I’ve been loving the idea of Sue Patrick’s Workbox System. Well, it’s actually Sue’s system tweeked for Parker’s needs.
What I’m going to share with you today is just the tip of the iceberg as to how we incorporate this into our daily homeschooling. I’ll have lots more to share as our school year goes on.
We don’t have a homeschooling room. We use our dining room. Lovely, no? sigh.
Oh, well, this will just have to do until the Prize Patrol figures out where we live.
I’m using Rubbermaid totes for the actual workboxes. This is necessary to keep a certain little someone out of stuff. ahem.
(I’ve have pictures for each item that we put into Pakrer’s boxes. One picture goes on Parker’s daily board, the matching picture on the top of the corresponding box. I’ll show you more about this in a later post.)
Parker knows the sign for ‘workboxes.’ He loves opening his boxes to find activities such as:
Activities that review what we covered the previous week. Last week our unit of study was Getting Dressed.
Sorting activities. October is a great month for black, orange and white!
Finger plays that go along with our unit of study. This week is pumpkins! This makes for great opportunities to introduce new signs to our Brave Hero.
New signs for this finger play include: witch, pumpkin, fence, bat, wind and moon.
This week’s shape is the rectangle.
Tomorrow Parker will paint his paper plate orange, and then glue the orange rectangles on. Even the pumpkin’s stem is a rectangle! Then we will wrap a green pipe cleaner around the stem for the vine. (Okay, so the rectangles are more of a burnt orange color. I really need to get to the craft store and stock up on some new colors.)
I spent a lot of time this summer putting together a curriculum for Parker. I’ll also be including some GREAT lesson plans from The Itty Bitty Bookworm. I can’t say enough good things about their literature based curriculum.
I put new activities in each box every day except for the review box. The review box stays the same.
Some days the boxes may have shape or color related activities. Others letter or number related.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Very cool honey!
This is just wonderful Tammy!! I bet Parker just loves it too
I hope you show the pumpkin he makes!!
Hugs,
Amy
You are SO organized! I’m in awe.
Hey Tammy, (or any of tammys readers)
I have a question for ya! At Anthonys (my 4 year old nephew with partial trisomy 16–non verbal, learning sign…just to name a few thigns) preK conference yesterday, his teacher suggested sending in some “weighted” pencisl and also a special pencil grip that would let his fingers know where to “hold”. The suggestion was for a few reason…one being the low muscle tone, two being so he can learn how to hold the pencil, and thirdly to strengthen his hands to help him actually form signs. (he does pretty well, but now that he’s learning the alphabet, things are kind of discombobulated).
I thought maybe with all your homeschooling research you might be able to send me in the right direction! WE have no place locally (Texas) that carries anything like that so i’m thinking we will have to order it off the great www!
Thanks,
Tiffany
tiffintexas@gibbsplace.us
You AMAZE me!!! Parker is so lucky to have you (well, I know you are lucky too).
Impressive!!! So jealous – but I love it!!!! Can you come organize my school room
p.s. our school room is actually our living room – so we can sooo relate to your school/dining room
Hi. My name is Sherry White. I am a special education teacher that works with student with multiple disabilities. I teach both academics and lifeskills. I recieved your email from my former director. She said what you are doing reminded her of how I organize task for both direct instruction and independent work skills. I use shoe boxes. They are everywhere in my resource room, as well as in the classroom, and I even send them home for homework. I began this field coming from the Army as a mechanic and adopting two children once failure to thrive. My 800 squ ft house at the time was just like yours. Schedules, charts, and boxes were everywhere. I would love to here more about what you are doing. I’d also be happy to share ideas and resources if you ever need them.
Sherry White
SMD Teacher/Consultant
USD 379/TLEC
love your workboxes. we are doing workboxes this year too and love it. Like you, I adapted them for Noah.