is this enough but not too much for 1st grade? new to HS'ing

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  • May 15, 2012 at 4:16 pm
    caedmyn
    Participant

    We’re tentatively planning on homeschooling for the first time next year and I’m trying to plan. Does this seem like a workable schedule for my 6.5 YO DD–rising 1st grader–with enough but not too much?  Am I forgetting anything important?  Please tell me what you think. 

     

    I think it will take about 2 hours to do this assuming my younger children are mostly cooperative. I have crazy active 3.5 & 1.5 YO boys as well.  I put my time estimates for each block.  This is a four day a week schedule.  I’d like to do a “fun Friday” that would include art or music appreciation, a drawing lesson, piano lesson, and poems.  DD’s a solid reader (4th grade level I think) and is coming from a Christian school where she’s used to sitting for half a day and working independently so I think the independent work should go fairly smoothly.

    Block 1 (seatwork-mostly independent-40 mins):
    Memory work
    Math (alternate Miquon and something else, not sure what)
    Copywork/cursive practice
    Spelling

    Block 2 (couch time–30 mins):
    History (A Living History of Our World 2 days w/go-along books 2 days)
    Read-alouds
    DD reading to me

    15 minute break/snack time

    Block 3 (fun stuff–30-40 mins)
    Science/Geography (alternate days–nature study & world geog)
    Spanish

    May 15, 2012 at 5:08 pm
    Monica
    Participant

    I’m homeschooling my 6 1/2 year-old right now. He’s technically in K, but we are doing mostly a first grade curriculum.

    Your schedule looks very good overall. I would try to be flexible, though, and to remember to keep the lessons very short. My son typically spends about 90 minutes doing school work each day. Our schedule looks something like this:

    -family morning readings (history, faith, morning prayers, memory work, and any poetry/composer/artist studies) – about 30 minutes

    -math – about 10 minutes

    -practice speech words (he’s finishing up speech therapy this year) or spell a few words aloud – about 10 minutes

    -read to me – about 10 minutes

    -geography – about 5 minutes

    -science or handwriting (alternate days) – about 10 minutes

    -nature studies, art time – during free time in the afternoon

    His only “seatwork” (usually done lying on his belly on the floor) is handwriting and a few math problems each day. I learned the hard way, with my older son, that seatwork can be troublesome if it is too long. It is often the least-exciting time of the day and the time that is most likely to bring out the whining and complaining. Keep it short!

    May 15, 2012 at 6:48 pm
    MamaSnow
    Participant

    Looks pretty good to me – looks similar to what I am doing with my dd. I would agree with jawgee to be willing to be flexible and willing to change things up if need be…our schedule went through various transformations before we landed on something that is working well for us. Don’t feel bad if you need to drop something that is too much or change the order (or even change how you spread them throughout the day.)

    Just for reference, our schedule looks like this:

    Bible/scripture memory/hymns – at breakfast table with Papa

    Chores/help little ones (I also have a 2 and 3.5 yo) get ready for the day/French (on her own using The Learnables software and some instructional videos – about 10m/daily)

    Block 1 (20-30m)

    Poetry, Calendar, Aesop’s Fables with narration practice, God’s World News, History reading and narration

    Block 2 (30-40m)

    Cursive, All About Spelling, Math, Copywork

    (she finishes math and copywork independenly while I do a little bit of preschool work with my 3.5 yo)

    Snack Break

    Block 3

    Various topics that change each day – character development, nature study, geography, or music/artist study. Varies from 10-30 minutes depending on what we do – sometimes more if it invovles a nature walk or art project.

    We also do reading practice and read-aloud literature after lunch, and also have a bedtime literature read aloud going as well.

    Blessings,

    Jen

    May 15, 2012 at 6:59 pm
    artcmomto3
    Participant

    I would suggest breaking up your reading (literature) and read alouds with other subjects.  I don’t have a set schedule with my 1st grader since T/Th we would have to drop off one child at preschool then pick him up, breaking up our day, and then Wed. we had Bible study at church all morning, so we wouldn’t start our regular homeschooling until after lunch.  With that said we usually do Bible/history first along with Scripture memory, math, handwriting, and reading followed by science, literature, and sometimes music study.  We do art study with another family every other week.  We have not done any spelling this year either.

    I feel like I need to get into a better routine this next year.  At least I won’t be driving to preschool and back since my 5 y/o will start K, and we will keep our 2 y/o at home.

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