kidsville news - july 2009

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WWW.KIDSVILLENEWSTN.COM KIDSVILLE NEWS - PAGE 3JULY 2009

Dear Kids,

Happy July! Independence Day is one of my fa-vorite celebrations of the year. Do you know why? Fireworks! It’s also a great time to grill out and have one of my favorite foods — hot dogs. Yum, yum! The birthday of our country is a very special day. I thought it would be a good idea to talk to one of our armed service members who represents our country. The Golden Knight that I interviewed is a parachutist that represents the U.S. in parachuting competitions. Really cool job!

You’ll also fi nd a recipe for a fun new way to experience hot dogs at your next backyard cookout. In the Come Out & Play section, read about a fun backyard sport to try with your family!

I hope your summer is off to a great start. For more fun, visit my Web site at www.kidsvillenews.com! You’ll fi nd more articles, worksheets and fun, interactive games.

Have a great July! Your friend,


Firefl y Have you ever spent a summer eve-ning chasing tiny glowing lights, trying to catch fi refl ies in a jar? The fi refl y, or lightning bug, is a type of insect in the

beetle order. So even though they are called fi re “fl ies” and they do fl y, they are beetles, not fl ies. It’s no wonder that this family of beetle, called Lampyridae, has the word “lamp” in it! The little fi refl y emits light from its lower abdomen. The light can be yellow, green or even pale red. They use this special bioluminescent power to attract mates and prey. The light is made by a special chemical reaction in the light-producing organs of their abdomen.

More than 2,000 species of fi refl y are found around the world. They mostly live in temperate and tropical

environments. Marshes and wet, wooded areas are great habitats for the fi refl y. Most fi refl ies are nocturnal, so you only see them at night. The fi refl y is a soft-bodied beetle that ranges from fi ve to 25 mm, very tiny or up to one inch long. Its body is fl at and brown or black. Sometimes it has yellow or orange markings. In most species, both males and females have wings and produce light. Sometimes, the females do not have wings. And sometimes, the male produces only a small amount of light. The larvae of the fi refl y also produce light and are often called glowworms.

Sources: Encyclopaedia Brittanica Online; Wikipedia. Photographer: Emmanuelm, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Firefl y_composite.jpg

Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ArthropodaClass: InsectaOrder: ColeopteraSuborder: PolyphagaFamily: Lampyridae

Core Value:RESPECTING PROPERTY

Core Value:RESPECTING PROPERTY

The first day in a new house is exciting, especially if you’ve just been adopted. Boomerang, the Australian Shepherd, and Halley’s Comet,

that silver streak of a cat, are everywhere.“Look, Boomer. The dining room,” calls out Halley.“Get a load of that!” says Boomer. Halley jumps up on

the long wooden dining table, knocking over a vase of flowers. “Oops,” says the silver cat.“Now look what you’ve done!” says Boomer, with

water dripping on his nose.

Halley didn’t show respect for property because

a. She jumped on the table.b. She doesn’t like flowers.c. She was taking a nap.

Go Onl ine and Write to Win a Prize!

Write a paragraph about this core value, and you could win a

Boomer and Halley t-shirt and a place on our Winners Circle!

e a paragraph about this

Download full-sizeColoring Sheets at

boomerandhalley.com!

win ad

his

For the answer and a chance to win a prize, go to the FUN STUFF page at boomerandhalley.com!

mer, with

ct

core vBoomer

a place on

Write

Respecting Property means taking care of possessions — yours or others’.Respecting Property

Series by Mary Jane McKittrickIllustrations by Bob Ostrom

This fi refl y was caught in Canada. The top photo was taken with a fl ash.


As we celebrate the birthday of the United States on July 4, there will be celebrations all over the country. Some of those celebrations might include a demonstration by The United States Army Parachute Team, known as the Golden Knights. The demonstration and competition parachutist teams of the Golden Knights are made up of U.S. Army Paratroopers who have excellent parachuting skills. Dannielle Woosley is on the Golden Knights’ competition team at Fort Bragg, NC. Two teams participate in national and international parachute competitions. They have won an impressive array of medals from national and international competitions each year and hold the current Military World Record in both male and female four-way freefall formation. Dannielle spoke with Kidsville News! to tell us more about her job representing the U.S. Army.

TRUMAN: What does it take to become a Golden Knight?

