Once a week subjects – need new plan

TailorMade-

I love how you have tied it all to a nature theme. Wonderful. I am also of the thought that less is more. It has only taken me years to figure that out!!

How we fit the “extras” into our day and week…

Picture study, simply display the print/calendar page on a cookbook stand (I set it out Sunday nite so it’s like a surprise Monday morning) of our artist of choice for the term. Last year also tried to cram in too much so I was changing it every week doing 2 artists a term. This year, for most terms, there will be 6 pictures set out for 2 wks. And I try to find a picture book about the artist and read it one day.

Music study, play a cd or online selection of our single composer per term, for a while when we do crafts, baking, art, playdough, legos in the afternoons after they’ve been playing outside for awhile. Try to find a picture book on composer or audio cd like Classical Composers for Kids one time. In the summers, I have all the cd’s out so they can pick and listen as they like to.

Poetry, well I love to read it out loud, and so will often pick one to read at lunchtime or before quiet time in the afternoon with snack, only takes a couple minutes.

Art – on bad weather days we all work on a handicraft/hobby of choice or one together (they often join me in my hobbies/crafts like papermaking, soapmaking, card making, gardening as they have interest/ability). They have a couple baskets of craft supplies, recyclables that they do their own crafts with whenever they like. Once a week, I try and have them pick something to draw in nature notebook (or tape in, rubbing, take a picture and print and tape in etc.), and pick one art medium to work with: painting, drawing, playdough/clay, chalk, etc. once a week after lunch one day (or whenever the mood strikes us).