NameFriday, May 10

Ellen Lauri Ochoa: World's First HispanicWoman AstronautBy Joyce Furstenau

Ellen Ochoa was the world's firstHispanic woman to fly in space. She wasborn in California on May 10, 1958. Shewas born in Los Angeles, but she considersLa Mesa, California, to be her home. NeilArmstrong walked on the moon in 1969.Ellen was only eleven years old at that time.It made her even more interested in space.She enjoyed music, math, and science. Shebecame an excellent flute player in school.

Ellen had two brothers and a sister. Herparents got divorced while she was in highschool. She graduated from Grossmont High School in La Mesa,California, in 1975.

Ellen received a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from SanDiego State University in 1980. She received her master's degree inelectrical engineering from Stanford University in 1981. When SallyRide became the first U.S. female astronaut in 1983, Ellen wasinspired to become an astronaut, too. She earned her doctoratedegree in 1985.

Ellen Ochoa began work for NASA Ames Research Center in1985. At NASA she led a research group working on opticalsystems. Optics is a branch of physics that deals with light. Ellenwas a co-inventor on three patents for optical systems used in spaceexploration. Her inventions improved the ability to gather data inouter space.

She was accepted into the astronaut training program in 1990. Dr.Ochoa became a NASA astronaut in 1991. She became the firstHispanic woman in space when she served aboard the space shuttleDiscovery in 1993. This was a nine-day mission in which the crewdid studies about the Sun's effect on the Earth's atmosphere and

climate.

She served as payload commander for the ATLAS-3 mission in1994. A payload commander is the person in charge of the entiremission. In 1999, she coordinated the transfer of supplies during the8-hour space walk of the STS-96 Discovery Mission.

Ellen Ochoa was aboard the 2002 space shuttle mission to visitthe International Space Station. She operated the space shuttle'srobotic arm during three of the four spacewalks. She has loggedover 978 hours in space.

In late 2007, Dr. Ochoa was appointed Deputy Director ofJohnson Space Center. She manages and directs the AstronautOffice and Aircraft Operations. She has retired from spacecraftoperations.

Dr. Ochoa has received several awards and honors during hercareer. A newly built middle school in Pasco, Washington, wasnamed after her in 2003. A California grade school was also namedafter Ellen Ochoa in 2006. Both schools chose her name because sheserves as an inspirational role model for all children.

Ellen Lauri Ochoa: World's First Hispanic Woman Astronaut

Questions1. In what state was Ellen Ochoa born?

A. MichiganB. OhioC. CaliforniaD. Vermont

2. How old was Ellen when Neil Armstrong walked on themoon?

A. age 20B. age 5C. age 10D. age 11

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3. What is one thing that inspired Ellen to become an astronaut?A. riding on a Ferris wheelB. looking through telescopesC. when Sally Ride became the first woman astronautD. when she looked at the moon

4. In what year did Ellen become an astronaut?A. 1990B. 1981C. 1997D. 1991

5. In what year did Ellen Ochoa become the first Hispanic femaleastronaut to fly in space?

A. 1991B. 1999C. 2006D. 1993

6. Why have two schools been named after Ellen Ochoa?A. They consider Ellen Ochoa a good role model.B. Ellen Ochoa used to attend school there.C. The schools are in Mexico.D. They are Hispanic schools.

NameFriday, May 10

Where Have the Honeybees Gone?By Jennifer Kenny

Have you learned about thefood chain? In the foodchain, certain livingcreatures depend on otherones. What would happen ifone disappearedcompletely? That's aquestion scientists areasking because of a crisiswith honeybees.

Honeybees appear to bedisappearing. In more thanhalf the states, beekeepers are facing a catastrophe. The AmericanBeekeeping Federation says 700,000 colonies of the United States' 2.4million bee colonies have been affected. What will that do to the foodchain in the U.S.? What's happening?

Greg Fallen is a beekeeper, or an apiarist. On a warm day last winter,Greg decided to visit his hives on nearby farms. Instead of checkingand finding healthy hives, though, he found most of them werecompletely wiped out. Out of 200 hives, only 50 were left with bees.He talked with other beekeepers that he knew and the same thing washappening to them.

Now you may not think this is a big deal. In fact, you might wonderwhy anyone would be concerned about something that stings.Honeybees are important because they pollinate crops for farmers. Infact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture states that honeybeespollinate around $20 billion worth of crops each year.

You may also wonder why there are business beekeepers anyway. Itseems that nature would just take care of itself. Indeed, if you have asmall backyard garden, it does. However, beekeepers raise honeybeesfor a reason. They take their bees in 18 wheelers (those are really bigtrucks) all over the place, wherever they are needed for pollinating alarge crop. For example, Greg Fallen travels from the cranberry bogs

in New Jersey to the apple orchards in Maine. Other beekeepers focuson cucumbers and melons in Virginia, clover in Colorado, almondtrees in California, cotton fields in Texas, or citrus groves in Florida.When a beekeeper arrives at the right place, the bees are let go so thecrops can be fertilized. Do the honeybees help out any of the foodsyou like to eat?

Honeybees have been around for millions of years. Why would theydisappear now? It's a mystery even to scientists. One day the beesseem healthy. Then the next day the hive is empty. This bizarrehappening has been named "Colony Collapse Disorder."

There seems to be no definite reason behind the bees' disorder. Butscientists have theories. Some believe chemical pesticides are thecause. Others believe it's crops whose genes have been changed onpurpose. Why would anyone think that? Near organic crops in whichchemicals were not used and crops weren't genetically changed, thisdisorder is not happening. Do these chemicals stress the honeybees oraffect their ability to go back to the hive so they die?

There's another theory, too. Chemicals are being used to kill mites.However, when the chemicals are used, the queen bee is producingfewer worker bees and the queen bee only lives half as long as sheshould. Is there a connection?

Other scientists focus on illnesses of bees. Some diseases can affectan entire colony. Does traveling in the truck make things worse?Other people are blaming global warming or even cell phone towers.

Perhaps most scientists believe the disorder is probably due to acombination of many of these things. To beekeepers, losing so manyhoneybees is a shock. To farmers, the concern can be losing money oncrops. Even you might need to be concerned.

Think of your favorite foods. Do you like ice cream? Did you knowthat your ice cream might be connected to honeybees? Honeybeeshelp strawberries and almonds. These foods are often used in icecream. Even the ice cream maker Haagen-Dazs is trying to help thehoneybees. Without the honeybees' help, ice cream could cost moreand come in fewer flavors.

Scientists have studied problems with honeybees in the past.However, there does not seem to be a time when honeybees across thecountry disappeared. Meanwhile, one-third of the average diet in theU.S. is grown using honeybees to pollinate it. Now you can see whythese are some important questions for us to consider: What would

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happen to the environment if the honeybees disappeared? What wouldhappen to the food chain? How would you be affected?

Where Have the Honeybees Gone?

