Everyone knows that it is hard to find good things that are truly free. To find something that is free and could make you smarter at the same time, well, that’s a real trick. But don’t give up - there are a few websites out there that provide free mind games. Actual experts, who want to help boost your IQ and make you smarter, have designed these games. The science magazine Discover has a great site with three free brain building mini games.

The site behind these games is lumosity.com.  It claims to give your brain a workout in just 10 minutes a day.  However, the website also is quick to point out that our brains slow down as we grow older, the process that can start as early as the tender age of 30.

You can try three sample games that are really challenging.  One is Moneycomb, which forces players to remember where differently valued coins are placed on a grid game.  At the lower levels, it’s fairly easy. However, if you want a high score, this memory game becomes very demanding.

The second free game is called Speed Match and it is quite fun. In some ways the game couldn’t be any simpler: You watch different objects as they appear on the screen, and then answer one simple “yes” or “no” question. That question and the core of the game is this:- “is this object the same as the last one?” You are judged on accuracy and speed.  With some practice, it is possible to build up both.

The last game is Word Bubbles. It gives you three random letters and then awards points for the number of words you can spell in an allotted time using these letters. The concept behind these games is that of neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to reorganize itself based on new experiences, bolstering the process of learning, memory, and adaptation of newly acquired knowledge.

At Lumosity.com, there are many other brain training games that are available for a nominal subscription of $6 per month. The additional categories include: attention, focus, language, visual perception, fluid intelligence, stress, reaction time, spatial reasoning, problem solving and “general health.” If the three free trial games that cover the categories of language, processing speed, and memory are any indication, then Lumosity might be worth playing – at any age.

During his presidential campaign, Barack Obama has been advocating increasing  art education. He  noted that children who are encouraged to study art in school perform at an overall higher academic level. “In addition to giving our children the science and math skills they need to compete in the new  global context, we should also encourage the ability to think creatively that comes from a meaningful arts education,” he said. “Unfortunately, many school districts are cutting instructional time for art and music education.”

Watch video link of Obama discussing arts education at a town meeting on April 2, 2008

Numerous extensive tests in recent decades have clearly shown that children who study arts when they are young become not only more creative and intelligent later in life, but they also have higher IQs.

In fact, a person’s creative ability is often a core component used in measuring IQ.  President Obama is advocating the creation of an “Artist Corps” that is sent into low-income schools to promote arts curriculum and education.

The President has pointed out that such programs require very little financial backing and will undoubtedly yield major long-term benefits. The relatively low cost of arts education is a major selling point and bodes well that these types of programs will be implemented, despite the current economic conditions.

The jury is still out on whether or not Omega-3 can make you smarter, but there does seem to be a great deal of research indicating that  this essential fatty acid protects your brain. On the other hand, rot getting the right foods in your diet might endanger your overall brain health.

Knowing that Omega-3 boosts the brain power, it’s only logical that eating more foods  rich in  this nutrient  could be beneficial to your cerebral health. Why not try to have an optimally functioning brain? It certainly can’t hurt.

Given Omega-3’s  brain-related benefits, doctors are using it to treat depression and other psychiatric disorders. Some  physicians believe that the lack of  this fatty acid in our diet could be at the heart – no pun intended - of many psychiatric conditions.

So what foods are a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids? Coldwater fish such as salmon, sardines and tuna all have Omega-3; the best pick is wild Alaskan salmon as it has lower levels of mercury than farm raised salmon or tuna.  Other sources of this healthful polyunsaturated nutrient include walnuts and flax seeds.  Flax seed oil is a particularly easy way to make sure you are getting your daily requirement of Omega-3. The bottom line is that balanced nutrition plays a key role in our physical and mental well-being.

SIMPLY CHARLY, the renowned educational web portal, announces a new application for Apple’s popular iPhone that will bring  its wealth of information to users everywhere. 

Users have been making SIMPLY CHARLY one of the web’s top research sites since it debuted in 2007.

Now, with the launch of the  SIMPLY CHARLY IPHONE APPLICATION, 
subscribers can harness the website’s  extensive info base anywhere, anytime.

“We’re thrilled to make our huge  database available to mobile users on the go,” said Charles Carlini, president and CEO of SIMPLY CHARLY.  ”The marriage of SIMPLY CHARLY and the Apple iPhone 
makes it even easier for subscribers to just point, click and learn.  It’s an exciting combination!

”

Once installed, SIMPLY CHARLY’S new iPhone application will bring the website’s acclaimed interface to users across the street or around the globe. Subscribers can read news, the latest book reviews, search 
the site’s vast knowledge base of legendary artists, writers, scientists and thinkers, and shop for signature goods. All in the palms of their hands.

The new SIMPLY CHARLY IPHONE APPLICATION will be available as a free download beginning in late January . Simply click the ‘App Store’ widget on your iPhone, and search for SIMPLY CHARLY.

SIMPLY CHARLY
 Where Great Minds Think (and Learn) Online

SIMPLY CHARLY, the popular web portal known for its exclusive, indepth interviews with the world’s leading authors and scholars,  re-launches today with an updated look and a streamlined user interface.

Because of these compelling interviews and profiles of legendary writers, artists, scientists, and thinkers, the most current book reviews, news, podcasts, videos, and brain-teasing quizzes to test visitors’ knowledge, inquisitive web users have been making SIMPLY CHARLY their ‘go-to’ info hub since 2007.

Now, with the launch of the updated SIMPLY CHARLY,  learning about the great  historical figures of the world – like Einstein, Mozart, Shakespeare, Hemingway, and Freud, to name just a few - got even easier. Just point, click and learn!

