“Hoo’s” for Dinner: Owl Pellet Dissection

Thursday, February 23, 7-8:00 pm

$7/person, Members: $5/person (adults and kids)

Space is limited, call to register: 815-895-9777

It’s almost time for owlets to begin appearing! And we’re celebrating by dissecting owl pellets. Owl pellets are balls of fur and bones that the bird cannot digest and coughs up. We’ll walk through the dissection of pellets and identification of the remains found inside. Each person gets their own pellet. Designed for ages 6+. Special offer: Mention this blog and get one free adult!

Jack Hanna: Into the Wild Live

Sunday, March 11, 2:00 pm

$20 adults, $15 children and students, premium seats available

Show will be held at the Egyptian Theater in DeKalb: 135 North Second Street, Dekalb, IL 60115

Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild Live show features many of his favorite animal friends, as well as fascinating and humorous stories and footage from his adventures around the world. Everyone from the youngest child to the oldest adult will be entertained and inspired. Tickets on sale now: http://www.egyptiantheatre.org/

The Natural History of Coffee

a lecture by Gene Powers

Thursday, March 15, 7-8:00 pm

$4/person, members free, ages high school to adult

Big Run Wolf Ranch

Saturday, March 31, 1-2:30 pm

Ages 8 and up

$10/person (kids and adults), fee includes Museum admission for the day

Member rate: $8/person

Space is limited, reservations required: 815-895-9777

Big Run Wolf Ranch is a non-profit, federally licensed, educational program which specializes in education and conservation of North American wildlife. During their presentation you’ll meet a live coyote, skunk, groundhog, porcupine, and wolf. Space is limited and reservations are required: 815-895-9777. Ages 8+ by request of the presenter.

Safari Sprouts

Wednesday, March 28, 10:15-11:15 am

4^th Wednesdya of every month

Ages 3-5

$8/child (or purchase a 4-class card for $28), adults free

Call 815-895-9777 to register (walk-ins welcome too)

Spend a morning discovering nature at the Museum through games, crafts, stories, and songs, plus a live animal visit each month! Designed for ages 3-5 with an adult.

For more information:

Midwest Museum of Natural History

425 West State St, Sycamore IL 60178

815-895-9777 www.mmnh.org

Tues-Sat, 10-5:00

Sunday 12-5:00

closed Mondays

Last year I heard about an event geared toward K-8th grade students that would help them understand and explore the various worlds of engineering. I had no idea how much we would enjoy this event.

Here’s the info on the event for this year:

Join us for a fun, free, family interactive event with displays and presentations that will excite children about science and engineering. The DuPage Engineers Week Expo includes cryogenic freezing with a few controlled explosions, model airplanes and a wind tunnel exhibit, robots, bicycle power, load testing and destruction, static electricity, levers and pulleys, building molecules and hands-on activities with ZOOM®, Design Squad, LEGO® Robotics, and the DuPage Children’s Museum. See a list the free public events.

You do not have to be an engineer to enjoy the 28th Annual DuPage Area Engineers Week Expo. The Expo is geared toward children in K-8th Grade, however, all ages will enjoy this event!

Details:
When: Saturday, February 25, 2012 from 10:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Where: Illinois Institute of Technology: 201 East Loop Road, Wheaton, IL (Directions)
Cost: Free, and open to the public

Lunch and snack items will be available for purchase as a fundraiser from Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana.

IIT Alumni – Call for information on a special Alumni-only Breakfast!

If you are free and looking for something to keep your kids engaged, I would encourage you to check this out. It was packed last year, but we still managed to navigate our stroller through the hallways somehow. Our whole family enjoyed the event immensely, although our then 8 month old did not like Mr. Freeze’s explosions. If you have seen his show there or elsewhere, you can probably understand why.

Expect parking to be a nightmare, and the building to be crowded, but also prepare for your kids to enjoy themselves and not want to leave. We all learned a lot of new information.  Some displays have kids helping out, but many are staffed by engineers eager to share about their background, their education, the career choice, and their displays. They want to engage your student and help them learn about engineering and the various fields it encompasses.

The program for the event is now available online, so check that out to get a good idea of what to expect from the displays.

Is Evolution True? The Field Museum’s Proof

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

6:45 p.m. — Refreshments

7:00 – 8:30 p.m. — Presentation and Q&A

The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago states unequivocally that evolution is one of the best-proven theories of science. Come and assess for yourself the quality of the evidence that the Field presents to support their view. You may be surprised.

