Top shelf: dried herbs, stampers, felt, paints, scrapbook paper, folders, and contact paper. Second shelf: mason jars filled with colored pencils, markers, and scissors. Some of our Lenten projects from last year to work on again this year, and a hole punch. Third shelf: crayons, Lenten and religious coloring books, drawing paper, Valentines Day crafts, a big jar of rulers, and craft books. Fourth shelf: construction paper, a big pad of floor paper, writing tablets, cards and envelopes, notebook paper, pencils, and pencil sharpener. The Fifth shelf is empty (so far), and on the bottom are plastic bins and Joz's new sewing machine. The bins are filled with batting, extra coloring books, and odds and ends like glues and a stapler. Here is the whole wall (entrance door on left). The curtain on the left is pulled and has our pantry items on shelving. I wanted the art materials accessible to the older kids, but not to the little guys (4 and under). This is what we've done so far (also de-cluttering the whole room, finally unpacking 2 boxes, and moving furniture around to maximize the space!)
Moving a little slow today...but we were still able to do our Outdoor Hour Challenge this afternoon! Make sure you go check out Handbook of Nature Study and say hi to Barb. She is the mastermind behind these fun outdoor challenges. We did our Fall tree study back in October, and we picked a park and a tree that was near our future new home. When I did a poll today seeing if they would like to re-visit our old tree, or start a new tree study in our yard, the tree in the yard won out. After lunch today, we took a walk around the house trying to decide which tree we would like to study. There are quite a few on our property, and we all thought the tree in our front yard would be a good one to study throughout the coming seasons. Unfortunately, I don't know what kind of tree it is. I tried the tree identification site and I'm not sure what kind of leaves it has, so I can't identify it. I'm sure Big Daddy will be able to identify it, though! He has the green thumb in the family! **ETA: BD said it was either a sugar maple or a silver leaf maple **
Part 1: No, this is not our school room, but with our new home came new space for an actual school room! The space is a 13 x 11 foot room with linoleum flooring that was part of the garage, but was made into an exercise room by the previous owners. Shortly after we moved in, we purchased 2 wooden tables with chairs at IKEA. Something like this, but they weren't that expensive, and the wood is darker. We also purchased a shelf for the room as well. The room has shelving built in on one side, with curtains that pull over to hide the area. This space was used as a pantry by the previous owners, and we are also using it as a pantry because our kitchen is small. On the opposite wall is a door leading to the rest of the garage. On another side of the room is a door (with a window) that leads outside and lets in very nice lighting throughout the day. On that same side is a beautiful book shelf Ryan's grandfather made for the girls that looks like a dollhouse! And we put our Ikea shelf on the opposite wall. We also have a white board hanging up. We don't have our computer and desk in there, because space is limited, and we had room (and internet hook up) in our family room. So, why am I sharing this? Because I feel like the room could have more potential. In other words, be more organized. It quickly becomes disheveled, and then starts to feel cramped. It doesn't help that little boys like to go in there and pull books off the shelves to read and pull out all of the markers and crayons to color at the table or on the floor. I don't mind it being an art room as well, though. So, my brain is coming up with ways to re-arrange, but unfortunately, my body is not listening. I bookmarked this post last year, and I am finding inspiration and ideas thanks to Jenmack over at Wildflowers and Marbles. I love Jenmack. She seems to be a wonderfully organized person with wonderful ideas. Hopefully soon (weeks? month?) I will share pictures of our actual school room. Since we "do school" year round, I don't have a time in the year where I can stop and re-do the room and that is fine.
Part 2: I wanted to share our weekly school assignments for each child. (Hopefully I can remember to do this every week!) I always like it when other homeschooling moms share what they are doing. Also please note: Each child is at a different point in their grade level!
Rayzor is in the middle of grade 6. He does core subjects only. He works on 2 Math lessons a day using Saxon Math 7/6. This week he will be working through Lessons 76-83. He will also be doing Test 14 and 15. Math is his hardest subject.
He has been reading and will continue to read The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare.
He will continue with Spelling using My Catholic Speller E. He is on week 16. After he finishes the lesson he is supposed to take 2 quizzes and a final test (all throughout a 1 week period). Ray is a wonderful speller and I think this is his favorite subject. Usually he aces the quiz so I don't make him do any more quizzes or the test.
Science: I recently purchased Observing God's World. Continue working through Ch. 1. As most of you know, we also do a wonderful Nature Study using Handbook of Nature Study and lesson plans that Barb provides on her blog: Handbook of Nature Study. This week we will do the second Winter lesson: Winter tree study.
History: Using All Ye Lands, continuing with reading ch. 16 and test.
Joz is on week 3 of grade 5. She uses Saxon Math 6/5. This week she will be doing Lessons 11-15.
