Homeschool: lesson & curriculum planning

One of the things I most look forward to for homeschool is the planning – both curriculum and lesson planning.

Each year, I spend quite a bit of time creating new lesson plans. Since I haven’t homeschooled my oldest in all grades, I don’t have lesson plans established for each grade. For example, I never homeschooled Lego Man for third grade, and that means that I don’t already have lesson plans for Wonder Woman to use this year for third grade. I’ve also never taught sixth grade or kindergarten, so this year I had to create all new lesson plans.

Next year, I have a full first grade curriculum complete with lesson plans for Super-Spider-PowerRanger Man ready to go; however, I will be starting fresh with Wonder Woman for fourth grade and Lego Man for seventh grade.

(I can’t believe I almost have a seventh grader.)

Each year in January I start with a blank spiral notebook and add some tabs to the side for subjects. Then I start taking notes on ideas I have for the next year. These ideas might be curriculum or other stuff. They might be specific lesson ideas or thoughts on daily work. I love the brainstorming part.

Last year as I brainstormed for what I would do this year, one thing I noticed is that the kids like having a lesson plan in front of them for the day. Perhaps you might call it a syllabus, but really it’s just an outline of the work they have to accomplish for the day.

I also realized that I needed to have a separate copy for myself. Here’s what I came up with for each of them to use. Each child has their name and grade in the spaces marked here.

And here’s the one I use for me. This one specifically only has the subjects we do as a group. I also have a separate one similar to this for each child covering each subject they have. It also has their name and grade on it. Because I'm working with different ages, I have two boxes for Bible, two boxes for science and two boxes for history. In one box I put what the oldest will do, and in the other box I put what the younger two will do. Sometimes it's the same, and sometimes the older one has more or different work. 

For the most part, I love what I came up with. As always after using it for a few months, I figured some things out that I would do differently next year.

Next year, I will have one sheet for the entire week for the two older kids. If this becomes an issue or overwhelms one of them (which it might), I can always go back to one sheet per day.

Also next year, I will do the complete lesson plans for each child and then make a copy of it instead of having to recopy by hand each one once I have the lesson plans ready. I definitely didn’t think this one through all the way.

Soon I will be picking their science for the 2013-14. Until then – happy homeschooling! 

1,000 Gifts - November 13, 2012

Today I'm thankful for homeschooling...that within our homeschool there is flexibility and the opportunity to begin fresh. Much like God's mercies that are new every morning, we start each day fresh. And whatever didn't work yesterday, well, we get to try again OR try something new today.

And here I am...13 weeks into school realizing that there must be an easier way (for me) to stay on top of assignments and grading.

I was using a generic lesson plan - weekly template - that I found online. Perfect for what I was looking for at the time, but not ideal for the way my life and my mind works.

And the Lord, in His goodness, showed me how this might work...

So I made these for each kid...and even one for my preschooler. It's a little different format.

You're welcome to e-mail for these in PDF format.

Basically, I will write down their work by subject each day. The list will become theirs and they will check off on the far right corner when they complete something.

Once I grade their work, I will mark it next to the assignment and file each of these in a binder.

I may end up modifying this a bit to be a weekly template with the same general format, but I want to try this for a week or two first.

I want them to have more responsibility for their work...knowing what they need to do and making sure it gets done.