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Home : Activity Ideas : Newsletter

2006 Newsletter Quizzes












FAMILIAR PROVERBS QUIZ
(January 2006)

Older family members often pass on advice to the young in the form of proverbs. A proverb is usually a short phrase that contains a bit of wisdom. Where do proverbs come from? How are they passed from one generation to the next? Ask your participants to explain the meaning of each proverb listed below. What kind of lesson or message do the proverbs teach? Give an example of a family situation in which the proverb might apply.
  1. The early bird catches the worm.
  2. Too many cooks spoil the broth.
  3. Don't cry over spilt milk.
  4. A stitch in time saves nine.
  5. Loose lips sink ships.
  6. Put your money where your mouth is.
  7. Variety is the spice of life.
  8. Haste makes waste.
  9. Every cloud has a silver lining.
  10. Look before you leap.
Ask: Are there unique sayings or proverbs you remember hearing as you were growing up? Who said them? When were they repeated? Share proverbs learned from family members. What are some of your favorite family sayings, expressions, or proverbs?






DOG STARS QUIZ
(February 2006)

Dogs have been the main characters in stories. They even show up on the screen and in television shows. Have some fun reminiscing about these famous canines.
  1. The sheepdog in the TV show My Three Sons - Tramp
  2. The German shepherd in The Roy Rogers Show - Bullet
  3. A German shepherd who was the first dog TV star - Rin Tin Tin
  4. The mutt in the comic strip Dennis the Menace - Ruff
  5. The terrier in the TV show Frasier - Eddie
  6. The sled dog in the book about the North, The Call of the Wild - Buck
  7. The dog in the comic strip Little Orphan Annie - Sandy
  8. The bloodhound in the TV show The Beverly Hillbillies - Duke
  9. The terrier in the Lil' Rascals films - Pete the Pup
  10. The terrier in the film The Wizard of Oz - Toto
Take a poll among your group and staff members and ask: Name some favorite dog (or pet) names.








FAVORITE COMEDIANS QUIZ
(March 2006)

Have you ever had a heartfelt laughing spell? Over the years, many gifted comedians have entertained us with their comedy routines via radio and television Ask: Who's your favorite comedian? Take a poll among your group to determine the top five comedians of the 20th century. Quiz participants on popular American comics.

  1. "Cheapskate" radio and TV comedian who always claimed he was 39 - Jack Benny
  2. He played the fast-talking Master Sgt. Ernie Bilko - Phil Silvers
  3. This husband and wife eneded their routines with the line, "Say good-night, Gracie." - George Burns and Gracie Allen
  4. Your Show of Shows star - Sid Caesar
  5. Nicknamed "the Schnoz" - Jimmy Durante
  6. Charlie McCarthy was his sidekick - Edgar Bergen
  7. Silent film comedian known as "The Great Stone Face" - Buster Keaton
  8. The Nutty Professor and Dean's sidekick - Jerry Lewis
  9. Comedienne who joked about her facelifts and husband "Fang" - Phyllis Diller
  10. "Our Miss Brooks" wisecracking English teacher - Eve Arden
  11. "Strange things are happening" on his variety show - Red Buttons
  12. The Court Jester star with witty song-and-dance routines - Danny Kaye
  13. She played Ethel Mertz, Lucy's sidekick - Vivian Vance
  14. Original host of The Tonight Show - Steve Allen
  15. "Mister Television" - Milton Berle







WHO'S WHO AMONG OLDER ADULTS QUIZ
(April 2006)

Older adults play a valuable role in families and contribute in significant ways to the community at large. Talk about influential older Americans such as coaches, mentors, tutors, statesmen, elders, and deacons. Then quiz your group on people who have achieved success and recognition later in life. Read each statement below and ask your participants to name the man or woman who fits the description.
  1. At age 76, he won an Oscar for Best Actor in On Golden Pond. Henry Fonda
  2. At age 76, he became the oldest person to go into space. (Hint: He flew on the space shuttle.) John Glenn
  3. This popular American folk artist, known for primitives, started painting in her 70s. Grandma Moses
  4. He was the longest-serving Chief Justice of the 20th century (from 1986-2005). William Rehnquist
  5. This former movie star was the oldest man elected to the office of U.S. president. Ronald Reagan (at age 69)
  6. This former first lady was a delegate to the first session of the United Nations while in her 60s. Eleanor Roosevelt
  7. This Protestant TV evangelist was still holding crusades in his late 80s. Billy Graham
  8. This cigar-puffing American comedian and actor continued his long career into his 90s. George Burns
  9. At age 87, this poet recited "The Gift Outright" at John F. Kennedy's inauguration in 1961. Robert Frost
  10. This former U.S. president won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 at age 78. Jimmy Carter







AMTRAK TOUR QUIZ
(May 2006)

Amtrak took over passenger rail service in the early 1970s. Today, Amtrak passenger trains serve major cities across the United States. It's time to book your trip! Your group is about to board an Amtrak passenger train to a destination in the U.S. Name the landmark or tourist attraction and ask members what city they will be visiting.

