Children's Digest articles from December 1999

Children's Digest archives from December 1999

Star Pictures.
December 1, 1999... Groups of stars that seem to form a pattern are known as constellations. Many are named for animals or objects. Can you draw a straight line with a white crayon from the dot by each constellation to the dot by the object it represents? If you...

WINTER LAMB.(saving the little lamb)(Short Story)
December 1, 1999... "Here he comes, Mother," called Rebecca from her vantage point on the flat roof. "Good," replied her mother. "Hurry down here, Rebecca, and stir up the coals so that I can reheat the lentils. Sarah, you spread the mat and get the bowls. It...

The Beginnings of Basketball.(playing the first games of basketball)
December 1, 1999... "Devise a game that can be played indoors during the winter months," challenged the athletic director of the training school. James Naismith, one of the tutors at the school, directed a thoughtful gaze at his superior. "A team game?"...

Bodies in Motion: Basketball.(how to play basketball)
December 1, 1999... When you play basketball, your whole body gets a workout. The strength you need to shoot comes from your legs. The energy moves up through your calves to your thighs, which act like springboards, helping your feet to jump off the ground. Only...

Cook a Chinese Meal.
December 1, 1999... There is an old Chinese saying: "When you prepare a dish, you must keep three things in mind: it must be pleasing to the eye; the aroma must be appealing; and it must be appetizing." These recipes have all three of these characteristics. Best...

The Little Bugler.(story of 12-year old boy in the Civil War)
December 1, 1999... The True Story of a Twelve-Year-Old Boy in the Civil War Charge! In the spring of 1861, "war fever" was raging in New York City, and little Gustav Schurmann had a bad case of it. Despite the fearful objections of his dear mother, Gus...

Journey to the Center of the Earth.(Jules Verne's book)(Review)
December 1, 1999... Jules Verne Revised Did you ever dig a hole in your backyard? How deep did you get? Three feet? Five feet? Were you trying to dig your way to the center of the Earth? Well, it's a good thing you did not make it. The inner core of the Earth...

Jokes & Riddles.
December 1, 1999... Question: What illness does a horse fear most? Answer: Hay fever! Nikki Delap Vancouver, Washington Question: What do you get when you put six ducks in a box? Answer: A box of quackers! Dawn Shipley Byron, California ...

A MOUTH FULL OF TOOLS.(the teeth are powerful and help break down the foods we eat)
December 1, 1999... Everyone has to eat to live, and nearly everything we eat has to be broken down before it can be used by our bodies. The teeth are a set of tools that play a very important role in getting food broken down and ready to be digested. Our...

TULIP TIME 2000.
December 1, 1999... Readers of Children's Digest know that exercise and learning are year-round activities. Almost every day our kids have fun exercising and learning something new, and they know it will do them good. But did you know that you can win scholarship...

MAKING BEAUTIFUL MUSIC.(Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia offers some free music classes)
December 1, 1999... For 75 years, students at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have been making beautiful music. Outstanding young musicians from around the world come to the school for a free musical education that will launch them on...

RUNNING TO WIN.(runner Jimmy Penlesky started when he was seven years old)
December 1, 1999... When twelve-year-old Jimmy Penlesky of Bowling Green, Ohio, traveled to Indianapolis in 1993 to compete in the 1600-meter race for a college scholarship, he was prepared. He had been running since age seven, and he also had a strategy. ...

A STORM OR A BATTLE?(Poem)
December 1, 1999... The storm is a battle. The rain is the sound of warriors in giant masses screaming and yelling at the enemy. The lightning is sparks from the clashing of metal swords. The thunder is the sound of ...

COYOTE CRY.(Poem)
December 1, 1999... Coyote is singing, dancing all night long; Jumping, biting, running in the ravine; Eating rabbits and mice on a moonlit night. As it howls for joy or for hunger, Coyote says to the sheep, "Beware....

TREES.(Poem)
December 1, 1999... As the seasons pass, These enormous statues change into new costumes. In the cold, harsh winter, Their bare boughs and branches Stand erect in the cold, freezing wind. During the wet, breezy spring, ...

A Passion for Snowflakes.(Wilson Bentley learned how to take pictures of snowflakes)
December 1, 1999... Wilson lived on a farm in Jericho, Vermont, where the season's snowfall averaged about 10 feet. He had always loved the snow. One winter day when he was 15 years old, his mother showed him the beauty of a snow crystal, or snowflake, through a...

The Shy Iris.(the iris controls amount of light entering the eye)
December 1, 1999... After your bedroom lights were turned off last night, did you notice how quickly your eyes adjusted to the sudden darkness? In just a few moments, you probably were able to see things rather well, even though your room was dark. Just the...

On Beyond a Million.(how to count incredibly high number)
December 1, 1999... An Amazing Math Journey Experimenting with Exponents When the school's popcorn popper goes out of control, the students have more popcorn on hand than they can handle, and an attempt to count the white puffs one at a time is futile....

Why Doesn't My Floppy Disk Flop?(Review)
December 1, 1999... And Other Kids' Computer Questions Answered by the CompuDudes Chips, Bytes, and Mice Like most kids today, you probably know how to use a computer. You can e-mail, surf the 'Net, and master your computer games. You may even be the...

Ask Doctor Cory.
December 1, 1999... Dear Dr. Cory: Why do we have to get vaccines from a needle? Isn't there a different way to get our vaccines? Nicole Anderson Irvine, California Dear Nicole: I can't think of anyone who likes getting an injection or being...

Pedro's Puzzle.
December 1, 1999... Pedro has a trayful of nature's sweet treats. The name in Spanish is shown next to every one. Can you put each Spanish name in the proper squares of the puzzle? Pedro wants you to remember that a plantain, no matter how it looks, is not a...