Kid Scoop News - April 2021

EASTER EGG SCIENCE Here’s a challenge — can you make an egg drop into an empty bottle if the neck is smaller than the egg?

See how many words you can make using the letters in RAIN SHOWERS!

2

TABLE OF CONTENTS Find a Rainbow Day .................................... 3 April Showers ............................................. 4-5 Easter Egg Science ...................................... 6-7 Nails ........................................................... 8 Vaccines ..................................................... 9 Tasmanian Devil ......................................... 10-11 Puzzles ....................................................... 12 Activity Calendar ........................................ 13 Bunny Buddies ........................................... 14 How to Draw .............................................. 15 Arbor Day ................................................... 16-17 Captain Allowance ..................................... 18 Parent Scoop .............................................. 19 Women Pirates ........................................... 20 Digital Citizen ............................................. 21 Early Learners ............................................. 22 Answers ..................................................... 23

Amy Plaisance Founder Brandon Foreman Publisher Amy L. Foreman Associate Publisher Editorial Amanda Miller Managing Editor Victoria Cotejar Social Media Coordinator Art/Production Emma Benoit Production Manager Melody Tauzin Senior Graphic Designer

Dear Readers,

We here at Kid Scoop News like to think of the environment in April. From the saying that “April showers bring May flowers” to Earth Day and Arbor Day, we are nudged into feeling warmer weather and longer days are on their way. The word April comes from the Latin word aperire which means to open and so indicates a season when flowers open and bloom and animals come out of hibernation.

Our animal this month is the Tasmanian Devil. They live a long way away from American shores, but they are fascinating creatures and do hide in dens during the day and come out to forage at night.

Arbor Day is April 30 this year and we have this challenging puzzle page and the reason why we celebrate trees.

Easter falls on April 4 and Easter wouldn’t be Easter without the Bunny Buddies.

Instead of dying eggs this year, try these eggstraordinary experiments—can you drop an egg into a bottle with a narrow neck, or make an egg float? Great scientific fun! Then find a friend and see if you can make an origami Easter card together or draw the Easter Bunny following the step-by-step instructions.

You’ve heard of “raining cats and dogs”? Our April Showers feature has a puzzle based on a variation of that theme, but the page also explains why it rains and there’s some great weather jokes too.

Let’s stretch out our bodies, shake off those winter blues and welcome the month of April and the spring!

One of the Bad Bunny Brothers gobbled up Buzz’s carrot that he was planning to have for lunch.

Use the clues to figure out who did it.

Maddie Soileau Multimedia Designer Advertising/marketing Laurie acosta Director of Sales Crystal Barrett Jo Lynn Burns Jason Wall Ryn Whiteside Account Executives Business Operations Teri Hodges Director of Community Partnerships Roxane Voorhies Community Outreach

© 2021 by Vicki Whiting

The thief has stripes on his shirt, but not horizontal ones. He is looking at another bunny.

He is not missing a front tooth.

Standards Link: Problem Solving: Use deductive reasoning to determne outcome.

© Vicki Whiting April 2021

3

E

ach year on April 3rd, National Find A Rainbow Day challenges us to look to the sky and find a colorful rainbow. But you don’t have to look for rainbows only on one day. Look for them all month long!

We would like to know how you made a rainbow using old paper, paints and other items. Send your rainbow image and tell what you did by emailing woodword@ kidscoopnews.org

Rainbows make people happy! There are people that see rainbows as art in the sky. Others see a rainbow as a sign of hope.

Help your friends and neighbors find rainbows by making and displaying one!

If the weather doesn’t cooperate and no rainbows appear in the sky, you can still bring joy and hope to your neighborhood by displaying a homemade rainbow in a window where others can see it!

You can make your own rainbow with items found around your house. This is good for the environment because you are re-using materials. Re-using paper helps to save trees!

“After a passing storm, rainbows are a reminder that bright days lie ahead.

Seeing a rainbow is my reminder to enjoy the passing days. Creating this rainbow out scrap felt from one of my many craft boxes and hanging it in my window for all my neighbors to see, was the reminder I needed that we shouldn’t stop working towards our vision for a brighter future.”

– Arielle

Colorful Idea

Drake is from San Leandro, California.

