Highlights for Children articles from February 2002

Highlights for Children archives from February 2002

Abraham Lincoln.(Poem)
February 1, 2002... Abraham Lincoln His lot was hard and his future bleak-- Abraham Lincoln of Pigeon Creek. He studied law though a backwoods boy-- Abraham Lincoln of Illinois. In politics he somehow won--...

"Gramma's Favorite" in this issue struck a chord with me.
February 1, 2002... "Gramma's Favorite" in this issue struck a chord with me. The story is about a common feeling of childhood, and it relates to the self-confidence of kids. When I think about it, grammas generally have enough love for several grandchildren. And...

The way we sing: breathing is the key.
February 1, 2002... Everyone can sing, but not everyone can sing. To some people, the gift of singing comes naturally. They open their mouths and music just flows out. But for most of us, a few simple exercises can go a long way toward helping us sound like...

For we folks.
February 1, 2002... * How are these kids being kind to others? * What does it mean to "put yourself in someone else's shoes"? How can this help you to understand a person better? * How do you feel when people are kind to you? How do you feel when they're...

Science corner.
February 1, 2002... Girl: What do you eat all winter? The bugs are hiding until spring, and the plants have stopped growing. Cardinal: I find plenty of seeds to eat. Some kinds of trees and bushes hold their seeds on their branches all winter long. So I can...

Winning is her goal: soccer star Mia Hamm is a quiet leader.
February 1, 2002... Mia Hamm may be the best soccer player in the world. She has scored more goals than anyone else. But it doesn't matter to her how many times she scores, as long as her team is successful. "I want to do whatever I can to help the team win,"...

Night motoring.
February 1, 2002... Forward, backward, stop, park, headlights shining in the dark, engine rumbling by my head... my cat's roadway is my bed.

Knights' Day.(Short Story)
February 1, 2002... Sir Delbert sat dejectedly on a rotting tree stump. He had almost no chance of winning the award tomorrow, and he knew it. Every year, the knights held a special festival called Knights' Day. They played games, had tournaments, and ate lots...

The nicest thing.
February 1, 2002... In our August 2001 issue, we asked you to tell us about the nicest thing anyone ever did for you. Thanks to all who wrote! Here are just a few of the many wonderful responses we received. The nicest thing anyone has ever done for me was...

Skating Herons. (Hidden Pictures[TM]).
February 1, 2002... In this big picture find the butterfly, golf club, snake, bell, winter hat, brush, rake, safety pin, fishhook, diamond shape, comb, key, fork, and pennant. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Can you find these Hidden pictures(TM) on page 14? ...

All mixed up.
February 1, 2002... An anagram is a word or phrase formed by rearranging the letters of a different word or phrase. For example, miles is an anagram of smile. Each of the following can be answered by forming an anagram from the name of the person in the...

Riddles.
February 1, 2002... 1. What do cows read to their babies at bedtime? Alicia Hamerton, Ontario 2. What's a monster's favorite game? Trevor Hicks, Texas 3. What did one plate say to the other? DeAnthone DeBardlabon, Georgia 4. What do a...

Presidential dentures.(George Washington)
February 1, 2002... It's time to set the record straight--the dental record, that is. Contrary to what most people believe, George Washington never owned a set of wooden teeth. Nor did patriot and colonial craftsman Paul Revere carve them. There is absolutely no...

Snow.(Short Story)
February 1, 2002... I used to think stars way up high fell down as snowflakes from the sky. Now I know this is not so. Stars are stars, and snow is snow. I watch the snow come down at night. It coats the hills and trees in white. The snow will sparkle in the...

Quilt work.
February 1, 2002... Some of the most beautiful quilts are made by piecing together triangles and squares. Look carefully at this quilt pattern. See if you can find 48 triangles and 16 squares. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Salamander. (Nature Watch).
February 1, 2002... Did You Know? Salamanders spend the cold months almost buried in underground hiding places. As winter ends, they are likely to come out on a mild, rainy night. For the kinds of salamander that are most often seen, spring is a time for breeding....

Those amazing antlers.
February 1, 2002... The antlers of the elk are a beautiful sight. But the male elk doesn't grow its bony crown for people. He grows it to impress other elk, especially females, who seem to like males with the biggest antlers. The animal in the picture above...

The family tree: the tree was their home. Would it be cut down?(Short Story)
February 1, 2002... In Windy Wood, the Family Tree had stood proud and tall for many years. The Squirrel family stored nuts beneath its roots. The Woodpecker family pecked insects from its trunk. The Crow family built nests in its topmost branches. Then...

