Let the party begin!

If you aren’t stopping in from the blog party, just a word of explanation — every year the great ladies over at 5 minutes for Mom host a party just for bloggers and their groupies. We all get to stand up and tell a little about ourselves and invite everyone into our corner of the world for a little look-see. So, if you already know, and hopefully love, this site, you won’t find much new in this post, but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep reading if you want to . . .

However, if you are stopping by from the Ultimate Blog Party, I want to extend a warm welcome to my little home on the web made especially for all those Chicagoland area homeschoolers. We are still working on thawing out, still scraping windows on our cars, still yearning for that first spring flower. But, we are also still doing school and loving it.

The Chicago area is packed with ideas and opportunities for homeschoolers. I have poured hours of free time over the last couple years into helping these events get a little more notice and become a little more findable to area homeschoolers. I do occasionally blog about my life as a homeschooler, various fun stuff I find on the web for homeschoolers, tips I have learned in the 9 years since we started kindergarten with our oldest, and practical balancing act advice. About half of the posts that I write are geared toward Chicago area residents since that is where I call home.

Little snippets about me in no particular order — Homeschooler, Christ follower, happily married, mom x6, page turner, nose wiper, baby snuggler, support group leader, and forever a learner.

Hope you can stay a while and find something worth your time. I’ve got reviews, favorite websites, and lots of tips on what to see and do in the Chicago area, especially from the educational angle.

Free Educator Screening

Free Educator Screening

Born to Be Wild IMAX 3D

Teachers! You and one (1) guest are invited to a Free Educator Screening of Born to be Wild IMAX 3D Additional guests will be charged $8.50 for children, $9.50 for seniors and $11.50 for adults.

Date: Friday April 8, 2011

Time: 4:30pm (please arrive a half hour prior to showtime to check-in and register)

Place: Randall 15 IMAX – 550 N. Randall Rd. Batavia, IL 60510 Get Map

RSVP: Email or Call 630-659-6762. RSVP by noon on Thursday April 7. IMPORTANT – Please leave us your first and last name, school name, theater, email address, and number of people attending. If registering via email, you will receive an email confirmation. If registering via phone, you will not receive a phone call to confirm your space.

Born to Be Wild: An IMAX 3D Experience

Born to be Wild 3D is an inspired story of love, dedication and the remarkable bond between humans and animals. This film documents orphaned orangutans and elephants and the extraordinary people who rescue and raise them-saving endangered species one life at a time. Stunningly captured in IMAX 3D, a heartwarming adventure transporting moviegoers into the lush rainforests of Borneo with world-renowned primatologist Dr. Birute Galdikas, and across the rugged Kenyan savannah with celebrated elephant authority Dame Daphne Sheldrick, as they and their team rescue, rehabilitate and return these incredible animals back to the wild. Narrated by Academy-Award winner Morgan Freeman. Website Educator Guide Educator Microsite Featurette Trailer

Free Webinar from BrainPop

Teachers – visit BrainPOP for an educator webinar titled “Using a Multimedia Approach to Teach Earth Awareness.” The webinar is taking place at 3:30pm PST/6:30pm EST next Wednesday, March 30^th. Educators who RSVP to http://imaxbp.eventbrite.com/ will learn about all of the extraordinary online and free resources for Born to be Wild.

Visit our website for more information on IMAX and Teacher Resources at www.GQTIMAX.com

More SciTech happenings

Here’s the latest that came via email:

This week only! Special Spring Break Hours!

Still thinking of things to do over Spring Break?
SciTech has extended hours this week only starting Monday 3/28:
Mon-Friday: 10 am - 5 pm
Saturday: 10 am - 5 pm
Sunday: 12 noon - 5 pm

Don't forget we have a TON of activities available over Spring Break!

1. Two Day Mini Science Camps: We have a few slots available for last minute registration in
our Two Day Science Camps: Hours are 9 am- 3pm. Before and after care is available.
Brochures are available on our website: www.scitechmuseum.org.

3/28 and 3/29 (Monday and Tuesday):
Arrive just before 9 am on Monday 3/28. There are limited slots available for

Kitchen Chemistry, Pirate's Treasure and (almost full) Totally Ballistic.

3/31 and 4/1 (Thursday and Friday):
Only Totally Ballistic has openings available.

