Weather or Not

Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it. Well, you can certainly prepare for it, enjoy it, and even make it.

Connect:

• How does weather happen? Check out Weather WizKids, which includes explanations about climate and many kinds of weather: http://www.weatherwizkids.com/
• See some striking pictures of lightning, and learn how it works at http://www.chaseday.com/lightning.htm
• Check out this cloud boutique about different types of cloud formations: http://vortex.plymouth.edu/clouds.html/
• Did you know that there are different kinds of weather maps? Check them out at http://www.intellicast.com/. You can track weather, find out about weather alerts, as well as check the weather in your area.
• Weather occurs in outer space, not just on earth, such as geomagnetic storms. You may have heard about sun storms. NASA has great images and info about the sun-earth environment: http://www.spaceweather.com/

Create:

•  Make a tornado in a bottle, following the directions at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42CPZLtnevAhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbHrbj8iS and http://www.ehow.com/way_5914962_homemade-tornado-tube.html
• You can even make your own weather station! http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/education/kids/things-to-do/weather-station
• Bay Kids’Weather Page (http://library.thinkquest.org/3805/) was created by sixth graders. It’s filled with facts, stories, and activities. You can add to this site.
• El Niño means more than “infant; it’s unusually hot weather caused by hot water from western South America. You can simulate El Niño by following the directions from the Franklin Institute: http://sln.fi.edu/weather/nino/index.html

Care:

• It’s important to be prepared for stormy weather. Owlie Skywarn’s comic book format provides practical tips for a variety of storms: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/brochures/OwlieSkywarnBrochure.pdf
• You know, animals get cold too. The American Animal Hospital Association shares winter pet care: http://www.weather.com/outlook/homeandgarden/pets/articles/d59
• You may have heard about global climate change. You can actually be part of the solution by participating in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency work: http://epa.gov/climatechange/kids/index.html
• You can share your photos about weather with the rest of the world. Submit them at http://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/tags/weather/

Careers:

What can you do about the weather? Make a career out of it! You can watch it, record it, communicate about it, measure it, predict it, and respond to it. Here are some possibilities.  Some of the key terms associated with weather careers include “atmospheric science,” “meteorology,” “

• http://www.nwas.org/links/career_info.php
• http://www.theweatherchannelkids.com/weather_ed/careers_in_meteorology/
• http://www.ametsoc.org/pubs/careers.html

Mommies Dearest

Mother’s Day is coming, so it’s a good time to explore the world of moms. Even if our mothers are not around, we all had one. And we can think about our friends’ mothers, our teachers who are mothers, even our pet mothers. And don’t forget Mother Earth!

CONNECT:

• What is the history of Mother’s Day? Find out at http://www.mothersdaycentral.com/about-mothersday/history/
• Discover how Mother’s Day is celebrated around the world: http://www.mothersdaycelebration.com/mothers-day-around-world.html
• How do you write Mother and Mother’s Day in different languages? Find out at http://www.dayformothers.com/mothers-day-in-different-languages.html
• The Los Angeles Times salutes famous mothers in history: http://articles.latimes.com/2011/may/08/image/la-ig-moms-20110508
• Animal moms take care of their young; just look at these Time magazine photos to see their amazing efforts: http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1987961,00.html

CREATE:

• Be crafty for Mother’s Day; try making something original for a mom: http://www.bhg.com/holidays/mothers-day/crafts/mothers-day-crafts-for-kids/ and http://www.parentmap.com/article/25-homemade-mothers-day-gifts-that-kids-can-make
• Share a poem with a mother – or create your own. Here’s a starting collection: http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/holiday/mothers-day-poems.asp
• Try whipping up a meal for Mom: here are some easy recipes: http://www.kidsgen.com/events/mothers_day/recipes.htm
• How well do you know about your mother and Mother’s Day? You can make a quiz, starting with ideas from http://www.dayformothers.com/games/quiz-on-mothers-day.html

CARE:

• Yes, we need to take care of Mother Earth. Here are some ways to help: http://gardenclub.homedepot.com/earth-day-activities-kid-friendly-ways-to-celebrate-mother-earth/
• Is there a mother you know who is a hero? You can contribute her story to the MY HERO Project: http://www.myhero.com
• Teenage mothers can have a challenging time raising a child. http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/parenting_as_a_teenager.html/context/1000 provides some insights; even though it’s from Australia, the issues are universal.
• There are lots of mothers who are in hospitals, retirement homes, and so forth. You can show your car by sending them a Mother’s Day card or original photo showing an animal mother. Get photo tips from National Geographic: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/activities/moreactivities/photography101/

CAREERS:
Nowadays, the majority of mothers work at least some time outside the home. Here are some pointers for having a career while being a mom:
http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/10-careers-for-power-moms.htm
http://www.forbes.com/sites/meghancasserly/2011/03/03/the-best-jobs-for-working-moms/
http://www.workingmother.com/research-institute/what-moms-choose-working-mother-report