My Education Junction

This post is a bit after the fact, but I am posting it anyways, because in another 364 days Christmas will be back again.

Christmas is a rather tricky subject because it involves two separate people. One being Saint Nicholas while the other being Jesus. You may find may ask you questions about how the two are related and in all honesty they are not other than the fact that Saint Nicholas followed the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Saint Nicholas was a man born in present day Turkey. Raised as a Christian, he believed in teachings of Jesus which stated man should live an ascetic life and be a steward his blessings to those less fortunate. Nicholas had been born to wealthy parents who died while he was quite young. Nicholas used his inheritance in its entirety to serve the impoverished. Over the years there have been many stories passed down which tell of Nicholas’s never ending efforts to help those who were poor, sick and suffering. The anniversary of Nicholas’s death is marked by a day of celebration called St. Nicholas Day and is celebrated on December 6th. Information concerning Saint Nicholas and his works can be found at Saint Nicholas Center. When visiting this site be sure to view Customs Around the World.

Before we go any further I want to say I am a Christian, but I believe God’s greatest gift to all of man kind is free will. With that being said, I think it is import to explore the history behind Christmas as well as the belief systems of other cultures.

Christmas was not always celebrated as a holiday which marks the birth of Jesus. In fact biblical scholars are not certain of the month when the Christ child was born. Christmas finds its roots in competing politics and religion and was introduced to popularize Christianity over the pagan traditions of the day. Long ago pagans celebrated the Winter Solstice on December 22nd. While some people still do participated in this celebration many of its characteristics have been incorporated into the Christmas tradition (Christmas trees, yule logs and mistletoe).

Not all people celebrate Christmas and it is important to be mindful of their traditions by teaching our children about other cultures. I am only able to convey basic information concerning other cultures, but I am happy to guide you to reference material which will further both you and your child’s understanding.

Understanding Hanukkah

Understanding Kwanzaa

Winter Solstice And Other Religious Celebrations

Until next year…Belated Merry Christmas!

Filed under: Holidays on December 26th, 2006 | No Comments »

Just wanted to put a quick post in. If anyone is interested, there is a site called www.claus.com . It claims to be “the merriest place in cyberspace”. The site offers a naughty or nice list, and at this time of year such a thing can come in handy when you have unruly children- such as mine;)

Filed under: History on December 16th, 2006 | No Comments »

The Little Green Thumb

Consider it a frugal Chia Pet. A cress egghead can be made with egg shells, damp cotton wool and cress seeds.

Break a raw egg and empty its contents. It’s best to try to break the egg at the top so you have more room inside the egg. Gently rise the egg to remove any remaining yolk. Now gently place pieces of damp cotton wool inside the eggshell, and sprinkle the top of the cotton with several cress seeds. Keep your eggheads in a warm sunny place. Kids can decorate the egg shell with funny faces. When the cress begins to grow it will appear as though the egghead has hair!

Another interesting experiment you can do requires mustard seeds and an ordinary kitchen sponge. Simply dampen the sponge and sprinkle the top of the sponge with mustard seeds. Place the sponge on a plate in a warm sunny location. In roughly a week, you will begin to see mustard greens sprout. These can be cut and used for a spicey addition to a ham and cheese sandwich:)

If you live in a cold area, it may be a bit too soon for this one… Luffa Sponge. Many people think that a luffa is harvested from the sea when in fact it can be grown in your very own garden. Imagine the fun your children can have using their very own homegrown luffa sponge with Tub Paints.

As always, have fun!

 

Filed under: Science on December 15th, 2006 | No Comments »

What You Need

9 X 13 disposable baking pans

Plastic forks

White art paper

Square or rectangular pieces of cardboard

A tray to lay your used cardboard pieces on

Food coloring

Paper towels

What to Do

1. Spray the shaving cream into your disposable baking tray creating a depth approximately 1 inch thick.
2. Smooth the shaving cream out so it is level with a piece of cardboard
3. Pick a variety of food color colors that you wish to use in your shaving cream. If you are limited to primary colors remember you can use them to make secondary colors.
4. Make drops of food coloring in the shaving cream. Then drag your fork through the colors creating patterns and swirls in the surface. Make certain not to drag your fork too deeply.
5. Place a piece of paper on top of the shaving cream and gently press it into the shaving cream.
6. Gently pull the paper out of the shaving cream and lay it upon a flay surface.
7. Use another piece of cardboard to remove excess shaving cream from the paper. The paper should have a smooth uniform surface.
8. Let the paper dry.

Once you are done, you can use the paper for a variety of other projects such as collage and scrap booking. Have fun!

