Happy Pi Day! Here are 10 ways to show your appreciation for everyone鈥檚 favorite irrational number on March 14^th:

1.Make art听

Create a , , or using the digits of pi 鈥� or use your imagination to come up with your own creation

2. Memorize it

is helpful if you鈥檇 like to learn more digits of pi 鈥� the most ever memorized by one person is 67,890! It took Chao Lu 24 hours and 4 minutes to recite with no breaks.

3. Record a video

Educate others by creating and editing a video like that shows off pi鈥檚 irrational nature and integrates math, design, and technology into one creative product.

4. Learn something new

Expand your pi day knowledge by learning about or with the .

5. Listen to (or compose!) music

The video demonstrates pi鈥檚 melody on a variety of instruments. Sit back and enjoy the harmonies or think of a new way to turn pi into melody using your own musical talents!

6. Read a story

is book two in the Sir Cumference Series, recommended for ages 8-12. In this installment, Radius must solve a math riddle in order to reverse Sir Cumference being changed into a fire-breathing dragon!

7. Write a poem

Similar in basic structure to a haiku, a 鈥淧i-ku鈥� has three lines of poetry: the first is three syllables, the second is one syllable, and the third is four syllables. provides more information and examples to get you started!

8. Bake something tasty

What better way to learn than by making something you can eat? Browse for a delicious pie, pizza, or other circular food recipe and then try to hold off on eating it long enough to calculate its area using pi! Remember, the area of a circle can be calculated using A = 蟺r² where r is the radius.

9. Sing a song

Math Geek Mama shares a free downloadable with songs set to the familiar tunes of Jingle Bells, Happy Birthday, and more!

10. Prove it!

How did Archimedes discover pi in the first place? Test pi with or read this of its existence.

What did we miss? Comment with other ideas and if you share any of your Pi Day festivities, be sure to tag us!

With the fall season upon us, we here at 优蜜视频 would like offer a guide to festive fall activities for you and your family. But let us set the tone with inspiration from the poet John Keats.

鈥淭o Autumn鈥澨齜y John Keats

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss鈥檇 cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For summer has o鈥檈r-brimm鈥檇 their clammy cells.

Now that we鈥檙e inspired to indulge in the beauty and magic of Autumn, what better way to celebrate the season than with science, snacks and crafts!

Calling all fall-leaf-lovers:

1. with Scientific American

This project explores chromatography using fall leaves. Discover which pigments make up the beauty of fall!

2. Create with Mr. Otter Art Studio [maybe even embed this video?]

This video demonstrates how to make lovely leaf rubbing with a watercolor wash. Learn how to make

3. Fall leaves are truly one of my favorite things. Here are a few different ways to preserve them:
   1. Try with Tinker Labs
   2. Make a 鈥淲ax Dipped Leaf Garland鈥� with Leah McDermott
   3. Create with Creative Homemaking

How about some spooky science:

4. Explore 鈥溾�� with Amada Morgan

You will not be disappointed by these endlessly interesting opaque bubbles bursting with fog!

One of the best things about fall is the food! Here are some tasty treats to fuel your explorations:

5. Learn with Tinker Labs

Have you ever seen those dried cobs of corn in the market and wondered if they were food or just a decoration? Next time, pick one up, throw it in the microwave and wait for the magic!

6. Make with Yesterdish

This simple recipe is an exploration of perception, food science and American history all in one.

There are so many fun projects out there. Hopefully these activities will lead you on to many more festive explorations! What is your favorite fall-themed activity?

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The new school year has started and an exciting year of learning is in full swing! Whether you鈥檝e just started at a brand new school or in a new class, here are some tips on greeting the new school year with confidence, meeting new people and keeping yourself grounded.

1. Let your clothes speak for you. Meeting new people is not easy for some students. (In fact, it can be difficult for adults, too!) If you want to engage your peers in conversation, but don鈥檛 quite know what to say, see if you can get them to speak up first. Do you have a favorite t-shirt? Maybe one that鈥檚 unique or one-of-a kind? You鈥檇 be surprised at how easily a t-shirt, hat or pin can start up a conversation. My favorite animal is the hedgehog and whenever I wear this shirt, people inevitably ask me about it:

You might have a t-shirt from your last vacation, a hat with your Harry Potter house on it, a pin or button from your favorite band or a jersey from a popular 鈥� or even little-known 鈥� sports team. Letting your classmates know what your interests are by expressing yourself through fashion will lead to some great conversations.

