Homeschool Out of the Box Enrichment Co-Op in Norfolk VA

Fall 2010 Roster

2010-06-04T12:28:00.001-04:00

Here is the roster for fall 2010. To open this spreadsheet as a full page, click here. Please make sure your children are registered for the correct classes at the correct times. Thanks!

Fall 2010 Schedule

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Registration Form for Fall 2010

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Fall 2010 Classes

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4 and 5 year olds

Play and Learn (Patricia Richman)
Join us! as we playfully learn about the world around us. We will explore numbers, letters, history, geography, physical science, life science and the animal kingdom. We use stories, crafts, music, songs and guided activities as we play and learn. This is the weekly, Montessori based preschool experience you've been looking for! Please note: This is a two hour long block-class. One hour of class is only available with special permission from the instructor. ($220 for the semester, or three payments of $80)

Junior Irish Dance (Mary Fien)
A fun introduction to this popular and exciting dance form for the littlest dancers. Only 30 minutes long, this is the perfect way for your little dancer to learn the foundation steps and get up to speed to join our higher level classes in future semesters, without getting overtired in an hour long class or having to keep up with much bigger children. Appropriate for 5-6 year olds. Meets during lunch (12:00) for 30 minutes. ($75.00 for the full 15 week semester or three payments of $30.00.)

Sign With Me! (Whittney Speed)

Come sign with us! This class is an introduction to American Sign Language. Lean how to sign animal names, community words, actions, foods, numbers, letters, colors and much more! We will learn several signs each week and reinforce our work with an activity - songs, coloring pages, interactive play, and stories. Deaf culture and community will also be covered, along with sensitive interaction with different people. Sign with Me! will be geared primarily toward the preschool age, but is open to all who want to learn. Students age 4 and younger will need a buddy (mom, dad, or older sibling age 12+). Buddies come to class free. (Fee for the semester is $50, single payment only.)

Yoga for the Younger Child (3-5) (Rosemary Ayres)

Yoga is a fun, safe way for children to not only release some of their endless energy, but also to learn how to relax and concentrate. There are so many studies coming out indicating the benefits of yoga for not only adults, but also for children: increased flexibility, enhanced coordination, and a greater sense of calmness. Much like the yoga for the 6-8 year olds, we will open with a circle and sharing time, moving on to movement and music. Working with the children's natural inclinations to play and pretend, they will learn yoga poses, morphing into animals such as lions, monkeys, cats, dogs, butterflies, and turtles! We will connect with nature and the world around us as we bark like dogs (if they want!), meow like cats, and make all kinds of noises being monkeys or ponder what kind of tree they might be while they attempt to hold themselves in tree pose. This will be a fun, low-key, no-pressure class where parents or other grown-ups are welcome to attend with their corresponding little person. Encouraging your child to wear some comfy, loose-fitting clothing will help him or her to get the most out of class. (Parents/grandparents also highly encouraged to wear comfy clothes so you can join in on the fun too!) $60 one-time payment for the semester.

6 to 8 Year Olds

Dinosaurs! (Jennifer Taylor)

Let’s jump into a time machine and travel back in time millions of years ago to when dinosaurs roamed the earth. We’ll study the creatures that walked the land, inhabited the waters and flew in the sky. We’ll study what they ate, who their neighbors were and what the environment was like. We will look at the Jurassic, Triassic and Cretaceous periods of dinosaur existence on earth. What differences are there between today’s Earth and Earth a million years ago? How has geology changed or influenced living things? What was the plant life like? How has the weather changed or influenced dinosaurs and their existence? How did the environment change from period to period? What led to the extinction of dinosaurs? We will touch on areas of ecology, geology, botany, meteorology, and paleontology. We will use books, art and LOADS of imagination on our journey as paleontologists! ($120 for the semester or three payments of $45)

Art (April Taylor-Martin)

Throughout this 15-week course, students will be encouraged to explore their own subject matter for art making through various media and techniques. I will introduce meaningful themes such as community, identity, family, and real and imagined environments. From these ideas they will develop works of art using lines, shapes, colors and forms. I will also give them some basic principles of how to draw human faces and bodies, and how to create the illusion of depth. Students will experiment with graphite, charcoal, oil pastels, colored pencil, and watercolor techniques. (Need Price)

My Town (Deva Brockett)

Become a citizen in this special town founded by the students, governed by the students, and run by the students. This class will focus on group work with the main goal of running a thriving town. Students will leave this class with an understanding of community, map reading, and economy. Students will work cooperatively to run town functions like a banks, restaurants, community services, and other commercial services. A large focus will be on government as they will vote in their own mayor. Our Town is completely child led, children will choose everything from town setting to town layout. ($120 per semester, or 3 payments of $45.)

French (Caroline Mann Tonra)

Parlez-vous français? This dynamic and innovative curriculum, developed locally, includes language, cultural, and geographical components. “Madame Caroline” incorporates games, music, art, technology, and hands on manipulatives into her classes, which have proven highly successful at enhancing the exposure to and retention of French by all students, regardless of aptitude or learning style. Taught almost entirely in French, this class will immerse elementary aged children in a new language experience and open their minds as future global citizens. This early and strong exposure to the French language provides a strong foundation for later language learning. ($160 per semester, or three installments of $55). Because HSoBX is strongly committed to providing excellent and interesting classes to our students, the co-op will purchase books ($20 per student for two textbooks)

Creative Chemistry (Patricia Richman)

Creative Chemistry will travel across the Periodic Table with a hands-on introduction to the element families. As we explore the elements we will: shake up some ice cream, “paint” with acids and bases found in the kitchen, bake blue-glue slime, make cereal and dollar bills dance, shine pennies, coat eggs with toothpaste, light a bulb with our hands and set off a smoke detector without fire or smoke! From Hydrogen to Americum (95 protons is as high as we’ll go) there is so much to learn and discover. Come be creative chemists with us! We will use Fizz, Bubble & Flash, by Anita Brandolini. This is not a required text but is strongly suggested. Semester $130 or 3 installments of $45.

Three Musketeers Enrichment Track (Lydia Netzer)

As we adventure through The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, we will immerse ourselves in 17th century Paris, and learn all we can about the world in which the King and the Cardinal struggled for control of France. We will study art of the period, including the music of Jean-Baptiste Lully, the paintings of Rubens and Poussin, and the Chateaux of the Loire valley. By hosting salons and literary discussions, we will pursue the "bel esprit" worthy of a Parisian of any era. Of course, we will also study the art of swordplay and engage in carefully choreographed battles and duels. This enrichment track class will read a children's version of The Three Musketeers, and will get through the whole plot of the book during the semester. No in-class reading or writing is necessary for this class. ($120 for the semester or three payments of $45. Sibling discount: $90 for the semester or three payments of $35.)

Yoga (Rosemary Ayres)
Yoga is a fun, safe way for children to not only release some of their endless energy, but also to learn how to relax and concentrate. There are so many studies coming out indicating the benefits of yoga for not only adults, but also for children: increased flexibility, enhanced coordination, and a greater sense of calmness. We will open class with a circle and sharing time, then move into movement and music, stretching, learning various yoga poses, drawing upon nature for inspiration, until we have created our very own complete yoga routine. We will wrap up by cooling and calming down with a silent meditation, gradually increasing the children's ability to focus and be still. This will be a class in which the children are allowed to be children, having fun making silly animal noises during cat and dog pose, but also a class which incorporates the child's mind, body, and spirit. Encouraging your child to wear some comfy, loose-fitting clothing will help him or her to get the most out of class! Class is open to children aged 4 to 8. ($120 per semester or $45 three time installments.)

