Mount Vernon Homeschoolers

Mount Vernon HomeSchoolers
May / 2000

1
Reading Group, 10:30 a.m.

2
Huntley Meadow, 3:00 p.m.

3
Playgroup 1:00 p.m.

8
Support Group, 10:30 a.m.

9
4-H Club, 10:00 a.m.

11
Writing Club, 10:30 a.m.

16
Huntley Meadow, 3:00 p.m.

17
Playgroup 1:00 p.m.

23
4-H Club, 10:00 a.m.

25
Writing Club, 10:30 a.m.

30
Huntley Meadow, 3:00 p.m.

Newsletter #6

Mount Vernon Homeschoolers

May Newsletter. We are publishing the newsletter with activities for each month. Next one is June 1st.
Mount Vernon Homeschoolers Association is organized to provide our home schooled children an opportunity to play and learn together. This past year, we were able to get special prices to Kennedy Center performances, have picnics, sport activities, support group, reading, writing groups, 4-H, and field trips. We are working on a mission statement at this time. We have enjoyed activities like swimming and ice skating. We are located in the neighborhoods near Mount Vernon in Alexandria, Virginia. We welcome all newcomers to meet at any of the activities. All of our children attend support group, play group, library days, and field trips. The range of age is from infant to teens. We have some meetings at the Mount Vernon Unitarian Church. We are non-denominational, we simply enjoy the company of genial people. We have experience in home schooling using several methods. Some experience in unschooling, and any one of the mothers or the children can speak openly about their multiple experiences with styles, curriculum or without curriculum. Learning is a child based activity. Life long learning is the goal. In the spring, we hope to continue to glean and show our children the good they do when they harvest crops and share with the United Christian Ministries . Alexandria, Virginia is a wonderful place with historical significance, and a wide range of learning experiences along the banks of the Potomac. In the past we've made field trips to the Smithsonian, Mount Vernon, River Farms, ridden on the bike trails, and we invite other homeschoolers to come along and meet up with us. Here is link to editor's email address.

Editor: Suzanne

Play Group

Grist Mill Park On the first and third Wednesday of each month at 1:00 P.M. we meet. Sometimes we meet in the rain, and sometimes we stay until late. If anyone wants to bring bubbles, games, face painting, balls, balloons some of us will be there. Homeschoolers are interesting in the way all ages are included in play. You may see us running across the field for nature walks. Be prepared for mud. We think the bathrooms are back. But, drinks for your child or a snack may make for a happier afternoon. Map link.

On the second Wednesday, Suzanne proposes an ice cream social with banana splits. My children have not had them and it seems a fun idea to feature an ice cream building event. Since I can't eat it, everyone else can have my share. Bring your favorite topping, We will have vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, whipped cream, wet wipes, paper or plastic saucers or you can bring a punch bowl and make one biggie, and bananas, of course.

Mothers Support Group, Father's Support Group = Parent Support Group
Mothers Support Meeting is hosted by Cecilia. On the second Monday of each month at 10:30 A.M. at Sherwood Library, we meet in a room. We pull the chairs around and talk about everything. In this newsletter, in the future, we will link to the sites for the most frequently asked questions at some time in the future. We also discussed Curriculum. Standards of Learning, Testing versus Portfolio, and different sites of important information on the Internet and in the community. At this months meeting, we determined that a mission statement might be a good idea. Throughout the state of Virginia, several grassroots groups are forming. We consider the sharing of information important. Link to map of library.

4-H Club
4-H Club The older kids are going bowling this next meeting. Meet at Mount Vernon Church at 10:00.
The eggs are sitting on our dining room table. Bam Bam the Nanday Conure seems to want to join in laying some. Does anyone have a girl Lovebird? Our Lovebird seems to feel like joining this. We have been turning the eggs and trying to provide a happy lifestyle. Played bluegrass music to them, also. They seemed to enjoy the Dixie Chicks music. Guess it will be a few weeks before we know what is in there. The fertile eggs have all been distributed and we hope to grow some chicks before the end of the month. Good luck, everybody!
Lisa sends this Egg information:
In case you need the information about the eggs, here is a reprint from April newsletter: Lisa sends three egg-related notes. We've linked them here: Note1, Note2, Note3. We will meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday at 10:00. The teen group is talking about going fishing.
Science Fair
This first Tuesday, please look over the selection of Science kits from the ones we have at our house. Pick one up if you want, we ask that you bring your selection back for a Science Fair on the 23 of May. We hope lots of you will want to make a presentation and share your project. Solar Cars can be found, and other kinds of kits are available at Zany Brainy, or Nature Company, or from the library. We have tornado tube, we've made gum, or slime. We'll bring a slide or two and enjoy a day of Science surprises. The second meeting, we will present our completed projects and share what we have done with the whole group.
According to my gang, bowling was really fun.

