Literature Links

I am always searching for good, free, lesson plans and book discussion materials tied to the books the kids are currently reading. During one of my recent searches I came across this web site: Literature Links

This is not the most up to date site, many of the links no longer function, but the site still contains plenty of good resources making it worth bookmarking.

Halloween Events at Delaware State Parks!

No matter where you live, there is a spook-tacular event for you to attend this October at a Delaware State Park!

Brandywine Creek State Park’s
16th Annual Haunted Trail
Friday, October 19, 7 - 10 p.m.
Saturday, October 20, 7 - 10 p.m.
New scenes, amazing scares and top notch creepiness will get your fright meter rising. Glowing jack-o’-lanterns, ghoulish characters, surprises, freaky scenes and mazes are some the new scares happening at Brandywine Creek State Park’s Haunted Trail. Come enjoy some good old-fashioned haunting. This program is recommended for ages 12 and older. No pre-registration is required and walk-ins are welcome. Program fee is $10 per person. Questions? Call 302-655-5740.

Haunted Hayrides
at Bellevue State Park
Saturday, October 27
7 p.m., Families and children under 12
8 p.m., Adults and children 12 and older
Join us for our especially spooky Halloween hayrides! Don’t forget to wear your costume and bring your trick or treat bag! Our family-friendly hayride begins at 7 p.m. and our "Adult" hayride (for ages 12 and up) begins at 8 p.m. We’ll enjoy a campfire with s’mores following the hayride. Program fee is $8 per person. Pre-registration is required no later than 4 p.m. on October 26th by calling (302) 793-3046.

Boo at the Zoo!
at the Brandywine Zoo
Saturday, October 27 & Sunday, October 28: 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Celebrate another Halloween at Brandywine Zoo's merry, not scary, event 'Boo at the Zoo 2007!' This event includes fun games, face painting, a "spooky" scavenger hunt, critters that creep, and special treats. Children and their grown-ups are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes! Activities are free with paid admission to the Zoo. For more information visit the zoo’s website at www.brandywinezoo.org.

CAPE HENLOPEN’s
19th ANNUAL CHILDRENS FANTASY TRAIL
Friday, October 26 and Saturday, October 27 6:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 28 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Bring the kids, costumes are appreciated, to a bigger and better Fantasy Trail. See your favorite storybook characters and trick-or-treat for candy and toys. Entertainment under the tent each evening will include singing, juggling, bat programs, magic and more. $4.00 per person, adults and children.

Dark Dover with the First State Heritage Park
October 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27
7 p.m.
This October, darkness has free reign over the Dover Green. Witness first hand the chilling true stories of gruesome murders, whippings, and spirits that have left their sinister imprint on The Green. The program fee is $10 per person. Pre-registration is required and spaces are limited, so please call 302-739-9194 for reservations. Tours will meet in front of the Delaware Visitor Center.

2nd ANNUAL Killens Pond Fall Festival
Saturday, October 20th
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Enjoy a day in the country filled with crafts, activities, petting zoos, straw mazes, hayrides, pumpkin patches, face painting, archery trailer, live performances, magic show, K9 demonstrations, inflatables, and lots of food. Cost is $2 per participant. Entrance fee in effect.

Mystery at the Mansion!
Friday October 26th and Saturday October 27th
Doors open at 7:15pm, Program begins at 7:30pm
At the Judge Morris Estate
White Clay Creek State Park
A new and intriguing mystery filled with deceit and MURDER! Join us after your dinner plans for a fin and thrilling evening, coffee and dessert refreshments.
$18 per person, $35 per couple
Call the Park Office to register (302)368-6900

Read-Aloud Tours for Preschoolers at the Brandywine River Museum

Thursdays in October and November from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Inspired by the museum's Flights into Fantasy exhibition, the tours will begin with a story time in the galleries followed by a related art activity. These Read-Aloud Tours are designed for children ages 3 to 6, accompanied by an adult.

Date Story Theme Art Activity
October 11 Fairies, Elves and Sprites Elf and fairy creations
October 18 Mother Goose Rhymes Colorful gardens
October 25 Madeline Paper cut-out dolls
November 1 Winnie the Pooh Scratch art drawings
November 8 Noodle (a dog story) Pipe cleaner dogs
November 15 Beatrix Potter Tales Animal collages

The tours are free with museum admission:
$8 for adults,
$5 for senior citizens, students and children 6-12,
Free for children under 6 and Brandywine Conservancy members.

