The Internet and Beyond: Homeschooling for the 21st Century

What are you doing next Monday?

Join me Oct. 10th at 7pm at the Des Plaines Public Library for:

The Internet and Beyond: Homeschooling for the 21st Century


Children learn amazingly well from the world around them. Learn about how movies, audio books, classic literature, magazines, computer resources and cell phone apps, field trips and, yes, even TV shows, to create a custom curriculum. Tips on how to teach a child with learning differences, how to find the right resources for your family, and where to find resources inexpensively are included.  


Please register at:
http://calendar.dppl.org/evanced/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=14059&rts=&disptype=&ret=eventcalendar.asp&pointer=&returnToSearch=&SignupType=&num=0&ad=&dt=mo&mo=10/1/2011&df=calendar&EventType=ALL&Lib=&AgeGroup=ALL&LangType=0&WindowMode=&noheader=&lad=&pub=1&nopub=&page=&pgdisp=

Classics on a budget

(copied from an article)

If you are homeschooling on a budget, here are 25 literature classics
from the 1800s that you can download saving the expense of purchasing
them or worrying about library due dates. Over 9,000 pages of work from
authors such as Lousia May Alcott, Herman Melville, Charles Dickens,
Mark Twain, Washington Irving, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Rudyard Kipling,
and Robert Louis Stevenson.

Preview each classic now
<http://www.examiner.com/homeschooling-in-denver/preview-the-downloadabl\
e-literature-selections-picture> !

The collection of downloads includes stories like Little Women, Oliver
Twist, Jungle Book, the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Treasure
Island, Moby Dick and the Great Expectations. Click here to go to the
download page
<http://www.christianhomeschoolhub.spruz.com/available-downloads.htm> .
(Each will be under the category: Literature from the 1800's)

Once you've previewed the classics
<http://www.examiner.com/homeschooling-in-denver/preview-the-downloadabl\
e-literature-selections-picture> and you've downloaded each title that
you want to incorporate into your lesson plans, you can go to A-to-Z
Titles <http://classiclit.about.com/od/atoztitles2/AtoZ_Titles.htm> to
find lesson plans, quotes and links for additional learning about the
individual authors and more.

The Microscopic Biology class starts one week from today! Register now!

I need to know how many students I will have so I can order our specimens!
You won't want to miss seeing fresh (not preserved slides of) Volvox and Spirogyra.  They are simply amazing!

http://inet-reg.crystallakeparks.org/wr/wr5234.tbred?page=wrsearch&householdid=-REVIEWONLY-&SESSION-ID=734384.71819444BDJTLVAJVZBIUBXJGFSZ&action=desc&member=000&classid=%20%204242-6&pgmsno=53032606531

BIG Changes!

I accepted a new job today!  It is a part-time teaching job at St. Mary's Catholic School in Woodstock. I will be teaching their Jr. High math classes.

Sadly, I am having to resign from both Heritage and GIFT completely. I have really loved the many wonderful families I have met through these groups and hope that I have a chance to work with them again in the future.

My day at St. Mary's will be ending in the early afternoon and I am working to try to reschedule my local classes and all of my private students to these afternoons.

The classes I am hoping to reschedule include the Conceptual Physics class in Cary on either Mondays or Wednesdays, the Math & Science Club in Crystal Lake on Thursdays, and the High School Biology and Environmental Science classes in Crystal Lake on Fridays.

I will be contacting my private students after I have a better idea when the rescheduled afternoon classes are. That way we can, hopefully, make firm plans and not bounce people around from day to day, time to time.

I realize this is chaotic right before the school year - and I very much appreciate everyone's blessings on the new job and willingness to juggle what we all thought was a fine schedule.

High School Sciences

Interested in a science class for your teen?  I am offering quite a few options:

Physics classes offered on Wednesday mornings in Cary using Paul Hewit's Conceptual Physics textbook. The start date is September 14th.  

Chemistry classes offered on Monday mornings in Elgin through the HERITAGE Home School Workshops using Apologia's Exploring Creation through Chemistry.  http://www.heritagehomeschoolworkshops.com/ 

-OR- Environmental Chemistry classes offered on Friday afternoons through the Crystal Lake Park District (one 6 week session in the fall and one 6 week session in the spring).  

Biology lab classes offered on Friday afternoons through the Crystal Lake Park District (replacing the now defunct MCC program's offerings) with Microscopic Life in the fall, Genetics during the winter and Anatomical Survey with dissections in the Spring (each class will be 6 sessions long).  

As of today, the Crystal Lake Park District has not opened registrations, nor have they announced specific dates, but I hope to hear from them soon!  

HRC Open House and Used Curriculum Flea Market

Johnsburg Library Homeschool Resource Center

Please join us for our TENTH ANNIVERSARY!

