http://www.walden.com/blog/ en jpedley@walden.com Copyright 2010 2010-03-12T23:44:24+00:00 http://www.walden.com/blogpost/new_national_content_standards_give_your_input_now/ http://www.walden.com/blogpost/new_national_content_standards_give_your_input_now/#When:23:44:24Z Image Flickr/Csessums As you may have read, the Teacher Leadership Exploratory Consortium released its recommendations this week for a new National Content Standards system. According to the New York Times: “The new proposals could transform American education, replacing the patchwork of standards ranging from mediocre to world-class that have been written by local educators in every state.” Should a majority of the states adopt the proposed standards, it could be a real benchmark in education reform. A major facet of the new standards is that they are “vertically aligned.” According to the Times, that means that “material students are to learn in early years builds a foundation for what is to come in the next grade. “’Students are asked to do progressively more challenging things, and although that may sound obvious, it’s a real breakthrough,’ said Michael Cohen, an Education Department official in the Clinton administration who is president of Achieve.”   It’s Your Turn The Teacher Leadership Exploratory Consortium would like to hear from teachers all over the country about what they like and dislike in the proposed standards. They have even set up a website tofacilitate feedback.  Reviewing and critiquing the new content is easy: Go online to the Teacher Leadership Exploratory Consortium Website Review the proposed new standards Take the simple survey   We want to hear from you! What do you think of the new standards? Did you offer feedback to the Consortium? Education, In the News 2010-03-12T23:44:24+00:00 http://www.walden.com/blogpost/celebrate_girl_role_models_womens_history_month/ http://www.walden.com/blogpost/celebrate_girl_role_models_womens_history_month/#When:00:23:46Z Image Flickr/mikebaird The theme of this year’s National Women’s History Month is “Writing Women Back into History.” We at Walden are excited about this ambitious new effort to educate girls about prominent female leaders. But with all due respect to the past and its amazing women, this year we’d like to focus our celebration on the next generation of confident, intelligent women who will change the world.   What makes an amazing girl of the twenty-first century? Perhaps Michelle Obama puts it best when she says: “One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from your goals. And so when I hear about negative and false attacks, I really don’t invest any energy in them, because I know who I am.” {via Marie Claire} Her self-confidence, ambition and commitment to her goals are definitely important girl power messages for a new generation. With the proliferation of technology and cyber bullying, the modern girl needs to be confident, imaginative and driven so that when life’s many obstacles step in her path, she’ll have the courage to leap right over them.   Who is a twenty-first century role model? While a girl can find inspiration at home, in politics like Michelle Obama, or in the media, we’d like to introduce you to some of our favorite girl role models – taken right from our movies! Whether you identify with Nim and her spirit of adventure, or Fern and her impassioned commitment to protect life, Walden films have some amazingly inspirational characters. Read about these fantastic characters below, and share them with your daughter or students. We encourage girls to think about how they can be more adventurous, courageous, imaginative and self-confident, and ask them to set goals for the next year to achieve that.   Our Favorite Role Models AdventureNim, Nim’s Island: Nim lives on a secret island with her dad. Her spirit of adventure and conservationist values make her the ultimate green girl. She explores her island home everyday working to protect all the life on it, and ultimately the life of her father. What can you do to be green in your daily life? Visit stopglobalwarming.org for some ideas. How can you be hero of your own life story like Nim?   ImaginationLeslie Burke, Bridge to Terabithia: In Bridge to Terabithia, Leslie creates the world Terabithia in her own imagination. Her secret land helps give her the confidence to excel at school, make friends, avoid bullies, and be an independent girl. Where can your imagination take you? How can you use your imagination in creative writing, art, video production, etc to help you excel in school and achieve your goals?   Self-ConfidenceCharlotte Banks, Bandslam: Charlotte’s deep love of her family inspires her to follow the beat of a different drummer. She uses her quirky-cool sensibilities to help form the most unique, inspiring band in Bandslam history, and touch the lives of all those around her. How can you share your special talents with others (the way Charlotte shares her singing and songwriting with the band)?   