Color Our World

It’s a colorful world! But how often do think about color? How is it made? What can we do with it? The following websites help you experience color from many different angles.

CONNECT:

If you mix primary colors, do you get black or white? YES! Find out why that happens by looking at http://www.omsi.edu/tech/colormix.php

How do other animals see color around them? Look through their eyes at http://www.colormatters.com/color-matters-for-kids/how-animals-see-color. This website also explains the anatomy of vision and color – as well as other color matters.

How are crayons made? Watch a couple of fun videos about their production: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMU-wXsgyR8 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5f7NuGkhX0

What is a rainbow? How are they made? Find the answers and more at http://eo.ucar.edu/rainbows/

Is the Milky Way really white? You might be surprised with the real answer: http://news.discovery.com/space/milky-way-colors-120111.htm

The French artist Matisse is known for his colorful painting. This website explains Matisse to children: http://www.artbma.org/flash/F_conekids.swf

Does white always mean purity? Does red almost mean anger? Colors symbolize different things in different cultures. See examples at: http://www.incredibleart.org/lessons/middle/color2.htm. This website has several other activities about color.

CREATE:

Try you hand at experimenting with color: http://www.crayola.com/for-educators/resources-landing/articles/color-experiments.aspx and http://www.projects-for-kids.com/science-projects/primary-colors.php

How about rainbows? Try activities from this sampler: http://www.sciencecompanion.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/RainbowColor-and-Light-Digital-Sampler.pdf

Why do leaves change color? Find out at http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/leaves.html. This website also gives you directions for you to separate colors in a leaf yourself.

Explore this artist’s toolkit on color: http://www.artsconnected.org/toolkit/explore.cfm

CARE:

By coloring, you can learn about the U. S. Forest Service, and how it helps save plants for everyone to enjoy: http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/kids/coloring/

Has your family created some great art? How to you take care of it? This website gives useful advice: http://www.bcagalleries.com/support.asp?section_ID=130&parent=130

You can recycle old crayons into “new” ones by following the directions at http://frugalliving.about.com/od/frugalfun/ht/Make_Crayons.htm

When did girls start wearing pink? The Smithsonian explains that history at http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/When-Did-Girls-Start-Wearing-Pink.html. Think about how families assign different things and actions to girls and boys. Should we be mixing things up a bit more – like colors?

CAREERS:

Color affects us in so many ways. Brainstorm all the careers that involve color. Your list might include artists, decorators, publishers, advertisers, eye doctors (e.g., ophthalmologists and optometrists), chemists, physicists, psychologists, anthropologists, manufacturers, even chefs.

Here’s an interview with a color specialist: http://www.jobshadow.com/interview-with-a-color-expert/

Want a cutting edge color-related job? How about polymer and color chemist? http://www.ncsu.edu/majors-careers/do_with_major_in/showmajor.php?id=94

If you’re interested in visual arts, this website has links to hundreds of careers: http://www.khake.com/page42.html

Look! Up in the Sky! It's a bird, it's a plane, it's your future!

What do you see in the sky at night? When the main light is the moon, you can oftentimes see stars, some of which might actually be planets. They are the same heavenly bodies that our ancestors saw, although there has been some movement over time.  Are the stars in your future? Explore now!

 CONNECT:

• Start by exploring the history of space at http://news.discovery.com/space/history-of-space
• Find out about lunar landings at http://www.kidport.com/reflib/science/moonlanding/moonlanding.htm (and maybe some of your relatives saw the first moon landing on TV!)
• What size would other planets look like if they were the same distance from earth as is the moon? See this simulation at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usYC_Z36rHw
• People have been observing the sky for thousands of years. One famous ancient observatory was Chichen Itza; find out more about that Mayan site at http://www.exploratorium.edu/ancientobs/chichen/flash.html 
• Amazing Space (http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/) uses the Hubble Space Telescope's discoveries to inspire and educate about the wonders of our universe.

CREATE:

• The magazine Sky and Telescope offers several interactive observation tools: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/javascript
• Tour the solar system at http://nineplanets.org/tour. The main site is an overview of the history, mythology, and current scientific knowledge of the planets, moons and other objects in our solar system. Each page has text and NASA's images, and some have sounds and movies.
• Anyone on the Internet can access the Bradford robotic telescope and ask it to look at anything in the northern night sky! The Web doesn't get more hands-on than this! http://www.telescope.org/
• The Solar System Simulator (http://space.jpl.nasa.gov/)  will show you a picture of any planet or moon as it would look if you were standing on another planet or traveling with one of the NASA space probes.
• http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/StarChild.html is a learning center for young astonomers.

