Fun Things to do in Indiana with Kids: Bounce U in Fishers ~ A Jumping Good Time

Fun Things to do Indoors in Indiana: Bounce U is a Great Rainy Day Activity

Are you looking for fun things to do with kids this summer? Maybe you have a little cash set aside for summer camp or maybe you need something that is next to FREE for those much needed rainy day activities?  Either way, Bounce U has the answers for you!  In Fishers, Indiana the Bounce U is completely renovated and under new management. I've been to many of these play places with kids. Oh yeah, I even briefly operated a play place for kids (The Play Connection, Inc.).  So, I have a pretty good idea what works and what doesn't. 

Rainy Day indoor Activities in Indiana: Bounce U in Fishers.

Here's what I LOVED about BOUNCE U:

• OPEN BOUNCE!  Come bounce for a 3 hr. session for only $8 per child. That's great huh, but wait there's more.
• SESSIONS are led by a staff member (think camp counselor). Mom or Dad or Grandparents can sit back and relax in the lounge area with FREE WIFI. From your vantage point, you can see all the action and keep an eye on your kids.  The staff keeps them entertained and safe.
• BOREDOM BUSTERS.  Bored with this play space? The staff starts in one room and moves to another room with different bounce structures and recreational games.
• SNEAKY PE!  Get your physical activity credit hours for homeschool and health while having fun!

Giant Boxing Ring complete with headgear and oversize boxing gloves.

 Oh yeah, and they get tuckered out fast! 

Inflatable Bounce Houses

Lots of inflatable jumping options in each room.

It is perfect for Summer Camp, Birthday Parties, and Playdates. 

Recommended Reading:

Ten Little Monkeys: Jumping on the Bed

Things to do in Indiana


Sign up for our free newsletter

YA Book Series Angels Supernatural: Allegedly Mystic

Allegedly Mystic YA Fiction Aurora Series Book One

Allegedly Mystic. It's finally here! If you're a long time reader of this blog, you know I've been talking about it for years. In the early stages, I even published some chapters here to get help with crowd editing and story line content.  (Those have since been removed.) This is the first in a YA Book Series about angels and all things supernatural. Read on for the book blurb and to see how you can read it for free. 

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Check out my Amazon Author Page, Lora Langston, and follow along there.

Get the paperback version of Allegedly Mystic on Amazon.

“Ugly people argue. When I feel ugly, things get ugly around me. I always want to run and hide in a bathtub. Unfortunately, the school frowns on unusual behaviors like that. My school counselor says I walk the halls with the grace of Snuffleupagus and the air of Pig Pen. Apparently, a cloud of woe surrounds me in typical Eeyore fashion.

Troubled kids who cause their parents shame, stress, or miserable pain often get shipped off to some kind of camp. Maybe Fat Camp, Betty Ford, or a Funny Farm? I could never be so lucky.  

Where’s a bathtub when you really need one? “

_____________________________________________________________________

Allegedly Mystic is a supernatural teen romance.  

(Teen & Young Adult Visionary & Metaphysical Fiction eBooks)

_____________________________________________________________________

Life is nothing if not unpredictable. Navigating adolescence is never easy, but when you’re born into a family of mystic medicine, every moment is a challenge. Aurora thinks she’s got a handle on it until her emotions get the best of her. 

When your feels affect everyone within a city block, you move every six months, and you’re labeled a weird homeschooler, having friends seems like an impossible dream. Having a best friend is completely out of the question. 

Romance? That's a stone that will never get turned over...

After watching her mother perform a strange ritual in the park, Aurora can’t help but think the story of her ancestry is a pack of lies. She’s seen all the movies about witchcraft. Whenever she’s feeling stressed, a green aura haunts her every move, a white cat appears out of nowhere, the school bully suddenly has her back, and she finds comfort in the companionship of a mysterious kid no one else seems to notice. 

Wondering if she’s secretly a witch, but doesn’t know it, Aurora opens up to her new friends and ends up confessing more than just her concerns about her fanatical mother and the green light. Her emotions always run rampant, but once she gets a handle on it all, she realizes those confusing feelings about her new protector might be more than just gratitude. She’s finally ready to sort it all out when her reservation to the Indian reservation is confirmed.

