4Kids.org - Week of July 1, 2007

Week of July 1, 2007

Space Storms

Check the forecast before you blast off with a visit to Space Weather Research Explorer at www.exploratorium.edu/ spaceweather. Three...Two... One...Ignition! Watch out for hot winds as you whiz by the coronal holes. Sometimes these solar winds get close to the Earth, causing crazy geomagnetic storm conditions. Coronal mass ejections can spew tons of space matter, creating shock waves that travel at over a million miles an hour. Take a look at Auroras to see the polar light show produced by the sun’s emissions. Click Magnetosphere to see the Earth protect itself from spastic outer space.

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

Visit the Featured Web sites to find the answers.

How far into space does the earth's magnetic field stretch?

About 40,000 miles
About 50,000 miles
About 20,000 miles

What are balloons often mistaken for underwater?

Jellyfish
Crabs
Squid

When was the Diamond Suntra printed?

686 B.C
866 B.C
868 B.C

Tidy Tides

Keep Oceans Clean at www.keepoceansclean.org invites you to throw on your wet suit and venture down into the deep blue waters for an animated adventure. Scroll through marine debris to discover how to reduce pollution and protect this valuable aquatic resource. Powerful currents in the water can collect junk, causing it to wash up on shore and ruin beautiful beaches. You can make a difference by reducing the amount of disposable products you use and by using environmentally safe cleaning products when you tidy up. Play games to save sharks and then test your sea smarts for a clean sea sweep.

A Library Visit

Thanks to the British Library's Online Gallery, www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/ ttp/ttpbooks.html, you can flip through awesome artistic masterpieces without leaving your house. Click on Mozart's Musical Diary for insight into this maestro's talented musings and enjoy amazing audio clips of his work. View the Diamond Sutra to get a glimpse at the oldest book ever printed. Then take a trip into Wonderland for Lewis Carroll's original Alice. You can also travel to another continent by touring the First Atlas of Europe. Explore Elizabeth Blackwell's beautiful botanical illustrations before you go.

How do you beat the summer heat?

Speak Out Here!

Up In Smoke

In only a few days, one of my favorite holidays, Independence Day, will be here! My family likes to have a big picnic with lots of friends and plenty of potato salad. After it gets dark outside, we light our fireworks and then watch the local fireworks display.

Fireworks are one of the things that I like best about Independence Day, but they are also becoming more common for other holidays in America such as New Year’s Eve. This is no surprise, because many other countries around the world celebrate New Year's Eve with large firework displays. Sporting events, corporate displays, and theme parks often use fireworks to attract visitors.

Some local governments may permit people to buy and shoot fireworks for Independence Day and New Year's Eve. If you choose to buy fireworks, make sure you know how to use them safely. Also make sure that your pets are inside the house, because animals can be easily scared by loud noises. For more fireworks safety information, visit www.kidshealth.org/kid/watch/out/
fireworks.html.

—Amy

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