Grade School Courses Frequently Asked Questions
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What’s this program like?
The Grade School Unit Study Program uses books and reading, lesson plans, hands-on activities and assignments, and a weekly live class meeting that allows you to homeschool your child across many subjects with a comprehensive plan. Based on family learning, you can homeschool one student or many students together.
Semesters
Learning takes place during the fall and spring semesters within a full school year.
The Flipped Classroom
This program has what’s called a “flipped classroom approach,” where parents and students engage in the learning activities first — and then (once the learning activity is completed) meet together with the teacher to discuss the learning.
Each week culminates in a LIVE online class where parents and students meet for 30-minutes with the instructor. During the meeting, students discuss the weekly readings, play games that reinforce learning, and share project work andpoetry recitation on camera.
What subjects does this program cover?
With history as the overarching guide to our learning, our program is rooted in The Story of Civilization by Phillip Campbell. TSoC is a 4-volume, four-year study of history told in narrative form from a Catholic perspective. Other books and materials are included in the unit study, covering aspects of literature, poetry, creative writing, science, Greek and Latin roots, art, saint studies, and geography.
While lesson plans do include writing assignments, specific writing and grammar instruction are not included in this unit study. We encourage parents to use a separate curriculum for writing and grammar studies.
In the Unlimited Access library, parents can find Recorded Creative Writing courses for 3rd-6th grade students. Instructor Access is available for these courses for parents who desire instructor grading as well.
Because Math and Writing Skills are highly individualized area of study, they are not included in this unit study. Email [emailprotected] for recommendations.
Where do I get the learning materials?
A booklist is provided in the course description found in the registration system.
In the program, you’ll get lesson plans, checklists, and other materials for a four-day course of study. It’s recommended that your student use the fifth day to enjoy group activities, field trips, sports, or any other outside activity with high hands-on family engagement.
Your course materials and instructions are housed in a Learning Management System (LMS) called Moodle. In Moodle, you’ll find…
- A weekly checklist of activities and assignments
- A suggested daily schedule (for the four-day school week)
- A weekly assignment submission portal
- Multiple quizzes per week that are auto-graded in the system (with unlimited use)
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How much time does my child spend in front of a screen?
It’s estimated that each week, each child in your family spends very little time in front of the screen: less than an hour and 15 minutes, total. On-screen time includes attending class together (30 minutes), quizzes, and the time needed for downloading necessary documents (often a parent activity).
For my child to succeed, how much am I, the parent, involved?
Time
Here, it’s all about family learning—so we recommend that parents read texts along with the student(s). Each week, reading assignments vary between 1 to 6 chapters across all subjects, and the average reading time is 60 to 90 minutes total. Some families choose to have older children read aloud to the younger ones. Other families use audiobooks. And some families use a mixture of readingand listening—whatever works for your family!
Supervision of Projects
Beyond weekly reading, your student will enjoy activities with parent supervision and direction, including hands-on art projects, creative writing, science experiments, and the retelling of readings. Families who have enjoyed this program say that they usually spend an additional two (2) to five (5) hours on projects and writing.
Grading
Here the parent is the primary teacher—so you can use all of the assignments or choose the assignments that are right for you. Parent-graded activities are clearly marked and suggested, and course grading is recorded as “completion only.” If a parent opts for a student to not complete an assignment or quiz, the not-completed assignment is not figured into the student’s grade.
What type of assignments will my student submit each week?
Each week, students take auto-graded quizzes on the readings to check for understanding. These quizzes are set up for unlimited use, and multiple students from one family can take the quizzes (multiple times, if needed).
Students also may submit one assignment each week for teacher feedback. The assignment type varies between project work, writing assignments, and art.
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My student is an avid reader. Can I include more literature than what is here?
Yes! In this program, you’ll also get an “extended solo reading list” that includes many extra readings and suggestions for complementary titles (that fit the learning).
And if your 5th or 6th graders want more literature, they can join in with the Homeschool Connections series, Living History through Literature, taught by Mrs. de Laveaga (the Director of the Grade School Program). Two LIVE, 6-week courses are available for you each semester—and there are over sixteen (6-week) additional Living History through Literature courses in Unlimited Access recordings!
What happens after I sign up (register) for a LIVE course?
After you sign up, you’ll get a confirmation email that you’re in! We’ll set up your account in Moodle (the Learning Management System where you’ll access the course), and you’ll get a welcome email before the first day. Parents also attend a Parent Meeting (the first class is parents-only).