LoveFern, Charlotte’s Web: In Charlotte’s Web, Fern will not let her father kill Wilber, the small runt of the pig litter. Her kindness and love have a profound affect on Wilber and the friends he makes in the barn. Their compassion and love change the lives of all who live on Zuckerman’s Farm. How can you show compassion and love to others around you? Think of one way that you can spread love every day. (example: say ‘have a good day’ to everyone you meet.)   CourageHannah, Journey to the Center of the Earth: In Journey to the Center of the Earth, Hannah has the courage to guide Trevor and Sean through the Center of the Earth even when it becomes scary and dangerous. Her in-depth knowledge of the world around her and her confidence help the keep the three explorers safe as they uncover a vast new world. How will you have the courage to make tough decisions in face of adversity? How can you apply what you are learning in school and in the world around you to help others?     More Great Girl Resources for Women’s History Month Women’s History Month Official Site Dove Campaign for Real Beauty ReaderGirlz.com   Film Images Nim’s Island © Walden Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Bridge to Terabithia © Buena Vista Pictures Marketing and Walden Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Bandslam © Summit Entertainment, LLC and Walden Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Charlotte’s Web © Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved. Journey to the Center of the Earth © New Line Cinema and Walden Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Education, Family, Community 2010-03-11T00:23:46+00:00 http://www.walden.com/blogpost/erin_go_bragh_4_saint_patricks_day_activity_ideas/ http://www.walden.com/blogpost/erin_go_bragh_4_saint_patricks_day_activity_ideas/#When:20:48:09Z Image Flickr/F_Shields On March 17th, everyone is Irish for a day. Saint Patrick’s Day, once a religious holiday in Ireland, has become a mainstream celebration of all things Irish. Parades, Irish soda bread, corned beef, leprechauns and shamrocks are all part of the fun – but how did Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations begin?   Saint Patrick, The Man To find the holiday’s roots, you have to go back to Saint Patrick himself, a young Brit who was kidnapped in the 5th century A.D. by Irish Slave Traders. He was enslaved and brought to Ireland to tend sheep. Years later, after seeing a vision from God, he escaped back to Britain where he was ordained. After a second vision from God, he returned to Ireland to build churches, monasteries and schools, and convert Pagans to Christianity. The Shamrock became associated with Saint Patrick because it is said he used its three leaf structure to explain the Trinity. Watch this cute Academy Award-nominated video from Give Up Yer Aul Sins below to get a bit more of Saint Patrick’s history:     Saint Patrick’s Day, The Celebration Irish Catholics had been celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day for centuries in Ireland. When the Potato Famine struck in 1845, Irish Catholics brought Saint Patrick’s Day with them to the US and beyond. Today we celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day worldwide as a celebration of Irish Culture and Heritage. Celebrate the luck of the Irish with these fun activities: Leprechaun Trap, Family Fun: Every year, little leprechauns get more and more mischievous. Try to catch them red-handed with a homemade leprechaun trap. Family Fun has step-by-step ideas for three traps here, but encourage kids to create their own. Remember these fun tips: Leprechauns are attracted to gold and treasure. Entice them towards your trap with gold and glittery materials. Leprechauns are attracted to places that they are not supposed to be. Create “warning” signs around your trap, luring them towards it. Leprechauns have huge egos. They will be attracted to items that celebrate them, like green shamrocks. Submit a photo of your leprechaun trap to info@walden.com and we will include it in our leprechaun trap Flickr gallery on this blog post.   Green Potato Stamp, Family Fun: Celebrate the Irish tradition by making a stamp out of a potato. Use cookie cutters to create your favorite Irish images, like a Shamrock.   Leprechaun Hat for Chips, Kaboose.com: Create this adorable leprechaun hat that holds chips or dip. Fill the hat with green-tinted tortilla chips, or add green food coloring to your favorite dip for a festive snack.   Irish Soda Bread, Epicurious.com: This traditional Irish loaf is easy to make. Bring kids into the kitchen to help with create this tasty treat. Also try substituting in whole wheat flour for the white flour to create a “traditional brown” soda bread. Want More? Visit The History Channel for videos about the history of leprechauns, Saint Patrick’s Day symbols and much much more.   