9 to 12 Year Olds

Three Musketeers Academic Track (Lydia Netzer)

As we adventure through The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, we will immerse ourselves in 17th century Paris, and learn all we can about the world in which the King and the Cardinal struggled for control of France. We will study art of the period, including the music of Jean-Baptiste Lully, the paintings of Rubens and Poussin, and the Chateaux of the Loire valley. By hosting salons and literary discussions, we will pursue the "bel esprit" worthy of a Parisian of any era. Plus choreographed swordplay, real duels, costumes, poetry, flashing sabers, witty repartee, and more! This academic track class will be reading the unabridged version of The Three Musketeers, two chapters per week. At this pace we will get halfway through during the semester, but kids can read faster if they choose to do so. Mais oui! This class will feature fun quizzes, engaging homework, and in-class reading and writing. ($120 for the semester or three payments of $45. Sibling discount: $90 for the semester or three payments of $35. Check, cash, Paypal, or class trade.)

The Young Philosophers Club: A French Focus (Deva Brockett)

Put on those berets and turtlenecks and join the club! In this discussion based class we will be exploring French Philosophy. We will explore life’s big questions through a series of games, fine art, poetry, music, and popular children’s books. We will discuss freedom, justice, time, death, prejudice, love, and other topics in this secular class, while learning about French Philosophers like Camus, Bergson, Sarte, and Derrida and their schools of thought. This class will help you discover your own answers to life’s big questions, with the understanding and skills to explore other questions that come your way. If you were part of the club last year, please feel free to join in again. We have a whole new set of questions this year all related to 19th and 20th century French Philosophy. New students are welcome to join in too. ($120 for the semester or three installments of $45)

Chemistry (Virginia Harvey)

In this introductory Chemistry class, we’ll use marshmallows, bread, red cabbage, iodine, glue and spit to explore some basic principles of chemistry. We’ll cover atoms and molecules, the periodic table, covalent and ionic bonding, acids and bases, polymers, and current applications of chemistry in our lives. Better living through chemistry? We'll see where we agree with that and where we don't. Required books: Real Science 4 Kids Chemistry 1 student text and lab sheets. ($150 or 3 payments of $55.)

13 Year Olds and Up

High School Chemistry (Amy Moler)

This is designed to be a two semester class. Students need some background in algebra to be able to re-rearrange equations for calculations. The topics of the course will begin with scientific method, progress to dimensional analysis, and atomic theory, cover nomenclature and stoichiometry and possible get as far as balancing equations and reaction types during the first semester. There will be assigned homework for each chapter. It is proposed that an additional lab meeting will occur once a month, day of the week TBA. Materials: Addison Wesley Chemistry 4th edition. ( Wilbraham/Staley/Matta) (1995) This is an out of print public school book, but can be found fairly easily on Allibris.com and possibly eBay. It has a picture of petri dishes full of paint on the front and a pipet. I would prefer students have the student edition of the text. Calculator capable of doing exponents. (A scientific type- I favor Casio’s.) Safety goggles will be provided by the co-op. ($150 for the semester or three installments of $55)

Photography 101 (Ryall Dobrota)

Do you want more out of your camera? Would you like to experience life through the lens? By looking at the history of photography, students will gain technical and artistic skills in this amazing medium. We will learn more about our cameras, how they work, and how to get the results we want from them. Topics to be covered will be: camera care and maintenance, how to take a dynamic photo, how to upload, store and back up photos, file formats, resolution, photography professions and invasion of privacy and copyright law. We will briefly delve into the world of digital photo manipulation and editing. At the end of the course students will have an artist's statement to accompany their thoughtful portfolio of work. Requirements:Digital camera with handbookLaptop (will not be needed for every class)Internet and color printer access at homeStudents will be asked to take photos in different types locations outside of class i.e. they may ask you to drive them somewhere, beach, park, downtown. Supplies:Hardbound 8 ½ x11 sketchbook (not spiral, no lines please). We will use collage and mixed media so access to magazines and basic art supplies such as glue sticks, colored pencils, and scissors will be necessary. Students will need to print photos for their portfolio, prices vary. $120 for the semester, 3 payments of $45 (check or cash).

World Domination (Jessica Jones and Kendall Allen)

What does it mean to live in a world of power, politics, diplomacy, interdependence, globalization, conflict, and cooperation? What is security in a world of nuclear weapons, war, and terrorism? What’s the deal with oil and why does everyone want it? How do economics, trade, and the environment become political issues? What does it mean to be a fundamentalist, a fascist, a hegemon, or a rational actor? What’s the role of international institutions like the UN? Why does the US have friends and enemies? The answers to these questions are not found in the snippets scrolling across CNN, but in objective investigation into the relations, motivations, grievances, and desires of people and their leaders on an international level. This discussion-based class engages students in analyzing world politics and international relations with role-playing scenarios, independent research, and critical thinking. Join us in exploring what you would do if the power of world domination was at your fingertips…or if that power threatened you. No textbook required. ($130 for the semester or 3 payments of $45)

Where'd You Get That Data? (Ginny Harvey)

Statistics and Probability in Real Life. Are hotdogs unhealthy? What percentage of people always wears their seatbelts? Would most teens keep an extra $10 they received in incorrect change at a store, or return it? Does listening to music hurt students’ concentration and ability to study? How are people’s heights and foot lengths related? These are just a few examples of the type of questions that statistics can help us answer. But understanding the answers requires an understanding of the methods used to arrive at those answers. Using examples from our everyday lives, we’ll learn to formulate an appropriate research question, collect data, analyze the data, and interpret the results. Once we have our research question, are there ethical issues to consider in how to collect and report data? Would a survey work well, or would observational data be better? What is the difference between a sample and a population? Numbers, trends and percentages get reported in the mass media every day. This class will help students learn to interpret those numbers and begin to differentiate the scientific from the media hype. ($130 or three payments of $45.)

Philosophy: French Philosophy (Deva Brockett)

In this discussion based class we will explore 19th and 20th Century French Philosophy in a fun and engaging secular setting. We will play games and study the major thinkers of the time like Camus, Bergson, Sarte, and Derrida. We will explore life’s deep questions while getting a dose of history and art at the same time. This class will help you discover your own answers to life's big questions, and give you the critical thinking skills to ask some questions of your own. New students are welcome, and returning students will find all new material to uncover. ($120 for the semester or three installments of $45.)

Classes for Multiple Ages

Irish Dance (Mary Fien)

Don't miss this great introduction to the world of Irish step dancing, one of the most exciting dance forms. Participants will learn the foundation steps of traditional Irish Step dancing. Foundations steps taught will be incorporated into individual steps and group Ceili dances (k-lee). This is a non-competitive class. Senior class requires permission of instructor. ($134 for the semester or three payments of $54.)

