How the Camel Got His Hump by Rudyard Kipling

Posted on December 29, 2009 by Sue

Here is a short story for you to enjoy from the NIE Institute called "How the Camel Got His Hump" by Rudyard Kipling.

HOW THE CAMEL GOT HIS HUMP By Rudyard Kipling

In the beginning of years, when the world was so new and all, and the Animals were just beginning to work for Man, there was a Camel, and he lived in the middle of a Howling Desert because he did not want to work; and besides, he was a Howler himself. So he ate sticks and thorns and tamarisks and milkweed and prickles, most ‘scruciating idle; and when anybody spoke to him he said “Humph!” Just “Humph!” and no more.

Presently the Horse came to him on Monday morning, with a saddle on his back and a bit in his mouth, and said, “Camel, O Camel, come out and trot like the rest of us.”

“Humph!” said the Camel; and the Horse went away and told the Man.

Presently the Dog came to him, with a stick in his mouth, and said, “Camel, O Camel, come and fetch and carry like the rest of us.”

“Humph!” said the Camel; and the Dog went away and told the Man.

Presently the Ox came to him, with the yoke on his neck and said, “Camel, O Camel, come and plough like the rest of us.”

“Humph!” said the Camel; and the Ox went away and told the Man.

At the end of the day the Man called the Horse and the Dog and the Ox together, and said, ‘three, O Three, I’m very sorry for you (with the world so new-and-all); but that Humph-thing in the Desert can’t work, or he would have been here by now, so I am going to leave him alone, and you must work double-time to make up for it.”

That made the Three very angry (with the world so new-and-all), and they held a palaver, and an indaba, and a punchayet, and a pow-wow on the edge of the Desert; and the Camel came chewing on milkweed most ‘scruciating idle, and laughed at them. Then he said “Humph!” and went away again.

Presently there came along the Djinn in charge of All Deserts, rolling in a cloud of dust (Djinns always travel that way because it is Magic), and he stopped to palaver and pow-pow with the Three.

“Djinn of All Deserts,” said the Horse, “is it right for any one to be idle, with the world so new-and-all?”

“Certainly not,” said the Djinn.

“Well,” said the Horse, ‘there’s a thing in the middle of your Howling Desert (and he’s a Howler himself) with a long neck and long legs, and he hasn’t done a stroke of work since Monday morning. He won’t trot.”

“Whew!” said the Djinn, whistling, ‘that’s my Camel, for all the gold in Arabia! What does he say about it?”

“He says "Humph!"“ said the Dog; “and he won’t fetch and carry.”

“Does he say anything else?”

“Only "Humph!"; and he won’t plough,” said the Ox.

“Very good,” said the Djinn. “I’ll humph him if you will kindly wait a minute.”

The Djinn rolled himself up in his dust-cloak, and took a bearing across the desert, and found the Camel most ‘scruciatingly idle, looking at his own reflection in a pool of water.

“My long and bubbling friend,” said the Djinn, “what’s this I hear of your doing no work, with the world so new-and-all?”

“Humph!” said the Camel.

The Djinn sat down, with his chin in his hand, and began to think a Great Magic, while the Camel looked at his own reflection in the pool of water.

“You’ve given the Three extra work ever since Monday morning, all on account of your ‘scruciating idleness,” said the Djinn; and he went on thinking Magics, with his chin in his hand.

“Humph!” said the Camel.

“I shouldn’t say that again if I were you,” said the Djinn; you might say it once too often. Bubbles, I want you to work.”

And the Camel said “Humph!” again; but no sooner had he said it than he saw his back that he was so proud of, puffing up and puffing up into a great big lolloping humph.

“Do you see that?” said the Djinn. “That’s your very own humph that you’ve brought upon your very own self by not working. Today is Thursday, and you’ve done no work since Monday, when the work began. Now you are going to work.”

“How can I,” said the Camel, “with this humph on my back?”