He made a rainbow out of an old calendar by reusing it. He said he felt awesome that he was using old paper because he was saving trees. He learned in Ms. Dodd’s class at Roosevelt Elementary School that trees give us food and air.

He is not only showing Mother Earth he cares, he is also showing his community he cares.

His cousin in Hawaii, Xinmei, said she can feel his rainbow from California.

© Vicki Whiting April 2021

What did one raindrop say to its friends? Two’s company. Three’s a cloud. When is weather worst for mice? When it is raining

There is water all around us—on the land and in the sea.

This water evaporates and rises into the sky as vapor. The vapor in the sky turns to water droplets and makes clouds.

The water drops fall from the sky as rain. The rain goes into the ground and into the sea. Then, some of the water from the rain evaporates back to the sky and makes clouds again.

Cut out the pictures and put them in the correct order on the Water Cycle.

cats and dogs.

Great galoshes! Gregg is in a goofy storm. Can you find all the things that start with “G”? There are 12 of them in this picture.

Where is the ocean deepest? At the bottom.

What is the difference between a lion with a toothache and a rainy day? One roars with pain and the other pours with rain.

4

What does the ocean do when it is leaving? It waves. © Vicki Whiting April 2021

5

Use the color code to color each umbrella section.

The Snowflake: A Water Cycle Story

The Water Cycle

This book follows the journey of a snowflake that melts to a single drop of water and moves on through the course of a year. As it hits the ground it doesn’t just disappear.

Instead, it flows into a stream, helps plants to grow and then evaporates and becomes a part of a cloud and rains down. A little girl uses it to wash her face and then it flows on and out to the ocean.

After its long journey, it ends up as a snowflake again. Each double-page spread shows a month of the year. This is a wonderful book to explain the water cycle to students.

A detailed explanation of how the water cycle works including evaporation, cloud formation, water vapor and precipitation are all explained using a couple of detailed diagrams that help your understanding of the process.

by Neil Waldman

sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/weather/thewatercycle.html

We are Water Protectors youtu.be/jqWTouyaQ-8

A read-aloud of the book by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade is inspired by indigenous people in North America and is a plea to safeguard the Earth’s water from pollution and harm.

NASA’s Eyes on the Earth climatekids.nasa.gov/10-things-water/

Water is the key to life. NASA’s website has a host of games on different climate themes. The Freshwater section has 10 Interesting Things About Water. © Vicki Whiting April 2021

6

Can you make an egg drop into an empty bottle if the neck is smaller than the egg? will happen:

Senate joined the confirmation that conference was President spoke with rally outside the auditor investigated the other incident was told by polls suggest that passage was not evening. Later that day questioned further schinkel was asked egg and baco scientific community was also

matches

happens to the egg.

Describe what

What I think

1. Have an adult light the paper and drop it into the glass bottle.

2. Quickly place the peeled, hard-boiled egg on the opening of the glass bottle.

Explain what this experiment taught you.

3. The fire will eventually burn out.

Replace the missing words to find out!

To begin with, the air pressure _________ the bottle is the same as the pressure outside the bottle. As the _______ inside the bottle is heated, it expands and some air escapes. The egg on top creates a seal. As the air inside gradually _________, the air contracts and takes up less space. Outside air cannot __________ because the egg now seals the top of the bottle. The air pressure inside the bottle is _________ than How many eggs can you the pressure outside and so it forms a partial vacuum. This ______________ find on this page in 2 the egg to get sucked into the bottle. minutes? Have a friend try.

Who found the most?

© Vicki Whiting April 2021

7

Unscramble the letters underneath each egg to find out what color to make each egg.

WEYOLL RULPEP

INKP

WONRB

RAGONE

DRE

UBEL

REGNE

Standards Link: Spelling: Spell grade level appropriate site words correctly.

Buzz has put an egg over the symbol needed to make each sentence true. Write the hidden symbol for each number sentence on each egg.

6

3 = 9

18

4 = 22

14

2 = 7

55

13 = 68

24

4 = 6

27

9 = 3

9

4 = 36

12

6 = 6

Standards Link: Number Sense: Solve problems involving numeric equations.

