kidsville news - october 2011

KIDSVILLE NEWS - PAGE 3OCTOBER 2011 WWW.KIDSVILLENEWSTN.COM

Dear Kids,

It’s October, which I think is a great month! Whether you are visiting the county fair or getting your jack-o-lantern and costume ready for Halloween, it’s a fun month.

For this issue of Kidsville News!, I had the chance to talk to some interesting people. Cull Jordan is an attorney who told me all about his job. Marvin Nash is a rodeo clown on a mission against bullying. I hope you’ll enjoy reading about them both this month. In their own ways, they both are helping people every day.

Helping others is important. In this issue we have some tips on staying safe on the school bus. Help a younger student follow the safety rules at the bus stop this month. And, tell them you read about it in Kidsville News! Be sure to visit our website for more fun and games.

Have an amazing October!Your friend,

Copyright ©2011 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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So, you think you know everything there is to know about skateboarding? Or maybe you just got your fi rst skateboard and don’t know where to start. This article is

for you. First, some history. Skateboarding was invented

in the late 1940s or early 1950s by surfers. It gave them something to do when there

were no waves, and it helped them practice their balancing skills. It was

actually called “sidewalk surfi ng.” The fi rst skateboards were wooden boxes or

boards attached to roller-skate wheels. Eventually, in 1958, a surf-shop owner, Bill Richard, made a deal with the Chicago Roller Skate Company to make wheels that were then mounted to wooden boards. The fi rst manufactured skateboards were born.

In addition to the skateboard, you need just a few other things to hit the road with your board. Skate shoes not only look cool, but they also serve a purpose. They are wide and help grip the board, and they have special rein-forcement on the toes, heel and bottom so they won’t wear out as quickly as regular shoes. You’ll also need a helmet; most skateparks require them, and it just makes sense to keep your noggin safe. Elbow and knee pads are optional, depending on what you are doing. If you are learning tricks, elbow pads are probably a good idea. And, if you are on a skate ramp, knee pads are helpful.

So, how do you get started on a skateboard? First, take your board to a grassy area and practice standing on it. You need to become used to how the

board feels and how you are going to stand on it. Your stance can be “regular” (left foot forward, right foot at the back) or “goofy” (right foot forward, left foot back). Really, that’s what they call it. The toes of your front foot should be over the truck (the part that the wheels are attached to) at the front of the board. The foot at the back of the board is the one you will use to push with. Take your board to a smooth, fl at surface, like a driveway or empty parking

lot (where you have permission to be!). Practice pushing with your back foot and then balancing on the board when you reach a comfortable speed. To turn, you can lean to the direction you want to turn for a slow turn. To turn quickly, you balance on your back wheels and swing the front of the board in the direction you want to go.

Now that you are moving, you’ll need to know how to stop! One way is the footbrake. Basically, you just drag your back foot on the ground (this is why you need reinforced skate shoes!). Another trickier way is the heel drag. You put your back heel sticking out

over the board a bit and lean back on the board. The front of the board comesup, and your heel drags the ground and brings you to a stop. Of course, you can always just jump off in an emergency, but that’s a last resort!

These are just the basics to get you skating. For more practice and to learn tricks, like the Ollie, visit a local skatepark or skateshop and ask for some pointers.

COME OUT AND PLAY!Skateboarding: It’s Ollie Time!

KIDSVILLE NEWS OCTOBER 2011WWW.KIDSVILLENEWSTN.COM

©Kidsville News!

October 2-8 is National Newspaper Week. Publick

Occurrences, Both Foreign and Domestick, was the fi rst newspaper published in America. It was produced by Richard Pierce and Benjamin

Harris in Boston on September 25, 1690.

October comes from the word octo, Latin for “eight.” The earliest Roman calendar was a 10-month calendar. It began

with the month of March, making October the eighth month. It is one of seven months containing 31 days.

There are 480,000 school buses in the United States.Combined, they travel 5,760,000,000 miles each year!

Rodeo Clown Hits the RoadAgainst Bullying

Marvin Nash is a rodeo clown. He spends most of his time in the ring, keeping the bulls from bullying the cowboys. But right now, you can fi nd him out on the road, rolling his rodeo barrel down the street. In fact, he’s rolling that barrel 300 miles to Las Vegas, Nevada! He’s a clown on a mission to make a difference in the lives of kids.

Marvin and his wife Darlene created an anti-bullying program, Bullying Hurts. Marvin is rolling his barrel to create some attention for their anti-bullying confer-ence that will be held Oct. 4 in Las Vegas. Marvin enjoys meeting passers by that stop to talk to him on his trek. But it’s not all fun and games.

“Rolling the barrel is pretty easy; keep your head down and keep moving your feet. Constantly being on the road is hard,” explained Marvin. “Our experience with bullying has taught us that to address bullying, it has to be a community effort. You can’t just put responsibility on the school, parent, playground monitor or bus driver. It takes a community to address the issue. Kids can’t learn if they’re worried about being bullied at school. This conference is to try to bring all the parties together.”

Community is really what the Bullying Hurts program is all about. They use high school students to mentor elementary school students about their experiences with bullying. Here are a few tips from Marvin and the Bullying Hurts team:

1. Don’t ever be afraid to tell a trusted adult what’s going on in your world. Communication is the key.

2. Violence is never the answer in resolving the issue. All of our schools operate on a zero tolerance basis now; a fi st fi ght is not going to solve it.

