"Cash Flow" with Mike Farnum - A Financial Literacy Class/Game for Teens

Alternating Fridays 10:30am - 12ish
continuing on Friday, March 6*
Groton Public Library - Meeting Room (by Lounge)

Come check it out!
This program focuses on “financial literacy” with the foundation being a game called “Cash Flow” designed by Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad. (See http://www.richdad.com/ for more info.)

Having trained with Mr. Kiyoaski, Mike acts as an enthusiastic, well-informed Financial Guide, Host & Facilitator with the ability to communicate additional Real Teen World examples in a friendly & accessible manner.

The class functions around an ongoing & amorphous game of "Cash Flow" - a more realistic version of "Life"-meets-"Monopoly" with a touch of "Risk" - in which the players have a randomly-drawn profession with a specific set of income & expenses, based upon which they make ongoing fiscal decisions in order to get out of the "Rat Race" and achieve their personal goal. Real estate, stock & charity investments & contributions shift with the twists & turns of market and economy....

Parents are indeed welcome to learn along with their children.

A hearty handful of students played "Cash Flow" yesterday morning, with enthusiastic response and glowing reviews:

"Wait...! It's over already? That was waay too short!"
- F.P. After 2 hours of game play.

"That was really pretty fun!"
- M.P. Initially skeptical & reluctant participant.

* Times and length of schedule may shift slightly, but this is the current plan.

Tennis Racket Exchange

Have an extra racket to share? Need one? Please use the comment section to connect & share information!

Tennis, Everyone?

The snow is melting! Time to think about getting some fresh air and exercise.

WHO?: You!
WHAT?: Tennis ~ all levels ~ all ages
WHEN?: Friday mornings (9:30-11:30?) Weather permitting, starting in March or April
WHERE?: Washington Park, Groton, CT*
Playgrounds, basketball hoops, & picnic areas available for non-participants. Bill Memorial Library & Fort Griswold within walking distance. http://www.revwar.com/ftgriswold/
WHY?: Fun, fresh air, exercise!
HOW?: Easy ~ just show up with a pair of sneakers, a tennis racket, a can of balls and a willingness to play!
Lessons with Lynn, (and any other volunteers!) are FREE.

ADULTS WILL NEED TO SUPERVISE NON-PARTICIPANTS AND/OR ASSIST WITH CHILDREN WHO NEED EXTRA HELP ON THE TENNIS COURTS.

RSVP: Please email Jennifer at jenniferpryor@sbcglobal.net with participant name, ages & contact info (email, phone) and volunteer assist interest (c'mon, you closet tennis pros!) so we can better organize, and contact for cancellations.


*See Google map for George Washington Park:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=washington+park+groton&fb=1&split=1&gl=us&cid=7905749381224383302&li=lmd&z=14&t=m

Tuesday, Feb 17th at GPL

Bookswap! Room 2 - Please bring your pre-enjoyed books to pass along for others to enjoy! If you've had that New-Year's-Sort-It-All-Out-And-Clear-It Moment strike your household, you may already have a bit of a stack going....

9:30 - 10:30 BookChat in the TeenLounge *This has become such a popular & growing group, please consider prioritizing your absolute favorite or most dramatically horrendous book review, in order to potentially share just one book, in the interest of time if there's a crowd!*

9:30 - 10:30 Yoga, Story & Song in Rm 2 with Anne Chase - parents welcome to join in!
Math Games in Room 2 with Jennifer - modified to suit interested partcipants - will be available as backup program as needed.

10:30 - 11:30 Dog Toy Crafting in Room 2 with Anne Bora and Priscilla Zorn - using fleece, creativity, & your crafty ideas/contributions. *PLEASE BYO SCISSORS!*

Valentine & Chocolate Workshop, Feb 10th

Groton Public Library, Room 2

9:30 - 10:30 Book Chat in Teen Lounge*

9:30 - 10:30 Valentine Creations in Room 2
The Pryors will bring some supplies, please feel free to BYO favorite crafty goodies

10:30 - 11:15 Chocolate Workshop
Discussion on fair trade, child labor, sustainability and factors on
The Other Side of Chocolate by moms Caterina Maxwell and Cindy Hyland - - plus your input, if desired.

BYO:
* Valentine supplies
* Chocolates to sample & share - check those labels!
* Chocolate funfacts, if you wish....

11:15 - 11:30 Clean-up
(The workshops have a fair potential for untidiness!)


