Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Activity, Change, Progress

lesson planner

10 Things to Include in Your Homeschool Planner – Because Paper Planners Rock!!

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

10 Things to Include In Your Homeschool Planner - paper planners rock @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
10-Things-to-Include-In-Your-Homeschool-Planner-paper-planners-rock-

{Note: This is my ultimate unit study planner in the photo above with multiple cover choices.}

Homeschoolers by nature are do it yourself type of people and the homeschool planners we use are no different. I am pretty fussy about mine, which is why I created the free 7 step homeschool planner. And today, in sharing 10 things to include in your homeschool planner, it’s all about making your planner unique and as creative as you want it to be.

Your Homeschool Needs Change Each Year  – So Should Your Planner – Build It!

Look at some of these ideas and the best thing is that most of these things below are free here on my site.

1. Field Trip Tracking/Planning Forms.

Whether you want to track field trips for the year or need to plan them for a group, grab these forms.

Grab the field trip reference chart too so that when planning you stretch yourself to think of places (other than the museum or zoo) outside of your comfort zone.

field trip tracking july to june TDHP 6.1.2013
Field-Trip-Reference-Chart-Collage_thumb.png

2. Inspirational Quotes.

Inspirational quotes are tiny power packing nuggets of energy.

They give me a boost when I feel like falling off the homeschool wagon. Grab some of them to sprinkle throughout your planner and use it for the front and/or back of your planner.

Free Quotes for homeschool planner back cover @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

3. Planning Schedule.

I say this often, but there is no need to try to plan your homeschool year by writing in tiny boxes on a calendar or using the same calendar where you write down appointments.

School Year Around Planning Form @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

You need to have a separate page where you keep your school schedule for the year and track it too. You can grab one from the link above (or Step 5a) or grab this current one above from my blog category for organizational printables, which has all my current ones.

4. Calendars, of course, BUT pretty ones.

No need to give up style when you homeschool. Pretty colors for calendars, please and I have them.

You can choose from academic or physical year calendars each year and I normally give you about two or three color choices each.

Free Academic and Physical Year Calendars @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

5. 2 Page Spread Calendar – Appointment Keeper

The calendar above is for reference, but of course there is no way I am writing around those tiny numbers.

I create and use the two page spread calendar appointment keepers each year and keep all appointments on those pages.

By the way, I have the new year up already, which you can get on that same page.

2016 2 page per month physical year - Dreaming @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

6. Holiday List – 5 Years Worth

I love this page because it is a great reference for long term planning and I update it each year. I have several of them spread out throughout my planner so I can access it quickly.

Holidays Listed 2015 to 2019 passion pink 300x375
Holidays Listed 2015 to 2019 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus. Over 200 Free Curriculum Planner Downloads and Growing 300x

7. Important Dates.

Everyone tracks differently and I like to keep one area where I can look at a glance at important dates, whether they are blog related, personal or homeschool.

It’s just the way my brain thinks.

Home Management Binder amd Free Important Dates Printables @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

8. Lesson Planning Pages – well of course, BUT . . .

Lesson planning pages come in MANY different forms and I have seen many of them. However, I prefer room to write and prefer daily lesson planning pages.

Undated pages, that is too. Just fill in the current date and move on to the next page instead of feeling like you are behind if you can’t school a day or two because life happens.

I have many different choices of lesson planning pages here on my site.

The link above is my main page with free lesson planning pages where you can learn about the basic differences, but I also have my unit study planner and glam it up pages lesson planning pages.

Glam it Up Package 600x @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus
4a Lesson Planning Pages subjects filled in middle school

9. Journal pages

Then plenty of places to write  down your thoughts, funny moments and yes even doodling is allowed in planners.

Grab plenty of journal pages because I have so many of them.

10. Swoon worthy DIY (yes they’re editable) tabs.

Then because I made my curriculum planner a whole DIY project, even the little things matter like tabs.