Questions1. The honeybee is not part of the food chain because it is an

insect.A. TrueB. False

2. Out of 2.4 million bee colonies in the U.S., how many havebeen affected by this bizarre situation?

A. 0B. 100C. 700,000D. 2.4 million

3. Which kinds of crops are pollinated by honeybeescommercially?

A. cranberriesB. almondsC. cucumbersD. all of the above

4. What is the name of the condition in which entire colonies ofbees vanish?

A. Colony Collapse DisorderB. Vanishing Bee CrisisC. Havoc Hive PhenomenonD. none of the above

5. Approximately how much of the average diet in the UnitedStates is pollinated by honeybees?

A. 0B. 1/3C. allD. 1/2

6. Even the ice cream industry has been affected by the loss of somany honeybees.

A. FalseB. True

7. Apiarist means the same as beekeeper.A. TrueB. False

NameSaturday, May 11

Troubadours and MinstrelsBy Sharon Fabian

People of the Middle Ages are oftenportrayed as an entertaining, fun-lovingcrowd. Yet, they didn't have any of the funstuff that we have today. No PlayStations.No computer games. No cable TV or evenTV from an antenna. No movies on DVD;no movies at the movie theatre - no movietheatres! No music videos; nodownloadable tunes; no CDs.

So what did they do for entertainment?

In the early years, royal courts hiredservants who served as singers and storytellers. These entertainers,known as minstrels, often dressed in bright, multi-colored costumes,sometimes decorated with bells.

Sometimes these minstrels composed their own tunes to sing for theknights and ladies. Sometimes they memorized long ballads that theyhad heard sung by another minstrel.

Some minstrels accompanied their tunes on musical instruments.Instruments that were light and easy to carry were the favorites.Minstrels played fiddles, lutes, recorders, and small, hand-heldpercussion instruments.

To make their shows appeal to everyone in their audience, minstrelsalso added more acts. Some juggled. Some did acrobatics. Othersdanced or performed with trained animals. Some performed amazingfeats such as fire-eating.

For a while, these minstrels were a popular diversion from everydaylife, but after a time, people began to tire of the same old acts.

Then, knights and lords returned from the Crusades inspired by whatthey had seen in the Middle East. They brought back new ideas inliterature and music. Some of these returning Crusaders became poets

and musicians. They wrote poems, songs, stories, and plays that werefresh and new. People once again became interested in music andliterature.

These new performers, who became known as troubadours, were notservants like the earlier minstrels. In fact, they were often members ofthe royalty. They made music and literature fashionable. Provence,France, became a performing arts center under the leadership of theseroyal entertainers.

Eleanor of Aquitaine had been a patron of the arts, and her son, KingRichard the Lionheart, was himself a troubadour, as well as a king.

These new entertainers added another popular feature to theirperformances. They told the latest news. Since they had traveledwidely, they had news to tell that people of the Middle Ages wereanxious to hear. They told about battles won or lost. They told aboutfaraway places.

By the late Middle Ages, there were storytellers, poets, and musiciansin all social classes. Many of them were both popular and well paid asthey traveled all over the country looking for the next place toperform. The best of them were treated like royalty wherever theywent. They performed at royal courts and castles. They alsoperformed at fairs and country festivals. They performed forweddings, holidays, and other celebrations. Since medieval peoplehad lots of celebrations, there was plenty of work for a good minstrelor troubadour.

People of the late Middle Ages never had to look far to find a singerof love ballads or a poet telling of heroic battles. They listened to awide variety of musical instruments including lutes, fiddles, bagpipes,hurdy-gurdies, and dulcimers. They were entertained by jugglers,acrobats, and even dancing bears.

Medieval people didn't have to watch their entertainment on acomputer screen, a little TV screen, or even a big screen. They weretreated to all of their entertainment live. No wonder they were neverbored.

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Troubadours and Minstrels

Questions1. Servants who sang and told stories to entertain at royal courts

were known as ______.A. minstrelsB. troubadoursC. CrusadersD. all of the above

2. Members of the royalty who became poets after returning fromthe Crusades were known as ______.

A. minstrelsB. troubadoursC. crusadersD. all of the above

3. Minstrels wore ______ costumes.A. plainB. royalC. plaidD. bright

4. Some minstrels ______.A. sangB. played the fiddleC. juggledD. all of the above

5. Troubadours brought new ideas to entertainment. They hadlearned these ideas ______.

A. while in the royal courtB. while on a CrusadeC. from the minstrelsD. from song writers

6. Troubadours were often ______.A. poorB. servantsC. peasantsD. nobles

7. Richard the Lionheart was a ______.A. troubadourB. bothC. kingD. neither

8. People of the Middle Ages enjoyed ______ entertainment.A. liveB. videoC. recordedD. digital

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Sacred River, Dirty RiverBy Colleen Messina

Caption: Women offerfloating lamps to the riverGanga as morningworship.

Water nourishes manyparts of life. We drink it,bathe in it, and cook withit. In India, some water isconsidered sacred. Indiansthink of the Ganges Riveras a goddess. According toHindu belief, this river canpurify sin and help the dead reach heaven. Unfortunately, thepurifying Ganges water that can cleanse sins is not very clean.

According to Hindu tradition, the Ganges River used to be inheaven. She flowed across the sky. She eventually agreed to comedown to earth to help a king. The king's ancestors had been burned toashes. Only the pure Ganges water could help them get to heaven.The Ganges did help the king's relatives. This story is why Hinduswant to scatter their loved ones' ashes in the Ganges River. Theybelieve that the river will help their departed loved ones have apeaceful journey into their next life or up to heaven.

Veer Badra Mishra, a Hindu priest and also a civil engineer,explains how Hindus feel about the Ganges River. "There is a sayingthat the Ganges grants us salvation. This culture will end if peoplestop going to the river, and if the culture dies, the tradition dies, andthe faith dies." Mishra has been working for many years on theproblem of pollution in the Ganges.

The approximately 1,560-mile Ganges River starts high in theHimalaya Mountains in a cold ice cave about 10,300 feet above sealevel. Its river basin is between 200 and 400 miles wide. The riverflows through areas full of sturdy mountain vegetation. Then itarrives close to denser forests and gentle meadows at lower

elevations. It passes fields of happy cows (after all, Indians considerthem as sacred animals) and green rice paddies. The waters of theGanges go across Bangladesh. Then the river enters the Bay ofBengal in the Indian Ocean.

Why is this beautiful river becoming polluted if the peopleworship it? One reason is that its river basin supports nearly a billionpeople. Most of the pollution that enters the river is organic waste.This includes food, trash, and sewage. One source estimates thatover 1 billion liters of raw sewage enters the river each day. When aperson dies in India, he or she is often cremated. Relatives thenscatter the ashes into the Ganges. This practice also contributes toriver pollution.

A smaller portion of pollution comes from industrial pollutants.Many factories discharge waste into the river. This includeselectronics plants, fertilizer manufacturers, and pharmaceuticalcompanies. Hazardous materials like mercury and heavy metals alsoflow into the river. Furthermore, farms in India use DDT. India doesnot have high environmental standards to stop DDT from beingdumped into the river. This carcinogenic, or cancer-causing,pesticide has been banned in the United States. It has harmful effectson people and animals.

Many Hindus feel that bathing in the Ganges River is animportant ritual, but pollution is making this practice dangerous.People are taking steps to solve the problem. The Ganga Action Plan(GAP) was started in 1985. The Indian government built more wastetreatment facilities. Later, the Indian government created theNational River Conservation Directorate to continue work to helprivers.

