ChillKids
September 2017
Fun Family Educational Resource of Chapel Hill • Carrboro • Durham • Hillsborough • NC Triangle
Back to School Fun in the North Carolina Triangle
Weather Balloons Back to School Books
NASA Space Place
Fun Games & Puzzles
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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.
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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.
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Chapel Hill/Carrboro/Hillsborough/ Orange & Durham Counties' Fun Family Educational Resource PUBLISHER/EDITOR Kate Look kate@ChillKids.com September 2017 Cover Art by Maria Starus
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 27514 Copyright Š 2017 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 August!
Back to School !
September is a great time in the North Carolina Triangle to enjoy the beautiful autumn weather outdoors! Go on family walks at your favorite local parks, visit local farms, pumpkin patches and corn field mazes. Visit www.ChillKids.com to find lots of fun local Fall Festivals! The 24th Carolina Renaissance Festival takes place every weekend (Saturdays and Sundays) September 30th through November 19th. Read all about the Festival, and learn about the history of the Festival's tournament jousting, on pages 10 and 11. This month we'll learn with NASA Space Place about the grand finale of spacecraft/robotic explorer Cassini's journey to Saturn. Read all about Saturn and Cassini on pages 6 and 7. For extra help with all kinds of class subjects, check out the free online homework help websites on page 15. Do your best every day at school, and always be kind and encouraging to your classmates and helpful to your teachers. It feels great to help out and brighten someone's day! Have a happy September and a great start for a successful school year!
Visit Participating North Carolina Museums Free on Smithsonian Magazine's Museum Day Live Saturday, September 23, 2017 Family museum visits can help to make education even more engaging and fun. On Saturday, September 28th, you can visit participating local museums with free admission with a free Museum Day Live ticket, as part of the annual Smithsonian Magazine's Museum Day Live event! These are just a few of the North Carolina museums that are participating this year: Old Salem Museums & Gardens , Winston-Salem, NC Duke Homestead State Historic Site, Durham, NC Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, Durham, NC Orange County Historical Museum, Hillsborough, NC Imagination Station, Wilson, NC NC Museum of History, Raleigh, NC
Register online for your free admission ticket by visiting www.smithsonian.com/museumday
Carolina Raptor Center, Huntersville, NC Fascinate-U Children's Museum, Fayetteville, NC Ava Gardner Museum, Smithfield, NC Saturday, September 23, 2017
Beaufort Historic Site, Beaufort, NC
Free admission at participating museums with a Museum Day Live! ticket
Carolinas Aviation Museum, Charlotte, NC
Smithsonian.com/MuseumDay
To register and print tickets for free admission, for more information, and for a complete list of participating museums, visit www.smithsonian.com/museumday. When you register, the (free) admission ticket will be sent to you via email.
#BoundlessCuriosity In partnership with
#MuseumDayLive
@MuseumDay
Visit http://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/venues/museum-day-live-2017/ for a complete list of the participating museums in North Carolina, around the country.
September 2017 www.ChillKids.com/news
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Hidden Picture Puzzles by Liz
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September Maze
September Word Find
START
Help the squirrel find the acorn he hid!
Find the words by looking up, down, backwards, forwards, sideways and diagonally.
T U R D N R U T A S A R N N Z
T S V T E Q K F V U E S A O G
N V I V Z S I L Z N K P D O X
I W G G C I A K A E C A S L L
N I S H O V N I Y Q A C B L S
Meteorologist NWS Mascot Owlie Skywarn Weather Balloon
G A O M I L S I F R P E A A R
P O S T A S O Z S Z K P R B E
L V S A A S N R Q S C L R R K
G E E N Q U C W O A A A N E S
Cassini Saturn NASA Space Place
F R C B F B V O P E B C R H G
R E W N C O P L T Q T E U T A
F A L L C O T P E N J E K A J
N R A W Y K S E I L W O M E M
Fun Fall Festival Renaissance
V R P U Q S O U N E G P P W F
A R H H M S E P T E M B E R J
Books Backpack September School
(1/4 page V is 5 in. x 6 in
FINISH
A-Maze Your Mind! Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) use 70% less energy than regular light bulbs. They also last up to 10 times longer! Follow the maze through the CFL to energy savings. START !
Why dance?
a s i e nc a d if ... . . m drea
FINISH !
Fact: If every American home replaced just one light bulb with a CFL, we would save more than $600 million a year in energy costs! That is equal to taking 800,000 cars off the road! Visit Piedmont Electric's Kids Energy Zone website for fun games and energy saving tips!
www.KidsEnergyZone.com
Piedmont Electric Membership Corporation A Touchstone Energy Cooperative
Build team work Exercise your mind, your body and your leadership skills. Explore musicality. Nurture imagination. Increase strength and coordination And it’s fun. with classes at The ArtsCenter, Carrboro The Durham Arts Council, Durham and TYB, Chapel Hill
Photo by Steve Clarke The Triangle Youth Ballet is a 501(c)3 non-profit and a member of the North Carolina Center for Non-Profits.
www.triangleyouthballet.org
September 2017 www.ChillKids.com/news
919-932-2676
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All About SATURN What is Saturn like?
