At Home With Jesus! - Planning ahead

At Home With Jesus!

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Planning ahead

I've started the task of planning for next fall.

It's a little bit daunting, as I'm considering not quite following the MFW plans exactly as written. I'm adding some books and omitting others, so I'm having to go through the MFW schedule week by week, and restructure it a bit.

Some of the things that we are adding are the Story of the World Vol. 2 tests and activity guide. (MFW already uses the SOTW2 text book, so we just thought that these would be nice supplements.)
Also, we are not using the MFW recommended art program...so the activity guide will give us a lot of good ideas for arts/crafts projects. We really enjoyed the projects when we did SOTW - Vol 1 two years ago. The tests we will just use as worksheets, to reinforce what we learn in the readings.

Then, I was a bit concerned that the MFW recommended text, Streams of Civilization, was a bit advanced/over the level of where my kids were at.
(It's original publisher, Christian Liberty Press, lists it as a high school text book.)
So...we plan to substitute another CLP book in it's place...their 6th grade history text...Story of the Middle Ages. I think it will fit nicely with MFW, and it's much more 'age appropriate.'

In order to organize all of these changes, I've made a set of file folders
(one for each week of the school year.)

Into the folders I'll put each child's weekly worksheets, or paper for notebooking pages, and for myself I'll put a copy of the MFW weekly schedule. (MFW allows you to make one copy for your personal records - As you can see by mine...I use white-out and highlighters to show the areas where I've 'tweaked'.)

I also have made my own schedule that lists our daily readings. (Book titles/page numbers/etc.)
And I'll probably add another calendar/schedule to keep track of projects/appointments/extra-curricular activites, etc.)

Yes...I'm very "type A' when it comes to my school organization...
(which is funny because in our state we don't have to document anything)
I only wish I could say the same about my home organization.

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Comments

Wednesday, July 1, 2009 - Untitled Comment

Posted by jenn4him

Boy, I need to get started on this coming year. It's swirling around in my mind. I need to get it on paper. Thanks for the inspiration.
Jenn

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Wednesday, July 1, 2009 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Daisy

You go, girl!! I'm torn. Excited not to HAVE to tweak but kinda bored, too. I LIKE tweaking. LOL. Now I'm sitting here bored and thinking that I'll actually break down and clean the house. Ooooh, so exciting.

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Wednesday, July 1, 2009 - Untitled Comment

Posted by SeekingJESUSnTeachingKIDS

You are good! I just found out yesterday I will be having this baby about 3 weeks early. That means I need to have all our school stuff ready to go before I go into the hospital :o I am adding some new things to our schedule.
:>Michelle

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Thursday, July 2, 2009 - Organization

Posted by basketflat

I can't say I'm that type A about either home or school organization. I put a lot of effort in, but never seem to make it that far.

You all look like you put a lot of effort and creativity into your studies.

Cathy

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Thursday, July 2, 2009 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Heather4Him

Looks great, Michelle!! You are such an awesome teacher and mom!! :o)

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Thursday, July 2, 2009 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Tara

Oooo great! Can you come organize our school year next? I'll pay you in good food and baby snuggles. Deal? :D

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Thursday, July 2, 2009 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Anonymous

~T~ you *know* I'd accept that deal if we lived closer! ;-)

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Saturday, July 4, 2009 - WOW.....

Posted by gnjlopez

Great Work! I haven't even started, although like Jen it is all swirling around in my head.

Blessings,
JEN

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Tuesday, July 7, 2009 - Untitled Comment

Posted by diamondsintherough

Ooh, I'm glad to see that Middle Ages history book. Thank you! I will have to check that out for my going into 5th grade daughter. History is so hard for me to teach seriously, because textbooks are so, well, dull. I'm thinking about just having her read it and not answer the questions (that wrecks all the fun). This looks like something that might hold her interest, at least for a few weeks... :o)

Believe it or not, it's too cold for the pool here, too. Or it has been until just recently. The kids won't get in if it's not at least 105. The evaporative effect of this dry air turns lips and fingernails blue in no time!

Looks like you had a great 4th! Thanks for sharing your fun!
Sally

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About Me

Hello....I'm Michelle! I am a Christian wife, a homemaker, and a homeschooling mother of 4 wonderful children! This is the journal of our adventures in homeschooling! Homeschooling is not just our method of education....it has become our way of life.