Automobile travel continues to be a major part of life for American families (especially with the rising cost of airfare combined with the reduced number of flights). However, children are not looking out of the window like they used to. During my childhood, I recall trips to Disneyworld and Silver Dollar City, as well as Alabama, Arkansas, Ohio, and New York. Other than sleeping or playing with a magnetic Travel Bingo game, I spent the majority of the travel time looking out the window and taking in the sights (or lack thereof). That doesn't happen so much these days. With in-car dvd players, smartphones, tablets, Kindles and other handheld devices, it is difficult to get kids to observe. However, there are ways to keep young passengers in the back seat (back rows if the vehicle is a mini-van) entertained without the use of electronics! Here are a few activities to use this summer or anytime you will travel 30 minutes or more.
In The Car Travel Bingo Create and print a Travel Bingo card. It should be a 4 by 4 array of squares (16 total) with each square containing one picture. Examples of pictures are a bird, tree, rabbit, squirrel, stop sign, person jogging/biking, dragon fly, etc. A child can fill in a row horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Or perhaps they can play "coverall" or "blackout" bingo. Since you are in a moving vehicle you will not be able to use bingo chips. A perfect alternative is to laminate the bingo cards and use a wet erase marker to mark objects with an x or o when they are seen. A moist paper towel or rag will sufficiently clear the markings from the board when the game is over. The objects are easy to see from a car, but this can be played almost anywhere. At The Grocery Store Shopping at the grocery store, Target, Walmart, etc is the perfect opportunity for practical application of math skills and concepts. Parents can take advantage of this time to explore shapes, estimation, sales tax (for upper elementary and middle school), addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, making change, and debit. Retail stores make for the perfect "math playground". Here is an activity to use that only requires a pencil and a note pad. Add Them Up Have your child take a small notepad (e.g. Steno Pad) to the store. As you select items from the shelves, have your child write down the cost of each item. They can either add as they go along (calculate a subtotal after every 4 items) or they can add them all at the end to obtain an approximate cost of the entire purchase. If you child knows how, they can calculate the total cost of all items including sales tax or you can show them how to do it when you return home. How Much Change Have your child observe as the items are being scanned and the total cost for your purchase is increasing. If you are paying with cash, tell your child how much money you are handing to the cashier (try not to use exact change), and have them quickly figure out how much change you should receive. What games have you used?
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There is an “oldie but goody” activity that students grades 3-5 can undertake as a summer learning experience...journal writing. Some families will travel abroad, some will take a few short trips within the United States, and some may not travel at all. Even if you don’t leave your state or city, there are still ample opportunities for one to write about daily/weekly summer activities. The great thing about journal writing is there are no restrictions with respect to length, format, or subject matter.Simply write about what you experience (good or bad). If you don’t have fun doing something, it doesn’t mean there is nothing to write about. Write about how you didn’t have fun or how the experience would have been different if you were able to control it. The best way to optimize your journal writing is to decide how often you will write (I suggest a minimum of three times per week), and write at the end of each day while your experiences are still fresh in your mind. Below are some topics to address when reflecting upon your days of leisure whether traveling or staying in town. 1. Where did you visit? 2. Who did you go with? 3. Where did you stay? 4. What are things you encountered? 5. Did you see something you have always wanted to see? Something you had never seen before? 6. What is the best/worst thing to happen today? 7. Did you try food you had never eaten before? 8. Was the weather what you expected? 9. Did you learn something new? 10. Did the people you encounter speak a different language? If so, what language? 11. Would you like to revisit in the future? 12. Did you purchase any souvenirs? If so, what are they? 13. Did the buildings look different than where you live? Different style houses? 14. Did you see anything historical? If so, what? 15. What was the most amazing thing you saw during your trip? 16. Describe your surroundings (this is good if on a camping trip or at sleep away camp). What do you see, hear, smell, feel? Questions are certainly not limited to the above list. Basically whatever you are thinking/feeling, write about it! Some students may find this activity more appealing buy add photographs or drawings to their journal. The photos can be printed and pasted on their journal page or a digital journal can be created using Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Presentation or a similar program. Have you tried this activity before? Will you try this summer? Next summer? In an age when kids regularly use personal multimedia technology, the importance of developing good active listening skills (a.k.a.“listening to learn”) is paramount. Being able to listen effectively is also a vital component of leadership. With summer break in full swing, students can take advantage of this time to strengthen their listening and build a foundation for leadership skills via listening to podcasts. There are many podcasts available for free on iTunes covering a broad range of topics. For students who learn most effectively by listening (auditory learners), this can be advantageous. However it is not limited to struggling readers. It can help all students become better in the following areas: 1. Paying Attention- Focus on what you are listening to, and give it your full attention. 2. Reserve Judgement- Have an open mind and be willing to listen to new ideas and different perspectives. The best active listeners are able to do this very well. 3. Reflecting- This is a great way to know that you understand correctly. 4. Clarification- This is accomplished by asking questions. If something is ambiguous, raise questions so you can establish clarification 5. Summarize- Restating key concepts confirms your grasp of the subject matter. 6. Sharing- The primary goal of active listening is to clearly understand. Once you understand, then you can share your ideas, suggestions and thoughts about the topic. Being an active listener takes a lot of concentration and determination. Be thoughtful with your listening. Remind yourself that the objective is to undoubtedly understand what is being said. Parents can help their child select podcasts of interest and maybe even some that don't pique their interest (two podcasts I enjoy are TED Talks and Stuff You Should Know). Once decisions are made, set up a schedule for listening and applying each of the above skills.There are no limits with respect to how you can use podcasts. Be creative, have fun, and think outside the box! Have you tried this idea with your child/children? A great Ted Talks video on "Why We Learn Mathematics" (The Fibonacci Numbers) |
AuthorRandy Sally Archives
June 2023
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