Highlights for Children articles from August 2005

Highlights for Children archives from August 2005

Python.(poetry)(Poem)
August 1, 2005... Python Traditional (Yoruba) Swaggering prince Giant among snakes. They say python has no house. I heard it a long time ago And I laughed and laughed and laughed. For who owns the ground under the lemon grass?...

Find the pictures.
August 1, 2005... Can you find each of these pictures at another place in this book? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Dear readers.(celebrate summer)(Editorial)
August 1, 2005... As a kid, I knew summer was almost over when my sandals felt too tight--and when the bold orange zinnias in my mom's garden looked sun-faded. For my kids, growing up in the Northeast, the end of summer means pulling out sweatshirts for suddenly...

Flutter balls: this one really danced.(baseball story)(Short Story)
August 1, 2005... Things aren't always what they seem. For instance, hitting a slow-moving pitch, like a flutter ball, should be a cinch. But it's not. It's about as easy as collecting hoptoads in a wheelbarrow. All us guys on Potter Street loved to play...

I wonder ... why those ants follow a crooked trail.(Science Corner)
August 1, 2005... They are following an odor on the ground that was put down by the ant that found this food. They don't try to find a shorter path. They just keep following the same path that the first ant took. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

A hot topic.(Science Corner)
August 1, 2005... It is a hot, sunny day at the beach. Which will make you feel even hotter--wearing a dark-colored T-shirt or a light-colored one? Does it make a difference? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A dark-colored T-shirt would make you feel hotter. Dark...

Oak-tree decoration?(Science Corner)(wasp galls)
August 1, 2005... This isn't an ornament on this oak tree. What is it? This growth, or oak-apple gall, is caused by an insect called a gall wasp. Females lay their eggs inside a few oak leaves. When the larvae hatch, they cause the leaves to grow round...

Dinosaur days.
August 1, 2005... How many teeth did Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaurs have? Marissa McCorkle, Age 9 Illinois Enough to make trouble. T. rex had about fifty teeth, and they were as sharp as steak knives and as big as bananas. T. rex's teeth were thick...

Moose's birthday.(Humor)(Short Story)
August 1, 2005... Moose had a birthday. His best friend, Goose, said, "I'll give Moose a birthday party." She invited, Possum, Rabbit, Beaver, and Squirrel. Possum gave Moose an acorn from the woods. Moose ate it. Rabbit gave Moose a purple flower from...

Celebrating Raksha Bandhan: Raksha Bandhan is a special day for sisters and brothers.(India)(Hindu celebration)
August 1, 2005... The bazaar is crowded this evening. It is the Hindu month of Shravan (August or September), in Delhi, India. People like to shop after the sun goes down during the hot summer months. I walk around the bazaar with my mummy, papa, and little...

Make a rakhi for your brother or friend.(special bracelet sisters make for their brothers)(Hindu custom)
August 1, 2005... 1. Slide beads to the center of a piece of cord. 2. If you'd like, spell out a name with alphabet beads or sew a pompom to the center. 3. Tie a knot on each side to keep the beads in place.

Thinking.
August 1, 2005... This construction site is a busy place * Which machines lift heavy things? * Which ones dig? What other work are machines doing? * How do the workers know how the building should look? * What kind of building would you like to...

Every letter counts.
August 1, 2005... Star 1 contains every letter of the alphabet. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Blue canoe.(shaped poetry)(Poem)
August 1, 2005... Blue Canoe I am the front-seat paddler of our team. But Daddy's paddle takes us swiftly down the s t r e a m . [ILLUSTRATION...

Busy on the farm.(Hidden Pictures[R])
August 1, 2005... In this big picture, find the slice of pie, window, needle, bowling pin, crown, bowl, flag, doughnut, drinking straw, trowel, mitten, clothespin, shoe, crescent moon, mallet, fishhook, ring, spoon, tack, baseball bat, sock, fish, carrot, heart,...

