Happy Halloween at Co-op!
October 31st, 2008 by Elaine | 1 Comment »

...where we chat about co-op events, homeschooling, and pretty much anything else that strikes our fancy.
October 31st, 2008 by Elaine | 1 Comment »
October 26th, 2008 by Elaine | No Comments »
The Homeschooling Option: How to Decide When It’s Right for Your Family
by Lisa Rivero
Are you at the point of making a decision? This book by veteran homeschooler Lisa Rivero will help you.
October 26th, 2008 by Elaine | No Comments »
October 26th, 2008 by Elaine | 1 Comment »
The Science bus came to visit co-op and both science classes got to have their science class that day on the bus, which was pretty excited.
The county extension office provided all materials, and the instructor. Our regular science teaching team requested a class from the extension office that fit exactly in with what they’re studying.
October 26th, 2008 by Elaine | No Comments »
The manual typewriters proved so popular in our co-op Writer’s Workshop class, that we now have three available for the kids!
So this article and video on typwriter repair caught my eye: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com.
September 14th, 2008 by Elaine | No Comments »
We’ve just had co-op set up day and things are coming together! We have an amazing selection of toys, games, art supplies, and shelves and such to put on them. Each room is set up and ready to go.
Here’s a look at just one room, the nursery room.
Play store, or play in the kitchen. Baby dolls are in the back there.
Build with blocks.
Go down the slide or play with cars and trucks.
September 14th, 2008 by Elaine | No Comments »
As we gear up to opening day, and start thinking about packing lunches, I wanted to put out a quick reminder to everyone that we are a peanut free co-op. This is in the handbook also.
FAAN, the Food Allergy and Anaphalaxis Network has a great program for kids, the Be a P.A.L. Program.
Read about it here.
September 11th, 2008 by Elaine | No Comments »
A guest post today from Leslie Contos:
Just put together a few resources together for geology for kids, and
thought I’d post here as well, in case someone else has an interest.
Have you taken him to the Field Museum to look at their collection of
gemstones and other geology related exhibits?
www.fieldmuseum.org/exhibits
We’ve used the Field Museum’s Harris Loans, fossil field trips, and
National Geographic Lectures with good success.
www.fieldmuseum.org/CalendarSystem
My son still loves Dave’s Down to Earth Rock Shop in Evanston. Make
sure to check out the basement too!
www.davesdowntoearthrockshop.com
The Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art in Elmhurst has some cool
stuff: www.lizzadromuseum.org/exhibits
Other Illinois Geology Museums
www.amfed.org
My son always loved the NASA education site links: here.
And interactive java applets are also high on the list of fun:
www.educypedia.be/education
If your child is a hands on kid, he or she will probably like to focus on labs:
www.sciencecourseware.org
Illinois Geological Survey
www.isgs.uiuc.edu
Geology Field trip sources:
http://geology.about.com/od/geology_il/Illinois_Geology.htm
I really loved participating in an archeological dig when I was in
high school and now the same place offers them for families with kids:
www.caa-archeology.org
Homeschool Buyers co-op has deals on Cyber Ed Earth & Space science.
Might be other geology type stuff as well:
www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org
Maybe your child would enjoy a geology club?
www.amfed.org
September 4th, 2008 by Elaine | No Comments »
My daughter went to school for two years, K and 1, before we began to homeschool. She misses a couple of things — picture day and a school supply list for school supply shopping!
Now the co-op is taking care of one thing for her — she gets a school supply list!
If you’re on our yahoo list, you’ll get a the list on the there. Some of the items are for your child personally, and some are to share with everyone, like crayons and markers.
On the list you’ll also find some things you probably already have, such as shoes for gym and a waterbottle.