No need to waste the day away! Check back here each week for a new idea on what to do with your down time.
Wanna get away?
We know many of you may not be able to get away this April break, so courtesy of Google Arts and Culture, we're bringing the world to you! Pick a place and take virtual tours of the sites. It's not quite as good as being there, but you can let your imagination do the rest!
Mix It Up a Bit
April 9, 2021
Why not try your hand (or ear) at the lost art of making a mix tape? It's a great way to spend the afternoon and a really fun way to tell someone you care. Of course, you don't have to use a real tape because good luck finding a recorder to play it on, but you have everything you need to make a digital version. Here are the guidelines and a link to Canva for making the album cover. Have fun!
Can you navigate the Suez Canal?
The Suez Canal has been in the news a lot this week. Read about what this important waterway means to life as we know it and try your hand at navigating a tanker ship through its narrow passage.
The Telling Room's Young Writers & Leaders Live Reading
Tuesday, March 30th and Wednesday, April 1st
4:30pm - 6:00pm
Location: Online
What do 27 students, from 7 area high schools, 4 continents, and 11 unique countries have in common? They are all part of The Telling Room’s Young Writers and Leaders program and each has a story to tell. PPL Teen invites you to join for two special readings on March 30 and April 1, 2021.
Come listen to true stories about finding joy through dancing, the expectations put on daughters, discovering the sport of squash, lessons learned through the birth of a baby brother, dreams of becoming both a surgeon and an activist, and experience the first-hand perspective of what it’s like to be a teenager through all that has transpired in 2020. Join us for a live reading and support some of Portland’s most vital young voices.
Webinar Information:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83411878628?pwd=c29WMXQ1VWhGUXRtNGxSTHltekFldz09
Webinar ID: 834 1187 8628
Passcode: 125898
Or iPhone one-tap :
US: +13126266799,,83411878628#,,,,*125898#
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 312 626 6799
Go take a hike!
It's going to be warm this weekend--get out and enjoy!
Check out all of the hiking trails Windham has to offer!
It's time for spring cleaning!
How about clearing out your phone?
In this article, Ashley Abramson tell you "How To Organize Your Phone and Clean Out Your Storage," but the advice is to undertake this project only when you have time to spare!
Display your work through PMA?
Creativity can start at any age and all of the artists in the PMA’s collection started somewhere.
Check out the brand new online gallery featuring our future generation of artists, and then add your own work to the collection!
Want to feature your work? Click here for more information on submissions. And don’t forget to sign up for your Susie Konkel Pass, providing everyone age 21 and under free, unlimited admission to the PMA.
Yoga Time!
Have you tried yoga with Adriene yet? If not, start by joining in on this quick lesson she gives to offer a break from your digital day. If you like it, you'll find oodles more videos available for free on her YouTube page.
Namaste.
Completely Booked for Vacation
While we're closed for vacation, check out the awesome programs being offered by the Windham Public Library. They're giving away free book bags and craft activities each month. Get yours while they last!
Time to recharge
Need a bit of a break but your mind still wanders? Try this great podcast which blends storytelling with brief meditations to help you relax and unwind from the crazy world. Try the episode, "Our Tiny Meaningful Lives in the Vast Universe" for a start.
Happy listening!
Bake a bit?
Looking for a way to relax and enjoy the afternoon? Try baking! How about this banana bread? It's healthy, yummy--and it'll give you something to do with those bananas that have turned black on your counter!
Calling all scientists and writers!
For this contest, The Learning Network invites you to bring that same spirit of inquiry and discovery to finding a STEM-related question, concept or issue you’re interested in, and, in 500 words or fewer, explaining it to a general audience in a way that not only helps us understand, but also engages us and makes us see why it’s important.
It's time to get outside!
We know January's a bore, but there's still a lot to explore. Grab a bag and head out for a walk. Gather interesting bits and pieces along the way and when you get home turn them into a work of art. Upload pictures of what you create to Google Drive, share with Mrs. Denecker, and we'll create a gallery of your work.
New York Times is here!
You now how a FREE subscription to the New York Times through September 1, 2021!
Access all of the paper's content and archives by logging in through the email you received this week. Contact Mrs. Denecker if you didn't receive or deleted the email.
Check it out--there's so much more than you expect!
Academy of American Poets Contest
The Academy of American Poets, the nation’s leading champion of poets and poetry, is pleased to offer the Inaugural Poem Project and Contest for Students. Only five poets in American history have been commissioned by Presidents Elect to pen poems to be shared at their Inaugurations. These poems have uplifted millions of viewers of these historic events as they’ve conveyed the country’s challenges, strengths, and hope for its future.
The Academy invites students to study these poets and poems and to try their hand at writing their own Inaugural poems as part of the Inaugural Poem Project, and to submit them to the 2021 Inaugural Poem Contest.
Three students’ poems will be selected by Academy Education Ambassador and Presidential Inaugural Poet Richard Blanco. The winning poems will be featured on Poets.org and in American Poets magazine. The first place-winning student will receive $1,000. The second place-winning student will receive $600; third place will receive $300. Submissions are accepted from November 30, 2020 to December 30, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. EST.
For more information and submission guidelines, visit the Poets.org site.
Lois Lowry Author Talk
Join Lewiston Public Library for a virtual author visit with Lois Lowry!
Monday, December 14 3:30-4:30 p.m. via Zoom
Two-time Newbery medalist and beloved children's author (and Mainer!) Lois Lowry is the author of more than 30 books, including "The Giver" Quartet and "Number the Stars". She is known for writing about difficult subject matters and complex themes in works for young audiences.
Join Lewiston Public Library and Lois Lowry for a discussion about her two novels published in 2020, On the Horizon and The Willoughbys Return.
The program will take place on Monday, December 14th from 3:30-4:30 PM virtually via Zoom and be streamed to the LPL Facebook page<https://www.facebook.com/lewistonlibrary>.
Register here to attend!<https://networkmaine.zoom.us/webinar/register/6516062538095/WN_PLgA4oStSVChcN1XUXHP1w>
Join us for the VIRTUAL 6th Annual Thomas Cup!
There are 5 free competitions to choose from this year!
All high school students can participate as part of a team of 3 to 5 students from the same school at no cost.
Each member of the winning team during the Thomas Cup in a Box competition can take home up to $10,000* in scholarships to Thomas College.
During, the 6th Annual Thomas Cup students will compete in a number of science, technology, engineering, and innovation competitions including: cyber defense, esports, computer science, and crime scene investigation (CSI). While the Thomas Cup is centered on technology, competitors will need more than just technical skills to succeed. The best teams will combine a mix of project management, innovation, creativity, teamwork, leadership, and more in order to overcome the challenges and defeat their opponents. No matter what interests and skills competitors bring to the table, they’ll enjoy a unique set of exciting challenges all at no cost.
Read Your Mind
Read Your Mind: Exploring Mental Health in Teen Books is a monthly, virtual series focusing on teen mental health & wellness. Featuring YA authors and community health experts, we hope to explore complex and common health concerns through the vehicle of Teen books.
All Read Your Mind sessions:
Will take place live on Zoom, the last Wednesday of every month @ 12 PM*;
Focus on a particular and unique youth mental health topic;
Feature authors of fiction and nonfiction books for teens;
Feature a community support partner with expertise in the mental health topics covered in each book;
Will leave time for anonymous audience Q&A;
Are intended for teenagers and adults who work with teens;
Will be recorded and made available for future viewing.
Mini Crossword
November 12, 2020
Think you're fast AND smart? The mini crosswords from the New York Times will put your skills to the test!