Erin Go Bragh! Education, Family 2010-03-09T20:48:09+00:00 http://www.walden.com/blogpost/promote_music_education_with_the_movie_bandslam/ http://www.walden.com/blogpost/promote_music_education_with_the_movie_bandslam/#When:18:23:01Z © MENC What’s on your playlist? – Ask your students this question, and you’ll get a flurry of excited answers. We certainly did when we asked BANDSLAM stars Vanessa Hudgens and Gaelan Connell. Their eclectic responses are part of a comprehensive, music- based curriculum Walden developed in honor of our film Bandslam. The Bandslam curriculum is a perfect addition to your celebration of Music in Our Schools Month. Sponsored by MENC, Music in our Schools Month encourages classrooms to celebrate music, “raise awareness of the importance of music education for all children – and to remind citizens that school is where all children should have access to music.”     MIOSM and Bandslam: A Winning Combination The Bandslam education program was co-developed with MENC and the Grammy Museum, and complies with national content standards. Three engaging webisodes hosted by the young stars of the film, Aly Michalka, Vanessa Hudgens and Gaelan Connell, make music education fun, cool and relevant. Integrate the curriculum into your celebration in these engaging ways: Screen Bandslam (available on DVD March 16th) for your class as a special MIOSM treat. Encourage students to pay attention to the different genres of music they hear. How does the band in the film, I Can’t Go On, I’ll Go On, create its unique sound by mixing genres?   Bring a Recording Professional to School: Use the special Bandslam webisode “Recording” and the Recording lesson plan to teach students about the history of recorded sound. Then, invite a recording professional to class to discuss his job, and all the effort that goes into the creation of one song.    Add to the lesson by selecting a song popular with your students, and encouraging them to research all those involved with its creation and recording.   Hometown Heroes: Research the history of music in your own hometown. What famous musicians got their start there, and how did the city itself affect the music? Use the “Music Epicenters/New York” and “Spotlight on the 1970s” lesson plans to guide your research.    Culture Clash: Music has always been a symbol of pop culture. Use the “Culture Shock: 1950s-2000s” lesson plan to illustrate how music and pop culture have influence each other. Play songs, use movie clips and newspaper articles to demonstrate the profound effect of music on the cultural movements of the day.    Encourage students to think about what the popular music of today says about our culture.   Explore Music Forms: Use the “Exploring Music Forms” lesson plan and the “Music Genre” webisode featuring Vanessa Hudgens and Gaelan Connell to learn about what defines a music form. Encourage students to create a playlist of their favorite songs – how many different genres are represented?       Want more? MENC has more Music in our Schools Month programming ideas on their website, and Walden.com/education features the complete Bandslam Education Program. Visit both for more ideas.   What are you doing for MIOSM? Share your ideas with Walden – the first 5 responders will receive a FREE BANDSLAM POSTER.   (Note: Please do not leave personal information in the comments, we will contact you separately to confirm your address. Offer valid while supplies last. Limit 1 per household. Offer only valid in the United States.) Movies, Education 2010-03-09T18:23:01+00:00 http://www.walden.com/blogpost/computer_programming_for_teens_a_teen_tech_week_report/ http://www.walden.com/blogpost/computer_programming_for_teens_a_teen_tech_week_report/#When:01:43:11Z Image Flickr/Zenobia_JoyTo state the obvious, teens use technology – A LOT. A recent Kaiser Foundation study made headlines when it revealed that the average teen consumes 7 hours and 38 minutes of technology per day. That’s over 53 hours per week! What are they doing with that time?  Teens spend the majority of tech time on mobile devices and social networks like Facebook – they like to talk to each other. While technology use is now the norm, computer programming remains on the fringe. Teens are fluent in the language of technology, but barely contribute to its production. Enter Scratch. Created by MIT, Scratch is a free crash-course in programming aimed squarely at teens.  The program employs simplified code in a user-friendly, cool setting. It allows kids to create their own projects, adjust and manipulate sample projects, and then share their work with a community of peers. The video introduction below sums up the technology very well: it’s a place to create programs and share with the online world, like a social network to help teens enhance their tech knowledge.   The Teen Tech Week Connection The recent Kaiser Foundation study makes ALA’s Teen Tech Week more relevant than ever. Each March, the American Library Association encourages libraries across the country to host events celebrating technology @ your library. Local libraries host game nights, encourage use of computers, movies and audio books, host blogging seminars and virtual battle of the bands. This year, encourage your library to incorporate Scratch into its Teen Tech Week Celebration, or bring Teen Tech Week home and use Scratch as a family.   