Bear Essential News December 2021, Tucson Edition by Bear Essential News

Bear 40 YEARS!

Toys, Toys & More Toys!

December 2021 • Tucson Edition • www.bearessentialnews.com

essential news

G. Shepard ’21

’ A

Academic

GUIDE! In This Picture: Find a paintbrush, a snowflake, a gingerbread man, scissors, a mitten, a tree ornament, a musical note, a snowman, Santa’s hat and HO-HO-HO!

FAMILIES

FEATURE

NEWS

A Tall Tale of Toys!

Monitoring Methane Ti me for Holiday Fun! Gran d Together

plus, hall of fame museum Pages 12 & 13

Spotlight on NFL logos News Highlights page 5

NEWS & more news kids can use Scoops pages 7, 8, 11, 14 & 21

making holiday memories Page 6

GUIDE

A cademic Guide Find a school for you! Pages 15 thru 21

2 • Bear Essential News • December 2021

December 2021 • Bear Essential News • 3

Top 10 Toy Buying Tips! The holidays are a fun time of year for giving and sharing toys. New toys are fun when enjoyed in a safe way.

hen you go shopping for toys for your favorite kids, use this guide to help find safe toys and avoid safety hazards. Buy age appropriate toys. Toys marketed to 6 and above may contain small parts that pose choking hazards for younger children. Before your child plays with a toy for the first time, see if small parts fit through a toilet paper roll— indicating they pose a chocking hazard. Safety Labels — Read labels carefully Packaging Material — Properly dispose of all plastic bags and packing material. Magnets — Be cautious about toys containing button batteries or magnets. Swallowed magnets can cause serious internal damage by bunching together. Keep away from young children and monitor older children when they are playing with toys with magnets. Helmets — Be sure to include a CPSC certified helmet with bikes, skateboards, scooters or other riding equipment. Noise — If the toy is too loud for you, it could be loud enough to damage your child’s hearing. Turn off the sound, remove the batteries or return the toy. Slimes — Some slimes contain high levels of toxic boron. Consider making safe alternatives without borax, or monitor kids at all times and call Poison Control if any is ingested. Hatching Toys — Toys with break apart packaging can result in chocking hazards for small children. Monitor when the packaging is being broken and dispose of the pieces. Balloons — Never let a child under 3 play with balloons, and monitor any child under 8, as balloons are the #1 chocking hazard for children. Make Up — As makeup lacks necessary safety standards we recommend you avoid make up for children, or at a minimum avoid any make up with talc in it which can be a source of asbestos. Smart Toys — Sites, apps, games and smart toys might be collecting private data from your child, and some could be hacked posing a safety risk. Consider running these without connections to the internet, evaluate privacy policies when you first start them and monitor use.

For more information, go to toysafetytips.org (U.S. PIRG Safety Report)

4 • Bear Essential News • December 2021

News Highlights

cientists now have a way to detect methane gas emissions from space, and the results are startling. atellite observations reveal that large amounts of emissions of methane, a highly warming greenhouse gas, are being released all over the world. ethane, which is times more potent than car bon dioxide, is leaking from gas pipelines, oil wells, fossil fuel processing plants and landfills around the globe. any of these leaks are ATTRIBUTED to negligence and improper operations. And these emis sions are often not properly being tracked by those responsible as re uired. According to NA A, methane accounts for roughly a uarter of global warming since the industrial revo lution. ethane is the second most abundant green house gas after carbon dioxide, and it is the main component of natural gas. The nited tates and ussia are the world’s largest natural gas producers. Ilse Aben, senior scientist at the Netherlands In stitute for pace esearch N , told Space.com, that his team has seen many more large emissions than expected around the world. Aben is a lead sci entist utili ing Tropomi, a uropean satellite device. “We measure methane across the globe every

Image space.com Image credit Copernicus

Satellites Help Monitor Earth’s Methane Levels

Satellite images captured by the European Sentinel 2 and Senentiel-5P show methane gas leaking from a gas pipeline in Kazakhstan.

day, and then we provide these locations to G G at, and they can oom in and pinpoint the exact facility that is leaking those emissions,” Aben said. Their observations have allowed the team to observe leaks often in unexpected places. opes are high that such monitoring will be a tool in combatting climate change. At the C P2 conference last month in cotland, world leaders signed off on a new climate change agreement. xperts agree that some progress was made as some participating countries committed to ambitious cuts to heat trapping pollution, but those countries must follow through on their promises, and additional cuts will be needed to produce the results the world needs.

You & Your Family Can Help Fight Hunger in AZ! The holidays are here, and the coronavirus pan demic is still making life difficult for most of us. A lot of families, some for the first time, are having trouble making ends meet. Parents have lost jobs, and food, gas and rent prices are rapidly rising. ne of the organi ations that’s been forced to uickly adapt is the t. ary’s Food ank, which provides food for hundreds of thou sands of Ari onans including kids and families. ere’s your chance for you and your family or classroom to make difference! “We kind of changed our motto or tagline to If you need help, or if you can help, come to t. ary’s Food ank!’ ” says Lisa Notaro, chief community rela tions and development officer for the food bank. t. ary’s was the first food bank in the nation! tarted in 9 , farmers, grocers and other folks could “deposit” excess food and people who needed it would make “withdrawals” for free!

With the help of about 9 partner agencies who help get the food to where it’s needed in aricopa County and northern counties, t. ary’s Food ank provides about 3 , pounds of food each day, covering , s uare miles of Ari ona! The food bank is a huge operation relying on 2 volunteers each day. ut the pandemic cut deeply into this volunteering effort, plus the need for food was greater than ever. o the Ari ona National Guard was called in to help. FOOD INSECURITY is a major problem across the nation. “ omebody who is food insecure means that they don’t have the food in their home. They may struggle and worry about going to bed hungry,” Notaro explains. For kids, t. ary’s provides up to 2 , weekend backpacks a month. Given out on Fridays, the backpacks have food to get kids through the weekend. he says kids and families can really help by collecting shelf stable items or you can donate money to t. ary’s or your local food bank. ut perhaps t. ary’s best opportunity for kids is its unior unger eroes program. ids can join by either donating a jar of peanut butter and jelly or raising for the food bank. t. ary’s holds special volunteering days, where kids 3 up can come help.

