Sink Your Teeth Into These Activities

We often take our teeth for granted until they hurt – or fall out. Gnaw on these fun facts and activities below.

CONNECT:

• Sharks may grow over 20,000 teeth in their lifetime; they never run out of teeth. Find more fun shark teeth facts at http://www.kidzone.ws/sharks/facts2.htm
• You can also find out about fossil shark teeth at https://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/fossils/fossil_modernsharkteeth.html
• See extreme animal teeth at http://www.oddee.com/item_98432.aspx
• Have you heard of winning by the skin of your teeth? Watch walruses do tusk wrestling at http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/walrus_tuskwrestling

CREATE:

• Sink your teeth into these challenges and quizzes about teeth: http://healthyteeth.org/kids
• Teeth are shaped for the kind of food being eaten. Match animals and their teeth at http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/teetheating.html
• Test your knowledge about tusks at https://www.thedodo.com/community/Elegirl/the-truth-about-tusks-648225506.html

CARE:

• Do you need braces for your teeth? Find out what’s involved at http://kidshealth.org/kid/grow/body_stuff/braces.html (lee esta articulo en Español)
• Watch how soda impacts your teeth at http://www.wda.org/your-oral-health/sip-all-day
• See 19 habits that wreck your teeth: http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/ss/slideshow-teeth-wreckers
• Your pets need healthy teeth just as you do, but they hold a toothbrush. The ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) offers tips for dog’s dental health (https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/ten-steps-your-dogs-dental-health) and cat’s dental health (https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/ten-steps-dental-health).

CAREERS:

A career in dentistry can lead to good money – and it’s both a good service and a clean high-tech environment. There’s quite a range of dental-related jobs, such as anesthesia, research, manufacturing, advertising, and veterinary science.

http://www.dentalcareerguide.com/

http://work.chron.com/become-animal-dental-hygienist-25804.html

I Like Candy

It’s holiday time, and that usually means candy. Chew on these sweet websites. Calorie-free!

CONNECT:

Get scientific about chocolate, from the source to your body: at http://www.exploratorium.edu/exploring/exploring_chocolate/index.html

Have you ever heard the phrase: “Goody gumdrops!”? Read about the history of the gumdrop: http://classroom.synonym.com/invention-gumdrop-12076.html

It can take up to 10 days to make a jelly bean! Watch how it’s done at http://manufacturing.stanford.edu/hetm.html

Watch how the professionals make taffy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVV5exYaq9A

     And here’s how you can make taffy yourself at home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZjp522yMI8

Did you know that there is an international association about chewing gum? Get fun facts and figures at http://www.gumassociation.org/index.cfm/facts-figures/ You can also explore how it’s made, its benefits, and how to reduced the impact of littered gum.

There’s some pretty weird candy around the globe; see a sampling at http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-10-10/weird-candy-from-around-the-world/. Dream up your own weird candy.

Here’s a list of the 50 best candies in the world: http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2012/10/best-candies-around-the-world/. Do you agree? Make up your own list.

CREATE:

Make your own candy by following the directions at http://www.kidactivities.net/post/easy-candy-recipes-kids-can-make.aspx

There’s a science to making candy: http://blog.ice.edu/2014/06/23/sugar-science-the-art-of-candy-making/

Try these candy science experiments: http://www.science-sparks.com/2014/06/17/candy-science/

Do parents ever say: “Don’t play with your food”? You can play math games with candy at http://www.learnplayimagine.com/2013/10/math-games-with-candy.html

Party time! Adapt some of these candy party themes: http://www.queen-of-theme-party-games.com/candy-birthday-party.html. Make up your own candy party ideas.