Glam It Up Top Tabs Collage
Tab-Top-Picture-Planner
Glam It Up Homeschool Planner s @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Planner

I hope this list gives you an idea of the small, but practical and beautiful things to add to your own homeschool planner.

Are you ready to start building your own homeschool planner?

Step 1. Choose a Pretty Front/Back Cover

Step. 2. Choose Calendars/Appointment Keepers

Step 3. Choose Goals/Objectives

Step 4. Choose Lesson Planning Pages Right For You!

Step 5a. Choose Unique forms JUST for You!

Step 5b. Choose MORE Unique Forms JUST for You!

Step 5c. Choose MORE MORE Unique Forms Just for You!

Step 6. Personalize It

Step 7. Bind it! Love it!

Hugs and love ya,

Ultimate Homeschool Planner – It’s HERE! Glam It Up Package

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Glam It Up Homeschool Planner. Beautiful color pages, awesome detailed and timeless! Scoot by to grab it @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Planner

I can’t believe my newest baby is finally here. For months and months I have been working on the ultimate homeschool planner.

I know it’s a shameless plug calling it the ultimate homeschool planner, but I am absolutely in love with my newest planning pages.

ULTIMATE HOMESCHOOL PLANNER – SHAMELESS!

Creating it took me longer than I wanted to, but that is all my own fault.

First, I have never been good with accepting *just okay* and I know I do it to myself when I want it perfect working perfectly.

Mostly, though my heart has to be in my planners. This year my heart has seen some major changes like the move of Mr. Senior 2013 to New York and Mr. Awesome 2015 graduating.

I am not so tough to tell you that I have had many tears, though they have been happy ones, it is still quite an adjustment for me this year.

It took me a while to feel sorry for myself adjust to my new year.

Putting my heart back into my planners, I got excited about the new year by creating this brand spanking new and beautiful homeschool planner. I can’t wait to use it this year.

First, this is something different than what I have now. It is a package.

No, not complete package like most people might think because I don’t believe in boring planners with tons of matchy matchy pages and given to you in one huge download.

My purpose in making this Glam It Up package is to give you just a few pages that are matching and that will jump start you to create the perfect planner.

It is not my intention to make every page you may want because then the power to create what you need each year leaves you.

The strongest feature of the 7 Step Homeschool Planner is to empower you to choose exactly what you need and to avoid one download of only match-y match-y pages that are both boring and possibly useless.

Like me, you want your planner to stay unique and to build it with the needs of your children in mind each year.

With a basic framework, like the Glam It Up package, you can still add both free pages and forms you purchase at each step to create an awesome planner.  Be sure to grab one of the 2 page per month awesome calendars.

Ultimate Homeschool Planner is a 190 page download and includes:

  • 1 Unique Cover
  • 1 Inside Title Page
  • 4 Tab Top Dividers
  • 2 Attendance Forms (one with semesters and one without semesters labeled)
  • and 180 Lesson Planning Pages with the subjects filled in & 8 Photo Pages

All pages are in full color and undated.

Guess what? You can get it today for just $4.99.

Look at my Main Shop Page for pictures of each form too and a more detailed description if you need it. (I know you want to see lots of pictures of it.)

Important: READ THIS FIRST.
Before you email me asking where your download link is or tell me that it is not working, read this to ensure that you get your pretties timely and that you don’t pay for something and not get it.
• All my products are digital. You will not receive a physical product for anything in my store. A digital physical year calendar does not mean a physical product or calendar.
• Downloads are INSTANT. When you pay, you will receive an email with a download link INSTANTLY. Depending on your internet connection, the email could be just 30 seconds or so, or a bit longer. The point is it will be soon, not a week later,etc.
• The email with the download link will go to the email you used for paypal. If you used your husband’s paypal, your downloads will go to that email. Please check that email and your spam before emailing me telling me you can’t find it.
• Please put my email tina @ tinasdynamichomeschoolplus dot com in your address/contact list so that your product does not go to spam.
MY GUARANTEE: To treat you like I want to be treated which means I know at times technical problems may cause glitches, so I will do everything possible to make your experience here pleasant. I value your business and value you as a follower. I stand behind my products because they are actual products I use and benefit from too. Though I cannot refund purchases after you have been given access to them, I will do what I can to be sure you are a pleased customer.

