Geography Trivia

I bet you never knew that Geography could be so much fun!

Disney World in Orlando, Florida is twice the size of the island of Manhattan, New York.

Approximately one-tenth of the earth’s surface is permanently covered with ice.

The Atlantic Ocean is saltier than the Pacific Ocean.

The only continent without reptiles or snakes is Antarctica.

The Amazon rainforest produces more than 20% of the world’s oxygen supply.

Istanbul, Turkey is the only city in the world located on two continents.

Maine is the only state in the United States with only one syllable in its name.

Florida has twice as many lightning injuries and deaths than any other state.

There are over 2,000 different species of cactuses.

The Sea of Tranquility on the moon is deeper than the highest mountain on Earth.

Story Enders

Use the following endings to stories to come up with the beginning and middle. This is an unusual twist on the story starter.

1. My friend and I walked hand in hand out of the school. It was the best day I can ever remember.

2. I will never forget the day I spent in the principal's office. The next time my friend Larry asks me to do him a favor, I will run the other way.

3. My dog Molly is the best dog in the whole world. If it wasn't for her I would have drowned in the lake today. She saved my life.

4. The zookeeper locked the gorilla cage and the crowd walked to their cars. I bet that Shawn will think twice the next time he pounds on the glass of the gorilla enclosure at the zoo. It could have turned out much worse than it did.

5. We filed off the bus one at a time. Our bodies were covered with dirt, our clothes were torn, and we had calluses on our hands, but we all had smiles on our faces.

6. The team lifted me onto their shoulders and carried me around the gym. I looked at the shiny trophy in my hand and smiled. It has been the best basketball season ever.

7. I fell out of the two-man sailboat and kissed the sand. What a day! I never thought I would see the land again two hours ago when the fog was surrounding us. My sailing days are over.

8. The crowd was cheering as I lifted my face out of the pie pan. I never heard them until I had finished the whole cherry pie. I bet no one ever expected a skinny kid like me to iwn the pie eating contest today, but then they don't know my secret.

9. We covered the hideout with leaves and sticks. Hopefully no one would ever find our special place in the woods. It would be our secret for years to come.

Poems

Alphabet Soup

I'm staring at my soup,

When suddenly I see

The entire alphabet

Smiling back at me.


All Fall Down

First one leaf, then another,

Red falls first, next gold and brown.

Along comes a gust of wind

And all the leaves fall down.


My Best Friend

My best friend likes to lick.

He likes to run and play.

My best friend's name is Max.

I'm glad he came to stay.

It's a Dog's Life

Before Baby

Sleeping on the bed

Getting brushed daily

Fetching sticks

Chasing his tail

Sitting by the fireplace

Begging for tablescraps

Wearing designer sweaters

Howling at the moon

Waiting for you by the front door

Getting shots once a year at vet

Lick out of toilet bowl

Bathed at groomerss once a month

After Baby

Sleeping in the doghouse

Getting the brush off daily

Fetching baby toys

Hiding his tail from children's grabbing hands

Sitting by the back door

Begging for attention

Wearing a flea collar

Howling to get inside

Waiting to get fed

Get shot once a day by child's squirtgun

Lick jelly off child's fingers

Bathed with garden hose once a year

If Mothers Ran the World

All cars would come equipped with microwave ovens so dinner could be prepared on the run.

Socks would have magnets on them so they wouldn't get separated in the dryer.

Schools would have mandatory classes in manners and etiquette.

Summer vacation would only last two weeks.

There would be at least two full weeks of downtime between each sport season for children.

Babies would come equipped with self-cleaning diapers.



Toys that squirt water, make loud noise, or ooze slime would be illegal.

Dinner dates with husbands would be mandatory twice a month.

Jobs filled by mothers such as room mother, girl scout troop leader, and soccer coach would all be paying positions.

Starting a Children's Book Club

Many adults enjoy belonging to monthly book clubs. If you have a child or children who enjoy reading, you might want to consider starting a children’s book club. There are many questions to keep in mind before organizing a children’s book club.

Why have a book club?

Are you creating a book club because your child wants to be in one? Adults mean well, but sometimes they get children involved in an activity that they themselves enjoy, not the child. A book club can be an excellent supplement to a child’s education. It is excellent for encouraging children to think critically about a book. Did they enjoy the book and why or why not? Book clubs also teach children that not everyone has the same opinion as them.

How will the group be organized?

Who will be included in the book club? There are many different ways you can organize a book club. The group could consist of parents and their children or it could consist of all males or females. Next you will need to decide how large the group will be and the age of the children in the group. Keep the spread in the children’s ages to no more than 2-3 years apart. This will be helpful when selecting age appropriate books for the kids to read.

Where will the meeting take place?

Where and when will your group meet? Book clubs should probably meet about once every month. This will give the participants time to read the book selection. If participants are too busy during summer or winter holidays, you can skip a month or two. The size of your group will help you determine where you should meet. A smaller group can meet at someone’s home. A larger group might want to reserve a room at the library or meet in a bookstore.

Who will lead the meetings?

Normally a children’s book group is lead by an adult. A parent who loves to read or a librarian or teacher would be an excellent choice. You might also consider letting several adults share the role.

How should we choose the books?

What type of books do your young readers enjoy? You need to consider the age and reading level of the kids in the group. Children in book clubs will read books that they might never have chosen on their own. It is nice to choose a variety of old and new titles from different genres. Some kids enjoy mysteries while others might like fantasies. There are many websites that list reading selections for children. Check out www.hedgehogbooks.com or www.guysread.com for some suggested reading lists. You might also want to look at www.kidsreads.com for reviews of recent titles.

Make sure you include the children in the decision process. They will buy into the book club more if they helped create it. Teaching your child to enjoy books is a gift that will make them life-long readers.

RAIN

I soothe parched land
and help plants grow.

In the winter,
I turn to snow.

I lick the grass
and kiss the trees.

I make rivers
and feed the seas.

Pitter, patter
splish, splash

Thunder boom
lightning flash,

I pour down hard
or sometimes soft,

raining out of
my cloudy loft.

All great creatures
big or small

without me, could not
live at all.