kidsville news - aug 2010

KIDSVILLE NEWS SEPTEMBER 2010WWW.KIDSVILLENEWSTN.COM

Dear Kids,

Ahhhh, autumn. It’s on the way. In fact, September 22 is the fi rst day of autumn. We also celebrate the Labor Day holiday this month, on September 6. This is a time to take a break from work and relax. But don’t worry if you haven’t started back to school yet; it’ll be time soon!

Don’t forget to spend some time with your grandparents this month. National Grandparents’ Day is on September 12 — that’s right. There’s a special day for your grandparents! Be sure to visit, or at least give them a call to say “I love you.” Maybe you could put up a backyard theatre and put on a play for your family. Dress up as your favorite medieval character!

I hope you enjoy this issue of Kidsville News! Keep reading, and be sure to visit online for more fun and games.

Hope you have a super September!Your friend, Copyright ©2007 by Kidsville News! Incorporated. All rights reserved.

No part of this issue may be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without permission of the publisher or copyright holder. Neither participating advertisers nor the publishers will be responsible or liable for misinformation, misprints or typographical errors. The publishers reserve the right to edit any submitted material. Kidsville News! Incorporated is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, or other material. Children’s submissions should include name, address, telephone number, and permission to publish signed by a parent or guardian.

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©Kidsville News!

National Grandparents’ Day is on September 12. It is

always on the fi rstSunday after Labor Day. This is a special day to honor grandparents. Be sure

to spend some time with your grandparents and

remind them that they are

important to you!

Did you know that the planet Neptune was discovered on September 23, 1846? It is the eighth planet from the sun and is

2,796,700,000 miles from the sun.

September 15 through October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month. Take the opportunity to visit your local library and learn more about amazing Hispanic Americans.

Medieval Times — More than Kings and Castles!

Almost every little girl has dressed up as a princess and imagined she lived in a castle. And boys like to pretend they are jousting in a sword fi ght. But what do you really know about kings and castles?

Kings and queens lived in castles in Europe during the Middle Ages (a period of time from the 5th century to the 15th century). According to the “Ask Me Why” book When Did Kings Live in Castles?, the fi rst castles were made of wooden planks but later were built with huge stone blocks. In fact, the wall of the tower at Flint Castle in Northern Wales was 23 feet thick!

Some castles had special things to protect them from attack. A moat was a ditch that went around the castle and was fi lled with water. A drawbridge could be lowered to let people enter and lifted to keep people out. Some castles also had a special gate with spikes that could be lowered to secure the entrance. It was called a portcullis.

Not all castles are from the Middle Ages. King Ludwig of Bavaria loved castles. In the 1800s, a long time after the Middle Ages, he built amazing castles on the tops of mountains in Germany. They look just like the ones in fairy tales; in fact, Ludwig was sometimes referred to as the Fairy Tale King!

Fact or Fiction?Castles, knights and dragonslayers — fantasy or fact? In our

“What’s It Like to Be...” feature this month, we talked to Ines Page who works at the library and also likes to fence as her hobby. We asked her opinion about the Middle Ages.

Do you like history and stories about the Middle Ages, knights and such?

Ines: I love stories about the Middle Ages as well as other historical time periods (actually, fencing has as much to do with the Renaissance and even later time periods, as it does the Middle Ages). Alexander Dumas’s stories about the 17th and 18th centuries have a lot of fencing. There are also humorous stories, like Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. (Remember those “fi ve hundred knights on bicycles?”) Also, fantasy stories, like those by Cornelia Funke, often feature fencing. She has a book, Igraine, about a girl who is a fencer, which takes place in the time of knights and castles.

What do you think it was like in the Middle Ages when sword fi ghts really took place?

Ines: Honestly, I don’t fool myself about what the Middle Ages were “really like.” During the Middle Ages, life was hard, short and brutal, and not everyone lived in castles. And for that matter, most castles were cold, drafty and uncomfortable, and had bad sanitation. Rats, fl eas and plagues — not dragons — were the real danger. Despotic [tyrant] landlords caused more problems than evil sorcerers. But still, it is wonderful and healthy to romanticize the Middles Ages, as well as other historical time periods. Children need to develop and exercise their imaginations. Fantasy stories about the Middle Ages provide children with an opportunity to think and create. Enthusiasm about the Middle Ages, or other times, can inspire children to write their own stories and poems, draw or paint pictures, join sports like fencing or even just develop new areas of interest that can infl uence their high school and college studies. “Imagining” makes you smarter (and in the case of fencing, imagining can also make you healthier and physically fi t). Finally, the reading that kids do now, about medieval times or other interesting subjects, will create wonderful memories, full of strong feelings that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. When I think back on the books that I read when I was a child about King Arthur or Ivanhoe or the Three Musketeers, I am still fi lled with delight and a sense of wonder — a sense that we need to maintain as adults.

Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany, was built by King Ludwig.


AR UND THE W RLD Chile

In Chile, September is a special month fi lled with festivities. Spring arrives to Chile in September, and they celebrate a Day of Unity on the fi rst Monday in September. Their Independence Day is celebrated on September 18, and Army Day is celebrated on September 19. The country celebrates all month long with music, dancing, food and beverages, and parades. There are also rodeos and demonstrations of crafts and costumed dance.

United StatesLabor Day is a holiday in the United States dedicated to working people. Observed on

the fi rst Monday in September, it is a day when we show sup-port for workers and honor them for their achieve-

ments. Labor Day was fi rst celebrated in New York City with a parade on September 5, 1882. It became a national holiday in June 1894. Labor Day is celebrated with parades, picnics, sporting events and meetings of labor groups.

