Page 31 - Family Resource Guide Fall/Winter 2024/2025

NORTH STATE PARENT FAMILY RESOURCE GUIDE FALL/WINTER 2024/2025 EDUCATION
8. Be available, but don’t do the work.
Helping your child with homework is a great way to connect with them, but don’t spoon feed answers. The whole point of homework is for children to practice skills independently.
9. Use a timer if necessary.
Sometimes children like to procrastinate. Some children like the challenge of beating the clock. Either way, a timer keeps a child focused all the way to the finish line.
10. Keep a resource bookshelf.
Can’t remember what a gerund is? Are you a little rusty on what the terms perpendicular and parallel mean? Keep an assortment of reference books or save online references to your Favorites list on your computer. A good math dictionary for parents of elementary students is Math Dictionary: Homework Help for Families by Judith de Klerk. Another great resource is the Everything You Need to Know About Homework series set by Anne Zeman and Kate Kelly.
11. Create a phone chain.
How many times has your child left their spelling words at school or forgotten a lesson? Help your child make a list of friends they can call or get to know other parents in your child’s class so you can have a phone chain to get answers about assignment due dates.
12. Model learning as a priority.
Let your child see you reading the newspaper or books. Discuss current events, politics or the new art or history museum you want to visit. Find exciting tidbits in their homework lessons and research them. Show by example that learning is fun.
13. Encourage.
No matter how tired you are, have a positive attitude about the work your child is doing. Encourage their efforts and let them know you are proud of them.
14. Reward.
Apps that help with homework
• Dictionary.com - Works just like a print dictionary without taking up desk space.
• myHomework - Student planner that syncs across devices and allows students to access classes and assignments and sends due date reminders.
• My GradeBook - Helps students or parents keep track of grades
• StudyBlue - Provides tools including flashcards, notes and study guides.
• Tinycards - Flashcard app that helps with memorization.
• Meta Calculator - A graphing, scientific, matrix and statistics calculator app, this will help in those challenging upper-level math classes.
Websites that help with homework
• Dictonary.com and Thesaurus.com - A dual
tool to help students define words and
find synonyms.
• Quizlet.com - Provides study tools like
flashcards, games and study sets. Make your own or choose from their library of topics.
• Factmonster.com - Find facts on a
variety of school subjects and play educational games. Also has a dictionary, encyclopedia, thesaurus, atlas, almanac and timelines.
• Khanacademy.com - Includes online courses, lessons and practice in a variety of subjects for students in kindergarten through high school. Also includes test prep and information about college and careers.
Homework rewards don’t have to be elaborate, although you may want to up the ante for a struggling child or one who is hard to motivate. A reward can be something as simple as a fun activity when they finish. But you can also keep a homework incentive chart and let your child earn a special activity with mom or dad, some extra screen time or a dinner out.
15. Don’t be afraid to speak up.
If you think too much homework is coming home, that your child isn’t familiar with the material or that they are struggling, don’t be too intimidated to schedule a conference with your child’s teacher. Most teachers welcome feedback and want to help your child succeed.
Northern Buttes District of California State Parks; Oroville. Whether virtual or in-person, there are several free educa- tional opportunities for classrooms to enjoy here. Learn about the smallest su- perheroes and their contributions to our environment or discover how pollinators, plants and people are interconnected. NBDK12Program@parks.ca.gov for more information and to begin scheduling your parks experience.
Paradise Gem & Mineral Club; Paradise. Adventures that inspire appreciation for rocks and minerals, earth sciences, lapi- dary techniques and general rockhound- ing. Monthly activity nights and field trips that include rock hunting and trips to gem and rock shows. facebook.com/para- disegemandmineralclub. (530)343-0894. Patrick Ranch Museum; Durham. Ded- icated to enhancing the understanding and appreciation of the area's rich agri- cultural heritage. Tour the beautiful 1877 Glenwood Farmhouse Museum and visit our Gift Shop and Visitor Center exhibits. Annual events include the California Nut Festival, Country Fair & Tractor Show, Artisan Fair & Craft Show, and Autumn Fest. School and group tours available. patrickranchmuseum.org. 10381 Midway, halfway between Chico and Durham. (530)342-4359.
