The Value Of Nonsequential Learning {homeschool lesson plans, week 20}

Every week in 2022, I am sharing our real-life homeschool lesson plans. I also include a recap of the week prior, so that you can see what changed in real time. This is our week 20 plan and recap, including a discussion around nonsequential learning.

Nonsequential learning

A question that has come up a few times in the past weeks has to do with skipping around in our learning.

For example, we were learning about Early American History one week and the next we covered Medieval Battles. We also went from studying the human body to learning about radiation, and are planning an ocean unit study the next few weeks.

Is this really OK? Can your child skip around and still comprehend and retain the learning needed long-term?

The Value Of Nonsequential Learning

Nonsequential learning is a formal way to describe this type of approach in our homeschool. Essentially, nonsequential learning progresses in a way that makes sense for the learner, rather than the curriculum’s structure and flow.

For an interest-led homeschool, nonsequential learning is almost guaranteed at one point or another. The question, for many of us however, lingers – is it ok?

The short answer is, “Yes.”

The more involved answer is not only is it OK, research shows that this approach actually creates better educational outcomes in comprehension and retention. (Interested and engaged students always learn more.)

Personal Finance For Teens

How To Keep Nonsequential Learning “On Track”

Unless you are completely dedicated to unschooling, you will likely need some way to keep nonsequential learning “on track” for overall learning objectives and ultimately, for high school graduation requirements.

Here are a few things to help you keep track in your homeschool as you “skip around” various topics.

Timelines and Maps

I have already shared how much we use timelines and maps in our homeschool. You can find more details in this post.

One of the biggest benefits of incorporating timelines and maps into our learning is that they serve as an overall picture of what we’ve learned. I can see that we have spent very little time in the Middle Ages for example, when glancing at our timelines. I can look at the mapwork we’ve done and see that we may benefit from some time spent learning about South America.

It also helps my son. Even as he skips around in the history book, he can see chronologically when things have occurred on the timeline, without having to actually learn them chronologically.

Maps And Timelines In Your Homeschool

Interest-Led Portfolios and Transcripts

The best way I know to see if we are “on track” for covering major topics is in the way that I compile monthly and quarterly learning records.

We jump around, using my son’s interests as a guide and keep track in our weekly learning records. (You are reading one now.) At the end of the month/quarter, I then compile our learning by subject and can easily see what we might be missing.

Find more detailed information about my approach to Homeschool Record Keeping in this post.

 Nonsequential Learning {homeschool lesson plans, week20}

Mastery vs. Completion

Whether you homeschool or not, there are two distinctly different approaches to learning in education of any kind. One is mastery learning, where a student learns about the topic until they are considered proficient, before moving on to any other topics. The other, is a completion model (more typically employed in classrooms), where the goal is to complete the unit, textbook, curriculum, etc.

We are learning for mastery. This approach assumes that we will not cover everything, but that what my son does learn will be mastered.

Homeschool Field Trips: Tips and Tricks

Last Week’s Homeschool Lesson Plans vs. Reality:

This is what our nonsequential learning looked like last week.

Monday

THE PLAN

  • Physical Therapy – 2 hours
  • Audiobook and Discussion
  • Infusion – 4 hours
  • Recover and unpack from trip

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED

  • Physical Therapy – 2 hours
  • Drivers Ed Online
  • Infusion – 4 hours
  • Unpacked together

Tuesday

THE PLAN

  • Drivers Ed Online
  • CTCMath
  • Greek Mythology Discussion (in preparation for a play we are seeing this weekend)
  • YouTube Video – His choice, something educational
  • Online Voice/Music Lesson – one hour
  • Current Events Discussion – read and discuss various news reports

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED

Wednesday

THE PLAN

  • Rock Climbing with Coach – 2 hours
  • Spelling Practice
  • Drivers Ed
  • CTCMath
  • Audiobook and Discussion
  • Current Events Discussion – read and discuss various news reports

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED

  • Rock Climbing with Coach – 3 hours
  • Audiobook and Discussion
  • Current Events Discussion – read and discuss various news reports
  • YouTube – Medieval Battles

Thursday

THE PLAN

  • Audiobook and Discussion
  • Social Time with friends – 1 hour
  • Art class – 1 hour
  • Rock Climbing with friends – 3 hours

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED

  • Audiobook and Discussion
  • Social Time with friends – 1 hour
  • Art class – 1 hour
  • Rock Climbing with friends – 3 hours
Personal Finance For Teens

Friday

THE PLAN

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED

Our Homeschool Lesson Plans For This Week

Sunday

  • Greek Mythology Play

Monday

  • Physical Therapy – 2 hours
  • Audiobook and Discussion
  • Infusion – 4 hours

Reference Notes: Every Monday, my son has subcutaneous immunoglobin infusions. This means we typically keep learning to a minimum.

Tuesday

  • Drivers Ed Online
  • CTCMath
  • YouTube Video – His choice, something educational
  • Online Voice/Music Lesson – one hour
  • Current Events Discussion – read and discuss various news reports

Reference Notes: Tuesdays are our first full school day of the week. Because my son always feels better post-Monday’s infusion, we typically do a large percentage of our more traditional homeschool work on this day.

Wednesday

  • Rock Climbing with Coach – 2 hours
  • Spelling Practice
  • Drivers Ed
  • CTCMath
  • Audiobook and Discussion
  • Current Events Discussion – read and discuss various news reports

Thursday

  • Audiobook and Discussion
  • Social Time with friends – 1 hour
  • Art class – 1 hour
  • Rock Climbing with friends – 3 hours

Reference Notes: We spend Thursdays in lessons mostly outside our home.  My son attends a program on Thursday afternoons through a local private school.

Friday

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    Additional Resources For Strength-Based And Interest-Led Homeschooling

    Take a look at all of our past lesson plans and recaps!

    Research shows that a learner allowed to spend the most time studying in areas of strength, tends to perform exponentially better in all areas including the areas of weakness.

    These resources are a great place to start!

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