Newsletter Template Sept

N.C.H.L. News & Views A publication of the Nanaimo Community Home Learners

September 2008

Welcome back to all the pre-existing members, and a big welcome to all the new members! It's always such a great feeling to be embarking on another year full of adventure and learning – for both us and our children!

Welcome back!

I was fully prepared to entirely skip the September edition of the newsletter since I had just taken on the responsibility and didn't really think I could pull anything together in time - but I got thinking about there not being a “welcome back” issue... and it didn't feel right. I wanted to make sure everyone had at hand the information they may need regarding contacts, and to be advised of upcoming events.

The opinions and views expressed by the individuals in this newsletter are not necessarily those held by all NCHL members.

I received a lot of help from others in a very short time period, and it really enabled me to get a newsletter out. (Big thanks to you!) In fact, it even inspired me to include a page for the kids... which surprisingly grew from one page to three! Since I honestly don't have a fitting submission for the front page, I figured I'd write about my own experience with discovering home learning. If you don't mind. When my daughter was about 3 years old, she was, I thought, a typical little child. She could count quite high, knew her colours, shapes and alphabet, etc. I didn't think this was out of the ordinary... and really, it wasn't. But when meeting other parents at the playground, I would often have other parents tell me it was odd for her to know so much “without even being school-aged”. What did that have to do with anything, I wondered? I explained that we did a lot of playing and exploring, where learning just happened to take place. That was where her knowledge came from. I had more than a few parents tell me that I was wasting my time doing something that teachers actually got paid to do. This statement eventually festered into a deep-seeded fear. If this is what teachers teach, what will my daughter actually do while at school, seeing as she already knew it? I recalled my days in kindergarten, where I, an early reader, was forced to 'babysit' the class with a book, while the teacher did other things. I hated it. It wasn't (and still isn't) an issue with the school or the teacher so much as it was, and is, just obvious to me that learning truly happened when it, well... just happened. I soon after came across homeschooling. Was this legal? Could I do this? My family thought I was insane. I had days where I thought I was insane. I started off being very “schooly” and structured. I gave worksheets. I graded. I got stressed. She cried. I cried. We took a break. And little by little my curious little explorer returned. I thought I was just being lazy, while somehow watching a miracle happen in front of me. But I wan't being lazy, I was being supportive, helpful, and asssiting her in what she needed me to do. I was glad to have eventually found the method that works for us. For a year, for personal reasons, my daughter had to attend school so I could work. At first I thought all my fears were unfounded. But slowly but surely the sullen attitude, withdrawn behaviour, moodiness and boredom all crept into our lives. We're now starting our second year of no school since NCHLwhat News is & Views Page 1and it feels wonderful! forever to be known as “the school incident”,

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Inside: About the NCHL: all the info you need to get oriented within our organization  Book reviews  Announcements About stuff going on  A personal home learning journey  Truth in Humour  Youth pages

September 2008

About NCHL Newsletters

Upcoming NCHL Meetings

We are hoping to publish monthly newsletters this year. If you and your family would like to “take over” the newsletter's content for a month please let me know. You would get to write or find as much of the content as you'd like. Then, simply toss it all over to me, and it will be assembled into a newsletter. Deadlines for this, as well as ads, event postings and general content will be announced (and contributions will be requested), on the connect list in plenty of time for publication. In the meantime, please continue to plan your activities via the connect list. For more info or anything newsletter-related, please contact me anytime by e-mail; [email protected]

October and November – In lieu of a usual evening meeting at the Alliance Church, we will meet at the Oliver Woods Recreation Centre from 1:00-3:00, with a rehearsal time for choir from 3:00 – 3:45 or so. *Please note: There will be no usual evening meeting for both October and November* December - Christmas Concert and Craft Fair __________________________________________

Planning Meetings Planning meetings are at 7:30 pm on the third Tuesday of each month, location to be announced on Connect email list each month. Anyone is welcome!