Presented By: Mr. Jim Orme frequently visits the Field Museum, and is the author of “Evolution: Fact or Fiction?,” one of the Field Museum guides on this website. Jim retired after 34 years as a systems analyst and developer for Bell Labs, AT&T and Tellabs. His responsibilities were as varied as the simulation of a spy satellite system, analysis of telecommunications traffic, development of real-time operator systems, and development of domestic and international telecommunication standards. more

Location: 25W560 Geneva Road, Carol Stream, IL

No charge. We also plan to have light refreshements, and a table of resources for sale.

For more information, call 630-702-9061 or email wscmcf@hotmail.com.

We all may be seeking fitness motivation that keeps our New Year’s goals rolling, and while this incentive is for the students, maybe it will help us keep our own plans in line.

Raging Waves Waterpark offers an incentive program that will really get kids moving.

From their site:

Welcome to the 2012 Plunge into Fitness Program

Children Kindergarten through 8th grade are invited to Plunge into Fitness this spring as Raging Waves Waterpark joins the battle against childhood obesity. The fitness initiative runs March 5 through April 30, and each child completing the program requirements during this seven-week period will receive a free Raging Waves full day admission pass.

The Plunge into fitness program requires a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise each day, which totals 25 hours for the seven week period. Any activity that increases heart rate qualifies including: walking, running, biking, playing team sports, skateboarding, swimming, jumping rope and hopscotch. For the duration of the program, each child will complete a fitness log provided by Raging Waves. Once complete, a parent will sign it and the child will turn it into his or her teacher by April 30th. All children kindergarten through 8th grade, including homeschoolers, are encouraged to join this program and earn a free Raging Waves full-day admission pass.

They even have posters to download and all the info right there on their site.  Sign in doesn’t actually start until April 30 when you may use your log in id and password they provide to upload all participating students at once. Everything must be received online only by May 15, 2012.

They say they also give you an opportunity to buy additional tickets for 25% off!

Check out all the details for their Plunge into Fitness program.

There are lots of great free things to do on Martin Luther King Day in Chicago.  Three of the leading museums have free admission on this holiday:

FREE Museum of Science and Industry on MLK Day – Jan 16

Come on out on MLK Day and enjoy the health-focused new “You! The Experience” gallery, and the awesome  “Science Storms.” Science Storms reveals the science behind seven natural phenomena—lightning, fire, tornados, avalanches, tsunamis, sunlight and atoms in motion. Investigate the basic scientific principles behind nature’s power as you try more than 50 amazing experiments that take two floors and 26,000 square feet to contain … barely. It’s a perfect storm of physics, chemistry and curiosity. Also take in the renovated U-505 German submarine, a simulated coal mine and a glass-covered hatchery of chicks. Illinois residents can take advantage of free general admission on Monday, January 16.

Museum of Science and Industry – 773-684-1414
5700 S Lake Shore Dr
msichicago.org
9:30am–4pm.

FREE Shedd Aquarium on MLK Day – Jan 16

The Shedd aquatic galleries are home to creatures from the Waters of the World – rivers and reefs, Great Lakes and small ones, and the global ocean. So take a tour of the water planet. Want to explore a little deeper? Immerse yourself in the Caribbean Reef, Amazon Rising’s flooded forest, the Oceanarium’s Pacific Northwest coast and Wild Reef’s Indo-Pacific reef. Go totally polar in Polar Play Zone and be sure to see Shedd’s aquatic show.   Admission to original exhibits “Waters of the World,” “Caribbean Reef” and “Amazon Rising” is free to Illinois residents on Monday, January 16. Discounts are also available for packages that include entry to exhibits such as “Abbott Oceanarium,” “Wild Reef” and “Polar Play Zone.”

Shedd Aquarium – 312-939-2438
1200 S Lake Shore Dr
sheddaquarium.org
9am–5pm

FREE Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Activities at the Chicago History Museum

Commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through family activities and crafts reflecting his messages of peace and justice. Listen to music that honors Dr. King, and attend a performance of The MLK Project by the Writers’ Theatre.    Cost: Free Admission and includes complimentary Museum admission

Schedule of Events

All day

Kids Crafts with Artist Sue Romanelli

Crown Room, first floor

11:00 a.m.