What are you doing for Teen Tech Week? Share your programming ideas in the comments. Education, Community 2010-03-09T01:43:11+00:00 http://www.walden.com/blogpost/healthy_nutrition_for_kids_walden_exclusive/ http://www.walden.com/blogpost/healthy_nutrition_for_kids_walden_exclusive/#When:18:36:35Z Image credit: Flickr/McKaySavage Every March, the American Dietetic Association encourages families to embrace a healthy and nutritious lifestyle by celebrating National Nutrition Month. This year’s event is particularly timely with the launch of Michelle Obama’s new childhood obesity task force and a national emphasis on proper nutrition. Whether in the classroom or at home, proper nutrition should start at an early age. ADA has outlined several ideas to help educate children about healthy food choices. These entertaining activities can be implemented easily and really get kids thinking about their health: Create a “nutrition quiz corner” with a nutrition question every day for the entire month of March. Students complete an answer form and place it in a box, which is emptied daily. You may award a daily prize, or enter the name of every contestant who answered correctly in a weekly prize drawing. Prizes could be NNM promotional items. Conduct a “Fear Factor”-type event. Provide unusual vegetables and fruits cut into bite-size pieces. Offer an opportunity to taste and guess the food. Ask children to begin carefully saving empty food product boxes. Spend some time reading labels and comparing calories, fat, sugar content, vitamins, etc. Expand this into a menu-planning opportunity, with children dividing into teams. See which group can plan the healthiest meal. As a math exercise, add up the calories from various products. Have an ethnic food night, i.e., Asian cuisine, Mediterranean, French, Cajun, etc. This may be done by inviting local restaurants to participate, or have your own organization provide the food. Eating the Rainbow. Use “Eating the Rainbow” as a theme and provide examples of colorful fruits and vegetables that are yellow, orange, red, green, blue and purple. Give tips on including more fruits and vegetables in meals and snacks. Sizing It Up Display. Set up a display with food models and household items to represent food portion sizes. Let participants try to match up foods with the appropriate serving size item. (via eatright.org)   Doing Our Part To do our part to raise awareness, Walden.com has enlisted the help of accomplished chef Tina Fannelli Moraccini to share a healthy fun recipe for mini garden vegetable quiche. Moraccini is the co-founder of the Piccolo Chef, a Los Angeles based culinary Academy for the Young Gourmet. She teaches classes for kids ages 3-17 not only to introduce them to the basics of cooking but also to instill a desire to eat well and make healthy choices. The garden vegetable quiche recipe is as easy to make as its fun to eat. It’s a great step towards a healthier lifestyle: Mini Garden Vegetable Quicheby Piccolo Chef’s Executive Chef, Reba BerdakinIngredients:2 pre-made 9” pie crusts, made without hydrogenated fats½ medium onion, peeled1 clove garlic, peeled2 ounces button mushrooms, about 4, brushed clean and stem removed ½ of a small zucchini, cleaned and end removed½ of a small yellow squash, cleaned end removed½ red bell pepper, seeded1 Tablespoon olive oil1 Tablespoon unsalted butter 3 eggs1 ¼ cup Lowfat or Nonfat Milk1 cup shredded low fat Swiss, Cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon pepper Directions: Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly spray a 12 cup muffin tin with non-hydrogenated oil cooking spray. Roll out pie crust onto a clean flat surface and using a 3” circular cookie cutter, or circular wide mouth glass, cut out 12 circles of pie crust. Gently fit the circles down into each of the muffin cups and place in the refrigerator to chill while preparing remaining ingredients. In a food processor or food chopper, pulse or chop the onion, garlic, mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash and red bell pepper until coarsely minced but not a fine mush. In a medium skillet, warm oil and butter over medium heat. Add coarsely minced vegetables and sauté until just beginning to carmelize or brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk to combine. Set aside. Remove muffin tin from refrigerator and scoop one heaping Tablespoon of vegetable mixture into the bottom of each of the crusts. Top the vegetable mixture with the shredded cheese, dividing it equally among the quiche. Pour egg mixture over the vegetables and cheese just to cover and come up to the edge of the pie crust. Bake in oven until just set and the center of the quiche no longer jiggles and crust is beginning to brown, about 20-30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to set for a