I'm sure by now you have heard the buzz regarding SB 136. If not let me briefly fill you in! Sen. Maloney wants to change IL state laws to require those that enroll their kids in non-public schools (ie. homeschools, private schools, parochial schools) to register with the state. Those that have read the bill and understand what it means are deeply concern and rightly so. This bill goes a vote to the committee on Feb 15th at 10:45 am in room 212 at the State Capitol.
If after reading the bill still not sure exactly what it means you can attended a FREE webinar that HSLDA is hosting tomorrow (Feb 11) at 9 pm. In the webinar you'll learn why this bill would threaten all private school and homeschooling families with unprecedented state regulation.
That's right even those that choose to send their children to private/parochial schools could be also be infected by this bill. You see the way the bill is written currently BOTH parents that homeschool and those that send their kids to private school, (example Catholic School) will have to register every year with the state. Sen. Maloney has already stated that he plans to amend the bill's wording so that it will only apply to homeschoolers. However as it is now that is NOT the case as of today.
Showing posts with label chicago. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chicago. Show all posts
February 10, 2011
June 10, 2010
Museum of Science and Industry
Yesterday we went back to the Museum of Science and Industry. We visited them back in January. Yesterday was another FREE DAY for the Museum of Science and Industry. (Free days are good things).
Yesterday's day was spent mostly at Museum of Science and Industry new exhibit: Science Storms. They had so much to do and see in this 2 story exhibit alone that it took most of our day. We did happen to go through the coal mine again and made it to Fast Forward. However, as I said most of our day was spent in the Science Storm Area.
In the Science Strom exhibit we participated in two free live science experiences/classes. The first was Atom Party. We learned how atoms combine to form new things. With some picture cards of the different elements the teachers made hydrochloric acid. They then asked where could we find hydrochloric acid? There was a school/camp group of about 8 children 7-10 age range in the room with 2 adults, myself, my friend, and our combine 5 children ranging in ages from 13-2. The only one in the room that raised their hand was Superstar. He replied with stomach. (The correct answer).
After this demonstration they took us out to the main exhibit area and showed us this very cool interactive exhibit. You place what look to be hockey pucks on specific elements in the periodic table.
The puck then became that specific element then you could slide it over to the empty area of the table. You could "combine" elements (hockey pucks) on the table and then the table would show you what you made. For example if you place 2 hydrogen atoms together with one oxygen atom. The table would show you that you made H20 and show you a picture of water.
Later in the day, on the way home we, my friend and I, discussed our visit. One of the things that came up was how Superstar knew the answer regarding hydrochloric acid. I shared with her how I was personally SHOCKED that he new the answer and was wondering where did he learned that. With that she laughed and said good, because here I was thinking. Oh great we never covered anything like that and here it is your child knows the answer and my 13 year-old doesn't. It's funny how something as innocent as answering a question can make you question your "schooling".
I didn't have my camera yesterday, but I was able to take a handful of select pictures with my phone. For the second FREE class in the Science Storm Exhibit Area we participated in a demonstration on liquid nitrogen. Superstar was chosen to help in that demonstration.
The museum staff, prior to the demonstration had frozen several balloons in liquid nitrogen. Superstar's task was to remove the balloons from the liquid nitrogen. As you can see he is wearing protective gear on his hands and is using a tongs to remove the balloons from the liquid nitrogen.
When he first removed them they were all flat but as they warmed up they began to expanded. It was pretty cool to watch. In this free lab-live science experience class we also made ice cream to EAT with the liquid nitrogen.
For those of you that wonder if that's safe? Well I can tell you if you have ever eaten dippin dots then you have eaten liquid nitrogen. We also learned that liquid nitrogen itself is cheap to buy and purchase it's the special containers that hold the liquid nitrogen that is expensive.
We also were able to dissect a cows eye yesterday. Again this was one of the FREE classes included in general admission. (A FREE day is general admission).
It was a real cows eye! Superstar had his own eye and Web-princess and I shared an eye. At first Superstar was a little squeamish, but after a few moments that pass. They also showed us a pigs brain that still had the eyes attached via the optic nerve. I was able to get a picture of the kids with this pigs brain.
