THE CIRCLE GAZETTE OCTOBER 2009
A Newspaper by Children
Plastic Alligators for Children Issue 1
by Daniela Gomez, Age 9 Margate, FL
During Christmas Break 2008 I went with my family to The Everglades National Park (ENP). We saw a beautiful female anhinga greet us from her perch on a branch. When we started on a path we spotted some alligators lying still near the water. At first we thought they were fake decorations and we called them "plastic alligators" because we doubted the park rangers would allow people to walk among these great creatures. My Aunt Elyse got close to the first alligator and touched its tail, the alligator slowly turned and looked at her and she turned red and ran back to us. We were shocked. They were real! We went to the booth by the parking lot and asked about these reptiles. The lady at the booth said "keep 15 feet away from the alligators, don't bother them and they won't harm you". Later that day, we went on a tour and learned a lot about the Everglades and its inhabitants. The first animal we learned about was the keeper of the Everglades himself: The Alligator! This animal is nocturnal and unpredictable; it makes tail trails and water holes. On
CONTENTS Page 1 Plastic Alligators by Daniela Gomez Page 2 Manatee Encounters of the Third Kind by Lauren E. Autumn in Florida by Maria Schlecht Holidays at La Paragua by Danny and Andy Hernandez Page 3 Journey to the 10 Thousand Islands by Patrick Jaramillo The World We Live In by Sara Itka Cross Sould We Build an Arc? by Wil Murphy-Hacker Apple Picking by Abby and Gracie Slentz Page 4 Meeting a Community Leader. An Interview by Daniela Gomez CRAFTS AND RECIPES What can we do to help... by Daniela Gomez KEEP AN EYE ON Page 5 Elise and Pearl by Daniela Gomez Stranahan House by Editor Page 6 If you Give a Pig a Ham and Cheese Sandwich by Lorenzo Reposa Beach by Maria Schlecht My Friend by Daniela Gomez Page 7 Come on Friends! Let's Adopt Pollye!... by Daniela Gomez ART BOX Page 8 ART BOX DID YOU KNOW...
the ENP alligators are not fed by people. They, among all animals of the everglades, are the only one that can swim through the terrible spears of sawgrass. Male alligators could eat their eggs and babies but mothers are there to defend them. Adult Alligators eat a lot but only once or twice a month and a large part of their diet is fish. We also learned about amazing birds such as: anhingas, vultures, hawks, killdeers, woodstorks and herons. The tour guide told us a story about a Brazilian family riding bikes on the path of the ENP in which suddenly one of their kids lost control of his bike and fell into the water on top of an alligator, the alligator saw that he had food on his back and took the boy by an arm and shook him but his mother jumped into the canal and beat the alligator so he let go of the boy. According to the story, at the bottom of the canal a sign says: "Beware of Brazilian mothers". My uncle Oggie Oggie and Aunt Elyse are from Montreal so he said that another sign now says: "Beware of Canadian mothers". At the end of the day I was glad we had gone to the ENP because being there reminded me that I am part of nature.
Illustration by Emma Gomez, Age 5. Color Pencils and Soft Pastels. "This animal is nocturnal and unpredictable; it makes tail trails and water holes." If you want to visit these great alligators come to Florida to the ENP and to know more about these animals and their habitat I recommend: Alligators and Crocodiles by Debora Dennard and
Everglades by Jean Craighead George. Help the endangered everglades by using water wisely and the plastic alligator will still be roaming around through the sawgrass.
WANTED YOUNG WRITERS AND ARTISTS! Patty Gomez Editor A letter from the Editor Dear children, We hope you enjoy this, our first issue of The Circle Gazette! There are stories, poems, original recipes, beautiful works of art and accounts of field trips and community events by children just like you! There are also games and crafts and funny and interesting trivia. Congratulations to all those young writers and artists that are featured in our OCTOBER 2009 issue! You are never too young or too old to write and express your ideas and dreams with colors and clay, and we want to provide an outlet for all that great work.
The Enrichment Circle A non-profit corporation for the Advancement of Education Programs, Projects and Events for Children and their families, on Physical Education, Art, Nature, Music and Languages!
