Bear Facts - Lafayette Elementary School

Lafayette Elementary School
December 17, 2013
Bear Facts
Vol. 11, No. 2
Happy Holiday Edition
Ms. Jeanʼs class prepares to greet representatives from the Embassy of Brazil in the Great Hall
on Friday, Dec. 13. For the second year in a row, Ms. Jeanʼs class has paired with Brazil in this
partnership between DCPS and many of the embassies in Washington, D.C. --Sophie Gross, 5JL
Is New Marquee as ‘Bright’ an Idea as It Seems?
Story and Photo by Alissa Simon, 5JB
Have you seen IT yet? Take a look in front of the school and you can’t miss IT. The new marquee!
During the summer, the school’s old notice board was taken down and an electronic one was put in its
place.The marquee is maintained by Mr.
Wieand and Mr. Hoover. They take care of the
Kidpreneurs......................6
board and make sure all the messages get
Winter Olympics 2014......7 posted. It looks really great and shows the
Holiday Poetry Corner......7 date and time, too, but it has caused some
Holiday Bears’ Den...........8 controversy.
Baking for Lafayette.........9
After asking a wide variety of people
Thanksgivukkah.............10
what they thought of it, this Bear Facts
History of Hanukkah......10
reporter found that most Lafayette students
Kindergarten Feast.........11 like it because it shows the temperature and
Vegetarian Thanksgiving..11 time, as well as many important
Thanksgiving & Math.....12
announcements. Many teachers like it
RIP Pinkerton...................2
Turkey Day Survey.........12
because it lights their way when they leave
5th Grade Deal Day..........3
Gifts Kids Can Make.......13 school after dark. Ms.Cobb’s second grade
Life after Lafayette............4
Holiday Travel Survey....13 class voted a unanimous thumbs up for the
Student Council Update...4
Xmas Gifts Kids Want....14 new marquee, and Mr.Wieand stated,”It is
Craft Club Interview.........5
Top Toys for Kids......15-16 very useful.”
Dictionaries for all............5
Cont’d on p. 2
Contents:
New Marquee Is a Winner with Students and Teachers
Contʼd from p. 1
”I love that it shows the time and activities happening,” added Ms. Perlin, school librarian.
That’s a lot of people who like the new marquee but there are others who don’t. Some people
say that it is too flashy and that it wastes
electricity. A few residents who live close to
Lafayette say that it is too bright at nighttime.
Also, some people just don’t like the new design
and prefer the old one. [The old one had to
have its letters changed by hand. The new one
is set with a computer program, an obvious
advantage for the people who have to do this
frequently.]
So are you glad for our bright new addition, or
are you wishing for a less flashy new sign?
Either way this marquee will probably be here
for quite a while.
Editor’s Note: If you liked this story let
Alissa Simon know. She will investigate all
sides of an issue and bring more debate
The new marquee announces the book fair.
stories to the Bear Facts.
Eulogy:
R.I.P. Pinkerton
by Doug Cohen 5JB, Eli Moore 5JL, and Noah Weitzner, 5JB
On November 25, 2013 there was an unfortunate
event. Ms. Hallstrom’s class pet, Pinkerton, passed away.
Last year, Ms. Hallstrom’s fourth grade class adopted a box
tortoise and named it Pinkerton. He--or she--was found on
the side of a road injured in Rock Creek Park. Kelsey
Smith’s dad knew that Ms. Hallstrom’s class was looking for
a class pet and gave Pinkerton to them.
Pinkerton was cared for by many people. Thinking
that he--she--would live a long time, students in Ms.
Hallstrom’s fourth grade class wrote directions for future
students to take care of their special box turtle. Ms.
Hallstrom even wrote a song about him in her songwriting
unit just to show how she really cared about him. Sadly,
when the temperature in Ms. Hallstrom’s classroom reached
99℉ over a recent weekend, Pinkerton’s water evaporated,
leaving him dehydrated.
Pinkerton, in better days,
Students in Ms. Hallstrom’s third grade class this year climbing on the mountainous
inherited Pinkerton and took good care of him. To honor his/
keyboard.
her passing, students drew pictures of their class pet and
sang Ms. Hallstrom’s Pinkerton song in music class.
We are all very sad, and we’ll always remember Pinkerton.
2
Deal Day Gives 5th Graders a Peek at Middle School Life
by Willa Beckerman, 5JB
Deal Day is the day that each feeder school [a school that has lots of kids going to the next
higher school level] gets assigned to visit Alice Deal Middle School and see for themselves what
middle school life is like. Lafayette’s Deal Day was last month, and Bear Facts reporter Willa
Beckerman interviewed fifth graders Jordan Engel, Sean Carl Robante, and Alissa Simon about Deal
Day and about their plans on attending Alice Deal or not.
