Owner Of Mollie’s Candy Stores Is Just Six Years Old

Mollie’s is a chain of candy stores in England.

They sell British and American candy, as well as ice cream.

There are three stores in the chain, located in the British towns of Welshpool, Newtown and Shrewsbury.

But perhaps the most interesting thing about Mollie’s candy stores is the owner—Mollie Price. You see, she’s six years old.

Price started the business because she liked those “pick and mix” stores, as her mother told Britain’s Mail Online news website. By “pick and mix” she means bulk food stores, where items are in bins and you can scoop as much as you need, put them in a bag and buy them by the pound.

That’s how most of the candy in Mollie’s stores is sold.

Her mother said Price noticed there was an opportunity for a bulk candy store, andMollie’s was born.

Price chooses the candy for her stores herself. And she works in the stores on Saturdays. On Sunday mornings she gets up early to visit a candy wholesaler she buys her bulk candy from. She and her friends test much of the candy before deciding which candy to offer in her stores.

Price and her friends also come up with innovative ideas to market the store’s products. For instance, they recently installed temperature gauges that show how hot it is outside. When it gets cooler, customers can buy Mollie’s ice cream a bit cheaper; when it’s hot outside, the ice cream costs more. It’s an innovative idea that’s not only fun and original, but it makes sense.

It was Price’s idea to open the stores in the first place. Her mother said Price saw the need for the kind of store she wanted to open. And she was right, because the youngster recently opened her third store and has plans to expand her chain even further.

The UK has recognized Mollie as one of the youngest entrepreneurs in Britain.

This article was originally published on TKN on July 13, 2012.

CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS

Group Discussion Task:Mollie noticed that there was a need for a bulk candy store in her community so she and her mom created one. As the article explains, it has been a huge success.

Have you noticed a need/desire in your community for a certain type of store, a product or a service? What are some creative ways that you could meet this demand? What would you need in order to realize your idea?

Reading Task:Mollie and her friends have come up with some creative ideas to bring business into the store. One example in the article is that Mollie uses the temperature outside to determine the price of ice cream. Can you think of any other creative ways for Mollie to get more people to buy candy in her store?

Writing Task:Express personal thoughts and feelings about what has been read.  Record your thoughts and feelings in your literacy book.

Grammar Feature: Indirect QuotationQuotation marks (“) are used when you write exactly what someone said or wrote. Indirect quotations don’t need quotation marks because they only explain what someone said. Can you find places in the article that are indirect quotations?

Lost Penguin Back In His Natural Habitat

SEPTEMBER 6, 2011 6:00

Image: Department of Conservation NZ/Richard Gill

A woman was walking her dog along a beach in New Zealand in late June when she saw something that looked like a white ball in the sand.

It turned out to be a young Emperor penguin that was very, very lost.

At his age, he should have been close to Antarctica, swimming for fish, squid and krill and playing on the ice floes. But this penguin started swimming north and just kept going.

The penguin attracted a lot of attention in New Zealand. It has been 40 years since an Emperor penguin has been seen there.

Researchers at the country’s Department of Conservation were called in. They decided to watch the penguin closely, but not to disturb it in any way. Many New Zealanders came to Peka Peka Beach to look at the elegant penguin. They were careful to keep their dogs away from it so it wouldn’t be frightened.

The public nicknamed the animal Happy Feet.

Researchers started to notice that Happy Feet didn’t seem well. It turns out he had been eating the sand from the beach, likely thinking it was snow.

The public raised more than 11,000 pounds for an operation to get the sand out of his belly.

The operation was a success, and Happy Feet was taken to a zoo in Wellington, NZ. A group of experts met to decide how best to help Happy Feet return to the wild.

Last Sunday, they put him on a boat called the Tangaroa, in a specially built ice-filled crate and took him out into the Southern Ocean, southeast of New Zealand. There, they released him into the ocean, which is his natural habitat. He took one last look at his human helpers and then dived into the ocean.

“Emperor penguins spend their first five years at sea,” said Peter Simpson, of New Zealand’s Department of Conservation. “What happens now is up to the penguin.”

Happy Feet was fitted with a satellite transmitter so they can monitor his progress using the Internet. So far, the tracker shows that he swam north-east for a little while before getting his bearings and heading south.

