Best Education Possible: April 2010

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Music Smart Children Looking to the Future

So, what can Music Smart children do when they get older? A lot of very different things. It is important to introduce your child to the different career possibilities so they start thinking and preparing for the future. According to Thomas Armstrong, some Music Smart careers include:

1. acoustician

2. composer
3. choral director
4. conductor
5. Foley artist
6. disc jockey
7. instrument maker
8. jingle writer
9. lyricist, music arranger
10. music copyist
11. music director/supervisor
12. music teacher, music researcher
13. music producer
14. music therapist
15. musician, singer
16. piano tuner
17. sound effects editor for movies
18. sound engineer (for recording studios; film, radio, and TV; live music and performances)
19. studio director or manager
20 video/film sound design

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My Child Is Music Smart. How Can I Expand His/Her Music Smarts Even More!

Even if your child has Music Smart abilities, you can still expand and develop them even more. According to Thomas Armstrong, PhD., here are some Music Smart ideas you can use t help you understand and develop the other intelligences in school and in life:

1. Word Smart - Set spelling words and vocabulary to music. Remember how you learned you ABCs to a song when you were much younger?

2. Logic Smart - set math to music. Have you ever heard the songs or raps for learning the multiplication tables?

3. Picture Smart - Play different types of recorded music and see what kinds of visual images, feelings, or ideas come to you while listening.

4. Body Smart - Try moving to the music. Move any way you want, it doesn't have to be dancing.

5. People Smart - Use music as a way to reach out to people. Go to concerts and watch how other people enjoy music.

6. Self Smart - Listen to music and songs that you love. When the music make you feel something, notice what the emotion is.

7. Nature Smart - Listen for music in nature. Go outside and listen to the animals, insects, or sounds in nature.

No matter what your child's intelligence is you can help develop the Music Smart in him/her. Decide which ones would be the most fun and easiest for your child, and try the activities.

My Child Is Not Music Smart! What Can I Do?

According to "You're Smarter Than You Think", by Thomas Armstrong, music can help you learn more in school and feel better overall. Even if you can't sing on key, you can still learn how to play an instrument. No one learns these things overnight, and everyone, even someone who's super musical, has to practice in order to improve. Anyone can become Music Smart, and below are seven suggestions to help your child become more Music Smart:

1. Listen to lyrics of songs. Pay attention to how the lyrics work with the music.

2. Find the math in music. Part of music is about patterns and counting.

3. Draw, paint, or sculpt what you hear. Perhaps the music inspires actual images for you.

4. Move to the music. Dancing is a good place to start, but any kind of movement - aerobics, yoga, Tia chi, or even doing bead work can be done to music.

5. Tr making music with other people. Sing songs with your friends or family.

6. Pick out different kinds of music and listen to it. What does the music make you feel and think?

7. Listen for sounds in music that remind you of sounds inn nature - like birdsong, gurgling water, rising winds. Listen to music about nature or animals.

Pick the 1 or 2 that your child will enjoy or be good doing. Help your child become more Music Smart because after awhile your child and you will start to find some real joy and satisfaction in expressing the music that's inside.

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How Can My Child Become More "Music Smart"?

According to Thomas Armstrong, PhD., your child can expand and enjoy "Music Smart" skills. Have him/her try any activity that appeals to your child no matter how "Music Smart" you think he/she is. It is important to develop every part of the brain and the ideas below are ways to expand the music part of the brain:

1. Have your child listen to as many different kinds of music as you can. Regularly listen to a variety of different musical styles on the radio (for example, blues, jazz, classical, country and western, popular, rap, gospel).

2. Listen to music from different parts of the world. Try listening to music from Ireland, Mexico, India, China, or anyplace else that you or your child may be curious about.

3. Sing with your family and friends. Sing your favorite songs or learn new ones from each other. Making music with others can be a lot of fun.

4. Play musical games with family and friends. For example, play "Name That Tune" where you sing a few bars of a song and everyone else has to guess what the song is.

5. Go to see live music whenever you get the chance with your child. There is often free music or concerts at fairs, parks, festivals, and local colleges. You also might check out recitals, auditions, and play rehearsals.

6. Have your child get involved in music at school. If your child's school has a choir, a band, or an orchestra, go for it. Your child will learn to read music and try to learn different instruments.

7. If your child has the opportunity, take private music lessons on his/her favorite instrument. Private lessons are sometimes available at local community centers and education programs.

