4Kids.org - Week of March 14, 2004

Week of March 14, 2004

Civic Education

Civic Education
Get your thinking cap on because Justice Learning, at www.justicelearning.org, will teach you about civic education in the real world. You will find information that affects your daily life, such as gun control, the war on drugs and religion in schools. Affirmative action articles discuss issues of racial preferences at universities. If you are concerned about energy and the environment, catch up on proposals for a nuclear waste repository in Nevada's Yucca Mountains. Explore the interactive timelines to discover what the Constitution says and means.

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

Visit the Featured Web sites to find the answers.

What amendment protects people from unreason-able searches and seizures?

fourth
sixth
seventh

What do astronauts eat in place of bread?

tortillas
pancakes
oatmeal

What’s the name of the scale used to measure tornado violence?

Twister scale
Tornadic scale
Fujita scale

Spacin’ Out of This World

You’ll See Learning in a Whole New Light with NASA at http://edspace.nasa.gov. Learn why the United States continues the space program, and discover how the space program helps improve technology. In Meet the Astronauts, you’ll get to know men and women who call the International Space Station home. They will explain how those wacky space toilets work. Read the day-in-the-life stories for a glimpse at astronaut life. A crew of ground-based people also help NASA reach its goals. (This site is no longer available.)

Blowing Through Tornado Alley

In the mood for something really twisted? Stroll down Tornado Alley at Twister: The Tornado Story, at http://whyfiles.org/
013tornado. One of the worst tornadoes in Midwest history hit on May 4, 2003. Read the seven steps of tornado formation to find out what probably happened that day. The Interactive Twister lets you hold the reigns of an unruly tornado. Adjust the virtual funnel’s width and core pressure to change the storm’s intensity, but beware of flying cows! Catch dramatic photos of disasters and funnel clouds scattered throughout the site.

What is a good age
to start dating?

Speak Out Here!

Dear Amy: How should I study for my tests?
— Choong, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Dear Choong: If you have good study skills all of the time, not just before a test, you are bound to remember what you learn in and out of class. Check out the study skill tips at www.how-to-study.com.

When studying for a test, allow yourself more time than you think you need. Begin studying three or four days in advance for 30 to 60 minutes a day. This will better prepare you than if you spend hours studying on the day before the test. Also, if you find something that you don’t understand, you will have time to ask your teacher about it.

Consider the difficulty of the material. If you struggle with history, allow an extra day for studying. If math is your forte, you might reduce your study sessions to 20 minutes. Just be sure not to shortchange yourself by allowing too little time.

Studying with a friend or in a small group can help, too. If you study with others, decide what to study and how you will do it. Will you concentrate on one topic? Will you take turns discussing different topics until everything is covered? A study plan will reduce the chances of getting off topic.

Good luck on your tests!

Ask Amy a Question