On behalf of the adult world I want you all children to know that we all want and need to hear what you think about that road work on your street, about current affairs you hear on TV or radio, about the latest budgeting crisis, about that play or movie you went to see last week, about that trip into that wilderness. We want to laugh and be moved by your creative stories and poems. We want to enjoy a display of fresh art. As you see, your work is important for the adult world. But here is the twist: it's even more relevant that your work reaches other children out there! It's great that other children get to see themselves in your stories and can relate to your feelings and ideas. It is fun for them to discover all the things they can also do, all the places they can also go GetFit4Kidz: FUN, FITNESS AND FRIENDS Valuable, dynamic and exhilarating Physical Education program for homeschoolers 2 hr Classes at 10:00 am Tradewinds Park (Tuesdays) T.Y. Park (Wednesdays) www.getfit4kidz.com
to and what all other children are doing elsewhere. All this, through an old and basic media of communication: The printed page. We invite you to explore this especial window into fabulous stories and experiences. We invite you to get inspired and to inspire others. This newspaper is available to children all over the country, all over the world. Let them know who you are. Get ready to receive letters from your readers and be an active member of your community from early on! Become a part of our family of writers and artists. We can't wait to meet you! If you'd like to submit your work, have your parents contact us via email at info@enrichmentcircle.com or visit us online at www.enrichmentcircle.com. THE NATURE TEACHER Deepen the Connection Between Nature and Children ECO offers programs that enable children and their families to explore, exercise, and play in natural settings for a deeper understanding of their local environment and to develop an appreciation for the world around them. The Nature Teacher, through ECOEvery Child Outside offers an assortment of programs to get you outside. www.thenatureteacher.com
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Manatee Encounters of the Third Kind
THE CIRCLE GAZETTE
AUTUMN IN FLORIDA by Maria Schlecht, Age 8 Pompano Beach, FL
Notes of a Young Naturalist
by Lauren E., Age 12 Deerfield Beach, FL
On October 7, 2009, I went to Oleta River State park with Miss Christy's nature class. It was a warm day out, perfect for swimming. Thankfully most everyone was wearing their suits so we could all really get into nature. We started out, weaving through forested trails, butterflies and dragonflies weaving about us. We identified a beautyberry bush, with very small leaves and only a few budding berries. We all caught sight of a Zebra Longwing butterfly, the Florida state butterfly. It was all lovely, peaceful and serene; almost like a fairy tale (I could swear I saw a pixie). And when we came up to a little riverbank, trees and rocks surrounding the mostly clear water, Miss Christy said to go ahead and take a swim. We took some handheld nets and began to look for fish. I spotted a puffer fish, which Kai, Cedar, and I all tried to catch relentlessly. As Cedar moved to a more forested part of the river, he spotted an iguana up in a sea grape tree making noise. It looked
Illustration by Daniela Gomez, Age 9
"I held out my hand and brushed my fingers together like I had something for the sea cow, and it came right up to me" to me to be an adolescent. By the time it was time to move on our nets were still empty, but nobody seemed to mind. We had found some fishing wire in the trees, and Miss Christy showed us the proper place to dispose of it, in a special receptacle on the dock. We took a walk on the small fishing dock, spotting large needlefish, a snapper; and watching some guys fishing. Well, finally we got to go swimming at the beach! Or it was like a beach. But we got in there and started relaxing and playing around. Maybe a half an hour later, Miss Christy was looking for sea urchins in the rocky area. Suddenly, she got extremely excited and started yelling,
An Adventure in the heart of the Venezuelan Rain Forest by Andy and Danny Hernandez, Age 9. Caracas, Venezuela Photos by M. Hernandez - Map: Courtesy of VenezuelaTuya.com
She was very excited because it was her second fish in her life. We kept trying until all of us caught one. Our uncle got three, mum and dad got two each and we got two (Andy) and one (Danny). We stopped on a little deserted island in the middle of nowhere to have something to eat and rest before continuing. We had a splash in the river, it was a bit scary as it was brown and we could not see what was down there. We returned to the town at 5:00 pm. The town is very, very, very little. It has one small bank, one panadería (bakery) and there is no cell phone connection. It was like to be in the jungle! On Wednesday we had the same journey but this time uncle Javi and Andy were the lucky ones. Andy got two fishes and Javi got one. It was a really hot day and we returned very tired to our posada (Bed and Breakfast).
Is it looking like autumn? Autumn in Florida does not look like autumn in Tennessee. It looks more like a Tennessee summer. I can tell it is fall because the Banyan tree leaves at Pompano Park are falling. Also, the Sea Grape trees have grapes growing on them. We took a picture of one at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park that has not been
pollinated this summer. It is slightly breezier, and on the news every day the temperature goes down a little bit. I can't tell. It's still hot! In Tennessee, I would be preparing for Fall Break from school, and maybe putting away my summer clothes. Here in Florida, I'm eating my apples at the beach.