_____________________________________________________________________

Aurora's mother tries to keep her ancestry hidden. Allegedly born into a family of skilled mystic medicine men and women, Aurora, a home-schooled, thirteen-year-old, high school freshman, tries to navigate her special gifts as a mysterious green aura haunts her emotional outbursts. If she learns to contain her emotions, she can use her gifts for good. If she doesn't... Well, that's exactly what she's trying to prevent.  

Has she created the cloud that hovers over her every move? Is she a danger to society? Serenity Waters is the keeper of secrets. Aurora didn't ask for these alleged abilities and she certainly doesn't want to attend a camp to find her inner medicine man, but her mother is making demands and her mystic grandfather keeps appearing out of nowhere. It couldn’t hurt to meet her estranged father, could it?

_____________________________________________________________________

*The story is told from a thirteen-year-old girl's perspective with flashbacks to her mother's teen years.

**This is an upper middle grade fiction/YA fiction supernatural novel perfect for reader's 12-18 yrs. 

GET YA FICTION, ALLEGEDLY MYSTIC FREE WITH KDP UNLIMITED.

Here's the original cover from the YA Fictions Supernatural blog series. Aurora, you've come along way, baby. She is my baby. I've started the next book in the series, I hope to have it completed by Christmas. Things are going much faster these days, I've learned a lot over the years. 

Whether you're a future novelist or a seasoned pro, hop over and learn new things or share your books with my Facebook group: Author Friends (Historical Fiction Books)

 

Get the paperback version of Allegedly Mystic on Amazon.

Recommended:

Book Reviews and Recommendations from Kids Creative Chaos

Follow me on Instagram to keep up to date with the latest activities.

Eagle Creek Park Earth Discovery Center and Bird Sanctuary: The Perfect After-School or Summer Camp Activity

Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis has a lot to offer when it comes to Things to do in Indiana

TwitPintGoogle PSeptember 14, 2011

Take a scavenger hunt and find animals hidden in the mural.

One of of my favorite things to do in Indianapolis is to visit Eagle Creek Park. The park is full of fun, free (or nearly free), educational things to do with kids. The activities are spread out, so ask for a map when you enter the gate. I say free, but your car is charged a small fee to get through the gate.

Eagle Creek Park Earth Discovery Center offers educational activities.

We enjoy bird watching at the Bird Sanctuary, Friday Night Frog Watches for Families, Swimming at the Beach, and visiting the Earth Discovery Center which is full of science and nature programs. You can visit the air-conditioned Earth Discovery Center and do a self-guided tour to learn about turtles, frogs, and other creatures that inhabit the park. We especially like the scavenger hunt room. They also offer summer camps and afterschool programs. If you are adventurous and want to spend some money try the Go Ape experience.

Eagle Creek Bird Sanctuary:
The Perfect After-School or Summer Camp Activity

When you visit the largest park in Marion County and one of the largest city parks in the nation, you will discover many treasures hidden among the 3,900 acres of land and 1,400 acre reservoir. The Ornithology Center or Bird Sanctuary is accessed by two main gates, which charge $3 per bicycle, $5 per vehicle, and $50 for a season pass.

Homeschool activities at Eagle Creek Park

Need to unwind after-school? The Eagle Creek Park Ornithology Center is the perfect place. On most Wednesdays and Fridays at 4 p.m. you can take your children to 'Meet a Raptor.' Park Staff will introduce you to a live bird of prey and even let you get up close and personal in an intimate setting. It is a great opportunity to sneak educational programming into an afternoon of fun.

Eagle Creek Ornithology Center: 

Field Trip Info or Homeschool Groups

The Center is nestled between the reservoir and a fun frog pond, which offers many opportunities for bird and frog watching. Check the special events calendar for "Friday Night Frog Watches" where you can learn to identify the various sounds of frogs vs. birds. Also, outside the center, (weather permitting) rescued hawks and owls are exhibited in special cages. A rustic deck, perfect for outdoor picnics, overlooks the reservoir.

