Homeschool Nations - Rhode Island

Aug. 25, 2008

Homeschooling in RI - 101

Homeschooling in RI - 101

RI is an “approval” state, meaning that our law states that the local school committee needs to approve our course of instruction. That is not to say that we need their approval in order to homeschool or that they are approving our right to homeschool. It is just a matter of our “course” meeting the requirements of RI law. What are those requirements? For the full law go to: http://www.rihomeschool.com/homeschooling-legal-information
but in a nutshell, we must cover the required subjects for the right # of days.

What do I send to the school district?

This is where things get tricky. For detailed info about what your school district requires, please contact your chapter leader or a fellow-homeschooler in your district.

In general in the state of RI it is expected that you:

•Send a Letter of Intent (LOI) - the LOI should simply state that you intend to homeschool your child for the 2008-2009 school year. You should state that attendance will be substantially equal to that required by law in public schools (180 days) and that RI law will be followed with regard to required subjects. You may want to list the subjects in your letter to demonstrate that you know the law. They are reading, writing, geography, arithmetic, English (from RI 16-19-2); civics (16-22-2); health and physical education (16-22-4).

• Ideally that should be it, and that is where I would start. If they want something else, they will ask for it. If you know from the counsel of other homeschoolers or the district’s official policy that the school requires curriculum, you can attach a list of books or resources covering the subjects required above. It seems that if a book is listed for each subject, most school districts feel that your course is sufficient.

• If the school policy asks for an end-of-the-year report of progress, you may want to state in the LOI how you plan to do that. Some schools have asked for portfolios, testing, etc. but Commissioner of Education rulings support the parents’ method of measurement.

What shouldn’t I send?

There are some things that we feel are beyond what is necessary to comply with RI law, among them are:

• Signing forms provided by the school dept. Some are harmless and some are contractual. You do not want to sign a form that will limit you making changes to your curriculum or making other adjustments throughout the year.

• Giving lesson plans or time indications for each subject. This is not necessary information for approval and negates the freedom of homeschooling to children’s interests and adjusting schedules and times to children’s needs and/or giftedness.

• Reporting more often than once a year. We have argued many times before school committees that homeschoolers should not be required to report more than once a year. There are policies that ask for quarterly or biannual reports from homeschoolers but private schools, governed by the same law, only report to the DOE once a year. This is up to your discretion.

• There is also some debate as to whether it is necessary to include age, grade, or date of birth in the LOI.

• Medical or vaccination information. This is private information and is not required for homeschool students in RI.

We suggest giving the least amount of information possible to retain parental and homeschool rights for all RI families while still obeying RI statutes.

Where do I send it?

In most (possibly all) school districts in RI, the Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, or the Curriculum Director has been delegated by the School Committee for managing homeschool LOI. In some cases, there is another individual who has been given this responsibility. It is safe to say that sending your LOI to the Superintendent will get it into the proper hands. You should, however, send it certified, or have a copy stamped “received” so that you don’t run into truancy issues later, should they misplace your letter.

Happy Homeschooling! Feel free to email me with any questions!

Amy Brock
RIGHT State Coordinator
webmaster@rihomeschool.com

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Aug. 4, 2008

Museum of Natural History, Roger Williams Park, RI

MNH Monthly Homeschool Adventures are back!
Homeschool Adventure Days are programs held at the Museum of Natural History, Roger Williams Park, for local homeschool families. Programs run the first Monday of each month, from 10:00am to 1:00pm, and each month is organized around a different theme or topic. Special scavenger hunts, crafts, and activity tables are available throughout the day to engage families. In addition, scheduled tours, planetarium shows, and workshops are held throughout the day; pre-registration is required for these scheduled programs.

Registration
Advance registration is required for each session. To make a reservation, contact the Museum Education Department at (401) 785-9457 x247 or education@musnathist.com. Space is limited, so register early.

Fee per session
$12.00 per family
Register for ANY two or more: $10.00 per family
Payment is due on the day of each program.

Monday, September 8, 10:00am – 1:00pm: Museum Miscellany
Discover the Museum! Find out what wild and wonderful marvels the Museum has to offer, from rocks and fossils to birds and bones.
    •     Planetarium Show – 11:00am: Sky Views shows
Pre-registration required. No one under 4 allowed in the planetarium.
    •     Vault Tours - Offered at 10:00am, 11:00am, and 12:00pm. View the underground collections storage and the other 98% of the Museum’s collections that are not on display. Pre-registration required. No one under 4 allowed in the vaults.
    •     Mad Mike’s Museum Miscellany Table
    •     Plus scavenger hunts, crafts and activities available all day!

