March Learn About Money Family Tech

Money turned out to be a fun topic for the March Family Tech...and all the future financial gurus had a great time with it. A new project of 'Taking the Fun Home' gives participants a list of Web sites they can take home and continue working on with their kids. We're also creating a database of topical Web sites for future use. Family Tech continues to expand! Thanks, Sherry, for getting all these projects together for the kids. Well done!

Working on projects for the March Family Tech program entitled "Money!'  

The smiling faces of a successful Family Tech...worth more than gold! 

The new financial group of WCC FamilyTech Money, Inc. 

Sherry helping out one of the new money gurus. 

Tamara assisting with Money Web sites. 

Using the money machine to count change. 

Money: Younger Kids: U.S. Mint HIP Pocket Change

http://www.usmint.gov/kids/flashIndex.cfm

Still working on the money theme, there are some games, cartoons, a 'time machine' to learn about money through the ages, and even news on coins. There is even a section on President's Day (http://www.usmint.gov/kids/index.cfm?fileContents=coinNews/presidentsDay.cfm) to learn about some of the historical figures that grace our coins. A teacher's page gives lesson plans and ideas to promote financial literacy (http://www.usmint.gov/kids/index.cfm?fileContents=teachers)

Money: Young Kids: Counting Money

http://www.tennessee.gov/tdfi/java/game/game.html

Let Old Abe help your kids with money! Abe 'sells' the kids things like hotdogs or pumpkins, but he won't make change. Kids have to figure out what bills and coins they need to make the exact amount. Great for kids just learning about money. There is an easy game and a hard game. The difference between the easy and the hard is the the hard gets kids to pay with a variety of coins...for example, if it is 96 cents, the coin choices in the easy include 3 quarters and 2 dimes and pennies. In the hard game, there are only 2 quarters, 5 dimes, and nickels and pennies. It's a short game, but kids will find it fun.

March 25th Family Tech: Learning About Money!

The Leprechans might have their Pot of Gold, but the theme of the March Family Tech is 'Learning About Money!' There are posters out, and decorations for the season in the lab. Please promote this with your students both in the Center and your classes. Last month we had a lot of kids, and it truly is the more the merrier.

Fun Trip: Springfield, IL, Lincoln Museum

http://www.alplm.org/museum/museum.html

I thought I knew a lot about Lincoln, especially since just having read Doris Kearns Goodwin's new book 'Team of Rivals'. A weekend trip to Springfield made me realize that there is a lot more history than I knew. The new Lincoln Museum in Springfield is wonderful, and as you move from Lincoln's early days, to his election, to the Civil War, to the White House and finally to his assasination and funeral, you realize that you don't know everything there is to know.

I especially enjoyed the show 'Through Lincoln's Eyes', the hall of gossip (apparently Mr. Lincoln liked to swear, and most of Washington society disdained Mrs. Lincoln), and the various artifacts. I truly liked being able to touch the brass Lincoln life mask. Most men who have become President age dramatically within their term of office, but the changes in Lincoln's visage were stunning. The information on the Civil War was outstanding as well. It is difficult to believe that over 600,000 American souls were lost in that horrific war. I highly recommend it. It's about a 2 1/2 -3 hour trip directly south on the Interstate, and there are good hotels and restaurants in town. (I like Muldaner's, which is about 2 blocks from the museum). It's worth the visit!

Artistic Valentines were created. 

Learning together is fun! 

Computers and crafts make for a fun afternoon for children in Family Tech in the AELC! 

Children and parents, sharing and learning.