This year we will be starting Youth Pages in the newsletters. This is a place for youth of all ages to contribute whatever they'd like to share with others; book reviews, stories, personal acheivements, jokes, poems, fun science experiments, etc. Each month will feature a question kids can answer and/or voice their opinions on – as well as featuring general content. Maybe over time these pages could evolve into it's own newsletter - put together, run, and distributed for and by the young members of our group!

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Safety Reminder All members of the NCHL are responsible for their families’ safety during all NCHL activities and events. The NCHL and its organizers are not responsible or liable for your family’s safety or wellbeing, and all participation is at your own risk.

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Statement of Purpose

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1. To be supportive of home learning families by

Announcements / Ads

providing a positive and welcoming group

This newsletter will print free announcements of homeschooling activities or events organized by and for our members, or opportunities in our community that might interest homeschoolers. Announcements are not “free advertising” for members’ businesses. If you are offering an activity or an event which will create income for you personally, please consider taking out a paid advertisement.

atmosphere. 2. To provide an opportunity for sharing support, experiences, problems and methods among home learning families. 3. To provide information about a variety of educational opportunities for parents, such as workshops, classes and discussions. 4. To facilitate the networking of families in the areas of field trips, classes and small group activities. 5. To carry out these purposes without discrimination

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Vendors at Meetings

by reason of educational approach, religion, race, or sex. NCHL News & Views 2008

 Must be a member of NCHL Family or Business Page 2

 Product(s) must be related to homeschooling

September

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NCHL Contact Information Your NCHL's Planning Committee members are dedicated to the mission statement of this support group. These members invite you at any time to ask your questions, bring forward your ideas, or to become involved in the planning and support of the Nanaimo Community Home Learners' group. To reach us, we invite you to contact: Ruth Irving .............................................................. 758-3478 Janet Barker ............................................................ 754-0781 Heidi Kelly, treasurer................................................. 758-4465 Cathy Lauer.............................................................. 758-5232

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[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

NCHL Volunteers (we couldn’t do it without their help): Cathy Lauer - Librarian .............................................. 758-5232 Cheryl Landry - Skiing .............................................. 756-2495 Krista Johnston - Connect e-mail list .......................... 753-4028 Jim Stachow - Publicity ............................................. 245-8959 Ruth Irving - NCHL contact person ............................ 758-3478 Tabitha Tucker - Memberships & email lists ................ 754-4190 Susie Craven – Memberships .................................... 752-4564 Jennifer Chisholm - Newsletter .................................. 729-7354

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[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

NCHL Activity Coordinators Fun Skate -Jenn Vater ............................................. Swimming -Cheryl ................................................... Skiing -Cheryl ......................................................... The great outdoors -Wendy Mewhort .......................

751-2084 | [email protected] 756-2495 | [email protected] 756-2495 | [email protected] 713-7143 | [email protected]

General Meetings

Newsletter Advertising Rates

We meet the first Thursday of each month, from September through June. Meetings are held at the Nanaimo Alliance Church, 1609 Meredith Road, at 6:30 p.m.The first hour of the meeting is for you to check out the library, sign up for field trips, and network with other families. Children are welcome! The second hour of the meeting is for business and guest speakers, and a quieter environment is appreciated. The last half hour is for you to follow up on conversations.

This year, we aim for publishing a monthly newsletter. It will be printed for people to pick up at meetings, as well as e-mailed to the whole membership. Any ads purchased in the newsletter will appear in every issue for these low rates:

NCHL News & Views 2008

 business-card size, $10  quarter page, $20  half page, $40 Your ad may be submitted in any usual format (Word, .jpg, .pdf, etc) Deadlines will be announced on the connect list. Ads can be sent to the editor; [email protected]

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September

Helping hands Parent to Parent Support Want support? Want more information?

