Kids Konnect March/April 2020

K i ds

Owatonna, MN March/April 2020

konnect G R O W • P L AY • L E A R N

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S ci en ce Te ch n o lo gy En gin e e r in g Ar t s M at h em at ic s

DISTRICT NEWS & CALENDAR

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Games & Activities

m Message Superintendent Elstad from Superintendent Elstad Message from Superintendent Elstad

nts and Students- Hello Parents and StudentsHello Parents and Students- g finally be comingCould to Southern Minnesota?

Well, if not spring, at least spring break for spring finally be coming to Southern Well, if not at least spring break f I hope you have enjoyed your winter thus farMinnesota? and have been able to spring, participate in all of the Public Schools. Itfun has been aPublic long winter, atobeen number of snow days our district, please activities that Owatonna has offeraour community. our schools in our community Owatonna Schools. with It has long winter, withAs afor number of snow days for our district get ready for the much-anticipated spring break, I hope that you and your family fi nd the regardi eview the district updates section in this magazine for an important message regarding the be sure to review the district updates section in this magazine for an important message time to relax and enjoy the break from school. Whether you are preparing for a vacation 2018-2019 School Calendar Update.

School Calendaraway Update. from Owatonna or not, there are so many things your family can do to hit ‘refresh’.

Enjoy your time with friends and family.

spring break filled withand timefriends. spent with family and friends.

I hope youbreak all have a wonderful spring filled with time spent with family all have a wonderful Go Huskies!

Go Huskies! Jeff Elstad Superintendent !

Owatonna Public Schools

dent Jeff Elstad Public Schools

Superintendent Jeff Elstad Owatonna Public Schools

That’s one funny joke!

ited was How exc rdener the ga ring? p about s he wet d e it So exc plants. his

Wh couldn’ty flower r the id it’s bike e It lost it ? s petals.

What month of the year is the shortest?

May, it only has 3 letters

What call a r do you abbit fleas? with Bugs B unny

Why did the bird go to the hospital?

It needed tweetment!

What did the summer say to the spring?

Help! I’m going to fall.

Who is favoritean herb’s Elvis Pasinger? rsley!

2 • March/April 2020 • Kids Konnect

What kind of bow can’t be tied?

A rainbow

Why did bury all hthe farmer To make h is money? is soil ric h!

big What did the the to y sa flower little one?

You’re really growing, bud! you call What do rg bee? a cybo inator!

The Poll

Why did get kick Cinderella e baseba d off the She alwll team? away fr ays ran om the ball.

Does February like March?

No, but April May

s a bee How doeits hair? brush With its b m honeyco

What did one firefly say to the other firefly when his light went out?

“Give me a push. My battery is dead.”

What d o get if y you cross a ou and a bskunk e An anim e? al that stin ks it stings as .

K i ds konnect G R O W • P L AY • L E A R N

Volume 1, Issue 10 March/April 2020 PUBLISHER Steve Fisher

K i ds

konnect CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: G R O W • P L AY • L E A R N Jessica Abrahams Shaylene Baumbach Dr. Beth Sarah Brooks Brenda Donahe-Stevens Sarah Escamilla MaryAnne Higgins Aicha Katty Jean Krause Darla K. Lager Thomas Meagher, PhD Mary Urch COVER/PAGE DESIGN Kate McGillen ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Tom Kelling ADVERTISING SALES Amber Casterton Sarah Escamilla Crystal Hobart CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Tezary Zernechel For editorial or advertising inquiries, contact us at 507-444-2389 Kids Konnect is published by

Contents 4.

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Save energy. save money.� save the planet

Early Conservation Practices in Steele County

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S cience Technology Engineer ing Ar ts M athematics

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Taking Care of Our Planet Earth

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Crafts�, coloring and more!

Southern Minnesota LLC Southern Minn Media 135 West Pearl Street Owatonna, MN 55060

Kids Konnect • March/April 2020 • 3

. y g r e n E e v Sa . y e n o M e v a S . t e n a l P e h t e v Sa Did you know approximately 80% of the world’s energy comes from fossil fuels?

Decomposing plants and other organisms, buried beneath layers of sediment and rock, become what we call fossil fuels. These non-renewable fuels , which include coal, oil, and natural gas, supply about 8 0 percent of the world’s energy. They provide electricity, heat, and transportation, and are involved in the manufacturing of everyday products that we use daily.

What does that mean for the environment? When fossil fuels are burned, they release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases , which in turn trap heat in our atmosphere, making them the primary contributors to global warming and climate change . We all need to do our part to make a difference in our consumption of fossil fuels to protect our planet.

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The 5th graders at St. Mary’s School enjoyed their unit on Energy Conservation. Students learned about the different types of energy in our world and researched topics on heating, water use, vampire devices, lighting, vents, cooking, and other conservation tips. They also participated in hands-on activities to learn and then teach others how to conserve energy.

Here are some of the ways, our 5th graders shared their knowledge with our school community: • Designed and posted Energy Conservation posters around our school.

• Produced a mini Energy Conservation Commercial on Flipgrid for our students and staff to view.

• Created a lesson to teach to our 1st-4th graders a lesson on energy conservation.

Each 5th grade group will go to an individual classroom for 15 -20 minutes to present and lead a hands-on game/activity for the younger students to participate in. The students will then team up with this classroom in using good energy habits.

The Owato nna Public Take Acti Utilities gra on Energ ciously pro y Kit for e These kits vided a ach 5th gra provided e der to take nergy effic home. ie nt products use so the y can save for familie s to money, as well

Our 5th graders read “The Story of Fossil Fuels”

by William B. Rice to understand how Fossil Fuels were made, where they come from, and the importance of conserving these nonrenewable resources. If you are looking for a good resource, we would recommend it!

5th grade stud ents mined fo r coal and recreated how fossil fuels are formed, using bread an d gummy bear s. Here Ella and Brysen ar e “mining” fo r coal:

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The St. Mary’s School 2nd graders, together with their 6th grade reading buddies, are excited to once again implement the Crayola Color-Cyle program. ColorCycle is a sustainability initiative designed to repurpose Crayola markers.

Instead of sending used markers to landfills, Crayola recycles any brand of marker and turns them into clean fuel used in boilers, cars, ships, asphalt, roofing shingles, and more!

Since Crayola program started in 2013, over 70 tons of markers have been recycled!

This was an easy and perfect opportunity to teach our St. Mary’s students that we CAN make a difference in our world.

Last year, our students collected over 30 pounds of markers that Crayola shipped back to them for free!

We are excited to see how many pounds our students will collect this year!

We are proud to be part of the Crayola Color-Cylcle program again this year .

Going green matters to our future, and what we do now helps generations to come.

If you are interested in learning more about the program, check out this short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oufI_8IM1dA

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What’s something we can do as a family to make the earth more beautiful?

Megan

4th Grade

plastic cups g in s u p to S “ ria” in the cafete

Emery

3rd Grade

“Smile more and try to be more kind”

Sophie

5th Grad

“During e cho we could ice time at sch ool, pick up trash on streets s t he o it does n’t go in to the sew ers”

Discover what makes St. Mary’s School unique!

PRE-K - 8TH GRADE REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR 2020-21!

CONTACT US TO SET UP A SHADOW DAY OR PERSONAL TOUR 507.446.2300 ADMISSIONS@STMARYS-OWATONNA.ORG Kids Konnect • March/April 2020 • 7

Sam 5th Grade , Lincoln Elementa “I’m look ry ing forwa rd to goin North Ice g up fishing w ith my fam ily.”

