4th Quarter 2004

To Your Health This Fall!

October Events -click on the websites to learn more:

Health Literacy Month
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
National Lupus Awareness Month
National Physical Therapy Month
National Down Syndrome Awareness Month
National Dental Hygiene Month
National Orthodontic Health Month
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Healthy Lung Month
National Brain Injury Awareness Month
3 - 9 National Fire Prevention Week
3 - 9 Mental Illness Awareness Week
4 National Child Health Day    
7 National Depression Screening Day
11 - 15 National School Lunch Week  
13 SAVE (Stop America's Violence Everywhere) Today
15 National Mammography Day
16 World Food Day
17 - 23 National Health Education Week
17 - 23 National Radon Action Week
22 International Stuttering Awareness Day
23 - 31 National Red Ribbon Campaign
(Campaign to keep kids off drugs)
24 - 30 Respiratory Care Week
27 Lung Health Day

November Events -click on the websites to learn more: 

American Diabetes Month
Diabetic Eye Disease Month
COPD Awareness Month
Jaw Joints - TMJ Awareness Month
Lung Cancer Awareness Month
National Adoption Month

National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month
National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month
National Epilepsy Month
National Family Caregivers Month
National Healthy Skin Month
National Marrow Awareness Month
Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month  PH (Pulmonary Hypertension) Awareness Month
7 - 13 National Allied Health Week
21 - 27 GERD Awareness Week(gastro esophageal reflux disease)

December Events-click on the websites to learn more:

National Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month
Safe Toys and Gifts Month
1 - 7 National Aplastic Anemia Awareness Week 
5 - 11 National Hand Washing Awareness Week

Source:  U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

READ-VIEW-DO (RVD)
HEALTH AND SAFETY

I have selected a sampling of Read-View-Do clips and activities related to health and safety.  Please check out TeacherSource on our website to discover over 4,500 free lesson plans.

Enjoy!  From PBS TeacherSource http://www.unctv.org/education/tvforteachers/index.html

Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series

Lost And Found
Introduce the subject of map-making and how directions can prevent us from getting lost. Practice using maps to locate community destinations; discuss the map legend. Make a treasure chest.

Episode 8 - Lost And Found
Episode Description

When Anne and Diana head off into the woods in search of buried treasure, they get hopelessly lost - and find much more than they bargained for.

Learning Objective

Mapping is one of many skills involved with being prepared. This episode will help children explore:

- Critical Thinking/Problem Solving Skill Development
- Cognitive Skill Development

Talking About the Episode

Anne and Diana head off on a great adventure without telling anyone where they are going. They leave without provisions, and without a reliable map. Use the episode as a springboard to discuss being lost as well as a means of introducing the subject of map-making and how directions can prevent us from getting lost.

- What should you do if you're ever lost?
- What is a map?
- How can a map help you?

City Maps

Simple city maps are a great tool for map-play and are often offered free of charge through a city's Chamber of Commerce. Create a simple list of destinations to have children locate on a map. Give them a bright-colored marker and have them mark the locations. For instance, circle the corner of two main intersections, circle the nearest park, but put an X on the closest ravine, etc.

Map Making

Making a map is a great lesson in perspective. Have children pick a favorite place in their neighborhood. (for example, the park, post office, grocery store or library). Talk about how they KNOW how to get from one place in their neighborhood (their home) to another. Ask them how they would explain to someone else how to get to that destination. Then share all kinds of maps:  maybe a state highway map or the map from inside a telephone book.

Talk about what the maps use to represent things - lines for roads, blue for water, the legend, and universal directions: north, south, east, and west. Help children draw a bird's-eye-view of their neighborhood. Help them label the buildings and streets - depending on their abilities. Send their maps home with a note to parents to help fill in street names, buildings and neighbor's houses.

Treasure Chest

Anne and Diana were searching for a buried treasure, and what child doesn't dream of finding a treasure chest? Make a treasure chest of your very own from an old shoebox. Collect glitter, fancy bric a brac, buttons, etc. to decorate the outside of the chest. Sparkly paint - silver or gold - is a wonderful addition. But what to fill it with? Provide plenty of construction paper and pieces of tin foil for children to draw and cut coins and jewels.

Arthur-Fire Safety (Age Range: 3-5 years)

Skills/Subjects:
Creative Thinking & Problem Solving
Life Skills

Related Episode:  D.W., All Fired Up

Related Books:
Clifford the Fire House Dog by Norma Bridwell
Fire! Fire! by Gail Gibbons
Rainbow Crow retold by Nancy Van Laan

Materials
Audiocassette
Tape recorder

Directions:  Use this activity to help your children learn more about fire safety.

