Weekly MUSE: Marbles

Cat's Eye Marbles

I’ll trade my Cat’s Eye for you Bumblebee!

No, not the stinging type, the MARBLE type!  Those little glass balls that come in hundreds of different designs and colors. Take a look at the picture. Aren’t they beauties?

Well, it’s time to knuckle down, because we’ve found another MUSE!

MARBLES!!!

Kids have been playing MARBLES for hundreds, maybe even thousands of years. Some people think that cavemen played with marbles made of clay.

While marbles have also been made of metal and wood, the most popular marbles are those made of glass.

Take a look at this video and see how marbles are made. This is SUPER cool!

Most marbles are made in other countries, but one American company is holding on strong.  One MILLION marbles a day are made at the The Marble King factory in Paden City, West Virginia. They’ve been making marbles since the 1930’s. Click here and take a look at their website to learn more.

Marble King is also the sponsor of The National Marble Tournament. This tournament has been held in Wildwood, New Jersey every summer for over 90 years. Kids from all over the country compete for national honors, college scholarships, and prizes.  Click here to learn more about this tournament.

The most popular marble game is called “Ringer”. Would you like to learn how to play? If so, take a look at the video.

Something I’m most fascinated with is the different colors and designs of marbles. And each design has a special name. The Cat’s Eye is probably the best known marble.  But have you heard of Oxbloods, Galaxies, Tigers, Onionskins, Corkscrews, Rainbows or a Swirly? That’s just the beginning.



The large marble is the "shooter".

Most marble collectors know exactly what kinds of marbles they have. First of all, some of them are worth more than others. And if you are playing “keepsies”, you better know the value of your mibs and shooters.

Oh, you are probably wondering what “mibs” and “shooters” are. When you play “Ringer”, you shoot your BIG shooter marble at the smaller target marbles. The target marbles are called “mibs”.

Marbles are often used in other games, too. Have you ever played Chinese Checkers? What about Hungry Hungry Hippo? Several board games use marbles as game pieces.

But… Did you know that the little ball that BING-BANGS inside a spray paint can is also a marble? It sure is!

WARNING: Collect your marbles, play with your marbles, BUT just don’t LOSE your marbles. (Chuckle)

With this new knowledge, what kind of story could you write? Maybe these WHAT IF questions will help you get started.

WHAT IF your main character gets lost in a marble factory?

WHAT IF your main character lost his/her favorite marble? Did somebody steal it? How much was it worth?

WHAT IF a genie was stuck inside a marble?

The possibilities are endless, and please leave your own what if questions in the comment section below. I’d love to see what you come up with.

So, grab a cup of hot cocoa, a pencil and a piece of paper, and let’s begin. With your imagination, we can go anywhere. I look forward to seeing where you take us.

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

The word of the day is “scholarship”. Here is the definition: a sum of money or other aid granted to a student, because of merit, need, etc., to pursue his or her studies.

 

Weekly MUSE: Clementine Hunter

Clementine Hunter

February is Black History Month, and before this month is over, I want to share one of my favorite African American artists with you!

Clementine Hunter!

Looks like we have found another MUSE! And I hope you are inspired!

Clementine (pronounced Clemen-teen) Hunter was born in the Cane River region of Louisiana in either 1886 or 1887. She was the granddaughter of a slave.

Around the age of fifteen, Clementine moved to Melrose Plantation. For many years, she worked there as a cotton picker, cook and housekeeper. She gave birth to seven children.

Melrose Plantation
Photo by: Matt Howry

In later years, Melrose Plantation became a hotspot for visiting artists, mostly writers and painters. It wasn’t until Clementine was in her fifties that she tried her hand at painting.

One of the Melrose artists had left behind some tubes of paint. Clementine took these tubes and started painting on anything she could find: pieces of wood, gourds, plastic milk jugs and a variety of other things.

Zinnias

Her art attracted the attention of the other artists and the plantation owner. They liked Clementine’s work because of her bold color choices. She also painted scenes of what life was like on a plantation.



Some of her most prized paintings are of African American weddings, funerals, births, baptisms and hard work. She also loved to paint flowers, especially zinnias.

Take a look at this slideshow to see some photos of Clementine Hunter and her paintings.

