L.E.A.R.N.

Word is that Kansas City area homeschool support group L.E.A.R.N. is active again and they are planning an UnProm.

Visit their website for more information.

L.E.A.R.N. Mission Statement

L.E.A.R.N. is an organization formed to provide secular support for homeschooling families.

L.E.A.R.N. supports families with a wide variety of ideologies regarding education, parenting, culture, and religion.


Membership in L.E.A.R.N. indicates a respect for other individuals, regardless of age.


Membership in L.E.A.R.N. indicates a willingness to be respectful of other member's beliefs or lifestyles that may not reflect your own.

Union Station ~ Memorial Day Weekend

Lots to do at Union Station this weekend. Click here for details.

The Art of the Brick

This would be a great event to see if you find yourself in Kansas City. The exhibit is open May 23 through September 7 and is free to the public.

The Art of the Brick™ (An Art Adventure with LEGO®
Bricks)

The exhibit consists of approximately 30 artworks created solely from LEGO® blocks, by artist Nathan Sawaya. The amazing designs include Lennon Tribute, Apples, Infinity, Sunflower and Globe, ranging in size from 20 inches to 78
inches.

Admission: FREE

Time: Open during Crown Center Shops regular shopping hours

Location: Crown Center
Shops, Level 1 Atrium

Here's a link to Nathan Sawaya if you are not familiar with his work.

Thanks, Patricia, for the tip.

The Chronicles of Narnia at Union Station

The Chronicles of Narnia:

The Exhibition makes its Midwest debut

only at Union Station in Kansas City

May 22-August 23!

Explore the science and wonder of Narnia!

Step through the wardrobe and into the wintry world of Narnia where in the midst of summer, you'll feel the snow on your face and experience the chill of the witch's ice throne first-hand.

Based on the C.S. Lewis classic books and Disney blockbuster movies, the
exhibition includes more than 150 original costumes, set dressings and props from The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian, as well as newly created educational hands-on activities and videos.

Click on the images to view the flyers.

They have a note up right now that if you purchase tickets prior to May 1st, you receive free tickets to Science City.

Ritchie House (Topeka) Open House in April

Greetings!

My name is Robin Shrimplin and I am the education consultant for the Shawnee County Historical Society. I wanted to let your group know about the open house we are holding at the historic Ritchie House (built 1856) every Saturday in April from 10 am to 2 pm. The house is located in downtown Topeka (3 blocks east of the water tower) at 1116 SE Madison. The event is free and open to the public.

The Ritchie family were abolitionists and were part of the Underground Railroad network in Kansas. We are celebrating that history this April with
corresponding activities as follows:

April 4th - 10:30 am Performance: "The Underground Railroad In Kansas" by historian and educator Anne Hawkins as Mary Jane Ritchie.

April 4th - 1:00 pm Especially for Elementary Age Students: Special reading of the book, "Almost To Freedom" and a talk about the Underground Railroad in Kansas.

April 11th - 1:00 pm Especially for Secondary Teachers: A presentation about our new traveling trunk "Territorial/ Civil War Kansas."

April 18th - 10:30 am Performance: "The Underground Railroad in Kansas" by historian and educator Anne Hawkins as Mary Jane Ritchie. A

April 18th - 1:00 pm Especially for Secondary Teachers: Presentation on our new lesson plan: "The Killing of Leonard Arms: The Trial of John Ritchie Upon the Shooting and Death of Deputy U.S. Marshal Leonard Arms."

April 25th - Morning Discussion "Forts In Kansas" led by Tanner Carlson (our student intern from Washburn University)

April 25th - 1:00 pm Especially for Elementary Age Students: Special reading of the book, "Almost To Freedom" and a talk about the Underground Railroad in Kansas.

Please feel free to contact me for more information. My phone number
is 785-232-5622. Also feel free to visit our website.

For more information about our performer, Anne Hawkins, visit HistoricPerformance.com.

We hope to see your group at the open house!
Robin Shrimplin

Fair to highlight alternative education

An alternative education fair for students in kindergarten through 12th grade will be from 10 am. to 3 p.m. April 11 at Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont.

Representatives from all types of education, including, private, charter, virtual, religious, homeschooling and Waldorf, will have displays and answer questions.

The event is free, and refreshments will be provided.

