How Mother Bear
Taught the Children About Lead

Spring

Grandmother said, "Spring is a time when many people plant new gardens. I will tell you a story about a garden."

Grandmother said, "Carla Laughing Girl, this story is about your family from long ago."

Here is Grandmother's story.

Laughing Girl wanted to surprise her mother. She wanted to plant a new garden near their old barn. She picked up a shovel and some seeds. She walked past the barn and started to dig. Suddenly, Laughing Girl heard soft growling. She looked up and saw a great bear. Laughing Girl asked,"Mother Bear, why are you here?"

Mother Bear said,"Do not be afraid. I am here to warn you about a danger. The danger is lead."

Mother Bear said,"There is lead in the dirt near the barn. Lead from old paint dust and flakes from the barn fell into the dirt. Lead from old gas in cars and tractors fell into the dirt. This place is not safe for a garden. You can find another place."

Laughing Girl did as Mother Bear said. She said,"I know another place. It is far from old paint dust and flakes. It is far from old gas. I will make my mother's garden there."

Mother Bear's Healthy Food Quiz

Mother Bear said,"Some foods can help keep your body safe from lead. These healthy foods include fruits and vegetables, beans, lean meats, lowfat dairy foods, and bread, cereal, and rice. Other foods do not help keep your body safe from lead. These foods have a lot of sugar, fat, or salt. If you eat them, eat only small amounts, and eat them only once in a while."

Here is a quiz Mother Bear made for you. Which foods on the list below can help keep your body safe from lead? Which are the foods that do not help keep your body safe from lead.

Apple
Apple pie
Beans
Berries
Bread
Carrots
Cereal
Cheese
Clam (quahog) Chowder
Corn
Chocolate candy bar
Cupcakes
Doughnuts
Fried potatoes
Hot dogs
Milk (lowfat)
Oatmeal
Oranges or orange juice
Peaches
Peanut butter
Popcorn (plain or with a little butter and salt)
Potato chips
Rice
Roasted chicken
Squash
Yogurt (lowfat)

Which are your favorite foods. Are they healthy foods?
If not, what are some healthy foods you can eat instead?

Answer Key -- these are healthy foods:

Apple
Beans
Berries
Bread
Carrots
Cereal
Cheese
Clam (quahog) Chowder
Corn
Hot dogs
Milk (lowfat)
Oatmeal
Oranges or orange juice
Peaches
Peanut butter
Rice
Roasted chicken
Squash
Yogurt (lowfat)

Summer

Jesse Bright Sun woke up one summer day early and looked out his window. In the east, he saw the first light. He saw the tall corn growing in the fields. Jesse was happy. Today the "Gathering of All the Tribes" would begin. People from many places had come to his village to talk and sing and dance and eat.

Jesse's grandmother was cooking food for the feast that night. She said, "Jesse, you have an important job today. You must gather all the children from all the tribes. Bring them to the school."

Jesse Bright Sun gathered the children from all the tribes. He found Molly Small Deer from the eastern coast. He found Kyle Fire Walker from the western coast. He found Carla Laughing Girl from the land of great lakes, and many others. They all went to the school to see Grandmother.

Grandmother said, "Children, I have something important to tell you. Listen well. I am going to tell you about Mother Bear. I am going to tell you how Mother Bear helped children to be safe."

Grandmother said, "Molly Small Deer, this story is about your family from long ago." Here is Grandmother's story.

Many years ago, a young girl named Small Deer was helping to clean her house. Nearby was her baby brother. Small Deer was using a rag, and she stirred up a lot of dust. The dust was a pretty blue, just like the old paint on the doors and windows of her house.

Suddenly, Small Deer heard soft growling. She looked up and saw a great bear. Small Deer asked, "Mother Bear,why are you here?"

Mother Bear said,"Do not be afraid. I came to warn you about a danger in our world. I will teach you about this danger. Then you and your family can be safe." Mother Bear said,"This danger is lead. If lead gets inside your body, it can make you sick. If it gets inside your baby brother's body, it can make him very sick."

Small Deer asked,"Mother Bear, where is this danger? I do not see any lead."

Mother Bear said, "Lead is as sneaky as a coyote. It hides in many places."

• Lead hides in dust and flakes from old paint.
• Lead paint may be on old windows and doors.
• Lead paint may be on old stairs and railings.
• Lead paint may be on old porches.
• Lead paint dust and flakes may be in dirt around old houses.
• Lead hides in water from old pipes.
• Lead hides in bullets and shotgun pellets and fishing sinkers.

