This is an email sent to us at Homeschool Nations for you, our readers. I am happy to be able to pass it on to you as it sounds like a fun field trip idea. Please click on the link to learn more.
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Hello,
I work in the performing arts department at MASS MoCA, where we host a
series of children's performing arts programs that might interest
members of your organization as field trip opportunities. We present
four school-time performances each academic year -- the first
performance of this year is scheduled for December 17. H.T. Chen and
Dancers will present Eight Strokes and the Moving Word, an innovative
one-hour performance with live narration, audience interaction, video
presentation, and vibrant excerpts of traditional and contemporary
dance. H.T. Chen and Dancers de-mystifies the process of choreography
while providing a valuable lesson in Chinese history and culture.
Because these performances are attended primarily by school groups, we
present each performance twice - once in the morning at 9:30 and again
at 12:30 PM. Usually, younger children (K through 3rd grade) attend in
the morning and older kids (grades 4 through 8) attend in the afternoon.
Tickets must be purchased in advance from our Box Office which can be
reached at 413.662.111 or apelletier@massmoca.org. The price of
admission is $5 per child, with one adult chaperone free per group. Two
or three weeks prior to the performance we mail out curriculum guides
with pre- and post-performance activities and topics to help students
make the most of their experience.
I would like to get the word out to home educators about the H.T. Chen
performance and the rest of our student programming series. If you think
it is appropriate, I would greatly appreciate any help you could provide
in spreading the word to the families associated with your organization.
There is information about the series at our website:
http://www.massmoca.org/teachers.php and I've attached a document with
some details about the upcoming show, but please feel free to contact me
if I can provide any additional information or address any questions.
Thank you very much for your time!
The Smithsonian Museum is having their Free Museum Day again. Please make sure you download the card and listings from their site. This is a wonderful way to check out a museum you haven't been to yet, or a favorite local museum.
I hope your September is going well. While I always expect September to be a calm continuation of our relaxed homeschooling schedule, it never seems to be! There are new things happening all over the place with the local homeschool groups. Are you looking for one in your area? Please go to the Old Schoolhouse MA state page for a small listing of groups across the state, or you can check out the AHEM support group page for a larger listing, and also the MHLA group page.
It's Fair and Festival time again! I love this time of year for this reason. Not only are these events entertaining and full of tasty food, but they can be amazingly educational for our children and ourselves. (Which is probably why my parents made sure we traveled for hours to get out of the city to go to the NY State Fair each year.)
Are you looking for Fall Festivals? Craft Fairs? There are a number of listings of these here in MA right on the web. Here are a few that I found to help you get started on your search for one near you, starting with one that is going on today thru Sunday:
The Sterling Fair Friday thru Sunday Sept 5th-7th. At the Sterling Airport, Greenland Rd. Sterling, MA
And in case you're interested in celebrating your Scottish heritage, there is the New Hampshire Highland Games (not too far outside of MA, and well worth the drive, IMHO) at Loon Mountain coming up Friday to Sunday Sept 19th - 21st. There are the Historical Highlanders, Sheepherders, traditional athletic events, traditional dancing, and my favorite - plenty of MUSIC! I hope you get plenty of chances to celebrate the upcoming season, whether you get to a festival or stay in your own neighborhood. New England is a wonderful and unique place in Autumn!
AHEM keeps a nice list on the Not-Back-to-School get-togethers across Eastern MA. Please see their website for the list as well as a a listing of homeschooling groups in your area.
Passing on this email about this great informational event:
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AHEM presents: Whole Education Without Schooling Conference: Family, Community, Freedom
Join us for a dynamic and provocative day of ideas and discussion!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Park Avenue Congregational Church, 50 Paul Revere Rd., Arlington, MA
Schedule
9:30 - 10:00: Registration
10:00 - noon: Welcome & Panel: Patchwork of Days What's it like to actually homeschool your kids? How do philosophy and reality intersect in the practical, day-to-day world of homeschooling? Experienced homeschooling parents talk about their successes, challenges, and the life of a home educator. This panel is designed to cover frequently asked questions about homeschooling, while providing inspiring testimony on the homeschooling lifestyle. Panelists will represent a range of homeschooling approaches and methodologies. Time will be set aside for audience questions.
noon - 1:30: Lunch & Focus Groups
1:30 - 3:30: Panel: Grown Homeschoolers "How do they turn out?" is one of the perennial homeschooling questions. Our panel of four homeschooled young adults helps address it. They'll talk about homeschooling from the vantage point of the kids, the experience of forging their life paths, and what it's like to live in a mostly schooled society. Another perennial question - "What about college?" -- is looked at through the lens of homeschoolers representing a range of possible choices. The session winds up with a Q&A with the audience.
