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

Spring 2012 Roster

2012-01-19T16:55:00.000-05:00

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Spring 2012!

2011-12-10T19:05:00.000-05:00

Registration is in full swing for current HSoBX families. On December 20th, registration will be available to those outside our community. The registration form, schedule and class descriptions are available on the right. (Note to PayPal users: please select PERSONAL payment so that HSoBX does not incur transaction fees.)

Class Descriptions and Schedule for Spring 2012 are up!

2011-12-02T07:49:00.000-05:00

Feel free to take a look at the class descriptions and schedule on the right.

**Please do not register yet!**

Details of the registration process will be posted later today. Registration will not open to current families enrolled at HSoBX until 9 pm next Tuesday, December 6.

Spring 2012 Schedule

2011-12-02T05:41:00.004-05:00

Click here to view the Spring 2012 schedule in a new window.

HSoBX Girl Scout News

2011-11-11T20:10:00.000-05:00

Over the past few weeks, our HSoBX Girl Scouts

have been making birthday bags -- bags filled with

essentials for a birthday party -- cake mixes, candles,

presents and more. Last week they dropped these bags

off at the Food Bank of Tidewater. Here the girls are

standing in front of 60 pounds of birthday bags!

Spring 2012 Class Descriptions

2011-11-11T16:15:00.207-05:00

Multiple Ages

Appalachian Choir (Lydia Netzer): (All Ages) Come join the fun in this energetic class for singers of all ages, and learn the best folk songs in America! Appalachian music was born in the anglo-celtic tradition of folk ballads and traditional dance music. We'll sing familiar tunes like "Skip to My Lou," lullabyes like "Slumber My Darling," silly songs like "Cluck Old Hen," beautiful ballads like "Black is the Color," bad-man songs like "Little Sadie," and of course Ralph Stanley's version of "Oh Death." Some you may recognize, some will be new, but all will be great fun as we learn about the traditions of bluegrass, rockabilly, and old-time. We will also learn songs from the Revolutionary War ("Liberty Song") and Civil War ("When Johnny Comes Marching Home"), and World War I: ("Keep the Home Fires Burning" and "Over There") Fun for the little ones, challenging for older kids, and with plenty of opportunities for solos and performances! Bring your banjo, your fiddle, your mandolin, your washboard, your spoons, your bass, or your comb. This class will dovetail nicely with "Appalachian Folkways" as you may be reading the stories we're singing verses about, and meeting the characters and places in our refrains. (This class uses a bound songbook that will be available as a coil-bound book from Lulu.com, or printable from a PDF file. If you choose to purchase the book from Lulu.com, the class price is $60. If you choose to print your own book, the class price is $80. Adults and teens are welcome, and singing/playing parents accompanying their enrolled children are free. No maximum. Paypal to jackets@rpsd.com preferred)

Adventures in Boyhood (Colleen and Jason Poteat) (Ages -- see instructor note below)
They say that "boys will be boys," but do we really encourage that in our modern urban culture? In this age of video games and YouTube and MythBusters, boys don't often have the chance to hone their skills in tying knots, launching rockets, orienteering, playing marbles, stringing a bow, or using dangerous tools. This class is the chance! We will cover a variety of practical and survival skills, as well as "soft skills" like leadership, giving and following directions, and being part of a team. Older boys will be encouraged to act as mentors to younger boys. **IMPORTANT NOTE: While this class is open to boys of all ages, parents should use their discretion to determine if their son is ready for this type of class. We will be using sharp tools and working on projects that require manual dexterity, common sense, and closely following instructions for the safety of everyone involved.** ($160 per semester or 3 payments of $60 includes all materials)

HSoBX Girl Scout troop #104 (Ginny Harvey, Patricia Richman) (Age 6-13)
Science, arts, outdoor skills and more! Welcome to our new, homeschool Girl Scout troop! This multi-level GS troop includes girls from Brownie level up to Cadettes, ages 6-13 (approximately grades 1-8). The Girl Scout program emphasizes progressive leadership development through girl led, hands on, just plain old fun activities. So what does this mean for you and your daughter? The girls will have numerous opportunities to choose the activities they’d like to try, and we’re hoping parents will share their special areas of expertise as we earn badges in a variety of areas and take part in service projects to help our community. Join us as we learn more about ourselves and the world around us! Associated costs include $12 GSUSA registration and approximately $40 for vest or sash, Council patches and pins. There will be a group decision regarding dues or supply fees.

Square Dancing (Patricia Richman) (All Ages) "Partners all! Places all! Form your sets now on the floor! There's plenty of room for a Square Dance call!" Come join us for some family fun as we learn traditional, American Square Dancing. If you do not know your left from your right or have two left feet, you can square dance! We will learn the basics that are used in most square dance calls, then try out our swings, sashays, and promenades in at least three different dances. There will be door prizes, live music, and hand clapping good times. Beginners and experts alike are welcome! Family members are encouraged to come! Class meets four times, on the second Tuesday of each month.(Class payment: Tickets! $30 for 4 tickets, (1 dancer) $40 for 8 tickets, (2 dancers in the same family) $50 for 12, 16, or 20 tickets. Bring your ticket to class for a chance to win the door prize! If you miss a class, give your ticket to a friend!)

Championship Chess (Kala Dawson) (6+)
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. ($150 for the semester or 3 payments of $55)

Ages (3)4-6
See individual classes for age ranges

Play and Learn (Patricia Richman) (Ages 4-6)
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)

Purple Penguins Art (Julie FoxRun) (Ages 4-6)
This class is a child-lead art class allowing children to find their creative side. This class is designed for your child to explore different visual art mediums such as painting, drawing and sculpting. We will do several projects using recyclable materials and discuss the importance of recycling, reducing and reusing common household items, while keeping focus on their creativity and imagination! We will be making our own paper to make note cards and exploring the environment to make our own paintbrush...just to name a couple fun projects! This class will be messy and LOADS of fun! Please dress in clothes that can get messy. ($100 or 3 installment payments of $35)

The Plot Thickens (Suzanne O'Neill) (***Ages 3-6***)
Children naturally have bright and active imaginations. This class is a tool to put those imaginations to work using books as a springboard. Reading introduces us to the world around us. The world we know and the world we are yet to know. We will come together as a group to read and bring each book alive. Exploring the illustrations for clues, we become detectives. Discovering the silliness (fantasy and fiction), we become friends sharing a private joke. Guessing what comes next, we become active readers.

We will read books that teach us new subjects; that make us laugh; that inspire our imagination; that remind us of our family; that remind us of our global family and so much more. We will write our own stories. We will create spontaneous plays based on characters from stories we have read. We will use props to invent our own stories.

Everyday will be different. Along with my many voices/characters and acting abilities, I will bring in posters, puppets, a felt board, stuffed animals—whatever pops into my imagination. We will laugh and have fun! ($100 for the full 15 week semester)

Little Lego Problem Solvers (Andrea Kinnear) (Ages 4-6)
What makes the best playground ever? If you could create an animal, what would it look like? What would your dream room have in it? Little Lego Problem Solvers will create spaces and communities, explore simple machines and design inventions. How many bricks will be needed? How many more bricks(or fewer)? How many groups of bricks? The Little Lego Problem Solvers will discover the answers! ($135/semester; $50/month. Tuition includes Legos that will come home with the students at the end of the semester.) Class Limit: 6 students.

Creative Movement (Anita Gomez) (Ages 4-6)
Stretch, jump, turn and move to music. A wonderful introduction to dance in a fun and playful way.
Help built an appreciation of moving to music and an understanding of the basic structure of a dance class from warm and preparation to connecting larger movements.
Bells and rattles help connect movement to the sound. 45 min. ($90.00 or three payments of $35)

Ages 6-8

Earth Science (Virginia Air and Space Center) (Ages 6-8)
Become a Geologist and discover the make up of planet Earth. Start with the basics of what is under your feet. Why do things grow in some soils and not others? What is a fossil? Discover how a fossil is formed, and learn how volcanoes keep our planet new. ($150 per semester) (Class minimum = 7)

Drama (Ryan Clemens, Virginia Stage Company) (Ages 6-8)
Expanding upon our study of character and story during fall semester, we’ll explore drama traditions in different cultures. Young actors will explore movement, voice, character development, improvisation, and theatre games, while learning about different people, places, and theater traditions. Hands-on participatory activities including prop making and costuming challenge students to develop their imaginative and creative skills. New drama students welcome! ($135 for the semester or three installments of $48).

HSoBX Press (Lydia Netzer) (Ages 6-8) The privilege of publishing a weekly co-op newspaper falls to the 6-8 year old age group this semester! First we'll name our newspaper, set sales goals, and figure out all the logistics of printing and distribution. Then we will get started writing weekly features, columns, and editorials. We will be shooting style sidebars, interviewing co-op celebrities, drawing comics, and launching campaigns. Do you have what it takes to cut your journalistic teeth while you're cutting your molars? Join the staff of the HSoBX Press and see your byline on the co-op newspaper this semester! ($120 / semester. Paypal to jackets@rpsd.com preferred.) Class maximum: 10 students.

