4Kids.org - Week of July 27, 2008

Week of July 27, 2008

Visit the Featured Web sites to find the answers.

What did Gregor Mendel use to study genetics?

pea pods
chickens
sunflowers

How many states does the trail run through?

10
11
12

What does
“organic”
mean in art?

derived from the forms of nature
study of organs
music

Jammin' Genetics

Get to know your DNA at The American Museum of Natural History’s “Gene Scene,”
www.amnh.org/ology/
index.php?channel=genetics. Click through the Highlights box to meet up with a DNA Detective who saves animals all over the world. Figure out What Makes You, YOU by zooming inside the human body to get up close and personal with the cells, nuclei, chromosomes and DNA that control your traits. Before you leave, stroll through the Spitzer Hall of Human Origins to uncover cool genetic clues to our past.

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

Ocean Bound

Travel the Lewis and Clark Trail at www.nps.gov/lecl. This national historic trail runs from the Midwest all the way to the Pacific Ocean, retracing the route taken by Captains Merriwether Lewis and William Clark, leaders of the Corps of Discovery, more than 200 years ago. Take a virtual journey along the trail by viewing dozens of images in the Photo Gallery, where cool slide shows such as American Indians and Living History highlight the most amazing parts of Lewis and Clark’s historic expedition.

Looking Forward

Take time to celebrate the forward-thinking individuals who coined Modernism at www.artsmia.org/
modernism. Click on the different icons of the timeline to discover how modern art has progressed. The Arts and Crafts movement became more refined in the era of Art Nouveau when the French brought color and form together to create new beauty. American efforts took glass and ceramic designs to a higher level, while the Viennese honed metalworking skills to add style. Check out the names of the featured artists and see how they contributed to this revolutionary artform.

What is your favorite museum?

Speak Out Here!

Dear Amy: What is the best site for learning French? — Rana, Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia

Dear Rana: Mastering a foreign language is a great way to learn about other cultures. You might even be surprised at how much you have in common with French speakers. A lot of words we have in English are very similar to their French counterparts. For example, the French word for “blue” is “bleu,” and we say “dictionary,” while the French say “dictionnaire.”

One of the best ways to learn a new language is by taking a class or learning from a tutor. Having a teacher is useful because he or she can correct your mistakes or help you if you're having trouble with a pronunciation or grammar. If you can't enroll in a French class, another option is learning at home. There are plenty of resources online that can help you learn French. At Hello-World, www.hello-world.com, you can learn French, Spanish, German and other languages. Another good place to learn basic French is at Zut! Junior, http://zutjunior.languageskills.co.uk/juniorbeginner/exercises.html. These sites are good for beginners or anyone who needs a review. Bon chance!

—Amy

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