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Kidsville Kitchen

Winning Back Weeknight Cooking

Moms pride themselves on serving their families wholesome, homemade meals. But here’s the reality: 60 percent of moms think that coming up with dinner ideas is more difficult than getting their children to go to bed on time. Moreover, 61 percent of moms frequently order takeout or go out to eat because they don’t have the ingredients on-hand to make dinner. It’s time for a new strategy. When it comes to mealtime, a well-stocked pantry can be the difference between culinary success and a dinner failure. With a pantry full of canned foods, a delicious and nutritious homemade meal is just minutes away. It’s no secret that canned foods are convenient, but did you know that cans are also one of the best ways to get food from the farm to your family’s table? Canned fruits and vegetables are picked and packed when they’re at their peak of ripeness and nutrition, sealing in their freshness and flavor. Just like home canning, the canning process locks in food’s natural goodness so it’s at arm’s reach whenever you’re ready to get cooking. A pantry stocked with canned ingredients is also a source of recipe inspiration. Staples such as canned chicken, corn, green chilies, olives, beans and tomatoes atop lettuce combine to create a wholesome Chicken Burrito Salad the whole family will enjoy. For more information, recipe inspiration and the benefits of canned foods, visit CansGetYouCooking.com. Chicken Burrito Salad Prep time: 15 minutes – Serves: 6 Salad: 1 small head romaine lettuce, torn into small pieces 1 cup cooked brown rice 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes 1 can (10 ounces) chicken breast chunks, drained and flaked 1 can (10 ounces) corn kernels, drained 1 can (4.25 ounces) diced green chilies, drained 1 can (2.2 ounces) sliced ripe black olives, drained Dressing: 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice 1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil salt and ground black pepper, to taste Salad: In large platter or individual bowls, place lettuce leaves. Top with brown rice, black beans, diced tomatoes, chicken, corn, green chilies and black olives. Dressing: In small bowl, combine lime juice and cilantro; whisk in olive oil. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle dressing over salad.

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Cultural Connections

Pasillo

There are several countries in South America that listen to and dance to pasillo music. The people of Panama, Venezuela and Colombia do, but it is Ecuador that is considered the home of pasillo. In fact, it is considered the national genre of music there. It is usually played with a guitar and a rondin, which is a lot like a pan flute. Other stringed instruments, including mandolins, are often a part of this kind of music. The words in pasillo songs are usually poetic and involve emotional topics. Like many art forms, pasillo started out as one thing and changed over time. This music was brought to South America from Europe in the 1800s. Most historians believe that this kind of music was inspired by the Viennese waltz, which originated in Europe – specifically, Vienna, Austria. The Spanish paso doble also influenced pasillo. As the music was shared, it traveled from village to village and region to region with each place putting its own special spin on it. While it is easy to recognize pasillo’s distinctive sound, it is still very individualized in each town and region. October 1 is National Pasillo Day in Ecuador. It is in honor of Julio Jaramillo Laurido’s birthday. Laurido was recognized around the world for his pasillo performances. In December, in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, there is a Festival Nacional del Pasillo.

