October is a wonderful month for celebrating the harvest, remembering our native American Heritage, and challenging our classes to become a community. You'll find activities to help you do all of these things here, and hopefully you'll have some of your own to share as well. as always, feel free to send them to me for inclusion in an upcoming issue of PELINKS4U!

Cindy Kuhrasch
Interdisciplinary Section Editor

DANGEROUS RIVER

Now that students are beginning to know one another, it is a great time of year for them to be challenged a bit in terms of becoming a community. Try this activity with your class, and encourage the kinds of togetherness that evolves as a result!

If you have ever heard the riddle about the missionary and the cannibals trying to cross the river in a small boat you will have a good feel for how this game works. If you haven’t heard the riddle, I’ve included it after this game.

	2 Ropes, each about 20 - 30 ft. long.
	4 Play Scooters
	Masking Tape

Put two parallel tape lines across the room about 15 to 20 ft. apart. This is the river. Divide the group of children into two teams. Have each team form a line behind one of the tape lines (on the shore). Both teams should be on the same shore.

After you explain the rules, give each team two scooters (boats) and one end of a rope. Stretch the rope across the river with the kids holding one end, and you or a helper holding the other.

Play
Explain to the children that the area between the two tape lines is a dangerous river full of crocodiles, piranha fish, snapping turtles, viscous goldfish and so on. Their job is to get their entire team across the river as quickly as possible without falling in the river.

Each team has two boats (scooters) which can each hold one person. Two kids from each team will each take a boat and pull themselves hand over hand across the river using the rope. Once safely across, one child will take the rope from you. Holding the rope is now the children’s responsibility. The other child will take both boats back across the river (using the rope again).

When the child brings back both boats safely, reaches the river bank he originated from, he will give both boats to the next two children in line and go to the back of the line himself. This process continues until all of the children have made it across the river.

If a child falls off their scooter into the river they have to go back to the shore they just left. They can walk back to the shore. They don’t have to use the rope to go back and start over. The children on the shore cannot enter the river unless they are on a boat. And the loading and unloading of the boats should take place on the shore.

The last two children to come across the river will likely think that someone needs to hold their end of the rope. But, since no one will need to come back across the river again, there is no need for anyone to hold it.

If a team drops one end of the rope into the river you can handle it in a couple of different ways. You could simply pick up the rope and hand it back to them. Or, for a more challenging game, the team would have to pull back the rope to the side that is still holding their end and then attempt to fling the dropped end back to the other side of the river.

If the teams are fairly evenly matched as far as river crossing abilities, the team that can work together the best will win. If a team does a lot of arguing about who gets to take the boats back across the river, or some other thing, they will probably lose.

Now for the riddle:
Three cannibals and three missionaries must cross a river. The only boat available can hold only two people. The number of cannibals can never be greater than the number of missionaries on either side of the river. How can all six get safely across the river?

PING PONG PUMPKINS (Group Game)

This is a fun group game, but you will need lots of ping pong balls. You will divide your group into two. One side will have two pumpkin shaped bowls per person. (Take several of the plastic pumpkin shaped bowls designed to carry on Halloween night to put all of your treats in. Punch two small holes on either side and run a string through and then tie around each student's waist.)

The other group will not have pumpkins, but the ping pong balls. Line up across from each other. The trick is to throw as many balls into the pumpkins as you can in two minutes time. The pumpkin People may wiggle their hips, but cannot move their feet or use their hands.

CONCEPTS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM: Review the different lessons in the table below. You will need to go to the PBS TeacherSource web site to read how to conduct the lesson.

	Pandemic Changes in History Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 Subjects: Language Arts, Social Studies, Health How the flu has changed history
	Counting Calories and Fun with Food Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 Subjects: Language Arts, Math, Health and Fitness
	Chronic Illness and Disease: the Visible and the Invisible Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 Subjects: Language Arts, Visual Arts, Health
	X - Rays and Ultra Sound - Can they really see inside of me? Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12 Subjects: Science, Health
	Mental Health, A Quiet Illness Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 Subjects: Science, Health
	Why Was I Vaccinated? Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12 Subjects: Science, Health, Social Studies, Language Arts
	Diabetes, a Disease in Need of a Cure Grade Level: 3 - 5, 6 - 8, 9 -12 Subjects: Science, Health, Language Arts
	Risk Behaviors of Youth: Are We Making Changes In The US? Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12 Subjects: Science, Health, Language Arts, Social Studies, Math, Visual Art
	Are We Winning the War Against Tobacco? Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 Subjects: Health, Language Arts Social Studies, Visual Art
	Are We A Physically Active Country Or A Physically At Risk Nation? Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 Subjects: Health and Fitness, Language Arts, Math

Constant Craving - How Drugs Interact with the Nervous System. Grades: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Health, Science
In this lesson, students investigate the ways that various addictive drugs interact with the human nervous system.

Dining In - Developing a Business Plan for the School Cafeteria. Grades: 9-12
Subjects: Economics, Health, Language Arts
In this lesson, students develop a business plan for improving their school cafeteria.

Redefining Addiction (Grades 6-8 , 9-12 )
Subjects: Health, Language Arts, Science
In this lesson, students learn about how addiction can have both physiological and behavioral effects. They then synthesize their knowledge by creating a sensitivity training session for counselors working with teenagers who are addicted to drugs.

Fit to Play? (Grades 6-8 , 9-12 )
Evaluating Which Student Athletes May Be at Risk for Sports-Related Injuries.
Subjects: Health, Language Arts
In this lesson, students research certain sports-related injuries and who may be at risk for these conditions. They then synthesize their knowledge by collectively developing a comprehensive medical history form that asks potential athletes questions to determine if they are at risk for such conditions.

So Little Time (Grades 6-8 , 9-12 )
Subjects: Geography, Global History, Health, Social Studies
Investigating the Short History of the AIDS Epidemic
In this lesson, students examine the evolution of the AIDS epidemic in various world regions during the last 22 years. They then compile a "global timeline" of the AIDS epidemic.

Children's boredom activities - What it means when your child says he's bored and what to do about it.

Rainy day ideas - Use these ideas to get you started, and the kids may actually start wishing for more rainy days.

Indoor gardening activity for kids - Use indoor gardening techniques to provide your children with entertainment, education, and a sense of wonder about the world around us.

Kid boredom busters - Some kid boredom busters: ever thought of an all day pajama party, fashion show, or double bubble time to keep the boredom from sapping your kids?

Free games your children will love - Learn new, more creative ways to entertain your children. Here are free games your children will love!