I'm fairly relaxed with planning for our times together in that I don't have set subjects or books on particular days but rather have a weekly list of what we will do, with some priorities determined beforehand so that if we have unexpected interruptions I know certain things will get done.
Our schedule has morphed over the years as we've made allowances for music lessons and instrument practice, which take up a good chunk of time at our place, part-time work for the older ones, and other practicalities. Ideally, I would like to do this part of our day in the morning but I've just had to be flexible so what happens is that I decide in the morning when we'll all get together for the day and then give everyone notice. This seems to work quite well.
Some of what we do is daily (Bible, memory work, poetry), others weekly (read alouds, Shakespeare, Plutarch). Some other things get done monthly and others intermittently. And then there's the occasional day when we don't do any of it!
This is what we're doing together at this point:
Bible
Bible Memory Work - you can see here how we do this.
Greenleaf Guide to the Old Testament. Every few years I go through this so the younger children get a historical sweep of the O.T. It's simple to use and good if you have children of various ages. This time through I'm thinking of also using parts of the Greenleaf Guide to Ancient Egypt when we get to the book of Exodus.
We're also using these books.
Bible Memory Work - you can see here how we do this.
Greenleaf Guide to the Old Testament. Every few years I go through this so the younger children get a historical sweep of the O.T. It's simple to use and good if you have children of various ages. This time through I'm thinking of also using parts of the Greenleaf Guide to Ancient Egypt when we get to the book of Exodus.
We're also using these books.
Poetry
William Blake; review of previous poems. I have a post here of poetry we've memorized or just enjoyed and some ideas for sharing poetry with children plus some books we've used here.
Read Aloud
Pilgrim's Progress: Christiana's Journey by John Bunyan. My copy is a lovely old hardback with gold embossing but it's a little hard to read aloud as there's no quotation marks or helpful quotes such as, 'Christiana replied, "..... " so I have to add those bits as I go.
Pilgrim's Progress: Christiana's Journey by John Bunyan. My copy is a lovely old hardback with gold embossing but it's a little hard to read aloud as there's no quotation marks or helpful quotes such as, 'Christiana replied, "..... " so I have to add those bits as I go.
Herodutus and the Road to History by Jeanne Bendick
Ourselves by Charlotte Mason. I started reading this aloud about two years ago. It is very rich and I'm taking it slowly.
Ourselves by Charlotte Mason. I started reading this aloud about two years ago. It is very rich and I'm taking it slowly.
Plutarch
Fabius. We're continuing this from last year and then I'd like to do Cicero which is a relatively new addition to the Ambleside Online Plutarch studies. http://www.amblesideonline.org/PlCicero.shtml
Fabius. We're continuing this from last year and then I'd like to do Cicero which is a relatively new addition to the Ambleside Online Plutarch studies. http://www.amblesideonline.org/PlCicero.shtml
Shakespeare
We have audio recordings for The Winter's Tale and Twelfth Night so we'll do those unless I find a production of another play that we can see live.
The Arkangel CDs are difficult to find in Australia. I used to always try to borrow them from the library but they had a limited selection and then I found an Ebay seller who was cheaper than anywhere else I looked.
Some of the Naxos Shakespeare audios are good also but I don't know if they are as consistent across the board as the Arkangel productions.
We have audio recordings for The Winter's Tale and Twelfth Night so we'll do those unless I find a production of another play that we can see live.
The Arkangel CDs are difficult to find in Australia. I used to always try to borrow them from the library but they had a limited selection and then I found an Ebay seller who was cheaper than anywhere else I looked.
Some of the Naxos Shakespeare audios are good also but I don't know if they are as consistent across the board as the Arkangel productions.
Composer
Mozart - even though we'd listened to his works about two years ago. One of the boys is learning this piece for his music exams which we were able to find sheet music for at the wonderful free online site at the Petrucci Music Library. They also have audio files.
Mozart - even though we'd listened to his works about two years ago. One of the boys is learning this piece for his music exams which we were able to find sheet music for at the wonderful free online site at the Petrucci Music Library. They also have audio files.
Nature Study
Every month I read from A Bush Calendar by Amy Mack.
Every month I read from A Bush Calendar by Amy Mack.
Manners
I haven't used this book for a number of years but thought I needed to bring it out again...
I haven't used this book for a number of years but thought I needed to bring it out again...
3 comments:
Looks great! What year of AO are you doing? Do you combine your children? :)
Sarah, I'm doing years 3 and 7 with my youngest two.
I have combined AO - 2 boys did Year 8 together (is that what you meant?)
Together time is done with everyone - the younger ones have been included in Plutarch & Shakespeare all along. They'd play lego or draw and listen if they wanted.
Funnily enough, we're actually doing Vermeer and Mozart here too right now. :) I really enjoyed reading about your plans--such a rich selection!
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