Small Deer asked,"Mother Bear, how can I be safe from these dangers?"

Mother Bear answered,"I will tell you how to keep lead out of your body:"

• Never, never touch dust from old paint.
• Never, never touch flakes from old paint.
• Ask a grownup to wash away lead paint flakes and dust with a damp soapy rag.
• fishing sinkers.
• Wash your hands before you eat and after you play.
• Wash very carefully if you touch bullets or fishing sinkers.
• Leave your shoes at the door and wear socks or slippers in your house.
• Let your water run from the faucet until it is cold.
• Eat healthy foods, like lowfat milk and yogurt, fruits and vegetables, beans, and lean meat.

Small Deer said,"I will do as you say,Mother Bear. I want to be safe from lead dangers. I want to help my family to be safe."

Grandmother showed the children a picture of a house, and asked them to find lead dangers in the picture. They looked for:

• Paint flakes
• Paint dust
• Water from old pipes
• Fishing sinkers

Let's Talk about It

With your class, talk about where you would look for lead dangers around your home.

Fall

Grandmother said, "Fall is the time when many of our people prepare their homes for winter. I will tell you a story about fixing a house to keep it warm." Grandmother said, "Jesse Bright Sun, this story is about your family from long ago."

Here is Grandmother's story.

Bright Sun liked to help his father around the house. One fall day, Bright Sun was helping his father to fix an old window. The window was covered with old green paint. Bright Sun's baby sister crawled around them while they worked. Suddenly,Bright Sun heard soft growling. He looked up and saw a great bear.

Bright Sun asked,"Mother Bear, why are you here?"

Mother Bear said,"Do not be afraid. I am here to warn you about a danger. The danger is lead."

Mother Bear said,"There is lead in the old paint on this window. Your father will keep the dust and flakes far away from you and your little sister. He will use a wet soapy rag to clean up all the paint dust and all the paint flakes. Then you and your sister will be safe."

Mother Bear said,"Bright Sun, you can help. You can keep your sister out of the room while your father is working."

Father and Bright Sun did as Mother Bear said. Bright Sun's father used a damp, soapy rag to clean up all the paint dust and paint flakes. Bright Sun played with his sister outside until the room was very clean.

Let's Think about It

Winter

Grandmother said, "In winter, many of our people go hunting. I will tell you a story about hunting." Grandmother said, "Kyle Fire Walker, this story is about your family from long ago."

Here is Grandmother's story.

One day in early winter, Fire Walker and his grandfather went hunting. At the lake,Grandfather shot a fat duck. Fire Walker and Grandfather brought the duck home for their family. Grandfather was very happy. He said,"Fire Walker, now it's time to clean the duck."

As Grandfather showed Fire Walker how to clean the duck, the boy heard soft growling. Fire Walker looked up and saw a great bear. Fire Walker asked,"Mother Bear, why are you here?"

Mother Bear said,"Do not be afraid. I am here to warn you about a danger. The danger is lead."

Mother Bear said,"There is lead in the pellets that killed the duck. Watch how Grandfather takes the pellets out. Do not touch them with your hands. Let Grandfather throw them away."

Fire Walker did as Mother Bear said. Then he and Grandfather washed their hands carefully before they ate.

Let's Think about It

• Full Version
• Cover and Introductions
• Spring
• Summer
• Fall
• Winter
• Conclusion
• Credits
• Answer Key
• Teachers Guide

The Mother Bear website is hosted by the NIEHS Kids' Pages. Please also visit the Adventures of the Lead Busters Club Homepage, Bradley and the Bad Pb and Lead Poisoning, an NIEHS Hot Topic) The NIEHS Kids' Pages are produced by the , (919) 541-0395, PO Box 12233, RTP, NC 27709, for the Office of Communications, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.

Disclaimers, including Children and Parents' Privacy Act Notice
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Links Disclaimer and Caution

When you encounter this imageor the words "Non-NIEHS Link", it means that by following that link you will be leaving the NIEHS website. NIEHS is NOT responsible for non-NIEHS websites. Sites maintained by outside organizations may be changed without notice to NIEHS. Therefore, unless the link is to another U.S. government sponsored webpage, endorsement by NIEHS is not implied, and NIEHS does not guarantee their continuing safe content or privacy policies. So please ask your parent or guardian before continuing to any non-NIEHS website, and especially before providing any information via the internet or by e-mail. When last reviewed, the websites linked from the NIEHS Kids' Pages seemed suitable for you to visit, but that may have changed; if you have any difficulties or concerns with any linked materials, please let us know.