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Homeschool Organization Storage, Spaces and Learning Places Part 2

May 21, 2013 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I’m sharing homeschool organization storage space and learning places Part 2. Also, look at my page The Dynamics of How to Homeschool Easily and Smarter.

When you homeschool ANY length of time you find out that you have to take ideas from every different type of room like an office, craft, sewing and playroom to combine and get what we need to make a cozy learning place at home.

I have some more favorites to share.

 

Homeschool Organization part 2

 

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Though this is set up for use as a craft area, I find parts that could be used at home. First that desk just looks like something that could be bought inexpensively and redone to be smokin’ hot. Those stands on the floor I believe are umbrella stands and could be used to rolled up masterpieces of art.

There is not much room taken up horizontal, it is all vertical. Great idea for a teen who likes to be in his room for school  or if there is a small area to work in. LOVE the color choice to brighten up the room.

Homeschool Organization Storage, Spaces and Learning Places Part 2

Contemporary Kids design

I have my school room upstairs that has roof slant like this room and though I have all clear storage there now, I have been mulling over the idea of having something like this. Even the center part that has only two drawers, could have more drawers for more closed storage if you wanted.

Homeschool Organization Storage, Spaces and Learning Places Part 2

The room on top can store, globes, lapbooks and even a microscope. The tv screen is a great addition to a room for group science videos.

As much as I love how open it is, I think that one part of this unit though should utilize more wall storage by going up higher.

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Don’t you love to actually see homeschool rooms like this one? These next couple of pictures come from Suitcases and Sippy Cups.

What I like about this is that she just incorporated their school into their everyday life. When I first started homeschooling and had a newborn and a toddler, a comfortable couch in the same room we were learning in was a must. I could nurse there, change a quick diaper and just rest as my oldest son worked at the table.

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Here is another actual home school area. I think some of the best use of spaces is a built in or diy project . And that is what Cha Cha at the Heartfelt Home did for her school desk. She explains on her blog how it was built. This is a clever use of a half wall or center wall. Though there are three chairs, I see this working better for two students if they were older because of the need of space on top to spread out books.

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Here is another true homeschool room that I love. I love the fact that even though the room is small, she utilized it to the full. She has closed storage using the boxes and kept the seating in the center and kept the light by using a smaller shelf area.

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I find this photo inspiring because it used a u shape space with built in seating. So much again in a small space.

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Then I wanted to share a few creative nifty finds. I heart Murphy beds when you have limited room. Why not a Murphy desk? Great for traveling and schooling, or just to have a another work area for a laptop. I lived in a small log cabin when we first started and this would have worked ideally.

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I spend so much time telling New Bee homeschoolers and even those not so new to move away from public school and don’t copy it, but hey some things we just should. These lockers make great storage and add that element of school to our room.

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This next idea is so creative and I could imagine some really bright colored fabrics to make these crate seats. These crate seats only have 3 steps to make AND you have a seat and instant storage. Check out how this public school teacher made these and they so could be used at home.

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This next group of pictures I heart because it is a Montessori inspired learning environment that is organized so that a young child can easily explore and learn.

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I love how colorful caddies are used to make the area bright and cheery. And I love that low lying art line.And one more thing I heart……

This adorable owl art line from Etsy. would look so cute hanging on a wall.

 

Just a few things I heart today, anything inspire you in a school room?

Hugs and love ya,

2 CommentsFiled Under: Homeschool Space, Organization Tagged With: schoolroom

Homeschool Organization Storage, Spaces and Learning Places Part 1

May 21, 2013 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I’m sharing homeschool organization storage space and learning places Part 1. Also, look at my page The Dynamics of How to Homeschool Easily and Smarter.

Learning at home presents unique storage needs. We need more book space and spaces used creatively.

If you are wanting to set up a homeschool room or just change it around you find out that ideas that come from playrooms are sometimes too playful, a home office can be too office-y {is that a word} and a craft room is too crafty. 

If we don’t have a school room because we school at the kitchen table and part living room we still need creative spaces for storage.

Homeschool Organization part 1

What I do is take inspiration from all the rooms mentioned above and create a learning space.

I can never get enough tips and ideas for spaces and learning places. I will be rounding up unique finds and then just some ordinary tips as reminders and putting them in a series.

