Teaching different grade levels

Next year will be the first year that I will have both upper elementary kids home at the same time. They are one grade apart, and I also have a first grader and a preK at home. As I’m choosing and reviewing curriculum, I’m wondering how I’m going to manage teaching four different grade levels at the same time, especially with math and spelling, the other subjects I think I can make the same topic more or less challenging. How do you handle teaching more than one grade level?

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We use My Father’s World which has a cycle for kids between 2nd and 8th grade to all study together, while their math and language arts are chosen for their specific grade level. When studying together sometimes the older kids have more in depth assignments that younger ones don’t have to do. We will start on the cycle next year when my youngest hits 2nd grade. I’m looking forward to the bulk of their study being done together.

I have a 5th grader 2nd grader and kindergartener. I teach bible history and science altogether. My fifth grader does a lot independently, so I have that time to go over thing’s like math and phonics with my you her two. Then I go over any questions with my older one. While I work with my older one I have the younger two color or play math games or something independently. Hope this help you.

I’ve got four. Next year my son will be in 5th grade, daughter in 2nd, daughter in pre-k, and a baby who will be into everything. We do some subjects together - Bible, Calender, History, Science, Geography with expectations higher the older the kid is. I usually get the oldest started on his math and then do one on one subjects with the second grader until the 5th grader is done. Trial and error and some days our system works better than others.

Upper elementary kids should be able to do some of there work independently, so give them work that they don’t need you for while you teach the younger kids. Then let the younger kids have “recess” while you teach the older kids harder work. That works in my family.

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I have grades 2nd through 6th right now. We use Ancient Civilizations and the Bible for everyone for history, it scales for each grade, we use God’s Design for Life for science which does the same thing as far as grades go. It’s so nice to do the teaching together and then have individual projects and school work to complete for each child. It works really well for us. And we love it.

The short of it: we group some of our subjects together if we can (history, Bible, etc…) and then some of our other kids that are closer in age we have found programs for science that they can work on together as well. Because they aren’t necessarily every day subjects, that means I rotate who I teach science on what day.

Other than that, the older kids can typically work on their independent work while I work my way up the age chain - starting with the youngest kiddo and helping him with language, math, reading, etc… and then going to the next aged child. They can always ask questions at any point, but it has been a system that has worked well for us over the years.

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We use MFW which works really well with having multiple grades at the same time. I have a 2nd grader, K, pre-k and baby. Even though MFW has a separate K program, I grouped my younger child with the older and it works so well! It allows me then to have time to spend doing a relaxed pre-k with my younger child and still tend to baby!

Next year will be our 3rd year using My Father’s World and we absolutely love it! Our youngest is in K and our oldest will be in 11th. Amazing curriculum and company.

My 2 oldest are only 1 year apart and they were able to keep up with each other so I put them in the same grade. Now I am teaching a Kindergartener (4) who wants to learn to read so she needs me constantly.
The older 2 are able to do math and handwriting pretty much independently, so while I teach reading to my little one, the older children are able to do math and handwriting without my help.We do Social Studies together as I found a program that allows for that. I also have a toddler and the older children either help me with the toddler when they are done their work or I start working with them while baby naps. I think one of the best things you can do is either find ways you can teach them more subjects together like Bible, History, Science, etc… or find subjects for your upper elementary children that can be done independently so you can work with your 1st grader and your PreK child! Hope this helps! :slight_smile:

We use My Father’s World too. I finally get to put my kids in the cycle together from this fall and I can’t wait! It’s going to make life so much easier and I’ll feel less like a ping pong ball!

This is what we do too. Then each has a time one on one to work on math and LA as needed.