Bear Facts: Hi.
Alissa, Jordan, Sean Carl: Hi
BF: Did you like Deal Day?
A: Yes, I really liked it.
J: Yeah, I loved it.
SC: Yup.
SC: Tests.
BF: Are you going to Alice Deal next year?
A: I think so.
J: It’s a yes for me, at least for sixth grade.
SC: Yes, I’ll be here.
BF: Thank you for your time.
A & SC: You’re welcome.
J: Anytime!
BF: What do you think the biggest change will be?
A: Handling all the change.
J: The amount of homework.
SC: Going to a new grade.
BF: What are you most looking forward to?
A: Meeting new friends and teachers.
J: All the different lunchtime and after school
activities.
SC: Joining a new school.
BF: What was your favorite class during Deal
Day?
A: I enjoyed Pre-Algebra.
J: I liked reading.
SC: Science for me.
Left to right: Sean Carl Robante, Alissa
Simon and Jordan Engel. Photo by Emily
Burke, 5JB
BF: What scares you most about going to Deal?
A: Getting lost, it’s a really large school.
J: Just how big it is and, like Alissa, getting lost.
SC: New teachers.
BF: What are you going to miss most about
Lafayette?
A: All the teachers and my friends that are not
going to Deal.
J: Everything.
SC: The school.
BF: What do you think will be the hardest thing for
you next year?
A: Staying organized.
J: Getting to classes on time.
3
Spinmaster Has 3 Top-selling Toys
Spinmaster’s top-selling toys are (L to R
Below) Flutterbye Fairy, Kawaii Crush, and Air
Hogs Atmosphere. Hasbro makes two top-selling
toys, Cuddles My Giggly Monkey and Furby
Boom. In third place is everyone else, including
Nerf and Lego, with one top-selling toy. That’s
how it is in the toy industry, folks!
See full story on Top Toys... pp. 15 & 16
1
1
2
3
Life after Lafayette by Jordan Engel, 5G and Willa Beckerman, 5JB
Editor’s note: Our intrepid reporters managed to snag an interview with busy 12th
grader Emma Lalley. Emma who is now a senior at Wilson, graduated from 6th grade in
2008 and still lives with her family in the Lafayette neighborhood.
Bear Facts: Hello Emma.
Emma: Hi!
BF: May we ask you some questions?
EL: Of course.
BF: Who were your teachers when you went to Lafayette? Which one
was your favorite and why?
EL: [In order from PK-6] Ms. Ghamarian, Ms. [Dina] Shapiro, Ms.
Howard, Ms. Harn, Ms. Yedwab , Ms. Brown, Mr. Gregal, and Ms.
Snowden. My favorite? Hmmmm. I don’t have one.
BF: What do you miss most from Lafayette?
EL: I miss DEAR time, the Great American Snowball Fight, and
specials.
BF: If you could go back in time and change one thing from your
experience at Lafayette what would you change?
EL: I would have been on the girls’ basketball team.
BF: Thank you for your time!
EL: Thank you for the interview!
secret partner and you buy
them a present. You’re not
supposed to know who has
This year, for the first time
in Lafayette history, the
Student Council is arranging
an exciting event called the
Secret Snowflake. Secret
Snowflake is when you get a
you as a partner and that is
why it is so much fun.
Doug Cohen, the
president of the Student
Council, is trying to fulfill his
promise of getting us in the
World Record books by
popping bubble wrap. That is
all the information we have
for now, so have a fun winter
break!
--Weston Duncan,
4
Craft Club Comes to Lafayette
by Emily Burke, 5JB and Jordan Engel, 5G
Bear Facts: Hi Sophia and Edith!
Craft Club: Hi.
BF: What gave you the idea for Craft Club?
CC: One day at indoor recess
everyone started making paper or
index card houses so we decided to
turn it into a club.
BF: About how many kids are in CC?
CC: About 18 kids.
BF: Who is CC open for?
CC: It is open to all fifth graders.
BF: What is CC mostly about?
CC: Our main goal is to make a city entirely out of paper! (WOW!)
BF: Do you think you will get more people to join CC?
CC: We think the number of people in CC will actually decrease. We
Fifth graders Sophia and will probably start making passes because when there are too many
people it gets a little hectic.
Edith in 5G. Photo by
BF: Thank you for your time!
Emily Burke, 5JB
CC: You’re welcome!