Call 842-4882 for more information.

Kids Bowl Free

Here's a fun summer activity that might be available in your area. Click here for bowling alleys participating in Kids Bowl Free in Kansas.

If the whole family likes to bowl, there is apparently a family pass available at a very reasonable rate.

The Family Pass was created to allow for adult family members to enjoy bowling throughout the summer as well. The Family Pass costs $23.95 (except Royal Pin Leisure Centers, $29.95) and includes 2 GAMES PER PERSON PER DAY. The Family Pass is $23.95 and covers up to 4 adult family members. If you have 1 or 4 for family members on the pass, it is still $23.95 for the entire summer. This one-time payment covers up to 4 adults for the entire summer.

And if you are from somewhere other than Kansas, just click the 'home' link to find out which bowling centers are participating in your state.

Thanks, Roxie, for the link.

Things to do in Topeka in April

This might be a fun activity to attend if you are near Topeka.

from the flyer: "Enjoy some of the delicious food Topeka restaurants have to offer, become aware of the well known and not so well known Topeka historical and fun attractions, delight in some of the most unique and exceptional art in the Midwest, and discover one-of-a-kind merchandisers your clients will find simply irresistible. Free and open to the public."

Topeka Tourism Expo

Wednesday, April 8th

11am-2pm

Great Overland Station

701 N. Kansas Ave.

Topeka, KS

________

At the Kansas Museum of History:

Lincoln in Kansas

Special Exhibit Gallery

through July 26th

_______

And this is the time of year in Topeka to view the Tulips!

Visit the:

Ted Ensley Gardens at Lake Shawnee,

Old Prairie Town and Botanical Gardens (admission),

Doran Rock Garden and Reinisch Rose Garden (Gage Park),

and

Matrot Castle and Vineyard (Huntoon)

Science City Summer Camp

Click image to view details or view here.

2009 Conference and Curriculum Fair ~ Midwest Parent Educators

I have never attended the Midwest Parent Educators Conference and Curriculum Fair, but there are some families in our homeschool groups who enjoy attending the curriculum fair portion of this event each year.
_________

On Friday and Saturday, April 17 - 18, Midwest Parent Educators will host their 2009 Conference and Curriculum Fair at the KCI Expo Center (www.kciexpo.com). The Conference runs from 9:00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. on Friday(registration opens at 8.00 a.m.), 8:00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. on Saturday, and features an exhibitors' hall (with over 150 booths) and a wide variety of workshops.

For more information about the MPE Conference please go to
http://www.midwesthomeschoolers.org/conferences.htm or call the MPE Office at 913-599-0311.

The registration form for the conference can be found at
http://www.midwesthomeschoolers.org/PDFs/ConferenceFlyer.pdf

Celebrate Lincoln's Birthday at Union Station

It looks like a fun weekend to visit Union Station.

Saturday, Feb. 14 - Monday, Feb. 16

Purchase a ticket to Science City and for just a penny more, you can visit Union Station's exhibit on Lincoln called The Tsar and the President, Alexander II and Abraham Lincoln.


Other Activities:
FREE cupcakes for kids inside Science City
Available from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday through Monday, until they're all gone

Take your photo as Abe and Mary
Life-size cutouts are located outside the exhibit entrance. Put your face in the cutout and pretend you're the President or First Lady!

Design your own penny
The U.S. Mint is releasing four new penny designs this year in honor of Lincoln's 200th birthday. At Union Station, try your hand at designing your own penny. Take your creation home or leave it behind for display at the Money Museum inside the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.

$1 off American hamburgers at the Harvey House Diner
Don't go home on an empty stomach! Bring in Union Station's Lincoln Birthday ad in the Kansas City Star (Thursday,Friday, Saturday or Monday) and receive $1 off any hamburger purchased at the Harvey House Diner.

Kansas City Museum

The Kansas City Museum’s First Sunday Family Fun Day is a fantastic way to share a great family moment and have a little fun too! The event, held on the First Sunday of every month, allows children to have fun while also having an exceptional learning experience. There are historic games and scavenger hunts held on the grounds to play. For the artsy person in your family, there is an arts and crafts area. There’s historical information and exterior panels surrounding the Museum for the history aficionados and if you are lucky enough, you might get a free old-fashioned treat.