What’s On YOUR Team’s Helmet? What do a horseshoe, a star and a pirate ag all have in common They’re all logos for NFL teams, and they can all be traced back to a guy named Fred Gehrke the man who created the very first logo for a professional football team back in 9 ! etween 9 and 9 , Gehrke played for three NFL teams, including the Cleveland ams. elmets at the time were plain, brown leather, and aniel eeves, the ams’ owner in the 9 s, was always looking for innovative ideas for his team. Gehrke had studied art and reali ed the helmets presented a creative opportunity. “I made a pen and ink sketch of a ram’s horns one day in 9 and showed it to our new coach, ob nyder. e said he LOGO FACTS: Year NFL first re uired helmets 9 3 Year Gehrke created the first logo 9 First NFL team with a logo ams

couldn’t visuali e it on the headgear and told me to go home and paint it on a hel met,” Gehrke told The Los Angeles Times in 9 2. “ o I took one of those gosh awful brown leather helmets and painted it blue, then made a free rendering of a ram’s horns in gold.” eeves immediately approved, and Gehrke was tasked with painting hel mets! e completed one a night, painting them freehand, over the summer at his home. Gehrke was paid a whopping per helmet, and carried cans of blue and gold paint with him for the next two years to touch up his handywork after every game. ther teams uickly took notice of the logo idea and, over the next decade, most other NFL teams added their own sna y designs to their helmets. o whatever happened to that old helmet with the hand painted horns that sparked the logo trend A memorabilia collector and dealer claims to have found it among some other items he purchased last year in California. Though it may be im possible to confirm it’s the original helmet, the find has certainly sparked a renewed interest in Fred Gehrke and the humble origins of the ams’ logo. December 2021 • Bear Essential News • 5

Bear Hugs:

with... S Y A D H BIRT

Engaging With the Grandkids

ur readers celebrate over , birthdays every month! each them with

Birthday Party Guide! A more targeted reach to moms kids than any other Tucson publication! listing

your Boost day Birth y Part s s Busine R! in BEA

eserve pace Now! eadline is anuary 2 , 2 22.

Creating Holiday Memories The world is filled with awe as the holiday season approaches. It’s a time of joy and happiness as people celebrate with friends and family. veryone pulls out the decorations and displays that become part of their tradition. Families enjoy special activities like baking holiday cookies, going caroling or strolling through neighborhoods to enjoy da ling light shows. ach family’s traditions vary. everal years ago I asked students in my class to share a special tradition their family incorporated into the holidays each year. ne student shared that his parents closed the hallway entrance to the living room and the awaiting Christmas tree by taping several sheets of wrapping paper across the entrance before they went to bed on the 2 th of ecember. The parents went to bed smiling knowing the children would follow the rule. The children were not allowed in the living room until the parents awoke so they were able to enjoy the excitement and joy that anta’s delivery brings. As I recalled traditions that I enjoyed as a child, I wondered what traditions my son would remember and also had he shared them with his family. id my grandchild know of her father’s holiday favorites uddenly I reali ed I didn’t know my own mother’s or father’s favorite holiday traditions from childhood. I began asking friends if they knew their parents’ traditions in childhood. y survey showed that no one I surveyed knew about their parents’ traditions. y goal this ecember, as a grandparent, is to create a special memory each year for my granddaughter who lives out of state. I also plan to send her a written remembrance of one of my son’s Christmas events. I recently received an email from the website storycorps.org’. It was encouraging all of us to record or write our family stories with this message

Image shutterstock.com

by Mary DeStefano

“Pop” on by and give our ama ing assortment of fidget toys a s uee e!

e re f r

e ai fr a i s i r i e at i re a i re c 2 N wan d 2 2

YOU ARE THE KEEPER OF YOUR FAMILY’S STORIES. PRESERVE THEM FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

Books you might enjoy sharing with your children or grandchildren this month are: What Do You Celebrate? Holidays and Festivals Around the World by Whitney tewart. Grades Christmas Around the World by ary Lankford. Grades 3.

6 • Bear Essential News • December 2021

Get the Scoop!

Local Toy Store Prepares for Holidays by Reporter Camilla Valdez, La Paloma Academy Lakeside

With Christmas coming up, you should consider shopping for toys at Mildred & Dildred. Mildred & Dildred is a local, entirely woman owned and operated business. Their employees always help you with anything you need, check in on you, and they are very kind and friendly as well. Mildred & Dildred has been serving the children of our community for the past 14 years. Mildred & Dildred has every type of toy, from Pop It to mini baking. The first thing I noticed when I walked in was a beautiful breath-taking tree. There were also beautiful fairy lights hanging from the wall and ceiling. Both my mom and I thought it was a beautiful place, and even though she is older than me she still had fun looking at the wide variety of toys and books. Mildred & Dildred is owned by Autumn Ruhe, and luckily I got to interview her. Christmas is without a doubt the busiest time of year for toy shops. This year, it might be a bit challenging for people to get what they want due to the supply chain issues that are currently going on. I asked Ruhe for her input on the issue. “It’s definitely been tough this past year, and we think that this might be our busiest Christmas yet. In order to deal with this, whenever I order something instead of ordering four I order 12 or a bigger amount than I usually do. Right now the back is full of items that we have for when things run out of stock.” she says. Ruhe adds, “If you need something or want something this holiday season, whether it’s toys or not, plan ahead. Getting what you need or want this Christmas is going to be a challenge so always plan ahead.” I loved being able to interview uhe and see the beautiful toy store. If you’re looking to go toy shopping, Mildred & Dildred is the place to go. Mildred & Dildred is a place full of different toys for everyone and most importantly, toys that help spark imagination. If you are interested in setting up a private shopping appointment visit www.mildredanddildred.com or visit them at 1725 N. Swan Road from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day!

