How I Plan Homeschool Days with LifePacs

I have found a successful planning technique and because it is working so well for us, I thought I'd share it with you. I am a planner (I'm working on a post for that, too) and I like old school paper-style planning. I love pens and paper, so this is best for me.
Nikolas uses LifePacs from Alpha Omega Publishing for second grade. I don't have him do a set amount of pages per day or week. I look at the pages and plan it out by they day, some days are heavier in language arts, some in history... But it is usually about the same amount of time it takes every other day. When he finished a LifePac and does well on the test, I let him skip that subject the next day.

This is the way I was doing it and it was working out really well. I just wrote out each day's work on a sticky note and he'd cross it off when he finished it. This was a 4-day week. I just wrote the page numbers next to the subject, easy. I kept these in his notebook where his handwriting practice also is.

This is how we started planning. Instead of sticky notes that just get thrown away, this is more of a record as well. I list out each subject just like before and he crosses them off as he finishes them. I make notes at the bottom for the book he needs to read for the week.
The book is a super cheapy composition notebook, that I already had. So there was zero investment. LOVE IT.

Alpha Omega Publishing
LifePacs
These links are for reference only.

2014-15 Curriculum Choices

>>Together:

{History, Geography, Bible}
Mystery of History Volume 1
The Picture Smart Bible (K-3)

{Nature Study}
Geology focused (delight directed)
Unit Study from Amy Payson
Unit Study from Noah's Ark Homeschool Academy
Resource List from Eclectic Homeschool Online

{Character}
We Choose Virtues

{Foreign Language}
To be determined

{Art & Music}
Zeezok Music Appreciation
Daily Drawing, Nature Drawing

{Unit Studies-delight directed}
Nikolas-Roller Coasters
Joshua- Digital Photography

>>Joshua: Age 8, Grade 3
Bible: Monarch
Math: Monarch
Language Arts: Monarch
Social Studies (History and Geography): Monarch
Science: Monarch
Health: Horizons
A Reason for Handwriting: Transition Book {continuing}
-Extras
Blog
Music Lessons (hopefully)
Note about Monarch: We will be using Alpha Omega's new 1 Year Individual Plan, which saves $50!

>>Nikolas: Age 6.5, Grade 2
Bible: Lifepac
Math: A+ Tutor Soft
Language Arts: Lifepac
Science: Lifepac
Social Studies (History): Lifepac
Health: Horizons
Handwriting: Horizons and Copywork
-Extras
Art: Chalk Drawing
Drawing

All links in this post are for information only, no referral or affiliate links.
This post has been edited from its original version. 8/4/2014