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Organizing Lesson Plans

August 20, 2013 Ticia 24 Comments

organizing your lesson plans to save you time

The lesson plan system I’ve ended up with is remarkably similar to the system I had when I was teaching, I guess it worked for me 11 years ago, it still works today.

{This post contains affiliate links.  See my full Disclosure statement for more information.  In addition I did receive Illuminations for free, doesn’t change my opinion of it one bit}

There are a couple of different elements you have to organize for school:

  • lesson plans
  • supplies
  • text books
  • kids worksheets and such stuff

Organizing lesson plans

This year I’m using Illuminations {affiliate link}, which does most of this for you if you follow their plans (and if you don’t it’s editable to change it around).

I realized I forgot to include what curriculum I’m using, which can help you understand more of this post.

planning supplies

First gather all of your supplies, anything you might use to teach from in the coming year.  Then over the course of several days, a little bit at a time (I did this while watching movies with my husband), I go through and break the work down into bits that work for us.

[Side note, this is part of why I’m loving Illuminations because it did all of the work for me in most of my subjects this year, all I had to do was science.]

planning from the textbook

Then I go through my textbook and divide it up into manageable pieces, making notes of any hands on activities I want to add in.

lesson plan creation

Finally I get to typing.  This year I simplified it down to 4 columns of possible ideas, in previous years I had books to find, movies to find, and it was too clunky.  Now I’ve got it down to textbook info, notebooking/writing, hands on activities (which includes movies or extra books), and online ideas.  For those of you wondering how I organize pinterest, head on over to The Homeschool Village and read my Pinterest for Homeschool post.

This whole process can take 3-4 hours to organize it all for each subject for the school year.

Illuminations lesson plans

Buuuuuuuuttttttt……….  with Illuminations, it was as simple as click print.  While I know I could have just looked at it from the computer, I like to carry my lesson plans around with me.  Archaic of me, I know.

binding machine

Next I bind everything I might need to refer to into a book with my handy dandy, supery dupery Manual Comb Binding Machine {affiliate link, I bought mine at Office Max, I buy all my office supplies there so I get coupons to save MONEY!}.  Everything, what did I bind up this year?  I’m glad you asked:

  • miniature versions of the kids history notebooking pages {affiliate link}
  • my science lessons
  • all of the lesson plans from Illuminations
  • book lists

So, that’s the big over-arching idea.  That’s all I did last year, and I was constantly having problems and not keeping up with things, or not making progress because I didn’t do science enough times a week to finish it during the school year.

ENTER MY NEW ORGANIZATION TOOL: WEEKLY LESSON PLANS

weekly schedule grid

There’s no real way to make it big enough for you to read all of that, but it’s all of my to do lists for the week right there.  Back when I was teaching my lesson plans looked very similar to this, only then it was a word document in a table.  This is an editable PDF that has pretty colors. (I’m out of all the ink, so it’s just in boring black and white right now).

Most of my week is already done for me, when I open the weekly schedule, but I add in my plans for the week for science and move around subjects, delete a few.  Then I end up with my schedule.

This is last week’s schedule.  Each check mark is something we completed, a few things were completed that I didn’t check (history and geography), but I didn’t finish English from the Roots Up last week, so it slid over onto this week.  We have 3 days to complete instead of 2……….

Since the kiddos are still young for Illuminations we’re not completing all of the activities suggested, but other than that I’d say this has been a life-saver for me in time saved.  This year I didn’t have to make up a template for our lesson plans, and didn’t have to write up all 10 subjects we’re completing, I just printed off what they said to do and did it.

With a few details changed.

creating lesson plans with illuminations

Because heaven forbid I actually follow everything just as it is…………

 

That novel covered all of the lesson plans, textbooks, and what have you, now on to worksheets.

Organizing Kids’ worksheets and schoolwork

copying worksheets for the week

Sunday night I spend about 30 minutes putting together my weekly lesson plans, and gathering materials for the week.  It’s only 30 minutes because I put in the time earlier to make it short.

If I’m bad, it’s Monday morning as I blink at things.

I print off everything, copy everything, and generally run through lots of ink.

kids work organization for the week

Then I organize it all in the order it’s going to be get done and put them in their “Do/Done” folder.  This is new this year, and has been working well for us for the past 2 weeks, we’ll see if that continues.

Why I like this folder:

  1. They are responsible for their materials, which leads them towards my goal of independence.
  2. I don’t have to stop and pass out materials in the middle of the lesson, they already have it.
  3. The kids like seeing the work they have to do go down in size, and what they’ve done go up in size.

