Lesson 5-1
"Let's make a class poster," says Ms. Roberts. P
"Please draw something from your country. P
"The students are excited! Anna starts the poster. P
She is Native American. She draws a girl in a Native American dress. P
Pedro is Mexican. He draws a Mexican hat. P
Eva is Dutch. She draws some wooden shoes. P
"They are called clogs," says Eva. P
Gita is Indian. "I want to draw an Indian dress," she says sadly, P
"but the girl already has a dress." P
Ms. Roberts says, "I think she's hungry. P
Why not give her some delicious food?" P
"It's a great idea!" says Gita. P
She draws a big bowl of Indian curry. P
Now the poster is perfect! P
Lesson 5-2
The 100th day of school is a special day in elementary schools around the United States. P
American schools start in September. P
So the 100th day is usually in February. P
It is a day of fun and learning. P
Students do not have regular classes. P
Instead, they enjoy games and activities based on the number 100! P
For example, they may make necklaces from 100 pieces of cereal. P
Or they may draw pictures of themselves at age 100. P
They may bring 100 special things to school for show and tell. P
The 100 things may be photos, stamps, crayons, or anything! P
What do you want to bring on your 100th day of school? P
Lesson 5-3
Emily is making a birdhouse with her dad. P
They make the birdhouse out of wood. P
It has a little door and windows. P
And it has a place for food and water. P
Emily's dad says that birdhouses are important. P
He says, "There aren't many birds in cities these days. P
They can't find safe places for their nests. P
But this birdhouse is a safe place. P
Birds can live in it and have babies. P
"Emily wants to welcome many birds. P
So she puts seeds and fruits in the birdhouse. P
She even gives it a name. P
She calls it Nest House. P
"Come on, birds," she says. "Come to Nest House!" P
Lesson 5-4
An earth house is a new kind of home. P
You can find it in Switzerland. P
It is under the ground, so it looks like a cave or a fairy house. P
Why do people build earth houses? P
It is because earth houses can save energy in many ways. P
First, an earth house is built in the earth and has mud walls. P
So it stays warm in winter and cool in summer. P
Second, the bathroom has roof windows. P
Plenty of natural light comes in through the windows. P
Also, an earth house has grass on the roof. P
You can grow many plants and pretty flowers there. Isn't it great? P
Lesson 5-5
Yesterday, many bad things happened to Tim. P
At the school library, Tim chose six books. P
But it was too many and he dropped them. P
But his friend Anita came over. P
She carried some books for him. Tim smiled and thanked her. P
At lunch, Tim opened his bag. "Oh no!" he said. P
"I forgot my lunch!" But his friend Mike said, "That's okay. P
You can share my lunch with me. P
"Later, in art class, Tim got paint all over his T-shirt. P
Luckily, his friend Alex gave him a soccer shirt to wear. Tim felt so happy. P
Thanks to his kind friends, his bad day became a good day! P
Lesson 5-6
A friendship bracelet is a special sign of friendship. P
Today, giving a friendship bracelet is popular among teenagers. P
A friendship bracelet is very colorful. P
And it has many knots in different patterns. P
Its knots mean that true friendship cannot break. P
It takes a long time to make a bracelet. P
So, a friendship bracelet shows that you love and care for a special friend. P
In fact, it is a Native American tradition. P
You make a bracelet and give it to your friend. P
Then the friend wears the bracelet until it breaks. P
Do you want to keep your best friend forever? P
Then how about making a friendship bracelet for your friend? P
Lesson 5-7
My name is Kyle and I am a boy cheerleader. P
That's right - I said a boy cheerleader! P
Maybe you think cheerleading is only for girls. P
Actually, cheerleading is a very active sport. P
Like other sports players, cheerleaders are fit and strong. P
We practice our skills a lot. We run, jump, and twist in the air. P
Cheerleading is a team sport, so we learn to move together in rhythm. P
At first, my dad didn't like it. P
He said, "Why can't you play football instead?" P
But then he watched me cheerleading at a football game. P
He said, "Wow!" Then I felt so proud. P
I love cheerleading so much! P
Lesson 5-8
Which sport has ice, big stones, and long brushes? P
It is a winter sport called curling! P
Curling has two teams of four players. P
Each team has eight stones. P
One Player slides the stones to the target on the ice. P
The other players sweep the ice. P
This helps the stones move closer to the target. P
Players cannot touch the stones with their brushes. P
Curling is popular in Canada, the U.S., the U.K. , Northern Europe, and Japan. P
The World Curling Championships are held each year. P
Curling players believe in fair play. P
So they always follow the rules. P
If you want to play a fun and unusual game, try curling! P
Lesson 5-9
Karen's grandmother is sick in bed. P
So Karen's mom decides to cook delicious and healthy vegetable soup for her. P
Vegetable soup is Karen's favorite dish! P
She helps her mom to cook it. P
First they wash their hands. Then they cut up vegetables. P
Karen cuts up a potato, a carrot, and a pumpkin. P
Her mom cuts up onions and garlic. P
Then they heat some oil in a pan. P
They fry the onions and garlic, and then add the other vegetables. P
The vegetables become golden brown and soft. P
Next they add water, salt, and some spices. P
Now it smells delicious! Karen is happy to learn her mom's special recipe. P
Lesson 5-10
Chewing gum sticks to chairs, desks, shoes, and everything else. P
But most people love it! It was first made in 1869 by Thomas Adams. P
He was an inventor in New York. P
He boiled natural tree gum because he wanted to make it chewy. P
Then he added flavors. Later, in the 1880s, the Fleer brothers made cubes of gum. P
The gum had sugar on the outside. Sugary gum became popular. But it was bad for teeth. P
Then, in the 1960s, chewing gum companies introduced sugar-free gum. P
Today there are many kinds of sugar-free chewing gum. P
And there are many flavors, from mint to vanilla to cola. P
Lesson 5-11
Sam is playing in the backyard with his friends. P
They are playing "pizza tag. "Sam is the "chef. P
"The chef tags the other kids and calls out a pizza topping. P
"Mushrooms!" yells Sam as he tags Andy. P
"Mushrooms!" repeats Andy. Then Sam tags Naomi. "Pineapple!" he yells. P
"Mushrooms and pineapple!" repeats Naomi. P
