Science activities in Rockford next week

Mike Riddle, an Answers in Genesis speaker, will be in Rockford, IL at Maywood Free Church on March 27-29.

On March 28th and 29th he will be speaking for an Answers in Genesis conference.  Here is the schedule for this event:

Sunday, March 28, 2010
8 a.m. Mike Riddle Do You Have a Biblical Worldview?
10:30 a.m. Mike Riddle Do You Have a Biblical Worldview?
6 p.m. Mike Riddle Apologetics 101: Answering the Challenges
7:30 p.m. Mike Riddle 4 Power Questions to Ask an Evolutionist
Monday, March 29, 2010
6:30 p.m. Mike Riddle Apologetics 201: Answering More Challenges
8 p.m. Mike Riddle Cloning, Stem Cells and the Value of Life

image 1

And Jay Wile will be speaking in Rockford on Friday the 26th and then participating in the Northern Illinois Regional Science Fair on Saturday the 27th.  Check out the Illinois Regional Science Fair site for more information.   He will be speaking at 7:00 about homeschooling high school science.

Homeschool skate in Aurora

Another reader, Kristen, sent this information along about a homeschool skate in Aurora:

Homeschool Skate

When: Thursdays, 10am – 2pm
Description: Exercise, fun & games, and fellowship during our weekly roller skating session for homeschooled children and parents (parents skate free).
Admission: $5 (includes rental skates, if needed). Snackbar will be open.
Music: Christian based and Disney radio approved.
This takes place at Aurora Skate Center. Looks like a great way to get out of the house and get some exercise each week. Check their calendar or give a call to confirm this event, but it is posted as a weekly event from 10-2 each Thursday.

Homeschool Resource Fair in Elk Grove Village

The BEACON Homeschool Group is hosting their 4th annual Resource Fair .

Date: Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Where: Elk Grove Village Public Library

When: 7:00-9:00pm

The public is invited to come and browse and talk to the leaders of various organizations about the many different opportunities available to the homeschool community. Representatives will be on hand from various co-ops, enrichment programs, horseback riding programs, field trip opportunities, art classes, roller skating, park district programs, academic programs and much more.

The first 75 attendees will receive a resource booklet to take home with additional information.

For more information, check out their website: www.beaconhomeschool.org

Curriculum sale – May 10th

The following was received from CHOICE homeschool in Wheaton. I have heard that this is a great sale for both buying and selling. Also, check out the details about their new information exchange that is new this year. Looks like a great place to gather resources!

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.   Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

C.H.O.I.C.E. 2010

Curriculum ReSale & Kids’ Sale

Monday, May 10th, 2010

Sale: 4:00-7:00 p.m.

College Church, Commons Hall, Wheaton, IL

* * * We need 15 volunteers in order to host this event! * * *
Please contact Debbie Johnson for information on selling

Monday, May 3, is the deadline to reserve your spots

Any educational material is acceptable
(curriculum, supplementary materials, books, games, etc.).
Kids may sell anything (no nuts or red drinks allowed in the church).

Schedule for Monday, May 10, 2010:


3:00 — 4:00 p.m.

Sellers can drop off and sort their pre-tagged items. Volunteers are available to help

4:00 —7:00  p.m. SALE

SHOP  buyers, bring your own bags, boxes for transporting purchased items

7:00 — 8:00 p.m.

All sellers return to sort books.

NEW: 2010-2011 Activity Flyers

Advertise your homeschooling activity, co-op, service project,
or field trip for this summer, next fall, or next winter.
Create a flyer (81/2 x 11) with your ideas, dates,
rules, and contact information.
Contact all of the places or organizations that you participate in
as a homeschooling family, and have someone create a flyer
(band, math team, dance, music studios, gym classes,
art classes, science co-ops, etc).
Bring 50 copies!
We hope this will help your planing and organization
over the summer.
Links:

For more information see the full flyer online.

Registration now open for ICHE convention

Illinois Christian Home Educators

2010 Annual State Convention

June 3-5, 2010
Calvary Church in Naperville

Strength for the Journey

The LORD is the everlasting God …

He gives strength!

Isaiah 40:28b,29b

Convention greetings!

Another year has passed and it’s that time again! Life is full of adventures, and most of them call for some packing ~ maybe a cooler or suitcase … or even our hearts. It’s time to fill our hearts with strength for this journey we call home schooling!
We are very pleased to announce that the convention website is up and running and registration is now open! Many of the details for the big event can be accessed through the numerous quick links provided below.
Brochures are also being mailed within the week, so watch your mailboxes ~ or download it now from the website!
And … our convention banner can be posted on your blog, Facebook page, website or wherever you like to share good ideas!

Oasis Pathways Speakers & Workshops Free Gift! Register Now
Funshops Movie Night Exhibit Hall Special Needs Pre-Teens Brochure
Beginners Entrepreneurs Food Hotels Registration Info Schedule

Homeschool swim classes!