DANNIELLE: In order to become a Golden Knight, you have to possess personal qualities such as professionalism, dedication, loyalty and selfl ess service and be a good soldier and team member. You also have to have at least 150 freefall parachute jumps and go through a rigorous eight-week assessment and selection program.

TRUMAN: When, and why, did you fi rst become interested in becoming a Golden Knight parachutist?

DANNIELLE: I remember seeing the Golden Knights at an air show and thought how wonderful and professional they were. I never imagined that I would be lucky enough to join them.

TRUMAN: What do you do? What’s a typical day on the job?

DANNIELLE: We start our day pretty early in the morning. We meet at our team headquarters on Fort Bragg around 6:00 a.m., and then we drive about 45 minutes to our drop zone and training area at Laurinburg Maxton airport in Laurinburg, NC. We then set up the drop zone, stretch and get ready to jump. We make our fi rst jump around 7:30 am. We normally make 10 to 12 jumps a day and then end the day with some type of physical fi tness, either a run or weight training.

TRUMAN: From how high do you jump?

DANNIELLE: We jump from different altitudes, depending on what we are working on, so basically we can get out of the airplane anywhere from 2,000 feet to 13,500 feet.

TRUMAN: Do you do different formations in the air, or are you just trying to hit a certain spot on the ground, or what?

DANNIELLE: We work on all different aspects of skydiving, from formations to hitting a two-centimeter dot.

TRUMAN: Are you ever afraid when you are jumping?

DANNIELLE: I’m not scared to jump from the airplane; the Army provides us with the best equipment there is, and I have all the trust in my equipment to work.

TRUMAN: What’s the hardest part of your job?

DANNIELLE: That is a really hard question. If I had to pick one, I would say that it would be keeping up the tradition and standards of all the soldiers and Golden Knights before me.

TRUMAN: What’s the best part of your job?

DANNIELLE: The best part of our job would be to represent the Army and the soldiers around the world.

TRUMAN: What advice would you give to kids who are interested in this profession?

DANNIELLE: Stay in school, work hard and remember, you can do anything you put your mind to.

TRUMAN: Thanks for talking to me! It sounds like you have a very exciting job

representing our military!

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO BE... A GOLDEN KNIGHT?

Dannielle Woosley is on the U.S. Army Parachute Team’s Golden Knights Competition Team.


Grilling Word FindWhat’s the Difference?


Believed to have originated in France during the 1300s, Croquet or Paille-Maille (ball-mallet) became very popular in England in the mid 1800s. An association was created at Wimbledon (famous for its tennis) with special fi elds and rules, and the game quickly made its way to America where backyard croquet, as well

as competitive croquet, is still popular today — around 200

croquet clubs in the US belong to the United States Croquet Association!

Croquet is played on an area at least 35 x 28 yards in size, with a color-striped peg or stake 18 inches high at each end of the playing fi eld. Players use a three-foot-long mallet — a long-handled hammer made primarily of wood — to hit a colored ball that weighs about a pound through nine (for backyard croquet) or six metal hoops or wickets. The wickets are placed in forma-tion on the fi eld, and the object of the game is to hit the ball through all the wickets in order and into the stakes both up and down the fi eld before your opponent does.

Croquet is usually played as a team, making it a great family-fun game, and each player takes a turn in order

according to color of the mallet and ball — blue, red, black, yellow (and green and orange for six balls). When croquet is played as a team, blue, black and green compete against red, yellow and orange. A player takes one

shot per turn and earns extra shots by scoring a wicket — hitting the ball

through the hoop — for one bonus shot or by striking another ball, known as a roquet, for two extra shots. A player can earn a new extra

shot on the fi nal bonus shot for a maximum of two at one time. If they like, players can use the “deadness” rule in

a game: A ball that has been roquetted cannot be hit again for an extra shot unless the player hitting it has scored another wicket fi rst. A ball that ends up out of bounds is placed inside the playing fi eld boundary directly in line from its out-of-bounds position.

Variations of croquet include the fastest-growing version of the game, golf croquet, where a wicket is

won by the fi rst ball to go through each hoop. The winner is the player or team that wins the most hoops. Like horseshoes, badminton, and bocce ball, croquet is a great backyard game for the entire family to enjoy together.

Sources: www.croquet.com; “Croquet,” Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croquet.

COME OUT AND PLAY!Croquet — A Popular Sport for Over 600 Years!


