Homeschool binders: earning video game time

In my last post I wrote how I have made binders for the boys for schoolwork, earning video game time, and chores. On the back of their school work page is how they can earn video game time (the one motivator that works with both of them.)

They can earn up to 60 min. a day but can not play until all daily schoolwork and chores are complete. They also must be done playing by 8:30 pm (so they have to start by 7:30.) That way they can have some calm time before bed (9:00 for Josh, with 30 min. read time with me, making his lights out time 9:30. 10:30 for Jason.)

Earning Video Game Time:

You can earn up to 60 min. a day

Wake up to 10:00am – worth 10 min.
take medicine (Jason) _ _ _ _ _
eat breakfast _ _ _ _ _
get dressed _ _ _ _ _
be ready for school by 10am _ _ _ _ _
no arguing or fighting with brother or mom _ _ _ _ _
no unwholesome talk _ _ _ _ _
no hitting or kicking or yelling _ _ _ _ _

10:00am-2:00pm – worth 10 min.
do all school work _ _ _ _ _
no arguing or fighting with brother or mom _ _ _ _ _
no unwholesome talk _ _ _ _ _
no hitting or kicking or yelling _ _ _ _ _

Chore time – worth 10 min.
do all daily chores _ _ _ _ _
no arguing or fighting with brother or mom _ _ _ _ _
no unwholesome talk _ _ _ _ _
no hitting or kicking or yelling _ _ _ _ _

Verse – worth 10 min.
Say weekly verse from memory _ _ _ _ _

Extra chores – worth 20 min. (can do 1 a day)
Hallway _
Back room _
Stairs _
Upstairs hallway _

Homeschool binders: schoolwork

We started school on Friday. This year we are trying a slightly new system. Each child has their own binder. Each week they get a new sheet of what they have to do for school, chores, and to earn video games time.

Jason with his binder (he didn't want his picture taken so he made this face)

Jason's weekly school work

Jason's schoolwork sheet says:
Mon. date __________
Jason, each week by Friday 12:00pm you must have done:

*Bible:
Read 30 min. daily (120 min. total), and write what pages you read _ _ _ _
Do 1 devotion daily (4 total for week) _ _ _ _
Write 1 verse daily (4 a week) _ _ _ _

*Journal:
Write 7 sentences daily in your journal. Must be neat, check spelling, and punctuation.
_ _ _ _

Pre-Algebra:
You must have all lessons for week plus test done _ _ _ _ _ _ test _

*History:
Mon.-read chap. __ _
Tues.- do test questions _
Wed.-listen to chap. on cd _
Thur.- activity pages _

Reading:
Read ______________________ _
Do report on book _

Writing:
Assignments for class _

*Science:
Tues.-read chapter __ in book _
Wed.-do activity pages in book
Thur.-project
Everyday-moon observation _ _ _ _ _ _ _

* must do everyday, all else just have done by Fri. at 12pm


Josh with his binder

Joshua's weekly school work

Josh's schoolwork sheet says:
Mon. date __________
Joshua, each week by Friday 12pm you must have done:

*Bible:
Read 15 min. daily (60 min. total), and write what pages you read _ _ _ _
Do 1 devotion daily (4 total for week) _ _ _ _
Write 1 verse daily (4 a week) _ _ _ _

*Journal:
Write 3 sentences daily in your journal. Must be neat, check spelling, and punctuation. _ _ _ _

Math:
You must have all lessons for week plus test done _ _ _ _ _ _ test _

*History:
Mon.-read chapter __ _
Tues.-do test questions _
Wed. –listen to chapter on cd _
Thur. –activity pages in book_

Language Arts:
First Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind _ _ _ _

Spelling _ _ _ _ _

Reading:
Read ______________________ _
Do report on book _

Map _ _

*Science:
Tues.-read chapter __ in book _
Wed.-do activity pages in book
Thur.-project
Everyday-moon observation _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Practice guitar 10 min _ _ _ _


* must do everyday, all else just have done by Fri. at 12pm


So far they have done most of their stuff as you can see by all the check marks.
These sheets help the boys stay on schedule and also will serve as records of what we did all year.

