The Seasonal Dogwood limb

I have had a dogwood limb in my schoolroom since I could remember here is this Springs, Trinity is getting big enough to help me do it.

Rainbows everywhere!  The leaves are tissue paper that I cut long strands like willow leaves and draped them over the limbs.  This is their third year, if you fold them in half and put them in a plastic bag they will keep well.  If they have kinks just iron them.

Its the second year for the folded paper star, I store them between the mattresses.

The rainbow girl was made by a friend of mine for Trinity, I share a swinging song and a photo of her in an earlier post.

Sorry its been very cloudy hear so the picture is not so bright. 

The fairies are about 8 years old, their wool hair is starting to show it. 

The bumble bees are made from folded over pip cleaners and tiny wax paper wings here is the tutorial for them http://kingdom-of-the-sun.blogspot.com/2012/08/these-little-guys-are-fun-and-easy-to.html

The clouds I think are 1 or 2 years old.  They were sewn from felted wool with cotton floss.

 

Lucky the cat sits and watches the bird outside at the bird feeder.  Waiting for the kids to come and do their lessons.

 

How To Stash All The Decorations

Well its time to make the seasonal change once again in the school room...we are saying goodbye for now to the winter tissue paper scene, wax paper folded stars and all the cut snowflakes.  But they all are in great condition and we can get a few more years out of them.
I have tried several ways to store them but nothing works as well as laying them between my mattresses.  Its dark so they don't fade, its flat and the weight of the mattress presses them out looking nice and crisp for next year.  I also keep all my poster board there as well.

As for my mobiles they get hung on a hanger, with a trash bag tied over them and put in the front coat closet where no one go's.  

The rest of the gnomes, fairy's and such get put in plastic bags (I use old bread bags and such) then into a bin in the bottom of the coat closet.  This keeps everything near by and handy and out of a damp basement.

Camping School Room

Often I am asked, "How do you Home School while Camping"


And I Answer, "You build your own School House of course"

This is a Canopy that has walls and screen walls.

With lots of bars and cross bars to attach signs...

And Stars...

Our School Arms (Trinity Made this)....

We have an Owls Nest...

Pumpkins and Witches...

And little people getting ready for Halloween.

We keep our school supplies in plastic bins. And pencils, scissors and what nots on the table in baskets. As the seasons change and our School House changes I will post photos. Maybe I will have better lighting then. Our wish list for our School House is a chalk board, carpet and a good heater.

Winter Nature Table - King Winter

Fall School Room 2010



Our Nature Table

My Seasonal Stuff is kept in the baskets on top...easy access

Having Fun for Halloween

Our decorated fall window

Spring Class Room On Temple St

OK I have finally done it. I know a few of you have been after me to take pictures of my class room and here they are.



The Basket's on top of the shelf's hold all of the seasonal items for the nature table. I have one for each season and then others for seasonal puppets for story telling. This way I have them on hand. When I make something I can just pop it in the basket.

Being surrounded by window's helps to bring the outdoors in and the kids don't feel so shut in.

Even my eldest Son enjoys the fun of the room. They anticipate the change of the season as the room magically changes over night. This is where the handy seasonal baskets make my work easy. I supply the room with simple toys and a basket for my youngest. Where she finds containers with buttons, sewing cards, stamps and trinkets. I change these out every so often.

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The play table makes a great place to set up a story told with figures and puppets. I can lay it all out the night before and cover it with a silk.The anticipation of a new story or an old favorite really inspires them to finish up. And if we need a space to spread out something we are working on it usually winds up here. And makes a great table for a lunch or supper sitting cross legged on the floor.

Seasonal nature tables are the best thing about Steiner inspired teaching . I get to create something new and different with my hand work skills. And stimulate the children into the seasonal changes. It holds such reverence that the children just naturally respect this space as sacred and treat it with the same loving kindness. I have even thought of putting one in my bedroom with all my favorite things of the season.

The chalk board can be a fun place to decorate as well. I draw a seasonal border around it with the month at top. I begin the year with each child's name and grade in the top corners. I also pin up that Months Cheat sheet for circle time. You can see it here written on the heart paper. The wreath above the chalk board was grown and made by us. We planted the Marigolds in 2008 and dried them. Then made a wreath out of them with some moss.

I also decorate a Dogwood tree limb seasonally. Right now it has flower faeries and bumble bees. And I make stars, rose windows and snowflakes for the windows. In the winter I put the room together in the evening and hand snowflake from the ceiling and put white snow faeries in the Dogwood branch. Then I set King winter on his thrown with crystals and candles. And put candles all over the room. I then set the table with a white table cloth and clear Crystal dishes. And make a white finger food meal. It is absolutely beautiful and amazing. Each person (including me) Gets a white stone or crystal. OH I also play Faeries in the Woods CD.

Birds In The Class Room

You can just make out the fuzzy little heads.

We are fortunate to be surrounded by Birds. Actually quite closely! We thought we were lucky when Cardinals made there home right outside the front window but to have one in our class room was amazing.

This nest held three little Carolina Wrens and was built in a basket that held our homemade ropes.

The Mom and Dad took such great care of them and didn't seem to get too upset when we came to visit once a week.

Not long after this picture was taken we got to experience the Babbie's taking there first flight.

We also have there nest sitting on our mantle in the living room to remind us of the special happenings.