8. Encourage your child to become aware of the music around him/her. Start by taking a few minutes to listen to the music and rhythms of nature, or the rhythms in the busy world traffic, people, or machines.

9. Encourage your child to compose a song or musical piece. Try letting your child use composition software to create original music.

10. Let your child start a band. Have your child's friends create their own rock band, rap group, a cappella choir, or other musical combo. Then they can perform at school or in the neighborhood.

Music Smart Children

All children have natural abilities and learning styles that make learning easier for them. Some children are "Music Smart". If you answer yes to any of the questions below, then your child my just be identified as "Music Smart" according to Thomas Armstrong.

Does your child:
1. enjoy singing?
2. like to listen to music?
3. play an instrument well?
4. read music?
5. remember melodies or tunes easily?
6. hears the different instruments being played together?
7. hums or sings while thinking or doing task?
8. easily picks up rhythms in the sounds around them?
9. likes making musical sounds with their body (humming, clapping their hands, snapping their fingers, or tapping their feet)?
10. makes up or writes their own songs or raps?
11. remembers facts by making a song for them?

This week I will give you information on "Music Smart" children and also suggestions on how to make your child more "Music Smart". So read my blog all week for more information on the "Music Smart Child".

Brush Up Your Memory

Forget to floss, and you may soon have trouble recalling names, your grocery list, and the question you were asked five minutes ago. In a study of more than 2,300 men and women age 60 and over, those who scored the lowest on simple arithmetic and memory task - making mistakes similar to patients with early Alzheimer's disease - had gotten most exposure over the years to a particular gum-disease-causing bacteria. (The researcher could tell from blood test.) "When it comes to preventing dementia and other chronic diseases, it may be just as important to brush, floss, and go to the dentist as it is to take your blood pressure medication," says James M. Noble, M.D., of Harlem Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center. If it is that important for seniors to take care of brushing and flossing, how much more important is it for our children to begin taking care of their dental health. Make it a habit of everyone in your family brushing and flossing at least once a day. Twice a day is even better!!

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My Child Can Never Find Socks and Shoes

According to "Better Housekeeping", May 2010 issue, whether they don't land in the hamper or are eaten by the washer, stray socks litter the laundry room and clog drawers. Collect clean socks in a bin or bag by the dryer. Then host a re-pairing party (invite the kids to participate) to match up the stragglers, Use leftover socks for dusting.

In an idea world, kids would pair their shoes neatly at the bottom of the closet. Get real, and place and old laundry basket on the closet floor to contain footwear and shoes are a lot less likely to walk off if they are kept together.

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Looking to the Future for Word Smart Children

According to "You're Smarter Than You Think", by Thomas Armstrong, Word Smart children and adults have useful skill for many different kinds of jobs. It is important for parents of Word Smart children to encourage and expose these children to the occupations that would make satisfying and successful careers. Below are career suggestions for Word Smart people by Armstrong:

1. advertising, marketing, or copy writer
2. advocate
3. archivist
4. editor/Web editor
5. English teacher ( or any kind of teacher)
6. grant writer
7. indexer
8. information scientist (someone who uses technology to manage and use information)
9. journalist/researcher
10. lawyer/lobbyist/politician
11. speech pathologist
12. librarian
13. museum curator
14. paralegal
15. poet
16. professional public speaker/speech writer/screenwriter
17. proofreader
18. announcer
19. storyteller
20. writer/author

What If My Child Is Word Smart And You Want to Strengthen That Skill?

According to Stephen Armstrong, if your child is already "Word Smart" , you can still become even more "Word Smart". Use your reading to work on your speaking, or your speaking to build up your writing. There are always new way to learn and grow. Below are some suggestions on how to become even stronger as a "Word Smart" individual"

1. Write your own words and rhymes to songs to help you learn melodies and rhythm.

2. Talk yourself through problems. For example, if you're doing a math problem, talk quietly to yourself about how to solve the problem.

3. When you're reading, picture what the characters and the places look like. If it helps, draw a scene, map, or even the character.

4. Act in school plays or in skits that you and your friends put together. Imagine how the character you're playing walks, sits, even sneezes!

5. Watch people around you. A key to being a good speaker or storyteller is convincing people. To do that, it helps to understand why people do what they do and be good at reading people's responses.

6. Keep a personal journal. Use it to look at your feeling, explore your goals, and examine your responses to the people and events around you.