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Cool Kind Kid

I’m a Cool Kind Kid® so I…

Ms. Gilmour greeted each of the kids as they came into class. Each one greeted her in return. Tanner asked, “What are we doing today?” Ms. Gilmour replied, “I think we should do something different today.” Nicole jumped up, saying, “Oh goody. I like to try new things.” Everyone laughed and looked at Ms. Gilmour. She then said, “Usually when we get together, we talk about how to be Cool Kind Kids, and how we can get other kids to be Cool Kind Kids as well. The last time we met, I showed you the poster that said in big letters, “I’m a Cool Kind Kid.” It was like this one, only with a different colored background. I then asked each of you if you were Cool Kind Kids and how others would know that you were Cool Kind Kids. You all gave some great examples of qualities that Cool Kind Kids have, and things that Cool Kind Kids do, say and believe.” Ms. Gilmour continued, “So today, let’s keep going with that, but let’s put all the ways to be a Cool Kind Kid on a poster. Carmen said she liked that idea. Rudy thought it sounded like fun. Stephen asked, “Can we each make one to hang in our schools?” Truman shared, “I like art projects. This sounds like fun.” Ms. Gilmour then said, “You can each make a poster to take with you for your school.” I’m a Cool Kind Kid … …So I treat everyone with the same respect! …And I try my best to be kind! …So I comfort my friend when she is sad! …Who listens to others so they will listen to me! …So I am not rude or mean to others! …And I help whenever I’m asked or see a need! …Who helps a new kid find his way around the school! …And I stand up for a friend who is being bullied! …Who pays attention in school so I can learn! …So I use my best manners wherever I go! …And I always try my best! …Who doesn’t tease someone about something they can’t change! …And I protect younger or weaker kids from bullies on the bus! …So I don’t brag and boast about myself! …Who plays fair, loses graciously and wins humbly! …So I’m careful with the words I say! …Who knows that being rude turns others off! …So I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings! …Who practices the Golden Rule! …And I want to be a good friend so I’ll have many friends! …Who compliments a friend so they feel special! …So I know the kind kid is the cool kid, not the bully! …Who believes bullying isn’t cool! …And I believe it’s Cool to be Kind! Wow! exclaimed Ms. Gilmour. “You each thought of four ways to be a Cool Kind Kid. Be sure to hang your posters at school.” Note to Parents from Ms. Gilmour: In response to parent focus groups, Cool Kind Kid® has just introduced new products to help parents [and educators] provide the social skills necessary for their children [or students] to reject bullying. These include three books, flash and game cards, a Bullying Prevention Resource Kit and more. All can be found at www.CoolKindKid.com.

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Conservation Corner

You can make a difference for our world!

Many environmental problems can be traced to a number of factors. Chemicals can contaminate soil and water, and farmers’ use of pesticides and chemical herbicides to produce more crops is a source of considerable chemical pollution. But according to www.greenbuzz.com, homeowners use 10 times more chemicals per acre than the average farmer. These include the detergents, cleaning products, automotive substances and other chemicals that are often stored in garages and beneath sinks. Individuals willing to make small changes in regard to the use of such products could make a profound impact on the environment. Concerned consumers should be conscious of which products they purchase and use around the home, selecting ones that have minimal environmental impact. Additionally, many natural substances, such as vinegar, baking soda and borax, are much safer to use than many chemically-based household products.

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Kids

How the Moon Affects the Shape of Our Planet

There was a time when people believed that the earth was flat. Of course, it’s not. It’s not perfectly round either, though. It’s true! Earth is an oblate spheroid. It is squished at the North and South poles and bulging around the equator. And this bulge means that from the center of the earth to sea level is about 21 kilometers (13 miles) more at the equator than it is at the poles. We have gravity — and the moon — to thank for that. But even as a semi-sphere, the earth isn’t perfectly symmetrical. It is more of a lumpy bumpy sphere. That’s because mass isn’t distributed evenly within the earth, so gravity affects the different densities in different ways. There are some other factors that also influence the shape of our planet. Tectonic plates shift, and once in a while, meteors crash into the earth and alter the planet enough to measurably change its shape. Glaciers melt and move. The oceans eat away at and build the shores they flow between. The primary force when it comes to Earth’s shape, though, is gravity. And one of the biggest influences on this planet’s gravity is the moon. That is because the moon is Earth’s closest neighbor. As the moon orbits Earth, gravity pulls on it. The side of the earth that is closest to the moon has a stronger gravitational pull, so it also bulges out a little more than the opposite side (the side farthest from the moon.) The results are pretty interesting. Consider this: Mount Everest is the highest point on Earth above sea level, but Ecuador’s Mount Chimborazo is actually the highest place on Earth. And it is because it sits near the equator where the moon’s gravitational pull is strongest.

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Come Out and Play

Come Out and Play – Queimada

Queimada is a game popular all over South America. It is similar to the popular American game dodge ball and has variations played all over the world. It is a simple game that can be played with just a few or many friends. It is easy and fun to play, which is why variations of it are so popular all around the globe. Here are a few names that it may be called: Prisonball, Battleball, Jail Ball, Trench, Crossfire, Warball and Nationball. There are slight changes in rules depending on where the game is played, but here we will look at the South American version —Queimada. Here is how to play: • First, get together a group of friends. You need enough for two teams. There is no limit to how many, but you should have at least eight players. • The game needs to be played in a large open space, outside is best. • Divide the playing field in half. At the end of each side of the field there should be a small zone called a cemetery for players that are not currently in the game. • The equipment needed is large soft balls. • Spit players into two teams. Each team should start on one side of the field. • One player from each team should start in the cemetery on the opposite side of the field with the balls evenly divided among both sides. • The cemetery player should throw the balls to his team on the other side of the field. • The team members have to catch the balls then try to hit the other team with them. • If someone on the opposite team is hit with a ball, they must go to their team’s cemetery. • The game is over when an entire team is in the cemetery. • The team with players still on the field wins.

