4Kids.org: March 26, 2000

Eye Site
Hang out with two dancing eyeballs. Meet Twinkle and Eyenstein, two happy eyeballs who will show you the facts about eyesight at their eye site. Take a look-see at http://keystoneblind.org/wiseweb/wiseweb.htm. First, check out Twinkle and Eyenstein's funny photo album. Then voyage to the middle of an eyeball to see what it looks like when you're looking. From the pupil to the optic nerve, there's an amazing little world at work inside your peepers. Give them some exercise, too. Be mind-boggled with optical illusions, or stretch that artistic eye by entering the monthly coloring contest. You can also learn about what happens when a person goes blind. Have you ever tried to walk around with a blindfold on? You can ask questions about blindness here and even spend a day with a really sweet Seeing Eye dog. Open your eyes to the possibilities at Twinkle & Eyenstein's Wise Eye Web site.

Defenders of the Planet Many wild animals find themselves endangered or threatened by pollution, hunting and more. Thanks to Kids' Planet, you'll learn how to better protect our natural environment. For a wildlife adventure, bring your binoculars out to www.kidsplanet.org. Did you realize that the future of the cheetah is in doubt, or that human development has put the Florida panther in great danger? Exotic creatures profiled include the humpback whale, the rhinoceros and the bottlenose dolphin. World Wide Wolves explores the globe's wolf populations and features an interactive map. And be sure to check out the Web of Life, a story told by a common garden spider. Answer the call of the wild with a howl at Kids' Planet.

A Whale of a Site
Set sail for the high seas and a unique ocean journey. Heroes in the Ships, an exhibit by the Kendall Whaling Museum, explores the role of African Americans in the whaling industry. Answer the captain's call at www.kwm.org/collections/ exhibits/heroes/home.htm The site takes you back 100 years to New England when black sailors made up a majority on whaling ships. The exhibit features photos, journals, sketches and poems. Also, the site pays tribute to some well-known black and Creole mariners, such as Valentine Rosa, Manuel Gomes and Paul Cuffe. A special section profiles Lewis Temple who invented the "toggle" harpoon that would forever change the technology of whaling. Heroes in the Ships proves that the African-American marine experience is no whale tale. (This site is no longer available.)

When you know the answers to the questions below, enter your answers. If you are correct, you will become a "4Kids Detective of the Week." If a question is not answered it is considered wrong. Good luck.

1. What kinds of foods make your eyes stronger?

Spaghetti

Candy and Chocolate

Milk and Fruits and Vegetables

2. "Orca" is another name for what ocean animal?

Killer Whale

Sea Turtle

Bottlenose Dolphin

3. What did sailors do to pass idle hours on whaling voyages?

swimming

dancing and ship modeling

playing tag

Dear Amy: Is there information about guiding my child in using the Internet? --Concerned Mom, Boston
Dear Concerned Mom: Many Web sites teach children about appropriate behavior on the Internet. The 4kids Web site at 4kids.org has information on Safe Surfing, along with a "Surftificate" that you can print out for your child to post by your computer. On a national level, the Department of Justice has a "Rules of the Road" site at www.cybercrime.gov/rules/kidinternet.htm with a list of "Do's and Don'ts" for children who drive on the Internet. With some common sense and parental involvement, the Internet is a fun, educational and exciting place for kids.

Dear Amy: What does "pentium" mean? --Mark, Tallahassee, Fla.
Dear Mark: I know that "pentagon" is the five-sided building in Washington, D.C., and that "pent-" means five. So I searched for "pentium" at the Kids' Almanac on the Web at www.factmonster.com and found a cool Computer Glossary with lots of terms and definitions about computer technology. "Pentium" means "the fifth element" and is Intel's 586 series microprocessing computer chip. (Disclaimer: This site contains advertisements.)

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