"MANATEE!! MANATEE!" She settled down after a moment and everyone gathered to see. It was a large manatee, at least seven feet long and coming straight for Cedar, Kai, and me! I held out my hand and brushed my fingers together like I had something for the sea cow, and it came right up to me, brushing its nose against my leg. It was beautiful. I reached down and stroked it with the tips of my fingers before it made a wide turn and slowly swam away. That had definitely been the highlight of the day. We ate lunch on the picnic tables at the beach and played for a while longer. It was a really fun trip.
Holidays at La Paragua It is very difficult to decide where to go during holidays. This time our uncle Javi persuaded us to go fishing to La Paragua! This place is located in Bolívar State (southern Venezuela), just where our mum was born. It all started on Monday when we had to drive to Ciudad Bolívar, the capital of Bolívar State. We saw a beautiful bridge called Puente Angostura, because it is in the narrowest part of the Orinoco River. From there to La Paragua we drove two hours and a half. The landscape was amazing, very green and quiet. We saw a big ant called "bachaco" and some iron pebbles. On Tuesday at 7 in the morning a man was waiting for us to take us fishing. We took a boat and sailed in the Paragua River during one hour and a half to get to the Chiguao River. There we started casting. Our mum was the first one to fish a medium sized Bass.
OCTOBER 2009
"The town is very, very, very little. It has one small bank, one panadería (bakery) and there is no cell phone connection. It was like to be in the jungle!"
~ Andy and Danny
On Thursday we returned to Caracas but we stopped in Ciudad Bolívar so that we could see where our mum lived, the school she went to, the airport, the Olympic pool where she used to go and swim and the famous Orinoco River she crossed swimming. When we got to Caracas, we gave the fish to our grandparents so that they could cook them for us. It was delicious and the best thing is that we caught them! It was an exciting experience and we would like to go again.
Photo by R. Schlecht
"Autumn in Florida does not look like autumn in Tennessee."
OCTOBER 2009
THE CIRCLE GAZETTE
Journey to the 10 Thousand Islands
by Patrick Jaramillo (PJ), Age 10 Hollywood, FL
I took a trip to the Everglades with our nature group ECO (Every Child Outside). We went to a place called Ten Thousand Islands which was really cool. It is called Ten Thousand Islands because of how many little mangrove islands there are in this area. When we arrived, we went into a museum and learned all about Florida and the local Native Americans. I learned about the Calusa Indians and that their name means Fierce Warriors. They were very tall and full of muscles because they had a diet made up of mainly meat. The Calusa Indians usually won battles against the Spanish because they were faster, stronger and knew the area so well. We then went to the Gun and Rod Hotel where we saw animal heads, pelts and whole stuffed animals from the area. We ate lunch under a canopy made of palm frowns at a dock that had huge Deer Flies. They didn't bite but were very annoying. Mosquitoes were everywhere. Good thing we brought bug repellant. I spotted an Osprey coming from the lake and flew into a tree. It
Should We Build an Arc?
by Wil Murphy-Hacker, Age 9 Fort Lauderdale, FL
On Monday September 28, 2009 it looked like we may have needed boats instead of cars to get around Fort Lauderdale. Talk about raining cats and dogs. It rained and it rained and then, it rained some more! The day started out beautiful
We started by learning what animals are good for plants and what animals are bad. are Squash vine! Beavers bad. They just chewed down the trees. The next thing we did is go find out what is squash and what isn't. Then we went over to some plants and found some caterpillars. And then we went over to learn about worms and composting. Also I went into
The World We Live In by Sara Itka Cross, Age 8 Boca Raton, FL
Photo by Laura House
"It was a 10 foot alligator. Boy was I glad to be standing on the dock." wasn't carrying any fish. We saw some enormous grasshoppers. Before we started the nature walk, we saw a baby alligator. It was less than two feet long. We walked further and saw more huge grasshoppers, lots of trees and plant life. We stopped to play nature bingo and
and sunny, then it all changed. It rained, thundered and lightening loudly for about two hours. Then, it flooded a foot of water down the streets! The water was so high that when we opened the door to our car the water flooded in. Cars were stranded everywhere. I thought it was fun to have water up over my knees. Mom wasn't quite sure it was so great. Just as quickly as the rain came, it faded to warm sunny skies.
