HEART of Texas

Homeschool with HEART!
JULY 2016 HEART OF TEXAS   
Home Educators Alliance for Resources and Training of Texas, Inc.

JULY 2016 ISSUE
Home School News and Events
 
Dear Home School Families and Friends,
We are excited to share information that we feel may be of interest to home schoolers in North Texas.  Please share this newsletter with your friends or other homeschooling families in your network.

If you use content from this newsletter for placement within your own newsletter, website, or other communications, please acknowledge the HEART of Texas newsletter as your source via a link to our website: www.heartoftex.org.

If you know of an event or activity that would benefit other home schoolers, please drop us a line at editor@heartoftex.org so we can share it in our next bi-weekly e-newsletter.

Support group meeting listings are free. If you are a new group please contact us so we can also add you to our database so families can find you.  
Non-profit clubs and organizations that are in partnership with HEART of Texas can also promote their meetings in our newsletter.  Advertising space is available for those wishing to advertise their businesses, classes, workshops, job listings, or other opportunities.  Special rates and other benefits are given to businesses and organizations which partner with us. Email us for more information about our Partnership Programs.

Additionally, if you or anyone in your homeschool group would like to submit articles, or volunteer to serve on our newsletter or advertising teams, please contact us at editor@heartoftex.org.

We would love to hear from you!  


www.HEARTofTex.org
You can also "Like" HEART of Texas on Facebook!


Our deadlines are as follows:  
the 1st of the month, for the mid-month issue;
the 15th of the month for the issue that goes out at the beginning of the following month.
Please send all submissions to editor@heartoftex.org for consideration in the newsletter.

Thanks so much!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Home Educators Alliance for Resources and Training of Texas, Inc., (HEART of Texas) is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to serving the home schooling support groups, leaders and families in our regional service area. Our mission is to provide leadership, training, resources and support within the home school community through communications, networking activities, and events directed at home school support groups, leaders, and families in the Greater Dallas/Fort Worth and surrounding North Texas region.

This information is provided as a service to our fellow home schoolers. HEART of Texas does not necessarily endorse, warrant, or represent any of the activities, events, or organizations listed, or their content, views, opinions, or recommendations. Please use your own judgment when considering taking part in or attending any of these events or activities or visiting any of the websites or links provided.  HEART of Texas assumes no responsibility for the content of any ads, promises made, or the quality/reliability of the products or services offered.

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MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS
Click Here to View Month at a Glance


JULY 9
HEART OF TEXAS -- 7TH ANNUAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
HELD AT THEO IN PLANO

Time: Registration/Check in Begins at 8am
Conference: 8:30am -- 2:30pm

Location:
THEO, 1301 Custer Road, Suite 616, Plano, TX  75075

Details:  We are doing something very special for our leaders this year!!
We have invited Pastor Doug Bartsch to provide his professional leadership training to our attendees.
This leadership conference will be rich with practical, effective “how tos” and hands-on, real-time coaching!!
Pastor Doug Bartsch pastors His Place Church in Spring, Texas, and is also a homeschool dad and familiar with the struggles of homeschool leadership.
Tim Lambert, president of Texas Home School Coalition, will also speak with us about the homeschooling issues that he is tackling on a state level.

Topics Include:
** Positioned to Lead
** Dysfunction of Doing
** CEO Job Description
** Structure and Core Competencies
** Effective Team Meetings

Registration: 
$35/person; $45/married couple (Pre-registrations
on or before July 5)
$40/person $50/married couple (Pre-registrations after July 5 and at the door)

Registration Includes
:  coffee, light breakfast snacks, boxed lunch and drink.
We also have encouraging speakers, door-prizes, networking time, and an open forum where you can ask questions or help someone else with theirs!

To Register:  http://heartoftex.org/events/leadership/registration/registration.php
Email with Questions:  
Click Here

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INVITING EXHIBITORS: 
HEART OF TEXAS
ANNUAL "HOMESCHOOLING THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL & BEYOND" EXPO
LOCATION & DATE TBA


If you offer a classes, extra-curricular activities, a club/organization or other resources
for homeschoolers, we would love to have you exhibit at our next Expo!

Date and location are forthcoming, but will be in the DFW area.

Please click here to contact us for details.


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JULY 11, AUG 22, AUG 30
HOMESCHOOL CLASSES 
AT FOSSIL RIM


JULY 11 -- The Lorax
10am-3pm

Cost:
$23 for class & tour;  $8 for just the class

Connect the story of this favorite children's book with an endangered Texas native by taking part in a re-enactment of the story! The Attwater's Prairie Chicken, of which we have a breeding population, is a bird you won't soon forget.  Guaranteed to get your children thinking about the world they live in and their role in it.
To Register: 254.897.2960

AUGUST 22 -- Nature Journaling
10am-3pm

Cost:
$27/participant

Learn and practice four different nature journaling techniques and some basic animal drawing techniques.   We'll be inside and outside and finish the day with a special nature journaling tour of Fossil Rim. 
To Register: 254.897.2960

AUGUST 30 -- Cheetah!
10am-3pm

Cost:
$23/participant

Come learn about, see and fall in love with our amazing cats!
T
o Register: 254.897.2960

To view other classes at Fossil Rim:  click here

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JULY 27, AUGUST 22
"HOMESCHOOLING 101" INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS
BEDFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY

Time: 7pm-8:30pm
Cost: FREE

LOCATION:
Bedford Public Library
, 2424 Forest Ridge Drive, Bedford, 76021

For More Information:  Click Here
To Register:  Click Here
RSVP not required but requested if possible.

To Ask Questions:  Click Here

Details:  Thinking about homeschooling? 
Wondering what's involved, how it works, and if it's right for your family?  
Our "Homeschooling 101" informational meetings are designed to teach you the basics of homeschooling and give you the information you need to help you get started on the right foot.   

Some of the Questions answered during the session:
What is required to homeschool in the state of Texas?
Where can I find curriculum?
What about teacher certification?
How do homeschoolers perform on standardized tests?
Can homeschoolers go to college?
How do homeschoolers perform in the real world?
and MORE!!

Other Homeschooling 101 Informational Meetings: TBA 
If you would like to host an Info Meeting, or if you would like to become a part of our Homeschooling 101 Presentation Team, p
lease contact us via our website.  


BECOME A MENTOR!!
If you are a veteran home school mom or dad homeschool group leader and would like to stay connected to the homeschooling community by serving in this way, we would love for you to consider becoming a Mentor!  We are recruiting Mentors for our Homeschool Mentor Program.  Mentors assist new homeschool families with getting started on their journey.  It is not a tutoring service or classes for homeschool students.  This is a ministry to parents who are seeking guidance in getting started homeschooling their children. 
For more information, please contact us via our website.

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A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR:
CERTIFIED MASTER PHYSICS TEACHER

Highly respected high school and college Physics teacher, Mr. Jim Sitton, recently retired from full time teaching and is now offering his Physics course to high school age homeschool students. This is a complete Physics Laboratory course, taught in his family home, using Mr. Sitton’s personal extensive inventory of high school and college Physics apparatus.

Mr. Sitton has received over 70 awards for teaching excellence from institutions such as The American Association of Physics Teachers, The University of Texas, Who’s Who Among American Teachers, The Dallas Morning News, The University of New Mexico, The United States Navy, and Irving ISD. In addition, he has been the perennial selection as “Favorite Teacher” by students on his campus. His Physics students have gone on to acquire scholarships and experience great success at every major university in the continental United States as well as many in foreign lands. With over four decades of Physics teaching experience he is recognized statewide as a true “Master Physics Teacher”.

Course Highlights:
    •    Mr. Sitton caters his course to the needs of his students.
    •    Text will be: Exploring Creation with Physics 2nd Edition
    •    Apologia Physics curriculum comprehensively covered in one year (two semesters)
    •    Prerequisite – Algebra
    •    One class per week. Typically three hours each. Students usually spend 50% of class time doing actual hands-on lab work.
    •    Over 300 intriguing Physics demonstrations are presented using unique time tested handmade equipment.
    •     Jim Sitton, BS, MS, is fully certified in Physics, Advanced Placement Physics, GT Physics, and Mathematics.
    •    He is an enthusiastic teacher who actually makes Physics interesting.
    •    Parents are always welcome anytime in Mr. Sitton’s Classes.
    •    Sixteen total sessions per semester.
    •    Anyone wishing to meet the Sittons (Mrs. Betty Sitton is also a 35 year teaching veteran) before enrolling, is welcome at their home anytime by appointment. You can see the facilities where the course will be taught and get a glimpse of how a real Physics teaching lab is set up.

To Register:  click here to download the registration form.
For more information, to arrange a visit, or to obtain a registration form, contact Jim Sitton at 469-672-6622 or click here to email


Discount:
 
Mr. Sitton is offering HEART of Texas supporting members (with a current HEART of Texas member card) a 10% discount.
To Learn About HEART of Texas Membership: http://www.heartoftex.org/resources/membership

Testimonial:  
Dear Jim Sitton,
It has been 2014 – 1989 = 25 years since I graduated. Wow! You must really love teaching. I owe a lot of what I do today to you and your efforts. Today, I am an electrical engineer working at Advanced Micro Devices in Austin, Texas. I remember so much from your classes. The daily demonstrations were my favorite. Each day, I could not wait to see what you were going to do to keep us captivated. You have made a great impact on the lives of kids. Here’s to the best of the best in my book. Thank you for teaching!
Best Regards,                                      
Cass Arnett



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A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR:
HOMESCHOOL PE PROGRAMS
ROANOKE, PROSPER, HALTOM CITY, McKINNEY, FLOWER  MOUND

PE 101 is a 90 minute class that allows students to explore many sports in a short time. This porogram is designed so that students can be active and learn about athletics and team sports. Each class begins with a dynamic warm-up and stretch. We rotate through agility sations and drills.  Each unit of study includes sport specific drills and games, including rules of the game, strategy and the fundamentals required to play.  We also enjoy fun classic games like kickball, dodgeball, whiffleball and capture the flag.  

Roanoke Classes:  
Meet Fridays at 10:30am
Location: Ronoake Recreation Center, 501 Roanoke Rd, Roanoke, TX 76262
Click Here to register.

Prosper Classes:  Meet TBD 
Click here to register

Haltom City Classes:  Meet Tuesdays at 9:30am
Location:  Haltom City Recreation Center, 4839 Broadway Ave
Click here to register or 817-831-6464

McKinney Classes:  Meet Thursdays at 10:30am
Location:  McKinney Community Center, 2001 S Central Expy, McKinney, TX 75070
Click here to register

Flower Mound Classes:  Meet Tuesdays at 12:30pm
Click here to register

Discount:  HEART of Texas members (with current HEART of Texas member card) will receive a $5 discount off monthly class fees.  Some classes are eligible to combine for an additional sibling discount - ask at registration.
To Learn About HEART of Texas Membership: http://www.heartoftex.org/resources/membership
 
Email:  click here to email or 817-929-3333

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A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR:
REGISTRATION OPEN
HOME SCHOOL GOLF PROGRAM

LANTANA GOLF CLUB

Experience the Game of Golf!  Lantana Golf Club is offering three separate golf programs for juniors, age 8-17. The Spring, Summer and Fall programs will each offer weekly clinics over a period of 8-10 weeks.

Participants will receive instruction on full swing, short game (chip, pitch, putting) and bunker play.  Participants will also receive a basic introduction to the rules & etiquette of golf and the opportunity for quality time on course.

Our objective is to introduce juniors to the game of golf, improve playing skills and provide the opportunity for personal growth and learning.  We hope to build and strengthen character, develop new friendships, and enjoy the experience and life lessons this great game provides. 

Marc Brooks will provide lead instruction with assistance from other local golf professionals as needed.  Mr. Brooks is a PGA member and currently Director of Instruction at Lantana Golf Club.  He was named "Best Golf Instructor Denton County 2011, 2012, and 2013" and a member of the PGA President’s Council for his continuing efforts to promote and grow the game of golf.

Program scheduled to begin week of Sept. 8 and end week of Nov. 3 (no clinics week of Oct. 6)

To Register:  click here to download the registration form.
For more information, contact Marc Brooks, PGA at 940-728-4653 or click here to email

Discount:
 
Marc Brooks is offering HEART of Texas supporting members (with a current HEART of Texas member card) a 10% discount.
To Learn About HEART of Texas Membership: http://www.heartoftex.org/resources/membership

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~~What's Inside This Issue ~~
     (Click on the links below)

MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS AT A GLANCE
Jul --Reading Programs
Jul -- Amon Carter Museum Exhibits
Jul -- Dallas Museum of Art Exhibits
Jul -- Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge
Jul -- Dallas Arboretum
Jul -- Fort Worth Botanic Garden Programs
Jul -- Texas Discovery Gardens
Jul -- Library Used Book Sales Across North Texas
Jul -- Library Programs
Jul  -- Texas Parks and Wildlife Programs (Select Parks)
Jul -- Purtis Creek State Park -- Athens
Jul -- Cedar Hill State Park -- Cedar Hill
Jul -- Ray Roberts Lake State Park -- Denton
Jul -- Eisenhower State Park -- Denison
Jul -- Fort Richardson State Park/Lost Creek Reservoir State Trailway -- Jacksboro
Jul -- Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway -- Mineral Wells
Jul -- Tyler State Park -- Tyler
Jul -- Lake Tawakoni State Park -- Wills Point
Jul -- 3D Films at Perot Museum's Hoglund Foundation Theater -- Dallas
Jul -- Films at Omni/Imax (FW Museum of Science & History)
Jul -- HEART Partner: Homeschool Classes at the Fort Worth Zoo
Jul --  "Homeschooling 101" Informational Meetings
Jul -- Perot Museum:  Open Enrollment for Homeschool Classes
Jul -- Perot Museum: Open Enrollment for Junior Master Naturalist Program
Jul -- Registration Open:  Ft Worth Symphony Orchestra's Young Persons Concerts
Jul -- Registration Open : Dallas Symphony Youth Orchestra  -- American Celebration Concerts

July
Jul -- Ft Worth Museum of Science & History: Hidden Treasures: Celebrating 75 Years
Jul -- Dallas Arboretum: Garden Gigs (Fridays evenings in June & July)
Jul -- Dallas Arboretum: Nature Nights (Wed evenings through Oct 19)
Jul  -- Artisan Center Theater (Children's Theater):  The Little Mermaid
Jul -- HEART Partner Old Red Museum:  Dallas on the Homefront:  Dallas during WWII (thru Sept 25)
Jul 1 -- Nash Farm [First Fridays at the Farm]:  Keeping Cool
Jul 1-4 -- Dallas Arboretum: Fourth of July Weekend
Jul 2 -- Kimbell Art Museum (Kids Drop-In Studio): Hats, Helmets, & Crowns
Jul 2 -- Nasher Sculpture Center (First Saturdays): Space/Art Project: Pipe Cleaner Palaces
Jul 2, 16, 23, 30 -- Ft Worth Nature Center:  Nature Hike
Jul 4 -- Dallas Heritage Village:  Old Fashioned Fourth (10am-3pm FREE Admission)
Jul 5 -- Kimbell Art Museum (Pictures & Pages):
The Noisy Paintbox
Jul 5-7 -- Ft Worth Botanic Gardens (Summer Camp): Garden of Imagination
Jul 7 -- Texas Discovery Gardens: Stories & More!
Jul 7 -- Heritage Farmstead Museum: A Day at the Farm
Jul 8 -- Heritage Farmstead(Museum After Dark): Breaking the Law with Bonnie & Clyde
Jul 9 -- HEART of Texas Annual Leadership Conference (Plano, Tx)
Jul 9 -- Kimbell Art Museum (Kids Drop-In Studio): Hats, Helmets, & Crowns

Through Jul 10 -- Dallas Summer Musicals:
42nd Street
Jul 11-15 -- Heritage Farmstead Museum: Pioneer Camp
Session II (ages 6-12)
Jul 12 -- Oliver Nature Park: Kayaking at Britton Park
Jul 16
-- HEART Partner LLELA: Night Hike
Through Jul 17 -- Dallas Children's Theater Performances: Pinkalicious, The Musical
Jul 19 -- Heritage Farmstead (Sensible Creations Workshop): Braided Fabric Basket
Jul 20 -- Heritage Farmstead (Heritage Craft Workshop): Braided Fabric Basket
Jul 21 --
Ft Worth Museum of Science & History: Stars & Stories in the Planetarium Gallery
Jul 25-29 -- Heritage Farmstead Museum: Creek Camp Session II (ages 6-12)
Jul 9-10 -- 
HEART Partner Camp Tonkawa: Basic Camping Skills
Jul 11 -- Fossil Rim: The Lorax
Jul 11-15 -- Texas Discovery Gardens: Backyard Buddies Summer Camp
Jul 12 -- Ft Worth Botanic Gardens (Family Discovery Program): Scavenger Hunt
Jul 14 -- Ft Worth Botanic Gardens (Family Drop In):
Paper Binoculars
Jul 15 -- Nash Farm:  Frugal Farmwife Series
Jul 15 -- Oliver Nature Park: Nature Through a Lens
Jul 18-22 --
Texas Discovery Gardens: Backyard Buddies Summer Camp
Jul 18-22 -- Texas Discovery Gardens: Land to Sea Summer Camp with Children’s Aquarium
Jul 23 -- HEART Partner Cantare Choir Auditions:  Elementary and High School Choirs
Jul 23 -- Texas Discovery Gardens: Fascinating World of Butterflies
Jul 23 -- Nash Farm (Farmhouse on the Grapevine Prairie): Mosquitoes
Through Jul 24 -- Amon Carter:  Pasture Cows Crossing Indian Creek
Jul 25 -- Texas Discovery Gardens: Chrysalis Day Camp (3-6 years old)
Jul 26 -- Ft Worth Botanic Gardens (Little Sprouts) -- Fruit
Jul 27 -- HEART of Texas: Homeschooling 101 Info Meeting (for families contemplating homeschool)
Jul 27 --
Texas Discovery Gardens: Bitty Butterflies Half Day Summer Camp (3-4 years old)
Through Jul 27 -- Dallas Arboretum:  BOGO Wednesdays (through July 27)
Jul 28 -- Texas Discovery Gardens: Butterfly Tea Party featuring “Bonjour Butterfly”
July 29 -- HEART Partner LLELA: Night Hike
Jul 30 -- Oliver Nature Park: Kayaking at Britton Park
Jul 30 --
Jul 9 -- Kimbell Art Museum (Kids Drop-In Studio): Hats, Helmets, & Crowns
Through July 30 -- Artisan Center Theater: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Through Jul 31 -- Dallas Arboretum:  Summer at the Arboretum
Through Jul 24 -- Amon Carter:  Louise Nevelson - Prints

Sponsor -- HEART Partner  Physics Classes Taught By Master Physics Teacher Jim Sitton
Sponsor -- HEART Partner Homeschool PE (Roanoke, Prosper, Haltom City, Flower Mound, McKinney)

Sponsor -- HEART Partner  Registration Open: Home School Golf Program at Lantana Golf Club

August
Aug -- Dallas Arboretum: Nature Nights (Wed evenings through Oct 19)
Aug-- HEART Partner Old Red Museum:   Dallas on the Homefront:  Dallas during WWII (thru Sept 25)
Aug 1-5 -- Texas Discovery Gardens: Wiggly Week Bug Camp; Session 2
Aug 2, 3 --
Kimbell Art Museum (Pictures & Pages): The Iridescence of Birds
Aug 3 -- Oliver Nature Park: Smartphone Geocaching
Aug 4 --
Texas Discovery Gardens: Stories & More!
Aug 5 -- Nash Farm [First Fridays at the Farm]:  Cotton
Aug 5 -- HEART Partner Shine Performing Arts Theater:  2017 Season Reveal Party
Aug 6 --
HEART Partner Camp Tonkawa Junior Horsemanship Day Camp
Aug 6 -- Kimbell Art Museum (Kids Drop-In Studio): Painting Shapes with Picasso
Aug 6 -- Nasher Sculpture Center (First Saturdays): Place/Art Project: Place Puzzles
Through Aug 6 -- Artisan Center Theater (Children's Theater):  The Little Mermaid
Through Aug 7 -- Amon Carter Museum:
Discarded: Photographs by Anthony Hernandez
Aug 8-12 -- Heritage Farmstead Museum: Creek Camp - Session III (ages 6-12)
Aug 6, 13, 20, 27 -- Ft Worth Nature Center:  Nature Hike
ƒ
Aug 11 -- Texas Discovery Gardens: Butterfly Tea Party featuring “Bonjour Butterfly”
Aug 11 -- Oliver Nature Park: Kayaking at Britton Park
Aug 12 -Sept 17 -- Artisan Center Theater:
Starlight Express
Aug 13 -- Oliver Nature Park: Bird Watching Hike
Aug 13 -- Texas Discovery Gardens: Butterflies & Bugs!
Aug 13 -- Kimbell Art Museum (Children's Workshops): Still-Life Paintings
Aug 13-14 --
HEART Partner Camp Tonkawa Primitive Living Skills - Survival Through the Seasons
Through Aug 14 -- Dallas Museum of Arts: Irving Penn: Beyond Beauty
Aug 15-19 -- Texas Discovery Gardens: Budding Botanists Summer Camp (3-5 years old)
Aug 16 -- Ft Worth Museum of Science & History: Stars & Stories in the Planetarium Gallery
Aug 19 -- Nash Farm:  Frugal Farmwife Series
Aug 19-Oct 1 -- Artisan Center Theater (Children's Theater): Beauty and the Beast
Aug 20 -- Oliver Nature Park: Kayaking at Britton Park
Aug 20 --
Kimbell Art Museum (Kids Drop-In Studio): Painting Shapes with Picasso
Aug 20-Sep 4 -- Log Cabin Village: Closed for Maintenance
Through Aug 21 -- Dallas Museum of Arts: Vermeer Suite: Music in 17th Century Dutch Paintings
Through Aug 21 -- Nasher Sculpture Center:  Joel Shapiro
Aug 22 -- HEART of Texas:  Homeschooling 101 Info Meeting (for families contemplating homeschool)
Aug 22 -- Fossil Rim:  Nature Journaling
Aug 27 -- HEART of Texas
Homeschooling "Nuts & Bolts" Symposium
Aug 27 --
Kimbell Art Museum (Kids Drop-In Studio): Painting Shapes with Picasso
Aug 27 -- Texas Discovery Gardens: Covered in Chitin
Aug 27 -- HEART Partner Cantare Choir Auditions:  Elementary and High School Choirs
Aug 30 -- Fossil Rim: Cheetah!


FEATURED ARTICLES
HEART of Texas:  Event Planner & Others Volunteers Needed!

Find Support for Your Home School
-- Anne Gebhart, HEART of Texas

Wanted: Homeschool Veterans to Help Get Families Off to a Successful Start


No Greater Joy Ministries Offering FREE Magazines to Support Groups and Home School Families

NEST Family Learning Offering Discount to Our Newsletter Readers


CALENDAR OF EVENTS

LIBRARY PROGRAMS
1.   Library Programs at North Texas Libraries -- North Texas
       Other Libraries are Welcome to Include Their Events – contact editor@heartoftex.org

      Arlington Public Library (Homeschool Thursdays at the Southeast Branch)
   
 Bedford Public Library    
     Fort Worth Public Library
     Hurst Public Library
     Lewisville Public Library
     McKinney Public Library System
     Rockwall County Library
     Tyler Public Library 

READING REWARD PROGRAMS
2.   Book It!  Reading Program -- Enrollment:  May 1 through 2nd Friday in June each year
3.   Braums Book Buddy Reading Program -- Enrollment Open
      Six Flags Read to Succeed -- Enrollment for 2014-2015
   
CONTESTS/COMPETITIVE EVENTS
4.   BEST Robotics
5.   FIRST Lego League: WORLD CLASS CHALLENGE

6.   Texas State Fish-Art Contests -- Deadline March 31, 2016 (yearly contest)
7.   National Engineers Week
8.   USA Mathematical Talent Search 
9.   Igniting Creative Energy Challenge for K-12 -
10. Texas Beef Leaders of Tomorrow Contest --
    
CIVICS/GOOD CITIZENSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
11.  City of Fort Worth Youth Advisory Board -- Fort Worth
12.  City of North Richland Hills Teen Court -- North Richland Hills
13.  Hurst-Euless-Bedford Teen Court -- Hurst-Euless-Bedford

CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE ANNOUNCEMENTS
14.  Certificates of Special Congressional Recognition for Graduating Seniors
15.  National Congressional Art Competition -- Districts 3, 4, 5, 12, 24, 26, 30

HOME SCHOOL ENRICHMENT CLASSES
Become a HEART of Texas Partner to list your Enrichment Program or Homeschool Classes

16.  Center for Home Education -- Watauga
17.  Christian Educators Resource Center -- Rowlett
18.  Christian Homeschool Alliance of Texas -- Cedar Hill/SW Dallas area

19.  E.A. Young Academy -- North Richland Hills
20.  Eastfield College -- Mesquite
21.  Enrichment Classes, Inc. -- Grapevine

22.  Home Educators Resource -- Lewisville
23.  Homeschoolers East Co-Op Classes -- East Dallas
24.  JOY Christian Academy
-- Decatur
25.  Matthew Road Academy -- Grand Prairie
26.  Morning Glory Academy -- Hurst
27.  Tarrant County College -- High School Math Classes
28.  
THEO Home School Classes -- Plano
29.  Quo Vadis Educators -- Garland
30.  Vine Academy -- McKinney
31.  Westcliff Tutoring Physics Classes -- Southwest Ft Worth


HOME SCHOOL CLUBS
Become a HEART of Texas Partner to list your Club

32.  GEMS Girl's Club
32.  Dallas STEAM Explorers
32.  Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering

BOOK SALES & OUR PARTNERING HOME SCHOOL BOOK STORES
33.  Library Used Book Sales in North Texasd
33.  Center for Home Education -- Watauga
34.  Home Educators Resource -- Lewisville
 
NATURE CENTERS, ZOOS, & OUTDOOR PROGRAMS/CAMPS
Become a HEART of Texas Partner to list your program
35.  Camp Tonkawa (Day Camps and Outdoor Education) -- Collinsville
36.  Dallas Arboretum -- Dallas
37.  Dallas Zoo -- Dallas
38.  Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge Programs
39.  Fort Worth Botanic Gardens -- Fort Worth
39.  Fort Worth Japanese Gardens -- Fort Worth
40.  Fort Worth Zoo Homeschool Classes -- Fort Worth
41.  Fossil Rim
42.  Haven's Horses (Horsemanship & Outdoor Education)-- Keller
43.  Heard Museum Homeschool Classes – McKinney
44.  Heritage Farmstead Museum -- Plano
45.  Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area
46.  
Nash Farm -- Grapevine
47.  Oliver Nature Park -- Mansfield
48.  Ride with Pride -- Southlake
49.  Sharkarosa Wildlife Ranch -- Pilot Point
50.  Texas Discovery Gardens -- Dallas
51.  Texas Parks and Wildlife Programs -- State Parks in North Texas
        Purtis Creek State Park -- Athens

       
Cedar Hill State Park -- Cedar Hill
        Ray Roberts Lake State Park -- Denton
        Eisenhower State Park -- Denison
        Dinosaur Valley State Park -- Glen Rose
        Fort Richardson SP and HS/Lost Creek Reservoir State Trailway -- Jacksboro
        Lake Mineral Wells State Park and Trailway -- Mineral Wells
        Tyler State Park -- Tyler
        Lake Tawakoni State Park -- Wills Point 


PERFORMING ARTS
52.  Artisan Center Theater Performances -- Hurst
53.  Breitling Youth Theater/Acting for Children Performances -- Garland
54.  Cantare Performance Choir -- Southlake
55.  Casa Manana Children’s Playhouse Performances -- Fort Worth
56.  CATS Theater Performances -- Arlington
57.  Cottage Theater Performances -- Watauga
58.  Dallas Children’s Theater Performances -- Dallas
59.  Dallas Summer Musicals -- Dallas
60.  Dallas Symphony Orchestra -- Dallas
61.  Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra -- Fort Worth
62.  Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra -- Dallas
62.  Park Cities Studios/The Dallas Conservatory -- Dallas
63.  Plano Children’s Theater Performances -- Plano
63.  Shine -- Plano
64.  Texas Ballet Theater Performances -- Special Pricing -- Dallas/Ft. Worth
65.  Texas Ballet Theater Dance School -- Dance Classes -- Fort Worth
66.  Home School Discount Tickets to Dallas Theater Performances
    
ART AND SCIENCE MUSEUMS
67.  Amon Carter Museum Exhibits – Fort Worth
68.  Dallas Museum of Art Exhibits -- Dallas
69.  Kimbell Art Museum Exhibit -- Fort Worth
       Admission to the museum's Permanent Collection is always FREE
70.  Perot Museum -- Dallas
       Homeschool Programs  and Exhibits                                
71.  Museum of Science & History -- Fort Worth
72.  Nasher Sculpture Center -- Dallas

OMNI & 3D FILMS 
73.  Shows at the Fort Worth Omni Theater -- Ft. Worth Museum of Science & History
74.  3D Films at the Perot Museum in Dallas -- Perot Museum
  

HISTORICAL PROGRAMS
75.  Log Cabin Village -- Fort Worth
76.  Dallas Heritage Village -- Dallas
77.  Old Red Museum -- Dallas

SCIENCE EVENTS/ACTIVITIES
78.  Star Parties at Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
79.  North Texas District Science Fair for Home Schoolers

HOME SCHOOL SPORTS/PE PROGRAMS
Become a HEART of Texas Partner to list your non-profit Sport/PE program
80.  Aledo Christian School's Basketball, Baseball, Volleyball, Softball Teams -- Aledo
81.  Berne Academy's Varsity Boys Basketball Team -- Lancaster

82.  Homeschool Swim -- The Colony Aquatic Park -- The Colony
83.  Homeschool Swim & Swim Team -- Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium-- Allen
84.  Christian Martial Arts -- Bedford
85.  Dallas Thunder Homeschool Basketball Organization -- Registration Open
86.  Elite Track Club/Cross Country Program for Home Schoolers  
87.  Home School Athletic Association
88.  Hulcy Home School PE Classes -- Richardson
89.  Home School PE Classes -- Velocity in Southlake
90.  Home School Fencing Classes -- Fencing Institute of Texas -- Farmers Branch
91.  Parker-Tarrant Home School 
92.  Pop-In Playtime -- Pump It Up of Grapevine -- Grapevine
93.  THESA Riders Home School Association
94.  Training For Confidence Martial Arts School -- Colleyville
95.  Best Gymnastics -- Flower Mound
96.  Home School Golf Program -- Lantana Golf Club

SUPPORT GROUP ANNOUNCEMENTS
Become a HEART of Texas Support Group Partner to list your Support Group here!
97.   HEART of Texas Mentor Program
98.  
DFW Speech and Debate Club -- Coppell
99.   Denton County Christian Home School Association -- Denton

100. Irving Home Schoolers -- Irving
101. PEACH -- Plano

COLLEGE PREP
102.  SAT Test Dates
103.  SAT Prep Classes with Jean Burk -- Across North Texas   

COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR HOMESCHOOLERS
104.  Baylor and Air Force ROTC (AFROTC) Scholarship

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteer opportunities must indicate a direct homeschool interest to be included in this listing.
105.  Volunteer Opportunities Available for Home School Students in 21 Counties -- American Cancer Society
106.  Learn to Laugh in Another Language: Be a Host Family for a Foreign-Exchange Student -- INTO                     EdvENTURES
107.  Home School Weekday Volun-Teens Program -- Fort Worth Zoo
108.  Homeschool Volunteers Needed to Deliver Meals; Friendship -- Meals On Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County
109.  Homeschool Volunteers Needed to Deliver Meals -- Johnson & Ellis Counties
110.  Home School Volunteers Needed to Serve Meals -- Dallas -- The Stewpot
110.  Texas Global Education and Cultural Exchange Program 

OTHER EVENTS BY DATE
111. Free Organ Recitals -- Dallas
112. Summer Reading Programs -- Summer 2015


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FEATURED ARTICLE

HEART of Texas: Event Planner & Other Volunteers Needed!

HEART of Texas is looking for volunteers to help us fill the following positions:

Events -- If you love to plan events and coordinate activities, we need you!  HEART of Texas hosts various types of events for North Texas homeschoolers throughout the year, and we need you to help us make these events even better!

Writing & Editing -- If you enjoy writing articles about homeschooling or researching the best places for field trips, we need you to help on our newsletter team.

Advertising/Marketing -- For those with creativity and a flair for marketing/advertising.


All of these positions can be performed from the convenience of your home.

To apply:  send your resume and contact information to us via email

Thank you for helping us to make HEART of Texas the BEST resource for Homeschoolers in the North Texas region!


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Where to Find Support for Your Home School
-- Anne Gebhart, Regional Director, HEART of Texas

A couple of years ago I was interviewed by a national news network which was filming a story about homeschooling in America.  One of the questions the interviewer asked me was, "What is the most difficult thing about homeschooling?"  If I had been answering this question twenty-plus years prior, my answer may have been "teaching Algebra or Chemistry" or "finding homeschool curriculum."  

Today, however, with the plethora of homeschooling resources available and an increasing number of curriculum choices to fit just about every educational philosophy and family situation, the issue of teaching a particular subject or purchasing a curriculum is no longer the challenge it once was.  Perhaps the most difficult thing about homeschooling today is knowing where to look for resources such as a local support group, co-op classes, curriculum, or other needs.

Fulfilling that need is one of the primary reasons HEART of Texas was formed.
 HEART of Texas has developed an extensive database of homeschool groups and resources located in North Texas, and part of what we do in serving the North Texas region is to help families get what they need to be successful as they endeavor to teach and train their children.   Our mission is to provide leadership, information, training, and educational support for the families and support group leaders in our regional service area, and to be a point of connection between people and resources.

We fulfill this mission in a number of ways.

We publish a free biweekly enewsletter (such as the one you are reading now) that is chock-full of events and activities going on all across the region.  We host a variety of regional events such as our annual HEART of Texas Regional College Night which draws nearly 100 public and private universities & colleges under one roof; our Regional Home School Expo where families can learn how to get started homeschooling and visit with various organizations that wish to offer classes or other resources to homeschoolers;  informational meetings where new homeschoolers can find out about homeschooling and what it involves; our annual Nuts & Bolts Conference where parents can learn more in-depth how to homeschool from Kindergarten through High School and Beyond;  and other special events directed at homeschool families when we see an opportunity to coordinate an event that will be beneficial.

We also have a ministry to homeschool leaders.  We offer a leader training conference for support group leaders and their boards, Leader Round Table discussions with leaders in various areas to help us gain feedback for how we can better serve their groups, as well as leader appreciation events just to tell our leaders, "thank you for all you do to serve homeschoolers."
We couldn't do what we do if it weren't for the many leaders throughout North Texas giving their time and expertise to help other families.

HEART of Texas also partners with businesses and organizations who wish to provide their services to the homeschooling community, and we pass along those partner benefits to our member-supporter families. To learn how to become a member of HEART of Texas, click here.

