Quassy Amusement Private Homeschool Day Event
Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury, CT will stage their very first Homeschool Day at the lakeside property in 2 weeks!
My girls and I are SO excited about bringing this fantastic learning event to your attention; and we look forward to sharing this experience with as many happy homeschoolers as possible!
I just got off the phone with the organizers, and (as usual) I asked dozens of questions to make sure the registration, preparation, and organization of this day goes as smoothly as possible. After all, we want to make sure everyone gets the most out of this day. So, please read this detailed article slowly and pay attention to all its highlighted notes, so you don’t miss out on all the fun.
If you’ve never been to Quassy before, check out all their rides and attractions here. Those of you who have been there (like us), you’ll know that you have to pay extra for parking (which was an unpleasant surprise for us last year), Saturation Station (water park and Quassy beach), and of course the food…BUT, Everything I just mentioned with all the Extra Programs listed below is included in the one Discounted rate for the entire day!
And, YES, all rides, the water park and beach will be open for service from 10 am – 4pm, regardless if you participate in any of the homeschool events or not. What a deal!
Homeschool Day Program
10 a.m. – Arrive and redeem tickets
10:15 a.m. – Design Your Own Amusement Ride Model Contest (To be set up for judging). Models must be built prior to the event. Middle and high school ages must have working models based on ima
gination and basic principles of physics. Elementary students can enter working model or drawings. Names, grade levels must be attached to all entries. Maximum base 24 by 24 inches.
10:30 a.m. – ‘Wacky Science’ stage presentation for all age groups
11 a.m. to noon – Enjoy the rides and water park
Noon to 1 p.m. – Lunch! (Note: If more than 50 total persons are registered for the day, lunch will be a one-hour service of unlimited hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries and soft drinks. If fewer than 50 people are registered for the day, participants will receive a lunch ticket valid for a hamburger and hot dog (or two of the same sandwich), french fries and a small soft drink.
Comment below and help spread the word! The more–the merrier…with fuller tummies too. 
1 to 2 p.m. – Enjoy the rides.
1 p.m. – Judging for Amusement Ride Model Contest. Students will demonstrate and explain their entries to the judges. Winners announced at 3 p.m. *Register on or before Thursday, June 10, 2010 for this first-come first-served program.
2 p.m. – Journalism Workshop for high school students. (Registration required when making your reservation; bring pencils and paper!) *Register on or before Thursday, June 10, 2010 for this first-come first-served program.
2 p.m. - Scavenger Hunts for elementary and middle school-aged students. *Register on or before Thursday, June 10, 2010 for this first-come first-served program.
“Fun With Physics,” Quassy’s new physics program, is available to all age groups. The 38-page booklet is pasted below in our doc-sharing program. You can view it directly in this article, or download it for easier access! You get to select the projects for students to work on.
4 p.m. – Day concludes.
Quassy Amusement Park Homeschool Day
When: Monday, June 14, 2010 10 am -4pm
What: The program will include numerous educational programs and interactive activities for all ages.
Where: Quassy Amusement Park Lake Quassapaug, Rt. 64 (2132 Middlebury Road) – Middlebury, CT 06762 – P.O. Box 887 Phone: 1-800-FOR-PARK or 203-758-2913 Directions available here.
How Much: The price of the event includes all rides *even Saturation Station (water park)*, lunch and parking ($17.50 for students, $7.50 for chaperones). Everyone attending must have a pre-paid ticket. Babies or other individuals who will not ride, eat or participate in any of the programs are free of charge.
- If we get 50+ registrants, unlimited hamburgers, hotdogs, fries and drinks will be available during the lunch hour. So, comment below & help spread the word.
How to Attend: Reservations and tickets are available by calling the park office at 203-758-2913 ext. 105.
- Comment below with the number of registrants attending.
- When you call and register your family, please tell them you heard about this program from “Ponn Sabra” of AmericanMuslimMom.com. By giving credit where it’s due, I can continue to bring exclusive programs and news to you!
- All major credit cards are accepted.
- If reservations are placed on or before Friday, June 4th, tickets will be postal mailed to you, otherwise tickets will be held at the desk.
