Highlights for Children articles from April 2009

Highlights for Children archives from April 2009

Read poems out loud.(Fun This Month)(Rain Me a Poem)(Poem)
April 1, 2009... It's National Poetry Month! Practice reading poems aloud-ones you write yourself or ones you find in a book. Here's a poem to get you started. Rain Me a Poem By Marian Sneider My mind is a thirsty garden. I wait... ...

Time to dance!(Fun This Month)
April 1, 2009... In honor of World Dance Day (April 29), hold a dance party! Try out traditional dance steps, and invent new moves. Play games like Freeze Dance (everyone freezes when the music stops) and Follow the (Dancing) Leader. Serve veggies and chips...

5 tips for enjoying wildlife.(Fun This Month)
April 1, 2009... 1. With your parents' help, set up a bird feeder. 2. Learn the names of local trees. 3. Close your eyes, and listen to bird songs. 4. Watch for frogs, toads, and salamanders on rainy nights. 5. Write your observations in a...

Unknot the kites.(Fun This Month)(National Kite Month)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Kammi, Kris, Kevin, and Koko are flying kites in honor of National Kite Month. Figure out who is flying each kite in the picture above. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

State of mystery.(Fun This Month)
April 1, 2009... On April 22, 1889, the government held a "land rush" for people to settle in this state. Which state was it? Answer: Oklahoma

Find the pictures.(Fun This Month)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Can you find each of these 10 pictures at another place in this magazine? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Draw some tiny creatures!(Dear Readers)(poem entitled 'They')
April 1, 2009... I'm so glad that it's time again to invite you to illustrate a poem (page 11). We know that many of you enjoy drawing, and we think you'll really like the poem we chose for you. The poem, titled "They," is about mysterious two-inch-tall...

Easter's Coming.(Poem)
April 1, 2009... Easter's Coming Through the sunshine, through the shadow, down the hillside, down the meadow, little streams run bright and merry, bursting with the news they carry, singing, shouting, ...

Goofus and Gallant.(Cartoon)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Goofus distracts the driver. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "I know--I'm late," says Goofus. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "I felt like Goofus when I didn't let my brother play tag with...

[Cartoon].(Cartoon)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "I was celebrating Earth Day."

Word-web scrambler.
April 1, 2009... Follow the lines and use all of the letters to create a familiar word. One letter is used twice. Hint: It's the best kind of "ship" of all. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Friendship.

Ashlee Smith.(Gallant Kids: There's some of Goofus and Gallant in us all. When the Gallant shines through, we show our best self.)
April 1, 2009... Several years ago, Ashlee Smith's house caught on fire. "Firemen put out the fire, but our toys were damaged by smoke and had to be thrown away," Ashlee says. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A Call to Action Two years later, nine-year-old...

The biggest April Fool.(Ask Arizona)(Short story)
April 1, 2009... Dear Arizona, Every year, my dad outsmarts me with a trick on April Fools' Day. I want this to be the year that I out-fool the fooler. Do you have any super-sneaky ideas?--Just Fooling in Florida [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Just...

Your favorite sounds!
April 1, 2009... Sounds can be exciting, relaxing, or satisfying. They can remind you of a particular person or place. Many of you described your favorite sounds so well that we could almost hear them! One of my favorite sounds is ice cubes clacking against...

You illustrate the poem!(They)(Poem)
April 1, 2009... Read the poem below. Who are They and what do They look like? You show us! Illustrate a scene From this poem. We must receive your work by May 1, 2009, to consider it for publication. They I don't know their names, But...

The leaky robot.(Short story)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Bing! Bong! Mr. Moon hurried to answer the doorbell. Few people visited his little house by the lake. Who could it be? "Hello. I am Zap. I am your new robot." Green lights flashed across the robot's chest....

The race is on!(Hidden Pictures[R])
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In this big picture, find the mushroom, bowl, funnel, sailboat, candle, nail, slice of pie, toothbrush, fish, teacup, celery, swan, saucepan, spatula, kite, hammer, handbell, and bird. Can you find these Hidden...

Jokes.
April 1, 2009... Doctor: Here is a joke book. Patient: That won't cure my cold! Doctor: Laughter is the best medicine. Toh Ting Xuan, Singapore Three men went camping in the desert. One brought food, one brought water, and the third brought a...

Charoset.(Recipe)
April 1, 2009... Charoset Ask an adult for help. 1. Peel, core, and chop three apples into small chunks. 2. Add 1/2 cup of raisins. 3. Add 1 cup of chopped walnuts. 4. In a bowl, mix the chopped fruit and nuts with 1/2 cup of grape...

