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Inside this issue

School News ...…………….1

Local ……………………...10

National…………………...13

People …………………….19

Travel…………………......24

Health …………………….27

Reviews …………………..28

Sports ………….………….32

Science ……………………33

Creative Corner.………….. 34

Puzzles……………….……35

Student Council Elections By Celia Lourie Grade 5

As you may know, the student council election took place on

Thursday, October 18th. The third, fourth, and fifth graders elected your

new Student Council President, Vice President, and Secretary/Treasurer.

The three students running for President were Aidan Carroll,

Kevin Mills, and me, Celia Lourie. The four candidates running for Vice President were Julia

Quinn, Ally Ford, Ryan Salladino, and Thomas McLaughlin. The three girls running for

Secretary Treasurer were Lindsay Allison, Carly Ford, and Mackenzie Kaut.

Each candidate wrote a speech and presented it to the students in the grades that would be

voting. Then the students went back to their classrooms and voted for one person from each

category. At the end of the day, Mr. Bennett announced the winners for each position.

Congratulations to President Kevin Mills, Vice President Ryan Salladino, and Secretary

Treasurer Mackenzie Kaut!

VOLUME 8 ISSUE 1 December 2012

2

School News

HAPPY FRANKENSTORM! By Zachary Puckett Grade 3

Every year students at Indian Lane look forward to the annual Halloween parade. This is

a time for the students to show off their Halloween costumes. I know I was just as excited as

everyone else this year to show off my 1920’s Gangster costume. My sister Hannah was going

to be Little Red Riding Hood and my youngest sister, Abby, was going to be Dorothy from the

Wizard of Oz. However, this year we got hit with the biggest storm I have ever seen. Hurricane

Sandy prevented us from having this annual parade on Halloween this year because we were

closed for two days and had a two hour delay on Wednesday, Halloween. Mr. Bennett decided it

was best to have the parade on Friday, two days after Halloween because of the school closing.

This year’s parade lived up to my expectations. The parade took place outside on the soccer

field. It was so windy that my hat to my Gangster costume kept blowing off.

Here is a list of my top 5 favorite costumes from the parade:

1. Christian as a scuba diver

2. My friend Anthony as a Rose Tree Colts cheerleader

3. Noah as LeSean McCoy from the Eagles

4. Nick as a swamp skeleton

5. Mr. Bennett as Uncle Sam

The parade was a great time and I am glad that we still had it, despite Hurricane Sandy.

I hope next year’s parade will be just as good, except without the storm.

Happy Frankenstorm everyone!

3

School News

Bingo Night at Indian Lane Elementary School By Sophia McDevitt Grade 3

I loved Bingo night. They had delicious homemade cookies,

cupcakes, brownies, and some other treats. They also had raffles for

some cool prizes.

It’s still fun if you don’t get Bingo. You can do other things, like

talk to your friends or you can try to get Bingo again in the next round.

Isn’t it fun meeting friends outside of school?

Bingo is a great activity because it is a fundraiser and a great thing to do. I thank the

PTG for making it happen. They did a great job with the food, drinks, prizes, and raffles. In the

raffles I won a poster signed by Danny Briere. It was AWESOME!!

My favorite thing about Bingo night was Bingo, of course. Mr. Bennett was the best

caller in the whole world. He used a loud and confident voice and every round there were so

many people yelling Bingo!!! It was unbelievable, at least for me it was.

If you didn’t go, I think you should go when they have it again. It is something fun to do

on a Friday night. I hope the people who went loved it as much as I did.

Riding the School Bus By Peyton Brightbill Kindergarten

4

Mark your calendars for the

Holiday Extravaganza at Indian Lane

Saturday, December 1st from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm

Gingerbread houses

Holiday Kid’s shop

Shopping for the adults

Letters to Santa

The Dreidel game!

School News

Pride Assemblies By Isabella Galasso Grade 3

Do you enjoy pride assemblies? I do. Pride Assemblies are a fun activity for all students

at Indian Lane Elementary School. The Pride Assemblies are held monthly in the cafeteria. For

third, fourth and fifth grades, the Pride Assemblies are in the morning. For first and second

grades, the Pride Assemblies are in the afternoon. All of the students and teachers must come to

all Pride Assemblies to show support of our school.

At Pride Assemblies sometimes students get recognized for

100 Book Challenge or Bobcat Citizen of the Month. To get these

awards you need to either read 100 steps or more, or be a great role

model for the school. If you reach one of these goals, Mr. Bennett

calls your name and you stand up and walk to the front of the

cafeteria.

Have you ever been to an assembly with a visitor? I have. They are a lot of fun. My

favorite visitors are Silly Joe and the Bee Keeper. I like Silly Joe because he wears silly clothes

and he makes me giggle. I like the Bee Keeper because he has very interesting facts. Who are

your favorite visitors? Why are they your favorite?

Pride Assemblies are a time where we recognize the good citizenship in our school.

What are you proud of? Have you read 100 steps so far this year? Are you a Bobcat Citizen?

Maybe Mr. Bennett will call your name next month!

5

School News

Fourth Grade Wissahickon Field Trip By Liam Stollsteimer Grade 4

In October, the fourth grade went to

Wissahickon Creek. It was a creek study for

science. We studied the creek to learn if it was

polluted or not. To do this, we looked at the

macroinvertebrates (mac-ro-in-vert-i-brits). “What is

that?” you might ask. They are small insects and

arachnids swimming in the water that you can see with the naked eye.

On the trip, my class went to the macroinvertebrate search in the creek first! I was really

excited when I found a “water penny”. That’s one of the macroinvertebrates! It was on a big

rock that I pulled out of the speeding current. The water was really cold, but it was worth it!

Our next station was with the microscopes. It had two parts. One was a person dressed

as a microinvertebrate with fins, a helmet, and a camouflage shirt. These showed the adaption

the macroinvertebrates has to its environment. Then we got to look through microscopes to see

the real ones. I saw a mayfly with three tails! Did you know mayfly gills are near their tails?

The last station was the game station. We played “Macroinvertebrate Mayhem”! It was

like “Red Rover”, except each person was a type of macroinvertebrate. Each type had to move a

different way. Some had to move a special way. The caddis fly had to jump across in a big bag.

They were usually the first ones out. The dragonfly nymph spun around flapping their arms and

the rat-tailed maggots were able to just run. I was a proud rat-tailed maggot who usually won!

It was a great trip. I will always remember it!

