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Galaxy Zoo, a web-based citizen science opportunity, asks participants to support researchers in learning about how galaxies form. Citizen scientists participating in Galaxy Zoo are shown pictures of galaxies and asked to classify them based on their shape. In essence, some of these pictures are of galaxies yet to be seen by any other human being, meaning participants might get to be the first to ever them! Galaxy Zoo is used by… Read More
Being accessible to everyone, everywhere, at all times, the sky is the ultimate community-based educational resource! And astronomical events can be a catalyst for learning, like the upcoming transit of Mercury. This is an astronomical phenomenon in which Mercury comes between Earth and the Sun, and can be seen as a tiny black dot moving across the sun. Learn more about this phenomenon at community events this month!
What have you missed over on our Facebook page? Check out some of our top posts from this past week!
Join us on Facebook, and be sure to subscribe to our weekly eNewsletter too: http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?llr=exwricdab&p=oi&m=1102808931044&sit=8w7zndteb&f=0383bd7b-6431-490b-85cd-f5c4412d7cf2
Here’s a recap of news and information posted on Hilltown Families this past week, along with a map for finding out what’s happening this weekend and next week throughout Western MA!
MAP
Peruse our list of List of Weekly Suggested Events for a comprehensive list of events happening throughout the four counties of Western MA, including Bulletin Board Announcements, Ongoing Story Hours & Playgroups and the Hilltown Family Variety Show.
Also, check monthly column, Berkshire Family Fun, for a list of premier educational, cultural highlights in Berkshire County for families, and our featured post of 2017 – 2018 After-School Classes & Enrichment Programs in Western Massachusetts.
JOIN OUR TEAM! Hilltown Families is currently recruiting our newest Interpretive Writer and Development & Sales Officer. Click on the banner above to see the full job descriptions, as well as a slew of other available volunteer and intern positions. We look forward to hearing from our community!
LIST OF WEEKLY SUGGESTED EVENTS
November 4th – 10th, 2017
Saturday • Sunday
Monday • Tuesday • Wednesday • Thursday • Friday
Suggest an Event | Cultural Itineraries | Forecast | Museum Passes | Weekly eNewsletter | Farmers’ Markets | Storyhour & Playgroups| Berkshire Family Fun | Advertise/Sponsorship | en Español
RECAP
- Suggested Events for November 4th – 10th, 2017
- Berkshire Family Fun: November 2017
- Harvest Season: Learning through the Lens of the Season
- The Good Life: We are Not the Weather
- Hindsight Parenting: Meet Your Child Where They Are
- HFVS Halloween Episode with Guest DJ, Heidi Swedberg (Radio Show/Podcast)
- Suggested Events for October 28th – November 3rd, 2017
- Halloween: Learning through the Lens of the Season
- Spooky Stories for Teens in Pretty Monsters
- Hilltown Family Variety Show, Autumn Episode with Guest DJ, Lucy Kalantari (Radio Show/Podcast)
FIVE FROM THE ARCHIVES
- “What’s the Big Idea?” Challenges Kids to Think Critically & Philosophically
- Learning Landscapes: Use and Value Resources
- Teach with Movies: Pairing Films with Learning Guides & Lesson Plans
- Exploring Daylight Savings Time Illuminates Fascinating History and Science
- Digital Collections from the Library of Congress Support Self-Directed Studies
RECAP MAP SPONSOR
Find out how you can be a sponsor too!
Peruse our list of List of Weekly Suggested Events for a comprehensive list of events happening throughout the four counties of Western MA, including Bulletin Board Announcements, Ongoing Story Hours & Playgroups and the Hilltown Family Variety Show.
Also, check monthly column, Berkshire Family Fun, for a list of premier educational, cultural highlights in Berkshire County for families, and our featured post of 2017 – 2018 After-School Classes & Enrichment Programs in Western Massachusetts.
JOIN OUR TEAM! Hilltown Families is currently recruiting our newest Interpretive Writer and Development & Sales Officer. Click on the banner above to see the full job descriptions, as well as a slew of other available volunteer and intern positions. We look forward to hearing from our community!
