How are you feeling, Kitty? ~ JB & EK

Cats are amazing pets! All cat owners know that. But what about how your cat feels? Humans can’t exactly tell what cats are trying to tell us. When is your cat hungry, sad, wanting to play? Here you will find out what your cat really wants. We have interviewed and visited experts at the Catfe, and have experimented with our own pet cats, Prince the siamese cat and Raja the gray tabby cat!

We interviewed some staff members at the Catfe, a local restaurant/cat shelter in Ferndale(find out more on their website https://catfelounge.com). And we got a lot of information that helped us understand how cats really feel. 

A good way to tell how your cat is feeling is by looking at their body language. Usually when cats are feeling playful or happy their tails are up. Their ears should be pointed forward. When cats are relaxed, they usually purr. Purring is a sign of happiness that means your cat is relaxed and feeling safe near you.

But if your cat is feeling scared or anxious they might get angry. This means the cat wants you to get away from them. If a cat’s back is arched or their ears are pushed back flat then they are most likely scared. If your cat is stressed, it may stop eating and start hissing and growling at you. 

If you have recently gotten your cat and it's still getting used to you, try to get it to become happy, that way you can build a relationship. As always, pay attention to your cat. Give him or her plenty of love and affection. Spoil them if you have to. Respect your cat and your cat will respect you!

“If you have a cat that likes to fight with its roommates we use a spray bottle filled with water to stop cats from fighting. To keep them away from furniture, put citrus cents on the furniture.” says Catfe volunteer, Emily. “Our spray bottle says “for good kitties making bad choices”. Some cats need to earn your trust. Just keep petting and loving your cat! As Emily says, “Have patience and lots of treats!”.

Thank You for your source! More information in the link down below!
https://www.wikihow.pet/Understand-Your-Cat%27s-Body-Language

The DIY, A Beautiful Festival ~ ZL

This year will be the 4th Do It Yourself Festival at Beverly School! Every year there are many people who participate in the DIY Festival and there are always many different things for sale, so come check it out!

The DIY Festival at Beverly School is on May 17th this year, 2019. It will take place on the blacktop behind the school on the older kid playground. A couple crafts that students have sold in the past are handmade crayons, squishies, sock stuffed animals, notebooks, potholders, and much, much more! Some things people are doing this year are doll clothes, puddy, phone cases, slime, and a lot more things too.

The cost for the products depend on what is being sold. The usual cost range is 25 cents to 5 dollars, but it really depends on how much it cost to make the items. But, no matter what there is at the DIY Festival or how much it costs, the DIY Festival is always amazing. Everyone puts so much work into making each festival the best ever!

One if the main people responsible for the DIY is Mrs. Caza. When interviewed she said, “We spent a lot of time picking the charity partners so that they’re just right. We like them to have a tie to our community”. Every year kids who have sold things at the DIY donate some of their money to local organizations. There are two organizations kids doing the DIY can donate to. The first organization is called Brilliant Detroit and you can go to their website ( brilliantdetroit.org ) for information about them! The other organization is Paws with a Cause. You can also visit their website (pawswithacause.com ) for more information.

Just as a reminder the DIY is on May 17th, 2019. It will be amazing! Also remember, when you spend money at the DIY some of it may be going to one of the organizations above. Hope to see you there!

In Summer ~ HM & IV

Are you an elementary, middle, or high school student looking for something to do this summer? Are you a parent wanting your kids to do something other than playing video games this summer? Well, read this article, and get planning because this will be your best summer ever!

Dairy Deluxe is an ice cream shop in Birmingham, MI, and the review is 4 ½ stars according to Yelp. They offer a variety of different flavors “I love the fruity pebbles flurry!” says Hadley, who loves to go to dairy deluxe! You can always create your own combination, and there are so many flavors to choose from! Vanilla, chocolate, chocolate topping sprinkles, peanut butter topping, and more!

A fun thing to do this summer might be a summer play! If you are interested in acting, then some good play companies that you can act with are; Dream Arts Company (DACO) performing The Wizard of Oz this summer. Another theater company is Debra’s Stage Door (DSD) “I like how nice the director is, I like acting, and I like how good the plays turn out to be, and I also like all of the teachers there.” says Zoe, who has done over four plays with DACO.

