GIGGLEMOOSE KIDS NEWS -- Summer 2001 -- Hi, kids!
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CONTENTS:
Have Journal, Will Travel
Nature Profile
Try This at Home
Answers R Us
Gasp! Wow! I Didn't Know That!
Skeeter Madness
Your Vote Counts!
The Fun Never Stops
Moose Moment
Kids Make a Difference
Feed Your Need to Read!
A Note to Moms, Dads, Teachers, and Guardians
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1. HAVE JOURNAL, WILL TRAVEL
Summer is here and I'll bet you're as excited as I am to finally have warm weather and long daylight hours. This is prime time for outdoor exploring, so get out there and have fun! Don't forget to record your discoveries and observations in your nature journal. That way, when the weather turns nasty and you're trapped inside, you can reminisce about all the fun you had outside. Plus, you can compare notes from year to year. Did that oak tree out front get bigger? Did the nesting robins return again this year? Did your daffodils pop up early? Keeping a nature journal with your brother, sister, best friend, or classmates is even MORE fun!
Now let's get on to the good stuff . . .
2. NATURE PROFILE: SHARKS
There are approximately 350 different species of sharks, ranging from the pygmy ribbontail catshark (only about 8--9" long) to the huge whale shark (about 45' long!). All sharks are protected by tough hides that are studded with tooth-like growths called denticles. They live all over the world in both warm and cold regions of the ocean, as well as rivers and fresh water. Most sharks bear live young, although some species lay eggs with protective horny shells. Like other fishes, they are cold-blooded and breathe with gills. Yet unlike most fishes, they don't have gas-filled swim bladders to provide buoyancy. So how do they stay afloat? Their skeletons are made of cartilage, which is much lighter than bone. Despite that, most sharks must keep moving to prevent themselves from sinking.
You can learn more about sharks at http://www.gigglemoose.com/feature_article.htm
3. TRY THIS AT HOME
Here's an activity that will help you see how plants grow from seeds. Fill three small containers with potting soil. (Recycled paper cups, yogurt containers, and egg cartons work great!) Plant two sunflower or bean seeds in the first container. Wait four days, then plant two or more of the same seeds in the second container. Wait four days, then plant two or more of the same seeds in the third container. Now you'll be able to observe three different stages of plant development at the same time! It's really cool seeing how the seedlings first pop out of the ground and then how the leaves unfurl from the seed shells!
4. ANSWERS R US
The nature questions keep coming in at Gigglemoose.com and we're doing our best to answer them all. The featured question this time around is: "How fast can a cheetah run?" Is it 10 miles per hour? No, faster than that! 20 miles per hour? Faster! 40 miles per hour? Faster! What's your guess? Discover the fascinating answer online at http://www.gigglemoose.com/feature_question.htm
5. GASP! WOW! I DIDN'T KNOW THAT!
Did you know that starfish can turn their stomachs inside out? Did you know that after finishing a meal houseflies regurgitate their food and eat it again? NASTY! Check out http://www.gigglemoose.com/strange&amazing.htm and discover some "Strange & Amazing Nature Facts" that will astonish your friends! (We keep adding to the list.)
6. SKEETER MADNESS
We swat them in the spring, we slap them in the summer, and throughout the warm weather we wonder, "why are these annoying bugs even on the planet?" Well, believe it or not, mosquitoes and black flies really DO have a purpose in the circle of life. Click here to learn more: http://www.gigglemoose.com/artcl-blackflybenefits.htm
7. YOUR VOTE COUNTS!
Did you plant a garden at home or at school this year? If so, did you plant flowers, vegetables, or both? Visit our home page at http://www.gigglemoose.com then scroll down to the bottom and cast your vote in our gardening poll!
8. THE FUN NEVER STOPS
And speaking of gardening, have you tried our new challenging word games yet? Go to http://www.gigglemoose.com/indoors.htm and print out the Gardener's Crossword or the Garden Bed Word Search. You'll also find a bunch of fun pages to print out and color!
9. MOOSE MOMENT---Brief facts about the majestic American Moose!
You can tell where a moose has been by the prints of its large cloven hooves (5--7" in length) in mud or snow, and also by the large amounts of scar (poop!). In the winter months, the scar is the size and shape of small eggs. During the warm summer, it takes the form of the more familiar "cow-pies." Eewww!!!
10. KIDS MAKE A DIFFERENCE
We're always thrilled to hear what kids are doing to make our world a better place. Did you study the environment in school this year? Are you planning any special Earth-friendly projects this summer? Log on to http://www.gigglemoose.com/kids_make_a_difference.htm and tell us all about it! (With your parents' permission, of course!)
11. FEED YOUR NEED TO READ!
Like it or not, there are times when we can't be outside exploring the wonders of our natural world. But there's no need to pout, because that's the perfect time to pick up a book! Sure, we hope you continue to visit us on the Internet at Gigglemoose.com, but there are millions of fun-filled books out there that can take you on amazing expeditions right inside your living room! You can look up what kind of bird you saw outside, discover what penguins do all day, take a swim with sharks, explore the prehistoric world of dinosaurs, and much more. Best of all, books are absolutely free when you visit your local library. So don't pull your hair out when you're stuck inside . . . feed your need to read!
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