Food: We will provide light refreshments. There are many places to buy lunch a short walk away, or feel free to bring your own non-messy food and drink.
Children: Because we are unable to make special accommodations for children, we ask that you leave at home children who will be as happy or happier there with a loving caregiver. Children over 12 months old who accompany you will need to register, pay the registration fee, and be supervised by you at all times.
Networking: Remember to bring cards to swap with people that you want to keep in touch with.
Early Registration Discount!
Register by August 15 and get a 25% discount.
Envelope must be postmarked no later than August 15 to pay just $15.00 per person. After August 15, pay $20 per person.
Directions to Park Avenue Congregational Church:
From Route 2:
l Take the Park Avenue exit (Exit 58);
l Turn north into Arlington on Park Avenue;
l Continue to the top of the hill, past the water tower on the right, and down the long, steep hill just until you see the traffic lights at the intersection of Park Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue.
l The church is on the left, one block south of Massachusetts Avenue at the intersection of Park Avenue and Paul Revere Road.
Click here to print out a registration form in .pdf format.
If you received this message as a forwarded email and would like to be added to the Friends of AHEM list to receive updates on issues that may affect Massachusetts homeschoolers, as well as special notice of AHEM events and field trips, reply to this email (info@AHEM.info) with your name, address, town, and zip code.
If you choose to forward this email, PLEASE forward all of it, including signature below.
Planning on some summer travel? One of the pleasures of travel that my entire family enjoys, from Papa to Baby, is audio books in the auto. :-) We've listened to some great old classics, old time radio shows, Adventures in Odyssey, and best sellers. All on a tight budget, of course. If you are looking for some good audio stories, here are places I've picked up some excellent reads (listens? lol). Many of these sites have freebies or $2 specials; not all of them all of the time, but if you are patient and persistent, they will crop up.
CBD's Adventure in Odyssey page Christian Book Distributors, located in Peabody, has some great warehouse sales twice a year if you can go.
Old Time Radio Shows
http://www.homeschoolradioshows.com/">Homeschool Radio Shows
A new free show each week, plus they have excellent compilation CD's; a great value, imho.
If you have iTunes or another way to download podcasts, there are a number of people recording classic books as podcasts as well. Just put 'audiobooks' in the searchbox. Happy reading/listening!
AHEM has their schedule out for all the New Repertory Theater field trips for this upcoming school year. Please note that Dicken's Christmas Carol has a signup deadline in two weeks. For more information on any of the productions, please go to AHEM's website.
Here is the information email...
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Morning Matinees at the Theater
AHEMs popular Morning Matinee at the Theater season continues with four stellar productions at Watertowns New Repertory Theatre. Plan now to attend high quality, professional productions at drastically reduced prices. Tickets for all shows are $13 each. Please note upcoming June reservation deadline (due to high demand) for A Christmas Carol. All performances are at the Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St., Watertown, MA. All shows are for ages six and up.
New Rep on Tour productions are specially created (often abridged) for school audiences and last about 90 minutes:
l Othello by William Shakespeare: Monday, November 10, 2008 (checks must be postmarked by October 1, 2008).
l John Steinbecks Of Mice and Men: Monday, March 9, 2009 (checks must be postmarked by January 31, 2009).
On the main stage, AHEM is offering slashed prices for two full-length productions. These usually last 2-3 hours:
l Tuesday, December 23, 2008: Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol (checks must be postmarked by June 20, 2008).
l Thursday, May 7, 2009: Chekhovs Three Sisters (checks must be postmarked by April 1).
For more details on any of these shows, see http://www.ahem.info/FieldTrips.htm.
No food or drink is allowed in the theater. Panera Bread is next door to the theater, and will be open serving soup, salads, sandwiches, bagels, pastries, and drinks all day.
Cost: $13.00 per seat for adults or children (ages six and up).
If you want to go: Mail a check made out to Advocates for Home Education in Massachusetts to AHEM, PO Box 1307, Arlington, MA 02474.
Please include
l your name
l your address,
l email or phone number
l show(s) you are signing up for and for each one:
l the number of children and adults,
l ages of children.
Those with email will receive confirmation about a week before the performance.
Space is limited for all shows.
Checks must be postmarked by the following dates:
l June 20, 2008: Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol (12/23/2008). No refunds after June 20.
l October 1, 2008: Othello (11/10/08). No refunds after October 1.
l January 31, 2009:Of Mice and Men (3/9/09). No refunds after January 31.
l April 1, 2009: Three Sisters (5/7/09). No refunds after April 1.