Editor’s Note: Edith Eriksson von Allmen and Sophia Lohmeyer
started the Craft Club with Ms.Main’s permission, but the club needs an adult sponsor in
order to continue meeting at lunch time. So if any teacher is willing to sponsor the club, be
sure to let Edith and Sophia know.
Dictionaries for the World
by Brendan McKalip, 3H
!
Recently, Mr. Vince Bzdek came to Lafayette to talk to the
third grade about what dictionaries are and how they can help
you. He explained that the average human learns about 50,000
words in a lifetime.
!
“A dictionary is used to learn new exotic words and to get
a feel for them,” Mr. Bzdek said. “This [a dictionary] is a book that
Fun Fact: The longest word in
includes information about space, countries and calendars!”
the English language has
!
Mr. Bzdekʼs visit was part of the annual Dictionary Project.
189,819 letters and would take
The goal of the Dictionary Project is to assist all students to
you three and a half hours to
become writers, creative thinkers, active readers and great
pronounce correctly.
learners. The Dictionary Project hopes to put a dictionary into the
hands of every child in America.
!
“Thatʼs a good goal,” said Jahiem Fritts in Ms. Hallstromʼs third grade class. “Itʼs a neat goal
because it gives you a chance to learn even when youʼre not at school.”
Editorʼs Note: Brendan McKalip is our first third grade reporter this year. Great job, Brendan!
5
Meet Lafayette Kidpreneurs:
Two 5th Graders Get Down to Business during Winter Break
by Kathlyn Dell-Bosak, 5C
Anyone can have a business, even a kid! Kidpreneurs Angeline Daniels and Brooke McKalip,
fifth graders in Mr. Jewett’s class, have plans to start yet another child company over winter break,
and theirs will be a business built on the school’s latest fad-- Rainbow Loom!
Bear Facts: Why did you decide to start this business?
Angeline: Well, other people like Rainbow Loom so we decided to sell the bracelets and give the
money to charity. We also do it because they look cool.
Brooke: We also give tutorial lessons.
BF: Where did you learn all this stuff about Rainbow Loom?
B&A: Youtube.
BF: Have you invented any kinds of Rainbow Loom bracelets?
A: Well, Brooke and I invented one called the Lifesaver.
B: And I made one called the X Bow Tie.
A: We’ve made about 15 designs all together.
BF: What’s your favorite kind of Rainbow
Loom bracelet?
B: My favorite is the Ladder and the Double X.
I think the Pumpkin is the cutest.
A: I’d say the Sailor’s Pinstripe and the Ladder
are my favorites, and maybe Hexafish. I think
the Elf is the cutest, and maybe the Pumpkin.
BF: When did you start your business?
A: We haven’t really started anything yet, but
we’ve been planning for it!
BF: When do you plan to start it?
A: During winter break.
B: It would be the perfect gift for your family
members.
The Sailorʼs Pinstripe is one of Angelineʼs
favorite rainbow loom bracelet designs.
BF: Thank you for your time.
A&B: It’s a pleasure!
Editor’s Note: This is Kathlyn Dell-Bosak’s second story about Lafayette kidpreneurs-Lafayette students with big ideas that just might take off! Notify Miss Dell-Bosak in Ms.
Campbell’s fifth grade class if YOU’RE a Kidpreneur, too! ( Be original! Come up with
something we haven’t seen before! That means NO Rainbow Loom or baking businesses!)
6
These Athletes Aren’t Chillin’!
by Katie Kennedy and Justine Hollar, 4CJ
You may be indoors keeping
warm by the fire, but others are
outdoors preparing for a popular
With the winter
event.
Olympics right
That’s right, folks, the 2014
around the
winter Olympics are just around the
corner, all winter
corner! The games will be held in
sport athletes are
Sochi, Russia in February, 2014.
preparing for one
That’s less than two months away!
of the largest
The athletes are already getting
sporting events
pumped up for the upcoming
in the world. Can
Olympics because the event only
Russia keep the
happens once every four years.
world happy?
Setting up the Olympics takes
Well, we’ll just
a lot of work and sometimes causes
have to figure it
big headaches. With less than 60
out in February!
days left, the organizers in Russia are
frantically making final preparations, hoping for a memorable event that goes
off with perfect precision. After all, the whole world will be watching the 22nd winter Olympics in
history. From Friday, February 7 to Sunday, February 23 people in almost all nations will be
watching at least some of the events which include skiing, figure skating, ice skating, bobsledding,
and even, ice hockey.
Since it’s all opening so soon, Russia has been having some trouble getting ready. The
biggest problem is that the Olympic torch keeps going out! Can Russia keep it burning? We’re
keeping our fingers crossed!