Kansas City Museum debuts
“Record Your Own History”

When: Sunday, March 1 from 12-4 p.m.

Where: Kansas City Museum

Admission: Free

Address: 3218 Gladstone Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64123

Family histories are passed down in many ways such as through journals, letters and songs. Visitors will embark on a journey through their own family histories at First Sunday Family Fun Day from 12-4 p.m. March 1. Families can learn and experiment with some of the different ways people have passed down their family histories, such as through oral histories and story quilts. Listen to “Story Songs with Emily Tummons” in the StoryTarium.

Check out other events and programs at the Kansas City Museum by clicking here.

Martial Arts: Topeka

click on image to view it larger

Master Overbey is holding an organization meeting on February 18th at 10am to discuss the formation of martial arts classes for homeschooling families.

Please RSVP to confirm your attendance by phone 273-9988 or e-mail: admin@usmartialarts.kscoxmail.com

Kansas Day: January 29th

From the Library of Congress:

Kansas entered the Union as a free state on January 29, 1861. About two hundred years earlier the French Jesuit priests, Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet, were among the region's earliest European explorers. A map drawn by Marquette in 1673 indicated that the Kanza, Ouchage (Osage), and Paneassa (Pawnee) tribes dominated the area that would become Kansas.

The United States acquired Kansas in 1803 from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase. During its early years as a U.S. possession, the area was part of Indian Territory and was used by the federal government to relocate tribal peoples. In 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act allowed the residents to decide if theirs would be a free or slave state.

Some activities for Kansas Day...

Kansas Day at the Museum
Kansas Museum of History, Topeka
9 a.m. — 3 p.m. Thursday, January 29, 2009
Free Admission


Kansas Day at the Museum
Smokey Hill Museum, Salina
Saturday, January 31, 2009


Sunset Zoo, Manhattan
Kids visit for free the entire month of January!


Kansas Day Celebration
Santa Fe Trail Center, Larned
Sunday, January 25, 2009


Lecompton's Bleeding Kansas Program Series
Sundays, January 25 - March 1, 2009
Free Admission
Constitution Hall State Historic Site


Celebrate Kansas Day!
Kauffman Museum, Newton
Sunday, January 31, 2009
1:30-4:30 p.m.

Kansas Day Celebration
Butler County History Center & Kansas Oil Museum, El Dorado
Sunday, January 31, 2009

If you know of more, please send them!

Union Station: January 27-30

From Sherri Woodward, Union Station Kansas City

We hope you are planning to visit Union Station next week during Home School Days, January 27-30.

I wanted to notify you in advance, that due to operational issues related to a portion of the exhibition, Dialog in the Dark is temporarily closed. We hope to have information on when the exhibition will re-open on Wednesday, January 28

However, our other attractions will be open and available to the Home School families at the discounted rates below.

Science City: $6 per person

Regnier Extreme Screen: $4 per person

The Tsar & The President: $6 per person

KC Rail Experience: $4 per person

Additional information regarding shows and exhibits can be found on our web site at www.unionstation.org.

Also during Home School Days….
• $10 off Family Membership (for 4 or more people) purchased January 27-30
• Special science demos each afternoon
• FREE educational materials

Please call (816) 460-2020 if you have additional
questions.

Science City Home School Days

Home School Days
November 6-9, 2007

All Home School families pay a reduced rate for admission to Science City and Extreme Screen movies during this week. Special facilitated programs are available each day.

Tuesday, Nov 6
10:45 am Planetarium - Sky Tonight
$3.50/per person

Wednesday, Nov. 7
10:45 am Planetarium- Planetary Adventure
$3.50/per person

1:00-2:00 pm Discovery Area Programs
$8.00/per person (includes General Admission)

Micronauts, ages 6 to 9
Design Studio, ages 10 and up
CSI, ages 14 to 18

Thursday, Nov. 8

10:45 am Planetarium – Sky of Day and Night
$3.50/person

Friday, Nov. 9

10:45 am Planetarium - The Big C
$3.50/person

1:00-2:00 pm Discovery Area Programs
$8.00/per person (includes General Admission)

Kinderlab, ages 4 to 7
Gross Science, ages 6 to 9
Dino Hunter, ages 10 and up


Advance reservations are required for planetarium and Discovery Area programs. Space is limited and a minimum number is required. Early reservations are recommended.

