Summer 2016

Homeschool Planning for the Next School Year

Music in Your Homeschool: An Interview with Gena Mayot

The National Park Service Turns 100

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Also In This Issue:

• Fourth of July Fireworks • Grand Prismatic Spring’s Rainbow Water • Encouraging Creativity ... and much more!

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In This Issue From the Editor North America’s Oldest Music Festival: Ravinia Music in Your Homeschool Getting the Creative Juices Flowing!”

Encouraging Creativity Regional Spotlight: New Haven, Connecticut and Yale University Homeschool Planning for the Next School Year Fireworks and the Fourth of July Fourth of July Fireworks by Region: You Are An Artist: Just Practice What About Art Appreciation?

5 Must Have Roadschool Rules Common Core Issues 1: What is the Common Core?

Getting Out of the Way of Your Dreams The National Park Service Turns 100 Rainbow Colored Water at the Grand Prismatic Spring 26 Fulltime Family Approved Watering Holes for Summer Fun!

From the Editor The Ultimate Roadschool Guide is a comprehensive resource for traveling families who blend their location with the educational opportunities it provides. The first publication of its kind, the magazine provides the information, supplies, and support needed by today’s roadschooler.

Published bi-monthly, subscribers receive an electronic copy of this digest before its released in print or available anywhere else online. The Roadschool 101 Crew is on the road bringing you up-close and personal experiences to keep your roadschool refreshed and recharged.

The fact is that more American families are on the road today than ever, and they are homeschooling their children.

The Ultimate Roadschool Guide will bridge the gap for traveling families who are on a learning road trip.

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North America’s Oldest Music Festival: Ravinia There is nothing I love more than an outdoor summer concert and a picnic. The Ravinia Festival is the ideal, outdoor music venue. It sits on 36 acres in a lightly wooded area approximately 25 miles north of Chicago in Highland Park, Illinois. Dating back to 1904 when the A.C. Frost Company built it as an amusement park to lure passengers to ride on the new rail line, Ravinia still thrives today and has earned the title of “Oldest Music Festival” in all of North America. The Martin Theater is the only building on the property that dates back to these early days. Today Ravinia has several different performance venues, the largest of which is the Pavilion. Open on three sides, the Pavilion has a large stage and covered seating for patrons who pay extra. The majority of concert goers, however, pay a reduced price to sit on the vast lawn. Armed with chairs, tables and blankets over 600,000 visitors attend performances at Ravinia every summer.

Music from the Pavilion is piped out all over the park. Ravinia is a unique location to experience a large variety of music from Yo-Yo Ma to John Legend. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is a constant making the Ravinia Festival their summer home. Ravinia hosts over 140 performances every summer. There are several performances each week throughout the season (often more than one per day!).

Family Friendly Teaching our children about great music is important, but taking them to experience high quality performances is invaluable. Ravinia offers inexpensive kids concerts throughout the summer.

They also set up an “Instrument Petting Zoo” before some concerts where children can try different types of instruments as well as make crafts and hear stories. Ravinia is actually a non-profit organization committed to music education and outreach in addition to showcasing high quality musical performances. Lawn tickets for Chicago Symphony Orchestra concerts, for example, are typically around $15 per adult, but children age 15 and under are free. Older high school and college students can also obtain free tickets to classical concerts with a valid student ID. One thing to remember is that every person needs a ticket (babies included) even

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if their admission is free! There is no limit on how many children can attend per adult ticket. This can be a great cultural experience for large families on a budget.

What can you bring in and how early can you arrive?

Ravinia allows you to bring in your own food and drink (alcoholic beverages are allowed).

They also have a nice food market where you can purchase ready-made food, or make reservations at one of their high-end restaurants if you are looking for a more upscale experience. Bring chairs and small tables and picnic blankets (leave the tents at home), arrive early and claim your space on the lawn. Ravinia allows ticket holders to enter the park several hours before the performance giving ample time to enjoy an evening with friends or family.

Every concert lists a concert start time and an earlier time when the gates open.

Getting there The Chicago Metra-Union Pacific North line has a stop right at the entrance to Ravinia Park during concert season. If you are visiting from Chicago or from the North Shore there is no need to fight traffic. Ravinia also has large parking areas for those who aren’t near the train line. Parking costs vary depending on the concert (parking is free for many kid’s concerts). Traffic can get heavy, so be sure to give yourself ample drive time. If you take the train, check the schedule and make sure “Ravinia Park” is a stop (“Ravinia” is a different stop!).

Information and Resources • For general information visit the main website at http://www.ravinia.org/.

• Ravinia also offers free, online, music education resources. They have a “Classical Music Essentials” course as well as a “Kid Zone” with an Instrument Game, videos and free activity pages. These can be found at http://www.ravinia.org/Page/ EducationPrograms.

• Here is a list of all the Kid’s Lawn Concerts for the 2016 Season: http://www. ravinia.org/page/KidConcerts#kidslawn

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Music in Your Homeschool: An Interview with Gena Mayo of Music in Our Homeschool Tell us about yourself and your family?

I am a mom of eight, four boys and four girls, ranging from ages 15 down to 3. My husband Michael and I have been married for almost 18 years. We met in Texas where I lived most of my life, but now live in Illinois.

How long have you been homeschooling?

We have homeschooled from the beginning.

Right after getting pregnant my husband and I started researching it. I went to my first homeschool convention when my first baby was 17 months old and second baby was 6 weeks old!

What is your background with music?

I have been singing my whole life. Our church had a great children’s choir and we did musicals every year. I started piano lessons at age 7 and voice lessons at 15. At Baylor I majored in music education and then got a masters degree in vocal pedagogy (teaching voice lessons). I taught junior high choir and elementary music in the public schools for 5 years and have been teaching early childhood music and movement classes for 20 years.

Recently I started teaching singing classes and directing musicals.

Have your children adopted your passion for music? How do you encourage them to develop a love for performing arts?

With my husband and I both loving music so much, I’m not sure my kids had a chance not to develop a passion themselves! My oldest son has it the strongest at the present time. He is continually singing and playing guitar, writing and recording songs. We have encouraged our children to have a love for performing arts by starting them out in early childhood music and movement classes (most of them when they were babies through their preschool years) and then starting private violin and piano lessons when they were ready. They are also involved in a Christian musical theater organization where they are gaining performance skills.

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We also participated in a local Christian school’s band program for the kids I had who were interested in band. My older boys also play guitar and drums for their youth groups and for our church’s worship service.

Why is it important for everyone to incorporate music into their home school? What is the benefit of music education even for those who are not musically inclined?

Music provides so many benefits for people-tteaches them to concentrate and work hard, allows them to set goals and grow in a skill, and is an outlet for creativity and even stress-release. I always encourage moms to get some kind of music education for their kids before age 9 since after that it’s more difficult for kids to learn to match pitch and develop a steady beat. But even if they don’t acquire performing skills, all students should study music appreciation and get a simple knowledge of music theory.

How can music help enhance the study of history (or other subjects)?

Music helps students remember facts better if you use it to memorize a subject. It also helps you understand a subject like history better if you are learning about the music of that period.

What are ways that non-musically talented parents can teach their children about music?

