Roman Empire - Back in Time, 2015

Colosseum, Rome 2015

Open the link below

https://goo.gl/photos/6pUU9uWTzmc9t6dG9 

Ready for a journey back in time?

Before you travel to Rome go through some history and facts to help your child to comprehend and appreciate the phenomena of the Roman Empire. Learning about ancient Rome can be interesting and enjoyable.

Key Facts About Ancient Rome

• Rome was founded in 753BC by its first king, Romulus. It grew into a rich and powerful city during the next few hundred years.
• The legend says that Romulus had a twin brother called Remus. A she-wolf found and raised them, but when they grew up, Romulus fought and killed Remus. Romulus became the first ruler of Rome.
• By AD 117 the Roman Empire included the whole of Italy, all the lands around the Mediterranean and much of Europe, including England, Wales and parts of Scotland.
• The Romans built such a huge empire and conquered new lands, thanks to their strong army. The Roman army could march up to 40km a day!
• During battle, a Roman soldier first hurled his spear at the enemy, then he fought him with his sword. To protect himself, he carried a wooden shield and wore a metal helmet and armor.
• The Romans didn’t spend all their time fighting - they were amazing architects and engineers too! Romans built roads and walls - things we now take for granted.
• To bring water to their cities, the clever Romans built aqueducts - a system of channels and bridges - to transport water for public baths and toilets!
• The Romans liked to enjoy their food, often lying down on a couch while eating with their hands. They occasionally used a spoon, but they would never use a knife and fork. Rich Romans liked to eat exotic food, such as stork, roast parrot and even flamingo!
• The Romans believed in gods and goddesses who ruled over different areas of life. For example, Neptune was the god of the ocean, and they prayed to him to protect them at sea. Temples were built to honor the gods, and people would visit them with offerings.
• Tunics - two pieces of woolen fabric sewn together at the sides and shoulders, with openings for your arms and head - were the most common clothes in Rome. Some Romans also wore togas - a kind of woolen shawl - to show how wealthy they were.

 

Pieta by Michelangelo Buonarotti and Pantheon  

Learn more facts about the ancient Rome with “History for Kids”

http://www.historyforkids.net/ancient-rome.html

Happy Holidays and a Prosperous 2016

Teach your child how to be kind, thoughtful and thankful. 

Future will paid you back.

Open to watch it:

https://goo.gl/photos/VE5QSrqagnpBQbpZ7 

Good Books - “Sherlock, Lupin & Me” by Irene Adler

“Sherlock, Lupin & Me” by Irene Adler is a series of chapter books for middle grade reader about the adventures of three young detectives: Sherlock Holmes - British, Arsène Lupin - French, and Irene Adler - American. It was originally published in Italian by Piemme. It’s a solid series, a bit systematic like many other series aimed at children, but very exciting.

Irene Adler by BP

The plots are really interesting. The stories are seen from Irene’s point of view and narrated by her. It gives that slightly more girly feeling that you can’t find in the original Sherlock Holmes detective series. It isn’t overpowering though, the stories are still about the mystery and the murder rather than dresses or beauty appearance.

“Sherlock, Lupin & Me: The Dark Lady” is the first, introductory book from the series. A little child version of Sherlock, a bit mischievous but as intelligent as in the original books, with Irene Adler - just wonderful and Lupin - very charming and mischievous, but in a different way to Sherlock. It is nice to see how the three characters interact.

The actual mystery didn’t work out how I expect. I had my suspicions on what might have happened, who did it, but I was wrong and surprised to find a completely different outcome.

Check:

Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews

http://lookingglassreview.com/books/sherlock-lupin-and-me-the-dark-lady  

Candaces Book Blog

http://www.candacesbookblog.com/2014/03/middle-grade-review-sherlock-lupin-me.html

Merry Your Family Holiday Spirit Riding the New York SeaGlass Carousel

The SeaGlass Carousel located in Downtown Manhattan stands apart from a dozen carousels set up in New York. It was designed by a top-notch creative team, WXY Architecture and George Tsypin and cost more than $16 million to build. This custom-designed ride is placed in the original historical home of the New York Aquarium . 

