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FALL 2019 EXPERIENCES 

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Our first week opened with culture creation followed by newly supported woodshop space.  We spoke of the available Non-Violent Communication tools using feelings and needs.  We explored feelings that arise from unmet needs and in contrast the feelings we experience when our needs are met.

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There was an enthusiastic beginning with woodshop this semester.  They made lap trays with handles and were fully immersed in their work through snack, lunch and play striving to finish the project before the day ended.

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Explosions!!! Another hit was hands-on science learning through a variety of experiments way beyond the baking soda and vinegar, as requested by the members.

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Museum of Fine Arts Iconic Fashion Photography exhibit and its create your own fashion got the creative juices flowing fo those interested in fashion or photography.

Baking Competition during the storm on September 19 added its own spice!  The creators of the goods also took much pride in the presentation of the end product when offered to the judges (peer and parents) for critique.

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Strewn through our time together are opportunities to remind ourselves about OFNR. About getting our needs met through expressing observation, feelings, needs, and making requests of ourselves or others.

Our first book club gathering was a mix of poetry that friends wanted to read to each other or a passage from a book that spoke to them.  Parent helpers are a much needed and desired source of culture creation in our community.

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Kids explored their interest in Foreign Languages by learning the pronunciation of words or a chorus in a song.  The kids currently fluent in French helped their peers that wanted to learn French.  Some in the group were not interested in participating in exploring another language, so they chose to explore legos and enjoyed being an audience to the small group presentations. Dutch, French, and Hindi were explored and presented to the group.

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Games based math module was a big hit with the kids, especially the Math Jeopardy game.  Kids enjoyed the quiz format of knowledge and working in groups to figure out the answers.  They enjoyed coming to a board to solve problems with peers helping.  Learning and helping each other in a regular occurrence in our community-based culture.

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The history of sports was translated into an entertaining game that revealed many facts that we were not familiar with.  The children worked on creating an obstacle course after the exploration of facts was complete.

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Alexis with Superhero Children led us through Energy and Fast-track Piano learning tips and tricks.  Working with crystals and electricity showing how our energy transfers to those around us.  Thus, substantiating the suggestion to surround ourselves with positive people and how our own negative energy affects those in close proximity to us.  Additionally to honor our unique selves: an oak tree cannot be a lily exercise.

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The second homeschooling class at MFAH this semester focused on the Samurai and their connection to the color indigo, its history and concluded with a take-home dye project.

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Planning a trip to a foreign country involves personal finance and that was a topic of interest for the learners.  There is a general interest and sense of inquiry about money.  Trips to France, Netherlands, and India were planned during the module.

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Marketing the country using visual aids of various media, from making inviting posters, a TV infomercial and videos of fun times in France.

Those not interested in marketing found other ways to spend their time.

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World Cooking

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Fruits of labor

RESTAURANT

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A few adventurous friends braved the cold temperatures to go for the planned Spelunking and Camping trip west of Austin.

In November we also worked on creating donation bags of food for homeless dogs and their humans.

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The book, Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes, showed to be a great book for the entertainment and exploration of what it might feel like to rely on senses beyond our sight as the main character of the fiction was blind.

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Ethnic Crafting in December

Hands-on crafts of making wooden bowls and spoons, in addition to jewelry and felting are explored and loved!

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