Stick with Cacti

Cacti (Cactuses) are one of the earliest plants on Earth. They have many uses for humans so it’s great that they are still around. Prick your interest as you explore the following activities about cacti.

CONNECT:

• Check out these cool cacti facts: https://www.scienceforkidsclub.com/cactus-plants.html (and more advanced facts at https://www.eduscapes.com/nature/cactus/index1.htm)
• How do cactus live without water? Watch the answer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq-dw1nsX3Y
• Cacti are an American plant. See where they live at https://cactiguide.com/places/
• How did a candy craze almost wipe out the barrel cactus? Read the story at https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/cactus-candy
   

CREATE:

• Here’s an oasis of desert-themed activities for kids: https://www.childfun.com/themes/world/desert/
• How do you eat a cactus? Find out how at https://www.timeforkids.com/g2/eating-cactus/
• Try some of these fun cactus crafts: https://www.hellowonderful.co/post/12-utterly-cute-cactus-crafts/
• Make your own prickly cactus garden by following the directions at  http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/gardening_with_children/homegrownprojects_cactus.shtml

CARE:

• Some cacti can be poisonous; here are some safe cacti for kids and pets: https://homewarranty.firstam.com/blog/5-safe-succulents
• How do you maintain cacti? Here are tips: https://www.society.bcss.org.uk/coolcacti/grow-cacti.html
• Cacti can be dangerous – or at least ouchy. Learn what to watch for and how to treat cacti “attacks” at https://www.webmd.com/allergies/features/itchy-plants#1
• Cacti can keep you healthy; read how at https://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-prickly-pear-cactus.html

CAREERS:

Are cacti your career oasis? Whether you’re thinking of growing them, protecting them, creating art related to cacti, making cacti products, cacti can grow on you.

https://www.landscapeindustrycareers.org/discover-the-industry/career-paths/

https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/nps-careers.htm

https://careertrend.com/list-6828168-list-jobs-desert.html

The Heart of the Matter

It’s Valentine’s Day: a good time to learn about hearts. The heart isn’t just an organ in the body; it’s also a popular symbol. So give a hearty cheer for hearts with these activities.

CONNECT:

• Follow this song about how your heart works at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFSF9n0zu18
• Read hearty facts at https://www.coolkidfacts.com/facts-about-the-heart-for-kids/
• Explore the variety of animal hearts at https://blog.nwf.org/2013/02/amazing-animal-hearts/
• Learn about the six strangest hearts in the animal kingdom at https://www.livescience.com/49795-strange-animal-hearts.html
• Why do drawn hearts look nothing like real hearts? Get the answer at http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2015/02/drawn-hearts-commonly-look-nothing-like-real-hearts-draw-way/

CREATE:

• Here are 30 awesome heart activities for kids: https://www.playdoughtoplato.com/heart-activities-for-kids/
• Learn how to play Hearts with these easy-to-follow rules and get a game started with your friends and family at https://www.familyeducation.com/fun/card-games/how-play-hearts
• Try these 21 quick and easy heart crafts for kids: https://pintsizedtreasures.com/21-quick-easy-heart-crafts-kids/
• Do you heart science? Experiment at https://www.steampoweredfamily.com/education/heart-science-experiments-to-inspire-a-love-of-learning/

CARE:

• Keep your heart healthy through life’s simple 7: https://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@fc/documents/downloadable/ucm_461359.pdf
• Try this heart healthy workout for the whole family: https://www.activekids.com/parenting-and-family/articles/heart-healthy-workout-for-the-whole-family
• Make your own heart pump following these directions: https://www.homesciencetools.com/article/how-to-make-a-heart-pump-science-project/
• Did you know that your heart has electricity activity? EKG/ECGs (electrocardiograms) can test how your heart is working. Watch what that test looks like at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OaTtVgg16o

CAREERS:

Just your heart beat at the thought of a job dealing with hearts? Get pumped up with these websites of hearty advice:

https://careertrend.com/medical-careers-related-to-the-heart-13654516.html

https://work.chron.com/list-jobs-careers-involving-cardiovascular-system-16564.html

https://www.verywellhealth.com/cardiology-jobs-overview-1736145

Sticking Together

What would we do with glue and tape? These are adhesives, and they help us stick together. Now stick to these activities. You’ll find yourself glued to them.