C o n s e r v a t i o n orner

Conserve Water!Less than 3% of the Earth’s water is fresh water. This

means that we need to take every step possible to conserve and take care of it. Little things, like whether you take a bath or shower, can infl uence how much water your family uses. There are small, easy changes you and your family can make to help conserve water.

• One thing you and your family can do is instead of taking baths, take showers, and try to confi ne them to fi ve minutes or less.

• When you brush your teeth, turn off the faucet. • Ask your parents to buy a low-fl ow showerhead. Low-

fl ow showerheads and faucet caps are inexpensive and available online.

• Take unwanted household chemicals to hazardous waste collection centers. Do not pour them down the drain!

• Use dishwashers and clothes washers only when fully loaded.• For outdoor water conservation, convince your parents to buy

a water barrel. These are great for watering the garden and outdoor fl owers.

Small changes in our daily lives can bring us one step closer to being “green.” The fresh water available on our planet is limited. As more people are born, more people will have to share this resource. It’s very important to take care of our natural resources so that we will always have them to enjoy.

A biography is a book that tells about the life of a famous person. Pat McCarthy has written many biographies. Here are a few, (published by Enslow Publishers), thatyou may findin your locallibrary:

Dear Pat McCarthy,

I love history, so I can’t wait

to read your new book,

Heading West: Life with the

Pioneers.

How did you become inter-

ested in history?

Your

friend,

Truman

Hi, Truman.

When I was a kid, I thought history was boring. I had a great history teacher in high school and found out how interesting history is. Now, in my books, I try to make it inter-esting for kids.

Many history books list a lot of dates. Dates are important, of course, but–for me–history is all about people. I try to learn all the in-teresting little things about people in history and pass them on to the kids who read my books.

Another good way to learn history is to DO things people did back then. That’s why I included activities in the book like churning butter, dipping candles and tracking animals.

This book has lots of things pioneer kids wrote about their lives in their journals and in letters to people back home. Hope you enjoy it!

Your friend, PatMcCarthyCompiled by Kim Norman,author of Crocodaddy.Illustrations © 2009 by David WalkerUsed with permission from SterlingPublishing Co., Inc. May 2009.Author visit info: www.kimnorman.com

http://patmccarthysauthorblog.blogspot.com/

HEADING WEST:Life with the PioneersChicago Review PressAug. 1, 2009, ages 9-12


Grilling Word Find

What’s the Difference?


Art Gallery

Edgar Degas was a 19th-century French artist. Known as one of the founders of the Impressionist movement, he preferred to call himself a “realist” because he drew inspiration for his art from the world around him.

Edgar Degas was born Helaire-Germaine-Edgar De Gas on July 19, 1834, in Paris, France, the oldest of five children. His father was a French banker, and his mother was American. Edgar liked painting as a child. By the time he was a teenager, he had set up his own art studio in his family’s house. At 18, Edgar was given permis-sion to copy at the Louvre. At the time, young artists copied

paintings at the museum to study the techniques of the master artists before them. Edgar showed artistic talent, but his father wanted him to be a lawyer. So in 1853, after graduating from high school, he enrolled in law school. Unhappy in law school, Edgar met two prominent artists who inspired him to pursue his art. He transferred to a school of fine arts in Paris and later decided to move to Italy to study the Italian masters. By 1860, he had made hundreds of copies of famous

Italian paintings.Moving back to France after three years, Edgar toyed with more

contemporary artistic techniques. After serving in the National Guard during the Franco-Prussian war, he joined up with a group of young artists looking to cre-ate a new style. Their first collective exhibit was in 1874, and art critics began calling them “the Impressionists.” Unlike earlier styles, Impressionism focused on bright, bold colors without a lot of details. Edgar and his friends painted as if they had taken just a quick peek at the subject of their work. Although Edgar never felt he was an Impressionist, like the Impressionists, he made his artwork look as if it shimmered in the sun. Gaining a reputation as a talented artist, his work was exhibited in France,London and New York. His most famous works were of ballet dancers and horses.

Edgar died on September 27, 1917. While he was known as a painter, more than 150 sculptures were found in his studio after his death.

Written by Tamar Burris, a former elementary school teacher who now works as a freelance writer and curriculum developer for PBS, the Discovery Channel

and other education-related companies. Sources: Edgar Degas Paintings Gallery www.edgar-degas.org/biography.html; Metropolitan Museum of Art: Degas, Chronology of the Artist’s Life, www.metmuseum.org/explore/Degas.