* The work that was underway last week in that area is completed, so the 'Chat will be in its usual location.
It's best if we are respectful of the Library room rental policies and utilize Room 2 only.

Library's Games

As I was leaving the library after Game Day last week the librarians let me know that a couple of their games were missing. I think the missing games were Chutes and Ladders, Monopoly Jr and one other one. If you mistakenly brought these games home with you, please bring them back next Tuesday.

Feb 10th Chocolate Awareness Day at GPL 9:30 - 11:30

Cindy Hyland and Caterina Maxwell will share their research on the Chocolate Trade: fair trade, child labor, heritage & tradition, etc. Tasting will be a crucial element! Feel free to bring your own Choco-facts and even a favorite chockie to share -- check that label...!

Feb. 3rd Game Day at GPL!

Join us from 9:30 to 11:30 next Tuesday for Game Day in Room 2 of Groton Public Library! BYO favorite board games and ideas to share! Bingo? A Scrabble-Off, anyone? Chutes & Ladders? Does anyone have Twister? (And, I'm sure the Library has plenty of other choices.) Bring your faves and your smiles!
* Special Appearances by Finn & Nolan - the Homeschool Magicians *
Feel free to use the comment section to announce which treasured game you will be bringing, or to connect with fellow enthusiasts.

$5! Inkheart Movie Opening Day at Waterford 1:40

The Homeschool "Book-Was-Better" Club is meeting for the
1:40 Show at Regal Cinemas, 123 Cross Rd, Waterford, CT
on Friday, January 23 - Opening Day
$5/pp* rate has been negotiated for our (home)school group.

The movie is rated PG for fantasy adventure action, some scary moments and brief language.

Inkheart is based on the 2003 book by Cornelia Funke about story/telling so powerful, the characters literally come to life!

Those who are so inclined may be interested in a follow up tea & crumpet Book vs. Movie Discussion at nearby Panera Bread (other suggestions welcome!)

Please bring a friend - this is open to all - we've just coordinated the rate for our group at the 1:40 screening.

* We do not need to go in all together - just mention Homeschool Book Club - Richard, the Manager with whom we chatted, should be onsite.

RSVP so we can keep an eye out & say "hi" and/or Questions:
jenniferpryor@sbcglobal.net

Regal 9 Theater Location Map:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=123+Cross+Road+Waterford+CT+map&um=1&ie=UTF-8&split=0&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&resnum=1&ct=title

Panera Bread Location Map:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=903+Hartford+Tpke+Waterford,+CT+06385&fb=1&geocode=14076729808967314165,41.378044,-72.147478&oi=manybox&ct=14&cd=1&resnum=1

Movie Website:
www.inkheartmovie.com/

Book & Real-people Reviews:
http://www.amazon.com/Inkheart-Cornelia-Funke/dp/0439531640

New Dates for Groton Public Library!

We have a new set of Tuesdays in Room 2 of GPL from 9:30 - 11:30! They are a slightly quirky list due to increased demand of library facilities (following closures & shifting of other local meeting spaces - but we are very happy to share the time & space we can find! The dates are:

Feb 3
Feb 10
Feb 17
Mar 3
Mar 10
Mar 17

930 - 1030 Bookchat in Teen Area
The bookchat group has been a lovely ongoing & self-sustaining adventure -- thanks largely to the talents of Librarian Anne Campbell, and our brilliant team of homeschool families.

930 - 1030 Room Two open
1030 - 1130 Room Two open

Important Question:
OOOooh, the options on how to fill that Room 2! Please give feedback on whether you prefer to see one or two "classes" running all six Tuesdays, or treating each day as a 2-hour workshop opportunity led by different volunteer family/parent hosts.

- Jennifer Pryor is willing to do a Math Café workshop or series for apx 8 - 12yo, potentially with teen assistance.

