Introduction:
We subscribe to many databases for children. They reside, for the most part, under the Homework subject heading on the Research page. They allow access to encyclopedia’s, country information, videos, timelines, newspapers, television transcripts, diagrams, photos, poetry, science projects, and more. You can access information appropriate to the reading level of the customer and limit by the type of media required. The information could be used in a report or project, or by a teacher in the classroom. Explore them and see if you can find the answers to these questions.
Resource List
eLibrary Curriculum (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program.)
Encyclopedia of Animals (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program
Facts on File Science Online*
MAS Ultra: School Edition (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program)*
Middle Search Plus (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program)*
Primary Search (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program)*
Student Research Center (Provided by the Texas State Library's TEXSHARE program)*
Gale Virtual Reference Library*
Science Fair Project Index (and other resources on the Kidspage Homework section)
1) I need a video on photosynthesis. And I need to write a one page paper on it.
Can you help me find articles on polar bears. I need to know everthing! I am in 4th grade. Search again adding a lexile level of 300 – 500. (The child’s teacher needs a science experiment about polar bears.)
To post your answers, just click on the "comment" link at the bottom of this message.
11 comments:
I went to the Kids page, and you can find Homework sites listing for plants. You can enter search term --plants and photosynthesis to locate a video. The easiest way of all was using our catalog, and entering photosyntheis. I found a video called "The Magic School bus gets planted" in two of our branches. The call number is:
572.46 M194.
For the question about Syria, you can go to the Kids Page, go to Homework sites, and click on various databases which would deal with the subject. I found Britannica Online School Edition, Country Studies/Area Handbooks, Information Please Almanac for Kids, Middle Search Plus, and Current Events ie. CNN Interactive to be sources any child could use here.
I went to the Kids page, then I clicked on the icon labeled Animals to find more information. I find the website Animal Diversity web--it's excellent. The info on polar bears was detailed and long. I had no luck changing lexile levels. But, there are enough sites on the Kids page where you can find articles suitable for a 4th grade reading level. I used all the sites I could for a science experiment about polar bears. Nothing was found on any of them. Animal experiments are tough to do even for adults. This is a bad assignment for a child!
On the last question I searched for
a poem on this topic. It was not an easy search to do. I tried LitFinder, but I never got a good result. The Kids catalog gave me the only result I think was valid.
Shel Silverstein did a CD which has a song called "Boa Constrictor". He is a famous children's author, so I stopped at this point.
For question #1 (photosynthesis)- I went to Facts on Files Science Online: selected images, videos & animation. Results 4 videos. The person also had to write a one page paper. The Kids search proved to be user friendly and inaddition HPL has a number of sources that cover the topic.
(+574.46)
Question #2 Polar Ber Day at the Library. I went to the kids page and found some really nice articles and found that the sight was really user friendly. I also used the Student Research Center and Facts on Files Science Online (18 articles).
Questions 1-2
I used the resources that were suggested for this month.
1. There are 4 videos on photosynthesis in the database, Facts On File Science Online.
2. There are 8 articles on polar bears in the 300-500 lexile range in the Ebsco database, Primary Search.
Q#1. Click on Facts on File Science Online>Video and Animations. Subject: Biology. Result: One 4:08 minutes video. in suggested searches click on Photosynthesis link. result: 392 articles on the topic.
Q#3. Click on Country Studies/Area Handbook. type: Syria in choose a country study field. Select 5 sources from Bibliography link.
Q#4. Click on Kids Search. Select Language Arts: folktales, literature and poets & poetry. Result: 1 article: Nimmo's fantasies spring from myth by Ned Sovthey. Talks about "The Blue Boa" by Jenny Nimmo. It's not available at HPL.
Answer to 4 Juvenile Resources Questions:
Question 1
Went to HPL catalog and input “photosynthesis video” and got the following hit:
2 Rating: · · ·
The Magic school bus gets planted [VHS videorecording] New York : Scholastic Productions: Warner Home Video, c2001. 1 videocassette (27 min.) : sd., col. ; 1/2 in. Format: VIDEO/FILM/DVD Year: c2001
LOCATION PREFIX CALL # STATUS Last Check-in
Hillendahl JUV CIRC 572.46 M194 DUE 07-05-08 05-03-08
For one page article on photosynthesis, clicked on Kid Search under Homework (in references) Did not receive general articles on photo,; only received 4 hits under books and encyclopedias.