Monday, October 6, 10:00am – 1:00pm: Amazing Animals
From the tiniest insect to the largest whale, the animal kingdom is filled with captivating creatures. Explore what makes each species unique with some weird and wacky animal investigations.
    •     Family Workshop – 11:00 am: Bird Beaks and Camouflage– discover why birds have different shaped beaks and why camouflage helps animals survive, then create an animal with its own unique adaptations. Pre-registration required. No one under 4.
    •     Nature Tours of the Park - Offered at 10:00am and 12:00pm. Pre-registration required.
    •     Plus scavenger hunts, crafts and activities available all day!

Monday, November 3, 10:00am – 1:00pm: Space Exploration
Blast off into the awesome world of space exploration. Gear up for space with our new exhibit featuring the art and technology of solar system exploration.
    •     Planetarium Show – 11:00 am: Our Place in Space. Pre-registration required. No one under 4 allowed in the planetarium.
    •     Family Workshop – 12:00 pm: Rockin’ Rockets! Learn about how rockets fly and test different types of rocket fuels, then build your own rocket to take home! Pre-registration required. No one under 4.
    •     Plus scavenger hunts, crafts, and activities available all day!

Monday, December 1, 10:00am – 1:00pm: Genius Geology
Investigate 4 billion years of geological history and discover how the Earth is still changing today. Why does geology rock? You’ll find out!
    •     Planetarium Show – 11:00 am: Majestic Moonscapes show. Pre-registration required. No one under 4 allowed in the planetarium.
    •     Family Workshop – 12:00 pm: Crazy Crystals - examine the crystal structure of different minerals, then create your own crystals to take home! Pre-registration required. No one under 4.
    •     Mad Mike’s Rock Table – Bring in your own rocks to have them identified by our resident geologist.
    •     Plus scavenger hunts, crafts, and activities available all day!

Monday, January 5, 10:00am – 1:00pm: Archaeology Adventures
What secrets are buried deep underground and what mysteries are yet to be unearthed? Find out the fascinating histories of curious cultures and ancient artifacts.
    •     Family Workshop – 11:00 am: Archaeological dig – can you piece together the mysteries of the ancient civilization using buried clues? Pre-registration required. No one under 4.
    •     Vault Tours - Offered at 10:00am, 11:00am and 12:00pm. View the underground collections storage and the other 98% of the Museum’s collections that are not on display. Pre-registration required. No one under 4 allowed in the vaults.
    •     Mad Mike’s Awesome Artifact Table – With select artifacts from the collections.
    •     Plus scavenger hunts, crafts, and activities available all day!

Monday, February 2, 10:00am – 1:00pm: Fossil Frenzy
What can fossils teach us about the history of life on Earth? Meet the strange and alien creatures that crawled, swam, and slithered around our ancient Earth.
    •     Family Workshop – 11:00 am: Fantastic Fossils – Can you match the fossil with a picture of the organism that made it? Learn how fossils form and make your own fossil to take home. Pre-registration required. No one under 4.
    •     Mad Mike’s Fossil Table – With select fossils from the museum’s collections.
    •     Plus scavenger hunts, crafts, and activities available all day!

Monday, March 2, 10:00am – 1:00pm: People and Places
So many diverse and interesting people live together on our planet. Discover the special connections between people and their environments in this anthropological tour of the cultures of Earth.
    •     Planetarium Show – 11:00 am: New! Spirit of Africa show. Pre-registration required. No one under 4 allowed in the planetarium.
    •     Family Workshop – 12:00 pm: Magical Masks - Take a closer look at the awesome art of Africa and the stories behind it. Then, make your own African mask to take home. Pre-registration required. No one under 4.
    •     Special Guided Tours of Africa: Many places, many faces Exhibit - offered at 10:00am, 11:00am and 12:00pm. Pre-registration required.
    •     Plus scavenger hunts, crafts, and activities available all day!