KoreaIn Korea, they celebrate Chusok on Septem-ber 22. This is a harvest moon festival. It is always on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. Like other thanksgiving festivals, this is a time to celebrate family and give thanks for their blessings. They celebrate with food, dancing, games and gifts. They also visit tombs of their ances-tors, leave food for the guard-ing spirits and prepare for the winter. The traditional food is the “moon cake,” made of rice, seeds, nuts and fruit.

Saola You’ve probably never heard of the saola because it is one of the world’s rarest animals! The saola was discovered in 1992 by the Vietnamese Ministry of Forestry and a group of scientists from the World Wide Fund for Nature. The saola is also known as a “vu quang ox” and most closely resembles a goat,

antelope or cow, though scientists are still unsure what species the saola fi ts. Saolas have a short, shiny coat that is either brown or black with a thin black line that runs

down their spine and white patches on their necks. They have brown faces with long thin stripes above their eyes that look like eyebrows. Saolas’ tails are brown at the top, cream colored in the middle and black towards the end, with a fl uffy fur tip.

Most saolas are approxi-mately 60 inches long and about three feet tall at the shoulder. They have two parallel horns that can reach up to 19 inches long! Only 11 saolas have ever been recorded alive, and less than 250 are estimated to still be in existence today. They are found only in Laos and Vietnam.

Hunting has been the biggest threat to the saola after the introduction of wire-snare traps, in the mid 1990s, and scientists are working to help preserve the saola species. In order to help preserve what is left of the saola species, two pieces of land, known as re-serves, have been made for them in Vietnam. These reserves are about the size of Yosemite National Park in California, which is 1,200 square miles.

Sources: “New Reserves for the Elusive Saola,” http://www.worldwildlife.org/who/media/press/2007/WWFPresitem6280.html; “Yosem-ite National Park,” http://www.nps.gov/yose; “Arkive: Images of Life on Earth,” http://www.arkive.org/saola/pseudoryx-nghetinhensis/info.html. Written by contributing writer Ashley Young.

Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: MammaliaOrder: ArtiodactylaFamily: BovidaeGenus: Pseudoryx


I love reading about knights and swordfi ghts, so when I recently came across a story about a librarian who also liked fencing as a hobby, I just had to meet her! Ines Page is originally from El Salvador but now works in North Carolina at the Cumberland County Headquarters Library and has been there for 11 years as a full-time employee, but before that, she helped out the library as a volunteer. She also has an interesting hobby — weilding a sword as a fencer! I was excited to talk to her about both!

TRUMAN: What does it take to become a libarian?

INES: This really depends on what kind of work you do in the library. Becoming an actual “Librarian” usually requires fi nishing college, and even getting a Masters Degree in Library Science. Other library jobs require less education. Also, people can specialize in different areas of work: local and state history, children’s literature, foreign language books, collection development, research and information (responding to customers’ requests for information) and many other things. Different kinds of work in the library may appeal to different personalities or call for diverse personal qualities. Much of what I do in my job involves performance — story telling, puppet shows, demon-strations, even singing songs. Unlike other types of jobs that one can do in a library, working in the children’s section demands that you be a bit of a “ham”— a performer. One of the nice things about working in a library is that it takes all kinds of people and personalities. It provides opportunities for a variety of skills and interests.TRUMAN: When and why did you fi rst become interested in this profession?

INES: After I came to the United States from El Salvador I started as a volunteer in the Cumberland Country library. I was in the United States a short time and couldn’t speak English very well; I thought no one would actually hire me for money, so I volunteered. I wanted to do something useful. Later I was hired full time. I always wanted to work with children, even in El Salvador. The kids who come to our library programs are very tolerant of my Spanish accent, but they are also interested in hearing about other countries and cultures. As I mentioned above, I was also drawn to the children’s section because I like to interact and perform — story telling, puppet shows and singing songs. I also like crafts, which is useful in making puppets, story-board characters, wall decorations and displays.TRUMAN: What do you do each day? What’s a typical day like?

INES: I do “Story Time” sessions for various age groups. Over the years I have done every age group, from teenagers to elementary school age to preschoolers to infants (yes, there is actually a Story Time for babies). I used to do a Story Time in Spanish. Sometimes we do puppet shows as part of the Story Time. A few years ago, we did a puppet show of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. As for a “typical day,” I help customers at the public desk, do shelf-reading (to keep the collection organized), do story-time and other special programs, do planning for future programs and sometimes go out to visit local schools.TRUMAN: What is the best part of your job?

INES: I enjoy doing story telling programs for preschoolers and babies and helping the children and parents to fi nd books. I love the puppet shows. I enjoy answering questions for the children and the parents about home-work or any particular interest — everything from dinosaurs and snakes

to dragons, princesses and knights. Kids have very diverse interests. I love to have fun with the kids.TRUMAN: How did you get interested in the sport of fencing?

INES: My husband had been a fencer for many years. When we discovered a fencing club here in Fayetteville, we went to see. There were many children as well as adults learning how to fence. At fi rst I just wanted to observe, but it looked like a lot of fun and very good exercise. So we continued. Last year we went to a tournament in Atlanta. I was very impressed by all the people in the women’s tournament. It became my ambition to fence in a tournament. This year I fenced in the North Carolina “Divisional Championships,” which I enjoyed. I think most people, at almost any age could be able to fence. I started by fi rst observing fencing, and after watching, I thought that I could do it. It turned out to be very enjoyable.

