How it works
A Simple Plan for Every School Day
You teach. CoveDay tells you what to teach each day, gives you the words and the worksheet, and keeps each child's record. There are no videos.
Add your children
Sign in with Google. Add each child's first name or nickname, grade and start date. Children don't need an email address or a login.
Choose subjects
The daily subjects are always on. Bible (one lesson a week) and Spanish (daily) are optional: they're off until you add them in Settings. You can also turn the weekly activities on or off. For Bible, Spanish, art and music, pick each child's level, or take the placement test for Bible, art or music. Family life is off until you turn it on, and its lessons on reproduction have a separate switch.
Open Today
Today lists each child's next lesson in every subject with its planned minutes, plus this week's activities and computing session. Tap a lesson to open it.
Teach from the script
Each lesson has an objective, a “You need” list and a script in timed parts. Every step is marked Say, Ask or Do, and the answer you're listening for follows the arrow. The script also says what to do if your child is stuck.
Print
Print one worksheet, today's worksheets for every subject, or a full numbered week's pack. Worksheets fit on one Letter page.
Check and finish
Ask the exit-check questions, tap the ones your child got right, then Finish. The lesson and score are saved and Today moves on. You can add a dated note to any lesson.
Quizzes and unit tests
From Grade 1, there is a quiz every week in phonics, reading and math, and a test at the end of each unit in reading, math, science and history. Kindergarten keeps it light: a short read-aloud quiz each week in phonics and math, and a short spoken review at the end of each unit in reading, math, science and history. All have answer keys. Print them and score them yourself. In 2nd grade and 3rd grade, a child can also take the quizzes on a tablet that you open from your account, and they are scored automatically.
Set each subject's pace
If math is too easy or reading needs another pass, move just that subject to a different week or lesson. Moving ahead doesn't mark the skipped lessons done, and going back keeps the earlier records. You can switch back to automatic pacing at any time.
Planned time
How Much Work Is This for Me?
These figures come from the lesson plans, not from timing real families. Your day may be shorter or longer.
| Grade | Daily subjects | Bible optional | Spanish optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 60 min | 20 min, once a week | 15 min |
| 1st grade | 71 min | 20 min, once a week | 15 min |
| 2nd grade | 95 min | 20 min, once a week | 15 min |
| 3rd grade | 97 min | 20 min, once a week | 15 min |
| 4th grade | 120 min | 20 min, once a week | 15 min |
| 5th grade | 125 min | 20 min, once a week | 15 min |
In Kindergarten, science and history are each taught two days a week and share one daily slot (Bible, if you use it, takes the fifth day), so the daily figure counts them at that share.
In 1st grade, science and history are each taught two days a week and share one daily slot (Bible, if you use it, takes the fifth day), so the daily figure counts them at that share.
In 2nd grade, science and history are each taught two days a week and share one daily slot (Bible, if you use it, takes the fifth day), so the daily figure counts them at that share.
In 3rd grade, science and history are each taught two days a week and share one daily slot (Bible, if you use it, takes the fifth day), so the daily figure counts them at that share.
In 4th grade, science and history are each taught two days a week and share one daily slot (Bible, if you use it, takes the fifth day), so the daily figure counts them at that share.
In 5th grade, science and history are each taught two days a week and share one daily slot (Bible, if you use it, takes the fifth day), so the daily figure counts them at that share.
Weekly quizzes and unit reviews are extra, on top of these daily figures.
Once a week: art 20–30 min, music 15–20 min, PE 20–30 min, computing 15–20 min, and health 10–15 min (15 min in Grades 3–5).
- Preparation. Read the script before the lesson and gather the “You need” list. Most items are things you have at home: paper, pencils, crayons, scissors, glue, a ruler, small objects to count, picture books. Some science and art lessons need more, and each lesson lists what it needs.
- Printing. One page per lesson: about 25 pages a week per child in Grades 1–5 and about 20 in Kindergarten, plus Bible and Spanish if you use them, plus the week's quizzes. You need a printer.
- Screen or paper. Lessons happen at the table, on paper. The screen is for you, to read the script. Quizzes can be taken on a tablet in some grades. The art lab, music lab and computing sessions use a screen.
- Who teaches. An adult leads every lesson. Older children can do the worksheet on their own once the taught part is done.
Two Children in Different Grades
A Kindergarten and a 3rd grade child on day 1. Spanish is one lesson for both children together. In Kindergarten: Science today; history on other days. In 3rd grade: Science today; history on other days.
| Subject | Kindergarten | 3rd grade |
|---|---|---|
| Phonics & handwriting | 15 min | 15 min |
| Reading & writing | 17 min | 30 min |
| Math | 15 min | 30 min |
| Science | 15 min | 28 min |
| Spanish, together | 15 min | |
| Total | 180 min if you teach every lesson separately | |
That total doesn't all happen one after another: while you teach one child, the other can work on the worksheet from a lesson you've already taught.