The Beverly Hills Athletic Club (BHAC) is in Beverly Hill, Michigan. It is an athletic club with a pool, and a place to get food, lots of shade and some picnic benches. They also have a playground and a gaga ball pit. A few fun teams that you can join at BHAC are the swim team or the tennis team. “I like how there are lots of swim meets.” says Lily, who has been on the BHAC swim team for the past two summers.

Those are just a few great ideas for families to do this summer! Remember these suggestions if you don’t want your kids to only play video games this summer. If you are a kid and you don’t want to be bored this summer, just think about what you read in this article- you may figure out some new things to try this summer!

Come to Beverly Park ~ ET, TB, AW, MW

Beverly park is very popular and has so much to do. Also a lot of things go on at Beverly Park. A lot of the kids in our fifth grade class love Beverly Park and go there all the time. Edward, Max, and Ashton all said they go to Beverly Park all the time for baseball, and they love it! Beverly Park is awesome!

There are many fun things to enjoy at Beverly Park including: a play structure, a basketball court, a volleyball net, a tennis court, frisbee golf, baseball diamonds, and a sledding hill. There are also trails in the woods that you can bike on or hike on. Sometimes in the winter they even bring out an ice rink!

Some of the events that take place at beverly park are Read in the Park which is a book club at the pavilion, the Halloween Hoot which is like trick or treating, Winter Family Fun Day that has skiing, sledding and ice skating. Also there is a Memorial Day Parade & Carnival in the summer along with a Movie in the Park and the Egg Hunt for Easter!

All of these events are really fun and interesting and it is highly recommend that you check them out at the Beverly Hills Village official website. A lot of these events are also at the pavillion which can be used for birthday parties to barbecues for only $40. Be sure to find out more at this website. http://www.villagebeverlyhills.com/department/beverly_park_events.php

Ways to Help ~ ML

Have you ever been to the hospital? You probably have. Maybe you broke your arm when you were first learning to ride your bike, or sprained your ankle when playing soccer as a kid. And of course when you were born! In this article, you will learn how to help donate money, learn a bit of history, and how to support Beaumont, our local hospital.

History: 

In March 2014, the Beaumont Health System, along with Botsford Health Care and Oakwood Healthcare, signed a letter of intent to merge their operations and Beaumont Heath was officially launched on September 2, 2014. The Beaumont Hospital’s real name, or at least the name of the hospital in Royal Oak is The William Beaumont Hospital. William Beaumont is a real person, and his name is very popular for places.

Giving Back:

Alright, now that you’ve learned a bit of history, you can learn how to give back. There are lots of  ways to donate. For example, Beverly Elementary school has an annual Crafts for a Cause where we make blankets for Beaumont.  We also do a project where we bag bead kits for the kids at Beaumont! There is another way to support the hospital where you can visit Beaumont at night during the winter Holidays for Moon Beams for Sweet Dreams. Many children in the hospital are either too sick, or too contagious to spend the winter Holidays with their families, so families shine flashlights into hospital windows. If you’re lucky the kids will shine back. They give you the message: “I know I’m sick, and I’m glad that you’re here shining that light because I know that people care.” I interviewed a few friends and this is what they had to say, “I live really close, it’s about a fifteen minute drive, and I like to help.” Lily, a fifth grade friend says. She did Moon Beams when her own mom was in the hospital. 

That is all you need to know about giving back. Make sure to support the people who supported you, and the people who need your support. Remember, you can always donate, even if you don’t have a connection to Beaumont. You can do Moonbeams for Sweet Dreams anytime during the winter holidays, and the kids really appreciate it. You can donate money, and send care packages.

Girl's Sports Rule~ JR, AA, LK

Have you heard of the stereotype, “Girls don’t like sports?” Well, there is a stereotype and we want to fix it. Girls can play sports and they don’t have to be girly, or love the color pink. Girls can be sporty and love to play sports. That doesn't mean they are boys, it is just who they are.

