Windows to the World

 

Buildings would be mainly dark and gloomy without windows. See the light about windows by doing these online-based activities.

 

CONNECT:

• Watch a clear history of windows at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgiC8uG4Kpc
• Did you know that there are different types of windows? Get the facts (and pictures) at https://kids.kiddle.co/Window
• See 1000 years of stained glass in 5 minutes at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDrHv9U88zo

 

CREATE:

• Try 10 ways to use a window for play at https://www.cbc.ca/parents/play/view/10-ways-to-use-a-window-for-play
• Create mess-free window art with foam shapes and water at https://happyhooligans.ca/window-art-foam-shapes-water/
• Make stained class with tissue paper at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHax38AtEuI

 

CARE:

• Celebrate Window Safety Week with these kid-friendly resources: https://www.nsc.org/getmedia/ba6ff4b1-6bc8-428c-9c91-a02b1b17f059/window-safety-week-kids-activities-2017.pdf
• For families: Watch how window safety systems came to be—and how to be window-safe at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkhdCNLXJ6Q
• Use science to test energy efficient windows at https://www.education.com/science-fair/article/energy-efficient-windows/
• For families: Homes can lose lots of heat through windows. See tips to cut heat loss of windows by following these tips at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TAoZiDprZk

 

CAREERS:

Are you looking into a window-ful career? You might make windows, sell them, install them, clean them, cover them, or decorate them.  See some of the possibilities here.  

• Watch how window glass is made at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTytNLJ25RU
• See how to make stained glass at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqXTKnAo3Jg

Clean Up with Soap

 Can you imagine a world without soap? Get the dirt on soap with these online activities.

 

CONNECT:

• How does soap work? Watch how at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XR7agvwDOD4
• Watch this history of soap and how it is made now at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FST4B_IXjUQ
• You can make a soap timeline by using these fun historical facts about soap: https://ukcleaning.co.uk/2017/12/11/15-fun-facts-about-soap-2/

 

CREATE:

• Watch soap grow at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WA30cC9gy0. Then try it yourself!
• Make your own super soap bubbles the scientific way at https://www.homesciencetools.com/article/how-to-make-super-bubbles-science-project/
• Have some clean fun with these soap experiments: https://teachmama.com/soap-experiments/

 

CARE:

• How do soap and water make us clean? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XR7agvwDOD4
• Make a special soap gift by carving it. Follow the directions at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlonSS210Qs.  You can make your own design.
• For parents: get tips on cleaning safety for kids at https://www.cleaninginstitute.org/cleaning-tips/parents-and-caregivers/cleaning-safety-for-kids

 

CAREERS:

Think you’d like to “clean up” by having a soap-related career? Think of the possibilities: car washer, hair dressers, pet groomer, soap maker or seller, cleaner, scientist, even soap artist.

• A day in the life of a pet groomer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXQ9pjEmjkk
• Liquid soap manufacturing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzH2YrT9_p4
• Dry cleaning process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6ZU0Hc3ap8

 

Rah for Rice

Rah for Rice

Rice is a staple food for people around the world. But how much do you know about this vital grain? Discover why you should hurray for rice by exploring these activities.

CONNECT:

• Check out these fun facts about rice at https://freerice.com/blog/10-fascinating-facts-about-rice
• Watch how rice is grown at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxAEiHCErSA&t=28s
• See how kids react to rice dishes from around the world at
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=et1yp1pnw3A
• Be amazed with the science of rice at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4im1TNpPlOg

CREATE:

• Fill your senses with these rice-based sensory play ideas: https://besttoys4toddlers.com/rice-sensory-play-ideas-kids/
• Try these run rice crafts and recipes for kids: https://funfamilycrafts.com/rice-activities-crafts-for-kids/
• Make rice dance by following these directions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alMD3dq7Nec

CARE:

• How healthy is rice? Find out at https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-rice
• What would happen if you ate rice every day? Get the answers at https://www.eatingwell.com/article/8039484/eating-rice-every-day/
• Check out these tips on handling rice safely: https://www.torbay.gov.uk/business/food-safety/handling-rice-safely/

CAREERS:

Might rice be a staple part of your career? You can grow it, process it, sell it, cook with it, study it, even make art with it. Here are some possibilities:

• https://www.usarice.com
• Rice processing with technology: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ray8LsGvvgQ
• Rice artist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AruavMuIGpc

 

 

 

 

Count on Carbon

What do coal and diamonds have in common? They are both carbon! Dig into this fundamental element with these online activities.