Exploring Latin America through Celebration (Deva Brockett) (Ages 6-8)
Join us as we party our way though Latin America. In this group class we will be exploring several major Latin holidays/festivals while learning about the traditions, art, and customs for each holiday. We will be celebrating Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), Carnival, Dia De Los Ninos (Children’s Day), Grito de Delores (the day Mexico declared freedom from Spain) . We will focus on geography of each country, learn songs and dance, and even create one of a kind art pieces for each and every festival we learn about together. After several weeks of learning about a holiday we will have a party with food and decoration just like they would in the country the holiday stems from. In addition to the art projects we will each be creating a keepsake lapbook to take home at the end of the semester. Children will leave this class with a better understanding of Latin America and the rich culture and history of our neighbors to the south. ($130 for the semester or 3 payments of $50)

Appalacian Folklore and Folkways (Tina Essert) (Ages 6-8)
This class will focus on games, crafts and farm life in rural Appalachia during the last two centuries. Each week we will read a story from The Jack Tales and learn something about how people lived in the mountains of the Eastern US. Topics we may study are varied but could include: spinning wool; making pickles; apple dolls; map study; learning about the plants and animal life of the Appalachians; and more! ($130 per semester, or 3 payments of $45. Paypal to cerwydwyn@gmail.com). Class limit: 6 students.

Math Club (Colleen Poteat) (6-8)
In this fast-paced class, we will prove that math is fun as we play games, read stories, create manipulatives, and discover ways math is integral to our daily lives. Math Club members will dive deeper into topics they are already learning in their math instruction at home, plus be introduced to higher level concepts such as negative numbers, geometry, equations, coordinate graphing, and more. This class is not specific to a certain grade level or curriculum, but students should be able to recognize and write multi-digit numbers (backward numbers are ok!), have a conceptual understanding of the four basic operations, and be willing to complete a short homework assignment each week to prepare for class. ($130 per semester or 3 payments of $50)

Ages 6-9

French (Caroline Mann Tonra, World of Words) (Ages 6-9)
Designed for younger children, even those with previous French experience, this
enrichment class centers on vocabulary building and daily communication skills through a succession of shorter, fun-filled activities. Kids will enjoy learning to
share their own interests with their peers and broaden their cultural perspective, all
the while using their new language skills. ($160 per semester, or three installments of $55).

Ages 9-12

Earth Science (Virginia Air and Space Center) (Ages 9-12)
Explore what makes up our planet, and what makes it different than the rest of the planets around us. Learn what a Goldilocks Zone is. Become a Geologist and discover the science of Astrobiology. Dig through the history of this planet, from planet formation, to what a fossil is, and how it is formed. ($150 per semester) (Class minimum = 7)

Appalacian Folklore and Folkways (Tina Essert) (Ages 9-12)
This class will focus on learning about the settling of the Eastern mountains and how people lived there. We will have fun and learn how to do some of the folks crafts that were every day necessities for people who lived in the outposts of Appalachia. We will study a broad range of topics gathered from a variety of sources such as the Foxfire books, sociological studies of the Appalachians and ghost stories. A few examples of topics we may learn about are: The Brown Mountain Lights; moonshining; coal mining; music; dance; ties to the British Isles; haint tales; hard scrabble farming; and more! We may have assigned readings to do at home for this class, but this will be decided at a later date. ($130 per semester, or 3 payments of $45. Paypal to cerwydwyn@gmail.com). Class limit: 8 students.

Explorers DEAD and ALIVE (Rosemary Ayers) (Ages 9-12)
Come join us on a journey of discovery- learning about explorers, past and present, DEAD and alive! We will learn about those men and women who braved the earth, the seas, and the skies. Each week we will discuss and explore, incorporating history and geography with maps and time lines, reinforcing lessons with projects and activities. We will be sure to cover current discoveries, missions, and explorations that come up in the news, while delving into the lives and accomplishments of both famous and not-so-famous explorers such as Robert Peary & Matthew Henson (co-discoverers of the North Pole), Richard & or Louis Leakey, Jacques Cousteau, Meriwether Lewis, Amelia Earheart & Sally Ride (the first American woman in space), and Valentina Tereshkova (the first woman in space, who was from Russia). Each student will be required to do some weekly independent research, in addition to an end of semester book report/presentation about one of their favorite explorers. ($130 per semester, or 3 payments of $45.)
Inventors (Jenn Taylor) (Ages 9-12)
Imagination, creativity and innovation are just some of the qualities of an inventor. In this class, we will examine what other qualities an inventor must possess. We will investigate well known inventors such as Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison as well as some not-so-well known inventors such as Garrett Morgan. Who invented the steam engine or the automobile? Were these inventions instant successes or were there different trials and models before items became what they are today? We will look at what our everyday lives would be like without the inventions of our forefathers. What inventions have had the greatest impact on people? What inventions do you think we need today that haven’t been invented yet? We will investigate how to patent an invention and copyright laws. Students will have a project at the end of the semester that will consist of depicting their favorite inventor and giving a brief biography or they can invent a new product that we could use in everyday life. So put on your thinking caps and channel your imagination to become the next great inventor of this century! ($120 or 3 installment payments of $45…cash, check or PayPal taylorfam0@yahoo.com)

10 Years and Up

Books and the Silver Screen (Jenn Taylor) (Ages 10+)

Have you ever read a book, saw the movie and thought, "That wasn't in the book! The book was much better than the movie. They skipped the best part!" In book club, we will read books that have corresponding movies and compare and contrast the book and movie. We will discuss what we like, dislike and what we would change. We will analyze characters, choose our favorite passages/scenes, and analyze writing styles. We will discuss the differences in film genres. There will be weekly reading assignments. ($100 or 3 installment payments of $35, cash check or PayPal taylorfam0@yahoo.com)

Art History with a Hands on Approach: Post Impressionism (Deva Brockett) (Ages 10+)
In this art appreciation class we will not only be exploring the history of the Post Impression Era but we will be working with the materials and techniques the artists used. Some of the most recognizable pieces of art came from this 19th century time period and in this class students will leave with a clear understanding of what makes the Post Impressionism movement so special. Bold brush strokes and experimental paint techniques will be taught in this class, students need no previous art training. This is a great class for the reluctant budding artist and also the artist who is ready to branch out and learn new skills. We will be working on large canvases and in sketchbooks. At the end of the semester students will take home their fine works and an understanding of an art era focused on feelings and emotions that changed the world. ($115/semester or $45/month -- additional supplies not to exceed $30 are required, and the supply list will be provided in January; students must bring a 9"x12" sketchbook to the first day of class)

French (Caroline Mann Tonra, World of Words) (10 and up)
Considering the advanced reading and writing skills, techno-savvy and inquisitive nature of older children, this academic class facilitates a broader contact with francophone cultures and more sophisticated communication skills. Kids will continue to build vocabulary, but will also investigate together cultural products (short films, books, music) that allow them to adventure into francophone worlds and hear the language in different ways.($160 per semester, or three installments of $55).

13 Years and Up

Shakespeare (Ryan Clemens, Virginia Stage Company) (13 and up)
Shakespeare was a great writer who chose the play as his form. In order to understand Shakespeare as literature, we'll read the words aloud, as they were meant to be. By “Acting Shakespeare,” we will see the works of William Shakespeare come to life, gaining a better understanding of both the tragedies and comedies of this great writer of the Elizabethan period. Students will study Shakespearean plays, characters, language, history, and performance style. All works of literature are products of their times, so we’ll also learn about the life and times of William Shakespeare, and how his works fit into the Elizabethan period in England. ($135 for the semester or three installments of $48).

Human Body Systems (Ginny Harvey)
Now that we’ve made our way up the evolutionary tree to chordates and finally to mammals, we’ll take a look at that very complicated mammal, the human. We’ll learn about some of the different organ systems that make up human beings, including the circulatory, digestive, respiratory, nervous, excretory, and musculo-skeletal systems. We’ll also touch on the integumentary, endocrine and lymphatic systems. (We will not be covering the reproductive system.) Labs will include heart rate and blood pressure measurements, blood typing, memory challenges, and lung volume measurements. Dissections will include sheep (or pig) eyes, brains, kidneys, and hearts. Fall semester’s Comparative Anatomy class is NOT a prerequisite for this class.
[$170 or 3 payments of $60 ($150 or 3 payments of $54 for those students who already have the dissection kit)]

WAR! (Jenn Taylor) (13 and up)
In this class we will examine several wars the United States has been involved in since the birth of our country such as The Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War, plus other battles. We will examine the events that led up to these wars and how they have affected our country and the world. Wars cost lots of money! How does war affect our national economy as well as the global economy? National image and patriotism are integral components of war. We will look at how these things have changed during and after wartime. How was our national image and patriotism different in WWII than during the Vietnam War? Gender roles were “defined” in early America, how did war change gender roles for women during each time of conflict? What political ramifications does war have for the leaders of each country involved? We will investigate great victories as well as the losses. We will speculate how the country would be different if wars and battles had ended differently. What if the South had won the Civil War? We will look at art, literature, music and dance for each time period/ war examined. ($120 or 3 installment payments of $45..cash, check or paypal taylorfam0@yahoo.com)

You Bet! Game Theory (Andrea Kinnear) (13 and up)
Avoid jail, win a prize, and take home some cash….well, if you don’t rely on luck. Explore the Prisoner’s Dilemma, the Monty Hall Problem and learn that there’s just no beating the House in Vegas. These and other classic probability/game theory problems will be explored along with the set notation and computation behind them. Students will develop an understanding of sample space, independence, binomial distribution, conditional probability and more through games and role-playing. Yes, there will be betting involved. Will someone go home with the money? You Bet!
($135/semester; $50/month.)

Fall 2011 First Day

2011-08-06T00:44:00.000-04:00

September 6th!!

We look forward to seeing you all next month! Your First Day instructions and directions will be sent to our Yahoo group soon. If you are not a member yet, come join us!

Fall 2011 Roster

2011-06-27T08:55:00.003-04:00

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Fall 2011 Class Updates

2011-05-15T19:54:00.000-04:00

Please take a look at the Class Descriptions and Schedule pages for the following additions/changes:

We are fortunate to be able to add Junior Irish Dance to 4-6 year olds from 12:00-12:30.

