Words are beautiful. They communicate nuances of thought and assemble ideas into patterns of delight. Words as an art form include rap, verse, and poetry that can be presented live, in books and electronically. As explorers of words we enjoy word puzzles, play Scrabble, appreciate inspirational speakers, and enter spelling bees. We honor the great pronunciation of actors on the stage. We use words, yet they are meaningless without purposeful expression.
Crutches in the form of dictionaries, thesauruses, and encyclopedias are a great help to writers. It surprised me to discover how ancient the history of lexicography (compiling dictionary) was. Did you know that the first compilation of words dating back to 2300 BCE was found in what is now modern Syria? It would have been fun to be the one to find ancient tablets with bilingual Sumarian-Akkadian word lists. Of next importance were the Chinese who have been credited with the first monolingual dictionary written in about 3 BCE. Over the years there were many other early Arabic and European word compilations that set the stage for an English language version.
Since I use dictionaries often I appreciate those who put them together. An alphabetic English language dictionary was first written by a school teacher, Robert Cawdrey in 1604. If you jump in time to Samuel Johnson in 1755 you will learn that he compiled a more expansive “Dictionary of the English Language”, helping set a standard for future books. Then with another major leap forward, the Oxford English Dictionary was compiled. What an effort! Started by the Philological Society in London, it took over 50 years to complete the first edition in 1884 entitled A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles. Volunteers were called to help with this monumental task, and one of note was murderer Thomas Minor. Minor’s life was sustained by words as he contributed hours of work assembling definitions from his insane asylum in Crowthorn, Berksure, England. The Oxford English Dictionary with its 616,500 word-forms remains the most comprehensive and trusted dictionary of the English language and is constantly being updated. As a little aside…the Dutch dictionary Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal is the largest in the world and it took twice as long to complete.
Now, let us explore the thesaurus. Peter Mark Roget was a man of science, a physician, and a lexicographer who loved organization. He started early in childhood putting lists together that eventually led to his life’s work. In 1852 he published his major work “Thesaurus of Words and Phrases”, an invaluable book for helping writers of every ilk select just the right word to express their meaning. Roget, a man of many talents is also known to have invented the slide rule and for recognizing the concept of “persistence of vision”, a discovery that led to development of animation and films. Roget certainly was an inventive man.
Today, specialized dictionaries and glossaries in print and electronically make it easy to check spelling, meaning, and word roots. However, words themselves do not add up to their artful use. How does a truly great communicator use words? Are writers and orators born with a gift or do they learn to love words and their use by practice and study? Perhaps the answer is both.
Writing is a craft that involves creativity being applied to common standards and techniques. As in any art form, hours of practice are needed to be able to take words and craft them for understanding and inspiration. Writing involves vision without which there is no path for words to travel. It may involve hours of research in order to provide a depth of knowledge underlying the subject of the writing. Writing includes developing style, knowing how to present conversations, and of course, word use.
Dictionaries and thesaurus help the writer but in themselves can not be the muse. Time spent with imaginative play, creative and critical thinking processes and even silence give rise to an inner voice that is needed in speech and writing. Activities that promote creative expression are just as important as those focused on the accumulation of words.
At Museum Tour we suggest many ways to develop and practice creative language skills. Our early focus on language development helps children pronounce words correctly. It is difficult to read and write if your r sounds like a w. Books and games with factual content, workbooks as learning aids, and activities for performances are all part of our offerings to help young learners turn words into eloquent communication. A few examples include Speechersize (pronunciation), Origin of Expressions (creative language), Writers Companion (a how to book), Sensational Sentences (practice), Poem in Your Pocket (inspirational), Adventure Books (to embrace reading), Black Beauty (comprehension), Archiquest (creativity), Building Thinking Skills (reasoning and analytics) and Flipbook (sequencing).
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Pain and Swearing? What next?
You probably won’t run out and teach your kids to swear but a study recently reported in the August 5 NeuroReport suggests that four-letter words may help alleviate pain. According to Timothy Jay of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, swear words are a link between the emotions and language.