Email FieldTrips@AHEM.info for more information or call 781-648-5579.
Directions:
See http://www.newrep.org/directions.php.
Parking
After turning into the Arsenal on the Charles Complex, take a right after the stop sign and an immediate left into the six story FREE parking garage.
Field trip participants will be added to the Friends of AHEM list unless they specifically opt out.
If you received this message as a forwarded email and would like to be added to the Friends of AHEM list to receive updates on issues that may affect Massachusetts homeschoolers, as well as special notice of AHEM events and field trips, reply to this email (info@AHEM.info) with your name, address, town, and zip code.
If you choose to forward this email, PLEASE forward all of it, including signature below.
Spring seems to finally have sprung, and my kids are itching to be outdoors. Are yours, too? The Massachusetts Dept of Conservation and Recreation has plenty to offer! Of course, walking and hiking are fun and free, but there are even more learning experiences than that. Check out the MA DCR's website for organized activities, classes, and more. From making a Nature Journal to musical concerts, there is something happening near you.
NASA has a new craft due to land on Mars on Sunday, May 25th. Their site will have a special educational event on Thursday, May 22nd all about this landing. Please read the email below for more details, and check out their website for information about the Phoenix mission.
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Phoenix Mars Landing Preview Webcast for Schools
On May 25, 2008, the NASA Phoenix spacecraft will arrive at Mars. Phoenix will be the first vehicle intended to land on the surface of Red Planet since the Mars Exploration Rovers "Spirit" and "Opportunity" landed in January 2004.
Phoenix is a three-legged lander that will perform its "entry, descent and landing" sequence and, if successful, will commence a three-month surface science mission. Phoenix will dig down to an ice-rich layer that scientists calculate lies within inches of the surface. The lander will check samples of soil and ice for evidence about whether the site was ever hospitable to life.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California will be conducting a live webcast for schools on Thursday, May 22, at 9:00 a.m. PDT (12:00 p.m. EDT). This webcast will preview the events of the entry, descent and landing, the path to Mars so far, and the science mission.
Appropriate for 4th- through 12th-grade classrooms, the program will feature information and video clips for 30 minutes. Four selected schools connected through the NASA Digital Learning Network will engage in Q&A with JPL staff for an additional 20 minutes.
For information on how to view the webcast live, visit http://dln.nasa.gov/dln/content/webcast/.
To learn more about the Phoenix mission, visit http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/present/phoenix.html.
Interested in seeing the International Space Station go over your neighborhood? There's a new webpage to tell you when a good time to catch sight of this is. Space Weather.com has a web tool to help you. Just put in your zip code and click!
Forwarding an email from AHEM about their planned field trip. If you wish to sign up for their notices, please see the bottom of the email.
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Tour of The Boston Globe
Advocates for Home Education in Massachusetts is planning a program for ages 9 and up at The Boston Globe on Monday, May 19th, 2008, at 10:00 am at 135 William T. Morrissey Blvd., Boston, MA. The tour lasts an hour and includes the printing presses. (MEET AT 9:45 am in Lobby)
Cost is $5/person to reserve your spot; the full price will be refunded to you at The Globe, making your visit FREE. If you dont show up, your money will be donated to support the non-profit mission of AHEM.
If you want to go: Mail a check made out to Advocates for Home Education in Massachusetts to AHEM, PO Box 1307, Arlington, MA 02474. Please include:
l the number of children and adults,
l ages of children,
l your address, and
l email or phone number.
Those with email will receive confirmation about a week before the visit.
Space is limited; checks must be postmarked by May 5th. No refunds after May 5th except those made to attendees at The Globe on May 19th. Email FieldTrips@AHEM.info for more information or call 617-529-1888.
Directions:
The Boston Globe is located at 135 William T. Morrissey Blvd., Boston, MA 02125.
By Public Transportation
To reach The Globe by public transportation, take the MBTA RED LINE to JFK/UMASS Station. The Globe is a short walk down Morrissey Boulevard from the station.
By Motor Vehicle, From North or West of Boston
l Take the Southeast Expressway, also called Route 3 South. You can take Route 3 either from Route 93 or Route C-1 from the NORTH, and from the WEST, by the Massachusetts Turnpike.
l Go south on the Expressway and take Exit 15, marked Columbia Road, JFK Library.
l At the end of the ramp, take a left.
l Continue straight, past the JFK/UMASS MBTA Station and take your first right onto Morrissey Boulevard. The Bayside Expo Center will be on your left.
l Stay to the right, where youll see the Globe building. Watch for oncoming traffic, and then take a right turn into the Globe.
