Wednesday, September 9, 2009

View Champs Club episodes online!

To see the latest episodes of Champs Club log on to www.brainstormgrenada.com

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

BRAIN TEASERS AND ONLINE GAMES

For fun online games and brain teasers, here are some great websites:

www.justriddlesandmore.com
www.puzzlepixies.com
www.thekidzpage.com
www.kids.niehs.nih.gov
www.kidshealth.org

Check out
www.animationplayhouse.com for cool animations!


Games & Activities

EPISODE 1
In Episode 1, we learnt about what a virus is and how we can keep them out of our body. We used playdough to understand what HIV might look like.

Activity: HOMEMADE PLAYDOUGH (uncooked)

1/4 cup salt
1 cup flour
1/4 cup water

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl then add water.
Knead and squeeze the dough to make a clay consistency. You may need to add more water.

Note: This playdough doesn't last as long as the cooked recipes. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.

EPISODE 2
In Episode 2, we learnt that viruses are very hard to see. You will need a special microscope to see them. You can make your own "play" microscope at home. Here's what you do!

Activity: Make a Microscope

Water is full of plants and animals that are too small to see with the naked eye. Make a simple microscope to see if you can detect any tiny organisms swimming around in the water.

You'll need:

* empty matchbox
* piece of thin, transparent plastic (e.g., from a plastic bag or plastic wrap)

* matchstick
* petroleum jelly or lip balm
* dropper
* scissors
* transparent tape
* water samples (e.g. from an "island" pond)


Log on to http://www.pbs.org/weta/roughscience/discover/waterquality.html for information on how to make this craft.

EPISODE 3
Washing hands regularly with warm soap and w
ater is a good way of keeping germs and viruses away. We made decorated hands in episode 3 to help us remember when we should wash our hands. Here's what you need to make your own "Decorated Hands."

Activity: DECORATE HANDS

You'll need:

*Paper

*Makers or Crayons
*Scissors
*Glitter

How to make it:
Place your hand in the center of the paper and trace it using cr
ayons or markers.
Use your crayons or makers to decorate the inside of the hand.
You can make whatever designs yo
u want, stars, hearts, flowers.
Using Scissors, cut out the hand you just traced on the paper.
Now you have a decorated hand!

EPISODE 4
The immune system is our body's defense system. The white blood cells are like the soldiers of our body. Making paper doll chains is a great craft that helps remind us how the immune system works.

In this paper chain pattern, the figures are holding hands.
They represent the soldiers in our body that keep us safe and protect us from diseases.

Activity: PAPER DOLL CHAINS

You'll need:

*Colored Paper

*Makers or Crayons
*Scissors


How to make it:

1. Fold piece of drawing paper evenly, like a fan.

2. Draw your design for the paper dolls. Make sure the design touches both sides of the paper so the dolls "hold hands." Draw only one half of the doll since the other half will be across the top fold.

3. Cut out the doll pattern.

If you want to be even more creative you can decorate each doll with markers, or glue on trims such as ribbon, yarn, or fabric scraps.

You can also make holiday decorations with paper chains of hearts, bunnies, or stars -- just remember to leave a part touching each edge.

Resource: http://home.howstuffworks.com/paper-dolls3.htm

Activity: CONFETTI EGGS

You'll need:

  • eggs
  • confetti
  • food coloring
  • markers
  • tissue paper
  • glue stick

How to make it:

1. Cut off the tops of a dozen eggs and empty them.

2. Rinse the egg shell inside and out with warm water until the residue is gone and let the shell dry.

3. Make confetti out of colored paper.

4. Decorate the shells using food coloring or markers. If you use food coloring, dip the shells into the water and leave there a few minutes or until you like the intensity of the color. Let them dry on an old towel or on paper towels.

5. Fill the dry egg cups a quarter full of confetti.

6. Glue a square of tissue paper over the top of the egg cup and allow to dry.

With your friends, gently crack these over your friends’ heads outside. Confetti will fly everywhere!

Resource:www.ehow.com

EPISODE 5

In Episode 5, Trendy Wendy showed us how to make"gooey slime" a very cool activity that's loads of fun!