Clicked on Student Research Center under Homework references; clicked on the books and encyclopedias icon; clicked on science; clicked on biology; entered “photosynthesis” in search field; got only one hit which was not a general article on the topic; clicked on Middle Search Plus; clicked on full text; entered “photosynthesis” in the search field; clicked on “Reference Books” as a limiting category; Got the following hit:
photosynthesis Columbia Encyclopedia; (AN IXBphotosyn)
HTML Full Text
photosynthesis
Contents
1. Bibliography.
photosynthesis, process in which green plants utilize the energy of sunlight to manufacture carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water in the presence of chlorophyll. Some of the plants that lack chlorophyll, e.g., the Indian pipe, secure their nutrients from organic material, as do animals, and a few bacteria manufacture their own carbohydrates with hydrogen and energy obtained from inorganic compounds (e.g., hydrogen sulfide) in a process called chemosynthesis. However, the vast majority of plants contain chlorophyll—concentrated, in the higher land plants, in the leaves.
In these plants water is absorbed by the roots and carried to the leaves by the xylem, and carbon dioxide is obtained from air that enters the leaves through the stomata and diffuses to the cells containing chlorophyll. The green pigment chlorophyll is uniquely capable of converting the active energy of light into a latent form that can be stored (in food) and used when needed.
The Photosynthetic Process.
The initial process in photosynthesis is the decomposition of water (H2O) into oxygen, which is released, and hydrogen; direct light is required for this process. The hydrogen and the carbon and oxygen of carbon dioxide (CO2) are then converted into a series of increasingly complex compounds that result finally in a stable organic compound, glucose (C6H12O6), and water. This phase of photosynthesis utilizes stored energy and therefore can proceed in the dark. The simplified equation used to represent this overall process is 6CO2+12H2O+energy=C6H12O6+6O2+6H2O. In general, the results of this process are the reverse of those in respiration, in which carbohydrates are oxidized to release energy, with the production of carbon dioxide and water.
The intermediary reactions before glucose is formed involve several enzymes, which react with the coenzyme ATP (see adenosine triphosphate) to produce various molecules. Studies using radioactive carbon have indicated that among the intermediate products are three-carbon molecules from which acids and amino acids, as well as glucose, are derived. This suggests that fats and proteins are also products of photosynthesis. The main product, glucose, is the fundamental building block of carbohydrates (e.g., sugars, starches, and cellulose). The water-soluble sugars (e.g., sucrose and maltose) are used for immediate energy. The insoluble starches are stored as tiny granules in various parts of the plant—chiefly the leaves, roots (including tubers), and fruits—and can be broken down again when energy is needed. Cellulose is used to build the rigid cell walls that are the principal supporting structure of plants.
Importance of Photosynthesis.
Animals and plants both synthesize fats and proteins from carbohydrates; thus glucose is a basic energy source for all living organisms. The oxygen released (with water vapor, in transpiration) as a photosynthetic byproduct, principally of phytoplankton, provides most of the atmospheric oxygen vital to respiration in plants and animals, and animals in turn produce carbon dioxide necessary to plants. Photosynthesis can therefore be considered the ultimate source of life for nearly all plants and animals by providing the source of energy that drives all their metabolic processes.
Bibliography.
See I. Asimov, Photosynthesis (1969); R. M. Devlin and A. V. Barker, Photosynthesis (1972).
Source: Columbia Encyclopedia
Item: IXBphotosyn
This is an excellent source for a one page article on the topic.
Question 2
Polar Bears
Clicked on Encyclopedia of Animals link under Homework References; clicked on full text; entered “polar bears” as a search term; I got the following hit:
Polar bear
HTML Full Text
All Results: 1-1 of 1 Page: 1 Add (1-1)
The following article is comprehensive:
Animal:
Polar bear
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Carnivora
Family:
Ursidae
Genus & Species:
Ursus maritimus
Geographical Locale:
Arctic
Subject(s):
POLAR bears
Persistent link to this record:
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ani&AN=9500300017&site=ehost-live
Database:
EBSCO Animals
Polar bear
Polar bears live on the tundra shores of the Arctic Ocean as well on ice. Their large, long, round bodies have thick fur and a thick layer of fat to keep them warm in their freezing habitat of snow, ice, and bitterly cold winds. Polar bears have narrower heads, smaller ears, and longer teeth than other bears. Their entire bodies are covered with fur, except for the pads of their feet and their noses. The light color of the fur is not pure white, as many people think. Polar bear's fur is actually yellowish. The body length of adult males ranges from 8 to 10 feet (2 1/2 to 3 meters). Males weigh from 770 to 1,430 pounds (285 to 530 kilograms). Females are between six and seven feet (1 3/4 to 2 meters) long and weigh between 385 and 660 pounds (145 to 240 kilograms). Large, rough pads on the paws help the polar bears grip the ice on which they travel. They are able to run up to 25 miles per hour. In addition, polar bears are powerful swimmers. They have partially webbed feet and are able to swim six miles per hour for up to 60 miles without resting.