7 Step Homeschool PlannerGlam It Up Homeschool Lesson Planning Pages @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

My lesson planning pages are my signature style and I wanted to share these things that changed on it.

  • It will all now be in color. Oh yes, yippee.
  • I have spaced the writing lines more evenly.
  • Too, I have added columns to the content area in case you want to break down and jot your notes for each subject in a more organized way.
  • I left a space at the bottom for notes in case you wanted to expand on one subject or if you just wanted to jot down some comments.
  • At the top right, I added 4 boxes that can be used for a quick list or for a to-do column. In addition, if you live in a place that requires more stringent record keeping, the columns allow for you to track by weeks.
  • At the far right at the top, I kept the lesson number but made them bigger.
    Also, every 5 lesson plans, I changed the color of the Lesson Plan Numbers so that you could easily see when you covered a typical school week of 5 days.
  • Under Lesson Plan, I put a space for the date if you want to pen it in.

A few things I did not change because they have worked timelessly over the years are:

  • It is still ONE lesson per PAGE planner. I do not care for weekly planners that take up one or two pages when I need more room to write. Weekly planners have their place, but in homeschooling, I find we need more room.
  • It is still undated. This means it will be a ONE time purchase.
  • Too, you are never behind on an undated planner because you school the days that fit your family. Just fill in the dates as you go.
  • It still has a space to use with 3 kids. Again, not because I only like three kids, but that seems to fit the space best. Remember, if you have younger children, you can easily divide off the sections to include them. The workload will vary with the ages of your children, so two children could easily share one space.
  • The basic subjects that are the same year after year are filled in too.

What do you think? Have you made your homeschool planner yet?

Hugs and love ya and hope you love this planner as much as I already do.

After you grab the glam it up package, grab other forms you need this year:

7 Easy Steps – “Tons of Options & Pretty Color” AND FREE

Step 1. Choose a Pretty Front/Back Cover

Step. 2. Choose Calendars/Appointment Keepers

Step 3. Choose Goals/Objectives

Step 4. Choose Lesson Planning Pages Right For You!

Step 5a. Choose Unique forms JUST for You! Not a kazillion other people

Step 5b. Choose MORE Unique Forms JUST for You!

Step 5c. Choose MORE MORE Unique Forms Just for You!

Step 6. Personalize It

Step 7. Bind it! Love it!

 

If You Need A Homeschool Planner If You Are Figuring Out Your Own Curriculum? Dynamic Reader Question

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I am eager to answer your dynamic reader’s questions because all of your questions are just the best.  Too, I couldn’t wait to dig into answering this dynamic reader question if you need a homeschool planner if you are figuring out your own curriculum.

Leesha said:

“I’m curious, do moms generally need planners if they are figuring out their own curriculum?  I read so much about planners but I’m a little stymied…I’m just not sure how or why I would use one.  I use a few different curriculi that pretty much map out exactly what we need to do (or I just decide, ie. math–4 pages per day kind of thing). We generally figure out at the start of the year which subjects need to be done however many times per week and we’ll write that down to reference until it’s memorized. I’m just wondering if I’m missing out on something important I should be doing?”

There are many reasons why you would use a planner and just as many ways deciding how to use it.

WHEN A HOMESCHOOL PLANNER ROCKS

Whether you are using one curriculum completely or making your own lesson plans, there are 3 reasons worth considering using a planner.

  • When a Planner is more Journal than Planning. One feature of planners that is not given enough attention is the journaling or record keeping part of it.

In the beginning when I used a planner I was using more put together curriculum. Each day, I wrote down what we did for the day.

What we did for the day versus what was in the lesson plan often times ended up being totally different things. Some days, we did more and other days we struggled to complete even one lesson.

A huge advantage to plotting each of my children’s day was that a picture emerged of their strengths and weakness. For example, I could see how much one son was actually not completing in math because of his struggle with the subject.

