SONORAN DESERT HOMESCHOOLERS
Tucson, Arizona
November 2002 Newsletter
MISSION STATEMENT
Sonoran Desert Homeschoolers is an open, not-for-profit home education network, providing social and creative outlets for homeschooling families. We are not devoted to any one homeschooling approach, political platform, religious outlook, or philosophical ideal. Our homeschooling community supports all families, regardless of their personal lifestyle or educational choices in the area of home education. Our motto is "hozho," a Navajo word meaning "harmony" or "walking in beauty or friendship."
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
"My mommy doesn't have to 'homeschool' me, because stuff just gets into my head."
~ Hunter B. (1997- ), editor's son. CALENDAR
(check below for related announcements)
Roots N Shoots Meeting Friday, November 1
Project Report/Show and Tell Tuesday, November 5
Unschooling Discussion Tuesday, November 5
Men's Coffee Night Wednesday, November 6
Science Fair Registration Deadline Thursday, November 7
ATC Performance Thursday, November 7
Teen Discussion Group Tuesday, November 12
Children's Theater Registration Deadline Tuesday, November 12
T-Shirts Available Tuesday, November 12
Middle Readers Group Tuesday, November 12
Roots N Shoots Meeting Friday, November 15
Junior Scientists Club Monday, November 18
Udall Potluck Tuesday, November 19
Newsletter Deadline Saturday, November 23
Book Discussion Group Tuesday, November 26
Crafty Ladies Wednesday, November 27
Science Fair Saturday, December 7
Childrens Theater Performance Thursday, December 12
ANNOUNCEMENTS
ROOTS & SHOOTS Friday, November 1
The Roots & Shoots club is off to a super start! Lisa R with lots of help held a Sonoran Desert bug party at her home on Oct 4 & Dawn F. organize a field trip to the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum. Some of us ate at Todd's Place afterwards. Thanks to Todd & Shari for the ice cream! We meet every 1st & 3rd Fridays, so meetings this month will be held Nov 1 & Nov 15 from 10 - noon. Everyone is welcome, but please RSVP. Alica M is planning a Day of the Dead celebration for our Nov 1 meeting. The Day of the Dead is about celebrating those who are gone and the cycle of life. Story time, sharing about loved ones who have died, creating a Day of the Dead altar, crafts and, of course, eating!
Location: Hilary L's synagogue. Will announce at park Tues & post to Roots & Shoots list. (Call Alica or Heather M. if you need directions).
What to bring: photo of a loved one that has died (human or animal),vegetarian dish to share.
optional: flowers to decorate our Day of the Dead altar.
PLEASE RSVP to Alica M.
PROJECT REPORT/SHOW AND TELL Tuesday, November 5
Show and Tell/Project Report Club/Science Demo is November 5th before park announcements. We meet every first Tuesday of the month. Anyone of any age is welcome to participate! We begin with a Show-N-Tell portion, then a formal/informal report portion and finally a science demo. Please join us to present or just listen.
UNSCHOOLING DISCUSSION Tuesday, November 5
Want to talk about unschooling? Need ideas for handling comments from family and friends? Just need some support from like-minded folks? Please join the discussion on Tuesday, November 5, at 10:30 A.M. before the regular park meeting. Questions? Please speak with Debbie G. or email debbiegubernick@yahoo.com.
MEN'S COFFEE NIGHT Wednesday, November 6
The Men's meeting is held every first Wednesday of the month. This is an opportunity for us fathers to discuss homeschooling issues as well as other topics. Please join us at the Borders on Oracle for coffee, tea, good company and conversation. This casual meeting starts around 7:30 PM. For more information contact Jeff O. or Brian M.
SCIENCE FAIR REGISTRATION DEADLINE Thursday, November 7
The Pima County Home Educators Science Fair is approaching! If you would like to participate with an experiment, demo, model or collection please register by November 7th. Forms or help can be obtained from Lou K. by email, phone or in person at park. If you will contact Susan at elsberry@comcast.net or Lou at azdavinci@yahoo.com you may receive email attachments for the Pima County Home Educators Science Fair documents to be held Dec. 7. We HOPE you will respond quickly, but we would rather scramble and see your kids at the event! Remember this an event with family projects, group projects, collections and even the choice of an entry being judged or not. Don't miss this great chance!