There are so many useful curricula, websites, and apps to help non-musical parents teach their children. Or, you can find music teachers to do it for you!

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What are your favorite music resources?

• Online piano lessons: HomeSchoolPiano (https://homeschoolpiano.jazzedge.com/) • Pre-K online lessons: KinderBach (http:// www.kinderbach.com) • Music Appreciation CDs: Maestro Classics (http://www.maestroclassics.com/)

Do you have a website?

My website is Music in Our Homeschool (http://musicinourhomeschool.com) where I seek to help parents with the resources, tips, freebies, and giveaways they need to provide music in their homeschools.

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Tell us about the Music Appreciation Curriculum you have written and how we can find it?

I have written a music appreciation curriculum called “21 Lessons in 20th Century American Music Appreciation”, which can be found at http:// ichoosejoy.org/store. It provides everything you need, including links to the music to listen to and notebooking pages, to teach your students about the fun American music of the 20th Century. The next volume called “25 Lessons in 20th Century European and South American Music Appreciation” will be out this summer. I will be working on the earlier music volumes next year.

Another exciting venture is that I’m working on an Online Music Course using my popular 15-Minute Music Lessons. I hope to have that out soon. Another course to follow will be High School Music Appreciation.

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Getting the Creative Juices Flowing!”

Nancy Fileccia

How many times have you heard your children complain about doing school? Maybe, it is not the subject or even the curriculum that is making them moan, but the lack of excitement in actually “doing” it!

Just like you take small pleasures in a new flavor of coffee or a new scent of a room spray, kids need that too! I think as traveling homeschooling moms, we sometimes become very comfortable in the curriculum that we use. It is familiar, easy, and does not need a lot of extra thinking on our part.

Our days are hectic enough without us adding, or even worse, learning something new! Nevertheless, change is something we all need. Many times the change does not need to be enormous, expensive, require a lot of space, or be over-whelming to add a spark of excitement to your child’s day.

One way to help your child get their creative juices flowing is to substitute a boring workbook for an exciting form of learning called unit studies.

Unit studies have been around for years. They are great because they can include various subjects, and be used with different learning styles and multiple age groups. Instead of your child just “reading” about a topic, you can allow them to experience the different activities studied. Usually, a unit study is based around a particular topic or theme. The point of during unit studies is to allow children to create “rabbit trails” with their learning. As, they come across a topic they are interested in, they can then spend time exploring the many facets and deepen their understanding of the topic. So, for example, if you were studying Ancient Rome you would

study their way of life, education, homes, jobs, and government. If, your child showed a deep interest in their way of education, you could then “rabbit trail,” to exploring their written language, the differences in schooling boys verse girls, visit a museum, make paper, and so on.

So, now you have decided to do a unit study, where do you begin? Here are few ideas to get you moving in the right directions.

1. Select your topic of study.

2. Gather several topics for reading; picture books, encyclopedias, chapter books.

3. The internet is filled with wonderful videos and games to make learning fun.

4. Decide on several field trips.

5. Outline by topic and then break your topic into smaller topics.

6. Decide on how your children will gather and use the information. Some examples are lapbooking (like educational scrapbooking-for lapbook ideas check out A Journey Through Learning Lapbooks at ajourneythroughlearning.com), notebooking pages, or photos 7. Dig in and have fun!

Research had shown that children retain 45% more by DOING than simply reading. So, what are you waiting for? Put the workbooks away and start a unit study today!

Nancy Fileccia has been homeschooling her 3 children for the past 10 years. She has one in college and an 11th and 6th grader at home. She is the owner of A Journey Through Learning Lapbooks with her close friend, Paula Winget. Visit their store at ajourneythroughlearning.com.

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Encouraging Creativity “Whether it’s Minecraft or duct tape wallets, the childhood passions that seem like fads, if not totally unproductive, can alternatively be seen as mediums for experiencing the virtuous cycle of curiosity: discovering, trying, failing and growing.” – Zach Klein, creator of diy.org A recent Roadschool Moms Radio Show addressed creativity in our roadschools (http:// ultimateradioshow.com/encouraging-your-childrenscreativity/ ). The episode shined a spotlight on a resource website diy.org. Kimberly Travaglino of Fulltime Families interviewed three members of a roadschooling family, Dawn Jacobs and two of her daughters, Melody and Kayla. The Jacobs family has two years of experience with diy.org and the lifechanging nature of this collaborative platform. It is a safe place for children and teens looking to improve skills and find inspiration. A basic membership on the site is free, and your child will be able to build a portfolio of work unique to them. Children choose from an extensive (and ever growing) list of skills to try, and after completing three tasks for a particular skill they earn a badge. Completing six tasks earns you a Master designation. Parents have the option to order actual badges for a fee, but digital badges show up when logged in online.

While members are able to make typical crafts and post their work on the site, children can also delve into learning traditional school subjects or an ever evolving list of non-traditional skills like Lego Stop-Motion Videos and Hacking. The possibilities are endless. Members are able to create portfolios and get feedback from other “makers” in a safe place. A lot of parents wonder about the safety of this type of social media for children, and while no website is completely safe, at DIY moderators keep an eye out for inappropriate postings as well as ones that may have shared personal information.

The founder of diy.org, Zach Klein, describes his site as a community of “makers who share their interests and offer feedback.” Why is it important for us to encourage our children to develop the skill of creativity? Anticipating skills that will be necessary in the future, or how to prepare our children for careers that have not yet been imagined seems like a daunting task for parents and educators. Cathy

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N. Davidson author of the book Now You See It says, “65 percent of children entering grade school this year will end up working in careers that haven’t even been invented yet.” One thing is certain. Our children will need to develop the skill of creativity if they are to survive in this rapidly changing world.

Today’s seemingly silly obsession may be a building block to tomorrow’s career.

Zach Klein says it best, “At DIY, we’ve created a way for kids to explore hundreds of skills and to understand the ways in which they can be creative through them. Often, the skills are unconventional, and almost always the results are surprising. I don’t think it’s important that kids use the skills they learn on DIY for the rest of their lives. What’s important is that kids develop the muscle to be fearless learners so that they are never stuck with the skills they have. Only this will prepare them for a world where change is accelerating and depending on a single skill to provide a lifetime career is becoming impossible.” https://www.edsurge.com/news/201505-26-how-minecraft-and-duct-tape-wallets-prepareour-kids-for-jobs-that-don-t-exist-yet As home educating parents we often feel overtaxed and exhausted. Adding crafts and tools for other kinds of creative play to our already small space and limited time may seem overwhelming.

Kimberly Travaglino gives some great tips for encouraging creativity in your home or road school.

1. Set aside some time for unstructured, imaginative play.

2. Set aside some space for creativity, even if it is at a picnic table outside. Give them a place they can make messes.

3. Gather some resources. Craft supplies are great consumable gifts for traveling families. Encourage gift-giving family members to keep your creative toolbox stocked up.

4. There is no right way. Give your kids freedom to fail and teach them to laugh at mistakes.

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5. Stop caring about what your kids achieve during unstructured creative time (don’t boss them around!). The end product is not as important as the process.

