WORK BOXES - TODDLER TO MIDDLE SCHOOL (AND BEYOND?)

Work boxes?!  What are those?!!  They are a neat little idea a women name Sue Patrick developed.  I discovered them our first year of homeschooling and was so excited!!  The original system calls for those boxes that are plastic and about the size of a shoe box.  We didn't have room or, at the time, the money to do all that she had.  BUT.. what we did have was those Sterlite little plastic three draw things.  So, that is what became our workboxes.   I put a number on each drawer, gave the older two each a strip (just like the ones Sue Patrick came up with).  I created "fun boxes" for each subject area which were supposed to be a break from the normal work but also educational in some way. They were centers.  I went center crazy!  I even created and laminated clip on cards for each box.  They've come in handy even though right now we are not using them.
 This was our first set up with the workboxes. In case you're wondering - where are all of the numbers?  Well, before I had gotten these up where they are.. they were at the mercy of our then toddler -Jojo.. need I say more?!  We still use these drawers, but I place each three drawer set in a cubby box in the shelves, it gives them much more stability and looks nice too.  To the left of the boxes are the sign in cards.  If you look you see the top two the way Sue Patrick made hers (I printed them offline after purchasing her book, which included these printables).  At the time J was too  young to do the clock in cards like the big kids.  I created separate ones for him.  The first one is red (stop, or end), the next one is green (go - or begin) and then there is an orange one with a clock, this is where he would find his card for each day.  I did have to put it up after he "clocked in".. or it would disappear.  As you can also see, I used the same color scheme for the big kids.  I wanted it to look as closely to their's as possible.  We are still using his, but i've had to add a velcro dot!  The big kids don't clock in anymore. I could  have them do that still on the inside of the cupboard door, but they'd probably complain it was a dumb idea.  :)

  Our second year homeschooling I redid our school room, each child had a desk, and a set of workboxes.  I loved the way it looked!! I actually still miss how it looked, mostly because they each had a space to work at and "own".  At that time we had three children.. we now have four!  If I could fit a desk for each and do that set up.. I would.. maybe soon.. we'll see. This is two pics of when I was in the process of redoing our school room. You can see the one on the top picture has the workboxes, a tray for finished work a desk.  I really did like this. The other picture was just another view.  I thought I had a nice picture of this room when it was finished, I know I do someplace!   If I had a place to store all of our things..I'd do this set up again!


 Now, in the present time, I've got a high schooler, a middle schooler,  a pre-k and a toddler!  The high schooler does not use the workboxes, but easily could.  He'd have a drawer/box for each subject and his work for each would go in there.  We now use a shelf for his books, a paper tray for a folder which contains any worksheets to be done for the week on the left and completed and needing filing on the right.  That gets placed back in the tray at the end each day.  He puts any new work needing to be corrected on top of his folder.  I take a look at the end of the day.  Some things I just need to see that they're done, but others, like math, I need to correct.  I will mark the ones I only need to see and put them in the filing side of the folder. The papers needing checking and grading, I put in a separate tray and correct as  get a chance.  Any work needing fixing goes back in the to be completed side!

 I use the tray for the middle school child too.  Her books are kept on a shelf as well, where do the workboxes come in?  Each subject that can go in a box does.  BUT.. we don't have 12, so I combine both geographies into one box. We are currently using My Father's World ECC (Exploring Countries and Cultures).  We have gone back and forth with using and not using the boxes.  I've decided tomorrow I'm making copies, if I can, for the rest of this school year.  I have plenty of file folders, one for each week.  The copies will go in there and I can just plop them into the boxes. This is how you're supposed to do it, but I've gotten behind on that!  Sometimes you just need to take a little break!  GET REFRESHED! Then .. full steam ahead!  :)
This picture shows a good view of our workboxes over there in the corner, one is pulled out and in use!! In this picture are our little's making their own Creation books.  Also seen is a picture of Jojo's workbox chart where the numbers from each completed box go.  We had only just begun here, so only one box was completed ( the last one - a puzzle)

Pre-K - Yes, we use them the way you would.  He has drawers too. Although we now have the space to give him the regular way.  Why don't we then? Well, mainly because of our Teeny Tot.  She is only two and even having her own, seeing his she wants what he does.  So, the drawers are  nice because you can't see inside of them.  I've created a literacy/writing center and a math/science center with the boxes and shelves though.  This way they have activities they can do all day and then the workboxes are "school work".  I have three for Teeny.  I need to make her chart for her...hopefully this weekend!  Lots of plans this weekend!!!
In this picture you can also see J's chart for putting his numbers that he's completed on.  He likes this part too!! In addition to the numbers I added cards that are on there for him to visit the art area ( try to have a separate art activity out each day), science center, math center and a new one starfall.com.  I can't remember where I found these,but I need to revisit.  I have it someplace!! This is box (drawer) #1.