Some tips from a public classroom will work at home and visa versa. Hopefully you can find something that inspires you to use your area to the full. Where possible, if a link  was given, I have linked each image so you can read about the space.

ORGANIZATION TIPS FOR HOMESCHOOL AREAS

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You may recognize this school room from Confessions of a Homeschooler by Erica. What you soon find out is that your kids outgrow those sweet little desks and tables sooner than you realize.

But they are still not tall enough to sit a high kitchen table. A craft table is a great idea because there is tons of room on top and chairs can be adjusted. Look at all that storage by using the center of the room. Do you see that trick? Free the wall to haul in more stuff.

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This honey pine trestle table is ideal as well. The storage baskets under the table work out good. I would take notice of the sharp corners with a toddler that is using the table to pull up like my little ones did.  To me this works good for several preschoolers.  Look at this cool idea for the storage back with writing material . It hooks right beside the desk. Pretty, but something more durable would even be better.

Eclectic Kids design by New York Interior Designer Esther Sadowsky

Now this is one of those rooms that I mean by a play area. But there are several things that can be used. I love the color combinations and use of the chalkboard wall. The whole area is just bright and cheery.

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Johnnia at Giggles, Wiggles and Wonder has a nice laid out school area. The area along one wall utilizes a lot of area for storage. I like the fact that some of it is closed storage. That one built in could easily accommodate two teens or one teen and younger sibling.  Again the colors are bright and cheery .

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This area is so soothing and peaceful I could see an older student cuddling here to read or study. I love the bookshelves too.

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HOMESCHOOL ORGANIZATION

Don’t forget high spaces and out of the way spaces. An over the door organizer turned school storage is what I used when we lived in a cabin that was 800 square feet for 5 of us. Use every inch of space. At the blog bowl full of lemons she lists where she purchased this cute overhead storage and there is one that is hot pink.

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ORGANIZATION FOR HOMESCHOOLED KIDS

Homegrown mom uses the space in her loft. One wall holds a good majority of her books  but she also has closed storage by using the boxes. How do you like the table is turned ? Again it is not against a wall but by coming off the wall unit she utilizes more of the center of her room.

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I love, love this room. It looks like a schoolroom but may be a craft room. But look how the small wall is used and each kid could have their place to study. There is only two sets of drawers but if you used workboxes those drawers could be used for shared supplies. Surround shelves make this room have tons of storage.

Are you going to make changes this summer while school has slowed down some? I am still pondering. Have a picture you want to share of your school room make over?

Switching gears here, I love the fact that our blog is hosted on a website so that when I get a twitch I can change our blog header anytime without completely redoing our website. I updated the blog header, what do you think? Keep it or go back to the other one?

Thinking about convention time, I wanted to share this with you.

By Todd Wilson

Save

2 CommentsFiled Under: Homeschool Space, Organization Tagged With: homeschoolorganization, schoolroom

Ancient Civilization Unit Free Ancient Egypt Minibook

May 21, 2013 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have my free ancient Egypt minibook. Also, look at my page Ancient Civilizations II Free Homeschool Lapbook.

I have updated my unit and my lapbook is now complete.

Don’t you think it takes a while to get a good skeleton or outline of some of the basic empires or civilizations of history?

After that, it is all about adding in the details you enjoy the most. Oh yes, I still have to cover some of the basic accomplishments of each civilization as each kid gets older, but there is always a unique angle to presenting the information the second, third and fourth time around.

I think a lot of us start off doing worksheets or only doing writing, then we evolve into hands-on projects, plays and skits and cooking recipes from that time period.

It is hard to do all the fun things, I think anyway, the first time around in a history cycle because so much time is taken up by learning the basics.

FREE ANCIENT EGYPT MINIBOOK

Don’t exhaust yourself trying to do it all if it is your first time around in a history cycle. Build a solid foundation and there will be plenty of time for enrichment activities like lapbooks or notebooking.

Too, even though history and geography were my favorite courses in school, I still feel like my education lacked in early civilizations.

So I am aware of that as I teach my sons the second and third time around in our history cycle and try to hit some of the main points in my minibooks.

Again, relax and don’t rush learning about important civilizations because their impact even on American History is significant.

Here is the next minibook for the Ancient Civilizations Unit and it about Ancient Egypt. Most of the time, I try to include some information I find with each minibook in case you are short on time.

I know I am not impressed when I am short on time with a bunch of blank mini books to present to my kids.