Riddles.
August 1, 2005... 1. What do you call two witches who share the same room? Patrick Reyes, Minnesota 2. What did the cat say when the dog ran away from home? Rachael Steele, Florida 3. Where does a king keep his armies? Natalie Altis,...

Heat race.(poetry)(Poem)
August 1, 2005... Heat Race My heart pounds fast. It's hard to run in sand so hot beneath the Sun. I see the blue not far ahead! My feet sink deep. My legs are lead. I'm almost there-one final dash! ...

What's a tail for? He was sure to find answers out here.(puppy story)(Short Story)
August 1, 2005... Egg was an egg-shaped, bouncing ball of a puppy with a million questions. Why is fur warm? Why is water wet? Why are noses cold? Egg's boy, Arthur, was fun to play with and good at giving tummy rubs. Egg wanted to ask: "Why do cats climb?...

A new look at hummingbirds: how does that thin beak snatch bugs from the air?(SCIENCE IN ACTION)
August 1, 2005... People who love hummingbirds have a long list of reasons to watch them. Every one of these birds is an expert flier and is almost always on the move. It will hover in front of a flower so steadily that its long pointy beak can reach deep...

Jokes.
August 1, 2005... Brad: "Why do bears paint their faces yellow?" Lad: "I don't know. Why?" Brad: "So they can hide in banana trees." Lad: "Impossible? I've never seen a bear in a banana tree." Brad: "That's because they paint their faces yellow."...

Just a few clues.(guess what is being described)
August 1, 2005... What object is being described? See how many clues it takes you to guess. 1. It has numbers and words. 2. It may have pictures. 3. It can help you organize your time. 4. It is usually divided into 12 parts, but sometimes has...

Matching.
August 1, 2005... Look at each monkey on the left. Find one like it on the right. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Bird's-eye view.(Boredom Busters!)(tree climbing)
August 1, 2005... When I'm bored, I like to climb our front-yard tree. It's fun to climb to the top and watch our busy neighborhood. Katie Quiroz, Age 11 Tennessee

Make a little music.(Boredom Busters!)
August 1, 2005... I think it's a good idea to have a concert with my mom and dad with my instruments. Joseph Saylor, Age 5 New Jersey

Funny baby pictures.(Boredom Busters!)
August 1, 2005... My favorite thing to do to beat boredom is to look through photo albums and pictures from when I was a little baby. My mom would tell me about them. They always make me laugh. Tommy Ruether, Age 9 Missouri

Why painting is fun.(Boredom Busters!)
August 1, 2005... When I am bored, I draw or paint. It helps me get my feelings out. When I'm done, I feel good and forget why I was ever bored in the first place. Claire Crosby, Age 12 Louisiana

Good times on the farm.(Boredom Busters!)
August 1, 2005... I live on a dairy farm. When I get bored, I like to go to the barn. I play on the hay bales, and I also like to play with my dog. It is fun to drive the skid loader. I help my Grandma feed the calves, and I help my Grandpa round up the cows. My...

So much to count!(Boredom Busters!)
August 1, 2005... My favorite way to beat boredom is by counting! When I was in pre-K, I would count the things in the classroom during rest time. In a few months, I had counted over five thousand things in the classroom. I can count anytime, as long as there...

Just like a journey.(Boredom Busters!)(reading takes you traveling)
August 1, 2005... My favorite way to bust boredom is to read a book. Sometimes I get so interested I feel like I've left my house and traveled far away. I just forget everything. I wouldn't even notice my sister, Amanda, if she were passing by. Aaron Taing,...