Here are diy.org user reviews from a few roadschooling kids: • Kayla , an 18 year old roadschooler, has been using DIY.org for two years now.

She says, “This is the best way to get your kids to experience the world around them…

I’ve been using DIY.org for two years, and it changed my life. I wish I had heard about it sooner!”

• Clare, age 8 – “I like that I get to post singing videos and pictures that I’ve drawn. I like to see what other kids have posted too.”

• Elita, age 13 – “My experience so far with DIY.org is amazing. I have so much fun making challenging and creative videos with my friends. Even though I haven’t been a member that long there are so many skills and things I can choose from and explore and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do. I have done challenges such as the “no mirror makeup challenge”, “Stage makeup”, “Perform five basic ballet positions” and I am working on a bunch more.”

• Elijah, age 14 – “Setting up my account with DIY was pretty easy. DIY is actually pretty cool because I get to share with everyone my creations and it encourages kids to learn and create. So far I’ve created my version of the DIY logo for the DIY Intern Skill. The categories that currently interest me are Graphic Design, Business and maybe some Hacking. There’s also a Gamer skill, and a bunch of other skills that I’m interested in!”

• Campbell, age 11 – “It’s amazing I love it. It’s like Facebook and YouTube and more! I wanna make a whole bunch of Gaming videos and post sketches. It’s just the best. I’m hoping people will see my creativity and I’ll be famous... online. It will be amazing.”

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Regional Spotlight: New Haven, Connecticut and Yale University If your travels take you to the northeast this summer, consider a visit to the city of New Haven, a place replete with cultural experiences and 378 years of history. Yale University has left an indelible mark on Connecticut’s second largest metropolis (Bridgeport is the largest) providing first class museums and spectacular architecture. Sitting on Long Island Sound, the New Haven Colony was established by English Puritans in 1638. The original town was laid out in a grid called the “Nine Square Plan” making it one of the first planned cities in the United States. Yale University can trace its origin to the year 1640, and has been constantly evolving ever since. Today the public can benefit from Yale’s 300 plus years pursuit of knowledge, and accumulation of art and artifacts. History, culture and architecture aside, the number one reason you need to visit “The Elm City” is for the pizza. Seriously. So. Good.

Mead Visitor Center – Yale University 149 Elm Street Free tour http://VisitorCenter.Yale.Edu

One of your first stops in the city should be the Mead Visitor Center. Yale is consistently ranked as one of the most beautiful college campuses in the world. The unassuming, white house across from the New Haven Green is where visitors learn about the history of the university. The Mead Visitor Center offers daily, student-led, free tours. The tour takes you to past Gothic architecture, through impeccably designed grounds and into the 15-story, cathedral-style Sterling Memorial Library. After a tour of the stunning architecture of the Sterling Library you are brought to a courtyard flanked by Woolsey Hall and the Beinecke Library. Woolsey Hall, named for a former university president, was built in 1901 by the same architects who designed the New York Public Library 10 years later. This ornately decorated hall was the first secular

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Homeschool Planning for the Next School Year I’ve recently come across an eBook entitled The S.M.A.R.T. Planner for Homeschool Moms: Effective Planning for Intentional Living. Written by Wanda Gibert, a 25 year veteran home educating mom of six children (and now six grandchildren!), her planner is a treasure trove of information and printables to help weary moms wrap their minds around home school planning for the next school year. Wanda offers great big picture advice, and gives guidance with the daily nuts and bolts. The S.M.A.R.T. acronym in the title is a term borrowed from the corporate world and stands for

S-Specific M-Measureable A-Achievable R-Relevant T-Timely Why do we need a SMART plan? Well, according to Wanda, it keeps us from being swayed by every good idea or new curriculum that comes our way.

She says that “Distraction is death to your vision in slow motion.” Here are a few steps you can take to develop your own distraction-proof plan for the next school year.

Create a family vision or mission statement.

“A family mission statement is a combined, unified expression from all family members of what your family is all about — what it is you really want to do and be — and the principles you choose to govern your family life.” -Stephen Covey Begin formulating your family vision by praying and discussing the direction of your family with your spouse. From there you can begin an honest assessment of the character qualities you want to develop within your family and what you base your

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value system on. Think through the type of marriage and sibling relationships you want to develop, and then honestly assess where you are today. In the book there are reproducible sheets you can use to assess each family member and how they are developing spiritually, emotionally, academically, physically and financially. You can assess the strengths and gifts within your family, and determine ways your family can serve one another as well as others.

Once you’ve assessed all these areas it will be easier to choose three or four priorities for your family and determine the main function of your home. From here creating a family vision or mission statement becomes easier. Have a family meeting and discuss it with your children, and then post it in a visible place.

Below is a possible template for your vision statement: • Our family’s purpose and vision is _______. We firmly believe_______.

• Our decisions are based on _______. We value the _______.

• In our home, we _______. We serve each other and others by _______.

Create S.M.A.R.T. Goals Once your vision has been cast, and you’ve thoroughly examined each person and area of family life, determining goals for the next year becomes clearer. Keep the “S.M.A.R.T.” acronym in mind during your goal setting.

1. Goals should be specific.

2. Goals should be measurable.

3. Goals should be attainable. If you have a big goal you may need to break it down into smaller parts.

4. Goals should be relevant. It needs to be something that matters or solves a problem within your home.

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5. Goals should be timely. Without a time frame tied to it, there is no sense of urgency.

Put it in a place you’ll see it often Once you’ve cast a vision and set some specific goals for the fall, make sure you put these in a place you’ll see them often. The S.M.A.R.T. Planner for Homeschool Moms will walk you through creating a binder for your family. Having everything in one place will help you keep track of progress, as well as create a place to organize your household. The planner also contains help with meal planning and cleaning schedules –the things that make our days run smoothly!

How does this help me plan academics?

Having a vision for your family as well as specific goals gives greater focus to the academic side of planning for the next school year. Suddenly it becomes easier to choose subjects, curricula and experiences based on a child’s strengths and weaknesses. In the planner Wanda provides several academic planning sheets to help you think through each subject area. She also includes an attendance log and a place to keep track of website logins and passwords (and much more!). Having everything in one place is a great way to help you succeed next year!

To find Wanda Gibert online, visit her at her new site www.wandagibert.com. You can find her planner here: http://www.wandagibert.com/store/c1/ Featured_Products.html If you are new to homeschooling and need further encouragement that you CAN do this, check out this Roadschool Mom’s Podcast from Feb 2015 where Rose Godfrey discusses her book Start Homeschooling Today: No Experience Required.

You can get it on Amazon Kindle for only $0.99! http://ultimateradioshow.com/starthomeschooling-today-no-experience-required/ https://www.amazon.com/Start-HomeschoolingToday-Experience-Required-ebook/dp/ B00R9SLGA4?ie=UTF8&keywords=start%20 homeschooling%20today%20Rose%20 Godfrey&qid=1462923891&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

auditorium on campus and houses one of the most well known Symphonic Organs in the world, the Newbury Memorial Organ. Sitting across from Woolsey Hall is the Beinecke Rare Documents and Manuscripts Library (closed for renovations until September 2016). The windowless Beinecke building is made of large, white marble panels surrounded by light-gray granite from Vermont. The marble panels are one and one-quarter inches thick. This thickness allows just enough light through to examine the rare documents without damaging them. Once visitors enter the building they immediately see the glass tower of books rising up through the center of one of the largest buildings in the world dedicated to housing rare books. Although the building is closed until September, several of its more significant items, like the Gutenberg Bible (the first book in the West to be printed using movable type), have been moved to the Yale Art Gallery for viewing.

