Kids Konnect September/October 2021 by Kate Noet

K i ds konnect G R O W • P L AY • L E A R N

Owatonna, MN September/October 2021

BACK TO SCHOOL issue!

20/20 VISION AND MORE S+TE + +A+M+ S c i ence Tec hno lo g y E ngi neer i ng Ar t s M ath e m ati c s

Games & Activities

DISTRICT NEWS & CALENDAR

y B r e t t u l F Franks

K i ds konnect G R O W • P L AY • L E A R N

Volume 2, Issue 5 September/October 2021 PUBLISHER Randy Rickman

K i ds

konnect CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: G R O W • P L AY • L E A R N Sarah Brooks Melanie Busch Brenda Donahe-Stevens Dr. Beth Gilthvedt Mary Hawkins Kellen Hinrichsen Jean Krause Darla K. Lager Thomas Meagher, PhD Teri Nordin, M.D Sarah Reichert Jess Smoll Mary Urch COVER/PAGE DESIGN Kate McGillen

Contents 4. 2020 vision 7. and more

Back to school

ST E AM + +

S cience Technology Engineer ing Ar ts M athematics

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Tom Kelling ADVERTISING SALES Amber Casterton Crystal Hobart Britney Marr Tim Mart For editorial or advertising inquiries, contact us at 507-444-2390 Kids Konnect is published by

Southern Minnesota LLC Southern Minn Media 135 West Pearl Street Owatonna, MN 55060

2 • September/October 2021 • Kids Konnect

20.

Back to school checklist: Start the school year healthy and strong

22.

puzzles, Crafts, coloring and more!

Jess Smoll is an enthusiast of all things natural and wild based in Owatonna.

When we talk about what trees can teach us, we often talk about their strength or their roots deep in the earth and how it is good to be rooted solidly in our family and community. Those are good points, but there are other things too. Willow trees are very flexible. In a big storm, trees like oak and elm can break and fall, but because willow bends, it can survive the storm without snapping. When you feel like your life is stressful and stormy, be a willow: be flexible and adapt to the situation. Trees also remind us over the year that change happens, and that often change can be beautiful. The brilliant reds and oranges of fall give way to the striking bare branches of winter. Winter melts away and delicate flowers and buds peek out, then as the year progresses, unfurl and open into wide green leaves rustling in the breeze. In all seasons, trees are beautiful, though the type of beauty changes. Pay attention and appreciate each moment, because it won’t last forever. As people get ready for school to start again, squirrels are preparing for fall too. A squirrel’s “back to school” shopping list doesn’t include pencils and flash drives, though, just food to stockpile for the long winter. While watching a squirrel run around burying wild nuts like acorns and hazelnuts, it’s easy to think that the animal is just shoving the nuts any old place, but we now know that’s not true. Squirrels have different areas and ways of hiding different types of food. This way of organizing information is called “chunking” and it helps the squirrel remember where they hid specific foods. “Chunking” is when you take smaller bits of information and then group it together in bigger pieces to help you remember. A good example is a phone number. A long string of numbers like 5-5-5-1-4-9-8 can be harder to remember, but by chunking it into 555 and 1498 it becomes easier.

“Wednesday” becomes “Wed”-“nes”“day”. If you are having a difficult time remembering something, try chunking up the information! Why not take a page from the birds? Birds like parrots, blue jays, and crows can get bored really easily, so they love challenges that make them think. These “bird brains” can solve complicated puzzles and even teach their feathered friends how to work out the solution too. These mental challenges are fun, but also help the birds think creatively about other situations where the answer might not be obvious. Playing is how animals—and people— learn! Try some games that exercise your mind, like solving riddles, playing board games like mancala or backgammon, or unraveling a Rubik’s cube. Have fun, and you might be surprised with what you learn.

the hen breaks out into a loud “egg song”. The egg song is the hen’s way of bragging that she’s laid an egg, and she is proud of her accomplishment. Everyone should take pride in making something, or getting a good grade, or doing something special. Memories of our successes can motivate us to try harder, or cheer us up when we feel down on ourselves. Celebrate the wins…though maybe not by yelling “bawk BAWK!” at the top of your lungs for ten minutes. When you need a break from your homework, take a walk in a park or even just around your neighborhood. Keep your eyes open when you step outside, and see what other things you can learn from being out in nature.

Speaking of birds, even the common farmyard chicken can teach us something. Everyone knows that hens lay eggs, but not everyone knows that when they do

Build aa better better lunch Build ½

Vegetables & Fruits

+ ¼

Whole Grains

+ ¼

Lean Protein

box

n cucumber n vegetable soup n carrot sticks slices n sugar snap n green garden n cherry tomatos peas salad n dried fruits:

n unsweetened weetened

n baked tortilla n whole wheat bread, pita, chips bagel, or wrap n popcorn

n granola bar n brown rice

n whole grain crackers or cereal

n lower sodium, lean luncheon meats

n tuna packed in water n peanut butter

n beans n hummus or bean dip

n handful of nuts n hardboiled eggs

n string cheese n low-fat w-fatt yogurt

n lo low-fa w-fat or skim milk

n un-processed cheese

n low-fa w-fat cottage cheese

n orange segments n grape clusters

n diced melon n fruit cup in 100% juice

n bell pepper slices

applesauce raisins, apricots or apples pples n berries

add

1 Serving of Low-fat Dairy

= 1 Balanced Lunch Box

NUTRITION EDUCATION

with

495 West North St. Owatonna, MN 55060 Owa

071318_KidsKonnectAd3_75x4_9_3014

A well-known poet named William Wordsworth once wrote, “Let nature be your teacher.” We spend a lot more time indoors than people did when Wordsworth wrote that line in 1798, but his advice is still good. There is so much we can learn just by stepping outside and taking a moment to breathe in the fresh air, walk under the trees, and watch animals go about their lives.