The Kindergarten Ice Cream Social By Abby Puckett Kindergarten

This year the kindergarten ice cream social was a lot of fun. I was there

with a lot of other children that were starting kindergarten this year at Indian

Lane. We played a game where you had to join a circle with a few other

children and passed around a bean bag. When you caught the bean bag, you

asked questions and the other children answered them. I learned a lot of new

things about other kindergarteners.

Then we got to make ice cream sundaes with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, cherries,

and sprinkles. It was really yummy. They also had chocolate chip cookies that were good too.

It was a great time and I was excited to meet a lot of new friends!

6

School News

Rockin’ Readers at Indian Lane By Jackson Meile Grade 2

This year there is a theme for our 100 Book Challenge. It is called Rockin’ Readers. I

asked Mrs. Hatton how she came up with this idea and she said, “I knew that a theme would

make the 100 Book Challenge more exciting and it would motivate the kids to read more. So, I

just thought of the Rockin’ Readers theme.” At our first Pride Assembly, Mrs. Hatton played the

song “I Love Rock-n-Roll.” It was cool!

All of the prizes for second to fifth grade are about the theme. The prizes are:

100 Steps = Inflatable Microphone

200 Steps = Rock Star Rings

300 Steps = Guitar Key Chains

400 Steps = Inflatable Flaming Guitar

The first graders get medals with a bobcat ribbon for 100-300 steps and they get an

inflatable flaming guitar for 400 steps.

Every class has a poster hanging in the hallway by the library. The students have a cool,

colorful guitar on their class poster to show their steps. Each sticker equals 100 steps. Make

sure you check yours out!

Another new part of the 100 Book Challenge this year is that each classroom has a prize

box. There are prizes about the theme, like pencils, tattoos, and ribbon bookmarks.

You should read every day because reading is fun and now, you also get to earn awesome

Rockin’ Reader prizes!

7

School News

Board Games Club By Zack Marcolongo Grade 3

If you want something fun to do after school every other Tuesday,

you should join us in the Board Games Club. It is available for students in

kindergarten through fifth grade. They have snacks available in case you

are hungry when you get there. I am usually hungry all the time, so I was

relieved.

When I first went in, I was amazed at how many kids were there, twenty kids in just

Grades 3-5! There were cupboards and cupboards of fun games to play. They have everything

from Twister to Chess! My friend Owen was there so we played Connect 4 Stackers, then I

played Pay Day with Matthew. Pay Day is like a shorter version of Monopoly, but instead of

chance cards you land on mail cards, and sometimes you have to pay a bill. It was my favorite!

Then I was on to Life and Cranium!

And it didn’t matter who won or lost. It just mattered that we all had fun! The Board

Game Club doesn’t only teach you good sportsmanship. Playing Connect Stackers teaches you to

have a strategy, Pay Day teaches you to count money and pay bills, and Life teaches you that you

should be careful for what you wish. Cranium makes you use your head.

So please join us to play your favorite board games in the Board Games Club. I plan on

joining every year!!

First Grade Happenings By Haeden Gilmore Grade 1

In first grade we have been very busy doing a lot of activities. In math we just finished

learning about 3-D shapes. 3-D shapes are shapes that you can hold. During Writing Workshop

we are working on "small moments." That means we take a small moment in our lives and

stretch it out into a story. Also we are drawing pictures of places in our lives and writing stories

about them. In Reading Workshop we are learning about reading fluency and how to chunk

words into sentences.

On October 26th the first grade classes also celebrated Pumpkin Day. Pumpkin Day was

filled with fun and learning. We measured and weighed different sized pumpkins. We counted

pumpkins seeds, putting them into groups of ten. Next, we found out that pumpkins float. They

float because they are hollow inside. Finally, we carved the pumpkins and had a pumpkin snack.

This is the first year we have the specials; art, gym, and music. During gym class we

have learned and played games such as Tornado Tag, T.V. Tag, Letter Freeze Tag, and

Halloween Tag. At music we are learning to play the xylophone. We have also learned songs

like "What are you wearing?" and "The Ghost of John". In art we are working on building

pictures. Some first graders are making city skyscrapers while others are making country homes.

Finally the whole school had a Halloween Parade outside on the field. Then we went

back to class for a party. That is all the news from first grade.

8

School News

Brownie Troop #5671 By Hannah Jacobi Grade 2

I am proud to a Brownie. My Troop number is 5671. We meet at Indian Lane on the

first and third Thursday of each month. Our Troop Crest is the unicorn. It stands for strength

and beauty.

The Girl Scouts turned 100 years old this year. My Troop traveled to Washington, DC on

June 9th for the 100

th Anniversary Sing-A-Long. Girl Scouts from all over the country came to

celebrate the anniversary.

During the month of October, my Troop went on an Autumn Hayride and marched in the

Media Halloween Parade.

In November my Troop will go roller skating and donate canned food for “Wheels for

Meals”. We are also going to learn about Patriotism. The Girl Scout Pledge includes serving

our Country. On Tuesday, November 27th, my Troop will meet a nurse who went over the

ocean to help our Military. She is going to show us special ready-to-eat meals, tell us stories

about being in the Military, and will show us different parts of the uniforms and equipment. At

the end of the meeting, the Brownies will write letters to the Service Men and Woman. We will

get a Patriotism Patch to put on our vest. Brownies get a lot of patches for all the different things

they do.

Girl Scout Cookies will be on sale soon. We have so much fun selling the cookies. We

have cookie booths for people to buy cookies from us. I love to sell cookies! I love to eat them

too!

9

School News

The Importance of the Bobcat Pledge By Sophia Phillips Grade 1

Be respectful and responsible

Offer a helping hand

Be a friend to everyone

Care about feelings

Accept differences

Tell an adult

Stand up for what is right

The BOBCAT Pledge is a promise that the kids at Indian Lane take to make sure nothing

goes wrong, and so that we can make the school kind, nice, and beautiful.

Some ways to follow the BOBCAT pledge are: when you are walking in the hallways,

always be respectful and quiet because other people could be working in their classrooms, listen

to your teacher when she is telling you to do something. Also when you are working with

something, you need to put it away so no one trips on it. When someone gets hurt, you should

help them and go tell a teacher what happened. If somebody is crying you could help them

figure it out. If you see a person with different color skin or hair, or ripped up clothes, you

should accept them and not make fun of them. If you see someone bullying another student, you

should say something to them not in a hurtful voice, but in a firm, calm voice telling them to stop

bullying the friend.

