, I'm now only teaching 4 (Kid #1 graduated).

We're still doing unit studies.  I only have the first unit study planned.  

Ds16, dd14 and dd12 are doing a Chemistry/Robotics unit study + math + Progeny Press literature guides. 

Ds4 is going to start My Father's World Kindergarten.

 

[Melissa in Australia]

We will be doing the Modern Age  for 2020.

History - SOTW 

Science - The twins learn really well by making lapbooks and having a display table We are going to concentrate on teh first half of the year doing rocks,  minerals and fossils. I have a range of science  activity kits, we will do some rock collecting and classifying and make some charts. We will hopefully then move onto a short unit on weather and  I haven't completely decided on what for the last part of the year. I keep thinking I will do Adventures with Atoms - I used it with all my other children  but we will see.

Mathematics - we will be moving into Saxon 2 - as well as something I call fun math which is a printed by me book that has a collection of math reasoning by critical thinking co.

plus Fitzroy Math  at a level below what they are at; very basic addition and subtraction, dot patterns,  shapes etc.

We are also using Usborne Numbers , which is  basically dot to dots and learning how to count. and reading eggs Mango

Reading- All reading programs move too fast for these guys so we spend a few months on AAR2 then switch to Fitzroy readers, back and forth. We also do reading eggs 

 

will post rest of plan after I have done afternoon school with my kids 🙂

 

[Melissa in Australia]

8 minutes ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

What is he hoping to study at TAFE?

We are pretty much planning to start over with new curriculum in the new year, but all I have done is planned to plan, and look at a few samples  I don’t have a clue what we’ll use yet.

 He isn't hoping to study anything. he has become completely disengaged. So  while he works out what he wants to study he is enrolling in a Certificate 3 in Conservation and Land Management.  If by the end of next year he still hasn't worked out what he wants to do he will go in to do the Diploma of Conservation and Land Management like 2 of his siblings did. 

[Melissa in Australia]

Phonics - a combination of things all reassembled by me into small books of 30 pages. includes Abeka phonics 1  plus phonics from Critical thinking co. plus LEM ( an Australian phonics ). This is a review and helping to consolidate learning. it is a book I can give one twin to do almost independently while I do AAR with the other twin.  Explode the Code twice a week  

Spelling - AAR 1 we only do 4 words a day and are using Word Wizard app  . We are also going to give Spelling You See a trial as a combined penmanship plus word reinforcement

Writing - WWE 2 plus we do Narration daily from a book chosen form Usborne reading library for confident readers. I do the reading they do the narrating I write it down and they draw the picture.  we also will  some copywork a few times a week from Homeschool  Downunder 

Penmanship-   a combination of different things including Print wacky sentences, something that I haven't found yet and  maybe Handwriting Practice jokes and riddles  

Music - will just involve listening. we listen to classical music every day while we do our schoolwork

craft is covered by respite worker

20 minutes of numeracy and literacy apps on ipad as a reward

 We will also be doing exercises and tasks  recommended by OT and speech pathologist

I think I have everything covered.

Edited to add

 Language/grammar a combination of FLL plus Abeka Language 1

Edited December 4, 2019 by Melissa in Australia
I forgot to include something

[Melissa in Australia]

3 minutes ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

Wow Melissa, 

That seems so thorough and well thought out.  I wish I could be a fly on the wall and learn from you!

thank you, you are so kind. I have had 17 years of planning practice. The problem I have is slowing down enough for my students. 

I get so envious of people who have children that are  reading thick novels for fun and teaching themselves. 

[Lecka]

I am after-schooling..... my son is finishing up Saxon Intermediate 3.  I have some Kumon 4th grade multiplication and division books we may do a bit.  And review math facts and skip counting.  Then on to Saxon Intermediate 4.

I have AAS 1 and 2.  He is in AAS 1 and it is very similar to what he does in spelling at school.  I get it out every now and then to review and practice.  He is towards the end of AAS 1.  
 

And then reading practice..... I am having him read out loud here and there, but he is not a fan, so I don’t want to make too big a deal of it. (He has gone through AAR 3 at home though not with reading all the stories.... he has comprehension issues.... but he is making progress).  

Listening is going extremely well!  I have quite a few books he is interested in and could listen to 🙂. Right now he is really into listening to Goosebumps books on the Epic reading app.  Very good for him!  
 