3. If you tell somebody and they don’t do anything, you have to keep telling somebody until someone listens. Often a kid will tell an adult and get the response that it is “kids being kids.” Go to another adult or authority fi gure and let him or her know this is affecting you.

4. The power of the bystander is great. In every bullying incident, there are three parties – bully, victim, bystander. The bystanders are the ones that stand around and won’t say “We don’t act like that on our play ground.” We live in a world where people are afraid to get involved. If you see something happening that is wrong, don’t just stand there. Try to help or fi nd an adult to help with the situation.

For more information about Marvin Nash, Bullying Hurts or the Leading the Charge Against Bullying Conference, go to www.bullyinghurts.com.

National School Bus Safety Week was created to help students and parents understand the basic rules that will help get you to and from school safely. This year’s theme is “Be Aware – Know the Danger Zone!”

Things Kids Should Know about School Bus Safety• The bus driver and others cannot see you if you are standing

closer than 10 feet to the bus. Stay out of the danger zone!• If something falls under or near the bus, tell the driver.

NEVER try to pick it up yourself!

• While waiting for the bus, stay in a safe place away from the street.

• When you get on or off the bus, look for the bus safety lights and make sure

they are fl ashing. • Be alert to traffi c. When

you get on or off the bus, look left, right, left before you enter or cross the street.

• When the driver says it is safe to cross the street, remember to CROSS IN FRONT of the bus.

• Stay in your seat and sit quietly so that the driver is not distracted.

• Some school buses now have seat belts. If you have seat belts on your school bus, be sure to learn to use the seat belt correctly.

Students Riding a School Bus Should Always• Arrive at the bus stop fi ve minutes early.• Stand at least fi ve giant steps (10 feet) away from the edge of

the road.• Wait until the bus stops, the door opens and the driver says

it’s okay before stepping onto the bus.• Be careful that clothing with drawstrings and book bags with

straps or dangling objects do not get caught in the handrail or door when exiting the bus.

• Check both ways for cars before stepping off the bus.These tips are provided by the National School Bus Safety Week

Committee, National Association for Public Transportation, www.schoolbusinfo.org.

National School Bus Safety Week: Remember to Be Safe!

WEEK


AR UND THE W RLD United States

On the second Monday in October, the United States celebrates Columbus Day. This day celebrates October 12, 1492, the day that Columbus’s ships arrived in the New World after traveling across the ocean from Spain. The holiday is also celebrated in most Spanish-speaking countries and is called Dia de la Raza or Day of the Race.

CanadaIt’s Thanksgiving! No, we don’t have our months confused. In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the Second Monday in

October. As we do on our Thanksgiving, Canadians give

thanks for a successful year and harvest.The Thanksgiving holiday tradition in

Canada began when English explorer Martin Frobisher arrived at the land now known as Canada. He was searching for a Northern pas-sage to the Orient. Frobisher settled in Canada and had a ceremony where he gave thanks for surviving the long journey. Thanksgiving became a national holiday in Canada in 1879.

GermanyOctober 3 is Tag der Deutschen Einheit or the Day of German Unity. This day celebrates the reunifi cation of East and West Germany on October 3, 1990. The country was divided for 45 years. When the country reunited, the new Germany took the offi cial name of Federal Republic of Germany. Each year on October 3, there’s a big celebration at the Brandenburger Tor (Branden-burg Gate) in Berlin. They have concerts there. Also, the government picks one major German city (a different one each year) to host another celebration.

Vampire Bat While you are sleeping at night, the vampire bat is out fl ying in the night sky, searching for its next meal. Like its namesake, the legendary vampire, the vampire bat’s food source is blood. This is a diet called hematophagy. There

are three species of bat that feed only on blood: the common vampire bat, the hairy-legged vampire bat and the white-winged vampire bat.

The vampire bat is native to both North and South America. They can be found in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Chile and like tropical or subtropical areas.

The vampire bat is a small species that can live up to 12 years. Of course, they are excellent at fl ying, but they can also jump like a frog and run like a spider. They have 20 teeth, but the front incisors are what they use to bite their

victim. These sharp teeth make a small cut, and then the bat licks up the blood. They usu-ally feed on horses, burros, cattle, pigs and tapirs. These little Dracula-like bats have to feed often — they could starve to death in 48 hours!

Vampire bats have infrared heat detectors that help guide them to the best place to draw blood from their victim. American and Venezuelan researchers investigated wild vampire bats in South America. They discovered that nerve endings on their noses have a sensitive, heat-detecting molecule. There is also an ingredient in bat saliva that thins the blood. Human stroke victims are now being treated with the saliva in medical trials. This scary blood-sucking bat may end up saving lives.

Sources: The Centre for the Conservation of Specialized Species, www.conservationcentre.org; “‘Infrared Detector’ May Lead Vampire Bat to Blood” healthfi nder.gov/news/newsstory.aspx?docID=65.

Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: MammaliaOrder: ChiropteraFamily: PhyllostomidaeSubfamily: Desmodontinae

Desmodus rotundus, Picture taken at San-gayan Island, Paracas National Reserve, Peru. Photo by Acatenazzi.


