Fitness

Taking Your Pulse

Taking your pulse is an easy way to measure your heart rate. Your heart is pumping blood through the arteries and veins of your body. Some of these arteries are close to the surface of the skin and when you place your hand on these spots, you can feel the blood pumping. The best places to feel your pulse are:

• the inside of your wrist, in line with your thumb
  
• on your neck, either side of your windpipe (Don’t press too hard or you could become dizzy!)

Take your pulse by placing two fingers lightly on the spot. Don’t use your thumb—it also has a pulse and this could confuse you. Count how many beats you can feel in 30 seconds (half a minute). Multiply this number by 2 to get the number of beats per minute (60 seconds).

Sites about the Heart and Lungs

See the heart pumping blood. Try using a stethoscope.
http://www.smm.org/heart/heart/top.html

See how the diaphragm causes the lungs to breathe air in and out.
http://www.smm.org/heart/lungs/top.html

See how the heart rate speeds up as you become more active. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/9_10/keeping_healthy.shtml

Self-Esteem

On this site you can read a short article about how parents help their children to grow up with good self-esteem. There are also some suggestions for activities and games.

http://www.pbs.org/wholechild/parents/glad.html

Food Puzzles

Food Concentration
http://www.quia.com/jg/854657.html


What's That Food Word?
http://www.quia.com/hm/246385.html


Food Guide Word Search
http://www.quia.com/jg/1298298.html

Early Math Skills

The link below takes you to a site about how children's math skills develop. It is filled with information and fun activities you can do with your child.

http://www.pbs.org/parents/earlymath

A Young Writer's Skills Develop

Click on this link to go to site about children's writing skills. When you get there, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the book titled "Toby's Writing".

http://www.pbs.org/parents/readinglanguage/writing/main.html

What stage is your child's writing at?

Celebrations

Pow-wows
Pow-wows are times for Aboriginal North American people to meet, dance, sing, visit with old friends and make new ones. It is a time to remember their traditions and to honour their heritage.

Pow-wows might last one day or several days. In former times they took place in spring, but now a pow-wow may be held at any time of year.

Music for the pow-wow is provided by a group of drummers who also sing traditional songs. Groups of dancers perform many different types of dances. One of these is the Hoop Dance. The hoop has no beginning and no end. It represents the belief that the spirits of all living things are interconnected.



Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year celebrates family unity and honours the past and present generations. It is based on the Chinese Calendar so the dates vary. In 2008 it begins on February 7 and lasts for two weeks.

To prepare for New Year, everyone gives their home a thorough cleaning to sweep away the bad luck of the old year and make their home ready for good luck. Some people give their homes a new coat of red paint.

On New Year’s Eve families have a meal together to give thanks for their blessings and for each other. Relatives who have died are remembered with great respect for the traditions they have passed down to younger generations.

On the first day of the New Year people pay visits to other relatives and friends, beginning with the oldest family members. They wear new clothing and decorate their homes, especially with red. Presents of money are given to the younger members of the family.



Eid-al-Fitr
Eid Al-Fitr is the celebration that comes at the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, at the sighting of the new moon. It is a time to give thanks for blessings that have been received. It is also a time for communities to share and to celebrate together and to give money to the poor. The date of this celebration is based on the Islamic calendar. In 2008 it will be in October.

On the morning of Eid-al-Fitr, Muslims attend prayers at mosques or other public locations. Later, friends and family get together for a meal, either in small family groups or with members of a larger community. Small presents of money are given to children and everyone dresses in their best clothes.



Diwali
Diwali is a Hindu celebration known as the “Festival of Lights”. It takes place over five days during October or November. During this time people celebrate the victory of good over evil, giving a new hope for mankind.

To prepare for Diwali, people decorate their homes with fresh flowers and prepare special foods, especially sweets. During the festival, lights shine in every window to bring good fortune and to welcome friends who are coming to visit and to exchange gifts of food. Children float lanterns in the river and make a wish as they set them free. In some places there are fireworks displays.



Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah is also known as the Jewish New Year. It is based on the Jewish Calendar and takes place in September or October for two days. During Rosh Hashanah, Jewish people think about all they’ve done in the past year and they resolve to be better people in the coming year. It is also a time of family gatherings, special meals and sweet-tasting foods.

At the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, people meet for a religious service, during which they experience the blowing of the shofar, a horn made from the horn of a goat. This is meant to be a spiritual and mental awakening so that they may reflect on the past year. In fact, many people call Rosh Hashanah the Day of Awakening or the Day of Remembrance.

Later in the day, people may go to rivers or creeks and throw in small things like breadumbs to show that they are starting the new year without the burdens of the old year. Often this event is quite social, as many people gather at the same location. The day ends with a special family meal that almost always includes apples dipped in honey, symbolizing the wish for a sweet new year.



Christmas
Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day, December 25. It is also a time when non-Christians make a special effort to keep in touch with family and friends. It is a time to marvel at the miracle of birth and to enjoy the hope that comes with each newborn baby.

In the days leading up to Christmas, people exchange gifts and cards. There may be parties to attend. Many people bake a variety of sweets. On Christmas Day most people spend the day with family or close friends, and a special Christmas dinner is served. Many Christians attend church on either December 24 or 25. In some Christian communities, for example in Eastern Europe, Christmas is celebrated in January.



Kwanza
Kwanzaa is celebrated by people of African heritage from December 26 until January 1. Its purpose is to give strength to black families and communities and to remind them of their African cultures.

It was created in 1966 by a social activist to "...give a Black alternative to the existing holiday and give Blacks an opportunity to celebrate themselves and history. . .”

There are seven principles, or things to think about, one for each day of Kwanzaa. Each day the family gathers to discuss the principle of the day. They can gather in their home, or several families may gather together in one home, or a large meeting hall. Families decorate their homes with African artwork, cloth and fresh fruits. Women wear traditional African clothing. A Kwanzaa ceremony may include drumming, candle-lighting and readings from black authors. The youngest person lights the candle. Children are always included to give them a sense of their heritage.