If you have a child aged 6 to 11 you can request a brochure that encourages your children to seek out various designs and architectural details on the tour. Also, 15 minutes before the start of each tour the guide plays a video about campus life, so be sure to arrive early!

Yale University Art Gallery 1111 Chapel St. Free Admission http://ArtGallery.Yale.Edu

The Yale University Art Gallery is the oldest college art museum in the United States. Housing more than 200,000 objects, it has an impressive collection from ancient to modern. Admission is free, and they have free, self-guided activity kits for children and families. These kits are designed to be used in the gallery space to enhance your visit to the museum. The museum also has strollers available for families to use free of charge (they help to keep little hands off priceless works of art!).

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

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Fireworks and the Fourth of July The Fourth of July is a time of cookouts with friends, parades, concerts and fireworks. Do you ever wonder about the roots of this American celebration? When did our nation first memorialize the signing of the Declaration of Independence and what did those first festivities look like?

The Road Trip Teacher in her July 4th Study Guide gives us a peek into the roots of our modern day extravaganzas. She tells us that even before the Declaration of Independence was signed, John Adams, in a letter to his wife Abigail, envisioned celebrations “with pomp and parade... bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward and forever more.” It was one year later that our nation’s first fireworks display occurred on July 4, 1777 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Thirteen rockets were launched signifying each of the 13 colonies.

That same day the skies were lit above Boston, Massachusetts as well, a full six years before the war was decided. Over the next hundred years an increasing variety of fireworks became available to

the public solidifying their use in our July Fourth festivities as an important symbol of our battle for independence.

National Holidays like the Fourth of July are a great time to tell the stories of our nation’s founding. It is also a great opportunity to take in one of more than 14,000 professional pyrotechnic displays across the country (as estimated by the American Pyrotechnics Association - www. americanpyro.com), or create your own with friends and family.

Check out The Road Trip Teacher’s July 4th Study Guide for more fun facts about the history and traditions of America’s Independence Celebrations. The guide is available with copy work in either cursive or manuscript. Find it and more at http://www.roadtripteacher.com/ Quick Quiz: John Adams was one of only two signers of the Declaration of Independence to later become President of the United States.

Who was the other? (Answer: Thomas Jefferson)

Fourth of July Fireworks by Region:

North East • Boston, MA http://www.july4th.org/ • Philadelphia, PA http://www.

welcomeamerica.com/ • New York, NY http://social.macys.com/ fireworks/ • Washington, DC https://www.nps.gov/ subjects/nationalmall4th/index.htm

South East • Atlanta http://www.centennialpark.com/ index.php/plan-your-visit/event-calendar/ springsummer-events/4th-of-july • Miami http://bayfrontparkmiami.com/ Events/July4th.html • New Orleans http://www. go4thontheriver.com/

Midwest • Chicago https://navypier.com/blog/

fourth-of-july-at-navy-pier/ • St. Louis http://www.fairsaintlouis.org/

Southwest • Addison, TX (DFW area)

https://addisontexas.net/index. php?section=addisonkaboomtown • Houston http://www.houstontx.gov/ july4/ • Denver http://www. civiccenterconservancy.org/eventindependence-eve_75.html • San Francisco http://www.sftourismtips. com/fourth-of-july-fireworks.html • Los Angeles http://losangeles.cbslocal. com/top-lists/best-places-to-see-july-4thfireworks-in-los-angeles/ • San Diego http://www.bigbayboom. com/ • Lake Tahoe, CA http://tahoesouth.com/ events/lights-on-the-lake-fireworks-test/

Northwest • Seattle, WA http://www.seafair.com/p/ about/241

• Portland, OR http://www. waterfrontbluesfest.com/events/fireworks

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You Are An Artist: Just Practice

by Lucia Hames

Pastel chalks are an easy and almost instantly rewarding way to introduce a student to creativity.

Using the chalks are often referred to as “painting” rather than drawing. Chalks are pure paint pigment.

Yes, they are messy and stain your fingers when you use them. We’ve shared often here at Hodgepodge those gentle tips to help parents get over the mess. The simple steps for how to add art to your homeschool day. Also, how to start art with little ones.

“Well, I’m just not artistic,” you say.

Just practice. Yes, you mama. The more often you get out the art supplies, the better you will feel about it. Just practice often. And this, in turn, will give your children the steady gift of practicing being an artist. See, with a bit of concentration, a brave stroke of green in the middle of a white sheet of

12 Fulltime Traveling Moms – The Chicks 20+ Heartwarming, Inspiring Stories Postcards from the Road Order your copy on Amazon.com Visit The Chicks online to peruse their everyday stories of encouragement and motivation Follow their lead to Lighten up & Live!

paper can turn into a spring meadow with rolling hills. Landscapes are the best way to start your pastel art.

“Whether we are poets or parents or teachers or artists or gardeners, we must start where we are and use what we have. In the process of creation and relationship, what seems mundane and trivial may show itself to be holy, precious, part of a pattern.” Luci Shaw

Pick Up the Pastel and Draw I have taken many years of classes in all sorts of art: watercolor, acrylics, pastels and basic drawing.

The most discouraging aspect of my learning experience was being told that I had the wrong brand of paint, the wrong colors of pastels and used the wrong type of paper or canvas.

Art CAN be very expensive, but the focus of my teaching is not brand names for the “utensils” or brushes, paints and chalk! Start off any new type of art slowly and use the “student brand” of the supplies before investing in expensive supplies. Get used to the medium first! Find your joy in creating before focusing on the extras…..pick up that bright green pastel and paint a horizon line for your landscape.

Don’t Get Discouraged By the Work of Others If a child is worried about what someone next to him is painting and how her picture looks more like a spring field of poppies, then he begins to miss pure creativity. Allow your children the freedom of painting by themselves if it is at all possible. Have your children take turns or divide your students up in separate rooms and see how they are forced to rely on their own resources to create.

Most pastel paintings only take about 15 minutes to complete, thus allowing more time to practice again. Start small, with plain copier paper, nothing any bigger. You will find that practicing the same scene will allow you to get better and you will want to add tiny flowers in the field or scrubby trees in the distance. Enjoy!

All of the children and adults at Hodgepodge – tried our very first chalk pastel tutorial (http:// www.hodgepodge.me/2012/03/path-to-the-beach-a-

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pastels-tutorial/) again not too long ago. Some three years after we originally shared this first tutorial, we wanted to see how our skills had developed.

Just to paint is great fun. The colours are lovely to look at and delicious to squeeze out.

Matching them, however crudely, with what you see is fascinating and absolutely absorbing. ~ Winston S. Churchill

~ Lucia Hames, a.k.a. Nana, is author of art curriculum for all ages and over 50+ free art tutorials at Hodgepodge. She also teaches many video art tutorials on the Hodgepodge YouTube channel.