10

Local

Theater Camp

By Belén Scull Grade 2

For the last three summers I have gone to Neumann University in Aston, PA, for theater

camp. Let me tell you about it. We are always put in one of two groups. The younger group is

for kids going into kindergarten, first grade, second grade and third grade. The second group is

for kids going into fourth grade, fifth grade and sixth grade. The two groups work independently

and sometimes together. Camp starts at 10 am and goes until 3:30 every week day for 3 weeks.

This is what a day is like at camp: When we get there in the morning, we get inside free-

time. We can talk, play games and unpack. Next, everyone plays a group game, like guessing

games or “Slap-Diddley-O-So.” This is when the two groups separate and work on the play for

the last day of camp.

Usually we go to lunch after that. At lunch there are a lot of choices, and we get to have

lunch in the cafeteria. They have hamburgers, pizza, grilled cheese, salad and any kind of

sandwich you want! There are a lot of kinds of drinks too. The drink options are root beer,

mountain dew, orange soda, punch, sprite, orange juice, cranberry juice, and kiwi-strawberry.

There are desserts too. The choices are pudding and Jello with whipped cream.

After lunch we go outside for recess. Kids can bring sports stuff like jump ropes or any

kind of ball. Some kids play other games or just socialize and talk. Recess is about 10 or 15

minutes. Then we come inside to do a craft or play an acting game like charades.

On the last day of camp, each group puts on a show for friends and families. We begin

by getting assigned a part for the play. We rehearse every day for that part. The show usually

has some songs and dances also. As we get closer to the show date, we practice more and more.

The last week of camp we get our costumes. On the day of the play, some kids are nervous and

some kids are excited. A lot of parents bring video cameras and regular cameras to take pictures

and videos of the shows. Some kids get flowers after the show. This year I was so excited

because Ms. Parkinson came to see me! Theatre camp is very interesting and enjoyable. It’s a

great thing to try – maybe you will try it this summer!

11

Local

Middletown Fire Company Thrill Show By Dylan de Jong Grade 1

This fall, my dad, sister and I went to the Middletown Fire Company Thrill Show. We

saw lots of cool things there. First, we saw a damaged car that had been in a crash. The

firefighters had to cut it open to get inside the car. Next, we saw a car filled with hay that they

set on fire and put out with fire hoses. There was also a house made of plywood that was on fire

and the firemen put out the flames.

The smokehouse was like a house on fire. We went inside and it was very smoky. It

smelled bad and I had to crawl around. It was hard to see.

I had a chance to put out a burning stove with a real fire

extinguisher. That was really fun!

Lastly, a helicopter came and landed. It was really cool. It wasn’t

too loud but there was a lot of wind blowing around. We were able to go

inside the helicopter and then we left. The firemen at the Middletown Fire

Company are brave and they put on a nice show for us!

Time to tack up!

By Cara de Jong Grade 3

Hi, my name is Cara and I am writing about tacking up

a horse. Tacking up a horse means getting them ready to ride!

The first thing you need to do is get the horse or pony that you

will be riding. They will either be in their stall in the barn, or

you may have to catch them from the field. Catching them

from the field can take some time. Once a horse named Cody

tried to run away from us but we finally got him.

After you have your horse in the barn, you can start to

groom them with the curry comb, the stiff brush, the face

brush, the mane and tail comb, and the hoof pick. Once they are clean, you must get their tack,

which is the girth, saddle pad, saddle, and bridle.

The saddle pad goes on first, then the saddle goes on their back (the saddle is heavy, so

you may need a helper to put it on). Then the girth goes around the belly and it attaches to the

saddle to keep it from moving and coming off the horse. The bridle goes on last. The reins go

over their head, and then you need to get the bit in the horse’s mouth. The bridle lets you have

control of the horse and you can steer them with the reins.

Once they are tacked up, it’s time to ride—my favorite part!

12

Local

My New Puppy By Isabella Phillips Grade 5

This summer we got a new addition to my family!

No, not a baby, a puppy!

It all started with my bedroom. For the longest time,

I’d been asking my parents if we could repaint my room.

We bought the paint a while ago and it was still sitting in my

closet.

Finally, my dad said we could start to paint the next

day. I was overjoyed! By the end of the first day, my parents

realized we would need another gallon of paint to finish the

job. So my Mom piled all of my siblings into the car and we drove down to Benjamin Moore.

When we got there, I noticed the “We Love Pets” store right down the street.

After we picked up the paint, I asked my Mom if we could go into the pet store. Once we got

there we had to wait 10 minutes because it wasn’t even open yet. In the window we got to see

some cute little kittens.

Finally the store opened! And what we saw was definitely worth the wait…a PUPPY!

A little black and white Shih-Tzu puppy put his paws up on the little open-topped glass

cage! We were the only people in the store but the puppy was barking away! Then we walked

around the store and looked at all the other dogs and pets. We finished window shopping and

walked out of the store. “Please Mom!” my siblings and I shouted. Eventually my Mom gave

in. “Let’s call your Dad.” My Mom handed me her phone and I punched in my dad’s number.

Unfortunately, he didn’t answer so we went home empty-handed. As soon as we pulled into the

garage we jumped out of the car and ran inside to go talk to Dad. Although instead of talking to

him, we sort of screamed at him:

“DAD, DAD, DAD! CAN WE GET A DOG?”

“Wait, What, What? Let me talk to Mom.” We ran down the stairs to wait “patiently.”

Soon enough, my parents came downstairs and we had the “responsibility” talk. But honestly, I

think we got the gist.

When we got back to the pet store my siblings and I were so excited! We got to play

with the puppy and pick out a collar. When we finally got to take him home it was great! We

took him outside, we ran around the yard, and we played tug-of-war with his chew toys. After a

long day he fell asleep in my lap.

Now you know the story of how I got my little puppy dog.

My puppy’s name is Indiana Jones Phillips and he is 7 months old!

13

Image source: The Washington Post

National

Hurricane Sandy By Tate Boell Grade 5

On October 22, 2012 Hurricane Sandy hit Jamaica and was

on its way up to our area. On October 29th the great

“Frankenstorm” hit Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and New

York. Many people were injured or even died. There was a lot of

damage to houses from flooding and wind. People lost power for

days and in New Jersey all the sand came up and onto the streets.

Hurricane Sandy was much bigger than Hurricane Irene, which happened last year at the

end of August. Hurricane Sandy was slower moving than Hurricane Irene, so we had it longer.

There were shelters for everybody who was homeless or house was ruined. 12,000 flights were

canceled because of this terrible storm.

Hurricane Sandy was really awful.

.

