Dig Into Reading – Summer Reading Club registration continues all summer. Come on into the library and sign up for fun and prizes! A reminder for people looking for summer fun ideas…there are lots of links to area activities under events in the “great websites for families” section of the blog. If you are receiving this as an email, click on the headline and bring up this newsletter between the virtual bookshelves to see them!
Special Late-Breaking Program Announcement. We will be showing the movie 'Wreck It, Ralph' (All Ages) Friday July 12, 2013 Noon to 2:00 No registration required.
Drop-In Activity Day (All ages) Repeats Friday July 19th, and August 9th No registration required. Throughout the summer we'll be offering mornings and afternoons where you can drop in to play you favorite board game, put together a craft, or watch one of your favorite movies.
Check back with a librarian at the desk to see what we'll be doing this week! 
Play Group (ages Birth to 3 years) Monday, July 8-Aug 5th, 2013 10am. No registration required. Come and play with toys, dance to music, and make new friends!
Hot-Diggity-Dog: Dig Into Adventure! (Ages 3-6) Tuesday, July 9th 10-11am Repeats at 11:30. Registration required.
Come treasure hunting with pirate stories and crafts!
Snack Attack (Grades 3-4) Tuesday, July 9 4:00 - 5:00 pm. Registration is required. Join us as we talk about our favorite snacks, find out about popular snacks around the world and then we will create our own snack masterpiece. Food will be served.
Talk It Up: 'Powerless' by Matthew Cody (Grades 5-8) Tuesday, July 9th 7-8pm Registration required. If you love to read and talk about books, you are cordially invited to an hour of book talk and friendly company. Parents and parent substitutes are welcome to join the discussion. This month's book: 'Powerless' by Matthew Cody
Soon after moving to Noble's Green, Pennsylvania, twelve year-old Daniel learns that his new friends have super powers that they will lose when they turn thirteen, unless he can use his brain power to protect them.
Baby Time (For ages birth - 18 months) Wednesdays July 10-July 30, 2013 Also repeats Thursday July 11th-Aug 1st., 9:30 AM to 10:00 AM. No Registration Required. Clap your hands, stomp your feet, and let your baby feel the beat of stories, songs, and nursery rhymes. **Due to the popularity of our early childhood programs, we appreciate your cooperation in attending only one storytime program per week.**
Dig Into the Earth (Grades 1-5) Wednesday, July 10th 3:00 pm. Registration is required and begins June 26. Why did dinosaurs go extinct? We’ll read about the prehistoric creatures and excavate fossils from sandstone blocks.
5th & 6th Grade Volunteers Wednesday, July 10th 7-8pm. Repeats July 17th, July 24th, July 31st, and August 7th. Registration required. ATTENTION STUDENTS ENTERING GRADES 5 AND 6: Here is your chance to make a difference by volunteering at the library! This summer, you can help the library with special projects including preparations for our carnival in August, organizing and tidying up the Children’s Room, and much more!
Toddler Time (For Ages 18 months-36 months) Thursdays July 11 –Aug. 1st, 2013 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM. Second session at 11:30 am. No Registration Required. Clapping and singing and listening to books...introduce your toddler to the beginnings of storytime! **Due to the popularity of our early childhood programs, we appreciate your cooperation in attending only one storytime program per week.**
Lego Club (Grades K-6) Thursday, July 11 4:30 pm. Registration required. Hey LEGO fans, here's a club just for you! Get together with other LEGO-maniacs, share ideas and tips on building, and have a great time! Library LEGOS will be available for building, so you do not need to bring your own. Please Note: Parents are welcome to stay; however, younger siblings cannot be permitted.
Sciencetellers (Ages 5+) Monday July 15, 2013 3:30 PM to 4:15 PM. Registration is required . Benjamin has a good life living on Blackwood Avenue. However, this would all change the day he was accidentally brought into the house. You see, Benjamin is a bug and now he must be rescued!
