Kids´ Research - Jump On It!
Are you are looking for something on the Internet? Use a jump site for kids, not a grown up search engine. Good information is easy to find and not too hard to read.
Homework Nibbles
Brain work can be long and boring. Many high tech businesses have discovered a secret. Their workers get more done if they have a healthy snack to nibble on while they work. Try it! Baby carrots, celery stix, or raisins are ideal nibblers. You get a good crunch to keep you awake, and they´re good for you. Read labels on your snacks to see what vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients you are eating. A healthy brain does a better job on homework!
Make a Zoo
You learn about animal names. You learn what animals eat and where they live. You can share your new ideas with friends. Make a zoo. Use clay or play dough to shape the animals. Get a grown up to help you make pens or cages from cut off boxes. Write about each animal on a card. Now set up your zoo. Take your friends and family on a tour. Don´t forget to take pictures for your scrapbook!
My Family Book
Practice your writing. Make a picture book about your family. You will need a camera with film, paper, colored markers, stickers, glue, and a report cover.
Take a picture of each person in your family. Ask each person to write his name. Ask each person to tell you three things about himself.
Glue each picture on a page. Write what you know about each person. Decorate the pages. Put the pages in the report cover. Share your family book with your teacher and your family.
Dancing Amoebas
Music makes any project sing. Science projects are even more interesting accompanied by music. Try a dixieland tune with a project about rocks. Imagine an amoeba dancing to a get-down beat. Maybe try a symphony for flowers. Be sure that the music is a background, not the focus of your project. Keep the volume low. Observe good judgement about the lyrics. S)Sometimes just a sound bite at the right moment is better than music the whole time. Use music to create a learning mood for your project.
Musical Geography
When you study about a country, don´t forget the music. You would be missing out on the flavor of the culture. Your public library will have a good selection of music from different places. Also check the Internet for good sources and sound clips. If you are doing a geography or history project, music adds a whole new dimension. Include sound bites or a background track to your presentation.
Word Processing for Beginners
(this tip is for younger students)
Using a computer to write is fun and easy. And you can make what you write look awesome!
Start by writing your paper. Maybe you have to write about your dog. Tell something general about your dog, like why you think your dog is the best dog on your street. Then tell some details like what kind of dog you have, what it looks like, and how you got your dog. You might say something funny, like what your dog does that isn´t so wonderful.
After you have your paper written, then you can make it loook good. Use the spell checker. Then you can use the format menu or the tool buttons to change the way your paper looks.
Make the letter size a 12 or 14. Use bold for the title. Underline any book titles. Use italics to show off something. Change the color of words to be creative.
Have fun with your computer. It can help you write better.
Kites are a Blast!
Here´s an art project you´ll love to make! You can actually use it!
Kites have been flown since ancient times. They have been used to celebrate spring, study weather and many other things.
You can make a very simple kite in about 10 minutes. Or you can spend many hours making a kite that will wow your friends and earn you a fabulous grade in art class or on your science fair project!
Your kite can be microsized (about 1 inch square) or big enough to need 2 or 3 people to launch it.
Materials for kites vary widely. You can use anything light weight, from newspaper and tape to ripstop nylon. Kites come in kits at variety and hobby stores.
You will find instructions, photos, and descriptions of the science principles behind flight in books at your local library or bookstore. You can also find good information online at many kite websites.
Besides the fun of creating your kite, you´ll really enjoy flying it. It is a good thing to do with friends. Try a kite-building contest for your club or church group. Volunteer some time to help a senior or a young child build and fly a kite.
Enter your kite in art design contests or make it as a 3-D art project. Your kite makes a wonderful and fun science fair project to study the principles of aerodynamics, including lift, gravity, and air pressure.
And when your done at the end of the day, hang it from your bedroom ceiling as a giant poster!
Books - Not Videos!!!!
How many times do you get together with friends to watch a video? Well, try something different.
Check with your local library to find out the top ten books for teens. Check them out and then get your friends together for a reading party. No kidding!!!
Or choose books on a certain topic .... could be homework related or just something you all like. Maybe you´re all into classic cars, or science fiction, or home decorating. Whatever the topic, you´ll find plenty of books for everyone. Then spend an hour of your party reading and snacking on treats that won´t get pages dirty.
Then let everyone share what they learned or what their book is about. Many adults do this, actually. It´s called Book Club!
Kids are Poets Too
If you have written poetry for school or just for the fun of it, you can share it many ways. You can give copies to relatives and friends as gifts for birthdays or other special days.
Or you can publish it or enter a contest with it. Local book stores, newspapers, or writer´s clubs often have contests. There are many writing contests for kids on the Iternet. There are also many interactive websites where you can submit your work for other kids to enjoy. Check out the links on my website for ideas.
What About Your Pet?
How much do you know about your pet?
Whether it´s a dog or a turtle, pets can be the inspiration for many homework assignments. Find out about the species of your pet, its background, and what you can do to be a better pet owner.
Then you can do a science report, give an oral report, or write about your pet for an English paper!
Zoo Tips
Here are some tips for you next visit to your local zoo.
Dress appropriately, with a hat, sunscreen, and good walking shoes. Take a water bottle and snack.
Carry a camera and a small notebook. Have enough film.
You can write a photo journal of what you see. Be sure to number the photos and then record data from signs and interviews.
Ask questions. If you see a zoo keeper or an education person, ask specific questions about the animals. Be sure to write down the question and the answers and the person´s name.
You may want to do your zoo visit with a purpose in mind. You might find out what various animals eat or how they eat. Call the zoo for feeding times.
You may see how animals care for babies. Call the zoo for the best time to view parenting behaviors.
You may want to know about diseases of wild animals. Again, call the zoo to arrange an interview with the zoo vet.
There are so many things to learn about animals. You can use your zoo journal for a science report or English paper.
And your zoo visit will be more interesting if you are prepared!
Check out the recommended links and books on my website.
My Home Book
Practice your writing. Make a picture book about your home. You will need paper, colored markers, stickers, glue, and a report cover.
Draw pictures of your home. Draw the inside and the outside. Is there a special place you really like? Ask your parents if they know anything special about your home, like when it was built. Find out the address and write it down.
Write what you know about your home. Decorate the pages. Put the pages in the report cover. Share your home book with your teacher and your family.
My Neighborhood Book
Practice your writing. Make a picture book about your neighborhood. You will need a camera with film, paper, colored markers, stickers, glue, and a report cover. Geet your parents or other adult to help you.
Take a picture of each place in your neighborhood. Include your street with your home. Do you have a school in your neighborhood? Do you have a park? Where do you get mail? Who are your neighbors. You could draw a map of your neighborhood. Ask your parents to tell you about the places in your neighborhood.
Glue each picture on a page. Write what you know about each place in your neighborhood. Decorate the pages. Put the pages in the report cover. Share your neighborhood book with your teacher and your family.
Vacation Animals
If you are going on a vacation to a new place, you´ll enjoy it more if you know something about the place.
Are there interesting insects you might want to collect? Well, are there any you might need to watch out for!
Is it possible to see animals in the wilds there? What animals run or fly around at night? Are there any precautions you need to take when out hiking or swimming?
I read books about the animals on the Galapagos Islands before I went. And I was sooo glad! I might have missed many wonderful opportunities if I hadn´t known where to look for some animals.
Be sure to take a camera and small notebook to record your adventures!
You can use your new information and photos for science reports and English papers.
Check out the recommended links and books on my website to help you find more information.