Backyard bunnies: one spring, I found a surprise in my yard.(Short story)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The grass had grown tall in the warm spring sun. I noticed a strange pile of grass and fur near my porch. Suddenly it moved! It was a nest. When I looked closer, I saw three animals sleeping inside. Each was the...

My Dog Is a Polar Bear!(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
April 1, 2009... My Dog is a Polar Bear! Chloe is a polar bear, a little flea bite. She's small with two black spots, and the rest is white. She's sweet and nice and fills me with joy, even though sometimes she thinks my...

Spring.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
April 1, 2009... Spring Blue sky, warm sun, animals waking up from their winter nap, pink, purple, and yellow flowers blossoming, trees green with leaves. Ross Hamilton, Age 6 Ontario, Canada

Flower Garden.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
April 1, 2009... Flower Garden Flowers love. Flowers hear. Flowers smile with joy. Grow, grow, grow, Reaching and swinging your arms, Eating the rain, Falling, Falling, Falling From the sky. Lauren...

Slead dog.(Your Own Pages)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mazzy Hermes, Age 6 Montana

Big/Small.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
April 1, 2009... Big/Small Big is like the sky Planets and Milky Way Like the clouds that travel On the wind. Small things are like raindrops Like snowflakes on your tongue Tiny dust particles That linger in the air....

What to Do on the Playground.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
April 1, 2009... What to Do on the Playground What should I do? Go down a curvy slide? Or take a swinging ride? Pretend I'm a monkey? What about the glider? That's pretty funky! How about the rock-climbing wall? Or...

Forest after a windstorm!(Your Own Pages)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jacob Begich, Age 5 Alaska

The Clown.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
April 1, 2009... The Clown The clown was funny. He squished his red nose. He balanced a Frisbee while standing on a rope. The magic hankie disappeared in the air. It appeared as a soft bunny. He makes you laugh with...

Sunset.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
April 1, 2009... Sunset Orange and yellow streak the sky. Red-orange clouds sail by. The bright yellow sun sets in the hills. The rabbit quiets; the bluebird stills. I like it when the sun sets, 'cause that's as beautiful as it...

Sports.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
April 1, 2009... Sports Softball and baseball. football and more! Cleats, gloves, bats, and balls! I absolutely LOVE sports! You run, hit, kick, and throw. You can get medals and trophies. I love...

The Tube.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
April 1, 2009... The Tube In a tube attached to a boat Bouncing Bumping Screaming It makes me happy Falling off the tube Twisting Twirling Landing Having fun It makes me happy The blue skies The...

Wind.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
April 1, 2009... Wind The wind is blowing so softly. I think that the sun is blowing the wind. Now it stops-- then it goes again. I can see the trees moving. The wind is blowing my paper. The wind is trying to...

Science letters.(spiders, tigers, lions and deserts)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] How do spiders not get stuck on their webs? Jonah Silk, Age 6 California When a spider builds its web, it uses sticky strands for some parts and nonstick strands for other parts. It's good at stepping on...

One day in April.(Earth Day)
April 1, 2009... One day in April, Ava went outside. She picked up sticks, put away toys, and filled the birdbath with clean water. Then Ava and Dad hung a birdhouse on the maple tree. Ava tied green ribbons along the fence. She placed a pot of tulips on the...

Ducktective Max and the missing farm animals.(Short story)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The call came into Headquarters just after I'd quacked--er, I mean, cracked--the case of the stolen golden goose eggs. I answered the phone: "Ducktective Max Quacks. What's the mystery?" [ILLUSTRATION...

Castle creation.
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] On a rainy day, Maria and Martin decided to build a cardboard castle to play in. Put the pictures in order from the first step to the last. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] F, C, B, A, E, D

Matching.
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Look at each umbrella on the left. Find one like it on the right. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Thinking.(gardeining)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Winter is over! It's time to plant a garden. * Who is buying plants? Seeds? Tools? * How can people learn to take care of plants? * What are some good reasons to plant a garden? * What would you like...

Animal knickknack box.(Crafts)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. Paint the inside and outside of an empty cardboard take-out container. Let it dry. 2. Create eyes and other facial features from Foam balls, toothpicks, and craft foam. Paint them, and glue them onto the...

Bird egg tic-tac-toe.(Crafts)
April 1, 2009... 1. Cut two 5-inch circles from corrugated cardboard. Trim one of the circles to make it slightly smaller. 2. For the box, wrap a 2-inch-by-18-inch piece of poster board around the smaller circle, and tape it on the inside. 3. For the...

Wire bicycle.(Crafts)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. Collect 5 feet of colorful wire. Thermostat cable wire and telephone wire can be found m hardware stores. They can be cut using kids' scissors. Be sure to ask an adult for permission before cutting any wires. ...

