ChillKids
June 2019
Fun Family Educational Resource of Chapel Hill • Carrboro • Durham • Hillsborough • NC Triangle
SUMMER FUN
in the North Carolina Triangle
Ready to Explore! Six Red Wolf Pups
Born at the Museum of Life and Science Turn Six Weeks Old
Creative Summer: Art Contests & Writing Contests FREE!
Puzzles Mazes Dot to Dots
Piedmont Electric Membership Corporation
A Touchstone Energy Cooperative
Beach Safety
How to "Break the Grip" of Rip Currents
North Carolina Beaches Word Find Find the words by looking up, down, backwards, forwards, sideways and diagonally.
E L S I D L A R E M E T C O S
K L C I T N A L T A W H A U L
B W L I A S P O T L S T R T L
W E A I C E Q M I E W Z O E E
Atlantic Beach Carolina Kure Ocean Sand
I I A H V H E G D O S L L R H
S D L C Y S H I A N Q N I B S
L D N D H T T B I L O R N A A
Seashells Surf Tides Bald Head Island Lighthouse
A A E A H K T H A T L R A N E
N E R O S O P I G L L O E K S
D H U L W L R N K I D E R S S
F S K V O R I S O G R H Z O S
E G L D M M Z S E J I W E Y C
Outer Banks Corolla Wild Horses Beaufort Blackbeard Emerald Isle
J A X Z L F R U S S O C E A N
C N U I B L A C K B E A R D D
D L W B E A U F O R T C H I E
Dolphins Kitty Hawk Nags Head Topsail Wilmington Wrightsville
Chapel Hill Pediatrics
&Adolescents
Welcome NEW and Established Patients
• Care from birth through college • Complimentary “meet & greet” sessions • Same-day appointments • Comprehensive sports & camp physicals Appointment Hours 8 am - 5 pm M-F All Locations
Walk in Availability: Chapel Hill Office: 7:15 – 7:50 am and 1-7 pm M-F, 9 am - 2 pm Sat - Sun Durham Office: 7:15 – 7:50 am M-F
READ TOGETHER
Educational fun for the whole family! ChillKids is your LOCAL award-winning educational family resource magazine for parents, grandparents, children, and educators K-5th grade in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough/Orange County, Durham and the NC Triangle.
ChillKids
HAVE FUN READING & LEARNING with ChillKids, featuring award-winning educational puzzles and games. Educators can request FREE distribution for your K-5 classroom(s) by calling (919) 951-4410. Read the monthly online edition at www.ChillKids.com/news. The ChillKids family educational resource is supported by sponsors who share our mission to promote literacy and a love of learning in our local community. To learn more about supporting our 501(c)(3) nonprofit literacy mission in partnership with the Newspaper in Education Initiative, call us at (919) 951-4410.
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SUBTRACTION SUDOKU
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JUNE PUZZLE ANSWERS
COIN CAPER ANSWERS: HDNNNP, QQDDNP ROAD RIDDLE: [+5]
ADDITION SQUARE ANSWER 4, 5, 6, 9, 8, 13, 9
Serving you in 2 locations: Chapel Hill: 205 Sage Road, Suite 100 Durham: 249 East NC Hwy 54, Suite 230
www.chapelhillpeds.com
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ChillKids
Chapel Hill/Carrboro/Hillsborough/ Orange & Durham Counties' Fun Family Educational Resource PUBLISHER/EDITOR Kate Look kate@ChillKids.com June 2019 Cover: Red wolves at the Museum of Life and Science. Image: Museum of Life and Science
For Sponsorship Information, or to request (FREE!) K-5 distribution for your school, contact us at: (919) 951-4410 www.ChillKids.com/news ChillKids 1818 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, #210 Chapel Hill, NC 27516 Copyright © 2019 ChillKids. All rights reserved. No part of this issue may be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without permission of the publisher. Neither participating advertisers nor the publishers will be responsible or liable for misinformation, misprints or typographical errors. The publishers reserve the right to edit any submitted material. ChillKids is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, or other material. Children's art submissions should include name, address, telephone number, and permission to publish signed by a parent or guardian.
Welcome Summer! Hello! Hooray for summer! The first day of Summer is on June 21st, and there are lots of fun things to do with your family and friends in the North Carolina Triangle. It's time for summer vacation, summer camps, and the 40th Annual Festival for the Eno River (on Thursday, July 4th & Saturday, July 6th). You won't want to miss the Festival for the Eno, so be sure to mark it on your calendar! Visit the new red wolf pups who were born at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham on April 22nd (Earth Day!) They are starting to explore and play outside their den. Read about the red wolves on pages 4 to 7. Summer time is beach time and the North Carolina coast has so many beautiful beaches with lots of fun things to do. Remember safety first on outings to the beach. Read about rip currents on pages 10 - 13, and learn how to stay safe and avoid rip currents. Summer is a great time to work on your writing and art projects at home. On page 13 read about art contests and a writing contest to help inspire and motivate you. Get out in nature, get "unplugged," and read all summer long! Have a joyful June!