Inside, boasts two bird viewing areas complete with binoculars and reference materials. One area overlooks the reservoir. Here, you can challenge your children to a game of eye spy that focuses on the various bird species flying over the water.

On any given day, you will spy a Great Blue Heron, Loon, or one of the two-hundred and sixty other species of Indiana Birds that call Eagle Creek Park home. Kids won't need binoculars to view the circus of squirrels that have taken over the manmade bird sanctuary fighting with Blue Jays and frightening Cardinals.

The indoor exhibit is filled with Indiana wildlife in their natural habitat and interactive computer kiosks with fun facts. The best kept secret is the kiosk which allows you to listen to various bird songs, match them with the appropriate picture, and even compose a little tune of your own. All of this is included with the park's general admission. For an additional fee the park offers after-school programming at the Earth Discovery Center.

Programs and Activity Calendar

Make a day of it in the summer and visit the beach too. Swimming is $3-4 per person, they have lifeguards, and life jackets are available on request. Yes, there is acutally sand on the beach. Enjoy!

Recommended Reading:

Beginning Birdwatching for Kids

Things to do in Indiana

National Geographic Kids Bird Guide of North America: The Best Birding Book for Kids from National Geographic's Bird Experts

Birds, Nests and Eggs (Take Along Guides)

Homeschooling: What to do When Summer Break Drains the Brain? Sneak in Fun Learning Opportunities

Does Summer Break Drain the Brain? Try Sneaking in Educational Experiences Kids Enjoy

School is coming to a close, but learning shouldn't come to an end. We are just finishing up our first year of homeschooling.  After all the hard work, I'd hate to see it slip away this summer.  We've got plans to supplement with summer learning field trips, outdoor nature journaling, riding and music lessons, and 4H club. I'll also offer Friday day camps for friends of The Play Connection, Inc.

Outdoor Games for Summer Camp

The beginning of every school year is filled with review from the previous year.  Summer heat shouldn't melt our kids brains.  Summer Camp programs are great for socialization, pe activities, and becoming one with nature.  Opportunities to improve reading are everywhere. Playing the Alphabet Game on a long trip encourages billboard and street sign reading. Library trips offer a sneaky way to cool off, relax, and enjoy a new book. Do you read bedtime stories? Here's a fun summer reading list. 

Busy summers lend themselves to lazy days near the poolside or under a favorite tree curled up with a good book. Funny, kids never seem to curl up with a good math problem.  

Don't forget to practice math this summer.  
Leap ahead of the pack with daily lessons.

Do you practice math in the summer?  Keeping track of allowances, shopping for items at the Dollar Tree, or having your child watch the clock for break time, chore time, and lunchtime are easy ways to implement mathematics into your lazy summer days.  If you are worried about summer brain drain and the summer learning slide, you might like a more structured math program. 

Summer Brain Drain? Try this.

LeapAhead! is an easy, affordable, and flexible summer online math program. Keep your child engaged with math worksheets aligned with the common core standards. The program offers a fun math worksheet creator for members. I love the Challenge Math for gifted and talented students. The online summer math program is great for kids who need a little extra help too. This program works for both homeschoolers and brick and mortar students. 

PE GAMES

Let your computer act as a summer tutor while you enhance the online learning with fun math games and activities. You can make math a fun, summer activity too!



Sign up for our free newsletter!

Big Cats in Indiana: Exotic Feline Rescue Center

Things to do in Indiana: Visit the Big Cats at the EFRC

Are there big cats in Indiana? You bet! If you love animals, especially cats, you must visit the Exotic Feline Rescue Center in southern Indiana. It's not a zoo, there's no real parking, and it's in the middle of nowhere. No worries, they want you to come visit the amazing Indiana cats. This is a wonderful idea for a field trip or a one tank trip on a weekend get away.

This post contains affiliate links.

What will you see there? Sure, there are native cats like the Bob Cat, but you'll also see Mountain Lions, Serval Cats, Leopards, Jaguars, Tigers, Tigers, and more Tigers! Most of the cats were raised as pets or used in animal shows and have been rescued from very difficult situations. They are finally free and live their lives loved in as natural an environment as possible.

