Bear Essential News Feb 2019, Tucson Edition by Bear Essential News

40 YEARS!

Bear

essential news

February 2019 • Tucson Edition • www.bearessentialnews.com

Sustainability Activity Book!

12-Page Pullout Section • pages 13–24

In This Picture: Find a book, an umbrella, a tortilla chip, Lincoln’s hat, a Valentine’s Day candy heart, a slice of pizza, a gemstone, an envelope, a bat and Cupid’s arrow.

FEATURE

NEWS

O liver’s Com munity!

Festival of Books

Tin y Homes in Vail

Humans & wildlife coexist. pages 13 thru 24

Spotlight on top children’s books News Highlights page 5 & 35

& more news kids can use Scoops pages 6, 7, 8 & 34

FAMILIES

Top Teacher Tricia Stewart Page 11

Summer Camps!

Festival gets you started See Back Cover

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February 2019

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February 2019 •

SAVE

the Date!

Win exciting prizes and enjoy hours of entertainment and enlightenment in the sea of large tents on the east end of the festival where over 80 exhibitors will demonstrate science that occurs in and around your everyday life. Science City is organized into six neighborhoods, Science of the Natural World, Science of Tomorrow, Science of You, Science in Everyday Life, Science in Art, and Science in Food (yes, cooking is a science). New this year to help visitors navigate the neighborhoods, is a passport with a page for each. They can pick up their passports at the information booth. In each neighborhood will be a passport stop where a sticker will be placed on that page. When NCE SCIE the passport is filled with six stickers the owner will be eligible to enter a drawing for some fabulous prizes including family passes to science centers on campus, books, and community events. Available for selfies and conversation will be scientists from history who will wander by from time to time. Many are women including the Greek Mathematician Hypatia of Alexandria and Rosalind Franklin, a 1900s chemist who discovered the structure of DNA. Flandrau Science Center will be showing their brand new shark exhibit which will turn fear into fascination with these underwater creatures. There will be glass blowing demonstrations, volcano eruptions and an electric car display. Science City is made available by the UA's BIO5 Institute and the College of Science in partnership with the Arizona SciTech Festival. In the March edition of Bear Essential News is a center pull-out with times and places of events of interest to youth attendees. Pick one up at your local library or in the Bear booth #303.

BEAR 40 YEARS

Watch for the youth TFOB pullout guide in Bear’s March issue for:

Children’s Events, Author Schedules and Activities!

Kids! Don’t miss Science City— it’s going to be a blast!

BEAR 40 YEARS •

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February 2019

In This Issue!

Check out Oliver’s Community, a special activity book pullout! Oliver is a burrowing owl who lives near you. Learn about how an entire ecosystem of plants and animals can live and thrive in communities with human neighbors.

Page 3…Science City. Preview this exciting annual event, part of the Festival of Books. Page 5…News Highlights and In the Spotlight. Partial government shutdown ends...for now. Spotlight shines on children’s book winners.

Pages 7, 8 & 34…Get the Scoop! Learn about San Xavier Mining Laboratory, visiting national parks, tiny homes in Vail and more news by Bear’s Young Reporters.

Page 10…Scouts BSA Meet Eagle Scouts doing incredible work in our community! Page 11…Dr. JAW Teacher of the Month! Get to know Coronado’s Tricia Stewart. Page 25…Scien-Tastic! Back to the beginning—learn about the Higgs boson particle.

Oliver’s

COMMUNITY

Page 30…Letters to Boomer. Kids have questions, and Boomer has some answers.

Back Page…Bear’s Free & Fabulous Summer Camp Expo at Golf N' stuff, March 16! Watch for Tucson Festival of Books Youth insert next month! Your guide to the Children/

SUSTAINABILITY solutions festival

teen authors & activities plus the dazzling Science City area! TFOB happens March 2 & 3 at the UofA.

February 2019 •

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News Highlights

Federal Shutdown Over for Now The longest government SHUTDOWN in U.S. history ended after 35 days. The partial government shutdown began on Dec. 22 and lasted until Jan. 25, when President Donald Trump signed a bill to temporarily fund the government through Feb. 15. “My fellow Americans, I am very proud to announce today that we have reached a deal to end the shutdown and re-open the federal government,” Trump announced in a Rose Garden ceremony. About 800,000 federal workers were affected by the Visitors learn about m ore of a Na of the dese tive Ameri partial shutdown, which happened when the president rt at Sagua can perspe ro ctive N ational Park and congress could not agree on a bill to fund the West. government. Some workers were furloughed, while others in essential jobs—such as air trafﬁc controllers the House of Representatives have said that they will and Transportation Security Administration workers— not agree to fund a border wall. continued to work during the shutdown but did not get “If we don’t get a fair deal from Congress, the govpaid. Those workers should receive back pay now that ernment will either shut down on Feb. 15, again, or I the government is operating again. will use the powers AFFORDED to me under the laws In the days before the shutdown ended, airports and the Constitution of the United States to address on the east coast experienced major delays due to a this emergency,” says Trump. shortage of staff at security checkpoints. TSA union Two Senators who do not want to see another representatives reported that workers were calling in sick shutdown happen, Republican Rob Portman from or even quitting, creating a security risk for travelers. Ohio and Democrat Mark Warner from Virginia, have Trump is asking for $5.7 billion to build a wall or introduced bills that would ban future government physical barrier on the southern border. Democrats in shutdowns.