Note: Contemporary Dance is open to dancers 11+ years (formerly 13+).

Fall 2011 Schedule

2011-05-05T21:47:00.002-04:00

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Fall 2011 Class Descriptions

2011-05-03T22:01:00.033-04:00

Classes for Multiple Ages

HSoBX Girl Scout troop #104 (Ginny Harvey, Patricia Richman)

Science, arts, outdoor skills and more! Welcome to our new, homeschool Girl Scout troop! This multi-level GS troop includes girls from Brownie level up to Cadettes, ages 6-13 (approximately grades 1-8). The Girl Scout program emphasizes progressive leadership development through girl led, hands on, just plain old fun activities. So what does this mean for you and your daughter? The girls will have numerous opportunities to choose the activities they’d like to try, and we’re hoping parents will share their special areas of expertise as we earn badges in a variety of areas and take part in service projects to help our community. Join us as we learn more about ourselves and the world around us! Associated costs include $12 GSUSA registration and approximately $40 for vest or sash, Council patches and pins. There are new badge and handbooks coming out in the fall, so don’t buy any books yet. There will be a group decision regarding dues or supply fees.

Acting and Theater (Ages 9+) (Ryan Clemens / Virginia Stage Company)

The curtain is up, the spotlight is on, and the applause is for YOU! In “Acting and Theatre,” young actors will explore work in the theatre arts and acting concepts such as movement, voice, character development, and improvisation. Students will present monologue and scene work, and discover ideas related to Greek, Shakesperean, Commedia Del Arte, filmwork and other styles of performance, all while preparing a showcase presentation. There will be some memorization for this class as we prepare for our performance. See Mr. Clemens for an audition interview. ($135 for the semester or three installments of $48).

Contemporary Dance (ages 11+) (Julie Hart)

Open house dance performance at the end of the session.

Dress code: comfortable clothes

Footwear: ballet shoes, jazz shoes, socks or bare feet.

Class minimum: 5

Class maximum: none

$120 for the semester or three installments of $50

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. ($150 for the semester or 3 payments of $55)

Celtic Choir (All ages welcome) (Lydia Netzer)

Airs, jigs, reels, pub songs, ballads, and more. This semester's choir at HSoBX will focus on favorite music from the beautiful Celtic tradition! Beyond Danny Boy and My Wild Irish Rose, there are centuries of beautiful tunes to learn together. Foot stomping rock songs, tear-jerking songs that tell a story, and everything in between. Sometimes we'll be learning classics from Irish literature (like 17th century Gaelic poetry and the beloved works of Yeats) to go along with the music, and sometimes we'll be unabashedly singing "Whack fol de rol, fol de diddley idle day!" We'll be singing, dancing, and also playing instruments. So while this is not an class for instrument instruction, you will be encouraged to bring your fiddle, your drum, your tin whistle, your mandolin, or what have you, for lots of fun all semester long. ($80 for the semester or 3 payments of $30. Paypal to jackets@rpsd.com)

Creative Writing (middle/high school)

Reluctant writers and budding novelists alike will flourish while taking the writer's journey with Norfolk's own children's author, Lisa Suhay. Not only is Lisa the author of There Goes a Mermaid and many other titles, she has considerable experience teaching creative writing at The Muse. Her fresh and unique instructional methods will inspire students to create written works well beyond this class. ($130 for the semester or three payments of $45).

2-4 year olds

Plot Thickens - Story Time (Suzanne O'Neil)

Reading introduces us to the world around us. The world we know and the world we are yet to know. Young children learn primarily through exploring using all the senses and this is how we will read. We will come together as a group to read and bring each book alive. Exploring the illustrations for clues, we become detectives. Discovering the silliness (fantasy and fiction), we become friends sharing a private joke. Guessing what comes next, we become active readers.

Here is a sampling of books we will read:

When Randolph Turned Rotten, by Charise Mericle Harper -- When you’re feeling sad, mad, jealous, and a little crazy, what do you do?

There is a Bird on Your Head! By Mo Willems—Gerald and Piggie are best friends and there is a bird on Gerald’s head—hold on to your seat because you will not believe what Piggie does to help Gerald with this problem. This book will have you laughing out loud!

And Here’s to You! By David Elliot and Illustrated by Randy Cecil—We love animals. They are unique with unique words to describe them. We love you—“The head to your feet you, The bones and the meat you, The total and complete you.”

Wonder Bear by Tao Nyeu—All pictures and no words make this a Wonder of a Book. The illustrations combined with the plot are delightfully inspiring. Together we will tell the story the way we see it unfolding—it may never be the same book twice!

Barnyard Dance! By Sandra Boynton—who doesn’t love Sandra Boynton? This is a rhyming book that is engaging, interactive and easy to remember. I will read this book every Tuesday because it is good for children to have repetition in developing their skills as young readers. In learning lines by heart, children develop word recognition. So, “Stomp Your Feet! Clap Your Hands! Everybody Ready For a Barnyard Dance!"

Three Little Pigs a Walt Disney Book—Classics are classics for a reason and are a solid foundation to build a love of reading upon.

This is a small sampling to give you an idea of how I will be choosing the books to read to your little one. Everyday will be different. Along with my many voices/characters and acting abilities, I will bring in posters, puppets, a felt board, stuffed animals—whatever springs into my imagination to help spring the book alive in their imagination. ($100 for the full 15 week semester)

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)

Little Linguists (Jenn Taylor)
In Little Linguists we will explore different languages and cultures from around the world. We will learn basic words, numbers, colors, and foods in several languages. This semester we will concentrate on Spanish, so returning students are welcome and will find lots to learn, but new students will not miss anything. We will explore the different countries that speak these languages. We will read stories, do arts and crafts, and use our imaginations to travel the world. Get your passports ready and Bon Voyage! ($120.00 for the full 15 week semester or three payments of $45.00.)

6 to 8 Year Olds

Exploring Asia through Celebration (Deva Brockett)

Join us as we party our way though Asia. In this group class we will be exploring several major Asian holidays/festivals while learning about the traditions, art, and customs for each holiday. We will be celebrating Chinese New Year, Japan’s Girls and Boys Day, and a few other fun festivals. We will focus on geography of each country, learn songs and dance, and even create one of a kind art pieces for each and every festival we learn about together. After several weeks of learning about a holiday we will have a party with food and decoration just like they would in the Asian country the holiday stems from. In addition to the art projects we will each be creating a keepsake book to take home at the end of the semester. Children will leave this class with a better understanding of Asia and the lives of children just like them on the other side of the world. ($130 for the semester or 3 payments of $50)

French (Ages 6-9) (Caroline Mann Tonra)

Designed for younger children, even those with previous French experience, this

enrichment class centers on vocabulary building and daily communication skills

through a succession of shorter, fun-filled activities. Kids will enjoy learning to

share their own interests with their peers and broaden their cultural perspective, all

the while using their new language skills.

($160 per semester, or three installments of $55).

Folk Toys Around the World (Ages 4-9) (Sarahbeth Spasojevich)

This will be a fun, hands-on way for your child to experience new places and time periods…as well as learning more about simple play away from video games and television! Your child will discover new cultures by making a simple folk-toy each week - along with hearing folk-tales and taking part in other authentic activities. Each week will be different: China, Russia, France, Mexico, and more. For example, we might learn about Ancient Egypt by painting wooden Nine Pins and learning about Egyptian life. I will also send home a packet of optional enrichment activities each week (such as a recipe from that culture) for families who’d like to learn more. NOTE: Pre-literate children are welcome, as reading and writing are not necessary for this class. (Payment of $130 per child (or 3 payments of $45) includes all supplies for the semester. PayPal available (sbspas@gmail.com), but cash or check is equally fine.)

Beowulf, Vikings, and Giants! Norse Mythology (Tina Essert)

In this class we will read an amazing children’s version of Beowulf. As much as possible the author has kept his language to words that evolved from the original Old English. We will learn to draw Celtic knots, learn about how clothing was made and ships built during the Viking era as well as about what people ate and how often they took baths! Interwoven into the lives of the Vikings (and the Geats) were the stories of their gods. These stories will be interwoven into our class, as well. The children will learn about Ygdrassil and Loki and the Jotun. We will use D’Aulaires version of Norse Myths. This class will also have an opening circle each week and a Main Lesson Book to take home at the end of the semester. ($130 per semester, or 3 payments of $45. Paypal to cerwydwyn@gmail.com) Class limit 8.

Playground Party (Patricia Richman)

To learn everything cool you've missed by not going to school, come to Playground Party! Each week we will have Physical Education and Tumbling Time. This is everything fun from gym class - parachute play, jumping jacks, some square dancing too. Next is Recess! We'll jump rope, twirl hoops, kick balls, and learn popular playground games. Don't forget Health and Safety! We will discuss food choices and body care, make our personal pyramids, and learn fire and water safety. Boring Health and P.E. is in the past; we're having a playground party! Come join the fun! ($110 for the semester or three payments of $40. I will accept students under the age of 6 by permission.)

9 to 12 Year Olds

Beowulf! (Tina Essert)

This class will cover the epic tale of Beowulf, a few Norse myths and the basics of Viking culture. With Beowulf as a backdrop, we will study a wide range of topics: alliteration as a poetic device; the basics of manners in Viking culture (yes they did have them!); seafaring; riddles; and Celtic knots. We will listen to and learn to recite a few lines from Beowulf in the original Old English. Our class will also be assigned stories from Norse mythology, which will be loosely related to the portion of Beowulf we are reading. This class will have a weekly vocabulary list and fact sheets for reinforcement. Students will be expected to do some writing and drawing into teacher-provided MLBs for this class. We will definitely be reading from Seamus Heaney’s translation of Beowulf. ($130 per semester, or 3 payments of $45. Paypal to cerwydwyn@gmail.com) Class limit 8.

