Kidsville News - March 2010

KIDSVILLE NEWS - PAGE 3MARCH 2010 WWW.KIDSVILLENEWSTN.COM

Dear Kids,

March means spring is on its way! Spring starts March 20, and boy am I ready for it. I like March. It’s a neat month with a lot going on. For instance, did you know that March is National Craft Month? And National Peanut Month? National Women’s History Month? Music in Our Schools Month? Yep, that, too!

I love music. Participating in music class at school is one of the highlights of my week. This month, I talked to a professional singer and actress. She’s worked on Broadway in New York and was just in a commercial that aired during the Super Bowl!

For fun and games all month, visit the Kidsville News! Web site at www.KidsvilleNews.com. Look for new games and other changes to our Web site soon!

Have a marvelous March!Your friend,

PAGE 4 - KIDSVILLE NEWS MARCH 2010WWW.KIDSVILLENEWSTN.COM

©Kidsville News!

Did you know that highway numbers were fi rst introduced on March 2,

1925? State and federal offi cials created the fi rst system of U.S. highway numbers. By having uniform road signs, it made it easier

to travel. Highways going east to west

were named with even

numbers, which increased towards the South. High-ways running north to south were given odd numbers, which increased towards the West. in 1956, interstates were created, and to avoid confusion, they are numbered in the opposite way of US highways. Interstates running east to west are numbered with even numbers, increasing to the North. Interstates that run north to south are numbered with odd numbers, increasing to the East.

Get SunWise with SHADE!The 2010 SunWise with SHADE Poster Contest has begun! The winner

of the national contest will receive a family trip to Disney World and a WeatherBug Weather Tracking Station for his/her school. And that’s in addition to great prizes you can win in state contests! The annual contest is a joint effort by the SHADE Foundation of America, WeatherBug Schools and the Environmental Protection Agency to teach children ways to protect their skin and eyes from excessive sun exposure.

The contest due date is April 7, 2010, and starting this year, there will be two age categories for poster entries — kindergarten through third grade, and 4th through 8th grade. Winning posters will receive state and national prizes, with the overall national winner in the 4th-8th grade category receiving a family trip to Disney World and a WeatherBug Tracking Station for his/her school with lifetime access to WeatherBug Achieve. In 2009, state winners received digital cameras, plus their schools received Sun UV Stations to monitor real-time ultraviolet (UV) intensity levels.

Students in both categories should submit hand-drawn posters on an 8.5 x 11 inch piece of paper. Entries should be original and creative, show ways to prevent skin cancer and raise sun safety awareness and be attached to an offi cial entry form found at http://www.shadefoundation.org/programs/poster-contest. Once the state-winning posters are announced, YOU will have the chance to vote for your favorite poster online to decide the national winner!

It’s Time to Be Counted!

In March of 2010, census forms will be delivered to every residence in the United States. April 1 is National Census Day. The U.S. Census counts every person living in our country — in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands and America Samoa. It is required by the Constitution to happen every 10 years and has since the fi rst one in 1790.

The Census form is only 10 questions and is designed to count every per-son living in the U.S., citizens and non-citizens. So, if your grandmother used to live in Italy but now lives in your house, she will be counted on the census form for your household. Your new baby sister will be counted, too. Even Uncle Joe who is staying at your house temporarily until he fi nds a new place to live will be counted on the form for your household. Everyone living in your house should be counted — but only people, not Fido and Fluffy!

In addition to the form that is mailed out to each house, apartment and mobile home in the country, there are people called census takers that visit homes. If a form is not turned in from your residence, a census taker will visit to get the information in person. A census taker will wear an offi cial govern-ment badge and will not enter your home. They only ask the questions that are on the offi cial census form. Answers to the questions are kept confi dential and cannot be used against you. They are only used to create statistics, such as the fact that 5.7 million children are living with a grandparent.

So why is the census so important that it is required by the Constitution? The information that is gathered from the census is used to decide how much federal money ($400 billion!) goes to states for important services like hospitals, schools, roads and bridges and senior and emergency services. Learning how many children or elderly live in an area is an important part of that decision. Census information is also used to determine how many seats your state has in the House of Representatives.

You’ll probably be learning more about the Census in school. The U.S. Census Bureaus has designed educational resources to help teachers and students undertand the importance of the census and of being counted. You can learn more about the census and play games at www.census.gov/schools/census_for_kids.

2009 winning poster entries from Hawaii (left) and Massachusetts (below).


AR UND THE W RLD Spain

Fiesta de Las Fallas (the fi res) is one of the most unique festivals in Spain. It started as a feast day for St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters, and has evolved into a fi ve-day celebration of fi re. The festival takes place in Valencia, Spain, March 12-19. There are fi recrackers in the morning, fi reworks displays every afternoon, and parades with marching bands and ladies carrying fl owers. The fi esta focuses on the creation and destruction of ninots — huge cardboard, wood and plaster statues that are extremely lifelike. The statues are placed at over 350 places in the city. On the 19th (La Crema), men with axes chop holes in the statues and stuff them with fi reworks. On the stroke of midnight, all of the ninots are set on fi re!

AmericaSpring forward! On March 14, Daylight-Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. That means you need to set your clock ahead one hour. You’ll lose an hour of sleep, but we’ll have sunlight later in the day from spring to fall (more time to play!). One of the biggest reasons we change our clocks to Daylight-Saving Time (DST) is that it saves energy. Energy use and

the demand for electricity for lighting our homes is di-rectly connected to when we go to bed and when we get up.

IndiaOn March 1, Holi, a spring Hindu festival, is celebrated in India. This is a day of fun, and people run through the streets and throw colored water and bright-colored powders on each other. They play Holi by throwing water balloons and smearing washable dyes on friends and family. They also build a huge bonfi re the night before made of dried leaves and branches.

