Spring into Action

Spring has sprung, and that means daylight outshines and outlasts moonlight. So put some spring into your step, and enjoy these springtime Internet activities.

CONNECT:

• Try out some of these family-friendly spring activities from England: http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/spring
• It’s time to get movin’, especially for the birds. Track spring migration at http://www.learner.org/jnorth/
• What is the reason for the seasons? Watch this video to see why: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlCLX27NqMg
• Why do animals have more babies in the spring? Find out the reason for this another spring happenings at http://www.topmarks.co.uk/spring/BabyAnimals.aspx?age=ks2.
• Read how baby animals resemble their parents at http://www.hometrainingtools.com/a/learn-about-baby-animals

CREATE:

• Different cultures celebrate spring in unique ways. Experience Hina Matsuri, Dolls’ Festival, by making  Japanese paper doll; follow the directions at http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Hina-Matsuri-Dolls.  You can read more about the festival at http://www.japan-talk.com/jt/new/hina-matsuri
• Join the chorus of spring songs at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DobrRgD5aOU
• Here are lots of spring crafts to make: http://theimaginationtree.com/2012/04/15-spring-activities-for-kids.html
• Create life! – by gardening. Here are some ways to engage children in digging up fun in the garden: http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/952457/spring-gardening-ideas-for-young-kids

CARE:

• Brighten up someone’s day by making a spring craft for them. There are lots of ideas at http://theimaginationtree.com/2012/04/15-spring-activities-for-kids.html
• Share a spring story with family and friends; reading aloud can be a welcome activity for a bedridden person. You can start with this list of top children’s books for celebrating spring: http://www.amightygirl.com/mighty-girl-picks/top-books-for-celebrating-spring
• Do you have extra time during spring break? Why not share with others? Here are some simple service projects that chase away boredom and help others: http://penniesoftime.com/acts-of-kindness-and-simple-service-projects-for-spring-break/
• Spring into actoin by building a community nature trail; follow these steps: http://www.walterreeves.com/how-to-archive/how-to-build-a-school-nature-trail/

CAREERS:

What jobs get really busy in the spring? They say, “Everyone talks about the weather, but no one does anything about it.” Not true, if you ask a meteorologists (weather scientists). Spring has the most varied weather of the four seasons. And the season also impacts veterinarians (animal doctors) and farmers, to name a few. What other jobs spring to mind this season?

http://www.weather.gov/careers

https://aavmc.org/Students-Applicants-and-Advisors/Careers-in-Veterinary-Medicine.aspx

http://www.agday.org/education/careers.php

https://www.ffa.org/home

Beam Me Up, Scotty!

Dr. Spock may have died, but there may be extraterrestrials, creatures from outer space, aliens, space beings, little green men. Humans have wondered about life beyond earth for millenia. It’s time to hunt for alien worlds!

CONNECT:

• Start at Project Family ASTRO for fun activities: http://www.astrosociety.org/education/k12-educators/about-family-astro/
• What’s fact and fiction about extraterrestrial life? Test your knowledge at http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/system/interactable/6/index.html
• Trace the history of extra-terrestrial quests at http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/system/interactable/2/timeline.html
• Do you like atlases: collections of maps? http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/newworldsatlas is an atlas of over a thousand new worlds.
• See how infrared reveals the universe at http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/infrared_universe
• There are some strange alien-looking creatures here on earth; find them at http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/system/interactable/3/index.html

CREATE:

• Wake up, space traveler! You've entered your target solar system. Time to begin your mission: Find and photograph the planet known as Jupiter and see if a habitable planet exists in this sector. Start your mission at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/worlds/life/
• Are there other planets with life? The Exoplanet Data Explorer is an interactive table and plotter for exploring and displaying data. Explore this database at http://exoplanets.org/
• Plan an interstellar trip using http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/system/interactable/5/index.html
• Search for alien life at http://www.alienearths.org/online/searchforlife/index.php
• Create your own planet at http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/system/interactable/1/index.html

CARE:

• Help scientists by classifying data from http://www.planethunters.org/ to discover new worlds.
• Become a member of an astronomy club, or follow them online at  http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm  Bring the universe to you!
• Volunteer to help with Project FIRST, which promotes sports of the mind (which could like to explore alien worlds): http://www.usfirst.org/
• Support the search for life in the universe; become at SETIStar: http://www.seti.org/seti-educators

CAREERS:

What’s it like to have a career hunting for new worlds?

• Follow this scientist’s blog: http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/ave/33.
• Read about these SETI scientists: http://www.seti.org/seti-institute/about-seti/scientists
• You might  even become a UFOlogist: http://www.cufos.org/you_want_to_be_a_ufologist.pdf

Money Makes the World Go Round

Before money there was barter. Money is actually a symbol that indicates relative value of goods and services. That symbol has changed over time – and how we handle money as changed as well. These activities may change how you think about – and use -- money.

