Tour De Nature Centers - Silverwood

While we are awaiting our next trip to a nature center (next Tuesday), I thought I'd post about the one we visit the most! Silverwood Park!!

We love Silverwood for it's focus on art, it's huge fireplaces (both indoor and outdoor), the kid's play items in the coffee shop, the COFFEE SHOP, the outdoor amphitheater, classroom buildings, kiln, lake, bridge... We love the kid's art activities every Sunday afternoon, folks playing music on the porch in the summer, free concerts in the amphitheater, homeschool classes and programming, the offering of pottery and photography classes, and the wide open spaces to run and play.

 These photos make me totally miss summer!

Ship Sculpture on the Lake

Classroom Building

Kiln

Banquet Hall

Amphitheater

Amphitheater

Park Building

Outdoor Fireplace and Rocking Chairs

Coffee Shop Fireplace

Coffee Shop & Kid's Play Items

Tour De Nature Centers - Eastman

Today's nature center visit was to Eastman, within the Elm Creek Park Reserve in Dayton, MN.

We LOVED everything about this place, from the kids play area:

To the quiet observation room where Mane could paint:

The binoculars and books provided for bird-watching:

The library with bird, wildflower and butterfly books:

 

The pond surrounded by all kinds of chipmunks, squirrels, and birds:

The rocking chairs overlooking the pond and birdfeeders:

And ledges where we can all sit in a row for lunch! LOL!

Tour De Nature Centers - Wood Lake

Today we visited Wood Lake Nature Center in Richfield, MN. We've been inspired to check out the nature/interpretive centers that are sitting right under our noses...also to get out of the house and into sunlight (even if it's just through big windows) after a hard, hard winter.


So, right in the middle of the city of Richfield, a few blocks from the freeway, across the street from apartment buildings and strip malls, we found a marshland and nature center!

Mane set up camp by the bird-watching window and painted. We all paged through bird books, identifying the red-winged blackbird, chickadee, grackle, sparrow, and blue jay.

 

Nothing like sitting in the sunlight painting, reading books and learning letter sounds...

 

In a room full of animal displays, aquariums, play spaces and nature-themed toys...

We ate lunch in front of the windows over-looking the marsh, next to the round fireplace! We saw at least 1 coyote (maybe 2...we're not sure if it was the same one) while we ate.

Next up? Eastman Nature Center at Elm Creek Park Reserve in Dayton, MN (about 30 minutes NW of Minneapolis). We're headed there tomorrow!

6th Grade

Here's how 6th grade is shaping up...what we're using for curriculum and how it's working for us:

Mane's every day list is to ALWAYS:

* Read for half an hour (book of her choice).

* Do assignments on Spelling City (words taken from her Logic of English list or whatever she misspelled in her writing assignments).

* Do Xtra Math for practicing speed with math facts.

* Do 3-4 logic puzzles. Right now she's working her way through a book of Perplexors. Previously she was working on Mind Benders. Later this year we'll be checking out other logic/critical thinking puzzles, and we'd love suggestions!

Mane's 3-5x/week list:

* Do a math lesson from her Saxon math book.

* Work through Logic of English lesson with me.

* Work through Write With the Best lesson with me.

* Work through Biology lesson with me, using Prentice Hall's high school biology book. We plan to use this book over this year AND next year. So, we're taking it slow, digging as deep as we can, doing activities and labs. Mane keeps a notebook of vocabulary words from the week's lessons. She also answers some of the questions from the book and does independent projects related to the book materials.

* Attend her homeschool co-op's history class once a week, read emails from her teacher & do the week's homework!

* Listen to Pimsleur Spanish lesson. All I asked her to do was listen to the lessons and participate. She's decided to put together a Spanish notebook and folder with all the things she's learning!

Mane's once-a-week list:

* Participate in Poetry Teatime with myself and some friends. This means bringing favorite poems or her own writings to the table to share, listening to the poetry others brought, and drinking tea!

* Listen to Classics for Kids podcasts about types of music or particular composers. Keep track of where composers were from and where they lived and place them on the history timeline.

* Listen to the Torah readings for the week and participate in conversation about the readings.

Optional List:

* Watch documentaries already in her queue on Netflix.

* Work with Lego Mindstorms.

* And, of course, all the things she does for fun that also qualify as learning: crochet, weave, paint, write letters & emails to friends, origami, etc, etc, etc...


Over all, things are working out very, very well. Mane recently joined the swim team at the YWCA. So, she has less free time and is learning to budget time. We have had a number of great conversations about planning and getting difficult things done while you're fresh. We've also talked about how getting started is often the hardest part, and sometimes it's easier to decide to do a little bit for now and a little bit later. Often she finds that if she "tricks" herself into getting started she plows through to the finish!

Free & Almost Free Autumn Events - Twin Cities

In June, I posted about FREE Family Summer Fun events for this year. I'm always sad to see the summer go because fun starts costing a whole lot more as the weather cools here in MN. On the other hand, Autumn is my favorite season. I feel most energized for the school year to start. I love the turning of the leaves, the cooling of the air, the hats and sweaters that start making their way out of the closet, apple cider, and the holidays...

