Japan-A group of children in the city of Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, named after a well-known food product in the city, ``Media Kids Mentaiko'' (cod roe), had an Internet exchange with elementary school pupils in Taiwan.
During the last school year, Junko Nakamura, a teacher in Asao Junior High School in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, taught her first graders how to make news reports. Children were assigned to report on items of interest. They formed several groups to do Internet research on their assigned topics. They also interviewed people at school and in community shopping districts, and edited their material into scripts to be videotaped for broadcast.
Murray children have busy summer ahead By Jennifer Jackson, The Mitchell Advocate
Montreal, Canada, May 07-Local thespians Janelle, Carolyn and Thomas Murray have a busy summer ahead of them with more than 100 performances in three plays at the Drayton Festival Theatre and Huron Country Playhouse in Grand Bend. �It�s kind of crazy, but a lot of fun because we�re never not doing something,� said Janelle. �And it�s really neat that the three of us are doing this together.� For two weeks, Janelle, 13, Carolyn, 11, and Thomas, 9, have been rehearsing daily as part of the cast in Drayton�s Annie Get Your Gun. The trio, children of Mark and Joan Murray, of St. Columban, are playing Annie Oakley�s younger siblings Jessie, Nellie and Little Jake. Drayton Entertainment artistic director Alex Mustakas said it was a combination of coincidence and talent that all three of the Murray children were cast in Annie Get Your Gun. �The Murrays were probably three of the most talented kids we�ve come across in a long time and it was a coincidence that we were looking for the parts of three siblings,� he commented. �It�s worked out very well because as siblings they all look alike and even look like the actress playing Annie.� �Everyone�s telling us we could actually be brother and sisters,� laughed Carolyn. When they auditioned with about 200 other children, the Murrays thought they were auditioning for parts in children�s choirs and were surprised to get a call from Mustakas about Annie Get Your Gun. �We all started crying when we got the call...I couldn�t breathe properly,� said Carolyn. Daily eight-hour rehearsals began April 21 and will continue until the opening performance last night (Tuesday, May 6). It runs until June 7th. Thomas said the hardest part about the play was �catching up on homework.� Since becoming involved with their plays, the St. Columban students have received their units from their teachers and are doing homework in their spare time. �Besides that everything is perfect. I�m having fun just playing the part and getting to know the other actors,� Thomas commented.
Hermanus, South Africa May 8-The Recycling Swop Shop at the Hou Moed shelter in Kwasa-Kwasa...is a way of meeting the basic needs of children between the ages of two and 12 who live in squalor and poverty in the township.
Already 136 children have been registered at the Recycling Swop Shop. Any child who is strong enough to collect and carry plastic bags of tins, bottles or glass can shop at the Swop Shop.
Once they have collected the recyclable garbage and sorted it into the groupings they can then earn a cake of soap or a facecloth. One bag will earn them one of those items.
Children who come twice receive their own card to record their �earnings�.
They learn how to save to buy larger items and when they have collected ten or more bags they get special incentives. They can �buy� personal hygiene items, shoes, clothing, toys or anything donors wish to give.
AMMS students 'adopt' children from Peruvian rain forest By Donna Roberts, North Adams Transcript
ADAMS, MA, U.S.A.May 09- -- After learning about under-privileged children in Peru, a group of sixth graders from Adams Memorial Middle School are sending medical and school supplies to two villages.
The effort combines a community service project with the school's social studies curriculum.
Teacher Brenda Robinson told her students about a trip her husband had taken to the Amazon rain forest with a group from Berkshire Community College. On this trip, they came across school children in the villages of Commandancia and Saint Ursula, who were in desperate need of school books and first aid supplies.
"They were in need of clothes and first aid, because the nearest hospital was eight hours away by motorboat," said Caitlyn Allard, 12.
"Their school is smaller than ours and they don't have as many books or school supplies," said Sara Sworzen, 12. "They had only three books for the class."
The students collected 173 school books in Spanish, numerous first aid kits, and soccer balls to play the favorite sport in Peru, as well as designed 76 T-shirts.
"We saw some pictures, and the kids had holes in the backs of their shirts," said Melinda Sumy, 12. Caitlin Stachura, 12, said they put pictures of soccer balls, cartoon characters, and other colorful designs on the shirts they made.
During the collection effort, the students watched videos about the rain forest and saw a slide show from the trip that sparked the idea for the project.
The students also wrote letters to the children, first in English, and then translated them into Spanish using the computer. Not only did they learn a number of Spanish words, but they also learned about the culture of those who live in the rain forest.
"They actually fish for piranha in the river and eat them," said Eric Ziemba, 12.
"And they drink the dirty water from the river because they have to," said Mason Cranner, 12. "And they collect the rain for water, too."
Hannah Martin said they also build their homes out of sticks and mud, and use a bartering system to obtain the supplies they need.
She also described the run-down environment in which the children attended school in the morning, since it's too hot during the rest of the day.
"We learned the school wasn't clean, that bats would leave (waste) running down the walls," she said.
And even though the children were under-privileged, Robinson said amazingly, they were able to remain happy and playful.
Along with the packages being sent to Peru, the students included two disposable cameras, hoping the children would send them back pictures and letters.
"Over 90 percent of the students said they wanted to do something like this again. They had a lot of fun and they were learning at the same time," said Robinson. "I've learned a lot myself. I really thought as sixth graders that they were 'me' kids, but they're not. They're giving kids."
Children agree mom deserves a treat on Mother's Day
By DONNA HICKMANDaily Journal Staff Writer
MO, U.S.A. May 10- There's no shortage of creative answers when you ask the children of Good Earth Montessori Day School what they'll give their mothers this Mother's Day.
"A vacation!" announces Molly, as she hugs onto her brother Noah. "We're going to Florida."
The children ages 3 to 5 show off the cards they colored that read, "My love just grows and grows" and the flowers they made from their small fingerprints. They added artificial flowers to make a bouquet.
"They're sunflowers," explained Austin.
"My mama's getting flowers," said Matt. "But if I had a lot of money, I might give her toys."
Anna thought toys would be a great idea for her mom, too.
They thought moms deserved good gifts because of the good things they do for them.
Singapore May 10-ALL but one of the 61 children admitted to the Tan Tock Seng Hospital - because they were suspected of having Sars or just for observation - are out of hospital.
This leads experts here to believe that the disease affects children less severely than adults, and that those children who do get it recover more quickly.
Singapore MAY 4-THE newest international school in Singapore, the Indian Central School, has the usual range of subjects such as mathematics, history and geography in its curriculum, plus some unusual ones like Sanskrit, yoga and Indian classical music.
Sukriti, 10, said she is enjoying her studies at the new school. 'I get to take up more extra-curricular activities and I am enjoying the Shakespeare club. Also, I have less homework now,' she said.
Australian Jourdan Siyal, 11, who came from Anglo-Chinese Junior, said he is enjoying his Hindi and tabla lessons.
'It's completely new, but it is taught in a fun way and not that difficult.'
Editorial Team News for Kidz http://www.newsforkidz.com/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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