“That’s made a-purpose,” said the Djinn, “All because you missed those three days. You will be able to work now for three days without eating, because you can live on your humph; and don’t you ever say I never did anything for you. Come out of the Desert and go to the Three, and behave. Humph yourself!”

And the Camel humphed himself, humph and all, and went away to join the Three. And from that day to this the Camel always wears a humph (we call it “hump” now, not to hurt his feelings); but he has never yet caught up with the three days that he missed at the beginning of the world, and he has never yet learned how to behave.

The Camel’s hump is an ugly lump Which well you may see at the Zoo; But uglier yet is the hump we get From having too little to do.

Kiddies and grown-ups too-oo-oo,
If we haven’t enough to do-oo-oo,
We get the hump—
Cameelious hump—
The hump that is black and blue!

We climb out of bed with a frouzly head
And a snarly-yarly voice.
We shiver and scowl and we grunt and we growl
At our bath and our boots and our toys;

And there ought to be a corner for me (And I know there is one for you)
When we get the hump—
Cameelious hump—
The hump that is black and blue!

The cure for this ill is not to sit still,
Or frowst with a book by the fire;
But to take a large hoe and a shovel also,
And dig till you gently perspire;

And then you will find that the sun and the wind.
And the Djinn of the Garden too,
Have lifted the hump—
The horrible hump— The hump that is black and blue!

I get it as well as you-oo-oo—
If I haven’t enough to do-oo-oo—
We all get hump—
Cameelious hump— Kiddies and grown-ups too!

How the Whale Got His Throat by Rudyard Kipling

Posted on December 27, 2009 by Sue

Here is a short story for you to enjoy from the NIE Institute called "How the Whale Got His Throat" by Rudyard Kipling.

HOW THE WHALE GOT HIS THROAT By Rudyard Kipling

In the sea, once upon a time, O my Best Beloved, there was a Whale, and he ate fishes. He ate the starfish and the garfish, and the crab and the dab, and the plaice and the dace, and the skate and his mate, and the mackereel and the pickereel, and the really truly twirly-whirly eel. All the fishes he could find in all the sea he ate with his mouth—so! Till at last there was only one small fish left in all the sea, and he was a small ‘stute Fish, and he swam a little behind the Whale’s right ear, so as to be out of harm’s way. Then the Whale stood up on his tail and said, “I’m hungry.” And the small ‘stute Fish said in a small ‘stute voice, “Noble and generous Cetacean, have you ever tasted Man?”

“No,” said the Whale. “What is it like?”

“Nice,” said the small ‘stute Fish. “Nice but nubbly.”

“Then fetch me some,” said the Whale, and he made the sea froth up with his tail.

“One at a time is enough,” said the ‘stute Fish. “If you swim to latitude Fifty North, longitude Forty West (that is magic), you will find, sitting on a raft, in the middle of the sea, with nothing on but a pair of blue canvas breeches, a pair of suspenders (you must not forget the suspenders, Best Beloved), and a jack- knife, one ship-wrecked Mariner, who, it is only fair to tell you, is a man of infinite-resource-and-sagacity.”

So the Whale swam and swam to latitude Fifty North, longitude Forty West, as fast as he could swim, and on a raft, in the middle of the sea, with nothing to wear except a pair of blue canvas breeches, a pair of suspenders (you must particularly remember the suspenders, Best Beloved), and a jack-knife, he found one single, solitary shipwrecked Mariner, trailing his toes in the water. (He had his mummy’s leave to paddle, or else he would never have done it, because he was a man of infinite- resource-and-sagacity.)

Then the Whale opened his mouth back and back and back till it nearly touched his tail, and he swallowed the shipwrecked Mariner, and the raft he was sitting on, and his blue canvas breeches, and the suspenders (which you must not forget), and the jack-knife—He swallowed them all down into his warm, dark, inside cup-boards, and then he smacked his lips—so, and turned round three times on his tail.