Tiger On February 14, 2010, the Chinese lunar calendar began the Year of the Tiger. The tiger is the largest of all cats. There are nine subspecies of tiger. Of those, three types are extinct, and the other six are endangered. The World Wildlife Fund reports that there could be as few as 3,200 tigers left in the wild. The organization has launched a

campaign to help save the tiger from extinction: Tx2: Double or Nothing. The World Wildlife Fund’s goal is to double the number of wild tigers by the next Year of the Tiger in 2022.

Tigers are very adaptable and can live in forests, grasslands or tropical mangrove swamps. They make their dens in caves, tree trunks and thick grasses. In the wild, most tigers live in Asia, from India to China and Indonesia.

Tigers are nocturnal animals, so they hunt at night. They use their sight and hearing to stalk their prey. Because they are carnivores, tigers eat meat. They usually prey on larger-and medium-sized animals like deer and wild

boar. They even eat water buffalo, crocodiles and pythons. Because of their hunting strategy of biting the throat and holding onto the prey with their very powerful legs, the tiger can kill animals that are much larger than itself. Even when they are as young as 11 months old, young tigers are capable of hunting and killing prey.

No two tigers are alike! The stripes of a tiger are different from one animal to another. They can even be different from one side of the body to another. Tigers have strong powerful bodies and legs and can jump over 30 feet in one horizontal leap!

Sources: Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org; World Wildlife Fund, www.worldwildlife.org. Photo: above right, World Wildlife Fund; above left, www.metrocreativeconnection.com.

Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: MammaliaOrder: CarnivoraFamily: FelidaeGenus: PantheraSpecies: Panthera tigris

Indian tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) two-month-old cub. Photo Copyright: © Martin Harvey / WWF-Canon



March is Music in Our Schools Month and a perfect time to learn more about what it’s like to be a professional performer. I say “performer” because Autumn Hurlbert is not just a singer, but also a musician, a dancer and an actress. She has worked in 35 states and in many countries abroad. Now, she lives in New York City and has worked on Broad-way and TV in New York, but she also works all over the country. She has worked for theaters throughout the U.S., participated in National Broadway Tours, worked on cruise ships and acted on TV shows and fi lms in Los Angeles. She’s accomplished a lot, and it all started when she was in elementary school!

TRUMAN: What does it take to become a professional performer? HURLBERT: I was involved in my elementary, junior high and high school choirs and drama clubs, and I was also performing in communi-ty and professional theaters when I wasn’t busy with school. I started learning to play the piano when I was about seven years old, and I also learned to play the violin, fl ute, drums and guitar. I graduated from the University of Northern Colorado for Musical Theater, and I am always taking classes from different teachers for voice, acting and movement here in NYC. To be a working performer, it takes a LOT of determination and ambition all on YOUR OWN. Your “real job” is auditioning; your vacation is when you actually get a job, haha! You have to seek out auditions with your own resources, and you have to prepare on your own as well, with the help of voice and acting coaches, accompanists for learning music and dance teachers, when you really need it. You have to be a self-motivated person, and you have to get very, very used to hearing the word “no.” You have to have lots of faith and persis-tence! You also have to really love what you are doing. I am always listening to new and different kinds of music and am always learning new ways to play and interpret music.TRUMAN: When and why did you fi rst become interested in this profession?HURLBERT: I was a very outgoing, creative and boisterous child, and I was always making up songs and performing for my family and friends. I knew by the time I got to high school that the one thing that made me truly happy was performing, and I have always believed that

A PROFESSIONAL PERFORMER?

clothes, my makeup. But when I was in Legally Blonde on Broad-way, I had seven different wigs and

costumes and colorful makeup! In some cases, your costumes and makeup affect how you are able to sing and move... think about trying to sing and dance as a giraffe in The Lion King! Performances are always high energy and require 100% of your concentration and dedication, so even if it’s a two-hour show, it can be exhausting. And sometimes you perform multiple times a day.TRUMAN: What’s the hardest part of your job?HURLBERT: The hardest part about being a performer is that you are never resting. You are constantly learning and challenging yourself artistically and creatively, and you are always striving to be better and better. There is a LOT of competition, so you have to practice, practice, practice!TRUMAN: So, what’s the best part of your job?HURLBERT: The best part about being a performer is connecting with your audience. Have you ever listened to someone sing and felt goose bumps or felt like they were singing about your life or about something you have once felt? That is the great part about being an artist. You bring people together by expressing emotions and feelings that everyone has, in a poetic and creative way. I love the way singing and playing music make me

feel, and I love that they bring joy to those hearing it, too!TRUMAN: So far, what has been the highlight of your career?HURLBERT: The highlight of my career this far has to be achieving mygoal of performing on Broadway. To get to perform at the Palace Theater, where 100s of famous singers and actors have performed, was quite an honor. Also, getting to sing the National Anthem at a Mets pennant game!

Autumn Hurlbert performs the “The Star-spangled Banner” at a Mets game in New York.


Source: www.metrocreativeconnection.com

Music Word FindMarch is Music in Our Schools Month! See how many music-related words you can fi nd in this word search.

J B W Q T M S E C Z I K P A I R Z F X V C C H E D N W R O K F Q C X H I O R R W S F B U W D O S O T R P E K N T G N O S Q C O C U L S L M Z R A B H V Z L A S A X T C N U U A G C E S R V Y J Q C I U O M Z F D T P D Y O V C W S Q G E E O A Z E N U T P X J U G G N W Y E P N Z G D E Y C M Q S T F Q F P C H O I R Y D N A B E T O N K D O I A D U U G A R S V H F M X G R O T C U D N O C A I R F R A B C A F Z D Y P M W I X L M E J J H F E M M K R A C C F

BANDCHOIRCHORUSCONDUCTOR

INSTRUMENTMUSICNOTEPLAY

PRACTICESCHOOLSONGTUNE

Lucky ShamrockHelp Truman fi nd the lucky four leaf clover.