that

Want to talk to a homelearning parent about something concerns you? These homelearning parents have

volunteered

to take phone calls or emails from people new to homelearning. They can be a listening ear and a great source of suggestions and connections! Janet Barker - high school homeschoolers, literacy: [email protected] Ruth Irving: 758-3478 | [email protected] Heidi Kelly - unschooling: 758-4465 Lisa Knelson - eclectic hs-ing, theme units: [email protected] Jim and Mina Stachow: 245-8959 Wendy Mewhort - New Age parenting/schooling: 713-7143 | [email protected] Thank you so much for helping each other out, folks! Shelfari (www.shelfari.com) __________________________________ is a great site to help you keep track of the books your child(ren) – or you – have read, are reading, and want to read. There's also a widget you can place on a blog so friends and family can be kept up to date. The 'want to read' feature is not only handy for the reader, but is also a great tool for family members to find a perfect gift for the reader!

NCHL News & Views 2008

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September

Ruth Irving, contact and support person for the NCHL, shares her end of a conversation about her personal reasons behind homeschooling, a glimpse into how learning really does happen naturally, and that it's a unique journey for each family. I am headed to Victoria with my kids tomorrow to games while we do to bring his attention more to the visit a tack store.... one of mine is heavily in to riding and she needs new half chaps! We'll combine it with a trip to see Grandparents, keep track of towns and distances, probably talk all about how murals and tourism saved Chemainus, then talk about the shows they have seen there and get all taken up with discussions about their new year of Musical Theater with Kirkwood dance school. Someone will ask how much further, and it will be measured in how many different ways we can "count by" ( 2's, 5's, 100's. etc) and a geographical debate on why there is no other road than the malahat will come up and someone will ask about the land formation you can see there from the top and we will talk about the Saanich Fair that is there that we have gone to every year except this one. hee hee Ok, maybe I am exaggerating, but honestly, the teachable moments in the real world come at you so fast if you pay attention, and believe me, even if you are not, your kids are, so as long as you are listening, you'll be on track. In the classroom, they are contrived and forced, the real challenge is bringing meaning to their learning, so they feel the purpose and excitement of it. Classes actually plan field trips to the grocery store!!!!! My kids get to go every week!

I definitely do not mind sharing why we started homeschooling, but you have to promise me not to feel badly for asking... believe me, I would have told you anyhow at some point. When my oldest was four, her last year at home before starting school, I gave birth to my third daughter, Molly. When Molly was two months old, she died of SIDS. The months that followed as you can imagine were horrendous, and Naomi, my oldest and Moira, my two year old at the time needed as much of us as they could get. As it came time for Naomi to go to school it was painfully obvious that she was not ready, despite being very bright and wonderful, plus we had another baby on the way, and we felt that everyone needed this baby as much as I did. Since I had taught the primary grades, I thought I would do it with her no problem. For the next couple of years, I think we kind of planned to try to get her worked into the system, but moment by moment, wonderful things happened to show me that this might just be the way for us. Personally, I can't believe how much "I" had to deschool, and how much I learned about how kids learn, by having the privilege of working so closely and intimately with my kids. I definitely started out doing it much the same way I did in the classroom, right down to calendar time and texts and readers..... with each year, I have gotten NCHL News & Views further and further from this, and now as my son, 2008 Eamon begins his grade one year, I know that much of

text, helping him write to his cousins or grandparents so he gets better at his printing and counting money and time and so many other things with him. My oldest starts grade eight this year, and has pretty much taken on her own learning since last year... I provide the required texts and reading and assistance, and she goes to it.