Daniel Kinderga rten, Lincoln E lementary “I look fo rward to playing o utside.”

Lukas 4th Grade , Lincoln Elementa “I’m look ry ing forwa hanging o rd to ut with m y Grandp a.”

Diego 3rd Grade, de “Staying insi video and playing games.”

Jaydon 5th Grade , Washington Elemen tary “I get to go to Florid a.

I am excited becaus e this is my first time on a plane. When we ar e in Florida, we get to go swimming on the first day.”

Ella 2nd Grad e, “That I ge t to go on a tr ip to Florida .”

Reid 1st Grade, ur “Going on o ” . ip long tr

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Lauren Kinderga rten “Going to Wisconsin Dells.”

Practices in Steele County What do you do to take care of our planet? Do you turn off lights in rooms when you are no longer in the room? Do you turn off the water when you brush your teeth? Do you throw trash in receptacles so as not to litter streets and sidewalks? By thinking of ways to reduce, reuse, and conserve, we will all do our part to maintain our environment for years to come.

Let’s take a look at what has been done to manage wind and soil erosion and how Steele County impacts this effort.

Early farmers and land owners battled wind and soil erosion since the dust bowl era.

Former President Franklin D. Roosevelt started the project in 1934 in response to dust storms of the Dust Bowl. Long periods of drought following by strong winds created soil erosion in the Great Plains states. The United States Forest Service believed that planting trees on the perimeters of farm fields would reduce wind velocity and evaporation of moisture from the soil.

Three nurseries located in Owatonna responded to this national effort by growing trees to be used by area property owners: Owatonna Nursery, Clinton Falls Nursery Co., and Mitchell Nursery. Farmers and land owners purchased trees from these area businesses to create live fence rows.

Fast forward to 2010, and many of these shelterbelts throughout the Great Plains are old and are no longer providing the benefits due to spacing, age, disease, and invasive short-lived trees. The Emerald Ash Bore has been recently spotted in our area and will kill many of the existing trees. Federal grants are available for shelterbelt maintenance and restoration by the Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. Founded in 1972, National Arbor Day promotes tree planting in our environment and is a current resource for individuals, farmers and conservationists.

Before long, young trees had been planted stretching 18,600 miles from Canada to northern Texas.

Native trees such as red cedar and green ash were planted along fence rows separating properties. Farmers were paid to plant and cultivate them. By 1942, farmers had planted shelterbelts totaling 220 million trees.

Kids Konnect • March/April 2020 • 9

Come on, get happy — and healthy — outside in spring

By: Aicha Katty, D.N.P., family medicine nurse practitioner, Mayo Clinic Health System in Owatonna With longer daylight and birds returning from winter retreats, we welcome spring and say goodbye to winter.

Playing outside is an important part of childhood. It encourages curiosity and physical activity, promotes children’s development and social skills, and gives your kids a greater appreciation of nature. However, an accident outside can ruin a beautiful spring day and Katty potentially lead to injuries. So follow these safety tips to maximize fun family activities when outside this spring season.

Dealing with stinging and other insects

Warmer temperatures bring out all types of flying and crawling insects for your kids to discover. While some are cool to explore, others can be dangerous. So proceed with caution when exploring this season. Make sure you are using the appropriate insect repellent and wearing proper outdoor clothing. The insects responsible for most stings include yellow jackets, paper wasps, hornets, honeybees and fire ants. Learn to recognize and avoid these insects.

These insects generally do not attack when there is no perceived danger. However they are territorial, and will become aggressive when their territory is invaded. Yellow jackets may sting multiples times. Hornets release a large amount of venom with each sting. Regardless of where it is coming from, a sting can be painful and life-threatening.

If you are stung, make sure to leave the area immediately to prevent further attack. Remove the stinger with a quick scrape of a fingernail or credit card edge. Stinging may cause redness, swelling, itching or discomfort. Wash the sting site with soap and water. Then apply cold compresses.

You also may use antihistamines or calamine lotion to treat site reaction.

Seek immediate medical help if your child has tightness in the chest, difficulty breathing, swelling of the tongue, hoarse voice, dizziness, nausea or a loss of consciousness. Use an injectable dose of epinephrine (EpiPen) if available. If your child has a previous known allergic reaction, make sure to carry an EpiPen with you at all times.

Watch for concussion symptoms

Springtime means new and fun sport activities for your kids.

It’s important that you learn about concussion symptoms before they start sports this spring. Make sure that your kids are using appropriate sport gears for safety and to prevent injuries.

A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that is caused by a blow to the head that alters the way your child’s brain functions.

These are a few of the common symptoms of a concussion: • Temporary loss of consciousness • Headache or a feeling of pressure in the head • Confusion or feeling as if in a fog • Amnesia surrounding the traumatic event • Dizziness or “seeing stars” Some symptoms of concussions may be immediate and others may be delayed in onset by hours to days after injury. It is also important to be alert for symptoms that worsen over time. Concussion is a serious condition that can be life-threatening. However, with proper treatment, most kids recover with no long-term effects. Seek immediate care when your child develops these symptoms, or his or her behavior change after an injury.

Make bicycle safety routine

Bicycles are a fun way for everyone to exercise in warmer weather. Check that every rider has a bicycle helmet that fits properly before you get the bikes out of winter storage. Each helmet should have a durable outer shell and polystyrene liner. It should sit low and level on your forehead. Take the time to adjust all straps so it fits securely. To ensure helmets are well-fitted, you should only be able to place one finger between your chin and the helmet straps. A helmet that moves with head movements should be readjusted.

Parents should model good behaviors and wear a helmet when they ride. Do not use helmets that have been in an accident, even if they appear to be undamaged. Avoid nighttime biking.

Remind your kids that riding with the flow of traffic is not only recommended, it’s the law. Also, they should stop at all stop signs and check for traffic before turning. Ensure that your bicycle is functioning properly before setting out to ride.

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Don’t forget the sunscreen

Spring’s sun rays can be surprisingly intense, especially if you have been indoors for most of the winter. Don’t forget to wear sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses when outside. Sunscreen should have a sun protection factor, or SPF, of 30 or higher.

Apply sunscreen on all exposed body areas. Use sunscreen on cloudy days, in the shade, and especially when in or near water. Remember that the sun’s rays are strongest during the midday, so keep children out of the sun during this time. Wear lightweight and light-colored clothing With the warmer weather, sun and outdoor activities also comes the risk for dehydration leading to heat exhaustion or heatstroke. So make sure you and your kids drink plenty of water, even if they are not thirsty, and find shade on those sweltering days. When your child develops signs of dehydration or heat exhaustion, stop whatever activity he or she is doing, cool the child down and encourage fluids. If your child does not improve or show signs of heatstroke, seek help.

Some signs and symptoms to watch for include: • Clammy, pale or flushed skin • Confusion, agitation or irritability • Dizziness • Dry mouth • Fatigue • Headache • Lack of tears with cries • Muscle cramps • Nausea or vomiting • Rapid breathing • Rapid heart rate

Take a walk on the wild side

Hiking is a great way to get exercise, as well as explore the best sights and sounds within and around your community.

