Blog Posting for 10/31/2014
This week news4kids.org aired the following stories:
Baby Giraffe K-2
California Surf Contest 3-5
Maine Pumpkinboat Regatta K-2
Classroom Under the Sea 3-5
Newscast: Baby Giraffe K-2
Essential Question: What newcomer recently arrived at the Detroit Zoo?
Vocabulary: distinctive, savanna, herbivore
Learning Objectives:
– Name some key traits of giraffes, such as typical height, weight, general appearance, natural habitat, and diet.
– Identify Africa as home to giraffes that live in the wild.
– Define an herbivore as an animal that eats plants and not other animals.
Summary: Recently, the Detroit Zoo welcomed a brand new healthy baby boy giraffe to their family of animals. The baby giraffe’s mom is named Kivuli and his dad is Jabari. The zoo has decided to let people send in name ideas for the new long legged arrival and then will hold a vote to choose the winning name.
Newscast: California Surf Contest 3-5
Essential Question: How has surfing developed as a sport over time?
Vocabulary: aerial, gnarley, stoked, waverunner, tow-in-surfing
Learning Objectives:
– Identify surfing as an activity that dates back to at least 1769 and can be played for fun as well as in competitions such as the Hurley Pro surfing contest.
– Define tow-in-surfing as big wave surfing.
Summary: Recently the Hurley Pro surfing contest took place at Lower Trestles Beach in southern, California. The winner of the contest was 26-year-old South African surfer Jordy Smith. Smith’s opponent in the finals was Hawaiian surfer John John Florence.
Newscast: Maine Pumpkinboat Regatta K-2
Essential Question: What is the Pumpkin Regatta?
Vocabulary: regatta, jack-o-lantern, hollow, paddleboat, powerboat, kayak
Learning Objectives:
– Define the Pumpkin Regatta as an annual tradition in which people race boats made out of pumpkins.
– Identify a pumpkin as a berry fruit that is related to cucumbers, melons, squash, and gourds.
Summary: Every year the residents of Damariscotta take giant pumpkins and turn them into pumpkin-boats. It’s called the Pumpkin Regatta and it is part of the town’s Pumpkinfest, held every year in October. The competition is broken into two categories: the “Paddleboat” and “Powerboat” divisions. The paddleboat race is made up of racers who use kayak paddles to race around the course. The powerboat division uses small outboard motors attached to the pumpkin-boats to cruise around the racecourse.
Newscast: Classroom Under the Sea 3-5
Essential Question: What is the “Classroom Under the Sea?”
Vocabulary: laboratory, scuba diving, Buzz Aldrin, lagoon, algae, maintenance, oxygen tank, coral reef, overfishing, water pollution, predator
Learning Objectives:
– Identify the “Classroom Under the Sea” as a special underwater laboratory in which two professors, who are trained scuba divers, will spend 73 days living and filming a television show to raise awareness about important ocean issues.
– Identify Buzz Aldrin as a famous former astronaut.
– Identify coral reef devastation, overfishing, water pollution, and a decrease in predators as some issues plaguing our oceans.
Summary: Two American professors will attempt to break the world record for the longest time spent living underwater in a project that they call the “Classroom Under the Sea”. Starting this month, 25-year-old Jessica Fain and 63-year-old Bruce Cantrell will begin living in a special laboratory, the Jules Undersea Lodge, located 25 feet below the waters of the Atlantic Ocean in Key Largo, Florida. The two professors plan on spending 73 days underwater before resurfacing.