7. Take a page from many other cultures over the ages and write myths to explain what you see in nature and all around you.

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What to Do if Your Child is Not a Visual Learner or Word Smart

Everyone has a dominate way of learning best (learning style). If your child is not a visual learner or (Word Smart), below are some suggestions to help strengthen and develop the "Word Smart" according to You're Smarter Than You Think, by Thomas Armstrong, Ph.D.:

1. Read aloud and listen to the sound of words. Read silly poems by people like Shel Silverstein, Ogden Nash, and Lewis Carroll, because they played with sounds and words.

2. Use the computer word processing software program when you write. Check your spelling, punctuation, and grammar on you own.

3. Close your eyes and picture what you read. For example, if you are reading a story that you are having a hard time understanding, shut your eyes and picture the scene, the characters, and the action in the story.

4. Physically play with words and letters. There are many magnetic word kits you can buy. Or make your own with paper and magnets that have adhesive on one side. Use a steel surface, practice your spelling, write poetry, or tell stories.

5. Talk about what you are reading with your friends or family. Form a study group to study spelling or vocabulary words.

6. Start keeping a journal of what you are thinking and feeling. Every time you write in the journal, you will be improving your writing, spelling, and grammar.

7. When you are reading a book or magazine, think about what kinds of animals and plants are in it. Write descriptions of the natural scenes you see.

Look at the 7 suggestions and pick 1 or 2 that your child would do well at or enjoy. It is important to develop and strengthen all parts of the brain. Knowing your learning style is a way to do just that.

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Word Smart Children

According to Thomas Armstrong, Ph.D., "Word Smart" children like words and the ways that they can be used in reading, writing, and speaking. They may be sensitive to how words sound, what they mean and how they are used. These children enjoy playing with words or creating games. Being word smart is being a good communicator by speaking and listening. Your child may have difficulty reading or writing but still be very word smart. Ways to tell if a child is "Word Smart" or a visual learner:

Word Smart children:

1. love to read.

2. likes to tell stories.

3. writes stories and poetry.

4. enjoys learning foreign languages.

5. spells well.

6. likes to write letters or emails.

7. has a good vocabulary.

8. enjoys talking about ideas with others.

9. has a good memory for names or facts.

10. plays word games such as scramble, hidden word puzzles, Scrabble, or crossword puzzles.

11. likes to research and read about ideas that are of interest.

12. have fun playing with words (puns, tongue twisters, and rhymes).

Web Sites For Children and Science

According to "You're Smarter Than You Think", by Thomas Armstrong, this famous science museum in San Francisco is noted for its interactive hands-on exhibits on science, art, and human perception. Explore math, take an expedition to Antarctica, and learn about the science of sports at the museum's Web site and other good science Web sites below:

1. The Exploratorium http://www.exploratorium.edu/

2. ScienceKits.com, Inc. http://www.sciencekits.com/

3. Chem4Kids http://www.chem4kids.com/

4. Lissa Explains It All wwwlissaexplains.com

5. Mad Scientist Network http://www.madsci.org/

6. Neuroscience for Kids Site faculty www.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html

7. Science Learning Network http://www.sln.org/

These activities are good for the logic smart child. These children love new and interesting ways to explore and learn. These children find numbers fascinating, like science, easily do math in their heads, like solving mysteries, and enjoy counting things. Even if your child isn't logic smart make sure they strengthen this part of the brain.

Walk the Talk

Stop telling your kids about how you use to walk to school and start showing them. Safe Routes to School encourages children to walk or bike to school if possible. This will give your children a head start on the recommended 60 minutes of activity a day. We love the "walk school bus" concept: Kids (and parents) go house to house picking others up along the way. Find out how to start you own local chapter at http://www.safroutesinfo.org/ and hit the sidewalks.

If your children live too far to walk to school, why not start a neighborhood walking club. Parents and kids go house to house and walk for 20-30 minutes daily. Get to know your neighbors and get healthy at the same time.

Nightime's Not the Right Time

Sneaking late night or midnight snacks, even low-cal bites, may throw off your circadian rhythms enough to cause weight gain. A study of mice was prompted by overweight shift workers whose schedules forced them to teat at times that conflict with their natural body rhythms. Mice fed a high-fat diet during typical sleeping hours increased their weight by 48%, while mice eating the same diet during their waking hours had a 20% weight gain. "Better timing of meals could be a critical element in slowing the ever-increasing incidence of obesity, " says Fred Turek, Ph.D., director of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Biology at Northwestern University. I think this is even more important for our child to eat at scheduled times and to limit in-between eating. Keep those late night hours for sleeping and not eating. It will make a difference in your families' health.

