Highlights for Children articles from March 2009

Highlights for Children archives from March 2009

Oh, say, can you sing ...(Fun This Month)(The Star-Spangled Banner)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] On March 3, 1931, "The Star-Spangled Banner," written by Francis Scott Key, was made the National Anthem by the U.S. Congress. If you don't know the song already, visit HighlightsKids.com and learn the words.

Find the pictures.(Fun This Month)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Can you find each of these 10 pictures at another place in this magazine?

Find the 3s!(Fun This Month)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In honor of the third month, see how many 3s you can find in the picture above. The 3s can be upside down, sideways, long or short, skinny or fat.

Craft a party!(Fun This Month)(National Craft Month)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] During National Craft Month (March), host a crafting party. Spread supplies on newspaper-covered tables, and have guests make party hats and other crafts. Invent craft challenges. Work on a group sculpture. Serve...

Mystery photo.(Fun This Month)
March 1, 2009... Guess what you're looking at. Hint: March 20 is National Agriculture Day. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Answer: This is an overhead view of a field of crops.

Tongue twister.(Fun This Month)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Say this three times fast. Mismatched Mitch makes mush.

5 ways to be a good sport.(Fun This Month)
March 1, 2009... 1. Play fair, and Follow the rules. 2. Don't dwell on mistakes. 3. Use phrases like "Nice play!" or "Good effort!" 4. Try your best throughout the game. 5. Whether you win or lose, thank the other team. [ILLUSTRATION...

Make someone laugh!(Dear Readers)(Editorial)
March 1, 2009... I love reading the jokes and riddles in Highlights. I especially like the jokes that take a minute to Figure out. (Don't miss the joke about grapes on page 15 in this issue!) Most Folks enjoy being around people who have a sense of humor....

No Secret.(Poem)
March 1, 2009... No Secret I'll know it when it happens, Even if it's night. I'll hear the first fine-tuning With both my eyes shut tight. Music in the marshes, Concerts in the bogs, Joyful songs of welcome From...

Goofus and Gallant[R].(Cartoon)
March 1, 2009... "It's not a real fire. It's just a drill," Says Goofus. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Gallant listens carefully and acts quickly during drills. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Dad!" Goofus shouts. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "There you...

Frog-jumping contest.
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Rana, Froggers, and Groda decided to Have a jumping contest. Each frog took three jumps. Which frog jumped the farthest total distance? Hint: 12 inches (in.) = 1 foot (ft.) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Frogger...

[Cartoon].(Cartoon)
March 1, 2009... "I'm sorry. You have the wrong number."

Sky Nockels: there's some of Goofus and Gallant in us all. When the Gallant shines through, we show our best self.(Gallant Kids)
March 1, 2009... When seven-year-old Sky Nockels learned that black rhinoceroses were an endangered species, he decided to do something to help. He raised money to adopt a black rhino named Imara at the Great Plains Zoo in South Dakota. By adopting Imara, Sky...

Mole cleans up.(Short story)
March 1, 2009... Rat-a-tat-tat! Mole put down his broom and opened the door. There stood Chipmunk. "May I borrow a ladder, Mole?" asked Chipmunk. "I want to finish cleaning my windows in time for our fishing trip." Mole looked at the jumble in his...

Mayfly.(Nature Watch: From the Roger Tory Peterson Institute)
March 1, 2009... Did you Know? Adult mayflies don't live long. But when they appear, they can be hard to miss. Sometimes millions of mayflies come out at once, flying low over streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes. These insects are not feeding. They eat all...

Matching.
March 1, 2009... Look at each dragon on the left. Find one like it on the right. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

What are your favorite books?
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] My favorite book is Just Kids: Pictures, Poems and Other Silly Animal Stuff Just for Kids by Bonnie Louise Kuchler. There are animal poems that are cute and funny. If you like animals, you will like this book. ...

Making a lay-up: perfecting this shot takes lots of practice.
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The lay-up is the most basic shot in basketball. Professional players have to make lay-ups at full speed with defenders trying to block the shot. But you can practice alone, as long as you know how to do it. ...

Duck-family outing.(Hidden Pictures[R])
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In this big picture, find the pencil, heart, scissors, banana, artist's brush, snake, slice of pie, toothbrush, needle, ice-cream cone, fish, and paper clip. Can you Find these Hidden Pictures[R] on page 14? ...

Jokes.
March 1, 2009... Pig: Why are you eating alphabet soup? Cow: Because if I were eating number soup, I'd be a cow-culator! Isabel Edreva, Illinois A book never written: The Haunted House by N.E. Bodie Home. Jason Sajan, New York Mary: What...

Milk.(Poem)
March 1, 2009... Milk I drink my milk and think of how I really should go thank a cow. A creamy, white, delicious brew--in fact, I think I'll go thank two. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Lucky hat.(Ask Arizona)(Column)
March 1, 2009... Dear Arizona, My brother is so lucky. Good stuff is always happening to him. Do you believe in luck? And if so, how can I get more of it? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] --Looking for Luck in Louisiana Dear Looking, I was eating...