- Money order or checks are accepted ONLY if they are received on or before Friday, June 4, 2010. Therefore, you must call and send the payment today or tomorrow.
Quassy’s New “Fun with Physics” Program
Designed for children (and adults) or all ages, you can view or download the below booklet to work on any or all the Physics projects you want to prepare your kids for the fabulous fun learning event!
Fun Physics At Quassy Amusement Park – Elementary to High School
AmericanMuslimMom.com Get-Together
If you participated in any of the past programs I helped promotesuch as, Old State House, Chelsea Piers, Climate Quilt, you’ll know that my girls and I love to meet, greet and enjoy the day together with you! So, if you decide to attend, please comment below which events you’ll be attending so we can try to get together. We’re definitely designing a ride, and participating in the Scavenger Hunt. And, we’re going to fit in some time to sit down at the beach to relax a bit from all the rides and water park.
After-Program Feedback
Since this is Quassy’s first Homeschool Day, I’m sure to follow-up with them after the event to share our comments, concerns and recommendations. So, stay posted as the day approaches…and, after it ends!
Disclosure: Depending on the number of referred registrants, AmericanMuslimMom.com may be compensated with discounted registration fees.
CT Homeschool Group SixFlags Read to Succeed Six Hour Reading Club
Deadline to Complete Registration: Monday, March 8, 2010 7:00pm EST.
We apologize for the late notice. All families who registered via phone and email during the fall 2009 with me are all registered. This post is made as a courtesy by opening it up to all members of the many CT homeschool groups we belong too, as well as any CT homeschooler who follows American Muslim Mom.
/sixflagsread
2009-2010 Read to Succeed and Six Flags Six Hour Reading Club program
How it works:
Free admissions tickers are given to all children in Grades K – 6 who complete six hours of reading since the inception of the program this past fall. Each participating Teacher/Parent will also receive one free admission ticket.
Tickets are valid at participating Six Flags theme parks from June 14 through August 8, 2010 only. (Note: Valid dates for The Great Escape ONLY: June 28 through August 15, 2010.) Lost, stolen, or damaged tickets cannot be replaced.
What To Do:
Parent Educators must fill our the following form completely by 7:00pm EST tomorrow, March 8, 2010.*
Additional downloads:
If you have any questions or concerns, comment below or email contact<at>americanmuslimmom.com
A True Confession from a New Homeschooling Mum
Hope Home Schooling is going on well. Let me make a confession to you:
I am enjoying every bit of homeschooling, including the preschooler’s “drama”, the Kindergartener’s whining and the first grader’s “all-of-a sudden” independence. Besides, I am learning a lot! I never took Geography in Nigeria, never!
I had the option of choosing Geography or English Literature. I chose the latter without qualms. And I enjoyed every bit of Literature.
But it is now, in my old age, that I am beginning to appreciate the beauty in Geography, through reading and activities in my first grader’s books. Subhanallaah.
Through educating my kids at home, I have discovered that I am also re-educating myself and gaining cultural competency about other countries in our world.
Last December, my kids and I attended a kids’ pre-exhibition on Timbuktu in Mali. The pre-exhibition took place at one of the ten public libraries in Raleigh, North Carolina. It was an eye opener not only for my kids but for me.
I knew from the on start that Mali is a Muslim country. But one thing I was ignorant about was the fact that Mali is one of the countries on earth that has a wealth of Islamic scholarship in terms of education and life enriching experiences. Besides their local languages, they also speak French, which is one of my favorite languages. Just in a day, my knowledge about Geography increased and my horizons were definitely expanded.
In life, there are challenges here and there. We cannot hide from there.
It is not the challenge that actually matters though. It is how we see it and tackle it that matters most.
Yes, homeschooling can pose its own challenges, upon the challenges of motherhood and parenthood. However, it can be very successful, refreshing, and enjoyable when it is not seen as a strenuous daily chore but as a privilege and gift that Allah has blessed us with.
What keeps me going is the flexibility in our home, the joy I see in my kids’ eyes, the ability for me and my hubby to do this homeschooling, and most importantly, the legacy my late parents laid down for me and my siblings. The legacy is nothing but education.
