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(StatePoint) Recent data indicate that over 60% of fourth graders in the United States are reading below grade level, with performance particularly low due to the lingering effects of the pandemic. The good news? Learning experts say that the trend is reversible. One key factor is to make sure that young children have a strong foundation in early language skills when they begin kindergarten. Here are a few tools and ideas for supporting the literacy journey at home and on-the-go: Make Reading Playful Interactive learning tools can go beyond drills and practice and make learning fun while building confidence and independence. The LeapStart Learning Success Bundle system, for example, features touch-and-talk pages that work on key skills like phonics, vocabulary, counting and problem solving. The attached smart stylus is designed for young kids’ hands and a carrying handle makes on-the-go reading adventures possible. The system comes with an interactive storybook based on the popular animated series, Go! Go! Cory Carson, and an activity book that introduces early skills like letters, numbers and more. Sold separately is an expansive library of compatible books covering preschool through first grade subjects.
Read more(StatePoint) With only 8% of children and 21% of adults reporting receipt of the 2023-24 COVID19 vaccine, less than half the population reporting receipt of a flu vaccine and just 20% of adults 60 and over reporting receipt of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, it’s no surprise that rates of respiratory illnesses are at elevated levels this season.
Read moreOKLAHOMA CITY — AAA Travel bookings point to a new trend: indulgence. According to the latest data, travelers spent 35% more per trip in 2023 than in 2022, and increased the length of each stay by more than 20%.
Read moreSweet potatoes and yams may seem similar but they are not one and the same. Even though the names for these foods are used interchangeably, yams and sweet potatoes actually are two distinct foods. Yams and sweet potatoes differ in flavor and appearance and come from different plant families. Sweet potatoes are in the morning glory family while yams are from the lily family. Yams are starchier, harder and not as sweet as sweet potatoes. Their texture is more reminiscent of traditional potatoes or yuca. Yams will have black or brown skin that is barklike in appearance with white or purple flesh. Yams can grow quite large, even up to 100 pounds. Conversely, sweet potatoes are sweeter, softer and more fibrous than yams. They also can come in a variety of colors of both the skin and flesh. Sweet potatoes only grow to be a few ounces in size. While you cannot use a yam as a substitute for a sweet potato, there are some sweet potatoes that are not as sweet and may replace yams in recipes. Stores don't seem to recognize the distinction between yams and sweet potatoes. In fact, the next time you go to a store and see 'yam' on a sign in the produce section, it is likely a sweet potato.
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Brinkleigh Duncan, clad in bell-bottoms, and her friend Eleanor Smith were the life of the party at the Bowlegs Homecoming Tuesday evening. The two entertained those around them by dancing in the stands.
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American Legion Post 204 is flying a special flag the month of February in honor of a fallen soldier who was still in his teens when he joined the U.S. Army and served in a unit known for its distinctive headgear.
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