We have had a number of children’s pro-grams at the library about fencing. They are very popular with the kids. During the programs, we also promote books — classics as well as new books —that are related in some way to fencing and sword play. Sometimes the kids who come regularly to the library are surprised to fi nd that I am involved in a sport like fencing. Before, they just knew me as the “story telling lady” who sometimes visits their schools, or the lady hidden behind the puppet stage pretending to be one of the three little pigs (can’t fool those kids!). Now they also ask me about fencing. It is something that is a bit out of the ordinary, and the kids are interested in it — which leads them to ask for books and other library materials; so it is all a good thing.

I think a sport like fencing, in which you have to think strategically as well as be athletic, would be a great foundation for other things in life. TRUMAN: What’s the hardest part of your job?

INES: The job is usually so interesting and so busy that I don’t really think of it as hard; I am having too much fun. Anyone who works in this kind of job needs to enjoy interacting with the public.TRUMAN: What advice would you give to kids who are interested in this profession?

INES: I would recommend that kids read widely, learn to truly love read-ing, use their imaginations, be social and friendly and — for working in the children’s section of a library — remember what it was like to be a child. Remember a child’s idea of what is fun, a child’s curiosity, a child’s sense of wonder. And of course, I would recommend working hard in school and setting their sights high.TRUMAN: Thanks for telling us about your fun job and your awesome hobby, too! I already love the library and reading, but I think I might like to give fencing a try one day, too!

A FENCING LIBRARIAN?

Ines Page is a librarian by day and a swashbuckler by night!


Backpack Word FindWhat’s the Difference?


Tru-Truman

Coloring CornerDo you like to play dress up or act? What character do you like to play? Color in the picture and write a sentence about your favorite character.

Truman’s Tricky Picture Find these items! Be sure to fi nd Truman’s

hat! For more puzzles and games, visit www.kidsvillenews.com.


A Quality Serials Story By Mary Maden, Illustrated by Tana Brinnand

Mortimer T. Tortuga opened his eyes wide. He was surrounded by darkness. The fl oor

was cold and dank under him. Something squeaked and skittered next to him.

“Hello,” Mort whispered in a small, terrifi ed voice. “Is someone there?”

Mort blinked his eyes, trying to see. It was so dark that the little sea turtle could not see a thing! Mort kicked his feet in the air. He was fl at on his back! Mort wiggled and squirmed, trying to rock himself upright. Mort struggled and struggled. It was no use! Mort couldn’t fl ip himself over.

“Oh, dear,” Mort moaned mournfully. “Where am I? What’s to become of me?”

“You’re in the hold of a pirate ship, Matey,” said a raspy voice, “and you’re about to become — turtle soup!”

“What?” said Mort. “Who’s there? Where are you?”

Someone struck a match. The fl icker of the match illuminated a very weird sight. Mort stared in amazement. There, before him, was a monkey wearing an eye patch! The little creature was dressed in colorful pirate clothes.

“Me name’s Chee Chee,” the monkey announced proudly, “and I’m a pirate!”

All Mort could do was stare with wide eyes at the strange pirate.

Then, suddenly, Mort heard very loud noises coming from above him. The little monkey jumped up and twittered nervously — a look of fright on his face.

Stomp! Stomp! Heavy footsteps could be heard clomping on the deck above their heads.

Loud shouts and angry cries reached all the way down into the hold.

“What is it?” Mort asked fearfully. “What’s going on?”“Shiver me timbers! They be after me!” Chee Chee wailed,

wringing his hands.“Who’s after you?” cried Mort.“Sssh! Keep your voice down! They’ll hear you,” warned the

little monkey. “Pirates! They be after me!”“But, I thought you were a pirate,” Mort said, confused.“And that I am!” Chee Chee bragged. “I’m the smartest pirate

of them all! I steal treasure from other pirates. And these,” the little monkey pointed up, “they be wanting their treasure back!”

Both Mort and Chee Chee looked up nervously as the noise above them grew even louder. It seemed the pirates were very angry — and they were looking for Chee Chee!

The pirate monkey put his mouth close to Mort’s ear. The fear on his face was replaced by a sly smile.

“How would you like me to fl ip you back over on your feet?” Chee Chee whispered.

“Oh, please,” Mort cried with relief. “I hate being upside down!”

“I’ll fl ip you upright if you do something for me,” Chee Chee said.

“Anything!” the little sea turtle cried.“Here,” Chee Chee said, handing Mort

a sack. “Put this under your shell until I ask you for it.”

“Okay,” agreed Mort, and he hid the sack under his shell.

Good to his word, Chee Chee pushed and pulled Mort. But try as he might, Chee

Chee could not budge the fat little sea turtle. Finally, after sum-moning all his strength, the monkey tugged and shoved until the turtle was back on his feet.

“Arrghh…you be a fat one!” Chee Chee cried, out of breath. “Thank you!” Mort said to Chee Chee. “It’s such a relief to be

back upright.”Suddenly, the little monkey froze in his tracks. “Hark! I hear’em

coming down,” Chee Chee cried in alarm. “I best be trying to hide topside!”

Quickly, Chee Chee scampered up a rickety ladder that led to the deck above.

“Wait!” Mort cried. “What about me?”With nary a backward glance, the little monkey disappeared

through the trap door of the hold. Poor Mort sat all alone in the darkness. He shook with fear at

the thought of facing a mob of angry pirates.“Woe is me!” Mort cried aloud. “What am I going to do?”Next Time: Chapter Two: Going Overboard!A Teacher’s Guide to accompany this fi ve-chapter story is

available on the Kidsville News! Web site at www.KidsvilleNews.com. Copyright 2010 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 TrumanThe Great Pirate Adventure

Chapter One — A Very Strange Pirate


Art Gallery

Jean Arp helped found the Dada movement. Not only was he a painter and sculptor, but he also made collages and wrote poetry, too!