Rock Collecting Is a Fun Hobby by Reporter Noeul Adam Stull, Our Mother of Sorrows Catholic School Do you like collecting rocks? I have a rock collection. It has a lot of rocks. There are many blue stones and calcite. They are common where I live. I have a whole garden of them, but I found only one clear one. It is very unique. I think it is a clear quartz. I also found a rock that is black and has little yellow spots. Rocks are very cool to me. Do you have a rock collection? What kind of rocks do you like the most? I found shiny ones, a clear one, a lot of black ones and white rocks, too. Among them, my favorite rock is the one I found on the campsite. It looks like a normal

rock, but there is a small hole in it. When I see inside the hole I can see the crystal white gem. It looks really cool! My uncle took it to his friend who was a geologist. He checked it out and he said it could have a fossil in it. I have a sting ray tooth fossil and two shark tooth fossils. Someday, when I grow up, I want to be a geologist or paleontologist. I think it would be fun to find cool rocks and fossils.

News Stories Written by Kids— for Kids

New Book Has Fun Online Component by Reporter Zhanna Hernandez Arizona Virtual Academy I read a book called “A Little Spark” by Chris Parsons. This book is special because parts of the story are audio files and can be listened to online. In the story, a dragon loses his fire and can no longer do his important job of warming up his town. To solve the problem, someone has to go over the mountain. A town mouse named Spark and a weasel named Veen volunteer. The two of them have a great and fantastic adventure. They even fight some terrible beast. Author Chris Parsons grew up in Newfoundland, Canada. Before he started writing he worked in the field of technology. My favorite characters in the book are Spark and Veen because they are both brave. My favorite part of the story is when Spark finds Veen. If you like adventures this book is just for you! MORE SCOOPS, page 8 ➧

REPORT FOR BEAR! Call us at:

520-792-9930 sponsors

December 2021 • Bear Essential News • 7

Get the Scoop!

Continued from page 7

KIDStruction Challenges Young Builders by Reporter Rori L Divijak Dove Mountain CSTEM K–8 Recently I was able to participate in the 20th Annual Student Design & Build Contest, KIDStruction competition. KIDStruction is a competition in which sixth, seventh, and eighth graders can participate. Using only business cards, toothpicks and hot glue, teams design a building that fits on a 12x12 inch foam based on one of five categories within the overall theme. very year I truction’s theme is different, this year’s theme was “The Path Ahead.” The Path Ahead focused on how the pandemic has changed our everyday lives and the spaces where we learn, live or work. The five categories for the year were residential living spaces, gatherings (restaurants, movie theaters, gardens, etc.), healthcare (medical facilities or assisted living), work spaces like offices, and education facilities. If a team chose the healthcare category, their building would be a hospital or assisted living home and they would design their building to show how the pandemic would change the design of the building.

The structures also were re uired to have an element that had a benefit for the environment, such as solar panels for light instead of electricity or recycling items and making them into something new. After you completed your building you write a description of what inspired your building and the elements that were included. Completed projects were displayed at Park all and winners were selected from each category. You can find more information at kidstruction-kidsbuild.com. KIDStruction was a lot of fun and I can’t wait to participate in it again next year. Business cards, toothpicks and hot glue are the only material allowed in the design competition.

Teen Is Chief Science Officer for His School by Reporter Aleena Rafiyath BASIS Oro Valley In a recent Young eporter eeting, students got to meet Nikhil ohnson, a student and Chief cience fficer at North igh chool in Phoenix. Chief cience fficers are students who serve as T ambassadors and who support the T initiative in their schools. The C Program goals are to create a network of T leaders that can communicate and collaborate, improve T culture and career awareness, and provide a student voice in the T community. C s work through Action Plans, which are projects that change something. These Action Plans can be anything, but they are mostly focused on community engagement. Nikhil’s hobbies affected his role as a Chief cience fficer, especially his hobby of producing and editing films. e has a family of T lovers, including an accountant, nurse, a future physical therapist and electrical systems engineer. Nikhil is a C because he wants to advocate for student voice. Last year, one of Nikhil’s Action Plans was to start an nvironmental Club. They cleaned up parks, recycled paper, and talked to T professionals. ecause of Nikhil’s cause for the environment, he got the oeing nvironmental Leadership Award, which he says, “is one of the coolest things he has ever received, especially for being at such a young age.” Another Action Plan was to host a istrict Coding Night to teach people about technology and coding. Nikhil and his co C , Cyra, started their Perspective Youtube Channel, which was exciting for Nikhil to use his video editing passion. The channel highlights what C s are doing across the world. Finally, with his commitment to the C program, last year Nikhil was able to become Ari ona’s Chief cience fficer of the Year. This award recogni ed one C in a region and that C ’s dedication to their community. The C program has been a personality test for Nikhil and has been a help for maintaining high grades, time management and communication skills. MORE SCOOPS, page 11 ➧

8 • Bear Essential News • December 2021

4. Eat slowly, and enjoy the food you are eating. Tip: Put your utensi bites. 5. Avoid extra calories from drinks like soda, juice, orbysweet tea durin Sponsored water. 6.—from Waitour 15-20 minutes before asking for seconds. Tip: Have some veg Fun tips on healthy foods, fitness and well being family to yours! hungry. phoenixchildrens.org 7. Follow the plate method: Aim to make ½ of your plate vegetables, How Can We Control 602-933-0935 of yourPortions? plate grains/starches. Written by Sydney Haugdahl, RDN Our Food

Growing, Growing,

Strong!