This is box 3. This is a handwriting/coloring page.  He traces the word and colors the picture - he likes doing this, worksheets are not my favorite thing, but dinos seem to be fun no matter what you do!!!  He has had days he just traces, other days just colors and still others he's done both. Box 2 had a gluing activity.


What I placed inside boxes 1, 3 and 4 are here pictured just to see an idea of somethings to put in preschool boxes, they would also work well for kindergarten.  Box 1 was a My First Book of Bible stories bible book, a Bible time line for children and pages I wrote Day's 1-6 on.. he created his own Creation book.  The fourth picture above is him working, but if you look behind him to the right you can see our work boxes.  The ones with red are his.  Up above his are our Abby's - the middle schooler. Abover her boxes, Nick has three for storage of personal items he doesn't want touched by the littles. Teeny Tot's boxes are down next to Joey's to the right of his.  I don't have hers marked yet though, so she doesn't realize they are hers.  Box number four to the left of Joey has dinosaur stamps, ink and a grid to stamp on.

I hope this is helpful for anyone wanting to know more about workboxes!  Feel free to leave a comment! I try to check my blog everyday, if not,  at least twice a week or more!

Pre-school dinosaur theme Week of 3/18

Before I begin this post on the dino's had to comment and share how big our veggie plants are getting.. need to transplant them to bigger containers!  What a blessing!  I pray they all produce a healthy crop!


We've got some sickness here this week - hubby, princess Abby.  Then, Wednesday, I started with a scratchy throat.  By Wednesday night -Nick!  Teeny has had a runny nose.  Sleep, vitamins and very little sugar (says my friend Kathy).  I didn't realize sugar breaks down our immune systems!  Praying all will be better very soon! As a result I'm taking it easy with school this week.  Trying not to overload!  I didn't do much pre-planning for this week, but they had fun anyway!

Monday  3/18/13
Monday was a with grammy instead of regular school! For the little's anyway!  Hubby and I both had doctor appointments and were gone all day, so my mom came over for the day.  I didn't bother with having her try to manage school with them and everything else!  Our Abby does such a great job with the little ones!  She helped out a lot while we were gone - and she wasn't feeling well!!  I'm so thankful for her and all she does!


Tuesday - 3/19/13  SNOW!!??!!
 Yes, we live here in the northeast and yes, we got snow!  What did this mean for us? No co-ops!  It was okay, I was exhausted from my day out with hubby.  There were some creative things going on though!    We did a regular day of school instead, since we didn't get to do it Monday.

The picture above is what our little table looked life after J and K were done.  I didn't get a chance to take their pictures while they were "creating"!  What a mess!!  

 This picture is one J had me take of his dino's he had lined up - he doesn't like when anyone crosses over them either, but they were in the way to get to the playroom and.. the bathroom!  And in front of the refrigerator  :)

Joey and big sister Abby                             

Joey decided to make his own dinosaur picture!  He had his big sister copy, paste and print certain dino's he requested.  He cut most of them out, she only got to do a few!  Then he told her where on the rocky background scrapbook paper to place the dino's.  He also had her add some "water".. another scrapbook paper.  He even found a dino in the water and had her put it --- in the water!  So cute!

Tucker Teeny Tot on Tuesday! After a hard day's work!  :)

Wednesday - 3/20/13 (pics above)
Okay, a normal day around here today.  The littles did workboxes together, but teeny didn't last too long.  She kept busy at one point decorating the post of the little table with stickers!  J loves doing these workboxes.  I didn't have them all filled before he got up, but quickly added to each draw for him.  He ended up not doing the last two though! He got side tracked!  That's okay.

