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!