Please call (816) 460-2020 to make your reservation
Additional information about the above programs can be found at www.unionstation.org

Kansas City Museum

HOME SCHOOL WEEK
November 6-9, 2007


SCHEDULE:

Tuesday November 6th
10:00- Wonders of the Night Sky
11:00- Little Pioneers
11:30- Lunch
12:15- Soda Fountain Tour (includes free ice cream cone)

Wednesday November 7th
10:00- Stormy Skies and Starry Nights
11:00- Lunch
11:30 Frontier Science
12:30 Soda Fountain Tour (includes free ice cream cone)

Thursday November 8th
10:00 Wheel in the Sky Star Show
11:00 Lunch
11:30 Secrets of the Mansion Tour
12:30 Soda Fountain Tour (includes free ice cream cone)

Friday November 9th
10:00- Planet Patrol
11:00- Settling of Kansas City Tour
12:00- Lunch
12:30- Soda Fountain Tour (includes free ice cream cone)


Prices: $6/child for an entire morning of programs. No reservations necessary. Pay at the Museum on the day of program.

Adults are required to accompany children during all Museum programs. Lunch room space is available.

Please call (816) 483-8300 for specific information about programs
The Kansas City Museum is located at 3218 Gladstone Blvd.

Home School Week at the Kansas City Museum

From: Sherri Woodward
Account Executive, Educational & Youth Groups
Union Station Kansas City

May 15th - May 18th Admission: $8.00 (Free for Adults)

Come join us for home school week at the Museum May 15-18, 2007. Each day is different and no reservations are necessary. Cost: $8.00 per day (Adults are free) A lunch room will be available for your use in between programs.

Tuesday

Wonders of the Night Sky (Ages 3-7)
Tuesday, May 15th 10:00am

Little Pioneers (Ages 3-7)
Tuesday, May 15th 11:00am

Soda Fountain Treat and Tour (Ages 3-7)
Tuesday, May 15th 12:15pm

Wednesday

Stormy Skies and Starry Nights (Ages 9-18)
Wednesday, May 16th 10:00am

Pioneering Spirit Tour (Ages 6-12)
Wednesday, May 16th 11:00am

Soda Fountain Treat and Tour (Ages 9-12)
Wednesday, May 16th 12:45pm

Thursday

Kid's Workshop Dancing! (Ages 7-12)
Thursday, May 17th 10:00am
Run by the Friends of Alvin Ailey.

Spring Skies Star Show (Ages 7-18)
Thursday, May 17th 1:00pm

Friday

Planet Patrol (Ages 7-12)
Friday, May 18th 10:00am

Secrets of the Mansion Tour (Ages 7-12)
Friday, May 18th 11:00am

Soda Fountain Treat and Tour (Ages 7-12)
Friday, May 18th 12:30pm

If you have questions or would like additional information about any of the above programs please call the Kansas City Museum at (816) 483-8300. The Kansas City Museum is located at 3218 Gladstone Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64123.

We hope to see you at the Museum in May!

Topeka Area ~ Ballroom Dance Opportunity

Jenn of the Topeka Area Homeschool Network has found an instructor who will teach Ballroom Dance classes during the day. She is willing to organize a class if there is enough interest.

Email tahn@prodigy.net for more details. She would like to schedule a class for April or May.

Another Great Wolf Lodge Opportunity

If you missed our Third Annual Area Homeschoolers Great Wolf Lodge Get-Away and can't wait to join us in February of 2008, they are having specials for homeschoolers through the months of April and May.

$109/Night (includes up to 4 waterpark passes)

Sunday - Thursday on Family Suites

Additional Charge for Friday and Saturdays

Mention Promotional Code KHOME at the time of reservation.

Offer Valid only at Great Wolf Lodge, Kansas City, KS, 4/1-5/31/07. Valid only on Family Suites. Offer is based on 4 guests. Rate is based on per night plus tax, based upon availability. Limited to the first 50 rooms sold per date. Holidays and black out dates may apply. May not be combined with any other discounts or promotional offers. Subject to change at any time without notice. Must mention promo code KHOME at time of reservations. Offer expires 5/31/07.

Contact 1.800.608.WOLF of visit www.greatwolf.com to make reservations.