Monday, April 6, 10:00am – 1:00pm: Spectacular Star-gazing
What mind-blowing marvels await discovery in our vast universe? Explore galaxies, nebulae, and other fantastic phenomena. Celebrate the International Year of Astronomy (2009) by learning to read the stars and becoming a night-sky navigator.
    •     Planetarium Show – 11:00 am: Sky Views Show: Pre-registration required. No one under 4 allowed in the planetarium.
    •     Family Workshop – 12:00 pm: Cool Constellations! Make and learn to use your own star finders and star clocks. Learn some of the fascinating myths behind the figures in the constellations.
Pre-registration required. No one under 4.
    •     Plus scavenger hunts, crafts, and activities available all day!

Monday, May 4, 10:00am – 1:00pm: Plant-tastic!
The park is blooming! Discover why trees and plants are important to us as you explore the park’s botanical beauties.
    •     Family Workshop – 11:00 am: Totally Trees! Learn about the different parts of trees and how they work together to make trees grow. Then, plant your own seedling to take home! Pre-registration required. No one under 4.
    •     Tree Identification Tours of the Park – offered at 10:00am and 12:00pm.
Pre-registration required.
    •     Vault Tours of the Museum’s herbarium and plant fossil collections – offered at 10:00am, 11:00am and 12:00pm. Pre-registration required. No one under 4 allowed in the vaults.
    •     Plus scavenger hunts, crafts, and activities available all day!

Monday, June 1, 10:00am – 1:00pm: Incredible Insects
There’s more to these tiny creatures than meets the eye! Get an up-close look at the incredible insects and amazing arthropods than crawl, fly and swarm over our Earth.

Family Workshop – 11:00 am: Bugged out! Investigate some amazing abilities of insects and create your own insect to take home. Pre-registration required. No one under 4.

Insect Tours of the Park – offered at 10:00am and 12:00pm. Pre-registration required.

Plus scavenger hunts, crafts, and activities available all day!

Renée Gamba, Museum Director
Museum of Natural History and Planetarium
1000 Elmwood Ave
Providence RI 02907
401.785.9457
401.461.5146 fax
www.providenceri.com/museum

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Aug. 1, 2008

Ocean State Children's Choir and the Ocean State Teen Choir

AUDITIONS for the 2008-2009 Season of the Ocean State Children's Choir and the Ocean State Teen Choir are scheduled for September 13, 20, and 27, 2008 by calling 401 556 3883 (Mr. Paul M. Mancini, Sr.) for an appointment. The Children's Choir presently rehearses Saturday morning from 9:30 to 11:55 at the Orchard Church, 180 Oaklawn Ave. in Cranston and Tuesday afternoons from 4:00 to 5:55 at the Neighborhood Guild in South Kingstown. Singers in grade 3 - 6, grade 7-12 are eligible.

The Children's Choir new concert season will start on Saturday- September 6 @ 9:30 a.m. at THE ORCHARD CHURCH - Oaklawn Ave. Cranston and Tuesay-September 9 @ 4:00p.m. at the SOUTH KINGSTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD GUILD in Peace Dale. Additional information about auditions and membership can be found on the website at www.OceanStateChildrensChoir.com or by calling 401 556 3883

Paul M. Mancini, Sr.
Music Director
401 943 5825

--
OCEAN STATE CHILDREN'S and TEEN CHOIR(s}
"Awakening the artistry in every child!"

www.OceanStateChildrensChoir.com
401 556 3883

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Jul. 3, 2008

Kids are FREE Mondays in July at Mystic Seaport! (with adult admission.)

FREE admission for kids (17 and under) every Monday in July.

Kids will love climbing aboard tall ships, making their own maritime masterpiece, exploring exhibits, riding in a horse-drawn carriage, and getting out on the water. Plus, they can star in an interactive play, discover stars in the planetarium, and take part in Hands-On-History. But that’s not all, they can captain the playscape fleet, learn to tie seaman’s knots in the Discovery Barn and so much more…

Then when its time to eat, the Galley Restaurant has a full menu of kids’ favorites.

With nearly 20 acres of fun things to see and do,
why not make Mondays this July Mystic Seaport days with FREE Kids Admission.

Mystic Seaport where kids can be kids - running, jumping, exploring and learning all while having fun.

Buy Your Adult Admission Tickets Now!

Limit four children (17 and under) per paying adult. Fees apply to special activities.

888.973.2767 | MysticSeaport.org | 75 Greenmanville Avenue, Mystic, CT

Become a Mystic Seaport Member and your admission is ALWAYS FREE – Join Now!

