Lesson Plans
From the Alveary Team:
Charlotte Mason’s teachers spent two full years studying before they used her methods in a classroom. Most Alveary members don’t have that luxury and are learning Mason’s methods and refining their skills while also teaching. That’s why we provide lesson plans as a scaffold for you to learn Mason’s methods while implementing them.
Charlotte Mason used a lot of analogies about food and related her method of education to a feast. Consider lesson plans as our best recipes for a Charlotte Mason feast. They are great as-is, but it’s ok to add your own special touches or leave out an ingredient to fit your family’s tastes. Beginning cooks may want to follow the recipe exactly until they feel confident. Experienced cooks may just want to glance at the recipes as a time-saving reminder. Older students can use the recipes to begin working independently! In addition, you don’t have to use every recipe in Alveary’s “cookbook”.
Together, we are providing a relational and life-giving education, not an exercise in box-checking. We do consider this a journey we are on together. Here is a wonderful quote from Charlotte Mason from School Education to encourage you:
Let us try, however imperfectly, to make education a science of relationships—in other words, try in one subject or another to let the children work upon living ideas. In this field small efforts are honoured with great rewards, and we perceive that the education we are giving exceeds all that we intended or imagined.
Lesson plans will go live this weekend! We are thrilled for you to get your hands on them, and we know you're excited as well. As you start to go through them, spend time on the Hive supporting one another as you can, plan to join us for Office Hours on June 5 so we can answer any questions you have, and send us questions and suggestions via Contact Us. We are here to support you. Happy planning!
Notes:
- Student Curriculum Survey: We started a research project in the fall to explore the benefits of a relational education and are excited to continue it with a spring survey! Please have your Alveary students aged 10 and up complete the Student Survey (then there are a few questions at the end for you). *If you completed the survey in the fall, it would be very helpful if you completed it again this spring.* This enables us to compare fall responses to those this spring. If this is your first time taking the survey, please know that your information is also very helpful! As a thank you, we’ll be giving away three $25 Amazon gift cards to randomly selected winners to help you buy books and supplies for next year! Deadline: May 31st.
- Option 1: Take Student Survey Online
- Option 2: Download Student Survey (ideal for teachers!)
- Upload Link for PDF Survey
- Student Art Show & Tell! We know your students have been creating beautiful, original artwork this year and we want to see it! Learn more and submit their artwork.
- 2025 Graduates: Do you have a 2025 graduate? 🎓We want to celebrate this special milestone with you! Share here!
- Lesson Plan Launch Party: Here is a recording of the Lesson Plan Launch party this week!
- Q+A Office Hours: Once you’ve had a chance to explore your lesson plans, come ask all the things! Whether you're new or returning, this is your space to connect, clarify, and head into the year with confidence. RSVP here.
- Summer Reading List: Join us for some intentional reading this summer. This summer reading list is a curated list of titles from our high school book list to encourage you as an educator and lifelong learner! Enjoy!
- Summer Courses: Summer courses are now open for registration. If you’re looking for encouragement, rich discussion on Mason’s ideas, and like-minded community, we’d love to see you this summer! Register here.
- Conference Volunteers:We’re thrilled to welcome many of you to this summer’s CMI Gathering, Guiding with Grace. We’re looking for volunteers: a photographer, pianist, and CM grads or young adults for a teen panel. If you or someone you know can help, please email kimberly@cminst.org.
- HST Science Kits: All Alveary science kits at Home Science Tools are now ready for the 2025-26 school year! Most kits remained the same; grade 5 and high school chemistry had only minor revisions (the 2024-25 kits will still work just fine if you already have one).
---
Mason Trivia: When did the House of Education change to the Charlotte Mason College?
Answer: 1938
