Learning Vine info for the year ahead

Passing along:

The Learning Vine has just published its 2013-2014 Enrichment Program catalog at the LV website:

http://www.thelearningvine.org/enrichment-courses.html

We offer 48 different courses this year, including graded high school electives that can count for credit. These include Music Theory, Advanced Art, Photography, Pottery, and Creative Writing.

We offer courses in athletics, life skills, visual arts, music, literature study, creative writing, and science enrichment for all ages.

New this year: Cartooning, Children’s Choir, Do-Re-Mi Music, Cinematography,
E-Commerce, Supreme Court Simulation, LEGO Robotics, and Young Investors’ Simulation.

Registration opens to the public on April 5th. Please see details at the website.
http://www.thelearningvine.org/enrichment.html

Blessings,
Karine Bauch
LV Director

www.thelearningvine.org

Teaching Homes for Christ curriculum sale

Website: http://www.teachinghomes.org/

Annual Used Book/Curriculum Sale

Where:
First United Methodist Church of West Chicago
643 E. Washington St. (Geneva Rd.)
West Chicago, IL 60185
(1 block east of Walgreens on the corner of Washington & Rt. 59)

When:
Saturday, April 27th
2-5 p.m.

The contact person for the sale is Terri Moore. booksale@teachinghomes.com Please contact her if you have questions or are interested in selling. All sellers will be assigned a seller number to put on the official tags. You may not drop off materials for the sale without a seller number.

Homeschool and Gym group meeting in Beverly area

A homeschool friend shared this on facebook:
The Beverly/Morgan Park Home School & Gym Group, Inc. is hosting a Visitors’ Day on Tuesday, March 19, at 9am-noon. Our co-op gathers weekly in the Beverly area on Tuesdays. Our age range is Infant thru High School.
The Beverly/Morgan Park Home School & Gym Group, Inc. is a co-operative non-profit. We exist to provide Chicago area and nearby suburban home schooling families opportunities to participate in sports, academics, creative co-op classes and other activities in a God-centered learning environment.

Some of the Gym Activities and Co-op classes we are doing this year:
Soccer Literary Sessions
Basketball Choir
Floor Hockey Science Experiments/Dissection
Ultimate Frisbee Cooking

Please RSVP to our Membership Coordinator Laurie, membership.bmphsgg@gmail.com to reserve your spot. Please include the following information.

Name of Parents Attending:
Names and Ages of Children as of Sept. 1, 2013:
Phone Number:

Once Laurie receives your RSVP, she will email you a confirmation with additional details about the day. Please note: We are limited in the number of visitors we can accommodate at one time.

ETA: Wanted to let you all know this is a Christian group so you have a better idea if it will suit your needs or not. ~Thank you!

Greenhouse Open House

GREENHOUSE

The Greenhouse is having a Sampler Night for interested families. They offer one day a week classes as well as enrichment classes for homeschooled students.

In collaboration with parents, The Greenhouse exists to develop a new geneartion of leaders who will serve the commond good and in all thngs bring glory to God.

Come hear all about the Greenhouse!

Date:Thursday Feb. 21
Time:7:30pm
Place:Holy Cross Lutheran Church
Address: 802 E. Geneva Road, Wheaton, IL
Website: http://www.the-greenhouse.com/

Israel Wayne coming to Sugar Grove

Thursday, March 7, 2013 — Israel Wayne, Guest Speaker

What: “Revival in the Home”
When: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Details: Families in America are under attack. Teenage rebellion, divorce, juvenile delinquency, emotional disorders, and relational dysfunction are way too common, even among church goers.

How can you have a Godly family in the midst of such a worldly culture? Israel will provide practical and Biblical answers. Learn how you can effectively disciple your children to know, love and serve God.

Israel Wayne is a popular keynote speaker, author, and director at Wisdom’s Gate Publishing.

All are welcome! (Childcare available for children under 5 years of age. Children are welcome to sit quietly during presentation.)
Where: Village Bible Church
847 Illinois 47, Sugar Grove, IL
(just north of Bliss Rd)

Homeschool University Open House and Book Sale

HSU OPEN HOUSE

Monday, March 4th & Thursday, March 7th from 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

HOMESCHOOL UNIVERSITY meets in West Chicago and is a co-op for homeschool families that provides classes for preschool through senior year in high school. Stop by and join us as we bring education to life! While you’re there stop by our book and bake sale and visit our Creation Expo. New parent meetings on both days. Visit www.homeschooluniversity.org for more info.