  1. Liberty Bell - Philadelphia
  2. Sears Tower - Chicago
  3. Disney World and Epcot Center - Orlando
  4. The Smithsonian Institution museums - Washington, D.C.
  5. The Martin Luther King Center - Atlanta
  6. Hollywood - Los Angeles
  7. Ellis Island - New York City
  8. Bunker Hill - Boston
  9. Space Needle - Seattle
  10. The Gateway Arch - St. Louis







ICE CREAM TRIVIA QUIZ
(June 2006)

Ice cream is an all-time favorite dessert. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month. Reminisce with your group about eating ice cream treats on a hot summer day. Relive the days of making homemade ice cream in the 1930s using a hand-cranked ice cream churn and an icebox with rock salt. Or, share memories of a 1940s ice cream parlor, or visiting Dairy Queen for soft ice cream from a drive-in restaurant. Survey your group to find out flavor and topping preferences. Conduct a taste test or two! Have fun with the following ice cream trivia quiz, taken from the ElderSong book Mind Joggers, Volume 2, by Sandy Minor.

  1. What is the person who prepares sodas and ice cream at a soda fountain called? - Soda jerk
  2. What is Neapolitan ice cream? - Brick ice cream in layers of different flavors, usually vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry
  3. Pie with ice cream is called what? - Pie a la mode
  4. Who is the "Good Humor Man"? - The person who sells Good Humor ice cream from carts or trucks that go into people's neighborhoods
  5. What are the ingredients of homemade ice cream? - Eggs, cream, milk, sugar, flavoring
  6. Complete this song title: "I Scream, You Scream, . . ."? - " . . .We All Scream for Ice Cream"
  7. What is a double dip? ? - Two dips of ice cream per cone or dish
  8. When was the ice cream cone invented? - At the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair; a vendor who had run out of dishes rolled up a Persian waffle and filled it with ice cream
  9. Name some packaged ice cream treats. - Dixie cups, ice cream bars, ice cream sandwiches, ice cream drumsticks, Klondikes, Dove Bars
  10. A prepared food having the consistency of custard but made from cultured milk and sometimes sweetened, flavored, and frozen is called what? - Yogurt







    11. THE COUNTY FAIR QUIZ
    (July 2006)

    Fairs and food seem to go together. Sample some baked goods from the fair with your group. Serve pie, cookies, cake, donuts, muffins, or dumplings. Enjoy some freshly squeezed lemonade or iced tea. Add some honky tonk country music (try George Jones, Kitty Wells, Hank Williams, or Willie Nelson), and your group will be ready to uncover some treasured moments from the event! Here are some sample recall questions from "The County Fair" exercise found in the ElderSong book, Remembering: Recall and Reminiscence Exercises for Memory-Impaired Older Adults by Dace Teegardin

    1. The county fair usually takes place in the season of _____. (summer)
    2. The children love the ride with the beautiful painted horses and calliope music; the ride is called the _____ __ _____. - (merry-go-round or carousel)
    3. Oddities of all sorts can be seen at the _____. (sideshows)
    4. You could win a whole set of carnival glasses just for pitching _____. (pennies)
    5. The sticky pink sweet stuff that is spun around a paper cone is known as _____ _____. (cotton candy)
    6. Some people take their prize hogs and bulls to have them judged at the _____ _____. (livestock show)
    7. Often a county fair will feature a show of cowboys roping horses and calves; this show is known as a _____. (rodeo)
    8. In the evening there is always a music show at the _____. (grandstand)
    9. We go to see the blue ribbon winners at the 4-H _____. (exhibits)
    10. Screams and shouts are always heard coming from the _____ _____. (fun house)







    NICKNAMES FOR GRANDPARENTS WORD SCRAMBLE
    (August 2006)

    Gather vintage family photographs of your group members posing with their parents and grandparents. Have participants guess who's who. The one with the most correct guesses wins a prize. Ask if anybody grew up in a multigenerational household. Encourage group members to share memories of visits to Grandma's house. Ask: What special activities did you enjoy with your grandparents? Has the role of grandparent changed over the years? Chat about special names for grandparents. Have fun unscrambling the anagrams below.
    1. Gammy - mmagy
    2. Gamps - psmag
    3. Gram - ramg
    4. Gammymmagy
    5. Gammy - mmagy
    6. GiGi - ggii
    7. Pappy - yappp
    8. Pop - opp
    9. Granddad - nargddda
    10. Paw Paw - wap awp
    11. Gramps - smarpg
    12. MeMaw - mwaem
    13. Nana - aann
    14. Granny - narngy
    15. Maw Maw - wam wam
    16. Grandpa - pagdnar