SCIENTIST PRESSURE ESCAPES METHOD BOTTLE FLOAT COOLS LIGHT GLASS SPACE DROP SEAL SALT SINK

BUDDIES ORIGAMI ALPHABET SYMBOL RIDDLE EASTER OLDER CRACK JAPAN PAIRS SHARE SECRET EGGS HARD

Find the words by looking up, down, backwards, forwards, sideways and diagonally.

T H G I L S A L T E

G G S E P A C S E E

S K N I S T I E G R

M A T E R T A L S U E E A A N D A T R S

C L T E O S R T A S

A S I H S L O O C E

P C O R O D F B P R

S I N A R D Y E G P Standards Link: Letter sequencing. Recognize identical words. Skim and scan reading. Recall spelling patterns.

Find the words by looking up, down, backwards, forwards, sideways and diagonally.

Y E G A B B A C L P

O S E C R E T O O A A L P H A B E T B I

K U D S C U A J M R C A T E N D D A Y S A E H A R D G P S S

R E L D D I R A O G C I T Y R E E N A G

H Y O O U S H A R E Standards Link: Letter sequencing. Recognize identical words. Skim and scan reading. Recall spelling patterns.

© Vicki Whiting April 2021

8

Aren’t you glad you have fingernails to help you scratch it? And your toenails come in handy to protect your toes when you stub them!

Hard as Nails!

Since fingernails and toenails are so hard, some people think they are bones. NOT TRUE! Fingernails and toenails are more like your hair than your bones. Both are made of keratin and that is what makes them tough.

16

Keratin shows up in other animals as well.

They are part of a horse’s hooves, cats’ claws, hair, porcupine quills, bird feathers and even a rhino’s horn!

19

The hard surface of your nails helps to protect the tips of your fingers and toes. Your fingernails make it easier to scratch an itch or peel an orange.

14

Do the math to label the diagram of a fingernail.

17 18

Why doesn’t it hurt when I cut my nails?

The part of your nails that you can see is dead, so it doesn’t hurt to cut them.

If a nail rips away from the tender skin underneath, OW! That really hurts. That is why your fingers and toes need tough nails, to protect the sensitive skin underneath.

Nails start in the nail root, which is hidden under the cuticle. At the root of the nail, new cells grow. The new nail cells push the old nail cells along the nail bed.

The cuticle is the tiny sliver of skin where your nail comes out from under your skin. Cuticles help to protect the new nail as it grows out from the nail root.

nail root

cuticle

nail bed

lunula

bone

That pale half circle just above the cuticle is called the lunula.

Use the code at right to see what this Latin word means.

© Vicki Whiting April 2021

9

Why is everyone talking about the COVID-19 vaccine?

In order to understand how vaccines help you, you need to know a bit about your blood.

Blood carries tiny cells to all parts of your body. There are fat, disk-shaped red cells.

There are white cells, too. The white cells have a special job.

They fight germs and kill them. White cells keep you well. When germs get in, your white blood cells go to work.

We give people shots or vaccines to protect them.

But some germs are too strong for an unprepared body. When a doctor gives you a shot, or vaccine, this helps your white cells prepare for certain kinds of germs.

Protect them?

How

To understand that, you need to know a little more about how your body works.

Shots are like a fire drill. A fire drill gets you ready in case of a real fire. A shot gets you ready in case of a real attack by germs.

Standards Link: Health: Students understand ways to prevent disease.

White blood cells are larger than red blood cells and they eat germs.

Germs can get into your body in many ways. They can enter through your mouth or through your nose or even through a cut in your skin. That’s why it is important to wear a mask around others and to wash your hands often.

Germs are everywhere— even all over this page!

Can you find the two germs that match?

Currently COVID-19 vaccines are only for adults. Can you tell your parents and grandparents what you learned about vaccines? Scientists are working on a vaccine for kids.

© Vicki Whiting April 2021

10 Q: What do Tasmanian devils look like?

A: Some people think we look like tiny bears.

Others say we look like a short-nosed dog.

Our heads are large with powerful jaws and sharp teeth. Our fur is thick and black, and most (but not all) Tasmanian devils have a white stripe running across our chests.

What if you could ask an animal any question you wanted? What would you ask?

Today, learn all about Tasmanian devils in this imaginary Kid Scoop News interview!

Q: Why are you called devils?