We represent homeschooling to community leaders around North Texas, and speak at various community events to help others understand what homeschooling is and find ways that we can work together.  We also work with other homeschool organizations such as Texas Home School Coalition, the state advocacy organization for homeschooling in Texas, to find ways that we can better serve North Texas families.

Every day, HEART of Texas receives phone calls and emails from families looking for help with how to get started, find support groups and other resources, and learn how to educate their children at home in a way that is best for their family. We come alongside those families and guide them to the resources they need.  These requests for support have become more and more frequent as families are choosing, at ever-increasing rates, to educate their children at home.  This is, indeed, an exciting time to be homeschooling, and we are excited to be able to play a part in helping to launch the next generation of homeschool families.

We also have an amazing board of directors who serve with us, and each of them also has a desire to serve homeschool families and help them be successful.

In short, our heart is to build relationships.  
Our motive is to serve people.  
Our agenda is Proverbs 3:27.

If you share this same desire to serve others, we would love to have you as part of our organization.  Please consider becoming a member, or even volunteering with us.  C
ontact us if you are interested.  If you are a veteran homeschooler or support group leader looking for a way to stay connected with helping homeschoolers, please consider volunteering as a Mentor.  Click here for more information.

Thank you for allowing us the privilege to serve you.
 

Anne Gebhart, is the regional director of HEART of Texas, and co-founder with Dave, her husband of 25 years.  They have homeschooled their 6 children for 19 years.  For more information about HEART of Texas, or to subscribe to their FREE newsletter of activities, events, and field trip ideas, visit heartoftex.org.  

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FEATURED ARTICLE

Wanted: Homeschool Veterans to Help New Families Get a Successful Start

We are excited to announce that we are rolling out our new HEART of Texas Homeschool Mentor Program for homeschooling families!  The purpose of the Mentor Program is to provide real-time, face-to-face, one-on-one help for new homeschool moms and dads who are starting their homeschool journey.

If you are a veteran home educator who would like the opportunity to encourage and support the next generation of home schoolers, please consider becoming a HEART Mentor.  Please email Anne regarding the program (include Mentor in subject line) and she will connect you with our Mentor Coordinator.



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FEATURED ARTICLE

No Greater Joy Ministries Offering FREE Magazines to Support Groups and Home School Families!

Mike & Debi Pearl of No Greater Joy Ministries would love to send your home school group FREE magazines!  They have set aside some extra copies just for your group to pass out at your monthly meeting.  To request copies for families in your group, please email Debi Pearl with the number of magazines you need, and where to mail them.

Or, if your family would like to get your own FREE subscription, visit their site
and sign up for their
magazine.

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FEATURED ARTICLE

NEST Family Learning Offering Special Discount to Our Readers

NEST Family Learning has partnered with HEART of Texas to offer a special discount to readers of our newsletter!

Simply visit this link 
to start shopping and begin enjoying your savings today!  Use coupon code "HEART" when placing your order.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

1.    LIBRARY PROGRAMS AT NORTH TEXAS LIBRARIES

To find out what programs your local libraries have going on, visit the website below.  It includes links to public libraries all over Texas, so you and your kids can get in on the adventure of reading.

http://www.publiclibraries.com/texas.htm


BEDFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY

Location:  2424 Forest Ridge Drive
                Bedford, TX  76021
                817-952-2373
Contact:  Carrie Glinderman

Spring 2015-2016 Dates
TBD


TUESDAYS -- Sprouts Story Time
(for the more active child)
Time:  10 a.m.–10:20 a.m.

TUESDAYS -- Story Book Club
(for the child who is ready to be a sitter and listener)
Time: 11 a.m.11:25 a.m.

THURSDAYS -- Peapods Story Time
(for babies 2 years and under and their caregiver.)
Registration is required for this program.
For More Information:  Contact Kids Help Desk at 817-952-2373

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FORT WORTH PUBLIC LIBRARY

CENTRAL LIBRARY BRANCH
Location:      500 W. 3rd St
        817-871-7701

DIAMOND HILL/JARVIS
Location:      NE 35th Street
        817-624-7331

EAST BERRY LIBRARY
Location:      4300 E. Berry St.
        817-536-1945

EAST REGIONAL LIBRARY
Location:    6301 Bridge St.
        817-871-6436

MEADOWBROOK LIBRARY
Location:      2800 Stark St.
        817-451-0916

NORTHSIDE LIBRARY
Location:    601 Park Street
        817-626-8241

NORTHWEST BRANCH
Location:  
6228 Crystal Lake Dr
        817-392-5420

RIDGLEA LIBRARY
Location:    3628 Bernie Anderson Drive
        817-737-6619

RIVERSIDE LIBRARY:
Location:    2913 Yucca Avenue
        817-838-6931

SHAMBLEE LIBRARY
Location:      959 East Rosedale St.
        817-871-6621

SOUTHWEST REGIONAL LIBRARY
Location:    4001 Library Ln.
    817-782-9853

SUMMERGLEN LIBRARY
Location:      4205 Basswood Blvd.
        817-232-0478

WEDGWOOD LIBRARY
Location:      3816 Kimberly Ln.
        817-292-3368


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HURST PUBLIC LIBRARY
Location:  901 Precinct Line Road
               Hurst, TX  76053
               817-788-7300
Contact:  Click Here to email


Ages 1-3
MON/THURS:  Toddler Time
10am-3pm


Ages 3-6
TUESDAYS:  Story Time

10:45 a.m.–11:15 a.m.

Elementary Ages and Up
MONDAYS:  Chess Club
4 p.m.–5 p.m.

7th - 12th Graders
FIRST THURSDAY:  Teen Game Night
7 p.m.


To put your collection on exhibit at the Hurst Library:
  Contact the Information Specialist to fill out a form with your contact information and a description of your collection.  To be considered, personal collections must meet the Library display criteria.


Live Homework Help (online tutoring)
Hurst Public Library now offers Live Homework Help
Subjects:  math, science, social studies, and English
Time:  3 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Cost:  Free - must have a Hurst Library Card
How To Access: V
isit www.hurst.lib.tx.us
From a library computer, or from your home PC or Mac
Spanish-speaking tutors are available to help students in math and science.
All sessions are confidential and
monitored for quality and safety.
For More Information:  C
all Youth Services at 817-788-7302 or www.hurst.lib.tx.us


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LEWISVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Location:  1197 W. Main Street, Lewisville, 75067
Contact:  Click Here to email  or call 972-219-3577


2015-2016 Events
TBA


2015 MONTHLY EVENTS FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES
TBA


2016 SPECIAL CHILDREN’S EVENTS
TBA


CLASSES AND ACTIVITIES FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL-AGE STUDENTS
LAST MONDAY OF THE MONTH at 4:30pm -- Maker Mondays
Put your creativity to work in these maker workshops for teens (grades 6-12)!
Schedule TBA
 
THIRD THURSDAYS at 7pm -- Teen Advisory Group (Grades 6-12)
Calling all teens!  Let your voice be heard -- help create the teen experiences you would like to see at your library.
Pick up an application at the Youth Services Desk.


We look forward to seeing you at the library!


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McKINNEY PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM
Location:  101 E. Hunt Street
               McKinney, TX  75069
               972-547-READ
Contact:  Click Here to email  or call 972-547-7319

Program Calender:
Click Here  


Preschool Programs: For children from birth through entering Kindergarten. Tickets will be handed out for all preschool programs beginning at 10am

STORYTIMES
Fun with Baby:
6-17 mos & caregiver
When: Tuesdays
Time: 10:15am

Hold My Hand: 18mos-3 yr & caregiver
When: Tuesdays
Time: 10:15am

On My Own: 3-5 yr olds
When: Tuesdays
Time: 11am

MUSIC & MOVEMENT
18 mos-3 yrs old: child and caregiver
When: Mondays
Time: 10:15am

3 through 5 year olds: Independent child
When: Mondays
Time: 11am

FAMILY STORY TIME
For caregiveres and children of all ages
When: Wednesdays
Time: 6:30pm


SCHOOL-AGE PROGRAMS
Details: For children in Kindergarten through 5th grade.
Animal Kingdoms: Learn about different areas of the world and the animals who live there.
Time: 3:30-4:15pm
When: Jan 15: Super Heroes; Feb 12: Artists

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ROCKWALL COUNTY LIBRARY
Location:  1215 E. Yellowjacket Lane 
               Rockwall, TX  75087
               972-204-7700
Contact:  Click Here to email 
 
Registration required for programs:  Click here to register

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TYLER PUBLIC LIBRARY
(all events are free and open to the public)
Location:  201 S. College Ave
One block southwest of the square in downtown Tyler
Contact: Evelyn James – 903-593-7323 – programs@tylertexas.com

Preschoolers DayCare StoryShare
MONDAYS & TUESDAYS
Time:  10:30 a.m. in the Storyroom
Friends share stories, songs, and books with childcare groups.
Please email or call to register

ReadAloud Crowd
WEDNESDAYS &  THURSDAYS
Time:  10:30 a.m. in the Storyroom
Storyteller Evelyn James and friends share songs, stories, and simple crafts with preschoolers and their families

AfterSchool Rules!
THURSDAYS
Time:  3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. in Taylor Auditorium
A reading incentive program for children in grades K-5
Reading games and activities PLUS! One on one reading time with middle and high school “reading buddies”


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ARLINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY

HOMESCHOOL PROGRAMS
The Southeast Branch of the Arlington Library is starting a program called: “Homeschool Thursdays”. Being held every other Thursday from 1:30pm to 3:00
and will include science projects, books, crafts, poetry and more.
 
(Events are free)

Event Dates:  TBA
 
For More Information: Contact Here
 

Finding Your Own Voice (Junior High) 6 week session
Location: George W Hawkes Central Library
Details:  Led by local, award-winning poet and the DFW National Youth Poetry Slams founder Mike Guinn. Junior High students will build an appreciation for the art of poetry and develop creative performance skills through SLAM (Spoken Language Arts Method) poetry
For More Information and to Register: Click Here
 
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2.  BOOK IT! READING PROGRAM

MAY 1, 2016 -- Enrollment Opens for Home School Students

Who Can Participate:
  Children in grades K-6.

The Book It! Reading Program is sponsored by Pizza Hut and runs from October 1 through March 31 each school year. It is available for children in grades kindergarten through sixth grade.

The reading program allows the children to earn free personal pan pizzas for meeting their reading goals.

Important Note:  Support groups may not register families for the program.  Each home school family will need to enroll individually to be able to participate, for their children in grades K-6th grade.  They must not be attending another educational facility.

For Detailed Program Information: Click Here

To Enroll Your Homeschool: Click Here  (Enrollment opens in May 1, 2015)

Book It! Hotline:  1-800-426-6548
Hotline hours:  9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. CT (Monday through Friday)


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3.  BRAUMS BOOK BUDDY PROGRAM

The Braum's Book Buddy program gives children the opportunity to read for delicious prizes from Braum's!  This program is open to home school families!

Who Can Participate: Children in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades.

Program Runs:  September through end of school year.

Reward:  Each child can earn up to six Braum's treats throughout the year including Single Dip Sundaes, Single Dip Ice Cream Cones and more! The best part...it costs nothing to participate in Braum's Book Buddy reading program. We're happy to offer this program to elementary schools and home schools absolutely free! At Braum's, we want to promote a positive attitude in children for a lifetime love of reading.

How does Book Buddy work?
Teachers distribute Braum's Book Buddy booklets to their students and then monitor book reading by placing a Book Buddy sticker in the student's booklet for each book read. When a student has read six books, the teacher rewards the student with a coupon for a free treat from Braum's!

To Enroll:
Send us a written request for enrollment information on school letterhead to:
Braum's Book Buddy Reading Program
PO Box 25429
OKC, OK 73125

Upon receipt of your written request (and upon meeting criteria) we will add your school to our mailing list and your school will automatically receive information on the program each year. Braum's Book Buddy program is a great way to encourage children to read and earn prizes at the same time!

For More Information:  Click Here  
   
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SIX FLAGS READ TO SUCCEED

Read to Succeed is an exciting program that encourages students in grades K through 6 to read for fun. Students who complete six hours of recreational reading earn free tickets to Six Flags! The program is available to teachers and schools at no cost to participate, and it's a great way to motivate kids to read.
 
To register for Read To Succeed for the 2015-2016 school year, please click the Registration link below.  Even if you participated last year, you will need to register again for the new school year. Click here to register.


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4.  BEST ROBOTICS 
     

BEST is a non-profit, volunteer organization whose mission is to inspire students to pursue careers in engineering, science, and technology through participation in a sports-like, science- and engineering-based robotics competition.

Get a glimpse of the teaser video for this year's competition:  Click Here

For Rules:  Click Here


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5.  FIRST LEGO LEAGUE:  2015 FLL WORLD CLASS CHALLENGE

Challenge Release: Click here for more information about the 2015 FLL WORLD CLASS Challenge

If you are interested in coaching or being involved next year:
visit the website to learn more.

About the 2015 Challenge:  Get ready.  Get set.  Roar!  Or you could bark, quack, or squeak, because the 2016 ANIMAL ALLIESSM season is all about our furry, feathered, and finned friends.  In the 2016 FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge, more than 28,000 teams of students age 9 to 14* will look into the eyes of our ANIMAL ALLIES.  What might become possible when we learn to help each other?

Registration Information:  Click Here

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6.  TEXAS STATE FISH-ART CONTEST

ENTRIES DUE MARCH 31 (ongoing annual contest)

The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center is the official host for the Texas State-Fish Art Contest sponsored by Wildlife Forever. All Texas entries in the annual contest are to be sent to TFFC for judging. Winning Texas entries will be forwarded to Wildlife Forever to compete for national best of show and art of conservation stamp honors.

About the Contest:  The State-Fish Art Contest is part of a conservation education program designed to spark the imaginations of students while providing valuable lessons about fish and the importance of conserving Texas' aquatic resources. We also offer you the choice to use our free lesson plan.

Who Can Participate:  All Texas students in grades K through 12.  Four winners from each state will be selected, one winner per grade group (K-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12), for a total of 200 winners nationwide.

Prizes:  All contestants will receive a certificate of participation. Four winners from each state will be selected, one winner per grade group (K-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12), for a total of 200 winners nationwide. Participants will compete within their own state and grade category regardless of species submitted. Winning designs will be displayed at the Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Expo in the summer following the contest deadline. All winning designs will be displayed on the State-Fish Art website.  

The Art of Conservation Stamp Award:  Each year Wildlife Forever will select one design (based on specific criteria) from all the entries for an attractive fish stamp.

How to Enter:  Students must create an illustration of the Texas state fish or one of the other state fishes (see list of official fish) and write a composition on its behavior, habitat and conservation. Texas students are encouraged, but not required, to depict the Texas state fish, the Guadalupe bass. Texas entries are judged only against other Texas entries no matter what fish is depicted.

For Rules, Prizes and Other Details:  Click Here

For More Information:
Click Here



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7.  NORTH TEXAS REGIONAL NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEK FUTURE CITY COMPETITION FOR 6-8TH GRADERS

The North Texas Regional Competition is open to all public, private, parochial and home school 6th, 7th and 8th grade classes, as well as approved youth groups (the only limitation is that teams must be willing to make the trip to Arlington to present their designs).

Registration is by school/organization. Schools may have more than one team competing.

Nominal Cost:  only $25 per school for registration.
Registration is by school. Schools may have more than one team competing.
Schools are limited to spending no more than $100 per team on the model and presentation, combined.


On receipt of registration and fee, we will provide:
   
Download code(s) SimCity (for either Windows or Mac operating systems)
    *  The Teacher-Mentor Handbook - basic rules and information on the competition, lists of resources,    
        ideas on how to incorporate the program into the curriculum, and hints for teachers
   
Specific rules and schedules for the North Texas regional competition
   
Registration (By October 31); 
Click Here

Program Timeline:  Click Here
Program Details: 
Click Here

Through the program, students will:
    * Work as a team under the guidance of a teacher and a technical professional,
    * Use a popular award-winning computer game, SimCity, to design a logical model of a future city,
    * Realize their design with a physical scale model built with recycled materials,
    * Research and write an essay on an assigned engineering topic,
    * Communicate their design to a panel of judges in a public presentation, and
    * See firsthand how engineers turn ideas into reality.


To Download Brochure:  Click Here

For More Information:  Click Here to send email or visit http://www.dfwfuturecity.org


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8.  USA MATHEMATICAL TALENT SEARCH

The USA Mathematical Talent Search (USAMTS) is a FREE mathematics competition open to all United States middle and high school students.

The USAMTS allows students a full month to work out their solutions. Carefully written justifications are required for each problem. The problems range in difficulty from being within the reach of most high school students to challenging the best students in the nation. Students may use any materials - books, calculators, computers - but all the work must be their own. The USAMTS is run on the honor system - it is an individual competition, whose competitive role is very secondary. (Although we do give prizes.)

The USAMTS consists of three rounds, with each round featuring five problems. Each round of problems is published at least four weeks before solutions are due.

Student solutions to the USAMTS problems are graded by mathematicians and comments are returned to the students. Our goal is to help all students: develop problem solving skills, improve their technical writing abilities, and mature mathematically.  We wish to foster not only insight, ingenuity and creativity, but also the virtue of perseverance, which is equally essential in scientific endeavors.

The USAMTS is one of the ways to enter the process of selecting the USA Mathematical Olympiad team, which participates in the International Mathematical Olympiad. The USAMTS score necessary to qualify for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME) is set by the American Mathematics Competitions (which run the AIME) and varies from year to year. Students who score well on the USAMTS after the first three rounds are invited to take the AIME, the second step in the process of selecting the USA Mathematical Olympiad Team.  With permission, USAMTS participant's names and addresses are provided to colleges, universities, and employers for recruitment purposes.

To view Solutions for each round of the USAMTS
:  Click Here

Eligibility Requirements & Rules governing the USAMTS:  Click Here

To Register:  Click Here
(If you have already registered in a past year, you do not need to register again.)

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9. IGNITING CREATIVE ENERGY CONTEST FOR K-12

About the Challenge:  Igniting Creative Energy (ICE) is a national student contest promoting creativity and environmental stewardship. ICE is unique in the realm of student contests due to a commitment to allowing rather than restricting. Entries in the contest range from poetry, videos, essays, 3D models, games to anything else a student may be able to imagine and create.

To Learn More:  Click Here

Rules of Eligibility: (subject to change)
• No purchase necessary. This is a competition of skill.
•Entries must be postmarked
• The Challenge is open to all students in grades K-12 in the U.S. and Canada. Void in Quebec.
• Entries must be submitted individually with the exception of group projects.
• Group projects may be submitted, however each individual in the group must submit his/her own entry form and written explanation and will be judged independently. All prizes will be awarded to individuals.
• Entries must relate to the theme "Igniting Creative Energy".
• Entries must be the student's original work.
• Entries must be complete, legible and include required signatures.
• Students may enter multiple projects in any creative form within the following limits:
• Documentation or written entries (500 words or 3 page limit).
• Audio or Music (3 minute limit).
• Media or electronic (10 minute limit). Videos in VHS or DVD format only.
• All entries must include a written explanation (not to exceed one page) describing how the entry relates to the theme. (see judging criteria below)
• Entries must be accompanied by the official Igniting Creative Energy entry form (click here).
• Entry forms must include signatures of the student and parent or legal guardian.
• Employees of Johnson Controls, Inc. and the National Energy Foundation and their immediate families, household members and dependents may participate, but are not eligible for prizes.
• The Challenge is open to all students K-12, however only students enrolled in accredited public and private schools are eligible for the grand prize.
• State winners will be selected from each state that has a minimum of 25 entries
 

Can home school students enter?  Yes. All students K-12 are invited to enter. However, home school students are not eligible for the grand prize.

Awards and Other Details:  Click Here


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10. TEXAS BEEF LEADERS OF TOMORROW CONTEST

Contest Registration Deadline TBD
(This is an annual contest)

Who Can Participate:
Any student, aged 17-20 (not over 20 by Sept 1 of the contest year), who is enthusiastic about the beef industry is eligible to compete. The four individuals with the highest combined scores are selected to join the team.
To be eligible to compete, contestants must complete the following:
1) One Media Interview: local, state, or national print, radio or television media
2) One Consumer Promotion: such as in-store demonstrations and health fairs
3) One Youth Presentation: made to elementary age youth. If it is not possible to make the presentation in the classroom, after school programs or youth organizations such as 4-H, YMCA or scouts groups may be used.

For Contest Information, Rules & Forms:  Click Here

Contest hosted by Texas CattleWomen and sponsored by the Beef Checkoff


Awards: The top four winners of the TBLT contest will be awarded a $2,000 scholarship. In addition, the winners receive industry and media training, travel opportunities across Texas, invaluable experience and exposure in the beef industry. The high point winner will represent Texas in the National Beef Ambassador Competition which affords more opportunities for prizes and scholarships. Expenses to the National Beef Ambassador Competition will be funded by the Texas Beef Checkoff.

Contestants compete in four categories:
1) Media Interview – The contestant will participate in a mock media interview. The interviewer will have pre-determined questions to ask each contestant with the option to ask follow-up questions in order to extrapolate additional knowledge or clarify a point. A panel of judges will observe the interaction for: knowledge, articulation, poise and the contestant’s ability to “Tell the Beef Production Story” and present the industry in a positive light. Scoring will be done by the judges only. The contestants should be well versed in all areas of beef production and the beef industry relating to consumers. Questions will be taken from the website www.explorebeef.org; however, special attention should be paid to all current industry issues.

2) Consumer Promotion – A mock consumer promotion event will be set up for the contestants. Each contestant will be provided with a “sample” to serve as well as beef industry production and nutrition literature and recipes. Scripted “Consumers” will approach the table to take the sample. They will ask questions to test the contestant’s knowledge, capacity to perform in the field and ability to present beef in a positive light. A panel of judges will observe and score each contestant on their ability to educate the consumer and provide the consumers with the appropriate information to answer their questions.

3) Youth Presentation – On competition day contestants will submit a report to represent the presentation made to youth. The report must contain the following items:
1. A lesson plan
2. An overall written report detailing your presentation and the response of your students.
3. A Teachers Evaluation form (provided)
4. Four pictures of you presenting to students
5. Examples of any items used in presentations may be included in two additional photos.
This report will be evaluated at the competition by two judges. Contestants will not be present at the evaluation nor will they be required to make a youth presentation at the competition. Reports and all materials contained in them become the property of the Texas CattleWomen.

4) Issues Response – Contestants will be provided with a recently published news article regarding the beef industry. Each contestant will compose a brief (150 words or less) response to the article. The judges will score the contestants on their ability to respond to an industry article by thoughtfully answering questions, identifying misinformation and listing positive consumer information.
  

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11.  CITY OF FORT WORTH YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD

In recent years, there has been a growing trend to involve youth in local government.  The Fort Worth City Council believes that the voices of young people are important.  To facilitate that, the Council has approved a new Youth Advisory Board for the City of Fort Worth.  The Youth Advisory Board will advise the City Council on issues regarding the youth in the City of Fort Worth.  A brief summary of the Youth Advisory Board follows.

Who May Apply:  High school age students who are between the ages of 14-18 and who reside in Fort Worth may submit an application for consideration for appointment to the advisory board.
 
 Purpose:                
The Youth Advisory Board shall:
• act in an advisory capacity to the Fort Worth City Council;
• study youth issues important to the community;
• encourage youth to become actively involved in matters pertaining to the community; and,
• act as a source of information and education on issues important to youth.
 
Members:             
The Youth Advisory Board shall be composed of 27 members who will meet bi-monthly.  
 
Activities:           
To be determined by the Youth Advisory Board, following the direction of City Council.
 
For More Information:  Click Here to Email
Community Relations Department, School and Youth Outreach
1000 Throckmorton, Fort Worth, TX 76102
817.392.8444       817.392.7529 (fax)

For an application:  http://www.heartoftex.org/downloads/downloads.html
    

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12.  CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS TEEN COURT

Teen Court benefits both youth and community by providing an alternative method of adjudicating juvenile offenders and allowing teen volunteers to learn about the judicial system, while documenting Community Service hours.
 
Who Can Volunteer:  Full time students ages 13-18 who are in PUBLIC, PRIVATE OR HOME SCHOOLS.  

Volunteers may serve as jurors for our Teen Court sessions, or once trained, can act as a defense attorney or prosecutor in our Teen Court trials.
 
Teen Defendants are held responsible for their behavior while giving them the opportunity to participate in and become knowledgeable about the judicial system. Juvenile Offenders "pay" for their offense(s) by performing community service and participating in Teen Court. Volunteer teen attorneys present offender's cases to a jury of their peers.

Upon successful completion of the program, offender's cases are dismissed and do not appear on their permanent records.

Teen Court alleviates the strain on the regular court system, besides giving juvenile offenders a second chance. The program also provides youths in the area a chance to participate in the judicial process.

Location:  North Richland Hills Teen Court
        6720 N.E. Loop 820
        North Richland Hills, Tx 76180
        817-427-6705


To Volunteer:  Click Here to email

For More Information: Click Here

You may also come to Teen Court on any night Teen Court is in session to observe, prior to signing up to be a volunteer.
    

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13.  HURST-EULESS-BEDFORD TEEN COURT

The Hurst-Euless-Bedford Teen Court is a program that allows juveniles with Class C misdemeanor offenses an alternative to the criminal justice system. Offenders' cases are presented to a jury of their peers by volunteer teen attorneys. Teen jury members assign community services sentences, and upon completion of the program the offenders' case(s) are dismissed and removed from their record.

HEB Teen Court is currently open for both ADULT AND TEEN VOLUNTEERS! Adult volunteers can serve as Jury or Master Jury Monitors. Teens (must be at least 15 years of age) can serve as clerks, bailiffs, and attorneys. Teen Court is held on various Monday evenings, usually twice a month. If you have a few hours you can spare on a Monday evening, come volunteer with HEB Teen Court.

There are many great benefits for teen volunteers such as earning community service hours for school (National Honor Society, CAS, International Baccalaureate), your college resume, and for scholarship opportunities. For more information contact Mindy Eichorst in Teen Court at the number or email below.

Location:  HEB Teen Court
        2000 Forest Ridge Drive
        Bedford, TX 76021
        817-952-2468


To Volunteer:  Click Here to email

For More Information: Click Here

You may also come to Teen Court on any night Teen Court is in session to observe, prior to signing up to be a volunteer.
    

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14.  CERTIFICATES OF SPECIAL CONGRESSIONAL RECOGNITION

District 24
Congressman Kenny Marchant, U.S. House of Representative, would like to give each graduating senior, who resides in the 24th District of Texas, a certificate of Special Congressional Recognition.
 
The certificates will be printed with the name of the senior and will be signed by the Congressman.
 
The completed certificates will then be mailed directly to the senior’s home address.
 
If interested, please call 972-556-0162 or Click Here to send an email with the name of the graduating high school senior, the date of graduation and the senior’s home address to.
  
Address:
Congressman Kenny Marchant
9901 E. Valley Ranch Parkway, Ste. 3035
Irving, Texas  75063

To find out if your Congressman has a similar program, please contact your representative:

To Locate Your Representatives:
www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/
 

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15.  ANNUAL CONGRESSIONAL HIGH SCHOOL ART COMPETITION

"An Artistic Discovery" is the annual nationwide Congressional High School Art Competition initiated by Members of the U.S. House of Representatives.  Each Congressional District may host its own competition. Since the competition was first launched in 1982, hundreds of thousands of students have participated in over 5000 locally conducted contests.


24th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 2015 ART COMPETITION
Open to all high school students living in the 24th Congressional District, including homeschoolers.

The winning student from each district will have his or her artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol complex for one year! Additionally, the winner will be provided airfare and lodging for two to visit Washington, DC where he or she will be recognized among the other winners from across the country.
Every contestant will have his or her artwork digitally displayed on the Congressional website and receive a special certificate of recognition. A group of 5 finalist will be invited to a special ceremony where the winner will be announced.  The 4 runner-ups will receive a special consolation prize of showcasing their artwork in North Texas gallery.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE:  TBA:  Stay Tuned for the 2017 competition
For More Information or to Enter: click here



26th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 2016 ART COMPETITION
The juried contest is open to public, private and home-schooled high school students residing and/or attending schools located in the 26th Congressional District.  Each art teacher may submit up to 5 entries with no student allowed to submit more than one entry; all works must be submitted as a group through the art teacher. 

The Grand Prize is the display of the winning student's artwork for an entire year in the U.S. Capitol. 
The First Place winner will have the opportunity to have their artwork displayed in my Lake Dallas district office for the upcoming year.
 
Qualified submissions will be posted in a virtual gallery on the website during a selected period of time.  The "Best of School" awards will be selected by the art juror and will be given to one student artist from each school; as a finalist, they will have their artwork further considered for the Grand Prize and First Place. 
 
In addition, the public will be able to vote online for their favorite pieces in a virtual gallery on my website; the artwork earning the most votes will be named the "Texas Choice" winner.  Please encourage your school's students and teachers to vote for their favorites online.  The "Texas Choice" and "Best of School" awards will be announced online and via email to art teachers. 
 
Competition finalists, their parents, teachers and school administrators will be invited to attend a reception  to view the "Best of Schools" and "Texas Choice" artwork.  All the student finalists will be honored during the reception.  The Grand Prize and First Place winners will be announced at the reception.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE:  TBA (Stay tuned for next year's competition!)
For More Information or to Enter: click here



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16.  CENTER FOR HOME EDUCATION - WATAUGA

Center for Home Education provides, located in Watauga, provides the best in curriculum, classes and classical theatre.

Enrichment Classes

See our website for details about these and other classes, and call 817-281-2293 or visit the store to register.

Location:
5733 Watauga Road
Watauga TX 76148
817-281-2293
(Between 377 and Rufe Snow in Northeast Fort Worth, Texas)

Website:  http://centerforhomeeducation.com/

 
Discount:  Center for Home Education is offering HEART of Texas members a 10% discount off all new and used curriculum and tickets to our student theatre performances, with a current Heart of Texas family membership card.  
To Learn About HEART of Texas Membership: http://www.heartoftex.org/resources/membership

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17.  CHRISTIAN EDUCATORS RESOURCE CENTER IN ROWLETT

Christian Educators Resource Center has a full line-up of electives for the elementary student through the high school student!

Discount:  CERC is offering HEART of Texas members a 15% discount on any in-stock items.  You must present your current HEART of Texas Family I.D. card to qualify for the discount.  
To Learn About HEART of Texas Membership: http://www.heartoftex.org/resources/membership

Location:  Christian Educators Resource Center
        4501 Rowlett Rd., Suite 105
        Rowlett, TX 75088

Contact:    972-475-4138
        http://www.cerconline.org


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18.  CHRISTIAN HOMESCHOOL ALLIANCE OF TEXAS

Enrichment Days is a fun, exciting, and educational learning group that meets six times each semester at a local church.

Classes vary each semester based on the interests of the individual teachers.  You can view a sample class schedule on our website at www.c-h-a-t.org .  The classes offered that semester will not necessarily be offered again, but this will acquaint you with the kinds of classes available. 
 
You must be a member family in the Christian Homeschool Alliance of Texas to participate.  Membership is $30 per year.  New member families can join mid-year for $15.



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19.  E.A. YOUNG ACADEMY -- North Richland Hills

E.A. Young Academy is offering summer programs and enrichment classes to home school students.

Location:
8521 Davis Blvd
N. Richland Hills, TX  76182
For More Information:  Click Here

Discount:  E.A. Young Academy is offering HEART of Texas members (with a valid ID Card) a
$45 discount off each Ignite Summer program Intensive.  Members will also receive discounts off
enrichment classes as they are developed.  
To Learn About HEART of Texas Membership: http://www.heartoftex.org/resources/membership


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20.  EASTFIELD COLLEGE

For Class Registration or Other Information:  972-860-7113


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21.  HOME EDUCATORS RESOURCE ENRICHMENT CLASSES

The Home Educators Resource sells a large array of new and used books and curriculum, plus they offer classes and other resources to homeschool families.

For Class Descriptions, Fees and Other Information: Click Here

Classes Offered:
Art

Science
English
Foreign Language
Girls Gymnastics
Guitar Lessons
History
Math
Physical Education
Robotics
World View

Location:

1288 W. Main Street Suite 203
Lewisville, TX 75067
972-956-8320

Website:  http://homeeducatorsresource.com/    

Discount:  Home Educators Resource is offering 10% off new and used books to HEART of Texas family members. Plus, members will still earn punches on their HER Buyer's Card.
To Learn About HEART of Texas Membership: http://www.heartoftex.org/resources/membership
    

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22.  HOMESCHOOLERS EAST CO-OP CLASSES -- EAST DALLAS
    
Classes Offered:
Mock Trial I (Grades 1-3)
Mock Trial II (Grades 4-6)
Model United Nations (Grades 9-12)
Youth and Government I (Grades 6-8)
Youth and Government II (Grades 9-12)
Ballroom Dancing (Grades 4-6)
Readers’ Theater I (Grades 1-3)
Readers’ Theater II (Grades 4-6)

Contact For More Information:  Click Here to send an email

Location:  The Summit Church
        4101 East Park Blvd.
        Plano, TX  75074


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24.  JOY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY IN DECATUR
    
For more information on the JOY Christian Academy and the home school enrichment courses we offer, please go to www.joyca.org.


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25.  MATTHEW ROAD ACADEMY

An affordable Christian university model school, we offer academic and elective courses from Kinder to Highschool. Pick and choose courses from Art to English Composition to Algebra and more! Limited spots available in each course.

Please check out our website for more information: http://matthewroad.org/#/schools/matthew-road-academy

Or call Candice McClellin, 469-261-3779, MR Academy Registrar

Matthew Road Academy opens registration March 1st for the 2013-2014 school year.

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26.  MORNING GLORY ACADEMY

Morning Glory Academy (MGA) is a classical Christian school located in the Keller area.  MGA uses a college-style schedule of classes, offering classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Students study at home according to their family's schedule the other days of the week.  


Contact: 
Grammar School Director Susan Riddle, 817-706-9888 (k-5th).  
              Upper School Director Leslie Kent, 817-905-3861  (6th-12th).

To Register:  Click Here to email
For more information:
http://www.themga.org/
Location: Morning Glory Academy -- The Mount Church: 860 Keller-Smithfield Rd. Keller, TX  76248

MGA:  Your Home . . . Our School . . . Perfect Fit.


Discount:
  HEART of Texas Members receive a discount on tuition at MGA!

See http://www.heartoftex.org/partners/ for more details.

To learn more about HEART of Texas membership:
http://www.heartoftex.org/resources/membership    



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27.  TARRANT COUNTY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL MATH CLASSES
FOR HOME SCHOOLERS


SE Campus 2100 SE Pkwy Arlington TX (Off 20 and New York)
MW Classes
Algebra II MW 230-4
Geometry MW  1-230

Friday

College Algebra 9-12

Cost: 
$173 for entire course and text. 
This is a FULL math credit.
We are also asking parents at this time what need they have for next August as we would like to expand and offer as many classes as we can beyond this point so your thoughts are greatly appreciated.