Eventually, Clementine’s art became very popular among art dealers. While art dealers were selling Clementine’s painting for top dollar, Clementine would either give her paintings away or sell them for next to nothing.

Clementine’s work was shown in many galleries, and in 1955 she was the first African American to be given her own display at the New Orleans Museum of Art.

What I love about Clementine’s art is that she painted from her heart. She taught herself how to paint, and her goal wasn’t to impress anybody. She just wanted to share her memories and inspiration the best way she could.

Jimmy Carter, 39th President of the USA
(1977-1981)

She even turned down an invitation to the White House by President Jimmy Carter

Clementine Hunter died in 1988. She was either 101 or 102 years old. And she painted all the way to the end of her life.

If you would like to read a picture book about Clementine Hunter, look for this book at the library or purchase it here.

With this new knowledge, what kind of story could you write? Maybe these WHAT IF questions will help you get started.

WHAT IF your main character was a boy or girl who lived at Melrose Plantation while Clementine Hunter was painting?

WHAT IF your main character found out that his/her grandmother was a famous artist?

WHAT IF Clementine Hunter was still alive and your main character got the chance to interview her?

The possibilities are endless, and please leave your own what if questions in the comment section below. I’d love to see what you come up with.

So, grab a cup of hot COCOA, a pencil and a piece of paper, and let’s begin. With your imagination, we can go anywhere. I look forward to seeing where you take us.

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

The word of the day is “plantation”. Here is the definition: a usually large farm or estate, especially in a tropical or semitropical country, on which cotton, tobacco, coffee, sugar cane, or the like is cultivated, usually by resident laborers.

Weekly MUSE: Chocolate

Theo's Chocolate (Seattle)

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, and I can’t help but think about CHOCOLATE! I love love love CHOCOLATE, and I bet many of YOU do, too! But where does this velvety goodness come from, and why does it taste SO good?

Cupid, we’ve found our MUSE!

Chocolate can be found in many places: candy bars, cookies, cakes, truffles and pies. You can drink chocolate. You can dip your favorite food in chocolate (I like chocolate covered pretzels). Some people eat chocolate covered insects. YUM!

No matter how you eat your chocolate, the journey it takes from its origins to your mouth is quite AMAZING!

Chocolate comes from the Cacao (Ka-Kow)Tree. This tree grows in tropical regions along the Equator. Costa Rica (South America), Ghana (West Africa), and Indonesia (Asia) are some of the largest cacao growers.

The cacao tree grows large fruit, and inside these fruit are cacao beans and pulp. The fruit is chopped open with a machete, and the beans and pulp are taken out. The rest of the fruit is left on the jungle floor to rot, which helps the soil stay rich. Take a look at this man harvesting cacao fruit.

 

The cacao beans and pulp will now be fermented. Fermentation will change the sugar in the pulp into acids which changes the taste of the beans. This is how the chocolate taste forms. In the video below, you will see men dumping cacao beans and pulp into crates. They will then place banana leaves over the beans to capture heat. As the fermentation begins, the temperature will raise up to 125 degrees Fahrenheit.

This farmer is drying the fermented cacao bean in the sun.

Once the beans are finished fermenting (about 5 days), the farmers will the dry the beans in the sun. Once they are completely dry, the beans are ready to be processed. They are shipped in 200 pound bags to CHOCOLATE FACTORIES around the world.

Once the cacao beans arrive to the factory, they are roasted. When this is finished, they are put in a “winnowing” machine. This takes off the outer shell, leaving the good part behind. We call the good part “nibs”.



These are cacao "nibs" from Theo's Chocolate
Factory.

The nibs are put into a milling machine. This machine grinds the nibs into thick liquid called “chocolate liquor”. Chocolate liquor has two parts: cocoa solids and cocoa butter.

Now it is time to make CHOCOLATE as we know it! To make dark chocolate, chocolate liquor is mixed with sugar and other minor ingredients such as vanilla. To make milk chocolate, chocolate liquor is blended with milk and sugar.

From this point, the chocolate is refined, mixed, and then tempered. That means that the chocolate is heated, then cooled, then re-heated. This makes the chocolate ready to be poured into molds.

Once the chocolate is poured into molds, it is placed into a cooling chamber. After it has cooled, it is ready to be packaged, packed and shipped! And better yet, this chocolate is ready to EAT!