Why does Saturn have rings?
Saturn isn’t the only planet to have rings, but it definitely has the most beautiful ones. The rings we see are made of groups of tiny ringlets that surround Saturn. They’re made of chunks of ice and rock.
What are Saturn's rings made of? Are they solid, or are they made of many particles dancing in formation around the planet? Four robotic spacecraft from Earth have visited Saturn— Pioneer 11, Voyager 1, Voyager 2 and Cassini. They have revealed many surprising things about Saturn's rings.
Like Jupiter, Saturn is mostly a ball of hydrogen and helium. When Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) saw Saturn through a telescope in the 1600s, he wasn't sure what he was seeing. At first he thought he was looking at three planets, or a planet with handles. Now we know those "handles" turned out to be the rings of Saturn. This image of Saturn was taken by the Cassini spacecraft. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
Scientists have ideas about why Saturn has rings, but no one knows for sure.
The rings are about 400,000 kilometers (240,000 miles) wide. That's the distance from the Earth to the Moon! But the rings are as little as 100 meters (330 feet) thick. They range from particles too tiny to see to "particles" the size of a bus. Scientists think they are icy snowballs or ice covered rocks. The small color differences in Saturn's rings have been enhanced in this picture from Voyager 2 data. Credit: NASA
There are actually many rings— maybe 500 to 1000. There are also gaps in the rings. The Cassini spacecraft arrived at Saturn in July 2004, and studied Saturn, its rings, and its moons much more thoroughly than the earlier spacecraft could.
The Cassini spacecraft took this picture of Saturn's rings. You can see the grey and tan colors. Credit: NASA Cassini spacecraft's view of Saturn in 2009. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
Cassini also carried a probe, called Huygens (HOY-guns), that parachuted into the atmosphere of Saturn's giant moon Titan. Huygens sent back amazing information and images from this strange world whose surface we have never seen. (Read more about Cassini's farewell coming up in September, 2017 on page 7. Cassini and Huygens have made exciting discoveries! Source: https://spaceplace. nasa.gov/saturn-rings/en/
Saturn Fun Facts · Saturn has a set of seven main rings with spaces between them. · Saturn is a gas giant (mostly a ball of hydrogen and helium) like Jupiter. · One year on Saturn is the same as 29.5 Earth years. · Saturn has a thick atmosphere. · Saturn has been known since ancient times since it can be seen without advanced telescopes. · Four spacecraft have been by Saturn, including Pioneer 11 (in 1979), Cassini (2004 - September 2017), and Voyager 1 (flew by Saturn in 1980) and Voyager 2 (flew by Saturn in 1981).
For more information visit solarsystem.nasa.
gov/planets/saturn.
This is a picture of Saturn with its rings at an angle pointing upwards, and two of its moons, Tethys and Dione. (the white dots in the picture next to Saturn). Voyager 1 took this picture as it passed by Saturn. Credt: NASA.
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Cassini Says Goodbye - By Teagan Wall, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Scientists worried that when Cassini runs out of fuel, it could crash into Titan or Enceladus. So years ago, they came up with a plan to prevent that from happening. Cassini will complete its exploration by diving into Saturn—on purpose. The spacecraft will burn up and become part of the planet it explored.
On September 15th, the Cassini spacecraft will have its final mission. It will dive into the planet Saturn, gathering information and sending it back to Earth for as long as possible. As it dives, it will burn up in the atmosphere, much like a meteor.
During its final plunge, Cassini will tell us more about Saturn’s atmosphere, and protect the moons at the same time. What an exciting way to say goodbye!
To learn more about Saturn, check out page 6, and visit NASA Space Place: https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/all-aboutsaturn.
Cassini’s original mission was supposed to last four years, but it has now been orbiting Saturn for more than 13 years! The spacecraft has seen and discovered so many things in that time. In 2010, Cassini saw a massive storm in Saturn’s northern hemisphere. During this storm, scientists learned that Saturn’s atmosphere has water vapor, which rose to the surface. Cassini also looked at the giant storm at Saturn’s north pole. This storm is shaped like a hexagon. NASA used pictures and other data from Cassini to learn how the storm got its six-sided shape. Cassini also looked at some of Saturn’s moons, such as Titan and Enceladus. Titan is Saturn’s largest moon. Cassini carried a lander to Titan. The lander, called Huygens, parachuted from Cassini down to the surface of the moon. It turns out, Titan is quite an exciting place! It has seas, rivers, lakes and rain. This means that in some ways, Titan’s landscape looks a bit like Earth. However, its seas and rivers aren’t made of water—they’re made of a chemical called methane.
