Individualized Home Instruction Plan, Grade 5

Here we go again.  This year, I’m bulk mailing this form along with my Letter of Intent to Homeschool, the final 4th Grade Quarterly Report, the 4th Grade Annual Assessment, and the California Achievement Test Results.

Name: Alex

Age: 11

Grade Level: Fifth Grade

Dates for submittal of Quarterly Reports:

• September 30, 2010
• December 30, 2010
• March 31, 2011
• June 30, 2011

Individual providing instruction: Sandra Foyt

Introduction: We are creating an integrated, interest-based curriculum that evolves to reflect Alex’s interests and academic needs. This IHIP is just a snapshot of the material that we are using currently, as we are constantly adding to and revising the curriculum.

General Resources:

• New York State Education Department Curriculum and Instructional Support
• The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home. (Wise Bauer, Susan and Jessie Wise. W.W. Norton & Co., NY, 2004)

Arithmetic: We are using Singapore Math Primary Mathematics 5A & 5B to cover the math standards. Concurrently, Alex is developing speed and mastery of math facts with daily math drills. He will also participate in a weekly Math Counts program.

Reading: Alex will continue to read a wide variety of material for recreation, information, and discussion. Moreover, he reviews books on his blog, and with friends in a book club. We will also use the Great Source Daybook of Critical Reading and Writing (6^th Grade Level) to further develop reading skills.

Writing: Alex is developing writing skills through a wide variety of interdisciplinary writing projects. In November, he will take on the NaNoWriMo Young Author’s Challenge for the fourth time. Additionally, he will enroll in Creative Writing Classes. He will also complete assignments in Write Source: A Book for Writing, Thinking, and Learning, and he will learn to write Document Based Question essays.

Spelling: We are using Spelling Power, 4^th Edition.

Social Studies: We’re continuing studies of the Middle Ages with The Story of the World, Volume 2: The Middle Ages. (Wise Bauer, Susan. Peace Hill Press, 2003) We also plan to move on to Vol. 3: Early Modern Times, and we will introduce Document Based Question essays. We also hope to attend the National History Day Competition, and Alex plans to participate in the New York State Archives Student Research Competition. Additionally, we include daily viewing of CNN Student News, and occasional use of the New York Times Lesson Plans.

Science: Our focus this year is on Biology. This subject will be covered with a variety of resources, and will include a research project on medical robotics. One primary resource will be the Khan Academy Biology Videos. Additionally, we’ll cover other subjects in Science as student interest will drive much of this instruction.

Music & Art: We are exploring music history and a variety of musical genres, and plan to introduce instrument lessons. We’ll also continue to explore art history and a variety of art mediums.

Foreign Language: Introduction to Spanish.

Health Education: Mostly, we will cover these through day-to-day activities and discussion. Also, health education occurs through participation in Cub Scouts and the Tamakoce Wilderness Program.

Physical Education: Daily outdoor play, dog walks, seasonal activities (Tennis, Swimming, Hiking, Biking, Skiing, Ice Skating, Snow shoeing), and weekly Fencing lessons. This year, we will also introduce competitive sports through seasonal teams.

Technology: The National Educational Technology Standards for Students in Grades 3-5, suggests a list of activities that relate to the following indicators: Creativity and Innovation; Communication and Collaboration; Research and Information Fluency; Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making; Digital Citizenship; and Technology Operations and Concepts. We will continue to explore and use technology through instruction and production of multimedia projects.