A: That’s a great question! Tasmanian devils aren’t dangerous to people. We’re actually shy animals.

Q: Just what kind of animal is a Tasmanian devil?

The name “devil” may come from the sounds we make. We make eerie growls at night when looking for food. I guess it scares some folks. Sorry! We can’t help it.

A: We are not bears or dogs. We are marsupials, just like a kangaroo or a koala. Mama devils carry their babies in their pouches. When the babies grow too big for the pouch, they ride on mom’s back.

To find out what a baby Tasmanian devil is called, write the letter that comes after each letter in the empty boxes.

Q: What do Tasmanian devils eat?

A: We are carnivores. That means we eat _________. And we’re also scavengers, which means we mostly eat dead or dying animals we ________. _______________ believe that Tasmanian devils were once good runners. But since the ______________ of cars, we get plenty of food by eating the animals that get run over. So, we don’t have to cover large ______________ searching for food like we did back in the old days.

When a Tasmanian devil sneezes, it is not sick. It is trying to scare away a predator.

Q: Are Tasmanian devils strong?

A: Well, we have incredibly strong jaws. In proportion to our body weight, we have the strongest bite of any living animal!

We store fat in our tails. We use that energy when food is hard to find. So if you see a Tasmanian devil with a plump tail, it means that animal is in good condition.

Q: Do Tasmanian devils really spin like the cartoon one does?

A: While we don’t spin around like the cartoon character, we Tasmanian devils can get quite excited as we devour our dinner. We make loud noises as we chomp up fur and bones and tear through meat with our incredibly powerful jaws.

But don’t try eating like us. Your parents would say that we have absolutely terrible table manners!

© Vicki Whiting April 2021

11 Q: How big is a Tasmanian devil?

A: We’re about the size of a grain of rice when we are born. Tiny!

Do the math to see how big we are when full grown.

Average length (head and body): inches 11 + 10 + 5

25 + 25 + 15

centimeters

Q: Are Tasmanian devils friendly?

A: We are solitary creatures, which means we like to be left alone.

We sleep under bushes in the daytime. And as nocturnal creatures, we are out and about at night—way past your bedtime. Can you help me find my way to bed?

Q: Where do Tasmanian devils live?

A: We live on an Australian island called Tasmania.

At one time, we lived throughout mainland Australia.

About 400 years ago we disappeared from the Australian mainland.

Australia

Tasmania

Standards Link: Geography: Recognize countries and continents.

Can you find the answers to all of the questions below?

2. Tasmanian devils like: a. to be active in daytime b. to be alone c. to play with kangaroos 3. When a Tasmanian devil sneezes, it is: a. feeling sick b. scaring away a predator c. hungry 4. Tasmanian devils have incredibly strong: a. breath b. jaws c. tails

5. Tasmanian devils live in: a. Madagascar b. Tasmania c. Texas 6. Tasmanian devils are marsupials. That means they: a. walk on tiptoe b. carry their young in pouches c. sleep underwater

ANSWER: A pouch potato.

1. Tasmanian devils are a kind of bear. a. TRUE b. FALSE

7. A Tasmanian devil stores fat in its: a. teeth b. tail c. ears

© Vicki Whiting April 2021

12 All of the words in the puzzle below start with the letters P-R-O. Read the definition of each word and see if you can fill in the blanks. If you get stuck, look at right for each word’s missing letters.

Standards Link: Language Arts: Vocabulary.

The money a business makes:

A gas used in outdoor grills:

To make something available:

Another name for fruits and veggies:

To stop something from happening:

To be financially successful:

To lengthen in time:

To move forward:

Something you own, especially land:

To keep safe from harm:

To say a word clearly and correctly:

A teacher at a university:

Nathan’s Nursery has more potted plants than Gabby’s Garden Center. Look very closely and count carefully. How many more potted plants does Gabby need to match Nathan?

Standards Link: Math: Problem solving.

© Vicki Whiting April 2021

APRIL 2021 Tick the box on each day when you have completed 20 minutes of reading. Children who develop a love of reading will become better students and build a better future.

Find some of your favorite books and read them to a younger child.

Flowers are blooming on this page.

Can you find the one that is different?

Have fun counting eggs today!