Pediatric

A portion is the amount of food we choose to eat.

ietitian at Phoenix Children’s

ospital

Having the right amount of food is very important for maintaining our health. When we eat too much food, our bodies have lower energy, and we can feel tired – just as we may feel after eating a big Thanksgiving meal. not only should we choose healthy How Can We Control Our Portions?So, foods, but we should also eat proper portions. Below are some tips and we choose to eat. Having the right amount of food is very guidelines to help ensureimportant proper portion control.

the amount of food for our health. When we eat too much food, our bodies have lower energy, and we can feel as we may feel after eating a big Thanksgiving meal. So, not only should we choose healthy we should also eat proper portions. Here are some tips and guidelines to help ensure proper Your hand can help you know how much is right for you! rol:

your

Image: shutterstock.com

1. Use your hand to measure out meals and snacks

5. Avoid extra calories from drinks like soda, juice, or sweet tea during a meal. Try to drink mostly water.

2. Use a smaller plate for smaller portions.

8. Mix in 6. veggies! Try cauliflower rice with regular rice or zucchini no Wait 15-20 minutes before asking for seconds. Tip: Have some fruit if you are stilland hungry. 9. Pick a dayvegetables to prepor your meals snacks. Use bento boxes or port

3. Eat meals andout 1-2 meals snacks each Make sure to spread them out. hand to2-3 measure andday. snacks. 4. Eat slowly, and enjoy the food you are eating. Tip: Put your utensils and food down between bites.

Your hand is your proportion size tool!

7. Follow the plate method: Aim to make ½ of your plate vegetables, ¼ of your plate protein and ¼ of your plate grains/starches.

Happy Holidays from Phoenix Children’s Hospital Endocrinol 8. Mix in veggies! Try cauliflower rice with regular rice or zucchini noodles with regular noodles.

Written by Sydney RDN 9. PickHaugdahl, a day to prep your meals & snacks. Use bento boxes or portion baggies. A serving of protein = 1 palm

A serving of vegetables = 1 fist

A serving of carbs = 1 cupped hand

A serving of fats = 1 thumb

Happy Holidays from Phoenix Children’s Hospital Endocrinology Department!

a smaller plate for smaller portions. 2-3 meals andfor 1-2the snacks each day. Make sure to spread them out. Look in the slowly, and enjoy the food you are eating. Tip:Coming Put your utensils and food down between January issue s. of tea during a meal. Try to drink mostly id extra calories from drinks like soda, juice, or sweet Bear Essential er. News. t 15-20 minutes before asking for seconds. Tip:The Have some vegetables or fruit if you are still festival gry. is a statewide celebration of ow the plate method: Aim to make ½ of your plate vegetables, ¼ of your plate protein and ¼ STEM our plateRegister grains/starches. Your Event NOW!

Happy Holidays...

PROGRAM

azscitech.com

with events from across Arizona.

from Boomer Bear! December 2021 • Bear Essential News • 9

10 • Bear Essential News • December 2021

Get the Scoop!

Continued from page 8

Captain Cake: Meet the Candy Crew by Reporter Ysrael Hernandez, Arizona Virtual Academy A man named General Rock turned a cake, a chocolate bar, Jell-O and, a sweet potato into people! General Rock has made a new ship and crew. He has them travel to a place where no candy has gone before. General Rock can shoot cream and jam from his hands. Lieutenant Chocolate can blast caramel and chocolate chunks out of his hands. Sergeant Jelly can make jelly blasts out of her hands, but Private Potato can’t shoot anything from her hands because she is good at fixing things. They are on a mission to get apple juice for Commander Pickle and they will each use their special skills along the way. They have to get the juice from Planet Juice. They are ready! Lieutenant Chocolate gets lost in space. Do you think he will get saved safely? Visit www.captaincake.com to see all of the books in the series.

s at Join U BEAR’s

Fun at the Great Wolf Lodge by Reporter Madison Divijak Dove Mountain CSTEM K–8 Recently my Girl Scout Troop stayed at Great Wolf Lodge in Scottsdale and we had an amazing time! We got the Wolf Pass so we were able to participate in just about everything at the lodge. We went on Howlers Peak Ropes Course, played mini golf, went bowling, explored the Moonstone Mine mirror maze and went on a MagiQuest adventure with our wands. As part of the quest, we went around the lodge and located different activities to complete before fighting the evil dragon at the end of our adventure. The main attraction was the indoor water park that had many slides and pools for us to visit. We visited the Slap Tail Pond wave pool, the Wolf Tail drop, and two rides that were for up to five people at a time. We even spent some time at the outdoor pool as well. My favorite ride was the Wolf Tail drop that sends you down the slide when the floor drops. At the end of the day there was an evening dance party and we danced in our pajamas. I enjoyed my stay at the Great Wolf Lodge and I cannot wait to go again soon. If you are looking for a place where you and your family can stay to cool down and have fun, I suggest you visit and explore all there is to do at Great Wolf Lodge.

2022 SUMMER CAMP EXPO

Mark Your Calendar

Be Safe Saturday Saturday, March 5 • 9 am–2 pm Meet with representatives from camps around the Tucson area! Free booster seats • Free bike helmets Fun health & safety education and demonstrations • Food vendors & fun!

WIN a FREE week of camp from local Tucson camps and Great Prizes!