There have been many outstanding women who have changed the course of history and made a lasting impression. To celebrate National Women’s History Month, a few of those women are highlighted here.

Jane Addams was born on September 6 of 1860. Addams, along with a lady named Ellen Gates Starr, founded the Hull House in Chicago in 1889. The Hull House was settlement built to create a society of equals and was located at 800 South Halsted Street. The Hull House included everything from daycare nurseries to college classes and was open to people of any culture from any country. Addams may also be remembered as an important social reformist. This meant that she pushed for important changes to be made in society, like changes to government policies for child labor, public health, unemployment relief and social insurance. Addams served as the fi rst female president for the National Conference of Charities and Corrections in 1909. She also served as president for the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom from 1915 until 1929. Here Addams fought to give women the right to vote. Addams won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931 and died on May 21, 1935. The Hull House is still in existence today and has grown much larger to accommodate more people.

Amelia Earhart is another important woman in history. In 1932, she was the fi rst female pilot to cross the Atlantic Ocean by her-self. She was born in Atchinson, Kansas, on July 24, 1897. Earhart served as a volunteer nurse in World War One and later became interested in aviation while living in California with her mother in 1920. Aviation is the way that planes are put together and operated. At this time, aviation was considered a dangerous sport because of the tricks pilots performed in planes, like spins, dives, loops and barrel rolls. Earhart got her pilot’s license and beganfl ying. In 1932, she became the fi rst female pilot to cross the Atlantic Ocean and receive the Distinguished Flying Cross from the United States Congress. On May 20, 1937, Earhart and navigator Frederick Noonan fl ew out of California in an attempt to circle the world in an airplane. Earhart and Noonan disappeared, along with their plane, on July 1. After an extensive search, neither the plane nor its passengers could be found. Earhart can be best remembered as paving the way for women in aviation. Her accomplishments will

long be remembered throughout history.Rosa Parks is another woman who stands out in history. She

was born in Tuskegee, Alabama, on February 4 of 1913. Parks is most often remembered for her refusal to give up her seat to a white passenger on a public bus in 1955. Parks was arrested because as an African American, she was supposed to give up her seat on a public bus to any white passenger who requested it. Parks’s refusal to move and her arrest sparked Montgomery, Alabama’s black leaders to create a boycott of transportation by public buses. The boycott lasted 382 days and led the United States Supreme Court to declare that racially segregated seating on city buses was unconstitutional. This protest led to many other protests for civil

rights for black people. Parks later served as secretary and one of the fi rst females in the Montgomery Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement for Colored

People (NAACP) from 1943 until 1956. She passed away on October 24 of 2005.

Maya Angelou was born on April 4, 1928, and still lives today. She is best known for her book,

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which recounts her life as a black female growing up during the Great Depression. The book explores racism, which Angelou faced as a young woman, and tells of the ways in which she was able to overcome it. This was the fi rst book in a six-volume series that

recounts the different experiences in Angelou’s life.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings brought Angelou international recognition and nomination for a National Book Award. She has also been awarded more than 30 honorary degrees and was nomi-nated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1971 for one of her volumes of poetry. Some of her other books include Gather Together in My Name, which was released in 1974, and A Song Flung Up to Heaven, which was released in 2002. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is still read and studied in many schools and universities today.

These are just a few of the women who have shaped history through their courageous acts and deeds. Without them, history as we know it would not be the same.

Written by Ashley Young, contributing writer. Sources: The World Book Encyclopedia.

Celebrate Outstanding Women During National Women’s History Month


A Quality Serials Story By Mary MadenIllustrated by Tana Brinnand

Last Time: Petey starts to doubt if he is creative. He goes to Frannie Fox for help. She

explains what creative means and tells Petey to use his imagination. Then Honey Bee tells him that he needs inspiration. Petey searches high and low but can’t fi nd inspiration. As he travels through the dark forest, a strange voice calls out to him. Who or what could be out there in the shadows?

Petey didn’t know who or what was hiding in the deep shadows of the forest. He had to summon all his courage to confront the mysterious voice again.

“What do you want?” Petey asked. “Who’s there?”“Who! Who!” the voice answered.“That’s not funny!” Petey cried. “I wasn’t being funny,” the voice said. “I’m an owl. I always

say ‘who!’”“Oh!” Petey said.“My name’s Wise Owl,” the owl introduced himself.“Nice to meet you, sir,” Petey replied. “I’m Petey

Squirrel.”“What are you doing out so late, Petey?” Wise

Owl asked.“It’s a long story,” Petey sighed.“I have time,” Wise Owl said.Petey told the owl everything.“So, you see, if I can fi nd inspiration, then I

will be able to think of something creative to do for the Big Forest Creative Arts Festival contest,” Petey explained. “But, I can’t fi nd inspiration. I looked in a hollow tree and under every rock. I even looked at the top of the tallest tree. I can’t fi nd inspiration anywhere!”

“Petey,” the wise owl counseled, “inspiration can be found in different places or different things, not in just one place. The source of inspiration is individual to each one of us. You have to fi nd what it is that inspires you.”

“I just can’t fi nd my inspiration,” Petey said, sighing a big sigh. “I’m never going to be creative. I might as well forget about the contest!”

“If you think you can’t, then you are right –– you can’t!” Wise Owl replied. “If you believe in yourself, well then, you can do things that you never dreamed of!”