Artist's concept of Cassini spacecraft and Saturn. Image: NASA
Cassini also helped us learn that Saturn’s moon Enceladus is covered in ice. Underneath the ice is a giant liquid ocean that covers the whole moon. Tall geysers from this ocean spray out of cracks in the ice and into space, like a giant sneeze. Cassini flew through one of these geysers. We learned that the ocean is made of very salty water, along with some of the chemicals that living things need. If there is life on Enceladus, NASA scientists don’t want life from Earth getting mixed in. Tiny living things may have hitched a ride on Cassini when it left Earth. If these germs are still alive, and they land on Enceladus, they could grow and spread. We want to protect Enceladus, so that if we find life, we can be sure it didn’t come from Earth. This idea is called planetary protection.
This image of the hexagonal storm on Saturn’s north pole was taken by Cassini in 2013. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science.
McKee CornField Maze Two Cornfield Mazes for Family Fun! Adventurous 12 acre maze & 2 acre fun, interactive children’s maze September 23rd - October 29th (Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays)
CONVENIENTLY LOCATED near Hillsborough, Durham & Chapel Hill!
McKee CornField Maze 16th year of Fall Family Fun!
Haunted Trail & Cornfield Maze
Frightening Excursion
October 21st, 27th, 28th Ticket sales from dusk - 10pm (Regular maze closes at dusk on Haunted Nights)
5011 Kiger Road Rougemont, NC 27572 919-732-8065
Pumpkins, Mums, Corn Stalks, Corn, Farm Animals, Hayrides, Gourds & Fall Decorations, Straw, Shady Picnic Area, Children’s Grassy Play Area
www.mckeecornfieldmaze.com
September 2017 www.ChillKids.com/news
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CLEAR CLUTTER. MAKE MONEY. COVER BOTTOMS.
FALL CONSIGNMENT EVENT!
THE ANIMAL HOSPITAL
OCTOBER 6-8 • NORTHGATE MALL • DURHAM
KIDCYCLE IS A ONE-OF-A-KIND CHILDREN'S CONSIGNMENT EVENT, BENEFITTING CONSIGNORS, SHOPPERS, AND LOCAL FAMILIES.
CONSIGNORS KEEP 70%! • PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE DIAPER BANK OF NC! TOTALLY AUTOMATED TAGGING! • GO GREEN! • REAL QUALITY CONTROL! PUBLIC EVENT October 6th 11 AM - 7 PM Ocotber 7th 10 AM - 6 PM 1/2 Off Day October 8th 12 - 6 PM
DOLLAR DAY October 14th 1 - 3 PM
NEW PARENT, DIAPER DROP, & MILITARY FAMILIES CONSIGNORS KEEP 70%! • PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE DIAPER BANK OF NC! SHOP EARLY OCTOBER 5TH
TOTALLY AUTOMATED TAGGING! • GO GREEN! • REAL QUALITY CONTROL!
PUBLIC EVENT
March 17 11 AM - 7 PM March 18 10 AM - 6 PM 1/2 Off Day March 19 12 - 6 PM
DOLLAR DAY March 25 1 - 3 PM
PROUD SPONSOR NEW PARENT, DIAPER DROP, & MILITARY FAMILIES SHOP EARLY MARCH 16TH
KIDCYCLENC.ORG
Highest quality veterinarian services, using state of the art technology & techniques * Dog boarding * Cat boarding
* Luxury cat condos
* Dog self-wash service
North Carolina’s best small animal practice, serving the community since 1974!