Join us as we learn about the science of matter by telling the tale of The Bugs of Blackwood. By using experiments with fire, gas, air pressure, water, chemicals, and much more, see if Benjamin’s friends can save him before all hope is squashed!
Hot-Diggity-Dog: Dig for Dinosaurs! (Ages 3-6) Tuesday July 16, 2013 10:00 AM. Repeats at 11:30 a.m. Registration required . Stomp on over for some prehistoric fun!
Storytime for Special Needs (All ages) Tuesday July 16, 2013 4:00 PM to 4:30 PM. Registration required .
Enjoy stories, songs, crafts, and movement activities specially designed for children with special needs.
Dig In the Dirt (Grades 1-5) Wednesday, July 17th 3:00 pm Registration is required . What does it take to make a flower grow out of a tiny seed? We’ll decorate flower pots and learn how to care for the seeds we plant.
Book Buddies (Ages 3-8) Thursday, July 18 from 4:00 pm- 5:00 pm. No registration required. Repeats Thursday July 25th and Thursday August 1st. Come met up with a buddy…a Book Buddy! Children can choose a book to have read to them or that they can read with one of our teen volunteers. This is a fun way to have a shared reading experience outside the family routine which helps support and encourage reading as a lifelong activity.
Hot-Diggity-Dog: Dig In at the Beach (Ages 3-6) Tuesday July 23, 2013 10:00 AM. Repeats at 11:30. Registration required . Look what fun we can have with water and mud!
Dig In the Sand (Grades 1-5) Wednesday, July 24th 3:00 pm. Registration is required and begins July 10. What kinds of creatures live in the depths of the oceans? We’ll explore the deep seas and capture “jellyfish” in a bottle.
Rainbow Magic Party (for ages 5-10) Monday, July 29 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm. Registration required and begins July 15. Sparkles and wings are encouraged for all fairies attending our magical afternoon filled with games, crafts and magic!
Hot-Diggity-Dog: Dig In the Garden (Ages 3-6) Tuesday, July 30th 10-11am. Repeats at 11:30 a.m. Registration required and begins July 16. Celebrate gardens growing things big and small.
Dig Up the Past (Grades 1-5) Wednesday, July 31st 3:00 pm. Registration is required and begins July 17. Mummies: creepy or cool? We’ll learn the truth about Ancient Egyptian burials and make our own mummies and tombs.
Butterfly Guy (Ages 4+) Thursday, August 1 7:00 pm Registration required and begins July 18. Join award winning author, photographer and habitat consultant, Rick Mikula, for a fast-paced, high energy program all about butterflies. We'll unveil the mystery of camouflage and the 
trickery of disguise that butterflies and moths use to escape predators. Meet some live butterflies from Rick’s own butterfly farm in Pennsylvania, Hole-In-Hand.
Check out his excellent website: http://www.butterflyrick.com
Youth Stages presents: Dinosaur Train & Ten Terrible Dinosaurs Workshop (Ages 4-6) Friday, August 2 10:00 am - 11:00 am Registration required and begins July 19. Children will delight in pushing, stamping, shoving, dancing, playing tricks, swinging, jiving, flapping, and counting backwards from ten.
Youth Stages presents: Four String Fool Playshop (Ages 3-9) Monday, August 5 4:30 pm - 5:10 pm Registration required and begins July 22. Joey Rizzolo unleashes his magical ukulele, leading an interactive sing-along through children’s standards, original music, and obscure tunes that are sure to become instant favorites. Children will sing, participate in finger-plays, and dance to Mr. Rizz's fun-filled ukulele song-fest!
Hot-Diggity-Dog: Dig Underground (Ages 3-6) Tuesday, August 6th
10-11am Registration required and begins July 23. Discover the critters who dwell beneath the earth!
