Hopscotch articles from December 1997

Hopscotch archives from December 1997

A pinch or a dab.(Fannie Farmer's historic 1896 cookbook; includes 1896 peanut cookie recipe)
December 1, 1997... Just think of making cookies without a recipe or having to guess how long a turkey takes to cook. Well, that's what people did a hundred years ago. Some families hand down recipes from generation to generation. Your favorite home-made...

Who's the cook?(poem)
December 1, 1997... I took a cooking lesson From my grandmother. She said to pay attention, So I kept my eyes on her. Her hands worked very quickly, Almost in a blur. She added the ingredients And then began to stir. Before I knew what happened, We were...

Stuck toast.(poem)
December 1, 1997... It never fails; it's just my luck To have my piece of toast get stuck. But toasters must be used with care Because there's danger lurking there. If you forget and poke about With metal forks, there's little doubt Electric charges, seeking...

Patience.(poem)
December 1, 1997... Chocolate ice cream on my dress, I know that I've made quite a mess. Peanut butter in my hair, I think I've spilled food everywhere. I've seen it, but I can't believe That I poured ketchup on my sleeve. And truly I don't have a clue How I got...

A surprise for grandpa.(short story)
December 1, 1997... "What can I do for Grandpa's birthday?" 11-year-old Kelli asked herself. Swinging from her knees on a tree limb, she was giving much thought to the question. "It has to be something special," she muttered, "something to show him how much I...

Table manners. (poem)
December 1, 1997... Elbows off the table, Put both feet on the floor. There's so much to remember. My head is getting sore. Use knives and forks and patience When eating shish kebab. It's all right to use fingers When corn is on the cob. Eat slowly and don't...

The real challenge.(short story)
December 1, 1997... Danielle gripped her pencil and waited anxiously for the signal to begin. She had made it to the finals. There were five students from each fifth grade class to compete for the yearly math award. She felt she could even say the times tables...

Pencil puncture.(plastic bag magic trick)(Science)
December 1, 1997... If I filled a plastic bag with water, and I told you I was going to push a sharp pencil into the bag, what do you think would happen? Get ready to be surprised! WHAT YOU NEED: a plastic "zip-top" sandwich "baggie" a pencil...

My teacher said ....(poem)
December 1, 1997... YOUR PENCIL IS NOT for marking the wall nor for sharpening down till there's nothing at all not for book decorating or poking or chases or tracing initials in prominent places not to rattle for drumsticks like you were a band or tattooing a...

Graham crackers.(invention in 1830 by Rev. Sylvester Graham)
December 1, 1997... Sylvester Graham was a minister who took his crackers very seriously! It was he who invented graham crackers and gave them his name. Rev. Graham thought he had invented the secret to a lifetime of perfect health. He was sure his whole-wheat...

Goody goody.(poem)
December 1, 1997... I like candy; I like cake. I like goodies bakers bake. I like sugar; I like spice. Chocolate donuts taste so nice. I like gumdrops in my hand. I like licorice by the strand. I like gum and gooey stuff, But then again, enough's enough. I like...

Sophia and the Christmas crib.(short story)
December 1, 1997... Sophia hurried up the street, her breath forming white puffy clouds in the cold December air. The lighted window of her grandfather's bakery shop shone like a beacon in the early morning darkness. Sophia stopped and looked in. There, surrounded...

Microwaves are user-friendly.(microwave recipes for kids)
December 1, 1997... With more and more mothers joining the work force, meal preparation is one area in which moms really appreciate help! Microwave meals are quick, easy, and best of all, safe for the young cook to prepare. Metal containers are not...

Kaloolo's frightful night.(short story)
December 1, 1997... In the vast frozen expanse of the Arctic, Kaloolo, the polar bear, called to her three-month-old cub Nokima. "Aroo, aroo!" Kaloolo's distinctive call brought the immediate return of her frisky first-born. She admired how much her little one...

Mona's merry Christmas.(poem)
December 1, 1997... Mona had a silver star; She hung it on her tree. She danced a little dance and said, "So many gift,s for ME! This one's mine and this one too, Three, four, five, six, seven, eight. I've got more gifts than anyone. Oh, I can hardly wait! " That...

The greatest gift.(short story)
December 1, 1997... Nadia held an armful of pine branches and delicate cones with smooth, pointed scales she had collected along the wooded trails that laced her island home as she headed directly for The Longhouse. The wood-and-stone rest home was tucked away on...