CARE:

• Search for and design a habitable planet in this Astro-Venture: http://astroventure.arc.nasa.gov/
• People have been telling stories about stars for even longer than the Mayans. Read some of those star stories, especially as combinations of stars were labelled constellations: http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schooladventures/skywatch/stories/index.htm. Learn some of these stories, and tell them to the kids in your neighborhood; it’s a great babysitting activity!
• Teach others how to be a stargazer by studying this PBS website: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/worlds/stargazer.html
• NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is collecting information about resources on the moon; all of this information will help humans learn to live and work safely on another planetary body! http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/explore/LRO/ includes activities for children where they work in teams to prioritize environmental and scientific criteria to recommend a lunar landing site. Ultimately, they get to design and build a lunar colony!
• Want to show your love by naming a star after your special someone? It may be a scam. Find out the details at http://www.iau.org/public/buying_star_names/

CAREERS:

• Want a career in space? The first place you might think of is NASA, but its future is in jeopardy. Nevertheless, their website explains about space-related careers:  http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/careers-index.html
• This college teacher gives a realistic picture of astronomy-related careers, and suggess further resources: http://www.astronomynotes.com/careers.htm
• A really reputable source for finding out about physicists and astronomers careers is the U.S. Department of Labor: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/physicists-and-astronomers.htm

Fit Families

So how much time does your family spend on the Internet? Are you exercising your fingers more than your legs? You CAN use the Internet to help you get fit and stay fit. It’s a matter of what you access, and how you apply that knowledge. It’s time to walk the talk!

CONNECT:

• In order to be fit, it helps to know how the body works. You can watch movices, take quizes, and do activities all about the parts or your body: http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/#cat20130
• Hospitals want to keep you healthy; Kaiser Permanente’s webpage Kid Wisdom (http://info.kaiserpermanente.org/richmedia/kidWisdom/) has kid-friendly features and activities to develop healthy habits.
• You’d think that playing sports would be healthy, but consider all the accidents that occur. Should you avoid sports instead? No, you just have to learn to play them safely. KidsHealth has several sports safety tips as well as points for choosing the right sport for you: http://kidshealth.org/teen/nutrition_fitness_center/index.html?tracking=81347_C#cat20755
• Girls have different fitness needs than boys. Find out what works for girls at http://www.girlshealth.gov/fitness/index.html

CREATE:

• How fit is your family? This this free Health Risk Assessment as a family, and then follow some suggestions on improving your family’s fitness, found at http://www.fitkidsnc.com/AtHome.aspx
• Is your family thinking about getting some exercise equipment? Check before you buy. Exercise Equipment Review (http://www.exercise-equipment-review.com/ )links to sources of trusted reviews.
• There’s lots of fun fitness games at Kidnetic (http://www.kidnetic.com/), some created by kids. Try a few, design a dance, and test yourself.
• Bicycling can be a family-friendly way to keep fit. Find out resources, including 41,000 miles of cycling routes at the American Cycling Association website:  http://www.adventurecycling.org/. Try creating your own cycling route.

CARE:

• Special Olympics is a wonderful way to help people with disabilities have opportunities to excel in sports. You can get involved in several ways; check out http://www.specialolympics.org/Sections/Get_Involved/Get_Involved.aspx
• You can keep fit and help others keep fit outdoors by volunteering to help create and maintain trails. Participate in National Trails Day: http://www.americanhiking.org/national-trails-day/
• “It takes heart to be a hero!” That’s the American Heart Association slogan for helping donate to their cause. For example, you can participate in Jump Rope for Kids (http://www.kintera.org/site/c.dkLRKbOWLjK4E/b.8180513/k.BD61/Home.htm); you keep healthy, and help others get healthy along the way.
• You can create your own video workout: at http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/abs/create-your-own-video-workout/. Think about making one for a friend.

CAREERS:
Physical fitness trainers, sports coaches, physical therapists, kinesiologists, nutritionists, sports equipment manufacturers, naturalists, physicians, all help people keep fit. Check out some of those careers at:

• http://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/fitness-trainers-and-instructors.htm
• http://www.americankinesiology.org/careers-in-sport-fitness-and-exercise
• http://explorehealthcareers.org/en/Career/70/Physical_Therapist
• http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-career
• http://exercise.about.com/cs/forprofessionals/a/careers.htm

'Tis the Irish

March 17 is St. Patrick's Day, and you don't have to be Irish or Catholic to celebrate it. The concept of legendary heroes, particularly those who reflect the spirit of a country or other group, is universal. In this thematic set of activities, your family gets to explore various links to a real human legend. These activities can help you think of other cultural legends, and how they link us together.

