Highlights for Children articles from August 2007

Highlights for Children archives from August 2007

Peace Day Doves.(Fun This Month)
August 1, 2007... August 6 is Peace Day. Create a peaceful-thoughts tree similar to the one shown. On paper doves, have friends and family members write things they can do to be more peaceful. Hang the doves from the tree.

Color riddles.(Fun This Month)
August 1, 2007... 1. What is red and goes up and down? 2. What is green and sings? 3. What is red, yellow, green, blue, black, orange, brown, purple, and gray? 1. A tomato in an elevator. 2. Elvis Parsley. 3. An elephant with a box of crayons.

The railroad connecting the United States from east to west was completed on August 15, 1870.(Fun This Month)
August 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: The railroad connecting the United States from east to west was completed on August 15, 1870. Imagine that you're on a train traveling on this track. Create a comic about your adventures.

Help and have fun!(children's play)
August 1, 2007... * Volunteer to walk a neighbor's dog. * Play a board game with a senior citizen. * Host a neighborhood picnic. * Make welcome kits for new kids at school. * Have a "read-a-thon" to raise money for a library. Be sure to ask...

Two times the fun.(Twins Days Festival)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... In Twinsburg, Ohio, twins gather on the first full weekend in August for the Twins Days Festival. What would be different if you had a twin? If you have a twin, what would be different if you did not?

Library "I spy".(Fun This Month)
August 1, 2007... In this scene find 3 soft things 3 hard things 3 funny things 3 imaginative things [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Find the pictures.(Fun This Month)
August 1, 2007... Can you find each of these 10 pictures at another place in this magazine? [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED]

Collecting and sharing.(Dear Readers)
August 1, 2007... Most people collect something, and a big part of the fun is sharing our collections with others. When we invited you to tell us about your collections, many of you did (pages 10-11). Our staff had a great time learning about your...

Squirrel in the Rain.(Poem)
August 1, 2007... Squirrel in the Rain The young squirrel's mother said, "Come out! See--it's raining all about! Wet silver's falling from a cloud! It's raining hard, it's raining loud!" The little squirrel ran down the tree: ...

Goofus and Gallant[R].
August 1, 2007... Goofus leaves a mess. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "I have a few bucks left. What else should I buy?" asks Goofus. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Whoops! It splattered," says Gallant. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Gallant saves some of...

Lost clothes.
August 1, 2007... Can you find the pieces of clothing hidden in the sentences below? Example: Mom got cash at the bank today. 1. My pet guinea pig loves attention. 2. Jenny played peek-a-boo to entertain the baby. 3. Mom asked me to pick up a...

Alphabet animals: if you know your ABC's, then you can draw!
August 1, 2007... "I can't draw." Have you ever said that? If you have, then keep reading. Soon, you'll never have to say those words again. Using just a few letters from the alphabet, you'll be able to draw four different animals. Swan For...

Feeling the heat.(Ask Arizona)
August 1, 2007... Dear Arizona, I know this sounds weird, but I hate summer! Don't get me wrong. I love the no-homework part and the sleeping-later part. It's the heat I can't stand! It gets so hot where I live that you can bake cookies on the sidewalk. How...

Snow globes.(What Do You Collect? Here are some of your fascinating collections)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... In Georgia, where I live, it doesn't snow often. That is why I collect snow globes. When I wish it would snow, I go to my room and shake my snow globes. Madelyn Morel, Age 6 Georgia

Spoons.(What Do You Collect? Here are some of your fascinating collections)(Brief article)
August 1, 2007... I collect spoons. My favorite is my Florida spoon. It has a pelican that hangs from the top. The first spoon I collected was a small ladle. I plan on collecting spoons until I have one for every day of the year. Avery Rose-Craver, Age 9 ...

Zuni carvings.(What Do You Collect? Here are some of your fascinating collections)
August 1, 2007... Zuni fetishes are special. They're hand carved and handmade. Although they are done by different artists, they are all fairly similar. They are smooth and awesome and not plastic, but not breakable. The artists are Native Americans, and their...

