Central Jersey homeschooler

Celebrating Shakespeare's birthday

2013-04-04T10:19:00.002-04:00

Online course on comic books

2013-02-22T15:58:00.002-05:00

This might be too mature for some homeschoolers, but if you have a bright and penetrating high-schooler who enjoys comic books, this could be an interesting and free course.

Gender Through Comics: A Super MOOC is a massive open online course coming this spring. The course will examine how comic books can be used to explore questions of gender identity, stereotypes, and roles.

Designed for college-age and lifelong learners, the course is led by Christina Blanch of Ball State University, and uses a study of comic books incorporating interactive video lectures, online discussions between students, and real-time socially driven interviews.

The class will feature interviews with the comic industry's biggest names, such as Terry Moore, Brian K Vaughan and Mark Waid; and will address questions of gender representations and constructions involving both men and women.

For more information, visit the course web site.

Six Flags: Read to succeed

2013-02-13T14:02:00.001-05:00

Six Flags is offering free tickets to children who read.

Read to Succeed is a Six Flags program that encourages students in kindergarten through sixth grade to read. Students who complete six hours of recreational reading earn free tickets to Six Flags. The program is available to teachers and schools at no cost to participate.

To be eligible families must register by March 1.

During the course of the program, students and parents must keep track of the students' reading hours. After students complete their reading logs, it is the teacher's responsibility to save the students' hours online and then send the students’ reading logs to Six Flags Read to Succeed, P.O. Box 113, North Haven, CT 06473-0113.

For more information, visit the program's web site.

Karate summer camp in Highland Park

2013-02-13T13:29:00.001-05:00

It's the middle of winter, a perfect time to think about the summer.

True North Martial Arts in Highland Park will offer a summer camp of mixed martial arts, from June 24-Aug. 23. Students may enroll for anywhere from one to nine weeks at a time.

Registration costs $50 for students not already enrolled at True North, and $25 for current students. Cost of the camp is $160 a week for one to three weeks, $135 for four to six weeks, and $125 for seven to 10 weeks. There is a 15 percent discount for students registered and paid for by March 1.

A registration packet is available online.

True North Martial Arts is located at 320 Raritan Ave., Highland Park. For more information, call (732) 317-3025.

Bridgewater: Homeschool swim

2013-02-11T07:09:00.003-05:00

The Sometset Valley YMCA will hold a homeschool open swim at the Bridgewater pool on Monday afternoon.

The event, which runs from 1-3 p.m. weekly, costs $6 per swimmer. There is a maximum cost of $20 per family. There will be a free family day at the facility on Feb. 18.

The pool is located at 601 Garretson Road, Bridgewater, across from Bridgewater-Raritan High School, just down the road from Bridgewater Commons.

Update: New location for indoor soccer

2013-02-06T14:04:00.001-05:00

The new indoor winter homeschool soccer season is kicking off at a new location.

The new season with Rovers Soccer begins Feb. 7, and runs for six consecutive weeks, through March 14, at Stelton Community Center, 328 Plainfield Ave., Edison. The program costs $75 per child, and is open to children 4-15 years old. Play runs from 10:15-11:15 a.m. for all age groups. Payment is due Feb. 7, with checks payable to Rovers Soccer.

Players should bring their own shin guards.

The session does include any scheduled make-up days. If anyone misses a day because of illness or vacation and would like to do a make-up class, either visit www.roversoccer.com for other scheduled soccer classes, or check with Spencer directly. He can be reached at (732) 777-1600.

To register or for more information, contact Donna Dorsey at wicket1124 at msn dot com. Include names and ages of children to participate, as well as a parent contact name, phone number and e-mail address.

Feb. 6: Late Night at the Museum

2013-02-04T15:43:00.004-05:00

Homeschoolers can learn about mummies and ancient Egypt this Wednesday evening at Rutgers University Geology Museum.

The museum, located in New Brunswick, will hold its first Late Night at the Museum event of the semester, from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. The topic is Egypt, and is free of charge and open to the community. There will be activities for children and adults.

Late Night at the Museum is held the first Wednesday of each month. The museum is located at 85 Somerset St., New Brunswick.

For more information. visit the museum web site, call (848) 932-7243 or write to museum@rci.rutgers.edu.

Ice skating at Mercer Rink

2013-02-02T18:12:00.005-05:00

Punxsutawney Phil may have missed his shadow and predicted an early spring, but ice skating will continue at Mercer County Skating Center until March 8.

The rink is open to homeschoolers from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays. The cost is $5 to skate, with an additional $3 to rent skates. The rink is located in Mercer County Park, between Old Trenton Road and Paxson Avenue.

