It's About Time!

It’s New Year: time to think about time. How do we keep track of it? Does it really fly – or does it seem to stop at times? And is it really all relative?

CONNECT:

• What is the history of time? Walk through time at http://www.nist.gov/pml/general/time/index.cfm
• Father Time is often pictured as the old year passes. Discover the story of Old Father Time at http://www.novareinna.com/festive/oft.html
• Clocks with hands are usually analog; others are digital (such as a numbers on a LED screen). Here’s a video about analog and digital: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfyAen-bJS8
• Now bend your mind around the idea of time being relative: http://trendingsideways.com/index.php/the-theory-of-relativity-for-kids/

CREATE:

• Before there were clocks there were sundials. Find out how they work, and make your own: http://www.sundials.co.uk/
• If you’ve seen New Year’s celebrations on TV, you probably know that the new year arrives earlier in Australian than in Hawaii. Why is that? Find out at  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=widWLhIIbzs.  You can calculate the time difference between two cities using http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html
• You can build a clock that runs on potatoes! Follow these videos to make your own: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Potato-Clock
• A year is calculated on the basis of one complete orbit around the sun. So your age would be different on other planets.  http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/age/ will calculate your birthday on other worlds (maybe a nice idea for parents).

CARE:

• Here are tips for better time management; you can try them out as a family: http://www.parents.com/kids/responsibility/time-management/
• Teach kids how to tell time using this interactive simulation: http://www.timemonsters.com/ or video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrxZWNu72WI
• Teaching games? Need a stopwatch or countdown? Use this website: http://www.timeanddate.com/counters/
• It can be hard to live without a watch. You can donate old clocks and watches for other children to repurpose. Check it out at http://prestwickhouse.blogspot.com/2011/05/donate-old-watches-for-great-cause.html

CAREERS:

Many jobs depend on time: food and hospitality, transportation, medicine, education, sports – think of some others.  Some jobs have time as their central concern: watch makers, jewelers, astronomers and geologist (who have a different sense of time). Find out the details at:

• http://jimsmuse.wordpress.com/2008/03/24/watchmaker/
• http://jimsmuse.wordpress.com/2008/05/01/geologist/
• http://www.noao.edu/education/being-an-astronomer.php
• You might even work at the home of Greenwich Mean Time: http://www.rmg.co.uk/about/history/royal-observatory/

Going Around in Circles

It’s the holiday time, and circles feature largely: wreaths, circular cookies  and pastries, haloes, and even the end of the year circles back to January. Let’s circle around circles….

CONNECT:

• Even in pre-history people considered circles to have magic mystical powers.  Visit these ancient stone circles virtually at http://www.megalithic.co.uk/.
• A few years ago, crop circles were very popular. Some people thought they were created by aliens. We know now that humans created them, but they are still awesome! http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/photos/gallery/crop-circles/
• When we think of circles, the image of pies may come to mind. But what about the concept of pi? That is also related to circles. Figure out how at http://www.exploratorium.edu/pi/index.html
• Amaze your family and friends about circle facts: http://www.kidsmathgamesonline.com/facts/geometry/circles.html

CREATE:

• Sing the circle song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlXnXf6FSq8. Try making up your own song about circles.
• A round is a song that goes around and around.  Learning about singing rounds with children at http://spinninginmyteacup.wordpress.com/2008/04/20/singing-rounds-with-children/
• Hear lots of songs that you can dance to in a circle: http://www.juliewyliemusic.com/pages/dancing.html
• Have you heard of a literature circle? It’s a fun way to share reading. Learn how to start at literature circle at http://www.lauracandler.com/strategies/litcirclemodels.php. Try an online literature circle using a wiki (such as http://www.pbworks.com).

CARE:

• We’re all connected in the circle of life. Join in that circle at http://www.morning-earth.org/TreesCirclesLife.html.  You can find out more about the circle of life at http://www.fi.edu/tfi/units/life/living/living.html
• Celebrate the holidays AND Mother Earth by making wreaths from recycled materials: http://alphamom.com/family-fun/holidays/diy-holiday-wreaths/
• Make some circular cookies as gifts. Here are some kids’ cookie recipes as starters: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/event-or-occasion/kids-recipes/kids-cookie-recipes?term=Kids+Cookie&nv=4294965409&ps=12&pi=1
• Circle of Care is an organization that helps families of children with cancer. Here are some activities that help children understand this disease; there are also activities that these children can play – and your family might play along with them: http://www.thecircleofcare.org/our-programs/kid-stuff-2

CAREERS:

Do you feel like you’re going around in circles thinking about careers? Here’s a circle of ideas:

http://www.iseek.org/careers/aboutclusters.html

I’ve Got a Secret

Cryptology has nothing to do with crypts or coffins: it is the science of secret communication.  SHH! Uncover the secrets here.