Our very own Creation Books!  Teeny just "decorated hers!  But Jojo went through and attempted pics for each day of creation!

 Here's a close up of Teeny Tot, so serious!  :)  AND.. BUSY!!!!

 I love this picture - Jojo is drawing a sun! He did such an awesome job!  Only 4, I'm amazed at what they can all do!!!

This is a close up of his sun! His skills have just soared!!!!

 This is Jojo's Bible Timeline.  He was only supposed to color in the Creation one, but he just loves to color!  There is big brother Nick in the background!

 The two pics above are Jojo's workboxes for Wednesday.  Drawer number 5 has an activity he never got to finish last week.. he may or may not finish..it's okay  :)

Needed a break for a yummy yogurt snack!  Greek yogurt, I do think it's everyone's favorite here!

 Back to work!  This is one from last week J never got to.  It's from that lapbook on homeschoolshare.com. This is for the country of Africa.  There is a dinosaur for each country.  It's meant to be done a little diffently, but I made adjustments to fit our needs.  I had him glue on the map of Africa, the dinosaur, the word Africa and three or four pics I found of different views from different places in Africa.

  This is another pic - almost finished! He uses a lot of glue!!!

 These next two pictures are a math activity.  "My plan was for him to create AB patterns using stickers.  He did for the first row and the third! That was it! He loves stickers!!

This is Teeny's handy work! While J was busy making patterns with the stickers .. so was she?!

Thursday, March 21, 2013
 Another busy day, followed by a busy evening!  In addition to our regular school stuff, we sorted Girl Scout cookie orders (well, Abby, Teeny and Jojo did!).  I supervised and stopped wrong doings.  :)

The two pictures below are Teeny and J playing in the texture box.  He's been asking since either last week or the weekend for water in here.  I finally did it today.  They had fun, but first they did some arguing! J didn't want to share the dinosaurs!  :)  I finally grabbed a couple more from the dinosaur box.  (technically the dinos are his, but some were left over from Nick and some are tiny ones I've collected).  

In this one Teeny has the dino's kissing  :)

 Above is Nick working hard on a math test.  We've been using Saxon, but were thinking of going in a new direction..but we're not!  We're going with an online class that's free.  It's using the Saxon math though. I thought I'd sneak this pic of him in here  :)  This happens so often anyway, a big kid at the computer while I'm working with the littles'.

Above is Jojo working on a dinosaur science game I created last year.  I made it so it could be use different ways.  It's all laminated to keep it "safe"!  The blue paper has Omnivore at the top and a picture of vegetation and meats, the yellow is for carnivores so it only has.. meats and the purple is for... yes herbivores.. self explanitory!  So, then I had found pics of several dinosaurs, some that were omnivores, some herbivores and some carnivores.  I have the pic of the dino on one side and the pic of what they eat on the other.  Last year J used it as a matching game.  He'd turn it over and see what they ate - after I told him the dino name - then he'd match it to the appropriate paper.  This year I told him to put the dino down on which ever one he thought they'd eat. Then he can turn them over and see if he's right.  He started doing that, but quickly discovered the food pics on the back.  Oh well, he did it all on his own this year!  Last year he needed me to help.  So..next year.. he may just use it the other way.  You can also use one at a time - the child could find all of the herbivores for example.  The other two papers would be away.  I haven't tried that one yet.  I think we did that last year though.

Here is Teeny at the easel.  J wanted to take this picture.  They both really enjoy painting.. and picture taking!

Here they are "cooperative painting"..  This is the one J later described as their plan to catch ghosties and monsters!  No, that's not a typo, yes, he did say ghosties!!  Being cute of course, he knows the correct word is ghosts  :)


Tomorrow is Friday. I'm planning to wrap up the Dino stuff! I am planning to do some Easter stuff. Time to visit Hubbards cupboard!!  I know they had plans for Easter.  I wanted to check it out and hopefully incorporate it.

My Father's World - AHL Ancient History and Literature...

March 21, 2013  Update on somethings we're doing.

I want to try to add in some updates on my older children too!  This blog is sort of a record of our homeschooling, but it's also a way for my family and friends to keep in touch with what's going on with us.  I also hope it will be a place others can come to check out what we're doing to get some ideas for themselves, or help.