The Staff member is holding the brain and those ball like things hanging below it are the pigs eyes and the long strings connecting the brain to the eyes are the optic nerves. Again these were taken with my phone so the picture is not the best picture. So that was our day yesterday!
FOR ILLINOIS HOMESCHOOLERS: We also learned yesterday that individual homeschool families from IL with less then 15 students can receive free general admission to the museum Monday through Friday except during holiday periods. You just have to tell the desk your homeschoolers and fill out the paper work. This means that homeschoolers do NOT have to wait for those FREE days! Any day Mon-Friday can be a FREE day for you (if you are an Illinois homeschooler!!) Groups or families with more then 15 children have to call ahead and make reservations. See museums policy for more details.
My friend and I discussed perhaps going at least once a month to the museum and the possibility of building a science curriculum around the museum exhibits. For example spend the month discussing storms, atoms, elements, etc. Then spending the day in the Science Storms Exhibit Area. Even if we don't go as far as building a curriculum around the museum exhibits it still we be cool to go once a month, seeing we can pretty much make up our own free days. We have the feeling the museum would be less crowded if we got in free on a non-schedule-free day, thus we would be able to spend more time doing things like the interactive element table without fear of prohibiting someone else from participating.
Yesterday's day was spent mostly at Museum of Science and Industry new exhibit: Science Storms. They had so much to do and see in this 2 story exhibit alone that it took most of our day. We did happen to go through the coal mine again and made it to Fast Forward. However, as I said most of our day was spent in the Science Storm Area.
In the Science Strom exhibit we participated in two free live science experiences/classes. The first was Atom Party. We learned how atoms combine to form new things. With some picture cards of the different elements the teachers made hydrochloric acid. They then asked where could we find hydrochloric acid? There was a school/camp group of about 8 children 7-10 age range in the room with 2 adults, myself, my friend, and our combine 5 children ranging in ages from 13-2. The only one in the room that raised their hand was Superstar. He replied with stomach. (The correct answer).
After this demonstration they took us out to the main exhibit area and showed us this very cool interactive exhibit. You place what look to be hockey pucks on specific elements in the periodic table.
The puck then became that specific element then you could slide it over to the empty area of the table. You could "combine" elements (hockey pucks) on the table and then the table would show you what you made. For example if you place 2 hydrogen atoms together with one oxygen atom. The table would show you that you made H20 and show you a picture of water.
Later in the day, on the way home we, my friend and I, discussed our visit. One of the things that came up was how Superstar knew the answer regarding hydrochloric acid. I shared with her how I was personally SHOCKED that he new the answer and was wondering where did he learned that. With that she laughed and said good, because here I was thinking. Oh great we never covered anything like that and here it is your child knows the answer and my 13 year-old doesn't. It's funny how something as innocent as answering a question can make you question your "schooling".
I didn't have my camera yesterday, but I was able to take a handful of select pictures with my phone. For the second FREE class in the Science Storm Exhibit Area we participated in a demonstration on liquid nitrogen. Superstar was chosen to help in that demonstration.
The museum staff, prior to the demonstration had frozen several balloons in liquid nitrogen. Superstar's task was to remove the balloons from the liquid nitrogen. As you can see he is wearing protective gear on his hands and is using a tongs to remove the balloons from the liquid nitrogen.
When he first removed them they were all flat but as they warmed up they began to expanded. It was pretty cool to watch. In this free lab-live science experience class we also made ice cream to EAT with the liquid nitrogen.
For those of you that wonder if that's safe? Well I can tell you if you have ever eaten dippin dots then you have eaten liquid nitrogen. We also learned that liquid nitrogen itself is cheap to buy and purchase it's the special containers that hold the liquid nitrogen that is expensive.
We also were able to dissect a cows eye yesterday. Again this was one of the FREE classes included in general admission. (A FREE day is general admission).
It was a real cows eye! Superstar had his own eye and Web-princess and I shared an eye. At first Superstar was a little squeamish, but after a few moments that pass. They also showed us a pigs brain that still had the eyes attached via the optic nerve. I was able to get a picture of the kids with this pigs brain.