Who were the first people to reach the North Pole on this day in 1898?

How many foods starting with the letter B have you eaten this week?

Look up at the sky for 15 minutes tonight.

How many aircraft can you spot in that amount of time?

This day is the anniversary of the Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake

Have you or your friend mastered the cartwheel yet?

Don’t give up!

Practice is great exercise.

In which part of the world do penguins live? There are 17 Watch a movie made different species of before 1950. Then talk about things penguins. Can you you noticed that name three? are different from National modern movies.

Penguin Day

Learn all the words to one of your parents’ favorite songs.

Have a family sing along tonight!

If you could open a toy store, what would you call it.

What toys would you like to sell?

Take turns to tell a story—it can be from memory or from a book, a legend or from folklore.

Tell a Story Day

Do something to improve your health today. Go for a long walk, make a nutritious meal and get a good night’s sleep.

How long can you go without watching TV? How many books could you read if you gave up TV for a few days?

Turn Off TV and Read Month

Do you have books you’ve outgrown?

Contact your library and see if you can donate them.

Do something nice for a brother or sister today.

Maybe they will do something nice for you!

Discuss the meaning of the word meditate.

Close your eyes and sit completely still. Be calm and meditate for five minutes today.

The Titanic sank on this day in 1912. What caused the disaster?

Clip coupons asp from the new. Set e n li n o per or unt aside the amoou of money y a r save to use fofor t a e tr l specia the family.

Put on gloves and go for a walk and pick up trash in your neighborhood or join a park clean-up project.

Calling all poets! Write down ten pairs of words that rhyme. Now write down a poem using those words.

With a friend, create a secret code. Write messages to each other using the code.

Then see if other friends can “break” the code and figure out what you wrote.

Create a comic strip.

Use two characters to tell knock-knock jokes or riddles.

Can you do a cartwheel? If so, teach a friend how to do one. If not, work with a friend that knows how.

List 3 things you could do to keep America beautiful.

Keep America Beautiful Month

Plan a visit to a tree nursery

Arbor Day

14

n dow

g

7

n lo ta

ld . Fo

Cu do d tte e lin

dow

to b

ld

n

ack

in lf ha

k

8.

to

bac

ol d

3. F

ck

ba

to old

F

Pu

4.

sh

in

old

old

Fo

6. F

2. F

5.

Three bunnies are hiding in the stack of eggs. But that is not all. Can you find these things, too?

1.

Find some bunny to be your bunny buddy and do this page together! If this page looks easy to do, share it with some bunny younger. If it looks hard, share it with some bunny older.

In Japan, folding paper into animals, plants and objects is an art called origami. Try the art of paper folding. Cut out the square below. Then look for direction 1. Find direction 2, and so on until you have completed your origami bunny.

Standards Link: Visual Arts: Understand the visual arts in relation to history and cultures.

The secret code to crack the answer to this riddle is hidden in this egg border. is the letter A. To find out what letter each egg stands for, find

.

The alphabet follows in order by going clockwise around the border.

Each egg stands for one letter of the alphabet.

Standards Links: Decoding: Recognize letters of the alphabet. Reading Comprehension: Follow simple written directions.

© Vicki Whiting April 2021

15

© Vicki Whiting April 2021

16

Trees are Terrific!

On Arbor Day, people celebrate by planting trees. Why? According to The National Arbor Day Foundation, there are many reasons to plant and care for trees.

When is Arbor Day?

ational Arbor Day is the last Friday in April, but many states observe Arbor Day on different dates according to their best tree-planting times. To find out when your state celebrates Arbor Day, go to arborday.org.

1. Trees help clean the air!

2. Trees bring songbirds.

3. Trees make your neighborhood more beautiful.

4. Trees save energy by shading houses in the summer and blocking cold winter winds.

Can you think of some more reasons to plant trees?

Planting Plan

Tammy wants to plant five trees in order of height.

Use the clues below to list the trees in order from tallest to shortest.

How many maple leaves do you see?

Which of these leaves appears most on this page?

How many differences can you spot between these silly trees?

© Vicki Whiting April 2021

17

What is the People’s Choice for America’s National Tree?

Tree-Vial Pursuit

Answer each Tree-vial Pursuit question.