Then Sam tags Mike. "Bacon!" says Sam. P
"Mushrooms, pineapple, and bacon," repeats Mike. P
Soon the list of toppings gets longer and longer! P
When Sam tags Jenny, she can't remember all the toppings. P
So, she becomes the chef. After some time, the kids get hungry. P
"Come inside," calls Sam's mom. P
She made pizza for them-with all the toppings. P
Lesson 5-12
Do you want to fly through the treetops? Now you can! P
Flight of the Gibbon is an adventure activity for nature lovers. P
With ropes and ladders, you can go from tree to tree just like a gibbon. P
Before you start the adventure, you put on safety clothing and a helmet. P
Then friendly staff members take you into the rainforest. P
There are wooden floors high in the trees. P
And there are ropes between the trees. P
You slide along the ropes at high speeds. P
At times, you are 100 meters above the ground! P
But don't worry-it's safe. P
And you can enjoy the sights and sounds of the jungle while you play. P
Lesson 5-13
"Let's do an experiment," says Ms. Adams, the science teacher. P
She asks Mindy and Robert to help her. P
She gives a ball of paper to Robert. P
Then she gives a flat piece of paper to Mindy. P
"Now, drop them," she says. P
At the same time, Mindy and Robert drop their pieces of paper. P
Robert's paper ball falls quickly to the ground. P
But Mindy's flat piece of paper falls down slowly. P
Why does it happen? P
Ms. Adams explains, "Mindy's paper is large and flat, so more air is under it. P
Because more air pushes up under it, it falls more slowly. P
"Mindy says, "It's just like a parachute! P
"Right!" says Ms. Adams. P
Lesson 5-14
Do you want to try a fun science experiment at home? P
Then make your own volcano! P
First, make some dough. P
Mix six cups of flour, two cups of salt, and two cups of water in a bowl. P
Use your hands to make the dough. P
Next, stand a plastic soda bottle in a pan. P
Put the dough around the bottle in a volcano shape. P
Then pour warm water into the bottle. P
Add red food coloring to make the lava red. P
Then, add a few drops of detergent and two tablespoons of baking soda. P
Finally, get some vinegar and slowly pour it into the bottle. P
Watch out! Here comes the lava! P
Lesson 5-15
Long ago, there was a selfish baboon. P
He guarded a waterhole, so other animals couldn't drink there. P
He even built a fire and guarded the waterhole at night. P
One day, a zebra arrived. P
Back then, the zebra had white fur without stripes. P
As he came near, the baboon jumped up. P
"Go away!" he said. The zebra was angry. P
"This water is for everyone," he yelled. P
They started to fight. Suddenly, the zebra kicked the baboon hard. P
They both fell into the baboon's fire. P
The zebra burned his fur and the baboon burned his bottom. P
That's why the zebra has black stripes and the baboon has a red bottom. P
Lesson 5-16
Little Tyke was a lion cub. She was born at a zoo in Washington, U.S.A., in 1946. P
Sadly, her mother attacked her when she was born. P
So, a married couple took her to their farm. P
When she was three months old, the couple gave her some meat. P
But Little Tyke threw up. She didn't even drink milk mixed with beef blood. P
Usually, lions love to eat lots of meat. P
But Little Tyke was different. She didn't want to have meat. P
She even made friends with other animals. P
Her best friend was a lamb called Becky. P
The two animals played together their whole lives. P
Lesson 5-17
Can you imagine jumping from a plane into a burning forest? P
It's a usual day's work for smokejumpers! P
Smokejumpers are special firefighters. P
They put out dangerous forest fires. P
Today I watched a TV show about smokejumpers. P
On the TV show, the big forest fires looked really scary. P
But the smokejumpers were very brave. P
To get to the fires, they wear parachutes and jump from planes. P
Smokejumpers carry around 50 kg of equipment with them, so they are healthy and strong. P
They stay calm when they are working. P
Sometimes, smokejumpers spend up to five days fighting forest fires. P
I think they are heroes! P
Lesson 5-18
If you like the Star Wars movies, then you will know about Natalie Portman. P
She played a queen in the movies. P
Natalie Portman started acting when she was young. P
She was only 13 when she appeared in her first movie, Leon. P
After she was in the Star Wars movies, she became famous. P
Also, she won several awards as an actress. P
But she still studied hard at school. P
She didn't even go to see the first showing of her Star Wars movie. P
Instead, she studied for her exams! Later, Portman went to Harvard University. P
"College is more important than acting," she said. P
"Being smart is better than being a movie star. P
Lesson 5-19
Last Saturday, I met Rachel, Sara, and Tina at the mall. P
Rachel showed me her new shoes. P
They were very wide. Poor Sara had a broken leg. P
So, she couldn't walk fast. P
Tina said, "Let's have some ice cream together, Amy. P
"But I wanted to go home. P
On my way home, I saw the school principal outside the school. P
He was looking at the sidewalk. He was angry. P
"Somebody jumped in this wet cement!" he said. P
I saw two narrow footprints there. P
"Who did it?" I asked. "I don't know. P
I only saw Rachel, Sara, and Tina here earlier," he said. P
Then I knew who did it. P
Lesson 5-20
Sherlock Holmes is a British detective. P
There are many books, TV shows, plays, and movies about him. P
People around the world love him. P
Although he is very famous, he is not a real person. P
However, in a newspaper story, 21 percent of British people thought he was real! P
Arthur Conan Doyle created Sherlock Holmes in 1887. P
Holmes is tall and thin. P
He often wears a hunting hat and smokes a pipe. P
He lives with his friend Watson at 221b Baker Street, London. P
Watson helps Holmes solve mysteries. P
Today, fans of Sherlock Holmes can visit the Sherlock Holmes Museum. P
Where is it? It's at 221b Baker Street, London! P
Lesson 5-21
Holly was in the family garden. P
Her parents were watering the flowers, and she was helping them. P
It was fun. But then she saw a big earthworm. P
Holly screamed and jumped away. P
"Don't be afraid," said her mother. P
"Earthworms are our friends. "They help our garden." P
"How?" asked Holly. "Earthworms make holes in the soil," explained her mother. P
"Air and water move through the holes. P
This makes the soil healthy. And plants need healthy soil to grow. P
"Earthworms also eat dead leaves," said her father. P
"Then their waste becomes food for other plants. P
