Highlights for Children articles from November 2003

Highlights for Children archives from November 2003

A Prayer of Thanksgiving.(Poem)
November 1, 2003... A Prayer of Thanksgiving Lord, behold our family here assembled. We thank thee For this place in which we dwell; For the peace accorded us this day, For the hope with which we expect tomorrow; For the health, the...

Find the pictures.
November 1, 2003... Can you find each of these pictures at another place in this book? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Dear readers.
November 1, 2003... When you're alone, do you ever complain, "There's nothing to do!" I know I have. Sometimes I reach for my journal or sit down at the piano. I find that I do my best creative work when I'm by myself. In Highlights this month,...

Roll up some fun!(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... With a few simple materials, you can roll up a whole lot of fun making Chinese yo-yos and miniature storybook scrolls. When you've finished, enjoy them yourself or give them as gifts to friends and family members. You'll need: *...

Miniature storybook scroll.
November 1, 2003... These nifty little scrolls are just the right size for short stories, poems, or secret messages. Write your story, poem, or message on adding-machine tape starting about three inches from the end of the roll. Add illustrations as you go. When...

Act your age.(Short Story)
November 1, 2003... "Act your age," said Aunt Augusta sharply. Frances had been blowing bubbles in her bedtime milk. She had made sure there was only about a quarter of the milk left. The bubbles weren't going over the sides of the glass. But it seemed that Aunt...

My exciting ride on the bridges of Iceland: "are you used to horses?" my guide asked. I thought I was. But these horses were different.
November 1, 2003... My friend Haukur is an Icelandic farmer. He is keen and alert, a small, wiry man, sudden in his movements. He has a barn full of cows, a flock of sheep, and a stable of seventy horses. Haukur says horses are "the bridges of Iceland." Until...

Inching along.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Inchworm, inchworm, very picky, super at arithmetic, he calculates the path he takes and measures every step he makes. He's quite precise, and very nice.

In or out?
November 1, 2003... Which are usually used indoors? Which are usually used outdoors? treadmill toothbrush shovel fishing rod computer football wheelbarrow spoon comb rake

Which is which?
November 1, 2003... Tell which sentence in each pair is a fact and which is an opinion. * Thomas has huge feet. His shoes are size eight. * This shirt costs ten dollars. That's a lot of money. * The temperature is 58 degrees. It's too cold for...

Matching.
November 1, 2003... Look at each child on the left. Find him or her on the right. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For wee folks.
November 1, 2003... * What kind of food comes in each container? * Which kids are playing loudly? Which are playing quietly? Which activity would you like to do? * Which would you use to find the height of a chair? To see what day your birthday is? To...

An A+ life.(Short Story)
November 1, 2003... Justin couldn't believe it--an assignment due the day before Thanksgiving! "Your gratitude list is due Wednesday," said Mr. Scranton. "Write down one hundred things you're grateful for." "That's impossible!" moaned Alex. "The...

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Sprat.(Hidden Pictures[TM])
November 1, 2003... In this big picture find the book, boomerang, whale, pine tree, butterfly, spoon, kite, ladder, ring, heart, caterpillar, four-leaf clover, hat, and baseball bat. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] boomerang baseball bat spoon ...

Jack Sprat.(Poem)
November 1, 2003... Jack Sprat A Mother Goose Rhyme Jack Sprat could eat no fat, His wife could eat no lean. And so between the two of them, They licked the platter clean.

"Tri" this.
November 1, 2003... How many triangles the size of the one at the right would fit into the figure below? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Jokes.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Teacher: "Children, open your geography books. Who can tell me where South America is?" Sandy: "I can. It's on page 15." Heart Cabrera, Pennsylvania Casey: "Why does your brother sleep in the chandelier?" Riley: "Because he's...

A girl named remember: almost four hundred years ago, Remember Allerton and her family journeyed to America on the Mayflower.
November 1, 2003... Sitting on the grassy hillside, 12-year-old Remember Allerton gazed at the sparkling waters of Plymouth Bay and the calm, open ocean beyond. It was hard to believe that this same sea had been so violent and frightening to cross six and a half...