Reserve space for your Summer Camp NOW! BearEssentialNews.com

520-792-9930

December 2021 • Bear Essential News • 11

very year, kids around the world are hoping for their favorite toy to arrive. What is the toy you hope to get this holiday season? Maybe it is the latest trendy toy, or it might be a classic that has stood the test of time.

uring the holiday season, many people have traditions that include exchanging gifts. Are you hoping for a special toy this holiday season? Toys can be timeless or trendy, but kids have been playing with certain kinds of toys for a long, long time. Dolls may be some of the oldest toys in the world, with evidence of dolls in ancient Egypt, Rome and Babylon. Dolls were originally made out of materials like wood, clay, fur or cloth. They are still popular today and come in a wide variety. Before there were American Girl Dolls, Barbies, Cabbage Patch ids or actions figures, the rag doll reigned in colonial American. Fashion dolls made with porcelain heads were popular in the mid1800s. In the 1900s, doll makers were trying to make baby dolls more and more realistic. There were dolls that cried, closed their eyes to sleep, wet their diapers, and those that appeared to eat and drink. In 1959, Barbie appeared on the scene. Five years later, G.I. oe arrived and made action figures a hot COMMODITY. Then, following the 9 release of the first tar Wars movie, tar Wars action figures stormed toy store shelves and are still there today. Luke, Leia, Han, Harry Potter, Anna, Elsa, Elmo, the Paw Patrol pups and many more show that dolls, plushies and other toys continue to be inspired by movies, shows and books. Likewise, some movies, show and books (Transformers, My Little Pony) have been inspired by toys! Whether you are looking for a comforting companion or In 2020, toy sales increased by 16% in a cool collectable, here’s hoping that you get just the toy you are the US, most likely due to the pandemic. dreaming of this holiday season. The average American family spends about $580 a year on toys.

Toys, Toys and More Toys!

Alfred Carlton Gilbert, or A.C. Gilbert, was an American inventor. He was also an athlete who won an Olympic gold medal in the pole vault in 1908, but Gilbert remains best known as a toy maker—he invented the Erector Set in 1911. This famous building and engineering toy made its public debut in 1913 at the Toy Fair in New York. The Erector Set was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1998. According to the A.C. Gilbert Heritage Society, when the government was weighing a ban on toy production in 1918 to support the war effort during World War I, Gilbert successfully argued against the ban. He was thus nicknamed “the man who saved Christmas.” Gilbert died in 1961 and his company went bankrupt in 1967, but Erector sets continued to be made by other companies and are still around today. Other building toys have gained popularity over the years, including Lincoln Logs, LEGO and Magna-Tiles.

Play-Doh

Image: shutterstock.com

2021 Fina lists

been around for centuries, as have toys like marbles and hoops. But some toys not only PERSIST, but surge in popularity at certain times. One of the most popular games in the world, chess, was very visible last year thanks to the pandemic, television, streaming and online chess. Similarly, hoops have been used as play things since ancient times, but the Hula Hoop became a huge fad in the 1950s.

Take a close look at the 2021 Finalists in the photo above. Do you recognise any of them?

Timeline of Most Popular Toys 1900s

Rocking horse Die Cast Model T Ford car Crayola Crayons Spinning top

1910s

Raggedy Ann Doll Lionel Trains Teddy Bears Erector Set

12 • Bear Essential News • December 2021

1920s Radio Flyer Wagon Yo-Yos Tinkertoys Joy Buzzers

1930s

Army Men Figures Monopoly Microscope sets View Master

1940s

Slinky Magic 8 Balls Silly Putty Scrabble

1950s

Barbie Doll Mr. Potato Head Play-Doh Pogo Sticks

1960s LEGO Easy-Bake Oven Lite Brite G.I. Joe

Video Games

You can’t mistake the slightly sweet smell and s uishy feel of fresh Play Doh. But did you know that Play-Doh became a playtime favorite by accident? A non toxic putty was made in the 93 s by Noah c icker at his family’s soap company. The putty was used to clean wallpaper, but by the 1950s many homes had switched away from coal-burning stoves and no longer needed the putty to clean soot off the walls. Joseph McVicker, who took over the business, needed a new idea and it came from his sister-in-law, Kay Zufall. She was a teacher and she suggested that the putty might be ideal for kids to use for crafting and play. McVicker launched a new company, Rainbow Crafts Company, in 1956. A year later Play-Doh was available in red, yellow and blue. By the mid 1960s, the company was shipping over a million cans of Play-Doh each year. Today you can find Play oh lime, rackle, Foam and a PLETHORA of playsets in addition to classic cans of Play-Doh.

The National Toy Hall of Fame The National Toy Hall of Fame is part of the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York. Established in 1998, the Toy Hall of Fame recognizes popular toys that have delighted children (and adults) over the years. Each year the Hall of Fame recognizes toys that have stood the test of time to become beloved classics. This year’s inductees include American Girl olls and the board game Risk. The hall also includes toys like Hot Wheels, the Frisbee, Easy-Bake Ovens and games like Candy Land, Monopoly, chess and checkers. The hall notes that games like chess and checkers have

Erector Set

1970s Hot Wheels Etch A Sketch Skateboards

Star Wars Action Figures ubik’s Cube Tonka Trucks Pet Rock

Nerf Weebles Atari

Kids today are very familiar with video games from Minecraft to Mario, Fortnight to Animal Crossing and many more. But while you may play your favorite game on the Xbox, Switch, or on a tablet or phone, did you ever hear of an Atari? ne of the first video games people could play at home was a table tennis game from Atari called Pong—it debuted in 1975. A few years later, the company had a real game changer with its Atari 2600 game system.

Chess & Checkers The most popular board games have been around for a long time—some for a very long time. A version of the game of checkers has been around since 3000 B.C. The game was played in ancient Mesopotamia in the Middle East, but the rules are unknown. A similar game called Al uer ue was very popular in ancient gypt. It was around 1100 in France when the game was adapted to use a chessboard with 12 pieces on each side. Rules continued to evolve, and a version like the checkers we play today was being played by the s. The first checkers world championship was in the 1840s. Chess may have grown out of a game called chaturanga that was played in India around the year 600 A.D. The game grew in popularity and soon spread throughout Europe and Asia. The 1800s saw the standardization of the chess pieces we use today. At the same time, the chess clock was introduced into competitive play. According to Chess.com, it was also the first game played online and one of the first apps on a computer. 1980s

Care Bears Koosh Balls Transformers My Little Pony

1990s Nintendo Super Soakers Furby Elmo toys

PlayStation Beanie Babies

In addition to having better games and graphics, the new Atari system let you change games. You could play Pac-Man, Space Invaders, Frogger and more! While Atari was eventually overtaken by newer, faster systems, the Toy Hall of Fame credits the Atari 2600 with bringing video game play into American homes and making them a part of everyday life. The Atari 2600 was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2007.