2. Remember to breathe. After a summer of camp, vacation, barbecues and adventures with friends and family, getting back into the school year routine can seem daunting. It may seem counterintuitive to add another 鈥渞outine鈥� to your day, but consider meditation. Taking 10-20 minutes to yourself each day to quietly reflect and focus on breathing can help center you and restore a sense of calm. You can do it in silence or with music, or use any of several apps to guide you. You鈥檒l be surprised how something so seemingly simple can have such a large, positive effect on your well-being and outlook.

3. Digital detox: Though a lot of schools now have a one-to-one tablet or laptop program, and more and more schoolwork has a technology focus, make sure you find time 鈥� throughout the week, if not every day 鈥� to unplug, especially at night. Swap your e-reader for a good, old-fashioned book; play a board game instead of a video game; draw, paint or sketch; pick up an instrument instead of an iPod. Being in nature is also a great way to recalibrate, whether it鈥檚 taking a walk, playing Frisbee, riding your bike or having a picnic. Swap screen time for green time for fresh air and a fresh perspective.

4. Write it down!: Let鈥檚 face it: our lives are hectic. After school hours are spent shuttling from piano to soccer to art class to scouts. Sometimes, it鈥檚 nice to take a minute and reflect on all the things we鈥檙e grateful for 鈥� including the people and opportunities we鈥檙e afforded. Keeping a gratitude journal is a great, intentional act that can quickly turn even the most hectic mind calm. A gratitude journal can be blank and freeform or include prompts with different ways of experiencing thanks, such as 鈥淲hat are three sounds or songs you heard today that made you think of something you鈥檙e grateful for?鈥� or 鈥淲hat is something someone else did today that made you grateful to have that person in your life?鈥�

5. Replace 鈥淵es, but鈥︹�� with 鈥淵es, and鈥︹�� One of the most basic rules of improv comedy is that you don鈥檛 counter what someone says to you; you run with it. If your scene partner hands you a 鈥減hone鈥� and says an alien is on the line, you can鈥檛 say, 鈥淵es, but that鈥檚 ridiculous.鈥� Rather, you must then begin speaking with that alien: 鈥淵es, and he just told me that he wants to play baseball this afternoon.鈥� And so the scene continues. This is a great strategy to employ in everyday life 鈥� especially when trying new or challenging things. If someone asks if you had a good day at school, instead of responding with, 鈥淵es, but math was really hard and I don鈥檛 think I鈥檓 going to like it,鈥� try 鈥淵es, and I鈥檓 looking forward to understanding these new math concepts that were introduced today.鈥� A negative reaction can be an easy way out if something is frustrating you, but intentionally reacting positively will ultimately pay off much more.

6. Vary your activities: A good rule of thumb is to be involved in one activity you enjoy because you鈥檙e good at it, one social activity and one activity that is new or challenging, but also enjoyable. Maybe you鈥檙e not a confident public speaker, but you鈥檙e involved with a community theater group that requires you to cultivate that confidence in front of large groups. If you can make 100 free-throws in a row, you鈥檝e developed a skill. By stepping back to the three-point line and working to master that skill, you鈥檙e not only developing muscles, but also valuable muscle memory. Greeting challenges with confidence and an open mind will have lasting benefits both in and outside the classroom.

What are some of your favorite back-to-school tips and strategies for success?

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I have a confession: 听I love the holidays. 听I鈥檓 one of those people who will try to incorporate some kind of festive craft or hands-on activity into every major holiday. 听Believe me, I have an entire closet devoted to materials for such occasions. 听So for those of you who are seeking fun, interactive, and affordable activities to jazz up your February 14th, here is a round-up of Valentine鈥檚 Day-themed games, crafts and experiments you can enjoy with your child:

With just a handful of household products, learn how crystals form by creating decorative crystal hearts!

These are great for engineers and tinkerers. 听Help your child learn about electricity and circuits by creating interactive valentines.

Challenge your child to build structures using only marshmallows and toothpicks.

In this puzzle, challenge your child to move, rotate and flip 20 pieces of paper triangles to create a heart.

Challenge your child to build a catapult and testing out how far those extra candy hearts will fly!

Learn about physics and Newton鈥檚 Third Law of Motion by setting up a balloon race!

What can be more fun than Valentine鈥檚 Day-themed slime? It鈥檚 ooey-gooey and your child will have fun learning about viscosity!

Still need ideas for Valentine鈥檚 Day? 听Join us for our Exotic Pets Workshop on February 14th, 2-3:30PM! 听Academy teacher, Grayson Kent, will teach you everything you need to know about exotic pet ownership: what to consider before purchasing, what animals are suitable pets, care tips, and more. Attendess will also get to meet some of Grayson’s favorite exotic pets! If you are interested in attending, please call听(626) 403-8900.

