Operation, Operation!

Chances are good that someone in your family (including pets) will need to have a medical “procedure” or operation. It’s really important to take care of our bodies, but sometimes we require a medical professional to get us back into shape. Even if you’re a bit sqeamish about blood and surgery, it’s a good idea to learn what’s involved so you can be more informed. Who knows? There may be a surgical “calling” inside you!

CONNECT:

• Explore pioneers of heart surgery and a map of the human heart at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/heart/.
• Trace medicine through time at http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/shp
• Here is some advance about going to the hospital: http://kidshealth.org/kid/feel_better/places/hospital.html
• Did you know that there is a museum of surgical science? Check it out at https://imss.org/
• Watch how surgery saved a dog: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/wild/the-incredible-dr-pol/videos/emergency-dog-surgery/

CREATE:

• Not that surgery is a game, but http://www.agame.com/games/surgery_games does provide several free games that simulate several procedures, such as leg surgey and pacemakers.
• Help Dr. Dixon repair a weakened aorta at http://www.edheads.org/activities/aortic/index.shtml
• Dream of being a doctor? Try your skill at arm surgery: http://www.learn4good.com/games/simulation/doctor-hospital-games-for-kids.htm

CARE:

• Here are some tips for preparing a child – from toddler to teen -- for a surgical experience: http://www.chop.edu/visitors/surgery-guide/preparing-your-child/   and http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetailsKids.aspx?p=335&np=285&id=2221
• Is someone you know having surgery? Here is a publication that gives you tips on what questions to aks: http://www.ahrq.gov/patients-consumers/diagnosis-treatment/surgery/questions/index.html
• Some teens are considering surgery for weight loss. Be careful! Especially since the teen body is still growing, having such invasive surgery can be not only costly but dangerous. Get the facts at http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/obesity/bariatric.html and http://www.today.com/video/today/46949613#46949613
• Here are issues to think about in terms of plastic surgery for teens: http://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/briefing-papers/plastic-surgery-for-teenagers.html and http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/body_image/plastic_surgery.html

CAREER:

Think about all the people involved in surgery: receptionists, nurses, physicians, anesthesiologists, technicians, food servers, janitors, social workers, accountants, equipment providers. The following sites give a few perspectives.

• Good overview about physicians and surgeons: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physicians-and-surgeons.htm
• How to become a heart surgeon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fi0HtAyh-V8
• Becoming a doctor: http://www.kidzworld.com/article/9229-becoming-a-doctor
• A surgeon’s job: http://www.knowitall.org/kidswork/hospital/realpeople/people/trauma.html 
• A day in the life of a surgical technologist: http://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/health-sciences/blog/surgical-technologist-duties-a-day-in-the-life/
• Would you like to be a veterinarian? http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0934738.html

Book a Book

There's more to a book than its cover. Open up the world of books in the following activities.

CONNECT:

·    Follow book history with this timeline: http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/timeline-a-brief-history-of-publishing_b79150

·    Watch how books are made at http://vimeo.com/38681202

·    Get Free access to high-quality digital books from around the world at http://en.childrenslibrary.org/. Browse by age, genre, book length, character types, or even the color of a book's cover.

·    You can find out about your favorite author and illustrator here: http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/professional-development/childlit/AuthorSite/index.html

·    Do you link comic books with chemistry? Well, the periodic table of comic books does: http://www.uky.edu/Projects/Chemcomics/

CREATE:

·    At http://storybird.com/ you can use your imagination (and your computer!) to create illustrated stories by yourself or with your family or friends. You can also read stories by other kids.

·    Continue the magic of Harry Potter at http://harrypotter.scholastic.com/ and http://www.kidsreads.com/kidsreads-gets-potter-fied-this-july

·    Is there a writer inside you? Here are directions for writing: http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Children%27s-Book. And here are directions for making 8 types of books: http://www.makingbooks.com/freeprojects.shtml

·    Find out how children’s books are illustrated through this hands-on activity: http://www.wordplayhouse.com/2011/05/free-printable-for-kids-how-childrens-books-are-illustrated.html

CARE:

·    Books are special, so take good care of them. Here are some tips for teaching good book care: http://www.powerfulmothering.com/how-to-teach-kids-to-care-for-books/

·    Read Aloud (http://www.readaloud.org) is a campaign to get families to red aloud every day for 15 minutes. You can join the campaign – and you can read aloud to your friends and others as well.

·    There are many ways for you to donate books: to your library, to service clubs, and so on. The American Library Association lists groups that donate books internationally: http://www.ala.org/offices/iro/iroactivities/intlbookdonations

·    Become a book reviewer, and get your reviews published at http://www.spaghettibookclub.org/

CAREERS:

The video on making books illustrates just a few of the many jobs that are involved: from mechanic to distributor. There are also writers, illustrators, agents, editors, sales people, book store owners, plus all the behind-the-scenes people such as paper makers, ebook programmers, and so on. Read about some of those jobs at:

http://depts.washington.edu/engl/ugrad/publishjobs.php

Fireworks are a bang!