CONNECT:

• What’s the story behind St. Patrick? Here’s a whole website about the day and the man: http://www.st-patricks-day.com/about_saintpatrick.html. It also features a cartoon video about St. Patrick.
• Why What other events and people are celebrated on March 17 (the date that St. Patrick died)? Find out at http://www.reference.com/thisday/
• Several symbols and traditions are associated with St. Patrick’s Day. Read about their meaning and origin at History Channel’s article:  http://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day-symbols-and-traditions.
• There are many Irish proverbs and sayings. See if you can figure out what they really mean: http://www.irishabroad.com/culture/proverbs/. For instance, “A good beginning is half the work.”

CREATE:

• Several myths about St. Patrick’s Day abound. Did he really drives all the snakes out of Ireland? Was he Irish? What is blarney? Referring to the National Geographic Society’s article about St. Patrick (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/03/0315_050315_stpatricksday.html), create a “blarney” or trivia game about St. Patrick. See if players can guess which statements are facts or blarney. You can make up your own myths, or research more facts, and add them to the game.
• Enchanted Learning (http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/stpatrick/) has lots of ideas for fun crafts for youngsters, many of them using items around the house.
• You don’t have to be Irish to eat like one. Here is a handful of traditional Irish recipes to try: http://www.history.com/topics/irish-recipes-st-patricks-day
• Have fun playing games with a St. Patrick’s Day theme: http://spoonful.com/st-patricks-day/st-patricks-day-games. You can change some of the details, and make them work for other holidays – or any day!

CARE:

• Saint Patrick was known for supporting the Irish, who were sometimes mistreated by others. Even today, some people are mistreated. Sometimes people who have disabilities, who are poor, or who are very young or very old may be mistreated. Cyberbullying is a form is mistreatment.  Here are some websites that can help you address cyberbullying mistreatment: http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/, http://cyberbully411.org/, http://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/index.html
• The potato is often associated with Ireland.  Find out what happened to the potato in Ireland: http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/historyonline/irish_potato_famine.cfm. Famines still occur in the world. For instance, East Africans suffer from hunger. CNN suggests ways that you can help: http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/07/20/iyw.howtohelp.somalia.famine/index.html
• St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. Most countries have special heroes who have cared for those people. Can you think of some? Ganghi? Martin Luther King? Can you think of someone who is a special hero to your area or your family? How can you be a special helper to others?

CAREER:

How might St. Patrick’s Day link to careers? You could become a historian, a religious leader, a party or events planner, a travel agent, a linguist, a costumer, a chef, a media maker. Or you might want to work in Ireland. It’s amazing how an interest can lead to a career. Get inspired by these ideas of travel-related careers.

http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/20-awesome-travel-jobs-and-how-to-get-them/

Read Across America

On March 1 people across the United States will “read across America.” The celebration focuses on reading that reflects the uniqueness of each state in the country. Your family can join in the fun. Even if you don’t make it on that day, remember that you can read across American EVERY day.

CONNECT:

The National Education Association, who started this celebration in 1998, offers resources and activities to enjoy: http://www.nea.org/grants/886.htm

One of the inspirations for “Read Across America” is Dr. Seuss, whose birthday is March 2. Salute Dr. Seuss with some of the activities mentioned at http://www.seussville.com/activities/RAA13_EduKit_Booklet_WEB.pdf

Watch prior Read Across America celebrations at http://www.readacrossamerica.org/?page_id=38

Love to travel but don’t have the money or the time? Here’s a way to travel across America by reading about all of the 50 states: http://www.nea.org/grants/50-state-booklist.html

What are some award-winning books to read for this occasion? First Book Marketplace has some great suggestions: http://www.fbmarketplace.org/

Want to hear what families say about about books for young readers? Listen to these podcasts: http://www.readwritethink.org/parent-afterschool-resources/podcast-series/chatting-about-books-recommendations-30130.html. There’s txting about teen readings too: http://www.readwritethink.org/parent-afterschool-resources/podcast-series/text-messages-recommendations-adolescent-30214.html

CREATE:

Even if someone in your family can’t read, there are always wordless books. Find out how to share one at http://vimeo.com/17817448 

Cook up some Seussical recipes: http://www.nea.org/grants/Seuss-inspired-recipes.htm

You can follow great reads at Google Lit Trips: http://googlelittrips.org/. You might try planning your own literacy trip using these tools.

Each state has its own reading awards. The list is found at http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/lit_resources/awards/stateawards.html.  Find out what’s being nominated in your state, and read those books. You might be able to vote to the winning one!