What About Art Appreciation?

By Tricia Hodges

If you are practicing the simple joy of art, then art appreciation will come. Just practice. I found in our homeschool, that once we painted familiar, every day objects, we thought we’d try some projects in the style of some of the great masters. It is a natural progression.

Our favorite resource for art appreciation is Harmony Fine Arts (http://harmonyfinearts.org/).

One afternoon a week, we study an artist. The plans are such that I can open them on my laptop, click a link and we learn about the artist and view artwork online. Just a short amount of time – 15 minutes for young ones. Just practice.

Some of the art lessons we’ve shared in the style of great masters: • Impressionism with Claude Monet - http://www.hodgepodge. me/2013/05/impressionism-with-chalk-pastelart-monets-bridge/

• Icarus by Matisse - http://www. hodgepodge.me/2014/01/icarus-by-henrimatisse-chalk-pastel-art-tutorial/ • London at Twilight by Monet - http:// www.hodgepodge.me/2014/01/icarus-byhenri-matisse-chalk-pastel-art-tutorial/ More resources on art appreciation: Art in the Homeschool (a huge resource list! http://www. thecurriculumchoice.com/2014/02/art-homeschool/) and my review of Harmony Fine Arts Plans. (http:// www.thecurriculumchoice.com/2012/04/harmony-finearts-plans-for-art-and-music-appreciation/) Have you found that just getting out the supplies helps you and your children practice and learn to appreciate art?

Homeschooling for over a dozen years now, Tricia faces a daily dose of chaos with five children from preschool to high school.

She is author of art curriculum for all ages (www.southernhodgepodge.com) and a series of cookbooks at Hodgepodge. She and her husband, Steve are alos co-owners of The Curriculum Choice (www.thecurriculumchoice.com) and Habits for a Happy Home (www.habitsforahappyhome.com).

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5 Must Have Roadschool Rules

Mary Beth Goff

The biggest rule for successful roadschooling is simple: There are no rules. However,while pondering the things I wish I had known when I started roadschooling my kids, these are the five must have rules I wish I had known in the beginning.

Explore. Observe every inch of the the outdoors around you. Climbing mountains and hiking canyons is awesome. But, so is snorkeling just a few feet off the coral reef to see the creatures of the sea and what else lies at the bottom of the ocean. Placing your small child-size hand in the cast of a gorilla’s ginormous handprint is unforgettable.

Discover. Don’t be in such a hurry that you overlook opportunities to discover the little moments that surround your place in the world. Not long ago while taking a break in the campground swimming pool, I noticed my 8-year old sulking (so I thought) at the edge of the pool. She had her head down resting on her folded hands with eyes half closed. I pushed aside my urge to tell her to “straighten up” by simply saying “Watcha doing?”

She sweetly replied, “Watching the ants on the concrete. They have no idea that I am watching their every move. It’s a whole ant world over there.” I am really glad I didn’t miss that.

Encourage. The best motivator in our rig, is a few words of encouragement. It doesn’t have to be a ticker tape parade for the learning sponges in your roadschool to feel like they have accomplished something. It still amazes me how quickly I receive a smile and a look from sparkling eyes when I exclaim “Way to go, Buddy!” or “Wow, I can’t believe you figured that out!” It feels good to on both ends of

the compliment, so don’t ration them out. Motivate those little critters!

Create. As in, let your lively learners produce projects in any form they see fit. Let them interpret the ideas they have in writing. Let them draw it in pictures. Let them play it in video or audio creations they can produce. If writing in the sand, or on a foggy window, or in a muddy patch of ground happens to be the way your student translates what she has learned, celebrate the effort.

Read. Everything. Read out loud to your roadschool classroom. Let them read out loud to you. Direct your readers to quiet spots on breezy days to read independently. Collectively, read together. While traveling, point out anything you can read: signs, brochures, license plates, advertising billboards, and anything that passes you by while learning one mile at a time. There really is no substitution for reading. The skill has to be practiced every day, in every way, to be effective.

Workbooks, textbooks, curricula, journals, binders, and all other forms of resources are great.

They are even necessary sometimes. But do not underestimate the power of your life learner. He or she will explore and discover and observe and learn all sorts of lessons while strengthening their life skills while on the road of the information highway in front of them. For more Roadschool 101 tips and tricks, subscribe to the Road Trip Teacher newsletter at www.roadtripteacher.com/ for free printables and monthly inspiration for your homeschooling adventure on the road.

Mary Beth Goff, the Road Trip Teacher, is a Christian, full-time RVing mom to 4 roadschoolers and the creator of RoadTripTeacher.com, the resource for destination based curriculum and educational resources for traveling, homeschool families. Her Roadschool 101 crew chronicles their travels over at DiaryofaRoadMom.com. She is one-half of the Roadschool Moms duo that hosts a one-hour radio podcast every Sunday night on the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network available on a replay at iTunes.

For the latest Roadschool 101 News - Visit www.RoadschoolGuide.com

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Common Core Issues 1: What is the Common Core?

Home School Legal Defense Association

The Common Core State Standards (“Common Core”) are two sets of K–12 academic standards that outline what students are expected to learn in English language arts and mathematics each year from kindergarten through high school. The goal of this academic checklist is not the acquisition of child-oriented skills such as literacy, proficiency, or increased graduation rates, nor does it embrace the more lofty goal of pursuing truth, knowledge, and wisdom. Rather the Common Core seeks to achieve the utilitarian purpose of making students “college- and career- ready.” “College and career readiness” has never been defined by the authors of the standards, notes Dr. Sandra Stotsky, a member of the Common Core Validation Committee who refused to sign off on the standards.

The motivating force behind the Common Core is not the standards themselves, but the belief that a nationalized, uniform system is the best method of education. The Common Core was written by the National Governors Association (NGA)—an organization of governors, their head staff members, and policy makers—and the Council of Chief State School Officials (CCSSO).

Within two months of their release on June 2, 2010, the Common Core State Standards had been adopted by 28 states that promised to implement the standards by fall 2013 and replace their current state assessments with tests aligned to the Common Core by the 2014–15 school year. The states also agreed to begin collecting student data from preschool through workforce, an element NGA considered essential. By the end of 2010, a total of 41 states and the District of Columbia had agreed to implement the Common Core. Five more states, four territories, and the Department of Defense Education Activity adopted the Common Core in 2011.

Proponents praised this rapid adoption, asserting that Common Core will bolster state standards that plummeted as a result of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). However, some education experts were shocked. “Deciding so

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quickly, to me, is irresponsible,” Rutgers professor Joseph Rosenstein commented. “It was like it was a done deal, a foregone conclusion.”

There is no academic evidence that would suggest the superiority of the Common Core to current state standards; thus, academic research did not drive its adoption. Moreover, independent evaluations of the standards have strongly questioned the academic stature of the package of goals. Rather, enticed by the millions of federal dollars promised to states that would quickly adopt all of its provisions, cash-strapped states rashly committed to the Common Core.

Though the federal government is prohibited by law from mandating the content of curriculum or assessments, the Department of Education successfully used dollars taken from American taxpayers to drive the implementation of common standards and assessments across the United States.

