Hopscotch articles from June 1998

Hopscotch archives from June 1998

Treasure on the beach.(short story)
June 1, 1998... "Quick, grab the end of the banner, Elizabeth," the lifeguard shouted. A strong gust of wind from the ocean was whipping it about like the tail of a kite. The banner was advertising: CRAFT SALE - JULY 2 - 5, SURF BEACH SQUARE After...

I watched the ocean shrink.(poem)
June 1, 1998... I watched the ocean shrink today. It backed away from me. It left a trail of dampened sand As far as I could see. I followed it a thousand feet To learn the ocean's plan. The waves rushed in and out to play....

"Fishing" you a happy birthday.(children's craft project)
June 1, 1998... Here's an easy to make pop-out card filled with happy birthday "fishes." MATERIALS: * Paper: dark blue (stiff paper works best - approx. 7" x 9"), light blue, yellow, and white (or choose your own colors) * Scissors, glue,...

The best mother duck.(short story)
June 1, 1998... One morning Lucy took a bowl of cold oatmeal to the barnyard. "Duck, duck, duck!" she called. Jake waddled up from the pond alone. "Where's Queenie?" Lucy asked, but Jake was too busy gobbling to listen. "Duck, duck, duck!" called Lucy. She...

Guess the name of this game.
June 1, 1998... Eight blocks up and eight blocks back Toss a tiny piece of rock Into a square (don't hit a line), Then hop each block until you find The square that holds your teeny rock And pick it up, with one leg up, As...

Polka dot legs.(poem)
June 1, 1998... I have a million mosquito bites So my legs are a polka dot mess. If all those mosquitoes had bitten my clothes, Would I now have a polka dot dress? I wouldn't mind polka dot socks or shoes. Dotted shorts would suit...

A mosquito's meal ...... you!(mosquito's habits and characteristics explained)
June 1, 1998... You're playing tag with some friends when you hear a soft, buzzing sound. Suddenly -- ouch! You've been bitten by a mosquito. Have you ever wondered why mosquitoes bite people? Most female mosquitoes need a meal of blood before they can...

Science: how to melt a marshmallow. (experiment to demonstrate heat of sun using marshmallows)
June 1, 1998... When the weather got really hot in the summertime, my mother used to say, "It is so hot today I could fry an egg on the sidewalk." Does the weather ever really get that hot? Try something easier than frying an egg. Try melting a...

Spider limerick.(poem)
June 1, 1998... There once was a spider whose mission Was to become a mathematician. So she took her straight lines, Angled and curved them into designs. Now she's known as a geometrician.

The phantom bakers of Barnaby Street.(short story)
June 1, 1998... Nine-year-old Becky Petroski plopped onto the top step outside their little brick apartment building on Barnaby Street. "I'm bored," she complained, flipping her blond pigtails back over her shoulders. "There's nothing fun to do around...

Becky and Deborah's raisin cookies(recipe)
June 1, 1998... In BOWL ONE put: * 3/4 cup honey or maple syrup (or any combination of the two that equals 3/4 cup) * 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce * 2 raw eggs * 1 teaspoon vanilla Mix well with wooden spoon or other sturdy spoon....

Wondering.(poem)
June 1, 1998... Did you ever wonder why clocks have hands or why tables have legs but can't run? Did you ever wonder what ears of corn hear or what a hummingbird hums? What do you think made crab grass...

There's nothing to do!(poem)
June 1, 1998... Read a book Take a hike Sing a song Ride your bike Plant a flower Watch a bee Do a dance Draw a tree Fly a kite Swim a lake Pet your dog Bake a cake Play a game Catch...

When disaster strikes....(short story)
June 1, 1998... Stacey brushed the sand off her navy blue T-shirt revealing the words, I SURVIVED THE FLOOD OF SUMMER '93. She grabbed another bag for her dad to fill with sand and glanced toward the backyard. It was completely under water now. It's a good thing...

Rhyme time.(writing poetry)
June 1, 1998... Finish each verse with two words that rhyme. Tall is to short, As hot is to --. You can have silver. I'd rather have --. Black is to white, As light is to --. I study at school. I play in the --. ...

Dreaming.(poem)
June 1, 1998... I like to dream of many things: A rose that blooms, a bird that sings, Of stars that shine and fill the sky, And summer days which idle by. My sister also has her dreams Of waterfalls and gentle streams, Of...

Fraction-nition.(word puzzle)
June 1, 1998... A fraction-nition is a puzzle that has a hidden word or phrase in it. The puzzle may be a new word, a daffy definition, an old friend, or a complete surprise. Working on the puzzle lets you practice your reading, math, and printing skills all at...

Summer evenings.(poem)
June 1, 1998... There is something magical About playing with friends On a summer evening, After supper. Tag is more exciting. Hide and seek, a bit more special In the evening, In the summer, After supper.

Summer in the park.(word problem)
June 1, 1998... One beautiful, sunny, summer morning three cousins named Spring, Summer, and Duanna decided to spend a day at the park with their grandmother Debbie. They left home at 8:30 AM and had to walk 10 blocks to get to the park. They played on the...

Just a girl.(short story)
June 1, 1998... Halima and her younger brother Ahmad scratched in the dirt with sticks. The tall houses of their Yemeni village blended into the mountainside. White-rimmed windows stared past the children down a giant staircase of terraced fields. Ahmad...