CHALK TALK: What is “Coding” and is it Important?

 Computer code is the language of the 21st Century. It has invaded and transformed our lives in a multitude of ways, from communications and banking, to transportation, and even eating. Yes, microwaves are computers, too! An invisible language of streaming code surrounds us everyday, making our lives easier and more efficient. Simply put, code are literal instructions for any device with a computer. Thus, coding is simply telling the computer, step-by-step, exactly what you want it to do.

The importance of computer science and people who can read and write computer code grows everyday as technology changes and new ideas emerge. Many computer programmers liken the skill of coding to a language that everyone should be fluent in. Much like verbal and written communication, it is now pertinent that people familiarize themselves with the language of the computers that share in our daily lives. While code is complex, Tamara Hudgins, executive director of Girlstart, states that “[l]earning to code is not hard. Can you write a sentence? It’s essentially the same. You learned a linguistic convention just as every user of a language does.”

So, is it important for my child to learn about coding? Absolutely. The International Business Times suggests that “coders [are] the architects and builders of the digital age.” The IBT also estimates that in nine years there will be an estimated 1.4 million computer science jobs, but only 400,000 qualified college graduates to fill the positions. With the projected increase of computer-based jobs, children learning to code while in school are getting a jumpstart on building skills for technology fields. However, coding teaches more than just a computer’s language. The purpose behind coding is to solve a problem and create an easier way for a task to be accomplished, placing great emphasis on critical thinking and problem solving. Two skills that are important to learn no matter what field a student chooses to focus on in the future.

Young adults with skills in coding and computer programming are already in high demand and the need will only increase as we further our use of computers in daily life. Peak your child’s interest with these great coding resources, tutorials, and online games!

Code

Tynker

Code Academy

Khan Academy

Scratch

Cargo-Bot

Daisy the Dinosaur

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

ARTS & CRAFTS: Corn Wreath

The crisp, cool weather of autumn has arrived! Usher in the season of thankfulness by making these simple, quick, and festive wreaths with your child!

Materials:

White and Green Construction Paper

Yellow, Orange, Red, and Brown Paint

Bubble Wrap

Hot Glue Gun

Cardboard

Twine

Instructions:

1. To create corn kernels, paint sections of bubble wrap with yellow, orange, red, and brown paint. The more sporadic and multicolored the bubble wrap becomes, the better. Press bubble wrap, paint side down, onto a large sheet of white construction paper, then remove.
2. Once dry, use scissors to cut the painted construction paper into individual corn shapes.
3. Next, cut husk shapes from green construction paper, matching the husks and corn in length.
4. Using scissors, cut a doughnut from cardboard and hot glue the ears of corn into their husks and around the inner edge of the doughnut so that the corn is fanned out, spaced evenly, and covers the cardboard.
5. Hot glue a loop of twine to the backside of the cardboard for hanging.
   
   

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Images and Craft Instructions by Purely From the Heart  

EVENTFUL: A Grown-Up's Guide to “Treating” Trick-or-Treaters

"Trick or treat?" How you answer that question on Halloween night will impact your household’s reputation for the entire year. Children have a sixth sense when it comes to scouting out the best candy houses and are quick to discover which houses to swarm and which to avoid during their night of scavenging. Since this is the only time when taking candy from strangers is socially acceptable, remember to play by the rules in order to become the beloved Willy Wonka of your neighborhood. As any trick-or-treater will tell you, not all candy is created equal.

Golden Rule – While “fun size” is fun, “king size” is better.

Rule #1 – No Popcorn Balls or Homemade Pinterest Attempts

Popcorn balls are good for two things: pelting siblings and gunking up a child’s candy receptacle. And unless you’re hosting a Halloween bash, refrain from dispensing homemade treats to wandering children. Popcorn balls do not belong in a pillowcase or plastic pumpkin. No parent is going to let their child eat treats made by the hands of a stranger, no matter how nice and unassuming you seem. Give Pinterest a rest and don’t waste your time in the kitchen. Think pre-wrapped and store-bought.

Rule #2 – Chocolate > Hard Candy

Not only is chocolate far superior in taste and satisfaction in comparison to hard candy, chocolate also has the bonus of being less of a choking hazard. Lemon Heads, Jolly Ranchers, and the like are delicious, but no kid can resist the smooth taste of a Snickers or Hershey's Kiss.

Rule #3 – Fruit Spoils Happiness

Unless you want to be known as the Grinch of Halloween, do not answer the door holding a bowl of fruit. Nothing makes a child’s gleeful smile disappear quicker than an apple or clementine on Halloween night. The same goes for toothbrushes and raisins. Save yourself the embarrassment and keep the fruit for your own kid’s lunches.  

Rule #4 – Protect Your Candy

For one night only, candy is king. Like a scene from a zombie movie, parents allow their children to wander the streets in search of these nutrient-lacking nuggets. So, protect your stash. Don’t leave your candy bowl unattended on the porch. It only takes one punk teenager with a heart full of greed and a mouth full of cavities to ruin the fun for a gaggle of tiny trick-or-treaters. No one wants that.

Rule #5 – Stay Away from Wax Lips & Wax Fangs

No one knows what these are, or why they were created. Enough said.