Edgar Degas: A Real Impressionist

The Dance Class (La Classe de Danse),1873–1876, by Edgar Degas

It’s time to get out your globe! You need to know about the imaginary lines on globes and maps. These lines are called lines of latitude and longitude, and they tell a pilot or ship’s captain exactly where in the world a certain place is located. Basically, latitude lines (also called parallels) are the horizontal lines on your map. Lines of longitude (also called merid-

ians) are the vertical lines that run from the North Pole to the South Pole. This mapping system is written in degrees and uses the symbol °. Get ready to travel the world!

Like the United States, another country celebrates its national independence day in July! Get out your globe, and fi nd longitude 173º E and latitude 1º N to locate the archipelago of Kiribati, the easternmost country in the world. Kiribati is a group of 33 coral atolls – islands of coral that partly or completely surround a lagoon.

Formerly known as the Gilbert Islands, Kiribati is located in the Pacifi c Ocean along the Equator and was fi rst sighted by British and American ships in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Kiribati is actually composed of three island groups: the Gilbert Islands, the Phoenix Islands and the Line Islands. British settlers arrived in 1837, and in 1892, the Gilbert Islands became a

British protectorate, and then a colony in 1915. On July 12, 1979, the Gilbert Islands gained independence from Britain and chose the name Kiribati, an adaptation of “Gilberts” in the Gilbertese language, though English is the offi cial language.

Kiribati is about four times the size of Washington, D.C., and 21 of its 33 islands are inhabited. The capital and largest city of Kiribati is South Tarawa, halfway between Hawaii and Australia. The climate is tropical – very hot and humid, and the atolls are at most seven feet above sea level. Because it is composed of coral reef material and sand, the country’s land is not very good for agriculture. Kiribati was once a source of commercially mined phosphate on Banaba Island, but copra, the dried fl esh of the coconut, and fi sh are now the largest exports, and tourism makes up about a quarter of the economy.

Kiribati’s July 12th National Independence Day celebration is a big event. The president of Kiribati opens the celebration at the capital in Bairiki, South Tarawa, which includes a colorful parade and sporting events, such as tennis, boxing, ping-pong, fi shing, soccer, basketball, volleyball and canoeing, as well as local dance contests. The celebration on Tarawa lasts three days, but on the outer islands, it may go on for a week!

Sources: “Kiribati,” The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/KR.html; “Kiribati,” Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiribati; Kiribati National Tourism Offi ce, www.visit-kiribati.com/kiribati/cms/about/events.html.

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS...KIRIBATI?


At the Movies

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (In Theaters: July 1)The third installment in the animated “Ice Age” series fi nds that little saber-toothed squirrel Scrat coming back for more funny attempts at getting away with a giant acorn, but this time he may be too blinded by his love for a cute little squirrel named Scratte to keep the acorn for himself. Queen Latifah’s Ellie, a giant mammoth, and her friendly mate Manny (Ray Romano) are due to become parents when they go on an adventure to a warmer environment to rescue their friend Sid the sloth (voiced by John Leguizamo). It seems Sid has been kidnapped by a dinosaur mother whose eggs Sid unwisely tried to take care of. Diego, the saber-toothed tiger, also returns along with a newcomer named Buck – a sly one-eyed weasel. Rated PG (20th Century Fox)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (In Theaters: July 15)Daniel Radcliffe and the gang return to get ready for Harry’s biggest battle yet during his sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The very powerful Voldemort is up to no good in the Muggle world when Hogwarts gains a new teacher named Horace Slughorn, and Harry gets an ancient book of potions that once belonged to the Half-Blood Prince. Now, captain of the Quidditch team, Harry sees hearts and arrows in the eyes of his best friend’s sister Ginny Weasley, even though she may already be spoken for by Dean Thomas. Romance and jealousy come with the territory as Harry tries to get to the bottom of exactly what kind of trouble that creepy Draco Malfoy is up to at Hogwarts. Rated PG for scary images, some violence, language and mild sensuality. (Warner Brothers Pictures)

G-Force (In Theaters: July 24)Summer live-action 3-D movie fun comes with a team of specially trained guinea pigs working on a government mission to stop an evil rich genius from taking over the world using everyday household appliances. Our gang of elite guinea pig spies includes squad leader Darwin (voiced by Sam Rockwell), weapons expert Blaster (voiced by Tracy Morgan) and martial arts master Juarez (voiced by Penelope Cruz). Added to the group is a snoopy little fl y named Mooch and a goofy computer special-ist mole called Speckles (voiced by Nicolas Cage). Look for lots of silly jokes, fancy gadgets and super action chases in a movie where a bunch of smart little animals get to have all the fun.Rated PG for some mild action and rude humor. (Walt Disney Pictures)