Listen: To help children become accustomed to the noises, tape-record the sounds of a fire alarm, a smoke detector, and a fire truck. Let children listen and control the volume.

Learn: Make arrangements to visit your local fire department with your children. A firefighter can talk to your kids about the job, show the uniform and mask, and discuss fire safety and prevention at home. Fire departments often have stickers and handouts you can take with you.

Talk About It
It's important that everyone know what to do in the event of a fire, so talk with your children about your family's fire safety plan. Gather information from your local fire department and other sources, such as the United States Fire Administration Web Site. You can also check out Sue Ellen's fire safety tips right here on the ARTHUR Web site.

Take It Further
Allow children to explore through role-play. Set up a pretend fire station by providing fire hats, flashlights, short lengths of hose, a step stool, etc. (You and your children can make many of these props.)

With a Group
Invite other parents and kids to join your trip to the local fire department.

Based on an activity in Play and Learn with Arthur, Volume 2

Barney-Playground Safety

Suggested Grade Level: Preschool-K

Based on: Barney & Friends #714: "Play It Safe!"

Objectives:
Young children enjoy playing on swings, slides and other equipment at the playground. It is important they learn how to safely use the equipment at an early age to avoid accidents. Children can still have fun while playing correctly and safely.

The children will:

1. Learn how to correctly (and safely) play on playground equipment
2. Know how to have fun and be safe at the same time

Skills:

• Following directions
• Role-playing
• Safety awareness

Materials:   School playground

Directions:
Talk with your students about playground safety while in the classroom. Ask them to name some safety rules they may know. Ask students if they know the importance of following playground safety rules.

Take a trip to your school playground. Walk children around to each piece of equipment and discuss safety rules. Some suggestions include:

• Slide: sit up, slide feet first, one child at a time.
• Swing: sit on swing, hold on with two hands, and do not run behind a swing in use.
• Sandbox: keep sand in the box, and do not throw sand.
• Keep "ground cover" on the ground.
• Ask students to model appropriate behavior.

Extension:
After visiting the playground and discussing safety rules, go back inside and have children draw pictures of what they've learned. Ask them to take a piece of paper and fold it in half. On one side of the paper, ask them to draw a picture of themselves playing safely. On the other side of the paper, have them draw a picture of themselves playing in an unsafe manner. When everyone is finished, ask children to share their pictures. This will encourage more discussion.

Caillou -Halloween Safety
Fall Is In the Air-Episode 140

Puppets:
When Rexy sees his first leaf ever, fall, he is worried about the tree. Gilbert explains autumn and what the season brings. Halloween and costumes are fun, but Gilbert and Teddy both agree that one of the most delicious times of year is Thanksgiving. Gilbert shows him what wonderful food is eaten on the special occasion and between the three of them, they lick the plate clean!

CAILLOU RAKES THE LEAVES

It's fall and the backyard is covered with leaves. Caillou and Rosie have so much fun playing in the leaves that Caillou doesn't want to go into the house. He asks Dad if he can help him rake the leaves into piles. When they've made piles of piles, Caillou pretends the piles of leaves are houses enough houses to make a city.

PUMPKIN PATCH KID

Dad and Caillou have fun making a jack-o-lantern together. Caillou's about to throw out all the goop that was inside the pumpkin when Grandma tells him it's the best part. He finds out what she means when they bake a pumpkin pie.

CAILLOU LOVES HALLOWEEN

It's trick-or-treat time in Caillou's neighborhood. Caillou's dressed as an astronaut, Leo is a not-very-scary Frankenstein's monster and Clementine is a nurse. With their parents tagging along, they go door-to-door, collecting lots of treats.

Halloween Safety Tips

From jokers to jack-o-lanterns, to princesses and pirates-there are many faces to the haunted holiday of Halloween. Know the tricks to making Halloween a treat.

DO THINGS RIGHT ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT
Teach your kids the safe way to trick-or-treat. Trick-or-treaters should:

• Always walk, not run and stay on sidewalks.
• Always obey traffic signals and never cross the street between parked cars.
• Always wear a mask that doesn't restrict vision. Cool face paint is a great alternative to masks.
• Always dress for the weather, not for the holiday.
• Always wear shoes that fit, even if they don't go with the costume.
• Never wear a costume that drags on the ground; you don't want to trip on it.
• Never go inside a house for treats, always stay in the doorway.
• Never trick-or-treat alone. A parent or guardian should always accompany younger children. Older children should travel with a group of friends.

