Friday, January 30, 2009

Off to the Ancient Americas

Well, this week and next we're off to the Ancient Americas---studying the Inuits, Mound Builders, Cliff Dwellers, and the Maya (even though they're not as "ancient") . Finally bit the bullet and bought a rolling pin----really need one for all of those cookie dough maps that we're making! I think this next week we'll try our hand at weaving and gourd rattles. Also made blogs for the kids. They get to do a little writing most days in a fun way that they don't mind keeping up with. Always trying to find fun ways to improve those writing skills!

I'll post our pics of the Ancient Americas and our weaving project late next week. Have a great weekend everyone!

Love
Sharon

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Our Schoolroom, Part 2

Ya'll TLTers had so many great suggestions, I couldn't fit them on one post!!!


I was having a hard time finding wall space for a world map. Our schoolroom is in our dining room, and it's all archways and windows. So, I found this awesome world map shower curtain at Target. Gotta love it. Now we even have school in the bathroom!

Some more artwork---and posters----we have posters of the 10 Commandments, Names of God, and the Trinity covering every possible wall.

By the way, that skeleton picture of Big Brother's was done when he was in public school and was chosen from all of his school to be in the Gifts of Gold display downtown. It was a great honor for him. You can tell that he was at my side as I was studying anatomy and physiology in nursing school!
Love the rocking chair----use it for read aloud time whenever I can.


I have book shelves on every wall that doesn't have posters. These are $30.00 specials from Target that I assembled myself. I figure I'll get my $90.00 worth even if they don't last forever! And I have some "fill room" on them-----Must Buy Books!!!!

Anyway, thank you all for all of your suggestions. They really helped and our "apartment-sized" school room has all that we could hope for, and we were able to do it pretty cheaply. Couldn't have done it without you TLT guys though!


Love,
Sharon

Our Schoolroom Part 1

Right after the TLT birthday party in May, I got busy on the loop and I posted a request for everyone's suggestions for things that they couldn't live without in their schoolroom and what they thought was a waste of time. Overwhelmingly, everyone said "you need bookshelves!" Well, this post and the next one are going to be pictures of how our schoolroom ended up, thanks to your suggestions. Took me a while to get it the way I wanted it, but now we love it.

Thought I'd start with a bit of artwork that we have displayed. Can you tell we're studying bugs?


the top one is Littlebit, and the bottom one Big Brother----



I have lots of book shelves, and the green bins are full of art supplies. The pillow is for lounging on the floor at reading time. I also have nails along the top edge of the bookshelf and I hang my white board there. When it's not in use, it goes beind the bookshelf.


Don't blink----the desks are actually clean!



Just because I couldn't fit all my pics in here, there will be a part 2 to this post.

Thank you, thank you, thank you all for your wonderful suggestions!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

What a fun day!

Well, we had a great day of PE and home ec today---sledding, snowman, and s'mores---what could be better! What a blessing. It has been so long since we've seen snow. The kids had a blast sledding (both on sleds and on their tummies!)








7 inches of snow in Raleigh-----boy it's been a while since we've seen that! We all had so much fun!

Love,
Sharon

SNOW DAY!

Well, it is snowing for real today. Littlebit woke me up at 4AM (yes you read that right) to let me know that it had snowed and she couldn't sleep. She climbed into my bed and I went back to sleep. She woke me up again at 6:15 to ask if it was OK for her to go outside and play. I answered with a resounding "you've got to be kidding me!" Finally at 7AM, Littlebit and Big Brother went outside and played and played and played. Inside to put all their clothes in the dryer and warm up for a bit, and we're headed back out in a few minutes to play some more. I'll post more later today, and I'll try to post some pictures too. It's still coming down hard right now. Gotta love the snow. I think school won't start today until later this afternoon afther the kids are too tired to play any more!