Go Veg!

Thanksgiving Day - fourth Thursday in November. And we have un-ending days round the year like we have un-ending Festivals, all 365 days!

November month is almost coming to an end with a great Thanksgiving parade at the Macy's on 28th Nov. in NY city. You can find a good deal of info on the Balloon characters here on the wiki. And well, I got to know of the Macy's coz my cousin's been doing a great job there!



Well, we have a Thanksgiving day in a different way. Kids are taught to write 'Thank You' notes as a sign to show their courtesy and gratitude. This can also be a part of learning good social skills. Children can taught to be appreciate by writing Thank You notes to their friends, teachers or even to you or just anyone. Writing Thank You note is a habit and it is not learnt overnight. Such courtesies are ever formed more with an influence. Appreciate your child's work and say, 'How well you've done. Thank you for being a good child' - Sure, the child picks up the values. Kids learn to appreciate and even respect others.

Well, Gandhiji had been Mascot followed by Sadhu Vasvani (25th Non Vegetarian Day) for vegetarianism. He said, "Take food as medicine and not in order to gratify the palate. Eating non veg itself brings out evil thoughts in human minds who become violent and destructive. Kids in west marvel at Thanksgiving day celebrations and they smack their lips at many food dishes that were eaten at the first Thanksgiving like wild turkey, geese, ducks, deer, lobsters, clams, oysters and fish along with vegetables and pop corn. Even here, more Gen Y is towards eating Non Veg and it's becoming a fashion n style. A simple argument goes, "If all eat veg, there will be more need of food and people would starve'

This reminds of a proverb which is rightly said, "What you think, you cook and what you cook, you eat and what you eat, accordingly thoughts flash in your mind". So, Check it Out! After all, its your Life - Attitude makes a big Difference! Here's my Recipe for Life - enjoy!

- ilaxi patel
Editor, http://www.kidsfreesouls.com/
Newspaper for kids with resources for parents and teachers

Hi

Hi! How often we begin saying 'Hi or just Hello' - Well, it's 35th Annual 'World Hello Day' - 21st November'. It began in response to the conflict between Egypt and Israel in the fall of 1973. Almost 180 countries observe this day all over the world now. Brian McCormack, a Ph.D. graduate of Arizona State University, and Michael McCormack, a graduate of Harvard University, work together to promote this annual global event.

કેમ છો? is Hello in Gujarati
कैसे हो ? is Hello in Hindi (try here at Google)
Bonjour (bohn-Zhoor) is hello in French
Jambo (JAM-bo) is hello in Swahili
Hola (OH-la) is hello in Spanish.
Ni hao (nee-Ha-OW) is hello in Chinese

Click on the Google Translate to find more on How to say 'Hello' in different languages. Children should be taught at least three languages and show them the different speech styles and phonic sounds along with the body language. It's Power of Voice that influence people. Ever noticed how do you SOUND???"HELLO"

Well, Greet ten people saying Hi or encourage kids to write-email Hello Cards to ten friends. See the Difference! Sometimes, just a word - makes a big difference! Even if the Hello Day is over, it's never too late to say 'Hi' to some one!

- ilaxi patel

Editor, http://www.kidsfreesouls.com/

Newspaper for kids with resources for parents and teachers

Cartoons in classroom

Harp Week, an electronic access to Harper's weekly, the 19th Century, 56 years of 'Journal of Civilization (1857-1912). And there's where you got to explore the Literature Cartoons esp. Shakespeare characters! Here's the link. Harp Week offers this free website as a public service. It provides a revealing glimpse into the nineteenth-century world of Thomas Nast and Harper’s Weekly, and the influence that William Shakespeare had on it.

Btw, it oft happens, we tend to ignore Cartoons while we read print newspapers and even children find it the message hard to understand! A lesson plan can help to create love for Cartoon viewing and knowing the message it means to convey. Also, children can get to know of the current affairs and this would make sense of the Editorial cartoons. Show two published cartoon clips and get them to analyze. They can jot down their noting and paste the cartoon clips in their scrap book. Even add more cartoons of their choice. I've taken up a class on this and children find 'amazing' to even discuss on the cartoon clips that appear in newspapers related to Politics and Leaders or in general.

You can find the Cartoon Section here of Sudhir Tailang's Cartoons used in Swagat along with other Cartoon Strips appearing in Times of India, DNA (page 2), Comics pages etc. You can even find Vikram Nandwani's Cartoon Blog space here with Interesting stuff.

You may look forward for more to appear on Cartoon Kids Resources. Meanwhile, here's the Literature Index I just made with yet to add more Resources in due course of time. You can also peek-a-boo to the Word Search on Thanksgiving Day and find the Word Sheet useful. The Space Exploration word search worksheets is added too as you explore the nasa-space and Have Fun Learning-surfing. Enjoy!

