Posted in Workboxes

Just a quick post.  I want to share more about our homeschool conference this past week-end - but not sure I can do it justice tonight.  It was wonderful!  So many books and the speakers were awesome!  More to come.

I wanted to share about the Preschool Activity Bags for those who may not have heard of them.  I've done several swaps of this sort.  Years back we did our first swap with our local FIAR group.  We came up with ideas from the internet and others came up with their own.  It was a lot of fun and we got some wonderful (and still used) bags.

A few years ago, a book came out that detailed how to do a swap.  The instructions are clear, concise and detailed.  Each person in the swap gets a list of exactly what to include in the bag down to the label of instructions on the outside of the bag!  I loved coordinating a swap like this!

I hosted a swap in the fall and we had 28 participants!  That was a lot of bags!  We did the other book this spring and had 19 participants.  I highly recommend buying the Preschool Activities in a Bag books if you are interested in coordinating a swap. 

These bags make great gifts for others too!  It's wonderful to have all you need for a fun activity inside the bag.  No searching for miscellaneous things.  Daniel has been using these in his workboxes this year and enjoys them a lot.  I'm excited about having a whole new batch for him to use.

Here are the bags from our most recent swap.

I'm excited about hosting another swap some time this summer.  This will be using another book from the same publisher called Science Activities in a Bag.  This is geared for elementary aged children, but can be stretched to include older and younger.  I'll post more on that later.  If you are local and reading this and are interested in the swap - let me know.  (I'm happy to do non-local, but not sure how much the shipping would be for the bags.)  I think this will also be a great addition to our bags!

Blessings

Leslie

Posted in Workboxes

I included something fun in my 4yos boxes that I thought I'd share.  It was relatively simple to do and would be easy to adjust and change to fit your child/schedule/time of year too.

The only thing that wasn't simple is that it rained the day I first put it in his box and seemed to rain many more days that week too.  We finally did it on an overcast afternoon.  He liked the activity and I'm sure we'll do it again.

The set-up is simple.  I took a muffin tray (I used a six count) and put in 6 differently colored pieces of paper.  His goal was to find something in nature that was the same color and include it in his box if possible. 

We looked around our yard for things.  This would be fun to do in other places as well. 

Here is something yellow (well, mostly). 

Red/dark pink

Brown

Green

White

Blue was a little tricky.  He looked all over the yard with no luck.  (I should have picked a different color.  lol)  Then he asked if he could choose this.  He later chose the sky although it wasn't really blue on that particular day. 

 Daniel was proud of his finds and enjoyed showing them to family and friends. 

I could see doing this in non-nature settings too - at the grocery store, at the zoo, at the bookstore, wherever you might be.  Just an easy and fun way to explore colors, to sharpen your observation skills and to discuss what is going on around you.

Blessings

Leslie

 

Posted in Workboxes

As I was reading friend's blogs last week, I found a great idea on Candace's blog.  Not only did it look easy and fun - it fit with what we are studying this week!  How cool is that?  This is the site with the original instructions. 

Daniel is reading The Little Rabbit and the tie in would be grass that a rabbit eats.  Isaiah and Joshua are studying Climbing Kansas Mountains which is a story about a grain elevator (the mountain).  Sprouting grains is an obvious connection. 

I love it when gathering the ingredients is fairly easy.  Well, there is one ingredient that may not be easy for everyone.  It is grain.  Since we grind our own (or I used to be better about doing this), we have large buckets full of it!

First we soaked the grain for 8 hours, draining the water at the half-way point and refilling with fresh water.  Isaiah was so excited and wanted to be very precise in his measurements.  I just wanted the grains covered, but he happily accepted a specific number so that he could do it right!

After the grains has soaked, we drained out the water and started afresh.  First we added a layer of sand to the bottom of the jar.  This to help with overzealous watering.  We definitely had that!  Next a layer of soil several inches deep.  Finally the grains on top.  Just a layer to cover the soil, not too deep so it doesn't mold.

daniel loves to have his own jar to do along with the bigger boys.

This is a view from the beginning.

 By the second day, we had shoots.  What is also really neat is that you can see the roots in the jars too!