Talk It Up: 'Wonder' by R.J. Palacio (Grades 5-8) Tuesday, August 6th 7-8pm Registration required and begins July 23. If you love to read and talk about books, you are cordially invited to an hour of book talk and friendly company. Parents and parent substitutes are welcome to join the discussion. This month's book: 'Wonder' by R.J. Palacio Ten-year-old Auggie Pullman, who was born with extreme facial abnormalities and was not expected to survive, goes from being home-schooled to entering fifth grade at a private middle school in Manhattan, where he must endure the taunting and fear of his classmates as he struggles to be seen as just another student.
Dig Into a Bowl of Ice Cream (Grades 1-5) Wednesday, August 7th 3:00 pm. Registration is required and begins July 24. Who knew that science experiments could be so delicious? We’ll discover the chemistry of making ice cream and enjoy the sweet results. Please bring gloves to keep your hands from freezing while we shake up the ice cream ingredients. NOTE: This program will involve food (milk, vanilla extract, and sugar). Please contact the Youth Services Desk if you have questions or concerns about ingredients.
There are ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS at other system libraries for children & teens…find their online calendars under the “events/programs” tab on our home page. Planning ahead for August? -- Check out our library calendar.
If you register for a program and realize that you won’t be able to come, please call (908 526-4016x126) or email us(bwljuv@sclibnj.org) as early as possible so we can make someone on the waitlist very happy. Next time that waitlisted participant might be your child!
@ Bridgewater Library for Teens:
Talk It Up: 'Powerless' by Matthew Cody (Grades 5-8) Tuesday, July 9th 7-8pm Registration required and begins June 25. If you love to read and talk about books, you are cordially invited to an hour of book talk and friendly company. Parents and parent substitutes are welcome to join the discussion. This month's book: 'Powerless' by Matthew Cody
Soon after moving to Noble's Green, Pennsylvania, twelveyear-old Daniel learns that his new friends have super powers that they will lose when they turn thirteen, unlesshe can use his brain power to protect them.
5th & 6th Grade Volunteers Wednesday, July 10th 7-8pm. Repeats July 17th, July 24th, July 31st, and August 7th. Registration required. ATTENTION STUDENTS ENTERING GRADES 5 AND 6: Here is your chance to make a difference by volunteering at the library! This summer, you can help the library with special projects including preparations for our carnival in August, organizing and tidying up the Children’s Room, and much more!
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Robodyssey (Entering Grades 6-12) Monday, July 15 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm. Registration required and begins June 24. In the first half of this program, you will work in pairs to learn basic robot programming. Once you’ve got the basics down, test your knowledge by programming your robot to make it through a series of mazes that are complete with robot swallowing holes!
Teen Lock-In (Entering Grades 7-11) Friday, July 19 7:00pm - 12:00am. Registration required and begins June 28 Get locked in the library after hours! We’ll watch movies, play games (including video games and a scavenger hunt in the empty library!), eat snacks, make crafts, and much more! Wear your pajamas, if you’d like, and be prepared to experience the library like never before! No admittance after 7:20 pm. Advance notice required if a teen must leave the program early.
Retro Game Day (All Ages) (For all ages—families welcome!) Saturday, July 20 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm. No registration required. It’s a blast from the past! Come to our Retro Game Day and play video games from the past 30 years! Snacks will be served and we will raffle off gift cards to Game Stop!
Teen Movie & a Sundae (Entering Grades 6-12): The Perks of Being a Wallflower (PG-13) Monday, July 22nd. 6:00pm - 8:30pm. Registration required and begins July 1.
Come cool off at the library! Make your own ice cream sundae and watch a good movie! This week we'll be watching:The Perks of Being a Wallflower Runtime: 102 minutes (1 hour 42 minutes) Rated: PG-13 on appeal for mature thematic material, drug and alcohol use, sexual content including references, and a fight - all involving teens.
TAB Meeting (Grades 6-8 Tuesday July 23, 2013 5:30-6:30pm TAB Meeting (Grades 9-12)Tuesday, June 25th 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM Registration required. Do you want to make a difference at your library? Do you have suggestions for programs, new books, movies, or video games? Then come to one of our upcoming T.A.B. meetings! Community service hours will be awarded for attendance and snacks will be served!