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 mapping system is written in degrees and uses the symbol °. Get ready to travel the world!Where in the world is Germany? Find 50ºN latitude and 10ºE longitude on your globe, and you'll fi nd Germany, in the

heart of Europe! On your globe, Germany is near the Greenwich, or Prime Meridian, one of the lines (located at 0º longitude) that divides the globe into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

Germany is bordered on the north by the small country of Denmark, as well as the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. To the south of Germany are the countries of Austria and Switzerland. On the East, Germany is bordered by Poland and the Czech

Republic. West of Germany are France, the Netherlands and Belgium. Germany can be divided into three principal regions: the northern lowlands, the central highlands and the southern alpine region, south of the Danube River.

For more than 40 years, Germany was a divided country. After World War II, Germany was divided into four zones. West Germany was controlled by France, the UK and the USA, and East Germany was controlled by Russia. There was an actual barrier — an 858-mile border of barricades, barbed wire and minefi elds. On one side of the wall was West Germany, the Federal Republic of Germany, which was a prosperous and democratic nation. On the other side of the wall was East Germany, or the German Democratic Republic, which was ruled by a communist dictatorship. Berlin, the former capital of Germany, was divided into four sectors, and it also had a barrier known as the Berlin Wall. In 1989, the barrier between the two sides of Germany was torn down, and the government was unifi ed on October 3, 1990. One native of West Germany who lived near the border remembers that when the wall fell, there was a steady stream of East German cars coming over to the West. She stood on the main street and handed them coffee and candy bars and welcomed them into the free world. A few interesting facts about Germany:

• Germany is the wealthiest and the second most populated country in Europe.• The highest peak in Germany, the Zugspitze (at 9,721 feet), is in the Bavarian Alps on the border with Austria.• The Danube River begins in the Black Forest Mountain Range and fl ows eastward 400 miles across southern

Germany.Sources: "Germany," The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gm.html.

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS...GERMANY?

Art Gallery

Pablo Picasso is perhaps the most famous artist of the 20th century. A Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker and ceramicist, he is the father of Cubism. Cubism is a modern art style that uses geometric shapes to create a picture rather than showing something as it is in real life. Cubism was one of the first recognized abstract styles of art.

Pablo Picasso was born on October 25, 1881, in Málaga, Spain. Given an extremely long name – Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Clito Ruiz y Picasso – Pablo was the son of an artist and his wife. He spent the first part of his childhood in Málaga, moving to La Coruña with his family when he was 10. A talented artist as a child, Pablo began taking art lessons from his father after the family moved. By the time he was 13, Pablo had already had his

first art show! In 1895, Pablo’s family moved to Barcelona, and Pablo enrolled at the Barcelona School of Fine Arts. His reputa-tion as an artist grew, and one of his paintings received a national award and the gold medal at an art competition in his hometown of Málaga. In 1897, Pablo left Barcelona to continue his art studies in the Spanish capital, Madrid. There, he found himself spending time painting in cafés, on the streets and even in the famous Prado museum.

In 1989, Pablo contracted scarlet fever and spent a year recovering in a small

mountain village. There, life changed for him. By the time he returned to Madrid a year later, he had new ideas about art and his career. In 1990, Pablo left Spain to open an art studio in Paris, France, but he stayed just a few months. After return-ing home, he received news that a dear friend had died. With this, Pablo began his Blue Period, a time in which he painted almost solely in sad blue and green colors. In 1904, Pablo moved back to Paris. He started using pale rose, pink and grey in his paintings for several years. Then, in 1907, he began experimenting with Cubism. By 1912, he was not only painting geometric shapes and abstract Cubist

subjects, but also gluing collage materials to his paintings. Still lives with flowers and such and people’s heads were his main painting subjects.

As Pablo’s star rose, he experimented with other abstract styles like Surrealism, where painters based much of their work on the way things look and feel in dreams. Beginning in the 1920s, he also started making sculptures out of iron and metal. He became very wealthy and famous. Although he was not famous for his sculptures at the time, they also became very well known after his death.

Pablo died on April 8, 1973, at the age of 92. He left behind a huge amount of artwork. Much of it is on display in museums throughout the world.

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: Pablo Picasso Biography, http://www.biography.com/articles/Pablo-Picasso-9440021, Pablo Picasso on the Art History Archive, http://www.arthistoryar-chive.com/arthistory/cubism/Pablo-Picasso.html.

Pablo Picasso: The Father of Cubism

Musiciens aux masques (Musicians with Masks) by Pablo Picasso in the Museum of Modern Art, New York.


Source: www.metrocreativeconnection.com

October Word FindFind the hidden words in the puzzle that relate to the

month of October.

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

BULLYCOLUMBUSFALLFIRE

HALLOWEENNEWSPAPEROCTOBERPREVENTION

PUMPKINSAFETYSCHOOL BUSVAMPIRE BAT

Help the Paper Boy It’s National Newspaper Week October 2-8 and International

Newspaper Carrier Day on October 8. Can you help the paperboy get Kidsville News! to Truman?


Tru-Truman Truman’s Tricky Picture Find these

items! Be sure to fi nd Truman’s hat! Look for more fun and games at

www.kidsvillenews.com.

Coloring CornerDo you decorate a pumpkin for Halloween? Use this pumpkin to sketch out your design for this year.

Image: www.metrocreativegraphics.com

‘


Quetzalcoatl is a Serial Story by Carl Gundestrup.

DAVY: As Garrett moved deeper into the ship, he found a timber that he could climb that would get him to the upper deck. He scrambled his way up. In moments he was standing on what was left of the ship’s deck.

GARRETT: It’s coming from over there. What’s that?