Shelters for polar bears are called dens. Dens may be dug in snow and ice. During the winter, polar bears sleep in dens which protect them from the cold. Many people think that bears hibernate in the winter, but this is not true. When animals hibernate, their body temperatures drop, and the animals become less active so that it appears that they are sleeping very soundly. Bears eat a lot in the summer and store up fat in their bodies for the winter when food is hard to find. They sleep a lot during the winter, but their body temperatures remain high. They also awake and leave their dens on mild winter days. Polar bears do not need to sleep as other bears do in winter because the temperature does not change as much during seasons as it does in other areas.
Polar bears are better at hunting than any other kind of bear. They mainly eat ringed seals, but also eat other seals such as bearded, harp, and hooded seals. Polar bears either stalk seals across the ice or wait for them to come up for air from under the water. The polar bear's light coloring is helpful in hunting, because it acts as camouflage against the white background. In addition, an excellent sense of smell helps the animal locate prey. They may scavenge dead walruses and whales or even kill them themselves. During the summer, polar bears may also eat moss, sea birds, and birds' eggs. Sometimes they also eat fish. The polar bear has no natural enemies.
Polar bears live and hunt alone except when they are mating or when mothers are with their cubs. The breeding season is between April and June. A male may mate with several females or only one per season. Gestation (duration of pregnancy) is between 6 1/2 and nine months. In November or December before she gives birth, a female digs a den into a snow bank where she will give birth. The female gives birth to one to three cubs in December and January. Cubs do not leave their mother until they are big enough to live and hunt on their own. Cubs become independent between the ages of two and three.
Polar bears have a life expectancy of 20 to 25 years in the wild. In captivity, a polar bear may live up to 40 years.
To access images, select from the list below:
PHOTOS (COLOR): Polar bear
Source: Encyclopedia of Animals
Item #: 9500300017
Copyright of Encyclopedia of Animals is the property of EBSCO Publishing and text may not be copied without their express written permission except for the print or download capabilities of the retrieval software used for access. This text is intended solely for the use of the individual user.
Item Number: 9500300017
For more articles on Polar Bears, I clicked on Proquest Discovery Complete; I clicked on Full Text, and put Polar Bears as search term; these articles were mostly over the head of a 4th grader, and there was no Lexile option; I then clicked on Primary Search under homework references; clicked full text; I clicked on the Reference books category; this elicited the above article, and other articles that did not look promising for general information on the topic; clicked on Periodicals; I found a picture with a short poem for a much younger child; I found the following short article:
Title:
POLAR PERIL. Current Events, 00113492, 9/24/2007, Vol. 107, Issue 3
Database:
Primary Search
POLAR PERIL
Section: WORLD NEWS ROUNDUP
Dateline: 3 NORTH POLE —
Polar bears may bear the brunt of Arctic warming. If Arctic ice continues to melt at its current rate, two-thirds of polar bears may die out by 2050, according to a new study by the U.S. Geological Survey. "As the sea ice goes, so goes the polar bear," the study's lead author, Steven Amstrup, told The Associated Press. Polar bears use ice floes as a base to hunt seals, their main food source. The U.S. Department of the Interior ordered the study to assess whether polar bears should be protected under the Endangered Species Act. The agency will make its decision in January.
PHOTO (COLOR)
Copyright of Current Events is the property of Weekly Reader Corporation and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
Also found the following article:
Title:
Bad News Bears. By: Weed, William Speed, Current Science, 00113905, 1/6/2006, Vol. 91, Issue 9
Database:
Primary Search
Bad News Bears
Contents
1. TEMPERATURE RISING
2. CHILLING EFFECT
3. CAPPING CARBON
Section: EARTH
Why are polar bears drowning in the Arctic, and what does that signal for the future?