The MLK Project: Fight for Civil Rights

The Writer’s Theatre

Rubloff Auditorium, 1st floor’

12:30 p.m.
Precious Lord: A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Chicago Chamber ChoirChicago Room, 2nd floor1:45 p.m.
“I have a Dream” speech
Re-enactment by Oba William KingChicago Room, 2nd floor2:00 p.m.
Voices for Freedom
Gwen Hilary, Storyteller and Enoch Williamson, MusicianChicago Room, 2nd floor2:45 p.m.
“I’ve been to the Mountaintop” speech
Re-enactment by Oba William KingChicago Room, 2nd floor

Chicago History Museum – 312-642-4600

10am–3pm
1601 N Clark St

Read more at Free Things to Do in Chicago: http://chicagofree.info/2012/01/14/free-admission-to-chicago-museums-on-martin-luther-king-day/#ixzz1jYCAL8QO



ICHE Ladies’ Midwinter Renewal

II Corinthians 9:8 ”And God is able to bless you abundantly,

so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

When: January 28, 2012

Time: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Cost: $25.00 per person, $50.00 per immediate family

Where:

Aurora Christian School

2255 Sullivan Road

Aurora, Illinois 60506

Tracy is the widow of Christopher Klicka, who was Senior Counsel of Home School Legal Defense Association. Married 21 years, they were blessed with seven children, whom they homeschooled since their birth. Through many trials over the years (including the near-death of their twins during her pregnancy and Chris’ struggles with multiple sclerosis), Tracy has learned firsthand what walking by faith is all about. She has seen over and over again the outpouring of God’s grace in her life, and the precious importance of the Scriptures in sustaining and empowering believers. Her message for moms is one of hope and joy in God, who is able to make all grace abound to us (II Corinthians 9:8). She has written dozens of articles, has been interviewed on both national and international media, and has spoken at numerous state home school conventions to encourage women to see God’s faithfulness as they take him at His Word.

We are planning a special day for you.  It begins at 8:00 a.m. with check in and a coffee time for fellowship followed by speaker sessions at 9:00 a.m.  During the day, you will be challenged in your walk with the Lord, enjoy the blessings of fellowship, and partake of a delicious brunch served by wonderful volunteers.  The last session will be finished by 3:00 p.m.  We want you to be encouraged to trust in the Lord as He leads you down the path He has chosen for you.  Daughters ages 12 and over are encouraged to attend with their mothers.

Invite a friend, and register now at www.iche.org .  The registration deadline is January 21, 2012.  Please be praying for our ICHE Ladies’ Midwinter Renewal and for our speaker, Tracy Klicka.  We are so much looking forward to seeing you later this month.

Blessings,

The ICHE Ladies’ Midwinter Renewal Committee

For more info on this special eclipse, check out space.com

Friday Nov. 25,  $65

More December Events- all Free with admission to the Museum!

• The SciTech Discovery Preschool and SciTech Cafe Ribbon Cutting ceremony. Dec. 1st, the Public is invited. SciTech Discovery Preschool is one of the first S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) based preschools in the country and the first in Illinois. Celebrate its official ribbon cutting along with the new SciTech Cafe!
• Trim the Tree Day Dec. 10th from 10 am – 5pm
• A Day with Santa Dec. 17th from 1-4 pm.
• Winter Break Camps: Two day camps on Dec.27-28 & Dec. 29-30. Ages 6-8 and 9 and up. Choice of 3 camps: Ultimate Predator, Totally Ballistic and SciTech Theatre Workshop! Tons of Scientastic Fun over Winter Break!
• A Family Friendly New Year’s Eve on Dec. 31, from 1-4 pm.

Learn more about SciTech Museum events here.

What: SteveSongs Concert
When: Saturday, November 19
11:00 a.m.
Cost: FREE SHOW!

Where: Wonder!
250 S. Waukegan Rd, Deerfield

Great fun for all ages, but perfect for ages 2-10!

Join Steve on an entertaining and interactive musical journey as he
performs creative songs and stories from his Parents’ Choice Gold
Award Winning releases Marvelous Day and On a Flying Guitar, along
with favorites from PBS Kids and his other popular CDs. Kids can sing,
dance, laugh, and have fun with Steve’s dynamic performance and
engaging songs.

www.stevesongs.com

Find Steve at www.stevesongs.com or at www.facebook.com/stevesongs

Find Wonder! at www.shopwonder.com or at www.facebook.com/wonderstores