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Jun. 25, 2008

The Schoolhouse Planner

We are so excited to announce that our much-anticipated Schoolhouse Planner is READY!

The Schoolhouse Planner has so many wonderful features. You told us what you wanted in a planner, and we have delivered!

Some of the main features include:

Calendars in various forms - yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily

Planners for your homeschool - in various styles to meet your individual needs

Household planning forms

12 "homeschool must-know" items, one for each month of the year

12 essays from some of our favorite authors in the homeschool community - you absolutely won't want to miss these!

24 easy main-dish recipes from some top homeschoolers around the nation

and so much more!

PLUS, the Schoolhouse Planner is interactive! You can type right into the pdf! If you have Adobe Acrobat, you'll be able to save the changes you make. (Note: If you only have Adobe Reader, you can type in your planner information, print it, but will not be able to save these changes.)

Don't forget, monthly planner add-ons are available for purchase every month. We already have some great holiday related information ready for July's planner supplement!

We're there with you each month to make your home and school planning as easy and fun as possible throughout the year!

Have a friend who likes an organized home and school? Let them know about the Schoolhouse Planner.

________________

We want to say a very special "thank you" to those of you who pre-purchased the planner.

If you pre-ordered the TOS Planner, you will receive download instructions within the next 48 hours. Watch your inbox! If you haven't ordered your Shoolhouse Planner, now is the time to order your copy. The new school year is quickly approaching!

ORDER HERE!

We are so excited and hope that you are, too.

Sincerely,

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

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Jun. 17, 2008

RI Wild Plant Society SUMMER WALKS AND PROGRAMS

RI Wild Plant Society SUMMER WALKS AND PROGRAMS

For immediate release June 9, 2008

Contact: Jackie Dawley, Office Manager – (401)789-7497 or office@riwps.org or the walk leader where indicated.

TOUR PULASKI STATE PARK
Chepachet, RI
Saturday, June 21, 2008 10 am - 12 noon
This tour will highlight one of the jewels in the state forest system. Until the 1930’s Pulaski Park was heavily used for forest products. The government bought the land to help forestland owners get back on their feet after the depression. Pulaski is a wonderful example of how a forest can recover and be restored as a vital habitat. The hike will tour thru the hemlock trail, and see some of the results of state management release of beetles in battling Hemlock Woolly Adelgid. There is also Lightning Hill, where trees meet the elements in large thunderstorms. Leader: Paul Dolan, Assistant State Forester
Fee: $5 members, $7 nonmembers. Register with Jackie at the RIWPS office 401-789-7497

CARNIVOROUS PLANT WALK- Co-sponsored with the New England Carnivorous Plant Society
Great Swamp Wildlife Management Area, West Kingston, RI
Saturday, July 19, 2008 Noon – 3 pm
            Rhode Island is home to several species of flesh-eating plants. While most other plants are dependent on the soil for providing essential nutrients, carnivorous plants can get what they need from decaying insects. This allows them to survive in some nutrient-poor conditions such as sphagnum bogs, fens, wet gravel, or just floating in the water. The Great Swamp is a great place to see some of them. We should find pitcher plants, sundews and bladderworts, and with luck, most will be in bloom. The Great Swamp has a lot to offer botanically, from the stately American Holly Tree, to the beautiful White Fringed Orchid.
Easy walk - No Fee. To register and for information and directions contact walk Leaders: Doug McGrady, 401-248-2967 (RIWPS) and John Phillip, 401-741-7825 (NECPS)

FERNS FOR YOUR LANDSCAPE
Tiverton, RI
Sunday, July 27, 2008 10:00 am
Nothing evokes serenity and “naturalizes” a landscape like a glade of ferns. They are easy to grow and provide season-long greenery and wonderful texture. This program will get you started in appreciating and identifying common native ferns with their appropriate soil and light conditions. After reviewing fern species, their interesting life cycle and propagation techniques, we’ll tour the property where a variety of native ferns add to its natural diversity and aesthetic quality.

Leader: Garry Plunkett, naturalist and NEWFS Certificate Program graduate.
Fee: $5 for members, $7 nonmembers. Register with Jackie at RIWPS office 401-789-7497

QUEEN RIVER PRESERVE
Exeter, RI
Saturday, August 9, 2008 8:30 -10:30 am
Let's try to beat the heat while exploring a little known area. The Nature Conservancy's Queen River Preserve is an easy stroll along forested pathways to a pristine stream. An unusual pine barren community, wetlands and woods can be explored, and together we can uncover its secrets. Bring an interest, or expertise, in mosses, ferns, lichens, flowering plants and trees and see why this area is an important area to protect.