Rule #6 – Mom & Dad Tax

Think about being the house on your street that caters to the Mom & Dad Tax. Candies such as caramels, Almond Joys, Good & Plenty, and Mounds are usually lower on a child’s candy-trading scale and therefore act as acceptable payment for the Mom & Dad Tax at the end of the night.

Rule #7 – Accidental Lighting

Don’t be the person who is clearly home and has left the porch light on, but refuses to answer the door. If you run out of candy or don’t wish to be greeted by ghouls and goblins, turn off the porch light. Think of those little tykes patiently waiting for candy, and then realizing there is none.

Have a happy Halloween!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Image by Clip Art Sheep  

A to Z: 10 DIY, Non-Scary Halloween Costumes

Halloween is only two weeks away! Still need to find a costume for your child? Here are ten non-scary, clever costumes that you and your child can create together without breaking the bank!

Garden Gnome

  

Pippi Longstocking

Alice in Wonderland

The Lorax

 Dwight Schrute

Where the Wild Things Are

Crayola Crayons

Where's Waldo

Mary Poppins and Bert the Chimney Sweep

Ninja Turtle

 

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Images by Free Halloween Images, Pinterest, Modern Kiddo, Mommy Shorts, Pottery Barn Kids, Costume Works, Zeppy, & The 36th Avenue

SNACKTIME: Fall into Healthy Habits

Children are getting excited about being healthy and doing what's right! It feels good when we make smart food choices. Use today as your starting point to a healthier life for you and your family, and start planning to eat healthy!

 

Eat for energy and health - Start with breakfast! Children who eat breakfast do better at school, satisfy hunger, and fuel the brain until lunch time.

 

Apples are easy, make a great snack, and are available all year long.

 

Take time to plan ahead. We make smarter food choices when we take the time to plan meals and snacks.

 

Have a healthy snack after school.

 

Exercise! Our bodies need to move. Jump! Run! Stretch!  

 

Aim for lots of color from a variety of plant-based foods: green beans, yellow squash, orange carrots, blue berries, red tomatoes.

 

Limit sugary and super salty foods.

 

Take time to stay hydrated! Hot, humid days and outdoor activities increase our fluid needs. Start with water.

 

Habits become easier with practice.

You can do it!

 

Contributed by Leslie K. Kay-Getzinger, MS, RD

                          Regional Dietitian for Nutrition Management Services

Image by Urban Woman

BOOK REPORT: Best Mystery Series

In honor of National Mystery Series Week, here’s a compilation of some of the most timeless children’s mystery series. Check out these titles at your local library!

Nancy Drew, Carolyn Keene

A mild-mannered teenager, Nancy Drew stumbles into mystery upon mystery and solves crimes with wit, gumption, and help from her trusty friends, George and Bess. Follow Nancy as she recovers stolen objects, finds the truth behind spooky phenomena, and foils the crook’s plans! After first appearing in 1930, Nancy Drew has been reborn and revived throughout the years by way of computer games, movies, and updated books with modern story lines.

The Hardy Boys, Franklin W. Dixon

Frank and Joe Hardy are a pair of ordinary teenage brothers who frequently become tangled within the plots of countless mysteries. Male counterparts of Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys series was created by the same American writer and publisher, Edward Stratemeyer. Both series were penned under ghostwriters Frank Dixon and Carolyn Keene, but the stories were actually contributed by many different writers.

Encyclopedia Brown, Donald Sobol

Boy detective Leroy Brown has a brain full of trivia and operates his own detective agency. Solving the mysteries for the neighborhood children, Encyclopedia Brown picks up sleuthing tips from his police chief father and aides in the solving of many of his father’s police cases! Donald Sobol, author of this acclaimed mystery series, has collected many writing accolades, including a special Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for his contributions to the genre.

Harriet the Spy, Louise Fitzhugh

Eleven year old Harriet Welsch knows that she’ll be a famous writer someday. Dedicating all of her free time to jotting down her most inner thoughts and observations, Harriet strictly follows her daily spy route, spying on her classmates and neighbors. Harriet’s life is somewhat isolated, leaving her to channel her opinions of herself and others into a notebook. Tension ensues, however, when the notebook is discovered by her classmates and Harriet’s secret thoughts come spilling out. 

The Boxcar Children, Gertrude Chandler Warner

Four orphaned children make a home out of an abandoned boxcar and are eventually taken-in by their long-lost grandfather. As the children visit their grandfather during school holidays and travel to different locations, the Boxcar Children stumble upon mysteries wherever they travel. Including over 100 titles, this mystery series was originally written in the 1920’s by a 1st grade teacher.

Basil of Baker Street, Eve Titus

The mouse version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories, Basil of Baker Street follows a mouse-detective and his biographer, Dr. Dawson. The sleuthing pair reside in a mouse community built in the basement of 221B Baker Street. Reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes, Basil and Dr. Dawson solves mysteries and are in constant pursuit of Basil’s nemesis, the criminal mouse-mastermind, Professor Ratigan.

For more ideas, check out these popular children’s mystery novels:

The Westing Game, Ellen Raskin

The Invention of Hugo Cabert, Brian Selznick

Horton Halfpott, Tom Angleberger

The Wizard of Dark Street, Shawn Thomas Odyssey

The Aviary, Kathleen O’Dell

Discover more literary gems through Fairmont’s Pinterest board Literary Genius!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Images by Wikipedia, Goodreads, & Amazon