MAKE IT A FAMILY AFFAIR
Even if your family can't trick-or-treat together, you should have a family plan. Outlining the evening will help keep your children safe while they are out and keep you from worrying.

• Check with your area mall or community center to see if they offer alternatives to neighbor hood trick-or-treating.
• Plan and review the trick-or-treat route and discuss behavior which is acceptable to your family.
• Know where your older children are going, and with whom; make sure to set a curfew or check-in time.
• If your children go out on their own, make sure they wear a watch they can read in the dark.
• Give older children exact change so they can call home.
• Make sure your children wait until they are home before eating any treats. All candy should be inspected thoroughly by an adult before it is eaten. Anything that looks unsafe should immediately be thrown away.

BE NEIGHBORLY
For many adults, handing out candy to little visitors is the real treat of Halloween. Make sure your home and yard are trick-or-treat safe zones.

• Make sure your driveway, yard, walkways and steps are clear of clutter.
• Place candle lit jack-o-lanterns well away from where children will be standing.
• Use glow-sticks instead of candles to light your pumpkins.
• Make sure paper and fabric decorations cannot blow into the flame of the jack-o-lantern.
• Keep your porch light and all outside lights on during the evening.
• If you must drive on Halloween, proceed slowly and carefully.

Clifford-Feeling Safe Away From Home
BLANKET BLUES (Episode 140a)

Cleo spies Clifford's favorite blanket-one he has had since he was a puppy-and proclaims it the perfect cape for Super T-Bone. Clifford reluctantly allows his friends to use the blanket, if they promise to be very careful. The game turns rambunctious, the blanket gets dirty, and Clifford gets upset. Cleo and T-Bone realize that to be a good friend you should listen to and respect the wishes and property of others.

Clifford's Big Idea: Have Respect; Be a Good Friend

Objective:
It's natural to miss familiar things, places, and people when we are away. Having a familiar object, such as a favorite blanket or toy, often helps make a new place seem more like home. Teaching children that there are ways to make time away from home easier helps develop

• Life skills
• Language and literacy skills

Making the Blues Go Away

Many people turn to a special thing, place, or person in times of stress, sadness, or loneliness. Encourage the child to think about a time when he or she felt sad or blue and to recall what brought comfort. Was it cuddling up with a favorite stuffed animal, toy, or pillow? Getting a hug from a parent, friend, or family member? Emphasize that people seek comfort in different things, in different ways.

Dialing for Practice

Practice dialing home telephone numbers on a disconnected phone. Match numerals from a home phone number to the number pad on the telephone. You may want to prepare a laminated card with the home phone number so that the child can have it anywhere as a reminder that home is just a phone call away.

Slumber Party!

With a group:
Have a make-believe slumber party. Every child can bring a favorite blanket or sleeping bag, pajamas, teddy bears, or other stuffed animals. Allow children to spread out their sleeping gear. When the children are snuggled up, share bedtime stories. They may enjoy telling how they get ready for bed at home and explaining what makes the stuffed animals they brought special. Be sure to bring a stuffed animal or special pillow of yours to show and tell about, too.

SITES TO SEE

Which States Offer Preschool for All?
Not many. There's been lots of talk about the importance of high quality preschool education for all children, but money and implementation are huge problems. In Florida, for example, Gov. Bush recently vetoed a bill that would have implemented a constitutional amendment approved by voters to provide preschool for all four-year-olds, saying the plan fell short in many ways.  

Changes in Student Achievement Over Time
"In life, everything that is truly important is longitudinal," says John Willet, an education professor at Harvard. Together with Judith Singer, the two researchers have developed new statistical methods to track student learning over more than one year, noting that children reach developmental milestones at different times. Their work is an interesting counterpoint to current accountability methods that tend to tie student and school success to a single year's scores.

A School Gets Going to Catch Kids Early
Wow. Does it get any better than this? A high school principal in Kansas notices many of his students can't read or comprehend. He starts a district-wide reading task force. Someone on the task force learns about DIBELS, a reading assessment tool for kindergarten and first graders, and so the team investigates. An elementary school principal, Evan Yoder, likes what he sees. Within two months, he's arranged two trainings for all of his first grade, kindergarten, and Title 1 teachers. They get ready for next year & dash; the teachers practice with DIBELS and the principal decides how to provide extra instructional time to any student identified by DIBELS who needs it. School starts. They're ready to catch early any students who need extra help learning to read. 