Image Source: Florida Journal

Why we have Fire Prevention Week By Liam Gilmore Grade 1

We observe Fire Prevention Week because of The Great Chicago Fire and

the Peshtigo Fire in Northeast Wisconsin. On October 8th and 9th of 1871 these

fires caused major damage. The survivors never forgot what they had been through

and it changed the way firefighters and public officials thought about fire safety.

In 1920, President Woodrow Wilson made the first National Fire Prevention Day

Proclamation. Since 1922 Fire Prevention Week has been observed during the week of October

9th.

Fire Prevention Week is the longest running public health and safety observance. Each

year there is a different theme to teach you about fire safety. This year's theme was “Two Ways

Out.” That means having two different escape routes out of every room in the house. Fire

Prevention Week is once a year but you should think about fire safety every day.

Source: NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) website

14

National

The 150th

Anniversary of the Dollar Bill By Ryan Salladino Grade 5

Have you ever been to the Dollar Store to buy some things like rulers or candy or cards?

Have you ever wondered about the dollar bill you used to buy those things? Well, this year

marks the 150th anniversary of the one-dollar bill. I decided to do a little research about the

The first dollar bill was printed in 1862 with the portrait of the Secretary of the Treasury

at the time, Salmon P. Chase. George Washington’s portrait was put on the bill seven years later

in 1869. In 1877, the Federal Government took over the printing of the bills from private bank

note companies. Today the Bureau of Engraving and Printing prints all our bills. Most of the

elements printed on the dollar bill have been a

part of the bill since 1929. The design used now

was adopted in 1963.

When you look at the front of a dollar

bill, to the left of George Washington’s face,

there is a letter in a jagged circle. That letter

tells you where the bill was printed. The green

numbers are the serial numbers. The first letter

can also tell you where the bill was printed. The

last letter in the serial number tells you how

many times the serial number has been used.

Each letter stands for a number; A is one, B is 2

and so on.

On the back of the dollar there are two circles. They are the front and back of the Great

Seal of the United States. On the left, there is an unfinished pyramid with 13 steps. That is the

back of the Great Seal. The pyramid represents strength and permanence. If you look closely at

the bottom of the period, you will see 1776 written in Roman Numerals. On the right side of the

dollar is the front of the Great Seal with an eagle. The eagle is holding an olive branch in one

talon and in the other talon he is holding 13 arrows. In front of the eagle is a shield with 13

stripes and above the eagle is a circle with 13 stars. Thirteen represents the thirteen colonies we

were before we became the United States.

During my research I learned a bunch of cool facts. Did you know that it costs 4.2 cents

to make a dollar bill? Or did you know that out of all the money printed by the government, the

one-dollar bill makes up 45% of the printing? I also learned that the front of the bill is printed in

black and the back is printed in green. That’s why it is called a “greenback.” Here is the fact

that I thought was the most interesting one: if you had 10 billion one-dollar bills, and you spent

one every second of every day, it would take you 317 years to go bankrupt.

So now, the next time you go to the Dollar Store, you have some background knowledge

of what you’re using to pay for your stuff!

http://www.onedollarbill.org/decoding.html

15

National

Happy Birthday Oreo! By Emily Smith Grade 5

On March 6, 1912, milk’s favorite cookie was created in New York City. The Oreo was made

by Nabisco and first sold in Hoboken, New Jersey---just two hours from Indian Lane

Elementary! This year Oreo celebrated its 100th birthday. Here are some fun facts about milk’s

favorite cookie.

The Oreo shares its birthday year with the South Pole discovery and the sinking of the

Titanic.

Even if you travel to China you can ask for an Oreo and they’ll be there, because Oreos

are found in more than 100 countries. China is the second largest market for Oreos after

the U.S.

Do you twist, lick or dunk your Oreo? It is said that 50 percent of all those that eat Oreos

pull apart their cookies before eating. Women twist them open more often than men.

The Oreo comes in many different surprising flavors around the world. Some flavors are

green tea, blueberry, orange ice cream, and banana.

The original name of the Oreo was “Oreo Biscuit”. Later it became “Oreo Sandwich”

and then “Oreo Crème Sandwich” but most now just call it plain old “Oreo.”

Over 450 BILLION Oreos have been sold worldwide since that first sale in 1912.

The Oreo even has a street named after it – Oreo Way – formerly known as West 15th

street in New York City.

The Oreo has had many changes since it was born, but the original delicious flavor will always

remain the same.

16

National

Diwali – Festival of Lights

By Rhea Gurnaney Grade 2

Diwali, popularly known as "Festival of Lights", is

celebrated by Hindus across the world. The name Diwali is

translated as "rows of clay lamps" that people light outside their

homes. Diwali has a religious significance as a celebration of

victory of good over evil. It also has a spiritual meaning of

conquering darkness of ignorance with inner light of knowledge.

Diwali is the most important holiday of the year in India. It is celebrated in autumn each

year on a new moon day. This year, Diwali will be celebrated on November 13th. It originated

as a harvest festival that marked the last harvest of the year before winter. India was primarily

an agricultural society where farmers would seek the blessings of Lakshmi, the goddess of

wealth, as they closed their accounting books and prayed for a good harvest for the coming year.

Traditionally, Diwali is celebrated for five days with family

gatherings, delicious sweets, glittering clay lamps, colorful paper

lanterns, festive fireworks, strings of electric

lights, and worship to Goddess Lakshmi.

People decorate their homes with garlands of

bright marigold flowers and mango leaves. Decorative patterns called

"Rangoli" are made with colored powder on the floors of courtyards or

near the entrance to the house. It is the season of joy and people wish

each other a very happy Diwali.

My favorite things about Diwali are creating colorful Rangoli patterns on the porch,

lighting sparklers with my brother, and getting presents from my mom, dad, and grandparents.

17

National

The Voting Process By Delia Quinn Grade 4

I am going to talk about the voting process. Even though our parents already voted, it’s

not too late for you to learn about how to vote! So, first you go to your local voting station. It

can be a school, church, or some other place. Then when you go in there are two sections. You

have to go to the part of the room that has your neighborhood on the board. Next, you go to

whichever person has your name on their pad. Once they find your name, it’s off to the

booth...The voting booth! Once you get in, if you look straight, you’ll see there are two main

positions: a Democrat and a Republican. This year our Democrat was Barack Obama. Our

Republican was Mitt Romney. Under those two names should be other positions and other

names, like governor and stuff like that. There are also two other parties. They’re not the main

parties, though. Anyway, to vote you press buttons next to the names. After you’re done voting,

you have to press another button. After you’re finished that, you’re good to go!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid – Read It! By Erin Boel Grade 3

18

National

Rainforests are Not Jungles By Kaitlyn Seeburger Grade 1

There are two types of rainforests: tropical and temperate. The most famous tropical

rainforest is the Amazon Rainforest. Lots of animals live here. We get medicine from the trees

and plants. There are four layers in this type of rainforest.