Jawaharlal Nehru, a Prime Minister of India, explained howimportant this river is to his country. He said, "The Ganga, especially,is the river of India. She has been a symbol of India's age-longculture and civilization, ever changing, ever flowing, and yet everthe same Ganga." With effort, this sacred river can become cleanagain so it can nourish India in all ways.

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Sacred River, Dirty River

Questions1. Which world religion specifically worships the Ganges River?

A. ChristianityB. JudaismC. HinduismD. none of the above

2. What do Hindus think of the Ganges River as?A. a prophetB. a goddessC. a godD. an angel

3. Where does the Ganges River enter the Indian Ocean?A. at the Bay of BengalB. at the Bay of BangladeshC. at the Bay of NepalD. none of the above

4. Which animal is considered sacred by many people in India?A. cowsB. horsesC. pigsD. sheep

5. In the United States, farmers can use DDT.A. FalseB. True

6. What was one important action taken in India because of theGanga Action Plan (GAP)?

A. building waste treatment facilitiesB. studying ancient myths about the riverC. teaching people about the riverD. none of the above

7. What do Hindus like to do with the ashes of their loved ones?A. keep them in an urnB. put them in the gardenC. throw them awayD. scatter them on the Ganges River

8. Which Indian leader was quoted at the end of the article?A. a kingB. a prime ministerC. a presidentD. a queen

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Farley MowatBy Mary Lynn Bushong

Do you like animals? Most people do,but very few are able to have a widerange of pets. Farley Mowat was one ofthose lucky people who could. He alsowrote about them so others could enjoyhis experiences as well.

Farley Mowat was born on May 12,1921, in Belleville, Ontario. His father,Angus Mowat, was a librarian.Throughout his childhood, Farley and hisfamily moved around Canada.

During the worst part of the Great Depression, the Mowat familylived in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Young Farley was able to spendpart of his time ranging over the countryside. Among his pets werehis dog Mutt, several cats, a Florida alligator, a rattlesnake, a squirrel,two owls, and hundreds of insects.

He was already a budding author by age thirteen when he began anewsletter called Nature Lore. He even had a local column in thenewspaper about birds.

Mowat served during World War II and was involved in theinvasion of Sicily. He fought from July to December 1943. He wasthen offered the opportunity to become an intelligence officer. In1945, Mowat helped arrange the food drops in Holland, savingthousands of lives.

After the war, Mowat attended the University of Toronto to studybiology. During that time, he was part of a field trip to the Artic.

Mowat was appalled by the living conditions of the Inuit. Heconcluded it was because of poor treatment by the whites. He usedhis experience to write his first novel, People of the Deer, in 1952. Itmade the government sit up and take notice of the plight of thenative people.

That first book was followed up with The Regiment and Lost inthe Barrens. The Dog Who Wouldn't Be and Owls in the Family werehumorous books that detailed the adventures he had with his petswhile growing up.

As a fully fledged biologist for the Canadian government, Mowatundertook a study of the caribou herds in the Arctic. Some claimedthat the wolf population was too large and they were over-killing thedeer. Mowat claimed it was over-hunting by man that was reducingthe herds. He wrote about it in his book, Never Cry Wolf.

Over the next few years, Mowat wrote about Vikings and thepeople of Newfoundland. His book A Whale for the Killing wasmade into a film in 1981.

In 1985, Mowat was denied entry into the United States. Criticalcomments of the United States government made him an unwelcomevisitor. It was not until the media became involved that the decisionwas reversed.

No stranger to controversy, Mowat found himself surrounded byit again in 1996. In an article in Canada's Saturday Night Magazine,Mowat's work was criticized for being more fiction than fact.Mowat himself had stated that "he doesn't let facts get in the way ofthe truth." The revelations hurt his reputation.

Mowat is still interested and involved in issues of conservationand ecology. A master story teller, Farley Mowat has introducedthousands of people to his life in Canada. He continues to work onpreserving the Arctic animals he knows and loves. In that way hehas helped Canadians and other people around the world toappreciate them more, too.

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Farley Mowat

Questions1. What job did Mowat's father have that caused the family to

move around a lot?A. MinisterB. MechanicC. LibrarianD. Salesman

2. List three of Mowat's pets growing up.

3. Farley published a book on birds while he was still young.A. FalseB. True

4. Mowat served in Italy and Africa during World War II.A. TrueB. False

5. Mowat's book, People of the Deer made the government payattention to the Inuit.

A. FalseB. True

6. Which of Mowat's books helped proved that wolves were notto blame for lower numbers of caribou?

A. People of the DeerB. Lost in the BarrensC. The Dog Who Wouldn't BeD. Never Cry Wolf

7. Why was Mowat barred from entering the U.S. in 1985?

8. Why did some people say Mowat's work was more fiction thanfact?

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Beware of the Coastal Invaders!By Colleen Messina

Caption: picture takenby Christian Fischer at theHavel River in Germany,October 2007.

Yikes! "Aliens" areinvading coastlines aroundthe world! One species hasdark, hairy claws. Anotherinvader might glow aneerie green color if it is disturbed during the night. What are thesestrange creatures, and where do they come from?

Fortunately, these "aliens" are not from outer space. The creaturewith hairy claws is a brown Chinese mitten crab. The eerie, glowinginvader is a comb jellyfish. Why are these creatures called invaders?They are showing up on coastlines far from their native habitats.Their presence is causing many problems in their new homes.

According to a 2008 Nature Conservancy study, foreign aquaticcreatures are colonizing many of the world's coasts. This studyestimated that about 48% of the world's coasts are affected bycoastal invaders. The arrival of new types of aquatic species in adifferent area often causes trouble. Many of these invaders damagetheir new landscape by unbalancing the ecosystem. Some scientiststhink that approximately 10,000 species are traveling via shipsaround the world and end up far from their original habitats.

For example, Chinese mitten crabs normally live in eastern Asia.They don't wear mittens, though--they got their name because oftheir hairy claws! They breed in the ocean, but they spend most oftheir lives in fresh water. Chefs like to cook these crabs as a tastydelicacy in Asia. Maybe that is why the members of thismedium-sized crab family decided to take a get-away vacation to theUnited States! They have arrived in the San Francisco Bay area.They have spread to the tributaries of the Sacramento and SanJoaquin Rivers. They have taken over because they have no natural

predators in California.

These crabs cause problems for several reasons. They haveaffected shrimp harvests and the fishing industry. One commercialcrabber in another part of the country said it was "spooky" when hethought he spotted a mitten crab, and fishermen in San Francisco feelthe same way. These creatures like to burrow, which can causestream bank erosion. These crabs also sometimes carry a dangerouslung fluke that could infect people. This parasite has caused deathsin Asia. They have also affected the water supply pumping system tosouthern California because these little aliens clog the pumps up. In1998, the California Bureau of Reclamation collected about onemillion crabs!

Another coastal invader, the comb jellyfish, looks innocuous.This creature is beautiful and mysterious! It looks like a milky-blueparachute pulsing through the water. The comb jellyfish normallylives along the Atlantic coast of North and South America. It firstappeared in the Black Sea in the early 1980s. It arrived there onfreighters.