By Jan Buckner Walker
The Original Crossword Puzzle for Kids and Their Favorite Adults
™
The across clues are for kids and the down clues are for grown-ups!
Kids Across
1. Thee shape of each side of a Monopoly playing cube 3. Selected a game piece (or got an apple from a tree) 6. Easy Monopoly math: In Monopoly money, WHITE = $1, PINK = $5, YELLOW = $10, GREEN = $20 and BLUE = $50. If you have one green, one pink and five white bills, how many dollars do you have? 9. Make no mistake: The player who pulls a Community Chest card that says "Bank _____ in your favor" gets to collect $200 12. Abbr. for the word that appears on 17 of the 22 properties (Hint: It's a synonym for "Street") 13. It's the little stick a tiny man would use to tap that silver hat just before he pulls a rabbit out of it: a _____ wand 14. Type of game Monopoly is (and a homonym of how a player might feel as he sits in jail while the other players
of "dice" 7. Production of a high-touch 17. version of Monopoly ensures that blind players can get in on 20. the action 8. Electric company icon 22. 10. When a player lands on a question mark, it's time to take this kind of card 23. 11. Any agreement between players (or to pass out playing cards) 15. Rich color of the game pieces found in a deluxe edition of Parents Down Monopoly 1. Number of sides on dice (or 16. Royal color of Park Place one half of "boxcars") 18. Released in 1998, the U.S. 2. Reading or Pennsylvania Space Program Edition of 3. Sprung!: It's one way to get Monopoly (featuring space out of jail centers instead of houses and 4. If the orange card you drew hotels) celebrated the 40th tells you that you have been anniversary of this agency elected ______ of the 14A, you're about to pay each of the 19. Toss the dice 21. Left your fellow players other players $50 penniless (and determined to 5. One of a pair: Though its best you the next time) usage is now optional, once upon a time, this word was the only correct singular form
Monopoly, Anyone?
take their turns) Location of GO, Jail or Go to Jail It's the color of the Community Chest cards A great resting place: It's the space diagonally across the board from GO These words are found on an unlucky card you might draw from the Community Chest or 10D deck: "Go to ____!"
Find puzzle answers on page 2.
™
kris@kapd.com
KAPD ebooks now available on www.kapd.com
6/2019
June 2019 www.ChillKids.com/news
© 2019 KAPD, LLC
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ANIMAL KINGDOM DURHAM, NC – For the third year in a row, the Museum of Life and Science welcomed a new litter of red wolf pups. The six pups were born on the morning of April 22, 2019 — Earth Day — making their family one of the only multigenerational packs of endangered red wolves in captivity nationwide. All pups were found to be in good health by the Museum's animal care team and are currently in the habitat of the Explore the Wild exhibit. The pups remained inside the den for the first several few weeks, although they could sometimes be spotted on the den camera. More recently, at 5 to 6 weeks old the pups can sometimes be seen outside, exploring and playing together. They have lots of energy and can be seen climbing the hill, wrestling, and playing tug-of-war with mom’s tail. “I am so excited. These pups are the future for this imperiled species,” said Sherry Samuels, Director of the Museum's Animal Department. Samuels is also a Management Team member of the Red Wolf Species Survival Plan, a collaborative breeding and management program developed by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums to ensure the sustainability of endangered animal populations. “There are fewer than 300 of these animals on the planet,” Samuels said. “Wolf pups get people excited, and it gives us another opportunity to engage with people and have a dialogue about the importance of conservation and about endangered species in our own backyard.” The Museum's animal care staff will continue to monitor the health of the pups, their older brothers, and the adult wolf pair over the coming weeks. Pup health checks will occur approximately every two weeks until 16 weeks of age.
Six Red Wolf Pups
Born at the Museum of Life and Science on Earth Day 2019 are Ready to Explore!
Newborn red wolf pups born on April 22, 2019 -- Earth Day -- at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham. Images: Museum of Life and Science
Pups typically begin to open their eyes in 10-14 days and often venture out of the den for short periods of time around three weeks of age. At around six weeks they will begin to spend longer amounts of time out of the den, but the public should not expect to see much of them before early June. Even then, the Museum's newest arrivals might be difficult to spot; red wolves are notoriously shy and can be quite reserved around crowds and loud noises. Museum staff will be present at the wolf habitat throughout the summer to answer questions and help guests stay calm, quiet, and observant.