Each ticket purchase helps feed and house the cats. You can also make donations to the EFRC or attend any of their special events, including a summer camp for kids! They also offer an overnight camp for adults. You read that right! Stay in a cabin on site with a view of the cats and then wake up and make the rounds with the caretakers. Sign me up!!

As we toured the facility, we couldn't help but make note how if felt like Jurassic Park, right down to the dinosaur sounds (tigers talking back and forth across the center) and the atvs used for feeding. I'm guessing if a big cat escaped, there would be similar results. These cats are lovable but clearly wild animals.

The tigers like to play with the water bowls which also serve as swimming pools in hot weather.

The Exotic Feline Rescue Center is open from 10-5 daily. Rain, shine, or snow. They mentioned that the cats are especially lonely when no one visits during the winter months. So, go see some cats in the snow!


Recommended:

Field Trip Ideas: Things to do in Indiana

Tiger Books for Kids



Pin it!

Things to do in Indianapolis Indiana: Downtown Central Library for Kids

Central Library's Learning Curve in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana has Free Things to do that are Fun for Kids

Recently, we took a trip to the downtown Indianapolis Central Library. I've been meaning to do this for sometime, but after several years of summer day camp and kid's misplacing books or videos, we have quite a hefty library fine. I plan to chip away at it slowly. If you also have a library fine and are under 18, keep reading. We found out the library has a program where you can "pay off" your fines with good behavior! More info about that later. In the summer, we are always looking for FREE, FUN, and EDUCATIONAL things to do in Indianapolis or other parts of Indiana. This futuristic architecture, in the form of a public library, fits the bill perfectly.

Central Library Funnel in Reading Nook. It plays a little movie.

This year, my goal is to treat each week like summer camp with my own kids - Less the getting up at 5:30 a.m., the toting 12 other kids everywhere we go, the need for epipens, a change of underwear (and a bag for the previous soiled pair), the waivers, the checklist, and the stress! We are on a mission of discovery. Anything within 2 hrs. of our home is up for an impromptu field trip. 

In this Futuristic Library, you can lounge and read, listen to a story, or watch one.

The Central Library is very cool. If you are looking for a futuristic library, you've come to the right place. You enter the library through an old, historic building with an incredible view of the American Legion Mall which is really just a large, green space with war memorials. Be sure to turn and enjoy the view as you enter. Then, you enter a breezeway where you'll find the info desk and a small, reasonably priced cafe. Keep going, and you'll be whisked into the children's area, better known as The Learning Curve. 

The Learning Curve: A Children's Area at the Central Library, Downtown Indy.

The Learning Curve is housed in the modern, glass, curved building directly behind the main entrance. Don't be intimidated, just keep walking. The librarian help desks are mobile carts that float throughout the large children's area. Don't be shy. They are happy to help. Don't have a library card, (or have one you can't use) but you want to use the computers? Ask the librarian for a guest pass. No pressure, they don't try to upsell to a library card :) The passes are good for 1 hr. from the time you log in, but you can get another passcode as long as computers are available. This is a safe internet zone. The kids can play and share games with other kids within the library.

Study Pods, Think Tank, Kid's Activity Wall for Preschoolers, Pacer's Rent a Bike Program, and See-a-story spinning seats at The Learning Curve, Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana in the Central Library.

We went to see a FREE DISNEY MOVIE in Clowes Auditorium, Tinkerbell's, "The Pirate Fairy". It was awesome. During summer camps, we visited our local branch of the library and watched the movies in a large room while sitting on the floor with a bunch of sweaty kids and little or no air conditioning. At the downtown Indianapolis, Central Library, we sat in comfy, purple seats in an acoustically correct, air-conditioned theatre.You can rent the 300 seat Clowes Auditorium space for special events too.

After that, we headed to the children's theatre. When they aren't having puppet shows or reader's theatre, the kids can jump up on the stage and enjoy some creative play in front of a large green screen. While bouncing around, they can watch themselves on one of the video screens. They might walk on the moon or climb a mountain!

