Highlights for Children articles from February 2006

Highlights for Children archives from February 2006

Rain.(Poem)
February 1, 2006... Rain Translated from Japanese by Peter Beilenson Windy winter rain... my silly big umbrella tries walking backward

Goofus and Gallant.(Cartoon)
February 1, 2006... Goofus leaves his hat on all the time. Gallant removes his hat as a sign of respect. "Jason flunked the math test," says Goofus. Gallant lets other people share their own news. [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED]

Creamy banana fruit pie.
February 1, 2006... Ingredients: a three-ounce package of instant vanilla pudding 1/2 cup of chocolate chips 1/2 cup of peanuts or walnuts, chopped 2 bananas, sliced pre-made graham-cracker piecrust whipped cream 1. Make pudding according to the...

Joe, the herding dog.
February 1, 2006... The sun was setting on the farm. "Come on, Joe," Ellie called. "It's time to put the cows and goats to bed." Joe followed Ellie to the fence. "Gather the cows," said Ellie. Joe herded the cows to the barn. "Gather the goats," said Ellie....

Lucy and Tina: four ears and a tail.(dog helping deaf owner)
February 1, 2006... Beep-beep, beep-beep goes the alarm clock. Lucy the dog nuzzles Tina's face until Tina wakes up. Tina is deaf, and Lucy is no ordinary dog. Lucy is Tina's hearing dog. Lucy and Tina are partners. Lucy alerts Tina to the sounds that Tina...

Thinking: it's fun to explore an old castle.
February 1, 2006... * How is this castle different from your home? * Who might have lived in this castle? * What would be some advantages to living in a castle? * What would be some disadvantages? * If you could design a house for yourself, what...

Which of these were presidents?
February 1, 2006... Patrick Henry Thomas Jefferson Ben Franklin John Adams George Washington Paul Revere [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ANSWERS: John Adams, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson were Presidents.

It's "knot" a problem.(knotting a string )
February 1, 2006... Holding one end of a three-foot-long piece of string in each hand, can you tie a knot in the string without letting go of either end? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Before taking hold of the string, fold or cross your arms on your chest as...

Name some differences between ...
February 1, 2006... A pie and a cake. A horse and a dog. A light and a candle. A bike and a motorcycle. A sneaker and a sandal. An airplane and a helicopter.

In the footsteps of Mama Bobo: among the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria, a griot, through stories, teaches the history and culture of the tribe to the next generation.
February 1, 2006... It is the beginning of the dry season. The harvest has been gathered and stored. Crows, pepper birds, and finches swim through the fields, finishing off leftover corn, rice, and millet. It is a time of leisure. Tonight, in front of the...

Feeding time.(picture puzzles)
February 1, 2006... In this big picture, find the toothbrush, crown, artist's brush, funnel, banana, tack, letter E, shoe, spoon, needle, apple, bowl, pencil, musical note, bug, candle, ruler, lollipop, tube of toothpaste, and ice-cream bar. [ILLUSTRATION...

Jokes.
February 1, 2006... First cowboy: "Look at that herd of cattle." Second cowboy: "Herd of what?" First cowboy: "Cattle." Second cowboy: "Of course I've heard of cattle!" First cowboy: "No, I mean cattle herd." Second cowboy: "So what? I have...

White as snow.(Poem)
February 1, 2006... The polar bear cannot be beat. He's fond of Arctic ice and sleet. And when you see a mound of snow, You say, "My, my, where did he go?"

Harold's hundred days of school.(Short Story)
February 1, 2006... Harold counts the big red X's on the calendar. "Ninety-eight, ninety-nine, one hundred!" He jumps up and down. "Yay! Tomorrow is Hundreds Day." "What's Hundreds Day?" asks his mom. "We've been in school for one hundred days. We get to...

Little great white.(White shark)
February 1, 2006... Moms, dads, and kids crowded around the window at Monterey Bay Aquarium. When a small gray-and-white shark swam by, a woman squealed, "There she is!" Eight-year-old Sammy gazed up at the shark. He saw the rows of perfectly white, perfectly...

Water that stirs itself.
February 1, 2006... Set two clear glasses of warm water on a countertop. Place an ice cube in one of them. and put a drop of red food coloring into each glass. Notice how the color moves through the water. Water That Stirs Itself--The color mixes faster...

An old twist.(Science Corner)
February 1, 2006... Why are jar lids and bottle caps made to turn the same way? Come up with your own best answer. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

I wonder ... how the apple got seeds inside.
February 1, 2006... The apple started as an apple blossom. Like other flowers, this blossom had the job of making seeds. The apple blossom is a special kind of flower. Some of its outer parts keep growing to become a juicy apple with seeds inside.

