Mathnasium - July 2021

Mathnasium - July 2021

JULY 2021

Mathnasium of Cherry Creek [email protected] mathnasium.com/cherrycreek

Mathnasium of Cherry Hills [email protected] mathnasium.com/cherryhills

Mathnasium of Littleton [email protected] mathnasium.com/littleton

Mathnasium of Parker [email protected] mathnasium.com/parker

Seeing Majestic African Animals in Their Natural Habitats THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME

While 2020 threw a wrench in most people’s vacation plans, I’m happy to say that one silver lining of postponing my trip of a lifetime was that I got more time to plan it. As the world opens back up in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems like more and more people are itching to escape their hometowns for whatever vacation destinations they can find. While the trip that my mom and I have planned isn’t until later this year, we’re kind of in the middle of vacation season, so I figured this would be the perfect time to gush about my trip. This October, my mom and I are going on a safari in Tanzania! One of the main reasons we picked Tanzania is the animals! It’s a country in southeastern Africa, and it’s the native habitat for tons of the most majestic and beautiful creatures in the world — think lions, giraffes, rhinos, and (my personal favorite) elephants! At the rate that some of these animals, which can’t be found anywhere else in the world, are vanishing, my mom and I really want to see them roaming free where they belong before it’s too late. We are taking 10 days to enjoy everything Tanzania has to offer. It takes roughly 30 hours to fly between Colorado and Tanzania, so our 10-day trip is more like 14. The rest of the time will be on the ground in Tanzania in a few different exciting locations. We booked our trip through a local travel company in Golden called the Wild Source, and they created an entire itinerary for us based on our interests. They also contribute to a lot of research having to do with large African mammals, which is really cool! The first place we’re going to check out is called Ngorongoro Crater. It was once a gigantic volcano, and it’s now the largest intact caldera in the world. It’s a major sanctuary for all sorts of large African animals, several of which are endangered, like the black rhino. “At the rate that some of these animals, which can’t be found anywhere else in the world, are vanishing, my mom and I really want to see them roaming free where they belong before it’s too late.”

After that, we’ll spend most of our trip in the Serengeti moving between a few different locations. I can’t wait to spend days out there, watching the animals and enjoying the break from regular life! Our last destination on our trip will be the Olduvai Gorge. It’s not known for its wildlife but instead for the prehistoric human remains that archaeologists have uncovered there, which are said to be among the oldest in the world. All in all, it’s a lot to be excited about, and I don’t want to miss a single minute of it. That’s why I’ve made it my goal to only use my phone as a camera the entire time I’m there. If you want to get in touch with me while I’m in Africa, too bad! It’s not every day you get to see these amazing animals and landscapes. Why would I waste even a second looking at my phone or any other electronic device? If you have any fun vacation plans coming up this summer or later this year, I hope they’re as much of a break from our crazy world as my trip will be for me. Have a great rest of your summer!

–Sierra Richards

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Cherry Creek 303-333-MATH (6284) • Cherry Hills 720-474-1878 • Littleton 303-979-9077 • Parker 303-840-1184

GET YOUR TRAIN OF THOUGHT BACK ON TRACK

FUN FACTS ABOUT THE FOURTH OF JULY You Can Share With Your Kids

Recovery Hacks

Have you ever been in the middle of a conversation, presentation, or debate, stringing together thoughts in a way you hope is coherent and insightful when — poof! — you lose your train of thought? It’s frustrating. You just want to make yourself understood, but your brain has other plans. What if there were a way to keep your train of thought on track? Well, the good news is that recovering your train of thought is easy with the following hacks in mind. Repeat, repeat, repeat yourself. Paraphrasing your last few thoughts out loud can help you remember where you were going. Think of it as retracing your steps: You go back to the last words you remember saying, and more often than not, you’ll find your direction again. Take a short pause. Pausing briefly is a great way to make recovering your train of thought seem natural. This hack works really well if you’re answering a question and you need time to think, and you also don’t want to be bogged down by a chorus of “ums” escaping from your mouth. Write it all down . This hack works well when you know beforehand that you’ll be speaking with someone or in front of people. Even if you never refer to your notes while speaking, simply writing down a road map for your train of thought can help you recover from a detour and speak more confidently. Remember your overall point. The easiest way to drive your train of thought into the weeds is to forget your overall point — or not to have an overriding point at all. Always have a short, overarching point you can use to recenter yourself and get back on track. With these hacks, your brain will have to work a lot harder to make you lose your train of thought! Now you’ll be more prepared to tackle any subject matter, no matter how deep or technical, that comes your way.