The emergent layer has the tallest trees. The birds live here.

The second layer is the canopy. More trees grow here but

they are not as tall. Monkeys, birds, and bugs live here.The

third layer is called the understory. It is dark here because

the sun can’t get through the trees! My dad saw really big

spiders when he went to the jungle with the Army. Jaguars

live here too; they sit in trees looking down. They are my

favorite animal. What animals do you like?

The last level in the rainforest is the forest floor.

There are lots of bugs here! Bugs are fun. This is where the

people and other animals live as well.

The rainforest does not get really hot or cold. The temperature is similar to our summer

temperature here in Pennsylvania. They sure get more rain in the rainforest than we do! But did

you know that the rainforest is not a jungle? Jungles go around the rainforest. Jungles do not

have so many trees. They have lots of flowers because it gets more sun. Flowers need sun and

rain. They are around the equator.

There are also rainforests in the United States and Canada! They are called temperate

rainforests. The trees grow really big! Some of the trees can grow so big you could drive a car

through some of them! There is one called

the Great Bear Rainforest. There are lots of

really big trees, plants, fish, and animals.

Bears and salmon live here. Salmon is

delicious! These types of rainforests are

rare. Rare is a fancy word for not seeing

them very often. These rainforests are

always near the ocean, have mountains, and

have lots of rain. In this type of rainforest

there are only three layers not four. The

canopy, the undercover, and the forest floor.

My mom visited this rainforest and said it

was beautiful. She could not see the top of

the trees they were so big. This is a picture

she took when she went to visit. I think it

would be cool to visit.

Sources: Great Bear Rainforest. www.britishcolumbia.com/regions/towns, All About Rainforests. Zoom Rainforest; Enchanted Learning

Software, Fun Jungle Facts. Sciene Kids: Fun Science and Technology for Kids. www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/earth/jungle.html ,

Rainforest at Night. www.nationalgeographic.com

19

People

Mr. Bennett By Lindsay Allison Grade 5

Let’s start with the basics. Mr. Bennett loves the color

blue, celebrates his birthday on March 2nd

, and has the best

job ever. I think everyone knows that. Oh yeah, I’m Lindsay

and I interviewed Mr. Bennett for the Ink. I think this was a

great opportunity because this is my last year at Indian Lane.

Mr. Bennett was a first, fourth, and fifth grade teacher

and an Assistant Principal before he came to Indian Lane.

On Mr. Bennett’s first day at Indian Lane it was kind

of like this: there were no kids at school, it was a hot summer

day, and Mr. Bennett walked into his office… WOW!!!! All

he could remember now was how big his office was. Mr.

Bennett loves his job and working with all the kids and families and getting to know them.

Can you guess what Mr. Bennett has to do ALL day? There are four things: listening,

talking, problem solving, and making sure all of the students are growing academically.

Mr. Bennett told me about his plan for what he was going to do when he grew up. He

wanted to be a principal, a teacher, a senator, and then the President of the United States of

America.

Mr. Bennett’s own opinion about Indian Lane is that it is special because everyone who is

in our community is caring and wants their students to do their best.

I asked Mr. Bennett if there were any changes in our school and he said yes. Every grade

has recess before lunch and every room now has chimes that the teachers use to get the students’

attention.

Mr. Bennett grew up in Seaford, Delaware. He went to Blades Central Elementary

School, Fred Douglas School, Seaford Junior High, and Seaford Senior High School. After high

school, he went to Lynchburg College in Virginia. He admires President Obama, BONO and

Oprah Winfrey. His role models are one of his college professors, Dr. Petty and his High School

principal, Dr. Stover.

Did you know that Mr. Bennett has five pets? Three cats and two dogs. He loves

weather and politics. Mr. Bennett has one sister. In his free time, he likes to read (Fave series –

Harry Potter), work in his yard, and coach his son’s teams. He used to play the drums. He loves

going to the beach. His favorite movie is Forrest Gump. Mr. Bennett likes watching The

History Channel and his favorite subject is Social Studies.

I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to interview Mr. Bennett before I leave Indian

Lane. He is truly a great principal. Thanks Mr. Bennett!

20

People

Mrs. Durant By Peyton Brightbill Kindergarten

Mrs. Durant makes learning fun. She lets us have indoor recess. She always helps us

login on our computers during stations. She plays tricks on me by tapping one of my shoulders

and then walking away. That makes me laugh.

My Kindergarten Teacher By Keri Boell Kindergarten

I like Mrs. Huebner. She is nice. She teaches us about

how to write our alphabet. We have fun in her class, because

we color and do centers in kindergarten. Mrs. Huebner gives

us homework too. She makes kindergarten fun.

Great Role Model: My Ballet Teacher By Vivienne Guenther Grade 2

This article is about my ballet teacher, Denis. He teaches at the Academy of International

Ballet in Media, PA. I have been studying ballet with Denis since I was three years old.

I like how Denis helps me correct my mistakes. I also like how he shows us the

combination of steps before we do it, not along the way. I really like how Denis makes ballet

class funny through comparisons.

Denis is a nice teacher—not mean and strict. I admire how he can organize lots of kids

for the Nutcracker performances and recitals.

21

People

My Interview with Mrs. Hendrixson By Avery Anderson Grade 3

I had the great pleasure of interviewing my third grade teacher, Mrs. Hendrixson. The

interview took place in my classroom before school started. I just wanted to let everyone know

how much fun it is in Mrs. Hendrixson’s class.

Here are the questions I asked Mrs. Hendrixson. I hope you enjoy it.

How do like teaching third grade?

I love teaching third grade and this class.

How do you like the math in third grade?

I like the third grade math a lot.

How do you like reading in third grade?

I like watching the kids become better

readers.

Do you miss fifth grade?

Yes, I really loved teaching fifth grade.

What would people be surprised to know

about you?

That I am going to be a grandma next month.

What is your favorite holiday and why?

Thanksgiving, because I get to spend time with my family.

What is your favorite candy?

Anything that has chocolate.

What is your favorite color?

Yellow.

What do you like to do when you’re off in the summer?

I like to read and go to the beach.

Why do you like math so much?