112 West Main St. Carrboro, NC 27510 www.theanimalhospital.biz
Back to School
919-967-9261
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September Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday Thursday
SEPT. 30 NOV. 19
Friday
Saturday
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Saturdays & Sundays Print tickets online at
RenFestInfo.com
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Story Time
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Ages 3 – 6 Mondays & Tuesdays 10:30 am – 11:00 am and 3:30 pm - 4 pm Chapel Hill Public Library
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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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Ages 3 – 6 Mondays & Tuesdays 10:30 am – 11:00 am and 3:30 pm - 4 pm Chapel Hill Public Library
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ARRR! Talk Like a Pirate Day
Sept. 23 & 24
First Day of Fall
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Carrboro Music Festival Sept. 23 & 24
301 W. Main St., Carrboro, NC www.carrboromusic festival.com
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Carrboro Music Festival
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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
September 2017 www.ChillKids.com/news
301 W. Main St., Carrboro, NC www.carrboromusic festival.com
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Carolina Renaissance Festival
Sept. 30 - Nov. 19 Saturdays & Sundays (See pages 10 & 11) Visit RenFestInfo.com
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Tournament Jousting at the Carolina Renaissance Festival Jousting is given a 21st Century roar of approval on Fall weekends at the Carolina Renaissance Festival. Re-creating the jousting tournaments of 500 years ago, the Festival's jousting tournaments are a make-believe pageant of Sir Galahads and Sir Lancelots, of villainous knights versus virtuous knights, mounted on thundering steeds, plumes waving, chain mail clanking and the festival crowd cheering them on. Knights strap on heavy suits of armor, hop on their trusty steeds, take up their lances and tilt with each other. These Knights (actually stunt riders and actors) are regular performers at more than a dozen “Renaissance Villages” around the country, and will be battling at the Carolina Renaissance Festival on a large tournament field within the Festival just north of Charlotte, North Carolina. Words like “pomp, pageantry and chivalry” serve to evoke the romantic aspects of jousting. When you get close to see the dull glow of chain mail next to bright armor, you begin to grasp how tightly woven the joust is with its history. An understanding of today’s combats is impossible without the tracing of their ancient roots. The origins of jousting are believed to be in classical Rome, but the “sport” rose to its greatest popularity in Europe by the 1400’s. It all evolved from mock battles in which knights on horseback, assisted by foot soldiers, formed into teams and charged at each other in some wide meadow. The result was a melee (fight, skirmish, or scuffle) of shattered lances, clanging swords, flailing arms and legs – astride and afoot – that went on all day and into the night. The earliest recorded melee was in 1066 A.D.; though mock combat had probably been around for at least a century by then. At first, the battles served more to hone fighting skills than to provide popular diversion. But in peaceful times, a knight needed a way to retain his
skills. The Jousts were great money-makers for the victors; the winning team often accepting the losers' horses and armor as payment. Although it could be a dangerous "sport," leading some English kings to ban jousting tournaments, jousting persisted and tournaments became a featured attraction at market fairs and important gatherings. At the height of their popularity, jousts rivaled a state fair, Super Bowl, Rock concert, and Oktoberfest all rolled into one. By the middle 1200’s, the joust emerged as the favored way to prove which of two (or more) knights was better. Most contests were a “Joust à Plaisir” (for pleasure) in which a winner was declared on the basis of points scored, and the knights’ swords were dulled and their lances tipped with “coronals” (little crowns) to prevent their penetrating a joint in the armor. Some authorities believe that the lances were deliberately weakened, a precaution still in effect today. The training of a knight included spearing a small ring, on a bar across upright posts, or rings tossed in the air, and quintain jousting. Ring jousting today is the state sport of Maryland! In quintain jousting, the knight tilted with a mock opponent (a sand bag), which sat on a revolving pedestal. If he was inaccurate or too slow, the jouster might get whacked by the sand bag on the other end of the contraption. These quintain devices are thought to be the precursors of Victorian carousels. Many turn-of-the-century carousels had a variety of things to grab, including a brass ring that entitled the bearer to a free ride. The joust became very civilized and formalized, though severe injuries were common. England’s King Edward III put a temporary public ban on jousting in 1370.
In the 1980's an intrepid troupe of stunt riders and actors brought tournament jousting back. Wearing authentic-looking breastplates and helmets, wielding heave lances, maces and blunted swords, these modern-day jousting knights will thrill the throngs at the Carolina Renaissance Festival. Stylized acting, as in professional wrestling, is to be expected. The knights usually agree beforehand who will be the victor (winner) and who will be the loser. As in many medieval tournaments, even the exact number of blows is often settled beforehand. Modern re-creations of Renaissance era jousting tournaments are depictions of historical events, noble causes, and grand chivalry. See the jousting knights in action this Fall at the Carolina Renaissance Festival!
2017 Carolina Renaissance Festival Information
The 24th annual Carolina Renaissance Festival runs every Saturday and Sunday, for eight consecutive weekends, from September 30th through November 19th. Hours: 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday rain or shine. Location: Just north of Charlotte between Concord and Huntersville, NC. The Festival is located on Highway 73 at Poplar Tent Road (between I-77 and I-85). Exit 25 on I-77 or exits 52 or 55 on I-85. Parking: FREE courtesy of Harris Teeter. Advance Discount Tickets available at Harris Teeter Stores region wide. Tickets can also be purchased at the gate, or online at carolina. renfestinfo.com. Seniors ages 60 and over and Military personnel (with valid ID) enjoy discount tickets at the gate. Children under 5 are always free. For more information visit carolina.renfestinfo.com, or call (704) 8965544, toll free (877) 896-5544.
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Carolina Renaissance Festival Returns: A Great Fall Destination! When searching for signs of autumn’s arrival, look no further than the return of the annual Carolina Renaissance Festival! As sure as the changing color of the leaves, for eight consecutive weekends in October and November (Saturdays and Sundays, September 30 - November 19, 2017) the Carolina Renaissance Festival brings lots of cheer, trumpet fanfare, lashing armor, great food, and fun for the whole family.
