2017-2018 Homeschool Schedule

I posted our plans for next year over on this post. Now the fun part begins, fitting everything into a workable schedule! I think I may end up doing a third blog post all about gathering materials and organizing all of the physical items we'll be using this year. Maybe also a fourth post about how I organize MY time so I can actually get all this done! LOL (I'm going to be blunt here... I am ruthless with how I spend my time. No TV, no social media, no "fun" reading until tasks are completed. Kids also don't get screen time if they don't take care of their responsibilities).

So this is what I've got so far... there are a few subjects we need to do daily. Those are easy to plan, we'll just always do the next thing - making sure there are about 180 "sessions" to cover through the school year in each subject. This schedule is almost exactly what we've already been doing this year, and the previous year, so I know it's realistic for us. We school year round and take breaks whenever we need it. I try to keep going with daily math practice if our break is longer than a week.

Grade 6 Daily Schedule: (approx. 5 hrs)

1. Morning Basket Time (about 20-30 minutes)
The following are done mostly independently, while I work one-on-one with his younger sister:
2. Math lesson (about 45-60 minutes)
3. Typing practice (15 minutes)
4. History lesson (reading plus worksheet/quiz, about 20-30 minutes)
5. Reading history or literature book (about 20 minutes)
6. Literary Analysis (30 minutes Tuesday through Friday)

--lunch break--


Monday afternoon we have gymnastics, Tuesday through Friday:
7. Spelling/vocabulary (15 minutes)
8. Language Arts Block (writing, copywork, grammar - 20 minutes)
9. Latin (about 30 minutes)
10. CPO Life Science Loop Schedule (about 20-30 minutes)
Again, the following are done mostly independently, while I work one-on-one with his younger sister:
11. Loop schedule #1
12. Loop schedule #2


The loop schedule will include rotating activities from the following resources:

1.) Maps, Charts, Graphs F (Eastern Hemisphere) 34 lessons
2.) Engineering for Every Kid - 25 activities
3.) TOPS Analysis - 16 activities
4.) Unlocking Analogies Workbook - 32 lessons
6.) Food & Nutrition For Every Kid - 25 activities

7.) Child's History of Architecture - 33 chapters each (may split this with Child's History of Painting)
8.) Botany in 8 Lessons with extra books from Guesthollow Botany (not sure how I'll schedule this one, we definitely don't have time to do the entire thing as she has it scheduled, but maybe we'll do just part of it and continue on with it over a couple years. The Guesthollow book list is intended for grade 6 through high school.)
9.) Maybe another TOPS Unit - about 15 activities


The kids will have one longer combined art lesson bi-weekly on Friday afternoons instead of the loop schedule.

He also has 60 minutes of mandatory free reading time daily in the evening.

At least once a month do an activity from "Nature Connection Workbook" and/or nature journaling.


Grade 3 Daily Schedule: (approx 2 hrs)

1. Morning Basket Time (about 20-30 minutes... this will include reviewing flash cards, music appreciation, poetry, etc)
2. Phonics (about 15 minutes)
3. Language Arts Block (grammar, writing, literary analysis - 10 to 20 minutes)
4. Math (about 15 minutes)

-- lunch break--

Mondays are gymnastics in the afternoon, Tuesday through Friday:

5. Spelling (10 minutes)
6. Daily Geography Practice (5 minutes)
7. Loop Schedule 


Her loop schedule will include rotating assignments in history, health and science.

The loop schedule will include rotating activities from the following resources:
1.) Reading out loud books recommended in "Story of the World activity book" and in "The Well Trained Mind" and doing corresponding activities
2.) Reading science books recommended in "The Well Trained Mind" and BFSU book list.
3.) Reading health books.
4.) Reading social studies books.
5.) TOPS Lentil Science, though I think this is something she'll probably end up doing in her free time.


**Every other Friday afternoon will be a combined video art lesson instead of the loop schedule.**

10-20 minutes mandatory free reading time in the evening.


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