In the future this know-how helped me to determine a pace good for him when I switched programs or when I started doing all my own lesson planning.

Little did I know that my journaling in the beginning would help me to not only keep a good pulse on what we were able to do each day, but to track my children’s progress.

  • Completion versus Comprehension. That brings me to the second benefit I have received, which is understanding the difference between a child completing a lesson plan (in laid out curriculum or not) or comprehending.

When I used boxed curriculum, I started making notations on side margins in the teacher’s manual of what my sons struggled with and did not master or comprehend even though the lesson was completed.

The next year, I would hunt for those notes to reread because it was important to me to see if my sons were progressing.

However, as organized as I tried to be, it was tough to put my hands-on the correct teacher’s manual because of the numerous amounts of teacher’s manual that grew each year.

It was just too hard to keep everything from one year and not overflow with clutter.

I realized that having my notes for all my kids in one spot to jot down my concerns, write about my fears with tears, be specific in my notes about what was not understood in one subject and jump for joy when learning took giant steps forwarded was a must for me.

One book per year for all my children was a much more streamlined process because I could easily glance back at my thorough notes.

  • Planner or Self-Checking Teacher Tool. My planner became a self-checking tool for me as a teacher because I could check for mastery and push myself, when needed, outside of my comfortable teaching zone because my notes were so clear.

I couldn’t blame anybody else for my lack of teaching ability because I had jotted down so carefully what didn’t work for my children.

The accomplishments in their learning can’t be minimized either because I jotted them down too.

Each year when I got discouraged, I would go back and read my notes. Part of my dogged determination to not returning to public school was reading about those tiny celebrations in my planner.

You know what I am talking about. Those light bulb moments for your children that are small but monumental and that only another teaching parent can understand. When a child reads his first word, then sentence, then paragraph, then chapter book, you can’t keep that excitement bottled up. For me, it started with reading my notes in my planner.

I didn’t need the approval of anybody else to homeschool because I wasn’t just checking off boxes on a teacher’s manual, I was tracking the progress of my sons from PreK to High school by daily journaling.

I can’t personally answer for each homeschooler what works best for them to see both a big picture and fine details when it comes to the progress of each child.

I just know what has worked for me and it is hard at times to just use the word planner because it implies that one is using a planner only for purposes of planning when in fact it can be so much more.
Whatever you decide, whether it’s using an app, typed out or hand-written, a planner should be a tool that fits your personality, brings a breath of fresh air to your day and should be molded to fit the way you want to track not just lessons, but forward momentum.

Hugs and love ya,

 

Check out these other tips!

Gauging Homeschool Progress – Masters of their Material?

Lesson Plan or Lesson Journal?

How to Write a Simple But Effective Homeschool Lesson Plan

Homeschool Lesson Planning Backwards Part 2 of 2.

7 Step Homeschool Planner – Top 10 Favorites

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

When I started creating the 7 Step Homeschool Planner quite a few years ago and before I started sharing with you, I had no idea that other homeschoolers had the same needs that I did.

Before I share the 7 Step Homeschool Planner – Top 10 Favorites of my readers, I wanted to take a minute to explain how to use it so that you are getting the most benefit from it.

Homeschool Planner Favorites

What makes the 7 Step Homeschool Planner so UNIQUE?

The top feature of the planner is that YOU pick exactly what you need each. 
Your needs change each year and so should your planner.

No downloading one huge .pdf of forms that may not be what you need for this year and laid out in way that works for somebody else. You are in control. (I love that word.)

7 Step Homeschool Planner – Top 10 Favorites

The nightmare of paying and downloading a planner that is set up to suit the needs of somebody else never works exactly the same for you.

The other top feature is that I guide you STEP by STEP through the 7 Steps or sections needed in a planner. I got you covered so that way you don’t miss something significant for the year.

I take the guesswork out of it for you.

Too, though I suggest that you put them in the order that I explain, a huge advantage to you hand picking each form is that you get to arrange the order of the sections.