Dozens of polar bears died unexpectedly in northern Alaska last summer. The culprit wasn't disease or poachers or lack of food. It was melting ice.
The top of the world is now capped with less ice and more water than at any time in the last hundred thousand years. The expanses of open water that exist between the land and the polar ice cap are growing. Dozens of bears drowned where the ice retreated by as much as 640 kilometers (400 miles) from shore — a new record.
"A polar bear might be able to swim 100 miles but not 400," Charlie Johnson, a native Inuit, from Nome, Alaska, told the Independent of London.
The drowning deaths of polar bears may be the first sign of worse to come if the ice cap continues shrinking and even disappears.
TEMPERATURE RISING
For more than 25 years, the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colo., has monitored the size of the Arctic ice cap with satellites. During most of that time, the ice cap has averaged about 7 million square kilometers in area — roughly the size of the contiguous United States. By last September, however, it had shrunk by 20 percent, or 1.3 million square kilometers.
What is causing the shrinkage? Global warming, says Raphael Sagarin, an ecologist at the University of California (Los Angeles). Sagarin found that spring thaw now arrives five and a half days earlier in Alaska than it did 80 years ago.
In the last century, Earth's average global temperature increased by 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit). That may not seem like much, but it's enough to have dramatic effects.
In a complex system such as global climate, subtle variations to the whole can bring about profound changes in specific places. "You can warm the Earth a degree at a time, and things will seem to be changing smoothly with that warming," says Richard Alley, a geologist at Pennsylvania State University. "But then that warming creates a change of some sort that surprises you — it's abrupt and bigger than you expected."
Alley says the melting of the Arctic ice cap will likely kick off a positive feedback loop, a process that reinforces itself. "Ice and snow are really bright," says Richard Alley, whose research takes him to Greenland every summer. "That's why we wear sunglasses in winter" In scientific terms, ice has a high albedo. Albedo is the capacity of a surface to reflect the sun's energy. Arctic ice mirrors a great deal of sunlight back into space, helping cool the planet.
When polar ice melts, the ocean's water is exposed, and water has a much lower albedo than ice does. "Sunlight goes into the water and warms it up, which causes even more ice to melt," says Alley, "so there's more ocean for sunlight to hit and melt more ice, and so on" Within a few decades, global warming and the positive feedback loop it has set in motion in the Arctic could melt the ice cap completely every summer, says Alley.
CHILLING EFFECT
That kind of melting would have a huge impact on the North Atlantic Ocean, according to scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts. When seawater freezes, its salt precipitates, or comes out of solution. So the Arctic ice cap is freshwater ice — and its meltwater is freshwater.
A surge of fresh meltwater into the northern Atlantic could completely disrupt the Gulf Stream, an ocean current that flows northward from the tropics along the surface of the Atlantic Ocean carrying as much warm water as 75 Amazon Rivers. The Gulf Stream gives up its heat to the atmosphere and warms the neighboring land of eastern Canada, the northeastern United States, and Europe.
As the warm, salty Gulf Stream water surrenders its heat to the air, it becomes colder and denser. By the time the water reaches Greenland, it has become so cold and dense that it sinks and flows back south along the ocean bottom. That sinking of cold, dense water draws more warm, surface Gulf Stream water northward. Oceanographers call the downward plunge of cold water and the northward pull of water the thermohaline circulation (THC).
Freshwater is not as dense as salt water. If the North Atlantic continues to be diluted with freshwater from melting ice due to global warming, its water could become less dense and less able to sink. That could prevent warm Gulf Stream water from flowing north, stopping the THC and changing the climate in the landmasses surrounding the North Atlantic to one as dry and frozen as Siberia.
CAPPING CARBON
Scientists have linked global warming to an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide released by fossil fuel-burning cars and industries. Carbon concentrations in the air have gone from 275 parts per million to 380 parts per million since the 1800s and are continuing to climb. Can that climb be arrested?
"Humans have always solved problems by being clever. It will take some of the best minds on the planet a few decades to invent new ways to make energy without polluting," says Alley. "And it will not happen unless bright people study the problem. Your readers should become scientists or engineers focused on the energy problem — or encourage their friends to do so."
'It will take some of the best minds on the planet a few decades to invent new ways to make energy without polluting,' says Alley. 'And it will not happen unless bright people study the problem.'