Skating on Feb. 4 will end 20 minutes early, at 2:40 p.m.

Families may bring a treat to share.

Indoor soccer begins Feb. 7

2013-02-01T08:21:00.003-05:00

The new indoor winter homeschool soccer season is all set to kick off.

The new season with Rovers Soccer begins Feb. 7, and runs for six consecutive weeks, through March 14, at Inman Sports Club in Edison. The program costs $75 per child, and is open to children 4-15 years old. Play runs from 10:15-11:15 a.m. for all age groups. Payment is due Feb. 7, with checks payable to Rovers Soccer.

Players should bring their own shin guards.

The session does include any scheduled make-up days. If anyone misses a day because of illness or vacation and would like to do a make-up class, either visit www.roversoccer.com for other scheduled soccer classes, or check with Spencer directly. He can be reached at (732) 777-1600.

To register or for more information, contact Donna Dorsey at wicket1124 at msn dot com. Include names and ages of children to participate, as well as a parent contact name, phone number and e-mail address.

Update: Indoor soccer will be held at Stelton Community Center, 328 Plainfield Ave., Edison.

Classical Guitar at New Brunswick Library

2013-01-29T23:14:00.001-05:00

Aside from being a place for an afternoon of great books, New Brunswick Free Public Library also can be a place for an afternoon of great music.

Classical guitarist Robert Dopira will present a program of classic music from 1-3 p.m. Feb. 23 in the Carl T. Valenti Community Room. The program will include Bach suites, Scarlatti sonatas, variations on Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute, and many other songs.

Mr. Dopira has been performing for 25 years at libraries, schools, churches, community groups and other organizations. He studied at Rutgers University and at Mannes College of Music, with Juilliard School and the Manhattan School of Music one of the three main conservatories in New York.

The program is free and open to the public of all ages. Refreshments will be served.

For more information or to register for this event, contact Kavita Pandey at kavita@lmxac.org or call the library reference desk at (732) 745-5108, ext. 20.

Motivation

2013-01-28T08:01:00.002-05:00

The talk is about what works best to motivate workers in business, but it has some interesting applications for homeschooling as well.

Milk and Cookies

2013-01-27T23:16:00.001-05:00

The State Theatre in New Brunswick is offering Milk & Cookies, a free series for children 3 to 8 years old, featuring storytelling, music, puppetry and more.

Milk & Cookies invites young people to discover the joy of watching, listening, and interacting with the arts. Events are offered once a month at 10 a.m. and noon on select Saturdays in the spring. Free milk and cookies are distributed to children while supplies last.

The following events are scheduled:

Spook Handy: American Folksongs for the Whole Family, at 10 a.m. and noon Feb. 2. Celebrate America's folk music traditions with singer and guitarist Spook Handy. Sing and clap along as Spook performs treasured songs both old and new.
Robbi Kumalo: Girls Rock! at 10 a.m. and noon March 2. Celebrate Women's History Month with stories featuring smart, brave and powerful girls. Musician and storyteller Robbi Kumalo will have you singing, clapping, and dancing along as she shows that girls do, indeed, know how to rock.
Lisa Garwood: Animal Stories From Around the World at 10 a.m. and noon April 13. What do a whale, a bird, and a spider all have in common? Join storyteller/musician Lisa Garwood and help her tell her tales about some of our animal friends: what we can learn from their wisdom...and their mistakes!

Advance registration is required. To register, contact Jennifer Cunha at (732) 246-7469, ext. 545 or jcunha@statetheatrenj.org. The State Theatre is located on Livingston Avenue in downtown New Brunswick.

Drawing club at the Zimmerli museum

2013-01-27T22:48:00.000-05:00

Children can discover the secrets of drawing when they participate in the Zimmerli Art Museum's popular drawing club this spring.

The drawing club takes place 4:15-5:45 p.m. Wednesdays at Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, 71 Hamilton St., New Brunswick. Aspiring artists from 9 to 14 years old will learn the gamut of drawing techniques, including pencil and charcoal, and genres such as still-life and portraiture. Teachers are professional educators who address the needs of both beginners and advanced artists.

Registration is required.

The program begins March 13 and runs for five consecutive weeks. Cost is $50 for members of the museum, and $75 for nonmembers. In the event of inclement weather, call the museum at (732) 932-7237 for a recorded message beginning at noon.

For more information about the program, contact the Education Department at (732) 932-7237, ext. 26766.

Art safari in Africa offered, in August

2013-01-27T22:17:00.001-05:00

If a safari is on your bucket list, this could be your chance to go on one and boost your wildlife art skills at the same time.