Two swim classes coming up just for homeschoolers:

Norris Center Swim Club:

St. Charles, IL

*Ages 4 and below classes are 30 to 45 minutes + playtime

$72.00 for 8 week sessions

*Ages 5 and over classes are 45 minutes to 1 hour + playtime

$88.00 for 8 week sessions

Class time is Thursdays from 1:15 to 2:15, they can add classes as the program grows.

Starting March 4, 2010

Elk Grove Park District:

Beginning April 6th and 8th for 8 weeks.

The cost is $46 per child.

Tues April 6 – May 25
12:40 – 1:20pm #67949
1:30 – 2:10pm #67950

Thurs April 8 – May 27
1:00-1:40pm #67951
You can register by phone (847.437.9494) or in person at the Pavilion (1000 Wellington Ave. Elk Grove, IL 60007)

Hands of a Child Lapbooking Event

Check out the following information from Hands of a Child co-owner Katie Kubesh:

Lapbooking LIVE on February 23rd!

With Katie Kubesh

Co-Owner of In the Hands of a Child

In Conjunction with Heart of the Matter Online

As a co-owner and writer/researcher for In the Hands of a Child, the Premier Provider of Ready-to-Assemble Lapbooks, I am asked a lot of questions about lapbooking. Many people have heard the term “lapbooking” but have no idea what it is or are overwhelmed by the entire concept of hands-on activities and unit studies. Since lapbooks are such a great way to include hands-on activities in your student’s curriculum, I will be answering the top questions asked about lapbooking and explaining the following concepts:

1. What is a lapbook?
2. How are lapbooks made?
3. What supplies are needed to lapbook?
4. I have all the supplies, now what?
5. How do I find information and activities to complete lapbook?
6. How does my student complete a lapbook?
7. How do you fold the file folder to make a lapbook?
8. How do I incorporate lapbooking into my existing curriculum?
9. What are the benefits of lapbooking?

Please join me,  LIVE… at the Heart of the Matter Annual Online Conference this year!

Have you ever wondered what a lapbook really is? Or maybe you have heard of it, but the mere thought of unit studies and hands-on activities makes you want to crawl back into bed and pull the covers over your head. Don’t let your lack of understanding scare you away from this great way of enhancing your child’s curriculum! In fact, you can bring your questions to a bona fide lapbooking expert… LIVE, y’all! Katie Kubesh will be speaking LIVE and will host a Q&A session Tuesday, February 23rd at 10:00 CST.

Click here to purchase tickets and read the post in its entirety.

Katie Kubesh is co-owner and writer/researcher for In the Hands of a Child.  Recognizing that hands-on projects are essential to the learning experience, In the Hands of a Child has created Project Packs that go beyond the hands-on aspect.   They have taken the preparation time out of the parent/teacher job description with Complete Ready to Assemble Lapbook-style units that are available in Ebook, Printed Book, and CD formats. Please visit their website at www.handsofachild.com.

©2010 Katie Kubesh

Also, for those that miss out on the great deals at conventions, they have put together a deal available now:

Through our online poll we’ve learned that many of you do not attend a homeschool convention. That is why we’re declaring Feb 15th-Feb 28th as

In YOUR Childs Hands Season!

What does this mean for you?

Savings of course!

We want all of you to have access to our great products and we know that right now times are tough!

So, every day during In YOUR Childs Hands Season

we will post AT LEAST one unit up for discount.

Discounts only apply for that particular product (or products) for that particular day.

So be sure to check back each and every day!

This will be an excellent way to add some great

Lapbook Project Packs to your school shelves!

REMEMBER!!!  Check back each day at this link:

In YOUR Child’s Hands Season

Here you will see the unit(s) on special and find the daily coupon code.  You will also find a list of units that will be featured during this special so you can make your

wish list and plan accordingly!

Sale ends February 28, 2010

Cannot be combined with any other offer,
special, discount, coupon or sale.
Tax & Shipping not included in calculating discount price.
Not valid toward prior purchases.
No rainchecks.

Activities in Chicago Ridge

The following information is from the Chicago Ridge Public Library, Youth Services:

Homeschoolers and their parents are invited to join the Homeschool Happenings group that meets on the second Friday of each month from September through June at 1:00 p.m. It is a great way to meet other homeschool families and attend interesting programs. Contact the library for more information on the events or to register by phone.

Their next meeting is February 12. They will be making rubber-stamped Valentine items.

March 12th Constance VanSwol will be presenting a program on libraries, librarianship, and the Dewey Decimal System.

April 9th – topic yet to be determined

May 14th will be the last one of the spring will include a presentation about the upcoming Summer Reading program.

All programs are at 1 p.m.  Please contact the library to register if interested.