My other two kids are doing well at school and to some extent are established independent readers.  My oldest has one series he likes and just got the new book in it.  My daughter has a few series she is interested in and reads all the time.  So — that is fine with me lol.  

Edited December 4, 2019 by Lecka

[LMD]

That sounds like a wonderful plan for the twins Melissa! Well done.

So far, my plan is to go a bit more Charlotte Mason-y with my boys and to focus my energy on the youngers, while the olders work on being more independent. I found wildwood Charlotte mason curriculum (secular) quite inspiring, combined with good old AO. 

My 9th grader is already quite independent, the only thing she's slack on is output/writing. She has decided to work through Writing With Skill 2 next year, which I think is a good decision. She'll probably do AOPS algebra, I think, because I already have it and she likes aops. Though I want to get my hands on some other books to look at so she can choose. I'd like to get a copy of dolciani & Jacob's & an Aussie 9th grade maths book - but, money! 9th grade gets expensive! Other focus for her will be music & music theory. She's working on ameb grade 8 and joined an orchestra, so her theory needs to catch up to her practical skills. She's got two other books she wants to work through, a baking book from the French Culinary Institute and a book on Neuroanatomy. The first she may end up doing with her grandmother once a week or fortnight (my MIL thought the book looked amazing and wanted to horn in on it. 😄)  History is not her favourite, so she'll just have some assigned books and/or an easy textbook. We're finally up to the modern age - it's taken us 8 years to meander 3/4 of the way through one cycle! I haven't decided whether to require a language of her next year.

My 7th grade boy really likes to be independent and cross off his checklist. It's just a matter of scheduling in the subjects that he still needs me for. He'll still tag along with some of the younger boys stuff - art/craft, history and science etc - as his base and then extend it with independent work. He will do WWS1, possibly killgallon grammar, & mapping the world with art. I'm not sure what maths for him, we may end up just using an Aussie 7th grade text and supplementing with bits and pieces (jousting armadillos, life of Fred, key to...). He's a capable, can-do kid, an avid reader and deep thinker, so I don't worry too much about him. He'll keep going with his music too.

I'll come back to add my younger too a bit later. Sorry for the novel, writing it out helps me think.

[Melissa in Australia]

LMD writing it out helps me as well. And I really enjoy reading other people's plans. It helps me analyse my own plans. 

[Shoeless]

I have a 5th-ish grader. 

Math: Finish Beast Academy 5 and Start AOPS Pre-Algebra (I have no idea when we'll make this switch because it is taking forever to finish this year)

Grammar, Vocabulary, Poetry: Michael Clay Thompson. We are working through the Town level right now.  I expect we'll be done in April, and then we'll move on to the next level.

Writing: We will be starting IEW level B

Science: I am still deciding whether we will use CPO Science Earth or CPO Science Life.  

Philosophy: The Circle of Happiness from Royal Fireworks Press

Art: Continue with weekly art classes and once a month "meet the artist" books

History: We've gone through all 4 SOTW and kiddo keeps going back to ancients as his favorite. I need to move him along because I can't listen to any more Jim Weiss, (nothing personal! It's just been on continuous loop in the car for a year!)

Latin: Minimus

Chess club, Dungeons & Dragons

We're going to try a co-op for a graphic novel study in January.  If he doesn't care for the co-op, we'll ditch it and sign up for classes at the Maker Space. 

[....]

I guess I could be more detailed - I didn't think about it until someone mentioned -it probably does help other parents see a list.  Our unit study will take us to the end of February, when I'll have to create the next one...

ds4 (turning 5): My Father's World Kindergarten

dd12's math + LA + unit study

• Dimensions Math (continuing)
• Where the Red Fern Grows + Progeny Press Guide
• Easy Grammar Plus (it takes our family 2 years to get through this)
• Sequential Spelling
• Case for Christ for Kids (Bible)
• Albert Einstein and the Theory of Relativity (Biography)
• Intro to Chemistry Kit (27 labs from Home Science Tools)
• Happy Atoms
• VEX IQ Robotics (they are all going to work as a team to perform tasks)
• Draw 50 Buildings and Other Structures 
• Field Trip to a Flight Museum

ds16 and dd14 math + LA + unit study

• Mathusee (one is in Algebra 2 and the other is in Geometry)
• Easy Grammar high school series
• Sequential Spelling 5 (yeah, the 14 ASKED for this...)
• Fahrenheit 451 + Progeny Press Literature Guide
• Genesis (Bible)
• Trinity: A Graphic History of the First Atomic Bomb (History)
• MicroChem Kit (17 labs - from Home Science Tools)
• Electricity Kit (also from HST)
• Happy Atoms
• VEX IQ Robotics (like I said above, they'll work as a team to build robots to perform specific tasks)
• Art - stack of books on drawing different buildings and vehicles
• Field Trip to a Flight Museum

After this unit study, ds16 and I have started talking about creating a unit study on 3 revolutions: the American Revolution, the French Revolution and the Russian Revolution.  But, I haven't started planning that one, yet.  Just starting to think about it.

