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Winter: Creative & Educational Activities for Parents & Kids

winter creative & educational activities

A Season of Joy and Learning

As winter blankets the world, parents can turn this season into a treasure trove of winter creative and educational activities for their children. So we’ve created a list of activities that promise to spark curiosity, foster learning, and create lasting memories.

  1. Museum Exploration: Enjoy indoor activities by visiting museums near you. Whether it’s science, history, art, or technology, you can find exhibits that align with your children’s interests.
  2. Winter Hiking and Nature Learning: Explore the winter wonderland around you. Research local trails suitable for winter walks and explore the beauty of nature. Bring a checklist of winter elements to look for – from animal tracks to different types of trees. This activity both promotes outdoor exploration and enhances observational and categorization skills.
  3. Cozy Storytime: Embrace cozy winter evenings with a Storytime session over hot chocolate. Pick books that revolve around winter themes or introduce classic winter tales. Furthermore, encourage your children to narrate their own stories. Creating stories fosters creativity and language development.
  4. DIY Winter Crafts: Unleash your family’s creativity with winter-themed crafts. Make snow globes, cut-and-fold paper snowflakes, birdseed wreaths, or paint wooden ornaments. Not only do these activities provide a creative outlet, but they also enhance fine motor skills and artistic expression.
  5. Winter Astronomy Night: Clear winter nights offer a splendid opportunity for stargazing. Explore constellations, planets, and the moon with your kids. Spending evenings under the stars nurture an interest in astronomy. Additionally, consider using a telescope for a closer look at celestial wonders.
  6. Winter-themed Cooking: Get your students involved in the kitchen with winter-themed cooking projects. You can bake cookies, build gingerbread houses, or create a soup in the crockpot together. Additionally, you can experiment with new recipes and enjoy the hands-on experience!

Infusing Winter Days with Creativity

By infusing winter days with these creative and educational activities, parents can create a season of joy and learning for their children. So, embrace the magic of winter and let the landscape become the canvas for unforgettable family moments.

Stand Against Bullying

bullying prevention

National Bullying Prevention Month

Though we at OHDELA are always creating safe spaces for students, October draws special attention to the important issue of bullying. 1 in 5 students now report experiencing bullying behavior in school. It is a serious matter and has become one of the top reasons parents choose online schooling as they seek a more welcoming, kind environment for their kids.

  • Online schools take away the anxiety that can exist in the cafeteria, hallways or school restrooms.
  • We provide an instructional environment where students can focus on learning.
  • We allow parents to choose the social settings their children are exposed to.
  • Most importantly, we focus on strengthening the voice of all students and families.
    • Advisory sessions led by teachers and success coaches
    • Lunch clubs and other online social opportunities supported by trusted staff members
    • Mentor programs
    • Ongoing family surveys to keep a pulse on your thoughts and opinions throughout the entire school year

October is a time to bring awareness to bullying prevention and raise everyone’s voice in this important conversation. It may also serve as a time to evaluate how your child is feeling at school and what options are available to you.

Together, we can create a kinder, more inclusive online school.

Mental Health Matters

Mental Health Matters

Activities to Help Improve Mental Health

It is essential to maintain both good physical and mental health as you learn and grow. Engaging in good routines and activities can help students reduce stress, improve mood, and increase self-esteem. All of which help to prevent feeling down and for many, depressed.

Some Tips and Ideas:

  • Yoga: Introduce kids and teens to age-appropriate yoga poses and sequences to improve flexibility, strength, mindful breathing, and mental focus.
  • Social Interaction: Encourage kids to participate in sports, games, clubs, or volunteer to promote social interaction along with physical activity.
  • Hike/Walks: Getting outside and in nature can ease an active mind and bring a nice change in scenery to alter stress levels quickly. Put the phone down and take a nice walk to clear your mind.
  • Reading: Reading can spark our imagination and transport us to another place, forging space between the bad thoughts that can creep in. Head to a local library or bookstore and look for something that feeds your interest. Or download reading materials right to your device of choice!

Mental health is a unique journey for every child – there isn’t one solution for all but these helpful tips are a good starting point in bettering yourself. If you or someone you know is struggling or has suicidal thoughts, get help immediately.

People can call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org for themselves or if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.
(Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)

This new, shorter phone number will make it easier for people to remember and access mental health services. The lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention, and crisis resources for you or your loved ones.

Summer Bucket List

blog student stories summer bucket list. child laying in a meadow enjoying summer.

A Summer Bucket List for Families

Summer is approaching and it can be hard deciding how best to spend time with our family. There are so many options! Due to the pandemic, we may see more families opting out of vacations and enjoying time spent at home this summer. You may be surprised at how many fun activities there are to do at home or in your own backyard. There are so many local things you can do on a budget. In any case, having a summer bucket list helps keep you organized so you can take full advantage of each day of summer.
Here are some ideas to get you started on your bucket list.

  • Make an ice cream sandwich out of a waffle.
  • Enjoy one of these staycation ideas.
  • Take a day road trip.
  • Go berry picking. Find a farm near you.
  • Go camping.
  • Learn how to geocache.
  • Eat watermelon on a stick!
  • Make ice cream in a bag
  • Go on a hike.
  • Fly a kite.
  • Make Tie-Dye Shirts.
  • Catch fireflies.
  • Make lemonade.
  • Paint with sidewalk chalk

    No matter what you decide to put on your bucket list, we hope you have a wonderful summer! Summer is also a good time to start looking for a quality online school that fits the needs of your family, and OHDELA may be the option you are looking for. We are currently enrolling for the 21-22 school year!

