May Calendar • Puzzles and Brain Teasers • Ideas - Content That ...

Are you really prepared to be
a pet owner Find out what it
takes.
Meet the amazing two-legged dog, Faith, who
has become an inspiration for many people.
This copy of Kid Scoop News belongs to:
Discover how roly-poly bugs can be fun
little pets!
• May Calendar
• Puzzles and Brain Teasers
• Ideas for Parents and Teachers
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2
This month, Kid Scoop News looks at the importance of kindness.
May is Be Kind to Animals month. You will find articles, games,
puzzles, jokes and more all about animals this month!
Take time this month to make a list
of five acts of kindness you can
do everyday. Here are some ideas:
• Be generous with your smile!
• Give 10 hugs in one day!
• Smile at people who look sad.
• Start a conversation with a new
student or someone who looks
lonely.
• Smile at your parents.
• Write a nice note to someone in
your class who is having a bad
day.
• Smile at your principal.
• Wave to the crossing guard.
• Make a thank you note for your mail carrier, a fireman or
another community helper.
Remember: Everyone smiles in the same language.
News Page .................................................................... 3
Spotlight: Be Kind To Animals ................................... 4-5
Money Matters: How Much For A Pet ...................... 6-7
Animal Moms ............................................................. 8-9
Puzzle Pages ......................................................... 10-11
Calendar: May ....................................................... 12-13
Health: Saying Goodbye ........................................ 14-15
Earth News: Backyard Pets ........................................ 16
Kid Scoop Together: Try This At Home ........................ 17
Early Learners: The letter I and the number 4 ........... 18
Book & Web Pics: Pets ............................................... 19
Working Like A Dog ............................................... 20-21
For Teachers: Using KS News in the classroom .... 22-23
Vicki Whiting, Editor Vivien Whittington, Production Manager
Graphics: Jeff Schinkel, Dawn Armato-Brehm, Eli Smith
All contents © 2009 Kid Scoop
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3
“Faith shows us that you don’t have to
be complete to be perfect,” Jude said.
“Kids have an extreme bond with her.”
Faith loves to fly on airplanes and
travel around the U.S. cheering up
patients in hospitals, letting kids read to
her in schools, and visiting people in
nursing homes.
Thousands of people have been moves
to tears when they read about the tiny
fighter who overcame her handicap.
Faith has even appeared on The Oprah
Winfrey Show!
Since Faith was missing two legs, she
has overcome her disability by
learning some unique skills.
Sometimes when we’re lacking in
one area, we can build up new skills
to compensate. Draw a big star on
paper with beams streaming out.
Write inside the star the characteristics
you might be missing in your life. On
the beams, write skills that you can
strengthen. Color in your star and
build your strengths.
How is Faith similar to other
dogs How is she different
Are there some ways you feel
different from other kids How
can Faith inspire you
litter – a group of animal babies
born to the same mother at the
same time
deployed – to position in
readiness for combat.
biped – a two-footed animal
Photo courtesy of Jude Stringfellow
Visit Faith online at:
www.faiththedog.net
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4
ational Be Kind to Animals Week is a good time to
find out how we can really be kind to animals.
Controlling the population of pets in this country is a good
place to start. Each year, thousands of dogs and cats are
abandoned and eventually killed.
Why are these animals killed Because
there is no one to care for them. Often
people get a pet and then find out, too late,
that they can’t care for it. The pet is then
abandoned or left at a shelter.
But wait. It gets worse. Many people do not spay or neuter
their pets, and there are not enough homes for all the puppies
and kittens. These unwanted pets also end up in shelters,
where many of them are killed.
1. Don’t get a pet unless you are really
prepared to care for it. 8 to 12 million cats
and dogs end up in shelters each year.
2. If you have a cat or dog, get it fixed so
that it won’t have any babies. 4 to 6 million
cats and dogs have to be euthanized (killed)
by shelters each year.
For more information,
visit the Humane
Society of the
United States at:
www.hsus.org
Five puppies and five kittens are identical.
Can you find both sets of five
“Hug your pet!” That is how Dr. Stallings
of Sonoma, California, tells Kid Scoop readers
to take care of their pets.