They're like tiny farmers. "Holly was very surprised. P
The next day, she saw another earthworm. P
But she didn't scream. Instead, she said, "Thank you. P
Lesson 5-22
We live on the Earth, and it is our home. P
So, we need to take care of it. P
We need to keep it clean and healthy. P
So what kind of things can we do? There are simple ways to help the Earth. P
First, use water wisely. While you brush your teeth, turn off the water. P
You can also take a shorter shower. P
Second, use less electricity. When you leave a room, make sure to turn off the lights. P
Finally, riding a bicycle or walking to school also helps the Earth. P
If we don't drive cars, the air will be cleaner. P
Don't forget that little things can help. P
Together, we can make our home a great place to live. P
Lesson 5-23
One day, Brian discovered something under a bush. P
It was a map of his backyard. There was a big X on it. P
"It's a treasure map! The X is the place the pirates put their gold! P
This is my lucky day!" Brian carefully followed the map. P
Then he started to dig a hole. P
The ground was hard, and the sun was hot. P
He kept digging and digging, but he only found rocks and an old can. P
There was no gold. His father came outside and saw the hole. P
"You found my map! That's the place I want to put a new apple tree. P
"He thanked Brian and gave him $5. P
"Wow," thought Brian, "It really was my lucky day. P
Lesson 5-24
Sharon Miller is a 12-year-old student at Seaview Elementary School. P
Last month, she took a special vacation with her father. P
They went to Antarctica to see emperor penguins! P
On October 18th, they took an airplane from California to Argentina. P
Then they got on a big ship with 90 other people. P
They went past giant blue and white icebergs in the sea. P
Two days later, they reached Snow Hill Island in Antarctica. P
They hiked through the ice and snow, past seals and seabirds. P
Then they saw the penguins. "There were thousands of them," said Sharon. P
The penguins were noisy and curious. Sharon was delighted. P
"It was the greatest trip of my life," she said. "I want to go back someday. P
Lesson 5-25
Angela's younger brother was in the kitchen. P
There were eggs, flour, and sugar on the counter. P
"What are you doing, Victor?" asked Angela. P
"I'm making cookies," he answered. P
"But I'm confused. "Victor had a recipe from the Internet. P
It said he needed three eggs, two cups of flour, and one cup of sugar. P
But the recipe was for only 10 cookies. P
Victor wanted to make 30 cookies. P
"What should I do?" he asked. P
Angela explained that it was a simple math problem. P
Ten times three equals 30. P
So, he had to multiply everything by three. P
He needed nine eggs instead of three, and six cups of flour instead of two. P
"And three cups of sugar!" said Victor. "That's right," said Angela. P
Lesson 5-26
Many people pick 7 as a lucky number. P
But what about the number 12? Long ago, people didn't have pencils and paper. P
So, they couldn't easily write numbers. P
But people have one thumb and four fingers on each hand, and the four fingers can bend into three parts. P
When they needed to count, they used their thumbs to point to the 12 parts of their fingers. P
Nowadays, people use 12 to count many different things. P
A calendar has 12 months and a clock has 12 hours. P
At the store, some things are sold in groups of 12. P
This is called a "dozen. "You can buy a dozen doughnuts or a dozen pencils. P
The number 12 might not be lucky. But it's certainly useful. P
Lesson 5-27
The Forest King had a problem. P
His trees were dying because insects were eating them. P
He asked the Sky King for help. P
The Sky King decided that one bird should leave the sky and live on the forest floor. P
It would eat the insects and save the trees. P
But none of the birds wanted to leave the sky. P
"It's too cold and dark in the forest," they complained. P
"But if the trees die," said the Sky King, "the other animals won't have a place to live. P
"Finally, the brave kiwi said, "I'll do it. P
"So, the kiwi lost its wings and went to live on the forest floor. P
"Thank you," said the Sky King. P
"You will be loved by everyone forever. P
Lesson 5-28
Have you ever seen some sea animals doing tricks at a zoo or aquarium? P
Some of them were probably sea lions. P
A sea lion's face looks like a dog's, and it even barks like a dog. P
Sea lions also have four strong flippers. P
They can use these flippers to move around easily on land. P
Sea lion babies are usually born in the summer. P
At first, they weigh less than 20 kg. P
But they can weigh more than 1,000 kg when they grow up. P
It's easy to teach sea lions to do tricks. P
Some sea lions can catch a ball on their nose or clap their "hands. P
"So they're often one of the most popular animals at the zoo. P
Lesson 5-29
Roberto loves soccer, so he joins the school soccer team. P
But during the team's first practice, he quickly gets tired and plays badly. P
"What's wrong with me?" he asks his mother. P
"You don't eat properly," she says. P
"You skip breakfast and eat too much fast food. P
And you don't exercise enough. P
"So Roberto and his mother make a plan. P
He starts every day with a healthy breakfast. P
He stops eating fast food like pizza and hamburgers. P
Instead, he eats fresh fruits and vegetables. P
He also rides his bicycle every day. Soon, Roberto feels much better. P
He has more energy. At his first soccer game, he scores a goal. P
"Thanks, Mom!" he yells. P
Lesson 5-30
It's late at night. Suddenly, you hear footsteps. P
Who can it be? You open your bedroom door and see your brother walking in his sleep! P
When people sleepwalk, their eyes are open. P
They look like they're awake, but they're not. P
In the morning, they don't remember anything. P
There are many reasons why people sleepwalk. P
It can be caused by stress or by an illness, such as a fever. P
Scientists say that about 15% of all children are sleepwalkers. P
However, most of them stop naturally as they get older. P
If you're a sleepwalker, try to relax at night. P
Keep a regular schedule and always go to the bathroom before bed. P
And if you see someone else sleepwalking, don't be surprised! P
Lesson 5-31
A wise king was traveling with his son. P
After a few hours, they stopped to rest. P
The son wanted to feed their horses. P
He took out a big bag of peas. P
Suddenly, a hungry monkey jumped out of a tree. P
It quickly took a big handful of peas. P
Then it climbed back up the tree. P
But one pea fell from its hand. P