Movies on DVD

Peanuts: 1960’s Collection (DVD Release: July 7)All of your mom and dad’s favorite Peanuts cartoons from the ‘60s are here in an ageless collection of the classic cartoon series that touches on every season of the year. Starting with the award-winning 1965 classic A Charlie Brown Christmas, the set also includes Charlie Brown’s All-Stars (1966), It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966), You’re in Love Charlie Brown (1967), He’s Your Dog, Charlie Brown (1968), and It Was a Short Summer Charlie Brown (1969). Snoopy, Linus, Lucy, Peppermint Patty, Pigpen and the rest of the gang are here in great little stories from the master of 20th-century cartoons, Charles M. Schultz. Also included in the set is a cool documentary, The Maestro of Menlo Park - Profi ling Composer Vince Gauraldi, about the musician who wrote the famous “Linus and Lucy” theme, as well as other music for the series. (Warner Home Video)

Cole Smithey, also known as “the smartest fi lm critic in the world,” has been a fi lm critic for 11 years and writes for over 50 publications, in print and on-line. Truman loves to watch movies and has the highest apprecia-tion for great popcorn.


NASA Cartoon Interviews

a “GOES-O” Weather Satellite

Engineer

NASA’s Space Place is a Web site that helps kids learn about

Earth and space science and technol-ogy. The latest interview on the Web site’s

animated “television show,” called Space Place Live! features a scientist from the weather sat-ellite that NASA is launching in 2009, called “GOES-O.”

In the latest episode of the Space Place Live!, animated young hosts Kate and Kyo interview a cartoon version of the GOES satellite Deputy Project Man-ager, Andre Dress. Andre works at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. He talked with Kate and Kyo about the new GOES-O

weather satellite as it is being prepared for launch. There have been 13 GOES satel-lites launched already. Before they launch, they are named with a letter, once they’re in orbit, the name changes to a number, so GOES-O would become GOES-14.

“GOES means Geostationary Opera-tional Environmental Satellite,” Dress said during his interview. That means the satellite stays in a fi xed position above the

Earth as it rotates in orbit so it can keep an eye on the weather in a fi xed area over the U.S. NASA manages the development and launch of the satellites for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, also called NOAA. Once in orbit and after check out, NOAA takes over the satellite’s daily operations.

During the 10-minute cartoon interview, Andre explains what the GOES satellite will do, where it is located in orbit and how the satellite is launched. He also explains why it’s so important that scientists rehearse what they’re going to say during and after the launch. Because Andre Dress will be in that group of engineers that will be practicing, it will really be a “dress rehearsal.”

The actual launch will happen during the summertime in 2009. The Space Place is produced by the Jet Propulsion

Laboratory (JPL). JPL is managed for NASA by the California Insti-tute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif. New episodes of Space Place Live! with hosts Kate and Kyo are always being made. The Web site is geared toward elementary school students and teachers. It is updated daily, with events, games, projects, animations, cool subjects, amazing facts and a section for friends to share news from their communities, so kids should bookmark it on their computer and check it daily. It’s both fun and a great learning experience.

This article was provided by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

July is National Hot Dog Month! Sure, you can add cheese, or chili, ketchup and mustard, but there’s more than one way to enjoy a hot dog! Try this recipe for a new twist on this American classic.

KIDSVILLE KITCHENTogether Time — Ask an adult for help with projects!

GRILLED HOT DOG AND FRUIT KABOBSWHAT YOU NEED: • 1 medium tart crisp apple (such as Gala), quartered and cored• 1 medium crisp pear, quartered and cored• 1 (8-ounce) can pineapple chunks in natural juices• 1/2 cup sweet honey mustard, DIVIDED• 1 (16-ounce) pack-age hot dogs, cut in 1-½ -inch pieces• 8 (12-inch) metal or wooden skewers (if using wooden, soak in cold water for 30 minutes)• 1 tablespoon honey