My favorite chocolate comes from Theo’s Chocolate Factory right here in Seattle. Not only do they make the best chocolate, but they make organic and fair-traded chocolate. That means that the chocolate is grown without harmful chemicals, and the farmers are paid a fair price for the work. Their children are also able to go to school.

Sadly, many other cacao famers are not treated in the same way. And instead of going to school, their children have to work long hours farming the cacao, which becomes most of the world’s chocolate. As much as I can, I like to support Theo’s Chocolate factory. Click here for their website.

Speaking of AWESOME chocolate factories, I cannot forget my FAVORITE fictional chocolate factory. This factory is found in Roald Dahl’s story, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This book has been made into a movie not once, but twice. Take a look at the movie trailer below.



 With this new knowledge, what kind of story could you write? Maybe these WHAT IF questions will help you get started.

WHAT IF your main character was a chocolate dragon?

WHAT IF your main character built a chocolate castle?

WHAT IF your main character opened their own chocolate factory?

The possibilities are endless, and please leave your own what if questions in the comment section below. I’d love to see what you come up with.

So, grab a cup of hot COCOA, a pencil and a piece of paper, and let’s begin. With your imagination, we can go anywhere. I look forward to seeing where you take us.

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

The word of the day is “pulp”. Here is the definition: the soft juicy edible part of a fruit.

Weekly MUSE: Dragonflies

Photo Credit: Paul Stein

Last week I visited Emerald Park Elementary in Kent, Washington. And during our school assembly we talked about what MUSES inspired me to write HERBERT, my new book. Flies, honeybees, bullfrogs, and DRAGONFLIES were just a few.

I showed some of my research on these MUSES and thought I would share what I learned with you in the coming weeks.

If you have read my book, HERBERT, you know that the DRAGONFLIES are the most feared creatures in the book. So, let’s take a look at DRAGONFLIES and find out why they have such a SCARY reputation in the insect world.

Looks like we have found our MUSE! DRAGONFLIES!

Dragonflies were some of the first insects to evolve on Earth some 300 million years ago. So, while the dinosaurs were roaming, the dragonflies were soaring.

But these dragonflies were a bit different than the ones we see today. In shape, they were the same, but in size they were MUCH larger. Today dragonflies have a wingspan of up to five inches, but prehistoric dragonflies had wingspans of up to two feet! Some researchers believe there was more oxygen in the air back then, which allowed things to grow BIGGER.

Take a look at this video. About half way through you will see REAL fossils of these gigantic “flying dragons”!

WOW! Did you see the dragonfly emerging from the nymph stage of metamorphosis? Watching the wings unroll is one of the COOLEST things I have ever seen!

Dragonflies have three major life stages: egg, nymph and adult. This is called metamorphosis. Butterflies also undergo metamorphosis, but they have four stages: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult.

Dragonfly eggs hatch underwater. The nymph dragonfly may live underwater for a few years before climbing to the surface. And while they are underwater, they are tiny predators. Take a look at this video to see a dragonfly nymph on the hunt.

And the hunt doesn’t end here. Once dragonflies become adults they catch their prey in midair. In fact, if a dragonfly loses its ability to fly, it will die of starvation.

Dragonflies have expert flying skills. They can hoover, fly straight up and down, and dart away at lightning speed (well at least it looks like). These mini aviators have inspired engineers to try building robots that can fly like dragonflies.

Photo Credit: Skyfish

Not only can dragonflies FLY very well, they can also SEE very well. Two gigantic eyes make up most of the dragonfly’s head. These are eyes are called compound eye because they have 100’s of lenses instead of just one lens like the human eye. This gives the dragonfly to see every angle, except directly behind them. That’s why dragonflies are so hard to catch!

Without these amazing predators we call DRAGONFLIES, we would have A LOT more mosquitos. Dragonflies can eat up to 100 mosquitos a day. That is 100 less mosquitos to feast on our blood. YAY, DRAGONFLIES!

There are nearly 5000 species of dragonflies. Some dragonflies are adults, some live for only a few days, while others may live up to a year.

With this new knowledge, what kind of story could you write? Maybe these WHAT IF questions will help you get started.

WHAT IF your main character was a bug collector and found a living prehistoric dragonfly?

