Kids Archives - Page 22 of 62

Fantasia

The Berbers, or as they call themselves the Amazigh, are an ethnic group native to North Africa. Amazigh is thought to mean “free people.” They are related to the ancient Egyptians and they live throughout Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Mali, Niger and Mauritania. In previous years, they were much more populous, but they have been reduced to smaller groups scattered across Northern Africa. The Berbers are known for being a fierce and hardy people. This is obvious in one of their most famous sports: Fantasia. • Fantasia focuses on horsemanship. • The sport is a traditional part of cultural festivals and wedding celebrations. • It is called Fantasia, but the Berbers call it lab el baroud, which translates to “The gunpowder play.” • To play, there are two teams of a dozen riders each. • The riders dress in traditional clothing. • The horses are adorned with traditional garb as well. • The team of horse riders form a line and charge 200 hundred meters. • While they are riding, they hold old muskets or rifles and fire into the sky. • The second team of horsemen do the same. • The two teams are judged on how synchronized the horses and the rifle shots are. • Traditionally, Fantasia was restricted to men, but recently women have been performing incredibly well at the sport. Fantasia is a traditional ceremony and sport for the Berbers. It is part of nearly every important ceremony and celebration. In part, this is due to the long and important relationship the Berbers have with horses. As a nomadic people, they often move, but donkeys and camels are used for transportation purposes. Horses are reserved for a different task. The Berbers also have a long tradition as a warrior people and were known for their skillful fighting while on horseback. The Barb breed of horse, which was the primary horse of the Berbers, is known for its fiery temperament and fearlessness in battle. Come Out and Play For more information visit: http://www.thebluedotperspective.com/discover/morocco-festival-fantasia/ & http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/05/27/a-female-fantasia-in-morocco/?_r=0

Where in the World

African Sahara

The Sahara Desert is the largest desert in the world and it is in the northern part of Africa. It covers sections of multiple countries in Africa such as Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Sudan and Tunisia. The harsh desert is mostly uninhabited. Instead of people, it is full of dunes, or large “seas of sand,” several mountain ranges and even some volcanoes. • The lowest point in the Sahara Desert is the Qattara Depression in Egypt. It is 436 feet below sea level. • The highest peak is Emi Koussi, a shield volcano 11,204 feet high. It is in northern Chad and is part of the Tibesti range. • The temperature can reach 122 degrees. • The highest recorded temperature was 136 degrees in Libya. • It is around 3,000 miles from east to west. • The total area is around 3,320,000 square miles. • The name Sahara comes from the Arabic word for desert. • Sand dunes cover approximately 25 percent of the desert’s surface. • Some of these dunes can reach 590 feet high. • Most of the Sahara is made of barren rocky earth. • About 4 million people live in the Sahara. Even though the Sahara Desert is an exceedingly harsh environment it is still full of life. The people who live in the desert are nomads. People have been living in the desert since 6000 BCE. In addition to people, there are animals and plants that call the Sahara home. There are rodents, reptiles and even larger mammals such as the screw horn antelope and jackals. Life in the desert is difficult, but it is not impossible. There are strong people, animals and plants that adapt to the difficult environment. For example, the screw horn antelope doesn’t need to drink water. Instead, they suck water from the vegetation that they find.

Wildville

Deathstalker Scorpions

Deathstalker scorpions are an ancient and dangerous species of arachnids. They have been able to survive as a species for so long because they are successful and efficient hunters. Their ability to survive is important because their natural habitat is in the deserts like the Sahara Desert. To avoid the incredible heat of the day, the deathstalker is nocturnal. They spend their days in burrows below rocks. Digging into the sand keeps them out of the harsh rays of the sun until the sun sets and they can begin to hunt beetles, flies and termites. • Scorpions have been on Earth for 400 millions years. • The deathstalker scorpion is one of the most poisonous in the world. • Despite the poison, it is hunted by owls. • They can grow up to 4.5 inches. • This is smaller than many scorpions. • Females are usually larger. • They are usually yellow like the sand in which they live. • They can also be a yellowish-green. • The tips of their pincers and stingers can be much darker. • They usually live between two and six years. • The deathstalker is also known as the Palestine yellow scorpion, Israeli desert scorpion and the Omdurman scorpion. • Scorpions can have up to 30 babies at a time. • After birth, the babies spend a few weeks living on the back of the mother. • They use both their pincers and stingers to capture prey. • Many scorpions can just use their strong pincers, but the deathstalker’s large pincers are weak. All scorpions are venomous, but their stings are seldom more to a human something like a bee sting. However, there are a few species whose sting can result in serious medical problems, even death. Like the name suggests, the deathstalker is one of these few very dangerous ones. The deathstalker’s poison is a mix of neurotoxins that can lead to coma, fever, paralysis, convulsions and death, if it is not treated. They are also a very aggressive scorpion and will lash out with little reason. The poison from their sting is dangerous, but very few people have died after an encounter with the scorpion, thanks to modern medicine. Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Subphylum: Chelicerata Class: Arachnida Order: Scorpiones Family: Buthidae Genus: Leiurus Species: L. quinquestriatus For more information visit the following sites: http://www.scorpionworlds.com/deathstalker-scorpion/, https://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2014/obrien_kev2/habitat.htm, http://www.buzzle.com/articles/deathstalker-scorpion-facts.htmlhttp://www.scorpionworlds.com/

