4Kids.org - Week of September 5, 2004

Week of September 5, 2004

Inside DNA

Get busy with modern science by Putting DNA to Work at www.koshland-science-museum.org/exhibitdna. DNA is the genetic code that makes each person unique. Police use it to identify criminals. Try matching a DNA strand at a crime scene to the suspects. Did you know that some diseases are genetic and can be passed on in families? See if you can identify the genetic disease in a case study. Animals and plants also have unique DNA strands. In Maize Mutants, you’ll learn how altering DNA can improve crops.

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

Visit the Featured Web sites to find the answers.

What makes up a DNA molecule?

microbes
genes
nucleotides

What animal was considered god of the sea in Ainu culture?

hammerhead shark
killer whale
grey whale

What was the name of Keith Haring’s best childhood friend?

Jeremy Brown
Kermit Oswald
Marcus Johnson

Get to Know the Ainu

Roam through seven rooms dedicated to the Ainu people of Japan at www.mnh.si.edu/arctic/
features/ainu. Ainu: Spirit of a Northern People is a virtual exhibit that lets you explore objects relating to Ainu culture. The Ainu believe that both living and non-living things are spirits of Earth-visiting gods. In Room 5, take a look at the Ainu ceremony of Iyomante, or bear worship. You’ll get a taste of modern Ainu arts and crafts in Room 7, where you can look at a sculpture of a diving sea otter.

Keith Haring for Kids

Jump right into the world of underground artist Keith Haring at www.haringkids.com. You’ll find yourself surrounded by flying saucers, radiating babies, dancing hearts and other colorful characters. Haring’s childlike pictures really burst with energy. Get puzzled by some of his most famous images with fun games such as tic-tac-toe. Then watch wiggly-armed men change into hearts, angels and monkeys in Morphs. If the craziness is too much for you, you can take a break from Haring’s art attack and read about his cartoon-influenced life in the Bio.

If you could travel to any
place in the world,
where would you go?

Speak Out Here!

Something in the Stars?

Astrology is the study of the positions and characteristics of celestial bodies with the belief that they influence the course of human events. The origin of astrology dates back thousands of years. Ancient people observed the stars and planets and noticed how their positions in the sky influenced changed with the seasons. As people learned more about these celestial bodies, they made connections between activity in the sky and occurrences in everyday life, which gave birth to astrology.

Many cultures have their own variations of astrology. Chinese astrology includes 12 animals, which are assigned in a 12-year sequence. You’ll find a story explaining their origin at www.astrology.com/history-chinese-astrology/2-d-d-67537. Vedic astrology is practiced in India. An explanation of its origin at http://vedic.indastro.com says that the Vedas may have received this form of astrology from the god Brahma.

While some people use astrology as a guide for making important decisions, in America, most of us read our horoscopes purely for entertainment.

— Amy

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