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Brain stimulating outdoor activities for kids

Susan Cumberland July 11, 2014

Are brain stimulating outdoor activities for kids going out of style? Playing outdoors seems to be less popular among today’s students compared to previous generations. Students may be saying inside more because they spend more time watching television or playing games on computers and tablets. Here are some outdoor activities for kids that will get students to spend some time outside.

Outdoor activities for kids using a map of the neighbourhood

Today’s society relies heavily on GPS devices and smart phones to direct us to where we are going. Some students may never have used a paper map before. There are a lot of activities that can be done using maps. So first and foremost students can create a map of their neighbourhood. They can go on a walk around their area and stop along the way to fill in the different streets and landmarks such as parks or stores.

Kids can learn how to use a compass

After the students have created a map of their neighbourhood they can learn to use a compass. If the student doesn’t have a compass they can follow these instructions to make their own compass by using a magnet, a needle, a piece of cork and a container filled with water. Once the compass is oriented, students can mark the proper directions on their neighbourhood map. The compass can be used for the following fun outdoor activities for kids as well.

Kids will love doing scavenger hunts around the neighbourhood

A parent or older sibling can help prepare the clues for a scavenger hunt. The students can then follow the clues and use their compass and neighbourhood map to complete the scavenger hunt. This activity could include more kids from the neighbourhood as well. If the students are up for an even bigger challenge they can make up their own scavenger hunt for someone else to complete.

Geocaching: the ultimate treasure hunt

Geocaching is a fantastic outdoor activity for students who are really interested in real live treasure hunts. Geocaching actually combines technology and the outdoors. A GPS device must be used to locate a specific set of coordinates where some sort of treasure is hidden. There are people who participate in hiding and searching for geocaches all over the world. Younger students should be accompanied by an adult when geocaching in unfamiliar or heavily wooded areas to ensure the student’s safety. You can search for geocaches near you on this website.

Encouraging students to do more outdoor activities is good for their bodies and their brains. Research shows that people who do physical activities learn better. Doing these outdoor activities for kids can be fun and they will get students out of the house. Perhaps they will even develop an interest in Geography!

Inspirational Educators on Film

Susan Cumberland June 27, 2014

Countless books and films have been created to honor the dedication of some outstanding educators throughout history. Most of these educators experienced some amount of ridicule and disbelief as they attempted to teach seemingly impossible students do seemingly impossible things.

What are the common qualities of inspirational educators?

Inspirational educators first and foremost have to care about their students. Jamie Escalante is a perfect example of a teacher who went above and beyond his required duty as a high school teacher. Teachers, tutors and parents must truly care about students and have a genuine desire for them to succeed. Another common characteristic of these educators is the amount of time that they are willing to spend working with students. It is the patience and dedication of these adults that have made such life changing impacts on so many students.

A High School math teacher with perseverance

Jamie Escalante a high school teacher in Los Angeles in early 1980s was able to motivate his students to excel in AP Mathematics. Most of the students in his class were not interested in passing the class, let alone doing well on the AP test. He labored outside of regular school hours to prepare them for the AP test. This proved to his students that he wasn’t there to do the bare minimum, but he actually cared about his students and their futures. His story was so inspiring that the movie, Stand and Deliver was made about his class at Garfield High.

An inspirational educator who defied the odds

The movie The Miracle Worker portrays an outstanding personal tutor named Anne Sullivan who was able to help a blind, deaf and mute girl named Helen Keller to speak. Anne Sullivan helped Helen Keller to defy all the obstacles stacked up against her and become a forerunner for women and people with disabilities who desired to pursue education.

Create an extra educational study space at home

Susan Cumberland June 20, 2014

Having a designated study space at home for students to do their schoolwork is important. Students need to have a place to be free of distractions so they can focus on their assignments. Here are some fun ideas for how to make a study space that is full of extra educational inspiration.

Light up your study space with globe light fixtures

Educational study space at home — Photo Credit: Whatsername?

