I will confess, I have a strange love for making homeschool lesson plans. It’s so satisfying to lay out all the materials you’ll use for the year and get a sneak peek at everything your kids will be learning. 

But as with all good things, planning your child’s education is no easy task. The first few years we homeschooled, “satisfying” is probably not the word I would have used to describe it. 

So I decided to write out some things I’ve learned about designing lesson plans for homeschooling. I am by no means an expert, and I have a lot to learn, but I’ve come to a place where I mostly look forward to this process. So here is how I do it. 

Preparation

Before I can start planning I have to figure out what materials we’ll use for the year. I usually try to have this whole process completed by May, although there are often some loose ends that I don’t tie up by then.  But getting a start is better than doing nothing at all. 

See Below for a PDF List of What We’re Doing This Year

There are about six steps to this part of the process:

Step 1: Decide what subjects you’ll study this year. For example, this year for my third grader that will be:

• Math
• Science
• History
• Language Arts (Spelling, Grammar)
• Literature
• Bible
• Geography
• History
• Latin
• Art
• Music
• PE

This step is usually pretty straightforward. The list of subjects is much smaller for the kids from grades K-2. 

Step 2: Research books and programs for each subject. 

If I’m not totally happy with the curriculum I’ve used, I usually start looking into new products in February or March. This means asking friends for advice, trying to get my hands on physical copies so I can look through them, and watching Youtube reviews so I can get a sense of what program would be best for each child and his or her learning style. 

Fortunately I’ve been pretty happy with the third grade books we’ve used over the last several years, so I didn’t need to spend much time on this step. 

Step 3: Make a list of the resources you want to use

Once you’ve decided which resources to use for each subject, sit down and write out a list. I’ve spent way too much time on this in the past, but it really doesn’t have to be detailed. Just make a handwritten list. 

Step 4: Go through your list and highlight the products you already have. 

Step 5: Order the products you don’t have yet (or see if you can borrow from a friend for non-consumable items). 

Step 6: Decide how you want to stay organized and purchase any materials necessary. Personally, I like to track my lesson plans in a handwritten teacher’s lesson plan, so that’s what I use. I’ve used a few in the past and really liked this undated planner I purchased last year. This year I found a much cheaper one at Aldi for $8.99 (they might still have them if you’re reading this post in August 2024, so run!!), so I’m excited to give it a try.

Get Planning!

Once you have all your materials, it’s time to start planning! But before you start, I have one big recommendation:

Only Plan the First Two Weeks.

Do not worry about planning out the whole year. Or the whole semester. Or even a whole month. Instead, just plan out the first two weeks. That’s it. 

I can’t tell you how many hours of my life I’ve wasted planning out an entire semester or even quarter of work, only to have to totally revamp my plans. Maybe there’s a life change, or maybe you get struck with sickness, or maybe you or your child (or both of you) realize you really can’t stand the curriculum you’re using for a given subject. 

I always consider the first month of school to be a trial month. It’s kind of like budgeting. Making a big-picture, long-term budget is all well and good, but if you don’t track your actuals you won’t know if it’s really working. Consider the first two weeks as your first set of actuals, which will allow you to be as efficient as possible moving forward. 

Another quick tip – don’t hesitate to involve your kids in this process! My kids love to plan out their lessons with me. We call it “Fika Time.” I try to do this with them at least once per month, and it gives me a great sense of what they’re learning and what they’re struggling with. I also take this time to catch up on any grading I might have missed during the week. And of course, we eat a snack and drink some tea. 

Now you’ll just follow these simple steps:

Gather All Your Materials:  Before you start planning, make sure you have everything you need so you can get in a good flow, including a pencil, your planner, and all the books and school materials you need. This will allow you to skim assignments as you go to make sure you’re giving your child a manageable workload. 

Figure Out the Pace for Each Subject: Take some time to look through each book and figure out how much you want to complete and how long you want to take. If you have a 32-week school year, for example, and want to complete a science book that has 16 chapters, you’ll need to complete 1 chapter every two weeks. That can be easy or difficult depending on what’s entailed in one chapter! 

I always try to err on the side of a slower pace for the first month, and then add in more if we want to and feel up to it. For example, last year we started off doing one chapter per week for one of my daughter’s books, with plans to take the whole year to finish. She ended up liking the book so much that we ended in a semester! Remember that your plans can change to meet your child’s interest (or lack thereof).

Write in the Work! Once you’ve figured out your pace, all you need to do is write in the first two weeks of work. I like to go subject by subject, but you might prefer to go child by child if you have more than one student. 

This is what my planner looks like for one week of school with five kids: 

It feels amazing to have all that work written in! And what I love most about this approach is that it gives me an advance look at what the kids will be learning for the week. I can be on the lookout for books, videos, and other materials that might tie into their lessons and make them even more exciting. 

I’m always looking for new tips to integrate into our school plans, so please share any that come to mind!