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Come Out and Play

Come Out and Play – Switzerland

Don’t Look Back, The Fox walks around Children in Switzerland like to play games — just like kids everywhere else in the world. One game that is specific to Switzerland is called Don’t Look Back, the Fox Walks Around. This game is similar to the American game Duck, Duck, Goose. All you need is a piece of cloth, a rock or another small object and a few friends. Here is how you play: • Choose a person to be the fox. • Everyone else sits in a circle facing the center of the circle. The fox does not sit in the circle. • Carrying the piece of fabric, stone or other small object, the fox walks around the outside of the circle. • As the fox is walking, he or she quietly drops the item they are carrying behind one of the children sitting in the circle. • As soon as the person in the circle realizes that the object was dropped behind him or her, they jump up and try to catch the fox. • The fox tries to get around the circle and sit in the spot that was left empty by the person that was tagged. • If the fox gets back to the empty spot, the person who was tagged becomes the fox. • If the fox gets tagged the person sits back down and the fox takes another turn and tags a different person. • If the person who gets tagged doesn’t realize the fabric, stone or other small item was dropped behind them and the fox makes it around the circle before the person realizes they were tagged, the tagged person becomes the “lazy egg” and has to sit inside the circle until someone else becomes the “lazy egg.”

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Around The World

Around the world – June 2015

Happy Father’s Day! Hour of Code Computer games and other programs are written using special instructions that tell the computers what to do. These instructions are called code. An event called Hour of Code took place during December 8-14, 2014. It was a celebration of Computer Science Education Week. It involved a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify code and show that anybody can learn the basics. This event showed kids and grown ups that anyone can learn how to code. You can do it, too! With the help of a responsible grown up, check out websites like hourofcode.com, code.org or khanacademy.org to get started. Who knows, maybe your parents will learn code with you! Sweet History Chocolate … Yum! Switzerland is known for its chocolate. In fact, some of America’s biggest names in chocolate can be traced to Switzerland. In 1815, Philippe Suchard was an assistant confectioner (candy maker). He opened his own shop in 1825, and in 1826, Jacques Henri Nestle joined the business. Nestle was known for making condensed milk at the time. When Nestles condensed milk was added to Suchard’s chocolate treats, the sweet creamy result is what people now consider Swiss chocolate. On July 5, 1908, a West Virginia church sponsored the nation’s first celebration in honor of fathers. It was a Sunday sermon in memory of the 362 men who had died in local coal mines. It was a single event, though – not an annual holiday. In 1909, woman named Sonora Smart Dodd from Spokane, Washington, tried to establish an day to honor fathers. She went to local churches, the YMCA, shopkeepers and government officials to drum up support for her idea. It worked. Washington State celebrated the nation’s first statewide Father’s Day on July 19, 1910. It was not until 1972 that Richard Nixon proclaimed Father’s Day a federal holiday. This year we celebrate Father’s Day on Sunday, June 21. It is estimated that Americans spend more than $1 billion each year on Father’s Day gifts.