Leader: Frances Topping, a nature generalist interested in the interactions of plants and animals, including humans.
Fee: $5 for members, $7 nonmembers. Register with Jackie at RIWPS office 401-789-7497

WEED IDENTIFICATION
URI Agricultural Experiment Station, URI Kingston
Saturday, August 23, 2008 9:00 am -12:00 noon, rain or shine
            Got weeds? Don’t know what they are? The first step in weed management is proper identification. Come and join Carl Sawyer, Research Associate at the URI Agricultural Experiment Station, and learn how to key out weeds using Weeds of the Northeast by Uva, Neal, and DiTomasso. We will key out specimens brought in by participants, look at weed communities at the Station and talk about management strategies. A hand lens would be helpful. Limited to 15 participants.
Leader: Carl Sawyer M.S. in plant physiology and research associate at URI Agricultural Experiment Station.
Fee: $5 for members, $7 nonmembers. Register with Jackie at RIWPS office 401-789-7497

NORTH KINGSTOWN
Saturday, September 6, 2008   time to be announced
Easy paddle
           Bring your canoe or kayak to venture a view of Bidens laevis (tickseed) in bloom. By paddling around Secret Lake we will get up close to this flower in the Asteraceae family. It will feel like being in a meadow of sunflowers except we will be in the water.
Leader: Sindy Hempstead
Fee: $5 for members, $7 nonmembers. Register with Jackie at RIWPS office 401-789-7497

MUSHROOM WALK
Nettie Jones Preserve, West Greenwich
Tuesday, Sept 16, 2008 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
           Fungus is everywhere but mostly we only notice it when it decides to send out its spore producing fruit, the mushroom. At Nettie Jones Preserve in West Greenwich, the variety of habitats from the mixed hardwood forest, streams and old fields should give us a diversity of mushrooms to look for.
            We will pick one of each type to try and identify it to a major group. There is no collecting on this foray. You are advised never to eat a wild mushroom unless you are positive of its species. Many mushrooms look alike, but some are deadly.
  Leader: Noel Rowe, an amateur mushroom enthusiast [but is by no means an expert).
Fee: $5 for members, $7 nonmembers. Register with Jackie at RIWPS office 401-789-7497

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Jun. 12, 2008

Gaspee Days

Gaspee Days Colonial Encampment & Fireworks
(Jun 13 - Jun 15, 2008)
Encampment - Friday evening, all day Sat., Sun. morning

http://gaspee.com/GaspeeDaysEvents.htm

Fireworks are at dusk on Friday night only, 9 pm
Gaspee Days
Pawtuxet Park, Narragansett Parkway,
Warwick, RI

Description: A recreation, of sorts, of the fireworks that went off when the
ship's powder magazine blew up after we burned the Gaspee in 1772. The
Encampment gives visitors a feel for colonial military life. Dozens of
Militia camp out for the weekend in authentic Revolutionary style.

Hosted by the Pawtuxet Rangers, RIM.

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Jun. 10, 2008

IEW

RIGHT is hosting classes in Warwick again this year. See below for details and sign up information for IEW with Marty O'Reilly. (If you are interested in other classes offered by RIGHT, please email me privately - webmaster@rihomeschool.com.)

Warwick IEW classes will be held at Greenwood Community Church, 805 Main Ave. , Warwick. We hope to also be offering an upper high school literature class (see RIGHT newsletter June/July) from 9- 10am as well as a high school apologetics class during IEW level one from 10 - 11:30.

IEW Classes:

Having trouble teaching well- rounded and essential writing skills to your home schooler? Do you hate the program you've purchased, or is it just not working?