Festival of Books Offers Fun for Everyone!

Start making plans because the mind-expanding fun of the Tucson Festival of Books arrives early this year on the University of Arizona campus—March 2 and 3 from 10 a.m. till 5:30 p.m. for both days. Promising fun for everyone, the GINORMOUS bookfest is a worthwhile family excursion. From famous authors and illustrators who have created unforgettable award-winning books for kids and young adults to the very hands-on Science City area to the great live entertainment including the Literary Circus and musicians and acts playing on stage—there’s tons of free things to do plus great books and tasty food to buy. “Maybe one the most exciting things to me is that James Dean will be here, he’s the creator of Pete the Cat, and David Wiesner will also be here,” says Violet Kennedy, library coordinator for Literacy Connects and liaison for the Book Nook Activity Tent at the festival. She points out that Dean is a fantastic presenter, who will have a solo panel in the Education Building’s Kiva (Room 211) on Saturday at 1 p.m. All the cool panels and workshops for kids and teens happen in the Education Building. Wiesner is an unbelievably gifted illustrator who

has won the Caldecott Medal—the annual award for the most outstanding American picture book—for three of his books! He’ll be on the ocean-themed panel, “Underwater Investigations: Sharks, Dolphins and Mermaids,” at 1 p.m. in Education Room 353. One of Weisner’s Caldecott-winning picture books focuses on the sea and is titled “Flotsam.” There are dozens of panels and a few illustrator workshops for young people. For a complete list, go to http://tucsonfestivalofbooks.org/?id=58. But one of the most fun to attend is “On Your Mark, Get Set, Draw: Illustrator Draw-Off.” Famed book artists Suzanne Kaufman, Juana Martinez-Neal, Zeke Pena, Booki Vivat will take audience suggestions and create visual magic. Martinez-Neal’s, “Alma and How She Got Her Name,” was just awarded as a Caldecott Honor Book! Some of the panels like “Star Wars: May the Force Be With You,” with local author Adam Rex on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. in the Kiva ﬁll quickly, so get in line! Street level parking is free, and there is a free book tent in the children’s area. But there are lots of books for sale and you need to pay for food and parking in the nearby parking garages.

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Top Kids Books Honored A picture book focused on life in a lighthouse and a novel about how a strongwilled girl cycles her way through life’s challenges NABBED top honors from the American Library Association (ALA) on Jan. 28. It’s a big event called the Youth Media Awards, where top-notch children’s and young adult books and digital media receive recognition. The awards end with ALA picks for the Caldecott and Newberry medals, the most PRESTIGIOUS and oldest awards for American children’s books. The Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book of the previous year goes to “Hello Lighthouse,” illustrated and written by Sophie Blackall.

The ALA Caldecott Committee summed up her book, “masterful ink and watercolor illustrations illuminate the story of a lighthouse and the family inside. You’ll be amazed by the artwork and the rhythmic way the story is told. Blackall also earned the Caldecott Medal in 2016 for her book, “Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear.” What a talent! The top annual honor for a children’s novel is the John Newbery Medal, ﬁrst awarded in 1922. For 2019 the medal goes to “Merci Suárez Changes Gears,” by Meg Medina. The ALA Newbery committee describes this must-read book, “using humor and grace, Merci, a charming and plucky protagonist, cycles through life’s challenges with the support of her inter-generational family.” The Newbery Honor Books are “The Night Diary,” by Veera Hiranandani and “The Book of Boy,” by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, illustrated by Ian Schoenherr. See more award-winning books at: http://ala.unikron.com/about.php.

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February 2019

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A New View of Reid Park Zoo by Reporter Kamiko Espinosa, Butterfield Elementary Have you ever wondered what it's like behind the scenes at the Reid Park Zoo? Well I have, and I would like to tell you about my experience behind the scenes. Over winter break I got to attend a day camp. When we arrived we split into groups by age. My group’s classroom for the day was the vet room. Then we got to pick our zoo animal names. My name for the day was Kamiko Koala. After making our name tags, the teacher talked to us about the features in the room. Then we helped pack the elephants’ meals with grass and pellets in three ginormous bags! We took a tour around the zoo and learned some interesting facts about the animals. One of the awesome facts we learned was that a jaguar can crush a skull in one bite! A fun part of the day was when we got to ride on the carousel. In the classroom we got to see x-rays of a snake and a lizard. Finally, we had a lunch upstairs in a classroom where we could see in the monkeys’ habitat. After lunch we were brought out back where we got to see an anteater up close and watched it eat treats. We were taken to the back of the rhino’s cage where we got to pet the rhino! The rhino’s skin was very rough and dry. We went back to the classroom and we built a 3D winter habitat of the animal of our choice. I chose a grizzly bear. After that, we made fake snow that we got to take home. I had a fabulous time at zoo camp. I think every kid would love this. If you would like to enjoy one of the fun things that Reid Park Zoo provides go to reidparkzoo.org.

