Quiet Corners

L, checking out the books in her basket.

A newly implemented addition to our daily routine is a Quiet Hour.  The baby (well, he's 3 now!) usually still needs a nap, and everyone else can now READ!!  So I made some "Reading Baskets" for each child, and in the afternoon, around 1:30 or 2:00, they have Quiet Hour. 

I set a timer, everyone gets their book basket and goes to their space.  For my girls, this is on the floor beside their bed.  For my 5 year old boy, this is on the bed in our guest bedroom right now, because I need to have access to his book basket, and he does call out for help occasionally with a word.  

What the Quiet Hour looks like in L's corner.

Our reading baskets are not ONLY used during Quiet Hour, but can be used throughout the day.  Right now, our "Reading Baskets" contain:

• Books they can read on their own at different levels - some easy, some more challenging.  For example, my 7 yo is at an upper 4th grade reading level, but many of the books in her basket are easier than that.
• Books they can bring to me (or Dad or their big sister) to have read to them (not during Quiet Hour)
• One children's Bible on their age level to look through or have read to them - The 7 yo has a devotional instead
• A coloring book
• Colored Pencils or Crayons
• Drawing paper
• A look and find book for the 5 yo and 6 yo (Where's Waldo?) 

 For this introverted homeschooling mama, that hour is a precious chance to refuel my energy, have some tea or coffee and read a little bit myself.  It improves my attitude, and everyone else's, to have a little quiet break in the afternoons.  We're loving it!

The Craft & Nature Table

One of my favorite places in our homeschool room (AKA our Living Room!) is this table that my husband built.  We call it our "craft table," because it holds craft supplies on, under and around it! However, it is also our nature table.

On the craft end of our table, we keep all kinds of craft supplies.  "Funny scissors," popsicle sticks, cotton balls, buttons, beads, a stapler, etc.  I keep sensory objects in the little sandwich tubs for my preschoolers.  Puzzles like the Perplexus and Find It are also kept here, in addition to normal school supplies like pencils and pens. 

While I love tolerate craft activities, the nature side is my favorite.  Here, we display our nature finds, and some that are not "natural," like an old plow point.  There are a few little containers to keep critters in, a bud vase, field guides and some Usborne Beginners science books and "How To Draw" animals books.  

It's the place where my kids drop off bones, sticks, stones, flowers and leaves that they find outside, displaying them for anyone who visits us, since this is the first thing you see when you step inside of our front door.  

Right now, the featured exhibit in our Nature Center is a cup of painted lady caterpillars, just beginning to pupate. My mom sent us this kit from Insect Lore.  Previous exhibits have included a spotted salamander, tadpoles, a toad and a crayfish.  

We're looking forward to seeing what kinds of creatures and other exhibits spring and summer bring to our Nature Table! 

Our Year-Round Homeschool

Until this year, we have followed the public school schedule, loosely, because we were houseparents of boys who went to public school.  It just made sense.  

Now, however, my husband is a farmhand and I am once again a "stay-at-home Mom."  Knowing that change was coming, we started our new school year over the summer, even though we had not moved yet.  We are loving our year-round school schedule, and right now this is (loosely) what it looks like:

July - Mid-August = Session 1 (6 weeks)

1 Week Break

Late August - September = Session 2 (6 weeks)

1 Week Break

October - Late November = Session 3 (6 weeks)

Thanksgiving - New Years = Winter Break (6 Weeks)

January - Mid-Feb = Session 4 (6 weeks)

1 Week Break

Late Feb - March = Session 5 (6 Weeks)

1 Week Break

April - Mid-May = Session 6 (6 Weeks)

Mid-May - June = Summer Break (6 Weeks)

Of course, this is flexible.  We had a sick day in February.  We made it up on a Saturday, but could have made it up on the next break.  Our session 5 will actually have 5 weeks, then Session 6 will have 7, because we have a friend coming to stay with us over his PS Spring Break.  

L doing math

We get our bookwork in on our "on" days, in addition to those also consisting of our co-op days (monthly) and field trips (also about monthly.)  We also spend LOTS of time outside in the creek, yard, barn and riding with Daddy in the tractor.  

On our 1 week breaks, we don't really do any book work.  I do have my independent reader pick something to read over the break, but mostly we just play, go visiting, go to the park, spend lots of time outside. 

Chincoteague Island Field Trip, Summer 2015

On our 6 week breaks, we do a little "fun" school.  This is when we do more art, more crafty stuff and science experiments. There is mandatory reading, but they get to pick the books.  We also read Life of Fred:Apples over our Winter Break, and the girls cannot wait until Summer Break to read Butterflies!