I recently attended "Don't Be A Stranger" workshop at the 4-C Forum, which dealt with families. I was so excited about ideas that were discussed during this workshops that I immediately implemented them in my center.
As with most quality science experiences, the materials are simple (water, wax paper, toothpicks and food coloring), but the science learning is complex. Look at the concentration on this child’s face.
On wax paper, water will bead up into a dome. Water will cling to a finger, straw, or toothpick and can be led around to join other drops and make big drops or break large drops into smaller ones.
Try placing a simple maze underneath and challenge the children to move the water through it, or try moving the water in other ways such as shifting the paper or blowing on the drops. Use different colors of water so they can join the drops to mix colors. Try drops of other liquids such as oil or soap, and see how they are different. Try drops of water on other materials such as regular paper, aluminum foil or fabric and see what the water does.
This type of activity engages children, because water is something they are so familiar with and yet in this setting, they are surprised by what it can do. By providing a variety of materials to explore, you can use the same basic activity but add something different everyday to extend the learning and deepen the understanding.
Have children bring in pictures of their favorite President and ask them why they chose that particular one. Discuss how many presidents we have had. This is somewhat of a tricky question, since some have served more than one term. Since we live in Kentucky, design top hats (like Abraham Lincoln wore), beards from construction paper, bring in their Lincoln Logs and make a log cabin, draw a log cabin. What did Lincoln accomplish that makes him stand out in history? Who was the 1st president? Who is the president now? The topic is wide open. However you bring Presidents’ Day to your young person or people), it is certain to lead to a fascinating conversation.
It is much more commercial in recent history than it was when it began hundreds of years ago. It took on a more marketable characteristic in the Middle Ages. During the 1900s and 2000s, it has grown significantly. Valentine was a Saint in the Catholic faith, although in 1969, he was “down-graded” in importance. Nonetheless, it is a huge financial success for card makers, florists, and candy makers, even jewelers. This is another occasion when creativity abounds. Most all children love making cards for their families, teachers, classmates, and well, close friends. There is no right way or wrong way to make them. Many choose humor, while others pour out deep-held, heartfelt emotions. Just have lots of glue, paper, scissors, buttons, anything to stimulate the individuality of each child. By all means, have fun and tell those you care about what they mean to you.
February 2nd. This is the day each year when a groundhog emerges and, depending on whether or not he sees his shadow, supposedly predicts how many weeks of winter are left. Many communities have week-long festivities in anticipation of the emergence. The most famous, of course, is Punxatawney Phil. He lives in Pennsylvania but all across the country, people wait for his fearless prognostication.
Color groundhogs, find a spot outside where any animal, such as a squirrel, is likely to make an appearance, and see if he sees his shadow. Make it a fun day in what is usually a cold mid-winter time. It is also a perfect time to talk about the seasons, especially the Spring which is around the corner. What are some signs of Spring that are noticeable? Are there buds on the trees? Are there tall clumps of grass all over your yard? Are birds chirping? Do you see violets?
Let’s hope we have a short Winter, although so far it has been tame. May it continue!
Heart disease is still the No. 1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year. This means women just like you – mothers, sisters, friends – are dying at the rate of one per minute. In fact, in the time it takes to read this, another woman will die from heart disease. It simply does not have to be that way. At the American Heart Association, we work every day to fund research and fight this killer so more women can be saved. www.GoRedForWomen.org/WearRedDay.
10. Having beautiful, young children in your life Monday through Friday, but your evenings and weekends are free.
9. The first to know the current children’s fever/cold/flu symptoms.
8. Your ECE administrative abilities include junior plumbing skills — i.e. you’ve never met a toilet you couldn’t unclog.
7. Having at your ready a repertoire that includes over 100 children’s stories, songs, and finger plays.
6. Experience in setting-up and hosting staff ‘wedding,’ ‘baby,’ and ‘good-bye’ parties.
5. When insomnia strikes, you alone can recite pages of state licensing regs until you nod off from sheer boredom.
4. If you live near your work, you’ll know the future generations of school cheerleaders, newspaper deliverers, Girl Scout cookie sellers, drug store and fast-food cashiers, etc.
3. After retirement, at the nursing home, you will know over 300 craft projects to make from empty toilet tissue rolls.
2. Knowing you are helping to get the next generation off to a great start.
In most school systems, the 100th day of school occurs during January. This can be a reason to celebrate for teachers and children alike. It’s fairly common to think of January being the beginning of the end of the school year. Some children and teachers even begin counting how many days left. So, when you make snowflakes for an art activity, why not add 100th activities, as well. Kids can use cheerios to glue on papers, make funny looking faces out of the number 100 by adding hair, glasses, nose, mouth. Have each child bring in a picture of their favorite thing and see if they can make them add up to 100. Counting beads is a good activity and making necklaces with 100 Cheerios, Fruit Loops, pieces of pasta helps develop fine motor skills. You may have many, many more ways to celebrate the 100th day of the school year. Just remember to have fun! Children learn by playing!!
Want to add a little science to your art? Try making Frost Paint! The recipe is simple –water and Epsom salt- but the result is amazing. Crystals will form right before your eyes!
Add ½ cup Epsom Salt (found in the pharmacy section) to ½ cup boiling water. That’s it! Boiling the water is the key to make sure the salt dissolves completely in the water.
Draw a picture on a piece of colored construction paper.
Paint over it with your Frost Paint.
When it dries, the water will evaporate and leave the long, thin Epsom salt crystals. It will look like frost on your drawing.
Do some experimenting. Try it with a larger amount of salt in the water. How is the result different?
Try adding food coloring to the water. Do you think it will make colored crystals?
What do you think would happen with table salt or rock salt? Try it!
You could be eligible to get more money back from the IRS – as much as $5,751. If you earned less than $49,078 from wages, self-employment, or farming last year, you may qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit – or EITC.
EITC is a financial boost for working people in a recovering economy. You may be among the millions who will qualify for the first time because your financial, marital or parental status changed in 2011.
Eligibility is based on several factors, including the amount of earned and other types of income, or combined income if married, whether you have qualifying children and how many. Workers without children may also qualify.
Four of five eligible people claim and get their EITC. Use IRS’s online EITC Assistant to see if you qualify. If so, you must file and claim the credit to get it.
Free help is available at volunteer income tax assistance sites. Locate a volunteer site by calling your community’s 211 or 311 number for local services or call the IRS at 1-800-906-9887.
Get back even more if your state also has an EITC.
EITC. You earned it. Now file, claim it and get it.
