Highlights for Children articles from June 2008

Highlights for Children archives from June 2008

Find out about family.(Fun This Month)
June 1, 2008... Talk to family members this month to gather information about your family's past. Celebrate your history by preparing family recipes, telling family stories, and creating a family-trivia game. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Design a roller coaster.(Fun This Month)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... The world's first amusement-park roller coaster opened on June 13, 1884, at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York. If you could design your own roller coaster, what would it look like? After drawing a picture of it, give it a name.

Father's Day tongue twister.(Fun This Month)
June 1, 2008... Say this five times fast. The lad's granddad was the dad when the lad's dad was a lad. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Say hello to summer!(Fun This Month)
June 1, 2008... Summer kicks off on June 21--the day with the most sunlight. Say Hello to Summer! 1. Freeze juice into pops. 2. Read books with "cool" titles. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 3. Using craft foam, make a sun visor. 4. Design an...

Mystery photo.(Fun This Month)(Brief article)(Photograph)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Try to guess what you're looking at. Hint: On June 5, 1783, in France, an empty one of these was launched in public for the First time. Answer Box A hot-air balloon.

Juggling-day jumble.(Fun This Month)(juggling puzzle)(Brief article)(Photograph)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In honor of World Juggling Day, June 14, Bryan Bear was juggling six pieces of fruit. But when Monica Monkey crashed into Bryan, the fruits ended up all over the park. Help Bryan find the fruits hidden in the picture...

Find the pictures.(Fun This Month)
June 1, 2008... Can you find each of these 10 pictures at another place in this magazine? [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED]

No worries!(Editorial)
June 1, 2008... Dear Readers, Reading "Christina's Glasses" on page 30 reminded me of my own experience getting glasses. I worried whether my fourth-grade classmates would tease me when I walked into the room with glasses perched on my nose For the first...

How to Shake Hands with an Octopus.(Poem)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] How to Shake Hands with an Octopus "How do you do?" said Octopus. "How do you do?" I said. I stretched my right hand forward, then pulled it back instead. His arms are eight while...

Hector: king of the barnyard.(Cartoon)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hector was a proud rooster. He ruled the chicken coop. He was the first to rise. He got the sun out of its bed in the morning. He got the chickens out to look for food. He kept them safe from the fox. "Isn't he...

Goofus and Gallant[R].(Cartoon)
June 1, 2008... He's not here. Call back later," says Goofus [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Goofus dips again after taking a bite. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "I feel like Goofus when I get mad and say things I don't mean." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Math magic.(mathematical recreations)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Write the number 37 on a piece of paper and seal it in an envelope. Ask a friend to write down a three-digit number made up of the same numbers (111, 222, 333, and so on). Ask your friend to add the digits together (1+1+1) and then divide the...

Trevor and Rebecca Sage: there's some of Goofus and Gallant in us all. When the Gallant shines through, we show our best self.(Gallant Kids)
June 1, 2008... Birthday candles can fill a room with warmth. But when a birthday party becomes a fundraiser, the warmth spreads. A long cold winter was coming for the Ahimsa Ranch Animal Rescue north of Fort Collins, Colorado. The shelter was in desperate...

Invading the finches' nest.(finches nest in a flowerpot)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] One spring day, a pair of house finches began building their nest in a flowerpot hanging by my front door. I was thrilled to have the chance to watch them close-up. But I was in for some surprises. Whenever the...

What are your favorite books?(children's books)(List)
June 1, 2008... I've read a lot of books, but my favorite is Shiloh. The story is about a boy who finds a dog, but something happens to the dog. You have to read to find out what happens! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caitlin Meade, Age 8 Virginia ...

The Timbertoes[R].(Cartoon)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When Mabel's kite was stuck, [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Pa got it down. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When Tommy's wagon broke, [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Pa fixed it. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Summer in the City.(Hidden Pictures[R])(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In this big picture, find the pencil, funnel, needle, bell, pitcher, toothbrush, sailboat, slice of cake, paintbrush, spool of thread, chicken, artist's brush, slice of pie, pennant, musical note, and candle. ...

Knights and dragons.(children's board game)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... 1. Draw X's in each corner and in the middle of a rectangular piece of paper. 2. Draw lines between all of the X's, except the top two. 3. For markers, paint two rocks red and two black. [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] To Play: ...

Jokes.(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Maddy: No. Max: Do you believe in mind reading? Laura Moeller, Pennsylvania Mother Mouse was taking her children for a stroll. Suddenly a large cat appeared in their path. Mother Mouse shouted, "Bow-wow-wow!" and the cat scurried...

Prince, the flying dog.(Ask Arizona)(Column)
June 1, 2008... Dear Arizona, I want a dog more than anything, but my parents tell me that pets are too much money and too much work. What can I do to change their minds? --Dogless in Duluth [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dear Dogless, If I...

The bragging turtle.(Cartoon)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "I'm the smartest animal in the lake," boasted the turtle. "You brag a lot," said the geese. Turtle never stopped bragging. One hot summer day, the geese flapped their wings. "This lake is drying...

