Highlights for Children articles from March 2002

Highlights for Children archives from March 2002

March.(Poem)
March 1, 2002... March A blue day, a blue jay, and a good beginning. One crow, melting snow-- spring's winning!

Cascarones--an egg-cellent tradition.(decorated eggs)
March 1, 2002... Decorated eggs are a traditional part of the Easter season. In Mexico, cascarones, confetti-filled eggshells meant to be broken above the head of a friend, are part of the holiday celebration. It is not known for certain where cascarones...

If Davy could yodel.(Short Story)
March 1, 2002... Davy was the smallest cowboy on the Circle S Ranch. But he could ride a horse as well as Slim or Tex or Shorty. He could twirl a rope as well as Buck or Sandy or Will. He could bulldog a steer as well as Charlie or Pecos or Ned. ...

Riddles.
March 1, 2002... 1. What is beautiful, gray, and wears glass slippers? Rebecca Burdette, Indiana 2. What did the mom volcano say to the kid volcano? Jessica Ott, Wisconsin 3. Which baseball team do puppies play for? Forrest Jensen,...

Um ..TEST.(word game)
March 1, 2002... Think of a short word ending in um to fit each description. 1. A steady buzzing. 2. Feeling sad. 3. A tasty fruit. 4. A close friend. 5. To play a guitar. 6. A chewy treat. Answers: 1. hum. 2. glum. 3. plum....

The Timbertoes.(Poem)
March 1, 2002... It was a fine day for kites. Mabel's kite flew high. "I'd like to fly like that!" "I could look down on the trees." "I could climb higher than mountains." "I could fly into space." "I could fly past the moon." "I...

No, thanks.(Poem)
March 1, 2002... No, Thanks No, thank you, no more bugs for me or grubs--I've had my fill. I'm feeling stuffed. My stomach's puffed. Perhaps the whippoor-will.

Making a splash: blindness hasn't dimmed the spirit of this record-breaking swimmer.(Kate Pavlacka )(Interview)
March 1, 2002... "Swimmers, step up." Goggles clamped over her eyes, nineteen-year-old Kate Pavlacka stepped onto the starting block. She was about to race against the world's fastest competitors at the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney, Australia. To...

The donkey and his burdens: an old fable.
March 1, 2002... One day a peddler bought several bags of salt and loaded them onto his donkey. As they were crossing a stream, the donkey stumbled and fell into the water. Much of the salt melted and drained away, and when the donkey got to his feet, he found...

Jokes.
March 1, 2002... A man goes into a cafe. He's in a rush, and he says, "Waiter, get me a doughnut, and step on it!" So the waiter gets a doughnut and steps on it. Ruth Madievsky, California Amber: "Don't you think it is amazing how chickens hatch out...

The leprechaun trap.(Short Story)
March 1, 2002... Michael O'Connor was a thief, and proud of it. "There's no one in Ireland cleverer than I am," he declared. "Why, taking gold from the foolish is as easy as plucking apples from a tree. There are days when I think I could outwit even the...

Mr. Bluebird: he brought these birds back to New York.(work of New York State Bluebird Society president Ray Briggs considered)
March 1, 2002... Ray Briggs comes from a family that fights for important causes. His grandfathers from way back fought in the American Revolution and the War of 1812. Ray Briggs's cause is the eastern bluebird, the official bird of New York State. Born in...

Look!
March 1, 2002... A spotted green frog jumped--rush, rush, rush--on his way to the pond. Suddenly he stopped. He sat down and looked. A long-eared rabbit hopped--rush, rush, rush--past the frog on her way to the meadow. "Why are you sitting there...

Make a neat Easter treat. (You Can Make It!).
March 1, 2002... 1. Glue a piece of ribbon around the lid of a baby-food jar and tie it into a bow. Glue Easter grass or florist's moss to the top of the lid. 2. Glue two small pompoms or cotton balls together. To make a bird for the top, add felt eyes and...

Celebrate passover or any day. (You Can Make It!).
March 1, 2002... 1. Trace the outline of a small paper plate onto a larger paper plate and cut out the outline, enlarging it slightly so the small plate can hang freely in the hole. 2. Decorate the large plate and punch two holes in it, one over the other....

A new kind of juggling. (You Can Make It!).(craft activity)
March 1, 2002... 1. Remove the labels from five empty half-liter water bottles. Stuff colored curling ribbon into four of the bottles. Add uncooked rice to make a rattle effect. 2. With an adult's help, cut off the bottom and top of the fifth bottle,...

A puzzling activity. (You Can Make It!).
March 1, 2002... 1. Divide a piece of 9-inch-by-9-inch drawing paper into a grid of 3-inch squares, marking the lines very lightly. 2. Make a stamp out of a cross section of a piece of fruit. This puzzle was made using a carambola, or star fruit. Stamp the...

This Easter basket is just ducky. (You Can Make It!).(New York State Bluebird Society)
March 1, 2002... 1. Braid three chenille sticks together to make a handle. Wrap the ends around the sides of a berry basket and glue them in place if necessary. Add ribbons for decoration. 2. Glue yellow crepe paper around the outside of the basket. Add...

You need a "lid-dle" balance for this game. (You Can Make It!).
March 1, 2002... 1. Wrap a plastic squirt-top water bottle with paper and decorate it. Collect some bottle caps. 2. Turn a large paper plate upside down and draw three circles on it. Paint the circles three different colors. Let the paint dry. 3....

Craft challenge! (You Can Make It!).(greeting cards)
March 1, 2002... Make a selection of homemade greeting cards. Design the front of each card, write a catchy verse for the inside, and make your own special logo for the back.

