Overview — Short, bright, definite
Priority: consolidation plus stretch. Confirm mastery of prealgebra while running geometry in parallel. Introduce algebra through real finance problems. Keep medieval readings and ecological projects active. Intensify daily music and gentle French immersion. Build comparative modules on India and East Asia that connect craft, context and measurable outcomes.
Philosophy (Logic stage of the trivium)
Tight critical reading, rhetorical writing, and measurable mastery in mathematics. Daily practice, short rubrics, and public portfolios that demonstrate real skills — not busywork. Think neat, observable progress; think reasoning that transfers.
Weekly / Daily Rhythm — anchor, focus, create
- Morning anchor: 20–30 minutes music warmup (strings/piano), sight‑reading or micro‑composition.
- Morning academic block: focused math (consolidation or new concept), 45–60 minutes.
- Midday language block: French immersion activities (song at breakfast, kitchen directives, 10–15 minute dialogue practice).
- Afternoon project block: science trials / greenhouse / craft + finance projects (measurement, budgeting, documentation).
- Late afternoon: reading & writing (medieval texts, rhetorical practice), reflection and portfolio updates.
Subject Breakdown
Mathematics — consolidate, then stretch
- Goal: Confirm complete prealgebra mastery; run geometry in parallel and introduce algebra through finance problems.
- Structure: Daily short drill (10–15 min), core lesson (30–45 min), application problem (finance or design) and one stretch task per week.
- Applications: Budgeting for landscape/architecture projects, scale drawing, area/volume calculations, simple loan/interest problems to introduce linear algebraic thinking.
- Assessment: Simple proof sets, a geometry‑proof portfolio, weekly short checks (mini rubrics for accuracy & explanation).
Science — observation, trials, stewardship
- Skills: careful observation, repeatable trials, growing data literacy, and public contribution via citizen science.
- Activities: greenhouse trials (controlled variables), supervised herbology (historical uses paired with safety & evidence), field notes turned into mini‑documentaries and data reports.
- Documentation: annotated datasets, process photos, short video lectures/reports.
Music — daily, grounding, measurable
- Anchor for the day: warmups, technical work from method books (strings & piano), repertoire practice, ensemble prep, micro‑composition.
- Tracking: weekly technical goals, recordings for portfolio, short public performances or uploaded videos for feedback.
French — immersion in small doses
- Practical immersion: songs at breakfast, kitchen directives, short daily dialogues and roleplays.
- Integrations: French songs for music practice, recipe labs in French for food vocabulary and sequencing.
Craft, Landscape & Architecture — where craft meets finance
- Projects require measurement, budgeting, materials planning, and portfolio documentation.
- Outcomes: scaled drawings, costed proposals, before/after documentation, and a small public exhibit or online portfolio.
Humanities — medieval close readings & comparative modules
- Daily close readings of medieval texts to build rhetorical writing and critical reading.
- Comparative modules on India and East Asia: craft traditions, historical context, and measurable long‑term project outcomes (e.g., technique + cultural study + result metrics).
Assessment & Portfolios — public, tight, measurable
- Portfolio items: process photos, polished musical compositions, geometry‑proof portfolio and proof sets, annotated citizen‑science datasets, and short mini‑documentaries.
- Public feedback when useful: uploads to a simple blog or class channel for audience responses and peer review.
- Rubrics: concise, objective, 3–4 criteria per task (Accuracy/Technique; Explanation/Reasoning; Evidence/Documentation; Presentation). Use 1–4 scales.
Monitoring — quick checkpoints to flag gaps
- Daily micro‑checks (5 minutes): comprehension or technique check — recorded as quick rubrics.
- Weekly checkpoint: short synthesis task per subject that requires transfer (e.g., apply prealgebra to a budgeting problem; turn a field notebook entry into a 2‑minute video).
- Monthly review: portfolio update and short reflective conference (student presents highlights & trouble spots).
Tools & Resources
- Math: structured prealgebra/geometry resources, problem sets that map to ACARA Year 9–10 outcomes.
- Science: greenhouse kit, citizen‑science platforms (e.g., iNaturalist), basic lab supplies, video phone for mini‑documentaries.
- Music: method books for strings & piano, simple recording setup, metronome, sight‑reading materials.
- French: songbooks, phrase cards for the kitchen, short graded readers, conversation prompts.
- Portfolio: simple website or cloud folder, templates for evidence and reflection, rubric sheets.
Next steps — practical, quick
- Run a one‑week baseline: quick prealgebra diagnostic, math interview, music recording, science skills checklist.
- Set three immediate goals (30‑day): prealgebra mastery targets, two geometry proof targets, a mini greenhouse trial setup.
- Create the portfolio structure and a weekly habit: 10–15 minutes at the end of each day to add one piece of evidence.
Concise cadence: steady daily anchors, sharp checkpoints, public evidence. Stretch without scatter. Keep rubrics tight; make skill visible. And every week, make something — a proof, a song, a plant report, a measured drawing — that you can point to and say: done.