CARE:

What are the best and worst candies for your teeth? Find out at http://www.knowyourteeth.com/infobites/abc/article/?abc=t&iid=295&aid=10015

Oops! Did your candy drop and stain something? Test these candy stain removal solutions: http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-remove-candy-stains.htm

Show you care by making candy care packages: for the military or others in need. Here’s a start: http://www.dollartree.com/custserv/custserv.jsp?pageName=Non-Profit-Organization-Ideas

Try these ideas for a candy cane party service project: http://www.pioneerclubs.org/candy-cane-party-christmas-service-projects/

CAREERS:
From growing the ingredients to making the candy, and then packaging, selling, and serving it: each process is a career. Here are a few tasty candy-related job ideas.

http://www.insidejobs.com/careers/candy-maker

http://careers.stateuniversity.com/pages/6/Candy-Manufacturing-Worker.html

http://money.howstuffworks.com/30929-dirty-jobs-candy-maker-video.htm

Craving Cookies?

Cookies are great to eat any time of the year, but the holiday season brings even more kinds of these delicious treats. And there are e-cookies as well, which might be less of a treat. Good food for thought.

CONNECT:

• Cookies are older than Christmas! The first ones date by to the 7^th century BC in Persia. Trace the history of cookies at http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/CookieHistory.htm
• On http://en.translatethings.com/c/o/o/cookie.html, you can translate “cookie” into 148 languages.
• What the chemistry of cookies at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6wpNhyreDE.
• How do cookies get on your computer? And what ARE computer cookies? Find out at http://www.wisegeek.org/what-are-computer-cookies.htm

CREATE:

• Here are kid-friendly cookie recipes for the holidays: http://www.bhg.com/christmas/cookies/christmas-cookies-for-kids/ and http://www.parents.com/recipes/holidays/christmas/12-kid-friendly-christmas-cookies/
• Try making cookies from different countries: http://globalcookies.blogspot.com/ and http://www.christmas-cookies.com/recipes/bycountry.php
• When is a cookie not a cookie? When it’s a craft (such as an ornament or house): create some fun at http://www.ivillage.ca/food/recipes/easy-christmas-cookies-kids-holiday-baking-crafts

CARE:

• Can cookies be healthy? Here are WebMD’s recommendations for healthier holiday cookies: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/healthier-holiday-cookie-recipes
• Help the hungry. Donate food to a food bank this season. To find a book bank near you, go to http://www.feedingamerica.org/
• Learn ways to be a good cookie through the Cookies for Kids’ Cancer at http://www.cookiesforkidscancer.org/

CAREERS:

Wouldn’t it be great to make money from cookies? You could be a baker or a nutritionist, a seller or a party planner. Or you could become a computer programmer. Look at these possibilities:

https://collegegrad.com/careers/bakers

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-programmers.htm

http://careers.stateuniversity.com/pages/535/Party-Planner.html

Thanks for the Giving

Today is Thanksgiving. What is its history? What are its implications? Feast your eyes on these holiday activities. Gobble them up!

CONNECT:

Visit the first Thanksgiving virtual to discover the location and history of that famous event and time: http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/

How does a turkey get from the farm to your table? Trace the trip at http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving/videos/american-eats-turkey-assembly-line?m=528e394da93ae&s=undefined&f=1&free=false

The History Channel also has a video about the technology behind the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade: http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving/videos/thanksgiving-day-parade-tech

We often think of Thanksgiving as one event that is food-centric, but that wasn’t the case 100 years ago. Enjoy looking as these photographs of Thanksgiving maskers; you might be reminded of Halloween: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/25/vintage-thanksgiving-phot_n_6213806.html

CREATE:

The Thanksgiving meal isn’t just the turkey. Each state has its own food specialties: http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/?_r=0. Maybe you can help prepare a family specialty.

While some folks are cooking and watching sports, kids can have fun with these Thanksgiving activities: http://familycrafts.about.com/od/thanksgiving/ (Note that some older folks might need to help youngsters).

Have fun telling Thanksgiving jokes and riddles: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/jokes/topics/thanksgiving.shtml

CARE:

How much did you family spend on the Thanksgiving meal? Use this infographic http://blogs.kqed.org/lowdown/2013/11/27/what-a-typical-thanksgiving-meal-costs-this-year/ to guide your calculations – and to compare costs for the last couple of years.