Pete's puzzling pitch.
November 1, 2003... Pete threw a ball as hard as he could. There was nothing attached to the ball, and it did not hit anything and bounce back. No one else caught the ball or hit it. Yet the ball returned to Pete and he caught it. How could this have happened? ...

Goofus and Gallant[R].
November 1, 2003... Goofus takes big bites and hardly chews his food. Gallant takes small bites and chews his food well. Goofus snoops. Gallant ignores things that aren't his business. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The timbertoes.
November 1, 2003... Ma told Mabel a secret. "I'm making a scarf for Pa." Mabel told Tommy the secret. "It's a surprise. Don't tell!" Having a secret was fun. But keeping it was hard! Tommy had an idea. He wrote down the secret ...

Japanese children celebrate: Shichi-go-san.
November 1, 2003... In Japan, children dress up for a special ceremony called Shichi-go-san (she-chee go sawn). At this festival, children are honored by their families and blessed at a Shinto shrine. Shinto is a very old religion that many people in Japan...

Ice feet.(Short Story)
November 1, 2003... In a wintery land of frozen snowbanks and bitter cold winds, Widow Minna sat by the stove sewing a quilt. Her son, Alvar, carried in firewood. He stacked the logs, then stamped the snow from his boots and sat down. "Your quilt is...

When hair falls out.(Science Letters)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... When a person loses hair, how come it's not when they're young? And how does your hair fall out? Victoria Zakrzewski, Age 9 Michigan We are always losing some hair and growing new hair in its place. People can begin to lose more...

Sour lemons.(science letters)
November 1, 2003... Some seeds get spread around by animals that eat them and then excrete them. How then do seeds of sour fruits such as lemons get spread around? Margaret McCall, Age 11 Illinois Some plants make big, fleshy fruits, and animals eat...

Penguin puzzle.(Science Letters)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Why can't penguins fly instead of swim? Jesse Fritz, Age 10 Georgia A penguin's body isn't designed to fly. Its wings are too short and stubby. But as you say, they work just fine for swimming. A number of other birds, including...

Picked on.(Your Ideas, Please!)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Everybody picks on my friend. When I try to make them stop, they just pick on me. Please help! Lyndsey P., Arkansas

Feels ignored.(Your Ideas Please!)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... My baby sister gets all the attention. What should I do? Aaron J., New York

Too much TV.(Your Ideas Please!)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Every day after school I always watch TV. Sometimes I watch too much. Can you help me? Brandie R., California

Riddles.
November 1, 2003... 1. Where do you learn how to make ice cream? Shayna Gulko, Massachusetts 2. Why do dolphins live in salt water? Alexis Mollitor and Dylan Weber Michigan 3. What did the doctor say to the Incredible Shrinking Man? Claire...

Our flag's true colors?(Try This!)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The flag on this page may look strange. Here's how to see its true colors. Use a pen or pencil to make a small dot near the center of a blank sheet of white paper. Lay the paper aside. Lay this page flat under a bright light. Rest your...

Check ... and doubled check.
November 1, 2003... There are at least fifteen differences in these two pictures. How many can you find? [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED]

Thinking.
November 1, 2003... * This family will be making several stops today. Where might they be going? At which stop will they spend the most time? The least? * What day of the week do you think this is? What time of day? Why do you think so?

Elevator rules.(Short Story)
November 1, 2003... I love elevators. The best part is watching the lights blink on the way to my floor. My name is Tina. I am three years and one week older than Bernie, my brother. Bernie and I used to race each other down the hall to press the button for...

Cheerleader.(Our Own Pages)
November 1, 2003... Cheerleader [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Emily Dhue, Age 4 Virginia

The Main Part.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
November 1, 2003... The Main Part I couldn't wait for practice. I couldn't wait to hear: "Guess who the star is, everyone?" Then my name would appear. I would walk up and take a bow; Everyone would look at me now. When I...