When students need to look up maps of different countries they usually do an online search to find maps online. This might mean that the old spinning globe isn’t getting very much use. One way to put an old globe to better use is to turn it into a lamp. You can cut the globe in half and hang them as two pendant lamps. You can also place a light bulb inside of the globe if it is made from a thin enough material that will allow the light to shine through. The next time you need to look up a country you might remember to glance at your globe lamp before going straight for the computer.

Decorate your study space with home made ruler frames

Making a frame out of rulers is a simple and easy craft for kids. You can make photo frames or a frame for a chalkboard. Looking at the measurements on the ruler helps kids get more familiar with estimating the length and size of objects. Plus, the ruler frames will make your study space look extra special.

Get useful mouse pads for your desk

There are companies that will print just about anything on the surface of a mouse pad. You can print photos of your family or your pets, or you can get a mouse pad that contains useful information. You could have the periodic table of the elements on a mouse pad or a multiplication table chart for students to refer to. Depending on the age of the student you can customize your mouse pad so that it can be a useful study aid.

Hang a chalkboard with daily vocabulary words or inspirational quotes

One way to expand your vocabulary is to focus on a new word every day. You can use a vocabulary list from school or from an SAT study guide. Each day write the vocabulary word and the definition on the chalkboard so you can see it during the day. The chalkboard can also be used for writing inspirational quotes.

Decorate your study space with informational posters and world maps

Transform your study space with interesting posters that are full of information. You should hang educational posters in your study space and save hanging posters of your favorite bands and cute kittens for your bedroom. There are a variety of posters available such as world maps, stars and planets, anatomy diagrams and scientific classification charts of plants and animals. If you are interested in a specific field of study, chances are you can find some posters related to that topic.

Regardless of how big your study space is you can use some of these ideas to make it a special place for learning. If you have more ideas of how to create an extra educational study space please share your ideas in the comments section.

5 college preparation tips you can do this summer

Susan Cumberland June 13, 2014

Start your college preparation during the summers before your final years in high school. The summer months provide extra time that can be used to study and prepare for your college applications. Here are 5 college preparation tips that can get you started on your college preparation this summer.

1. Study for your entrance exams this summer

If you are going to be entering your third year in high school and you have not yet taken the entrance exams you can start this summer. If you are planning to attend a university in Canada you will need to study for the provincial exams. If you wish to apply to a school in the United States you will need to study for the SAT as well. Set aside some time to review study materials for these tests.

2. Sign up for entrance exam courses

There are exam preparation classes you can take during the summer. You can also hire a private tutor to help you study for your entrance exams. These courses will not only help you get ready to take your exams but will also serve as college preparation for future tests you will take at the university level.

3. Take summer SAT practice tests

In addition to college preparation courses there are also practice exams available for you to take. These practice exams are very similar to the actual test and will help you determine if you are ready to take the actual SAT or provincial exams. You can take as many practice tests as you like, You can download free practice provincial exams from the BC Ministry of Education website. SAT practice exams are plentiful on the internet. You can also buy practice tests at any bookstore. The most efficient way to study for the SAT and provincial exams is to keep taking the test over and over again. Make sure to stay within the actual time limit allowed for the test. Hire a tutor to go over your completed exams and go over the questions you got wrong.

4. Visit college campuses you are interested in

One of the most exciting parts of college preparation is going to visit different university campuses. You should plan a visit to more than one university so that you can compare the different universities that you are interested in.

5. Get started on college applications early

Some universities accept early applications at the beginning of your final year of high school. To get ready for the fall and winter deadlines the summer is an ideal time to compose the essays that are required for most university applications. Completing your college applications during the summer allows you to focus all of your attention on your application rather than juggling school classwork and college applications simultaneously.

Use these college preparation tips to get ahead this summer!

Don’t procrastinate when it comes to applying for Universities! Follow these college preparation tips and get started this summer. Spend the necessary time to make sure you get into the best university that you can. Finally, don’t forget to save some time for fun and relaxing activities this summer too!