IN THE NEWS

ZOOM Into Action this Fall!

GET YOUR KIDS INVOLVED IN THE ELECTION!

Go to the ZOOM Web site and get lots of good resources, including directions to organize a voter registration and increase voter turnout for the November election (http://pbskids.org/zoom/fromyou/elections/)! In the Election 101 section, you'll find a PDF of the popular ZOOMout the Vote! guide that outlines the steps to hosting a successful drive. The site also offers printable signs, stickers, banners, and bookmarks to decorate and hand out at the drive, as well as great election books and Web sites where your kids can learn more about the election process and party politics. Your children will even have fun posting their own thoughts in the "Zup and Sound Out" features. Stay tuned for more election news in the months to come, but now is the time to ZOOMout the Vote!

ENTER GARDEN CONTEST!  WINNER APPEARS ON ZOOM!

ZOOM and one of the longest running PBS shows, Victory Garden, have partnered up for a "Fast Food from the Garden" Contest. We invite your kids between the ages of 6 and 12 to participate. The deadline for entries is August 25th. Get an entry form at http://pbs.org/victorygarden/. Then send it in with photos of your garden from seedling to harvest. For more contest information and tips on what kinds of foods grow quickly, check out the Web site at http://pbs.org/victorygarden/. The best individual garden and group garden will be featured on ZOOM. How cool is that?

CYBERCHASE HEADLINES

Six new CYBERCHASE shows will premiere in September - October on Thursdays! (See below for more information.)

A way cool CYBERCHASE online contest comes to cyberspace starting September 13th! (See below for more information.)

HERE'S THE CYBERSCOOP:
New episode Descriptions Premiering September-October 2004:

The Grapes of Plath (PBS #306):  A terrible cyberglitch afflicts the young prince of the Crab Kingdom and the CyberSquad must cure him and stop Hacker before all is lost.

A Perfect Fit (PBS #307):  The monster Gigabyte returns!  The bad guys bring Gigabyte to a remote, Mayan-style pyramid on cybersite Jimaya.  The CyberSquad must work their way past a variety of obstacles, and block the rays of the sun before it can energize the metal monster and cause chaos!

Be Reasonable (PBS #308):  Hacker returns to the Cybrary to wreak revenge on Ms. Fileshare and the kids.  His crafty plan tricks the kids to try to rescue Ms. Fileshare, only to find themselves all trapped!  If the CyberSquad doesn't escape in time,  Hacker will steal the Cybrary's most valuable books - all about the most secret inner-workings of Motherboard!

TWO-PARTER! Thursday, Oct 7 - The Snelfu Snafu Part 1 (PBS #309):  The long lost encryptor chip, the one computer component that can bring Motherboard back to full power, appears for sale on the popular cybersite U-WANT, U-BID!  The CyberSquad has only a few days to save enough money to outbid Hacker for the precious chip.  They win the auction, but are totally unprepared for what happens when they implant the chip into Motherboard - Hacker takes over Cyberspace!

TWO-PARTER! Week of Oct 14 The Snelfu Snafu Part 2 (PBS #310):  The CyberSquad must find a way to bring Motherboard back to power and oust Hacker. Their friend Slider's invention "the Syncolator" is the answer - but some of the expensive parts are missing and they have limited funds. This is the biggest challenge the kids have ever faced, and if they fail now, Motherboard will be lost forever!

PERFECT FOR HALLOWEEN Week of Oct 25 **Halloween theme week** - Shari Spotter and the Cosmic Crumpets (PBS #311):  Digit and the kids must help Shari Spotter (of Frogsnorts School for Sorcerers) make the magical Cosmic Crumpets before Hacker crashes the Sorcerer's Ball and becomes the most powerful magician in Cyberspace!

KEEP READING---THERE'S MORE.... Annual Fall Online Contest

The CYBERCHASE online contest comes to cyberspace starting September 13th!  Kids will be challenged to use brainpower to tackle ten math-based puzzles and riddles.  One grand prizewinner will receive a visit to their school and performance by series stars "Digit," "Harry" and "Bianca"!  Streaming video clips from brand new episodes of CYBERCHASE will provide tips and clues to help fans figure out the answers. 