GAME ON! (Entering Grades 6-12) Monday, July 29 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm. Registration required and begins July 8. Release form required. We’re combining obstacles from your favorite game shows to create the ultimate competition! Work with team members to complete challenges inspired by Minute to Win it, Silent Library, and more! PRIZES will be awarded to the winning team!
A release form is required to participate in this program and can be downloaded here:http://www.sclsnj.org/PDFs/SCLSrlsformchild.pdf.
Make It, Take it - Teen Crafts! (Entering Grades 6-12) Tuesday, July 30 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm. Registration required and begins July 9. Join us for an afternoon of teen crafts! We’ll make terrariums, scratchboard art, duct tape projects, and more! Check our website for more information as the program date gets closer!
Dig Into a Bowl of Ice Cream (Grades 1-5) Wednesday, August 7th 3:00 pm. Registration is required and begins July 24. Who knew that science experiments could be so delicious? We’ll discover the chemistry of making ice cream and enjoy the sweet results. Please bring gloves to keep your hands from freezing while we shake up the ice cream ingredients. NOTE: This program will involve food (milk, vanilla extract, and sugar). Please contact the Youth Services Desk if you have questions or concerns about ingredients.
Want more info about upcoming programs? Check out more August teen calendar here.
Around the Community:
Shakespeare is Coming to Somerville.
The Shakespeare Company HENRY V Thursday July 11, 2013 7:00 PM to 9:15 PM on Division Street in Somerville.
The Shakespeare Company will be visiting Somerville, on July 11, 2013 at 7pm. This year, the company are presenting Henry V.
The play will be on Division Street in Somerville. In event of rain, the play will take place at Somerville Senior Citizens' Housing(across the road from the library). This establishment can sit only 50 people .
Sitting is limited so bring a chair or a blanket. The play is suitable for children ages 12 and up. Sign up here and come enjoy William Shakespeare's brilliance on your own local street!
Lots to do at the RVCC Planetarium.
Click HERE for info. and reservations.
ART AFTER HOURS @ THE ZIMMERLI ART MUSEUM THIS WEDNESDAY
Children's Book Illustrations
WHEN: Wednesday, July 10, 5-9 PM
WHERE: Zimmerli Art Museum, 71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick
Jean and Mou-sien Tseng, Symmetry for Maples in the Mist, ca. 1996. Watercolor and ink. Gift of the artists. ©Jean and Mou-sien Tseng. Photo Peter Jacobs.
This program gives Rutgers University students and community members the opportunity to engage in a multifaceted approach to the arts. The evening offers a curator-led tour of the new exhibition Maples in the Mist: Chinese Poems for Children Illustrated by Jean & Mou-sien Tseng and a performance by the band Cancion Franklin. The Museum Store continues the final weeks of its clearance sale with 75% off most merchandise. Sandwiches, salads, and snacks are available for purchase in the Z Café featuring The Food Architects.
For program details, visit their webpage.
HALLOWEEN IN JULY + ROLLER SKATING! FUN!
Heck, designing your own costume = art…at least by me!
CIRCLE PLAYERS’ FAMILY PLAY TRULY A FAMILY AFFAIR
THE HOUSE AT POOH CORNER
Adapted by Bettye Knapp from the classic tale by A.A. Milne.
Directed by Hilde Steinberg of Somerset
Produced by Barbara Gianotto of East Brunswick and Bernice Woldman of Somerset.
WHEN: Saturdays, July 13 and 20, noon & 3 PM
WHERE: Circle Players, 416 Victoria Ave., Piscataway
TICKETS: $10
For reservations, call 732.968.7555, or buy online at www.circleplayers.com. No credit cards can be accepted at the theater box office, but may be used online.