By the late 1980s, the population of comb jellies in the Black Seagrew. Some even called it "the blob that ate the Black Sea." Thistype of jellyfish multiplies quickly and eats the same plankton asanchovies. This ruined the anchovy industry in the Black Sea.Another type of jellyfish later arrived in the Black Sea. Thispredator feasted on the comb jellies and helped restore balance to theecosystem.

In many cases, no natural predators can take care of invadingspecies. Scientists don't know what to do about these coastalinvaders that are changing habitats around the world. In the UnitedStates alone, about 120 billion dollars are spent to remove coastalinvaders each year. Many people feel that the only solution to thisproblem is to prevent their arrival. This is one situation wheremankind may have to let nature take its course.

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Beware of the Coastal Invaders!

Questions1. How did mitten crabs get their name?

A. because they wear mittensB. because they have hairy clawsC. because they have cold clawsD. none of the above

2. Which continent is the mitten crab's native homeland?A. North AmericaB. AsiaC. AustraliaD. Africa

3. Approximately what percentage of the world's coastlines hashad coastal invaders?

A. 48%B. 38%C. 8%D. 28%

4. According to the article, where is one place that the mittencrabs landed in the United States?

A. WashingtonB. CaliforniaC. FloridaD. Texas

5. Which system was affected by the mitten crabs?A. the public libraryB. the city lighting systemC. the water systemD. the mail delivery system

6. When did the comb jellyfish reach the Black Sea?A. 1980sB. 1920sC. 1940sD. 1960s

7. Which of the following is a synonym for the word "innocuous"in paragraph 7?

A. lethalB. harmlessC. harmfulD. deadly

8. What helped control the situation of comb jellyfish in theBlack Sea?

A. a typhoonB. a fisherman's planC. a natural predatorD. a plan by scientists

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History of CartographyBy Trista L. Pollard

Our view of the world haschanged since 1500 years ago. Themaps and globes we use today arevery accurate. They show moredetails. You can see cities andcountries. They show landforms andlandmarks. Our maps now have astandard coordinate or grid system.This measurement system helps usto locate places on Earth. But whatabout the first maps? What are theylike? How were they made? Let'stake a journey into the history ofcartography.

Cartography is the science of making maps. Today'scartographers use computers and cameras to help make maps. Thisis called remote sensing. Cameras are placed or mounted onairplanes. These cameras take pictures of the Earth's surface.Satellites in space are also used for cartography. Mapmakers in thepast had much less technology. They used observation and storiesfrom sailors to make maps.

Most early scientists believed the Earth was flat. Imagine sailingfrom your country and falling over a cliff! That's what peoplethought. They also thought Earth was a flat disc. The center of thedisc was filled with people. The outer edges of the Earth wereempty. A world map made as early as 500 B.C. showed a disc withtwo continents. These continents were Europe and Asia. Both weresurrounded by an ocean. That makes sense! Most people onlyknew about their surrounding or immediate area. Geographers alsofound early maps of the Pacific Ocean. They were made bynavigators from Polynesia or the Pacific Islands. These maps dateback to 1500 B.C. The navigators used shells and the ribs of palmtree leaves. With these items, they mapped the currents and wavesof the Pacific. Shells were used to mark islands they saw on theirjourney. The maps were 18 to 24-inch squares. Polynesian sailors

used these maps as they sailed in the South Pacific.

Many of the early maps focused on towns and cities.Geographers have found early maps made of clay. The maps werescratched into clay tablets. These maps showed canals, walls, houses,and gates. Many towns were surrounded by walls for protection.Geographers estimated the maps were over 4,000 years old. Theywere from Mesopotamia in the Middle East. Ancient Egyptians alsomade maps. In 250 B.C., a scientist named Eratosthenes calculatedthe Earth's circumference. Circumference is the distance you travelaround the Earth in a complete circle. His estimate was very closefor the time. It was 37,700 kilometers. The Earth's circumferencearound the equator is 40,075 kilometers (24,902 miles). If you travelthrough the poles, the circumference is 40,007 kilometers (24,860miles).

Another Egyptian cartographer was Ptolemy. In about 100 A.D.he made the first map with lines of latitude and longitude. He evenpublished our first atlas called Geographia. The book had 8volumes. In his atlas, he gave coordinates for over 8,000 places. Italso had a world map and maps of other regions. Ptolemy's worldmap also used a different circumference. He calculated thecircumference to be 29,000 kilometers. Years later, ChristopherColumbus is believed to have used Ptolemy's map. That meansColumbus used a map with an incorrect circumference. You have towonder if this affected his trip.

It was not until the 1400's that people became interested in maps.This was the Age of Exploration. Explorers and sailors wereleaving Europe to find all-water routes to Asia. These sailorsbrought back valuable information. This information was about ourcontinents and oceans. They also discovered one very importantfact-that the Earth was round. Scientists used Ptolemy's atlas to helpwith mapmaking. Printing presses were also invented during thistime. Now maps that were drawn by hand could be copied. Withmore ships leaving Europe each day, more maps were needed.Prince Henry of Portugal was a very important man. He studied theinformation from sailors and other mapmakers. He used thisinformation to help make better navigation tools. He also helped tobuild better ships and design more accurate maps. Due to his work,more explorers traveled overseas.

Gerhardus Mercator is one of our most famous geographers.In 1569, he published a world map. It wasn't just any world map! Ithad 18 sheets! He also drew his map to show the shape of the Earth.This is not easy to do. When cartographers try to draw our sphere on

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flat paper, some of the sphere becomes distorted. The shape andsize of the sphere becomes changed. Mercator drew that Earth as aflat map. However, he figured out a way to show its shape andcorrect position of the continents. Today we call his drawing theMercator Projection. A projection is a flat picture of a sphere.There was one flaw with Mercator's map. His map makes Europe,Asia, and North America very large. Africa and South America looka lot smaller. Even with this flaw, Mercator's map was used forhundreds of years. Today we use other map projections.

By the end of the 1800's, cartographers used more science tomake maps. They used instruments to help plot locations. Theseinstruments were telescopes, sextants, and chronometers. Nowinstead of maps for exploration, they are used for other purposes.Maps were used for the military. As countries became involved inwars, maps were used for planning. Many organizations began thatfocused on geography. In 1821 the Societ de Gographe de Pariswas started in France. It was started to help map French territoriesand areas of trade. The Royal Geographical Society began in GreatBritain in 1830. This organization encouraged exploration of Africaand Australia. In the United States, the National GeographicSociety was born in 1888. Its headquarters is located in Washington,D.C. The society promoted understanding of the Earth's geography.This is still their goal today.

Most of our planet's surface is mapped. In fact, there are areas ofthe Earth that are shown with a lot of detail on maps. Explorers havemapped the ocean floors. However, they are not as detailed as theland surfaces. Our maps today include human-made features andnatural features. We have paper road maps and computer maps.You can even have a small computer in your car to tell youdirections. Maps have come a long way since the "world is a disc"days. They are more detailed and more accurate.

History of Cartography

Questions1. Based on context clues, what does the word flaw mean?

2. Some of the earliest known maps on Earth were made about______.

A. 4,000 years agoB. 10,000 years agoC. 2,000 years agoD. 2,500 years ago

3. Most early scientists believed that the Earth was a flat disc.A. TrueB. False

4. What is the main idea of paragraph eight?

5. Ptolemy's atlas contained coordinates for over 8,000 places.How did he get these coordinates?

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6. Order these geographers for earliest discoveries to latestdiscoveries.