Calling All CYBERCHASE Fans! Get Ready....Get Set....Enter....

THE 2004 CYBERCHASE ONLINE CONTEST!

Enter for a chance to win cool computers provided by INTEL CORPORATION, a special visit by CYBERCHASE stars, and other great CYBERCHASE goodies!

Contest runs from September 13th - October 11th, 2004.  Entries must be postmarked by October 15th. 

Spread the word!  Print out the CYBERCHASE Online Contest promotional flyer, available at www.thirteen.org/pressroom/cyberchasebacktoschool.

The "CYBERCHASE: Know Your Dough" Financial Literacy Campaign

What happens when you take one groundbreaking PBS Kids TV series and multimedia project that promotes the power of math and problem-solving and add a focus on essential money skills? You get CYBERCHASE and its breakthrough financial literacy campaign "CYBERCHASE: Know Your Dough," set to launch this fall.

CYBERCHASE motivates millions of children to approach math with confidence, enthusiasm and competence. The award-winning series for kids 8-11 features a team of curious kids who outwit and outsmart the bad guys in their adventurous quest to save Cyberspace. With its highly popular Web site and extensive national partnerships and educational outreach materials, CYBERCHASE is the mathematics media project for today's generation. And it's the only daily-animated TV series and multimedia project to tackle financial literacy through the lens of mathematics.

Today, children influence family spending and demonstrate their own level of purchasing power to an unprecedented degree. With marketers eager to tap into those pockets and leaders calling for more (and better) financial education for youngsters, CYBERCHASE is ready to reach children with messages that will resonate with their real-life money experiences and get them excited about saving and spending.

Mission Statement By tackling multiple topics such as saving, spending and budgeting, CYBERCHASE introduces kids to essential financial skills. And what they learn now about money management will guide them to make smart money choices later. This dynamic and groundbreaking financial literacy campaign promises to build on the CYBERCHASE message that math is everywhere and everyone can be good at it.

Why the Campaign?

* Children's purchasing power is at an all-time high. Children under 13 influence family spending to the tune of $600 billion. That's in addition to the $40 billion they spend themselves on candy, clothes and other items.1 Educating them now while their spending and saving habits are still developing is key.

* Math and money-they're a natural fit. There is a strong need to provide age and grade appropriate links between math and money management that kids can use now in their saving and spending decisions. CYBERCHASE shows kids how math is a friendly tool they can use to efficiently manage their money everyday.

* CYBERCHASE is well positioned to promote financial literacy. By Spring 2005, CYBERCHASE will have four episodes on air-and available educational resources-that promote and support financial education:

#120 "Trading Places" (Monetary Systems) On air
#309 "The Snelfu Snafu - Part 1" (Saving Money) October 7
#310 "The Snelfu Snafu - Part 2" (Spending Money) October 14
#TBD "A Balancing Act" (Budgeting Money) Spring 2005

Five new Reading Rainbow Episodes

Premiering December 15-17, 2004 & January 17-21, 2005

Mr. George Baker
Episode theme: Learning is a life-long endeavor

Feature book & summary:
Mr. George Baker by Amy Hest, illus by Jon J. Muth (Candlewick)· Harry sits on the porch with 100-year-old Mr. George Baker who can dance and play the drums but goes to school, just like Harry, so he can learn to read.

Review books:
Grandfather Counts by Andrea Cheng, illus by Ange Zhang (Lee & Low)
The Music in Derrick's Heart by Gwendolyn Battle-Lavert, illus by Colin Bootman (Holiday House)
A Bird about to Sing by Laura Nyman Montenegro (Houghton Mifflin)

Two Old Potatoes and Me
Episode theme: Turning something old into something new

Feature book & summary: Two Old Potatoes and Me by John Coy, illus by Carolyn Fisher (Knopf)· After a young girl finds two old potatoes at her father's house, they plant and tend them to see if they will have new potatoes in September.

Review books:
Weslandia by Paul Fleischman, illus by Kevin Hawkes (Candlewick)
Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin, illus by Harry Bliss (HarperCollins)
Pie in the Sky by Lois Ehlert (Harcourt)

Unique Monique
Episode theme: What it means to be unique

Feature book & summary: Unique Monique by Maria Rousaki, illus by Polina Papanikolaou (Kane/Miller)· Monique's school uniform doesn't allow her to express herself so she experiments with ways to be unique and finally discovers a way to stand out without breaking the rules.