Thinking: neighbors meet at the recycling center.
March 1, 2009... * What have these people brought to recycle? * Why are materials sorted into different containers? * What happens to these materials when they leave the recycling center? * Why do people recycle? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Where do cookies come from?(Short story)
March 1, 2009... Tina and Grandma were eating lunch. They each had an egg sandwich, an apple, a cookie, and a glass of milk. Tina took a bite of her egg sandwich. "Do you know where eggs come from?" Grandma asked. "Eggs come from chickens," said Tina. "Where...

The dog that helps save whales.(Short story)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Tucker is a black Labrador retriever with short, dark fur. He helps scientists find whale droppings. From the deck of a boat, Tucker sniffs the air. Soon, he catches a whiff of scat left by an orca, or "killer...

Talent night.(Short story)
March 1, 2009... I have a problem. Talent Night is coming up, and I have no talents. Let me introduce myself: Benjamin Belinski, Human Talent Void. Kate can make anything using origami. Tommy creates breathtaking beats on overturned plastic buckets....

Bat Floating in the Sky.(Your Own Pages)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Eli Brown, Age 6 New Mexico

Flowers in the Spring.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
March 1, 2009... Flowers in the Spring Flowers in the wind, swaying, swaying, swaying. Along came the snow, falling down. Now it's time for the flowers to take a nap. It's spring again, and the flowers rise up and...

Alice and the Fairies in Wonderland.(Your Own Pages)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Willow Cortes, Age 5 Tennessee

Eraser.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
March 1, 2009... Eraser If you weren't there, Eraser, all the black strokes on my paper would still be here. Zaheer Coovadia, Age 6 New York

Night.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
March 1, 2009... Night The stars shine so bright. The moon is up high. There is no sound except an owl flying by. Jessica Davis, Age 8 Louisiana

Desert Road Trip.(Your Own Pages)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Colin Wilson, Age 9 Mississippi

Peas.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
March 1, 2009... Peas Peas, peas, I like peas. Peas are growing, and I am, too. Peas like to grow and grow until they are done. Yum, yum, they are yummy when cooked. Patrick Yunghans, Age 7 New York

Bugatti Veyron.(Your Own Pages)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Orion Crane, Age 8 Pennsylvania

My Mother's Moonlight.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
March 1, 2009... My Mother's Moonlight You are my moon that lights my night skies. You are my sunshine that lights my day. You are my candle that I blow out at night. You are my snuggle bunny that I love very much. ...

Interstate.(Your Own Pages)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Casey Collier, Age 10 Oregon

Softball.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
March 1, 2009... Softball Hit, run, safe! Hit, run, safe! Out! Sweating, heart racing. Name called. Swing, hit, home run! Sitting in the dugout, nervousness melted away. Players high-fiving. We won! ...

Dancing in the Moonlight.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
March 1, 2009... Dancing in the Moonlight On a silver lake of ice, Skating with great speed, Rushing through the night, Dancing in the moonlight. Twirling through the air-- What a beautiful sight! Singing as they went,...

Carrots are orange.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
March 1, 2009... Carrots are orange. Carrots are sweet. Carrots are something that I like to eat. Yogi Fedorchuk, Age 7 Alaska

Rose Vase.(Your Own Pages)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Amber Nguyen, Age 11 Texas

Home.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
March 1, 2009... Home Light of the sun. Smell of cooking, House of homework. Yells of joy and love. Walls of soccer. Toys of Lego, Everywhere full of books With red. blue. and green. Home is my friend. My house...

A Little Snowflake.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
March 1, 2009... A Little Snowflake A snowflake is as soft as a puppy, as quiet as a whisper, as white as an angel. It floats like a butterfly, then it lands on my nose. Zoe Ariyama, Age 8 Illinois

The Grassy Field.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
March 1, 2009... The Grassy Field Day by day I roam in a field. The grass is wet and covered with dew. There's a brook in the middle. cold and fresh. There I sit. watching my breath freeze. I find an old bridge...

My Creative Hand.(Your Own Pages)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ronald Koran, Age 10 Minnesota

The Robber Crab.(Your Own Pages)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Zuriana Antonio, Age 11 Ohio

Fishing.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
March 1, 2009... Fishing Fishing is like a treasure hunt. You never know what you'll find. It could be a boot or a fish of some kind. Fishing is my favorite thing to do. When my dad wants to go, I say, "Me,...

Armadillos see a C.(Science Corner)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Imagine what Ed sees. Now imagine what Deb sees. Armadillos See a C--Here's what each armadillo sees. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Sneaky sounds.(Science Corner)
March 1, 2009... Ask a friend to sit with eyes closed as you move around quietly and snap your fingers at various places. Can your friend point to the spot where each snap came from? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The ears often pick up the same sound at...

I wonder ... why the lizard's tail came off.(Science Corner)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The lizard's tail comes off easily. By letting go of its tail, the lizard can get away from an animal that might eat it. Then the lizard can grow a new tail.

Dino days.
March 1, 2009... How were the three periods oF dinosaurs (Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous) separated? Martina Geisbrecht, Age 8 British Columbia, Canada Scientists think that each period ended in a worldwide disaster, called an extinction...

