Mount Vernon Homeschoolers Newsletter

May 2003
Newsletter #32
Editor: Suzanne
Student editor: Kathy

4-H Club

This month we have dedicated to Science. On Tuesday, May 13, we will be making rock candy. This is a crystal building project. Bring sugar, string and container and a wooden Popsicle stick to make a candy stick of your own. we will talk about chemistry and if there is an experiment any teen wants to show us, bring it on this day. We were also going to discuss Newton and some of his experiments if nobody eats all the apples and we will drop a rock and a feather to determine which one falls the fastest.

May 27 K's Birthday. Sweet Sixteen
Science Fair so bring your experiments and we have a day for Show and Tell. Office Depot has Science Fair boards and poster board. We love the displays and this meeting runs long because all of the people show what they have done and other people perform the experiments or admire their work. Refreshment will be the cake of choice and we will party on in our fine 4-H fashion developed over the years.
Kay has a 1935 book on building a short wave radio and Alex built a robot. Oleg is going to wire his door with an alarm that buzzes and Row is growing microwave corn and regular corn.

Grist Mill Park Play Group

Home School Day for Six Flags

Landscape Design project at the home

Prince William Concert Last One

May 5 Last concert for Prince William Youth Orchestra. This has been a fine and uplifting project. K started Suzuki violin a short time ago. You all know she played piano, trumpet and violin. She has progressed rapidly and we have all enjoyed our rehearsal and concert time.

Next year, we hope to do this again. The concerts are well attended and the students play wonderfully. Come see them play next year.

Sandra Day O'Conner speaking

May 6 we have been thinking about attending a talk by Sandra Day O'Conner. She has written a book Growing Up on the Lazy B Ranch. 7:30 p.m. at the Alden theater McLean Community Center 1234 Ingleside Ave. McLean, Va (703)790-0123. The program is free, seating first come, first served.

Looking ahead for June

1. Brownie Beach has recently been renamed Bayfront Park, and the Co. has put up a small sign at the entrance. So a rendezvous point won't be necessary as everyone should be able to find the park without a guide.
2. Directions - From Rt.4 South take Rt.260, this is a left hand exit. There is also a large sign that says To Beaches, Recreational Areas.
3. Rt. 260 borders Anne Arundal Co.so you will see signs that say entering Anne Arundal don't pay them any heed you will end up back in Calvert.
4. Rt.260 will dead end into Rt. 261 in Chesapeake Beach, at a traffic light. Make a right.
5. You will see a water park on the right, not to far past the water park look for Beach Elementary School, go approx.4/10 of a mile and make a left into Bayfront Park. You may miss the entrance on your first pass but there are plenty of places to turn around.
6. Another good landmark is a bed and breakfast on the left called Tidewater Treasures, the next entrance after that is Bayfront Park.

Big Thank You

A special thank you for the two Lisa's, Annette, Paul and Margaret and the folks who visited us and those who joined us. You have been welcome and have added great fun to the mayhem of the meetings.

Congratulations to a Graduating Mom!

Thanks go to Alden, who worked with my boys to teach them Magic,and made them want to read so badly, they learned to read. He shared with Alex, Oleg, Dolan and Rowan. The kids all worked hard to get along and co-operate in unschooling. While Lisa was working hard, they all worked hard and learned to settle differences and read, write, draw, make great collages and eat massive amounts of fruit. The teens attended cooking school, read classics, listened to music and talked themselves to death. We sure had a good time with some bad movie genre, too. The oh, bad.

Next year, we plan to enroll the teens and Moms in a class at Nova. Come along if you want and we will make a night of it.

Science Fair coming May 27

Statement of Purpose

Mount Vernon Homeschoolers Association began in 1968 with some mothers in this area meeting at Grist Mill for Play Group. We invited one another to a support group held at a mother's home. We talked about a co-operative babysitting group with tokens and a co-operative learning center. We collaborated on 4-H and built a nice group of Mothers and children. We shared art lessons, science, writing, field trips, sports day and owl pellets. We met for our children to play. This attracted other people to the group. But, in the end, we have found that others have come and gone, the group has splintered and some have moved away. Our children have come to be friends with one another. The mothers have found friendship and we try to work out problems or find solutions for home schooling. We have a core of understanding. We all work hard to make our homeschooling experience special.

We are constantly challenged to provide more education and find activities to excite our students, our children who may not want to dance, sing, read, play with everybody or even wake up in the morning to another day of running around. Do we have time to stay home, today?

We will talk in August to each child and find out what will be on the calendar for next year. We usually meet at a picnic table and take out a calendar. Then, we interview our many learners. They choose how much activity and what activity they like the best.

If you want input or to come to join us, be prepared to state what you expect to learn. We don't collect money. We collect enthusiasm. We give some to pay for refreshment. We take some comfort that we share time, treats, education and provide for our child, our children all the help we can. Each mother has time to give to one or all of the children some portion of time or conversation or help with a project.We have built a strong sense of belonging and caring into a loose association. But, we always have time, help and consideration to each other.And, we make each year the best one. Our children are social, fun and work hard to make mvhomeschool a successful association of families with like interests and divergent styles.

When I'm down the other Moms lift me up. And, so far we haven't burned out. Maybe one week-end out of four.

Summer School (mommy school for summer fun)

• Read, Read, Read Twenty-five books each and I will freeze up my ice cream maker just for you. Geometry, Pre-algebra Latin roots, vocabulary and spelling Foreign language lab twice a week
• Go get a job if you're sixteen and you want money Suggestions are available from Moms. My boys are starting to mow for money. Pet sit. Clean my house. Dust my floor, I'll pay good money or barter Magic cards or feed you corn dogs. Take your pick and get going. Save some for college.

Read a book

• Watch the movie . Ideas include Of Mice and Men, The Old Man and the Sea and the new H Potter book. It's only 700 pages of forbidden subjects. Sorcery, spells, wizards and magical places.
• Summer movie school where we all go to the same movie. Grow a flower, herb or sunflower patch. Remember the melon and pumpkin contest for October. Start now. Go outside and enjoy nature. Draw a book with every bug you see.

Ideas for Next year

• Prom we will probably rent the church for an evening with chamber music or garage band. And, we may make them all dance. Especially, the children who say they can't.
• Community service Donate time to UCM or organization to help others five hour commitment from the teens.
• Chemistry, Science, Math
• Civics with Field trips to government branches. Watch a bill go through Senate. See Supreme Court in Action
• Write and make a movie
• Perform two Shakespeare plays in the park.