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

Get the Scoop!

Exploring the UA’s San Xavier Mine Photo credit: Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources

by Reporter Shane Crosland, Tucson Country Day School

Shane mines for information at San Xavier.

Did you know that the University of Arizona has a mine? It’s called the UA San Xavier Mining Laboratory

and it is located in Sahuarita. In November I went to the San Xavier mine to learn more about Arizona mining. I interviewed James Werner who is the Assistant Director of the mine. His father also worked at the mine. It is not a working mine, but UofA students study there to learn new things about mining. The mining students learn to mine silver, lead and copper. Werner and the students usually arrive to the mine early in the morning, but there is no set schedule. The mine tunnels can hold 10,000 tons of weight or 100,000 pounds of pressure before they collapse. Werner said he can go from 0–333 feet into the mine. He said that 0–240 feet down is safer than 240–330 feet down. The mine offers free tours. Call (520) 621-6063 for more information.

More Than Modeling Teaches Life Skills by Reporter Sarah Schroeder, Homeschool Modeling in the fashion world can be exciting. From magazine covers to globetrotting, these are just a few cool things you get to experience with a modeling job. But, there is more—building self-esteem, healthy eating, manners and etiquette, just to name a few. Those are important, too, to help models navigate successful modeling careers. I had the pleasure of meeting Erika Mash, the founder and instructor of More Than Modeling, located in Scottsdale. This modeling school is not just about modeling classes but also teaches life skills like how to build self-confidence, how to know if something on

social media is real or not, how to write a check and pay bills, and many others. I asked Mash how she got into modeling. She says that she started modeling while she was in college working towards her degree in biology. She was told she should be a model so she worked as one as a summer job. Mash modeled for a photographer who worked for some really big magazines in London, and after college she continued her modeling career. One thing she loved about being a model was travelling around the world. She has lived in England, Asia, Australia, MORE MODELING, page 8 ➧

Every Kid in a Park Pass Took Us Far! by Reporter Reporter Aiden Vaughan, Esmond Station K–8 Have you heard about the Every Kid in a Park Pass? The pass is for fourth-graders. You sign up online and get to visit any national park, land or water as long as you’re with the fourth-grader. My family and I went on a trip to five national parks and lands because of my sister who is in fourth grade. Our plan was to head from Tucson to South Dakota and then to Wyoming and back. First we went to Bandelier National Park in New Mexico. I loved Bandelier because there are ancient cliff dwellings, Native American ruins, and a great museum. What is really cool is you can go into some of the cliff dwellings. You can see old shelves, windows, corn grinders and roof beams. Also you can walk through the ruins, including one that once housed a lot of people on the ground. There were also some really

cool petroglyphs next to the cave dwellings. What I found really fascinating was the museum which had lots of artifacts. At the end we stayed the night in our camp and saw a cool slideshow at the camp auditorium about reptiles, lizards and dinosaurs put on by the park Rangers. Next we started to head to Crazy Horse, but when we got there we discovered it was not supported by Every Kid in a Park. On our way out, we still got a couple of cool pictures. MORE PARKS, page 34 ➧

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News Stories Written by Kids— for Kids Tiny Homes In a Not-So-Tiny City by Reporter Brayden Magnuson Cottonwood Elementary Have you ever seen a tiny house? I have! The Vail School District has built a tiny house for teachers in the town of Vail. They have built one tiny house so far in 2018 because there are no apartments in the school district. A teacher named Mrs. Sydney Scharer wanted a place to live that’s not too expensive. I got to tour her house. It was cool. There may not be a pool, a yard, or even a garage, but it still has everything you need. When you first walk to the steps, you see a porch. On the porch there are two chairs and a couch. It is the perfect lounging area for Scharer and her husband. They bought fake grass and put a barbecue on it too. Inside the house is a fairly large bedroom, a small bathroom with a washer and dryer in it too! Then the next room is the family room, which is just big enough to fit a couch and table. Next to that room is a small kitchen that has a small table to eat at. I really like the closet because it has a cool wooden door that slides to open just like the closet door my dad made my family and me. There are two adults and two dogs that live in the tiny house. Mrs. Scharer loves it but I think it would be too small for my family to live in since we have four people, two dogs and a hedgehog in my family. MORE TINY HOME, page 34 ➧

Sign up to be a Reporter at the Tucson Festival of Books March 2–3 on the UA Campus Visit Bear Essential at our tent in the Children’s area near the Modern Languages building. Call 792-9930 for more information.

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February 2019

Get the Scoop!

BMore Modeling

Continued from page 7

and now the U.S. She is in the process of becoming a U.S. citizen and loves it here! Scottsdale was her city of choice, away from busy modeling places like Los Angeles or New York. Mash says that her modeling career was exciting and worth the experience, but she noticed that young models didn’t have the social skills to work in an adult world. A lot of them traveled without parents and only had their agents to help them. An idea came to her to help young models navigate life on the road. On her website, future students can choose classes to teach them how to be a model for runway and photography, how to get modeling jobs, healthy eating, how to take care of skin, hair, and nails, along with life skills. I asked Mash what inspired her to start More than Modeling. She says she wanted to educate kids while they’re still young so that they can be ready and prepared for the world. I asked about the most important attribute a model should possess. She says that persistence and determination are probably the two most important attributes. I learned so much about the modeling world and made a new friend. For more information, go to www.morethanmodeling.com. MORE SCOOPS, page 34 ➧

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February 2019

Eagle Scouts and other Catalina Council honorees visit “The Boneyard” at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson last month!

