Baubles, Bangles, and Beads

Jewelry has been worn for millennia, all the way back to a pretty shell that might be woven into one’s hair. Each culture has unique jewelry based on local resources, and jewelry has migrated across cultures. Jewelry can be free or very expensive – and handmade as well as commercial. Try these gems of jewelry-related activities.

CONNECT:

• Jewelry started over 100,000 years ago! Trace the timeline of jewelry at http://www.historyofjewelry.net/jewelry-facts/jewelry-timeline/
• You can see more examples of jewelry of the past, as displayed at the Victoria & Albert Museum: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/h/history-jewellery/
• Do you have an extra $83 million to buy a diamond? See the rarest and most valuable gems in the world at http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/game-of-stones/top-ten-rarest-gemstones/
• Watch how a watch is made: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXt-QANAa2U

CREATE:

• Create kid-friendly jewelry following the directions at http://www.education.com/activity/beads-jewelry/
• Make a box for your jewelry: http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/jewelryboxescraftsideasactivitieskids.html
• Here’s a recipe for making diamonds: http://www.livescience.com/32266-how-are-diamonds-made.html
• Diamonds are “hard”y friends; you can even cut steel with diamonds.  Scratch rocks via Mohs Hardness Scale: http://geology.com/minerals/mohs-hardness-scale.shtml

CARE:

• Try one of these 13 weird ways to clean silver (including jewelry): http://www.rd.com/home/cleaning-organizing/how-to-clean-silver/
• Thinking of getting your ears pierced? Doctors get you good advice: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/piercings/art-20047317
• Follow pictures to make simple jewelry repairs: http://www.wikihow.com/Repair-Jewelry
• Be ecological by making jewelry by recycling materials: http://www.inhabitots.com/7-arts-and-crafts-projects-for-kids-that-encourage-recycling-and-reuse/diy-kids-jewelry-jennie-lyo7/

CAREERS:

Want a gem of a job? Look at these:

http://www.gia.edu/careers-in-gems-jewelry

http://www.jewelers.org/ja/careers-education/jewelry-careers-guide

http://www.jewelrytraining.com/careers-in-jewelry.php

Put Some Skin in the Game

What’s the largest organ of your body? Your skin! Your skin has a big role in keeping your body together – in several ways. Explore the following websites – they are more than skin deep.

CONNECT:

• Skin can tell stories; explore the stories about the art and culture of Polynesian tattoo at http://www.pbs.org/skinstories/
• Do you wear animals? How about their skins? Here are the top 12 animals you probably didn’t realize suffered for fashion: http://www.petakids.com/photos/animals-people-wear/
• Read the history of leather at http://www.leatherresource.com/history.html
• Compare how real and synthetic leather are made: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM0MR2fyYRk and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGUZgs2TYTI
• What do movies and skin have in common? Watch how films have treated skin conditions, which actors have coped with skin diseases, and how movies promote myths about acne and other skin conditions -- at http://www.skinema.com/

CREATE:

• What is Mahndi? This is a 5000 year old form of body art that started in the Middle East and North Africa. Try your hand at it, consulting http://ssbea.mercer.edu/patelr/mehndi.htm and http://www.hennadesignsideas.com/henna-designs-for-kids/ and http://www.crayola.com/lesson-plans/mehndi-hands-lesson-plan/
• Pattern your art after animals with these nature-inspired activities: http://www.kidsplaybox.com/preschooler-pattern-activity/
• Try these leather crafts (remember than you can use “fake” leather): http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/leather-artscraftsideaskids.html
• Got that itchy feeling from poison ivy, oak or sumac? “Leaves of three, let them be.” Teach this tip and other recommendations found at http://poisonivy.aesir.com/view/

CARE:

• Find out how to take care of your skin so it will keep care of you: http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/skin-care.html
• Explore symptoms, treatment, and prevention of skin conditions at https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/skinconditions.html
• Get the “skinny” on acne, at http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Acne/default.asp
• What’s the most common cancer? Skin cancer. You find see trends in indoor tanning among US high school students, and that could raise their risk for later cancer. Leran how to protect yourself and your family at http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/index.htm
• How safe are the cosmetics that your family buys for the skin? Search the cosmetic database at http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ to find out.

CAREERS:

There will always be skin, so skin-related careers have a clear future: doctor, chemist, manufacturer, sales staff, esthetician, even artist. Check out these career leads:

http://meded.ucsf.edu/ume/career-information-dermatology

http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/esthetician-and-skincare-specialist