Weather

September 2016 – Letter From Truman

Hi, Kids! We are in the middle of hurricane season, which seems like a good time to learn more about these impressive storms. Did you know that hurricanes can only form under specific circumstances? Northern Africa is where hurricanes commonly form. Another hurricane fact – there is an organization in charge of naming hurricanes. Learn more about hurricanes in the “Connections” section. Hurricanes can really stir up the waters in the ocean and bring a lot of debris to the shore. It is common to find driftwood, among other things, on the beach after a hurricane or rain storm. Some people consider driftwood a nuisance. Other people see it as a way to express their creativity. The “Cultural Connections” section explores driftwood art. Northern Africa is not only a source of hurricanes, it is home to the Sahara Desert, too. One of the creatures found in the Sahara is the deathstalker scorpion. These scorpions have a powerful sting. They live in burrows under the sand. You can read more about them in the “Wildville” section. I Hope your school year is off to a great start!

Kids

Hurricanes

Mother Nature can do some pretty crazy things sometimes. Think about it. Tornadoes. Floods. Lightning. Thunder. Droughts. Hurricanes. These weather-related events can be unnerving and even deadly. Since we are in the middle of the Atlantic hurricane season, which lasts from June through November, let’s take a closer look and find out more about hurricanes. There are several things that need to happen at the same time and place for a hurricane to form: Temperature. The ocean surface temperature needs to be 80 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer. Wind. Weak vertical wind shear is important in hurricane formation, which means changing wind speed and direction. Moisture. A moist and unstable atmosphere helps set the stage for a hurricane. Location. The earth’s rotation helps start the spinning that forms hurricanes, which means hurricanes usually form near the equator. Once all of these conditions are in place, add some big tropical waves like the kind found near North Africa, and the conditions are ripe for a hurricane! Here are some interesting facts about hurricanes: A tropical wave (also known as a tropical disturbance) is an unorganized mass of thunderstorms with very little, if any, organized wind circulation. These are vital in hurricane formation. Once a tropical disturbance becomes more organized, it is called a tropical depression. When the wind speed in a tropical depression reaches 39 miles per hour, it is classified as a tropical storm. In the early 1950s, tropical storms were tracked by year and the order in which they occurred, but in 1953, the U.S. started naming storms. Storms were given female names until 1978, when male names were added to the list of storm names. The World Meteorological Organization is responsible for naming storms. For Atlantic storms, there is a list of names that are rotated on a six-year basis. Sometimes, if a storm causes a lot of damage, the name is retired to prevent confusion in the future. If there are more than 21 named storms in a year, the rest of the storms will be named after letters in the Greek alphabet. When a storm has winds of more than 74 miles per hour, it becomes a hurricane or cyclone. There are five categories of hurricanes. Category One has winds of 74-95 miles per hour, category two has winds of 96-110 miles per hour, category three has winds of 111-130 miles per hour, category four has winds of 131-155 miles per hour and category five has winds of 155 miles per hour or more. Hurricanes are nature’s deadliest storms and can cause real damage. However, there are some things grown-ups can do to get prepared for a hurricane. Here is a link with tips and information about hurricanes and hurricane readiness: https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.

