Time to renew that Nature Journal!

For those of you who keep a nature journal and... well.... kind of dropped it when it got COLD....



it is time to pick it up again! This is also the perfect time of the year - the beginning of the year - to start one!



The squirrels, for those of you that were watching, are done with their annual courtship chasing and chittering and have gone back to sleep for a week or two. Baby hawks are about to hatch and soon the skies will again fill with circling mom and dad hawks looking for a tasty meal for their hungry babies. Buds on trees are beginning to swell (measuring the buds on the same 'adopted' tree each week is a great exercise!). Which birds wil visit your bird feeder this month and which will visit next month are different!



For those new to journaling in winter, I highly recommend the book "Guide to Nature in Winter" by Stokes. http://tinyurl.com/yj2o6zv Stokes will help you learn to identify trees by their bark and bud patterns, identify animal tracks, learn about the many different kinds of snow, and much, much more. He also does a great job of showing what a great journal can look like, with loads of sketches and captions and observations doodled here and there among the text.

Environmental Chemistry and Anatomical Survey classes!

Environmental Chemistry Lab II



This course consists of 7 high school level Chemistry laborarotory exercises and related discussions while stressing the Chemistry of Earth's environment. Students are expected to have had prior Chemistry laboratory experience including titrations and chromatography, possibly by having taken Environmental Chemistry I from Mrs. Wentz. Students should be currently studying Chemistry or be prepared to do some reading in between classes.



NKC S05-005, 10:00-11:50, Fridays April 9-May 21st A224, $87 (for seven sessions)




Register with credit card by calling 815-455-8588. Questions? Marie 815-479-7559.








Biology Lab II – Anatomical Survey




This course consists of 7 high school level Biology laboratory exercises and related discussions. Work will
include lessons in lab safety, as well as dissections and experiments designed to encourage a study of the structures, organization, and function of various organisms and how they relate to the human body.
Students should be currently studying Biology or Health or be prepared to do some reading in between classes.



NKC S05-006, 1:00-2:50, Fridays April 9-May 21, A224, $87 (for seven sessions)


Register with credit card by calling 815-455-8588. Questions? Marie 815-479-7559.

Johnsburg Public Library's April Food for Fines Program

I have had several requests for info about the annual 'Food for Fines" at the Johnsburg Public Library (and, of course, their Homeschool Resource Center!). I can't imagine why - as homeschoolers would NEVER bring an item back late or lose a book........ but here is the information:





JPL's Food For Fines program is celebrated on National Library Week each year. This year that is April 11-17th.





Donate one non-perishable food item for each separate fine (as in each item). (Food cannot be used to pay for lost or damaged items, or for collection agency fees.)





More Answers: Let's face it - the reality is that the library just wants their stuff back. If you bring it back NOW you CAN pay the fine with food later. If you have already been taken to collection - return the item NOW and during food for fines you can pay the $10 agency collection fee and bring in a can of food to pay off the rest. Obviously, the best thing is to avoid the collection agency in the first place because once you are sent to them you can't get away from that $10 fee





Lastly, the donated food will all be given to the F.I.S.H. Food Pantry which assists McHenry area families in need. Yes, extra donations are always very cheerfully accepted.

Charts and Graphs Math Class in Cary

The Cure for the Math Curse: Charts & Graphs Math Club



Wednesdays from March 3rd through to March 24th, 2010 10:30-12:0 am



This series of four classes will concentrate on getting a better working knowledge and conceptual understanding of how to structure and organize data. Learning how to read charts and graphs is a vital tool to understand consumer economics, statistics and almost every science - and is used extensively on the science portion of the ACT and on the SAT. We will use quality math literature and a wide variety of games and activities to encourage your child to play their way to a love of math.



Cost: $40 Final day for registration is March 1st, 2010.



These classes will be held in a private home in Cary. If you are interested please contact me for further information.