Homeschooling In Ohio

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The Ohio Department of Natural Resource’s new “Explore the Outdoors” statewide campaign challenges Ohio kids — especially those in grades K-5 — to turn off their televisions, computers and PlayStations this summer and rediscover the fun and excitement of outdoor recreation. The National Park Service, Audubon Ohio, Wayne National Forest, American Heart Association, Leave No Child Inside, the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association, Ohio Metro and County Parks and the state departments of Health and Education are lending financial and in-kind support to the effort.

A 4×5-inch activity guide is the cornerstone of the campaign. Nearly 800,000 will be distributed to public school students during the week of May 12. Each colorfully illustrated guide includes 10 outdoor activities such as “Catch a Fish,” “Hike A Trail,” “Spot A Bird,” etc., and challenges the user to complete eight of them at an Ohio park, forest or nature preserve. A list of facilities is located in the back of the booklet.

Children are urged to visit these facilities between May 10 and September 1 to find a special code found on the “Explore the Outdoors” posters at welcome centers and kiosks.

For each activity completed, children should record the special code in the guide. Students who complete any eight activities can enter the corresponding codes online at exploretheoutdoorsohio.com to receive a certificate of completion signed by Governor Ted Strickland. The first 1,000 students to obtain an online certificate will also be eligible to receive a Coleman mini companion lantern. Coleman also provided financial support for the printing of the guide.

Alum Creek State Park will host the May 10 kick off. The day’s scheduled activities include a youth fishing demonstration, wildflower hike and canoeing. Governor Strickland and a group of celebrity sports figures will lead a youth wild turkey hunt near Zanesville on the same day.

Here are the links you’ll want:
http://www.exploretheoutdoorsohio.com/tabid/20194/Default.aspx
http://tinyurl.com/3fds9c
http://www.exploretheoutdoorsohio.com/

I just finished the book Real Life Homeschooling by Rhonda Barfield.

It was a wonderful book to read for homeschool newbies and veterans too. It shares the homeschool stories and journeys of 21 different different homeschooling families. It shows that homeschoolers are diverse in location, family size, ideology and method, and reasons for homeschooling. Two of the 21 children had 11 kids and two had only 1 child. There was single mom homeschool family and a family homeschooling on a remote island in the pacific. There were super structured families and unschooling families. There were religious and non-religious homeschoolers. It was very refreshing to see homeschooling thrive in so many different families and with so many different approaches.

I hope the author comes out with a volume 2!

Barker Creek makes award winning educational products and I had the chance to review one of them yesterday called Wild About Watermelons. It is an activity ebook for grades K-2 with tons of activities related to watermelons. Kids learn about fractions as they watch you slice and dice a watermelon. Introduce simple machines as they eat a watermelon “wedge”, master time-telling skills with their very own watermelon clocks, and map their way to the melon farm.

I especially loved the watermelon clock idea and will have to do that one this summer. I am really impressed with these ebooks and I have my eye on the Sunflower lesson…

So do you want the Wild About Watermelons ebook free of charge?

Send an email to freebies@barkercreek.com and they will automatically send you the link to the download page.

Enjoy!

Earth Day is approaching. Here is a fun science and earth day awareness project for grades K-2. This project is designed to teach them about trees, the eco system, and the importance of valuing nature.

Children will draw a tree and/or the details they might find in a real tree.

What You Need

• large piece of poster board or paper
• crayons, markers, or paints

What to Do

1. Draw or trace a big tree (without leaves) on the paper or poster board.
2. Tell children that a tree is a community just like the one we live in. It has life and activity. Ask them what kinds of things they might see in a tree, such as nuts, flowers, sap, fruit, seeds, birds, squirrels, insects, spider webs, a bee hive, a nest, and leaves. Write them out on the board.
3. Invite children to paint or color it, adding all of the elements they have decided belong to the tree “community”.
4. Discuss what would happen if the tree were cut down and how the tree’s community would suffer.

You could also make this a waste free project by using a white board.

Enjoy!

Here is a special offer from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. I really like this magazine because it has so many personal stories from homeschooling families. It always has wonderful words of encouragement and motivation…just what you need to get energized about your decision to homeschool!

The HSB Front Porch is having a contest and you can win a $50 gift certificate just for blogging about The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Spring Promo before midnight April 30, 2008. Subscribe now to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and receive 25 BONUS gifts valued at over $550! The Winter Promo sold out, don’t miss out on the free gifts this time!

They are also giving away a $150 gift certificate to the Schoolhouse Store. All print subscribers (new or renewing) between April 3 - 30, 2008 will be automatically entered into a drawing. No purchase neccessary to win. To enter without subscribing, please send a postcard with your name, address, telephone number, and email address to:

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

Spring Promo Contest
PO BOX 8426
Gray, TN 37615

I recently purchased what I consider to be an excellent handwriting workbook. My seven year old son enjoys using it as well. The workbooks are from Handwriting Without Tears (HWT) and we got the 1st grade edition but I am sure we will get others in the future.

Here is the description of the one we got:

1st Grade Printing Teacher’s Guide and My Printing Book student workbook introduce students to lowercase letters, review capitals, and teach word and sentence skills to prepare students for writing in all their classes.

HWT uses fun, entertaining, and educationally sound instructional methods to teach handwriting to all students: pre-k through cursive. The well-planned lessons require minimal preparation time. Thousands of administrators, teachers, therapists, and parents across the country have successfully implemented the program. The end result is truly handwriting without tears for all!

Enjoy!

Akron Fossil Museum and science center is devoted to teaching Creation Science and Intelligent Design models in contrast to Evolutionary models. The center features hands-on science activities as well as many fossils from Ohio and around the world.

Families, groups, and individuals of all ages will enjoy our informative exhibits as they journey through a series of questions in search of truth. We give guided tours beginning at the top of every hour, hosted by our friendly tour guides. Our museum admission price includes free admittance into our out-door dinosaur themed playground, Truassic Park!

Upcoming Events:

April, 12: Bubbleology: A Super Science Saturday Favorite! Come explore the exciting world of bubbles! What is the biggest bubble you can make? Can you make a square bubble? Prepare to get messy!!!

May, 10: Awesome Amphibians: Everyone loves amphibians but did you know some of our slimy green friends are in trouble? Come learn about what we can do to help and meet some amphibians face to face!

Visit the museum

Through April and May the Palace Theatre in Marion, Ohio will host art classes for children, teens, and adults.

Great homeschool classes include:

Still Life Drawing (teens)

Mini Cake Decorating (8-12 years)

Tap & Jazz Dance Classes (4-9 years)

Simple Science Projects (3-6 years)

Whimsical Birdhouse Building (6-12 years)

Wet & Wild Watercolors (6-12 years)

Jewelry Design (10 and up)

Music (3-5 years)

All of this takes place in a gorgeous historical theatre!