The monkey didn't want to lose any of its peas. P
So it reached out, but unfortunately it dropped all of the peas! P
The horses ate the peas. The monkey watched sadly. P
Then, the king laughed and said, "We can learn a lesson from that monkey. P
If you are greedy, you get nothing in the end. P
Lesson 5-32
Have you read The Little Mermaid? P
How about The Ugly Duckling? P
Hans Christian Andersen wrote these stories. P
He was born in Denmark in 1805. His life was not easy as a child. P
He was very tall and had a long nose, so other children laughed at him. P
Also, his family was very poor. P
However, Andersen read a lot of books and wrote stories. P
When he was older, he tried to be a dancer, a singer, and an actor. P
But he failed at all three. Finally, he began to write stories again. P
Then, he became successful! P
Many of Andersen's stories are similar to his life. P
The characters in his stories have problems. But in the end, they find happiness. P
Lesson 5-33
Anna lives in Denmark. Yesterday, it was her birthday. P
She got a phone call. It was her friend Pedro from Brazil. P
"Happy birthday," he said. P
"How do you celebrate birthdays in Denmark?" P
Anna explained that her family hung a flag outside the house, P
so people knew it was somebody's birthday. P
And when she was sleeping, her family put gifts next to her bed. P
"It was a great surprise when I woke up," she said. P
"How do you celebrate birthdays in Brazil?" P
Pedro explained that his family decorated the house with beautiful flowers. P
Then they gave him special candies. P
They were shaped like fruits and vegetables. P
Finally, everyone pulled his ears. P
"I'm ten years old, so they pulled my ears ten times!" P
Lesson 5-34
Some countries, people wear interesting traditional shoes. P
In Japan, they wear geta. P
Geta are very tall sandals made of wood. P
When people wear them, their clothes don't touch the dirt. P
The Japanese started wearing geta thousands of years ago. P
Now, they just wear them for special events. P
In Morocco, they wear slippers made from camel hair. P
They are soft and beautiful. P
People like them because they are comfortable and easy to take off. P
In parts of Finland, Sweden, and Norway, people wear boots made from reindeer skin. P
It is very cold and snowy in these areas. P
The toes of the boots curl upward. P
This helps people walk through the snow easily. P
Does your country have any traditional shoes? P
Lesson 5-35
Today my sister and I visited the Art Institute of Chicago. P
The museum was very large. P
It had big statues of lions outside. P
We went into the museum. P
There were various galleries inside. P
The first gallery was called the Touch Gallery. P
In there, you can touch all the paintings with your hands. P
I enjoyed feeling the thick paint under my fingers. P
The next gallery was full of Mexican artwork. P
I looked at all the brightly colored paintings. P
Soon I felt like I was in Mexico! P
Finally, we visited a gallery full of old English clothes. P
I took a picture of my sister next to a knight. P
The art museum was really fun. P
I hope we can go there again soon. P
Lesson 5-36
Dear Fashion Queen, I want to look good, but I only have old T-shirts. P
How can I look cool without buying new T-shirts? P
Dear Rachel, Why not tie-dye your T-shirts? P
Tie-dyeing cloth is an old way to create pretty patterns. P
First, prepare an old T-shirt, some rubber bands, and some dye. P
Next, soak the T-shirt in water for a few minutes. P
To make some patterns on the T-shirt, twist it in various places. P
Then, tie rubber bands around those places. P
Now, boil water in a pot and add some dye. P
Put the T-shirt in the pot. After 15 minutes, rinse the T-shirt in cold water. P
Finally, remove the rubber bands and dry your T-shirt. P
What a cool new look! P
Lesson 5-37
Today I watched my first 3-D movie, Alice in Wonderland. P
When I sat down in the movie theater, I put on special 3-D glasses. P
At first, I felt a bit dizzy, so I took off my 3-D glasses. P
But the screen showed two images instead of one. P
I decided to put my 3-D glasses back on. P
Then I got a big surprise. P
The 3-D images on the screen looked amazing! P
The characters seemed like living things. P
They seemed to come out of the screen and into the theater. P
When Alice fell into the rabbit hole, I felt like I was falling with her. P
During the movie, my heart was beating fast with excitement. P
Now I love 3-D movies! P
Lesson 5-38
They are characters in the comic strip Peanuts. P
Recently, Peanuts celebrated its 60th anniversary. P
The comic strip is still printed in newspapers around the world. P
Why is Peanuts so popular? It's because of the lovable characters. P
We can easily understand them because they have daily problems just like we do. P
One of the main characters is Snoopy and he is often lazy. P
He has interesting ideas and makes exciting plans. P
But then he usually just sleeps on top of his doghouse! P
Charlie Brown is sweet and shy. P
He always tries his best. He often fails but never gives up. P
Best of all, he is a good friend with a kind heart. P
Do you know Snoopy and Charlie Brown? P
Lesson 5-39
Hello and welcome to my village. Here we use pedal power! P
It's a simple way to make electricity by pedaling. P
Look over there. My mom pedals and her washing machine works. P
And look over there. My friend pedals and his laptop works. P
Now come to my uncle's cafe. Can you guess how his juice machine works? P
That's right - pedal power! P
My uncle pedals and his machine makes sweet mango juice. P
Even our street lights use pedal power. P
But we don't pedal at night. Instead, many people take turns to pedal during the day. P
Then, a big battery stores the power until nighttime. P
Pedal power protects the Earth. P
It's fun and healthy too - just like riding a bike. P
Lesson 5-40
RoboCup is a world soccer event. P
It takes place in a different country each year. P
Many fans come to cheer for their team. P
But there's something different. P
All the players are robots! RoboCup started in 1997. P
Scientists from different countries make teams of robots. P
The teams compete until one team wins. P
RoboCup robots get better each year. P
They are much better today than in 1997. P
In fact, scientists hope that robots will beat human soccer players by 2050. P
RoboCup also has a junior league. P
School students like you can take part and make a robot. P
The junior league is not only for soccer. P
It also includes robot dance contests and rescue competitions. P
Could you design a RoboCup robot? P