Bourbaki II (Andrea Kinnear)

We continue our journey through mathematics history at the beginning of our Current Era. Traveling from Persia to China and then on to Europe, students will be introduced to sequences, series, triangles, prime numbers and the beginnings of game theory. Completion of last Spring’s course is not required; the course materials are independent from each other. Note: this course will have considerably more mathematical rigor than the introductory course. The first 45 minutes of the class time will cover the historical context and fundamental exploration of each topic at approximately the 4th to 5th mathematics computation level. Costs: ($120/semester or $45/month).

I Need My Space! Space Science (Virginia Air and Space Center)

Virtually explore other planets and the formation of the solar system. Did you know we have visited all the planets by remote probes except the dwarf planet Pluto? And a probe called New Horizons is heading for Pluto now, but it takes 15 years to get there! We will investigate our past and future explorations as well as myths and legends of space. Discover how we traveled to the moon. Build the model of the Space Station, and compare classic movie space travel to reality. Guided by information from NASA's different deep space and current Solar System Missions, we will follow human exploration of space. Using NASA's Year of the Solar System website, find out how we are going to live on other planets, asteroids and power everything. Find out if space is empty, and if not, what fills space and what drives space weather. ($150 per semester) (Class minimum = 7)

French (Ages 10+) (Caroline Mann Tonra)

Considering the advanced reading and writing skills, techno-savvy and inquisitive nature of older children, this academic class facilitates a broader contact with francophone cultures and more sophisticated communication skills. Kids will continue to build vocabulary, but will also investigate together cultural products (short films, books, music) that allow them to adventure into francophone worlds and hear the language in different ways.

Creative Gaming for Viking Overlords (ages 9+) (Lydia Netzer)

Using our imaginations, paper and pencil, and some great examples, we'll create several different playable games throughout the semester. We'll start with a board game, Monopoly-style, and using any theme we'll create the spaces, the cards, and the rules. Then we'll move on to creating a simulation game of the sort that can be played on a computer, creating art, music, ways to level, all on our own individual themes. Finally we'll tackle creating a role playing game in the style of Dungeons and Dragons, but using a historical period, geographical milieu, or fictional landscape of our choosing. Students who studied mythology, including those currently enrolled in the Norse Mythology / Beowulf class may wish to use characters and settings from those worlds, but it is also possible to make a role playing game about a jungle safari, about renaissance Europe, about another planet, or prehistoric China -- you decide! We'll create monsters, heroes, plot lines, rules for advancement, and also touch on what goes into bringing a game to market and selling it once it's published. Students will find this course pure fun. Parents may find it is an expository writing class wrapped up in a candy coating. ($120 for the semester or three installments of $45. I will accept students over the age of 12 by permission).

13 Year Olds and Up

The Titans vs. The Olympians: Greek Mythology (Jenn Taylor)

Who were the Titans? Who were the Olympians? Who were the gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece that inspired art and literature? We will discuss well known figures like Zeus, Athena and Apollo as well as mythical creatures such as centaurs and cyclopses. We will discuss the nine muses and how they influenced art and literature. How did the gods influence the constellations we see in the sky? We will read plays, myths, act out skits and explore art. So come and be inspired by the muses! ($120 or 3 installments of $45. Cash, check or paypal to taylorfam0@yahoo.com)

Gross (and Fine) Anatomy (Virginia Harvey)

What makes an animal an animal and not just a cohabiting collection of cells? Do all animals have a digestive system? What about a circulatory system? We’ll start with sponges and work our way up the major phyla of the animal kingdom, dissecting and comparing as we go. Who were the first animals to move around, and how did that change the world? Who had the first revolutionary one-way digestive tract? What other big innovations led evolution in new directions? We’ll use the PBS series “The Shape of Life” as a reference, as well as dissection guides and specimens from Carolina Biological Supply. The course tuition includes a $20 dissecting kit (fine pointed scissors, forceps, scalpel, pins, etc.), which is yours to keep, as well as at least 8 specimens for dissection. ($170 or 3 payments of $60)

HSoBX Newspaper: Journalism Workshop (Lisa Suhay)

Newspapers: Is it “All the news that’s fit to print” or “All the news that fits we print?” The answer is “a little of both.” This is a fun, hands-on class ages 13+ which will produce 10-issues of a Co-Op Newspaper. The process includes: news judgment, telling fact from fiction, sources, quotes, gathering news, writing engaging stories and headlines and what makes the news industry tick both in print and online. Join Lisa Suhay, veteran journalist with 23 years experience, including The New York Times, Christian Science Monitor and The Virginian-Pilot for a fun and action-packed series of assignments. There will be guest speakers and (time permitting) a field trip downtown to The Virginian-Pilot and if schedules permit, another to the print shop at Old Dominion University. Minimum enrollment requirement: 5 ($130 for the semester or three payments of $45).

I Need My Teen Space! Space Science (Virginia Air and Space Center)

Compare classic movies to reality when you become a 1960's Moon explorer, a member of Star Fleet, a Shuttle Commander, a Jedi, and a member of Serenity's crew! Discover the world of early astronomers and search the sky for the moon and planets. Take a trip through NASA's Year of the Solar System, discovering how our vision of space has changed from the earliest times and where we are headed for the future. Use NASA imagery and satellite data to track Earth's weather. Did you know we have space weather? We will learn about that phenomenon and other conditions outside our atmosphere which make it so hazardous to send astronauts to space. ($150 per semester) (Class minimum = 7)

HSoBX April Talent Show

2011-05-03T07:44:00.002-04:00

Enjoy these videos of our students' performances! Thank you to Ms. Tina for organizing! The first video includes full performances, the second video is a shorter summary. Enjoy!

Full version:

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Clips version:

The Homeschool Post

2011-04-09T06:55:00.002-04:00

If you're interested in a homeschooler's perspective on news of the day and items of interest to kids, you've got to get your hands on a subscription to The Norfolk Post, our co-op's child-run newspaper. $10 gets you all 10 issues from this semester. Email for more information!

Gardening with Sarah, Week 2 by Sarah Richman

2011-03-15T15:45:00.004-04:00

Did you know that Homeschool Out of the Box has a school newspaper? Our 9-12 age group is publishing a paper called The Norfolk Post. From time to time we will be publishing newspaper supplements on this blog and today's post is one of these. Last week in the newspaper, Sarah Richman informed us on what we should be doing to prepare our gardens for spring. This week, she has more advice for us:

Gardening with Sarah, Week 2

by Sarah Richman

This week’s plant is radishes. We planted two rows of radishes this week. Radishes grow very fast. In fact some people even put radish seeds in with longer root growing vegetables to mark the rows. You might mix beet and radish seeds together. Then you will know where the beets are because the radishes will come up.

To plant radishes make a trench about ½ inch deep. Place the seeds 2 inches apart. Fill in the trench about half way so that there is a ¼ inch of soil over the radish seeds.

And one more thing, if you do not like radishes from the grocery store, like me, home grown radishes are much sweeter. Radishes rarely ever fail so if you have a gray thumb, you can grow them.

Spring 2011 Roster

2011-01-14T11:14:00.002-05:00

To view this in a whole page, click here.

Spring 2011 Schedule

2010-12-14T21:46:00.001-05:00

To see this spreadsheet as a full window, click here.

Spring 2011 Classes

2010-12-14T16:02:00.010-05:00

Classes for Multiple Ages

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. 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) French is offered at two levels. Beginning French covers books 1 and 2 in the WOW curriculum, and Advanced French covers books 3 and 4.
($160 per semester, or three installments of $55).

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)

Kinetic Choir (Lydia Netzer)

This is not your grandmother's children's chorus. If you've enjoyed Lydia's classes' musical performances over the years, this is your chance to get in on the songs. Jump up, get down, step back, and explode into music with this exciting music class. On the serious side, we'll do some ear training, note reading, music theory, and achieve complex harmonies. But our repertoire will range from Latin hymns to Dr. Seuss, including folk music, rock and roll, international tunes, and at least one song involving percussive nose-blowing. All children who show an interest will have a chance to conduct, to accompany the Choir on their own instrument, and to write music for us to perform. The class is open to all ages, but older students must show up with a willing spirit, younger students must show up with a desire to sing, and all students must be able to pitch match and carry a tune. Performance opportunities to be determined -- this choir is about to rock your world! ($80 for the semester or 3 payments of $30. Paypal to jackets@rpsd.com)

4 and 5 year olds

Little Linguists (Jenn Taylor)
In Little Linguists we will explore different languages and cultures from around the world. We will learn basic words, numbers, colors, and foods in several languages including Spanish, Russian, French, Italian and Portuguese. We will explore the different countries that speak these languages. We will read stories, do arts and crafts, and use our imaginations to travel the world. Get your passports ready and Bon Voyage! ($120.00 for the full 15 week semester or three payments of $45.00.)

Science for Squirts (Whittney Speed)

Does your child like to experiment, or ask a zillion questions? Have you ever found him or her dropping rocks in the toilet to see if they float, or pouring the baking soda on the floor while he looks for the vinegar to see what happens? This class may be for you. We will explore multiple science disciplines through experimentation and observation. Disciplines will include biology, chemistry, physics, botany, paleontology, earth science, space science, and maybe a few more, all at a preschool / early elementary school accessible level. We will build, we will break, and sometimes we will get messy. We will find out what happens with that baking soda and vinegar experiment, but we'll use buckets instead of the toilet to test for floating rocks. This is a 40 minute class. ($90 for the semester or three payments of $35.)