LOSING GROUND? Global warming has shrunk the natural habitat of polar bears like the mother and cub caught on film (top) in the Arctic Ocean. The two satellite photos of the Arctic ice cap were taken in September 2002 (above left) and September 2005 (above right). They show how much ice has disappeared from the ice cap — 1.3 million square kilometers — in just three years. Polar bears are drowning because they cannot swim the greater distances that now exist between the land and the ice cap.
PHOTO (COLOR): A polar bear hangs on to a slab of ice in the Arctic Ocean north of Canada.
PHOTO (COLOR)
~~~~~~~~
By William Speed Weed
Copyright of Current Science is the property of Weekly Reader Corporation and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
I did another search with the Lexile score of 300 to 500: in the Primary Search Database with polar bears and this lexile, I did not elicit any helpful articles; I clicked Kid Search; clicked on animals; entered polar bear as search term;
I clicked on Detail Search and clicked full text and the lexile score of 300 – 500, and got the following:
Title:
ICE BEARS.
Authors:
Hurteau, Dave
Source:
Field & Stream; Dec-Jan2005, Vol. 110 Issue 8, p75-75, 1/5p, 1c
Document Type:
Article
Subject Terms:
CARNIVORA
DISTANCES -- Measurement
POLAR bear
SWIMMING
WEIGHTS & measures
ANIMALS -- Age
Abstract:
This article reports that current worldwide population of polar bears is 22,000-27,000. Average distance a single polar bear travels in one year is 5,500 miles. Distance polar bears can swim without rest is 47 miles. Age of the oldest known wild polar bear was 32 years. Age of the oldest known captive polar bear was 41. Heaviest polar bear ever recorded was 2,210 pounds.
Lexile:
450
Full Text Word Count:
130
ISSN:
1554-8066
Accession Number:
19072592
Persistent link to this record:
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mih&AN=19072592&site=srck5-live
Database:
Middle Search Plus
I input polar bears science experiment and chose the category “Teacher Resources” and received no hits. I went to kids and teens page and clicked on kids and homework sites; I clicked on Science Experiment and clicked on Science Buddies; I clicked on the Teachers tap and input Polar bear as a search term; this rendered a science project about blubber, shown below:
What Are You Blubbering About?
Related Links
· Science Fair Project Guide
· Zoology Project Ideas
Project Summary
Difficulty 2
Time required Very Short (a day or less)
Prerequisites None
Material Availability Readily available
Cost Very Low (under $20)
Safety No issues
Objective
In this project, you will test whether or not a layer of blubber is a helpful adaptation for cold-water environments.
Introduction
Do you ever wonder what makes each species of animal unique? Where does all of the diversity of life on this planet come from? The key to this puzzle is called evolution, which is the process by which groups of organisms change over time, from generation to generation, leading to the development of new species. The key to evolution is a process called natural selection, sometimes referred to as "survival of the fittest." Natural selection presents a challenge to all the different types in a population, allowing those who overcome the challenge and reproduce, to pass on useful traits to their descendants, which increases that population's fitness and survival.
Evolution and natural selection were first proposed by Charles Darwin. While on a long voyage on a ship named the HMS Beagle, he was able to observe and document many useful traits, called adaptations, of animals he saw. An adaptation is a trait that comes in handy when an organism has to deal with a challenge. Adaptations take many generations to appear in a population, but the results are worth it. Many of the changes that lead to an adaptation are random, but natural selection picks through and determines which adaptations will continue from generation to generation.
To experience some adaptations that have increased the fitness of an organism, act out the three behaviors below:
· Flap your arms like wings - The wings of birds are an adaptation for flight. When the bones of the wing are spread out, they create a skeleton with a large surface area for an aerodynamically shaped wing, which means it is shaped for flight. When covered with feathers, the wing produces lift and can also be used to glide. Birds also have hollow bones that keep their body weight low, large chest muscles for flapping, and a large breast plate where the chest muscles attach. As you flap your arms, you may notice that your chest muscles begin to feel tired. Umm, you can stop now...don't overdo it!
