We are back from Joshua Tree in time to Celebrate our Planet and her Amazing Diversity of Life: Plant, Animal and Geological. I will be hosting an Earthday Show & Tell. Kids can bring or share special 
memories of their planet, or how they have made it better. Here are a few ways my family and our involved friends have made a difference by protecting as well as enjoying Earth. 
One way we can is by planting seeds, growing our own food, and experiencing the cycle of plantlife. 
The craft for Earthday is PLANTING.
We will need: Seeds and Seedlings you wish to share. And a stack of Newspapers so I can show everyone how to make biodegradable potters to bring your plants home and put in your indoor or outdoor gardens. If anyone has Milkweed plants which is the only food for Monarchs, bring those to share too.
My family has taken many conservation “walk-abouts” with Tracker Rob. 
In conjunction with the Tree people, we have taken out invasive plants and planted indigenous species. As members of the Topanga Wildlife Youth Group, my children participated in a sacred red-tailed hawk release as well as helped biologists record, research and remove invasive crayfish from the Topangacreek. For several years, I volunteered by going out around midnight to count the elusive grunion fish that come ashore to mate during sprint and summertime full moons. 
Find out a way that you can get involved to help protect your environments and the your personal web-of-life. Your family will have a sense of pride and an added connection to the world outdoors. This is one of the best ways to prevent cynicism and complacency from taking hold of a human being.
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“Calling all Inventors! Calling all Inventors!” Is there an inventor in your family, a designer or innovative builder? Well this week we will learn about patents to protect your design and brainstorm for the 2015 SPARK Lab Invent It Challenge.
But don’t forget from 11:30am-12:30 is our monthly Potluck. Go ahead and be inventive with your family’s dish too! To keep our carbon footprint low, bring your own dishes, utensils and more.
Now, given that a few inventors of the kids’ boardgames last week had filed for patents, this week we will be learning about Patents. How you can apply, why you should as well as the “poor man’s patent.” Click on the image below for the Kids Section of the US Patent Office website.
Bring anything you own that had a patent. And if you can, go to this link for the US Patent office online and see if you can find the patent number, the date it was assigned and/or print out a photo of the design.
]]>You can make your own Rocket Launcher from a Soda [...]]]>
A few weeks back, we took on manned flight within our atmosphere, this week we take flight into OUTER SPACE. We will learn about Rockets, attaining velocity speed, rocket fuel and characteristics of outerspace. Phew, that’s alot to cover. So let’s get to the FUN!
You can make your own Rocket Launcher from a Soda bottle, pvc pipe, an inner tube and duct tape. See image to your left … or spend $12 for a Stomp Rocket at Toys R Us? You know what kind we made at our house!
Bring your Rocket Launcher and let everyone try their hand at making the most efficient and far reaching rockets. We will measure how far each person’s flies.
Other rocket launchers we might try at park to illustrate rocket fuel and physics.. Volcano Rocket! I call it a volcano rocket, because it uses the same ingredients: vinegar and baking soda as kid volcano models.
NASA is a great resource for inspiration as well as lessons. Click for NASA’s 25 activity brochure or the Image above.
Look left for another way to understand how rocket fuel needs to release later than launch time is to us a film canister (not so easy to find in the digital film era) and some antacid tablets.
And if you didn’t get enough flight simulation for Helicopters from our last Flight Learnings, here is a great Howtoons on making a copter… 
There are unlimited ways to build a basket. And you can use vines, rope, yarn, sticks, magazines, newspapers, and so much more. This Past weekend at Sequoia National park, I brought basket weaving supplies and taught the kids one way to make baskets and parents another. This week those who made one or who haven’t finished, should bring their baskets and I’ll teach everyone how to make other kinds of baskets. 
I will bring some natural materials, but you can bring NEWSPAPERS and magazines to learn how to plait like Native Americans: Miwoks, Yukots, Wuksachi and more. I learned one technique at the Buckeye Gathering from the chairman of the California Indian Basketweavers Association, Lucy Parker who is Sierra Miwok/Kahaya Pomo/Coast Miwok. Lucy and her mother Julia Parker are stewards for western native culture and wonderful ambassadors for cross-cultural awareness.
Bring Newspapers
A great link that makes 
baskets with vines from blackberry brambles, very close to what we will be doing with newspapers. Here are some shots of basket making from our Trip.
skewers, beads, tools and adhesives. Everything except the container – a small shoebox. Bring extra boxes if ya have ‘em to spare. A priority mail small flat rate box will work perfectly well.