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What’s It Like To be

Zookeeper

What’s It Like To Be A…Zookeeper What role does a zookeeper have at the zoo? As a Zookeeper and Animal Care Supervisor, my role is to make sure the animals I work with are well cared for. Observations, feeding and cleaning are all part of the job. I also spend time communicating with other departments and working with our staff nutritionist and veterinarians when needed. How do the animals at the zoo end up there? In today’s modern zoo, animals come to us from many places. Some were kept illegally as pets, some were injured in the wild and can’t be re-released and now take sanctuary at the zoo. Others are in zoos because they have nowhere else to go due to habitat loss in the wild. Many animals are born at the zoo as well, some are even second and third generation zoo born individuals. Why are zoos important places for both the animals they house and the people that visit? Unfortunately, for many species there just isn’t a safe place for them in the wild anymore. Zoos are truly a sanctuary for many animals, a last safe place to live and hopefully prevent extinction of their kind. This goes right into the second part of the question, it is so important to see and be near these animals. They (people) get to know the animals, they gain a better understanding of the individual and the species and are inspired to help protect them. The San Diego Zoo is a great example of having people not just visit the zoo but also join us in our global conservation efforts. The zoo is an important place for everyone. What is a typical day like for you? Animals do tend to have routines, so our days can be pretty predictable. We start early in the morning with walking through our area to check on the animals, we meet with our team to discuss the day’s events and from there it’s a lot of cleaning and feeding. As we move through our area we are observing the animals as well. From there, keepers typically prep all the fresh food for the animals as well. Oh, and throughout the day we also do keeper talks. That’s when we talk to our guests at the zoo about the animals. What does it take to be a zookeeper? At the San Diego Zoo you need to have a bachelor’s degree, usually in biology, zoology or a similar course of study. Many have degrees in animal behavior or ecology, as well. You also need to love animals and not mind working weekends and holidays. After all, the animals don’t care what day it is, they still need to be taken care of. A strong passion for animal care on all levels is truly important that way you don’t mind going to work on a weekend. When and how did you know that you wanted to be a zookeeper? I have always had an ongoing curiosity about the natural world. With that there is an innate fascination with biology and everything that includes. Right before high school I learned you could actually have a career working with animals and educating others about them. At that point, I knew I wanted to work at a zoo. What is your favorite part of your job? Honestly, that is really hard to answer because there are a lot of favorite parts to my job. I’d have to say the top two favorite parts are, the shared bond that develops between myself and the animals and also the moments that I get to see someone making a connection with an animal they just met at the zoo. I see the excitement and wonder they have and I know I helped make a difference. What is the most challenging part of your job? The worst part of the job is that we humans tend to live longer than some of the animals we work with. It’s just the nature of things that certain species don’t live as long as we do. The biggest challenge is having to say goodbye. What is your favorite animal and why? I absolutely love the binturong! Sometimes called a bearcat, they are native to the rainforests of Southeast Asia. I have had the pleasure of working with two different binturongs during my career and have loved every minute of it. Now I know, you are probably wondering what the heck is a binturong, but there just isn’t enough space here to go into all the cool details. So I challenge you to go to the zoo and find out more! What is something really cool about zoos that most people don’t know? It has always fascinated me that centuries ago zoos where just collections that wealthy people had to show off to other wealthy people. And now today, most zoos are the last stand for many species facing extinction. We want everyone to know about these amazing animals, learn about them and join us in ending extinction. What is your favorite thing to do when you are not working? Oh, you are probably going to think I am crazy… But I love going to the zoo. Yes, I’m “that guy” that goes to work on his day off. But seriously, if you worked where I do, you would too! Going to the zoo when not working is a completely different day than when I am working, and I love it!

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Wildville

Asiatic Lion

Lions all over the world are in danger. They are hunted and many are running out of habitat as cities grow. The Asiatic lion is particularly affected by habitat loss and poaching because it lives in such a small region. Asiatic lions are only found in India, specifically around the Gir Forest. This forest is a national park and the people work very hard to protect the lions. While Asiatic lions might look the same as the African lion, there are some key differences between the species. Perhaps the easiest to notice is a large flap of skin that runs along the lion’s belly. They also have much smaller and thinner manes, but thicker elbow and tail tufts. Their coloring can range from a light, sand brown to a very dark almost blackish brown. It varies from lion to lion. The darker the mane the more attractive a male lion is considered. They also have slightly different behavior. Asiatic lions have smaller prides that do not include the males. • They are carnivores • Their prey is usually deer, antelope and boar • They are also known for killing livestock on farms • The largest Asiatic lion was 9 ½ feet long • The average Asiatic lion is between 4.5 and 6.5 feet long • The largest African lion was 11 feet long • Asiatic lions weigh between 350 and 420 pounds • African lions weigh between 330 and 500 pounds • They can live both in savannah and forest • It is estimated that only around 200 Asiatic lions remain alive in the wild • Only male lions have the dark brown manes • They live in small prides so that they can hunt together • Asiatic prides are entirely made of females • The males are very solitary • Females do all of the hunting • They often ambush their prey

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Kids

India

Where in the world is India? India is a unique Asian nation not only because of its people, but also because of its wide variety of terrain. In the North, there is the giant Himalayan mountain range that supports rare animals such as the snow leopard. There is also the Thar Desert that covers 77,000 square miles of land. This desert, though dry, also supports incredible animals such as black bucks. Another amazing ecosystem is a gigantic mangrove forest called the Sundarbans, where tigers, sea turtles and saltwater crocodiles all swim together. India supports more than 65,000 animal species and 12,000 different plant species. Hinduism is the most popular religion in India and is popular all over South Asia, too. It is the world’s third most popular and oldest existing religion. It was first developed in northern India and traces its roots back to Brahminism. It is also not a single religion, but rather describes a way of thinking and the many groups that developed out of the philosophy. Hinduism focuses more on actions rather than belief. And through doing good things, the eternal soul can be released from the cycle of rebirths called reincarnation. The four different paths that Hindus can focus on are knowledge, meditation, devotion and good works. • The capital city is New Delhi. • The currency is the rupee. • It is a peninsula, surrounded by water on three sides. • The major religion is Hinduism. • The country gained independence in 1947. • It was ruled by Britain in 1858. • It is officially known as the Republic of India. • The population is more than 1.2 billion people. • The highest mountain is Kanchenjunga, and it is 28,209 ft. tall. • The main languages are Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil and Urdu. • India as ruled by Britain split into the Republic of India and the Republic of Pakistan. • The most popular sport is cricket.