For more info contact:
Maurine Amend
mdamend@tx.rr.com
maurine.amend@tccd.edu
cell:  972-743-9179

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28.  THEO IN PLANO OFFERING CLASSES FOR HOMESCHOOLERS

Located in Plano, THEO’s 20 Christian, talented teachers—most homeschool momsoffer a myriad of classes for 6-12th grade home educated students.  Testing is also available.

Discount:  THEO is offering HEART of Texas family members with valid ID cards 20% off their regular application fee.
To Learn About HEART of Texas Membership: http://www.heartoftex.org/resources/membership

For Complete List of Available Classes or More Information:  www.THEOsonline.org

Location:  1301 Custer Road, Suite 703
                Plano, TX 75075
                214-282-6936

For Questions:   Click Here to email


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29.  QUO VADIS EDUCATORS

"Serving the Home-School Community"
Classes held in Garland, TX

To Learn More:  click here to email or 972.271.0673.
For More Information:  
www.quovad2000.org

Discount:
  HEART of Texas Members (with a valid, current HEART of Texas Family ID card) receive
$5/month off tuition all year (up to 9 months per student per school year) AND Children's Theater Workshop Half-Price Tuition ($45 value, limit one discount per workshop) See http://www.heartoftex.org/partners/ for more details.

To learn more about  HEART of Texas membership:
 www.heartoftex.org


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30.  VINE ACADEMY -- McKINNEY

The Vine Academy seeks to assist home school parents by providing classes for middle and high schol students.  Classes meet once a week, with the student completing homework during the week.  All classes taught from a Christian perspective.  

For More Information:  
Click Here

Discount:  HEART of Texas Members (with a valid, current HEART of Texas Family ID card) receive $5/month off tuition all year.  See http://www.heartoftex.org/partners/ for more details.

To learn more about  HEART of Texas membership:
 www.heartoftex.org



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31.  WESTCLIFF TUTORING  - PHYSICS & CHEMISTRY CLASSES - SW FORT WORTH

2 Hours of Instruction/week
3-6 Hours of Homework/week

Location:  SW Fort Worth
Cost: $360/semester
Class Size: 8 Students
Documentation for Transfer Credit

About the Teacher:
Bachelor Degrees:
Zoology
Petroleum Engineering
Secondary Science Education
Private High School Instructor (9 yrs)

Email:  westclifftutoring@gmail.com
Website: westclifftutoring.com

Discount:  WestCliff Tutoring is offering HEART of Texas members (with valid membership card) a 5% discount on Physics & Chemistry Class Tuition.
To Learn About HEART of Texas Membership: http://www.heartoftex.org/resources/membership


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32.  GEMS GIRLS CLUB

Our GEMS club invites interested girls of the ages 6 - 13 to come and experience GEMS (Girls Everywhere Meeting the Savior)!  We are a mentoring ministry just for girls led by moms with a heart for guiding and training in godliness.  We meet twice a month during the school year at an Allen church, on Wednesdays from 1:30 - 3:00.   Our club meetings include large group worship time, followed by small group time in similar age groups. Our club meetings are fun and dynamic and include a variety of activities to learn about Jesus and serving others.

To Learn More About Becoming a Member of GATE GEMS Girls' Club: Email Here
To find out more about the GEMS organization: Click Here


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32.  DALLAS STEAM EXPLORERS

Dallas STEAM Explorers is a Club for students interested in careers in Science, Technology,
Engineering, Tech Art, & Math


Meetings are held the first Monday of the Month at the UTD Campus
Although we recommend that you RSVP, walk-ins are welcome. We encourage parents and/or teachers to attend with students. Participation is free and there is no membership or dues.

For More Information:  
Click Here


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32.  TEXAS ALLIANCE FOR MINORITIES IN ENGINEERING (TAME)

TAME is a science and math non-profit organization geared to create interest in STEM. Regional events take place during the winter.  State events take place in the spring.  There is no cost to families.
If you or your organization is interested in starting up a TAME club, please click here to send
an email
to the Dallas Chair.

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33.  LIBRARY USED BOOK SALES IN NORTH TEXAS

Looking for inexpensive literature books and other resources to add to your home school library?  Library used book sales are excellent opportunities to purchase books at bargain prices. Here are a few sales that we know about in the North Texas area.
To advertise your library book sale in our newsletter, please contact us by email.


WICHITA FALLS -- JULY 2; AUG  6; SEPT 3, OCT 1; NOV 5; DEC 3
Time: Mon: Noon-6pm;  Thu: 10am-2pm; Sat: Noon-5pm
Location: Wichita Falls Public Library
                  600 11th St
                940-767-0868 x248
Books: 3,000 books; .50-$2;  Half-price sale on most books 1st Sat of each month

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CARROLLTON -- JULY 29-30
Time:
Fri/Sat: 10am-6pm
Location: Carrollton Public Library
               1700 Keller Springs Rd
                972-416-4843
Books:   5,000 books; 90% donated; 50% hardcover; sorted; paperbacks $1; hardcovers $2

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BRECKENRIDGE -- JULY 4; AUG 1; SEPT 5; OCT 3; NOV 7; DEC 5
Time: Mon: 11am-5:30pm
Location: Breckenridge Library
               209 N. Breckenridge Library
                (enter through back door)
                254-559-5505
Books:  
hardcovers $1 or 6/$5; paperbacks $3/small bag, $4 large bag (bags provided)
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KERRVILLE -- JULY 9; AUG 13; SEPT 10; OCT 8; NOV 12; DEC 10
Time:
10am-4pm
Location: Butt-Holdsworth Memorial Library
              505 Water St.
               830-895-0592
Books:   .50-$2.50, coffee table books $4

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LONGVIEW -- JULY 19-24; MARCH (DATE TBA)
Time:
Tues/Thurs: 10-9;  Wed/Fri/Sat: 10am-6pm; Sun 1-5pm
Location:  Longview Public Library
                222 W. Cotton St
                903-237-1350
Books:  4,000; paperbacks .25; hardcovers $1

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FLOWER MOUND -- AUG 5-7; OCT 21-23
Time: Sat: 11-5pm;  Sun: 1-5
Location: Flower Mound Public Library
               3030 Broadmoore Land
               972-874-6151
Books:  
20,000 books; $1-$2
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MESQUITE -- APR 29-30;  OCT
Time: Fri: 9-5; Sat 9-3
Location: Mesquite Public Library
               300 W. Grubb Dr
               972-216-6220
Books:   4,000 books; 85% donated; Donation
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DALLAS -- SEPT 10-17
Time: Sat: 10am-5pm;  Fri: 1-5pm;  Sat:10am-5pm
Location: Lakewood Branch Library
               6121 Worth Street
               214-670-1376
Books: 
15,000 books; 100% donated; 60% hardcover; sorted; not 'picked over'; no buyer restrictions; .50-$3
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RICHARDSON -- OCT 7-9
Time: Fri/Sat: 10am-5pm;  Sun: 2-5pm
Location: Richardson Public Library
                900 Civic Center Dr
                972-744-4350
Books: 
25,000 books; 95% donated; 60% hardcover; sorted; no buyer restrictions; paperbacks $1; hardcovers $2; children's .50-$1
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EULESS -- OCT 14-16
Time: Sat: 10am-4pm;  Sun: 1-3pm
Location: Mary Lib Saleh Euless Public Library
                201 N. Ector Drive
                817-685-1679
Books: 
10,000 books; 50% donated; 50% hardcover; sorte; Also DVDs, CDs, audiobooks; paperbacks .50; hardcovers $1


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33.  CENTER FOR HOME EDUCATION

Center for Home Education in Action, located in Watauga, provides the best in curriculum, classes and classical theatre.

Location:
5733 Watauga Road
Watauga TX 76148
817-281-2293
(Between 377 and Rufe Snow in Northeast Fort Worth, Texas)

Website:  http://www.centerforhomeeducation.com/   

Discount:  Center for Home Education is offering HEART of Texas members a 10% discount off all new and used curriculum and tickets to our student theatre performances, with a valid Heart of Texas family membership card.   
To Learn About HEART of Texas Membership: http://www.heartoftex.org/resources/membership


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34.  HOME EDUCATORS RESOURCE

The Home Educators Resource sells a large array of new and used books and curriculum, plus they offer classes and other resources to homeschool families.

Visit them at their Location:
401 E. Church St
Lewisville, TX 75057
972-956-8320

Website:  http://homeeducatorsresource.com/    

Discount:  Home Educators Resource is offering 10% off new and used books to HEART of Texas family members. Plus, members will still earn punches on their HER Buyer's Card.
To Learn About HEART of Texas Membership: http://www.heartoftex.org/resources/membership


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35.
 CAMPS AT CAMP TONKAWA

Camp Tonkawa is an Outdoor Learning Center, where we teach nature through hands on experiences.  Located outside of Collinsville, TX, on a 35 acre tract of land certified as a wildlife refuge.

Discount:  Camp Tonkawa is offering HEART of Texas members a  10% discount for HEART of Texas members with a valid family ID card.  Offer not valid in conjunction with semester discount rates for Nature Awareness Camps.
To Learn About HEART of Texas Membership: http://www.heartoftex.org/resources/membership

Location:  
Camp Tonkawa Outdoor Learning Center
1036 CR 203
Collinsville, TX  76233
For Information: 940-440-8382 or Click Here to email


CAMP SCHEDULE


JUNE 2016
17-19 -- Family Survival Camp
                Time:
Begins at opening Campfire Friday at 7pm.  Can arrive as early as 4pm to set up camp.                 Camp ends Sunday Afternoon at 2:30 pm.
             Cost: $85/adults;   $70/ages 13-15;  $60/ages 6-12
Tues/Wed/Thurs -- Horse Times
                Time:  9am-11am (2 hours)
                Cost:  $120
                Ages:  7-Adult
                Choose a day of the week to attend the three day series. 
                    *Tuesdays June  14th, 21st, and 28th
                    *Wednesdays June 15th, 22nd, and 29th
                    *Thursdays June 16th, 23rd and 30th


JULY 2016
9-10 -- Basic Camping Skills
                Time:
Begins Saturday at 9:30am; Goes through Sunday 2:30pm
                Cost: $45/Children (15 & under);  $60/Adults


AUGUST 2016
6 -- Junior Horsemanship Day Camp

           Time: 9am-Noon
           Cost:  $40 per person / Parents/leaders who will NOT be riding are FREE.
13-14 -- Primitive Living Skills - Survival Through the Seasons
             Time: Classes begin Sat at 9:30am.  You may arrive the night before.
            Camp ends Sunday at 2:30 pm.
            Cost: $95/per camper (includes Teens without a parent)
            Family Rate:  $75/Teens ages 13-15

SEPTEMBER 2016
3 -- Horsemanship Day Camp
       Time:  10am-2:30pm
       Cost:$50/person;  Parents/leaders who will not be riding are free
10-11 -- Primitive Survival Skills Class 1
       Time: Sat at 9:30am;  Ends Sunday at 2:30 pm.
       Cost:  $80 (see website for family rates)
17-18 -- Sow What/Organic Gardening (It's Your Planet Love it Leadership Journey)
        Time: Starts 9:30 am on Saturday and goes through 2:30 pm on Sunday.
       Cost:  $45/each person

24-25 -- Get Moving/Clean Energy (It's Your Planet Love it Leadership Journey)
        Time: Starts 9:30 am on Saturday and goes through 2:30 pm on Sunday.
       Cost:  $45/each person

OCTOBER 2016
1 - Horsemanship Day Camp
   
   Time: 10am-2:30pm
       Cost:  $50/person.  Parents/leaders who will NOT be riding are FREE.

1-2 -- Wonders of Water (It's Your Planet Love it Leadership Journey)
        Time: Starts 9:30 am on Saturday and goes through 2:30 pm on Sunday.
       Cost:  $45/each person

8 -- Primitive Survival Class 2
        Time: Begins 9:30am Saturday.  Ends about 2:30pm on Sunday.
       Cost:  $80/each person (family rates available - check website)

15-16 -- Breathe AIR (It's Your Planet Love it - Leadership Journey)
        Time: Starts 9:30 am on Saturday and goes through 2:30 pm on Sunday.
       Cost:  $45/each person

22-23 -- Native American Indian Camp
        Time: Class begins Saturday at 9:30 a.m.  Ends Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
       Cost:  $60/adults;  $45/ages 15 and under
29-30 -- Primitive Living Skills - Survival Thru the Seasons (Autumn Session)
         Time:  Classes begin Sat. at 9:30am.  You may arrive the night before.
            Camp ends Sunday at 2:30 pm.
         
Cost: $95/per camper (includes Teens without a parent)
            Family Rate:  $75/Teens ages 13-15


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36.  DALLAS ARBORETUM

No matter the time of year, the Arboretum is always in bloom. Both spring and fall feature wild bursts of color. Summer does nothing to diminish the bloom of the Arboretum plantings, which thrive on the warmth of Dallas' summer months. And, because of Dallas' temperate winter temperature, the arboretum is even blooming in the middle of winter.

Location:
8525 Garland Road
Dallas, TX  75219
214-515-6500
http://www.dallasarboretum.org  

Hours:  Open Daily 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Open Wed evenings until 8pm through October 26
Customer Service hours:  Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm
(Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, & New Year's Day)
Admission: 
$15 for adults (13-64)
$12 for seniors (65+)
$10 for children (ages 3-12)
Free for children ages 2 and under
Children's Adventure Garden Admission: $3 (in addition to general garden admission)
Onsite parking:                                                                
$15 per vehicle self-parking or parking garage
$8 daytime parking pass available by online purchase only                                                


DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE
Featured Discounts:  click here

BOGO WEDNESDAYS -- Through JULY 27
Buy one get one free admission tickets are available at the ticket booth only, with a limit of one purchase per person Discount also applies for Wednesday Nature Nights.

SENIOR THURSDAYS

Senior-friendly tours and activities are offered each Thursday. $11 general admission for seniors 65 and older and a 20 % discount in the Hoffman Family Gift Store.

TEACHERS & EDUCATORS DISCOUNT

Complimentary admission to the Main Garden and Children's Adventure Garden is available to Teachers and Educators. Present a valid educator picture ID at the ticket booth for the complimentary admission. If a picture ID is unavailable, an educators ID plus a driver’s license can be presented. Teachers and educators can purchase a Dallas Arboretum membership and receive a 10% discount for the first year with their IDs. Offer is only valid on daytime admission. Offer does not apply for paid educational programming. Parking fees apply.

$8 PARKING DISCOUNT
Discounted $8 daytime parking is available online

GROUP DISCOUNT
Groups of 15 or more receive $2 off General Admission and have the opportunity to have one of our experienced tour guides lead your group on an educational and entertaining tour of the gardens. Guided tours include seasonal highlights and are available year-round. These tours are an additional $7 per person. For more information, please see the Group Sales page.

Rainy Day Guarantee
If the rain won’t go away you can come back another day. The Arboretum’s rainy day pass will guarantee another free entry if rain interrupts your visit. Tickets are issued at the ticket booth on the day of the occurrence only. Offer valid for a full paid general garden admission. Rainy day tickets are good any day from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. for up to three months from the original date of purchase. Rainy day passes are only good for the original type of ticket purchased.  This policy does not apply to the Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden, the Cool Thursdays Concert Series or Parking.

CityPass Tickets:
Save 41% or more off admission to the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, plus the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Reunion Tower Geo-Deck, and a choice between the Dallas Zoo and the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. Valid for 9 days after first coupon has been redeemed.

EVENTS at the ARBORETUM
THROUGH JULY 31 -- Summer at the Arboretum
10am-2pm
Join us every Friday in the shady Pecan Grove for face painting, a petting zoo, silhouette artist Micki Triggs and music for the little ones.

JUNE 18 & 19 -- Father's Day Weekend
Bring your dads and grandfathers to the Dallas Arboretum to celebrate! Events include a remote control plane flying demonstration, $2 hot dogs and root beer all day Saturday and Sunday.  In the Main Garden we'll have a Brats 'N Brews special: smoked or polish bratwurst, choice of potato chips or potato salad, and your choice of beer for $12.   Or just bring your own picnic to enjoy the weather and then have some fun at the most beautiful place in Dallas.
Full Activity Schedule: Click here

JULY 1 - 4 --
Fourth of July Weekend
Continuing the celebration of our nation’s independence in true red, white and blue style, active and retired members of our esteemed armed services will receive free admission on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, and everyone can enjoy patriotic music and flags throughout the garden.
Full Activity Schedule:  Click Here

FRIDAY EVENINGS IN JUNE & JULY -- Garden Gigs
7:30pm-9:30pm
Admission: 
$10 admission and complimentary parking. 
Food trucks will be available for purchasing
food and beverages.
Full-grounds musical events open to the general public featuring local musicians.
Garden Gigs Lineup: Click Here

THROUGH JUNE 30 -- Cool Thursdays Spring Concert Series
Chill out on the Martin Rutchik Concert Stage & Lawn for an evening of music.
Performers & Tickets:  Click Here

THROUGH OCTOBER 19 (Wed evenings):  Nature Nights
Admission:
BOGO Wednesdays -- Buy One Get One Free general admission:
$15/ages 13-64;  $12/65+;  $10/3-12;  Free/Ages 2 and under
On-site Self Parking:  $15
Discount Daytime Parking: $8 -- online only
The garden extends its hours to 8 p.m. each Wednesday for families and friends to enjoy a night out during the week. Bring the kids out for a fun sculpture garden scavenger hunt to discover the artistry in nature. And funny hats!
We will also have select food and dessert trucks to supplement your Nature Nights picnic.
    June 8: Kona Ice (Dessert truck)
    June 15: TBD
    June 22: Kona Ice (Dessert truck)
    June 29: Bobadiction (Dessert truck)


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37.  DALLAS ZOO

Location:
650 South RL Thornton Fwy
Dallas, TX  75203

The Zoo is located 3 miles south of downtown Dallas, on I-35E at the Marsalis exit.

Hours of Operation:
9am-5pm daily
(Closed Christmas Day)

Admission:
Adults (12-64):
  $15 (Mar - Dec);  $5 (Jan-Feb)
Children (3-11):
 $12 (Mar-Dec); $5 (Jan-Feb)
Seniors (65+):
   $12 (Mar-Dec) ; $5 (Jan-Feb)
Children (2 and under):
FREE all year
Parking:
$8 per car

Fall Date TBA-- Homeschool Day at the Dallas Zoo
Time:
9am-3pm
Homeschoolers and their families are invited to spend the day at the Dallas Zoo.  Fun, interactive, and educational activities are available for Kindergarten – 8th grade!
Your Homeschool Day ticket Includes:
*Admission to the Zoo
*Access to Homeschool Day activity areas available only to registered Homeschool Day participants.
*Hands-on activities and curriculum from the Dallas Zoo and other community partners.
*Homeschool Day Backpack (included with Adult Participant tickets) with activity materials and supplemental curriculum appropriate for home classroom instruction.

These Add-Ons are Also Available When You Pre-Register:
* Animal Adventures Shows at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1 p.m. Tickets are $3 each for adults and youth.
* Participants can pre-purchase additional Homeschool Day Backpacks for $5 each while registering.
* Additional Backpacks and Animal Adventures Shows are available in the Add Ons category.


To Pre-Register:  Click Here
To Learn More:  
Click Here


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38.  FORT WORTH NATURE CENTER AND REFUGE PROGRAMS

Location:  9601 Fossil Ridge Road
                Fort Worth, TX 76135
Located on the northwest side of Fort Worth, four miles west of I-820 on Jacksboro Hwy (TX Hwy 199), just inside the city limits of Fort Worth.

Admission: $5 ages 13+; $ 2 ages 3-12;   under 3 free; $3 Seniors (65+)
$1 discount per person with military ID
-Active/Retired
For More Information:    817-392-7410  

Refuge Hours:  8am-5pm daily
Extended Hours Beginning Sept 7 (Labor Day):  
7am - 7pm (Refuge only)
Hardwicke Interpretive Center:
9am-4:30pm daily

Monthly Programs
SATURDAYS, Naturalist-Led Hikes
10am-Noon

Cost: FREE (with paid admission).
Join a naturalist for a leisurely hike on the trails of the FWNC&R. Hikes feature current natural history events such as blooming wildflowers, commonly seen insects, birds, other animals and current projects on the Refuge. Bring water and dress for the weather.  MAXIMUM 15 participants. FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED


THURSDAY & SATURDAYS, Natural Guard Volunteer
9am-Noon
Cost:
Free
Individuals can help keep the Nature Center beautiful by volunteering for the Natural Guard. Volunteers assist Refuge staff in trail maintenance, brush clearing, bridge building and much more. Please call 817-392-7410 for information on projects and meeting places.



JUNE
JUN 18 -- Nature Hike
10am-Noon
FREE (with paid admission)
Join a naturalist for a leisurely hike on one of our trails. Hikes feature current natural history events such as blooming wildflowers, commonly seen insects, birds, other animals and current projects on the Refuge. Bring water and dress for the weather.
MAXIMUM of 15 participants.
Hikes not designed for organized groups.
FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. FREE (with paid admission).


JUN 18 -- Turtle Watch
10am - 1pm
Texas Turtle Watch is a citizen science program training the public on how to collect data on three native turtle species where population numbers are not understood. Be trained in how to identify the turtles, how to collect data and how to submit data. You are encouraged to bring a camera, binoculars, clipboard and pencil.
MAXIMUM of 25 participants.
Pre-registration required.
Call (817) 392 – 7410 to register.

JUN 18 -- Fold a Frog
1pm-1:45pm
3pm-3:45pm
Frogs chirp, squeak, quack, or croak depending on the species. Can you tell the difference? Learn a few different frog calls and then fold a paper origami jumping frog with the help of a naturalist.

JUN 19 -- Canoe Fest
Noon - 4pm
Please call Hardwicke Interpretive Center Wednesday (16th) morning to confirm event’s availability.
FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED
$5 per person (with paid admission)/MEMBERS $3

Have you every wanted to try canoeing but did not have the equipment or place to try it out. Join us the 3rd Sunday of the month and get on the water. We provide the canoes, paddles and PFDs. Children must be 5 years or older and accompanied by a parent or guardian. Parents must sign a liability waiver for minor children. Meet at Big River Parking Lot.

JUN 18 -- Nature Hike
10am-Noon
FREE (with paid admission)
Join a naturalist for a leisurely hike on one of our trails. Hikes feature current natural history events such as blooming wildflowers, commonly seen insects, birds, other animals and current projects on the Refuge. Bring water and dress for the weather.
MAXIMUM of 15 participants.
Hikes not designed for organized groups.
FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. FREE (with paid admission).


JUN 20 -- Full Moon Paddle
8pm-10:30pm
$20 (with paid admission)
Come and join us for a different type of canoe tour in the evening hours. This program will present new opportunities, like hearing beavers slap the water with their tails and seeing deer and raccoons. Canoes, paddles and lifejackets are provided. Dress for the weather. Wear shoes that can get wet.
Children must be 5 years or older.
Parents must sign a liability waiver for minor children.
Some previous experience recommended.
Minimum – 5 / Maximum – 12 participants.
Meet at the Back Gate.
Pre-registration required.


JUNE 23 -- Night Hike
8:30pm - 10pm
Cost: 
$10 (plus regular admission)
Come and enjoy an evening stroll on the Nature Center’s trails as we explore nature at night. Evening provides a unique opportunity to view animals that make the Nature Center their home. Bring water and wear weather-appropriate clothing.
Pre-Registration Required
Meet at Front Gate

JUNE 25 -- Backyard Bee Sanctuaries
1pm-3pm
Cost:  FREE (with paid admission) for the Program
           $15 per person for the nest box
Explore the amazing diversity of native bees in our region and how we can provide backyard sanctuaries for these beneficial insects. Participants will have the option after the presentation to make a Mason nest box to take home. This class is approved for Master Naturalist Advanced Training hours.
Maximum 20 participants.
Pre-registration is required.

JUNE 26 -- Fish of the Trinity's West Fork
3pm-4:30pm
Come join us and learn about the fish you might find on a visit to the West Fork of the Trinity River. See which of our native fish hang out near the surface and which lurk in deeper places. This presentation will feature interesting facts about fish and tips on how to identify them.

JUNE 30 -- Invertebrate Walk
7pm-10pm
Most of us would consider viewing invertebrates, such as insects, during the day and leave the nights for owls and other nocturnal critters. Join us for this walk and you will be surprised at the number and variety that are active during the evening hours.

JULY
JULY 2, 16, 23, 30 -- Nature Hike
10am-Noon
FREE (with paid admission)
Join a naturalist for a leisurely hike on one of our trails. Hikes feature current natural history events such as blooming wildflowers, commonly seen insects, birds, other animals and current projects on the Refuge. Bring water and dress for the weather.
MAXIMUM of 15 participants.
Hikes not designed for organized groups.
FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. FREE (with paid admission).


AUGUST
AUG 6, 13, 20, 27 -- Nature Hike
10am-Noon
FREE (with paid admission)
Join a naturalist for a leisurely hike on one of our trails. Hikes feature current natural history events such as blooming wildflowers, commonly seen insects, birds, other animals and current projects on the Refuge. Bring water and dress for the weather.
MAXIMUM of 15 participants.
Hikes not designed for organized groups.
FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. FREE (with paid admission).




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39.  FORT WORTH  BOTANIC GARDEN PROGRAMS

Location:  3220 Botanic Garden Blvd, Fort Worth  76107

Green Thumb Club
Little Diggers -- Age 4 by class date
Green Thumb Club Juniors -- Grades K-2
Green Thumb Club -- Grades 3-5
Details: Green Thumb Club provides children the opportunity to learn more about the natural world around them. We use the Fort Worth Botanic Garden as a living laboratory for students to explore topics such as native plant studies, pollination, tree structure, climate change, and more.
JUNE 20-23 -- 9am - Noon -- World of Animals
JUNE 27-30 -- 9am-Noon -- Amazing Animals
JULY 5-7 -- 9am-Noon -- Garden of Imagination
Registration required: 817-392-5534 or click to email
For more information: Click here


Little Sprouts Program
For children 18-36 months
One child per caregiver (parental supervision required)
This activity is free. 

Limited to 16 children.
Location: 
Backyard Vegetable Garden
JUNE 28 -- 9:30-10am -- Flowers
JULY 26 -- 9:30-10am -- Fruit
SEPT 27 -- 1-1:30pm -- Leaves
OCT 25 -- Vegetables
NOV 29 -- Teddy Bear Picnic

If you plan to participate: Click to email


Family Drop-In Program (Once a month, April - November)
Come-and-go craft time for all ages, and all supplies are furnished. We meet throughout the Garden. Find out some Garden history from our Garden educator and tour the area with your family! Bring a picnic for afterwards.
6pm-7pm

Location: 
Leonard Courtyard just outside the Garden Center
JUNE 16 -- Bubble Wand
JULY 14 -- Paper Binoculars
SEPT 15 -- Nature Collage
OCT 13 -- Mummy Lights
NOV 17 -- Garden Glow
If you plan to participate: Click to email
For More Info:  Click Here

Family Discovery Program (Once a month, April - November)
Program is for children ages 4 and up.
Free to the public.
Two children per caregiver please.  
No registration required.
11am-Noon
Location:
Backyard Vegetable Garden at Ft Worth Botanic Garden
JUNE 15 -- Nature Painting
JULY 12 -- Scavenger Hunt
SEPT 7 -- Flower Lab
OCT 4 -- Monarch Tagging
NOV 9 -- Leaves

For More Info:  Click Here

Programs

JUNE 3 - JULY 3 -- Concerts in the Garden
8:15pm - 10pm
Ft Worth Botanic Garden
Relax under the stars while listening to great music provided by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and friends! Described as “Fort Worth’s best seasonal outing” (Star-Telegram), the 25th annual Concerts In The Garden Summer Music Festival offers 16 nights of outdoor concerts every weekend from June 5th through July 5, 8:00-10:00pm with a firework ending every-night.
Make sure to stop by the Gardens Restaurants onsite vendors tent for food, wine, and beer; as well as the Treasure Trees onsite vendors tent for all things glow in the dark.

JUNE 18 -- Tea Ceremony in the Japanese Garden
11:30am-1pm
Ft Worth Japanese Garden
$30/person
Take part in an authentic Japanese Tea Ceremony set in the Japanese Garden. This monthly delight is provided by the Fort Worth Japanese Society.
For more information or to reserve a seat:  817-392-5548.




For more information about the Fort Worth : call 817-871-7686


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39.  FORT WORTH JAPANESE GARDENS

Location:  3320 Japanese Garden Blvd, Fort Worth, TX  76107

Hours:  March-November (DST):  9am-7pm
November - March (ST):  9am-5pm
Admission:  
$5/adults;  $3/ages 4-12;  $4.50/ages 65+;  FREE/ages 3 and under
Parking is free


EVENTS
THROUGH JULY 4 -- Concerts in the Garden
8:15pm-10pm
Fort Worth Botanic Garden
Relax under the stars while listening to great music performed by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and friends! The Garden Summer Music Festival offers 16 nights of outdoor concerts every weekend from June 5th through July 5th with a firework display ending every night.

JUNE 13-16 -- Summer Camp: Backyard Vegetable Garden
9am-Noon
Education Classroom, 3408 West Freeway, Fort Worth, 76107
$80/person (includes snacks and supplies)
See what's growin' on the Backyard Vegetable Garden. We'll learn about gardening and a healthy lifestyle. We'll eat a rainbow, have a chocolate taste test and trick our taste buds with a miraculous berry!
To Register:  Click here to send an email

JUNE 14 -- Walking Tour of the Japanese Garden
10am-11am
Ft Worth Japanese Gardens
Come learn about the aesthetic and design of Japanese Gardens and be introduced to the horticulture and history found in the Fort Worth Japanese Garden.
Regular admission rates still apply for non-members.
No reservations required.

JUNE 15 -- Discovery Day: Nature Painting
11am-Noon
Ft Worth Botanic Garden
FREE activity
Let's get creative! We will create works of art using nature.
Bring:  Gardening gloves
No reservation required
For kids ages 4 - 18 (parental supervision required)
2 kids per caregiver


JUNE 16 -- Family Drop In: Bubble Wand
6pm-7pm
Ft Worth Botanic Garden
FREE activity

Make your own unique wand for blowing bubbles.
No reservation required
Parental Supervision required


JUNE 18 -- Tea Ceremony in the Japanese Garden
11:30am-1pm
$30/person
Take part in an authentic Japanese Tea Ceremony set in the Japanese Garden. This monthly delight is provided by the Fort Worth Japanese Society.
For more information or to reserve a seat:  817-392-5548.

JUNE 20-23 -- Summer Camp: World of Animals
9am-Noon
Education Classroom
$80/child (includes snacks and supplies)
Do you love animals? We will learn about animals from around the world through nature observations, activities, and games.
To Register:  Click here to send an email

JUNE 27-30 -- Summer Camp: Amazing Animals
9am-Noon
Education Classroom
$80/child (includes snacks and supplies)
The garden is full of animals friends! We'll feed the fish and get the buzz on bees. We'lll explore birds and their nests, and learn how squirrels communicat
To Register:  Click here to send an email

JUNE 28 --Little Sprouts: Flowers (ages
18-36 months)
9:30am-10am
Ft Worth Botanic Garden
FREE Activity
Flowers come in different shapes and colors and with different smells. We will investigate them and do gardening tasks.
One child per caregiver (parental supervision required)
No reservation required
Space is limitted to first 16 children

JULY 5-7 -- Summer Camp: Garden of Imagination
9am-Noon
Education Classroom
$60/child (includes snacks and supplies)
Lets explore our Garden of Imagination! Join us as we create our own animals, flowers, and trees that live in this beautiful place. This is sure to be a fun week of exciting activities and colorful masterpieces.
To Register:  Click here to send an email

JULY 12 -- Discovery Day: Scavenger Hunt
11am-Noon
Ft Worth Botanic Garden
FREE activity
Enjoy this fast-paced game of clues at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.
Bring: Gardening gloves
No reservation required
For kids ages 4 - 18 (parental supervision required)
2 kids per caregiver



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40. FORT WORTH ZOO HOME SCHOOL CLASSES

Location:  1989 Colonial Park
Fort Worth, TX 76110
Hours:  Monday-Friday:  10am-5pm
            Saturday-Sunday: 10am-6pm


DATE TBD -- Home School  Day at the Fort Worth Zoo
Admission:
$6 Adults (13+);  $4.50 ages 3-12;  FREE ages 2 and under
Online Registration: Registration not yet available; TBA
Tickets nonrefundable, non-exchangeable and no rain-checks will be issued
At the Gate Admission:  $7 Adults (13+);  $5.50 ages 3-12

Home school students and families are invited to a fun-filled educational day in the
wilds of the Zoo.  Learn amazing facts from our zookeepers at more than 20 Wild Encounters and enjoy aksing Zoo staf your best animal questions around the Zoo's world-class exhibits.

Parking:
 $5 per vehicle.
Featured Programs:   TBA
 


2016 Home School Classes (Jan - May)

Time:  8:45am-10:45am
Cost: $25/student
Ages 6-12
Includes snack, Interactive Lab, live animal presentation, and admission to the Zoo on class day.
Class Schedule:  See listing below for monthly class themes
To Register or For More Information:  Click Here
Location:  Fort Worth Zoo, 1989 Colonial Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76110

Discount:  The Fort Worth Zoo is offering HEART of Texas members (with a valid ID card) a free Ft. Worth drawstring backpack when they register for FIVE Zoo Home School Classes (notify the zoo and they will have your backpack when you come to class).
To Learn About HEART of Texas Membership: http://www.heartoftex.org/resources/membership


Ages 6-8:
Children ages 6-8 will be exploring the different biomes of our world. From deserts to the rainforests, the students will discover what it would be like to live in those parts of the world. Each class they will focus on a different biome and how animals have adapted to survive.
Jan 26: Alpine Biome
Feb 9, 23: Rainforest Biome
March 8, 22:  Marine Biome
April 5, 19:  Savannah Biome
May 10, 24: Desert Biome
To Register:
 Click Here

Ages 9-12:

Children ages 9 to 12 will be learning everything earth science – plate tectonics, caves, islands and more. Each topic will get the students teaming up to discuss the earth science subject of the day and how animals are able to survive is such unique environments.
Jan 26: Plate Techtonics: Mountains & Earthquakes
Feb 9, 23: Caves: Bats & Brumation
March 8, 22:  Moon Phases: Tides
April 5, 19:  Islands: Volcanoes & Biodiversity
May 10, 24: Natural Hazards & Enviornmental Issues

To Register:  Click Here

Ages 13-15:  Fort Worth Zoo's Nature Educators in Training (NET)
Cost:  
$75 (includes 10 one-on-one classes, offered Monday-Friday)
Want to learn more about zoology, ecology and the natural sciences? The Fort Worth Zoo’s Nature Educators in Training (N.E.T.) program provides local high school students the opportunity to learn more about environmental sciences and prepare for their fields of study, as well as earn class credit. Over the course of 10 weeks, students will take 10 two-hour classes and participate in 20 hours of homework, 10 hours of field trips and 10 hours of volunteer work, totaling the state-required 60 hours for class credit.  Classes will take place at the Zoo and are offered five days a week, year-round. (Students who wish to only audit the classes will receive a certificate for 20 hours.)
To apply for the NET program:
1.  Download the application
2.  Email your completed application to the Zoo Education Staff
3.  You will be contacted for an interview time.
4.  After an interview, you will be provided a link to register.


