From researching “green” ways to use water to planning and building a LEGO house, creating and manipulating a LEGO robot, designing their own Web site with global water solutions and developing a stop-motion movie using LEGO figures, six Cary homeschoolers, ages 12 and 13, used LEGOs to stretch their minds during the 2008-09 school year.

“I was always into LEGOs, but one team member had never touched a LEGO,” said Clark Ivers, 13. “My mom heard about the LEGO league on an e-mail for homeschoolers, and we decided to do it.”

And they were just one of the displays at the fifth annual showcase, held on Saturday at the Middle Creek Community Center for members of Cary Homeschoolers to share the work they completed with other homeschoolers and families who were considering teaching at home.

About 25 families set up tables with books, story boards, artwork, photographs and binders.

“Homeschoolers don’t have the same traditions, so at the end of each year, we organize this event to put their things on display,” said Carol Cross, showcase coordinator.

Kara Weilding, of the Kindergarten Co-op, stood behind one of the displays. She explained to an interested mom, “When we moved to the area, homeschool was my back-up until we could find a good school,” she said. “Then my view changed. School became the back-up.”

Weilding said the Cary area is full of homeschoolers and has a supportive atmosphere for homeschooling families. “If you want to do something with your child, chances are, five other families feel the same way.”

According to research prepared by Cary Homeschooler member Linda Whipker, there were 3,548 home schools registered in Wake County in 2007-08, with an estimated total of 7,059 students. With several area homeschool support groups, multiple field trip opportunities and Web sites packed with homeschooling information, families who choose to teach from home need never feel alone.

Several parents said e-mails passed through Cary Homeschoolers opened doors to limitless opportunities. Maggie Flores, a former first- and third-grade teacher, now teaches her sons, Austin, in second grade, and Jason, in kindergarten, and took advantage of a group called “Art in the Park” this year. Six families took turns teaching about artists and, because of art’s intrinsically messy nature, used shelters at local parks to spread out and create artwork based on each artist’s style.

Flores researched and presented Pablo Picasso.

“I’ve been here four years; when I left New York, my friends who homeschooled were few and far between,” Flores said. “But everyone has been wonderful and supportive down here. I’ll take it one year at a time; homeschooling success is all about having the desire.”

For more information about homeschooling in the Cary area, you can visit caryhomeschoolers.org. Other groups include ApexHomeschoolers, Dayspring Home Educators, Fuquay-Varina Homeschoolers and Natural Math.