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Around The World – November 2016

Bonfire Night Nov. 5 is Guy Fawkes Night in Britain. It is a tradition that started in 1605. That’s when Catholic rebels plotted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London — but they were found out! Guy Fawkes was one of the conspirators in the plot that would have set off explosives as King James I of England and several members of Parliament were in the building. While it’s not an official holiday, Guy Fawkes night, which is also known as Bonfire Night, is a night that many people choose to light bonfires and set off fireworks. Thanksgiving Americans aren’t the only people to celebrate Thanksgiving. Ours is on the fourth Thursday in November. But did you know that Canada celebrates Thanksgiving, too? It’s on the second Monday in October. On the island of Grenada, they celebrate Thanksgiving on Oct. 23. In the Philippines, Thanksgiving falls on Sept. 21, and on Saint Lucia, it’s on the first Monday in October. The Japanese have Labor Thanksgiving Day on November 23. While all of the traditions and reasons are different in each country, people around the world set aside time to be thankful. Daylight Savings Time Get ready to set your clocks back an hour on Nov. 6. It is the end of Daylight Savings time! Even though Daylight Savings Time feels like the right thing to do, that wasn’t always so. During World War I, in March 1918, the U.S. enacted a law to preserve daylight and preserve standard time for the U.S. Not everyone liked this, and when the war ended, the law was repealed in 1919 — although there were some states that continued to use Daylight Saving Time. President Franklin Roosevelt brought it back during World War II, calling it War Time. After the war, from 1945 to 1966, there were no laws about DST and states could choose whether or not to continue the practice. In 1966, Congress passed the Uniform Time Act, which regulated DST so that all the states observed DST consistently. It was revised several times between 1972 and 2007. It was in 2007 that the rules for DST became official: DST begins at 2 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and ends at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November.

What’s It Like To be

What It’s Like To Be…

Executive Director of the American Student Government Association? Butch Oxendine is the Executive Director of the American Student Government Association, which serves and supports collegiate Student Governments nationwide. Please tell us a little bit about yourself. I’ve been working with student leaders and student governments for nearly 35 years. I was a student government officer myself in college, and for many years, I edited the national magazine Student Leader and other statewide magazines in Florida. I’ve written three books, including So You Want to Be President:How to Get Elected on Your Campus. I live on a small farm in Florida with my wife and five children. We homeschool our children. My four boys play baseball and I coach three of them on a team.Please tell our readers a little bit about the ASGA (or your SGA) and its mission and why it is important. ASGA helps student governments improve. Theyneed to have more students run for office and vote in their elections so they can prove that student government represents students. They then can champion issues and changes to the people who run the colleges and universities. What do you do at the ASGA ? I’m the executive director. I teach at our conferences and also talk to members and answer their questions. I help member colleges do research and train their members. How does student government help students (andschools) learn about governing? Student governments run elections, survey their constituents to learn about needs, appoint students to serve on committees (food service, parking,athletics and more), recognize and often fund clubs and organizations and frequently presents ideas and suggestions for improvements and changesto college and university administrators like thepresident and dean of students. Do you have any cool facts you can share about government and SGAs? More women than men serve in student government nationwide, but more men serve as president. About 80 percent of student government presidents are compensated for their work, usually by scholarship, tuition waiver or salary. How do SGAs help kids and schools? Student Governments help kids and schools by representing student needs, desires and interests to school dministrators who can work to make changes and improvements. SGAs also provide great leadership training opportunities for students to grow personally. What is the coolest thing about your job? I speak at all of our conferences and get to perform while teaching. When/How did you know you wanted to work with SGAs? I was in SGA in college. During college, I started a magazine, Florida Leader, that grew to be a statewide leadership magazine and published for nearly 22 years. Florida Leader inspired our national magazine Student Leader, which wrote about student government issues. When the web came about in the mid ‘90s, our team started thinking about a web resource for student governments and this led to ASGA in 2000. We launched ASGA in 2003 and we now have 1,500 member institutions and training 3,000 students at year at our 10 conferences. What do you like to do when you are not working? I coach a baseball team. Three of my boys play on it. I love the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team, the Florida Gators football team, and the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team. I like to work outside on our farm. I love to go to the beach near Tampa Bay. Thanks for your time!