If you have a group of eight or more children,
there is still time to open another two day camp starting on the 31st.
Choose from Kitchen Chemistry or Pirate's Treasure.
We would need to know by Monday 3/28 if you wish to open a camp.
email: customercare@scitechmuseum.org or call 630-859-3434 ext. 218.

2. The Great Egg Drop Contest at SciTech: Wednesday March 30th
Its time for kids to show off their Scientific Stuff and participate in the Great Egg Drop Contest at SciTech Museum.

10 am- 12 Noon: Material Tables will open up and children will engineer and create housing for their eggs to
compete in a contest to see which egg survives the drop from our Mezzanine!

At 12 noon- Egg Drop! <
/b>Regular admission is all you need to participate in the Egg Drop.

3. Kids can enjoy Spring Break at SciTech with over 200 Interactive Hands on Exhibits:

You don't need to participate in the organized activities at SciTech, just c'mon out and
let the kids learn, engage and explore SciTech's fun interactive exhibits. Regular
admission can get you a whole day of "Scientastic" Fun!!

We look forward to seeing you over Spring Break!

Best Regards,

The SciTech Museum Team.

Upcoming Creation Speakers


	Saturday, March 26, 2011, 9:00 am \| 10:30 am \| 1:00 pm \| 2:30 pm Dr. Jonathan Sarfati of Creation Ministries International Grace Free Lutheran Church, 1121 S First Street, Dekalb 60115. (IL) This is part of Dr. Sarfati’s Evolution: The Greatest Hoax on Earth tour
	Sunday, March 27, 2011, 9:30 am \| 10:30 am Dr. Jonathan Sarfati of Creation Ministries International *Design, Deluge and Dilemma* (pdf 5.5″ x 8.5″ flyer) and (pdf 11″ x 17″ poster) Grace Free Lutheran Church, 1121 S First Street, Dekalb, IL This is part of Dr. Sarfati’s Evolution: The Greatest Hoax on Earth tour
	Sunday, March 27, 2011, 7:00 pm Dr. Jonathan Sarfati of Creation Ministries International Topic TBA Church of Christian Liberty, 502 West Euclid Avenue, Arlington Heights, IL This is part of Dr. Sarfati’s Evolution: The Greatest Hoax on Earth tour
	April 1, 2011 Illinois Regional [homeschool Science Fair Rockford Radisson, 202 Bellschool Rd, Rockford, IL Homeschoolers! Here’s YOUR chance to participate in a real, regional science fair! Bonus: afternoon seminar will include MCF’s own Walt Sivertsen speaking on “The Heart and Core of the Creation/Evolution Issue” and Jim Ryan speaking on “Astronomy and the Glory of God.”
	Tuesday, April 5, 2011, 7:00 p.m. Richard Stepanek of the Alpha Omega Institute Astronomy and the Glory of God Hampton Inn, Carol Stream, IL No cost. Freewill offering accepted.
	Tuesday, May 3, 7:00 p.m. and Michael Oard of Creation Ministries International Ice Age Caused by the Flood Hampton Inn, 205 W. North Avenue, Carol Stream, IL What could have caused snow to remain year-round for so long that it built up into glaciers up to *2 miles deep,* on up to 30 per cent of earth’s surface? What happened to those millions of mammoths who are now found frozen in permafrost? No cost. Freewill offering accepted. You can see a full list of scheduled speakers on Midwest Creation Fellowship’s site.

Sci Tech activities

It’s Raining Eggs at SciTech Museum!

It’s No Yolk! Over Spring Break on Wednesday, March 30th SciTech is going to have its

SciTech Egg Drop Contest!

Children will Engineer and Create housing for their eggs to compete in a contest to see which egg survives the D-R-O-P from our Mezzanine.
How do you say SPLAT?– or can the Kids keep their eggs intact?!

At 10-12 Noon the Egg Engineering Material Tables will open.
At 12 Noon will be the EGG DROP!

Regular Admission lets you in on the FUN!
General Admission: $8
Adults 60 and over $7
Kids 3 and under FREE!

Don’t forget, SciTech has two day Spring Break Camps the same week on
March 28 & 29 and March 31 & April 1!
Hurry! Only 20 kids per class, Camps are close to full!
Sign up Now!