Championship Chess (Kala Dawson)

Chess works your brain in all kinds of ways: spatial aptitude, perceptive speed, reasoning, creativity, and concentration. Coach Kala starts with three pawns on each side of the board, and adds pieces one by one, teaching strategy to advanced players, basic game play to beginners. Students learn to be confident decision makers, honorable players, and critical thinkers. Ages 6+ are welcome, students with similar abilities will be paired. Books, DVDs, and travel chess sets are available for purchase, but not necessary. Coach Kala will bring everything needed for the class. You can find out more about the curriculum he uses here. This semester, Coach offers us two sections of chess, capped at 10 students each. The younger class will be co-operative, emphasis on learning the moves and strategies. The older class will be competitive, emphasis on matches and using strategies. Enrollment in the older class is by instructor permission. ($150 for the semester or 3 payments of $55)

Tai Chi (Lisa De Angelis)

Would you like to enhance your overall health, improve your energy level and help prevent illness? If so, Tai Chi/Qigong (pronounced "chi kung") is the class for you. Both Tai Chi and Qigong are internal Chinese meditative practices using slow, graceful movements and controlled breathing techniques. We will learn the 19 movements of a Qigong form, as well as a basic Tai Chi form, which is a soft martial art whose aim is to increase longevity and overall good health. The simple movements coordinate with breathing exercizes to help relax the muscles, nervous system, and mind. Wear comfortable clothing and get ready to breathe deeply and center your chi. Class is open to adults and 13+ age group. ($120 for the semester or 3 payments of $44)

Spontaneous! (Jennifer Greeley)

Come learn creative problem-solving methods while having fun in the process! In this class we focus on one part of the Odyssey of the Mind program called Spontaneous. Students will learn to think on their feet, work as a team, observe and analyze problems quickly, and think creatively (and outside-the-box!). Students will wrack their brains to build unique solutions, speak fresh and funny phrases, and silently work side-by-side in true teamwork fashion on problems categorically called ‘Verbal-Hands-On,’ ‘Verbal,’ and ‘Hands-On.’ Thinking on your feet and reacting to events in a ‘real time’ situation are skills worth knowing!Students must possess a fair degree of self-control, ability to work with others and emotional maturity to develop teamwork skills and allow each other to develop their creativity. For ages 9-14, by permission of the instructor. ($120 for the semester or 3 payments of $44)

Personalized Topics in Non-fiction Writing (Melina Winterton)

In this completely personalized class, students will be guided through the non-fiction writing skill(s) of their choice. Each student will receive two hours of dedicated, individual instruction per week. The first hour will be used for the creation of lesson plans, homework assignments, and editing of written work. The second hour will be used for video or phone conferencing to answer student (and/or parent!) questions, discuss writing theory, and to explore the student's writing strengths, weaknesses, blocks and successes. Students may choose from any of the following non-fiction projects: resumes, business letters, S.A.T. essay preparation (grading based on S.A.T. guidelines), research papers, research reports, college entrance essays, briefings, abstracts, position papers, compare/contrast essays, annotated bibliographies, website development for a topic of interest, petitions, Wiki authorship, correspondence with elected representatives, or any other non-fiction writing project students can think of. Heavy emphasis will be placed on research skills and methods such as validating sources, Boolean searches, cross-referencing, and accessing peer reviewed journals. Embedded skills include time management, note taking, information management, creative expression in non-fiction writing, and online collaborative work environments. Instruction keeps pace with student work, e.g. students may complete more than one project during the semester, or choose to tackle a single large project. With the exception of S.A.T. essays, no grades are issued. Each student will receive a Certificate of Completion at the end of the semester as well as a written assessment of his/her writing skills and progress. Useful items for student portfolios! If a student is college bound, writing for scholarships and/or hoping to influence others, strong writing and research skills are a valuable asset. See the website here. Links to student work will be available at this site, for students to share with family and for parents to track progress. Ages 12 and up, by permission of instructor, limit 5 students. $500 for 15 weeks or 3 installments of $200. Barter available. Google account required for participation. PayPal preferred.

HSoBX Flickr Slideshow

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Here are some pictures from the Homeschool Out of the Box! If you'd like your pictures to be included in this slideshow, and you have a Flickr account, you can join our HSoBX group pool! Just send Lydia an email with your Flickr member name, and you can start sending photos to the group pool. Past or present pictures are welcome. Show the world your child's HSoBX experience.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

HSoBX Roster Spring 2010

2009-12-16T20:52:00.001-05:00

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2009-11-30T01:22:00.004-05:00

At Your Fingertips - Grand Opening!

*All Natural Fresh Popped corn with high quality non dairy butter*

*Custom painted nails by true nail artists*

Fun and colorful designs in a variety of images

Only offered at HSoBX in the social hall

Business Hours: 12-12:25 and 1:30-2:00

Don’t Miss out on these amazing treats and nail art at budget friendly prices!

- This has been a paid advertisement of ‘At Your Fingertips’ (It’s My Business Class) -

Spring 2010 Schedule

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Spring 2010 Classes

2009-11-22T15:07:00.021-05:00

Classes for ages 4-5

Play and Learn (Patricia Richman)
Join us! as we playfully learn about the world around us. We will explore numbers, letters, history, geography, physical science, life science and the animal kingdom. We use stories, crafts, music, songs and guided activities as we play and learn. This is the weekly, Montessori based preschool experience you've been looking for! Please note: This is a two hour long block-class. One hour of class is only available with special permission from the instructor. ($220 for the semester, or three payments of $80)

Junior Irish Dance (Mary Fien)
A fun introduction to this popular and exciting dance form for the littlest dancers. Only 30 minutes long, this is the perfect way for your little dancer to learn the foundation steps and get up to speed to join our higher level classes in future semesters, without getting overtired in an hour long class or having to keep up with much bigger children. Appropriate for 5-6 year olds. Meets during lunch (12:00) for 30 minutes. ($75.00 for the full 15 week semester or three payments of $30.00.)

Classes for ages 6-9

The Aeneid: Elementary Literature: Enrichment Track (Lydia Netzer)
Are we ready to found an empire, or what? The Aeneid is the foundation myth of the Roman Empire, an epic poem in the style of Homer’s Odyssey that follows the hero Aeneas from Troy to

Italy

Trotting Around the Globe: (Rosemary Ayres)
Hop in my magic van (thanks to the Road Trippers, it now has amazing, magical features, not the least of which enables it to fly!) After obtaining a passport, we will travel the globe, stopping in various countries, on various continents.This class will build on basic map and geography skills, expanding to larger concepts. We'll learn about different climates, time zones, latitude and longitude, and how the world population has changed. We will have fun while learning by playing games and exploring through hands-on activities such as designing our own country and making butterfly wing art. ($120 for the semester or three installments of $45)

Cultural Cinderkids (Patricia Richman)
What would you want your fairy godmother to be? A Fish? An Ox? A Pig? Which cultures value the size of your feet, big or small? Which culture values what you can make? Where is food most valuable? Where is Cinderella told with a boy as the main character? You can answer all these questions and more as we travel the world with Cinderella and Cinderlad. This familiar tale will take us to Egypt, China, Africa, Ireland, Mexico and many other cultures. We will compare and contrast various versions of Cinderella, learn some critical reading skills and examine different aspects of each culture. Each student will also craft his or her own Cinderkid story during the course of the semester. ($115 for the semester, or three payments of $45)

Monart
The Monart Drawing Method creates a comfortable and non-competitive atmosphere where students can experience the joy of artistic expressino. Students receive enough structural guidance to be successful and enough freedo to be independently creative. Just as we are taught the ABC's of phonetic rules in learning to read, and musical notes and scales to play an instrument, the Monart Method teaches the individual to perceive the world through five basic elements of shape and how to translate that information onto a flat surface using a variety of mediums. Equally important, the students are taught that there is not a right or wrong way to draw and that they have permission to explore any interpretation of the information they wish. Individuality is encouraged, so there is wonderful variety of interpretation derived from each project. ($150 for the semester or three installments of $60) The HSoBX administration chooses to subsidize this class by purchasing the supplies used by the group as we are committed to offering high quality classes at an affordable price. Any additional contributions to this fun would be much appreciated.