Wildville

Wildville – Service Animals

Animals can do a lot more than look adorable. They also have very important jobs helping people live their lives. Animals that are trained to help people are called service animals. There are several types of service animals. Service dogs are trained to help people with physical disabilities, like helping blind people walk safely around the city. Emotional support animals are trained to help those with mental health disabilities. The animals provide emotional support that i important for the owner’s mental health. A therapy animal is also trained to assist with mental health and emotional support. They often visit hospitals and nursing homes to help make people happier. In the United States the first official jobs that dogs had were with police and military units detecting danger and helping stop criminals. Dogs have been working with humans for centuries doing things like guarding homes, animals and herding sheep. The first dog guide school opened in the United States in 1929. Service animals are allowed in many places that regular pets cannot go.It is very important not to distract a service animal while they are working. Dogs are the most common type of service animal, but other animals like miniature horses can be trained, too. Training a dog to be a service dog can cost around $24,500. Golden Retrievers and Labradors are the most commonly used breeds, but any breed can work if the dog has the right personality. Being a service dog isn’t easy. It takes a lot of hard work from both trainers and the animals. The training process usually takes one to two years. It begins by just teaching the dog how to behave in public spaces through commands like stay, wait, sit, come, leave it and heel. Only dogs that behave very well in public can be used as service animals. The second step is training them in tasks that are specific to the disabilities that they will be working with like to warn the owner that a seizure is coming. For more information, visit the following sites: http://www.facts-about-dogs.info/Service_Dog_Facts.html, http://www.serviceanimalassociation.org/service-dog-facts/ & http://victimsofcrime.org/docs/nat-conf-2013/history-of-service-dogs_fossum.pdf?sfvrsn=2

Where in the World

Where In the World Is Philadelphia?

Philadelphia is a large city in Pennsylvania. It is also a very old city. Originally, the area was inhabited by Lenape Indians. It was colonized in 1609 by the Dutch. The city of Philadelphia was officially founded in 1682 by William Penn, an Englishman. Like any settlement, it started small, but it grew quickly. By 1701, the population was 2,500. The city continued to grow because it was a major trading station and port. Eventually, Philadelphia became one of the largest and most important cities in the colonies. It is also one of the most historic cities. See the list below to see why. • The city’s nicknames include Philly, The City of Brotherly Love, The Birthplace of America, The Quaker City and The Cradle of Liberty. • It is home to the first American zoo, the Philadelphia Zoo, which opened in 1874. • Many of the city’s buildings are covered in murals. It is called the mural capital of the United States. • It was the capital of the United States until Washington, D.C. was built. • The city is famous for a sandwich called the Philly Cheesesteak. • The Liberty Bell is in Philadelphia. • Founded in 1784, the first newspaper in the U.S. was printed in Philadelphia: The Philadelphia Packet and Daily Advertiser. • The first library in the United States was founded in Philadelphia by Benjamin Franklin. • The city’s motto means, “Let brotherly love endure.” • The Philadelphia Stock Exchange was the first in America. It was founded in 1790. Philadelphia was an important city for many reasons, but historically perhaps the most important role it played was that in the founding of the United States of America. It was in this major port city that the Founding Fathers met to discuss what they would do about the taxes that the British imposed. Here, they held the Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence. The Constitution was also written in this incredible city. It can be argued that Philadelphia is the birthplace of the United States of America. For more information, visit the following sites: http://www.ushistory.org/philadelphia/, http://mentalfloss.com/article/55036/25-things-you-didnt-know-about-philadelphia & http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Philadelphia.aspx

Kids

Weather Forecasting on the Marine Highway

To get to a place on land, you use a road or highway. But did you know that there are highways for the sea, too? One of them is the Alaska Marine Highway System, which ships use to transport people and vehicles to coastal communities on a year-round basis. It covers about 3,500 miles from Bellingham, Washington, to Dutch Harbor, Alaska. How long is that? Well, from Miami to Seattle is a little more than 3,000 miles. To complete this route safely, ship captains rely on accurate weather predictions from the National Weather Service. Marine forecasters focus on wind (both speed and direction) and waves, as well as hazardous weather and reductions to visibility, since these are most dangerous to ships. Forecasters use data collected by floating weather sensors together with satellite imagery and computer models to produce a forecast. Ship captains receive these vital forecasts instantly by satellite, helping to keep them out of danger. And if they have questions about a forecast, they can call the National Weather Service office that issued the forecast, to get additional information to keep them safe. The job of marine forecasters is to “protect life and property” from the ravages of the sea. Captains appreciate being able to call a forecaster because powerful storms can develop over waters like the Gulf of Alaska at any time of year. Imagine trying to stay afloat in hurricane force winds with waves 20 feet high. Caught in a storm without a name, you’re helpless as your ship plunges into troughs and is threatened by towering black waves. And if your ship capsizes, you won’t survive long in the freezing waters. With storms this dangerous, you’d want all the weather information that you could get, which is why the job of marine forecasters is so vital. They help keep safe travelers on the Alaska Marine Highway System and other waters. Weather on the open ocean can be unforgiving and capable of sinking any ship. Next time you’re on a highway, be thankful that it’s made of land and not water!

