Summer Classroom

We almost always take the month of May off from school. However, homeschooling is more of a way of life for us. We make a conscious choice to seize every opportunity to learn. We never take a break from math or reading. I am just less rigid about it when we are on "break".

So here we are, approaching the month of May. It's my favorite month of the whole year. The weather is perfect. Everything is green with new life. We are all usually just itching to spend more time outside.

We spend a lot of time on the back deck. It has sort of morphed into an extension of our "classroom". We have a weather center, botany projects, and even an art project going right now. There are also little lessons on conservation (rain bucket to catch water, clothes line to save electricity, and compost to reduce waste). Sometimes we listen to culturally diverse music and just rock out in our Summer Classroom.





We are trying our hands at cucumber this year.



This paper mache dragon is over 6 feet long! He is going to be hunted by some brave knights during our Homeschool Field Day next week.

Reading Incentive

I found these fun little bookmarks at Staples. They had a whole stack of them for a couple of dollars. In each box I write the chapters or page numbers that I want the kids to read. Then when they complete a box they mark it with an "X". I only do this for their extra reading. I want my kids to read for fun. They can turn in a completed bookmark for a dollar. The faster they finish the more money they can earn.



So far it's working. They boys picked out some really great books that they are enjoying!

Friday's Homeschool Feature - Grading

I am a working homeschool mom again. I recently took on a part-time job. This means less down time and I have to keep myself ahead of the kids. I don't have the luxury of playing catch-up.

One of the ways I stay on top of our work load, is grading all their school work the night before. For me this takes a lot of self discipline. The last thing I want to think about at the end of my day is school work. Usually, I grade over my morning coffee during my quiet time.

However, having it done the night before gives me time in the morning to plan or do other things. Sometimes I have to take Leon to work, or someone needs me to sew on a scout patch, or I might have to make several phone calls. My morning time is when I need to be more flexible. If I've left all my grading for the morning, then I might not have time to get to it all.

So I need to grade during a more concrete time of day for me. Just before bed is perfect.

Here I have all the school work laid out for the boys. They simply work through their stack and put it on their bookshelves as they go. Then at night, the Grading Fairy comes along and collects notebooks and workbooks and checks over their progress. Magically their school work is all laid out for them the next morning.


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Friday's Homeschool Feature - Bug Trap

My boys love bugs. They are fascinated by the tiny microscopic world bugs live in.



This is a mason jar buried at ground level.



We put a plastic lid over top to keep out rain.



We'll come back everyday to check and see what fell inside. Then we'll observe and release our creatures.



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Friday's Homeschool Feature - Organized Supplies

There are lots of days that I would not survive the school day if it weren't for my organizational skills.



This is our desk. I haven't decided whether or not we are keeping it. But the spirit of it will remain with us...on bookshelves.

I love these lock boxes. They are the PERFECT size for colored pencils and markers. The magazine files keep our papers, workbooks, and teacher books together by subject.


I keep a plethora of pencils sharpened and ready to go. I purchase them in bulk when all the school supplies are ridiculously cheap in August. Once a week we go through them and add eraser tops and sharpen as needed.



Join me in this week's Homeschool Feature. Blog about something that helps, inspires, or motivates you in your home education endeavors. Link back to me in your post and link up to my Mr. Linky.

Friday's Homeschool Feature - Apple Fractions

You've probably seen these books before. There's several like it with food themes.



They are a fun way to connect math with food.


It's also a nice way to take a break from the normal work load and have a little fun.


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Homeschool Feature Friday

So here is how I handle worksheets/quizzes/tests for multiple students. I print off all the copies I need for a unit at once. Then I file it in a portable accordion file and keep that by my desk.

I find that if I have to stop and make a copy of something, it gets put off. Planning ahead and keeping it all in one place makes us more efficient with our time.