S.H.A.P.E. In a Nutshell
It all started with a small art class in the barn. It has grown into a full day of adventure covering Science, History, Arts, and Phys. Ed for homeschoolers from kindergarten to middle school. We offer a community of certified, experienced teachers who have a love for home education and a dedication to providing a thorough, hands-on education while investing in the overall growth of each individual learner. Our community enjoys family field trips, guest speakers, class picture day, in-house evaluations, mom’s nights, field day, fire safety education, charity projects, and theatrical performances, in addition to the base subjects offered. Our goal is to offer assistance in the journey of homeschooling by giving you a day to breathe and taking some of the pressure off. Each student goes home at the end of the year with a folder of work for each subject to complete your portfolio and endless experiences that can hardly be called “school”.
Registration begins each April based on availability. Please contact us to set up a tour.
Science
Science covers a variety of concepts. Each year we teach through topics which relate to our History time-period. We like to take an inter-displinary approach to subjects, integrating them throughout the day through projects and real-life application. We focus on a love and respect for nature. We do this through journaling and observation during weekly time outdoors. It also includes Past science topics have included Living off the Land, Farming, and Food, Earth and Space, Simple Machines and Engineering, Anatomy and Biology. Some of the projects the students have enjoyed are cooking over a fire, growing seedlings, survival techniques including fire starting, foraging, shelter building, water safety, engineering building projects and experiments, and group simulations.
History
We love living history books! We believe that a love for good literature is the beginning of great adventures. History comes alive at SHAPE though games, projects and simulations . In addition kids engage in read-aloud listening and period appropriate activities and crafts. Each year we focus on a historical time-period. In past years we have enjoying learning about the Colonists to the American Revolution, The beginning of our Country, Louis and Clark, Westward expansion, Civil War, Reconstruction and Immigration, Medieval times, and the Renaissance. Studies includes various cultures, geography of the United States, the states; major events, and the historical journey of our developing country. The kids love being a part of the history they are learning about.
Arts
Everyone is an artist! Our approach to art is to equip children with the tools to express creativity through various media while building up their self-confidence to create. We want to give each student the chance to explore and practice with different materials while learning basic fine art skills and techniques. Pupils explore various famous artists and the Elements of Art though projects using paints, pastels, charcoal, clay, and more. Each week we observe an artist, practice a style or technique, and encourage each other while children share positive feedback on each other’s work. The students look forward to the freedom of expression and the uplifting peer comments accompanying each lesson.
Phys. Ed.
Physical Education can be a little out of the box at SHAPE. We get moving utilizing indoor and outdoor spaces for everything from Capture the Flag to historical games to snow play. Mid-day break is filled with Basketball, Gaga ball, hide and seek, and pick-up games of football or whiffle-ball in the yard. During class we play competitive and team building games in the field such as kickball, relay races, tag, and sharks and minnows, the list goes on. Winter allows us to get creative outdoors with snow play and imaginative exploration in the woods. When outside play is not an option, we move into our indoor space for four corners, four square, dodge ball, relay races, and other games. No matter the season or weather, we make sure to burn off some energy together! Our goal is to train our bodies as well as our minds as we integrate sportsmanship, teamwork, health, and self control into each lesson.
More than just letters
S. H. A. P. E. may stand for the subjects we offer, but there is so much more. Character development is our primary goal. We design our schedule around the emotional needs of children. This encourages friendships to be forged, disagreements to be worked out, and concepts to be digested. Students have ample choice time allotted for play throughout the day to explore personal interests and build meaningful relationships. We utilize the outdoors as much as possible in any weather. However, winter brings the opportunity to slow down a bit inside with board games and STEAM manipulatives, as well as foosball and gym games. We encourage whole-child development through living History literature read-aloud, project engaged learning, growth mindset discussion, and problem-solving cultivation. We seek to SHAPE each other in order to SHAPE the world.