Pens.(What Do You Collect? Here are some of your fascinating collections)
August 1, 2007... My pens are an unusual collection. I like the colors, shapes, sizes, and the way they click. Some even have games on the end! Alex Feller, Age 7 Connecticut

Newspaper articles.(What Do You Collect? Here are some of your fascinating collections)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... I collect newspaper articles. I'll skim the weekly newspaper and cut out articles I think are interesting and high quality. I might want to be a journalist when I grow up, so I study other journalists' writing. Logan Boykin, Age 10 ...

Civil War things.(What Do You Collect? Here are some of your fascinating collections)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... I collect Civil War things. I have a lot of books about that war. I also have money from that time period, and cassette tapes and CDs of Civil War music. I've collected Civil War things since I was seven. I've always liked learning about...

Journals.(What Do You Collect? Here are some of your fascinating collections)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... I collect journals to write in. I write about real things. I have one special journal that my friend Kyla gave me. I do one page a day. When I get tired of one journal, I write in the others. Nory Klop-Packel, Age 6 California

Rocks.(What Do You Collect? Here are some of your fascinating collections)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... When we go to the river and my little brother picks up a rock to throw in, I say, "No! Not that rock!" He picks up another and I yell, "Not that rock either!" Any sparkly rock, or pink, blue, green, yellow, purple, black, or white ones, I pick...

Bowling balls.(What Do You Collect? Here are some of your fascinating collections)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... I have 19 bowling balls. I have been collecting them for five years. My favorites are sports themed--basketball, soccer ball, football, billiard ball, and baseball. My highest bowling game has been 190, but my lifelong dream is to bowl 200 or...

Business cards.(What Do You Collect? Here are some of your fascinating collections)
August 1, 2007... So far, I have 347 business cards. My friends helped in collecting some. I like how business cards are designed, and how each one is different. Difference makes any collection exciting. Brian Miller, Age 11 Ohio

Family photos.(What Do You Collect? Here are some of your fascinating collections)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... I collect family photos because they tell me what has happened through my life and before I came into this world, My favorite picture is from when I dug into my cake on my first birthday. Hayden Fisher, Age 9 Missouri

Money from around the world.(What Do You Collect? Here are some of your fascinating collections)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... My brother and I collect worldwide currency. So far, we have money from Panama, Germany, Costa Rica, England, Japan, Holland, Canada, and even some pennies flattened by trains, and quarters with animals on them from machines at the zoo. ...

Can tabs.(What Do You Collect? Here are some of your fascinating collections)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... I have a couple hundred can tabs. I plan to help an eighth-grader who is collecting them for Shriners Hospital for Children, which cashes in the recyclables for charity. This collection is special to me because I want to help other children....

Russian nesting dolls.(What Do You Collect? Here are some of your fascinating collections)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... I collect matryoshkas. In English they are called Russian nesting dolls. I have twenty. They are wooden dolls that come apart. Usually there are three to thirteen littler dolls inside. Most have pictures of flowers on them. One of my dolls has...

Nutcrackers.(What Do You Collect? Here are some of your fascinating collections)
August 1, 2007... I collect nutcrackers. They remind me of Christmas, my favorite holiday. Nutcrackers are cool because they are soldiers. Some actually crack nuts, and others are ornaments. I think of the people who gave me the nutcrackers whenever I play with...

Concerns about cheating.(Your Ideas, Please!)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... Some kids in my class always ask me for the answers. I think it's cheating. What should I do? M.S. (by e-mail)

Wanting to be popular.(Your Ideas, Please!)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2007... I want to be popular in school, but my friend doesn't. What should I do? Natalie B., Arizona

A cleaner world.(Your Ideas, Please!)
August 1, 2007... I'm a Boy Scout, and I want to make the world cleaner. Can you help me come up with ways to do that? Byron G., Nebraska

Stuart, the lucky library cat: he had to know--what kind of cat was he?(Short story)
August 1, 2007... Stuart lived in the library. Nan and Joe, the head librarians, found him on the doorstep when he was a kitten. Stuart liked to rub against Joe's legs as Joe fed him. He loved to snuggle against Nan's shoulder while she petted him. And he liked...

