Movie Review: Transformers: Revenge of the FallenRated PG-13 (Movie Theaters and IMAX June 24)

What's the Story?In the sequel to the 2007 hit film Transformers, ordinary teenager Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) must once again help the Autobots save humankind from the villainous Decepticons. That is, if the Decepticons don't capture Sam first. The teen has been experiencing uncontrollable mental flashes filled with strange symbols. The mysterious visions hold the key to the Transformers' ancient alien origins. When the Decepticons learn of the secrets inside of Sam's mind, they will stop at nothing to retrieve it. Can the Autobots take down the bad guys before it's too late? Did You Know?

Peter Cullen has voiced the Autobots' fearless leader, Optimus Prime, since the original Transformers cartoon debuted in 1984. You might also recognize Cullen's voice from several other popular animated series, including The Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. He's the voice of Pooh's gloomy stuffed donkey friend, Eeyore. --Vickie An

This is a brief descritpon of the movie. Did anyone go see the movie? If so, what did you think about the movie? If not, would you want to see it?

Championship Weekend
The Pittsburgh Penguins are NHL champions for the third time, and the Los Angeles Lakers win another NBA title

The United States men's professional hockey and basketball seasons have ended, with great excitement.

In hockey, the championship title went to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins beat the Detroit Red Wings, the team to whom the Penguins lost last year. In basketball, the Los Angeles Lakers won basketball's championship series. That team has spent several years working to win another championship.

Drama on Ice

This year, the Penguins did not plan to let the Red Wings win the prized Stanley Cup. It all came down to the seventh game of the National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup Finals last week. In that final game, the Penguins won, 2-1. It is Pittsburgh's third Stanley Cup championship and its first since 1992.

When the game ended, players on the Penguins threw their sticks and gloves in the air in celebration.

"It's a dream come true," said Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. "It's everything you can imagine and more."

Crosby is 21 years old. He is the youngest team captain in NHL history to lead his crew to the Stanley Cup.

Kobe Bryant's Mission Accomplished

Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant wanted to win a fourth National Basketball Association (NBA) championship badly.

Coming into the 2009 season, Bryant had won three championships while playing on the team with Shaquille O'Neal. The team's last championship came in 2002. Since then, the basketball world wondered if Bryant could lead the team to a championship without O'Neal's help. O'Neal was traded after the 2003-2004 season. He now plays for the Phoenix Suns.

The Lakers came close to another championship last year. They were two games away from achieving it. But the Boston Celtics outplayed them and won.

This year, Bryant and the Lakers met the Orlando Magic in the 2009 NBA Finals. The series was over almost as soon as it began.

Led by Bryant, the Lakers won game five of the NBA championship series on Sunday night. The Lakers won the series of games, 4-1. It is the team's 15th NBA championship.

"It felt so good to have this moment," Bryant said. "For this moment to be here and to look back on the season and everything you've been through, it's top of the list."

Tell me 3 facts you learned from this article. What about this article caught your attention?

Kids' Night on Broadway
The three teenage stars of Billy Elliot are honored with Broadway's top award

Three boys shared a top prize at this year's Tony Awards. They are the youngest people ever to win this prize.

The Tony Awards honor people who have done outstanding work in a Broadway play or musical. Some of the most famous plays and musicals in the world happen on Broadway, in New York City. A person who wins a Tony Award is given a special trophy.

David Alvarez, 15, Trent Kowalik, 15, and Kiril Kulish, 14, won the 2009 Tony for Lead Actor in a Musical. (A lead actor plays the main character in a play or a musical.) They won the award for the part they share in the hit musical Billy Elliot.

David, Trent, and Kiril take turns playing the character of Billy Elliot. One night, David will play Billy. The next night, Trent will take on the part. Kiril will take the stage on the third night. They are called the "Three Billys."

Normally, one person plays the same part in each performance. But there are rules about how much kids under the age of 18 can work. So the three teenagers share the part of Billy.

The Three Billys seemed surprised when they won. But they had a message for other young actors and dancers.

"We want to say to all the kids out there who might want to dance, 'Never give up,' " Kiril said.

Musical With Heart
The character Billy Elliot didn't give up. In the musical, Billy is a schoolboy who lives in northern England. He dreams about becoming a ballet dancer.

But Billy's father is a tough man. He thinks dancing is just for girls. Billy's father tries to stop him from becoming a dancer. But dancing is important to Billy. The musical tells how Billy gets his dad to let him dance.

Billy Elliot: The Musical won a total of 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

Do you ever think you will be famous? If so, what special skills do you think you will be great at? What will you do to help others once you are famous and popular?

All About Volcanoes

Test your knowledge of volcanoes and see how many questions you get correct

Visit the website at http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Games/PuzzlesQuizzes/Quizyournoodle-volcanoes

Then complete the quiz.

Afterwards tell me 3 facts you have learned about volcanoes. Describe the information in your own words.

Your Amazing Brain
Text by Douglas A. Richards

You carry around a three-pound mass of wrinkly material in your head that controls every single thing you will ever do. From enabling you to think, learn, create, and feel emotions to controlling every blink, breath, and heartbeat—this fantastic control center is your brain. It is a structure so amazing that a famous scientist once called it "the most complex thing we have yet discovered in our universe."

Your brain is faster and more powerful than a supercomputer.
Your kitten is on the kitchen counter. She's about to step onto a hot stove. You have only seconds to act. Accessing the signals coming from your eyes, your brain quickly calculates when, where, and at what speed you will need to dive to intercept her. Then it orders your muscles to do so. Your timing is perfect and she's safe. No computer can come close to your brain's awesome ability to download, process, and react to the flood of information coming from your eyes, ears, and other sensory organs.

Your brain generates enough electricity to power a lightbulb.
Your brain contains about 100 billion microscopic cells called neurons—so many it would take you over 3,000 years to count them all. Whenever you dream, laugh, think, see, or move, it’s because tiny chemical and electrical signals are racing between these neurons along billions of tiny neuron highways.

Believe it or not, the activity in your brain never stops. Countless messages zip around inside it every second like a supercharged pinball machine. Your neurons create and send more messages than all the phones in the entire world. And while a single neuron generates only a tiny amount of electricity, all your neurons together can generate enough electricity to power a low-wattage bulb.

Neurons send information to your brain at more than 150 miles (241 kilometers) per hour.
A bee lands on your bare foot. Sensory neurons in your skin relay this information to your spinal cord and brain at a speed of more than 150 miles (241 kilometers) per hour. Your brain then uses motor neurons to transmit the message back through your spinal cord to your foot to shake the bee off quickly. Motor neurons can relay this information at more than 200 miles (322 kilometers) per hour.

