Space Shuttle

Spacesuit template
http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/space/mspacesuit.html

Make your own paper rocket
http://www.groeg.de/puzzles/rocket.html

Famous astronauts
http://www.homeschoolhelperonline.com/lapbooks/printables/astronaut_famous.htm

What would you take with you into space?
http://www.homeschoolhelperonline.com/lapbooks/printables/astronaut_take.htm

Astronaut food
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/living/spacefood/index.html

Writing Prompt:
"If I could go into space..."

Print photo of shuttle landing at Edwards
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

Parts of the space shuttle
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/what-is-the-space-shuttle-k4.html

Look for history of space flight

Genetics Resources

Learn Genetics
Tour the basics, DNA to protein, Heredity & traits

NeoK12
Instructional videos

Genetics - The Science of Genes and Heredity
Standards, Activities, & Mini-Lecture

Basic Genetics in First and Second Grade
Objectives, bibliography, worksheets

American Museum of Natural History
Activites, games

The Gene Scene
games (more for 3rd-5th grades)

Homeschooling 101

A good basic overview of homeschooling in CA can be found here.

You can get more info on homeschooling in LA here.

Whether it's a good choice depends on your family -- it's the best thing that happened to our family.

We belong to a local group of homeschoolers and put together classes for our children. Rachel took wonderful art and science classes this past year. I'm hoping to put together a Spanish one in the fall.

Homeschooling can look very different from one family to the next. It's best to start by identifying your priorities in the education of your children.

I would be happy to answer questions: hijola@yahoo.com

ISPs

One of the ways to homeschool in California is through an ISP. [The four ways to homeschool are here.] An ISP is an Independent Study Program offered through a school district or charter school.

An example of a school district ISP is CHEP. The Community Home Education Program is offered through Orange County's Department of Education.

An example of a charter school ISP is Sky Mountain. Sky Mountain Charter School is managed by a non-profit corporation that has established a number of charter schools in the state.

Long Beach resources

These are inclusive groups in the Long Beach area:

Long Beach Homeschoolers
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LongBeachHomeschoolers
- inclusive of all styles of homeschoolers; organizes local classes; has younger children

Bayshore/Long Beach Homeschooling
http://www.bayshoreeducational.com/homeschoolers.html

DragonTree Home Learners
http://www.vilter.us/dragontree/
- this group has been around for more than 10 years; tends toward unschooling; has many older children

This is a Christian co-op group:

Classical Conversations
http://www.classicalconversations.com

New homeschooler resources

California Homeschool Network
http://www.californiahomeschool.net

Homeschool LA
http://www.homeschoolla.org

Homefires: The Journal of Homeschooling
http://www.homefires.com

Gifted resources

Bright Kids at Home
http://www.brightkidsathome.com/

Moving Beyond the Page
http://www.movingbeyondthepage.com