New Eagle Scouts Honored for Their Work! Eagle Scout, the highest rank of Scouts BSA, is the big goal for many young people when they join. But in reality, only about 4 percent become Eagle Scouts. On Jan. 11, the Catalina Council held its 2018 Eagle Scout Recognition Dinner at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. And beginning this month, girls throughout America can aspire to become Eagle Scouts, too! The first female Eagle Scouts will be recognized in the fall of 2020. For the year, 155 members of the Catalina Council became Eagle Scouts. Di Maria leads his Many young peowatershed maintenance ple join Scouts BSA Eagle Scout Project. to learn about and enjoy the outdoors. To give back, Carson Di Maria of Troop 186 helped with watershed maintenance on Mount Lemmon as his Eagle Scout Project. “I installed check dams in the Upper Sabino Creek area—two of them that are 12 feet long, 3 feet wide and 1½ feet tall,” Carson explains. The dams are made of a few tons of large rocks placed in galvanized steel cages. “They prevent erosion and collect sediment behind them,” he says. By slowing the water, the dams reduce erosion, are good for plants in the watershed and make more water available for water users on Mount Lemmon. Eagle Scout Projects are a team effort, led by the Scout, who also must raise all funds for the project. Carson worked with a former

He even used his own U.S. Forest Ranger who suggested the project. Schwinn mountain bike It took several trips up the mountain to plan from middle school. He and things. Carson determined exactly where the his volunteers prepped then painted check dams should go and what natural rock the bikes white with his uncle’s paint sprayer. was available. He had 3 tons of large rocks deAsh organized four families with pickup trucks livered as close as possible. On Sept. 15, more into crews to install the ghost bikes around town. than 30 volunteers carried the rocks the rest of “The last installation I did was with the widow (of the the way and constructed the check dams. departed cyclist) and a few of his cycling buddies,” “Leadership takes a lot of planning and preparing,” he learned. “Something I had to do was Ash shares. “The goal is to make both parties (drivdelegating other leaders. So I had four separate ers and riders) be more careful.” Sam Alboy became an Eagle Scout here decrews.” Two built the two new check dams. One cades ago. A graduate of NAU’s school of hotel crew added rock to repair existing check dams. and restaurant management, he started and opAnd the fourth crew cleaned up the trash that erates Mama’s Hawaiian Bar-B-Cue restaurants was polluting the watershed. around here and up in Anthem. He also serves Ash Harris, a junior at Salpointe Catholic High as vice-president of development for the Catalina and part of Troop 007, did a very different Eagle Council. Scout Project. His dad drove by all “My mom the flashing lights and commotion was a single of first responders handling a fatal parent and bike accident near their house. He thought it had a talk with Ash, who figured would be out what to do for his project. good to You might have seen ghost have a male bikes—bicycles painted white and influence set up on the roadside. They are a for me and special memorial for the bicyclist who my older died there. Ash decided to set up a brother. We ghost bike at every site of a fatal bike Ash Harris with his vo joined Troop wreck around Tucson! lunteers ready their “g host bikes” to set up as me “I’ve always biked around with 129.” Alboy morials around town. my friends since middle school,” Ash recalls. recalls. And he and his friends regularly rode right He was determined to become an Eagle Scout first. where the fatal car/bike accident happened. “I built a playground at the Ott YMCA.” And at just Neither the city nor county track all the fatal bike 13 years old, he managed to become an Eagle accidents. But Ash found a Dept. of Transportation Scout before his brother! person who keeps a database from newspaper Becoming an Eagle Scout is life changing and reports. He and his dad drove to all 25 sites—10 of shows colleges and potential employers that you have them already had ghost bikes set up, but 15 sites strong leadership skills and are community minded. still needed them. The 155 Eagle Scout Projects for 2018 add up Ash scoured Craigslist and other places to get to an impressive 25,254 service hours for the the bikes he would transform into ghost bikes. community that the Catalina Council serves!

Would you like to join Scouts BSA? Call 520-750-0385 or find a unit near you at BeAScout.org

February 2019 •

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Teacher Month of the

February Is National Children’s Dental Health Month James A. Weaver D.D.S., M.S. Laura Robinson-Rabe D.M.D., M.S. Kyle Rabe D.D.S., M.S.

Making teachers smile! Each month Dr. JAW Orthodontists honors our teachers for their commitment, hard work and dedication by sponsoring the Teacher of the Month column in Bear Essential News.