Marty O'Reilly, a home schooling mom of 12 years, will be offering the Level 1 and Level 2 Institute for Writing Excellence Course this year as well as an SAT Writing Prep and College Admission Essays Course in RI and in MA. She has been teaching these classes for the past 12 years.
      Level 1 skills to be taught include; Writing Style and Techniques, Note Making and Outlines, Summarizing from Notes, Summarizing Narrative Stories and References, Library Reports, Creative and Essay Writing, and Critiques.
      Level 2 skills include; Level 1 Review, Editing, Creative Writing, Expanded Stylistic Techniques , Biographical Research, Essays, Interviews, Imitation of Styles and Personal Style Development, Critiques, and Persuasive Essays
      SAT Writing Prep and College Admissions Essay Prep includes a review of all of IEW's structure and style skills in the context of these important preparations as well as essential pointers to increase scores and acceptances. (10 week class for 10-12th graders)

Classes are 20 weeks in duration; 10 weeks in the Fall and 10 weeks in the Spring, starting the second week in September. Classes are 1 _ hours a week and will be offered to students grades 6 – 12. The cost is $160 per semester. This fee will include all required materials.
Classes offered:

Warwick, RI
Thursdays beginning Sept. 11
Level 1 10-11:30
Level 2 12-1:30

Bellingham, MA
Tuesdays beginning Sept. 9
Level 1 9:30-11:00
Level 2   11:00-12:30
SAT Prep 1:00-2:30

North Andover, MA
Wednesdays beginning Sept 10
Level 1 10:00-11:30
Level 2 11:00-12:30
SAT Prep 1:00-2:30

To register, or if you have any questions please email Marty at familiaoreilly@comcast.net or call (508) 883-0073. Please register by July 15 to ensure availability.

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Jun. 10, 2008

Summertime!

Well, I haven't written in a while. Things slow down in the summer, although the organization that I head up, RI Guild of Home Teachers, has some major events in June. This Saturday we have a Family Fun Day and then on the 21st we have our Used Curriculum Sale (which is open to all homeschoolers. Details in one of my former posts.)

I had a play day at my house today, but only 2 families came! It's funny how things go in waves. One day there will be 50 kids at my house and on another day only 6. It was very HOT today, so maybe that is why people stayed home.

I have put in my tomato plants and peppers and just harvested a little lettuce. The corn, beans and squash are just starting to come up. I hope it rains tonight. My son's orchard is looking good.

I will peruse my data for events and activities to post!

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May. 22, 2008

RIGHT Used Curriculum Sale

RIGHT Used Curriculum Sale
Saturday, June 21, 2008
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM.
Exeter Chapel, in Exeter, RI.

Plan on selling any curriculum you no longer need and/or shopping for new curriculum, games, books and supplies.

You can register to sell by going to the RIGHT website (www.rihomeschool.com) and clicking on the Used Curriculum Sale Link. If you do not have online access, please ask a friend or use your local library to register. If you do these things and still have difficulties signing up, please contact Laura Giorgianni by e-mail lauragii@cox.net or by phone (401) 397-4302. The registration deadline is June 6th and You MUST pre-register to sell.

Please spread the word about this sale. It is not limited exclusively to RIGHT members. Fellow homeschoolers, friends, and the public are welcome to be part of the sale. If you are not sure what to do between shopping and picking up your books there are many fun things to do with in a several miles of the Exeter Chapel. Closest is the Exeter Library. Also consider strolling through Wickford or relaxing in Wilson Park. Need to do some other shopping? Home Depot, Wal-Mart and Stop & Shop are all nearby as well.

We are anticipating another great sale this year. Hope to see you there!

The Used Curriculum Sale Board
Beth Goff-Bode, Christine Link, Denise Flint, and Laura Giorgianni

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May. 22, 2008

NCFCA Champions Showcase their speeches

On Tuesday, May 27Th at 7:00pm students who have qualified for the NCFCA National Championship will be showcasing their speeches. Any and all who are interested in supporting those headed for Nationals or learning more about speech and debate for homeschoolers through the NCFCA (National Christian Forensic Communication Association - ncfca.org) are welcome to join us at:

New Covenant Christian Fellowship
609 North Main St.
Attleboro, MA

(Easy to get to - less than a mile off exit 5 on 95N in MA)

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May. 6, 2008

Rain Barrel and Baby chicks

I ordered and picked up a rain barrel this weekend. We only had one rain after I got it and it was already full! My daughter has been using it to water her chickens and ducks. It is so nice to have an alternative source of water. Not that our water is all that expensive here, but with watering all our animals and gardens and now an orchard, I can imagine what our water bill will be like. Also, we are coming up on the season when we are only supposed to water every other day according to town ordinances. I am hoping that our rain barrel will help us through some dry times too. I will make a plug for the company that I purchased it from The Great American Rain Barrel Company. There is a local woman fondly called RI Waterlady who is a local distributor for them. I wanted to pick it up rather than have it shipped so I searched the internet for quite a while looking for a local source. I liked talking with her and she even gave me some advice about my son's orchard.

