4Kids.org - Week of July 03, 2005

Week of July 03, 2005

La Vida Hispana

It's a cultural fiesta when you Celebrate Hispanic Heritage with Scholastic at http://teacher.scholastic. com/activities/hispanic. Expand your historical perspective in Hispanic History in the Americas with cultural and historical facts through interactive timelines and maps. Meet Famous Latinos like astronaut Ellen Ochoa and WNBA player Rebecca Lobo. Then, check out Latinos in History for stories of influential Hispanics in history. My Heritage tells stories of different Americans and why they are proud of their Hispanic Heritage. Broaden your cultural horizons.

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

Visit the Featured Web sites to find the answers.

What award is Mario Molina famous for winning?

Olympic Gold Medal
Nobel Prize
Pulitzer Prize

Which bird has the keenest sense of smell?

humming-bird
peregrine falcon
turkey vulture

What have been used on Earth since 1931 to investigate celestial objects?

x-rays
radio waves
light sensors

Rockin’ Robin

Take flight and explore The Life of Birds at www.pbs.org/
lifeofbirds. Do smaller brains mean less intelligence? Bird Brains examines the intellect of birds. Soar with the best of the best in Champion Birds and find out which feathered creatures dominate the sky. Then, chirp along to the sound clips of a variety of different birds with Bird Songs. From Pterosaurs to the birds of today, the species of flight has greatly evolved. Learn about these changes in Evolution. This site will ruffle your feathers.

Trip Around the Sun

Learn the Basics of Space Flight at www2.jpl.nasa.gov/basics. Master sections one, two and three and you'll be ready to three, two, one, blastoff! Section I, Environment, involves gravity and other environmental obstacles encountered during space flight. Section II, Flight Projects, introduces you to different types of scientific equipment. Section III, Operations, shows you different phases involved in traveling outside Earth's atmosphere. Think you're ready for orbit? Take the quiz at the end of each section to check your knowledge and prove your abilities.

Do you prefer to play computer, console or handheld games?

Speak Out Here!

Seal the Deal

I have this great idea for an invention. I wish I could tell you about it, but it isn't patented yet. See, if I told everyone my idea, then someone might take it and make millions. I received an e-mail from an Ask Amy reader that prompted me to investigate how I could acquire a patent and how to find out if my idea has already been thought up.

At www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ahrpa/opa/kids/kidprimer.html, I learned how surprisingly easy it is to apply for a patent. The only downfall, however, is that it can cost a lot of money. This site answered all of my questions and provided me with tons of information about patents and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

For those interested in inventions, I would also recommend that you visit http://googolplex.cuna.org/12433/ajsmall/story.html?
doc_id=686#back1 where you can find out about other kids' bright ideas.

Now that I know what needs to be done to patent my idea, I better get started before someone else comes up with it.

(The second site is no longer available.)

—Amy

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