HRC Open House and Used Curriculum Flea Market

July 30, 2011

10:00 - 12:00 Used Curriculum Flea Market

Sell some stuff, buy some stuff, ask lots of questions!

A limited number of tables and half tables and parking spaces are available by advanced reservation only. Those who do not register in advance may bring a blanket and use the lawn to sell. Each seller is responsible for pricing and selling his/her own materials.

To reserve a space (free!) to sell at the used curriculum flea market please visit:

http://sites.google.com/site/hrcopenhouse/

12:00 - 1:00 Eat, Meet and Greet

Bring a lunch and join us for a relaxing 'picnic' lunch with friends, both old and new!

1:00 - 4:00 Open Forum Panel Discussion and Q&A

Ask questions and hear real answers about the different homeschooling styles, curriculum choices, what has worked (and what hasn't!), legal information, where to find resources, getting them into college or a great career, and much more! This is the perfect opportunity for those thinking about homeschooling to ask questions and for current homeschoolers to get re-energized!

This year's featured panel members are:

Barbara Frank is the author of several books, including the curriculum Life Prep for Homeschooled Teenagers and The Imperfect Homeschooler's Guide to Homeschooling. Her newsletter is also called "The Imperfect Homeschooler" because, as she puts it 的've learned that we don't have to be perfect moms and teachers to homeschool our children successfully; God uses us despite our imperfections.”

Stacy Farrell has a passion for empowering teens to recover territory lost by 杜ushy thinkingand low expectations. After a decade of homeschooling her children--and more than three decades as a freelance writer--she created Philosophy Adventure, a curriculum designed to help students cultivate and defend a biblical worldview by teaching them how to write skillfully, think critically, and speak articulately as they explore the Influence of Philosophy and the Impact of Ideas.

Jean Kulczyk, M.Ed. is a certified teacher in the areas of learning disabilities, emotional disorders, typical children K-8 and high school English, with additional certifications in Reading and Behavior Modification. She has over 30 years experience as a homeschool special needs advocate.

Dorothy Werner is best known for her work with IL HOUSE, Clonlara, the Ad Hoc Committee for Illinois Home Education Legal and Legislative Matters and the lone homeschool rep for the Illinois Coalition of Non-Public Schools. Most recently she was the only homeschooling mom allowed to speak at the hearing regarding the possible registration of homeschoolers!

This entire event is FREE, including tables for the sale.

http://sites.google.com/site/hrcopenhouse/

Homeschool Resource Center at the Johnsburg Public Library

3000 N Johnsburg Rd, Johnsburg, IL 60051 815-344-0077

High School Conceptual Physics class in Cary

Looking for a High School Physics class beginning in September? I will be teaching a course at a home in Cary on Wednesday mornings (near W. Main & Cary Rds.). Class will be 90 minutes each week for 30 weeks.
To register, contact LoriAnneStanger@comcast.net  For questions on the class, contact me, Kathy, kwentz899261@gmail.com
Conceptual Physics is both a terrific first high school science class or one later in the sequence. This class will be based on Conceptual Physics: The High School Physics Program by Paul Hewitt (the 2002 edition is still pretty current and much more affordable!). This class will cover the topics covered in the text using discussion, problem sets and experimentation. Homework will be assigned, including lab reports. Care will be taken throughout the course to discuss related current events and new scientific theories and discoveries.
Please note the following:
We will not take up our limited class time administering and correcting quizzes and tests. I will provide them and I encourage families to administer them at home using an 'open book' format.

Experiments listed in the book will occasionally differ from those offered through thisclass as the equipment I have may differ.
Prerequisites: Students should be taking or have passed Algebra I, be able to read and understand a high school level text, be willing to commit to several hours of homework each week, and be able to work cooperatively and safely in a lab situation with other students.

Students are required to have a good scientific or graphing calculator. I recommend one that they can also use on the ACT and/or SAT ? the guidelines for which can be found on collegeboard.org

Cost for 30 weeks of 1 1/2 hr. classes is $300.

Free NAS Books to Download!

The National Academies—National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council—are committed to distributing their reports to as wide an audience as possible. Since 1994 we have offered "Read for Free" options for almost all our titles. In addition, we have been offering free downloads of most of our titles to everyone and of all titles to readers in the developing world. We are now going one step further. Effective June 2nd, PDFs of reports that are currently for sale on the National Academies Press (NAP) Website and PDFs associated with future reports* will be offered free of charge to all Web visitors.

http://www.nap.edu/

 

Geology Camp Rocks!

Geology Camp Rocks!

We had a great first day of Geology Camp today despite the HOT weather.  We learned about glaciers, moraines, kettles, mesic woods and prairies, the different types of wetlands and more.  We also were able to spot several painted turtles, herons, chipmunks and loads of wonderful blooming plants.  Now if only it would cool off a bit!