Women Who Changed Our World

Our children need to know about the women who have changed and are changing our world. Our boys, and especially our girls need to read and know about these extraordinary women. Some made music, some made noise, all made a difference. They broke records, broke ground, blazed trails, and suffered trails, shattering ceilings of glass and even tougher stuff. We must honor these matron saints whose work continues to bring use pleasure, save lives, and widen scopes for our girls' dreams. Below are the top ten women according to a readers' poll from Good Housekeeping Magazine May 2010 issue:

1. Oprah Winfrey 1954- Queen of Media

2. Hillary Rodham Clinton 1947 - Secretary of State, Former First Lady, Former Senator

3. Mother Teresa 1910-1997 - Missionary of Charity Founder

4. Rosa Parks 1913-2005 - Civil Rights Activist

5. Eleanor Roosevelt 1884-1964 - First Lady, U.S. Delegate to the United Nations, Human Rights Activist

6. Michelle Obama - 1964- First African-American First Lady

7. Amelia Earhart - 1897-1937 - Iconic Aviator

8. Diana, Princess of Wales - 1961-1997 - Royal and Humanitarian

9. Marie Curie 1867-1934 - Nobel Prize-Winning Physicist and Chemist

10. Margaret Thatcher 1925- First Female Prime Minster of Britain

To read more on these great woman and others, be sure to get the May 2010 issue of Good Housekeeping, Collector's Edition 125Th Anniversary Issue.

Making a Family Terrarium

It is always nice to spend quality time with your children. Why not make a terrarium with the kids. It is a wonderful project to do together and it will only take about 30 minutes to complete. Below low are the instructions for a terrarium according to the April 2010 issue of Better Homes and Garden Magazine:

1. Find a container. Almost any glass or plastic container such as a Mason jar, fish bowl, or soda bottle can be used. Clean it well. if you use a soda bottle, cut off just the lower third to use as the container, and keep the upper section as a lid.

2. Add the components together. Cover the bottom of the container with a 1-inch layer of pebbles for drainage. Add a thin layer (about 1/4 inch) of activated charcoal (available where aquarium supplies are sold) to filter water, and then place 2-3 inch layer of dirt in the container.

3. Start planting. Grow plants from seed, or use clippings from a houseplant. (Ferns, begonias, cacti, succulents, and moss grow well in terrariums.) Dig a small how for each plant, place it, and cover roots with soil. Water your terrarium, and place lid or cap on the container. The closed container will create a growth atmosphere: Water in the soil will eventually form droplets on the inside of the container. They will get heavy, fall like rain, and continue the process. If this doesn't happen then add water.

Get Cooking

Kids' culinary site Sticky Finger Cooking has a recipe-of-the-month club, and membership comes complete with recipe box, a mixing bowl, and measuring spoons. Each month one recipe (on spill proof paper) arrives in the mail addressed to your child and even includes allergy-minded substitutions and variations so your young chef doesn't get bored. It is $36 a year. You can get more information from http://www.stickyfingerscooking.com/ . Cooking together is a way children can learn to measure and appreciate different foods. It is also a time the family can spend time together having fun. I highly recommend trying this or just cooking with your child's help.

Eliminate Child Hunger In Your Neighborhood

One in four children in America don't know where their next meal is coming from. That's 17 million children who need our help. Rally your neighbors for a "Child Hunger Ends Here Neighborhood Rally" to help feed kids struggling with hunger. Simply host or support a community event like a bake sale, yard sale, church rummage sale or school festival and donate some or all the proceeds to Feeding American the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization. Through a network of over 200 food banks, Feed America helps provide meals to 14 million children each year so that they can perform at their best and thrive as a result.

Learn how easy it is to host or support a "Child Hunger Ends Here Neighborhood Rally" visit http://www.childhungerendshere.com/ to get ideas and tips on how to organize you event and make a difference in your neighborhood. Make sure you get your children involved. It is a wonderful way to teach them to give back.

Readin Aloud to Your Child: Part II (Don'ts)

Yesterday, I gave you ten examples of what a parent or teacher should do when reading aloud to children. Today, I will give examples of what not to do according to The Read-Aloud Handbook, by J. Trealease.

