Homeschooling Grade School with Unlimited Access

Grade School Unit Study Program
3^rd Through 6^th GradeCourse of Study Description
Recorded, Independent-Learning with Unlimited Access

2020-2021 School Year

Welcome!
Introduction

Welcome to the Grade School Unit Study Program for 3rd through 6th grade students -- designed to simplify and streamline your home education experience. Through an integrated literature-based curriculum, your family receives clearly laid out directions for the parent(s), hands-on project-based activities for students, and a once-a-week recorded class to watch together.

How it Works
The full year course is segmented into three parts (Course 1, 2, and 3), hours usually taken in the fall, winter, and spring -- incorporating History, Science, Language Arts, Art, and Religion -- to learn all subjects together in a unit that coordinates and dovetails into one harmonized year of learning.

 CLICK HERE FOR A FREE INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR

Your Program DescriptionThe Four-Year Sequence
The entire program, currently under development, will span a four-year sequence based on the four volumes of TAN Books’ History series, The Story of Civilization. The four years of study are...

            Ancient History (TSoC, Volume 1, Year One), Currently Available in Unlimited Access
            Medieval History (TSoC, Volume 2, Year Two), Available starting Mid-February 2021
            The Modern World (TSoC, Volume 3, Year Three), Available starting Mid-February 2022
            US History (TSoC, Volume 4, Year Four), Available starting Mid-February 2023

Your Learning and Course Formats

Your Yearlong, Three-Part Ancient History Program:
The yearlong grade school unit study program is taught in three parts: Part One (13 weeks); Part Two (12 weeks); and a short Part Three (4 weeks). Take all three parts, to create a complete year of learning.

Lesson Plans for Daily Activities

Families are provided with daily lessons, checklists, and other resources and learning materials.

The Grade School Unit Study Program uses a four-day-week course of study: families work together on interactive lessons (guided materials and instruction) and watch a weekly class together. The fifth day can be a free day for museum visits, nature walks, co-op classes, play dates, etc.

Subjects
Your List of Subjects Scheduled for the Four School Days (Per Week) 

* History (30-60 minutes per day) 

* Literature Read-Aloud (30-60 minutes per day) 

* Greek & Latin Roots (10-15 minutes per day) 

* Poetry Memorization (10-15 minutes per day) 

* Creative Writing (Odd weeks, 60-90 minutes per week)

* Science (Even weeks, 60-90 minutes per week)

* Solo Reading (time varies per family choice; suggested 30-60 minutes per day) 

* Project Work (time varies per family choice; suggested 60-90 minutes per week)

Core Texts
Getting Your Texts/Books
The same texts are used for all three parts of the series.

●      New or used copies of the texts will work for use in this course. See BookFinder.com for the best prices.

●      Choosing Prices: The price range after each title reflects the lowest price (Kindle edition or used edition) to the highest price range (new and/or hardback edition).

Your Book List

Purchase or borrow the following books for the school year (required):

1.     The Story of Civilization (TSoC), Volume 1: The Ancient World by Phillip Campbell, (ISBN- 10: 1505105668; ISBN-13: 978-1505105667) (*New $20; pre-owned $12) (Used All Year) Note: Supplementary TSoC Student and Teacher texts and Audio/Video products are optional. Depending upon your budget, we recommend adding supplementary texts as tools for further engagement.

2.     Archimedes and the Door of Science, by Jeanne Bendick. (ISBN- 10: 9781883937126; ISBN-13: 978-1883937126) (*New $13; pre-owned $5) (Used Part One)

3.     D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths, by Ingri and Edgar d’Aulaire (ISBN- 10: 9780440406945; ISBN-13: 978-0440406945 (*New $14; pre-owned $5) (Used All Year)

4.     Around the Year Once Upon a Time Saints, by Ethel Pochocki (ISBN- 10: 1932350268; ISBN-13: 978-1932350265) (*New $15; pre-owned $14) (Used All Year)