The Common Core should be understood as the culmination of a movement that has simmered in America for the past decade to adopt consistent national academic standards and assessments and build bigger student databases. Two trails can be traced to the origin of the Common Core: the trail left by private organizations and the trail left by the federal government.

Long known for an aggressive education reform agenda focused on collection of detailed student data, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation poured millions of dollars into the creation of the Common Core, beginning in 2007 when the foundation gave $27 million to NGA, CCSSO, and Achieve to help develop and advance common state standards and student data systems.9 (Achieve is an organization founded in 1996 by a group of governors and corporate leaders to work for standards-based education reform across the states.) The result of this funding was a study called Benchmarking for Success. The Gates Foundation continued its involvement in education policy by giving over $12 million to CCSSO in 2009 and $2.1 million to NGA from 2009 to 2011. NGA and CCSSO partnered in

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Yale Center for British Art 1080 Chapel Street Free Admission http://BritishArt.Yale.Edu

The Yale Center for British Art houses the largest collection of British art outside of the United Kingdom. The collection showcases masterpieces by British artists as well as European and American artists living in Britain from the Elizabethan Period onward. The building itself is a work of art. It was the last building designed by American architect, Louis I. Kahn, and stands across the street from his first major project, the Yale University Art Gallery.

Peabody Museum of Natural History 170 Whitney Avenue Admission is $13 for Adults and $6 for Children ages 3 to 18 Under 3 is free http://Peabody.Yale.Edu

The Peabody Museum Collection consists of a variety of geological, biological and anthropological artifacts and specimens that record a history of our earth. The museum’s Discovery Room located on the second floor of the Peabody is a favorite with children. It is filled with touchable items and specimens.

This room has a “Please Touch!” rule. For more information, including information on ways to visit the Peabody for free, visit their website above.

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana 157 Wooster Street PepesPizzeria.Com

You can’t go to New Haven without trying the pizza. New Haven-style pizza in Wooster Square is an historic event. Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, locally known as Pepe’s, is still in its original location on Wooster Street in New Haven. Open since 1925, Pepe’s cooks its pizza in the original coal-fired, brick oven. Don’t be scared if there is a line down the block – it moves quickly!

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June 2009 to begin writing the Common Core, and Achieve evaluated and promoted the standards.

These organizations also spurred the involvement of the federal government in pushing Common Core. In December 2008, as Barack Obama was preparing to take office as president, he received a copy of Benchmarking for Success, which emphasizes the federal government’s role in helping promote “a common core of internationally benchmarked standards in math and language arts for grade K–12” and in streamlining state assessments. In March 2009, President Obama’s secretary of education, Arne Duncan, expressed the administration’s commitment to helping “states develop and implement rigorous, collegeready academic achievement standards along with improved assessments.” And the Obama administration would make good on this promise by funding and overseeing the development of the assessment tests that states have promised to implement by 2014–15.

Today, 45 states are committed to the Common Core: two sets of mediocre academic standards intended to stretch across the nation; two standardized assessments funded and reviewed by the federal government; and detailed data systems that will trace students from preschool to the workforce.

From the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), a nonprofit advocacy organization established to defend and advance the constitutional right of parents to direct the education of their children and to protect family freedoms. Through annual memberships, HSLDA is tens of thousands of families united in service together, providing a strong voice when and where needed. Visit www.HSLDA.org

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Getting Out of the Way of Your Dreams Kimberly Travaglino

Dreams. We all have them. Some grand, some minute. Like the dream to raise our children into healthy, well adjusted adults. Or the dream to be able to finally start that craft thats been taking up room in our closet.

What is the secret formula between dreamers and those who achieve their dreams?

If I told you what it is, would you take it to heart and let it change your life?

The secret to realizing your dreams is not really a secret at all.

The only thing that can make a dream a reality is making it a priority.

But wait Kimberly, if my dream is quitting my job to become a best selling author, there’s more to it then just making it a priority!

Really, tell me what else there is. Stop reading and make a list of all the steps one must take to make this dream a reality.

Maybe your list would look something like this: • Hone my writing skills • Pick a topic for my first novel • Find a graphic artist to create cover art • Write my letter of resignation

• Quit my job and become a best selling author Doesn’t look too complicated to me.

By focusing your efforts and energy into this goal, you bring it within reach.

Here’s an example of what I mean..

Say you want to quit your job to work for yourself. Start by socking away every cent that you can. Do you really want that latte or do you want to work for yourself in a year? If the answer is the later, you’re well on your way to making your dream a reality.

If the latte wins out, then its time to take a long hard look at your dreams and consider if its something you truly desire or something you think you should achieve based on others influence in your life because I promise you, if you always choose the latte- then your priority it overpriced coffee as opposed to self employment.

I know it sounds simple but keeping your dream your top priority is the one true way to create your new reality.

It’s little steps, little choices, with your goal ever present in your mind that will add up over time.

And after you have achieved that dream, you will have the tools to do it all over again.

Kimberly Travaglino is the best selling author of “How to Hit the Road; Making Your Family’s Full Time RV Dreams a Reality” and the publisher of “Postcards from Chicks Without Bricks”.

She will be hosting a high energy seminar at the World’s Best Roadschool Convention in Tucson this spring, teaching attendees how to get out of their own way and achieve the life of their dreams. For more information, go to FulltimeFamilies.com

“Your future is created by what you do TODAY, not tomorrow.”

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The National Park Service Turns 100 It was a gray, chilly December day in Kentucky.

The Mammoth Cave National Park did not seem very busy, but we purchased our two-hour history tour tickets the moment we arrived at the Visitor’s Center. We had some time before our tour began, so we wandered slowly through the small museum, and made sure to purchase our National Park Passport book from the gift shop. Each park has a unique stamp, and a Passport book is a great way to keep all these mementos in one place. This was the first National Park we visited since heading out on the road as a family just two days earlier at the end of 2014.

We learned, soon after purchasing our tour tickets that our tour slot was already sold out. I didn’t see many people around, so this surprised me. I was glad we arrived in the slow season. Tours are often sold out well in advance in the busy season.

When you sign up for the two hour tour, the ranger’s warn you several times over that if anyone needs to cut the tour short, then everyone will need to leave together. I was a little nervous taking my two and four year olds, but after a quick pit stop we met up with our Tour Guide outside the Visitor’s Center. Soon we were heading down a gently sloping path towards the main cave entrance.

At the bottom of the hill a long flight of stairs brought us down into the cave opening. The opening is large, but it wasn’t until we reached the end of that first corridor that the name “Mammoth” seemed utterly appropriate. The room we entered, known as the Rotunda, was the largest cavern I had ever seen. It sits 140 feet below the surface. From here the tour headed deeper into the cave system, wandering through spaces large and small. There were narrow corridors called Fat Man’s Misery and huge rock formations like the Giant’s Coffin. We passed the Bottomless Pit, and by the time you reach the Great Relief Hall you are 280 feet below the surface (there are restrooms here!). We saw stalactites and stalagmites. We learned about the historic uses of these caves and how they are still used today. At one point in the tour the ranger turns off all lights (hint: they do this near the “Giant’s Coffin”) so you can envision what it must have felt like to be an early explorer. My children were ready for this with their glow-in-the-dark sweatshirts. We totally ruined the moment, but I survived without

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any crying, fearful children! The tour only showcased a small percentage of the 365 plus miles of caves that have been surveyed so far in this area.

