Fantastic! Beasts!

If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you have probably of its fantastic beasts. However, fantastic beasts have existed for thousands of years. Experience these imaginative creatures in the activities below.

CONNECT:

• Watch the myth and truth about mythical creatures from around the world at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgLzwPQB0_4
• Learn how science explains about mythical creatures at https://theportalist.com/7-mythological-creatures-explained-by-science
• OK, let’s recognize the obvious: Rowling’s fantastic beasts. And where do you find them besides in a book? Here at https://www.pottermore.com/features/care-of-magical-creatures-illustrations-introducing-new-fantastic-beasts
• Can animals fantasize? Find out the answer at http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20130207-can-animals-imagine

CREATE:

• Little ones will enjoy these playful games about mythical creatures: https://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/category/topics/mythical-creatures
• Watch this video to see how to draw your own fantasy animals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYTR9f6Xl9E
• Enjoy these kid-friendly mythical creature crafts: http://learncreatelove.com/crafts/character-mythical-crafts/
• Want to play unicorn? Try these DIY costumes: https://www.seventeen.com/fashion/g2907/diy-unicorn-costumes/

CARE:

• Want to cheer up a friend or relative? Try reading them fantasy poems: https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poems/other/fantasy
• Write a fantasy animal tale for a friend using these story starters: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/story-starters/fantasy-writing-prompts/
• To help you further with storytelling, use this fantasy animal name generator: http://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/fantasy-animal-names.php
• Share your happiness with a unicorn party: http://www.eatingwell.com/article/290721/magical-unicorn-birthday-party-ideas-for-kids/

CAREERS:

Do you fantasize about your career? It may merge with fantastic creatures: as a writer, illustrator, film-maker, or designer. Imagine the possibilities here:

http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/writing-fantasy-how-to-write-fresh-when-following-a-recipe

http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2014/05/fantasy-illustrations-alexandra-khitrova/

https://www.filmconnection.com/movie-genres/scifi/

https://www.disd.edu/careers-interior-design.php

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What’s Up, Doc?

We all need to keep healthy, and many kinds of people in the health care industry can help use. Find out more about what they do in the following activities. You might want to become one of those helpers yourself!

CONNECT:

• Watch a day in the life of a pediatrician (a doctor who treats youth): https://www.fda.gov/drugs/developmentapprovalprocess/howdrugsaredevelopedandapproved/
• What does it take to run a hospital? It’s a complex system, as you will find out at http://blog.soliant.com/healthcare-workers/what-it-takes-to-run-a-hospital/
• Watch 200 year of medicine at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qxx14RCxblg
•  How are drugs developed and approved? The federal government shares their perspective: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/developmentapprovalprocess/howdrugsaredevelopedandapproved/

CREATE:

•  "Lose a Million (Bacteria)" is a fun, interactive game; its object is to lose bacteria: https://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodScienceResearch/ToolsMaterials/ucm212691.htm
•  Playing doctor for little ones can include art activities, games, and songs as seen at http://www.childfun.com/themes/people/doctors/
•  Here are health crafts to make: https://www.daniellesplace.com/html/doctor-nurse-crafts.html
• Make your own doctor or nurse costume: http://www.ziggityzoom.com/activity/easy-nurse-costume-or-doctor-costume-make and https://www.care.com/c/stories/7201/how-to-make-a-doctor-costume/

CARE:

• Sports injuries are a serious problem for both amateur and professional players. Here is an online guide to sports medicine for youth: http://kidshealth.org/en/teens/sports-injuries.html?ref=search&WT.ac=msh-t-dtop-en-search-clk
• Here’s the place for girls’ health: mind and body. This website includes healthy tips, videos and games: http://www.iemily.com/
• What is it like to stay at a hospital and have an operation? Get advice at http://www.chop.edu/patients-and-visitors/kids-health-galaxy-our-web-site-kids
• Be healthy and safe this Halloween by following these tips: https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm230283.htm

CAREERS:

• Interested in a career in health care? Look at all the jobs you could do: https://www.snagajob.com/job-descriptions/healthcare
• Here’s how to navigate your journey through medical school: https://students-residents.aamc.org/
• Who does what in a medical office: http://managemypractice.com/who-does-what-in-a-medical-office-basic-position-descriptions/
• Want to manufacture medicines? Find out about the industry at https://collegegrad.com/industries/pharmaceutical-and-medicine-manufacturing

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/