SeaGlass Carousel, NYC 2015

Instead of horses riders step into 13 feet tall, dazzling fish that seem to swim inside a giant shell-shaped pavilion. Each fish pod has its own speaker and the soundtrack is synced to a colorful illuminations. Glowing lights, soothing classical music and aquatic sound effects complete the virtual underwater experience. As you glide, you get a sense of what it's like to be a fish. The carousel delights riders of all ages.

Basia on SeaGlass Carousel, NYC 2015

Overall impression is an eye-popping experience that is as fun to watch as to ride.

Basia on SeaGlass Carousel, NYC 2015

https://youtu.be/XntK21wX2Z8

After your ride, stay around and explore the Battery Park. Enjoy a stroll down the Woodland Gardens surrounding the carousel. There's an awesome spiral fountain, views of the Statue of Liberty from the waterfrontpromenade and the historic Castle Clinton.

Basia with Mom, 2015

For a meal, skip the expensive Battery GardensRestaurant and Table Green concessions and head inland.

You can eat at the iconic FrauncesTavern and then visitiedthe museum upstairs. While you are there it is worthy to explore another fun venue like the ImaginationPlayground and the South Street Seaport  with its own museum. 

If you head further north into the heart of the Financial District, you'll find lotsof inexpensive, kid-friendly eats, including at nearby Brookfield Place, home to an indoor food court. Check also TheSkyscraper Museum, Museumof Jewish Heritage and 9/11 Memorial .

Take in a little bit of history and make a fun day in Lower Manhattan. 

Boost your Memory with Brain Exercises

City Harvest, NYC 2015

To sharpen your mental skills try the following exercises.

After Dr. John E. Morley 

http://www.everydayhealth.com/longevity/mental-fitness/brain-exercises-for-memory.aspx

1. Test your recall. Make a list - of grocery items, things to do, or anything else that comes to mind - and memorize it. An hour or so later, see how many items you can recall. Make items on the list as challenging as possible for the greatest mental stimulation.
2. Let the music play. Learn to play a musical instrument or join a choir. Studies show that learning somethingnew and complex over a longer period of time is ideal for the aging mind.
3. Do math in your head. Figure out problems without the aid of pencil, paper, or computer; you can make this more difficult - and athletic - by walking at the same time.
4. Take a cooking class. Learn how to cook a new cuisine. Cooking uses a number of senses: smell, touch, sight, and taste, which all involve different parts of the brain.
5. Learn a foreign language. The listening and hearing involved stimulates the brain. What’s more, a richvocabulary has been linked to a reduced risk for cognitive decline.
6. Create word pictures. Visualize the spelling of a word in your head, then try and think of any other words that begin (or end) with the same two letters.
7. Draw a map from memory. After returning home from visiting a new place, try to draw a map of the area; repeat this exercise each time you visit a new location.
8. Challenge your taste buds. When eating, try to identify individual ingredients in your meal, including subtle herbs and spices.
9. Refine your hand-eye abilities. Take up a new hobby that involves fine-motor skills, such as knitting, drawing, painting, assembling a puzzle, etc.
10. Learn a new sport. Start doing an athleticexercise that utilizes both mind and body, such as yoga, golf, or tennis.

Check also 7-day ultimate body and mind workout

http://www.prevention.com/health/brain-health/how-work-out-your-brain-stay-sharp

Day 1: Take a nature walk

Day 2: Connect with your senses

Day 3: Add in speed

Day 4: Challenge your balance

Day 5: Toss a ball while walking

Day 6: Repeat day 3 - with a friend

Day 7: Repeat day 4 - with eyes closed

Developing Talent by Intelligent Practice

Practice can greatly increase your performance. 

Basia tries to put that rule into an action.