Last year, the same mother wolf gave birth to three pups, two of which are now fully grown and remain at the Museum. This is the fifth time in 26 years that red wolves at the Museum gave birth to a litter of pups. The Museum received its first red wolf in November 1992, followed by litters of pups in 1993, 2002, 2017, and 2018.
“It is going to be an amazing spring and summer at our wolf habitat,” Samuels said. “Watching these new pups grow up and interact with their older brothers and parents will be a once in a lifetime experience.”
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Red Wolf Pups (cont.) In early June at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, NC, sixweek-old endangered red wolf pups begin to emerge from their den and become more adventurous. It brings the total number of wolves in the habitat to ten, spanning three generations.
About Red Wolves In addition to the cinnamon coat highlights which lend them their name, red wolves are visibly smaller and more slender than gray wolves. Adult red wolves typically weigh between 45-80 pounds and can live up to 15 years in captivity, but rarely longer than seven years in the wild. Once a top predator throughout the southeastern United States, the red wolf is now one of our planet's most endangered species and continues to be at risk. To protect the remaining critically endangered red wolf population, a managed breeding program was established in 1973 by the US Fish and Wildlife Service at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. The success of this breeding program led to the reintroduction of red wolves to North Carolina's Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in 1987. Red wolves now inhabit a fivecounty area in northeastern North Carolina and although their numbers had grown, gunshots, vehicle strikes, and habitat loss have reduced the red wolf population and continues to threaten their survival. The red wolf is one of our planet’s most endangered species. (Continued on p. 7.)
The red wolf pups are 6 weeks old in the photo above. At the pups' first health check (below) all six pups fit in one bin. In the photo at right (taken on May 22, 2019) one pup is shown in the same bin.
Images: Museum of Life and Science
June 2019 www.ChillKids.com/news
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Hidden Picture Puzzle by Liz
2018 Summer????
How many hidden items can you find?
www.hiddenpicturepuzzles.com
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Red Wolf Pups (cont.) The Museum of Life and Science's wolf habitat is located in Explore the Wild, a sixacre woodland habitat and thriving wetland site where you can use the tools of a wildlife biologist. The red wolves (Canis rufus) serve as important ambassadors for the Red Wolf Species Survival Program. With the birth of the now six-week-old red wolf pups, there are now 10 red wolves in the habitat, spanning three generations.
Situated on 84-acres, the immersive environment of this outdoor science park and two-story science center inspires curiosity, the capacity for scientific thinking, and the desire for lifetime learning. The Museum is proud to be an accredited member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums. To learn more, visit: www.lifeandscience.org.
A pool with waterfall and a covered wolf den provide spaces for cooling off and relaxing while a rock quarry wall provides a naturalistic backdrop and vertical climbing challenge for the wolves. Visitor-controlled cameras allow for an up-close look at wolf behavior inside and outside of the den. About the Museum of Life and Science
Located less than five miles from downtown Durham, the Museum of Life and Science is one of North Carolina's top family destinations. Its mission is to create a place where people — from young children to older adults — embrace science as a way of understanding themselves, their community, and their world.
Images: Museum of Life and Science.
triangle youth ballet 1708 A East Franklin Street - Chapel Hill, NC 27514 - 919-932-2676
Summer Camps and Classes Age 3 to adult REGISTRATION NOW OPEN Open House Saturday June 15 2:00 -5:00
www.monkeyingaround.com Reprinted with permission.
Follow the STARS instructions above! Can you guess what this is? Hint: It is something you might be able to see at the EEK! exhibit at the Festival for the Eno River on July 4th and July 6th. www.EnoFest.org
Photo by Steve Clarke
The Triangle Youth Ballet is a 501 (c) 3 non-proÞt and member of the NC Center for Non-ProÞts. We are proud to be a Performing Company with Regional Dance America/Southeast
June 2019 www.ChillKids.com/news
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CREATIVITY CORNER
2019 Art Contests & Writing Contests
Art contests and writing contests are a fun way to inspire you to keep drawing, painting, and writing poems, essays and short stories during hot summer days at home. This summer get out your pencils, markers, paints and pens and ask a parent for help to enter art contests and writing contests. Here are a few contests to get you started!
Celebrating Art Contest www.celebratingart.com
Next Contest Deadline: August 22, 2019 Celebrating Art is a contest for any student in grades K-12. Enter for free by having a parent or teacher submit a digital image of your painting, sculpture, drawing, or collage, etc. Teachers and students share in the prizes, and winning entrants are included in a published hard-cover book. Celebrating Art has three contest deadlines each year. The next contest deadline is August 22, 2019. For contest rules and more information visit: www.celebratingart.com.