    MOO, COW, MOO! TRIVIA QUIZ
    (September 2006)

    Dairy farms have undergone many changes in the last fifty years. Invite a local dairy farm family to talk about a typical day on a dairy farm. Explain the process of getting milk from a milking parlor to a dairy processing plant. Children can show pictures of their dairy cow breeds such as Holstein and Guernsey. Sample dairy products that come from milk - cheese, ice cream, and yogurt. Chat about the origin of the Dairy Queen Store. Challenge your participants with a trivia quiz titled "Moo, Cow, Moo!" found in the ElderSong book, Mind Joggers, Volume 1, by Sandy Minor.
    1. A place where dairy products are processed and sold is called what? Creamery
    2. Name the part of whole milk that is rich in butterfat. Cream
    3. The liquid left after churning butter from milk is called what? Buttermilk
    4. What is a milkmaid? A girl or woman who milks cows or works in a dairy
    5. What was the name of the cow pictured on Borden's milk products? Elsie
    6. An individual serving of butter in a restaurant is called what? A pat
    7. What two states are the nation's highest dairy producers? Wisconsin and California
    8. The Chicago fire in 1871 was blamed on what? Mrs. O'Leary's cow
    9. Cheese gets better with what? Age
    10. What does the slang term "milk run" mean? A routine trip or undertaking presenting little danger or difficulty







    MUSIC TRIVIA QUIZ
    (October 2006)

    Today’s older adults were introduced to many types of music and various singers through radio, records, and movies. Singing, dancing, playing/listening to music became favorite pastimes. Reminisce about styles of music in the 20th century and artists associated with them. Examples: blues - Bessie Smith jazz - Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington Big Band/swing - Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey. Teen singing idols in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s will generate some interest among your participants. Mention these heartthrobs of schoolgirls and bobbysoxers - Rudy Vallee, Frank Sinatra, and Elvis - and you're likely to hear a few giggles. Challenge your group to some music trivia, taken from the I Hear Music activity guide, then serve a cake decorated with music notes.
    1. What is the piano's complete name? Pianoforte
    2. From what city did the Grand Ole Opry originate? Nashville, Tennessee
    3. What is the formal name for the fiddle? Violin
    4. What big band trumpeter's theme song was "Ciribiribin"? Harry James
    5. What did Kate Smith say at the beginning of her radio shows? "Hello, Everybody"
    6. What did Arthur and Kathryn Murray teach? Ballroom dancing
    7. What patriotic song mentions macaroni? "Yankee Doodle"
    8. What singing sisters sang "Beer Barrel Polka" and "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy"? Andrews Sisters
    9. Ragtime music was a forerunner to what musical style? Jazz
    10. What city will always be associated with the singer Tony Bennett? San Francisco







    IMAGININGS - MIND STRETCHERS
    (November 2006)

    The New Year is a good time to exercise the mind as well as the body. Many word games stretch the imagination and boost creativity. Ask group members to share their responses to the following fantasies from an exercise titled "Imaginings," taken from the ElderSong book, More Mind Stretchers, by Beckie Karras.

    1. If you wanted to whistle a happy tune, what would you whistle?
    2. If you could choose a famous author to write your biography, who would you ask?
    3. If you were going to choose a new pet, what kind of animal would you get?
    4. If you went to Mardi Gras in New Orleans, what costume would you wear?
    5. If you could teach a subject in high school, which one would you like to teach?
    6. If you could change your first or last name, what would you like to be called?
    7. If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
    8. If you could read someone else's mind, what would you do with the information?
    9. If you could have been born in another country, which one would you like that to be?
    10. If you could throw three coins in that famous fountain in Italy, what would you wish for?







    ALASKA TRIVIA QUIZ
    (December 2006)

    Nature lovers and snow buffs will enjoy talking about The Last Frontier - Alaska. Challenge your group to an Alaskan trivia quiz.

    1. In what year did Alaska become a state? 1959
    2. What is the capital of Alaska? Juneau
    3. What is the famous Iditarod, held in March each year? Dog sled race
    4. What is the largest city in Alaska? Anchorage
    5. To what does Klondike fever refer? Gold Rush in late 1800s
    6. What is another nickname for Alaska that refers to the amount of daylight there? Land of the Midnight Sun
    7. What do Alaskan bush pilots do? Carry mail, deliver supplies and freight, transport passengers to and from remote areas of the state
    8. The tallest mountain in North America is located in Alaska. Name it. Mt. McKinley
    9. What is the state fish of Alaska? King salmon
    10. What is a musher? Driver of dog sled team











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    The ElderSong online newsletter is written by Sue Hansen.
    Copyright © 2006, ElderSong Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.



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