Visiting here was awe-inspiring and over the course of the next year and a half we visited more than 40 National Parks, Historic Sites and Monuments. We even visited one International Park!

We have explored caves and gone sand sledding in the desert. We’ve hiked the seaside mountain at Acadia National Park in Maine and searched for crocodiles and manatees at Biscayne National Park in Florida. We’ve whale watched and explored tide pools at the Cabrillo National Monument in California, and felt incredibly small standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Whether you are happy hiking two miles above sea level in the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, or exploring deep below the surface of the earth in one of our many federally protected cave systems, I think you will agree that the National Park Service protects some of our nation’s most valuable natural features. Today with close to 400 sites my family has only explored a tenth of what the National Parks have to offer.

Although Yellowstone National Park is distinguished as America’s first National Park since 1872, it wasn’t until more than 40 years later that the National Park Service was founded by The Organic Act of 1916. The NPS was charged with the protection and maintenance of all our natural treasures. On August 25, 2016 the National Park Service turns 100. Many parks throughout the country will host special events throughout the summer season. There is even a special Centennial Junior Ranger booklet and Centennial coins and stamps that will be available to commemorate this milestone. Please visit the National Park Service website for more information and to find your park! https://www.nps.gov/subjects/centennial/index.htm If you would like more resources to enhance your visits to National Parks visit Roadtripteacher. com to find various Destination Study Guides. You will also find an ABC’s of National Parks copy work book in both print and cursive.

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Rainbow Colored Water at the Grand Prismatic Spring

Carrie Moon

Yellowstone National Park was declared the first National Park back in 1872. The main reason explorers were eager to protect it from development was because of its more than 12,000 hydrothermal features. Among these hydrothermal features (hydrothermal means water and heat) the most abundant type of feature is the hot spring.

The largest of all the hot springs at Yellowstone is the Grand Prismatic Spring, named for its beautiful coloration and size, measuring 370 feet across and 121 feet deep. It is actually the largest hot spring in the country and the third largest in the world. The Grand Prismatic Spring is located in the Midway Geyser Basin area of Yellowstone approximately six miles north of the famed Old Faithful geyser. The Midway Geyser Basin was once nicknamed “Hell’s

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Half Acre” by Rudyard Kipling after a visit to the park in 1889. The nickname still stands. You can hike a path along the side of the spring, but if you have the opportunity, find a high elevation viewing location so you can take in the spectacular view.

What makes a Hot Spring?

As water falls through cracks in the bedrock it eventually becomes super heated by the partially molten magma body of the volcano just beneath the surface. This super heated water is less dense than the cooler water at the surface. The hot water rises and the cooler water falls back down into the earth creating a continuous convection current.

Unlike geysers, the water in hot springs has an unobstructed path back to the surface.

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What creates the rings of brilliant colors at the Grand Prismatic Spring?

The center of the spring is a deep blue color and has temperatures close to boiling at 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Not many organisms can survive near the boiling point, which is why the spring center is so clear. As you move away from the center of the spring the water temperature gradually decreases. The rings surrounding the vibrant blue center transition from the least color near the center to the most color on the outer edges. These colors are actually trillions of microorganisms grouped together called thermophiles. Thermophiles consist of algae, protozoa, fungi, bacteria, viruses and archaea (ar-key-ah). These amazing microorganisms are all different colors, and each color of thermophile can only survive in a particular temperature range. They cannot survive in much cooler or hotter conditions, so as the temperature of the spring increases leading towards the boiling blue center, the colors of the thermophiles also change. In fact the season of the year also impacts the color of the spring. More red tones will be visible in the summer months, while green hues will dominate in the winter.

to cure disease, solve crimes and explore the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

Young Scientist Program In addition to the Junior Ranger Program, Yellowstone NP also offers a Young Scientist Program for visitors age 5 and up. For a $5 fee you can purchase an age appropriate, self-guiding booklet that coaches your young scientist in how to solve science mysteries utilizing resources in the Visitor Centers and out in the field. Scientists who complete their investigation are awarded either a patch or key chain. *Did you know? Microbes in our world’s oceans create half of the oxygen on Earth. *Did you know? Half of all the geysers in the world are located in Yellowstone National Park. https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/ hydrothermalsystems.htm https://www.nps.gov/features/yell/ofvec/exhibits/ ecology/microbes/index.htm

Discoveries in hot springs challenged preconceived notions about the limits of life Thermophiles can survive in the extremely high temperatures of the hot springs, and some of these are also called extremophiles because they can survive in extreme environments where human life could not exist. Extremophiles live in temperatures close to boiling, or in conditions as alkaline as baking soda, or in water so acidic it could burn holes in fabric. They not only survive in these conditions, but require them. It was always believed that boiling water killed all microorganisms until several microorganisms were discovered in Yellowstone’s hot springs that challenged preconceived notions.

This stretched scientific beliefs about the limits of life and led to a search for life in other extreme conditions.

Microorganisms often get a bad rap, but very few create problems for humans. Certain microorganisms like Cyanobacteria actually make the oxygen-rich atmosphere of our planet possible.

Microbes are also necessary for decomposition which returns nutrients to the earth. Every year more than 200 research projects take place at Yellowstone. Scientists are using the microorganisms from the hydrothermal features of Yellowstone

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26 Fulltime Family Approved Watering Holes for Summer Fun! Fulltime traveling families weigh in on their favorite wet and wild destinations for family fun. Learn more about the FTF organization by visiting FulltimeFamilies.com. We hope you find some new places to splash in the water and enjoy the summer sun. Also, why not try some of these hand-on science experiments with water? Fun and educational! http://a2zhomeschooling.com/explore/earth_science_kids/biomes/river_pond_lake_water_experiments_kids/ http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/water.html

North East: Hammonasset Beach State Park 1288 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT 06443 (203) 245-2785.

http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view. asp?a=2716&q=325210&deepNav_GID=1650%20 “Home of Connecticut’s largest public beach and a 550 site campground. The campground has massive, grassy sites backing up to marsh land. The beach is within walking distance of the campsites.

Only partial hookups (no sewer). Meigs Nature Center is also here and is open year round.” – Carrie M.

Cape Cod - Sandy Neck Beach Park 425 Sandy Neck Road W. Barnstable, MA 02668 Gatehouse (508) 362-8300 http://www.town.barnstable.ma.us/SandyNeckPark/ publicbeach/publichome.aspx Hammonasset Beach State Park

“Cape Cod has beaches for miles and natural sand dunes. This was a place I spent many summer vacations as a child. This particular beach allows Off Road Vehicles with a permit. There are so many beaches to choose from on the Cape. This one is close to the start of the Cape and not far from historic sites like Plymouth Plantation and Plymouth Rock.” – Carrie M. Walden Pond 915 Walden St. Concord, MA 01742 (978) 369-3254 http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/ region-north/walden-pond-state-reservation.html “Experience the place made famous by Henry David Thoreau who lived here from July 1845 to September 1847. Visit Thoreau’s Cabin, swim, fish or hike. There is a Visitor’s Center for getting information about the park.” – Carrie M.

