4Kids.org - Week of September 28, 2008

Week of September 28, 2008

Visit the Featured Web sites to find the answers.

What is another name for the Northern Lights?

aurora borealis
satellite
fireworks

To which party did Andrew Jackson belong?

Democratic
Republican
Independent

What is a Warft?

an island mound
a boat
a river

Blazing Glory

You won’t need sunglasses when you gaze upon Sun Struck at http://whyfiles.
org/115sun. Click on Solar Horsepower to learn how "fiery" our sun can be. For example, did you know that every 11 years the sun enters an especially active phase? So watch out for crazy sun-powered storms in 2011. If you are tired of manmade fireworks, see the universe produce its own in Northern Lights, where sun particles are ejected from its glowing surface to produce spectacular results.

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

Picture-Perfect Politics

Put familiar faces with their famous names at the Smithsonian's Mr. President, http://smithsonian
education.org/president/gallery
main.aspx. The leaders of the United States are separated into eras, so click on one to begin. Once you have chosen a time period you want to research, pick out a president to discover cool facts about some of these great men in history. For example, did you know Eisenhower obtained a truce in the Korean War? Take time to get to know them all and celebrate our history.

Not a Tropical Vacation

Kick back and enjoy a different and much colder kind of Island Life at www.bbc.co.uk/northern
ireland/schools/4_11/tykids/
islandlife. This site shines some light on Rathlin and Hallig, two northern islands many of us know little about. Check out Fact Files, where you will see how people on Hallig Oland and Rathlin Island live. Once you feel like an island expert, help out your new friend, Tony, in either Map Activity 1 or Map Activity 2, and put your recent geography knowledge to the test.

Do you have a favorite president?
Which one?

Speak Out Here!

Hidden Household Treasures

Sometimes it's hard for me to throw anything away, since you never know when old stuff will come in handy. Plus, it can be a lot of fun to find new uses for things that seem like trash. I like to make Shrinky Dinks using plastic containers. If you want to try making some, visit www.thinkingfountain.org/
r/reducereuserecycle/reducereuserecycle.html. To make cool charms, punch a small hole in your Shrinky Dink with a hole punch before baking it. Then use jump rings from a craft store to attach your charms to a bracelet or necklace. Homemade charm bracelets also make great gifts.

It doesn't end there! All kinds of things we normally throw away can be used creatively. Did you know that you can use old 2-liter soda bottles to make bird feeders? You can also try making your own recycled paper from old newspapers. Old film canisters can be used to organize a desk. Keep small items such as paper clips or tacks in different canisters and label them. To learn how to make these items and even more cool stuff, visit www.make-stuff.com/recycling.

—Amy

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