The biggest change from our
first grade routine to second grade routine was the addition of work-boxes.
Workboxes do not necessarily mean all the work is independent , just that the twins work at their own pace. The staggering of the subjects enables me to teach one-on-one subjects easily; I can work with one child on Math, while the other is independently reading or drawing.
Calendar & Agenda
Our Agenda & Information for calendar (box 1) is written on a Dry Erase board.
Work-boxes
The first boxes usually stay at the top for both boys, because they have some of our together time subjects (History and Bible). The other subjects move depending on how I need to stagger one-on-one subjects.
We use a
10-Drawer Organizer Cart
, and it works great.
I try to fill the boxes for the following day at the end of each school morning, but sometimes I end up doing it the morning before school. The 5 extra minutes it takes to fill the boxes saves me priceless time and headaches later.
Instead of moving numbers to show which box they have finished, the boys know what box they are on by just keeping their current drawer open. As you can see below, one boy is on box four, and the other on six.
The organizers on top, from Dollar Tree, hold some of the materials they might need throughout the morning. The rest of their materials are in a pencil box at their seat (crayons, markers, pencils, etc). If any subject needs paper, I put it in the box.
Box 1- Calendar
The first box includes Calendar and Days in School pages inside of a plastic (for Dry Erase Markers), printable from
Confessions of a Homeschooler..
Box 2- Bible
The boys practice or copy their memory verse. If they have Awana work, they do it then. Again I used a plastic sheets to make the memory verse sheet in a dry erase page.
 |
| The only downfall of these drawers is they can barely fit a small 1 inch binder. |
Box 3 History
MFW Adventures in US History. We usually do our History together, reading about booked together on the couch before we start workboxes. If there is a student sheet for the day, I put it in the History working. The boys usually do Bible and Calendar at the same time/pace, so we do our student sheets together.
Box 4 English.
Language Lessons for Today, Grade 2. The twins use the same English book, so instead of putting the actual book in their box, I put a dry erase page that tells them what lesson to do, and if they need to do it with me. The boys retrieve their English book from the shelf next to the work-boxes, and work with me if indicated. I also include any materials they may need for that lesson.
Box 5 Break and Snack
Each boy can get a snack and then take a 10 minute break. If you are really goo, you can put a snack in this box. I just have them get one from designated snack cabinet. I love that they have to set their own timer, and get back to work when they are done.
Box 6 Math
We use
Math-U-See DVD curriculum
.
Box 7 Spelling
Spelling by Sound and Structure has a few days of independent work in their workbook, then a test at the end of the week. I included a blank piece of paper at the end of the week in their work box.
Box 8 Reading
Sometimes the boys must read from the book basket, sometimes it is free reading, and sometimes I put a book I want them to try in their box.
Box 9 Activity
This box can vary greatly from day to day. This particular day, one of the boys needed help with some drill practice on top of his regular math page. Recently we added free piano lessons with Hoffman Academy, so it has included a note that says "Piano Practice".
Box 10 Art
At the beginning of the year, we had did all the A-Z "I can Draw" activity pages recommended by My Father's World. Sometimes we use our
'Draw Write Now' Page for Art or Activity, depending on the amount of handwriting they have already done that day. Sometimes Art box is just a blank piece of paper and a note saying "Have fun!"
because I knew I would be using it for 2 full years of art, science, history, and writing practice. In 3rd grade it goes perfectly with 
, and it works great.
is used for calendar. I made all the numbers and dates out of plain white paper. 
. 