Matching.
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Look at each kaleidoscope on the left. Find one like it on the right.

Thinking: you can discover Earth's past and present in a natural history museum.(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Which of these creatures are real? Which are imaginary? * Which of these creatures live now? Which lived in the past? * How can people make models of creatures they have never seen? * What other...

Jack Prelutsky's rib-tickling reign: now, the first Children's Poet Laureate, he's the reigning king of funny poems.
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When Jack Prelutsky was a kid in New York more than fifty years ago, he didn't know he would grow up to write poetry for children. He didn't even think he liked poems. Neither of his parents read poetry to him...

Animal antics.(children's poems)(Poem)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Where can you find a bouncing bobolink, swimming chickens, and a whole lotta hippopotami? In the wacky poetry of Jack Prelutsky--America's first Children's Poet Laureate. Some Chickens Some chickens love...

What would you take to outer space? Here's what some of you would pack for a space adventure.
June 1, 2008... I would Lake my stuffed buddy since birth, Flapjack (a monkey). I'd also take a camcorder to record everything I see, my CD player for music and movies, chapter books to read, a basketball and soccer ball for exercise, bubbles for my baths, and...

Catching the "nice bug".
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] There are some things you don't want to catch--like colds. But kindness can be contagious, and it makes everyone Feel good! Have you ever seen one person's kind deed inspire other people to do nice things? In Fewer...

Father's Day coat of arms.(Crafts)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. Cut out a large shield from cardboard. 2. Cover it with paper. 3. Draw four sections on the shield. 4. Decorate each section with pictures that represent your dad's favorite things.

This game takes the cake!(Crafts)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... 1. Trace a dinner plate onto paper. Cut out the shape, and fold it into eight equal pieces. Cut them out. 2. For candles, cut out strips of paper and fold them in half. Fold up the ends to make two flaps as shown. Glue the strip together,...

Turtle mousepad.(Crafts)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. Trace a large paper plate onto craft foam. Cut out the circle. 2. Cut out a turtle's head, tail, and legs from craft foam. 3. Glue the head, tail, and legs in place. Add wiggle eyes. 4. Decorate the...

Notepad for dad.(Crafts)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... 1. Cut off one long side of a gelatin box. Glue paper to the box. 2. For feet, color two craft sticks. Glue them to the bottom of the box. 3. For a tail, tape a chenille stick to the back of the box and wrap it around to the front. ...

Send secret messages!(Crafts)(scytale construction)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... More than 2,500 years ago in ancient Greece, Spartans used a cylinder called a scytale to send messages. The Spartans wrapped fabric or leather around the cylinder and wrote messages that could be deciphered only when wrapped around another...

Picnic-party invitation.(Crafts)(picnic basket)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. Decorate a small paper plate. Print party details on it. Draw balloons on a napkin. 2. For a basket, fold a sheet of paper in half. Decorate it. Round off the two bottom edges. Fold down the top edge to make a...

Helping Holman.(Terry Holman)
June 1, 2008... The new kid's name was Terry Holman. It said so right on his baseball glove--a Pro Model A7000---the best outfielder's glove made. He'd moved into town, showed up at tryouts, and figured he could take my spot. "I play center field," he...

Christina's glasses.(Cartoon)
June 1, 2008... Christina frowned at her new glasses. "Please don't make me wear these," she said to her mother. "I will look like an owl." "Just try them," said her mother. Christina put on the glasses. She blinked her eyes. She said, "Wow! Everything is...

Why do whales jump out of the water?(Science Letters)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... We asked Greg Early, Ph.D., who is a marine biologist. He wrote: "There are two basic ways for a whale to jump out of the water, or breach. The first kind of breach is the 'Whoops, I was chasing something so fast that I fell out of the...

Why do wheels spin so fast when a car moves?(Science Letters)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... With a little math, we can see how quickly the wheels must turn. On a typical car, a tire is about 61/2 (6.5) feet around the outside edge. Each time the tires complete a turn, the car has moved 6.5 feet. How many times must the wheels...

The Private I's and The Case of the Green Ghost.(Cartoon)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Izzy, Inez, and Ivy were watching out the bedroom window. It was dark outside. A dog ran across the lawn. A car came around the curve. Ivy pointed toward the garage. "There it is again!" she said. "I told you I...

Bamboo.(Your own Pages)
June 1, 2008... Bamboo [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Andrew Ketchum, Age 9 Mississippi

Dads.(Your own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2008... Dads Dads are the ones saying jokes. Dads are the sun and make the day brighter when it rains. Dads are teachers who help us learn. Dads are a medicine when kids are sad. I love my dad! ...

The Birdhouse.(Your own Pages)
June 1, 2008... The Birdhouse [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sarah Canzone, Age 7 Florida

The Baseball.(Your own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2008... The Baseball The baseball's laces are as red as fire. The baseball's leather is as white as snow. The ball soars through the air as fast as a rocket. The batter swings like there is no tomorrow--and ...