Stars in the sunshine.(Boredom Busters!)(paper craft)
August 1, 2005... When I am bored, I like to do crafts with paper. My favorite craft is to make stars. I like to do my crafts out in the sunshine with my two dogs, Zoe and Cody. Here is one of the stars I made. Anna Hammer, Age 8 Michigan

No more boredom.(Boredom Busters!)
August 1, 2005... When I'm bored, the way I overcome it is by either reading, playing with my brother, or even talking to myself (I make up lots of stories)! Hannah Ainslie, Age 10 Vietnam

Make your own fun.(Boredom Busters!)(construct things)(play music and dance)
August 1, 2005... When I am bored, I try to build a contraption. Or I listen to jazz music and dance to it. William Wright, Age 7 Arkansas

Got games?(Boredom Busters!)
August 1, 2005... Something I do to beat boredom is playing board games. Some games I like to play are checkers and Monopoly. Jamie Womack, Age 11 Mississippi

Who needs a rink?(Boredom Busters!)
August 1, 2005... When it's too cold outside to play, my morn takes my little brother and me down to the bottom of our apartment's parking garage to roller-skate. Each time that I practice skating, I get better. Madeline Beck, Age 5 Virginia

Attention, artists!(Boredom Busters!)
August 1, 2005... To beat boredom in January, we have an art show. The weeks before our art show, we are very busy setting up. So we do not have time to be bored. At our art show, we put pictures on the walls and our crafts on the table! We play music and serve...

Dozen ways to say a fond farewell to summer.
August 1, 2005... 1 Dump all the sand out of your sneakers. Save some in a jar. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2 Invite your friends over to share the last of the ice pops in your freezer. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 3 wear your favorite summer shirt one...

Your dream vehicles.
August 1, 2005... A bike you can ride on land--and on water! A hot-air balloon that transports you to outer space. A submarine that lets you communicate with fish. Draw your dream vehicle, then mail it to

Puffins and mittens: an island adventure.(visiting Flatey, an island of Iceland)
August 1, 2005... I went to the island to see puffins. But what I learned that day had very little to do with birds. Puffins live in holes on grassy cliff tops at the sea's edge. Fat black-and-white seabirds with stumpy wings and red feel they have...

Piece of cake.(puzzle)
August 1, 2005... Hidden somewhere on this page is the missing piece of cake. Can you find it? This puzzle is an illusion. Turn page 24 upside down to see the missing piece. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Goofus and Gallant[R].
August 1, 2005... Goofus doesn't warn others before he passes them. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "On your left!" [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "You still sleep with a stuffed animal?" [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Gallant is considerate of others'...

Melons without seeds.(Science Letters)
August 1, 2005... How do seedless watermelons grow when the watermelons come from the seeds? Bianca Rizzio, Age 11 Vermont Scientists have done a neat trick. They have grown watermelon vines that produce watermelons with no seeds. To...

Do sleeping horses lie?(Science Letters)(how horses sleep)
August 1, 2005... Why do horses sleep on their feet? Kianna Jack, Age 10 California I have seen horses standing quietly, sometimes several together. I always supposed that they were sleeping. Now I think that they were just dozing. Scientists...

Summertime blues.(Ask, Arizona)(friendship, fears and summer fun)
August 1, 2005... Dear Arizona, My friends are all on vacation. My parents say we can't afford to go anywhere, so I have to spend my whole summer doing nothing! Just wondering if you happen to know of any magic potions that could help me out. --Hopeful...

Go, Cleveland!(Our Own Pages)(artwork)(Illustration)
August 1, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jack Hallagan, Age 6 Ohio

The silly train.(Our Own Pages)(poetry)(Poem)
August 1, 2005... Oh, the silly train was on his tracks. His coal car was shaking 'cause he was going so fast. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Havilah Brown, Age 5 California

Kites.(Our Own Pages)(poetry)(Poem)
August 1, 2005... Kites are funny. Kites are fun. Today I saw one in the air, and it spun and spun and spun. Madeline North, Age 7 Minnesota

Mother Earth.(Our Own Pages)(poetry)(Poem)
August 1, 2005... Mother Earth The Earth is your bed. Lie down and dream sweet dreams. for she provides your pillow and blanket. for she is your mother of all mothers. and she will protect you through this journey we...