Homelearning is about being flexible with your structure.... you may hear her mention about grasshoppers and you go into a full project about them, doing charts or stories, labeling body parts or studying them under a microscope, counting different varieties, etc., and then concentrate on art for a whole month after that. When learning is started by a child's own curiousity, motivation, energy, it is so much more productive and worthwhile. Time with you is priceless. Read Gordon Neufeld's book "Hold On To Your Kids: Why Parent's Matter"...... it is one of the very best books you could ever read, if you can handle getting his message in a bit of "text-booky" way, but his videos and seminars are amazing. This is not a homeschool book, but he is all for homeschooling.... as it "best fits with the natural development of children" was what he said to our NCHL group when he came to talk a few years back. His big issues are that kids learn to take their cues from their peers, fellow immature and not well guided people, instead of from significant adults in their lives. He outlines loving and mature ways of inviting our children to depend on us, that nature will "grow them up" and that we need to nurture deep connection and attachments to each other first before they can go further in the world as people who will really KNOW themselves, who they are. I have absolutely LOVED seeing this in my children.... that antics of other kids doesn't look normal to them.... they are not immune to seeing bullying and nasty behaviour like kids on the school playground are.... it means something to them, they notice, and they want to do something about it, or understand it more, but Normal to them, is something entirely different. And yes, they still get all those bumps and knocks of life... but I'm not usually too far away, and they can turn these experiences into something they can better understand while it is happening or just after. Their teacher :) has a vested interest in them and so do the parents of their fellow homeschool friends and together we can come up with learning opportunities that are specific and natural to them, as well as accepted by our program, EBUS. I don't regret a minute of my homeschooling decision, no matter how unexpected it was for us, and though I do have my "run screaming from the house" moments (hey, there are four of them, and it isn't always super all the time! hee hee) I will be forever grateful for the time I Page 5 September have gotten with them... losing a child may have helped to put this into perspective, but it doesn't always take a tragedy to get to this place.

Truth in Humour This was found on The Onion - a fake news site, and very tongue-in-cheek, but despite that, there is certainly truth in it. Original story can be found at: http://www.theonion.com/content/news/6_year_old_stares_down_bottomless

6-Year-Old Stares Down Bottomless Abyss of Formal Schooling CARPENTERSVILLE, IL—Local first-grader Connor Bolduc, 6, experienced the first inkling of a coming lifetime of existential dread Monday upon recognizing his cruel destiny to participate in compulsory education for the better part of the next two decades, sources reported. "I don't want to go to school," Bolduc told his parents, the crushing reality of his situation having yet to fully dawn on his naïve consciousness. "I want to play outside with my friends." While Bolduc stood waiting for the bus to pick him up on his first day of elementary school, his parents reportedly were able to "see the wheels turning in his little brain" as the child, for the first time in his life, began to understand how dire and hopeless his situation had actually become. Basic math—which the child has blissfully yet to learn—clearly demonstrates that the number of years before he will be released from the horrifying prison of formal schooling, is more than twice the length of time he has yet existed. According to a conservative estimate of six hours of school five days a week for nine months of the year, Bolduc faces an estimated 14,400 hours trapped in an endless succession of nearly identical, suffocating classrooms. This nightmarish but undeniably real scenario does not take into account additional time spent on homework, extracurricular responsibilities, or college, sources said. "I can't wait until school is over," said the 3foot-tall tragic figure, who would not have been able, if asked, to contemplate the amount of time between now and summer, let alone the years and years of tedium to follow. The concept of wasting a majority of daylight hours sitting still in a classroom when he could be riding his bicycle, playing in his tree fort, or lying in the grass looking at bugs—especially considering that he had already wasted two years of his life attending preschool and kindergarten—seemed impossibly unfair to Bolduc. Moreover, sources said, he had no idea how much worse the inescapable truth will turn out to be. NCHL News & Views

