Apples of Gold Home School News

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Congratulations to the Home School

Class of 2009!

Volume 14  - 7/12/09                                                                                                                                    

    Welcome to Apples of Gold Homeschool News!

Scroll Down for the latest news, activities, updates, resources, and ideas.                 Click on An-Apple-a-Day to join in the discussion on these most recent topics/articles as well as a host of others:

Teaching Writing in the Home School

Summertime! Summertime! Sum, Sum, Summertime! (10 Ideas to add to summer fun and renewal)

No Dreck, Only Delight (Discovering reading so they'll love it for life)

Self-Inventory: 2 Questions Homeschoolers Should Ask

 

 

Open to homeschooled girls, grades 7-12.

Practices will be held on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 1-4 p.m.                       starting August 4th.

For more information contact Coach Lynne Breister: 715-374-2021

Monday, July 20
6:30 GALLERY TOUR
7:30 FILM In the Shadow of the Moon
FREE
Enjoy a free tour of the Duluth Art Institute galleries before watching In the Shadow of the Moon. Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Stephen Armstrong share their personal experiences in this 2007 documentary that celebrates curiosity, courage, and the wonder of our universe.

Tuesday, July 28
5:30 pm
TOUR & TALK with the Marshall Alworth Planetarium
FREE
What else is out there? Are we the only ones? Explore some of these big questions with staff from the Alworth Planetarium as they guide you through an exploration of our solar system’s planets and moons.

Planning for fall curriculum, or want to try some new things over the summer? Here's where I'll post some freebies, downloads of books and other enticing or fun things you can get for absolutely nothing! (Note that these may be offered by their publishers for only a limited time.) These are items I've tried or downloaded myself, and found to be interesting and useful.

Three complete e-books of exciting and thought-provoking short stories: What Really Happened in Ancient Times, What Really Happened in the Middle Ages, and What Really Happened in Colonial Times www.knowledgequestmaps.com/whathappened.htm

A free 7 month geography curriculum that includes tons of great web links for geography games, printable maps, and other useful tools.  www.knowledgequestmaps.com/globalmania.htm

WATCH HERE FOR MORE IN THE FUTURE

Here's a great place to investigate resources for Creation Science. Mr. Nuckols offers online classes for homeschooled students, and they provide a myriad of articles and resources for your own investigation and study. We'll be putting this on the links page for future reference as well.

www.ecreationscience.com

 

Here's a brand new store selling new and used books on the web. We'll have this on the links page, too.

www.hsloft.com

Enter the Funky Nests Challenge!

Dear Birding  Friend,

You find them in hanging flower baskets…an old boot…a garage shelf…or under a bridge…birds build nests in the strangest places! That’s the theme for the newest environmental challenge from our Celebrate Urban Birds project: Funky Nests in Funky Places! As you may know, Celebrate Urban Birds is a free, year-round citizen-science project from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, focused on birds in neighborhood settings.

For the Funky Nests in Funky Places challenge, we want you to take photos, do a painting, write a story, or shoot a video showing a bird’s nest built in some out-of-the-way or out-of-this-world place.When observing nests please be sure to avoid touching them or disturbing the birds.

This one’s going to be fun, I think. We usually receive hundreds of entries for each of our challenges, and I can’t wait to see what your sent us this time and where birds have chosen to build their funky nests! I'm also attaching a PDF flier about the challenge you can print for yourself or pass along to others who might want to participate.

We have some great prizes, includig a Leica C-LUX 3 compact camera, bird feeders, shrubs for planting, and more. The first 50 entrants will receive a copy of the "Doves and Pigeons" poster by Julie Zickefoose and we'll post selected images and videos on the Celebrate Urban Birds website.

Here's how to enter:
1.    Email your entry to urbanbirds@cornell.edu. Links are acceptable for videos.
2.    Write “Funky Nests” in the subject line.
3.    Include your name and mailing address.
4.    Explain why you submitted your entry--what's the story behind it?
5.    One entry per person, please.

Visit the Celebrate Urban Birds website for more information and to read the terms of agreement regarding all entries.

Thanks for taking the challenge!

Sincerely,
Karen Purcell, Project Leader
(607) 254-2455
urbanbirds@cornell.edu

Make summer a blast with BirdSleuth!

Dear Friend,

Are you looking for new, low-cost activities for your camp, nature center, scouting troop, homeschool, or youth program? I hope you’ll consider the BirdSleuth curriculum developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

The first module, BirdSleuth: Most Wanted Birds, contains fun, easy lessons with activities that teach children how to identify birds and collect observations that can be reported to the Cornell Lab and used in scientific studies. The curriculum comes with everything you need to help children make an important connection with nature—perhaps for the first time.

Each flexible, easy-to-use lesson in BirdSleuth is geared toward upper elementary and middle-school students. Youngsters learn how to identify birds and to really appreciate nature’s diversity in their own neighborhoods. Your kids will ask and answer their own questions about birds—true scientific inquiry achieved through engaging activities and a healthy dose of fresh air.

Each module comes with lesson plans, a student journal, a resource DVD, and more. To learn more about BirdSleuth: Most Wanted Birds, or any of the curriculum modules, visit www.BirdSleuth.net or drop me an email. I’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have. I've also attached a PDF flier about BirdSleuth for you.

