Author: ACS

Komuda Elementary

Volume 1, Issue 1

December 1, 2006

Winter Wonderland
December 2006 Newsletter

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Walking in icy, snowy weather can be dangerous, but these tips from the National Highway Safety Administration can help make your walk safer!

Dress in layers and wear boots with nonskid sloes. Wear a bright scarf or hat or reflective gear so drivers can see you.
Walk on sidewalks if possible. If sidewalks are covered in snow and ice you must walk in the street, walk against the flow of traffic and as close to the curb as you can.
Don’t wear a hat or scarf that blocks your vision or hearing or makes it hard for you to hear traffic.
When traveling with babies or small children, dress them in bright or reflective clothing. Always keep children—weather in a stroller or on foot—in front of you and as close to the curb as possible.
Before you step off the curb, make sure oncoming cars and trucks have come to a complete stop.

Reminder:
Remember our upcoming activities for everyone to join in!!!
Ice Skating: December 2nd (5-10 pm)
Movie Night: December 8th (7:30 pm)
Holiday Concert: December 14 th (7 pm)
Holiday Feast: December 22nd (6 pm)
Winter Break: December 23rd—January 2nd

Inside this issue:

Newsletter
Winter / Safety	1
Winter / Activities	2
Hibernation Facts and Books	2

Special points of interest:
Inside make sure you check out our article on the history of Winter activities!
These activities include:
Sleigh Riding
Figure Skating
Skiing

Fun Facts About Winter Activities

Sleigh riding:
The earliest sleds were animal hides which were dragged by humans. The sleds were then called runners which were made of wood or bone and later made of metal. The metal reduced friction and made hauling easier. Dogs, horses and reindeer have been used for hauling sleds which are still used for transportation in some regions.
Figure Skating:
This activity traces back to an American named Jackson Haines. Just before the outbreak of the Civil War, a skating craze swept over America when Haines stepped forwards with a mastery of skating and dance that made him a true innovator. European skaters were becoming adept at carving designs in the ice: figure eights, stars, brackets, and loops. They even use their skates to write their names on the ice. The tracings became known as figures, which eventually led to the name of the sport. Skiing:
Three kinds of skiing have developed: alpine, Nordic, and freestyle. Alpine, or downhill, skiing is movement down steep slopes: in races, victory is decided by elapsed time. Nordic, or cross-country, skiing is movement over relatively level surfaces: racing involves covering short and long, undulating, prearranged courses in the shortest time. Since the 1980s freestyle skiing, for fun and in competition, has become popular.
(Source: Funk and Wagnalls New
Encyclopedia (2006)

Hibernation Facts and Books to Read with Your Children

HIBERNATION:
Hibernation is a time when animals ‘sleep’ through cold weather. This sleep is not like human sleep where loud noises can wake you up. With true hibernation, the animal can be moved around or touched and not know it With true hibernation, the animal appears dead. There is no movement and it takes a long time for it to wake up enough to even walk around.
GETTING READY:
During the fall, hibernating animals eat more food than usual. Their bodies will live off their body fat as they ‘sleep’ through winter. The animal will use up the body fat it stores and not lose any muscle. This causes the animal to come out of hibernation thinner but still as strong as it was in the fall. The animals get their winter nests, dens and burrows ready. Different kinds of animals hibernate in different kinds of safe spots. When they go into hibernation and their bodies slow down, enemies can get them easier. They try to pick the safest place to spend the winter away from these enemies.
WHAT IT IS:
Hibernation is the way that animals adapt to the climate and land around them. Animals must be able to live through extreme cold…. or die. Animals hibernate—or deep sleep—to escape that cold. They also do this because it is really hard to find food during the winter.
(Source: http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312800/hibernate.htm)
Some Books About Hibernation to Read with Your Children at Home During the Winter Months:
Time to Sleep
Written by:
Denise Flemming
What Is Hibernation? (Science of Living Things)
Written by:
John Crossingham

Sleepy Bear
Written by:
Lydia Dabcovich
What do Animals Do in Winter?
(How Animals Survive the Cold)
Written by:
Melvin Berger
Animals in Winter
Written by:
Henrietta Bancroft
Every Autumn Comes the Bear
Written by:
Jim Arnosky

Volume 1, Issue 1

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Winter Wonderland
December 2006 Newsletter