Don't

1. Don't read aloud too fast.

2. Don't read aloud books children can read independently. Instead talk about the book.

3. Don't read aloud books or stories you don't enjoy. You child will know.

4. Don't read aloud books or stories that exceed the child's emotional development.

5. Don't continue reading a book you don't like or the child doesn't like. Admit it, and choose another.

6. Don't impose your interpretation and preferences on your child.

7. Don't confuse quantity with quality.

8. Don't use reading aloud as a reward or punishment. Make it a tradition or habit.

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Reading Aloud to Your Child: Part I (Do's)

When teachers read aloud to their children, they often begin with a brief introduction and discussion of the book or text to be read aloud. You can do the same thing at home. Reading-aloud helps your child focus and know what to expect and look for during the story or poem. Below are some suggestions while reading aloud to your child based on The New Read-Aloud Handbook, by J. Trealease:

Do's

1. Do begin reading to children as early in their lives as they can support to sit and listen.

2. Do use rhymes, raps, songs chants, poetry, and pictures to stimulate their oral language.

3. Do read aloud to children at least 10-15 minutes daily, more often if possible.

4. Do set aside a time for daily reading aloud at home.

5. Do read picture books to children of all ages, but also gradually move to reading longer books without pictures was well.

6. Do vary the topics and types of books you read-aloud.

7. Do read aloud books to your child that stretch their intellectual and oral development.

8. Do read aloud with expression and enthusiasm.

9. Do add another dimension to reading something, such as using hand movements, puppets, or dressing up in costume.

10. Do carry a book with you at all times t o model your love for books and reading.

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Kids & TV Time

Dr. Dimitri Christakis is an expert on effects of media on kids' health and development at Seattle Children's Hospital. Here are his tips for managing kids' media consumption:

1. Limit total screen time (including TV, movies, and gaming) to no more than two hours per day. Less is better. And no TV at all for children under 2 years old.

2. Turn off the TV when a chosen program is over and during meals. Avoid having it on as background noise.

3. Keep TVs out of the bedrooms.

4. Plan media-free days when the TV stays off. Stock plenty of non-media activities in the same room as the TV.

5. Avoid using TV time as a reward.

6. Watch with your children and talk about what you see.

What Is A Successful Reading Program?

In 1994, data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) were released showing that fourth-grade students in California and Louisiana were tied for last place among the fifty states in reading achievement. This event led to yet another round of overemphasis on some components of reading instruction at the expense of others. Two years ago Alabama made an 8 point jump in scores, making it the state with the most gains ever for the NAEP assessment. In 2009, Alabama maintained their scores, even with the test being more challenging. This simply proved that 2007 scores were not a fluke. What has made the difference in Alabama reading instruction? Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI)

1. Alabama took the federal "No Child Left Behind" funding and trained every elementary teacher in research based reading instruction and intervention for struggling reader. (ARI)

2. Alabama hired a "reading coach" which is stationed at every elementary school in the state.

3. The reading coaches are trained extensively in using research base curriculum and go into each classroom and observe, model, co-teach, plan, and make sure the reading instruction is being implemented correctly. The state also made sure every school adopted a strong research base reading curriculum.

4. Alabama has determined that every classroom K-3, set aside 90 minutes of reading instruction and small group instruction. Another 30 minutes is for working with at-risk readers and students who did not understand the concept of that day.

5. Teachers meet and plan together to make sure all children are getting quality instruction.

6. All students, K-3, are monitored to see fluency progress, or the rate of reading words aloud. If a child is at-risk, that child will meet at least once a week with the teacher to read aloud and practice fluency. If a child is reading moderately well, the teacher will listen to that child read every other week. If a child is reading on or above grade level, the teacher will listen to that child read once a month. This individual attention has improved reading and the monitoring gives the teacher the information of what needs to be done.

7. The reading coach collects the monthly data and there are monthly meetings with the principal, reading coach, support instructional staff, and teachers by grade levels to discuss what best methods should be used to improve any child of concern. This team effort has changed the environment of the school building into a cooperative effort to improve all children.

8. There are teams formed that "walk through" every classroom and look for best practices that can be shared with the rest of the staff. Lesson plans, reading scores, and centers are observed so improvements can be suggested and implemented.

9. There are 3 oral fluency test given to each child throughout the year and the data is reported to the principals, central office, and state department. This keeps everyone informed as to how each school in the state is doing.

