I wrote most of this as a sort of exercise in frugal homeschooling, several years ago, but never posted it here. I'm cleaning it up and editing it now as I go along. It wasn't meant for any of my own children, but for a hypothetical young student, and for a parent (as I imagined) who had more creativity than cash. You'll notice that it goes much lighter on history/geography/social studies than some homeschool plans for this age do; this is not Ambleside Online, it's just a simple outline that could be added to or adapted as required.
So here we go...maybe there's something here to encourage those who are thinking that this homeschooling is going to take more money than they have.
The Imaginary Student: a seven-year-old girl with two younger siblings; she tends to be a “couch potato." She needs extra work in math. She is reading at a typical gr 2-3 level; she prints well. Interests: TV, animals, drawing.
Language goals: I used Ruth Beechick's booklet A Strong Start in Language, page 9, to choose typical goals for a second grader. Since these take up most of a page, I won't type them all out here, but they include skills in oral expression, listening, writing mechanics, usage, vocabulary (including homophones, antonyms etc.), and "study skills," such as alphabetizing. Dr. Beechick also includes work on common spelling words, and gives tips on copywork and handwriting practice
As a guide for reading curriculum, I went to the booklet in the same series, A Home Start in Reading, looking at page 23, assuming that the child is now in what Dr. Beechick calls the Fluency Stage; and at page 27, activities for encouraging reading fluency--things like modelling reading/exposing your child to bookstores and libraries, and talking about books as you read them and afterwards.
For arithmetic, I looked at the third and final book in Dr. Beechick's series, An Easy Start in Arithmetic, looking at both the first- and second-grade suggestions. This, if you're not familiar with it, is not a workbook or textbook, but rather a short guide for parents that can be used with or without formal curriculum; and at this age, Dr. Beechick encourages less rather than more formal, written arithmetic. (Which is good for the budget too!)
Encouraging physical activity: Buy/make active toys (build a balance beam); encourage outdoor play, bike riding; incorporate movement into lessons; consider extra classes such as dance. Try getting together with others to play games.
Personalized Shopping Bag (will take a child through one "season")
Yard sale and thrift shop finds: (based on materials typically available)
6 easy-reader type books--any that seem appropriate for independent reading practice
2 more difficult books for literature: for example, Understood Betsy (11 chp), The Wind in the Willows (12 chp)
2 books about animals: for example, The Wilds of Whip-poor-will Farm and a book with photos of pond life
6 issues of Nature Friend or another children's nature magazine
Wee Sing Around the Campfire (book and tape of folk songs)
3 somewhat-used math workbooks
Bagful of plastic linking cubes or other math manipulatives
Board game such as Harvest Time
A book of activities, such as one of Steven Caney’s games and toys books--the sort of book that gives you things to do on a rainy day, sprouting carrot tops, making animals out of egg cartons, making things with foil or yarn, indoor and outdoor games to play, and so on
Science for Fun Experiments, by Gary Gibson, or another book of simple experiments suitable for a young primary-age student
A book about building and furnishing cardboard dollhouses--the one I had in mind was The Most Wonderful Dollhouse Book: Easy-to-make, Inexpensive Houses with Furnishings and Lovable Doll Families, by Millie Hines
Inexpensive (dollar store) things:
Construction paper, index cards, pencils, eraser, ruler, brads (to make spinners, toy clock etc.)
Markers, scissors, tape, glue stick
Pony beads--bagful
Balloons
Rubber bands
Ponytail elastics, if you want to crochet hair scrunchies [2010 note on little girls, crocheting, and scrunchies: this activity depends very much on the age and maturity of the child. I have not had much success teaching anyone under eight or nine to do more than chain stitch; something seems to kick in at about that age, and what used to be frustrating suddenly becomes fun. But some younger children might be ready to try, or to single crochet across a pipe cleaner.]
A couple of balls of yarn, some embroidery floss, and needles
Printed tea towel to embroider with a simple outline stitch
Calendar
Popsicle sticks
Bubble liquid (or make your own)
Nature notebook and a couple of other blank notebooks
A few things the parent might have on hand:
Checkers set
Bible
A book of stories and poems
Playing cards, dice
Everyday items (coins, food etc.)