“I can?” the little squirrel cried in disbelief.“Most defi nitely,” the owl replied.Petey closed his eyes and tried to believe in himself. He tried, but he just

didn’t feel it.“It’s no use!” Petey said, frustrated. “I give up. I guess I’ll be the only one

not entering the contest!”The owl smiled a little smile of amusement. “It isn’t that easy or that fast,”

Wise Owl chuckled. “I have something that will help you, but you have to promise not to tell anyone about it.”

“I promise!” Petey said.“Close your eyes and hold out your right paw,” the wise old owl told Petey.Petey did exactly what Wise Owl said. The owl placed something in the

little squirrel’s paw.

“Now, open your eyes,” Wise Owl instructed.Petey opened his eyes. In his paw, was a small, perfect acorn! “It’s —

it’s — why it’s just an acorn!” the little squirrel chattered.“It’s not an ordinary acorn,” the owl explained. “It is a special acorn. It has a

secret power. As long as you have it, you can do anything you set your mind to.”“Wow!” Petey cried with delight. “Now, I can fi nd my inspiration and do

something really creative for the contest.”“If that’s what you want to do, you can do it,” Wise Owl stated.“Thank you, Mr. Owl!” Petey said.“You’re welcome, my boy,” the old owl said, then added, “You should be

getting home now. It’s late.”“Goodbye,” Petey said as he left. “Thanks again!”Clutching the special acorn tightly in his paw, Petey headed home. As he

scampered along, the little squirrel felt like he was walking on air! His heart felt as light as his feet. Petey whistled a happy little tune while he walked. Petey was just about to climb up to his treetop nest, when his pesky little cousin spotted him.

“Hi, Petey!” a little gray squirrel called out. “Oh, hi, Santos,” Petey said. “What do you have there?” Santos asked.“Nothing,” Petey replied, trying unsuccessfully to hide the acorn.“That looks like a tasty acorn,” Santos observed.

“Umm,” Petey muttered.“I could use a bedtime snack,” Santos

hinted.“Uh, huh,” Petey mumbled.“May I have some?” Santos asked.“No,” Petey replied.

“How selfi sh!” Santos said. “It isn’t very nice of you not to share.”

“I’m not being selfi sh,” Petey replied. “This acorn isn’t for eating.”

“Why?” Santos asked.“It just isn’t, that’s all,” Petey responded.

“It looks good enough to eat,” Santos argued.“Well, it’s not for eating,” Petey insisted. Petey couldn’t tell Santos the real reason he couldn’t eat it. He promised

the owl that he wouldn’t tell anyone about the acorn’s secret power.“I’m going to bed,” Petey said, yawning. “I have to get up early.”“Why?” Santos asked. “Tomorrow’s the big contest. I don’t want to be late.” Petey explained.

“Goodnight, Santos.”“Good night,” Santos said.Petey climbed the tree and snuggled down into his cozy nest. “I can’t wait

to show the other animals how creative I am!” he said to no one in particular. “With my secret power, I’m sure to win fi rst prize!”

Petey fell into a blissful sleep, unaware of the shock that would await him the next day!

Next Time: The SwitchA Teacher’s Guide to accompany this eight-chapter story is

available on the Kidsville News! Web site at www.KidsvilleNews.com. Copyright 2009 by Mary Maden. All rights reserved. Mary Maden is an award-winning author. Visit her on the Web at www.marymaden.com.

Story Time with TrumanPetey’s Secret Power

Chapter Six — Petey’s Secret Power


The calendar says March, and that means it s time for the NCAA March Madness basketball championship. It takes a lot of practi e to become a great basketball player. If you are into basketball, here are some tips from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (www.ncaa.org) on how you can improve your game!

40 Free ThrowsWhat to do: Shoot 40 free throws in a row. You don’t need to make

every one; just try your best. Keep track of how many you make and try to beat that number the next time out. If you can’t shoot from the regulation 15-foot free-throw line, just stand as close as you need to and eventually work your way back. Remember kids: Practice Makes Perfect!

Dribbling for Five MinutesWhat to do: Dribble a basketball for fi ve minutes without

letting it stop. You can use your left hand, right hand or alternate between the two. Start by standing still, and then walk or run as you dribble. As you get better you can challenge yourself by dribbling between your legs or behind your back. This isn’t required though; just keep the ball moving.

Defensive Slide DrillWhat to do: You can perform this drill with a partner or by

yourself. Start by getting yourself in a defensive stance. While keep-ing your back straight and your butt out a little bit, bend your knees to get your body a little bit lower. Don’t lean forward too much, and keep your hands out at waist level to try and swipe the ball.

From your defensive stance, slide your feet across fi rst to the

left about 5-8 steps, then to the right 5-8 more steps. It is im-portant not to cross your feet. When you move left, bring

your right foot to your left foot; then move your left foot out to the left, without crossing your feet. Try doing this drill from left to right 10-15 times. If you have a partner, have your

partner mirror you while dribbling a ball, and don’t let him get around you.

1-on-1What to do: 1-on-1 basketball is great when there aren’t enough

people available for a regular basketball game. Get a friend and a basketball, and head out to the court. You ll only need a half-court to play. Shoot free throws to determine who gets the ball fi rst. The

person who gets the ball fi rst then takes the ball out at the top of the key. Be sure to check the ball before you start by bouncing the ball in to

the defender while saying check. The defender then catches the ball, and once he or she is ready, bounces it back to the offensive player, and the ball is in play.

The offensive player should try to make the basket, while the defensive player should try to defend the basket. All the normal rules of basketball apply, so remember not to travel, double-dribble or foul your

friend. Once a basket is made, give the other player the ball for her shot at a basket. Dont forget to check the ball back in.

Try playing a game to 7 or 11, with each shot you make counting for one point. The fi rst person to 7 or 11 wins. Have fun!

Tips and games provided by NCAA Kids, www.ncaa.org. Image: www.metrocreativeconnection.com.