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I love when the holiday season starts to creep in. 听Leaves begin to change color, harvest wreaths adorn entryways, and suddenly all of your favorite treats are now apple- or pumpkin-spice flavored. 听For me, this is the time of year when I begin to see more of my immediate and extended family–a time when we get together to create new memories. 听In our growing family, we鈥檝e incorporated a number of new activities into our festivities over the years. 听Introducing different activities can be a wonderful way to engage with your loved ones (young and old) and change the pace of the day. 听Some of these activities have stuck and have become a part of our holiday tapestry like cookie baking and decorating, board game tournaments, and holiday-related arts and crafts. While others have not–like waiting in lines for Black Friday deals. 听If you鈥檙e looking for kid-friendly ideas that you can bring to your Thanksgiving table this year, here are a handful of suggestions:

Write holiday haikus

Challenge your kids and other family members to find their inner poet and write a haiku or two! 听Haikus are easy to compose with only three lines, following a 5-7-5 syllable count. 听They can be humorous and lighthearted, and are fun to share in a group. 听I鈥檓 no wordsmith, but here a few of my own haikus to inspire you:

We cherish the times
Loved ones around the table
Gathered for the feast.

Thanks to be given
For the food, the family,
And our full bellies.

Mashed spuds and stuffing
Cranberry sauce and spiced pie
Happiness…nap time.

Junior Chef

Encourage your kids to take ownership of a specific task or dish for the day. 听My favorite childhood memories revolve around food and being in the kitchen. 听Simple, but important tasks were given to me like stringing the green beans, adding a blanket of marshmallows to the sweet potatoes, combining the wet and dry ingredients to the cookie batter, and making homemade cranberry sauce. 听These assignments always provided opportunities for me to learn something new and became a source of pride for my contribution to the table.

Put your thinking caps on

If you and your kids have some down-time and enjoying solving logic problems, here are a couple of Thanksgiving-themed logic problems you can do together:

Go mad for holiday Mad Libs

If logic problems are not your forte, have fun coming up with creative nouns, verbs, and adjectives with instead. You can even challenge your kids to create their own Mad Libs!

What are you thankful for?

Finally, I鈥檓 sure many families incorporate this tradition in their holiday already, but I find it to be incredibly rewarding when everyone around the table shares what they are grateful for. 听It鈥檚 a time for reflection, hope, and gratitude. 听The Minds in Bloom website has to help guide families with younger children.

What kinds of activities do you do in your household? 听Feel free to share in the comments section below!

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Happy National Scavenger Hunt Day! Did you know scavenger hunts have numerous benefits for kids? I explore a few below.

1. Build Problem-Solving Skills

, including increased memory of previously taught concepts. Scavenger hunts allow kids to practice problem-solving in a tangible way. It helps to reinforce and act-out methods they have been taught by parents or teachers in a physical way, leading to increased retention of the lessons.

2. Easy to Customize

Scavenger hunts are easy to customize to your child鈥檚 abilities and interests. Is your child really into pirates? Create a 鈥渢reasure鈥� hunt with pirate-themed clues. Do you have a math-lover in your life? Have them solve number problems to get to the next clue. If you are doing a hunt with multiple kids you can give each of them individual clues based on their ability. There are endless possibilities!

3. Exercise both body and mind

As discussed above, scavenger hunts help exercise the mind by reinforcing problem-solving skills. However, they can also be good exercise for the body. You can incorporate clues that get kids moving and running from place to place. You can even get creative and have your child run to the top of a hill, wander into the woods or climb a tree for the next clue. Get those legs moving!

4. Teach Teamwork

Participating in a group scavenger hunt at school or for fun helps teach kids the value of teamwork, in addition to promoting social interaction. Kids will have to work together to solve clues and get to the final destination. Learning to work in a team is an essential skill throughout a child鈥檚 life, so why not teach it in a fun way?

Are you ready to send your child on a scavenger hunt? There are several resources on the web to find ideas and outlines for hunts. I recommend 听if you don鈥檛 know where to start. Happy hunting!

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Nicole LaChance听graduated from Michigan State University听with听a B.A. in Journalism before moving West in pursuit of milder winters.听Prior to joining the 优蜜视频 team, she spent time working in marketing for an architecture firm and completed two years of national service in the AmeriCorps program. Over the past few years she has worked with听nonprofits to听communicate their message and impact to the world around them, work she is excited to continue at 优蜜视频. When not at the office, she enjoys reading, cooking, traveling wherever she can and making bad puns.