CARE:

Start reading at home. Even if your child is a baby, the experience of reading aloud to that baby in your lap sets up an atmosphere of love and literacy. Here are some more keys to helpin a child become a good reader: http://www.cta.org/raa

Reach Out and Read (http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/lit_resources/awards/stateawards.html)is a project that uses volunteers to help provide literacy-rich doctors’ literacy-rich waiting rooms. Family can help by reading aloud to children as well as donating gently used reading materials and furniture.

Like to read aloud? LibriVox volunteers read and record chapters of books in the public domain, and make them available for free on the Internet. Check out details and register at http://librivox.org/volunteer-for-librivox/

Reading is Fundamental (RIF) motivates children to read, and there are many ways to volunteer and donate. Check out the options at http://www.rif.org/us/get-involved/volunteer.htm

CAREER:

Almost all careers involve reading. If you like to read, here are some good career starters: librarain, writer, editor, publisher, teacher, historian, lawyer.

http://www.bls.gov/k12/reading.htm

http://education-portal.com/articles/Careers_for_Reading_Lovers.html

http://careers.collegetoolkit.com/career-search/criteria/skills/readingcomprehension.aspx

What's the Problem?

We encounter problems every day throughout our lives. And we usually cannot wish them away. If it’s the same problem we’ve solved before, then we can solve it the same way – or maybe we can think of a better solution. Different problems sometimes require different ways to address them. The following activities look at a variety of kinds of problems and ways to solve them – using technology. You’ll find that they can be fun to do – and can help you with those real-life problems that seemed impossible to solve before.

CONNECT:
•    Engineers often use design briefs as a systematic way to define and solve a problem. Read about this approach at http://www.technologystudent.com/designpro/problem1.htm. Think about your home; can you apply a design brief to solve a problem there?   
•    What is computational thinking? Think with and outside this interactive student’s box to find out: http://www.iste.org/Files/CT-animation_student.swf
•    Sometimes making ideas explode is a good idea. See how problem-solving techniques can result in a great fireworks display: http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/multimedia/series/AEMicrosites/art-of-the-explosion.aspx
•    How do inventors solve problems? Watch this video about Thomas Edison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgt9NCSqCjI. You can search for lots of inventors at http://web.mit.edu/invent/i-archive.html. This site also has fun interactive games about inventions: http://web.mit.edu/invent/g-main.html
•    Have you ever invented something? What would it take to get a patent for it? Find out at http://web.mit.edu/invent/h-main.html

CREATE:
•    Can you link art, baseball, and problem-solving? ArtsEdge can help you do that. Try their activity at: http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators/lessons/grade-3-4/All_Around_The_Baseball_Field.aspx
•    A math problem a day keeps the dead brain cells away. Choose from over 100 activities, listed by grade: http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivitySearch.aspx/ Here’s one to start with (and you’ll learn some programming techniques!): http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=83
•    How about systems thinking? Break it down! In this interactive simulation: http://sciencenetlinks.com/media/filer/2011/10/07/breakitdown.swf  (here is the teacher’s guide to this activity: http://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/break-it-down/)
•    Play with ideas! Learn how inventors problem solve by playing these games: http://sciencenetlinks.com/tools/invention-at-play/
•    Try your hand at experimenting. Jefferson labs links to many hands-on and online activities: http://education.jlab.org/indexpages/teachers.html

CARE:
•    Closely related to design briefs is design thinking: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/design-thinking-betty-ray. This article refers to the Big Ideas Fest: http://www.bigideasfest.org/ Most of these Big Ideas improve the community. Do you see any Big Idea that you might adapt  to solve a problem in your own community?
•    Can kids solve community problems? YES! Get inspired by reading what these teens did: http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/09/pathways-to-research-problem-solving/
•    Want to help map your community to help solve geographic problems? Find out how to participate at http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/community-maps-program/ If you get hooked on Geographic Information Systems, go to http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech186.shtml for lots of cool projects.
•    The KIDS Model promotes service learning and youth engagement to help the community. There are several projects for different ages to choose from. Maybe your family can adopt one: http://www.kidsconsortium.org/kidsmodel.php
•    Thinking about your future? Futures problem solving tries to think ahead so your world will be a better place to live. Find out how this approach is done worldwide at  http://www.unesco.org/education/tlsf/mods/theme_d/mod25.html

CAREERS:
•    Do you like to solve problems? Every job entails problem solving, but some jobs really focus on this kind of activity. Find out about some of those jobs at
http://careerthoughts.com/jobs-solving-problems
http://www.employmentspot.com/employment-articles/careers-for-people-who-like-to-problem-solve/
•    The following site explains the benefits of learning how to problem solve in your job: http://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/skills-and-competencies/300766-problem-solving-the-mark-of-an-independent-employee