Magic! Magic! (Daria Ballard)

In this class you’ll learn magic tricks such as “Money from Nowhere,” “Seeing the Future,” “Invisible Rain,” “Moon Mirror,” “The Mystic Triangle,” and “Water From a Stone.” We’ll design and craft the trick, and practice and perform for eachother (and obliging parents). We’ll also look at the path of magic by learning about some famous magicians, their tricks and styles, from Isaac Fawkes in 1726 and Houdini in 1920 to Doug Henning and Jeff McBride. We’ll also have a magic performance at the end of the semester where each student will perform their favorite magic trick. ($100 for semester, or three payments of $40, includes all supplies).

Classes for ages 9-12

The Aeneid: Elementary Literature: Academic Track (

Lydia

Netzer)

Are we ready to found an empire, or what? The Aeneid is the foundation myth of the Roman Empire, an epic poem in the style of Homer’s Odyssey that follows the hero Aeneas from Troy to

Italy

. Meet gods and monsters, visit Carthage and sail the Mediterranean in this child-friendly encounter with one of the most canonized works of literature in Western civilization. We’ll sing songs, make crafts, memorize Virgil in Latin, set history to music, and learn about Ancient Rome. Academic track will focus on Virgil’s Rome, and how the Aeneid represented traditional Roman values and beliefs in a time after the Republic and before the Empire. We’ll study Roman culture and history, and read parts of the Aeneid in classical translation. There will be in-class writing and reading, and facts to study at home for in-class quizzes. If you are a native speaker of Latin, this is the class for you! ;) ($115 for semester or three installments of $45. Two child discount: $85 for the semester or three installments of $35).

It's My Business! (Deva Brockett)
It really is your business as you start up our own business and learn about entrepreneurship. This class is based on the Junior Achievement curriculum that puts a strong focus on social studies, reading, and writing skills. We will explore aspects of what makes a business work and have fun with creative marketing. Join us for lots of fun games and group projects. Students will also let their imaginations fly when they make up their very own business as an ongoing semester project. ($120 for the semester or 3 payments of $44.)

Philosophy: The Young Philosopher (Deva Brockett)

Put on those thinking caps and don your robes, in this discussion based class you will explore life’s big questions through a series of games and popular children’s books. We will discuss fairness, compassion, prejudice, love, and other topics in this secular class, while learning about the major thinkers like Plato, Martin Luther King Jr., Socrates, and Aristotle. We will also dive deep into of our favorite books like Harry Potter, The Little Prince, Where the Wild Things Are, to dig up those philosophical questions such as: Can you feel loneliness and love at the same time? Can you be happy and sad at the same time? Is life fair?

During our weeks together you too will get to pick your favorite book, song, or poem to bring to the class discussion. This class will help you discover your own answers to life’s big questions, with the understanding and skills to explore other questions that come your way. ($120 for the semester or three installments of $44)

The Juicy Term Paper (Melina Winterton)
Students in this online class are working on properly formatted research papers from a variety of fields. Older students are using official MLA or APA formatting. We are tackling this in cumulative, bite-sized lessons over the semester. We are exploring concepts like summation, intellectual property rights, plagiarism, citation formats, logical flow, research organization skills, definition of terms, drawing conclusions, transitional paragraphs, source exclusion and validation, and artistic expression in non-fiction research writing. Each week, I'll be reading, editing, commenting, and personally tailoring non-fiction writing lessons for every participant. I'll also hold online office hours where students are encouraged to present specific questions and challenges. We'll be learning how to use collaborative online working environments and digging into online research techniques. This is a homework intensive class; expect to spend about 3 hours per week researching, thinking, writing, and editing. You can visit the class website here.

Limit 8 participants.

For ages 10 and up, by permission of instructor, please email Melina (melina@hsobx.org) to register.

$150 for 15 weeks or 3 installments of $56
PayPay preferred: melina@3676.net

Biology (Ginny Harvey)

Using the RealScience-4-Kids Biology I textbook, we’ll explore biology starting with cells and working up to plants and animals. Along the way, we’ll learn about taxonomy and classifications, microscopes, photosynthesis, genetics, life cycles and ecosystems, squeezing in some history of science along the way! Kids will be expected to read chapters on their own at home, and we will do the lab work in class. Additional labs will include microscope work, owl pellets and dissection. Required: Real Science 4 Kids Biology Level I text and lab sheets - $150 for the semester or 3 payments of $50 (this includes a materials fee)

Classes for ages 13 and older

Philosophy: Questioning Life’s Big Ideas (Deva Brockett)
Can computers think? Does a tree make sound if it falls in the forest with no one around? Can you lie to yourself?
In this discussion based class we will explore Ethics and Knowledge in a fun and engaging secular setting. We will play games and study the major thinkers of our time from Aristotle, Plato, Martin Luther King Jr, and even Shel Silverstein and Maurice Sendak. During the course you will pick a topic that you will share with the entire class, maybe it is your favorite book, your favorite song, and we will flush out the philosophical questions together has a class. We will explore life’s deep questions while getting a dose of history and art at the same time. This class will help you discover your own answers to life's big questions, and give you the critical thinking skills to ask some questions of your own. ($120 for the semester or three installments of $44)

The Juicy Term Paper (Melina Winterton)
Students in this online class are working on properly formatted research papers from a variety of fields. Older students are using official MLA or APA formatting. We are tackling this in cumulative, bite-sized lessons over the semester. We are exploring concepts like summation, intellectual property rights, plagiarism, citation formats, logical flow, research organization skills, definition of terms, drawing conclusions, transitional paragraphs, source exclusion and validation, and artistic expression in non-fiction research writing. Each week, I'll be reading, editing, commenting, and personally tailoring non-fiction writing lessons for every participant. I'll also hold online office hours where students are encouraged to present specific questions and challenges. We'll be learning how to use collaborative online working environments and digging into online research techniques. This is a homework intensive class; expect to spend about 3 hours per week researching, thinking, writing, and editing. You can visit the class website here.
Limit 8 participants.
For ages 10 and up, by permission of instructor, please email Melina (melina@hsobx.org) to register.
$150 for 15 weeks or 3 installments of $56
PayPay preferred: melina@3676.net

Teen Book Club (Lisa DeAngelis and Carla Lindquist)
An adult moderated and facilitated group, the Teen Book Club will be a mostly teen-led class. We intend to steer the teens in the direction of a few classics as well as a couple of fun, contemporary books with the final choices being left up to them. We will supply questions as a sort of jumping off point to get the conversational juices flowing each week. Other than keeping up with the reading and joining in the discussions, there is really no other “homework” planned. This class is meant to encourage reading and to allow the teens to have enjoyable discussion s with their peers about the books they read. ($40 for the semester or 3 installments of $15).