Did you know that people don’t watch women's basketball a lot? Well it's true, people don’t watch it a lot. Plus a lot of girls have played or are playing basketball. “My favorite sport is softball and basketball.” said Mrs. Broomfield, a teacher at Beverly Elementary who plays sports. Girls and women have tried so hard to get to the top in basketball like Lusia Harris. She was the first female to play in the NBA (National Basketball Association). Some other girls that have worked really hard to make it to the top are, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, and Cheryl Miller.  These NBA players and more serve as inspiration to young basketball players like, Kinley, a student at Beverly.  Kinley team was playing against a team of boys, and the boy’s team said, “We are going to win.” At the end Kinley’s team proved them wrong, they won the basketball game!

You might not have heard of such a thing as girls football. Well, there are many football teams for girls like; Been There-Done That, End Zone Divas, and Diva Dominators. Those teams might not be from Michigan, but all of the teams are women’s teams. There are a lot of girls that really enjoy playing football. You may become hurt playing tackle football.  However, there are flag football teams that are a bit safer. There is a girl, Toni Harris, that got scholarships in high school and collage to play tackle football.

Now that we have talked to you about some of girls and women’s sports please take note that women and girls don’t have to be all girly. They can be whoever they want whether they like basketball, football, or any other sport. There you have it, those sports are some of the least likely sports for girls. But you can change that. Just be you. You’re awesome!

Our Past Beverly ~ KB

Have you ever wondered what our old Beverly School looked like long ago? You better believe the things written here because they’re all true. The school now is about 99% different from the old one. If you’ve gone to the past Beverly and not the new one, then you should really come and check it out. So get ready for a trip down memory lane.

Our old Beverly school building was built around the 1950’s. “Everything has changed,” said Mrs.  Pardington, a long time teacher at Beverly School. “It had a family feel,” said Pardington. They used to have courtyards in between classes and hallways. There would sometimes be wild animals in the courtyards. One of them had a little pond that had ducklings. “I would have loved to have kept the courtyards,” said Pardington.

Some other rooms that have also had some big changes, are the multi purpose room, library, hallways and classrooms. The multi purpose room, which used to be the gym, had a stage that was built into the floor. When you pushed a button the stage would rise up from the floor. In the media center, we didn’t have as many books. They made a goal of adding books each year, and succeeded! And in the classrooms, they’re about ⅔ smaller than the old ones. That’s because they didn’t have cubbies. They would put all their stuff outside in the hallway. And I bet you didn’t know that much of our old school was originally right where the kindergarten playground is right now!

Well now you know about our dear ol’ past Beverly. Many things have changed over the years. The courtyards, classrooms, hallways, gym, and the media center have all changed. It also used to have only one floor! Hope you like the smooth ride down memory lane.

Need a Ride? ~ CN & AG

Has your car ever broken down and you need to get to work or school? Well don’t worry, because in this article you will learn 3 of the best ways to get around Beverly Hills! Keep reading to find out the best ways (that are inexpensive) to transport.

One of the closest trains to Beverly Hills is in Troy, it is the Amtrak Troy Transit Center.  If you are going from Troy to Detroit it will cost you as low as $13. The train station is open 7 days a week, 7am-12am. An average ticket costs $30-$70 per person depending on where you are headed in the state. And if you’re going from Beverly Hills to Detroit the train would take under 30 minutes.

Have you ever been on a bus?? Well maybe today is your day!! There is an affordable bus near you called the Smart bus. There is 5,300 stops with the Smart bus so it will be easy to find yours. A bus ticket cost around $5-$25 a trip per person. It will cost more if your going further. If you go from Troy to Detroit it will cost you $10.  If you would like to know more check out a Smart bus to plan a trip.

Do you have a car?? If not, today you could get a rental car. For two days it will cost you $105 and for 1 day it is $77. If you want a standard SUV it will cost you $160 a week.  Go to Expedia for more information. A car does cost a lot of money but it give you independence so you can travel alone. Cars can also get you farther and faster because a bus has to stop so many times.