ATC PERFORMANCE Thursday, November 7
The Arizona Theatre Production of "Blue" will be Thursday, November 7th, NOT November 4th as originally advertised. If you have already purchased tickets, please meet Lisa F. at the Temple of Music and Art by no later than 10 am as we will be seated as a group once everyone arrives. The performance starts at 10:30 am. If study materials are sent prior to the performance, I will deliver these at the park on the Tuesday preceding the performance.
TEEN DISCUSSION GROUP Tuesday, November 7
Teen Discussion group meets November 12th at 11:30 at the park. The topic will be World Hunger and Poverty. Why are so many people poor and hungry in the world and in this country? Is it just the law of the jungle, some people make it and some don't? Or is it because of other reasons? Should we do anything about it and, if so, what should it be?
CHILDREN'S THEATER
Registration: Tuesday, November 11; Performance: Thursday, December 12
Let's go see a holiday play: Tucson Pastorela, presented by Borderlands Theater, http://www.borderlandstheater.org/pastorela.html An all time favorite in an all new version! A family holiday tradition about the shepherds trek to Bethlehem to witness the birth of baby Jesus. Featuring wacky comedy, beautiful carols (sung in at least 2 languages), a live Waila band, and pinatas for the little ones.
Thursday, Dec 12th 10 a.m. - 12 noon.
Performed at Pima Community College Proscenium
Theatre, 2202 W. Anklam Rd.
$ 4 per person (They prefer children to be at least 4 yrs. old).
Paid reservations due by Tuesday, Nov 11. You can pay me at the park or mail the money to Heather M. Questions? Email -heather@optionsanalysis.com
SDH T-SHIRTS Tuesday, November 12
For those of you who ordered t-shirts, they should be available at the November 12th park meeting. See Sharon A.
MIDDLE READER GROUP Tuesday, November 12
The Middle Reader group will meet on Tuesday, November 12, after announcements to discuss The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. If you are interested in participating in the discussion of this book, please have your reader be prepared to share a portion of the book he or she enjoyed most. Our book for December will be The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson. Our next meeting will be December 10. If you have any questions, contact Paige J. or Christine G.
ROOTS N SHOOTS Friday, November 15
On Nov 15 Heather M. will host another discussion/planning meeting. We've had a lot of folks join since our organizational meeting in September so we thought it might be a good idea to get together again and talk about what we are about. We've also received the official Roots & Shoots manual from the Jane Goodall Institute, so we will learn about some of the programs we can get involved in & do some brainstorming with the kids about what they would like to do. We'll even learn the "roots & shoots" song. RSVP to Heather M. P.S. If everyone with older kids ( i.e. over 10 yrs) who has expressed an interest would come, we'd have enough older kids!
JUNIOR SCIENTISTS CLUB Monday, November 18
Wanted: junior scientists! A new club has been formed for the pre-school set. We create/setup science experiments geared for the younger crowd, (e.g. how gravity works). We meet once a month (every third Monday), and rotate who is in charge of the experiment each month. The next meeting is on November 18th at 2pm. It will be held at Sharon A's house. Please let Sharon or Marie D. know if you plan on attending.
UDALL PARK POTLUCK Tuesday, November 19
SDH Potluck Tuesday, November 19, at Udall Park 7200 E. Tanque Verde Rd.
Sonoran Desert Homeschoolers began meeting at Fort Lowell Park by default. When SDH formed, there was not much time to locate a place to meet, and Fort Lowell Park fit the immediate requirements it had a playground, a ramada, and room for kids to roam. There had been discussions in those first few months about moving to a different park, but it seemed better to wait for the group to be well-established before considering another meeting place. SDH has now been meeting at Fort Lowell for almost four years, and it seems like a good time to revisit the issue. Udall Park offers advantages over Fort Lowell Park in at least three areas safety, travel, comfort, and things for kids to do.