OHDELA PETALS Fall 2017!

blog student stories OHDELA petals fall 2017

    OHDELA students shared their outstanding talents for the fall edition of the Middle School literary magazine Petals: of Stories, Poems and More, 3rd edition, December 2017. In this issue, students demonstrated higher-order thinking skills by applying acquired knowledge, facts, and techniques to create visual and literary art.

    Students demonstrated mastery of diverse skills in visual arts like sketching, painting, cartooning, and exceptional photography. Additionally, students demonstrated creative skills in multiple literary genres in addition to visual artistic designs. *WIN groups collaborated to write, produce, and perform dramatic plays that integrated cross-curricular skills. They employed their ELA knowledge of writing standards, dialogue, characterization, plot, conflict, and stage directions to create plays based on their current Social Studies content. Their collaborative efforts demonstrated the students’ abilities to apply their Social Studies knowledge, analyze motives and causes for historical events, and formulate inferences to create accurate historical fiction. Grade 6 students wrote and performed a play based on their acquired knowledge of Ancient Greece. Grade 7 students collaborated to create a play based on their knowledge of the Harlem Renaissance. Grade 8 students created a dramatic performance based on their understanding of the early settlers of Roanoke.

    Other literary genres in the 3rd issue of Petals include creations mastering acquired knowledge of poetic forms such as haiku, free verse, blank verse, acrostic, and rhymed poetry. Additionally, some students contributed writings that displayed mastery of the prose genre including both biographies and autobiographies and a variety of expository writing strategies such as narrative, descriptive, informative, and persuasive compositions. Moreover, some students composed works of creative fiction, applying their knowledge of the essential elements of story writing.

   At OHDELA, we are proud of our talented students. Their creative endeavors demonstrate the highest order of thinking skills and mastery of Ohio Common Core Standards. We welcome the contributors of this 3rd edition of Petals to the community of published artists and writers.
*WIN groups: students meet daily in learning groups to master Ohio Common Core Standards. Groups are formulated based on differentiated learning needs. WIN is an acronym for “What I Need.”

Find the PETALS Document here.

2017-2018 OHDELA Events!

Attention all students and families!  

You asked for students events and field trips around the state and we heard you! We are excited to announce our field trips for this year below.  Please RSVP ASAP to reserve your spot!  

Here is where you can RSVP: http://bit.ly/ohdelaevents1718

Please read instructions carefully. If you have any questions, please contact us – events@delak12.com. We look forward to seeing you there!

**Note: You MUST be logged in under your student DELA email to register**

Image result for cosi

Image result for akron zoo     and more…

Trunk or Treat with OHDELA in Toledo

The OHDELA team will be heading to Hensville (Fifth Third Field) in Toledo on Saturday October 28th, 2017 to participate in their annual Trunk or Treat event! We will be handing out candy from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.!

The Halloween Festival will include:

  • Face Painting
  • Bouncy Houses
  • Music
  • Live Remotes on all stations
  • Kids’ Costume Contest
  • Pet Costume Contest

OHDELA Hurricane Efforts

OHDELA and its National Honor Society has adopted the 9th – 12th grade Ozen High School in Texas, which was impacted by the recent hurricane.

If you would like to donate supplies, here is a list of what they need:

Earbuds, graphic calculators, binders, composition Notebooks, loose leaf paper, pens, pencils, books to restock library, toiletries, feminine products, mesh backpacks, clothing, dry erase markers, khaki uniform pants, storage bins and containers, copy paper, sheet protectors, hand sanitizer, bookshelves, post-its, Sharpies, dividers, whiteout, hi-liters, blank index cards

You can drop donated supplies at our office this week or CLICK HERE for donation sites around the state on September 15th and 16th.

Any questions, please contact NHS Advisor Mrs. Tara Michels – 330-362-8237 | tjmichels001@delak12.com

 

We all W.I.N. at OHDELA!

LastDayOfSchool

Elementary and middle school students are now able to attend W.I.N. classes! W.I.N. stands for “What I Need”. Teachers at OHDELA are working hard to meet the needs of all of our students.  The teachers are meeting in teams to break down assessment data.  We are using the data to find the strengths and weaknesses of our instruction and improve student learning.  Students work in breakout rooms to fill the gaps in learning for greater academic achievement.  We are excited for the opportunity to meet the individual academic needs of our students.  We all WIN at OHDELA!

Summer Training at OHDELA

OHDELA teachers had the opportunity to participate in two make believe cooking shows during their summer training sessions.  Teachers were selected to cook on the Rachael Ray Show or Chopped. In order to demonstrate the lower levels of Bloom’s taxonomy, teachers on the Rachael Ray Show were provided step-by-step instructions on how to follow and cook a recipe.  To demonstrate the higher levels of Bloom’s taxonomy, teachers on Chopped were given a variety of ingredients and asked to create their own recipe and use Higher Order Thinking Skills to make a successful dessert. Teachers were able to explore Bloom’s Taxonomy and the importance of each level throughout the teaching day!