Buds.(Our Own Pages)(artwork)(Illustration)
August 1, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Laura Gates, Age 8 Pennsylvania

What Can Yellow Be?(Our Own Pages)(poetry)(Poem)
August 1, 2005... What Can Yellow Be? Yellow is a swoop of an eagle against deep sunlight, canaries singing while marigolds twitch, fuzzy newborn chicks, hot, yellow fire, lampshades and tulips, the yellow rays of the...

A Rainbow, a Rainbow.(Our Own Pages)(poetry)(Poem)
August 1, 2005... A Rainbow, a Rainbow It is raining and not stopping, and hard to play in this house, and hard to be quiet in the house--and it is wet. I hate this when it's raining. I wish it would stop raining. Wait a...

Solo Flower.(Our Own Pages)(poetry)(Poem)
August 1, 2005... Solo Flower A flower sways in a field Like a sailor on a ship Sailing through a sea of violets, A giant wave of daffodils, And a streak of dandelions. The flower is alone Till friends are viewed off...

In the Little Meadow.(Our Own Pages)(poetry)(Poem)
August 1, 2005... In the little meadow, The birds sing every day. In the little meadow, The deer frolic and play. In the little meadow, The sweetest flowers grow. In the little meadow, Daisies grow in perfect rows. ...

Bull Whale.(Our Own Pages)(artwork)(Illustration)
August 1, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ashley Kiehl, Age 12 Montana

Night.(Our Own Pages)(poetry)(Poem)
August 1, 2005... Night Night is the same as day, Except stars summon the darkness So that they, too, can have attention. The Moon is your cue to sleep. The stars glimmer As a light shadow takes them. The Moon falls And...

Sunflowers.(Our Own Pages)(artwork)(Illustration)
August 1, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sean McMichael, Age 8 Quebec

Friendship.(Our Own Pages)(poetry)(Poem)
August 1, 2005... Friendship Friendship is the greatest thing. It's better than money or gold. It doesn't matter if you're black or white--that you should not have to be told. Remember that somewhere in this world there is a person...

The Magical Walk.(Our Own Pages)(poetry)(Poem)
August 1, 2005... The Magical Walk As I walk through the dark, wet forest, drops fall from the branches, for it has rained last night. The squirrels run around the forest. The rain has made a magical place. ...

My cat, sassy.(Our Own Pages)(artwork)(Illustration)
August 1, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Taylor Shelby, Age 8 Arkansas

Bread biscuits, and pandas.(names can be misleading)(Cover Story)
August 1, 2005... As the plane touched down, Maria stared out the window over her mother's shoulder. Guam was beautiful! They both waved at Auntie Ernestina, waiting for them beside the terminal. Auntie Ernestina welcomed them with smiles and kisses. "Let's...

The Earth is really moving.(earth's rotation)
August 1, 2005... Long ago, people believed the Earth didn't move. They saw the Sun rise every morning, travel across the sky, and set every evening. The stars and Moon crossed the sky each night. Naturally, people thought that the Sun, Moon, and stars were...

The Timbertoes[R].(hot weather)(Cartoon)
August 1, 2005... It was so hot... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] eggs cooked themselves. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It was so hot... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] shadows hid in the shade. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] the candles melted. ...

Gifford Pinchot: Walrus of the forest.(first Chief Forester of the United States Forestry Service)(Biography)
August 1, 2005... Gifford Pinchot wanted to be a forester. He was smart, hardworking, and wealthy. He could have studied law, medicine, or banking, but he chose forestry. It was an odd choice, since there were no U.S. foresters at that time. In the 1870s...

Keep your trinkets in a tray.(Saving Stuff)(making a trinket tray)
August 1, 2005... 1. Glue plastic bottle caps of all different sizes to the inside of a shoebox lid. Let the glue dry. 2. Decorate the outside of the lid with paper, craft foam, crayons, and stickers. Use stickers to decorate the bottle caps if you wish. ...