Safety
One problem with Fort Lowell Park is that the playground is adjacent to a park entrance. Since SDH's inception in 1999, people have been concerned about the safety of small children playing so near a main roadway. The playground at Udall Park is away from the park's main road, which is a big improvement over the present location.
Travel
Getting to Udall Park would be easier for many people. It is located on a major SunTran route, the #9 Grant Rd. bus stops in front of the park. For members who drive to park meetings, the trip would be easier for many people. Udall Park is on the southeast corner of the intersection of Tanque Verde and Sabino Canyon, between Kolb and Pantano. For people coming from the south, east, and even northwest, the increase in actual distance from Fort Lowell Park (3 miles) could be offset by a decrease in real travel time.
Comfort
Udall Park offers lots of shade and an abundance of grass, which would enhance most people's park day experience.
Opportunities for Activities and Recreation
Udall Park also is home to the Udall Recreation Center, an indoor facility providing a gymnasium, game area, and potential meeting space. The park itself has fields, a multi-use path for biking and hiking, year-round swimming, and ramadas. All of these features provide plenty of possible activities for everyone, from older children, to youngsters, to adults.
This November 19th potluck has been organized as a way for people to visit Udall Park to check out the facilities and see what they think. A few people have wondered if this idea is only being pushed by the parents of teens, at the expense of the group's younger children. This is not the case! Parents of youngsters/toddlers, pre-teens AND teens have thought about moving the park-meetings to Udall Park. Fort Lowell Park has always had some significant problems, but SDH members adjusted to them and became accustomed to them. And one of the biggest potential benefits of meeting at Udall Park is the chance to use some of the center's indoor space in inclement weather. Whether this is truly possible is unknown, but there is definitely no way to meet indoors at Fort Lowell Park.
If you don't know where Udall Park is or if you need a map, click HERE for a map, courtesy of Mapquest.com (if this link doesn't work, go to the SDH website at http://tucsonhomeschoolers.org).
If you have any questions or comments about this potluck or the idea in general, please contact Debbie G., Kim B., Danetta M., or Eileen D.
NEWSLETTER DEADLINE Saturday, November 23
BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP Tuesday, November 26
The first book discussion group went well, and we have decided to do it again this month. The book for November is non-fiction: Nickel and Dimed: On (not) Getting By in America, by Barbara Ehrenreich. The library has copies, and even though they are all checked out, it doesn't take long to get one reserved. Please join us for a lively discussion! Contact Kim B. for information.
CRAFTY LADIES Wednesday, November 27
Every last Wednesday of the month we meet at Borders on Oracle for Coffee or tea. We get together from 7:30 PM on, but some of us get there quite a bit later. We chat, laugh, and a few of us bring a project to work on (knitting, crochet, sorting pictures, etc.). This is open to any parent, but so far only moms have shown up. It is a great way to get to know others better and there is always a mix of parents with younger and older children, so you can ask lots of questions too and discuss things. For more info contact Sybelle V.
TUCSON HOMESCHOOLER'S GEOGRAPHY BEE
The homeschoolers' geography bee (sponsored by BETT - Better Education Through Tradition) will be held on Friday, January 10, 2003 at 10:00 A.M. at Valencia Library, 202 W. Valencia Rd, in Tucson. Any child in SDH who is in 4th through 8th grade is eligible to participate in this competition (the minimum age is 9 years old). Check the SDH web site http://tucsonhomeschoolers.org for links to sites about the bee and for sites with tips for studying for it. If you have questions, contact Debbie G.
HIMMEL PARK DAY
Join us on Thursdays at about 11:00 AM at Himmel Park. This is the perfect venue for newcomers to the group. It's small and intimate; a wonderful place to get to know a few homeschooling people. There is a shaded play area, a place to rollerblade or roller skate, and a library. This is mainly a play park day. No official announcements will be made. Himmel Park is located on Tucson Blvd. near Speedway. We meet at the Westside play equipment. If you have any questions, contact Tara O. directly at tjmaldo@azstarnet.com.