Everybody has a method to their madness and your planner should speak volumes about the way you prefer to organize.

Although I could go on about how I add forms each year, give you tidbits on organizing along the way and tell you there are free forms at every step, which is another perk, the last advantage is that each planner is unique because my pages are not matchy-match.

The mix and match style keeps your planner just plain awesome. Your planner will always be unique because of the pages you choose each year

You can read some more key features of my planner on the 7 Step Homeschool Planner main page.

Without making you wait any longer, here are my readers’ Top 10 Favorites of my 7 Step Free Homeschool Planner.

Going from dazzling to totally awesome order, I started with number 10 on the list.

My teacher’s schedule gives you a glimpse of at least 3 kids at one time.

Tina Robertson Homeschool Schedule

10.  Teacher’s Schedule.  Look here on STEP 5b, Form 13.Class & Teacher Schedules to find  this form.

9. Then, you loved the planning sheet when planning for multiple children.Look here on STEP 5c, Form 2. Planning Sheet for Homeschooling Multiple Children to find this form.

And you can read about how I use the planning sheet on 5 Days Of The Benefits & Challenges of Teaching Mixed Ages Together – Day 4: Embrace Homeschooling Multiple Grades.

Look here on STEP 5c, Form 1. Community Service Record to find this form.

I love forms created out of a need because they are always the best instead of a fluff form for the sake of busy record keeping.

8. Then the community service tracker was created out of my need to track my highschoolers community service projects and apparently some of you were in need of it too.

7. Then like me, you also liked the 5 page holiday reference page in your planner.It is perfect in any planner and print off as many as you like.  You were really fond of the turquoise luv (me too.)

Look here on STEP 2 Option 5 Holiday Reference Page to find this form. 

Be sure you check out my Ultimate Unit Study Planner and Glam it Up Planner because each one serves a different purpose just like each of my unique forms do.

Look here on STEP 2, Option 5 Long Range Planning to find this form.

6. Then you know I am big on long range planning and goals because otherwise we just meander through homeschool with no plan. So you took it to heart too because the Long Range Planing form was number six.

Homeschool Lesson Planning Forms

5. Then you chose a back cover for one of the forms you used this year.  I think this means I need to create some more choices too since you are using it like I am.

Look here on STEP 1 Choose a Homeschool Planner Pretty Back Cover to find this form.

Look here on STEP 4 Daily Homeschool Lesson Planning form to find this form.

4. Then the daily lesson pages which are undated, thank you, so we don’t feel like we are behind from the beginning came in at number four.  A lot of you are using this lesson planning set up.

3.  Then there was a real need to clearly identify which curriculum resource was needed for which term and which child.  So the Curriculum Resources page was in your top 3 choices as a way to track curriculum resources.

Look here on STEP 5a, Form 4. Curriculum Resource Checklist – Editable Too! Up to 4 students on one page to find this form.

Look at these other fun planner pages

2. Then number 2. This is the beautiful 2 pages per month calendar with bigger boxes to write in for appointments.

Look here on STEP 2 Choose Calendars/Appointment Keepers to find this form.

and then drum roll please . . .

Curriculum Pages for Planner

1. Weekly General Planning page came in at first place with 8,384 of you downloading it.

Look here on STEP 5b, Form 17. General Weekly Planning Page.  You can choose the free version or I have made the paid version editable with a WHOPPING 74 boxes.  Of course since it’s undated, it’s a one time purchase.

A lot of my other forms were neck in neck with these, but these showed the top number downloaded. Did your favorites make the list?

Remember too, I always, always take your suggestions for new forms because this is planner is for me AND for you.

7 Step Homeschool Planner – Top 10 Favorites

I am so glad that I have a place here where I can share all my homeschool planning forms.

Are you seeing what I have already created free for this coming school year?

Click here to go to my Free Organizing Printables category to grab them.

Hugs and love ya,

7 Step Homeschool Planner - Top 10 Reader Favorites

Ready to start building your own UNIQUE planner?