Of course, you have to take care of
your pet’s physical needs too,” she
adds. This means:
1. Feed your pet balanced meals.
2. Give your pet fresh water every day.
3. Make a good shelter for your pet.
4. Take your pet to the vet for regular
vaccinations against deadly animal
diseases
Dr. Stallings has one last tip. “Don’t feed your pet
candy and sweets. This would make your pet sick.”
So, if you love your pet, remember, HUGS ARE
BETTER THAN CANDY!
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Cats and dogs communicate with their tails. What
are these animals saying To find out, add up the
numbers next to each animal. Match the answer with
the words that explain what the tail is saying.
9
14
6
17
13
= “I’ve been a bad dog.”
= “Watch out, I might attack.”
= “I’m so happy to see you.”
= “I’m a good dog.”
= “I’m a cool cat.”
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6
Make a bar graph to show the kinds of pets you and your friends own.
uppies and kittens look
cute in the pet store
window. Can you afford one
Even if you have the money
to buy an adorable critter, you
will need more money each
week to feed and care for it.
Carlos and Cindy want to buy a pet. Cindy wants a cat
and Carlos wants a cricket. But, before they can get any
pet, they have to find out if they can afford it.
Help Carlos and Cindy figure out how much it will cost
to keep each pet for one year. Then add up the money in
their piggy bank. Which pet or pets can they afford
Cat
Dog
Cricket
Fish
5 lbs. a month
10 lbs. a month
1 oz. a month
$4
$7
$0
$1
Cat
Dog
Cricket
Fish
per year
per year
per year
per year
$50
$50
$0
$0
Cat
Dog
Cricket
Fish
$5
$10
$0
$5
TOTAL COST: Cat $103, Dog $144,
Cricket $0, Fish $5
NOTE: These prices vary greatly depending on where you
live. These are examples ONLY and you should check prices
in your area before deciding if owning a pet is right for you.
Total money in piggy bank: ______
To find out which pet belongs to
which owner, add the numbers next
to each person. The answer is the
same as the number next to each pet.
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MONEY MATTERS
7
PUPPIES
KITTENS
CRICKET
SURVEY
LAIKA
SPUTNIK
SPACE
REFLECTED
SAFARI
OWNER
RACE
CUTE
FISH
Find the words by looking up, down, backwards,
forwards, sideways and diagonally.
Then see if you can find the words in this
month’s Kid Scoop stories and activities.
D
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T
C
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L
F
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R
T
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F
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Which animal would you like to be your mom
Motherhood means different things to different
animals. Read about how these animal mothers care,
or don’t care for their young. Which animal mother
would you like to have
It is not uncommon for a sheep to
simply abandon its lamb. Farmers
often have to bottle-feed lambs.
Help the little lost
sheep find the
farmer with the bottle.
Donkeys mothers may be the
most devoted of all. They will
not let any other animal
come between them and
their babies. Even if a curious,
little kitten comes close, a
donkey mom will chase it away.
Find the
differences
between the
mother donkey
and its foal and
their reflection in
the pond.
Use the numbers 4,5,6,7,8,9.
Make the top row of eggs equal 6.
Make the sum of the middle row of eggs
equal 16.
Make the sum of the bottom row equal 17.
Sometimes a goat will abandon its kid.
Usually a farmer does not have to
bottle-feed the little critter because another
nanny goat will step in and adopt it.
Adoptions can also be seen in the chicken
coop. Some hens will sit on any eggs that
happen to be around.
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Frogs and fish moms generally lay their eggs and forget about
them. Fortunately, once the eggs hatch, the tiny tadpoles and
baby fish can survive on their own. In fact, one of the predators
they have to watch out for is their own mom! Find 8 things in
the pond that don’t belong.
he mother Surinam toad cares for its eggs in one of the
strangest ways. As the mother toad lays eggs, the male
presses them one by one into the soft skin on the
mother’s back. After a while, each egg sinks into a little
pocket that forms on the mother’s back. Then a covering of
skin grows over the pocket. The baby toads hatch and
develop in these little pockets. A few weeks later, the mother
rubs her back and the little toads swim free.
What did the
mother Surinam
toad say to
her kids
Unscramble the answer:
“ETG FOF YM AKBC!”
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10
The grid below is filled with kitten faces. Match each group
of kittens on the right with the same four kitten faces, grouped in the exact same position, on the
large grid on the left.