APPLE PICKING Field Trip to Henrietta Creek Orchard
by Abby and Gracie Slentz, Ages 8 and 4 -Dallas, TX
Page 3
a little worm tunnel and we learned about spider webs. We went through a pizza garden with tomatoes, spices, and peppers. We saw some dogs and some chickens. Then we went back into the building to find out about how apples get washed in a machine. And then we went back out and got our apples ~ Abby.
We saw a fluffy chicken and it was funny. We got to see the horse apples and we got to take some home. And we got to take a pecan home. And we learned about bees ~ Gracie.
heard a huge "SNAP!" It sounded like a gun going off in the distance. Christy, our fabulous nature teacher, went over to the water to see what the noise was. It was a 10 foot alligator. Boy was I glad to be standing on the dock. I love nature group!
"Talk about raining cats and dogs."
Mammals, reptiles, crustaceans too birds, amphibians, and also you! We are all animals, we don't look alike, and sometimes we all even fight. Mammals have nipples to feed the young, and lick them clean with a little pink tongue. Reptiles are all covered in scales, and will always be noticed by their long or little tails. Crustaceans are cute, little and small, and the babies you can barely see at all. Birds are covered in feathers and fur, and some fly so fast they are just a blur. "Amphibian" means land and water, and they hatch from eggs without a mother. We're all in the kingdom Animalia, well, right now that's all I'm gonna tell ya! Trees, bushes, vines too, all sitting there with something to do. They're all plants, some look alike, and unlike us they never fight. Trees are so nice, they give squirrels a home, and also give raccoons a place to roam. Bushes provide shelter for cats and rabbits, and some eat the leaves out of habit Vines are nice, all thin and long, and sometimes they grow where they don't belong. They're all in the kingdom Plantae and right now that's all I'm gonna say.
Illustration by Wil Murphy Hacker, Age 9
[ ThinkGreen[
If every person takes one small step toward being more conscientious of the environment, the collective effort will change the planet.
THE CIRCLE GAZETTE
Page 4
Meeting a Community Leader: Mr. Art Orlando What Does a Home Owners Association Do? by Daniela Gomez, Age 9 Margate, FL
On February 27, 2009, I walked out of my house to the home next door to ours and met Mr. Orlando in his garden. We sat on a bench when I interviewed him. I wanted to know where he came from, how long had he lived in Florida and this neighborhood, what had he seen change in those years, what was the same. I
asked him what does the community board do, what does he regularly do in the neighborhood's board and what was his favorite thing about this community. I found out that Mr. Orlando came from New York. He came to Florida 29 years ago and has lived in this neighborhood during the last 15 years. What
CRAFTS & RECIPES
GET READY FOR HALLOWEEN! Get a fat quarter of fabric (for quilters) in orange print. Put a double sized toilet paper roll in the middle and pull the sides of the fabric up and stuff them in the hole. Take a small brown paper bag and twist it into a stem, making green stripes on it and stuff it into the top hole. Make eyes, nose, and mouth out of black felt and put on a face. After Halloween, take the toilet paper out, fold up your square, and save it for next year!
PAPER WOVEN KITE by Abby Slentz, Age 8 (Dallas, TX)
OCTOBER 2009
KEEP AN EYE ON
Backyard Wildlife Online Forum for Families Photo by P. Gomez
"Mr. Orlando was happy to speak with me an answer my questions."
he has seen change was homeowners taking pride in their homes. What it's still the same is keeping up the community. He told me about the community board and what it does: "Keep the value of the homes up and keep the community safe for children." Mr. Orlando said that he regularly
maintains the esthetics of the community and that his favorite thing about this neighborhood is that the home owners believed in keeping it safe for children. It was fun interviewing Mr. Orlando and I enjoy knowing that grown-ups get together to help our community stay safe.
What can we do to help protect the fragile balance of our beautiful Sea Turtles?
In this initiative families participate in a fun game of identifying the little and big critters we all run into on our backyards/neighborhoods day to day. The idea is to use this playful exchange to "enhance" and "sharpen" our appreciation of the animals that surround us. Submit your photo TODAY! at www.enrichmentcircle.com.