However, my minibooks are flexible as I explain in the download. If you are doing a more comprehensive unit and this unit is part of their writing, then they can use the minibook to write in their own information.

FREE ANCIENT CIVILIZATION HOMESCHOOL UNIT STUDY

On this minibook though I do include information if you are using your lapbook like we do for enrichment and not interested in testing their writing skills or coloring skills. Just saying.

(One thing I did want to mention to you and that is I try to use fonts that are intended to help your child grow in recognizing cursive.  As a side point, I feel it is important for a child to learn to read cursive because many primary history sources are in cursive. I vary in using part print and part cursive also so that the minibooks are not babyish and can be used for a wider variety of ages.)

On my next post about Ancient Civilizations I will have to share with you how the planning is coming along for the Ancient Civilizations/Great Empires co-op.

I have much to tell you about that too, but hope you enjoyed the post I did yesterday on successful co-ops.

I like this quote today because it reminds me of the lack of candor and humility reflected by some of the ancient civilizations of the past that wanted to highlight only their accomplishments and tout great physical or personal features even if they didn’t exist.

“Half of writing history is hiding the truth”

  ~Joss Whedon~

HOW TO GET THE FREE ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS II LAPBOOK

Now, how to grab the freebie. It’s a subscriber freebie.

1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE.

2) Grab the freebie instantly.

3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

Leave a CommentFiled Under: History Based, My Unit Studies {Free Printables & Hands-on Ideas}

How to Make Celtic Cakes -Recipe for Hands-on History

May 21, 2013 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Your kids will love making this Celtic cakes recipe. So we will be taking our time studying the Ancient Civilization Unit because we have been doing spring cleaning and have been spending time outside.

I finally started doing some spring cleaning around the house. I seem to have a longer list this year so I have a hodgepodge of things going on around here.

How to Make Celtic Cakes -Recipe for Hands-on History

There are so many ancient civilizations to focus on but in going over this with Tiny and Mr. Awesome again, we have been focusing on Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt and Greece so far.

Even though we have covered this before, the older the kids get the more they appreciate about each civilization.

Celtic Cakes Recipe

Also we didn’t really talk too much about the Celts when they were younger other than to appreciate their illuminated manuscripts because there is a lot of paganism associated with the culture.

To be completely objective though, the more in depth you study any civilization you realize that a lot of them have some pagan roots associated somewhere.

Don’t forget to check out Home School In the Woods for hands-on project.

You have to sort through and pick the things like art or influences on our language that made changes, good or otherwise and discard the other things about their culture that focused on pagan things.

We decided to make something in the kitchen this time to start off our study.

The boys looked up some recipes of what they wanted to make or should I say something they thought would taste good.

I love the way they sneak in baking something good to eat and call it history and I could tell when Mr. Awesome showed me the recipe on Celtic cakes that it might taste a little flat and uninspiring but he was insistent on making them because he loves oatmeal cookies.

I think he thought he was making something similar. We have much drama in our house when the boys cook. Every step in the process has to be “attacked”.

How to Make Celtic Cakes -Recipe for Hands-on History

The Celtic cakes were much more like a flat bread that is well, flat.

The boys put some sugar and cinnamon in them too. A little sugar never hurts and after they were baked, they ate them with honey. T

he Celts believed in staying fit; if they ate this, they would.

How to Make Celtic Cakes -Recipe for Hands-on History

The Celt influenced European art and history even though they are probably less talked about in ancient civilizations.

We like to read/talk about some civilizations that are not so well known. At the height of their civilization they stretched from the  Atlantic to Asia Minor, from northern Europe to the Mediterranean Coast.

The Celts were a collection of tribes instead of just one group. The World Book says: The Celts expressed their artistic genius in such arts and crafts as metal work, sculpture, and ceramic pottery. Celtic artists excelled in decorating objects. They used beautiful combinations of curved lines and spirals that were based on natural forms such as plants, animals and birds. Irish monks used these patterns to illuminate (decorate) manuscripts.

I think what we found fascinating in reading about them was that not only did they have an imposing physique because of what they ate but they would mix chalk and water and add to their hair to make them ferocious looking.  It was like plaster-cast hair.

How to Make Celtic Cakes -Recipe for Hands-on History

Here is a statute of a dying Gaul where the warrior’s hair was replicated to look like that.

