Backdoor Homeschool Tools

Place: Shark Reef, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas
Date: July 17, 2008
Time: 9:30-11:45 am

Cost: $5 per kid. $12.95 per adult any adult registering 4 or more
children on one order will get a $10 rebate off their admission*.

Details:

This is an educational fieldtrip that consists of a one hour guided
tour and a one hour private classroom session. Pre-teaching
materials are available and I will be holding an online pre-
teaching session using a virtual classroom - where attendees can
participate from the comfort of their computer. More information
about the online pre-teach will be sent to those enrolled closer to
the date.

This fieldtrip is for ages 5-17. The Shark Reef asks that we limit
the number of adults so this is the perfect opportunity to give a
fellow mom a little break and team up to take kids in small groups.
Adults that are chaperoning 4 or more children will get a $10 rebate
off their admission*. In order to get the rebate, you must register
at least one adult and 4 kids (or more) on one order. Kids under 5
and strollers are not allowed due to space in the classroom. The
paying adult will be responsible for all children on their order.

This event is PREPAID and NOT REFUNDABLE. In order to facilitate the
online pre-teaching event, sales for this fieldtrip end July 1st.
There is a very limited amount of tickets and this will sell out
quickly. Regular admission is $10.95-$15.95 so this is a GREAT deal
and a wonderful educational experience. Kids are often (though not
guaranteed) given a free ticket to return another day so this makes
it an INCREDIBLE deal.

*Rebates will be given after we receive the order and verify that
there is at least one paying adult and at least four paying
children. You will receive the rebate via the same method you paid
(paypal, credit card, e-check).

Event Details:

Our Henderson Area Leader for SHEA, has scheduled a fantastic field trip for homeschoolers for Thursday, May 8th at Laser Quest! The fieldtrip is open to all Homeschoolers in our area. Feel free to forward the information on to other groups/people that may want to attend.

Lasers and Mazes is designed for Grades 4-9. Obviously that is a loose
guideline for us homeschoolers. You know your kids the best.

It is a two hour event. They start by playing a 20 minute game. Then they have a demonstration of the inner workings of a laser and they conduct an experiment on the property of light. They also discuss history of mazes and see the actual design of the maze they played on. A 12 minute video is shown that talks about how lasers and mazes are used in everyday life. The last part lets everyone play another 20 minute game. This lets them try out all their newfound knowledge.

Here is a link to their video which shows the event:
http://www.laserquest.com//videos/lq-qfk.mpg

The event will be at 12:30. It is $13 per participant, plus a small handling fee for paypal and bank fees of $1.50 per ticket. A participant is defined as anyone who plays laser tag. We need to pay as a group so this event is PREPAID ONLY!!! You can bring in snacks or lunch and drinks.

This rate is subject to a minimum of 20 participants - YOU MAY NOT PAY THE GROUP RATE AT THE DOOR - all tickets are non-refundable. Sign up for the event here!

Here is the location info:

Laser Quest Las Vegas

7361 W. Lake Mead Blvd. Suite 100
Las Vegas, Nevada
USA 89128-1003
(702) 243-8881

Here are the educational objectives:

Lasers:
. A history of lasers.
. Lasers as a form of light.
. The characteristics and properties of lasers.
. How lasers are used in out society.
Mazes:

. A history of mazes.
. The different type of mazes.
. How mazes are a part of everyday life.

For more information, please leave a comment.

The deadline to get in on the Amateur Talent Show for homeschoolers
has been extended to April 7th.

This talent show will be held at Disneyland during our private party
dinner on Monday, September 15, 2008. This is not a professional
show, so don’t feel like you have to be a professional or have a
recording contract to perform. We welcome anyone who wants to get
out there and strut their stuff!

If you, your group, or your children have a talent to share –
singing, dancing, choreography, magic tricks, comedy (standup or
skit), theatrical, or any other entertainment – we would love to
have you!

The guidelines are as follows:
1) You MUST sign up early and submit a short video or photo with a
typed version of your lyrics and content. All entries must be
postmarked no later than April 7, 2008.

