Grand Rapids Gymnastics

Tammy at Grand Rapids Gymnastics in Cascade would like you all to know that they are offering gymnastics classes for homeschool students on Wed. afternoons:  1 pm for ages 3-5 and 2 pm for ages 6 and up.  Classes will promote agility, coordination, phsical fitness, and gymnastics skills.

The cost is $240 for an 18 week session (save 10% by paying in full) or $48 monthly.  There is a $10 per family registration fee.  Start anytime as session will be prorated.  More information at the Grand Rapids Gymnastics website.  Call 616-975-2992 or send an e-mail to sign up.

GR Gymnastics is located at 1601 Galbraith Avenue SE, in the Watermark office park.

They are also offering a homeschool open gym time for all ages on Monday, Feb 22 from 11-1.  Cost is $5 per child over 2 yrs old, with a maximum charge of $20 per family.  With enough interest, open gyms will be scheduled for homeschool students once a month on the 4th Monday of each month.

EGR Parks & Rec class – Yoga for Kids & Teens

For Younger Kids:
Youth Yoga – Introduce your son or daughter to the benefits of yoga in this fun, child-oriented class! Increase flexibility, strength, coordination, and focus. (Ages 6-12)
CODE           DAYS        DATES           TIME                 RES   NR
34700-A   Monday   1/4 – 3/29   4:30P-5:25P  $79  $89

For Older Kids:
Beginning Yoga with Pilates – Yoga has been proven to improve strength, flexibility, coordination and range of motion, promote relaxation, improve circulation, and reduce stress and anxiety. (Ages 16 +)
CODE         DAYS       DATES          TIME                 RES  NR
36255-A  Monday  1/4 – 3/29   5:35P-6:35P  $79 $89

For more information or to register, call 949-1750.

EGR Winter 2009 Parks & Rec Classes

Afraid you and the kids are going to go batty now that the temperatures are starting to drop? Yeah, me too.

You can view the East Grand Rapids Winter 2009 Parks and Recreation Brochure and then click here to register online. If you don’t already have a username and password, just call the Parks and Recreation Department at 949-1750 to set one up. You must have your username and password registered before you’ll be able to register online. And, no. You don’t have to be an EGR resident to sign up for classes.

Think Parks & Rec is just basketball and basket-weaving? Try again. Check out some of these cool options!

Lacrosse
Teen Contemporary Dance (think: “So You Think You Can Dance”)
Youth Yoga
Suzuki Violin
Mandarin Chinese
LEGO Vehicles Engineering
ACT Preparation Workshop
Guitar
Comic Illustration
Swim Lessons
Diving
Fly Tying Basics

And many, many more.

Equestrian Vaulting

A Vaulting Connection at Stonehill Stable, in Alto, offers Equestrian Vaulting – an activity that combines horses, gymnastics and dance. On the next two Sunday afternoons (September 20 and 27) from 3:30pm – 5:30pm, they will be having two workshops demonstrating this unique sport. Click HERE to download the program’s flyer.

There are currently a few openings on their weekly, recreational homeschool vaulting team (morning practices) as well.

For more information or to register for the vaulting workshop, please contact the owner, Karin Schmidt, by email or telephone:  616-868-6692

A Vaulting Connection
at Stonehill Stable
5770 Alaska Ave.
Alto, MI 49302

YouthFit Physical Education Classes

YouthFit is a Physical Education program for homeschoolers held fall through Spring at East Hills Athletic Club (1640 East Paris Ave SE in Grand Rapids). Students can begin mid-session, if space available.

During the two semesters, games, sports and physical fitness activities are taught and played. The emphasis is on exercise and encouraging participants to involve themselves in daily fitness activities. Classes run two hours.

There are two group levels:   Junior Youthfit (ages 4-5) and Youthfit (ages 6-16). You can pick between one of the two weekly sessions – Tuesdays and Fridays – or sign your child up for both. The current session will run 11 weeks, September 22 – December 11, with no classes Tuesday, November 24 or Friday, November 26.

Fee: $75 per session
Length: 2 hours
Tuesdays:  1:30 pm – 3:30 pm for Youthfit/1:45pm – 3:45 pm for Junior Youthfit
Fridays:  1:30 pm – 3:30 pm for Youthfit/1:45pm – 3:45 pm for Junior Youthfit

Please contact Youthfit coordinator Patty Tracy-Thewes (616-224-5444, x 229) for more details.