When you learn, you change the structure of your brain.
Riding a bike seems impossible at first. But soon you master it. How? As you practice, your brain sends "bike riding" messages along certain pathways of neurons over and over, forming new connections. In fact, the structure of your brain changes every time you learn, as well as whenever you have a new thought or memory.

Exercise helps make you smarter.
It is well known that any exercise that makes your heart beat faster, like running or playing basketball, is great for your body and can even help improve your mood. But scientists have recently learned that for a period of time after you've exercised, your body produces a chemical that makes your brain more receptive to learning. So if you're stuck on a homework problem, go out and play a game of soccer, then try the problem again. You just might discover that you're able to solve it.

Name 2 interesting facts you have learned about your brain. How can you use this information to help you become smarter?

Too Young To Work
By Dina El Nabli

Valdemar Balderas was 12 when he started working in the fields of Minnesota and North Dakota. His workday began before the sun rose and ended as it set. He and his parents labored in the heat, weeding sugar beets and clearing rocks from the fields. They rarely got a day off.

Valdemar, now 14, lives in Eagle Pass, Texas. He is still working in the fields. Every April, his family journeys north to begin months of grueling farmwork. "It's hard," Valdemar told TFK. "It's a lot of work. We have to walk a lot in the fields. At the end of the day, I feel so tired."

Together, Valdemar and his parents earn just $500 a week for their hard work. On average, farmworkers in the United States earn less than $10,000 a year. "The people who pick the food we eat can't get by and make a living wage without having their children help," says Len Morris, the producer and director of Stolen Childhoods, a recent documentary film about child labor.

Forced to Work
An estimated 250 million kids are forced to work in hard, often dangerous jobs all over the world. They mine precious metals, weave rugs and work in factories. As many as 500,000 kids in the U.S. and more than 100 million worldwide labor on plantations and farms.

Many countries don't have laws to protect child laborers. In the U.S., a law called the Fair Labor Standards Act requires safe working conditions and limits the number of hours kids can work. But the law, which was passed in 1938, does not apply to children who toil on farms. Twelve-year-old kids are allowed to work 12-hour days in the fields with their families.

Experts estimate that more than 100,000 children and teens are injured on farms each year. They use sharp knives and scissors designed for adult hands. Many operate heavy machinery and are exposed to poisonous agricultural chemicals.

"If you get hurt, there is no one to help," Santos Polendo, 19, told TFK. He spent 10 years working in the fields. He had to carry 40-pound buckets of onions in sweltering heat. He often suffered backaches, knee pain and headaches. "Sometimes, the heat was so bad, it gave me headaches for a week straight," Polendo says.

Ticket to a Better Future
Migrant families move regularly to find work in the fields. Last year, the Balderas family took Valdemar out of school in April. He did not attend school again until October. When he returned, he struggled to catch up with the help of tutors.

Because migrant children miss so much school, as many as 65% drop out. Sadly, their troubles often go unnoticed. "They're so invisible," says Ellen Trevino, who works with migrants in a program called Motivation, Education and Training (MET). "The rest of us don't go into the fields. We don't understand what they go through."

Last year, the Department of Labor cut funds for migrant-youth programs in 31 states. The programs had provided kids with tutors and resources and replaced income that parents lost when their kids stayed in school.

The Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs is fighting to restore the money for migrant education and training programs, including MET, and to increase earnings for adult farmworkers. The group is also pressuring Congress to provide kids working in agriculture with the same protection as other working kids.

But for Santos Polendo and other migrant kids, education is the ticket to a better future. Polendo stopped working in the fields two years ago, after his father got sick. He will graduate high school in May and wants to attend college and become an art teacher. One day, Polendo would like to have a family. He hopes his kids never have to work in the fields and "experience what I experienced."

Sometimes kids are not as lucky as we are to have communities to help us become educated and successful. These kids , while not going to school, do not have much of a future. How can school help prepare you to be successful? What can we do to help kids who do not go to school?

She's Changing the World
Maggie Doyne receives top honors at the 2009 Do Something Awards for her work with children in Nepal

The summer after Maggie Doyne graduated from high school, she decided to spend a year traveling the world before she started college. The journey changed her life — and the lives of hundreds of orphaned children — forever.

In 2006, Doyne took a backpacking trip through the Himalaya Mountains in the war-torn country of Nepal, in Asia. She met a slew of orphaned children. Having grown up comfortably in Mendham, New Jersey, Doyne was shocked to see so many kids living on the streets. She wanted to do something about it. So, Doyne used her savings of $5,000 in babysitting money to buy an acre of land in the village of Surkhet. Then, she built the kids a home, the Kopila Valley Children's Home.

Now, the Do Something foundation is doing something for Doyne. The youth organization provides resources and support for teens that want to make a difference in the world. On Thursday night, the foundation named Doyne the $100,000 grand-prize recipient of the 2009 Do Something Award.

A Life-Altering Trek
The Kopila Valley Children's Home officially opened its doors in 2008. Doyne, now 22 years old, currently cares for 26 kids at the home. She has helped more than 700 other orphans find families. She also runs an outreach program that provides scholarships for needy families to send their children to school. The children at the home learn basic skills such as sewing and cooking. They also grow their own food in their garden and raise farm animals.

Doyne admits that she didn't have it all figured out when she first arrived in Nepal. "I just felt that there was something there for me," she told TFK. She settled on building a children's home after speaking with the community about what they needed. Doyne says that her parents were supportive of her mission. But it was a challenge to convince other adults that an 18-year-old girl could accomplish such a big project . Still, Doyne never gave up on fund raising. In just over a year, she had enough money to build her dream home.

Seeing the finished project was emotional for Doyne. "It doesn't feel real sometimes," she says. "Even moments when all the kids are sitting at the table for breakfast, or they're happy and all dancing . . . it's the best feeling in the world."

The Best of the Best
Each year, Do Something presents five of the most outstanding youth leaders in the world with $10,000 for their service work. The public then votes on which of those five winners should receive the $100,000 grand prize.

Doyne and the four other finalists were honored on Thursday night at the historic Apollo Theater in New York City. High School Musical's Corbin Bleu hosted the special event. There were performances by pop/rock group Boys Like Girls and Akon. The rapper's Konfidence Foundation works with underprivileged youth in Africa.

R&B star Usher Raymond received the Do Something Celebs Gone Good civic leader award for his charity, Usher's New Look. The organization helps disadvantaged kids from tough neighborhoods get the skills they need to be successful, whether they want to be music moguls or marketing experts. "Service is raw energy," Raymond said in his acceptance speech. "When you put it in the hands of youth, it becomes power. You can make a difference no matter what age you are."
Finally, it was time for the biggest award of the night. The audience hushed as VH1 President Tom Calderone announced the Do Something grand-prize winner. Doyne ran across the stage and jumped into Calderone's arms. In a tearful speech, Doyne dedicated the award to a young girl that lived in the home who recently passed away from cancer. She also revealed plans to build a school and community center with the grant money she had just won.