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Weather

Stay Safe at the Beach

At the beach, you can have a ton of fun. Swim in the water, throw a Frisbee along the surf or just put your toes in the wet sand. Everyone loves a trip to the beach. The beach is so much fun that sometimes people forget about the possible dangers, like bad weather, rip currents and other hazards. Don’t let these threats ruin your day at the beach. Stay safe with these beach safety tips: Check the Weather Forecast Rain, thunderstorms, lightning and other kinds of bad weather can occur at the beach. Know before you go; check the weather forecast at weather.gov to find out how hot it will be and if thunderstorms are expected. Check the Surf Zone Forecast Great weather for the beach does not always mean it is safe to swim. Make sure you check the surf zone forecast at www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/forecasts.shtml. Forecasts are available for many popular beaches. The surf zone is the area of water between the first breaking waves and shore line. This is where most people swim or play in the water when at the beach. Always Swim at a Beach with Lifeguards The chances of drowning at a beach with lifeguards are 1 in 18 million. Always swim at a beach with lifeguards. Always follow a lifeguard’s instructions. When swimming at a beach without a lifeguard, a person is five times more likely to drown than when swimming at a beach with a lifeguard. Break the Grip of the Rip® Rip currents are powerful, channeled currents of water flowing away from shore that quickly pull swimmers out to sea. If caught in a rip current, don’t fight the current. Stay calm and try to float. If you can’t return to the shore, call or wave for help. Situations like rip currents are why it’s so important to only swim at a beach with lifeguards. Know What the Warning Flags Mean Beach warning flags can be found at a lifeguard’s stand. It is important to know what these flags mean. A green flag means to use caution. A red flag means there is a high surf or strong currents. Stay out of the water if a red flag is flying. Talk to the lifeguard if you have questions about beach conditions; they are there to help. Bring a Friend Never swim alone! Make sure that you’re with a parent or an adult at all times. If you go swimming with a group, make sure to leave someone on the beach as a spotter and another who can go for help. Have a cell phone, and know the location/address of the beach you are on. Safety First, Fun Second When you go to the beach, put safety first and fun second. Following these simple steps will help you and your family stay safe at the beach.

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Letter From Truman

May 2015 – Letter from Truman

Hi, Kids! I’ve been told that there is a big difference between needs and wants. At first I didn’t understand because there have been times that I wanted something so much that I was certain I could not live without it. There are only five things that any organism needs to live. Read the “Connections” section to find out more about them and why they are important. We don’t need games to live — but they sure are fun! And not all games require equipment or electronics. Uffangali is a game from India. All it requires is a few people and some seeds. You can read more about that in the “Cultural Connections” section. This month, I am going to try to keep things simple and be thankful that I have so much more than I need instead of wishing for things I don’t have. What is something that you have and enjoy but don’t really need?

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Space Place

Dark Bits on the Bright Sun

By Katie McKissick National Aeronautics and Space Administration The sun is a giant ball of burning gas 93 million miles away. It burns so brightly it warms us here on Earth and gives us energy. Because it’s so hot and bright, you might be surprised to learn that sometimes the sun has dark regions in its atmosphere. We can’t see these dark patches with our own eyes, of course. And don’t try – it will hurt your eyes! We see these dimmer areas with spacecraft like the Solar Dynamics Observatory. This satellite orbits the Earth and watches the sun from afar, taking pictures as it goes. On March 16, it found two big holes in the outer atmosphere, or corona, of the sun. One coronal hole is located near the southern pole of the sun. It is one of the largest coronal holes scientists have seen in decades. It covers about eight percent of the surface of the sun. That might not sound like much, but for comparison, eight percent of your body surface is the front of one whole leg. The other coronal hole is long and skinny. It covers less than one percent of the sun, but that’s still almost four billion square miles. That’s the same area as 20 earths! These coronal holes are colder and less dense than the rest of the sun’s atmosphere. Because the magnetic fields in those regions are open to space, coronal holes let energy and particles escape from the sun and go out into the solar system. This blast of charged particles is called solar wind. The solar wind takes two or three days to reach us on earth, and when it does, it can cause auroras. Those are the bright bands of light that you can see in the sky, usually near the North Pole. For more up-to-date images, be sure to check out news from the SDO mission: http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov.