With the end of the school year fast-approaching, you may find yourself looking for things to do with your child that are fun, engaging, and educational. 听As some of you know, I鈥檓 a huge fan of tinkering and believe it鈥檚 important to incorporate opportunities for tinkering in children鈥檚 daily routines. 听I鈥檝e culled the internet and found a number of fantastic activities, challenges, and experiments that may interest (you and) your child. They are all relatively affordable and can be conducted in the comfort of your own home. Please keep in mind that some of these activities require the help and/or supervision of an adult. So break out the cardboard, popsicle sticks, and tape and get ready for some fun!

1. 听

This website provides ideas for building several gadgets including pyramid catapults, propeller cars, slingshot rockets, and more!

This blog offers four different engineering challenges that require only popsicle sticks, plastic cups and wooden blocks. 听Test your child to build the tallest structure; build a structure on top of a single wooden block or cup; or balance a number of cups against several blocks. 听The possibilities are endless!

3. 听

Learn about ecosystems and aquaponics by creating a mini ecosystem using a soda bottle or mason jar!

4. 听

Using household items only, challenge your child to package a raw egg so that it would survive–unscathed and unbroken–when dropped from a great distance.

5. 听

Learn about inertia, mass, equilibrium and Newton鈥檚 First Law by building inertia towers with blocks, index cards, and string. 听Challenge your child to pull the index cards from the tower without toppling the structure!

6. 听

This activity is a DIY version of the classic wooden labyrinth game where the object is to use to move a single marble through the maze without it falling through the holes. 听Help your child construct their own labyrinth made of popsicle sticks and cardboard.

7. 听

In this fun experiment, your child will learn about DNA and how to extract it from the inside of their cheek with the help of just a few kitchen ingredients!

8. 听

Learn about buoyancy and put your engineering skills to the test by constructing a boat using solely cardboard and tape! 听Here鈥檚 the catch: make the boat large enough for you and your child to row across a pool. 听Don鈥檛 have a pool? 听Construct a mini version and see how many pennies, wooden blocks, or objects of your choice it takes to sink the boat.

Do you have any favorite activities in your household? 听Feel free to share ideas and resources below!

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Tiffany Kwong graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she received B.A.s in Sociology and Asian American Studies. She then pursued an M.A. in the Social and Cultural Analysis of Education at California State University, Long Beach. She enjoys working behind the scenes and playing a role in all of the programs and services 优蜜视频 has to offer and loves the incredibly warm and inclusive spaces 优蜜视频 has a way of creating. In her free time, she really enjoys cooking and sewing, especially in the company of family 鈥� the experience of spending time with her loved ones makes these activities particularly special to her.

This past November, I had the opportunity to attend NAGC鈥檚 Annual Convention in Phoenix, Arizona. Although the primary purpose of my trip was to learn more about the changing and ever-growing landscape of gifted education, I also had the privilege of listening to and meeting some amazing presenters and influential professionals in the field of gifted education.

One of the keynote speakers at the convention left a lasting impression on me and served as the inspiration for this blogpost. He was not only the youngest presenter at the convention, but he also seemed to embody what it truly means to be gifted and talented.

He introduced himself as Joey Hudy, a 17 year old student at Arizona State University and an active member of the Maker community. From a young age, he was fascinated with making things out of household materials and immersed himself in DIY engineering projects which lead to some great inventions, like his 听which he presented to President Obama at the White House.

His simple philosophy, 鈥淒on鈥檛 be bored鈥ake something!鈥� further propelled him to create more amazing gadgets like his SMD Arduino Shield,听 3x3x3 LED Cube Arduino Shield , and a prototype 鈥渟mart鈥� glasses which run by reading human thoughts. It was not surprising to also discover that he is currently the youngest intern in Intel鈥檚 New Devices Group product development program. I sat in amazement as Joey presented eloquently and knowledgeably about his experience and growth as a maker. Needless to say, I left Joey鈥檚 presentation feeling revitalized and inspired to delve into some DIY projects of my own.

The future definitely seems a little brighter with gifted and imaginative young people like Joey. There鈥檚 no doubt that Joey, and other young innovators like him, will pave the way for some ground-breaking technologies in the near future. If you want to know what Joey is making today, head over to his .