COME OUT AND PLAY!March Madness Means Basketball


Art Gallery

Juan Gris was a Spanish painter and sculptor. A member of the Cubist movement, he lived in France for most of his life, working alongside Pablo Picasso and other notable artists.

Originally named José Victoriano Gonzalez, Juan was the thirteenth of 14 children born to a wealthy papermaker and his wife in Madrid, Spain, on March 23, 1887. Interested in art as a child, Juan began studying mechanical drawing at the Escuela de Artes y Manufacturas (or School of Arts and Manufacturing) when he was 15. As a teenager, he contrib-uted cartoons and other drawings to Spanish newspapers and started studying painting with a well-known local artist, José Maria Carbonero.

In 1902, Juan moved to Paris, France. Because he left Spain before serving a mandatory tour of duty in the Spanish Army, he was barred from returning to his home country and quickly made France his new home. Once established there, he became friends with Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso and other artists. In his early years in Paris, he earned a living by draw-ing illustrations for several magazines and journals. Soon, however, he began painting seriously. He also adopted the name we now know him by, Juan Gris.

When Juan started painting professionally, he adopted the Cubist style—

using geometric shapes to create abstract portraits. However, while many Cubists used only dark colors, like grey and brown, Juan painted in vibrant,

joyful colors, which made his work stand out from the crowd. As his style evolved, other things set him apart from the Cubists as well. Soon, Juan’s style had changed into a new form of Cubism known as synthetic Cubism. In synthetic Cubism, artists used pieces of newspaper, cloth and other collage materials to create texture in their paintings. It was the first time that collage became a part of fine arts, and Juan was at the forefront of the movement.

By the 1920s, Juan’s career was in full swing. He held exhibits across Europe in 1923, 1924 and 1925 and was also asked to lecture at the Sorbonne in Paris. In addition to painting, Juan dabbled in other areas of the arts. Beginning in 1924, he started designing sets and costumes for the famous ballet company, Ballet Russes (The Russian Ballet). However, just as his career was taking off, his health began to fail. He suffered from asthma and started having frequent bouts of bronchitis. He quickly grew sicker and sicker, eventually dying on May 11, 1927, at the age of 40. Although he did not

enjoy a long career, Juan made enough of a mark on the art world that modern critics often ponder what he would have achieved if he’d lived longer.

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: “Art: Clear & Cold,” Time Magazine, http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,811921,00.html, Juan Gris: The Complete Works, http://www.juangris.org/biography.html, Juan Gris on Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan Gris.

Juan Gris and Synthetic Cubism

Juan Gris’ Portrait of Picasso, 1912, The Art Institute of Chicago.

St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday that origi-nated in Ireland and is celebrated worldwide every March 17.

In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is a day of special religious worship services and a time that can be spent with families and friends. The holiday originated from Saint Patrick, who considered March 17 a day of feasting and worshiping. St. Patrick’s Day was fi rst celebrated in the United States in the city of Boston in 1737. In the United States, people celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by wearing green outfi ts, throwing parties and having parades like the one in New York City. The parade in New York City is one of the biggest in the United States and is held on Fifth Avenue.

Saint Patrick lived from approximately 389-461 A.D. Saint Patrick was born into a wealthy family in Britain, and his father was the Deacon of the Christian church. When Patrick was 16, he was kidnapped by pirates and taken to Ireland, where he was sold as a

slave. After six years, he escaped and returned to Britain.

Saint Patrick’s time spent in Ireland inspired him to convert the Irish to Christianity. After working with a man named Saint Germanus, who was a bishop in Auxerre, France, Saint Patrick was sent to Ireland. He began his work in northern and western Ireland, where he was able to gain the trust and friendship of many tribal leaders. Saint Patrick was able to convert people to Christianity through his messages, which had not been heard in this part of Ireland before. (To convert means to change to a different religion or belief.) Saint Patrick established over 300 churches and baptized more than 120,000 people. Saint Patrick became known as the “Apostle to the Irish.”

Written by Ashley Young, contributing writer. Sources: The World Book Encyclopedia.

Fun Facts about St. Patrick’s Day and Ireland

• Saint Patrick supposedly drove all the snakes out of Ireland, which represents getting rid of false teachings and evil.

• Saint Patrick used the shamrock to represent the Christian Trinity to the people of Ireland. A shamrock is a green plant usually with three leaves. Saint Patrick used the leaves to represent God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

• Today shamrocks are seen as a traditional symbol of Ireland.

• Ireland is located at 53º N latitude and 8º W longitude.


Red, White & True Mysteries

While this column usually reveals the “little-known stories

behind well-known inventions,” we occasionally go off on a tangent, like the story about Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde that ran a few months ago.

Whether the story is about inventions or about other creations, we like to include an educational aspect to each story. So feel free to share this column with the kids. Today’s story is not about an invention or an inventor, but rather an 18-year-old girl whose creation is known the world over.

As usual, there is more to the story than what you learned in school. And as always, there is a story behind the story. That’s where we begin with the story of 18-year-old Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin.

While you might not recognize her name, you’ve heard about her creation – that is, unless you live in a cave. Or, in this case, a laboratory.

Mary was born in 1797 in London, England, the fi rst and only child of Mary Wollstonecraft and William Godwin. Her mother was an author while her father was a philosopher. Mary followed in her mother’s footsteps and became an author.

Mary’s mother died 10 days after Mary was born, and she was raised by a stepmother whom she did not like. Ironically, the stepmother also was named Mary (actually, it was Mary Jane). I wonder if she referred to her stepmother as “the evil stepmonster.” You’ll know what I mean when you reach the end of this story.

When Mary was just 18 years old, she created a fi ctional character whom she named Victor. Then Victor created a char-acter who became world-famous and has been the subject of a number of horror movies. In the fi lm versions of this story, the monster was often mistakenly referred to by Victor’s last name. In 1931, Boris Karloff became the fi rst actor to portray the monster in a movie.