South East: Sliding Rock Pisgah National Forest Brevard/Asheville, NC

http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nfsnc/recreation/ hiking/recarea/?recid=48156&actid=82 “A natural waterslide made from smooth rocks.” – Tara G.

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Tannehill Historical State Park 12632 Confederate Parkway McCalla, AL 35111 (205) 477-5711 http://www.tannehill.org/ “It has a museum, fishing… swimming. If you are homeschooling use it as a field trip!” - Heather T.

Greenbrier Great Smokey Mountains Gatlinburg, TN https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/ offbeatenpath.htm A great, off the beaten path place for “wading, tubing, and fly fishing.” – Angela I.

Madison Blue State Park 8300 NE State Road 6 Lee, FL 32059 (850) 971-5003 https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Madison-BlueSpring A crystal clear, first magnitude spring that is a great spot for swimming. – Tara G.

Tims Ford State Park 570 Tims Ford Drive Winchester, TN 37398 (931) 962-1183 http://tnstateparks.com/parks/about/tims-ford Tims Ford Lake “Best vacation of my life!” – Kim N.

Deep Creek Tube Center & Campground 1090 West Deep Creek Rd. Bryson City, NC 28713 (828) 488-6055 https://www.deepcreekcamping.com/ In the Smokey Mountains National Park.

“Tubing down an amazing creek!” – Jaime D. Wekiva Falls 30700 Wekiva River Road Sorrento, FL 32776 (352) 383-8055 http://www.wekivafalls.com/ This is an RV park with a day use water park area. A “spring-fed swimming hole with slides, wading creeks, and canoeing.” – Angela I. Juniper Springs 26701 E Highway 40 Silver Springs, FL 34488 http://www.juniper-springs.com/ A “spring-fed swimming hole, an old mill house, and hiking trails.” – Angela I.

Midwest: Saugatuck Oval Beach Lake Michigan, at the end of Perryman Street Saugatuck, MI 49453 (269) 857-1701

http://www.saugatuck.com/businessdirectory/Tours/ ovalbeach.htm “Oval Beach in Saugatuck is my absolute favorite… Also, if you like hiking, Saugatuck Dunes State Park has excellent hiking and the trails lead out to a gorgeous beach.” – Bekah D.

Wisconsin Dells, The Waterpark Capital of the World http://www.wisdells.com/ “Wisconsin Dells is an absolute must for water parks… All of Wisconsin Dells is very family friendly.

We go to the Dells multiple times a year.” – Will K.

Juniper Springs

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Ottawa Beach in Holland 2215 Ottawa Beach Road Holland, MI 49424 (616) 399-9390 http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/details. aspx?id=458&type=SPRK “Holland, Michigan, right on the coast of Lake Michigan. We are there every summer for a few weeks at least.” – Bekah D. Crown Fountain at Millenium Park 201 E. Randolph St., between Michigan Ave and Columbus Ave Chicago, IL 60602 http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/ en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_s_ publicartcrownfountaininmillenniumpark.html “This has been a favorite for years. If you find yourself in Chicago this summer, bring swimsuits and towels for your kids. The Crown Fountain is the “Face” Fountain right near Michigan Avenue. You and your kids can splash in this massive, zero depth reflecting pool, or stand under the water that squirts out of the fountain’s faces. It’s a great place to cool down on a hot day. My kids LOVE it.” – Carrie M.

Southwest: Slide Rock 6871 N. Highway 89A Sedona, AZ 86336 (928) 282-3034 http://azstateparks.com/Parks/SLRO/ “All natural waterslides from rock formations.” – Christopher Travaglino of Fulltime Families Rio Vista Park 555 Cheatham Street San Marcos, TX 78666 http://www.toursanmarcos.com/attractions/outdoors/ rio-vista-falls-dam.html Kimberly Travaglino of Fulltime Families still counts this as a family favorite. Located on the San Marcos River, this swimming, tubing, boating area is a blast. Check out her video review here - https://m. youtube.com/watch?v=bDciQEUXzRo

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Balmorhea 4 miles southwest of Balmorhea on State Highway 17, in Toyahvale (432) 375-2370 http://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/balmorhea Jacobs Well 1699 Mount Sharp Road Wimberley, Texas 78676 (512) 214-4593 http://www.co.hays.tx.us/jwna.aspx Blanco 101 Park Road 23 Blanco, TX 78606 (830) 833-4333 http://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/blanco “I’ve done Balmorhea and Jacobs Well and Blanco… Balmorhea you have to hit on the off days or off season, mid week or stay away during the major holidays, since it’s the only swimming hole in west Texas the park closes once it reaches maximum occupancy and that’s usually around 10 in the morning… I think I liked Jacobs well best as a non parent but Blanco now that I have littles. I still prefer tubing the rivers but my kids are still too small for that.” – Nancy A. Lake Havasu Various locations http://www.golakehavasu.com/activities/beaches.aspx “I think everyone going thru cali/AZ has to stop and try Havasu.” – Nancy A. Zephyr Cove Resort and Marina at Lake Tahoe 760 U.S. Hwy 50 Zephyr Cove, NV 89448 (775) 589-4906 http://www.zephyrcove.com/ Lake Tahoe http://www.visitinglaketahoe.com/ Lake Tahoe is recommended by Mandy N. She also recommends camping at Zephyr Cove with its RV Park and beach.

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Carmel Beach

Carmel Beach Ocean Ave Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA http://www.carmelcalifornia.com/ “Perfect white sand, beautiful views, surf-able waves, good climate.” – Christian N. Jalama Beach Park 9999 Jalama Road Lompoc, CA 93436 (805) 736-3504 Gate (Not for Reservations) (805) 568-2460 Camping Reservations https://www.countyofsb.org/parks/jalama.sbc North of Santa Barbara near the town of Lompoc this county beach sits 14.5 miles west of Highway 1. “We spent three days camping here without hookups, although it is a day use park as well. Campsites are right next to the beach. There is no cell signal of any kind. There aren’t any cities nearby. The park has a small store and restaurant.

This was a great place to unplug for a while. My kids loved running around on the beach at night and inspecting the whale bones and dead octopus they found.” – Carrie M.

McKay Campground and Day Use Parking DeShutes National Forest, OR http://www.fs.usda.gov/ Read this post for instructions on getting to the Paulina Creek Natural Slides http://www.bendbulletin.com/outdoors/ outings/1343723-151/newberry-craterstaycation?referrer=popular The McKay Campground is the closest parking area to the natural water slides. Paulina Plunge is the name of a bike tour company that will take you to the natural slides and more. “Paulina Plunge natural waterslides in Bend, Oregon! Kind of tricky to find on your own (Google to find blog posts with directions from McKay Crossing Campground), but it’s a gentle mile-ish hike. We love it!” – Tiffany F. Denny Creek Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Snoqualmie Ranger District http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/denny-creek “Denny Creek in the North Bend, WA area also has a great natural waterslide!” – Tiffany F.

North West: Paulina Creek Natural Water Slides

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