On the opposite end of the Learning Curve, you'll find the Think Tank.This is an enclosed space (it's stuffy in there) with whiteboard walls and a table full of dry-erase markers. Brainstorm an idea, solve a math problem, or just draw a cartoon. You can be noisy, because it is somewhat soundproof. 

There is also a tinkerlab, a preschool activity area, a techlab, a wall to learn braille, study pods, futuristic, spinning chairs where you can listen to a story, and (my favorite), a super comfy reading lounge with a central animated funnel. I sat down and did not want to get up. Next time, I'll work in this area while the kids enjoy the library. They couldn't sign up for the summer reading program or check out books because of those nasty aforementioned library fines. The library now offers an amnesty program. I need this too, dear Indy Library. 

So, what is the take away? Don't stress, get cool, stay out of inclement weather... Wait, there's more. The library has a parking garage- find the rates here. We parked in the street at the fancy, modern parking meters that accept credit cards (now there's a learning curve) and walked. At the front entrance of the library, you can rent yellow, Pacer's bicycles- but they are all adult size, no kid seats, or tandem bikes... hint hint.

There are so many fun things to do in Indianapolis! We hope you'll join us (virtually, of course) as we discover the wonderful things downtown Indianapolis has to offer. We will feature some of our favorite things soon:

Mass Ave. 

Toy Store, Flying Cupcake, Hot Dog Cafe, Fair Trade Market

The Circle

Ride or climb to the top of the Monument, Candy Store, Chocolate Cafe

Recommended Reading:

Things to do In Indiana

Architecture: The Art of LEGO Design

12 Patriotic Crafts and Games for the Fourth of July: Independence Day Activities for Kids

Hey Kids! Celebrate with these Games and Patriotic Activities for the Fourth of July

America likes to celebrate her Independence. We celebrate many holidays with fireworks and patriotic activities. If you like to craft or need activities for summer camp or a family reunion party, you've come to the right place. We are sharing a round-up of our favorite Fourth of July holiday activities for preschoolers, school age, teenagers, and adults too. Enjoy!

Fourth of July games for children from Better Homes and Gardens.

Some of the best Summer Games from the list below include an Uncle Sam Patriotic Hat competition. This is fun for a family reunion.

Lay out the supplies needed to make a paper hat: Construction Paper, Paper Plates, Tape, Glue Sticks, Scissors, Glitter, even Cheap Birthday Hats to decorate, and Star Stickers. Then, have the party guests (at their own leisure) sit down at the crafting table and make a cool hat for the Fourth of July. Explain it is a decorating contest.

Guest wear the hats while playing games, eating barbecue, and enjoying the party. Pass out squares of paper (post it notes work great) and have everyone vote for their favorite hat. For example, "Uncle Mike's hat is the best" or ""I like Johnny's hat". The winner of the "best patriotic hat" gets a tiny flag to celebrate the win. Don't forget to share all the fun hats on Instagram and Pinterest!

• Patriotic Fruit Kabobs from Pinterest
• Fourth of July Games for Preschoolers
• How to use Sparklers and other Fireworks Safely
• Patriotic Games for Kids to play Outdoors
• Simple Fourth of July Projects for Preschoolers
• Independence Day Games to Play at Summer Camp
• Make your own Firework: Candy Rocket from Cardboard Tube
• Patriotic Party Games for Adults
• How to Make a Patriotic Hat for Independence Day
• Make a Star Spangled WhirlyGig to Hang from the Ceiling
• Free Printable American Flag

Click the image for Patriotic Party Games for Adults from Reader's Digest.

Recommended Reading:

Other Holidays in July

History for Kids: The Fourth of July for Kids - The Incredible Story of Independence Day - Including an Interactive Fourth of July QUIZ! (History for Children)

A Catered Fourth of July (A Mystery With Recipes)

Free Online Young Adult Books: Moon Magic Starts Here

Free Online Books for Teens and Tweens: Moon Magic It Begins Here

Teens and Tweens? I'm sharing my young adult novel online for free. If you like magic and suspense this YA Fiction Novel is for you. Each week, chapter by chapter, you'll live Aurora's story as she uncovers the secrets of her birth father, becomes comfortable in her own skin, and gets into a little mayhem along the way.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

Scroll down for the intro and prologue or click here for Chapter One.