WEEKDAY HOME SCHOOL VOLUNTEENS (ages 12-17)
This program provides local home-schooled teens the opportunity to assist our Zoo Preschool teachers. They help set up, clean up and assist students with crafts and excursions into the Zoo. Volunteens come in once a week for half of the day, either from 8:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. or 12:45 to 4:15 p.m. The fall session runs from September to December and the spring session runs from January to May. Applications are completed online and interviews are scheduled after the final application date. After interviewing all applicants, the Education staff will make selections. Selected Volunteens are required to attend a mandatory orientation prior to the start of the semester.
For Information about Registering for this program:
Click Here

TEXAS NATURE TRADERS
Details: Located in Texas Wild! near the wishing well, the Zoo’s newest building is the home base for many Texas-based education programs, primarily the Zoo’s latest offering, Texas Nature Traders. This formalized program encourages kids (age 3 and older) to explore the outdoors and bring to the building fossils, rocks, bones, plants and other artifacts in exchange for points. Traders can redeem points (or save them for future use) for items in the Nature Trader inventory. Texas Nature Traders operates seven days a week, opening at 11 a.m. and closing one hour before the Zoo closes. Stop by to look around, ask questions and become a nature trader!


SAFARI SAM
Details: Sam is a fictional character that the Zoo has created to teach wildlife biology and conservation lessons to students, mostly 3rd through 5th grade. Sam posts a “brain teaser” every Monday, the brain teaser answer on Tuesday, a “spotlight” blog on Wednesday (usually telling a specific animal’s conservation story), teacher resource on Thursday and occasionally an applicable video on Friday. Safari Sam is busy! 

Safari Sam's “Nature Finders Contest”
Get kids outside on a nature journaling activity!
For more information: click here 
Visit Safari Sam's Blog at:  Click Here


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41.  FOSSIL RIM HOME SCHOOL CLASSES AND EVENTS


Fossil Rim is located 55 miles southwest of Fort Worth and 75 miles southwest of Dallas, near Glen Rose.
GPS address is:
2299 County Road 2008
Glen Rose, Texas, 76043
254.897.2960


HOME SCHOOL CLASSES/EVENTS

JUNE 21 --Giraffes:  Our Gentle Giants (World Giraffe Day)  Class & Tour
10am-3pm

Cost:
$23
Come join us for an encounter you won’t soon forget – and on World Giraffe Day!  There are so many amazing things to learn about giraffe – one day will just be a beginning of discovering the beauty and wonder of these gentle giants!  
To Register: 254.897.2960

JULY 11 --The Lorax
10am-3pm

Cost:
$23 for class & tour;  $8 for just the class

Connect the story of this favorite children's book with an endangered Texas native by taking part in a re-enactment of the story! The Attwater's Prairie Chicken, of which we have a breeding population, is a bird you won't soon forget.  Guaranteed to get your children thinking about the world they live in and their role in it.
To Register: 254.897.2960

AUGUST 22 -- Nature Journaling
10am-3pm

Cost:
$27/participant

Learn and practice four different nature journaling techniques and some basic animal drawing techniques.   We'll be inside and outside and finish the day with a special nature journaling tour of Fossil Rim. 
To Register: 254.897.2960

AUGUST 30 -- Cheetah!
10am-3pm

Cost:
$23/participant

Come learn about, see and fall in love with our amazing cats!
T
o Register: 254.897.2960


For more information about homeschool events, click here

In addition to their scheduled homeschool events, Fossil Rim offers their faculty, teachers, and curriculum for privately-scheduled events. For more information, please click here or call 254-897-2960 and ask for the Homeschool coordinator. 


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41. HAVEN'S HORSES HORSEMANSHIP & OUTDOOR EDUCATION CLASSES AT CHRIST'S HAVEN

Christ's Haven is offering homeschoolers Christian Horsemanship and Outdoor Education programs at their facility in Keller, Texas.  The classes will be held during the day, while their foster children are at school.

Location:  4150 Keller-Haslet Road
                Keller, TX  76248
For More Information:  817-925-1982 or click here to email

Discount:  Haven's Horses is offering HEART of Texas members (with a valid Family ID card) 50% off their first ride! You must show your card to be eligible for this discount!
To Learn About HEART of Texas Membership: http://heartoftex.org/resources/membership  

Christian Horsemanship
Ages 4-18

Cost:  
$25/child
Class Length:  1 hour, 15 min.
Details:  Spiritual Values are incorporated into each Horsemanship Lesson through group devotions and activities.  It's more than a basic riding lesson!  Christian Horsemanship unites children and inspires them to grow in the areas of Horsemanship Skills (grooming, saddling, feeding, groundwork, riding and horse anatomy); Spiritual and Personal Growth, and Communication Skills.

Outdoor Adventure
Ages 7-14
Cost:  
$20/class
Course Length:  
1 hour, 15 min.
Details:  
Teaches children about God's creation in an outdoor spiritual setting.  Activities include:  day hikes, fishing, flying kites, and much more!  Outdoor Adventure classes focus on: Science in the Outdoors, Servant Leadership, Self Expression, Self Reflection and Silent Retreats.


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42.  THE HEARD MUSEUM–HOMESCHOOL CLASSES
 
These Homeschool Classes will introduce your student to the Natural Sciences. Students will experience learning through classroom activities, outdoor field investigations, laboratory science, small group activities and take-home study packets.  Each course curriculum is developed by the Heard Museum's education staff who strive to recognize and meet the needs of home school families.  All curricula are based on current scientific theory.

Please note: You will need to submit a medical record form including immunization history to be able to participate in their programs.
Click here for information

For more information: Click Here to send an email
                                  972-562-5566 x237
                                                       
Location:  One Nature Place
                McKinney, TX  75069
               
www.heardmuseum.org


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43.  HERITAGE FARMSTEAD MUSEUM -- PLANO
 
The Museum Grounds are Open Year-Round (Except Mondays and Holidays)
Tuesday–Sunday 10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Location:      Heritage Farmstead Museum
                    1900 West 15th Street
                    Plano, TX
Discount:  Heritage Farmstead Museum is offering HEART of Texas members (with valid membership card)
$1 off the adult regular admission price (up to 4 people) and .50 cents off child's regular admission, good for either the 1:30 p.m. Historic Farrell-Wilson house tour or for the following special events: Harvest Festival, Lantern Light, Spring Festival.   

To Learn About HEART of Texas Membership: http://heartoftex.org/resources/membership


Events:

JUNE 21 -- Let's Get Mooving
10am-1pm
Admission: 
$5/includes adult & child; 1 free chaperone for every 10 kids
Registration Required
Online Registration Closes JUNE 20 at 11:59pm
To Register:  
Click Here or 972-881-0140
Details:
Immerse yourself in farm life at the turn of the century.  Let’s Get Mooving will feature Buttermilk the milking cow and our Southwest Dairy Farmers’ Exhibit. Other activities throughout the day include feeding our chickens, wagon rides, washing clothes the old fashioned way and much more.


JUNE 24 -- Heritage Crafts Workshop: Spinning & Weaving (ages 6-adult)

10am-1pm
Admission:
Cost $30/participant;  $25 for two or more workshops (fee includes instructions, wool and drop spindle to take home)
Registration Required
Online Registration Closes JUNE 22 at 11:59pm
To Register:  
Click Here or 972-881-0140
Details:
Sense-Able Creations Workshops are designed specifically for special needs children and adults.  Each workshop is 2 hours long and includes all materials and instructions needed for each project. Class size is limited to 10 participants.  Spinning and Weaving:  Learn to card wool from our sheep and use a drop spindle to make your own yarn and create a simple woven bracelet or bookmark.

JUNE 25 -- Heritage Crafts Workshop: Felt Sheep (ages 6-adult)
10am-Noon
Admission:
Cost $30/participant;  $25 for two or more workshops (fee includes instructions, wool and drop spindle to take home)
Registration Required
Online Registration Closes JUNE 22 at 11:59pm
To Register:  
Click Here or 972-881-0140
Details:  
Each workshop is 2 hours long and includes all materials and instructions needed for each project.
Felt Toy Sheep:  Learn the technique of felting and sew a stuffed sheep toy made with wool from our sheep.  Class size is limited to 12 participants.

JUNE 27-JULY 1 -- Creek Camp - Session I (ages 6-12)
9am-1pm
Admission:
Cost $200/week;  $65/day
Registration Required
Online Registration Closes JUNE 26 at 11:59pm
To Register:  
Click Here or 972-881-0140
Details:
Creek Camp Session I is June 27-July 1, 2016.  Sign up for the whole week or just one day!  Unable to pick your child up at 1:00?  Let the fun continue with the after camp care program.
Creek Camp is the perfect opportunity for campers to GET OUTSIDE and PLAY. At Creek Camp our campers have fun with science while keeping cool during our hot Texas summer!  Children will take daily trips down the creek to explore plant and animal life, and learn about the eco system.  Campers will also conduct experiments, learn to be a part of a team and have a better understanding of what life was like over 100 years ago. In an effort to keep cool there will be a  myriad of water games and many unique crafts.

JULY 7 -- A Day at the Farm
10am-1pm
Admission:
Cost $5/person
Register online or pay at the door
Preregister and receive one free chaperone ticket for every ten kids.  
Online Registration Closes JULY 6 at 11:59pm
To Register:  
Click Here  or 972-881-0140
Details:
Experience what life was like on the Blackland Prairie with A Day at the Farm.  Stroll through our four acres, feed our chickens, and tour the historic Farrell Wilson House.  Hands on activities include feeding the chickens, milking Buttermilk the Incredible Milking Cow, washing clothing the old fashioned way, and so much more!  Perfect for summer camps, daycare, home-school groups, or families.

JULY 8 -- Museum After Dark "Breaking the Law with Bonnie & Clyde"
6:30pm-9pm
Admission:
Cost $15/person
Online Registration Closes JULY 7 at 11:59pm
To Register:  
Click Here  or 972-881-0140
Details:
Featuring Bonnie & Clyde & Marie: A Sister’s Perspective on the Notorious Barrow Gang author Jonathan Davis and historian Charles Heard.
Enjoy a lively presentation during this Prohibition themed Happy Hour! Specialty cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served.  Reception at 6:30pm.  Lecture at 7pm


JULY 11-15 -- Pioneer Camp - Session II (ages 6-12)
9pm-1pm
Admission: Cost $200/week;  $65/day
Registration Required

Online Registration Closes JULY 10 at 11:59pm
To Register:  
Click Here  or 972-881-0140
Details:
Session II is July 11-15, 2016.  Sign up for the whole week or just one day.  Unable to pick your child up at 1:00?  Let the fun continue with the after camp care program.  Pioneer Camp at the Heritage Farmstead Museum encourages campers to put away the gadgets of today and experience farm life in the middle of downtown Plano. It is 4 hours of good old fashioned fun with a smattering of chores which include caring for our sheep, chickens, guineas, turkey, goat, pigs, and mules. Where else can you experience days gone by activities like Croquet, Graces, Horse shoes, Badminton, Sack races, Basketball with real Peach Baskets and honest to goodness watermelon eatin’ contests? Campers will receive hands-on outdoor cooking lessons and there will be time to cool off with water games which include the bucket brigade and water relays.

JULY 19
-- Sensible Creations Workshop: Braided Fabric Basket (ages 6-adult)
1pm-3pm
Admission:
Cost $30/participant;  $25 for two or more workshops (fee includes instructions, wool and drop spindle to take home)
Registration Required
Online Registration Closes JUNE 18 at 11:59pm
To Register:  
Click Here or 972-881-0140
Details:  
Sense-Able Creations Workshops are designed specifically for special needs children and adults.  Each workshop is 2 hours long and includes all materials and instructions needed for each project. Class size is limited to 10 participants. Recycle fabric into a basket and learn the heritage skill of "braid-in" technique. Class size is limited to 10 participants.

JULY 20 -- Heritage Craft Workshop: Braided Fabric Basket (ages 6-adult)
1pm-3pm
Admission:
Cost $30/participant;  $25 for two or more workshops (fee includes instructions, wool and drop spindle to take home)
Registration Required
Online Registration Closes JUNE 19 at 11:59pm
To Register:  
Click Here or 972-881-0140
Details:  
Each workshop is 2 hours long and includes all materials and instructions needed for each project.
Braided Fabric Basket:  Recycle fabric into a basket and learn the heritage skill of "braid-in" technique. Class size is limited to 12 participants.


JULY 25-29 -- Creek Camp - Session II (ages 6-12)
9pm-1pm
Admission: Cost $200/week;  $65/day
Registration Required

Online Registration Closes JULY 24 at 11:59pm
To Register:  
Click Here  or 972-881-0140
Details:
Creek Camp Session II is July 25-29, 2016.  Sign up for the whole week or just one day!  Unable to pick your child up at 1:00?  Let the fun continue with the after camp care program.
Creek Camp is the perfect opportunity for campers to GET OUTSIDE and PLAY. At Creek Camp our campers have fun with science while keeping cool during our hot Texas summer!  Children will take daily trips down the creek to explore plant and animal life, and learn about the eco system.  Campers will also conduct experiments, learn to be a part of a team and have a better understanding of what life was like over 100 years ago. In an effort to keep cool there will be a myriad of water games and many unique crafts.

AUGUST 8-12 -- Creek Camp - Session III (ages 6-12)
9pm-1pm
Admission: Cost $200/week;  $65/day
Registration Required

Online Registration Closes JULY 24 at 11:59pm
To Register:  
Click Here  or 972-881-0140
Details:
Creek Camp Session II is July 25-29, 2016.  Sign up for the whole week or just one day!  Unable to pick your child up at 1:00?  Let the fun continue with the after camp care program.
Creek Camp is the perfect opportunity for campers to GET OUTSIDE and PLAY. At Creek Camp our campers have fun with science while keeping cool during our hot Texas summer!  Children will take daily trips down the creek to explore plant and animal life, and learn about the eco system.  Campers will also conduct experiments, learn to be a part of a team and have a better understanding of what life was like over 100 years ago. In an effort to keep cool there will be a myriad of water games and many unique crafts.

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44.  LEWISVILLE LAKE ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING AREA

Hours of Operation:  
Winter Hours (Nov 1-Mar 1):  Fri, Sat, & Sun:  7am-5pm

Summer Hours (Mar 2-Oct 31):  Fri, Sat, & Sun: 7am-7pm

Entrance Fees:

$5 person;  Children 5 and under FREE
Cash payments only;  Prescheduled groups can pay by check or cash.
Annual Passes:  
$30/Individual;  $60/Family

FALL EVENTS 2015:  
JUNE 25 -- Stars on the Prairie (ages 5 and up)
8:45-10:45pm
Cost:  
$10/person
Bring a water bottle, blanket or chair and join us for a fascinating evening as we visit a dark spot in LLELA’s prairie restoration area to explore the wonders of the night sky.
If the sky is cloudy, we will still meet and take a night hike.
Registration Required:   bit.ly/COLsplash (search activity code 800001).

JULY 16 -- Night Hike
8:30-10:30pm
Cost:  
$10/person
Experience the wonders of nature at night as a guide leads you on a leisurely stroll through twilight trails.
Join our trail guides as they lead a twilight stroll through forest, prairie, or marsh trails. We may hear some bumps in the night, but have no fear… it’s probably just an armadillo. Howling coyotes, hooting owls, and other nocturnal sounds will provide an out-of-the-ordinary hiking experience. Flashlights aren't necessary. Trail locations vary depending on the season and other conditions. Hike distance is under 2 miles.
Registration Required:   bit.ly/COLsplash (search activity code 800000)
For additional information: 972.219.3550 M-F, or 972.219.7980 on weekends.

JULY 29 -- Stars on the Prairie (ages 5 and up)
8:45-10:45pm
Cost:  
$10/person
Bring a water bottle, blanket or chair and join us for a fascinating evening as we visit a dark spot in LLELA’s prairie restoration area to explore the wonders of the night sky.
If the sky is cloudy, we will still meet and take a night hike. 
Details:  Click Here
Registration Required:   bit.ly/COLsplash (search activity code 800001).




HOMESCHOOL NATURAL SCIENCE CLASSES: 
Classes are for students K-8th grade.
Time: 10am-1pm
Cost:
$12 per class, or enroll your child in four classes for $40
Details: Students in each class will participate in hands-on outdoor activities related to the day's theme. Parents may choose to attend with their students, or may drop the student off after submitting a medical release form.
Younger siblings are welcome, but must be supervised by a parent during class time.
Each student should bring a water bottle and sack lunch and wear closed-toe shoes with long pants.
Registration Required: 972-219-3930 or click here to email
Grades K-2
SEPTEMBER 24:  The Web of Life
OCTOBER 15:  Habitats & Hazards
OCTOBER 29: Swamper's Feathered Neighbors
NOVEMBER 19: Life Cycles in the Swamp
Grades: 3-8
SEPTEMBER 24: Entomology
OCTOBER 15: Ichthyology & Herpetology
OCTOBER 29: Ornithology
NOVEMBER 19: Mammalogy


Discount:  HEART of Texas members (with valid ID card) receive $1 per child discount on home school science classes.
To learn about HEART of Texas membership: Click Here
To view our ever-expanding list of partners:  
Click Here

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45.  NASH FARM -- GRAPEVINE TX

Nash Farm, circa 1859, is the oldest operating farmstead in Tarrant County. Through interpretive programs, events and exhibits, Nash Farm educates the community about the heritage and importance of the Grapevine Prairie and Grapevine’s pivotal role in the development of North Texas.

Location:  
626 Ball Street, Grapevine, TX  76051

Guests may enter Nash Farm at the following locations:
• Ball Street near the service drive
• Homestead Lane through picket fence gate in front of the farmhouse
• Homestead Lane, west side of the farm near the barn
• College Street near the Grapevine cemetery

This event is handicap accessible and concessions will be available.
For more information:  www.NashFarm.or


FIRST FRIDAYS AT THE FARM
10am-Noon
Cost: $3/person ages 3 and up
Each program has a different theme that highlights the heritage skill that you can use to enrich your life today.
Registration Required.  Space is limited.
To Register Online:  Click Here
Themes:  
JULY 1-- Keeping Cool
Come to Nash Farm to experience how residents on the Grape Vine Prairie kept cool in the warm summer months. Registration is required. Participants of all ages are encouraged to attend.
AUGUST 5 -- Cotton
Cotton was one of the most important cash crops and truly helped to build this region. Learn about how cotton was grown, harvested and sold. Registration is required. Participants of all ages are encouraged to attend.
SEPTEMBER 2 -- Craftsmanship
Farmers relied on many crafts people to help keep their farms running. Visit this month to experience a variety of crafts and trades. Registration is required. Participants of all ages are encouraged to attend.
OCTOBER 7  -- Campfire Cooking
Experience the skill of campfire cooking and learn how you can incorporate it into your next camping trip or backyard activity. Registration is required. Participants of all ages are encouraged to attend.
NOVEMBER 4 -- Crochet, Knit and Sew
Witness the creation of a variety of domestic arts, many of which have become valued family heirlooms. Registration is required. Participants of all ages are encouraged to attend.
DECEMBER 2 -- Christmas Fun
Make a Victorian Christmas ornament to decorate your own tree, sing carols and experience the joys of an old fashioned Christmas. Registration is required. Participants of all ages are encouraged to attend.

Frugal Farmwife Series
JUN 17
JUL 15
AUG 19
SEPT 16
OCT 21
NOV 18
10am-2pm
$3 per person
Step into a 19th century home and watch costumed interpreters perform seasonal chores using tools and techniques of the period, such as sewing, spinning, weaving, dying, cooking, washing, ironing, cleaning, gardening, harvesting, preserving, candle-making, and other chores.  Following your visit to the farmhouse, you may visit the farm grounds to complete your experience. Registration is required, but walk-in registration is also encouraged. Participants of all ages may attend. Space is limited.
For Online Registration:  
Click Here

Farmhouse on the Grapevine Prairie
10am-Noon
$3/person
Follow the stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House on the Prairie," and experience the daily life activities that will bring this story to life. This series is designed for 3rd-7th grade, but all ages welcome.
Registrations is required:  Click here to register.  Space is limited.
Themes:
JULY 23 -- Mosquitoes
Follow in Laura Ingalls Wilder's footsteps and learn what life was like in an era when people were outdoors more often. Make your own homemade insect repellant using natural ingredients. The reading will come from the chapter, "Mosquitoes," from By the Shores of Silver Lake. This quarterly series is designed for 3rd-7th grade students, but all ages are welcome.
DECEMBER 10 -- Christmas Celebration
Experience how Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family would have celebrated Christmas. You may participate in making Victorian ornaments that you can take home to your own family tree. The reading will come from the chapter, "Merry Christmas," from The Long Winter. This quarterly series is designed for 3rd-7th grade students, but all ages are welcome.



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46. 
OLIVER NATURE PARK-- MANSFIELD TX

Located at the intersection of two ecoregions: the eastern Cross Timbers and the northern Blackland Prairies. The 80 acres of the park contains several different ecosystems such forests, prairies, and riparian areas.  Each section is unique in plant and animal life. Each animal and plant is adapted to a certain area of the park.  Look for other examples of these kinds of adaptations along approximately 1 mile of trails.

Park Hours: 
    Daily 5am-9pm (March-October)
    Daily 5am-6m (November-February)
Location: 1650 Matlock Road, Mansfield, Texas

Programs
JULY 12 -- Kayaking at Britton Park on Joe Pool Lake
9:30am-11am
Cost:  $22/person
Registration Required
In this brand new program, we will go out in dual-seated kayaks on Joe Pool Lake. An instructor will guide the participants on kayaking safety and proper techniques. Registration required for all participants. Appropriate for ages 7 and up. All kayaking materials will be provided .

JULY 15 -- Summer Class: Nature Through a Lens

9am-Noon
Cost: $19/student
Pre-Registration Required by July 12 at 9am
This program will teach 3rd-6th graders techniques, strategies, and
the key principles of photographing nature. Activities include a nature walk, craft, snack, and a photo shoot with a live animal.  We encourage students to bring their own camera or smartphone.

JULY 30 -- Kayaking at Britton Park on Joe Pool Lake
9:30am-11am
$22/person
Registration Required
In this brand new program, we will go out in dual-seated kayaks on Joe Pool Lake. An instructor will guide the participants on kayaking safety and proper techniques. Registration required for all participants. Appropriate for ages 7 and up. All kayaking materials will be provided .

AUG 1 -- Kayaking at Britton Park on Joe Pool Lake
9:30am-11am
Cost:   $22/person
Registration Required
In this brand new program, we will go out in dual-seated kayaks on Joe Pool Lake. An instructor will guide the participants on kayaking safety and proper techniques. Registration required for all participants. Appropriate for ages 7 and up. All kayaking materials will be provided .

AUG 3 -- Smartphone Geocaching
9am-Noon
Cost:
$19/person
Pre-registration required by July 30th at 4pm.
This program will teach 5th-8th graders all about Geocaching! Geocaching  is an adventure unlike any other. Students will learn all about geocaching, go on a geocaching adventure, make their very own geocache, and explore the nature around them. Students are encouraged to bring a smart phone to learn how to geocache. There will be GPS systems for use if your student does not have a smart phone

AUG 11 -- Kayaking at Britton Park on Joe Pool Lake
9:30am-11am
Cost:   $22/person
Registration Required
In this brand new program, we will go out in dual-seated kayaks on Joe Pool Lake. An instructor will guide the participants on kayaking safety and proper techniques. Registration required for all participants. Appropriate for ages 7 and up. All kayaking materials will be provided .


AUGUST 13-- Birdwatching Hike
7:30am-8:30am
Cost:  $5/person
Pre-Registration: Click here
Come join us on a 1 mile walk around the park while we look for birds of all species! Birds are most active during the early morning hours. Guests will get an up close look at feathers and skulls during the walk. Please remember to bring your cameras and binoculars so you can get a closer look at the birds
high up in the trees. There will be binoculars that children may borrow during the walk.


AUG 20 -- Kayaking at Britton Park on Joe Pool Lake
9:30am-11am
Cost: $22/person
Registration Required
In this brand new program, we will go out in dual-seated kayaks on Joe Pool Lake. An instructor will guide the participants on kayaking safety and proper techniques. Registration required for all participants. Appropriate for ages 7 and up. All kayaking materials will be provided .


HOMESCHOOL NATURE WALK WITH A NATURALIST
Cost: $5 per child
Time:  10-11am
FALL DATES TBA


For More Information and to Register: Click Here (Click on "Nature Education Programs")

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47.  RIDE WITH PRIDE

Ride With Pride, Inc. Horsemanship School in Southlake specializes in teaching students ages 3 and older how to care for and ride a horse safely.  Ride With Pride, Inc. has been in operation since 1980.  They offer Western & English lessons, and their instructors are certified with the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA). 

For Enrollment Information:  Click here to send an email or 817-481-2893

Discount:  Ride with Pride is offering HEART of Texas members (with a current HEART of Texas Family ID card) a 10% discount on tuition.  
To learn about HEART of Texas membership: Click Here
To view our ever-expanding list of partners:  
Click Here


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48.  SHARKAROSA WILDLIFE RANCH

Sharkarosa Wildlife Ranch sits on 126 breathtaking acres near Lake Ray Roberts in Denton County, Texas.  Our mission is to provide the North Texas community with the opportunity to experience rare and endangered exotic wildlife in a unique and personal setting. What better way to learn about conservation than by seeing it up close and hands on?

WILD HOMESCHOOL DAY
Date: TBD
Time:
10am-5pm
Cost: $5 per attendee
Pre-registration Required!: Click Here or call: 940-686-4600

Open to the Public Days -- 2016
Saturdays and Sundays -- Mar 7 - Nov 29 (all other events require advance reservation)
Time:
  10 a.m. (last tour begins at 4)  
We recommend arriving no later than 2pm to ensure you are able to see lots of animals at the front of the ranch and are able to ride the Safari Tram.
Admission:  $12/ages 13+; $10/ages 3-12 and Seniors 65+; children 2 and under are free
Season Passes: $30/Child & Seniors 65+; $36/Adult Pass $36, $115/Family of 4 ($30 additional)
Season Passes are good for one year from date of purchase
Ticket Includes:
– Animal Presentations: Lemurs, Kangaroos, Black Bears, Cobra and more!
Safari Tram: 35 minute ride through exotic pastures to see camels, zebras, emus, endangered deer, zedonks, zorses and more!
– Small Barn Viewing: Walk around small animal barn and see a variety of animals up close in their habitats
– "Kangaroo Kourt" Marsupial Habitat & Joey Junction: Watch Kangaroos & Wallabies!!
– Kids Barrel Train Ride: Our popular 3 minute ride; adults are welcome to ride too!
– Meet and Greets with our Education Animals: Kangaroo Joeys, Camels, Lemurs, Lizards, Snakes and more! (Animals available for meet and greet vary with the season and temperature).
– Use of our two covered picnic areas for lunch: bottled water, soda & snacks are available in our gift shop. Snow Cone Shack is now open and The Bears Dens Restaurant will be open for lunch! www.bearsdentx.com
– Entry to the Petting Zoo ( feed is available at an additional $2 )


Schedule a Field Trip, Private Tour or Party:  Click here for details.
Field trips are scheduled Monday through Friday, 9:30am or 10:30am
Cost is $8 person
A minimum of $200 is required for a field trip.
A deposit of $200 is required to make a field trip reservation (this is applied towards your total ticket cost)
At the end of each field trip, our gift shop will be open with items for your group to purchase. Items are 50 cents and up. We appreciate your school allowing students to visit the gift shop as this helps keep our admission costs low.

For More Information:  Click Here
940-686-4600 (main)
940-686-3715 (fax)

For Directions:
Click Here
Please do not use MapQuest it WILL get you lost!


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49.  TEXAS DISCOVERY GARDENS

Texas Discovery Gardens is a year-round urban oasis located at historic Fair Park. The gardens showcase beautiful native and adapted plants that are grown using sustainable methods that help to protect the environment.  The first certified organic public garden in the state, Texas Discovery Gardens offers educational programs and exhibits that teach children and adults how to provide vital habitat for butterflies and other native Texas wildlife, add beauty, conserve water and restore the natural environment in urban areas.


Regular Admission & Hours:
$8/adults; $6 seniors (60+); $4 children 3-12yrs; free children under 3yrs.
Group Pricing Available for 10 or more:  Call 214-428-7476 ext 343
Each Tuesday:  Gardens are open for free (butterfly house admission is regular admission price)
Hours:  Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.  Last ticket to Butterfly House sold at 4:45 p.m.
Closed New Years Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, & Christmas Day
For More info:  214-428-7476 ext. 341 or Click Here
Location:
3601 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Fair Park.
Fair Park is
two miles east of downtown Dallas just south of Interstate 30.



JUNE Programs
JUNE 27 -- All About Bugs Day Camp (ages 3-6)
9:30am-3:30pm
Cost:
$8/child 3-11; $6/members $3/child 1-3; $2/members Adults pay regular admission.
At door: $35

Details: Our day is full of bug encounters, songs, games and crafts! (Pre/Post care available). 
Register Online:  Click Here

JUNE 29 -- Bitty Bugs Half Day Summer Camp (ages 3-4)
9:30am-12:30pm
Cost:
$20
Details:  Young ones can learn all about the bugs in their backyard – and get home by naptime!
Register Online:  Click Here

JUNE 30 -- Butterfly Tea Party featuring “Bonjour Butterfly”
10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Cost:
$12/child 3-11; $10/member $3/child 1-3.  Adults pay regular admission. At door; $2/child surcharge. 
Enjoy ‘fancy’ activities, crafts, tea, and snacks, as we celebrate the book, “Bonjour Butterfly,” by Jane O'Connor! We end our party with our noon butterfly release. Fancy Nancy Series 
Register Online:  Click Here


JULY Programs
JULY 7 -- Stories and More!
11 am
Cost:
$8/child 3-11; $3/child 1-3.  Adults pay regular admission. At door: $2/child surcharge.  
Details:  Join our butterflies for story time! We make crafts, read a book, meet special friends and enjoy themed snacks. 
Register Online:  Click Here

JULY 11-15 -- Backyard Buddies Summer Camp (4-5 yrs old; 1st-4th Grade)
9:30 am - 3:30 pm.
Cost:
$200
Details: 
Discover new creatures daily and learn how they help our garden grow. Includes a trip to the Children’s Aquarium! (Pre/Post care available).
Info:  Click Here


JULY 18-22 -- Land to Sea Summer Camp with Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park (
4th-5th Grade)
9 am - 3 pm.
Details: Take a journey from land to sea! We start the week at Texas Discovery Gardens, learning all about what lives in a garden. Includes a sleepover Thursday night at the Aquarium. Details at www.childrensaquariumfairpark.com.

JULY 23 -- Fascinating World of Butterflies
10:30 am - 1:30 pm
Cost: $30
Details: Dale Clark, co-founder of the Dallas County Lepidopterist Society, shares his fascination with butterflies, beginning at Texas Discovery Gardens and ending with a caravan to his butterfly farm south of Dallas. This is your chance to explore on a behind-the-scenes tour!
Register Online:  Click Here


JULY 25 -- Chrysalis Day Camp (
3-6 years old)
9:30 am - 3:30 pm.
Details: Explore the stages of a butterfly’s life cycle and meet our fascinating caterpillars! $35.
Info:  Click Here

JULY 27 -- Bitty Butterflies Half Day Summer Camp (3-4 years old)
9:30 am – 12:30 pm.
Cost: $20
Details: Young ones can learn all about the bugs in their backyard – and get home by naptime!

JULY 28 -- Butterfly Tea Party featuring “Bonjour Butterfly”
10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Cost:
$12/child 3-11;$3/child 1-3. Adults pay regular admission. At door; $2/child surcharge. 
Details: Enjoy ‘fancy’ activities, crafts, tea, and snacks, as we celebrate the book, “Bonjour Butterfly,” by Jane O'Connor! We end our party with our noon butterfly release. Fancy Nancy Series  
Register Online:  Click Here


AUGUST Programs
AUGUST 1-5 -- Wiggly Week Bug Camp; Session 2  (
1st-3rd Grade)
9:30 am - 3:30 pm
Cost:
$200
Details: Have fun learning all about bugs and meet our six legged friends!  (Pre/Post care avail.)

AUG 4 -- Stories and More!
August 4, 2016 at 11 am
Cost:
$8/child 3-11; $3/child 1-3.  Adults pay regular admission. At door: $2/child surcharge.    
Details: Join our butterflies for story time! We make crafts, read a book, meet special friends and enjoy themed snacks.
Register Online:  Click Here


AUGUST 11 -- Butterfly Tea Party featuring “Bonjour Butterfly”
10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Cost:
$12/child 3-11;$3/child 1-3. Adults pay regular admission. At door; $2/child surcharge. 
Details: Enjoy ‘fancy’ activities, crafts, tea, and snacks, as we celebrate the book, “Bonjour Butterfly,” by Jane O'Connor! We end our party with our noon butterfly release. Fancy Nancy Series  
Register Online:  Click Here


AUGUST 13 -- Butterflies and Bugs! Family Festival
10 am - 3 pm
Cost:  Included with admission.
Details: Join us for our annual celebration of insects! Discover live and pinned insects, activities, butterfly house tours, crafts and more.

AUGUST 15-19 -- Budding Botanists Summer Camp (
3-5 years old)
9:30 am - 3:30 pm.
Cost: $200
Details: Learn all about how plants, people and animals need each other’s help to keep growing!  (Pre/Post care available).

AUGUST 27 -- Covered in Chitin
10 am – 11:30 am
Cost: $25
Details: One out of every four animal species on Earth is a beetle! Learn about their fascinating diversity with Entomologist John Watts.
Register Online:  Click Here


SEPTEMBER Programs
SEPTEMBER 1 -- Stories & More!
11am
Cost:  $8/ages 3-11;  $3/ages 1-3;  Adults pay regular admission. At door: $2/child surcharge.
Details: Join our butterflies for story time! We make crafts, read a book, meet special friends and enjoy themed snacks.
Register Online:  Click Here


NOVEMBER Programs
NOVEMBER 3 -- Stories & More!
11am
Cost:  $8/ages 3-11;  $3/ages 1-3;  Adults pay regular admission. At door: $2/child surcharge.
Details: Join our butterflies for story time! We make crafts, read a book, meet special friends and enjoy themed snacks.
Register Online:  Click Here



Children's Outdoor Education Programs:
Cost:  $5/person;  $60 minimum fee per program
Availability:  Tuesday–Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
To Make Reservations:  214-428-7476
Gardening for Children:–introduction to gardening and seeds.  Students even plant thier own seeds to take back to the classroom. (Grades Pre-K–2)
Butterflies, Bugs & Botany:–Insects and their amazing lives help students inderstand the concepts of adaptation, habitats, and pollination.  (Grades 1-8)
Terrarium Worlds:–Your class will build a terrarium (a home for a plant) and see the water cycle, the carbon-oxygen cycle, and the nitrogen cycle in action.  (Grades 1-8)
Life in the Compost Bin:–Recycling and decomposition come alive as students see that an ecosystem is powered by a complex web of creatures and energy. (Grades 1-8)
Math in Nature:–Math is seen as a real world tool as students visit diverse garden habitats to record data, such as temperatures, time, and mesurements.  (Grades 2-8)
Careers in the Garden:–Explore the various careers that are necessasry to keep the garden beautiful and running, including landscape design and greenhouse management.  (Grades 2-8)



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50.  TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES

ATHENS, TX -- Purtis Creek State Park

Location: Purtis Creek State Park, 14225 FM 316, Eustace, TX 75124
903-425-2332

Things to do:
Camping, picnicking, boating, hiking

Upcoming Events at Purtis Creek State Park:
JUNE EVENTS CANCELLED
No JULY events announced at this time.