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Around The World

Around the world – March 2016

The Pawkar Raymi and Mushuk runa is also known as the indigenous New Year celebration party of the Andean and Amazonian communities. It starts at the beginning of February and goes until March 21. This celebration is a way to give thanks to Earth for the flowering of the plants. There are many rituals that happen during this time and they are accompanied by water and flowers. March 20 marks the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. Also known as the spring or vernal equinox, this marks the moment when the sun crosses the celestial equator. The celestial equator is the imaginary line in the sky above the earth’s equator. This is just one of the ways that we measure seasons — it is called astronomical spring. A more common way that we measure the start of a new season is called meteorological. This system is based more on average temperatures. March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day. It is a day for the Irish (and Irish at heart) to celebrate all things Irish. The day honors St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. St. Patrick was taken to Ireland as a slave. He eventually escaped and returned to his family who were Romans living in Britain. Years later, he returned to Ireland to share the Christian faith. The first St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated in America in 1737, more than 1,000 years after St. Patrick lived. It was organized by the Charitable Irish Society of Boston and included a feast and religious service. Today, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations include parties, parades and the wearing of green.

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What’s It Like To be

Ecuadorian Biologist

KVN: Please tell our readers a little bit about yourself. My name is Washington Tapia. I’m an Ecuadorian biologist, born in the Galapagos Islands (about 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador). I love reptiles and am lucky to be able to work for the conservation of the giant tortoises of Galapagos. I have two children who are currently in high school, and the oldest, who is headed to university later this year, has decided to follow in my footsteps and study biology. KVN: Please tell our readers a little bit about the Galapagos Conservancy and what you do there. The Galapagos Conservancy, a non-profit organization in the United States, was created more than 20 years ago to help protect the plants and animals of the Galapagos Islands. As the Director of the Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative, I organize and carry out a number of different projects in Galapagos to ensure that the giant tortoise populations are healthy and thrive, including many field expeditions to remote and beautiful parts of the Islands. KVN: Why is this work important/how does it apply to every day life for most people? This work is vital as it helps to conserve one of the most natural and beautiful sites on our planet. Protecting the tortoises also contributes to the well-being of humans in that they help maintain ecological balance in natural areas and beautiful forests, leading to pure air for all humanity and helping to diminish the effects of climate change. KVN: What is your favorite animal? My favorite animals are the giant tortoises of Galapagos and the crocodiles of the Nile River in Africa. KVN: What is the coolest thing about your job? The best and most fun parts of my job are the field trips when I get to camp on uninhabited islands in completely natural areas surrounded by wildlife. KVN; What is a typical day like for you? A day in the field typically begins at 5 a.m., when I get up to prepare breakfast. At this hour it is still dark on the equator, but we must be ready to work once the sun comes up. At 6 a.m., I head off with my field companions to begin work. We usually hike 3-4 kilometers over rough lava and often through thorny plants to the study site. Once at the site, we spread out in search of giant tortoises in their natural habitat. We collect data on what they eat, how far they travel, their size and weight and other useful information about their environment. We continue this work, constantly hunting for tortoises, until 5 p.m. when we hike back to camp. We often arrive just as it gets dark, but take a few moments to have a quick swim in the ocean before preparing dinner. We retire to our tents early in the evening because the next morning and another day of work come quickly. KVN: What kind of training does it take to do your job? My work requires being a well-trained biologist. At university, I took courses covering zoology, botany, ecology and other similar subjects. The field work, in particular, requires exceptional physical fitness, experiential knowledge of how to survive in extreme conditions and knowledge of first aid. I also lead the field trips, so it is important to know how to manage and work well with people, not just tortoises. KVN: When/How did you know you wanted to work with the Galapagos Conservancy? I knew that it would be a great opportunity to work with The Galapagos Conservancy when the organization created the Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative in 2014. I could finally dedicate myself to working with my favorite animals to help ensure their long-term conservation. KVN: What are some challenges you face in your work? Living and working on an island has challenges unlike on continents. Supplies are often scarce and when equipment breaks down it often takes longer to fix. Nearly all of the islands in Galapagos have no fresh water, so we have to take dozens of five-gallon jugs with us for long field trips. In addition to the often difficult field conditions on rough lava under the intense equatorial sun, the Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative has many challenges ahead. We are trying to resurrect two extinct species of tortoise and repopulate islands that lost their tortoises in the 1800s due to over-exploitation by whalers who took too many tortoises for food. Our long-term goal is to conserve the Galapagos Islands for the future – through the recovery of all of the giant tortoise populations. KVN: What do you like to do when you are not working? When I’m not working, I love to read, spend time with my family and play soccer.