The Arbor Day Foundation asked people to vote for the tree they thought should be America’s national tree. More than 400,000 responded to their poll.

Here are leaves and needles from the five trees that got the most votes. Add the numbers above the leaf or needles of each tree. The one that adds up to an even number is the people’s choice for America’s National Tree.

16 + 5 + 2 =

19 + 19 + 4 =

11 + 8 + 8 =

Magnolia trees are famous for: A. big, beautiful flowers B. little stinky flowers C. pink leaves The shagbark hickory is named for its shaggy: A. fruit B. leaves C. bark

DOGWOOD REDWOOD

OAK

6 + 3 + 12 =

What color do the leaves of most maple trees turn in the fall?

A. black and blue B. brown C. red, yellow and orange

3+3+5= MAPLE

PINE

What do people traditionally plant on Arbor Day? A. potatoes B. trees C. eggs The ideas for Tree-vial Pursuit are adapted from the arborday.org website.

Encourage reading at home with Kid Scoop News and this family involvement activity!

People Poetry Find a person in the newspaper that you admire and create a poem about that person using the poem formula.

Line 1: Tell who you are talking about.

Your Turn:

Line 2: Describe the person with two adjectives connected by and or but.

Line 1: _________________________________________

Line 3: Use a verb and an adverb to show this person in a typical action.

Line 2: _________________________________________

Line 4: Create a comparison to show a special quality this person has.

Line 3: _________________________________________

Line 5: Use an If only phrase which expresses something you wish for regarding this person.

Example: Fireman

Strong and fearless Fighting courageously As brave as a gladiator If only I could be a hero

Line 4: As __________________________________ as a _________________________________________ Line 5: If only ___________________________________ _________________________________________

© Vicki Whiting April 2021

18

Throughout history, kids have often asked their parents for money – with limited success …

You need money?

Darn! Our money tree just died! Oh, brother!

Will he ever get tired of that same old joke?

With his amazing financial wisdom, he can overcome obstacles! He soars towards goals! And he stretches dollars into incredible dimensions!

Since parents don’t have an endless supply of money, they sometimes give their kids a weekly allowance–a small amount of money kids earn by helping out around the home!

Captain Allowance believes that having a fixed amount of money helps children to think about and make decisions about how to spend money.

Captain Allowance says, “Kids learn from both the GOOD decisions ... and the BAD ones!”

Rats!

I blew all my money on candy!

Yay! I saved and got the fun game I wanted!

Sometimes things kids want cost more than they earn. By learning to get through the tricky allowance gap, kids discover that with financial power comes financial responsibility!

Leonard has a goal. He wants to buy a pair of sneakers that cost $25. But he only gets $3 a week for his allowance.

Help Leonard make a plan to buy the shoes.

Each week, Leonard could save $

Leonard could work for extra money by doing chores at home and for neighbors. He could earn $_________ per week for doing extra chores.

Following your plan, how many weeks would it take Leonard to reach his goal?

weeks Make a plan to reach one of your goals!

Standards Link: Economics: Students understand that since people cannot have everything they want, they must make choices about making purchases of goods and services.

© Vicki Whiting April 2021

19

Cooking together is good for your kids in many ways. It is a time to talk together, math skills come into play and by choosing quick, healthy recipes you are fostering a lifetime of good nutrition.

And cooking helps build self-confidence, too.

Words are everywhere. Think of every word as a chance to help your child become a better reader. Look for words on signs, maps, billboards, food packages, money and birthday cards.

Point out words to your child wherever you see them. Say them out loud and have your child repeat the words back to you. Take time to sound them out and show how the letters and combinations of letters make sounds.

Words Hidden in Money

How many of these words can your child find hidden on either side of a dollar bill:

Here is a simple, healthy snack recipe that is fun to make and fun to eat! Try it with your child today.

EDITOR’S PICK

Wash apples. You can use red or green apples (or both).

by Vicki Whiting, Kid Scoop News

Seeds of Change

By Jen Cullerton Johnson • Illustrate by Sonia Lynn Sadler

Slice apple into thin sticks. Don’t remove the peel.

Use peanut butter, yogurt or hummus as your dip.

For variety, mix the apple sticks with sticks of your favorite cheese.