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CEDAR HILL, TX -- Cedar Hill State Park

Location: Cedar Hill State Park, 1570 West FM 1382, Cedar Hill, TX 75104
972-291-3900

Things to Do:
Camping, Mountain Biking, Birdwatching, Picnicking, Fishing, Swimming beach, Playgrounds, Boating

Upcoming Events at Cedar Hill State Park:
JUNE 25 -- Cedar Hill State Park | Texas Outdoor Family | Dallas Area | (Open)
9:30 Mar 19 - Noon Mar 20
Cedar Hill State Park
Join us for a fun-filled weekend designed to help your family discover the joys of camping and Texas State Parks. All camping gear and equipment required for an overnight stay at the park is included with each reservation! Click for a list of activities offered and specific information for this workshop.
For More Information: 
Click Here

OCTOBER 1 -- Go Fish! Learn to Fish Event
9am-Noon
Cedar Hill State Park
Families can learn the basics of fishing through fun, hands-on activities. Take away a fishing fun pack and enter the drawing for door prizes. Equipment and bait provided or bring your own. No fishing license necessary. Adults must accompany children. Bring sun protection and water. Registration and start time is 9:00 A.M
For More Information:
Click Here

NOVEMBER 12 - Go Fish! Learn to Fish Event
Cedar Hill State Park
Families can learn the basics of fishing through fun, hands-on activities. Take away a fishing fun pack and enter the drawing for door prizes. Equipment and bait provided or bring your own. No fishing license necessary. Adults must accompany children. Bring sun protection and water. Registration and start time is 9:00 A.M
For More Information:
Click Here



For Details about these and other Events: 
click here


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DENTON, TX -- Ray Roberts Lake State Park/Isle du Bios Unit

Location:  Ray Roberts Lake State Park
Isle Du Bois Unit:
100 PW 4137, Pilot Point, TX 76258
940-686-2148 x258

Johnson Branch Unit
100 PW 4153, Valley View, TX 76272
940-637-2294

Things to Do: picnicking, camping, hiking, biking, horseback riding, rollerblading, swimming on a beach area (unsupervised), boating and fishing. Johnson Branch also offers backpacking

Upcoming Events at Ray Roberts Lake State Park/Isle du Bois & Johnson Branch Unit:
June 3, 2016 - Some areas of the park are closed due to flooding, including several boat ramps and some campsites.  Due to prior flood damage, the FM 380 section of the Greenbelt Corridor is closed. The hard surface trail of the Greenbelt Corridor between Hwy 428 and Hwy 455 is open, but the equestrian trail remains closed. Work continues to repair severe erosion issues and washed out bridges.
The only open equestrian trailhead is at Elm Fork Unit. The trail is open between the Elm Fork Unit and Bluestem Grove (in Isle Du Bois).
Please contact the park for more information.

JUNE 18 -- Flying Feathered Friends
Ray Roberts Lake State Park - Johnson Branch Unit
*** DUE TO FLOOD CONDITIONS, THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED ***

JUNE 18 -- Wildflower Walk
Ray Roberts Lake State Park - Isle Du Bois Unit
Join a ranger for a look at summer wildflowers.

JUNE 18 -- Vanishing Prairie Guided Hike
Ray Roberts Lake State Park - Johnson Branch Unit
*** DUE TO FLOOD CONDITIONS, THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED ***

JUNE 18 -- Father's Day Fishing with a Ranger
Ray Roberts Lake State Park - Johnson Branch Unit
*** DUE TO FLOOD CONDITIONS, THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED ***

JUNE 18 -- Junior Rangers: Nature Detectives
Ray Roberts Lake State Park - Isle Du Bois Unit
Calling all Junior Rangers: We need your help to find critter clues!

JUNE 24 -- Slitherin' Snakes
Ray Roberts Lake State Park - Isle Du Bois Unit
Join us for a slitherin' good time!

JUNE 24 -- Friday Night Frog Talk
Ray Roberts Lake State Park - Johnson Branch Unit
Find out who's croaking at your pond!

JUNE 25 -- Quit bugging out!
Ray Roberts Lake State Park - Johnson Branch Unit
Join a park ranger to learn about some crawly critters!

JUNE 25 -- Oh, for goodness SNAKES!
Ray Roberts Lake State Park - Johnson Branch Unit
Love snakes? Not so fond of them? This program is for you!

JUNE 25 -- Primitive Fire
Ray Roberts Lake State Park - Isle Du Bois Unit
Stay warm at night by learning some primitive fire building methods!

JUNE 25 -- The good, the bat, and the ugly
Ray Roberts Lake State Park - Johnson Branch Unit
How well do you know your flying mammals?


For Details about these and other Events:
click here


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DENISON, TX -- Eisenhower State Park

Location:  Eisenhower State Park, 50 Park Road 20, Denison, TX 75020
903-465-1956

Upcoming Events at Eisenshower State Park:
JUNE 25 -- Backyard Fishing
You don't always need water to improve your fishing skills!

September 2016
SEP 17 -- Go Fish! Learn to FLY Fish Event - Texoma on the Fly
Youth and adults can learn the basics of fly fishing.


For Information about Events: click here


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JACKSBORO, TX -- FORT RICHARDSON STATE PARK

Location: Fort Richardson State Park & Historic Site/Lost Creek Reservoir State Trailway, 228 State Park Road 61, Jacksboro, TX 76458
940-567-3506

Upcoming Events at Fort Richardson State Park/Lost Creek Reservoir State Trailway:

No upcoming events posted at this time.


For Details about these and Other Events: click here


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MINERAL WELLS, TX -- Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway

Location:  Lake Mineral Wells State Park, 100 Park Road 71, Mineral Wells, TX 76067
940-328-1171

Upcoming Events at Lake Mineral Wells State Park

JUNE 25 -- Cross Timbers Cowboy Poetry and Stories
Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway
“Learning about our cowboy heritage can be fun!”

July 2016
JULY 9 -- Cross Timbers Folklore, Stories & Tales
Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway
Come listen to Native American stories, cowboy poetry, local folklore and just plain fun stories.

JULY 16 -- Night Sounds
Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway
“After attending the Night Sounds program, I found my daughter sitting on the back porch the next night, not watching TV or playing video games, but listening to nature!” – Park Visitor

JULY 23 -- Cross Timbers Cowboy Poetry and Stories
Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway
“Learning about our cowboy heritage can be fun!”

JULY 30 -- Night Hike
Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway
Discovery fun night time activities in the outdoors!


For Details about these and Other Events: click here


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GLEN ROSE -- Dinosaur Valley State Park

Location:  The park is located four miles west of Glen Rose. Take U.S. Highway 67 to FM 205 for four miles to Park Road 59; then go one mile to the headquarters. Use the honor box located at headquarters to pay fees after office hours.
254-897-4588 

Upcoming Events at Dinosaur Valley State Park

JUNE 19 -- Father's Day Picnic and Hike
Dinosaur Valley State Park

JUNE 25 -- "Fossil Diggin' "
Dinosaur Valley State Park

JUNE 25 -- "Night Hike"
Dinosaur Valley State Park

July 2016
JULY 2 -- Hike and a Movie
Dinosaur Valley State Park

JULY 30 -- Listen for the Night Sounds
Dinosaur Valley State Park


For Details about these and Other Events: click here

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TYLER, TX -- Tyler State Park

Location:  Tyler State Park, 789 Park Road 16, Tyler, TX 75706
903-597-5338

Upcoming Events at Tyler State Park:

JUNE 17 -- Cryptozoology: Myths & Legends
Is it real? Do you believe?


For Details about these and Other Events: click here

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WILLS POINT, TX -- Lake Tawakoni State Park

Location:  Lake Tawakoni State Park, 10822 FM 2475, Wills Point, TX 75169

Upcoming Events at Lake Tawakoni State Park:

October 2016
OCTOBER 29 -- Boo in the Park
Come have a great time with your fa
Cost:
There will be a special entry fee of $5 per car beginning at 6:00 pm.
mily at our "Boo in the Park" celebration. Take the kids trick or treating in the park. We will have a campsite decorating contest for our campers, a pumpkin carving contest, along with storytelling at the amphitheater.

December 2016
DECEMBER 10 -- Twinkle Tour

Cost:
Event fee of $5 per vehicle beginning at 5 p.m.
Please join us for Twinkle Tour 2016 at Lake Tawakoni State Park. The annual campsite decoration contest will be in full swing, with awards for our top three entrants. Later in the evening we'll have hayrides through the park and enjoy all of the festive Christmas lights. Santa will be at the amphitheater to make note of your Christmas wishes, so bring your camera! Refreshments will be served.

For Details about these and Other Events:
 click here


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Free TPWD Coloring and Activity Books to Download: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/learning/color/

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51PERFORMANCES AT ARTISAN THEATER IN HURST

Artisan Center Theater holds quality, "in the round" performances that are family-friendly, entertaining, and affordable!  The theater's full-length stage productions include musicals, comedies, and family dramas which are entertaining, as well as family-friendly. Past performances have included such classics as Godspell, Cheaper By the Dozen, The Scarlet Pimpernel, and The Sound of Music.

Their Interactive Children's Theater offers original, fun-for-all-ages productions featuring familiar characters and themes, but with fresh twists that keep it entertaining and exciting for parents as well as children. Each
production is about 30-45 minutes long, and include lots of audience participation to hold the interest of even the youngest child in the family.

Location:  420 E. Pipeline Road in Hurst, Texas (in the Bellaire Shopping Center)
To Reserve Tickets: 817-284-1200
For More Information:  Click Here

Artisan Children’s Theater Productions:
Cost: $7/Children 12 and younger;  $10/Adults
Showtimes: Shows are Tuesdays and Saturdays at 10 am; Fridays at 5pm.


JUNE 25 - AUGUST 6 -- The Little Mermaid, Jr
Journey “under the sea” with Ariel and her aquatic friends in Disney’s The Little Mermaid JR., adapted from Disney’s 2008 Broadway production. In a magical underwater kingdom, the beautiful young mermaid Ariel longs to leave her ocean home – and her fins – behind and live in the world above. But first she’ll have to defy her father King Triton, make a deal with the evil sea witch Ursula, and convince the handsome Prince Eric that she’s the girl whose enchanting voice he’s been seeking.
For More Information:  Click Here

AUGUST 19 -- OCTOBER 1 -- Beauty & the Beast, Jr
The classic story of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed back into his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity. Step into the enchanted world of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast JR. Featuring songs from the Academy Award-winning animated feature, this stage version includes music by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, along with new songs by Mr. Menken and Tim Rice.
For More Information:  Click Here

OCTOBER 14 - NOVEMBER 12-- A Year with Frog & Toad
A hit on Broadway, A Year with Frog and Toad was nominated for 3 Tony® Awards – including Best Musical. Based on Arnold Lobel’s well-loved books and featuring a hummable score by Robert and Willie Reale, this whimsical show follows two great friends — the cheerful, popular Frog and the rather grumpy Toad — through four, fun-filled seasons. Waking from hibernation in the spring, Frog and Toad plant gardens, swim, rake leaves, go sledding, and learn life lessons along the way. The two best friends celebrate and rejoice in their differences that make them unique and special. Part vaudeville, part make believe, all charm, A Year with Frog and Toad tells the story of a friendship that endures, weathering all seasons.
For More Information:  Click Here



Artisan Main Stage Productions:
Showtimes:
Mon & Tues: 7:30 p.m.;  Thurs/Fri: 7:30;  Sat: 3 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Tickets:
Mon, Tues, Thurs: $20 Adults; $20/Students & Seniors (60+); $9/Ages 12 and under
            Fri & Sat: $22.00/Adults; $20/Students & Seniors (60+); $11/Ages 12 and under.


JUNE 17 - JULY 30 -- Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Here comes a fantastic musical adventure with an out-of-this-world car that flies through the air and sails the seas. Based on the beloved 1968 film version of Ian Fleming’s children’s book, and featuring an unforgettable score by the Sherman Brothers (Mary Poppins), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is one family-friendly blockbuster that audiences will find “Truly Scrumptious.”
For More Information:  Click Here

AUGUST 12 - SEPTEMBER 17 -- Starlight Express
You’ve heard of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS, now come see his musical about TRAINS! One of the liveliest rock/pop scores in Broadway history, it tells the story of Rusty the Steam Train, and his underdog attempting to defeat his rivals Greaseball and Electra and (and maybe get the attention of pretty first-class coach, Pearl, along the way)! It’s a thrilling chase around and through the audience as a dozen trains race to decide who wins the title of the “Fastest Engine in the World!”
For More Information: 
Click Here

SEPTEMBER 30 - NOVEMBER 5 -- State Fair
Set against the colorful backdrop of an American heartland tradition, State Fair travels with the Frake family as they leave behind the routine of the farm for three days of adventure at the annual State Fair. Mom and Pop have their hearts set on blue ribbons while their daughter and son find romance and heartbreak on the midway. Another Tony® Award winning musical, State Fair is the kind of warm-hearted family entertainment only Rodgers & Hammerstein could deliver!
For More Information: 
Click Here



Birthday Parties at Artisan!

For more information about how to schedule a birthday party, call
817-284-1200.

To Register for classes or for more information:  817-929-0852 or click here to email

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52.  BREITLING YOUTH THEATER

Breitling Youth Theater is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing theater opportunities to children ages 2-19 in the North Texas area.  Whether your child is attending one of our Acting Workshops, or particpating in one of our productions, they will have fun, learn, and create lasting friendships!
 
Location:  303 Main St, Garland, TX  75040


Discount:
 
Breitling Youth Theater is offering $10 off their annual family registration fee of $20 to HEART of Texas members with a valid family ID card. 
To learn More About This Partner:  Click Here
To learn about becoming a HEART of Texas member: Click Here


Homeschool Classes -- TBA


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53.  CANTARE PERFORMANCE CHOIR IN SOUTHLAKE

Cantare is an auditioned choir available for exceptional 3rd-12th grade singers in the NE Tarrant County area. Previous experience is not necessary; however, an audition is required.

Any young person that loves to sing and is entering 3rd through 12th grade may audition. While prior musical training is not necessary, an audition is required.

Upcoming Auditions
JULY 23 -- 9am-3pm
AUGUST 27 -- 9am-3pm
Auditions are by appointment only -- www.cantaretexas.com
Complete the online audition registration form.
An email will be sent to you confirming the audition time.

Rehearsals:
Cantare Bene (3rd-8th Grade)
5:30-6:30pm on Thursday evenings

Cantare Voce (9th-12 Grade)
6:30-7:30pm on Thursday evenings


Location:  The choir rehearses at the White's Chapel United Methodist Church in Southlake, TX.
Rehearsals are on Thursdays at the times above, with additional rehearsals leading up to performances.
For More Information:  Click Here
To request an audition:  Click Here

Discount:  Cantare Performance Choir is offering HEART of Texas members (with calid ID card) a $15 discount off annual tuition.  
To learn More About This Partner:  Click Here
To learn about HEART of Texas membership: Click Here
To view our ever-expanding list of partners:  
Click Here


Click Here

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54.  THEATER PERFORMANCES AT CASA MANANA CHILDREN’S PLAYHOUSE

For over 40 years, Casa Manana's Children's Playhouse has introduced children of all ages to the magic of live theatre.  This tradition continues as Casa Manana's Children's Playhouse proudly presents:


SEPTEMBER 30 - OCTOBER 16 -- Frog & Toad are Friends
Based on the well-loved books, this whimsical musical follows two great friends – the cheerful, popular Frog and the rather grumpy Toad – through the year. Waking from hibernation in the spring, Frog and Toad plant gardens, eat cookies, swim in funny bathing suits, rake leaves, go sledding, and learn life lessons along the way. Part vaudeville, part make-believe and all charm, A Year with Frog And Toad tells the story of a friendship that endures, weathering all seasons.
Admission: Standard Pricing: $16;  Group Pricing (10+ tickets): $12
Group Sales Info

NOVEMBER 25 - DECEMBER 23 -- Santa Claus a New Musical
Delivering toys to children all over the world on Christmas Eve isn’t easy, especially when you’ve been doing it for over a thousand years! When Santa announces that this will be his last Christmas, the search is on for someone to fill some very big shoes – or in this case, boots. But not everyone in the North Pole is feeling too giddy about Santa’s first choice for a replacement. Now it’s up to Father Christmas and his workshop of elves to get the new Santa Claus ready in time for Christmas! Santa Claus – A New Musical has brand new original songs and lots of holiday cheer.
Sections:  1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Admission: Standard Pricing: $20;  Group Pricing (10+ tickets): $16
Group Sales Info

FEBRUARY 3-19, 2017 -- Rapunzel Rapunzel!  A Very Hairy Fairy Tale
Let down your hair in this charming musical. Join handsome Sir Roderick and his hairdressing side-kick, Edgar, as they search for true love and the perfect head of hair!  With a dragon who’s lost his poof, an evil enchantress, and a magical cast of characters, Rapunzel! Rapunzel! will delight princes and princesses of all ages.
Sections:  1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Admission: Standard Pricing: $16;  Group Pricing (10+ tickets): $12
Group Sales Info

MARCH 17-APRIL 2, 2017 -- Red Riding Hood
A bewitching new musical, Red Riding Hood tells an uplifting story of brave Red, who must journey through the forest to reunite her family and save her mother’s bakery from closing down. Will she reach Grandma’s house in time? Or will the charming Big Bad Wolf distract her from her quest? Join Red on her journey into the woods, where no one is who they seem and adventure waits at every turn!
Sections:  1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Admission: Standard Pricing: $16;  Group Pricing (10+ tickets): $12
Group Sales Info

APRIL 21-MAY 14, 2017 -- The Little Mermaid
Based on the classic animated film, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, this fishy fable will capture your heart with its unforgettable songs including “Under the Sea,” “Kiss the Girl,” and “Part of Your World.”  When the mermaid, Princess Ariel, longs for a life out of the water, she bargains with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to trade her fins for legs. But the bargain is not what it seems, and Ariel needs the help of her colorful friends Flounder the fish, Scuttle the seagull and Sebastian the crab to restore order under the sea.
Sections:  1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Admission: Standard Pricing: $20;  Group Pricing (10+ tickets): $16
Group Sales Info

Order Season Tickets!
Order a 5-Show Season Ticket package to secure GREAT SEATS for these fantastic, family fun productions at Casa Manana Theatre. 
For More Information:  Call 817-332-2272  

Location:  3101 West Lancaster Avenue, Fort Worth, TX 76107
Box Office: 817-332-2272
Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10am-4pm;  Saturday 12pm-5pm;  Sunday and Monday Closed
Open one hour prior to every show

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55.  PERFORMANCES AT CATS THEATER IN ARLINGTON


CATS PRESENTS:
TBA

HOMESCHOOL CLASSES

Intermediate Acting: Ages 10-11
Time:
Wednesday: 1:00pm-1:55pm
Details:  
A creative imagination experience!  Every child will engage in imagination, vocalization, and movement activities that will prepare them for the stage. They will learn how to act out favorite stories, learn improvisation techniques, and use their bodies and voices to become different characters! Basic stage and blocking direction and an understanding of theatre terminology will help the young actors explore their creative process.
 
Advanced Acting: Age 12+
Time:
Wednesday: 12:00pm-12:55pm
Details: Think like an Actor! The actors learn how to implement an analysis through improvisation-based exercises and scene work. The focus is on how to simplify acting and find the parallels between behavior in real life and behavior on the stage. As the year progresses, students will have identified a specific and repeatable set of skills, which can be used to approach any scene work they perform.
 
For More Information:
Click Here

Location:  Will be moving to Arlington Museum of Art
                201 W. Main, Arlington, 76010


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56.  THE COTTAGE THEATER – CENTER FOR HOME EDUCATION

Center for Home Education’s Cottage Theater Presents:

Upcoming Performances:
JUNE 2016 -- The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe
JUL-JULY 2016 -- Godspell Musical Theatre Camp

Admission:  $10 for adults, $8 for students. Small children who sit in laps are no charge. No baby carriers or strollers, etc.
Student Night Thursday:  
$5 student tickets
To purchase tickets:
Call 817-281-2293;  Sorry, no refunds


Discount:  Center for Home Education is offering HEART of Texas members a 20% dicount off all show tickets for HEART of Texas members (with valid ID Card).  
To learn about HEART of Texas membership: Click Here
To view our ever-expanding list of partners:  
Click Here

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57.  DALLAS CHILDREN’S THEATER PERFORMANCES

Location:    Baker Theater
                 Rosewood Center for Family Arts
                 5938 Skillman Street
Box Office:  214-740-0051
 

2016-2017 Season:
(Please note that not all productions may be suitable for all audiences.)  


JUN 17 - JUL 17, 2016 -- Pinkalicious, The Musical
Pink-A-Boo! DCT audiences were tickled...that's right - PINK the last time PINKALICIOUS was on our stage, so we're bringing her back in this exhilarating musical! When Pinkalicious doesn't heed her parents' warnings and indulges in too many pink goodies, she has to make some healthy choices to fight off a bad case of Pinkititis. Pinkalicious will finally eat a little green, her little brother will no longer be blue, and all kids will learn to show their true colors! The popular book pops off the stage in this high-energy musical treat that kids will love even more than pink cupcakes!
Recommended for ages 5 and up
Sensory Friendly Performance:  JULY 2 at 4:30pm (there will be an intermission for this productin)

SEPT 16-OCT 23 -- Seussical
"Oh, the thinks you can think" when Dr. Seuss' best-loved characters collide and cavort in an unforgettable musical caper! The Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, Gertrude McFuzz, Mayzie LaBird, JoJo, and others are your guides in this fantastical, magical exploration of family and friendship through the Jungle of Nool, Circus McGurkus, and the tiny world of Whoville! Discover what it takes for Horton to withstand ridicule and danger to save the day in this cornucopia of adventure that truly offers something for everyone!
Recommended for ages 5 and up
ASL Interpreted Performance:  SEPT 25 show at 4:30pm
(call box office to confirm)
Sensory Friendly Performance:  OCT 15 at 1:30pm

SEPT 17 -- The Who Party (children ages 4-10 and parents)
3-5:30pm
Rosewood Center for Family Arts
$60/person
The party gets started immediately after the 1:30 PM performance of SEUSSICAL™.

Kids will have the exclusive opportunity to learn a song and dance from the show and perform it on the DCT mainstage with staff member Nancy Schaeffer as the VIP director of your debut. Everyone will love playing Seussical chairs and walking away with a prize if you're one of the last sneetches standing. The DCT staff is also going to give you special behind-the-scenes access so you can see what goes into making the magic, and we'll end the night with a dance party to beat all dance parties! There'll be some great food and fantastical take-home treats to boot!
Cause: This event supports the Student Matinee Performance Series, the primary program in Dallas where students are exposed to live theater as an extension of classroom learning. This year, as many as 50,000 students will experience DCT's theater magic at virtually no direct cost to them. Funds will go to help close the $831,926 gap to run the program this year.
For More Info: send an email

OCTOBER 14 - OCTOBER 29 -- Dracula: The Vampire Play
Satisfy your cravings for thrill and terror with the original vampire story! Fans of shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Vampire Diaries will want to see how the mania began back when Count Dracula moved to England in his mad quest for fresh blood and a bride. Chilling adventure lurks in the fog...just in time for Halloween!
Recommended for ages 12 and up
ASL Interpreted Performance:  OCT 23 show at 1:30pm(call box office to confirm)

NOVEMBER 18-DEC 21, 2016 -- The Nutcracker
No holiday season is complete without Tchaikovsky's THE NUTCRACKER! This unique and acclaimed puppet interpretation brings the classic story to life with innovative passion and artistry. According to The Dallas Morning News, this NUTCRACKER "...out-Fantasia's Walt Disney's classic film." DFW audiences love holiday traditions, and that is why 2016 marks 20 years of this most requested title. It's a perfect introduction to classical music, so make a date to bring your children!
Recommended for ages 4 and up
ASL Interpreted Performance:  DEC 4 at 4:30pm (call box office to confirm)

NOVEMBER 18 - DECEMBER 21 -- A Charlie Brown Cristmas
Christmas time is here, and we're fortunate that it brings Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Snoopy, and the rest of the Peanuts gang to DCT! Charles Schulz's classic animated television special comes to life as you've never seen before. The young and the young at heart will be tapping their toes and oohing and ahhing as the live combo band surrounds the audience in a magical, memorable holiday spectacle. Make sure you're front and center as Charlie Brown and his friends discover the real meaning of Christmas!
Recommended for ages 5 and up
ASL Interpreted Performance:  NOV 27 at 4:30pm (call box office to confirm)
Sensory-Friendly Performance:  DEC 3 at 1:30pm

DECEMBER 27, 2016 -- JANUARY 1, 2017 -- La Fete!
That's right... It's a Party! Celebrate the tenth anniversary of Dallas' very own Lone Star Circus. Be among the first to see this all-new merry circus celebration complete with a joyous, awe-inspiring congregation of extraordinary circus acts from all over the planet — including Dallas, Texas! You'll spot breathtaking acrobats, awesome aerialists, amazing equilibrists, unbelievable jugglers, endearing four-legged performers, and of course, hilarious clowns. It's a traditional medley of music and poetry paired with feats of strength, daring, and agility. Come to the party, celebrate 10 years of Lone Star Circus, and be blown away!
Recommended for all ages

JANUARY 20 - FEBRUARY 26, 2017
-- Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook
The world's funniest kid is back! Junie B. Jones is ecstatic about her new black furry mittens that Grampa Frank Miller bought for her - until someone steals them! Those rotten thieves. When she finds a cool pen on the school floor, her own sense of right and wrong is tested. Junie B. stars in this comical tale that promises a good laugh... and a great life lesson.
Recommended for ages 5 and up
ASL Interpreted Performance:  JAN 29 at 4:30pm (call box office to confirm)
Sensory-Friendly Performance: FEB 18 at 1:30pm

MARCH 3 - MARCH 26, 2017 -- Jack and the Beanstalk
Adaptation, Original Songs & Lyrics by B. Wolf
With great music and unexpected humor, Kathy Burks' troupe brings to life the age-old fairy tale of a young hero's extraordinary climb up a magical beanstalk to seek his fortune and save his family from ruin. Along the way, Jack encounters help from the Man in the Moon, a talking hen, a kindly servant, and a few other surprising characters. When he comes face to face with a fiendish giant, Jack must use his wits to escape the colossal villain's castle in the clouds. Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum!
Recommended for ages 4 and up
Sensory-Friendly Performance: MARCH 4 at 4:30pm
ASL Interpreted Performance: MARCH 12 at 4:30pm (call box office to confirm)

MARCH 24 - APRIL 2, 2017 -- Tomas and the Library Lady
An inspiring true tale of how reading and stories help us all escape. This beautiful bilingual play follows the life of young Tomás and his family, who are migrant workers who move constantly to find new work picking farmers' crops. But one summer, Tomás visits a local public library and soon discovers worlds filled with dinosaurs and tigers - and a great new friend in the "Library Lady." While helping Tomás improve his English by reading many new and exciting stories, the librarian fosters his newfound interest in learning and teaches him the importance of a good education.
Recommended for ages 7 and up
Sensory-Friendly Performance:  MARCH 25 at 1:30pm
ASL Interpreted Performance:  APRIL 2 at 4:30pm (call box office to confirm)

APRIL 21 - MAY 7, 2017 -- Blue
An all-new show that is perfect for short attention spans and the wee ones! This is a simple story of what happens one day when color comes into your life. Pale Blue and Inky Blue are happy in...well, their blueness. When a red sock enters the picture, Pale and Inky AND the audience are surprised by their reaction. If you liked BALLOONACY, you'll love this gentle play that introduces the idea of tolerance and understanding in an age-appropriate and soft-hearted theatrical experience. BLUE is filled with lots of fun, humor and whimsy, and at the end of the show, you will be too!
Recommended for squirmy toddlers and their families

Sensory-Friendly Performance:  APRIL 29 at 1:30pm
ASL-Interpreted Performance:  APRIL 30 at 4:30pm (call box office to confirm)

MAY 5 - MAY 27, 2017 -- James and the Giant Peach
Adapted by David Wood
Young James Henry Trotter's resilience is tested when he is sent off to live with his mean aunts, Spiker and Sponge, after a chain of unfortunate incidents. Life is no fun at all there until he accidentally spills some tiny green things on a tree, and... voilà, a giant peach! When James and his new oversized friends - Grasshopper, Centipede, Ladybug, Earthworm, and Spider - snip the stem of the peach, the quest for happiness and great adventure lands them in New York City and at the center of attention. Of its premiere one reporter wrote, "Move heaven and earth to see this wonderful adaptation!"
Recommended for ages 5 and up
Sensory-Friendly Performance: MAY 13 at 1:30pm
ASL Interpreted Performance:  MAY 14 at 4:30pm (call box office)

JUNE 23 - JULY 9, 2017 -- Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters (An African Tale)
The beautiful Zimbabwe-based Cinderella tale returns! An African villager named Mufaro has two daughters whom everyone agrees are beautiful. But, they have their differences. Manyara possesses a bad temper and is self-centered (but never in front of Mufaro); Nyasha is kind and considerate to people and to animals. When Mufaro learns that the King is in the process of meeting all of the most worthy and beautiful women in order to choose a wife, he decides that both of his daughters should go. Celebrate goodness, generosity, and love with traditional dancing, rhythmic drumming, and glorious African song. Based on the 1988 Caldecott Honor Award book.
Recommended for ages 5 and up
Sensory-Friendly Performance: JULY 8 at 1:30pm
ASL Interpreted Performance:  JULY 9 at 4:30pm (call box office to confirm)

    
Sensory-Friendly Performances
General production adaptations include leaving the house lights up a few levels higher than for a standard performance and reducing the sound level. We also offer a "Quiet Room" for children who need a break.
There will be some fun and engaging activities presented before the play, so plan to come as early as one hour before the show.
Sensory Friendly Performance Tickets:  
$5 per person (regular tickets range from $13 -$28)
To Purchase Tickets: 214-740-0051

JULY 2 at 4:30pm -- Pinkalicious, The Musical
Pink-A-Boo! DCT audiences were tickled...that's right - PINK the last time PINKALICIOUS was on our stage, so we're bringing her back in this exhilarating musical! When Pinkalicious doesn't heed her parents' warnings and indulges in too many pink goodies, she has to make some healthy choices to fight off a bad case of Pinkititis. Pinkalicious will finally eat a little green, her little brother will no longer be blue, and all kids will learn to show their true colors! The popular book pops off the stage in this high-energy musical treat that kids will love even more than pink cupcakes!
Recommended for ages 5 and up
There will be an intermission for this production

OCT 15 at 1:30pm -- Seussical
"Oh, the thinks you can think" when Dr. Seuss' best-loved characters collide and cavort in an unforgettable musical caper! The Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, Gertrude McFuzz, Mayzie LaBird, JoJo, and others are your guides in this fantastical, magical exploration of family and friendship through the Jungle of Nool, Circus McGurkus, and the tiny world of Whoville! Discover what it takes for Horton to withstand ridicule and danger to save the day in this cornucopia of adventure that truly offers something for everyone!
Recommended for ages 5 and up

DEC 3 at 1:30pm -- A Charlie Brown Cristmas
Christmas time is here, and we're fortunate that it brings Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Snoopy, and the rest of the Peanuts gang to DCT! Charles Schulz's classic animated television special comes to life as you've never seen before. The young and the young at heart will be tapping their toes and oohing and ahhing as the live combo band surrounds the audience in a magical, memorable holiday spectacle. Make sure you're front and center as Charlie Brown and his friends discover the real meaning of Christmas!
Recommended for ages 5 and up


FEB 18 at 1:30pm -- Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook
The world's funniest kid is back! Junie B. Jones is ecstatic about her new black furry mittens that Grampa Frank Miller bought for her - until someone steals them! Those rotten thieves. When she finds a cool pen on the school floor, her own sense of right and wrong is tested. Junie B. stars in this comical tale that promises a good laugh... and a great life lesson.
Recommended for ages 5 and up


MARCH 4 at 4:30pm -- Jack and the Beanstalk
Adaptation, Original Songs & Lyrics by B. Wolf
With great music and unexpected humor, Kathy Burks' troupe brings to life the age-old fairy tale of a young hero's extraordinary climb up a magical beanstalk to seek his fortune and save his family from ruin. Along the way, Jack encounters help from the Man in the Moon, a talking hen, a kindly servant, and a few other surprising characters. When he comes face to face with a fiendish giant, Jack must use his wits to escape the colossal villain's castle in the clouds. Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum!
Recommended for ages 4 and up

MARCH 25 at 1:30pm -- Tomas and the Library Lady
An inspiring true tale of how reading and stories help us all escape. This beautiful bilingual play follows the life of young Tomás and his family, who are migrant workers who move constantly to find new work picking farmers' crops. But one summer, Tomás visits a local public library and soon discovers worlds filled with dinosaurs and tigers - and a great new friend in the "Library Lady." While helping Tomás improve his English by reading many new and exciting stories, the librarian fosters his newfound interest in learning and teaches him the importance of a good education.
Recommended for ages 7 and up

APRIL 29 at 1:30pm -- Blue
An all-new show that is perfect for short attention spans and the wee ones! This is a simple story of what happens one day when color comes into your life. Pale Blue and Inky Blue are happy in...well, their blueness. When a red sock enters the picture, Pale and Inky AND the audience are surprised by their reaction. If you liked BALLOONACY, you'll love this gentle play that introduces the idea of tolerance and understanding in an age-appropriate and soft-hearted theatrical experience. BLUE is filled with lots of fun, humor and whimsy, and at the end of the show, you will be too!
Recommended for squirmy toddlers and their families


MAY 13 at 1:30pm -- James and the Giant Peach
Adapted by David Wood
Young James Henry Trotter's resilience is tested when he is sent off to live with his mean aunts, Spiker and Sponge, after a chain of unfortunate incidents. Life is no fun at all there until he accidentally spills some tiny green things on a tree, and... voilà, a giant peach! When James and his new oversized friends - Grasshopper, Centipede, Ladybug, Earthworm, and Spider - snip the stem of the peach, the quest for happiness and great adventure lands them in New York City and at the center of attention. Of its premiere one reporter wrote, "Move heaven and earth to see this wonderful adaptation!"
Recommended for ages 5 and up


JULY 8 at 1:30pm -- Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters (An African Tale)
The beautiful Zimbabwe-based Cinderella tale returns! An African villager named Mufaro has two daughters whom everyone agrees are beautiful. But, they have their differences. Manyara possesses a bad temper and is self-centered (but never in front of Mufaro); Nyasha is kind and considerate to people and to animals. When Mufaro learns that the King is in the process of meeting all of the most worthy and beautiful women in order to choose a wife, he decides that both of his daughters should go. Celebrate goodness, generosity, and love with traditional dancing, rhythmic drumming, and glorious African song. Based on the 1988 Caldecott Honor Award book.
Recommended for ages 5 and up


Sensory-Friendly Resources for Visiting the Dallas Children's Theater:

Click Here for a Pictorial Guide
Click Here for Parent Tip Sheet


Box Office Hours

9am to 5 p.m., Monday–Friday
On performances days: Friday evenings until 30 minutes past curtain.
Saturdays 11:00am until 30 minutes past last curtain.
Sundays 11:00am until 30 minutes past last curtain.
214-740-0051
Ticket Sales are subject to availability. No refunds or exchanges on single tickets.
Reservations are recommended and require prepayment with either
Cash, Check, Mastercard,Visa, or Amex.
Coupons and discount offers must be arranged in advance with the box office and may be suspended at any time.
Ticket Prices: Range from $13 - $28
For Ticket Information: Click Here
               

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58.  DALLAS SUMMER MUSICALS

Location: The Music Hall at Fair Park
909 1st Ave
Dallas, TX 75210   
        

2015-2016 Season:
(Please note that not all productions may be suitable for all audiences.)
HEART of Texas is proud to partner with Dallas Summer Musicals!
Your family or homeschool group (group of 10 or more) can get discount rates to great family-friendly performances for the upcoming season.  
Be sure to mention HEART of Texas when you order. 