6 to 8 Year Olds

Disasters! (Jennifer Taylor)

Brace yourself! Earthquake! No, it's a tornado! In Disasters, we will examine geologic events that lead to earthquakes, the formation of volcanoes and tidal waves. How are tornadoes formed and move? What areas of the world are more susceptible to different disasters than others? What's the difference between a tropical storm and a hurricane? What's the difference between a watch and a warning? What can we do to prepare ourselves for a natural disaster? What is the "perfect storm"? What measures the intensity of earthquakes and tornadoes? We will examine some of the worst natural disasters in history: Hurricane Katrina, the tsunami that hit Indonesia, the 1906 earthquake in Alaska. How have modern day inventions aided us in surviving disasters? Miss Jenn's "Dinosaurs!" class was voted the favorite from this age group last semester. Come see what the fuss is about! ($120 for the semester or three payments of $45)

Play-Doh Economics (Sarahbeth Spasojevich)

Get your children excited about economic concepts using hands-on, creative activities. Many of the fundamentals of economics are easily absorbed by even the youngest learners, creating a groundwork for future interest and learning at the more complex levels. We'll explore ideas like scarcity, opportunity cost, natural resources, supply and demand, and much more. Most lessons will be taught using play-doh as the learning tool, as a way to incorporate multiple senses in the learning experience. For example, one week students will create "goods" out of play-doh to role-play production and distribution. Gluten-free play-doh can be used by request. ($120 for the semester or 3 installments of $45. Check, cash, or PayPal to sbspas@gmail.com)

Nature Science Through Story (Tina Essert)

This Waldorf-inspired class will take your elementary aged child on a journey through one of springtime's most exciting topic: Nature and how it works. Selected stories will take us from the workings of honeybees (and I hope to have a local friendly beekeeper come in for this class!) through topics as varied as Thunderstorms, The Sheep Fold, and The Nettle. Children need not know how to read and write for this class but it would b helpful for the instructor to know their level of ability for tailoring writing assignments and to suit the needs of each student. I will provide the Main Lesson Books and writing and drawing materials for the class, but if your student has a set of beeswax block crayons and would like to bring them to class, please have them do so. I will keep the MLBs from week to week and the only homework will be prereading the story for the following week. At the end of the semester each student will have their own beautiful MLB to take home. The text is free and online here. ($130 per semester, or 3 payments of $45. Paypal to cerwydwyn@gmail.com)

Fun with Physics (Patricia Richman)

Get ready to magically move marbles, power paper planes, build boats, crash cars, down dominos, play with pendulums and slide in socks as we have fun with Physics! We will: practice the three laws of motion with contraptions we construct, measure mass, graph gravity and become Friction Finders! From ramps and balance to spinners and centripetal force, each law and lesson will be learned through hands-on action. As we store and release all sorts of energy, come discover with us the Fun in Physics! (Parents may be asked to help with some simple supplies from home such as soda bottles, milk or juice cartons and bread bags.) ($130 for the semester or three installments of $45.).

Jazz and Tumbling (Julie Hart)

Exposes young students to the joy of dance through movement, games, and creative exercises. Dancers will flourish in a positive atmosphere of self-discovery while learning a curriculum that introduces the basic concepts of dance and tumbling. This class promotes musicality and rhythm, and instructs foundational and fundamental dance techniques. Open house dance performance at the end of the session. Girls Dress code: athletic clothing, hair up. Boys Dress code: athletic clothing. Footwear: ballet shoes, jazz shoes, or bare feet. Class minimum: 8. ($150 for the semester or three installments of $60)

The Collaboration Connection (Rosemary Ayres)
In The Collaboration Connection, we will co-operate, collaborate, and connect! All necessary tools in a child's everyday life, but also throughout college and careers (and they come in quite handy while attending or teaching at a homeschool co-op! : ) ). Teamwork, trust, and social skills will be the emphasis in this class. We will connect as we share during our opening "show & tell." (Come on, let's see those Pokémon collections, American Girl dolls, special coins from Grandpa, pet lizards, and maybe even a "just-fell-out-of-my-mouth" tooth!) We'll warm up our bodies with a yoga pose and then collaborate with a fun, team-building activity. We'll come together for a post-game analysis, asking ourselves questions such as: "Did our group communicate?" "How did we co-operate?" "Did our class work better as individuals or as a team?" "Did anyone take a leadership role?" "Was that helpful? Why? Why not?" We'll close class with our very own Top Secret Collaborators Handshake, and give our minds a workout with a BRAIN teasing Riddle of the week. (One time payment of $120 or 3 payments of $45).

9 to 12 Year Olds

Searching for Bourbaki (Andrea Kinnear)

In the early 20th century, mathematicians across Europe met to collectively author mathematics texts. They called themselves "L'Association des Collaborateurs de Nicolas Bourbaki," or "The Association of Collaborators of Nicolas Bourbaki." Curiously, their namesake, Nicolas Bourbaki, was never present. Legend has it that Bourbaki never existed. Papers exist to detail his birth and marriage. He even has mathematical papers published under his name. Who was Bourbaki? Where is he now? This course will take students, junior collaborators, across the globe and throughout time to search for Bourbaki. On our way, we will explore mathematical topics not taught in traditional mathematics curricula, and learn about the mathematicians who inspired them. We will begin our journey in 800 BC with Baudhayana. Students will be required to practice drills taught in class during the week and present them the following week to the class. As collaborators, students and their parents are required to sign the Collaborator's Code, a pledge to share knowledge and encourage each other using positive language. A copy of this code may be acquired from the instructor via email. Collaborator's Code must be signed and returned to the instructor before the first class. ($110 for the semester or three payments of $40)

Physics (Ginny Harvey)

Physics is a one-semester class using the textbook Real Science for Kids Physics Level 1. Topics covered will include the definition of physics; force, energy and work; simple machines; electrical energy and charges; and light and sound. Toward the end of the semester (as time allows), we'll get into modern physics with lasers, LEDs, relativity and subatomic particles. Textbook readings, reports and workbook pages will be assigned for homework. Most of our class time will be devoted to conducting experiments and recording our data. Some history of science will be covered as well. Required textbooks: Real Science 4 Kids Physics Level 1 Student Text and Physics Level 1 Laboratory Worksheets, available from Amazon, B&N, or the Real Science for Kids web site. If you loved Miss Ginny's Biology and Chemistry classes, you'll love what she does with Physics! ($150 for the semester or three installments of $55)

HSoBX Press (Lydia Netzer)

This class will write, edit, publish, and distribute an HSoBX newspaper! Based on the interest of the participants, we will create a set number of rotating job descriptions, so that every student will have a chance to be photographer, reporter, editor, columnist, cartoonist, publisher, sales coordinator, and more. Each week after class, we will use part of lunch time for assigned interviews, photo ops, and sales. Remember the mystery of Squiggy? That would make a great story! Terrible flooding on the Hague? Great photo! What works to sell more papers, and are we willing to prioritize sales over content? We will bring in articles and reports on current events from real newspapers to learn about journalism topics such as reporting ethics, editorial bias, marketing strategies, and how a newspaper comes together. Will require a time commitment outside class as we form our team and depend on each other to get our newspaper out on time. Internet access is required, as we work from a Team members taking on the role of Publisher will need to work with a template to put the paper together at home and print it. ($120 for the semester or three installments of $45).

Acting and Theater (Ryan Clemens / Virginia Stage Company)
The curtain is up, the spotlight is on, and the applause is for YOU! In “Acting and Theatre,” young actors will explore work in the theatre arts and acting concepts such as movement, voice, character development, and improvisation. Students will present monologue and scene work, and discover ideas related to Greek, Shakesperean, Commedia Del Arte, filmwork and other styles of performance, all while preparing a showcase presentation. ($135 for the semester or three installments of $48).

Spanish Language and Culture (Kendall Allen)
¡Vamos! Join in this fun, interactive class to learn about the Spanish cultures of the world as well as basic Spanish language skills. Students will embark on a journey that explores many aspects of Spanish culture such as language and communication, food, dance (salsa y merengue), and the arts. Come prepared to play games, read stories, listen to music, sing songs, and break out your dancing shoes as we learn about la cultura together! Students will learn fundamental vocabulary and communication skills as well as gain a greater knowledge and appreciation for Spanish culture. Learning materials and other supplies will be provided for students. (Also, parents will be welcome to join us for class at various points in the semester – especially for dance!) ($130 for the semester or three payments of $45.)

13 Year Olds and Up

High School Chemistry (Amy Moler)

This is the second semester of 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)

The Power of the Black Robe (Virginia Harvey)

The Spanish Inquisition, the Salem Witch Trials, the Wizengamot... Powerful, famous, even infamous courts to be sure. Yet there is one court more powerful still: the US Supreme Court. Whether you realize it or not, it has shaped - and continues to shape - your life in profound and mysterious ways. So just how much power do those nine black-robed men and women (well, mostly men) actually have? We all know the Supreme Court is the highest court in the land, but what does that mean? How does a case even get to the Supreme Court? Might the Supreme Court one day have something important to say about homeschooling? We'll count down the Top-Ten list of most important and controversial Supreme Court decisions in hisoty. We'll figure out what those decisions meant for the country and how they continue to resonate today. We'll culminate the class with a full-blown re-enactment of one famous case. Will you be the judge?

