Give the Gift of Nature...and Science!
Summer Camp for only $260/week!
Register and pay in full for one or more weeks of This Land is Your Land 2009 Summer Day Camp, and pay the lowest possible rate: $260/week!
Whether
you're a grandparent looking for a special holiday gift or a parent
just wanting to save by reserving your 2009 summer camp weeks early,
this is a fantastic opportunity to lock in the lowest rate.
There
is no limit to the number of weeks you can reserve at this rate, and
you don't need to commit to specific dates now; just select the number
of weeks you want to reserve.
If your reservation is a gift, we'll mail you a Gift Certificate to present to the lucky camper. |
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Kids really got creative in our Saturday Science program on Robots!
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We want to hear from you. If you attended THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND 2008 Summer Day Camp, please click on this link to fill out a brief online survey.
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Shop at Amazon.com and support Sarah's Science scholarship program. All purchases made at Amazon.com through the above link will generate 4%-10% referral fees, which will be used by Sarah's Science to provide scholarships to children who would otherwise be unable to attend our programs. Thank you.
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Greetings!
The school
year is in full swing now and we at Sarah's Science are busy designing themes
and projects for our upcoming programs.
I think a lot about learning and teaching at this time of year. One of our goals at Sarah's Science
is to make science engaging and fun for kids. In addition to that goal, we also want to
excite children about learning in general, to turn them into thinkers and to
keep them curious about the world around them.
Unfortunately,
much of what passes for education in the schools these days is about
transmitting information that will be on tests. Paulo Friere called it the "banking system" of
education, which involves making deposits of information into passive
brains. Real learning is never
passive. Children must be engaged in the act
of learning.
So if our
school systems are focusing on tests instead of real learning, what can we as
parents do to help our children become lifelong learners? Following are a few suggestions for
bolstering your child's interest in science and curiosity about the world.
- Family hikes in natural settings
You always encounter something new and unexpected in
nature. Last Sunday I went for a hike at
Roberts Regional Park
(one of our summer camp sites). I decided
to look at ferns on this trip and was delighted to be able to identify some
species that were new to me. What a
pleasure it was to watch a baby lizard doing push-ups in the sun. A father was taking a hike with his 3 year
old twins and I watched as they joyfully raced around exploring the new sights,
sounds and smells surrounding them. Here
in the East Bay, we are truly fortunate to have a
vast number of natural settings available for family outings. The East Bay Regional Park District offers a
variety of amazing habitats and ecosystems to explore. (See our Cool Links for more information.)
- Trips to Science
Museums and Zoos
There are lots of museums and zoos that are great for kids
and adults alike, including the Exploratorium in San Francisco (see our Cool Link), the Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland, the Oakland Museum, the
Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley, the California Academy of Sciences in San
Francisco, the Oakland Zoo, the San Francisco Zoo and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
- Science Books and DVDs
Check out our archive of past newsletters on our website for several book recommendations.
This month we are featuring two science books by David Macaulay that are
interesting for the whole family, The New Way Things Work and The Way We Work.
- Science Gifts for Holidays and Birthdays
In our November newsletters we always feature great science
gift ideas.
- Science Programs
Enroll your children in high quality science programs
(after-school programs, school break programs, Saturday programs, etc.) Check out the exciting programs we are
offering during Thanksgiving and Winter breaks and the Bug of the Month Club. We also have a special holiday offer if you register for summer camp and pay in full by
December 1, 2008. Each of these programs
is designed to delight your children, inspire their curiosity, and engage them
in learning important science concepts.
I want to remind parents of kids in the Oakland and San Ramon
Unified
School Districts and many of the East Bay independent schools that your
children have the entire week of Thanksgiving off from school and
remind Berkeley parents that their kids have Wednesday the 25th off as
well. We are offering our terrific Thanksgiving Camp: Gadgets & Gizmos in both Oakland and San Ramon
locations, November 24-26. In this great program we will explore the
forces, laws and concepts of physics (electricity, magnetism, gravity,
Newton's Laws of Motion, simple machines, etc.) while creating an array
of cool and crazy contraptions. Daily rates are available.
Unfortunately, we are postponing our San Ramon Science Night:
Stargazing
on October 25th. We apologize to any who were looking forward to this program,
and we will keep you informed of when it will take place. We are
doing a variety of programs in schools in the Tri-Valley area including
after-school science classes and GATE programs. If you are interested
in similar programs at your child's school, please contact us for more
information.