10. Training is ongoing for principals, reading coaches, and teachers. Research has shown that good instruction and training for the teacher and support from the principal makes all the difference in student improvement. Alabama's Reading Initiative is proof that it works!

What's With All This Bullying?

Backstabbing and cruel jokes are all too common among middle-school girls and boys, say the experts behind The Ophelia Project, dedicated to stopping "relational aggression" in schools. Here's their advice for reforming tween and teens:

1. Attitude Problem #1: The kids think, "I was only kidding", or laughing with my friends. The problem is they need to be aware of the harm of bullying and it is not just physical aggression. Words can be even more harmful

2. Attitude Problem #2: When the school holds a character assembly the kids think it is silly and the teachers don't get it. The school must not oversimplify social situations by asking kids what they would do if kids made fun of them. Instead, try reading books that portrays realistic bullying.

3. Attitude Problem #3: It's not cool to talk to teachers. Some kids will never talk to teachers, so there should be a "communication box" in the classrooms where students can drop short anonymous notes.

4. Attitude Problem #4: But we were just standing there. We didn't do anything. Middle schoolers often have the idea that as long as they didn't write the letter or say the unkind words, they're not to blame - even if they're snickering at it. Watch a movie that illustrates all the players in the bullying game. Odd Girl Out is a good one. Finally, apply the movie to what is going on in schools.

Edge-If-Your-Seat-Bullying Books

* Names Will Never Hurt Me, by Jaime Adoff

*The Buffelo Tree, by Adam Rapp

*Shattering Glass, by Gail Giles

*Slam, by Walter Dean Myers

*Loser, by Jerry Spinelli

*Feather Boy, by Nicky Singer

*Tangerine, by Edward Bloor

To read more about bullying and what the schools can do, read the article from, Instructor Magazine, January/February issue.

How Can I Help My Child Love Reading?

The way to get kids to read and love it is to let them choose their own books. From Daniel Pennac's Better Than Life (1992), each year he would let his students in on the "secret" of reading all passionate readers know---but somehow kids are rarely told. The right to free access to lots of books and he believes he has the secret to developing a love for reading. Here are Daniels unusual rules:

1. The right to skip pages

2. The right not to finish a book

3. The right to reread as many times as you like

4. The right to browse

5. The right to read what you are interested in

6. The right not to read something

7. The right to escapism

8. The right to read anywhere

9. The right to read aloud

10. The right to not defend your taste

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Great Web Sites For Little Ones

As you are trying to find great sites for your kids to learn and have fun, it is tough to find the best Web sites for grades K-2. Here Scholastic advisor, Ruth Manna shares a few of her favorite for this time of year:

1. Hike Through the National Parks. A wonderful way to experience the United States. http://www.nps.gov/

2. Bake a Sweet Treat. The object of Flipit Frenzy is to build a cake by matching ingredients by color and shape. This site has great games. http://www.primarygames.com/

3. Count by 100. Use this nifty hundreds chart to teach kids to skip count by 2,5, 10. www.apples4theteacher.com/math.html

4. Celebrate Chinese New Year. Jet of to the Great Wall using Google Earth. http://www.http//earth.google.com/

5. Pick Photos of John and George. Learn about the great Presidents. www.sxc.hu/index.phtml

6. Play Some Grand Slam Math. A neat math game called Grand Slam Math. http://www.mathplayground.com/

7. Race Along the Iditarod Trail. This Web site kids can navigate independently and they love it. http://www.iditarod.com/

8. Take Off Your Mittens. Several math games to play. www.abc.net.au/countusin/

Try these sites and see if your child doesn't fall in love with playing games and learning at the same time!

Internet For Kids

According to Ruth Manna, Scholastic.com advisor, parents often ask her for help using the Internet with kids. Here's what she says:

1. Accompany k=Kids. Children in grades K-2 need assistance, both to safeguard them and teacher them how. Kids have a tendency to click all over without thinking ans are often drawn to pop-ups.

2. Control the Mouse. As you begin to explore a new site, you need to control the mouse. One she/he is familiar, a child can be more independent.

3. Read Direction. Many children's sites assume a child can read. Often young readers need an interpreter.

4. Demonstrate. As with board games and puzzles, young children play well and learn more quickly if a parent plays along with them. If a parent is enthusiastic, chances are the child will be too.

Tomorrow I will share Ruth's favor websites for kids.

