Indiana Kids
Summer 2013
Vol.1, Issue 4
Indiana Kids is a quarterly online magazine for kids, about kids and by kids (with a little help from their parents and Grandma.) This online magazine is a non-commercial family project of the Miller and Anderson families, founded to teach our own Indiana kids how to work together, how to interview people (which involves a lot of listening), how to interpret and write about what they’ve learned, and to introduce them to many other interesting Indiana Kids. We are also promoting the literary arts in Indiana by soliciting creative writing and artwork from kids around the state. Cover photo: Sydney Anderson at a watermelon eating contest, taken by Reilly Anderson Editor Reilly Kate Anderson, age 15 Staff Writers Sydney Anderson, age 10 Kennedy Miller, age 10 Ty Miller, age 8 Jax Miller, age 4 Guest Contributors in this issue Veronica Rhine, 16 Natalie Rhea, 13 Chief Toy and Game Tester Ty Miller, age 8 Craft Editor Beth Anderson, Mom Chief Photographers Ashley Miller, Mom Rob Anderson, Dad Reilly Anderson, Editor Publisher Susan Hoskins Miller, Grandma
Drawing by Sydney Anderson depicting the sun
Family
Pets By Sydney Anderson
I own an iPad and I also have 2 pet cats (Cocoa and Marshmallow), and I have a cat app. I learned about this app by watching a short video on another app. The app is called "Game for Cats". On the app you can choose between 3 things: a laser light, a mouse, or a butterfly. Then you tap on whatever you want and set the device in front of the cat. There are 2 versions of the app, one is free and comes with only the laser light. To add the mouse and the butterfly costs $1.99. The video also said your cats can hit the device hard but can't scratch the screen. My cats haven't ever scratched my screen to my iPad! I think this game should be rated AC, which means for all cats. If I was a cat I would totally want this game! Hope all your cats enjoy! Meow you later! Sent from my iPad
It's summer time and very hot outside. While your cooling at the pool, your pet is sitting in the hot sun! These are some tips I'm doing for my 2 pet cats and some other suggestions I prefer to tell you to keep your pets cool. Give your pets clean and cold water every day. Make sure your pet is not in the sun all day. If your pet stays outside, give them a shady area to lay in or let them come inside a little while. Once you do these simple little things, you can both be cool in the sun!
Meet a Homeschooled We were really curious to know what it was like for kids who are homeschooled. We all go to public schools in Greencastle and Noblesville, so we had lots of questions for homeschooled Indiana kid Veronica Rhine from Muncie.
Kennedy: Do you have friends? Veronica: Yes, I'm blessed with lots of amazing friends. Kennedy: Where do you meet them? Veronica: I met a lot of friends at a homeschool co-op that my mom organized when I was little. I've also made friends at outside classes and at church activities. I have a really good friend named Perrie who I met at a dance class. Reilly: Outside classes? Veronica: For Spanish, my brother and I drive to Anderson once a week to study with some other students. Our teacher is a native Spanish speaker, and the classes are held at her house. Biology is my other "outside" class. A friend and I are studying this together, and usually her mom teaches us lessons and gives us tests every Friday. Reilly and Kennedy: Have you ever been to regular school before? Veronica: No, I've never been to a "regular" school. It's nice most of the time, although it can be stressful when you have to teach yourself a lot of stuff. I usually start the day with my devotions, then move onto language subjects, which are mostly comprised of vocabulary flashcards, sign language practice, and reading. Then I move on to math, which is a computerized program that tracks what I know and what I still need to learn. Then I do homework for my outside classes which are Spanish, biology, and singing lessons. I like cooking, so I often make dinner for my family. We have three dogs, two of which are puppies, so throughout the day I take care of them, too.
Indiana Kid Reilly: Do you get a report card? Veronica: I've never gotten a report card and have always wanted to. Reilly: Do you have to take tests? What are they like? Veronica: Every family is different, though, and some are really into grading and tests. I take math assessment tests on the computer, and both Spanish and biology include tests. Ty and Sydney (who both have trouble getting up early): What time do you have to get up in the morning? Veronica: When I was younger I would sleep in more because Mom was homeschooling me and my brother and she needed her sleep too. Now I usually try to get up around 7:00.(Though I like sleeping in too!)
Ty: Do you get to relax? Veronica: I think one of the nice things about homeschooling is that you get to relax while you're doing school and that just makes it a lot more fun. Ty: Do you have recess? Veronica: When my brother and I were little, we did get to have a recess. Sydney: Do you get to wear your pajamas to school? Veronica: YES! Every homeschooler will admit to occasionally wearing their pajamas to school Veronica: I directed and made all the costumes for this version of Pirates of the
Caribbean which we acted out for the rest of our homeschool co-op. My friend Konner Koch was Captain Jack Sparrow, and my brother Andrew played Will. I spent many, many hours on this production, but I loved every minute of it. Interview with Veronica continued on next page.
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Muncie homeschoolers have a tradition of caroling at a local nursing home each December.
