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Get Out of the House!

Malco Kids 2018 Summer Film Fest

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Malco Kidsfest 2018

Are you ready for summer? We are and the outdoor and indoor fun it brings. Kidsfest returns to a Malco Theatre near you. The lineup this summer includes many movie favorites. There will be a special movie feature every Tuesday and Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the 20 Malco Theatres that cross five states; Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. Besides the fun and excitement your children will experience, another reason to attend is several children’s hospitals throughout the Mid-South will benefit from the fest proceeds.

The Kids 2018 Summer Film Fest will run Tuesday, June 5, through Wednesday, August 1, and admission is only $2 per person. Here is the film fest lineup:

Boss Baby, June 5 and 6,
The Chronicles of Narnia, June 12 and 13
Dream Works Captain Underpants The First Epic Movie, June 19 and 20
The Prince of Egypt, June 26 and 27
Trolls, July 3 and 4
Diary of a Wimpy Kid – Ling Haul, July 10 and 11
Ferdinand, July 17 and 18
Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Whoe!, July 24 and 25
The Princess Bride, July 31 and August 1

The theatres are ready for you, but it is suggested you arrive early to get the best seat and not miss the show. These are the participating theatres in Tennessee.

Greater Memphis Area
Collierville Towne Cinema Grill {Collierville}
Forest Hill Cinema Grill {Germantown}
Paradiso Cinema Grill & IMAX {Memphis}
Stage Cinema {Bartlett}

Middle TN – Smyrna
Malco’s Smyrna Cinema {Smyrna}

Mississippi
Corinth Cinema {Southaven}
Desoto Cinema Grill {Southaven}
Olive Branch Cinema and Grill {Olive Branch}
Tupelo Commons Cinema and Grill {Tupelo}

Visit the Malco Theatres website to find additional theatres in Mississippi as well as in Arkansas, Kentucky and Louisiana participating in the Kids 2018 Summer Film Fest.

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©2018 Homeschool Roster. Article by Jennifer Smeltser. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the publisher http://www.homeschoolroster.com/.

{Freebie} The Good & The Beautiful Chemistry

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The Good & The Beautiful will release its printed version of Beginning Chemistry and the Scientific Method on Monday, June 18. Do you know what that means for you? Well, today (March 29) only, The Good & The Beautiful is offering its just released PDF version, of the same, to you for free. Yep. Free, so grab it today!

The Beginning Chemistry study has 14 lessons that include:

Lesson 1: Introduction to Chemistry
Lesson 2: The Scientific Method
Lesson 3: Scientific Measurement
Lesson 4: States of Matter
Lesson 5: Phase Transitions
Lesson 6: Atoms, Elements, and Molecules
Lesson 7: Chemical and Physical Properties
Lesson 8: Identifying Chemical Changes
Lesson 9: Elements and the Periodic Table
Lesson 10: The Atom
Lesson 11: Molecules, Compounds, and Chemical Bonding
Lesson 12: Conservation of Mass
Lesson 13: Mixtures and Pure Substances
Lesson 14: Properties of Water

Along with reading text, students will be able to learn smart lab habits as they work through experiments and enjoy an interactive learning experience. The curriculum is recommended for children in fifth through seventh grades. If you have younger children, you may be able to include them and make it a family study.

We have been using the handwriting curriculum from The Good & The Beautiful for a few months and my son loves it. Maybe, it is time to include some science from them too.

If you are curious about the Beginning Chemistry curriculum, you may see a sample of the Chemistry curriculum now. Or, you may just go ahead and download a copy of the study for free, through midnight tonight (3/29/18).

The PDF Beginning Chemistry study is available for $19 and the physical, printed version is $29.99. Check out all of the science studies available from The Good & The Beautiful.

Also, take a look at the language arts curriculum. Levels 1-5 are available as free PDF downloads all of the time. Have your child take a placement test to see where to begin with the language arts curriculum.

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©2018 Homeschool Roster. Article by Jennifer Smeltser. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the publisher http://www.homeschoolroster.com/.

Can You Design the Farm of the Future?

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Picture this . . . a farm of the future. Can you see it? If not yet, maybe your child can visualize it and bring it to life through a creative art form for the Ag Day Student Art Contest 2018. The focus this year is the Farm of the Future, which compliments the 2018 National Ag Day theme, “How Agriculture Will Feed the World”

Being in the here and now, ones attention may be on how we feed people today, but, hopefully, the future is coming and we need to be ready. Agriculture has been one of the main sources for our food supply. Despite the challenges of weather and other natural disasters, agriculture has been consistent for many years and one on which we can depend. Improvements and advancements in the area continue to be made and we need to keep the ideas coming. Advances in technology, genetics and biology have opened the doors to thinking beyond what is possible today in agriculture to the possibilities of the future. Children of today will be the visionaries of tomorrow. The 2018 Ag Day Art Contest opens the door for them to imagine the possibilities of the future of agriculture and its importance in our lives.