As a young girl in Kenya, Wangari Maathai was taught to respect nature. She grew up loving the land, plants and animals that surrounded her — from the giant mugumo trees to the tiny tadpoles that swam in the river.

Although most Kenyan girls were not educated, Wangari, curious and hardworking, was allowed to go to school.

There her mind sprouted like a seed. She excelled at science and went on to study in the United States.

After returning home, Wangari traveled

across Kenya to promote the rights of her countrywomen and to help save the land, one tree at a time.

Seeds of Change: Planting a Path to Peace brings to life the story of Wangari Maathai, the first African woman and environmentalist, to win a Nobel Peace Prize. Its engaging narrative and vibrant images paint a robust portrait of this champion of the land and of women’s rights.

© Vicki Whiting April 2021

20

Most pirates were men, but not all. At least two were women ... disguised as men!

Mary Read’s father died when she was just a baby. _______ and unable to find work, Mary’s mother could get help from her mother-in-law, but only if she had a son.

So, she dressed Mary in boy’s clothing and raised her as a boy.

Mary got to run and do __________ activities that girls in those days were not allowed to do.

She grew up to be sturdy and strong.

To earn money, Mary continued to disguise herself as a young man and

got work as a sailor. She went on many voyages. Eventually she worked on a ship ________ for the West Indies.

In those days, Spanish ships loaded with ____________ from the New World sailed from the West Indies to Europe. Pirates attacked these ships to steal the gold, pearls, gems and silks.

Mary’s ship was attacked by a pirate ship under the _________ of Captain “Calico Jack” Rackham.

Captured, she joined Rackham’s pirates.

Standards Link: Reading Comprehension: Read from a variety of genres including non-fiction.

word h each pirate tc a m u o y n Ca ition? with its defin

a. a gold coin b. a sword ag with a white c. a black fl crossbones skull and o lives on land h d. a person wce on the mast la e. a high p person can see a where a ce long distan f. hello g. yes

No one on the ship suspected Mary Read was a woman, but among the pirate crew there was another woman in man’s clothing. Her name was Anne Bonny.

Mary and Anne eventually found out that they were both women and they became good friends.

In October 1720, Rackham’s ship was captured and all of the pirates were sent to prison. Mary and Anne both died while in prison.

Shiver me timbers! Someone spilled the treasure chest. How many of each of the following can you find scattered on this page?

© Vicki Whiting April 2021

21

A digital citizen is someone who uses technology safely and responsibly.

Take the pledge!

Read the Digital Citizen Pledge.

Sign it and share the pledge with your family.

Cut it out and post it near your computer.

Digital Citizen Pledge

• ask permission before going online • set a time limit when using technology • never share my user name or password with other people • only talk to people I know online Name: My signature: Adult signature:

Talk with a family member about these online rules. Then have them sign the Digital Citizen Pledge with you.

Ask permission from an adult, like your teacher or parent, before you go online. They can make sure the places you visit are just right for you!

Only share your login and password with a trusted adult. Don't share with others, they could log in to your account and pretend to be you.

Don't talk to strangers online – they might not be who they say they are.

Only talk to people you know in-person, and ask an adult for permission first.

Set a time limit with devices. You don't want to miss out on other important things, like spending time with your friends and family, finishing homework, or getting enough sleep!

Think and Discuss

Make a list of safe websites and apps that your parents approve of. Talk about what makes them safe.

Note to Teachers and Parents:

This page was adapted with permission from Common Sense Education.™ To see the full lesson plan and find more lessons about Digital Citizenship, please visit : commonsense.org/education

Watch a video about being a good digital citizen at commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/we-the-digital-citizens

© 2020 Common Sense Education™. Used by permission. For more information, visit commonsense.org/education

© Vicki Whiting April 2021

22 B is for Boots b is for boots

Circle the boot that should come next in each row.

Learning Buddies: Read the two phrases aloud. Have your child read with you. Trace the uppercase and lowercase letter B. Say the letter as you trace it.

How many words or pictures can you find on this page that start with the sound the letter B makes in the word boots?

How many

?

butterdishes

The other day, I met a bear, With cowboy boots, a dandy pair!

The other day, I met a bear, With cowboy boots, a dandy pair!

