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10 Bright Stars
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| Posted: May 31 2008 at 6:37pm | IP Logged
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Hi all,
I didn't know where to post this, so I figured this area gets a lot of traffic. Anyway, each year I set out with high hopes and goals to do all the activities, or even some of the wonderful activities listed in the history books, or science experiments that I am inspired to do (or that are suggested) while lesson planning etc. Then, when the time comes to actually DO the project (I am talking about little kids here, mainly 6-8 year olds for history and maybe older ones for science) I cannot find the scissors or that all important pipe cleaner, or that essential metal tab etc for the project to even begin!! So frustrating!!  I am defeated before I even start.
This year, I thought about making a list of all the things I will need for a certain subject, and then going out and actually physically getting them and putting them in a box and label it so that it will be there when I need it. I am using SOTW, for example, this year with my little girls. I was noticing earlier as I was trying to get a feel for it and trying to come up with lesson plans, that I need paper bags, paint, etc. etc. to do certain things. I don't HAVE paper bags around here or paint in the colors they suggested, and probably not even paint brushes that I can find!!!
How do some of you all go about gathering all of this stuff for all the kids for ALL the subjects throughout the year? I don't get out much, and I try to keep it fairly bare bones around here. I don't have mason jars lying around. I don't have rubber bands even!! (My MIL DOES have stuff like that. Some houses keep stuff, some houses don't. KWIM? She is the one to call if you need litmus paper and sulphfur too!!  ) Anyway, I don't want to spend a lot of $$ on all this stuff in the event that life gets in the way of all the grand plans. How do I put this into perspective, while at the same time, preparing a lot of this in advance so that I can just say, "O.K. girls, today we are going to make your rendition of a cave painting." And BAM! All the stuff is easily accessible and ready to roll. Tips??? Advice??? I am very disorganized and things like this can get me totally discouraged before we even start.
This year I want to produce more physical things so we can SEE what the kids are learning and they can too and have a sense of accomplishment. I want to have my 6 year old daughter make a lot of little lapbook type things, which she seems to really like during Little Flowers, for parts of plants, seed collection, leaf identification, and things like that. I want to have things to "show off" at the end of the year, even if it is just with "us" since we are so used to using a workbook approach with our school in the past. I want a more creative year WITHOUT it becoming financially burdensome or stressful. Is there an organized lady in this area out there that can take me under her wing????? 
I will only have a month off this summer to plan ALL of the school year with ALL of the kids!! (5 in school and 3 to busily occupy.) I already feel panicked since, due to financial considerations this year, I am using a lot of curriculum off of my shelves which means I will have to make up my own curriculum for several of the little children. (They are also using some of Seton's texts and my eldest will be using Kolbe for the first time.) I feel very creative and excited about this "new way" and I want to include more literature, Picture Perfect books etc., but I think I might be planning too much! Anything I can do to "order my environment" is WIN! WIN!! for the whole family. (i.e a much less stressed out mum. 
__________________
Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
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Mackfam
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| Posted: May 31 2008 at 9:16pm | IP Logged
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Kim,
This is a wonderful topic for right now!!! I'm emptying the shelves next week and re-organizing for the next year. So...I'm all ears for new ideas!!
Here's what I do:
I keep 3 large bins up on the shelves. I keep them up high because if items were accessible, they'd be accessed...and the bag of cotton balls I had stored for a cloud would become fluff to stuff a doll pillow. 
One bin has general supplies in it:
pipe cleaners
tissue paper of all colors
origami paper
glitter
glue
regular scissors
fancy edge cutting scissors
cotton balls
yarn in varying colors
wool puff balls
every color of wool felt you can imagine
popsicle sticks in every color and shape
string
Art supplies are kept in their own bin - and I have a particular weakness for beautiful art supplies, so I have a lot. But the children are so attracted to the beautiful markers and beeswax crayons and pencils so I feel validated.
In the last bin I keep labeled ziploc bags for specific crafts during the year. I try to spend the summer planning crafts. I'm not good at prepping a craft on the fly so I try to anticipate over the summer. If I am going to do a craft, it generally revolves around the liturgical year somehow.
I gather my books, make lists noting the specific craft name, date of feast and the book and page number (or online url) the craft idea came from. All of this information gets written onto a ziploc bag with a sharpie. I spend one day shopping at Michael's for everything. If I need some larger, big ticket items I might split up the shopping so I can use the coupon for those items.
I spend a few days dividing up specific supplies and adding them to their pre-labeled bags. Every single project gets a bag! Even if I have to buy an extra large ziploc bag. If I don't get it together over the summer I spend the entire year looking back at Feasts and thinking "Oh, if only I had gotten my act together, I had all of the supplies for that craft scattered here and there and I just didn't remember where."
After projects are "bagged" and labeled, they go in the bin on the shelf and I can make a note in my plans or calendar on the days I have a craft kit made up for.
I'm always looking to tweak my system so I can't wait to see who else replies and what ideas I can glean! 
__________________
Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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CandaceC
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| Posted: May 31 2008 at 9:31pm | IP Logged
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I have 2 girly girls who absolutely LOVE crafts, so this thread has my interest. I will say, however, that I have never tried to plan crafts for a whole year! I am a planner, though. We do mostly literature based unit studies and I have my units planned for the upcoming year...but haven't gotten as far as the crafts. :)
Jennifer, after reading your post, having all the items needed and separated for each craft would make doing crafts SO much more simple...so now you have me thinking!
