Sometimes when I’m doing a pre-read, I write notes to myself to help me remember the highlights and sometimes include links to maps or helpful videos or other reference materials.
Also included here are detailed schedules for topics not included in the AO schedule or for which the AO schedule does not have in detail.
On this page:
General Topics
Administration
Attendance Log for State Records
The State of California requires me to keep attendance, indicating days the student is in attendance, partial days, and day of no school. There are many decorative and complicated attendance sheets available online, but I wanted something extremely simple. I created a generic version and then customized that for this year.
Shakespeare Schedule
While planning for Em’s Year 1 I realized I could condense things by reading the retelling for Em for the same play I would be working on for M. That was also about the same time we read the retelling of Hamlet for M’s Year 3 and Em sat in. He was so distraught at the ending, he sobbed and then got mad at me for telling him a sad story and then for not telling him it was going to be a sad story. This made me realize I should put off tragedies further into the future for him.
With that in mind I came up with this schedule for both of them. A lot of it is my preference – plays I want to wait to read with them until they are old enough to have deeper discussions and repeats of my favorites.
Recitation Printable Document for 2025-26 School Year
This document includes printable pages of the recitation pieces I have chosen for the 2025-26 School Year. It also includes links to readings of most of them to use as reference.
Art, Architecture, & Music
Georgia O’Keeffe Picture Study
Every year I try to add in at least one artist that represents more diversity than the ones in the AO rotation. For 2025-26, I chose Georgia O’Keeffe. We are going to be going to Chicago in the fall so I picked an artist that we could see on view at the Art Institute of Chicago. This guide includes options for readings as well as which pieces to study.
Art Institute of Chicago Visit and Picture Study Plan
In anticipation of a trip to the Art Institute of Chicago during an upcoming vacation, I created a guide to prepare us. I picked some of the pieces we hope to see so we can do a mini-study on them in the weeks leading up to our trip. This guide includes links to view the pieces, links to background information and audiotour files, and a map.
Architecture
On alternating weeks with Artist Picture Study, we learn about Architecture. See the Architecture Page for details on how we do this and resources we have used.
Wagner’s Ring of the Nibelung Opera Listening Guide
While looking at how to study Wagner for composer study, I decided to do a deep dive and spend the entire year with Wagner’s The Ring of the Nibelung. We will read Benjamin’s Ring by Rob Goldfarb and watching the performances on YouTube. This is the 119 day schedule with links to videos, pages to read, and minutes to watch each day.
Geography
Geography Topics (from Year 4 and 5)
I have had a hard time remembering to cover the geography topics listed for Years 4 and 5. So I made up a list of the topics with reference to the Mason and Long’s geography books as well as the book Geography from A to Z.
Ideally, once a week (but more realistically, once or twice a month) we look at a geography term from the book. We looks at additional pictures or videos to get a clear idea of the meaning of the term. Then we draw what we remember in our geography journals. I draw in my journals along with them. The boys picked the pictures from their journals they wanted you to see :).
The guide includes the order in which I am going through the topics and links to videos or pictures. The topics are not in the same order as the AO webpage, but in an order I felt flowed better. I also added in a couple just because I wanted to talk about them.
States of the United States of America – Geography Study
Inspired by Charlotte Mason’s study of the counties of England, I have made time in our Together Time to study the geography of all 50 states. In Book VI, she says the children “are engaged with the counties of England, county by county, for so diverse are the counties in aspect, history, and occupation, that only so can children acquire such a knowledge of England as will prove a key to the geography of every part of the world, whether in the way of comparison or contrast.”
For each state I try to find what will make “an impression” so that the state “becomes an imaginative possession” of each child. I decided to focus on mapping the physical features, reading a book or two about the culture, history, or nature of the state, and watching several videos to compliment these topics.
In the following guides I have a page dedicated to each state, with the presumed origin of the name, books, links, places to map, and a rough drawing of the state so I can easily find the places to map in an atlas.
- U.S. Geography – Southern States
- U.S. Geography – Eastern States
- U.S. Geography – Middle States
- U.S. Geography – Western States
- U.S. Geography – Territories
Note: There are errors for Florida and Washington state, corrections coming soon
California State Geography / History
To comply with the requirements of my charter school, I had to teach state history in fourth grade. This is what I added to our Together Time to meet the requirement. We use the Voices of Colonial America: California as a “spine” then read multiple living books through-out the year and visited as many local historical sites as we could. To balance the viewpoints, I also checked out from the library many books by and about the Native Americans in the region. In addition to the full year’s schedule, I wrote up guides for these two books:
Geography Study: South America
A 36-week study of South America.
Two weeks are spent on an overview of the continent’s major geographical features. Then 2-3 weeks for each country. Each week there is a combination of reading, YouTube videos, and mapping exercises. South America by Nellie Allen is used as a sort of spine but only excerpts are read.
Geography Study: Mexico and Central America
A plan to study the geography of Mexico and South America that can be done in 1 or 2 terms. It includes links to maps, videos, and books as well as ideas for drawing maps and a set of map questions for each country.
History
This Country of Ours by H.E. Marshall
For some of the chapters in this book I have found interesting websites or made maps to help us. Click the image to be taken to the TCOO page. I will be updating the page as I read through the book.
Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer
Sometimes it is helpful during these readings to see a photo or watch a short video to help visualize what is discussed in the chapter. When relevant, I have posted what I have used on the SOW page (click photo left for link). I will be posting these as I work through the book.
Science
Magnet Science
A 10-week study we’ll be using in Together Time using Magnets by Rocco V. Feravolo. The book is available free online. This guide includes lists of supplies for demonstrations and additional resources.
Bible Reading Resources
I and II Kings
For reading through Kings, I decided to prepare a little more thoroughly. We’ll be logging the kings we read about, which kingdom they are from, and whether they are considered bad or good. I will be preparing for the reading by reading through the Bible Story Handbook by John and Kim Walton. I also have found maps and timelines to help us keep track of our reading.
Ambling Together 