CONNECT:

• Find out how cryptology has been used throughout history at http://www.cerias.purdue.edu/education/k-12/teaching_resources/lessons_presentations/cryptology.html
• Want to read hieroglyphs, see invisible ink, decode DNA? There are lots of fun code-related activities to try at

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/cracking-maya-code.html

• Improve your math skills by immersing yourself in the Crypto Club: http://www.cryptoclub.org/
• Did you know that spies existed in Elizabethan times? Relive history at http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/tudors/launch_gms_spying.shtml

CREATE:

• http://www.nsa.gov/kids/home.shtml: games and activities about codes and ciphers.
• Want to send messages secretly? Try these secret codes: http://youthonline.ca/spykids/.  Create your OWN secret code – but know that you need to share it with at least one other person.
• Want to try your hand as a computer programmer? Explore http://www.crunchzilla.com/code-monster
• Create and use a cypher wheel: http://www.topspysecrets.com/secret-codes-for-kids.html

CARE:

• October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, but you should be tech-savvy trhoughout the year. Explore http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=346333 to learn about ways to keep your cyber presence private, and technology safer from hackers.
• Plan a Code Breaking Day by following the tips at http://www.mathsweek.ie/2012/puzzles/code-breaking-for-young-secret-agents
• Meet the female code-breakers of World War II at: http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/11/world/europe/lifting-the-veil-of-secrecy-codebreakers/
• One reason that the U.S. won World War II was the unbreakable code of the Navajos. Uncover the secret of the code talkers at http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq61-2.htm

CAREERS:

So do you like puzzles, codes, secrets? You might want a career in cryptology and related themes. And don’t forget that computer programming is basically coding.

• Watch this CNN piece on coding careers: http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/12/opinion/rushkoff-write-code
• Spy on careers at the National Security Agency: http://www.nsa.gov/kids/home.shtml
• What about the CIA? https://www.cia.gov/careers

Get the Lay of the Land

Even if you never leave your neighborhood, you can explore: be it your back yard, your grocery store, or a toy. AND you can explore the world through books and technology. The Internet opens lots of opportunities for exploring, especially this November during Geography Awareness Week.

CONNECT:

• Here’s a great starting point: 10 online activities and resources for Geography Awareness Week: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/11/10-online-activities-and-resources-for.html#.Uo
• If you want to explore a huge treasure trove of geography activities, dig into http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/topics/geography-awareness-week-archive/?ar_a=1&audiences=1
• Every day is Pirate Day with the Real Pirates of the Caribbean: http://mediamaps.esri.com/real-pirates-of-the-caribbean/
• Mission US is a revolutionary way to learn history; play a character  at http://www.mission-us.org/

CREATE:

• Create your own treasure map using Mission Map Quest: http://www.classtools.net/mapgame/game.php
• Create tours with Google Earth Tour Builder: https://tourbuilder.withgoogle.com/
• Publish your own story map using one of the templates found at http://storymaps.esri.com/templategallery/
• Plan a virtual trip using one of the websites listed on http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/09/08/the-best-sites-where-students-can-plan-virtual-trips/

CARE:

• The mission of National Geographic Education is to teach people how to care for the planet, its resources, and its inhabitants. Check out their explorer activities at http://www.missionexplore.net/challenger/geographyawarenessweek
• Looking for ways to help and land round you? Try out one of the following ideas from National Geographic: http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/idea/volunteering/?ar_a=1
• Be a part of the land; learn how to grow things at http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Gardening_for_children
• The US Forest Service tries to instill kids with an awareness of the value of public lands; Explore the possibilities at http://www.fs.fed.us/kids/

CAREER:

The land is full of careers. Dig it at:

http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2005/spring/art01.pdf

http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/undergrad/beyond-coursework/careers-in-geography/

http://www.nccu.edu/academics/sc/artsandsciences/geospatialscience/careers-in-geography-earth-and-environmental-science.cfm

It’s a Shoe-In

Barefoot can be fun, but for the long haul, it’s usually more comfortable wearing shoes to get around. There’s a lot of history and care when it comes to shoes. Time to step up and learn about them!