Kids Konnect • September/October 2021 • 3

Back to School! It’s that time of year again. The time when we gather our school supplies, buy some new clothes, and maybe even get excited for what is to come. That’s right: it’s backto-school time! Each year, as the summer months come to an end, children around the country get prepared to head back to the classrooms of their local school. Have you ever wondered what going to school was like in the past? I’m sure we’ve all heard the stories of our grandparents who had to walk to school “uphill, both ways!” But what was school really like back then? What kinds of lessons were taught? What was expected of students? What did schools even look like? Let’s have a look, shall we? For much of the past, education was very different from what we experience today. Rural areas around our county did not have large, consolidated schools, relying more on one-room school buildings until the middle of the 20th century. These are exactly what they sound like: schoolhouses that consisted of a single

room (and an outhouse!). One-room schools were typically built on a small corner of a farmer’s land, who graciously donated it for the school’s use. Upwards of 15-20 or more students of all ages would come from the surrounding areas to study in these schools, and were all taught by a single teacher. Teachers in these days had the difficult task of instructing multiple age groups simultaneously, all in what we would now consider to be nearly impossible circumstances.

differed greatly from today’s schedules, with students and teachers both being given chores throughout the day. These chores would range from getting water from the nearby river or well, cleaning the floors, wiping down the chalkboard, or even stoking the stove to keep the schoolhouse warm on cold winter days. These schools not only taught students the fundamentals that we learn today, but also learned a number of valuable life skills that were pertinent to their lives. This could even be something as simple as some rural schools teaching children to identify animal tracks and information related to the flora and fauna of their area. How do these experiences sound to you? Would you have liked to have gone to a one-room school in the past? Think about what differences you can imagine between schools now and in the past. There are a lot of similarities but also many differences!

The daily routines in these schools also

Keeping your students healthy Child and Teen Checkups available to children from birth through age 20 who are covered by Minnesota state health plans such as:

STEELE COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH 507-444-7650 Call if you need help with transportation, interpreters or making an appointment with a doctor or a dentist.

• Medical Assistance • South Country Health Alliance

Lindsey McGurran

Realtor

Berkshire Hathaway Advantage Real Estate

507-456-0474

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If you’re interested in learning more about the history of schools in our area, come out to the Steele County Historical Society’s History Center where we currently have two exhibits on local schools on display through the end of 2021. Country Schools: Beating Heart of a Rural Community delves into the history of rural schools in and around Steele County, and Parochial Schools: A Fulfilling Educational Experience focuses on the religious schools that have been a part of local education for more than a century. Come out and learn about the institutions and educators that have shaped young minds in Steele County for decades and learn what life was like for students and teachers alike in the past.

The History of Lighting Lighting has changed a lot through the years! Look at this timeline:

1800 Candle

Medford Consolidated School Buses, c. 1935 Photo courtesy of the Steele County Historical Society

1810 1879 1976 Oil Gas Lamp Incandescent Bulb CFL Bulb

2006 LED Bulb

Not only have the shapes changed, but the bulbs are more efﬁcient and last longer, saving energy AND money! 1,000 Hours – Incandescent Bulbs 10,000 Hours – CFL Bulbs

25,000 Hours – LED Bulbs 0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

Would you like your family to switch to LED bulbs? Owatonna Public Utilities can help with our rebate!

ENERGY STAR® LED BULB & FIXTURE REBATE: 50% of bulb, ﬁxture, or package cost (not to exceed $7 per bulb and $20 per ﬁxture)

Go to owatonnautilities.com to download a Lighting Rebate Application and make saving energy and money a part of your family’s future! Owatonna Public Utilities circa 1925

Kids Konnect • September/October 2021 • 5

Books for Back-to-School

Time for School, Little Blue Truck

The School Book

by Alice Schertle

by Todd Parr

Owatonna Public Library

Choo-Choo School

We Will Rock our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins

Uni Goes to School

Clash

by Kayla Miller (A Click Graphic Novel #4)

1.Click 2. Camp 3. Act

Truly Tyler

1. Invisible Emmie 2. Positively Izzy 3. Just Jaime 4. Becoming Brianna 6 • September/October 2021 • Kids Konnect

20/20 VISION AND MORE

By Dr. Beth Gilthvedt, optometrist, Horizon EyeCare Professionals Your vision is more than just being able to read the small, 20/20 line, on an eye chart! Having 20/20 vision does not mean that you have ‘perfect’ vision. 20/20 vision means that, from 20 feet away, you can easily read letters, numbers, or see pictures that are 8.75 mm, or little less than 1/3 of an inch tall. The larger letters on an eye chart test for worse vision. If your vision measures 20/30 or 20/100 it means that you need to be at 20 feet to see what a person with 20/20 vision can see at 30 feet, or at 100 feet. It is possible to have 20/15 vision, or ‘better than’ 20/20 vision. This means that you can see at 20 feet that someone with 20/20 vision would have to be 15 feet away to see clearly. Even if your vision is 20/20, other vision skills give you your ability to see and know what you see. These include eye teaming, focusing, depth perception, side vision awareness, color vision, the ability to see moving objects, and seeing dim objects. Your brain is part of your visual system for you to understand what you see. Your eye health also affects your vision. Your eyes and vision change as you grow and experience new visual demands. Many school demands are visual. 80% of learning comes through your vision. You need to have the best possible vision to do your best work. Looking at a screen on your tablet, computer or phone can tire your eyes. Glasses can reduce eye fatigue even for those with 20/20 vision. When your eyes are more comfortable you may read and study better. Blue light

from screens may lead to poor quality sleep. Blue light filtering lenses can help you enjoy better sleep. Sleep can also be improved if you avoid looking at screens for two to three hours before bed. You want to see clearly and learn well. Annual eye exams are very important to detect and help poor vision, poor focusing or eye teaming, eye health problem, and other factors that stress your visual system. While many things have changed over the past 18 months, vision and eye health continue to be important. At your

annual eye exam, you can learn about your eyes and the latest solutions to your vision needs. Horizon Eyecare Professionals is a member of Vision Source, a network of independent eye doctors. The doctors and staff at Horizon EyeCare have access to the knowledge and resources of more than 3,300 locally owned practices and are dedicated to maintaining the special relationship between you and your family eye doctor. Decisions regarding your care are made by you and your Vision Source eye doctor based solely upon what is best for your eye health and vision. For more information go to www.visionsource.com or www.eyecareowatonna.com

