Tag: Education

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CRAFTS FEATURED Uncategorized

Order Your ~Build a Bat House- Stem Kit~ from BugsRUs

Fall is here and that means OCTOBER and that means HALLOWEEN and that means BATS!


Bats are victims of BAD public relations, specifically because of that FICTIONAL guy, DRACULA!

Bats have been on Earth for more than 50 million years. With over 1,400 species, they are the second largest order of mammals, and those species cover six continents. Globally, bats provide vital ecosystem services in the form of eating insect pests, plant pollination, and seed dispersal, making them essential to the health of our planet.


Making a bat-friendly place in your backyard supports the essential role bats have in the environment. All 15 different species of bats in Oregon eat insects…..mosquitoes, gnats, night flying beetles and moths.


Here’s a few BAT facts:
1.  One Little Brown Bat can eat over 1000 bugs PER HOUR!
2.  The world’s smallest bat is the Bumblebee Bat measuring 1.5 –3 inches in length and weighing  2 grams as a full-grown adult.
3.  The world’s largest bat is the Giant Golden-crowned Flying Fox with a wingspan up to 6 feet!
4.  The oldest known bat was a male Brant’s myotis who lived 41 years.
5.  Of the 1,400+ species of bats in the world, only three are vampire bats that drink blood. They ONLY live in Central America NOT TRANSYLVANIA!

It’s time to help our BUG EATING friends….THE BATS!


Here’s your chance – Build your OWN BAT-HOUSE – STEM kit.
You get it ALL…..pre-cut ALL weather re-purposed plywood, screws and nails along with FULL detailed instructions to build your own BAT-HOUSE. Measures 16 in. tall, 8 in. wide and 2 ½ in. deep when finished. All you need is a hammer and screwdriver.
Features galvanized mesh for inside the house…..gives ‘em traction to climb up inside. Will hold about 35-50 little brown bats. They will use it as a roost as well as a NURSERY!
This package also includes a BAT coloring page and detailed 3 page educational fact sheet about all 15 Oregon bats and why bats are SO important.

If you are interested, please send an email to [email protected] with quantity and your address.
This is a PERFECT activity for scouts, homeschoolers or ANYONE who wants to invite these AMAZING mammals to your property.

htttp://www.bugsrus.org

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EDUCATION

Southern Oregon Classical Conversations

A classical Christian community of parents dedicated to educating our children at home. We support and encourage parents so that they can feel empowered to homeschool through High School. We desire “To know God and to make Him known.”

A homeschool community that meets in Ashland,  Central Medford, Central Point, and Grants Pass weekly during the school year.  During the year, we also offer informational meetings and some free parent equipping events.

https://www.facebook.com/southernoregonclassicalconversations/

official organization website

https://www.classicalconversations.com/

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FEATURED FESTIVALS Uncategorized

Bear Creek Salmon Festival

Bear Creek Salmon Festival   

Happens in October in Ashland , Oregon.

Bring the whole family to North Mountain Park in Ashland for this free event featuring interactive exhibits, kids activities, live animals, salmon and watershed education, Native American demonstrations, fly-casting, storytelling, live music, and the opportunity to spend the day outside exploring beautiful North Mountain Park.

“Communities Connected by Water” will highlight the connections we all have with our watershed and the diverse habitats that serve watershed health from the highest peaks to the lowest creeks.

bearcreeksalmonfestival.net

North Mountain Park,  620 N. Mountain Ave. in Ashland Oregon.

541-488-6606

 

 

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COMMUNITY PARENTING

The Family Connection

Great parenting doesn’t happen in isolation.
The Family Connection provides a regional parenting hub where parents can come together, learn effective parenting skills from certified parenting educators, be introduced to community resources and find support from other parents. Parenting is hard work!

As Southern Oregon’s Parenting Hub, The Family Connection and The Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative (OPEC) were founded to help.
Please take advantage of our FREE parenting classes, workshops, and events!

 

Remember, great parenting doesn’t happen in isolation… Let’s get connected! We also provide organizations and agencies the ability to contract an evidence based parenting series or workshop for their clients.
Head to our online Parenting Education Community Calendar to sign-up for FREE parenting classes, workshops, and family friendly events in Jackson and Josephine counties.    https://thefamilyconnect.org/events-calendar/  

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DISCOVER EDUCATION

Medford to open first Hebrew School

Bringing Jewish Life to Medford, Oregon!