Totally Ballistic
Pirate’s Treasure
Kitchen Chemistry

(Please call to register for the Science Camps- 630-859-3434 ext. 218)

We look forward to seeing you over Spring Break!

Best Regards,

The SciTech Team

SciTech Hands On Museum
18 West Benton St
Aurora, IL 60506

Book sale and co-op open house

Straight from Homeschool University:

Homeschool University

invites you to their

OPEN HOUSE

Tuesday and Thursday, March 15th & 17th

Stop in anytime during the school day and visit.

Book Sale, Bake Sale from 9:30-2:00 p.m.

New Parent Meeting Tues, March 15th from 2:30-3:30 – Room 209

for directions and more info please refer to website.

Please feel free to pass this invite along to other homeschoolers and homeschool groups.

Administration

Homeschool University

They meet at:

Community Fellowship Church
28 W 240 North Ave.
West Chicago, Illinois

The main entrance is on St. Charles Road.

www.homeschooluniversity.org

Homeschooling and other Public school alternatives

Monthly Meeting- Public School Alternatives

Date: Tuesday, March 8th

Time: 6:30 – 8:30pm

Location: Homefirst Health Services, 2000 Golf Road, Rolling Meadows 60008

Topic- Public School Alternatives – Homeschooling, Unschooling, Montessori, Waldof, Sudbury, so many choices! What is the method of schooling that fits for you? There will be parents and educators of all walks discussing the choices they have made in regard to educating their children including the benefits and drawbacks to each. Join us for an open discussion of all the alternatives to schooling.

For more information:

Danielle Koprowski
Leader Holistic Moms Network
Northwest Suburban Chicago Chapter
(630) 847-0814

Parental rights documentary airing March 7!

From HSLDA:

As you know, HSLDA cares deeply about protecting parental rights, since these rights are crucial to the right to homeschool. That’s why we urge you to take advantage of a vital opportunity to learn more about this issue!

On Monday, March 7, the parental rights documentary The Child: America’s Battle for the Next Generation will be airing on the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) network at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT and again four hours later at 12:00 a.m. ET/9:00 p.m. PT. Catch the broadcast on DirecTV channel 378, Sky Angel channel 126, or live streaming media on computers and mobile devices here.

We also ask you to let friends and family know about this broadcast. (Follow this link to spread the word via Facebook, Twitter, or another network.) Together, we can alert America to the pressing need to preserve parental rights in the text of the U.S. Constitution!

About The Child:
The future of our children is the future of humanity. But what happens if our children’s future is taken into the hands of the government?

Watchman Cinema’s 85-minute documentary The Child: America’s Battle for the Next Generation unveils a pervasive attack against the deep bond between parent and child in American law and culture. Parents have traditionally been recognized as having the insight and responsibility to make the right decisions for their children. But a new wave is gathering force among lawmakers, judges, government authorities, and international activists: the belief that parents should not have the final say in the upbringing and education of their children.

What does this mean for America? It means that parents’ rights and responsibilities on behalf of their children are gradually being taken over by the government. It means that parents have less and less freedom to opt their children out of sexual education in public school, make medical decisions for their children, or teach their children their most deeply held religious beliefs. It means that parents are being prosecuted and even arrested when their choices conflict with what government authorities think is in the best interests of their children. It also means that children can no longer trust that their interests and security will be represented by their parents, who know and love them.

But a growing group of parents, legislators, legal experts, doctors, and child and family advocates are fighting back. To defend the child-parent bond, they are lobbying for something unprecedented: a Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This diverse coalition of concerned citizens crosses party and religious lines.

The Child presents a sweeping and sobering picture of the threats against the child-parent bond in America, along with what we can do to protect this fundamental relationship. Weaving together in-depth interviews of judges, lawyers, pediatricians, and legislators with firsthand accounts from families who have been devastatingly impacted by the anti-parent trend, this important film makes the case for a Parental Rights Amendment. In the words of parenting expert John Rosemond, this is “a cause that protects the liberty of every American.”

To purchase your own copy of The Child or set up a screening, click here.

Would you like to learn more about ParentalRights.org or donate to the cause? Click here.

Secret Keeper Girl tomorrow in Rolling Meadows

You are invited to Secret Keeper Girl Live the Pajama Party Tour!

