Showing results by author "Rich Linville"

Why do kids need to know about growth mindsets? Scientists have found that there are two different kinds of mindsets: fixed mindsets and growth mindsets. A fixed mindset never changes. In a fixed mindset your failures define you like: "I'm no good at dancing." If I never learn new things or never make new friends, I have a fixed mindset. My growth mindsets can change! When I learn something new or challenging, then I have a growth mindset like: "If I focus and practice, I can learn to dance."

It is January 29, 1954. I am born in the heart of Mississippi in a place called Kosciusko, (KAW-zee-ESS-koh). My mother is a housemaid who broke up with my father. She raises me on her own. My name is Orpah (OR-pah) Gail Winfrey but everyone pronounces it “Oprah (OH-prah). Before I am three years old, my grandmother teaches me to read. She takes me to the local church, where I am nicknamed "The Preacher" because I can recite Bible verses from memory.

One version of Murphy’s Law says: If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong. If you’ve stepped on bubble gum, or if you’ve ever dropped an ice cream cone, you learned Murphy’s Law. Crying over dropped ice cream does not help you. Laughing at your mistakes helps you feel better. Try to learn from your mistakes and be more careful. But being careful does not always work. Understanding Murphy’s Law can be helpful to you and others.

The Ant and the Grasshopper is an ancient fable that still has meanings today. After listening, try to guess the meaning of this fable. Several morals are given at the end. Facts about ants and grasshoppers are also included.

Petrina Pan, the Wonder Girls, and the Tribe live happily in Everland until the mean pirate ship comes floating in on a dark cloud. What is going to happen to them?

The roofs of the Sultan’s well-guarded palace are covered in pure gold. Someone known as "Aladdin, the Great Thief of Turan" wants to steal that gold. Aladdin climbs the palace garden wall to gain access to the golden roofs. Suddenly! What will happen to Aladdin?

Why do we argue and disagree? This is a retelling of a story from India...This story shows why people have arguments.

The Winking Stork says, “This is a tale that takes place twice upon a time in a magical, enchanted land." The Winking Stork remarks, “Froggy do you remember now that you were once a human prince who lost his memory?“ Froggy replies, “What are you talking about?” Froggy says, “All I can remember is that I’ve always been a frog who loves to eat flies, sing, and dance” The Stork says, “Let me tell you your story as a prince before you ever became a frog.”

The ants in our ant colony work closely together to help the society. They even climb on top of each other to reach food. Yet, there is one miscreant ant named “Mystery” who helps no one except himself. He behaves badly and sleeps too much. He thinks that he is cool. But, he’s not. The Queen Ant calls Mystery before her. The Queen Ant says, “Mystery, if you don’t change your ways, someday you’ll be sorry.” Mystery ignores the Queen. One day, Mystery will find out that the Queen was right.

An unhappy, mean sea witch was floating above the ocean. She saw a mermaid sitting on a rock and singing happily. The sea witch whispered a spell. Suddenly, lightning bolted down from the sky and struck the mermaid.  

Since prehistoric times, ships have undergone many changes. With 75 percent or three-fourths of our Earth covered in water, transportation by water is important. What do you think was one of the oldest known types of boats invented by humans?  

The Pied Piper is a folk tale for you to find the meaning or moral. "I am a player of a magic flute that is also called a pipe. Dressed in multicolored clothing or pied clothing, people call me the Pied Piper. When I play my pipe, animals follow me until I stop playing. A messenger says that the mayor of Hamlin begs me to come right away. He disappears quickly. I wonder what the mayor wants?"

Chicken Little is based on an ancient fable. An acorn falls on top of his head. He runs around telling everyone that the sky is falling. Guess the meaning of this fable after listening. Possible answers are given at the end of the story.

There are many reasons why some people make friends easily and others do not have many friends. What is a friend? A friend is someone you respect and care about. People who help and talk to each other can be friends. What do you think a true friend is? 

More than 2,000 years ago, the Greeks told stories about their important god called Apollo. He was the god of poetry, the sun, laws, healing, and more. Apollo was also the god of music. He played a small harp-like stringed instrument called a lyre. Apollo gave a lyre to his son named Orpheus. Apollo was so surprised when Orpheus played perfectly! Nothing could resist the beautiful music of Orpheus. Trees, rocks, humans, and other animals were hypnotized by his melodies.

It is 1792. I am now grown up and 18 years old. I talk my 11-year-old brother, Nathaniel Cooley Chapman, into going west with me. Ours is a roaming life, walking barefoot and wearing raggedy clothes. We live off the land and take odd jobs. Why do you think that we might wear pans for hats? 

Why should you brush your teeth, tongue, and gums at least twice a day? What is the right way to brush your teeth? How should you floss your teeth? Which kind of mouthwash should you use? Find out in this audiobook.

This is an Aesop fable about a mean dog who wanders onto a farm where he does not belong. He sees the farmer in the dell driving his tractor. The farmer and an ox are pulling out an old tree stump. The mean dog decides to hide in the barn until sunset.

I’m a newborn basketball. Yay! But why do I have to pass all of these tests? Finally, they ship me to a new place. What’s going to happen to me? Will my life be happy or blue?

From prehistoric times to the 1800s, the Plains or Great Plains were settled by people who migrated from Asia. Around 10,000 years ago, the earliest settlers of America were the Stone Flaked people (Lithic). They chipped rocks to make heads for their spears to hunt food or to make scrapers. The scrapers were for cutting wooden spear handles or for cleaning animal hides to make them soft for wearing. Do you think you could have survived as one of the Great Plains People?