The Carolina Renaissance Festival has activities for children of all ages, including peoplepowered amusement rides and countryside faire games such as the castle climbing wall, archery and tomato tossing at a jester. Each year the Festival adds new entertainments, and upgraded facilities. The Carolina Renaissance Festival is a medieval amusement park, a 12 stage theater, a 25-acre circus, an arts and crafts fair, a jousting tournament and a feast, all rolled into one non-stop, daylong family adventure.
For information about the Carolina Renaissance Festival, visit carolina.renfestinfo.com (and see page 10).
Throughout the Festival, an abundance of costumed performers offering continuous music, dance, comedy, and circus entertainments, such as unbalanced acrobats, the Ancient Art of Falconry, and the popular jousting tournament with horse mounted armored knights. Many of the shows are spontaneous and you will never know what happens next, on stage or off. A great variety of craft vendors offer home décor, jewelry, clothing of renaissance and medieval fashion, blown and torched glass, handmade art and pottery.
Entertainment
• Twelve stages featuring comedy acts, acrobats, medieval musicians, singers, dancers, storytellers, magicians and puppeteers – performing continuously for 7 ½ hours each day. • A tournament arena where skilled stunt riders, outfitted in suits of armor, ride their horses into battle during three jousts each day. • Hundreds of costumed characters.
Arts and Crafts
•25-acre village is filled with over 100 open-air, storybook shops and medieval tents. Crafts include clothing, armormaking, pottery, glass blowing, stained glass, elegant jewelry and more. • Many artisans demonstrate of their handiwork throughout the day, using tools and techniques that have been handed down through the centuries.
Games
Kids and adults will enjoy the challenges of archery, ax-throwing, castle-storming, and climbing Jacob’s ladder. Go on human-powered rides such as da Vinci’s Flying Machine, Voyage to the New World and the Swan Swing.
Food
The Royal Kitchens and Pubs serve a vast feast with giant roasted turkey drumsticks, pizza, bread bowl stews, salads and more. The Monk’s Bakery, the Cappuccino Inn and the Chocolate Shoppe tempt you with a variety of unique desserts.
September 2017 www.ChillKids.com/news
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It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! No! It’s a NOAA Weather Balloon! Owlie Skywarn says Learn all about the Weather and Weather Safety! Check out these great educational resources, activities and games!
2017 National Weather Service Back to School Campaign National Weather Service (NWS) Owlie Skywarn Facebook ( www.facebook.com/nwsowlie) & Twitter (@NWSOwlieSkywarn) The Adventures of Owlie Skywarn and Sanctuary Sam: https://www.weather.gov/media/owlie/ SamandOwlie's2016Book.pdf Owlie’s Weather Ready Educational Activity: http://www. weather.gov/owlie/owlieactivity NWS Owlie Skywarn Education: http://www.weather.gov/ owlie/ NOAA Elementary Science: http://www.noaa.gov/resourcecollections/elementary-science SciJinks: http://scijinks.gov/ NWS Safety Campaigns: http://www.weather.gov/safetycampaign Aim a Hurricane: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/outreach/games/ movncane.htm NOAA Games Planet Arcade: http://games.noaa.gov/ Weather Prediction Center Maps: http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) Outreach Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/ NOAAEducationOutreach GOES-R Education: http://www.goes-r.gov/education/ teachers.html SOS Explorer: http://sos.noaa.gov/SOS_Explorer/ NSSL HotSeat: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/hotseat/ NWS JetStream: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/ NOAA Education: http://www.education.noaa.gov/ Ocean Today Water Cycle: http://oceantoday.noaa.gov/ watercycle/ NWS JetStream Hydrologic Cycle: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ jetstream/atmos/whatacycle_max.html WRN Ambassador: http://www.weather.gov/wrn/ambassadors JetStream Science Experiments & Lesson Plans: http://www. srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/append/lessonplans.html NCEI Data Access: http://www.ncei.noaa.gov/ Solar Eclipse Information: http://www.weather.gov/source/ crh/eclipse.html NOAA Volunteer Programs: http://www.noaa.gov/work-withus/volunteer-opportunities-citizen-scientists NWS Citizen Science: http://www.weather.gov/media/wrn/ citizen_science_page.pdf NWS Careers: http://www.weather.gov/careers/ NOAA Student Opportunities: http://www.noaa.gov/ opportunities/student-opportunities Space Weather Education: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/ content/education-and-outreach
Source: http://www.weather.gov/wrn/backtoschool
In order to predict the weather, we first need to observe the weather. Did you know that every day, NOAA’s National Weather Service launches weather balloons twice a day from 102 sites throughout the United States, the Caribbean and the Pacific to help with weather forecasting? (Read more about it on page 13.)
