The Circle Of Life

We’re all connected, not just in our families or communities, but with all living things. And they are also connected to water, air, and the rest of the earth. Find out how these elements work together in the great circle of life.

CONNECT:

• Different types of plants animals grow in different climates. Imagine a cactus in the Arctic or polar bears  in the jungle. To appreciate the differences, try some of the activities at http://www.nclark.net/CommunitiesBiomes
• Plants and other living things depend on each other; the system is called ecology.  Explore some ecology activities at http://www.biologyjunction.com/unit9_ecology.htm#POWERPOINTS
• What’s a food web? Think of it as an inter-related food chain.  Spin your food web in this simulation: http://www.nclark.net/CommunitiesBiomes (you might want to check out the whole ecolab set of activities as background information).
• The status of one animal impacts the status of another; see how moose and wolves reflect predator-prey dynamics at http://www.onlinelearningexchange.com/texas_demo/assets/bio_11b_interactive_art_moose/elab2.html
• How do diseases spread? See how populations impact the dynamics of diseases at Speed Sim (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/speed-sim-spatial-population/id437545518?mt=8).

CREATE:

• The prairie is one of North America's great ecosystems, and a vital habitat for many plants and animals. Can you turn a bare dirt field into a thriving prairie? Take the restoration challenge in this interactive game! http://www.bellmuseum.umn.edu/games/prairie/build/index.html
• Explore the amazing world of recycling for kids with a range of fun experiments, free games, crazy facts, cool projects, interesting videos, quizzes and more! http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/recycling.html
• Recycle these great ideas of crafts made from recycled materials: http://www.planetpals.com/recycle_crafts_kids.html
• Here are 20 toys you can make from trash: http://bigspringenvironmental.com/20-toys-to-make-from-trash/

CARE:

• The Greenhouse Effect is not the result you want when growing plants. Since out how greenhouse gases affect climate at http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/greenhouse
• Smog:  smoke and fog – and more. Try the simulation Smog City (http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/smogcity.html) and accompanying activity to find out what causes smog -- and the worst conditions for smog. What can your family to to help address the smog problem?
• Want to go green? Play these environment games to learn about some of the issues, and how to deal with them:  http://ecogamer.org/environmental-games
• Find out ways that your community can reduce waste by checking out the garbage scene at http://www.learner.org/interactives/garbage/intro.html

CAREER:

• Brainstorm all the careers that come to mind when you think about ecology. The list may be longer than you think: http://careerservices.rutgers.edu/ecology.shtml
• Here are some simple descriptions of ecologist careers, along with ecology projects: http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/ecology/careers.html
• Want to make some “green” while work in the the green work sector? Check out http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/green-jobs-in-ecology.html

Here, Here, for Hair!

Hair is something that most people deal with. It’s not only a part of healthy living but it can also be a fashion statement. There’s a lot more than what meets the eye. Find out here – about hair.

CONNECT:

• http://www.hairfinder.com/kids_hairstyles.htm is a good sourse of information about hairstyles and advice for children and teens.  And guys can also check out http://coolmenshair.com/ (includes boys).
• http://www.myhaircuts.com/ includes points about healthy hair.
• Hair has been part of fashion since prehistory, as shown in this multimedia presentation: http://thehistoryofthehairsworld.com/
• One of the most famous inventors of hair products was Madame C. J. Walker. Find out more about this amazing African American entrepreneur at  https://webfiles.uci.edu/mcbrown/display/walker.html  and http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/cjwalker.html
• Everything you wanted to know about the science of hair: http://www.hair-science.com/_int/_en/index.aspx

CREATE:

• Do a virtual hair makeover on http://www.hairfinder.com/hair_imaging.htm. No cutting required
• Learn braiding techniques at http://www.princesshairstyles.com/, http://www.wikihow.com/Braid-Hair, and  http://2good2lose.com/braidyourhair.shtml
• There are several patterns for making hair accessories: http://www.favecrafts.com/Hair-Accessories/How-to-Make-Hair-Accessories-16-Free-Patterns
• Want to make someone’s hair stand out on end? Try this electricity experiment: http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/experiments/staticelectricity.html
• Try making your own shampoo and conditioner: http://www.diynatural.com/homemade-shampoo/