How to Keep a Reading Response Journal this Summer

Susan Cumberland June 6, 2014

Keeping a reading response journal isn’t something that students only do when school is in session. Summer is the perfect time for students to read the books that they don’t necessarily have time for during the busy school year. Keeping a reading response journal will help students gain a thorough comprehension on the books they are reading this summer. Here’s how to keep a summer reading response journal at home.

What you’ll need to start a reading response journal

There are only a few supplies needed to start a reading response journal. You probably won’t even need to go to the store to get supplies. Everything you’ll need is very inexpensive and can probably be found around the house.

1. A notebook that can be used as your reading response journal

First you will need to find a notebook with lined pages. The notebook doesn’t have to be anything special, but if you want to decorate your journal and make it more personal then by all means, go for it!

2. Something to write in your journal with

A pen or a pencil can be used to write in your reading response journal. Your journal will not be graded by a teacher, so if you are writing in pen and need to make a correction you can cross it out and keep on writing. Writing in a journal is to help get ideas out of your head and onto the page, so why not use your favorite writing utensil?

3. A list of writing prompts for your reading response journal

In order to facilitate your responses you can choose from a list of prompts. Simply copy the prompt at the beginning of your journal entry and begin writing. Try writing about a different prompt every day so you get a more broad understanding of the book. Here are some reading response journal prompts that you can use.

4. Choose a daily time limit for writing in your reading journal

The focus of your summer reading is the reading aspect, not the writing aspect. You don’t need to spend hours writing in your response journal. Five to ten minutes is fine. Decide on the amount of time you will spend. Younger students may only need to spend five minutes a day, but older students may need a bit longer to write in their journal.

5. Write in your journal daily

When keeping a journal it is good to form a habit of writing on a daily basis. Every day after reading a portion of your book you should record the date in your journal along with the title of the book and the page numbers you read that day followed by the prompt and your written response.

Taking the time to reflect on what you are reading will help expand your overall reading comprehension. The important thing is that you are reading on a daily basis and writing about it before you move on to the next section of the book. So, this summer as you get started on your summer reading list don’t forget to spend a few moments each day to write in your reading response journal.

The benefits of home economics skills for students

Susan Cumberland May 30, 2014

Have you considered the benefits of home economics? Are students missing out on learning these skills since most schools have gotten rid of their home economics programs? This article highlights some of the skills learned in home economics classes and how students can still get the benefits of home economics outside of the classroom.

Sewing is one of the major benefits of home economics

One of the skills usually learned in home economics is how to use a sewing machine. Sewing may seem like an outdated skill that only seamstresses or fashion designers would need to learn. However, there have been some amazing scientific discoveries that came from having a basic knowledge of how to use a sewing machine.

Sewing lessons lead to a Nobel Prize

Alexis Carrel was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1912 for Physiology. He is well known for having made huge advancements related to vascular surgery. He actually discovered a way to sew human arteries together! It was his knowledge of sewing that he had gained from taking sewing lessons that enabled him to translate his sewing skills to his study of physiology. Carrel invented the triangulation technique and this is the foundation for the technique that is still used today by surgeons.

Applying sewing skills to save lives

Another doctor, by the name of Arthur B. Voorhees Jr. also used sewing skills for medicine. He discovered, somewhat by accident that synthetic materials could be used to repair arteries. He originally used his wife’s sewing machine to sew artificial arteries out of cloth and use these for animals. Later on he was able to apply this technique to save human lives as well.

How can home economics be brought back into schools?

Some people are advocating that home economics be brought back into schools. Many agree that it would be great to give kids a chance to learn about how to do useful things like cooking, sewing or balancing a checkbook. Budget cuts make this difficult for schools to reinstate home ec programs. There are some programs available for kids that believe learning to sew will be useful for future learning in the fields of science, math, technology and engineering.

Tutoring and special classes can provide the benefits of home economics

Even if the schools don’t have home economics programs, it is possible for students to experience the benefits of home economics outside of the classroom. Students can take sewing classes or even hire a private tutor to teach a course on home economics.

Applying the skills learned from being educated in home economics can be used for so many purposes and can be applied to other fields of study. If home economics skills have inspired some huge scientific discoveries in the past, just think of how much more that can come from students studying home economics today.