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Sarah Says
Connecting
kids to nature...and making science fun!
October 2008

in this issue

Upcoming Programs

Featured Books

The New Way Things Work

The Way We Work

Bug of the Month Club: Earthworms

Cool Links

Special Offer


G
ive 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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Best of the East Bay
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Kids really got creative in our Saturday Science program on Robots!




 
Girl with rolling robot
 
 
Boys with lightheaded robots

 
Girl with light headed robot


Girl building robot


 
   
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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.
 
 2008 Feedback Questionnaire
 
Thank you!  
_____________
 
 
Amazon.com

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.

 
Bug Club
Photos


































Greetings!

Sarah's Picture  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 ParkRoberts 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

JelliesThere 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™Silkworm 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 tRolling Robothe 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


ThanksgivingWinterCamp 
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

San Ramon Location:
San Ramon Community Center, Central Park
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 Marble Mazeteach 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)

 
Featured Books

TheNewWayThingsWork
The New Way Things WorkThe New Way Things Work
By David Macaulay

Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books. (October 26, 1998)
Available from 
Amazon.com

If your children ever ask how something works, this is the book for them.  Macaulay introduces them to machines with easily understood explanations and wonderful drawings featuring a curious but slow-witted woolly mammoth who explores all the world of technology from the lever to the laser and the windmill to the website.  The New Way Things Work is his classic work updated for the information age, with an entirely new section added on the digital world. 

TheWayWeWork
The Way We Work
The Way We Work
By David Macaulay

Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books. (October 3, 2008)

Available from Amazon.com

What MacArthur Fellow Macaulay did for the world of technology in The New Way Things Work, he does again in The Way We Work for the most complicated machine of all: the human body.  Macaulay combines detailed illustrations of anatomy with cartoon diagrams to show how a part looks and how it works in a way that makes understanding easy.  Macaulay keeps everything entertaining by using his sense of humor and whimsy on every page. 



BugClub
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.



Redworm

Earthworms

Join us on November 15, 2008 to explore the world of earthworms We will: Redworm
  • 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.

Worm Family


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



CoolLinksCool Links


Dragonfly 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. 

East Bay Regional parksThe 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.
 SpecialOfferGive the Gift of Nature...and Science!
Dragonfly
Special Holiday Offer:
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!


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.

 
21525 Knoll Way, Castro Valley, CA 94546
Phone: (510) 581-3739      Fax: (510) 581-6144
 
�2008 Sarah's Science. All Rights Reserved.