A quick trip to a local park or trail is great for weekdays, but try venturing out further on weekends by visiting a new community. Search the Mayo Clinic Health System website at mayoclinichealthsystem.org for “trails” for a list of regional hiking trails to try with your family this spring. Finally, don’t forget to pack water and a small first-aid kit, and stay on marked trails. Make sure to wear proper footwear and clothing before venturing.

GET READY FOR SUMMER. Join us for an evening of education and fun to prepare your kids for summer. This event is free and open to the public. Activities and topics for children ages 3–12 to include fire safety, teddy bear check-up, car seat clinic, K-9 unit demo, bicycle obstacle course and more.

Have a Healthy and Safe Summer Fair | Wednesday, May 27 | 5–7 p.m.

Steele County Fairgrounds – Four Seasons Bldg. | 1525 S. Elm Ave., Owatonna This program is a community effort brought to you by Big Brothers Big Sisters, Community Education, Exchange Club, Fernbrook, Hy-Vee, Mayo Clinic Ambulance, Mayo Clinic Health System, Owatonna Hospital, part of Allina Health, Owatonna Library, Owatonna Parks and Recreation, Owatonna Police and Fire Department, Owatonna Public Utilities, Steele County Free Fair, Steele County Public Health, Steele County Safe and Drug Free Coalition, and the Steele County Sheriff’s Office.

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What is plogging? Plogging is simply picking up litter while performing an outdoor activity such as running, walking or hiking. Plogging originated in Sweden

by Erik Ahlstrom, a runner who noticed a lot of trash on his bike rides to work. The word came from combining jogging and plucking. Plogging has become popular on social media. Just do a search using the #plogging and you’ll see how many individuals and organizations are plogging and combining exercise with picking up trash.

Why should you give plogging a try? It’s is an easy way to help the environment. Plogging doesn’t require any special equipment (just a trash bag and maybe some gloves) and it helps your community. Plogging is beneficial for the environment and it’s so easy to incorporate into your outdoor activity.

How can you participate in plogging? The nice thing about plogging is that anyone can do it! Organize a group of friends and give it a try. Or suggest it to a school group you belong to help the community.

You can even do it as a competition and reward the individual or team with the heaviest trash bag.

Where and when should I try plogging?

Your Owatonna parks and trails are the perfect place to try plogging. And spring is a great time of year to give it a try. Once the snow melts there is often noticeable garbage and trash that has accumulated over the winter months.

Owatonna Parks and Recreation is hosting an Earth Day Clean Up event which is a great opportunity to try plogging.

The clean up event will be held on

Sunday, April 26 from 2:00 to 4:00pm.

You can clean up any park or trail you’d like. Clean up stations will be available at the following park pavilions and will contain supplies (gloves and garbage bags) for you: Brown Park, Dartts Park, Fairgrounds Park, Jaycee Park, Manthey Park and Morehouse Park.

Before or after you do your plogging, stop down to Mineral Springs Park pavilion for a cookout and games!

If you have any questions about the event you can contact Owatonna Parks and Recreation at 507-444-4321.

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STEAM’in WITH “Dr. M”

, PhD (known to Thomas Meagher e ts as “Dr. M”) is th Owatonna studen na on at r for the Ow STEAM Coordinato rict. ho Public Sc ol Dist

Taking Care of OUR Earth, learning how to be good stewards!

Share your STEAM photos with Dr. M through his twitter handle @meagher3dan.

Kids Konnect • January/February Kids Konnect • March/April 2020 • 13

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Caring for OUR Air, Land and Water We live on only one Earth, there’s only so much space on the planet that all living things need to share. We have a responsibility to take care of what’s here since the human population is growing larger every year. Imagine that the world is like your house, there’s only so many rooms that people can live in. Now imagine your family is having a party and more and more people are coming into the house.

What can you do to make sure everyone has enough space, food and water so they enjoy being in your home, without wrecking the whole house?!

Air:

What we can do to keep our air clean: What are sources of air pollution? Smog from fossil fuels can cause particulates and chemical acid rain.

Carbon Dioxide, primarily from industry and car exhaust, traps heat from the sun preventing natural cooling of the Earth. Reducing the amount of energy we use, electricity conservation, use of solar and wind power reduces the amount of coal burned to generate energy. Reducing how much we drive cars by riding bikes, riding buses & trains. Planting trees, shrubs and native plants that absorb carbon dioxide out of the air when they grow. Planting trees, shrubs and flowers also helps clean the air by reducing dust and smog and increases habitat, food and shelter for wildlife.

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Owatonna middle school students taking the elective class “Living Green” are helping by planting native native grasses and flowers in the new OMS Outdoor Classroom.

Land:

Here is th smog of e city Beijing, w hen it’s pollutio engulfed n! This h the wor a in p pens in ld, but w air pollu cities all a e can he tion and over lp by r planting native tr educing ees!

Caring for the land and reducing pollution can follow these ideas: recycle, reuse and compost. Eat locally, grow your own food and compost for fresh black dirt.

Planting native trees also help improve both the soil and the air over the many years it grows into a mature tree. Reducing trash in our environment can be one of the important things we can do to protect the Earth.

Every spring on April 22nd we celebrate Earth Day by groups of students working together to remove trash and do service projects to help improve natural habitats.

Water:

Minnesota the land of 10,00 lakes, plus even more ponds, marshes and miles of rivers & creeks. We have more shoreline than the entire state of California and we need to protect all of our natural waters. Keeping our water clean is essential here in Minnesota.

Protecting our lakes, rivers and streams can be as easy as to stop mowing down native plants. If we own

property that has a lake, pond, river or stream leave all the native plants growing along the banks. These plants can protect against erosion, filter water run off from streets and provides habitat for all kinds of wildlife to live! Another way to protect our waters is to do some low impact recreation like kayaking, paddle boarding, or canoeing. When we’re on the water this way, there’s no motors to produce water or air pollution!

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New technologies to protect natural environments How do new technologies in energy help protect our environment?

Wind, solar & geothermal are ways of producing electricity using the natural forces here on Earth. Windmills are tall because the winds that are over 100 feet above are almost constantly moving so the windmill can produce electricity 24 hours a day!

Flying Cow Wind plans to use the Vestas model V136 wind turbines. They are capable of producing 3.45 megawatts of electricity and are 568 feet tall, almost as tall as the IDS building in Minneapolis!

William Lager | MPR News

Here a worker is cleaning the propeller blades befor e cranes put it back on top of the windmill.

Stay Happy. See Kappy!

Collision Repair • Paint Shop • Insurance Estimates

COLLISION CENTER

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New energy companies rent land from local landowners and install both windmills & solar panels. People who live near the farm can sign up to part of the electricity cooperative to get their electricity locally instead of from coal burning power plants that may be hundreds of miles away. Electric cars: New batteries and ways to charge them are making electric cars cheaper to buy and use.

Every new electric car on the road reduces the amount of pollution making our air cleaner and fresher.

Today more and more electrical charging stations are being built for more electric cars. Wouldn’t be amazing if there were solar panels on our cars so they could be recharging their own batteries just by sitting in the sunlight!

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How we can engineer solutions to reduce pollution How can we help protect our natural environments, through engineering solutions to everyday needs? Home composting as a way to reduce landfill waste, improve soil composition and reduce use of fertilizers at home. How to build a simple home compost system using blue plastic tubs and earthworms can be a fun and easy solution to kitchen leftovers.

