Homeschool Nations - Wyoming - Homeschool Blogger

Field Trip Friday-Buffalo Bill Historical Center

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 14:41:00 -0600

Buffalo Bill Historical Center

There is much to do and see in the western town of Cody. It is the eastern gateway to Yellowstone. One of my favorite adventures was the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. It has a day full of activities just waiting for you.
There are 5 museums under one roof.

The Buffalo Bill Cody Museum which is all about the man and his Wild West Show. There a many articles, pictures and artifacts about William F. Cody. I was intriqued with the timeline and where it fit into the events of our nation and world.
The Whitney Gallery of Western Art which is temorarily closed until June of '09 But it has a beautiful collection of painting and bronze statues. I loved the educational display on how bronze statues are made. It has many, many detailed steps.
The Plains Indian Museum This holds lots of vintage clothing and artifacts. There is a beautiful diorama, a teepee, and a cabin. My mom, who was an interpretive center tour guide really enjoyed the variety between our tribes in WY and her tribes in MN.
The Cody Firearms Museum My husband says: "Lots of guns." Yes and it was fascinating. Lots of variety. The kids were fascinated by the trophy room which is a taxidermy delight with mounts from around the world. It think it even had a elephant foot.
The Draper Museum of Natural History integrates the humanities with natural sciences to interpret the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and adjacent intermountain basins. I loved the WY map on the floor! Too cool!!!

Buffalo Bill Historical Center Website
The website itself can you give you an afternoon of digging and wondering.

Hours:
Nov-Mar Thur-Sun 10-5
April-Oct daily May-Sept 15 hours 8-6
Sept 16- Oct 10-5

Cost: for 2 days
Family Rate $40 (but membership is $60 for the year and includes free admission. So if there's a chance you'll be back this is a good deal for your money.)
Individual $15-$6

Address:

Buffalo Bill Historical Center
720 Sheridan Avenue
Cody, WY 82414

307.587.4771 Ext. 0

TOS Black Friday Sale

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:53:00 -0600

The Old Schoolhouse^® Magazine is having an amazing sale on subscriptions during their annual Black Friday Sale November 26 – 30. For those 5 days only, they are actually lowering their new one-year U.S. subscription price to $7.95! That's the price you would usually pay for just one issue at a bookstore!

This is their lowest price ever on the magazine and they want all of you to take advantage of this offer and share the info with your friends.

Please don't miss out. Your one-year subscription will pay for itself time and time again as you receive practical tips and Biblical encouragement to keep going strong in your commitment to homeschooling and to the Lord. Since it's a quarterly magazine, they even have a monthly subscriber's only E-Newsletter called Teacher's Toolbox that will give you seasonal teaching ideas and a free E-Book download! It's like joining a unit study of the month club! The free E-Books alone are valued at almost $250/year. It's really perfect for people who are homeschooling on a shoestring or just wanting to add in some little extras to your teaching.

Plus during the Black Friday Sale, they have all kind of bonus gifts when you spend $50, $75, $100, or $150. Some are electronic downloads that you can download immediately, while other are physical products mailed from various vendors directly to your home.

Visit The Old Schoolhouse store at: www.TheOldSchoolhouseStore.com

Order Yours Today! And don’t miss out on this great price!!!

Field Trip Friday----Register Cliff

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:47:00 -0600

Near Guernsey you can find a companion to last week's Independence Rock, Register Cliff. This was another place along the Oregon Trail where immigrants put their signatures for all of posterity. The names date to the 1820's with names of trappers and fur traders. The easiest to see, however, are those carved in the 1840's and 50's during the peak of Oregon Trail travel. You can walk next to the cliff base and view the names. There was also a small trading post that later became a stop on the Pony Express route. This is where the alternative name comes from which is Sandpoint Station. The cliff swallows attracted my attention as well. This state maintained site has no fee and is open from sunrise to sunset year round and weather permits. We didn't seem to have trouble finding the location. Guernsey has it well marked.

Cliff Swallow nests....fascinating

Site Facilities
US Highway 26; Interstate 25 (exit 92).

