4Kids.org - Week of May 11, 2003

Week of May 11, 2003

Discover the Big One

Add to your reptilian knowledge with information about the 40-foot-long SuperCroc at www.supercroc.com. Get inside the head of SuperCroc to see how strong bones that are filled with teeth and fused into an almost solid block make up crocodile skulls. Your archaeologist side will love learning about the discovery of Sarcosuchus imperator, the largest croc on record. Stephen Godfrey, the skeleton carver, tells of reproducing SuperCroc’s bones. Also, meet 10 Chicago students who attended the SuperCroc discovery announcement. (This site is no longer available.)

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

Visit the Featured Web sites to find the answers.

How much did the SuperCroc weigh?

750 pounds
7,500 pounds
17,500
pounds

What is the most common genetic disorder in the United States?

Hemochro-
matosis
Sickle Cell Disease
Tay-Sachs Disease

What is the purpose of money?

A measure of "value"
To buy things with
To save

Genetic Gene-ius

Ever wonder what can happen when genes mutate? Take a good look at Your Genes, Your Health at www.ygyh.org. The site lists 15 gene-related disorders, including well-known disorders, such as Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease, and lesser-known ones, such as Fragile X syndrome. Get the lowdown on causes, symptoms and treatment of disorders that may affect somebody you know. Video clips allow you to take a walk in the shoes of someone who suffers from a genetic disorder. Get going, gene-ius.

$aving Your Moolah

Budget some time to spend at Banking On Our Future at www.bankingonourfuture.org. Practicing good spending habits can be hard, but this Web site makes it easy. From opening a savings account to operating an ATM, you’ll get the goods on good banking. Budgeting will show you how to spend and save your money. Investment Savings will help you understand how your parents save their money each month. You won’t need to leave a monetary tip, but make sure to take a few savings tips with you.

What subject would you like to spend more time learning about in school?

Speak Out Here!

Dear Amy: How can I get my searches to be more to the point? — Amanda, Covington, Ga.

Dear Amanda: Successful searching requires practice. Before you search, come up with a few words that relate to your topic. Then go to a kid-friendly search engine such as Yahooligans at http://kids.yahoo.com. Start with words that are most directly related to your topic. To search for a phrase, place it in quotation marks. Notice which words produced the best results for your search. Why do you think those words worked well? If you can figure that out, you’re on your way to becoming a searching master.

Dear Amy: What is a PDF file? — Jack, Apple Valley, Minn.

Dear Jack: PDF stands for Portable Document Format. It captures formatting information from desktop publishing applications. Adobe Systems developed it so that files would appear as they were intended to appear on any user’s monitor. Though a PDF file cannot be changed, its universal format means it will print accurately on any machine. To read PDF files, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader. Adobe provides the program for free. You can download it at http://get.adobe.com/reader.

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