LIST OF WEEKLY SUGGESTED EVENTS
October 28th – November 3rd, 2017
Saturday • Sunday
Monday • Tuesday • Wednesday • Thursday • Friday
Suggest an Event | Cultural Itineraries | Forecast | Museum Passes | Weekly eNewsletter | Farmers’ Markets | Storyhour & Playgroups| Berkshire Family Fun | Advertise/Sponsorship | en Español
RECAP
- Suggested Events for October 28th – November 3rd, 2017
- Halloween: Learning through the Lens of the Season
- Spooky Stories for Teens in Pretty Monsters
- Hilltown Family Variety Show, Autumn Episode with Guest DJ, Lucy Kalantari (Radio Show/Podcast)
- Pumpkin Harvest: Learning through the Lens of the Season
- Let Them Grow: Feeling Fall
- HFVS Harvest Episode with Guest DJ, Story Laurie (Radio Show/Podcast)
- Fall Foliage: Learning through the Lens of the Season
- Literature Guide for “Shy Mama’s Halloween” (Supports Immigration Studies)
FIVE FROM THE ARCHIVES
RECAP MAP SPONSOR
Find out how you can be a sponsor too!
Here’s a recap of news and information posted on Hilltown Families this past week, along with a map for finding out what’s happening this weekend and next week throughout Western MA!
MAP
Peruse our list of List of Weekly Suggested Events for a comprehensive list of events happening throughout the four counties of Western MA, including Bulletin Board Announcements, Ongoing Story Hours & Playgroups and the Hilltown Family Variety Show.
Also, check monthly column, Berkshire Family Fun, for a list of premier educational, cultural highlights in Berkshire County for families, and our featured post of 2017 – 2018 After-School Classes & Enrichment Programs in Western Massachusetts.
JOIN OUR TEAM! Hilltown Families is currently recruiting our newest Interpretive Writer and Development & Sales Officer. Click on the banner above to see the full job descriptions, as well as a slew of other available volunteer and intern positions. We look forward to hearing from our community!
Here’s a recap of news and information posted on Hilltown Families this past week, along with a map for finding out what’s happening this weekend and next week throughout Western MA! MAP Peruse our list of List of Weekly Suggested Events for a comprehensive list of events happening throughout the four counties of Western MA, including Bulletin Board Announcements, Ongoing Story Hours & Playgroups and the Hilltown Family Variety Show. Also, check monthly… Read More
To find out about more event, be sure to visit our Suggest an Event Bulletin Board to see what our readers have recently shared! Have an event to share? Feel encouraged to self-post community events here at any time![/caption]
If you have a community event, educational program, or service-learning opportunity happening in Western Massachusetts that you’d like to let us know about, self-post your event at any time on our Suggest An Event bulletin board. The events below are “suggested.” Please take the time to confirm that these events are happening, along with time, place, age appropriateness, and costs before attending.
Serving Western Massachusetts since 2005, Hilltown Families supports development and enhancement of our local economy and community. Local businesses, individuals, schools, and non-profits are encouraged to partner with Hilltown Families through sponsorship and advertising. Let us help get the word out about your after school/homeschool class, event, camp, workshop, fundraiser, business/school, service, open house, volunteer opportunity or general announcement. Deliver your message to thousands of families living throughout the four counties of Western MA while supporting the community development work of Hilltown Families! Click HERE to find out more.
Hilltown Families is currently recruiting our newest Interpretive Writer and Development & Sales Officer. Click on the banner above to see the full job descriptions, as well as a slew of other available volunteer and intern positions. We look forward to hearing from our community!
Bulletin Board
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Join The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst on Saturday, September 23 for Elephant & Piggie Art-ventures with Mo Willems and Tom Warburton! In We Are in an ART-ivity Book!, Mo Willems and Tom Warburton have created the first-ever Elephant and Piggie activity books, full of hands-on fun! Meet Mo and Tom. Get books signed. Take your photo with Elephant & Piggie, watch films, and create art! Book signing from 12:30 – 2:30 pm. Limit 1 book from home/unlimited books from The Carle Bookshop. Can’t make it to the event? Reserve signed books online, call 413-559-6333, or
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The 19th Annual North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival is September 23 & 24 from 10am-5pm in Orange, MA. There’s something for everyone at this fabulous family destination. Over 100 booths are vibrant with local artists, farmers, fabulous food, chef demos and skills for local living. Enjoy amazing music, performance, spoken word and dance on three stages. New! ‘The World We Love,’ a giant handcrafted globe in the kid’s activity tent- add your vision and join the celebratory parade at the end of each festival day. Plus hula-hooping, horse-drawn hayrides, and garlic games all weekend. Only $5.00 adults, Kids 12 & under are free! More for travel/parking info and program visit www.garlicandarts.org; Follow festival updates daily on Facebook.
