Which Way To Go?

Do you ever wonder how continents were discovered many years ago? Find out how captains and crews plotted their way through the oceans to explore the unknown at Marine Navigation in the Age of Exploration, www.seattleartmuseum.org/
exhibit/interactives/spain/
launchWin.htm. Using a quadrant helped determine latitude, while the astrolabe expressed latitude. The octant, used to measure the position of the sun or stars, was especially useful since it worked well when the waves rocked the ship.

Girls Gettin' It Right!

Hook up with other X girls at PBS' SciGirls, http://pbskids.org/scigirls. This cool site celebrates science-loving women and creates a female bonding experience through its experiments. See what other girls are investigating in Projects. Amazing ideas are posted and discussed, so you should be sure to share your ideas too. Profiles will help you make great new friends, so click the keyword that interests you and increase your social network with parental permission.

A Warming Earth

The Smithsonian presents Ideal Labs: Prehistoric Climate Change, www.smithsonianeducation.org/
idealabs/prehistoric_climate_change, to explain global warming in a new way. As you travel back in time and reveal how heat enveloped our Earth, you will join up with scientists, examine fossils and learn about leaf-margin analysis. During your virtual dig you will uncover many truths about the effects of extreme temperatures and how they played a role in habitat change in the past. Take this one to your science class, where it is sure to be appreciated.

Are you concerned about global warming?
Why or why not?

Speak Out Here!

Dear Amy: Is there anything we can recycle besides paper, plastic, metal and glass? — Maiya, Vicksburg, Miss.

Dear Maiya: These items are the most commonly recycled items, but did you know that there are tons of other things that can be recycled or reused? Give new life to cell phones, eyeglasses and musical instruments by donating them. Some items, such as batteries, always need to be recycled, since they can leach toxic chemicals into the environment if they are thrown in the trash. For more unexpected recyclables, check out “Wow, You Can Recycle That?” at http://earth911.com/news/2010/02/08/wow-you-can-recycle-that.

Want to find out where something can be recycled? Check out Earth 911's Recycling 101 at http://earth911.com/recycling. This handy guide has information on how to recycle all kinds of household items such as aerosol cans, cooking oil and even carpet. You can also search for recycling centers in your area.

Next time you clean your room, check twice before throwing something away. You never know what “junk” can be given new life. By reusing and recycling items, you can help those in need and help the Earth, too!

—Amy

Ask Amy a Question