The Talking Stick Blog

News, Updates, Program Recaps, and Homeschooling Information

Learning Survival Skills with My Side of the Mountain

Last fall we learned survival skills in our Making and Exploring Program. For the class, we read My Side of the Mountain. In the book, Sam Gribley, a 12 year old boy, runs away from NYC to live in the Catskill Mountains. He had many adventures learning how to survive in the woods on his own: building shelter, feeding and…

Read More→

New Topics: The Harlem Renaissance, Trip Planning, and Card Games

New Topics for Homeschoolers ages 10-13! The Harlem Renaissance, Part I February 15th – March 22 Thursdays, 9-11 am, ages 10-13 5 weeks, $82 This class will focus on the African American musicians, writers, artists, and leaders from Harlem, NYC in the 1920’s. Through the study of the icons from that time, and through our own artistic expression, we’ll draw…

Read More→

Reading Shakespeare for Homeschooled Teens

We had great success of reading Julius Caesar, and the unanimous vote of the participants is read more Shakespeare. This class is perfect for teens who want to experience the sound of reading Shakespeare’s plays outside of the theater.  New participants are encouraged to join us. We start reading Macbeth next week. We have extended the homeschool Shakespeare class all…

Read More→

Rube Goldberg Workshop – Week 1

This week we started out our Rube Goldberg Workshop with a game and introductions, including what each person likes to make. Asha gave a short history of Rube Goldberg, talked about how he went to school to be an engineer, but his passion was drawing cartoons, so he followed his heart and went to work for newspapers. We discussed the…

Read More→

Beating the Global Food System

Beating the Global Food System January 9 and 16, 2014 Can you beat the system? Our participants did. Over the last few weeks, global studies participants learned about the unfairness of the global food system through an interactive role playing game from Oxfam Education. Can your pupils beat the system? Playing this game will help them understand the global food…

Read More→

Global Studies: Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous Peoples (November 14, 2013) The quietest voices Have the loudest meaning Every word said is like An earthquake. It sends a big movement It moves the biggest barriers down It can open a new state of mind. The quietest voices Can join and become A million voices. For what we say can Be pushed aside Forgot about. But when…

Read More→

Global Studies: Getting the Message

Global Studies: Getting the Message (November 7, 2013) The ability to communicate adequately with each other is a skill most human beings take for granted. What if you couldn’t tell people what you were trying to say? What if you couldn’t write it down for them? How would it feel, and how would your message be construed? Last week homeschoolers…

Read More→

Global Studies: Halloween

Halloween (October 31, 2013) The global studies group voted unanimously to have a Halloween party this year. The enjoyed a lot of snacks and games, made Day of the Dead masks, worked on some papel picado, face painted, and had a great group celebratory day.    

S.T.E.A.M. Maker: Projects of Every Color

Projects of Every Color (October 22 and 24, 2013) Autumn is a colorful, busy season. Classes and sports are in full swing. There are fairs, festivals and celebrations nearly every weekend. At home preparations are being made for holiday feasting and visits with family. Even the local animals are migrating, harvesting and settling in for the cold quiet season to…

Read More→

Global Studies: United Nations Day

United Nations Day (October 24, 2013) “More than ever before in human history, we share a common destiny. We can master it only if we face it together. And that, my friends, is why we have the United Nations.” ~Kofi Annan (Kofi Annan was the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, from January 1, 1997 to December 31, 2006. Annan…

Read More→