"Sock" away your coins.(Saving Stuff)(making a "piggy" bank)
August 1, 2005... 1. Stretch a sock downward over a clean plastic frosting tub so that the sock meets the bottom of the tub. Cut off the rest of the sock. 2. Trace the lid onto the leftover "foot" part of the sock. Cut out the cloth circle and glue it to...

Hang a picture in a straw-and-cap frame.(Crafts You Can Make)
August 1, 2005... 1. Cut out a 6-inch-by-8-inch piece of cardboard. Use felt to make a 1-inch border around the four sides. 2. Use felt to cover and decorate four plastic caps. Glue them in the four corners of the frame. Decorate the frame with colored...

Create a flexible critter.(Crafts You Can Make)(imaginative pipe cleaner animals)
August 1, 2005... 1. Cut two pieces of felt in the shape of a sea star. 2. Cut three chenille sticks long enough to reach from one point of the star to another. 3. Glue the chenille sticks on one sea star as shown. 4. Glue the second sea star on...

Your new fishing pal will sit on your shelf.(Crafts You Can Make)(fish)
August 1, 2005... 1. Cut out a fish shape from cardboard. 2. Bend the fish forward above the tail fins. Bend each tail fin back at the middle. To make the fish sit up, glue a rectangular piece of Styrofoam along the bottom back of the fish (just above the...

Throw a ring around Saturn.(Crafts You Can Make)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... 1. Cut a 11/2-inch ring from a paper-towel tube. Cover it with black paper, and decorate it with stickers and glitter. 2. Glue a ball on top of the ring. Decorate it with glitter. 3. To make the tossing rings, cut out the centers of...

Craft challenge!(inventing an outdoor game)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Use milk cartons, a ball, and chalk to invent an outdoor game.

Loney and me.(owning a horse)
August 1, 2005... Dad and I are riding in the pickup on the gravel road to our ranch. An empty horse trailer bounces along behind us. I'm thinking about when I got my first horse, Loney, five years ago. The ad read: Sorrel mare, 12, years old, 13 hands...

Lindsey Brenkus.(Gallant Kids)
August 1, 2005... There's some of Goofus and Gallant in us all. When the Gallant shines through, we show our best self. Lindsey Brenkus was walking with her grandmother when they saw a farmers' market in her grandmother's town. Lindsey decided that her own...

What's your favorite thing about nighttime?(Brain Play)(expanding your thinking)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Start at the beginning and see how far you can go, thinking of good answers from your own head. START Which states in the U.S. have you visited? Name something that's smaller than a pea. Why can't we sit on the ceiling? ...

Why homework?(Dear Highlights)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Why do teachers give homework? Ripley F., Georgia Practicing at home what you study in school helps you to remember it longer. Homework also gives you a chance to ask your teacher or parents questions if you don't understand something....

Nervous at swim meets.(Dear Highlights)(advice about nervousness)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... At swim meets I get so nervous that I don't want to swim. What should I do? Melanie A., Wisconsin Many athletes take their nervous energy and turn it into something useful. Have you noticed that when you are nervous you become very...

Afraid of middle school.(Dear Highlights)
August 1, 2005... I'm a little afraid to go back to school because I'm going to middle school. Can you tell me some reasons why I shouldn't be afraid? Noonie P., Pennsylvania It's natural to feel nervous about going to a new school. Your classmates...

Getting braces.(Dear Highlights)(teeth)(teasing advice)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... I am going to get braces soon, and I do not want anyone making fun of me. What should I do? Desirae P., Colorado Getting braces is a good thing because you will enjoy the results--straight teeth and a beautiful smile--for a long time....

Jumbled jigsaw.
August 1, 2005... Which of these puzzle pieces belong in the numbered spaces? Challenge: Find where the other puzzle pieces belong. A fills space 1, D fills space 2, and E fills space 3. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]