Child’s toys (dolls, play dishes etc.)
Ball
Radio & tape player/CD player
Magazines (for pictures etc.)
Flashlight
Stapler/staples
Paper plates, toothpicks
Crayons
Strips of wood, a hammer and nails to make a knitting frame (or crochet hooks if you want to crochet)
Walnuts in shells
Things to buy new, besides things already mentioned:
Ruth Beechick’s 3-R’s booklets (published at that time as a set of three but now available in one volume) (could be bought used)
Package of printer paper, some toner/ink
Parent decides to print out:
Among the Pond People (18 chapters), from The Baldwin Project
Some of the 50 Famous Stories, from The Baldwin Project
Some regular, blank and partially-filled-in hundred charts, from Donna Young’s website
Some handwriting paper, from Donna Young’s website
A list of Bible stories to read, possibly the one from Penny Gardner’s website
The words to 3 or 4 hymns
A possible extra:
Making a kid-friendly dollhouse from a box, and making people and furniture to go inside it (see the book that is included in the bag). You would need to supply the box, fabric, whatever else is required for equipment and contents.
Estimated Cost of the Basic Shopping Bag
Remember you will need to add some more literature and nature books etc. as you go on—this is just to get you started. Allow another $20-$30 during the year for more yard sale finds.
Typical prices for the materials listed (remember this was a few years ago):
$10 for the yard-sale books
$25 plus tax at the dollar store
$20 (incl. tax) for Ruth Beechick’s 3-R’s booklets (unless you find them used)
$10 for printer paper and ink
TOTAL: $65 plus some tax, assuming you have a few things on hand; plus whatever you decide to spend on dollhouse-making supplies, science supplies, and things like extra reading books.
Nice extras:
Science supplies would be extra if you don’t have most of them already. Puppet or other special craft or art supplies (paint) would be extra.
Other extras would be a magnet set (kits run between $20-40 new, but you might find something used); music CDs or tapes; and books with paintings to use for picture study.
Sample Schedule
Monday
Hymn
Bible: O.T. story
Memory verses
50 Famous Stories: King Alfred & the Cakes
Math
Poem
Copywork/language
Singing (Wee Sing book)
(Possibly) Picture Study
Tuesday
Bible: N.T. story
Memory verses
Math
Read Nature Friend/magazine together (pick one or two stories and activities)
Handwriting
Literature: Understood Betsy
Poem
Fun stuff: Games, embroidery/crocheting, knitting frame, indoor gardening, magic tricks
Wednesday
Bible: O.T. story
Memory verses
Math
Literature: The Wind in the Willows
Poem
Copywork/language
Fun stuff
Thursday
Bible: N.T. story
Memory verses
Science: Light & Color experiments from the experiment book
Literature: Something from the story book
Poem
Handwriting
Singing
Fun Stuff
Friday
Bible: O.T. story or Proverbs
Memory verses
Math
Nature reading: Whip-poor-will Farm or similar book
Listening to music
Literature: probably finish a Wind in the Willows chapter
Poem
Copywork/language
Fun stuff
MATH ACTIVITIES
(3 weeks’typical work in math)
Daily: calendar activity
1. Reading numerals: play The Greatest Number with 3 cards (from Ruth Beechick's booklet)
Counting to 200: how high can you go?
2. Reading numerals: same as Day 1.
Order/counting: Put number cards in order (or slips of paper with random numbers written on them)
3. Writing numerals: Fill in the blanks on a 100 chart with some numerals missing
Counting: Count backwards from 30.
4. Reading numerals: Play The Greatest Number with 3 or 4 cards.
Time: practice with real/play clock.
5. Writing numerals: Repeat Day 3.
Counting: count from 50 backwards to 20.
6. Reading numerals: play a concentration game (make with index cards) matching 2 or 3 digit numbers
7. Writing numerals: On a blank 100 chart, you fill in some of the numbers from 100-200, and the student fills in the rest.