See What You Love, Love How You See!

Professional eye care services and products for all your vision needs.

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which comprise roughly 20 percent of the United States population, are vaccinated, families are still looking for safe ways for young people to enjoy everyday activities, which include gatherings and holidays like Halloween. Much like last year, when vaccines were not yet available, young trick-or-treaters will have to take precautions.

(Metro) Jack-o’-lanterns are lit on front porches, neighborhood streets are blanketed in colorful leaves, mulled apple cider is simmering on the stove, and children are putting the finishing touches on costumes and trick-or-treating routes. It’s Halloween season once again, but with COVID-19 still a part of life in 2021, how can children who are not yet vaccinated safely enjoy Halloween? Although fewer children than adults have been infected with COVID-19, children can become infected with the virus and become sick. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that children also can unwittingly spread it to others. As of August 2021, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was the only vaccine given emergency use authorization for children ages 12 and up. Moderna was still waiting for such authorization,

having applied for it in June 2021. Both pharmaceutical companies launched trials of their vaccines for kids under 12 in March, and results regarding EUA were expected in the fall. Johnson & Johnson plans to initiate its first study of its COVID-19 vaccine for adolescents ages 12 to 17 in the fall, according to Macaya Douoguih, the head of clinical development and medical affairs for Janssen Vaccines and Prevention B.V. Considering only a fraction of children,

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• Mask-wearing protocols were lifted in much of the country or considered voluntary by early summer. However, unvaccinated individuals should still think carefully about donning a mask. This is particularly true when indoors in public or in outdoor areas with crowds and in areas of potentially high transmission. • Do much of your celebrating outdoors, as transmission of any virus is largely mitigated by being outside with more space between people and lots of fresh air flowing. Skip indoor parties and stick to trick-or-treating only. • Reduce the spread of germs by placing individually wrapped treats on a table for trick-or-treaters to grab themselves. Contact by directly handing candy to children could needlessly increase the risk of transmission. • Make a paper or fabric mask part of the costume, ensuring it covers the nose and mouth. • Avoid participation in trunk-or-treats, where candy is handed out from trunks in parking lots. These events force crowds to congregate in small areas. • Consider a reverse Halloween setup wherein costumed children stand in their own yards and neighborhood participants drive around tossing candy to them on the lawn.

408 N. Cedar Avenue Owatonna, MN

507-451-2051

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COVID-19 vaccines have returned some semblance of normalcy to millions of people’s lives. However, unvaccinated children still need to be on guard as they navigate events such as Halloween.

S TE AM + +

S cienceTechnology Technology Engineering Engineer ing Ar t s MMathematics athematic s Science Arts

STEAM’in WITH “Dr. M” School’s starting up, but learning never stops! , PhD Thomas Meagher na (known to Owaton ”) is the students as “Dr. M or for the STEAM Coordinat School District. Owatonna Public

As we start school this year let’s explore what STEAM means and how it’s a way of learning in our lives that we can rely on to solve any problems we may face.

Send us your pictures of STEAM creations, experiments, inventions and observations and we’ll publish the best ones in the next issue. Be sure to include your Kids Konnect magazine in the photo. Kids Konnect • September/October 2021 • 9

STEAM + +

SCIENCE

S cien ce Te c h n o l o gy En gi n e e r i n g Ar ts M ath e m ati c s

In school it seems like whenever we are doing science there’s a lot of weird vocabulary words we have to learn, weird facts to memorize and exciting experiments to do. However, science is a lot more than those things, it’s about how to take careful notice of what’s happening around us and be able to explain what we see, hear, touch, taste or smell. When we use our senses to explore the world around us, those experiences we call observations. When we observe something we are looking carefully and taking note of as many details as we can. The more details we study, the more accurate our understanding of the phenomena that is happening. For example, we can look at a bird in the wild and quickly realize it’s a bird because it’s flying around a flower in the garden. But if we watch the

10 • September/October 2021 • Kids Konnect

(Hummingbird moth, an insect!)

(Female Ruby Throated Hummingbird) bird more carefully, we’ll notice that it’s flying in multiple directions, up, down, side to side and forward and back. This may mean that the bird is a Hummingbird, because they’re the only birds that can fly that way. But if we get closer, looking at more details of the critter that’s flying around the flowers you may see that this “bird” is actually a moth that looks so much like a bird it can fool almost anything that is trying to catch it!

and use evidence to support their ideas of how things work. Today we know this as The Scientific Method, and is used around the world to find answers to any question we set our minds to figuring out!

