Looking for something to do this summer? Check out the Scrap Box -- 581 State Cir. [map]
994–4420 Children preschool age & older can browse through a warehouse of surplus stuff, filling a bag ($4/small or $6.50/large) with junk and scrap materials to use in craft projects. Birthday parties and field trips by appointment. Tues.–Fri. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Call for holiday hours. www.scrapbox.org
http://www.mensaforkids.org/play_template.cfm - Mensa has a fun, intereactive site just for kids!
| a great place to visit this summer: |
| Located on a narrow strip of land between Lake Michigan and Torch Lake in Antrim County, Michigan, the Stone Circle is a triple ring of 88 large boulders capturing the atmoshpere of ancient cultures that gathered in family and community
groups to entertain and exchange stories of everyday life and lore. Today the Stone Circle is reminiscent of a time before television and radio, when bards spun thier tales to an enchanted audience. Around a flickering campfire, under a canopy of stars, and accompanied by frog songs and howls from distant coyotes, listeners perch on
boulders or spread out on blankets and lawn chairs as an ever-changing variety of poetry, storytelling and music are woven thoughout the evening at this unique outdoor amphitheater. Many of the performers are professionals, but the Stone Circle also provides an open forum for others who wish to participate. Poems must be
memorized and recited by heart. Listeners and families are welcome. |
http://www.setgame.com/set/puzzle_frame.htm - Summer Fun - SET is a great thinking game requiring the player to find the patterns. There is a free daily puzzle and there are also set card games available. Consider shopping through one of the many links found on
www.hoagiesgifted.org and benefit the best and biggest site of gifted/talented out there!
OGTOC - Our Gifted Online Conferences is growing. It has an identity now. People in gifted circles now know all about OGTOC - Our Gifted Online Conferences. It is now 24/7 with 100 groups to join and have focused exchanges with others who have your same interests in giftedness. Please share with others and invite them to join NING OGTOC. Go to http://giftedonlineconferences.ning.com/ to join the close to 600 other families and professionals who have already joined.
Big Changes are coming to Michigan as many school districts prepare to add schools certified by the International Baccalaureate Organization. The IBO is an international organization that has a global and holistic approach to education. There are three programs starting from the youngest of children up to a Diploma Program for 11th and 12th graders. This later program is recognized as more rigorous and more prestigious in the college admissions process. Coming soon is a brief article I pieced together on IBO schools. Among the public and private schools having IBO programs or considering adding IBO programs are Berkley, Bloomfield Hills, Utica, Clarkston, Detroit Country Day School, Fenton, Lansing, Livonia, the Macomb Intermediate School District, Midland, Notre Dame Prep in Pontiac, Novi, Oak Park, Owosso, Pontiac, Portage, Rochester, Royal Oak, Saginaw, Troy, Waterford, and West Bloomfield.
For a detailed explanation of the International Baccalaureate Organization's programs and their impact in Michgan, please see the link to the left for my recent article published by the Michgan Alliance for Gifted Education, which has since been reprinted at http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/ib_or_not_ib.htm and many other educational sites on line!.
| YUNASA IS RETURNING TO MICHIGAN IN 2008 |
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University of Michigan has announced its SIG which provides academically advanced students with an interesting and challenging educational experience. The program combines remarkable academic courses with cultural, social, and recreational opportunities. The academic program is central to the design and purpose of SIG. Our program provides students with academic challenges designed to fit their abilities and interests. It also provides them with the opportunity to engage with other students who have similar abilities and interests. Because of our small classes, low teacher-student ratio, and the presence of an assistant in every class, we are able to individualize the program for each and every student. For more information, link to http://www.giftedstudy.com/residential/michigan/history_and_philosophy.asp
Take a virtual field trip at http://www.renzullilearning.com/LearnMaps.aspx?type=Virtual. Professor Renzulli from the University of Connecticut has established a virtual field trip website from which students can visit the Virtual Body, the Smithsonian, a castle and many other exciting places.
New research and writing resources for students of many ages and levels:
http://www.kyvl.org/html/kids/homebase.html From the Kentucky Virtual Library with a visual and colorful step- by-step guide explaining how to research effectively.
http://www.aresearchguide.com/ A Research Guide for Students –Tools for students to conduct research and to present their findingsThis includes everything from general to specific research tools and even topics, as well as numerous guides on how-to write an “A” paper all the way down to the last footnote.
http://free.ed.gov/ - Teaching and learning resources for just about every class all free and supplied by many federal agencies http://elibrary.mel.org/ - Michigan's comprehensive on-line library
www.metacrawler.com – Incorporates Google, Yahoo, Ask and MSN to generate search results. A real powerhouse!
www.aldaily.com – Arts & Letters Daily is widely regarded as the Internet’s best source for culture and ideas. The Web site draws together the most intelligent, provocative, and illuminating news stories, features, critical reviews, political essays, and commentaries published online. New material is added six days a week. The site also houses an archive of articles dating back to 1998. The Arts & Letters Daily readership comprises a wide array of discerning, intellectually-engaged people from around the world, including scientists, educators, journalists, editors, people in business, entertainment, medicine and the professions, and political leaders. 70% live in North America. 45% hold a master’s or doctoral degree. 58% visit the site at least once a day. Monthly traffic to the Arts & Letters Daily Web site is approximately 3.2 million page views from more than 350,000 unique viewers.
Also, an exciting new local resource is Oakland University’s Writing Center. The Center has a trained staff, and is open to high school students and other members of the community who are struggling, as well as those that are doing well and want to improve. Free one-on-one help is now available to writers at any stage of the writing process, not just OU students, but everyone from business to science to engineering to health and beyond. Help is available on assignments, scholarship essays and even college application essays.
Middle and high school students with a passion for math and science can connect with peers around the world to learn about and discuss everything from global warming to cold fusion through a new Web site called Cogito.org, sponsored by John Hopkins University.
SENG's June 2006 on-line newsletter reports that “Life can be very lonely as a gifted and highly sensitive adult. Even though I have many friends, I still find myself feeling so isolated in my community. I ache for just one good friend who wants to take the time to discuss the pros and cons of various issues. It seems to me that everyone is making life choices by merely blindly following convention. I want a friend who likes to talks things through and analyze things. Where can I find such a person?
Friends can be found in the most surprising places! Be sure to take stock of whether you may be closing options due to preconceived ideas of your own. Keep your ears open wherever you are throughout your day. The more activities you become involved in, the more people you will meet and the greater your chances of finding those people who will be special to you. Just be sure to realize that deep thinkers and highly intelligent people are not restricted to universities and high powered jobs! Another wonderful opportunity to connect with interesting people is through the use of Internet mail lists or message boards. Thousands of individuals interested in learning and talking over gifted issues have met in cyberspace over the years. Many of these meetings have led to real-life get-togethers.”
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives provides interactive online math lessons, activities, and assessments. Calculate what an excavation company should charge for digging a hole. Analyze three pollution reduction plans. Determine the best rate for repaying a loan. This site, arranged by grade, focuses on critical thinking skills. http://free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=1851
High school and college students with a valid ID can join the "CRush" ("Classical Rush") can purchase DSO tickets for up to 50% off regular price for Main Floor and Balcony seats. otaylor@dso.org or ringl the box office at (313) 576-5111. Cynthia Lardner, M.A., LLPC
