4Kids.org - Week of April 6, 2003

Week of April 6, 2003

Cool Under the Collar

Take the Firefighter Protective Clothing Tour at www.ci.davis.ca.us/fire/pct and check out all the gear that keeps these emergency professionals calm and cool, or warm, in tough situations. The tour shows a 360-degree, layer-by-layer view of fire-resistant clothing, breathing equipment and tools such as a Halligan, which is used for forcible entry. Read the descriptions and watch short video clips of actual firefighters responding to a call. Be sure to check out the extras at the end of the tour, including a photo album of on-duty California firefighters.

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

Visit the Featured Web sites to find the answers.

What does SCBA stand for?

self-contained breathing apparatus
submergable container bypass appliance
super collapsible backpack attachment

How did the Alutiiq commun-icate with animal spirits and natural forces?

masked dances and ceremonies
pot latches
festivals

Where was the “Great Debate” held?

New York
Los Angeles
Chicago

Dance Around the Arctic

Visit the Arctic Studies Center at www.mnh.si.edu/arctic and learn about the history, environment and culture of the people of the Arctic. You’ll find information about animals, clothing, masks and Viking voyages. The Yamal people have preserved their culture for thousands of years. Dance your way around the northernmost parts of the Western Hemi-sphere and view modern-day pictures of places where native villages once stood. Then take a guided tour of the Ainu exhibit.

In the Limelight

Visualize the effect of television on politics with The History of Televised Presidential Debates at www.museum.tv/ debateweb. From Richard Nixon’s “Checkers Speech” in 1952 to Bill Clinton’s appearance on MTV in 1996, you’ll learn about the complex relationship between television and the U.S. presidency. The “Great Debate” of 1960, starring John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon, is at your fingertips. You’ll also find photos, video clips and news articles documenting other presidential debates.

How do you handle group work with someone you don’t get along with?

Speak Out Here!

April Showers

I live in Kansas, and the winters here are rather extreme. That’s why I enjoy the spring. Call me crazy, but I even love spring thunderstorms. Now, I’m not a big fan of tornadoes, but listening to the rain and hearing the rumble of thunder that accompanies a bolt of lightning is pretty slick.

This spring, I was compelled to learn more about what goes on with the weather. I searched online and found www.learner.org/ exhibits/weather/ storms.html. It has basic information about thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes. It was interesting to learn that lightning strikes the ground as many as 100 times during a thunderstorm, such as those in Kansas.

I also came across The Weather Notebook at www.weathernotebook.org. It has a story about the science of weather each day, including responses to weather questions that people ask. It’s definitely worth checking out. And, with an archive of prior stories, you’ll learn all sorts of weather stuff that you may have never even thought about.

—Amy

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