Daily Structure
This is an example of what many of our days look like at Beacon Homeschool Co-op & Microschool. Although we typically follow a layout similar to this, we also enjoy building our days around the weather, lengthening activities and conversations that pique students' interests, and pivoting or switching gears when the energy or weather require it!
Welcome and Morning Work
9:00AM - 9:30AM
Students arrive at Beacon, take off shoes, and sit in our front of school table space to do their morning work. This is homeschool work, reading, or other assignments they bring from home to work on independently.
Morning Meeting
9:30AM - 10:15AM
Morning meeting sets the tone for the day! We have daily journal prompts, read aloud chapters from our quarterly novel while students color and doodle, yoga or movement time, and have a snack.
Literacy Project
10:15AM - 11:00AM
This is often an art, STEM, building, or geography project based on the current quarterly novel. Examples of these projects include a math-based color by number, making a diorama of animal habitats, a yarn sewing project, and messy sensory art.
Outdoor or Movement Time
11:00AM - 12:00PM
We utilize the close by playgrounds, paved Woodlake paths, and large grassy areas to have social time, supervised free play, or work on nature projects.
Lunch
12:00PM - 12:30PM
Students bring their lunches from home and sit in our large table, front classroom space to socialize, eat, and learn appropriate dining etiquette, such as appropriate volume, independence with cleaning their space after they eat, and talking about the different foods they bring from home.
Learning Focus Time
12:30PM - 1:00PM
During our learning focus time, we explore unit studies based on geography, art, science, or STEM topics. We have used this time to learn about different artists in history and recreate their art styles, discuss regional geography and do art projects based on different states, and learn practical life skills by learning about money circulation. We even did had a tour of the Federal Reserve in Richmond after our money circulation unit!
Small Group Exploratory Room Time
1:00PM - 1:45PM
We have a variety of smaller, exploratory activity rooms at Beacon. Students choose daily from: Building Room, Science Room, Social Studies Room, Movement Room, STEM Lab, Coloring and Crafts, Library, and the Quiet Room. This allows students an opportunity to play, socialize, and learn in smaller groups of 2-4 and explore a wide variety of sensory, educational, and creative options.
Cleaning and Personal Responsibility
1:45PM - 2:00PM
Students actively participate in keeping Beacon clean, organized, and functional. Jobs are rotated, including: vacuuming, spraying and wiping tables, organizing the library, sweeping under the tables, and more. Beacon students take ownership of their space and get ready for pick up once the whole group is done with clean up!
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