Subjects for Multi-Age Learning

With five children to home educate this year, I don’t have the time to teach each child a separate lesson for every subject. That’s why I am using multi-age curriculum to teach my elementary age children a few subjects together. Four kids, one lesson…that’s a good deal!

Below is a list of subjects that work well with multi-age learning. I have also included which curriculum we are using and how it is working for us.

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Bible

This year we are using a Bible curriculum that I created for my family (and hope to share with you soon). It covers Bible stories, scripture memorization, catechism review, and learning how to prayer. I enjoy having all the different ages together as we study God’s Word. I teach to the oldest child, stopping occasionally to summarize and help clarify difficult parts to the younger children. We all learn and grow from the input of others, even the youngest ones.

History

History is another subject that works well with multi-age learning. Pick a curriculum that allows you to teach all of your children about the same events in history at the same time. We are currently using The Mystery of History. Each day I only have to teach one history lesson then each child does work according to their age and ability. This allows my younger children to learn the key concepts while my older children are challenged to think critically about the lesson. Click here to read how I use The Mystery of History with multiple ages.

There are lots of great multi-level history curriculum for homeschoolers! Here is a list of just a few:

• The Mystery of History
• My Father’s World
• Tapestry of Grace

Science

In the elementary years, science lessons can easily be taught to a wide age group of children. Once children enter middle school and high school they will need their own curriculum but until then you can teach your children together. I am using Science in the Beginning this year with my 5th, 3rd, 1st and PreK children. Since each lesson starts with an experiment, all four of my children are easily engaged in the lesson. My PreK child usually disappears soon after the experiment is over while my 1st grader sticks around for a simplified version of the basic concepts of the lesson. Then I read the entire lesson to my 3rd grader and 5th grader and have them do the lesson review questions geared towards their grade level. So far, we have all enjoyed learning science together and everyone seems to be grasping the concepts at their individual levels.

Of course, you don’t have to buy a textbook for science in the elementary years. You can use a unit study approach (and the use of the library) to cover topics that interest your children or that you feel would be beneficial for them to learn about. A nature journal is another great idea in the elementary years. Just take your kids outside and let them discover the world around them. Have them draw pictures and write down questions in their nature journal and then use the library (and even Pinterest) to delve deeper.

Here are a few multi-age science curriculum and resources:

• Science in the Beginning
• Apologia Elementary Science
• Christian Kids Explore Science series
• How to Plan a Unit Study
• How to Create a Unit Study
• The Secret of the Nature Notebook
• 5 Tips for Nature Study

Art

Get out the art supplies and let your children create according to their ability! I’ll admit that I don’t like art. I’m not a creative person and I tend to shy away from projects that create messes so art often gets neglected in our home. Still, it is a great subject to do with multiple ages. I’m thankful for a mother-in-law who likes to do art with my kids but when she isn’t available I utilize the resources below.

• Drawing with Children
• How to Teach Art to Children
• I Can Do All Things
• God and the History of Art
• Pinterest (of course!)

Writing and Grammar

Writing and grammar are usually grade specific but I have found that the resources at the Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) can be used to teach writing and grammar to children that are only a few grade levels apart. Last year I used their grammar curriculum, Fix it Grammar: The Nose Tree, with a 2nd and 4th grader with great results. This year I am using their Student Writing Intensive: Level A with my 3rd and 5th grader.

Health and Character Traits

There are two other subjects that I have several children doing together. My preK, 1st grader and 3rd grader all do health and a character traits study together. I am using the ABeka Health and Safety Visuals as a starting point in putting together my own health lessons. I also use the ABeka Character Development Visuals to teach character traits to my younger children as well.

You can also check out our homeschool schedule for this year to see how we fit it all in.