Using two plastic bins, drill holes in the top bin so water and compost can flow from the upper compost bin into the lower catch basin. The compost liquid collected in the bottom bin is called “Compost Tea” since it’s mostly brown but high in fertilizer nutrients for your garden. Keep adding the leftover fruits and vegetables only from your kitchen waste, then pour the compost tea over your gardens to fertilize the new vegetables or flowers!

24 Hour Complete Towing Service 215 Cedardale Dr. SE Owatanna, MN 507-451-3424 18 • March/April 2020 • Kids Konnect

Use rain barrel to capture water to use for potted plants & gardens Kids Konnect • March/April 2020 • 19

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The beauty of nature through designing gardens for water and wildlife.

How can we create gardens that are both beautiful and help our native plants and animals grow and survive? Planting native flowers can be works of art in multiple ways. First the colors can be mixed and matched to create a mural of color for each season. Also, by mixing and matching native wildflowers, that will attract more wildlife and birds. The colors of birds like orioles, indigo buntings and gold finches are like moving works of art, flying through your own yard.

flowers are the In early spring Pasque through the up ng first to bloom comi leaves. ad de d melting snow an

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Prairie wildflower s such as Black-ey ed Susans, Purple Co neflower and Blaz ing Star are beautiful in late summer.

Indigo

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buntin

Goldfinc h

Scarlet tanager

Native trees can be beautiful all year, whether it’s when they bloom with white or pink flowers in spring, wonderful shade in summer, dazzling fall colors or winter silhouettes that glow in moonlight.

y g a drivewa Maples alon arum) (Acer sacch

American plum tree (Prunus americanus)

Great horned ow ls in Red Oak (Quercus rubra)

Trees provide habitat, nesting sites and food for wildlife, but also where they are planted in our yards can beautify our home and help reduce energy costs.

Large shady deciduous trees planted on the south side of the house shade it in summer, keeping the

house cool and then allowing sunlight to warm the house during winter. Coniferous trees planted on the north and west side of the house can help protect your home during cold winter storms that blow in from the northwest.

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How to save money while saving the planet!

How much money can we save by “Living Green? Be a “Maker”, build what you need instead of buying it. When you join us in the maker movement, you can feed yourself, invent for yourself and help make the planet Earth a better place to live for everyone!

How much can you save driving an electric car?

Make your own shopping bags from old t-shirts: What’s the cost for these homemade bags?

The cost of your imagination and the time that’s needed to make them.

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Growing your own food such as vegetables and herbs saves money and is fresher and cleaner to eat. Converting part of your lawn into a vegetable garden reduces the cost of mowing grass, cleans the ground water by reducing how much “weed & feed” is put on the lawn and reduces grocery bills.

Fix your broken stuff , if your bicycle or computer breaks down learn how to fix it instead of throwing it away. This saves you money and teaches important skills that will help you be more independent. You can save money and learn how to solve problems all on your own. You don’t need to pay to buy a new one, or someone to fix your bike when you learn how to fix it yourself. It’s a “win-win” for you and your bank account!

If your bicycle is too badly broken to be fixed, you can remake into something else, like your own go kart! Just be careful when driving it and be sure the brakes work on the steep hills!

Build instead of buying new, save your money and build some new invention for yourself. maybe you’ll become the next STEAMitist that invents technologies that saves the planet!

Kids Konnect • March/April 2020 • 23

When you use less energy and water, you are protecting earth’s natural resources!

Below are some kid-friendly conservation tips you can do at home.

ENERGY SAVING TIPS:

WATER SAVING TIPS:

Turn off fans, lights, TVs, and gaming consoles when you leave the room.

Turn off the water when you’re brushing your teeth.

Think before you snack! Don’t open your refrigerator door too often. Every time the door is opened, up to 30% of the cooled air can escape!

Use a table lamp for doing your homework instead of turning on all the room lights.

Don’t leave your cell phone or tablet plugged in overnight; they only take a few hours to charge.

Take short showers instead of baths.

Don’t continuously run the water when washing and rinsing dishes.

When washing a car, wet it quickly, then use a bucket of soapy water to wash the car. Turn on the hose for a final rinse.

Hang towels to dry and use them multiple times instead of washing after each use.

Tell your parents to look for the ENERGY STAR® and WaterSense labels when they are shopping for new appliances. They use less energy and water than regular models. Ask them to visit our website for a list of items that we offer rebates (money back) on their purchase!

www.OwatonnaUtilities.com

24 • March/April 2020 • Kids Konnect

y z z I Ask

My name is Izzy and I’m here to answer questions you might not want to ask your teacher, friends or parents. Sometimes only another kid will understand!

I’m a lot like you – I go to school, play in the band and I LOVE sports! I have a younger sister and a puppy and I love to do crafts when my schoolwork is finished. My favorite thing to do is help people and try to spread kindness, so that’s why I think I’m a good person for you to ask questions. You can send me anything – school problems, friends, parents – and I promise I’ll do my best to give you a good answer. You can ask a question any time, and I will answer in an upcoming Kids Konnect magazine.

Dear Izzy: Some of my friends at school have told me that they are starting Ramadan soon. What is it? amadan is the ninth month on the Islamic calendar, which marks important holidays and events for Muslims (people who practice Islam) and lasts for 30 days. Our friends who celebrate Ramadan can not eat or drink anything while the sun is up. This means, that for our friends at school, they will not be eating lunch at school. Once the sun sets, families meet for big meals that may include stew, rice, dates, lentils, and more. People also have a morning meal before the sun rises.

For the hundreds of millions of Muslims around the world who celebrate Ramadan, the month is a time to focus on their faith and also perform generous acts. People raise money and donate supplies to help others in need. And many fast to remind themselves about those in the world who don’t have enough to eat.

After the last day of Ramadan, a three-day festival is held.

Families and friends gather together to celebrate. This year Ramadan will start on Thursday, April 23 and it will end the evening of Saturday, May 23.

Source: Kids National Geographic Dear Izzy: AI love playing outside in the snow, but my friends always want to do the same thing and I’m getting bored, what can we do?

Playing outside in the snow is always a blast! But, if you’re feeling like you need a new ‘game’ to play with friends- host a fun neighborhood contest. Ideas could be for the week of spring break (or any other week that works for you and your friends) see who can make the best snowman, or have a snow coloring contest by making snow coloring. All you need is an empty spray bottle at home, fill it up with water and add a few drops of food coloring. Pick a theme to your coloring contest, for example, maybe it’s ‘Think Spring’, ‘Go Huskies’ or ‘We Love Winter’ and see the creativity from all of your friends on how they transform their front yards to your theme. Have parents judge your contest and end the fun with homemade cookies or a dance party in the garage!

Earth Day 2020 Pledge To help protect our planet, I pledge to

Ask your friends and family what they pledge to do!

Your Hometown Heating & Cooling Experts for 40+ Years

Kids Konnect • March/April 2020 • 25

raising huskies

By Sarah Escamilla

My son Quentin is what you would call an “old soul”. He has experienced so much in just his short 9 years of age and much of this experience comes from growing up in a military family. Living and growing up in the military life is no picnic. Not only for the family left behind, but also the military member that must leave and miss out on most of the major milestones and events that take place without him or her.

My husband, his dad, was deployed overseas or gone training for much of his first 5 years of life. There were a lot of birthdays and holidays that were missed and it takes a strong and independent person to take over as both a mom and a dad to take care of the family left behind.

It is a combination of this experience and my determination that I show and teach Quentin what it means to be strong and independent right from the start of his life.