Letter From Truman

Truman

Hi, Kids! We are talking about government this month. Understanding our government and how it works is important. In fact, next month, on Tuesday, Nov. 8, our country will elect a new president. This is something that happens every four years in America. You can learn more about some of the different types of government (because not all countries do things the same way) in the “Connections Section.” Speaking of government, many schools have their own version of governments. Elementary schools, middle schools, high schools and even colleges often have student government associations. I got to talk to Butch Oxendine this month. His job is to help college-level student governments succeed. You can read more about his job in “What’s It Like to Be …” In this country, our government is based on service to others. The people we elect to represent us go to work every day to serve the American people. “Wildville” takes a look at a different kind of service — service animals. This includes things like dogs that help people know when they are about to have a seizure, search and rescue animals that go out and find people when they get lost, and animals that help guide people who can’t see well. Service to others is a wonderful thing because not only does it help people, it is also good for the person doing the helping. Whether it is in your family, your classroom or another place in the community, being helpful is a good thing. How can you be helpful to someone today?

Space Place

Communicating With Curiousity

With cell phones and the Internet, we’re used to communicating with anyone, anywhere, quickly and easily. But how do scientists communicate with things that aren’t on our planet — such as the Curiosity Rover on Mars? This communication beyond Earth is a bit more complicated. We communicate with spacecraft using radio signals. Radio signals move at the speed of light. However, they have a long way to travel. Even when it is closest to Earth, Mars is still about 35 million miles away. And sometimes it’s much, much farther! If you sent a text message to Mars, it would take, on average, about 14 minutes for it to get there. This long distance makes talking with robots on other planets difficult. Imagine driving in a video game and waiting 28 minutes to see your car make a turn! It would take forever to drive the rover one turn at a time. Instead, we send Curiosity all the instructions for the day at once. Most of the rover’s daily tasks —l ike taking photographs and zapping rocks — are planned out in advance. Some days we can’t directly talk to the rovers. We use antennas to send and receive signals, but Mars and Earth are both constantly spinning. On Earth, the antennas are located around the world so that at least one is always facing Mars. About half of the time, though, Curiosity’s location on Mars is not facing toward Earth. During these times, Curiosity can’t send signals directly to our antennas. So how does the rover send its messages to Earth? Through an orbiter! Orbiters are special spacecraft that spend their time continuously traveling around an object, such as a moon or a planet. There are several orbiters traveling around Mars. When Curiosity isn’t facing Earth, it can send a message to one of these orbiters. Then, once the orbiter reaches the Earth-facing side of Mars, it sends the signal. Each day, Curiosity sends information to at least one Mars orbiter, and the orbiter sends that information to Earth. Hurray for teamwork! Learn more about Curiosity here: http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/mars-curiosity/en/

Kidsville Kitchen

Though apples are enjoyed across the globe, many people associate apples with the United States of America. That’s in spite of the fact that the first apples were cultivated on the opposite side of the world from North America in Asia. There are more than 7,500 known cultivars of apples that produce various characteristics for flavor and appearance. Apples are often a topic of discussion in the fall, when many trees produce their largest bounties of fruit. Autumn is a good time of year to take a closer look at apples, and explore some of the most popular varieties for picking and eating. Apple origins Malus deomestica, or the common apple tree, is a descendent of apple trees that originated in Central Asia in what is now southern Kazakhstan. Apples have been grown for thousands of years in Asia and Europe. The original apple tree was the wild apple, or Malus sieversii. DNA analysis has confirmed that the wild apple is the progenitor of the cultivated apple enjoyed today. European colonists likely brought apple seeds and trees with them when they emigrated to North America, introducing that part of the world to the apple tree. Records from the Massachusetts Bay Company indicate that apples were being grown in New England as early as 1630. Americans also enjoy the popular story of Johnny Appleseed, who was believed to have distributed apple seeds and trees to settlers across the United States. While apples can be produced from seeds, nowadays many apples are propagated by grafting so that they retain the parent tree’s characteristics of flavor, hardiness and insect resistance. Apples and symbolism Apples have become the main symbols of many different stories and tales throughout history. Apples are linked to the Biblical tale of Adam and Eve and their ultimate expulsion from the Garden of Eden. However, the apple is never named in any of the religious texts as the fruit Eve picked from the tree of knowledge. Apples have appeared in fairy tales and folklore. The Brothers Grimm had the character “Snow White” fall ill after eating a poisoned apple. In Norse mythology, the goddess Iounn was the appointed keeper of golden apples that kept the Aesir young forever. Apples have also played a role in science, most notably Sir Isaac Newton’s study of gravity. While myth surrounds the story of Newton and an apple falling from a nearby tree, it’s likely that witnessing an apple fall from a tree did spark something in the famed scientist. Most popular apple varieties Many varieties of apple stand out as perennial favorites. In the United States, the Red Delicious is the country’s most popular grown apple. It was called the hawkeye when discovered in 1872. The Golden Delicious is the second most popular grown apple in America. The Delicious apples tend to have mild, but grainy flesh that can fall apart when cooked, so they’re best used for snacking. Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Gala, McIntosh, and Macoun are some of the other most popular varieties. Those interested in baking with apples can select among Granny Smith, Jonagold and McIntosh. These apples tend to be crisp and tart and hold up better in recipes. Apples have been enjoyed for thousands of years. While apples are a staple of autumn, they can be enjoyed all year long thanks to their widespread availability.