Yellow Friend.(Your own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2008... Yellow Friend The moon has a happy face. She peeks in my window when I climb into bed and says, "Happy dreams." Annie Kratz, Age 6 Minnesota

Castle.(Your own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2008... Castle: Holding the memories of the ancient past. Sitting, crumbling, aging. Lonely, quiet, undisturbed. Its usage is over. Not needed, it just waits for its owner to come back for it. Castle. ...

My Hamster.(Your own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2008... My Hamster I have a hamster and her name is Rosie. She has red eyes and pink little toesies. Sometimes she's fussy. Sometimes she's not. When I hug her, she feels really hot. Sarah Almuhtaseb, Age...

Fireflies.(Your own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2008... Fireflies We are the little fireflies, And we fly through the night skies. When there are lots of us at night, It seems to be daylight, No matter how hard the night tries. Leslie Pike, Age 8 Kentucky

Mommy feeding babies.(Your own Pages)
June 1, 2008... Mommy Feeding Babies [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Vineeth Krishnamurthy, Age 5 South Carolina

Reach for Your Goals.(Your own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2008... Reach For Your Goals A jump A leap A skip or a hop A dive A plunge A plummet or plop Some minute Some hour Some night or some day Somehow Some chance Some opportunity Some way ...

I am a green belt in karate.(Your own Pages)
June 1, 2008... I am a Green Belt in Karate [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Brett Lee, Age 8 Illinois

Zanzibara, My Goat.(Your own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2008... Zanzibara, My Goat My hand over soft fur. Round sides on Chamois. Babies beneath. Listen, I hear a sound. Come quickly! I hear bleating! After, my hand over new, soft, silky fur. Patches of...

Basketball with my dad.(Your own Pages)
June 1, 2008... Basketball with my Dad [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Avery Hallmark, Age 7 North Carolina

My Cat.(Your own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2008... My Cat The cat had a hat. He thought it was a mat, so there he sat. Mariah Trujillo, Age 5 Utah

Ocean.(Your own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2008... Ocean Crash! The waves pummel against the shore, setting the record for the day. Sea gulls search for crabs but scuttle away when the ocean comes sliding up. I can hear the sea roaring in my...

Night with the fireflies.(Your own Pages)
June 1, 2008... Night with the Fireflies [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Briana Nwokeji, Age 10 Tennessee

I Like.(Your own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2008... I Like I like peaches. I like cake. I like eating by the lake. Nate Wingfield, Age 6 Kansas

Sunrise at castle.(Your own Pages)
June 1, 2008... Sunrise at Castle [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Victoriya Khodyrev, Age 13 Montana

Expanding rice.(Science Corner)(rice get bigger as it cooks)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Why does rice get bigger as it cooks? Answer Bix Rice contains small granules of starch. When the rice is boiled, these granules soak up water and increase in size, making each rice grain expand as well.

How far is Earth from the Sun?(Science Corner)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "How far is Earth from the Sun? 93 million miles, 6 feet, 4 inches."

Big chalk circles.(Science Corner)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Tie a piece of sidewalk chalk to each end of a long piece of string. Have a friend hold one piece of chalk in place on a hard play area. Now stretch the string taut and use it as a guide as you draw a circle around your friend. How would you...

I wonder ... why I shouldn't touch poison ivy.(Science Corner)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Poison ivy has a kind of oil that may make a person's skin blister and itch. Learn what poison ivy looks like and stay away from it. Sometimes the leaves have slightly different shapes, but they always grow in groups...

Dino days.(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... What did Velociraptor eat? Will Rose, Age 9 Florida We don't have any stomach contents from a Velociraptor (veh-LAH-sih-rap-tur), so we can't be sure. We do have its tooth marks in the skull of a baby Velociraptor, so it probably...

The bear family.(Cartoon)
June 1, 2008... Mom: Did you hear a scream? Woozy: Yes. It sounded like Piddy. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mom: Piddy, are you OK? Woozy: We thought you might be hurt. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Poozy: It's fun to make noise when you play....

Summer with Papaji.(Summer with grandfather)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Papaji, my grandfather, was a stern man. He always stood straight, his body lean and muscular from the physical work of farming. When I was young, I thought he seemed awfully big. His mustache curled at the ends, and...

Your best self.
June 1, 2008... That's OK We'll do something else. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I'm not tall enough for this ride.

Riddles.(Brief article)(List)
June 1, 2008... (1) Why couldn't the piano get back into his house? Elise Combs, Florida (2) What is a dinosaur when it gets out of a bath? Samuel Stark, England (3) What begins with a P, ends with an E, and has a million letters in it? ...

Brain play.(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Start at the beginning and see how far you can go, thinking of good answer from your own head. START [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Which are animals: frogs, trees, rocks, birds, lions, crabs? Can you tap your feet? Your hands? Your...

Dear highlights.
June 1, 2008... My brothers are way taller than I am, and I always look small around them. How do I get taller? Matthew C., South Carolina [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] People grow at different rates, and it's very possible that some day you will be at...

Picture puzzler.
June 1, 2008... These two "photos" were taken just seconds apart. How many differences can you find? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]