27th Annual World Children's Picture Contest
Creative Communication Writing Contest www.poeticpower.com
www.ienohikari-koubo. com/zugacon/english/ Children ages 6 - 15 can enter; Entries Accepted June 3rd to September 30, 2019 The Annual World Children’s Picture Contest began in 1993 "with the hope of creating friendships and mutual understanding between children all over the world." In the past, the themes for the drawings/paintings were: Agriculture, Farming, Nature, Environment, People, or Family. For this year's contest, "works can be on any theme to support self-expression." The Picture Contest focuses on "the importance of food that we need to live," as well as "the value of family and friendship and different communities." The entry period is June 3 - September 30, 2019. Entries for the 27th Annual World Children's Picture Contest must be sent by mail to the contest entry headquarters in Japan. For contest rules and entry mailing address, ask a parent to visit https://www.ienohikari.net/zugacon/ english.
Next Contest Deadline for Poems: postmarked August 18, 2018 The Creative Communication Writing Contest honors student writers by giving them the opportunity to become published and win cash prizes. Teachers can earn classroom supplies and a free anthology. Singer/songwriter Taylor Swift entered the Creative Communication Writing Contest when she was in 5th grade, and her poem "Monster in My Closet" was a Top Ten Winner! (You can read Taylor Swift's winning 5th grade poem at www. poeticpower.com). Taylor said that, "It started with poetry, trying to figure out the perfect combination of words, with the perfect amount of syllables and the perfect rhyme to make it completely pop off the page. I started when I was 10 and won this national poetry contest. . . ." The Washington Post, February 28, 2008. Poetry divisions are: Grades K-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12. Poems must be original and in English. Poems must be no more than 21 lines. Mail entries or enter online at www.poeticpower.com. Visit www.poeticpower.com for complete contest
rules.
THE ANIMAL HOSPITAL
JUNE Maze
Highest quality veterinarian services using state of the art technology & techniques
* Dog boarding * Cat boarding * Luxury cat condos * Dog self-wash service
START
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North Carolina’s best small animal practice, serving the community since 1974!
112 West Main St. Carrboro, NC 27510
919-967-9261
SUMMER IS HERE! Protect your pets against fleas and ticks!
theanimalhospitalcarrboro.com
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Sunday
Monday
June
Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
Mark your calendar now for the 40th
Friday
Saturday
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Festival for the Eno on
Thurs. July 4th & Sat. July 6th! See page 16
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Story Time
www.readaloud.org
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Yo-Yo Day
Ages 3 – 6 Mondays & Tuesdays 10:30 am – 11:00 am and 3:30 pm - 4 pm
Check out the history of the yo-yo at the Smithsonian online https://www.si.edu/ spotlight/yo-yo
Chapel Hill Public Library
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NC Black Bear Festival June 1 & 2nd Plymouth, NC
8 National Best Friends Day
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Story Time
Ages 3 – 6 Mondays & Tuesdays 10:30 am – 11:00 am ALSO Tuesdays 3:30 pm - 4 pm Chapel Hill Public Library
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Father's Day
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Strawberry Moon
National Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Month
In North America, the "Strawberry Moon" full moon was the Native American's sign to harvest wild strawberries - Old Farmer's Almanac
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Kids Eat FREE! every Thursday, 5 - 8 pm *See details on p.14
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First Day of Summer
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Story Time
Ages 3 – 6 Mondays & Tuesdays 10:30 am – 11:00 am and 3:30 pm - 4 pm Chapel Hill Public Library
June 2019 www.ChillKids.com/news
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SAFE SUMMER FUN
Safety at the Beach: Rip Currents
The beach can be great fun when we all put safety first, and kids can help their siblings, parents, and friends by passing along what you by learn about beach safety.
Why Rip Currents Form As waves travel from deep to shallow water, they will break near the shoreline. When waves break strongly in some locations and weakly in others, this can cause rip currents: narrow, fast-moving belts of water traveling offshore, away from the shore.
Whenever you go to the beach, be sure to check weather reports and surf conditions before you go, and choose to visit beaches that are protected by lifeguards. Follow safety flags (see what the water safety flag colors mean on page 11.
The seaward pull of rip currents varies: sometimes the rip current ends just beyond the line of breaking waves, but sometimes rip currents continue to push hundreds of yards offshore.