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Wildville

Darwin’s Moth

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Lepidoptera Family: Sphingidae SubFamily: Sphinginae Genus: Xanthopan Species: Morganii Plants and insects have special relationships. Insects drink the nectar from plants and while they are feeding, they collect pollen from the flowers. They then carry this pollen on to the next flower. By transferring pollen, the insects help the plants reproduce, and in return they get a delicious nectar meal. Some insects, like bees, feed on many different types of flowers. Others like Morgan’s Sphinx moth, or Darwin’s moth, rely on a single type of flower. This flower, Darwin’s orchid, is a white orchid that grows in Madagascar. It has an extremely long neck (35 centimeters long) that hides its nectar. For many years it was a mystery how anything could pollinate the flower. In 1862, Charles Darwin predicted that there must be a moth with a giant nose. He was right, but the moth wasn’t found until 1903, after his death. • The flower and moth are found on the east side of Madagascar. • Another name for the moth is the hummingbird moth. • They have a wingspan of 2 to 8 inches. • They only feed off of Darwin’s orchid. • It is a large type of hawk moth. • The moth uses scent to find its special orchids. • Darwin was not the only scientist to predict the moth’s existence. • It has a speckled brown pattern. • The proboscis (an elongated sucking mouthpart that is typically tubular and flexible) rolls up to be stored when the moth is not feeding. • Even after the moth was discovered in 1903, it was years before it was seen actually pollinating the orchid. • They are active at night and are very rare. • The moth’s proboscis is longer than its body. Moths are common all over the world, but it is when they are isolated on islands that they are truly amazing. Darwin’s hawk moth is just one example. Instead of feeding on many different plants like many insects, it has a special partnership with Darwin’s orchid. They work together to survive.

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Kids

The Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands are a group of islands off the coast of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean. There are 18 main islands, three smaller islands and 107 rocks and islets. Islets are extremely small islands. The islands are known for their hundreds of unique animals that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. There are giant tortoises called the Galapagos tortoises. They are extremely docile and very large. The Marine iguana dives into the nearby ocean and feeds on the nutritious seaweed. They also have special glands that allow them to sneeze out the extra salt that they collect during their dives. These amazing animals are so different from what can be found in mainland Ecuador and the rest of the world because the islands are so remote and isolated. • The largest island is Isabela. • It is officially part of Ecuador. • The islands are 620 miles from the mainland. • The animals are not afraid of humans; this can make them vulnerable. • It is the first protected World Heritage site. • They are volcanic islands and still have volcanic eruptions. • It is estimated that the islands are between 3 and 10 million years old. • Some islands are above the equator and some are below. • The highest point is the Wolf Volcano on Isabela Island, it is 5,600 feet high. • Europeans discovered the islands in 1535. • Combined, the islands have 87 miles of coast. • There are two seasons, wet (December to May) and dry (June to December). • Lonely George is 90 years old and the only living Giant Pinta tortoise left alive. • The islands are a national park. • There are more than 800 species of mollusks. Charles Darwin came to the islands in 1835. He was so inspired by the incredible diversity and amazing animals that he saw on the island that he studied them and then wrote his famous book about evolution Theory on the Origin of Man, about how animals naturally change over long periods of time. These islands still inspire scientists. Tourism is limited to protect the islands, but scientists are always welcome to learn from these beautiful animals.

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