Today is yet another planning day. I’ve been working on bits and pieces off and on throughout the week, but today I felt inspired to tackle Circle Time, so that’s what I did. If you recall, I usually have pages and pages of plans, dividing lessons not just per week but per day. This year, I’m going for a totally different approach. I am writing out the schedule in such a way that I will never get behind. I need it to be possible to always simply do the next thing.
But first…
Shakespeare Fail
All year last year, I wanted to–planned to–do a Shakespeare night. It began to be put off when someone got sick, and then the holidays came, and then I didn’t feel good, and then we were busy, and then…well, you know how these things happen sometimes, right?
This year? I still want to–plan to–have a Shakespeare night. I think it would be fun. I think we would love it. And I know just the friends to invite.
But I’m also dividing up the play I always wanted to begin real Shakespeare with {A Comedy of Errors} into twelve weeks, and reading parts with my oldest during Circle Time.
So did we do Shakespeare last year? Well, yes. Sort of. We did Nesbit, and also Lamb. And my son and I sat down and read different scenes from different plays for fun. But we didn’t get a chance to read a real play from beginning to end, so that’s what I intend to do this coming term.
Ideally, we’ll celebrate the end of the term with a Shakespeare night, but we’ll see.
Circle Time Plans
Below is a pdf of my little chart. That’s right. It all fits on one little page. How awesome is that?
Resources
- Books/Read Alouds
- Pilgrim’s Progress
- Shakespeare’s A Comedy of Errors, already divided into 12 weeks
- Augustine of Hippo
- Grimm’s Fairy Tales
- The Phoenix and the Carpet
- The Burgess Bird Book
- A Book of Golden Deeds
- Along Came a Dog
- Little House on the Prairie
- Farmer Boy
- Poems
- Singing Time by Rose Fyleman
- To the Skylark by William Wordsworth
- Picture Study: Winslow Homer
- .pdf file of paintings in landscape orientation
- .pdf file of painting in portrait orientation
- Print these on cardstock and frame them; at least, that’s what I do.
- Hymns
- The Rock that is Higher than I
- We were supposed to do this one at the end of last term, but the other songs weren’t as easy as I expected, so I pushed it back to this term.
- Jesus, What a Friend for Sinners
- Sorry. I usually try to link to a real hymn score, but I couldn’t find one online. I’m using my hymnal. This has a piano podcast that you can listen to in order to learn the melody, if you like.
- Folk Songs
- Gypsy Rover
- Early One Morning {we’re using these lyrics}
- I’s the B’y
Other Comments
8 Comments
Love this peek at your Circle Time! I’m gearing up for my “going-out-for-coffee-with-myself-planning” date and hope to add your ideas to my pile to look through! THANK YOU!
Enjoy your planning date! Those are such refreshing days and the perfect way to gear up for the year’s beginning.
Oh, and one more question. Why Homer and not Renoir as AO is doing? Just curious!
Julie in St. Louis
I have a habit of building my picture study plans based upon past years rather than current years because I usually draw up my plans and begin before the selections are announced. This year, it would have worked out okay, but I had already drawn up one child’s Course of Study form, so instead of changing it, I’ll just go back and do Renoir another year.
I also have a preference of waiting to introduce Impressionists when my children are older as I consider their style to be a sign of the decline of the West. However, that didn’t actually factor into my plans for this year…
Brandy,
About how long does Circle Time take? I, too, am planning right now for our first year with Circle Time, and wondering what kind of time I should allow.
Thanks!
Julie in St. Louis
Let’s see…when we first started, I only planned about 30 minutes. Now it is about an hour, but I make sure I alternate things to try and keep their minds fresh. Once or twice a year it will go about 1.5 hours because the story from A Golden Deeds is so long, but on those days I’ll dismiss the youngers if they wish.
Looks great! I think “Singing Time” is by Rose Fyleman, not RLS.
Thank you! That’s what I get for cutting and pasting without editing… 🙂
I’ll change it. 🙂