The United States Lifesaving Association and the If you do get caught in a rip current, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration remember these safety tips: "NOAA" provide free educational materials and videos online, and they want everyone to learn the following information about how to identify rip Never try to fight the current by swimming currents, and how to avoid and survive rip currents. directly back to shore. So have fun this summer, and if you head to the beach, always be cautious and stay safe. Rip currents are powerful, channeled currents of water flowing away from shore. They typically extend from the shoreline, through the surf zone, and past the line of breaking waves. Rip currents can occur at any beach with breaking waves, including the Great Lakes. Rip currents can be killers. The United States Lifesaving Association estimates that the annual number of deaths due to rip currents on our nation's beaches exceeds 100. Rip currents account for over 80% of rescues performed by surf beach lifeguards. The greatest safety precaution that can be taken is to recognize the danger of rip currents and always remember to swim at beaches with lifeguards. The United States Lifesaving Association has calculated the chance that a person will drown while attending a beach protected by USLA affiliated lifeguards at 1 in 18 million. If caught in a rip current at an unguarded beach, how you respond could make the difference between life and death. The United States Lifesaving Association, in partnership with NOAA's National Weather Service and National Sea Grant Program, is working together to raise awareness about the dangers of rip currents. Research is also being conducted in order to develop and improve the ability to predict the occurrence and strength of rip currents. The goal of the awareness campaign and research is to reduce the number of rip current related fatalities. With increasing coastal populations, rip currents will continue to be a serious hazard at surf beaches. This web site is designed to provide educational material as well as real time information about the rip current risk. The time you take to understand rip currents can help you protect yourself and your loved ones when visiting the beaches.
Rip currents most typically form at low spots or breaks in sandbars, and also near structures such as rock formations, jetties and piers. Rip currents can be very narrow or extend in widths to hundreds of yards.
It is very important for water safety at the beach (and at the Great Lakes) to recognize characteristics of rip currents, and to know what to do if you get caught in one.
About Rip Currents
The strength and speed of a rip current can increase as wave height and wave period increase. They are most likely to be dangerous during high surf conditions as the wave height and wave period increase.
Remain calm to conserve energy and think clearly. Float on your back.
Read More About How to Avoid and Survive Rip Currents on p. 11 and p. 13. How to Identify Rip Currents Look for any of these clues: � a channel of churning, choppy water � an area having a notable difference in water color
Swim parallel to the shore, and then on an angle safely back to the beach.
� a line of foam, seaweed, or debris moving steadily seaward
Wave your arms and call for help if you are having difficulty getting out of the rip current.
None, one, or more of the above clues may indicate the presence of rip currents. Rip currents are often not readily or easily identifiable to the average beachgoer. For your safety, be aware of this major surf zone hazard. Polarized sunglasses make it easier to see the rip current clues provided above. See some example photos of beaches and rip currents on page 13. Can you spot the rip currents?
Why Rip Currents are Dangerous Rip currents are the leading surf hazard for all beachgoers. They are particularly dangerous for weak or non-swimmers. Rip current speeds are typically 1-2 feet per second. However, speeds as high as 8 feet per second have been measured--this is faster than an Olympic swimmer can sprint! Thus, rip currents can sweep even the strongest swimmer out to sea. Over 100 drownings due to rip currents occur every year in the United States. More than 80% of water rescues on surf beaches are due to rip currents.
� a break in the incoming wave pattern
Rip Currents Pull People Away from Shore A rip current is a horizontal current. Rip currents do not pull people under the water–-they pull people away from shore. Drowning deaths occur when people pulled offshore are unable to keep themselves afloat and swim to shore. This may be due to any combination of fear, panic, exhaustion, or lack of swimming skills. Source: https://www. usla.org/page/RIPCURRENTS#Survival
Rip currents can occur at any surf beach with breaking waves, including the Great Lakes.
When Rip Currents Form Rip currents can be found on many surf beaches every day. Under most tide and sea conditions the speeds are relatively slow. However, under certain wave, tide, and beach profile conditions the speeds can quickly increase to become dangerous to anyone entering the surf.
Learn more and watch safety videos at www.usla.org/page/ripcurrents and www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov.
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Safety at the Beach: Rip Currents (cont.) How to Avoid and Survive Rip Currents Learn how to swim! Never swim alone. Be cautious at all times, especially when swimming at unguarded beaches. If in doubt, don’t go out! Whenever possible, swim at a lifeguard protected beach. Ask the lifeguards about conditions including rip currents before you swim. Obey all instructions and orders from lifeguards. Bring a water safety flotation device with you to the beach and have it nearby and accessible. If caught in a rip current, remain calm to conserve energy and think clearly. Don’t fight the current. Swim sideways out of the current and parallel to the shore, following the shoreline. When out of the current, swim at an angle back to shore. (See illustrations on p. 13.) If you are unable to swim out of the rip current, FLOAT or calmly tread water. When out of the current, swim towards shore. If you are still unable to reach shore, draw attention to yourself: face the shore, wave your arms, and yell for help. If you see someone in trouble, get help from a lifeguard. If a lifeguard is not available, have someone call 9-1-1 . Throw the rip current victim something that floats and yell instructions on how to escape. Remember, many people (even strong swimmers) drown while trying to save someone else from a rip current. Even trained lifeguards only attempt a rescue using a flotation device. Source: https://www.usla.org/page/RIPCURRENTS#Survival
Learn more and watch safety videos at www.usla.org/page/ripcurrents www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov and www.weather.gov/jetstream/ripcurrents
A green flag means water conditions are safe and other colors mean conditions are not safe. Two red flags means that swimming is prohibited, as conditions are too dangerous for even the strongest swimmers. In some communities, red flags feature the symbol of a swimmer with a white line through it.