Living thousands of miles away from any of our family, we adapted and learned to create relationships with other military families that in turn became our new family. There were a lot of tough days, especially when my husband would be gone for long periods of time but I kept going and having that constant support system from others that were in the same boat as us made things easier. However, moving every couple of years was not the easy part. Either our friends would move away or we would move away leaving our friends behind. Our family is lucky to still hold onto some of these friendships from all over the country and we still share in our struggles and triumphs.

26 • March/April 2020 • Kids Konnect

While the military lifestyle does have its downs, the perks of living this life far exceeds any other experience a young child could have. While my husband was away, I had to step in and teach Quentin about life around us. We lived in Virginia for a few years and there is so much to learn and experience. We visited the White House, Lincoln Memorial, and Vietnam Wall among other Washington D.C. Monuments. We lived next to a Civil War Battlefield which we walked through often. In fact, we lived one block from the estate that General Ulysses S. Grant lived and headquartered during the Civil War. We even had the opportunity to live in Hawaii for a few years. It is a whole new world. They have a culture and lifestyle unlike anything else in the United States. The places, history and food that we experienced was awesome.

There was so much American history for us to explore and learn about, things you only read about in books that we experienced firsthand. It was breathtaking. We moved every couple years and the times we would have to drive to our new home, is when my husband could really make up time that he missed with us and we made sure to use these experiences as learning tools for Quentin.

After 20 years in the military, my husband decided to retire. He gave me the option of where Quentin and I wanted to live given we had followed him around for so long.

We chose to come back to my home state of Minnesota to allow Quentin to finish growing up and get to know his cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles. The family he only knew over the phone. I see how much he has

learned and experienced in his short 9 years of life that it is no wonder he has gained the confidence and strength to get through anything. From the White House to meeting the President of the United States…TWICE, and living halfway around the world, Quentin has learned that with determination and imagination, he can do anything. He has also learned that life is full of ups and downs. That you have to take what life throws at you and just roll with it. I am in awe at just how much he holds these traits dear to his heart and practices them everyday and I am so happy that I was there to teach him and help him along his journey.

I cannot wait to see what he continues to do with his life and although he shows that strong independent self, he will always need his mom and I will always be there for him.

Sarah Escamilla was born and raised in Medford. She enjoys time with her son Quentin, and husband Simon. She currently works as a multimedia sales consultant with the Owatonna People’s Press. She currently serves as President of VFW Auxiliary #3723 Owatonna and serves as Little League Director for the Owatonna Huskies Bullpen Club. She enjoys camping with family and playing adult softball in the summer months.

Bee Friendly in 2020!

Find these words in the puzzle: ASTERS BEES BUTTERFLIES CATERPILLAR CLOVER DANDELIONS FLOWERS GARDEN HIVES HONEY MILKWEED MONARCH NECTAR POLLEN POLLINATORS RUSTYPATCH

LINDSEY MCGURRAN Realtor

HELP THEM REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. Child and Teen Checkups are available to children from birth through age 20 who are covered by Minnesota state health plans such as:

• Medical Assistance • South Country Health Alliance

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507-456-0474 lindsey@owatonnarealestate.com

Call if you need help with transportation, interpreters or making an appointment with a doctor or a dentist.

STEELE COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH • 507-444-7650 Kids Konnect • March/April 2020 • 27

I,

, pledge to support pollinators!

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Serving all of Southern Minnesota endreswc.com • 507-WE-CLEAN • 507-932-5326 28 • March/April 2020 • Kids Konnect

Bees are Important!

by Dr Beth

Do you like blueberry pancakes or muffins? Do you like strawberry ice cream? Have you ever had spaghetti sauce made from tomatoes ? Have you ever tasted sweet honey?

Blueberries, strawberries, tomatoes, and honey are some of the many delicious foods that depend on bees! In fact over one third of our food relies on insects like bees and butterflies to grow many of the fruits and vegetables we eat. And seeds, fruits and vegetables are foods that are good for us and are important parts of a healthy diet.

Flowers produce sweet nectar which is food for bees.

Bees bring the nectar to their hives where the nectar is turned into honey. Flowers also produce tiny grains of pollen. Pollination, or transfer of pollen from one plant to another, is the process that allows plants to produce seeds found in fruits and vegetables. In some cases, the wind and rain blows pollen between plants. However, most plants need bees, and other insects like butterflies, to transfer pollen from one plant to the next. When a bee or other insect lands on a flower to sip the sweet nectar, small particles of pollen stick to its legs. As the butterfly or bee flies to the next plant, it transfers the pollen to the next plant. Without pollinators plants could not bear fruit or produce seeds for new plants, and plants would die. Plants are one of the main sources of the oxygen need to breathe and live. People need the bees, the plants, and the food and oxygen they provide to survive and preserve the planet. Bees are the most important pollinator insects. Minnesota has even designated the endangered Rusty Patch Bumble Bee as our State Bee! What can you do to help the bees and butterflies? Plant a garden and protect pollinators! Many flowering plants like asters, goldenrod, bee balm, clover and even dandelions are important sources of food for bees and butterflies.

The leaves of some plants, like milkweed, provide food for caterpillars that turn into beautiful Monarch Butterflies. Some bug sprays (pesticides) and weed killers (herbicides) can cause pollinators to become sick and die. Some flower and other plant seeds are treated with chemicals, like neonicotinoids, that are toxic to bees when the seeds grow into flowers that the bees visit. It is best to avoid using bug and weed killers as much as possible.

rgamot on wild be g in d e fe bee SFWS Mitchell; U ed bumble h tc im a K p to ty o s h P Ru fistulosa) (Monarda

And be sure that the seeds and plants you buy are “neonic free”, or not treated with neonicotinoid chemicals.

Pledge to help pollinators live and be healthy so they can do their work for us. For more information about planting gardens, (especially gardens of native pollinator plants, trees and shrubs), contact the University of Minnesota Steele County Extension Office and the Steele County Soil and Water Conservation Office. You and your family can also join and support the Bee Friendly Environmental Alliance of Steele County. The “Bee Friendlies” meet at 5pm on the 1st Monday evening each month at the Steele County Extension building at 634 Florence Ave in Owatonna. Watch for the “Bee Friendlies” booth on Saturday June 27th at the Owatonnna Farmer’s Market.

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mainstreetdentalclinics.com Kids Konnect • March/April 2020 • 29

How fun things will you and your family do?  Visit a farm

 Hunt for 4 leaf clovers

 Go on a nature walk

 Go cloud watching

 Have a family movie night

 Hunt for bugs

 Make a bird feeder

 Eat ice cream

 Go on a picnic

 Go bird watching

 Go to the zoo

 Feed the ducks and birds

 Jump in puddles

 Play mini golf

 Blow bubbles outside

 Go fishing

 Take a family photo outside

 Pick wild flowers

 Make chalk art outside

 Grill outside

 Visit the library

 Watch the sunrise

 Plan and make a fairy garden

 Have a family game night

 Plant some seeds

 Take a family walk

 Swing a the park

 Skip rocks

 Go on a family bike ride  Fly a kite

 Make Easter, Passover or Ramadan cards

 Wash the car

 Visit a museum

 Paint rocks

 Make a blanket fort

 Go barefoot in grass

 Play in the rain

 Play hopscotch

 Have a no screens day

 Read books outside

 Make mud pies

30 • March/April 2020 • Kids Konnect

Taking Care of Our Planet Earth If you enjoy reading, you might want to find some books about the environment. There are books on the wonders of the natural world, the science of global warming and climate change, and ways you can help create a better future.