Math:
Math has been ..painful!!  We were trying Life of Fred for this school year, but very quickly, went back to Saxon.  We stared using Saxon our second year of homeschooling.  The first year we did a lot of review.  Then year three I had this brilliant idea to switch both big kids to Math U See! NOT A GOOD IDEA!!  It was for Abby, but not Nick.  The video component - in his mind - "a waste of time".  Our daughter really likes it though.  Nick is a no -nonsense, just give me the work - kid.  So, then we tried Life of Fred.. wasn't working.  Both kids enjoyed the story, but the math.. too different from what they were used to and I didn't want to back track.  So, back to Math U See for miss Abby and Saxon for Nick.  They were both in public school until we took them out four years ago.



In the picture above, my oldest, Nick, is taking a math placement test for a new math we were thinking of trying out.  We were thinking of using Teaching Textbooks. I know many people really like it. He took the test, did fine, then viewed a sample lesson online, but as he was viewing the course sample, I realized I didn't think it was going to work for him after all.  I thought maybe it would be a good one for him.  He has viewed the sample before, but it's been a while.  As he was watching it, I could tell he was not into it.  It seems very interesting and would keep a student involved, but it just doesn't seem a good match for him. He is currently taking a free online Biology class and enjoying it.  They also have the math.  They don't have the level he's doing now, but they have the next level up.  We have to have the book for it, but he'll be taught online vs. teaching himself.  He will also take the tests online as well.    So.. we are going to stay with Saxon.  The free online class is from virtualhomeschoolgroup.  He can start any time with the at your own pace one, or I think the new classes will begin in August.. the 27th.

Science:
Science was not going so great this year either.  He was doing it, but the interest wasn't there like in the past. So, one day I was looking into something, I can't even remember what it was, but it was for him.  Then I remembered that MFW had told me about the online homeschool group and I've seen it mentioned in the Yahoo and facebook groups I belong to for MFW.  So, I posted a message on the Facebook group for High school.. I actually found it before someone posted it.  We got him signed up right away!  So far he's liking it!  He had his first test.. only one wrong!!  YEAH!!  I do pray the rest will go well too.  I'm waiting to see the lab parts.  It'll be interesting how they do that!

Reading the Illiad:
When he first opened this book he complained about how long the chapters are!  I gave him an assignment to do - write a commentary for each chapter.  BUT.. I didn't add that in this week, why? Because there were questions he had to answer.  Come to think of it..I haven't seen those though!!  I will need to ask where they are tomorrow.  He actually didn't have to write a commentary.  I meant for him to tape one.  We'll go over that tomorrow too!

Rick Warren's the Purpose Driven Life:
He only complained a little the first day.  I don't think he minds it now.  He would say he does though.  He's been going through this "no religion" phase.  I've told him and he knows, we don't practice a religion, but we grow in a relationship with Christ.  He of course has an argument for that - it's Christianity and that's a religion.  He's a smart one...  that can be quite a challenge.

I'm not going to go though everything he does.  He does't complain about most of his work.  He's an extremely fast reader, although he's not as fast as he claims to be! What do I mean by this?  He claims he gets his reading done, when I've asked if it's all done.  I have no real way of knowing what he's actually read.  I said to him today "I may not really know if you've read everything you've been assigned, but some day you will realize you should do what you are assigned!  I will admit, there were things I was assigned to read in high school.. and college.. I only read what I had to and skimmed the rest.  NOT ALL OF IT!!  But some things.  So, I do know how that goes.  I also know that sometimes if you do that, you miss very important information and it only costs you more time and sometimes a good grade, if you don't do it.

Our busy Friday - Dinosaurs and a Maple Syrup Farm field trip!

Okay, so we did actually get in a workbox today before we headed out to join a new group for a field trip.
Here is J doing box 6.  These were three picks of dinosaurs in black and white that were cut in half.  He had to first put the "puzzles" together and then glue them on.  To his left is a dinosaur finger puppet, I think teeny tot had that!

I don't have any other pictures to share this time!  We'll get some more next week!  OR.. perhaps tomorrow.  Once "Joe a saurus" realizes he never finished his workboxes!