The National Weather Service's mascot, Owlie Skywarn, got to help launch a weather balloon at the Baltimore/ Washington D.C. Weather Forecast Office while visiting there on a Fall day. It was a little windy, so Owlie Skywarn had to make sure the weather balloon was let go in an area where it wouldn’t get caught on a tree or other tall object during takeoff! Each balloon has a sensor package and a parachute attached to it’s string. As the weather balloon rises through the atmosphere, the sensors measure air pressure, temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed and direction from the Earth’s surface to about 20 miles high in the sky. This information is sent back to the surface using radio signals, where it is included as a starting point for weather forecast models. Forecasters then use the information when making their forecasts. When the balloon gets to around 20 miles high in the sky, it will pop and the sensors fall to the ground. The parachute will open as it falls so the sensors and popped balloon come back to Earth slowly. It can land in a wide variety of locations, such as in trees, on bridges and in backyards — sometimes more than 200 miles away from where it was launched! Once it lands, if found, it can be returned to the National Weather Service. Each one has its own addressed, postage-paid return mailbag. Returning them benefits the environment and saves taxpayer dollars by recycling the units for reuse. So, if you happen to find a weather balloon and its sensor package in your neck of the wood please return it to NOAA’s National Weather Service. Owlie Skywarn hopes to find one some day! Source: National Weather Service Owlie's Journal, https://www.weather.gov/owlie/owliesjournal
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WEATHER
Weather Balloons By John Jensenius, National Weather Service Meteorologist
Have you ever wondered how meteorologists get weather observations from high in the sky? Twice every day, weather balloons are released from more than 100 locations in the United States, the Caribbean and the Pacific, and about 900 locations worldwide to take measurements of the atmosphere.
all goes well, the weather balloon will climb to an altitude of about 20 miles. As the balloon travels upward, it sends the weather observations back to the ground, and the information is received and fed into computers. Something else happens as the balloon goes upward. The air pressure surrounding the balloon decreases, which causes the balloon to get larger and larger.
In fact, when the balloon reaches 20 miles high, it will grow to more than 20 feet in diameter! You might be able to guess what happens next –– the balloon bursts, a bright orange parachute opens and the radiosonde drifts slowly and safely back to the ground. Once the balloon bursts, the data gathering is complete. Note that the parachute is colored orange in hopes that someone will find it and return the radiosonde back to the National Weather Service so that it can be used again. The balloon’s trip up through the atmosphere takes about two hours, while the trip back to the ground takes about an hour.
Attached to each weather balloon is a specialized instrument called a “radiosonde” that measures temperature, relative humidity and pressure. Each instrument is also equipped with a GPS sensor that tracks exactly where the balloon is as it goes up through the atmosphere. The radiosonde also has a transmitter that radios the location and weather observations back to the ground as the data is observed. By tracking the movement of the weather balloon, the computer determines the wind speed and direction at many different levels in the atmosphere.
So where do all the balloons go? The answer is, wherever the wind takes them. The National Weather Service relies on the public to find and return the radiosondes. The outside cover of each radiosonde gives instructions on how to mail the instrument back so it can be used again. Nationwide, about one out of every four radiosondes is found and returned. The observations received from the radiosonde are checked for quality and then relayed from local National Weather Service Offices to computers near Washington, D.C. These data are then used in computer programs that make predictions of what the weather will be in the future.
Before each release, a meteorologist fills the weather balloons with helium inside a special building called an inflation shelter. The inflation shelter also has a large dish for tracking and receiving the signal from the radiosonde. When the balloon is filled to about 5 feet tall and 4 feet in diameter, it is ready for release, and the meteorologist takes the balloon outside and lets it go. If
Any weather forecast that you see or hear on television, radio or the Internet relies on the valuable information collected only hours earlier by weather balloons around the world.
Amigos del español Empareja los animales Match the animals Education Resources
Busca y escribe el número que le corresponda a cada animal. Search and fill in the matching number for each animal.
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águila eagle
elefante elephant
venado deer
lobo wolf
gato cat
pavo real peacock 2
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Owlie Skywarn™ is the National Weather Service mascot!