While he was known as a monster, he started out in life as

a gentle creature who just wanted to be loved and accepted. A monster who was eight feet tall with yellowish skin and scary eyes, to be exact, but a gentle creature who just wanted to be loved and accepted nonetheless.

Awww, what a sweet monster, you say. Which he was at the beginning, until he learned evil from a society that shunned him.

What monster did Mary’s character (Victor) create?Mary never offi cially gave the monster a name in her novel,

which was fi rst published in 1818, when Mary was only 21. Instead, she referred to him as “my hideous pregeny.” She did, however, once refer to him as “Adam” when she was telling her story.

Then who was Victor, the man in Mary’s story who created the monster?

Victor Frankenstein! As in Frankenstein’s monster.If you didn’t recognize the

name Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, it’s probably because

she went by her married name of Mary Shelley. Her fi ctional story of Frankenstein’s monster (which is why I wonder if she referred to her stepmother as her stepmonster) was probably the world’s fi rst science fi ction story.

And why were there electrodes attached to the neck of Frankenstein’s monster?

Mary Shelley created the story of Frankenstein’s monster at a time when experiments in electricity were taking place, in the early 1800s. It would be another 60 years before Thomas Edison would use electricity to power his incandescent light bulbs.

But you knew that all along, didn’t you?© 2009 Paul Niemann. This story is part of the Red, White &

True Mysteries series by Author Paul Niemann. For more information, please visit www.InventionMysteries.com.

Eighteen-year-old Mary GodwinCreated a Monster


At the Movies

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (In theaters March 19)Zachary Gordon plays precocious middle school kid Greg Heffl ey who keeps a diary of his daily humiliations, triumphs, and goofy shenanigans. Still small in size, Greg is eagerly waiting for a growth spurt and making plans to be rich and famous if he can escape from the annoying kids around him. The same fi lmmaker that made Hotel for Dogs (Thor Freudenthal) directed this children’s comedy that shows how a little determination can go a long way. There are a lot of talented child actors in this light-hearted kids’ movie.(20th Century Fox) No MPAA rating at press time.

Hubble 3D (In theaters March 19)NASA and Warner Brothers Pictures teamed up to take audiences on a ride to outer space along with seven astronauts aboard the space ship Atlantis. On their mission, the crew attempts to save the en-dangered Hubble Telescope that has provided us with thousands of pictures of galaxies far, far away. Narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, and delivered in crystal-clear IMAX® 3D, Hubble 3D is the kind of exciting nature fi lm that you’ll want to see more than once. For any-one who loves astronomy and gazing up at the stars, this very special documentary will be a great eye-opening experience. Captivating colorful visions of galaxies make up some of the interesting visual elements of a movie that will take your breath away. (Warner Bros. Pictures) No MPAA rating at press time.

The Secret of Kells (In theaters March 5)This animated children’s movie follows 12-year-old Brendan (voiced by Evan McGuire) in a mystical medieval, world threatened by Viking soldiers. Brendan’s life changes when a monk called Brother Aidan teaches him the art of illumination. Soon, Brendan takes his new skills beyond the abbey walls of his home to a lush enchanted forest. There, he meets a clever fairy named Aisling who goes along with him on his quest. Celtic mythology plays a big part in this fantasy adventure movie that deals with themes of death, war and religion. Brendan Gleeson performs the voice of Abbot Cellach.No MPAA rating at press time. (GKIDS)

Movies on DVD

Astro Boy (March 16)Scientist Dr. Tenma (voiced by Nicolas Cage) makes a robot son who may be the only hope for the futuristic paradise world called Metro City. Created in the image of his late son Toby, Astro Boy (voiced by Freddie Highmore) runs on something called “blue core energy.” Sadly, Toby doesn’t live up to Dr. Tenma’s expectations, and he disowns the fl ying robot boy and leaves him to fend for him-self. Astro Boy must go on a journey of self discovery on what’s left of Earth before he can return to Metro City, where its evil president (voiced by Donald Sutherland) is out to steal Astro Boy’s blue core energy source. The fi lm is based on the popular Japanese manga and TV series created by Ozamu Tezuka. Rated PG for some action and brief mild language. (Disney)

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 appreciation for great popcorn.


How does climate change

affect living things?

Our planet is getting

warmer. The air near Earth’s surface is almost one and one-half degrees F

warmer than it was 100 years ago. For the last 50 years, the Earth has been warming up twice as fast as in the 50 years before that.

One and one-half degrees may not seem like much. But, when the whole earth is warming, many kinds of living things are affected. Life is like a spider web. Every part connects to every other part.

Here is an example. Herds of caribou live in cold, Arctic locations. Caribou hate mosquitoes. Mosquitoes love warm weather. In the past few years, warmer summers have helped mosquito popula-tions to explode. The caribou have to spend a lot more energy swatting and running from the mosquitoes. The caribou get tired, but they still have to fi nd enough food and prepare for the next long winter. Female caribou are especially troubled because it takes so much energy to give birth and raise their young.

Hibernating animals also suffer. Bears are waking up too early from their long winter naps. They feel warm and think spring has come. But days may still be too short for the plants to start their spring growth. Therefore, the wide-awake, hungry animals have a hard time fi nding something to eat.

Many trees also suffer from climate change. Lack of rain and snow in the West leaves trees thirsty and stressed. The trees are more likely to become infected with pine beetles. These bugs bore into the trees and lay their eggs. Eventually, they kill the trees. When the forest is gone, birds and small mammals that lived there have to fi nd new homes.

There are many other plants and animals struggling to adapt to the changing climate.

Learn how you can help. Check out NASA’s new Climate Kids web site, climate.nasa.gov/kids. Play “Migration Concentration” and fi nd out about other endangered animals.

