All Wet

Uncover the mysteries of water at The American Museum of Natural History’s H2O=Life, www.amnh.org/
ology/index.php?channel=
water. Check out Living on Ice to put together puzzles as you see how people and animals manage to survive in the Arctic. You can browse through all things water at Water Stuff, where you will learn how to conserve this natural resource and even create your own coral reef. Click on Water Books for Kids, where splashworthy selections promise good reading.

Saved!

The Smithsonian's Losing Paradise?, www.mnh.si.edu
/exhibits/losing_paradise, brings the plight of plants into focus. With more than 20 percent of the Earth’s flora facing potential extinction, action now is crucial. This museum exhibition highlights the conservation efforts scientists are making to save plant diversity for the well-being of our world. From browsing through beautiful illustrations to listening as scientists describe their work, there is much to cover. Get started now and learn about environmental activism.

The Art of Japan

Take a journey to Japan at ARTSEDGE: iPass Japan, http://artsedge.kennedy-
center.org/interactives/ipass/art.html. Japanese art is an amazing blend of traditional and modern influences. Scroll down through the different offerings, such as cultural hot spots in Japan and the creation of paper toys. Directions on creating your own are available to download, so look them up. Then read about the festival logo to discover how a flag can take art to a new level. There is also a section devoted to vocabulary so you can talk the talk when you walk the walk.

What is on your holiday gift list?

Speak Out Here!

Dear Amy: Why is the nervous system important? — Tanmay, Mumbai, India

Dear Tanmay: The nervous system is composed of the network of nerves that run through the body, the spinal cord and the brain. This system is super important, because without it we wouldn't be able to do anything! Think of the brain as the control center for the body. The nervous system interacts with and monitors all the body’s systems. For example, the brain regulates how quickly food moves through the digestive system. To learn more, check out http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/organ.html.

Dear Amy: How are rain, lightning and thunder created? — Brianna, Titusville, Fla.

Dear Brianna: The answer is in the clouds. Clouds are made of tiny water droplets or ice crystals. If these droplets become large and heavy enough, they fall to the ground as precipitation, such as rain, sleet or snow. Water particles colliding inside a cloud create an electrical charge. If the charge is large enough, it can result in lightning and thunder. For more details, visit http://skydiary.com/kids/lightning.html.

—Amy

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