Sydney: Do you get fall break, spring break and Christmas break? Veronica: It's funny, when I was younger my mom didn't want me (or my brother) to know about spring break because then we would want to get that week off school. She actually kept us from finding out until we were about 10 and 12. Yes, we do get Christmas break. Sydney: What time do you go to school? Veronica: It varies a lot. I try to start school around 8:00-8:30. I have a friend who starts around 9:00-10:00. I have another friend who gets up with the sun and works until dinner time. I have several friends who do school off and on all day. Some people have almost all (or all) outside classes and spend lots of time going to those classes and doing homework. When we were little, we spent a lot of time going to museums, doing art projects, and just having lots of fun outside of the house. We played lots of games, too. We were in a co-op for many years and have lots of fun memories of classes we took then with our friends.
Jax goes to YMCA Summer Camp Jax Miller, 4, was interviewed by his sister, Kennedy, 10, about how he likes summer camp at the YMCA.
Kennedy: Why do you like the camps at the YMCA? Jax: It is so fun. Kennedy: Have you met any new friends? Jax: Yes Kennedy: What’s your favorite part of the day? Jax: Playing with friends Kennedy: Which camps have you attended? Jax: Preschool and sports camp Kennedy: Which camp has been your favorite? Jax: Basketball
Jax after camp wearing a shirt he made
My First By Reilly Anderson
My first concert was the highlight of my year by far. My first concert was a Justin Bieber concert!!!!!! Not only did I get to share the experience with my best friend but I also got to make a whole day out of it. At noon on July 10th we went and got manicures that were purple and on our thumbs we got the initials J and B. After the manicures we came home and did our makeup which included purple eyeshadow, mascara, and lipstick. Then came our hair. Leading up to the concert we were trying to decide what to do with our hair, and we stumbled upon a magazine with a picture of two Justin Bieber fans. In the picture they had put purple dye in their hair. That's what we did. We temporarily dyed our hair purple. Then it was time to go. We had to leave at 5:45 so that we could get there in enough time to find our seats, go to the bathroom, and get a little something to eat. By the time we had done all that it was 7:00. The concert was starting. We had heard that Carly Rae Jepson was the opening act but she wasn't. The opening acts, yes there were two, were Mike Posner and Hot Chelle Rae. They were great openers and they got the energy and excitement going.
Concert
Reilly Anderson, left, Kirsten Wishmeier, right and Flat Chuck
Then he came out. It was him!!! He was there right before our eyes. I couldn't do anything but scream when I realized that this was real. He sang all the songs off his new CD and a few off his older ones. When the concert was over we left with posters of him and could barely hear. The next day we could barely talk because of screaming so much. In conclusion I would go to another concert because the energy is great and they really put on a show. I would definitely go to another concert. Added bonus: We got on the news because we took our picture with Flat Chuck.
Top Summer Here are the top 10 songs to listen to this summer – or watch on youtube. Note to younger kids: watch out for some of the language. Enjoy! Cruise - Flordia Georgia Line ft. Nelly. (personal fav) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PvebsWcpto
Feel This Moment - Pitbull ft. Christina Aguilera http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jlI4uzZGjU
Cups - Anna Kendrick http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jlI4uzZGjU
Treasure - Bruno Mars http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPvuNsRccVw
Gentleman – PSY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASO_zypdnsQ
Reilly K. Anderson
Songs Wings - Little Mix http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOQDsmEqVt8
Can't Hold Us - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Ray Dalton http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zNSgSzhBfM
Troublemaker - Olly Murs ft. Flo Rida http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aQDOUbErNg
#thatpower - Will.i.am ft Justin Bieber http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGIgXP9SvB8
Mirrors - Justin Timberlake http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuZE_IRwLNI
Church Mission Trip By Natalie Rhea, 13
The Jr. and Sr. High School youth group at Hickman Heights Christian Church went on a mission trip to Chicago in early July. I went, along with 7 other people. We spent the morning at Urban Youth Outreach in Englewood, where we went on a prayer walk. It was interesting and yet sad that many kids there can't go to school if it's more than two blocks away due to rivaling gang territories. Innocent children may be shot.
In the afternoon and evening, we went to Pacific Garden Mission. It is a rescue for homeless people. We served dinner and cleaned up. Afterwards, we conducted a church service for about 300 people. I helped with the puppet shows and gave part of the sermon.
This trip really helped me realize that we have nice homes and many things that others don't have. I will try to remember that and be truly thankful for what I have.
Human Keyboard We think this is so cool, just like the song “Ebony and Ivory” by Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmALA8miQY8
Recycled Milk By: Kennedy Miller I wanted to do a recycling project so I decided to make a milk jug into a bird feeder. It was pretty simple and you don’t need a lot of supplies. Here is what you need: 1. Emptied and washed out milk jug 2. Scissors 3. Rope of some kind 4. Bird Food First you will cut out a big hole on the side of the milk jug (you will want an adult to help you with this)
Jug Next you will tie the rope around the lid of the milk jug and then put the cap back on. Next pour some bird food into the bottom of the milk jug
Then hang it up with the rope on a tree branch. Here is me with my finished project!