Why do you need to submit the lyrics and content? Because
Disneyland wants to review everything to make sure it is appropriate
for Disney format. Keep the lyrics clean, non-political, and kid-
friendly, and the attire appropriate – and you should be fine. DO
NOT SUBMIT THEM DIRECTLY TO DISNEY. We have to send all of the
entries to our Disneyland rep in one big package. Submit all
entries to:

Southwest Home Educators Association
P.O. Box 22482
Bullhead City, AZ 86439

2) Entry into the show does not get you tickets into the park, or
entitle you to dinner in the private arena. We tried to get this –
but unfortunately Disneyland says everyone needs to pay. This
talent show and dinner coordinates with our 3-day Not Back To School
Days field trip for homeschoolers that runs from September 15-17,
2008. If you want to perform, but do not want to hang out in the
private party arena or have dinner, the Disneyland staff will escort
you out after your performance.

The dinner tickets cannot be purchased at the gate, this is a group
activity and must be purchased through the group. If you would like
a great deal on park hopper passes, we have them for $109 per person
(they are $185 at the gate) for three full days of park hopper fun –
PLUS they include up to TWO of the new Youth in Education Series
(YES) classes. Again, these park hopper tickets cannot be purchased
at the gate – they are under group contract.

3) Visit our website for details – to purchase tickets, or to read
more about this fantastic family adventure!

http://www.southwest-home-education.com

Dianne McLean, Director

SHEA has booked this trip for October 4-5, 2008!

Sail Training program teaches students the basics of sailing, coastal navigation, seamanship, small boat handling, marine biology, and oceanography. Each student participates as a crew member assisting in raising the sails, manning the helm, standing watch and peforming hourly boat checks. Students learn marine biology and oceanography through hands-on labs and snorkeling excursions. This is a weekend (Saturday/Sunday) excursion and is a fantastic experience that students will remember for a lifetime!

This vessel is a three masted square top-sail schooner, thoroughly modern with the latest in electronic navigation and communications equipment. Comfortable accommodations, restrooms and showers, galley with an excellent chef, and a single bunk for every participant!

To read more about CIMI Tall Ship Expeditions, visit their website:
http://www.guideddiscoveries.org/index.cfm?SID=2&MID=2

Then, come back and reserve your spot!

We are accepting reservations for adventurous youth ages 13-17 who are willing to work and participate in a full day of activities for both days. Please read, read, and READ about the fact that the students participate AS A CREW member and are expected to learn about the ship and navigation. This is not a luxury vacation, but an adventure to remember for a lifetime!

The cost per person is:
$219 for SHEA members
$234 for non members

Tall Ships has been gracious in allowing us extra adults per students in the ratio. Please check in your area to see if there are other children who would be able to go with your group so we can keep the adult spaces to a minimum and get more students on the trip. Precedence will be given to the first adults who sign up and pay their deposit. Adults who come on this trip will be expected to help with chaperoning the entire group (about 4 students per adult). A non-refundable deposit of $50 per person is required to reserve your spot, which will be invoiced to you from our field trip coordinator once we receive your request at fieldtrips@sw-home-edu.com

*If you need to raise money to go on this trip, we do have fundraising opportunities available for SHEA members. Contact us immediately to get started!

Even though we are not an official city (can you imagine the Strip ever
agreeing to this???) it might make a great lesson/activity to do as a
family.

See the difference you can make 8pm March 29

Created to take a stand against the greatest threat our planet has ever
faced, Earth Hour uses the simple action of turning off the lights for one
hour to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on global
warming.

About Earth Hour On March 31 2007, for one hour, Sydney made a powerful
statement about the greatest contributor to global warming - coal-fired
electricity - by turning off its lights. Over 2.2 million Sydney residents
and over 2,100 businesses switched off, leading to a 10.2% energy reduction
across the city. What began as one city taking a stand against global
warming caught the attention of the world.

In 2008, 24 global cities will participate in Earth Hour at 8pm on March 29.
Earth Hour is the highlight of a major campaign to encourage businesses,
communities and individuals to take the simple steps needed to cut their
emissions on an ongoing basis. It is about simple changes that will
collectively make a difference - from businesses turning off their lights
when their offices are empty, to households turning off appliances rather
than leaving them on standby.

http://www.earthhour.org/

~So, any of you up for participating in this?~