The Academy of Art of Highland Park is partnering with Hemingway Safaris Inc. of New York to offer an art safari to southern Africa this August. Cost for the safari is about $4,500 per person. The experience is open to adults, and to teens from 14 to 18 years old.

The trip includes a full safari experience led by a long-established operator, including all safari ground transportation, two meals a day, lodging, daily game drives, and visits to cultural, archaeological and conservation sites, plus a 30-hour private field course for artists of all levels. The price includes all field gear and art materials.

Participants will return home with their own original drawings, illustrations and journaling from Africa.

Hemingway Safaris is a family-operated outfitter comprised of African art and archaeology connoisseurs who are also adventurers. The organization also is committed to wildlife and habitat conservation, and to protecting human societies and cultures.

For more information, call the art academy at (732) 777-2085

Homeschool week at National Constitution Center

2013-01-27T21:51:00.001-05:00

The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia will hold its first Homeschool Week in mid-February.

Center exhibitions open to visitors include Signers Hall and the theatrical production Freedom Rising, plus tours and workshops led by the center's education staff. The center's first homeschool week , from Feb. 11-15, will highlight the American presidency. A second homeschool week is planned for June 17-21.

Admission costs $10 for students, $6.50 for parents and chaperones, and $5 for members of the National Constitution Center. Preregistration is recommended. For more information or to register, call (215) 409-6800 or email groupsales@constitutioncenter.org groupsales. Morning and afternoon programs are available.

The week's activities are designed for students 6-14 years old.

Daily programs and workshops include:

"Hail to the Chief," recommended for children 6-9 years old, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Led by a member of the center's education staff, students will learn about the role of the president and the history of the Executive Branch during this interactive quiz game. Participants will race against the clock to answer questions from a variety of categories including: "Before They Were President," "Elections and Inaugurations" and "Presidential Pets." This program is paired with the Becoming the President tour.
Becoming the President tour, recommended for students 6-9 years old., from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., following "Hail to the Chief." Ever wonder what it was like for George Washington growing up on Pope Creek Estate in Virginia? Or what life was like for Lincoln in that log cabin in Kentucky? Children can dress up like their favorite American presidents and experience growing up, president style! This is a guided tour of the center's main exhibition, "The Story of We the People," and is paired with the Hail to the Chief program.
Headed to the White House, recommended for children 10-14 years old, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. During this program, a member of the center's education staff will guide children through the ins and outs of a presidential campaign, from naming a candidate and building a platform to creating unforgettable campaign ads. This program is paired with the Presidential Leadership Tour.
Presidential Leadership Tour, recommended for children 10-14 years old, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. In this tour of the center's main exhibition, The Story of We the People, a member of the Center's education staff will lead students on a discovery tour of the leadership styles of George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, and Ronald Reagan. This tour also includes discussion activities and a workshop and is paired with the Headed to the White House program.

Parents also may visit constitutioncenter.org/education for standards-based teaching materials, including interactive games and lessons, and the center's web series "Constitution Hall Pass."

Located on Independence Mall in Philadelphia, the National Constitution Center is the first and only nonprofit, nonpartisan institution devoted to the U.S. Constitution. The center strives to illuminate constitutional ideals and to inspire active citizenship through a state-of-the-art museum experience, including hundreds of interactive exhibits, films and rare artifacts; feature exhibitions; and Signers Hall, where visitors can sign the Constitution alongside 42 life-size, bronze statues of the Founding Fathers.

As America's forum for constitutional dialogue, the center engages diverse, distinguished leaders of government, public policy, journalism and scholarship in public discussions and debates. The center also houses the Annenberg Center for Education and Outreach, the national hub for constitutional education, which offers civic learning resources both onsite and online.

For more information, call (215) 409-6700 or visit www.constitutioncenter.org.
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RHAW at the State Theatre

2013-01-27T20:58:00.002-05:00

The State Theatre in downtown New Brunswick will present a show by RHAW on Feb. 6.

Performing as part of an educational outreach program, Rennis Harris' Awe-Inspiring Works showcases some of today's newest and brightest street dancers. The performance is meant for students in fourth through 12th grades, or the equivalent. Homeschoolers are welcome to attend. The show will run from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Feb. 6.

To register, contact Jennifer Cunha at the State Theatre at (732) 246-7469, ext. 545, or e-mail jcunha@statetheatrenj.org

Founded by Rennie Harris, this dynamic company takes Hip Hop performance back to the basics: House, Boogaloo, Breaking, and Popping and Locking. The company's young dancers bring explosive energy, jaw-dropping moves, and boundless enthusiasm to this uniquely American art form.