The study started when psychologist Richard Stephens listened to his wife’s language during childbirth. There were interesting findings….People who uttered swear words while keeping their hands in extremely cold water were able to withstand the ordeal longer than those who didn’t. They also reported less pain afterwards. For more information Click Here!
The study started when psychologist Richard Stephens listened to his wife’s language during childbirth. There were interesting findings….People who uttered swear words while keeping their hands in extremely cold water were able to withstand the ordeal longer than those who didn’t. They also reported less pain afterwards. For more information Click Here!
Swine Flu and Weight
A report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that of the 99 people who died in the early stages of the pandemic in the US 45 % were obese (26% in the US overall are obese), drawing the conclusion that obesity doubles the risk of getting seriously ill.
It is known that most people who die have other risks such as diabetes, hypertension, coronary and lung diseases. According to “Jesse Roth, a diabetes specialist at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York."The resting level of inflammation goes up in obesity," he says. He suspects that this disrupts the body's immune response to viruses, making a lethal runaway reaction more likely.” So…ladies and gents….get it off! For more information go to The New Scientist.
It is known that most people who die have other risks such as diabetes, hypertension, coronary and lung diseases. According to “Jesse Roth, a diabetes specialist at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York."The resting level of inflammation goes up in obesity," he says. He suspects that this disrupts the body's immune response to viruses, making a lethal runaway reaction more likely.” So…ladies and gents….get it off! For more information go to The New Scientist.
Born Without Half her Cortex -10 year old can see
The New Scientist reports that a 10 year old girl who was born with half of her cerebral cortex missing can see. In studying why, they discovered that there was a massive reorganization of the brain circuits that were involved in vision.
Doctors originally discovered the problem when the girl was three years of age and developed seizures. They were able to stop the seizures with medication. In exploring why this child acts normally, doctors did a brain scan that showed retinal nerves “should normally connect to the right half of her brain instead set up shop in two parts of the left brain: the thalamus and the visual cortex.” It is amazing to see how adaptable our bodies are. For more information Click Here!
Doctors originally discovered the problem when the girl was three years of age and developed seizures. They were able to stop the seizures with medication. In exploring why this child acts normally, doctors did a brain scan that showed retinal nerves “should normally connect to the right half of her brain instead set up shop in two parts of the left brain: the thalamus and the visual cortex.” It is amazing to see how adaptable our bodies are. For more information Click Here!
Monday, September 14, 2009
Pets Help People, but Can You Potty Train Your Bird?
According to the 2008 survey by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, 63% of American households include pets. They are acquired for many reasons including teaching responsibility to children, companionship for adults, assistance to the handicapped, and therapists for the ill.
Emotional and physical well being is often enhanced by having a companion animal. Dogs that need to be walked daily force the owner into a healthy exercise program. Grooming and petting provide tactile connections that human beings need and often don’t get as they reach old age. Pet owners in general develop an understanding of what it means to give and receive unconditional love, loyalty, and sympathy. Caring for animals encourages kindness and understanding. Service animals lead the blind across streets, help the deaf hear alarms, provide warning signs for those living alone, and give an overall feeling of safety. In addition, companion animals help lessen the feeling of loneliness, lowering blood pressure and even cholesterol levels.
In discussing the advantages of pets, one of my friends told me about her Double Yellow Head Amazon Parrot. She keeps the cage open and lets her bird fly around the house without being afraid of poop being dropped everywhere. She claimed that she was able to “housebreak” her parrot and teach it to relieve himself in the proper spot. Wow! I found that statement hard to believe so my staff and I did some investigative research to find out if that was possible.