5.     Detectives in Togas, by Henry Winterfeld, (ISBN-10: 0152162801; ISBN- 13: 978-0152162801) (Fall 2019) (*New $7; pre-owned $3.50) (Used Part One)

6.     St. Paul the Apostle, by Mary Fabyan Windeatt (ISBN: 9780895554260) (*New $16; Pre-owned $8.50 BF) (Used Used Part Two and Three)

7.     Galen and the Gateway to Medicine, by Jeanne Bendick (ISBN: 9781883937751; ISBN-10: 1883937752) (*New $15; pre-owned $9.50) (Used Part Two and Three)

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR UNLIMITED ACCESS AND START LEARNING TODAY

Frequently Asked Questions
What role does the parent play?

In this unit study program, the parent’s role is to…
1. Schedule and implement the course material into your daily school and home life.

2. Schedule and engage in read-aloud time. 

3. Guide students with art and science projects.

3. Grade some student work (approximately 30-60 minutes per week, depending on family choice of enrichment activities).

4. Watch recorded class sessions with your student(s) each week. 

What’s included in the course?
Enrolled families will receive…
1. A weekly checklist of activities and assignments and a timeline template.

2. Computer-graded quizzes, project work instructions (science, art, history), and creative writing assignments.

3. A suggested daily schedule for the four-day school week. 

4. A list of optional supplementary books for solo reading for multiple grade levels.

5. A recorded class each week with the instructor.

Is Instructor Access offered for this course?

Yes! Mrs. Jackie de Laveaga is available for grading assistance. The course plan for each semester includes eight to ten assignments that are designed to be submitted for instructor grading. These assignments are in addition to the auto-graded quizzes and parent-graded assignments which are in the course. These instructor-graded assignments include science and history assignments, and art projects as well as creative writing assignments. Instructor Access is an optional service for parents who would like additional help for a fee.

Can I sign up for this course with Single Access?

Since the Grade School Unit Study Program is made up of multiple subjects, it is not eligible for the single-course price. It is available through Unlimited Access and can be used with multiple children.

Can my preschool to 2^nd grade children join in this course with older siblings?

Yes! Younger children can participate in read aloud time and activities with older brothers and sisters. Parents can adjust projects to a younger child’s ability. We recommend For the Love of Literature by Maureen Wittmann (Homeschool Connections Co-Founder) for picture books from the era. (www.beholdpublications.com/wordpress1/product/love-of-literature/?v=2320522a6676).

Can I coordinate the grade school program with your middle and high school courses?

Yes! Your older students can also get both LIVE, interactive courses and/or recorded, independent-learning courses here at Homeschool Connections -- courses that cover the same historical era as this program, so your elementary through high school students can study the same four-year historical sequence together.

When you give your middle and high school students courses in the same areas of History, Literature, Science, and more, you create a full, multi-grade study of the same era in your homeschool. Visit “The Four Year Cycle” article for more information on matching courses here:  http://homeschoolconnectionsonline.blogspot.com/search/label/4-Year%20Cycle.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR UNLIMITED ACCESS AND START LEARNING TODAY

Your Instructor
Jackie de Laveaga, M.Ed.

Your instructor for the Grade School Unit Study program is Mrs. Jackie de Laveaga.

Mrs. de Laveaga holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in English and Secondary Education and a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree with an emphasis in Language Arts Instruction. Her career and her experience include teaching online middle school and high school courses in writing, journalism, and humanities – as well as teaching live courses in literature, history, composition, and drama to students in grades 1 through college. Mrs. de Laveaga loves homeschooling and learning alongside her five children; two have graduated from college and married, one is in college, and two of her children are at home. You can reach Mrs. de Laveaga by email at delaveaga.hsc@gmail.com.

Questions?We’re happy to help!
Simply email homeschoolconnections@gmail.com, or call Toll Free, 1-888-372-4757, and we’ll get right back to you with answers!