HOW TO MAKE IT (makes 6 to 8 kabobs):• Cut apple and pear quarters into thick wedges. Then cut each wedge in half.• Measure 2 tablespoons pineapple juice and reserve in a small bowl. • Pour pineapple chunks and remaining juice into a 9 X 12-inch pan. • Add apples and pears to juice and toss to coat all surfaces. (This will prevent the fruit from turning brown.) Add 1/4 cup mustard and hot dog pieces. Stir to coat all surfaces.• Alternately thread hot dogs, apples, pears and pineapple on skewers. • Liberally brush assembled kabobs with mustard mixture.• Mix remaining 1/4 cup mustard with honey and reserved 2 tablespoons pineapple juice. Save for a dipping sauce.• On a preheated grill or broiler, cook kabobs using the direct heat method. Cook, using medium-high heat, about 5 inches from heat. Turn a quarter of a turn every 2 to 2 ½ minutes. Cook until hot dogs reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 8 to 10 minutes.• Serve kabobs with mustard dipping sauce.ONE-ALARM MUSTARD DIP½ cup yellow mustard2 tablespoons Dijon mustard2 teaspoons catsup1 teaspoon hot sauce* (see Note)1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne* (see Note)Directions:1. Combine ingredients and cover. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving.2. NOTE: For hotter fl avor, double portions of hot sauce and cayenne.For more recipes like these kabobs and Haute “Hogs” in a Blanket, pictured, visit www.hot-dog.org. © National Hot Dog & Sausage Council

Enjoy National Hot Dog Month!


BOOKSHELF

PARENTOWN

The Declaration of Independence in Translation: What It Really MeansAuthor/Illustrator: Amie Jane LeavittPublisher: Coughlan PublishingAge Range: 8 to 12Are unalienable rights from outer space? How long is four score and seven years? This book helps

translate The Declaration of Independence into a language that kids can understand. Find out what Thomas Jefferson meant when he wrote the Declaration of Independence. From the Kids’ Translations series, the book includes primary source photographs, a table of contents, glossary and index. It also features a time line showing the primary events leading up to the creation of the document, as well as a “top fi ve” list of why you should care about the Declaration of Independence. Number one on the list: The Declaration of Independence helped establish the freedoms that Americans enjoy today. —JK

The Games Book: How To Play the Games of Yesterday Author: Huw Davies, Lisa Jackson (Illustrator)Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.Publication Date: August 2009Age Range: 8 and upThis book will take you back to the days before children’s TV shows were avail-able every minute of the day, when computer games and video games didn’t exist, and the world was a simpler place. It features instructions for traditional in-door and outdoor games that have been enjoyed by generations of children — and they’re still fun! Learn (or remember) how to play classic games like jacks, marbles, and hopscotch. There are outdoor games, like Capture the Flag and Hide-and-Seek and card games such as Rummy and Solitaire. An excellent choice to take along on a family vacation! — JK

A SECTION ESPECIALLY FOR PARENTS

TM

Americana AdverntureAuthor/Illustrator: Michael GarlandPublisher: Penguin GroupAge Range: 6 to 12From the Publisher: Celebrate the Fourth of July in a vibrant seek-and-fi nd adventure. This fun-fi lled ode to America brims with patriotic spirit and more

than 200 hidden objects to fi nd.Tommy, star of the bestselling Look Again series, awakes on July Fourth to fi nd a note from his eccentric Aunt Jeanne, promising a spectacular surprise if he unravels clues she has hidden for him. Tommy’s clues lead him on a magical cross-country trip through America’s great places and iconic traditions. From Times Square to Mount Rushmore, from a Mississippi riverboat to the Golden Gate Bridge, spectacular scenery and colorful details are sure to delight eagle-eyed young readers.

The Very Lonely Firefl yAuthor/Illustrator: Eric CarlePublisher: Penguin Group Age Range: Infants, PreschoolFrom the Publisher: One night, a very lonely fi refl y goes off in search of friends. Each time he sees a fl icker of light, he fl ies off toward it, but none of them turn out to be fi refl ies. He sees a lantern, an owl’s eyes, even headlights shining in the darkness. Will the lonely fi refl y ever fi nd creatures like himself? A classic in its own time, The Very Lonely Firefl y is fi nallyavailable in a LAP-SIZED board-book format, perfect for the youngest readers and the smallest hands. And just as in the hardcover edition, the fi refl ies’ lights actually light up, delighting children of all ages.