Location
c/o Guernsey State Park
Box 429
Guernsey, WY 82214
(307) 864-2176 (Office)
Todd Stevenson, Park Superintendent

Websites:
The Names Inscribed also some nice pictures
Register Cliff
Oregon Trail-Register Cliff
WY Tourism website for Register Cliff
Wyoming Heritage- Register Cliff

Let me know of your great field trips.....

Christian Heritage Week in WY

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:47:00 -0600

Just want to let everyone know that Governor Freudenthal has issued another proclamation this year declaring Thanksgiving Week in Wyoming as Christian Heritage Week. As you pause to give thanks next week don’t forget to thank God for the Christian Foundation of our nation and this great State of Wyoming.

Here is the link to the proclamation: http://governor.wy.gov/proclamations/christian-heritage-week1.html

Here is a second link that you can express your gratitude to Governor Freudenthal for issuing this proclamation. http://governor.wy.gov/contact-dave/default.html

Field Trip Friday-Independence Rock

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:56:00 -0600

This is one of our treats for finishing up the school week well....
FIELD TRIP!
Obviously, we don't get to do this every week but it is something we enjoy. This will be a new feature for this site. I will let you know about a new field trip idea for Wyoming. Let me know your input as well.

Here's this weeks idea....
Independence Rock
Popular legend says that the emigrants needed to reach Independence Rock by July 4, thereby giving it its name. The large granite outcropping is 1,900 feet long and 700 feet wide and rises 128 feet. Pierre Jean De Smet, is credited with giving it the name "Great Register of the Desert" because travelers put their names on the giant rock.This is a large rest area east of Casper at mile marker 63 on State Highway 220. There is an interpretive kiosk and paved footpath leading to the Top of Independence Rock. My kids loved running to top and overlooking the land. Well-preserved ruts run along the pathway next to the Rock.

Independence Rock
The lay of the land
Some names
More Names
All pictures copyright of t&mproductions

The details:
admission: Free
Address: P.O. Box 1596, Evansville, WY 82636
Phone: (307) 577-5150

Websites: Independence Rock
Independence Rock on the Oregon Trail
Independence Rock.org
Independence Rock History

Do you have a field trip you'd like to share with other Wyoming homeschoolers? Please let me know! I'd also love a picture from your adventures there.

One resource you can use for finding places is homeschoolbuyers co-op. They have some nice bargains and membership is free. They also have a field trip section, check out some Wyoming opportunities... You can also add your own and get some points. This is one I added.

Get out and VOTE!!!!

Mon, 3 Nov 2008 08:21:00 -0600

Don't know where to go?
Google is going to help you out....
Google 2008 Voter Info

In Riverton Homeschoolers will gather for an
Election Returns Party
at the Christian Church of Riverton at 1534 W. Main
Bring snacks to share. There will be a map to keep score and games for the non-news junkies.
This is a non-church event, so we can feel free to be as partisan as you choose.

American Legion National Oratorical Contest

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:18:00 -0500

2008-2009 is the 72nd year of the American Legion National High School
Oratorical
Competition. This competition is designed for all contestants to
discover a deeper
understanding of the US Constitution.

The competition is a prepared oration on these 4 topics from the US
Constitution:

Amendment 1
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press;
or the right of the
people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a
redress of grievances.

Amendment 3
No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without
the consent of the
Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Amendment 4
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers,
and effects, against
unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no
Warrants shall issue, but
upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and
particularly describing the
place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Art 3, Sec 3
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War
against them, or in
adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person
shall be convicted of
Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt
Act, or on
Confession in open Court. Clause 2: The Congress shall have Power to
declare the
Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work
Corruption of Blood, or
Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.

The 6-8 minute oration is delivered without written notes before the
Legion's selected
judges. The first level begins in December 2008 and then moves into
local and regional
competitions. The national finals are in Indianapolis in the early
spring of 2009. State
winners earn $1,000 scholarships. National winners receive $18,000.

To learn more go to
http://legion.org/programs/youthprograms/oratorical

Thanks to Lillian HSN-South Carolina

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Sat, 11 Oct 2008 10:57:00 -0500

Snow Pansies?

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 10:58:00 -0500

Freebie.....

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:15:00 -0500

"Discount Home School Supplies is giving away two DVD's this week. You can win a copy of The Nature of God in Nature: Hawaii and The Nature of God in Nature: Lake District. Read more about these DVD's on Tami's Blog. "