"Sometimes making somebody's dream come true is a "yes" away," Doyne told the crowd. "This all started as a "yes" from my mom and dad, who let me backpack around the world. We all have the ability to say yes to somebody and make their dreams come true."

The Power of Youth
Actor Andrew Shue and his childhood friend Michael Sanchez founded the Do Something organization in 1993. Their dream was to create an online community that would inspire, support and celebrate teenagers who wanted to make change. These youths would see the problems in the world, believe that they could solve them and then take action. Do Something would provide the tools and resources to help make it happen.

Sixteen years later, Shue and Sanchez's vision has empowered millions of young people to get involved in their communities. The organization works with more than 500 school clubs across the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. The groups tackle all kinds of causes, including human rights issues, poverty, bullying and education.

This girl is really making a difference on our world. Kids can make huge impacts on their communities and the communities of others. Now, as a very smart kid, what would be your task you would want to start to help others? Describe it and tell me why you are impassioned to do it!

Toucans

Toucan Video Clip
Enter the world of the Toucan and it’s habitat. Watch this short video clip on toucns and then answer the questions.

Click the link below http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/kids/animals-pets-kids/birds-kids/toucan-kids.html

Now, post
1. One interesting fact you learned about the toucan
2. How are toucans different from other birds we know?
3. What book, story, or movie does this video remind you of?
4. What did you already know that helped you understand his article?

National Bike Month

National Bike Month

May is National Bike Month. Whether you rely on your bike for transportation or exercise, you’ll enjoy these ten fun facts on this two-wheeled vehicle.

· In 1817, Karl von Drais, a German baron, invented a horseless carriage that would help him get around faster. The two-wheeled, pedal-less device was propelled by pushing your feet against the ground, The machine became known as the “draisine,” and led to the creation of the modern-day bicycle.

· The term “bicycle” was not introduced until the 1860s, when it was coined in France to describe a new kind of two-wheeler with a mechanical drive.

· Orville and Wilbur Wright, the brothers who built the first flying airplane, operated a small bike repair shop in Dayton, Ohio. They used their workshop to build the 1903 Wright Flyer.

· Fred A. Birchmore, 25, circled the globe by bicycle in 1935. The entire trip, through Europe, Asia, and the United States, covered forty thousand miles. He pedaled about 25,000 miles. The rest was traveled by boat. He wore out seven sets of tires.

· There are over a half billion bicycles in China. Bikes were first brought to China in the late 1800s.

· About 100 million bicycles are manufactured worldwide each year.

· Over the past 30 years, bicycle delivery services have developed into an important industry, especially in cities, where the couriers have earned a reputation for their high speed and traffic-weaving skills.

·Americans use their bicycles for less than one percent of all urban trips. Europeans bike in cities a lot more often—in Italy 5 percent of all trips are on bicycle, 30 percent in the Netherlands, and seven out of eight Dutch people over age 15 have a bike.

· The Tour de France is one of the most famous bicycle races in the world. Established in 1903, it is considered to be the biggest test of endurance out of all sports. Lance Armstrong, an American cyclist, is the only rider to have won seven titles (1999–2005) after surviving cancer.

· Bicycle Moto Cross (BMX), an extreme style of bicycle track racing, became a sport in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Maris Strombergs, of Latvia, received the gold medal for Men’s BMX, and Anne-Caroline Chausson, from France, took home the gold in the first Women’s BMX Olympic event.

There are so many cool facts about bikes. I feel smarter already.
Now tell me the 3 most interesting facts you have learned about bikes?

Malaria No More

Malaria No More

National Geographic Kids teamed up with Jordin Sparks and Malaria No More to help save kids' lives in Africa. Last fall we asked readers to donate to the "Be a Star, Save a Life" campaign through the group Malaria No More, and thousands of you joined the effort. Kids all over the country donated funds to purchase bed nets to protect African children from mosquitoes which carry a deadly disease called malaria.

Through your generosity, we received $23,459, which Jordin and Malaria No More matched dollar for dollar for a total of $46,918! Now we can help protect 9,380 kids from malaria in Africa.

Along with donations, kids sent in letters about their fundraising efforts at school or in their neighborhoods.

Here are excerpts from a few of the letters we received:
My name is Spencer and I am a third grader. I am trying to raise money for Malaria No More, a nonprofit organization. I learned about malaria from my classroom magazine, National Geographic Explorer…All the money I raise will help MNM provide bed nets. To raise money for these bed nets, I will be selling homemade crayons shaped like pumpkins, hearts, and gingerbread men. …If you want to help out, but you don’t want the crayons you can write a check to Malaria No More…

These kids are really making a difference in the world.

What is malaria?
How are these kids helping people with this disease?

S-U-C-C-E-S-S!

S-U-C-C-E-S-S!
Kavya Shivashankar is the 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee Champ
By Vickie An May 29, 2009

If Kavya Shivashankar, 13, was nervous, she never showed it. On Thursday, the eighth-grader from Olathe, Kansas, confidently spelled her way through 16 tongue-twisting rounds to be crowned queen of the 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee. The spelling contest takes place each year in Washington, D.C.

Kavya took top honors after correctly spelling Laodicean (lay-odd-uh-see-an). The word means to be indifferent or lukewarm, especially in matters of politics or religion. Kavya calmly wrote out Laodicean on her palm before spelling it aloud, as she had done with every word before it. And, as she had done with every word before it, Kavya nailed it. A wide grin stretched across her face as the audience erupted in cheers. Tears of triumph trickled down her cheeks while her parents and younger sister showered her with hugs.

Last Speller Standing
The final spelldown began on Tuesday with a written test. A total of 293 champion spellers participated in the competition, a record high in the event's 82 years. Contestants ranged in age from 9 to 15. They came from all over the country and from around the world. The finals aired Thursday night on ABC.

After 12 rounds, Kavya faced off against Aishwarya Pastapur, 13, of Springfield, Illinois, and Tim Ruiter, 12, of Centreville, Virginia. Aishwarya was stumped in Round 15 by the word menhir (men-heer), which is a standing stone monument. Tim missed the word maecenas (mee-see-nuhs), meaning a generous patron or supporter of the arts.