couple minutes before removing from pan and serving warm or at room temperature. Makes 6 servings or one dozen mini quiche. Tina Fanelli Moraccini is the Co-Founder of Piccolo Chef Culinary Academy for the Young Gourmet in Los Angeles, where children ages three to seventeen come to explore the wonders of the kitchen. Piccolo Chef was created for children not only to introduce the basics of cooking but also to instill a desire to eat well and make healthier choices from the start. Tina lives in Los Angeles with her husband of 17 years, Maurizio, and their daughter, Valentina, 5, and is expecting another little girl in late April. Education, Family, In the News 2010-03-04T18:36:35+00:00 http://www.walden.com/blogpost/celebrate_language_national_grammar_day/ http://www.walden.com/blogpost/celebrate_language_national_grammar_day/#When:01:03:17Z Image ©2009 Holtzbrinck Publishers Holding, LLC. Send this image as a Grammar Day E-Card. Celebrate language and the proper use of grammar on National Grammar Day. This fun holiday gives teachers and parents a chance to turn a normal English lesson into a party. Sponsors, Grammar Girl and the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar have some great resources to plan your Grammar Day celebration in the classroom or at home: For younger students, sing the punctuation rap; older students will enjoy the “correct the celebrity” activity sheet. Create a “bad grammar playlist” with songs that employ improper use of grammar. Students listen to each song, and identify the incorrect grammar. Grammar Girl has created a pre-made playlist on its site, but use your best judgment when selecting age-appropriate songs for your students. Read or write a language poem. Grammar Girl lists 4 poems on its website. Encourage students to read these, and create their own using different punctuation. Typo? Read funny anecdotes about embarrassing typos. They will remind students of the importance of proof-reading. Grammar Widget: Continue the grammar fun everyday; embed the Grammar Girl Widget into your school’s website to get fun new grammar tips every day.     Education, Family 2010-03-03T01:03:17+00:00 http://www.walden.com/blogpost/beverly_clearys_ramona_named_one_of_best_books_to_read_to_your_kids/ http://www.walden.com/blogpost/beverly_clearys_ramona_named_one_of_best_books_to_read_to_your_kids/#When:21:43:20Z Read the entire Ramona series by Beverly Cleary and see the new film Ramona & Beezus from Twentieth Century Fox and Walden Media. RAMONA & BEEZUS, the new film from Fox and Walden, is due out in theaters July 23rd. Based on Beverly Cleary’s classic novels, Ramona Quimby’s adventures come to life; her vivid imagination, boundless energy, and accident-prone antics are put to the test when she helps her family face its biggest challenge. Walden is so excited about the new film because we love Beverly Cleary’s books, and Parenting’s editors do too. They recently placed Ms. Cleary’s books on a list of the top 26 books to read to your children. Share Ramona’s story with your children: consider picking up a copy of the series at your local library, and read Parenting’s entire list on Parenting.com for more ideas of quality read-a-loud books. Movies, Books, Family 2010-03-02T21:43:20+00:00 http://www.walden.com/blogpost/celebrate_dr._seuss_birthday/ http://www.walden.com/blogpost/celebrate_dr._seuss_birthday/#When:23:45:20Z Celebrate reading the with Dr. Seuss! The great author’s birthday is Saturday February 25th – in honor of the occasion, consider participating in Read Across America Day. Sponsored by the National Education Association, Read Across America is a great way to get kids and families to read out loud. This year, Read Across America day will be celebrated Tuesday March 2nd. Contact your local library or community center to find out about activities in your area, and visit NEA.org for activity ideas and materials. If you’d like to celebrate on Seuss’ actual birthday, consider visiting your local Lakeshore Learning Center. They are hosting free crafts for kids, face painting, games and a read-a-loud every hour. What are you doing to celebrate? Share your Read Across America ideas with us! Books, Education, Community 2010-02-26T23:45:20+00:00 http://www.walden.com/blogpost/spring_break_staycations_creating_meaningful_family_memories/ http://www.walden.com/blogpost/spring_break_staycations_creating_meaningful_family_memories/#When:23:13:09Z Hard to believe but true - while it’s still snowing in some parts of the country, school spring breaks are upon us. With the difficult economy (not to mention inclement weather), this year you may be considering a “staycation.” Staying at home during spring break provides an incredible opportunity to create meaningful, fun family memories. Simple Mom recently meditated on how to create rich and valuable experiences for children. The blog suggests that a rich experience is not an expensive one; combine learning, engaging activities, takeaway values and lots of laughter, mix with a