Letter Identification With your child, look through the newspaper to find pictures of things that begin with the same sound as the letter B in boots.

Math Play

Point to the number 5 in the newspaper.

Have your child say the number and, if it’s large enough, have your child trace the number.

Boot Weather

Look at the weather forecast in the newspaper.

Based on that forecast, talk about what clothes you both should wear.

Do you need boots today?

Weather Reporter

Have your child check the weather forecast in today’s newspaper. Cut out the symbols that show what weather is predicted. Your child can use the symbols to give a weather report to the family.

B Colors

Talk about colors whose names begin with the letter B (like blue, black and brown). Search the newspaper for colors, and tell your child the name of each one. Then ask your child if the name of that color starts with the sound the letter B makes.

How many How many

bugs

?

books

Dress for Weather

Draw a stick figure to represent your child. (You can glue a small photo of your child’s face onto the figure.) Then go through the newspaper with your child and cut out pictures of clothing. Let your child choose which clothes the figure will wear.

?

Learning Buddies: Trace and say the number. Read the questions. Touch and count to find the answers.

Make a Baseball Bat and Ball Make a baseball bat by rolling an entire newspaper lengthwise.

Then cover the “bat” with masking tape. Make a ball by crumpling up one sheet of newspaper and covering it with masking tape. Play ball!

© Vicki Whiting April 2021

23 Page 11

Page 7

Page 4

6

3 = 9

18

4 = 22

14

2 = 7

55

13 = 68

24

4 = 6

27

9 = 3

9

4 = 36

12

6 = 6

Y E G A B B A C L P

Page 5

O S E C R E T O O A

Scoop the News 1. b. FALSE 2. b. to be alone 3. b. scaring away a predator 4. b. jaws 5. b. Tasmania 6. b. carry their young in pouches 7. b. tail

Page 12 The money a business makes:

A gas used in outdoor grills:

To make something available:

K U D S C U A J M R

Another name for fruits and veggies:

To stop something from happening:

To be financially successful:

To lengthen in time:

To move forward:

Something you own, especially land:

A E H A R D G P S S

To keep safe from harm:

To say a word clearly and correctly:

A teacher at a university:

A L P H A B E T B I

C A T E N D D A Y S

R E L D D I R A O G C I T Y R E E N A G

Page 7

How big is a Tasmanian devil?

26 inches (65 centimeters)

H Y O O U S H A R E

How many more potted plants does Gabby need to match Nathan?

4

Page 14 YELLOW PURPLE

ORANGE

Crack Up! THEY BREAK IF THEY DROP THEM

Page 8 RED 16 19

14

PINK

BROWN

BLUE

GREEN

17

T H G I L S A L T E

18

G G S E P A C S E E

Page 16

Planting Plan 1. Oak: 68 inches 2. Birch: 60 inches 3. Maple: 55 inches 4. Magnolia: 50 inches 5. Cherry: 40 inches

S K N I S T I E G R

How many maple leaves do you see?

5

E E A A N D A T R S

Page 17

M A T E R T A L S U C L T E O S R T A S

A S I H S L O O C E

Page 10

P C O R O D F B P R

S I N A R D Y E G P

What is the People’s Choice for America’s National Tree?

Oak (19 + 19 + 4 = 42) Tree-Vial Pursuit C, A, C, B © Vicki Whiting April 2021

As the team behind Baton Rouge Parents Magazine, we are now bringing your little ones the resources they need, too, through Kid Scoop News.

For over 30 years, Baton Rouge Parents Magazine has been the go-to resource to prepare parents for the journey of becoming a parent and how to navigate through the twists and turns parenting provides. Now, our family of resources is growing even more to help prepare your children on their journey to becoming top-notch learners. Why, you may ask? It’s what we’re good at–preparing children and families for what’s to come and making sure they’re equipped with what they need to be successful.

With Kid Scoop News, your young learners have access to colorful illustrations, charts, diagrams, and activities that will motivate and excite them.

With each publication, themes will cover a wide range of topics that appeal to them, and they’ll be learning the entire time.

Learning is fun with Kid Scoop News, and this publication gives your kiddos a magazine that’s just right for them. We’re so excited to share this great resource with all of you. If you also get excited about promoting literacy, call us at (225) 292-0032. We could use your help.