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

This polar bear’s habitat is in danger. Due to global warming, every summer more of the Arctic ice melts. That means the bear has fewer places to rest as he swims around hunting for his dinner. Credit: Dr. Kathy Crane, NOAA Arctic Research Offi ce.


BOOKSHELF

PARENTOWN

Hot Rod HamsterAuthor/Illustrator: Cynthia Lord, Derek Anderson (Illustrator)Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.

Age Range: 2-8Old car, new car, shiny painted blue carRust car, clean car, itty-bitty green car.

Which would YOU Choose?Newbery Honor-author Cynthia Lord creates a clever rhyming book about a tiny hamster who wants to enter a hot rod race. Of course, his car has to be just right. To fi nd the perfect car that will take him to the fi nish line, he enlists the help of some mice friends and a junkyard car dealer dog (complete with studded collar!). There are so many choices to make to get the car in top shape — and the reader gets to help choose! Blazing, gleaming, sizzling adjectives abound. The wonderful illustrations by Derek Anderson bring the characters to life and add to the energy of this rhyming book. —JK

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Series #1)Author/Illustrator: Rick RiordanPublisher: Hyperion

Age Range: 9 to 12From the Publisher: Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school, again. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t seem to stay out of trouble. But can he really be expected to stand by and watch while a bully picks on his scrawny best friend? Or not defend himself against his pre-algebra teacher when she turns into a monster and tries to kill him? Of course, no one believes Percy about the monster incident; he’s not even sure he believes himself. Until the Minotaur chases him to summer camp. Suddenly, mythi-cal creatures seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy’s Greek mythology textbook and into his life. The gods of Mount Olympus, he’s coming to realize, are very much alive in the twenty-

A SECTION ESPECIALLY FOR PARENTS

TM

fi rst century. And worse, he’s angered a few of them: Zeus’s master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Now Percy has just 10 days to fi nd and return Zeus’s stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus.

Leprechaun in Late Winter (Magic Tree House Series, #43)Author: Mary Pope Osborne, Sal MurdoccaPublisher: Random House Children’s BooksAge Range: 7 to 12From the Publisher: Jack and Annie are on their third mission to fi nd (and inspire!) creative people to bring happiness to others through the arts (Mozart and Louis Armstrong so far). Set in Ireland, Jack

and Annie meet an Irish girl and go on a magical adventure that changes the girl’s life — she grows up to be Lady Gregory, who helped bring back the Irish legends, started a theater and helped the Irish people regain both their heritage and their pride.

A Really Short History of Nearly EverythingAuthor: Bill BrysonPublisher: Random House Children’s BooksAge Range: 9 to 12From the Publisher: One of the world’s most beloved and bestselling writers takes his ultimate journey — into the most intriguing and intractable questions that science seeks to answer. In his biggest book, he confronts his greatest challenge: to understand — and, if possible, answer — the oldest, biggest questions we have posed about the universe and ourselves. Taking as territory everything from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization, Bryson seeks to understand how we got from there being nothing at all to there being us. To that end, he has attached himself to a host of the world’s most advanced (and often obsessed) archaeologists, anthropologists and mathematicians, traveling to their offi ces, laboratories and fi eld camps. Science has never been more involving or entertaining.


PARENTOWN’S KIDSMART

As the dismal economy shrinks the job force, parents across the country are faced with the intimidating task of explaining fi nancial troubles to their children.

The economic meltdown has raised the unemployment pool in the United States to more than 7.2 million, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As these numbers continue to increase, more parents will have to explain fewer nights out, smaller allowances and other cuts to the family budget to their children. While the initial discussion can be fright-ening, experts say that avoiding these conversations with your children is a mistake.

“Keeping kids in the dark about something so serious as a job layoff is a huge mistake. Hearing such an immensely personal fam-ily problem from anyone other than you could well break down the trust between you and your child,” says Dr. Michele Borba, child expert and member of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Family PLUS Advisory Committee, a comprehensive family support strategy sponsored by Kimberly-Clark Corporation.

So, how can parents start a conversation about a recent layoff?Borba, who also authored “The Big Book of Parenting

Solutions,” offers a few tips to help parents and kids discuss fi nan-cial problems:

* Prepare what you want to say. Doing so will help you feel more comfortable and less tense, which will make your news sound less scary to your kids.

* Describe the potential impact on your family. Most kids’ prime concern is how this personally affects them. So, be honest and clear about any foreseeable changes. For instance: Dining out less. Not going to movies. More bag lunches. Less allowance.

* Explain your plan for new employment. Kids don’t need a lengthy discussion, so just briefl y explain that you’re seeking a new job and that it may take awhile. Knowing that you have a “plan” (even if you have no idea what to do) helps kids feel secure.

* Involve your kids so they feel they are part of the solution. Ask them for ideas to help your family reduce costs. For instance, mention that turning off the lights will conserve energy. Then ask them for other suggestions.

* Keep the discussion going. A one-time talk won’t be enough for your children to absorb what is happening, so let them know that they can ask questions at anytime.

Find more tips for parents on a variety of topics on the Family PLUS Web site at http://familyplus.bgca.org. Article courtesy of NewsUSA.

Talking Cents With Your Family Hablando de Centavos con la Familia

Conforme la triste economía disminuye los trabajos, padres através del país enfrentan la intimidante tarea de explicar los prob-lemas fi nancieros a sus hijos.

El deslave fi nanciero a aumentado el desempleo en los Estados Unidos mas arriba de 7.2 millones, según el Buró de Estadísticas de Trabajo. Y conforme estos numero continúan creciendo, mas padres tendrán que explicar a sus hijos la razones de tener menos salidas, domingos mas pequeños y otros recortes al presupuesto familia. Mientras la discusión inicial puede ser temerosa, los expertos dicen que evitar estas conversaciones con sus hijos es un error.