Here’s a challenge, what can you observe by looking at this picture? Look for details and write down all the things happening in this photograph:

Careful observation is important for studying something scientifically, if we record our observations, like drawing what we see, recording how often something happens, drawing a diagram and labeling all the parts this will lead to the next essential part of science, Asking Questions! This is when the science experiments come in, when we ask questions we look for answers, doing research leads to learning more things we ever thought possible. This way of learning has been taught for over 500 years, first used by Sir Francis Bacon and taught to his students as a way to study the world Kids Konnect • September/October 2021 • 11

STEAM + +

TECHNOLOGY

S cien ce Te c h n o l o gy En gi n e e r i n g Ar ts M ath e m ati c s

A definition of technology can be difficult to put into words. In today’s world when people talk about technology, they may talk about the new mobile phone they bought or home computer, they might talk about the new “gadgets” in their cars or new “smart” toys that are being sold. But technology is more than fancy new electrical devices, a pencil for example is actually a very complex tool for use in writing. They’re so common and have been around so long that we take them for granted as always being there when we need them. Same goes for a paint brush, paper, eraser or even clothes! These are all tools we use everyday to communicate with others. So what is technology? These are the tools we use to explore, investigate, or simply need to live. Everything we own or use is some form of technology that we use to solve every kind of problem or challenge we encounter in everyday life. Take shoes for example, they aren’t only to “look good” when you go to school, they’re important for you to walk in, 12 • September/October 2021 • Kids Konnect

One solution to throwing technology in the trash is learning how to fix things using simple tools and your problem solving skills. It’s important you know some science with today’s technology, especially knowledge of electrical circuits and energy.

run in and get to anywhere you go. Having shoes used to be a symbol of wealth many years ago, can you imagine what life would be like if you had to go to school without shoes? What about not having a pencil or paper? What if you didn’t have a coat when it began to get cold during the fall and you had to go outside for phy ed? Using a fork, spoon or chopsticks to eat protects you from eating with dirty hands, which is also true for plates and dishes. Imagine trying to eat breakfast in the morning, how could you eat cereal and milk without a bowl? The bowl is one of the oldest forms of technology ever created by human beings and it’s important around the world for thousands of years.

As society progressive over time, we discover new ways to solve everyday problems and challenges with newer and more complex technology everyday. The important thing we need to do is figure out what to do with the old technologies we don’t use or need anymore. Throwing things in the trash is not the best solution to that problem. What should we do with old TVs, computers, mobile phones, etc?

What would you do if you dropped your new mobile phone in water and it stopped working? How would you solve the problem of getting your phone working again?

Kids Konnect • September/October 2021 • 13

STEAM + +

ENGINEERING

S cien ce Te c h n o l o gy En gi n e e r i n g Ar ts M ath e m ati c s

How can we use science and technology to figure out solutions to everyday challenges? Engineering relies on using scientific knowledge with technology to solve problems. If we spend a lot of time trying to guess the answer to a problem or hoping someone else will fix something for us, it might be too late when it gets done. This is where thinking like an engineer can be one of the best ways to solve problems in life. Take the technology problem in the previous section as an example of fixing something that may be broken.

When cell phones were designed one thing engineers needed to solve was how to make a case that would protect the electronics inside from being damaged by water, or dropping.

Engineers use the following diagram a way to fix things or prevent problems from happening.

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So what to do to prevent damage to technology when being carried around outside in a person’s hand or pocket? To solve the problem we need to start just like a scientist by asking questions like, how far would a phone fall if dropped by while standing on a road, on a deck, over a bridge or near a cliff? What happens when electrical circuits get wet? Can a plastic case be made to prevent water from getting inside? What material should a phone be made of so it doesn’t break when dropped? These are all design problems that arose after the idea that a phone could be portable and carried by

a person. Years ago phones were connected by wires in a house or building so people weren’t worried about dropping a phone since it sat on a table or hung from a wall. Before that the problem was how can people communicate over long distances at high speed? Before that the problem was how can people communicate over long distances? See the pathway, as new questions are made, new challenges are seen and people need to engineer new solutions?

So back to the phone in the water issue from before. How can water be removed from inside the cell phone? What technology is damaged from a phone dropping? What can we do to protect a phone from dropping into water?

Kids Konnect • September/October 2021 • 15

ART

STEAM + +

S cien ce Te c h n o l o gy En gi n e e r i n g Ar ts M ath e m ati c s

Art is also a way to think and learn in the world. In school we spend a lot of time in art, it’s not just during art time that we’re using creativity and our imagination. It’s how we share these two parts of our minds with others that we can call what we create “art”.

We often try to communicate with others through talking or writing, but how we talk, write, move, build or construct that expresses what we are thinking, feeling or experiencing. It’s when we do these things that we are engaged in “art”. Art isn’t only what we can make, it’s the purpose

16 • September/October 2021 • Kids Konnect

behind whey we create the images, painting, cultures, photographs, etc. Art is also a way of learning and thinking and sharing with the world. Sometimes it’s difficult to understand what art is until we do it. That’s why artists often choose

(Fish made with auto parts) a way to expressing their thoughts, ideas or feelings. This is called their “Medium”, for example an artist may choose painting on paper, canvas or metal as a way of creating what they are observing in the world around them or inside their minds. Another medium may be sculpture with clay, wood or metal. People can create practical things like pottery or emotional things like images of people and what’s happening in their lives. Another artist may use photographs to show what they see,

(Rabbit made with plastic pieces) while another uses video to tell a story or share an idea. Art is the perfect way of combining scientific skills such as observation, with technology and angina to solve a problem the artist sees in the world, but communicates in a way to is beautiful or emotional moving. For example these sculpture are made from trash. The artists wanted to reduce pollution and provide beautiful pieces of art with the trash other had thrown away.

(Captain Jack Sparrow made with metal rash)

We are doing art when we produce music, dance, compete in sports, perform in plays, musicals or tell stories. If you think about it, art is a way we can express our thoughts and feelings using our creativity and imagination. If we put all our effort into being creative, and using our imagination, there can be no challenge, obstacle or problem that we can’t figure out how to solve!

