4Kids.org - Week of February 23, 2003

Week of February 23, 2003

Color Creation

Take a close look at the colors on the canvas and learn about Pigments Through the Ages at http://webexhibits.org/ pigments. From animal fat to vegetable juices, artists have used it all to make pigments. Travel to a modern-day pigment shop in Italy to see the raw materials that artists use to create beautiful colors for their paintings. Consider the significance each color has as you create a masterpiece of your own. Then seal the surface of your painting so your work will last.

Nominate a cool Web site at
4Kids.org/nominations

Visit the Featured Web sites to find the answers.

What does the color blue invoke?

dreamlike states
hunger
anger

Which U.S. president was once a cheerleader?

Richard M. Nixon
John F. Kennedy
George W. Bush

What did the Northern Plains Indian women wear to promote childbearing?

beaded hats
painted (buffalo) hides
face paint

Physical and Mental Workout

At Body and Mind, www.bam.gov, you’ll find tips on healthy eating, exercising and thinking. Whether you enjoy group sports or prefer to go solo, the fitness personality quiz will suggest the sports that may be best for you. Create your own calendar and schedule time for yoga, tag or even square dancing. Get the lowdown on sports you don’t know much about with Fit4Life activity cards. The “I Heard” Hurdle Race challenges you to jump over common exercise misconceptions. Now, workout!

Watching the Herd

Join the Plains Indians Tracking the Buffalo at http://americanhistory.si. edu/kids/buffalo. The people of the Northern Plains were resourceful, making use of every part of the buffalo. Play a matching game to discover how the natives used each part. You’ll learn about Northern Plains buffalo hide traditions and how to unlock the meanings of hide paintings. Create your own decorated hide with the online hide outline. The natives tell many origin stories. Use the map to locate the tribes they mention or other tribes that you’ve “herd” about.

How do you avoid the peer pressure to use tobacco, drugs and alcohol?

Speak Out Here!

Dear Amy: How do hovercrafts glide along the ground? — Julie, Ontario, Canada

Dear Julie: The large pocket of air that hovercrafts sit on allows them to glide along the ground. The craft must maintain a certain level of air pressure in the chamber below the deck in order to float. Because air escapes from the chamber, it is constantly replaced. A large propeller moves the hovercraft forward, and rudders make steering possible. The craft can be stopped by turning off the propeller and coasting to a stop or by turning around and accelerating. Check out www.hovercraft.com for more information about these high-tech traveling devices.

Dear Amy: How is hydrogen stored for use as fuel? — Jerry, Seattle

Dear Jerry: Storing hydrogen safely for possible use in cars is a great challenge. At atmospheric pressure, one gram of hydrogen occupies about 11 liters. Compressing hydrogen to store it for safe use requires an alloy, a material that will absorb and release hydrogen without its own structure changing. At www.csa.com/discoveryguides/hydrogen/overview.php, you can learn more about hydrogen storage and about the ways hydrogen is already used as an energy source.

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