I don't know that there's one "right" way to apply the principle, but I do think that you really need to consider how you approach the subject. For example, anything that is predominantly a "read aloud" for your kids might be in one category. HOWEVER, for some science might be largely a read-aloud subject (depending on age and curriculum choices), whereas for others it might be more hands-on doing more experiments. Same thing for Shakespeare: if you are reading aloud versus kids taking parts and moving around and acting it out more -- same subject, different approach. That's probably not the answer you want to hear! lol
I like Sonya's explanation above about large motor, etc. I thought maybe I could pull together a little list for you, but honestly because I don't know HOW you are doing your subjects, it's hard to say. For my family, over the many years of CM education that we've done, I've found that we do a lot of reading -- more read alouds when they're younger, more independent reading as they get older... but always lots of reading. SO, for me, I would try to intersperse just about anything else amidst all the reading. I think I covered all the subjects in the SCM guide below, but again, this is just how I would categorize for my family -- do what works for you, and modify as you go along, if needed! :)
READING:
science, history, geography, Bible, poetry, Shakespeare, Plutarch, literature
** but these might often include some kind of picture narration with younger ones, so if you're doing that then that helps provide a change of pace. If you read geography and your kids drew a picture, then it might not be a big deal to do another reading/picture.
ARTS:
picture study, hymn study, music study, nature notebooks
MEMORY:
foreign language, scripture memory, other memory work, possibly poetry if focused on memorizing
WRITING:
narrations (if older), copywork, dictation, spelling, grammar
COMPUTER:
narrations (if typing); typing; possibly foreign language but that's not usually much actual typing, just staring at a computer screen
MATH:
well, math has always been in a category by itself, for us. I just always try to do something more active on at least one side of math, if not both. lol Incidentally, I would handle beginning reading the same way because of the tremendous effort it can take when they are first learning.
OUTSIDE:
nature study, free play for a break, going for a walk, etc.
I don't think you have to vary everything, but it helps to know your children (like with the math example for my family). I have a CM friend who does a lot of read alouds first thing in the morning and it works well for them -- it would never work that for us. My kids wouldn't be able to focus that long, and *I* would be falling asleep while I'm reading that much! lol
Could someone take the subjects in the guide and put them in "groups". Say all the same minded things together and so forth. That way I would know NOT to do those back to back. I'm such a visual learner and this has never been an issue but I'm finding it to be one with my kids. Thanks for your patience with me and my learning! LOL Misty