True Green Kids: 100 things you can do to save the planet

by Kim McKay and Jenny Bonnin

Curious George Discovers Recycling

©2017 Universal Studios

Are Humans Damaging the Atmosphere?

What can you do?

• If you have a phone charger, when not in use, unplug it from the wall outlet.

• Do you leave the water running when you brush your teeth? Doing that uses about 3 gallons of water per minute. The water going down the sink does nothing to clean your teeth – so wet your brush, fill a glass for rinsing, and turn off the water.

• Can you cut your shower time to 4 minutes a day? Doing so could save 6,600 gallons of water a year.

• Every ton of paper that is recycled saves 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, over 4000 kilowatts of electricity and more than 7000 gallons of water.

• Did you know that Americans use more than 277 million plastic bags a day?

That means we use more than 100 BILLION bags each year. We only recycle about 2 percent of those bags.

Plastic bags can last up to 1000 years in landfills.

By Catherine Chambers

©2015 Heinemann Raintree

What if We Do Nothing? Global Warming

by Neil Morris

Monday - Thursday: 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Friday - Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Sundays (October - April): 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Owatonna Public Library 105 N Elm Ave. 507-444-2460 www.owatonna.info Kids Konnect • March/April 2020 • 31

Serving Owatonna with Life-Long Family & Cosmetic Dentistry 605 Hillcrest Ave. Ste 230, Owatonna (507) 451-7250 www.hollandfamilydental.com 32 • March/April 2020 • Kids Konnect

Hopscotch

Avoid the Shark

This is an oldie (as in kids have been playing it for over 300 years) but a definite goodie. The rules are simple and kids can either draw their own course with the chalk or have a parent help. Use your imagination and draw the boxes to be jumped in in various colors and shapes.

Use the chalk as the marker or find stones, beanbags, buttons or small plastic toys. Once your children have conquered hopping the course, see if they can double hop on each box or use varying feet for hopping on the way up and the way back the course.

With different colors of chalk, draw “beaches” various distances apart. Use blue chalk to draw water and shark fins between the beaches and have kids jump from beach to beach to avoid the “sharks” in the “water.”

4 Square

Alphabet Hop

4 Square is extremely popular in many schoolyards at recess. Draw your own 4 Square court with chalk, mark a number from 1 to 4 in each square, and use a bouncy ball to play this fun game. Each player stands in each of the squares, and the player in square 4 starts by bouncing the ball in their square and then hitting it towards one of the other squares. The receiving player then hits the ball to any other player.

The ball must bounce in the receiving player’s square once and they must hit it to another player before it bounces a second time. If the player misses a square or the ball bounces a second time before they hit it, they are “out”. If there are more than 4 players, the player who is out goes to the end of the line of waiting players. If there are only 4 players, the player who is out would move to the next lowest position, 4 being the highest square.

Use chalk to make 26 squares or circles fairly close to one another and write the letters of the alphabet in each. For kids just learning their alphabet, call out letters to hop from one to another. For kids who are able to spell, call out words to spell and have them hop using one or two feet from one letter to another.

During the summer months, this is a not-so-subtle way to work on spelling skills while having fun.

Kids Konnect • March/April 2020 • 33

Materials needed Pipe cleaners Pine cones Toilet paper rolls String Bird seed Peanut butter Cheerios

To make the pine cone bird feeder, simply cover the pine cone in peanut butter, roll it in birdseed, and attach a string.

Easy!

To make the Cheerio feeders, all you need to do is bend one end of pipe cleaner (so the Cheerios don’t fall off), and then thread the Cheerios on. To finish, make a loop at the top to hang it on the tree.

To make the Toilet Paper Roll feeder: 1. Use a hole punch to make two holes at the top of your toilet paper roll. (This is where you will be attaching the pipe cleaner.)

2. Cover the toilet paper roll with peanut butter, and then roll it in bird seed until it is completely covered. (This part is a bit messy.)

3. Attach a pipe cleaner, and you’re done!

Source: https://eastcoastmommyblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/make-your-own-bird-feeders.html

34 • March/April 2020 • Kids Konnect

Help the Honey Bee find her way out of the Maze!

Kids Konnect • March/April 2020 • 35

Marbling paper using shaving cream and paint is an easy way to create stunning works of art.

It can be messy but is also lots of fun!

Materials: 1. Newspaper 2. Shaving cream (not gel) 3. 2 or more colors of paint (I like to use liquid watercolor, a but any paint works!)

4. Pan for holding shaving cream (9x12 in. baking pan works good) 5. 4-5 small pieces of cardboard (about 4x4 in.)

6. Paper

By Miss Bridget Reed

Step 2: Fill the pan with 2-3 in. of shaving cream.

Step 1: Cover your space with newspaper Step 3: Pour the paint on to the shaving cream.

36 • March/April 2020 • Kids Konnect

Step 4: Use a piece of cardboard to stir the shaving cream and paint.

Don’t stir too much or the colors will all mix!

Step 5: Press your paper into the shaving cream.

Make sure to push all the edges in, too!

Step 9: Make sure you scrape off ALL of the shaving cream.

When you are done, let your art dry.

Step 8: Wipe extra shaving cream in the sink or on your newspaper.

Step 10: Admire your art! You can use the same shaving cream to make many more marbled papers.

Step 7: Use a piece of cardboard to scrape away your shaving cream.

Step 6: Carefully and slowly peel your paper off of the shaving cream.

Kids Konnect • March/April 2020 • 37

Healthy Eating during National Nutrition Month!

Author: Sarah Brooks, Owatonna Public Schools Interim Director of Nutrition Services

March is National Nutrition Month so it is a great time to talk about food and nutrition. You may have heard that you should eat healthy but what does “eating healthy” mean? There are many correct answers to this question but one way to think about eating healthy is having a balanced meal with a variety of foods.

Our bodies need nutrients such as carbohydrates, fat, protein, water, vitamins, and minerals to work. We can get these nutrients by eating a variety of foods from all of the food groups. All foods can fit into a healthy lifestyle but it is important to have more healthy foods like fruits and vegetables than sweets.

Try Something New!

Spaghetti Lo Mein Serves 4 Time to Prepare: 20 minutes

Ingredients: 8 oz. (about 1/2, 16 oz box) spaghetti, boiled and drained 1/2 c. soy sauce 2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar 1/3 tsp. honey 2 tsp. sesame oil or vegetable oil 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 2 c. broccoli, cut into small florets or use frozen florets 1 c. shredded carrots 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips 1 green onion, thinly sliced 1 tbsp. sesame seeds (optional)

10 Healthy Living Tips for 2020 Eat breakfast daily Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables Watch portion sizes Be physically active Have family meal time Make healthy snacks Drink more water Explore more foods and flavors Make an effort to reduce food waste Slow down at mealtimes Reference: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics - 20 Health Tips for 2020

Carbohydrates - Our bodies main source of energy.

Fat - Protects the cells in our bodies and is our 2nd main source of energy.

Protein - Helps build and repair muscles and is our 3rd source of energy.

Water - Hydrates our bodies, keeps us cool, and moves other nutrients through the body.

Vitamins & Minerals - There are 13 vitamins and 16 minerals that help our bodies grow and stay healthy.