The most serious of all beach warning flags, a red flag warns swimmers of severe hazards in the water. One red flag means that the surf is high and/or there are dangerous currents or both. Like a traffic light, a red flag means stop!
A yellow flag indicates dangerous rip currents and undertows, so stay out of the water when you see a yellow flag, or exercise extreme caution and wear a life jacket on yellow-flag days. If you swim, swim only near lifeguards.
Calm Conditions, Exercise Caution
A green flag indicates that it’s safe to swim. However even on clear and calm days, hazards still exist. Always exercise caution in the ocean, and listen to lifeguard warnings.
Blue or purple flags indicate a hazard from dangerous marine life, such as a high concentration of poisonous jellyfish, stingrays, or sharks.
Sources: City of North Myrtle Beach; https://traveltips.usatoday.com/beach-warning-flags-mean-61015.html
Watch for beach warning flags, and take care to heed them. (However, surf conditions can change quickly, and the absence of flags does not mean the water is safe, so always be cautious). Before you head to the beach check the National Oceanic Administration (NOAA) / National Weather Service website for surf conditions at https://www. weather.gov/safety/ripcurrent-forecasts. Parents & Teachers: Watch the National Weather Service/NOAA's free online course, "Break the Grip of the Rip" at https://training.weather.gov/ BreaktheGripoftheRip/player.html and go over what you learn with your children! It does not take a long time to go through the training materials, and you will see images of numerous actual beach photos (many of them North Carolina beaches) so that you can learn to recognize the characteristics of rip currents when observing beach conditions.
June 2019 www.ChillKids.com/news
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Math-A-Muse Look for Math-A-Muse Answers on page 2.
By Evelyn B. Christensen, Ed.D.
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Summer Safety Coloring Sheet
Summer Safety Tip: Never climb a tree that has power lines running through it! Always avoid playing near electrical utility equipment.
Piedmont Electric Membership Corporation www.pemc.coop
A Touchstone Energy Cooperative
12 www.ChillKids.com/news June 2019
Safety at the Beach: Rip Currents (cont. from pages 10 - 11)
Can you spot the Rip?
We all love the beach in the summer. The sun, the sand, and the surf. But just because we're having fun, doesn't mean we can forget about safety.
Signs that a rip current is present are very subtle and difficult for the average beachgoer to identify. Look for differences in the water color, water motion, incoming wave shape or breaking point compared to adjacent
Rip currents account for 80% of beach rescues, and can be dangerous or deadly if you don't know what to do. First, know before you go. Check local beach & current forecasts before you head to the beach, and always swim near lifeguards. Look for any warning signs or flags. If you're unsure about conditions, ask a lifeguard. And know how to swim before you venture in.
conditions.
Rip Current
When you go to the beach, start off by staying back from the water. Rip currents are easier to see at an elevated position, like a dune line or beach
Rip Current Fast Facts Rip currents are powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water that are prevalent along the East, Gulf, and West coasts of the U.S., as well as along the shores of the Great Lakes. Moving at speeds of up to eight feet per second, rip currents can move faster than an Olympic swimmer. Lifeguards rescue tens of thousands of people from rip currents in the U.S. every year, but it is estimated that in the U.S. more than100 people are killed by rip currents annually.
access. Then look for places where waves aren't breaking (flat spots in the line If you do happen to be caught in a rip current, of breaking waves). Also look for places where there is foam or sediment in the stay calm. It won't pull you under, but it will water being transported away from the beach offshore. pull you away from shore. If you try to fight the rip current and swim against it, you'll just get worn out. Instead - float! If caught in a rip current, don't fight it! Swim parallel to the shore and swim If you're a good swimmer, swim parallel to shore until back to land at an angle. Source: https:// you've cleared the pull of the rip current. Swim at an angle with the waves, allowing them to push you to shore. oceantoday.noaa.gov/ripcurrent/
If you can, wave and yell to get the attention of lifeguards and people on shore to let them know you need help.
Look for a break in the incoming wave pattern. Image: weather.gov (courtesy of Dr. Wendy Carey, Delaware Sea Grant).
