Tag: Field Trips

Poetry Foundation

Did you know that the Poetry Foundation has a home in Chicago? I didn’t either.
They have some interesting events coming up in the near future including this one about postcards from poets:

The Alternative Press Multiple Originals Project

When: Wednesday, September 21, 11:00AM

Where: Poetry Foundation
61 West Superior Street
Free Admission

The Multiple Originals Project is an exhibit of postcards created by poets Robert Creeley, Alice Notley, Ted Berrigan, Joe Brainard, and others in collaboration with Ken and Ann Mikolowski. The exhibit is presented concurrently with a multimedia feature about the press on poetryfoundation.org.

EXHIBIT HOURS:

Monday – Friday, 11AM – 4PM
Opens: Wednesday, September 21
Closes: Friday, November 4

Launch your year right

Cantigny Catapult Contest

Saturday, October 22, 11am

Overview

Catapults have a long history in warfare. We want you to build a working version of these war machines. The challenge is to build a catapult which is designed to throw a tennis ball as far as possible. Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place distances. Most importantly, contestants get the chance to build a catapult, compete, and possibly earn eternal glory! This project is fun, exciting, and as easy or intricate as you want to make it.

Participants

  1. This contest is open to all catapult enthusiasts; no matter your age!
  2. Teams are allowed (and encouraged). No more than 4 people per team please.
  3. All participants must register in advance by filling out this registration form by October 15, 2011.

Specifications

  1. No ready-made kits. Each catapult must be designed, constructed, and launched by contestants.
  2. No part of the catapult can extend over 6 feet high.
  3. All catapults will be launched on a grass field. They must sit on the ground. No tables.
  4. The catapult cannot be staked into the ground.
  5. All catapults will fling tennis balls provided by the First Division Museum at Cantigny.
  6. Your catapult must have a triggering mechanism which will allow you to stand 2 feet away.
  7. No explosions or air pressure may be used to assist the performance of your catapult. In other words, the energy used to power your catapult must be provided by the device itself.
  8. Any type of hurling machine is acceptable: Ballista, Trebuchet, Mangonel, etc.

Scoring

Each group will be allowed three launches. The best launch will be used as your score. The longest launch wins. Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place distances.

Sign Up Now

If you’d like to register for the contest, click here to download the entry form. After filling out the form, save it and email it to mtyer@firstdivisionmuseum.org. If you have any questions, please contact Melissa Tyer at 630 260 8274.
Please click this link for a printable flyer for your classroom:
http://www.firstdivisionmuseum.org/events/schedule/catapult.pdf

Kane County Forest Preserve happenings for homeschoolers

Thanks to Michele for forwarding this tidbit from the Tree Line publication of the Kane County Forest Preserve:

Homeschool Explorations

Join us for this nature program series designed for homeschool families. Each month, the program focuses on a different topic at a different forest preserve. Activities this fall include searching for insects, identifying trees, and observing squirrels. All ages are welcome, but the activities are designed for ages 5-10.

Insects

Tuesday, Sept. 13; 10-11:30 a.m.
LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve
37W370 Dean St., St. Charles
Fee: $2/person or $8/family of 4 or more

Trees

Monday, Oct. 24; 10-11:30 a.m.
Hannaford Woods Forest Preserve
Merrill Road, 1 mile east of IL Route 47,
Sugar Grove
Fee: $2/person or $8/family of 4 or more

Squirrels

Wednesday, Nov. 16; 10-11:30 a.m.
Jon Duerr Forest Preserve
35W003 IL Rte. 31, South Elgin
Fee: $2/person or $8/family of 4 or more

SciTech events next week

Received by email —

SciTech Science Camp of the Week for Aug 1-5 : 

For Ages 8-10 and For Ages 11-14 CSI Crime Scene Investigator: You'll be able to say "Book 'em"
once you are done with this Summer Camp! Today's police work is part leg work, part hunch and a lot 
of Science! Spend the week learning how to find and analyze clues, examine evidence and draw 
conclusions. See what it means to get "booked" when you tour the Aurora Police Station.  Oh yeah, 
we'll see how ya look...with your own mug shot!