DAVY: As Garrett shifted the planks, a golden shaft of the fading sunlight came to rest on the most beautiful creature he could possibly have imagined.

The color of the creature’s belly was the most exquisite, shimmering blue-green color he had ever seen. The rest of his body was a deep, vibrant, emerald sea green. His tongue, lips and mouth were the color of blood. A deep, intense, shocking red. His eyes were the color of pure gold, glistening in the sunlight. It appeared at fi rst as the shape of a serpent or a snake. But as he looked closer he could see it was like a dragon, with it’s wings folded in. He stood in complete awe. Finally Garrett was startled back to reality by the creatures’s predicament.

GARRETT: Whoa! Whoa! Hey! Hey! It’s alright. It’s alright. I’ll get you out. Tried to hide from the storm in the ship, huh?

DAVY: The jagged edge of a broken timber was pinning the crea-ture’s throat to the hull of the ship. He was hopelessly trapped, with no chance for escape. His neck was bleeding, and he was obviously coming to the end of his strength and his life. The creature’s eyes were fi xed on Garrett every second. When Garrett moved next to the beam, the serpent’s eyes instantly came to rest on his bad leg. There was intelligence there. Garrett could sense that it was not just that the creature had noticed his bad leg. The serpent knew exactly how badly his leg was crippled.

GARRETT: Don’t worry. I can

still get you out. You understand don’t you. I can tell. You know exactly what I am saying! It’s like you can read my thoughts. No. My feelings. This will work. I think I can get the lever in place, but I’m going to need your strength to get it under the timber. I will take your left claw here and put it under this timber. Now I’ll go to the other end and push down. When I yell lift, you lift as best as you can. I am freezing! Ok now. Uhh — lift! Ow! Uh. I can’t do this. There is no way. I am freezing!

DAVY: Garrett was turning blue and shaking like a leaf. He tried several more times but couldn’t do it.

GARRETT: This water is freezing. I am dying in here. But I can’t let you die. What am I gonna do? Mom and dad always say, “When there is no where to turn. Look up.” So. Fold your arms. And bow your head. I’m gonna pray. Heavenly Father, I ask thee to please help me get this board into place so I can save this creature. I ask thee in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

DAVY: When Garrett opened his eyes, he noticed that the creature’s eyes opened at the same time. Garrett looked at the timber again. Suddenly an idea came to him. He held his breath and swam under the log and placed it between his shoulder blades. Then with all of the strength his cold, skinny little body possessed, he gave one great heave and lifted the beam up as high as he could, then fell forward. The beam came to rest squarely on the rib of the ship and near the timber that was pinning the creature to the bottom of the ship. It was only on by an inch or two, but he had done it. Garrett looked heavenward.

GARRETT: We did it! Thank you!DAVY: Garrett went to the other

end of the timber and carefully moved it into position under the timber that was pinning the creature.

GARRETT: Ok, here we go now. When I count to three you push with yer claw and I’ll force the lever down at the far end. When I lift you roll away. On three. Ok. One, two, three, Push! Ow! My head. Ow. Uh, oh. He made it! Uh, my head. I’m bleeding. Now if I can get out of here. I am so cold. I know

I’m gonna die of pneumonia if I don’t freeze to death fi rst.

DAVY: Garrett moved as quickly as his cold, cramping little muscles could carry him to the opening in the side of the ship. He was too cold, and it was too dark now to even think about looking for treasure. Garrett hesitated before he jumped into the water.

GARRETT: Well he’s gone — or is he? If it was a Quetzalcoatl, I will probably have a friend for life. But if it was a sea dragon, I’ll be a warm cracker in cold soup. But I can’t wait in here any longer, or I’ll freeze to death.

DAVY: Garrett fl opped into the water and attempted to swim. But he was so cold, he just couldn’t bring him-self to do much more than fl op his arms occasionally and pray for the waves to carry him to shore. Slowly warmth started to fi ll Garrett’s frozen little body. It was as if he was in a bath tub and the water was getting warmer. He had heard his father and Davy talk about freezing to death. How the victims got to a point where they were so cold, they would imagine being warm and fall asleep never to wake up. He knew he was freezing, but he just could not make his little muscles do any more. After a time, Garrett woke up lying on the beach next to his clothes.

GARRETT: Oh no! I gotta get home. Mom is gonna kill me. What am I gonna tell her about how I split my head open? What? There’s no blood. Not even a mark. I know I hit my head, and I am not even cold anymore.

DAVY: As Garrett put on his shoe and began to scramble toward home, he did not even notice the great claw marks in the sand leading to the spot where he had been lying.

CATHERINE: And where have you been? You are two hours late, young man!

GARRETT: I was just looking at the pirate ship that was swept up from the ocean fl oor during the storm.

CATHERINE: You what? You get into that tub right now, and be grateful I don’t tan your hide!

CATHERINE: Pirate ship! Two

hours late, scaring us out of 10 years of our lives. Then you come waltzing in here with a story like that. Next you’ll be telling us you went swim-ming with a Quetzalcoatl!

GARRETT: (mutters) Sometimes moms are just plain scary.

DAVY: With the storm past and the clean up of the island underway, school was ready to begin. Garrett was bright and very well read. But between moving, not living near a school and a half dozen other obstacles, Garrett had never before had the opportunity of a formal education. He was 13 years old, and this would be his very fi rst day in a real school and a classroom with students.