Poetry Corner
Holidays
Such good fun by the fire and the moon,
Present wrapping everywhere,
But best of all, you’re with family!
Sophie Gross, 5JL
January
Winter
Where have the sparrows gone?
They used to talk to me,
Where have the sparrows gone?
I have forgotten their words.
So cold and so frosty
Bringing out the kid in you,
Enjoy it while it lasts!
Alissa Simon, 5JB
Sophie Gross, 5JL
7
by Mia Sampson
&
Natalie Sipress
Sure!
Whatever you celebrate....Happy Holidays!
From the Bear Facts Staff
8
The Baking Corner: Baking for Lafayette
by Hannah Darnell, 5JL
We are back with Baking for Lafayette and we have a special holiday treat, peppermint bark. This
time we are including the recipe so you can make your own holiday treats at home. Remember this is
where we let others sample what we’ve made and tell us about it. This is the support staff edition of
Baking for Lafayette, and we interviewed ten staff members around the building. Here’s what they said:
Custodians: (We could not find Mr. Young, Mr.
Duboise or Mr. White)
Mr. Howell: I like everything especially the heart
shape, and that it is sweet. I dislike that I only
get one!
Mr. Mangual: I like the crunchiness, and the
peppermint and white chocolate together. I
dislike that it’s stiff and it gets stuck in my teeth,
no offense.
Peppermint Bark Hearts Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 13 hearts
Serving Size: 1 heart
•
26 peppermint candy
canes (2 1/2 inches)
6oz. vanilla flavored candy coating (Bark Bars),
chopped
2 tsp. peppermint candies or candy canes, crushed
Mr. Matthews: I like the fresh mint mix. I also
don’t like that it gets stuck in my teeth.
•
Office staff:
•
Ms. Main: I like the creamy texture, the
peppermint flavor, and the way there is a little bit
of salt taste in it. I don’t dislike anything about it!
Instructions:
Ms. Bright: I love peppermint overall, and the
white chocolate was great.
In 2 cups or a microwave safe bowl, melt candy coating
uncovered on Medium (50% power) for 2 to 3 minutes,
stirring once halfway through cooking time, until softened. Stir
until smooth and completely melted.
Mr. Hover: I love the peppermint flavor, and I
am a big fan of the chocolate. It’s delicious! I
think the candy canes are too chewy, though.
Ms. Walker: I like the peppermint taste and I
think it would go well in a cookie. It’s perfect the
way it is!
Other Staff:
Ms. Murphy: It’s very good. Usually I don’t like
peppermint, but this was great.
Ms. Adams (Ms. Murphy’s assistant): I like
everything including the peppermint. It’s too
good to dislike anything.
Nurse Cockrell: It’s wonderful; I like the heart
shape, perfect taste, and the blend of the
peppermint and chocolate.
Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Arrange candy canes on
paper in groups of 2 in a heart shape.
Spoon or pipe candy coating into centers of hearts to fill
spaces. Smooth with a toothpick or bamboo skewer. Sprinkle
with crushed candy canes. Cool at room temperature for 30
minutes or until set.
We found this on cbsop.com, so you can look there for further
instructions.
Hopefully this will taste good in your home this holiday
season.
NOTE: We noticed that in every group of two candy canes,
one was longer than the other. This pattern seemed to
repeat, so a little mixing and matching of canes may be
required.
Editor’s Note: Assistant decorators are Gigi Cestari and
CJ Berstch, last edition’s bakers.
9
Thanksgivukkah Is Here!
by Hannah Bocian and Harper Dunn, 4CJ
This year is like no other that has come before and no other that will come again in our lifetime.
Hanukkah overlaps with Thanksgiving! People are calling this Thanksgivukkah. On November 28th,
the two holidays occurred on the same day for the first time in 125
years and for the last time in 79,000 years. The reason for this is the
Jewish calendar. It says that Hanukkah always falls on the 25th of
Kislev, which is sometime between November and December.
Thanksgiving always falls on the last Thursday in November. This
year, the 25th of Kislev falls on a very early day of the year.
A ten-year old boy named Asher Weintraub invented something to
celebrate the fact that the two holidays overlap. It is a menorah
shaped like a turkey. It is called the Menurkey. Asher lives with his
family in New York City and thought of the idea when his parents
were trying to change the subject during a fight with his brother. The
standard Menurkey costs fifty dollars, in white or blue plaster, and is
paintable with acrylic paints. Adam earned $48,345 off the
Meet the Menurkey! Donʼt
Menurkey, well surpassing its $25,000 goal. Asher is also a
worry if you didnʼt buy one.
generous kid. He donated ten percent of Menurkey sales to charity.