[LMD]

Graphic novel study sounds interesting MissLemon! 

Your unit studies sound great Evanthe!

I'm back to update about my younger kids and stuff I forgot 😄

My kids all do nature journals, we live on 20acres so they just go, observe, write and draw. This is actually a big chunk of DS9's writing and I will pull his spelling lists from it using ABC's and all their tricks. They have to make 5 observations: weather, animal, plant, natural interesting and maintenance. Write their observations (1 sentence each item for DS9, more than that for DS12 & DD14, I scribe for DS6.)

We have one car school day a week when we travel for music lessons, in the car we'll listen to apologia zoology 1, sotw4 & foreign language podcast/folk songs. While waiting for their lesson, the kids complete maths, assigned reading & grammar.

We all do bible together in the morning, followed by memory work. I may have the older two do a proverbs study but undecided. Once a week we read Genevieve Foster history & do picture study. We do the zoology activities during the week as well.

During the week all the boys together will do handicraft projects (probably starting with embroidery or crochet), drawing and brush drawing. We take a mid school break for tai chi/movement. Once a week we'll listen to a composer, I may try to sync this with our history period.

DS9 will do WWE/FLL3 and continue with Beast Academy 3. He'll do map drills twice a week, Rosetta stone &duolingo Russian & history biography reading.

DS6 will do LLATL, whiteboard writing with LEM phonics, Miquon maths. We'll work through 'tales' as per the wildwood curriculum (Aesop, Beatrix Potter, Fairy tales).

DS12 & DS9 will read through Plutarch with me twice a week.

DS6 should finish by 12.30 each day (+ music practice in the afternoon), DS9 will finish by 1.30 (+ music practice and some reading in the afternoon), DS12 & DD14 by 2.30pm ish (+ music practice and some reading)

It sounds complicated, there's a lot of moving parts! But there's a rhythm to the days that makes sense and should work well. 

Oh, and we'll try to get swimming fortnightly. My youngest needs to learn and my olders need to keep up their skills. Add in homeschool group meet ups and excursions and it's busy!

Edited December 6, 2019 by LMD

[LMD]

Also, I  haven't started putting their book lists together yet. A lot of the meat for the older three comes from their extra reading in history, science and lit. 

[Melissa in Australia]

sounds excellent LMD

That reminds me that  I should look into some more audio books for traveling. We do a 100 km trip each way to swimming every Saturday. I think we have listened to our supply of audio books 50 times each. 

[lewelma]

I finished tutoring for the year!! Last kid left an hour ago.  I'm Freeeeeee. (well, except for 2 more weeks with my ds, haha). 

Time to P.L.A.N.

[....]

12 hours ago, LMD said:

A lot of the meat for the older three comes from their extra reading in history, science and lit. 

 

Yeah, we learn a lot that's "unplanned".  DD14 just spent two days telling me all about the Navajo Marines in WWII, the Japanese soldiers on the islands in the Pacific and Marine training, because of a book she read and a movie she watched.  She was relentless, too.  She just kept following me around, telling me about it.  lol. Must've been an interesting book! 

[LMD]

I *think* I've decided to do Latin with my 14 & 12 year old together next year. I have Latin for the new millennium which I really like and just realised there are audio downloads for all the readings (yay) which make it much more doable. Now, where to make it fit...

I also stayed up way too late last night looking at neuroscience resources for dd14, I like the text we have but I think it's a bit too hard on its own. More likely I'll fill out the beginning of the unit with novels like The Brain that Changes Itself and this website http://brainu.org/ , then she can work very slowly through the difficult text- Neuroanatomy through Clinical Cases - with a neuroscience colouring book. She already blazed through 'Unthinkable' and Sacks' 'Man who Mistook His Wife for a Hat' this year.