After 5-6 days, just look how much it has grown!

And here is a look at 8 days.  Note the squirt bottle beside the plants.  I bought this at the dollar store and the boys have used it faithfully to water their plants.  Some a little more vigorously than others.  LOL 

What a satisfying experiment.  We can easily see changes each day, and even within a couple of hours!!!  It's been a lot of fun and I highly recommend doing this one!

Blessings

Leslie 

Posted in Workboxes

We did a fun and easy science experiment that I thought I'd share.  It was posted on a loop and we decided to try it out.  I had planned to do it with my younger boys and put the ingredients for the experiment in their boxes.  This was the same day I was doing science labs with my oldest two and the boys loved having their own "lab" too. 

It was such a hit, that Rebecca joined in too. 

Here is what you need for this experiment.

*Mason jar (I used the large size)

*Water

*Vinegar

*Baking soda

*Raisins

You will fill the jar about 2/3 full of water. 

Next add in several "glugs" of vinegar. 

Next add a few raisins.

Finally,  comes several spoonfuls of baking soda.  Add one at a time in case your experiments starts bubbling over.  We had that happen to us. 

Without stirring, wait and watch.  (My boys kept wanting to add in a couple more raisins.)  The raisins will start to dance!

What you will see is the raisins starting to rise to the top of the jar, then falling back down.  Ours had a slow start and then picked up as time went on.  The raisins continued to dance for quite awhile too!  My children loved watching this.  It made for great entertainment while we were eating lunch.  LOL

The explanation behind the experiment is that the vinegar is an acid and the baking soda a base.  When the two combine they form carbon dioxide.  This attachs to the skin of the raisins in the form of bubbles.  When enough bubbles are on the raisin, it will rise to the top of the jar.  There the bubbles pop, and the raisins sink again. 

This was a good reminder to me that I need to do this type of experiment more often.  I'm hoping I can plan at least one per week.  My children loved it!  I thought it was fun to watch too.

Give it a try - I bet you'll like it too!

Blessings,

Leslie 

 

Posted in Workboxes

I've been wanting to incorporate some "centers" into our day.  A place to do something fun and hands-on.  I thought it would be a fun break for the kids and also motivate me to use some of the things I've purchased and not gotten around to using.

We had a FIAR lesson last week on balance.  I thought this would be the perfect time to get out the balance scale we have.  I bought it along with a box full of math manipulatives at a consignment sale.  I haven't been good about figuring out how to use them though.

I wasn't feeling creative or inspired by this scale.  That may be obvious since I've owned it for several years.  LOL  I asked some friends on the FIAR board for ideas on how to use the scale.  Here were some of the suggestions.

*Just free play - figuring out the scale and how to balance things.  We did this the first day and they enjoyed it.  I had a bag of unifix cubes and counting bears (both were also in the math box I bought) for them to use.  I also added in some assorted other things - paper clips, small bear, beads, binder clip, etc.

*Compare the weights of items using a standard. For instance, how many centimeter cubes does an eraser weigh? How many paperclips equal the weight of a crayon, many paperclips equal a pair of scissors? How many grapes equal a banana?

* Compare weights. Looking at the objects, which do you *think* will be heavier… put them both on the balance and see if you were correct.

*Illustrate density by using a large marshmallow vs a stack of quarters for instance. They're the same "size" but clearly don't weigh the same! 

*Measure 1/2 cup (or whatever the scale would hold) of various items and compare the weight vs volume

*Play old-time store and weigh out various things and have the kids pay w "gold" (maybe spray paint some beans or rice?) Or make your own "shekels" type of thing and weigh the "coins" for payment

*Illustrate the not so nice practice of putting the thumb on the scale or "weighted" measures that are weighted against the consumer, but for the vendor.

*Addition problems.  This fun to do with the unifix cubes.  I will probably make up a sheet for them to figure out the problems and then record the answers.  You can attach the unifix cubes together.  I thought I'd put them in groups of 1, 2, 3, 4, etc already attached.  They would then work the problem.

2+3 = _____

You would then put the 2 set and the 3 set on one side of the scale.  Then add cubes to the other side to figure out the total. 