I liked it in high school and I have liked it ever since. Numbers are fun to me.

What is your favorite TV show?

Watching football and baseball.

What makes Indian Lane a special place to work?

The great kids and working with my friends.

22

People

Meet the President!

By Heather Smith Grade 2

Last month third, fourth, and fifth graders voted for student

council officers. They voted Kevin Mills for Student Council

President. Here are some questions that I asked him to find out

what Student Council does.

What does Student Council do?

Student Council helps make Indian Lane special by including

the student body in certain decisions and helps the community

by supporting a special charity.

Have you ever been on student council before?

I have always enjoyed running for student council and last year

I did get elected for fourth grade class representative.

Who is on Student Council?

I am the president, Ryan Salladino is vice president, and Mackenzie Kaut is secretary/treasurer.

Together we make up the board. From each third, fourth and fifth grade class there is one boy

and one girl representative.

What do you want to do as President?

As president, I want to represent the school and make everyone feel that their opinion is

important. Also as I promised, I’m talking to Cocco’s Pizza to see if they can make a whole-

wheat pizza.

When and where does Student Council meet?

Student Council meets in Mrs. Arbutina’s room on the first Friday of every month at 8:00 am.

Why did you run for President?

I ran for president because I felt like I had good ideas and that I would work hard to make sure

that Indian Lane stays as good as it is. I also wanted to make improvements to make it better

with the help of everyone.

How do you think you will do as President? Why?

I will do great because I have the mindset to do so and everyone will support the school because

it is not a one-person job.

23

People

Ms. Ferdon By Maggie Allison Grade 2

My teacher is Ms. Ferdon and I wanted to know a little more about her, so I decided to

interview her. Here is her story.

Ms. Ferdon has wanted to be a teacher since she was eleven years old. So she started her

career at Heritage Elementary School in North Carolina. She has been teaching for 12 years,

since 2000. She left North Carolina in 2002 and moved here to teach at Indian Lane. In fact,

North Carolina is still her favorite place to go. Her favorite thing at school is read-aloud time.

She loves to teach about insects.

In her spare time, she loves to read. Her favorite book is Where the Red Fern Grows and

her favorite movie is The Sound of Music. She enjoys watching Modern Family on Wednesday

nights. She loves Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. They are one of my favorites too. She spends a

lot of time with her seven-year-old son, Logan and her fourteen-year-old dog, Evie.

I learned a lot about Ms. Ferdon. I hope you learned lots about her too.

24

People

Interview with Mrs. Blanchette By Lawren Whitesell Grade 1

Lawren: "Mrs. Blanchette, can you describe your job and

what you do?"

Mrs. Blanchette: "I look at students - learn about them and

prepare for what they need to know."

Lawren: "What is the best part of your job?"

Mrs. Blanchette: "Being with children and watching

children learn and grow and learning from them. They have

the best ideas!"

Lawren: "Did you ever think you would be a teacher as a

child?"

Mrs. Blanchette: "I always knew that I wanted to be a

teacher or work with children. Children see things in such a

simple, refreshing way."

Lawren: "What do you remember most about your first day working here?"

Mrs. Blanchette: "The teachers who were all here came from Media, Rose Tree and Glenwood.

We were all excited to be in a new school together. I remember all of us wanting to be a great

team."

Lawren: "Do you play any instruments?"

Mrs. Blanchette: "I wish that I could play an instrument, but I do love to listen to music when I

work and play. I would like to go to music class with Mrs. Battavio!"

Lawren: "What would people be surprised to know about you?"

Mrs. Blanchette: "That I like to kayak and can roller blade a little bit. I don't know how to stop.

My favorite place is the beach, and my favorite thing is to read."

Mrs. HiIden Interview

By Allison Flam Grade 2

I interviewed Mrs.Hilden to know information about her. The first question I asked was

what do you do in your free time? She said she spends time with her family.

Then I asked her what makes Indian Lane a special place to work. She

said that the children and teachers are nice to everyone.

Something interesting to know about her is that she likes popular music.

Mrs. Hilden’s favorite movie is Princess Bride. Her role model is her mom. When she was

young, she thought she would be a teacher.

The end.

25

Travel

To Yellowstone National Park and Back By Noah Kuttymartin Grade 3

Last summer my family and I drove to Yellowstone National Park. It was the first

national park, created in 1872. On the way there, we stopped at many places and saw lots of cool

landmarks and animals. First, we went to Chicago and went up the Sears tower (now Willis

Tower). It has 110 stories and is the tallest building in the country. We even got to go out on a

glass ledge on the 103rd

floor. That was exciting! We took a water taxi on the Chicago River to

visit parts of the city and went to a Cubs game. The Cubs won 4-1 and Alfonso Soriano hit a

home run!

From there, we drove through Wisconsin and

Minnesota to South Dakota, where we saw the Mount

Rushmore National Memorial. The heads of four

Presidents are carved in the mountain: George

Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and

Abraham Lincoln. We went to the lighting ceremony at

night. It was really cool!! We also went through rock

formations in the Badlands. The name came from the

Lakota Indians because the land was “land bad” and

they could not do anything with it. We went through

Custer State Park and saw lots and lots of buffalo, a mountain goat, turkeys, and wild donkeys!

We also saw the not yet finished Crazy Horse Monument. It is being built to honor the Lakota

Leader, Crazy Horse. They started building it in 1948. Once it is completed, it will be the largest

mountain sculpture in the world.

We then drove to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.

While driving there, we saw lots of mountains…some were snow

covered even though it was summer. There were very wide open

spaces where the sky was huge. Sometimes, our minivan was the

only car on the road for miles and miles! It was really cool.

Yellowstone was really neat. I saw the famous Old Faithful Geyser

shoot super-hot water high in the air. It is called Old Faithful because

it shoots water up regularly

They have a clock that tells you what time the geyser will

next erupt. It is usually every 90 minutes. We also saw the colorful

Grand Prismatic Springs. It is the hottest spring in the country. We

had to be very careful walking around it and my dad carried my little

brother. We saw tons of animals in Yellowstone: bison, antelope,

deer, elk, cranes, pelicans, ravens. We also saw a mother bear and

her two cubs. A park ranger made us stand back to be safe. We took

a boat ride on Lake Yellowstone (largest lake in North America

above 7000 feet) and a stagecoach ride. We slept in a log cabin near

the lake. We had to make sure that we did not have any food outside at night because the bears

could get them.