Humor, Family & Kindness Shape Her School

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ricia Stewart teaches a also enjoys reading and is a Star 2nd/3rd grade multiage class Wars fan. at Coronado K–8 School. She Student Emma writes, “She is also the Ben’s Bells Kind Campus is really nice and is a really good coordinator for the school. teacher,” and adds, “She (tells) “I was not a traditional college good jokes and makes me laugh.” student,” explains Stewart. “I had to Finding the “joy factor” in work full time and take classes at learning and finding humor when night to get my degree. It was hard to you make mistakes is important, do, but worth it.” according to Stewart. “You have Stewart knew she wanted to be to have fun to learn,” she says. a teacher when she worked as an Stewart hopes that her inclusion aide supporting students students will be voracious with disabilities, she says. learners—ones who enjoy “I saw how they were able to reading, celebrate curiousity, be challenged and were accepted practice kindness when no one by their classes despite severe is looking, continue to make disabilities. I thoroughly enjoyed connections and believe in working in the classroom,” she says. themselves. Stewart with husband, Eric, She also was inspired by teachers in Stewart says her students and kids, Noelle and Vaughan her life who made a difference, she might be surprised to learn that notes. outside of the classroom, she is Stewart has worked in the Amphi District for 17 shy. She says that she sometimes feels nervous or years, the last five at Coronado. She moved from awkward with adults, but “in the classroom, I am much a self-contained special education classroom to a more my true self.” general education class because “I wanted to be able Send your nomination to to provide a loving, safe, environment that challenges all students (to reach) their true potential, she explains. Bear Essential/Teacher of the Month Coronado is like a second home to her entire family 2525 E. Broadway #102 • Tucson, AZ 85716 or right now—Stewart’s husband teaches there and her submit by email to renee@bearessentialnews.com son and daughter are both students. Stewart says when or at bearessentialnews.com under TEACHERS tab they’re away from school, they like to go camping. She

When should a child see an orthodontist? Many people are surprised to learn that the American Association of Orthodontists recommends kids have their first orthodontic screening when parents notice signs of an orthodontic problem or, no later than age 7. At this early age, orthodontic treatment may not be necessary, but vigilant examination can anticipate the most advantageous time to begin treatment. While orthodontic treatment most often begins between the ages of 9 and 14, some orthodontic problems are easier to correct if they are treated early. By the age of 7, the first adult molars erupt, establishing the back bite. During this time, an orthodontist can evaluate front-to-back and side-toside tooth relationships. For example, the presence of erupting incisors can indicate possible overbite, open bite, crowding or gummy smiles. A radiograph can also determine if the child has any extra, missing or severely misplaced teeth. Early evaluation provides both timely detection of problems and greater opportunity for more effective treatment. This proactive approach can save time and expense. Dr. JAW Orthodontists offers free consultations! This is the first step towards providing your child with a healthy and confident smile that will last a lifetime. Schedule a visit at our Tucson, Oro Valley or Sahuarita office today. No referral is necessary; simply call us at 520-747-JAWS.

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February 2019

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Oliver’s February 2019 •

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COMMUNITY

SUSTAINABILITY solutions festival

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• February 2019

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Hi everyone! I’m Oliver. I’m a burrowing owl, and I live in the city near you. Most people think of the city as the place where people live and work, full of busy streets, houses, buildings and sidewalks. It may not seem like there’s any room for anything else, especially birds like me and my family. But a city is also a home for all sorts of other creatures, like me! In fact, if you look closely, you’ll see that a city is an entire ecosystem full of plants and animals living together with our human neighbors. You’ll see flowers and trees, spiders and insects, snakes and lizards, squirrels and birds. Join me as we explore my community and discover how I make my home, who are my neighbors, how we all get healthy and fresh food, and how you can help your neighborhood be a happy and productive home for all of its inhabitants.

February 2019 •

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February 2019

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Adventures Take Flight at Liberty Wildlife Sanctuary by Reporter Alex Koss, Rancho Solano Preparatory School Recently, I had a private tour of Liberty Wildlife, a sanctuary that specializes in the preservation and rehabilitation of raptors, which are birds of prey. It is located near the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport on 6.5 acres of land. At the sanctuary, I saw bald eagles, golden eagles, ravens, hawks, falcons and owls! Since it was established in 1981, more than 100,000 animals have been rescued, and there are now more than 9,000 animals at the facility. Many of these animals were injured in the wild or turned in by people who couldn’t keep them as pets. For 2018, Liberty Wildlife workers took in and rehabilitated more than 9,400 animals, including the release of five bald eagles! I also visited the hospital where volunteer veterinary doctors take care of injured animals. They have a 60 percent success rate of rehabilitation and release back into the wild, which is better than the national average. Liberty Wildlife’s goal is preserving animals in Arizona by taking care of wild animals, teaching and educating the public about respecting wildlife and conservation efforts of natural environments. I had an up-close visit with Diego and Frieda, two burrowing owls who were injured and not able to be released. Burrowing owls don’t fly very much and make their homes underground. Caregivers at Liberty Wildlife built artificial burrows using a large bucket and underground tubes for them. Hundreds of burrowing owls have been rescued and released. The caregivers also survey areas where construction of new buildings is occurring to find the owls before they are injured. Liberty Wildlife is open for kids to visit. School visits and public education programs are organized. Kids can learn about wildlife around them and how to respect it. Kids also can help by talking to other people about what they learned and how to be aware of animals in their natural environment. You can volunteer at the preserve if you are over 16 years old. You can learn more about Liberty Wildlife at libertywildlife.org or call (480) 998-5550.