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Monday, September 25, 2017, 10am-3pm: Soar into spring with Homeschool Day at the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, CT. Open exclusively for homeschoolers and their families, and featured activities include: hands-on build & fly challenge activities, interactive flight science demonstrations, open cockpit experiences in historic aircraft, aircraft quests, fight simulators, and more! Virtual Flight Center access available for additional $5 per person. Tickets available for purchase on the day of your visit on a first come first served basis. Pre-registration required. Children ages 3 and under admitted free. www.neam.org for an online registration form. Please call 860-623-3305 x313 for questions.
Add your class[/caption]
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Hilltown Families has put together an After-School Classes & Enrichment Programs Directory of classes and programs happening across Western Massachusetts throughout the school year. Our community is rich in learning opportunities to supplement the interests of children, teens, and life-long learners and our directory makes it easier to find these gems while connecting families with resources that support their interests and education. — Have a class or program you’d like to include in our directory? Click here to find out how to have it added. New and updated opportunities are added throughout the year.
Add your school[/caption]
Hilltown Families Preschool Directory: Are you looking for a preschool that fits your child’s personality and reflects your family’s values? Check out our growing Preschool Directory, covering all four counties in Western Massachusetts, and find the perfect place for your young one! — Have a school you’d like to include in this list? Click here to find out how to have it added.
ADVERTISE HERE: Reach thousands of families in Western MA while supporting the community development work of Hilltown Families! See your summer camp, class, community event, school, open house, audition, homeschool program, workshop, volunteer opportunity, wellness program, local business, after-school class, or non-profit featured here in the Bulletin Board section of our list of Weekly Suggested Events and in our weekly eNewsletter, reaching thousands of families living throughout the four counties of Western MA while supporting the community development work of Hilltown Families! Find out more about our advertising options and how you can partner with Hilltown Families in your online marketing by emailing us at at sales@hilltownfamilies.org.
JOIN OUR TEAM OF CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Interested in becoming a Contributing or Guest Writer for Hilltown Families? We welcome writings that reflect the community-building and educational efforts parents, teens, teachers, artists, activists and community leaders work towards and accomplish, and how that affects, supports and empowers our families. All writing styles welcomed, including local reviews, DIY posts, seasonal cooking/local food, and community-based educational & community service learning opportunities/resources. Send your query to info@hilltownfamilies.org.
LIST OF WEEKLY SUGGESTED EVENTS
September 23rd-29th, 2017
Saturday • Sunday
Monday • Tuesday • Wednesday • Thursday • Friday
Suggest an Event | Cultural Itineraries | Forecast | Museum Passes | Weekly eNewsletter | Farmers’ Markets | Storyhour & Playgroups| Berkshire Family Fun | Advertise/Sponsorship | en Español
“Hilltown Families has made it oh so easy to in a few minutes find fun outings and events for our family. It’s also a wealth of information about this wonderful place that we live in. Thanks for making it so accessible.” – Amy Cullen (Williamsburg, MA)
On Monday, August 21, 2017, the moon will pass in front of the sun, creating a solar eclipse which will be visible throughout the United States. In western Massachusetts, this event will be visible as a partial eclipse, as the moon will not entirely obscure our view of the sun. In fourteen states across the country, it will be visible as a total eclipse! The last time a total solar eclipse was visible across the United States in this manner was June 8, 1918!
Since the sun will still be visible to us throughout the eclipse, viewers will need to acquire eclipse glasses in order to view it safely. Various organizations will be offering these tools, as well as fun educational activities, at eclipse viewing events on Monday, August 21, 2017. Click through to discover these events on the day of the eclipse!
An interest in studying astronomy can develop from an interest in mathematical calculation, or a simple appreciation for the beauty of the sky. Observing the stars can be an act of scientific or spiritual curiosity, or both. While some people lament the shorter days of fall and winter, longer nights provide more chances to learn about astronomy through observations of the night sky!
Offering a wealth of space-based information presented in a playful way, NASA’s online Kids’ Club presents opportunities for studies of a fascinating yet largely inaccessible realm. Relevant for most ages and easy to use, the Kids’ Club can be a great resource for space enthusiasts!