· Walk straight and tall - Walking upright, or being bipedal, is a special adaptation of hominids, a special group of primates that includes humans (Homo sapiens) and their close relatives (like Neanderthals or Australopithecus). Other primates, like chimpanzees and gorillas, must use their forearms when walking, and do not walk upright. This adaptation gave hominids an advantage in interacting with the environment, and might have led to the development of larger brain sizes in our hominid ancestors. Scientists believe that walking upright was an adaptive trait that allowed hominids eventually to become better hunters and gatherers, and to develop tools to use for these activities. As you walk around, notice that your arms are free to move, how quickly you can observe your environment, and how quickly and easily you can move and change direction.
· Fold your arms and shiver - Shivering is an adaptation shared by other mammals to stay warm when temperatures become cooler. Mammals are warm-blooded, meaning our metabolism makes up a lot of our body heat, and we do not get most of our warmth from the environment. However, the environment can still affect us. Sometimes we get chilly, so shivering produces body movements, which briefly speeds up our metabolism, warming us up. It is also a good signal to the brain to find a warmer place to go! Now go grab a blanket, silly!
Adaptations are all around you, and once you start to notice them, you just can't stop! In this project, you will investigate an important adaptation for marine mammals, called blubber, a layer of fat beneath the skin that is used as insulation and keeps the body warm in cold temperatures. Blubber is commonly found in mammals that have adapted to life in a cold-water environment, like whales, seals, sea lions, and polar bears. You will use a layer of shortening on your skin to model the adaptation of blubber. Will the extra layer of fat help you stay in the cold longer?
Terms, Concepts and Questions to Start Background Research
To do this type of experiment, you should know what the following terms mean. Have an adult help you search the Internet or take you to your local library to find out more!
· Diversity
· Evolution
· Generation
· Natural selection
· Descendant
· Adaptation
· Metabolism
· Blubber
Questions
· What is an adaptation?
· How does blubber keep polar bears warm?
· What other marine animals use blubber as an adaptation?
Bibliography
· The original source of this project is the San Diego Zoo:
San Diego Zoo. (2007). San Diego Zoo's Science Project: How Do Polar Bbbears Stay Wwwarm? Zoological Society of San Diego, CA. Retrieved December 6, 2007 from http://www.sandiegozoo.org/education/science_polar_bear.html
· At Kimball's Biology Pages you can read about evolution and adaptation:
Kimball, J. (2007). Evolution and Adaptation. Andover, MA: Kimball's Biology Pages Retrieved December 6, 2007 from http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/E/Evolution.html
· You can also learn about evolution and adaptation from the "Understanding Evolution" website, a collaborative project of the University of California Museum of Paleontology and the National Center for Science Education:
UCMP. (2006). Evolution 101: Adaptation. University of California Museum of Paleontology (UCMP), University of California, Berkeley; and the National Center for Science Education (NCSE). Retrieved December 6, 2007 from http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/evo101/IIIE5Adaptation.shtml
Materials and Equipment
· Empty bowls (2)
· Cold water
· Warm water
· Ice cubes
· Shortening (like Crisco®)
· Paper towels
· Stopwatch
· Celsius thermometer
· A partner
Experimental Procedure
1. Fill two bowls with cold water and ice cubes.
2. Measure the temperature of the water with a thermometer. When the temperature levels off, the bowls are ready. Write down the temperature of the water in a data table like the one below.
Water Bowl Water Temperature (oCelsius) Covered Finger Time (sec) Uncovered Finger Time (sec)
Ice-Cold
Ice-Cold
Ice-Cold
AVERAGE
Warm
Warm
Warm
AVERAGE
3. Cover the pointer finger on one hand with a thick layer of shortening.
4. Have your partner prepare the stopwatch, and when he or she says go, put the pointer finger of each hand into one of the bowls of ice water.
5. Have your partner time how long you can leave each finger in the bowl, and write the results in a data table.
6. Wait until your fingers return to their normal color, then repeat steps 5-6 three times and average your results.
7. Switch partners and repeat steps 6 - 9.
8. Repeat the entire experiment with warm water. Predict whether you think you will see the same result.
9. Make a graph of your results. In which environment did the adaptation give a significant advantage?
Variations
Can you model other types of adaptations to show how they increase fitness? Here are some ideas:
· Plants - Some plants have waxy leaves, and some have regular leaves. Waxy leaves are common in plants that live in dry environments, and keep the plant from losing water. You can model the waxy coating of a leaf by covering a moist sponge with a layer of shortening. Will an uncovered sponge dry out before a covered sponge? Do waxy leaves resist drying out better than regular leaves?