Maureen sends this note:
Our schedule for the next two meetings is as follows:

May 9: Stars and constellations

May 23: Science Fair (projects to be picked up at May 9 meeting to be displayed on 23rd)

Maureen has asked us to think about summer. . . .do you wish to continue meeting through the summer? Same frequency? Once a month? We'll talk about it at our May 9th meeting.
See you all on Tuesdays on the second and the fourth weeks!

Reading Club
Reading Club on the first Monday of each month, older teens meet with a librarian. The time is 10:00. The book for the May discussion is Old Yeller. We love to watch the movie, too. Books are chosen by the librarian and it does stimulate reading. Snacks may be provided.
Writing Club
Carol and Denise are facilitators for the Writing club--a fun and exciting way to share the process of writing. Link to e-mail note If there is interest, we could work with younger children in a separate room. We tried this at the last meeting and it was quite fun. We did the alphabet with our bodies making the letters, read a story from Nat about flying, stood in a circle to give one word to the story, started to write the story and we might have gone on all day The time for writing club is second and fourth Thursday of each month.
10:30-12:00 A.M. at Sherwood Library. Carol is working with the 10 and up. We would be happy to include writing, poems, and stories in the newsletter to give voices to our children. Email for Carol is cooper@patriot.net.
For Writing Club bring your stories and share in some fun activities, two groups meet at Sherwood Library. The younger children are drawing and writing stories also. Come with your story ready to read. It can long or short. It might be interesting to write some every day or revise a story and take it further. Alex has decided to take his M&Ms to New York City. We are going to hold your feet to the fire (what a strange image) about behavior. Not a play group, a serious bunch of writers. Share your work, or you might want stay out in the library to read quietly Remember our manners and keep the library a quiet place where we are welcome. Homeschoolers have to have quiet, good manners to be welcome everywhere we go. Here is another phrase, Get your Ducks in a Row. Come prepared with your story. See you there.
Carol sends this note:

If you want to improve your writing, while sharing it with your friends, this club may be for you. Participants will need to write at home at least 3-4 times a week and be willing to share one piece of writing at the meeting. We'll all work together to make this club a safe place to experiment with new techniques, share feelings, and support each other by responding to writing pieces in a constructive and affirming fashion. It's imperative that each participant chooses to attend. Don't do this for your parents or because you want to see your friends!
We'll meet twice monthly, 10:30 on the second and fourth Thursdays, at Sherwood Hall Library. I've reserved the room for two hours for subsequent meetings.
Carol and Denise

Nature Walk
Bring a notebook and we will draw what we see and look in the nature center for the names of bugs. My favorite book of nature drawings is "The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady" In that book, there are notes about the seasons and drawings of birds, butterflies and flowers. When we walk in the Meadows it is important to walk quietly and not run or be loud. It is also good to stay within sight of each other. There is so much to see, that going slow and waiting to see what peeks from the water or jumps under the leaves. Once we saw big turtles, and last time the fat polliwogs were swimming around. The birds fly overhead, the ducks are close enough to see every feather. And, slithery snakes bask on logs. Walk in Huntley Meadows We can meet in the parking lot and walk through the forest to the nature center, touch the skulls and snakeskin, find out what to look for and go see the frogs, and critters. Suzanne will be going and you can join her on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. during the month of May. Check the calendar for the dates.
Art Gallery
Art Gallery could use some artworks for the month of May. Suggest bees, bugs, butterflies, flowers. E-mail or give Suzanne your art work at the events during the month of May. Have some hands, landscapes, and drawings from my four, but the art gallery is open to everyone to be included. Poetry and stories are welcome.