Edited December 10, 2019 by LMD

[Sarah0000]

We're mostly continuing what we have and starting the same stuff over with my five year old since he's starting school this coming year. Except for math, which my older is finishing up BA and my younger wants to start BA Online. I hate to do a computer program with a five year old but if he's asking for it maybe it's worth it. I'm eyeing the 2nd grade Blossom and Root Literature for morning basket but my two year old has been such a nightmare during morning basket lately I'm not sure I can pull it off.

My planning is largely for Spanish. I really struggle to make this routine enough. My tentative plan is to switch from Bon Voyage to Homeschool Spanish Academy, use Spanish Mama's Fables pack, and try to adapt Speaking Spanish with Miss Mason into a more interactive program to do during Morning Basket. I'm thinking they can do little plays or miming with the phrases.

[Shoeless]

I'm having a change of heart about the graphic novel study at co-op. Mostly, the co-op is an hour away and I don't want to make that drive. Kiddo doesn't even really care if he goes to co-op.  "To co-op or not to co-op" should probably be it's own thread. 😕 

[Gil]

re: how are your plans for next year going? Our plans are pretty simple, so they should be done sooner, rather than later. Nothing terribly exotic. The Boys will be in "7th grade" and have 4 courses:

Autodidactic Studies (Home made | Required, based solely on The Boys interests/whims)
I don't care what it is that they work on, but they must work on something and will be checked up on/monitored.
Communication and Composition (Home made | Parent-directed,  all-inclusive language arts, speaking, reading, writing, etc)
This is the space where we work on oral reading and silent reading, reading comprehension,  writing passages, essays, reports, stories and what have you, discussing books, vocabulary building, grammar patterns, word play, etc. I also count a few other activities under this umbrella, such as public speaking. We use the books that we have at home or get via the library, more of a method than any particular publisher.
Information Technology (Home made | Parent-directed, based on a  combo of what I think they should learn and The Boys interests), we're going to be working on programming, hacking/cybersecurity and hardware. I'll also be helping with a couple of individual projects. (*mumble, mumble*).
Intensive Japanese (Store bought | Parent-supervised, child-led)
They're going to shift their literacy focus towards tackling Kanji this year. Outside of a text, they'll continue to read any childrens books we can get and keep up the media immersion outside of systematic study/practice. I told them they're required to have a "program" and they're still researching options. So this is our one unknown.

We'll be keeping the same routine of work 2.5 to 4hrs a day, Sunday to Friday and 1 to 2 hours on Saturday.

Edited December 14, 2019 by Gil
corrected the schedule.

[Ausmumof3]

On 12/4/2019 at 1:38 PM, Melissa in Australia said:

 He isn't hoping to study anything. he has become completely disengaged. So  while he works out what he wants to study he is enrolling in a Certificate 3 in Conservation and Land Management.  If by the end of next year he still hasn't worked out what he wants to do he will go in to do the Diploma of Conservation and Land Management like 2 of his siblings did. 

I’m interested to know more if you have time to share.  My 13 year old has fairly consistently indicated wanting to do forestry or alternatively ag work after school.  It will suit his personality I think.  Is it likely that it would be possible to manage this study alongside some part time contract work?

[Ausmumof3]

On 12/10/2019 at 10:44 AM, LMD said:

I *think* I've decided to do Latin with my 14 & 12 year old together next year. I have Latin for the new millennium which I really like and just realised there are audio downloads for all the readings (yay) which make it much more doable. Now, where to make it fit...

I also stayed up way too late last night looking at neuroscience resources for dd14, I like the text we have but I think it's a bit too hard on its own. More likely I'll fill out the beginning of the unit with novels like The Brain that Changes Itself and this website http://brainu.org/ , then she can work very slowly through the difficult text- Neuroanatomy through Clinical Cases - with a neuroscience colouring book. She already blazed through 'Unthinkable' and Sacks' 'Man who Mistook His Wife for a Hat' this year.

Ellen McHenry has one called the Brain that’s quite good from what we did of it (didn’t finish)

[Ausmumof3]

So I’ve been thinking about it.

We’ve been using wayfarers extremely loosely.  I toyed for a while with switching to Ambleside.  I like the idea of Charlotte Mason and I get inspired by hearing people talk about it.  However my two older kids are groaning and requesting “no more old books”.  So I figure Ambleside is probably not going to work for us.  I started ordering a few bits from wayfarers but putting the whole curriculum together is really quite expensive from here and there’s a lot of bits they don’t overly enjoy.

