Monthly Archives: December 2013

December 31, 2013

Fake News Stories of 2013

Posted by at 1:08 am in Trivia | Permalink

TRUE or FALSE? Can you guess the fake news stories?

2013 brought a lot of crazy news stories: happy things, sad things, funny things, and just plain bizarre things. See how much you know about the wacky things that happened in 2013. Guess which stories below are TRUE and which ones are FALSE. Ready? Go!

  1. A frog was launched into space by NASA.
  2. A deer in Florida got its head stuck in a bag of Doritos.
  3. One Direction signed on for a new Disney Channel TV series in 2014.
  4. A California baby can only nap when his puppy naps with him.
  5. Suzanne Collins announced she will write a Hunger Games prequel (for ages 12 and up).
  6. A boy in Florida was hit in the head by a meteorite.
  7. Penguins dressed as Santa waddled through a park in South Korea.
  8. Studies showed that people who eat high amounts of red meat developed animal- like characteristics, such as making “moo” noises and clucking like chickens.

Yep, there’s some crazy stuff that went down in 2013, but not all of these 8 stories are true. Can you guess which ones are real and which ones are fake?

Leave your answers (TRUE or FALSE) in the Comments below, and check here for answers!

—Ratha, Stacks Writer

December 30, 2013

2013 Word of the Year

Posted by at 1:22 am in Writing Prompt | Permalink

Writing Prompt: Word of the Year 2013

Have you ever noticed that the way people talk changes over time? Words that used to be popular start to sound annoying after a while, and new words that you never heard of before start to sound cool and fun. So today’s Writing Prompt is a question for you. What was the most popular new word of 2013? Continue reading

December 26, 2013

Donate Coats This Winter

Posted by at 1:50 am in Kid Power | Permalink

Donate Coats This Winter

Do you have a winter coat that doesn’t fit you anymore? Don’t throw it away! Donate it to the Warm Coats Warm Hearts Drive, a campaign that is giving away free coats to families who need them. Here is a great way to bring some warmth into someone’s life AND recycle at the same time, making the world a better place in 2 ways!

  • What
    New or gently used coats (must have working closures, and no rips or stains)
  • When
    Now!
  • Where
    The Salvation Army and other organizations in your community may be collecting coats. Ask your parents, teachers, or youth group leaders if they know.

Go check the back of your closet to see if you have coats that you won’t be wearing this winter. Or you could go one step further — organize a coat drive and get everyone in your school to donate their coats. Someone can definitely use them this winter!

image from kids.scholastic.comSonja, STACKS Staffer

December 25, 2013

December Books of the Month

Posted by at 11:30 am in Reads | Permalink

It’s Books of the Month time!

At the end of November I asked you to share which books you were reading so we could all see which titles were most popular. Then I made a word cloud so we could all see—I think there were a lot of ties! It seems Percy Jackson and Harry Potter are still leading the pack.

booksofthemonth-dec

Let’s keep this going. Tell me in the Comments the titles of the books you’re reading right now, and I’ll make another word cloud at the end of next month. Can’t wait to see what title reigns supreme next time!

–En-Szu, STACKS Staffer

December 24, 2013

Most Popular Names of 2013

Posted by at 1:01 pm in Trivia | Permalink

Top 10 Baby Names of 2013

BabyCenter announced the top 10 most popular baby names of 2013 for boys and girls. Sophia is number 1 for the girls, and Jackson is number 1 for the boys. Look at the lists below and see if YOUR name is among the most popular of 2013. And click here to find out the meanings of the most popular names.

babynames_girlsbabynames_boys

Leave a Comment and tell us YOUR favorite baby name for girls or boys.

image from kids.scholastic.comSonja, STACKS Staffer

December 24, 2013

Food Would You Rather

Food, glorious food!

I love food so much! Seriously, books and food are the best things in life. That’s why I hate when I have to choose between 2 delicious foods. How do you decide? Take this Would You Rather Quiz and let us know your food faves.