Well, this very simple center has been a big hit.  It was even fun in ways that I hadn't anticipated.  Yesterday afternoon, the boys were playing happily in our sunroom (where I'd set up the center).  At one point, my oldest tells me that I should go look.  Indeed, my boys have made the math manipulatives toys.

My youngest boy (4) had made his own creation.

What really made me laugh though was my boy creations.  Only a boy would turn unifix cubes ... into a cannon.  And the bears were sorted by colors ... into an army.

I had to laugh.  I hope you got a chuckle out of it too. 

Blessings,

LeslieI

Posted in Workboxes

Well, we are often not all at the table at the same time.  It's a tight squeeze.  Typically we are alternating spending time with Eliana while others are working. 

Here's a shot of  4 working at the same time.

I know that some worry about the space and mess of the boxes.  Here's what we are doing with ours.  When the box is completed it is put on the floor.  The completed work goes in one stack and the empty boxes in another.

I thought I'd share a few of our fun things.  A poster activity that has been a "center" is this outline map of the United States.  We were studying the New England states and I asked the boys to go in and mark these states.  Later I went in and found x's on random states and they were all the states that my 7yo knew.  I can see that we will get a lot of use out of this poster.  I think having the write-on/wipe-off pen makes it all fun!  LOL

Another great resource has been this book of science activities.  Most are simple concepts using things you have around the house.  My younger boys are loving it! 

A little chocolate in the day never makes anyone unhappy.  It's a sweet break and neat way to do some math.  We have several of these chocolate math books to enjoy.

This is something I made to go with our Keepers of the Faith badge work.  This sheet is my 4yo's work to earn the badge for knots.  The older boys have much more to do.  I put this checklist in a box along with a piece of rope and he is ready to learn about knots. 

Just thought I'd share a few extra things.  We are still loving our boxes!

Blessings,

Leslie

Posted in Workboxes

We've been having fun this week - with school and also in adding in some Easter things.  Part of the fun was going shopping on Sunday with two of my dear friends.  We were all looking for craft supplies for our workboxes.  We hit the jackpot at the dollar store and also at the dollar bins at Michaels.  Go check it out if you haven't already.

I put this in my 13yos box.

This was to make fabric covered eggs.  You can find the directions at the V and Co.  (Thanks Vickie for sharing this with me!)  They were very cute - but it was a little trickier than it looks to get those smooth ends.  Still a pretty centerpiece for our table. 

We also found inspiration at the Crafty Crow for Easter Egg Suncatchers.  All you need is contact paper and a variety of craft supplies.  We used paper, feathers and sequins.  It was easy and fun. 

We used an egg shaped pattern and taped it to the table.  Next I taped a square of contact paper on top of the egg - sticky side up!  The egg is just a guide for the child to use for decorating.  The child can then decorate the egg using sequins, ribbon, paper, feathers, etc.  When finished, lay another piece of contact paper on top and then cut out in an egg shape.  We hung ours in the window in the kitchen.

My friend Jen LINK shared an auditory discrimination activity that we enjoyed doing. 

Tomorrow we are doing the Resurrection Eggs.  I split up the pieces into the younger boys boxes and think they'll enjoy that.  We are also doing some watercolor egg paintings using this pattern.  I have some sweetart candies (chicks, bunnies and ducks) to give out as motivators.  (It worked really well here today.  lol )

Next week we'll be working on these finger puppets.   Aren't they cute?

We are also reading the Easter story in a 40 day devotional called Journey to the Cross.  This book is wonderful!  It gives lots of background information that helps to give the story so much depth.  It has also helped me to understand and appreciate the Easter story with new eyes each year we have read it.  I know it is too late for this year, but maybe you can look for it now and have it on hand for next year.

That's all for now.  It's late and morning always come so early.  lol

Blessings,

Leslie

Posted in Workboxes

This is a fun little die that I found at a local teacher store.  You could make your own by covering a kleenex box.  This one is for colors.  If you were making your own, you could do shapes or letters of the alphabet too.

We played an "I Spy" game with the die.  The child rolls the die and then looks for something in the room that is the same color. 

You could play with this in other ways too.

*Food/Fruit - Roll the die and name something from a catagory that is that color.