So what are you waiting for? Pull up your sleeves and get your creative juices flowing. Maker labs are popping up in cities nationwide. These labs serve as creative workspaces where makers of all ages and skill level can innovate, learn, design, and build things. They provide access to the necessary tools, resources, and equipment so you can bring some of your brilliant ideas to life! Check out some of the maker labs in Los Angeles County:

• Vocademy (closed in 2020)

If making things isn鈥檛 quite your forte, you can still get a unique glimpse of some remarkable projects and get involved in the maker movement by attending a . Think of these family-friendly festivals as a cross between a county fair and science fair with a sprinkle of innovation. Hundreds of makers from all walks of life showcase and hold live demonstrations for their incredible creations. Maker enthusiasts, educators, students, tinkerers, hobbyists and people of all ages come out to participate in hands-on activities, meet the brilliant makers behind these one of a kind designs, and learn new skills.Here are a few resources to help kick start your next project:

听

Designate quiet time and spaces

Many gifted children and adults identify as introverts and gather energy from time spent alone. Add sensual intensities into the mix and this quiet time becomes even more important. When expecting a full house for the holidays, plan ahead and make sure that everyone has a safe haven to retreat to and time to recharge before jumping into the next group activity.

Divide and conquer

You don鈥檛 need unanimous participation to plan activities for a large crew. Have different options available to meet a wide variety of interests. Maybe a group will go sledding for an afternoon while another stays home and plays a strategic board game. There will be plenty of time to catch up over dinner and more stories to share after a day of multiple adventures!

Start a new tradition

Family traditions can be fun, but sometimes the pressures of recreating happy memories can overwhelm the excitement of celebrating now. If a tradition is creating more stress than satisfaction, now may be the perfect time to consider starting a new tradition that helps you and your family maintain your sanity. With that in mind, don鈥檛 be afraid to鈥�

Take charge听

If you鈥檙e tired of being the 鈥渨et blanket鈥� or constantly finding yourself outside of your comfort zone, try suggesting an activity that you love to the rest of the group and volunteer to arrange the details. By initiating group plans you can have better control over the where, when, and how without having to make excuses or sit one out. Plus, if everyone ends up loving it as much as you do, you may have just started a new holiday tradition that everyone can help plan next year!

If you are the guest

Remember that you control the duration of your visit. Decide how long is long enough and stick to it. The holidays are a busy time for everyone; hopefully your family or friends will understand that you and your family鈥檚 time is valuable and will appreciate that you鈥檝e elected to share some of it with them. If you are able, consider staying at a hotel and/or renting your own car. Having a space that you can retreat to and get a good night鈥檚 sleep will make your visit much more enjoyable, as will the freedom to come and go as you please.

Surround yourself with good cheer

Seek out the people in your life who make you feel better and avoid those who contribute to feelings of anxiety and unhappiness. Since the holidays are filled with obligations, you may find yourself in close proximity with one of your 鈥渢rigger-people,鈥� but that is all the more reason to block out time to spend with the people who make you feel good and whole. Remember, balance is key.

Get moving!

Physical activity releases endorphins in the brain and can be an instant pick-me-up. Plus, by scheduling time to exercise, you鈥檙e also designating 鈥渕e-time鈥� to recharge away from the stressful people and situations that abound. This is especially important for children with psychomotor intensity.

Don鈥檛 set unreasonable expectations for yourself

When everyone around you is singing about 鈥渂eing merry鈥� and 鈥済oodwill toward men,鈥� it can be easy to chastise yourself for feelings of stress and unhappiness. Remember that it is okay to acknowledge these (totally rational) feelings and that you don鈥檛 always have to be 鈥渙n.鈥� Allow yourself time to feel sad, overwhelmed, or frustrated so that you can move on and celebrate during the moments that count.

Don鈥檛 have unrealistic expectations of others

Albert Einstein once said, the definition of insanity is 鈥渄oing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.鈥� You know your friends and family 鈥� don鈥檛 expect them to change just because the air鈥檚 a bit chillier and the department stores are decorated. Know what to expect from your loved ones over the holidays, and you鈥檒l be better able to prepare for when you see them. And if you鈥檙e pleasantly surprised by a helpful gesture or newfound sensitivity, so much the better!

Remember why you鈥檙e putting yourself through all this

The holidays can be stressful, but there鈥檚 a reason why we do it every year. This season is a time for compassion, so try to exercise that last bit of patience in the face of frustration. If you are opening your home to extended friends and family, remember that you don鈥檛 often get the opportunity to see them and that, before you know it, their visit will be over and you will be missing them again.

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This blog article is part of the听Hoagies鈥� Gifted Education Page Blog Hop. Please click on the graphic below (created by Pamela S Ryan鈥搕hanks!) to see the full list of听Hoagies鈥� Blog Hop participants.