Click to comment, or email jenniferpryor@sbcglobal.net

Book Was Better - Friday, Jan 16th 2:30 - 5:30ish

On Friday, January 16th, we will be screening Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events in the Pryor Barn at 35 Pearl Street. Popcorn & seltzer will be provided (you may bring a snack to share if you wish!) A discussion comparing the film & books will follow. The film includes elements from the first three books: The Bad Beginning, The Reptile Room and The Wide Window.
See www.lemonysnicket.com
The movie is 107 minutes long and stars Jim Carrey, and features Meryl Streep, Jude Law, Billy Connolly, Cedric the Entertainer & more and is rated PG for thematic elements, scary situations and brief language, and 107 minutes long. Please see the very helpful site http://www.kids-in-mind.com/l/lemonysnicketsaseriesofunfortunateevents.htm for detailed ratings of sex & nudity (1/10), violence & gore (4/10), and profanity (1/10).
The stories have a gothic air, a dark sense of humor, well-supported vocabulary lessons, and feature three self-educated & self-sufficient siblings. Recommended for about age 8+ but you know your child best!
Amazon.com Review
Fans of Lemony Snicket and newcomers to his gleefully ghastly Series of Unfortunate Events will be elated to discover this boxed gift set of the first three books in hardcover: The Bad Beginning, The Reptile Room, and The Wide Window. While it's true that the events that unfold in Snicket's novels are bleak, and things never turn out as you'd hope, these delightful, funny, linguistically playful books are reminiscent of Roald Dahl, Charles Dickens, and Edward Gorey. After they get their paws on this boxed set, there is no question that young readers will want to read the continuing unlucky adventures of the three Baudelaire orphans. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson
RSVP to jenniferpryor@sbcglobal.net

Holiday Bowl Lunch, Tuesday, Jan 13 11- 1 abt $9

Come one, come all - bring friends for a casual & sporty lunch at HolidayBowl in Groton (following our bookchat at the Lib).
http://newlondon.citysearch.com/profile/map/2022570/groton_ct/holiday_bowl.html
We have a party rate to share lane/s: $55 includes 2 hours of bowling, shoes, pizza & soda and we can fit 6 or so kids per lane. Parents can bowl, too! There is also a video gaming room and additional highly nutritional foods available at the takeout counter. If you think you'll be there, RSVP to
jenniferpryor@sbcglobal.net
so we know how many lanes to reserve!

2 Fun Projects for the 16th Gathering!

When we meet at the New London Friends Meetinghouse on the 16th at 9:30 AM, there will be two fun projects for Community Thinkers. Pam is getting a craft together (see last blog entry about bringing supplies) while Anne leads us in making dog biscuits for a local animal shelter. There is a new large table at the Meetinghouse so we'll have room for both.

As always, potluck begins around 11:30 and there will be a corner set aside for outgrown books that need new homes.

Many thanks to Anne and Pam for pulling together the activities!

Dec. 16th Meeting

How do people feel about having an ad hoc ornament making table for all ages at the Meeting House on Tuesday? We were thinking that everyone could bring random craft supplies (scissors, glue, paper, etc) and we could put them together any which way we please to make ornaments. I have a bunch of cardstock paper with holiday themes I would be happy to have cut up.

Cindy, is this an appropriate activity for this space?

What does everyone think?

Pam

12/9 Book Group

On Tuesday, December 9th, wander into the Teen Section of the Groton Public Library around 9:30 AM for a book discussion with librarian Ann.

Skating Tuesday 12/9

We will be at the Norwich Ice Rink again on Tuesday 12/9. This has been lots of fun -- even the 3-year-olds are skating! There is a place to sit and watch/chat for non-skaters.

Skating hours: 1 - 2:20.
$3 entry for homeschoolers, $3 for each rental.

You may also rent a bar to push around the ice -- kind of like a hurdle -- for those still getting used to skating for $3.

December 2nd and 16th

Community Think will be getting together at the New London Friends Meetinghouse on December 2nd and on December 16th. The doors will be open by 9:30 AM. The book discussion group will meet in the front room at 10:00. Potluck at 11:30 for anyone who wants to hang around and chat.

Our last gathering at the Meetinghouse was a lot of fun for all ages and included a Book Swap Table. All are welcome to bring books again.

Skating Again 11/25

We will be at Norwich Ice Rink again this Tuesday afternoon from 1 - 2:30. Ten of us skated last week, and we had the rink virtually to ourselves. It was fabulous!

$3 admission for homeschoolers; additional $3 for skate rental.

Directions from Rte. 395:

Take Exit 80 E/Downtown Norwich onto Rte 82. Go 0.9 miles.
Turn right on New London Turnpike
Rink is 0.7 miles down on the right.

Pam

Skating Tuesday

A few of us will be at Norwich Ice Arena Tuesday 11/18 from 1 - 2:20. If we get enough people (10, I think) we get a special group rate of $3/person. Skate rental is extra.

Pam

November 18th Get Together

The next Community Think gathering will take place at the Groton Public Library on Tuesday, November 18 at 9:30 AM. (Click on the link for the library's home page which includes hours and directions.)