A. Prince Henry of PortugalB. EratosthenesC. PtolemyD. Gerdhaus Mercator

7. Maps were used for military purposes since the early 1500's.A. FalseB. True

8. National Geographic Society began in the United States in______.

A. 1821B. 1886C. 1888D. 1830

You are one of Prince Henry's sailors. You have just been sent on ajourney to explore the west coast of Africa. Write a journal entry thatdescribes your observations. Make sure you describe the land andwater features that you have seen on your journey.

NameTuesday, May 14

Our Nation's Oldest City: St. Augustine,FloridaBy Joyce Furstenau

St. Augustine is a city located on thenortheast coast of Florida. It is the oldestcontinuously occupied European settlement inthe United States. The city was founded in1565 by Spanish explorer Pedro Menndez deAvils. Earlier settlements in the area failed.This was due mostly to famine and hurricanes.The first white child ever to be born in thecontinental United States was born here in1566.

St. Augustine was attacked and burned byBritish explorer Sir Francis Drake twentyyears later. The Spanish residents of St. Augustine built the Castillode San Marcos. It was a masonry-walled military fort. The walls weremade of stone, similar to limestone, that was made of ancient shellsbonded together. The fort was designed to protect the city frominvaders. It was completed in 1695 after 23 years of construction.

The British attacked the fort in 1702. They attacked again in 1704,but the Spanish survived. The British finally gained control of St.Augustine in 1763. Florida was returned to Spain in 1783 in theTreaty of Paris. That was the end of the Revolutionary War. Spaingave Florida to America in 1821. In return, America gave up claim toother lands in the West.

In the early 19th century, the U.S. became involved in three conflictswith the Seminole tribes. These Seminole Wars, also called TheFlorida Wars, helped establish St. Augustine as a growing city. TheCastillo de San Marcos Fort remained in service until 1862. At thattime, the Confederate Army took over. They used it as a militaryprison. They didn't hold the Castillo for long- January 1861 to March1862. Then Union troops held it until the end of the Civil War.

In 1883, wealthy oilman Henry Flagler visited St. Augustine. He was

so taken with the city that he began to invest in it. He built several ofthe city's most impressive buildings, including a museum and acollege. The town soon became a winter resort for the wealthy. By1938, St. Augustine was one of the first cities in the nation to open atheme park. Marineland is located just south of St. Augustine and isbilled as "the world's first oceanarium."

With more than 400 years of history, this city is still a popular touristattraction. The Castillo de San Marcos is now a National Monumentand is part of the National Park Service.

Our Nation's Oldest City: St. Augustine, Florida

Questions1. In which state is St. Augustine located?

A. AlabamaB. LouisianaC. GeorgiaD. Florida

2. The first white child was born in St. Augustine on what date?A. 1620B. 1523C. 1601D. 1566

3. Who built the Castillo de San Marcos?A. the SpanishB. the FrenchC. the Native AmericansD. the British

4. The walls of Castillo de San Marcos made of what material?

NameTuesday, May 14

5. The Florida Wars were also known as what?

6. What theme park is located near St. Augustine?

Name DateTuesday, May 14

An Adventure in TimeWritten by Cindy Grigg

Jake's dad was a scientist. He had been working on something top secret. One night Jake overheard his father and mother talking.His dad sounded very excited.

"I believe it will work!" he said breathlessly. "Tomorrow I'm going to test it with Eleanor." Jake knew that Eleanor was a chimpat his dad's laboratory. Eleanor had been trained to do many tests. She could follow instructions and do almost anything a humancould do. She even knew sign language!

Jake wondered what his dad was so excited about. He went into the living room where his parents were talking. "What are youworking on, Dad?" he asked.

Jake's parents shared one of those looks. You know- the kind of look that says, "How much did he hear? How much should wetell him?"

One look could sure say a lot, Jake thought. His parents seemed to come to an understanding. Jake's dad said, "Son, I've inventeda machine that will let people travel in time!"

"Wow!" said Jake. "How does it work?"

"It uses the energy and mass of the sun to bend space, and, therefore, time. I believe it will allow us to travel through time ANDspace!" Jake's dad said. He looked almost giddy, like Jake looked after riding the roller coaster too many times in a row.

"Can I go with you when you test it tomorrow?" Jake asked eagerly. His parents exchanged "the look" again.

"Only if you promise you'll just watch!" said his mom. "I mean it, Jake. This is too important and too dangerous for you to playaround with. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I promise!" said Jake. He couldn't believe that he was going to get to see the first test of such an unbelievably coolinvention!

The next morning, Jake's dad woke him early. "Let's go to the lab, son," said his dad. He still sounded excited. Jake's eyes flewopen as he remembered what was going to happen today at the lab. He jumped out of bed.

Name DateTuesday, May 14 An Adventure in Time

They quickly ate breakfast and his dad used his key to get them inside. No one was there except the security guard, who waved atthem as they walked through. Jake's dad went to the safe and opened the combination lock. He carefully took out a small devicethat looked like a cell phone.

"This is it, Jake!" he said. "You can look, but don't touch, while I go get Eleanor. Okay?"

"Yes, Dad," said Jake. He meant it; he truly did. But while his dad was out of the room...

Answer the following questions before you finish the story.1. Did Jake touch the device? What happened?

2. Will Jake still be there when his dad comes back? Explain why or why not.

3. If Jake turned on the device, did it work? Where-or when-did Jake go?

4. If Jake traveled in time or space, what did he see? Did he meet famous people or visit a famous place?

Name DateTuesday, May 14 An Adventure in Time

5. If Jake traveled in time or space, how did he get back? Did anyone or anything come back with him?

6. What kind of problems might Jake have? How will he solve them?

Name DateTuesday, May 14 An Adventure in Time

Using the ideas you wrote for the thinking questions, write an ending to the story. It can be funny, exciting, dangerous, or all three! Besure to include dialog in your ending. Write in complete sentences, using correct punctuation. Be creative and use these two blankpages.

Name DateTuesday, May 14 An Adventure in Time

NameTuesday, May 14

Crop CirclesBy Vickie Chao

In the 1970s, "crop circles"began showing up randomlyall over the U.K. Like theirname suggested, "crop circles"were circles found in a field ofgrain or other crops. Thedesigns of those circles varied.Sometimes, they were quitesimple. But other times, theywere rather complicated.

Needless to say, the strange appearances of those crop circlescaught everybody by surprise. But as it later turned out, they werenot an exclusive affair in the U.K. Similar incidents were alsoreported in other parts of the world, such as Japan, Canada, and theUnited States. The spread of crop circles intrigued many people.Almost immediately, a new field of study was set up just tounderstand why and how crop circles were made. That new field ofstudy was called cereology.

