Week 1 - A Look Inside

We do use texts in our homeschool. Which is one reason why I thought the workboxes would be great to add in more fun and more hands on learning. Here is a list of what we I have put/will be putting in the boys boxes this week. It is our first week of using the boxes and the items listed below are not necessarily in that order (it was just easier for me to list them with numbers).

Monday:
1) Lang. Arts
2) Math (with mom)
3) Science (with mom)
4) Spelling
5) History Reading
6) Free Reading
7) Computer Time
8) Connect 4
9) Joke book in Xavier's box & Backyard Ballistics in Micah's box
10) Bible & Prayer Journal
11) Geography Fact Cards

Tuesday:
1) Lang Arts
2) Math (w/mom)
3) Science Reading
4) Free Reading
5) Othello
6) Computer Lesson: Webpage Authoring #2
7) Geography worksheet
8) Bible & Journal
9) Spelling
10) Computer Time
11) Brownie Mix

Wednesday:
1) Writing (w/mom)
2) Math (w/mom)
3) Science (w/mom)
4) Computer Time
5) Free Reading
6) Bible & Journal
7) Spelling
8) Unit Study (History)
9) Game
10) ?? (still deciding)
11) Art

Thursday:
1) Writing (w/mom)
2) Math Review/Game
3) Spelling
4) Science Reading
5) Computer Time
6) Bible & Journal
7) Unit Study (History)
8) Free Reading
9) Game
10) Play Outside w/Isaac
11) Family Work

Friday: (normally we have co-op on Friday, but this week we have off for Good Friday)
1) Writing (w/mom)
2) Play Hullabaloo w/Isaac
3) Math Review
4) Computer Time
5) Spelling Test
6) Game
7) Unit Study (History)
8) Make Peanut Butter Cookies
9) Bible & Journal
10) Nature Study & Walk

Workboxes

Ok, so the shoe rack idea flopped. I went to the store to buy them but they didn't have any. Meanwhile my dear hubby is asking if there is some way we can be more economical about this. Personally I think he believes this is another one of my attempts of organization that will quickly be tossed aside. So... being economical I found some things I have around the house: boxes and folders (of course now I have to find a new home for the science stuff that was in the boxes). Using the template from the Sue Patrick's Workbox System and schedule cards from Walking by the Way, I now have Xavier & Micah's boxes!


Xavier's Box
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Micah's Box
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Micah and Xavier have been great about moving through their folders. We even started school an hour earlier than usual today (it is only our 2nd day using the workbox system).


Science Reading - more than I need to know about bugs!!
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Working on changing fractions to percents
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Could It Be

an answer to prayer? Recently I came across a blog talking about workboxes. I was so intrigued with the system that I had to know more. After visiting other blogs who have started using workboxes and praying about it. I bought Sue Patrick's book and now I can not wait to set up our boxes. I have been printing off the scheduling strips and number strips along with the extra cards. Today I get to go buy my boxes ;)

One of the things that impresses me with the workbox system is the ability to put in those things you want to do in your home school but never get around to. I hope that by starting the worboxes I will take be able to let go of the "school at home" rut we have gotten into lately. The only problem I have though is I can think of a bunch of things I want to do or the boys want to learn but I don't think we still have enough time to do it all ;-)

** The Workbox System is a physical system which allows your child(ren) to move through their work in order. It is visual system that your kids can see: they see what they have to do, they see how much is left to do and they see the fun things coming up in a box ahead.

Sue Patrick is pretty set on using a shoe rack that will hold your shoeboxes (about 12) as the workboxes. At first I was going to try to "scale down" the workboxes because of room, but after reading the book I am going to stick with her shoerack & shoe boxes idea.

Each box is numbered and the child has a schedule strip on their desk telling them what to do (in order). You can have box 1-12 in a row or you can put in extra cards like lunch, group time, break, etc. The child moves in a sequential manner matching the # on their schedule strip to the matching workbox. They continue down the strip completing each activity/workbox. Once the strip is empty they are done for the day.

Science Experiments

We started using Apologia General Science last week. We are not using it in the traditional way but are working on it together to help Micah and Xavier get use to the format. Which means we are probably going a little slower than normal :-) I also found a really neat Lapbook Journal to use over at Knowledgebox Central. So far the boys are enjoying the "class like" setting for science.


Experiment Time
Writing their observations, summary
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