News from KLRN Education

Let's Write in 2012
Yvonne Yates

Director of School Services, KLRN

William Wordsworth said, “Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.” Every New Year’s Eve many of us make a list of our goals, plans and resolutions for the new year. We write them down and post them somewhere around the house and if you are anything like me by March they are nowhere to be found. This process of writing down our ideas and forgetting about it is much like the dozens of stories that students begin to write and then forget about. Many times these wonderful ideas start in a draft but are not taken through the full writing process.

In the last few decades, the written word has been lost to some extending with the coming of age of text messaging and emails. Laugh out loud is LOL and back in five has been shortened to BI5. My last year in the classroom this change in our use of language became apparent when a student wrote “BION I BIOMN.” My curiosity got the best of me and I called the student over and asked her what this meant. She said in a very matter a fact voice, “Duh, Ms. Yates. It’s “Believe it or not I blow it out my nose.” This made sense as she was talking about drinking milk while her sister told her a joke. I explained to the student that we needed to write out all the words. She did not like that she would have to take an extra few seconds to write out every word. I drove home that day with a smile on my face as I thought of how unhip I was at 31.

Writing has been the word on the street here at KLRN because at the start of the year we kicked off the PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest. This contest is open to students in kindergarten to third grade. We're on the lookout for stories written and illustrated by kids in these grade levels. Everyone who enters receives a certificate with top place finishers in each grade eligible for great prizes such as laptop computers, digital cameras, and e-readers!

The contest began January 1 and ends on April 2, 2012. Look for complete rules, including entry forms and more information at klrn.org/writerscontest.

Get those students writing and start sending in your stories. Can’t wait to read them all!

Resources from KLRN Education

KLRN PBS Learning Media Clips to use:

Reasons to Write (Grades PreK-2) This video segment from Between the
Lions features a motivating, kid-friendly song that celebrates the reasons
to write in everyday life.

Advice for Aspiring Writers (Grades K-8) Grace Lin shares her advice
for becoming a children’s book author.

Knowing Poe Interactive Timeline (Grades 6-12) Examine
turning points that shaped Edgar Allen Poe’s life and literature with this
interactive timeline.

Foil Dinners

I always have a hard time coming up with a weekly menu that is easy, healthy, and yummy!

I had a request a few months back for some dinner ideas that are healthy, and easy and that her kids would eat.

I think foil dinners are a perfect meal that is easy, yummy and healthy!

Here is the general recipe and some tips on how to make it healthier.

Makes 8

2 lbs super lean ground beef (ours came from a grass fed cow in ID that my friend Corrine named Blackie 2)

8 Carrots, sliced

8 small potatoes, sliced

1/2 puple onion, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

Some parsley, chopped

Some olive oil for the potatoes

no season salt, salt, garlic powder, and hamburger seasoning.

Mix the hamburger with the onion and spices. Divide up the hamburger making a patty in their own separate foil in the shape of a patty.

Place the potatoes in a bowl and mix well with about 1 T olive oil.

Divide the potatoes up evenly and place on top of the ground beef. Then place the sliced carrots and bell pepper on top of those.

Fold the foil sealing the side. Double wrap in foil if desired.

Cook for about 1 hour on 350 degrees.

Tips:

• These can be made ahead of time and then just placed in the oven. Just put some lemon juice with the olive oil on the potatoes.
• If you are trying to get your family to eat more veggies, do 2 carrots per person instead of just one.
• you don't need to peel the potatoes. The skin will give you extra fiber. Just wash them really well.
• Use organic ketchup, it is less sweet and doesn't have HFCS in it. (We like ours with ketchup!)

My new 10 min Popsicle Maker!

I got an X-press Pop popsicle maker for Christmas. I gave one to my sister-in-law, and then asked my husband to get me one. I was hoping that it worked well, and . . . . . I LOVE it! My kids are always wanting me to make popsicles, and I usually make a big batch of smoothies in the morning and then freeze the leftovers, but then they have to wait a few hours before they can have some. Not anymore! I can make 8 popsicles in 20 minutes!

It works like most modern ice cream makers that you use at home. You keep the unit in the freezer and then you pour the liquid in it and put the popsicle sticks in. 10 minutes later you have made 4 popsicles.

I bought the one for my sis-in-law at Bed Bath and Beyond. It is priced at $30.00, and then, of course, you can use your 20% off coupon bringing the price down to $24.00. They sell one on Amazon for $50.00 that has great reviews, but this one works great, so why pay twice the price? It comes with 8 popsicle sticks and this cool remover tool that gets the popsicle sticks out in a snap by just tilting it to the side.

Here is a smoothie recipe idea for some popsicles

4 kewi, skins removed

4 cups frozen strawberries

1 peeled banana

2 cups of OJ

1 Tablespoon (or more if you want it really sweet) of agave syrup

Super yummy, and super healthy for the kids!