{The only thing quick here are the steps because this free planner has grown to over 500+ free downloads spread throughout the 7 easy steps and still going strong! Grab your cup of caffeine, coffee!}

7 Easy Steps – “Tons of Options & Pretty Color”

Step 1. Choose a Pretty Front/Back Cover

Step. 2. Choose Calendars/Appointment Keepers

Step 3. Choose Goals/Objectives

Step 4. Choose Lesson Planning Pages Right For You!

Step 5a. Choose Unique forms JUST for You! Not a kazillion other people

Step 5b. Choose MORE Unique Forms JUST for You!

Step 5c. Choose MORE MORE Unique Forms Just for You!

Step 6. Personalize It

Step 7. Bind it! Love it!

I am PROUD to be part of iHN.  This blog hop is organized by iHomeschool Network, a collaboration of outstanding homeschool bloggers who connect with each other and with family-friendly companies in mutual beneficial projects.

Free Homeschool Editable Progress Report Card for Teen

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have an editable progress report card for a teen. Also look at my page Homeschool Planner and my 7 Step Curriculum Planner for more homeschool planning forms.

I had planned to share all my graduation ideas with you by now too. But, I cave, I am totally a sobbing wimp. I have embraced the full meaning of homeschooling with heart.

Free Homeschool Editable Progress Report Card for Teen

You just can’t homeschool and teach your son from his first tiny baby step, to his first hold of a pencil, to his first feel of a car steering wheel and come away unscathed.

I need to look at all of this project graduation objectively instead of how I feel now.

Too, you know how up/down this past year was with the hubby. 

So I savor every precious moment of life and I get spikes and shots of overflowing feelings when I get ready to write. 

Stay tuned as I know I will eventually share but I keep myself reined in about project graduation lest I sound like I have totally lost it and possible unsound words make their indelible marks on the world wide web.

Free Homeschool Editable Progress Report Card for Teen

Enough of that. So what does this have to do with what I am sharing today?

Well I did want to share this picture with though it’s a tad bit out of focus. Tiny was on the other end but I do kid friendly pictures. 

But, this was the day Mr. Senior 2013 finally got his driver’s license.  What a patient kid when all of that stuff hit us while I was in the middle of teaching him to drive.

After that jubilant day, the fun day came for insurance.

The insurance company gives a discount for good grades in school and needed a current progress report.

Oh yippee, I needed another form and figured you would need one like this too sometime or the other.

Since I need something a little more official looking than the pretty progress report  (Option 16)

I already have on the site which is basically used to satisfy reporting for those that live in countries/states like this, I put this report together. It really acts as our final report card too.

The sample above is what eventually will go on the site. I left what I could on it from when I used it last year and added a few notes to explain how it is set up.

It is editable and I am in love with it. It worked just perfectly when I sent it to our insurance guy.

The only parts not editable are the comments and the signature which are normally done hand written.

Now that I have confessed all about Mr. Senior 2013, if you have a senior this year give him or her a hug today. You he or she needs it.

Still in the homeschooling trenches with you as I have two more sweet sons to go.

How to Get the Free Homeschool Progress Report Card for Teens

Now, how to grab the free lapbook. It’s a subscriber freebie.

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

1) Sign up on my email list.

2) Grab the freebie now.

3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

Begin building your free 7 Step Homeschool Planner below.

You’ll never go back to downloading one planner that may fit your needs this year, but not the next.

7 Easy Steps – “Tons of Options & Pretty Color” Begin building your planner.

Step 1. Choose a Pretty Front/Back Cover

Step. 2. Choose Calendars/Appointment Keepers

Step 3. Choose Goals/Objectives

Step 4. Choose Lesson Planning Pages Right For You!

Step 5a. Choose Unique forms JUST for You! Not a kazillion other people

Step 5b. Choose MORE Unique Forms JUST for You!

Step 5c. Choose MORE MORE Unique Forms Just for You!

Step 6. Personalize It

Step 7. Bind it! Love it!