Jean Arp was born Hans Arp in Strasbourg, France, on September 16, 1886. As a child, he loved nature and drawing. However, while studying art as a teenager in Strasbourg, Jean grew tired of drawing stuffed animals and flowers over and over again. He turned to writing poetry to ease his boredom and was surprised to find that he was a good poet! In 1904, after finishing art school, he published his first book of poetry. Although he liked writing, Jean also still very much liked other kinds of art. So, at 19, he enrolled at an art school in Weimar, Germany, where he studied for the next four years.

In 1908, Jean left Germany to take classes at the Académie Julian art school in Paris, France. There he became friends with other artists like Pablo Picasso and Max Jacob. By 1915, World War I had begun, and Jean moved to Switzerland where he would not have to serve in the army. In Switzerland, he exhibited tapestries and collages that he created. He also helped found the Dada movement, a group made up of artists, writers and performers who did not believe in war. The Dadaists thought that to get rid of war really, people would have to change all the political, social

and cultural beliefs that led to war. So, Jean and his friends created abstract art and performance pieces to protest war and challenge society.

Jean published his Dadaist writings in magazines and journals. He also showed his art and became interested in making abstract, round sculptures. By the

1920s, Jean was part of the surrealist movement, which grew out of the Dada movement. Surrealists used dream-like images and thoughts in their artwork. As a surrealist, Jean participated in several art exhibits in Paris and finally moved back to France in the mid-1920s. Although he returned to Switzerland to live during World War II, France would be his home for most of the rest of his life. Jean continued making sculptures, creating collages and painting and drawing throughout his life. He dabbled in surrealism and other movements, often changing his style and materials. He also wrote essays and poems that were widely published.

Over the years, Jean’s fame rose. He held exhibits in places like New York, Massachusetts and Germany. Additionally, he earned many awards, including a 1963 Grand Prix National des Arts in France and the 1964 Carnegie Prize. Jean died on June 7, 1966 in Basel, Switzerland, after a long, successful career.

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: Arp, Jean (1886-1986) – The Collection, http://www.guggenheimcollection.org/site/artist_bio_8.html, Cybermuse Artists Page – Jean Arp, http://cybermuse.gallery.

ca/cybermuse/search/bio_e.jsp?iartistid=192; Jean Arp on Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Arp.

Jean Arp & the Dada Movement

Collage with Squares Arranged According to the Laws of Chance, Jean Arp, 1916-17

Did you know that fencing is one of only four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games? In fact, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the father of the modern Olympic

Games, was a fencer. The sport of Wheelchair Fencing is an offi cial Paralympic sport.

Swords are not just for knights and nin-jas! Fencing, also called modern fencing, is a sport that uses a sword, and two fencers compete against each other. They are scored on “touches” and awarded points. Of course, competitors wear protective cloth-ing! And they sure need it. According to USfencing.org, the tip of the fencing weapon is the second-fastest moving object in sport; the fi rst is the marksman’s bullet!

Fencing teachers and schools were around way back in the Middle Ages, and even before that, swordfi ghting was a sport in ancient Egypt.

Fencing tournaments consist of both individual competitions and team contests. Fencing is a combat sport, but there are no weight classes, and virtually anyone can learn

fencing. Speed and cardiovascular fi tness are key to being successful at the sport. Quick reaction time, fl exibility and focus are also required.

For equipment, a complete fencing kit can be very expensive, even up to $1000. Of course, this has all of your very important protective

gear and clothing, your weapon and an electric jacket for scoring.

Currently, three types of weapon are used in Olympic fencing:

Foil — a light thrusting weapon; the valid target is restricted to the torso, the chest, shoulders and back. In the 17th century, it used to be named fl euret, and it was developed in France.

Épée — a heavy thrusting weapon; the target area covers the entire body.

Sabre — a light cutting and thrusting weapon; the valid target area is the saddle line, which is from one side of the fencer’s hip to the other and up, which also includes the head. The sabre is also used for training because of its light weight.

Sources: US Olympic Committee, usfencing.org; Fencing Net, www.fencing.net; rec.sport.fencing. Photo courtesy of Ines Page and All-American Fencing Academy.

COME OUT AND PLAY!Sword Sports


Red, White & True Mysteries

George Washington Trendle was born on the Fourth of July in 1884.

You probably don’t recognize his name, but you’ve seen his most important contribution to society.

He was a writer and producer who brought us one of the West’s most popular characters. George is not the lone producer to be featured in this column; a few years ago, we introduced you to Ian Fleming, who created the James Bond character.

No one would ever accuse George of having a heart of gold or even a heart of Silver; in fact, he was a ruthless business owner.

He created a show around his character in order for his WXYZ radio station to compete with the other stations in the Detroit area. His show began in 1933 during the golden age of radio, in the “thrilling days of yesteryear.”

George was known for his refusal to pay his employees a fair salary. Despite large royalties fl owing in from sales of the radio show’s spinoff products, including a weekly TV show, books, movies and merchandise, the writers and actors never received a dime of any royalty money.

In fact, George Trendle was such a skinfl int that he hired many of his employees for no wages, promising them that they would someday get paid when things got better. Even the writer who created the character, Fran Striker, was refused any royalties and had to scrape by on the meager salary that George paid him.

In a move that would make Scrooge jealous, George fi red 26 of his employees on Christmas Day in 1936. Why would his employees tolerate all of George’s mistreatment?

Because it was during the Great Depression, when people would take — and hold onto — any job they could fi nd.

So what character did George Trendle produce? Now that you know the background of the owner, let’s Scout out the facts so we can unmask this mystery.