In this two-player game, Player A
uses a BLUE crayon, Player B uses
an RED crayon. Take turns drawing
a horizontal or verticle line between
two dots. The player who draws the
line that completes each square gets
1 POINT. If there is a dog biscuit in
that square, the player earns 3
BONUS POINTS.
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11
Can you read the clues and
determine which fishbowl
is home to Gayle the
Goldfish
Gayle’s
fishbowl has more than
one plant. Gayle lives
with her twin sister, Gina.
Gayle has a rock that she
loves to swim through just for
exercise. Gayle doesn’t like
pirate stuff in her bowl.
According to the
Guinness Book of
World Records, the
oldest known goldfish
was named Fred, who
died in 1980 at age 41!
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How many fish can you find on this page in 60 seconds Now have a friend try. Who fo
Find an article in the
newspaper that expresses an
opinion. That’s freedom of
speech!
Read quietly with
your family for at
least 15 minutes
this evening.
Look up
recipes to
prepare a
Mexican dinner tonight.
No whining allowed
today! Find photos of five
smiling faces in the newspaper.
Donate cans of dog
food and cat food to your
local animal shelter or offer to
walk a neighbor’s dog.
Treat Mom like a queen
today. Provide breakfast in
bed, do her chores and tell
her how wonderful she is.
Make a “Wish you were here”
postcard about your hometown
and mail it to a friend or relative
far away.
Thank a nurse today for their
valuable contributions.
Which animal lays the smallest
egg Which one lays the
largest Look up the answers
in an encyclopedia or online.
Take your bike out and
clean it up. Be sure to oil
the chain.
Ask if you can
help prepare
dinner this
evening. Be sure
to help with the
clean up, too!
Make plans to visit a relative you
haven’t seen in a long time. If you
can’t visit, call or write a letter!
Never surprise a dog, even
your own dog! Check page
17 for tips on greeting a dog.
Ask a parent to grill
some veggies like
zucchini or asparagus.
Introduce a new friend to
one of your old friends.
Cut out words from the
headlines and glue them to
colored paper to tell your brother
he’s the best!
Add some
How
sliced
many flying
strawberries
insects
to
can
your
you
cereal this
count
morning.
today
Go for a walk with a
grandparent or elderly neighbor.
Surprise Look your in the teacher newspaper by offering to
find to out help when straighten the public up the pool
classroom nearest you after opens. school.
More than 90% of
adult smokers started
as teens. Decide today
to NEVER smoke!
To advertise, please call
www.kidscoop.com
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d try. Who found the most
Mix, one cup each of three
different kinds of cereal.
Add raisins and pretzels for
a tasty treat.
Grab your snack
mix and go for a
long walk with
your family.
ans of dog
t food to your
helter or offer to
ghbor’s dog.
Step into a pet’s paws. Write a
journal entry for today from a
pet’s point of view.
It’s Family Movie Night!
Pop some popcorn and enjoy a
movie at home.
bike out and
Be sure to oil
hain.
Look at the local
section of your newspaper
for ads about an event your
family might enjoy.
Golf inside using mugs
laid on their sides, rolled up
newspaper for a club and a ball
made of crumpled foil.
new friend to
r old friends.
April showers
bring May flowers. Plant
flowers in your yard to enjoy
their beauty.
About 1,000
pieces of taffy are produced
every minute. Can you guess
the most popular flavors
eacher newspaper by offering to
ighten the public up the pool
you after opens. school.
Have sack races and egg
tosses, play badminton or
toss horseshoes.
Give your cat a
hug or take a
short cat nap.
First Name:
Age: Grade: School:
Last Initial:
Using the squiggles above, create a colorful picture. Be imaginative!
Then, send your completed creation to us. We’ll feature some in the next
issue of Kid Scoop News. Watch for yours!
Send your artwork to:
All entries become the property of Kid Scoop News. Sorry, we are
unable to return any artwork.
ww.kidscoop.com © Kid Scoop News April 2009
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Losing a loved one
is always sad.
Sometimes it hurts
so much that we
wish we could just
forget.
ospice offers
groups for
children.
Children in
these groups
talk about
their feelings
and learn how to
remember a loved
one in a positive way.
To find out about children’s
groups in your area, contact
your local Hospice office.
