rtaining & F e t n E un
February 2015
for All Ages!
The month of February is famous for many reasons. We observe Black History Month, Great American Pie Month, National Cherry Month (thanks to George Washington), Valentine's Day and American Heart Month, to name a few. February is a celebration of things we love!
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Groundhog's Day is February 2nd. The legend says that if the groundhog sees his shadow (on a sunny day), there will be six more weeks of winter. If it's a cloudy day, and he does not see his shadow, spring is just around the corner. The most famous furry groundhog weatherman is Punxsutawney Phil, from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. He has been making his yearly weather prediction since 1887! They say he sees his shadow about 9 out of 10 times. Learn more about Groundhog's Day at www.Groundhog.org.
Sleepyhead Phil is just waking up. Help him find the path to his breakfast of eggs, whole wheat toast, bacon and juice.
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A good breakfast helps get your brain in gear for the day! What is your favorite breakfast?
© Deborah C Johnson 2015
Inside this issue: Say It Again! • Let's Read! • Mayham's Science Corner • A Game with Heart • Write a Haiku • Mardi Gras and more!
Let's Read...
SAY IT AGAIN! Happy Valentine's Day French Bonne Saint Valentin Maltese Happy Valentines Jum Filipino Maligayang Araw ng mga Puso Source: Translate/Google.com
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garo n a k y b a lazy b a l l a c u do yo t a h W : Q otato! p h c u o A: A p
Q: What do you call a pile of kittens? A: A meowntain
Celebrate Black History Month with a book that combines history, music and a timeless message that It only takes a few words to create change. "We Shall Overcome" is a song that is rooted in America's time of slavery through to the civil rights movement of the present day. This pivotal book, lyrically written by Debbie Levy and illustrated with beautiful, collagestyle art by artist Vanessa Brantley-Newton celebrates the famous song that is such a part of our American History. Source: Amazon.com
When it's cold outside, pick up a book inside. Here are a few best sellers from the New York Times list (1.29.15) The Book With No Pictures by B. J. Novak. (ages 4-8) The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt. Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers. (ages 3-7) The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. (ages 8-12) House of Robots by James Patterson (ages 8-12) The Maze Runner by James Dashner. (ages 12 & up) Dork Diaries by Rachel Renee Russell. (ages 9-13)
How would the world be different if animals could talk? 2
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MAYHAM’S SCIENCE CORNER CHOCOLATE BLOOM! Chocolate = a Bunch of Stuff Mixed Together! Chocolate candy is a combination of ingredients that are processed together. They include pure chocolate from cacao beans, cocoa butter, cocoa solids, and sugar.
CHOCOLATE IS GOOD FOR YOU? YES, BUT... Pure chocolate comes from cacao beans, making chocolate candy — in part — a plant food. Like many plant foods, chocolate can be good for your health. Researchers believe chocolate can be good for your heart and circulatory system (arteries and veins). But you should eat only a small amount of chocolate because it's high in calories. Choose a dark chocolate that has been minimally processed to get the maximum health benefits.
HOW DO WE MAKE CHOCOLATE "BLOOM"? When chocolate heats and cools, some of the fat pushes out past the solid particles and forms into white crystals. This causes the light spots and streaks, which are known as chocolate bloom.
The Hershey Kisses brand chocolates were first introduced in... a. 1953 b. 1879 c. 1907 d. 1935
How did the Kiss get their popular name? Theory has it that the candy was named for the "sound or motion of the chocolate being depositied during manufacturing." Answer: C Source: Hersheys.com
Chocolate experts say it's fine to eat chocolate that has bloomed. But to keep your chocolate from blooming, keep it in a cool, dry place at 60-75° F.
WHAT YOU NEED: • Chocolate candy (dark works best) • A source of heat, such as a sunny windowsill
WHAT TO DO: • Heat your chocolate on a sunny windowsill, or in a microwave or low oven, until it starts to melt. (Chocolate melts fast. Get an adult's help if using an oven or microwave.) To check if it's melted, poke it. • Let the chocolate cool overnight in the refrigerator. • Melt again and refrigerate again. • Repeat until you see light brown spots or streaks. © Loralee Leavitt. Used with permission. Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD Source: © 1995- 2015 . The Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth®. Reprinted with permission.
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Be ! t r a Sm t r Hea
The heart continuously pumps blood around our bodies through blood vessels.
PUMP AHEAD 1 SPACE!
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The human heart is the size of a fist and is located in the center of our chest.
Exercising is important to keep our hearts healthy.
PUMP AHEAD 1 SPACE!
FINISH
A healthy diet is good for our hearts and bodies!
GO BACK 1 SPACE!
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There are 4 chambers in the heart: left atrium, right atrium, left ventricle and right ventricle.
The heart has 4 valves that keep blood moving in one direction, either in or out.
PUMP AHEAD 1 SPACE!
A Game with HEART! February is American Heart Month! Have fun learning a few basic facts while playing the heart game.
How many words can you make from
"VALENTINE"? VAN
Flip a coin to move your game piece. HEADS, move ahead 1 space. TAILS, move ahead 2 spaces. Use a small object, such as a button or paperclip, as your game piece.
