4Kids.org - Week of August 31, 2008

Week of August 31, 2008

Visit the Featured Web sites to find the answers.

What was the first squadron of black pilots to face combat in World War II?

Polk's 75th Fighter Squadron
Tuskegee's 99th Fighter Squadron
Boone's 109th Fighter Squadron

When did horses inhabit the Great Plains?

1500s
1600s
1700s

How old is the Earth?

Between 4.5 and 4.8 thousand years
100 million years
Between 4.5 and 4.8 billion years

Spread Your Wings

Soar in the sky with the Black Wings: African-American Pioneer Aviators at www.nasm.si.edu/
interact/blackwings. The Black Wings Story shares how these men overcame racial discrimination to fulfill their dreams. Many African-Americans were clamoring to support their country when pilots were needed during World War II. Even after they entered combat, there were still obstacles to overcome. From the front lines to military bases, celebrate the many brave men who paved the way for other African-American fighters.

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

Westward Bound

View the beauty of a unique style at the Rockwell Museum of Western Art, www.rockwell
museum.org/collections/Cowboys.html, also known as “The Best of the West in the East.” Travel into the Wilderness and scroll through artistic depictions of the region. If you love animals, Horses will explain how important these animals were for America, from their importation to their historical influence. This site is will give you a new understanding of the American West, it's history and inhabitants.

Follow the Sun

Visit Sunbeams and Sundials, www.diduknow.info/sun to discover all you can about the four seasons. Did you know that the seasons can be different around the world? For example, December in South Africa and Australia is hot and sunny because it’s summer! If you are curious about the sun's location on a given day, pick a date and location at The SunTracker to see a great visual for that time. If you want to put your new knowledge to work, select a project at Things to do at Home, where you can find instructions on tracking time with a handcrafted sundial.

What is your favorite joke?

Speak Out Here!

Dear Amy: Where can I find satellite images of Earth? — Aravind, Calicut, India

Dear Aravind: Whenever I need to know anything about space, I try to find it on NASA’s Web site. Sure enough, NASA has tons of cool satellite images of Earth at http://visibleearth.nasa.gov. You can browse by country, state or even by topics such as agriculture. If you know what you’re looking for, try using the search tool to look up specific images. You might even find something cool enough to save as your desktop wallpaper. My favorite pictures are Earth’s city lights at http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_rec.
php?id=1438. Soon you’ll be seeing the Earth in a whole new way.

Dear Amy: What other sites have educational games? — Arkalekha, Hyderabad, India

Dear Arkalekha: Educational games are a fun way to get some extra practice in different subjects. Need help with your language skills? Edugames, www.eduplace.com/edugames.html, has cool games that let you work on your spelling and proofreading skills and more. Another great place to go is FunBrain at www.funbrain.com/kidscenter.html. You’ll find math games, word games and even sudoku. Cool games like these prove that learning is fun!

—Amy

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