Cross out or “POP” the
balloons with the letters that
spell FEAR. What do the letters
on the remaining balloons
spell Can you figure out who
is holding which balloon
“Don’t forget,” says
Alissa Hirshfeld-
Flores of Hospice.
“Remember the
good things. Yes, it
will hurt to
remember. It’s
important to cry and
share your feelings
with people who
care about you.”
Hirshfeld-Flores
knows a lot about
dealing with loss.
She and others at
Hospice help people
deal with the deaths
of loved ones.
If you are feeling
very sad, Hirshfeld-
Flores says you
should talk to an
adult you trust.
Make a “Memory Book” about
someone or something you have lost.
In your book, include:
• poems and stories
• pictures
• words
Think about the good memories while
you make your book.
Look at this memory book page and
match each pet to the object it loved.
Special thanks to:
Alissa Hirshfeld-Flores, MFT
Bereavement Services Manager
Hospice By The Bay
(415) 526-5549
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For centuries, in almost every
part of the world, lighting
candles has been a
way to remember
loved ones.
Garrett wants to
burn a candle for
three hours each
night for one week
to remember his 157
dog Shep. Each
minutes
candle is labeled with
the number of minutes
it will burn. Does he
have enough candlelight
for one week
315
minutes
92
minutes
213
minutes
125
minutes
333
minutes
64
minutes
GOODBYE
STRENGTH
CANDLE
FEELINGS
SEQUINS
SHIELD
HOSPICE
MEMORY
POSITIVE
TIMES
MINUTES
LOVED
TOUGH
HELP
Find the words by looking up, down, backwards,
forwards, sideways and diagonally.
Then see if you can find the words in this
month’s Kid Scoop stories and activities.
B
S
E
Q
U
I
N
S
Y
Y
G
T
I
M
E
S
H
E
E
S
R
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M
L
T
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V
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U
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D
O
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S
E
M
N
U
L
P
T
I
M
V
O
A
G
D
S
I
L
O
O
R
C
H
T
O
S
E
O
L
Y
P
L
E
H
O
E
Y
B
D
O
O
G
F
P
F
S
E
T
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N
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M
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16
Is your dad allergic to cats Does
your mom say she can’t stand
listening to birds chirping all day or
that an aquarium is too expensive
Take a look under a rock. You just
might find a little roly-poly critter
to adopt for a while.
earn about roly-polies while you find your way through the maze.
Each time you come to a question, find the correct path to discover
the answer. The correct answers will lead you through the maze.
A: How rude!
Look under any old rock
to find a few roly-polies.
Then see how long it takes
each one to “race” to the
end of a racetrack. Record
their times on the chart.
A: When it is the kind
that does not roll up.
A: When it
oinks
like a
pig.
A:Um, I guess so.
A:They hop
on two
huge back
legs.
A: When
threatened,
a roly-poly
will make
a stinky
odor.
Some people call
roly-polies pill bugs.
Why do you think they
get called that
A: No. An insect has
six legs. A rolypoly
has seven
pairs of legs!
A: They both keep their babies in pouches.
A roly-poly mother can carry several
hundred tiny, wiggling, babies inside her
pouch for two to three months!
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Here are tips from the American Kennel Association and
illustrated by dog artist Bingo. Read the tips, then number the
pictures in the correct order.
Always walk slowly toward dogs you don’t know and ask the
owner if you can pet the dog.
If the owner says “yes,” curl your hand into a closed fist with
the back of your hand facing upward. Extend your hand
slowly to the dog.
Allow the dog to sniff the back of your hand. We recognize
people on sight; dogs recognize people by their scent. Dogs
sniff people to learn their scent.
After the dog has sniffed your hand and become familiar with
you, pet it gently under the chin or on the chest.
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18
Write the number that comes between.
I is for Ice Cream
i is for ice cream
How many words or pictures can
you find on this page that start
with the I sound like the word
ice cream
How many
If all of the sunbeams
Were bubble gum and ice cream,
Oh what a life I would lead!
I’d stand outside
With my mouth opened wide;
Oh what a life I would lead!
How many
Learning Buddies: Read the first part of the sentence aloud. Ask your child to think of a way to finish the sentence. Write your child’s words in the lines. Read the
entire sentence to your child while pointing out that reading is done from left to right. Older children may want to trace all or some of the letters in the sentence.
