Plans for 2008-2009 school year

This is what we've got planned. It looks like a lot, but we are going to try the Charlotte Mason method of 15 minutes per subject and moving on then, instead of having to make sure we finish a certain number of pages per day or whatever.) (The girls even have their own timers and are looking forward to this.) (We will make exception for Five in a Row (FIAR), and plan about 30 minutes for it. I've got a schedule all worked out that shows who should be doing what, and when, and part of the girls' morning includes helping Michael with one short preschool page, using workbooks they themselves have used and are familiar with, and then spending 15 minutes playing with Michael with fun educational toys, a.k.a. the preschool fun jar.) (They will do this while the other girl has her math teaching time with parent.) Oh and dad does start out the day (after Bible time) playing with Michael, to fill up his "love bucket" before he has to start doing school with the girls. (The girls will do Explode the Code [ETC] at this time.)

Morning work
Family Bible time (short devotional, scripture memory, hymn, review rule of the week -- doing 21 Rules of This House)
Outside Time (before it gets too hot; 30 minutes of a family walk, P.E. (going to try to learn badminton this year) or gardening (something for fresh air and sunshine)
Explode the Code books 5 to 8 for Elizabeth (for spelling more than phonics)
Books 2.5 and up for Katie for phonics reinforcement
Horizons Math (Level 1 for Katie, Level 2 for Elizabeth) (one child works with Michael as described above)
Dad works with Michael on preschool handwriting, while girls work on independent math.
While Dad does Five in a Row with Katie & Michael, Elizabeth will work on reading. (Actually during this 15 minute block, once a week she'll do typing on the computer, once a week she will do reading detective software, and the other 2 days she'll work on her assigned chapter book.)
Exploring Creation with Botany or Zoology 1 (For Elizabeth, and strictly independently, where she will read for up to 15 minutes a day, and then narrate orally to mom or dad while we fix their snacks/)(We know this isn't really necessary with FIAR, which already contains all the science she needs, but she loves these books and wants to do them.) (She will choose which one she wants to do, and if she wants to do any projects, they will be done after lunch and chores.) (We talked to Jeannie, the author of the books, at our homeschool convention, and it was a relief to know we could do these books and she would still benefit from reading them, even without the noteboks or activities if she doesn't want to do them or doesn't have time for them.) (She actually thinks children learn more by reading it for themselves.)
Recess and snack
FIAR Volume 4 with Elizabeth (while Katie reads her Pathway reader to Michael or to herself and does the comprehension page, and Michael listens to Katie and/or books on CD).
A Reason for Handwriting Cursive while Katie does Printing Power and Michael plays with Leapster.
Funtastic Frogs (mostly for fun, after other schoolwork is done, they will all "play" with these)
Studying God's Word C (independent Bible study, once a week)

Fun Electives(afternoon fun, or weekends when mom is home, once a week or maybe every other week)
Pearables Home Economics Level 1
States & Capitols (learn one per week; we have a coloring Book and a sticker book as well as some music CD's for this, will try to coordinate with FIAR)
Draw Write Now (coordinate with FIAR) (independent & strictly for fun, as they love this sort of thing)
Sewing with mom (do this once a week with two other families)
Nature walk
Piano lesson (low-key, with dad as teacher)
Tea time (music, art or poetry appreciation)
Artpac 3 (for fun) (we've found E is very visual lately and think she would enjoy these)

We plan to start with Bible time at 8-8:15, outside time till 8:45, and then begin school. We plan to have 15 minutes incorporated for "recess" and 15 minutes for snack. We plan to have a light lunch around 1:00.

They will all have an assigned laundry day and a time of afternoon chores, which will basically be cleaning their assigned part of their bathroom, and vacuuming (with small stick vacuum) their assigned floor (if it's not their laundry day).
They like to watch Curious George and Cyberchase at 2:30, so there will be the motivation to get school and chores done in time.
DH wants to do an early supper around 5 or 5:30, so they can have an hour outside after dinner when it's less hot. Then they'll come in and do bath, tidy up and story time, and we may extend lights out to 8:30 since it's summer time and still light any earlier than that.