“Dejar a los niños en penumbras acerca de algo tan serio, como elperder el trabajo, es un gran error. Que sus hijos escuchen el prob-lema familiar tan inmenso de otra persona que no sea usted puede resultar en la perdida de confi anza entre usted y su hijo,” dice la Dra. Michele Borba, experta en niños y miembro de Boys & Girls Club of America’s Family PLUS Advisory Committee, una estrategia com-prensiva de la ayuda a la familia patrocinada por la corporación de Kimberly-Clark.

Como pueden los padres empezar una conversación acerca de la reciente perdida de trabajo?

Borba, que también es autora del libro “The Big Book of Parent-ing Solutions” (El Gran Libro de Soluciones para Padres), ofrece algunos tips para ayudar a padres e hijos a discutir los problemas fi nancieros:

• Prepare lo quiere decir. Haciendo esto le ayudara a sentirse mascómodo y menos tenso, y así no asustara tanto a los niños.

• Describa el impacto potencial que esto tendrá en la familia. La primera preocupación de los niños es: en que les afectara a ellos. Así que, se honesto y claro acerca de los futuros cambios. Por ejemplo: No salir a comer tan seguido. No ir al cine. Llevar el almuerzo a la escuela de casa. Menos domingos.

• Explica tu plan de nuevo empleo. Los niños no necesitan una discusión larga, así que, solo explícales brevemente que estas buscan-do un trabajo nuevo y que puede llevar tiempo. Sabiendo que tienes un “plan” (aunque no tengas la menor idea de lo que vas a hacer) esto ayuda a que los niños se sientan seguros.

• Recurre a tus hijos, así ellos se sentirán como parte de la solu-ción. Pídeles que te den ideas de cómo ayudar a la familia a reducir gastos. Por ejemplo, menciónales que apagar las luces conservara energía. Después pídeles mas sugerencias.

• Continúen las discusiones. Hablar con ellos una sola vez no será sufi ciente para que sus hijos comprendan lo que esta pasando, así que díganles que pueden hacer preguntas cualquier día.

Encuentre mas tips para padres en varios temas en la pagina web de Family PLUS: http://familplus.bgca.org. Información cortesía de NewsUSA.


PARENTOWN’S KIDSHAPE

Music in Our Schools: What It Means For Your ChildMarch has been offi cially

designated Music In Our Schools Month (MIOSM®), the time of year when music education becomes the focus of schools across the nation.

MIOSM began as a single statewide celebration in 1973, and has

grown over the decades to encompass a day, then a week, and then in 1985 to become a month long celebration of school music. The purpose of MIOSMis to raise awareness of the importance of music education for all children – and to remind citizens that school is where all children should have access to music.

Music is recognized, on paper, as a core academic subject, but with actual testing in only a narrow range of subjects, music is usually one of the fi rst programs to be cut. But what does music education — or the lack of — mean for your child?

At an event by MENC: The National Association for Music Education, Harris Interactive released an independent poll which shows a positive association of music with lifelong educational attainment and higher income. Nearly nine in ten people (88 percent) with post graduate degrees participated in music education. Further, 83 percent of those with incomes higher than $150,000 or more participated in music.

“Research confi rms that music education at an early age greatly increases the likelihood that a child will grow up to seek higher education and ultimately earn a higher salary.” said Dr. John Mahlmann, Executive Director of MENC: The National Association for Music Education. “While music clearly corresponds to higher performing students and adults, student access to music education had dropped about 20 percent in recent years, thanks in large part to the constraints of the No Child Left Behind Act.” School systems across the country face tightening budgets which often results in cuts to arts and music education programs.

Respondents of the Harris Poll cite skills they learned in music as helping them in their careers today. Seventy-two percent of adults with music education agree that it equips people to be better team players in their career and nearly six in ten agree that music education has infl uenced their creative problem solving skills. Many also agree music education provides a disciplined approach to

problem solving, a sense of organization and prepares someone to manage the tasks of their job more successfully.

An earlier Harris study shows signifi cantly higher graduation and attendance rates in schools with music programs (90.2 percent compared to 72.9 percent and 93.3 percent compared to 84.9 percent, respectively).

Other studies show the value of music programs to our future generations: • Students in top quality music programs scored 22 percent higher in

English and 20 percent higher in math on standardized tests mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act (University of Kansas)

• In 2006, SAT takers with coursework in music performance scored 57 points higher on the verbal portion of the test and 43 points higher on the

math portion (The College Board, Profi le of College-Bound Seniors National Report for 2006)

“If you want to be a CEO, college president or even a rock star, the message from this survey is: take music,” Mahlmann added. “As with reading, writing and arithmetic, music should be a core academic focus because it is so vital to a well rounded education and will pay dividends later in life, no matter the career path taken.”

“Parents, educators, state legislatures and the Congress need to take these studies seriously. This relationship between music education and better performance in life is not accidental. How are we supposed to continue as a creative society without exposing our students to the arts? Rock and Roll shapes our culture and is the great equalizer among people of different racial, social and economic backgrounds. It belongsin the schools!” said musician, actor and music education activist Steven Van Zandt. “Obviously, music is a big part of my life and

I’ve had remarkable experiences as part of the music industry. That is why I am now combining my life’s work and my passion for music education. The Harris Poll and other studies like it document the fact that you don’t have to be a rock star to benefi t from music education. Music benefi ts everyone in all walks of life.”

For more information on Music In Our Schools Month, music education or what you can do to support music in your child’s school, visit www.menc.org.

Source: MENC: The National Association for Music Education, www.menc.org; Harris Interactive; Photo credit: www.metrocreativeconnection.com.


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Kidsville News - March 2010

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