Shortly after his mommy, homemaker Ellen Bolduc, 31, assured him that he would be able to resume playtime "when school lets out," Connor's innocent brain only then began to work out the implication of that sentence to its inevitable, soul-crushing conclusion. When pressed for more detail on the exact timing of that event, Mrs. Bolduc would only reply "soon." At that point, the normally energetic child grew quiet before asking a follow-up question, "After [younger sister] Maddy's birthday?" thereby setting the stage for the first of thousands of rushing realizations he will be forced to come to grips with over the course of his subsequent existence. Madison Ellen Bolduc was born on Sept. 28. After learning that the first grade will continue for eight excruciating months beyond that date, it was only a matter of time before Bolduc inquired into what grade comes after first grade, and, when told, would probe further into how many grades he will have to complete before allowed to play with his friends. The answer to that fatal question—12, a number too large for Bolduc to count on the fingers of both hands —will be enough to nearly shatter the boy's stillforming psyche, said child psychology expert Eli Wasserbaum. "When you consider that it doesn't include another four years of secondary education, plus five more years of medical school, if he wants to follow his previously stated goal to grow up to be a doctor like his daddy, this will come as an interminably deep chasm of drudgery and imprisonment to [Connor]," said Wasserbaum. "It's difficult to know the effect on his psychological well-being when he grasps the full truth: that his education will be followed by approximately four decades of work, bills, and taxes, during which he will also rear his own children to face the same fate, all of which will, of course, be followed by a brief, almost inconsequential retirement, and his inevitable death." "Even a 50-year-old adult would have trouble processing such a monstrous notion," Wasserbaum added. "Oh my God, I'm 50 years old." The first of Bolduc's remaining 2,299 days of school will resume at 8 a.m. tomorrow. Page 6

September 2008

Book Reviews Well, my recent reading isn't "homeschooling specific," but then, in my opinion, EVERYTHING is potentially homeschooling material. I recently read two books by Tilda Shalof, The Making of a Nurse and A Nurse's Story. Shalof is a Torontoarea intensive-care nurse, and her experiences are truly eye-opening and mind-blowing. I would recommend these well-written stories to anyone (adult or older teenager) interested in a medical career, especially A Nurse's Story. I also recently read How Doctors Think by Dr. Jerome Groopman, which examines how doctors make decisions and how arbitrary medical diagnoses can be. Very interesting and helpful for healthcare consumers. He gives a list of useful questions to ask your doctor, at the end of the book, whenever you encounter a difficult medical situation. I have also been enjoying exploring some Buddhist philosophy. Thich Nhat Than's Art of Mindful Living was a free digital download from VIRL's "Library To Go". I listened to it in the car, driving to and from Nanaimo, for a few days. Lots of easy-toimplement meditation strategies, and a very accessible narrative style. If you're setting a goal to de-stress and simplify this year, this would be a great place to start. My husband has enjoyed Taming the Tiger Within and The Art of Power, by the same author, which address male issues around emotions and working (more than Than's other books do). ~ Kristin Marshall

NCHL News & Views

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In an effort to become better informed and make healthier food choices, I read some books on the subject over the summer. The first book I read was Dr. Joe Schwarcz's Let Them Eat Flax. I found the first ¾ of the book very informative. The last section was of no interest to me. Next I read Randall Fitzgerald's The Hundred Year Lie. This book was fantastic – though fairly alarmist (however, facts are facts, I suppose). I felt like I had a lot more knowledge about the subject after reading this. The last book I read, and my favourite of the bunch, was Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food. I waited (somewhat impatiently) in a long request line at the library for this book... and it was well worth the wait. I found this book to be very informative, and well written. I was constantly saying “Hey, did you know...?” to my husband while reading this. I will now certainly never touch a low-fat product (which thankfully I never have), and I will now be far, far more suspicious of health claims on 'food' packaging. - jen chisholm

What have you been reading? Share your reviews!

September 2008

Announcements Open Gym

Skating

Every Thursday from 1pm – 3 pm September 11 – December 11

Family fun skate/pick-up hockey is back! This year it will take place at Frank Crane Arena (Beban).

Where: Oliver Woods Cost: $3/family each week Come for a round of floor hockey, indoor soccer, badminton, basketball, volleyball…etc. There will also be some options for little ones. All equipment is provided – just bring your sense of fun and lots of energy!

Time: 1-2pm Location: FRANK CRANE ARENA (Beban Park) -*please note change of location* Fall Session: Friday, Sep.26 to Nov. 28 (10 weeks - no breaks) Winter Session: Friday, Jan.9 - Mar. 13 (no skate Feb. 20 - 9 weeks)

Please note there is no food allowed in the gym (water bottles are an exception) and only clean, non-marking shoes are permitted. The staff also ask that we not bring our own equipment in, but just enjoy the wide variety that is provided.