(Tree made with painted broken glass) Kids Konnect • September/October 2021 • 17

STEAM + +

MATHEMATICS

S cien ce Te c h n o l o gy En gi n e e r i n g Ar ts M ath e m ati c s

How can we tell if our solutions really work? How can we measure what we observe? Math is about precision and patterns in life, putting numbers and values to what we see, hear or observe is the most accurate way to live our lives. For example, let’s say we see a whale in the ocean near a boat we happen to be sitting in on a beautiful summer day before school starts. Someone asks, “How big is that whale out there?” Since we are starting school we need to use our STEAM skills to answer a question like that, or we can simply say, “It’s big, really, really, big!” If we say this and end there does that really answer the question? Since we learn through STEAM and mathematics is the way we can figure out whether our answer is correct or not, we need to explore our scientific knowledge, use some technology, engineer a solution to the problem and creatively answer the question. Let’s begin first with identification of the whale species, this is our science we studied in school. The whale has large front fins and loves to breach out of the water, which means it’s probably a Humpback Whale. We were able to see it closer by using the technology of a pair of binoculars that can allows us to see things very far away as if they’re up close. The next thing we need to figure out is how to measure from a long 18 • September/October 2021 • Kids Konnect

distance, this means we’ll need to use ratios and comparisons of the whale to other object we know the length, so we need to observe the whales in way that allows us to determine its size relative to another ship, boat or object on land. This is an engineering problem, how to move to a place where we can see the whale next to another object. Mathematically, we are measuring using ratios and distance for

accuracy and details. When the whale breaches again (jumps out of the water) we move to a place where you can see it’s near another ship that we know is 100 ft long. The whale appears to be about half the length of the ship, which means it’s about 50 feet long. The problem though is that things that are farther away appear smaller than they really are. So what should we do? Let’s go back to science and engineering, we need more measurements for better accuracy, so we need to watch for the whale to breach 2-3 more times and compare our ratio estimate several times. The average of these estimates is the most accurate answer. So after 4 sightings of the breaching whale we estimated the whale’s length to be the following data: Sighting 1 - 50 ft Sighting 2 - 40 ft Sighting 3 - 60 ft Sighting 4 - 40 ft

Average = Sightings 1-4 added together and then divided by 4, which means 190 ft /4 sightings = 47.5 ft long. To answer the person who asked the question we need to use our creativity and politely say, “Excuse me, I’ve watched that Humpback whale breach four times near a 100 ft ship and I estimate it’s length to be about 47ft long. Which compared to this little boat, it’s really, really big!)

Kids Konnect • September/October 2021 • 19

Back to school checklist:

Start the school year healthy and strong By Teri Nordin, M.D., Family Medicine, Mayo Clinic Health System

The first few days of a new school year are exciting and, occasionally, nervewracking. As you and your family start this school year, take some time to focus on your kids’ health and well-being. Nordin

Most kids should have an appointment every year from age 3 to 21. Once your children are of school age, some refer to the well-child visit as a school physical.

Tackling current health issues or concerns now and working to prevent new issues from taking you by surprise will help your children adjust to and succeed throughout the entire school year.

Be prepared to discuss any concerns you or your children have about eating habits, sleeping, developmental milestones, anxiety, digestion or overall physical growth.

Use this checklist to guide you through addressing your kids’ most important health needs: ✔ Schedule well-child visits If you haven’t already, schedule well-child visits for your children with their provider.

Bring a list of questions to make the most of your children’s appointments and ensure you have all the support you need to advocate for your children’s overall health and well-being.

✔ Update vaccines Review your school’s requirements and talk with your health care provider to ensure that your children’s vaccines are up to date. Children can now be vaccinated for HPV at age 11, and the measles, mumps and rubella and chickenpox vaccines have been combined into one immunization.

Also, ask about the COVID-19 vaccines that have received emergency use authorization for children 12 and older. Your children’s health care provider can administer necessary vaccines during the appointment. ✔ Schedule an eye exam Vision checks are performed during routine well-child visits with a primary care provider, usually between 6 months and 1 year old, again between 3 and 4 years old, and at regular intervals thereafter. Schedule an appointment with an optometrist or other eye health professional if your children appear to be squinting their eyes, can’t read signs or identify shapes from a distance or tend to bring books or screens very close to their faces. These could be signs of a vision problem. ✔ Schedule a dental appointment Regular dental exams are an important

Care when your family needs it. Whether your child needs acute care, a regular check-up or specialized treatment for a health condition, Mayo Clinic Health System provides expert care to keep your whole family healthy. Mayo Clinic Health System in Owatonna has convenient and safe care options available, including virtual or in-person appointments. Call 507-451-1120 to schedule an appointment. mayoclinichealthsystem.org

20 • September/October 2021 • Kids Konnect

part of preventive health care for people of all ages. Dental specialists say kids should brush their teeth, gums and tongue for two minutes twice a day and visit a dentist twice a year. ✔ Promote good sleep habits Getting enough sleep is important for children’s overall well-being, and ability to learn, play and socialize. If kids get regular exercise during the day and turn off electronic devices at least an hour before bedtime, they’ll likely get a better night’s rest. ✔ Talk about anxiety Getting ready for a new school year can cause anxiety for some children, especially for those starting in a new school or transitioning from virtual to in-person classes this fall. You can help by reassuring your children that anxious feelings are normal and encouraging them to talk about what causes those feelings. When kids think about or practice doing the things that make them anxious, they can learn to better cope with their feelings. If anxiety is interfering with daily activities, it’s time to talk with your children’s health care provider. ✔ Brush up on hand-washing A lot of kids together equals a lot of germs. The best way to prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses is by washing your hands. It can be easy for kids to forget when to wash their hands and to do so using the right technique. Help your kids clean up their hand-washing skills by practicing as school starts. Scrub hands together for 20 seconds using soap and warm water. Sing the “ABCs” song twice to be sure you scrub long enough. ✔ Wash or buy face masks The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that all teachers, staff, students and visitors in schools wear a mask indoors, regardless of vaccination status. As you start this school year, wash your current supply of cloth face masks or consider buying a few new options for your kids.

image: Freepik.com

Relax. It’s Main Street Dental We want you and your family to see what comfortable, neighborly dental care is all about. Main Street Dental Clinics are locally owned and operated Blooming Prairie

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mainstreetdentalclinics.com Kids Konnect • September/October 2021 • 21

color me!