But as soon as the Mariner, who was a man of infinite-resource- and-sagacity, found himself truly inside the Whale’s warm, dark, inside cup-boards, he stumped and he jumped and he thumped and he bumped, and he pranced and he danced, and he banged and he clanged, and he hit and he bit, and he leapt and he crept, and he prowled and he howled, and he hopped and he dropped, and he cried and he sighed, and he crawled and he bawled, and he stepped and he leapt, and he danced hornpipes where he shouldn’t, and the Whale felt most unhappy indeed. (Have you forgotten the suspenders?)

So he said to the ‘stute Fish, ‘this man is very nubbly, and besides he is making me hiccough. What shall I do?”

“Tell him to come out,” said the ‘stute Fish.

So the Whale called down his own throat to the shipwrecked Mariner, “Come out and behave yourself. I’ve got the hiccoughs.”

“Nay, nay!” said the Mariner. “Not so, but far otherwise. Take me to my natal-shore and the white-cliffs-of-Albion, and I’ll think about it.” And he began to dance more than ever.

“You had better take him home,” said the ‘stute Fish to the Whale. “I ought to have warned you that he is a man of infinite-resource-and-sagacity.”

So the Whale swam and swam and swam, with both flippers and his tail, as hard as he could for the hiccoughs; and at last he saw the Mariner’s natal-shore and the white-cliffs-of-Albion, and he rushed half-way up the beach, and opened his mouth wide and wide and wide, and said, “Change here for Winchester, Ashuelot, Nashua, Keene, and stations on the Fitchburg Road;” and just as he said “Fitch” the Mariner walked out of his mouth. But while the Whale had been swimming, the Mariner, who was indeed a person of infinite-resource-and-sagacity, had taken his jack-knife and cut up the raft into a little square grating all running criss-cross, and he had tied it firm with his suspenders (now, you know why you were not to forget the suspenders!), and he dragged that grating good and tight into the Whale’s throat, and there it stuck! Then he recited the following Sloka, which, as you have not heard it, I will now proceed to relate—

By means of a grating
I have stopped your ating.

For the Mariner he was also a Hi-ber-ni-an. And he stepped out on the shingle, and went home to his mother, who had given him leave to trail his toes in the water; and he married and lived happily ever afterward. So did the Whale. But from that day on, the grating in his throat, which he could neither cough up nor swallow down, prevented him eating anything except very, very small fish; and that is the reason why whales nowadays never eat men or boys or little girls.

The small ‘stute Fish went and hid himself in the mud under the Doorsills of the Equator. He was afraid that the Whale might be angry with him.

The Sailor took the jackknife home. He was wearing the blue canvas breeches when he walked out on the shingle. The suspenders were left behind, you see, to tie the grating with; and that is the end of that tale.

When the cabin portholes are dark and green
Because of the seas outside;
When the ship goes wop (with a wiggle between)
And the steward falls into the soup-tureen,
And the trunks begin to slide;
When Nursey lies on the floor in a heap,
And Mummy tells you to let her sleep,
And you aren’t waked or washed or dressed,
Why, then you will know (if you haven’t guessed)
You’re “Fifty North and Forty West!”

Finding Happiness

Posted on December 25, 2009 by Sue

The following is from an NIE Teacher’s guide titled “Positive Thinking” written by Ginny Swinson with educational consultation by Nancy Gilligan and produced by KRP, Inc. I will be featuring activities from the guide on this blog throughout the year.

Having a positive attitude is important. It’s important not only when it comes to how you view yourself but also when it comes to viewing life in general. Admittedly, thinking in a positive way is not always easy — especially as you deal with life’s ups and downs. Once you start to recognize the positive things that already exist in your life and learn how to see them even in the face of adversity, positive thinking can become YOUR mode of thinking.

Finding happiness

Who decides if you’re going to be happy or unhappy?