Cryptography Club (Ginny Harvey)
Did you ever wonder how spies really keep their reports secret? How confidential information can be sent over the Internet? Did you ever want to send a secret note that only your friend will understand? We’ll start with simple Caesar ciphers to get warmed up, and then move on to substitution, key word, and frequency analysis ciphers. We’ll learn about the Enigma cipher, the Navajo Code talkers, modern public key encryption systems, and how to hide email messages in plain sight. Fair warning: this class does include some math, like finding averages and percentages. No book required, just come with your minds and pencils sharp. ($130 for the semester or 3 payments of $45)

Tai Chi (Lisa De Angelis)

Classes for Multiple Ages

Irish Dance (Mary Fein)
Don't miss this great introduction to the world of Irish step dancing, one of the most exciting dance forms. Participants will learn the foundation steps of traditional Irish Step dancing. Foundations steps taught will be incorporated into individual steps and group Ceili dances (k-lee). This is a non-competitive class. Senior class requires permission of instructor. ($134 for the semester or three payments of $54.)

Championship Chess (Kala Dawson)
Chess works your brain in all kinds of ways: spatial aptitude, perceptive speed, reasoning, creativity, and concentration. Coach Kala starts with three pawns on each side of the board, and adds pieces one by one, teaching strategy to advanced players, basic game play to beginners. Students learn to be confident decision makers, honorable players, and critical thinkers. Ages 6+ are welcome, students with similar abilities will be paired. Books, DVDs, and travel chess sets are available for purchase, but not necessary. Coach Kala will bring everything needed for the class. You can find out more about the curriculum he uses here. This semester, Coach offers us two sections of chess, capped at 10 students each. The younger class will be co-operative, emphasis on learning the moves and strategies. The older class will be competitive, emphasis on matches and using strategies. Enrollment in the older class is by instructor permission. ($150 for the semester or 3 payments of $55)

Tai Chi (Lisa De Angelis)

Introduction to Drawing and Printmaking (April Taylor-Martin)
Throughout this 15 week course, students will be encouraged to explore their own drawing subject matter while also learning the elements and principles of art (line, shape, form, color, texture, value…) through various media and techniques. I propose to give them a basic understanding of how to render what they see from life, how to draw human facial and body proportion, how to use perspective to show the illusion of space, and how to use value to create the illusion of depth. While learning these basic drawing techniques we will discuss the works of contemporary and past artists to help us understand the meaning of making art today. We will learn to use media such as graphite, charcoal, pen and ink, and colored pencil, as well as basic relief printing techniques. Class is open to children ages 10 and older. ($160 or $60 x 3) The HSoBX administration chooses to subsidize this class by purchasing the supplies used by the group as we are committed to offering high quality classes at an affordable price. Any additional contributions to this fun would be much appreciated.

Classes for Parents

Tai Chi (Lisa De Angelis)
Would you like to enhance your overall health, improve your energy level and help prevent illness? If so, Tai Chi/Qigong (pronounced "chi kung") is the class for you. Both Tai Chi and Qigong are internal Chinese meditative practices using slow, graceful movements and controlled breathing techniques. We will learn the 19 movements of a Qigong form, as well as a basic Tai Chi form, which is a soft martial art whose aim is to increase longevity and overall good health. The simple movements coordinate with breathing exercizes to help relax the muscles, nervous system, and mind. Wear comfortable clothing and get ready to breathe deeply and center your chi. Class is open to adults and 13+ age group. ($120 for the semester or 3 payments of $44)

Belly Dancing for Moms (Sharon Barnes)
Moms, come treat yourself to an introduction to the ancient art of belly dance. Your cares will melt away as you relax through warm-ups, tone with isolations, and undulate across the floor. Expect to laugh a little (life’s best medicine for whatever ails you) and have a good time. Wear comfortable clothing, bare feet or socks, but leave your ego at the door. ($120 for the semester, or three installments of $43.)

Teacher Handbook

2009-11-22T15:00:00.002-05:00

Fees
Instructors are to provide both a one time payment option and a 3 installment payment option. Instructors must keep track of their own accounts. Should there be any issue with the collection of payment from a parent, teachers shall speak to the parent directly before involving the administration. If collection of monies from a parent becomes impossible, oBX cannot cover lost expenses nor act as a collection agency for instructors.

Absences
HSoBX allows for one weather related closure per semester. Teachers are allowed one personal/sick day per semester. Any additional absences require a pro-rated refund of class fees.

Substitutes
In the event of family, personal, medical, or other emergency (long or short term), teachers may arrange for a substitute instructor of their choosing. All substitutes are to be cleared with the oBX Board.

Parking
HSoBX has reserved parking for teachers in the Church lot and on the street that directly abuts the Church (Grace St.).

First Day Information

2009-09-05T17:24:00.000-04:00

Greetings oBX Community,
Our first day of joyful, secular enrichment begins next Tuesday, September 8, 2009. We have a lot of new faces this semester, so we are asking everyone to wear a name tag the first week. Get yours at the welcome desk.

The first day is gloriously chaotic. A few things to help reign in the chaos:

PARKING
We have an agreement with the Chrysler Museum to use their parking lot on Grace Street. DO NOT PARK in the church parking lot, which is reserved for our instructors and church staff. If you have a need of some kind for parking in the church lot, contact me off list to melina@3676.net before parking there.

PAYMENT
Many of our teachers are PayPal preferred, so you can pay from the comfort of your PC. The rest take cash in an envelope with your child's name on it, or a check with your child's name in the Memo section. Loose, un-named cash in a folder is a big no-no. All our instructors are all offering discounts for paying up front, rather than in three installments. Full payment or your first installment payment is due on September 8.

You can see the full Monty about payments, installments, and PayPal addresses at this spreadsheet.

You can also see it on our right here on our website.

PAPER PRODUCT DRIVE
As part of our registration fee, all families contribute a 6-pack of toilet paper and 2-pack of paper towels. If your child uses the nursery, also add a 4-pack of AA batteries.

EMERGENCY CARD UPDATE
Rosemary Ayres is our Mailbox Director. She will be making sure that each family (and every instructor) has a folder in the mailbox, which is on the welcome table. Your folder MUST HAVE AN UPDATED EMERGENCY CARD IN IT. This card should include the name, date of birth, and weight of your child(ren) as well as allergies and lots of emergency contact numbers. If you have any questions about your folder or your emergency card, find Rosemary and she will help you out.

USE OF THE NURSERY
Colyn Martin is our Nursery Director. Your child needs your direct supervision in the nursery. If you have any questions about use of the nursery, find Colyn and she will help you out.

MONART FORMS
All children taking the Monart class must fill out two forms. Contact me and I will send you out a PDF, JPG, or whatever format you need. (melina@3676.net)

OTHER QUESTIONS?
Just ask melina@3676.net.

Fall 2009/2010 Schedule

2009-08-25T13:08:00.000-04:00

If you would prefer to visit this document in a larger format, as a separate browser window, please click here.

HSoBX Spring Finale

2009-05-22T23:17:00.003-04:00

On Tuesday, we celebrated the final day of our spring semester. Hard to believe we're wrapping up two years of eye-popping academic achievement and seriously fun enrichment at Homeschool Out of the Box! Here are some of the cool things that happened during our finale:

We honored our first "Teacher of the Year," Patricia Richman, whose Play & Learn preschool seminar resumed almost immediately after Patricia gave birth to darling baby Anna. She taught for two months in a baby sling and rocked it. Her students crossed the continents, studying topics in science, geography, and literature, including reading and writing basics. No one could believe the props and materials Patricia was dragging up and down those stairs, without ever complaining or showing us anything but a sunny smile. Thank you, Patricia! Patricia's class gave us a show for our families, singing and acting out "The Three Little Bears."