TOBY: What’s a matter? What are ya afraid of?

MRS. STERNHAMMER: What are you boys doing?

GARRETT: They want me to show them my leg.

MRS. STERNHAMMER Toby Hallorand! Isn’t it enough that the poor boy is crippled? Do you have to humiliate him, too?

GARRETT: I’m not a cripple! I can run!

TOBY: Yeah, like a three-legged duck.

GARRETT: Faster than you, fat boy!

(To be continued.) To listen and read-along with the rest of this month’s episode of QUETZALCOATL go to www.talesofdavyjones.com or www.kidsvillenews.com. A Teacher’s Guide to accompany this 12-chapter story is available at www. idsvilleNews.com. An audio version CD-set and workbook are also available online. Copyright 2011 by Carl F. Gundestrup. All rights reserved.

Story Time with TrumanQuetzalcoatl

(Ketz-al-co-ah-Tel) Chapter Two


Clarissa’s Caring Cafeteria Challenge By Barbara Gilmour

“Welcome back to school, and welcome back to our ‘Cool Kind Kid’ classes. Tanner, Nicole, Stephen, Rudy, Carmen and Truman the dragon are here today. We also have a guest. Please say ‘hello’ to Clarissa.” Everyone welcomed Clarissa.

“Now let’s share something you like about being back in school.”Many hands went up, but Rudy was fi rst to say, “I get to see more friends

at school than I do over the summer.” Tanner added, “I like playing more sports.” Carmen shared, “Some of the

fun clubs I belong to, like Girl Scouts, start when school opens.” Nicole smiled and said, “I just like school.” The other kids thought she

was kidding, but she added, “I like to learn new things.” Truman the dragon stood up and said, “School is cool, and dragons like to learn new things, too.”

“Clarissa, why don’t you tell us why you wanted to visit today.”“Tanner told me about your ‘Cool Kind Kid’ classes. I want to be a ‘Cool

Kind Kid,’ too. He said you talked a lot about ways to have our school be cool. It bothers me how kids act in the cafeteria. I want to learn how to be a good example for the kids in my school cafeteria.” The other kids all agreed this was a big problem.

“I have an idea for a new way to learn how to be a ‘Cool Kind Kid’ in your cafeteria. We’ll make a list of ways ‘Cool Kind Kids’ act in the cafeteria, and then you can grade your school cafeteria. Let’s call it Clarissa’s Caring Cafete-ria Challenge.”

1. ___ Line up without pushing or shoving2. ___ Respect others’ property3. ___ Choose appropriate topics to discuss4. ___ Reach out to shy students5. ___ Respect others’ right to eat in peace6. ___ Respect others’ right to eat in a clean

place7. ___ Respect the people who serve the food

and clean the room8. ___ Promote safety9. ___ Live The Golden Rule10. ___ Patiently wait your turn11. ___ Invite a new kid to eat with you12. ___ Listen to teachers, aides and staff13. ___ Use good table manners14. ___ Clean up your mess (put trash, trays and recyclables in proper

places)15. ___Greet cafeteria workers and other staff properly16. ___ Say “thank you” to those who prepare, serve and clean up

for you17. ___ No tripping18. ___ No knocking over another person’s tray19. ___ No talking about gross topics while others are eating20. ___ No food fi ghts; no throwing or spitting food21. ___ No yelling or running around22. ___ No grabbing or stealing other people’s food or their lunch

money___ TOTALAdd up your scores and look below at what the scores reveal. If needed,

practice improving your skills. You might want to make posters to put in the cafeteria. Repeat the challenge to see your improvement.

85 – 110 is excellent — Your school cafeteria is really cool!53 – 84 — Some practice needed to improve your score22 – 52 — This is embarrassing. You really need a major campaign to

help your school cafeteria become “cool.”© Cool Kind Kid. 866-KID-KIND. www.CoolKindKid.com.

How to Score:1 = very poor2 = fairly poor3 = neither good nor bad4 = fairly good5 = very good


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

Celebrate a “Green” HalloweenMove over black and orange — there’s a new color popping up

for Halloween this year: Green. Environmentally conscious people are interested in the best ways to celebrate Halloween in an earth-friendly way. Little changes can mean a world of good this season.

* Participate in a costume exchange. Chances are you have one or more Halloween costumes tucked in the closet from years past. Instead of heading out and purchasing new costumes, organize a costume exchange with friends or family. This will save everyone money and natural resources.

* Save energy. What better time to dim the lights in the house and rely on candles or energy-saving LED accent lights? Create a spooky atmosphere and reduce the electric bill in the process.

* Eliminate the phantoms and vampires lurking. Phantom Load or Energy Vampires are terms used to describe appliances or other electronics that may be eating away at power even when they’re off. Cell phone chargers, for example, continue to draw power even

when the phone is disconnected. So remember to unplug any unused items.* Give out non-food, green treats. Instead of mass-produced, heavily

packaged candy, think about other treasures for kids. Items such as modeling dough, acorn craft creatures, pencils and paper for drawing, stickers, handmade friendship bracelets and glass craft beads all make good stand-ins for candy.

* Make recycled costumes. Turn everyday items into a great costume. Aluminum foil, soda cans, paper towel rolls and fabric scraps can be turned into an ideal costume. When done, put the items in recycling bins instead of the trash.

* Use cloth trick-or-treat bags instead of plastic bags that often end up in the garbage. Sources: Metro Creative Connection.