Emperor penguins are one of the largest penguins, weighing up to 30 kg and standing about a metre tall. They can stay underwater for 11 minutes at a time.

Thank you to Peter Simpson, of New Zealand’s Department of Conservation for his help with information about Happy Feet. Home page image: Mark Mitchell/nzherald.co.nz

Related LinkFollow Happy Feet’s journey here. (Internet site where they are tracking Happy Feet for a limited time via his GPS tracking device.)
New Zealand’s museum, TePapa, has been following the story of Happy Feet. Their blog has more details and great photos.

Writing/Discussion PromptThis article is about a lost penguin that needs to make its way home.  Can you think of any other fiction or non-fiction stories that you know that also involve an animal that has gotten lost?  Describe this story to a partner or group and explain how it is similar to the article.

Reading PromptRead the article carefully and identify the main idea.  What is the main problem in the article and how will it be solved?  Are there any other problems and solutions in the article that are important?

Grammar Feature: Common nouns and proper nouns

A common noun names any ordinary, non-specific person, animal, place, thing or idea.  Examples of common nouns are: dog, girl, school, city, ball.

A proper noun names a specific, particular person, animal, place, thing or idea.  It always begins with a capital letter.  Examples of proper nouns are: Canada, Sylvia, Mount Everest, Batman.
Read the article and underline all common nouns with green and all proper nouns with orange.

Riots And Looting In London, England

Wide-spread riots broke out in London, England last week.

People ran into the streets, breaking store windows and stealing merchandise (known as

Wide-spread riots broke out in London, England last week.

People ran into the streets, breaking store windows and stealing merchandise (known as “looting”), and setting fires to buildings and cars.

Hundreds of people have been arrested and at least five people died in the riots.

There are many different reasons people joined the riots. Some people looted because they thought they could get away with it in the crowds. Some rioted because everyone else around them was doing it or they considered it fun. Others rioted because they have lived for a long time without enough money and it was a way to express their frustration. Many people rioted because they are angry with the police and the British government.

The riots began after police shot and killed a young black man named Mark Duggan, on Aug. 6, in a town called Tottenham, just north of London.

The incident sparked anger and resentment that had been building, particularly by young people. But it quickly spread beyond young, black people to people of nearly all ages, races and walks of life in England’s capital city and suburbs.

The rioting went on for days, as police tried–but were unable–to contain it.

It has been a very complicated and troubling time for one of the world’s best-loved cities.

London is slated to host next summer’s Olympic Games.
Writing/Discussion Prompt:

The article poses several suggestions as to why people in London, England rioted. What are some other reasons that you can think of as to why they would act in this destructive way?
One reason that is widely believed is that many young people in London are angry because they have a lack of money and jobs. Instead of rioting, in what other ways could they get out their frustrations and try to change their situation?

Reading Prompt:

Both London, England and Vancouver, Canada are well-known cities and are well-loved. However, both of these cities took a turn for the worse this year when people rioted in the streets, breaking into stores, stealing from shops and setting cars on fire.
TKN featured a story on the Vancouver riot on June 20, 2011 (http://bit.ly/pjBbjH).
Read both of the articles and compare these two riots. How are they similar and how are they different?

Grammar Feature: Commas in a list

When more than two items are written in a list, each item needs to be separated by a comma.
For example: “People ran into the streets, breaking store windows and stealing merchandise (known as “looting”), and setting fires to buildings and cars.”

Read the sentences below and insert commas where needed.

1. When Sally went to the grocery store, she bought cereal bread milk eggs and oranges.
2. The sports that students play in gym class are basketball volleyball soccer and baseball.
3. Eric Mohammed Jessica Taylor and Eden went to the community center to go swimming.
4. English Math History Science and Social Studies are learned by all students in Elementary and Middle School.
5. The rainbow revealed itself after the storm and shone indigo purple green yellow orange and red.

Pirates, Privateers and Freebooters… Arrrr!

 

Have you ever wondered what life was like for the pirates who terrorized the high seas from the 17th to 19th centuries? Pirates, Privateers and Freebooters, an incredible interactive exhibit in Quebec City, Quebec, invites you to climb aboard a historically accurate reproduction of a pirate ship (complete with pirates) and experience the life and living conditions of these treasure-seeking scoundrels.