Counting: count by 10’s while doing jumping jacks, bouncing, or touching toes
8. Reading numerals: play concentration
Time: practice
9. Adding: Use the 100 chart, then make up story problems using cubes.
10. Writing numerals: Repeat Day 7.
Adding: Play Colour Rainbow (from Peggy Kaye's Games for Learning) with dice and crayons.
Counting by 10’s: count dimes.
11. Reading numerals: use a plastic clicker or calculator.
Time: practice with clock
Adding: Take turns rolling 2 or 3 dice and adding them together. High number gets a point. First one to get 10 points wins.
12. Adding: use the 100 chart, then make up story problems.
13. Writing numerals: You say the numeral, she writes it.
Counting by 10s: count bundles of sticks or similar objects, up to 200.
14. Reading numerals: plastic clicker or calculator.
Adding: Play Addition War (card game)
15. Counting: count by 5’s while jumping or touching toes.
Occasionally do a worksheet. Work on place value ideas to prepare for regrouping.
Misc. Activities drawn from the Shopping Bag books (These are drawn from the books we actually had on hand, such as Steven Caney's Play Book, and 215 Ideas to Keep Children Happy, edited by Magda Gray and Yvonne Deutch. But you could find similar activities in other books.)
Games to make
Round checkers
Finger Maze Cards
Kalah (egg carton game)
“Game kit” (making your own board game)
Dot & Triangle game (like Boxes: paper and pencil game)
Cootie
Battleships
Gomoku
Using things you have
Card houses (Play Book)
An “inside tent”
Variations on checkers, card games
Tic-tac-trouble game (Play Book)
Magic tricks (Play Book)
Shadow games
Drawing pictures
Cat’s Cradle
Things to make
Crochet scrunchies (or something simpler)
Puppets—different kinds
Newspaper hat (PB)
Balloon rocket (PB)
Pomander ball (PB)
Knitting frame (PB )
Bottle garden (PB)
Paper dolls, paper snowflakes
Recycled-material toy animals, other recycled toys
Yarn dolly
Pressed flowers
Indoor gardening
Walnut-shell boats
Mobiles
Embroidered tea towel
Holiday decorations, cards
Active games & ideas
Mr. Wolf
Tin can stompers
Bubble blowing
Jumping, balancing, climbing
Tag
Group games
Travel-type games
Misc. good ideas
Make applesauce
Bake cookies, cook other things
Take care of a small pet
Keep nature notebooks
Notes on Gary Gibson’s Science for Fun Experiments
Eight chapters:
Light & Color
Making Shapes
Pushing & Pulling
Making Things Change
Electricity (skip this unless you have bulbs, batteries, wire etc.)
Floating & Sinking
Magnets (skip if you don’t have magnets)
Hearing Sounds
Recommended supplies for Gibson’s book (in addition to the basic shopping bag): (check specific experiments to see if you really need whatever it is or whether you can improvise with something else)
Margarine tubs, cardboard tubes, milk cartons, plastic pop bottles, boxes, cans, jars, foam trays, cardboard
Small glass juice bottles (5)
Musical instrument-making supplies: fishing line, plastic tub, rubber bands, etc.
Paints or markers
Tracing paper, “blotting paper,” poster board, coloured cellophane, paper towels
Alum, Epsom salts
String, foil, coat hangers
Paper cups
Wire (to make a spring)
Wood blocks (to prop things up)
Paper clips, thumb tacks
Pipe cleaners, balloons
Carnations or celery (to absorb coloured water)
Food colouring
Steel wool (for a rust experiment)
Electricity supplies (optional)
Magnets (optional)
Oil, syrup, sugar, yeast, lemon, egg, onions, red cabbage
A spool, candle and matchstick to make a windup toy
Plastic tubing
Modelling clay (cheap kind is fine—used for sticking things down and adding weight)
Sewing elastic
Cress seeds
Cotton batting
Dowels
Small mirrors (to make a periscope)
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