MUSIC APPRECIATION, VIOLIN AND VIOLA with David Pedraza
by Daniela Gomez, Age 9 Margate, FL
1 - Turn off street night lights during nesting season. 2 - If you live by the beach, turn off your home's night lights as well. 3 - "Adopt-A-Sea Turtle" and learn more about them. Join local turtle walks and hatchling release events. To adopt a sea turtle and to get lots of information about them visit: * Gumbo Limbo Nature Center 1801 North Beach Blvd Boca Raton, FL 33432 561-338.14.73 www.gumbolimbo.org * Sanible-Captiva Conservation Foundation 3333 Sanible Captiva Rd. Sanibel, FL 33957 239-472.23.29 www.sccf.org sccf@sccf.org * Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
100 8th Ave SE St. Petersburg, FL 33701 727-896.86.26 research.myfwc.com 4 - Keep the beaches clean. Participate in local beach clean-ups. Make sure to pick up your own garbage and to dispose of it properly. Organize a beach play date with your friends and don't forget garbage bags. Turn the fun into an clean-up mission. 5 - Don't let drift away helium balloons. Reduce the use of party balloons and plastic bags. 6 - When fishing, pick up your nets and fishing line and make sure they don't go in the water. 7 - If you see a stranded turtle contact the closest marine nature center. 8 - Talk to everybody about saving the sea turtles and about what they can do to help. Run your own awareness campaign!
1. Fold 9" x12" piece of colored paper in half to 9" x 6". 2. Cut slits one inch wide from fold to one inch from opposite edge. 3. Unfold and flatten. 4. Cut one-inch strips from contrasting paper (9" x 10"). 5. Weave strips into slits. 6. Fold paper weaving in half (41/2" x 12"). Unfold and flatten. 7. Fold top corners and tape in place. 8. Fold lengthwise. Draw a diagonal line from bottom left corner to side corner and cut. 9. Paste edges of woven strips to backing paper. 10. Make small hole on center fold one inch from top and one inch from bottom. 11. Going from front to back, insert a 13 - 14" string through top hole. Knot end side and tape in place on back. Repeat for bottom hole. 12. Tie a guide string on front side to center string about four inches from top of kite. 13. Add crepe paper tails if desired.
CALL (540) 327-3002 Individual and Group Classes with Renown Musician
PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES - Broward County
A highly valuable, dynamic and exhilarating Physical Education program for homeschoolers. Each class will include all of the elements of a strong Physical Education curriculum and all activities are developmentally appropriate. REGISTER ONLINE at www.enrichmentcircle.com EVERY TUESDAY @ Tradewinds Park - 10:00 am EVERY WEDNESDAY @ T.Y. Park - 10:00 am
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
AARON'S HONEY CAKE An original Recipe by Aaron Cross, Age 12 (Boca Raton, FL) 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp sea salt 1 cup raw honey 1/2 cup raw sugar scant 1/2 cup soy milk 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325F. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In large bowl, stir together honey, sugar, and soy milk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined. Add the chocolate chips. Pour batter into oiled 8-inch round cake pan. Bake about 35 - 40 minutes - until test done with toothpick.
Photo by P. Gomez
"Talk to everybody about saving the sea turtles and about what they can do to help."
Presented by The Fort Lauderdale Children's Theater at The Dillard Center for the Arts. This holiday season! Don't miss this classic. Get your tickets at www.flct.org.