Haiku.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
November 1, 2003... Haiku Little leaves dancing. "Little leaves, will you come down?" "No. Wait for the wind." Lily Wolf, Age 7 New York

Little Gerbil.(Our Own Pages)
November 1, 2003... Little Gerbil [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Gregory Staskiewicz, Age 8 Nebraska

Where My Dad Works.(Our Own Pages)
November 1, 2003... Where My Dad Works [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Nathan Greene, Age 7 Tennessee

My Fingerprint.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
November 1, 2003... My Fingerprint My fingerprint looks like a tornado. It looks like someone looking at me. It looks like a tunnel. It looks like a whirlpool. It looks like the bright sun! Matthew North, Age 8 Oregon

New England Lighthouse.(Our Own Pages)
November 1, 2003... New England Lighthouse [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Luke Dorman, Age 7 Connecticut

My cat is a creeper.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
November 1, 2003... My cat is a creeper. My dog is a sleeper. My frog is a leaper. My bird is a peeper. Evelyn Magner, Age 6 Minnesota

Home.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
November 1, 2003... Home Happy memories Of Mom making cookies for Me to Eat Abby Tobias, Age 10 Alaska

Finish Line.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
November 1, 2003... Finish Line I see, I see, Over and around, A line, a line! I see a finish line! What did you say? I was going the wrong way? Oops! I see the starting line. Dmitry Pimenov, Age 7 Washington

My Puppy, Riley, Sleeping on a Blanket.(Our Own Pages)
November 1, 2003... My Puppy, Riley, Sleeping on a Blanket ("Wake Me for Food") [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Kelsey Heck, Age 10 Indiana

My Red Sweater.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
November 1, 2003... My Red Sweater Red with strings, and pockets big. Buttons open, snug as blankets. Soft as silk. My red sweater. Stephanie Freedman, Age 8 Wisconsin

Waiting.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
November 1, 2003... Waiting The night is cool and dark. I press my nose to the frosty window, waiting, waiting. The last faint glimmers of sunlight are seeping out from behind the trees. I sit there waiting, waiting. ...

The Grand Slam Piano.(poem)(Poem)
November 1, 2003... The Grand Slam Piano My family just bought a new piano. It was delivered here today. It has eighty-eight keys and, if you please, I wish I knew how to play. I plink and I plunk all the day long. I play both...

A Winter Performance.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
November 1, 2003... A Winter Performance Snow settles softly in a spectacular show of dancing crystal. Kyle Grinde, Age 11 Georgia

If We Didn't Have Numbers.(poem)(Poem)
November 1, 2003... If We Didn't Have Numbers If we didn't have numbers, No one would know what age they were Or how many patches were on a checkerboard. No TV channels, no chapters in a book. Or how many spots on "each ladybug. No...

Stormy Days and Stormy Nights.(poem)(Poem)
November 1, 2003... Stormy Days and Stormy Nights Stormy days and stormy nights, Bumpy flights and runaway kites, Don't forget the flickering lights, On stormy days and stormy nights. Yael Horwitz, Age 8 Washington

I wonder ... why the candle flame makes a point.(science corner)
November 1, 2003... The flame is made of burning gas that flows up from the candle. The gas in the center of the flame is hottest, so it rises fastest. That makes the point at the top. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Crushing Cold.(Science Corner)
November 1, 2003... Rinse out a plastic drink container using warm water. An empty milk jug or two-liter soda bottle will work well. While the air in the bottle is still warm, put the cap on tightly and place the bottle in the freezer for two or three minutes....

How the world spins.(Science Corner)(direct sunlight damages vision)
November 1, 2003... Anytime during the day, notice where the Sun is in the sky. Then watch to see where the Sun sets. Can you tell which direction Earth is turning? NOTE: Never look directly at the Sun. Direct sunlight can damage your vision.

Dinosour days.(protecting their babies)
November 1, 2003... Did dinosaurs protect their babies against bad dinosaurs? Anthony Shams, Age 6 California Dinosaurs probably did protect their babies, though it is hard to tell from fossils. We have found fossils that show dinosaurs, such as Oviraptor...

