Circle Gazette February 2010

THE CIRCLE GAZETTE Issue 5

February 2010

A Newspaper by Children for Children

WHAT IF YOU LIVED IN A SLAVE PLANTATION? As a slave

by Carlos Eduardo Borges Age 12, Caracas-Venezuela

The sun is heating my body and face, annoying. The chains are tight, uncomfortably tight, annoying.

Walking bare footed across the dirty floor, not nice, not clean. My hair feels sticky, weird. I hate this feeling.

I reach the plantation, sadness reaches my heart, hate follows behind. I'm thirsty, I need water, but none is given. Whipping I see, pain I share. Tears drop, nostalgia I get.

"Listen up you filthy slaves" says a weird voice; I lift my head up to the shiny sun and see this so called "massa". "You will work in the fields, any complaints, no food, no water, whipping, yes. Leave!" A fat man orders to execute the weak and take the rest to the fields. I was weak, but I knew that being weak right now, I would end up being dead.

I chose correctly, I chose to be strong. The fat man grabs my arm and observes me, he observes me as if I were some sort of animal, he laughs, "he's good, take him to the fields".

I reach the fields. A cold shiver runs fastly through my spine. The screams of the slaves being whipped, the rake scratching the soil, the moaning of the field slaves, the fat man's whistling, it all combines together and fills my head with disaster, annoying. The bottom line is that I'm in a slave plantation, the worst conditions I have ever been in; the noise is making me crazy, my tummy is aching, my throat is dry, and I will work until my bones crack. Rumor spreads that bones-cracking is a better death than the way people have died here.

The dark approaches, death waits desperately for a visitor, day one is

over. Walking hopelessly towards my hut I see a house, a big house.

The light turns on in a window, a man stands there, "a black man?" I wonder. What is a black person doing in there? The response appeared immediately, "Yeah, some people have the privilege to be in a house, working, but still". I turn around, the fat man had spoken, "That is not a privilege, it's nothing near to being a privilege, a privilege would be to be in our houses, not this!" - I angrily respond him. The fat man, ready to explode, pushes me to the ground, my head looked as if it were carved in the mud, "you will regret saying that, mark my words carefully you will spend the rest of your life suffering, and begging, and you know what will be the worst part?" the fat man leans over, "you will die slowly and painfully".

I leave silently and scared, what have I got myself into? I ask myself.

I got in the hut and lie down, a tear reaches the wooden plank, and soon it dissolves. I try to sleep but I wish that I could just sleep and stay sleeping, death has a visitor approaching.

A bell rings with no mercy whatsoever to the people sleeping.

Slowly people start to get up, slowly the words the fat man said came to my head, I could hear death's laughter louder and louder, devouring me, killing me. As soon as I reach the open door of the hut I see the fat man, smiling; greedily smiling, "Good luck". The sun is heating my body and face, annoying. The chains are roughly placed in my wrists, they're tight, uncomfortably tight, annoying. Walking bare footed across the dirty floor, not nice, not clean. My hair feels sticky, weird. I hate this feeling.

"The chains are tight, uncomfortably tight, annoying."

Free source image

FULL MOON WALKS A fun outing in the dark

by Patty Gomez Editor

"Finding new and exciting family adventures, is easier and cheaper than you think."

Free Source Image.

THE CIRCLE GAZETTE Join our group of writers and artists! Contact us at info@enrichmentcircle.com or at 954-9182541. More information at www.enrichmentcircle.com.

Every full moon offers a great and inexpensive opportunity to do something special. You can go out for a walk with your dog and your family, only with your siblings, only with mom and dad. You can choose a different destination every full moon: the beach, the everglades, north of your home, south, east or west; up on a mountain or hill. You can appreciate the moon rising in different directions through the seasons from the same spot in your yard.

The full moon gives us a great show and a fixed picture to paint or draw; a great subject for a poem. You might get your inspiration for your next story when

walking out in the night.

It can inspire you to check out a few books from the library: outer space, constellations, moon phases, moons around other planets, moon mythology.

In Florida we can enjoy an outdoor winter camp-out just to sleep under the moon, but if you are north and surrounded in white, cold snow, you can bundle up well and with your family go out for a brief and chilly time. However, just looking out of the window while sitting by the fire, might do the trick.

The key is on being aware. When is the full moon coming? In which part of the cycle are we now? Finding new and

ANNETTE'S PIANO STUDIO in CORAL SPRINGS, FL Enrich your child's life with PIANO LESSONS

exciting family adventures, is easier than you think.

At The Circle Gazette we'd love to hear about your own moon walks and any other favorite family adventure. Write to us at letters@enrichmentcircle.com or send us your stories, poems, articles and art at info@enrichmentcircle.com.

You can check out the moon phases at "Full Moon Calendar" (www.fullmooncalendar.net) For fun story books about children's moon walks check out the article "Moon Catchers Book Recommendations" at www.enrichmentcircle.com.

THE ENRICHMENT CIRCLE A Non-Profit Organization for the Advancement of Education

Ages 4 1/2 and up

ART, NATURE, MUSIC, PHYSICAL EDUCATION, TECHNOLOGY, LANGUAGES, BOOK CLUBS & THE CIRCLE GAZETTE

Contact Annette at 954-755 4079

www.enrichmentcircle.com

THE POEM CORNER Page 2

DOWN IN THE CELLAR A Scary Poem

(by Danny Hernandez, Age 10) Down in the cellar a rusty clown

a whale´s tooth

an extinct dinosaur a blood Jacuzzi

a run-down gun

a pack of explosives

a rampaging razor

an assassin's knife

and something breathing!!!

THE CIRCLE GAZETTE

VEGETABLE MEAL

(by Andy Hernandez, Age 10) The carrot shouts, The same the sprouts, The cook is coming, with knife and fork.

The spinach whines, The pea´s not fine, Watch out!, Its time for supper.

The turnip groans, The onion moans, Its time to be cooked Help! I´m burning.

Tomatoes yell, Brussels are not well, Vegetables cry in pain, As supper has a delicious smell.

A MERMAID GIRL

(Acrostic Poem) (by Daniela Gomez, Age 9)

Aquaria is nice Merry like spice Extremely fair

Rearing in care

Mermaids would see Aquaria is keen It's obvious too Divine like you Great in spirit

I always hear it Rightfully lovely

Lighting paths softly

I AM (by Andy Hernandez, Age 10)

I am a playing, caring, enjoying, sharing, helping, writing boy.

I am an accurate adder, I add up like a new calculator.

I am a running, sprinting, jogging, hopping, walking, skipping champion I am a serving tennis player, I serve like a Wimbledon champion.

I am shooting, dribbling, passing, thinking, winning, running footballer I am a fast runner, I run like a speeding bullet.

I am a loving, caring, giving, helping, sharing, playing brother I am an excellent skateboarder, I skate like Tong Hawk.

I am a climbing, playing, diving, walking, camping, dreaming traveler I am a phenomenal bassist, I play like Cliff Burton.

This is what I am!

FEBRUARY 2010

NEW YEAR

(Acrostic Poem)

(by Danny Hernandez, Age 10)

Never ending happiness

Ear deafening sounds as fire-

works explode in the sky

War ends all around the world Yes! That´s how new year goes

Every shop in town shuts down

A round of fireworks comes rush-

ing down

Ringing bells announce that

Happy New Year is here!

THE TALE OF THE BOY AND THE DRAGON

By Amanda Davis, Age 9 Sunrise, FL

Once upon a time in a faraway land, there was a young boy who lived in a big castle.

But the boy wasn't allowed to go and play with the other kids.

Far away from the castle was the cave of dragons. The twoheaded master dragon came and told all the dragons to go to the castle. And then, one of the dragons said, "Wait, Sir. One of the dragons is missing."

The dragon that was missing was the red fire dragon. And he sang a song as he sat on top of the highest cloud:

"How dare you bring this human to our cave..."

"How I wish I could just be like everybody else.

And fly across with them too.

And then I could be a star.

And then I could play with them too."

Then, the lost dragon said, "Huh?" because he heard a noise. So, he looked out of the

cloud, and he saw a castle. And he saw something playing near the castle too. But, he couldn't quite tell what it was. So, he tried to look closer, and before he knew it, he fell out of the cloud.

While the boy was playing, the dragon fell near him. When they saw each other, they both started to scream. Then, the boy tried to go ring the alarm, but the dragon stopped him.

And the dragon said, "It's OK. I won't hurt you." The boy asked the dragon "What are you doing here?" The dragon said, "There's no time to explain.

We have to go!" And then the dragon said, "Come on." And they both walked to the cave.

As soon as they got halfway there, they ran into the blue serpent. The serpent hissed, "How dare you trespass." The boy and the dragon both ran away and escaped the serpent. They finally reached the cave and saw the master dragon. The red fire dragon said, "Oh no, it's the boss; we're doomed." The master dragon said, "How dare you bring this human to our cave, red dragon." And the boy said, "We're not doomed. I can fight him with my sling shot."

As soon as the dragon was about to shoot a mouthful of fire, the boy slung a big rock and the master dragon fell like a mighty Oak. After the master

dragon fell, the boy and the red dragon had to escape. They traveled together until they got to the beach. Then, the red dragon said, "Good-bye" and flew off into the sunset.

(This story was first printed on our January 2010 issue. On that printing the author's last name was mispelled "Davies".

Amanda Davis lives in Sunrise, FL with her family.) ~ Editorial team

GREEN TIP OF THE MONTH FEBRUARY 2010

by Aaron Cross, Age 12 Boca Raton, FL

If this is your first time seeing this newspaper, welcome to Green Tip of the Month! I will publish some new ways to be green every month. See the December 2009 issue for the reasons to be green.

It is February, and Valentine's day is coming.

Why don't you show the earth you love it by being green! Here are a few ways to accomplish that...

1. REDUCE Reduce the amount of garbage you produce by using cloth napkins and washable dishes instead of paper and Styrofoam. Styrofoam releases the chemicals styrene and benzene (both flamable and mutagenic) to the environment. Styrene is a neurotoxin and benzene is a carcinogen. It also takes more than 500 years for Styrofoam to break down, and about 1,269 tons of Styrofoam is thrown away every day!

According to the 2008 EPA report, 25 billion (25,000,000,000) cups a year are thrown away in America! Do not use them!

2. REUSE Do not buy liquid beverages in individual plastic bottles unless you have to. They are made from the same PVC (polyvinyl chloride) as Styrofoam, therefore releasing the same chemical hazards. Although plastic water bottles are recyclable, most bottled beverages are consumed away from home where there are, usually, no recycle bins available, and most people do not want to carry their empty bottles home with them. They either throw them in the available trash bins or toss them on the ground carelessly. So it comes out to only about 5-20% of the plastic bottles made are actually recycled. The other 80-95% goes - guess where? -- to the landfill. If you happen to already have some in the house, reuse them to take with you instead of buying one from a drink machine or store. You can safely reuse bottles as long as they are not frozen, heated, or dented.

3. RECYCLE When the plastic bottles, or anything else recyclable wears out or breaks put them into recycling bins, instead of garbage cans. They get melted down and made into something else. If everyone did that there could be a lot less trash in the landfill, therefore requiring fewer landfills.

4. UPCYCLE If something breaks and you can fix it to an extent, but it can no longer be used for what it was made for, you can do something called upcycling. Upcycling requires a great imagination. You need to redecorate the item that broke in order to give it a completely different purpose. For example, If you have an old plastic bottle, you could cut it in half and poke holes in the bottom to turn it into a flower pot. Be creative.

5. Tell your loved ones how to be green this Valentine's day!

Show the Earth you care by being green!

THE CIRCLE GAZETTE

Page 3

IMP: INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT

An Environmental Solution to Agricultural Problems

by Matias Sosa Wheelock, Age 12 Weston, FL

Today you walk out to water your garden and notice a bug eating one of your plants!

What do you do? In situation like these, you can use the IPM system. IPM stands for Integrated Pest Management. It involves naturally controlling pests, since toxic chemicals in controllers such as bug spray harm your plant and the environment.

To make good use of this system, you must first identify the bugs by researching.

By doing so, you can find out if the bugs are actually pests because if they are not, they may be helpful to your plant, and destroying them might make your plant unhealthy.

Once you've identified the pest, you can find out ways to naturally control it. For example, you can hose down your plant to get rid of aphids or even bring ladybugs, since they eat aphids! You can even plant other types of plants. The pests might not

Illustration by M. Sosa Wheelock. Pencil on paper.

"...or even bring ladybugs, since they eat aphids"

like your new addition and leave both plants alone. If you have a bigger pest such as a rabbit, you can set up a fence around your garden, or cover your plant with a net.

All you have to do is set your plan into action and see if it works. If so, Congrats!

You've controlled your pests with help from the IPM!

WHOLE FOODS DONATES RAIN BARREL TO SUMMIT QUESTA MONTESSORI SCHOOL FOR EDIBLE SCHOOLYARD GARDEN Community Coverage Team Story Source: Summit Questa MS

The Edible Schoolyard excites children about growing and eating fresh fruits and vegetables & fosters the love of learning!

Summit-Questa Montessori School is happy to have a relationship with the national food store chain, Whole Foods Market. That relationship is now resulting in the donation of a rain collection barrel which will be used to water the community Edible Schoolyard garden. The garden is a combined effort of several active parents, the PTO and the school itself.

The barrel will be artfully enhanced by several of the school's middle school students

under the creative direction of their art teacher.

Whole Foods Market marketing specialist presented the rain barrel to the school at 10:00 am on January 27, 2010. In attendance there were the director of the school, Edible Schoolyard volunteers, students that will be decorating the barrel, PTO members and other members of the school's community.

The goal for The Summit-Questa Edible Schoolyard (SQES) is to provide students, parents and teachers with opportunities to establish a connection to the environment and community, to develop a healthy relationship with our food and its process, and to further our students' love for learning through hands-

on experiences.

The mission of the SQES is to create and sustain a parent-sponsored community garden using safe and/or organic plants and methods.

The school promotes family gardening and fresh, tasty, and sustainable food choices. It also offers the garden, its chores and harvest as a sensory part of class curriculum, as deemed appropriate by any Summit Questa teacher.

Summit-Questa is a preK-8th grade Montessori School located in Davie, Florida.

The school prides itself on recognition for its academics, community service, observance of peace policies and environmental awareness.

[ ThinkGreen[

Here is what you can do:

z Start a recycling program at your school z Car pool z Use public transportation z Use e-mail instead of paper correspondence

z

Change incandescent bulbs to fluorescent bulbs z Use both sides of the paper z Plant a tree z Buy rechargeable batteries for devices used frequently

If every person takes one small step toward being more conscientious of the environment, the collective effort will change the planet.

THE CIRCLE GAZETTE

Museum Exhibit on M. C. Escher Page 4

M. C. Escher was a very famous artist. I first found out about him when I was learning about tessellations (shapes that leave no overlaps or gap in between them). My Father showed me his book of Escher's tessellations, and I have liked the artist and his works ever since. When I had a choice to go to the Boca Raton Museum of Art in Mizner Park to see an exhibit on him or go to Jungle Island in Miami, I chose to go to the

museum.

I think I made a good choice. Before we went into the exhibit I bought myself a magnet at the gift shop. Once inside the museum, I saw that they not only had the actual pieces of the art I already had seen, but they also had his sketches for them, and other pieces of his art altogether!

They even had his work desk, chair, and cabinet! The chair was probably from later in his

CEDAR'S ART GALLERY

Welkerl

by Cedar Brandon, Age 11 Hollywood, FL

Today I am posting two Water Pokemon and one Grass Pokemon that I have created. Enjoy!

Welkerl is the first evolution of Welking. This Shell Pokemon hides in its shell most of the time, but when it comes out it can be extremely active.

It lives by the sea or in it. It eats mostly seaweed, but somtimes eats little plankton that are swimming in the sea.

Welking

Scriezot

The large shell pokemon.

Welking also lives by the sea or in it and eats seaweed and plankton. This large Pokemon spears and eats fish. It likes to collect pretty things to decorate its shell.

KEEP AN EYE ON ...

42ND STREET FEB. 26 - MAR. 6

Open until April 12, at The Boca Raton Museum of Art

by Aaron Cross, Age 12 Boca Raton, FL

FEBRUARY 2010

This image is printed under the fair use regulations of Wikipedia

... a portion of "Relativity" by M.C. Escher (1953) life, because the fabric was printed with one of his continuous tessellations. Near the front of the museum there was a room illuminated by black light that had a few of his art pieces in neon. The museum had one of every work of art he ever created.

It was fun. At the gift shop, my Mom bought me a set of Escher pencils, a flip book of one of his tessellations called

‘Metamorphose', and a two deck box of M. C. Escher playing cards. She also bought my father a tessellation tie. We all had a good time.

This museum exhibit is open until April 12. For information, visit the Boca Raton Museum of Art's website at www.BocaMuseum.org.

THE BORROWERS - A Book Review

This toe-tapping backstage musical based on the famed 1930's movie proves that the two most beautiful words in the English language are indeed musical comedy.

CALL 954 763-6882

Engineering is Elementary (EiE)

by Liora Elkoby, Age 8 Fort Lauderdale, FL

The Borrowers by Mary Norton is a very fun book to read. It's about these little people that are six inches tall.

There's a mother, whose name is Homily.

There is a father named Pod, and a child who is fourteen years old, named Arriety.

There are five books about their adventures and how fun they are! The story takes place not too long ago, but a bit long ago, about 1930's.

The Borrowers can't let Humans see them so they live under the Grandfather

Clock. Their last name is "Clock", because of where they live. They borrow stuff from the humans, but it's really stealing. They call it borrowing.

Are you wondering where all your stuff has disappeared to? Things such as, bobby pins, hair clips and other knickknacks? Well here's your answer. All is lost because the Borrowers take it. It's called borrowing.

Engineering and Technology Lessons for Children UPCOMING SESSIONS * Mechanical Engineering: Designing Windmills. * Industrial Engineering: Marvelous Machines WWW.ENRICHMENTCIRCLE.COM

THE LEARNING ORGANIC GARDEN PROJECT

Promoting environmental stewardship, sustainable and healthy lifestyles and community spirit in children through the art of organic gardening. www.enrichmentcircle.com

HOMESCHOOL CONSULTING AND COACHING

This pokey-shelled creature is the cause of many foot injuries.

This pokemon is the last evoluotion of Syther (unrelated to the above Pokemon).

This Grass Pokemon is extremely fast - when moving it cannot be seen by the naked eye. This creature lives in grassy areas and eats plants.

"Arriety". Acrylic on Heavy Paper by L. Elkoby

"a child who is fourteen years old, named Arriety."

with Patty Gomez An organic (flexible and adaptable but balanced and naturally structured) approach to home education...

For details CALL 954-9182541

A GIRL NAMED ANNA FEBRUARY 2010

THE CIRCLE GAZETTE

Page 5

by Sara Itka Cross, Age 9 Boca Raton, FL

Once apon a time, there was a little girl named Anna.

She liked to play dolls, and make up stories like most little girls.

It was just she and her mom, and they were very poor. Her mother was a washerwoman and Anna often had to help. This Sara I. Cross A talented young au- way, they got to thoress work twice the jobs, and earn extra money. When Anna was at the age of eight, her mom used their extra money to treat her to a performance of the ballet "The Sleeping Beauty". The enchanting ballerina and the beautiful music inspired her and she knew right then and there that her forming with beautiful grace and life would be dedicated to dance. structure was her talent. She was At the age of ten, her mother delighted when her first dance as a signed her up for ballet classes at professional was "The Sleeping the ballet school in her home town Beauty", the dance that started her of St. Petersberg, Russia. She on her path. The dance she loved worked hard, practiced every day, most was "The Dying Swan", a and improved her skills. For seven ballet written for her by a fellow years she continued in her daily pupil in ballet school. His name practices, while she still helped her was Mikhail. She first performed at mom and got an education. Per- the age of twenty-six. She loved

"She loved dancing so much that she dedicated all her time to it."

"Dancer". Drawing by S. Cross

dancing so much that she dedicated all her time to it. She never had children, and she was married only to the steps to her routines.

She brought ballet to people who had never seen it before. And whenever she took a bow, she wondered what kind of impression she gave to a little eight year old girl taken by her mother to watch her...

FACT OR FICTION? This is actually a true story. Anna Pavlovna (Matve誰evna) Pavlova was born on February 12, 1881, and died on January 23, 1931 at the age of 50. When she had pneumonia, she chose to die because she couldn't perform anymore.

THE NORMAN ROCKWELL EXHIBIT

by Wil Murphy-Hacker, Age 9 Fort Lauderdale, FL

I went with my friend Bob to an exhibit called American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell, in Fort Laud-

erdale.

Norman Rockwell was a famous painter and drawer. Most of his career was spent painting the cover of the Satur-

day Evening Post, "Going and Coming". I which he did for forty liked how they look excited five years. His paintings when they were going on were very realistic exthe trip and so sad when amples of the American they were coming home..." life.

The exhibit had audio information about each picture. You could look at each painting and then listen to details about what it was supposed to mean and how he made it.

~Wil

"Going and Coming". I liked how they look excited when they were going on the trip and so sad when they were coming home.

We had a great time and I enjoyed learning My favorite painting more about Norman This image is printed under the fair use regulations of Wikipedia Copyrighted Images.

A portion of "Going and Coming" by Norman Rockwell. was a family trip called Rockwell.

THE CIRCLE GAZETTE

Page 6

Habitat, Habitat ...

Have to Have a Habitat

by Christy Schult The Nature Teacher

THIS IS THE TEACHER'S CORNER

hunt, plants to harvest, or people to do those things for you ( a store or restaurant, etc). Fresh drinking water needs to be in the habitat - from a clean spring or river, a well, or carried to you from pipes.

Can you think of any other types of habitats?

Where do crabs live? or birds? or fish? What is their habitat like? Do they have everything they need to survive?

I'd like to share a song with you - about habitats, I didn't write it, but I've been sharing it with children for a long time. If you have explored outside with me then you have probably already heard it, but here are the words - you can sing it while you take nature walks.

Every living thing on this great big planet has a place. We call this place a "habitat". The word habitat comes from the Latin word, habitare meaning "to inhabit". Humans, mammals, reptilians, arachnids, trees, plants, insects, fish, birds, etc. all have a habitat - a place within an ecosystem or environment where they sleep, eat, grow, hunt, play, and commune.

What is your habitat? In what kind of ecosystem is your habitat?

I live in a house in a neighborhood - a suburb in Hollywood, Florida - the HABITAT land used to be an Oak

by Bill Oliver and Pine Forest before houses were built. My Chorus: human habitat is a habiHabitat, Habitat, Have to tat within a larger habiHave a Habitat tat - the earth. My Habitat, Habitat, Have to habitat is a human habiHave a Habitat tat which allows me to Habitat, Habitat, Have to survive...I can grow Have a Habitat food in my yard or buy it You have to have a Habiat the market or grocery tat to carry on! store. I have air to breathe and shelter over The ocean is a habitat, a my head. I have water very special habitat ~ Dr. Seuss, from The Lorax to drink and a bed to It's where the deepest sleep on. I have friends water's at and family that live It's where the biggest mammal's at nearby or in my house. I am able to get exercise in It's where out future food is at the neighborhood or at a nearby park. There are It keeps the atmosphere intact other habitats IN my habitat - spiders in the corThe ocean is a habitat we depend on! (Chorus) ners, birds in the trees, geckos on the wall, etc.

The forest is a habitat, a very special habitat My habitat hasn't always been a house...I have It's where the tallest trees are at lived in a giant round tent, called a Yurt, on an orIt's where a bear can scratch her back ganic farm on top of a mountain in California; I (ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch) have traveled the country while living in my It keeps the ground from rolling back camper van and staying at various campgrounds; Renews the oxygen, in fact and I have lived in apartments right in the middle The forest is a habitat we depend on! (Chorus) of a big city called San Francisco. If I wanted to, The river is a habitat, a very special habitat my habitat could be in a tree, or in a cave underIt's where the freshest water's at ground, or on a boat in the water.

For people, fish, and muskrat What about you? What other kind of habitats But when people dump their trash could you live in?

Rivers take the biggest rap Some of the kids that attend my nature class said The river is a habitat we depend on! (Chorus) that they wanted to live in the forest and live off People are different than foxes and rabbits the land. What would they need to survive in their Affect the whole world with their bad habits habitat? The habitat has to have means to create a Better to love it while we still have it shelter - be it wood, or rocks, or mud. The shelter Or rat ta-tat-tat, our habitat's gone! (Chorus) is important to protect the inhabitants from the forces of nature and other dangers. There also Enjoy the song everyone, take care of your habineeds to be a food source - in the form of game to tat, and get outside!!

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It's not."

"... a place to sleep, eat, grow, hunt, play, and commune."

Photo by P. Gomez

MONEY

by Cedar Brandon, Age 11 Hollywood, FL CHAPTER I

It's relaxing sitting under a tree. I watch as a leaf falls down, then another, and another, and another, but wait they aren't leaves. It's money!

Suddenly a whistling sound a big black bag of money just fell out of the sky!

FEBRUARY 2010

I sit there amazed.

Crash! A huge jet falls in front of me!

And then all goes black!

CHAPTER II I did not faint, it was simply that one of the plane jets fell on me - that's when I fainted.

When I woke up I had a squirrel in my eye, it took off my hat and darted down a hole that a gopher probably made. I think that the squirrel thought that my hat had more nuts in it.

Then two more "whumps" of sound and two more bags Computer Illustration by C. Brandon. came crashing down! "...children as stewards of the earth" A squirrel crawls out of one - in its mouth is a blue and white, partially chewed up hat. A bag of peanuts falls out of the hat.

Suddenly something pushed the jet The squirrel grabs the bag and runs up barrel over! A sudden flash of green and the tree.

I was taking a bath in hundreds of bucks.

Your ad could be here!

Contact a staff member to find out how!

FEBRUARY 2010

THE CHANGE CAN MOVE PROJECT

by Kalysta Strauss, Age 11 Plantation, FL PLEASE DONATE A BOOK! OUR MISSION: To give kids in bad or unlucky situations the knowledge, power, and gift of reading.

PLAN: To get a truck filled with books and take it to unfortunate places~orphanage, bad neighborhoods, and poor schools.

If you have books you don't read anymore bring them over to my BOOK DROP EVENT! I am having a book drop because I am starting an organization called The Change Can Move Project. I will be taking books to poor neighborhoods, schools and possibly orphan homes. So if you would like to help please bring some lightly used books to 971 E Country Club Circle 33317 Plantation, FL, on Saturdays February 6 and February 20, 2010 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

We will also have a yard sale. Thanks!- if you come, but if you can't make it maybe a friend can, so please help me spread the word to everyone you know.

To know more about this initiative contact us at kkiss18@gmail.com. Thanks a bunch!

"A book is like a garden carried in the pocket." ~Chinese Proverb

THE CIRCLE GAZETTE

Page 7

MY FIRST TRAIL RIDE

by Daniela Gomez, Age 9 Margate, FL

Hello everyone, I'm Elise and I'm 12 years old. I just discovered a very nice path to take my new horse Pearl on our first ride together. Dad, mom and my 9 year old brother Jasper are on their own horses, it's time to mount. Mom leads I'm behind her, Dad is behind me and Jasper is last.

Dad goes on Akira, a Percheron Draft horse; Mom rides Sierra, a Paint horse. Jasper's horse is Allan, a Quarter horse; and Pearl (a grey Arabian) seems happy with me.

We started to walk and I start to get used to Pearl's pace and spirit. We cross a road and a car stops to let us pass. Soon we trot. At first I am scared because I'm startled of the horses' bounce. But after a while I am already use to it. For Dad it was not so easy to be comfortable during our trot because Akira is a "bouncer".

After trotting a while Sierra slowed back to a walk, she had to poop so I slowly pulled on Pearl's reins to let her know she had to stop. Pearl already knew. We went on.

Mom is an experienced rider so we all learned from her. We played three games. The third was a merry-goround game in which we went in circles with our horses guiding them around a tree. We hadn't even trotted an entire circle when mom hit her head on a branch and fell off of Sierra.

Pearl made a sudden step back. It was so unexpected that I lost balance and I also fell off my horse. Dad was first to dismount Akira to find out if we were alright. I was OK though I hit

"...and I start to get used to Pearl's pace and spirit."

my left hand (the hand I'm writing with now, one day after and I'm fine).

It felt numbed and I could barely move my pinky finger. Boy! I'm glad I wore a helmet! Mom commented that she felt a little weak but was getting better as we rode off on our way back.

The hour long ride was coming to

Colored Horse by D. Gomez. Soft pastels on paper.

an end and our horses sensed that they were back! The next morning I was sore all over. Mom says it's because my muscles are not used to riding but with practice it won't hurt anymore!

I had no idea that riding a horse came with being sore a whole day after. As soon as possible I will go on a trail ride again. It might bother me

less then!

I love riding!

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Wait for the next issue, for the actual story of this amazing ride (My First Trail Ride is based on an event that took place to celebrate my soon to come 10th birthday!)

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ART BOX

Page 8

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DID YOU KNOW ...

FEBRUARY 2010

Science, History, Books and Geography TRIVIA

Blue Moon

... what is a Blue Moon?

Normally, there are 12 full moons in a year; but every 2 or 3 years we have a 13th full moon.

This one is called a blue moon. The last one we had happened in 2009, on the last day of the year.

Wooden Wheel

... who invented the wheel? We don't know when and who invented the wheel, but it was in use more than 5000 years ago to carry heavy loads. It was later used to build chariots used at war.

Ancient Boats

The Human Head

Harriet Beecher Stowe

BIG HIPPO

... how the first boats were built?

The first boats were made from dugout single tree trunks.

Later on boats were made of animal skins wrapped around wooden frames. ...that the human head contains 22 bones divided between cranial bones (frontal, two parietal, two temporal, the occipital bone in the back, the ethmoid bone behind the nose, and the sphenoid bone) and facial bones. Add to that 6 ear bones and we carry 28 bones in our head. ... that Ms. Stowe was 41 years old when her book Uncle Tom's Cabin was published? The book was first available in 1852.

Harriet Beecher Stowe was a teacher and a writer and her book is considered to have had an important impact on the develpoment of the anti-slavery movement in America in the 19th century.

... that the hippo is the third biggest land animal?It is slightly smaller but heavier than a white rhino the elephant is the biggest. The Hippo is responsible for more human attacks in Africa than any other animal.