In my next post I will show the other pages of their binders.

-Becky

Yard Work

Three hours of yard work and we still only did about 1/4th of what needs to be done.

We still have to:

-mow half the yard
-weed whack front yard around decorative stones
-weed whack edges of side yard (it is a slight hill and can't use mower there)
-weed whack entire back yard in front of neighbors fence
-cut huge pile of limbs into three feet pieces, bundle with rope, put to curb (these fell in storm)

I can do all of the above, except the last stuff as we have no way to cut the limbs, unless we use Josh's hand saw which should take about 8 years that way.

A bonus of today is that I discovered in my garden (that produced almost no produce this summer) there are green tomatoes, a few green peppers, and 2 white eggplant. At least my garden was not a total bust this year.

Another bonus is that yard work is good exercise.

Now off to empty out homeschool closet and organize it to fit this year's progress, and cook dinner for my sister who is coming over at 6.

-Becky

First Day of School

Today we officially started school again.

We started our day with:

opening up back to school presents (a hammer, a nail clipper, new t-shirt, a bendy book light, a new journal, and dye free cotton candy.)

opening up back to school presents (a hammer, a nail clipper, new t-shirt, a bendy book light, a new journal, and dye free cotton candy.)

Then we wrote verses and journal entries about the summer:

Josh writing in new journal

Jason writing in new journal

We also had some outside time:


Joshua first day of third grade

Jason first day of 8th grade

too cool for school

back to school sentiments

-Becky

Bills and debt

Currently all my household and regular bills are caught up and / or paid in full.

My Kohl's charge is paid off and my Mastercard is at $200. Praise the Lord!

My current debt:

$120,000 (about) Mortgage
$217 owe dentist (which I may put on charge so they are at least paid)
$140 Mastercard

I also need another $500 by mid Oct. to pay my home insurance. It is due annually and the bill is $1,200.

How are your monthly bills? Debt?

-Becky

Declutter Update

I have a goal to declutter 365 items in 2011.

My rules are it only counts if I give it away, not throw it away or sell it; and the item must have been in my house before 2011 began; oh and if an item goes out to replace something that just came in it also does not count.

Basically I want to actually have 365 less items in my home by the end of the year.

As of Sept. 1st I was at 290 items. Since then I have given away 1 pair of boots, 10 pairs of too small pants, 6 books / old curriculum stuff, 6 pairs too small shorts, and 2 too small bathing suits. That is 25 more items.

My new total is 315 items given away in 2011.

It feels good to have less stuff.

-Becky

So blessed

I just went in my shed. I found for fall for boys:

Jason:
5 pairs size 16 jeans (his waist is 14, but he wears 16 for length)
2 men's size small sweatshirts
3 men's size small dress shirts
6 men's size small long sleeve shirts / thermals
2 men's small nicer shirts (look sort of like thin sweaters)

Joshua:
12 pairs size 10 or 12 jeans / pants / khaki's
2 pairs church pants
2 medium sweatshirts
12 medium long sleeve shirts
2 medium nice dress shirts

Jason has two pairs of shoes that fit. Josh has one.

We are so blessed, all the items in the shed were hand me downs, but some of the stuff still has tags (the other person didn't wear.)

Stuff we will still need to get through to spring:

Jason:
pj's (he has none that fit)
winter coat (boys size 18 or men's small)
snow pants (boys size 16 or 18)
snow boots (men's size 8)

Joshua:
another pair sneakers

I also have to go through all the socks and underwear to see if they need any of these.

I feel so blessed that we have to get very little clothes to make it through to spring. And I have a $10 coupon, $7.50 merchandise credit, plus 15% off for Kohl's that I hope to use for Josh's second pair of shoes.

God is so good to us!

-Becky