Friday, September 24, 2010

Workboxes Part 3 -- The Schedule-Strip-Block-Thingie

Today's post will be quick.  Short and sweet.  Judy. (If you're military, you get it.  If not, just keep on reading.  You life will not change because you don't understand the military lingo!)

The schedule strip.  Or in our case, the schedule-strip-block-thingie.  
Confused?
Yeah, me too.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here:



There.  That's two thousand words.  You should know it all now about the schedule-strip-block-thingie now.
Told ya it'd be a shorty today!
Good bye.

I jest.  I jest! 

As you can see, both children have a schedule strip.  (I know, I know.  It's not a strip!  But that's what we call it.  So that's what I'm calling it here.  Unless you like the excessive use of adjectives then I can stick with calling it the schedule-strip-block-thingie...)  Maybe I'll abbreviate -- shall well call it the SSBT?  Shall we just move on?  Yes, good idea.  Maybe my first this week...

When we begin workboxes, the kids look at their schedules.  If there is an extra activity (The 'Fluff') then they do that.  If there is a blank square, they work on a box.   And they continue on this way through their entire school day.

(Don't let the arrows, flowers, and cars on the SSBT confuse you.  I only did that on the photos to camouflage the names of my kiddos.  They are not on the actual SSBT.)

Each time that a workbox is completed, the number tag off the workbox is stuck onto the schedule strip.  The kids may work on a box or two and then realize that they have something extra on their schedule.  Puzzles, for instance.  They'll go to that "center" and work on whatever I have for them:  Scripture Puzzles, Phonics puzzles, Pattern Blocks, or a "free choice" puzzle which usually has some over-rated Disney character on it.

Basically, the schedule strip keeps them on task.  And, it's a big hit.  The kids will run into the office/classroom each morning and say to each other, "Yeah!  I have computers today."  Or something very similar.  They are both very excited to see what is ahead.

And being the type that likes to plan and likes to know what lies ahead, I totally get it.
Like, totally.

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."  Proverbs 22:6

I have found a wealth of free printables on another blog, Confessions of a Homeschooler, including the schedule boxes featured here.

1 comment:

  1. I LOVE the flowers and cars and think you should put them on the real schedule strips!

    I am getting antsy because I don't have any velcro (AT all!! aaaaahhhh!) until next Tuesday...maybe I can use my gift card for Joann's?

    Anyway, I am looking up schedule strips to see how everyone else is doing them!

    Yours look great!

    ReplyDelete

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