Then there was only Kavya. It was the eighth-grader's fourth appearance at the Bee. In previous years, she has placed tenth, eighth and fourth. Persistence pays. As the last speller standing, Kavya received more than $40,000 in cash and prizes and an engraved golden trophy. "I can't believe it happened," she said. "It feels kind of unreal."
Bee Season

Spelling competitions have gained popularity in recent years. This is thanks in part to extra attention given to it by films, such as 2006's Akeelah and the Bee and the 2002 Oscar-nominated documentary Spellbound, which followed eight 1999 Bee contenders. Spelling contests also got a musical rendition on Broadway with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. The show won two Tony Awards in 2005.

Kavya credits Spellbound as the inspiration behind her spelling career. The eighth-grader says her role model is 1999 Bee winner Nupur Lala, who was featured in the documentary. Now, Kavya is a champion speller too. "This is the moment we've been waiting for," said her father and spelling coach, Mirle Shivashankar. "It's a dream come true."

Kavya, who attends California Trail Junior High School, is retiring from spelling competitions after this year. Mirle says his daughter may enter the science-based Brain Bee contest. That would be a fitting choice since Kavya wants to be a brain surgeon one day. Still, she says, "I don't think anything can replace spelling. It has been such a big part of my life."

There must be a lot of pressure during a national spelling bee.
Have you ever been in a spelling bee? If so, how was it? Would you do it again?
If not, how do you think you would do? Would you want to be in a spelling bee?

Up and Away!

Up and Away!
Director Pete Docter talks to TFK all about the new Pixar film, Up
By Martha Pickerill
Can grouchy old Carl escape his lonely life by attaching 10,000 helium balloons to his house and floating away forever? Pete Docter of Pixar Animation Studios explores this fantasy in Up.

"As a kid, I always thought of getting balloons and seeing how many it would take to lift me up," Docter told TFK. He also directed Monsters, Inc. and wrote stories for many Pixar films.
Tricks of the Trade

Pixar films are computer animated. The art and science of computer animation are constantly changing. Every time a new film is made, the digital bag of tricks has a new tool in it. Docter says that making the balloons look believable was the biggest challenge.

"We had to figure out what would happen as the balloons bumped into each other," Docter says. "We had a computer program to make those movements happen," so that each one didn't have to be drawn individually.

The team had fun researching the film. They rode in a hot-air balloon. They visited South America, where Carl goes, to be sure the landscape was drawn accurately. "That was amazing," Docter says.

A Lifelong 'Toon Fan
Docter's parents are musicians. The family went to a lot of concerts. Young Pete would draw wacky cartoons on his concert program. "I'd draw all over it. What if a football landed in the tuba? Or all the violin strings popped?" says Docter. In college, he studied cartoon drawing, not fine art.

After becoming a pro cartoonist, he tried creating art on computers, and found a whole new way to tell a story.
What advice does he have for kids who want to make animated films? "Draw, draw, draw!"

Up seems like it will be a great movie for the whole family.
Will you want to see this movie? Why or why not?

View From the Crown

View From the Crown
Statue of Liberty's crown to reopen for visitors
By Laura Leigh Davidson May 28 , 2009

There will be more than fireworks and festivals to celebrate Independence Day this year. On July 4, the crown of the Statue of Liberty will once again be open to visitors.The entire statue was closed to the public after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the United States.

In 2004, the base, pedestal, and lower observation deck were reopened to visitors.But the Department of the Interior, which oversees U.S. national parks and landmarks, decided to keep Lady Liberty's crown closed. Officials were mainly concerned about the safety of the narrow 168-step spiral staircase that leads to the top of the statue.Thanks to a number of recent improvements funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar says the crown can be reopened.

"On July 4th, we are giving America a special gift," Salazar said earlier this month. "We are once again inviting the public to celebrate our great nation and the hope and opportunity it symbolizes by climbing to Lady Liberty's crown for a unique view of New York Harbor, where . . . millions of American families first saw the new world."

There are some restrictions for crown visitors. Only 10 people can occupy the crown at one time. Park rangers must escort visitors up the spiral staircase to the top of the statue.

"It's exciting to bring people up here and let them [see] New York City," Statue of Liberty ranger Bill Maurer told KABC News.The Statue of Liberty's real name is Liberty Enlightening the World.

The people of France gave the huge copper statue to the people of the U.S. as a memorial to American independence and as a symbol of friendship.The female figure stands for freedom, or independence. The tablet in her left hand—with the date July 4, 1776—represents the Declaration of Independence. The right hand holds the Torch (or Light) of Freedom.

The broken chain near the feet symbolizes the victory of liberty over tyranny.

Now lets start our essay with a thesis statement

What does the Statue of Liberty stand for?
What happened to close the view from the crown?

The Meaning Behind Memorial Day

May 24, 2009
The Meaning Behind Memorial Day
The three-day weekend is about more than barbecues, blockbusters and the beach
By Carolyn Buchanan

Though spring doesn't end until June 21, many people consider Memorial Day, which falls on May 25 this year, to be the real start of summer. To prove it, families will be heating up the grill, catching the biggest movies and enjoying the great outdoors. But Memorial Day has the word "memorial" in it for a reason.

The holiday got started on May 30, 1868, when Union General John A. Logan declared the day an occasion to decorate the graves of Civil War soldiers. Twenty years later, the name was changed to Memorial Day. On May 11, 1950, Congress passed a resolution requesting that the President issue a proclamation calling on Americans to observe each Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace and designating a period on that day when the people of the United States might unite in prayer. President Richard M. Nixon declared Memorial Day a federal holiday in 1971. Memorial Day is now observed on the last Monday of May. It is an occasion to honor the men and women who died in all wars.

Remembering Those Who Served
It is customary to mark Memorial Day by visiting graveyards and war monuments. One of the biggest Memorial Day traditions is for the President or Vice President to give a speech and lay a wreath on soldiers' graves in the largest national cemetery, Arlington National Cemetery, in Virginia. Most towns have local Memorial Day celebrations. Here are some ways you can honor the men and women who serve our country:
• Put flags or flowers on the graves of men and women who served in wars.

• Fly the U.S. flag at half-staff until noon.

• Visit monuments dedicated to soldiers, sailors and marines.

• Participate in a National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. local time.

• March in a parade.

Why is Memorial Day a national holiday?
What do most people do to celebrate Memorial Day?

A Cleaner Automobile

A Cleaner Automobile
President Barack Obama sets new car and truck efficiency standards aimed at reducing oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions
By Dante A. Ciampaglia May 20 , 2009

The cars on America's roadways are about to change.From the White House Rose Garden yesterday, President Barack Obama outlined his plan to make America's cars more fuel-efficient and more eco-friendly.

The President was joined in the Rose Garden by the leaders of 10 car companies, the President of the United Auto Workers union, and both Democrat and Republican lawmakers."