You wonʼt need it again for
We asked some students about their Thanksgivukkah
79,000 years!
experience. Some combined the two holidays, like having latkes in
their Thanksgiving dinners. Others did Hanukkah traditions after
Thanksgiving traditions. It’s really too bad that things like sweet potato latkes won’t become a usual
holiday treat, but when two important holidays overlap so infrequently, what can you expect?
Editor’s Note: Along with Thanksgivukkah, a popular name for this peculiar holiday is Thanks-a-latkae!
A History of Hanukkah
by Maddie Vassalo, 5G
Have you wondered why Hanukkah was so early this
year? Hanukkah starts on the 25th day of Kislev according to the
Hebrew calendar. The Hebrew calendar is different than ours.
Hanukkah started in 139 BCE when the Maccabees defeated
King Antiochus who had conquered Jerusalem in 170 BCE. During this time, the Jews were not
able to practice their religion. Some Jews defied the new laws. They hid in caves and when the
guards passed by they pretended to be gambling with a small wooden spool called a dreidel.
That is where the game dreidel came from. After King Antiochus was
defeated, the Jews attempted to rebuild their sacred temple. The
Jews realized there was a big problem. The menorah was supposed
to be lighted all the time, but the only clean oil in Jerusalem was just
enough to last one night. The Jews still lit the menorah hoping for the
best--and a miracle occurred. The oil burned for eight days and eight
nights, just enough time to make more oil, thus giving us the holiday
we call Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights.
10
Thanksgiving Feast for the Kindergartners
by Katie Kennedy and Justine Hollar, 4CJ
Like the fifth graders, Lafayette
kindergartners had their OWN Thanksgiving feast
We also interviewed Mr. Johnson, the creator
with their parents and teachers. The
of the Lafayette kindergarten feast and the
kindergartners worked very
Pre-K graduation. Here is what he said:
hard to prepare for this event,
so they deserve a pat on the
BF: Why did you start the kindergarten feast?
back. Everyone had a great
Mr.J: The kindergarten feast was started to be
time eating and talking to their
an at-school Thanksgiving celebration, and we
friends. We asked some
always say what we are thankful for. The kids
students in Ms. Ritchie’s
always
explain the first Thanksgiving.
class their opinion about the
great Thanksgiving feast and
BF: How come the feast is not for Pre-K?
here is what the kids had to
Mr.J: The feast actually WAS originally for Pre-K.
say:
They stopped it, and then kindergarten took the
idea.
Bear Facts: Did you like the feast?
Ms. Ritchie’s kids: Yes!!!
BF: How do you get the food for the feast?
MR.J: All the food items and supplies are
BF: What did you get to eat?
donated by the parents.
Kids: Ice cream, pie, mac and cheese, mashed
potatoes, corn bread, turkey, cupcakes, stuffing,-BF: What is your favorite part about the feast?
and SO much more!
Mr.J: Well, isn’t it obvious? Eating the food!
BF: What did you get to help make?
Everyone loves the feast. Thank you, Mr. Johnson,
Kids: Roasted vegetables. We also got to help
Ms. Ritchie, and others for carrying on a Lafayette
cut the food. Other classes got to do different
tradition that we hope will go on forever.
things.
Thanksgiving Vegetarian Style
by Allison Pierce, 5G
Have you wondered what vegetarians eat on Thanksgiving?
Well, now you can find out! For this Turkey Day, the Bear Facts
interviewed third grade teacher Ms. Hallstrom and asked her about
what vegetarians eat on Thanksgiving. By the way, Ms. Hallstrom
told us she is not a vegetarian anymore, but she plans to start
again soon. Below is the full interview. Take a look!
Tofurkey. Yum!
Bear Facts: Hi Ms. Hallstrom!
Ms. Hallstrom: Hi!
BF: So, Ms. Hallstrom, when did you first become a vegetarian?
Ms. H: Sometime in 2004.
BF: Why did you become one?
Ms. H: A lot of my friends were vegetarians, and I realized that there were lots more things other than
meat that I could eat.
BF: What do you like best about being a vegetarian?
Ms. H: It makes me feel a lot healthier.
BF: What is your favorite vegetarian Thanksgiving food?
Ms. H: Tofurkey. It looks like a football and is filled with rice. It’s actually really good!
BF: Thanks for your time and for filling us in Ms. Hallstrom!