Friday, March 4th, 2011,

7:00 P.M. – 9:15 P.M. at Harvest Bible Chapel Rolling Meadows Campus.

Secret Keeper Girl – Pajama Party Tour – This Friday!

Pajamas are welcome for all! Tickets still available!

If you have not purchased tickets yet and would still like to, there is room! You can purchase tickets in these ways for the remainder of this week: Online: Simply click above or go to www.secretkeepergirl.com.

Tickets are $11.50 for general admission, $9 for groups of 10 or more, or $17 for Gold Circle (preferred seating).

At the door on Friday, March 4 for $15 each, General Admission seats only.

There will be bottled water for sale for $1 before the show and during intermission.

Doors will open to the Worship Center at 6:00 P.M. for Gold Circle and 6:15 P.M. for General Admission. If you have questions about the Secret Keeper Girl event, please contact Rebecca Morris at rmorris@harvestbiblechapel.org.

For more information about Secret Keeper Girl, you can visit their website here at www.secretkeepergirl.com.

Harvest Bible Chapel 800 Rohlwing Road Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 HarvestRollingMeadows.org

Brain Ray on Homeschool research

Upcoming event especially for homeschoolers in Homer Glen:

Place: Eagle Rock Community Church

14367 W. 159th Street

Homer Glen Illinois 60491

Directions: www.ercc.org

(near I-355 and W. 159th Street)

Contact, for more information:

ICHE (Illinois Christian Home Educators) – info@iche.org or 847-603-1259

National Home Education Research Institute –

503-364-1490

A Strong Vision

Does Homeschooling Work and Increase Freedom?

Brian D. Ray, Ph.D.

President of the National Home Education Research Institute and Homeschooling Father of Eight Children

Free Admission but suggested contributions are $5 per person or $12 per family to the nonprofit National Home Education Research Institute encouraged. Books, tapes, and DVDs available from NHERI.

Dr. Ray’s message will challenge and educate those uncertain about homeschooling. He will encourage new and experienced homeschoolers alike. Dr. Ray will present the results of the latest research on home education, challenge you to consider your philosophy of education and both the parents’ and the government’s role in education. He will also explain how the modern homeschool movement is bringing significant zeal and change to this nation.

Dr. Ray will help you consider the answers to questions such as the following:

· Are parents qualified to teach their children?

· Are these children receiving an adequate academic education?

· What about socialization? (What is socialization, by the way?)

· Should minorities homeschool their children?

· How will these children behave when they get into the “real world of adulthood”?

· Do the home educated learn as much as those in conventional schools?

· What do certain worldviews or God have to say about who should be educating – teaching, training, discipling, indoctrinating – children?

· Why are some parents tempted to want or allow the state to serve as a codependent to themselves?

· Why is the lure of government handouts so strong?

· Are proponents of statism cooperating with or co-opting homeschoolers’ standards and plans for their children and their country?

· What should be your short-term and long-term visions?

Bring the curious, the critic, your friend, your pastor, and your children’s grandparents.

Dr. Ray will have some good books and reports on homeschooling and child training for sale.

Dr. Ray has been critically reviewing research in the area of home education for about 27 years. He is the founding editor of Home School Researcher, a quarterly peer-reviewed scholarly journal dispersing research in home education; has published numerous articles on home education in professional journals (e.g., Peabody Journal of Education, Educational Leadership), Christianity Today, and Homeschooling Today magazine; has been interviewed by numerous radio, print, and television media, including two appearances on the “NBC Today Show” with presidents of the National Education Association; has been a professor of education at the undergraduate and graduate levels; has been a classroom teacher in private and public schools, and has taught home-educated children; is an outstanding researcher, and takes a logical and friendly approach to home education. His Ph.D. is in science education from Oregon State University. His newest books are Home Educated and Now Adults and Worldwide Guide to Homeschooling (available online www.nheri.org). Dr. and Mrs. Ray have eight children and four grandchildren. If you have an interest in or concern about the “outcomes of home education,” think that homeschooling is bad for society, have an interest in “a strong and enduring philosophy,” or you are a veteran homeschooler who just needs a little morale boost, you won’t want to miss this presentation. Good books and other relevant resources on child training and homeschooling will be available.