Did you know that the Pueblo people domesticated turkeys for their feathers – before thinking of them as food? You might care more for turkeys after viewing their history: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/my-life-as-a-turkey-the-making-of-a-turkey/7376/

Try one of these easy Thanksgiving service projects for kids: http://www.suburbia-unwrapped.com/2014/09/easy-thanksgiving-service-project-kids.html

CAREERS:

There are lots of ways to “slice up” careers related to Thanksgiving: from historians and writers to travel, entertainment and social workers. And don’t forget all the people involved in the food industry from farmers to waiters.
Did you know that one in six people work on Thanksgiving? We can all thank them for for efforts. Here are some details: http://abc7chicago.com/careers/survey-16-pct-of-employees-work-on-thanksgiving/410403/

What does it mean to be a citizen?

November is election time, time to vote for individuals to represent you – and bills that improve your life. Voting is a right and a privilege for citizens. What are the citizen of? Today, you might be a digital citizen. Find out what it means to be a citizen in this global society.

CONNECT:

• Congress for Kids (http://www.congressforkids.net/) gives you access to interactive, fun-filled experiences designed to help you learn about the foundation of our federal government and how its actions affect you.
• You are a citizen of a country, but also have state’s rights. Find out about state government by seeing California’s state capitol museum at http://www.capitolmuseum.ca.gov/
• Tour the Angel Island immigration station and learn about what many Chinese and Japanese immigrants had to endure to become US citizens: http://aiisf.org/?page_id=5
• Did you know that it’s the Electoral College who elects the US President; technically, it’s not by popular vote? Find out about its procedures, policies, history and information on Presidential elections at http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/index.html

CREATE:

• iCivics teach kids about important civics topics: Citizenship and Participation, Separation of Powers, the Constitution and Bill of Rights, the Judicial Branch, the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch and Budgeting. Sound boring? How about running for President? Passing new laws? It’s fun and games at https://www.icivics.org/
• One of the reasons for the American Revolution was lack of representation; Americans had little voice in the government but they were being taxed. Find out about the Boston Tea Party, and how this event by Boston citizens helped lead to the founding of the USA. Watch young people reinact this history-changing party at http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/
• Explore what it means to be a digital citizen at http://www.digizen.org/kids/
• The U.S. Department of Justice is adding a Kids Page where you can learn their department. Since this website is just for kids, the department wants K-12 kids to submit their ideas for the welcome page in a contest. You can draw, write, or use your computer. You can send entriies to the Department of Justice by mail or email. See https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/kidspage.pdf for details.

CARE:

• The Center for Civic Education tries to help students develop (1) an increased understanding of the institutions of American constitutional democracy and the fundamental principles and values upon which they are founded, (2) the skills necessary to participate as effective and responsible citizens, and (3) the willingness to use democratic procedures for making decisions and managing conflict. Do you have a minute? Try their 60-second civics quiz and podcast at http://new.civiced.org/60-second-civics
• You can participate in elections even before being of voting age. Find out from PBS at http://pbskids.org/democracy/vote/
• Rock the Vote (http://www.rockthevote.org/) is dedicated to protecting freedom of speech, educating young people about the issues that affect us, and motivating young people to participate by registering, voting, and speaking out.
• One of the rights and responsibilities of citizens is to participate in the democratic political process. You can so this as part of the Endangered Species Coalition. Get active at http://www.endangered.org/

CAREERS:

Think about the jobs that are connected with citizenship, from helping people enter the country to teaching them how to become citizens to participating as a citizen through government service and leadership. Here are a few leads:

http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Government-Jobs.shtml

http://www.wikihow.com/Prepare-for-a-Career-in-Politics

http://immigration.about.com/od/lifeintheus/a/ImmigrationJobs.htm

http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2008/10/23/7-best-nonpolitical-jobs-for-political-junkies