Just bring a small shoe box (and any extras if you have ‘em) Parkday opens at NOON. Project starts at 1:30pm.
Once we make our Abacus-in-a-Box, I will share with everyone how to use them. Some will catch on quick, some will take a bit longer, but we will all get there. And for those who enjoy it, they can help inspire others. Come join the Math Party.
Due to the Fall weather’s return – Parkday opens at HIGH NOON. And this project will start at 1:30 Sharp. And as a bonus, I will hopefully get a MATH MAGICIAN to come along and show off a bit!
October dues are $5 per family. This helps cover the costs of the supplies.
Bonus: Tutorials on how to use the Abacus
Difference between Chinese Abacus & Japanese (Soroban)
Tricks/Formulas on How to add with Soroban (from a girl)
Tutorial on Multiplying with Soroban (drastic confusion unless you understand how to add with it first).
Bonus Math* Using visual lines to solve Multiplication. Next way to visualize math to be going on in my home.
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Due to the heat, we are meeting at Calabasas Tennis & Swim Club 23400 Park Sorrento Calabasas, CA 91302 @ 11:30 am. Bring your lunch for a group “Lighthouse Learning & Crafts” picnic in the playground next to the pool. Crafts and lesson will start @ Noon and we will swim right after. Parking is Free and admission is nominal: kids – $1 and adults – $3.We will learn about the evolution of the mechanics of the modern Lighthouse, fascinating stories of LightHouse keepers, and bring THREE items for the craft, Make your own Lighthouse: please BRING a Cereal box and scissors (tape, art supplies & battery lights are being provided). Littler kids can make a simpler Lighthouse with just cups and tape. 
Join us Sept 14th @ 10 am for a tour of Point Vincente Lighthouse in Palos Verdes followed by a group picnic at the end of Bluff Top Trail near the Hidden Terranea Beach Cave .
Lighthouse keepers were a strange breed who preferred isolation to town and the demanding tasks required in all types of weather. I will share the some fabulous Lighthouse stories, including that of Emily Fish, “Socialite Keeper,” who commanded a post at the Pinos Lighthouse in Pacific Grove, CA from 1893-1915.
If you were the daughter or wife of a Lighthouse Keeper, you had a good chance of taking over the occupation, in a day and age where women could either be mother, teacher or nurse. And some lighthouse keepers were all four. Ida Lewis gained her reputation for being “The Bravest Woman in America,” for her daring rescues of crashed sailors and others near her post at Lime Rock Lighthouse in Newport, RI.
Lighthouses offer up almost as much intrigue, as Pirate ships. This week, learn about the evolution of lighthouses and their mechanics as well as how their purpose has changed over the years. By 1990, all Lighthouses were automated, except for the one in Boston Harbor. It will forever remain manned in order to honor the lives and dedication of all lighthouse keepers of the past.
And if you really like Lighthouses, for $101,000 you can purchase the Graves Island Lighthouse to live in.
For $101,000 your family could live here!
The lighthouse lens was invented using prisms. Prisms bend the light making it visible for many miles.
Sometimes, however, you cannot see the light due to fog or bad weather, and because of that lighthouses have bells or other things that make noise to warn ships under such conditions. Some lighthouses use sealed-beam lamps Sealed-beam lamps swing around like a search light. It can be seen many times if the light is rotating fast. These lamps can be shown through rain, fog, and snow.
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"My First Loom", an $8 kit with beater, weaving sword, yarn and wood loom [...]]]>
"My First Loom", an $8 kit with beater, weaving sword, yarn and wood loom frame. Click to order
Supply Requests: To make bracelet or Belt: 5 straws per kid (or one package for everyone) and yarn. To make placemat or small rug: flat cardboard, old clothes to repurpose and scissors that will cut clothes.
One small, portable loom we will be using is made out of straws. With straws and yarn, anyone can easily weave a belt or bracelet. I’ll bring a few skeins of yarn, but feel free to bring your own add to our collection.
Anyone want to make a rug from old clothes, I will show you how to do that. Supplies for that project will be a piece of cardboard 1 foot longer and wider than the rug (or placemat) you wish to weave, a pile of clothes to repurpose and a pair of scissors to cut up your cloth or clothes. Simple, simple, simple.
Click for a wood/screw loom you and your kids can make at home.
Let’s take advantage of the cooler breezes that come through at 3pm.