What we found was an overwhelming affirmation, especially with “hookbill” birds. You can in fact train a bird much as you train a dog but you do need a lot more patience and attention. Start by paying close attention to signals that the bird may give before relieving himself. These clues may include a ruffling of tail feathers or a look in the eyes. When you have selected the spot you want the bird to relieve himself (many choose the cage itself). Follow up by taking the bird to the spot when it is time to go potty. Say “go potty”. If he moves from the spot, take him back until he goes. Play time can follow for 7-10 minutes before returning the bird to his perch where you will start the cycle all over again. When the bird follows through correctly he needs to be praised with words and treats.
There may be a few accidents on the way but with a lot of attention to body language and schedule you can succeed with a great reward for doing so. Once the bird is conditioned there is no need to perch him. You can start training him to “poop on command”, over wastebaskets and garbage cans.
Taking care of your bird requires daily maintenance, good nutrition, play time, toys, and interaction. Pay attention to common foods that can poison your bird. Among the culprits are chocolate, avocado, apple seeds, salt, caffeine, and alcohol. House plants such as daffodils, jasmine, lilies, ivy, parsley, and holly are a sampling of those to avoid placing near your bird.
Never punish your bird by withholding food, hitting, or holding a grudge. Birds are very intelligent and respond to frowning expressions, soft speech, and being put back in their cage. Lastly, if you are purchasing a new feathered friend make sure that it is legal and not a kidnapped bird on the endangered species list.
If you give such attention to a bird or any animal you will start to understand why emotional attachments get formed. Museum Tour Catalog encourages you to understand your animal and to have fun with your pet. We are confident that pets can help you learn, grow, and become a more satisfied person!
Our book series, Why do Dogs have Wet Noses?, Cats HaveWhiskers?, Horses Have Manes? is a fun read to learn unusual animal facts. Dog Tricks will teach you how to train a dog, and Fun With Your Dog, Fun With Your Cat actually has you making food to test their taste buds, teaching them to sit, and learning fun facts about these pets.
Emotional and physical well being is often enhanced by having a companion animal. Dogs that need to be walked daily force the owner into a healthy exercise program. Grooming and petting provide tactile connections that human beings need and often don’t get as they reach old age. Pet owners in general develop an understanding of what it means to give and receive unconditional love, loyalty, and sympathy. Caring for animals encourages kindness and understanding. Service animals lead the blind across streets, help the deaf hear alarms, provide warning signs for those living alone, and give an overall feeling of safety. In addition, companion animals help lessen the feeling of loneliness, lowering blood pressure and even cholesterol levels.
In discussing the advantages of pets, one of my friends told me about her Double Yellow Head Amazon Parrot. She keeps the cage open and lets her bird fly around the house without being afraid of poop being dropped everywhere. She claimed that she was able to “housebreak” her parrot and teach it to relieve himself in the proper spot. Wow! I found that statement hard to believe so my staff and I did some investigative research to find out if that was possible.
What we found was an overwhelming affirmation, especially with “hookbill” birds. You can in fact train a bird much as you train a dog but you do need a lot more patience and attention. Start by paying close attention to signals that the bird may give before relieving himself. These clues may include a ruffling of tail feathers or a look in the eyes. When you have selected the spot you want the bird to relieve himself (many choose the cage itself). Follow up by taking the bird to the spot when it is time to go potty. Say “go potty”. If he moves from the spot, take him back until he goes. Play time can follow for 7-10 minutes before returning the bird to his perch where you will start the cycle all over again. When the bird follows through correctly he needs to be praised with words and treats.
There may be a few accidents on the way but with a lot of attention to body language and schedule you can succeed with a great reward for doing so. Once the bird is conditioned there is no need to perch him. You can start training him to “poop on command”, over wastebaskets and garbage cans.
Taking care of your bird requires daily maintenance, good nutrition, play time, toys, and interaction. Pay attention to common foods that can poison your bird. Among the culprits are chocolate, avocado, apple seeds, salt, caffeine, and alcohol. House plants such as daffodils, jasmine, lilies, ivy, parsley, and holly are a sampling of those to avoid placing near your bird.
