March 2018 issue

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Readers’ Circle

Motivate. Activate. Celebrate.

F E AT U R E

Readers’ Circle

Index: Feature..................................................2 Editorial Calendar...............................3 Reading.................................................4 Book Review........................................5 Battle of the books...............................6 Poetry....................................................8 Genres.................................................11 Art........................................................12 "Wonder"............................................16 Non Fiction........................................18 People We Admire............................19 Nutrition.............................................20 Author page.......................................22 Parent’s Corner..................................23 Volunteer opportunity is available for students and adults.

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Dear Readers and Writers,

M

arch is National Reading Month that calls for each child and family in each community to celebrate reading.

March is a good choice for turning our attention to the importance of reading: March 2 was the birthday of beloved children's author Dr. Seuss.

Each year at the beginning of March, students across the nation kick off National Reading Month by celebrating the birthday of the author, whose books are probably the most read children’s books of all times.

Teachers design contests, family literacy events, and pajama days to provide comfortable setting for uninterrupted reading.

Why reading is so important? After all, in our world of competing priorities we can do many other things with our time.

Let’s start with the fact that reading is a must to successfully function in today's society. Nearly every instruction and piece of information comes in a written form. The power of most important ideas is communicated through reading. All well-paying jobs rely on advanced reading skills to absorb and react in the workplace.

Reading is also important because

Arina Bokas

Kids’ Standard Editor & Author of Building Powerful Learning Environments: From Schools to Communities

it develops our thinking and creativity. The brain is a muscle, and making connections between written words and what we already know is a good way to grow the mind. While reading, we can be anyone at all and go anywhere in the world. The possibilities are endless. This allows us to understand various perspectives.

Finally, reading makes learning possible. Books, magazines, and the Internet contain wealth of information, which can only be accessible through reading. Kids’ Standard’s March issue Readers’ Circle is another opportunity to celebrate children’s interest in reading, writing, and literacy.

College Admission Essay and SAT Coaching • • • • •

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Writing Coaching • Resume and Cover Letter • General Writing Tutoring

Arina Bokas, Ph.D. Ø Author, college writing instructor, editor Ø Frequent contributor to national publications and instructional blogs – ASCD, International Literacy Association, NCTE, Harvard University’s Good Project and Out of Eden.

For more information or scheduling: arinabokas@aol.com

Phone: 248-330-2408

E D I TO R I A L C A L E N DA R

2017-2018 Editorial Calendar

April 2018

Everyday Heroes According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, a hero is a person who is admired for his or her brave acts and other fine qualities. There is a hero inside each of us. We may not realize it, but someone, somewhere, does.

Share a story about your personal hero or about a well-known hero. Offer a perspective on what qualities make someone a hero. Research events in our history that are recognized as heroic events and share your take on them.

MARCH 2018

May 2018

The Sound of Music What is music? Why does it have such a great effect on human beings? There are work songs to make tedious tasks more bearable. How does music influence us? What role does music play in your life? Write about your personal experiences with music, whether it is singing, playing an instrument, composing, or just listening. Research music genres and musicians. Compose a song. Review songs or any other piece of music.

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READING

Becoming a Better Reader By: Sophia Le, 5th grade, Deerfield Elementary, Rochester Hills

W

hen I was younger, I disliked reading a lot. I would just sit there bored and do nothing. Most of my family members loved books; my sister would read and read, but not me. Most books written for my age didn’t interest me, while books for older kids my sister told me not read because I was too young. I didn’t know why I liked books for older kids, but I did for some strange reason.

Years later, when I was in 4th grade, I finally decided to read a book that my sister was reading. It was called “The Lighting Thief” from the Percy Jackson series - adventure and mythological fiction books written by American author Rick Riordan. My sister loved this book and the series, so she said it was okay for me to read it, and I did. To my greatest surprise, the book felt interesting, so I kept on reading. After I was finished, I enjoyed it so much that I began looking for more books like that.

I realized that what I really liked was adventure books.

As I was reading more adventure books that I liked, my interest in reading grew as well. I discovered that I also liked historical fiction.

Now I read a lot more than I did before, and I feel that I know more about different things.

In conclusion, reading is powerful.

Reading is needed for mostly everything and is very important. The more you read the better reader you become.

If you don’t like reading, just try to find a book that does interest you.

Reading Inspires By: Evan Jakubiak, 3rd grade, Springfield Plains Elementary, Clarkston

R

eading inspires me in many ways. Reading a book can take you to a place you would have never imagined. Reading can also help one to learn a lot of life lessons. For me, reading feeds imagination and creativity.

Reading takes you to a different place by hooking you in and making you think hard about the book you are reading. It is like magic. All it takes is a little bit of thought and imagination and then poof! you are in a brand new place.

In books, there are normally life lessons to be learned. “The 7 Habits of Happy Kids” is one book that I like to read. My favorite habit is habit 6, which is “synergize”. Synergize means to work as a team with those around you. This habit is my favorite because it is, like in sports, working as a team.