Dino days.(dinosaurs )
February 1, 2006... Why did long-necked dinosaurs have long necks? Colleen Prince, Age 8 Pennsylvania No one knows for sure, but we have some reasonable ideas. Brachiosaurus (BRACK-ee-uh-SAW-rus) could reach nearly five stories high. Maybe it ate...

The timbertoes[R].(Cartoon)
February 1, 2006... The cart wheel broke. 'I'll make a new one," said Pa. Ma painted a picture. "I'll make a frame," she said. "The wind is blowing," said Mabel. "Let's make kites!" said Tommy. "This doesn't look right." "This...

Changing the face of history: Grace Bedell's letter to Abraham Lincoln had a big effect on him and the United States!
February 1, 2006... When eleven-year-old Grace Bedell wrote a letter in 1860, she couldn't have known that people would be reading it more than one hundred years later. But Grace's letter was written to Abraham Lincoln, who was running for President of the United...

Dream vehicles.
February 1, 2006... In August, we asked you to draw your dream vehicle. We were moved by your drive to create new ways to travel. You all seem to be on the road to success! Here are just a few of the many great ideas we received. Jordy Lineker, Age 11 ...

This heart has good scents.(handicrafts)
February 1, 2006... 1. Collect pine needles. 2. Cut out two identical felt hearts. 3. Sew the hearts together three-quarters of the way around. Fill the valentine with pine needles. Sew it closed. 4. If desired, glue on one wiggle eye, a pine-tree...

Who wins your heart?(handicrafts)
February 1, 2006... 1. Cut out two identical hearts from construction paper. 2. Cut a long piece of crepe-paper streamer in half lengthwise. Glue it along the edge of one heart, making a ruffle. 3. Glue two more streamers so that they hang from the other...

Decorate with a twirler.(Crafts You Can Make)
February 1, 2006... 1. Cut the rim and the base from a plastic cup. Cut a 1/2-inch spiral from the bottom to the top. 2. Punch holes every few inches along the spiral. Tie ribbons through the holes. 3. Tie a ribbon at the top, and hang your twirler as a...

Walk with a president.(Crafts You Can Make)
February 1, 2006... 1. Place an envelope so that the flap is up and the address side is facing you. 2. Draw your favorite President so that his head is on the flap part. Draw his torso on the front of the envelope. Add cut-paper details, if desired. 3....

Store stuff in a bottle bucket.(Crafts You Can Make)
February 1, 2006... 1. With an adult's help, cut the top from a clean 2-liter soda bottle, leaving some of the curve. Punch a hole in each side of the bottle. 2. If desired, glue cut-paper decorations to the bottle. 3. Twist two chenille sticks together....

Shake mini maracas!(Crafts You Can Make)
February 1, 2006... 1. Place some dry pasta, rice, or beans into a powdered-drink scoop. Tape a second scoop on top, open ends together. 2. Glue colorful fabric around the scoops to decorate them. Glue yarn, twine, or string around the handle. 3. Tie...

The bear family.(Cartoon)
February 1, 2006... Mom: What are you cubs doing? Woozy: We invented a new holiday. We're making cards. Piddy: Will we get presents? Poozy: It's not about getting stuff, Piddy. Woozy: Anytime we want to say, "Way to go, Brother!" Poozy: Or,...

No air up there.(vacuum in space)
February 1, 2006... Why is there no oxygen in space? Sydnie Wachs, Age 11 Alabama It can be hard to imagine a place with so little air that it is a more-complete vacuum than any we can create on Earth. But that's the way it is throughout space. ...

Scrub-a-dub-dub.(water and soap in cleaning)
February 1, 2006... Is it soap that cleans your hands or hot water or both? How does it work? Preston Landsberg, Age 11 California Soap and water work together to clean things. Most of the particles of dirt that get on our hands contain one type of...

Bug chatter.(communication in bugs)
February 1, 2006... Why can't bugs talk? Symone Stanley, Age 7 North Carolina Insects, spiders, and other little creatures do not have tongues or voice boxes like ours, but they communicate with one another quite a bit. Crickets use their wings to...

Stephen Bishop: cave explorer: at Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, Stephen Bishop was known as the "prince of guides.".
February 1, 2006... Stephen's lantern cast shaky shadows on the walls of Mammoth Cave, Kentucky. Hurrying after his guide, he stumbled along the rocky path. He couldn't lose sight of Mr. Miller. He might not find his way back out. Stephen was a slave owned by...

Helping hands: bump! Thump ... thump ... thump.(learning to play basketball)
February 1, 2006... I took twenty shots with my new basketball. But I only made one basket. My ball bounced into the bushes. It rolled under Dad's truck. Then it knocked over my brother Ben's bike. "Hey, be careful," grumbled Ben, picking up his bike. "I...

Watch it go!
February 1, 2006... If you move your book in circles, the wheels of this bicycle will spin. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Riddles.
February 1, 2006... (1) If people say, "Time flies when you're having fun," what do frogs say? Jenai Longstaff, Arizona (2) Which state asks a lot of questions? Henry Talbott, Oregon (3) Which kind of bird never needs a haircut? Miriam...

