science and math class
Mondays from 8:30-10:00AM
teacher-Joe
 
"No amount of experimentation can ever prove me right; a single experiment can prove me wrong." - Einstein
What did Einstein mean when he said this?  We read everyday in the paper that science proves this, or proves that.  What is science, and why would I ever need math anyways?
 
These may be questions that a student might have, but equally likely are the following questions:
Why is the sky blue? Why don't snakes have legs?  Do ghosts exist, what about polka-dotted unicorns?
These questions above all can be approached using the same line of reasoning, which we refer to as the scientific method.   The purpose of this class is to present intriguing scientific phenomena and to instruct the student in the scientific method, so as to allow them to discover what they know (and don't know) about what is going on.
 
Various concepts from mathematics will be presented in conjunction with our investigations.  Some topics might include the tabulation and graphical representation of numerical data, statistical analysis, prediction models and hypothesis testing, measurement and scaling, estimation, etc...
 
Each class will involve hands-on exploration, a demonstration and/or a question and answer group chat.
 
 
fun with food
Everyday from 1:30-3:00PM
teacher-Gleamer
 
Preparing and eating food is essential to life.  Learning these skills will empower students to find ease and joy in making healthy yummy food.  During this class the students might also be reading, writing, talking, listening, problem solving as well as exploring science and math.
 
From 1:30-2:30PM each student will prepare their food and we will each eat what we have prepared at about 2:30.
 
 
field trip day
Tuesdays from 9:00AM-1:30PM (approximate times to leave and return to Raw Learning)
teacher-Gleamer
 
Each week we will venture out into our world to places that the students are interested in exploring.  The field trips will be integrated with other activities (such as reading, playing games, crafts, imaginative play, etc) that will allow the student to go deeper into the subject.
 
Homeschoolers are welcome to join us. 
Please let us know which field trips you and your family will be going on by emailing Gleamer .  The cost of each field trip day (even if there are multiple field trips on one day) is $5/family PLUS the fees charged by the place(s) where we’re going.  To attend the Winter Trimester field trips with Raw Learning all fees must be received no later than Monday, December 28th.  Send checks payable to Raw Learning at Raw  Learning, 2807-B Augusta St., Staunton, VA 24401.  Additional information will be emailed out before each field trip.
Tuesday, January 5th --Bowling at Staunton Lanes
o    10:00-12:00
o    No outside food or drink
o    Cost: $2/game, $2 for shoes
Tuesday, January 12th--Rightmire Children’s Museum Daytrip :Lynchburg
o    10:00-3:00
o    Imagination Studio & Tallest indoor climbing structure in the nation
o    Featuring Onstage: The Rockstar Experience
o    Cost: Free for ages 0-1 and all ACM members, $4.50 for ages 2-adult.  $25 lunch room fee would be divided among participants attending.
Tuesday, January 19th —Roller Skating at Funky’s: Harrisonburg
o    10:00-12:00
o    Bring your own lunch available (Please indicate if you would like to purchase from the snack bar instead when reserving this field trip.)
o    Cost: $3 per person who is skating, includes skate rental
Tuesday, January 26th --Blackfriar’s Playhouse: Staunton
o    8:45-10:00 Interactive tour
o    10:00 on --Watch The Alchemist (funny and family friendly) rehearsal for as long as desired
o    Cost: Free for ages 0-4, $7 for ages 5 and up, including adults
Tuesday, February 2nd --Blue Ridge Area Food Bank: Verona
o    10:00-10:40
o    Find out how food is collected, stored and distributed to local hungry people
o    Tour the facility
o    Cost: Free
AND
Eli’s Fun Center: Verona
o    11AM-1PM
o    Play on the inflatables for an hour
o    Play in the game room for an hour
o    Bring your own lunch available
o    Cost: Free for ages 0-1, $5 for ages 2-18, Free for adults
**This Trip Subject to Change** Tuesday, February 9th --Route 11 Potato Chip Factory: Mount Jackson (The field trip will be the week of February 8th.  Participation fee refund available upon date and time determination.)
o    10:00-10:30
o    Tour the factory and learn about making potato chips on a large scale.
o    Samples will be available.
o    Cost: Free
AND
Deauville Fallow Deer Farm: Bayse OR  Shenandoah Bowling Lanes: Mount Jackson –Weather Dependent
o    Around 10:45-12:30
o    At the Deer Farm you can feed the deer and chickens.
o    At the Bowling Lanes you can play Duck Pin Bowling. It’s like regular bowling only with mini-pins and balls!
o    Cost: Free for the Deer Farm OR  $2.50/ bowling game and $1.50 for show rental (Pay nothing now)
Wednesday, February 17th--WHSV TV 3: Harrisonburg
o    9:45-10:15
o    Tour the station and experience the green screen
o    Cost: Free
AND
WVPT PBS: Harrisonburg
o    11:00-12:15
o    Watch a few minutes of the taping of Virginia Farming
o    Split group into older and younger
o    Tour the station and find out how PBS shows get to your television
o    Cost: Free
Tuesday, February 23rd --Fire Station and Fire Museum: Staunton
o    9:30-10:30
o    Tour with demonstrations and video
o    Cost: Free
AND
Police Department: Staunton
o    11:00-12:00
o    Tour of facilities including patrol cars and 911 call center
o    Possible gentle K-9 demonstration
o    Cost Free
Thursday, March 4th --The Paramount Theater STREB-RAW: Charlottesville
o    10:30-11:30
o    We are on the waiting list to see the performance
o    Cost: Free for ages 0-1, $5 ages 2-18, $7 for adults
AND
Charlottesville Ice Park: Charlottesville
o    12:30-3:00
o    Ice skating
o    Cost:  $4 for skaters ages 0-5, $7.50 for skaters ages 6 and up (includes skate rental)
Tuesday, March 9th--Persimmon Dairy: Harrisonburg
o    9:00-9:30
o    Watch cows being milked
o    Learn about the bottling process and buying directly from the farmer
o    Interact with animals
o    Cost: Free
AND
Whitewave Beverages Manufacturing: Mt. Crawford
o    10:00-11:30
o    Tour the plant
o    Find out how different drinks (Horizon Organic Milk, milk, soy milk, coffee creamer, Fruit Today Juice) are mass processed
o    Free samples
o    Cost: Free
Tuesday, March 16th --Frontier Culture Museum:  Stuanton
o    1st program 9:15-11:15, Lunch 11:15-12, 2nd program or self-guided tour 12-2
o    Choose from 1 program and a self-guided tour or 2 programs from the list on the website.  Please indicate program name(s) preference when reserving this field trip so the 2 most desired can be reserved.  We will all do the same program(s), but anyone can decide to do a self-guided tour at anytime.
o    Hands on activities.
o    Picnic on site
o    Cost: Free for ages 0-5, $5 for ages 6-18, $7 for adults
During the week we will also go on Spontaneous Field Trips walking, driving or by taking rides on the Staunton Trolley to get to places that the students would like to go to like a park, the library or YMCA.