Economics and World History (Sarahbeth Spasojevich)

This course uses a fascinating blend of history and economics to explore how resources drive society. We'll learn abotu how the black death raised living standards in Europe; why the industrial revolution started in England; why the nomadic life shifted to settled agricultural societies, and more. What choices helped or hindered economic growth? By analyzing how economic decisions affected history, students will be more equipped to analyze current situations and build understanding of important economic principles. This class is designed for the academic track, and will require 2-3 hours of outside work each week to be successful in the course. ($130 for the semester or 3 payments of $48. Check, cash, class exchange or Paypal to sbspas@gmail.com)

Dr. House: Psychology Division (Whittney Speed)

Are you a detective? Love to solve a mystery, a puzzle, or just exploring the weird? Come explore the wild and weird workings of the human psyche. We will use case studies and media to examine some of the psychological conditions that can cause hardship in the course of a human life. We will watch movies and read stories and diagnose the characters. We will also have the opportunity to use our creative side to produce characters with issues. Along the way we will learn a bit about the "language" of psychology, how diagnosis occurs, and what is considered "normal." Suggested text: DSM-IV-TR Pocket Version. ($130 for the semester or three payments of $45).

Introduction to Painting (April Martin)

Through this 15 week course, students will be encouraged to explore their own subject matter for art making, through various painting media techniques. I will introduce meaningful themes such as community, identity, family, and real and imagined environments. Traditional themes of portrait, landscape, and still life will be investigated. Students will experiment with painting from life as well as from the imagination. I will show them some basic techniques for painting with watercolor, oil and acrylic paints. We will explore how to paint human faces and bodies, and how to create the illusion of depth in these paintings.

Contemporary Dance (Julie Hart)

Appropriate for students with little or no dance training. This contemporary dance class is built on the fundamental principal that moving your body to music feels good, is fun, and promotes self esteem. Class begins with a simple warm up to improve alignment, strength and flexibility. Dancers are encouraged to find confidence and joy in their own creative and physical potential and challenged to find greater range of expression through contemporary dance. Open house dance performance at the end of the session. Dress code: black yoga pants or leggings, leotard any color or style, hair up. Footwear: ballet shoes, jazz shoes or bare feet. Class minimum: 8 ($150 for the semester or three installments of $60)

Acting and Theater (Ryan Clemens / Virginia Stage Company)

The curtain is up, the spotlight is on, and the applause is for YOU! In “Acting and Theatre,” young actors will explore work in the theatre arts and acting concepts such as movement, voice, character development, and improvisation. Students will present monologue and scene work, and discover ideas related to Greek, Shakesperean, Commedia Del Arte, filmwork and other styles of performance, all while preparing a showcase presentation. ($135 for the semester or three installments of $48).

Classes for Multiple Ages

Irish Dance (Mary Fien)

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)

Kinetic Choir (Lydia Netzer)

Registration Form for Spring 2011

2010-12-14T15:55:00.001-05:00

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HSoBX in the News!

2010-12-04T09:44:00.002-05:00

It was great seeing students and teachers from Out of the Box featured on a news story about homeschooling in Hampton Roads. Here is the video!

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

2010-05-23T19:42:00.002-04:00

To see this spreadsheet as a full window, click here.

Registration Form for Fall 2010

2010-05-22T02:08:00.000-04:00

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Fall 2010 Classes

2010-05-19T17:28:00.009-04:00

4 and 5 year olds

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.) Note: This class is 1/2 hour long!

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. ($130 for the semester or three payments of $48)

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)

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

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To see this document in a full browser window, please click here.

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

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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.

Pro bonos The HSoBX board manages teacher recruitment, class formation and scheduling, advertisement of classes and management of daily activities (including from coordinating with the host church, stocking and managing supplies, mediating with parents and teachers, maintaining bathrooms and much more!). To support these efforts, teachers with 6 PAYING students in a class are to provide a pro bono spot to ONE board member child in this class. To clarify: a teacher's own child enrolled in such class is NOT considered in the paying student count. No teacher will be requested to offer more than one pro bono spot per class.

Add/Drop **New for 2012**
Add/drop closes immediately before the second class meeting each term. This policy change is to provide firm class lists for class preparation. Payment to teachers is expected by the second class meeting.

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.

Disruptions in the classroom
**New for 2012** A board member will be available to assist teachers during classes. If a student is providing a significant distraction in the classroom, whether for behavior or illness, or the teacher needs any other support during the class hour, board members are available to assist. It is the teacher's discretion as to whether a child needs to return to his/her parent for the remainder of class, and board members will assist in this process so that instructional time may continue.
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

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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?

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Payments are due on the first day of class, February 7, 2012. We also offer a three installment plan. Installment payments are due on February 7, March 6, and April 3.

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. Some of our instructors accept PayPal; check the spreadsheet for details.

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.

The Three Bears

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Our very own Play and Learn thespian troupe. Kudos to Patricia Richman.

Princess Elizabeth Visits Homeschool Out of the Box

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As part of their study of the water cycle and preservation, Mrs. Duckett's science class invited Princess Elizabeth to visit our co-op and present a lesson to our children about the Elizabeth River Project. Here's a picture of her majesty and her newest loyal subjects:

To see more pictures, visit our Flickr photo pool.

HSoBX Photo Pool on Flickr

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Visit our new Flickr Photo Pool. If you are a member of the co-op and a member of Flickr, send a Flickr mail to username lostcheerio to receive an invite to the group! Then you can send homeschooling pictures to our group photo pool to share with everyone.

Here's a picture from our World Cultures class for elementary grades:

May I drop my child off to oBX?

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Each child must be paired with a custodial adult for the day. The vast majority of the time, this adult is the child's parent. Occasionally, parents will make arrangements to supervise each other's children. If you do trade parenting duties with another parent, it is your responsibility to ensure that the surrogate has the necessary information and authority to make decisions in case of an emergency.

Do I have to pay for classes we miss?

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By registering for a class, you are agreeing to pay the semester's fee, either in one lump sum or by installments. Parents are expected to pay for classes held, even if the student misses. Semester fees may be prorated due to class cancellation.

Do I have the take all the classes offered for my age group?

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Classes are offered independently. Some families make a day of it, and take all four offerings. Some families come only for one class. We encourage families to register for classes their children are excited about attending, whether that is one class or four.

Do you promote any specific educational philosophy?

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We create a culture in which learning is valued, cherished, and enjoyed. Our teachers have the autonomy to use whatever method or style best supports the content of the class and the individuals in it.

Where do you meet?

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We meet in downtown Norfolk. The street address and parking information are available to our Yahoo group members.

How much is registration?

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Registration is $30 for one child, plus $5 for every additional child taking a class.

If you are paying by check, make it out to "HSoBX" and mail it to Ginny Harvey, 1028 Spotswood, Norfolk, VA 23507. If you are paying by PayPal, our payment email address is payOBX@gmail.com.

We ask our members to contribute toilet paper, 13 gallon trash bags, or paper towels. Details about the supply drive are sent to the list prior to the first day of classes.

How to register for a class at oBX

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Join our Yahoo group.
Read our Online Policy Handbook.
Read the class descriptions and pick the classes you like.
Check out the daily schedule and make sure the class times work for you.
Fill out our online registration form to enter your family in our database.
Pay your registration fee by check or by PayPal. (*NOTE: PayPal registrations should be PERSONAL payments so that HSoBX does not incur any fees.); Registration is $30 for one child, plus $5 for every additional child taking a class. If you are paying by check, make it out to "HSoBX" and mail it to Ginny Harvey, 1028 Spotswood, Norfolk, VA 23507. If you are paying by PayPal, our payment email address is payOBX@gmail.com.
Send an email to andrea@hsobx.org that includes your child's full name, and the title and time of the class(es) your child is interested in.
We ask our members to contribute toilet paper, 13 gallon trashbags, and paper towels. Details about that will be sent to the list prior to the first day of classes.

Registrations are processed on a first-come, first-served basis, based on receipt of registration fees. You may not request classes until your registration fee is paid.
As we are committed to offering high quality classes at an affordable price, the HSoBX administration chooses to subsidize some classes by purchasing the supplies used by the group. Any additional contributions to this fund would be much appreciated, combined with your registration fee or in a separate donation.
If you have any questions, send an email to andrea@hsobx.org.

Calendar

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Classes in the spring 2012 semester begin on February 7 and run through May 15.

We have 15 class sessions with no spring break.

Parent Handbook

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Payment of registration fees means you have read, understand and agree to the policies presented here. Please take the time to read these carefully!Registration fees are NON-REFUNDABLE.
Be sure you want to play before you pay!

Fees and Payment
Registration fees are:

$30 registration first or single child.

**New for 2012: Students cannot be placed in classes until the registration fee is paid.

$5 additional registration for each child attending classes.
Each family contributes to our supply drive, donating either paper towels, toilet paper, or tall kitchen garbage bags. Details about our specific needs will be shared before the first day of class.
There is no registration fee for a child in the volunteer nursery.
Registration fees can be paid by check ("HSoBX") or PayPal (payOBX@gmail.com).
Payable at time of registration
For more, see our page on How to Register.

Registration fees cover items such as facility use, the damage fund, electricity and water, and liability insurance. In order to bring transparency to our finances, HSoBX will provide members with the annual operating budget so that members may see exactly how fees are distributed.
Fee payments for classes are paid directly to the instructor by placing a check or sealed envelope of cash into the teacher’s "mailbox." The mailboxes are set up in a portable filing box located at the welcome desk. Class fees are due for single payments on the first day of class, for installment payments on the first Tuesday of each of the first three months of the semester. By registering for a class, you are agreeing to pay for all the classes of the semester, not just the ones you are able to attend.
Returned Checks
Should one of your checks be returned for insufficient funds, you are responsible for any bank fees in addition to the amount of the check. After two checks have been returned for insufficient funds, oBX and/or oBX instructors may revoke check writing privileges and require cash or Paypal payments.