- ilaxi patel
Editor, www.kidsfreesouls.com
Newspaper for Kids with Resources for Parents and Teachers

Mickey Mouse Birthday!

Dive into 'Dream Fantasy' to surf on 'Cloud Nine' at Disneyland and join the Disney Club to enjoy and celebrate the best of Cartoons at Disney World. Walt Disney characters have inspired and entertained many souls and widened their doors of imagination.

Mickey Mouse originated in 1928, created by Walt Disney. Walt Disney Company celebrates Mickey Mouse's Birthday on 18th November 1928 upon the release of Steamboat Wille.
Find the Walt Disney Profile here and link to Mickey Mouse Wiki. You can make the Best School Team in India too with 'High School Musical 2 'My School Rocks' - by registering your School Team now and enter for the Dance Competition at Disney India. Here's Cartoon Fun on Kidsfreesouls.

Btw, Mickey Mouse promotes Jihad? The popular character look alike seems to have entertained Palestinian children who teaches them to fight for Israel's destruction and Islam's domination over the entire world. You can find the video here.

Club penguin.com - Screenshot by Kidsfreesouls

Anyways, I just mentioned of Club penguin.com website a few days ago in Kids links. Walt Disney Company acquired Club penguin.com last August, the fastest virtual web for kids. Children can waddle around and make new friends with nothing to download but play games, have fun and interact with each other. This do sound great, isn't it?

And there's the BBC for kids too - soon drawing attention too! All you got to know is the 'Safety Rules' and Enjoy!

- ilaxi patel
Editor, www.kidsfreesouls.com
Newspaper for kids with resources for Parents and Teachers

Author of : Guardian of Angels

Global Warming!

Though the Bush administration has been slow to even admit that global warming is a serious issue, and has rejected the terms of the Kyoto Protocol (an international agreement calling on developed nations to curb greenhouse gas emissions), more than 30 U.S. states have passed legislation and/or formed regional coalitions on their own to promote energy efficiency and reduce the emissions that cause global warming.

Climate change and sea level rise present complex environment security risk all over the world. At this issue, India and China will be hit especially hard by climate change, and there is a possibility of a reversal of decades of human development across the Asia, a powerful coalition of aid and green groups has warned.

Measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is the need of the hour. Environment experts believe that people take in Climate changes as an abstract long term environment problem rather than an urgent threat. Also, the initiatives are taken but not part of a bigger movement. There is a lack of awareness on action or drive to be taken to make individual difference. Here's a site that shows what action we can take. A conference was held in Nederlands in February 2007 when our very own CEE Director, Kartikeya Sarabhai attended. (You got to use the Google Translate in case you find it hard to read!) Also, the Fourth International Conference on Environmental Education is held in Ahmedabad from 26th-28th November for a sustainable future. You can find the details on the CEE website. As such, all the Hotel rooms are packed over here, it seems!

Here's the update on Environment pages Q & A - Do send in your concerns, if any.

Well, today's the sixth day and Diwali celebrations are almost over for now. Here's the Diwali info in case you wish to read on this. However, we have 'Dev Diwali' yet to come our away in a few more days!

- ilaxi patel
Editor, www.kidsfreesouls.com
Newspaper for kids with Resources for Parents and Teachers
Author of : Guardian of Angels

Children's Day in India

Children's Day in India - 14th Nov and Chaha Nehru's Birth Anniversary.
Here's the profile of Chacha Nehru. You can find a book link and a chapter of the Book 'Nehru-The Making of India' by M J Akbar for whom, I blog as the Official Blogger on the web! He has indepth details on Nehru Biography and has even been the Spokesman for Rajiv Gandhi for some time during Rajiv Gandhi's tenure.


Nehru The Making of India By M J Akbar
Chapter from the Book




Btw, as Educators and psychologists, we often have the fear that students with Bad Behavior problems often end up lagging behind with lower grades in the classroom. However, a new research just reveals the result findings that this is not the case and such behavior do not correlate with academic results.

The findings says, Kindergartners who interrupted the teacher, defied instructions and even picked fights were performing as well in reading and math as well-behaved children of the same abilities when they both reached fifth grade. Moreover, 3-5 percent of school age children are found to be having the A.D.H.D. disorders and are affected due to brain deficit or delay in development.

You will find the NYT article here on this - a Kidsfreesouls link on Children's Day. I do come across children who are affected with the A.D.H.D. Syndrome and this link may be useful to some.