Also new this week is the hatching of my daughter's baby chicks! She had started breeding two types of chickens together as a genetic experiment. The wonders of homeschooling! Thus far she has 14 chicks hatched with another potential 12 over the next week.

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May. 2, 2008

Teenpact

My 14 year old daughter did the 4-day Teenpact program this week at the statehouse. I encouraged her to do it, but I didn't make her. After a Teenpact representative came to her speech class and encouraged them to attend the program, she (and several others) decided that she would do it.

The homework was difficult for her but she really applied herself. They needed to memorize scriptures, memorize who all of their elected state officials were, do an extensive vocabulary list, write their own bills and research at least 3 existing bills.

They also had to write a letter to their senator and representative at least 2 weeks before the program. Some of the students were invited to meet with their representatives at the statehouse that week and my daughter got a call from her representative. The point of this assignment was for the students to see how easy it is to communicate with their representatives. I think it worked!

My daughter is not a politically minded person and so I wasn't sure if it would appeal to her beyond the fact that it fulfills her civics credit. Once she started the program at the statehouse, she really got into it. Each day when she got home she told me what she did and told me fun stories and activities that they did. They were actually allowed to use the senate chambers which was a real cool experience for her. They sat in the senator's chairs, they wrote and presented bills, held elections, the whole gamut.

I highly recommend this program in whatever state you are in. It is run by Christian homeschooled students from across the states.

My daughter said on the final day, "can I do Teenpact next year?"

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Apr. 30, 2008

Apple Orchard 3 and Gardening too.

Well, the orchard is in, except for the missing 6th tree that we are waiting for. I hope we did everything correctly. We just followed the instructions that came with the trees, pretty simple really. We added some tree and shrub fertilizer/soil to some of the soil and they came with 3 fertilizer tablets each as well. My son now has a daily watering chore....except for the past two rainy days. We had to go out and purchase a super-long hose. I was hoping we could find a pump to put in our pond to irrigate from there, but I think that is another project.

Since it has been raining I see weeds creeping into my pristine garden plot! There are also some things coming up volunteer. Looks like it could be some Borage - an excellent companion plant with tomatoes, and maybe some pumpkins or squash, it's hard to tell yet. We buy pumpkins from Stamp Farms each year and last year we got some of our own in the garden from dumping the previous year's rotten ones in there. We still bought some big ones from Stamps though....we love the Stamps. A wonderful homeschooling farm family here in RI. If I have to purchase any seedlings that is where I will buy them. I got my Borage there too.

If it's nice tomorrow I will go out and weed. I trudged out into the rain yesterday and harvested a few more asparagus shoots....yummy.

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Apr. 26, 2008

Scholastic Sale in RI

There is a Scholastic Warehouse sale scheduled for May 19-21 at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Warwick, RI.
Warehouse Sales are exclusively for School Employees, School District Personnel, Registered Homeschoolers, and Book Fair Chairpeople / Volunteers.

Go to the weblink below to register.

http://www.scholastic.com/bookfairs/events/warehouse/states/ri.asp

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Apr. 24, 2008

Apple Orchard 2.5

The trees arrived today! But there were only 5 of them! I called Stark Bro's right away and they are sending the missing tree. It's strange because the packing slip is check off in pencil...but no Granny Smith tree.

My husband and son dug the holes this weekend, so they are all ready to go. We need to soak the trees for a few hours and then we will put them in. We bought the "supreme" versions, so they come with fertilizer pills, tree guards and weed mattes. I bought some tree fertilizer and we mixed that in with the soil. We are all ready for dad to come home and help us put in the trees.

I also cut 2-3 stalks of asparagus from the garden.

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Apr. 19, 2008

RI Gardening 3 and Apple Orchard

Today I needed to clean up the house because we had some high school and college students coming over to watch a movie, but I did spend some time raking the garden. The chicken manure was a little "chunky" in places (glued together with wood shavings) so I raked all of that into the compost pile which will hopefully break it down more. I am sure that people don't want to read about these minor details, but I don't want people to think it is all easy. A few hours out in the garden and it's all ready for planting....NOT! I will probably poke around out there every few days to see if there are any weeds trying to invade.

