Summertime

I recently read this article from Parade where Mitch Albom urges us to let our kids be kids for the summer - less structure, more face-to-face contact, and just plain having fun.  The stress of a school year is enough to last for nine months but the summer should be carefree.

Mitch suggests:

The way kids work during the academic year—honestly, you’d think homework was a full-time job—a mental break may be needed. These are young minds, young bodies. Replenishing the juices by kicking back is not a bad idea. And if not in childhood, then when?

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “If we don’t enroll our kids in an activity, all they’ll do is text. Or watch TV (and text) or talk on the phone (and text).

Well, you could prevent that. You could take away the cell phone, the iPod, the Nintendo. Then see if you can get your kid to do four things in a day:

1.  Have a face-to-face conversation with a friend.
2.  Read something.
3.  Build something.
4.  Get wet. A pool. A hose. A sprinkler. Whatever.

Something to consider  . . .

Historypin

Historypin is a web-based tool that allows registered users to "pin" photos with associated information on the site.   Users can browse maps based on site address and year or they can browse collections which contain photographs based on the same topic, such as the Under Construction collection which contains photos and information about famous landmarks during their construction phase.

Check out the Tours that lead users step-by-step through content, telling a story, exploring a place or walking through time.  A Tour Around Bath showing the impact of the blitz of 1942 is one example of a tour.

Ideas for using Historypin in the classroom can be found at http://www.historypin.com/community-schools-inyourclassroom/.