Lots of Llamas.
August 1, 2007... Stumped? The answers to this puzzle are on HighlightsKids.com In this big picture, find the toothbrush, bow tie, screwdriver, ice skate, pencil, bell, hoe, sailboat, cotton candy, fire helmet, carrot, orange slice, hat, hiking boot, mallet,...

Jokes.
August 1, 2007... Broccoli: "Why did the banana go to the doctor?" Cabbage: "Because it wasn't peeling well." Karen Bazakos, New York Will: "What did the judge say when the skunk entered the court?" April: "I don't know. What?" Will: "Odor...

Overheard in Late Summer.
August 1, 2007... "Excuse me, Miss Cicada," said the bumblebee. "Did you leave your walking-coat hanging on that tree?" "Yes," said Miss Cicada. "I don't need it anymore. Now I fly--why even try to walk when I can soar?"

Tracking rattlesnakes: to study rattlers, first this scientist has to find them.(Suzy Ehret)
August 1, 2007... A bzzzzz coming from the rocks stopped Suzy Ehret in her tracks. She had been walking up a dry streambed high in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeast Arizona. The August morning was hot. The noise, which sounded like someone wiggling a...

Mystery photo.
August 1, 2007... Can you guess what this object is? Answers on page 36. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A lollipop.

Grand slam.
August 1, 2007... Bases loaded Players ready Catcher signs Batter steady Pitcher nods Baseman spits Baseball flies Slugger hits--BAM Grand Slam.

Matching.
August 1, 2007... Look at each lighthouse on the left. Find one like it on the right [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Evan green: there's some of Goofus and Gallant in us all. When the Gallant shines through, we show our best self.(Evan Green's Red Dragon Conservation Team)
August 1, 2007... Evan Green of northern California was only three when he told his mum, "I want to buy all the land in the world so no one can build on it." Evan loved watching animal programs on TV. He worried that the places where animals lived were being...

Cooking by the numbers.(Survey)
August 1, 2007... "Cooking contests are for girls!" I didn't mean to shout. But how would you feel if your best friend woke you up on a Saturday morning, carrying a grocery sack and wearing an apron dotted with smiley faces? Hayden dropped a bag onto my...

Hide-and-seek: blending in can help a creature survive.
August 1, 2007... Do you like playing hide-and-seek? Some animals play a hiding game, too. They try not to get caught by the animals that are seeking them. Some animals have skin colors or patterns that help them blend into their surroundings. This kind of...

Kittens.(Poem)
August 1, 2007... Kittens Kittens are so cute, kittens are so sweet but my kitten, Oli, loves biting feet. She's not ordinary, or nice, or sweet. Nope. She just loves those feet. We try to teach her, but...

Me and My Grandma on a Picnic.(Your Own Pages)
August 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Me and My Grandma on a Picnic Victoria L'Hommedieu, Age 7 New York

Fishing with Sounds.(Poem)
August 1, 2007... Fishing with Sounds Splash! A fish jumps in the air. Squack! says a bird without any care. Erra! says a deer in the woods. Woosh! goes the wind. Pull up your hoods! Arrooo! exclaims a wolf searching for food. ...

Silent Letters.(Poem)
August 1, 2007... Silent Letters Is it possum or opossum? I do not understand. If you have an o at the beginning, then why not one at the end? The same question is with knife, or knight, or gnus, or hour, or wrap, or...

A Salmander.(Your Own Pages)
August 1, 2007... A Salamander Axel McKinven, Age 6 North Dakota [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Rhythm.(Poem)
August 1, 2007... Rhythm A runner's heart making the final turn, the wheels of the train chewing up the track, fingers dancing across the keys, white and black. Rhythm pounding through us all. Kiyoko Reidy, Age 9...

Bird.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
August 1, 2007... Bird Bird soaring in the sky is like a cloud gliding by. Patrick Wicker, Age 8 Maryland

The Spirit of Giving.(Poem)
August 1, 2007... The Spirit of Giving The spirit of giving is not just about presents and gifts, but giving hugs and smiles to those you love, cracking jokes and encouraging laughter to someone blue. Thank a teacher...

