|
|
July 26, 2022
Summer Issue #6
|
Weekly activities and lessons to keep your child thinking and progressing throughout the school year and summer. |
|
“I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” |
|
Hello and Happy Tuesday,
Wow! The weeks on my summer calendar keep getting shorter and shorter. Don't worry parents, peace will be restored in no time and the little ones will be back in school soon. I certainly have enjoyed my break, but once the Back-to-School ads hit the airwaves, my little brain starts working overtime.
This weeks Inquiry Quest is an independent field trip. I've listed 12 world class museums that offer virtual visits. You and your children can walk through the halls of these wonderful museums and experience much of the world's finest art and artifacts. I really enjoyed both of the Tate Museum experiences. I hope you can spend a little time and take a virtual vacation. This week's book recommendation is a great read aloud. It elicited so many interesting questions and discussion points. I might use this title as a read aloud in my class. But, don't wait! It is an excellent summer read. I hope you enjoy the writing prompts and weekly math problems.
If you know anybody who you think would benefit from the weekly learning activities in this flyer, please share it with your friends and encourage them to join The McManus Files mailing list by following the links on this page.
Have a great week. Don't be afraid to try new things,
Mr. McManus :-)
|
|
Children acquire skills throughout the school year, but they can lose ground if learning stops during the summer break. Fortunately, learning never has to stop. Children who read throughout the summer gain skills, can start the new school year with a better understanding of language and the world around them, and discover the joy of reading. The more they like to read, the more they will read.
It's not hard to help your children keep their interest in reading and learning. Children learn through a variety of activities, and almost everything we do presents an opportunity to read. Here are weekly activities that involve reading and related skills. There's no special order, and you don't have to do everything listed in a particular week. Just pick the ones that look interesting and fun!
|
|
Week 6: Visit fun places
• An animal has escaped from the zoo! Make up a story about it. Tell it to a friend or family member or write it down. Add pictures, if you'd like.
• What museums are close to your house? Are there any old, historic buildings in the area? Find these places on a map. Find out what is on exhibit at the museums and why the old buildings are important.
• Go back in time and pretend you lived in or did business in the oldest building in your area. Write a story about how you spent your time.
• Make a list of zoo animals. Sort them by different categories, such as type of animal (mammals, fish, etc.) or coloring (green, brown, striped, etc.).
• Visit the zoo with friends or relatives and find the animals on your list.
• Visit a museum or historical building with friends or relatives. Write a list of things you see that you didn't expect.
•Word game! Think of the softest animal or the oldest thing you've ever touched. Write a poem about it, but don't use the word soft or old.
|
|
Habits of Mind
Habits of Mind are thinking habits that push us far past simple answer retrieval. They change our pattern of thinking to help us gain success when we don’t know the answer to a question or problem.
|
|
The 16 Habits of Mind include:
• Persisting
• Thinking and communicating with clarity and precision
• Managing impulsivity
• Gathering data through all senses
• Listening with understanding and empathy
• Creating, imagining, innovating
• Thinking flexibly
• Responding with wonderment and awe
• Thinking about thinking (metacognition)
• Taking responsible risks
• Striving for accuracy
• Finding humor
• Questioning and posing problems
• Thinking interdependently
• Applying past knowledge to new situations
• Remaining open to continuous learning
|
|
Listening and Understanding with Empathy
What is it? – Paraphrasing, attending, seeking other’s feelings
Sounds like – “So you’re suggesting….” “Your idea is…..” “You’re upset because…..” You’re excited about…….”
Looks like – Facing one another. Eye contact. Nodding.
Feels like – This person cares enough to really listen to me. Comforting, Trusting, Vulnerable
We want students to learn to devote their mental energies to another person and to invest themselves in their partner’s ideas. We want students to learn to hold in abeyance their own values, judgments, opinions, and prejudices so they can listen to and entertain another person’s thoughts. This is a complex skill requiring the ability to monitor one’s own thoughts while at the same time attending to a partner’s words. Listening in this way does not mean we can’t disagree with someone. Good listeners try to understand what other people are saying. In the end, they may disagree sharply, but because they have truly listened, they know exactly the nature of the disagreement.
“The simple act of paying attention can take you a long way”. Keanu Reeves
“If you want to be listened to, you should put in time listening.” Marge Piercy
|
|
The 1,000 Year Old Boy
by Ross Welford
|
|
|
|
This is a wonderful story for kids and adults alike. Did you ever think it would be good to live forever? You won’t after reading this book. Lots of great ideas for discussion, historical detail, atmospheric renderings of the life in northeast of England, the values of deep friendship, and an exciting plot. Do get this book. Living forever... sounds like a dream but, in reality, a life without end becomes more of a nightmare for Alfie, who has watched numerous generations of neighbors, friends and acquaintances grow up and die, whilst he stays 11 forever, since swallowing a "life pearl" during the Viking invasions. Living in secret with his mother, the modern world is about to catch up with him, as Alfie desperately wants a way to stop endless existence and to start living for real. A touching story, full of adventure, excitement, danger, suspense and the importance of friendship. Enjoy!
|
|
|
|
|
Experience the best museums
— from London to Seoul —
in the comfort of your own home
These 12 famous museums offer virtual tours you can take from your couch
While there's nothing like setting foot inside an iconic museum and laying eyes on a world-famous sculpture created by a renowned artist centuries ago, it's not always possible to hop on a plane to New York City, Paris, or Florence to tour the gallery halls in person.
