First Week of School 2015: School Room set-up and what we use for Bible, Math and Science

Here is short video of our homeschool room set -up and what we are using for Bible, Math and Science.

Video of Homeschool Room set-up and what we use...

  We started school today after a 2 month break that went by super fast!  The kids were all begging to start school...yes, begging.   So, I decided, yeah---we can start slowly and just do 3 or 4 subjects and then add in the rest the following week.

Bible Study Guide for All Ages - Beginners

BSGFAA - intermediate

Filling out calendars for Math

We are using Bible Study Guide for All Ages http://biblestudyguide.com/families.php  This is new for us.  I chose NOT to print it out on my own.  Instead, I bought them printed and bound and ready to go.  It really is an open and go type of Bible Study and I like that.  The only thing it does not have are memory verses to go with the lessons.  So I'm continuing to use Hubbard Cupboard's Character Trait Tune Charts: http://www.hubbardscupboard.org/character_activities.html#CharacterTraitTuneCharts


We are continuing with CLE (Christian Light) for Math.  It is a favorite for it's ease of teaching, instruction, approach and scope/sequence.  The entire first light unit is review of the previous grade.  It helps highlight an area if they need to practice or have it re-explained before proceeding with new concepts.  https://www.clp.org/store/by_subject/4

We are also trying something new for Science this year: Lifepac https://www.aop.com/lifepac_overview  I like that it is low prep for me and they all have a Science that is on their own grade levels.

Lastly, we try to prepare for Presentations each day before Friday.  Classical Conversations ensures that each student has 2-3 minutes to give a Presentation to their class.  This is such a great opportunity to work on Public Speaking skills.  We take the inch by inch approach---a little practice or prep each day before Presentation.

Next week, I will share what we are using for Phonics, Handwriting, Spelling, Writing, Literature, History and Memory Work.

Blessings!
K

Our School Room 2013

This is the view of our room as you walk in the door.  

This is the 'window' wall to the right.  There's our green couch, the white Ikea 'side' school table, calendar and art work.

 

The small wall on the right side of the window...calendar and small 3m hooks for our activity calendars and chore charts.  CLE learning to read cards are starting to line the door frame. 

Closer look at calendar and hooks.  I have our CC community calendar, family Google calendar printed out, kids ministries at our church calendar, and kids chore charts.

Another look at this table...I rotate puzzles and activities on the two shelves.  You can see that I use ordinary binder clips and 3m hooks for displaying work.   There are CLE sight word cards under the window trim, too. 

This white Ikea kids table is no longer sold.  But, I love it for the two shelves below.  I use this space for a lot of 1 on 1 time with kids.  I sit on the sofa as the child works at the table. 

Over and around the sofa are 3m hooks and binder clips to display artwork and school papers. Those are never in short supply.

The center of the room---our Ikea gateleg table.  This by far my favorite homeschool furniture purchase.  The stools are also from Ikea and work well with it.  I love that it folds down on both sides for extra floor space and room.

There are drawers on each side for a total of 6 deep drawers. 

You can see how this table folds.  However, we usually leave it out and occasionally fold up one side. 

In the corner, is our current 'extra' books for the week.  They are supporting books from our home library or the local library for the weeks' History or Science focus.

Above the table are these three boards.  I believe all of them are from Hobby Lobby.  The whiteboard on the right is the 'teaching' board.  That is where I write out examples and teach.  The whiteboard on the left is used for our schedule and behavior/attitude chart.  The center peg board has Prayer charts/schedule, our current Bible/Character focus and sibling rules chart.

A closer look at that center peg board and our 'tool box' of supplies.  That bin houses regular plastic cups full of pencils, colored pencils, dry erase markers, scissors and glue.  It also has two clipboards, maps, counting charts, dry erase pages handy for easy access.

A look at our schedule.  The red is behavior/attitude.  Bottom line if you have 3 sad faces = no reward for the day.  If you do not have 3 sad faces you get 15 min. DS or Kindle time and a pick from our candy jar.  If you get three smiley faces you get extra 15 minutes of DS/Kindle.  It works for us...and Dad can see how the day went as far as attitudes and behaviors go. 

The other corner houses one portion of our Legos.  These help the boys when I am reading a lot out loud.  Also our youngest likes to play in the room with us after his school work is done. 

A peak of one of the drawers...it can fit a lot;)

The wall opposite the window...TV and bookshelf, pics and closet.

This is another one of my favorite homeschool furniture pieces: Ikea Expedit.  There are two cubbies for me plus each of the kids (top/bottome).  My top cubby has Ikea mag. holders with coloring books, drawing books, file folder games, Bible and an atlas.  My basket house all of the teacher's manuals that I need for this semester.  The kid' top cubbies have their portfolio binder, any individual subject binder they need, a mag file for extra work or work not completed and they fave activity books.  Their bottom baskets hold all of their workbooks and assignments plus their supply box. 

To the left of the tv are the current 'books of the week'.  This week it is: Blueberries for Sal for our youngest.  For our oldest two: Patrick the Patron St. or Ireland (Medieval Period)

A different view...not a whole lot of room but totally doable.

Kinder girl working.  The stools are stackable and also from Ikea.  It was one stop shopping for me there;)

On the other side of the tv is a clear paper holder/organizer from Office Depot.  It houses our planners from A Plan In Place.

Here are the shelves and cubbies.  (I greened out names.)

This Filetastic hanging file is from Mardel.  This is probably my favorite store--ever;) 

A peak inside our school closet. 

This is the other side of the closet.  This one closet helps with organization of the entire room.  It stores, supplies, books, paper, printer, files, etc, etc....