Activity: MAKING SLIME

You'll need:

  • corn starch
  • water
  • food coloring
  • mixing bowl
  • ziplock bag
How to make it:

1. Pour water into mixing bowl
2. Add the cornstarch a little at a time, at a slow and steady pace
3. Blend the mixture until smooth. It's okay to use fingers for this step! Add food coloring to give the slime a cool color
4. If the consistency does not seem quite right, slowly add more cornstarch if the slime is too runny, or more water if the slime is too thick.
5. Keep the slime in a zip lock bag to make sure that it stays moist.

Resource:www.ehow.com

EPISODE 6
We know HIV is not spread by shaking hands, coughing or even sneezing. But some germs and viruses are very easy to spread. This activity teaches us just how easy germs and viruses can be spread.

Activity: MAKING PINWHEELS

You'll need:

• paper
• scissors
• pencil
• crayons or markers
• pin or thumb tacks
• ruler

How to make it:

1. Cut a 4-inch x 4-inch square out of a piece of paper
2. Decorate your paper however you like.
3. Draw diagonal lines across your square to join up the corners and put a pencil mark on each line about 1/3 from the center.
4. Mark the center of the square with a dot, and draw an additional dot at each of the corners.
5.
Use a pair of scissors to cut along the diagonal lines. Stop cutting at your pencil mark.
6. Bring every other point into the center and stick a pin through all four points.
7. Stick the pin into a pencil.

TA DA! You made your very own pinwheel.

Resource: http://www.leslietryon.com/3dcolorcutout/makepinw/makepinwheel.html

EPISODE 7
In this episode we learnt that you cannot get HIV from a mosquito bite. Here's a really fun craft to help us remember this.

Activity: MAKING A MOSQUITO

You'll need:

*Clothespins(plastic or wooden)
*Markers or crayons
*Scissors
*Glue
*Pipe Cleaners or Schaneel wires
*Pattern from website

How to make it:
1. Cut out patterns and color them

2. Decorate the clothespin (The opening of the clothespin is the head of the mosquitoes)
3. Take 3 pipe cleaners about 12 inches long and fold each in half (they are the mosquito legs)
4. Insert one pipe cleaner into the smallest hole in the back(this represents one set of legs)
5. Insert two other pipe cleaner pieces in the front hole
6. Bend the legs up and down until they look like mosquito legs and are able to stand
7. Attach the wings. Fold each tab, apply glue and insert on both sides of th
e clothespin for wings.
8. Slide the head into the mouth of the clothespin.
9. Cut the antenna in half and slide one piece above and one piece below the head. Bend the piece above up and the piece inserted below down. These represent the stinger and the antenna.


EPISODE 8

Here's a fun activity to help us remember how easy it si to get infected with HIV by sharing a needle.

Activity: Watercolors

You'll need:

* Food coloring
* Glass jars with water in them
* Syringe


1. Place three jars of water on table, each with a different color in front of them and one jar with plain water in it.
2. Take turns putting the syringe in the colored water jars and then squirt out
in the plain water jar.

See how the colors change because the syringe transferred the colors over. – The original three jars of water also are a different color from sharing the syringe.


EPISODE 9
Making puppets is so much fun! Here's what you do.

Activity:Making Puppets

You'll need:

* Paper Bag
* Markers, crayons, or pencils
* Buttons
* Glue
* Colored Paper

1. Lay paper bag flat with the opening facing towards you and the flap showing.
2. Use art supplies such as paint, crayons, or pencils to draw facial features on the flap. For eyes, glue on two googly eyes or buttons (or you can draw them on the bag). You can also draw clothing below the flap or glue fabric scraps or colored paper on.
3. Lift the flap up carefully and draw a tongue.
4. Add hair by cutting some lengths of yarn, longer if it is a "girl" puppet. Glue them on to the top edge or the front of the flap, near the top.
5. To use the puppet, put your hand into the bag and place your fingers in the flap. Move your fingers up and down to make it "talk."

Resource: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Paper-Bag-Puppet


Thursday, June 25, 2009

http://www.brainstormgrenada.com/content/view/21/46/

Hello everyone! I am back in the US and wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS to all who completed their exams! WOOHOO! I know you all did extremely well. Now for the GREAT stuff. Please check out the URL site listed for a short preview of the TV shows we have all been working on. KUDOS to all especially Amanda and the crew behind the scenes.
Dr. Marianne