The 2018 Ag Day Art Contest is open to third through twelfth grade students in the Shelby and Desoto Counties. There are three contestant categories:

Category 1: Third through sixth grades
Category 2: seventh through ninth grades
Category 3: tenth through twelfth grades

Creativity is encouraged and students have the opportunity to use one of the following mediums for their submission*:

• Drawing
• Painting
• Collage
• Photography
• Graphic Design
• Short Video (three to three minutes)

Cash prizes will be awarded to First Place ($100), Second Place ($50) and Third Place ($25) Winners. Teachers who have first place winners will receive $100 each. All teachers will receive an entry, for each competing student, in the drawing for a $250 prize that may be used to purchase art supplies for the classroom.

All art submissions are due to the Agricenter by Friday, March 9, 2018. They may be mailed to the Agricenter International ,7777 Walnut Grove Road, Memphis, Tennessee 38120. Video submissions may be mailed, hand-delivered or e-mailed to Tim Roberts {trobert6@utk.edu} through We Transfer (use the free version).

The awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, March 29, at the Agricenter. Teachers do not have to be present to win the random drawing.

If you have questions, call Tim Roberts at (901) 435-7109 or E-mail Tim Roberts or call Melisa Knirr at (901) 435-7112 or E-mail: Melisa Knirr or call Marilyn Kennedy at (901) 435-7100.

Read the contest rules.

*Note all submissions become the property of the Agricenter International and will not be returned.

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©2018 Homeschool Roster. Article by Jennifer Smeltser. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the publisher http://www.homeschoolroster.com/.

Winter Jam Tour Spectacular 2018 Comes to Memphis

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Winter Jam Tour Spectacular 2018It is touted as being the “Christian music’s largest annual tour“, showcasing the biggest artist, and when you see the line up, you will agree. Winter Jam Tour Spectacular 2018 (just called Winter Jam by the cool people 😉 ) is coming to the Memphis area on Saturday, March 3, and everybody (really, everybody) is going to be there for the annual event.

Winter Jam continues its tradition of bringing some of the best contemporary Christian music artists to the stage with a lineup this year that includes Building 429, Jordan Feliz, Hollyn, KB, Kari Job with Cody Carnes, Skillet, comedian John Crist, speaker Nick Hall and the group NewSong, that created Winter Jam more than 20 years ago. Music artists Dan Bremnes, Mallary Hope and Westover will perform at the pre-jam party.

Although Winter Jam may seem like a concert targeted more towards your teen, it is, but it is not. There will be a lot of teens in attendance, but there will also be many adults who know a good concert and will not miss the opportunity to see their favorite artist(s) or one of their favorite comedians (me – John Crist). Many churches take their youth groups to Winter Jam and some parents make it a night out with the family.

Admission is affordably priced at $15 per person, which is paid at the door of the venue for this general admission event. If you join the Jam Nation, you will receive perks that include free and early admission with the seat of your choice and more.

The Pre-Jam Party starts at 5 p.m. and the show begins at 6 p.m. You will want to line up early.
I heard volunteers are still needed for Winter Jam 2018. If you have a heart for ministry and want to spread the word about Winter Jam, you may want to join the street team.

Winter Jam 2018 will also be making stops in Knoxville and Chattanooga. Are you outside of Tennessee? See where Winter Jam 2018 will be stopping near you.

Event: Winter Jam 2018 Spectacular
Date: Saturday, March 3, 2018
Venue: The FedEx Forum, 191 Beale Street, Memphis, 38103
Time: 5 p.m.
Admission: $15

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©2018 Homeschool Roster. Article by Jennifer Smeltser. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the publisher http://www.homeschoolroster.com/.

Save $7 on TTD Registration Through November 1

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.}

Teach Them Diligently 2018

Teach Them Diligently returns to Nashville March 8-10, 2018. Are you going? Save $7 on registration now through Wednesday, November 1. You may register for one, two or more event locations and save on all of them. Use the promo code OCTOBER7. See other discount codes below. You may select the option to pay-on-site, which will allow you to reserve your space and pay the fee at a later date. If you are military (current or retired) or in church ministry, first, register to save using the discount code OCTOBER7 and then contact TTD to receive the special discount code.

Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day Live! 2017

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The Smithsonian Magazine makes art appreciation easy with its Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day Live! event, which gives you free admission for one day to more than 400 museums across the country. According to the American Alliance of Museums, there are more than 17,000 museums in the United States. That is a whole lot of museums. I have only had the pleasure of visiting a small fraction of what is available to us every day. This year, there are 17 museums in Tennessee that are participating in the event that will be held on Saturday, September 23.

The museums are in all regions throughout Tennessee. There are some that will appeal to all members of your family.

Birthplace of Country Music, Bristol
Belmont Mansion, Nashville
Casey Jones Home & Railroad Museum, Jackson
Crockett Tavern Museum Morristown
Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Memphis
DYAAB Veterans’ Museum, Halls
Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville
Memphis Music Hall of Fame, Memphis
Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, Memphis
Museum of East Tennessee History, Knoxville
Museum Center at 5ive Points, Cleveland
Museum of Appalachia, Clinton
Museum of East Tennessee History, Knoxville
Tennessee State Museum, Nashville
Trousdale Place, Gallatin
Vanderbilt University Fine Arts Gallery, Nashville
West TN Delta Heritage Center/Tina Turner Museum, Brownsville

Although you may have already visited some of them, you may want to go again. I find I learn something new each time I return to one of the museums I previously visited.

Obtaining a ticket for the day is easy, and the best part is the tickets are free. The ticket allows admission for two people to one museum of their choice. Only one ticket may be used per household, per address. Additional museum guests from your household must pay to enter with you. Once you register online, you will be able to download your ticket to use on September 23.

If you know you will be in another state that weekend and would like to take in a museum tour for free, see what museums are participating where you will be visiting. Get your free ticket early, so you do not miss out.

Find a participating museum near you.

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©2017 Homeschool Roster. Article by Jennifer Smeltser. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the publisher http://www.homeschoolroster.com/.

High School Happenings 4 Homeschoolers

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I am not certain how it happened, but I am going to have my first high school student this fall. Cue the deer in the headlights look . . . tears . . . a sigh . . . and then the excitement! Although the high school years bring me closer to one of my children leaving home and no longer being a part of my every day, it is a time full of new experiences and many firsts for him that will set the foundation for the rest of his life. If you are not already where I am, one day, you will be here. If you have already crossed this path, you understand. It is a bittersweet moment, especially since we have homeschooled from the beginning. I have had the opportunity to be my son’s primary teacher over the last nine years and watch him learn and grow into a wonderful young man. Both of us are ready for the next step on our journey as we homeschool through high school.

I created Homeschool Roster with the hope to provide an online listing of educational and fun activities and events for West Tennessee homeschoolers. As transplants to the area, we did not have the connections or familiarity with our new surroundings when we moved here. There are so many opportunities in West Tennessee and we often found out about them after they happened. We were missing out on some wonderful experiences. Through Homeschool Roster, I have been able to stay informed and not miss out on anything. Homeschool Roster has also become a great resource for other homeschool families. I want to enter and continue through the high school years just as informed and realize there are other parents out there like me. I also know there are many of you who have knowledge to share. That is why I created High School Happenings 4 Homeschoolers.

High School Happenings 4 Homeschoolers is an online group and resource created for parents of high school homeschool students. The high school years open many new opportunities for your child. There are special programs, internships, workshops, camps, proms, scholarships, get-togethers, sports, dual enrollment, athletics and more. High School Happenings 4 Homeschoolers is the place where I will share the opportunities I learn about and hope you will do the same in the group. High school is about the academics, but it is not all about the academics. As your child is working their way through high school preparing for college or life after graduation, make sure they do not miss out on opportunities along the way that are just for them.

The base for High School Happenings 4 Homeschoolers is Tennessee and those events will be shared in the closed group. Opportunities outside of the state may also be shared in the closed group and I will share some I find on the public page. So, come on over and join me at High School Happenings 4 Homeschoolers, so your high school child does not miss out!

Like High School Happenings 4 Homeschoolers (public page).

Join High School Happenings 4 Homeschoolers (closed group).

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©2017 Homeschool Roster. Article by Jennifer Smeltser. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the publisher http://www.homeschoolroster.com/.

Register Now for the Book It! Reading Program

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If you are looking for a creative way to encourage your children to read this school year, Pizza Hut just may have the answer for you. For more than 25 years, the Book It! reading program has been a unique tool in motivating young people to pick up a book and read by recognizing their reading accomplishments with a pizza.

The parent/teacher establishes monthly reading goals for each child that may be tailored to their reading ability. If a student is not yet reading independently, a parent or other reader may read to the child to help them achieve their goal. Once the child has achieved their reading goal at the end of the month, they are rewarded with a Reading Award Certificate that may be redeemed at any participating Pizza Hut restaurant for a personal pan pizza.

