Junior Ranger Program

Last week, we joined another homeschooling family for a fun-filled family vacation to the Great Smoky Mountains. While there, all four of our girls (ages 5, 6, 7, and 10) became "Junior Rangers" by participating in Junior Ranger Program. The program is designed for children ages 5-12, divided into four age groups: 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, and 11-12, and is available at most national parks and recreation areas. Some states sponsor similar programs at state parks as well.

Participation begins with the purchase of a Junior Ranger Handbook ($2.50 at Great Smoky Mountains National Park). The child must complete several steps, including participation in a ranger-lead program, one bag of litter pickup in the park, and the completion of eight out of twelve age-appropriate activities in their book. Some activities require travel and observation in the park, while others require interviewing a ranger. There are also a few are easier "filler" activities that can be done during downtime with just a pencil. Activities included things like leaf identification, learning about the meaning behind the Park Ranger badge, and going on a nature scavenger hunt.

The girls get a private session with Ranger Mary Jo at Cades
Cove in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Properly completing all the activities takes some time. We spent three half-days in the park in order to complete the whole program, which included visits to three major areas in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Clingmans Dome, Laurel Falls, and Cades Cove). Some activities we were unable to complete as they required visits to alternate areas, but with those three areas we managed to complete the necessary requirements. Completion results in recognition from a park ranger, the swearing of the Junior Ranger oath, and the child is given a certificate and plastic badge.

I'll be honest - with the exception of the enthusiastic youngest, most of the kids were in general, lukewarm about completing the program, but they all definitely learned something, and the program inspired us to have more focus and direction as we toured the park. The kids' participation definitely opened the door to direct personal educational interaction with rangers, and there were moments of enthusiasm for all four of the kids, even if they were a little dismissive about some of the less-exciting paperwork-type activities. I felt the activities were just challenging enough for each age group - requiring some effort from the kids without being dauntingly difficult for a short stay in the park. It would be challenging to legitimately finish the program during a single day in the park (especially if you are facing some inclement weather, as we did), but a 2-3 day visit should be sufficient.

Renewbot - Your Library Hero

If you're like many homeschoolers, you use the public library.

A lot.

Most "normal" people might hear the library check-out limit of twenty or thirty books and think (as I once did) - That's crazy! Why would anyone EVER need to check out so many books?

Well consider children's novels (thirty-minute reads) and early readers for two kids, resource books, research materials, along with anything I want to check out for myself as long as I'm there, and the list adds up quickly.

I am so intimately familiar with multiple branches of the Madison County Public Library, that I've come to think of it as the poor-man's public school. There's a father with two children that I see homeschooling his two children at the downtown main branch so often, I nod at him in recognition. The youth librarian knows who I am, and I've given up on using my childrens' library cards. After a point, the multiple library cards just complicates things.

I can't claim to be the most "on it" person, so on more than one occasion I've handed over hefty fines the library. I've been at peace with it, since I imagine the library needs the financial support, but my husband hasn't been exactly thrilled with handing over a sizable check for books we don't even get to keep.

Enter RenewBot - Your Library Hero! I was alerted to RenewBot by fellow blogger, homeschooler, and forum-buddy Beckie from Spookiez Spot. I've been using it for a while now and let me be the first to say, this tool is amazing. It not only automatically renews my books two days before they are due, but e-mails me if the books are nonrenewable, either because  of a hold or because I've exceeded the allotted number of renewals. Additionally, when I request holds, RenewBot emails me when the holds are processed and awaiting me at the library of my choice.

RenewBot is compatible with many libraries nationwide. I highly recommend it. I only lament that the site probably will cause a large loss of revenue for the public library. I may still have to make a donation at the end of the year, just to balance my karma.

The First Day of School

Today marks the first day of school for Huntsville City Schools, and though as a homeschooling family we have no need to follow a traditional school calendar, it is in many ways a "first" for us, too. The first day of the season with no summer activities, lemonade stands, or knocks on the door.

This summer was my first summer as a homeschooling mom. As a homeschool educator, it doesn't take long to learn why school curricula are so repetitive, or why schools and teachers like to emphasize summer reading lists and mathematics practice. Kids can lose their momentum fast, and it doesn't take long before you find yourself needing to review previously mastered material. As damage control, I decided to continue homeschooling through the summer.

However, I also made it a conscious policy not to let my plans to homeschool through the summer interfere with any summer fun enjoyed by friends and neighbors in public or private school. Aside from all the fabulous summer camp opportunities that I feel are especially beneficial to my home-educated children, I'm fortunate to live in a hopping neighborhood with a high population of schoolchildren.

Needless to say, our "homeschooling" this summer ended up being reduced to 1-2 hours a day, if that. By mid-July, I had pretty much given up, and kept it simple with basic math drills and reading.

The start of the public school calendar for us rang in a new school year as well. Calendars were made, and posted. Folders were organized, and we even purchased a brand-new bookcase designated for our school materials. Even a first-day-of-school-picture was taken.

Happy schooling!