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Serving all of Southern Minnesota endreswc.com • 507-WE-CLEAN • 507-932-5326 22 • September/October 2021 • Kids Konnect

FIND THE WORDS IN THE PUZZLE Words can go in any direction. Words can share letters as they cross over each other.

ACUITY BRAIN COLOR See What You Love, Love How You See!

EYE EXAM EYES FOCUS

GLASSES HEALTH LENSES

SIGHT TEAMING VISION

Professional eye care services and products for all your vision needs. 2560 Harvest Ln NW, Owatonna Kids Konnect • September/October 2021 • 23

Help the firefighter find his way to the Fire Station.

OCTOB ER IS PREVEFIRE N MONTTION H

MBER REME ECK TO CH OKE SM YOUR TORS E T DE C

image: Freepik.com

HAVE A FAM ILY PLAN ON WH AT TO DO IN CAS OF A F E IRE. WILL Y WHERE OU AL L MEET OUTSID E?

Serving Owatonna with Life-Long Family & Cosmetic Dentistry 605 Hillcrest Ave. Ste 230, Owatonna (507) 451-7250 www.hollandfamilydental.com 24 • September/October 2021 • Kids Konnect

y B r e t t u Fl s k n a r F

\Total Time Prep/Total Time: 30 min. Makes 4 servings

, fun k c i u q s i Try th ner! n i d y s a and e

Ingredients 1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls 4 hot dogs Directions Unroll crescent dough and separate into eight triangles; cut each triangle in half. Roll each piece into a ball; flatten to 1/2-in. thickness. For wings, place four dough balls in a square shape 2 in. apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Cut each hot dog lengthwise to within 3 in. of the opposite end. Press a hot dog between each set of wings. Bake at 375° for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown. Place drops of ketchup and mustard below cut edge of hot dog for eyes and mouth. Nutrition Facts 1 each: 370 calories, 26g fat (9g saturated fat), 25mg cholesterol, 907mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 0 fiber), 9g protein. Source: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/flutter-by-franks/

Mom packed my lunch from FAREWAY! NOT. TRADING. ANYTHING!

“Yum!”

“Thanks, Mom!”

“So good!”

Store (507) 451-1550 • Market (507) 451-0071 Mon - Sat 8:00AM to 9:00PM

Kids Konnect • September/October 2021 • 25

Missing Vowels

The vowels are miss famous quote about kindness. Can you replace

Ask a family member for each kind of word to fill in the blanks. Then read the story aloud for lots of laughs!

On the first ___________ of school, I made a new friend. We have a lot of _________ in common!

ACK HOW TOSCHOOL BINGO BACK ATO SCHOOL BINGO TOSCHOOL PLAY BACK A Make-New-Friends Make-New-Friends Game TO BINGO: Game

—Franklin D. Roosevelt

32nd President of the United States

Birthday: Favorite subject:Where I was born:Birthday: 1. Make copies of the BackFavorite ice cream:

Initial:

to School Bingo Game and pass them out among a group of kids around your age. These could be classmates, teammates, Initial: members of a club or even kids who live near you.

Favorite team:

Initial:

Favorite book:Favorite color: Favorite movie:Favorite team:

2. Each kid completes the information in each square. When you finish this, the Bingo Cards will have a lot of information Initial: all about each of YOU!

Dogs or cats?

Initial:

Place you want toPencils visit: or pens? Something you’re good Dogsat:or cats?

3. Share your cards with other kids and spot kids with similar answers.

Initial:

4. When you spot a match, Initial: put your initials on each other’s cards.

Initial:

Favorite ice cream:

FAVORITE SUBJECT Initial: Initial: FAMOUS S F I G A M E N S D Favorite movie: ADMIREFavorite book: I M D A K R E F G S SHARE S N O A B I N G O P VISIT MOVIE U M E D V E I O B E BINGO Initial: B O N PInitial:I O B O G T GAME A Hat: S Rre good R S Eyou’ J V F Something PENSPlace you want to visit: E I F R I N I I E N BORN C E D S T E A M T N PETS TEAM T F A M O U S O W E BOOKInitial: Initial: Standards Link: Letter sequencing. Recognize identical DOGS words. Skim and scan reading. Recall spelling patterns.

Famous person you admire? Number of pets youFavorite have: snack: FavoriteFamous game: person you admire? Number of pets you have: 5. How many matches can you find?

Initial:

Favorite game:

We both love to eat

32nd President

__________ ___________ for lunch almost every day. And we both carry our lunch

FAVORITE in identical ___________ . SUBJECT FAMOUS S F I G A M ADMIRE My friend is the only G F E R I S person SHARE I’ve met who enjoys S N O A B I VISIT MOVIE M E D V E U watching “The __________ BINGO O N P I O B more __________ Show” GAME J V F R S E PENS than I do! We also like a lot E I F R I N BORN of the same music, and our C E D S T E PETS favorite sport is competitive TEAM T F A M O U BOOK ____________ racing. Standards Link: Letter sequenci DOGS words. Skim and scan reading. R Yesterday, I forgot to bring my ___________ to school.

