A Letter from Lisa: November 2023 Edition

Dear Explore & More Friends and Families, 

November is National Parent Involvement Month. Research shows that when communities, schools, and families support each other, children of all backgrounds and various abilities achieve at higher levels. Parent engagement is an ongoing process that increases active participation, communication, and collaboration between parents, schools, and communities with the goal of educating the whole child to ensure student achievement and success.

At Explore & More, we understand that parents are busy people, but there are many different ways you can get involved in your child’s education. No matter how little or how much time you have, you can positively impact your child’s education at school, at home, and in the community. Our mission is to provide best in class play experiences where all children, families, and the community can explore, learn, and develop together. We hope to see you at the museum soon as we have many fun and educational experiences in store for you and your children!

Tips for Parents: Home is the First School

You are your child’s first teacher, and your home is your child’s first classroom. Attitudes about learning develop early, so experts recommend that you encourage exploration, curiosity, and learning from the beginning. Ask your child questions that will get them thinking about the world around them. Provide them with educational toys. Most importantly, read to your child daily and let them see you reading. You’ll show them by example the value of literacy. For more information on ways you can get your child started on a lifetime of learning, follow this link. 

Looking forward to seeing you at Explore & More very soon,

Lisa Chrapowicz
Director of Strategic & Community Initiatives

Annie’s STEM Lab: What is a Partial Solar Eclipse?

by Annie Savinon

Happy November to All! Maybe you have been wondering where your favorite STEM Educator has been?! On May 25th, 2023, my husband and I welcomed our first child into the world, our son, August Riley! I am so thankful to have had time with my baby boy this summer and to create lasting memories together!

It is also so wonderful to be back with my Explore & More family here in the museum! Now let’s kick off my return to work with a very exciting topic…. THE ECLIPSE! 

Now, I know what you may be thinking, the Eclipse is not until April 2024! However, I am talking about the partial eclipse that just happened in October! You may not be as familiar with this occurrence since we were not able to view it here in Buffalo. The best views of this partial eclipse were in the western and southern states. A partial solar eclipse is when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, but the Sun, Moon, and Earth are not completely lined up. Since we were viewing from Earth, we could see the Moon in front of the Sun, creating what some call, “a ring of fire!” Look at the photo, taken by Space.com editor Brett Tingley where he captured this moment from Nevada!

For a “partial” viewing, this is still a very special occurrence, and has many stargazers excited for the full eclipse coming soon in April! Another fun resource to reference about this partial eclipse is this video from a newscast from 5news in Arkansas!

Please keep checking the Explore and More website to see what fun events and opportunities we will offer in the Museum in regard to the eclipse in April 2024! If you check out our website now, you will see our next Grown Up Night of Play, Total Eclipse of the Heart, is February 16th at 6:30! Tickets are available now! 

Did You Know? World Children’s Day

By Val Drapeau

Did you know that each November UNICEF’s annual World Children’s Day is celebrated?  This holiday is an annual day of action for children, and one that marks the Convention on the Rights of the Child being adopted.  What kind of action do we mean?  Issues that matter to our youngest generations.  I am a mom of four kiddos and when asking them what issues of the current day matter the most to them, here is what they said:

Bullying, mental health and helping children cope with anxiety and depression, and safety in our community, were just some of the things that they shared.

So how can we help our children stand up for their rights and for the causes that are most important to them, to create a better future?  Here are some ideas:

  • Take the time to listen!  Children are very observant of their surroundings and may have a lot to share about what they see in their community.
  • Put the “act” in activism!  Find a service opportunity in your community that you and your family can participate in together.  Even our youngest friends can help to make a difference!  Maybe you can safely pick up trash together in a neighborhood park or encourage them to look for a friend at lunch who might be sitting alone, where they can step out of their comfort zone to make a new friend by sitting with them.
  • Keep the conversation going!  Talk and encourage your child to ask questions that they may have about their school or community and sometimes even the tough things that they may see or encounter.  Ask them what they could do to help make a change in that situation!

Another way to acknowledge this exciting opportunity is to turn the world blue!  On November 20th show your support for World Children’s Day by wearing something blue.  Many organizations around the world will light up their buildings blue for this cause as well!  Here at Explore & More, we are always looking for ways to help children and families learn and grow by highlighting causes like this.  Join us in the museum this November as we play into possibilities and seek to make a difference together!

Explore Even More: Feed the Turkey

This month, we will “feed the turkey” as a two-for-one craft and sensory bin! Here are the materials we’ll need: 

  1. Clean plastic water bottle 
  2. Multi-color feathers (paper or craft)
  3. Eyes for your turkey 
  4. A beak & wattle for your turkey 
  5. A bin full of pom poms 
  6. Jumbo tweezers (optional) 

Steps: 

Glue or tape the feathers onto the bottle
Glue the eyes onto the turkey 
Glue the beak and wattle onto the turkey 

Now that you have a perfect little turkey, It’s time to feed him! Fill a bin with pom poms, and let your little one fill him with pom poms through the bottle’s opening. This activity will build your child’s fine motor skills- strengthening their hand-eye coordination and pincer grasp. Both are essential pre-writing skills. For an extra challenge, use jumbo tweezers!

Happy crafting, 

Ms. Jackie

Will’s Culture Corner: November 2023 Edition

By Will Kawalec

This November I will be diving into the event most synonymous with the month, Thanksgiving. As a historian specializing in American history, there are few topics in elementary education that are taught incorrectly more often than Thanksgiving.

Factual education about this event is something that is needed, and it is my hope to set the record straight, for children and adults alike! I will provide some key facts and fictions of Thanksgiving, though to understand the real history I will attach some key resources for parents or caregivers to check out! With this brief background it is my hope that readers will receive a foundational education in the real history of Thanksgiving.

Facts: 

•Thanksgiving was a 3-day feast, between English colonists and the Wampanoag people, who were native to Eastern Massachusetts.   
•The colonists were seeking money and wealth, while some were religious outcasts looking to practice their faith.
•Wampanoag people already had many interactions with Europeans, at least two Wampanoag’s spoke English prior to the arrival of the Mayflower.  
•The Wampanoag were devastated by diseases before the Mayflower anchored.  
•The Wampanoag were enemies with the Narragansett peoples and fought for control of Eastern Massachusetts.  
•Wampanoag partnered with the colonists because of necessity, for they wanted to help secure their territorial claims as disease (from Europeans) decimated their communities.
•The Wampanoag taught the English settlers how to farm and cultivate local crops and wildlife.  

Fictions:
•The Wampanoag gave up their land to the colonists, on the contrary, they assisted the colonists in their survival, and allied with them out of necessity.  Eventually losing their land during King Philips War years later.  
•Indigenous Peoples didn’t understand land as property. That statement is false.
•Turkey was the main item for the feast, False, although turkey and duck were present, deer was the most prevalent food item at the feast.  

Resources: 

Harvest Study Guide
Thanksgiving Booklet
5 Ideas to Teach Thanksgiving

Field trips are back! Please be aware that it will be busier than usual.