The Staff member is holding the brain and those ball like things hanging below it are the pigs eyes and the long strings connecting the brain to the eyes are the optic nerves. Again these were taken with my phone so the picture is not the best picture. So that was our day yesterday!
FOR ILLINOIS HOMESCHOOLERS: We also learned yesterday that individual homeschool families from IL with less then 15 students can receive free general admission to the museum Monday through Friday except during holiday periods. You just have to tell the desk your homeschoolers and fill out the paper work. This means that homeschoolers do NOT have to wait for those FREE days! Any day Mon-Friday can be a FREE day for you (if you are an Illinois homeschooler!!) Groups or families with more then 15 children have to call ahead and make reservations. See museums policy for more details.
My friend and I discussed perhaps going at least once a month to the museum and the possibility of building a science curriculum around the museum exhibits. For example spend the month discussing storms, atoms, elements, etc. Then spending the day in the Science Storms Exhibit Area. Even if we don't go as far as building a curriculum around the museum exhibits it still we be cool to go once a month, seeing we can pretty much make up our own free days. We have the feeling the museum would be less crowded if we got in free on a non-schedule-free day, thus we would be able to spend more time doing things like the interactive element table without fear of prohibiting someone else from participating.
January 22, 2010
A Coal Miner!
When our guide came we climbed the rest of the stairs and waited for the elevator to take us down into the mine. As we got off the elevator we seen coal bins full of coal. The bins were dumping the coal onto a conveyor belt that took the coal up to the surface.
We learned about how they use to use canaries to detect methane. Today they use a davy lamps (which have a flame) or computerized monitors to detect methane. Most of the world still use davy lamps because it's cheaper then the computerized monitors.
Using a device such as a davy lamp increase the chances of a fire starting. If you catch on fire while IN a coal mine you MUST NOT stop, drop, and roll. Doing so will start the whole place on fire, because it's a coal mine. The coal miner explained that if a miner does catch on fire that they have to "take it like a man" and walk up to 2 miles or more to the nearest water pit and jump in!
After the coal miner explained how these things worked he told us to plug our ears! After our ears were plugged the machines were turned on! They were loud!! The coal miner explained that because of the noise levels of these machines many miner end up deaf in a few short years. I believe it after hearing those machines go!
There was a door way that said Miner Only! We wanted to go back in there and see what the miners where up too, because we could hear them talking. However we were not allowed in because we were not miners!
The coal miner explained how this machine works before turning it on. It was NOT as loud as the previous machines, but I don't think it is healthy to be near that much noise all the time. I was amazed to learn that once it got to the end they would just leave it and go get a new machine. New machines are not cheap! They cost MILLIONS of dollars!
Then we were lead out of the coal mine. On the way out we learn that Illinois is a big mining state. Most of the state has coal under it! We learned that Illinois has about 300 years of coal mining left and that sweet-in-low and tooth paste are just some of the by-products of coal!
January 21, 2010
Museum Of Science and Industry
Museum of Science and Industry is a MUST see if you are in the Chicago Area! Not only that but go on a FREE day! (You do have to pay $16 for parking per car. So car pool and reduce the cost).
We had so much fun and didn't even get to see everything. We got there shortly after it open and stayed until close! As a matter of fact they turned the lights off on us! Okay not all the lights, but it was clear it was closing time, TVs shut down, exhibits that made noise stopped, and bathrooms and other areas started to get roped off.
Here of some of the highlights we did:
- Explored a coal mine (very realistic)!
- Extracted DNA from our cheeks and got told how to do it at home! You need water, salt, dawn dish soap and rubbing alcohol. (Learn How: Extracting DNA from our cheeks)
- Saw baby chickens be hatched
- watch an explosion of hydrogen in person. Very similar to this video:
- climbed a rock wall (Superstar did this too!)
- Played video games
- saw a real submarine and got to drive one via simulation.
- explored an airplane
- watched model trains
- played with water
- visited a circus
- visited outer-space
So if you are in Chicago you MUST go to the Museum of Science and Industry especially if it's a FREE day!! FYI: The cow's eye was also apart of the general admission.
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