11
It All Adds Up to a Turkey!
by Rebecca Meroney, 5JB
This year Mr. David Gregal and Ms. Leslie Jean, the fifth grade math teachers, had a special
Thanksgiving project for their students. The fifth graders had to put together a Thanksgiving feast for a
family of six with a budget of $40. First, they divided into groups. Then, they brought in store circular
ads they could find around the house or in the newspaper. Next, they took a good look at the ads to
see how much things cost. They noted the prices on budget
sheets provided by their math teachers. That’s where they wrote
the menu item, the unit price, the quantity, and the balance.
For their feast they were required to “buy” a drink, a
meat, a dessert, a vegetable, and a side dish. After they finished,
each group had to make a poster. The poster had to include the
balance, what they learned, the total amount of money they
“spent”, and how much everything cost.
Their written report had to include two paragraphs
about what they thought of the project, what they learned, and
how much they “purchased.” When everyone was done sharing, each class had a REAL
Thanksgiving feast. Some people brought desserts, some people brought drinks, and someone even
brought a turkey! Everyone brought their appetite.
Though Ms. Campbell teaches ELA and Social Studies, she also enjoyed the feast (staff was
allowed to join in). She said, “The feast was a great idea and the project was phenomenal. Maybe
next year we can add in a ELA component.” Math teacher Mr. Gregal said, “The feast was great!” and
his fellow math teacher Ms. Jean added, “It was an amazing project that blended our favorite things,
food---and math!” Overall, they did a great job!
Thanksgiving Food Survey:
Turkey Wins!
by Sabrina Gyles and Maya Phillips, 5JL
In preparation for Thanksgiving, we decided to ask some Lafayette students about their
Thanksgiving meals. We wanted to
know what kind of food would be
served and eaten in the most homes.
We interviewed 15 people--eight fourth
6%
graders and seven first graders. The
Turkey
graph below shows the results that we
got when we asked how many children
27%
would be eating three Thanksgiving
favorites: turkey, ham and stuffing. As
Ham
you can see 67% of the students said
67%
that they would be eating turkey, while
27% said they would be eating ham.
Stuffing
Surprisingly, only 6% said that their
Thanksgiving plans included eating
stuffing!
12
Five Great Holiday Gifts for Kids To Give to Others
by Ally Han and Maddie Eggen, 5C
Do you ever feel like you can’t come up with any ideas that are cheap but cool for the holidays?
All your parents want are iPad minis and Galaxy phones. Really? What kid has that kind of dough?
But, maybe, JUST maybe, you can give them something just as good. Well, IF you use this article!
Yup, folks, this is it! Five Great Make-at-Home gifts for the holidays!
First, we have Cup Cakes. Cup cakes, little tiny cakes in…
just a wrapper?! What were they thinking?! They should’ve just gone
with WRAPPER cakes! Thank goodness you have us to bring you
back to Earth. In this simple, cheap gift you can give the gift of reality
—delicious reality. For this you will need to get a parent’s old
unwanted holiday mug that is oven safe! Then find the ingredients
listed at the web link below. You will find a good recipe at
www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/peppermint-hot-chocolate-cupcakerecipe/index.html. The folks at Madally’s Bakery love this one!
Second is Hot Cocoa in a Cup. Okay, okay, we know what you’re
Bake cupcakes in holiday mugs thinking. “Um, DUH! Hot chocolate’s ALREADY in a cup!” But this is
different, trust us. Like the project above, find a cute holiday mug. Add
for a great homemade gift.
hot cocoa mix, crushed candy canes, and mini marshmallows. Include
peppermint syrup if you would like. Make sure to add a simple recipe for cocoa. If you’re a
perfectionist, you can even bake some mini gingersnaps or gingerbread people to include. (Oh gosh,
now we’re hungry!)
Third is a picture gift. Maybe just a simple
holiday picture could brighten anyone’s day! Go to
FotoFlexer.com. It’s simple photo editing! Use a
practice photo first, then move on to a real one! Don’t
by Minnie Koppenheffer, 5JB
worry-the tutorial explains it all! Don’t forget—make a
paper picture frame to border your picture.
!
Winter break is almost here, and
For a fourth idea, try the gift of song. Your Own
many people are traveling. Bear Facts
Album—make that dream a reality! Find a blank disc
surveyed 45 people about whether they
—most parents have them. Upload your rockin’
are leaving DC for winter break or
electric guitar solo or a song you wrote—it’s a way to
whether they will be staying home. Here is
be a famous rocker! (At your house at least!)
a graph of their answers. It looks like
Our fifth idea is Christmas tree earrings which
many of us will be staying right here!
are super easy to make. Find some nice stud earrings
—with permission. Cut Christmas trees out of green
construction paper and glue on sequins for
29
ornaments. Stab the studs through the top of the tree.