CONNECT:

• Stick with these facts about glue: https://wiki.kidzsearch.com/wiki/Glue
• Glue was first created over 20,000 years ago! Read about its history at http://www.softschools.com/inventions/history/glue_history/204/
• Watch how to make adhesive tape at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKLCQwV5Z6o

CREATE:

• You can make your own glue with these 11 homemade recipes: https://snappyliving.com/11-recipes-to-make-your-own-glue/
• Scotch tape you can eat?? Follow this video to make trick Jello tape: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4ux-otvTxo
• Try these family-friendly adhesive tape crafts and helps: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_Hzfvq-pJ8

CARE:

• There is no one perfect adhesive; learn how to choose the best adhesive for the job at http://www.instructables.com/id/Choosing-the-Best-Adhesive-for-the-Job/
• It can be easy to drip glue – but hard to remove it; here are ways to remove glue from most surfaces: https://www.loctiteproducts.com/en/know-how/fix-stuff/remove-glue.html
• Glue can also be toxic if you swallow it or inhale it; learn about glue poisoning and how to deal with it: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002826.htm

CAREERS:

Glues and other adhesives are used in lots of jobs: crafts, construction, manufacturing, chemistry, even dentistry. Your interest in adhesives could really stick.

• https://www.masterbond.com/articles/technological-advances-and-how-structural-adhesives-support-manufacturinghttps://blog.plangrid.com/2019/10/top-careers-in-construction/
• http://chemicaljobs.com/jobs.htm?t=14&job=Chemist-Adhesives&b=KZHZI44JOFDSNWZTAQQOYHFGOX5QA2FZO4TJWANNVKS27CTDDSXQPZXLRJWP2BZ2RP3VUGSCV4&referrer=www.google.com%2F
• http://adhesivedentistry.org/for-patients/what-is-adhesive-dentistry/

The Colorful World of Coloring Books

Coloring books have become more popular than ever – for all ages. Brighten up your day by doing these activities about coloring books.

CONNECT:

• Coloring books are their earlier variations started over five hundred years ago! Read about their history at https://time.com/4880819/coloring-books-history/
• Coloring books for children didn’t start until the late 19^th century, stimulated by the establishment of kindergartens a few years earlier. Teachers realized that coloring could be a great way to learn. Find out how they developed at https://www.vox.com/2015/9/2/9248663/coloring-book-history
• Today, crayons are the main tool used to use with coloring books. Watch this video to see how they are made: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmiRjmbnn8Q

CREATE:

• Celebrate National Coloring Book Day any day, not just on its official day of August 2. This holiday is new: it started just in 2015. Get the details at https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-coloring-book-day-august-2
• Make your next party more colorful by making color book party favors. See how to make them at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FTjy2GdW1g
• Libraries and museums have created coloring books from source in their collections. Choose and color some special pictures from http://www.openculture.com/2016/02/download-free-coloring-books-from-world-class-libraries-museums.html

CARE:

• Coloring books are used to teach about health and to keep healthy because it can relax and sooth you. Color can also be used for rehabilitation purposes, such as recovering hand-eye coordination. Meet healthy heroes by coloring them in at https://www.cdc.gov/family/kidheroes/index.htm
• Have fun and be crafty while practicing recycling with these cool craft projects you can do with broken crayons: https://www.simplemost.com/11-cool-things-broken-crayons/
• As a family activity, create a coloring book from family photos. You’ll make lasting memories as you draw from your memories. Follow the directions at https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Coloring-Book/

CAREERS:

Learn about the world of word by creating a coloring book of occupations. Here’s how: http://mychildsfuture.org/parents/activities/Activity_ES_OccupationsColoring.pdf

Do you see your future in coloring books? You might draw original designs, construct or manufacture coloring books, sell them, or use them as a teacher at school, in a doctor’s office, or business. Here are ways to make your job more colorful.

https://www.flavorwire.com/136196/books-as-visual-art

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/top-book-publishing-jobs-2316066