Atari Images: shutterstock.com

2000s

2010s

2020s

Xbox 360 Razor Scooters Ipod Touch Guitar Hero

Ipads Xbox One Kindle Pokémon

Frozen Toys Amazon Echo

Puzzles Baby Yoda toys Board games Animal Crossing LOL Surprise! Playstation 5

December 2021 • Bear Essential News • 13

Toys, Toys and More Toys!

Play-Doh

Image: shutterstock.com

2021 Fina lists

Take a close look at the 2021 Finalists in the photo above. Do you recognise any of them?

Timeline of Most Popular Toys 1900s

Rocking horse Die Cast Model T Ford car Crayola Crayons Spinning top

1910s

Raggedy Ann Doll Lionel Trains Teddy Bears Erector Set

12 • Bear Essential News • December 2021

1920s Radio Flyer Wagon Yo-Yos Tinkertoys Joy Buzzers

1930s

Army Men Figures Monopoly Microscope sets View Master

1940s

Slinky Magic 8 Balls Silly Putty Scrabble

1950s

Barbie Doll Mr. Potato Head Play-Doh Pogo Sticks

1960s LEGO Easy-Bake Oven Lite Brite G.I. Joe

Video Games

Erector Set

1970s Hot Wheels Etch A Sketch Skateboards

Star Wars Action Figures ubik’s Cube Tonka Trucks Pet Rock

Nerf Weebles Atari

Care Bears Koosh Balls Transformers My Little Pony

1990s Nintendo Super Soakers Furby Elmo toys

PlayStation Beanie Babies

Atari Images: shutterstock.com

2000s

2010s

2020s

Xbox 360 Razor Scooters Ipod Touch Guitar Hero

Ipads Xbox One Kindle Pokémon

Frozen Toys Amazon Echo

Puzzles Baby Yoda toys Board games Animal Crossing LOL Surprise! Playstation 5

December 2021 • Bear Essential News • 13

s y a d i l o H y p p a H

Elementary Contacts Space Station

from

Castle Maze!

by Reporter Alannah Donavan Tarwater Elementary

FINISH!

Let’s Play Golf!

Enter the castle through the front door and make your way up through the maze to the tower exit!

Open Christmas Day– 2:00 til 10:00 p.m. December Special! E N T E R

Holiday fun with masks and social distancing. 6503 E. Tanque Verde Rd.

(520) 296-2366 ext. 13 for reservations!

www.golfnstuff.com

Buy $50 in Gift Certiﬁcates, Get $10 in Tokens

ATES ERTIFIC GIFT C

Make Great Stocking Stuffers!

FREE Golf Pass!!

6503 E. TANQUE VERDE RD. • 885-3569 14 • Bear Essential News • December 2021

Expires 1/20/22

(with the purchase of another at the regular price) 3 oles of the World s Finest iniature Golf Arcade kee ball Wet n Wild umper oats Cool Go arts atting Cages Group ates

Get the Scoop!

Continued from page 7

ctober 2 was an exciting day for everyone at Tarwater lementary. ur school was one of seven schools selected to participate in the A I program. A I is Amateur adio on the International pace tation. ne of the parents of a Tarwater student set up the radio station. enator ark elly, a former astronaut, sent a video to our school. elly said he had made four trips to the I and spent about 3 days on the I . is twin brother, cott, was on the I for over a year. Next students were able to ask astronaut hane imbrough, who is on the I , their uestions. Then we had the best lunch on the lawn. We even got popsicles. Then all the classes in the school did a project. It was the best day! isit www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-KDcEENEPg to watch all the excitement.

Academic Advantage Guide

2021– 2022

uniquely Arizona online platform recently launched to help students match and explore their interests to the latest in promising careers. More importantly, it helps the student, parent and guidance counselor chart a course to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to get there!

My Future AZ Launched in September for high school and middle school students, MyFutureAZ is a collaborative effort between the Arizona Department of Education and an existing individualized education/careers based project called PipelineAZ. To graduate, all high school students in the state need to complete an Education & Career Action Plan. To help them, the Arizona of Education and PipelineAZ teamed up to create the customized platform and make it available to all schools and districts! Students register on MyFutureAZ and answer a series of questions, which are different for high school vs. middle school users. The platform includes vital information from business and industry and colleges as well.

The program will help students to make their career dreams a reality.

It took six to eight months to adapt the platform for young people. “There’s just a lot that goes into thinking about how to provide a tool that really empowers students to map out their career and education plans and really making it more of a personalized experience,” explains Katherine Pappas, PipelineAZ director. “This is all about making your dreams a reality. o it’s like where your passion and your purpose meet classical, practical pathways. Anyone can come in.” A big part of this effort is that all students should have access to MyFutureAZ. And once a student is registered, that person can invite parents and/or their career counselor onto their personalized account.

Sample Questions found on the Action Plan

Image: azpei.org

How the New Career Portal Works “The platform is meant to meet you where you’re at. It’s not just a Google search. Yes we can pull in and aggregate information from all over the state. But what makes it really impactful is being able to search based on taking assessments,” Pappas points out. With colleges and businesses able to update what they have on the platform, students can get new information as they figure out their personal pathway to get from point A to point B. “MyFutureAZ gives them real-time information and helps them really understand what kinds of skills they need to ac uire based on what path they’d like to go down. For example, they can go down a career and technical ed path; they can go directly into employment post high school; they can go to a two-year or a four-year school, or the military,” Pappas explains.

To help your child get off to a good start, Bear Essential News presents its Academic Advantage Guide on the pages that follow!