Kite card.(Crafts)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. Fold a square piece of colored paper in half to make a triangle. 2. Lay the paper flat again, and fold the corners into the fold-line crease, as shown. 3. Glue a yarn tail to the bottom point of the kite....

Easter-egg pillow.(Crafts)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. Cut an egg shape from two pieces of felt. 2. Leaving the top open, glue the two felt pieces together. Let them dry. 3. Decorate the egg with felt pieces or lace. 4. Stuff the egg with polyester...

Cuff bracelet.(Crafts)
April 1, 2009... 1. Cut a 2-inch-wide ring from a cardboard tube. Cut a slit in the ring to make it into a cuff. 2. Tape one end of yarn inside the cuff. 3. Wrap the yarn around the cuff continuously until it's covered. 4. Tape the yarn end inside...

A thorny subject.(Science Corner)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This flower stem appears to have a thorn sticking out. But look again. What is the "thorn," really? A Thorny Subject The object that looks like a thorn is really an insect. Because it looks like part of a...

Water in your breath.(Science Corner)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sprinkle salt onto a dry plastic lid. Watch the salt move as you gently shake the lid. Now take a deep breath, hold the lid close to your mouth, and slowly exhale at least one breath of warm air onto the salt. Does...

I wonder ... how a grasshopper jumps so high.(Science Corner)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The grasshopper has little parts in its knees that work as springs. Before it jumps, the grasshopper bends the springs. When it jumps, the springs make the legs snap straight. That launches the insect into the air....

[Cartoon].(Science Corner)(Cartoon)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Why do I have to get up so early? I hate worms."

Dino days.
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Was Deinosuchus the fiercest of all prehistoric creatures? Jacob Dalland, Age 7 Minnesota Deinosuchus (DIE-no-SOO-kus) was certainly a terrifying water creature, a crocodile-like animal longer than a T...

The Timbertoes[R].(Cartoon)
April 1, 2009... Pa made a sign. Pa looked high. He looked in the woodpile. "I'll make another one." "I'll stick this in the box." He looked low. He even looked in Spot's house. "Why are you laughing?" But the wind carried...

Remembering our ancestors.(Short story)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For more than 3,000 years, people in China have performed ceremonies to honor their ancestors and to take care of their needs in the afterlife. In return, the living descendants hope to receive good fortune and...

The bear family.(Cartoon)
April 1, 2009... Mom: Mrs. Bruno's dog has been barking a lot today. Dad: Come on, Poozy, let's go see if Mrs. Bruno is OK. Poozy: I wonder why Rex is barking so much. Piddy: He sounds pretty unhappy. Dad: Mrs. Bruno hurt her foot this morning....

Laundry-basket theater.
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] (1) Fill two laundry baskets with about 10 different items from around the house (with permission). For example: baseball cap boots scarf or necktie sunglasses plastic flowers costume...

Mandy takes the bus: she hoped the bus would leave without her.(Short story)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It was pouring. Mom couldn't get the car to start. "If we hurry, you'll be able to catch the bus," she said to Mandy. "I can't take the bus!" wailed Mandy. "I won't know anybody!" "I'm sorry, but you must...

The man who tagged butterflies: where did the monarchs go in the fall?(Fred Urquhart)
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Fog still hung around the drooping pine trees in the early morning chill as a discouraged scientist gazed up into the branches. All of his work from the night before was wasted. Tiny white tags littered the ground...

Your best self.(Cartoon)
April 1, 2009... Did you brush your teeth yet? Yed, I just did. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Turtle Trouble.(Poem)
April 1, 2009... Turtle Trouble Consider the turtle who hides in his shell--I've only one simple remark. Where in a shell is there room for a light if a turtle's afraid of the dark? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Riddles.
April 1, 2009... (1) Why did the piece of gum cross the road? Caleb Boyett, Oklahoma (2) Why did the whale cross the ocean? Alyssa Brown, California (3) What does a broom do when it's tired? Eddie Beck, Florida (4) How do fish check...

Brain play.
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] How many days are in a week? Name two things that grow and two things that don't grow. Are you more likely to see a park or an airport today? A bird or a giraffe? A snowflake or a flower? Swish, swish,...

Joey's Passover question.(Short story)
April 1, 2009... Joey couldn't wait for recess to show his friend Duncan the new game he'd made up. But Duncan looked too sad to play. "What's wrong?" Joey asked. "I need to find a place to stay tonight." Joey knew that Duncan had a nice room with...

Dear Highlights.
April 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Are we allowed to give you ideas for new things to put in Highlights? Scott A. (by e-mail) We would be delighted to see your ideas. You can suggest new features, story and article ideas, and anything else...

Picture puzzler.
April 1, 2009... Which of these puzzle pieces belong in the numbered spaces? A [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] B [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] C [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] D [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] E [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] F [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...