Chabad Jewish Center of Southern Oregon will open the first ever Hebrew school in Medford, Oregon beginning this October of 2018 for children ages 3-12. The Hebrew School will be servicing the areas of Medford, Jacksonville, Grants Pass, and suburbs.

“Our Regional Jewish Center is located in Ashland but we saw a great need to branch out to the Medford area to service all those families that need to drive a distance just to participate in any Jewish activities,” Rabbi Avi Zwiebel of the Chabad Jewish Center. “We are really excited to offer this opportunity and have already received a very positive response.”

“The goal of our school is to create a welcoming and dynamic environment where children can explore their Jewish heritage through interactive, hands-on, and innovative lessons,” said Faigy Zwiebel, co-director of the Chabad Jewish Center. “Our curriculum integrates Jewish Heritage, Hebrew reading and Holidays with STEAM (Science, technology, engineering, art and math) keeping the children on the edge of their seats.”

“The underlying approach is that the children thoroughly enjoy their time spent at Hebrew school so that they are left with positive experiences and a greater appreciation for Jewish life,” adds Rabbi Avi Zwiebel.

Chabad of Southern Oregon is known for bringing Judaism to the “streets” giving others, no matter their level of knowledge or observance, the opportunity to experience the beauty and joy of their heritage. Some of their innovative programs include public Menorah lightings, Shofar blowing in the park, Pop up Jewish.Deli and Sukkah on Wheels. And now, bringing Jewish life to Medford!

Hebrew school will be held for children ages 3-12 on Sunday mornings at the Medford library until a more permanent location is found. No membership is required to enroll.

To register or for more information, email  [email protected] or call 541-482-2778 

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Uncategorized

Pterosaurs Exhibit opens at ScienceWorks Museum in Ashland

Pterosaurs explores what a pterosaur is (and is not), when and where they lived, how they moved and ate, and how diverse the Pterosauria order is.

 

The exhibit is geared towards a 6th-grade reading level, but families with both younger and older children will find things to do. Compare yourselves against the scale model of the Quetzalcoatlus, the largest pterosaur known at 18 feet tall and with wingspan of 31 feet.

Examine the fossils of the more-commonly known Pteronodon and Pterodacytl species to see the variety of sizes and shapes that a pterosaur had.
For those looking for an interactive, virtual-reality environment, two stations are set up so that you can pretend to be a pterosaur, flying through the sky to catch your dinner of bugs, or to avoid being eaten for dinner yourself!

 

 
Release your artistic side with a third VR station that allows you to investigate the colors, feathers, skin, blades, bills and wings that pterosaurs had, and design your own! As the summer progresses, additional stations and options will be added to the exhibit, so be sure to visit more than once to see how the exhibit changes and grows.

 

Entry to the exhibit is included with the price of admission to the museum, and the exhibit will be open to the public from April 28th through December 31st. Starting in May, the museum’s days and hours will change to Tuesday-Sunday, 10AM – 5PM for both the academic year and summer months.
For more information 541-482-6767 or visit scienceworksmuseum.org

 

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COMMUNITY SPECIAL NEEDS SUPPORT Uncategorized

NAMI Southern Oregon

NAMI of Southern Oregon is a nonprofit affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (nami.org), the leading grassroots organization dedicated to providing education, support and advocacy for people with mental illness and their families. We are an all volunteer organization that offers help and hope for recovery.

Mental illness is a medical condition that disrupts a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life.

Mental illness affects everyone. Nearly 60 million Americans experience a mental health condition every year. Regardless of race, age, religion or economic status, mental illness impacts the lives of at least one in four adults and one in ten children across the United States.