Never punish your bird by withholding food, hitting, or holding a grudge. Birds are very intelligent and respond to frowning expressions, soft speech, and being put back in their cage. Lastly, if you are purchasing a new feathered friend make sure that it is legal and not a kidnapped bird on the endangered species list.
If you give such attention to a bird or any animal you will start to understand why emotional attachments get formed. Museum Tour Catalog encourages you to understand your animal and to have fun with your pet. We are confident that pets can help you learn, grow, and become a more satisfied person!
Our book series, Why do Dogs have Wet Noses?, Cats HaveWhiskers?, Horses Have Manes? is a fun read to learn unusual animal facts. Dog Tricks will teach you how to train a dog, and Fun With Your Dog, Fun With Your Cat actually has you making food to test their taste buds, teaching them to sit, and learning fun facts about these pets.
Sports Often Cause Knee Injuries
A new way of repairing cartilage from knee injuries has been developed by Orthomimetics, a company in Cambridge, England and faculty at M.I.T. and University of Cambridge.
Wow! That is great international collaboration. Ready made plugs that imitate humane bone and cartilage are inserted microscopically. Stem cells from the bone marrow impregnates the pores of the implant, guiding the creation of bone on one side and cartilage on the other. The plug disappears in about six months producing a less traumatic surgery. Perhaps your son or daughter will become a researcher producing life support aides. To find more information about this procedure, Click Here!
Wow! That is great international collaboration. Ready made plugs that imitate humane bone and cartilage are inserted microscopically. Stem cells from the bone marrow impregnates the pores of the implant, guiding the creation of bone on one side and cartilage on the other. The plug disappears in about six months producing a less traumatic surgery. Perhaps your son or daughter will become a researcher producing life support aides. To find more information about this procedure, Click Here!
Helping To Choose a Healthier Diet
The federal government has just developed a new food group pyramid based on the premise that one size does not fit all. The different width colors indicate which items you need more in your diet. If you go to mypyramid.com you will find that you can click on the different colors to find out daily dietary requirements for your age group. The site even helps you plan your preschooler’s or child’s menus. For clearer understanding information is presented by using cups and ounces as a way of measuring.
Being physically active helps you maintain weight, reduces stress and in general helps you feel better. To lose weight, however, the calories taken in have to be less than those expended. Most dieters are helped when they start tracking their caloric intake, becoming aware of what they are eating. I was pleasantly surprised when reviewing this site to find that it was filled with a great deal of useful information.
Being physically active helps you maintain weight, reduces stress and in general helps you feel better. To lose weight, however, the calories taken in have to be less than those expended. Most dieters are helped when they start tracking their caloric intake, becoming aware of what they are eating. I was pleasantly surprised when reviewing this site to find that it was filled with a great deal of useful information.
What Do You Do if You Find a Baby Bird?
According to a New York Times writer C.Claiborne Ray, you should not do anything, for often people’s good intentions kill the bird. If your baby bird is de-feathered look for the nest and return it. Your odor will not keep the parents away. A feathered bird probably just jumped out of the nest.
Sometimes if no one is around, the parent bird will still feed the fledgling on the ground. Feathered birds can be put on a branch or returned to the nest. When the nest has fallen and broken, put it in a box and strap it to the tree. If you have found a hurt bird then put it in a small covered box and visit a veterinarian or call the Wildlife International Rehabilitation Council Web site. Feeding a baby bird at home may mean giving formula food every 30 minutes for a month. This is not an easy task. I’ve tried it and failed.
Sometimes if no one is around, the parent bird will still feed the fledgling on the ground. Feathered birds can be put on a branch or returned to the nest. When the nest has fallen and broken, put it in a box and strap it to the tree. If you have found a hurt bird then put it in a small covered box and visit a veterinarian or call the Wildlife International Rehabilitation Council Web site. Feeding a baby bird at home may mean giving formula food every 30 minutes for a month. This is not an easy task. I’ve tried it and failed.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
A Case for a History Sleuth
In the New Reformers (1844) Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “We are students of words: we are shut up in schools and colleges and recitation rooms for ten or fifteen years and come out at last with a bag of wind, a memory of words and we do not know a thing.”