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

February 2019 â&#x20AC;¢

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February 2019

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Living in a desert isn’t easy. In addition to extreme summer heat, predators like coyotes and Gila monsters are always on the hunt for their next meal. That’s why many desert creatures like to live underground. Some of my friends, like desert tortoises and prairie dogs, dig large burrows to live in! Inside, the air is cool even in the summer. They’re safe from predators, too. These burrows are the perfect place for owls and lots of other animals to live and raise a family. As long as we stay out of their way, our other burrow buddies don’t seem to mind. When humans use an existing building or item in a way that wasn’t part of the original plan, like my family using a prairie dog burrow, they call that “adaptive reuse.” Many other animals like to live with desert tortoises too. Search the burrow below and label them all.

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

You might think it’s strange that owls sometimes live in other animals’ burrows, but it makes a lot of sense to me. Digging your own burrow is hard, especially if you’re a bird. By using a burrow made by someone else, I save time, energy and resources. People can do the same thing. For example, shipping containers are large metal boxes used to transport all kinds of things on boats, trains and trucks. When the container is no longer needed for shipping, some people use them to make houses. This is an example of adaptive reuse. It saves people time and money by finding a new way to use something that might otherwise be thrown away. How many different examples of adaptive reuse can you think of?

February 2019 •

BEAR 40 YEARS

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February 2019

Welcome to the habitat garden, one of my favorite places to see friends. Did you know by using native plants and creative thinking you can make a beautiful place for birds, insects and other creatures to make a healthy garden? Make sure your garden includes these four elements:

Food: Native plants produce flowers, fruits, seeds and sap that animals love to eat.

Water: A bird bath, small pond or a rain garden helps many animals get a drink when they are thirsty.

Shelter: Trees and bushes can give small animals a place to hide from predators and bad weather.

Places to raise their young: A bee house is perfect for pollinators to make a home. Monarch butterflies will lay their eggs on desert milkweed, giving the young caterpillars plenty of their favorite food.

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

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February 2019

17 16 15

14 25

19 9

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26 30

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CAN YOU

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connect the dots to find his pollinator friend?

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

Another way to restore natural habitat in the city is to plant a butterfly waystation. These small gardens are full of native plants with bright, colorful flowers. The flowers provide nectar and pollen for insects like monarch butterflies, which travel hundreds of miles every year. You can create a butterfly waystation by planting a variety of native flowers like marigolds, Indian Paintbrush and Butterflybush. The most important plant for a monarch butterfly is milkweed. Although the adults drink nectar from all kinds of flowers, they will only lay their eggs on milkweed. The caterpillars that hatch eat the leaves of the milkweed as they grow.

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BEAR 40 YEARS

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Make a bee house at home You can help bees in your garden, too. Follow the instructions below to create a bee house for your garden from recycled materials. Gather these materials from around your house:

Âť An empty soup can, coffee can, or soda bottle Âť Toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls Âť Butcher paper or paper bags Âť Scissors Âť Tape Âť String Âť Paint (optional) Instructions:

Clean your container and remove the lid. If you are using a plastic bottle carefully cut it in half. Optional: Paint the outside of your container a bright color to attract more bees.

Place large paper rolls inside the container. Make sure they are not too squished and still have an opening.

Cut paper so it is the same length as your container, and about 4in wide. Tightly roll the paper length-way around a pen or pencil, add a few pieces of tape to secure and slip the pen/pencil out. Then, tape off one end of the newly made paper tube.

Once you have made several smaller paper tubes, place them inside and around the toilet paper rolls so that all open ends are facing outward. Repeat until the container is full. The paper tubes should not fall out when container is tipped over.

Once complete, tie some string around the container and hang it in your garden.

To better attract bees to their home, make sure there is a water source near by as well as plenty of flowering plants.

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

Scien-Tastic! Bigger Questions, Better Answers, Bear Down A monthly science feature sponsored by

A Search for the Beginning— the Higgs Particle mass, meaning it takes a lot of energy to create it. And once it’s created, it disappears or “decays” in a tiny fraction of a second, leaving behind lighter particles. But until the Higgs boson was seen, there would be no way to know if Peter Higgs’ idea was right. So thousands of scientists from hundreds of universities and laboratories around the world (including the University of Arizona) worked together to build a machine that could create enough energy to produce it, with detectors that were sensitive A particle collienough to record the parsion that might ticles created when it dehave produced cays. The machine is called a Higgs particle the “Large Hadron Collidin the Large Hadron Collider. er” or LHC, and was built near Geneva, Switzerland,

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A particle detect

or at the LHC

at the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN). By 2012 enough data was collected for the scientists to be sure that they had seen the Higgs boson. So the mathematics that Peter Higgs wrote down 50 years earlier was correct, and now we know for sure why particles have mass! However, there are still many things that scientists don’t know. There’s even a mystery about what makes up most of the universe! So scientists and the LHC are still working and looking for even more answers.