Chew On This

According to a Health Fun article, from Family Fun Magazine, March 2009, there is no substitute for brushing and flossing, but these foods can keep your mouth healthy, says New York City Dentist Jennifer Jablow.

1. Raw, hard fruits and vegetables. Eating a crisp apple, or a crunchy carrot or celery stick after a meal makes your mouth water, which helps clear away debris that can cause decay and gum disease.

2. Cheese. Cheese balances your mouth's pH level, making it less hospitable to decay-causing bacteria, and produces saliva to wash away food particles. The calcium in cheese helps build enamel on teeth that have not grown in yet.

3. Sugarless gum. Chewing it after a meal increases saliva flow and works to neutralize tooth-decaying acids in plaque.

How To Get Your Child To Brush And Floss

According to Leslie Garisto Pfaff, from Family Fun Magazine, March 2009 issue, we asked our readers how they got their kids to brush and floss, and they came back with a bunch of bright ideas for maintaining their family smiles.

1. Do it together. The White family from Webster, New York, crowds into their small bathroom, the kids pass out the brushes, and Dad does a thorough tooth check before anyone leaves.

2. Use humor. Leave it to the kids to find humor in pretty much anything, including , as it happens, brushing and flossing. When Jennie Morehead's kids were younger, she created the Gorilla Game, which they still play. There are 'tooth gorillas' hiding between their teeth that can be routed only by proper dental care.

3. Make it musical. To make sure their kids brush long enough (ideally, for at least 2 minutes) lots of the readers used music in one form or another. The Mann family turned on a song and the kids brushed until the song ended.

4. Chart it. When the Jenkin's kids were little they had a chart for brushing and added a sticker to the chart every time they brushed and flossed. Then, when the chart had enough stickers, they went to do something special together.

5. Start a club. When the Terri family girls had braces, they talked to parents of other girls with braces and started an organized "Brush Club". The group of girls got permission from their school to brush and floss together after lunch. The parents made cute little bags to keep their brushing stuff in.

The Teachers' Choices Project: 6-8

Today I will list the Teachers' Choice project list for advanced readers. These are books that teachers picked as exceptional for instruction and good for parents to read aloud. Below are the choices for grades 6-8:

Grades 6-8, Ages 11-14
1. The Boy Who Dared, by Susan Cambell
2. Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson
3. The Freedom Business, by Marilyn Nelson. Illustrated by Deborah Dancy
4. Great Peacemakers: True Stories From Around the World, by Ken Beller and Heather Chase
5. The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary, by Candace Fleming

6. Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out, by Created by 108 renowned authors and illustrators
7. A Thousand Never Evers, by Shanna Burg
8. Washington at Valley Forge, by Russell Freedman
9. We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball, by Kadir Nelson
10. What the World Eats, by Faith D'Aluisio. Photograhs by Peter Menzel

There is so many good literature choices for students to read today. I hope the list from Teachers' Choices have been a help in finding something interesting for your child to read no matter what the age.

The Teachers' Choices Project: 3-5

Yesterday I listed the Teachers' Choices Project K-2 list. Today I will list the 3-5 grades literature teachers pick that were exceptional for students to read or to be used in the curriculum. The International Reading Association's Teachers' Choices project has been in existence since 1989. Below are the choices for intermediate grades:

Grades 3-5, Ages 8-11

1. Abe's Honest Words: The Life of Abraham Lincoln, by Doreen Rappaport. Illustrated by Kadir Nelson

2. Annimal Heroes: True Rescue Stories, by Sandra Markle

3. Birds on a Wire: A Renga 'Round Town, by J. Patrick Lewis and Paul B Janeczko. Illustrated by Gary Lippincott

4. Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak, by Kay Winters. Illustrated by Larry Day

5. Eleven, by Patricia Reilly Giff

6. Lady Liberty: A Biography, by Doreen Rappaport. Illustrated by Matt Tavares
7. March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World, by Christine King Farris. Illustrated by London Ladd

8. A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, by Jen Bryant. Illustrated by Melissa Sweet

9. When the Wolves Returned: Restoring Nature's Balance in Yellowstone, by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent. Photographs by Dan Hartman and Cassie Hartman

10. Yuki and the One Thousand Carriers, by Gloria Whelan. Illustrated by Yan Nascimbene

Tomorrow will be the Teachers' Choice for grades 6-8.

Best Education Possible