The perfect view according to you. (You Can Make It!).
February 1, 2002... 1. With permission, cut out a picture of an outdoor scene from a magazine. Cut out two pieces of cardboard the same size as the picture. 2. Glue the picture to one piece of cardboard. Measure and cut out windowpanes from the other piece of...

Keeping neat will be a "shoe-in". (You Can Make It!).
February 1, 2002... 1. Cut out two shoe shapes from construction paper. 2. Cut one of the pieces to look like the top of a shoe. Fold this piece in half and make four holes with a paper punch through both sides. 3. Unfold the top piece and lace it with a...

A new twist on a favorite game: Bear Bingo. (You Can Make It!).
February 1, 2002... 1. To make the bingo boards, draw and cut out bear shapes from construction paper. Make one board for each player. Use a marker to add facial features, and write six numbers between one and ten on each bear. 2. Draw and cut out ten...

Prizewinning valentines. (You Can Make It!).
February 1, 2002... 1. Cut out two hearts from poster board. 2. Glue crepe paper around the back edge of one heart, making pleats as you go. You may find it easier to do half the heart, then cut the crepe paper and begin the other half. 3. Cut two tails...

Drive your car down a spiral roadway. (You Can Make It!).
February 1, 2002... 1. With an adult's help, cut the top and bottom off two plastic two-liter bottles, keeping the middle pieces. Overlap the two middles end to end so that the tower is at least eleven inches tall. 2. Cut out six 4-inch circles from thin...

The bear family.
February 1, 2002... Piddy: Look at the valentines we made! Woozy: Where should we send them? Poozy: I'll send mine to Mrs. Rose. She's always so friendly. Woozy: I'll send mine to Mr. Hall. He always lets me pick his flowers. Piddy: "I'll send...

Around the house.
February 1, 2002... Can you name the household items represented by these puzzles? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ANSWERS: 1. lamb + P = lamp. 2. cabin + net = cabinet. 3. car + pet = carpet. 4. C + lock = clock. 5. toe + stir = toaster. 6. dress + R =...

Goofus and Gallant[R].
February 1, 2002... "But I can't go to bed yet! I haven't finished my homework!" Gallant does his studying before watching TV. Goofus doesn't follow safety rules, and he gets hurt. "It's a good thing I was wearing my padding and helmet." ...

The sign.(Short Story)
February 1, 2002... Jess tried to steady his trembling legs. It wasn't easy to do with the strangers in the house. They were searching every room and surrounding Ma, who stood there bravely. "A slave?" she was saying. "We have no slaves on our farm." ...

All the places I like. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
February 1, 2002... All the Places I Like I like the beach on sunny days, The children's museum in the month of May. I like Story Land in the summer, The capitol building is even "funner!" I like Sweet Corn Farm in the fall, Emery...

Me. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
February 1, 2002... Me I am as funny as a clown in the circus. I am as faithful as a dog, man's best friend. I am as free as a horse on a wide grassy plain. I am as fast as a kangaroo jumping in the desert. And I am as quiet as...

If I Were the Wind. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
February 1, 2002... If I Were the Wind If I were the wind I'd sometimes be a tornado and knock down trees-but I wouldn't hurt people. I'd fly around and talk to the birds. I'd bring cold for snowball fights in the winter and...

A White Blanket. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
February 1, 2002... A White Blanket A white blanket came here overnight and covered everything in sight. It covered the market and city hall. It covered the toy store and even the mall. It covered the gas...

Tempo. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
February 1, 2002... Tempo I eat the sounds of 4/4 time, I sleep when there are rests. The notes don't bother me at all. The rhythm is my favorite guest. Ra-ta-tat-tat Da-da-dum Clish, cling, clang And rum pa pum pum. ...

Dogs.(Poem)
February 1, 2002... Dogs I know a dog. He swims slowly through the deep foggy lake by the waterfall. I know a dog. He walks swiftly and his shoulder blades shoot up like a Stegosaurus's ...

Valentine Treats.(Poem)
February 1, 2002... Valentine Treats On Valentine's Day, it's really neat to have someone special to give you a treat. It could be pieces of chocolate with red roses, too, but the best treats of all are the words "I Love...

Moving Day.(Poem)
February 1, 2002... Moving Day My parents were happy; I didn't know why. They thought it was perfect moving away, away to a place with no neighbors or friends for at least a mile. But it was true, we were moving away, ...