Unlike what Hollywood movies would have you believe, women were not permitted on pirate ships. Pirates considered them bad luck – along with dice, rabbits and whistling.
But superstition did not stop adventurous females from disguising themselves as men and living the pirate life. Two of the most successful were Anne Bonney and Mary Read.
Both were fierce fighters who spent years sailing with the infamous Calico Jack – who was the model for the Jack Sparrow character in Pirates of the Caribbean.
Bonny and Read managed to keep their gender a secret until the ship was captured by the British navy. They avoided hanging by “pleading their bellies” (meaning they were going to have a baby).
Like the fictional Jack Sparrow, real pirates certainly drank a lot of rum. This was because plain water became contaminated after just a few days of being stored in the ship’s barrels. The ‘tastes and smells’ part of the exhibit shows how pirates received nutrition from meat and fish preserved in salt.
It’s also true pirates robbed or looted treasure from the ships they attacked, but they were even more interested in stealing weapons and medication. These were the two things they needed to win battles and treat injuries. The exhibit’s display of medical tools – which includes saws for cutting off limbs and wooden pegs and metal hooks for replacing them – suggests that being a doctor on the high seas was a terrible job.
Although known for being ruthless, pirate crews thought of themselves as brothers and were very democratic about how they did things.
They voted on everything including who got to be captain, how the booty or treasure would be divided, and even how people would be punished.
Punishments were cruel and inventive. A captain who refused to attack another ship, for example, would be abandoned on a barren island with no food or water. A man who killed someone would be tied to his victim and the two would be thrown overboard together.
Although pirates preferred warmer climates, the cold waters of the St. Lawrence River and North Atlantic Ocean were visited by privateers, citizens whom the government allowed to attack enemy ships in times of war and freebooters, independent soldiers who did the same but without the government’s official consent.
Oliver ‘La Buse’ Levasseur is one example of a respected naval officer who turned pirate while serving as a privateer for King Louis XIV. He plundered the seas for eight years before being captured by the French.
As he was about to be hanged, La Buse threw a cryptogram (word puzzle) into the crowd and cried, “My fortune to he who can understand!” To this day, the puzzle remains unsolved and the treasure is still waiting to be found. Maybe even by you.
Pirates, Privateers and Freebooters runs from July 1 to Sept. 5 at the Brown Basin “interpretive centre”, 615 E Champlain Blvd. (at the foot of the Cap Blanc stairs) in Quebec City.

Related Link
The website for Pirates, Privateers and Freebooters.
Basin Brown interpretive centre (website in French).

CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
Writing/Discussion Prompt
Today’s story is not really a news article. News articles almost always explain significant events that are happening. Today’s article doesn’t do that. Instead, it tells about a museum exhibit in Quebec. Articles that give you an idea of what an art exhibit, theatre piece or movie is about are called “reviews.” Take another look at today’s article and think about all the ways that news articles are different from reviews.


Reading Prompt
Having read today’s article, would you want to go on a trip to Quebec City to see this exhibit? If yes, what things would you say to convince your parents/guardians it’s a good idea? If not, what reasons would you give your parents for staying home?

Grammar Feature: Onomatopeia
Onomatopeia isn’t just a fun word to say, it’s a pretty nifty word, too. Onomatopeia is a type of word that is spelled like a sound that we hear. For example, today’s article includes the onomatopeia word “Arrrr” in the headline. ”Arrrr” isn’t a verb, or a noun, or any other part of speech for that matter, so it doesn’t mean something the way that other words mean something. It’s just a sound. But don’t overlook these kinds of words just because of that. Comic books, for example, are able to communicate lots of different things by using onomatopeia, from a speeding train to a massive explosion!

Attach an onomatopeia word to each of the examples below: 


1. A powerful punch: _____________________________.
2. A furious hurricane: ____________________________.
3. A mouse scurrying away: ________________________.
4. Raindrops falling in a puddle: _____________________.
5. A dazzling fireworks display: ______________________.