Participation is easy for parents/teachers who may enroll their children through their homeschool. All materials (ex: Reading Reward Certificates) for the program are provided for free to schools. The Book IT! program begins October 1 and ends March 31. Students must be in kindergarten through sixth grade to be eligible to participate. All participating kindergartners must be age five by September. The program is only open to schools (home, public and private schools) and not clubs, groups or organizations. All families must enroll individually.

Enrollments will be accepted through September 1 or until supplies run out. Register your homeschool today.

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©2017 Homeschool Roster. Article by Jennifer Smeltser. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the publisher http://www.homeschoolroster.com/.

Thousands and Thousands of LEGOs at the Memphis Zoo

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If you have LEGO loving children, you probably never miss an opportunity to allow them to partake in a LEGO experience. That is where I found myself last week when we visited the Memphis Zoo to see the Nature Connects: Art with LEGO Bricks exhibit. It is just like me to wait until the last minute. Because of that, the weather was hot, but we were able to go on Tennessee Tuesday, so the admission was free.

The Monarch Butterfly display has 39,708 LEGO pieces and took 425 hours to put together.

The Monarch Butterfly display has 39,708 LEGO pieces and took 425 hours to put together.

The exhibit is on the west side of the zoo. As many times as we have gone, I still have no idea where the north or south, let alone the east or west sides of the zoo are located. We just know we go left when we start our tour of the zoo. This map may help you if you are geographically challenged when visiting the zoo. You may also find the LEGO exhibit if you walk past the water play area near the front entrance and bear to the left. Look for the Monarch Butterfly.

The Giant Pansy Bloom display has 29,314 LEGO pieces and took 240 hours to put together.

The Giant Pansy Bloom display has 29,314 LEGO pieces and took 240 hours to put together.

I will admit when I saw the first creation, I was not as impressed as I probably should have been. My children create beautiful and creative pieces, using LEGOs, all of the time. When I gave more attention to the display pieces, I realized that one could be impressed, and probably should.

The Peacock display has 68,827 LEGO pieces and took 625 hours to put together.

The Peacock display has 68,827 LEGO pieces and took 625 hours to put together.

There are 68,827 LEGO pieces that make this peacock. Wow! Talk about a LEGO high for your children. For moms, can you imagine that many LEGO pieces scattered across the floors in your home (or in your car)? That is a lot of tiny LEGOs put together to create this peacock. A lot of skill, patience and ingenuity went into piecing those LEGOs together. It took someone (many people) 625 hours to put it together. I cannot imagine how many hours went into the plans for the design.

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I like how the LEGO displays were are interweaved into the natural settings.

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This gardening scene made me want to go home and start gardening. It also reminded me of a nice summer day.

The Corn Spider display has 16,492 LEGO pieces and took 135 hours to put together.

The Corn Spider display has 16,492 LEGO pieces and took 135 hours to put together.

Although I am not a fan of spiders, I think this one may be my favorite. I love the attention to detail.

The Galapagos Tortoise and Darwin Finch display has 23,317 LEGO pieces and took 290 hours to put together.

The Galapagos Tortoise and Darwin Finch display has 23,317 LEGO pieces and took 290 hours to put together.

I do wish there had been more displays as part of the exhibit. I guess with about half a million LEGO pieces already on display, I may be asking too much. What we did see was neat and pairing it with a visit to the zoo to see all of the animals made it even better.

The Roseate Skimmer Dragonfly display has 27,788 LEGO pieces and took 515 hours to put together.

The Roseate Skimmer Dragonfly display has 27,788 LEGO pieces and took 515 hours to put together.

The Nature Connects: Art with LEGO Bricks will be at the Memphis Zoo through Sunday, July 9. If you plan to take your entire family before the exhibit closes and are not members, consider becoming one. Depending on the size of your family, it may be more affordable to purchase an annual membership than to pay for one day entrance. That will allow your family to go to the zoo again as many times as you want any time within the year. You will be able to go any day of the week and at any time while the zoo is open. There are also additional membership perks.

Nature Connects: Art with LEGO Bricks
Memphis Zoo, 2000 Prentiss Place, Memphis, 38112
(901) 333-6500

The Buck, Doe and Fawn display has 84,442 LEGO pieces and took 540 hours to put together.

The Buck, Doe and Fawn display has 84,442 LEGO pieces and took 540 hours to put together.

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©2017 Homeschool Roster. Article by Jennifer Smeltser. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the publisher http://www.homeschoolroster.com/.

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