Using my brain.(how Ben Carson found interest in his studies)
February 1, 2006... Back in fifth grade, the only thing I studied much was television. You could say I was addicted. I'd turn it on to watch a particular show, but I'd settle for watching anything at all. My grades were poor, and everyone called me the class...

A Dream Shop.(Poem)
February 1, 2006... A Dream Shop Lots of amazing devices, Not to mention great low prices. Everything you need and more--What a most amazing store! Food and clothes, pets and pens. Speaking of food, French stuffed hens! Toys...

The Lighthouse.(Poem)
February 1, 2006... The Lighthouse The lighthouse is high. I walked 178 stairs to the top with my grandma. I could see the sky but could not reach the clouds. So I walked back down. Franklin Naughton, Age 7 North...

People will love each other.(Poem)
February 1, 2006... People will love each other, And their hearts will be light, And their days will be bright, And love will bring them sunshine, And to their souls, delight. If only people try, they'll see How happy they can be....

Of Birds and Words.(Poem)
February 1, 2006... Of Birds and Words The birds flit to the feeder like thoughts in my head, their colors so bright in the Sun like my ideas. The birds seem to fly on a blank paper sky like the...

I like to share a smile.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
February 1, 2006... I like to share a smile with my friends. It makes them smile back. It makes me feel wonderful! Andrea Schultz, Age 7 Zambia

Marcus's Body.(Poem)
February 1, 2006... Marcus's Body Hair blooming like wonderful flowers. Eyebrows flying up my forehead. Nose breathing in the smell of pizza. Teeth grinning and shiny. Hands gliding in the waters--all...

We Swim in the Sea.(Poem)
February 1, 2006... We Swim in the Sea A mermaid can swim and a fish can, too. The seaweed is green and the ocean is blue. Rose Williams, Age 5 Pennsylvania

The handsome wood ducks dive and dip.(Poem)
February 1, 2006... The handsome wood ducks dive and dip In the crystal woodland lake, Where ducklings hatch to paddle and sip, Like the mother and the drake. Their father, with his gleaming head, Sees his ducklings' arrival at last....

Little Cat!.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
February 1, 2006... Little Cat! Little cat by my knee turned around and licked me! Logan Peters, Age 9 Pennsylvania

CD Player.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
February 1, 2006... CD Player I listen to my CD player. I hear the emotions in my head, All the thoughts left unsaid. Haley Greiner, Age 11 Michigan

So high in the sky.(Poem)
February 1, 2006... So high in the sky On a winter night There is a star That shines so bright. It guides us Through the night, Home To the firelight. Marisa Shotwell, Age 6 Virginia

Sea gulls soaring high.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
February 1, 2006... Sea gulls soaring high The ocean moves swiftly by I stand in the sand Katie Kelton, Age 9 Texas

Class cupid.
February 1, 2006... Our teacher, Mrs. Gariano, told us to make a valentine for someone special. So, of course, I was making one for my best friend, Heather. As I was getting more glitter from Mrs. Gariano's desk, I saw the card that quiet David was working on....

Shocking! What causes red sprites and blue jets?(Weird Lightning)
February 1, 2006... Two new kinds of lightning are dancing in the sky--not really new, but scientists have just learned about these mysterious flashes. Both of these types of lightning flash up from the tops of clouds instead of down to the ground, so people...

Brain play.
February 1, 2006... Start at the beginning and see how far you can go, thinking of good answer from your own head. Is it easier to put on a coat or a hat? Who chose your name? Which are farther away from your nose--your fingers or your toes? Do...

Wants to be an artist.(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2006... I want to be an artist, but every time I draw, I mess up. How can I draw better? Pranay M., New Jersey Remember that your drawing doesn't have to look just like someone else's to be "good." Your drawing shows the way you see something...

Overcoming shyness.(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2006... I need some tips for overcoming my shyness. Susan J., Maine It's OK if you don't feel as outgoing as some of your friends. You are probably a good listener. The world needs people who speak up and people who are good listeners! If...

Loses temper.(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2006... I have a serious temper problem. I have tried counting to ten, but it doesn't work. What should I do? Greg H., Louisiana It's normal to feel angry sometimes, but there are things you can do to keep your anger from getting out of hand....

Ask first, please.(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2006... My sister always takes my stuff without asking me first. Can you help me? Ruthie W. (by e-mail) It might be a good idea to talk to your sister about this. She may have gotten into the habit of taking your things without asking. If this...

Funny food.(riddles and jokes)
February 1, 2006... 1. Where does the catcher sit for dinner? 2. Who called for his pipe, his bowl, and a can of soda pop? 3. What do you call a person who serves you meals in the water? 4. What's small, red, and whispers? 5. Why did the baker...