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Movie Reviews for Kids by Kids

The Sound of Music

The Most Beloved Family Film of All Time Turns 50! KIDS FIRST! Critic Clayton P. couldn’t have phrased it better: “Some might think Frozen is an amazing movie musical, but Rodger and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music is a million times better!” Video review: https://youtu.be/rPhSh9VDDPY The 50th Anniversary Edition of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music is a must-have for every family. This 5-disc DVD set includes the movie in HD and standard definition, a new 60 minute documentary called The Sound of a City: Julie Andrews Returns to Salzburg and lots of other special features. The Sound of Music is the best family film of all time because it brings everyone together with its great, true-life story of the Von Trapp family. The songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein are all wonderful and unforgettable. Each song is a masterpiece. The quality of the songwriting just cannot be compared with anything else. The Sound of Music stars Julie Andrews as Maria, a young Austrian woman who is training to be a nun at a monastery. Christopher Plummer stars as Captain Von Trapp, a wealthy Austrian naval captain who hires Maria as governess to his seven children. Directed by Robert Wise, it won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The Sound of Music is appropriate for all ages. The documentary, The Sound of a City: Julie Andrews Returns to Salzburg is appropriate for those ages 10 to 18. I rate this new DVD set 5 out of 5 stars.

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Kids

Smart Food Choices to Fuel Kids This Summer

During the laid-back summer months, it can be tempting to let things slide. Though many aspects of your routine may shift into a lower gear, you can still find simple ways to make sure your kids are making healthy food choices to fuel their way through summer. Summer, when there are fewer demands to complete homework and attend school functions, is the perfect time to get kids more involved in the kitchen. Even though school is out, the learning doesn’t have to stop. Here are some tips to help your kids learn smart nutrition and where food comes from: • This season, celebrate why dairy is a wholesome addition to snacks, meal choices and even drinks. Not only do dairy foods taste great, but also they are good for your health and your budget. Options like milk, cheese and yogurt are full of vitamins and minerals, help build strong bones and muscles, control blood pressure, maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of heart disease. Plus, at about 25 cents per 8-ounce serving, milk is a bargain, especially when you consider all the nutrients inside. No other food group delivers this much nutrition in such an affordable, flavorful and convenient way. • Take advantage of the extra time summer allows to teach kids about where food comes from and the practices involved in getting food from the farm to your family’s table. With a focus on educating others about sustainable practices, dairy families across the nation regularly invite the public to visit their farms and learn how milk and other dairy foods make it from their family farms to grocery store shelves. Dairy farmers work 365 days a year to ensure nutritious milk and dairy foods are available now and in the future. • Keep kids well-nourished throughout the day – even when school isn’t in session. Teach kids simple, nutritious breakfast and snack ideas they can create on their own in the kitchen, such as yogurt and fruit smoothies. Not only will they learn a few kitchen skills, but it will also encourage the habit of eating a wholesome breakfast every day. Zucchini Parmesan Rounds Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Total time: 25 minutes Servings: 4 Non-stick cooking spray 2 medium zucchini (about 3/4 pound) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces) 1/2 cup plain dry breadcrumbs 1/8 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Paprika, to taste Preheat oven to 450°F. Lightly coat baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Slice zucchini into 1/4-inch thick rounds, leaving green skin on. Place rounds in resealable plastic bag with olive oil; shake to coat all sides. Combine Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and paprika in small bowl. Press each zucchini round into Parmesan mixture, coating on both sides. Place in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove with spatula. Serve warm. Chocolate Berry Smoothie Prep time: 5 minutes Servings: 2 1¼ cups fat-free chocolate milk 1 cup frozen mixed berries without sugar (blackberries, blueberries and raspberries) 1 container (5.3 ounces) fat-free mixed berry Greek yogurt Combine chocolate milk, frozen berries and yogurt in a blender. Blend until creamy. Serve immediately.

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