The radio show was adapted for TV in 1949, and the series ran until 1957. It was made into a movie in 1981. The main character’s name was John Reid, but that’s not much of a hint because his name was never revealed in the show, in the same way that no one ever called Gilligan by his fi rst name. Or MacGyver, for that matter. In fact, none of the other characters on the show even knew John Reid’s name. His brother, along with four other colleagues in law enforcement, were shot by the evil Cavendish gang.

John Reid was the only one to survive. He was found by an Indian friend and nursed back to health in a nearby cave (there always seems to be a cave nearby in these Western shows when you need one). His friend became one of the stars of the show, along with their horses. John Reid was “The Lone Ranger.”

Now that you know the mystery behind George Trendle’s idol, the answer could be found in the clues given above:

• “the lone producer”• “heart of Silver”• “the thrilling days of yesteryear”• “let’s Scout out the facts” (Scout was the

name of Tonto’s horse)• “so we can unmask this mystery”The Lone Ranger and his loyal friend Tonto

recognized each other because the Lone Ranger saved Tonto’s life after his family was killed when Tonto was a boy. As the Lone Ranger was recovering from being shot, Tonto dug six graves in order to mislead the Cavendish gang into thinking that all six rangers had died. He wore a mask to hide his identity from the Cavendish gang, and he made his mask out of his deceased brother’s vest.

In case you’re still trying to fi gure out what Gilligan’s fi rst name was, it was Willie. And MacGyver’s fi rst name, which was revealed in a dream on the show, was Angus.

© 2010 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.

Despised Producer Creates TV Idol


At the Movies

Alpha and Omega (In Theaters: September 17)Humphrey (voiced by Justin Long) is a wolf who wants to be top dog. Too bad for Humphrey that he’s an “omega” wolf, which means he’s not considered compatible with Kate (voiced by Hayden Panettiere), a wolf of the “alpha” variety. But Kate and Humphrey will have to fi gure out a way to get along during a wild road trip that takes them from Idaho to Jasper Park, Canada, for an animated story that features the talents of Christina Ricci, Danny Glover and the late Dennis Hopper. Encounters with humans, bears and unpredictable Mother Nature herself spice up the duo’s adventure as they learn to take care of one another. Kate’s motto, “I’m the boss,” takes some work before she can appreciate Humphrey’s big idea to “make ‘em laugh.” Birds of a feather might fl ock together, but these wolves from opposite sides of the tracks will have to set a good example for their rival packs to follow.Not rated at press time. 88 mins. (Lionsgate Family Entertainment)

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole (In Theaters: September 24)Based on the fi rst three books in the series of children’s stories by Kathryn Lasky, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole fi nds a young barn owl named Soren (voiced by Jim Sturgess) kidnapped by a group of soldier owls known as the Pure Ones of St. Aggies. It isn’t long before Soren and some of his newly made friends plan an escape across the sea to the Great Tree on an island called Ga’Hoole, whose wise owls battle against St. Aggie’s evil army of winged warriors. The same team of animated effects artists that created Happy Feet bring this epic children’s drama to life. Abbie Cornish, Hugo Weaving, Helen Mirren, Geoffrey Rush and Sam Neill contribute vocal performances to this animated fantasy made in Australia. Not rated at press time. 90 mins. (Warner Bros. Pictures)

You Again (In Theaters: September 24)The same fi lmmaker that guided the recent update of Race to Witch Mountain directs this PG-rated Disney comedy about how everything that comes around, goes around. Twenty-something Marni (Kristen Bell) goes home for her older brother Will’s (Jimmy Wolk) upcoming wedding. Little does Marni realize that the girl Will is about to marry is none other than Joanna (Odette Yustman), the same girl who bullied Marni when they were in high school together. But wait, it gets worse. It turns out that Joanna’s aunt Ramona (Sigourney Weaver) also turns up for the wedding. Ramona was Marni’s mom Gail’s (Jamie Lee Curtis) wicked high school rival who treated Gail just as badly as Joanna did Marni. Whether or not these women from various generations can make peace with one another is the big question in this comedy of mannered, and not-so-mannered, behavior. This is the kind of family comedy that your grandmother, mom and older sisters could all go see together.Rated PG for brief mild language and rude behavior. (Walt Disney Pictures)

Movies on DVD

He’s your Dog, Charlie Brown: Deluxe Edition (In Stores: Sept. 21)“A beagle is a boy’s best friend. Sometimes.” Energetic Snoopy annoys Charlie Brown’s friends so much with his playful antics that they want nothing to do with him in this 1968 classic from Charles Schultz’s brilliant comic strip characters. Charlie Brown sends his prized beagle off to puppy boot camp at Daisy Hill Puppy Farm, but Snoopy would rather live with Peppermint Patty instead. However, life with Peppermint Patty turns out to be very different from the easy life Snoopy knew with Charlie Brown. Will Snoopy learn how to behave and return to his rightful master? The DVD also includes a bonus feature (“Life is a Circus, Charlie Brown”) and the featurette “Snoopy’s Home Ice: The Story of the Redwood Empire Ice Arena.” Not Rated. 50 mins. (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 appreciation for great popcorn.


Dancing Lights Mystifi ed Ancestors

Like draperies, curving

sheets of green, red and blue light ripple across the night sky. The stars shine in the background.

Sometimes the sheets of light wave slowly and gracefully. Other times they

shimmer or fl icker as if being shaken.These are the aurora borealis, or northern

lights. The auroras occur when fast-moving particles from the Sun collide with atoms and molecules of air in Earth’s atmosphere. This event usually happens only near Earth’s North Pole or South Pole (where they are called the aurora australis, or southern lights), due to the shape of Earth’s magnetic fi eld. Now we understand the auroras and what causes them. But this was not always so.

