4Kids.org - Week of March 30, 2003

Week of March 30, 2003

Poetry Express

You don’t have to use a quill and ink to be a Poetry Express poet at www.poetryexpress.org. Poetry activities will start you on your path to becoming the next Edgar Allan Poe or Emily Dickinson. With tips and techniques on how to write a poem, you’ll find it difficult to develop a case of writer’s block. If you are stumped, let your fingers walk you to E-Muse, a program that will get your literary mind grooving. Use the glossary if you’re overwhelmed with vocabulary and different styles. It will help clarify that zany poetry terminology.

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

Visit the Featured Web sites to find the answers.

What ancient language is the word “poet” derived from?

Arabic
Latin
Greek

An excess of what gas caused the Cave of Lascaux to be closed?

carbon dioxide
hydrogen
helium

What variable is used to represent the speed of light in an equation?

E=MC squared
square root of M + C
E+M=C

The Cave of Lascaux

Grab your boots and explore The Cave of Lascaux at www.lascaux.culture.fr/#/en/00.xml. On this interactive, virtual tour, you’ll see ancient cave paintings. Learn about carbon dating, the process scientists use to estimate the age of artifacts. Some of the art in this cave is estimated to be more than 31,000 years old. Descriptions of the paintings point out the details that the untrained eye may miss. The cave was closed in 1964, but you can still explore it online.

More Than Meets the Einstein

There’s more than crazy hair and lots of smarts to Albert Einstein. Discover other sides of this man at Albert Einstein: Image and Impact at www.aip.org/history/ einstein. Read about his German upbringing and early signs of genius in Formative Years and about the stirrings of his physics career in Great Works. In Public Concerns, you can learn about his pacifist political leanings after his work ushered in the atomic age. Be sure to read Einstein’s essay in which he describes himself as a “great loner.”

What do you think is the most useful subject in school?

Speak Out Here!

Dear Amy: Where can I find some crazy-cool pics for my book report? — Taylor, Athens, Ala.

Dear Taylor: The best way that I have found to gather pictures for a report is to search for sites related to the topic of the report. For instance, if I was doing a report on wicked-awesome architecture, I would search for pictures at www.greatbuildings.com. If you use a picture from the Web, be sure to cite the URL. Don’t underestimate the power of actual photographs, however. Depending on your topic, you may be able to take some pictures around your town to use in your report. Teachers love that kind of stuff.

Dear Amy: What is an awesome site just for girls? — Kashmira, Bridgeport, Conn.

Dear Kashmira: A great site that’s for and about girls is www.girlsinc.org. It puts a twist on the typical girls-only site. With stories about girls who are bold, strong, smart and inspiring, you’re bound to meet some amazing girls. Read about the girls and find out why they are so amazing. You may find that you are a lot like them. You can also learn about Girls Inc., the organization that hosts the site. Girls Inc. is dedicated to encouraging girls to achieve great things in their lives.

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