Skill Toys From Around the World - 5th Grade Workshops

As part of the 5th grade Global Awareness Technology Project, Flow Circus recently visited Newington Forest Elementary School in Fairfax County, Virginia to introduce students to skill toys that have traveled the Silk Road. Students learned the history of 4 different toys and then had a chance to test their own skills with the various props. As one students commented while playing with a set of flower sticks, "I bet people that had these were never bored!"

In addition to using toys to illustrate how cultures interacted and influenced each other, we discussed how the materials used to make the toys varied based on resources available and/or new inventions. Below are excerpts from thank you cards/letters written by the students after the workshop:

I never knew that history could be about toys! Today really inspired me.

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The best part was when you taught us about how they were made and how they got from place to place on the Silk Road. Thank you!

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You were entertaining and you made learning a blast. I have gotten lots of ideas for my project.

Teen Tech Week Video Contest: Learn, Create, Share

To celebrate the 2010 Teen Tech Week, Flow Circus conducted workshops and kicked off a new video contest to fit this year's theme: Learn, Create, Share.

Teen Tech Week was established in 2007 by YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) to encourage teens to be "competent and ethical users of technologies" especially those offered at the library. They encourage teens to use school and community libraries' nonprint resources for education and recreation. Teen Tech Week 2010 was held March 7-13.

The theme was a perfect fit for our latest video contest: Learn to juggle or use other skill toys, Create a video, and Share the video with family and friends on FlowCircus.tv. For more information about the video contest visit the Flow Circus TV Blog.

Video contests are offered throughout the year as part of the Skill Toy Program. Libraries and afterschool programs can organize Skill Toy Clubs to engage teens in a unique, playful way. For more information on Skill Toy Clubs visit our website.

To see more pictures from our Teen Tech Week workshops visit the Flow Circus Photo Gallery.

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

Tuesday, March 2nd marked the 106th birthday of Dr. Seuss. flow Circus celebrated with a performance of Read Yourself Silly at Union West Regional Library in Indian Trail, NC. A little snow falling didn't stop families from coming out to laugh and celebrate reading.

For more pictures of the show, visit the Flow Circus Photo Gallery.

For more information and activity ideas, visit the National Education Association's Read Across America website.

March 2010 Newsletter

Greetings from Flow Circus
Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss
Teen Tech Week
Flow Circus Goes to School
Think Summer!