new & notable | education
Back to School Books
H
eading back to school affects everyone in the family. Check out these new books to encourage learning for kids and parents!
How to Raise a Reader
Treasure Hunting at the Atlantic Coast Gem & Mineral Show
F
or years at 9 a.m. on the last Saturday of September, Bernie Emery has taken a long, slow walk through the exhibit hall at the Howard County Fairgrounds. Vendors and volunteers bustle around him doing last minute set up and getting ready for the crowd that will descend upon them at the stroke of 10. “I’ve been doing this for a long time” Emery admits, “but it never fails to amaze me. There’s literally a treasure on every table.” Emery is the Show Chairman for the Atlantic Coast Gem, Mineral Jewelry & Fossil Show, sponsored by the nonprofit Gem Cutters Guild of Baltimore, and the tables around him are filled with cut gemstones, spectacular mineral specimens, fossils and one-of a kind handcrafted jewelry from all over the world. The more than 100 members of the Guild are first and foremost, gem and mineral enthusiasts. Most are also involved in turning natural stones, or “rough” into jewels and jewelry, and the show is a way of sharing their interests with the general public. Many of the Guild members got their first introduction to this glittering natural world as children at a similar show and all will tell you that one of the main purposes of the annual show is spark the interest of the kids who attend with their families. Rock hounding can be a great hobby for bringing a family together. Even a simple outing to the park can become a treasure hunt. “Every person who’s ever done laundry for a family knows that most kids have an affinity for picking up interesting rocks.” A longtime Guild member notes. “I tell parents to encourage that. It’s an inexpensive, healthy hobby that will truly make them appreciate all the wonder and beauty of nature.”
In addition to rocks, showcases prepared by members feature their best gem specimens, and in the demonstration area club members show how they turn rocks into jewels. A skilled gem cutter has to have a steady hand, mathematical precision and a working knowledge of each stone’s particular qualities, but most of the demonstrators will let you try your own hand at roughly shaping and polishing a stone. If you want pre-shaped gems, ready-made jewelry or specimens of natural stones, the vendor section features over 35 vendors from around the world selling everything from 60 pound plates of amethyst crystals to petrified dinosaur dung and tiny facetted gems. Purchase a geode and one vendor will crack it open for you on the spot, revealing for the first time crystals that formed thousand of years ago. At the Gem Mine, visitors comb through plates of gravel containing numerous tiny shards of real gemstones. Adults and kids alike create their own unique jewelry by filling small necklace bottles with their colorful finds. Other family-friendly activities include displays by natural history groups, dancing dinosaurs, and a free kid’s scavenger hunt where the prize is a souvenir grab bag of assorted crystals, fossils and polished stones, courtesy of the Gem Cutters Guild. This year’s 55th Annual Gem Show takes place Saturday September 28 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday September 29, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Howard County Fairgrounds in West Friendship, Md. Admission is $6; kids 12 and under are free with an adult. gemcuttersguild.com —Anita M. Meyers
by Pamela Paul and Maria Russo We all know that reading to your little ones is important. This book aims to up your kids’ reading game with helpful tips on fostering good reading habits for readers at all levels. While it touches on reading to infants and toddlers, the chapters on helping emerging, independent readers and middle grade readers foster a love of reading are poignant and helpful. Parents will also find tips on keeping teens interested in books and a wealth of wonderful book recommendations across a wide spectrum of themes.
Mindfulness for Students—Embracing now, looking to the future
by Natasha Kaufman Students, especially teens, are stressed out. This book lays out using mindfulness as a way to deal with stress in a way that’s easy to follow. The long introduction is particularly helpful in defining mindfulness and explaining the parts of the brain and how it reacts to stress. The author then walks students through topics including breathing, switching off, tuning in, compassion and knowing yourself.
Middle School Matters
by Phyllis L. Fagell, LCPC Middle school is a tough period for kids and parents. Kids are facing a different world today, and this book does a great job at introducing parents to what middle school is like today for kids, combining current research with helpful tips for parents and includes advice from teenagers as well as professionals. Common sense advice on managing friendships, dealing with bullies and gossip, and growing up sexually healthy will help parents of middle schoolers be ready to handle middle school situations with confidence.
SEPTEMBER 2019
|
chesapeakefamily.com
9