A Poem About a Poem.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
August 1, 2007... A Poem About a Poem Write me a poem. Write me a song. It does not have to be short or long. As long as you think, as long as you try, a poem is a sunset painting the sky. Amara Balan, Age 8 ...

I am just a small kid.(Poem)
August 1, 2007... I am just a small kid, all of seven years old, very good athlete and student, I am always told. I always ask, "Mom, why can't I be older?" She always tells me, "Soon, son, you will be up to my shoulder." ...

My Dog, Titus.(Your Own Pages)
August 1, 2007... My Dog, Titus Daniel Struxness, Age 10 Florida [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

My Little Brother.(Poem)
August 1, 2007... My Little Brother Hello, little brother, me, oh my. I just want to know why you cry, cry, cry. I hear it in the morning, and in the afternoon, and I hear it at nighttime, too, too, too! Elizabeth...

The Soaring Hawk, a Beauty of Nature.(Your Own Pages)
August 1, 2007... The Soaring Hawk, a Beauty of Nature Serene Chen, Age 8 British Columbia, Canada

Caves.(Poem)
August 1, 2007... Caves Tall, big ones shining orange. Twisting and tangling. Nonstop jungle of rock glistens in the day with vines looking like rocky icicles. Powerful and strong deep waterfall, coming out of a lion's...

Why these trees?(tree planting)
August 1, 2007... The family that lives here planted these trees to help save energy in the house. Why do you think they were planted where they are? Hint: The house is in North America. Why These Trees?--In North America, the winds tend to blow from the...

Try a nature-study trick.(drawing nature)
August 1, 2007... Find an everyday object from nature and look at it carefully. (An adult can help you avoid objects that are unsafe.) Sketching it will help you notice new things. Write down your new discoveries and questions. Keep studying nature by sketching!...

I wonder ... where mushrooms come from.(Science Corner)
August 1, 2007... Mushrooms sometimes grow up out of the ground after a rain. But mushrooms are just a part of a larger living thing that grows underground. It's called a Fungus. The mushroom drops tiny spores (like seeds) that can make new Fungi.

Dino days.(dinosaurs chew)
August 1, 2007... How did dinosaurs chew? Cole Norman, Age 6 Massachusetts Plant-eating dinosaurs had a number of different styles for chewing. Duckbills used their hundreds of tiny ridged teeth to grind tough evergreen-tree branches, flexing their...

A tale of two mice.(Short story)
August 1, 2007... Based on a fable by Aesop One day Country Mouse invited Town Mouse for lunch. He served two fat ears of corn. "Delicious, isn't it?" said Country Mouse. "Corn is fine if you live in the country, but if you lived in town, you would eat like...

The class list.(Short story)
August 1, 2007... Today was the day. Amber glided down the hill on her bicycle. When she neared the bottom, she set her feet into motion, pedaling quickly, her ponytail flying behind her. Today was the day. This thought made her pedal even faster. ...

Checkerboard art.
August 1, 2007... Draw a simple checkerboard pattern on a square sheet of paper. Over the checkerboard, draw any shapes--circles, diamonds, spirals, or other irregular shapes. Use crayons or markers to color every other space. When you're done you'll have your...

Roller-coaster ride.
August 1, 2007... Each roller-coaster rider has something in common with the other two riders in the same row. Look at the rider in each row sitting front to back, side to side, and diagonally. What do they have in common? Feeling nervous Having fun ...

Riddles.
August 1, 2007... 1 How did the calendar survive on a desert island? Micah Atkinson, Tennessee 2 Why did the cow say "boo"? Shelby Powers, Texas 3 Where do you find the most famous dragons? Amber Buehler, South Caroline 4 What did the...

Japanese gardens are places of beauty.(Thinking)
August 1, 2007... * Why do people create gardens? * Why are some people taking photos? * How do you think these visitors Feel? * What part of this garden do you like best? Why? * If you designed a garden, what would it include? ...

Play music on a thumb piano!(craft)
August 1, 2007... An African mbira, made from a hollowed-out gourd and metal strips, is also called a "thumb piano" because the player plucks on the strips with his or her thumbs. Make your own version of an mbira. 1. With an adult's help, cut rectangle from...