Directions In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce with rice wine vinegar, honey, sesame oil or vegetable oil, garlic powder and ginger powder. Whisk to combine.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat vegetable oil. Add broccoli, carrots, and peppers to the skillet and cook until they become tender, about 6 minutes. Remove veggies from the skillet and add prepared sauce, bringing to a simmer. When the sauce has thickened slightly add back in the vegetables and prepared pasta and toss to combine.

Top with green onions and sesame seeds (optional) and serve.

To make this recipe a balanced meal, you can add a protein like chicken or beef, fruit on the side, and served with a glass of milk or milk-alternative.

Recipe Source: https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a56052/spaghetti-lo-mein-recipe/

Mom packed my lunch from FAREWAY! NOT. TRADING. ANYTHING!

“Yum!”

“Thanks, Mom!”

“So good!”

“Mmmm!”

Store (507) 451-1550 • Market (507) 451-0071 Mon - Sat 7:00AM to 9:00PM 38 • March/April 2020 • Kids Konnect

2

steps to homema de playdough!

Springtime is great time for whipping up some fresh playdough. Follow this easy recipe that uses common household ingredients to stir up some fun, non-toxic playdough kids will enjoy!

Ingredients 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons cream of tartar 1/2 cup salt 2 cups water 2 tablespoons canola oil Food coloring Directions 1. In a large saucepan, combine the flour, cream of tarter and salt. Gradually add the water and oil. Cook and stir over medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until a ball forms.

2. Cool. Divide dough and knead in colors as desired. Store in airtight containers or resealable plastic bags.

Source: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/play-dough/

Kids Konnect • March/April 2020 • 39

This water animal lives © 2020 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Special Edition

© 2020 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Special Edition

7 fathoms below the surface of the ocean.

There are 6 feet in a fathom. In feet, how deep in the sea would you have to go to find this animal?

This tree is 624 inches tall.

There are 12 inches in a foot.

How many feet tall is the tree?

generate e (CO2) is ssil fuels o power nd trains. produce

Onecarbon way we generate CO2. These activities are called a person’s footprint. The average American generates carbon 20dioxide tons (CO2) is produced byas burning fossil fuels of CO2 every year–about the same amount by three new cars! (gas and oil) to power cars, planes and trains.

Source: ecomall.com/greenshopping/carbonfootprint.htm Each person participates in activities that produce

If every family replaced just Whenever possible, walkAmerican or ride your one incandescent light bulb with an bike to get places. energy-saving compact fluorescent bulb, If walking isn’tCO possible—carpool!

2 emissions would drop by more than billion pounds Carpooling two90days a week can a year—the same as 2 emissions taking 7.5 million cars off the road. reduce your annual CO by as much as 1,590 pounds.

T Nellie Fly is looking tree is 624 forThis news about inches tall.the kids helping environment.

She There are 12 saw someinkids inches a cleaning foot. up a playground in their neighborhood.

How many Read feetthe tallnotes is in Nellie Fly’s reporter notebook. Then write the tree? a short news article about the playground clean-up project.

CO2. These activities are called a person’s carbon footprint. The average American generates 20 tons of CO2 every year–about the same amount as produced by three new cars!

Source: ecomall.com/greenshopping/carbonfootprint.htm

CARBON FOOTPRINT GREEN CARPOOL GENERATES FOSSIL ENERGY FUEL CARS ROAD HOUR RECYCLE CHART LANDFILLS DIOXIDE

Find the words in the puzzle, then in this week’s Kid Scoop stories and activities.

If every American family replaced just H C A an R with G Tbulb E U F light oneLincandescent energy-saving compact fluorescent bulb, A A than S SdropI byLmore N F Owould COE 2 emissions 90 billion pounds a year—the same asR G O N L E taking 7.5 S million carsEoffEtheRroad.

C R R T R O B I N P Y G A P H O U R G O C Y C R N G A R E O E E D I O X I D E L R L A N D F I L L S N S E T A R E N E G

CARBON FOOTPRINT GREEN CARPOOL GENERATES FOSSIL ENERGY FUEL CARS ROAD HOUR RECYCLE CHART LANDFILLS DIOXIDE

Find the wor then in this w stories a

L E U F G

E N F O S

L E S O N

C R R T R

Y G A P H

C Y C R N

E E D I O

R L A N D

N S E T A

Complete the grid by using all the letters in the word POWER in each vertical and horizontal row. Each letter should only be used once in each row. Some spaces have been filled in for you.

It’s easy to remember to turn off big things, like lights or TVs, but don’t forget about the small stuff … like Reducing waste in landfills reduces speakers, and printers.

VCRs, DVD players, computer 2 and methane emissions of COon, If they’re they’re using(another energy, even if you aren’t heat-trapping gas).Every Recycling also uses used in your home using them. hour of electricity less energy thanabout manufacturing generates 2.3 poundsnew of CO2. materials.

Look through the newspaper for anything that is green. How many things can you find in one minute?

Compete with a partner to see who comes up with the most in a minute.

Bento boxes are a collection of brightly colored lunch boxes that are reusable and waste-free.

Make a chart with four columns. Label them: Threats to the Environment, Natural Reducing waste in Ways landfillstoreduces Resources, Save Energy, and Items methane (another emissions of CO2 and to Recycle.

Look through the newspaper for heat-trapping gas). Recycling also uses one month to find relevant less energy than manufacturing new articles to paste into each column. materials.

Look through the

Make a chart with four colu Threats to the Environment Resources, Ways to Save En to Recycle. Look through th one month to find relevant into each column.

newspaper for anything that is green. How many things can you find in one minute?

Compete with a partner to see who comes up with the most in a minute.

What does the term “green” mean when used to describe businesses and lifestyles?

Bento boxes are a collection of brightly colored lunch boxes that are reusable and waste-free.

What does the term “gree used tooffdescribe businesse … turning the lights when you leave a room.

40 • March/April 2020 • Kids Konnect

© 2020 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Special Edition

© 2020 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Special Edition

Me estoy volviendo verde.

o te ograbadooras. Si que no e usa en

en Español

En el acertijo, encuentra estas palabras CARBON CARBON “Volverse verde” ¡no ¡Caramba!

Mi en inglés, luego encuentra la traducción significa eso!. cara está roja. en la página FOOTPRINT Significa que unoal español de estas palabrasFOOTPRINT “cuida el planeta”. de Kid Scoop de hoy.

GREEN GREEN CARPOOL A H C L E U F G T RCARPOOL GENERATES GENERATES E N F O S S I L A A FOSSIL FOSSIL O N E E R G R Sproductoras E na de las maneras Cada persona participa en actividades Unaproductoras de las maneras Cada persona participa enL actividades ENERGY ENERGY ue los humanos de CO2. El conjunto de estas actividades que losson humanos las de CO2. El conjunto de estas actividades son las eneramos dióxido de “huellas de carbono”. Un norteamericano generamos produce dióxido de “huellas de carbono”. Un norteamericano produce I N P R T R R anualmente, FUEL FUEL arbono (CO2) es en promedio 20 toneladas de CO2carbono anualmente, (CO2) unaes en promedio 20 toneladasC de CO2 una O B ediante la cifra parecida a lo que producen tres mediante coches la nuevos. cifra parecida a lo que producen tres coches nuevos. gas natural y petróleo, combustión de hidrocarburos, gas natural y petróleo, CARS R G O Y G A P H O UCARS Fuente: ecomall.com/greenshopping/carbonfootprint.htm Fuente: ecomall.com/greenshopping/carbonfootprint.htm uses y trenes. en automóviles, aviones, autobuses y trenes.