My Poem About Dragons.(Poem)
February 1, 2002... My Poem About Dragons I was playing outdoors one cool day when I saw it by surprise. It was a large, enormous dragon of gargantuan size! Red, glowing eyes with a touch of black, he flicked his tail and toppled...

The missing name.(Short Story)
February 1, 2002... David opened his box of valentines and spilled them onto the kitchen table. He plopped his book bag next to the valentines. It was the day before Valentine's Day, and David wanted to give a card to everyone in his class. He unzipped...

Thinking.
February 1, 2002... * These two kids made their own newspaper to give to their classmates. Why might they like doing this? * What are your favorite parts of the newspapers and magazines that you read? Have you ever tried writing or drawing similar features? If...

"No caffeine, please". (Science Letters).
February 1, 2002... How do factories make certain kinds of tea decaffeinated? Ellen Sweeney, Age 11 California I made a phone call to the Tea Association of the USA. Here is what they told me. A factory has a lot of complicated ways to process tea...

Is that plant hungry? (Science Letters).
February 1, 2002... If the Venus's-flytrap is a plant and plants can produce their own food, then why does it need to eat insects? Carolyn Yu, Age 11 Massachusetts The Venus's-flytrap is one of a few plants that "eat" insects. As you say, flytraps are...

Pop music. (Science Letters).
February 1, 2002... How come when a balloon pops it always makes a loud sound? Anthony Ochs, Age 7 Michigan Sounds are waves of pressure changes moving through the air. When a balloon pops, its air rushes out all at once and starts a sudden change in...

Feeling thirsty. (Science Letters).
February 1, 2002... Why does salt make you thirsty? Janell Deaton, Age 12 Ohio Your body has a lot of automatic internal mechanisms that work to give you a steady inside "environment" for your muscles and body machinery. For example, you have an...

Gramma's favorite.(Short Story)
February 1, 2002... I like staying overnight at my Gramma Ruiz's house--that is, until Gramma starts telling me how wonderful my cousin Maya is. Then it's Maya this and Maya that until I don't ever want to hear another word about her. That's why I wasn't too...

The Timbertoes.
February 1, 2002... The Timbertoes took a trip. They found an island. No one seemed to live them. The Timbertoes sailed away. Someone watched them go. "I am lonely," said the girl. She began to cry. The animals came near. You...

Headwork: start at the beginning and see how far you can go, thinking of good answers from your own head.
February 1, 2002... What noise does a sheep make? Which is softer, a blanket or a kitten? Would you rather go down a slide or ride on a swing? Why? Why is it important to put your shoes on the correct feet? Would you rather have five dollars or an...

Galileo and the moons of Jupiter.
February 1, 2002... Four hundred years ago, most people believed that Earth was the center of the universe. They thought that everything in the heavens, including the planets and the Sun, orbited our world. An astronomer named Nicolaus Copernicus had written a...

Jokes.
February 1, 2002... Nancy: "Who's at the door?" Cathy: "The Invisible Man." Nancy: "Tell him I can't see him." Sarah Kalmbach, Ohio Son: "Hey, Dad, I got a haircut today." Dad: "Which one?" Frank Dawedeit, Florida Teacher: "Harly,...

Visiting graveyards. (Dear Highlights).
February 1, 2002... I'm afraid of graveyards, and my mother loves going into them. My brother and sister don't mind, but I do! Kaylyn F., Nevada Perhaps you could have a talk with your mom about what makes you feel afraid when you visit a cemetery. By...

Swimming decision. (Dear Highlights).
February 1, 2002... I just got done doing winter swim, and I didn't like it very much. Before that I did summer swim, and I really liked it! I'm worried that I won't like summer swim this year. If I don't swim, my coach will be disappointed. Abby H., Illinois...

Who's to blame? (Dear Highlights).
February 1, 2002... Everyone in my class is my friend except one person. When he does something wrong, he tells on me and says that I did it, and the teacher believes him. What should I do? Justin T., Florida Choose a time when your teacher isn't busy...

Unusual breakfast. (Dear Highlights).
February 1, 2002... Pizza for breakfast? Yes or no? My sister says it's gross, but I say it's quick, it's portable, and it's there. Or what about bacon, eggs, and toast for supper? They both sound good to me. What do you think? Anna S., Georgia It sounds...

Mystery photos.
February 1, 2002... Can you identify the items shown in these close-ups? [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] 1. tunnel through a hill. 2. audiocassette tape. 3. bendable drinking straw, 4. baseball cap. 5. candlewick (and flame). 6. seashell.