If you're on shore and see someone in trouble in a rip current call for help! If a lifeguard is not available, throw in something that floats or extend a reaching object, but don't try to be a hero and make the rescue yourself. Even trained lifeguards only attempt a rescue using a flotation device. Rip currents can be dangerous, but if you know your options, survey your situation, and stay calm, you can stay safe and continue to have fun in the surf, sand, and sun. Source: https://oceantoday.noaa.gov/ripcurrent/
Look for a break in the incoming wave pattern. Image: weather.gov (courtesy of Dr. Tom Herrington, Stevens Institute of Technology).
Educational Videos NOAA Ocean Today's How to "Break the Grip of the Rip: https://oceantoday. noaa.gov/ripcurrent/ NOAA Ocean Today's Surviving Rip Currents: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=WWwVbMKXeUU
Look for a channel of churning, choppy water. Image: weather.gov courtesy of Dr. Wendy Carey, Delaware Sea Grant
Look for an area having a notable difference in water color. Image: weather.gov courtesy of Dr. Wendy Carey, Delaware Sea Grant.
Source: www.weather.gov/jetstream/ripcurrents
USLA and NOAA Rip Current Public Service (PSA) Video: https://youtu.be/ytyLMkV2iu0
KNOW YOUR OPTIONS
IF CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT ●
Relax, rip currents don’t pull you under.
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Don’t swim against the current.
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Swim out of the current, then to shore.
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If you can’t escape, float or tread water.
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If you need help, yell or wave for assistance.
ESCAPE
CURR
ENT
ESCAPE
RIP CURRENT
CU R
RE NT
Rip currents are powerful currents of water moving away from shore. They can sweep even the strongest swimmer away from shore. If at all possible, swim near a lifeguard.
June 2019 www.ChillKids.com/news
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What Is the Weather Like on Other Planets? Each of the planets in our solar system experiences its own unique weather, some fluctuating between extreme temperatures. Let's take a tour of the weather around our solar system! MARS Daytime temperatures on Mars can be close to winter temperatures on Earth, reaching as high as 32°F. But Mars' thin atmosphere cannot hold onto heat from the Sun. So at night, temperatures can be more like -200℉. The many orbiters and rovers that have been studying Mars have found that there might have once been a lot of water on the Red Planet. But what's left is not enough to feed a water cycle like the one we have on Earth. So, Mars is mostly desert. And on Mars, the desert comes with giant dust storms that can cover the planet in dust for weeks. Smaller wind patterns also kick up “dust devils,” like desert tornados. Jupiter You couldn't really spend time on Jupiter's surface to experience the weather there. Jupiter is a gas giant—meaning it doesn't have a solid surface to stand on. That aside, we can still look at its weather. Each of the planets in our solar system experiences its own unique weather. But one thing is certain: Only Earth has weather we can live with. Let's take a weather tour of the solar system to see what each planet has to offer. MERCURY Because it is so close to the Sun, any vacation on Mercury would be ruined by extreme temperatures. During the daytime, the Sun would appear three times larger and more than 10 times brighter than it does here on Earth. All of that sunlight can push temperatures as high as 800°F. That's even hotter than the oven can get in your kitchen at home! Then at night, because there is no atmosphere to trap the daytime heat, temperatures can drop as low as -300°F. Brrr!
Jupiter is a stormy planet that is probably best known for its Great Red Spot. The spot is actually a giant, wild storm that has been raging for more than 300 years.
This view featuring Jupiter's Great Red Spot was captured by NASA's Juno spacecraft, which has been orbiting Jupiter since 2016. Credit: NASA/JPLCaltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstädt /Seán Doran
But the Great Red Spot is certainly not Jupiter's only storm. The entire planet is covered in bands of swirling clouds high in the atmosphere that are likely made mostly of ammonia. SATURN By the time you reach gas giant Saturn and its beautiful rings, you are really far from the Sun – about 900 million miles. That's almost twice as far out as Jupiter. That distance comes with a freezing average temperature of about -285°F.