Serene Ranch; Cottonwood. Equine lessons and fun with the horses. Everyone gets to ride. Certified in Equine Assisted Learning and Therapy. We offer group and individual lessons. Learning horse- manship and riding skills translates into life skills. Safety and fun come first. Find us on Facebook or email sereneranchnor- cal@gmail.com. 3871 Rancho Estates Rd. (530)440-1808.
Square Deal Mattress Factory; Chico. Facility tours for individuals, families, youth groups and school classes. Tours in- clude a mix of manufacturing knowledge along with the rich history of California’s beautiful North State. Call for hours. squaredealmattress.com. 1354 Humboldt Ave. (530)342-2510.
The Worm Farm; Durham. Family farm with 5,000 linear feet of windrows of redworms. Hands-on group tours year- round by appt. Wear gardening clothes when visiting. Provides gardeners with a means of producing healthy plants while positively affecting the environment.
Call for appointment. thewormfarm.net. 9033 Esquon Rd., 7 miles south of Chico. (530)894-1276.
Valene L. Smith Museum of Anthropol- ogy; Chico State. Hands-on, in-person field trips for all K-12 levels. Plus virtual options. New exhibits annually explore histories and diverse stories of the world around us. Free admission. Call 530 898- 5397 or visit csuchico.edu/anthmuseum to set up a class visit.
Wild Things; Weimar. Let Wild Things share a fun-filled and energetic experi- ence with your school, library or private event. Wild Things brings rescued exotic and native wildlife to you and utilizes
the animals’ personal stories to teach natural history, unique adaptations and
a conservation message. Wild Things has something for everyone with topics such as: the Amazing Amazon, North American Wildlife, Beasts of the Backyard, Animals of the World, and Scaly Wonders, among others. In-person & live or recorded virtual programs. Wildthingsoutreach. org. programs@wildthingsoutreach.org. (530)878-2618.
MARIN COUNTY
Guide Dogs for The Blind; San Rafael, CA. & Boris, OR. School groups grades 2 and up can tour the facilities to learn how guide dogs assist blind people. All tours are at 10am and require advance reserva- tion. Tours can also attend canine gradu- ations. Virtual tours offered. guidedogs. com. (800)295-4050 or (415)499-4000. Marine Mammal Center; Sausalito. With tours for every age, the Marine Mammal Center exposes kids to the importance of healthy oceans for humans and marine mammals. The center rescues and reha- bilitates sea mammals. Open Fri-Mon. marinemammalcenter.org. 2000 Bunker Rd. (415)289-7325.
NEVADA COUNTY
Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park; Nevada City. Hydraulic mining washed away mountains in pursuit of gold. Visit California’s largest hydraulic mine & learn about the gold mining era through the Environmental Living Program. Day and overnight programs. Visitors center offers exhibits and info. sierragoldparksfounda- tion.org/page/malakoff-diggins-state-his- toric-park. 23579 N Bloomfield Rd. (530)265-2740.
Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum; Nevada City. Dedicated to the preservation of local transportation his- tory and artifacts from the narrow gauge railroad era. Docent-led historical tours
of the museum, rail yard and restoration shop. See wooden rail cars and more, in- cluding an 1875 Baldwin locomotive that hauled lumber, passengers and freight, then was a movie engine at Universal Studios in Hollywood. School & group tours available. Free. Check website or call for change of hours. Open Sat & Sun 10am-4pm. ncngrrmuseum.org. 5 Kidder Ct. (530)470-0902.
PLACER COUNTY
Maidu Museum & Historic Site; Rose- ville. Field trips for schools, youth groups and homeschool groups. Includes a guid- ed tour of the museum’s Native American cultural exhibits, activities and a trail tour of the historic site. Programs meet Cali- fornia history and social science content standards for grades pre-K-6. A shorter program is offered for grades pre-K-2 and special needs groups. roseville.ca.us/ indianmuseum. 1970 Johnson Ranch Dr. (916)774-5934.
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