Do you research crafts at a certain time and jot down what you want to do? Do you keep a running list of crafts that you'd like to do?
My kids color/glue/use markers daily, but I like to plan one "more special" or more involved craft per week. About how many would you all say that you do? Of course around holiday times, we do more than that.
Off to plan some crafts.
__________________
Candace - wife to David since 2000...mommy to Hannah (Feb. 2002), Emily (April 2003) and Caleb (March 2005)
His Mercy Is New
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chrisv664
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| Posted: June 02 2008 at 10:00am | IP Logged
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This is a great thread for this time in the school year. I am so "over" this year and want to revamp our school area for next year! I love the idea of getting the crafts set up in ziploc bags in advance. I tend to fly by the seat of my pants in this area.. sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't! I do have a thing for shopping in dollar stores and Big Lots where I do find all sorts of interesting items that can be used for "something". I usually buy them with nothing in mind and them somewhere down the line it all gets used! One time it was decals of famous sites in France which I tucked away and when we were reading the Madeline books I dug out those decals and they became a little French geography/history lesson.
I tend to be a little haphazard in my craft planning so I am looking forward to more thoughts from some of the more crafty ones among us!
__________________
Chris
Loving Wife of Dan and Mom to Kate, Jessica, Ben,
Rebecca, Thomas and Hannah
Burning The Candle At Both Ends
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Mackfam
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| Posted: June 03 2008 at 10:42am | IP Logged
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CandaceC wrote:
Do you research crafts at a certain time and jot down what you want to do? Do you keep a running list of crafts that you'd like to do?
My kids color/glue/use markers daily, but I like to plan one "more special" or more involved craft per week. About how many would you all say that you do? Of course around holiday times, we do more than that. |
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Candace,
I do not do a craft on a weekly basis. I'm just not that crafty a person. But of course, the children need this kind of opportunity for expression and it brings such a focus to the Feast celebrated, so I try to plan a little. I prefer to craft around the liturgical year, but I know many like to craft with history or science. What I like about crafting around the liturgical year is that once a craft is completed, that masterpiece can be displayed on the family Feast day table (some families call this a family altar.) I know what to do with the craft. I can only fit so many volcanoes on top of my fridge. KWIM?
I try to plan everything in the summer, but occasionally I look ahead on a monthly basis. I get side-tracked easily though, so I always do better to stick with a plan. I keep my limitations in mind when I plan. I know that I'll be overwhelmed easily if I plan too many crafts too close together, so I just don't. However, if I find something that looked really neat or was an interesting idea but don't want to commit to it, I make a note on my calendar or file it in that week's box. If I'm feeling motivated and have the items on hand, I might do the craft.
I do write everything down on my calendar!! That is key so that you can look ahead each week and see what is coming up. Also, if a craft called for a perishable type item I make a note a week ahead in my calendar.
Hmmm...how many crafts do we do? Depends on the year. Last year, next to none.  I was pregnant and sick. That set a real limit! Even on a good year though, I don't do nearly as many as the wonderful ladies here. They are quite an inspiration to me. I might do a couple of really neat ones a month maybe, and then on alternating weeks perhaps a watercolor stained glass image or a collage with treasures collected from the nature walk. Something simple.
HTH. 
__________________
Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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websterm
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| Posted: June 03 2008 at 1:48pm | IP Logged
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Jennifer, I would like you to come to my house and organize my craft/art closet for me! WOW!
I do think I will try the bag idea, what a great idea! Thanks!
Marcia
My Thoughts While Learning
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10 Bright Stars
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| Posted: June 04 2008 at 2:57pm | IP Logged
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I have an idea. Does anyone have a standard "school supplies list" they would mind sharing with the group? I always make a list with crayons, markers, glue sticks, pencils etc, but maybe someone has taken the time to make an exhaustive list they would not mind sharing. My mind seems to go blank when I walk into the store with my skeleton list, thinking I will come up with the rest when I arrive. I know that school districts have school supplies lists availible at the front of Wal-Mart stores for example, but I never paid attention to their lists since I figured they would not necc. translate to the home. Any takers??
Also, thanks for all the great ideas on organizing crafts. I think I will attempt to do this with at least one class at a time. I feel stressed just thinking about trying to find things around this house, but I guess it has to be done.
I happened to visit a VERY organized homeschool mom last night. Ah, her school room was just beautiful, like one I have always dreamed of. AND her pencils were out in cans, (I have to squirrel mine away due to the twins habit of writing on my walls), her two boys books looked brand new. Even her house smelled good. (I always think that mine smells weird.)Anyway, I resolved today to get everything as organized as I am capable of!! Nothing like inspiration to get the ball rolling!!
__________________
Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
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MaryM
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| Posted: June 04 2008 at 3:38pm | IP Logged
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Kim, have you seen this thread from awhile back?
Craft supplies
It has lots of great storage suggestions and links to posts Dawn has done on the topic. It included my "list" of materials/supplies which might be helpful. Just a reminder it is a resource list not a must-haves, but gives an idea of the categories of materials that I think are helpful to have on hand for the reasons you have suggested.
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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Mackfam
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| Posted: June 05 2008 at 7:22pm | IP Logged
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Thank you for posting that old conversation, Mary. I read and bookmarked with glee!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: organizing craft materials for year