Anyway.  I sat down and chatted today with each and got some feedback

Year 8 student

happy to keep going with Saxon.  He doesn’t love math but loves that there is a mostly consistent and clearly defined amount of work each day.  He’s on alg 1/3 part way through.

definitely doesn’t want to do grammar for the well trained mind anymore.  We only made it through around 35 lessons this year.  This is a very heavy grammar program.  So I’m searching for grammar options preferably inexpensive

lit - I’m kinda unsure where to go with this.  If I get stuck we’ll just hit the wayfarers reading list but I’d like to honour the request for some more modern material

writing.  We have a writing with skill edition handed down to us and he is happy to try that first see if it works.

science - request was to do rocketry.  He absolutely hated the RSO astronomy curriculum which is disappointing because he’s always liked science.  I need something at the higher level bit still hands on.  Might be making my own.

pe - football and tennis

Technology - not sure yet

year 6

Would like everything animal themed.  She only made it through half of Singapore 5 this year and her eyes glaze over every time it comes out.  I used an animal themed math thing from teachers pay teachers and it’s the first time all year she has been positive about math.  Not sure what to do yet but might try to find/make animal themed math stuff that follows Singapore’s sequence.  
lit.  So far I have printed one free rangers apprentice literature pack:  not sure what else

grammar - happy to keep going with first language lessons 4 till we finish.

writing - possibly IEW Australian history as I own it.  
 

Science - request for animal themed.  I have a high school/college? level text called vertebrates that we’re hoping to tackle alongside some reading and unit studies.  If that doesn’t work I have quark chronicles Zoology for a fall back or we could finish the RSO earth and space that we didn’t do this year

grade 3

Maths - wants to keep doing singapore

grammar - wants first language lessons - level 2

writing - mostly copywork and narration with possibly some writing strands thrown in.

lit - wants to keep reading the wayfarers selections with me

science - wants more dinosaurs, marine biology and maybe some star mapping and space stuff.  I have some stuff we can piece together.

 

history - everyone loves story of the world. We didn’t quite finish 3 so will finish off and move to 4.  Thank goodness for one curriculum that’s easy and we all enjoy.

everyone will keep going with Hoffman piano, Picta dicta for latin and duolingo foreign language stuff.  
 

im feeling kind of frustrated with the lack of progress this year particularly for dd with math and all of them with not hitting as much science as I like.  We have been fairly strong with math and science but somehow this year it’s fallen apart a bit.  There just seem to be too many moving parts and we’ve had a lot of curriculum that the kids dislike and need really pushing to get through.

[Shoeless]

On 12/9/2019 at 6:14 PM, LMD said:

I *think* I've decided to do Latin with my 14 & 12 year old together next year. I have Latin for the new millennium which I really like and just realised there are audio downloads for all the readings (yay) which make it much more doable. Now, where to make it fit...

I also stayed up way too late last night looking at neuroscience resources for dd14, I like the text we have but I think it's a bit too hard on its own. More likely I'll fill out the beginning of the unit with novels like The Brain that Changes Itself and this website http://brainu.org/ , then she can work very slowly through the difficult text- Neuroanatomy through Clinical Cases - with a neuroscience colouring book. She already blazed through 'Unthinkable' and Sacks' 'Man who Mistook His Wife for a Hat' this year.

 

Has she read about Phineas Gage? 

[LMD]

8 hours ago, MissLemon said:

 

Has she read about Phineas Gage? 

Oh yes she certainly has, several case studies. She wants the full book about his case next year, amongst others. She devours case study type books in hours and asked me for a copy of the dsm 5. That's why we're going to try the Neuroanatomy through Clinical Cases book even though it is hard - med school level text. She's super excited because one of the chapters teaches how to conduct a basic neuroexam. 

She was also enjoying listening through the BBC audio History of Delusions series. It took her awhile because I was requiring written summaries. 

Don't feel intimidated anyone, it's been a somewhat rough year with teen attitude issues...

[Melissa in Australia]

On 12/12/2019 at 3:54 PM, Ausmumof3 said:

I’m interested to know more if you have time to share.  My 13 year old has fairly consistently indicated wanting to do forestry or alternatively ag work after school.  It will suit his personality I think.  Is it likely that it would be possible to manage this study alongside some part time contract work?