If you are interested in HSU, we welcome you to visit our upcoming Open House on Monday, March 4th & Thursday, March 7th. At this time you can take a tour of our school, meet teachers and students and see what we are all about. We will also have an informational meeting on Monday at 10:30 and Thursday at 1:00.

Please r.s.v.p. at admin@homeschooluniversity.org and let us know what day you are coming and the grades of your children. We welcome your questions and invite you to bring your homeschooling friends along with you.

Bake and Book Sale on both days. (Book sale ends at 2:00)

Homeschool University…where home and school come together.

Activities just for Homeschoolers in Glenview

Forwarded via email:
Introducing…. Home School Week at The Grove!
For the first time ever…
The Grove is dedicating one week exclusively for Homeschoolers to experience our hands-on programs!
Historical and Environmental Educational programs are available for homeschoolers from grades K-8.
For more information or to register for a program, please contact Kris (224) 521-2101 or Judy (224)521-2105 by February 20, 2013. Late registrants may be accepted based on availability. Please note that payment in full is required at time of registration (children 4 and under are free).
For a full description of our programs and to see a video of our field trips, please  click here.
The Grove is located at 1421 Milwaukee Avenue in Glenview, IL 60025
Grove logo w acorn
Monday, March 4, 2013
Pioneer Skills:
Think your chores are tough today? Learn what life was like for pioneer children-from candle making to weaving, students will experience what it took to be a pioneer firsthand! This program ends with a delicious lunch prepared by students featuring: tomato based beef stew, cornbread with freshly churned butter, applesauce and snickerdoodles for dessert!
Who: Grades 4-8

When: 9:30am-12:30pm

Where: The Grove, 1421 Milwaukee Ave, Glenview IL. Please park in the West Lot, staff will direct you to the correct building

Fee: $13.50 adult + child (lunch included), each additional child $6.75

Max/Min: 30/15

Log Cabin:

Do you think it’s possible for a family of six to live together in one or two rooms? Students will discover what life was like living in a 1850s log cabin, and what children were expected to do-from tin punch to drawing water from a well-these hands on experiences will make students appreciate the difference between pioneer life and the modern world! A pioneer lunch is included in the program-see above description for menu.

Who: Grades K-3

When: 9:30am-12:30pm

Where: The Grove, 1421 Milwaukee Ave, Glenview IL. Please park in the West Lot, staff will direct you to the correct building

Fee: $13.50 adult + child (lunch included), each additional child $6.75

Max/Min: 30/15

Pack Your Wagon:

Imagine having to load up your car-for a trip from the east coast to the west coast. Would you be able to pack enough food/clothing/soap to last for weeks at a time? Work together to determine what’s important enough to bring along and what can be left behind and pack The Grove’s wagon to ready for a trip westward!

Who: Grades 1-8

When: 12:30pm-2:30pm

Where: The Grove, 1421 Milwaukee Ave, Glenview IL. Please park in the West Lot, staff will direct you to the correct building

Fee: $10.50 adult + child, each additional child $4 (within same family)

Max/Min: 30/15

Tuesday, March 5, 2013
The Kent Fuller Air Station Prairie

2400 Compass Road, Glenview, IL. 60025

Parking is available along Compass Road and along Lehigh.

Mighty Wind:
Harness the power of the wind in this fact filled program in which students will work in groups to build a kite! Learn about some of the alternative forms of energy being produced at the Tyner Center.
Who: Grades 1-8
When: 9:30am-11:30am
Fee: $10.50 adult + child, each additional child $4 (within same family)

Max/Min: 30/15

Recycling 101:

Do you know how long it takes a shoe to decompose in a landfill? Learn all about the 3 R’s and how making small changes can make a huge impact on the Earth!
Who: Grades 1-8
When: 12:30pm-2:30pm
Fee: $10.50 adult + child, each additional child $4 (within same family)

Max/Min: 30/15

Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Schoolhouse

Travel back in time and learn what school was like in the 1850s at The Grove. Experience a typical school day in our reproduction Schoolhouse, where a schoolmarm or school master will lead students through lessons in history, math, spelling and geography using slate boards and quill pens.

Who: Grades 1-8, Fee: $10.50 adult + child, each additional  child $4 (within same family)

When: 9:30am-11:30am

Where: The Grove, 1421 Milwaukee Ave., Glenview, IL. Please park in the West Lot, staff will direct you to the correct building

Max/Min: 30/15

Native North Americans:
Learn all about the Potawatomi Indians’ culture and heritage, and the historical ties between this native group and the settlers around The Grove. Learn about the traditions of the Potawatomi and how they impacted the land, and try your hand at using some of their tools and playing some of their games.