 I hope you’ll use BirdSleuth to create a strong bond between children and nature and perhaps spark a lifelong interest in birds. Happy summer birding!

Sincerely, Jennifer Fee BirdSleuth director Cornell Lab of Ornithology (607) 254-2403 birdsleuth@cornell.edu

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a membership institution interpreting and conserving the earth's biological diversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds. Visit our web site at www.birds.cornell.edu.

Camp We No Wheeze North

A camp for kids with asthma ages 9-14 will take place August 2nd-5th, 2009, at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center.  The camp is staffed 24/7 with a full medical team.  Besides learning more about asthma, campers participate in outdoor activities and learning sessions sponsored by Wolf Ridge.  Participants are bused from Duluth to the camp setting.  Cost per camper is $175.00.  Find out more and explore other great summer opportunities at www.wolf-ridge.org

Beginning with the July 22, 2009 show, we will continue for another hour after the newsbreak, going from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. EST. We believe that this will give you a better opportunity to call in with your insights; after all, it is your calls that make this a successful talk show. Here are the programs for the month of July:

7-22-09 Fire Safety: How do you prepare your family for an emergency? Guest: Fire Chief, Mike Weller. This show begins our two-hour format. We will be giving smoke detectors to our callers.

7-29-09 Debate: Starting age for school?  

                      Remember to listen every Wednesday, at 11:00 a.m. (EST) on LifeTalk radio—www.lifetalk.net, or Sundays, at 7:00 pm if you are in the KBHW 99.5 FM listening area. If you currently listen to our program through live streaming and would like to have us on your local Christian radio station, contact Kalvin at 1-800-775-4673.

 

Summer is a great time to explore 4-H!

 

AMERICAN VETERAN – THE POWER OF ONE©

ESSAY PROJECT

Our veterans gave Americans the ultimate gift, their service to protect our country which includes risking life and limb. By choosing to serve our country they are by nature humanitarians. In learning how veterans have served in war or what has happened as a result of their service we can learn the true meaning of great courage and strength of character. By following a veteran’s path in life, we can better understand the true meaning of sacrifice. As we gain knowledge of their experiences, we in turn share in their journey and are guided by the examples they have set for us.©

DIRECTIONS: This essay project is open to all teens from the ages of 13 - 17

You may select a veteran who has served in WWII or any proceeding period all the way through the current war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The veteran might be a member of your family or a person you have known growing up, as long as you admire them for inspiring you or they exhibited the ability to be a role model. Make sure you explore how that person has shown the “power of one” and has made a difference in the lives of others.

Print out the permission form below, sign & date it, then scan the signed form, sending it back via e-mail along with your essay to: mwhao8@charter.net

If you don’t have access to a scanner e-mail us and we will give you our address.

Deadline for finished essays is: September 15, 2009

I have read the essay project rubric and I am aware some of the American Veteran essays will be chosen for possible publication in a collection to honor all American Veterans. The author of the best essay will receive a place in Mission Quest, a summer camp experience offered (2010) by a nationally known Aviation Museum. All essays chosen will be awarded a certificate of Merit.

Participating Teen’s Signature_______________________ Date_____________

Parent or Guardian Signature________________________ Date____________

ESSAY PROJECT DUE ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 15, 2009

AMERICAN VETERAN – THE POWER OF ONE©

Guidelines and Instructions: Name: _______________________Age:______

State of residence______________

*Include both pages of this form with your essay and contact information.

Format and Presentation

1. Basic essay format or informal format

2. Must be typed in black ink

3. Grammar, sentence structure, spelling and punctuation

4. Picture of veteran – optional but preferred – can scan image and send with e-mail.

Biographical Data

1. Life span, place of birth, education, etc.

2. childhood experiences, goals if known

3. Research sources of your information (website address, book’s name, etc.)

Achievements

1. Life and military activities and accomplishments (branch of service, rank, war served in if any, awards or metals, and occupation after service, etc.

2. What did this veteran do that affected other people’s lives?

(events, acts of courage or compassion, humanitarianism)

Author’s inspiration

1. Why did you choose this person?

2. Why are his/her actions and characteristics worth following?

3. How did he/she make a difference in your life or lives of others?

4. What important role did the military play in this person’s life?

Helpful Hints

1. Have fun and be creative with your project; choose someone you truly like, admire, or want to pursue some of their accomplishments.

2. Use your curiosity about the person to find out about a specific life changing event or triumph in that person’s military career. Most people will appreciate the opportunity to share their experiences. If the veteran is no longer alive, question some one who knew the veteran.

3. Have another person proof read your finished essay and see if they find it is both interesting and well written. Welcome their constructive criticism or any ideas they offer that will make it the best it can be.

4. Make sure your essay addresses the guidelines and instructions in the rubric.

Local blogger, Jenny Armstrong, who hales from Maple, Wisconsin posts frequent reviews of books for children and young adults on her blog, The Old Green Bookshelf. Follow the link to read her reviews for The Tower of Geburah, The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, The Enchanted Castle, The Last Unicorn, Ella Enchanted, and more. 

http://oldgreenbookshelf.blogspot.com/