Christopher Robin has decided to run away with his friends, Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger and the rest, for there is a dark, mysterious threat that Christopher is to be sent away to “Education.” Nobody knows exactly what or where that is, and what will his friends do without him? However, as the situation becomes clearer, Christopher Robin isn't quite so sure that running away is the answer.
Appearing onstage are Mark, Adam, and Samantha Noble of Green Brook; Emily, Andrew, Kit and Mari Rusiniello of Somerset; Alison Byrne and her sons, George Rateau and Billy Rateau, of Metuchen; Faith and Caden Dowgin of Spotswood; Leigh Steinberg of Somerset (son of director); John Zengerle of Piscataway; Tina Lee of Somerset (mother of choreographer Melissa Pinto of Middlesex); and Lindsay Solomon of Spotswood.
“As you can see by the cast, it is not unusual for Circle to feature multiple family members in our children's shows,” said Faith Dowgin, president of Circle Players. “Parents often drive here from great distances to audition with their children and are thrilled to be working alongside them. It's a way of having fun and uniting in a common interest.”
LAST WEEKEND FOR ORIGINAL ADAPTATION OF “ALICE IN WONDERLAND”—“DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE”—IN DUNELLEN
Written by Tori Clemens with original music by Neal Acito. Directed by Tori Clemens and Jason Cilento
WHEN: July 12, 13, 14 at 8:00 PM
WHERE: American Legion Post 119, 137 New Market Rd., Dunellen, in the lawn area. Bring chairs and blankets to sit on.
TICKETS: $8 for adults, $6 for children under 12 and senior citizens, Veterans are FREE with valid ID.
Tickets are to be purchased at the door.
Down the Rabbit Hole Follows Alice, played by Michelle Chavanne, on her journey throughout Wonderland. Alice meets the neurotic White Rabbit, played by Dunellen resident Rachel Appleton, who guides her through this whimsical land of characters. Will she make it back home before the Queen of Hearts orders “Off with her head!” Come on out for a family friendly night of entertainment.
Dunellen Skylight Theatre Productions a NJ Nonprofit Corporation based in Dunellen, New Jersey, is specifically organized to showcase theatrical presentations which align with the standards of its audience and community. The company provides theatrical education to adults and children in the form of musicals, dramas, and comedies, as well as providing a venue for local performers, directors and playwrights to display and cultivate their talents.
Please email Dunellenskylight@yahoo.com for more information or visit us on Facebook.
ENCHANTED SHAKESPEARE FREE IN HOBOKEN!
Photo by Joe Epstein
Twelfth Night
Audiences are enchanted!
MST brings you free summer theatre in the park!
After a six year absence, Mile Square Theatre returns to the Hudson River Waterfront with a dazzling production of Shakespeare's cross-dressing comedy of true love, Twelfth Night.
Directed by MST Artistic Director Chris O’Connor, the cast features MST audience favorites, with Matthew Lawler (God of Carnage, The Pavilion) as the puritanical Malvolio, Charlie Kevin (God of Carnage, It’s a Wonderful Life) as Sir Toby Belch, John Keller (It’s a Wonderful Life, Banner Yet Wave) is Orsino, and Jen Ring (Rikki Tikki Tavi, Flare) as Fabiana. Rounding out the cast is NYC actor and circus performer Peter Daniel Straus (Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus) as Feste the Clown.
WHERE: FRANK SINATRA PARK, HOBOKEN
WHEN: Two more weeks, through JULY 14!; WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY @ 8 PM
ADMISSION: FREE
FREE and open to the public, Mile Square Theatre’s riverfront productions are a great way to cool off on a hot summer evening, and Frank Sinatra Park’s amphitheater is a spectacular venue for summer theatre. With beautiful scenery, costumes, and lighting created by Mile Square Theatre’s resident design team, and set against a breathtaking view of the Hudson River and the Manhattan skyline, the show is a delightful and entertaining evening of theatre.
www.morrisparks.net Please add the address to your contact address book to ensure your spam filters do not block our E-mails.