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September 2017 www.ChillKids.com/news
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Back to School Books
BOOK NOOK Mission: Back to School by Susan Hood; illustrated by Mary Lundquist
Mission: Back to School by Audrey Penn; illustrated by Ruth Harper
What will distract first-time students from firstday jitters? Entering secret-agent mode, of course! The team from Mission: New Baby is back with a new assignment: turn school into a thrilling action adventure! After meeting at the bus stop, young agents will learn to build diplomatic relations (make new friends), conduct fieldwork (explore outside during science class), and develop new lines of communication (learn to read and play music). Chock-full of tips and fun visuals, it’s bound to get kids excited for their next mission! (Ages 3 to 7) How to Get Your Teacher Ready by Jean Reagan; illustrated by Lee Wildish This humorous new book in the beloved NewYork Times Best Selling HOW TO . . . series takes readers through a fun and busy school year. Written in a tonguein-cheek instructional style, a class of adorable students gives tips and tricks for getting a teacher ready—for the first day of school, and all the events and milestones that will follow (picture day, holiday concert, the 100th day of school, field day!) And along the way, children will see that getting their teacher ready is really getting themselves ready. Filled with charming role-reversal humor, this is a playful and heartwarming celebration of teachers and students. (Ages 4 to 8) Sophie’s Squash Go to School by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf This charming sequel to the beloved Sophie’s Squash is the perfect antidote to the back-to-school jitters. Sophie goes to school for the first time and has no interest in making friends that aren’t squash. Here’s a gently humorous read-aloud that proves that making friends, just like growing squash, takes time. On Sophie’s first day of school, nobody appreciates her two best friends, Bonnie and Baxter, two baby squash that she grew in her garden. Even worse, one classmate, Steven Green, won’t leave Sophie alone. He sits by her at circle time. He plays near her during recess. And he breathes on her while she paints. Steven just wants to be friends, but Sophie isn’t interested. Still, Sophie knows that her squash friends won’t last forever. Maybe it would be nice to have some human friends after all. . . . (Ages 3 to 7) Sophie’s Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf On a trip to the farmers’ market with her parents, Sophie chooses a squash, but instead of letting her mom cook it, she names it Bernice. From then on, Sophie brings Bernice everywhere, despite her parents’ gentle warnings that Bernice will begin to rot. As winter nears, Sophie does start to notice changes…. What’s a girl to do when the squash she loves is in trouble? Sophie’s Squash is the recipient of an Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor, and a Charlotte Zolotow Honor. Sophie’s Squash is a charming addition to any autumn book collection. (Ages 3 to 7)
School is starting in the forest, but Chester Raccoon does not want to go. To help ease Chester’s fears, Mrs. Raccoon shares a family secret called The Kissing Hand to give him the reassurance of her love any time his world feels a little scary. Since its first publication in 1993, this heartwarming book has become a children’s classic that touches the lives of millions of children and their parents, especially at times of separation, whether starting school, entering daycare, going to camp. It is widely used by kindergarten teachers on the first day of school. (Ages 3 to 7) Lunch Lady and the Mutant Mathletes: Lunch Lady #7 by Jarrett J. Krosoczka Hector, Terrence, and Dee always wondered about their school lunch lady. What does she do when she isn’t dishing out the daily special? They soon discovered that Lunch Lady doesn’t just serve sloppy joes—she serves justice! Whatever danger lies ahead, it’s no match for LUNCH LADY! In Volume 7 of the popular Lunch Lady book series, the Breakfast Bunch have joined the mathletes team, and are all set to win the championship trophy for Thompson Brook Elementary School—they only need to beat the defending champs from Willowby Academy. But Lunch Lady notices something strange about the opposing mathletes and their sinister coach. Will she and her sidekick Betty be able to sort out the suspicious competitors before they snatch victory away from the Breakfast Bunch? (Ages 8 to 12) The Escapades of Clint McCool: Octo-Man and the Headless Monster #1 by Jane Kelley, illustrated by Jessika von Innerebner Clint McCool always has a lot of great ideas. That’s what makes him such a great hero. But sometimes he has too many great ideas. Armed with his superpowered cap, his brain flashes, and his two best friends, Clint is ready to solve any problem and find adventure anywhere. When he runs onto a film set, he gets into trouble. A lot of trouble. Can Clint McCool still save the day? This easy-to-read, highly-illustrated book is a perfect first chapter book, printed in black and blue to help readers transition from full-color picture books to black-and-white chapter books. Exciting adventures, relatable characters, and engaging art—early readers will love joining Clint McCool for his Escapades. (Ages 6 to 8) Diary of a 6th Grade Ninja by Marcus Emerson Diary of a 6th Grade Ninja is a hilarious adventure for children ages 9-12, the first volume in this popular book series. In the words of the narrator, "My name is Chase Cooper, and I'm a 6th grade ninja. It's my first day at a different school and the only person I know is my cousin, Zoe (but she might be a little too cool for me). I was just another scrawny kid until a group of ninjas recruited me into their clan. It was a world of trouble I wasn't prepared for, which is why I kept this diary (or "chronicle" as my dad would call it) - to warn other kids about the dangers of becoming a ninja. They say history is destined to repeat itself... well, not if I can help it." (Ages 9 to 12)
14 www.ChillKids.com/news September 2017
SEPTEMBER 2017 Flick Picks Swallows and Amazons
The LEGO Ninjago Movie
Available on DVD September 12, 2017
In Theaters September 27, 2017
An enchanting new take on the beloved novel by Arthur Ransome, Swallows & Amazons tells the story of the Walker children, who go on a summer holiday at a lake house and get to sail out on their own to a local island.