Two other great camps are available 8/1-8/5 each one with slots open for eager Science Campers: 

Ages 11-14 Kitchen Chemistry: Crystals can be fascinating-and delicious, yes you can eat them!
What else?  Make your own S-L-I-M-E! (You will get to keep the recipe!)
Amaze your friends with "Kitchen Science" magic tricks!
Ages 8-10: Totally Ballistic: Launch Rockets! Cannons! Tennis ball Mortars!Sling a catapult 
from SciTech's own back yard.  Design your own Rocket and prepare for blast off!
These week long Summer Science Camps are Outrageously Fun! Camps are open from 9 am through 3 pm. 
Lunches available for $4, just call the number below to arrange lunch for your hungry camper.
Register now at www.scitechmuseum.org or call 630-859-3434 ext. 218


We look forward to seeing you at one of SciTech Museum's Summer Camps!

Best Regards, 
the SciTech Museum Team

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

Great America — homeschool days and more

Found out about these events from the Six Flags’ website:

Six Flags Autism Awareness Day

HOMESCHOOL DAY — AUGUST 18th

Six Flags hosts the 16th annual Home School Day event on August 18. Enjoy a fun filled day at the park with your family and friends. A special all-you-can-eat Home School Day picnic is also available in our private picnic grove. Contact SFGAMspecialevents@sixflags.com for additional information.

CATHOLIC FAMILY DAY — August 14th

Six Flags Great America is excited to announce Catholic Family Day on Sunday, August 14th. Enjoy a fun filled day with your family and friends at Six Great America and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor. In the evening join us for Mass in our Southwest Amphitheatre sponsored by the Young Adult Ministry Office – Archdiocese of Chicago. Please contact SFGAMspecialevents@sixflags.com for more information.

AUTISM AWARENESS DAY — July 30th

Six Flags Great America and the Autism Society of Illinois are proud to announce the Second Annual Autism Awareness Day.


Including the Chicago Children’s Theaters Red Kite Project. Join us in our Wilderness Theater for interactive, multi-sensory
performances courtesy of the Chicago Children’s Theaters Red Kite Project. There will also be a designated Quiet Area near the Wilderness
Theater that will provide sensory exercises for guests throughout the day from 10:00AM–5:00PM

More details on this event and special discounted tickets on the AutismIllinois site.

And, for more educational benefit from Six Flags:

Make Six Flags Great America your outdoor learning lab

Six Flags Great America is not only the entertainment capital of the world but also a unique outdoor learning lab.  We have designed specific learning materials for both students and teachers that gives experiential learning a new meaning.  Let Six Flags be your outdoor learning lab and use the free materials below to plan lessons and make learning fun.  Whether it’s calculating (or experiencing) the velocity of the America Eagle or learning how an entertainment giant like Six Flags markets themselves.

Educational Resources:

Illinois Curriculum Standards correlations to Six Flags Rides
Wisconsin Curriculum Standards correlations to Six Flags Rides

Physics Day Teacher Manual
Physics Day Student Manual

Math and Science Day Teacher Manual
Math and Science Day Student Manual

Marketing Day Commercial Guidelines

Six Flags Great America recommended amusement park physics websites for further learning:

The Physics Classroom

Amusement Park Physics

Funderstanding

Thinkquest

The Physics of Amusement Parks

Physics Education

CPS Webinar Presented by Nathan Unterman for Preparation for Physics Day Field Trips
Office of Science / Physics Day Webinar – April 14, 2011

Physics Day Vest Data

Don’t forget to use your Reading Reward free tickets before they expire.

We just enjoyed the day there yesterday and it was once again a great incentive for my kids. They look forward to it every year.

Meet up in Oswego & Fox Valley area

Looking to connect with other homeschoolers face to face? This meet-up might be just the thing.