26

Travel

To Yellowstone National Park and Back, continued from page 25

On our way home from Yellowstone, we stayed in the Grand Teton National Park, also in

Wyoming. There are a lot of beautiful mountains there. We took a boat ride across Lake Jenny

and hiked 4 miles to a waterfall. We also saw a lot of animals there and my favorite part was

seeing two moose in Moose Junction near Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

We then drove to Denver, Colorado where we saw the Rocky Mountains and Coors Field

- home of the Colorado Rockies. We also stopped in St Louis, Missouri and saw the Mississippi

River, Busch Stadium - home of the St. Louis Cardinals, and the Gateway Arch. On our trip, I

also saw buffalo skin rugs, Indian Teepees, many mountains with beautiful views and hundreds

of 3 story tall windmills capturing wind energy.

Our trip was long with a lot of driving but fun and we learned and saw a lot. If you get

the chance to travel next summer, I hope you also get to go to Yellowstone National Park and

back, you will love it -I guarantee it!

My Summer Vacation By Olivia Jacobi Kindergarten

My family spent our summer vacation at my Nana’s

house in Ocean City, NJ. I went swimming in the ocean,

played on the beach and flew my kite high in the sky. My

sister and I made a giant sandcastle as big as a house! My

mom buried me and my sister in the sand and then turned us

into mermaids. We had a lot of fun!

The boardwalk is the best part of vacation. There are

all kinds of rides there. The bumper cars and the log flume are my favorite rides. I like going in

the Fun House and playing all the games. The claw machine gives me a prize every time!

I also went to the Ocean City Shell Museum. I saw shells from all over the world. I

filled a bag full of shells that my Mom and Dad bought for me. They even bought me and my

sister hermit crabs. My hermit crab’s name is Brianna and she has a stripped shell.

I love Ocean City! It’s the best place to go for vacation!

27

Health

Ways to Stay Fit and Have Fun By Holly Doran Grade 2

A good way to stay fit and have fun is to play outside. Fun things to do outside are to

take a walk: down the street, on the beach, on the boardwalk, through the woods...just walk. You

can even take your dog with you.

And you can climb; monkey bars, ropes, and trees, climb anything!

But be safe. Play games with your friends: like tag, ball, or just run around.

Throwing Frisbees are fun, so is catching them. In the summer sometimes

you can swim. And at the beach you can surf or boogie board.

If you are inside, you can cartwheel across the floor. Or turn on your

Wii (if you have one) and play Wii Sports, Wii Play or Just Dance. Or you could just dance.

There are many ways to play and be fit and have fun.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds By Josh Coppola Grade 1

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon melted butter

1 Tablespoon salt

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1½ cups fresh pumpkin seeds

Instructions

1. Rinse and dry seeds

2. Toss seeds in butter, olive oil, and salt.

3. Spread them on a cookie sheet.

4. Bake at 300° F for 45 minutes.

28

Reviews

Harry Potter Studios By Tate Boell Grade 5

This summer I went to London with my dad

for a family wedding. While I was there, I visited

the Harry Potter Studio Tour. This was a tour

showing you props, costumes, and sets of all eight

Harry Potter movies. The building had two studios:

Studio J and Studio K.

The first studio, Studio J was mostly props,

costumes, and sets. My favorite thing in there was the set for the boys’ dorms. There was also a

room where they took a picture of you in a Harry Potter Hogwarts uniform. They also took

pictures of you on a broom and then they placed the picture on different backgrounds, like

Hogwarts or London.

When we went outside there were a few big props, like the night bus, the bridge in

Hogwarts, and the number 4 Privet Drive along with number 3. There was also a stop to get

butterbeer. Butterbeer is a drink they have in Harry Potter movies. Butterbeer is only sold in

two places, the studios and the Harry Potter Land in Orlando Florida. We bought some, but it

was too sweet for me

Then we entered Studio K. This had make-up and remote-control props, like spiders and

snakes. The last room was a wand shop. If you looked closely, you could see the names of

people who had starred in the movies on the wand boxes. I saw three names: Daniel Radcliff,

Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint.

When I finished the tour I was happy that I had seen all those cool props. I would say

from a scale to one to five this place was five stars. I really enjoyed the Harry Potter Studio

Tour. I hope I can go there again.

29

Reviews

The iPhone 5 By Grace Hannigan Grade 5

Guess what Apple Inc. just released! If you

guessed the iPhone 5, you would be correct! The

iPhone 5 has a 4-inch Retina display. This new

iPhone is taller, and wider than the iPhone 4S.

Did you know that Siri is upgraded? She now gives you straighter answers than before,

and does it faster too! Another new thing for all Apple devices is the new software, IOS6. It

changes the look of the camera if you have a device with a camera. It also adds a new app called

Passbook, which you can use to get boarding passes for airplanes, movie tickets, store cards, and

coupons. Wow!

You think that's all the new things on the new iPhone? Nope! We still have a few to go!

The iPhone 5 has a new USB port. It is thinner than all other USB ports from Apple devices.

Next the iPhone has a new A6 chip, which means the graphics and performance on the phone are

up to twice as fast as last time.

And finally, the iPhone 5’s front facing camera has upgraded to High Definition.

I hoped you liked my article on the iPhone 5.

Restaurant Review: Ariano Restaurant, Media PA Julia Ryan Grade 3

Have you been to Ariano? It is a really good Italian restaurant in Media. The same

people who own Fellini’s restaurant own it. If you go there, you should try the rice balls…they

are absolutely delicious. They look a little like a meatball, but they are filled with rice, cheese,

and some tomato sauce. Ariano also has really good peach mango ice tea. It is sweet and really

good. My mom likes the salads and the pizza, and my sister likes the gelato (Italian ice cream).

You should try to get a table all the way on top of the spiral staircase. From there you

can see the painting on the ceiling. It is a mural of Italy. You can also look out the windows and

peer down on the streets of Media. It is pretty cool and a great place to eat good food.

So, please visit Ariano. I think you will enjoy dining there.

30

Reviews

Movie Review: Hotel Transylvania By Amelia Phillips Grade 3

I went to see Hotel Transylvania with my Dad and

my big sister Isabella. The movie was, what is that word, oh

yeah…FANTASTIC!

The movie is about a girl named Mavis who is a

vampire, and her overprotective Dad, who happens to be

Count Dracula. It’s Mavis’ 118th

birthday and her dad has

kept her locked up in their castle, Hotel Transylvania her

entire life. For her birthday, she wants to go out and see the

world like the rest of her family did. Mavis just wanted to

see what humans were like. But her dad didn’t trust people

because they killed his wife, Mavis’s mom, when Mavis was

just a baby. That’s why he built the hotel, so that monsters

of all kinds would have a place to go and be safe from

humans.