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Let’s tickle our funny bones with some Serious Bubble Play this week. I was gonna do History day, [each child (and/or parent) who wants to get up, presents things about a historic figure in their own way]. But I’ll save that one for later, as I’m feeling too frolicky after our 15 day trip in Hawaii. (FYI – 3rd Thursday potluck coming up and parkday theme will be Hawaii). So Bubble fun it is.
With just a small drinking water bottle and a sock you can make BUBBLE SNAKES (above).
With a few extra ingredients (10 cups distilled water, 1 cup of dish soap and 1/4 cup of glycerin (or 3/4 cup of corn syrup), will make bubbles that BOUNCE. Make your mixture 24 hours in advance and airtight and you’ve made sturdy bubbles. (I brought a batch). 
And of course, help kids understand HOW that can be Physically possible. Check out the HowToons poster below to get a head start on the cool physical science of it all.
And for the artists, we made some lovely bubble prints. (copier paper, dish of bubbles, straw and food coloring or natural dyes).
A kiddy pool and a hula hoop you can make GIANT bubbles to lift above your head.
And we have a number of enterprising children at our parkday.
Stir this up with a bit of Construction and Voila – a FUN PARKDAY.
Anyone can share in the fun stations: 1) lemonade stand construction; 2) [...]]]>
Everyone is nostalgic for lemonade stands. These photos are from last year’s fruitful endeavors.
And we have a number of enterprising children at our parkday.
Stir this up with a bit of Construction and Voila – a FUN PARKDAY.
Anyone can share in the fun stations: 1) lemonade stand construction; 2) stand decoration; 3) prepping & squeezing lemons; 4) making lemonade; 5) selling lemonade & 6) washing & running cups. And we will need some SUPPLIES. A few cardboard boxes to make a stand or two (I can bring a box & boxcutter). Some poster-board and markers to decorate and announce the stand. We caught some cars, joggers and dog-walkers under the shade of trees by park entrance.
The ingredients haven’t changed- Lemons (anyone have a tree?), sugar, water & Ice. (I will bring a few knives and cutting boards and a few squeezers); Squeezers are fun, but kids can easily squeeze lemons by hand or at least roll them. Pitchers (washed out juice bottles) & cups as well as a few containers for the kids to pour their lemon juice into before it gets added. We can even set up a washing station to reuse cups.
…………..If anyone’s child wants to sell or accept donations for other items like flowers, fruit, baked goods or who knows what – well that is up to your family, but perfectly fine with me.
…………….And parents – be prepared for the mess and accidents. How mistakes are handled at this age affects AMBITION and SELF-ESTEEM.
Come Celebrate BOTH Valentine’s Day, the Holiday of sharing your Love and the Lunar New Year, the beginning of the Year of the Snake with books, crafts and a Banging Parade around [...]]]>
Golden Dragon Parade in LA's Chinatown Feb 16, 2013, Sat 1 pm, Festival Feb 16-17, 2013, 10 am - 9 pm.
Come Celebrate BOTH Valentine’s Day, the Holiday of sharing your Love and the Lunar New Year, the beginning of the Year of the Snake with books, crafts and a Banging Parade around the park.
Supply Request: One TIE per kid (to make a snake), any Lidded cans or kleenex boxes to repurpose into a drum.
For Valentine’s day, bring and share any Valentine’s cards or 
creations with your friends and join in the Craft that M&B Mom Rebecca is bringing all the supplies for a Craft to create Valentines at the park.
Happy Lunar New Year! In Vietnamese – “Chuc Mung Nam Moi!” In Korean, “Hang- bok-han sae-hae bo-nae-se-sae-yo!” And in Chinese Cantonese “Gong Hey Fat Choy!”I have fun stories from each culture that honors the New Year based on the first new moon of the year to share.
Let’s welcome the year of the WATER Snake. (The snake is all about timing in Asian astrology, so if it doesn’t feel right, wait until it does.)
1. If you bring a TIE, we can make our own Snakes in honor of this year’s Zodiac animal on the Chinese Calendar.
2. Make Drums and other musical instruments with your recyclables YOU bring from home (Coffee tins, pringles
containers and paper towel rolls, cereal or kleenex boxes)
3. Read New Year’s Books and Tell Dragon Stories as last year was the Year of the Dragon on the Asian calendar.
4. 3:00/3:30 Have our Own Lion Dance and Loud and Musical Parade to scare off the Dragons (sorry, no firecrackers!)
).