  1. Cake OR ice cream?
  2. Chocolate OR vanilla?
  3. Potato chips OR popcorn?
  4. Bring your lunch OR eat cafeteria food?
  5. Waffles OR pancakes?
  6. Muffins OR cinnamon rolls?
  7. Do you sit down for breakfast OR grab something and run out the door?
  8. Eat in a restaurant OR take out?
  9. Fast food OR fancy restaurant?
  10. Pizza OR mac and cheese?
  11. Baked from scratch OR bought from a bakery?
  12. Milkshake OR smoothie?
  13. Wings OR nachos?
  14. 50 lbs of french fries OR 50 lbs of potato chips?

Leave your answers in the Comments, and I hope you all get to eat loads of your favorite foods!
image from kids.scholastic.comSonja, STACKS Staffer

December 23, 2013

2013 Person of the Year

Posted by at 1:02 am in Writing Prompt | Permalink

writing_prompt_genericEnter YOUR nomination for the STACKS 2013 Person of the Year

Pope Francis has just been named as Time Magazine‘s person of the year. But just as highly anticipated . . . get ready to vote for the 2013 STACKS Person of the Year!

In 2012, you guys chose One Direction as STACKS Person (ok, People!) of the Year. This year, who will it be?

Who has inspired you? Wowed you? Made you want to be a better person? Maybe you look up to him or her. Or maybe it is someone so incredibly talented and entertaining, that you couldn’t get through the day without listening to his or her music, or reading his or her stories.

Just write your nomination in the Comments below. The nominee who gets the most votes by December 31st will be named STACKS Person of the Year. We’ll announce the winner in 2014!

We can’t wait to see your nominees. Come on back on January 2 to find out the 2013 STACKS Person of the Year!

Merry Merry, Happy Happy!

—Ratha, Stacks Writer

December 20, 2013

Christmas Elf Name Generator

Posted by at 1:22 am in Personality Quiz | Permalink

What's your Christmas elf name?What’s Your Christmas Elf Name?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work as one of Santa’s elves making toys at the North Pole? What would your elf name be? Use this Name Generator to create your very own elf name.

Find the first initial of your first name in the list below. That word is your first Elf Name. Then look at the list of months below and find the month of your birthday. That word is your last Elf Name.

So if your name starts with an “S” and you were born in September, your name would be Tiny Pointy-Ears! Tee hee! Continue reading

December 19, 2013

Gift Wrapping Ideas

Posted by at 1:50 am in Trivia | Permalink

wrap130Holiday Gift Wrapping

Wrapping paper has its roots in Victorian England. Wealthy people would use fancy tissue paper decorated with ribbons and lace to present gifts.This was how people wrapped gifts until 1917, when an accidental discovery gave birth to the wrapping paper we are now so familiar with.

Two brothers—Joyce and Rollie Hall—ran out of tissue paper in their Kansas City, MO stationery store, so they started selling paper used to line envelopes instead. The paper was a huge hit, and Joyce and Rollie Hall expanded their store, Hallmark, into a company that sells greeting cards and lots and lots of wrapping paper!giftwrap5

Paper isn’t the only way to wrap gifts.Traditional Japanese cloth, known as furoshiki, is one gift wrap that’s stayed popular in Japanese culture since nearly 700 C.E. Recently, the Japanese Environment Ministry has been encouraging more people to use furoshiki instead of wrapping paper because it’s reusable and better for the environment.

Other ways to be eco-friendly with gift wrap? Try using newspaper, paper bags, and old maps or calendars. They make unique and planet-friendly alternatives to traditional wrapping paper! Take a look at these awesome examples . . . .

giftwrap4

giftwrap3

wrap5

Get creative with your gift wrapping this season! Do you have any ideas for cool wrapping paper  options? Share in the Comments!

– En-Szu, STACKS Staffer

Flickr images courtesy of a_b_normal123, Cali4beach, LizMarie_AK, torbakhopper, and rvacapinta.
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