Successful Arizona Kids Help Our Economy Helping young people to see their potential and to be happy in the careers they pursue is also good for the state’s economy. aving a ualified and motivated workforce enables growth. “It’s really important that we can have a better understanding and have a more con-

nected group in the ecosystem between talent development—so industry and education really needs a feedback loop. And having this centralized infrastructure just gives equitable access!” Pappas concludes. December 2021 • Bear Essential News • 15

Volume 43 • Issue 3

An Award-Winning Arizona Original for Kids & Families Editor & Publisher

Sales Director & Publisher

Stephen B Gin

Nancy Holmes

City Editor

YR Coordinator

Renee Griffith

Julie Madden

Copy Editor

Art Director

Mike Loghry

Gary Shepard

Bear Essential News for Kids®

is published monthly by ids’ iew Communications Corp. to educate, enrich and entertain children and their families. Content of this newspaper is designed to promote reading and writing skills as well as creativity. Classroom educators are welcome to reproduce any portion of this newspaper for their students. Call or fax ids’ iew Communications for any additional information on stories.

2 2

Please Call (520) 792-9930 for any editorial or advertising in uiries.

Empowering Kids for a Brighter Future!

BearEssentialNews.com Printed with recycled newsprint. ENDORSED BY THE

Arizona Education Association

Bear’s Annual Summer Camp Guide! Starts March 2022

Article written by Camille all, Public elations Lead at the umane ociety of outhern Ari ona

Holiday Food & Fun That May Be Bad for Your Pet! What to you love the most about ecember It’s a out how much they ate, and ask your veterinarian for their month filled with delicious dinners, sweet treats, and advice as soon as possible. da ling decorations! owever, things ecorations are another won that people commonly enjoy during this derful part of ecember, but some magical time of the year can some things should stay out of reach from times be harmful to our pets. The good your pets. If you are decorating a news is that animal lovers can take a Christmas tree, avoid putting tin few simple steps to make sure all pets sel and ornaments on the bottom stay happy and healthy through the boughs. Curious cats might confuse holiday season and beyond. these things for toys or food, which From the hustle and bustle of can be dangerous for them inside holiday guests to fireworks ringing in and out. For additional safety, secure the New Year, ecember and anuary your tree to keep it from falling over. are full of loud sounds. Though we find Festive owers should also be put these things uite exciting, pets can out of reach. Lilies, holly, juniper, be easily stressed by the increase of chrysanthemums, and mistletoe can activity and noise. If your pet is feeling cause stomach problems if a pet overwhelmed, help them calm down eats them. by creating a safe room for them to If you enjoy learning how to keep hang out in. Put in a co y pet bed or animals safe from harm, you will blanket, their favorite toy, and a bowl of love our education programs! We Fun, hands-on interaction helps food and water. To muf e some of the host kid’s camps full to the brim with kids become familiar with animals. sounds, play some soft music or turn exciting and educational activities, on a T . fun field trips, and hands on animal interactions. Though it can be tempting to share table scraps with Plus, becoming a member of our and in Paw id’s your pet, be careful not to accidently give them something Club will make it even easier and affordable to keep up they shouldn’t be eating. Foods like chocolate, onions with awesome activities. Learn more about all the hu and garlic, nuts, and sweet treats can hurt your pet’s tum mane education programs happening year round and my. Poultry bones are a big no no too. If they do eat any sign up to become a member of our and in Paw id’s of these things, don’t panic! o the best you can to figure Club today at hssaz.org/kids!

Ask Paw Prints About Your Pet!

I am afraid of pit bulls because they are big and look mean. Are they mean or friendly? osh, age

A Reserve your space NOW! (520) 792-9930 or email Nancy@ BearEssentialNews.com

Let’s talk about pit bulls! Pit bulls are a group of dog breeds that are relatives to bulldogs and terriers. These buff pups often get a reputation for being scary or mean, but do they deserve it Well, there is much more to pit bulls than what meets the eye. ust like any dog breed, each and every Pit ull is special and uni ue. While one pup might love and adore new friends, another may be very shy. The best way to learn about a dog is by asking their owner what that dog is like. If they are friendly, it is okay to ask for permission to pet them! ometimes the biggest dogs have the biggest hearts. Send your pet questions to

16 • Bear Essential News • December 2021

PAW PRINTS

What is the best way to teach a puppy not to climb on furniture?

Welcoming a new puppy into your home is incredibly exciting, but there is a lot for them to learn about being a member of a new family. elp your puppy learn what you want them to do by celebrating good behaviors with treats and attention! When you recogni e what they are doing well, it encourages them to keep up the good work. If you find your puppy climbing on furniture they shouldn’t be on, direct their attention to their own bed or blanket instead. You might have to repeat this process for a while to catch on, but you can pair these lessons with other commands like sit and wait to help them along the way!

2525 E. Broadway Blvd., #102 • Tucson, AZ 85716

December 2021 • Bear Essential News • 17

2021–2022

Academic Advantage Guide BEAR ESSENTIAL NEWS YOUNG REPORTER PROGRAM

Continued from page 15

2525 E. Broadway, Suite 102. • Tucson, 85716 520-792-9930 Grades: 3–8 From Bear Essential Educational Services info@bearessentialnews.com www.bearessentialnews.com

Common Core Worksheets: Fresh standards-based fun sheets for classrooms to use in conjunction with the current issue of Bear Essential News. Free Young Reporters Program: Students in grades 3–8 develop as young writers by writing news stories for Bear Essential News. Young Reporters can attending monthly Zoom meetings and interview important people from our community. Free Presentations: Five dynamic topics are available from a Bear editor. Zoom presentations available.

DESERT CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

9415 E. Wrightstown Rd. • Tucson 85715 Private Christian School Preschool 520-795-7161 Elementary and Middle School 520-885-4800 admissions@desertchristian.org www.DesertChristian.org

Come join us on Jan. 22, 2022 for our open house, Discover The Difference Day! Come meet our principle, teachers and staff. Desert Christian encourages high achievement within a challenging, disciplined and caring environment. We place emphasis on mastery and application of a biblically–based traditional liberal arts curriculum. Visit Desert Christian online at www.desertchristian.org.