Cereologists (experts of cereology) claim that the crop circles ofthe 1970s were nothing new. They believe that the world's firstdocumented crop circle was actually found on a woodcut made in1678. The woodcut was titled "The Mowing Devil or Strange Newsout of Hartford-shire." It told the tale of an English farmer arguingwith a mower over the price for harvesting his field. The farmer didnot want to pay the rate the mower demanded. He tried to bargain,but the mower refused to give in. In a fit of rage, the farmer sworethat he would rather have the devil do the work. The next day, thefarmer woke up and found parts of his field had been "neatly mowedby the devil, or some infernal spirit." The parts that had beenmowed were circular-shaped. In the end, the farmer was so terrifiedby what he saw that he never entered the field to collect his harvest.Beneath the story, the woodcut depicted a strange-looking creaturemowing the field and making a circular design. That strange-lookingcreature was obviously the devil himself.

Of course, naming the devil the maker of crop circles is only onetheory out of many.

An alternative and very popular view points the finger at UFOs.Several witnesses had come forward, claiming that they had seenflying saucers hovering over a field. When they went to inspect thearea the following day, they found crop circles.

Apart from citing the devil or aliens, some people believe that acyclonic storm might be the real cause of crop circles.

All three arguments sound very convincing. But which one isright? Perhaps the answer is none of them!

In 1991, David Chorley and Douglas Bower admitted that theywere the ones who made the crop circles of the 1970s in the U.K. Toprove the claim, they explained in detail how they created cropcircles. They even showed the tools they used. Those tools wereamazingly simple, just a stake, a rope, some boards, baseball caps,and sighting wires. To make a crop circle, Chorley and Bower firstpounded a stake into the ground. They attached one end of a rope tothe stake and the other end to either one of them. As Chorley orBower walked around the stake, with the rope stretching to its fulllength, he was really marking the perimeter of a soon-to-be-madecrop circle. Once that was done, the duo used boards to flatten theplants inside the circle. If they wanted to make a more elaboratedesign, they would wear their baseball caps mounted with sightingwires. By focusing on a distant object through the sighting wires,they were able to walk a straight line in the middle of the night.

No doubt, Chorley and Bower's confession stung the world. Ifwhat they said was true, then the crop circle mystery was no mysteryat all. It was a mere hoax, meant as a practical joke! But wereChorley and Bower telling the truth? Or were they bluffing?Cereologists certainly were inclined to believe the latter. Theycontinue to insist that crop circles were the works of supernaturalforces. But their views are now in the minority. To most people,crop circles are no longer unexplainable events. The myth wasbusted!

NameTuesday, May 14

Crop Circles

Questions1. Which of the following about crop circles is true?

A. Crop circles can only be found in the U.K.B. Chorley and Bower said that they created the crop circles

of the 1970s.C. The world's first crop circle was discovered in 1991.D. Scientists now have concrete evidence linking UFOs to

crop circles.

2. Which of the following was NOT a tool used by Chorley andBower in their making of a crop circle?

A. A sighting wireB. A ropeC. A stakeD. A mowing machine

3. According to the woodcut made in the 17th century, who madecrop circles?

A. The farmerB. The devilC. The mowerD. God

4. In what year was the myth of crop circles busted?A. 1991B. 1984C. 1978D. 2003

5. What is a cereologist?A. A person who grows cerealsB. A person who studies crop circlesC. A person who eats cerealsD. A person who creates crop circles

6. What did Chorley and Bower use to help them walk a straightline in the middle of the night?

A. A walking stickB. A baseball cap mounted with a sighting wireC. A measuring tapeD. All of the above

7. Which of the following about the woodcut made in 1678 iscorrect?

A. It was about a severe earthquake.B. It was about the tale of an English farmer and his

gardener.C. It talked about aliens making crop circles.D. It was about some strange news from Hartford-shire.

8. When did crop circles begin attracting attention from peopleall around the world?

A. In the 1920sB. In the 1970sC. In the 1980sD. In the 1950s

NameWednesday, May 15

Tapirs

Tapirs look like a cross betweenpigs and elephants. Indeed, theirbulky bodies, short legs, andshort tails remind us of pigs.Their flexible, rubbery snoutsremind us of an elephant's trunk.But, despite these things incommon, tapirs are not related toeither pigs or elephants. Theirclosest relative is the rhinoceros.

Tapirs are shy, solitary animals. They live in forests and grasslands.They never stray far from water. Whenever they feel threatened, theyflee to the nearest river, lake, or swamp for safety. Tapirs measure upto 8 feet long, stand nearly 3 feet tall, and weigh almost 800 pounds.Though heavy-built, tapirs are surprisingly good athletes. They areexcellent swimmers and divers, swift runners, and skillful climbers.Tapirs have poor eyesight. They have acute senses of hearing andsmell. They use their snouts to locate and pick up food. They eatleaves, fruits, water plants, or other vegetation.

There are four species of tapirs on Earth. The Malayan tapir lives inSoutheast Asia. But the other three -- the lowland or Brazilian tapir,the mountain tapir, and the Baird's or Central American tapir-all livein Central and South America.

The Malayan tapir is the only one in the family to live outside of theAmericas. It also chooses to dress up differently. It forgoes the plaindark brownish-gray outfit that its cousins wear. Instead, it opts forsomething that offers both camouflage and conspicuousness. Notwanting to be seen and desiring to be flashy are obviouscontradictions. But Malayan tapirs manage to find a colorcombination -- black and white -- that meets the two objectives. Thus,their backs, bellies, and rumps are white. Their heads, shoulders, andlegs are black. But, how can Malayan tapirs avoid unwanted attentionwith such eye-catching colors? Well, the answer to that question has alot to do with their habitat and behavior. Like their cousins, Malayantapirs are mostly active at night. When they wander in thick forests

under dim moonlight, their striking colors actually help break up theirbody frames and form a disruptive image to hungry predators liketigers. Tigers cannot make out a clear shape of Malayan tapirs. Theydon't even know that they are staring at a tasty treat!

Although Malayan tapirs look different from Baird's, Brazilian, andmountain tapirs, the offspring of all four species have yellowish whitespots and stripes running horizontally across their reddish browncoats. They look like watermelons with legs! While we may find thisnotion hilarious, the watermelon pattern offers the same camouflageeffect as an adult Malayan tapir's black-and-white coloring does.When young tapirs are about one year old, their watermelon markingsfade away to give room to their grown-up coats.

Due to the destruction of their habitats as well as excessive hunting,tapirs are endangered. Their uncertain fate relies entirely on us!

Tapirs

Questions1. Where can we find Malayan tapirs?

A. South AmericaB. Western EuropeC. Central AmericaD. Southeast Asia

2. Tapirs have an herbivorous diet. They feed on leaves, fruits,and other types of vegetation.

A. falseB. true

3. Which of the followings about tapirs is correct?A. Tapirs have elephant-like snouts.B. Young Malayan tapirs look the same as their parents.C. Whenever they feel threatened, tapirs flee to the nearest

cave for safety.D. All tapir species live in Central and South America.

NameWednesday, May 15

4. Which of the followings best describes tapirs?A. They stand nearly 8 feet tall.B. They have short tails.C. They have bulky bodies and long legs.D. They weigh up to 800 kilograms.

5. How many tapir species are there on Earth?A. fourB. threeC. fiveD. two

6. Which of the following statements about Malayan tapirs isINCORRECT?

A. Adult Malayan tapirs look distinctively different fromother tapir species.

B. Malayan tapirs are mostly active during the day.C. Baby Malayan tapirs are like watermelons with legs.D. Malayan tapirs are the only tapir species that do not live

in Central and South Americas.