But there is a way to get a little culture and education while you're at home, gaining inspiration and intel for future trips as well. Google Arts & Culture has teamed up with more than 1,200 museums and galleries around the world to bring anyone and everyone virtual tours and online exhibits of some of the most famous museums around the world.
Here are 12 truly amazing museums that offer virtual tours. The Google Street View took me a few minutes to master, but with a little practice, I was experiencing the art and artifacts of some of the world's best museums from home. It was the next best thing to being there. Have fun and don't be afraid to explore.
Which museum would you like to visit and why?
|
|
The British Museum, London
This iconic museum located in the heart of London allows virtual visitors to tour the Great Court and discover the ancient Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies. You can also find hundreds of artifacts on The Museum of the World interactive website, a collaboration between The British Museum and Google Cultural Institute.
Guggenheim, New York
Google's Street View feature lets visitors tour the Guggenheim's famous spiral staircase without ever leaving home. From there, you can discover incredible works of art from the impressionist, post-impressionist, modern, and contemporary eras.
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
This famous American art museum features two online exhibits through Google. The first is an exhibit of American fashion from 1740 to 1895, including many renderings of clothes from the colonial and Revolutionary eras. The second is a collection of works from Dutch baroque painter Johannes Vermeer.
Musée d’Orsay, Paris
You can virtually walk through this popular gallery that houses dozens of famous works from French artists who worked and lived between 1848 and 1914. Get a peek at artworks from Monet, Cézanne, and Gauguin, among others.
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul
One of Korea's popular museums can be accessed from anywhere around the world. Google's virtual tour takes you through six floors of contemporary art from Korea and all over the globe.
Pergamon Museum, Berlin
As one of Germany's largest museums, Pergamon has a lot to offer — even if you can't physically be there. This historical museum is home to plenty of ancient artifacts including the Ishtar Gate of Babylon and, of course, the Pergamon Altar.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Explore masterpieces from the Dutch Golden Age, including works from Vermeer and Rembrandt. Google offers a Street View tour of this iconic museum, so you can feel as if you're actually wandering its halls.
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Anyone who's a fan of this tragic, ingenious painter can see his works up close (or, almost up close) by virtually visiting this museum, home to the largest collection of artworks by Vincent van Gogh, including more than 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and 750 personal letters.
The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
European artworks from as far back as the eighth century can be found in this California art museum. Take a Street View tour to discover a huge collection of paintings, drawings, sculptures, manuscripts, and photographs.
Uffizi Gallery, Florence
This less well-known gallery houses the art collection of one of Florence's most famous families, the de' Medicis. The building was designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1560 specifically for Cosimo I de' Medici, but anyone can wander its halls from anywhere in the world.
MASP, São Paulo
The Museu de Arte de São Paulo is a nonprofit and Brazil's first modern museum. Artworks placed on clear, raised frames make it seem like they're hovering in midair. Take a virtual tour to experience the wondrous display for yourself.
National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City
Built in 1964, this museum is dedicated to the archaeology and history of Mexico's pre-Hispanic heritage. There are 22 exhibit rooms filled with ancient artifacts, including some from the Maya civilization.
|
|
If you feel your child might benefit from a group or individual tutoring program to prepare them for the next phase of their education, please contact McManus Tutoring.
Programs are structured so that students learn independence, accountability, and self-possession. They will develop a repeatable structure that can be used to build success in the future.
|
|
Three Writing Prompts and an Essay Topic
These prompts and questions will help jump-start your daily writing. Just as it's important to read for at least 30 minutes each day, you should also write for 30 minutes a day. Don't worry about your organization or spelling, just write!
"We met at the bus stop before we..."
"Once we started dancing, people finally noticed us and..."
"The painting fell off the wall revealing..."
|
|
Family
A family isn’t always a mom, a dad, and their children. Write about the ways your family is the same as and different from other types of families and what makes your bonds so strong.
|
|
You're a cook in a restaurant in a quaint country where clocks are outlawed. You have a four minute hourglass, a seven minute hourglass, and a pot of boiling water. A regular customer orders a nine-minute egg, and you know this person to be extremely picky and will not like it if you overcook or undercook the egg, even by a few seconds. What is the least amount of time it will take to prepare the egg, and how will you do it? |
|
Last week's answer...
There are nine sheep and eighteen chickens.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