SDH MUSIC RECITAL
After a brief hiatus, the music recital is back on. The Winter Music Recital will be on Thursday, December 5th at 2:00pm at Washburn Pianos on the northside of Broadway, between Craycroft and Wilmot. Call Victoria M for more details or to sign up.
HOT AIR BALLOON PROPOSAL
On a Friday in January, early in the morning (but not too early), we can gather at Ft. Lowell Park for the opportunity to ride in a hot air balloon. We must sign up and pay in advance. Cost will be $2 per person with the rest of the $500 fee coming from our fund. We can have a breakfast pot luck and enjoy each other company while those who are brave defy gravity.
BIOSPHERE 2 TOUR
I believe we will all save money by using the free "adult only" passes valid through December 2, so I have cancelled the November 14th tour. I hope this is not an added expense for anyone. I received no response from my earlier email one way or the other. I am stockpiling passes with help from other SDHer's and will still have the Food for a Year/H2O for a Year and Composting experiment handouts available.
ART/CRAFT ACTIVITY STATION
Thanks to everyone for keeping this fun opportunity going if anyone would like a more formal 'assignment listing' for the ongoing activities, please email me at elsberry@comcast.net or call Susan E. If everyone is happy with this loose and functioning-well arrangement, great.
UPDATE -Ted Walker Youth Day
Ted Walker Youth Day has been postponed until sometime in January 2003. Because of the lease problems between Pima County and Old Tucson (which have finally been resolved), the event organizers were unable to arrange everything in time for the planned November date. As soon as the January date is firm, I will contact everyone who has signed up to participate.
Ted Walker Youth Day is an annual event organized by Pima County for 4th, 5th and 6th graders. The day includes free admission to Old Tucson and its shows and attraction, plus lunch and educational exhibits. If you have a child in those grades and are interested in participating, please contact Debbie G. at the park, or e-mail debbiegubernick@yahoo.com. Please include the name(s) and grade(s) of the child/children attending, the name of the adult accompanying the child/children, plus a telephone number and email address (if available).
FREE COPIES
I was in the Mail Boxes, Etc., at Broadway and Pantano earlier and noticed a sign that teachers can get 100 free copies. I asked about homeschoolers and the manager, Britta Fink, said if we show proof, (our SDH card or affidavit) we also can get 100 free school related B & W copies at that location only. (You can always ask other MBE if they do it) This is a ONE TIME offer per family and based on the honor system. MBE is on the NW corner, between IGA grocery and Pets Mart.
ANTARTICA RESEARCH EXPEDITION
I have signed up to receive weekly summaries from an Antarctic research expedition. I hope to entice kids at the park to spend 5 minutes at park tracking the progress of this scientific military operation. Kids' questions can be relayed to Lt. Marshall Branch. Nearly 150 schools and homeschools have signed up to track their progress. If no kids in park are interested except me, I am going to have a great time following along with this group of about a dozen men as they break ice and deploy scientific experiments during the next 6 months. First stop: Tucson Map and Flag, to get a giant map of Antarctica! See Danetta M.
Here is a pre-deployment email from Lt Branch (Marshall) to wet your appetites:
Greetings from Mobile, Alabama!
As mentioned in the Teachers.Net article, I am one of the pilots of an HH-65A Dolphin Helicopter used by the Coast Guard on Polar Deployments. We will be embarked aboard the Coast Guard Cutter POLAR SEA, a 400 foot polar icebreaker berthed in Seattle, Washington. A great resource for getting more information on the Coast Guard participation in these expeditions is at the Coast Guard Polar Operations website
http://www.uscg.mil/hq/atcmobil/Popdiv/default.html My job will be to fly scientists around the frozen continent and help them with the manual labor side of their experiments, scout paths through the ice for the icebreaker, and transport equipment, materials, and personnel around the various regions of the Ross Ice Shelf. There are 3 other pilots in our AVDET along with 10 enlisted crew-members who maintain the aircraft and fly with us. A rough itinerary for our voyage is as follows:
- Depart in the helicopters to fly cross-country to Seattle from Mobile, Alabama last week of Oct.