At our most recent Bug of the Month Club™ meeting on October 4th we had
a fantastic in-depth look at the life cycle of the world's only
domesticated moth - the Silkworm. You'll find information about our next Bug of
the Month Club™ meeting on November 15 below. For Bug Club photos
check out our scrapbook.
On Saturday, October 11th, we had great fun with robots. You can see
some of the
kids and the great robots that they built in our picture column to the
left. While we made these fabulous robots we learned about some of
their underlying scientific concepts including light, electricity,
motors, motion and elasticity. The kids were amazing as they
demonstrated their great scientific interest and creativity while
constructing these wonderful robots.
We look forward to seeing you again soon!
Happy Fall,
Sarah |
Upcoming Fall & Winter Programs
Thanksgiving Camp: Gadgets & Gizmos
We'll make
crazy gadgets and gizmos that light up, make strange sounds, fling
objects and do other amazing things (and learn the science behind it all).
*Note:
The Oakland Unified School District and the San Ramon Valley Unified
School District are closed Monday through Friday, November 24 - 28,
2008, and the Berkeley Unified School District is closed Wednesday through Friday, November 26 - 28, 2008.
Lake Merritt United Methodist Church
Dates: Monday - Wednesday, Nov. 24 - 26, 2008
Hours: 8:00 am - 5:30 pm
Cost: $105/day
Dates: Monday - Wednesday, Nov. 24 - 26, 2008
Hours: 8:00 am - 5:30 pm
Cost: $105/day
Winter Camp: Inventors Workshop
This winter at Inventors' Workshop the theme is Games Galore. Each of the fun games we create is designed to teach important science
concepts. Our cool inventions will teach kids the basics of energy,
force and motion; how electricity, magnetism and gravity work; and
about mechanics and simple machines.
Lake Merritt United Methodist Church Berkeley Location: Black Pine Circle School
Dates: Monday - Tuesday: December 22-23 Friday: December 26 Monday - Wednesday: December 29-31 Friday: January 2
Hours: 8:00am - 5:30pm
Cost: $95 per day. ($105/day if registering after December 1st.) Save! Sign up for five or more days and pay $90 per day.
Site to be announced
Dates: Monday - Tuesday: December 22-23
Hours: 8:00am - 5:30pm
Cost: $95 per day. ($105/day if registering after December 1st) | |
Bug of the Month Club�
Calling all Bugsters!
Bug of the Month Club� is a series of monthly classes in which children ages 4-12 explore the bizarre and fascinating world of insects. Each class features a different insect, its habitat and its unique role in our world.
Earthworms
Join us on November 15, 2008 to explore the world of earthworms We will:
- Explore the natural history of earthworms including
how they live, what they eat, and their life cycle.
- Set up and take home a worm composting system,
complete with earthworms and bedding material.
- Learn how to use earthworms to convert your leftover
lunch into nutrient rich soil for your garden
and house plants.
- Learn about the important role that worms play in
our every day lives.
Date: Saturday, November 15, 2008
Hours: 10:00 am - 11:30 am or 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm (same class repeated twice)
Cost: $35
Location: Lake Merritt United Methodist Church 1255 First Avenue, Oakland
To register call the office at 510-581-3739 or send a check to: Sarah's Science 21525 Knoll Way, Castro Valley, Ca 94546
Next Bug of the Month Club� Saturday, November 15
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Cool Links
This really is the ultimate in children's science museums. Founded in 1969 by physicist Frank Oppenheimer, the Exploritorium pioneered hands on science education for children and was one of the inspirations behind Sarah's Science. Open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 A.M. to 5 P.M., first Wednesday of each month free.
The Park District operates 65 parks, covering over 98,000 acres with more than 1,150 miles of trails. These help to ensure preservation of the natural beauty that
makes the Bay Area such a wonderful place to live and provide habitat
for wildlife, including many rare and endangered species. Whether you enjoy fishing, swimming, hiking, bicycling, picnicking,
nature programs, golf, other active pastimes, or just relaxing in
beautiful natural surroundings, there is a park for you.
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Give the Gift of Nature...and Science!
Special Holiday Offer:Summer Camp for only $260/weekRegister and pay in full for one or more weeks of This Land is Your Land 2009 Summer Day Camp, and pay the lowest possible rate: $260/week!Offer Expires December 1, 2008. This offer may not be combined with any other offers. Sibling and multi-week discounts do not apply to $260/week rate. Specific camp weeks must be chosen no later than May 1, 2009 to guarantee placement. No refunds after June 1, 2009.
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