A New Schedule~

I LOVE having homeschooling mom friends to bounce ideas and curriculum with.

This weekend I was talking to Amber about struggles to be available for all the children and sometimes being frustrated.

She suggested doing some rotations and it has made our day flow so much smoother~

Our New Schedule:

8-8:30 Breakfast and Bible/Prayer/Memory Verse

8:30-9 Chores (Dishes/Dishwaser, Bed, Room, Clothes, Teeth)

9:00 Calendar and Songs

            ~Morning Work for EK and SJ                    ~Littles

                        Ring a Word                                                   Journals

                        Cursive                                                           ABC Work

                        Explode the Code                                          ETC

                        Spelling

            *EK Piano lesson/practice

9:30 M~ FIAR

         T~ History (Beautiful Feet American History)

         W~ FIAR

         Th~ History (Beautiful Feet American History)

         F~ FIAR Fun Friday

10 Rotations {Littles do Centers on Shelf}

Language Arts~       

EK:      Grammar (Rod & Staff), Language (Early Lessons),  Reading (Zoobooks/response)

        

 SJ:       Language (Early Lessons), Reading (I Can Read & Sight Word Practice)

Both:   Centers/Listening Basket/

                                    Computer- reading eggs/spelling

11 Rotations {Littles go play in rooms}

                        EK and SJ:      Math~ MUS, Computer (Xtra Math) , flash cards

                                                Life of Fred on Mondays

                                                IPad school games

12 Lunch

12:30 Quiet Time with Jesus

12:45 Chapter book/ Science (Apologia Land Animals) 

1:30   Rest in Rooms or Outside

2 Outside Nature time/ Art/ Music

            *SJ Piano Lesson

I have deemed EK our schedule keeper and she does it SO well...

telling what is coming up and checking off as we complete~

The shelves are set up with EK/SJ's materials on one and the little 3 on the other~

 {They asked to have the desks out for a while... working at the table or on the floor}

We begin with our bible story and some activity to go with it.

This week they all got an activity sheet @ church so we worked on it~

SJ LOVES being the calendar teacher so we let her take that job!

EK and SJ work on their morning work while I do small group with little 3.

They are really doing great with letters, numbers, and fine motor work.

Usually EK is done before SJ so I send her the piano for a lesson/practice~

 We are alternating between FIAR and History each day.

Today we read The Little House and again and worked on maps.

It has been great to incorporate rotating between EK and SJ.

Having that one on one time with them makes their harder subjects a little less frustrating~

The little ones have really done well choosing activities from their shelf.

I am just letting them work until about 11 and sending them to play until lunch.

This week because our weather is in the high 60s we are eating lunch outside in the sun.

They really need the fresh air and so do I :)~

After Evie is down we all retreat into the sunroom for Science and our fav... chapter book reading.

Our afternoon is filled with art, music, or playing outside!

Pretty sure I hear every single day...

"I sure will be glad when the pool is open!"

{ME TOO!!!}

 

Our First Day of 2013-14~

Everyone was up and ready this morning by 8 to begin our first day of 2013-14 school year~

Maybe you've heard the phrase... 

'Eat the frog' 

meaning do the thing you least like first thing getting it over with leaving the rest of the day for things you love.

The 'frog' for my two girls is worksheet work {Explode the Code} but I like the phonics reinforcement so it's staying and we got it over with first thing~

 Next was our Bible/Calendar time... We read how we SEE God in the things He made so took our journals outside to draw/list things He made for us.

This year we have moved our school room to the sunroom {needed the whole space in the other room for a playroom} and we love it~

A bright and sunny space for little ones to learn about their Maker and look on all He has made.

The rainbow drawers above have been my greatest organizer for our school day/curriculum.

I love my new desk area and the little three have their own shelf with baskets and trays.

This morning while eating breakfast SJ asked if she could bring her backpack to school~ yes. "What should I put in it?" I suggested something for Show and Tell {Her eyes lit up!} and I can honestly say THIS was their favorite part of the day~

I am still using BFIAR with the little littles {bigs loved it too} and after reading Jesse Bear, I took their photo in their first day of school outfit so they could write or narrate descriptions~

EK and I also started our new History curriculum from Beautiful Feet... Early American History AND due to the recommendation of a friend we are also adding Science Apologia: Land Animals of the Sixth Day: She LOVED it!!! We found the scripture and she highlighted (BIG fun)!

Lastly... we didn't actually get to spelling and math but that comes tomorrow.

For me planning ahead is kind of not necessary. I have all my materials organized in the rainbow drawers and we move through them in order each day doing the next thing. I have found instead of writing plans before... it is better if I write them after the day is done thus the notebook in the photo above. 

Works perfectly for me!