CONNECT:

• Read interesting money facts, learn about how to save money, watch videos about money (such as how it's printed), play money-themed games and more at http://kids.usa.gov/money/index.shtml
• Trace the history of money at http://projects.exeter.ac.uk/RDavies/arian/amser/chrono.html
• Geography is in your pocket when you collect money. Compare bank notes from around the world at http://www.banknoteworld.com/
• See how currency has changed American history at http://www.frbsf.org/education/teacher-resources/american-currency-exhibit
• Explore the transformation of money with the e-money revolution at http://www.pbs.org/opb/electricmoney/
• Read these great stories about money: http://www.common-place.org/vol-06/no-03/

CREATE:

• Play with money, and earn while you learn, in these interactive games: http://www.themint.org/kids/
• Bank some fun at http://www.bankingkids.com/index_m.html
• Create origami from dollar bills by following the directions at http://www.origami-instructions.com/dollar-bill-origami.html
• ­http://americanhistory.si.edu/numismatics/ is the official site of the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Museum. Numismatic is the study of currency including coins and paper money and its history. Visit this museum virtually, and see their online collection of coins and money. You can start collection coins now, and watch their value grow as you grow up.
• Test your money smarts. Take this interactive quiz and learn about compounding interest, stocks, bonds, as well as other financial principles: ­­http://www.sec.gov/investor/tools/quiz.htm  (for older youth)
• Create a game based on converting money; how much is your allowance in rupees or yen, for instance? http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/
• Learn money making skills by managing this virtual lemonade stand: http://www.classbrain.com/cb_games/cb_gms_bag/lemonade.html

CARE:

• Improve the family’s financial literacy by doing the activities at https://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/
• Can you identify counterfeit money? Learn how from the US Secret Service: http://www.secretservice.gov/know_your_money.shtml
• Does your family have any damaged money? Watch and learn how BEP (Bureau of Engraving and Printing) examiners piece together mutilated currency in this segment produced by NBC's Today Show: http://www.moneyfactory.gov/uscurrency/damagedcurrency.html
• If you start saving early enough, you could become a millionaire. Calculate how at http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/savings/saving-million-dollars.aspx

CAREERS:

Want to be paid for handling money? Here are some leads:

http://www.investopedia.com/university/financial-careers/

http://www.bankingcareersinfo.com/

http://www.worldwidelearn.com/online-education-guide/business/finance-major.htm

http://www.onetonline.org/find/career?c=6

Comic Arts: Vision for the Whole Family

Comics and graphic novels are part of the rich and varied field of comic arts.  They can really draw you into their world.

CONNECT:

• Find out about the history of graphic novels, comics and manga, how to build a graphic novel collection, and where you can read them online! http://www.ipl.org/div/graphicnovels/
• This graphic novel review site targets kids and teens, and provides a Comics 101 page and links to further resources: http://www.noflyingnotights.com/
• View this comic strip about graphic novels: http://w-wp.com/resources/what-is-a-graphic-novel/
• Trace the history of comics at http://www.comic-art.com/history.htm
• How do comics reflect different cultures? Find out at http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-19112066

CREATE:

• Marvel Comics’ Stan Lee’s explains how to draw comics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdWsNp5KWdE&src_vid=B5tU2PuRdU8&feature=iv&annotation_id=annotation_573648619
• Make drawing a comic strip a fun family activity: http://www.mykidsadventures.com/create-comic-strip-kids/
• You can make comics by hand by following http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Comic  or
• http://marvel.com/games/play/34/create_your_own_comic
• Sesame Street shows how to read comics: http://ape-entertainment.com/kizoic/about/sesame-street/sesame-street-how-to-read/. And you can send your own comic art to this site.

CARE:

• Create your own comic strips online! Print them out or email them to friends. http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/.  Here are some tools to generate more advanced digital comics: http://mashable.com/2010/10/24/create-your-own-comics/. Consider making graphic novels to cheer someone up.
• Did you know that comics can help doctors improve their practice? Find out how and why at http://www.bbc.com/news/health-25112785
• Fotonovelas are a popular way to teach good health habits and other positive practices. See examples, and share some of them with people in need: http://www.rwhp.org/fotonovela.html
• How about volunteering for “Reading with Pictures” ? This group tries to get comics into schools: http://www.readingwithpictures.org/Reading_With_Pictures/Home.html
• Comic book stores care about access to comics, so they offer free comics on the first Saturday of May. Participate and get the word out at http://www.freecomicbookday.com/Home/1/1/27/992

CAREERS:

When you think of comics, do you think of drawing? Think about fotonovelas and photography. And there’s the publisher and seller.

• Dreaming of a career in comic arts? Start here: http://dw-wp.com/how-to-use-this-site/students/
• View the life of a comics journalist at https://medium.com/@susie_c/eight-years-of-solitude-110ee3276edf
• Here’s the in-between world of the graphic novelist: http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-in-between-world-of-the-graphic-novelist 
• Watch this panel of graphic novelists: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZb3tRiATZI