Skate rentals - $1.75 / pair (payable on the day) Cost - $15 / person or $40 / family for the full session. (I can accept program reimbursements if you're paying for a whole session) Drop-in cost - $3 / person or $7 / family.

Homeschooler Shakespearean Shorts

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me, Jenn Vater at [email protected]. I will be at the first meeting to collect payments. If you won't be at the meeting, please bring your payment along to the first skate.

In this 6-week, performance-driven workshop, we'll have fun exploring and enacting short versions of two famous Shakespearean plays: Romeo and Juliet and King Lear. Using special texts written especially for young performers, our final session day will feature two 15 minute performances for our friends, family and fans. During the rehearsals, we will play acting games, learn about Elizabethan drama, and practice our shows with each participant getting to perform at least one character per play. Come and have fun dramatizing these two family tragedies. Wear comfy clothes and bring a snack! CLASS Information: Mondays 2-4pm starting October 20th. Classes once weekly. Please email [email protected] for registration form. Cost: $125 Class Location: TBA To Register please call 250.716.0503 or email [email protected] Limited Space, Register Now!

Planning an event?

Come, meet, and talk at The Buzz at 7:00 pm on the last Thursday of each month through the fall - Sept 25, Oct 30, and Nov 27. It should be great to get together and I am sure we will have lots to share and lots to learn from each other! The Buzz is the coffee place behind Nanaimo North Town Centre (a.k.a. Rutherford Mall). The Buzz address is 4515 Uplands Drive. We have the big table reserved for us. Call or email me if you have any questions or want to talk. Hope to see you there! Heidi 758-4465

Parksville Community Park Gatherings Beginning Monday, September 8th, a weekly gathering will take place at the Parksville Community park at noon – weather permitting.

Let everyone know! Send your event notices to the connect email list to reach everyone. Your email notice will also land in the next newsletter! NCHL News & Views

Parents of Kids with Special Challenges

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For information, contact Kathy at [email protected]

September 2008

Youth pages

Brainteasers: #1:

What can run but never walks, has a mouth but never talks, has a head but never weeps, and has a bed but never sleeps?

My 10 Top Reasons Why I Like Homeschooling by Moira Irving, age 11

1) I get to be with my family a whole lot more than some kids, 2) I get to do a lot of activities that I would most probably not be able to do if I were in school, 3) Having My mom as my teacher makes it a whole lot easier when I have a problem in school, 4) I think its great because if we stay up a little too late we can still sleep in and do our school work in the afternoon, 5) I like when we do a few hours of school work in the morning and be done by twelve and all the other kids have like three more hours till their done but we just get to sit and relax or think!, 6) my time is more flexible to spend time on things that get me excited, 7) I enjoy the type of things my homeschool friends and I talk about, 8) Our homeschool christmas concert is the best and I love selling my crafts, 9) I love how we get to go to really cool field trips and the whole family goes, 10) And I am so happy that I get to spend more time with my grandparents and my cousins and my sisters and brother!

#2:

What is light as a feather, but even the strongest man cannot hold it more than a few minutes? (answers at bottom of page)

Zoo Tycoon II

by Kathleen Morris, age 8 Zoo Tycoon II is a computer game that you make a zoo and you have to take care of your animals and you have to make sure that your guests are happy. The first step is you choose where you want your zoo to be and how large or small it is going to be. You choose your animal, but don’t put the animal in the zoo yet because then it will just escape. Then you do the cage, then you put the stuff that your animal likes in, then you put in your animal. You can put in as many animals as you want. Then some guests will come. Then you make your guests happy by putting in benches so they can sit down, garbage cans and recycling bins, bathrooms, and then you can put food stands in there and drink stands. You can go down into picture mode and you can take pictures of your animals. You can get awards for how good your zoo is doing. You can make more than one zoo. If you want the animals to have babies, you put a male and a female. If your animals are really happy then they have babies and you can make a big family of them. The babies are really cute. Be careful about the beavers because they have babies really fast. In my zoo, there are about 200 beavers! Brainteaser answer: #1: A river | #2: His breath

NCHL News & Views

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September 2008

Youth pages

Book Reviews

Artemis Fowl is a big hit!