WHAT IF your main character was a dragonfly who craved jelly beans instead of mosquitos?

WHAT IF your main character built a dragonfly helicopter?

The possibilities are endless, and please leave your own what if questions in the comment section below. I’d love to see what you come up with.

So, grab a cup of hot cocoa, a pencil and a piece of paper, and let’s begin. With your imagination, we can go anywhere. I look forward to seeing where you take us.

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

The word of the day is “metamorphosis”. Here is the definition: a profound change in form from one stage to the next in the life history of an organism.

Weekly MUSE: Honeybees

Photo Credit: Metaphorical Pltypus

I was rummaging through my cupboard, looking for something sweet, when I came across a jar of honey. Yummy honey, I thought! Perfect!

I immediately grabbed a spoon, untwisted the lid, and dipped my spoon into the golden sweetness! As soon as the honey hit my tongue, I was in heaven. And after a few more spoonful’s my mind drifted to the tiny creatures that create the sugary perfection we call HONEY!

Looks like we’ve found our MUSE! And this one’s going to be SWEEEEEEEEET!

So, how do bees make honey, anyway?

Well, first we have to know how bees operate inside their hives. It is truly a small society where every bee has a specific job to do.

Queen Bee (center)
Photo Credit: Keith McDuffey

First, we have the QUEEN BEE. She is the only bee who lays eggs, up to 2000 eggs a day. All of her life, she is fed a special food called royal jelly. All bee larvae are fed this special food when they are young, but only the Queen is fed royal jelly all her life. This is why she is FULLY developed and able to lay eggs. She is the BIGGEST bee in the hive.

Side note: Royal jelly is a special food substance that bees discharge from glands in their heads. Sounds YUMMY, huh? I think I will stick to HONEY!

Next, we have DRONES. Drones are the only male bees in the hive, and there are only a few of these guys living at the hive. In fact, once they are finished mating with the Queen, they are kicked out!

The rest of the hive is made up of WORKER BEES. These are all underdeveloped females, meaning that they cannot lay eggs. Young worker bees tend to the Queen. Older worker bees serve as scouts (bee pioneers who look for food supplies and nesting sites), foragers (nectar and pollen gatherers), honeycomb builders, honey makers, and hive guards.

Now that you know a little bit more about the secret society of bees, watch this video to see how honey is made.
 

Pretty neat, huh!?

But there is something that this video left out. When bees collect nectar from flowers, they store it in their honey sacks (or honey stomach). When they get back to the hive, they spit-up the honey into the mouths of other bees, who will “chew” on it for a while. The “chewer” bee will naturally add enzymes to the nectar, which breaks it down onto a simply sugar. She will then deposit this altered nectar into the honeycomb.
 

From there, the bees will fan the nectar by buzzing their wings. This keeps the hive warm and helps to evaporate water from the nectar, leaving behind the gooey, sweet stuff we call honey. Once the honey is gooey enough, other worker bees will cap the honey with beeswax.

Remember those “scout” bees we learned about just a second ago? These bees are my favorite, because they are TRULY pioneers. They are the astronauts or the explorers of the BEE WORLD. They hunt for large flower populations and return to the hive to let the “forager” bees know where to collect nectar. But how do they communicate? They DANCE! Take a look at this video to see the famous bee “waggle dance”.

While most of us enjoy the honey that bees tirelessly create, there is something even MORE important that bees are responsible for. POLINATION!

While bees buzz around collecting nectar, they spread pollen from one plant to another. Without this transfer of pollen, plants would not be able to make fruit. And without fruit, there would be no seeds. And without seeds, there would be no plants. Get the picture?

The bottom line: The world would have a lot less food and a lot less plants without bees!

Speaking of food, who likes Honey Nut Cheerios? I DO! And I especially love Buzz, the honeybee character on the box. He has been trying to get kids to eat Honey Nut Cheerios since I was a kid. Take a look at this video of Buzz, and play some of his videogames by clicking here.

Written By: Professor Watermelon
Illustrated By: Josh Smart

Also, if you haven’t heard already, HONEYBEES were my MUSE when I wrote my latest book, HERBERT. Click here if you would like tolearn more about this book.

With this new knowledge, what kind of story could you write? Maybe these WHAT IF questions will help you get started.

