Join us here each week. We will provide activities for all ages, with online activities and some things to do on your own. It’s winter, we’re having a pandemic, and there should be a lot of staying at home. But that doesn’t mean being bored! Dive in here, and let’s do some fun things!

Virtual Travel

This week we are traveling a little closer to home – to Chicago, IL! (I used to live there, and am nostalgic for big, wide, straight streets, and deep dish pizza.)

“Chicago, officially the City of Chicago, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the third-most-populous city in the United States. With an estimated population of 2,693,976 in 2019, it is also the most populous city in the Midwestern United States. Chicago is the county seat of Cook County, the second-most-populous county in the US, with a small portion of the northwest side of the city extending into DuPage County near O’Hare Airport. Chicago is the principal city of the Chicago metropolitan area, often referred to as Chicagoland. At nearly 10 million people, the metropolitan area is the third most populous in the United States.

“Located on the shores of freshwater Lake Michigan, Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837 near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed and grew rapidly in the mid-19th century. After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which destroyed several square miles and left more than 100,000 homeless, the city made a concerted effort to rebuild.”

Let’s Move

When we are all home, it’s easy to sit around and relax into watching Netflix or read all those library books on your TBR list. That stuff is good too – but let’s take a few minutes to get up, to bounce around, and to get some blood flowing! Join P.E. With Joe to have fun today!!

STEM Project: Make a Fire Snake

Check out all the details here! “With a few simple ingredients, you can create a “fire snake” that appears to grow out of nowhere in this fun experiment! Although it looks magical, no magic is involved—it is all because of a chemical reaction. Try it to find out how it works!”

Academic Fun: Are Targeted Political Ads Deceiving Voters?

Check out another good lesson from Common Sense Education!

“When social media companies sell our data to political advertisers, the stakes get a lot higher. Many political campaigns use a tactic called “microtargeting” to send very specific messages to different voters. But how much can one politician promise? And can these ads actually persuade someone to vote for a certain candidate? In some cases, the worst of these ads might use disinformation or lies to damage a political opponent or — even worse — enable voter suppression.

Use this lesson plan to help your students think critically about the impact of targeted advertising on social media — both during an election season and in general.”

Arts and Crafts: Pipe Cleaner Spring Flowers

“This lovely pipe cleaner spring flowers craft is fun and super easy! Ideal for pre-schoolers and school early years, it’s really tactile with the crispy crepe paper and the bendy, fuzzy pipe cleaners. But it’s also great for those fine motor skills, as children have to work carefully, petal by petal, to build their flowers.”

Calm and Background

Stormy Night Cozy Cabin Ambience with Relaxing Rain and Fireplace Sounds for Sleeping and Reading