Well folks, school supplies are starting to appear in the store. Can you believe it? I'm actually kind of excited because this is the first summer that we actually didn't continue to homeschool through. So picking up some fresh supplies and starting a new school year will mean something to us this time.
Having the summer off has allowed me to peruse other homeschoolers' yearly plans, really consider my own, and browse through gobs of homeschool books & products. It has been a refreshing break and I wonder why I've never done it before!
Anyhow, here is what I have done to plan for our next school year. Now I am all about units and hands-on activities, because I try to homeschool my three kideos together as much as possible. The more interactive I can make things, the more the kids get into it, work together, and really "get" the subject matter.
I got a binder to keep all of my plans in. First I printed my local public school calendar. We live in a very family-friendly neighborhood with lots of kids that my kid are friends with. So I have to plan around that fact a bit, or the days when the other kids are out will be too distracting for my kids. Then I printed my own calendar months, from August to June. I went through and marked off the public school holidays that I also want to follow, as well as my own special days.
Next, using my favorite planning book, Homeschool Year-by-Year by Rebecca Rupp, I listed what subjects in science and social studies that I want to cover with the kids this coming year. Then I plugged these topics into the calendar next to the weeks I want to cover them. This is very loose, but it gives me a guide to follow at least.
Now I am spending the rest of the summer browsing through a monster homeschool catalog that I have received, choosing supplements to go with our topics. At over 1,000 pages, I will need the rest of the summer to get through this baby. Soon I will purchase math and language books for the kids. Then I figure that if I set aside some money each month to purchase supplements and activities for the unit topics we are working on (rather than shopping for the whole year all at once), then I can really get some neat materials. I have found great books, fun activities, and interesting videos so far, and I am really looking forward to an adventurous year!
How are you making plans/ getting ready for the coming school year?
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I love planning for school each year. I do tend to plan too much and buy too much. I really need to work on that. There is just so much fun stuff that you want your kids to learn it is hard to narrow it down. We start back in three weeks. We did school some through the summer to keep the brain fresh, but just basics.
Blessings
diane
Posted by: Diane | July 16, 2010 at 11:08 AM
I know what you mean, Diane! There are so many great activities and things to study out there. I may be in trouble with this monster catalog full of fun options! We have four more weeks until we start back.
I jetted over to your blog, and I like it!
Thanks,
Tanya
Posted by: Tanya | July 16, 2010 at 11:52 AM