You do! Abraham Lincoln once said that people are as happy as they make up their minds to be. The same message is echoed in the more modern saying, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." It’s true that we can’t control everything that happens to us. However, we can adjust our attitudes to avoid feeling overwhelmed by life’s ups and downs.

Some of the things that worry us in our daily lives can be traced to the society in which we live. We may not be able to control crime in our cities, the rising unemployment rate in our state, or the prejudiced attitudes of others. But our thoughts and attitudes can help us overcome the negative feelings that result from such worries.

ACTIVITY I
Take Abraham Lincoln’s advice and make up your mind to find things to be happy about. Clip out five things in today’s newspaper that make you happy. Use everyone’s clippings to form a wall collage called "Happiness Is … .” Create your own saying or advice about happiness. Feel free to share it with the class.

ACTIVITY II With practice, you can drive off the thoughts that make you unhappy. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, famous for his newspaper columns and self-help books on positive thinking, suggests starting each morning saying something positive to yourself, such as:

"I believe I can successfully handle all the problems that will arise today. I feel good physically, mentally, and emotionally. It is wonderful to be alive. I am grateful for all that I have had, for all that I now have, and for all that I shall have. Things aren’t going to fall apart."

Practice driving off unhappy thoughts by concentrating on the positives. Confidentially make a list of the following: I AM GRATEFUL FOR … WHAT I HAVE HAD, WHAT I HAVE NOW, WHAT I HOPE TO HAVE.

Now, watch for a newspaper feature story about someone who is happy with his or her life. Cut out quotes that illustrate how this person drives off unhappy thoughts and concentrates on the good things in life. Share them with the class.

ACTIVITY III There are a few basic principles of happy living, such as a showing kindness to others, having a friendly attitude, sympathizing with someone’s sorrow, and showing sensitivity to others’ feelings. If you base your actions and attitudes on such fundamental principles, your chances for happiness will greatly increase.
Here are some other basic principles of happy living:
• Keep your heart free from hate
• Keep your mind free from worry
• Live simply
• Give much
• Forget thinking of yourself and think of others
• Treat others as you would like to be treated
Can you think of others to add?

In small groups, create the ideal comic strip character — one that exhibits all or some of the attitudes and positive actions mentioned above. Begin by writing the name of an existing character from your newspaper that exhibits the qualities listed below.
1. A character that keeps his/her heart free from hate:

2. A character that keeps his/her mind free from worry:

3. A character that lives simply:

4. A character that thinks of others:

5. A character that treats others as he/she would be treated:

Now, draw your character or “piece” it together by using the head of one comic strip character, the body of another, and so on. Be sure to give him or her (or it!) a name.

ACTIVITY IV Along with developing attitudes and actions to make you a happier person, other factors can contribute to your happiness. For instance, having good friends or having someone to feel close to are “special gifts” that can give you a happier outlook.

Another important factor that can lead to happiness is being able to distinguish between your needs and wants. We NEED food, shelter, and other basics for survival. We WANT nice homes and cars, designer clothes, the best stereo system, and more. And those who get carried away thinking these wants will bring them happiness often end up disappointed. After all, “Money can’t buy happiness,” as the old saying goes.

1. Make a list of “Wants and Needs” items on a piece of paper.

2. Make a “Wants and Needs” collage with cut-out items from your newspaper to illustrate each concept. Remember, needs are the things in life that are necessary for survival; wants are the things we desire beyond our basic needs.

3. Next, search your newspaper for a story about someone in NEED. Make note of the ways in which you or someone else could help this person. Discuss your thoughts.

Food For Thought

Posted on December 23, 2009 by Sue

Information and activities are from the "Food For Thought’ tab from the NIE Institute.

WHAT’S FOR DINNER?

Nearly everything you eat comes from either a plant or an animal.

Fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains all come from plants. Meat, fish, eggs, and dairy foods are all animal products. Most of these foods come from farms.