CONNECT:
·    http://www.shoeshistoryfacts.com/ provides lots of historical facts about shoes – and even heels. 
·    Another site about the shoe history is http://www.footwearhistory.com/ (Do you know what a winkle-picker is??)
The history of running shoes are detailed at http://news.bbc.co.uk/sportacademy/hi/sa/athletics/features/newsid_3935000/3935703.stm
·    The Quicktime movie “Soutmate” offers a decade-by-decade look at Twentieth century shoe styles: http://www.centuryinshoes.com/

CREATE:

·    Ever want to experience being a Viking? You can make a Viking-like shoe by following the directions at http://earthandliving.blogspot.com/2008/08/viking-shoes-tutorial-sort-of.html
·    Play this shoe design game at http://www.games2girls.com/p/shoedesign/
·    What’s involved in making a shoe? Watch the video that demonstrates the process: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CItl38HGUJ0. Make a flowchart of the process.
·    Make a “trivia” game based on the following footwear facts website: http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0767796.html

CARE:
·    Ever have pinched toes or other foot pains because of bad-fitting shoes? It’s important to take care of your feet by choosing well-fitting shoes. http://www.epodiatry.com/children-footwear.htm provides some good tips.
·    Help save the planet: care for and repair your shoes: http://www.ssia.info/consumers/index.asp
·    Here are companies that make shoes from recycled materials: http://recycledreused.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/top-5-recycled-shoe-companies/
·    Donate shoes through https://soles4souls.org/donate or http://donateyouroldshoes.org/
·    Shoes are especially design for the disabled; compare them at http://www.podartis.com/orthopedic-shoes.html

CAREER:
If you follow the creation of a shoe, you’ll see several associated careers:
The beginning: Shoe design: http://www.theartcareerproject.com/shoe-design/
The end: Shoe repair: http://www.ssia.info/careers/index.asp
There are also manufacturing, packaging, distribution, and sales jobs.

Hurray for Halloween!

Whether you believe in ghosts or goblins, you probably have experienced Halloween. What’s it all about, and why do we celebrate it? Hopefully, the answers won’t spook you!

CONNECT:

• Here’s everything you ever wanted to know about pumpkins: http://www.pumpkin-patch.com/
• The History Channel  has several videos about Halloween around the world: http://www.history.com/topics/halloween-around-the-world
• Did you know that candy corn is over a 100 years old – and that it wasn’t always associated with Halloween? Find out about its history at http://www.hauntedbay.com/history/candycorn.shtml
• Los Dias de los Muertos, or the Mexican Days of the Dead Festival, shares some of its origins with Halloween. Find out about this event and other festivals of the dead at http://edsitement.neh.gov/not-just-halloween-festivals-dead-around-world
• R. L. Stine is a scream for lots of middle school readers. Here’s his online nightmare room [enter at your own risk]: http://www.thenightmareroom.com/

CREATE:

• What does ice cream have to do with Halloween? This website by Ben & Jerry’s has fun Halloween activities and crafts: http://www.benjerry.com/halloween/
• Are you batty about bats? You can make some fun bat crafts at http://www.dltk-holidays.com/halloween/bat_crafts.html
• Learn the history of pumpkin carving, and how to carve your own at http://www.pumpkin-carving.com/.  (Make sure you do this as a family so everyone is safe.)
• Be creative with do-it-yourself costuming; get some good ideas at http://www.robinsfyi.com/holidays/halloween/costumes.htm
• Try cooking up some yummy Halloween snacks by checking out http://www.babble.com/best-recipes/halloween-recipes-kids-treats-party-food/ and http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/holidays-and-entertaining/holidays/halloween/kids-party-menu.aspx

CARE:

• Halloween can be scary and even unsafe. Get some safety tips at http://www.halloweenmagazine.com/play2.html
• Want to make a child happy? Help them plan a Halloween party. Here are some fun ideas: http://www.marthastewart.com/274488/halloween-games/@center/1006806/halloween-parties
• Do you have a college-age relative or friend? They would probably like a Halloween care package; check out http://www.parade.com/211055/nancyberk/halloween-in-a-box-sending-seasonal-college-care-packages/ for ways to help the collegiate be in high spirits.
• Show you care by making a homemade Halloween card: for the hospitalized, day care centers, or the elderly: http://www.making-handmade-cards.com/card-making/category/card-ideas-by-occasion/halloween-card-making-idea/
• Here are some good ideas for Halloween service projects: http://www.icanteachmychild.com/2012/10/ideas-for-halloween-service-projects/

CAREER:

Think of all the people associated with Halloween: pumpkin (and sugar cane and chocolate and… ) farmers and growers, transportation workers, nutritionists, artists, costumers, manufacturers, packagers, sales people, writers, party planners, film makers, entertainers, clergy.  You might trace a Halloween product from its raw materials to your doorstep.

• Here are a few Halloween-inspired careers: http://myfootpath.com/mypathfinder/job-seekers-find-a-halloween-inspired-career/
• Here’s a fun take on careers: 10 scary jobs: http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2012/10/31/the-10-spookiest-jobs/ 
• You can find out 10 ways that Halloween is like a career at http://careersoutthere.com/10-ways-halloween-is-like-your-career/