What’s It Like To be

Erosion and Soil Control Specialist

KVN: Please tell our readers your name a little bit about yourself. My name is John Slupecki, and I have loved nature and being outdoors since I was a small kid exploring in the woods behind our house. I was born in Toledo, Ohio, and lived growing up in other states like Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Georgia. Now I live in Florida. I have been married for 26 years, raised two kids, and we recently welcomed our first grandchild. I loved teaching my kids about nature and hope to continue with my grandchild and future grandchildren. I enjoy all outdoor sports such as fishing, hunting, free diving, paddleboarding and work. I always wanted a job where I could spend time and work outdoors. I never wanted to work in an office. KVN: What do you do and how does it relate to erosion? I went to the University of Georgia and was overwhelmed with the opportunities and decisions to make. I took courses in marine science and forestry and finally decided that I liked weather and climate the most. I graduated with a degree in geography. Since college, I have taken many extra courses within our industry like wetland and stream mitigation, identifying invasive plants, worksite safety and state educational courses across the country. KVN: What does erosion do and why is it important to manage it? Erosion is a normal process. However, during the development and clearing of our soils during construction, accelerated erosion occurs onsite at a much faster rate. When the grass and trees are removed for the construction process, the soil is left more exposed to weather and climate. Raindrops and concentrated water flow easily remove the soil without protection from leaves, and roots. The soil that is lost is most often the most organic top soil. It’s important to people who live downstream, because when this soil leaves the construction site it accumulates in those streams, rivers and lakes, causing stress on animals and people. KVN: How does erosion (or erosion control) affect everyday life for most people? Erosion control teaches people about how fragile our soils are. When our soils are not preserved it can cost people living in those areas lots of money to clean up the environment, and the environment can be changed for the worse. KVN: Do you have a favorite tool or piece of technology that helps you do your job? If so can you tell us about that? I love the weather apps on my cell phone. I track the weather with my customers to determine when the best window of opportunity is to plan and provide our erosion control plan. KVN: What is a typical day like for you? I communicate with engineers, contractors and suppliers over the phone and in person to work on erosion control plans. Then we initiate those plans in the field on the project site and make sure the erosion control is installed properly as we all designed it to be. KVN: What is the coolest thing about your job? I love to travel around the country and meet new people and learn how they do their jobs. It’s fun to learn how erosion affects different soils in different states. I also enjoy when everyone comes to one decision and works together. KVN: What kind of training does it take to do your job? An interest in science is a great start. Many people have degrees and studied environmental science, horticulture, geography and engineering. These areas will help you build compassion and interest for your job. KVN: When/How did you know you wanted to work in this field? I became interested in erosion control after my first job. I started my career after college working for a city permitting and inspecting home construction. Often when they build new homes, they clear the soil completely. The results from the erosion were so severe that I decided this was a very important career. KVN: What are some challenges you face in your work? Erosion control solutions are very hard to complete within the time frame of a project and install before the weather affects the site. It feels likes it rains more and the storms are getting stronger. It’s also hard to train the contractors that Erosion and Soil Control Specialist less disturbance is better. KVN: What do you like to do when you are not working? I love fishing, and diving under water. I love watching nature when it’s undisturbed and still. Our lives are so busy, and I travel so much, I love these natural outdoor place to relax and catch my breath. KVN: What a cool job! Thanks so much for telling us about it!

Movie Reviews for Kids by Kids

Finding Dory

I love the new Disney / Pixar film, Finding Dory, which is the sequel to Finding Nemo. Fans of Finding Nemo will absolutely love this sequel. The animation is amazing, the humor hilarious and witty and the plot is heartfelt. It does not disappoint. Dory, a forgetful but fearless blue tang fish (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres), suffers from short-term memory loss and has struggled with this her entire life. Then one day, something happens to Dory that triggers her memory, and she remembers that she has a family. She tries to find them with the help of Nemo (voiced by Hayden Rolence) and Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks). The question is, “will Dory find her family, or will she forget to find them?” This film’s humor is so hilarious, I laughed my pants off and that’s why I love it so much. Some of the jokes are also funny for adults, which I also liked. I love the animation because Pixar makes the sea life in this film look so realistic, and the colors are rich and vivid. The characters are adorable, kid friendly and nice. Pixar has done it again. They made me feel all kinds of emotions – happiness, fear and sadness, just to name a few. I love the film from beginning to end. It is really fantastic. Ellen DeGeneres is child-like and goofy. Her portrayal of Dory really excels. However, my favorite character is Hank, the octopus (voiced by Ed O’Neil) who gives an outstanding performance. He can camouflage into anything. I love how he has that ability. I also like how he makes so many hilarious jokes. He assists Dory on her adventure to find her family so he can leave the Marine Life Institute and go to Cleveland. We see how Hank’s personality slowly changes throughout this film because of Dory. I just love how Dory grows on him and how he helps her no matter what. Also, I noticed that all the characters in this film have some type of disability in some way or another, and all of them learn to overcome it. That is a very important message in this film. I give this film 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to kids ages 4 to 18. You should be aware that there is one short scene that involves an octopus that may scare some children but it is very brief. I also recommend this film to people who like children, family and action movies. And, I think that adults will enjoy this.