Some of the food you eat may be locally raised, but much of it comes from faraway places. Some foods that you eat regularly, such as bananas, even come from other countries.

Plants take chemicals out of the soil and air to make their own food. The substances they contain, including sugars, starches, and minerals, nourish us when we eat them. When we eat animal products, we are getting these same nutrients indirectly, because animals eat
plants, too.

Many different parts of a plant can be eaten. During an ordinary dinner, you might eat leaves, stems, roots, bulbs, flowers, fruits, and seeds! If you don’t believe it, think about those leaves you had for dinner the other night (lettuce). In your salad, you might also have enjoyed some delicious stems (celery), roots (carrots), and bulbs (onions). If your meal included broccoli or cauliflower, you were actually eating flowers.

Grains such as wheat, corn, and rice are the seeds of grass plants. We eat grain in many forms. Wheat is usually ground into flour, which is used for baked goods. Corn may be eaten whole or ground. We usually eat rice whole, either with or without its brown husk.

Meat is the flesh of an animal. The meat we usually eat is muscle, although other parts, such as the liver, are sometimes eaten as well. Cattle (beef and veal), pigs (pork), chickens, and turkeys are the most common food animals in the United States. We also eat fish and other types of seafood. Other animal products include eggs, dairy foods, and gelatin.

A Fruit by Any Other Name …
When is a fruit not a fruit? “Fruit” actually describes the part of a plant that contains the seeds. By that definition, tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants are fruits.We usually call them vegetables, however, and use the word “fruit” only for sweet-tasting plants. A vegetable is an edible plant part other than the fruit.

1. Look through your newspaper’s classified ads and circle all jobs related to food. These positions could include restaurant worker, nutritionist, caterer, and more. Which aspect of the food business is each job related to? Do any of them interest you? If so,why?

2. Even comic strip characters have to eat. Clip any food-related comic strips from the newspaper, discuss the role food plays in the comic’s story, and then design a bulletin board to display the comic strips by theme. Extend this activity by using the grocery ads to plan a special dinner for your favorite comic strip character.

3. Pick any fruit or vegetable from newspaper grocery ads and find out where it comes from. Trace its origins on a map or globe.

4. Arrange a field trip to a nearby farm. Before you go, prepare a list of questions you’d like to ask the farmer about his work. After your visit, write a feature story describing how the farm operates.

5. Many people think packaging should be kept to a minimum so that excess waste isn’t created. As an example, individual bags of potato chips packed in a plastic-wrapped box use material that wouldn’t be necessary in a single bag of potato chips. Look through your newspaper’s food advertisements for examples of efficient and inefficient packaging. Pick one package that you consider inefficient and redesign it.

6. A product’s packaging sometimes influences us. From newspaper ads, select pictures of several packaged foods and discuss with your class whether the packaging for these products is appealing.

Expecting the Best

Posted on December 22, 2009 by Sue

Many of our favorite fairy tales tell a story of how "wishing can make it so." In real life, however, wishes usually aren’t that powerful.

Yet it is true that you will do your best when you decide to put your mind to the task. William James, the famous psychologist, said: "Your belief at the beginning of a doubtful undertaking is the one thing that ensures the successful outcome of your venture." In other words, believing you’ll succeed can go a long way in making it happen.

ACTIVITY I
Your newspaper is filled with stories about people who have the confidence to meet a challenge head-on. Positive thinking is a way of life for them.

Find a story first in your sports section, then in the other sections, about someone who met his or her biggest challenge — win or lose — with a positive attitude. Find at least one quote that illustrates a positive attitude. What conclusions can you draw?

Now, find a story about someone who took a negative approach to a win-lose situation.
What differences do you see between the two? Discuss.

ACTIVITY II
Believe it or not, you can change the way you think. If you’re a negative thinker — one who
expects to fail — you can change your thinking style by putting images of positive results in your mind. It’s not always easy to do. But with a little practice, you can become a pro at expecting the best — and getting it!