Check out the Group Discount Form on our Downloads page for details.
Special Discounts for Groups with 10 or More:  Click Here for pricing and show times
(Then scroll to the bottom of the page to see the Performance Schedule and Pricing)

JUNE 28 - JULY 10 -- 42nd Street
Facing adversity from all directions, the young but talented Peggy Sawyer learns about show business and discovers which relationships are most important in life.


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59.  DALLAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PERFORMANCES

2016-2017 Youth Concerts:
Young Person's Orchestra Guide
DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED
Details: Get to know the orchestra up close and personal! Masterpieces by Mozart, Mussorgsky and Britten make this program a perfect introduction to classical music for the young listener.
Repertoire List:  
Mozart: Overture from The Abduction from the Seraglio
Mussorgsky: 5 movements from Pictures at an Exhibition
Britten:  The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra


American Celebration
DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED
Details:
Dallas Black Dance Theater II joins the DSO for this celebration of some of the greatest music ever made in America.  Works include Gershwin's American in Paris and Rhapsody in Blue and Copland's iconic "Hoe Down" and Billy the Kid.
Repertoire List:
Berstein: Candide Overture
Copland: "Prairie Night" & "Celebration Dance" from Billy the Kid
Copland: "Hoe Down" from Rodeo
Ives: "The Housatonic at Stockbridge" from Three Places in New England
Gershwin: American in Paris suite
Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue

Cinco de Mayo
DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED
Details:  From the sublime to the exhilarating, Mexican, South American, and Spanish composers have given us a rich diversity of beautiful music.  Join us for this unique orchestral and cultural experience.
Repertoire List:
Revueltas: Sensemayá
Marquez: Danzon No. 2
Piazzolla: Oblivion
Chavez: Sinfonia India
Villa Lobos: Aria from Bachianas brasileiras No. 5
Defalla: "Ritual Fire Dance" from El amor brujo


Admission:  $6.50/person (payment must be received with all reservations).  Only reservations confirmed in advance can be seated.  No walk-ins.
Parking:  $6 per car in the Arts District Parking Garage
Please arrive at least 30 minutes before concert time.  Concerts last approximately 45 minutes.
Special Students at the Symphony Program: Free seats are available to mentally and physically challenged students.  To participate, complete the appropriate information on the reservation form.

To Order Tickets Online or by Phone:
 Click Here or call 214-871-4006.  
To Pay by Check or Money Order:  Please fill out this PDF form and mail it with the check or money order attached.
Please note that reservations will not be held without payment. The DSO will not process your request unless the reservation form is fully complete.
Read Youth Concert Logistics and FAQ’s before making a request.


Concert Location:  Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora Street, Dallas, TX  75201
                            (intersection of Pearl & Flora Street in the heart of the Downtown Dallas Arts District)
For Directions:  Click Here


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60.  FORT WORTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA YOUNG PERSON'S CONCERTS

Designed to engage the interest of children of all ages, these concerts are open to school groups, home school groups and individuals.
You must have a reservation.  No walk-ins.

2016-2017 Concerts  -- DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED
Visions of America (Young Persons' Concerts)
JANUARY 20, 2016 at 10:30am & 12:30pm
JANUARY 21, 2016 at 10:30am & 12:30pm
Tickets:
$5/person (youth & adults)
Location:
Bass Performance Hall, 525 Commerce Street, 76102
Details:
Join the Fort Worth Symphony and Kids Who Care as we discover how composers interpret the American landscape and people through music. You’ll hear selections by Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, John Williams, and others. This program also features images from the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. Young Persons’ Concerts last approximately 45 minutes and are appropriate for children ages 7 through 13.
Order Tickets Online
Groups of 20 or Fewer (click on links below):
Jan 20 at 10:30am
Jan 20 at 12:30pm
Jan 21 at 10:30am
Jan 21 at 12:30pm
Groups of more than 20: Click here for online Reservation Form

KinderConcerts: My Many Colored Days
FEBRUARY 18, 2016 at 10:30am & 12:30pm
FEBRUARY 19, 2016 at 10:30am & 12:30pm
Tickets: $5/person (youth & adults)
Location:  Arborlawn United Methodist Church, 5001 Briarhaven Road, 76109
“Some days are yellow. Some days are blue. On different days I’m different too.” Accompanied by Kids Who Care, the Fort Worth Symphony explores the wonderful world of Dr. Seuss’ My Many Colored Days and demonstrates how feelings are expressed through music and colors. Kinderconcerts are approximately 35 minutes and are appropriate for children ages 3 through 6.
To Order Tickets:  
Groups of 20 or Fewer:
Thursday, February 18 10:30 AM
Thursday, February 18 12:30 PM
Friday, February 19 10:30 AM
Friday, February 19 12:30 PM
Groups of more than 20:  Click here for online Reservation Form
Study Guide for My Many Colored Days:  
click here

Family Concert: Peter & the Wolf
JANUARY 17, 2016 at 2pm & 3pm
Tickets:  
$10/person (youth & adult)
Location: White's Chapel United Methodist Church, 185 S. White Chapel Boulevard, Southlake
Family Concert lasts approximately 45 minutes. The classic story of an enterprising little boy named Peter, who, together with a duck, a cat and a bird, outsmarts a wolf and hunters. Children and their parents will enjoy listening to this unique musical story as every character is portrayed by a different instrument from the orchestra.
To Purchase tickets to Family Concerts: Order online or by calling the FWSO Box Office at 817.665.6000.


1 adult chaperone per 10 children is required.
Orders for Fewer than 20 Seats:  
Must be paid at time of reservation.
Orders for 20 or More:  May be reserved without advance payment.
You will receive an invoice within a week of making your reservation.  Full payment is due no later than 14 days prior to the concert.
No refunds will be given after this date.
The FWSO does not distribute tickets or assign individual seats for educational events. If you require special seating for any members of your group, please indicate this at the time of your reservation.
Prior to the performance, you will receive an email outlining concert policies and procedures.
Children Under Age 3:  Because of the nature of the event, we request that children under age three not be brought to these concerts, particularly to the concerts at Bass Performance Hall. You must purchase a seat for each person to be admitted to a concert, regardless of age.

For Questions:  Click Here to send an email message or call 817-665-6500.

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61.  GREATER DALLAS YOUTH ORCHESTRA

2016-2017 Concert Schedule -- TBA
MAY 1 -- Philharmonic & Wind Symphony - Concert
7:30pm
Location: City Performance Hall, 2520 Flora St, Dallas, 75201
For Tickets: Click here or 817-528-7747 (M-F, 9am-5pm)

MAY 15 -- GDYO - "Emperors & Titans" Concert
7:30pm
Location: Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora St, Dallas, 75201
Details:  Featuring Dvorak’s Slavonic Dance,  Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 “Emperor” with soloist and Gold Medalist Leeds Piano Competition Alessio Bax, Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 “Titan.”
Preceding the concert will be the GDYO Spring Gala (dinner, auction, and music by a GDYO Jazz Institute combo), held in the lobby of the Meyerson Symphony Center. This is the only fundraising event for the youth orchestra, and we hope you will attend. The Gala benefits the GDYO Scholarship Fund and the GDYO Tour Fund, allowing deserving students a chance to not only experience the GDYO program, but also to be further enriched by experiencing new cultures while traveling and performing with their peers. Tickets to the Gala include a concert ticket, in most cases.
For Tickets:
Click here or 817-528-7747 (M-F, 9am-5pm)

Auditioning for GDYO
GDYO is no longer accepting applications for auditions for the 2015-2016 season.
If you would like to be added to the audition email list, please
click here
Audition information for the 2016-2017 season will be available by February of 2016. 
If you have not done so already, you can look over the Audition FAQs, Audition Requirements, etc. 
If you have any questions, please email us
If you auditioned this spring (for the 2015-2016 season), results will be mailed May 17, 2015. 
Under NO circumstances will results be given over the phone

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62.  PARK CITIES STUDIOS/THE DALLAS CONSERVATORY

Park Cities Studios offers world-class instruction for ages 18 months and older, in dance, singing, and acting.

Discount:  Park Cities Studios/The Dallas Conservatory is offering HEART of Texas members (with valid HEART of Texas Family ID) 10% off their class tuition.
To learn More About This Partner:  Click Here
To learn about becoming a HEART of Texas member: Click Here


Location:  7979 Inwood Rd, Suite 201, Dallas, TX  75209
Phone:  214-357-8888
For More Information:  Click Here

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62.  PLANO CHILDREN’S THEATER PERFORMANCES


Location:  Plano Productions: Plano Children’s Theater, 1301 Custer Road, Plano, TX 75075
                McKinney Productions: Heard Craig Hall, 306 North Church Street, McKinney, 75069
                McKinney (MPAC): McKinney Performing Arts Center 111 N Tennessee St, McKinney, TX
                Frisco Productions: Expedition Frisco (9073 Berkshire Drive, Frisco 75033)
NOTE:  Some productions may not be appropriate for children.  Each family is encouraged to exercise discretion when considering to allow your children/family to view these productions.

Now Showing:

2015-2016 Season

JUNE 23 -26 -- School House Rock (Live), Jr (Plano -PCT)

Peforms at:
Plano Children's Theatre Mainstage, 1301 Custer Rd in Plano
Tickets: $10 in Advance and $12 at the door.  Front Row Seats are $20.
Your tickets will be available at will call the day of the performance.

Details: The Emmy Award-winning Saturday morning educational cartoon series and pop culture phenomenon is now the basis for one of the most fun and easily mounted musicals ever to hit the stage, Schoolhouse Rock Live! JR.  This musical follows Tom, a young schoolteacher, who is nervous about his first day of teaching. He tries to relax by watching TV, when various characters representing facets of his personality emerge from the set and show him how to win his students over with imagination and music. Memorable songs as "Just a Bill," "Lolly, Lolly, Lolly" and "Conjunction Junction" bring his lesson plans vividly to life.
For More Information about this performance: Click Here

JUNE 23 -26 -- AristoCats KIDS (McKinney - MPAC)
Peforms at:
McKinney Performing Arts Center 111 N Tennessee St, McKinney, TX
Tickets: $10 in Advance and $12 at the door.  Front Row Seats are $20.
Your tickets will be available at will call the day of the performance.

Details: In the heart of Paris, a kind and eccentric millionairess wills her entire estate to Duchess, her high-society cat, and her three little kittens. Laughs and adventure ensue as the greedy, bumbling butler pulls off the ultimate catnap caper. Now it's up to the rough-and-tumble alley cat, Thomas O'Malley, and his band of swingin' jazz cats to save the day.
For More Information about this performance: Click Here

JUNE 23 -26 -- The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe (Frisco - Expedition)
Peforms at:
Expedition Frisco, 9073 Berkshire Drive, Frisco 75033
Tickets: $10 in Advance and $12 at the door.  Front Row Seats are $20.
Your tickets will be available at will call the day of the performance.

Details: This new dramatization of C.S. Lewis' classic, set in the land of Narnia, faithfully recreates the magic and mystery of Aslan, the great lion, his struggle with the White Witch, and the adventures of four children who inadvertently wander from an old wardrobe into the exciting, never-to-be-forgotten Narnia. The intense action features chases, duels and escapes as the witch is determined to keep Narnia in her possession and to end the reign of Aslan. All the memorable episodes from the story are represented in this exciting dramatization: the temptation of Edmund by the witch, the slaying of the evil wolf by Peter, the witnessing of Aslan's resurrection by Susan and Lucy, the crowing of the four new rulers of Narnia, and more.
For More Information about this performance: Click Here


To Learn More:  
www.planochildrenstheatre.com



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62.  SHINE PERFORMING ARTS STUDIO

Shine is a family-friendly, faith-based performing arts studio for kids and teenagers to hone their skills in singing, acting, and dancing.

Discount:  Shine is waiving their $25 class registration fee for HEART of Texas members (with valid HEART of Texas Family ID).  
To learn More About This Partner:  Click Here
To learn about becoming a HEART of Texas member: Click Here


Location:  3616 Churchill Lane, Plano, TX  75075
Phone:  214-218-4779
For More Information:  Click Here


AUGUST 5 -- 2017 Season Reveal Party
7pm-9pm

Location: Cox Playhouse, 517 H Avenue, Plano, TX 75093
Tickets:  $7
Click here to purchase tickets
Shine is announcing our entire 2017 season and we want YOU to be the first to know! Join us at the Cox Playhouse on Friday, August 5 at 7:00 for an evening of theatrical entertainment and a dessert reception. This is a family event! While students are welcome to attend on their own, we invite your entire family to join us for the evening. Creative semiformal attire encouraged.Tickets for this event are $7 and are reserved seating.


2016-2017 Performances:  TBA in August (see event above)



AUDITIONS:
TBA


Discount:
 
Shine is waiving their $25 class registration fee for HEART of Texas
members (with valid HEART of Texas Family ID).  
To learn More About This Partner:  Click Here
To learn about becoming a HEART of Texas member: Click Here



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63.  TEXAS BALLET THEATER PERFORMANCES

The Texas Ballet Theater is once again partnering with HEART of Texas to offer our newsletter readers (that's you!) and other homeschoolers special ticket pricing during select performances. The dates and times of these select performances are listed below.  You can purchase tickets as a group or as a family -- all homeschoolers can enjoy these great discounts.  You do not have to be a member of HEART of Texas or any other home school support group, but you must mention HEART of Texas when you call.


Performances:
2016-2017 TBA


To Purchase Tickets By Phone:  Call 877-828-9200, opt 1
HEART of Texas Discount Tickets TBA for selected performances.
You must mention HEART of Texas Home School Discount Program to get the discount.
Any homeschooler may take advantage of this program
 

Tickets are sold on a first-come, first served basis, so please reserve your tickets as soon as possible to ensure the best section seating available during our select performances.  All tickets, even group tickets, must be paid for up front.  Please be aware that all sales are final. 

Please Note:  Some performances may not be appropriate for all audiences.  Please use your own judgment when considering allowing your children/family to view these productions.

           


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64.  TEXAS BALLET THEATER DANCE SCHOOL -- DANCE CLASSES -- FORT WORTH

$50 Discount for HEART of Texas newsletter readers!
The Texas Ballet Theater School is offering our readers a $50 discount on registration if you mention HEART of Texas.

They currently offer classes during the day for 3 & 4 year olds, but if you have a group of at least 6 students who are close in age/ballet experience, they will try to put together a class for your students!

For more information:  Click here to email Ashley Friedman or 877-828-9200, ext 108


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65.  HOME SCHOOL DISCOUNT TICKETS TO DALLAS THEATER PERFORMANCES

Save 20% on regular priced tickets.
Location:  Music Hall at Fair Park

Offer valid on Tues, Wed, Thurs, & Sun evening performances in price level 2-4
To Order Tickets: Click here to email

Offer open to homeschoolers, friends and family.  Unlike some of the other theater offers, DSM gives a different link each time so contact Susan at the email above for the link to the current offers. 

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66.  AMON CARTER EXHIBITS

The Carter houses one of the nation’s preeminent collections of American art, from works by the early nineteenth-century artist-explorers through those of the mid-twentieth-century modernists and up to the work of contemporary photographers. The museum also holds one of the most comprehensive collections of work by Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell.

Museum Exhibits:
THROUGH JULY 24 -- Pasture Cows Crossing Indian Creek, Comanche, Texas, Looking for the old Civilian Fort of 1851, North of Gustine and a mile west of Baggett Creek Church.
A visionary storyteller, Esther Pearl Watson (b. 1973) blends memories and imagination to capture her Texas upbringing. A mural-size painting (about 13 feet tall and 10 feet wide), Pasture Cows Crossing Indian Creek, was created specifically for the Amon Carter’s atrium. It is part of the museum’s program of rotating contemporary artworks in the atrium space and an exciting addition to an ongoing exploration of Texas artists and their contributions to modern American art.

THROUGH JULY 31 -- Louise Nevelson: Prints
This installation of lithographs features works by sculptor Louise Nevelson (1899–1988) created between 1963 and 1967 at the Tamarind Lithography Workshop in Los Angeles. These prints share with her sculpture an interest in silhouetted forms and the layering of elements, but distinguish themselves by their vivid color.

THROUGH AUGUST 7 -- Discarded: Photographs by Anthony Hernandez
This inaugural presentation of renowned photographer Anthony Hernandez’s newest project evocatively explores Americans’ penchant for discarding what we no longer want through images of buildings, people, and the land east and northeast of Los Angeles, California. Despite their challenging subject, these large photographs lure us in with their light-struck atmosphere, color, and space.

THROUGH SEPTEMBER 25 -- Texas Folk Art
Texas Folk Art features the spirited work of some of the state’s most original painters and sculptors, including H. O. Kelly, Reverend Johnnie Swearingen, Velox Ward, and Clara McDonald Williamson, among others. Developing their own styles, these artists were unfettered by the conventions of academic training and traditional guidelines of art making. Lively storytelling was their primary focus, and they used any pictorial means necessary to create animated narratives about working, playing, and worshipping in Texas.

THOUGH OCTOBER 9 -- Identity
Identity explores how identity in American culture is often as much about how people present themselves to the world as it is externally determined. Exploring community, celebrity, and individual identity through portraiture from the Amon Carter’s permanent collection, the exhibition highlights the exciting new acquisitions of Sedrick Huckaby’s The 99% and Glenn Ligon’s print series Runaways.


Guided Tours for Students:  
Click Here

Museum Hours:      
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday:  10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Thursday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Sunday:  Noon – 5 p.m.
Closed Mondays and major holidays

Admission:
 Admission to permanent collection is FREE.
Tickets for special exhibitions can be purchased
at the information desk.
All galleries in the Amon Carter Museum offer barrier-free access.


Location:  Amon Carter Art Museum
        3501 Camp Bowie Boulevard
        Fort Worth, TX 76107
        817-738-1933


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67.  DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART EXHIBITS 

Location:  Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 North Harwood, Dallas, Texas 75201
Hours: Monday:  Closed
            Tuesday and Wednesday: 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

            Thursday: 11:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.
            Friday, Saturday, and Sunday: 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
            Closed on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas
            Late night Fridays (3rd Friday of the month, excluding December) museum open until Midnight.


General Admission:  General admission is FREE every day
Special Exhibit Admission:  $8/person;  Ages 11 and under:  FREE


CURRENT AND UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS:

THROUGH AUG 21, 2016 -- Vermeer Suite: Music in 17th Century Dutch Paintings
Focus II Gallery
The great 17th-century Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer created fewer than forty paintings during his lifetime, and Young Woman Seated at a Virginal from 1670–72 is believed to be one of his last. This masterpiece is the inspiration for the DMA exhibition Vermeer Suite: Music in 17th-Century Dutch Paintings, which includes seven additional loans from the Leiden Collection of works by Vermeer’s contemporaries.
Admission is included in your general admission

THROUGH AUG 14, 2016 -- Irving Penn: Beyond Beauty
Chilton II Gallery
Irving Penn: Beyond Beauty is the first retrospective of Irving Penn’s work in nearly twenty years and features over 140 photographs.
Requires $16 Special Exhibition Ticket

THROUGH OCT 23, 2016 --  Visions of Antiquity in the 18th Century
Level 2
Visions of Antiquity in the 18th Century brings together prints, drawings, and objects from the DMA’s collection that reflect the taste for all things Greek and Roman during the 18th century.
Admission is FREE

OPENS NOVEMBER 15 - MAY 28, 2017 -- The Wittgenstein Vitrine
Conservation Gallery
Modern Opulence in Vienna: The Wittgenstein Vitrine reveals the results of an intensive research and conservation program by exploring the conservation effort and charting the context and history of this masterwork’s design and fabrication, iconography, and provenance. The exhibition also presents new perspectives on designer Carl Otto Czeschka, his work for the Wiener Werkstätte, and the important patronage of the Wittgenstein family.
Admission is FREE


FREE First Tuesdays of each month
JUNE-AUGUST -- SUMMER BREAK
These will resume in September
Time:
11-2pm

Cost:  
General admission to the Museum is free on the first Tuesday of every month.
Location:  
Center for Creative Connections (C3)
Ages:  Programming is designed for children ages five and under, but all are welcome.
Details: Enjoy thematic art-making activities, story times, performances, and gallery activities.
SEPTEMBER 6 -- TBA


HOMESCHOOL CLASS
Fourth Thursday of every month, with some exceptions.
Time:
11am-12:30pm
Details:
The Dallas Museum of Art’s homeschool classes offer an interactive Museum experience for families with children ages 6 and above. Parents and children learn about works of art together in the galleries, participate in hands-on activities as a family, and create a work of art together in the Art Studio. During the program, parents learn techniques and skills for creating their own educational experiences in the gallery.
Cost:
$8/child (ages 6 -12). Adults do not require a ticket.
To Register/
To Purchase Tickets:  Click Here  Follow the instructions to add the number of tickets you need for the class (one ticket per child). Participating adults do not require a ticket. If you have any difficulties with the new system, call 214-922-1270 or 214-922-1822. Class size is limited to 20 students.  When classes are filled, call 214-922-1818 or click here to send an e-mail to be placed on a waiting list.
Themes:
MAY 26 or JUNE 23 -- Developing an Eye for Art
In May and June, develop your photographer's eye as we take a closer look at the work of artist Irving Penn. Catch a glimpse of what he saw through the lens, and then create your own shot on photo-sensitive paper.

Additional Dates TBA


For more information about family experiences:  214-922-1822 or click here to e-mail


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68.  KIMBELL ART MUSEUM EXHIBITS

The Kimbell Art Museum’s holdings include artworks ranging in period from antiquity to the 20th century. The collection includes masterpieces by Fra Angelico, Caravaggio, El Greco, Cezanne, Matisse, and Picasso, as well as antiquities, Asian, African, and pre-Columbian art.

Location:  Kimball Art Museum, 3333 Camp Bowie Boulevard, Fort Worth, Texas 76107-2792
Phone: 817-332-8451   Metro: 817-654-1034   Fax: 817-877-1264
Museum Hours:  Mondays – Closed
                            Tuesdays–Thursdays, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
                            Fridays, noon–8 p.m.
                            Saturdays, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
                            Sundays, noon–5 p.m.
                            Closed New Year's Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving Day, & Christmas Day
Admission:  Admission to the Museum’s permanent collection is always free.  There is a charge for special exhibitions.
Half-Off Admission:  Tuesdays from 10am to 5 p.m. and Fridays from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. (Not applicable for Member audio tours).
Group Sales:  Discounted tickets for groups of 20 or more are available with a reservation for a specific date and time, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. For reservations, call 817-332-8451, ext. 229. Reservations for groups should be made at least two weeks in advance.



CURRENT & UPCOMING EXHIBITS
THROUGH SEPT 11, 2016 -- The Brothers Le Nain: Painters of Seventeenth-Century France
On view in the Renzo Piano Building
The Brothers Le Nain: Painters of Seventeenth-Century France will be the first major exhibition in the United States devoted to the Le Nain brothers, Antoine, Louis and Mathieu, who were active in Paris during the 1630s and 1640s. It will gather more than 50 of their best paintings and highlight the brothers' full range of production, with altarpieces, private devotional paintings, portraits and those poignant images of peasants on which their celebrity rests.


OPENS OCTOBER 16, 2016 - JANUARY 29, 2017 -- Monet: The Early Years
This groundbreaking exhibition is the first ever devoted to the young genius of Claude Monet. Monet: The Early Years will feature approximately 60 paintings from the first phase of the artist's career, from his Normandy debut in 1858 until 1872, when he settled in Argenteuil, on the River Seine near Paris. Through the 1860s, the young painter—still in his twenties—absorbed and transformed a variety of influences, as the lessons of the Barbizon school and his mentor Boudin gave way to the challenges posed by his friends Manet, Pissarro, Renoir and Sisley.



FAMILY FESTIVALS
TBA

KIMBELL KIDS DROP IN STUDIO
Time:
1pm-1:45pm
This free program introduces children (ages 12 and younger) and their adult companions to fun and inspiring ways to enjoy art together. Each session features a brief gallery activity and a related studio art project.
Registration: No advance registration for this drop-in program; space is limited to 20 children, plus adults.
Sign up at the entrance to the education studios in the Renzo Piano Pavilion, beginning one hour before the program.

For More Information: Contact Here or call: 817.332.8452
Themes:
July 2-- Hats, Helmets, & Crowns
July 9 -- Hats, Helmets & Crowns
July 30 -- Hats, Helmets & Crowns
Aug 6 --
Painting Shapes with Picasso
Aug 20 -- Painting Shapes with Picasso
Aug 27 --
Painting Shapes with Picasso


PICTURES & PAGES
Time:
Select Tuesdays, 10:30-11:30am
Museum learning begins early with this special program for preschoolers (ages 4–6) and their adult partners. Popular children’s books inspire group conversations and simple art activities.
Free Program, but Registration is required:  
817-332-8451, ext. 351, or click to email
Space is limited. Maximum two children per adult.
Themes:
JULY 5 -- The Noisy Paintbox: The Colors & Sounds of Kandinsky's Abstract Art, written by Barb Rosenstock; illustrated by Mary GrandPre
JULY 5 -- The Noisy Paintbox: The Colors & Sounds of Kandinsky's Abstract Art, written by Barb Rosenstock; illustrated by Mary GrandPre
AUG 2 -- The Iridescence of Birds: A Book About Henri Matisse, written by Patricia MacLachlan; illustrated by Hadley Hooper
AUG 3 -- The Iridescence of Birds: A Book About Henri Matisse, written by Patricia MacLachlan; illustrated by Hadley Hooper


Children's Workshops

Time:  10am-Noon on select Saturdays
Connect with artworks, new friends, and creative activities during Saturday workshops for children (ages 6–14) and their adult partners. Limit three children per adult; no charge for parents. Individual session fees are $15; series of 3 sessions for $37.
To Register:  817-332-8451, ext. 351.
Themes:

AUGUST 13 -- Family Feast:  Still-Life Paintings

Family Educator Morning
Time: Selected Fridays, 10:15am-12:30pm
Free learning experiences structured for homeschool students (ages 8–16) and their adult partners include a staff presentation, interactive gallery tours, and hands-on learning activities.
Pricing: Single session for one nonmember child or additional adult: $10
Single session for one member child or additional adult: $8
One accompanying adult is admitted free; additional adults will be charged.
No unregistered siblings may attend; please refer to Kimbell Kids Drop-in Studio (ages 12 and younger) as a free option that includes younger children.
For questions or more information: 
817-332-8451, ext. 351. or click to email
Programs:
FALL DATES TBA


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69.  PEROT MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE IN DALLAS

Location:  2201 N. Field Street in Dallas, 75201 (located at the corner of Woodall Rodgers and Field Street
Phone: 214-428-5555  
Museum Hours:  Mon-Sat: 10am-5pm
(Moody Family Children's Museum (Lower Level) Mon: Noon-5pm, Tues-Sat: 10am-5pm)
                        Sunday: noon-5pm
                        First Thursday Late Night: 5-9pm
Extended hours first Thursday of each month. Also enjoy a late-night film and special interactive programming!
Last exhibits entry at 3:30pm regular hours, or an hour and a half before closing for extended hours.

School Group/Field Trip Traffic Calendar:
                            Monday-Friday: 9am-2:30pm, September-June 5
                            Tuesday-Friday: 9am-2:30pm, limited groups June-August 28 


Museum Information:
The Museum of Nature & Science consists of several buildings all located in Fair Park, Dallas. The Nature Building is located at 3535 Grand Avenue, the Science Building is located at 1318 South Second Avenue and the Planetarium Building is located at 1620 First Avenue.


Traveling Exhibits

THROUGH SEPTEMBER 6 -- Eye of the Collector
Here at the Museum, every object and specimen tells a story. And in Eye of the Collector, the quirky, crafty, historical and fashionable objects of nine very different people come together to show that the recollections they have of their prized possessions are at least as valuable as the collections themselves.

At the heart of the exhibit are the diverse collections of Randy and Nancy Best, who view these objects as time capsules that provide insights about prehistoric life, ancient civilizations, and more.
Also including Dallas Cowboy memorabilia, PEZ dispensers of all kinds, the largest Star Wars collection in the world, gorgeous Ballet Folklórico dresses and more, Eye of the Collector holds something for all interests.
Admission:  $7 adults; $6 youth and seniors (plus general museum admission)
To Purchase Tickets:
Click Here


HOME SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Times:  
Mondays: 9am-11am  (October November, December, January, February, April, May)
For Ages:
ages 3-5; 6-7; 8-10; and 11-13

Cost:  $25/person.   All attendees must be registered.  Fee includes admission into the regular exhibits.
One adult over 21 must remain with child/children during any Home School class. Max is five (5) children per one (1) adult.
Parking: One parking voucher will be issued at check-in for each family. The voucher is valid program day for the main Museum Parking lot, located under Woodall Rodgers Freeway. Once you park, there is a safe crosswalk to the north (away from downtown) that leads visitors up the ramp toward the main entrance.
To Enroll:  Click Here
For Additional Information:  Click Here to send an email
Please note:  
the Museum is a state-licensed facility, which requires all children be vaccinated or have a vaccine affidavit exemption form from the state, which can be requested here.
Details:
Beyond our upcoming Homeschool days, we offer additional time in the Museum and recommend that you stay and take advantage of visiting all five levels. Five floors house 11 permanent exhibit halls containing state-of-the-art video and 3D computer animation with thrilling, life-like simulations where visitors can exercise their brains through hands-on activities, interactive kiosks and educational games. The extraordinary building and outdoor space serves as a living science lesson, offering provocative illustrations of engineering, technology and conservation. 
Themes:  

Overall themes are the same for all grade levels each month, however activities and curriculum will be age specific.
FALL 2016 PROGRAMS TBA
MAY 9 & 23:  Museum Day
Welcome to the Perot Museum of Nature and Science! Here you can explore all things nature and science, from weather to space, from gems and minerals to dinosaurs and beyond. Learn about some of the people who make our museum a fun and educational experience for all and the research and science that happens here every day!


JUNIOR MASTER NATURALIST PROGRAM
Times:  
1st Thursdays from 6pm-7:30pm at the Museum;
                and Saturdays 10am-Noon at north Texas parks (see schedule for locations)**
For Ages:  4th - 6th Grade
Cost:  
$150/person.
Location:
Perot Museum Learning Labs, plus 4 field trips to natural parks
Do your kids get excited about catching bugs, collecting rocks or tracking wildlife? The Junior Master Naturalist program offers a whole new way to explore and protect the natural wonders of Texas. Led by Perot Museum education staff and North Texas Master Naturalist volunteers, this program combines engaging classroom training with inspiring field-based discovery to help kids develop a deeper appreciation and understanding of Texas ecosystems. Through exciting hands-on explorations and outdoor adventures, your child will gain the skills and knowledge to become good stewards of the environment.  Classes take place during First Thursday Late Nights at the Museum — and on Saturdays, participants and their parents meet at different parks in the North Texas area to explore Texas terrain, vegetation and wildlife firsthand. Once they’ve completed the program, your kids will even have the opportunity to help train future Junior Master Naturalists by becoming volunteers themselves!
**Please note that at least one guardian must provide transportation and accompany his or her children during each field trip.
2016-2017 Schedule:  TBA
Here is last year's schedule to give you an idea for what was offered:
Orientation
:  Thursday, September 3 | 6-7:30pm | Perot Museum Learning Labs
Geology:
Thursday, October 1 | 6-7:30pm | Perot Museum Learning Labs
                Saturday, October 3 | 10am-noon | Ash Grove Cement Co.

The geologic history of Texas is recorded in the rocks. Explore the unique geologic formations of Texas and learn how to start a fossil collection!
   
Mammology:
Thursday, November 5 | 6-7:30pm | Perot Museum Learning Labs
                     Saturday, November 7 | 10am-noon | Coppell Nature Park
Skulls, tracks and scat, oh my! Discover the wide variety of mammals that live in North Texas and learn how to track them in the field.

Botany:  
Thursday, January 7 | 6-7:30pm | Perot Museum Learning Labs
                Saturday, January 23 | 10am-noon | Coppell Nature Park
Plants play a very important role in our ecosystems. Learn some key points about plant biology, and put your knowledge to work to identify local flora.

Aquatic Science:
Thursday, February 4 | 6-7:30pm | Perot Museum Learning Labs
                             Saturday, February 20 | 10am-noon | John Bunker Sands
Discover the many small organisms inhabiting local aquatic systems, and learn how they act as indicators of environmental health.

Ornithology:
  Thursday, March 3 | 6-7:30pm | Perot Museum Learning Labs
                        Saturday, March 5 | 10am-noon | White Rock Lake

Explore the basic biology of birds as you discover the keys to identifying them by sight and sound.

Entomology:  
Thursday, April 7 | 6-7:30pm | Perot Museum Learning Labs
                        Saturday, April 23 | 10am-noon | Cedar Ridge Preserve

Invertebrates (bugs!) are EVERYWHERE! Learn how to collect and classify the many invertebrates found in Texas.