Which one is the best option for you?? Well to me I would do the cheapest which is a bus and there’s a lot of destinations and arrivals. But a train is also good because it doesn't have to stop so many times as well as a car. If you want any more information go to Amtrak, Smart, or Expedia. Hope this helps you!

Top 6 Exhibits in the Detroit Zoo According to ~WR & RS

Sometimes you go to the Detroit Zoo and you have no clue which exhibits to go to. Well, we will fix that problem for you as we go down the list of the top 6 exhibits in the Detroit Zoo. The Detroit Zoo is a very big place with lots of animals and exhibits keep reading and we will help you with that. The zoo also has fun events and great activities to keep you busy throughout the year, but that is for after the countdown.

An interviewed zoo-goer said that his favorite exhibit is the penguin exhibit. He made a list of his top 5 exhibits including the seals, polar bears, zebras, and rhinos.  You will find many of his favorites in our countdown below.

6.The Holden Conservation Center: The national reptile center is a very cool exhibit to visit. Go here because there are an amazing amount of snakes crocodiles and frogs. In the exhibit you can look at reptiles from all over the world! There are things like the Chinese Alligator and the Matamata Turtle. There are even dangerous animals in the exhibit like the King Brown Snake or peaceful creatures like the McCord’s Turtle.

5. Matilda R. Wilson Free Flight Aviary:  The free flight aviary is a great place where birds are free to walk, fly and swim in a free area where the birds can copy there normal routines outside the aviary. There are more than 20 species of birds that have freedom and protection because of the aviary. In the aviary there are even birds that come to the path you walk on, but if you want to see certain birds you need to look above you, or the hidden bushes to find them.

4. The Australian Outback Adventure: The outback adventure is where you can go on a trail to look at kangaroos and even a few wallabies. A lot of times they come out of the bushes right up to the trail! If you like kangaroos then the Outback Adventure is perfect for you.

3. The Arctic Ring Of Life: The Arctic Ring of Life holds polar bears, seals, and arctic foxes. It creates a great environment that is a lot like the Arctic so the polar animals feel right at home. The animals have 4 acres of land and they also have a big pool where they are free to swim away. There is a water tunnel where you can walk through the middle of the glass to view animals swimming in the water.

2. The Prairie Dog Exhibit: In the exhibit you go down into a tunnel and poke your head through a clear bubble so your head is ground level with the prairie dogs! You can see the prairie dogs go into their little tunnels that they have dug out. Prairie dogs are very social so you can find them greeting each other!

1. The Polk Penguin Conservation Center: The penguin exhibit is the biggest penguin exhibit in the world! There are 75 penguins of four different species in the exhibit where they have a 33,000 square foot exhibit with 326,000 gallons of water! There is  also a gift shop where you can get all your penguin related products including slippers, pillows, and stuffed animals!

https://detroitzoo.org/animals/habitats/

Tree Catastrophe at Beverly Park ~GS & KS

We wanted to inform the community that there is a tree problem at Beverly Park. It's where the trees are getting covered in a shrub called buckthorn, and eventually it can kill trees if they become infected.  Buckthorn is an invasive species from Europe and it wasn't supposed to be here in the first place. There are 27 types of buckthorn, so it is a big threat to trees. It is a concern that buckthorn can kill trees because trees make Oxygen and trees are also homes to many animals.  Buckthorn threatens the future of how trees thrive at Beverly Park.

Here are some ways that you can take care of trees by removing buckthorn. First, remove buckthorn from trees that provide fruit, such as apple trees, so that berries from the shrub are not confused with the fruit from the tree. If you have areas with relatively little buckthorn invasion, start your management there and keep the nice areas nice. Then work towards the areas that are more heavily infested. Continue to follow-up in the areas where you have previously removed buckthorn.

We interviewed Mr.Dan Badgley with Johnson Nature Center and here is what he said…

“Buckthorn effects trees by not allowing new trees to grow. It shades the ground so much, new seedlings can't get started. Buckthorn also changes the soil so new trees won't grow. It also absorbs SO much water, trees have a hard time growing.” When asked if buckthorn can cause trees to turn bright orange he said, “I have never heard of buckthorn causing trees to turn orange. That could be caused by road salt killing the trees, or a chemical used to kill other plants that somehow was accidentally sprayed on the trees.”