The complaint continues about our schools today and is especially true for history classes. Studying history through lectures or memorization is a history killer for most children. What happened hundreds of years ago may not have much relevance to a 10 or 15 year old? We all come from the past and are influenced by our ancestors so history is an important course of study for good citizenship. History provides human understanding of the past, moral contemplation that tests our values today, and a sense of identity. Let’s explore how we can understand the past better than by lectures and readings?
How can we teach history in a way that is useful and fascinating? Primitive people used to teach tribal history through oral presentations around the fireplace. At time these tales would be animated by figures in masks or by dancers. Good story tellers were in demand and commanded great respect. Troubadours in the middle ages would write and sing about the past and tell tales of news from afar.
Human beings are story-telling animals. One teaching method that utilizes this attribute is known as the case method. Cases are stories with a message. They give an opportunity for the learner to become a participating detective, helping to unravel the past. Cases educate as well as entertain and offer an opportunity to observe, interact with, and understand human nature.
Solving a case leads to understanding the facts, not the other way around. Case study methods involve an in-depth examination of a single event. Just as a good forensic expert has developed a sleuth like strategy to solve a crime, case system participants are involved in collecting data, analyzing information, and reporting results. In other words a real-life context is the background for the historical inquiry with a resultant story to tell.
Ever wonder about the background of the signers of our constitution? Wouldn’t this subject make a great case to solve? Young researchers could ask: Were they religious? Well educated? Family men? What were their professions? Were they wealthy or poor? Most interesting….what happened to the founders later in life because of their involvement with the constitution? (Did you know that that some were considered traitors? Some became bankrupt. Others had their homes ransacked?) The case may even question the price of freedom?
One interesting case was inspired by a questioning student who noticed that while walking through city streets she sometimes saw black spots of gum ground into the pavement while at other times she noticed the spots were white. The professor asked her to research the subject and she wound up studying over1000 years of history, tracing the root of bubble gum to Africa, Greece, Native American Indians, and the Mayans. Not only did she learn history, but she became knowledgeable in the science of gum, and its commercial development.
There are lots of themes that could help develop our next generation of history buffs. Being a detective and uncovering stories creates mystery, intrigue, and is lots of fun.
In 2009-10 Museum Tour Catalog look for the Bill of Rights Game. You will find that it is a great way to explore questions about the edge of our political rights. The game leads you to ask many difficult questions such as - Should a student have the right to wear a t-shirt to school saying that gays are unnatural when there is a body of evidence showing no biological differences? Is the student’s free speech right more important than the harm being done to the gay student? Is it up to the school to decide what is worn on t-shirts?
By renaming the question, getting away from memorizing facts, and appealing to different learning styles the case method draws in curious learners to want to know more.
The complaint continues about our schools today and is especially true for history classes. Studying history through lectures or memorization is a history killer for most children. What happened hundreds of years ago may not have much relevance to a 10 or 15 year old? We all come from the past and are influenced by our ancestors so history is an important course of study for good citizenship. History provides human understanding of the past, moral contemplation that tests our values today, and a sense of identity. Let’s explore how we can understand the past better than by lectures and readings?
How can we teach history in a way that is useful and fascinating? Primitive people used to teach tribal history through oral presentations around the fireplace. At time these tales would be animated by figures in masks or by dancers. Good story tellers were in demand and commanded great respect. Troubadours in the middle ages would write and sing about the past and tell tales of news from afar.
Human beings are story-telling animals. One teaching method that utilizes this attribute is known as the case method. Cases are stories with a message. They give an opportunity for the learner to become a participating detective, helping to unravel the past. Cases educate as well as entertain and offer an opportunity to observe, interact with, and understand human nature.
Solving a case leads to understanding the facts, not the other way around. Case study methods involve an in-depth examination of a single event. Just as a good forensic expert has developed a sleuth like strategy to solve a crime, case system participants are involved in collecting data, analyzing information, and reporting results. In other words a real-life context is the background for the historical inquiry with a resultant story to tell.