For the first time in history, we have set in motion a national policy aimed at both increasing gas mileage and decreasing gas pollution for all new trucks and cars sold in the United States of America," Obama said.

Obama said he wants the average fuel efficiency for America's cars and trucks to be 35.5 miles per gallon (mpg) by the year 2016. Currently, the average is 25 mpg.Fuel efficiency measures how many miles a car can travel on one gallon of gasoline. So if a car has a fuel efficiency rating of 25 mpg, that means it can travel 25 miles on one gallon of gas.

By increasing fuel efficiency, America's drivers will use 1.8 billion fewer barrels of oil and eliminate approximately 900 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions by 2016. That's equal to taking 58 million cars off the road for a year.

But the President's plan will mean increased costs for both car buyers and carmakers.

Car buyers can expect prices of new cars to increase by $1,300 by the year 2016.

This is because carmakers will need to spend more money to develop new technologies.

He was quick to add that the money saved by using less fuel will more than make up for the increased cost of a new car. He said that the typical driver would save $2,800 over the life of the vehicle.

Leaders of America's car industry are happy with the President's plan.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ford, Alan Mulally, said he was "absolutely pleased" with the plan Obama laid out. And General Motors (GM) CEO Fritz Henderson said it "will benefit consumers across America."

"Energy security and climate change are national priorities that require federal leadership, and the President's direction makes sense for the country and the industry," Henderson said.

President Obama has created laws to ecourage autobile makers to lessen the need for gas and prevent pollution.
How is this important?
These new eniornmentally friendly cars will cost more. Do you think the higher price will be worth it?

The End of an Incredible Journey

The End of an Incredible Journey
Astronauts complete their servicing mission to Hubble and prepare for a return to Earth
By Dante A. Ciampaglia May 22 , 2009


For seven days, the cargo bay of the space shuttle Atlantis was a kind of interstellar repair shop.

Astronauts aboard the shuttle pulled the Hubble Space Telescope out of its orbit and brought it into the cargo bay for some much-needed repairs and upgrades.They added new cameras. They replaced gyroscopes. They repaired equipment that stopped working years ago.

It was the fifth and final Hubble repair mission. The installation of all this new and refurbished equipment gave Hubble a new lease on life. Scientists expect Hubble will remain operational for at least five more years, thanks to the astronauts. Without them, Hubble would have stopped working much sooner.

After five spacewalks and more than 36 hours outside the shuttle, astronauts finished servicing Hubble.On Tuesday, Atlantis astronaut Megan McArthur used the shuttle's robotic arm to lift Hubble out of the cargo bay. The robot arm let go of Hubble, and Hubble floated back into its place, 350 miles above Earth.

"There are folks who thought we couldn't do this," lead flight director Tony Ceccacci said. "They told us 'You're too aggressive.' I don't want to say 'We told you so,' but we told you so."

The astronauts worked on parts of Hubble that were never meant to be accessed in outer space. Thanks to special tools, they were able to work on delicate equipment in their big, bulky space suits, with little trouble.

There was one piece of Hubble that did pose a problem, though.During one of their spacewalks, astronauts needed to access Hubble's Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph camera. To reach it, they had to remove a handrail. But a bolt attaching the rail to the telescope wouldn't come off.They used every tool in their kit to remove the bolt. Nothing worked. Finally, they used good old-fashioned brute force, and ripped the handrail off.

The stuck handrail was frustrating for the astronauts. But in the end it was a small problem on an otherwise "incredible journey," according to Atlantis commander Scott Altman."It's amazing to look back at how hard things looked a couple of times—more difficult than I ever expected," Altman said. "And then to overcome and wind up with everything done in the way that it was—we were very successful."

With their mission over, the Atlantis crew is preparing for their return home. They were scheduled to return to Earth Friday. But bad weather in Florida forced NASA to postpone their return trip until Saturday.

Meanwhile, scientists on Earth are anxious to put the upgraded Hubble to use.

The new equipment will allow researchers to look 13.2 billion light years into space. That's farther than ever before."I truly believe this is a very important moment in human history, and I think it's an important moment for science," Hubble project scientist David Leckrone said. "Just using what Hubble's already done as a starting point, it's unimaginable that we won't go dramatically further than that."

All of the new equipment and cameras should be ready for use by late summer. Hubble should start sending data and images sometime in September.

It is amazing to see astronauts working on the Hubble telescope. Do you think that the astronauts ever thought they would be in outer space fixing a gigantic telescope? What do you want to be when you grow up? Remember to describe in length your vision and dreams.

Frog Island

Frog Island
Scientists discover as many as 221 new frog species in Madagascar

Madagascar is a hotbed of animal life. But researchers are learning that there's a lot more wildlife on this island than they thought.Last week, scientists from the Spanish Scientific Research Council reported that they discovered between 129 and 221 new frog species in Madagascar.

This find nearly doubles the number of known amphibian species on the island.The discovery is exciting for scientists who study Madagascar. They thought they had already discovered most of the wildlife on the island."

During the past 15 years, we discovered and described over 100 new frog species from Madagascar, which led us to believe that our species inventory is almost complete," Dr. Frank Glaw, a member of the research team, said. "But as our new surveys show, there are many more species than we suspected."

Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world. It's located off the southeast coast of Africa. The country is known for its exotic wildlife, like the ringtail lemur.

Nearly 80 percent of all mammals in Madagascar live only on that island country. The island also has a unique population of amphibian life.

Scientists had previously catalogued 217 types of frogs in Madagascar. All but one of them is native to the country.

This latest discovery of frogs leads scientists to think that there are many animal species living in Madagascar that have yet to be found.In order to find them, researchers need to work quickly.

An unstable government and decades of logging have led to nearly 80 percent of Madagascar's rain forests being destroyed. And this deforestation is threatening all of the island's native animals.

Conservation efforts have been in place in Madagascar for years. But without a strong government to enforce laws, loggers have been able to cut down trees in national parks and other reserves.

This is troubling for scientists on the research team that discovered the new frogs. Only about a quarter of the new frog species they found lived in protected areas.

That means the rest were discovered in parts of the country that are open to logging and deforestation.

The research team hopes its discoveries will bring attention to the importance of conservation in Madagascar, as well as all over the planet. The group says that finding these new frogs demonstrates how much has yet to be discovered in our natural world."

People think that we know which plant and animal species live on this planet," Miguel Vences, a member of the research team, said. "But the centuries of discoveries have only just begun. The majority of life-forms on Earth are still awaiting scientific recognition."

Let’s write an essay! Think thesis statement, supporting details and restated thesis when responding to this blog.

Why is Madagascar an important place for scientists?
Why are they working to protect the rainforest on this island?