Many people are concerned that buckthorn can be harmful to people.  Mr. Badgley was asked to address this concern and he said, “Buckthorn is not poisonous but it has sharp thorns that can cut you. The berries should also not be eaten as they are laxatives (causing an upset stomach).”

Buckthorn

S-S-S-Study Session ~ MD, LO & ZO

Definition of Studying: “The devotion of time and attention to acquiring knowledge on an academic subject, especially by means of books.

Tips and tricks are so useful when it comes to studying. Who wants to spend hours studying all night? It’s also not healthy for your body to pull all-nighter study sessions. Here are some tips and tricks to help you when studying, so that you’re not hurting your brain or your body when studying.

The first thing that you want is to get all distractions away from you. When you take away all distractions your brain can tune into one exact thing. This can help you to zone into your studying. This technique to help you for studying actually works. To zone into your studying you must ignore all distractions  including: a TV, video games, or just people that want to talk with you. If you can make it so that nothing happening around you is distracting, then studying should be a breeze.

When you are working in your classroom you might use a book. When you are studying ask your teacher if you can borrow the book so you can study at your house. It’s a lot easier to just go ask the teacher to borrow the book instead of trying to find the book in a library or somewhere else. Also, bringing the book straight home from school means that the second you get home you can get started, and not waste time.

Studying does not have to be an all night thing. You can study for a small amount of time each night, and it could add up into a large amount of time. When studying, it helps if you study for a small amount of time by setting a timer (A break is something that takes little brain power to accomplish) and then resume studying later. You could even take a nap as a break, since that rests your brain. Also when you sleep, your mind sorts and understands everything that happened before you went to bed.

Studying can help you understand a subject better.  When you get all distractions away, use books help you, and divide up the time studying can really help to become a better student.  If you try to use all these tips and tricks just remember one thing, the best recommendation is to sleep THEN work because when your mind is rested, studying will be easier and faster.

Link to our Studying Survey for Optional Participation: https://forms.gle/hhQrJU5o2gq7Yysd7

Tips and Tricks for Painting a Masterpiece ~KtS

Do you like to draw or paint? Well if you do, get those papers, pencils, and paintbrushes ready! I will show you the best tips and tricks so you can make a masterpiece that will leave everyone standing in awe! Get ready to make the most amazing painting you've ever made!

Ready to start? If you are, this will tell you all the things every artist should own to make the most amazing, absolutely greatest painting of all time in the history of the universe! When I paint, I use LOTS of sponges, some small and some giant. When you are painting, make sure to start with small utensils, then get larger.  “Some tools I like to use when painting are palette knives, a stay-wet palette when I’m working in acrylic, and different sponges for texture.” says Mr.Fink, an art teacher at Groves High School.

Now we all know that in order to paint a masterpiece, we have to draw it first. So fasten up your seat-belts, and let's get to it! “First, do a drawing or two to get the picture that you’re going to paint just right before you start.” says Mr. Fink. “Second, make sure the background isn’t white. Try a grey, a warm yellow, or a medium brown. It will make the next few layers look better.” I agree with Mr. Fink, you want to make sure not to start with a white background, because when you are painting, it will not look like a masterpiece.

If you are still stuck, you may want to try and follow what Mr. Fink says, “I recommend mixing more water (but not much) with the paint for the first layer or two, then using thicker paint over the top of that when it is dry.” He goes on to say, “When painting on paper, I like to use watercolor paper or tag board, because it is thicker and doesn’t get wavy when it gets wet.” As a person who loves to pain, I agree that you want to use paint that will go with the paper. And also, if you are painting on regular, thin paper, use as little water as possible. Don’t flood the paper.

I hope that you thought this article was helpful. These are some videos that Mr. Fink made with students if you are interested in seeing more of what Mr. Fink can do with different types of art mediums.  Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXMdjhVjVfjZJ_PhQnhDnXA

Nails in BH ~ KM & AF

Need a nice manicure for a special event? Wanting some fancy Nails for a dance? Well if you're stuck and can’t find anywhere to go. Then you will enjoy reading this. This article is about great places to go if you have a special event or just want to treat yourself. But enough talking, on to the article!

