Parent Teaching Guide and Answer Key | November 9–13, 2026
This is the companion to the three Week 1 student workbooks. Parents should view it separately from the student assignments. Protect individual learner results. Open-ended questions have suggested evaluation criteria rather than one mandatory wording.
Foundations, Ages 5–7
- Monday: Passage: six legs, food, home. Same initial sound as ANT: APPLE (both begin with /a/ in these words); MAP and SUN do not. Arithmetic: 2+3=5; 4+1=5; 6−2=4; 5−3=2; six minus two circles leaves four.
- Tuesday: Red ant went under a leaf and returned with food. Patterns: 8,10; 7,9; 7,6. An ant is an insect with six legs; a spider is an arachnid with eight legs. Evaluate sentence writing for capital letter, spacing and ending punctuation.
- Wednesday: Mina put five seeds in a cup, then found three, for eight. Arithmetic: 8,9,5,5. Measuring answers depend on actual objects; check clear comparisons.
- Thursday: 12 is one ten and two ones; 14 is one ten and four ones; 17 is one ten and seven ones. Habitat should show shelter, food and water access. Children should not be told that all ants eat identical food.
- Friday: Passage: six legs, food, insect. Initial sounds: /m/, /a/, /s/, /p/. Arithmetic: 7,3,8,6; pattern 8. Drawn ant should show six legs, two antennae, three main body regions. Scripture responses should describe diligence and preparation in age-appropriate terms.
Builders, Ages 9–10
- Monday: Math: 144; 12; 403; 314. Reading main idea: ant colonies have varied roles and behaviors; not every species gathers seeds. Facts must be supported by the provided passage.
- Tuesday: 2/4=1/2; 3/6=1/2; 1/4 of 20=5; 3/4 is greater than 2/3; 7×8=56; 96÷8=12; pencils 4×15−9=51. Writing rubric: a topic sentence, at least three accurate supporting details, a closing sentence, appropriate punctuation.
- Wednesday: 3 feet=36 inches; perimeter 2(8+5)=26 cm; 2.5+1.75=4.25; 63÷9=7. Check observation method for safety, consistent counting intervals, and acknowledgment that imagined data are not observations.
- Thursday: 3/8+2/8=5/8; 5/6−1/6=4/6=2/3; 18×7=126; 144÷12=12; 2.4×3=7.2. Suggested edited sentences: ‘Ants are insects. They have six legs, and they live in groups.’ The historical timeline must be checked against the sources the learner used.
- Friday: Reading central idea: careful observation requires evidence and does not justify claims about every ant from one example. Math: 8; 85; 18; $8.75 as money or 8.75 numerically; perimeter 22 cm. Writing: clear habit, six sentences, evidence and example. Science: six legs, antennae and three main body regions are characteristic insect features.
Independent Learner, Approximately Age 12
- Monday: 18:24=3:4; x=24; 4(7−2)+6=26; x=9; 15% of 80=12. Reading answer should recognize that observations differ across species and environments, and scientific methods make findings testable.
- Tuesday: 3(2x+4)−5x=x+12; x/4+3=8 gives x=20; 150 miles/3 hours=50 miles per hour; 0.375=3/8; −3 is greater than −7. Check two credible source attributions and whether evidence was distinguished from inference.
- Wednesday: Data 4,6,8,10,7: mean=7; median=7; no mode; range=6. Rectangle area=84 cm² and perimeter=38 cm. Triangle area=30 cm². These are invented practice data, not empirical ant findings.
- Thursday: 5x−9=31 gives x=8; 2/3+3/4=17/12=1 5/12; 45/60=3/4; 12% of 250=30; −4+9−3=2. Historical answers require source-specific fact verification. Deuteronomy 25 concerns honest weights and measures in context.
- Friday: 3x+5=26 gives x=7; 4/5 of 65=52; 18% of 150=27; 24:36=2:3; mean of 3,5,7,9 is 6; triangle area=54 square units. Essay should have a clear thesis, relevant references, a distinction between moral interpretation and scientific evidence, and organized paragraphs.
How to Assess Without Guessing
- Reading: Evaluate accuracy, comprehension, and use of passage evidence, not memorization alone.
- Writing: Check content, structure, details, grammar and revisions. Accept original reasoning supported by the assignment.
- Math: Check the answer and the steps. Re-teach the specific prerequisite when errors reveal a misconception.
- Scripture: Give credit for faithful reading of the actual passage and reasoned application, not for repeating an adult’s wording.
- Science and history: Check sources and the distinction between observations, interpretations and invented examples.
- Mastery notes: Use ‘independent’, ‘needs guidance’, or ‘reteach’. These are internal family judgments, not official Alabama proficiency ratings.
Parent Learning Record
Suggested private paper fields: Student initials; Date; Learning level; Reading objective and result; Writing objective and result; Math objective and result; Science/social studies objective and result; Scripture discussion; Next teaching step. Keep records in the home and follow applicable state requirements.
These answer keys support practice, not full grade-level certification. Return to Academy home.