A Summer Movie Preview

A Summer Movie Preview

On July 1, everyone's favorite subzero heroes return to the big screen in Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. The series' third installment finds Manny the mammoth preparing to be a daddy! Ray Romano is the voice of Manny. The actor won't reveal whether the baby is a boy or a girl. But he does have name suggestions. "If it's a girl, maybe Missy to match Manny," Romano told TFK. "And if it's a boy, Thunderhead."

Go, Guinea Pigs, Go!
On July 24, the fate of the world rests in the paws of the G-FORCE. They're a team of secret-agent guinea pigs in Disney's new 3-D animated film, G-FORCE. The furry spies are on a mission to take down an evil billionaire. "They're so cuddly," director Hoyt Yeatman told TFK. "You'd never take them for spies."

Casting Her Spell
The villainous Lord Voldemort is not the only force Harry Potter battles in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, in theaters July 15. In the series' latest film, the teenage wizard must also fight a growing crush on his best friend Ron's younger sister, Ginny. She is played by actress Bonnie Wright, 18. Once incredibly shy, Ginny has blossomed into a confident and talented witch. Everyone at Hogwarts takes notice, especially Harry. "It's really nice to see how Ginny has come into her own," Wright told TFK. "She's grown up a lot throughout the films."

Museum Madness!
It's a new night, a new museum and a new adventure for actor Ben Stiller. On May 22, he's back as security guard Larry Daley in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. Fans of the first movie know to expect lots of action. "The Smithsonian has so many exhibits," Stiller told TFK. "A lot of crazy stuff comes to life."

With so many new movies coming out this summer, which would you want to see first? Is there a movie you just would not want to see? Please explain your reasoning.

Quiz Your Noodle: Water

Quiz Your Noodle: Water

Water is a precious resource that you might not think about unless the mercury climbs on a hot, sunny day. See how much you know about water and why some people call it "liquid gold." Take the quiz and learn as you go. http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Games/PuzzlesQuizzes/Quizyournoodle-water

Now, let’s write an essay. Start with a thesis statement, and answer the 2 questions. Don’t forget to end your essay with a restated thesis.

After you have taken the quiz, tell me 2 facts that you have learned about water.
Why is water so important for the Earth?

What's Wild About African Wild Dogs?

What's Wild About African Wild Dogs?
September 3, 2008
Text by Catherine Clarke Fox

"Imelda," a young African wild dog watches Dr. McNutt from a few yards away.
Photograph courtesy Lesley Boggs-McNutt

What’s the difference between African wild dogs and the dogs we know as pets?

For one thing, African wild dogs, which live in Africa, south of the Sahara desert, only have four toes, while domestic dogs and wolves have five. But you wouldn’t want to count for yourself, because these are truly wild animals.

"Wild dogs are not somebody's domestic dogs that ran away and didn't come back, although some people used to think that," explains Dr. "Tico" McNutt, who studies these animals at Wild Dog Research Camp in the African country of Botswana. "They are actually Africa's wolf, and just like wolves, they do not make good pets. They need to be out in the wild doing what they are supposed to be doing—ranging many miles every day and hunting to find the food they need to survive and feed pups."

In fact, they travel so far that researchers use radio collars to keep track of them. The collars send out radio signals that tell people where the dogs are. African wild dogs are a separate species from domestic dogs: Lycaon pictus, which means painted, wolf-like animal. No two wild dogs have the same pattern to their coats, so it is easy to tell them apart.

Roaming through grasslands, savannas, and wooded areas, they hunt gazelles and other antelopes, baby wildebeests, warthogs, birds, and rats. Incredible hunters, they can run up to 35 miles per hour (56 kilometers per hour).

African wild dogs are smart and sociable, like pet dogs. They enjoy each others' company and live in packs of about six to 20 animals. Both males and females look out for young dogs and make sure they have food. Dr. McNutt was surprised to learn that they like pups so much, they will even take care of orphans that don’t belong to them.

African wild dogs talk to each other with two common types of calls, says Dr. McNutt. "The 'hoo' call is a call that they make when lost or when a pack member is missing. It sounds almost like an owl." The dogs can hear the call two or three miles away and easily find each other.

On the other hand, says Dr. McNutt, "The twitter calls are intended to carry only very short distances, and are used to wake up the pack members and rally them to go hunting. They are very high pitched and sound almost like songbird calls."

There's one huge difference between domestic or pet dogs and African wild dogs. Millions of domestic dogs live on the planet, but there are probably fewer than 6,000 African wild dogs left.

Lions and hyenas eat them, but most of all, African wild dogs are threatened by people. Humans hunt them, and ranchers and farmers who don’t want them going after cows and sheep poison them. Humans are also destroying the wild, natural habitat they need to survive.

Researchers like Dr. McNutt are working to help people understand how rare and special these animals are. Today more ranchers are finding other ways to protect their cows and sheep from African wild dogs instead of killing the rare and special animals.

What are some differences between African wild dog and domestic pet dogs? Why are there so few of these wild creatures left?

Star Parties: Discovering the Night Sky

Star Parties: Discovering the Night Sky
Text by Catherine Clarke Fox

Locations away from city lights with clear skies make ideal places for star parties.
Photograph by Bruce Dale

More than a hundred adults and kids gather on a cold evening, chattering excitedly as they stand in the dark on a Virginia hillside.The odd thing is, no one has turned on a flashlight, and no streetlights or house lights wink on around them.These people have traveled to the countryside more than an hour from Washington, D.C., to get away from the glow of city lights.

That’s because they are attending a star party.Star parties are gatherings where professional and amateur astronomers set up their telescopes and invite people to come learn about the night sky. Getting away from light pollution, or artificial skylight from buildings for example, helps stargazers see objects in the sky much better.At this star party, Sean O’Brien of the National Air and Space Museum’s Einstein Planetarium starts off by asking the crowd to simply look up and take in all they can see. He points out plenty of things that can be seen with out special equipment. Stars, satellites, and even the Andromeda galaxy can be found if you know where to look.After O’Brien’s guided tour, several dozen astronomers offer close-up views.

Each has focused their telescope on a different part of the sky. As kids take a look, the owner gives a mini-lesson.O’Brien says you can have your own star party at home and learn a lot just by paying attention to what’s happening up above. “Watch the sky as the seasons pass, and you will see that it changes,” he says.“Or start with the moon. Lots of people know the full moon and the crescent moon, but don’t know the phases in between. Notice when and where you are seeing it—maybe even in the early morning while you wait for the school bus.”

More Stargazing Tips from Sean O’Brien:
Winter is a good time for stargazing because the haze caused by summer's humidity in many parts of the country is gone.