CONNECT:

• Get the facts about carbon at https://easyscienceforkids.com/uses-of-carbon-video-for-kids/
• Watch the carbon cycle – and why it is so important at https://youtu.be/p3R-dB9K4ss
• See carbon chemistry at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gipyujuKMf4

CREATE:

• Draw with carbon in the form at charcoal at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsK2KQoxa-U
• Manage carbon in your garden with the guidance of https://kidsgardening.org/resources/digging-deeper-carbon-cycle-and-carbon-sequestration/
• Experiment with carbon dioxide at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JcEQnDHLi4

CARE:

• Carbon and oxygen together can be healthy or deadly. Discover the impact of carbon monoxide on your body at https://www.funkidslive.com/learn/safety-seymour/effects-carbon-monoxide-can-have-on-our-bodies-find-out-with-safety-seymour/
• What is a carbon footprint, and how do you reduce it? Find out at https://www.gokid.mobi/activities-for-kids-to-reduce-carbon-footprint/
• Check out ways to reduce carbon emissions at https://8billiontrees.com/carbon-offsets-credits/carbon-ecological-footprint-calculators/kids/

CAREERS:

Do you see the many career facets of carbon? Scientist, manufacturer, jeweler, artist, health care professional, chef, geologist, policy maker? Here is a glimpse of job opportunities.

• https://www.ziprecruiter.com/t/Most-Popular-Types-Of-Carbon-Emissions-Jobs
• Pencil manufacturing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqs3fxfmWr4
• How to cut a diamond: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lk8p0re8Eg
• Carbon projects: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yt5ySWAWWWw

What a Card!

 

Especially in these days where we need to stay inside card playing can be a great family activity. Find out the background of playing cards and card games in the following activities.

 

CONNECT:

• Get the facts about playing cards at https://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc2/the-feed/its-card-playing-day-on-december-28
• Playing cards have been around for over a millennium; trace their history at https://www.i-p-c-s.org/history.html
• Watch how playing cards are manufactured at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZuFe-M3yOI

 

CREATE:

• Why spend money on fancy cards when you can play these fun classics using a traditional deck? https://www.fatherly.com/play/the-best-card-games-for-kids/
• Watch how to do three easy card tricks at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsXQONiRH8Q
• Make your own playing cards and games using this template: https://www.wired.com/2008/07/help-your-kids/. They can become a family favorite – or a fun gift for friends.

 

CARE:

• Learn about various cultures through card games at https://thetravellingmom.ca/best-card-games/
• Gamify learning by making a card game on any subject; here are some tips: https://www.homeschooling-ideas.com/make-a-card-game.html
• Do you like trading card games? Here are some tips for playing respectfully: https://medium.com/@Petualang80/yugioh-trading-card-game-etiquette-rules-for-respectful-play-ba07dadd8f3b

 

CAREERS:

If you play your cards right, you can find a career based on playing cards. It’s not a gamble. Here are some leads, so ante up. https://www.screenskills.com/careers/job-profiles/games/

 

 

Keeping It Clean

It’s time to come clean about cleaning. We know the importance of cleanliness, but how does cleaning work? Have some good clean fun!

CONNECT:

• Learn all about the history, chemistry, and manufacturing of soaps and detergents at http://www.cleaninginstitute.org/clean_living/kids_corner.aspx
• What’s the science of soap bubbles? See the details at http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/bubbles/soap.html
• Learn about composting, recycling, waste-to-energy plants, and landfills at this fun colorful site: http://www.wasteinplace.org/
• It’s one thing to clean up a spill around the house. What about an ocean? How do you clean up an oil spill? Find out on this site from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/oil-and-chemical-spills/oil-spills
• What is hazardous waste and how do we clean it up? http://www.tpt.org/newtons/TeacherGuide.php?id=1413

CREATE:

• Try a variety of soap crafts at http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/barsofsoapcraftsideasdecorationskids.html
• Have fun with these soap experiments using a microwave: http://www.kiwicrate.com/projects/Ivory-Soap-and-Microwave/617
• Make your own soap by following these PBS directions: http://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-for-kids/handmade-soaps/
• This website title tells it all: http://leftbraincraftbrain.com/2014/05/16/how-bubbles-work-20-things-to-do-with-them/

CARE:

• Is your house a mess? This site will help you learn how to organize your house and do various other things such as remove stains. http://www.housecleaning-tips.com/
• The Superfund Program helps clean up the environment. Many areas of the environment are contaminated with hazardous waste. Try these super activities to help clean up the land: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/kids/index.htm
• Take good care of your body – it’s the only one you have. Here are some tips: http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetailsKids.aspx?p=335&np=289&id=2146
• Here is how to get your dog clean: http://www.dog-obedience-training-review.com/bathing-your-dog.html

CAREER:

You can really “clean up” in a career that involves cleaning: from manufacturing to doing cleaning commercially.

https://collegegrad.com/careers/building-and-grounds-cleaning

http://www.cleaninginstitute.org/clean_living/soaps__detergents_manufacturing.aspx

String Me Along

String me along

The lowly string has a long history and many purposes. It is fun to play with (just ask a kitten) and it can save lives when you need to get stitched up from an operation. Try this string of activities below.

