PALZ Newsletter: February
Welcome! This month our team is exploring Alabama, Georgia and Florida. These states make up part of the Southeast region of the United States.
Did you know that Georgia grows more peanuts than any other US state? Even Alabama and Florida follow way behind Georgia. But Florida produces lots and lots of oranges!
Activities
Lucky's Laughs
What eats nuts and bolts?
How do peanuts communicate?
Why didn't the peanut go swimming?
Riddle #1: Which state is famous for growing peanuts but is known as the peach state?
Georgia! Georgia produces half of the peanuts sold and eaten in the US. Georgia got the “Peach State” nickname because it was the first state to grow and ship peaches to markets around the country. Today California grows more peaches than Georgia, but the nickname still sticks to Georgia.
Riddle #2: What popular food made with peanuts is eaten by people in Georgia, Alabama and Florida? (Hint: It’s not peanut butter.)
Answer: Boiled peanuts! Boiled peanuts are sold at gas stations, visitor centers and road side stands all over Alabama, Georgia and Florida. You can even get canned, boiled peanuts at the grocery store!
Fun Facts: A ship, a submarine and a military academy have all been named after this scientist and inventor. George Washington Carver created many uses for peanuts, including inventing a shaving cream from peanuts. He did not, however, invent peanut butter. Can you guess what state Carver lived and taught in for 47 years?
Answer: Alabama!
Miss Kitty’s Intel
Hi team! I did a little undercover work and discovered oranges and peanut butter are very popular in the Southeast. Today I’m sharing yummy snacks you can make using oranges or peanut butter.
APPPLE & PEANUT BUTTER SNACKS
Did you know you can make a tasty peanut butter snack by combining:
Apple slices with peanut butter and tiny marshmallows sandwiched between
Apple slices with peanut butter and chocolate chips
Peanut butter balls rolled in cocoa powder or powdered sugar
Graham cracker sandwich with peanut butter, sliced bananas and strawberries
Ants on a log-slice of celery stuffed with peanut butter with raisins or chocolate chips
ORANGE SLICES WITH CHOCOLATE
Did you know you can make a tasty orange snack by combining:
Orange slices with whipped cream
Orange slices with melted chocolate for dipping
Fruit kabobs (sliced banana, strawberry, oranges) with melted chocolate for dipping
Smilla’s Adventures
Hi! I’m Smilla and I love exploring new places!
Did you know that the star of the movie “A Dolphin Tale” once lived at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Florida? Two-month old Winter, a bottlenose dolphin, injured her tail and was rescued in 2005. She soon found a home at the aquarium.
To help Winter swim and play better, she got a new tail! Her life has inspired children and adults who have disabilities to keep moving through hard things.
When Winter passed away in 2021 she was 16 years old! She is dearly missed at the aquarium but you can now see her digitally in a new exhibit there.
You can also see three other dolphins who live at the aquarium: Hope, Izzy, and Rosie. Hope starred with Winter in the movie, “A Dolphin Tale 2”.