18 • Bear Essential News • December 2021

THE GREGORY SCHOOL 3231 N. Craycroft • Tucson, 85712 520-327-6395 Grades 5-12 Student/Teacher Ratio: 9–1 admission@gregoryschool.org www.gregoryschool.org

The Gregory chool’s small class si es result in more personal attention, mentoring, and feedback on student work, as well as more opportunities for classroom and extracurricular participation and leadership, and greater comfort and security in class. ur 3 acre campus features our IT Fab Lab maker space, and our students are encouraged to explore, discover, and pursue their passions in academics, arts, athletics and the community. The Gregory chool is transforming learning and transforming students’ lives.

LA PALOMA ACADEMY Three campuses in Tucson: Central, Lakeside, South Grades K–8 kmunoz@lpatucson.org www.lpatucson.org

La Paloma Academy centers on more than just academics. We follow the Ari ona tate tandards while simultaneously implementing a family values curriculum. ur students are taught about trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citi enship. ur staff makes our students’ educational experience simultaneously entertaining and challenging, while adhering to the same laws and regulations as all other public schools. Three campuses to choose from Central, Lakeside and outh. oin the La Paloma Academy family today!

LEMAN ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE

Four Tucson locations and Virtual Academy 877-BE-LEMAN www.lemanacademy.com

est selling author and family psychologist r. evin Leman promotes a uni ue ducation Philosophy highlighting the parent teacher scholar relationship to bring out the best in each and every child. Now enrolling for 2 22 2 23, Pre tuition free, classical education charter schools, virtual schools and summer camps.

Continued on page 20

December 2021 • Bear Essential News • 19

2021–2022

Academic Advantage Guide

Continued from page 15

SATORI SCHOOL

3801 N. 1st Ave. • Tucson, 85719 520-887-4003 PreS–1st Teacher/Student Ratio: 1–6 office@satorischool.org www.satorischool.org

TUCSON UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT tusd1.org/register

pen nrollment for T agnet and Application schools is going on N W! It’s Time to CHOOSE your school! Over 100 schools and specialty programs to choose from. No other school district in Southern Arizona offers as many programs as Tucson Unified! Register today at tusd1.org/register. First deadline for Open Enrollment in our Magnet and applications schools is 1/7/22. Award-winning Magnet Programs offering: Fine, Performing, and Communication Arts • Dual Language • Science, Technology, Engineering and Math • Systems Thinking • Montessori • Traditional Academics • Gifted and Talented Education. Magnet programs provide your family with ways to meet the individual learning styles and interests of your children. Find out more at tusd1.org/Magnet.

Satori School is a preschool and primary school designed to meet the special intellectual, emotional, behavioral and social needs of gifted and inquisitive children ages 1 1/2 through 1st grade. Our program is NAEYC accredited, using a thematic curriculum designed to nurture the whole child while celebrating creativity and cooperation. Small, nurturing classes, teacher and aide in every classroom, whole child instruction. Open house on Dec. 8, 2021 at 6 p.m.

WINGS ON WORDS PRESCHOOL THE CHILD LANGUAGE CENTER, INC.

SATORI CHARTER SCHOOL

Our team of professionals provide an exceptional, effective, and hands-on learning environment to support speech and language development, and in young children because Talking Really Does Matter! Our Programs are designed to help young children, 2 1/2– 5 years of age, develop speech and language skills, as well as pre-literacy skills. All screening, evaluation and therapy sessions are performed, or supervised, by certified peech Language Pathologists. During the school year (Aug. – May) we provide Wings on Words (WOW) Preschool for children 3–6 years of age; WOW ToddlerU— for children 2 1/2 – 3 years of age and UA-Scottish Rite Clinic – Screening, evaluation, and therapy for children 2–8 years of age. Summer programs in the Month of June, are also offered. Enrollment is year-round based on space availability. Call to schedule a tour. Child Language Center is a c 3 non profit community outreach program. To donate, please see our ad on page 18.

3727 N. 1st Ave. • Tucson, 85719 520-293-7555 Grades: 2–8 Teacher/Student Ratio: 1–10 office@satorischool.org www.satorischool.org

Satori Charter School is a tuition-free primary and middle school which serves children in grades 2–8. Satori Charter School serves a diverse population of children and their families with a special emphasis on providing a challenging, individualized program. Satori Charter School addresses the strengths and needs of the whole child in a community that values creativity, problem solving, and respect. atori Charter chool’s nurturing atmosphere engages and inspires a child’s natural love of learning.

20 • Bear Essential News • December 2021

202 E. Speedway • Tucson, 85705 520-628-1659 info@clctucson.org www.clctucson.org

Get the Scoop!

Continued from page 7

Addams Family Back on Screen by Reporter Tre Hallberg, Homeschool It’s the perfect time of year for a movie full of spooky characters, and that’s just what you get in “The Addams Family 2.” This time they depart their famously haunted house and take their family adventures on the road! The plot was packed with action, taking you everywhere from Niagara Falls to the Grand Canyon, and had lots of moments where I was falling out of my seat laughing. Not just for kids, my mother and grandmother also had their laugh out loud moments throughout the film. This wacky and exciting story will have you engaged the whole 93 minutes it’s playing. With the presence of your favorite creepy family and the introduction of some new kooky characters, this movie is exactly what everyone that watched the first Addams Family is looking for. The soundtrack makes the movie even better. The whole family will be tapping their feet and singing along with piano playing Lurch, and rap star Cousin It. Plus, of course, the movie has your favorite Addams Family song, so be ready to snap your fingers. You do not have to watch the first Addams Family in order to understand the plot of the second one, although I do recommend both movies for some all together ooky fun. After all, you don’t want to miss a Thing!

December 2021 • Bear Essential News • 21

22 • Bear Essential News • December 2021

December 2021 • Bear Essential News • 23

Where does Santaʻs MILK come from?

Make Some Snowman Sugar Cookies for Santa This Year!

Scan the QR code for this recipe, and many more great holiday treat ideas!