Sorry I was so late in replying- DH just got home from overseas and I haven't been online so much 

My 2 sons that have completed the Diploma of Conservation and Land Management both worked at the same time. They  did the Cert 3 then went straight into the Diploma. It takes about 3 days per week. 

the requirements to get in to the Cert 3 course is being 16 and passing a numeracy and literacy test. To get into the Deploma you need to pass an interview. Both courses are heavy on the practical and the student gets a large amount of certificates in useful areas, including Chainsaw cross cut, 4x4 of-road , plant identification, native seed collection,  advanced map reading, etc. When the student does the Diploma they learn about revegetation and regeneration amongst other things 

Both got work as soon as they finished the Diploma. Both as Project Firefighters https://jobs.careers.vic.gov.au/depts/pff/docs/Project_Firefighter_Brochure.pdf     in the first year or so they worked 6 months as firefighter then one ds went back to Dairy milking in the winter . the other son got work with Southern Ark https://www.pestsmart.org.au/the-southern-ark-project/ 

 ds 24 then got a 3 year contract for 9 months on 3 months off remote area Firefighter. and Ds 22 got a full time position as a biodiversity officer for Southern Ark 

edited to add,

 If a student wanted to go on to get a degree in this area then the Diploma takes 2 years off 

Edited December 15, 2019 by Melissa in Australia

[Ausmumof3]

47 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said:

Sorry I was so late in replying- DH just got home from overseas and I haven't been online so much 

My 2 sons that have completed the Diploma of Conservation and Land Management both worked at the same time. They  did the Cert 3 then went straight into the Diploma. It takes about 3 days per week. 

the requirements to get in to the Cert 3 course is being 16 and passing a numeracy and literacy test. To get into the Deploma you need to pass an interview. Both courses are heavy on the practical and the student gets a large amount of certificates in useful areas, including Chainsaw cross cut, 4x4 of-road , plant identification, native seed collection,  advanced map reading, etc. When the student does the Diploma they learn about revegetation and regeneration amongst other things 

Both got work as soon as they finished the Diploma. Both as Project Firefighters https://jobs.careers.vic.gov.au/depts/pff/docs/Project_Firefighter_Brochure.pdf     in the first year or so they worked 6 months as firefighter then one ds went back to Dairy milking in the winter . the other son got work with Southern Ark https://www.pestsmart.org.au/the-southern-ark-project/ 

 ds 24 then got a 3 year contract for 9 months on 3 months off remote area Firefighter. and Ds 22 got a full time position as a biodiversity officer for Southern Ark 

edited to add,

 If a student wanted to go on to get a degree in this area then the Diploma takes 2 years off 

Wow that’s great!  Thank you for the info. 
 

[2_girls_mommy]

So I guess technically we aren't year round. But we are wrapping up semester one, about to start semester two. And planning has been on my mind! 

So my senior is coming home full time. She wrapped up two DE courses at community college, and there isn't anything we want for her last semester from there. We need to wrap up what we are on here. I can't believe we are almost finishing homeschooling her! Anyway: 

Am. History/Government/State History/Literature/economics:

keep working through the reading plans on Understanding Modern History from Schoolhouseteachers. We got really behind on this this first semester. But with her home, she should be able to catch up on her reading. For govt she is reading a CLEP book alongside, plus the original documents linked in the SHT lessons. She has two more projects planned: one is to enter an art/essay contest put on by our state bar association due next month on the subject of the 19th amendment, and one is to finish a girl scout government badge which includes setting up a field trip and meeting someone in government. We have a lead there. Plus we are doing field trips with our homeschool group and doing  group activities there once a month.  For state history, we have a text that I will have her read some from alongside wars as to what was happening here. We did a huge state history year in 8th grade. We will add to the notebook she created there with short summaries in chronological order, and again we will be doing field trips with homeschool group. For economics, we are adding in Whatever Happened to Penny Candy?

For literature, I need to start a reading list. So far I want her to finish The Story of Western Science. We read parts 1 and 2 last year. I think I will start with The Crucible for our first lit book in January, and I need to put together a few more books/plays to finish the year. Since she did English Comp 1 for DE she lost a semester of reading modern lit which saddens me, but she did need the focused writing attention, and it was successful.

Math, she will finish preCalc.

And we need to really work on Spanish. We started with the Schoolhouseteachers Spanish 1 (she already has four years of high school latin.) But it is so light, that I want to beef it up this semester. I will add in more listening from a source undecided yet and Step by Step Easy Spanish. But I need to nail down plans for this.