Being accessible to everyone, everywhere, at all times, the sky is the ultimate community-based educational resource! And astronomical events can be a catalyst for learning, like the upcoming transit of Mercury. This is an astronomical phenomenon in which Mercury comes between Earth and the Sun, and can be seen as a tiny black dot moving across the sun. Learn more about this phenomenon at community events this month!
Now in its 9th year, Earth Hour is a worldwide event intended to make a symbolic statement about climate change. Participants – from families to entire cities – are asked to darken their homes for 60 minutes as a powerful reminder of climate change. Families can join in on the global observance of Earth Hour, and in doing so, can create opportunities for meaningful place-based learning.
Combining science, math, and even human history and culture, studies of stars and constellations can be fascinating. Families can track changes in the night sky using basic math skills, and can deepen their sense of place within the universe by doing so.
Milham Planetarium at Williams College is an incredible high-tech resource for Western Mass. Astronomy students in the area always seem to want to open up the planets for the rest of us. All through the Fall they will host free shows for the general public. There is something scientifically hypnotic about a planet show, and it can be a great “hook” for kids who are interested in the stars. Read on & reserve your spot in what will be a very popular show series.
September 23 is the Autumnal Equinox! Come to the UMass Sunwheel at sunrise and sunset to witness the first of each for the new season. Learn about astronomy, the seasons, and the sunwheel by viewing this exciting event.
Being accessible to everyone, everywhere, at all times, the sky is the ultimate community-based educational resource! Using a wealth of resources from books to apps, citizen science to local planetariums, families can explore outer space together and learn experientially about the sky above us.
What do you see when you look into the night sky above your home? Turn informal observations of celestial bodies into citizen science with Loss of the Night…
Studies of outer space can be mysterious and intriguing to young minds and there are many resources to support a students interest in the study of space, both online and in Western MA. In Western MA Planetariums and Online Resources for Space Studies we featured several online resources and seven resources right here in Western MA…
The Moon and its Craters at Arunah Hill Days in the Hilltowns Spend Labor Day weekend exploring and learning all about stars, constellations, and other out-of-this-world phenomenon. Arunah Hill Days in Cummington, MA offers a plethora of activities for families curious about astronomy (or just in search of a good adventure)! The event takes place between Friday, August 31st and Monday, September 3rd. During the day on Saturday, Sept 1st starting at… Read More
Perseid Meteor Shower 2012 The Perseid meteor shower is underway. There’s more to see than meteors, however, when the shower peaks on August 11th through 13th. The brightest planets in the solar system are lining up in the middle of the display. Check out this video from NASA for a great explanation as to why this year’s show is extra special: Visit science.nasa.gov for more. Source: NASA
Stargazing in the Berkshires See the stars up close! On Saturday, August 11th beginning at 8pm, atop the summit of Mt. Greylock in Adams, MA, the Amherst Area Amateur Astronomers Association (the 5A’s) will share a variety of telescopes with families interested in learning about the sky above them. As a result of the mountain’s location – with its low horizons and lack of light pollution – the summit is a perfect… Read More
Family-Science Hunt for Micrometeorites Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket… for real! Falling stars, also known as micrometeorites, fall to Earth quite frequently (over 22,000 tons worth yearly!). On Saturday, October 8th from 10:30am-2pm, families can learn how to find their own shooting star at the Great Falls Discovery Center in Turners Falls! HCC geology instructor Steve Winters will be on hand to teach families about the best… Read More
Stars Over Springfield at the Springfield Science Museum The Springfield Science Museum’s large rooftop telescope will be open for public sky-gazing on Friday, May 7th, 2010, at 7:30 p.m. The program will be held rain or shine. If it is overcast, a planetarium show will be presented in place of telescope viewing. Christopher Lyons, museum astronomy educator, will present “The Life Cycle of Stars.” Stars, like humans, are born, live their lives… Read More
Listen to Podcast: HILLTOWN FAMILY VARIETY SHOW Astronomy Episode WXOJ LP – 103.3 FM – Valley Free Radio Northampton, MA Tuesday evening @ 7pm 04/08/08 PLAYLIST New Podcasts ♦ Archived Podcasts ♦ Subscribe to Podcast Radio ♦ Facebook ♦ Twitter Parker Bent – “Spaceman Steve/Farewell” [Charlie Davidson’s Tricycle Club] Ernie & Neal – “Pluto” [Rock the House] Bill Harley – “Milky Way” [Down in the Backpack] Daddy A Go-Go – “Guitars from Mars” [Big… Read More
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