This room always seems to have someone in it working or......

playing;

I'm sharing this post on:http://www.ihomeschoolnetwork.com/school-room-week-2013/

Classical Conversations Week 9 - At Home

School Week 13 CC Week 9

 We are reading and learning a little more about China this week. The History sentence and Geography locations centered around China so that is what we are focusing on. Here is a little of what we're reading and also a great unit study found on Homeschool Share.

We read 'Daisy Comes Home' last week and this week we read (re-read for Bud) 'The Story About Ping'

Sis and Lil Bear got to work on Tangrams as a part of Saxon K.  Bud wanted in on this, too.

Covering the shapes

I'm so proud of her! 

.....and so proud of this little guy!

more tangram shapes

I'm not sure if this is supposed to be a bird or what??

Working on calendar and also showing his 'gospel beads'.  These are kind of like 'gospel fuzzies' for those that have heard of those.

Sis showing her bead wristband and working on calendar with some incentives (Tic Tacs) in the mix.

The trio busy learning and having fun!

Bud got a chance to copy and learn some Chinese words/characters. 

Chinese calligraphy printable found here: http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/chinese_character_cards.htm

He loved trying to copy these. 

We got a chance to discuss how these characters only used straight, angled or curved lines.   So, that was a nice OILS tie in.

Chinese calligraphy by Bud

Before lunch, Bud found some Space books from last year.  So of course, he pulled them out and wanted to read them.  Little Bear, of course, wanted to be just like big brother.

We are back to using A Reason for Handwriting.  For Bud, the best part about this is picking out a border page and getting to choose who to give it to.  When it comes to handwriting, I'll go with whatever motivates him.

Everyone getting ready for Daddy to get home.  We heard this quote over the summer, "You get what you INSPECT, not what you EXPECT."  Sooo, he started inspecting a few areas when he gets home.  Two of those being school areas and school work.

Linked up to:
http://www.halfahundredacrewood.com/2012/07/classical-conversations-cycle-1-week-9.html

Homeschool Room Tour 2011

I missed it.  I missed the official week to post our homeschool room for the Not Back to School Blog Hop from Heart of the Matter.  Then, I noticed that I could still upload my blog and thought 'why not?'.  
There are about three areas of the house where we find ourselves 'doing school'.  The school/ play room, the kitchen table, and the living room.  We have a pretty open concept floor play and with that some rooms have no walls or half walls.  So furniture placement is quite interesting.  

Inspiration
I came across some great vintage flashcards (If you consider a year after I was born vintage…hahaha)  this summer and my husband had these wooden toy airplanes from his childhood that I used as the jumping off point.  I was inspired after hearing the scripture on the “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17.  I had it on my heart when I was re-arranging the school room so I thought I’d type it up as a reminder.
Okay so here’s the tour minus the kitchen---I totally forgot about that  room with my new large dry erase board and shelf.  I guess that will be another post sometime in the future.

 The schoolroom:

The view from the Living Room.  The desks and chairs are from Ikea.  The bookcases are from Target.

Bud and Sissy sit here.  The plastic drawers are for: supplies, "My special Things" (everyone needs a place for their own stuff), and papers.

Memo boards for the work they want to show DH when he gets home.  The Green Box is for the school work he can do on his own and also fun activity sheets.

The flashcard  display

I just used clear thumbtacks to hold them up.

DH hung two rows of laundry string with laundry clips to hold the art work.

The furniture

Here are the airplanes that belonged to my husband when he was young.  The book case I got from Craigslist for a super great deal and the bins I bought 6 years ago fit perfectly.

The quote that was on my heart and mind before school started.  The photo cube is from Oriental Trading. 

We still have a VCR and some of their favorite shows are on VHS but storing them has been a chore because of their bulk.  So I thought why not put them in that bookcase.  If you look real close we have a whole bin of Miss Pattycake and The Donut Man.  Anyone else remember those?

Here is the toy bin that I got from Craigslist as a set with the bookcase.  I love having it...but not so crazy about it in the school room.  So until I can have a dedicated play space...here it is.

This small bookcase was a piece I bought for Bud's nursery.  I use this mainly as learning toys or fun extra books for the kids to read.  I arrange them like this so they can see them better and in turn put them away easier.

Book Nook

These are actually spice racks from Ikea.  Bud put them together with very little help from DH and with some help from Sis.  I use them for 'currently' reading books or the ones next in the rotation. 

below those bookshelves are my two main curriculum boxes.  The one on the right is more like a 'locker' where I store the materials we use daily.  The other one is where I store printables and gather project supplies for the week.

The Kitchen

Our Kitchen Table is where DH does morning Bible time with the kids, where I have one on one school time with Bud and Sis and where most arts and crafts happen.  Tablecloth is on during mealtime and comes off for crafts.

Sis getting ready for her one on one time with Mom. 

DH drawings of the days of Creation and this week's memory verse is show.  The white board is on DH had in college and the shelf below I picked up at a garage sale.  I clip posters on pant hangers and hang them from the pegs on the shelf.

I love clip boards for some reason.  So, I have three up on the kitchen column.  (I have these odd walls/columns here and there.)  These fit great there and one holds behavior chart, daily schedule and the last one is our Family Rules.

Thanks for stopping by!

Linking up to: Not Back to School Blog Hop - School Room Week 2011

* Our Curriculum Post from Not Back to School Blog Hop - Curriculum Week 2011
* Our Curriculum Post from Not Back to School Blog Hop - Curriculum Week 2010

* Our Homeschool Post from Not Back to School Blog Hop - School Room Week 2010
* Our Student Pictures from Not Back to School Blog Hope - Student Photos Week 2010