So basically I need a day to rewrite the schedule and put together a book list and timeline for that and Spanish plans for sure. It might take me a day of planning if I could get one. We shall see.  

 

Edited December 17, 2019 by 2_girls_mommy

[2_girls_mommy]

10th grader's plans are not changing for this semester. And for my ker who will be six in February it is time to learn to read in earnest. She is showing all of the signs. I have no idea how I will add more to my timetable to devote to her. We have a good routine for what we are doing this semester with her. But I have Rod and Staff Reading and Phonics grade 1 that I want to start with her on top of everything else.  It is just going to take some real thinking through of the time schedule as to how to make it all work. She needs a lot of time from me for that. But I want to put a lot of time in with the high schoolers too. I am thinking about rotating days. If I start the 1st grade reading with her, I have a year and a half to finish it. So I can do it 2-3 days a week. So if I look at the schedule just right, I can alternate heavier days of working with the girls to lighter days with her and on the heavier days I work with her, have the girls mostly doing lessons we went over the day before, or heavier reading on their own days. 

ETA, that is not true. I need to find a math plan for dd15 to finish up the year. I started looking into that this morning. But nothing really stands out to me yet. 

Edited December 17, 2019 by 2_girls_mommy

[LMD]

Ugh, there's just not enough hours in the week...

I cut and cut dd's plan but I'm still not happy. I know that if I overplan then it won't work.

[2_girls_mommy]

19 hours ago, LMD said:

Ugh, there's just not enough hours in the week...

I cut and cut dd's plan but I'm still not happy. I know that if I overplan then it won't work.

Amen to that. But at the end I always look back and see it was enough accomplished. It never feels like it in the trenches. 

[mathmarm]

We only plan for 1 semester at a time so for the 2nd-semester of 1st grade for Jr. we anticipate the following:

Daily Lessons/Practice Scheduled:
Music: - Singing, and a short Ukelele practice-session
Athletics: - cycling, running, and other exercises for coordination and balance.
Drawing: - The Drawing Textbook or New Augsburg Drawing
Painting/Handicrafts: -  Froelich or  Sloyd for the Primary Grades
Geography: - Drawing Blobmaps and reading about a continent
Spelling/Handwriting: - Spelling by Sound and Structure and Geography-themed copywork
Reading/Writing: - Keeping a written book log of the books he's read or reads.
Thinking Time/Problem Solving: - A hodge-podge of home made resources for creative or critical thinking, problems to solve, etc.

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

I’ve been staring at this thread for the past two weeks, but knew I wasn’t ready to join in. 2019 has been full of upheaval; I feel as if I’m only just getting my footing under me for this year - & it’s practically over! The semester ending has granted time for reflection. The threads that came alive over this weekend have really helped me to dig deep into where we are, how we have grown, & what I want our homeschool to look like in both the short- & long-term.

I sat down with DS to discuss this past semester, & the following is what we came up with as our daily schedule for 2020, with timeframes in parentheses: 

Reading (30), Writing (30-45), Mathematics (30-45), Games (60), Loop / Project (60)

Reading can be shared (buddy-reading), aloud, or silent. Anything he chooses, so long as it is at a reasonably appropriate level. 

Writing will have an internal loop: composition, spelling, cursive handwriting, poetry. The loop can be paused for larger projects as desired, such as NaNoWriMo which he looks forward to each year. 

Mathematics will alternate between a chapter of Beast Academy & deep exploration of topics of interest such as special numbers, geometry, measurement, history of math, math in art, etc.

Games will be precisely what it sounds like. Gaming is his currency & can be an excellent way to introduce / reinforce / review topics, so we do a lot of game schooling. This can be spread throughout our day as several short games or it can be one long game. 

Loop / Project will be a loop of other subjects which he would like to explore or which I feel he needs a basic introduction to. For now the loop includes culinary arts, integrated studio art + art history, & history or science (alternating). This loop can be paused if any of the above spark interest in a special project. Once the project is completed, the loop would restart. 

On days that we have outside activities during our normal lesson hours, such as field trips or social co-op events, we will shorten Games & omit Loop / Project. Extra-curricular activities are soccer & Scouts; eventually we plan to resume tennis & add music. 

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

On 12/3/2019 at 7:51 PM, Paradox5 said:

ADDING: I love planning but get frustrated when my beautiful plans hit the reality of the children I have.

Hear, hear!