Imagine what people 1000 years ago must have thought about the auroras. These strange, moving lights were frightening. Some people even thought they heard sounds from the lights — crackling or swishing. However, sounds have never been recorded and may have been imagined.

In ancient times, the Vikings, the Eskimos, many Native Americans and other peoples in far-north places saw the auroras. They had lots of different explanations. The moving lights were ghosts of dead maidens, loved ones, warriors and dancers. Dancing was often part of the story. In a Danish legend, a fl ock of swans fl ew too far north and were caught in the ice. Each fl ap of their wings was refl ected in the sky as the northern lights. Many people saw the lights as a threat and would quickly gather their children and bring them inside. Others saw the lights as a sign from the creator that they were loved.

We can still be awed by the beauty of the northern lights, even though we know what causes them. Perhaps we can appreciate them even more.

Explore more fascinating folklore about nature and weather from people around the world by visiting the brand new SciJinks website, http://scijinks.gov. SciJinks is all about having fun with Earth weather, space weather and even weather on other planets. There are games, animations, videos, lots of awesome images and easy-to-understand ex-planations of many other mysterious things. SciJinks is another creation by The Space Place people (http://spaceplace.nasa.gov).

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

The aurora borealis shines and shimmers above Bear Lake, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. What would you feel if you saw this in the sky and didn’t know what it was? Photographer: Joshua Strang

Gluten-Free and TastyIf you have a wheat allergy, gluten intolerance or celiac disease, then you know the challenges of trying to live a gluten-free life. Whether you are gluten-free by choice or necessity, Living Gluten-Free for Dummies, 2nd Edition offers step-by-step advice on how you can make the transition to a gluten-free lifestyle — and love it! The easy-to-understand book also offers up some tasty recipes. This version of Mexican pizza is vegetarian, but if you like meat, just add crumbled, cooked ground beef.

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

MEXICAN PIZZAPrep Time: 20 minutes + 25 minutes cooking timeServes: 6WHAT YOU NEED: 2 12-inch pizza crusts (Gluten-free pizza crust mix or pre-made crust, or basic crust recipe in Living Gluten-Free for Dummies, and also on www.kidsvillenews.com)16-ounce can refried beans2 large green onions, thinly sliced1 cup shredded cheddar cheese1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese1⁄2 cup sliced black olives, drained4-ounce can diced green chilies1⁄4 cup sour cream2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro1 cup chopped fresh tomato1 cup shredded lettuce1⁄4 cup sliced jalapeño peppers1 cup salsaHOW TO MAKE IT: 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.2. Bake the crusts for 8 minutes or until they just begin to turn golden brown.3. Divide all the ingredients in half. Spread 8 ounces of refried beans on each crust. If it’s too hard to spread, mix about 2 tablespoons of salsa into the beans to help thin it out a little.4. On top of the beans, add one chopped green onion, 1⁄2 cup cheddar, 1⁄2 cup Monterey Jack, 1⁄4 cup black olives and 2 ounces green chilies on each pizza.5. Bake the pizzas for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese begins to bubble.6. Take the pizzas out of the oven and add 1⁄8 cup sour cream, 1 table-spoon cilantro, 1⁄2 cup tomato, 1⁄2 cup lettuce, 1⁄8 cup jalapeños and 1⁄2 cup salsa to each pizza.Per serving: Calories 982 (From Fat 305); Fat 34g (Saturated 14g); Cholesterol 132mg; Sodium 1,338mg; Carbohydrate 147g (Dietary Fiber 14g); Protein 34g.Excerpt from Living Gluten-Free for Dummies, 2nd Edition, by Danna Korn provided with permission by John Wiley & Sons.


PARENTOWN’S KIDSMART

Last month I covered how 529 plans work, and I hope all of you had a chance to visit your state-sponsored 529 plans website for more details. In addition to 529 plans, there are other options to consider when looking to fund college. Let’s take a look at Financial Aid Options.

Financial Aid: Financial Aid may be classifi ed into two types based on the criteria through which the fi nancial aid is awarded: merit-based or need-based.

Students received about $168 billion to help fund their college educations during the 2009–10 academic year. Financial Aid is awarded as grants and scholarships; low-interest, government-subsidized loans and education tax benefi ts, and nearly everyone is eligible for some of it.

To apply for most student aid, a student must fi rst complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by submitting the application electronically to the U. S. Department of Education using the Department of Education’s website.

A student’s aid application (FAFSA) may be submitted to the Department of Education as early as January 1 before the summer or fall when the student enrolls and must be re-submitted with updated income, asset and dependency information each year. The Department of Education processes each request and tells a student how much the federal government expects your family to contribute towards paying for college — the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). However, an EFC is not neces-sarily how much a student will pay for college — aid can reduce an individual’s cost.

Most student aid is federal aid — people’s tax dollars working for students. Stu-dents received more than $109.7 billion in federal aid during the 2008–2009 academ-ic year. Most federal student aid is awarded as grants and low-interest loans. Grant programs include the Pell Grant, the Academic Competitiveness Grant, the TEACH Grant and the SMART Grant. Grants are best because they are “free money” — they don’t have to be repaid as long as a student meets any obligations they may have.

The federal loan programs include the Federal Direct Subsidized and Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, the Perkins Loan and the Parent PLUS (Parental Loan for Undergraduate Students) Loan and Graduate PLUS (a loan for Graduate students). Unlike federal grants, a borrower must repay the loan amount and any interest. Federal loans offer lower interest rates and better repayment terms than private student loans from banks and other fi nancial institutions.

