Charlotte Mason Schedule, Term 3 Updates

Our spring homeschooling term began on the first of this month, and I have continued to work on spreading that delightful Charlotte Mason feast while at the same time embracing the classical education principle of multum non multa (much not more). In practical terms this means a pared down version of CM that allows us to sink more deeply into fewer books and subjects. After completing the schedule that we will begin next week, I feel satisfied and relaxed. God willing, I have struck a good balance. I have found the sweet spot. I am victorious!

I want to point out a few changes. After trying unsuccessfully to wing the Spanish lessons with flash cards and The Everything Kids Book of Spanish from the library, I broke down and bought a curriculum book and 3-CD set, Learn Spanish with Grace. And it's Catholic, so the Faith now permeates the curriculum in an additional subject. Yay! 

I took the Language Arts loop out and put those subjects into the Daily Core, designating how many times per week each will be done. (Items without a designation are done every day.) I did not list dictation, because this is included in the Language of God grammar and composition book from Catholic Heritage Curricula. The dictation lessons are drawn from the child's reading, so this is still CM-aligned. We take spelling words to work on from the dictation readings. "Free reading" means that the child is not required to narrate. However, I will perhaps have Beezy do a simple book report when she is finished with the novel. 

The remaining subjects are "looped" through. I plan for a 4-day week, so one item is done from the loop per day. 

I print this list off each week, making any necessary changes, and just use an orange pen to check each item off as it is accomplished. I also write what is covered daily in more detail on loose leaf notebook paper, which goes into Beezy's portfolio for the end-of-year review by a certified teacher.

I think the rest is pretty self-explanatory, but please feel free to ask any questions in the comments!

 
Catholic Charlotte Mason Schedule, 2016-2017 Term 3 (6th grade)

Daily Core: (open with prayer)

- free reading (A Wrinkle in Time, L'Engle)

- Hamilton’s Arithmetic

- Piano practice

- Cursive writing (Seton, 2 times per week)

- Grammar & Composition (CHC, 2 times per week)

- King David and His Songs (oral narration, 2 times per week)

- Learn Spanish with Grace (2 to 3 times per week)

Loop:

- Rosary: Sorrowful Mysteries (1952 Catholic Confraternity Bible)

- Nature Study & notebook (written narration/drawing): Minn of the Mississippi;

  Anna Comstock Handbook (reptiles); nature walk

- Religion 6 for Young Catholics (Seton)

- Artist and picture studies: Claude Monet (Nancy Nunhead); Linnea in Monet's

  Garden (Christina Bjork)

Weekly:

Piano lessons

Religious education class

Tumbling class