  Can anyone say LOST?!!  Yes, we got lost on our way to the field trip.  Here's the funny part, I wanted to go out before we went and buy a GPS, no we actually don't own one of these handy little devices ... yet!  I've been wanting to get one, and frankly - I need to!  I'm not good with directions and I always print them off the computer, but I still manage to get lost many times!   I wouldn't have gotten lost if I hadn't been paying more attention to the condition of the oh so muddy road and more to the actual road names!  We found it and had a very nice time on the trip! We got to sample two colors of syrup, very dark chocolate and spring goat cheese on a cracker with syrup drizzled over it.. yum!!  I don't have pictures though. We went to Madava Farm in Dover Plains, NY.   They do tours and have lunch available on the weekends.  I think it's worth the muddy road trip!  We also got to meet some mew people!  I'm so thankful for that.  They are part of LEAH (Loving Education At Home).  A nice end to a crazy week!

Getting crafty with a recycle

Okay, I'm not posting a blog about homeschooling in this one!  This is short, but "sweet".  A few weeks ago one of my sisters sent me a link for iheartorganizing.  I checked it out, I do heart organizing!  I found a link off of that where someone took an empty six pack container (the cardboard ones, that beer and soda come in).  This woman turned it into a caddy! So, I had posted about it on facebook and shared the link.  I also mentioned did anyone have an empty six pack!?  What does my so sweet hubby do after seeing that on fb?  He comes home the next day (I had posted this in the evening) with a six pack of cream soda!  So, after we finished the soda and I got a chance, I made a caddy too!  Here is the result!

Here are two pictures I took of the finished product!  I did not take pics as I progressed along.  I wanted to, but got caught up in the crafting!  What do you think?  I did this one for my darling Abby!

Preschool - Dinosaurs and the Bible - what are we doing?

 I'm always wanting to incorporate the Bible into our themes and/or our themes into lessons and readings from/along with the Bible.  This time it was incorporating the Bible into our theme.  I thankfully found a link for homeschoolshare.com's  Dinosaur and Creation lapbook (not the title, but what it's about).   I found this on delightfullearning.blogspot.com.  Here is our week of Dinosaurs and the Bible!


Sensory/texture box has dried garbanzo and red beans in it.  I put a blue cap from a peanut butter jar filled with blue beads for "water" and a bunch of little dinosaurs.
Science "table" has a game I created.  There are pics of dinosaurs on one side and a pic of what they eat on the other (the answer).  My children choose one card or all three, one labeled herbivore, one carnivore and one omnivore. Then they pick up a card with a dinosaur on it and place it on the big card they think it would go on based on what they think the dinosaur would eat.  They can turn it over right away or wait until they've done them all.  For a younger child (like teeny tot K) they can use it for sorting - turn it over to see what the dino ate and put it on the correct card.  It's a nice open ended activity - sort of - even though there are right and wrong answers, there are various ways to play - it's a child directed activity.
Art - uncooked pasta glued onto lines that, once they have the past glued onto them, will look something like a fossil.  At this moment, my mind is drawing a blank picture of the other art activity we did!
writing center - dinosaur stamps, ink and white paper on Monday, Wednesday was lined paper, various writing mediums and scissors, Thursday - dinosaur templates, white paper and pencils.
Easel - so far this week it's just been large white paper and multiply colors of paint.  We had to finish up the paint in the cups from last week and this week was kind of crazy so it worked.  Next week we'll add more.

I have also changed the things in the math and literacy/writing center boxes.  I try to keep them updated to go with our themes as much as possible.  Sometimes I just put an activity appropriate to that area if I don't have a theme centered one!

 Here is a mini creation book from the homeschoolshare.com's Dinosaur/Creation lapbook.  I can't remember the title of the lapbook though.

 This is a picture of the inside of the book.  J decorated the inside before he knew what to do!  I drew the lines and added the numbers.  Many of the "pictures" inside were little stickers from our folder of stickers.

The picture above is J cutting out pieces to create his own dinosaur.  I think I got this one from delightfullearning.blogspot.com.  Also, there is big brother "N" in the background on the computer.  Behind J are two file boxes I've been going through. In both of them are bags that contain items for our many themes.  I'm getting it organized for two reasons: it needs it and sometime late August, early Sept J will begin the Kindergarten curriculum from My Father's World.  I've been starting to gather things, print things etc. for those themes, many we have, but some will be new.