few surprises, and your best family vacation is on its way. We’ve put together 7 family adventures that just might inspire you to create your own rich family memories: Day 1: Visit a Local Museum Local museums are a great way to combine education with fun, and many have discounted child rates. Once you’ve selected a museum to visit, go to its website; most have activity guides that you can print off to help prepare kids for the exhibits and concepts they will see. The Smithsonian offers these tips when taking young children to a museum: “The attention span of young children can be very short. They may find a security officer, a long flight of stairs, or a decorative foundation more interesting than the exhibitions you had in mind. Visit the exhibitions or galleries that the youngest children want to see first. Talk about the exhibition being visited. Encourage their imagination. Ask them to pretend to be that object, animal, or person. Or pick a theme—like animals—and have the children find animals in the museum,” (via Smithsonian Education)  Day 2: Movie Day Movie days don’t have to be lazy days – they can be the absolute opposite! Select a Walden film, all are family-friendly. After you watch the movie, download its corresponding activity guide at walden.com/education, and try some of the fun activities. Don’t stop there – consider visiting your local library to rent the book version of the film you just watched. Compare and contrast the two. If it’s nice outside, go dig for your own worms after seeing How to Eat Fried Worms, or create an imaginary world of your own after watching Bridge to Terabithia. If it’s too chilly for outdoor activity, you can make Turkish Delight after watching The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe or make your own robot after watching City of Ember.   Day 3: Celebrate Sibling Day While there technically isn’t a “national sibling day,” make one up of your own. In the morning, challenge siblings to work together to complete a “sibling day test” to prove that they love each other and can get along. Consider creating a backyard obstacle course or a puzzle that requires teamwork. If they pass the test, sibling day begins! The best part of sibling day is the surprise. Keep the day’s activities a secret to keep the kids guessing. Consider taking them out to lunch or for ice cream sundaes. Continue the fun with a visit to a local park, library or tourist attraction. Remember, the theme of the day is family and sibling love, so the fun activities can only continue as long as the kids show some love for their sibs and for you – you may just be surprised where the day takes you. Day 4: Family Picnic Day A great way to create a memorable family day is to share a meal together. Involve your kids in the meal planning and preparation of the picnic; there are some great kid-friendly recipes on Parenting.com. Mix it up by packing up the picnic and going on a hike or to a local park. If you prefer to stay home, consider a backyard safari, a bedroom tea party or a living room fiesta. Invite your kids to make suggestions as to games to play during the picnic, or come up with a fun craft to make once the meal is over – Kaboose.com has some fantastic ideas.   Day 5: Take a Scenic Train Ride Traveling by rail can be a fun and unique experience for the whole family. Amtrak has routes all over the country; consider taking a short trip to a nearby area, stop for lunch and maybe a little sight-seeing. While on board, relax and take in the passing scenery or consider reading stories to your children about trains and transportation. Everyone will enjoy playing “train bingo” with traditional “car bingo” boards.   Day 6: Around the World Day Before around the world day, let each member of the family pick a favorite country (2-3 max). Throughout the day you can travel “around the world” exploring the culture, food and fun of the different countries you have selected. For each country, read about its history and culture with the National Geographic Kids World Atlas. Learn common phrases in the country’s native language; open up the dress-up bin, and put together outfits native to the country. Consider finding a craft or game that originates in your country of choice. Finally, the entire family can prepare a meal traditional to the chosen country. Epicurious.com has a great International section with recipes broken out by country. Around the world day is fun for the whole family and educational too.   Day 7: Visit Animals at the Zoo or Aquarium Similar to visiting your local museum, visiting the zoo or aquarium can be a fun inexpensive day for the whole family. Before your trip, go online to learn about the animals you will see. Encourage kids to check out books about these animals at the local library. After your trip, visit websites like the National Wildlife Federation or NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuaries program to learn what you can do to help protect the animals’ natural habitats. 2010-02-25T23:13:09+00:00