CONNECT:

• How do stringed musical  instruments work? Research it at http://www.ducksters.com/musicforkids/string_instruments.php
• What do sheep intestines and violins have in common? Watch how gut strings are made: at http://www.kansastravel.org/balloftwine.htm
• String theory: you may have heard about it on the Big Bang Theory TV show; here’s an 11 year old’s version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXqvwGT8l9w
• What is a quipu? It’s how Incas communicated. See how to share information with string at http://www.ancientscripts.com/quipu.html
• Watch the history of string in art: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-By5ZAFCmwE

CREATE:

• The famous French writer Guy de Maupassant said he could write about anything, so he was challenged to write a short story about a piece of string. Here it is: http://www.classicshorts.com/stories/string.html. What story could you write about string?
• Try weaving with string: http://www.handsoncrafts.org/002.htm
• Have fun playing string games: http://www.kidspot.com.au/kids-activities-and-games/Activity-ideas+30/5-top-string-games-fun-string-figures-for-kids+11984.htm
• Make your own stringed instrument by following the directions at http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/make-guitars-crafts.html
• Strings can help you learn math. Making your own string art picture, and you’ll be connecting the dots about math at the same time: http://www.mathcats.com/crafts/stringart.html

CARE:

• Entertain a sick friend by making string figures: http://www.alysion.org/figures/introkids.htm
• Wrapping packages often uses string. See how 4-Hers wrapped gifts as a community service project: http://elkhartcounty4h.org/Manuals/GiftWrappingManual.pdf. You might try this activity as a fund-raiser too.
• In Kansas you can visit the largest ball of twine (a kind of string): http://www.kansastravel.org/balloftwine.htm   Maybe you can raise money with a string-collecting contest, and then give the balls of string to service agencies.

CAREERS:

No, I’m not stringing you along. There are a string of careers that use string: musicians, packaging and delivery services, manufacturing. You might even stretch the idea to including dentists (floss daily!). Look at some of these career sites:

https://www.careersinmusic.com

http://www.packworld.com/what-i-have-learned-%E2%80%A8about-career-packaging

http://www.bakercheese.com/   (string cheese!)

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physicians-and-surgeons.htm

http://www.ada.org/en/education-careers/careers-in-dentistry/

Sand: The Gritty Reality

You see sand in lots of places: the beach, on the playground, in gardens, as part of buildings. We even talk about sand in our eyes. But what about sand in windows and computers? Did you know that sand is the second most common element on earth (oxygen is first).  Sand is likely to be more important than you ever dreamed of.

CONNECT:

Not all sand is created equal; did you know that the best beaches are ranked by 50 criteria?  Take a look how sand is rated: http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/optics/olympusmicd/galleries/oblique/seasand1.html.

Trace how sand becomes a circuit at http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/history/museum-making-silicon.html

Watch how glass is made – from sand: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Glass

How does an hourglass measure time? The Library of Congress knows: http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/hourglass.html

CREATE:

Search “sand” at http://kinderart.com/. You’ll find lots of sand-based art activities to do: sand painting, sand jars, even dinosaur treasure eggs.

Learn how to do sand sculpting at http://www.virtualnjshore.com/tbsandcastles.html

Practice being a sand scientist at http://faculty.pasadena.edu/dndouglass/sand/SandExrc.htm

There are a surprising number of statistics about sand. Try a Google image search on “sand statistics.’ Any surprises?

CARE:

You can contribute to the global virtual sand collection: http://faculty.pasadena.edu/dndouglass/sand/sandmap.htm

Have fun and be eco-friendly by make recycled sand and water toys: http://www.inhabitots.com/how-to-make-recycled-sand-and-water-toys/

Help save sand dunes at http://www.envirolink.org/resource.html?itemid=799&catid=5

Find out about the importance of reefs, including sand ones, and how you can help protect them: http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/reef/?ar_a=1

CAREERS:

Sand is used in manufacturing, whether to sand down items or build them. Sand is used in energy, such as the oil industry. Sand is used in science: archeology, chemistry, physics, oceanography, and so on. Sand is part of the tourist industry too. The jobs associated with sand may be as numerous as the grains of sand on the beach!

http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Sand.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBPqWa1vDTM

Really? Manufacturing sand? Here’s why: http://www.metso.com/miningandconstruction/mm_sepa.nsf/WebWID/WTB-120530-2256F-72E1B/$File/Why%20manufactured%20sand.pdf

http://www.sand.org/

BTW: Sand in your eyes isn’t really sand; it’s rheum – dried mucus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rheum)