1st Day of 3rd Grade – New Room

We started 3rd grade today. How is it we are starting our 4th year of homeschooling already?!  Along with moving the school room to the dining room I am trying a new system this year, workboxes.  I am not sure how it is going to go over with Kiddo, he was not real enthusiastic on the practice we have been doing the past few weeks, we will see.

The school room is basically done, I have some books from the attic I need to bring down but it is too hot to go up there and sort books!  We have this years current curriculum and books I know we will be using in there for now.  I have a couple of decorations I need to add. I am working on a vinyl saying on canvas and I have ordered a periodic table poster to put up.  To put the school room in the dining room, I tried my best to use only things I had in the house.  I did not want to spend much money.  Overall, I did really well, we borrowed a bookcase from the office and one from our room that is why they don’t match and yes, it is driving me a little batty.  We took the table from the office, built the side table from wood we already had, I cleaned out photo boxes of scrapbook supplies to reuse them.  The only items I bought new were the metal baskets, a few more photo boxes, tin buckets, a can of hammered metal spray paint to paint the metal buckets and supplies to make the 3 tier tray on the table. 





We have a school pet, the small fish tank which has grown into a hobby that is taking over. 

I completely redid my lesson planner for this year. I splurged and bought a Martha Stewart 3 ringer binder and matching accessories from Staples, because it was pretty. I did have a coupon and they were on sale.


I still used DonnaYoung.org to print my lesson planner.  I switched to a 2 page weekly lesson planner since last year I was running out of space to write in. As you can see in my first weekly plans, I ran out of space and need to do some work to get it right.  It always takes me to about the 6 week mark to get the lessons plans down the way I want them to be.  I use Papermate InkJoy pens to color coordinate the planner.

I also set up a file box with printables, copy work and items needed for daily workbox.  I am hoping to have all the worksheets, copy work and other papers needed for the workboxes done weekly and then all I will have to do daily is fill up the workbox for the next day. I hope I can stay that organized. 


Here is what I am using for the workbox. It is one of the 10 drawer roll carts that we already had.

I made some laminated(I love love love my new laminator I bought this summer)  pages for fun time to add to the workboxes so school stays fun and a bit of a surprise some times. LEGO play time, 15 minute free time, Typing Instructor, Kahn Academy, Reading Time, Outside Play, Piano Practice, etc.


I am fairly organized and as ready I am going to get for the new school year.  The curriculum we are using this year can be seen on the right sidebar of the blog.