PARENTOWN’S KIDSMART

I am often asked, “Keva, how do I determine how much allowance to give my child?” I always advise them to set a dollar amount for a specifi c chore and let their child decide how much he earns each week based on the chores he selects. But there is a caveat! Parents need to decide, based on family values, what chores should not be on that list. For ex-ample, I was raised by my grandmother and making the bed each morning was something I HAD to do. Think about it, as adults, are we rewarded for making our beds each day before heading to work? In my grandmother’s house, having me make the bed I slept in each night was her way of instilling discipline and neatness, values that guide me to this day. Now keep in mind I didn’t say cleaning their room, just making the bed. As grand-mother always said, “Making your bed each morning before you leave the house sets the tone for the day.”

Now back to the money lesson:Tip: Teaching your child self discipline when it comes to money matters is

something that will guide his future fi nancial success. Activity: Type a list of chores your child can do around the house, such as

loading/unloading the dishwasher, taking out the trash, helping to put away groceries. Next, assign a dollar amount that can be earned for doing each chore. Be sure to have several chores listed, and of course assign higher dollar amounts to the chores you want them to do the most. Every household is different, so your list will be different. Here’s another piece of wisdom from my Grandma Helen that I realized after she was gone: she only allowed me to do chores on a Saturday. She did not want chores to get in the way of “school lessons.” On Saturday morning, I sorted clothes in the laundry room, did dishes, vacuumed and dusted the living room tables. I am not saying no chores during the week, but assign the lesser dollar amounts to chores that can be done during the week so there is less emphasis on earning money and more time available for your child’s homework or “school lessons.” Also, do not forget to set a limit on the amount they can earn or to limit the number of chores they can perform.

Sample List: Cleaning Room $5.00Vacuuming $3.00Loading Dishwasher $2.00Take Out Trash $1.00Dusting $2.00Benefi t/Key Takeaways: Your child will begin to associate the time and

energy spent doing a particular job with fi nancial rewards. Keep in mind he probably already has in his head how much he wants to earn because he already knows what they want to spend it on.

Mom and Dad go to work every day to earn a paycheck. • Children need to learn where money comes from and how it is earned. Chores allow a good framework for teaching kids the difference between

various denominations of bills. • Activity: The next time you’re at the register to pay for an item, pay with

cash and let your child count the change. Keva Sturdevant is the founder of Born To Save, a nonprofi t based in

Washington, D.C., with the mission of teaching kids of all ages the importance of saving and investing. Our goal is to begin conversations about money in house-holds across America between parents and their kids. In an effort to foster those conversations, we grant actual shares of stock to kids. To register your child to win a share of stock in our monthly stock giveaway, please visit our Web site at www.BornToSave.org.

How Money Is Earned: Setting an Allowance

Cómo se gana dinero: Estableciendo una propina mensualA menudo me preguntan, “Keva, ¿cómo determino cuánto dinero doy a mi

hijo? Siempre aconsejo establecer una cantidad determinada según la tarea concretay dejar que los hijos decidan cuánto quieren ganar cada semana basándose en

las tareas que ellos eligen. ¡Pero hay una advertencia! Los padres necesitan decidir las tareas que no deberían estar en esa lista basándose en los valores

familiares. Por ejemplo, yo fui criada por mi abuela y el hacer la cama cada mañana era algo que YO DEBÍA hacer. Pensando en ello, cuando somos adultos, ¿se nos recompensa por hacer nuestra cama cada día antesde ir a trabajar? En la casa de mi abuela, el que yo hiciera la cama en la

que dormía cada noche era su manera de enseñarme disciplina y orden, valores que me guían hasta hoy en día. Ahora bien, tengan en cuenta que no dije limpiar su cuarto, sino solo hacer la cama. Como mi abuelasolía decir “el hacer la cama cada mañana antes de salir de casa establ-

ece el tono para el resto del día.” Ahora volviendo a la lección sobre dinero:Consejo: El enseñarle a su hijo autodisciplina en asuntos de dinero es algo que

le guiará hacia su éxito fi nanciero en el futuro. Actividad: haga una lista de tareas que su hijo/a pueden hacer en la casa tales

como cargar/descargar el lavaplatos, sacar la basura, ayudar a colocar las compras. Después, asigne una cantidad de dinero que se puede ganar por hacer cada tarea. Asegúrese de que hay tareas diferentes en la lista y de que asigna más dinero a las tareas que usted quiere que hagan primero. Cada familia es diferente, así que su lista será diferente. Aquí está otro consejo sabio de mi abuela Helen del que me di cuenta cuando ya se había ido: solo me dejaba hacer tareas los sábados. Ella no quería que las tareas se entrometieran con mis ‘lecciones escolares’. Los sábados por la mañana, yo colocaba ropas en el cuarto de la colada, hacía los platos, pa-saba la aspiradora, y limpiaba el polvo en las mesas del salón. No estoy diciendo que no se deban hacer tareas durante la semana, pero asigne menos dinero a estas tareas que se pueden hacer durante la semana para que haya menos énfasis en ganardinero y más tiempo libre para que su hijo haga las tareas o las lecciones escolares. También no olvide establecer un límite en la cantidad que pueden aprender o límite en el número de tareas que pueden hacer.