Who: Grades 1-8,Fee: $10.50 adult + child, each additional child $4 (within same family)

When:12:30-2:30am

Where: The Grove, 1421 Milwaukee Ave., Glenview, IL. Please park in the West Lot, staff will direct you to the correct building

Max/Min: 30/15

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Seasonal Changes:

Walk along our trails with one of our trained interpreters as they explain the significance of the changing seasons and what signs to look for along the trails. Meet some of the native animals that reside at The Grove and some of the natural artifacts in the Interpretive Center.

Who: Grades K-3

When: 9:30am-11:30am

Where: The Grove, 1421 Milwaukee Ave, Glenview IL. Please park in the West Lot, staff will direct you to the correct building

Fee: $10.50 adult + child, each additional child $4 (within same family)

Max/Min: 30/15

Dynamic Earth:

Ever seen a glacial erratic up close? Discover all the forces that have shaped the Earth through time, as well as learning how to look for evidence of glaciers.

Who: Grades 4-8

When: 9:30am-11:30am

Where: The Grove, 1421 Milwaukee Ave, Glenview IL. Please park in the West Lot, staff will direct you to the correct building

Fee: $10.50 adult + child, each additional child $4 (within same family)

Max/Min: 30/15

Habitats and Lifecycles:

Dig into the soil and discover what’s in the ground! Learn all about the lifecycles of different animals and the types of habitats that can be found at The Grove.

Who: Grades 1-3

When: 12:30pm-2:30pm

Where: The Grove, 1421 Milwaukee Ave, Glenview IL. Please park in the West Lot, staff will direct you to the correct building

Fee: $10.50 adult + child, each additional child $4 (within same family)

Max/Min: 30/15

GSI:

Dissect an owl pellet as part of your investigation into the crime that was committed at The Grove. To solve the case, students learn about predator/prey relationships and use this understanding to eliminate suspects to come to a logical conclusion.

Who: Grades 4-8

When: 12:30pm-2:30pm

Where: The Grove, 1421 Milwaukee Ave, Glenview IL. Please park in the West Lot, staff will direct you to the correct building

Fee: $10.50 adult + child, each additional child $4 (within same family)

Max/Min: 30/15

Friday, March 9, 2013

Letterboxing:

Letterboxing is a fun way to go on a hike and explore new places at the same time. Each participant will receive a journal and learn its use, and how & where to find the Letterboxes.   Participants will hit the trails in search of The Grove’s Letterboxes.

Who: Grades 1-4

When: 9:30am-11:30am

Where: The Grove, 1421 Milwaukee Ave, Glenview IL. Please park in the West Lot, staff will direct you to the correct building

Fee: $14.50 adult + child, each additional child $5 (within same family)

Max/Min: 30/15

Blacksmithing:

Participants will learn how to work with the forge, anvil and hammers that a Blacksmith uses to make useful household items. Everyone will take a finished project home.

Who: Grades 5-8

When: 9:30am-11:30am

Where: The Grove, 1421 Milwaukee Ave, Glenview IL. Please park in the West Lot, staff will direct you to the correct building

Fee: $14.50 adult + child, each additional child $5 (within same family)

Max/Min: 10/5

Grove Adventures:

Take a hike in the woods to find animal homes and their footprints. Then gather around the camp fire to roast marshmallows, make s’mores and sing songs. Dress for the weather. Program may be modified due to inclement weather.

Who: Grades K-8

When: 12:30pm-2:30pm

Where: The Grove, 1421 Milwaukee Ave., Glenview, IL. Please park in the West Lot, staff will direct you to the correct building.

Fee: $14.50 adult + child, each additional child $5 (within same family)

Max/Min: 40/15

Speech and Debate Tournament

I LOVED speech and debate when I was in high school. I think the critical thinking skills and the necessity to respond in the moment are life skills that are difficult to learn elsewhere. If you would like this type of opportunity for your student, here is an opportunity to build their enthusiasm and get an inside look at a speech and debate tournament.

