Inhoudsopgave van September 2024 - Chickadee

What’s your favourite back-to-school activity? Mine was picking out my pencils! I’d sharpen them and put them in my backpack for the first day. I still love using pencils when I edit stories for the magazine! If you love school supplies like I do, flip to page 8 to get the history of how they came to be. The back-to-school fun doesn’t end there. Make a backpack charm, try brain-fuelling snacks, and read a sporty schoolyard story. Wishing you an awesome school year! Look for this icon to link to extra Chickadee content! Find Owlkids on:  owlkids.com…

Perfect Paper Before paper, ancient people wrote or drew by carving into clay or stone, and later onto materials such as silk and bamboo. But stone was clunky and silk was expensive. So when paper was invented thousands of years ago, writing became easier! Paper was formed by mixing tree bark with shredded rags, bits of fishing nets, and water. The water was squeezed out, and the remaining material was pressed into soggy sheets and left to dry in the sun. Today, paper is made mostly from trees, but rags, bamboo, and other materials are sometimes still used. Hurray for paper! Pencil Pals The first pencils were created hundreds of years ago, after the discovery of a mineral called graphite. People realized that graphite made dark marks on paper, so…

Have Your Say What’s it like to start at a new school? “It’s very sad but very cool because you get to meet people you have never met.” What’s it like to join a club? “There’s special privileges when you’re in a club, like a special T-shirt. You get to make new friends who you share special experiences with!” What’s it like to do homework? “Sometimes it’s hard to sit down and do homework when you want to be playing, but it helps you do well in school.” What’s it like to ride on the school bus? “It’s super exciting because I get to go see places with my friends. Also sitting by the window makes me happy.” What’s it like to be homeschooled? “I can do what I want…

How many acts of kindness can you check off in a week? Smile at someone in the hallway. Hold the door for someone. Ask a new kid to play at recess. Give a friend your full attention. Help your teacher in the classroom. Write a note of encouragement to a friend. Help someone solve a problem. Apologize if you hurt a friend’s feelings. Compliment a classmate’s artwork. Tell your teachers you appreciate what they do! Draw a picture for someone. Give yourself a compliment. Return your library book on time so others can read it, too! Ask someone about their day. Cheer on a teammate. Help keep the classroom clean. Write a list of your own acts of kindness and spread the love!…

How do kangaroos jump so high? Sienna Kangaroos have large feet and strong hind legs that give them the power for big jumps. They can jump up to 3 m (10 ft.)—that’s higher than the ceilings in most homes. In their legs, kangaroos have long tendons (tissues that connect muscles and bones) that act like giant springs. As kangaroos move, their tendons shrink and stretch. This creates energy in the tendons. The energy powers up the kangaroos’ jump and springs them high into the air! Kangaroos also have strong tails that help push them off the ground for an extra boost. Boing! What makes stickers sticky? Harrison The back of a sticker is covered in a sticky substance called adhesive (say:ad-HEE-siv). Adhesive can be made from different materials and is…

Reader Review by Hazel, 8 This story is about a girl named Mei Yu who moves from China to Canada. She is trying to learn English and make more friends. What I like about this story is that she learns English by drawing! It was funny when she tried to pack soy sauce in her suitcase. It was a really good book. Connect with Us! Email your photos, drawings, jokes, and letters to: chickadee@owlkids.com Or mail to: Chickadee, 1 Eglinton Avenue East, Ste. 800, Toronto, ON M4P 3A1 Parents: Find Owlkids on https://www.facebook.com/owlkids https://twitter.com/owlkids?lang=en https://www.instagram.com/owlkidspublishing/?hl=en…

Jonah eyed the classroom clock. His leg jiggled up and down. He leaned over to his friend Angus and whispered, “Isn’t it recess yet?” Angus laughed. “It’s two minutes until the bell rings.” Today was the first day back at school, and it felt like time was frozen. Last year, Jonah’s class had been in a kickball rivalry with another class. Everyone loved the game because it was like baseball, but in kickball, players kicked a soccer ball. Plus, no one had to worry about bringing a glove to play. Jonah loved kickball, but last year, he hadn’t been great at it. This year would be different because Jonah had been practising all summer. This year when he kicked, he wouldn’t strike out. When the bell rang, Jonah, Angus, and…