Movie Reviews for Kids by Kids

The BFG

I enjoyed watching the new Disney film, The BFG. We get to see the works of three great storytellers together. Director Steven Spielberg collaborated with Walt Disney Studios to bring Roald Dahl’s classic book, The BFG, to life and turn it into a wonderful film. I love the film for its CGI, which makes the animations look incredible, and I also enjoyed its comedic moments. In this film, we meet Sophie, an orphan who hates the all-girl orphanage she is living in. Then one day, she spots the elderly big, friendly giant (The BFG) who takes her away to Giant Country because he doesn’t want her to tell other people that she saw him. At first, Sophie is scared because she thinks he is going to hurt her, but then she realizes that the giant is actually really friendly, unlike the other giants. The Big Friendly Giant is considered an outcast by the other giants because he refuses to eat children or people as they do. Sophie has an idea to enlist help from Queen Victoria to help keep the Big Friendly Giant safe and capture all the man-eating giants from Giant Country. To see how the story unfolds, go see this film. I appreciate the animations of this film because they are vivid, detailed, realistic and child-friendly. The faces and the size of the giants are amazing. I also like this film because of its humor. I also like the designs of the scenes. They look extremely realistic – so much so, that you could easily think it is a real place. I love how the characters change throughout the film. However, what I didn’t like in this film is that there are a few scenes that are too intense for younger viewers. Also, some scenes got a little boring. But besides that, this film is fantastic. I give this film 4 out of 5 stars. I recommend it to kids ages 6 to 18 and I think adults will like this as well. I also recommend this to people who like family, action, adventure and comedy movies.

Around The World

Festivals, Tomatoes and School!

In late July or early August each year, the town of Coban in the highlands of Guatemala hosts a folklore festival called Rabin Ajau. There is music and dancing, traditional food, a parade, a beauty contest and other activities and events that celebrate the Mayan culture. On the last Wednesday in August, Valencia, Spain, turns into a big food fight, well, a tomato fight, really. More than 30,000 people show up at the Plaza del Pueblo to hurl 140 tons of tomatoes! Shopkeepers hang plastic sheets on their store fronts to keep the mess to a minimum. When the tomato fight is over, the fire department comes in and sprays the mess away. In America, August often means it’s time to go back to school. That might mean getting back into school-related routines like going to bed at a set time each night, brushing up on math skills and reading a little bit extra every day. Maybe it means a shopping trip for new school supplies and waiting to hear who your new teachers are. Back-to-school season is different for every family, but it is an important time to mentally and physically prepare for what the coming school year will hold.

Kids

Why Kids Need Protein and How Milk Can Help

Good nutrition is essential for their child’s health, since developing and maintaining healthy habits as a kid can lead to lifelong benefits. It’s important for kids to get protein at every meal, especially breakfast. Getting enough protein in the morning can help kids feel fuller, longer, so they can start the day off right. Beyond helping the body build and repair lean muscle, protein also impacts many different functions in growing bodies. For example, protein works together with key bone-building nutrients like calcium and vitamin D to help build healthy bones. Each 8-ounce serving of milk provides 8 grams of high-quality, natural protein. Milk is a complete protein, which means that every glass contains a full mix of the essential amino acids our bodies need. You can feel good serving milk to your family since it’s one of the original farm-to-table foods and a wholesome, naturally nutrient-rich choice. Almost all U.S. households have dairy milk in their refrigerators and kids are some of the biggest fans. According to a survey, nine out of 10 kids age 8-12 said they love to drink milk for reasons such as because it’s good for them, it will help them grow and they love the taste. With nine essential nutrients in each 8-ounce glass, milk is a delicious and simple way to give kids a natural source of high-quality protein plus other nutrients they need. Try pairing this kid-friendly recipe for breakfast sushi with a glass of milk for a fun way to start their day with milk and protein. For more kidfriendly, nutritious recipe ideas, visit milklife.com. Breakfast Sushi – Servings: 1 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter 1 banana 1/4 cup crisp rice cereal Spread peanut butter over the outside of the banana and then roll in cereal until coated. Cut into thick slices and serve with a glass of milk. Nutritional information per serving: 390 calories; 15 g fat; 3 g saturated fat; 5 mg cholesterol; 16 g protein; 51 g carbohydrates; 5 g fiber; 290 mg sodium; 305 mg calcium (30% of daily value). Nutrition figures based on including an 8-ounce glass of fat free milk. Why Kids Need Protein and How Milk Can Help In

Category - Kids

Fantasia

African Sahara

Deathstalker Scorpions

September 2016 – Letter From Truman

Hurricanes

Erosion and Soil Control Specialist

Finding Dory

The BFG

Festivals, Tomatoes and School!

Why Kids Need Protein and How Milk Can Help

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