WHAT IF your main character was a beekeeper, and the bees made a magical honey? What is special about this honey, and who wants it?

WHAT IF your main character was a Queen Bee who did not want to live at the hive all day laying eggs?

WHAT IF a scientist could make robotic honeybees?

The possibilities are endless, and please leave your own what if questions in the comment section below. I’d love to see what you come up with.

So, grab a cup of hot cocoa, a pencil and a piece of paper, and let’s begin. With your imagination, we can go anywhere. I look forward to seeing where you take us.

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

The word of the day is “enzyme”. Here is the definition: any of various proteins, originating from living cells and capable of producing certain chemical changes in organic substances during digestion. 

The MUSEBOX: The March of the Wind-ups!

Dear Creative Writers!

Look at what I found in the MUSEBOX! These Wind-up toys are begging to be characters in your next story! Below, you will find a fun "story-starter", but if you already have an idea without using the story-starter that I provide, PLEASE go for it! This Creative Writing Challenge is worth $20 Melon Dollars!

Story-starter: Once upon a time, a wizard received a package. When he tore it open, he found seven wind-up toys...

I can't wait to see what you come up with! Please leave your stories in the comment section below, or you can bring them to class! See you soon!

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

WEEKLY MUSE: Cardinals

Male Cardinal 

I just returned, once again, from the HOOSIER State. You remember which state that is, don’t you? INDIANA!

And while I was there, a HUGE snowstorm blew its way across the state, leaving nine inches of snow in its path. I loved it!

But what I loved even more were the bright red Cardinals who would dash from snow-covered tree branch to snow-covered tree branch, searching the landscape for food.

Cardinals are easy to see any time of the year because of their bright red feathers, but they are even more stunning against the white snow.

Looks like we’ve spotted another MUSE, and we didn’t even need our binoculars. Let’s take a closer look at these crimson aviators we call CARDINALS and see what we can uncover.

Here are some general facts that I found:

Cardinals live mostly in the Eastern United States. They are NOT migratory, which means that they do not travel due to seasonal climate change. They stay put. Take a look at the video below to watch a Cardinal at a bird feeder.

Cardinals are average sized birds. They are eight to nine inches long and have a wingspan of ten to twelve inches across. The male is brilliant red with a black face and orange beak. The female is tan with highlights of red. She has a black face and orange beak.



Female Cardinal

Both male and female Cardinals are excellent songsters, which mean they chirp beautiful tunes to each other.

Cardinals eat a diet of mostly weed seeds, grains, fruits and sunflower seeds. They also sip the sugary sap from maple trees. Maple syrup, anyone?

Now, here are the most interesting CARDINAL facts that I uncovered:

Roman Catholic Cardinal

Cardinals get their name from early European settlers who thought this bird’s bright red plumage reminded them of the Catholic Cardinals’ bright red robes. Cardinals are also referred to as redbirds.

In the Eastern United States, people LOVE Cardinals. In fact, seven states claim the Cardinal as their state bird: Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky.

And… Have you ever heard of the St. Louis Cardinals? Or the Louisville Cardinals? Or the Arizona Cardinals? Cardinals are such a popular bird that several sports teams use the bird as their mascot. I don’t blame them! I would, too!

This leads me to the most interesting fact I uncovered. Cardinals can be very territorial, meaning that they will tirelessly defend the area they call home. And if they see their reflection in a window, they will even “fight” themselves by charging at the window.

Do I sense an ANGRY bird??? Maybe that is why the Cardinal was chosen as one of the lead characters in the video game, Angry Birds. Take a look at the fun video below to see the Cardinals and other birds cast in this popular game.



With this new knowledge, what kind of story could you write? Maybe these WHAT IF questions will help you get started.

WHAT IF your main character was a blue cardinal?

WHAT IF your main character had a GIANT cardinal and traveled on the Cardinal’s back?

WHAT IF Cardinals were extinct, but your main character found one?

The possibilities are endless, and please leave your own what if questions in the comment section below. I’d love to see what you come up with.

So, grab a cup of hot cocoa, a pencil and a piece of paper, and let’s begin. With your imagination, we can go anywhere. I look forward to seeing where you take us.

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

The word of the day is “climate”. Here is the definition: the average weather conditions of a specific regioin including temperature, precipitation, humidity, sunshine, and cloudiness.