 CLICK HERE FOR A FREE INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR

Homeschooling Grade School, 3rd to 6th Grade

GRADE SCHOOL UNIT STUDY PROGRAM
3rd Through 6th Grade

Course of Study Description

CLICK HERE FOR A FREE INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR.

Welcome!
Introduction

Welcome to the Grade School Unit Study Program for 3rd through 6th grade students -- designed to simplify and streamline your home education experience. Through an integrated literature-based curriculum, your family receives clearly laid out directions for the parent(s), hands-on project-based activities for students, and a once-a-week touch-base LIVE class where discussion, sharing, and learning takes place.

How it Works
Each full year is segmented into three parts occurring in the fall, winter, and spring -- incorporating History, Science, Language Arts, Art, and Religion -- to learn all subjects together in a unit that coordinates and dovetails into one harmonized year of learning.

Your Program Description

The Four-Year Sequence
The entire program spans a four-year sequence based on the four volumes of TAN Books’ History series, The Story of Civilization. The four years of study include...

                  Ancient History (Volume 1, Year One)
                  Medieval History (Volume 2, Year Two)
                  The Making of the Modern World (Volume 3, Year Three)
                  US History (Volume 4, Year Four)

Year One, Ancient History, is Available in Recording
All three parts of the Ancient History year will be available in recording as an independent-learning unit beginning on June 15, 2020, for 24/7 Unlimited Access.

This School Year: Medieval History
Your 2020/2021 Grade School Unit Study Program focuses on Medieval History.

The 2021/2022 school year will cover the Making of the Modern World, and the 2022/2023 school year will be built around US History.

Coordination with the Middle and High School Programs
Coordinate Learning, Simplify Teaching
Your older students can also get both LIVE, interactive courses and/or recorded, independent-learning courses here at Homeschool Connections -- courses that cover the same historical era as this program, so your elementary through high school students can study the same four-year historical sequence together.

All Students, Same Subjects
Follow the resources provided here to make learning more concise, focused, and unified across all of your family’s learning experience. When you give your middle and high school students courses in the same areas of History, Literature, Science, and more, you create a full, multi-grade study of the same era in your homeschool. For choosing middle and high school courses, guidance is given for what courses “match” and what courses are available in both LIVE and recorded formats.

Visit “The Four Year Cycle” article for more information on matching courses here: http://homeschoolconnectionsonline.blogspot.com/search/label/4-Year%20Cycle.

Your Learning and Course Formats
Your Year-Long, Three-Part Program
The yearlong program is taught in three parts: Part One in the Fall Semester (13 weeks); Part Two in the Spring Semester (12 weeks); and a short Part Three in May, 2021 (4 weeks). Sign your children up for all three parts, to create a complete year of learning.

The “Flipped Classroom”
The Grade School Unit Study Program uses a “flipped classroom” approach in a four-day-week course of study: families watch teacher-created videos and work together on interactive lessons (guided materials and instruction). In addition to home learning, the once-a-week LIVE online class “becomes the place to work through problems, advance concepts, and engage in collaborative learning” (The Flipped Classroom, https://www.educationnext.org/the-flipped-classroom/).

Daily Activities
Families are provided with daily lessons, checklists, videos, and other resources and learning materials. Each week starts with a LIVE, twenty-five-minute online class meeting for parents and students together with the instructor.

Class Meetings
During each weekly class meeting, students discuss the past week’s readings, play games to reinforce the week’s learning, and have the opportunity to share project work and poetry recitation on camera.

WANT TO LEARN MORE? CLICK HERE FOR A FREE INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR.