Lesson 5-41
People eat popcorn when they go to the movies. P
Popcorn is made mainly in a microwave. P
Sometimes it is made in a pan. P
However, in my world, we don't need to make popcorn. P
Have you ever seen popcorn snow? P
Well, welcome to my fantasy world! P
Each winter we have popcorn snow here. P
Whenever it popcorns, we just go out and gather popcorn into our baskets. P
Last winter, I gathered six baskets of popcorn. P
My brother raked while I put it into a big sack. P
My dog, Boomer, ate so much popcorn that he gained about 2 kg! P
We ate the gatherings the whole winter. P
Popcorn snow is fantastic! White popcorn blossoms fall from the sky. P
On popcorn snow days, you can smell the tasty butter in the air. P
Pick up one kernel and eat it. You will taste the salt. P
It is not safe to drive on popcorn snow days so all car owners cease driving. P
Roads are buttery and slippery. P
Children and adults walk gingerly through the streets. P
They try not to slip or fall. P
They try not to mess up too much of the corn. P
Children also make popcorn-men. P
We also have pop-ball fights. P
No one gets hurt from the pop-ball fights because the popcorn balls are soft and fluffy. P
Nobody knows for sure how popcorn snow is made. P
Scientists have researched this phenomenon for decades. P
They can't find an answer. P
Some people believe that somebody in the clouds makes lots of popcorn in the winter. P
They make way too much for themselves, so the clouds get heavy and popcorn snow falls on us. P
We are happy with popcorn snow and look forward to it every winter! P
Lesson 5-42
In researching the answer to your question, I was lucky to find the Encyclopedia Popcornica at www.popcorn.org. P
Let me tell you about why popcorn pops as well as other things about it. P
I promise you that it will be interesting. P
First, some Native Americans believed that spirits lived inside the corn. P
The spirits were quiet and happy to live there. P
However, they grew angry when their houses were heated. P
The hotter their homes became, the angrier they got. P
They shook until the heat was too much. P
Finally, they would pop out of their homes and fly into the air. P
That's the Native American tale. P
On the other hand, a popcorn seed is called a kernel. P
Each kernel of popcorn has a small drop of water inside of it. P
As the kernel heats up, the water becomes steam. P
The steam expands and gets bigger. P
The steam inside the kernel is released and pushes against the wall of the kernel. P
Finally, this pressure makes a popping sound as the kernel pops out. P
There is some truth to this. P
But in reality, I'm not really sure what makes popcorn pop-spirits or water in the kernel. P
Either one sounds interesting to a listening ear though. P
What do you think, Elena? P
Thank you for joining Popcorn.org. P
You can learn more about popcorn at Popcorn.org. P
If you have any questions about popcorn, don't hesitate to post the questions on my board or send me an e-mail. P
Lesson 5-43
Old Angus lived in a house next to me when I was young. P
He bent over his cane as he walked. P
Some children were afraid of him. They thought he was a wizard. P
Some children knocked on his door and ran away. P
Old Angus opened the door every time and shook his fist at them. P
Sometimes he acted grumpy, but he really wasn't. P
I knew he wasn't grumpy. Rather, I found him quite interesting. P
Maybe it was because I knew him better than the other kids did. P
And although he was 70 and I was 10, he was my very good friend. P
He had white hair and a wrinkled face that made him look stubborn. P
Whenever my family said hello to him, he waved his hand and smiled. P
He never looked ugly or grumpy. Old Angus loved to tell stories. P
His eyes sparkled when he did. He was a reservoir of stories. P
He grew up on a farm in Scotland and left to fight in a war. P
After the war, he traveled a lot. P
Wherever he went, he told stories about the heroes of the war and the numerous animals he saw. P
Telling stories brought out the youth in Old Angus. P
Then his weak, old voice became strong. P
At those times, he sounded young again. P
This brought out his youthful days in my imagination-a young, tall, strong, and energetic Angus. P
He had children, but they did not live with him. P
He never told me he missed them. P
Nevertheless, tears ran down his cheeks when his thoughts lingered on his children. P
Nowadays, people don't know much about their neighbors. P
I have many interesting stories to tell to the neighborhood kids, but who wants to listen? P
I learned a lot about life and the world from Old Angus. P
I was happy to know him as a friend. I miss Old Angus. P
Lesson 5-44
If you want to make new friends, you need to be a good friend to others. P
Here are some ideas for you: P
1.Be a Good Listener - Listen to other people when they are speaking to you. P
Show interest by saying, "Yes," "Sure," or "Okay. " Be ready to answer their questions. P
Also, be ready to ask questions about their interests. P
2. Join In - Watch popular television shows to learn about current interests. P
You can find good topics and join in conversations. P
It would be nice to join in games and activities, too. P
3. Learn to Encourage Others - Make positive comments about others. P
At a sporting event say, "That's a good shot!" or "Well done!" when someone scores. P
Or, you can say, "Good drawing!" when someone draws something well. P
Such words and comments can make people feel good. P
It will also make them think you are a kind person. P
4. Be More Active - If your team is short a player, fill in by joining the game. P
You can also be the referee. P
You can also participate in group homework or lend things to others. P
5. It's Okay to Say " No" - You don't have to always say "Yes" to everyone. P
Feel free to say " No" sometimes. P
If someone says "No" to you, you have to understand that they have the right to make that decision. P
This means that you also have the right to do the same when you don't want to do something. P
6. Share Your Feelings - When you find a good book or movie, recommend it to your friends. P
It is a good chance to say what you think about it. P
You can also listen to what your friends think about it. P
It's good for meaningful conversations. P
The more you share, the richer your friendships can become. P
Lesson 5-45
I have a secret that I haven't told anyone. P
I am going to tell you now, but you have to promise me that you'll keep it a secret. P