You don't need an expensive telescope, just a star chart. In fact, a telescope can be frustrating if you don't have a basic knowledge of the night sky. Try binoculars first, and use a tripod to hold them up so your arms don't get tired.

Find a place where you feel safe.

Look for a spot where lights aren't shining in your eyes, like in the shadow of your house where your neighbor's porch light is blocked.

Take your time. You will see a lot more after 30 minutes in the dark than you will after just a few minutes because your eyes need time to adjust to the dark.

Looking for a star party near you? Contact your local planetarium, science museum, or astronomy club.

Why did a group of people gather on a dark hillside in Virginia? Why is it important to stargaze in full darkness, and not where there is light shining in your eyes? How can you have your own star party?

Flying Car Company Takes Bookings

Flying Car Company Takes Bookings
January 23, 2009

It's a car. It's a plane. It's both.

It's the Transition Roadable Aircraft, what is being called the "flying car," the product of Terrafugia, a Woburn, Mass., company. Many years in the making, Transition is now ready for some initial testing — and some business.

It's a car: It has front-wheel drive, seats two, and allows entry just like an automobile. It has a fuel tank of 20 gallons and gets 30 miles to the gallon. With a top speed of 65 mph, it can compete with many commuter vehicles.

It's a plane: It can cruise at up to 115 mph. In the air, it burns 5 gallons an hour.
The Transition is on the tall side. With the wings folded up and the driver in car mode, the vehicle is 6 feet, 9 inches tall. That's only six inches taller than the plane itself. The length is similar to longer trucks: 18 feet, 19 inches in auto mode and 19 feet, 2 inches in plane mode. The wingspan, unfolded, is 27 feet, 6 inches.

This isn't your everyday vehicle in another way as well: The price is expected to be $194,000.

Imagine that you drive this car. Where would you go? What would you do? Write a short narrative story about a road trip you would take.

A May Day for Mom

A May Day for Mom
You may know your mom, but how well do you really know Mother's Day?
By Carolyn R. Buchanan

Cards, flowers, sales, TV specials, and a day off for someone who really deserves it - that's what probably springs to mind for many people when they think about Mother's Day. But there's definitely more to the story.
Library of CongressMore than 100 years ago, Julia Ward Howe came up with the idea to honor mothers.

The Earliest Mother's Day
Mother's Day hasn't been around as long as moms have, but the tradition does go way back. The earliest Mother's Day celebrations were held in the springtime in ancient Greece. The celebrations honored Rhea, the Mother of the Gods. During the 1600's, England celebrated a day called "Mothering Sunday," a day in which even servants were given the day off to spend with their families. A "mothering cake" was even served with the family meal.

Mother's Day Here at Home
In the U.S., Mother's Day began in 1872 when Julia Ward Howe, who wrote the words to famous song "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," suggested it as a day dedicated to peace. But it didn't really catch on until 1907 when Anna Jarvis started a campaign to honor her own mother. She believed that mothers could help people get over the pain they experienced during the Civil War.

Moms Celebrated All Over the World
The U.S. isn't alone in devoting a day to its mothers. Many other countries including Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, Japan, and Belgium also celebrate their moms in May. Other countries honor their moms at different times of the year.
Learning more about and celebrating Mother's Day is important, but probably not as important as understanding what your own mom, or grandmother, or aunt or anyone you choose to celebrate on May 10 has really done for you. And that will certainly be appreciated more than one day a year.



Write an essay about mother’s day. Remember to start with a thesis statement and then end your essay with a restated thesis. Make it 3rd grade work!

How are moms all over the world celebrated?
Describe the beginnings of Mother Day?

Summer Homework Should Be Banned

Summer Homework Should Be Banned
Nancy Kalish
Nancy Kalish coauthored The Case Against Homework. She believes there is no reason to overload kids with assignments during the summer.

Swimming. Softball. Camp. Book reports. It's pretty easy to recognize that one of these things does not belong with the others. Summer is not the right time for homework, and not just because kids hate it. There are some very good reasons why teachers should think twice before piling it on this summer.

Some educators say that doing book reports and math problems helps kids maintain their skills over the summer. But there's no research proving that kids who don't do summer homework experience long-term learning loss. Chances are, you won't forget how to compute fractions in a few months. You might be rusty in September. But a quick review in class should bring you up to speed. If it doesn't, you might not have been taught the skill well enough.
Summer homework can also take away from the important learning that goes on outside of school. This includes reading for pleasure, which helps you establish a lifelong love of books. Play is also essential. It gives you an opportunity to master social skills, such as teamwork, that will be key to your success as a working adult.

And if you are doing anything that helps you break a sweat, you are also helping your brain develop properly. Research shows that physical exercise is essential to proper brain growth in children. Plus, exercise helps keep you healthy.

Finally, it is important to consider how a load of summer homework will make students feel about returning to school. Should kids start the school year feeling burned-out and resentful? Or should they return to school refreshed and ready to learn? Shouldn't kids have time to just be kids and not little adults? The answers seem obvious to me. What do you think?

Write an essay about why summer homework should be banned. Write a persuasive letter explaining 3 reasons why I should not give summer homework to you. If you’re responses are not good, then you get homework this summer.

Worries About the Flu

Worries About the Flu
Many people in Mexico are ill with swine flu. This type of flu usually affects pigs. When a human gets swine flu, it can spread from person to person.

Swine flu has turned up in other countries, including the U.S. But officials are working to stop the spread of the illness. President Barack Obama has asked Congress for $1.5 billion to fight the spread of swine flu.

Here's what you can do: Wash your hands often with soap. Use a hand sanitizer. Don't touch your eyes, nose or mouth. Cover your mouth with a tissue or your arm when you cough or sneeze. Let your parents know when you don't feel well. Stay home if you are sick.

Tell me a few ways to keep yourself healthy. Describe and tell me where you learned this information.

Man on the Moon

Man on the Moon
Forty years ago, the U.S. Apollo program put the first human on the moon. Now, NASA is gearing up to go back.

"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." On July 20, 1969, millions of Americans turned on their televisions to see American astronaut Neil Armstrong, who spoke these words from the surface of the moon. For 19 minutes, Armstrong stood alone where no human had ever stood before. Then crewmember Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin joined him on the gray, dusty soil. Though the black-and-white television images were jerky and blurred, ecstatic earthlings felt as if they, too, had soared above the world.

The Eagle Has Landed
In the 1950s and '60s, two countries raced to get to the moon first: the U.S. and the Soviet Union (a large nation of republics, including Russia, that existed until 1991). Unmanned Soviet rockets got to the moon first, but the Apollo program made history.

