Pathways by Age

• Share the circle. Everyone does the morning verse, songs, and movement together. Older girls lead a verse; younger girls echo.
• Share the story. Tell one story to all. The little one tells back one part; the middle one narrates in order; the oldest writes three sentences or a paragraph.
• Split the skill work. Twenty to thirty minutes where each child works at her own level. The oldest starts independent work first so you can sit with the youngest.
• Make the older one a teacher. Explaining to a sister is the surest mastery check there is.
• Share the real work. Baking, garden, and handwork are for every age. Give each child a job she can finish.

The shape of a day

Morning circle

10 to 15 minutes: verse, two songs, a finger play, the day color

Story

one tale told, the same one all week

Making

painting, beeswax, crayon, or baking alongside you

Real work

setting the table, folding cloths, watering

Outdoors

at least two hours, every day

Twelve weeks on the shelf

1. Weeks 1 to 2: the days and their colors with The Weekdays and the Planets
2. Weeks 3 to 6: the four elements, one a week: Water, Fire, Air, Earth
3. Weeks 7 to 8: the season outside the window, from Autumn or Winter
4. Weeks 9 to 10: How To Behave And Why: gentle hands, kind voice, waiting turns
5. Weeks 11 to 12: The Turnip and The Little Red Hen, told and acted

Watch for

• Joins in songs and verses
• Can wait a short turn
• Helps with one real job
• Plays deeply for long stretches

The shape of a day

Morning circle

15 to 20 minutes: verse, memory work (days, months, counting chants), movement

Letters

10 to 15 minutes of sounds and blending, when ready

Numbers

10 minutes with real objects

Story and narration

one tale, told back in order

Making and work

handwork, painting, baking, the garden

Twelve weeks on the shelf

1. Weeks 1 to 2: Left & Right with footprint paths and the compass rose
2. Weeks 3 to 4: One, The Sun and Two, The Wings
3. Weeks 5 to 6: Three, The Clover and Four, The Seasons
4. Weeks 7 to 10: letter pictures: M Mountain, W Wave, B Bear, S Swan, then the rest of the picture alphabet at one letter a week as the child is ready: A Apple Ladder, C Crescent Moon, D Drum, E Eagle Tree, F Fern, G Goose, H Hammock, I Icicle, J Jumping Salmon, K King, L Lamplighter, N Narrow Bridge, O Owl, P Pennant, Q Queen, R Ram, T Tall Tree, U Upturned Umbrella, V Valley, X Fox and the Box, Y Yawning Child, Z Zigzag Bee
5. Weeks 11 to 12: ABCs: Letters & Sounds, first group of sounds, with the Practice Room letter sounds

Watch for

• Knows most letter sounds
• Counts objects to 20
• Narrates a story in order
• Holds a crayon with a good grip
• Finishes a small handwork project

The shape of a day

Morning circle

15 minutes with recitation of a poem by heart

Reading and phonics

30 minutes: phonograms, reading aloud, copywork

Math

30 minutes, the first 5 of mental math

Main lesson

30 to 45 minutes of science, history, or geography

Afternoons

handwork, music, art, outdoors

Twelve weeks on the shelf

1. Weeks 1 to 3: ABCs: Letters & Sounds all the way through, with daily copywork
2. Weeks 4 to 5: the numbers five to ten as qualities first (5: The Star, 6: The Honeycomb, 7: The Rainbow, 8: The Spider, 9: The Sun and Its Planets, 10: Two Hands), then number bonds and adding within 20 in the Practice Room, with beans and stones first
3. Weeks 6 to 9: the planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
4. Weeks 10 to 11: the fables and folk tales of the language shelf, with written narration
5. Week 12: Peg Dolls and Wooden Structures as a making week

Watch for

• Reads simple books aloud
• Writes all letters correctly
• Adds and subtracts within 20
• Recites 10 poems
• Knits a small square

The shape of a day

Recitation

10 minutes: a poem a fortnight, a growing anthology

Language

45 minutes: independent reading, written narration, dictation, grammar

Math

45 minutes: times tables to instant recall, regrouping, fractions

Main lesson

45 minutes: science, history, geography, Latin roots

Work and service

cooking, budgeting, the garden, a seasonal service project

Twelve weeks on the shelf

1. Weeks 1 to 4: the outer planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto
2. Weeks 5 to 6: times tables, one table every few days in the Practice Room, chanted then drilled
3. Weeks 7 to 8: Latin and Greek roots in the Practice Room, with a word collection notebook
4. Weeks 9 to 10: a life skills unit from Life Skills & Character: money and a real purchase
5. Weeks 11 to 12: a nature study from Nature & Arts, written up as a journal with labeled drawings

Watch for

• Reads chapter books alone for 20 minutes
• Writes a clean paragraph
• Knows the times tables
• Recites 30 poems
• Plans a small purchase