Ever wonder about the background of the signers of our constitution? Wouldn’t this subject make a great case to solve? Young researchers could ask: Were they religious? Well educated? Family men? What were their professions? Were they wealthy or poor? Most interesting….what happened to the founders later in life because of their involvement with the constitution? (Did you know that that some were considered traitors? Some became bankrupt. Others had their homes ransacked?) The case may even question the price of freedom?
One interesting case was inspired by a questioning student who noticed that while walking through city streets she sometimes saw black spots of gum ground into the pavement while at other times she noticed the spots were white. The professor asked her to research the subject and she wound up studying over1000 years of history, tracing the root of bubble gum to Africa, Greece, Native American Indians, and the Mayans. Not only did she learn history, but she became knowledgeable in the science of gum, and its commercial development.
There are lots of themes that could help develop our next generation of history buffs. Being a detective and uncovering stories creates mystery, intrigue, and is lots of fun.
In 2009-10 Museum Tour Catalog look for the Bill of Rights Game. You will find that it is a great way to explore questions about the edge of our political rights. The game leads you to ask many difficult questions such as - Should a student have the right to wear a t-shirt to school saying that gays are unnatural when there is a body of evidence showing no biological differences? Is the student’s free speech right more important than the harm being done to the gay student? Is it up to the school to decide what is worn on t-shirts?
By renaming the question, getting away from memorizing facts, and appealing to different learning styles the case method draws in curious learners to want to know more.
Looking for an inexpensive way to have fun?
As a past director of the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry I know first hand what a valuable resource they are. Walking through exhibit halls stimulates your imagination and provides a platform for family discussion. Docents leading tours in history and art museums help provide more in depth information than you might get on your own. Science centers with their hands-on activities, OMNIMAX theaters and Planetarium are enriching and involving.
Museums also offer lectures that are usually free, depending on the speaker and museum. The speakers are advanced in the field and share from personal experience about a specific topic to give you a different perspective. Workshops are also good if you’re looking for something to do with the little ones over the weekend. If you can not afford the visit, ask if thee is financial aide or a free day.
Museums also offer lectures that are usually free, depending on the speaker and museum. The speakers are advanced in the field and share from personal experience about a specific topic to give you a different perspective. Workshops are also good if you’re looking for something to do with the little ones over the weekend. If you can not afford the visit, ask if thee is financial aide or a free day.
Can You Homeschool Someone Else’s Child?
In most states home school laws require filing all pertinent forms and abiding by mandatory testing regulations. State requirements also allow home schooling families freedom to participate in educational co-ops, have private or group lessens, enjoy distant learning classes, and join in umbrella schools. The home school movement has blossomed in recent years and many unusual school-home relationships have developed. Some schools provide classroom teachers to oversee and assist the parents of their home schooled children. They may provide workbooks and even review the work being done. Many schools permit children to participate in music and gym classes even though the academic work is done at home. I know of schools that provide special gathering spot for those in their area who are home schooled, letting them use library books, and making them feel welcome. One district I know even provides the electronic dishes that permit distant learning in rural communities.
Get Ready for Tomorrow’s Jobs
A new report, released by the president’s Council of Economic Advisers, entitled “Preparing the Workers of Today for the Jobs of Tomorrow” says that there is only one theme that applies and that is “education, education, education.” The study looked at which part of the labor force that will grow between now and 2016 and found that health care, the education field, environment related jobs, and jobs requiring a post-secondary education will be needed most in our developing economy. The report argues that we have to improve the education system to meet these skill-based needs. Goals for improving the post-secondary education system include training programs for displaced workers, better financial access to educational programs, better guidance in course selection and degree planning, and working with employers to make sure educational programs equip students with the skills they will need on the job. A strong early childhood and elementary and secondary system forms the basis for post-high school education. So …let’s get with it!
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