Staying sharp this summer Some computer games are good for kids because they are educational. Make sure to explain this to your parents so they don’t think all games are bad. Ty likes to play games that help keep his math skills from getting rusty during the summer. by Ty Miller I like to play math games on www.coolmath.com. The one I like best is the Red Ball 4 game. This game doesn’t have you do math directly, but it makes you think and you use different skills so you can get better and move up to different levels. I play now at Level 8 and my 4-yearold brother, Jax, plays at Level 1. Level 1 is really easy for me now, but it’s not easy for him. He thinks it’s kind of hard. There is a section for 3 to 5 year olds on coolmath.com that my little brother can do. I learned about the site from my technology teacher at school who told my whole class about it so we can get better at math. The website has things for all ages of people to do, including adults. There are places on there where you can do practice math problems, and learn about all different kinds of math.
Family Our family likes going to festivals, and we have a ton of them in Indiana. Here are some fun ones that are coming up in August and September.
Jasper Strassenfest – This year will be the 35th one, so it will be an even bigger celebration than normal. Strassenfest is a German street festival August 1 – 4 to celebrate the German people who settled there and formed the town. It has lots of events for kids, including the Youth Golf Tournament, Das Kinderspiel (which means Children’s Games in German), and the Children’s Box Parade. You make anything out of a box of any size and join the parade. Here is a picture so you can see some .
Festivals You will also want to check out the Popcorn Festival in Valparaiso, Indiana. It just lasts one day – always the Saturday after Labor Day. This year it’s September 7. There are fun things for kids to do, like the Kids Poppin’ Play Place, which has games and inflatables. There is also a kids’ race called the Lit’l Kernel Puff Race. The best event of all, though, is the Orville Redenbacher Parade. All the floats have to have at least 20 percent of their surface covered with popcorn or 20 percent has to be about popcorn. Here is the festival’s website for more information. http://www.valparaisoevents.com/popcorn%20festival/
Summer Craft: Plastic Lid Ladybugs Found on Pinterest by Craft Editor Beth Anderson What You Need plastic lid from milk jug black acrylic craft paint 2 small wiggle eyes paintbrush white craft glue What You Do Wash and dry the plastic lid. Paint on the head by using a paintbrush to add an almond shape at one end of the lid. Use the handle end of a paintbrush dipped in black paint to add the spots. Make some spots larger than others. Let all the paint dry. Use white craft glue to add the wiggle eyes. Put them indoors and outdoors wherever you would like to see some ladybugs taking a rest from flying around.
Book Review By: Kennedy Miller Title: Mr. Terupt Falls Again Author: Rob Buyea
This book is the sequel to Because of Mr. Terupt. This book is full of ups and downs. It may not be what you expect by “fall”. Mr. Terupt’s students get to know him better since they got to spend more time with him. You will love reading this book.
Fun Summer Ideas
Glow sticks in water balloons
Break open a glow stick, dump it in a jar, shake it up and you have an instant glow stick lantern!
Found on Pinterest
Geocaching Geocaching is a modern treasure hunt. First, you have to register at www.geocaching.com. It’s free, and the website will tell you all about geocaching. You’ll need a special GPS designed for geocaching that will help you find the caches, which are small boxes hidden in parks or other public places. Log your findings, take pictures and leave a trinket in the box to show you were there. Before you go, check out the website to find the coordinates of a particular cache. Plug the coordinates into your GPS and begin the search. It’s a good idea to note the coordinates for a few caches in one location. Sometimes the caches are missing or are hard to find. If you’ve got a few to look for, you have a greater chance of finding at least one cache. Letterboxing Similar to geocaching, letterboxing has actually been around since 1854. Instead of finding the box using coordinates and a GPS, people search for boxes using clues, trail maps and, occasionally, compasses. Once the box is found, you use a personal rubber stamp and ink pad to leave your mark on the log book. You then mark your own letterboxing log with the rubber stamp from the box. Go to the website http://www.letterboxing.org/ to find out where to find them and to answer any other questions you may have about letterboxing.
Kids in the Kitchen Here’s an idea for a healthy summer fresh fruit snack we found on Pinterest. It came from the website of Kitchen Fun with My Three Sons. Little kids would love this.
Free online e-books for kids http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/browse?type=lcsubc&key=Juveni le%20fiction http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Category:Children%27s_Bookshelf http://www.openculture.com/category/k-12 http://www.wegivebooks.org/
Free online audio books for kids http://www.openculture.com/freeaudiobooks http://www.booksshouldbefree.com/genre/Children (audio books)
Books read aloud to kids http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/online-storytime-books-toys/379003588/ http://www.storylineonline.net/ (by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation) http://www.storynory.com/ Full episodes of Reading Rainbow on youtube
Would you like to see your stories, poems, drawings or pictures in Indiana Kids? Send them to us at indianakidsmag@gmail.com. We accept them on an ongoing basis. Just attach them to the email along with a photo of yourself (if you want) and you could be in the next issue.