Herpetology:
 Thursday, May 5 | 6-7:30pm | Perot Museum Learning Labs
                        Saturday, May 14 | 7-9pm | White Rock Lake

Explore the fascinating lives of amphibians and reptiles through live animal encounters and frog call surveys.

Awards Ceremony:  Thursday, June 2 | 6-8pm | Perot Museum Learning Labs


PARENT/CHILD PROGRAM
Time:
Mondays 9am-10:30am (For children ages 4-5)
Classes begin an hour before the Museum opens to the public, to allow children access to the galleries without distractions or interruptions.
Parents participate alongside the children.
Classes are 1.5 hours to allow time for supplemental hands-on experiences such as art projects and experiments that reinforce the concepts learned while visiting each of the four galleries: The Texas Instruments Engineering and Innovation Hall, The Lyda Hill Gems and Minerals Hall, The Rees-Jones Foundation Dynamic Earth Hall, The Rose Hall of Birds
For more Information: 214.756.5728
To Register: Click Here

PLANETARIUM SHOWS

Secrets of the Sun
From the nuclear forces churning at the heart of the sun to the mass ejections of solar material into the surrounding space, we will experience the power of the sun and its impact on the planets and ultimately life on Earth. We will trace the life cycle of the sun itself, going back to its beginnings and moving forward in time to its eventual death.
Universe
Universe allows audiences to experience an historical look at how we have envisioned the universe though the ages. We visit some of the ancient sites where our ancestors erected great structures with special astronomical significance. Finally we look at the Universe through the eyes of today’s science and space explorers to build up a spectacular overview of the heavens.
Texas Night Sky
Enjoy this informal narrated introduction to the wonders of the sky featuring a view as it may appear tonight in your own backyard. Learn which planets, stars, and constellations are currently visible, the unique stories behind their names, and tips on how to locate them in the night sky. The things available to see change as the calendar changes and so do these shows!
Seven Wonders
Turn back the pages of time and witness the ancient wonders of the world as they have not been seen for thousands of years. Travel to Egypt to visit the Lighthouse of Alexandria and the Great Pyramids, to Persia to see the original Mausoleum, to Babylon to explore the fabled Hanging Gardens, to Greece to tour the Temples of Zeus and Artemis, and to Rhodes to stand in the shadow of the towering Colossus. We will investigate the theories of how these wonders were created and get a glimpse of some of the universe’s greatest wonders. Narrated by Sean Bean, Boromir from the Lord of the Rings film trilogy.
Wonders of the Universe
Peer deep into space through the eyes of the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope and travel back billions of years in time to witness the birth of the universe. On this breathtaking excursion you’ll witness the formation of galaxies and explore some of the most wondrous nebulae and astronomical structures yet discovered. As your travels continue, you’ll fly deep into our own Milky Way galaxy and return home to Earth on a spectacular tour through the solar system.
Hubble Space Telescope Images
The Orion Nebula, a cavern of rolling dust and gas some 1,500 light-years away, is the nearest star-forming region to Earth. This image is the sharpest ever taken of the nebula.  The bright central region is home to the four heftiest stars in the nebula, collectively called the Trapezium. Ultraviolet light from them is carving a cavity in the nebula and disrupting the growth of hundreds of smaller stars. Nearby are stars still young enough to have disks of material encircling them, too small to be seen clearly in this image. The disks are the building blocks of solar systems. Faint red stars near the bottom are myriad brown dwarfs. Sometimes called “failed stars,” brown dwarfs are cool objects too small to be ordinary stars because they cannot sustain nuclear fusion in their cores the way our Sun does. Astronomers used 104 five-color Hubble images to make this composite picture, adding ground-based photos to fill out the edges. The mosaic covers approximately the apparent angular size of the full moon. The observations were taken between 2004 and 2005.

PERMANENT EXHIBITS AT PEROT MUSEUM

Moody Family Children's Museum  
Where Little Children Make Big Discoveries: Park your stroller-and rev up for a day of discovery with your child! Here, kids 5 and younger can climb a replica of Reunion Tower, discover Texas wildlife or simply paint a picture.   
Sports Hall
Give Your Mind and Body a Workout!: Could you outrun a Tyrannosaurus rex, or through a football better than a pro? Get ready, get set-and get active as you explore your body in motion!
Discovering Life Hall
The Power of Adaptation: What is life, and how do different species adapt over time? From single-cell organisms to the largest creatures on the planet, this exhibit hall explores and celebrates the diversity of life on earth.
Being Human Hall
What Does it Mean to be Human?: Study a sliver of real human tissue-or use your brain waves to launch a ping-pong ball. There's more to being human than you may realize!
Texas Instruments Engineering and Innovation Hall
How Does it Work? Ask an Engineer: What do bridges, prosthetics and robots have in common? Discover how engineers use math and science to solve everyday problems.
The Rees-Jones Foundation Dynamic Earth Hall
Forecast: 100 Chance of Change: Where else can you experience an earthquake, touch a tornado and broadcast a weather forecast all in the same day? Discover how earth, air, and water interact to provide dynamic results.
Tom Hunt Energy Hall
Empowering the Future of Energy: Take a virtual expedition deep underground to explore a drilling rig from the inside out! From natural gas to solar and wind energy, every source of energy is fueled by science.
Gems and Minerals Hall
Natural Brilliance: Gems and minerals not only serve as as the building blocks of our planet-many of them also happen to shimmer, sparkle and glow! Explore both the practical side and beautiful aspects of these complex structures.
Expanding Universe Hall
Your Space for Discovery: Embark on a journey through our solar system and beyond, and discover how scientists uncover the secrets of the universe.
T. Boone Pickens Life Then and Now Hall
Clues and Insights from the Fossil Record: Discover how studying the bodies and behaviors of modern-day animals can give scientists a glimpse of dinosaur life.
Rose Hall of Birds
Let Your Mind Take Flight: Create your own virtual species of bird as you explore the adaptations that help birds thrive in diverse environments.



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70.  FORT WORTH MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY

Explore innovative learning studios and a wide variety of interactive exhibits in the new Museum of Science and History.

Location:  1600 Gendy Street, Fort Worth, 76107 (corner of Montogomery & Gendy)
Admission:  $15 for adults;  $11 for children (2-12);  $13 seniors (60+)
Admission to ExploraZone and all National Cowgirl Museum exhibits is one price and free for all Museum members
For Ticket Information: 817-255-9540
(
Exhibit admission includes half-price admission to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.  
The National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame is open daily Mon – Sat 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m.
)

EXHIBITS:
Hidden Treasures: Celebrating 75 Years
It's an exhibit unlike any other filled with iconic artifacts from a teaching collection which has inspired generations.  From period rooms showcasing life in a bygone era to Texas History artifacts to a spectacular
array of ceremonial masks from around the world, they are collections that shaped our story.
Collections Include: 
Birth Models: When these three-dimensional models were installed in 1974, they provided a fascinating look into the birth cycle in an era before prenatal imaging was commonplace. The models remained on exhibit until the exhibit closed in 1998.
TAM: TAM is a visual representation of the human skeletal and muscular systems. Half of her body demonstrates the human skeleton and the other half demonstrates the muscular system.
Astrid: Astrid is a visual representation of all of the body's systems. Specifically, Astrid demonstrates the circulatory, digestive, respiratory, endocrine, and reproductive systems.
Skeleton on a Unicycle: The skeleton on a unicycle is a unique visual representation of the human skeleton in motion.
Trepanning: The Primitive Art of Skull Surgery: This diorama depicts a scene of Neolithic people performing a primitive form of surgery. This type of surgery was known as trepanning. Trepanning was a form of skull surgery that removed pieces of the skull that had fractured or splintered after an individual experienced some sort of head trauma.
Animals and Birds: Many of our research specimens were collected by the Museum's Science Club and exemplify our dedication to the preservation of Texas flora and fauna. Research and scientific collecting represent approximately 75% of the Museum's science collection.
Samurai Armor: The Samurai suit of armor is an authentic, Japanese suit of armor. Samurais were warrior knights during the 16th and 17th centuries in Japan. A Samurai's armor not only protected the warrior inside, but it also frightened their enemy and symbolized legendary courage.
Ceremonial Masks: Throughout history, masks have been used by many cultures for spiritual, symbolic, protective, ceremonial, and decorative reasons. These masks were on display in the "People and Their Possessions" and the "Mexican Festival Masks" exhibits.
Totem Poles: These Totem Poles were in the exhibit "Where the Spirits Dwell." They represent different concepts of home, memorial, shame or ridicule, and welcoming.
Ford Motel T Roadster, 1919: Generally regarded as the first affordable automobile for middle-class America, the Model T stands on the top ten list of the most cars sold of all time.
Champlin Oil Wagon, 1920: H.H. Champlin was a well-known banker and oilman whose company Champlin Oil had drilling operations and production in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and New Mexico.
Log Cabin, CA. 1850: Many early settlers in Texas built and lived in log cabins. This period room recreates a typical log cabin kitchen in the 1850s.
Victorian Parlor, CA. 1900: This Victorian Parlor from the 1900s recreates the formal meeting place for a home during the 19th and 20th centuries. Parlors often would have contained the nicest furniture in the home in order to make a good impression on guests.
School Room, CA. 1900: Schoolhouses, like this 1900s recreation, were often one room. One teacher typically taught all students from every grade at the same time. In fact, the first school in Fort Worth had only 12 students in 1854.
General Store, CA. 1900: A typical General Store of the early 1900s provided a variety of items to farmers and ranchers and usually on credit. These stores were also popular gathering places for men, who made most of the purchases. The first general store in Fort Worth opened in 1856.
Archival Photographs:  Hidden Treasures" photographs were taken between 1941 and the early 2000s and are representative of the extensive collection of archival film photography maintained by The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. The preservation and digitization of nearly 40,000 film images is managed by Museum archivists.

Critter Kingdom
Bugs, butterflies and birds abound in Critter Kingdom! The exhibit highlights artifacts from the Museum's vast collection of natural wonders. Enjoy this debut Collection Showcase as we launch our celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.

Think
THINK, created and developed by IBM, is an experience that celebrates the wonders of our technological world and explores the possibilities of tomorrow.  This 6,600 square-foot interactive exhibit is designed to showcase how technology and innovation have transformed the world. The THINK experience presented by IBM explores how technology influences the way we live and work.  THINK engages visitors through a unique combination of experiences. A 30-foot “gesture wall” reveals the ebb and flow of data in our daily lives through colorful visualizations of information such as traffic, solar energy and air quality. In addition to the self-guided interactive tour, THINK provides a theater space and game stations for technology driven education and entertainment.
Teacher Guide:  Click Here

Air Park
Air Park looks at four main forces that make flight possible: gravity, lift, thrust and drag. All four of these forces are explained by activities that allow guests to see the forces in action: build a paper airplane and see if the design will soar; learn how kites are created and how they can fly; design and build a craft that floats on a column of air; and make a pinwheel and test it on a table of air.
Exhibit components include:
Kite Creation: Learn how kites are designed.
Real Hang Gliders: Watch footage of hang gliders as they take off, soar through the sky and land.
Airplane Launcher: Design your own paper airplane and test it at the airplane launcher.
Air Tables: Design and build a craft that floats on a column of air.
Bernoulli Blowers: Learn why beach balls magically float above a column of moving air.
Pinwheel Table: Design a twirling pinwheel and test it on a table of moving air.



PLANETARIUM SHOWS:
One World, One Sky:  Big Bird's AdventureJoin Big Bird, Elmo and their friend, Hu Hu Zhu as they introduce children to the night sky and very basic astronomy. Recommended for very young audiences (ages 2 to 7), and the very young at heart!
Back to the Moon, for Good! – In case you haven’t heard, the Moon is trending again… and in a big way. Like in the glory days of the 1960s and 1970s, our big white space neighbor is enjoying the attention of lunar explorers. Only this time, they’re going back to the moon for good.
LASER Light Family Style
Our Amazing Solar System – Climb aboard for a fun and informative journey through the planets, from the center of our solar system to its very edge.
Fragile PlanetFly from the oceans of Earth, to the towering peaks of Mars, and out to the unexplored landscapes of the Milky Way galaxy. Could there be life out there and, if there is, could we ever find it?
Two Small Pieces of Glass Follow two students as they learn how the telescope has helped us understand our place in space.
IBEX  – IBEX stands for the Interstellar Boundary Explorer. This mission has helped us to better understand where our solar system ends, and where the rest of the Milky Way galaxy begins.
Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity – Dare to get up close as a star ends its life with a cataclysmic explosion and collapses into one of the most mysterious and destructive objects of the universe.

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71. NASHER SCULPTURE CENTER

Location:  Dallas Arts District
                2001 Flora Street
                214-242-5100
Hours:  Tuesday-Sunday, 11 am – 5 pm
Closed Mondays, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Cafe Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 11 am – 3:30 pm (for food services) & 4 pm (for beverage services)
Please note that hours are subject to change depending on private events and/or volume of business.
Closed Mondays, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Admission:  
Adult: $10; Seniors 65+: $7; Military w/ID: $7; Student w/ID: $5; Child under 12: FREE
Regular admission includes a free audio tour and entrance to special exhibitions.
FREE admission every first Saturday of the month, 10am-5 pm.

Til Midnight at the Nasher:
6pm-Midnight
FREE Admission
'til Midnight at the Nasher presents live outdoor concerts featuring the best in regional music talent and film screenings in the Nasher Garden. Guests have the opportunity to engage in social media scavenger hunts, progressive tours and to view the permanent collection and special exhibitions.  Nasher Cafe by Wolfgang Puck offers special reserve-ahead picnic dining for two and grab & go food items the night of the event.
TBA


EXHIBITS:

THROUGH AUGUST 21 -- Joel Shapiro
One of the most prominent and influential sculptors of the era, Joel Shapiro has long explored geometric form through structural compositions of rectangular elements that visually and physically challenge the possibilities of balance and weight. On view in his Nasher exhibition will be a series of recent, brightly painted, suspended forms that hover in space at different heights and angles, along with a series of recent drawings as well as key works by Shapiro from the Nasher’s permanent collection.

THROUGH JULY 17 -- Sightings: Mai-Thu Perret
Swiss-born Mai-Thu Perret has spent the last 16 years making work based on a fictional feminist art commune she created called The Crystal Frontier. The imaginary women of New Ponderosa live in autonomy in the New Mexico desert and make work that runs the visual gamut, from the painterly to the sculptural, often employing the aesthetic tropes of Modernism and aligning the work with utopian Modernist movements.

OPENING OCTOBER 22 -FEBRUARY 5, 2017-- Sightings: Michael Dean
Born in Newcastle Upon Tyne in 1977, Michael Dean lives and works in London. His work explores themes of language, the act of writing and the struggle to communicate in a variety of forms, including sculpture, photography, poetry, plays, publications and performance.



First Saturdays (FREE Admission)
10am-5pm (family activities from 10am-2pm)
Bring the kids and enjoy free admission and fun family programming on the first Saturday of every month.  
Themes:
JULY 2 – Big Idea: Space/Art Project: Pipe Cleaner Palaces
                AUG 6 – Big Idea: Place/Art Project: Place Puzzles
                SEPT 3 – Big Idea: Emotions/Art Project: Mood Monsters
                OCT 1 – Big Idea: Architecture/Art Project: Building in a Bag

HOMESCHOOL WORKSHOPS
FALL Workshops TBA


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72.  SHOWS AT THE FORT WORTH OMNI IMAX THEATER–MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY

NOW SHOWING:
Great White Shark
Misrepresented, maligned and misunderstood, the Great White Shark is an iconic predator: the creature we love to fear. Great White Shark explores the Great White’s place in our imaginations, in our fears, and in its role at the top of the oceanic food chain.  Shot on location in South Africa, New Zealand, Mexico and California, the film looks to find the truth behind the mythic creature forever stigmatized by its portrayal in the world’s first blockbuster movie, Jaws.

Dolphins
From the dazzling coral reefs of the Bahamas to the wind-swept seas of Patagonia, Dolphins takes audiences under the water's surface for a romp with inquisitive Atlantic spotted dolphins, acrobatic dusky dolphins, and the familiar bottlenose dolphin of Flipper fame.  Viewers will meet a young woman scientist, Dr. Kathleen Dudzinski, and her two colleagues, mentor Dr. Bernd Würsig and Dr. Alejandro Acevedo-Gutierrez, as they lead us on an exploration into their fascinating world.  While most of what we know about dolphins comes from studying them in captivity, Dudzinski and her colleagues conduct their research with dolphins in the wild, a far more strenuous, time-consuming, even dangerous endeavor. Employing innovative scientific methods and technology, Kathleen and her colleagues set out to learn more about how dolphins communicate and their foraging and social behaviors. Audiences may be surprised to witness firsthand how scientific progress is made in inches and not miles, and how the slow accumulation of scientific data is passed on, and expanded upon, from one generation of scientists to the next.

Bugs! A Rainforest Adventure
One of the Omni Theater’s all-time favorites is coming soon! Bugs! A Rainforest Adventure is a live-action nature drama filmed on location in Borneo and in a purpose-built studio in Oxford, England, Bugs! explores the dramatic and savage lives of an Old World praying mantis and a beautiful butterfly, known by their Latin names, Hierodula and Papilio. This 40-minute feature combines incredible footage with cutting-edge IMAX® technology to deliver a fantastically entertaining and enlightening experience about the little guys in life.

Tornado Alley
Join Storm Chasers star Sean Casey and the researchers of VORTEX 2, the most ambitious effort ever made to understand the origins and evolution of tornadoes, on this heart-pounding science adventure. Armed with a 70mm camera, a fleet of customized vehicles designed to withstand gale force winds, torrential rains and unrelenting hail, and an arsenal of the most advanced weather measurement instruments ever created, the stars of Tornado Alley takes audiences on a thrilling quest to experience a tornado’s destructive power at point blank range. Experience the adrenaline and the science of nature’s most dramatic phenomena, now showing in the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History’s Omni Theater, an IMAX dome.

America Wild: National Parks Adventure
Narrated by Academy Award® winner Robert Redford, National Parks Adventure takes audiences on the ultimate off-trail adventure into the nation's awe-inspiring great outdoors and untamed wilderness. Immersive IMAX® cinematography takes viewers soaring over red rock canyons, up craggy mountain peaks and into other-worldly realms found within America’s most legendary outdoor playgrounds.   Join world-class mountaineer Conrad Anker, adventure photographer Max Lowe and artist Rachel Pohl as they hike, climb and explore their way across America’s majestic parks – including Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, Yosemite, and Arches – in an action-packed celebration that will inspire the adventurer in us all, and highlight how important it is that we protect these treasured landscapes.

Bugs! A Rainforest Adventure
Bugs! explores the dramatic and savage lives of an Old World praying mantis and a beautiful butterfly, known by their Latin names, Hierodula and Papilio. This 40-minute feature combines incredible footage with cutting-edge IMAX® technology to deliver a fantastically entertaining and enlightening experience about the little guys in life.  The stars of Bugs!, Hierodula, the mantis, and Papilio, the butterfly, are born in the same part of the exotic Borneo rainforest. Their home is the foliage around an abandoned and dilapidated shack on the edge of the river. Here, we witness Hierodula and Papilio mature and grow. Hierodula develops by incomplete metamorphosis; emerging from his egg as a mini-mantis and shedding his skin regularly on the way to gaining his adult wings. Papilio goes through a complete metamorphosis, from caterpillar to butterfly via the pupal stage.

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73. 
FEATURED 3D FILMS AT THE HOGLUND FOUNDATION THEATER AT PEROT MUSEUM

THROUGH OCTOBER 14 -- Flying Monsters 3D (20 minutes)

Just as dinosaurs began their domination of Earth, pterosaurs ruled the prehistoric skies. Some with wingspans as long as a modern jet plane, these flying reptiles were as spectacular in appearance as they were amazing in flight. Join world-renowned naturalist and documentary filmmaker David Attenborough as he recounts the fascinating story of how humans first discovered these creatures and how they were able to get off the ground and soar...until their sudden disappearance from Earth.
To View Trailer:
Click Here
Tickets: Click Here

THROUGH OCTOBER 5 -- National Parks Adventure 3D (40 minutes)
Narrated by Academy Award® winner Robert Redford, National Parks Adventure takes audiences on the ultimate off-trail adventure into the nation’s awe-inspiring great outdoors and untamed wilderness. Immersive IMAX®  3D cinematography takes viewers soaring over red rock canyons, hurtling up craggy mountain peaks and into other-worldly realms found within America’s most legendary outdoor playgrounds, including Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, Yosemite, the Everglades and Arches. Celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the national parks with world-class mountaineer Conrad Anker, adventure photographer Max Lowe and artist Rachel Pohl as they hike, climb and explore their way across America’s majestic parks in an action-packed expedition that will inspire the adventurer in us all.
To View Trailer:
Click Here
Tickets:
Click Here

THROUGH SEPT 5, 2016 -- Tiny Giants
(20 minutes)
In an adventure of giant proportions, Tiny Giants 3D reveals the astonishing lives of the smallest animals. Using the incredibly immersive power of specialist 3D cameras, audiences are transported in a very intimate way into another world to experience the titanic battles these creatures face to survive. A chipmunk in a wild wood is forced to grow up fast when he finds himself alone for the first time. Only by using his ingenious superpowers can our hero not only stay alive, but also become a master of his universe.
View Trailer:   Click Here
Tickets:  Click Here

OPENING SOON -- Asteroid: Mission Extremem 3D (25 minutes)

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74.  PROGRAMS AT LOG CABIN VILLAGE

Location:  2100 Log Cabin Village Lane, Fort Worth, TX  
Phone: 817-392-5881
Admission:  $4.50 ages 4-17 and 60+;  $5 ages 18+
Groups:  $4.00 each for groups of 10+;  Free for ages 3 & under
Hours:  Tue-Fri, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.
             Sat & Sun, 1 p.m.- 5 p.m.
             Closed Mondays

Upcoming Programs
JUNE 17 -- WAGONS WEST
9am-Noon
Wagons West is a program of hands-on activities recreating elements of a typical school-age child's day. The children wash clothes using a washboard and lye soap, card wool, grind corn by hand and weave on a child's scale loom.
Cost:
$15 admission includes materials and a snack.
Reservations required one week prior.
This “drop-off” program is for children going into 1st-6th grade. 
REGISTRATION FORM

AUGUST 20 - SEPTEMBER 4 -- LOG CABIN VILLAGE CLOSED FOR MAINTENANCE


OCTOBER 22 - SEPTEMBER 4 -- Frontier Fall Fest
Details Coming Soon

NOVEMBER 12 -- Cherokee Basket Weaving
Details Coming Soon

DECEMBER 3 -- Holidays at the Hearth
Details Coming Soon

For More Information about the programs:  Click Here

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75.  DALLAS HERITAGE VILLAGE AT OLD CITY PARK

Location:  
Dallas Heritage Village at Old City Park, 1515 South Harwood St.
                  (
located near the heart of downtown Dallas, close to the junction of Interstates 30 and 35)
Admission:  $9 Adult;  $7 Senior (65+);  $5 Child (4 to 12 years)
Dallas Heritage Village members are admitted free.

Group Pricing:
 15 - 49 People Adults: $8 per person; Seniors (65+): $6.50 per person
                       
  50 - 99 People Adults:  $7 per person; Seniors (65+): $6 per person
                         
100+ People Adults: $5 per person; Seniors (65+): $5 per person
*Admission prices for special events vary. Detailed information about upcoming events is listed in our Calendar of Events.

Hours:
Tuesday - Saturday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
           
Sunday: Noon to 4 p.m.
           
Monday: Closed to the public
Closed:
January and August
Closed the following holidays:
Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

JULY 4 -- Old Fashioned Fourth
10am-3pm
FREE Admission
Celebrate 50 years of fun at Dallas Heritage Village!  We’ll be bringing back favorite activities from past events such as Dairy Day, Circus in the Park and Teddy Bear Picnic. 
Deck your family out in red, white and blue, grab your picnic basket and celebrate our nation’s past.
  Explore the Village and chat with costumed characters.  Bring a wagon, decorate it at the craft station and be a part of the All-Join-In-Parade.  Test your modern skills against a variety of Victorian era games, including the Junior Historian Carnival with its game booths of skill and chance and famous stick pony race.  Play historic games like horseshoes and graces or join a mini-checkers tournament. Musical performances will keep your toes tapping, and you’ll have a chance to put your own golden touch on some vintage crafts celebration our nation’s birthday and our 50th!



EVENTS

Barnyard Buddies
11am-Noon
Cost:
$5/participating child, 1 free adult, $9 additional adults.
JUN 22 -- How Do You Wokka-Wokka by Elizabeth Bluemle
Today is the day to get your dance on; time to perform with jazzy rhythms and silly rhymes!
We will make our self-portrait puppet today to wokka- wokka with.
JUN 29 -- Amandina by Sergio Ruzzier
Just like the little dog in the story, Amandina, by Sergio Ruzzier, we are going to put on a show!
With all the fun puppets we have made this June, it is time to build a theater and put on a show of our own!
OCT 12 -- TBD
NOV 9 -- TBD
DEC 14– TBD


OCTOBER 7 -- Lone Star History Day
Mark your calendar for our annual home school event!
Details TBA


FAMILY PAST TIMES

3rd Sunday of the Month
Time:  
Noon - 4pm
Admission:  
Children FREE; Adults $9; Seniors $7
Bring the whole family for historic fun and participate in themed activities.


Homeschool Workshops:

Cost:  $15 per participating student;  Parents & children 3 and under free
Registration Details:  Workshops & tours must be booked at least 3 weeks in advance,
and are conducted during regular museum hours.
Workshops are held rain or shine. Please dress appropriately for the weather.
Topics Offered:
--Teens Telegraphing

How did kids know what the weekend plans were? What did they do to let friends know what was happening? Today, everything and everyone is connected, and within seconds of something happening, texts and photos are being sent across town and the country. How did people communicate long ago? Learn how we kept in touch when we were restricted by technology, etiquette, and social rules.
--Home Arts of the Pioneers
Pioneers knew how to spin, weave and sew along with the many other chores needed just to survive. With all the labor required every day just to persevere, why would they take the extra time to learn the additional skills and techniques to decorate basic everyday objects? We’ll go back in time and try to understand the creative heart of the pioneers.
--Pioneer Pets
Could your pet make it in the Old West? How do you pet a chicken? Can you envision your pampered lap cat with the job title of “Rat Killer”? Just like the pioneer children, the animals had chores too! During your workshop, learn a lesson in Donkey Care 101, what Fluffy would have to do to earn her keep and more.
For More Information:  Click Here to email or 214-413-3664

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76.  OLD RED MUSEUM OF DALLAS COUNTY HISTORY AND CULTURE

Location:  Old Red Museum, 100 South Houston Street, Dallas, TX  75202
Phone: 214-757-1949
Hours:
The Museum is open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily.
The Museum will be closed on the following days:
December 24th & 25th

Admission:
General admission: $8
                 Senior (64+)/Student admission: $6 (students must show current high school or university ID)
                 Children ages 3-16: $5
                 Children under age 3: Free
                 Old Red Members: Free (Must Provide Proof of Membership)
                 Sunday Only – Early Bird Special: $5 for tickets purchased before noon
                 Jury Duty – Visitors can receive a reduced admission of $4 with proof of jury duty
General Admission tickets include admission to both the permanent galleries on the second floor and any special exhibit on the first floor.
Special Exhibits Only:  
Free with Old Red Museum General Admission
Special Exhibit Gallery Only: 
$3.00 adults; $1.00 children 3-16; Free for children under 3 years of age
Groups:  
Groups of 20 people or more, $5 each. This special pricing is ONLY AVAILABLE BY MAKING ADVANCED ARRANGEMENTS. Please call the group sales department at 214-757-1949 or click to email to book a group sale to take advantage of this price.

Discount:
  The Old Red Museum of Dallas County History and Culture is offering HEART of Texas members (with valid HEART of Texas Family ID) a $1 discount per person/ticket. Discount may not be used for the Home School Workshops.

To learn about HEART of Texas membership:
Click Here
To view our ever-expanding list of partners:  
Click Here



CURRENT EXHIBITS

THROUGH SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 -- Dallas on the Homefront:  Dallas during World War II
In celebration of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, this exhibit will examine the everyday lives of women and men on the homefront.  Artifacts, stories, photographs and letters will illuminate the process of converting a domestic economy to war production where scrap drives, rationing and war bond sales became a reality for the Dallas community. Educational programming for school groups will be integrated into this exhibit.
As an added bonus, visitors can recreate one of the most iconic images in American History and take a photo at Old Red’s very own Rosie the Riveter Selfie Station!

OTHER EXHIBITS:
Early Years: Prehistory to 1873
Trading Center

Big D
World Crossroads


HOMESCHOOL PROGRAMS

Future Home School Programs TBA

Chose your Date, Chose your Program:
Your group can schedule the date and choose the program from the many we offer.  The date and program can be scheduled Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 2:00pm or on limited Saturdays from 9:30am till noon. 
All visits will include:  Four interactive galleries, over forty computer touch screens, the Children’s Education Center, Discovery Carts and Interactive Gallery Guides.
 
Time:  Registration: 9:15 a.m.-9:45 a.m.
          Program Begins: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Cost:  $6/children;  $3 Adults
Includes program, all day admission to the museum galleries and program supplies.
Please note that we have changed to a cash only admission the day of the program.
To RSVP:  Click here to email the sales dept with the following info:
Names of attending adults, email address, phone, number of adults, number of children, ages of children.  If you are a group leader, please list your group name with each family unit listed separately, as this makes preparation and registration run more smoothly.
Parking:  Museum guests may purchase an
underground parking vouchers for $2.
Details: Everyone enjoys a celebration!  What brings families and communities together?  How are traditions enjoyed? Come and join us at Old Red as we discover some of the rich traditional celebrations that help create the great city of Dallas. Students will enjoy music, making sand art, designing special placemats, creating cards and other items to be taken home and shared with family and friends.
 
  
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77.  STAR PARTIES at  FORT WORTH MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND HISTORY

Have you ever seen the rings of Saturn? Have you ever wanted to view the moons of Jupiter? Have you been dazzled by a star cluster? Are you in the market for a telescope and don't know where to start? This and more can be discovered every month outside the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History during the free monthly telescope observing. The star gazing events are held every month on area north of the Museum on the Saturday nearest the first quarter moon, weather permitting.   They are presented by the Noble Planetarium staff and members of the Fort Worth Astronomical Society.

The Noble Planetarium is under construction, but you can still gaze at the stars and learn about the night sky during our free monthly  Star Parties.

Stars & Stories (In the Planetarium Gallery)
10:15am
Cost:  Regular museum admission
Details:  Join the Noble Planetarium and the Fort Worth Public Library for Stars and Stories!  This storytime for our youngest astronomers will feature a story read by librarians from the Fort Worth Public Library and then the planetarium show One World, One Sky: Big Bird's Adventure!  Stars and Stories is FREE with museum admission!
JULY 19
AUG 16


2016 Star Parties
:
Future Dates  MUSEUM STAR PARTIES CANCELLED - It is with great sadness that FWAS has to announce that the monthly public star parties that were hosted by the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History have been CANCELLED EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. The Museum believes that it is no longer feasible for them to continue to host these events. FWAS was not involved in this decision, and while we regret the outcome, we must abide by the museum's choice to cancel these events.
Hundreds of adults and children attended these public star parties each month, and often thousands attended during special astronomical events. FWAS members supported these events with their own telescopes, time and knowledge of the sky. Our only reward was sharing our knowledge and love of the night sky with the public.

For more information:  click here
              

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78.  NORTH TEXAS DISTRICT SCIENCE FAIR FOR HOME SCHOOLERS

Need a boost to your homeschool science curriculum? Have a detail inclined child or one who loves science or technology? Need something on a college application to convince the staff your child can compete with the best? Science fair should be in your future!

Your 6th graders have a chance to participate in the Dallas Regional Science and Engineering Fair (DRSEF) too!

Private homeschooled students in grades 3-12 may enter in one of 4 divisions. Those living in TEA region 10: Collin, Dallas, Ellis, Fannin, Grayson, Hunt, Kaufman and Rockwall counties compete for the opportunity to enter the DRSEF. Students in other near-by counties may compete at our NDTSF for awards, but cannot be guaranteed entry into a regional ISEF event: some have gone on to the FortWorth Regional event.

All 6 - 12 grade projects need some ISEF forms (like the research plan) to be filled in BEFORE experimentation begins! 6th graders' projects may NOT include any handling of toxic/dangerous substances or require permission for human or animal subjects. Higher grades must submit forms for these BEFORE experimentation begins - start early. Please find out more on our website. This is the most confusing part of science fair participation, so let's get it worked out early - contact us. We don't want students eliminated on technicalities.

Students from our NDTSF have done very well at DRSEF (placing and even Grand Prize!) and at the Texas Science and Engineering Fair (placing). You don't have to place to win a special prize. Add that "WOW" factor to your project by checking out our new links to give your project even more "Marvelocity". Ask how we can help. Don't forget to check our "Links" page for more homeschool friendly science competitions (some links need to be fixed at Texas A&M).

For More Information:  Click Here to email

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79.  ALEDO CHRISTIAN SCHOOL'S BASKETBALL, BASEBALL, VOLLEYBALL, SOFTBALL TEAMS

Aledo Christian School, located in Aledo,TX, is offering their sports programs to home schoolers.

Who:  7-12th grade boys and girls
Girls Sports:  
Volleyball, Basketball, Softball
Boys Sports:  Basketball & Baseball

Location:  Aledo Christian School
                400 Queen Street
                Aledo, TX  76008

For Information About Baseball:  817-939-2979 or click here to email
For Information About Other Sports: Contact 817-441-7357
 

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80.  BERNE ACADEMY'S BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL

Berne Academy, located in Lancaster, TX, is looking for homeschoolers to play on their Boys'  Varsity Basketball Team.  They are associated with T-CAL (Texas Christian Athletic League) out of San Antonio.

Who:  7-12th grade boys
Location of Practices:  Tommie Allen Recreation Center on Bonnie View Road
For More Information:  972-218-7373 or click here to email
 

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81.  HOMESCHOOL SWIM-- The Colony Aquatic Park

Brand New!  Expanded Homeschool Swim in The Colony!!
The price for fall season passes are very reasonable, especially since there are now three different days a week that you can come!
 

When: 
Monday/Wednesday/Friday
Time:  
12:30-1:30pm

Location:  
The Colony Aquatic Park
               5580 N. Colony Blvd  
               The Colony, TX  75056


Cost:
$4 per person or purchase a season pass

Note:  Children 6 and under MUST be directly attended by a swimming adult within arms reach.

Seasonal Passes available:
 $45–Individual
                                          $60–Micro-family (2-3 members)
                                               
  $80–Family (4+ members)

For More Information: 972-624-2225 or Click Here to email
http://www.TCpard.com

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82.  HOME SCHOOL SWIM AND SWIM TEAM AT DON RODENBAUGH NATATORIUM
IN ALLEN

Home School Open Swim
Half-Price Fridays at the Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium!