This is a place where homeschooling families from the Western Suburbs can connect with each other, socialize, make friends, set up events & playdates, ask questions, share ideas, explore resources, network together and have fun!   Most of our Meet-ups are in the Oswego, Naperville, Aurora, Yorkville, Montgomery and Plainfield areas however, anyone from neighboring towns is welcome. Many of our field trips also are in nearby areas. We are looking for active participants to get involved with events. We are a group that welcomes all philosophies on homeschooling.

Name: Fox Valley Homeschoolers

Location: Oswego, Il

Primary Contact Person: Joni Choudhary

Email: joni_choudhary@hotmail.com

Forum for local homeschooling moms to connect

God this message from a reader about an opportunity especially for area homeschoolers to connect online:

This discussion group is open to any and all home educators in the greater Naperville, IL area.

Non-locals also welcome and you will enjoy our extensive links section. Feel free to post questions concerning home education, list field trips, let others know of activities you’ve found in the area,  promote your home education support group, tell us about great resources and events etc.

This cyber forum is not affiliated with any particular support group, nor any specific religious group, nor any one homeschooling philosophy. Polite home educating parents of all stripes are welcome. Disrespectful hotheads and spammers will be immediately and unceremoniously tossed out by the moderator.

Find out more about this group . . .

Naperville Home Educators

Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NapervilleHomeEducators/

Free Zoo Tickets

Any super couponers out there?

If so you probably already know about this deal, but for those of you who don’t, here is a great way to get free tickets to Brookfield Zoo and stock up on pop for all those summer get together, or for your kids to sell to make some money, or  . . . ?

Here’s the deal:

Summer Fun Stay-Cation Deal! Meijer is running a great Catalina sale in which buying $15 worth of participating Coca-Cola products generates a Catalina good for 4 FREE admissions to the Brookfield Zoo! (We saw this deal last year too on the Shedd Aquarium, and it was such a GREAT deal!) 12-packs of Coca-Cola are on sale for $3 each. Buying 5 will cost you $15, and you’ll get the pop AND 4 free admissions to Brookfield Zoo!

To read more about this and to find lots of other great deals, jump on over to Jill Cataldo’s site. In the face of lots of extreme couponing that border on inappropriate or even illegal I appreciate Jill’s desire to coupon ethically and still come home with lots of great deals.

Beacon Homeschool Used Curriculum Sale

Big sale coming at the Beacon Homeschool Group.

Register if you are interested in selling at this sale (priority is given to members, but others are welcome as well). Loads of things to choose from for less than new cost!!!

When: Tuesday, April 26 7:00-9:00pm
Where : Elk Grove Village Public Library

Everyone is invited to come out and see the great finds!
For more details, check their website. www.beaconhomeschool.org

Beacon is a non-denominational Christian support group for parents who home educate their children. Their membership is open to any home schooling family for support. The goals of Beacon are to provide fellowship, encouragement, field trips, workshops, and resources for our members to benefit from.

Find the golden egg!

Received via email:



Are your Kids off school on Friday April 22?  Come to SciTech for the Easter Egg Hunt, stay for the FUN!
The Golden Eggs are Hidden!  Find one and Win a PRIZE!

SciTech Museum is the place for Fun on the Friday before Easter.
Regular admission is all you need to enjoy:
  • Activity Tables with “Egg-Tastic” Hands on Experiments! 10:30- 4pm
  • See the Easter Bunny and have your photo taken with him. ($5.00 ea.) 12-4 pm
  • Participate in the Easter Egg Hunt and Find the Golden Egg for a Prize! 10:30 am – 12 pm
  • Two age groups for the Hunt: 5 and under and 6-12 yrs.
  • Over 200 exciting interactive Science exhibits!
For more information just call 630-859-3434 Ext. 218
SciTech Museum 18 W. Benton, Aurora, Il. 60506
Don't Miss out! There's no end to the fun this Friday at SciTech!
And someone in your family may find the Golden Egg!