 In these next two pictures above J is gluing on his pieces to create his dinosaur, he named it Joey!

 This picture here is about lizards since the word dinosaur means "terrible lizard". He cut them out and glued them into a mini book - another from homeschoolshare's lapbook for dinosaur/creation.

The next two pictures above are another mini book, from same place.  This has a picture of a dinosaur on the front and the word dinosaur.  The inside was blank, I wrote in pencil for him to trace: terrible lizard and big.  The meaning of the word and a description.  He, as you can see, chose a green marker to trace.

 The bunch of pictures above are a math game I printed off from delightfullearning.blogspot.com (I think, if not it was a link from there).  I printed them off on construction paper so it would be thicker and able to withstand the paint without soaking through. They rolled the die and what ever number came up, they find it and dot that many.  Example: roll and see a 2 on the die, look for a dino on the paper with that number on it's body, give it two dot stamps with the bingo blotter.  I want to get the ones they make for children, they're smaller and washable paints.  I've had these for a while, they work for now, but are just a little big!  The little's didn't mind, they loved this game.  J of course counted the correct amount in each box.  K, she did her own "counting", but had fun too!  ;)     Also in some of the pictures above are hubby and daughter "A".  They're busy with a business adventure, sort of started by our miss "A"!

 Here they are with the "handwriting" pages.  The dinosaur name is at the bottom for tracing and then there is a picture to color.  I made sure K had her own.   I gave her colored pencils for coloring, she tends to lose the marker caps!

 Here is box 1 that was for Wednesday, but didn't get done - hubby had surgery, so we'll get to these Friday.   Thursday was recovery day for mom and dad, so we did a low key day.  This box has a storybook Bible, a time line page, a paper with his name and the words Creation book.  I numbered the pages inside for him to draw his own pics for the Creation story.

 Box 2 is from that dino/creation lapbook .  There are several pages for a few different countries.  It's meant to be used with an older chid, but I took the picture of the map of the country, cut it out, found some pics to copy, paste and print of Africa (the country for this sheet), I put them in an envelope to go in this box along with the orange construction paper.  He'll be gluing these on to make a page for a book.

 Here in box 3 were two more pages of "handwriting", tracing the words and coloring the dinosaur picture.

 In box 4 a math activity.  As you can see there are number along the left and boxes extending to the right.  He was to stamp each box according to the number at the beginning of the row.  He did half of this Wednesday before I left to take hubby to have surgery.  We'll get it finished.

 These were in box 5, they are to create a dinosaurs colors book.  He chose to color both red. These were the only things he completed Wednesday before I left.

 Here is our sensory box filled with the beans and dinosaurs!

 Here is our little teeny tot - she really enjoys our sensory box!  She dumped the "water" dish a few times, thankfully in the box!

 Here is a picture of J with the dinosaur math stamping activity.

 Here he is coloring in with that red marker his color book.

 Teeny just staring down into the box..not sure why!  :)

 J creating another masterpiece at the easel.

 Here is J after observing the seeds we planted, two weeks ago? (I'd have to check my old posts!).  The whole family is very excited about our sprouts!

 This is box 6 from his workboxes - the puzzle was not put togther, he put it together.  He did this one first!  This was from Monday.

Here are the little's checking out the "garden" - we will be planting them outside when it's warm and they're strong enough.

 Here is K and a part o f J.  I was trying to get her alone, but he really wanted to be in the picture!

 Here is little teeny tot at our writing/literacy center stamping away.  She enjoys most of the activities I put out and usually visits all of them several times.

Here they are "working" away!  Writing and cutting and just busy, busy, busy!

 Teeny, stamping again - in a blank book this time.  I had given her the crayons too.

 Here is teeny's creation page.  I just printed it from someplace,cut up the pages, folded the orange paper, numbered it and then gave her a glue stick.  She did this while J did his creation booklet.

Here are J and K enjoying playdough and number "cookie" cutters from our math center.

Workboxes have been slow this week.  J did all of his boxes on Monday, but Wednesday's boxes he completed two, started two.  I'm hoping to get to the rest on Friday sometime - but not bedtime again!  We have a field trip to learn about Maple sugaring.  We'll see what we can accomplish!