Time:  1 p.m. – 3 p.m. during the school year
Who:  Home school students and their families.
Cost:  $2/Students;  $2.50/adults
For More Information:  Call 214-509-4770 or visit http://www.allenparks.org/

City of Allen Home School Swim Team
Practices:  Monday through Friday from 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Location:  Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium
For more information:  Call 972-992-3996 or visit http://www.metro-aquatics.org/


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83.  CHRISTIAN MARTIAL ARTS

Christian Martial Arts, an outreach of First Baptist Church of Euless, is offering a free month of classes to HEART of Texas newsletter readers who wish to try out their program.  Christian Martial Arts has been ministering to the physical as well as spiritual needs of local families for almost ten years at First Euless!

It is a fun way to get plenty of exercise in an environment that seeks to honor God and teach respect for others. The tenets of CMA are Courtesy, Humility, Integrity, Perseverance, Self-Control and Indomitable spirit. Students learn fundamentals of self-defense, balance, flexibility, practice and repetition. We encourage progress through belt promotions but each student is only in competition with himself to advance. We have sparring nights, optional board breaking, tournaments and special events including Christmas parties and demonstrations. If you are looking for a great family activity, you've found it!


Cost: $25/month per person

Discount:  Christian Martial Arts, an outreach of First Baptist Church of Euless, is offering a free month of classes to HEART of Texas newsletter readers who wish to try out their program.

Times/Class Descriptions:
Monday: 6:00  p.m.–6:30  p.m.–Children only
Monday: 6:30  p.m.–7:30  p.m.–Beginners & Advanced of all ages
Thursday: 6:30  p.m.–7:30  p.m.–Beginners of all ages
Thursday: 7:30  p.m.–8:30  p.m.–Advanced students
Saturday: 10:00 am–12:00  p.m.–Open Workout for all students



For More Information: Click Here



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84.  DALLAS THUNDER HOME SCHOOL BASKETBALL

Dallas Thunder is a home school competitive basketball organization.
Dallas Thunder offers:
Christ-centered, competitive Basketball for Home schooled boys and girls
Experienced, Professional Coaches.
The opportunity to play top public and private schools in the area
Participation in the National Christian Homeschool Basketball Tournament.

Teams forming for 2015-2016
Forney Sports Center
Monday - 2-4pm
Wednesday - 1-3pm
Click here to register

Website: http://www.dallasthunder.org 


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85.  ELITE TRACK CLUB/CROSS COUNTRY PROGRAM


For More Information:  Click Here to email or 817-800-3922                                
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86.  HOME SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

The Home School Athletic Association is a Christian-based organization providing athletics for homeschoolers through volunteer home school parent. They provide various programs including football, baseball, volleyball, soccer, and basketball for high school and middle school home schoolers.
 
Cheerleading:  Girls junior high cheerleading squad for the 2015 football season.  Click here to contact the coach.  

Cross Country:
If you are interested in joining HSAA Cross Country, p
lease click here to contact the Track Commissioner.

Football: 11-Man Tackle Football...Middle School, JV, and Varsity!
Open to boys, ages 11 to 18 and in grades 6 through 12, HSAA Football promises to provide each student-athlete with a Christ-centered approach to sports. Though competitive in nature, to be sure, HSAA will not sacrifice core values to win at all costs.

Instead, coaches and parents – and team mentors (varsity players and those who have recently graduated) – work with the players to build character for life.

Registration details: Click Here

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87.  HULCY HOME SCHOOL PE CLASSES IN RICHARDSON

Come try your first class for free and see if our 20 year reputation of helping kids enjoy  in a competitive Christian atmosphere is right for your family. 100% of the children that have tried it... have stayed.
 
Ages:  6-12
Cost:  $20 a month for first child... $15 a month for any additional children.

Discount:  Rhett is offering HEART of Texas members one free month of classes, with a valid Heart of Texas family membership card.  
To learn about HEART of Texas membership: Click Here
To view our ever-expanding list of partners:  
Click Here



When:  Tuesdays (once a week)
Girls meet from 2:00-3:30 p.m.
Boys meet from 3:30-5:00 p.m.
To sign up just call 214-695-5560
 
Where:–Heights Park in Richardson on Floyd
in between Belt Line and Arapaho on the West  side of 75 (south of Arapaho).
 
We play an array of competitive  for kids at any skill level: dodgeball, football, kickball, flag tag, capture the flag, war, softball, baseball, crazyball, flipperball, Frisbee golf, soccer, circle dodgeball, track and field, and tons more.  We also play fun and easy games such as:  squirrel in a tree, two headed monster, parachute games, and much more!

We have a family camp out in January, and a Field Day at the end of the year that includes a picnic dinner, volleyball, hay ride, playing in a tree house, games, a bonfire, and cooking hotdogs outside!
  
Call RHETT HULCY directly to enroll or for any questions about the class:
214-695-5560

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88.  HOME SCHOOL PE PROGRAMS AT VELOCITY  IN SOUTHLAKE

Location:  Velocity Sports Performance
                1800 East Highway 114, Suite 101
                Southlake, TX  
                817-416-0606

Discount:  Velocity /Southlake is offering HEART of Texas members a 10% discount on all training, whether it is with the Home School program, regular training program or any camps that are held at this location., with a valid Heart of Texas family membership card.   
To Learn About HEART of Texas Membership: http://www.heartoftex.org/resources/membership

Velocity Sports Performance in Southlake has designed a program to meet the needs of Home School Families!

Location:
     1800 East Hwy 114, Suite 101
, Southlake, TX  
For More Information: Call 817-416-0606
To Learn More About Velocity:  www.velocitysp.com/southlake

Velocity  Performance is a  training facility with a staff of degreed and certified coaches.  Their programs focus on all facets of athletic performance, including speed and agility, strength and explosive power, flexibility and mobility, endurance and energy system develo p.m.ent, and injury risk prevention.

Their 18,200 sq. ft. indoor facility includes a 30 yard turf field, 60 yard speed track, regulation volleyball court, Olympic weight area, comfortable viewing area for parents/coaches with wireless internet, men's and women's showers, electronic timing system and video analysis, and SPARQ testing.

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89.  HOME SCHOOL FENCING CLASSES AT FENCING INSTITUTE OF TEXAS

Fencing Institute of Texas is committed to supporting our Home Schooled children by providing physical fitness that challenges the mind as well as the body.  

Home School Classes
Times:  4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. – Tuesdays and Thursdays
        10:00 a.m. – 11:30 am. – Saturdays

Instructor:  Coach Rhonda Trietsch
For More Information: 972-444-8498 or visit: http://www.fenceintexas.org/homeschool.html

Students enjoy private lessons, group training, and mini-tournaments during this time.
Parents are welcome to participate along with their children in these programs.

Additional classes during the week between the hours of 10 AM and 4  p.m. will be added

as this program and need grows.  

Open Enrollment: Students may join this program at any time; the first month's fees are prorated.  There is no pro-ration of fees after the first month.  Fees are $90 per month plus $50 tuition ($140), and are due by the 5th of the month.  Fees are due in advance and are non-refundable.

Students may take additional private lessons outside of the class meeting time for an additional fee.

Discount:  Fencing Institute of Texas is offering HEART of Texas members a $10 discount off the monthly tuition (individual or family) with a valid Heart of Texas family membership card.   HEART of Texas students participating in the FIT Saturday Page or Squire programs receive a $5 discount off the monthly program fee with a valid Heart of Texas family membership card.
To learn about HEART of Texas membership: Click Here
To view our ever-expanding list of partners:  
Click Here



To Register: Class size is limited to 15 students; pre-registration is required.  If you are interested, please call our school at (972) 444-8498, or complete and mail or FAX the Home School Registration form.

To Download Registration Form: http://www.fenceintexas.org/homeschool.html


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90.  PARKER-TARRANT HOME SCHOOL SPORTS

Parker-Tarrant Home School exists to promote and accomplish  education for the Texas Home School student in a Christian environment. With a focus primarily in the Parker County and West Tarrant County areas of North Texas, the organization’s objective is to provide a competitive environment for middle school and high school  competition that is not normally provided by traditional home school organizations or support groups. PTHSS desires to accomplish this goal in a way that both works alongside the parents and honors Jesus Christ.

Currently the PTHSS organization offers boys' Varsity and Junior Varsity Baseball, boys' Basketball from middle school through high school, girls' high school basketball and girls' Varsity and Junior Varsity Volleyball. Six-Man boys' football is being added this fall! Other  programs and age divisions may be offered in the future.

Many of the PT Warriors athletic activities occur at Birchman Baptist Church in West Fort Worth.


For More Information:  click Here to email or www.pthss.org/

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91.  POP-IN PLAYTIME AT PUMP-IT-UP OF GRAPEVINE

WEDNESDAYS AND THURSDAYS
Time:  10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Ages:  2-6 years old

WEDNESDAYS
Time:  3:30–5:30 p.m.
Ages:  6-12 years old

Discount:  Pump-It-Up of Grapevine is offering HEART of Texas members a 10% discount on private parties. Members also receive $1 off Pop-In-Playtime on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. for ages 2 through 6, and on Wednesdays from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 for ages 6-12.   Members must present their valid HEART of Texas Family ID card to take advantage of these special offers.
To learn about HEART of Texas membership: Click Here
To view our ever-expanding list of partners:  
Click Here


For More Information:  817-329-1332 or grapevine@pumpitupdfw.com


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92.  THESA RIDERS HOME SCHOOL ASSOCIATION

THESA Riders is a home school association, providing the DFW area with competitive and Christ-centered athletic programs for home schoolers at the high school and junior high level.

THESA offers the following:
Baseball -- 
Boys Basketball -- Girls Basketball -- Girls Cheer -- Boys Football -- Boys and Girls Golf -- Girls Softball -- Girls Volleyball

THESA Riders is offering a competitive HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER program for 2014-2015.
TRYOUTS:  Dates to be announced SOON – check web site or email us

Who is THESA?
THESA  (Texas Home Educators' Sports Association) exists to support families with a calling to home educate their children by providing high quality, competitive sports programs, enabling children to grow in Godly character and skills at the junior and senior high level.

What does a THESA soccer tryout look like?
The coaches will spend about 20 minutes at the beginning of the tryouts with a parent/player orientation – expectations, what a season looks like, practices, commitment. 
The coaches will then put players through 1 Ä‚ -2 hours of stretching, conditioning, skills, drills, and team play.

Do players need to attend all the tryouts?
If your schedule allows, attending all the tryouts is best.  While attending all the tryouts is not mandatory, it is strongly encouraged for each player to make the best showing, get to know the other players and coaches.

What does a player need to bring?

Players need to come with a GREAT attitude, dressed in appropriate soccer attire and equipment, bring a personal ball (only size 5) and LOTS of water, maybe even a snack.

Questions?
Web site:  http://www.thesariders.net/
Email us at thesaridersoccer@gmail.com


For More Information: http://www.thesariders.net

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93.  TRAINING FOR CONFIDENCE MARTIAL ARTS SCHOOL IN COLLEYVILLE

Training for Confidence is a full-time martial arts school in Colleyville.

We currently have several families at our Colleyville school location who home school their children. 
We would welcome the opportunity to partner with Heart of Texas and offer discounted tuition to your members.

Discount:  Training for Confidence is offering HEART of Texas members a 25% discount off the monthly student membership fee, with a current Heart of Texas family membership card.  
To learn about HEART of Texas membership: Click Here
To view our ever-expanding list of partners:  
Click Here



To Learn More:  TFCKarate.com

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94.  BEST GYMNASTICS IN FLOWER MOUND 

Gymnastics is the best sport available to create young athletes and proper athletic foundations for all future sporting endeavors.  We offer several classes for all ages including: Little Tots class for 14mo-3 years, Best Kids 3-4 years.  For ages 5 and up we offer Tumbling, Girls Gymnastics, Boys Gymnastics and a Home schooling class. 

Location:  601 Cross Timbers Rd. Suite 100 in Flower Mound.
To Learn More: 972-874-8800 or click here

Home School Class
Date: Every Wednesday
Time: 1:00pm-2:00pm
Details: Best Gymnastics does not have sessions, so you can join at anytime! This co-ed class for ages 5 and older will focus on athletic conditioning, tumbling, flexibility, core strength, and of course, fun! The class has a 10:1 student/teacher ratio.
Cost: $59/month
For more information: Click here

Open Gym
Date: Every Friday
Time:  6:00pm-9:00pm 
Cost: $12/child
Details: This is a drop off event. Lots of exercise and lots of fun! No reservations required.
For more information: Click here


Best Night Out
Date: Swpt 14
Time:
6:00-10:00pm
Cost:
$25/child; siblings receive $5 discount
Details:
Best Night Out is designed for parents to get the night off while kids have a blast at the gym! Dinner and a drink are provided. Children 3 (potty trained) and older may attend Best Night Out.
For more information:
 Click here
Upcoming dates: 
Sept 14: Best Bucks Spending Spree; Oct 19: Monster Mash Madness; Nov 9: Pirates and Princesses Party; Dec 14: Winter Wonderland

Discount:  Best Gymnastics is offering HEART of Texas members a 15% discount off all of their recreational gymnastics classes, with a current Heart of Texas family membership card.  
To learn about HEART of Texas membership: Click Here
To view our ever-expanding list of partners:  
Click Here


To Learn More about Best Gymnastics: 972-874-8800 or click here

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95.   HOME SCHOOL GOLF PROGRAM AT LANTANA GOLF CLUB

REGISTRATION OPEN FOR HOME SCHOOL GOLF PROGRAM
SPRING 2015 SESSION

Experience the Game of Golf! Lantana Golf Club is offering three separate golf programs for juniors, age 8-17, in 2015. The Spring, Summer and Fall programs will each offer weekly clinics over a period of 8-10 weeks.

Participants will receive instruction on full swing, short game (chip, pitch, putting) and bunker play. Participants will also receive a basic introduction to the rules & etiquette of golf and the opportunity for quality time on the course.

Our objective is to introduce juniors to the game of golf, improve playing skills and provide the opportunity for personal growth and learning. We hope to build and strengthen character, develop new friendships, and enjoy the experience and life lessons this great game provides.

Marc Brooks will provide lead instruction with assistance from other local golf professionals as needed. Mr. Brooks is a PGA member and currently Director of Instruction at Lantana Golf Club. He was named "Best Golf Instructor Denton County 2011, 2012 and 2013" and a member of the PGA President's Council for his continuing effors to promote the grow the game of golf.  

To Register: click here to download the registration form.

For more information: Contact Marc Brooks, PGA at 940-728-4653 ext. 308 or click here to email

Discount:  Marc Brooks is offering HEART of Texas members a 10% discount, with a current Heart of Texas family membership card.  
To learn about HEART of Texas membership: Click Here
To view our ever-expanding list of partners:  
Click Here


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96.  HEART OF TEXAS MENTOR PROGRAM

We are excited to announce that we are rolling out our new HEART of Texas Homeschool Mentor Program for homeschooling families! 
The purpose of the Mentor Program is to provide real-time, face-to-face, one-on-one help for new homeschool moms and dads who are starting their homeschool journey.

If you are a veteran home educator who would like the opportunity to encourage and support the next generation of home schoolers, please consider becoming a HEART Mentor.  Please email Anne regarding the program (include Mentor in subject line) and she will connect you with our Mentor Coordinator.

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97.  DFW SPEECH & DEBATE CLUB

DFW Speech & Debate is committed to providing quality communications training to help students sharpen their ability to analyze problems, think and listen critically, and communicate their ideas in an organized and compelling manner. Our communications training includes:
 
Speech & Debate Summer Camps
We train hundreds of students each summer who go on to excel in competition! Our camps are engaging and fun and serve to inspire students to cultivate their critical thinking and communication skills. We offer a wide variety of training including introductory, intermediate and advanced Speech and Debate camps, Model UN, Moot Court and much more for ages 12-18! This summer we are expanding our offerings to include Junior Speech for ages 6-11!
 
Private Coaching! - for speakers, debaters and writers who would like to advance their skills at a faster pace
Most great competitors have great coaches. Our veteran team of coaches provide individualized training for students prior to and during the school year. Coaching sessions include helping students develop a high level of competency writing AP quality essays, writing and performing speeches, and writing and arguing their debate case. See specific Coaching Services here.
 
Tools for Debate Curriculum
Most great competitors also have great TOOLS. Our easy-to-use 12-week curricula puts valuable instruction in the hands of debate students and club leaders to prepare students for Policy and Lincoln Douglas debate competition. Our curriculum includes a dual track approach to help beginners master foundational skills such as Writing a Case, 4-Point Refutation, Organization and Cross-Examination (C/X) and more. Experienced debaters will advance to the next level with round-winning techniques on C/X Strategies, and NEG strategies (e.g. identifying unproven or faulty assumptions). Packed with examples, drills, quizzes and a FREE affirmative case!
 
For More Information:  dfwspeechanddebate.com
 
Discount:  DFW Speech & Debate is offering HEART of Texas member-supporters  (with current Family ID) 10% off their Summer Camp fee.
To learn about HEART of Texas membership: Click Here
To view our ever-expanding list of partners:  
Click Here

 

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98.  DENTON COUNTY CHRISTIAN HOMESCHOOL ASSOCIATION

This group has no announcements this month.

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99.  IRVING HOME SCHOOLERS

A support group for families in Irving and all surrounding communities.

Details:
We are a volunteer, non-profit organization committed to serving home school families in Irving and all surrounding communities. Our mission is to reach out to all homeschooling families - providing resource information, ongoing activities, and support. All are welcome. We meet the 1st Thursday of the month (Sept. - May except Dec.) at Lee Park in Irving.
For more information:
click here


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100.  PEACH

A support group for families in the Plano area
Click Here for More Information


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101.  OFFICIAL 2016 COLLEGE BOARD TEST DATES

2016 PSAT TEST DATES: 
OCTOBER 19
OCTOBER 22
To Find out When Your Local High School is Offering the PSAT Test:  Click Here

PSAT TESTING FEE:  $15 (some schools charge an additional fee to cover administrative costs)
Homeschoolers who take the test at their local public school should not be charged more than the school charges its own students.  The College Board makes fee waivers available to schools for students in eleventh grade from low-income families who can't afford the test fee. See the school counselor for more information about fee waivers.  Special testing situations are also available for special needs students.  Ask the school counselor for more details.
PSAT Code for Texas Homeschoolers:  
994499

Information from College Board:
How to Get Started
Find and contact a local school that’s giving the test you want to take. Go to School Search.
Ask for the Official Student Guide, which includes a free practice test.

Start Early

Contact the school early. Our advice: Reach out at least four months before the test.

Find Out if You Can Test for Free
You might qualify for a PSAT/NMSQT fee waiver if:
*You are in 11th grade.
*Your family's annual income falls within USDA Income Eligibility Guidelines or you meet other criteria. Learn about fee waiver eligibility.

*Ask the counselor at the school where you’ll be taking the test if you qualify to take the PSAT/NMSQT for free.
* Fee waivers are not given out for the PSAT 10.

Testing with Accommodations
Students with disabilities must have College Board approval to take the PSAT/NMSQT or the PSAT 10 with accommodations. It can take up to seven weeks, so make your request early.
If you already have College Board approval, let the school know right away so that they have time to order nonstandard test materials if you need them.
Learn more about Services for Students with Disabilities

What to Bring on Test Day
*Two No. 2 pencils with erasers
*An approved calculator
*Email address (optional)
*Valid government-issued photo ID. If unavailable, students can use a notarized College Board Student ID Form (.pdf/488.05 KB).
Just as important: What not to bring


Score Reports
Score reports will be sent to your home address.


2016-17 SAT TEST DATES:

OCTOBER 1 -- Registration Deadline Sept 1
NOVEMBER 5 -- Registration Deadline Oct 7
DECEMBER 3 -- Registration Deadline Nov 3
JANUARY 21, 2017 -- Registration Deadline Dec 21, 2016
MAR 11, 2017 -- Registration Deadline Feb 10, 2017
MAY 6, 2017 -- Registration Deadline Apr 7, 2017
JUN 3, 2017 -- Registration Deadline May 9, 2017
To Register For SAT Test:  Click Here

For SAT Subject Test Calendar:  Click Here

For More Information:
Click Here



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102.  MASTER THE SAT CLASSES WITH JEAN BURK

College Prep Genius will be offering their incredible "MASTER THE SAT CLASS" in several Texas cities. This revolutionary course will give students all the tools needed to conquer the SAT and PSAT/NMSQT. Students will learn the logical patterns behind standardized test questions as well as necessary strategies that could help increase their test scores tremendously. A high score on the SAT or PSAT/NMSQT can open doors to college entrance and colossal scholarships that could include full tuition, room and board, honors dorms, graduate money and stipends to study abroad! Many of their students have raised their test scores as much as 600 points and received scholarhips over $200,000 from Ivy-League schools. College Prep Genius has been featured on NBC, CBS, Fox, TXA21 and The Homeschool Channel.

Their carefully selected teachers will show students how to ace the SAT so they can raise their scores and get scholarships to college. The SAT and PSAT are tests of logic (not high school subjects) and most students do poorly on them because they don't understand the test. She will teach how to look at the test questions correctly so they don't fall for the wrong answer and she will not only explain why the right answer is right but also why the wrong answer is wrong. Students will gain confidence in their test-taking skills and be given the necessary tools for scoring high on these standardized tests.

Watch College Prep Genius founder, Jean Burk, give speeches on "How to Ace the SAT" and "Free College Can Happen to You" click here

What's Covered in Class:
"Master the SAT Class” is a thorough investigation of the SAT and PSAT including an extensive review of all three test sections: Critical Reading, Math, and Writing.


Register at collegeprepgenius.com

Download the e-book “15 Secrets to FREE College” for a penny at www.collegeprepgenius.com  Use code: heart

Discount:  College Prep Genius is offering a $5 discount off classes and products to HEART of Texas family members.  You must have a valid membership card to qualify for the discount.
To learn about HEART of Texas membership: Click Here
To view our ever-expanding list of partners:  
Click Here
                     
 
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103.  BAYLOR & AIR FORCE ROTC (AFROTC) SCHOLARSHIP

Baylor and Air Force ROTC (AFROTC) have teamed up to provide an enormous scholarship opportunity to help students afford a Christian college education while pursuing their dream in a career in aviation, medicine, science, engineering, law, space, business, etc. 

DEADLINE:  DECEMBER 1, 2016

To Apply:  Visit http://www.afrotc.com/ and fill out the on-line application.


Highlights:

• We appreciate the homeschooled student and know first-hand the talent and intellect they offer.  Our Cadet Wing Commander last Fall was homeschooled and she was outstanding!
 
• Who do we want to help?  Your students interested in leadership who are about to graduate, applying to a
 (Baylor would be a great Plan B), excels academically, involved in Eta Sigma Alpha or other honor societies and service organizations, as well as competitors of all kinds.

 
• The application deadline for AFROTC high school scholarships is December 1, 2012. 

• AFROTC’s best scholarship (Type 1) pays full tuition and fees (~$25,000/year at Baylor).
The second best scholarship (Type 2) pays $15,000/year. 
The majority of our cadets are on these two types of scholarships.

 
• Baylor is very generous with their merit scholarships which range from $3,000–$14,000/year.  Have your student go to http://www.baylor.edu/admissions/calculator/ and input their ACT/SAT scores and class ranking into the Scholarship Calculator to see what they could be offered.  You will be amazed.
 
•  If your student receives an AFROTC high school scholarship and brings it to Baylor, they will receive the Baylor AFROTC Incentive Scholarship worth $3,000/year.  They get this just by simply bringing the AFROTC scholarship to Baylor!
 
•  Students on scholarship also receive $900/year for books and a monthly, tax-free stipend of $300-$500.  They can use this stipend however they like (cheeseburgers and coffee??).
 
•  A student with a high school scholarship can try AFROTC their freshman year, and if they decide not to continue, they can simply walk away without having to pay back their scholarship.  No kidding!
 
•  If your student does not receive a high school scholarship, there’s an even greater opportunity to receive an AFROTC scholarship once they are at Baylor.  AFROTC has a $60 million scholarship budget to award scholarships from and as of the end of the Spring semester, 86% of Baylor cadets were on scholarship.
 
•  Baylor AFROTC is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year (the Air Force is 61 years old) and for the first time in our history, we are opening an AFROTC Living & Learning Center where cadets have the option to live among themselves.  Visit http://www.baylor.edu/rotc/llc/ for more information.

•  If you would like to come for a visit, we have a “Bunk with a Bear” program where your students can spend the night with a cadet, attend classes, eat with them, meet other cadets, take the campus tour, talk to academic advisors, and get the feel of Baylor. 

For More Information:  Click here to email or call 254-710-3513.


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104.  VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE for HOME SCHOOLERS IN 21 COUNTIES ---- AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY

The American Cancer Society is the largest nonprofit voluntary organization in the world. The Society depends on the competence, creativity and dedication of its 2 million volunteers nationwide to   achieve   its   mission.  Along  with  learning  the value  of volunteering in your community we can offer your home schooled student a way to apply all they are learning in a real world atmosphere.

Counties in the North Texas Region of the American Cancer Society:  Dallas, Tarrant, Denton, Rockwall, Parker, Palo Pinto, Wise, Cooke, Grayson, Fannin, Collin, Hunt, Rains, Kaufman, Ellis, Johnson, Eastland, Comanche, Erath, Hood, Rockwall

For more information:  817-570-0612 or Click Here to email
                                  

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105.  BECOME A HOST FAMILY FOR A FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT THROUGH INTO EdVENTURES HIGH SCHOOL EXCHANGE ORGANIZATION

Learn to Laugh in Another Language!

INTO EdVENTURES High School Exchange Organization offers you the opportunity to host a young high school student from another nation in your own home...let these incredible young people from other countries  show you their culture, up close and personal.  Welcome them as a son or daughter...touch their lives, and change their world, and your's too.  The experience will teach you and your children how another family lives across the world, while they, in turn, learn about you and the American culture...many of them love to cook and share themselves and their family with you.. They become part of your family for a lifetime.

Share your heart, your faith, your family and your home with a high school foreign exchange student. 

IF you have children at home, they can learn so much and make a life long friend.  If you do not have kids at home you will LOVE the new dimensions they will add to your life, and the new life they will give to your home.

There are boys and girls ages 15-18 from South america, Asia and Europe.  They bring their wide-eyed enthusiasm and a desire to learn our culture, and in turn share their's.

They will attend your local high school for the academic year.

IF THIS SPEAKS TO YOUR HEART...you can make a huge difference in a young person's life.  You will touch a nation, and change the world!!

All host families are volunteer
Who can become a Host Family:  
Young families with small children, families with teens, empty nesters, grand parents, even single parents!

Our host families must provide:  Room, Board, Food, and Transportation.  Host families
Must also be financially able take in another child.

The students have:  Full health insurance coverage and their own spending money ($200-$300/month, which takes care of personal things or extra things they want, and school activity expenses).  These will not have to be provided by the host family.

Student information:  Our students are boys and girls ranging in age from 15-18.  They are from South America, Asia, and Europe.   They arrive the third week of August, hopefully a week or two before school starts.

They will attend the LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL for either the ENTIRE ACADEMIC YEAR...OR ONE SEMESTER (either spring for fall)  

INTO EdVENTURES will share with the prospective host families the student's & letters to the host family from the student and their parents...  

How are families and students matched:  We do our best to match common interests, etc.  And once a match is made, host families can begin communicating with their new "son/daughter"...usually, the student overseas emails as soon as they hear they have been placed with a family...  THEN, MEETING THEM AT THE AIRPORT IN AUGUST… IS AWESOME!!

For more information:  817-545-5058  or Click Here to email    


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106.  VOLUNTEER AT THE FORT WORTH ZOO -- WEEKDAY HOME SCHOOL VOLUNTEENS PROGRAM

The Fort Worth Zoo's Weekday Home School Volunteens Program provides home-schooled teens, ages 12-17, the opportunity to assist Fort Worth Zoo Preschool teachers by helping set up, clean up, and assist students with crafts and excursions into the Zoo.

Volunteens come in once a week, for half of the day -- either from 8:45am to 12:15pm or from 12:45pm to 4:15pm.
The fall session runs from September to December;  the spring sessions runs from January to May.

Applications are completed online and interviews are scheduled after the final application date.  After interviewing all applicangs, the Education staff will make selections.  Selected Volunteens are required to attend a mandatory orientation prior to the start of the semester.

For More Information, or to Apply:
 Click Here


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107.  MEALS ON WHEELS, INC. OF TARRANT COUNTY SEEKS HOMESCHOOL FAMILIES TO DELIVER HOT MEALS AND FRIENDSHIP

Meals on Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County is a community based agency that provides meals to the homebound in Tarrant County. Delivering meals is a great community service as well as a unique learning opportunity, and we welcome students, along with adults, to be involved in the meal delivery.  Our clients depend on volunteers to deliver hot, nutritious meals along with care and compassion.

Several home school families currently volunteer for our program and we would like you to join us. 
Weekly and substitute volunteers are needed now. 
Meals are picked up from local distribution sites and delivered to homes within close proximity. 
Delivery typically takes about hour. 
If you join our volunteer team you will feel great ensuring that several Tarrant County neighbors
have received food and a friendly visit.


From a Homeschool Mom's Perspective–by Trudi L.
Benson (age 10) and I started delivering meals when he was two years old.   It's been a very rewarding experience.  We both have learned so much and met some really nice people along the way.  I incorporate our volunteer activities into our daily lessons.
Math:  We count the number of clients, meals, and milks on a route sheet; use a lot of addition and subtraction.
Reading and Spelling:  Letters and words are everywhere on a route sheet.
Science and Health:  We've learned about diabetes and good nutrition.  We also talk about different disabilities.
Social Studies/Geography: We interact with people from different socioeconomic groups.  as we deliver meals, we discuss surrounding terrain, lakes, rivers, and the weather.  Map reading skills are also developed.
Community Service:  By providing hot, nutritious meals, we help a lot of people in our community.

For More Information:  817-336-0912


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108.  MEALS ON WHEELS OF JOHNSON & ELLIS COUNTIES SEEKS HOMESCHOOL FAMILIES TO DELIVER HOT MEALS

Volunteers Needed!!!
Meals-on-Wheels of Johnson and Ellis Counties serves the children of yesterday by helping needy elderly and disabled persons to remain independent and healthy in their own homes by providing home-delivered meals, daily personal contact, and support for individuals and their families. 

Meals-on-Wheels could not operate one day without the help of volunteers.  Dedicated, caring volunteers assist in providing hot, noontime meals.  Not only do our volunteers deliver nutritious meals, they also ensure the safety of our clients.  Daily contact is as important as the meals we serve. 

A meal route takes approximately 45 minutes to deliver with convenient pick-up sites located throughout each county.  By volunteering, you help bring hope, love, and friendship to the elderly and disabled homebound in your community. 

To Volunteer:  817-558-2840 or 972-351-9943.


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109.  VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO SERVE MEALS AT THE STEWPOT IN DALLAS

Is your family or support group looking for an opportunity to help the needy?
The Stewpot is a 501c(3) organization that reaches out to the homeless of Dallas by providing meals and other services.  The Stewpot serves 3 meals a day, every single day of the year.  To meet this great need, The Stewpot is seeking volunteers  (individuals or groups of 10-15) to serve a meal once a month.

For more information:  214-746-2785 ext. 320 or Click Here    

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110.  TEXAS GLOBAL EDUCATION AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM

Experience the world and expand your family's horizons this summer!
Open your heart and your home to a global visitor and enable your teenager to stay with a family abroad. 

Details: Texas Global Education and Cultural Exchange provides several one-month home-stay opportunities.
Home-stays (instead of staying in a hotel) have many advantages:
•Experience life from the inside - not as a tourist
•Learn, appreciate, understand and evaluate another culture - and your own
•Establish a close relationship with someone - from another culture
•Develop cross-cultural understanding through communication and interaction

The focus of a cultural exchange is friendship, but lasting friendships and warm memories aren't the only results. Young people who have the opportunity to live with a host family in a foreign country or to host an international youth in their home enjoy a priceless educational experience that better prepares them for a life in a global society.
 
For more information: Call 940.241.3097
Info.texasglobaleducation@gmail.com
www.texasglobaleducation.org


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111. FREE ORGAN RECITALS IN DALLAS

FREE ORGAN RECITALS
JUNE 8  (No recitals are given during the summer months)

Time: 12pm-12:30pm (followed by a one hour tour of the Center)
Cost: FREE

Location:  Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora, Dallas, 75201
Details: Recital given by Mary Preston, resident organist with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, on the Lay Family Concert Organ. This 30 minute presentation will be followed by a one-hour tour of the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center.
Reservations not required, but requested for groups of 15 or more.
For More Information or for a Group Reservation: 
214-670-3331

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112. READING PROGRAMS 2016

Barnes & Noble -- Read 8 Books & Earn a Free Book
May 19-Sept 17, 2015
Download the Reading Journal.
Read any 8 books this summer
Record them in the Reading Journal
Bring completed Journal to Barnes & Noble store
Choose your Free Reading adventure from the book list featured on the back of the Journal.


Chuck E. Cheese -- Read 14 Day & Get 10 free tokens
Expires Dec 31, 2015
Download the Reading Log Here

Half Price Books -- Read 300 minutes each month for $5 Bookworm Bucks
8th Grade & Under:  Read 15 minutes a day for a month in June & July (grown ups may read aloud to kids who are still learning).  
Download the Reading Log.
Program runs through July.  HPB Bookworm Bucks coupons are valid through August 27.
High School: Read a book each month in June & July and write a short review. No reading log.
Just bring your review to your local Half Price Books to claim your Bookworm Bucks.
Submit your review here starting June 1.

H.E.Buddy Reading Program
-- Read 10 books for tee shirt & prizes.
Download Reading Log.
Form must be postmarked by October 1, 2015
Program is intended solely for children who are residents of Texas between the ages of 3-12.

PBS Summer Reading Camp -- Everything you need for 10 fun weeks of reading
Weekly Themes:  Bugs, Heroes, Reading Quest, Animal Antics, Make Music, Dragons & Dinos,
Play Outside, Get Wet!, Sports & Games, and World of Words
Must Subscribe to Education.com to Access

Public Library Reading Programs -- Click here to locate a library near you.



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You are receiving this newsletter because you have requested it through our website or on a sign-up sheet at an event or at a booth.

If you enjoy this newsletter, please consider becoming a member supporter!  For $25 a year, your family can receive all of the benefits of membership, including $20 off THSC annual membership, discounts at various area homeschool stores and other businesses and organizations that have partnered with us.  

Support groups can also partner with us for just $25/year, which includes a FREE HEART of Texas family membership for the primary leader of the group. Board Members of Partnering Support Groups will also receive a discounted rate to our annual Leadership Conference.  

To learn more about becoming a member supporter:  www.heartoftex.org/resources/membership 
To view our growing list of partners:  www.heartoftex.org/partners/

This newsletter is free to any and all homeschool families and support group leaders who wish to receive it!


To subscribe:  Visit 
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To unsubscribe, go to: http://www.heartoftex.org/unsubscribe


HEART of Texas     P.O. Box 211882    Bedford, TX  76095-1882    http://www.heartoftex.org