· Long tails - animals with long tails often use them for balance. Make a model of a rat, monkey or other animal with a long tail. Can you use a balance test on your model to find out if the tail adds stability?
· Big ears - Animals that are nocturnal, or spend most of their wake hours at night, often have big ears. Can you do an experiment with ear cones to show how this adaptation can increase hearing ability? Why would this be useful for an animal that hunts at night?
· Webbed feet - Try the Science Buddies Experiment The Swimming Secrets of Duck Feet to see if duck feet can help you swim faster.
· For more project ideas in this area of science, see Zoology Project Ideas
Credits
Sara Agee, PhD, Science Buddies
· Crisco® is a registered trademark of The J. M. Smucker Company.
Question 3 about Syria; need 5 sources:
Clicked on the “Country Studies” database.
Clicked on the drop down menu and chose Syria, and brought up the following outline of links:
Article 1 on Syria:
A Country Study: SyriaLibrary of Congress Call Number DS93 .S953 1988
§ Syria § Foreword § Acknowledgments § Preface § Country Profile - Visit new updated Profile (PDF) § Country § Geography § Society § Economy § Transportation and Communications § Government and Politics § National Security § Introduction § Chapter 1 - Historical Setting (Afaf Sabeh McGowan) § Ancient Syria § Muslim Empires § Umayyad Caliphate § Succeeding Caliphates and Kingdoms § Ottoman Empire § World War I and Arab Nationalism § The French Mandate § World War II and Independence § After Independence § Shishakli Dictatorship § Radical Political Influence § United Arab Republic §
There is much more to this outline.
I then clicked on Gale Virtual Reference Library in the “All databases” section:
I entered Syria as the search term and received the following articles:
Article 2 on Syria:
Title: Syria
Author(s): Michaelle Browers
Source: Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices. Ed. Thomas Riggs. Vol. 3: Countries: M-Z. Detroit: Gale, 2006. p418-423.
Document Type: Topic overview, Country overview
Bookmark: Bookmark this Document
eBook links:
· eTable of Contents
· eBook Index
· List of Illustrations
Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale, Cengage Learning
Page 418
Syria
POPULATION 17,155,814
SUNNI MUSLIM 74 percent
ALAWITE 12 percent
CHRISTIAN 10 percent
DRUZE 3 percent
OTHER 1 percent
View PDF
Country Overview
INTRODUCTION
The Syrian Arab Republic comprises only a small portion of the area historically referred to as Syria, or Bilad al-Sham, which included (in addition to present-day Syria) Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, and part of Turkey. From the earliest times Syria has formed a crossroads of military and trade routes between the Mediterranean Sea and Mesopotamia, as well as being the object of invasion and occupation by powerful kingdoms, empires, and dynasties, which provides part of the explanation for the geographic distribution and closeknit character of Syria's religious minorities. Contemporary Syria is a small, developing, middle-income country with a diverse landscape, consisting of a narrow Mediterranean coast extending between Lebanon and Turkey, paralleled by several mountain ranges, and with semiarid and desert plateau to the east. Also bordering Syria are Iraq, Jordan, and Israel.
Although almost three-quarters of the inhabitants of present-day Syria are Sunni Muslim, the area has been and remains home to diverse religious groups, including several branches of Shiite Islam (Alawite, Druze, Ismailite, and Twelver Shiite); Jews, who migrated to the area in the thirteenth century B.C.E.; and Yazidis, predominantly Kurdish-speaking adherents to an ancient and heterodox religion that arrived in Syria from Iraq in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
Christianity in Syria dates back to the apostolic age, which ended about 70 C.E. Christians became the majority population in Syria at some point after the administrative center of the Roman world shifted from Rome to Byzantium in the fourth century, contributing to Christianity's spread throughout the region. Christianity did not become a minority in Syria until perhaps as late as the thirteenth century.
RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE
Although the Syrian constitution of 1973 specifies that the president must be Muslim, article 35 proclaims that the state respects all religions and the freedom to hold any religious rites, provided they do not disturb the public order. Religious groups are subject to their respective religious laws on marriage, divorce, child custody, and inheritance.
