I’M NICK A playful pebble’s activity book Marko Zupanc Lučka Kovač Martinčič Uroš Martinčič Title: »I’m Nick« (A Playful Pebble’s Activity Book) Authors: Marko Zupanc, Lučka Kovač Martinčič and Uroš Martinčič Photographs copyright © 2023 by Marko Zupanc Design copyright © 2023 by Lučka Kovač Martinčič Selfpublished, Ljubljana, October 8, 2023 First digital edition All rights reserved Kataložni zapis o publikaciji (CIP) pripravili v Narodni in univerzitetni knjižnjici v Ljubljani COBISS.SI-ID 171554051 ISBN 978-961-07-1805-5(PDF) 2 Hold up! Look! What a curious pebble! I see a horse with a saddle. Is it a hand clenching a fist? Oh, turn it around, it’s a puppy! What do you see? 3 Hi! I am a simple pebble, but my friends call me Nick. Every pebble has a story and a face of its own. Some of them are so interesting that we would like to share them with you. That is why we have prepared this Book of stones. Stones come in different sizes, so we decided to take pictures of them up close. This is what we call MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY (from the Ancient Greek word for big) as it makes the objects in the photos seem bigger. We found the stones so interesting that we are keeping nearly all The stones in the photos look of them in our collection. We have exactly like they did in nature. We recognised many silhouettes on made no changes and added no them. colours to them either before or What can you see? after taking the photos. Let’s go to the stone age! 4 My life is very thrilling, since I rarely stay in one place. In my younger years, I lived in the hills with my family, but I always wanted to see more of the world. And so, I followed the river all the way to the valley, and I made many friends on the way. Every time the rain came we rolled onwards and had a blast. I particularly liked spending some time on the beach. It was so hot until the sun set behind the pine trees. Then, there was a really fresh scent in the air. I really miss my seaside vacation! I have seen and done much in my travels, and the people didn’t just look at me. Now and then, someone would even toss me somewhere. There were times when they would send me skipping over the water. I flew so fast that I just kept going! That was so exciting, even though I did end up sinking in the end. I like skipping on the water and boast to my friends about it. Some of them turn green with envy because they have never managed to do it. Others get excited, and we compare how many times we skipped. So far, I have been the best… … as long as there is no pier nearby. 5 Sometimes people even brought me along on their travels. As I travelled with them, they got very curious. They would turn me in their hands, wiped me off, and smiled a little bit. I didn’t use to know what they liked for a really long time. Then, one day, I noticed that I have a little nick at my side. I could barely see it, so it was no wonder I didn’t know it is there. Can you see it? It was only then that I started paying attention to markings like these. Can you be-lieve that some of them have been with us since birth, while others appear later? Now I know that my friends have markings, too. Many of them are truly quaint, and they remind me of things I have seen in the world. Maybe they will also remind you of interesting things. I have prepared some interesting challenges for you on the following pages. You can now try to do what some people who watch clouds do - find familiar shapes in them. You can look at the pebbles on your own, or you could share them with your friends and family. Who knows? You might turn out to be such an expert at recognising shapes that you will start a collection of interesting pebbles of your own. Pick up a colouring pencil, and test your eyes, and mind. 6 What do you see? Write and draw your idea. If you see more than one shape or if you are guessing together with a friend, you should use different colours for your guesses. Draw your ideas here! I can see: 7 Would you like to know what other people saw? A comet A duck A duck Flexing muscles Help Nick get through the labyrinth! 8 It’s amazing, isn’t it? But how do we even have this shapes that we get to know. superpower of seeing things that When we see a new image, aren’t really there in these stone our brain looks for the closest marks? familiar shape in our memory bank to help us recognise imag-This is what scientists call es more quickly. PAREIDOLIA. Because people have different The word comes from the Acient memories, each of us can see Greek word “para” which means something different when we “beside” or “beyond” and the word look at the same stone. “eidos” which means “form” or “shape”. When it comes to recognising things in these stone shapes, So if we put the two together, there are no wrong answers! we can say that we see more Anything you see is correct! than just a shape. Our brain stores memories of 9 Try drawing a precise copy of the pebble below. It will be easier if you draw into each section of the grid in turn. If you recognise a shape in the pebble, add it to the drawing. Would you like a greater challenge? Try and draw a precise copy of the pebble without using a grid this time! 10 What do you see? Write and draw your idea. If you see more than one shape or if you are guessing together with a friend, you should use different colours for your guesses. I can see: 11 Would you like to know what other people saw? Thumbs up A turtle A fairy A palm tree Connect the dots. What page can you find this pebble on? 12 What do you see? Write and draw your idea. If you see more than one shape or if you are guessing together with a friend, you should use different colours for your guesses. I can see: 13 Would you like to know what other people saw? A groundhog A prairie dog A T-rex! A butterfly Some stones have very unusual names. Find them in the grid below. CALCITE TOPAZ GRAVEL MARBLE SCHIST GNEISS FLINT CIZLAKITE MARL GRANITE SANDSTONE 14 Colour in the spiral as carefully as you can. Be careful as the spiral is thin in some parts, and thicker in others. Soon, you will recognise the image of one of the pebbles. What page is the image from? 15 Try drawing a precise copy of the pebble below. It will be easier if you draw into each section of the grid in turn. If you recognise a shape in the pebble, add it to the drawing. Would you like a greater challenge? Try and draw a precise copy of the pebble without using a grid this time! 16 What do you see? Write and draw your idea. If you see more than one shape or if you are guessing together with a friend, you should use different colours for your guesses. I can see: 17 Would you like to know what other people saw? A mouse Hello Kitty A crab An old telephone Where do pebbles like to relax? In a rocking chair! 