The show runs for one hour. All tickets cost $8.

The State Theatre is located on Livingtston Avenue in downtown New Brunswick.

Summer Academy at George Street Playhouse

2013-01-27T20:45:00.000-05:00

Registration is now open for summer academy classes at George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick.

Summer academy will run four weeks, from July 8-Aug. 2. Classes and program descriptions are listed on the registration form, and may be viewed online. There is a $50 discount per class, per week, for families who enroll by March 15.

Also, a 25 percent discount is available for families who live or work in New Brunswick. The Local 25 discount is not available online, so call, email/mail or stop by to take advantage of this very special deal. Discounts cannot be combined.

Installment options are flexible and always available. Installment plans can be arranged through registrations over the phone, by e-mail, U.S. mail or in person. Online registration requires payment in full.

Call the theater at (732) 846-2895, ext. 117, for more information.

'Twelfth Night' at the State Theatre

2013-01-20T02:04:00.002-05:00

The State Theatre in downtown New Brunswick will show William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" this March.

Performing at Crossroads Theatre as part of an educational outreach program, BAMA Theatre Co. will perform Shakespeare's romantic comedy at 10 a.m. March 1 for students in seventh through 12th grades, or the equivalent. Homeschoolers also welcome to attend. To register, contact Jennifer Cunha at the State Theatre at (732) 246-7469, ext. 545, or e-mail jcunha@statetheatrenj.org

"Twelfth Night" follows the romantic adventures of Viola and her twin brother Sebastian, both shipwrecked in the kingdom of Illyria. Forced by circumstances to disguise herself as a man, Viola finds herself caught in a complicated love triangle that involves the lovesick Duke Orsino and the beautiful noblewoman Olivia. Meanwhile, in Olivia's household, an alliance of servants and hangers-on plots against her pompous steward, Malvolio.

The show runs for two hours 30 minutes, with a brief question-and-answer section afterward with the actors. All tickets cost $8.

History at Maculloch Hall

2013-01-19T21:32:00.000-05:00

Looking for a field trip with an eye on history?

Macculloch Hall Historical Museum in Morristown, N.J., will present two programs this month for homeschoolers. Programs cost $8 per student, with free admission for parents of participating children. Programs run during traditional school hours.

There will be two sessions for the first program, "Abraham Lincoln Remembered." In this program, students will trace Lincoln's whistlestop tour of the Union on his way to his inauguration in 1861. Students also will learn about historically significant events of 1861, including the role of detective Allan Pinkerton in protecting the president-elect, in the days before the Secret Service was established.

The second program is "Walking Through the Secret Garden." Activities in this program are based on the book "The Secret Garden," by Frances Hodgson Burnett. There is one session per month from February through May.

Preregistration is required for all programs. Register by calling (973) , Ext. 16, or by sending e-mail to cwinslow@maccullochhall.org. Include names and ages of children, choice of program, and contact information.

Homeschooler week at Princeton U.

2013-01-13T22:09:00.001-05:00

Princeton University Art Museum will hold a series of events specially for homeschoolers starting Tuesday.

Events will run from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, each day with a different theme. On Tuesday, students will examine ancient artifacts and decorate a Greek vase or make a Roman-style mosaic.

The event features self-guided, interactive tours followed by related art projects. The event is open to all ages. No tickets or reservations are needed.

The museum is located on Princeton University, a short walk from Nassau Street in downtown Princeton. Banners on university lampposts lead the way to the museum.

For more information, call the museum at (609) 258-3788 or write to puamweb@princeton.edu.

'Science on Saturdays' at PPPL

2013-01-11T07:53:00.003-05:00

The "Science on Saturdays" free lecture series is continuing at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory.

This week's topic is "Visualizing the Atomic World."

The lectures are free, begin promptly at 9:30 a.m., and are extremely well attended. We arrived last week just before nine o'clock, and found ourselves seated in the overflow area with more than 100 other people. Doors open at 8:15 a.m., but the security guard told me that people were lining up at 7:45 a.m.

Best arrive early, and bring a book.

'Farewell to the Master'

2013-01-07T12:54:00.000-05:00

We had a good discussion of "Farewell to the Master" today at book club.

We talked about the technobabble story mechanism found in science fiction, in which the kids made connections to other science fiction we've read or seen. We also had a good discussion of the predictions of science fiction and how far off they can get; and as we delved into the story, it seemed like not only was everyone on board with following the story, but understanding some of the deeper currents in the fiction.

