Easy as ABC or एबीसी

Little children learn their ABCs – or or other writing system. Each language has its own system of grammar or writing, and that system may change over time. Maybe ABC isn’t so simple after all.

CONNECT:

·         Explore writing systems from around the world from prehistory to the present day:  http://www.ancientscripts.com/ws.html

·         The ancient Sumerians were the first people to develop an actual written language:  cuneiform. Fnd out  more at http://mesopotamia.mrdonn.org/cuneiform.html

·         Uncover the holy writings of Egypt: hieroglyphics, at http://www.ngkids.co.uk/history/Hieroglyphics-uncovered

·         Not all alphabet letters last. What happened to the letters wynn, yogh, ash, and eth, for instance? Find out about these extinct letters (at least in English) at http://mentalfloss.com/article/31904/12-letters-didnt-make-alphabet

·         Even a single alphabet can be written in several ways, as shown in this typeface periodic table:

http://www.squidspot.com/Periodic_Table_of_Typefaces/Periodic_Table_of_Typefaces_large.jpg

CREATE:

·         Public TV offers fun ABC activities for little ones: http://pbskids.org/games/abc/

·         Play alphabet whack-a-mole and other alphabet game: http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/alphabet_games.html

·         An anagram is a word or phrase formed by reordering the letters of another word or phrase, such as satin to stain. At http://www.wordsmith.org/anagram/index.html you input words or names and it will rearrange the letters into combinations of other words.

·         Write a message in ASCII (computer binary system to code letters) and ASCII-based graphics (such as barbwire, tinker toy, trek) using this ASCII generator: http://www.network-science.de/ascii/

·         Try your hand at calligraphy: http://tinkerlab.com/introduce-kids-calligraphy/

·         Make your own alphabet or even your own language: http://www.instructables.com/id/Making-your-own-Language/

CARE:

·         Morse Code was often used to signal for help. Try communicating using Morse Code letters:  http://www.happychild.org.uk/ifs/00003mrs.htm

·         The most commonly used system of writing by and for blind persons is called Braille: a system of 63 raised characters made of clusters of dots. Learn how to write in Braille, even music notation! http://braillebug.afb.org/Braille.asp

·         Some people with hearing impairments communicate in sign language: creating letters and words with your hands and body. Watch sign language about school at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uW2OQtEzUc

·         Make an alphabet book for a little child following these simple directions: http://www.education.com/activity/article/letterbook_preschool/

CAREERS:

The writing system is a key to communicating across the world and over the ages. You can make a career studying and using alphabets: as a anthropologist, linguist, graphic designer, publisher, and book maker, to name a few.

http://www.allaboutcareers.com/careers/career-path/calligraphy-typography

http://www.theguardian.com/careers/behind-the-job-title-typeface-designer

http://orthographic-projection.weebly.com/who-uses-orthographic-drawings.html

Birds of a Feather

Birds are all around us, but do we really see or value them? Find out about the original Bird Land by doing these activities.

CONNECT:

• Explore the evolution and diversity by clicking on this wall of birds: https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/features/wallofbirds/
• Watch birds migrate across the hemisphere: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/mesmerizing-migration-watch-118-bird-species-migrate-across-a-map-of-the-western-hemisphere/
• View a Quicktime time-lapse movie of a hatching chick: http://www.msichicago.org/experiment/videos/the-hatchery/
• Each bird has a distinctive sound; hear the sounds of Florida’s birds at http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/birds/florida-bird-sounds/; compare them to New York birds: http://www.math.stonybrook.edu/~tony/birds/
• Get an eggs-tra special look at birds through their eggs: http://www.royalalbertamuseum.ca/exhibits/online/eggs/vexhome/egghome.htm
• What makes a bird of prey? Find out at http://idahoptv.org/sciencetrek/topics/birds_of_prey/index.cfm

CREATE:

• Discover why birds have different bills, and see if you can match each bird to its favorite food: http://projectbeak.org/adaptations/beaks_test.htm
• How much do you know about the feathered visitors to your backyard? Put your bird brain to work on this quiz: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/backyard-birds-quiz/
• Try these fun activities from Audubon about birds: http://web4.audubon.org/educate/kids/
• Make your own craft-y birds following the directions at http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/birds.html
• Birds come in a range of sizes: from 3 inches to six feet; browse them at http://www.whatbird.com/browse/attribute/birds_na_147/51/Size/

CARE:

• Considering owning a pet bird? Here’s a guide to parrots and other exotic pet birds: http://www.birdsnways.com/
• Feed the birds by creating a garden for them: http://feederwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/BirdNote13-Creating-a-Garden-2012-03-27-RGB.pdf
• Bird watching is not only a fun activity, but it can also be a service. See how you and other kids can make a difference in the science field at http://gbbc.birdcount.org
• Why do birds hit windows – and how can you help prevent that happening? Find out at http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/bird_safe_windows.html

CAREERS:

There are many careers “for the birds”: ornithologist, naturalist, researcher, veterinarian, illustrator, writer, photographer, trainer, entertainer, sales person, manufacturer and many more. Read stories of bird lovers with careers at http://betterwords.typepad.com/birdvice/2009/01/careers-in-birds.html

Here are some other leads:

http://ebird.org/content/ybn/resources/careers/

http://www.environmentalscience.org/career/ornithologist