Ejemplo de una lista: Limpiar su cuarto $5.00Pasar la aspiradora $3.00Cargar el lavaplatos $2.00Sacar la basura $1.00Limpiar el polvo $2.00Benefi cio/cosas claves que puede quitarles: su hijo comenzará a asociar el

tiempo y energía que gasta haciendo una tarea en particular con recompensas fi nancieras. Recuerde que ellos probablemente ya tienen en su mente cuánto quierenganar porque ya saben en lo que se lo quieren gastar.

Mamá y papá van a trabajar cada día para ganar un cheque. • Los niños necesitan aprender de dónde viene el dinero y cómo se gana.

Las tareas hacen posibles diferentes escenarios donde puede enseñar a los niños la diferencia entre varios tipos de billetes y dinero.

• Actividad: la próxima vez que esté en la caja registradora para pagar por unartículo, pague con dinero y deje que su hijo cuente el cambio.

Keva Sturdevant es la fundadora de Born To Save, una organización benéfi ca basada en Washington, DC con la misión de enseñar a los niños de todas las edades la importan-cia de ahorrar e invertir. Nuestra meta es comenzar conversaciones sobre el dinero en los hogares a través de América entre los padres y sus niños. En un esfuerzo por fortalecer estas conversaciones, concedemos acciones de mercado reales a los niños. Para registrar a su hijo para que gane acciones de mercado en nuestro concurso mensual, por favor visite nuestra página web www.BornToSave.org.


PARENTOWN’S KIDSHAPE

Fun Ideas to Keep Kids Learning Throughout the SummerEducators and parents agree that a solid elementary school

education is the cornerstone for subsequent development and achievement. Classroom learning, however, is not enough to ensure academic success, given the fact that children spend much time outside of the classroom — especially during the summer months.

According to the National Center for Summer Learning (NCSL), all young people experience learning losses when not engaged in educational activities for extended periods of time. Commonly referred to as summer slide, this overall decline in learning leaves many parents wondering how they can keep their children’s minds actively engaged outside of the classroom.

Drawing on research that shows that exposure to the arts increases classroom performance and prevents learning losses, the Arts Education Partnership, a national coalition of arts, education, business, philanthropic and government organizations, encourages parents to incorporate the arts into their families’ everyday lives. Fun ways to do so include attending neighborhood fi lm festivals and taking the entire family to the theater for a family-friendly performance.

By fostering an appreciation of the arts and introducing children to a variety of artistic viewpoints at a young age, parents will be able to increase their child’s academic and social development while also creating long-lasting memories that the entire family can enjoy.

Below are great ways for parents to increase their family’s exposure to the arts this summer.

* Plan Family Field Trips - Take advantage of free days and reduced-priced admission to museums, theaters, fi lm festivals and other cultural programs, such as those sponsored by Target. This summer, and throughout the entire year, there are more than 2,100 free days that Target sponsors at more than 120 museums and theaters nationwide, including the Chicago Children’s Museum, The Studio Museum in Harlem, Dallas Children’s Theater and the California African American Museum.

* Organize a Family Summer Book Club - Encourage reading at home by starting a family summer book club. Each summer month, families can go to the library together and choose the next book that they will read. As an added benefi t, small rewards can

be given throughout the summer to mark milestones. To encourage comprehension, ask questions about the story, having the child summarize the story and in general, make reading a more interactive family experience.

* Coordinate Scavenger Hunts - Why not make learning fun for the entire neighborhood with a scavenger hunt at a local museum? Invite your child’s friends from the neighborhood to a special day fi lled with learning and fun surprises. Keep costs low by planning the hunts in conjunction with a Target free or reduced

admission price day. By making learning fun and taking advantage of free days at

local museums and theaters, parents can reduce the effects of summer slide and create a memorable summer for the entire family.

Information courtesy of Family Features.

kidsville news - july 2009

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