What is it about us as homeschooling moms that we’re itching to plan the next school year before we’re done with the current one? Maybe it’s the thought of a new year with new curriculum (and who doesn’t like new curriculum?). Whether or not you know it, as you plan for the next school season by choosing subjects to cover, you are creating a course of study.
What is a course of study?
Very simply put, it’s a document listing all the subjects you are planning to cover for the school year.
Why do you need a written course of study?
I suppose it’s not essential, but having a printed document of your course of study serves several purposes. First, it helps you keep track of what curriculum you’ll need for the upcoming year. (If you need some tips on choosing curriculum, you can read this post.). Second, if you have multiple kids, it serves as a helpful reminder of what you covered for each grade. I’ve gone back to my older kids’ courses of study to use as a guide for their younger siblings. Lastly, depending on the requirements for your state, it serves as a record that homeschooling is taking place in your home.
Do you need a course of study for each child?
I would say yes and no. As you can see from the picture below, I used part of my form to record one of my child’s individual subjects and the lower part to record the subjects we will do together. Now before you think I swamp my kids with work all day everyday, please note that I have not yet filled out the “frequency” column. They do not do all these subjects everyday. And really, do you think I want to check that much work each day? Not this mom!
What information should I include when creating a course of study for elementary/middle school?
I personally like to keep it simple as you can see.
You have space to put each child’s name and grade. Then you would write down each subject, what curriculum or resource you’ll use for that subject, and the frequency (how many times a week your child will cover that subject).
On this one, I included a space for grades if you wanted to double it as a report card. I don’t give my kids grades until high school, so I won’t be using that form. I’ll explain why in a future post about how I check my kids’ work. Can I just stop and mention that I love happy plants, happy food, etc.? I include them a lot on my printables because they make me smile.
How do I decide what subjects to cover each year?
1. Check state requirements
First check to see if your state has particular requirements for subjects to cover in particular grade levels. Then decide what you would like your kids to learn. Of course they should learn the basics, but how you teach them is up to you.
2. Look at a “scope and sequence” or lists
Some curriculum publishers have a “scope and sequence” for their materials which serve as a helpful resource even if you’re not using their product. Even though I don’t use Abeka, I find their scope and sequence to be very informative. Their online version is very user-friendly and covers preschool through 12th grade, including electives.
Very Well Family lists out for each grade what kids will learn in school from kindergarten through fifth grade. This will be subjective, depending on state requirements, and the curriculum the schools are using. In additions, Baby Center provides links to each state’s curriculum guidelines. Just click on your state and you’ll be brought to the correct webpage.
3. Ask friends or homeschool forums
Another helpful source of information on curriculum are friends and homeschool forums (Facebook groups, or homeschool support groups, etc.). Not only can you ask others what they’ve used for particular subjects, but you can ask specific questions about the curriculum. You might even be able to borrow materials to look through before purchasing.
3. Watch YouTube “curriculum picks” videos
If you need more inspiration, check out some YouTube videos of moms who share their curriculum choices. You can learn what subjects other moms are covering at each grade level in addition to what curriculum they’re using.
A word of caution and encouragement
Do not get bogged down in your research! YouTube in particular is a rabbit hole in which you can get trapped. Use the resources as a tool from which to get ideas, not as a mandate for what you must do. Remember that you are the teacher, you are the one in charge, and you know best what your kids need.
What additional information should I include when creating a course of study for high school?
I plan to write more detailed posts on homeschooling high school, but, keeping it simple, in addition to the subjects your student will cover, add the number of credits your high schooler will earn for each subject. In my resource library, I’ve included three forms you can use for high school. The first one looks just like the ones I posted above, except that it says “High School Course of Study.” The second one, below, allows you to include all four years of high school classes on one document. I’m filling one out completely for what I plan to do. I’ll have another copy on which I’ll record what we actually have done.
This third form includes courses, credits, and also a column for grades. Having this information on one document will make it easy to make a transcript (which is an easy process, by the way).
If you would like for me to post about the curriculum we use and why I chose it, let me know. Or if you have any questions about writing a course of study, email me at hislifelearner@gmail.com or julie@hislifelearner. Don’t forget to sign up below to access the free printables. Oh, and by the way, you will see older courses of study forms in the resource library. These are new and improved versions.
If you’d like to read some more about super simple homeschool planning, and related homeschool topics check out these posts:
Top 4 sites to buy curriculum and books
Homeschool Phonics Curriculum Review
10 Life skills to teach your kids when you’re stuck inside
The homeschool mom’s “to don’t” list
Super simple homeschool calendar planning
Make a super simple lesson planner
How to “sur-thrive” homeschooling multiple ages
10 Tips for Choosing Curriculum
Sanity Saving Solution: the student planner
Happy planning!