Newspaper Article - Week 2, Term 3 2011

“Extinct” Rainbow Toad Found In Borneo

A colourful, spindly-legged toad was recently spotted by scientists in Borneo. The last time anyone had seen it was 1924, when it was reported by European explorers.

The bright green, purple and red toad is known as the Sambas Stream Toad, or Borneo 

A colourful, spindly-legged toad was recently spotted by scientists in Borneo. The last time anyone had seen it was 1924, when it was reported by European explorers.

The bright green, purple and red toad is known as the Sambas Stream Toad, or Borneo Rainbow Toad. Many people had assumed it was extinct.

In July, three of the toads were found on three separate trees in Borneo, Indonesia which is an island off the coast of Southeast Asia. Borneo is the third-largest island in the world.

A professor at the Sarawak Malaysia University led the expedition to look for the toads.

They only had a black-and-white sketch to go by; no photographs were available.

The team of scientists had looked for the toads before, using the same route the explorers had taken, but they hadn’t found any. This time, they went higher up the Penrissen mountain range and found the specimens.

The scientists had to be very fit, because there was a lot of climbing involved. And the expedition, which took many months, was very expensive because the team had to stay at an expensive golf resort while they were searching.

The toads are about five centimetres long. They are a male and a female adult and a younger toad.

The team won’t say exactly where they found the toads, because they’re worried about someone illegally capturing the stunning looking amphibians. The beautiful toads are in great demand as pets.

The researchers have been given a two-year grant from the University of Malaysia to continue studying the toads to learn more about them.

Writing/Discussion Prompt

The expedition to search for and study the toad is very expensive. Do you think that this is money well-spent?
How could the information that the scientists gather impact our understanding of our environment?

Reading PromptThe article explains that when the scientists went to look for the rainbow toad, they didn’t have photographs to look at; they only had a black-and-white sketch.  

Why do you think this was the case?

Use information from the text and your own ideas to answer this question.

Grammar Feature: AdjectivesAdjectives are describing words.  Some adjectives that were used to describe the frog are: colourful, beautiful, bright green, purple and red.  After reading the article and looking at the picture of the toad, can you think of 10 more adjectives to describe it?

Newspaper Article - Week 1, Term 3 2011

Toronto Elephants Packing Their Trunks

JULY 18, 2011 12:29 AM


Photo Image: Scott Greenwood


Toka, Thika and Iringa are the last three elephants living at the Toronto Zoo. They will soon be moving to a new home, but they don’t know where yet.
They are waiting for the zoo to decide the best place for them.
For many years, the elephants have been one of the most popular attractions at the Toronto Zoo.
However, since 1984 seven elephants have died at the zoo and now the last three are getting old. The zoo has decided to send them somewhere else to live out their remaining years.
“Next steps – and top priority – is determining an AZA-accredited location for our three elephants,” says Cynthia Shipley, a spokesperson for the Toronto Zoo.
AZA is the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. If a zoo belongs to AZA it has to follow strict rules to make sure the animals are safe, healthy and happy. The Toronto Zoo is part of AZA and also its Canadian counterpart, CAZA.
Earlier this year, the former host of the TV game show “The Price Is Right” came to Toronto to try to get the elephants sent to California. Bob Barker, who is also an animal lover, thought the elephants at the zoo were getting too old and the weather in Toronto was too cold for them.
He wanted to send the elephants to a sanctuary in California called PAWS (Performing Animal Welfare Society). A sanctuary is a place of safety. But PAWS is not part of AZA, so it’s not likely the Toronto Zoo will send Toka, Thika and Iringa there.
Everyone who visits the Toronto Zoo will miss the elephants. But they will also wish them well at their new home, wherever that may be.


After Reading Questions:
Have you ever been to a zoo? 
What animals did you see at the zoo? 
What did you learn there?
If you haven’t been to a zoo, would you like to go? 
Why or why not?


Making Connections:
What connections can you make with this article
Remember your cues:

Text to Self
Text to Text

Text to World

Grammar Feature: 
Acronyms
An acronym is a shortened word or set of words. An acronym often uses the first letter of each word. For example, ESL stands for English as a Second Language. Another example of an acronym is USA, which stands for the United States of America.
Can you find the acronyms in the article? Make a list of the acronyms and write down what each acronym stands for.