*If you are learning about a letter of the alphabet, focus on finding things beginning with this letter and a the color that is rolled.

I'd love to hear more ideas you might have on how to use this for more fun!

Blessings,

Leslie

Posted in Workboxes

I've been honestly surprised at how this topic has hit the homeschooling world this week!  It's been posted on numerous message boards and the hits on my blog have been astounding!  I'm thrilled though that people are hearing the message about Sue's wonderful system and hope that it will bless many other families as it has ours!

If you are interested in doing this system - please consider buying Sue's book.  She has put a lot of time and effort into this system and has shared many points in her book that you aren't going to get from a blog post or message board thread. 

One question that I've been asked several times is "where did you get the shelf and boxes".  I found both at Target.  The shelves are actually in the laundry aisle at my target.  Here are the details on the shelf from the box (which is orange).  The cost is approx $15

Posted in Workboxes

Just a few ideas to share to help with workboxes.

Ami at Homeschoolshare has come up with these great cards.

If you are interested in making file folders, I would recommend these titles.

Take it to Your Seat Math Centers

Take it to Your Seat Science Centers

There are more titles in this series - literature, geography, writing, etc.  The ones above are ones that I have purchased.

Hope this helps.

Blessings,

Leslie

Posted in Workboxes

I wanted to comment on using this with a high school student.  Initially I thought I'd not do it with my oldest.  I didn't think it was necessary.  I still don't think he needs the visual cues of the boxes, but we'll see about that after we've done it for awhile.

What I am finding is that the structure of the boxes and specific directions for each one is very helpful for my high schooler.  He has gotten so much work done today and I am thrilled!  We built in a better review time for his work and I can only see this getting better.

This system is helping me to take my role as a homeschooler more seriously.  Not that I didn't before, but my efforts are much more productive and it is showing.  It's probably showing in how the house looks too.  LOL  It's hard to get it done in school and also in keeping up with the house.  We'll tackle that a little later though.

Blessings,

Leslie

Posted in Workboxes

I shared this idea (Sue Patrick's workbox system) with my friends on the Five in a Row board.  The thread has caused quite a stir and lots of great discussion.  If you are interested in reading about some of the ideas shared there, please take a visit. 

I think what I am liking most about this system is that it holds me accountable.  I may have good plans, but this helps me to prepare and to accomplish not just the basics but some of the fun things too.  I know that I can get easily distracted (and so can my children) if I'm not ready to go with whatever subject or project is at hand.  This saves all of us a lot of time which is one reason we are able to get more done. 

Also, several of my friends have also blogged about their systems.  I think it's always fun to see what others are doing.  Check out these blogs to read a little more.

Jessica

Kristina

Lynn

Ami

Here's what we have planned for tomorrow.  I thought I'd share a little more in-depth, though won't do this often as I couldn't keep up! 

For Daniel (age 4) he will be doing the following (double asterisks are with mom):

**FIAR title My Blue Boat (with lessons on the Bible and decorating a cover page for his notebook)

*Mazes with a write on/wipe off pen - he loves doing this (got mine at Target)

**Color and shapes Bingo game

*Get Ready for the Code - 1 page

*Work for Contenders of the Faith - he is working on a memory verse and the ABC badge.  He will be putting ABC refrig magnets in order (can also put them in the frig to hear the sounds).

**Little book on the color blue to go with B4FIAR title and color I spy game from homeschoolshare

*Dough ABC letters (Handwriting without tears)- good sensory work for him.  I've asked him to make 5 of them

*Color pockets - Pre-made file folder game that he will sort pictures by color and put them in the appropriate pocket

**Animal "what am I" game from homeschool share

*Read ABC ocean animal book

*File folder activity (from Sue on alike v not alike - recognizing lowercase letters)

*Sequencing by shapes activity (preschool activity bag)

For Isaiah (age 7)

*Math

*Reading (we are one lesson away from finishing Reading Made Easy - should finish this week!!!)

*Time with Eliana  (15 min) and then 15 minutes of computer.  I've put a toy in the box that he can use to play with her to help teach in/out and shapes

*Five in a Row - We are doing Mirette on the High Wire.  We'll be covering 2 social studies lessons and adding things to notebooks. 