The Architecture and Building class created a display for parents and peers to take a look at the various projects they've been working on all semester, including their giant cityscapes! They also took an architecture walk around historic Ghent, spotting different styles.

The Women's History classes put on a Jeopardy show in the common room during lunch, with a board full of questions, sound effects, and a four-person incarnation of Alex Trebek. The students beat the parents -- what a shocker, right? It was highly entertaining for the whole HSoBX family!

Check out the final video project from the Art History class!

Fabulous. It's absolutely amazing what these students have learned about historical periods, artistic styles, and specific artists and pieces, in such a short time. We were also able to look at their displays that they'd worked on throughout the semester. Check out their web site.

Our elementary literature classes read Arabian Nights Entertainments this semester, and wore turbans for their final show. They sang a song about the Sassanid Empire, a couple of Persian folk songs, and some poetry set to music: The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam and "Recollections of Arabian Nights" by Alfred Lord Tennyson. They also feasted on dates, sugared chick peas, and Turkish Delight!

Life Skills class rounded off their year of learning social skills through games and innovative group interactions with a face-painting party, complete with bubbles and hula hoops. Check out the Life Skills web site for more about their activities throughout the semester. Here's the morning session in their face paint:

We also had performances from our enrichment classes. Our writers hosted a reading upstairs in the blue room, and our Irish dancers knocked our socks off with three amazing numbers.

Thanks for a great year. We look forward to seeing everyone back in the fall! If you have pictures and videos to share, please post links to the Yahoo list, so that we can include them in this post!

Homeschool drumming circle

2009-02-26T11:18:00.000-05:00

Our marvelous drum circle, taught by Connie Ralston.

Spring 2009 Semester Kick Off

2009-02-05T13:57:00.005-05:00

Our first day of the Spring 2009 semester went off with barely a hitch.

A warm welcome to our new families and students, and a hearty hello-again to all our returning friends. Our community is literally bursting at the seams with 40+ families and 60+ students.

Next week will be the first day of Family Drumming, offered once per month, and there is still time to register for that class!

We will be accepting registration for our few remaining class openings through February 17, 2009. Please note that some classes will not accept students after the second week. You can check class availability here.

Fall 2008/2009 Semester Grand Finale

2009-01-27T13:56:00.007-05:00

If you have pictures and/or video to include in this post,
please email the items (or a link to them) to melina@hsobx.org. Thanks!

Classical Kids Book Club read The Odyssey this semester. You can see images from that class at Little Blue School. A video of their glorious performance is in process and will be posted soon.

Mysterious Monsters of the East final performance:

Rebels to Founders, Journey to the U.S. Constitution final presentation:

See more of the amazing constitutional work our teens did at the class website.

Amasa S. and Rhiannon H., Phantom of the Opera lyrical dance:

Can I visit the co-op?

2009-01-04T09:02:00.001-05:00

Yes.
Visitors are welcome to stop in during our lunch hour, 11:30 to 12:30. If you would like to observe or participate in a class, please give us a week's notice so that teachers may have adequate supplies and supervision for an extra student.

Fall 2009 Class Descriptions

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Family Classes

Weekly Drumming Circle (Connie Ralston)
In Drum Circle we will learn how to listen to one another and work as a team to create new patterns. With Connie, we'll learn songs from all over the world. Connie is a veteran homeschooling mom who has been drumming for peace and leading drum circles for over 20 years. We have enjoyed her monthly drumming circles for two semesters now at HSoBX. This weekly class will give students of all ages a chance to focus on learning more rhythms and songs. ($110 for the semester, or three installments of $40.)

Belly Dancing for Moms (Sharon Barnes)
Moms, come treat yourself to an introduction to the ancient art of belly dance. Your cares will melt away as you relax through warm-ups, tone with isolations, and undulate across the floor. Expect to laugh a little (life’s best medicine for whatever ails you) and have a good time. Wear comfortable clothing, bare feet or socks, but leave your ego at the door. ($120 for the semester, or three installments of $43.)

Offerings for ages 4-5

Play and Learn (Patricia Richman)
This two hour long class will offer your little person excitement and adventure as they explore their world through play and guided activities. We'll visit each of the seven continents, discover dinosaurs, study seasons and weather, marvel at animal mothers and babies, compare cultures through fairy tales and so much more! We frequently visit music, song, dance and stories along our journey, as well as letters, numbers and crafts. I look forward to playing and learning with your children! Think Montessori preschool once a week! ($210 for the semester, or three payments of $80)

Junior Irish Dance (Mary Fien)
A fun introduction to this popular and exciting dance form for the littlest dancers. Only 30 minutes long, this is the perfect way for your little dancer to learn the foundation steps and get up to speed to join our higher level classes in future semesters, without getting overtired in an hour long class or having to keep up with much bigger children. Appropriate for 5-6 year olds. Meets during lunch (12:00) for 30 minutes. ($75.00 for the full 15 week semester or three payments of $30.00.)

Offerings for ages 6-8

Local Environmental Connections (Sara Houston)
Come join us as we learn about the food web beginning with bacteria all the way up to us humans! As we learn about the food web, we will make hands on connection with our own environment. Can we survive without bacteria? What is mold & how is it important? What kind of plants are growing in our backyards? Who eats these plants in our environment? Are there any predators in our area that keep those pesky rats in check? We will explore the answers to these questions (and MANY more!) while we learn about the connection between biology and our own day to day lives. ($105 for semester or three installments of $40.).

Jungle Book: Elementary Literature: Enrichment Track (Lydia Netzer)
Come explore the mysterious characters and wild adventures of The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. If you sailed the high seas with Treasure Island, island-hopped with The Odyssey, and got sand in your shoes with Arabian Nights, you will love the latest installment of our HSoBX literature series for elementary students. Sing songs, make crafts, memorize poetry set to music, and learn about Indian animals and plants. Enrichment track will focus on understanding the stories and learning vocabulary words, with no writing or reading in class and no homework. Perfect for beginning readers and writers, or for students whose parents are looking for a more social/fun experience in class, and are less interested in completing homework. ($105 for semester or three installments of $40. Two child discount: $75 for the semester or three installments of $30).

Road Trip Across America (Rosemary Ayres)
We'll take a tour of our very own country, stopping by famous geographical features such as the Mississippi River, the Appalachian and the Rocky Mountains, and the Great Lakes. While on our journey, we'll learn basic map skills such as using a map key/legend and a compass rose, and learn our cardinal directions. This class will focus on U.S. geography in a world context; understanding that we live on planet Earth, on the continent of North America, in the USA, in a state called Virginia, in a city named Norfolk (or Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Chesapeake, etc. ). If your child has ever confused their city with their state or thought that Mexico was part of America, then this class is for your child (and mine!) We'll make maps, enjoy hands-on activities, and play geography games while we travel. So hop in my van, buckle up, and join me for our road trip, having adventures and learning on the way (all without using any gas!). ($100 for the semester or three installments of $40)

Waldorf Inspired World Mythology (Tina Essert)
We will explore a new world myth each week by hearing the story in class. Beginning with creation stories, we will learn about myths from various cultures including African, Native American, Japanese and Greek. After hearing the story, the children will cooperatively summarize the story and copy the short summary into a journal. The class will then decide on an illustration from the story and the instructor will demonstrate the Waldorf method for crayoning the picture which the children will then copy into their journals. At the end of the semester each child will have their own beautifully illustrated book of World Myths to take home. ($81 for the full semester or three payments of $30.)