Camp for a Day returns to the Morris Museum! Each activity is led by our enthusiastic Education staff. Pick and choose the dates that work for your schedule.
Wednesday, July 10: Creatology and Bubbleology Create goo, do a liquid density experiment, and enjoy a performance of Bubbleology in the Bickford Theatre.
Thursday, July 11: Dinomania Time travel to prehistoric New Jersey, Make an imprint fossil, and then enjoy a performance of Dino Man in the Bickford Theatre.
Tuesday, July 23: Lego Challenge Participate in LEGO® build challenges, make a free form 3D sculpture, and learn how to plot out a LEGO® mosaic. A materials list will be provided with registration.
And so many more! All camps meet from 10:00am-1:00pm and are appropriate for children entering grades 1-4. Please call 973.971.3718 or email programs@morrismuseum.org to reserve your child's space. Reservations must be made at least one week prior to the camp date. $30 Members $40 Non-members Camp dates and descriptions >
Morris Museum | publicrelations@morrismuseum.org | http://www.morrismuseum.org 6 Normandy Heights Road Morristown, NJ
2013 CHILDREN’S SUMMER CAMP BEGINS @ HUNTERDON ART MUSEUM: REGISTER NOW
"Follow Your Art" To Our
Our summer arts camp for children ages 4 to 15 begins June 24 with week-long classes running Monday through Friday until Aug. 23. Morning sessions are from 9 am to noon; afternoon classes from 1 to 4 pm. Some camps run a full day with a supervised lunch available. Our faculty includes new and returning artists and educators, professional storytellers, book and fiber artists, and classroom and enrichment teachers. We offer more than 60 hands-on enrichment classes! Here are just a few of the highlights:
Pinhole Photography
Week 1: June 24 - 28
Ages 13 – 15 (9 AM -- noon)
Ages 10 – 12; (1 PM – 4 PM)
Explore the art and science of pinhole photography! Make your own camera from everyday household objects. Take black and white photographs and develop them on location in our own darkroom. Bring an oatmeal container or coffee can. Taught by Tricia Hurley.
Spun By The Sun: Sculpture That Moves
Week 1: June 24 – 28 (9 AM to NOON)
Ages 10 – 12
Science, math and design collide in this fun-filled class that lets kids use mixed media and re-purposed materials to create their own kinetic sculptures. In this class, taught by Donna Lish, students will discuss artists such as Duchamp and Calder, and explore the uses of sun and wind power to ultimately build a balanced, sturdy and unique scultpure.
Intro To Film And Video
Week 3: July 8 - 12 (9 AM to 4 PM)
Ages 12 - 15
Learn the art of film and video from producer Jim Pruznick and artist Noah Klersfeld, whose work is currently on exhibition at the Museum. This course introduces students to the basic elements of film and video including lighting, framing, composition, camera movement, editing and sound. Students will view finished productions by Pruznick and Klersfeld. Through discussion, demonstration and hands-on camera work, students will learn multiple perspectives on technique, artistic considerations and creative point of view. Each student will work individually and in teams to complete at least one finished production by the end of the week.
Don't forget, we feature classes in everything from 3D animation, LEGO robotics, fiber arts, jewelry making and more. Visit our website for our online brochure with information about all our summer camp sessions. Classes are filling up*, so call 908-735-8415 or visit our website to register!
(*Please note: Our "Draw, Paint, Sculpt" class for July 1-5 is now full. Sorry for any inconvenience.)
Programs are made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and by funds from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Hunterdon County Cultural & Heritage Commission, New Jersey Cultural Trust and corporations, foundations, and individuals. The Hunterdon Art Museum is a wheelchair accessible space. Publications are available in large print. Patrons who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired may contact the Museum through the New Jersey Relay Service at (TYY) 1 (800) 852-7899.