So, keep up the good work and stay refreshed.
Past articles by Maryam include:
Maryam Funmilayo is a homeschool mum of four (ages 7, 5, 2.5 years old and an 8 months old), pursuing a Master of Science degree in Nutrition. An accomplished freelance writer, Maryam particularly enjoys writing on-assignment because she loves the challenge of impressing her clients for repeat business. Please comment below to share your views on today’s post, or email her directly at mfunmilayo<at>yahoo.com
Washington Post – Muslim homeschooling population growing
Below is an interesting article that appeared in the Washington Post regarding Muslim homeschooling. As a mom (or dad), you always want what is best for your child, so that as they grow older they can make decisions of whether they wish to attend university or do a course found via eLearners (http://www.elearners.com/) or neither if they so wish. So, reading more about the growth of Muslims homeschooling may interest you greatly.
“Muslims turning to home schooling in increasing numbers” by Tara Bahrampour was published on Sunday’s Washington Post with a nice photo gallery for one homeschool mom of six. I agree with their observation that the delay in Muslims homeschooling may be due to the fact that many Muslim immigrants are unaware and/or not confident to explore this righteous option. But, by helping two immigrant Muslim families towards the happy and healthy lifestyle of homeschooling, I agree the number will very soon increase, inshaAllah (God willing).
Having said that, I have found that most of the Muslim homeschoolers I know are American reverts, like myself. We have first hand experience of the many vices of the American schooling system, as previously explained in my “Creating the Ideal Islamic Educational System in America” series with the following articles:
4. What are Personalized Learning Centers?
3.We don’t need School Reform we need an Overhaul
2. Education of Muslim Children – Challenges and Opportunities (Problems with Islamic Schools)
1. Failures of Modern Schooling – Islamic Perspective
While started in 2008, I never finished the series by stating that
“Homeschooling is the most ideal Islamic educational system in America, with a healthy mix of coops, classes, field trips, group projects and academic-themed events (such as Spelling and Geography bees, Art galas, Science Fairs, Invention Convention, etc.) and of course, domestic and international travel”.
As for Meena the 15 year old who said she missed the “Harry Potter club” in this article, subhanallah, Glory be to God, her parents took her out of such an impressionable environment before it was too late. For example, when my daughters (younger than her) read her statement, they immediately winced at the thought of her liking, reading and participating in a club for a series of books not acceptable in Islam.
As always, we welcome your views and thoughts in the comments below.
Teaching Kids Idioms, Oxymorons, Onomatopoeia & More
Teaching Figurative Language to Kids
This is our first attempt to have a group homeschool project online for our kids, in which we’d like to showcase our kid’s work on one particular topic at a time. This group homeschool project topic is “Figurative Language”. Figurative Language is different sayings that do not express its literal meaning.
Below are some types of figurative language, definitions, examples, websites and pictures we drew to help learn about this topic. We’d like to welcome other children to draw funny figurative languages examples, you can scan and email the picture to us, or post them on your blog and trackback to this original post or comment below.
An idiom is is a combination of words that sound idiotic, but the meanings are typically popular and well-known by native speakers. Non-native speakers (foreigners) find them very difficult to understand.
Examples include: icing on the cake, is there a frog in your throat, dead meat.
An oxymoron is a phrase in which two words that typically contradicts themselves (good & bad, ugly & pretty) are used together to stress the point of the speaker.
Examples include: all alone, wise fool, awfully nice, legal murder.
Onomatopoeia is a word used to make a “sound”.
Examples include: meow, woof, bang, tick-tock.
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Simile
Simile is comparing two things using the words “like” or “as”.
Examples include: his nose is as cold as ice, the girl ran like a cheetah.
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Metaphor
Metaphor is a comparison between two things using descriptive or symbolic words without using the words “like” or “as”.
Examples include: My bike is my magical carpet, Juliet (from “Romeo & Juliet”) is the sun.
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Hyperbole
A Hyperbole is a deliberate and obvious exaggeration to stress your point.
Examples include: The oven must be set at 1000 degrees! I could eat a 100, or 1,000,000 of these!