CARE:

• Locks of Love (http://www.locksoflove.org/) is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. There are several ways to help them.  
• The world is going green by using hair in unique ways: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,320571,00.html
• You might save family money by cutting hair at home (probably by teens and adults): http://www.wikihow.com/Cut-Hair
• Teach children how to take care of their hair: http://www.aad.org/dermatology-a-to-z/health-and-beauty/every-stage-of-life/children/teaching-healthy-hair-care. You might make a video or create a comic for them.

CAREER:

The first career that comes to mind is usually hair cutting and styling. (Cosmetology deals with the cosmetic condition of hair, not cosmology, which deals with astronomy.)  However, other careers deal with hair: chemistry, medicine, manufacturing and sales, photography, even weaving.  Check out some of these career  advice websites:

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/barbers-hairdressers-and-cosmetologists.htm

http://voices.yahoo.com/3-fun-beauty-hair-careers-6845686.html?cat=69

http://beautyschools.org/careers-in-beauty/

And here are 10 jobs where you can have weird hair: http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/Careers/11/24/cb.hair/    

FOR PARENTS:

http://www.parenting.com/article/easy-ways-care-for-your-childs-hair

What’s Cooking?

Cooking is a lifelong skill, and it can be fun and creative. Cooking also has cultural, scientific, and socio-political aspects. What’s cooking in your family?

CONNECT:

• There are lots of different ways to think about cooking: by ingredients, by culture, by holiday. http://www.spatulatta.com/ has hundreds of video recipes by these categories, and features fun recipes such as Teddy Bear Tea and Sea Turtle Taters.
• What is the science of cooking? Explore the science behind food and cooking at http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/
• Cooking reflects cultural perspectives. Compare these two sites, for instance: http://www.kids-cooking-activities.com/Mexican-cooking.html, http://members.tripod.com/~Nancy_J/kwanzaa.htm
• Food’s been around long before cooking or recipes. But humans have been improving on food for centuries. Trace food and cooking over time at http://www.foodtimeline.org/
• Where does food come from? Trace one fruit at http://www.watermelon.org/FAQ/FAQ-FunFacts.aspx

 CREATE:

• Create a recipe; many youngsters sent PBS fun recipes, that you can try: http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/cafe/
• Chemistry is related to cooking. Expand your ideas about recipes by trying slime recipes for kids: http://chemistry.about.com/od/letsmakeslime/Lets_Make_Slime.htm
• Create a nutritional plan as a family using http://www.letsmove.gov/plan-healthy-meal and http://www.choosemyplate.gov/
• Be creative about going meat-free; here is a good site for vegan cooking: http://vegweb.com/

CARE:

• Take care of your bones through good cooking and eating: http://www.bestbonesforever.gov/
• What is a sustainable diet in some countries? In some areas, it includes insects as a staple: http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/dept/bugfood1.asp
• Children's Hunger Relief Fund (http://www.chrf.org/) responds to children's immediate physical, emotional, and spiritual needs following drought, earthquake, hurricane, war, and other disasters.
• Wondering what you can do to help end world hunger? Visit  http://www.chrf.org/; the page sponsors donate money to the United Nations World Food Programme.

CAREER:

Cooking is a staple of life, so it’s no surprise that it is a staple in the arena of careers. And there are many jobs that contribute to cooking: agriculture, marketing, retail business, manufacturing, nutrition, home economics, restauranteur, and food services.

http://www.careeroverview.com/chef-careers.html

http://www.four-h.purdue.edu/foods/Careers%20Level%20A%20frame1.htm#top

http://www.usda.gov/documents/8-Careers.pdf

http://www.onetonline.org/find/career?c=1