Kidsville Connections

Connections – First Past The Post

One of the most important parts of having a democracy is letting the people of the nation express their opinions to the government. Even more important is that these opinions have the power to drive change. Democracy first started in Athens in the fifth century B.C. The people of Athens created a government called a direct democracy where citizens attended debates and then voted on what they wanted the city to do. This gave citizens the power to directly control their government instead of the government controlling the people. The idea of giving the people a voice through voting is still at the heart of democracies today, even though things are a little different now. In fact, every democratic government has a little different take on the system. America is a representative democracy. This means that citizens vote to elect representatives and then trust these elected officials to make the important decisions for them. We do this because it would be impossible and expensive for every American citizen to vote on every single important decision the government makes. The way we elect these important officials is also important because votes are used differently in different countries. • The American system of counting votes is called First Past the Post. • It is also called simple majority voting. • Citizens cast their votes by marking their favorite candidate on a ballot. • The marks are counted. • The candidate with the most votes wins. • Only one candidate wins. Most European countries have a different style of counting votes. They also have representative democracies because they elect officials to make important decisions for them, but the way that they count votes to elect these people is different. • They use proportional representation. • Just like in America, citizens mark their favorite choices on a ballot. • The marks are counted and there are multiple winners. • If one party gets 50 percent of the votes, then they will get 50 percent of the seats. • But if another party gets 20 percent of the votes, then they will get 20 percent of the seats. • Instead of just representing what the majority of people want, this system tries to represent everyone’s opinions.

Kids

Cultural Connections – Liberty Bell

The Liberty Bell is an important part of American history and represents a lot more than a bell. It is a symbol of liberty and freedom for the nation. The bell’s symbolic connection to liberty, equality and freedom was forged through several historical moments. The bell was ordered in 1751 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of William Penn’s 1701 Charter of Privileges. This was Pennsylvania’s original constitution, which was known for supporting rights and freedom. The first time that the bell rang it was to tell the citizens of Philadelphia that Colonel John Nixon was reading the Declaration of Independence for the public for the first time. Later, the bell was used by abolitionists as a symbol to end slavery. The bell first tolled on July 8, 1776. • The Whitechapel Foundry in England made the bell. • The bell arrived September 1, 1752. • It weighs 2,080 pounds. • It is made from a mixture of copper, tin and other metals. • The bell is 3 feet tall. • The crack is one-half inch wide and 24.5 inches long. • The bell is officially owned by the city of Philadelphia. • The note that the bell makes is an E flat. • The yoke is original to the Liberty bell and is made of American Elm30. The Liberty Bell is famous for its large crack. It first cracked the day it was hung on March 10, 1753, when the clapper hit the side of the bell. The bell was sent back to England for repairs. It made it back to Pennsylvania on March 29, 1753. This new bell didn’t crack, but when it rang to let the citizens of Philadelphia know about important events the people thought the sound was unpleasant. They sent the bell back to England. Eventually an entirely different bell was shipped to Pennsylvania. When British soldiers occupied the city in 1777, the bell was evacuated and hidden in a nearby church until it was brought back in 1787. The bell got the crack that it is famous for today when it tolled for George Washington’s birthday on February 22, 1846. For more information visit the following sites: http://www.softschools.com/facts/us_national_landmarks/liberty_bell_facts/493/ http://www.ushistory.org/libertybell/ http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/libertybell.htm

Category - Kids

Around The World – November 2016

What It’s Like To Be…

Wildville – Service Animals

Where In the World Is Philadelphia?

Weather Forecasting on the Marine Highway

Truman

Communicating With Curiousity

Kidsville Kitchen

Connections – First Past The Post

Cultural Connections – Liberty Bell

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