Initial:

nd Soren have a lot in common. Circle the things the SAME about Sofia and Soren. I’m Sofia. These are just some of the things I enjoy.

Where I was born:

—Franklin D. R

I’m Soren. These are some of my favorite things.

Initial:

Same or Different? Same or Differe Cut out two photographs from the newspaper. Cut out two photographs from th Initial:

Initial:

each photo. Make a list of ways the Sofia and Soren have a lot inStudy common. Circle the things that are the SAME about Sofia and Soren. photos are the same. Then make a list of ways

All About Me

Look through the newspaper for pictures and words that describe you and things you like and cut them out. For example, if you see a picture of a taco, and that is a food you like, cut out the picture. Glue the pictures and words on a piece of paper and title it, “All About Me!” Standards Link: Use a variety of media for art projects.

26 • September/October 2021 • Kids Konnect

they are different.I’m Soren.

All About Me

Theseand arecompareLook Standards Link: Observe using through detail. the

newspaper for pictures and words that describe you and things you like and cut them out. For example, if you see a picture of a taco, and that is a food you like, cut out the picture. Glue the pictures What makes a best andfriend? words on a piece of paperthat and title it, Write about the things “All About Me!” some of my favorite things.

Best Friend

make a best friendStandards so special. Link: Use a variety of media for art projects.

Guess who had an extra

one? That’s right, my new

friend! So I was able to Study each photo. Make a list of photos are_________ the same.book Then make finish the they are different. report I’d been working on.

Standards Link: Observe and compare using

Children are born curious. From their earliest days, sensory exploration brings delight and wonder. New discoveries expand their minds. When they unlock the joy of reading, their world widens further. Magic happens. Kid Scoop opens the doors of discovery for elementary school children by providing interactive, engaging and relevant a best frie What makes age-appropriate materials designed to awaken theWrite magic of reading at school,the things about at home, and throughout their lives.

Best Frien

best friend For moremake informationa about our literacy non-profit, visit kidscoopnews.org

so sp

No. 38

TheEditor vowels missing fromVol. this Missing©Vowels 2021 by Vicki Whiting, Jeffare Schinkel, Graphics 37, No. 39 famous quote about kindness. Can you replace them all?

word ory

Draw lines to connect each riddle with its punch line. Then share these jokes with friends to spread some smiles! Ask a family member for each kind of word to fill in the blanks. Then read the story aloud for lots of laughs! IT OVER-SWEPT.

On the first ___________ of

nd.

school, I made a new friend. How many pencils can you find on this page?

We have a lot of _________ in common!

—Franklin D. Roosevelt

32nd President of the United States

We both love to eat

__________ ___________

ay.

for lunch almost every day.

nch

:ot

FAVORITE SUBJECT Your body needs some Breakfast helps you FAMOUS N S – G A M toErecharge D stay energized and S F I downtime ADMIRE about 10 hours of sleep focused at school. A bowl D 12A K I M7 to R ages E kids SHAREor a breakfastS G F for of oatmeal every night. burrito keeps your brain G O P N I B A O N S VISIT running at full speed until MOVIE U M E D V E I O B E lunchtime. BINGO B O N P I O B O G T GAME J V F R S E R A H S PENS Starting your day E I F R I N I I E N BORN rushing to get to C E D S T E A M T N PETSclass makes it hard to focus once you TEAM O U S O W E T F A SM how your sc are there. Leave BOOK to a p arent eachoolwork home a little bit h eve identical Link:sLetter Recognize o thesequencing. ing y knoRecall DOGS earlier instead.Standards words. Skim and scan reading. w hospellingnpatterns.

ng ach morning easier gol.out your clothes t before. a

w you’re d They’ll boing in school. e when yo able to see help, too u need extra .

Ask a parent how they go about organizing their day.

Same or Different? Cut out two photographs from the newspaper.

e keeps blood Spend time doing non-electronic Study each photo.things. Make a list ofpuzzles, ways the to your brain. Read, solve or draw. fun, too! photos are the same. TheseThen thingsmake use parts of the a list ofbrain ways ok they are different.that electronics do not. on. e Standards Link: Observe and compare using detail.

s ndpurpose can on dation act of ple reriesyou to feel ad k the eement. a her. nd ke, room ery e. better. ding nsition to !ce t,ol, s. find you Now have a acy riety gdifferences? .

Best Friend

Have a laugh with your new friends! Select a headline from What makes a bestthe friend? newspaper and rewrite it to have the Write about the things that opposite meaning. make a best friend so special. Standards Link: Read from a variety of texts.

Choose an article in this newspaper. Cut out the headline and glue it in the box below. Or write the headline in the box.

THEY HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS. QUIET PEAS. FOR TOCKING TOO MUCH. SPELLING BEE.

And we both carry our lunch

TRANSITION in identical ___________ . HAPPINESS HAPPIER N H A P P I N E S S SADNESS My friend is the onlyOperson N A G E T A B G J SUMMER I’ve met who enjoys O O D P W E A R N O NORMAL SCHOOL S L E E P I L A Z Y watching “The __________ SMILE R A N S I T I O N __________ Show”Tmore SLEEP R E M M U S E N M G BRAIN than I do! We also like a lot Y D O B R H T R S S MOOD of the same music, and our S O S C H O O L L E LAZY favorite sport is competitive BODY D E I S S E N D A S WEAR ____________ racing. Standards Link: Letter sequencing. Recognize identical JOY words. Skim and scan reading. Recall spelling patterns.

WHO gave the reporter some information? List the names of the people and organizations in the article that provided the reporter with information.

What questions did the reporter ask to get this information? Write down at least three questions you think the reporter asked to get the information in the article.