ELISE AND PEARL OCTOBER 2009
THE CIRCLE GAZETTE
Page 5
by Daniela Gomez, Age 9 Margate, FL
Elise really wanted a horse or maybe just a pony. She knew however that she couldn't have one because she lived in Miami in the year 2001. Elise was a 12 year old girl, who lived with her mom, her dad, her brother Jasper (who was 9 years old) and her golden retriever puppy Amethyst. One day Elise was reading to Jasper in her room when her mom walked in and said "Elise when you finish with Jasper, could you come to the front yard please?" "Oh! That's all right" - Elise answered. So when she was done reading Elise, a girl she met her mom outside. "Hi mom"-Elise from Miami said. "Guess what?" her mom said looking excited- "I know you have always wanted a horse and now you will get one" "How?"- Elise asked bewildered. After a pause her mom explained: "We are going to move to a farm." A few days later Elise was packing Amethyst's toys and leash when Jasper ran in panting and sweating, since he was helping to load the truck, and said: "We are ready Elise!" and with that he raced outside again. Elise put in the last toy, closed the suitcase and dragged it out after her brother. The girl walked out into the hot summer day. Jasper was running back and forth taking suitcases to the large truck in the driveway. Elise also pushed her suitcase into the truck and stopped to rest. "Elise"- her dad turned to her- "there are two other small boxes inside ready to be packed, could you start filling them up with your horse book collection?" "Sure"- she answered with a shrug. She was tired and thirsty. Soon it was time to go and soon they were at the farm. Their new home was now in Davie, Florida,
Illustrations by Daniela Gomez, Age 9
"Even when you want something badly and are moving towards getting it, it might not be as easy as you think" ~ D. Gomez
a couple of hours north of Miami. After some time at the farm, the family went to a horse ranch ran by Elise's uncle and they were all enjoying the visit. Elise was looking at a particular horse. It was very pretty and Elise would have named her Pearl because her color was like that of a grey pearl. Elise's uncle told them of a discount for that mare and her dad said the horse would be hers. They would come back in a week to take her home. The following week, Elise and her dad went to her uncle's ranch to get Pearl but to her surprise she wasn't there. Nobody had
noticed that the horse was absent until the girl pointed that out. They all decided to go look for the missing horse. Elise felt anxious. Two hours later they found the mare with a stranger. This man seemed to be taking Pearl somewhere. Elise's uncle said he had seen this man before at his ranch. He had asked to buy Pearl but was told that she was already sold. The man had left and Elise's uncle hadn't seen him again until now. The man claimed that he had bought the animal but was confronted by the uncle and decided to escape before the police arrived.
After all the confusion Pearl was finally safe at Elise's farm. A few weeks later Elise got a letter from her uncle. The letter explained that he had been informed by the police that the thief had escaped on an airplane to South America. Elise was glad the man who had stolen Pearl was not around anymore but upset that he had escape the police. "Go Pearl! Go!"Elise was riding on that great Arabian mare which was two years old and very tall. Pearl had a long brownish black mane and the same color tail. Elise loved Pearl always.
time while touring the halls and rooms of this beautiful place. The house was built in 1901 by Frank Stranahan, the founder of Fort Lauderdale and his wife Ivy Cromartie Stranahan, the town's first school teacher. Originally the building serve as a trade post and slowly evolved and served as
post office, bank, home to the Stranahans and Community Center. In 1984 the entire property was restored to its original 1913 configuration and opened up as a historic museum. The Stranahan House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The children found the story of the house and all it artifacts and furniture very interesting. The tour guide was engaging and a great storyteller. At the end of the visit, the kids participated in an information treasure hunt around the gardens, along the river and when they were tired, they sat in the courtyard to make butter in the same way the original inhabitants of the house did. It was some tasty butter; we all ate it with crackers. South Florida is continually reshaping itself and it is rare to find
"South Florida is continually re-shaping itself and it is rare to find a historic site and structure that retains its essential character for over a century."
Stranahan House: A History Field Trip by Editor
Last year, we took a group of children (all ages from 3-13) to visit the historic Stranahan House. This building sits majestically at the edge of the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale. We all travelled back in
Photo: Courtesy of Stranahan House
The rooms have been restored to their 1913 configuration.
Book your field trip soon!
a historic site and structure that retains its essential character for over a century. We encourage you to book your field trip to The Stranahan House this year! It's the very best place to start studying our local history! The Stranahan House is located at 335 SE 6th Ave & Las Olas Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. Call (954) 524.47.36 for more information or visit their w e b s i t e : www.stranahanhouse.org. Group and Students Tours are available on request.
THE CIRCLE GAZETTE
If you give a Pig a Ham and Cheese Sandwich
Page 6
by Lorenzo Reposa, Age 4 Parkland, FL
If you give a pig a ham and cheese sandwich, he might want some mayonnaise to go with it. The mayonnaise
BEACH
by Maria Schlecht, Age 8, Pompano Beach, FL
Beautiful beach Eat breakfast At the pier Catch a fish, let it go Home.
will remind him that he wants some pickles to go with it. When he sees the pickles, he'll remember that he wants some ketchup. He'll like
it so much that he'll want another one. And another one. And another one. He'll want every single sandwich in the city. He'll get a bellyache and
by Daniela Gomez, Age 9 Margate, FL
OCTOBER 2009
throw up. He'll lay down and watch a pig show on TV. The pig show will remind him of eating another ham and cheese sandwich.
My Friend
I ride through the waves,
Every single day,
And you won't guess who I met today. A creature that seems to interest me.