Books also help me imagine and be creative. What are dragons? I would have never imagined a dragon if I didn’t read.

I probably would have never imagined or have drawn a creature either.

That’s how reading inspires me!

BOOK REVIEW

Wacky Wednesday

Who Would Win? Lion vs Tiger By: Nandanram Gopireddy, 3rd grade, Deerfield Elementary, Rochester Hills

W

ho Would Win? Lion vs Tiger is very interesting, in my opinion.

The ferocious tiger is fighting against the deadly lion. Lions and tigers are really dangerous members of the big cat family.

Some other animals in the big cat family are Bobcats, Lynx, Cheetahs, Panthers, Jaguars, Leopards and house cats.

Between the tiger, the swift creature, and the lion, the king of the jungle, which animal do

you think would win?

The book gives good information about the two animals: their lives and their physical attributes. Their size is the same, but the lion looks bigger because of its mane. The things that make the tiger special are its sharp claws, sharp teeth and jumping ability. The lion’s hunting strategies are better because lions hunt in prides.

I think in this battle the lion will win because the lion hunts better and it is called the king of the jungle for a reason. When a battle starts, the tiger will roar and every animal will side with the lion. The lion and the tiger will bite each other, swipe at each other, but the Lion will win.

By: Lauren Raddatz, 4th grade, Springfield Plains Elementary, Clarkston

I

f you like silly and funny books, read this one! It is called Wacky Wednesday by Dr. Seuss. It is one of the funniest books I've ever read, and I think you will like it.

In the beginning of the book, very unique things start to happen, like a shoe on the wall, worms chasing birds, and bananas in apple trees! This book makes me think of my brother because he's wacky, weird and very silly. Bananas and apple remind me of my brother because he really likes these fruits, even caramel apples. In the hallway, there are tables with candy canes as legs! This reminds me of my brother because we both eat candy canes and drink hot cocoa during Christmas time with family and friends. A fish is found in a bottle, which reminds me of the times when my brother and I go fishing with my dad. We catch fish and sometimes cook it for dinner.

Later in the story, there's a palm tree in the toilet that reminds me of my aunt and uncle. They live in California and there are many palm trees where they live. Lastly, an umbrella is in a soup bowl, instead of a ladle! This reminds me of my grandma making food like her soup when a lot of people are over.This goofy story reminded me of all the great memories I make with my brother, family and friends.

MARCH 2018

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BOOK REVIEW

Holes

By Louis Sachar By: Michelle Ho, 5th grade, Independence Elementary, Clarkston

R

ecently, I read the book Holes by Louis Sachar. I really liked reading it, and I think it is a terrific

book.

Holes’ main character is Stanley Yelnats IV, a 14-year-old boy from a poor family that is under a curse of bad luck, for which they blame Stanley's no-good great-great-grandfather. Stanley's final misfortune happens when he is framed for the theft of a pair of athletic shoes once owned by famous baseball player

Clyde Livingston. The shoes were donated to a homeless shelter to raise money.

Stanley is going to Camp Green Lake, a corrections facility in the middle of a desert. As punishment and to 'build character,' the camp inmates have to dig five holes that are five feet wide and five feet deep . Stanley thinks that they are not digging to build character, but to find treasure hidden in the ground.

Stanley and another camper, Zero, run away together. They find refuge on Big Thumb, where they find water and onions. Then they decide to go back to Camp Green Lake to find the treasure, but end up getting trapped in a hole while they are digging it. When they are trapped in the hole, yellow spotted lizards crawl all over their bodies.

Will the boys get out of Camp Green Lake before it is too late? You should read this book and find out!

B AT T L E O F T H E B O O K S

Read with Your Friends By: Katie Jakubiak, 5th grade, Springfield Plains Elementary, Clarkston

B

attle of The Books is a really great national program that inspires 4th and 5th graders to read various books of all genres, such as non-fiction, graphic novels, and a variety of chapter books. Students are separated in teams, and each team reads all of the required books for that year and then competes at a battle. You have to work well with your team. You have to comprehend and memorize a lot information. There are 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners. There are also the best costume and the best team name awards!

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As a team, you battle other teams from multiple elementary schools in the area.

During the battle, your team gets asked questions about the books and is given thirty seconds to answer the question.

If you answer correctly, your team gets three points. During the battle, you write your answers down and must be discussing quietly so other teams don’t hear your team’s ideas. The top two teams from every school go to a championship battle.

The most important things to do to prepare for your battle of the books are working well with your team and taking notes from the books. The reason why it is important to work well with your team is because together you will have more ideas. If you work by yourself, you won’t have as many concepts to think about. The more ideas the better! Taking notes is important because they help you remember details from the book that will be useful for the battle. If you don’t

remember details, you won't be able to answer the question. Being prepared is important.