Three astronauts manned the Apollo 11 mission: Armstrong, Aldrin and Michael Collins. The trip from Earth to the moon took four days. A special lunar module, nicknamed Eagle, carried Armstrong and Aldrin to and from the moon while Collins remained in lunar orbit. The landing was tense. It took Armstrong longer than expected to find a level place to land. The lunar module had less than 40 seconds of fuel remaining when it safely touched down. "The Eagle has landed," Armstrong reported. "You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue," responded Charles Duke, at NASA's headquarters in Houston, Texas. "We're breathing again."

Armstrong and Aldrin spoke to President Richard Nixon by radio telephone. They set up scientific experiments, collected soil samples and planted an American flag on the surface of the moon. They also left behind a plaque that reads: "We came in peace for all mankind." Though the flag was blown over when the lunar module took off, the footprints left by the astronauts are still there.
Back to the Moon
NASA aims to send people back to the moon in 2020. Plans are already in high gear. "We'll launch the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in June, which is the first step," explains Grey Hautaluoma, who works for NASA's moon exploration program. "It will map the moon in more detail than ever before to help select a landing site for the future missions."

NASA's goal is to build a lunar outpost, a place where astronauts could live for months at a time while doing scientific research and experiments. NASA is also building lunar rovers, vehicles astronauts could use to explore large sections of the moon. "We're excited about going back to the moon," Hautaluoma told TFK. "We've only really been there a handful of days, so there's a lot that we have yet to learn."

Now write a short essay about the article you just read.
Think of a thesis statement then answer each question in a separate paragraph.
Remember to restate the thesis when you end your essay!

Can you sum up the first time astronauts went to the moon?
Why does NASA want to send astronauts back to the moon?

Facts about Przewalski's Horses:

Facts about Przewalski's Horses

Galloping across the grassy plains of western Mongolia, the stallion of a small band of Przewalski's (pronounced per-zhih-VAHL-skeez) horses pauses to sniff the air for danger. These horses are able to detect smell and sound from great distances. Flicking his tail and moving forward, the stallion signals to the other horses that the coast is clear. The herd races off with flying hooves.

Smaller than most domestic horse species, Przewalski's horses weigh about 440 to 750 pounds (200 to 340 kilograms) and stand 48 to 56 inches (122 to 142 centimeters) tall. They have stocky bodies, large heads, thick necks, upright manes, and a dark stripe down their backs. Their underbellies and muzzles have pale white markings, and their legs are short and slender.

Przewalski's horses can use their sharp hooves to get at water in the ground. Most of their day is spent grazing and foraging for food. They eat mainly grass, as well as plants and fruit, and sometimes bark, leaves, and buds. Przewalski's horses live to be about 20 years old. They live in either family or bachelor groups. Family groups are led by a dominant stallion.

Horses are an important part of Mongolian culture. However, Przewalski's horses have not been seen in the wild since 1968. They were discovered along the border between Mongolia and China in 1879. Excessive hunting by people and the loss of grazing and watering sites to domestic animals like cattle and sheep lowered the horses' numbers dramatically.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, several wild Przewalski's horses were caught and bred in captivity. Thirteen of those horses are the original ancestors of today's captive population.

Today there are about 1,200 Przewalski's horses living in zoos, private preserves, and protected areas in Mongolia.

Small groups are gradually being reintroduced into the wild to once again roam the grasslands of Mongolia.Text by Michaela Ahern
FAST FACTSMongolian wild horses are threatened by human activities and predators such as wolves.The scientific name for Przewalski's horse is Equus przewalskii.The wild horse family name is Equidae.
Male horses are called stallions, females are called mares, and babies are called foals.Female horses give birth to one foal a year. Foals stay with their mothers for 8 to 13 months.Przewalski's horses stand 50 inches (127 centimeters) tall at the withers—the ridge between the shoulders.
Przewalski's horses have not been seen in the wild since 1968.Today Przewalski's horses live in private parks, zoos, and nature preserves.Stallions without family groups live alone or with other single males in bachelor groups.

Przewalski's horses defend themselves with their teeth and sharp hooves. Mongolian wild horses spend more than half their day foraging for food.Przewalski's horses symbolize Mongolia's national heritage. Przewalski's horses are considered the only true wild horses.

Przewalski's horses are named after Russian explorer and naturalist General Nikolai Michailovitch Przewalski, who first studied them.Their habitat is the grassy deserts and steppes of western Mongolia.

Now, post

1. One interesting fact you learned about the Przewalski's horses?

2. How is the Przewalski's horses different from other horses we know?

3. What book, story, or movie does this article remind you of?

4. What did you already know that helped you understand his article?

Facts about Wolverines

Facts about Wolverines

Wolverines are large, stocky animals that look like small bears, but they are the largest members of the weasel family. These tough animals are solitary, and like to roam long distances.

Individual wolverines have been known to travel 15 miles (24 kilometers) in a single day in search of food.

Because of they require lots of open space, wolverines frequent remote boreal forests, taiga, and tundra in the northern latitudes of Europe, Asia, and North America.

In the summer months, wolverines eat many plants and berries, but this does not make up a major part of their diet—they are fierce predators with a taste for meat. Wolverines easily catch smaller prey, such as rabbits and rodents, but may even attack large animals many times their size, such as caribou and, on occasion, lynx, if the prey appears to be weak or injured.

Their feet are wide and furred, webbed, and front feet have long, strong claws, which help them climb. They often follow wolves to scavenge the remains of their prey. Wolves sometimes attack and kill the interlopers.

Wolverines also feed on carrion—the corpses of larger mammals, such as elk, deer, and caribou. During winter, these dead animals can sustain them when other prey is scarce. They have also been known to dig into burrows and eat hibernating mammals!

Males mark their territories with their scent, but they allow several female wolverines to live there. Females den in the snow to give birth to two or three young each late winter or early spring. Young wolverines, called kits, sometimes live with their mother until they are two years old.
Wolverines' thick fur is brown with two yellowish stripes on back. Trappers hunted wolverines for their fur in North America. In the past, their fur was used to line parkas, but this is less common today and the animals are protected in many areas.

Fast FactsThe scientific name for the wolverine is Gulo gulo.Wolverines are mammals.They are omnivores but are strong predators and eat lots of meat.Wolverines will live 7 to 12 years in the wild.

Their head and body measure about 26 to 34 inches (66 to 86 centimeters) and their tails are usually 7 to 10 inches (18 to 25 centimeters) in length.They can weigh from 24 to 40 pounds (11 to 18 kilograms).

Now, post

1. One interesting fact you learned about the wolverine?

2. How is the wolverine different from other animals we know?

3. What book, story, or movie does this article remind you of?

4. What did you already know that helped you understand his article?