How do you make a tissue dance?
Put a little boogie in it!
TALK IT OVER... What are some of the ways that you can show kindness to others? www.snickerdoodlez.com รก February 2015 รก SnickerdoodlezTM
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February Snow Sugary white and ice cold Perfect for sledding
FEBRUARY IS NATIONAL HAIKU WRITING MONTH The haiku is a Japanese verse written in three lines. The first line has 5 syllables, the second line has 7 syllables and the third line has 5 syllables. Count the syllables on your fingers as you say the poem and you will see that the lines have 5, 7, and 5 syllables.
Summer is coming Soon we will go to the beach And play in the sun It is easy to learn how to write a haiku. Most haiku poems are about nature, or the seasons, but you can write about anything you like. Keep in mind that the last line of the haiku makes an observation and ties in to what you are writing about. CHALLENGE TIME! Write and illustrate your own haiku and send it to us at Submissions@Snickerdoodlez.com. We'll share them on our website! Be sure to include your name, age and state where you live.
5.7.5 • 5.7.5 • 5.7.5 • 5.7.5 • 5.7.5 • 5.7.5 • Connect the dots for out of this world adventure! Start with the red dot.
Start
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Did you know... February 15th is National Gumdrop Day! • Gumdrops are gelatin candies coated in sugar. They come in yummy fruity and spiced flavors. Most are conical in shape but they can also be found in other shapes like orange slices and cinnamon hearts. • The most popular flavors are fruity cherry, grape and orange. Favorite spice drop flavors are cinnamon, mint and licorice. • It is believed that Percy Trusdale invented the gumdrop in 1801. • The NASA Apollo Command modules were nicknamed "gumdrops" because they had a shape like a gumdrop!
What is your favorite flavor?
Get your FREE VALENTINES to download, print and color! You will find them at www.snickerdoodlez.com!
MARDI GRAS CELEBRATIONS! Mardi Gras means "Fat Tuesday" in French and is celebrated the day before Ash Wednesday, which is the start of the Christian season of Lent. Fat Tuesday is a celebration and the opportunity to enjoy that favorite food or snack that you give up for the long lenten season. Mardi Gras is celebrated throughout the world. In America, it is an official holiday in the state of Louisiana. For most, it's a reason to have a big party, especially if you live in New Orleans.
MAKE A MARDI GRAS MASK! Print and cut out free Mardi Gras Mask patterns at our website, www.snickerdoodlez.com. Click on the Arts and Crafts tab and find these images. Just click, download, print and color. If you have trouble downloading the file, just email us for a free full-sized copy at info@snickerdoodlez.com
Mardi Gras was introduced to Louisiana by French Canadian explorer Jean Baptiste Le Moyne Sieru de Bienville. He landed in the area of New Orleans on March 2, 1699. It became an official holiday in 1875. The official colors of Mardi Gras are green, gold and purple. Green stands for faith, gold stands for power and purple stands for justice.
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The planet Pluto was discovered on February 18th, 1930... Percival Lowell had a theory that there were wobbles in the orbits of Uranus and Neptune being caused by the gravitational pull of a possible planet. He figured out an approximate location and spent over 10 years searching but did not locate it. Resuming the search for the planet at Lowell Observatory in 1929, astronomer Clyde W. Tombaugh found the tiny planet on February 18, 1930. The surface temperature is estimated to be -360 Fahrenheit. The planet was named Pluto, for the Roman god of the underworld in Greek mythology. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union made the announcement that Pluto could no longer be considered as a planet. The new rules say that a planet must have it's own orbit and Pluto's oblong orbit overlaps Neptune's orbit.
DINOSAUR WORD SEARCH Find and circle the words about dinosaurs. They go in all directions and some are tricky. See if you can find them all.
S F A S U L O U R R R
S D O P O R U A S S S
D I N O S A U R I U U
T N L T I N F E N O B
R E D A M M O L D E E
I J U R R A S I C C C
A E A E E U S T E A H
S R N C Y Q I P R T T
S P D I R E L E I E E
I A N R Y C A R E R R
C E R T R E X O N C C
S T E G O S A U R U S
WORD LIST 1. CRETACEOUS 2. DINOSAUR 3. FOSSIL 4. JURRASIC 5. REPTILE
6. TREX 7. TRIASSIC 8. TRICERATOPS 9. SAUROPODS 10. STEGOSAURUS © Bob Ostrom • www.bobostrom.com
DOODLE IT! Use your imagination to turn the shapes into other objects. Challenge yourself: The objects you create must be a noun (a person, place or thing)! Draw your own shapes and see what you come up with! All SnickerdoodlezTM content, except where noted, is ©Deborah C Johnson 2015. All rights reserved. SnickerdoodlezTM and content therein may not be copied, sold or distributed without expressed and written consent. It is for personal, educational and church use only. Referenced source information provided is as accurate as possible. I like it better HERE where I can sit just quietly and smell the flowers Munro Leaf, The Story of Ferdinand Visit us on the web at www.snickerdoodlez.com. Email: Deb@snickerdoodlez.com
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