Merit-based grants or scholarships include both scholarships awarded by the individual college or university and those awarded by outside organizations. Merit-based scholarships are typically awarded for outstanding academic achievements and minimum SAT or ACT scores, although some merit scholarships can be awarded for special talents, leadership potential and other personal characteristics. Scholarships may also be given because of group affi liation (such as YMCA, Boys Club, etc.). Merit scholarships are sometimes awarded without regard for the fi nancial need of the ap-plicant. At many colleges, every admitted student is automatically considered for merit scholarships. At other institutions, however, a separate application process is required. Scholarships do not need to be repaid as long as all scholarship requirements are met.

Need-based fi nancial aid is awarded on the basis of the fi nancial need of the student. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid application (FAFSA) is generally used for determining federal, state and institutional need-based aid eligibility. At private institutions, a supplemental application may be necessary for institutional need-based aid.

There’s a wide landscape of information available about fi nancial aid, but I hope this article gets you started in the right direction. Remember, if you have a question, please submit it to [email protected]

READERS: Please send your questions about kids and money to [email protected]. We hope to start a new Q&A format for this section. Keva Stur-devant 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 between parents and their kids in households across America. In an effort to foster those conversations, we grant actual shares of stock to kids across the country. Born To Save grants one share of stock per month by randomly selecting one winner to those who register on our website at www.BornToSave.org.

Paying for College Pagando por la UniversidadEl mes pasado hable de cómo funcionan los planes 529 y espero que todos

hayan tenido la oportunidad de visitar la página web de el plan 529 de su es-tado para obtener más detalles. En adición a los planes 529 hay otras opciones

que puedes considerar para pagar los estudios universitarios. Veamos algunas opciones de ayuda fi nanciera.

Ayuda FinancieraLa ayuda fi nanciera pude ser clasifi cada en dos tipos basado en el crite-

rio en el cual la ayuda fi nanciera es provista: basada en merito o basada en necesidad.

Durante el año académico 2009-2010 estudiantes recibieron cerca de $168 billones de dólares para pagar sus estudios. La ayuda fi nanciera se conceden como concesiones y becas, préstamos subvencionados del gobierno

a bajo interés, y benefi cios de impuestos de educación, y la mayoría de la gente es elegible para recibir la ayuda.

Para aplicar para la ayuda fi nanciera, el estudiante debe primero llenar la aplicación gratuita para ayuda federal del estudiante (FAFSA

según las siglas en ingles) sometiendo la aplicación electrónicamente al Departamento de Educación de los Estados Unidos usando la página web del Departamento de Educación.

La aplicación para ayuda fi nanciera estudiantil (FAFSA) puede ser sometida al depar-tamento de educación empezando el 1ro de Enero antes de que las clases de verano y otoño comiencen y deben de ser sometida cada año con la información reciente de sus ganancias, pertenencias, e información de dependencia. El departamento de educación procesa cada petición y le dice al estudiante lo que el gobierno federal espera que la familia contribuya para pagar la universidad - Contribución prevista de la familia (EFC según la siglas en ingles). Sin embargo, el EFC no es necesariamente lo que el estudiante tiene que pagar por colegio - ayuda fi nanciera extra puede reducir el gasto del individuo.

La mayoría de la ayuda estudiantil es ayuda federal - impuestos de la gente que trabaja para los estudiantes. Los estudiantes recibieron mas de $109.7 billones en ayuda federal durante el ano académico 2008-2009. La mayoría de la ayuda federal se con sede en forma de concesiones y prestamos a bajo interés. programas de concesión incluyen Pell Grant, Academic Competitiveness Grant, el TEACH Grant, y el SMART Grant. Concesiones son mejores porque son “dinero gratis” - no los tienes que repagar siempre y cuando cumplan con las obligaciones que tengan.

El programa de prestamos federales incluye el préstamo Federal Subsidized y Federal Direct Unsubsidized, el préstamo Perkins, y los prestamos Parent PLUS (Parental Loan for Undergraduate Students) y Graduate PLUS (un préstamo de tercer ciclo). A diferencia de las concesiones federales, el deudor debe de pagar el préstamo mas los intereses. Los presta-mos federales ofrecen una taza de intereses mas baja y planes de pago mas convenientes que los prestamos privados de los bancos y otras instituciones fi nancieras.

Concesiones basadas en merito o becas incluyen becas concedidas por el colegio o uni-versidad y las becas que organizaciones fuera del colegio ofrecen. Becas basadas en merito típicamente se conceden por el logro excepcional académico o las califi caciones mínimas en el SAT y ACT, aunque algunas becas basadas en merito se conceden por talentos especiales, potencial en liderazgo y otras características personales. las becas también son concedidas por la afi liación a algún grupo (como YMCA y Boys and Girls Club, etc.). Las becas de merito aveces son concedidas sin que el la persona que aplica tenga necesidad fi nanciera. Envarios colegios, cada estudiante admitido es automáticamente elegible para la beca. Sin em-bargo en otras instituciones se requiere un proceso de aplicar separado. Las becas no tienen que pagarse siempre y cuando el estudiante cumpla con sus obligaciones.

Ayuda fi nanciera es concedida dependiendo en la necesidad fi nanciera del estudiante. Generalmente la la aplicación gratuita para ayuda federal del estudiante (FAFSA) se usa para determinar si el estudiante el elegible para recibir ayuda fi nanciera federal, estatal o de la institución. En las instituciones privadas, una solicitud suplemental es necesaria para califi car para la ayuda basada en necesidad institucional.