Did You Know? Gravity is the only force that cannot be described using the mathematics that explains electromagnetic, nuclear strong and nuclear weak forces. You can prove that gravity exists by dropping a bowling ball on your foot. It was Albert Einstein who explained why!

Fun Facts! Terry Pratchett in his Discworld series often refers to CERN and the LHC. “Perhaps it was the look of someone permanently doing sums in his head, and not just proper sums either, but the sneaky sort with letters in them.” In the Star Wars trilogy, Obi Wan Kenobi does not specify what force, but the force. “May the force be with you.” Many think that Matt Groening, in one show, had Homer Simpson at the chalkboard writing out the formula that predicted the Higgs boson.

ATLAS Experim

As far back as written language will permit, man has looked for the beginning. And every culture has sought to find the answer to that question in the sky. Did we come from nothing? Is there a guiding force “out there” that makes it all happen? As scientists increased their skills, they learned that what seemed to be solid objects were made of molecules, which were made of atoms, which were made of protons, neutrons and electrons. Then they discovered that the protons and neutrons were made of even smaller particles called “quarks.” But matter does nothing if not acted upon by force. Scientists have identified four forces in the cosmos including gravity, electromagnetic, nuclear strong and nuclear weak. The mathematics that describes all the forces except gravity is called the “standard model” of particle physics. But the standard model does not easily explain something that seems to be obvious—that particles have mass. In 1962, a British physicist, Peter Higgs (and others), wrote scientific papers about a particle that would interact with all the others, and give them mass in the process. This would be like an on-switch to all matter. Scientists named the particle the Higgs boson and the American physicist Leon Lederman wrote a book calling it “The God Particle.” Many scientists dislike that name, but it stuck in the minds of laypersons around the globe. The problem was, scientists hadn’t seen a particle like the Higgs boson. It’s not an easy thing to see! For one thing, the Higgs boson itself has a lot of

February 2019 •

In Star Trek, characters lost and gained mass as they traveled to and from the ship. “Beam me up, Scotty!”

Contacts To learn more about the Higgs boson, contact Professor Erich Varnes, Ph.D. at varnes@physics.arizona.edu

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February 2019

Her List of Firsts... First Swim Lesson

Come See Us at the Tucson Festival of Books–March 2 & 3

Tucson’s Premier Indoor Swim School

520-877-SWIM (7946) www.demontswim.com

2850 W. Ina Rd. #130 • N.E. corner on Ina/Shannon

Voted “Best Tucson Country Charter School!”

Day School

Home of the Champions!

Find the Children’s & ScienceCity Pull-Out guides in the March issue of Bear

Also voted WINNER of the Macaroni Kid East Tucson’s Gold Daisy Award for our Early Childhood Program! • K–8 and Private Preschool & Prekindergarten on a 10-acre campus • Outstanding, Caring, Dedicated Teachers • Small class sizes (1:22 K-5, 1:26 6-8) • Accelerated Classes • FREE Full-Day Kindergarten

Mention this ad when you come in for a tour and receive a free “I’m a Champion” T-shirt!

Curriculum includes: Art, PE, Spanish, Sign Language,

Multimedia/Tech, Band, Orchestra, Drama, General Music and Choir

After-School Programs include: Sports, Drama Club, Young Reporters Club, Lego Club, Dance, Garden Club, Jump Rope, Karate, KidzArt and More!

Join the Champions!

Open Enrollment begins Feb.1st

Open House Dates: Tuesday, February 26 • 9:00 am and 1:00 pm Thursday, February 28 • 9:00 am and 1:00 pm Friday, March 1 • 5:30 pm–7:00pm Also features Summer Camp Information

Stop by Booth 303 in front of the children’s area, near the mall and say hello to the Bear Essential News staff, pick up the latest issue of the newspaper, and sign up for the Young Reporter Program.

A Champion is:

Collaborative Honorable Academic Motivated Persistent Inquisitive Optimistic Nurturing

FREE K-8 Public Charter School TCDCharterSchool.com • 520-296-0883 9239 E. Wrightstown Road • Tucson, AZ 85715

Check Us Out Online!

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February 2019

JOIN

It’s a Super Special Youn g Reporter Science Nigh t!!!

AND BE INSPIRED BY the joy of singing the thrill of performing the wonder of learning the strength of belonging the power of collaboration the motivation of succeeding

at Saguaro National Park West Cookout & Astronomy Night

THE TRADITION

To join or for Summer Day Camp info, call 520-296-6277 4:30 PM • 5770 E. PIMA

Four locations: Vail, Sahuarita, Oro Valley, and Central Tucson

520-296-6277 • tabc@boyschorus.org www.boyschorus.org

Music, Friends, Fun, Fancy Trick Rodeo Roping, Day Camp, World Travel

Celebrate your birthday with a

Birthday Blast PART Y!

Meet at the Visitor Center Flashlights & black lights provided!

Calling ALL Young Reporters & Young Reporter Wannabees:

• Dinner & drinks provided!

• YR kits for new reporters

• One lucky reporter will win a Digital Recorder!

• Bring in your story for editing & a chance to win a special prize!