Reading Comprehension: Using Stories of the Saints. Read story, define words, and answer questions. Also, she will start to read "Stone Fox" by John Reynolds Gardiner.
Spelling: Using My Catholic Speller D. Working through week 3 lesson studying long vowels with signal 'e'. Same as Rayzor that she takes 2 quizzes and a final test. She will also work in her book A Catholic Garden of Puzzles.
Science: Using Investigating God's World. Finishing ch. 1 and doing Test 1. Nature Study same as Rayzor.
History and Geography: Using From Sea to Shining Sea. Finishing ch. 3 and test. Also practicing filling out map of U.S. States focusing on the NE states. Also using Map Skills E, p. 3.
B-Rad has a little over 1 week left in grade 1. She does use a K Math book.
She is an advanced reader and I let her pick her own books to read from 2 book baskets. She writes the books she reads in her lesson plan. I will link to her reading books at the end of the post, along with the literature that Rayzor and Joz are reading.
Social Studies: Continues to discuss, decorate and pin up this week's character-building card:"I avoid boredom by finding creative things to do that will help others".
Seany has enjoyed working through the book Little Folks' Letter Practice. He also enjoys coloring. I would like to try to start a more organized "school"time for him, but I will focus on that after I get my room in order!
Take your Outdoor Hour Time and visit your cattail location if possible. Many of us were surprised that we actually had cattails close to our homes and it will be fun to revisit the area now that winter is upon us. You may wish to take along your nature journal or your camera to record how your cattails look during the winter. Use your best observation skills and observe as much about your cattail as possible.
You might include: Is your cattail still growing in water or has it dried up? What does the “cattail” parts of the plant look like now? What color and shape are the leaves? Do you see the cattails seeds or balloons? Can you pull some of the fuzz from the cattail and observe it more closely? How do you think the seeds spread, by wind or water? How crowded are the cattails growing together?
It was initially hard to take the first step, which was only planning to go back to the PONP. I was dreading the walk (31 weeks pregnant!) and the 2 oldest kids didn't want to go either. I kept thinking I wished we had cattails in our back yard! Once we got moving, though, we were alright. And once we got there, the kids fell back into their old ways of exploring, running ahead, and observing.
Ready to go!
B-Rad and Ev read about the Wolf tree
Is this the Wolf tree?
Crossing the crik (Seany is wearing his snow boots! Smart guy!)
This leaf was HUGE!
Time for a nap...and a snack!
Found the cattails!
The cattails were in some pretty deep water...Joz found a stick for Rayzor to use as a hook, and then he was able to clip the cattail with Big Daddy's Felco's (lefty of course).
I was so glad Rayzor was there with us! He is so helpful. Not only clipping cattails, but making sure Ev didn't fall in the water, loading the stroller in the van, and warming up the car! He is turning into my little big man!
B-Rad enjoyed learning how to read the map with the help of the legend.
Home and now it's time to color...
...sketch and journal
By: Seany
By: Rayzor "Got puffy"
By: Joz "I saw the fluffy white stuff that's seeds. Last time I didn't see that in fall. It looks like a hot-dog. Rayzor clipped the cattails off."
By: B-Rad "In the Autumn and in the Winter they were fluffy and weird looking I think I was gonna throw up By B-Rad"
I was so glad I read through the other posts and links by other homeschooling moms on Barb's cattail post. When I got to Michelle's blog: Delightful Learning, I was happy to get some much needed inspiration! We decided to burn our cattails when we got home, but it didn't turn out like Michelle's did. We were able to burn the fluff as if it was tinder, though. That stuff lit up quick! (Don't worry, we did it on Big Daddy's fire pit!)
Top shelf: dried herbs, stampers, felt, paints, scrapbook paper, folders, and contact paper. Second shelf: mason jars filled with colored pencils, markers, and scissors. Some of our Lenten projects from last year to work on again this year, and a hole punch.
Third shelf: crayons, Lenten and religious coloring books, drawing paper, Valentines Day crafts, a big jar of rulers, and craft books.
Fourth shelf: construction paper, a big pad of floor paper, writing tablets, cards and envelopes, notebook paper, pencils, and pencil sharpener.
The Fifth shelf is empty (so far), and on the bottom are plastic bins and Joz's new sewing machine. The bins are filled with batting, extra coloring books, and odds and ends like glues and a stapler.
Here is the whole wall (entrance door on left). The curtain on the left is pulled and has our pantry items on shelving. I wanted the art materials accessible to the older kids, but not to the little guys (4 and under). This is what we've done so far (also de-cluttering the whole room, finally unpacking 2 boxes, and moving furniture around to maximize the space!)