Sixth--yes we promised FIVE, but we have a
sixth great idea. Sculpture Magic—OUR name for an
16
awesome arts and crafts idea our wonderful teacher
Ms. Campbell gave us. It’s simple. Bend any color of
pipe cleaner in a shape of your choice like a cupcake,
or a pony, or a horse, etc. Cover in Crayola Air-Dry
Clay available at Staples and other stores for 7.99.
Let it dry and then paint it however you like.
STAYING
LEAVING
You may have other ideas (we did too) but if
you need any help (like we usually do) come on back
to this page!
13
Holiday Travel Survey
Christmas Gifts
by London Gracey and Sara Weich, 5JL
Christmas is coming up as it does every year on December 25th. For Christians, itʼs a joyful
time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. As you know, Christmas is not celebrated by all faiths,
but it is highly enjoyed by many, many people around the world. Children especially like the idea of
getting presents at this time of year. So, we did a survey on what kids at Lafayette want for
Christmas. First we interviewed kindergarten students. Then, in Ms.Howardʼs class, we interviewed
a boy and a girl who definitely knew what they wanted. The boy wanted a Wii game and the girl
wanted a laptop. A laptop seems a lot for such a young child to want, but hey! A kid wants what a
kid wants! One girl we interviewed wanted both an iPad
air and an iPad mini.!
Also, some children wanted a Nintendo DS or
clothes. One kid even wanted money. Every year, many
lucky children wake up on Dec 25th with that Christmas
joy and excitement from seeing all those presents and
imagining ripping them open. We hope you get to
experience this excitement on Christmas, Hanukkah,
Kwanzaa, or any other holiday you celebrate. MERRY
CHRISTMAS!
girls
boys
90
67.5
45
22.5
0
Nintendo DS
iPad
clothes
Gifts Kids Say They Want
14
other
Top Twelve Toys of 2013
by Maddie Eggen & Ally Han, 5C, with Sophie Gross, 5JL
Christmas carols are on the radio and menorahs are being dragged up from basements. Latkes,
dreidels, cookies, candy canes—we all know what this means. The holidays. Every child looks forward to it.
The parents? Maybe not so much. This year is like any other. There are top-selling products from Spinmaster,
Lego, Nerf, and, of course, Hasbro. These top twelve toys are quickly running out of stock, so grab your wallet
and get going!
Top 6 Toys for Ages Eight and Under
We started our list by focusing in on the top six toys for kids who are eight and under. Here they are:
1. CUDDLES MY GIGGLY MONKEY ($59)
Cuddles is an interactive, hooting monkey from Furreal Friends Hasbro. This little monkey blinks and
can tell when you’re there with sensors! And, you can feed her from a banana-shaped bottle.
2. FLUTTERBYE FAIRIES ($34.99)
Fairies are real! Or at least in the world of Spinmaster! Flutterbye Fairies have motion sensors and
can detect your movements to keep them floating much like the Air Hogs Atmosphere (See Top 6 Toys
for Ages Nine and Up). Launch the pixies, keep them afloat AND keep a secret—the one that (in the
world of Spinmaster) fairies are real! It includes one fairy and a launcher.
3. LEGO CHIMA CRAGGER’S COMMAND SHIP ($55.99) Once again, the world of Lego has us in for a
treat, this time Lego Chima Cragger’s Command Ship. Lego Chima is a hit this year.
Use the ship’s opening mouth, articulated tail, flick missiles and detachable mini
boats and helicopter to tame the lions! Includes six mini figures (Cragger, Crominus,
Crooler, Rawzom, Leonidas, and Lennox), Cragger’s Command Ship, and more!
4. Illumivor Mecha-Pede ($29.99)
Of course a creepy, crawly remote control centipede-like bug with enormous pinchers is fun at any
time of day, but night is when it’s REALLY best! It glows in the dark, which will TOTALLY freak your
sister out at her slumber party or your dad when he’s watching a horror movie late at night! Oh…did I
mention it’s a foot long?! From Sky Rocket.
5. Flying Heroes ($16.99)
The girls get fairies, but what’s in it for the boys? Simple. Superheroes. Though these
heroes are not launched the same way as Flutterbye Fairies and don’t have motion
sensors, they’re still pretty cool. They can be launched from a drawstring-controlled
handheld launcher. You can choose from Spiderman, Batman, or Superman. These toys
are best at being heroic OUTSIDE as they launch higher than most ceilings. From The
Bridge Direct.