AT THE MOVIES

Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey (In Theaters: Oct. 21)Since he was nine-years-old, Kevin Clash dreamed of one day working with Sesame Street. So the African-American kid decided to become a puppeteer. Kevin’s childhood dream came true, and he went on become the voice of the little red character Elmo. The fi lmmakers use lots of old footage from behind the scenes of Sesame Street to tell the story of a boy from Baltimore who got a lot of help from his family to do what he loves. Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey is narrated by Whoopi Goldberg. The documentary features interviews with celebrities such as Frank Oz and Rosie O’Donnell to help tell the story. If you love Sesame Street, you won’t want to miss this chance to get to know the man be-hind the voice of Elmo.Not rated at press time (Submarine Deluxe) Johnny English Reborn (In Theaters: Oct. 28)Rowan Atkinson — the gifted comedian famous for his terrifi cally funny “Mr. Bean” character — returns to the big screen as the James Bond-styled secret agent of few words, Johnny English. Slapstick gags and physical comedy are on glorious display as Atkinson’s ridiculous spy completes fi ve years of martial arts training with Chinese monks in a remote region of Asia. Called back into the service of his top-secret MI-7 British agency, Johnny English is their last hope to battle a web of conspiracy taking aim at Britain’s Prime Min-ister. “Disaster may be an option, but failure never is.” Johnny English might be a walking disaster, but his every mistake carries with it a bunch of laughs. Rated PG for mild action violence, rude humor, some language and brief sensuality. (Universal Pictures)

And They’re Off (In Theaters: Oct. 28)This mild-mannered comedy of errors stars Sean Astin (of Lord of the Rings fame) as a thoroughbred horse trainer named Dusty. Although he has a knack for losing, Dusty believes the only way to get back into the winner’s circle is to hire his goofy ex-girlfriend Dee. She happens to be a horse-racing jockey. Dusty wouldn’t let a horse do anything he wouldn’t do himself, including run around a muddy track. Dee isn’t the only silly person around. Kevin Nealon and Martin Mull star in the family comedy set in a humorous world of horse racing that looks nothing like the dramatized version shown in movies like Seabiscuit. After all, horseracing doesn’t have to be serious. Horses can be funny, too. Not rated at press time (Kinobild Releasing)

MOVIES ON DVD

Treasure Island (Available Oct. 1)Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale of action and adventure on the high seas receives a fi tful adaptation in this 1990 made-for-television production. The movie features the talents of Charlton Heston (as Long John Silver) and a very young Christian Bale (Batman Begins) playing the role of Jim Hawkins. A sought-after trunk of pirate’s treasure is on Billy Bones’s map in this retelling that remains faithful to Stevenson’s book. Still, some of the book’s violence has been toned down for young-er audiences. Twelve-year-old Jim Hawkins fi nd’s the pirate Billy Bones’s secret map while working at the Benbow Inn with his mother. Jim signs up to set sail on the S.S. Espaniola ship with Squire Trelawney and Dr. Livesey to travel to the remote island where the treasure is supposedly buried. Little does Jim suspect that the one-legged pirate Long John Sil-ver, who has come along for the ride, has plans of his own for the trunk of treasure. Treasure Island is one of the all-time great kids’ adventure stories. This version doesn’t miss a beat. “Shiver-me-timbers.”Rated PG. 131 mins. (Turner Home Entertainment)

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.


Chills and thrills, costumes and candy…make no bones about it — Halloween is all about having a monstrously fun time. Serve up some ghoulishly good- for-you guacamole snacks with these fun recipe ideas from Wholly Guacamole. They’re easy for kids to make and are sure to scare up some smiles.

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

No Tricks — Just Halloween Treats!

GuacenStein• Cut tortilla into rectangle shape• Cover with Wholly Guacamole.• Cut green olives for eyes and nose.• Use carrots for eyebrows.• Cut red bell pepper strip for mouth.• Use chopped mushroom for ears• Decorate with blue corn chips for hair. One-Eyed Guac Monster• Cover small tortilla with Wholly Guacamole.• Create a large white eye with sour cream.• Use a sliced green olive for center of eye.• Use a carrot slice for mouth.

• Use green bell pepper or celery for ears.

Guacalicious Graveyard• Cover small tortilla with Wholly Guacamole.• Spread refried black beans for dirt.• Cut tortillas into headstone shapes and bake until crisp in toaster oven. Guac-O-Lantern• Cover small tortilla with Wholly Guacamole.• Cover with carrots.• Use celery for a stem.• Create your guac-o-lantern face with blue corn chips.

Recipes provided by Family Features and Wholly Guacamole. For more ideas, visit www.eatwholly.com.

Living in a Double Bubble

By Diane K. Fisher

Earth is a pretty safe place

to be in the big, scary universe. That’s because Earth is inside

a strong protective bubble. And that bubble is inside another strong

protective bubble. The fi rst bubble is Earth’s magnetic fi eld,

or magnetosphere [mag-NEET-o-sphere]. It is an invisible force fi eld created by Earth’s core, which acts as a magnet. The magneto-sphere protects Earth — and Earth’s atmosphere — from the solar wind and harmful radiation from the Sun. The solar wind is a very fast stream of hot gas and particles all charged up with electricity. The Sun is constantly belching out its solar wind at around one or two million miles per hour! If not for the magnetosphere, our atmosphere would be blown away by the solar wind, and Earth would be toast.

