What’s the difference between a “report” and an “essay”? How do we help a student move from simply reporting facts to the more sophisticated skill of using facts in order to support an opinion? With several different essay models and a gradual method of building the analytical writer, you can feel confident in training your child to be an excellent essay writer. Come and get the plan right now—you can even start the process at the elementary level!  [E] [HS]

Looking for simple ideas to spice up your lessons? There is nothing like a fun, hands-on activity to make learning both enjoyable and even more importantly: memorable! Come see actual student-made projects and see for yourself how easy this can be. Subjects covered include Literature, Fine Arts, Science, History and Geography. Taking home a few ideas from this workshop may be just what you need to reignite the love of learning in your household.  [G]

Can it possibly be a good idea to homeschool all the way through high school? Can homeschooled teens get into college? What about teaching advanced math and science? This encouraging seminar is designed to reassure parents (and teens) that it’s not only possible to homeschool through high school, but that it is a wonderful choice. Learn how other families have made it through the high school years, and how you can too!  [HS]

How do you Sneak in STATE History on Fun Family Day Trips?  Michele Zavatsky tells all!  Go on a virtual field trip with Michele across your state learning about the best places to observe or interact with History.  Kids can discover where ponies swim and dolphins dance. Dig into archeology and living history or be dazzled by natural bridges. We’ll tell you how Colonial, American Indian and Pioneer folks lived and even how to dance the Virginia Reel or cook with stones. You’ll know where to go to learn the secrets of shucking crab, digging for fairy stones, commanding a battleship, or making pinch pots.   We’ll provide the “scoop” on the best little historic museums and tell you where to play dress-up, look for “fried eggs and bacon”, or follow the path where the Civil War began and ended.  Want Action? Trolley, trot or walk past famous homes. Drive you car underwater or through a zoo. Help cast the sails, ride a bateau on the James, touch a starfish, or catch a wink from a mermaid. Pack your knapsack as you follow “A Soldier’s Life”.   If you’re hungry, Michele knows where to observe old-world trades and modern twists on popular foods like potato chips and cakes and jam.  Unusual theme restaurants include old taverns or railroad depots, a gristmill serving yummy corn cakes, dining in the same room Washington once celebrated birthdays, or reminiscing about simpler times on Walton’s Mountain. When you’re full, take a relaxing trolley, train, boat or bike ride along well-planned paths past pieces of history and unusual natural formations. From Indians to Presidents or old-time crafting to Colonists, Michele can teach you how to easily plan inexpensive, educational day trips around the historical Mid-Atlantic!

Many children (and some adults) have difficulty learning to spell, but the difficulty may not be with the student so much as with the method of presentation.  Find out in this workshop how spelling information is most efficiently stored in the brain, and why.  With a greater insight into the nature of spelling and neurological function presented in this workshop, the parent/teacher will be well-equipped to meet the needs of all their children, not just the “naturally” good spellers.  [E]

Jim Weiss has dedicated his life's work to telling stories that have endured since the beginning of civilization. All of Jim's stories reflect character development and strong values that epitomize the highest standards especially in making difficult choices, problem resolution and critical thinking. In this workshop, Jim will tell stories that exemplify virtues such as perseverance, charity, collaboration, piety, honor and more. Jim will reference stories from classical literature and other literary pieces.  [G]

Children like to do what they can do; they want to do what they think they can do, and they hate to do what they think they cannot do.  If you want excited and enthusiastic children who learn well, you must understand these key laws of motivation, and focus on the essential requirement of relevancy. If it matters, children will learn it, and if it doesn’t, they won’t.  This session will enlighten you with specific ways to find and create relevancy for children, even when they have no apparent interest.  [E]

Out of four sons, Wade and Jessica Hulcy, who are homeschooling veterans of 25 years, claim each son is totally different!  In this hysterically funny and informative workshop Wade Hulcy identifies different learning styles, different personality types, different brain dominance… all indicators parents should take into account when deciding how to teach each of their children. Come learn and be entertained by Wade.  [G]

You know you need to have your children learn to write well, but how can you do that and get all your other subjects done? Easy: make writing part of science, history and literature. Come learn how to easily make writing part of your school day in a way your kids will enjoy.  Vendor Workshop presented by Sue Reese of Excellence in Writing.

The Challenge to Develop Critical Thinking in Effective
 Writing and Communication

Critical thinking! Junior and Senior high school teachers hope students will use it. College professors demand it. Employers pay more to employees who have it. Successfully navigating Life requires we possess it.

But just what is this seemingly mysterious mental process called critical thinking? And how do I develop it in my children and students? And why is effective writing and speaking so dependent on it? Learn practical ways to plan, implement, develop and identify critical thinking skills that are directly applicable to effective writing and speaking (and life!). Handouts to be included. [G]

An overall plan for teaching reading to children. Includes the development of good language skills, starting at birth;  tips on pare-reading instruction; appropriate phonics instruction for ages three, four, five, and older; reviews of a number of phonics programs along with recommendations; beginning reading lists; suggestions for remedial reading; and a discussion on encouraging reluctant readers.  Jessie Wise has over thirty years' experience in reading instruction and has field-tested many of the reading programs now on the market.  [E]

As a former public school teacher and coach, Wade Hulcy, home schooling father of 25 years and CEO of KONOS Inc., shares the incredible advantages to children, both physical and academic, gained from PE and team sports.  For 21 years Wade and the Hulcy boys have run a home schooling PE classes for boys, girls, and teens.  Wade has also coached all of his sons in competitive sports leagues.

Hear Wade give a fresh, even-handed assessment comparing the benefits and the draw backs of team sports, list what to look for in a good competitive sports league, show you how to set up your own PE class as well as give you the how and why physical training is so vital in the overall learning process.  [G]

The Lukeion Project was founded by Regan and Amy Barr, ordinary people blessed with extraordinary experiences.  After spending 10 years traveling and excavating throughout the Mediterranean, they settled down and began their family.  Now these two classically trained archaeologists share their education, expertise, experience, and enthusiasm for the world of the Greeks and Romans through live, online classes for high-schoolers.  This workshop explains why we do history in a “live, online” environment at The Lukeion Project.  It demonstrates how we hit all learning styles by interactive, graphically rich and visually stimulating classes, and online review games and activities.  We explain what the “interdisciplinary approach” is, and why we wish we’d been taught history this way! Vendor Workshop presented by Regan and Amy Barr of  The Lukeion Project.

Join Becky Jaramillo to find out how NASA collects multi-sensory data from tools such as the Hubble Telescope to plan new missions. Participants will do a flybys of distant objects in space and learning as much as they can about each object.  We then compare data and design a mission if the object seems to be worth exploring. [Friday at 12:30 PM]

It doesn't have anything to do with white-face, striped shirts, or fancy gloves – it's mime, dance, and acting blended together. Come participate in a fun, free demonstration designed to introduce young performers to a physical approach to acting.  [ Friday at 3 PM.]