Interesting enough Hannibal enlisted their help because their appearance  with long mustache and spiked hair struck fear into their enemies. I think we may have to include a minibook about them in our unit.

Today though I have included our minibook on Ancient Mesopotamia. I want to round out our study a little more about that area.

You know how my brain works. I tend to think in terms of “projects” when we do our unit studies.

So I think instead of throwing the lapbook to you all at one time, I will back up and share a minibook or two as we do them or study about them. That way it gives you a chance to work on it if you are doing this unit too.

I know I feel comfortable doing a jillion things at once but I know that can get crazy overwhelming if you are trying to follow along as I do them.

Plus the fact that I just love sharing with you, slowing down the pace a bit allows time for studying this topic over a longer time. There is so much to cover about ancient civilizations.

Be sure to download the Celtic Cakes Recipe and new minibook on Ancient Mesopotamia as we move along through spring in our study of Ancient Civilizations.

Now the Ancient Civilizations II lapbook is completed.

HOW TO GET THE ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS II LAPBOOK

Now, how to grab the freebie. It’s a subscriber freebie.

1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE.

2) Grab the freebie instantly.

3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me

Are you working on some fun hands-on history projects?

Also, read some more fun hands-on history below:

  • Amazing Hands-on History Activities for 14 Ancient Empires (free notebook cover too)
  • Hands-On History: The Rosetta Stone and Breaking The Code
  • Hands-On History: Make a Coat of Arms Activity (Middle Ages History)
  • Fun Hands-On History: Ancient Egyptian Collar Craft
  • Day 1. Ancient Egypt Civilization (Hands-on History): Narmer Crown
  • Day 2. Ancient Mesopotamia (Hands-on History): Cook Sebetu Rolls
  • Free Ancient Egypt Mehen Printable Board Game (Hands-on History)
  • World War II Hands-On History – Make Ration Cakes
  • 15 Hands-on History Ideas for Kids Studying the French and Indian War

Hugs and you know I love ya,

2 CommentsFiled Under: Ancient Civilizations, Geography Based, Hands-On Activities, History Based, My Unit Studies {Free Printables & Hands-on Ideas} Tagged With: ancient civilizations, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, ancientegypt, geography, hands on history, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, history, history resources, homeschoolhistory

5 Days of Tina’s 7 Step DIY Curriculum Planner: Day 2 Academic School Year Pretty Calendars

May 21, 2013 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

The real reason I didn’t want the academic school calendars on the front of the curriculum planner anymore is because now I can add lots more color and different designs since they are a separate page. Mix and match is so much more prettier and unique. Today, I have 3 academic school calendar pages. Too when these pages are not laminated but put close to the front of your planner like right behind the cover, it allows you to circle holidays you want to observe and important days to your family.

These are school calendars only not the school planning calendar pages. There is a big difference. The pages today are for reference and noting important dates. The pages coming tomorrow are for actual school planning.

Remember too my pages are made for year around homeschooling. My pages start with July and end with June. Even if you don’t start school until August or September and end in May that is fine. This is the one you will use. Keeping the form from July to June allows greater flexibility if you decide to start later and end early or vice versa.  Here are 3 color choices for the Academic Year School Calendar.

Download Green Chevron Luv Here.

Download Lemon Luv Here.

Download Red/Orange Luv here.

Here {excuse the font on my website-I am updating and my site goes a bit bonkers as I clean it up} is the calendar page if you want to grab the two page spread appointment keeper and a black/white page of a 2014 or 2015 calendar to use for long range planning purposes. The 2 page spread appointment keeper is toward the front with all of my pages under a tab Calendar. This way, my planning, my calendar for the school year and appointments are all kept together. Any black and white pages for long range planning or calendars for reference I put toward the back of my planner. That is just my preference because I tend to plan for next year at the end of the present year. So that is my planning preference. You may want all those types of pages up close to the front of your planner. You decide.

Tomorrow, I updated the Year Around Planning School Calendars and have those coming! Isn’t this fun? Hitting you with all the forms at one time instead of spreading it out all summer. Plus you never know when I get my wild hair day and have another form I need. It allows me all summer to simmer on it.

Hugs and love, simmering

If you missed Day 1: Free Covers of 5 Days of Tina’s 7 Step DIY Curriculum Planner -  Click below

If  you want to get started now on your curriculum planner for next year, click below to go the main website page.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Homeschool Planner

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