Saturday, May 30, 2009
Happy Bday, E!
One of Mikro's best buddies just turned five. His birthday party was held at the community garden where our homeschool group has a plot. Lots of fun!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Hudson Quadricentennial Lectures at Beczak
I really want to go to these!
Saturday, May 30, 7:00 - 9:00 PM, $5 per person.
The Dutch Influence on the American Kitchen. Food historian Peter G. Rose explores the foods brought to America by the Dutch more than three centuries ago, and the way these were adapted to new circumstances. Slides of 17th century Dutch art works depicting various foodstuffs are part of this lecture. Includes live music and refreshments.
Saturday, June 27, 7:00 - 9:00 PM, $5 per person.
The Mannahatta Project. Dr. Eric Sanderson, a landscape ecologist at the Wildlife Conservation Society, presents an astounding three-dimensional virtual re-creation what Manhattan looked before the arrival of Europeans. See the forests of Times Square, the meadows of Harlem, and the wetlands of downtown. This program celebrates the release of Dr. Sanderson’s new book, Mannahatta: A Natural History of New York City. Includes live music and refreshments.
Saturday, July 18, 7:00 - 9:00 PM, $5 per person.
Life Along the Hudson. Photographer Joseph Squillante presents a stirring visual journey of people and scenes along the Hudson. His award-winning work captures the beauty and romantic quality of the river while offering portraits of people who live along its shores, including farmers, fisherman, and biologists. Includes live music and refreshments
http://www.beczak.org
Saturday, May 30, 7:00 - 9:00 PM, $5 per person.
The Dutch Influence on the American Kitchen. Food historian Peter G. Rose explores the foods brought to America by the Dutch more than three centuries ago, and the way these were adapted to new circumstances. Slides of 17th century Dutch art works depicting various foodstuffs are part of this lecture. Includes live music and refreshments.
Saturday, June 27, 7:00 - 9:00 PM, $5 per person.
The Mannahatta Project. Dr. Eric Sanderson, a landscape ecologist at the Wildlife Conservation Society, presents an astounding three-dimensional virtual re-creation what Manhattan looked before the arrival of Europeans. See the forests of Times Square, the meadows of Harlem, and the wetlands of downtown. This program celebrates the release of Dr. Sanderson’s new book, Mannahatta: A Natural History of New York City. Includes live music and refreshments.
Saturday, July 18, 7:00 - 9:00 PM, $5 per person.
Life Along the Hudson. Photographer Joseph Squillante presents a stirring visual journey of people and scenes along the Hudson. His award-winning work captures the beauty and romantic quality of the river while offering portraits of people who live along its shores, including farmers, fisherman, and biologists. Includes live music and refreshments
http://www.beczak.org
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Beczak Eco Art and Seining
We went to an eco art class at Beczak Environmental Education Center, at which the kids built shrines from boxes covered with paper, fabric, ceramic bits and bobs, clay, etc. My hands were so covered in glue assisting Mikro that I never got a good photo.
After the artwork, Beczak kicked off its seining program, and Mikey and his friend Dakota (who is also homeschooled) had a blast. They got to wear hip waders, walk out into the Hudson and drag in a huge net, and even managed to catch a white perch and a bunch of mud shrimp.
After we left, another Beczak seining group netted a seahorse!
After the artwork, Beczak kicked off its seining program, and Mikey and his friend Dakota (who is also homeschooled) had a blast. They got to wear hip waders, walk out into the Hudson and drag in a huge net, and even managed to catch a white perch and a bunch of mud shrimp.
After we left, another Beczak seining group netted a seahorse!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Croton Earth Day
Our village's Earth Day celebration kicked off with a shoreline cleanup at Senasqua Park. There were free T shirts, info from the Audubon Society and other environmentally friendly groups, live music, a tree and shrub giveaway, and a sports equipment swap to promote recycling.
And the playground. And beachcombing.
And this is Mikro's "Mooooooooooooooooooooom, I don't wannnnnnnnnna goooooooooooo" face:
And the playground. And beachcombing.
And this is Mikro's "Mooooooooooooooooooooom, I don't wannnnnnnnnna goooooooooooo" face:
NYC Earth Fair at Grand Central Terminal
We met up with several homeschool friends at GCT's Earth Fair event, and had a great time. First, we traded in plastic water bottles for a water filtering reusable bottle and pledge to use fewer bottled waters. Then we made wishes at the wishing wall, writing down a wish on a colorful sheet of paper and inserting it into a honeycomb chamber in a recycled cardboard form. By the end of the day, patterns were emerging. Cool community collaborative art!
There was a lady dressed as Mother Nature, animal costumed performers, a guy wearing an Earth costume, and live music. South Street Seaport Museum brought marine critters in touch tanks for the kids to explore.
Mikro got to check out a Smart Car.
And add to a collage, draw an Earth Day tshirt design, and visit the incredibly cool Bio Bus, a science lab on wheels.
The Bio Bus crew collected a water sample from a puddle in the street, and showed the kids the interesting microrganisms swimming around in it. They also had a microscope outside which the kids could use to look at various organic materials like a feather and even a live wasp!
And there was face painting. Mikro has sensory issues, and has never been willing to give it a go. He first allowed a cat to be painted on his hand.
Then he got super brave and had his face done! That's a dinosaur, and Mikro's eye is the dino's eye. I'm so proud of him.
And he got a balloon animal-- of course, it's a dinosaur.
Then it was time to dash home so he could attend "Pirate School" at the local library, where "Billy Bones" issued him a Good Pirate Diploma. (Which I find particularly amusing, since, as a homeschooled kid, it's the only diploma he's ever likely to get!)
There was a lady dressed as Mother Nature, animal costumed performers, a guy wearing an Earth costume, and live music. South Street Seaport Museum brought marine critters in touch tanks for the kids to explore.
Mikro got to check out a Smart Car.
And add to a collage, draw an Earth Day tshirt design, and visit the incredibly cool Bio Bus, a science lab on wheels.
The Bio Bus crew collected a water sample from a puddle in the street, and showed the kids the interesting microrganisms swimming around in it. They also had a microscope outside which the kids could use to look at various organic materials like a feather and even a live wasp!
And there was face painting. Mikro has sensory issues, and has never been willing to give it a go. He first allowed a cat to be painted on his hand.
Then he got super brave and had his face done! That's a dinosaur, and Mikro's eye is the dino's eye. I'm so proud of him.
And he got a balloon animal-- of course, it's a dinosaur.
Then it was time to dash home so he could attend "Pirate School" at the local library, where "Billy Bones" issued him a Good Pirate Diploma. (Which I find particularly amusing, since, as a homeschooled kid, it's the only diploma he's ever likely to get!)
Earth Day
Our Earth Day was a rainy one. We bought seeds for our garden, read some books about recycling and the environment and listened to some great kids music-- Magpie's Circle of Life and Walking Jim Stoltz's Web of Life are two of our favorites that really fit the day. Mikro did some drawings of animals with oil pastels, and of course, I had to play, too. We also made Earth Day foam picture frames and decorated them. Mikro wore one of them as a necklace the next day.
Homeschool Garden Plot
Before the two weeks of seemingly endless rain descended upon us, we had some truly beautiful spring days, one of which we spent creating a community garden plot with our homeschool group. Mikro loved the garden, but was more about playing and exploring than getting dirt under his fingernails... We had a great time with our friends, and as a bonus, were introduced to an amazing used book store. (Yes, I went a little nuts in there...)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)