Advanced registration is required.
Families may sign up for one or more programs by contacting the Education Office at 610-388-8382 or education@brandywine.org.

For more information about the museum, location and hours visit their website.

Math at the Zoo!

Homeschool Math at the Zoo!
Tuesday, October 23: 10:00am-12:00pm
Raindate: Thursday, October 25: 10:00am-12:00pm

A morning of Math like you've never experienced before. This program incorporates age-specific activity stops using the Zoo to learn why math is an important part of daily Zoo jobs. Beginning in the Education Building, next to the Monkey House the groups proceeds to the Zoo for exploring.


Everyone must pay the program fee.
Pre-registration required.
Fee: $8 per person;
$6 per person for DZS Members.

Phone: (302) 571-7747

Location:
1001 North Park Drive
Brandywine Park
Wilmington, Delaware

website

Opera Delaware: Dress Rehearsals Are Free to Students!

OperaDelaware

The following dress rehearsals are free to students
by advanced registration only

Madama Butterfly
by Giacomo Puccini,
NEW DATE Thursday, October 25

The Gondoliers
by Gilbert & Sullivan,
Thursday, February 14, 2008

Little Women
by Mark Adamo,
NEW DATE Thursday, May 1, 2008

All dress rehearsals are free to students!
By advanced registration only!
You must arrive by 7:00 pm for 7:30 pm curtain.

Location:
The Grand Opera House
818 N. Market St., Wilmington, DE 19801

For synopses, visit their website.

Delaware Museum of Natural History: Programs for Homeschoolers

These special programs, just for Homeschoolers, will be offered at Delaware Museum of Natural History from October 2007 to May 2008. Students will explore a variety of natural history topics through the study of museum specimens and exhibits, experiments, live animals, crafts, films, games, and outdoor hikes!

October 19: Microbes- Invisible Invaders, Amazing Allies.
This exhibit is an up close and personal look at the smallest, most abundant and oldest life on our planet. Come explore "germs" and learn how everything on Earth depends on these tiny organisms for survival.

November 9: Extreme Earth.
Climb to the peak of the world' s highest mountain and venture into the deepest trenches of the ocean on this quest for "Earth's Most Extreme Environment."

December 14: Under the Sea.
Far below the peaceful ocean surface is a world of extraordinary creatures- some small, some giant and all with faces only a mother could love. With the help of museum experts, observe real specimens and learn all about these fascinating animals and the places they call home.

January 11: Physics for Beginners.
When you throw a snowball at your friend, the laws of the universe are in action all around you and you don> '> t even know it! These laws are called Physics and they help to explain how the world works. Join us to learn all about gravity, speed, momentum and much more.

February 8: Bizarre Beasts Past and Present.
Experience first-hand some of the strangest animals ever to inhabit the Earth! Explore the forces that cause life to change over time and adapt to different environments. See for yourself that fact is often stranger than fiction.

March 14: The Animals of DMNH.
Ever wonder where the animals at the museum came from and how they got here? Learn about animal conservation and take a fascinating trip through the history of the museum to find out the back-story of some of our most famous residents.

April 11: Delmarva Habitats.
In this introduction to forest, marshland, and seashore environments, we will learn about the web of life and the value of wild spaces.

May 9: Natural History of Pizza.
Where does your pizza come from? It's not delivery; it's DMNH! Be a world traveler and discover the origins of pizza, eating your way through the history of one of your favorite foods.


Registration Information
Classes are geared toward elementary school aged children.
The second Friday of every month (except October)
1:00-3:00 PM

$6.00 member
$10.00 non-member per child.
Adult members are free
$6.00 Adult non-members $6.00.

Pre-registration is required.
To register: contact Mariah Romaninsky at the museum no later than the Monday before class.
Space is limited to 15 students
Enroll early to avoid disappointment.

Please call Mariah Romaninsky at the museum with any questions:

Mariah Romaninsky
Community Programs Coordinator
Delaware Museum of Natural History
4840 Kennett Pike
PO Box 3937
Wilmington, DE 19807

T: 302 658 9111 x322
F: 302 658 2610

website.

Philadelphia Zoo: Special Workshops Especially for Homeschoolers!