In honor of my favorite season, I've begun compiling a list of the places we go, the things we do, and the resources for fun events in autumn that are in the free-$10 range. I've found that I have more resources that I thought I did, and I discovered a few more while I was digging for links to the "regulars."

Three Rivers Park District:
First, I comb through the event listings for the Three Rivers Parks. You can do a search for something you might enjoy (like apples or archery...). OR you can click on the "Activities" link at the top of the page and sort events by type of activity. OR you can just click on "Events" and read through the whole overwhelming list.

Of note: Silverwood Park's version of the No-Coast Craft-O-Rama on September 21st, family archery at several parks ($7/person), Applefest at The Landing ($5/person) and Folkways of the Holidays at The Landing ($5/person).

Non Fair Events Calendar:
Something new I discovered this year is the Non Fair Events Calendar for the MN State Fair Grounds. Did you know there are events having to do with horses, dogs, reptiles, cars, motorcycles, books, antiques, military relics and furniture?!! Most of these events have completely FREE admission. The one we're looking forward to: Fall Festival Arabian Horse Show.

Apple Orchards near the Twin Cities:
Of course, what would MN be without apple orchards in autumn?! Most have free admission. Many have free hayrides. Save your money for apples, berries, pumpkins, squash, jellies, pies, and honey! We are especially fond of the pick-your-own-pumpkins at Pine Tree Apple Orchard and the Scarecrow Festival at Emma Krumbee's.

Tripoli Minnesota High Power Rocketry Club: 
We had the best time just attending a rocket launch a few years ago! Since then, we've continued to discuss making our own rockets. Even if you don't make one, this is a totally fun family event to attend. Bring a cooler with snacks and drinks, picnic blanket, chairs, sun-brella, and enjoy the show!

Minnesota Historical Society:
Because we have a Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) Membership, we also scroll through the events calendar for MNHS to see if there's anything we might like to attend. Several of the programs are discounted or free for MNHS members, and many are under $10/person for non-members.

Wild Rice Processing in Onamia (yes, it is a long drive, thank you) is completely free several weekends in September. Old School Minnesota Days at Fort Snelling over MEA weekend are completely free for MNHS members! The Oliver Kelley Farm offers Harvest Days over that same weekend and Christmas on the Farm in December. 

A word about museum memberships...
This is probably the place to say something about not-so-free things in the Twin Cities. Memberships to MNHS and the MN Science Museum can be lifesavers when you're going stir crazy in the winter. You will NOT run out of things to do, even if you go there once a week all through snow season, and you will certainly get your money's worth at that rate! Both museums have wide open spaces to move around and things touch and climb! It is totally possible to pack lunches to eat at either place. So, your total expense is your membership + parking. No need to purchase anything else while you're there. Parking is discounted for members at both museums.

Enjoy your autumn!!

Tall Ships

We had the privilege of being in Duluth this summer when the Tall Ships came sailing under the lift bridge. There is something about sailing ships that inspire a sense of wonder and set the imagination in motion.

The Peacemaker

Mane was swept up in the excitement and began planning her high school and/or college career with Class Afloat on the Norwegian ship, Sorlandet...

Sorlandet

Aboard Sorlandet

 What a wonder to realize that high school isn't really that far away and to begin having some hopes and dreams about something that once seemed so far off. She is a child of adventure. In many ways, much more so than myself. She has been a child of spirit, a mystery to me...and to Mango. How fitting that at her dedication ceremony, we read this poem...

On Children by Kahlil Gibran

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Resources!

Peregrin House now has a page of online resources! Check it out here: Resources OR click on the link in the right sidebar!

FREE Family Summer Fun - Twin Cities and Beyond

It's that time of year again! There are so many things to do in our beautiful city over the summer and so many of them are FREE! I need a place to keep track of them all, and a blog post seemed like the natural place to write it all down and SHARE it, too!!

First and foremost, we headed out to our first Movie in the Park last night! We saw E.T.! So fun to see an old classic on the big screen! There are movies in the park EVERY night in Minneapolis. The inflatable mobile screen makes an appearance at a different park each night. Bring your picnic blankets and/or lawn chairs, snacks, drinks, and bug repellent! We tend to go early to appreciate the playgrounds, pools, splash pads or large fields for flying kites! Lots of kids come in pajamas with their pillows for an easy transition to bed once the movie is over.Check out the schedule here:

Minneapolis Movies in the Park 2013

If the movie of the night isn't your thing or it's too late at night for your kiddos, check out the Music in the Park schedule. Music happens every night at the Lake Harriet Band Shell (7:30PM), Mondays at Nicollet Island (7PM), Tuesdays at Father Hennepin Bluffs (7PM), Wednesday-Friday at Minnehaha Falls (7PM), and Tuesdays & Thursdays at Bryant Square (6:30PM):

Minneapolis Music in the Park 2013

Thursday nights you can head on over to see the Twin Cities River Rats waterski show! Find your seat on the banks of the Mississippi right off West River Road just south of Broadway Avenue. Most shows begin at 7pm. Concessions are usually available. Don't forget your camera! We like to go several times over the summer to watch the performance get better and better over the season:

Twin Cities River Rats

Like to DANCE with your music? Attend one of the Nine Nights of Music at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul - Tuesdays, July 2nd-August 27th. Dance instruction by the Tapestry Folkdance Center begins at 6:30pm. Concerts are from 7-8:30pm. Each night features a different culture and style of music:

Nine Nights of Music

Ordway's Summer Dance Series also offers free dance lessons and live music at Rice Park in St. Paul on Thursdays beginning this week: June 13th-July 25th. Lessons at 5:30pm, Music at 7:15pm. This series has indoor venues in case of rain. Check out the website:

Ordway's Summer Dance Series

Cromulent Shakespeare Company presents free performances of Romeo and Juliet in various parks around Minneapolis and St. Paul every weekend in June. Friday and Saturday shows are at 7pm. Sunday shows are at 2pm:

Shakespeare in the Park

Open Eye Theatre's Driveway Tour offers puppet shows at parks throughout the city (and surrounding suburbs) all summer long. Performance times range from 10am-7pm. They are offering FOUR different shows this summer! Check it out:

Driveway Tour - Puppet Shows

As the summer winds down, Como Park and Conservatory offers free music, lawn games, bounce house & climbing wall on Wednesday nights - August - mid-September from 6-9pm. A number of other free special events are happening at Como Park. Check out the full schedule here:

Como Park Zoo & Conservatory Special Events

Is it raining or too hot to be outside? Check out:

Minneapolis Institute of Art (always free) or
Walker Art Center (free every Thursday night from 5-9pm and first Saturdays from 10am-3pm)

I like to look through the schedules and mark the movies & concerts we might like to see on my calendar. Then I know what's available if we happen to have free time that night.

Have a GREAT summer!

Solar System Project & Self-Motivation

This is Mane's "model" of the solar system this year. When Mango saw this he asked if I'd helped. The truth is, I didn't really even pay attention until it was all done. Here's what happened:

I had to rush out the door to work one night, and I knew Mane needed to be working on something while I was gone. I was out of projects, but I knew I had pinned some solar system ideas on pinterest. So, I called her on my way to work. I directed her to my pinterest board called "For The Love of Science," and I told her to look around and find a project relating to the solar system. She dug out some books, buttons, plastic canvas, embroidery floss and needles. I saw her working on this for the next few days. And then, TA-DA!! Here is the final product!

Self-direction has been a major area of growth for Mane this year. The other day, in fact, I was lamenting how little time I have to "do school" with her on days that I work. Mane was the one who pointed out that if I left her things to do, she could get her work done on her own. Of course! This year she's done a number of completely self-directed "educational" things, too. She made her own blog on blogger. She's posting famous poems and projects like her solar system (above). She was learning about the Civil War at her homeschool co-op. So, she checked out books from the library and took notes on the Civil War and put them in her history binder. She learned how to cross-stitch. She drew a diagram of the layers of the atmosphere after we spent some time talking and reading about the atmosphere. (I didn't ask her to. She just did!) She enters her own projects on ravelry. And she posted Bible verses on her door frame just because she wanted to post them (reading AND writing practice + memory work).

I can't begin to tell you how HUGE this is at our house. I never know what to say about homeschooled kids who read voraciously and learn everything on their own. Mane has never been a reader. Reading is her main struggle. BUT, since we have worked very hard together to overcome the reading struggles, she consistently tells me that reading is her favorite "subject." I am so proud of that. So, anyway, she hasn't been much of an independent learner. I've attributed this to reading struggles somewhat, but I also know she'd just rather play. She's been more inclined to complain when I ask her to work (and we're not talking about "school at home" worksheets and busy work, either). So, it's been a pleasant and unexpected surprise to find her motivated to DO and LEARN things on her own this year. I feel like we must have finally hit our stride. Yes, it took this long. But, yes, I'm glad we took the time to allow it to happen slowly. I think traditional school would have burned her out a long time ago.

Homeschool Co-op

This year Mane has been part of a homeschooling co-op that has turned out to be a fantastic addition to our homeschooling life! Our co-op meets one full day a week and offers 4 class hours with multiple classes to choose from each hour. In the fall, Mane took Guitar, Ballroom Dance, Wacky Inventions, and Magical Worlds. This spring she took History Through Art and Stories. Next year we're looking forward to a continuation of the history class and a literature class on The Hobbit!

Mane came out of classes with all kinds of projects, including a jiggle-bot, spinning CD top, secret codes, and paintings of flags and constellations! And she came out of this year with a cohort of peers that have been through several classes together and that she'll continue to take classes with next year. We like the steady predictability of this group of people, and the students are the most creative, brilliant, accepting and generous bunch I've met yet.

This is what our co-op's high school film-making class produced this year:

Little Kitchen Food Shelf from IFP Minnesota on Vimeo.

The film was screened as part of an event at the History Center this year!

I also thought I'd share this great little presentation by one of the students in this year's biology class: