March 2011
A product of www.BuzzingKidsWorld.com
March National Events
St. Patty's Day Parades
Last year, many big St. Patrick's Day
parades moved from the traditional
March 17 to the Saturday before so
children and working people could at-
tend. Among them this year, are:
• Chicago: Traditionally, one of the
largest parades in the U.S., it includes
dyeing the Chicago River green.
• Denver: The 49th annual parade
this year is called Shamrockin' 2011 -
celebrating Irish contributions to music.
• Houston: Its 51st annual parade
dates back to the 1880s in "Irish
Town" and is a celebration of family.
• San Diego: The parade marks 30
years of community unity and gives
special thanks to veterans and the
military.
• New York: St. Patrick's Day parade
is held on the traditional date, March
17 and is the biggest of all. Held since
1762, it includes almost a million
marchers and viewers. It begins at 11
a.m. and lasts for six hours.
~ reels, hornpipes, and sets accompanied by harps, bag-
Daylight Saving Time Begins
on the 2nd Sunday of March
and ends November 6th.
Set your clocks ahead!
Beach volleyball, “summer thunder”, or family resorts?
Spring Break has expanded from Mexico and Florida to the world, one study says. A
survey by STA Travel shows 34 percent of spring break students are heading for:
• Europe while just 10 percent are headed for the traditional beach and beer bash
destinations in Mexico.
• London ranks first among spring break picks. Though air fares are up, students
can stay in inexpensive hostels for about the same price as at a Mexican resort.
• Mexico's Cancun and Cabo San Lucas are still popular destinations; but tourism
has dropped off even in Acapulco. The grotesque drug wars have decreased Mex-
ico tourism but that also means there are great bargains available in locations con-
sidered safe, sunny, and fabulous.
• The famous spring break location of Seaside, Ore-
gon, boasts gorgeous beaches with great surfing
during its 'summer thunder' spring break rush. (The
water is usually too cold for swimming, though).
• More families are taking spring break vacations.
Orlando, Florida, is the most popular destination for
families. (See BKW’s list of Fun Family Resorts in
the Top Ten category.)
• Cruise lines are recognizing an opportunity. Some
have discounts of up to 75 percent for families.
Where will you be going?
CHALK TALK
This Irish dancing would charm even St. Patrick
If you ever felt your body and spirit move to the steps of
Riverdance and Lord of the Dance, you experienced the
magic of Irish dancing. Step dancing is just one example in
the repertoire of Irish dance that has been influenced by
many cultures and times. This repertoire includes jigs,
pipes, fiddles and Irish Whistle.
The Druids and Celts brought dances as did the Normans
in the 12th century. They introduced the Carol in which the
leader sang surrounded by a circle of dancers who re-
peated the song.
The 16th century enjoyed dances such as the Rinnce Fada (long dance), the Hey,
and the TrenchMore, based on an Irish peasant dance.
During the 18th century, dancing masters became familiar figures in Ireland as they
wandered from village to village teaching dancing. Each dancing master claimed a
district and did not venture into another’s territory. Rivalries between districts were
intense and it was not unknown for one district to kidnap a dancing master from an-
other district.
Step dancing can be traced to sailors who danced during off-duty hours.
Today's Riverdance consists of traditional Irish step dancing notable for its rapid leg
movements while body and arms are kept largely stationary. It originated at the 1994
Eurovision Song Contest, a moment that is still considered a significant watershed in
Irish culture. The popular Riverdance video is still available for purchase at
www.amazon.com.
 FUN THINGS TO DO
Irish Treasure Crossword Puzzle
Across
1. Graduate degree: Abbr.
4. Lurk
9. Bud's partner
10. Deep pink color
11. Computer key
12. Reddish brown dye
13. Magnate
POETRY & PROSE
The Leprechaun
The Leprechaun
is an Irish faery
From down County Cork
or from far Tipperary.
They’re tiny and short,
A mere two feet in height.
They work on their shoes
And their terrible fright
Is that you will stop by
And demand all their gold
All hidden away in a
Tree’s hollow hold.
They’re tricky and clever
Turn your eyes for a moment,
This faery will flee.
A plan that is better,
Truth to be told,
Just pay him a visit
And earn your own gold!
© Denise Rodgers
15. Indefinite article
16. Stereos
18. That thing
20. __, action, camera
23. Dishonor
25. Expression of delight
26. Lawful
27. Ginger __
28. Make corrections to
29. Type of digital display
Down
1. Braid
2. Sacred
3. Type of treat
4. Civil War General
5. Chekov actor
6. Samovar
7. Turner of the movies
8. Hate group (partial)
14. One in the petroleum industry
17. Sandbank
18. __ au Haut, Me.
19. Those
21. Enameled metalware
22. Molt
24. Grow old
Clues reveal treasure in the diagonal.
What’s New with BKWE
(www.buzzingkidsworld.com)
Featured articles for March:
• Irish Folklore
Click BuzzLetter Archives on bottom menu
to get to:
• March 2009 BuzzLetter
• March 2010 BuzzLetter
We have been concentrating on building
up our Anime Cartoon category. There
you’ll find articles describing the charac-
ters and storyline. Our newest articles are:
Bleach-Season 1, Digimon-Season 1,
Howl's Moving Castle, Kiki's Delivery
Service, Pokemon-Series 1, Witch
Hunter Robin
Watch for more in March. Also, we added
a review for Despicable Me to our Buzz
Blog Review categoryG more reviews are
on the way. ^.^ www.buzzingkidsworld.com
March Project
Glittering Shamrock Pin
or Magnet
Age Guideline: 6 Years and Up
Time Required: 30 minutes (Does not in-
clude drying time)
Supplies
needed:
• 3 Wooden Hearts
• Acrylic Paint
• Craft Glue
• Green Glitter
• Pin Back or Magnet
• Paint Brush
• Cotton Swab
Steps:
1. Start out by painting one side and
the edges of all three hearts. Let the
paint dry.
2. Glue the edges of all three hearts
together to form a shamrock shape
(refer to picture). Let the glue dry.
3. Use a cotton swab or old paint brush
to brush the top of the shamrock with a
thin layer of glue. Sprinkle some green
glitter onto the wet glue. Let the glue
dry and then tap off any extra glitter. If
you prefer a less messy way to add
sparkle to your shamrock, use glitter
glue or even glitter paint instead of
glitter.
4. Glue a pin back or a magnet to the
back of your shamrock, let the glue
dry, and display it with pride!
~ Sherri Osborn, About.com Guide
~
Answer to Crossword Puzzle
~
Permission to copy, use, and distribute materials
contained in this publication is allowed without fee
for personal, private, and educational purposes.
Reproducing materials for profit or any commercial
use is not permitted. Kids love it, parents and
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you do, too. ~ Editor