Hay mucha información disponible sobre ayuda económica pero espero que este reportaje le ayude a comenzar y lo lleve en la dirección correcta. Recuerde, si tiene cualquier pregunta, por favor sometalas a [email protected].

Keva Sturdevant es la fundadora de Born To Save (Nacido Para Ahorrar), una organización sin fi nes de lucros con base en Washington, DC con la misión de enseñar a los niños de todas las edades la importancia de ahorrar e invertir. La meta es comenzar conversaciones acerca del dinero en los hogares a través de América, entre padres e hijos. En un esfuerzo para fomentar estas conversaciones, concedemos partes de acciones actuales a los niños. Para registrar a tu niño(a) para ganar una parte de acción en nuestra rifa mensual, por favor visite nuestra página Web www.BronToSave.org.


PARENTOWN’S KIDSHAPE

Junior Rangers Like to Move It, Move ItWASHINGTON – “Let’s Move Outside,

Junior Rangers!” is First Lady Michelle Obama’s call to kids across the country.

Today, 16 national parks – for a total of 36

nationwide – launch Let’s Move Outside Junior Ranger. National Park Junior Rangers will not only have fun and get exercise, but also receive an extra reward for working up a sweat. So far this summer, thousands of kids have earned the title while discovering that exercise doesn’t equal drudgery.

Out of the 392 national parks in the country, about 300 of them offer Junior Ranger programs, which are wildly popular with kids (and parents too!). Young people who complete a physical activity in pursuit of their Junior Ranger badge receive a sticker that designates them as a Let’s Move Outside Junior Ranger. The activities range from adventures like snorkeling or kayaking at Assateague National Seashore and hiking and camping at Colorado National Monument to swimming at Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area and canoeing in a 26-foot Norse canoe at Voyageurs National Park.

“The Let’s Move Outside program in our national parks provides a wonderful way for parents to help their children gain a passion for

outdoor recreation while teaching them about our nation’s beautiful lands, our rich cultural heritage and our storied past,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.

The program engages young people in educational programs and self-guided exploration on America’s public lands and waters. The activities promise to be fun, healthfuland family friendly.

“Young people inspire us; we want to help them be vigorous and curious for life. It starts with family fun. National parks are amazing places where exercise is disguised as adventure, and we sneak in some learning, too,” National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis said.

By summer’s end, 50 national parks will offer Let’s Move Outside Junior Ranger. Before heading out, visit www.letsmove.gov/letsmoveoutside.php for more information about activities and participating parks. This website hub will link families to the great outdoors and give tips and ideas on how best to plan and enjoy

an active visit.Throughout the summer, Let’s Move Outside programs and events

will be held in conjunction with schools, community groups and other partners.

Information and image courtesy National Park Service.

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

If you’re interested in countries in Europe, then pull out your globe and look up coordinates 41º North and 22º East, and you’ll fi nd the Republic of Macedonia.

Macedonia is located in Southeastern Europe, North of Greece, with bordering countries Albania, Bulgaria, Kosovo and Serbia. Its capital is Skopje, which is located at 42º North and 21º 26' East. The country is

“landlocked,” meaning it is surrounded by land and has no access to the sea. Macedonia is slightly bigger than Vermont and is 25, 713 square kilometers in size. Macedonia’s land consists of mountainous territory, with deep basins and valleys, three large lakes and the Vardar River.

An estimated 2,072,086 people live in Macedonia, and the language spoken is primarily Macedonian but also includes Albanian, Turkish, Roma and Serbian. Its climate consists of warm, dry summers and au-tumns and cold winters with heavy snowfall.

Macedonia gained its independence from Yugoslavia on September 8, 1991, and adopted its constitution on November 17, 1991. Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia but met confl ict from Greece over the country’s name and symbols. The name “Macedonia” and the symbols representing the country are Hellenic, or characteristic of Ancient Greeks. Macedonia was unable to gain international independence due to Greece’s objection to the new state.

Finally in 1995, Greece released its 20-month trade embargo held over Macedonia, and the United States began referring to Macedonia by its constitutional name, the “Republic of Macedonia,” in 2004. Negotiations over the name “Macedonia” between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia continue to this day.

Sources: The World Factbook prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency. Written by Ashley Young, contributing writer for Kidsville News!

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS...MACEDONIA?


Backpack Word Find

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

Go “Green” at SchoolStudents are back in school, and teachers and students have an

opportunity to be a little more “green” this school year. Students can learn lessons on, and practice, environmental responsibility at school. Here are a few tips.

1. Reduce paper consumption. Photocopies, notebooks and loose-leaf paper don’t have to be the only way to complete assignments. Younger students can use dry-erase boards or digital tablets in the classroom to eliminate extra paper usage. For older computer-savvy students, digital fi les can replace many assignments printed out on paper.

2. Use cloth book covers. Plastic and paper book covers are generally the norm. However, once they wear out or are no longer needed, they’re thrown in the trash, contributing to unnecessary garbage. Cover your books in fabric. Some manufacturers offer elasticized fabric book covers that can be stretched over different-shaped books and used each year, reducing waste.

3. Use pencils — or at least recycled pens. There is a debate as to whether pencils or pens are better for the environment. Both require energy for production and chemicals. However, at fi rst glance it would seem that wood pencils or recycled wood products would have the advantage over plastic pens because wood naturally decomposes.

4. Go for trash-free lunches. Disposable paper lunch bags are wasteful, and reusable lunch carriers are much more eco-friendly.

5. Turn it off when not in use. Teachers — show by example in the classroom. When the class leaves the room, turn off the lights and shut down electrical equipment, such as computers.

Sources: Metro Creative Connection.

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