I noticed a few little asparagus shoots coming up! Not as many as I expected. I am afraid I may have lost a few plants or maybe they are just delayed. I did buy another package of asparagus yesterday though. Maybe I will get those in tomorrow. The thing with asparagus is that you can't harvest it for a year. It is a perennial crop and (in theory) should come up year after year, sort of like ferns.

I did sit down and map out the layout of the garden. I have one corner that has a post that is a fir tree! My husband decided to let it live. The soil there is very acidic (I imagine) and it is lighter in color then the rest of the garden. I am thinking that I will put beans there in order to introduce nitrogen there. I need to do some research to see what kinds of veggies like acid. Maybe that should be the compost pile location this season....we'll see. I will probably rearrange my map several times before planting.

I tried to get my son to dig the holes for his trees today, but he didn't. The sod is broken around two trees but that is as far as he got. The trees may arrive on Monday so he will have to dig them before then!

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Apr. 17, 2008

Wurlitzer Organ Concerts at the PPAC

The Theatre's 1927 mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ is the pride and joy of PPAC. To spotlight this magnificent instrument, Wonders of the Wurlitzer organ concerts are held at lunchtime on specific Mondays and Wednesdays in the spring and fall. All concerts are free and open to the public. People of all ages bring their brown-bagged lunches and listen to the music performed by local organists who share their time and talent to keep a treasured tradition alive. Donations to the Annual Fund provide ongoing upkeep and maintenance for the organ, as well as complimentary soft drinks for patrons and a paid fee to all organists.

All Wurlitzer concerts are FREE and take place from 12:00 noon to 1:00pm.

Here is the Spring 2008 Wurlitzer schedule!

Performance Date	Featured Organist
Monday, April 21	Patrick Aiken
Monday, April 28	Jack Cook
Monday May 12	Len Beyersdorfer
Monday, May 19	Jim & Linda Duncan
Wednesday, May 28	Alden Mitchell
Wednesday, June 4	Bob Legon (w/ silent movie)

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Apr. 16, 2008

Apple Orchard

Well, today we worked on the apple orchard. I stayed up late last night looking at Starkbros.com for apple types that we like. I didn't realize that you need to have cross-pollination in order for certain trees to produce fruit. Not two of the same tree, but two different trees and ones that are blooming at appropriate times to cross-pollinate. There are some self-pollinators, but just a few it seems. I chose three trees that we love: Granny-smith, Jona-red, and Gala; and two trees necessary to pollinate them: Fuji and Rome....and one to make it an even 6 - Jona-gold.

Today it was really nice out, so my 11YOS, the orchardist, and I went out to plot our orchard. We measured the distance of the area that we wanted to plant and sketched it to scale on graph paper, then we plotted out the dwarf-trees' diameter onto the paper with space in between. I am following the general advice from a website I found by a man who has a small backyard orchard in Cape Cod.

We then measured out the land and put stakes (sticks) into the ground for the center of each tree.

Of course, when my husband came home, I knew he would suggest some change. He told us to move the whole thing about 5 ft. to the North. Fortunately, this will be easy......if I can find the tape measure again. I should have foreseen this possible casualty when inviting an 11 YO to measure for a project.

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Apr. 15, 2008

RI Gardening 2

Today was beautiful. It is our school dept.'s vacation week. I wasn't going to take it off, but my oldest was invited to a friend's house (homeschooler) and so I decided to go easy on the other kids. We read this morning, but I didn't pursue any of their other assignments.

I spent the whole afternoon turning over the garden. My plot is about 25' x 25'. Fortunately, the soil was relatively loose, probably from chickens poking around in there on occasion. One son pitched in for all of about two shovel turns. That's okay, I have been looking for opportunities to get some more exercise anyway!

I worked all of the chicken manure and the fall/winter compost pile into the soil. I keep my compost pile in one place in the garden all season. I don't turn it, except on rare occasions. I work it into the soil in the spring and start the pile in a different location in the garden.

I did get some vermicomposting worms in the fall....but I killed them. Somehow the top was left off of their bucket and it filled with water.

I am so sorry wormies. I hope to try again. I read somewhere that you can just build a wooden box with open top and bottom and they will stay in it. The only problem is the chickens may eat them.

I turned everything over except for one small area where I have planted asparagus. No sign of any thing there yet.

I'll keep you posted.

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