Fireworks can be spectacular – and a bit scary! Find out the back story of fireworks. It can be a real bang!

CONNECT:

• NOVA Online explains how fireworks explode and why fireworks have different colors: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/kaboom/
• Watch a video on creating dazzling fireworks shows at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5apJqP1KvWA
• Who is Guy Fawkes and why are there fireworks set off in his memory? Find out about the English Bonfire night at http://www.bonfirenight.net
• Fireworks as a dazzling history: trace its evolution at http://www.history.com/news/fireworks-vibrant-history
• All that color of fireworks? It all depends on chemistry. See the list at http://www.fireworks.com/fireworks-university/chemistry-fireworks/ and see the colorful video at http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/phy03.sci.phys.matter.fireworkcol/fireworks-making-color/

CREATE:

• Create a trivia game based on fireworks facts: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/fireworks1.html
• Create fireworks in a glass by following the directions at http://chemistry.about.com/od/4thofjulychemistry/a/waterfireworks.htm
• Watch the science of fireworks at http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/videos/chemistry/fireworks.html
• Celebrate fireworks from a global perspective: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireworks#Fireworks_celebrations_throughout_the_world

CARE:

• Fireworks can be dangerous; how do you stay safe around them? http://www.chp.edu/CHP/Fireworks+for+Parents
• Can you imagine how birds react to fireworks? Here are tips to take care of your feathered friends during fireworks time: http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-diet-and-health/bird-care/birds-and-fireworks.aspx
• You can help your dog overcome its fear of fireworks through this training: http://www.animalcareclinicslo.com/pet-health/handouts/help-my-dog-is-afraid-of-fireworks/
• It’s useful to know the laws and regulations about fireworks: http://www.pyrouniverse.com/statelaws.htm

CAREERS:

Want to get paid to create explosions? Here’s an interview with a demolition woman: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/kaboom/loizeaux.html

Orange you glad?

Orange is both a color and a fruit (in the English language), which makes for a fun mix of learning. Orange (..aren’t) you glad you can explore this colorful word?

CONNECT:

·         Did you know that oranges came from Southeast Asia? Travel the world with this history of oranges: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/history-of-orange-fruit.html. You might use a map to track the journey of oranges over time. (The “serious” history, including the citruc industry, is found at http://websites.lib.ucr.edu/agnic/webber/Vol1/Chapter1.htm).

·         Find out the background of the Osage orange at http://www.gpnc.org/osage.htm

·         Enjoy fun facts about pumpkins at http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/food/pumpkins.html

CREATE:

·         Why settle for just plan orange juice when you can add so many different ingredients? http://www.all-about-juicing.com/orange-juice-recipes-for-kids.html  Try thinking up an original juice recipe yourself.

·         What can you do with an orange besides eat it? Try these orange fruit crafts: http://www.ehow.com/info_8295426_orange-fruit-crafts-preschoolers.html

·         Have an orange day at http://www.easyfunschool.com/article1331.html and http://www.123child.com/lessonplans/colors/orange.php and

http://www.atozkidsstuff.com/color.html#orange and

http://www.preschoolexpress.com/theme_station02/oct02_orange.shtml and

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/colors/orange.shtml

·         Did you know that over thirty cities in the United States have the word “orange?” Check out the US ZIP Code database (http://www.getzipcode.us/en/), and search for cities using the term “orange.” Both a list and a map will be generated. Some of the cities don’t seem to be likely places to raise oranges. Try looking up cities by other colors; you might make a comparison chart of how many cities have each color name (note: poor purple…).

CARE:

·         Gardening is a healthy habit; it helps children learn about how to care for nature, and it can lead to healthy eating. Try growing carrots with your children, following the advice at http://www2.fiskars.com/Kids-Activities-School/Projects/Kids-in-the-Garden/Recipes/Growing-Carrots-with-Kids#.U5tA5ij7Hbg

·         Wildflowers are imporant to preserve in nature; you can Identify them  by color at http://www.wildflowerinformation.org/colorlisting.asp

·         Learn about safety orange at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_orange

·         Does someone need a little brightness in their day? Check out the psychology of the color orange at http://www.tuned-in.com/ColorSpeaks/Orange.aspx

CAREERS:

Orange has many meaning, as you have found out. So orange-related careers could go in lots of directions too: the citrus industry (see the connection above), forestry,  manufacturing, visual arts, cuisine, safety and transportation – or a job in a city named Orange! Sample some of these:

http://www.thelandlovers.org/

http://www.theartcareerproject.com/art-as-a-career/#.U5tF9Cj7Hbg

http://myfootpath.com/careers/culinary-careers/