NAMI-SO has helped hundreds of people in Jackson and Josephine Counties who are struggling with the challenges of mental illness through our Medford Resource Library, presentations, classes, support groups, partnerships and community events. Services are offered at no charge. 

http://www.nami-so.org

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SPECIAL NEEDS

Down Syndrome Association of Southern Oregon

The Down Syndrome Association of Southern Oregon is a 501 c 3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide the means necessary to empower individuals with Down syndrome to reach their full potential. DSASO provides support and resources for persons with Down syndrome and their families. Additionally, DSASO seeks to provide the broader community with information and education to increase awareness and foster positive attitudes regarding people with Down syndrome. 
We welcome new and expectant parents, not so new parents,  individuals with Down syndrome, friends, family, educators, medical professionals and anyone seeking information about Down syndrome to explore our website!  You will find helpful information, activities and resources to enlighten and encourage you on your journey to build positive relationships with, and support for, the unique person in your life who has Down syndrome.
For more information please call 541-776-9805 or visit http://www.dsaso.org

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SAFETY

Guarding Against Online Predators

Are your children safe online? It seems like the online world is harmless right?

Most of the time your children are online in home and sometimes under your watchful eyes.
Did you know that one out of every five youth online is solicited? Did you know that one in four received an unwanted exposure in the past year to pictures of naked people or people having sex?

Very few of these incidents are reported to police and while many did not find these incidents disturbing, they were distressing to a good number of the youth involved. Of the people who participated in the research funded by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, only 17% of the youth and 11% of the parents could even name a specific authority or internet service provider to which they could even report an internet crime. This is
staggering. Do you know what to do if your child reports to you that he or she was sent pornographic materials on line? These crimes are widely under reported which means that we can’t fully understand the impact these crimes have on the children and families involved.

There are some signs that might be red flags that indicate your child may be connecting with an online predator. None of these signs are definitive but indicate that it may be time to talk to your child to further understand what
is going on. If your child becomes withdrawn or isolated from their friends and family you may want to check in with them. Other red flags include, finding inappropriate or disturbing material on the computer, your child
receives gifts, money, mail or phone contact from people that are not known to you or you see charges on your phone bill from numbers or people that you do not recognize.

If you think that your child is a victim of an on line predator you should reassure your child that it is not their fault. You should save the evidence.
Evidence might be emails, instant messages, or any pictures that might have been sent. You should contact your local law enforcement agency and make a report.

You can also make a report to the CyberTipline at www.cybertipline.com or 1-800-THE-LOST and include all information available, even if you do not feel it is important information.
Guarding Against Online Predators

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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT DISCOVER

THE BUG MAN COMETH

 

Interviewed and written by Lois Pierce

 

Natural History is an important part of ANY science program and it’s been brought to the Southern Oregon area for 7 years by a very POPULAR company that caters to ALL ages at ALL locations.

BUGS-R-US Educational Services provides hands-on fun and education to 5 counties in 2 states. Its owner, John Jackson, has done over 3000 programs in the past 7 years to over 160,000 visitors and is still going strong.

John contributes the success of BUGS-R-US to that simple fact that  ”People like to be entertained, educated and grossed out every chance they can get.” And that’s what he does with 15 different topics ranging from the most popular “BUGS and BUGS AS FOOD” , “WORMS and COMPOSTING” to “OWLS and OWL PELLETS” and the new “NATURAL HISTORY of the OREGON TRAIL.” “Every program we teach is just a big show-and-tell….the audience gets to touch EVERYTHING and that’s what makes it stick in their minds.”

BUGS-R-US Educational Services has worked for retirement communities, day-care centers, schools, churches, birthday parties, fund-raisers, Parks and Rec., Scouts, Homeschools, Garden Clubs and the list goes on. They have turned ALL of the 15 topics into Birthday themes. Your child’s Birthday Party can feature unique, unusual entertainment that is educational as well!

John updates the 15 topics on a regular basis and tries to keep them FRESH for new audiences. “We built the “NATURAL HISTORY of the OREGON TRAIL” program for 4th graders but quickly found out that it appeals to older folks just because of the history factor.” And that’s how his audience base continues to grow.

John and his son, Will, usually work 7 days a week and have to buy the new year calendar VERY early. “Some of our clients like to book 9-12 months out so that means I can look at the schedule a year out and know I’ll still have a job”, John jokes.

BUGS-R-US Educational Services website… www.bugsrus.org … has details about all 15 of their programs along with photos and videos.

“It amazes me that I get to educate and have fun with my students and it’s not really work”, John says. “It’s just me having fun with friends.”

BUGS-R-US Educational Services can be reached at (541) 772-3281 or through their website at www.bugsrus.org

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