18 Look at this. Nick had fun with a computer to make some changes to one of his friends’ photos. The photo above is the original. The one below has been edited by Nick, who made five changes. Can you spot all five? 19 Colour in the spiral as carefully as you can. Be careful as the spiral is thin in some parts, and thicker in others. Soon, you will recognise the image of one of the pebbles. What page is the image from? 20 What do you see? Write and draw your idea. If you see more than one shape or if you are guessing together with a friend, you should use different colours for your guesses. I can see: 21 Would you like to know what other people saw? A dino A donkey A dino A donkey or a cow Connect the dots. What page can you find this pebble on? 22 What do you see? Write and draw your idea. If you see more than one shape or if you are guessing together with a friend, you should use different colours for your guesses. I can see: 23 Would you like to know what other people saw? A sailboat A kitten A tree A baby Stones come in all shapes and sizes. Find some in the grid below. PEBBLE STONE ROCK ORE MINERAL CRYSTAL COBBLE QUARRY MOSAIC BOULDER SLAB 24 What do you see? Write and draw your idea. If you see more than one shape or if you are guessing together with a friend, you should use different colours for your guesses. I can see: 25 Would you like to know what other people saw? A T-rex Cherries Two legs kicking a ball Two hanging hammers Help Nick get through the labyrinth! 26 Look at this. Nick had fun with a computer to make some changes to one of his friends’ photos. The photo above is the original. The one below has been edited by Nick, who made five changes. Can you spot all five? 27 Try drawing a precise copy of the pebble below. It will be easier if you draw into each section of the grid in turn. If you recognise a shape in the pebble, add it to the drawing. Would you like a greater challenge? Try and draw a precise copy of the pebble without using a grid this time! 28 What do you see? Write and draw your idea. If you see more than one shape or if you are guessing together with a friend, you should use different colours for your guesses. I can see: 29 Would you like to know what other people saw? A ghost A bottle A bottle A penguin Connect the dots. What page can you find this pebble on? 30 What do you see? Write and draw your idea. If you see more than one shape or if you are guessing together with a friend, you should use different colours for your guesses. I can see: 31 Would you like to know what other people saw? A belt A belt A teacup A sandal I was magma before it was cool! 32 What do you see? Write and draw your idea. If you see more than one shape or if you are guessing together with a friend, you should use different colours for your guesses. I can see: 33 Would you like to know what other people saw? A face A rooster Footprints An opera singer Help Nick get through the labyrinth! 34 Colour in the spiral as carefully as you can. Be careful as the spiral is thin in some parts, and thicker in others. Soon, you will recognise the image of one of the pebbles. What page is the image from? 35 Try drawing a precise copy of the pebble below. It will be easier if you draw into each section of the grid in turn. If you recognise a shape in the pebble, add it to the drawing. Would you like a greater challenge? Try and draw a precise copy of the pebble without using a grid this time! 36 What do you see? Write and draw your idea. If you see more than one shape or if you are guessing together with a friend, you should use different colours for your guesses. I can see: 37 Would you like to know what other people saw? A fish A fish A tree A camel Connect the dots. What page can you find 38 this pebble on? What do you see? Write and draw your idea. If you see more than one shape or if you are guessing together with a friend, you should use different colours for your guesses. I can see: 39 Would you like to know what other people saw? A goldfish A goldfish A vase A parrot Help Nick get through the labyrinth! 40 What do you see? Write and draw your idea. If you see more than one shape or if you are guessing together with a friend, you should use different colours for your guesses. I can see: 41 Would you like to know what other people saw? A face A squirrel Two comets A bow What do you call a pebble who never goes to school? A skipping stone! 42 What do you see? Write and draw your idea. If you see more than one shape or if you are guessing together with a friend, you should use different colours for your guesses. I can see: 43 Would you like to know what other people saw? A balloon A stone man A gorilla A bird Pebbles can be found in so many places. Find some in the grid below. RIVERBED STREAM BEACH COASTLINE FOREST SHORE GLACIER DESERT MOUNTAIN HILL SLOPE 44 Colour in the spiral as carefully as you can. Be careful as the spiral is thin in some parts, and thicker in others. Soon, you will recognise the image of one of the pebbles. What page is the image from? 45 You must have found an interesting-looking pebble yourself. These pages are meant for your finds! You can take photos of your pebbles, or you can draw them yourself. Next to each image write what you see in the pebble, or what your family or friends saw in it. 46 47 48 49 50 51 If you have enjoyed the associative activities in this book, and wish to challenge yourself some more, you can apply for unique events, such as - a playful game of associations, titled “I’m Nick” (the game is meant for children, adolescents, and other generations as well), - MQ Maestro Quizzes of various association (team-building quizzes which are meant for contestants of all ages, especially for closed and company events). All these events take place in the Republic of Slovenia, the European Union, and you can sign up for them by sending an email to info@prometej.si Welcome! Out of pages to fit in your pebbles? Don’t worry, you don’t really need the frames, just some blank paper and your imagination! 52