Homeschool Classes at Hope College

Hope College is offering the following homeschool classes, including an AP level Chemistry Lab, this fall. If interested, copy and paste the bottom of this post into a word processing program, print it out. Then you can fill out the necessary information and mail it in with your payment. If you need additional space, let me know and I’ll forward you a copy with more open space.

Special thanks to Hilary for sharing the information! If anyone is interested in setting up carpools, feel free to leave a comment on this post.

Because science (and most especially biology and environmental classes) can present such bug-a-boos, I contacted the administrator of this program and this is what he said,

Although we don’t teach the homeschool classes intentionally from a fundamentalist or reformed Christian perspective, we intentionally do NOT teach from an evolutionary/big bang perspective nor do we bring up or get into the debate of those issues.  I would consider our offerings “taught by Christians from a neutral perspective.”  Personally I am strongly a creationist, sanctity of life kind of guy but the classes are not used to address those issues.  We are here to provide homeschooling families a fun, hands-on science enrichment experience that is highly educational but neutral on issues.

I just want everyone to be on the same page about what may, or may not, be covered in these classes. I really don’t see this being a problem at the grades offered, but I thought it best to make everyone aware about the foundation of the program and its instruction. As Tod mentioned, these classes should be considered at the enrichment – not core curriculum – level of instruction. Previous parents of participants have noted that these classes are similar to a fun “lab” experience but are not complete courses unto themselves.

Classes are taught by Hope College students (science, kinesiology and education majors) except the AP level Chem which will be taught by Tod Gugino (Chem Lab Director and Instructor at Hope). The classes are held in Hope College’s Schaap Science Center (35 E. 12th St.) and Dow Center (168 E.13th St).

Biology
Mondays: 12-1:30 for 11 weeks 
Grades: 1-4 and 4-7 (if 4th, pick one)
Fee: $78
Dates: Sept 14,21,28 Oct 5,12,26 Nov 2,9,16,30 Dec 7

The main idea covered during the first semester is the diversity of life. We have lots of posters, hands-on models and equipment (especially microscopes/ slides) to help augment the lab process. We’ll begin with an intro to what is Biology and learn about the molecules of life. Then we will explore the structure and function of cells, both plant and animal. Genetics will follow with an emphasis on DNA and how it is distributed/replicated. Classification systems and how we identify organisms will then lead us into ecology and ecosystems – how living things interact with their surroundings, including: energy, food chains, habitats and climates. For future reference, second semester will cover plants and animals in detail and include a couple of dissections for comparative anatomy. Each week will entail background information followed by hands-on activities and experiments designed to bring the background to life in a fun way.

Lego Engineering
Wednesdays: 11:45-1:45 for 7 sessions every other week
Grades: 2-4
Fee: $63
Dates: Sept 16,30 Oct 14,28 Nov 11,25 Dec 2

This class will explore the world of Physics and Engineering with Lego’s. We’ll begin by studying the 6 simple machines and how they interact. The students will build several compound machines using the simple machines they learned. We’ll be using gears, wheels and motors to explore motion and more complex machines as well as expand on the compound machines they built earlier. Lastly, we’ll use the knowledge gained from the previous weeks to build the fastest vehicle we can. The second semester of this class will get into programming the controllers as well as building more complex robots while learning about the construction of motors and the mechanics of motion.

Earth/Environmental Science
Fridays: 12-1:30 for 11 weeks
Grades:  K-2, 3-4, 5-6 and 7-9
Fee: $76
Dates: Sept 18,25 Oct 2,9,16,30 Nov 6,13,20 Dec 4,11

First semester will cover more of the Earth Science side while second semester will focus more on the Environmental side – but the two are obviously intertwined throughout. We’ll begin with the Earths’ composition and explore the materials used to create it. The general progression will be rocks and fossils, surface structure, forces, water and the atmosphere. Either at the end of first semester or the beginning of second semester will cover the earth as a part of the universe. Each week will entail background information followed by hands-on activities and experiments designed to bring the background to life in a fun way.

PE/Sports Sampler (min. 18 students needed)
Fridays 1:45-2:45 for 11 weeks
Grades: 3-8
Fee: $88
Dates: Sept 18,25 Oct 2,9,16,30 Nov 6,13,20 Dec 4,11

This class will cover basic positions, strategy, drills and rules for soccer, volleyball/walleyball and basketball first semester. Second semester will cover racquetball/badminton, kickball/dodgeball, softball/baseball and swimming.

