Table of contents for Issue 350 - October 2024 in MiniMag

Welcome to our exciting October issue of MiniMag! This month, we’re celebrating our furry, feathered and scaly friends with a whole section dedicated to pets! From the love and loyalty of dogs and cats to some unexpected pets from the farm, we’ve got fun stories that will make you want to cuddle your own animals even tighter. Speaking of pets, don’t miss our feature on the heart-warming movie, GRACIE AND PEDRO: Pets to the Rescue, where two brave animals show us that heroes come in all shapes and sizes. We’ll also be learning about how animals we typically find on farms, like goats and chicken, can also become wonderful companions. Discover how these farm animals do more than just provide food – they can offer comfort and joy to families…

Have you ever wondered how cows, chicken and other farm animals ended up living side by side with humans? It wasn’t always this way! Thousands of years ago, these animals were wild and roamed free. But over time, people figured out that these creatures could help with farming, provide food and even be great companions. In this fun journey through history, we’ll explore how each of our favourite farm animals became part of the farm family – some in surprising and amusing ways! Sustainable farming is all about raising animals in a way that’s good for both the environment and the animals themselves. On these farms, animals are treated with care and respect. A common practice is free-range farming, where animals are given plenty of space to roam outdoors instead…

It’s that spooky time of year again when costumes, candy, and creepy fun take over! Halloween is just around the corner, and we’re here to get you in the spooky spirit. Whether you love dressing up or going door-to-door for sweet treats, there’s something for everyone to enjoy this Halloween season! Did you know trick-or-treating started long ago with a tradition called "souling"? In the olden days, kids would go from house to house singing songs and offering prayers for the dead in exchange for little cakes. Over time, this turned into the fun Halloween activity we know today, where kids dress up in costumes and say "Trick-or-Treat!" to collect candy. Fun Halloween Ideas: COSTUME PARTY: Invite friends over and have a mini costume parade! Get creative with face paints…

As you grow older, you’ll make more decisions about your health, the world around you, and what you choose to eat. One type of lifestyle you might hear about is vegetarianism. Let’s explore what it means to be a vegetarian, the types of vegetarians out there, what they eat, and how this choice can impact health and the environment. No one’s trying to convince you to make any changes right now, but it’s great to learn about these things so you can make informed decisions when you're older! What is a vegetarian? A vegetarian is someone who doesn't eat meat, including animals like cows, chicken, fish or pigs. Instead, they focus on plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, grains and beans. There are many reasons why people choose to be vegetarian,…

Once upon a time, thousands of years ago, the first garden ever was planted. You can imagine what it looked like: trees for shade, fruit and nuts; shrubs with berries and flowers; smaller plants that provided vegetables and medicine. Who knows – maybe it even had a lawn! Planting a garden was way more efficient than going out and looking for food from wild plants. Today, people still plant gardens and grow food to eat. This is so important that there’s a name for it: horticulture, the art and science of growing plants. One of the most rewarding things about horticulture is seeing a seed develop into a healthy plant. You can be a horticulturist by planting your own vegetable garden from seed! Tomatoes, lettuce, carrots and sweet peppers can all…

The first person that pulled an onion out of the ground and thought: “Hmmm, maybe I should eat this,” must have been slightly crazy. After smelling it and their eyes tearing up, who knows what still made them put it in their mouth! Fruit Fruits are fleshy plant organs that come from a flower and carry seeds inside. Some fruit like tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers are commonly called vegetables, but they're actually fruit! Stems Stems support the plant and transport water from the roots to other plant organs. You might want to argue that sugar is a vegetable, because it comes from the sugar cane plant stem! Healthier edible stems include celery, asparagus and surprisingly, potatoes which are thickened underground stems. Flowers Flowers eventually build fruit and seeds. When you…

CRACK THE CODE: HOMOPHONE HUNT! Having fun with language! Double meanings, double the fun! Test your brain with these word twins! ACROSS 3. Susan has always struggled with her wait/weight. 5. I cannot remember whether/weather I thanked her for the gift. 7. Billy cannot weight/wait to build sandcastles at the beach. 9. Were you aloud/allowed to cross the street by yourself? 12. Please ring/wring the washing well before you hang it out to dry! 14. Jill was exhausted from studying all day and took a break/brake. 15. We ran out of flower/flour to bake the cake. 18. Please give me a piece/peace of that delicious cake! 19. Mary was unable to hair/hear what he was saying. 20. She nearly fell when the heel/heal of her shoe broke off. 21. Mom…

Who says dogs and cats can’t get along? In many homes, these furry companions become the best of friends! While they may be different in many ways, dogs and cats can learn to live together in harmony, play, and even cuddle up for naps. A dog for everyone! From the tiny Chihuahua, known for its big personality despite its small size, to the towering Great Dane, one of the tallest dog breeds, there’s a dog for every lifestyle. Did you know? The Greyhound is the fastest dog, capable of reaching speeds up to 70 km/h and have larger hearts relative to their size than other dogs, which helps pump blood efficiently when they run at such high speeds. Folding fun! Create your own cute face of a cat with just…

Halloween is a time for costumes, treats and a little spooky fun! While it might seem scary to some, the heart of Halloween is all about creativity, community and enjoying time with friends and family. Whether you’re dressing up as your favourite character or sharing candy with neighbours, it’s important to keep a positive attitude. Halloween doesn’t have to be about fear – it’s about having fun! By focusing on imagination, storytelling and togetherness, Halloween can be a time to spread joy and laughter, rather than fear. So, enjoy the festivities, stay kind and keep the spooks light-hearted! Happy Halloween!…

In a world with more than eight billion people, there is actually enough food to feed ten billion. So why are nearly a billion people starving, and why are we worried about 2050? The problem is unequal distribution of food. In many places, people don't have access to food because it is scarce and many can't afford it. Elsewhere, food is readily available and people waste it (33% of the world’s food supply never gets eaten). It would help a lot if everyone simply eats everything they buy and does not let it go to waste World Food Day 16 October Earth will have 9.6 billion human inhabitants by 2050. They say the entire world will need to double up on food production. But problems such as climate change and…

Doing maths with paper Did you know that the art of folding paper into different shapes is called ORIGAMI and the art of cutting paper into different shapes is called KIRIGAMI? Both origami and kirigami designs are used widely in mathematics, technology, engineering, educational therapy and many more fields of study, because it has so many amazing benefits. ORIGAMI is the Japanese art of folding paper. This technique originated in China in the first and the second centuries and later spread to Japan, where it was found most useful. The most simple origami model has only one fold, while the most complicated model has more than 200 folds! KIRIGAMIis the Japanese art of cutting paper. The name comes from the words kiru, which means to cut, and kami, which means…