By Motor Vehicle, From South of Boston
l Take Route 3 North (also named 93 North nd the Expressway).
l Take Exit 14, marked Morrissey Boulevard/JFK Library. The exit ramp leads you directly onto Morrissey Boulevard.
l Continue on Morrissey Boulevard, and about one mile from the exit ramp, youll see the Globe building on your left.
l Stay to the right, and follow the sign for Day Boulevard.
l At the stop lights, take a left, and immediately take your first left again. Youll actually be making a U-turn for Morrissey Boulevard. The Globe building will now be on your right, a short way down the road.
Parking
Free parking is available in front of the building, or in the back if the front lot is full.
Field trip participants will be added to the Friends of AHEM list unless they specifically opt out.
If you received this message as a forwarded email and would like to be added to the Friends of AHEM list to receive updates on issues that may affect Massachusetts homeschoolers, as well as special notice of AHEM events and field trips, reply to this email (info@AHEM.info) with your name, address, town, and zip code. AHEM respects your privacy and will not share your name or contact information with any other organization.
If you choose to forward this email, PLEASE forward all of it, including signature below.
Barnes & Noble Booksellers Educator Appreciation Week April 26th through May 4th
At the Burlington store, there is an Educator Appreciation Week Spring Reception
Sunday, April 27, 2008 from Noon 2:00 p.m. Please check their website for events at your local B&N. (Although I haven't had much success with these educator events being listed for my local B&N on the website, since it seems to be company wide, it has always occurred at the store nonetheless.)
Forwarding on the email about this contest to you:
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NOAA's partner, Coastal America through their Coastal Ecosystem
Learning Center (CELC) members are sponsoring an ocean art contest
open to students in grades K-12 and college and university students
The contest is nationwide, and for the Mid-Atlantic Region, The
National Aquarium in DC and the National Aquarium in Baltimore are
accepting entries. (Coastal America Art Contest, c/o Joe Harber,
Director of Education Programs, National Aquarium in Baltimore, 501 E
Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21203-3194). For other areas of the
country, please refer to the CELC near you which can be found at:
www.coastalamerica.gov.
The purpose of the contest is to enhance public awareness of the
importance of the ocean through visual expression and incorporating
one of the principles of ocean literacy.
The winning artwork will be displayed at the Smithsonian's National
Museum of Natural History in time for the opening of The Ocean Hall.
You and your children or local schools or organizations can be a part
of this contest. Find out how at:
http://www.coastalamerica.gov/2008artcontest.html.
Entries are due by May 30, 2008. Please forward this message to
anyone who may be interested in this contest.
This is an email I received from NASA about a couple of their upcoming contests for students in grades 4-8 and 5-12.
To sign up for educator notices from NASA, go here and click on "EXPRESS email signup" in the right side menu. While there is a lot of stuff that isn't applicable to home educators, there are also some great notices about ongoing items of interest to us as well. (Such as the following...)
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NASA Quest LIMA Challenge for Students in Grades 4-8
In this challenge, students become scientists and propose Antarctic research. The Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica is the first true-color high-resolution satellite view of the Antarctic continent. Using this view of Antarctica, students must develop a research question and debate the value of studying the chosen feature. Registration is currently open and educational resources are available online.
For more information, visit http://quest.nasa.gov/challenges/lima.
Spring 2008 Cassini Scientist for a Day Contest
The Cassini Scientist for a Day contest challenges students to become NASA scientists studying Saturn. Participants are challenged to examine three target images taken by Cassini and choose the one that they think will yield the best scientific results. This choice must then be explained in a 500-word essay.
The contest is open to all students in the United States from grades 5-12, working alone or in groups of up to four students. The essays will be divided into three groups: grades 5-6, 7-8 and 9-12. All submissions must be students' original work. Each student can submit only one entry.
Deadline for Spring 2008 submissions is noon Pacific time (3 p.m. EDT) on May 8, 2008 . For more information, visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/education/scientist/. If you have questions about this contest, please e-mail your inquiries to scientistforaday@jpl.nasa.gov.
Dear friends of the environment,
I am writing to ask you help. The Museum of Science in
Boston in joining with researchers from Tufts
University and Fitchburg State College to learn the
status of fireflies in Massachusetts. Fireflies,
everyone's favorite summer insect, have been
disappearing from much of their range. Or at least it
seems that way to many. Now, a new citizen science
project, hosted by the Museum, hopes to gather enough
data from across the state to enable firefly
researchers to get a true picture of the State's
firefly population and, if they are disappearing, what
are the causes and what can be done to preserve these
fascinating insects.