Try your hand at expecting the best of a situation. Find a story in your newspaper about a person who has a difficult task ahead of him or her – an athlete before a big game or a politician before a race, for example. Now, imagine you are that person and describe how you would handle the situation. Think about how you would overcome obstacles that might be in front of you. Make a list below of all the positive things you have going for you and explain how you would put them to good use. Finally, describe how the situation might turn out if you focus on the positives. Write down your thoughts on a piece of paper.

Situation:

Obstacles to Overcome:

The Positives:

Expected Outcome:

Throughout the centuries, people have discovered that when you bring all your energy and
power to focus upon attaining the best, it will bring the best to you. Being a positive thinker means turning your thoughts toward the best. Positive thinkers make the news every day. They do something no one else has ever done, or they do something better than anyone has ever done it. Their stories prove over and over again that expecting the best and getting it go hand in hand.

Energizing You Mind

Posted on December 21, 2009 by Sue

Having a positive attitude is important. It’s important not only when it comes to how you view yourself but also when it comes to viewing life in general. Admittedly, thinking in a positive way is not always easy — especially as you deal with life’s ups and downs. Once you start to recognize the positive things that already exist in your life and learn how to see them even in the face of adversity, positive thinking can become YOUR mode of thinking.

ENERGIZING YOUR MIND Have you ever noticed the tempo of things around you? If you listen to the wind in the trees or the buzzing of insects, you’ll notice that nature has a very even pace. But if you listen to the traffic on city streets or the sounds of people shopping during the holiday rush, you’ll realize that most of us speed around at an unnatural pace. The problem with this frantic pace of living is that too often people don’t take enough time to rest and relax. Even young people need to take time to give their minds and bodies a break. It can restore your energy, ease the stress and tension in your life, and, yes, help you maintain a positive outlook.

ACTIVITY I
Skim through the articles and advertisements in today’s newspaper to identify a relaxing activity to participate in or a relaxing place to go. Create a 30-second radio commercial selling this activity or place to your teen-aged listeners. Remember, advertisements attempt to persuade people to buy a product or service. Write a script on a piece of paper.

ACTIVITY II An effective technique for restoring your mind’s “energy” is the daily practice of silence. Many experts recommend taking 10 to 15 minutes out of every day to spend in the quietest place available. Do not read, write, or listen to music. Just practice throwing your mind into neutral and saturating your thoughts with peaceful experiences, words, and ideas.
Write down a sample of your daily schedule with times. Find a time on your schedule when you could stop for quiet time. Tomorrow, make a point to stop at least once for quiet time, just as though it were scheduled. Remember, it’s also an important part of your day!

ACTIVITY III Knute Rockne, one of the greatest football coaches in history, said, "I have to get the most energy out of a man, and I have discovered that it cannot be done if he hates another man. Hate blocks his energy, and he isn’t up to par until he eliminates it and develops a friendly feeling." Hate is just one example of our so-called energy blockers. Fear and resentment can also zap away our energy — mentally and physically. If we can keep our minds free of the bad feelings and inner conflicts that we allow to affect us, our bodies can operate like a finely tuned machine, full of energy and raring to go.

Using today’s newspaper, identify news stories that involve hate, fear, resentment, or any combination of the three. Indicate which stories are local (L), state (S), national (N), and International (I). For each story, describe below what might have happened had the people involved put all their energy into a more positive approach.

ACTIVITY IV famous politician once traveled hundreds of miles, making seven speeches in one day. Someone asked him how he could still be so full of energy after such a long day. He replied, "Because I believe absolutely in everything I said in those speeches. I am enthusiastic about my convictions." When you truly believe in something, you often find you have unlimited energy. Perhaps it’s a certain cause or charity. Maybe it’s a special group or community organization. Whatever your good cause, finding a way to keep your mind interested and active is one way to keep the energy flowing and your attitude positive.