7. What does a fully-grown mountain tapir look like?A. It has a dark brownish-gray coat.B. It has a broad white band covering its back, belly, and

rump.C. It has black stripes running vertically across its yellow

coat.D. It has yellowish white spots and stripes running

horizontally across its reddish brown coat.

8. Which of the following animals hunt and kill tapirs?A. tigersB. elephantsC. pigsD. rhinoceros

Suppose you are the chairperson of a committee whose objective is toprotect tapirs. You need to make a speech to an audience at yourschool. You want to cover two topics. The first is to discuss why tapirsare endangered. The second is to explain how the committee plans tosave tapirs. Write your speech.

NameWednesday, May 15

A Story of Anti-Personnel Mines: Maria'sStoryBy Jennifer Kenny

Caption: A soldier who was mutilated by aland mine, with his daughter in Bogot,Colombia.

Maria is a child. She likes to play. Shelikes to be with her family. She likes to beoutside. These are probably things that youenjoy, too. There's one big difference betweenMaria and most of the children in the world,though. Maria lost both her leg and her father.How did these things happen? She lost both inan anti-personnel mine accident.

When you run around outside, you have to be careful not to trip on arock, not to step on broken glass, or not get a splinter in your foot.Maria has to worry about stepping on something a lot moredangerous - a mine.

Maria lives in a small village in a country called Colombia.Anti-personnel mines are hidden throughout Colombia. They areused as weapons. Unlike guns, though, that need to be shot to beused, anti-personnel mines are activated when the victim detonates it.Land mines are hidden - on the ground or just below the ground. Itdoesn't matter who steps on it; the land mine can't tell the difference.The victim could be a soldier, an older civilian, or even a child.Once detonated, a land mine can cause severe injuries to the victim.

Maria could share the stories of many victims. In Maria's case,her father and she were walking near their home. One of themtriggered the hidden land mine. Maria's father died right away.Maria lost her leg. She was lucky that a friend could get her to thehospital; otherwise she might have died as well. Maria needed manyoperations to help her heal. Maria is still waiting for a prosthesis totake the place of her lost leg. Since she is still growing, she willconstantly need new ones to fit her bigger size.

Maria's friend Selena had a similar experience. Her friend waswalking with her parents to get into town. Her mother stepped on ananti-personnel land mine. Her mom was dragged, unconscious, to afar away hospital. She died the next morning.

Maria's cousin Aurelio also stepped on a land mine. Her unclecarried Aurelio all the way to the distant capital for help. He, too,lost his leg and is waiting for a prosthesis.

In fact, there are two or three victims of land mines each day inColombia. It is estimated that over 100,000 land mines are hidden inColombia. More are planted every day. There's a great deal offighting in Colombia between the government and guerilla groups.The government claims to have destroyed the anti-personnel mines itpossessed. However, guerillas such as the Revolutionary ArmedForces of Colombia openly admit they continue to use and plantthem. These guerilla groups like to use the mines to make roadsimpassable. When planted on farmlands, land mines make itdangerous to use the land for farming and, consequently, make itdifficult for a village to survive on its own. Land mines are oftenplanted to protect the guerillas' camps from the government's army,especially after a guerilla group has attacked a village and the armyis trying to capture them. Guerillas have gone as far as to plant landmines near schools.

Land mines are inexpensive to plant. Each one costsapproximately $1 to make. However, they are expensive anddangerous to remove. It costs about $1,000 to remove just one.Figure out the math. If there are 100,000 hidden, that would be $100million to remove them all.

Humanitarian organizations are trying to do just that. Theyconduct mine clearing operations. However, land mines affectalmost all of the provinces in Colombia. Land mines can last fiftyyears. Even those who are attempting to find and destroy them arein danger. Since the anti-personnel mines are still planted, theobstacles are continually present.

Land mines present obstacles to both the removal process and thehumanitarian medical process. When a person is injured in a landmine accident, the explosion has the ability to blow apart one leg ortwo. In addition, it throws soil, rocks, and bone pieces inside thewounded area. Infection is extremely common as a result. Also,only skilled surgeons can even attempt to operate on the injuries. Itcan take a full day just to reach the hospital that has a skilled surgeon

NameWednesday, May 15

and necessary equipment. Accidents in remote places make caredifficult. Even the trip can be hazardous because of other hiddenmines.

If a victim survives the initial surgery, he or she often needs moresurgeries. Prostheses are often needed, but it can take a long time toget one. A child needs more than one as he or she grows. Beingpoor often leaves one without much help. Many adults who havebeen injured can't work anymore. The situation can seem hopeless.

Maria and her family survive one day at a time. She has manyphysical and psychological issues to overcome. Humanitariangroups continue to step in to help, trying to make Colombia a saferplace to live. However, eliminating the dangerous devices couldtake a minimum of 10 to 20 years. That's not including the new onesplanted every day. In the meantime, these land mines remain theweapons of choice for many guerillas.

A Story of Anti-Personnel Mines: Maria's Story

Questions1. Maria lives in ______.

A. MexicoB. BrazilC. ColombiaD. the United States

2. Anti-personnel mines can harm ______.A. childrenB. parentsC. soldiersD. all of the above

3. A ______ will one day take the place of Maria's lost leg.A. shoeB. wheelchairC. prosthesisD. scooter

4. How many land mines are still believed to be hidden inColombia?

A. only 10B. around 1,000C. around 100,000D. no more

5. In Colombia, anti-personnel mines are often hidden by______.

A. familiesB. childrenC. guerillasD. government workers

6. Removal of anti-personnel land mines is often a ______.A. dangerous processB. an expensive processC. both of the aboveD. neither of the above

7. Humanitarian groups are trying to help the Colombian people.A. FalseB. True

NameThursday, May 16

Charles Elmer Hires - Inventor of Root BeerBy Phyllis Naegeli

It's been called, "The Honest Beer," "TheTemperance Drink," and "The GreatestHealth-Giving Beverage in the World." We knowit as root beer. A pharmacist named CharlesElmer Hires invented this soft drink over onehundred thirty years ago.

Hires worked in a drug store near his home as aclerk. At the age of sixteen, he moved toPhiladelphia and became an apprentice in a drugstore. In the evenings, he attended lectures at theCollege of Pharmacy. He worked hard and savedhis money until he had $400. With this savings,he opened his own drug store. In 1872, he took a state licensing examand was officially a pharmacist.

His discovery of root beer started on his honeymoon. At the hotelwhere he and his wife stayed, they were served an herbal tea madefrom berries, herbs, and roots. He obtained the recipe and sold it in hisdrug store. He continued to refine the recipe until he produced the firstroot beer on May 16, 1876. He brought his discovery to theCentennial Exposition in 1876 where it was widely received. By1893, he was marketing his soft drink nationwide.

To the dismay of his accountants, Hires insisted on using the highestquality ingredients. He aggressively advertised his product saying,"doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in thedark: you know what you are doing, but nobody else does." Inaddition to selling prepared root beer, Hires also marketed a kit toallow consumers to make their own root beer at home. The kitcontained a packaged, prepared powder that was to be mixed withwater, sugar, and yeast. People could make their own root beer forfive cents per gallon. Eventually, Hires went on to produce a liquidconcentrate and a syrup for use in soda fountains. His inventioneventually earned him millions.