Choosing Your LIVE Class Time
Your Class Times and Schedule (choose one)
All LIVE, interactive classes meet on Mondays. Parents choose from one of the three LIVE time segments offered:

9:00 AM Eastern (8:00 Central; 7:00 Mountain; 6:00 Pacific) 

OR

11:00 AM Eastern (10:00 Central; 9:00 Mountain; 8:00 Pacific)

OR

1:00 PM Eastern (Noon Central; 11:00 Mountain; 10:00 Pacific)

Part One
Fall 2020 -- Medieval History Unit Study (Part 1 of 3)

(13 weeks)
Class Dates: Classes begin September 14, 2020, and continue through December 14, 2020;
No class November 23, 2020
Mandatory Parent Meeting: September 14, 2020

Multiple students per family: Siblings can watch the sessions and complete the automated quizzes FREE. However, only enrolled students may submit and receive teacher grading on select assignments. To receive teacher grading for additional students, enroll each additional student independently.

LIVE Class Duration: 25 minutes, followed by 15 minutes of student sharing on camera (off recording)

Fee: $259 if registering on or before July 15, 2020. $279 after July 15 for all 13 classes. (Registration closes one week before the first day of class. After that date, registrations are not guaranteed. There is a $20 surcharge for late enrollments after the course is closed.)

Part Two
Spring 2021 -- Medieval History Unit Study (Part 2 of 3)

(12 weeks)
Class Dates: Classes begin January 25, 2021, and continue through April 26, 2021

No class February 15 or March 29, 2021.
Multiple students per family: Siblings can watch the sessions and complete the automated quizzes FREE. However, only enrolled students may submit and receive teacher grading on select assignments. To receive teacher grading for additional students, enroll each additional student independently.

LIVE Class Duration: 25 minutes, followed by 15 minutes of student sharing on camera (off recording)

Fee: $259 if you register on or before November 15, 2020. $279 after Nov. 15 for all 12 classes. (Registration closes one week before the first day of class. After that date, registrations are not guaranteed. There is a $20 surcharge for late enrollments after the course is closed.)

Part Three
May 2021 -- Medieval History Unit Study (Part 3 of 3)

(4 weeks)
Class Dates: Classes begin May 3, 2021, and continue through May 24, 2021

Multiple students per family: Siblings can watch the sessions and complete the automated quizzes FREE. However, only enrolled students may submit and receive teacher grading on select assignments. To receive teacher grading for additional students, enroll each additional student independently.

LIVE Class Duration: 25 minutes, followed by 15 minutes of student sharing on camera (off recording)

Fee: $89 if you register on or before November 15, 2020. $109 after Nov. 15 for all 4 classes. (Registration closes one week before the first day of class. After that date, registrations are not guaranteed. There is a $20 surcharge for late enrollments after the course is closed.)

 READY TO REGISTER? CLICK HERE FOR HOMESCHOOL CONNECTIONS REGISTRATION PAGE.

Your Instructor
Jackie de Laveaga, M.Ed.

Your instructor for the Grade School Unit Study program is Mrs. Jackie de Laveaga. Mrs. de Laveaga holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in English and Secondary Education and a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree with an emphasis in Language Arts Instruction. Her career and her experience include teaching online middle school and high school courses in writing, journalism, and humanities – as well as teaching live courses in literature, history, composition, and drama to students in grades 1 through college. Mrs. de Laveaga loves homeschooling and learning alongside her five children; two have graduated from college and married, one is in college, and two of her children are at home. You can reach Mrs. de Laveaga by email at delaveaga.hsc@gmail.com.

Subjects
Your List of Subjects Scheduled for the Four School Days (per week for 19 weeks)

* History (45-60 minutes per day) 

* Literature (45-60 minutes per day) 

* Greek & Latin Roots (10-15 minutes per day) 

* Poetry Memorization (10-15 minutes per day) 

* Creative Writing (60-90 minutes per week)

* Science (60-90 minutes per week)

* Solo Reading (time varies per family choice; suggested 30-60 minutes per day) 

* Project Work (time varies per family choice; suggested 60-90 minutes per week)

Core Texts
Getting Your Texts/Books
The same texts are used for all three parts of the series.

●      New or used copies of the texts will work for use in this course. See BookFinder.com for the best prices.