So what is the second, outer protective bubble? What else would Earth need protection from that could possibly be worse than the solar wind itself?

The answer to that is the interstellar medium — the “wind” between the stars of our galaxy.

What’s so hazardous about this galactic environment? Well, consider that our solar system is racing through the Milky Way galaxy at 220 kilometers per second (that’s about 492,000 miles per hour!). No matter how little matter is blowing around out there in the space between the stars, our solar system needs a wind shield! The solar wind provides it by pushing outward from the Sun, carving out a protective bubble in the space between the stars. This bubble is called the heliosphere.

Scientists have a lot of questions about the heliosphere, especially its boundary, where it actually meets up with the interstellar medium. What happens when the solar wind has trav-eled so far that it begins to slow down? What happens out there where it can’t push back any more against the moving particles and magnetic fi elds of the surrounding space between the stars?

The two Voyager spacecraft, which left Earth way back in 1977, are close to fi nding some of the answers. Voyager 1 is way out there, about 11 billion miles from the Sun, where the solar wind has slowed to a stop. It could cross the boundary of the helio-sphere into interstellar space at any time. Voyager 2 is not as far, so it may take a few more years to leave the solar system.

Watch the latest Space Place Live cartoon interview to learn more about the heliosphere and this exciting space mission. Watch and listen to Voyager project scientist Merav Opher at http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/space-place-live.

Voyager 1 is very close to leaving the heliosphere, the bubble in space created by our Sun and its solar wind. Voyager 1 will be Earth’s fi rst interstellar traveler!


PARENTOWN’S KIDSMART

Though the economy is on the mend, many families forced to make sacrifi ces during the downturn will continue to look for ways to maintain more control of their fi nances in the event another period of economic struggle surfaces down the road. It’s safe to assume no family wants to fi nd itself in the position millions of families did during the downturn, dealing with unemployment, a nonexistent job market and the specter of foreclosure on the family home.

While there’s no telling what the economic future holds, there are steps families can take to gain greater control of their fi nances and put themselves in a better position to handle whatever the economy throws at them down the road.

* Start saving receipts. Nowadays, more and more people use debit cards for daily purchases, including smaller purchases like cups of coffee. While this is more convenient, it also makes it easier to lose track of spending. Families should start saving receipts for all purchases, not just big-ticket items. At the end of the month, examine the receipts to see how much frivolous spending is going on. A close examination of receipts can help rein in spending on items that aren’t generally large but can add up over time.

* Make a grocery shopping list. Another tradition of yesteryear that has seemingly fallen by the wayside, the grocery list can help families save sub-stantial amounts of money over time. Men and women who grocery shop without a list are more likely to spend more money than they had intended, buying extra food they don’t need and making impulse buys as well. If you have a list of what you need when you go to the store, you’ll not only save money, but also be likely to spend far less time at the store as a result.

* Re-examine your commute. Men and women might prefer driving themselves to work. Driving to work alone is more convenient, but it’s almost never more cost-effective. Consider public transportation where it’s available. Public transportation can remove the stress from traffi c jams, as men and women can bury their noses in books or watch a movie on their iPads rather than stare at the vehicle in front of them. If no public transportation is available, propose a carpool to co-workers. Both of these alternatives can save individuals money on gas (the cost of which is once again on the rise) while adding years to their vehicle’s life expectancy, help-ing commuters get more out of their vehicle dollars.

* Reconsider your cable provider. Whereas cable television was once a novelty, nowadays cable television or satellite service has become the norm in households across the country. Though it might be hard to imagine a household without cable or satellite television, Web programming and DVD subscription services have made it much easier for men and women to continue to follow their favorite shows without committing to a costly monthly cable or satellite service.

Source: Metrocreativeconnection.com.

Simple Savings Tips for Families Consejos simples de ahorro para la famili-aConsejos simples de ahorro para la familia

Aunque la economía está en fase de recuperación, muchas familias obligadas a sacrifi carse durante la crisis seguirán buscando formas de mantener más control de sus fi nanzas en caso de que surja otro período de difi cultades económicas en el futuro. Es sensato asumir que ninguna familia desea encontrarse en la posición de millones de otras familias durante la crisis, lidiando con el desempleo, el mercado laboral inexistente y el espec-tro de una ejecución hipotecaria.

Si bien no se puede predecir lo que ocurrirá con la economía en el futuro, hay medidas que pueden tomar las familias para tener mayor control

de sus fi nanzas y ubicarse en una mejor posición para enfrentar lo que pueda traerles la economía en el futuro.

· Guardar los recibos. En la actualidad, cada vez más personas usan tarjetas de débito para sus compras diar-ias, incluyendo transacciones menores como una taza de café. Si bien esto es más conveniente, también facilita la pérdida del control de gastos. Las familias deben guardar los recibos de todas sus compras, no sólo las importantes. A fi n de mes, deberán examinar los recibos para deter-minar en cuántos gastos frívolos incurrieron. Un análisis detallado de los recibos contribuye al control de gastos en cosas de menor cuantía, pero que pueden sumarse a un gran total con el paso del tiempo.

· Hacer una lista de compras para el mercado. Otra tradición del pasado que aparentemente ha caído en el olvido, pero ayuda a las familias a ahorrar cantidades

sustanciales con el tiempo. Los hombres y mujeres que van de compras al mercado sin una lista son más propensos a gastar más de lo que esperaban, adquiriendo alimentos que no necesitan y haciendo compras por impulso. Si tiene una lista de lo que necesita a la hora de ir al mercado, no sólo ahorrará dinero, sino que tendrá más propensión a estar menos tiempo de compras.