The story for next week is Isaac Asimov's "Nightfall."

If you enjoyed "Farewell to the Master," you might enjoy the science fiction movie that was based on it, "The Day the Earth Stood Still." (There are two versions of it, but the original black-and-white movie specifically was based on the story.)

Homeschooling, 'Peanuts' style

2013-01-05T22:13:00.003-05:00

There are risks, of course, to letting older children help with the education of their siblings.

Taken from the animated "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown."

The Flying Monkey

2013-01-04T09:59:00.001-05:00

My daughter told me she wants to start a newspaper as a homeschool project.

Outsize dreams come easily to my daughter. When she was studying pirates seven years ago, she decided to build a pirate ship out of popsicle sticks, complete with a mast and rigging. A little over two years ago, when she was accepted into the sixth-grade class of a college preparatory school, she decided to bake and sell cookies to raise the $26,000 a year tuition. Like those, this one stumped as impractical and unrealistic, until late Tuesday night.

And so, allow me to present "The Flying Monkey."

As our latest initiative in student-led learning, "The Flying Monkey" is going to give my daughter an opportunity to practice writing, it will familiarize her with the geography of New Jersey, and it will teach her some basic HTML and promotional skills. On top of that, it will be a way for her to earn a little money.

Here's how it works.

I've been getting audition notices for the past year from several community theaters in Middlesex, Somerset and Mercer counties. Some time ago, as I started adding Facebook friends from shows I had been in, I started posting these notices on Facebook. I quit Facebook back before Christmas, but I believe theaters still benefit from their notices being reposted -- and other people benefit if these notices are all put in one place.

I've been using Blogger for something on the order of a decade. It's got an easy interface, but it also gives knowledgable users the option of coding their own HTML. That's a chance for my daughter to think along the lines of design, and in a computer language. That's a plus.

When theaters send audition notices, or other announcements, they do so in a first-person. We'll be posting them on a third-party web site, requiring some rewriting. I've already explained to my daughter the nature of the Associated Press stylebook and its rules for grammar, spelling, and on and on. This will engage both her writing and her editing skills, while instilling in her a style of correct grammar and punctuation. Another plus.

Already my daughter has been in three shows with me: "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" at Villagers Theatre, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" at Brook Arts Center, and "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" at Kelsey Theatre. This represents an opportunity for her to become more familiar with the community theater scene in our area. As she becomes more familiar to directors and theaters in the area, she may even get cast more regularly. Greater socialization, greater memorization, greater familiarity with literature. More pluses.

And, if she gets her way, at some point we'll start adding reviews of the plays we see. Doing that will mean seeing more shows. Another plus.

Already my daughter has begun thinking about ways to promote the web site so it draws more traffic and we can justify asking theaters for complimentary tickets to review their shows. That's strategy at work, and critical thinking. She realizes it's going to take work to make the site succeed, and at this point, she's willing to put in the effort. A huge plus.

Best of all, this webzine is essentially her idea, and it's something she wants to do. As far as education goes, that's the biggest plus of all.

Sci-fi book club: January picks

2013-01-01T22:59:00.001-05:00

The book club is taking a brief hiatus for the holidays, but will resume Jan. 7.

After a lot of delays and setbacks, we finally have finished "Have Space Suit -- Will Travel." If your child enjoyed that book, there are a number of other books by Robert Heinlein that are appropriate for teens and preteens. (Be warned that a number of his books are aimed at a more mature readership.) The Heinlein juveniles, as they're called, include books like "Starship Troopers," "Tunnel in the Sky" and "Starman Jones." You might also enjoy his short story "The Man Who Sold the Moon."

Because a lot of the truly great science fiction has been written in short story format, I want to spend January looking at some of the great science fiction stories. Here's the schedule:

Jan. 7 -- "Farewell to the Master," by Harry Bates. This story served as the inspiration for the original "The Day the Earth Stood Still."
Jan. 14 -- "Nightfall," by Isaac Asimov
Jan. 21 -- "The Sound of Thunder," by Ray Bradbury
Jan. 28 -- "The Ugly Little Boy," by Isaac Asimov

All four stories have been anthologized extensively, but they also may be available online as free ebooks or on somebody's web site. In the case of "Nightfall" and "The Ugly Little Boy," there are full-length novel forms of the story, written by Robert Silverberg. They're quite good, but we'll be focusing on the original short stories.

The book club meets from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m Mondays at the New Brunswick Free Public Library. It's generally aimed at readers who are in their early teens or older, but any homeschooler who can read the material and who wants to attend the discussions is welcome to join us.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.