Yesterday, I forgot to bring my ___________ to school. Guess who had an extra Education Changes Things! one? That’s right, my new

Look through the newspaper for a science related that have been considered friend!article So I was ablemight to science fiction 50 years ago. How has finish the _________ book kinds of scientific education helped these advancements? report I’d been working on. Standards Link: Language Arts: Read scientific articles.

Children are born curious. From their earliest days, sensory exploration brings delight and wonder. New discoveries expand their minds. When they unlock the joy of reading, their world widens further. Magic happens. Kid Scoop opens the doors of discovery for elementary children byyou providing Whatschool would do if you found $5 interactive, engaging and relevant age-appropriate materials designed to What would you on the playground? awaken the magic of reading at school, else would do if they athope home, andsomeone throughout their lives. For more information about our$5 literacy found you had lost? non-profit, visit kidscoopnews.org

Found Money

Children are born curious. From their earliest days, sensory exploration brings delight and wonder. New discoveries expand their minds. When they unlock the joy of reading, their world widens further. Magic happens. Kid Scoop opens the doors of discovery for elementary school children by providing interactive, engaging and relevant age-appropriate materials designed to awaken the magic of reading at school, at home, and throughout their lives. For more information about our literacy non-profit, visit kidscoopnews.org

Kids Konnect • September/October 2021 • 27

“We feel blessed to have students back in school! Our year is off to a great start. We love welcoming new families and connecting with existing families. We pray for a healthy and safe year as we learn and develop in mind, body, and spirit.” - Jen Swanson, Principal of St. Mary’s School

28 • September/October 2021 • Kids Konnect

Exciting Events Sept 15-17th 7th grade trip to Eagle Bluff Oct 8th 14th Annual SMS Marathon Oct 20th Grandparents Day! Contact us to set up a tour!

730. S Cedar Ave|Owatonna www.stmarys-owatonna.org 507-446-2300 admissions@stmarys-owatonna.org Kids Konnect • September/October 2021 • 29

Health Services

To enable the school to give your child proper health care, the school nurse’s office welcomes any health communications or questions related to the health of your child. A licensed practical nurse is in the school nurse’s office from 7:45 until 2:45 each school day.

COVID-19 If you are feeling sick, stay home. Symptoms of COVID-19 can include fever, cough,shortness of breath, chills, headache,muscle pain, sore throat, fatigue,congestion, or loss of taste or smell. Other less common symptoms include gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea,vomiting, or diarrhea. These symptoms may appear 2-14 days after you are exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19. Not everyone with COVID-19 has all of these symptoms, and some people may not have any symptoms. Talk to your health care provider if you have questions or concerns about symptoms. Refer to the Decision Tree for People with COVID-19 Symptoms,found on the Minnesota Department of Health’s website.

Should your child stay home from school? Here are some guidelines to help you make that decision: • If the student has a fever of 100 degrees or more, the student COVID-19 Basic Principles should stay home for 24 hours after • Sick students, teachers and staff the temperature returns to normal should not come to school. (without fever reducing medicine). • Enforce regular handwashing with • If the student has vomited or had soap and water for 20 seconds or diarrhea, the student should stay use hand sanitizer. home until 24 hours after the last • Disinfect & clean daily: schools and episode. highly used objects and surfaces • If the student has any rash that • Social distancing may be disease-related or the cause • Wear cloth face coverings as is unknown,check with the family recommended by MDH/MDE and physician before sending the your local leadership. student to school. • If the student is ill at home, please call the school attendance line daily to report the reason for the absence. It is helpful to report specific symptoms and/or diagnoses. 30 • September/October 2021 • Kids Konnect

Free Meals

Breakfast and lunch meals are free to all students through the end of the 2021-22 school year due to a waiver from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)allowing us to operate the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) during this time. Apply for Educational Benefits Even though breakfast and lunch meals are free to all students again this school year, we ask that all families continue to complete an Application for Educational Benefits to determine if your children are eligible for other benefits, such as reduced rates for activity fees and Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) benefits. These applications also help provide critical funding for educational interventions, school social workers and counselors, and instructional materials.

Visit isd761.org/district-services/ nutrition-services and click the “Application for Educational Benefits” tab on the left. Paper copies are available at the District Office. Applications may be submitted any time throughout the school year.

School Updates

Parents can choose to receive notifications via text message, phone call, email, and/or parent portal inbox messages regarding school closures due to weather or other school changes and updates. To help us contact households efficiently, be sure to update home, work and/ or cell phone information in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal, and verify that the appropriate boxes are checked to receive notifications. This will ensure that you automatically receive information about school announcements in a timely manner. Go to www.isd761.org and click on “Infinite Campus Portal.” Call 507-444-8698 if you have trouble accessing the portal.

Stay Connected!

Celebrate our students, our staff and our schools by following us on social media. If you like what you see, be sure to share it with others. Together, we are #OwatonnaProud!

@Owatonna761 Kids Konnect • September/October 2021 • 31

NAME:_______________________________

FIND THE AMBIGUITY

What two objects do you see? Keep your eyes peeled on this one! Clue: animals are seen in each of these. Source: KidsKonnnect.com

Answer: Duck, Squirrel

Answer: Bunny, Bird

Answer: Horse, Frog

4 Tips For Your Dental Hygiene Routine Let’s Smile, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization based in Steele County since 2013. Dental services are provided to children & adolescents with MA, SCHA, or no dental insurance at no cost to families. See us in the Community Pathways Building or at your school-based dental clinic!

Brush Your Teeth

Rinsing

OPTICAL ILLUSIONS WORKSHEETS

Clean Your Tongue Regularly 32 • September/October 2021 • Kids Konnect

Call/textKIDSKONNECT.COM 507-363-3023 to set up an appointment or email us at letssmile@outlook.com

Flossing