Call 792-9930 to reserve your space.

• 2 hours UNLIMITED use of Laser Tag, Bumper Boats, Go Karts & Miniature Golf

• Party area with Party Hostess (50 minutes) • 30 seconds in the Ticket Twister to win tokens and tickets • Beverages and paper goods provided • Pizza Available

10% OFF

www.golfnstuff.com

DIRECTIONS: Red Hills Visitor Center 2700 N. Kinney Road, Tucson, Arizona 85743

West on Speedway Blvd, past I-10. Continue on Speedway Blvd, which will turn into Gates Pass Road. Take Gates Pass Rd until it ends and head north, turn right on Kinney Road for 3 miles. The entrance will be on the right side of the road.

Annual Summer Camp Guide Coming in March Issue. Reserve Space Now!

plus tax

per person, with a minimum of 10 guests gets you...

6503 E. Tanque Verde Rd.

FEB 9 • 3:30–8pm

as a Signature Event of this year’s Arizona SciTech Festival, the Young Reporters Program and Saguaro National Park West are putting on a cookout and an ecology night hike (plus a special treat afterward) for Young Reporters, those new to the program and parents. You need to sign up or call us at 792-9930 to reserve your spots— spaces are limited! Bring your reporter pad to cover this special event.

The Ticket Twister!

Just $20.25

SATURDAY

Don’t miss out on promoting your summer program in Arizona’s premier resource for kids and families! Bear Advertisers are Happy Campers!

any Monday–Thursday Party

Call today to reserve yours!

296-2366

FREE Golf Pass!

Reserve your space NOW!

(with the purchase of another at the regular price)

36 Holes of the World’s Finest Miniature Golf • Arcade • Wet n’ Wild Bumper Boats Skee-ball • Indy Go Karts • Batting Cages • Laser Tag • Group Rates

Expires 3/31/19

Call 792-9930 for more information

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

February 2019 â&#x20AC;¢

BEAR 40 YEARS

BEAR 40 YEARS •

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February 2019

2019 Summer Camp Guide Coming in March, April & May Issues! Mark your calendar for Summer Camp Fair March 16th at Golf N’ Stuff

Letters to Boomer B Write to Boomer Bear at

Bear Essential News • 2525 E. Broadway Blvd., #102 • Tucson, AZ 85716 or e-mail your letters to boomer@bearessentialnews.com

Dear Boomer, Do you like being on the covers of the newspaper? Yours truly, E.A. Dear E.A., Who wouldn’t love being on the cover of Bear Essential News?! What’s really cool—and I don’t know if it’s just me or Art Director Gary Shepard, who draws me—but I always look good on the cover! Remember to find the 10 hidden items on the cover, too.

Juana Martinez-Neal, whose book, “Alma and How She Got Her Name,” was just dubbed a Caldecott Honor Book, will be there, too. And you can also meet James Dean of Pete the Cat fame. See you there, Boomer Bear

It’s not just about me, Boomer Bear

Don’t miss out on promoting your summer program in Arizona’s premier resource for kids and families!

Reserve your space NOW! Nancy (520) 752-9930 or E mail Nancy@BearEssentialNews.com Call Kathy at (520) 792-9930 or E mail Kathy@BearEssentialNews.com

Boomer Bear, At the Tucson Festival of Books, I would like to see the authors of all the hit books. Your friend, L.B. You’ve come to the right place, L.B.! The Festival of Books is coming early to the UofA this year—March 2 and 3. As usual, Bear Essential News will be near the Children’s area over by the Modern Languages Building, so stop by Tent #303 and say hi. We have a News Highlights story on page 5 about some of the fabulous authors and illustrators who create books for kids or young adults. Three-time Caldecott Medal winner David Weisner will be at TFOB.

1 PIZZA * 99 7 plus tax

* Online only • pizzahut.com Extra charge for Pan & Stuffed Pizza Delivery minimum and delivery fee apply.

Dear Boomer, How do you come up with interesting stories? Thank you, D.K. Hi, Boomer, What are your best stories? Your friend, S.C. Dear D.K. & S.C., This polar bear is such a newshound! To sniff out great stories for readers like you, I keep up with the news online, in the newspaper and

on TV (you may have seen my Young Reporters delivering their stories Saturdays on KVOA- 4). Kids in grades 2 thru 8 can visit BearEssentialNews.com to print and fill out my YR Sign-Up Form to become an official Young Reporter. There are a ton of events coming up that make for great stories! La Fiesta de los Vaqueros (aka the Tucson Rodeo), the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, Young Reporter Science Night (see page 28) and the Tucson Festival of Books, just to name a few. Young Reporters are our eyes and ears at their schools, on their teams and in their communities! Be a Reporter, Boomer Bear Dear Boomer Bear, It’s important to respect others and to be kind so people don’t get sad. When you’re kind to others, they are kind to you. Thank you, E.H. Those are some kind thoughts, E.H.! Respecting others is something we all need to keep in mind. Just because someone is different or has different views doesn’t mean they don’t deserve respect. And you’re right—being kind to others can go a long way! Thank you, Boomer Bear

Learning Patterns

LARGE 2-TOPPING