Science is, indeed, a "girl thing." Here’s a listing of useful Web sites and research on the most effective practices in after-school programs.

Kids’ Carpentry is a year-round after school program designed especially for boys and girls, kindergarten through the sixth grade. Since 1982 we have been teaching kids the safe use of woodworking hand tools. Children work together and independently on boats, trucks, bird feeders, clocks, doll furniture, airplanes, games and many other projects. In addition to the fun these kids have, they also gain quality experiences in measuring, applied mathematics such as fractions, and hands-on experience with a variety of carpentry tools. By visualizing, planning and building projects, children develop valuable abstract reasoning capabilities and fine motor skills. Children can select from a wide range of project choices supplied by the teacher and are also encouraged to design and build based on their own needs and imaginations. Our Socratic style of teaching empowers the children to become good problem-solvers and independent thinkers!

Is a trip to the zoo a luxury or an important learning opportunity? A new National Research Council report stresses that trips and TV documentaries can significantly contribute to scientific understanding. Such settings and programs may also support academic gains for young people from groups historically underrepresented in science.

The Arts Action Center has a range of resources to take action on behalf of the arts. You can check the latest arts policy issues and find tools to identify and communicate
effectively with local, state, and federal elected representatives and media outlets.

The President's budget and the House Committee on Appropriations have no more federal funding for Parent Information Resource Centers (PIRCs) and Arts in Education programs (AIE). The National PTA urges calls to the Senate to restore federal dollars for programs essential for meeting NCLB standards.

Building kites, drawing, creating an on-line community—these are some of the ways that young survivors of Hurricane Katrina are expressing themselves as part of their healing process. Martha Pitts reports on art therapy programs that are helping kids rebound.

There's new evidence that when arts are nurtured in schools, learning thrives as well. This three-year study, published by the Arts Education Partnership, looks at 10 elementary, middle, and high schools serving economically disadvantaged students in urban and rural that have used the arts to effectively transform their curriculum and culture. The term "Third Space" describes the positive and supportive relationships that develop among students, educators, and the community when they are involved in creating, performing, or responding to works of art.

Powerful emotions like anger can become a major roadblock to learning. Art therapy is one approach to helping kids manage those feelings and be successful. Letitia Star reports on an art therapy program in Chicago.

Karen Dorame has spent the past few years teaching professional photographers something about seeing how to see the beauty in every child. She includes some helpful tips for taking pictures of children with special needs. David Wilkening reports on Dorame's foundation, Special Kids Photography.