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19
The Perfect Pet
by Margie Palatini (Author),
Bruce Whatley (Illustrator),
HarperCollins, Paperback 2009
Elizabeth really, really,
wants a pet. But her
parents do not. Instead they
give her a cactus which
is a good listener. When
Elizabeth campaigns to find
the right pet, her family
imagines some hair-raising
possibilities, until Doug
comes along—who is,
without a doubt, the most
unusual, perfect pet of all.
The bright lights, loud noise and crowds on July 4 can cause cats
and dogs to become frightened. Some cry or hide while others
might try to run away. Here’s some good advice on how to take
care of your pets during the festivities.
Pets and Fireworks
animal.discovery.com/videos/pets-and-fireworks.html
Thousands of pets across the US are so frightened by July 4
fireworks that they run away from home. Especially if you own
a cat or dog, follow the common sense recommendations from
Animal Planet to be sure they are safe and comfortable.
Pet Lessons
www.teachingonline.org/specialpets.html
Here’s an outline for a simple-to-do pet-theme lesson plan;
surveying your students to learn what pets they own, writing a
day-in-the-life of a pet story, interview pet professionals, and more.
Pet Crafts
www.first-school.ws/theme/animals/pets.htm
In their own words, “First-School features free fun preschool
lesson plans, educational early childhood activities, printable
crafts, worksheets, calendar of events and other resources for
children of preschool age.”Their page of activities and crafts
about pets and domestic animals offers lots that you and your
kids will enjoy.
For more great web resources visit our Webliography at
www.kidscoop.com/webliography/
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Have you ever heard someone say, “I’ve been working like a dog” People
say this when they work really hard.
Some people say this phrase started
because sheepdogs guard sheep
from dawn until dusk, with only
food, a place to sleep and
affection as their pay.
Dogs have been
sharing their lives
with humans for at
least 12,000 years.
Since early times,
dogs have helped people in many ways.
Dogs have a better sense of smell than humans. They can
detect one drop of blood in five quarts of water!
Dogs who help people
in their everyday lives
are called canine
companions and
assistance dogs. Some
dogs are carefully
trained to perform
tasks that help the
blind, deaf, or
physically-impaired.
With their ultra-sensitive
noses, dogs are masters at
finding buried land mines.
Mine-sniffing dogs have
helped prevent thousands
of injuries and deaths in
war-torn countries.
Trained sniffers also find
people trapped in collapsed
buildings and drugs hidden
in suitcases. Some dogs
have been trained to sniff
out termites in buildings.
R
Q
P
O
N
M
S
T
A
K
L
C
B
J
I
D
E
F
G
H
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21
Most homing pigeons continually
return to their nests. Some people
used to put this instinct to use. If
they wanted to send a message
home when they were traveling, they
would write it on lightweight paper,
roll it into a tube on a homing pigeon’s
leg, release the bird and have the message
fly home with the pigeon.
Homing pigeons have been used in remote
areas to send requests for emergency help.
They were used frequently in World War I to
send messages from troops in the field.
Homing pigeon Cher Ami was awarded the
French award for heroism, the Croix de
Guerre, for delivering 12 important messages,
despite being shot once.
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22
id Scoop News is pleased to provide standards-based, highinterest
reading material delivered direct to your classroom!
Have your students use the local newspaper to complete the
following activities at home.
Action Language
Read today’s newspaper and highlight each of the following
examples of active writing:
1. A sentence that commands or directs action.
2. One or more exciting verbs.
3. The shortest sentence you can find.
Kindness Acrostic
Find a word or phrase in the newspaper that begins with
each letter in the word kindness. Use these to create an
acrostic poem.
K __________________________
I
__________________________
N __________________________
D __________________________
N __________________________
E
S
S
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
For more learning activities visit www.kidscoop.com
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23
Kindness Scavenger Hunt
With your learning buddy, look through the newspaper and
find an example of each of the following. Then answer the
questions about what you found.
1. A person behaving in a kind way.
Headline of article or photo:
Page number:
What are they doing that is kind
Why is it kind
2. A person behaving in a way that is not kind.
Headline of article or photo:
Page number:
What are they doing that is not kind
Why is it not kind
What could they do instead
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