- ilaxi patel
Editor, http://www.kidsfreesouls.com/
Newspaper for children with resources for parents and teachers
Author of Guardian of Angels

Book Week

November 12-18 is Book Week. Kidsfreesouls has it's own unique Book Week sessions in November too. The difference is that children get to read more stories and narrate them. Later, they write the Book reviews. Since 1991, all kids who entered my Library have submitted their book reviews. There's always good competition among children while reading and submitting reviews as to who read and wrote the most books and reviews.

However, many younger children like to listen to a stories. Stories like Hansel and Gretel, Red Riding Hood, etc. that influence the child and they learn the Moral Values . Read the stories aloud to kids and also find the trouble shooting areas on their reading habits. Teachers/Parents may follow the Guidelines and use these stories for 'Project work' - Make them read, write reviews, know the moral and find what part they like best and why. Once a week, 52 times and you have a child reading at least 50 stories and writing 25 book reviews. Gradually, children develop interest in reading and writing.

Get to Swagat Children Library Page for further Book Reviews Hall of Fame List and members. Supportive to reading, conduct various activities mentioned therein.

You can find the Projects page here for November month projects on Reading and writing stories - In case you are a teacher or a parent and missed on this section. Enjoy!

Keep the faith!

ilaxi patel
Editor, http://www.kidsfreesouls.com/
Newspaper for children with Resources for Parents and Teachers
Author of : Guardian of Angels

Green Collar Economy

It's been Happy Days away from the web - yesterday as the Diwali Day and today the New Year - A complete sparkling celebrations going on amidst bursting crackers & dazzling lights, glowing candles and socializing! However, here's a brief update on the New Green Collar Economy. "Can the sustainable jobs save the American Middle Class? "

The E-magazine quotes, "With rising costs, outsourced jobs and a struggling economy, the American middle class is feeling the squeeze. But new green opportunities across every business sector may provide the well-paying manufacturing, management and entrepreneurial opportunities needed to bring security to American workers. E Magazine looks at the possibilities for this new “green collar” economy. Click here more to read this.

Btw, I am sure you must got to read the Breaking news at the Nasa_space page on kidsfreesouls. If you wish for worksheets and educative resources for Science in classrooms, there's a lot of info on this page and you will find the resources much more informative and helpful as much as I do.

Have a nice time as I enjoy a nice freaking out and having fun socializing this five days of Diwali. Enjoy!

- ilaxi patel
Editor, www.kidsfreesouls.com
Newspaper for kids with resources for parents and teachers
Author of : Guardian of Angels

Happy Diwali & Sunita Williams with Kidsfreesouls kids

Wishing all who pass this way...

" A HAPPY DIWALI & PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR "

May your each day glow with Happiness and be bright with the colors of Joy!

There are magical moments in life and where there is love, there is peace! Here's the Diwali page on kidsfreesouls with all the info. Enjoy!

Btw, Sunita Williams was interviewed by Kidsfreesouls Kids Reporters. Here's their pics on the Kidsfreesouls main and click for the Nasa_space.htm page here. Do encourage the children with your comments on their blogs.

- ilaxi patel

Editor, http://www.kidsfreesouls.com/
Newspaper for Kids with Resources for Parents and Teachers

Author of Guardian of Angels

Jackie Chan rocks

I was just watching VH1 and it's wow, Jackie Chan rocks! Yeah, I couldn't believe, the guy who kicks is all to rock with his singing in Hongkong last July! The worst part was he was drunk and disrupted the concert and the Hongkong audience just shove him off 'Go Jackie, out n over'. Well, Jackie sings and it's cool. You can check out his videos on kidsfreesouls.com.

29th October had been the World Internet Day and I guess most of you must be prowling on the web to scoop information. And here, for me it was a pleasure speaking on Internet at a meeting on this day! Here's more on Tech Tree and also on old article on Dot com page here. Btw, Is Computing Safe for kids? Or Learn and Teach with times? You DECIDE!

Well, come Halloween Day on 31st and it's always, Mystyfying myths remain mysterious even though ultimate truths could be discovered using the human mind alone. Science has yet to reveal what caused them. Satanism, Blackmagic, tell tale, mythology and all, lead to beliefs of evil omens to exist on earth as Ghosts or demons or witches. It takes a fraction of a second to hear the sound ‘AUM’ at such times of spirit scare and take a walk outside the mind, moving from head to heart. We are all hung up in the head. One solution is get down from the head to the heart. Mysteries remain but problems disappear and evaporate leaving the trails of mysteries behind. Read More Here on Halloween Day . Also on All Saints Day and All Souls Day falling on 1st & 2nd November.

You can copy the widget to place on your site from the Halloween Day or get to Face Book and add my Developer Applications. Enjoy!

- ilaxi patel
Editor, www.kidsfreesouls.com
Newspaper for Kids with resources for parents and teachers
Author of Guardian of Angels