This year, 2018, there are eight books that students have to read to compete: Travels of Thelonious by Susan Schade, The Golden Sandal by Rebecca Hickox, Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great by Judy Blume, Punished by David Lubar, The White Giraffe by Lauren St. John, The Orphan of Ellis Island by Elvira Woodruff, Owen and Mzee: the true story of a remarkable friendship by Craig Hatkoff et al, and John Muir: America’s first environmentalist

by Kathryn Lasky. These books cover a wide range of genres - from picture books, to graphic novels, to biographies.

Lots of people ask me, “Why do you do this?” The reason I do it is that it gives me a good opportunity to read, work with my friends, and I learn new things. I hope you will join Battle of The Books or read the books on your own if you can’t!

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B AT T L E O F T H E B O O K S

FUN WAY TO READ

MARCH 2018

By: Stella Dougherty, 4th grade, Independence Elementary, Clarkston

B

attle of The Books is a fun competition that encourages reading. You can form teams of friends, read books together, and answer questions about the books. You have meetings with your team and talk about the books. You can make your own creative name for your team. You can also design team costumes and wear them at the competition.

You are given a list of required books to read as a team. You can get them at the library and start reading. I recommend that everyone on your team reads all of the books.

If one of the team members does not want to read one of the books, that is fine, but it is better if a few people read each book. The team coach is a parent or teacher who is willing to help. They organize the meetings and help the team. They are the people that you want to talk to if you have any questions about the books.

The team meetings can be held anywhere and at any time. My meetings are on Thursdays at recess. You can meet at your team coach’s house, too. During your meetings, you will discuss things about the books.

You can even wear your team costumes at your meetings (if you have any). Make sure that the time works with all of your team members’ schedules.

The competition is a quiz on the books that you read. There will be a person on your team called a scribe. He or she will write your team’s answer on a whiteboard and hold it up. The judge will say if your answer is right or wrong and award you points for your answer.

There are two different types of questions.

The first type is about something in the book, such as “Which character loves to read?” The answer will be a character’s name, something about the character, or a place the characters go to read. The other type requires the book title as the answer: “In what book does the character go to Florida?” The answer would be the title of the book.

Battle of the Books is a very fun event that anyone can do even if they do not enjoy reading. Not all of the books are chapter books; some are short picture books, too. I hope that you will sign up and enjoy the Battle of Books as much as I do!

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POETRY Hours wasted Wistfully praying that we would soon arrive We eventually rolled up to the house down south Eager to get up and move around I rocketed out of the backseat but quickly stopped in my tracks

The Drive By: Olivia Cardinell, 8th grade, Junior High School, Clarkston

A rush of cold morning breeze hit me and took my breath away I looked down to see hundreds of tiny goosebumps Spreading across my arms I was blistering with excitement As I helped load up the car

The beauty of the round flaming sun Slowly made its way down the sky Darkening the Earth and cooling the air Creating hues of purple pink and orange Blending together perfectly Gradually fading low behind the trees Although the day came to an end I knew that tomorrow will bring another adventure to conquer With more memories to come.

My family and I quickly got into the car Only imagining what it would be like down south In the overwhelming humidity And towering grassy mountains standing over me Creating shelter from the sun Everywhere I looked during our 13 hour journey, I saw hundreds of swaying trees dancing in the wind Birds soaring high in the evening sky Whistling songs only they can understand.

The longer the drive went on The more our car started feeling like a monster Shrinking Eating up our space Squeezing us in closer together We became antsy and impatient Minutes sacrificed

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POETRY Passed Out By: Meredith Brennan, 8th grade, Junior High School, Clarkston

A flashlight shining bright in my face, Piercing my eyes, As the nurse works to remove my stitches.

The creatures in my stomach flutter As I stand in the middle of the camp infirmary.

My mind is running a marathon.

Competing against all the thoughts in my head.

Am I almost done?

I’ve got to be almost done?

Is the light getting brighter?

Is it getting closer?

My eyes open wide in the headlights of fear.

As the bright light envelopes me.

My friends cautiously stroll through the doorway,

The feeling of skin clenching my wrists and ankles

My legs give out.

The sight of two people I didn’t recognize

Some with hidden panic and some not trying to hide it at all.

My mind races 100 miles per hour

I plummet to the floor.

My weak stomach has finally got to me.

I am passed out.

I dream I am soaring through the air My body responds quickly as commands are being tossed my way.

Faster! They are coming at us.

I steer the plane out of harm’s way Panic rises in the air.

It’s too late.

CRASH!

My plane is hit.

MARCH 2018

I was being carried.

Where am I? “What happened?” I questioned I was confused and scared, Shaken and worried “You passed out,” The nurse said.

Finally having an answer to my questions I am able to relax.

My skin feels wet and my clothes feel damp.

I am slowly lowered into the bottom of a small bunk bed.

Despite our current feelings I knew we would laugh about this later.

The nurse tells me my dad is on the phone.

He speaks with a calm voice, Insuring me it’s nothing to worry about.

The sound of his voice comforts me and I feel relieved as I shuffle back to lay on the bed.

I laugh as the fog clears out of my brain.

And I look back at what had just happened.