When I was young, I lived in a small town in Alabama. P
For quite some time, there was a rumor about a house where nobody lived. P
People in the town were afraid of it because, for some strange reason, at night it was lit. P
They believed it was a ghost's trick and called the house a "haunted house." P
Creepy sounds came from the house. P
No one went into the house, and no one looked at it for fear of bad luck. P
One day, I found a small kitten in the bushes. P
It was cold and trembling and definitely hungry. P
I brought it home. P
My parents didn't like it because they didn't consider it productive; P
it couldn't give milk, plough, guard the house, lay eggs, or even catch a mouse. P
I had no choice but to give it up. P
Crying, I went out to put the kitten back into the bushes. P
On my way, I saw an old house. No one lived there. P
I thought it would be a good place for the kitten to stay. P
Every night, I visited the kitten. I hung a light on the ceiling and fed it. P
Whenever I gave it milk, it purred. P
One year later, people in the town organized a search team to find out what was happening in the "haunted house." P
Brave men volunteered to join the team. P
Surprised by the news, I did not want my secret to be unveiled. P
I moved my cat to a new place. P
When the search team arrived at the house, they found nothing. P
From that night, there was never a sound from the "haunted house" again, P
and there was no light glowing through its windows. P
Lesson 5-46
For thousands of years, the subject of ghosts has fascinated people all over the world. P
It is commonly believed that ghosts are spirits of people who have died. P
It is also believed that ghosts remain where they lived when they were alive. P
Such various ideas of ghosts are described in movies. P
In movies, ghosts are often depicted as humans. P
Some movies show them as fog-like creatures. P
Others show that mysterious noises are actually ghosts. P
However, ghosts in movies are sometimes described differently based on people's cultures. P
In some western cultures, some people believe ghosts are spirits that cannot die. P
They also believe that ghosts refuse to leave Earth because they have work to finish. P
In the American movie Ghost, a man is killed and becomes a ghost. P
In order to let his wife know the danger around her, he does not leave Earth. P
When the danger is gone, he leaves Earth. P
On the other hand, in some eastern cultures, some people believe in reincarnation. P
Reincarnation is the belief that when you die, you return to Earth as something else. P
The Chinese movie A Terra-Cotta Warrior is a good example of this. P
It is a love story between a man who never dies and a woman who lives several lives. P
The ideas about ghosts in different cultures are reflected in movies. P
As the cultures have changed over time, stories about ghosts have changed, too. P
Some stories blend together as cultures come together. P
One thing is for certain, the subject of ghosts will continue to interest people all over the world. P
That's because people are attracted to the unusual occurrences that appear around ghosts. P
Lesson 5-47
A tour guide drove us to a large, grassy, flat plain in eastern Africa. P
While driving, we saw small grey animals in the distance. P
As we approached them, we realized that they weren't small at all. P
In fact, they were elephants, about 3 meters tall-the size of two men standing head to toe. P
These elephants had big ears, each about one meter wide. P
We were told that they use them as fans to keep themselves cool. P
We needed ears that big as it felt that hot near the equator. P
The elephants came to a river. P
Their trunks really amazed us! At almost 2 meters long, the elephants used them in two ways: P
to suck water to drink and to squirt water on their bodies. P
This is how they drink and shower. P
Then, the elephants were about to leave. P
They rolled in the mud at the edge of the river before going. P
I wondered why they did this just after showering. P
We were told that the mud keeps insects away. P
It also helps to protect their skin from the burning sun. P
After, we stopped for lunch with the elephants. P
The bigger elephants used their trunks to gather leaves from the taller trees. P
Others ate grass from the plains. P
The elephants spent much of the day eating because they have such big bodies. P
Besides their long trunks, the elephants had big, white ivory tusks. P
We heard that they use their tusks and trunks to protect themselves from enemies. P
Baby elephants were among the herds. They walked between the adults. P
One baby elephant stumbled over its own trunk. We laughed. P
It was really fun to watch them! P
At the end of the tour, we traveled back to the city and kept thinking about how amazing and wonderful these animals were. P
Lesson 5-48
Spiders are interesting creatures. P
There are more than 37,000 species in the world. P
Some are as big as a dinner plate and some are as small as a pinhead. P
Some are fuzzy and others are smooth. P
Their bodies have two main parts: the head and the abdomen. P
The abdomen is plump. All spiders have eight legs but no ears. P
However, they have tiny sensitive hairs on their legs that detect the weakest sound vibrations. P
They use these hairs to find their way around. P
Most spiders have eight eyes but some have fewer. P
They come in many different colors. Spiders live in many different places. P
They live in water, gardens, houses, and on the ground. P
They live in different weather conditions as well. P
They live in hot, cold, or dry habitats. P
Most spiders live for only one year. P
Some, like tarantulas, can live much longer. P
They mostly eat insects but not always. P
Spiders can hold more than 170 times their own body weight. P
This is like Spiderman carrying 170 people! P
The Goliath bird-eater tarantula in South America can pull birds out of their nests and eats them. P
Some spiders can jump 50 times their body size. P
Others even can walk upside down on smooth surfaces because the tiny sticky hairs on their legs make them stick when walking. P
Spiders spin seven kinds of silk. Spider silk is as strong as steel. P
Some spiders make webs using their silk. P
They use webs as traps to catch insects for food. P
Some spiders are poisonous. P
When they catch an insect and bite it, the poison quickly makes the insect helpless. P
Black widows are very poisonous, so you need to watch out for them. P
These characteristics are what make spiders so amazing and interesting. P
Lesson 5-49
"Randy, rise and shine!" P