ROAD ROAD R E O C Y C R N G A HOUR HOUR E E D I O X I D E L Siempre que sea posible, Si cada camina familia o norteamericana Si cada familia norteamericana RECYCLE RECYCLE usa tu bicicleta para viajar. reemplazara una bombilla de luz reemplazara una bombilla de luz incandescente por una fluorescente de por L L S A N deD F ICHART R unaLfluorescente Si caminar no es una opción, CHARTincandescente consumo, las emisiones de CO2 bajo consumo, las emisiones de CO2 entonces comparte el bajo vehículo. disminuirían disminuirían en casi 90 mil millones de Alguien que hace “carpool” dos en casi 90 mil millones de LANDFILLS N E G T A R ELANDFILLS libras, libras, lo mismoN que S lo queEproducen veces a la semana reduce suslo mismo que lo que producen 7.5 millones de carros. emisiones de CO2 en 7.5 casimillones de carros.

DIOXIDE DIOXIDE 1,590 libras por año.

stás do?

Me estoy “Volverse verde” ¡no ¿Qué estás ¡Caramba!

Mi volviendo verde. significa eso!. haciendo? cara está roja.

Significa que uno “cuida el planeta”.

Este árbol tiene 624 pulgadas de alto. Doce pulgadas equivalen a un pie.

Este animal acuático vive a 7 brazas bajo el agua. Una braza equivale a seis pies. ¿A cuántos pies de profundidad tendrías que sumergirte para encontrar a este animal?

¿Cuántos pies mide este árbol?

E e a

L

E

L

C

Y

C

E

R

N

Palabra la semana: Este árbol de tiene 624 GENERAR pulgadas de alto. Doce El verbo generar pulgadas equisignifica producir o valen a un pie.

proveer existencia.

¿Cuántos pies midefogata este genera calor.

Una árbol?

Es fácil acordarse de apagar los grandes aparatos eléctricos como las luces o los televisores, pero no te Una reducción desechos en el Una reducción en los desechos en el olvides de apagar en laslos cosas pequeñas como videograbadoreduce las emisiones basurero también reduce las emisiones rasbasurero o DVD,también bocinas de la computadora o impresoras. Si de CO2 y metano gas que energía, aunque no de CO2 y metano (otro gas que están prendidas, están(otro consumiendo produce el efecto estufa).

El reciclaje produce el efecto estufa). El reciclaje las estés usando. Cada hora de electricidad que se usa en usa 2.3 menos energía que la también usa menos energía que la tu también casa genera libras de CO2. producción de nuevos materiales. producción de nuevos materiales.

Busca en el Busca en el periódico periódico cualquier cosa cualquier cosa que sea de color que sea de color verde. ¿Cuántas verde. ¿Cuántas cosas puedes cosas puedes hallar en un hallar en un Realiza un cuadro con cuatro columnas. minuto? Compite minuto? Compite Titúlalas “Amenazas al Medioambiente”, con un con un “Recursos Naturales”, “Manerascompañero(a) de Ahorrar compañero(a) para ver quién para Durante ver quiénun Energía” y “Artículos Reciclables”. descubre más descubre más mesBento busca en el periódico notas relevantes para La cajas Bento son una colección de La cajas son una colección de cosas en un cosas en un loncheras de colores brillantes que son loncheras de colores brillantes que son pegar en cada columna. minuto. minuto. reutilizables y no producen desechos. reutilizables y no producen desechos.

Noticias Ambientales

Intenta usar la palabra generar mientras platicas con tus amigos(as) o parientes el día de hoy.

¿Qué significa ser “verde”?

¿Qué significa el Noticias Ambi término “verde”

Realiza un cuadro con cuat cuando“Amenazas se usa Titúlalas al Me relacionado con “Recursos Naturales”, “M empresasyo“Artículos estilos Rec Energía” mes busca en el periódico n de vida? pegar en cada columna.

Kids Konnect • March/April 2020 • 41

g n i r e e Volunt

tive citizens become produc to ts en ud st g in of service wer udents a variety believe in empo st e r w , ou r ol fe ho of Sc s to y’ e have is is At St. Mar which we live. W e ways we do th in th ld of or ne w O d an s. y er ct on unit and future lead g, positive impa ce in the comm in en st er la ff a di s a ha e ly ak m tivities not on inckle once opportunities to ay! As Gordon H ents in service ac w ud g st bi a ng in gi f ga af en st rved.” and found that or she who is se r own students he ou an s th fit e ne or be m s so society…it al t always benefit ho serves almos w e sh or e “H said

St. Mary’s students celebrate our community and help take care of our environment in various ways.

Some students picked up garbage in the fall, cleaned leaves out of storm drains and helped citizens and St. Mary’s School with yard work.

Join us in celebrating Earth Day!

42 • March/April 2020 • Kids Konnect

At St. Mary’s, service allows us to practice our core values of Love, Learn, Lead, Give and Pray. We are proud to follow Mother Teresa’s advice of “Give your hands to serve and your hearts to love.”

Kids Konnect • March/April 2020 • 43

#owatonnaproud

44 • March/April 2020 • Kids Konnect

Parent Reminders

NO SCHOOL March 20-27 No School-Spring Break April 10 No School May 25 No School June 5 Last Day of School

New High School Updates Thank you to everyone who expressed interest in being involved in the core planning group for the new high school. We had over 100 applicants for the Core Planning Team and those selected include high school staff, students and community members.

• • • • •

Key discussion and activities from meetings include: Brainstormed on what’s important to all stakeholders Started to study educational design examples and precedents Spent the entire day touring various high school facilities around the state Started to think about how the square footage will be used, within the set square footage (the group understands they need to allocate the space wisely) For more information and to review key discussion and activities from each meeting visit www.owatonnaproud.org

@owatonnapublicschools

@ISD761_Owatonna Kids Konnect • March/April 2020 • 45

tion

This tree is 624 inches tall.

There are 12 inches in a foot.

This water animal lives 7 fathoms below the surface of the ocean.

There are 6 feet in a fathom. In feet, how deep in the sea would you have to go to find this animal?

How many feet tall is the tree?

Finish the drawing!

Nellie Fly is looking for news about kids helping the environment. She saw some kids cleaning up a playground in their neighborhood.

Read the notes in Nellie Fly’s reporter notebook. Then write a short news article about the playground clean-up project.

n ns ced

b, n

he

CARBON FOOTPRINT GREEN CARPOOL GENERATES FOSSIL ENERGY FUEL CARS ROAD HOUR RECYCLE CHART LANDFILLS DIOXIDE

Find the words in the puzzle, then in this week’s Kid Scoop stories and activities.

L E U F G T R A H C E N F O S S I L A A L E S O N E E R G R C R R T R O B I N P Y G A P H O U R G O C Y C R N G A R E O E E D I O X I D E L R L A N D F I L L S N S E T A R E N E G

Complete the grid by using all the letters in the word POWER in each vertical and horizontal row. Each letter should only be used once in each row. Some spaces have been filled in for you.

Make a chart with four columns. Label them: Threats to the Environment, Natural Resources, Ways to Save Energy, and Items to Recycle. Look through the newspaper for one month to find relevant articles to paste into each column.

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