Root beer is made from vanilla, cherry tree bark, molasses, different

roots such as sassafras, licorice, and sarsaparilla, and spices likenutmeg and anise, which are mixed with sugar, yeast, and water.When placed in a tightly sealed container, the yeast ferments, givingthe fizz to this sweet beverage.

Many imitations of Charles Elmer Hires' original recipe can be foundtoday. However, each root beer has a different flavor depending oningredients used and where it is made. No two recipes are exactlyalike. The flavor of this soft drink can also be found in candies, coughdrops, and extracts for baking.

Today, Hires Root Beer is marketed by Texas-based Dr Pepper/7-Up,a subsidiary of the British-based corporation, Cadbury-Schweppes.Although no longer marketed nationwide, it continues to hold the titleof "the oldest continuously marketed soft drink in the United States."

Charles Elmer Hires - Inventor of Root Beer

Questions1. What was Charles Elmer Hires' occupation?

A. pharmacistB. teacherC. farmerD. physician

2. In which state was Hires' root beer first sold?A. New YorkB. MaineC. FloridaD. Pennsylvania

3. Charles Elmer Hires invented root beer on ______, 1876.A. May 1B. May 16C. May 20D. May 11

NameThursday, May 16

4. Explain what Charles Elmer Hires meant by "doing businesswithout advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark: youknow what you are doing, but nobody else does."

5. Which of the following is NOT an ingredient in root beer?A. molassesB. vanillaC. sugarD. all of the aboveE. none of the above

6. Which ingredient did Charles Elmer Hires use to give his rootbeer the "fizz"?

A. cherry barkB. molassesC. vanillaD. yeast

7. Why do you think Charles Elmer Hires' accountants weredismayed over his use of the highest quality ingredients?

Describe the taste of root beer.

NameThursday, May 16

North-West Mounted PoliceBy Mary Lynn Bushong

For years, the Canadian West or Northwest,as it was called, was home to wildlife, FirstNations, and the trapper-traders of theHudson's Bay Co. During the 1870's a newgroup of traders pushed into the area. Thesewere American "free traders." They thoughtthey did not have to abide by the rules of theHudson's Bay Co.

Many of these men were veterans of the CivilWar and did not really care about the nativetribes or anything else. They often broughtlarge amounts of whiskey with them to sell ortrade with the natives. This was mixed with other things to increase itseffect and their profits.

The traders also built their own forts. They acted like the CanadianNorthwest was the same as the American West with no laws thatpertained to them. As reports of the bad conditions went east, PrimeMinister John A. Macdonald decided something had to be donequickly.

He decided that a mounted, paramilitary force was best in thatsituation. They would be trained to deal with plains warfare but alsobe taught to work with people. He meant for them to be in place whenthe land was settled. They would not only be peace keepers, but alsosupport for the settlers. They were the ones that the people wouldcome to if they had a problem or question.

To find the model for such a force, Macdonald looked to Ireland. TheRoyal Irish Constabulary was one of the first units of its kind.Mounties were recruited from the fall of 1873, through the spring of1874. That summer 275 men, along with their horses and equipment,began the great March West. They left Dufferin, Manitoba, in Julyand marched 2,400 kilometers across the prairie in four months beforefinally arriving in Alberta.

Forts were set up, and patrol routes were established. The Mountiesmade a point of establishing friendly relations with the First Nationspeople. They also prohibited liquor sales to the native people.Mounties helped put out prairie fires and gave aid to the sick andthose who had nothing.

In the 1880's, the railways were pushing their way across Canada.With them came settlers for the newly accessible land. The Mtis (halfFrench and half native people) who lived along the NorthSaskatchewan River saw more and more settlers arrive. Theypetitioned the government to be awarded the river front lands theylived on. They were ignored.

The people were left with the option of being forced out or fightingfor what they thought was theirs. The result was the Mtis rebellion.Mounties were sent in, but their numbers were overwhelmed. Theyhad to retreat. Troops were brought in, and the rebellion was crushed.

When gold was found in the Yukon, Mounties had more tasks. Theymanned all entries into Canada over passes and by rivers. Each minerwas required to bring enough food and equipment for a year. Thosewho didn't have it were refused entry. Because of the Mountiepresence, Dawson City did not become a rowdy town.

It was at the Yukon that the Mounties really built up the reputationfor upholding law and order. After the gold rush, the Mountiescontinued to push north into the arctic. There, they protected theinterests of the Inuit.

By 1904, the Northwest Mounted Police had earned an internationalreputation for their work. They were given a grant from King EdwardVII to add the prefix "Royal" to their name.

The force was not meant to be permanent. When WWI started, manywanted to enlist but were not allowed. They were needed to help keepthe West secure.

In 1920, the name was changed again. They became the RoyalCanadian Mounted Police. Instead of a western or provincial force,they became a permanent, national force.

Finger print and other crime-solving databases were formed. In the1970's, they branched out into airport security and drug enforcement.Security was phased out in 1984 when the Canadian SecurityIntelligence Service was formed.

NameThursday, May 16

Over the years the RCMP has changed to give aid to Canadians in anyway that they can. Their history and contributions to Canada's cultureand security are something that all Canadians should be proud of.

North-West Mounted Police

Questions1. The idea for the North-West Mounted Police was based at first

on the Royal English Constabulary.A. TrueB. False

2. The free traders were using ______ to destroy the FirstNations.

A. DrugsB. AlcoholC. GamblingD. Sports

3. Why were the North-West Mounted Police necessary to theCanadian Northwest?

4. How far did the first Mounties have to travel to reach Alberta?A. 1,500 kilometersB. 1,200 kilometersC. 2,000 kilometersD. 2,400 kilometers

5. Why were the Mtis concerned about having land on the river?

6. What happened when the North-West Mounted Police went tostop the rebellion?

7. What opened the West for settlement?

8. What event helped the Mounties to really build up theirreputation for enforcing the law?

Name Date

Reading MathStephanie walked to the store in 15.4 minutes. She bought Band-Aidsfor $0.55, gauze for $1.29, and suntan lotion for $2.89. She gave theclerk a $10 bill. She left the store at 3:45 a.m. It took her 20.6 minutesto walk home. How much longer did it take her to walk home than ittook to walk to the store?

Benjamin felt foolish. Everyone else in class was dancing like achicken. Benjamin thought they looked silly. Anyway, it was almosttime to go. It was 2:40 p.m. Only 30 more minutes and he couldescape. What time is the class over?

Dylan has some sea monkeys in a tank. He is counting them by 5s. Fillin the blanks: 5, ___, 15, 20, ___, ___, 35

The Police Week 5K race attracted runners from all over the Southeast.Devin Clark, the winner, had a time of 13:31. The second place timewas 16:13. How much faster was the winner than the second placefinisher?

Amber is showing her class how to do the Chicken Dance today. Sheeven bought a beak to wear while she does the dance! The beak cost$2.87. She gave the clerk $5. How much change did she get?

Christopher looked at his town's website. There are 14,390 people overage 55 in his town. In 1994 there were 11,012 people over age 55 in histown. How many more older people are there in his town now thanthere were in 1994?