"I am going to skip breakfast," said Randy. P
Then, he pulled the blanket over his head. P
Last night he went to bed angry. P
Mom refused to buy him the new action figure, NEW Super Dude. P
It was a new version of Super Dude. P
Super Dude was a mightier character than any other hero. P
NEW Super Dude was bigger and fancier than Super Dude, though. P
He had a stronger weapon as well. P
"Hey, I'm not your mom. Check the toy box under your bed," a voice said. P
Randy got up and crawled under his bed. P
He opened the toy box. There were many dusty toys. P
"Here I am. I'm the old Super Dude action figure. P
Do you remember me? I'm your friend. You loved me a lot. P
Since I broke my arm, you don't play with me anymore. P
That's okay. I just wanted to say good-bye before I leave. P
Your mom will throw me away tomorrow. P
Surprised, Randy picked up the action figure. P
"I remember you, Super Dude!" P
He looked more handsome than NEW Super Dude but sadder. P
Randy felt sorry about the broken arm. P
"I'm really okay. I just had a very long, sound sleep. P
Now I'm getting ready to go to a roomier place. P
You want NEW Super Dude, don't you? Every kid does. P
"No! I like you more than NEW Super Dude. P
I am very happy with you now. P
I guess I can fix your arm," said Randy. P
He taped Super Dude's arm. P
"Thank you! I feel better. P
I have to say good-bye anyway," said Super Dude. P
"I will tell my mom that I don't want NEW Super Dude anymore. P
I'll play with you. Super Dude smiled, "Okay. P
Then, I'll take you with me when I go on the next space trip against the aliens. P
"That's cool!" said Randy. P
His fantastic space adventure with Super Dude continued in his dream. P
Lesson 5-50
Barbie is the world's best-selling doll ever. P
The first Barbie came out in 1959. P
It was made by Ruth Handler who named the doll after her own daughter. P
Mattel Inc., a toy manufacturer, made this doll as popular as it is today. P
Back then, though, Barbie was quite different. P
The first Barbie doll wore only a swimsuit. P
It was black and white like a zebra. P
Barbie had a ponytail with curly bangs. P
Her hair was either blond or brown. P
Later, it became quite colorful. P
Her wardrobe also changed enormously. P
Barbie dolls became so popular that many people began collecting them. P
In 1980, an international collection was released. P
The dolls were dressed in traditional clothes from the countries they represented. P
Various other collections have been released through the years. P
The highest-selling Barbie in history, Totally Hair Barbie, was released in 1992. P
It featured extra-long hair that reached from her head to her toes. P
It is still one of the most popular Barbie dolls. P
Some Barbie dolls are very rare. P
The rare ones are very expensive, especially the ones that have not been removed from their cases. P
Those that are treated with good care may one day become valuable collector's items. P
Lesson 5-51
Almost everyone knows that Christopher Columbus discovered the so-called "New World. P
This "New World" included North and South America and the Caribbean Islands. P
The people living in these regions at the time were mistakenly called "Indians. P
Here's why. In 1492, Columbus made his famous sea voyage to find valuable goods for the Queen of Spain. P
In reality, he was trying to find a new sea route to India. P
After sailing for many days and nights, he found land between Europe and India. P
When he went ashore, the natives greeted him. P
Columbus thought he landed in India, so he called the natives, Indians. P
The land he found was later named America. P
The natives that greeted him were not Indians. P
They were Native Americans. Columbus had made a mistake. P
The mistake has not been corrected to this day. P
Many people still call all Native Americans, Indians. P
Some Native Americans even call themselves Indians. P
To avoid offending anyone, you should ask a Native American if he or she minds being called an Indian. P
Perhaps just avoid the use of the word when speaking to them. P
The original people of America were from hundreds of different tribes. P
Many of these tribes did not speak the same language or share similar cultures. P
Perhaps that is why many Native Americans today like to be called by the name of their tribes. P
For example, they say, "We are the Lakota people. P
Some call us the Sioux. It is important to call native people by the right name. P
How would you feel if people called you by the wrong name? P
Lesson 5-52
A totem pole is a piece of artwork that tells a story. P
The native people of North America, who live near the west coast of the Pacific Ocean, make totem poles. P
Totem poles are carved from large trees, mostly red cedar trees. P
Eagles, ravens, wolves, bears, beavers, whales, and salmon are carved into the poles. P
Some of the totem poles are short and some are tall. P
The tallest ones are more than 40 meters in height. P
Each pole tells a story about a family or a legend of the native people. P
Totem poles help native families remember stories. P
Parents tell the stories to their children. P
The children learn them like poems. P
They learn these stories before they are able to write them down. P
Making one of these totem poles is a big job. P
The artist must first lay the tree down and then begin to remove the bark. P
Next, the artist draws animals onto the tree before beginning to carve it by hand. P
Finally, the totem pole is painted. P
After this, many people help in the raising of the pole so that it can stand upright. P
They push and pull until it gets into a standing position. P
When this is finished, they have a ceremony to celebrate. P
No one is quite sure when the first totem pole was made. P
Because they are made of wood, they decay over time, so it is difficult to prove when they were made. P
However, the oral history of northwestern Native Americans states that totem poles have existed in those cultures for a very long time. P
Lesson 5-53
John lived with his parents in a simple house at the end of River Street. P
His dad worked really hard to put food on the table. P
His mom was too sick to work. John wondered how he could help his parents. P
He started selling newspapers and mowing the neighbors' lawns, but nothing he did was ever enough. P
One day, John heard about a man who discovered new species of plants. P
The man became very famous and many companies offered him good jobs. P
John thought, "If I found new species of insects, I could become like him! P