Play crooked pick-up sticks.(craft)
August 1, 2007... 1. For the sticks, find ten twigs of equal length. Clean them with a damp paper towel. Let them dry. 2. Paint the sticks different colors. To Play. One player holds all of the sticks in one hand just above the floor or table and drops...

Make matching friendship pictures!(craft)
August 1, 2007... 1. Choose a theme that both you and your friend like. 2. To make pictures that match, cut various shapes through two layers of craft foam or colored paper. 3. Glue the shapes in the same location on two pieces of craft foam or paper....

This sneaker makes socks smell good.(craft)
August 1, 2007... 1. Cut out the shape of a sneaker sole (about 6 1/2 inches long) from felt. 2. For the top of the sneaker, cut a slightly smaller shape from another color of felt. Cut a U-shaped opening near the heel, as shown, and glue a white-felt piece...

A pocket apron can hold supplies.(craft)
August 1, 2007... 1. With permission, cut one leg from a pair of adult-sized jeans. Cut off all the seams. Cut a 7-inch-by-16-inch rectangle from the denim. 2. Fold down 1/4 inch along each edge of the rectangle. Use fabric glue to glue down the edges. ...

Make sticks into bugs.(craft)
August 1, 2007... 1. For an insect body, find a stick that is 5 to 6 inches long. For eyes, glue large seeds to the sides of the stick at one end. 2. For wings, find maple seeds or dry leaves. Use a paintbrush to brush them with white glue so that they don't...

In search of prince charming.(Short story)
August 1, 2007... Do fairy tales really come true? Sometimes it seems that way. In 1864, the people of Bavaria, a kingdom in the south of what is now Germany, certainly thought so. That was the year eighteen-year-old Ludwig II became king, the latest in...

The cat and the mouse: a game from Peru.
August 1, 2007... Gather a group of friends in a circle. Find two neck ties with different colors or patterns. Choose one neck tie to be the "cat" and make the other the "mouse." Give the "cat" to one player and the "mouse" to a player across the circle. When a...

Your best self.
August 1, 2007... My name's Jeff. This is Colin. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Want some help? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The Timbertoes[R].(Cartoon)
August 1, 2007... Pa made a doll for Mabel. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] She ate with her doll. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Tommy had no one to play with. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Tommy Felt sorry. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "She's just like...

Devin knows it's time: will Devin get to ride? It's time for the roundup.(Short story)
August 1, 2007... Devin knows it's almost time when wild flowers fade and grass bakes golden in the sun. He loads his backpack. Maybe if he's ready, Dad will let him ride this year. It's almost time when cow dogs pace from house to barn to bunkhouse, house...

How does our heart beat without our doing it?(Science Letters)
August 1, 2007... We asked Patricia Landry, M.D. She wrote, "The heart is a special type of muscle. Unlike the muscles of our arms and legs, the heart doesn't have to be told to work. It beats all by itself. Inside the heart is a tiny spot with a collection of...

Why do trees' leaves fall off?(Science Letters)
August 1, 2007... The loss of leaves helps many kinds of trees survive the cold, dry air of winter. In the warm seasons, leaves use sunlight, water, and air to make the tree's food. But the tree also loses a lot of water through tiny holes in the leaves. In...

Check ... and double check.
August 1, 2007... OATS [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] RYE [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There are at least ten differences in these two pictures. How many can you find?

Brain play.(child plays)
August 1, 2007... Start at the beginning and see how far you can go, thinking of good answers from your own head. What is the first thing you do after waking up in the morning? Sniff, sniff. When might you hear that sound? Which did your mom or dad...

Dear Highlights.
August 1, 2007... I lose. everything, no matter how hard I try not to. I almost lost this letter the day I wrote it. Can you help? Levi S., Texas If you put things back in the same place every time you finish using them, you'll have a better chance of...

Picture puzzler.
August 1, 2007... Find your way across the puzzle by following the dues below. Each word can be found vertically or horizontally, backward or forward, starting from the last letter of the word before it. (For example, if the first word clue was "a sport" and the...