Contact:

Constance VanSwol

Head of Youth Services

Chicago Ridge Public Library

10400 S. Oxford Avenue

Chicago Ridge IL 60415

Ph 708.423.7753

Celebrate the small things

marshmallowAt various times in my homeschooling career, I have discussed with my kids what most kids experience on a daily basis as they leave home for six or more hours to receive their education in the more “traditional” way.

It turns out they felt cheated in some pretty small ways, but I could see their point. For example, we didn’t take sick days or snow days, we schooled through the summer, we didn’t have classroom parties, and we didn’t have recess. You know, all the important stuff.

They did not miss the bus rides, paper bag lunches, lining up to go everywhere, having to do all their schoolwork at a desk, trying to avoid the school bully, sitting through a complete math lesson after they “got” it in the first five minutes, etc. They know they have it good, but they did have a few requests.

So, we talked about expectations and state requirements, and all that good stuff. And then, we came to the conclusion that we could easily allow for a snow day here and there.

100 day party! 007

Today, we incorporated another non-homeschool activity that we borrowed from the traditional school setting — celebrating our 100th day of school this school year. We had a fairly normal morning, and then in the afternoon we broke out some sweets (for some reason marshmallows caught their eyes) and a board game and spent some time celebrating getting 5/9 of the way through our official school year.

We still school through the summer, but on a lighter schedule, allowing for extra fun while the weather is beautiful. And, we still generally do not take sick days, but will again lighten or alter the schedule when someone needs a little rest. We do take some holidays off and sometimes get together with other families to have our own holiday party to celebrate. We even work in a recess here and there. Taking time to celebrate the small things has only enhanced our homeschool experience and has definitely worked for us.

How about you?

Do you take snow days?

Do you allow yourself Teacher Institute Days (read about another homeschool mom’s thoughts on that topic)?

Do you celebrate some of those smaller holidays (Columbus Day, Ground Hog Day, etc.)?

What fun traditions have you worked into your homeschooling plans?

We’d love to hear!

TOS Crew review: Facts First (from Saxon)

Math cannot progress well if we do not have a hold of the basic math functions of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. However, the drill or repetition required to master these is rarely exciting. Until now.

Facts First offers an affordable, entertaining way for your kids to learn, master, improve, and excel at their basic facts. They want your child to have fun developing an instant recall of these facts, and based on our experience with this program over the last month, they definitely succeed at this goal.

Product: Facts First
Details: A web based math program that was created by Skills Tutor, a sister company to Saxon, and is being distributed by Saxon Homeschool.
Price: $49.95 per year, this includes a one year household license for up to four users.

What we loved . . .

Photobucket

  • Fun, fun, fun— Although entertainment is obviously not my chief goal during math lessons, my kids definitely ALL enjoyed this program. And, since it focuses on building their mastery and speed in basic facts, I don’t mind a little fun in the process. Or, even a lot of fun.
  • Limited game time — While it does reward the hardworking child with games, it limits these to 5 minutes at a time, and even the games often help reinforce their math facts.
    Photobucket
  • Tracking progress — You can easily log on and see how each child is doing. These easy to read charts show which facts they have mastered, and gives you an idea of how close they are to mastering other facts they have been working on.
  • Adjustable expectations — I clearly expect my seventh grade to know his facts more quickly than my kindergartner, and Facts First allows for that. You can go into the controls and change the standard for mastery. This alters how fast the program expects an answer, any where from 1/4 of a second to 60 seconds, or even untimed if that works best to motivate your child.
  • Audio! — Even my kindergartner can use this program fairly independently. A voice reads everything that she needs to know in order to continue to improve in her basic math facts
  • Instruction and drill — The program doesn’t just drill the facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division), but it also introduces a new fact before drilling it and then adding it to the list of facts they might see in their quizzes.
  • Great graphics — Just take a glance around their site, and you can’t help but enjoying what you see. Colorful, eye-catching, this site is fun to use and fun to explore.

Some considerations . . .

  • Limited in scope. This program is just about basic math facts. These are extremely important to master, but don’t expect something else from this program. It drills and redrills, and encourages kids to improve in their basic math facts.
  • One license for the house. My daughters didn’t like that my son could also look at their accounts and see their mastery grids. Simple solution, I just made other people’s information off limits, but as far as I am aware, there is no setting to prevent this.
  • Still may have too much game time. While I generally felt this offered a good balance of games and instruction, 5 minutes of play for a few minutes of work is still quite a bit. Of course, the games do include further reinforcement.

Facts First has a limited scope, but one critical to your child’s success in math in the years ahead. Especially for multiple children, the cost is reasonable, and since the program is fun and able to be used independently, this is a great way for kids to work on their own and see their mastery grow without groans.

For more TOS Crew reviews on this product, check out the TOS Crew blog.

Disclaimer: This web based membership was provided to me free of charge from Facts First as part of my participation in The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew. I received no additional compensation and the opinions expressed here come from my personal experiences and sincere thoughts.