Philippine tic-tac-toe.
March 1, 2009... What You'll Need: paper three dry beans three dry macaroni shells People in the Philippines enjoy a two-player game called tapatan (TAP-ah-tan), which is like tic-tac-toe. To play tapatan, begin with a square sheet of paper...

Growing trees for Kenya.(AFRICA)(Wangari Maathai and the Green Belt Movement)
March 1, 2009... Growing up in a family of peasant farmers in the highlands of Kenya, Wangari Maathai (Wahn-GAHR-ee Mah-TIE) often fetched water from a nearby stream. She would stop to play among the clumps of bright-green arrowroot leaves and enjoy sips of...

Spring-flower candy dish.(Crafts)
March 1, 2009... 1. On the back of an empty cereal box, trace the outline of a small box. Carefully cut out the square. 2. Draw a flower around the square hole, and cut it out. Trace the flower shape onto colored paper, cut it out, and glue it to the...

Marble golf game.(Crafts)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. Trace a plastic bottle cap near the end of a 9-inch-by-12-inch piece of felt. Cut out the circle. 2. Lay the felt on a shoebox lid. Through the hole, trace a smaller circle on the lid. Set the felt aside. Cut...

Foil light-bouncer.(Crafts)
March 1, 2009... 1. On cardboard, draw and cut out two matching shapes. 2. Cover each shape with foil. Smooth the foil on one side, and fold it over onto the back. Punch a hole through the same place on both shapes. 3. Glue the shapes together with the...

Mini animal: notepad.(Crafts)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. Trace a juice glass twice onto craft foam. Using decorative scissors, cut out the circles to make notepad covers. 2. Punch two holes through the circles. 3. Cut out an animal's facial features and feet...

Knickknack shelf.(Crafts)
March 1, 2009... 1. Cut a diamond shape from cardboard. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2. Poke two small holes near the top. Tie a ribbon through the holes for a hanger. 3. Cover the diamond with colored paper. 4. For shelves, glue colored paper...

Leprechaun "hair" planter.(Crafts)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. Cut a quart-sized carton 2 1/2 inches from the bottom. 2. Glue craft Foam around the carton. Create ears and a bow tie using craft foam. and glue them on. Add details with markers. Glue on wiggle eyes. 3....

Finding the Robins' nest.(Short story)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "If robins are in our yard, there has to be a robins' nest somewhere," said Andrew. "Why do you want to find it?" asked his little brother, Curtis. "So we can watch the parents feeding the baby birds,"...

Science letters.(snakes and stars)
March 1, 2009... How do snakes open their mouths so wide? Gabriel Winston-Bailey, Age 5 Maryland Unlike the human mouth, a snake's mouth is just right for taking in a big meal all at once. First, the mouth is big because the jawbones are...

Check ... and double check.
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There are at least twelve differences in these two pictures. How many can you find?

The Timbertoes[R].(Cartoon)
March 1, 2009... Dinner was over. "What shall we do now?" Ma had an idea. Pa hung up a sheet. Ma lit a lamp. "Look! It's a rabbit!" Pa took a turn. "It's a bird!" Mabel made a goat. "My turn !" "It's Splinter!" ...

The woman in the moon: a Kumeyaay legend.(Short story)
March 1, 2009... A great ball of light fell across the sky. Where did it come from? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Along time ago, a group of native people in Southern California traveled between the mountains and the ocean in search of food and comfort. They...

Your best self.(Cartoon)
March 1, 2009... Can I see your answers? Why don't I help you figure it out instead? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Paper-folding challenge.
March 1, 2009... Try folding a regular piece of paper in half more than eight times. Most people say it can't be done! The first fold makes the paper as thick as two pieces of paper. The second fold makes it as thick as four pieces of paper. With the third...

Riddles.
March 1, 2009... (1) What do you call a very cold sea? Ben Foxman, Connecticut (2) It's raining outside, and everyone has the same kind of umbrella. What kind is it? Judy Li, New York (3) Why did the cake go to the dentist? Keelin Greene,...

Brain play.
March 1, 2009... Start at the beginning and see how far you can go, thinking of good answers from your own head. START [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Are there more people or more things in your home? Where would you look to see wheels? To see feet?...

Building a tree-trunk road: a swamp blocked our path to the lake. Find out how dirt and logs helped us get across.
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] One year, my husband, Chuck, built a summer cabin near a lake. Our sons--Henry, Josh, and Zach--could not wait to go swimming and fishing! But to reach the lake, they had to walk through the woods. In the middle of...

Dear Highlights.(making friends, injections, sibling relations and Timbertoes)
March 1, 2009... I'm not good at making friends. What should I do? Drake C., Virginia A smile and a friendly "Hi!" are good ways to start a conversation. Talk about things going on at school and find out what the other person's interests are. If you...

Picture puzzler.
March 1, 2009... These astro-animals are ready to return home. Spell out each animal's home continent to take it to its shuttle. The first one is done for you. Unscramble the letters on each shuttle to see who belongs inside. emu (Australia) ...