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Personification
Personification is giving life-like qualities to non-living things; making a something ‘like’ a person.
Examples include: The teapot sang & whistled, the printer ate my paper!
We had a ton of fun working on this project one evening. Please join the fun! Grab your crayons, markers and pencils and send your drawing to us via email, or post on your blog & comment below with the link!
Kids Can Recreate Some American History at the Old State House
The CT Old State House in Hartford, CT is hosting Children Historical Events for kids in grades 3 – 6 during February’s Winter Break and other selected days off. Click here for the OSH Children’s Program flyer.
Learn about the Presidents at the CT Old State House
Dates: Monday, February 15, 2010 & Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Time: 10 AM- 12 Noon
Cost per child: $5 per program
Limit of participants: 15
Recommended age group: Youth grades 3-6
Learn about President Washington and the Revolutionary War
February 15, 2010
Come learn about the President George Washington with hands-on history activities that let kids explore the Old State House from top to bottom, interview a CT Governor from 1796-1809, try on Revolutionary War uniforms AND record the experience with flip videos!
Rather than write all your answers as your explore the State House in a scavenger hurt, children will be given Flip cameras to video tape their findings and experiences.
Now, that’s scavenger hunting the cool & advanced 21st century way–or the lazy way in some eyes 
Each activity will reveal fascinating information about George Washington, his contributions to our nation and his Connecticut connections. Participants will take what they learn about our first president, form teams and use all kinds of wild and crazy art supplies to create their own version of a Washington monument.
Flip video creations can be emailed home and the monuments will be on display in the Old State House during President’s Winter Break Week.
We’ll be posting as many of these video creations on our Fan Page too.
Learn about President Lincoln and the Civil War
February 17, 2010
Continue to learn about our country’s past Presidents with a special Civil War program at the Old State House!
Kids explore Connecticut’s role during the conflict and the state’s close ties to President Lincoln through a series of hands-on history activities. Participants learn about Lincoln’s visit to Hartford; “meet” a Union soldier; “interview” wartime governor, William Buckingham; try on uniforms and clothing; and record their experiences using a flip video.
Using their new knowledge, kids use period appropriate materials to write letters describing their experiences and create their very own corps badge.
Flip videos can be emailed home and participants take home their crafts. Yes, we’re going to share these cool videos on our Fan Page too, as well as any photos made available.
So, are you ready to learn some U.S. History during these hands-on, interactive, and real cool programs!?
How to Register:
To register, keep reading the details below; but, hurry–we’re taking 3 of the 15 slots on both days
To speed up the process, click the CT_Old_State_House_February_2010_Event Registration Form here, and call Rebecca to reserve your child/ren’s spots today! Then, don’t forget to comment and let us know you’re going so we can keep an eye for you.
Rebecca Taber-Conover
Connecticut’s Old State House
Programming and Curriculum Manager
800 Main Street
Hartford, CT 06103
860-522-6766, ext. 11
*Disclaimer: We are not “celebrating” President’s Day, since we do not celebrate any holidays in Islam except our prescribed feasts. We endorse this program as an interactive, hands-on learning lesson about American History, subjects our children must study in Grades 3-6.
Creations from the Hands and Minds of Children: An Art Gala
UPDATE:Art work is due this Friday, February 15, 2010! for the Creations from the Hands and Minds of Children: An Art Gala!
Where: Levi E. Coe Library at 414 Main Street in Middlefield, CT.
When: February 20, 2010 from 5:00 -8:00pm.
Homeschool Art Gala Mission
To provide homeschooled children the opportunity
- to present their art work to the community;
- to learn to critique their own work by determining the worth of their art work within the given parameters; and
- to give back to the community through the donation of art work to benefit a local non-profit organization.
Who may participate
- We are looking for interested young artists to donate their art work to be sold for a small fee or those who wish to display art can pay a small fee. Our youngest participant has been 18 months and our oldest has been 17. Art work has been of every description and medium imaginable. We only ask that the art work be appropriate for a family venue.