It doesn't even live in the sea
He has legs, a long tail and pointy ears,
Illustrations by Daniela Gomez, Age 9
"And as the waves gave the dog a lift I knew. The dog was my friend too."
Just not like the creatures I've seen here. And then a human girl appeared
She said: "I can't believe what I see by the pier"
"My dog is playing with a whale in the sea!
"I ride through the waves, Every single day"
Illustrations by Daniela Gomez, Age 9
That really, really pleases me!"
View the beautiful beach.
I'm the dog's friend! I thought as the girl left. And as the waves gave the dog a lift I knew.
The dog was my friend too.
Illustrations by Daniela Gomez, Age 9
"He has legs, a long tail and pointy ears"
OCTOBER 2009
THE CIRCLE GAZETTE
Come on Friends! Let's Adopt Pollye! A 2 year old Loggerhead Sea Turtle that lives at The Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton, FL.
website. I saw that by the home page it said One nature class we went "ADOPT-A-TURTLE". I to Gumbo Limbo Nature asked my mom if we could Center. We learned about adopt Pollye (she was my sea turtles and how they favorite sea turtle). My came to be endangered. mom said that we might in We toured the Nature Cen- a few days. ter and talked about the sea Soon enough my family turtles hisadopted Pol... If you can tory and of adopt Pollye, I lye. From that how Gumbo hope that you day I was Limbo was feel the same very curious helping way that I felt, about sea turthese great the same way tles and still creatures. am today. that I feel ... We went to Over the sumDaniela the tanks and mer I went to met Pollye, a loggerhead the Jr. Sea Turtle Specialsea turtle that lives at the ist Class and learned more center. When we went about them. My mom and home I was full of infor- I even went to turtle walks. mation about sea turtles I would like to share this that I never new, such as: experience with you. If sea turtle adoption and that you can adopt Pollye, I it meant giving money to hope that you feel the Gumbo Limbo so they can same way that I felt, the help the sea turtles. same way that I feel. A few days later, my mom was on the computer at the Gumbo Limbo's
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Daniela Gomez, Age 9 Margate, FL
Mammoth!
by Abby Slentz, Age 8
"If you give a moose a muffin"
Inspired by the book "If you give a Moose a Muffin" by Laura Numerof and Felicia Bond
"Mrs. Mack" a Lapbook by Olivia Reposa, Age 7
Inspired by the book " Mrs. Mack" by Patricia Polacco.
Illustration by Daniela Gomez, Age 9.
Did you know that loggerhead sea turtle is a threatened species?
"You and me under the Tree by the end willows bend"
Abby Slentz, Age 8
Page 8
ART BOX
THE CIRCLE GAZETTE
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Art, Science, Sports, History, Books & Geography Trivia
...that the group of artists known today as impresionists was originally named by themselves as LIMITED COMPANY OF PAINTERS, SCULPTERS AND ENGRAVERS. An art critic of the time who saw a painting by Claude Monet called "Impression, Sunrise" decided the style portion of "Impression, should be called "impressionism".
sunrise" by C. Monet
Leatherback Sea Turtle by D. Gomez
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DID YOU KNOW ...
OCTOBER 2009
"Land and Ocean Shad ow Box" b Age 7; Em y Liora Elk ma Gomez oby, , Age 6 and Age 9. Daniela Go mez , Materials:P ressed leav es and flow and North A ers from So merica. Shel uth ls and corals lantic Florid found in the a Shore and Atin the Gulf o Shore. f Mexico Flo rida Activity: To establish co mparisons an between nat ure items an d relationsh ip d their geog raphic origin s .
Cricket Game
Little Knights
National Bestseller
Death Valley, CA
. . . t h e leatherback sea turtle can eat twice their weight in jellyfish per day, which means they could eat 7,000 lbs of jellyfish each day! ... that the term "home run" had been used in CRICKET long before BASEBALL? Cricket is a bat-and-ball team sport that is first documented as being played in southern England in the 16th century.
... to be come a knight, a boy began his work by the age of 7 becoming a page in the household of a knight or a nobleman. By age 14 he became a squire who served his masters." ... Christopher Paolini, bestseller author, published ERAGON (his first book) in 2002 when he was 19 years old. Paolini graduated from High School at age 15. He was homeschooled for the duration of his education.
... that the hottest place on the Earth (for extended periods of time) is the Death Valley in California?