6. Kawaii Crush ($4.19-$17)
These hot new dolls catch everyone’s eye! “Kawaii” is a Japanese pop culture word for ‘cool’ or
‘cuteness’. Kawaii girls are these adorable teeny dolls with bobble heads. A separate doll set is about
$4.19 and comes with a Kawaii girl, two outfits to express her “crush” (an animal, food, season, time
of day, etc.) , and her pet. You can also purchase a Kawaii Crush set like the Hyper Happy Mall for
around $17. The Hyper Happy Mall includes 1 Hyper Happy Mall, 1 Kawaii Crush Doll, 3 pets, 10+
Fashions, and 20+ Accessories. It’s like the Hyper Happy Mall is the ideal, hip, popular place to hang
out in Kawaii Crush World. From Spinmaster.
Next we took a look at the top six toys for kids ages nine and up: See Page 16.
15
Top 6 Toys for Ages 9+....Cont’d from Top Toys p. 15
1. Nerf Rebelle Heartbreaker Bow ($19.99)
Who says Nerf is just for boys? The Nerf Rebelle Heartbreaker Bow is a hot, hot,
HOT item! It’s a safe way to experience REAL bow action. It
shoots up to 75 feet, and, if you have good aim, you might hit a
BULLSEYE! This professional-looking bow should be on every
girls’ Christmas list. But wait! That’s not all! The Nerf Rebelle
Heartbreaker Bow comes with 5 collectible foam darts of
different color along with a dart storage
compartment on the bow so you can lock and load. From Nerf.
2. Air Hogs Atmosphere ($19.88)
This contraption is a lot like Flutterbye Fairy –except it’s less
girly. The Air Hogs Atmosphere is also launched from a
launching pad and can sense your movements. You can do epic
tricks with this awesome toy. From SpinMaster.
3.Furby Boom ($64.99)
Furby Boom—colorful, interactive, cute,
influential—all these words describe it. It has the
same model design as 2012’s Furby and they
both speak “Furbish”, but the similarities stop
there. 2013’s Furby comes in a wide array of
crazy patterns like stripes, polka dots, and zig-zags, unlike last
year’s which only come in solid colors. For those of you that do
not know, Furby can interact with an app on mobile devices.
This year’s Furby Boom app is much different than the Furby
app. For one thing, Furby Boom can have virtual babies you can
raise in Furby Village. No two Furblings are alike which is great
for kids with short attention spans. A few surprises announced
later in the year will utilize QR codes. Furby Boom has twice as
many responses and understands more English which cuts
down on the amount of “Furbish”. This is nice. From Hasbro.
4. Nano Falcon ($49.99)
The world’s smallest remote control helicopter is the Nano
Falcon and the creators have the folks at
Guinness to prove it. This plane fits in your
pocket which is handy if you want to go to
the park or Grandma’s. It only takes about
20 minutes to charge its rechargeable
battery. From Silverlift.
5. Cray-Z-Loom Bracelet Maker ($12)
This is just like Rainbow Loom, folks, so calm down. It’s a lot
cheaper and comes with more varieties of bands, especially
sparkly ones! But really guys, you all know the awesomeness of
these bandy bracelets, so what else is there to say? From
Shimmer and Sparkle.
The Bear Facts
Vol. 11
No. 2
Written and published by the students
of:
Lafayette Elementary School
5704 Broad Branch Rd. NW
Washington, DC 20015
202-282-0116 (phone)
202-282-1126 (fax)
Editors-in-Chief: Hannah Darnell,
Maddie Eggen, Ally Han
Assistant Editor-in-Chief: Sophie Gross
Editorial Board: Being Determined
Contributors: Willa Beckerman, Emily
Burke, Hannah Bocian, Doug Cohen,
Kathlyn Dell-Bosak, Weston Duncan,
Harper Dunn, Jordan Engel, London
Gracey, Sabrina Gyles, Justine Hollar,
Katie Kennedy, Minnie Koppenheffer,
Tristan May, Brendan McKalip, Rebecca
Meroney, Eli Moore, Maya Phillips,
Allison Pierce, Mia Sampson, Alissa
Simon, Natalie Sipress, Maddie
Vassalo, Sara Weich, Noah Weitzner
Official proofreaders of the Bear Facts:
Ms. Campbell’s ELA class
Official folders of the Bear Facts:
Mr. Jewett’s class
Advisor: Kathy Echave
Assisting: Nathan Wieand
Principal: Lynn Main
6. Battroborg 3-in-1 Battle Arena ($70)
This actually looks really fun. I mean, how COULDN’T it be? Mechanical robots battling themselves in an
arena? AWESOME!!!! Turn on the Battroborg controller and the robot. When the light turns green, your
mechanical boxer is ready to fight! You can control its arms to jab the opponent and fight to the finish. From
TOMY.
16