What to do
- Each artist prices their work for $1, $2, $3, $4 or $5. If they are donating it, the piece will be on display in the upper level of the library for the public to purchase for the donation price. If being pre-bought & only to be displayed for viewing pleasure then it will be placed downstairs in the Children’s Room & must be pre-bought by a parent. Some artists are reluctant to part with their artwork so parents have opted to pre-buy artwork for a dollar or two per piece. Pre-bought work is designed for budding artist to display their prized creations while having their parents/guardians support the cause monetarily.
The money raised allows the Levi Coe Library to purchase additional materials for The Children’s Room & Young Adult Department of the library.
- Each piece of artwork needs an artist information card which has the child’s name (first & last), age, Title of the artwork, price & if it is pre-bought or not. The cards are available at the Levi E. Coe Library (available at time of drop-off) or from Regenia Allen or Candy Hayden (Mueller).
- The artwork can be of any medium which you can conceive. If your child can imagine it and make it happen then we can find a place to display it. We have had sculptures, etchings, drawings, paintings, cards, sculpey creations, quilts & other fiber arts, recycled art and so many more submitted in years past. We do ask you group small items together, ie a set of 2 or 3 mini light bulbs.
- Drawings, paintings, etc. need to be framed or suitable for hanging. Some people buy frames from the Dollar store & others opt to back with poster board or foam board. Since the organizers try to hang as much of the artwork as is possible, it is important is be in hangable condition when we receive it.
How to make this a successful event
- We need at least 300 pieces of art work to make this a successful event. Each participant is asked to donate/show at least 4 pieces and can donate/show up to 15 pieces. We are beginning to collect art pieces now and will be accepting donations until February 15th. You can call Regenia Allan at (860)349-1577 or drop off donations at the Levi E. Coe library during their business hours M-Th 10am-7pm & Sat. 10am-1pm.
Parental obligations
- Pre-Gala Meeting: We will have a meeting on Feb 19, 2010 @ 3pm to go over the expectations for the the night of the Gala & to familiarize everyone with the library and where everything will be found and to answer any questions.
- Mandatory refreshments: On the night of the Gala, we ask families with participating artists to bring 2 clear drinks (water, 7up, white grape juice) and a plate of finger foods.
How to sign up
If you are interested in signing up your child(ren), you can do so when you drop off your artwork at Levi E. Coe or you can email me with their name(s), age(s), parents name, email address & phone number. If you attend GreenSchool, you can also find Regenia or Candy and sign up, get artist information card & drop off art work for the Gala.
Organizer’s Contact information:
Regenia Allan (860)349-1577
Candy Hayden (Mueller) at themueller<at> mac.com.
Newcomer Tips:
- Created some practical art pieces. Since I did not know what to expect the first year and was very nervous that no one would buy their art pieces–or worse, I’d be stuck buying all their pieces, while this art gala is my attempt to clean out my house filled with art pieces in the first place…I decided to direct them towards so practical, usable, creative pieces, such as motivational bookmarks, very creative pencil holders, and fancy decorative jewelry. A number of my girls’ work were purchased by people we didn’t know. So, the intrigue and excited that my girls felt, knowing that “someone else” “really interested” in purchasing their work did!
- Display the art pieces “for sale”. Our oldest daughter, then 7 yo, created quite the ‘talk’ that evening, when we arrived and Papa tried to purchase his favorite piece she painted. Only to find out that it was already sold and he was the fourth person to ‘try’ and buy it. While it was a beautiful piece, it was one of her quickest paintings, but with the help of the organizers, because we found a gorgeous dollar store frame that fit it perfectly, it looked very professional.
- Price the art work based on time spent, ability, and saleability. We priced our daughter’s painting based on time for $3, but we didn’t take into account that it was very professionally displayed and truly worthy of being hung on someone’s wall. Do not underestimate your child/ren’s ability. I learned the hard way..because…next tip:
- Have your kids look forward to being designated as an “Artist” for the night. Since our daughter had her name tag prominently pinned, one of the four people wanting to purchase her painting, “commissioned” her to paint one for her, and offered to pay her more than $3 as long as she used the colors she requested. All her friends were so proud and excited for our daughter. Since I lost her contact information, and we agreed to have her pay only when my daughter completed the painting, I let this great opportunity slip. Rest assured, my daughter is going to make it again, and create similar appealing pieces this year.