Get  the final published paperback edition here, Allegedly Mystic, YA Metaphysical Fiction.

                                                           

Lesson in Media Communications - Homeschool High School

My kids have grown up! They are off to college or the trades. I am now a certified teacher in Art and Special Education for P-12 and Language Arts for 5-12. I've coached a high school speech and debate team for the past 4 years and taught middle school language arts and high school art while also serving as a special education teacher of record. 

So, my blog content is also growing up. At least some of it. I am starting a new teaching gig as an elementary art teacher this fall! I will definitely share more homeschool art lessons in the coming months. I just wanted to pop in for my long-time readers and blogging friends to say, I've been busy, but I haven't forgotten about you! Here's to raising our children together, enjoy this high school homeschool lesson in Communications in the Media.

And if you don't homeschool, this is a great lead in to a classroom discussion on bias in the media; assuming you are allowed to teach about that and share some of the topics discussed here.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

In high schools, we now have Communications teachers. This used to be called the Speech teacher. The curriculum may include giving speeches in various styles (impromptu, dramatic, how to, extemporaneous) and learning about media communications in classroom lessons. These classes are often offered for dual college credit. While taking a course to teach dual credit classes, I had to step outside of my comfort zone and review media through different lenses. Meaning, not as myself, an aging white woman or not even as the standby demographic of any straight male. We learned that most media, whether commercials, songs, television, movies, or even books, is written and directed toward the "heterosexual male gaze." This isn't always intentional either. In general, we have learned that this is the way to do things.

Explicit Content Warning: Many won't find the following articles or video content explicit, but some may find the topics of viewing through a queer theory lens or focusing on the anti-feminism sexism in media inappropriate for their teenage homeschoolers. If that's you, just move on to the next website or click around in my elementary homeschool content.

There's a slide depicting a condom in the video media critique. In another (not posted here,) there is discussion of the female and male anatomy as other items, such as the trunk of a car or a high heel shoe, and how they may serve as stand-ins for genitalia.The following content is made up of projects that I completed for a graduate course in Communications. They are not necessarily my personal views. 

Remember, the assignments were designed to get us thinking about how different viewers have a differing perspectives and why two people could view the same content and have different take-aways. Anyway, I thought this might be a good way to start a conversation with your high school homeschoolers on media biases.

After consuming my content, think about your favorite commercials, shows, books, or songs and study them for gender biases, for flimsy characters whose only purpose is to show that the media is trying to be inclusive, or for messages that are hidden from your view because of the lenses you wear. How do you identify? How does this affect your perspective?

Some lenses you might wear when viewing are: cultural, queer, feminist (gender,) socieo-economic (marxist,) historical, psychoanalytic (freudian and others,) aestheticism, personal mirror, the list goes on. Once you start consuming media this way, it is difficult to just sit back and watch for enjoyment. You will become a more educated viewer. You will wonder how you never realized that so many things were taken from the straight male point of view. You may even have a better understanding of yourself and why you think a certain way even though you may not feel that way.

Up first, my media critique through a feminist lens, the final project for the Communication course as a slideshow with voice-over.  This was created in Canva which is a great tool for digital art of all kinds. You can create video and slideshows with the paid version. It even allows you to use AI to create video and images. As a past obsessed Michael Jackson fan, do I believe what I am saying? You decide.

For your viewing pleasure, here's the original Billie Jean video by Michael Jackson. View for yourself. What do you see? The queer theory media review is below.

Prior to creating the video of Billie Jean through a feminist lens, we had to view a media text through a queer theory lens. Topics were given and I chose Carly Rae Jepsen. Then, we were told to choose a beloved media and do the same. For me, there is no more beloved media than anything by Michael Jackson. They call it queering when you view a media through a queer theory lens. As I reviewed Billie Jean with a queer lens, I began thinking how misogynistic it was and that is what led to the slideshow above. 