●      Choosing Prices: The price range after each title reflects the lowest price (Kindle edition or used edition) to the highest price range (new and/or hardback edition).

●      Total Price: The low-cost options for these books can total approximately $79 and the highest cost options (all new/hardback) would cost approximately $200.

●      Text and Year Overlap: Some of the Medieval books will also be used in Year Three (Making of the Modern World).

Your Book List
Purchase or borrow the following books for the school year (required):

1. The Story of Civilization (TSoC), Volume 2: The Medieval World, by Phillip Campbell (ISBN-10: 1505105749; ISBN-13: 978-1505105742) (All Year) ($10-$22).

Note: Supplementary TSoC Student and Teacher texts and Audio/Video products are optional. We recommend adding supplementary texts (as well as audio and video materials) as tools for further engagement. TAN Books offers families enrolled in the Grade School Unit Study Program a 40% discount on all supplementary materials. Please email instructor Jackie deLaveaga at delaveaga.hsc@gmail.com for the coupon code.

2. The Story Book of Science, by Jean Henri Fabre (ISBN-10: 1599150255; ISBN-13: 978-1599150253) (All Year) ($0 [Kindle] to $15).
3. Insect Adventures, by Jean Henri Fabre (ISBN-10: 1500196452; ISBN-13: 978-1500196455) (All Year) ($2-$12)Note: For an advanced reader in the family, consider adding Fabre’s Book of Insects to the family reading (optional and will not be on the schedule).
   
   
4. Once Upon a Time Saints, by Ethel Pochocki (ISBN-10: 1883937159; ISBN-13: 978-1883937) (All Year) ($5-$12).
5. More Once Upon a Time Saints, by Ethel Pochocki (ISBN-10: 1883937345; ISBN-13: 978-1883937348) (All Year) ($5-$12).
6. English from the Roots Up, Volume 2, by Joegil Lundquist (ASIN: B00E322V94). Any new or used volume works. Families will also buy or make the study flashcards for this book. (All Year) ($15+).

7. Saint Benedict, by Mary Fabyan Windeatt (ISBN-10: 0895554275; ISBN-13: 978-0895554277) (Fall 2020) ($6-$12).
8. If All the Swords in England: A Story of Thomas Becket, by Barbara Willard (ISBN-10: 1883937493; ISBN-13: 978-1883937492) (Spring 2021) ($6-$15).
9. Son of Charlemagne, by Barbara Willard (ISBN: 9781883937300; ISBN-10:1883937302 (Fall 2020) ($5-$15).

10. Saint Thomas Aquinas: The Story of “The Dumb Ox,” by Mary Fabyan Windeatt (ISBN:  9780895554208) (Spring 2021-Part 3) ($5-$9).

11. Francis and Clare, Saints of Assisi, by Helen Walker Homan (ISBN-10: 0898705177

ISBN-13: 978-0898705171) (Spring 2021) ($2-$9).

Pictorial Encyclopedias
Families will use pictorial encyclopedias throughout the year that include plants, animals, and insects. Because students will be pulling out key facts from the encyclopedias for their work, and they will need ample facts from which to choose, please avoid using primary level books and choose books at a reading level above the 6th grade. We recommend the following three books, as low cost, high interest options:

12. Reader’s Digest North American Wildlife (ISBN-13: 978-0895771025; ISBN-10: 9780895771025) (All Year) ($5-$35).
13. Animals: A Visual Encyclopedia (ISBN-10: 0756691702; ISBN-13: 978-0756691707) Any used volume will work. (All Year) ($6-$16).
14. Smithsonian Handbooks: Insects (ISBN-10: 0789493926; ISBN-13: 978-0789493927) Any used volume will work. (All Year) ($6-$16).

READY TO REGISTER? CLICK HERE FOR HOMESCHOOL CONNECTIONS REGISTRATION PAGE.

Let us know if you have any questions: Contact us here.