- Expect an enchanted, elegant, fun, educational evening for the entire extended family and friends. While people dressed from jeans to black-ties since some of our daughters’ girl-friends were even getting their hair done, my girls decked out in their formal Eid gowns. My parents joined my entire family, and we had such a great time, that it was SO hard to drag them away early–since me and one of our daughter’s was nursing the end of a flu. The ambiance, entertainment, organization and lay-out of this evening has caused this night to never be erased from our memories. Since grandma, may God have mercy with her, won’t be joining us, we’re working hard to have my sister come all the way from NJ this month.
- Designate a fair “allowance” for each child to spend & set some rules. The night is a great math and economics lesson too. Kids walk around and weigh her needs and desires along with new-found or old homeschool buddies. Our rule was, don’t spend so quickly–take your time, and they were not allowed to purchase their own or their sisters’ work
- If you’re not sure if you want to participate–at least attend! This is the one most unusual experience in my 10 years of homeschooling, that I’ve ever witnessed homeschool kids and families, babies to grandparents, sipping drinks elegantly, kids walking confidently and proudly eager to satisfy their friends and guests, lessons in all subjects like art, math, and networking among all ages with no havoc or chaos. It’s truly a night to remember a time to mark on your calendar to attend!
When should students consider going to college? In particular, homeschoolers
Image, thanks to Metro Seniors
Please welcome Todd Johnson, the college admissions counselor for College Admissions Partners .After 20 years of being a successful trial lawyer, Todd left it all because he “has always had a personal interest in college admissions and was often frustrated watching students choose a college without understanding whether the college was a match for that student. He also observed in talking to parents that they did not understand the basics of college financial aid and as a result were often spending more money to send their children to college than necessary.” To read more about Todd click here.
We are particularly pleased with Todd’s new column on American Muslim Mom because “Although Todd has worked with students who have gained admission to Ivy League Universities and highly selective colleges, his focus is not on finding the highest rated college for his students. He does not believe that the best college is the highest ranked or the college that has the lowest admission rate. Rather it means the college that is the best fit for the needs of that particular student.”
Todd looks forward to writing a monthly column on American Muslim Mom, in which he’ll share helpful tips and articles to help prepare our home schooled children to enter college. If there are particular topics that you would like to see covered, please contact us, or email him directly at todd@collegeadmissionspartners.com
As his opening piece, Todd will address the latest news of a 13 year old Muslim girl who will attend college this fall.
MashaAllah, Allah willed, my dear friend Anna’s eldest daughter to register for classes at the University of New Haven on a full scholarship this fall. In addition to Maida’s front page coverage of the New Haven Register’s Sunday, May 31, 2009 edition, Fox 61 News also featured her as well
MashaAllah, there are many supporters and other families with similar experiences as noted in this blog’s comments. But, some share their worries and/or concerns to assure that this young child does not have undue pressure as noted in these comments here. [Knowing Anna, her and her husband assure that Maida IS a child first, alhumdulilah. Watch her maturity & humility here.]
Regardless what your views are, Todd shares his 2-cents having assisted hundreds of students secure admittance to, and financing for one’s ideal college or university.
When should students consider going to college?
The answer to the question may seem obvious; after they finish high school. And for most students that answer makes sense. But for students who are home schooled, the answer becomes somewhat less clear.
As a basic I always recommend that the ideal curriculum for a student to follow in high school is 4 years of English, 4 years of math, 4 years of science, 4 years of social studies and 4 years of a single foreign language. Not all colleges will require this type of program but if you meet this scope of study, you will be in good shape to apply to any college. So, if your plan is to home school your child, that type of rigorous academic program, or as close as you can make it, is your best approach.
If you don’t feel comfortable teaching certain subjects, such as foreign languages, you might have your child attend the local public school just for that one subject. The other option is to have your child attend a local college to study that one subject. However, college classes tend to be much more difficult than high school classes so be very careful before sending your child to a college for a class.