Saturday AP Level Chemistry Lab
Saturdays: 9a-12p for 6 sessions
Grades: 9-12
Fee: $180
Dates: Sept 26 Oct 10,24 Nov 7,21 Dec 5

This class will be 6 sessions each semester that teach the basic lab concepts of safety, ions, solubility, ionic and net ionic equations, stoichiometry, acid/base titrations and spectroscopy in the first semester. The second semester will probably cover colligative properties, more stoichiometry and mole ratios, limiting reagents, more titrations, electrochemistry and nuclear chemistry. The labs have enough flexibility that all students can be challenged at their current level without being overwhelmed. Each session will include a short pre-lab (week one the pre-lab will be longer), experiment and post-lab discussion. Lab reports will be assigned as homework, but turning them in is optional. There will be no grades or credit for this class. Microsoft Excel at home is very helpful, but not required.

If you have any questions or need further information, please contact Tod directly by email or telephone: 616-395-7640

____________________________________

Home School Classes
Registration Form
Fall ‘09

 

 Children’s names and which class(es) they’ll attend (including grade range preferred):

 

 

 

 

Children’s Grade for Fall ‘09:

 

 

 

Home Phone and Emergency Contact Info:

 

Parent name(s):

 

Email address:

 

Return with check payable to Tod Gugino. If mailing, send to: Hope College, 35 E. 12th St., Holland 49423

For the Kidz – Gymnastics and Trampoline Center

For the Kidz offers three homeschooler-only Gym and Trampoline classes during the traditional school year and a wide variety of gymnastics and trampoline classes for the general public throughout the year (children 18 months+).

Dress in shorts and a t-shirt, or anything else that will allow for freedom of movement, twists, turns, flips and dives. These classes really get kids moving!

Students may join in the middle of a billing cycle and have their fee pro-rated for that session.

Homeschool Gym and TrampolineBegins next week, August 26
Ages: 3+
Wednesdays – 9 am
Wednesdays – 12:30 pm
Fee: $64 for 8 weeks

Homeschool Teens Gym and TrampolineBegins next week, August 26
Ages: 12+
Wednesday – 1:30
Fee: $64 for 8 weeks

Open gym times ($8 for ages 4+, $4 for ages 3 and under) are also a great way to burn off some extra energy!
Friday 12:30-2:30 pm
Friday 6:30-8:30 pm
Saturday 7:00-9:00 pm

forthekidzTry any one class FREE – not just the homeschool classes – by printing or mentioning this coupon!

Sign up now, while space is still available!

Visit the For the Kidz website, send an email, or call 616.726.7979 for more information.

5960 Burlingame Ave. SW
Suite B
Wyoming, MI 49509

Golf Academy (Grades K – 5)

Children will have the opportunity to learn the skills of golf or further develop existing skills. The curriculum includes explanation of game, grip, stance and swing fundamentals, long game, short game and educational handouts.

Min. 7/Max. 21 participants
Location: TBA
Instructor: After School Golf Academy

CODE DAYS DATES TIME RES/NR
24271-A W 9/23-10/14 6:00P-7:00P $66/$76

Register by online (www.eastgr.org) or by calling EGR Parks and Rec 616-949-1750.

Youth Cross-Country Club (Grades 5-6)

If your kids enjoy running and would like to learn more about cross country competitions, consider this program. Kids will be introduced to the sport and work their way up to running 1.5 miles.

Location: Track at EGR High School
Min. 10/Max. 30 participants
CODE        DAYS DATES     TIME               RES/NR
21270-A Tu 9/8-10/13 4:30P-5:30P $55/$65

Register by online (www.eastgr.org) or by calling EGR Parks and Rec 616-949-1750.

Girls Volleyball League (Grades 5-6)

This league is a great stepping stone to middle school volleyball. Program will use the rally score format.

Teams will have at least one practice (possibly 2) a week, days and times will be determined by the coaches. Games will be played on Saturday mornings.
Sign up by November 30 deadline to get a $10 discount.

EVALUATION DATE: December 7, 2009
5th Graders 5:30-6:30
6th graders 6:45-7:45P
WILL NOT MEET ON: 1/30 & 2/20
Location: Lakeside School
Minimum 40 participants

CODE        DAYS   DATES       TIME                 RES/NR
31650-Z M & Sa 12/7-3/6 9:00A-8:00P $59/$69

Register by online (www.eastgr.org) or by calling EGR Parks and Rec 616-949-1750.