The noisy world of dolphins. (Science In Action).
March 1, 2002... In the seawater world of the dolphin, sound is the very best way to communicate or to learn about the surroundings--obstacles or prey or predators. Scientists have studied two kinds of sounds that are a big part of dolphin life. One kind...

Dino Don's dinosaur days.
March 1, 2002... Angela Yang, Age 8 Texas [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I read that Dimetrodon used its fin to get heat from the sun. Did Spinosaurus use its fin to get heat from the sun, too? Brandon Wear, Age 5 Virginia Scientists are not...

Nasbah's rescue.(Short Story)
March 1, 2002... Nasbah raced ahead and peered over the rim of the canyon. The cool water of the wash sparkled in the midday sun. The green grass danced in the gentle breeze, and Nasbah could see her grandparents' hogan and the sheep corral near the wash. ...

Barn House. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
March 1, 2002... Barn House In the hayloft where it's warm out windows I stare longing for a sweet robin Rebecca Koenig, Age 10 Virginia My Shoe Porter Lumpkins, Age 7 Washington

The Sea. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
March 1, 2002... The Sea The sea is like God's fish tank. He always feeds and takes care of the fish, big and small. God always makes sure they have a night light, the Moon. God loves all his friends in the sea. Victoria...

Winter. (Our OWn Pages).(Poem)
March 1, 2002... Winter Winter is cool, don't ya know? No lawns to rake, no grass to grow, no leaves to bag, no mulch to spread. But one thing makes you get out of bed: "Honey?" your mom calls, "could you shovel the walk?" ...

Five Little Shells. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
March 1, 2002... Five Little Shells Five little shells by the shore, One was washed away, Now there are four.... One picked by a little girl, Now there are three.... Three stay by the shore, Waiting to be picked.... One...

The Night. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
March 1, 2002... The Night The night so cool, The stars so bright, The moon so full, Shedding its light. An owl in the sky Lets out his call. He slowly flies by As the night begins to fall. Jessica Muhs, Age 11...

Shoes on the Highway. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
March 1, 2002... Shoes on the Highway On the highway I saw a shoe without its brother, and I wondered, "What could have happened to the other?" It looked so blue and lonesome, too. Maybe it was the result of a...

The River. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
March 1, 2002... The River Snaking throughout the unknown, silent except for the crickets, slow as turtles winding through the forest, black as midnight, deep as a never-ending hole, graceful and quiet, twisting through...

Winter. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
March 1, 2002... Winter Soft snow crunched under my feet. Snowflakes fell slowly. The cold air nipped at my nose. I lay down in the snow and breathed in cold, fresh air. Sarah Butt, Age 10 Illinois Reclining Papa...

If I were a star. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
March 1, 2002... If I were a star, I would glow and twinkle in the night, Watching the world rotate and Guessing which state or country is in light or darkness. I would become a shooting star And visit my friend the Moon. ...

Rain. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
March 1, 2002... Rain Rain is dropping like heavy tears from the heavens. Flowers are washing their beautiful petals. Sun is playing hide-and-seek with the tall, green grass. Children must return home. But then the sun...

Silly kitty. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
March 1, 2002... Silly kitty, I watch you play, I watch you grow, I watch you take your nap. Silly kitty, you are always watching over me, as if you're my mom. Every night you always sleep by me. Silly kitty, ...

Football. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
March 1, 2002... Football Spins like a rocket traveling through the air twirling just right slow twisting CATCH! GOOD THROW! Adam Kriegshauser, Age 6 Colorado

From mushrooms to Peter Rabbit Beatrix Potter grew up with a passion for science and nature.
March 1, 2002... The eight-year-old girl leaned over her sketch pad, drawing a caterpillar as it munched on a leaf. Beatrix had spent her summer studying these tiny creatures. She knew what they ate, where they lived, and what kind of butterfly or moth each...

Word pairs.
March 1, 2002... The same letters can form very different words. Say these words aloud, and notice how the same letters are in different places in the two words. Think of some pairs of your own. life file once cone bleat table mile ...

Rhymes and reasons.
March 1, 2002... Each numbered clue is a definition. One word from each clue rhymes with the word the clue defines. 1. Pie maker. 2. These bother dogs. 3. Teacher in church. 4. Recipe book reader. 5. Flop to the floor. 6. Roast...

The watchdog.(Short Story)
March 1, 2002... Patches was barking the sharp joyful barks that told Janie he was chasing Farmer Morrison's cows again. "Oh no," Janie groaned. She could see her dog out the window, a black-and-white streak dashing from cow to cow, moving the whole herd...

Circus tickets. (Dear Highlights).(social advice)
March 1, 2002... I won four circus tickets. There are three people in my family, so my father said I could invite one friend. But I have lots of best friends. Whom should I pick? Isabelle S., North Carolina Perhaps one of your friends recently had you...

Cool guys. (Dear Highlights).(social advice)
March 1, 2002... There are a lot of cool guys in my school. How can I be their friend? Jerry T., British Columbia Most lasting friendships are formed when people enjoy some of the same things. You might want to seek out those boys who share your...

Dance critics. (Dear Highlights).(coping with teasing)
March 1, 2002... Some of my friends make fun of how I dance. On the other hand, some of my friends say I dance great. What should I say or do? Rachel K., Texas Dancing is a form of self-expression, and most dancers would probably tell you that there is...

Brother copies. (Dear Highlights).(advice on how to handle the problem)
March 1, 2002... My brother tries to do everything I do. I do gymnastics, and one day he tried to do a back handspring. I'm afraid he'll get hurt trying to do something I can do. Joshua O., Indiana Your brother looks up to you and wants to be like you....