 

Here’s my plan for the “How can I teach when I’m a mess?” series:

My prior attempts at organization

Organizing lesson plans (today)

Teaching reading to multiple levels

Organizing notebooks

Your tips on homeschool and life organization

 

Now, go see the other series on “How Do I Teach?”  There’s something for everyone there, and I’ve got some great friends writing on different topics.

homeschool, organization Homeschool curriculum, homeschool organization, Illuminations

Comments

  1. Bethany says

    August 20, 2013 at 9:28 am

    I love the binding machine too! Although I don’t have my own. It was a favorite when I taught too!

    I’ve never looked at your curriculum. I will have to check it out.

    Reply
    • Ticia says

      August 20, 2013 at 9:41 am

      Oops, should have included that into my post, thanks for that reminder!

  2. Claire says

    August 20, 2013 at 12:04 pm

    I’m handing over to T11 the responsibility for organising his own education this year. I think he’s ready and he’s certainly willing. I’ll just be handing him my expectations for the week and off he’ll go. Apart from the stuff we all do together, I’m taking a step back from organising him. It’s quite exciting….

    Reply
    • Ticia says

      August 21, 2013 at 8:35 am

      I agree that is incredibly exciting! I can’t wait to hear how he does with it.

  3. Lisa @ Farm Fresh Adventures says

    August 20, 2013 at 1:01 pm

    Hmmm. I am getting an itch for a binding machine…but I am going to have to wait for now. But maybe next year…

    Love this. I am REALLY trying to organize at LEAST a month’s worth of lessons this year…trying. Hard.

    Reply
    • Rachael says

      August 20, 2013 at 4:50 pm

      Me too! Lol..I just priced some! 🙂

    • Ticia says

      August 21, 2013 at 8:36 am

      I think I bought mine with points I had from Office Max at the time. Of course at the time I bought it (4 years ago) it was about 15 dollars cheaper.

      I’ve never managed to get a daily schedule written yet for lesson plans a month in advance. Something always happens in the first week to throw me off.

  4. Natalie says

    August 20, 2013 at 1:09 pm

    Your system looks tremendous. This post reminds me why I can’t homeschool. I just can’t stay organized for long despite my best efforts and I cannot multi-task successfully while watching TV or talking to my husband. Anna has the same Do/Done folder for homework this year that was given to her by her teacher on the first day – I guess it really works 🙂

    Reply
    • Ticia says

      August 21, 2013 at 8:37 am

      As I was creating it, I had this nagging feeling I’d seen/used it before, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I’d used it too.

      Jeff can’t multi-task either, it’s the ONLY way I get some of the things done I’m doing (drawings for Bible stories and such).

  5. Rachael says

    August 20, 2013 at 4:53 pm

    I’m with you on the printing. I love the ease of creation the computer allows, but I KNOW if I don’t have it physically in my hands something will happen to the computer. I simply cannot solely rely on technology.

    Reply
    • Ticia says

      August 21, 2013 at 9:15 am

      Me either, I’ve read too much Sci-Fi to comletely rely on computers. It’s one of my paranoia’s about my Nook, what will happen when the Apocalypse comes…….

  6. Michelle says

    August 20, 2013 at 8:19 pm

    Great tips and ideas! Sharing!

    Reply
  7. Andrea @ No Doubt Learning says

    August 21, 2013 at 7:56 am

    I try to organize 2 weeks in advance…only I use good ol’ pencil and paper. I change things around too much 🙂

    Reply
    • Ticia says

      August 21, 2013 at 9:14 am

      I’ve tried that a couple of times with my menu planning, and it never goes well. Something always happens that gets me off on my timing.

  8. Phyllis at All Things Beautiful says

    August 21, 2013 at 9:56 am

    You are so organized compared to me. I have notes scribbled on plain paper in a folder…that is about as organized as I get. LOL

    Reply
    • Ticia says

      August 22, 2013 at 7:59 am

      I like having it all typed out, mainly because I hate writing by hand with a vengeance. It’s kind of funny.

  9. Christin says

    August 27, 2013 at 9:14 am

    Ooooh…I put that binding machine on my wish list. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Ticia says

      August 27, 2013 at 9:20 am

      I LOVE it, I’m actually just about to go make use of it again, to make our history notebooks.

Trackbacks

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Ticia Adventures in Mommydom Hi, I'm Ticia! This is the adventures of my family in life and learning. Follow along with us as we share our adventures. We're having a lot of fun and learning as we go.

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