 
 
poetry & prose discussion group
Fridays from 8:30-9:30
teacher-Lynda
 
Lynda will lead the discussion group by facilitating the realization that we are all powerful creators. She will show participants how to get into their creative spaces by communing, observing and meditating. Part of creating (in this class, writing) is being a non-judgmental observer, by simply noticing your surroundings.  To support the powerful creator that you are it is essential to have somewhere to record your thoughts and someone supportive to bounce them off of.  People who lead you to items, knowledge and experiences also support the powerful creator, as well as identification of things and ideas that are meaningful to you.

The basic outline for the discussion group will be as follows:
1. Sharing our thoughts.
2. Getting into our creative spaces together.
3. Communing with nature.
4. Sharing ideas and creative inspirations.
5. Sharing favorite poems written by others.
6. Make progress in directions important to each individual.
7. Collect and place shared poems into community binder.

Books such as A Child's Introduction to Poetry and possibly "Snowflake" Bentley along with Lynda's writings will be available for exploration.  Participants will also receive a binder with examples of poetry and prose, and blank paper to record their creations.
 
 
makers class
Fridays from 3:30-4:30
teacher-Joe
 
Everyone likes making things!  The goal is to introduce the students to the entire process of creating something new -- from ideation to working creation.  

you got skillz
Classes will often contain a dedicated skills session, where the students will be introduced to a new idea or method, such as:
    * Soldering
    * Hammering
    * Sawing
    * Sewing
    * Technical drawing
    * Measuring
    * Templating
    * Prototyping
    * Disassembly
    * Reverse engineering
    * and so on....
Specialized skills will also be acquired during the process of realizing their own ideas on their individual projects.

evironmentally friendly
Heavy emphasis will be placed on re-purposing of obsolete or unwanted items, re-engineering items to improve functionality and on the re-use of recovered materials.
 
 
fun and games - focus on strategy
Fridays from 6:30-8:30
teacher-Joe

Do you enjoy playing games?
Do you want to take your abilities to a new level? 
If so, you must join us for this unique opportunity to match wits with your fellow opponents.  In this class you will learn the necessary mix of **analysis and psychology to develop winning strategies at almost any game.
First, we will analyze a simple game as a group.  Then we will hold competitions, and share our most effective strategies, so as to build our knowledge base collectively. Most of all we will have fun!
 
Special pricing is a flat rate of $5/student.  Sign up is per meeting, not for the entire trimester. Parents can stay or drop off (with basic emergency information provided).  In addition to Joe, another parent volunteer will need to stay each week. Meetings will be weekly unless there is lack of interest, dangerous weather or no volunteer available.  Notification in case of cancellation will be provided before 4:30 on Friday afternoon.

**This class is taught on the level of a more advanced child or teen. A mature, focused and positive attitude is expected. The enrollee is also expected to have some basic math skills such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and fractions.
 
simply fun and games
Fridays from 6:30-8:30
Parent Volunteers
 
This group is for young people who just want to play games…with or without strategy, rules or focus! Simply Fun and Games will meet in the Art Room. Pricing is also $5/person/week and sign up is also weekly. A volunteer will be needed to stay in the Art Room to answer questions and help put games away.
 

Raw Learning
2807 North Augusta Street
Staunton, Virginia 24401
540.292.3002
gleamer@rawlearning.org