October 9, 2024 $2,250 IN PRIZES TO BE WON! INDIVIDUAL PRIZES 5 prize packs of books and magazines valued at $150 each. CLASSROOM PRIZES 5 prize packs of books and magazines valued at $300 each. LISEZ-VOUS LA SCIENCE EN FRANÇAIS? Enter the French edition of the contest, organized by the Canadian magazines Les Explorateurs, Les Débrouillards, and Curium. Visit: Jelislascience.com PARTICIPATE AS A CLASS OR AS AN INDIVIDUAL On OCTOBER 9*, elementary and secondary school teachers and kids 3–14 are invited to devote a period of the day to science readings. These readings could include: • non-fiction book• science-fiction novel• science-themed graphic novel• scientist’s biography• science magazine *The reading day may be held on October 8 or 10, in recognition of time constraints on teachers. CONTEST DETAILS + HOW TO ENTER…

Send us your riddles, jokes, and tongue twisters. Address page 31. Picture Puzzler What does this say? School bus! Just Joking What do you get when you mix a porcupine and a cactus? Finley Sore hands! Knock Knock Knock, knock. Who’s there? Rita. Rita who? Rita good book lately? Just Joking What did the digital clock say to the analog clock? Evelyn Look, no hands! Tongue Twister SAY THIS 10 TIMES FAST: Six ants carrying pants! Hazel Mush’s Corner What do you see? A pair of feet on stilts! Do Mish and Mash know the answer? Draw Stuff Design a statue. Just Joking How do trees get on the internet? Owen and Elise They log in! Just Joking! Why did the two fours skip dinner? Because they already eight (ate)!…

Super Scavengers Raccoons are smart and curious animals! They can adapt to any environment, from forests to mountains to city streets. Raccoons change the way they hunt, sleep, and eat depending on where they live. They have all the tools they need to survive! RACCOON Family Ties There are seven species of raccoon: Barbados, Bahamian, Cozumel, crab-eating, Guadeloupe, North American, and Tres Marías. Size About the size of a beagle. Fave Foods These omnivores eat whatever they can find, like fruit, seeds, nuts, plants, eggs, fish, frogs, and insects. Water Wise They are excellent swimmers. Some raccoons make their dens around ponds, marshes, and rivers so they can hunt in the water. Terrific Touch Raccoons have a super sense of touch, especially when their hands are wet! Their sensitive paws help them catch…

Hi, I’m Lucy! Orange You Glad? You’ll need: • 1 orange, peeled• 1 banana, peeled• ½ mango (optional), peeled• 250 mL (1 cup) milk or alternative• 5 mL (1 tsp.) vanilla• blender What to do: 1 Blend all the ingredients together and then pour into a glass. 2 Add a slice of banana for garnish! Yes to Yogurt You’ll need: • 375 mL (1½ cups) yogurt• 125 mL (½ cup) milk or coconut cream• 30 mL (2 tbsp.) maple syrup• 250 mL (1 cup) granola• fruit pieces• large bowl• ice cube tray What to do: 1 Stir the yogurt, milk or coconut cream, syrup, and fruit together. 2 Sprinkle granola into the bottom of each ice cube square. 3 Add a spoonful of the yogurt mixture on top of the…

Best Beads 1 Cut rubber bands and tie them onto a safety pin. 2 String beads and other charms onto the rubber bands. 3 Knot the ends of the rubber bands. Rad Robot 1 Form pipe cleaners into a robot body. 2 Thread hardware onto the pipe cleaners. Fold the ends so the hardware stays on. 3 Attach a keychain to the top of the robot. 4 Use a marker to add a face! Awesome Alien 1 Stick a safety pin through a pompom. 2 Glue two small pipe cleaners onto the pompom for antennae. 3 Glue on a googly eye. Parents: Share with us! mailto:chickadee@owlkids.com https://www.facebook.com/owlkids https://twitter.com/owlkids?lang=en https://www.instagram.com/owlkidspublishing/?hl=en See page 31.…

What do you think of this experiment, Lucas? I’m really drawn to it, Sabrina! You‘ll need: • 2 unsharpened pencils (one with an eraser, one without)• ruler• marker• your hand What to do: 1 Use a ruler to find the exact middle of each pencil. Mark it with a marker. 2 With your palm up, hold your pointer finger straight out. Place the non-eraser pencil on your finger until it balances. What did you notice? 3 Now repeat with the eraser pencil. Did something different happen? Tip: If you don’t have a pencil without an eraser, use a paper straw or chopstick. Dr. Zed explains The pencil without an eraser balanced on your finger in the middle spot you marked. The balancing spot is called the centre of gravity. But…