Registration
Registration schedules for each semester will be announced on the email list. Class registration will occur via an online form (for registration at the co-op) and an email to our registrar, Andrea Kinnear, for class requests. Please check the web site for current class descriptions, teacher biographies, and class and semester schedules.

Class attendance It is assumed that students will arrive on time to class and attend all classes for which they have registered. If a student must miss or be late for some reason, please notify the instructor. By registering, you are agreeing to pay the instructor for scheduled classes for the entire semester, not just for classes attended.

Instructors are expected to fulfill their part of this contract by being available and prompt for all class sessions. If they are unable to teach a class, they are expected to notify their students. In the event that a teacher cannot attend a class, a substitute teacher will be arranged if possible, or the class will be canceled for that day. An instructor may use one sick day during the semester without prorating fees, but after that will prorate fees for missed classes.

Add/Drop Policy
If you have registered for a class and would like to drop that class, you have one week to do it. On the day before the second meeting of co-op, add/drop is closed, and you will be expected to pay for the classes you've signed up for, for the rest of the semester. This policy is in effect, because teachers must have a firm enrollment number to prepare for class and to purchase supplies.

Bringing a visitor
Visitors are welcome during the lunch hour, 11:30 to 12:30. If your guest would like to observe or participate in class, please give the administration and the teacher a week's notice. This allows teachers to ensure there are adequate supplies and supervision for an extra student.

Parking
There is no parking allowed on Yarmouth Street (residential only) or in the very small church parking lot unless you have a handicap sticker or are a teacher at HSoBX. Please park in the Chrysler Museum's 2nd lot, located on Grace Street across the street from the museum. Others may arrive on church business during our day at UCN, and it is important that they be able to park in the church lot.

Facility Usage
The Unitarian Church of Norfolk (UCN) is collaborating with HSoBX to provide space for our program at significantly below the usual facility rental rate. While using the space, please keep in mind UCN's generous subsidy of our program. We do not want a negative impact to UCN due to our presence here. While present at HSoBX, we expect all participants to comply with the following:

A parent, guardian, or authorized “surrogate” will be on-site with the student participant at all times.
Children who are not attending a class will be seated and engaged in quiet activities in the Social Hall. Children may not roam unsupervised through the facility, or play kinetic games in the Social Hall.
Lunches and snacks will be “brown bag” only; the kitchen is not available to us for food preparation, although the microwave can be used for heating drinks and food. During the lunch hour, children may play outside, but should remain on church property. Children may not cross the street to play near the Hague unless accompanied by a parent.
The following areas are strictly off-limits: The Sanctuary (unless for a class), the Teen Tower, and the banks of the Hague. Children may not climb the trees, and should protect and respect the church's landscaping and plants. It is the parents' responsibility to ensure that the children are aware of and follow these rules.
Any phone calls, office needs, photocopy requests, or other questions/needs will be directed to Ginny Harvey, Patricia Richman, Andrea Kinnear or Jenn Taylor, and not to the church staff.
As part of our agreement with UCN, we will hold one fundraiser per year to benefit UCN.

Drop off Policy
Each child must be paired with a custodial adult for the day. The vast majority of the time, this adult is the child's parent. Occasionally, parents will make arrangements to supervise each other's children. If you do trade parenting duties with another parent, it is your responsibility to ensure that the surrogate has the necessary information and authority to make decisions in case of an emergency.

Use of the Nursery
The nursery is managed by a parent volunteer. This volunteer is responsible for opening the nursery, toy maintenance, and locking up. You may not drop off your child in the nursery. If your child makes use of the nursery, you need to be present to provide direct supervision to your child or make an arrangement with another parent who will provide direct supervision. Please clean up after your own child. Although the Nursery is free of charge, we ask that members using the Nursery register for it as a "class" so we can have an idea of how many bodies to expect. There is no registration fee for a child making use of the Nursery.

School closings
In the case of inclement weather or regional emergencies, HSoBX will follow Norfolk Public School decisions as follows:

Norfolk closes, HSoBX closes
Norfolk 1 hour late, HSoBX 1 hour late
Norfolk 2 or more hours late, HSoBX closes

When possible, there will also be email notification. You may also call one of the Directors for more information. HSoBX will allow for one official "snow day" per year. If we are closed one day due to inclement weather or other issues, regular payments will still be made to the instructors for that month. However, if we are closed for more than one day due to weather, fees shall be pro-rated.

Communication

The primary communication system for HSoBX is the Yahoo group email list. All messages are sent as "regular messages" and we do not use the "special notices" feature. This issue is of particular importance for classes that require special clothing (we're going outside today even though it is raining, or wear your give-away stuff because we are painting, etc.) and also because we have many students with food allergies (we're serving eggs, or peanuts, or dairy, etc.). Teachers also use the regular message format to connect with students about assignments, website updates, and class updates. Any parent who chooses the no-mail, digest, or special notices only setting will be missing a significant amount of communication and is responsible for checking their own messages.

Parent and instructor "mailboxes" are set up in a portable filing box, located at the welcome desk. Your folder must include an updated emergency contact card and you may speak with Rosemary Ayers, our Director of Volunteers, about updated or creating an emergency card.

Conflict resolution

HSoBX recognizes that whenever people are working and learning in groups, conflicts will arise. These may be between instructors, staff, facility representatives, and/or members. Should a conflict arise we ask that the following procedure be followed:

Wait 24 hours and see how you feel before acting.

Speak to the person directly in a private setting.

If you cannot resolve the issue directly, speak to one of the Directors who will facilitate a meeting to resolve the issue.

Family Participation Policy
This policy will help our program run as smoothly as possible by allowing the parents, the organizers, and UCN to understand how we will work together to ensure the success of our program.

Remain on site for the duration of your child’s classes.
Assist in the cleanup of the UCN facility, and understand that each parent is responsible for cleaning up after their own child(ren).
Understand that each parent is responsible for his/her child’s behavior, and will help her/him to behave appropriately for this setting.
Each parents is financially responsible for paying the registration fees and class fees on time.
Repeated infractions of these policies may result in being asked to withdraw from the HSoBX program without refund of registration or class fees.
HSoBX administrators have the right to refuse registration, at their discretion.

Nursery Participation Policy
The purpose of the nursery is to provide a quiet, safe haven for the babies and toddlers, as well as a place for the children of teachers and administrators, while their parents are teaching. Only children aged 5 and under may be in the nursery, while their siblings are in class. In order to insure our continued permission to use the nursery facility, parents who wish to have access to that room must agree to the following:

If you have a child in the nursery, you must be there to supervise him/her, unless you are teaching and have a written arrangement with the nursery director.
Every parent whose child has used the nursery will assist in cleaning that space at the close of the HSoBX day. It should look better when we leave than when we arrived.
Diaper changing occurs in the downstairs bathroom. Diapers may not be changed in the nursery. All dirty diapers will be disposed of in plastic bags in the downstairs bathroom garbage can. This garbage can will be emptied at the close of the HSoBX day.
Toys on the top shelf are not to be used. These have been newly purchased for the nursery.
Please report broken toys to Patricia Richman the same day. You are responsible for replacing anything that your child breaks.
Please limit snacks brought into the Nursery to pretzels, apple juice, and graham crackers. Breast milk is always welcome!

Mission Statement

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The mission of Out of the Box (HSoBX) is to provide quality secular enrichment programming in a safe, loving and family centered environment to homeschoolers of all religions, ethnicities, ages, and orientations. This programming is inclusive and open to anyone who wishes to participate.

HSoBX follows the S.E.A.R.C.H. (Southside Embracing All Religions and Cultures in Homeschooling) group motto:

“We are a loosely organized group of families in the Tidewater, Virginia area who have homeschooling in common. We exist as a framework for networking, communicating and supporting each other. We are a very diverse group of people. We have homeschoolers of all shapes and sizes -- from religious to nonreligious, unschoolers to curriculum based, and everything in between. We do not endorse any one resource, method, curriculum, philosophy or religion over another."

Meet the Administration

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Ginny Harvey
Ginny is a native of Rochester, NY, and has moved back and forth across the country quite a few times. With a Bachelor's degree from Stanford, and a Master's degree from Columbia, she and her husband Michael moved back west to set up their first home near Seattle. After working as a pediatric Physical Therapist for many years, Ginny gave up the paid working life in favor of homeschooling and life aboard a sailboat with 2 young daughters. The daughters are good sailors and well-traveled teens now, and the boat was sold in favor of a house, but the homeschooling remains a constant. Having officially moved to Norfolk in 2005, the family started getting to know the local homeschooling scene. Together with Melina Winterton, Ginny founded HSoBX in 2007 in order to provide a secular inclusive alternative to the predominantly Christian homeschooling groups they found in the Norfolk area. She enjoys teaching science and math, with occasional forays into history. Read more about Ginny.

Andrea Kinnear
A Norfolk native, Andrea heads the "Kinnear Zoo," the homeschooling adventure of four children from early elementary to middle school. Suzuki violin and cello studies form the cornerstone of the homeschooling studies, and the entire family is actively involved in karate and jiu-jitsu. She also coaches a homeschool First Lego League Team. She graduated from Johns Hopkins with a Bachelor's degree in Natural Science then went on to Emory University for her Master in Public Health in Epidemiology. After being the epidemiologist for the City of Virginia Beach and then a health data analyst for the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters and Virginia Commonwealth University's Department of Health Administration, Andrea 'retired' from data analysis to care for her children. When not in the karate dojo, she crochets robots and hoards bottle caps and wine corks for future craft projects!