Turkey for thanksgiving.
November 1, 2003... "Let's have Thanksgiving at my house," said Rabbit. "We will have dinner with all the trimmings " "Yay!" cried the forest animals "You bring salad," Rabbit told Squirrel. "You bring potatoes," Rabbit told Raccoon. "You bring pumpkin pie,"...

Which mouse has the marble?(You Can Make It!)
November 1, 2003... 1. Cut three cups from an egg carton. Poke a hole at the back of each cup. 2. To make tails, insert one end of a 6-inch chenille stick into each hole. Glue the end of each chenille stick to the inside of each cup. Curl the tails. 3....

A place for your favorite things.(handicrafts)
November 1, 2003... 1. Select a plastic box (a container from disposable floor wipes works well). To cover the label, glue a piece of colored paper to the lid. 2. With a parent's permission, cut out pictures from magazines, greeting cards, and wrapping paper....

Celebrate Ramadan by making this mosaic.(window decoration)
November 1, 2003... Islamic art uses geometric shapes in its designs. Many mosques are decorated with mosaics or stained glass. Use this sun catcher to decorate your window during Ramadan (begins around October 26 and ends around November 25, 2003). 1. To...

Save our seats!(making invitation for party)
November 1, 2003... 1. With a parent's permission, cut out a design or picture from a greeting card. 2. Fold an unlined index card in half. 3. Glue the picture near the top of the card. Write a guest's name near the bottom of the card. 4. When you...

Invite a turkey to dinner.(paper crafts)
November 1, 2003... 1. With an adult's help, cut off an inch from a large plastic-foam ball so that it won't roll. 2. Cut six brown chenille sticks in half. Poke them into the ball in two rows at the top. Insert craft feathers behind the chenille sticks. ...

Full of hot air.(Short Story)
November 1, 2003... Princess Serena was in the castle courtyard working on her latest invention, an automatic unicorn-horn polisher, when a dragon swooped down and carried her off to his faraway cave. "How rude!" Serena sputtered. "You can't just swoop down...

Flights of fancy.(Flashbacks)
November 1, 2003... I grew up on a small cattle farm in Indiana. This meant that I was always around dust, fur, and crops. That might have been fine for most kids, but not for me--I had asthma. All those things made it hard for me to breathe. Back then, there...

Headwork.
November 1, 2003... Start at the beginning and see how far you can go, thinking of good answers from your own head. What day is tomorrow? -- With which hand do you usually throw a ball? How well can you throw a ball with your other hand? Try it. -- ...

Planet hunter: he has found 65 new worlds circling stars far away.
November 1, 2003... When Geoff Marcy was 14, his parents bought him a telescope. Every night, he would go onto the roof outside his window to see the wonders of the sky. "My favorite thing to look at was Saturn. I could see the rings around it!" says Marcy....

Wobble, wobble, little star ...(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... How does Dr. Marcy detect planets orbiting faraway stars? Since these planets are too small to see by telescope, he tells when a planet is present from a star's movement. This movement, or "wobble," is caused by a planet's tug on its star. ...

Nervous actor.(Dear Highlights)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... My school is putting on The Wizard of Oz. I have to be one of the Munchkins. When I have to act I get really nervous and think I will mess up. How do I face my fears? Daniel L., New York It may surprise you to learn that even...

Caught in the middle.
November 1, 2003... I have two friends at school. One likes to play basketball; the other likes the swings. When one feels left out, I invite her to play. But she refuses because she doesn't like the other one. What can I do? Mia T., California It's...

Making faces.(brother trouble)
November 1, 2003... My brother annoys me by making faces at me. Do you know how to make him stop? Alec E., Texas It probably won't be possible to force your brother to stop. Instead, the way to spoil his attempt to annoy you is to learn not to be...

Too much light.(room sharing)
November 1, 2003... My little sister and I share a room. All in all it's OK, but she likes the night-light and I don't. It hurts my eyes. What do you think I could do? Lynell S., Washington You could ask your parents to talk to you and your sister about...

Picture perfect?
November 1, 2003... We found twenty differences in these two scenes. How many can you find? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]