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POETRY The Adventure Cat

Rivulets of water

As his family dear.

By: Samantha Brandon, 8th grade, Junior High School, Clarkston

Flowing freely

So the night passes quickly

As he raises his

And the hour grows near.

Cancer, cancer The word rings in my head.

Tomorrow, tomorrow Is when he’ll be dead.

Tomorrow We put him down.

For the first time I can remember Tears form in dad’s eyes As The Boys and I cling to his shirt Not wanting to say goodbye To the only pet We’ve ever known for real.

Mom cries softly I stand up tall And whisper In fear of not getting the words out.

I’m going to say goodbye.

They nod I turn And leave the room To the upstairs Where the object Of our affections lies Quietly waiting On my brother’s bed.

I collapse Solidly Onto the green Dinosaur patterned covers Sobbing.

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Thin Ever so thin

School the next day

Face

Passes in such a blur

A far cry

That I feel no pain in the lunchroom at noon.

From the luscious Bright Fur That used to be there In place of this thinner More grey coat.

I struggle Pulling a smile That isn't so real.

Wishing it was all Just a lavender dream As the dulled stars of his eyes Flicker sadly.

I want him To be as happy as he can Through the pain Even though It's his final night.

Please don’t go.

And so I hug him.

Gently So as not to hurt him But my tears still flow As I hope And pray Even though my heart aches That in the final hours Of his last full day He’ll remember us still

By then For certain He is passed Into the final slumber.

I want to scream.

I want to cry.

But I don’t know how, And I don’t know why.

All my tears have left And now my face is dry As condolences spoken Sorely fly by.

When my brothers and I arrive home Mom and dad both greet us Tears staining their faces And embraces are given.

A few days later His ashes are in a box Proudly presenting his name Engraved in the smooth wood Elvis Presley Brandon The Adventure Cat 1999 - 2016 And we smile.

Goodbye.

Sadly We smile.

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GENRES

Adventurous Fiction Books By: Gigi Montgomery, 5th grade, Independence Elementary, Clarkston

A

book can take you to a world of its own, which can sometimes lead to an adventure. If you find the perfect book and get in a comfy spot, you can read for hours and transport

yourself in the wonderful world of a book. A fiction book is a wonderful invention and an adventure in itself.

Once I got a book called Finding Serendipity by Angelica Banks. I got this book not knowing the adventure the book held. When I started to read it, I couldn’t stop turning pages as it completely took me to its own world.

Finding Serendipity is a story of a little girl, Tuesday McGillycuddy. When Tuesday and her dog, Baxterr, discover that Tuesday's mother ― the famous author ― has disappeared, they go on a magical adventure, and in their quest, they find the unpredictable place from which stories come. Tuesday sees her mother’s typewriter, and as soon as she starts to type a story, she can’t stop. After she types a whole paragraph, a string appears and wraps around her until she is covered and begins to float into an alternate universe for writers. Later in the story, Tuesday meets a few other characters who help her in her search for her mother. In her adventure, Tuesday discovers her inner writer, finds her mother, and saves the writing world. It was this great adventure that made this book wonderful.

As you can tell, the adventure in a book makes the book more interesting and enjoyable. Could it be that a fiction book is an actual world? Well, sometimes a book can seem like a real world when you have been so engrossed in it that you become part of it. The words that have been printed onto a page is like a teleportation machine; they teleport readers to the most amazing world of the book.

Informational Books By: Violet Dougherty, 2nd grade, Independence Elementary, Clarkston

I

love books, especially when I learn new things, which means the books are nonfiction. Nonfiction books are not fiction, or fantasy, like talking animals or flying people. They give true information and facts.

MARCH 2018

I like reading about animals like sea lions and polar bears. I learn lots of interesting things about them. Sea lions, for example, can dive down 500 feet, and they are graceful swimmers with a torpedo-shaped body.

Additionally, I like to see captions, labels, photographs, and read the main text. The main text is in the bigger paragraphs.

There are also table of contents, diagrams, glossary, and index. These are all things that you would see in informational books. Informational books are written on many subjects, such as animals, people, places, or objects. Reading these books is an amazing experience that allows you to travel and see things that you cannot otherwise.

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A RT

Sasha Bokas, 8th grade, Clarkston Junior High School

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"WONDER"

LEARNING FROM “WONDER” By: Wyatt Bovensiep, 3rd grade, Deerfield Elementary,

I

Rochester Hills

n the book “Wonder,” the author teaches readers a lesson about not judging people on how they look on the outside. Raquel Jaramillo Palacio does a good job describing the characters’ actions and feelings and making each character unique.

When Auggie comes to his first public school, kids judge Auggie on how he looks and treat him as if he has no

feelings. They make a weird game about touching Auggie: those who do will supposedly get a plaque. One time, when children take a trip to the camp center, a girl looks at Auggie and screams. These are all ways in which people are unkind to Auggie because of how he looks. It is not right to treat people badly just because they are different looking or they have some sort of a problem.

Each characters in this book has an important part, which is given from their own perspective. Raquel Jaramillo Palacio did a very good job making characters different from one another. Some characters are nice and kind to Auggie, while some characters are not.

Overall, this book is very interesting to read, and it teaches us many important lessons.

Don’t Judge A Boy

By His Face By: Owen Pliska, 5th grade, Independence Elementary, Clarkston

B

ooks aren't just to read and to forget after adventures are over.

Good books have lessons that help you become a better person. The book “Wonder” by R.J Palacio falls into that category.

The book is a story of a ten-year old boy named August Pullman, who was born with a severe facial difference. He has been homeschooled up the point of starting his 5th grade at Beecher Prep School.

People gasp, laugh, point and even say mean things behind his back, all because he doesn't look like them. One of the main bullies in the book is a boy named Julian. He calls August, or Auggie, names like Darth Sidious - a Star Wars character that looks like he has a facial distortion. He also leaves mean notes in Auggie’s locker, like: “I h8 you freak!” and “Your mommy probably wishes you

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have never been born. You should do everyone a favor and die.” He shoots Auggie dirty looks whenever possible.

And worst of all: he was supposed to be Auggie’s welcome buddy; instead, he is really mean to him.

Luckily, Auggie has friends, too. His best friend is a boy named Jack Will, who was also a welcome buddy. One other friend is a girl named Summer Dawson, who felt bad for August and one day sat with him at lunch so they became friends.

That's a little about the story, but there is an important life lesson in this book: don’t judge someone by their looks.

Just imagine if you were different and nobody talked to you. You have to realize, if you ever see a person like August or any person that looks different, that they are normal people, with feeling and desires for friendship just like you. Most people don't realize that.

There is a old saying “Never tell a book by its cover.” Now we say “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Some people

made up another version: “Don’t judge a boy by his face.” Those two sayings make sense together, if you think about it. You don’t just choose a book by its cover; you read it to find if you like it.

You don’t judge a boy by his face; you get to know the person and his character to decide if you like that person.

In “Wonder” there is also a wisdom to “always choose kind.” If there are new people at your school, talk to them. Sit by them at lunch. Become their friend.

New kids are always worried, and you should make them happy and welcome.

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"WONDER"

LESSONS OF “WONDER” By: Lauren Navock, 3rd grade, Springfield Plains Elementary, Clarkston

T

he book “Wonder” is about a fifth grade boy named August Pullman. Auggie was born with a deformed face. In the beginning of the book, Auggie is homeschooled and finds comfort in being where he is. Things change when Auggie’s mom decides that it’s time for him to start going to a public school with other kids. Life starts to become difficult for Auggie.

When Auggie walks into his classroom for the first time, everyone is quiet and stares at him. Kids immediately notice how Auggie's face is different from theirs. Auggie begins to feel that no one cares for him and he has no value. After a couple of weeks, a boy in his class named Jack starts a conversation with Auggie, and Auggie feels like he has a real friend. But except for Jack, everyone tries to avoid Auggie.

Auggie talks with Jack about Halloween, also mentioning that he is going as Boba Fett from Star Wars. When Auggie gets home, he finds the Boba Fett costume barfed on and decides to go as Bleeding Scream, but doesn’t tell Jack. On Halloween, unaware of Auggie

wearing his Bleeding Scream costume nearby, Jack is talking to Julian, bad mouthing Auggie. Jack is not doing this to be mean; he just wants to fit in. Auggie is heartbroken and begins to cry. When he gets home, he heads straight to his room, sobbing, and doesn't talk to anyone for the rest of the day.

The next day Auggie acts shy around Jack, which makes Jack wonder why Auggie is ignoring him and not being himself. In math, Jack sits next to Auggie.

The teacher asks children to partner, so Julian asks if he can partner up with Jack. Jack refuses because he wants to be partners with Auggie.

When the two go in the hallway, Julian asks why he didn't want to be partners with him. Jack gets upset and hurts Julian.

At the house, Auggie starts playing Minecraft, unaware of Jack playing

online, too. Jack sees that Auggie is playing and starts chatting with him. When chatting online, Jack says he's sorry to Auggie. Auggie misses being friends with Jack and accepts Jack's apology saying they can be friends again.

There were several lessons I learned in “Wonder:” 1. Strength can be quiet sometimes.

2. Friends should always be nice to each other.

3. Families help each other.

4. Stay strong even though people can throw you off track sometimes.

5. Just because people look different doesn´t mean they should be treated differently.

6. Itś not nice to talk about how people look.

DR. TODD STANISZEWSKI DR. NORA CLANCY 7117 Dixie Highway Clarkston, MI 48346

MARCH 2018

Phone 248-620-1100 Fax 248-620-1196

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NON FICTION

The Lesson of Love By: Stephanie Morar, 6th grade, Avondale Middle School,

Auburn Hills

“A

ll right, girls! We are going to play Capture the Flag.

The object of the game is to get a belt with two flags and to detach the flags from the opposite team, if they are on your side. While trying not to get your flags detached and keeping the big flag safe, you will also…..”

I zoned out from the Capture the Flag leader’s speech. We (meaning my cabin) were in the camp woods, dripping wet, since we had just come from the slip n’ slide, equipped with a foam machine.

My eyes were still stinging from the mountains of foam.

I shivered, then blinked my eyes a couple times to help me see clearer. The sticks and leaf litter were poking at our bare feet like nails sticking out of the ground. Walking was similar to doing high-tops so that we could avoid the sticks at least a little. Capture the Flag?

Shouldn’t be that hard.

We got our spots, and I high-topped in front of the flag to my position.

“Drrring!” I heard the whistle. I stood up tall; it was time to get serious. My hair was dripping, and my towel offered little warmth for me. Two boys, about eight years old, zipped up to the flag. I took after one kid, wondering why they were not in the elementary school session. How did they get to be with us?

“Crrr!” I snatched one of the flags of the kid’s belt. Where was the other kid?

The only sign of him was the lonesome tape waving sadly in the wind. Just then, Crystal sashayed over to me.

“What are you doing?” she yelled at me. “You’re supposed to be protecting

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the flag!”

“Well, if I had more people to help m-” I started, only to be cut off by Crystal’s laughter.

“Help you what? Lose?”

“I’m trying!” I insisted.

“Well, try harder,” she admonished, lifting her eyebrows as she talked.

My eyes brimmed with tears. I felt hurt. Don’t be such a sensitive cry-baby, I commanded myself. Just pray. As my eyes started to overflow with tears, my only three words were “Lord, help me.”

Then, I heard it. It was like a quiet whisper.

You have to show love to Crystal.

“Alright,” I responded, under my breath. I will show love to Crystal. I will show love to Crystal. I will show love to Crystal. The thought pounded into my head as the whistle rang again, signal-

eyes at me, followed by her turning to whisper and laugh with her ‘sidekicks’.

I will show love to Crystal, I reminded myself. I will show love to Crystal. I will show love to Crystal. I smiled at Crystal, only to be laughed at. She probably thought that I was a walking smiley face that had no clue about what was happening. I wish I could tell her no and no.

Now, I had one last thing to do.

“Thank you, Lord,” I whispered, smiling.

When we got back to the cabin, we started to get ready for bed. I climbed up the semi-creaky ladder and plopped on my bunk, successfully shaking what was under me and shifting everything on my pillow by two inches. Great. I climbed down to retrieve my belongings, set them down, and I started to reflect on my day.

ing the start of a new round. This time, however, I was ready.

The same two boys came at me again.

This time, I took after the other one.

“Crr!” the velcro on the flags yelled as I tore it off. Meanwhile, the other one got the flag and dashed to his side. The game was over.

We lined up to go back to our cabin. As we walked there, I saw Crystal roll her

How did I turn this day from awful to awesome? I thought to myself. By learning the lesson of love. If I had not learned to love, I would have learned to hate. Hating Crystal didn’t seem like a good idea. I was glad I showed love to Crystal instead of hating her. After tucking myself into bed, I closed my eyes and fell into the arms of a much-welcomed sleep.

www.KidsStandard.org

PEOPLE WE ADMIRE

Ms. Oliver By: Gianna Woita, 4th grade, Woodland Elementary, Troy

I

was not much of a reader in the past. I was struggling and thought that I didn’t like reading. Then one day, I met a very special teacher, Ms. Oliver, who has turned this around.

Ms. Oliver had faith in me. She knew that I didn’t like reading because it was difficult. She taught me a lot of strategies to improve my reading. Even

MARCH 2018

though Ms. Oliver was strict, I still love her.

Ever since Ms. Oliver pushed me to read, I‘ve enjoyed it more. Now I really like the author Ron Roy, whose books, always leave me at a cliffhanger. My favorite are his “A to Z Mysteries.”

When I was younger I wasn’t that much of a reader, that’s for sure!

Because of Ms. Oliver, I have liked reading for a while now and I have learned that reading is lots of fun.

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NUTRITION

Children and teens: The scoop on supplements By: Adrian Schirr, Author and staff writer of Nuview Nutrition

G

rowing up in the 80’s, I was part of the believe-everything-you-see-on-TV generation. Every morning, because my favorite cartoon told me to, I grabbed the bottle off the windowsill and took three, sometimes four, cherry and grape flavored vitamins. I took them every day and I took too many—until I was bound over in pain with an upset stomach. Lucky for me, my father made the connection and never bought them again.

What we know now: with ingredients like sorbitol, which can cause severe diarrhea and nausea, and fructose, a tie to obesity and diabetes, the problems with these tasty “vitamins” full of artificial dyes and flavors easily overpower the benefits. The biggest concern is the addition of aspartame— a direct link to autism.

These dangerous ingredients aren’t limited to one company. That’s the scariest part: because they are considered food and not medicine, supplements are some of the most under-regulated products in our country. To put it simply, over-the-counter vitamins aren’t always what they promise on the label. Ease your mind and narrow your search by looking for that third-party certification from GMP or NSF International, which tests the authenticity of labels.

Now that you know what to look for, it’s important to know that children and teens don’t need to be on everything. Keep it simple and stick to the basics, like a probiotic to support healthy skin, mood, and the immune system; a multivitamin loaded with vitamins A, B, C, D, and E to support the growing body; and fish oil for healthy brain support. Above all, however, the most important thing that you can put into

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your body is a healthy diet.

Breakfast is a vital part of your day. Aside from kick-starting your metabolism, a good breakfast is what’s necessary for your body and brain to perform. To save time in the morning, try running out the door with a protein shake that’s loaded with amino acids, the fundamental building blocks of life. Create a new flavor every day by adding different organic fruits and veggies to it. You’ll never get bored of breakfast!

Even the healthiest children and teens need supplements.

While diet is the most vital piece to the body’s development, we all need that extra support. Remember not to get caught up in the popular over-the-counter supplements that promise to cut corners and build muscle. Be smart. Read labels and know what you’re putting into your body in order to get the best out of your future.

YOUNG ATHLETES: Peak performance requires the right fuel intake for your body!

MOM: Let us make it happen with a Healthy Nutrition Program!

Call Nuview Nutrition today to ask about our Fuel for Performance Program.

Let our team of experts design a program that will enhance your athletic performance!

Join us every 1st Tuesday of the Month at 6:30 p.m for our FREE meet & greet! Please RSVP

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248-625-5143

www.nuviewnutrition.com

7300 Dixie Hwy. Ste. 500 Clarkston, MI 48346

www.KidsStandard.org

Publication INC.

Kids’ Standard’s Camp “Writing through Learning & Learning through Writing” Using critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication will builds confidence.

Camp Locations: (Bloomfield/ Bloomfield Public Library, Clarkston/ Renaissance High School, Lake Orion/ Sims Blanche Elementary, Auburn Hills/ Auburn Elementary, Rochester Hills/ Public Library, and Pontiac/ Public Library)

One session: 5 days

June 18th- June 22rd | Time: 8:30 am-4:30 pm | Age: students entering 2-8 grade | Price: $225 ($45/day) June 25th- June 29th | Time: 8:30am-4:30 pm | Age: Students Entering 2-8 grade

Space limited Two sessions: 10 days Price: $400 ($40/day)

Early Bird sign up

Sign up by March 31, you will receive $50. discount Whether it is telling your own story or doing scientific investigation, it takes much more than just sitting behind a computer. It takes slowing down, thinking, noticing, questioning, and exploring. We will get up and go!

This five or 10 days camp will provide participants with an opportunity to embark on a first-hand investigation of their hometown. During the first two days, children will do preliminary research and, guided by thinking maps, explore the downtown, record observations, conduct interviews, and collect information for their stories. Days 3-4 will be dedicated to collaboration and writing. On Friday, all families will be invited to attend the last hour of the camp to walk through a gallery of stories and find out more about each story by talking to the writers. Students who attend the camp for 2 weeks, will practice art and will work on public speaking related to the project they worked on. At the end of the 2 weeks, we will ask the friends and families to come in and see the work the students have done.

All stories will be presented to places featured in these stories and published in Kids’ Standard’s Camp electronic issue, shared with families and participants. The best stories will appear in Kids’ Standard’s September issue.

Young journalists will need to bring their own lunch and snack. Bottled water, a notebook, pen, and small backpack will be provided.

Please note that this camp will involve a walking trip downtown. Students will be divided in groups of four and have a high school mentor assigned to each group.

Students Name: ______________________________ Grade (going to): ___________ School Attending: ________________________ Guardian: ____________________________ (relation) ___________________ Contact telephone number:________________________ Email Address: ________________________ Person will be picking up the child (If it’s different from the above person): ________________________ _____________________ Please drop off your child at 8:30 am and pick up your child at 4:30 pm. If there is any challenge with time please talk to, the attending teachers.

Please make the payment online at http://kidsstandard.org/services or mail a check made out to Kids Standard Publication to PO BOX 1442, Clarkston, MI 48347 For more information, contact Maggie@kidsstandard.org or call 248-410-3976

KAIUDTSHCOORRPA N EGRE

Making Text Connections with Miles By: Jamie Ruthenberg, Author, Illustrator, Clarkston, Michigan

H

ave you ever finished reading something and thought to yourself, “I don’t remember one thing!” I have, too. I think everyone has at some point. Many times this happens because we are “disconnected” from what we are reading. In other words, we are not relating to the subject or story in any way.

Think about it. In the past, when you identified with something you read, you remembered it, didn’t you?

When you approach reading with this mindset, you are reading with purpose.

Miles, the main character in the Miles Educational Series, encourages this kind of purposeful reading by asking his readers questions that encourage them to make what educators call text connections.

The term text connections is really a fancy way of describing what happens when readers relate to a story through their own personal experiences, or make a connection to another similar story or to similar events in the world around them. Simply said, when a reader makes these kinds of connections to a story, he or she is not only more likely to understand the information; the information is also more likely to “stick” in the mind in terms of long-term memory.

Likewise, at the end of each story in the Miles Series, Miles, a tenderhearted rabbit, hand writes a letter to his readers—something you don’t usually see in a children’s book! In Miles and the Sneaky Squirrels and Miles and the Wren House Toad, Miles asks his readers questions such as, “Did something like this ever happen to you?” and “Did you ever read

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a story like this one?” In the latest book, Miles and the Best Birthday Gift, Miles also asks, “Have you ever felt like I did in the story, or like Gabriel or Violet did?” referring to two other characters in the story, as well. The purpose of him asking these questions is to allow readers to practice making connections to help boost their comprehension. In fact, I’ve seen many teachers ask students to write about their personal connections by composing their own letters in response to Miles.

I make my own connections to each of the stories, as well. For example, at the end of Miles and the Wren House Toad, I write to the readers about how I used to have a toad living in my little wren house, just like Miles does in the story.

He discovers the toad and befriends him one morning while working in the garden, just as I did over a decade ago while pruning my roses. My daughter looked at him closely as he stared back at her, and declared, “His name is Jack!” and so it is in the story today. Jack lived in that house for three years. I am not sure where he went after those three wonderful summers—maybe to a spacious birdhouse with more amenities. I wish I could have spoken to him as Miles does to understand how he ended up in such an unexpected place.

In Miles and the Best Birthday Gift, I again end the book with a written piece about my connections to Miles and his mother, who make the birthday cake for his close friend, Violet, as their birthday gift to her. Among many themes, the story is about helping others and meaningful gifts from the heart, as Miles helps Violet’s little brother, Gabriel, create his own special gift for his sister—a poem.

Truthfully, I love writing poetry, and a gift I often make for loved ones on their

birthday is the exact cake Miles’ mother makes—homemade chocolate cake with a luscious chocolate frosting. The recipe is even on the back cover!

So, yes, I make Miles “speak” to the children that love him to bring him to life even more in their hearts. At the same time, my goal is to introduce and encourage children to practice making connections, to practice purposeful reading, in the hope that they will use this learning strategy throughout their lives.

Making reading a personal and meaningful experience at a young age can have a powerful effect on a child’s outlook on learning, an outlook that he or she may carry into adulthood. At least, that is my hope.

To order, visit www.JamieRuthenberg.com or go to Amazon.com

www.KidsStandard.org

PA F ERAT E NUTR’ SE C O R N E R

Choose to Read

I

Maggie Razdar Publisher/Founder

MARCH 2018

t’s been known that parents transfer their mindset to their children. What is your mindset around reading?

We need to be mindful about harmful labels and categories that some may have for readers and we need to abandon those mindsets.

How do people learn to read? How does one choose their own individual tastes? How do they establish why they prefer one type of book to another type?

Where do they acquire the information that enables them to make these selections, and, having acquired it, what do they do with it? Where are these influences coming from? It has been known that our thoughts can influence our brain. So what happens when read books that are sad or scary.

It’s been shown over and over again that just thinking about something can cause your brain to release neurotransmitters, chemical messengers that allow it to communicate with parts of itself and your nervous system. Neurotransmitters control virtually all of your body’s functions, from hormones to digestion to feeling happy, sad, or stressed.

Studies have shown that optimistic thoughts alone can improve vision, fitness, and strength. How about reading books that can influence your brain to feeling happy?

Books can increase your knowledge and make you think. The researchers found that becoming engrossed in a novel enhances connectivity in the brain and improves brain function.

Interestingly, reading fiction was found to improve the reader's ability to put themselves in another person’s

shoes and flex the imagination in a way that is similar to the visualization of a muscle memory in sports.

“Stories shape our lives and in some cases help define a person,” said Dr. Berns, director of Emory University's Center for Neuropolicy in Atlanta. He added, “We want to understand how stories get into your brain, and what they do to it.”

Parents play a vital role in creating lifelong readers in their children. The work begins and ends in crafting an environment that inspires children to read. Families need to get involved in activities of their children that are building reading, writing, listening, connecting, and speaking environment. Within an active and meaningful reading environment parents can dive into practices that inspire their kids to read more, stress the importance of picking books (and abandoning them!), and emphasize the role of personalized reading.

Another way of encouraging reading in your house would be creating avenues to have discussions about the books you are reading or other members of the family are reading. And maybe even leverage reading challenges from your discussions. For instance, reading Kids Standard’s monthly magazine, you can find out younger kids’ view and voices on different topics.

The ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes through embodied cognition is key to improving theory of mind and also the ability to be compassionate.

Reading is a great habit to have, and, after all you may also travel to places that you have never been!

So far, reading’s looking pretty good compared to television. We can see that it calms the nerves, increases language and reasoning, and can even keep you mentally alert as you age. TV, on the other hand, has the opposite effect.

Happy reading!

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