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?

A Cheap Ride

A Cheap Ride

Beep! Beep! Make way for the world's cheapest car! On March 23, India's Tata Motors started selling the Nano. A basic model of the tiny car sells for just $1,980.

Tata hopes that the car will appeal to India's working classopeople who could only afford to buy scooters, until now. "We set out to find a safe way to move Indian families at an affordable price," says Ratan Tata, the head of the car company.

The four-seater can travel up to 65 miles an hour. It is 10.2 feet long and weighs 1,322 pounds, which is less than half the weight of a Honda Accord. The engine is in the rear of the car.

The Nano will hit the roads in June or July. But don't look for one in the U.S. For now, the car is available only in India.

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1. One interesting fact you learned about the Nano?
2. How is the Nano different from other cars we know in the Untied States?
3. What book, story, or movie does this article remind you of?
4. What did you already know that helped you understand his article?

Lessons from the Garden

Lessons from the Garden

School gardens are sprouting up across the nation. These outdoor classrooms are ripe with lessons on science, nutrition and more.

For the students at Woodland Elementary West in Gages Lake, Illinois, the arrival of spring means one thing: time to get planting! Each year, the kids trade in their textbooks for shovels and head to the school harvest garden. They will plant seeds to grow fruits and vegetables. Then, they will tend the garden. In early fall, students will harvest, or collect, the produce. Gardening is part of the school's science curriculum.

Woodland's project is part of a larger trend that has taken root across the U.S. More schools are using garden activities to teach science, math and even history. Educators believe that the hands-on lessons give students a deeper, richer understanding of the subjects.
Back to Nature

Learning gardens began growing in popularity in the U.S. in the late 1800s. During World Wars I and II, produce from school gardens helped feed the country. But in the 1950s, school gardens lost popularity as science classes moved beyond nature study to other topics.

Today, concerns over nutrition and childhood obesity have sparked renewed interest in gardens. Studies show that kids who work outdoors are healthier. They also score higher on science achievement tests. This is no surprise to gardening expert Anne Nagro. "When learning about soil, if students can explore in it, it sinks in more," she says. Nagro volunteers at the Woodland plot. Her book, Our Generous Garden, tells of the school's garden project.

Here We Grow!
According to the National Garden Association (NGA), there are 1,500 school gardens in the U.S. But many more school gardens are not registered with the NGA.
Nearly 4,000 school gardens exist in California alone. One of those is the vegetable patch at Alice Fong Yu Alternative School, in San Francisco. Stephanie Ma is the garden coordinator there. She says her goal is to connect kids to the foods they eat. "I try to instill in the kids that apples don't magically come from the supermarket," Ma says. Students plant everything from tomatoes to chard, a leafy green. Ma says the kids love eating veggies straight from the garden.

Seeds of Change
By fall, the Woodland garden is ripe with peppers, cucumbers and broccoli. It's time to harvest. Third grader Teaghan Brennan says she likes that job the best. "It's like a scavenger hunt," she told TFK. "You have to look at all the vegetables to find the ones that are ready to be picked."
The school donates the produce to a local food bank. Giving back to the community is a lesson that Woodland principal Ann Goldbach hopes to nurture. "I want students to appreciate what they've done and how it can help the community," she says. Teaghan likes that her hard work helps others. "Everyone can make a difference," she says.

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1. One interesting fact you learned about gardens?
2. How has gardening changed over time?
3. What book, story, or movie does this article remind you of?
4. What did you already know that helped you understand his article?

Mount Redoubt is Waking Up!

Mount Redoubt is Waking Up!

This April 20, 2009 photo shows traffic moving along Glenn Highway in Anchorage, Alaska, as Mount Redoubt, bellows steam and gas on the horizon. The volcano, about 100 miles southwest of Anchorage on the west side of Cook Inlet began erupting March 22, 2009. According to the Alaska Volcano Observatory the volcano continues to erupt and a lava dome is building.

An

eruption plume rises above Mount Redoubt volcano, 50 miles across Cook Inlet from Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, April 4, 2009. The 10,197-foot mountain had another explosive eruption at 6 a.m. and has continued to emit ash and steam throughout the day, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory.

Men float down the Kenai River with Mount Redoubt volcano on the horizon, near the mouth of the river at Kenai, Alaska, in this July 30, 2002 photo.

We always hear stories of volcanoes, but rarely do we have a volcano erupt in the United States.

From the information you read, explain in complete sentences…
· Where is Mt. Redoubt located?
· What is going on right now with regards to Mt. Redoubt?