Monart
The Monart Drawing Method creates a comfortable and non-competitive atmosphere where students can experience the joy of artistic expressino. Students receive enough structural guidance to be successful and enough freedo to be independently creative. Just as we are taught the ABC's of phonetic rules in learning to read, and musical notes and scales to play an instrument, the Monart Method teaches the individual to perceive the world through five basic elements of shape and how to translate that information onto a flat surface using a variety of mediums. Equally important, the students are taught that there is not a right or wrong way to draw and that they have permission to explore any interpretation of the information they wish. Individuality is encouraged, so there is wonderful variety of interpretation derived from each project. ($150 for the semester or three installments of $60)

Students in this group are also encouraged to take Championship Chess, Irish Dance, and Latin for Children Enrichment Club. These class descriptions can be found farther down the page, under "Classes for Multiple Ages."

Offerings for ages 9-12

Juicy Term Paper (Melina Winterton)
Our final product will be a 3-15 page research paper with references. We'll be tackling this in cumulative, bite-sized lessons over the semester. Each week will be devoted to exploring non-fiction writing concepts through interactive games. For example, to learn about summarizing students will each have 60 seconds to summarize their favorite movie. Assignments will be directly related to class activities and will take 1-2 hours to complete, more if you tend to let assignments stack up. We'll cover all the basics, including, but not limited to: brainstorming, outlining, topic sentences, paragraphs, conclusions, transitions, and referencing. Students select their own age-appropriate topics with parent/teacher guidance, or can use this class to explore material presented in another class. This class is appropriate for a wide range of abilities. At a minimum, students should be able to successfully generate sentences independently and have some kind of experience with writing paragraphs. At a maximum, your child may be technically ready for the High School version but still need to stick with the age-appropriate content of this class. Assignments will be posted online and homework will include reading the posted work of classmates in preparation for class discussions. There are no required texts for this class. Students will need internet access and a Google account to participate. ($120 for the semester or three installments of $43)

Presidential History (Ginny Harvey)
This one semester class will consider US History from the perspective of the executive branch. Rather than cover the whole scope of US history, we'll concentrate on our best and worst Presidents, and what made them so. (Since everyone knows a lot about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, we'll concentrate on some of the lesser known Presidents.) Do you recognize the names of all of our 44 Presidents? Who was our best President? Who was our worst President? Who thinks so, and why? How has the office of the President changed over the past 220 years? Who was the first Vice President to become President after an assassination? This transfer of power has affected all subsequent Vice Presidents. Which President built the Panama Canal and why? Why was FDR such a beloved figure? Which President had an alligator as a pet? These questions and more will be answered during Presidential History. ($120 for the full semester or three payments of $43).

It's My Business! (Deva Brockett)
It really is your business as you start up our own business and learn about entrepreneurship. This class is based on the Junior Achievement curriculum that puts a strong focus on social studies, reading, and writing skills. We will explore aspects of what makes a business work and have fun with creative marketing. Join us for lots of fun games and group projects. Students will also let their imaginations fly when they make up their very own business as an ongoing semester project. ($120 for the semester or 3 payments of $44.)

Jungle Book: Elementary Literature: Academic Track (Lydia Netzer)
Come explore the mysterious characters and wild adventures of The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. If you sailed the high seas with Treasure Island, island-hopped with The Odyssey, and got sand in your shoes with Arabian Nights, you will love the latest installment of our HSoBX literature series for elementary students. Sing songs, make crafts, memorize poetry set to music, and learn about Indian animals and plants. Academic track will include an emphasis on Indian history and the Hindu religion, in-class writing and reading, and facts to study at home for in-class quizzes. Don't let the name fool you -- we will still have mad fun and games, silly songs, and messy projects. But we will also be bursting with India knowledge at the end of the semester. (($105 for semester or three installments of $40. Two child discount: $75 for the semester or three installments of $30). )

Robotic Engineering: offered at HSoBX by Virginia Air and Space Center
Embark on an adventure into the worl of robotics! Learn what simple machines help to make a robot work. Investigate how we use robots to explore space including upcoming Moon and Mars missions. Use end effectors to load a shuttle cargo bay. Build and test a Mars rover. Discover how humans use robots to avoid high-risk situations or explore places we cannot physically go. Program and play with working robots. Join a team to build and program a powered robot using Robotix™ to face a challenge competition among all teams. As you progress to more complex machines, we will introduce the Lego Mindstorms NXT™ platform to build and program to perform tasks. ($120 per semester or three installments of $45).

Students in this group are also encouraged to take Championship Chess, Irish Dance, and Latin for Children Enrichment Club. These class descriptions can be found farther down the page, under "Classes for Multiple Ages."

Offerings for ages 13 and up

It's My Enterprise! (Deva Brockett)
“A growing enterprise must have a bold leader” In this hands on class you will be running your own multi million dollar business. We will learn how our economy works on the macro, micro, and personal level. Together we will explore such topics as supply and demand, International relations, and money. Students will leave this Junior Achievement based class with basic knowledge of Economics taught in a fun and engaging setting. ($120 for the semester or 3 payments of $44.)

Juicy Term Paper (Melina Winterton)
Our final product will be a 10-20 page properly formatted (APA or MLA) research paper. We'll be tackling this in cumulative, bite-sized lessons over the semester. Beginning with brainstorming and outlining, and ending with final editing, our class will chew up information and generate spectacular final results. Students will write, edit, re-write, edit, and write some more. Class time will be devoted (but not limited!) to exploring concepts like summation, intellectual property rights, plagiarism, citation formats, logical flow, research organization skills, definition or terms, drawing conclusions, transitional paragraphs, source exclusion and validation, and artistic expression in non-fiction research writing. Assignments will be posted online, and homework will include editing and commenting on the posted work of classmates. Participants select their own topics or can concentrate on material presented in another class. Students are encouraged to explore mature, challenging, controversial, personally relevant, and/or difficult topics. Plan on spending 1-2 hours a week on homework assignments, more if you tend to let assignments stack up. There are no required texts for this class. Students will need internet access and a Google account to participate. ($120 for the semester or 3 payments of $43)

Presidential History (Ginny Harvey)
Presidential History - a whirlwind tour through US history from the perspective of the Executive Branch. This class will consider each President in turn, reviewing important events both domestic and international during his term in office, as well as the influence of political parties and the First Ladies, and how the office of the President has changed over the past 220 years. The first semester will cover John Hanson (no, George Washington was not the first President,
just the first President under our current Constitution) through Grover Cleveland, approximately. The second semester will cover Benjamin Harrison (and Grover Cleveland again) through Barack Obama. With 30 weeks and 44 Presidents (not counting those under the Articles of Confederation), we'll cover just over one President per week. Some, like William Henry Harrison (in office for 30 days before dying of pneumonia), will get less time, while others, like FDR (in office for 12 years), will get a bit more time. Why have some Presidents been more successful than others? Why did we have a run of 7 one-term Presidents in a row, and when was that anyway? Which President had an alligator as a pet? All these questions and more will be covered during Presidential History. ($120 for the full semester or three payments of $43).