Filed under: Arts & Crafts on December 13th, 2006 | No Comments »

I have to be honest, I have been rather laxed lately. With the holidays upon us I have not had enough time to make an earnest effort in posting. I promise it will change upon the new year, but for now I will do my best.

Homemade Snow Globe

What You Will Need

1 baby food jar

Mineral Oil or Water (if use water it a good idea to add a couple of drops of bleach)

Any combination of Glitter, Sequins, Metallic Stars, Metallic Confettit

A hot glue gun or water proof sealant

1 small plastic toy small enough to fit in a baby food jar

What to Do

1. Use either the glue gun or sealant to afix the your toy to the inside of the baby food jar lid. Remember you are afixing the item upside down because the jar will be flipped rigth side up when the globe is completed.

2. Fill your baby food jar with either mineral oil or water. Then add your glitter, stars, confetti etc.

3. Now use your hot glue gun or sealant around the interior outer edge of the jar lid. Screw it tightly upon the jar. You may wish to add and extra layer of hot glue or sealant around the outside edge where the lid and jar meet.

4. Once you are certain the glue has dried you may turn the jar right side up.

5. Shake and have fun!

Note ** Always provide supervision when working with sealants or hot glue guns. Depending on the age of your child it might be best if you assume that task yourself.

Filed under: Rainy Day Recipes on December 7th, 2006 | No Comments »

This is a basic vanilla ice cream recipe, but you can always have fun by adding flavorings or even crushed pieces of candy to the recipe. With the holidays upon us I would suggest replacing the pint of half and half with a pint of egg nog (non alcoholic). Consider adding broken pieces of candy cane to the mix.
Ingredients
1 pint of half and half cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
Optional Additions -crushed candies, cookies, chocolate etc
The result will be two cups of smooth and creamy ice cream.

You will also need a 1 lbs and 3 lbs coffee can, both with tight fitting lids, 8 cups of crushed ice and 1/2 cup of rock salt.

1. Mix the three basic ingredients together and then add any additions. Pour mixture into the one-pound coffee can. The can should not be much more than 3/4 full. You need to allow for expansion when the mixture begins to freeze. Place the lid on securely, and set the small can inside the three-pound can.
2. Starting with ice, alternate layers of ice and salt between the outside of the small can and the inside of the three-pound can, packing the ice down as you go.
3. When the layers get to the top of the small can, cover the entire lid with ice. Then place the lid on the three-pound can, making sure it fits tightly.
4. This is a great time to put in a movie, find a comfy spot on the floor and begin to roll the can between you and you child or perhaps siblings. You will want to sit roughly 4 – 5 feet apart. Place the can on its side and begin to roll it back and forth between the two participants. You may need to wrap a small towel around the outside of the large can so it doesn’t stick to your hands. Roll the can for at least ten minutes. The ice inside the can will get watery, but keep on rolling!
5. After rolling, put the can upright. Remove the towel and lid from the big can, and slowly pull the small can out of the big can. Wipe the ice and salt from the lid; then remove the lid carefully.
6. The ice cream will be frozen to the sides and bottom of the can.  If  the mixture is not thick enough, put the can in the freezer. Check it every ten minutes.  When it is thick enough, stir the icy parts off the sides and bottom into the mixture until it’s smooth and creamy. Now it is ready to serve!

Cornflake Xmas Wreathes

My grandmother made these every Christmas. And I loved to help make them as much as I loved to eat them.

1/2 cup butter 4 cups miniature marshmallows 1 teaspoon green food coloring 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (2.25 ounce) package cinnamon red hot candies

Directions
Microwave marshmallows and butter on High for 2 minutes. Stir, then microwave on High for 2 minutes more. Stir  mixture again.  Add and mix quickly the coloring, extracts, then cornflakes. Drop by spoonful on greased wax paper. Shape each mound into a wreathe shape. Now decorate with 3 red hots each. Once cool, transfer to lightly greased serving/storage tray.

Puppy Chow (or Reindeer Chow depending on the time of year)

1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup peanut butter
9 cups Corn Chex or Rice Chex
4 cups powdered sugar

Also needed
Wax paper
Baking Sheet
Gallon Zip lock Bag

Directions

Measure cereal and place in a large mixing bowl. Set bowl aside.
Microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter, and ¼ cup of butter on high for one minute
Stir the mixture and place back in the microwave for another 30 seconds (or longer) until smooth. Add vanilla
Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until coated.
Now pour the chocolate covered cereal in a zip lock bag and add powdered sugar.
Shake the bag until the cereal is evenly coated with powdered sugar
Pour the cereal out on a baking sheet covered in waxed paper and allow to cool.
Store Puppy Chow in Zip lock bags or a sealed container.

Eat Up!

Filed under: Rainy Day Recipes on December 2nd, 2006 | No Comments »