“Our fun and engaging web site received more than a face-lift. We’ve improved our ability to serve our core audience,” said Charles Carlini, president and CEO of SIMPLY CHARLY.  ”In addition to providing visitors with useful, free information, Internet users can now read the latest news, book reviews, and so much more captivating content. We’ve also implemented an interactive web E-Store, so our subscribers can bring the learning home with just the click of a mouse.”

SIMPLY CHARLY goes live in its new format today at www.simplycharly.com. Log-on today to see what the buzz is about.

This may be some bad news for our Simply Charly readers that are heading off to college in the fall…an article in the US News & World Report suggests that it may be best for your grades if you are an early bird and take your classes in the morning. According to research collected after surveying 824 psychology students about their sleep habits, those that were the better performers were the ones who had not stayed up until the early hours of the morning and slept until afternoon.

The article does provide tips to develop good sleeping habits for those of you who are simply not morning people:

• Be consistent - Make the attempt to go to bed and awake at the same time every day, even on weekends and in the summer. 
• Become a morning person - Two to three weeks before the semester starts, begin getting up and out of the house. Exposing yourself to the sunlight helps set your internal clock.
• Schedule your classes with care - Be aware that you are likely to turn into an evening person when you go to college. Don’t schedule 8am classes just because you are used to getting up early for high school…that will likely change. Give yourself time to get adjusted.
• Compensate - If you do have early classes, schedule some time in the afternoon to study, while you are still fully awake. Don’t wait until the evening, when you will likely be tired or have other activities scheduled. And avoid all night study sessions.

Being a freshman in college is very different from being a senior in high school. The freedom and independence may hit you all at once and can be overwhelming. The key is to be in control of the situation and arrange your schedule in the way that best fits you.

Happy learning!

According to an article in Time, students in a rural New Mexico school have been equipped with mp3 players in an effort to incorporate a new tool into the classroom. The mp3 players will allow the students to watch videos and listen to lectures recommended by the teachers and other students. The students are encouraged to link up during class hours, on their bus rides to and from school, and while they are on school trips.

We all know this as podcasting, and this experiment is an agreement between the school and Microsoft. The teachers get a bonus for lessons that identify 20 downloadable lectures that support what they are teaching in class and for developing 5 of their own. Microsoft is collecting data on how the study works, and also gets to showcase their brand to the schools. 

Of course, with an mp3 player comes responsibility. The students had to agree to not download anything that would be offensive and adhere to the “grandma rule”: don’t download anything that their grandmothers would find inappropriate. The teachers have designated certain areas, “no mp3 player” zones, and students must turn off their players when asked.

Bravo to this community for incorporating another tool into the learning process!

Happy learning!

Simply Charly continues to grow! We’ve added lots of new features and sites and wanted to point you to some of these new interesting features!

Have you visited the Simply Charly Interviews site? Here, esteemed scholars share their views on the historical icons found on Simply Charly. Colin McGinn, distinguished professor of philosophy at the University of Miami, dissects the philosophy of Shakespeare’s plays; Dr. Tamas Pataki, Honorary Senior Fellow in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Melbourne, Australia, analyzes the psyche of Sigmund Freud; and Dr. Michio Kaku, professor of theoretical physics at the City University of New York, explains Einstein’s genius. There are many other profound and engaging reads on the Interviews site; click the link and have a read.

If you are looking for a good discussion, join the Simply Charly Wiki board. Here the topics range, and you are free to express your opinions on the arts and historical figures, among other things. You can also post questions and get answers from experts here…it’s a great way to do research!

Of course, there are always the Simply Charly sites highlighting the historical icons. From Simply Chaplin to Simply Einstein, these sites offer insight and information on your favorite icons. New sites are added all the time, with Simply Fellini just being added and Simply Darwin coming soon. Check back often to see the changes happen!

Stop by the Simply Charly store to purchase items to wear and/or display your favorite icon. And as always, don’t forget to take the Simply Charly poll (found on every page) and sign up for the Simply Charly e-newsletter.

Happy learning!

Heads down, pencils up! It’s that time of year to begin preparation for those high school standardized tests. The level of emphasis placed on these exams is controversial; but the tests exist and educators have to prepare students to be engaged during the process. The following are just a few tips to help:

• Make test preparation fun—turn the test preparation into competitions. Break your class up into teams and playing games, i.e., a version of “Who Wants to Be A Millionaire” based on test questions. 
• Build stamina by encouraging students to read and write during block periods of time during class. Gradually increase the time, and provide reading material that the students are interested in.
• Simulate actual exams. This is probably the best preparation tip. Get the students acclimated by simulating the actual environment they will be testing in, preferably on a daily basis.
• Build the students’ vocabulary. Introduce new words and their meanings daily.

All of this information and more can be found in an excellent article, “Preparing High School Students for Standardized Exams” on the Scholastic Web site. The most important thing to remember is that test preparation is consistent and on-going; it cannot be crammed into a week before the actual test. Helping the students learn methodologies and strategies over the course of the school year will help them in the long run better than trying to cram several lessons into a short time period.

Happy learning!

Hailed by the New York Times as “…the ultimate impressionist: She does people’s souls,” Anna Deavere Smith is a Tony Award winning and Pulitzer Prize nominated actress, playwright, and professor. Ms. Smith is probably best known for her “documentary theatre” style works, often taking on multiple characters in her one-woman shows…

Which leads Simply Charly to this extremely engaging and captivating TEDTalks video. Ms. Smith brings to life four very different American people, in four very different situations, bringing their stories to the audience in a way that is captivating. Pay not so much attention to the “impression” but to the words of each story. Ms. Smith remains very true to the essence of each person and allows each character’s unique aura to pour forth from her…an amazing performance!

Happy learning!