Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Early Update: So You Can Get Crafting!

Hello Friends,

For your best experience (and quick access to all our resources) go to our site.

I hope that you are having a great week. I am getting this Update out early so you can get a jump on your plastic projects. You can find the link to the list we reviewed during our time today in International Friends section below.

Gardeners: We had snow and frost. Beware that the Frost Free Date in Indiana is not until May 10. My Grandpa always said to wait until Mother's Day before you put plants out.

It is Tick Season
The weather is wonderful and getting out to garden and play in the yard, walk in the parks, etc.  is so enjoyable. But, watch out is for ticks. Ticks attach themselves by burying their heads into your skin to suck your blood. Watch for them because they can carry diseases (which can take up to 30 days before showing symptoms) not to mention infection in the bite site.

Removing a tick that is imbedded can be scary and a little traumaticc. Be careful to get the whole tick. Use tweezers and grab it as close to the skin as possible. Pull it straight up to remove the insect. Be sure to flush the tick down the toilet or wrap it in tape or kill it by soaking it in a container filled with alcohol. If you get rashes or fevers after being bitten, be sure to report the bite to the doctor so that tickborne diseases can be looked for and addressed or ruled out. Most tickborne diseases can be cured with a course of antibiotics.




The CDC: ticks page has links with so much information. This Guide to Ticks from the CDC has excellent advice,

Mayo Clinic has a good video of best practices removing ticks.

COVID-19
You may be having or hearing concerns about "opening the country" too soon. While we are tired to staying home and staying away, people are worried that things will move too fast. Measured approach is the term that keeps being said. A measured approach means careful and deliberate. You will hear many sceptics and critics as things open up. Will people feel safe to go out? Will people trust that things are clean enough and everyone will follow the social contract?
  • Whitehouse.gov published criteria and phases.
  • State and local government are responsible for making the decisions for opening.
  • The businesses are responsible to implement careful controls to keep people safe.
  • The people are responsible being personally for continuing to practice social distance, staying home when you are sick, washing you hands, wearing masks to protect others.
Meanwhile, we are racing to discover testing procedures like watching a video on how to on YouTube and then mailing a swab to discover if you are carrying the virus (when you are staying sick at home) and a way to tell who has already been exposed and may be immune.

International Bible Study: Tuesdays, 9:30, Zoom.
Mark is a great story teller. He can communicate so much in just a few words. This week we read and talked about three great stories. Jesus is continuing to love and care for people while training disciples while dealing with people who are trying to trip him up and undermine his authority. Key takeaways spoken in class:
  • Mark 9:38-41: other believers can have "authority"; and  the famous quote: "whoever isn't against us is for us 
  • Mark 9:42-50: take care of others and be careful not to mislead them: ignite yourself with love and peace of Jesus
  • Mark 10:1-12 (and Matthew 19:19): a marriage takes work: listening, caring, loving; divorcing one to marry another is still adulty

April 29: Let's continue to meet together and read more in Mark 10,

International Friends: Tuesdays, 10:30, Zoom.
We browsed a webpage called Felt Magnet with 75 ideas for transforming plastic bottles into treasures. This page showcased ideas and had links leading to instructions. Which is your favorite idea? I am intrigued with the first one where you make tree leaves or jewelry by cutting pieces and shrinking the plastic to make jewelry. Reusing, repurposing and recycling is one way to pass the time. Can you see a way to reuse things you already have?

April 29: Show and tell your crafts. Bring your favorite ideas for meals while you are shut in.

Our classes are still Zooming until May 14. Join us!

Conversation: Wednesdays, 4:30, Zoom

English Classes: Thursdays, various times, Zoom

English for Children:
We talked about barnyard animals during International Friends. This song is about the about the sounds that animals on the farm make. Listen. Do animals make the same sounds in your home country? Has your family invented any sounds and words that have become part of your family language? Do you have terms become a part of your close community language?

Old McDonald Had a Farm

Since it is April and "April Showers bring May Flowers" here is another favorite song about an animal:

Katie Cutie sings and shows the fingerplay that goes along with The Itsy Bitsy Spider


Fingerplays are important because they help children (and adults) link words with physical action (embedding them in many parts of your brain). Fingerplays also develop fine and gross motor skills and muscles.

carry diseases: something that has and can transmit or give other people or creatures illness
course of (drug): a full prescription
get a jump on: get a head start; start something early
best practices: doing something the most efficient and effective way
sceptics: people who doubt and question accepted opinions
critics: people who express unfavorable opinions
social contract: agreement that people will behave a certain way (to keep everyone safe)
dealing with: to tackle or combat a problem
trip him up: cause someone to make a mistake
undermine: lessen the effectiveness
mislead: cause someone to have a wrong idea or opinion about something
browsed: view and search on line
intrigued: fascinated, interested
terms: words
fingerplays: songs or poems that include motions with hands

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