Review books:
Daffodil by Emily Jenkins, illus by Tomek Bogacki (Farrar, Straus & Giroux)
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi (Knopf)
I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem by Jamie Lee Curtis & Laura Cornell (HarperCollins)

Beegu
Episode theme: Space exploration

Feature book & summary:
Beegu by Alexis Deacon (Farrar Straus & Giroux)· A small space creature finds no welcome on Earth until she meets some children on a playground.

Review books:
Space Exploration by David Glover (Two-Can Publishing)
Rise the Moon by Eileen Spinelli, illus by Raúl Colón (Dial)
Planets: A Solar System Sticker book by Ellen Hasbrouck, illus by Scott McDougall (Simon & Schuster)

Visiting Day
Episode theme: Empathizing with children whose parents are in prison

Feature book& summary: Visiting Day by Jacqueline Woodson, illus by James E. Ransome (Scholastic)· A young girl and her grandmother visit the girl's father in prison.

Review books:
Mama Loves Me from Away by Pat Brisson, illus by Laurie Caple (Boyds Mills)
Let's Talk About When Your Parent Is in Jail by Maureen K. Wittbold (Rosen Publishing Group)
Finding the Right Spot: When Kids Can't Live with Their Parents by Janice Levy, illus by Whitney Martin (Magination Press

Coming October 11, 2004!
The Misadventures of Maya and Miguel
Monday through Friday at 5:00 p.m. Daily

The educational situation comedy will chronicle the adventures of 10-year-old Latino twins, Maya and Miguel Santos, as they figure out how to leave their stamp on the vibrant world around them. The comedy revolves around Maya's well-intended meddling in her family's and friend's lives, ultimately leading her to create new quandaries to fix. While every episode will take humorous twists and turns, the underlying message is the importance of doing what is good for the family and community and the philosophy that shared happiness is greater than personal gain.

The show is targeted at six- to eight-year-olds, but is also being designed to engage adults. It will be broadcast daily and will comprise a full 65 half hours of animated programming. It is intended to entertain and educate all children, to promote cultural diversity, and to encourage English language acquisition, particularly among Hispanics. It will be available on PBS with a second audio track in Spanish (SAP).  Equally important, the initiative will address the growing need in the U.S. for positive media representations of Hispanic children, one of the fastest-growing population segments and currently underserved due to a lack of children's television programming which reflects their life experiences..

"Reaching, educating and entertaining children is part of Scholastic's DNA," says Deborah Forte, president of Scholastic Entertainment. "In the same way The Magic School Bus and Clifford entertain and help children with science and reading, The Misadventures of Maya and Miguel will be a series all children will delight in, and at the same time, prepare at-risk children as they begin their formal school experience."

The series has been developed with Guatemalan, Puerto Rican and Mexican-American writers, producers and artists who were able to lend their own perspectives and experiences.  The lead voices include, Candi Milo as "Maya" and Nika Futterman as "Miguel." The multi-cultural cast also features well-known names such as Carlos Alazraqui, Erik Estrada, Lucy Liu, Lupe Ontiveros, Elizabeth Peña and Carlos Ponce. Other cast members include Beth Payne, Jeannie Elias, and Jerod Mixon.

Character Guides

Maya- Maya is a great person who always tries to help everyone. Sometimes her plans go wrong, but everyone knows she had good intentions. Maya loves to have adventures with her twin brother Miguel.

Miguel- Miguel is three minutes older than Maya, so he always uses that against her. Miguel loves to have adventures with his twin sister although he does not admit it. Miguel loves Soccer, music and laugh.

Paco- Paco is the family "perico", or bird. Paco always knows what to say. Paco enjoys eating crackers and other cookies.

Rosa and Santiago- Rosa and Santiago are the most understanding parents you will ever meet. They enjoy playing with their children but also teaching them wise lessons.

Theo- Theo is one of Miguel's best friends. Theo is very smart and hates to be called a geek, because he knows he is not one. Theo has great memory and can be counted on to solve many problems.

Tito- Tito is the twins' 7-year-old cousin who came from Mexico and lives with them. Tito does not know much English but he is catching up. He loves to have adventures with both his cousins.

Andy- Andy is an American boy who is also Miguel's friend. Andy is physically challenged because of his arm. He hates it when people feel sorry for him or treat him differently.

The website for The Misadventures of Maya and Miguel (available in English and Spanish) includes lesson plans, music, and online learning activities.