Robotics Engineering offered at HSoBX by the Virginia Air and Space Center
Students will investigate robotics: history, usefulness, and how they work. Build your own teams that will explore robot toys and games, and then learn to construct robots using Robotix™ and Lego Mindstorms NXT™ platforms. Learn the programming language for Mindstorms and program your robots to achieve challenges set for them. You will embrace the ideas that complex tasks can be done by robots, that there is a real world connection between what you have constructed and robots that humans use to avoid high-risk situations or to explore places we cannot physically go, and that teamwork can achieve more than individuals alone. ($120 per semester or three installments of $45).

Students in this group are also encouraged to take Championship Chess and Irish Dance. These class descriptions can be found farther down the page, under "Classes for Multiple Ages."

Classes for Multiple Ages:

Irish Dance (Mary Fein)
Don't miss this great introduction to the world of Irish step dancing, one of the most exciting dance forms. Participants will learn the foundation steps of traditional Irish Step dancing. Foundations steps taught will be incorporated into individual steps and group Ceili dances (k-lee). This is a non-competitive class. Senior class requires permission of instructor. ($134 for the semester or three payments of $54.)

Championship Chess (Kala Dawson)
Chess works your brain in all kinds of ways: spatial aptitude, perceptive speed, reasoning, creativity, and concentration. Coach Kala starts with three pawns on each side of the board, and adds pieces one by one, teaching strategy to advanced players, basic game play to beginners. Students learn to be confident decision makers, honorable players, and critical thinkers. Ages 6+ are welcome, students with similar abilities will be paired. Books, DVDs, and travel chess sets are available for purchase, but not necessary. Coach Kala will bring everything needed for the class. You can find out more about the curriculum he uses here. This semester, Coach offers us two sections of chess, capped at 10 students each. The younger class will be co-operative, emphasis on learning the moves and strategies. The older class will be competitive, emphasis on matches and using strategies. ($150 for the semester or 3 payments of $55)

Latin for Children Enrichment Club (Lydia Netzer)
A weekly meet-up for those of us using the "Latin for Children" curriculum at home. I'm ready to get serious about Latin and stop pushing it down the priority list. Are you? The Latin Club at HSoBX will deliver accountability for us as home teachers, and fun and games with other children for our students. Every week I'll assign and collect homework, to keep us all on track. You'll make a commitment to do the teaching with your child in your home, and work through the lessons, one per week. During our club meetings we will sing songs, chant the chants, play games, act out skits, dress up, carry on, and have fun doing activities you can't recreate without a group of kids. We will be using the Primer A level of Latin for Children for the 2009-2010 school year, and you'll need to order at least the student workbook and the activity book to participate in the class. ($40 for the semester or 3 installments of $15. Two child discount: $27 for the semester or 3 installments of $10.)

Stories with Connie (Connie Ralston)
"Celebrating Native Wisdom in Stories" Class offering delightful stories from a variety of tribes illuminating lessons along the good red road. Some native practices shared. Appropriate for students 6 to 12 years old. ($110 for the semester, or three installments of $40.)

Fall 2009 Registration Roster

2008-12-01T13:01:00.002-05:00

Coming soon!

Norfolk homeschool co-op's mock elections predict Presidential and Senatorial Race

2008-11-05T08:37:00.007-05:00

Our children held a mock election yesterday. First, gratitude to Sharon, Janice, and Cynthia for organizing this event. You all did a great job putting this together.

Our results were not the only thing similar to the real election; we ran out of ballots due to high voter turn out! Our organizers did a spectacular job coming up with back-up ballots and everyone who wanted to vote, did.

Children as young as 5 and as old as 16 voted in our mock election with the following results:

President and Vice-President Electors for:

DEMOCRATIC PARTY Barack Obama/Joe Biden 20

REPUBLICAN PARTY John McCain/Sarah Palin 13

INDEPENDENT Chuck Baldwin/Darrell L. Castle 1

GREEN PARTY

LIBERTARIAN PARTY Bob Barr/Wayne A Root 3

GREEN PARTY Cynthia McKinney/Rosa Clemente 0

INDEPENDENT Ralph Nader/Matt Gonzalez 2

Member United State Senate

DEMOCRATIC PARTY Mark R. Warner 15

REPUBLICAN PARTY James S. "Jim" Gilmore III 9

INDEPENDENT Glenda Gail Parker 2

GREEN PARTY

LIBERTARIAN PARTY William B. Redpath 0

WRITE-IN Ione Martin 2

Norfolk Co-op's Second Year Huge Success

2008-10-30T15:47:00.006-04:00

We're a few weeks into our second year, and we've grown! We now have over 60 students taking a wide variety of wonderful classes.

If you are interested in joining us this year, our second semester begins on February 3, 2009. Class offerings will be made available in December and registration will open January 1, 2009.

Need to visit before deciding to join us? Zip off an email to melina@hsobx.org, and we'll arrange a visiting day for you and yours.

How do I pay for classes?

2008-09-27T09:59:00.004-04:00

Payments are due on the first day of class, September 7, 2010. We also offer a three installment plan. Installment payments are due on September 7, October 5, and November 2.

Cash and check payments may be placed in the instructor's folder, located in the file box on the welcome desk. If you pay by cash, use an envelope and write your child's name on it. Many of our instructors accept PayPal; check the spreadsheet for details. The Administration and many instructors prefer receiving payments through PayPal, although this is not required.

HSoBX Slide Show

2008-06-12T09:09:00.004-04:00

Debate club video presentation on waterway protection

2008-05-26T14:18:00.002-04:00

Swap meet and Book Sale a success and a pleasure

2008-05-22T10:32:00.008-04:00

This post is by guest author Sherene Silverberg. Sherene chaired our Book Sale and swap meet, successfully raising $127. Thank you Shez- job well done!

We belong to a great secular homeschooling co-op in Norfolk. Today we supported each other by having a swap session of children's clothing and donating our books for a fundraiser for the UU Church that hosts us.

One of the many reasons we chose Homeschooling Out of the Box as our co-op is that it is a stone's throw from our home. The kids get a real kick out of cycling or scootering to co-op each Tuesday.

Another is that the co-op members are a great bunch of women and children. I enjoy my Tuesdays. The kids get to do fun, enrichment classes and I get to hang out with intelligent women who speak about many topics, not just their children.

I'm always conflicted come Tuesday because while I thoroughly enjoy hanging out with these women, I am always exhausted at the end of the morning. The exhaustion is made worse by the fact that we spend the afternoon at music classes where I am again surrounded by people.

I know it is because I am a loner and an introvert (this doesn't mean I am a shrinking violet, it just means that people sap my energy and that I regenerate my energy by being on my own). I feel guilty that I am looking forward to the end of the month when we will have Tuesdays to ourselves again, but at the same time, I know that I'll miss these great women.

I enjoy listening to Cynthia's gentle take on the world, to Tina's experience having "grown up" two and a half children already, to Delbra's calm, competent, quiet advice on classical homeschooling and Melina's interesting take on life.

I enjoy seeing my children interact with their peers and seeing their excitement when they learn about pirates with Lydia or Colonial Williamsburg with Tina.

Above all, I enjoy the sense of community we've developed.