The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home

by Susan Wise Bauer

Fourth Grade Reading 30 minutes of reading (skill building), 3 times per week; one instructional, one at-level, one below-level. Literature 30 to 45 minutes, 3 days per week, focusing on literature of the modern era; make notebook pages (narrations) 1 or 2 times per week; memorize a poem every 3 to 6 weeks. Spelling 20 minutes per day, 3 to 4 days per week. Grammar 30 minutes per day, 3 to 4 days per week. Writing Penmanship, 15 minutes per day. Student should write her own narrations 3 times per week (may be completed as literature, history, or science assignments). Optional: add practice in sentence and paragraph construction if student is writing easily. Mathematics 40 to 60 minutes per day (math lesson and storybook reading); try to do one real-life math project per week. History Study modern times (1850–present). Read history books to the child; assign easy biographies and histories for the child to read; ask the child to tell you what you’ve just read; make at least one narration page per week for the history notebook. The child should be doing most of her own writing. Do this for at least 3 hours per week, divided into 2 or 3 sessions. Science Spend at least 3 hours per week, either 2 or 3 days per week, reading science books, doing science activities and projects, or asking and answering scientific questions. Ask the child to write out at least one of the following: a narration page about the science book, a brief description of the project or activity, or a questi...