Here is my class discussion text for media communications lesson through a queer theory lens:

“Carly Rae Jepsen’s Queer Renaissance” argues that Jepsen's music resonates with queer audiences because it celebrates desire without action. Queer audiences experience this  throughout their lives - the longing for another often without being able to tell anyone or take action. This queer experience is often underrepresented in mainstream culture.

In the article, Michael Waters analyzes Jepsen's songs like "Call Me Maybe," "Boy Problems," and "I Really Really Like You," He says the music allows for diverse interpretations of desire, making her a queer "cult hero.” He says. “Jepsen’s music provides a sense of wholeness for a community often pressured to be out." 

I was intrigued by the idea of Jepsen’s "invisibility" being a strength for a marginalized audience. It can relate to anyone who has felt unseen or shy about striking up a conversation in hopes of a new relationship, but that message connects with a queer audience because they often keep that part hidden.

Waters interrogates normativity in the narrative of pop music. Pop music is often romantically heterosexual, but feelings don’t always lead to action. He reinterprets Jepsen’s lyrics highlighting subtexts to uncover queer meanings that may not be intentional. Jepsen's music focuses on vague "feelings" rather than typical romantic outcomes and the queer community relates as they don’t always feel comfortable expressing their true feelings in public. The “other” may not be receptive to their feelings.

A Marxist theoretical lens would interpret Carly Rae Jepsen's music very differently from a queer theoretical lens. This lens would see pop music as a capitalist entity. The songs are created to generate profit. Therefore, the songs are designed to reach a wider audience to maximize sales. Jepsen or her label would be at the top with her staff, roadies, etc. being the workers.

Of all media texts, I am most familiar with Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" music video. How does it fare under a queer theory analysis? If we disrupt binaries, the primary theme of "Billie Jean" revolves around Michael, a man, being pursued by a woman who claims he is the father of her child. A queer analysis might question this heterosexual framework. Remember, the lyrics say, “Billie Jean is not my lover, she’s just a girl who thinks that I am the one.” But, is Billie Jean really the antagonist, or is she a symbol for something else? What if the "baby" is also a symbol representing a hidden secret that Michael is trying to escape? “But the kid is not my son.” Is he trying to tell us that the kid couldn’t be his son because of his sexuality?

Michael is trying to run away. Is he showing that he is vulnerable and doesn’t want to let anyone see his true self. A queer lens could see this as a metaphor for being "in the closet." Based on interrogative normative, Jackson's persona is unique. He's not really masculine, in fact, he is somewhat non-binary by today’s standards. Perhaps, he is trying to run from the pressure to be more masculine. On the surface, the song's lyrics hint at a paternity scandal. A queer lens could see the baby as a stand-in for something else that society sees as unacceptable. The detective who follows Michael cannot catch him. The "truth" eludes those with a fixed normative understanding.

If you find this post interesting, I'll be posting more articles viewing Gilmore Girls and Ginny & Georgia through different lenses and sharing a little bit more about Media Communications as a high school homeschool lesson. If you want to practice public speaking, check back often for some descriptions and examples of different types of basic speech lessons including Persuasive, Argumentative, and Socratic seminars.

Recommended Reading:

Homeschool Lessons for Middle School and High School

Summer Camp Activities by Adventures of Kids Creative Chaos

Our Lessons on Teachers Pay Teachers 

Turkey Apple Treats After-School Snack Activities for Preschool

Turkey Apple Treats After-School Snack Activities for Preschool

Purchase candy and food items for snack activities for preschool at the Dollar Tree for this easy, preschool Thanksgiving Turkey apple craft for kids. Find more theme snack recipes in our Summer Camp Handbook.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

Use lots of cookies in various shapes and sizes, candy corn, goldfish crackers, candy sprinkles, and icing. I suggest graham crackers to make it a little less like junk food. Chocolate covered fudge stripe cookies became the turkey's base and orange Halloween icing bought on clearance became the 'glue.'

We have lots of activities for preschool. We teach messy and creative play classes. Here is a fun paper, turkey hat using your foot as a pattern.

Recommended Reading:

After-School Snack Cookbook

Edie's Best After School Snacks: Healthy snacks for kids like me!