*Read aloud to me from a short reader from Starfall

*Handwriting with Tears - 1 page

*Pattern blocks - I've put a pattern page out and he will build that and then be finished

*Game with Joshua - either Blink or Knights in the Corner

*Skip counting drill (this was Sue's idea and my boys love the write on/wipe off page.  It was easy to make and I'm hoping to make more types of this for review)

*Explode the Code

*Knots (badge work for Contenders of the Faith) - Intro lesson to learn about ropes and how to do one type of knot (will eventually cover more)

*Joshua reading a book to Isaiah

For Joshua (age 9)

*Time with Eliana (15 min) and then 15 minutes of computer

*Math

*Spelling

**Five in a Row

*Logic (bought these fun cards with logic problems on them and I give a couple every few days or so)

*Drill

*Reading with a patch (to help improve his vision).  I've chosen books on topics we studied last week (ponds and Rev. War as review). 

*Game with Isaiah

*Read aloud to Isaiah

*Wordly Wise

*Knots

*Skip counting

For Rebecca (7th grade)

*Pre-Algebra

*Time with Eliana  (15 min) and then 15 minutes of computer

*Spelling Power

*Logic cards

*Copywork

*Beyond

*Cooking (She is working through a home ec book and will be making a mid-morning snack)

*Drill

*Herbs (She is working on a badge in this area for our Keepers of the Faith group)

*Game with Christopher (Rummikub)

*Correct math test

*Doll (She is starting a doll from an adorable pattern that my friend Becky shared with me.  You can find it here.)

For Christopher (10th grade)

*Notgrass Govt

*Understanding the Times (Worldview)

*Spelling

*Time with Eliana

*Free Rice - This  is a website that donates rice for each correct answer you get.  We use it for drills/quizzes in a variety of subject areas - math, chemistry, foreign language, ...

*Geometry

*Movies as Literature

*Chemistry

*Game with Rebecca

*Working on teaching Knots to the younger children

*Computer Science course
*Reading (Bruchko)

I don't have a separate pic of his, but you can see it in the last picture below (on the left).

Christopher worked on his knots badge a few years back and made this poster to demonstate the knots.  I think it will be a fun starting place for the other boys, not to mention a great visual.

We are currently schooling in our dining room and I have the workboxes along with walls of the room.  I tried to take a few photos so you could see what it looked like.  It was kind of hard to see, but hopefully this helps some.  The shelves are really not that big.  Less than 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide and a foot deep.  This is a view from the doorway.

This is from standing on one of the chairs so you could see the workboxes better.

This is the other side of the room/table. 

Hope this is helpful to someone.  :-)

Blessings,

Leslie 

Posted in Workboxes

I'm excited about something that I wanted to share here.  I've shared this with my local homeschool group and also with friends I on a recent retreat.  There are many of us excited about this and I wanted to share it here in case others would be encouraged by this.  We are loving this system!

A friend of mine, Sue Patrick, another homeschool mom, has devised a plan for organizing your school day that is brilliant.  I've been interested in doing this for quite some time, but just not gotten around to doing it.  Well, I invited Sue Patrick to share her Workbox System in a workshop for our homeschool group.  I started it the next day.

Here are some of the basics, though I encourage you to buy Sue's book to really understand the details of how it works!  Each child has their own set of 12 workboxes.  They are set up so that the child can work independently through some of them and others are "work with mom" boxes.  The boxes are numbered and the child moves through them sequentially.

As the child works through a box, the box is then removed from the shelf so that they can see their work diminishing.  They can see exactly what is expected of them each day and how much they have left to do before their school day is over.  They can also see fun things in boxes which helps to motivate them to finish the more difficult boxes.

One of the biggest benefits that I have seen is that we are accomplishing more and in less time.  I'm doing so much of the "fun" stuff that seems to get put off and my children are loving it!  We've added back more art, music and games.  I am working to get our day organized and we are all reaping the results!  I can't say enough to praise this system. 

You can visit Sue's website HERE to read more about it.

I'd be happy to answer any questions too as a happy user of this system.  :-)

Blessings,

Leslie