From Lisa Lueken the NCFCA Illinois State Representative:

Speech and Debate Tournament – University of St. Francis


On March 4-6, 2013 several hundred homeschool students will gather at the University of St. Francis, Joliet, Illinois, for a three day speech and debate tournament.  We need several hundred judges! Our students love to have homeschool parents as judges because you give excellent feedback!  It’s a 2 1/2 to 3-hour time commitment which includes a brief orientation, the speech or debate round and refreshments in our hospitality room.

To register go to www.ncfca.org and click on “Judges” in the upper right hand corner.  You should see a link for “Best of the Mid-West” after clicking on the state of Illinois. If you have any questions please contact Mary Vilim at mjvilim@gmail.com or (630) 466-0117.  Also, please feel free to invite a friend!  No experience is necessary.  We are training our students to talk to people of all walks of life.

If you are a homeschooler who is considering having your student participate in speech and debate at some time in the future, we encourage you to come judge at our tournament and see what we’re about.  Children who are old enough to sit still for 1 1/2 hours are welcome to come and observe.

Looks like a fantastic opportunity to jump right into this effective skill building experience.

Jump into the Civil War in Rockford

Civil War Hands-On History

Midway Village Museum – Rockford, IL- History Museum

April 30, May 1, 2 and 3, 2013
9:30 am – 2 pm each day

This award-winning educational event is specially designed to meet the curriculum standards for students in grades 5th through 8th. Midway Village Museum’s campus makes this an exceptional field trip destination with more than 25 historic buildings and from 40 to 50 different living history sites offered each day. Groups will visit the sites that they choose.

The program is open to public, private or home schools from northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. In 2012, approximately 5,000 students participated in this program, but space is limited and advance registration is required.

Examples of sites that students can visit:

  • Meet famous people – President & Mrs. Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Clara Barton, General U. S. Grant and many others
  • Experience being a soldier, including marching and drilling
  • Learn how to operate Civil War era artillery
  • Talk to soldiers from both the North and the South
  • Learn about lady’s fashion of the 1860s
  • Square dance in a barn hayloft
  • Sing along to popular music of the times
  • Visit the 1850s Barn to learn about the Underground Railroad
  • Experience school lessons in a one room schoolhouse
  • Learn about the art of blacksmithing
  • Learn the early rules of base ball and how the sport became popular because of the war
  • Meet lady spies for both the North and the South
  • Learn about Civil War doctors and medicine
  • Meet women soldiers
  • Learn about Civil War era photography
  • Show your knowledge of the times by playing Civil War Jeopardy

Cost is $7 per student and $1 per adult chaperone.

Download our reservation form for the Civil War Hands-on History Program in PDF format »

For registration information, contact Jessica MacDonald, Special Events Coordinator at 815 397-9112, ext. 104 or jessica.macdonald@midwayvillage.com.

For all the details and to register, check out the Midway Village’s website.

If you are unable to make this event, you might still be interested in some of the other opportunities for homeschoolers in particular to enjoy the museum.

New Homeschool Gym Class in St. Charles

The homeschool mom that worked to get this going submitted info about this new opportunity: http://www.facebook.com/SportsplexHomeSchoolGymClass

This is cut and pasted from the facebook page:

This group was created to share information about a Home School sports class being offered in St. Charles.
Day: 2nd & 4th Friday of the month
Time: 1:30-3 pm the 2nd & 4th
Cost: $30 (per student) for a 3 month class
Age: 5+ (to optimize the coaches time we need to keep this class for school aged children K-12th grade range)
Class info: The facility has the ability to teach many sports including – Flag Football, dodge ball, t-ball, kickball, soccer, capture the flag.

HOW TO REGISTER:
Log onto www.sportsplexstc.net.
Click on Registration. Families will have to set up New Membership accounts in order to register.

Once they are New Members, click on Register across the top. Choose the following for each child:
Register— Pull down and select child. It will only allow children ages 3-18.
Pull down Program Type and select “Classes & Camps”
Pull down Season and select “Home School Classes Spring 2013”
Pull down League/Group and select “Home School Spring Classes”

At that point, the class information will pop up and you can click on the blue “Register”
You will be asked if there are medical concerns for that child. Click “Continue”

At that point, you will go to checkout, and a list of all dates/times will be shown. It shows that you are paying for 6 classes at $5.00 each, but it is not possible to pay for fewer than 6 classes at this time. If you miss, you miss. The $20.00 Membership Fee is waived for your families for this class.

Each participant MUST sign a liability waiver on their first visit to Sportsplex. We will have a stack of them and your guests can sign them when they arrive. If parents want to play too, they can pay $5.00 the day of.

I love that parents can play, too.  🙂