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July 31, 2023
Summer Issue #6
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Weekly activities and lessons to keep your child thinking and progressing all year long. |
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"The arts significantly boost student achievement, reduce discipline problems, and increase the odds students will go on to graduate from college."
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Hello and Happy Tuesday,
Buckle up and get ready for an exciting week of learning with week 6 of The McManus Files Summer Flyer. There is a ton of cool stuff lined up for you, from a book recommendation to writing prompts, puzzles and games, a science experiment, and math problems. This flyer is jam-packed with fun and engaging activities that will keep you entertained and your brain buzzing. Don't wait another second, scroll down this flyer and let the good times roll!
If you know anybody who you think would benefit from the weekly learning activities in this flyer, please share it with them and encourage all your friends to join The McManus Files mailing list by following the links on this page.
Peace,
Mr. McManus
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If you feel your child might benefit from an individual or group tutoring program to prepare them for the next phase of their education, please contact McManus Tutoring.
Programs are structured so that students learn independence, accountability, and self-reliance. They will develop a repeatable structure that can be used to build success in the future.
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A Place to Hang the Moon
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by Kate Albus
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This story has everything I love! The characters are flawed but endearing. The obstacles they face are daunting but not insurmountable. They lessons the characters learned are great lessons for all of us. There are some very touching, poignant moments but also moments of levity. The setting of World War II touched on some hard things people endured with age-appropriate perfection. I like that this story features loving siblings who look out for each other. Also, as a book lover, I appreciated the many references to beloved stories and we could relate to the characters attachments to books. The author has so many fantastic quotes about libraries, books, and readers. It is inspiring in so many ways. This book will definitely be your family's top reads of this year. Enjoy!
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Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve
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The Purisima Creek Trail is part of the 24-mile network of beautifully developed trails and historical logging roads in the 4,711-acre Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve. The Preserve was established in 1982 with a $2 million gift from the Save-the-Redwoods League to the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. This there-and-back trail totals roughly 5.9 miles to Grabtown Gulch Trail and back. Along the hike you will cross Purisima Creek, and you may get a few glimpses of the Pacific Ocean and Half Moon Bay. The trail is completely downhill, so make sure to save your energy for the hike back. If you choose to do the loop, you will add between 5 and 8 miles to your hike depending on the route you take. Plan on some steep elevation changes along the way. Along with the occasional hikers, you may run into a few mountain bikers and horseback riders.
The Purisima Creek Trail is well groomed and surrounded by towering redwood trees and sprawling ferns that offer cool shade on a hot day. The beginning of the hike is especially lush, with the lower end of the trail transitioning to a mix of redwoods, tanoak, madrone, Douglas fir, and sycamore trees. Toward the lower end of the trail, you will cross the bubbling Purisima Creek and see a few picturesque wooden bridges.
This hike can get a bit hot in the summer, so be sure to bring water. Weekends are a little busier and the parking lot can fill up quickly, so you may need to search for a spot along the highway. Restroom facilities are available near the Skyline Boulevard trailhead entrance and also down at the Higgins and Purisima Creek Trailhead entrance. The preserve is open from dawn until 30 minutes after sunset. These trails get dark quickly once the sun sets, so be sure to bring a flashlight if you are planning a hike later in the day. You may run into some seasonal closures if the rains are heavy, and you can call 650-691-1200 to check on conditions.
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Measuring Earthquakes
By building your own seismograph to document shaking, you will learn about the cause of earthquakes and how scientists measure earthquake intensity.
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Materials and Equipment
- marker or felt-tip pen
- plastic or metal ruler that is flexible
- tape (masking tape is best)
- something heavy (a can of soup is perfect!)
- newspaper or other big scratch paper
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Introduction
- Start by thinking about these questions: who has felt an earthquake? What do we know about earthquakes? What famous earthquakes have happened in our history?
- Scientists use seismographs to record when and where earthquakes happen. Real seismographs are complicated instruments with weights, levers, and motors. We can make a simple model using some objects in our home.
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Activity
- Spread out your newspaper or scratch paper on the table.
- Tape your marker to one end of the ruler so it makes a long L shape.
- Place the soup can nearby, and tape the ruler to the side so the tip of the marker is touching the newspaper.
- Try gently shaking the table: What happens on the paper? What happens with smaller or bigger shakes?
- Real seismographs have rolls of paper that that rotate slowly. Have one person try moving the paper as another person shakes the table. Can you see seismic (earthquake) waves being recorded?
- If you shake the table laterally and up and down, how does that affect the image of the waves on the paper?
- If you feel really adventurous, make two seismographs, and place one in a tub of sand or water, and one on the hard table surface. How does what the seismograph rests upon on affect the readings on the scales?
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Wrap-Up
- What does it mean when the wavy lines on the paper are higher or lower? How could you use that to measure an earthquake?
- What could you do to improve the seismograph model that was built?
- How can scientists use seismographs all over the world to pinpoint the location of an earthquake? Think about ripples in a pond or GPS systems.
Extensions
- What does your family do to prepare for earthquakes? Do you have an emergency plan and earthquake kit?
- What are some earthquakes that you can remember?
- Have you heard of other places, besides San Francisco, where earthquakes happen?
- Can you think of any problems that earthquakes cause? What do we do to help fix these problems? (For instance, earthquake drills, earthquake-safe buildings, etc.)
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Three Creative Writing Prompts
These prompts and questions will help jump-start your daily writing. Just as it's important to read for at least 30 minutes each day, you should also write for 30 minutes a day. Don't worry about your organization or spelling, just write!
"It was no problem catching the thief; he left his fingerprints..."
"I knew Jax was meant to be my best friend, from the moment we met right up until..."
"My knuckles were white as I gripped the armrests of my seat, hoping desperately that our pilot could get the plane back on course before it..."
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July 31st Writing Prompts
On this day in 1790, the first U.S. Patent was issued to Samuel Hopkins. A patent “provides exclusive rights to make, use, import, sell and offer for sale the invention for up to 20 years.” Why do you think having patents is important?
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Creativity Corner
Set your art free
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Yayoi Kusama Inspired Art |
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Make the Amount
Click this link to see how many ways can you make a Dollar (or Pound or Euro etc). Drag and drop the coins to solve the problems.
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