Go to Allure Nails, Allure Spa Nails has an average rating of 4.4 out of a 5 stars!  "Allure Nails has good customer service and a clean working space. It also has reasonable prices for all of the things they offer,” says Tara a frequent customer of Allure nails.  Allure Nail Salon is located on Southfield Road, Michigan in the Country Corners Plaza. It's a great place to treat yourself or others, so go visit Allure Spa Nails.  

You can also go to Nails etc. "Their atmosphere is just amazing,” says Tara, a frequent customer. “Prices are great and everyone is friendly!” There are so many good styles to try at Nails etc. They are really good. They even have an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars. Nails etc. is located on Maple Road and Woodward Ave. So go to Nails etc.

Glamour Nails is another good place to go. The average rating between all the Glamour Nails locations is 3.9 out of 5 stars, that is really good. A frequent customer comment from Google says, “I am in love when I come to get my nails done, and I love the convenience”. Glamour Nails has 17 stores in the US. How amazing is that? Also there are 2 in Canada, so the store is world wide! Try a great spa day at Glamour Nails.

Take your pick, and go to Allure Spa Nails, Nails etc. or Glamour Nails. Make sure you check ahead for a time to come in. You don’t want to be disappointed if you can’t get in! Thank you for taking your time to look into a fun time! Don’t wait! Call ahead to any of these awesome stores!

Resources: Allure Nails and Spa - Southfield, Glamour Nails Spa for Prices, & Tara Fleming

Dream Team ~PB & MF

For all of those people out there that have no idea what Dream Arts is, it is a youth theater organization. Ms.Tiffany (Director/Owner) typically does a show every other month. Her next show will be, Cinderella’s Glass Slipper! The location of this show is The Groves Mini Theater on, May, 17 and 18.  The easiest way to contact her is her Facebook page. (ALL websites at the VERY bottom)

5th grader Parker (Who has been doing shows with Dream Arts for a while) said, “Doing shows with Dream Arts has been one of the best experiences I have ever had!” You can also contact the director if you have any questions or, if you are looking into auditioning.You can also contact her if you are going to see one of her shows and you don’t know how to get tickets.

Zoe, a fifth grader who has done one show with Dream Arts said that she probably wouldn't do another show, but she liked meeting people and making new friends! Jillian a fifth grader who has done a couple shows with Dream Arts said, “I like Dream Arts because, It is mostly all kids and you can be apart of the program for a long time.” She also said, “ I am so excited that, The Wizard Of Oz is her summer show because, It was my first show and I hope to get a larger role.”

This Year Ms. Tiffany is doing some Spring Classes. These classes are designed for children ages 5-8 years old. There is one class for 5-6 year olds called, Acting Adventures. In this class students will spend 5 weeks learning,  “The Tools of an Actor.” There is another class called, Story Drama. In this 6 session class students will use children’s books to, create new characters and go beyond reenactment!

IF this sounds like fun (or interesting) sign up today for a show (or a class!) You WILL have LOTS of fun!

Links:
Spring Classes
Dream Arts Company
DAC Facebook Page

It's Science Time ~EK

Science Olympiad is here! This year Birmingham Public Schools are coming together at West Maple Elementary school to compete in the 2019 Science Olympiad. This event is non-profit and made to introduce the fun of science to students in the fourth and fifth grades. Science Olympiad is a super fun opportunity to learn more about science!

One of the best things about Science Olympiad is that there is an event for everyone! Each student can participate in one or two events. Events like clay boats, water rockets, coding ninjas and energy boxes. These events teach students how to engineer, control the variables in experiments and work as a team.

All parts of the event are fun! “ I love how I can meet friends from other schools who enjoy science just as much as me!” says Brooke, a fifth grade student from Beverly Elementary School. She says, “At Science Olympiad you compete to win your school an award for your event and for overall winning everything.”

The Science Olympiad competition is on the 13th of April, 2019. I hope that after learning more about Science Olympiad you will consider competing next year! See you soon, Scientists!