NASA's Jupiter-orbiting spacecraft, Juno, gave scientists their first look at Jupiter's poles. There they found enormous cyclones surrounded by slightly smaller cyclones, each several thousand miles across. This image from Juno shows nine cyclones at Jupiter's north pole. Credit: NASA/JPLCaltech/SwRI/ASI/INAF/JIRAM
The most familiar weather in the solar system is actually on Saturn's largest moon, Titan. Scientists believe that Titan experiences seasons, has clouds that rain and has an atmosphere made largely of nitrogen, just like ours. These are pictures of the surface of Mercury captured by NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
VENUS You might think that because Mercury is so close to the Sun, it would hold the record for hottest planet in the solar system. But that title actually belongs to Venus. Venus is covered by a thick atmosphere of carbon dioxide and clouds made of sulfuric acid. Together, these act like a greenhouse, trapping heat and warming the planet. Venus can reach a scorching-hot average temperature of 847°F! If Venus ever had any oceans, they dried up long ago. This is a mosaic of images captured by NASA's Magellan and Pioneer Venus spacecraft, which orbited Venus in the 1970s and 1980s. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Unfortunately, rather than a water cycle, Titan cycles a chemical called methane. The rain that falls from the clouds is methane, and it falls into lakes, rivers and seas of methane. And Titan is far too cold for human tourists. URANUS Uranus is known as an ice giant, and it lives up to that name. Its temperature is about -360°F. Uranus is also tilted on its axis by 98 degrees. Scientists believe that it was knocked on its side by a large object long ago. Since Uranus is so far away, it takes about 84 Earth years to make a single orbit. And each of its seasons is 21 Earth years long! Uranus' tilt causes some unusual seasonal changes as it orbits the Sun. In summer and winter, large parts of the planet see nothing but daytime or nighttime for the whole season – 21 years. In spring and fall, Uranus goes through Observations with the Hubble a full day-to-night cycle every 17 hours. Uranus Space Telescope have sometimes has huge storms, and this unusual revealed more clouds on Uranus than was once thought. seasonal cycle might play a part in them. Credit: NASA/JPL/STScI
14 www.ChillKids.com/news June 2019
JUNE 2019 Flick Picks Toy Story 4
The Secret Life of Pets 2
(In Theaters: June 21, 2019)
(In Theaters: June 7, 2019)
Toy Story 4 is the much-anticipated sequel in the classic, iconic computeranimated Toy Story series, following 2010's Toy Story 3. Woody has always been confident about his place in the world, and that his priority is taking care of his kid, whether that’s Andy or Bonnie. So when Bonnie’s beloved new craft-project-turned-toy, Forky, declares himself as 'trash' and not a toy, Woody takes it upon himself to show Forky why he should embrace being a toy. Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the gang embark on a road trip with Bonnie and Forky. The adventurous journey turns into an unexpected reunion as Woody's slight detour leads him to his long-lost friend Bo Peep. As Woody and Bo discuss the old days, they soon start to realize that they're worlds apart when it comes to what they want from life as a toy.
2 hrs. 4 min. Rated PG-13. Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Pictures.
In this sequel to the animated blockbuster, The Secret Life of Pets, this new chapter answers the question that has long intrigued every pet owner: What are your pets really doing when you’re not at home? Terrier Max faces some major changes after his owner Katie gets married and has a toddler named Liam. Max becomes overprotective and develops a nervous tic as he worries over Liam. On a family trip to the countryside, Max meets a farm dog named Rooster, who pushes him to overcome his nervousness, find his inner alpha, and give Liam a little more freedom. Meanwhile, while her owner is away, plucky Pomeranian Gidget tries to rescue Max's favorite toy from a cat-packed apartment, with the help of her kitty friend Chloe. Crazy-cute bunny Snowball starts to believe he's a real superhero, and sets out on a dangerous mission to free a white tiger named Hu from a circus. Can Max and the rest of the gang find the inner courage to face their biggest fears? Rated PG. 1 hr. 26 min. Illumination Entertainment; Universal Pictures.
Weather on Other Planets - NASA Space Place (cont.) NEPTUNE Neptune is way out there – an average of 2.8 billion miles from the Sun. That means the ice giant is seriously cold. The average temperature on Neptune is about -360°F.
Earth has some pretty wild weather, but after seeing the other options in our solar system, it seems like a pretty good place to live! The best way to handle Earth's extreme weather is to be prepared and keep an eye on the weather forecast. Thankfully, NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R (GOES-R) series of weather satellites is always monitoring severe weather.
If that sounds familiar, it's because Uranus is about the same temperature. The reason why the two planets are the same temperature at such different distances from the Sun is still a mystery.
GOES-R satellites track hurricanes, tornadoes and other big storms. These satellites also keep an eye on weather caused by the Sun – called space weather. With this information, meteorologists can make forecasts that help people stay safe. Earth may not be the only planet with weather, but it's got the only weather we can live with! This picture of Neptune shows the Great Dark Spot and its companion bright smudge and bright cloud bands.Image credit: NASA/JPL
Source: NASA Space Place https://spaceplace.nasa. gov/weather-on-other-planets/en/
Neptune has a thick atmosphere and is covered by constantly changing clouds that whip around the planet. Wind is the name of the game on Neptune. Wind speeds there have been measured at near This image captured by Voyager 2 shows some of the bright 1,200 miles per hour, making them the fastest in the solar system! cloud streaks above Neptune. Credit: NASA/JPL
To learn about space weather, check out NASA Space Place at https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/spaceweather/en/
June 2019 www.ChillKids.com/news
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put READING ALOUD at the top of your summer bucket list
Learn more at ReadAloud.org