- CGC POLAR SEA underway with AVDET aboard, leaving Seattle early Nov.
- Mid-November - Arrive Hawaii for training for ship's crew and logistical support
- Early December - Arrive Sydney, Australia for onload of supplies
- Mid-December - Pick up scientists in Hobart, Tasmania
- Late December - arrive Young Island for Weather Station maintenance
- Around Christmas - Arrive at ice edge, McMurdo Sound to start breaking a channel through ice to McMurdo Station
- End of December - AVDET transfers ashore to work for National Science Foundation
- Late February - Back aboard cutter, enroute Cape Hallett for resupply and support
- Early March - Last stop in Antarctica, Scott Island for support missions
- Mid-March - Port Calls in Melbourne and Brisbane, Australia
- Early April - Port Call in Yokasuka, Japan
- Late April - POLAR SEA moors back in Seattle
- End of April - AVDET triumphantly returns to Mobile, Alabama
As I'm sure you have all surmised, with nearly 150 schools participating, answering individual questions and corresponding one-on-one will be challenging. I promise to do all I can to answer emails, but please do not be disheartened if your specific questions emailed to me are not answered promptly. During the transit, I should have a little more time to correspond. Once we are in Antarctica however, I will be flying a large percentage of the time so individual attention will be limited. I will send out a weekly newsletter to all of you outlining what we have done and seen and will try to incorporate answers to questions I could not answer individually in the newsletter.
I look forward to our cooperative effort in making education interactive and
exciting for your students. I'll send more next week.
Marshall
LT J. Marshall Branch
USCG Aviation Training Center,
Polar Operations Division
8501 Tanner Williams Rd.
Mobile, AL 36608-8322
(251) 441-6851
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING REVIEWS
"Congratulations to the Shakespeare Troupe! You took on a difficult task with Shakespeare and were able to pull off a wonderful performance. Everyone looked confident and seemed to be enjoying their roles. What really makes me happy is to see such a varied age range working together so well. It is clear that Carolyn did a great job of inspiring the cast and crew. We look forward to more plays by the troupe."
"What a wonderful opportunity to brag you all provided me thank you for your hard work and tremendous effort. It truly is appreciated and we look forward to the next successful production."
"Shakespeare Theatre Troupe - Thank You One and All!
What an electrifying theatrical experience! Watching Much Ado About Nothing, I was awe-struck by the way the STT Cast and Crew focused their energy into creating a fabulous production. The leads, the supporting roles, the character actors and the minor parts all worked so tightly together. A moment into the play, and I was taken away from mundane Tucson and transported to the 1600's Italian villa of Shakespeare's imagination. The timing of this show was so right-on on stage and off; the set changes moved like clockwork, and whatever managing was going on behind the scenes must have been very good because I did not notice it at all.
Carolyn Marbry, Thank You for Producing and Directing and Everything-Else-ing Much Ado About Nothing. And a big heartfelt Thank You to the Cast, Crew, and STT Volunteers - Egads! I was amazed at what was done with a little bit of spit and sawdust, and endless amounts of elbow grease and determination.
Participating in this production has been a most wonderful experience for my daughter. Being a member of the audience has been a most wonderful experience for me."
"The play was incredible! What I expected to see was a group of teenagers making it through their lines, while what I actually saw was a group of teenagers acting like professionals. It was a pleasant surprise. The acting was first-rate, with all the actors and actresses fully embodying their roles. The sets were fantastic, the costumes were well done, the music lovely, and the whole atmosphere terrific! I enthusiastically take my hat off to the people involved in the play. These kids were a wonderful example of how brilliant homeschoolers can be with hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm. Well done!"