The other major factor to consider when evaluating when it might be appropriate for a child to go to college is the maturity of the child. Some students are still fairly immature at age 18 and it might be wise to consider putting college off for a year or two for that student. This is known as a gap year and is getting more common every year. In fact, Princeton University last year started suggesting that incoming freshman consider taking a gap year.
The advantages of a gap year are not only additional time to allow a student to mature, but in the case of home schooled students, it can provide additional time to establish your child’s academic qualifications. Colleges often have problems evaluating home schooled students because the grades are difficult to consider against other students. Therefore, colleges need to rely more on standardized test results to evaluate home schooled students. By taking a year off, students can participate in college classes near their home to show a college that they are capable of handling such work. Students can also get more involved in activities outside the class that might show case their true abilities.
For other students, starting college before the traditional age of 18 may make sense. If you have a particularly bright child with high levels of maturity, starting college early may be necessarily to keep the student from becoming bored. I don’t normally recommend college for students less than 16 year old except in extraordinary circumstances.
Besides the level of maturity and the academic accomplishments of the student, you should also consider the time that is required to properly prepare for the college admissions process. I recommend that most students start preparing for the college process about one and half years before the time they would actually start college, regardless of age. This gives them adequate time to take the necessary standardized tests, evaluate their needs from a college, find a college to meet those needs and get the applications submitted to the colleges.
[Ponn Sabra] The majority of homeschool families I know start by adding community college credits to their high school portfolio of experience. This allows children to obtain transferable college credits; and in cases of unschooling families, it exposes them to the formalized setting of traditional college classes.
We look forward to your thoughts and concerns on this topic, so please begin a dialogue with us below.
Sharing our Summer Reading Goals
Whenever we participate in Summer Reading programs, I always have the girls write out their own lists as added handwriting practice. So, pasted below are copies of each of their Summer Reading Goals for the next couple of weeks. I really like setting realistic book reading goals for the 2009 Old Schoolhouse Summer Reading SPLASH, as a new twist to Summer Reading logs.
Age 7 1/2
2009 Free Summer Reading Programs – Prizes; More
While it’s very hard to replace Toledo’s incredible Summer Reading Program! I try my best to participate in as many national programs as possible to keep the girls encouraged to read throughout the fun, flexible, summer months.
I actually had to search our own archives to find some past programs we participated in
Listed below are the Free 2009 Summer Reading Program we started this week:
- Read with Kids Challenge 2009 – Ends June 30, 2009. Monthly and daily prizes given by logging in the number of minutes the parent reads with his/her child(ren). Grand Prize: Disney Vacation!
- 11th Annual Homeschooling Summer Reading Club provided by About Homeschooling Guide- Your child/ren must read 500 pages by August 31 2009.
- The Old Schoolhouse 2nd Annual Summer Reading Splash – Set attainable book reading goals with your child/ren, then keep a reading log for 10-weeks. They have a kick-off coloring contest, due June 16, 2009. They are also hosting a weekly Scavenger Hunt for us to enjoy.
- 2009 Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program – Read any 8 books, fill out the one-page reading journal, and pick one of the available age-appropriate books for free. You can participate twice before September 7, 2009.
- National Amusement Bookworm Wednesday – Fill out the official book report entry form for free admissions to a movie each Wednesday, July 8 – August 12, at 10am. This form includes a parent/guardian as well
- 24/Moms wrote a comprehensive list of additional programs. Unfortunately, we do not have any locations within 50-mile radius for all the ones she has listed that I haven’t listed above, except one; which is not Free:
- Border’s Summer Reading Challenge – Read 8 books, and pick select titles for $4.99, which is at least 50% off its original market price.
- TD Bank Summer Reading (thanks to Freebies4Mom) – Read 10 books, fill out this form, and get $10 deposited into your new or existing Young Savers account.
Summer Reading Tips & Resources for Kids and Parents
- RIF Reading Planet
- Reading Rockets
- Sample Reading Activity Calendar: June 2009
- 10 Weeks of Summer Reading Adventures for You and Your Kiids
If you know other programs that are available, please comment below and I’ll update this list.