What do your kids know about the Fourth of July? Do they know it’s a day when you have a barbecue, spend time with friends and neighbors, and watch a fireworks show? These hallmarks of the holiday certainly do make it fun and memorable, but they don’t really exemplify why we celebrate the Fourth of July, the anniversary of when the United States declared its independence from Britain. So, along with the sparklers and hot dogs, here are a few fun facts about Independence Day you can share with your kids to help them understand the significance of the holiday. The Fourth of July marks our country’s independence because it’s when the Continental Congress ratified the Declaration of Independence. This fact might seem like a no-brainer, but it contextualizes the holiday for kids. It’s a great jumping-off point to talk about why the United States wanted to be its own country, what the Continental Congress was, what the Declaration of Independence said, and what it means to “ratify” something. Two future presidents signed the Declaration of Independence: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson . They both died exactly 50 years later, on July 4, 1826. This fact is an interesting coincidence sure to fascinate both kids and adults. It’s also a great way to introduce kids to some of the Founding Fathers and share how they helped shape the United States today. In 1776, the year the United States was founded, only 2.5 million people lived here. Today, the U.S. population is 331 million. Lots of people have been born in the United States since it was founded, and millions more came here from other places, hoping to find a better life. Many succeeded, too. Many people want to call this country home! On the Fourth of July, around 155 million hot dogs are eaten in the United States. Okay, so this fact might not have anything to do with American history, but it’s still pretty funny! If anything, the fact that we have so many hot dogs to eat on that day is evidence of the prosperity so many people enjoy in the United States of America.

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Cherry Creek 303-333-MATH (6284) • Cherry Hills 720-47

ARE THE CARTOONS YOUR KIDS WATCH ACTUALLY MADE FOR KIDS?

With the many streaming platforms out there, kids have access to a more diverse array of content than ever before. That being said, parents need to be extra vigilant about which shows and videos are captivating their children’s attention, particularly when it comes to cartoons. Cartoons on their own aren’t bad for kids. In fact, enjoying them in moderation can have myriad benefits for a child’s development. They can bring laughter and relieve stress, engage a child’s

animation becoming more popular in recent years, many of the cartoons available on TV, streaming services, and YouTube are explicitly not for children.

So, how can parents make sure the cartoons their kids are watching are safe, wholesome, and educational?

In recent years, as YouTube has continued to amass countless hours of video content — much of it geared toward children — they’ve developed YouTube Kids, their

imagination, help them develop their language skills, and teach them about topics ranging from mathematics to social skills. The best cartoons can be bright, colorful, funny stories that help children learn and grow.

streaming site for children under the age of 13. This site isn’t airtight, however, and disturbing content can sometimes slip through the cracks. Parents might also find value in sticking to certain channels or streaming services, such as PBS Kids, Nick Jr., or Disney+. There are also organizations like the Parents and Television Media Council, whose website, ParentsTV.org, can help parents determine which cartoons are okay for their kids to watch.

That said, though, not all cartoons are for kids, nor do they teach good lessons. Many cartoon characters encourage violence and speaking rudely to teachers and other authority figures. Additionally, with adult

Ultimately, the best way to ensure cartoons are safe is to watch with your kids. After all, this turns a solitary activity into one where parents can learn, laugh, and bond with their children.

MEXICAN CORN SALAD

TAKE A BREAK

Ingredients • 4 cups of fresh corn, cut from 5 cobs • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped • 1/2 red onion, diced • 6 green onions, chopped • 1 jalapeno, diced • 1/2 avocado, cubed • 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice

• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped • 1/2 cup cotija or feta cheese, crumbled Directions 1. In a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, add oil and corn. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3–5 minutes or until corn starts to char. 2. Add the corn to a large bowl and let cool for 5 minutes, then add the remaining ingredients and stir together until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning. 3. The salad pairs well with grilled entrees and can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

• 1/2 tsp ground cumin • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika • Salt and pepper, to taste

• 2 tbsp sour cream • 2 tbsp mayonnaise

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74-1878 • Littleton 303-979-9077 • Parker 303-840-1184

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

11211 Dransfeldt Rd. #149 | Parker, CO 80134

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A Long Overdue African Safari

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Fourth of July Fun Facts to Share With the Kids

Life Hack: How to Recover Your Train of Thought

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Are Your Children’s Favorite Cartoons Actually for Kids?

Mexican Corn Salad

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Is ‘Hammocking’ a Better Way to Sleep?

IS ‘HAMMOCKING’ A BETTERWAY TO SLEEP? (Theoretical) Benefits of Sleeping While Swinging

Hammocking has become a popular leisure activity within the last 5–10 years, with the global hammock market growing about 17% between 2017 and 2021. As fun as it is, though, could hammocking be more than that? Could it be a better way to sleep, not just on camping trips or in the park, but in our homes, too? The short answer is that the >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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