I could help my parents make things better at home!" P
John always wanted to become a biologist, so bug hunting was what he was good at. P
Every day after school, John went to the park to search for new insects. P
Weeks and months went by. Still John found nothing. P
He thought about giving up when, suddenly, something moved under the blade of grass he was staring at. P
During his investigation, John found the weirdest looking creature ever. P
It looked like a tiny turtle, but it wasn't. P
This creature had three wings, five eyes, six legs, and it was purple and green. P
John ran home shouting, "I found it! I found it!" Nobody knew what it was. P
But whatever it was, it made John very happy. P
He decided to call it "Bugjohn." P
A nearby university gave him a job researching new bugs. P
John received just enough money to help his family. P
This brought him comfort, knowing that he was a contributor to his household. P
His dad was able to relax a little, and his mom was able to get better treatment. P
After that, the family became very happy. P
Lesson 5-54
Success may seem simple at times. P
However, it is not reached without some effort. P
One Man's Mistake Is Another Man's Inspiration P
They are used to post messages on walls, books, and fridges, among other things. P
We also use them to flag pages in books. P
If you haven't guessed it yet, we are talking about Post-it Notes. P
Spencer Silver worked at 3M Laboratories. P
In 1968, he made a new glue paste. P
It was weaker than anything 3M made at the time. P
When this glue was stuck to an object, it did not hold. It easily came apart. P
Spencer was disappointed because he was not able to find any use for this new glue. P
The glue sat there for four years. Arthur Fry was another 3M scientist. P
He was a choir member at his church. P
He used strips of paper as markers for his pages in his hymnal, but they kept falling out. P
He remembered Spencer's glue and coated his markers with it. P
The markers were held in place, and didn't rip. P
The Post-it Note was born. Today, it's one of the most popular office products. P
A Boy Can Be an Inventor. Frank Epperson was only eleven years old. P
One day, he mixed a drink of soda water, powder, and water. P
That was a popular drink in 1905. P
For some reason, he did not drink all of it. P
He left it out on the back porch overnight. P
The drink froze with the stirring stick in it. P
Eighteen years later, Frank remembered the incident and began selling frozen sodas on a stick. P
He called it an "Ep-sicle." There were seven fruit flavors that people loved. P
Ep-sicles became extremely popular. He then changed the name to "Popsicle." P
In 1925, Epperson sold his brand name Popsicle to another company. P
Today, the Popsicle family has more than 30 delicious variations. P
Popsicles remain popular with kids and adults today. P
Lesson 5-55
"I have a red ticket to Treasure Land. P
I am invited!" Bella held the ticket tightly! P
Treasure Land was a theme park. P
The park had been under construction for five years. P
There was going to be a grand opening celebration. P
They announced that five red entrance tickets were hidden in five books at the Central Children's Library. P
Whoever got one of the tickets could enter Treasure Land on the opening day. P
No one else, except the five, could get special tickets for that day. P
The library was busy as always. P
Some greedy kids made a mess everywhere trying to find the tickets. P
Bella was 10 and loved reading. P
Her family was so poor that she couldn't afford books. P
As a result, she went to the library every day to read. P
She read about 100 books a month on average. P
She had never been to a theme park before. P
She always envied those who had. P
Her knowledge about theme parks was from reading. P
She read about sweet-smelling cotton candy, frightening roller coasters, peaceful merry-go-rounds, playful clowns, and happy families. P
Bella did not expect to be invited at all. P
Surprisingly, she found one of the red tickets in the thick encyclopedia she was using. P
The words were written in gold. They shone like jewels. P
The ticket read, "Congratulations! You're invited to Treasure Land on the opening day. P
You are one of five. You will have incredible fun and will never forget this fantastic experience!" P
She read those words several times. P
She asked the librarian if the ticket was real. P
The librarian smiled, "Bella, yesterday we found a fake ticket. P
It looked real, but it turned out to be fake. P
This is the last of the real ones. You are very lucky!" P
On the opening day, Bella put on her best pants and shiny shoes. P
As she got to the gate, trumpets were played and many people came to see the five special guests. P
Bella closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and made her first step onto the red carpet. P
Lesson 5-56
Mars Disneyland Extending Opening Hours Tuesday, September 6, 2000 P
Mars Disneyland said that it is considering extending its opening hours because of the long lines. P
"The lines were really long during the rehearsals," said spokesman Henry Watson on Monday. P
"We don't want to make our visitors feel bored. P
We are thinking of opening for longer hours and adding more shows. P
We are hoping to give our visitors a better experience." P
Mars to Launch Stamps to Mark Disneyland Opening Saturday, September 10, 2020 P
The postal authority on Mars will launch a series of stamps with Disney characters on Monday, the day Mars Disneyland opens. P
Pictures of Mickey Mouse in a magician's outfit, Dumbo with a feather in his trunk, Pluto with his dog bowl, P
and Simba and Nala from The Lion King will all be on the stamps. P
There will also be a Mars Disneyland envelope with the image of Buzz from Toy Story. P
All stamps and envelopes will be available in the Mars Disneyland gift shop by the end of the month. P
On-line purchases will be available from October. P
Mickey Mouse Arrives on Mars Monday, September 12, 2020 P
"Now, I declare Mars Disneyland officially open!" said Disney's Chief Executive. P
Mickey Mouse and his Disney friends have already arrived at their newest home on Mars. P
At this time, children and Disney characters from Earth are on stage singing "It's a Small World" in multiple languages. P
During its first year, more than 5 million visitors are expected to come through these doors. P
It seems as if Mars is under the spell of "Disney Magic." P
The government hopes that Mars Disneyland will create more jobs, a necessary booster to the economy. P