Check her project with dolls https://goo.gl/photos/vvWWhWJpm3Zt2KjU7

By BP

If you're looking to achieve your own personal goals and break through to another level, you'll learn how practice can get you there. To learn more read “Practice Perfect: 42 Rules for Getting Better at Getting Better” by Doug Lemov, Erica Woolway, and Katie Yezzi.

http://www.amazon.com/Practice-Perfect-Rules-Getting-Better/dp/1480563722

This book puts practice on the front burner of all who seek to instill talent and achievement in others as well as in themselves. This is a journey to understand that practice, not games, makes champions.In this book, the authors engage the dream of better, both in fields and endeavors where participants know they should practice and also in those where many do not yet recognize the transformative power of practice. And it’s not just whether you practice. How you practice may be a true competitive advantage. Deliberately engineered and designed practice can revolutionize our most important endeavors. The clear set of rules presented in Practice Perfect will make us better in virtually every performance of life. The “how-to” rules of practice cover such topics as rethinking practice, modeling excellent practice, using feedback, creating a culture of practice, making new skills stick, and hiring for practice. Discover new ways to think about practice. Learn how to design successful practice. Apply practice across a wide range of realms, both personal and professional. The authors include specific activities to jump-start practice Doug Lemov is the best-selling author of Teach Like a Champion. A hands-on resource to practice, the rules within will help to create positive outliers and world-changing reservoirs of talent.

Good Books - “Maisie Hitchins” series by Holly Webb

A thrilling new detective series from the best-selling author.

Maisie Hitchins, the main character, lives in her grandmother’s boarding house, longing for adventure and intrigue in Victorian London. She idolizes the famous detective, Gilbert Carrington, and follows his every case. Together, with her faithful pup Eddie, Maisie is determined to follow even the slightest scent of a mystery and you can be sure she'll find plenty of mysteries to solve.

By BP, 2015

In “The Case of the Stolen Sixpence,” the first book in a series, George, the butcher's boy, is fired for stealing coins from the till. Maisie truly believes that he is not guilty. With her little dog Eddie as the Watson to her Sherlock Holmes, Maisie uses her promising detective skills to unravel the mystery of the stolen sixpence, defend her old friend, and even help a new friend in need. 

By BP, 2015

Visit

http://www.holly-webb.com/ to see Holly Webb new website

http://marionlindsay.co.uk/  to see Marion Lindsay, the ilustrator website

www.maisiehitchins.com to find Maisie activity sheets and more

https://www.goodreads.com/series/111631-maisie-hitchins to find Maisie Hitchins Series in order

http://hmhyoungreadersblog.com/kids/chapter-books/introducing-the-mysteries-of-maisie-hitchins/  

Good Books -“Betsy-Tacy” series by Maud Hart Lovelace

The “Betsy-Tacy” books, like other series such as the “Harry Potter” and “Little House” books, are written at progressively more difficult reading levels as the characters age and encounter more complex situations. The first books are written for children, while those at the end of the series are written for ages 14 and up.

The Betsy-Tacy series

1. Betsy-Tacy (1940)
2. Betsy-Tacy and Tib (1941)
3. Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill (1942)
4. Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown (1943)
5. Heavento Betsy (1945)
6. Betsy in Spite of Herself (1946)
7. Betsy Was a Junior (1947)
8. Betsyand Joe (1948)
9. Betsy and the Great World (1952)
10. Betsy's Wedding (1955)

Maud Hart Lovelace an American novelist and short-story writer.

Deep Valley http://www.betsy-tacysociety.org/deepvalley

"Revolting Rhymes" by Roald Dahl - Fairy Tales with Surprising Endings

RevoltingRhymes by Roald Dahl is a collection of six well known fairy tales. In his poetry, Dahl gives a humorous re-interpretation of the stories and provides surprising endings in place of the traditional happily-ever-after. Children seem to focus on the story substances and enjoy unexpected wind-up.

https://youtu.be/wkAJBTYM9bQ 

Basia, October 31, 2015

"Moje Halloween" Basi Nagroda w Fundacji Kosciuszkowskiej

"Moje Halloween" BP, 8 lat

Nagrodzona w Fundacji Kosciuszkowskiej, Pazdziernik 2015

http://www.thekf.org/kf/

Fundacja Kosciuszkowska, Nowy Jork 

https://youtu.be/DqK8LRZmPkc

Halloween 2015 w Fundacji Kosciuszkowskiej, Nowy Jork