I've been posting the homeschool schedule on my Instagram page to help parents organize their day since many families are homeschooling their kids during the COVID-19 pandemic. I think it would make better sense to just share the strategies I have tried, and the resources I have found here instead.
When we first decided to homeschool Isabella, I knew I needed some guidance. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending how you see it), the internet is full of a lot of information, and it can be incredibly overwhelming to figure out what will work.
Number 1, check your school system's website for standards. It definitely helps to know what you need to focus on, especially if you plan on having your child return to the public school system later in life. Right now, due to COVID-19 pandemic, schools here are closed, and the website is especially useful with activities to practice in each school grade and subject.
Number 2, after looking at what is required to homeschool in my county, and checking out the basic standards required. I found two very useful site to help me narrow down my topics. Isabella was already almost half-way done with 5th grade, so I didn't want to repeat anything or start something that wouldn't be grade-appropriate (as much as she wants to learn about neurology, I will need to table that until we meet the other standards first!)
This resource helped me create a topic list of objectives that my daughter needed to know prior to completing 5th grade. Fifth Grade Curriculum and Homeschool Learning Objectives
This link also really helped me a lot. 25 Things Every 5th Grader Needs to Know
Number 3: know what comes next. 6th grade because when you are homeschooling your child, you will see how quickly your child can learn in a 1:1 setting without the distractions of a classroom. Having an idea on what to teach next will help you feel organized, and be organized, when the time comes to move on from one grade level to the next.
Number 4: 5th grade means health education. There aren't as many topics as I thought there were online to support this area. 5th Grade Puberty Education is a great resource tool, as is KidsHealth from Sesame Street. You can also visit TedTalk to find some wonderful topics. I highly recommend Dr, Gunter's Why can't we talk about periods to help girls understand how her body will change, and what exactly happens when we have our period. Pinterest has a lot of great TedTalk worksheets to help you create discussions after viewing a TedTalk. Again, I highly recommend making sure every activity/task you do to be interactive in one way or another.
Number 5: The resource treasure chest. Educational Companies offering free subscriptions I don't know how long these companies will keep their subscriptions for free, but some of the links provided on this page are always free. Prodigy is a math site that is free and can graph your child's progress. This is great to help you know what areas you need to focus on when teaching math skills.
Number 6: Spend time outside. Social Studies can be taught right in your backyard, neighborhood, city and/or state. Go online to your national parks and you will find educational lesson plans already created for you! Use it as a template, or follow it word for word. It's up to you.
Number 7: Read your child's cues. You may be their teacher, but you are also their parent. You know if your child has reached their breaking point. Don't push them to the point that they push learning away. Keep it fun, keep it light, and praise your child's efforts! This is a new world for both of you, so there will be some learning curves and mistakes made along the way. Don't be too hard on yourself, and don't be too hard on your kid. Take a deep breath, choose your battles, and focus on what's important.
Best wishes!
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