Letterboxing at CELC
Today’s outdoor education class:
CELC students design and carve letterboxing stamps with Lucy Meigs of Everyone Outside.
CT State Archeologist Visit
Dr. Nicholas Bellantoni, State Archeologist, will visit and speak with CELC students on Monday 30 January. He will share about his work in the field, as well as CT history and native peoples. Stay tuned for more news after Monday …!
For Goodness Snakes
I wondered how it would feel to learn about these mysterious creatures. It is amazing how one small, scaly reptile can have so many different colors. I am surprised by how much knowledge I gained about snakes.
- J.S., CELC student
LifeStraw® Water Science
CT Experiential Learning Center (CELC) launched a Water Science Series in conjunction with the Whitney Water Center to benefit LifeStraw®. On 9 January, 2012, Peter Cleary, Communications Director with Vestergaard Frandsen, Incorporated – the company that created LifeStraw® – visited the Whitney Water Center to speak with students and families about its work to save lives. 
Brett Leckey, a 10-year old who initiated his own project devoted to LifeStraw®, also spoke about his fundraising efforts to better peoples’ lives throughout the world. Following the presentation, students attended a water science class entitled The Magic of Microscopy.
CELC students’ impressions about the event:
Millions of children gone everyday due to waterborne sickness. The trees that fell one by one to make a fire for boiling water. There was little hope for Kenya until the Vestergaard Frandsen company made a creation that won many awards, including 2000’s best invention.
This lifesaver is called LifeStraw®. It is a straw about the length of a pencil and the width of your thumb. LifeStraw® filters 99.9% of the read more
2012 National Geography Bee
For the 23rd year, the National Geographic Society sponsored the National Geographic Bee for students in the fourth through eighth grades in thousands of schools across the United States and in the five U.S. territories, as well as in Department of Defense Dependents Schools around the world.
Connecticut Experiential Learning Center (CELC) is host for the National Geography Bee for all Connecticut homeschoolers.
On Monday, 23 January 2012 nine students took their places on the stage of the auditorium of the James Blackstone Memorial Library in Branford, Connecticut. These students have all been working to prepare for the day’s event – The National Geographic Geography Bee!
After the preliminary round containing seven questions to determine which four would be moving on, there was a tie for the third finalist and third-place winner. The tie-breaking round commenced, followed by a final championship round, which ultimately determined our 2012 Bee champion! 
The Splendor of Trap Rock Ridge
Three groups, three jobs, and seven eager willing CELC students. Thumbs slowly become sore as each piece of wood is grasped by hands, and the pile slowly starts to grow. A loud sound races through the air as the wood splitter comes to life, ready to demolish the wood. The sudden crack sends the wood into two smaller pieces. Woodsplitting done, I am off to the chickens.
The noise of the chickens bounce back and forth through my skull.The rising smell sends me into NOT the best state, as I clear away the chicken dung from the ground. The fire wood still needs to be brought to the house by “mule”, so that’s where I’m off to next.
Crooked wood under my feet requires me to hold onto the top of the “mule”, as a quick jolt sends a trail of gas behind read more
I Have a Passion – Photography
For our theme study of Exploration and Discovery, we begin by having students relate to their own passions. The idea being that every explorer/discoverer probably begins with seed of inspiration that grows into a passion, leading to one’s exploration. Following is a student’s description of a passion project:
I shared my passion with CELC in two different ways. One was a short computer presentation, and the other was going on a hike and to the beach to take photographs. Those are two very different ways of teaching people something, and I believe they both work very well.
As we started on our hike, someone pointed out a deer on a nearby marshy island. It was quietly eating grass and weeds, maybe a hundred yards away. That was quite a start to our hike. As we walked along, people took pictures of mountain laurel groves and of new buds on a pine tree. One friend of mine found a beautiful, multicolored fall leaf to take a picture of. As the hike progressed further, I could tell that everybody was really enjoying themselves.
read more
Journey with CELC in Branford
A four-day week, and so much ground covered! As Maria and I left CELC HQ Friday afternoon, we both were in disbelief – it felt like a month of days, with all the new learning and activity.
Our classes are back into swing after the holidays. Science classes sorted their rock samples into categories: sedimentary, metamorphic, igneous, based on their characteristics. The “math-sketteers” jumped right into exploring magnitude of decimals and fractions, working with variables, while algebra students examined absolute value inequalities and equations. The Literature Circle groups got new books – A Call of The Wild, and The Sea-Wolf. Spanish class: conversing, conjugating –er and –ir verbs, and translating a song from Spanish to English. Mystery writing commenced, as students worked toward final drafts; peer conferencing conversations blossomed.
The Tuesday outdoor education class was entitled “For Goodness Snakes”. Ranger Russ at Meigs Point shared with us his vast knowledge as we observed and held many reptile friends; later students drafted blogs about their experiences. Thursday brought us into New Haven. We hiked Edgewood Park with Ranger Joe as he led the group on a tracking expedition. Hard to believe we were still within city limits, surrounded by woods along the Mill River.
In music students improvised on drums, worked on reading music notation, and discussed the next instrument to be built. Why Cook? had the group preparing Shepherd’s Pie. Peace Studies involved a continuation of a study of the Bill of Rights, and a beginning activity to determine what students already know about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. That was just a Friday morning.
To top it all off, Friday afternoon students attended the first in a series of art classes with Ken Rowe of Krowe’s Nest Studio in Durham. A master craftsman, wood turner, and more, he introduced the group to the world of woodworking. So many varieties of wood, some bright yellow, some with a special oil and scent, others with a grain like a zebra – one might not even imagine the assortment.
Safe use of tools was paramount as he toured the group through his shop, which included a lathe, table saw, band saw, drum sander, and much more; this is a professional shop, well organized and very user-friendly. From measuring to cutting with a table saw, courage and determination played a part as students each began to work on building their “swivel boxes”, a project that will last a few weeks, and in the process will include much new learning.
Oh, the places CELC goes … what a journey!
CELC Hosts 2012 National Geography Bee
CT Experiential Learning Center
Hosts 2012 National Geography Bee
for all CT Homeschoolers
CELC 3rd Annual Geography Bee
James Blackstone Memorial Library
Branford, CT
23 January 2012 at 1 p.m.
Free and Open to the Public
For more information or to participate contact us:
mandm@ctexperiential.org
or call 203-433-4658 / 203-215-2317
Attention Young Scientists!
Join in the CELC Science Fair
to be held Thursday, 8 March 2012
The CELC Science Fair is open to students of all ages and will take place
from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. on 8 March 2012.
Cost for entry is a donation in any amount to LifeStraw®.
Come to an initial informational meeting on Tuesday, 10 January at CELC HQ (28 School Street, Branford CT) from 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. Receive materials and guidelines, plus answers to any of your questions before getting started.
Projects submitted to the CELC science fair must be brought to CELC for set-up at 8 a.m. Thursday, 8 March.
There will be additional opportunities for work-sessions/group tutorials will be available for work on aspects of the projects/posters, etc. from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Mondays: 30 January, 13 and 27 February
Contact Melinda to register and for more information:
mandm@ctexperiential.org
or call 203-433-4658 / 203-215-2317
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