Patricia Richman
Patricia is a home schooling and teaching veteran. She was taught at home in Pennsylvania for grades 5-12. She went on to graduate from Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Honors College with a Bachelor of Science in Education. Her teaching certificate is in Special Education, and she's taught in classrooms ranging from Kindergarten through 12th grade. Patricia now learns with her four children in their Norfolk home. Their ages range from 10-2 and the adventures never end! Patricia plays the piano, teaches piano, knits, is an LLL Leader, relishes the organic garden her husband grows and hangs clothes out on the line all year long. Read more about Patricia.

Jennifer Taylor
Jennifer holds a master’s degree in speech-language pathology and audiology from Old Dominion University. She has worked in several settings including early intervention, pre-school, private office, skilled nursing facility, but most enjoyed the elementary school setting. She is a certified member of the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) as well as the Speech and Hearing Association of Virginia (SHAV). Jenn is homeschooling her two teenage sons. She has enjoyed homeschooling for the last 5 years. Jenn is an assistant karate instructor at Norfolk Karate Academy and working on finishing her certification as a Gracie Jiu Jitsu instructor. She is a religious education teacher for St. Pius X Church in Norfolk as well as ombudsman for her husband’s squadron. Jenn has coached basketball and soccer for many years. She enjoys karate, jiu jitsu, hockey, spending time with family, watching her boys play sports (they are REALLY good) and cooking (but not cleaning up after!). She lives in Norfolk with her husband, boys and numerous pets!

Rosemary Ayres - Volunteer Coordinator

How much are classes?

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Class fees are payable monthly, and range from $80 to $160 per semester. That is $20 to $40 per month, or $5 to $10 per class. Each class offers a minimum of 15 hours of instruction per semester.

You can read the formal schedule of payments for the Fall 2011 semester here.

Instructor Bios

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Rosemary Ayres
Rosemary Ayres holds a bachelor’s in Language Arts from Christopher Newport University. In addition to teaching her own two children at home for over seven years, Rosemary has taught various classes including Science and World Cultures at several homeschool co-ops. She has also taught Religious Education for over 4 years at the Unitarian Church of Norfolk. She and her husband have lived in Chesapeake since 1991.

Deva Brockett

Deva Brockett is a homeschooling, Suzuki violin, karate mom who lives in Norfolk. Deva hold a BS from the University of California at Berkeley where she majored in Business Administration and minored in Fine Arts. Her main claim to fame is that she can knit like the wind. Deva can often be found hoop dancing between her karate and jiu-jitsu classes, that is of course when she is not knitting.

Ryan Clemens

Ryan Clemens is the Director of Theatre Education at Virginia Stage Company (VSC) in Norfolk. He holds an MFA in Acting with a Directing Emphasis from Regent University and a BA in Theatre from Western Washington University. Ryan has also worked with local youth at the Regent Summer C.A.M.P., directing “Willy Wonka, Jr.” in 2009 and “The Wiz” in 2010. He was a founder of Uncovered Theatre Company as well as the Cowpoke Theatrical Company. Presently, he leads theatre training workshops and performs his one-man show, “Meet Mark Twain” for VSC. For more than 20 years, Clemens has worked in the performing arts and has has gained experience in teaching, directing, and acting for both stage and screen. He has worked in such diverse genres as musical theatre, Shakespeare, classical Greek drama, absurdism, and even a Wild West Show. Originally from Wyoming, Ryan lives in Norfolk with his wife Sonja.

Tina Essert
Tina is a native of the Tidewater area, holds a BA in Creative Writing from ODU, is a certified Equine Massage Therapist, an armchair anthropologist and is putting the finishing touches on a Doctorate in Parenting. She has 5 children. The eldest is a college graduate and the youngest will be entering fourth grade in Fall of 2011. Tina lives on a small farm where she raises and markets grass-fed lamb as well as growing an organic garden and a flock of laying hens for her family's consumption. She is not locked into any particular educational framework but has a growing love for Waldorf-inspired homeschooling which fits nicely with her actual life. Tina likes to cook, write, nature journal and hang out with her kids, all of whom still speak to her despite imperfect lives. She lives in Norfolk.

Ginny Harvey

I am a former physical therapist, former sailor, relatively new Norfolk resident, current Girl Scout leader, a founder of HSoBX, and a long time homeschooling mom of 2 daughters. My subjects of choice are math and science, followed by history, which is a lot more interesting now than it was when I was in school.

Andrea Kinnear
Andrea Kinnear is a former health data analyst for the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters. She has a Master of Public Health in epidemiology from the Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University, and her bachelor's degree in Natural Sciences is from Johns Hopkins Univerisity. When not homeschooling her four children or working on probability problems for fun, Andrea is working towards a black belt in karate and learning cello.

Lydia Netzer
Lydia Netzer is a homeschooling mom who lives in Norfolk. She holds a master's degree in English Literature from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and has taught expository writing, literature, and fiction writing workshops to college freshmen and sophomores at the University of Illinois and Tidewater Community College. She plays the piano, guitar, violin, and the handkerchief, and sings in a rock band.

Suzanne O'Neil
Suzanne graduated from The University of Alabama with a Bachelors of Science in Language Arts Education. She is certified to teach; English, Creative Writing, Journalism and Acting in grades 7-12. She has worked with 3, 4 and 5 year olds in a myriad of capacities—from volunteering at “story time” for The University of Alabama’s Education Library to running a 5 year old classroom for a Head Start program. She is President of Circle of Rainbows for The Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters and is very passionate about fundraising for causes she believes in.

Deborah Rice
Deborah Rice is a Museum Educator at the Virginia Air & Space Center. She homeschooled her three boys, who are now adults. Deborah is involved in writing and teaching many of the homeschool science mini camps and programs, and she also started three Challenge and Competition groups - Water Recycling in Space, VEX Robot team, and the Ship Repair Competition team. The ship repair team finished 2nd in the Finals last month. She loves her job and focuses on hands-on education, robotics, bio-containment systems and space related living systems.

Patricia Richman
Patricia is a home schooling and teaching veteran. She was taught at home in Pennsylvania for grades 5-12. She went on to graduate from Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Honors College with a Bachelor of Science in Education. Her teaching certificate is in Special Education, and she’s taught in classrooms for Kindergarten through 12th grade. Patricia now learns with her four children in their Norfolk home. Their ages range from 10-2 and the adventures never end! Patricia plays the piano, teaches piano, knits, relishes the garden her husband grows and hangs clothes on the line all year long.

Sarahbeth Spasojevich

I am a native Minnesotan, and a homeschooling mother of 3 children. I earned my Master’s Degrees in Economics (Regis) and English (FHSU), and a BA from DePauw University (English/psychology). I began as a financial analyst out of college, while concurrently adjunct teaching at IU-Purdue University. I loved teaching so much that I phased out financial analysis and have moved into teaching as my primary vocation. At this point, I’ve taught college-level English for 11 years and Economics for 5. Beyond teaching and family, I adore travel to anywhere. I have travelled to 26 countries and 48 states, but feel like I’ve just scratched the surface of what the world has to offer – which explains why I spend so much time looking at maps and planning the next adventure. I love how homeschooling makes my children’s lives bigger and more interesting, and co-ops have been a big part of that.

Lisa Suhay
Lisa Suhay is a local author most noted for her books on the Norfolk mermaids. A commentator for the Virginian Pilot and frequently featured in the Christian Science Monitor, Lisa also actively involved in implementing the Hip Hop Chess Federation and Gracie Combatives Bullyproof programs in local schools and at-risk youth programs.

Jennifer Taylor
Jennifer holds a master’s degree in speech-language pathology and audiology from Old Dominion University. She has worked in several settings including early intervention, pre-school, private office, skilled nursing facility, but most enjoyed the elementary school setting. She is a certified member of the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) as well as the Speech and Hearing Association of Virginia (SHAV). Jenn is homeschooling her two teenage sons. She has enjoyed homeschooling for the last 5 years. Jenn is an assistant karate instructor at Norfolk Karate Academy and working on finishing her certification as a Gracie Jiu Jitsu instructor. She is a religious education teacher for St. Pius X Church in Norfolk as well as ombudsman for her husband’s squadron. Jenn has coached basketball and soccer for many years. She enjoys karate, jiu jitsu, hockey, spending time with family, watching her boys play sports (they are REALLY good) and cooking (but not cleaning up after!). She lives in Norfolk with her husband, boys and numerous pets!

Caroline Tonra
In January 2005, Caroline Tonra had the opportunity to build a French program from scratch at a local Montessori school. She seized that opportunity and developed a dynamic and innovative curriculum, which includes language, cultural, and geographical components. “Madame Caroline” (as she is affectionately known to her students) 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. Her first class of graduates is now choosing French in Middle School (as opposed to other language options), and she is thrilled when they (and/or their parents) thank her for the early and strong foundation they received. Madame Caroline is also the Assistant Teacher in the Lower Elementary Class at McDonald Montessori, allowing her further opportunities to hone her classroom management skills. In September 2009, she joined the teaching staff of WOW and, relying on her energy and enthusiasm, continues to welcome the challenge of customizing their outstanding curriculum to fit each new group of students.

Prior to teaching, Madame Caroline’s professional endeavors include theatre and hotel management as well as corporate training and education. Throughout, she found a way to use her knowledge of and passion for French. She received a B.A. in French from the
University of Virginia and also studied at the Sorbonne in Paris and the Collège International de Cannes. As an exchange student, Madame Caroline spent many summers living and traveling with her French family. As a mother of two boys, she continues to welcome French exchange students into her home and is proud to be a member of the Alliance Française.