The Philadelphia Zoo now offers special workshops - especially for homeschool students! Enriching, educational and fun, these workshops are a great way for children to learn about wildlife and how the Zoo runs. Workshops are available for individual families and are offered in series.

And, for groups of 15 or more, the Zoo offers educational lessons to enhance school field trips to the Zoo! Zoo Classes offer exciting, inquiry-based lessons that promote science education. Our live animal demonstrations, artifacts and interactive experiences motivate students to learn about topics that have a direct impact on every-day life. Come share the experience, as only the Philadelphia Zoo can provide! Learn more about Field Trips.

For more information visit their website.

Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S. Tolan

"Find your Joy..." so says Zedediah Applewhite to the troubled youth whose very last, last chance is surviving Creative Academy, a homeschool, and its very eccentric extended family of artists and odd balls and a girl named E.D..

Lesson plans for Surviving the Applewhites:
Harper Collins - pdf file
Author Bio
Web Quest

Synopsis from the Harpers Collins Website:

Surviving the Applewhites
by Stephanie S. Tolan


Jake Semple is a scary kid. Word has it that he burned down his old school and then was kicked out of every other school in his home state. Only weeks into September, the middle school in Traybridge, North Carolina, has thrown him out, too.

Now there's only one place left that will take him -- a home school run by the most outrageous, forgetful, chaotic, quarrelsome family you'll ever meet. Each and every Applewhite is an artist through and through -- except E.D., the smart, scruffy girl with a deep longing for order and predictability. E.D. and Jake, so nearly the same age, are quickly paired in the family's first experiment in "cooperative education."

The two clash immediately, of course. The only thing they have in common is the determination to survive the family's eccentricities.

In Stephanie S. Tolan's hilarious tale, a local production of The Sound of Music directed, stagecrafted, choreographed, and costumed by Apple-whites -- brings the family together and shows E.D. and Jake the value of the special gifts they've had all along.

2003 Newbery Honor Book

BrainPop.com

My family loves this site!

BrainPOP is an educational program providing content spanning 7 main subjects, including: Science, Math, English, Social Studies, Health, Arts and Music, and Technology.

We have watched these movies over and over. The kids take the quizzes offered after each movie. They have subscription packages for families as well as homeschoolers. They offer teacher support and are working on offering lesson plans in the future. You try out BrainPop for days for free, thereafter you need to purchase a subscription.

The only way to really understand what BrainPop is all about is to log on and try it for yourself!

BrainPOP.com


*Just a quick note about Homeschool Happenings! and clicking on the links I provide:
I opt not to receive payment or rewards of any kind for the links that I provide on Homeschool Happenings. For example; I could subscribe as a publisher and receive a commission every time someone clicks through my site and then joins BrainPop. I don't do this because I want my readers to trust the information I recommend and share. I am not doing this for profit but rather to build a better homeschooling community for all our kids...

Harvest Moon Festival at Coverdale Farm

Delaware Nature Society hosts its annual Harvest Moon Festival at Coverdale Farm, Way Road, Greenville, Delaware.

Saturday & Sunday
October 6th &7th
10am to 5pm

• Bring old clothes and stuff a scarecrow
• Play Pumpkin Croquet
• Wander through a corn maze
• Munch on popcorn popped on a steam-operated popper
• Visit Coverdale Farm's livestock: cows, pigs, chickens, sheep
• Ride in a wagon pulled by draft horses
• Compete in corn husking contests
• Milk a cow • Ride a pony
• Watch a sheep sheering demonstration and see how the wool is carded, spun and woven
• Explore an heirloom vegetable garden
• Meet Chief Quiet Thunder and learn about Native American life
• Root for the fastest herp in the international turtle race
• Settle on a hay bale for folk music and wildlife presentations
• Munch on favorite country and festival foods
• Browse among nature-related artwork and crafts
• Design a nature tee-shirt and Harvest Moon necklace
• Join a naturalist for a guided nature walk through our Burrows Run Preserve
• Learn about current environmental efforts at exhibits in the Conservation Corridor

Admission:
Delaware Nature Society Members:
Adults - $5,
Ages 5-17 - $2,
Under age 5 - Free
Non-Members:
Adults - $8,
Ages 5-17 - $4,
Under age 5 - Free


For more information visit their website.