The Firefly Project seeks to enlist people across the
state to log on to the website to report the
occurrence of fireflies in their back yard throughout
the summer, as well as record information about their
particular habitat. The goals of this project are
twofold. The first is scientific. The more data
collected by citizen scientists, the more valuable it
is to firefly researchers. The second is educational.
The site will contain a lot of information about the
natural history of fireflies as well as environmental
factors within our control that may affect their
populations. When people learn that lawn fertilizers
and pesticides may be a contributing factor to the
firefly's disappearance, they might begin to realize
the effect their actions have on the environment.
As well as the environmental message, the site will
contain a lot of fun facts about these fascinating
insects. Such as: -there are about 20 species of
firefly in Massachusetts - fireflies use their flash
to locate a mate. Each species has a very specific
flash, both for the male and for the female. - the
males flash while flying. If the female is interested,
she responds with a flash from a perch on the ground
or low shrub. - One type of firefly can imitate the
flash of other females. She does this to lure in a
male which she promptly devours. - fireflies produce a
toxin in their blood that makes them unpalatable to
most predators. - the predatory firefly can not
produce this toxin and must acquire it through her
prey. - fireflies can not see the color blue.
Therefore, a flashlight with a blue filter is ideal
for observing fireflies undisturbed at night.
As with any citizen science project, its strength is
in numbers. The more people who participate, the more
valuable the study. So I am asking your help in
spreading the word. If possible, could you let your
constituents know about this project by either
including a notice in your newsletter or on your web
site? If you can help, I have attached two press
releases, one short and one a little longer, along
with a firefly picture. Feel free to use either of
these, as space allows. I would like to thank you in
advance for your assistance. Please feel free to
contact me with any questions. And if you are able to
assist, please drop me a quick note so I have some
idea of where people are hearing about the Firefly
Project.
Thank you
Don Salvatore Museum
of Science Science Park Boston, MA 02114 (617)
589-0347
Here's an email I received from AHEM about their upcoming Spring Social:
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Dont miss the
Saturday Evening Spring Social:
Eat, Drink, Dance, Chat, and Support a Good Cause
Park Avenue Congregational Church
50 Paul Revere Road, Arlington, MA
April 12, 2008, 6:00 - 9:00 pm
Cost at the door will be $7 for each adult and teen, $5 for each child age 5 - 12.
Graduation Ceremony
Parents who would like to recognize their graduating teenager will participate in a special ceremony to be held during our Spring Social on April 12th, 2008.
Pizza, hot and cold beverages, and scrumptious goodies will be available for purchase all evening. Bring your sweet tooth and indulge!
Dancing
There will be dancing for all ages, including the Cotton Eyed Joe, the Macarena, the Cha-Cha Slide, the Electric Slide, the Hustle, and much more. For those that dont know a dance, there will be people available to lead and teach them.
Dont forget your checkbook or cash for the Silent Auction, Book Sale, and Dessert!
All proceeds will benefit AHEM. AHEM is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Questions? Interested in helping out with the event? Email info@ahem.info or call 781-641-0566.
Directions
From Route 2:
l Take the Park Avenue exit (Exit 58);
l Turn north into Arlington on Park Avenue;
l Continue to the top of the hill, past the water tower on the right, and down the long, steep hill just until you see the traffic lights at the intersection of Park Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue.
The church is on the left, one block south of Massachusetts Avenue at the intersection of Park Avenue and Paul Revere Road.
Make a Weekend of it!
Find ideas for ways to spend the rest of the weekend taking in the Boston area here: http://www.ahem.info/WeekendExplorations.htm.
Check http://www.ahem.info/SpringSocial.htm for the latest updates on the Spring Social.
If you received this message as a forwarded email and would like to be added to the Friends of AHEM list to receive updates on issues that may affect Massachusetts homeschoolers, as well as special notice of AHEM events and field trips like these, reply to this email (info@AHEM.info) with your name, address, town, and zip code. AHEM respects your privacy and will not share your name or contact information with any other organization.
If you choose to forward this email, PLEASE forward all of it, including signature below.
This is an email I received from NASA, passing it on to you....
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The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies is sponsoring an Earth Day photo contest for middle school students. Interested students are asked to photograph something that is changing in their local environment. They are to take the photo between Tuesday, April 22, and Tuesday, April 29. The change could be occurring in the student's backyard, outside the student's school, in a local park or even off in the distance. Participants must research and write an explanation of the change documented in the photograph.
The contest is open to all U.S. students in grades 5-8.
Entries must be received by e-mail or postmarked by May 9, 2008.
For more information about the contest and how teachers can use it in the classroom, visit http://www.strategies.org/EarthDayPhoto. If you have questions about the contest, please e-mail your inquiries to info@strategies.org.
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