The story takes place in the Hotel Transylvania. The main characters are Mavis, Dracula,

Frankenstein, and a 21-year-old human named Jonathan.

My favorite part was when Jonathan, a human, unexpectedly shows up at the Hotel

Transylvania right when everything was set up for Mavis’s big birthday party. Then he has to

pretend to be a monster so the rest of the guests don’t panic. He and Mavis “Zing,” which means

they fell in love at first sight. Dracula is having none of that.

He even tried to put a spell on Jonathan to get him to leave, but it didn’t work at all

because Jonathan wears contact lenses. Jonathan doesn’t understand, and tries to start taking

them out, which totally freaks out the Count, who screams, “that is the most villainous thing I’ve

ever seen!” What a L.O.L. moment!

The movie also had super fun music and as you can see by my favorite part, this movie is

also very funny. What my sister and dad think about the story is…AMAZING, but I thought it

was even better! Especially the way the two love birds looked at each other. It was so romantic.

My sister’s favorite part was the end but of course, you will have to see the movie to find out

about the end. I’ll tell you one thing, it’s very, very happy, but it doesn’t come easily.

My rating on this movie is 4 ½ stars. But above all the movie was great, one of the best

I’ve ever seen. I really enjoyed this movie!

31

Reviews

What is Pokémon? By Andrew McCarthy Grade 2

Pokémon is a game where you collect trading cards

with characters on them. When you play, you play against

another person with cards. You have the characters battle each

other to see who wins. Some people like to collect Pokémon

cards, and they never battle with anyone. They just buy them

to try to make a whole collection. Some people trade their

cards with other collectors.

People from all over the world like to play Pokémon.

Some people go to places for tournaments where they can

battle other people to win trophies and money. To battle you

have to read what the character’s powers are and try to attack with powers that will damage the

other Pokémon. When a Pokémon is too damaged it is beaten.

The game was invented by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Mr. Tajiri is from Japan. In Japan the

game is called Pocket Monsters. Outside of Japan, it is called Pokémon, which is a word that

comes from the Japanese words for Pocket Monster (Poketto Monsutā.)

There are 649 Pokémon characters. Each character has a lot of cards that are drawn in

different ways, so there really are thousands of Pokémon cards. The cards are drawn by artists

that are very good artists. Some Pokémon characters are very rare, and not too many people

have them. The rare ones are called “uncommon” and the regular ones are “common.”

There are many special kinds of uncommon Pokémon cards. “Holos” are cards with the

character’s picture drawn as a holograph. That means the picture changes when you move the

card. For example, I have a holo card with the character Espeon. When I move it, Espeon

changes color from black to purple. There are also Reverse Holos. A reverse holo has a normal

picture of the character, but the rest of the card is really shiny.

You can buy Pokémon cards in many stores, like Toys R Us and Walmart. There are

fake Pokémon cards, so you have to make sure you buy them from a good store. On eBay, there

are a lot of fake cards, so be careful if you buy them there. Fake Pokémon cards are usually

flimsy, the characters have more power than they normally do, and the cards can rip easy.

Sometimes the character’s name looks different. If the letters are very skinny instead of thick

and bold you have a fake card.

I like to collect Pokémon cards to trade with my friends. I battle sometimes too, but not

too many times. Battling is a little hard because you have to know lots of things about how to

make the cards do stuff.

32

Sports

Nativity Cross Country By Hannah Puckett Grade 2

This year I joined the Nativity Cross Country Team. I joined it

because my mom and Uncle Nick used to run, so I wanted to continue the

tradition. Practices started in August and were three days a week. I

practiced hard and got better and better each week.

My first meet started in September and I was a little nervous on

the starting line because there were so many girls in the race. I came in

74th

place out of 264 girl runners in my first race. Each week I got a little

bit better.

The championship race was at the end of October. It was a rainy, cold, and windy day. I

still ran well though and got a red ribbon at the end of the race. It was a lot of fun this season

and I look forward to next season! Go Nativity!

Eagles Season By Ben Stanton Grade 3

E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!

Eagle’s fans were very excited about the 2012 football season because of the team’s

strong finish last year. The Eagles didn’t disappoint, starting 3–1 and in first place in their

division. Their amazing start took place despite quarterback Michael Vick turning the ball over

9 times in the first four games.

Unfortunately, Michael Vick continued to turn the ball over, but unlike the beginning of

the season the Eagles lost the next four games in a row. At the midpoint of the season the Eagles

are 3-5 and the fans want to know - what will happen to Michael Vick and Andy Reid?

33

Science

Blueberries Found on Mars By Brooke McCarthy Grade 4

Blueberries were found on the planet Mars!

I know what you are probably thinking. You're

thinking about the blueberries that you eat, but not

exactly. The blueberries from Mars are not

edible. And if you did taste one, it probably

wouldn’t taste so good.

Blueberries from the solar system are

actually iron-rich spherules that scientists have nicknamed blueberries. I know that is probably

hard to understand, but basically they are like mini circular objects that look like clay balls.

Have you ever eaten a blueberry and thought “Wow, these are small!” Well, guess what!

These blueberries are even smaller. They are not even close to being as big as regular

blueberries; these are only 1/8 of an inch, which is like the tip of a sharpened pencil. Now that is

small!

The reason NASA found this was because they sent a rover (a space vehicle that moves

all around the planet and collect scientific information) to Mars so that we could learn more

about this unexplored planet. And so far they have found a lot, but the manager of this mission

thinks that this is the most exciting discoveries yet.

The most exciting thing about this discovery is that it proves that there was once water on

the planet Mars. Water is required to support life, so there may have been some kind of life

forms on Mars at one time.

I can’t wait to see what happens next on the exploration of Mars!

A Joke By Max Phillips Kindergarten

Do you want me to tell you a joke about a pizza?

I can’t. It’s too cheesy!

34

Creative Corner

Mrs. Devowers’ Flowers By Kaitlyn Seeburger Grade 1

Trick-or-Treat By Julia de Jong Grade 1

I was trick or treating with my friends. I got lots of candy. It was fun!

35

Puzzles

Yellowstone National Park Puzzle By Mira Kuttymartin Grade 1

Hint: Words can be upwards, downwards, backwards and diagonal.

Also a bonus for finding the author’s name.

36

Puzzles

Yellowstone National Park Puzzle Solution

Mark your calendars!

The All-School Holiday Concert

December 18th at 2 pm