A Series to Read: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer by Jeremy Morris, age 12

Artemis Fowl is a very interesting series about the adventures of a genius named Artemis Fowl from when he was twelve to eighteen years old, his bodyguard Butler, an elf female Captain Holly Short, an elf Commander Julius Root,the a dwarf named and a In the first book, The Artemis Fowl Incident, Artemis realizes through internet that Diggums, there are multiple centaur Foaly. intelligent races deep in the mantle of the earth.named He tricks an old Fairy into giving him The Book containing the Fairy history, language, and magical rules. He captures and ransoms Holly Short. The fairy police, otherwise known as the LEPrecon, try to rescue her. Artemis is doing all this to reclaim the Fowl fortune, which his father had destroyed. No more can be said without giving too much away. These books are set in Ireland and the Lower Elements (where the Fairies live) from 2000 to 2004. The books in the series are The Artemis Fowl Incident, The Arctic Incident, The Eternity Code, The Opal Deception, The Lost Colony, and The Time Paradox. I recommend you read the books in order. The last book, The Time Paradox, was released this summer and is not yet in the library. I liked this story because it is made for my age group and is well put together. I enjoyed seeing Artemis change through the books almost into someone else. It is also interesting how the Fairy society is so different than human society. I really enjoy this series. I find it is really exciting and I am always waiting for the next book. It usually only takes me around four days to finish listening to the audio version of each book – that is how much I enjoy it. I have a few ideas for how the series might end in the last book, but you can’t know for sure with Artemis Fowl.

A review of Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl by Sage Chisholm, age 9

I love the Artemis Fowl series, It's full of humour and action, and once in a while a little romance. I think the characters are great, and I think how it's written is wonderful. Artemis is a little boy with a big vocabulary, he always surprises you with what he can do, you think of anything, he can do it. Artemis is not strong, but he is smart. His mother is seriously ill from the loss of her husband. He tries to reclaim his family's fortune by trying to steal fairy gold from the LEPrecon, after he gets a little way into what he's dealing with, he starts to realize he didn't have a very good idea, and that's odd for Artemis Fowl. You'll stick to this series like like glue, Artemis Fowl is a good series for all ages. You think that Harry Potter is good? Well, something might have just beat that rating! You never know what's going to happen when you take a trip into this magical series.

This month's question is:

What was your favourite thing you did over the summer? Everyone who submits an answer to this month's question, or submits anything they'd like, will have their name entered in a draw. The winner will get to ask next month's question! It can be anything you'd like!Send your answer (or anything you'd like to send) to [email protected] NCHL News & Views

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September 2008

Youth pages

Tongue Twisters: The sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick Girl gargoyle, guy gargoyle

Word Search!

FUN HOMESCHO OL LEARNING READING FRIENDS GAMES PLAYING BOOKS FAMILY HOME OUTDOORS SKATING GYM CHOIR LOVE CARING HAPPY MUSIC

New Things To Do

by Sage Chisholm, age 9

Summer is over but don't be blue It's the beginning of something new New fun, new friends, and old ones, too New experiences, and new things to do Yes summer is over but don't be blue 'Cause you know you'll always have something to do

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Try this!

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Turn your right foot clockwise, now, while still turning your foot, turn your right hand counterclockwise. Now look, is your foot still turning clockwise? Wierd!

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Nurse, I spy gypsies, run! Oh, who was it I saw? Oh, who?

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NCHL News & Views

me, silly!

nock ! W ho 's

Palindromes:

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The Chinese used rice flour to stengthen the bricks when they were building the great wall.

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September 2008