People committed to certain causes or concerns often put their energy into sharing their views with others. One way they do this is by writing letters to the editor and other opinion pieces found on your newspaper’s editorial pages.

Look for examples of such opinion pieces in your newspaper. Cut out examples in which the writers appear to be totally committed to the cause or concern. Then try your hand at writing a letter to the editor about something you feel strongly about. Be sure to research your topic first.

Getting Rid of the Negatives

Posted on December 19, 2009 by Sue

GETTING RID OF THE NEGATIVES
Like everyone else, you have negative thoughts and feelings — fear, insecurity, guilt, and even hatred. But also like everyone else, you have within yourself the ability to replace these “negatives” with a more positive way of thinking. It may not always be easy, but it is possible!

ACTIVITY I
One technique often recommended for getting rid of negative thoughts and feelings is to replace them with mental pictures of peaceful scenes, such as the light of the moon on water, the ocean washing gently on the sand, or the stars twinkling on a clear, quiet night. Think of a peaceful scene you could use to prevent negative thoughts from creeping into your mind. Draw that scene on a separate piece of paper. Sometimes, simply thinking of peaceful words and expressions might do the trick.

Using today’s newspaper, find and circle at least 10 “peaceful” words and expressions to tuck away when you need a little peace of mind.

ACTIVITY II Are you a user of “little negatives”? Do such phrases as “I don’t think I can do that” or “I’m afraid I’ll be late” clutter up your conversation? You may not even realize it when you use negatives words and phrases. Regardless, if you use them enough, they can condition you to think negatively, too. Before you know it, little negatives will clutter up your mind, as well as your conversation. Everyone is guilty of using little negatives once in a while. Write down four examples of negative words and phrases you have heard or have used yourself.

Using your newspaper, identify quotes in which someone used little negatives. Write the sentences containing the negative words or phrases. Discuss the effects they might have on the people saying them.

ACTIVITY III
Often, it’s not the “little negatives” that stand in the way of a positive attitude. It’s the big
ones! People who consistently talk negatively not only affect themselves and their attitudes but others who are around them. On the other hand, people who carry on personal and group conversations with upbeat words and expressions give themselves and others plenty to be positive about.

Choose a topic from today’s newspaper that upsets or angers you. Working with a partner, begin a conversation expressing your negative thoughts. Your partner’s job is to inject positive thoughts into the conversation. Now, reverse roles and have your partner be the negative one. How well did you do? Describe your experiences.

ACTIVITY IV When people feel inferior, they are easily discouraged and can even become depressed. Instead of focusing on the things they can do well, they dwell on their weaknesses and failures. What causes feelings of inferiority? Many times these feelings begin in childhood. A person might think he or she is too fat, or too thin, or not like other children. Often, feelings of inferiority come from fears — the fear of making new friends or the fear of failure, for example. (One poll found that the No. 1 fear is speaking in public. It even ranked above death!) Everyone has fears. Finding ways to deal with those fears is an important step in conquering them. See for yourself.

Use your newspaper to find examples of things people are afraid of. (Don’t forget the
comics!) Write down some of those "fears" on a piece of paper, then come up with constructive ways to combat them. Label one column with the KIND OF FEAR and and another with HOW TO COMBAT IT. Discuss the different ways you and your classmates would deal with each fear.

Staying Safe Online

Posted on December 17, 2009 by Sue

Staying Safe Online
Staying safe online isn’t very different from staying safe in the real world. Let’s take a look at how you can apply the safety tips that you already know to your online activities. Information is from the Washington Times NIE tab, “Delete Cyberbullying.”

1. Beware of strangers—When you’re outside with your friends, you wouldn’t talk to a stranger who stopped his car next to you. Be just as cautious online. It’s even easier for someone online to pretend that he or she is someone that he is not. When you’re online, only talk to people who you know and be sure never to agree to meet someone in person whom you’ve only met and chatted with online.