The battle for Ninjago City calls to action young Master Builder Lloyd, aka the Green Ninja, along with his friends, also secret ninja warriors.
On the island they find themselves in competition with a rival group of children who call themselves the Amazons, and they all end up in the middle of an adventure far bigger than they could have imagined. Combining a great British cast with stunning locations and a classic story, Swallows & Amazons is an exciting and heart-warming adventure for family audiences. Rated PG. (for thematic elements, ) 1 hr. 43 min. (Laika/Focus Features.)
WEBSITE PICKS
The ninja warriors are joined by Master Wu (Jackie Chan), their wise and wisecracking leader. Together they must defeat the evil warlord Garmadon (Justin Theroux), who also happens to be Lloyd the Green Ninja's dad.
Pitting father against son, the epic showdown tests these fierce but undisciplined modern-day ninjas as they learn to check their egos and pull together to unleash the inner power of Spinjitzu. Rated PG. 1 hr. 40 min. Warner Bros. Pictures.
Free Homework Help Websites
Check out these free educational online resources for homework help and educational resources that help make learning fun for kids!
khanacademy.org discoveryeducation.com/students/ Discovery Education offers free student resources that bring learning to life both inside and outside the classroom. Discovery Education offers free interactive games, videos, contests, virtual labs and activities designed to help kids dive deeper into a topic —and have fun too! Homework help including Science, English, Social Studies, Math; interactive games; step-by-step WebMATH with hundreds of instant answers to your math quesions.
Subjects include computers, math, sciences, economics, arts, humanities, test prep and many more. Narrated videos with detailed white board / chalk board drawings make it easy for students and parents to learn a wide variety of topics.
50states.com Subjects include social studies and geography of the United States, offering facts and statistics about each of the states, along with state capital quizzes, printable maps, and other educational materials for learning about the 50 states.
dkfindout.com/us/
Subjects covered include English, math, history, music, art, nature. The interactive, multimedia content keeps kids engaged and learning.
pics4learning.com
Find hundreds of copyright-free, child-friendly images for use in projects and presentations (including science, space, countries, animals, space, food, and many more family-friendly picture categories).
bjpinchbeck.com Subjects covered include English, math, science, and computers. This website was initially started by a 9-year-old and his dad in the 1990s, and offers links to websites on a vast library of topics including mythology, botany, JAVA programming, and many more.
quizlet.com Quiz preparation materials, with thousands of practice quizes to study for a test, or create your own quiz.
September 2017 www.ChillKids.com/news
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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. It's "crunch" time: Everybody 18. Big sacks that hold autumn leaves after you've raked them knows that an apple is a 21. Tiny 18A of dried leaves delicious fall ____ dunked in cups of boiling 3. It's a word that means water make this hot, tasty "nightfall" and rhymes with drink "tusk" 7. If it begins to rain while you're 22. A section cut from a fallen tree that is ready for a will probably fall on your ___ 23. It's the color of most leaves 8. Autumn art: When you're before autumn arrives coloring a picture of a tree 24. A fall farewell: What is the in the fall, you might choose last word one leaf might say to use a red, orange or to another one as it falls brown _____ from their tree? 10. Daylight savings time tip: November is the month when people set their Parents Down clocks ____ one hour 1. It followed the rise of the Roman empire (and the falls on ______ 22nd word "into" in this puzzle's 14. Where you are if you see a theme title) trapeze artist stumble and fall 2. 1D family feast that focuses into the safety net below her on gratitude 16. It's where a cookie crumb 4. Sudden impact: What a bolt might end up if it falls out of of lightning can do to a tree your mouth that causes it to fall
5. Season after autumn 6. Source of every teardrop 7. Age-old question: If a tree falls in the forest and nobody ____ it, does it make a sound?" 9. What you could do to a canoe to dunk everyone in it 12. Even the best gymnast will fall if he loses his _____ 13. Timeless bedtime classic, like "Rock-a-Bye Baby," which warns of what happens when the bough breaks (How is THAT a soothing song?!) 15. Fall is the time to pull it out of the closet 17. Container that Jack (or Jill) probably lost a grip on as they fell down that hill 19. Old adage: "If you don't _____ for something, you'll fall for anything" 20. One piece of paper torn from a looseleaf notebook
Falling into Fall
Find puzzle answers on page 2.
™ kris@kapd.com
© 2017 KAPD, LLC
KAPD ebooks now available on www.kapd.com
Math-A-Muse
Look for Math-A-Muse Answers on page 2.
By Evelyn B. Christensen, Ed.D.
30 ÷ 5
12 ÷ 4
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18 ÷ 9
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16 ÷ 8
18 ÷ 6
24 ÷ 8
16 ÷ 4
12 ÷ 3
10 ÷ 2
28 ÷ 7
18 ÷ 3
24 ÷ 4
4÷2
START
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