· Reexamine su medio de transporte al trabajo. Los hombres y las mu-jeres podrían preferir desplazarse en sus vehículos propios para ir al tra-bajo. Manejar al trabajo solo es más conveniente, pero casi nunca rentable. Considere el transporte público donde esté disponible. El transporte público puede evitar el estrés de las congestiones de tráfi co, pues se puede leer o ver una película en el iPad en vez de estar viendo el vehículo que se tiene delante. Si no hay transporte público disponible, propóngale a sus compa-ñeros de trabajo viajar en coche compartido. Ambas alternativas pueden ahorrarles a todos dinero en términos de gastos de gasolina (cuyos precios están aumentando de nuevo) añadiéndole años a la expectativa de vida del vehículo, y ayudando a aprovechar al máximo la inversión en el mismo.

· Reconsidere los servicios de su proveedor de televisión por cable. A pesar de que la televisión por cable fue novedad en otro tiempo, en la actualidad esta modalidad y el servicio de televisión por satélite es norma en los hogares de la nación. Aunque podría ser difícil imaginar un hogar sin televisión por cable o satelital, la programación Web y los servicios de suscripción de DVD están facilitando que podamos ver nuestros programas favoritos sin comprometernos a un costoso servicio mensual de televisión por cable o satélite.

Source: Metrocreativeconnection.com.


PARENTOWN’S KIDSHAPE

Kids ages 8 to 12 are spending as much as two to three hours each day on mobile devices such as laptops, netbooks, tablets or smartphones, according to a recent survey by Intel. That translates into a signifi cant amount of time that parents can use to take advantage of teachable moments to reinforce good etiquette and safety.

Practicing good manners is not a new concept to kids, but when it comes to using mobile devices, what makes for good manners is not always so clear. After all, the parent who doesn’t allow his children to have cell phones at the dinner table but checks his email throughout the meal on his smartphone is sending a mixed message.

The same Intel “Mobile Etiquette” survey showed that 59 percent of children have witnessed their parents commit common mobile infractions, including use of a mobile device on the road, at dinner and during a movie or concert.

Children look to their parents as examples in all things, and technology is no exception. Parents who hop off the phone when checking out at the grocery store and refrain from sending emails during a child’s soccer game can effectively demonstrate the appropriate times and places for mobile interaction.

Establishing guidelines and setting expectations that all members of the household adhere to can go a long way toward promoting good mobile manners. Here are some tips from author and etiquette expert Anna Post of The Emily Post Institute:

• Determine house rules. As a family, discuss ground rules for how you’ll each use — or not use — mobile devices.

• Set boundaries for mobile usage in the car, at restaurants and during special events, such as family movie night. Parents, be willing to limit your behavior, too, such as, “Mom, no texting during my soccer games,” or, “Dad, no calls during family movie night.”

• Create a policy that prohibits sharing words or images that would embarrass another person or get them into trouble.

• Respect requests to silence mobile devices in public places, such as the movie theater or doctor’s offi ce.

• Reinforce school policies regarding use of mobile devices during school hours and at school-sanctioned activities.

Safety SavvyModeling good behavior and clearly defi ning rules are also important when it

comes to mobile devices and safety. When good mobile manners are not practiced, technology can be used by individuals with unsavory intentions to threaten the

privacy and safety of the entire family. There are several steps parents can take

to protect the entire family’s physical safety and privacy:

• Use technology to engage with each other. Visit websites together to learn what your kids are looking at online and why.

• Place the family computer in an open, central location so children aren’t isolated while using technology.

• Set age-appropriate restrictions on mobile Internet usage, whether through your mobile carrier, parental control settings or guidelines that you establish and monitor.

• Strictly adhere to the laws in your state regarding phone use while driving, and never email or text behind the wheel.

The surge in mobile device usage among all ages has created a new level of connectivity. A 2011 report from the Pew Internet and American Life Project stated that 85 percent of U.S. adults own a cell phone, 52 percent own a laptop computer, 4 percent own a tablet, and only 9 percent do not own any of these or other devices covered in the study. However, rules around using this technology are still being determined. Said Genevieve Bell, Intel Fellow and head of interaction and experience research, Intel Labs, “Mobile technology is still relatively novel. After all, it was just eight years ago that Intel integrated WiFi into the computer with its Intel® Centrino® processor technology, thus enabling the unwired laptop. Smart phones, tablets and other mobile devices are really still in their infancy, so it’s no surprise that people still struggle with how to best inte grate these devices into their lives.”

Following these tips allows parents and kids to stay connected and enjoy the positive benefi ts of technology, while teaching good manners and pro tecting the entire family. Learn more at www.Intel.com.

Provided by Family Features.

Set a good example and teach your kids and teens to be mobile manners super stars with these simple tips:

• Be present. Give the people you are with your full attention. We can give a better impression with simple eye contact, and let’s be honest: That email, text message or tweet can wait a few minutes.

• Small moments matter. If your actions will impact those around you at the restaurant or the store, reconsider replying to that email while checking out until you’re in your parked car.

• Practice what you preach. If it bothers you when your kids use a mobile device in the car, be sure to consider that the next time you’re in the car and want to send a message or play Angry Birds to pass the time.

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