workboxing our style

We're using (and loving) the IKEA Trofast system for our workbox set up.

Toby (the 4th Grader) owns the green boxes.  Because there are only six drawers I double up subjects in each box. 

We've been using ACE for Science this year.  I've heard others poo-poo ACE as not rich enough.  It always makes me smile.  I graduated from an all ACE Christian School (from 4th -12th grades) and went on to do well in both college and my career (when I was running the rat race).  I like how Scripture is incorporated into each workbook.  I like the student paced learning.  I like the colorful pictures and we both like the little character building comic strips.  

I may use it again.  Next year's choices are still being hashed out.


His Saxon Math wasn't in the drawer.  I'd pulled it out because I knew we'd be working on it together.  He's such a lazy bum praise appreciator!  When I "hold his hand" through the lesson he makes zilcho mistakes with zilcho help.  When I have him work on his own...I'm rewarded with writer's cramp during the grading process!  I was worried that maybe he wasn't getting the concepts.  He totally understands this stuff.  He just likes mommy time.      

Language Arts is computer based this year.  I'm using Monarch by AOP.  Not a big fan for this particular subject.  

We also joined a Post Card Swap!  Um, actually, I just spent 30 minutes working on our first postcard to be sent out.  Am I the only one whose 4th Grader loathes writing of any kind?!  We were just this side of tears over it!  And a postcard is ,like, what?  4 sentences?  Sheesh! 

Piano (I'm so jealous of his naturally perfect timing) and Reading.  He's digging The Silver Chair so much that he asked if he could finish the chapter even though his time was up!  Which was nice.  Cause Reading isn't typically a fave subject either.  

::smile::

Language Skills.  I had to purchase a worksheet book to help supplement the Monarch program. 

And lastly, we're studying Rhode Island more in depth this month.  I checked a bunch of books out of our library.  My personal favorite is the one on top.  If you're going to be traveling anywhere, I would definitely recommend buying one of these books!  They're great!  Click here to see for yourself. 

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The K-ster has the middle row of drawers.  Although Bri-bee isn't homeschooled this year, I'm still using workboxes with her in preparation for next year. 

She's also taking piano lessons.  She started off so strong that I thought she just might be a prodigy.  But, alas, as goes most things with her...the interest faded fast.  Now it's like pulling teeth to get her to practice.  

Who knew being a mommy could be relate-able to dentistry?!  

::sigh::

A handful of Math-ish things for us to work on together. 

I adore her little reading box that they created in school. 

It's filled up with all kinds of little books that she made herself.  Most of them were downloaded and printed off of ABCTeach.com. 

She's doing so wonderful at reading that we took a special trip to Barnes & Nobel.  I let her pick out the phonics kit of her choice.  She's in loooove with Biscuit!

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Trevy (the Pre-K-ster) also has workboxes.  

He attends a special class and receives gobs of special therapies.  Cause he's a pretty special kiddo! 

But that doesn't let me off the mommy-hook.  

::smile::

We have lots of things to work on at home.  Like his PECS communication system.  He is significantly speech delayed.  He just turned 4, but his speech (both what he understands and what he says) is functionally around 2.1 years.  Not bad for a little guy missing the Speech portion of his brain!   PECS is just one of the many tools we use to help saturate him with language. 

The two key concepts we're working on are: 

I want (fill in the blank) 

and

First (work of some kind) Then (play, snack or activity of his choice) 

He's really seeming to grasp both ideas and doing wonderful using them to communicate!

Trevor's motor skills have always been his strong point.  But as a direct result of his radical brain surgery he has significant right sided weakness.  This is a little activity with a resistance band to help strengthen his little muscles. 

I wish I could take credit for the Fishy game above.  One of his therapists created it just for him!  She even cut, colored and laminated all the fishies!  Each Fish has a different command like:  Jump, Give Hi-Five, Make a Silly Face.  We take turns choosing a Fishy and then everyone does the action together.  It's SO fun that he'll bring them to me even when we're not working! 

And that's how we're workboxing this week!  I'd love to check out your workbox style!