2. Protect your identity—In school, you don’t let other people use your name. Take the same precautions online. Make sure to protect your name, address, phone numbers, and credit card information when you are online. You never know, someone might like your identity better than their own!

3. Install locks—At home you lock your doors and windows. Do the same with your computer. Make sure that you or your parents have installed a security suite that contains anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall software, and keep it up-to-date. By using this software, you can keep unwanted people like hackers and cyber-thieves out.

4. Too good to be true—When you’re watching TV, you’ll often see commercials advertising a miracle weightloss drug. Often these claims are too good to be true. Companies and individuals use the Internet the same way. Be sure while you’re online that you stay away from deals that seem fishy. Only provide personal information to sites you’ve contacted and after you’ve determined they are legitimate and the connection secure.

5. Show others the respect you deserve—You’ve been taught to treat others with respect, whether it’s at school, while playing a sport, or at the dinner table. It shouldn’t stop when you go online. Be respectful of others. If you wouldn’t say it in person, why say it online?

6. Expensive free stuff—Free stuff is great, if it really is free. Online you’re inundated by things that seem to be free—free software, free ring tones, free email, free screensavers, and the list goes on. Oftentimes when you download the free items, you’re also downloading malicious software that can harm your computer, track your every keystroke, and report back to thieves about every move and every transaction you’ve made. Those thieves can then take your money or even assume your identity.

7. Keep your parents in the loop—When you’re going out with friends you let your parents know who you’ll be with and when you’ll be home. Do the same online. Talk to your parents about things you see and do online. Ask them for help if you don’t know how to do something and let them know if someone is bothering you online. Parents, ask your children to show you some of the sites they visit regularly, including their social networking pages. By being involved, you can keep an eye out for your kids, physically and virtually. For more information about online safety or to get more information about these topics, visit www.bytecrime.org and www.ncpc.org.

Holiday Scavenger Hunt

Posted on December 14, 2009 by Sue

HOLIDAY SCAVENGER HUNT

This holiday scavenger hunt is from the NIE Institute. Look through your newspaper and find the following (add to the list if you wish). Write down what you find and where you find it.

1. An ad for something you would like for a gift 2. A story about someone helping others
3. A place where there is little joy or sadness this holiday season
4. Something or someplace to eat for a holiday dinner
5. A Christmas tree or other symbols of holiday traditions
6. Someone who has been naughty
7. Someone who has been nice
8. An entertaining place or event you would like to visit or attend during the winter break
9. Someone less fortunate than you are
10. Something Santa might say

More Math Quickie Lessons

Posted on December 12, 2009 by Sue

These NIE math activities are from the NIE Institute’s 100 Ways to Use the Newspaper.

1. Race through the newspaper! You have five minutes. See how many numbers from 1-25 you can find. Circle each number as you find it.

2. Circle the largest and smallest numbers on a page. Subtract the two numbers you have found. Add the two numbers.

3. Use recipes from the newspaper to practice using fractions. Double the recipe; halve the recipe and triple the recipe.

4. Cut words from the newspaper that relate to quantity. For example: all, none, many, few, fewer, more, less, most etc.

5. Write a word problem that uses an advertisement as its basis. Let a friend try to solve the equation.

6. Look at the movie ads. Assuming a 15-minute break between shows, determine the duration of three movies.

7. Choose any three-digit and any two-digit numbers from the newspaper. Do the following:
• Find the product of the two numbers
• Find the sum of the two numbers
• Find the difference between the two numbers
• Find the quotient of the two numbers to the nearest hundredth
• Now, find the sum of all the answers above

8. Read a page in the newspaper and underline words and phrases that refer to time such as: annual, bicentennial, 90-day warranty, next week, etc.

9. Refer to the entertainment ads and choose the kind of entertainment that you would enjoy most and the place you would most like to eat. Determine the total cost of your outing for one person, for two and for your family.

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Monthly Archives: December 2009