Daily and Weekly Schedule
Every day the student should spend between 20 and 40 minutes on each of the following:
- Phonics (including reading aloud)
- Mathematics
- Reading from the grade-appropriate reading list
Every day the student should spend no more than 20 minutes on the following:
- Copywork (the strict time limit is to avoid repetitive motion injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome in youngsters)
In addition, each of the following subjects should get at least 20 to 40 minutes at some point during the week:
- Art
- Music
- Handicrafts
- Nature Study/Science/Health
Subjects
Phonics
Goals: Learn exceptions to the rules
Spelling (No more than 15 words per week from words used in second grade primers)
Parts of Speech: Prepositions, articles, conjunctions and interjections
Pollard’s Synthetic Method of Reading and Spelling
Teacher’s guide that explains how to use the method: Pollards Complete Manual
A complete course in phonics for grades 1-3: Word Mastery
Reading
From second grade onward, the student is expected to read a great deal! In second grade, about half of reading is aloud so that the parent educator can assist as may be required. The remainder of the reading is done silently; but the child should write down any words that are giving difficulty so they can be elucidated later.
Likewise, there is reading in school, and reading during liesure time. Reading during liesure time can be from the liesure reading list below, and from such other appropriate books as the parent educator chooses.
For in-school reading:
Start with McGuffey’s Second Eclectic Reader., about 30 minutes daily until completed.
After that:
On Mondays: History of The United States (About 1/2 chapter at a time is an appropriate pace.)
On Tuesdays and Thursdays: At a similar pace (about 2 pages per day, increasing as the child is ready) undertake Robinson Crusoe followed by Swiss Family Robinson at a chapter per day. These are special versions that preserve the spirit of the original, using mostly words of one syllable.
On Wednesdays and Fridays: Free reading from the second grade book list
Second Grade Book List:
Heidi by Joanna Spyri
Five Little Peppers and How they Grew by Margaret Sidney
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Wiggin
Five Children and It by Edith Nesbit
Otto of the Silver Hand by Howard Pyle
Other titles worth considering that aren’t included in the curriculum:
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Story of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting
Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers
Brighty of the Grand Canyon by Marguerite Henry
Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater
Along Came A Dog by Meindert De Jong
The Door in the Wall by Marguerite De Angli
Writing
At this level, children should be able to compose short stories with some assistance by the parent educator. Copywork — in which kids copy something that someone else has written — provides important practice with letter formation along with exposure to correct spelling, good grammar, and important ideas.
Practically anything suitable for reading at the child’s level is suitable for copywork. The length of the material should be suited to keep total time spent writing to less than 20 minutes. We’ve included a blank template — which is nothing more than an image of first grade writing paper onto which you can type — to help make it easier to create your own. The template is in Open Document format, which works with the free Open Office and Libre Office suites.
You can find lots of free copywork online just by searching.
Mathematics
Goals:
- Two-digit integer addition with carry
- Two-digit subtraction with borrowing
Arithmetic, Lower Book by Sutton and Bruce likewise covers first through sixth grade.
School Arithmetic covers everything for grades one through four.
We’d suggest using lessons as needed from both books.
Art/Handicrafts/Music
Art can serve a dual purpose — both artistic and educational.
Get creative with collages, toilet paper and paper towel rolls, boxes, construction paper, water colors, scissors and glue! Try to come up with art and handicraft projects that complement a story being read, or that highlight another subject being learned. Don’t neglect a trip to the art museum.
Music is an important part of optimum brain development in children. Shakers, tambourines and bongo drums are appropriate for grades 1-4, after which more formalized study of particular instruments is a good idea. Find appropriate children’s music for kids to play (and sing!). Classic songs for European American children include “Home on the Range,” “America the Beautiful,” “Goober Peas,” “Erie Canal” and others.
Science/Nature Study/Health
Food chain
Life cycle
Dinosaurs
Useful and potentially dangerous animals
Solar system
Gravity
Food groups
Table manners