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LMBMommyof4
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| Posted: April 09 2011 at 8:48pm | IP Logged
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Hi all.
I was wondering how those of you with children in different grade levels combine subjects, or if you do at all.
My children are in 1st, 3rd, 6th and 7th grades. We are fully enrolled with Seton this year. Although I do like Seton, I will probably only enroll in Math and Religion next year. I find that for me, there is just too much "workbooky" type of work and I would really like something more hands-on.
I do start our mornings all together with prayer and then me reading aloud from a book that the kids really enjoy. We also are doing the Holy Heroes Lenten Adventure together.
Then, it just seems that each of them has to go to their "pile of books" and I would like to change that for next year and try to do some subjects with all of them, if possible. I know there is 5 1/2 years between my oldest and youngest, but was wondering if there were some suggestions that any of you have for combining. Also, suggestions for more hands-on type of work would be great.
I was a classroom teacher for years before having my kids and although some think that is an advantage, sometimes I think it is a disadvantage to homeschooling. We teachers were really programmed with textbooks and lesson plans and it takes a conscious effort to break away from that. I still teach in the evenings for a local college, but that is a whole different ballgame, as well. :-)
Thank you for very much for your kind welcomes to the board and for any advice/experience you can provide!
God bless,
Lisa
Mom to Michael (almost 13), Jonathan (11), Matthew (9) and Katharine (7)
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Maryan
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| Posted: April 09 2011 at 8:59pm | IP Logged
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We did history together this year and it was a lot of fun! We did the Old Testament and Bible History and we had did some things together and some things by ability. It worked out well.
RC History is one program that gears their program towards families. Their website is: RCHistory
I'm sure others have ideas on how to do more as a family.
__________________
Maryan
Mom to 6 boys & 1 girl: JP('01), B ('03), M('05), L('06), Ph ('08), M ('10), James born 5/1/12
A Lee in the Woudes
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Dove
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| Posted: April 11 2011 at 8:25pm | IP Logged
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I've found that unit studies work well when doing several grades together.
Same subject, using many of the same books, but each child responding to the material at their own level and in their own way.
For example a toddler might make a picture, a third grader a picture with a short written description, the 6th grader writes a short paper or maybe makes a larger display.
Everyone contributes to the unit study at their own level and a collaboration is the result.
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herdingkittens
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| Posted: April 11 2011 at 8:56pm | IP Logged
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I started doing most subjects as a group, because everyone was always interested in what others were doing, and learning as a group gave them more connections with one another and more to discuss (thus reinforcing the material/lessons). Same with readalouds - the minute I open a book, they are all on the couch in a flash and I don't have the heart to send someone away to work on something else. 
What we do separately: phonics, spelling, handwriting, grammar, math and those Map Skills book.
Everything else we do together: Catechism, Scripture, History, Science, Nature notebooking, Art/Art Appreciation, Music Appreciation and anything else we are working on.
As for what it looks like, Science and History we read books together on a specific subject and the children do narration pages (3rd grader writes her own or dictates to me as I type, 2nd grader dictates, Ker dictates, and they all illustrate their work). That is the basic framework. We also will do whatever experiments and crafts to go along with it together. Those are easy to adjust for ages (having the olders help the youngers is always fun to watch, too  ). I'll sometimes add in more rigor for the olders (like Dove mentioned).
With Catechism and Scripture, we are all starting the day in prayer together - Daily readings, reflection and family resolution. I'll read them the Saint of the Day, and we'll do a Baltimore Cat. lesson with a related story. We have an upcoming 1st communicant, so the others usually listen in on that, but he has a little separate work for that. I'd like to start memorizing scripture as a group, too, rather than just the older ones doing that on their own...
Saves a lot of money, too. Less texts/consumables to buy, 
HTH, and welcome!
__________________
my peeps: girl('02), boy('03), girl('05), twin boys ('07), boy ('11) and sweet baby boy ('13)
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JuliaT
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| Posted: April 13 2011 at 5:05pm | IP Logged
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I do Science and History together. We do the same topic but use different books and I teach different skills.
I will give an example. Right now we are doing a unit on Rome. We start our time off with reading on the couch together (we use Geurber's Story of Rome as our read aloud book.) Some days we might do a project together like a mosaic art project or cooking project (elephant ears for when we learn about Hannibal) or we will narrate what we have read. My youngest(8) lets me write out her narration and then she draws a picture. My ds (10) writes out his own narration and my oldest (11) is learning outlining. My dd also keeps a notebook a la Well Trained Mind so while she is working on that, the youngers and I will look at other books or read an encyclopedia. Then we end our time together with another read aloud.
So we have the same topic, same spine, same projects, different books, different skills but working at the same table. This is difficult to juggle all of the different balls but I much prefer this than to do separate histories for all three of them.
__________________
Blessings,
Julia
mom of 3(14,13 & 11 yrs.old)
MusingsofaPrairieGirl
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: How do you combine subjects?
