We thought we’d share some pictures of the major items in our classroom at home, and share some links as to where we find some of the pieces. Following that, we’ll give you a quick list of the curriculum we’re using for the first year of school. We have been shopping for months, so we got some decent deals on exactly the items we wanted. That is the key: spend time shopping!

A Tour Of The Room

The major piece (both in size and in money) was, of course, the table and chairs. We looked in person at several, then did some comparison shopping online. We settled on a table by Mahar with a maple-colored top and red trim (as red is the major color in the room). Something of this weight costs a lot in shipping (or, actually, in freight costs), but we got it at a deep enough discount to more than make up for it. We basically got the 2 red Mahar chairs for free with the amount we saved buying online. The table legs had to be put on and adjusted, but it only took about 10-15 minutes to make sure it was all in the correct place.

Next, we needed boxes for a work center. Leah got this idea both from some folks at church and from a homeschooling blog (more about that tomorrow). We liked the colorful nature of these, but the frame is metal, so it is quite solid. We were able to find this system online, too. It required assembly, but only took about 10 minutes to put together.

The red desk was not red when we found it. To be fair, we already had the chair in the kids’ room, so that was free. Leah found the desk at a flea market for $10, and I spray painted it red to match the table. Total cost: about $14, and just the time it took to paint the desk. Leah made sure the desk top was clean before we reassembled this.

The other pieces are ones we already had. First, the dresser is one that my mom bought for me when we moved to Paducah, so it has been with me for some time. We are using it for storage of some extra curriculum materials, as well as for a tabletop to display some books and projects.

The bookshelf has great sentiment in our family, too. The congregation where Leah grew up in Alabama built a new building several years ago. They asked members to get anything they wanted from the old building, and we got this bookshelf from a classroom. We repainted it to match the room, but it’s neat to have that piece of Leah’s past now as part of our classroom for the future!

What classroom would be complete without a reading area? We used a couple of oversized pillows that we’ve had for a long time, and put them under a window. We tried a chair, but it was just too large for the room. For now, this solution–for the time being–for a reading nook.

The computer desk is one we have had for years, and has been in Leah’s family for a long time, too. For our family, it serves as the desk for our computer, as well as general storage (paper, pencils, cards, stamps, etc.), but is needed in the classroom for the display and for printing of certain items. We aren’t including a picture of that side of the room, because it is serving as a “catch all” right now, until we come up with another cabinet for some larger items.

Curriculum Choices

Phonics: Saxon

Math: Saxon

Science and Social Studies: My Father’s World, as well as some other unit studies

Bible: My Father’s World

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That’s our little classroom. Tomorrow, we’ll share some of the reasons we decided to homeschool, as well as some of the steps we took to get ready.