TEVYE THE MILKMAN COMES TO CHESTER THEATRE GROUP
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
Music by Jerry Bock
Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick
Book by Joseph Stein
WHEN: June 28-July 14; Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sunday matinees at 2 PM; two special performances on Wednesday, July 3, at 8 PM and Thursday, July 11, at 8 PM
WHERE: Chester Theatre Group, Black River Playhouse, 54 Grove Street, Chester at the corner of Grove Street and Maple Avenue.
TICKETS: $25 with a $2 discount available for seniors aged 65 and over and students under 18.
Tickets can be reserved by calling the theater box office at 908.879.7304 or by visiting www.chestertheatregroup.org.
CTG anticipates that this will be one of its most popular shows in years, and encourages would-be ticket purchasers to make their reservations early!
The milkman cometh! Tevye, the woeful milkman of the classic musical Fiddler on the Roof, will take center stage at the Chester Theatre Group for eleven performances. For nearly half-a-century, Fiddler has touched, tickled and thrilled audiences from both the stage and the silver screen. It has earned its rightful place among our most beloved musicals with its timeless themes of family, community, heritage and love.
Set in the Russian village of Anatevka in 1905, Fiddler follows the family of the poor Jewish milkman Tevye, his wife Golde, and their five daughters. As this tightly-knit family struggles to survive and preserve their cherished traditions, the threat of ethnic persecution looms increasingly on their horizon. Many of its wonderful songs have become standards, such as “Sunrise, Sunset,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” and “If I Were A Rich Man.”
Thanks to Ruth Ross at NJARTSMAVEN.COM for some of these listings.
There are lots more things to do around our community. Look at the “Useful Websites for Families” (on the right side of this blog – click the headline if you are reading this as an email) for many more options!
Looking for events around our community? Check out the “Events” links under the “Useful links for families” list on the right side of this blog listing. (If you are getting this as an email, click on the headline title to open it as a webpage and then you’ll see all these useful links!)
Let Your Fingers Do More Walking:
Check out this fascinating article on dyslexia and many more fascinating items at Wonderopolis.org.
And keep your kids math skills sharp all summer with a daily dose of Bedtime Math at BedtimeMath.org! (answers there too)
We don't usually name animals after money, but someone did do that with the sand dollar. A sand dollar is a flat, hard, circle-shaped sea creature that does look like an American silver dollar, except for the pretty five-pointed star design on it. The chunkier versions are called sea biscuits or sea cookies, and they're also related to sea cucumbers, so clearly someone was also hungry when naming these guys. The thing is, you can't eat a sand dollar, because it isn't like a mussel or clam where there's a soft animal inside that you can eat. With sand dollars, that hard circle is the creature! A sand dollar eats through its mouth, which is a tiny hole in the center of its bottom side, with five very small teeth to chew food just like we do. These hard, thin, circular creatures break easily, though, so if you do find a full sand dollar on the beach, that's pretty exciting - and that feeling might be worth more than a dollar.
Wee ones: If a sand dollar has 5 teeth and you have 20 teeth, who has more teeth?
Little kids: If you find 2 sand dollars and each one has 5 teeth, how many sand dollar teeth have you found? Bonus: A sand dollar also has a pretty 5-pointed design on its top. If you find 5 sand dollars, how many points can you count on them in total?
Big kids: Baby sand dollars, called larvae, can each split into 2 larvae when they sense danger, as a way to confuse whoever is attacking them. This is called "cloning," which means to make a copy of yourself. If a cluster has 9 baby sand dollars that clone themselves, and then each of the new sand dollars clones itself, how many sand dollars are there now? Bonus: Now what if all of them clone themselves again - how many baby sand dollars now?
The sky's the limit: What if we used sand dollars as real money? Really, a sand dollar should be worth $5 because of all the 5's they have (5 teeth, 5-pointed design). If you have a bag of sand dollars and real silver dollars, and there are twice as many silver dollars as sand dollars and all together they're worth $133, how many of each kind of dollar do you have?
Hear an interview with the NJ mom who founded this site at.