While religious rights are generally respected by the government in practice, Alawites currently possess power and position in the military and security apparatus Page 419 (police, secret police, civilian intelligence) considerably disproportionate to their percentage in the population, which may place non-Alawi individuals and religious groups at a disadvantage in relation to other civil and political rights. All religions are subject to registration and monitoring by the government, and in 1964 Jehovah's Witnesses were banned from the country for being a Zionist organization, though such actions seem to be undertaken for political rather than religious reasons. Unlike most other Muslim-majority countries, Syria has not banned proselytizing, though groups that proselytize have been prosecuted for inciting religious hatred. Jews are the only religious minority group whose religion both exempts them from military service and is noted on their identity cards and passports.
Major Religion
SUNNI ISLAM
DATE OF ORIGIN 634–41 C.E.
NUMBER OF FOLLOWERS 12.7 million
HISTORY
When Muslims conquered Syria in the middle of the seventh century, most of the population was Christian and would remain so until Christians became a minority no later than the thirteenth century. After Damascus became the capital of the first imperial Islamic caliphate, the Umayyad (661–750), conversion to Islam increased. Conversion continued after the Abbasid dynasty (750–1258) overthrew the Umayyad caliphate and moved the political center from Syria to Iraq. In succeeding centuries the caliphate lost its hold, and Syrian rule passed among various competing Muslim dynasties.
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Article 3 on Syria:
4. Syria. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations. Vol. 9. 5th ed. Detroit: UXL, 2007. p127-140.
The article follows:
Syria:
127
CAPITAL: Damascus (Dimashq)
FLAG: The national fl ag is a horizontal tricolor of red,
white, and black stripes; in the white center stripe
are two green fi ve-pointed stars.
ANTHEM: An-Nashid as-Suri (The Syrian National
Anthem) begins “Protectors of the nation, peace be
upon you.”
MONETARY UNIT: The Syrian pound (S£) is a paper
currency of 100 piasters. There are coins of 25 and
50 piasters and 1 Syrian pound and notes of 1,
5, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 500 Syrian pounds. S£1 =
$0.02062 (or $1 = S£48.5) as of 2004.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric system is
the legal standard, but local units are widely used.
HOLIDAYS: New Year’s Day, 1 January; Revolution
Day, 8 March; Egypt’s Revolution Day, 23 July;
Union of Arab Republics Day, 1 September; National
Day, 16 November. Muslim religious holidays
include ‘Id al-Fitr, ‘Id al-’Adha’, Milad an-Nabi, and
Laylat al-Miraj. Christian religious holidays include
Easter (Catholic); Easter (Orthodox); and Christmas,
25 December.
TIME: 2 PM = noon GMT.
1 Location and Size
Located in southwest Asia, at the eastern end
of the Mediterranean Sea, Syria has an area
of 185,180 square kilometers (71,498 square
miles), which is slightly larger than the state
of North Dakota. Included in this total is the
Golan Heights region (1,176 square kilometers/
454 square miles), which Israel captured in
1967 and annexed on 14 December 1981. Th e
country shares borders with Turkey, Iraq, Jordan,
Israel, and Lebanon, with a land boundary
length of 2,253 kilometers (1,400 miles) and a
Mediterranean coastline of 193 kilometers (117
miles).
Th e capital city of Damascus is located in
the southwest region of the country.
2 Topography
Th ere are fi ve main geographic zones: (1) the narrow
coastal plain along the Mediterranean shore;
(2) the hill and mountain regions, in the northwest,
(3) the cultivated area east of the Ansariyah
and Anti-Lebanon ranges; (4) the steppe and desert
region, traversed by the Euphrates (Al-Furat)
River; and (5) the Jazirah in the northeast, which
is steppe country with low rolling hills.
Syria
Syrian Arab Republic
Al-Jumhuriyah al-’Arabiyah as-Suriyah
Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations, Fifth Edition
128
Syria
Th e Anti-Lebanon Mountains, extending
southward along the Lebanese border, serve as a
catchment for the rainfall of central Syria. Mount
Hermon, located in this region, is the highest
point, with an elevation of 2,814 meters (9,232
feet). To the north of this range, the Ansariyah
Mountains, which reach heights of more than
1,500 meters (5,000 feet), slope westward to the
Mediterranean. Th e lowest point in the country
is at an unnamed location which dips to 200
meters (656 feet) below sea level.
Th e Orontes (Asi) River irrigates areas on
the eastern side of the Ansariyah Mountains.
Th e Euphrates, which has a total length of 3,596
kilometers (2,235 miles), is the longest river in
the country. Lake Al-Asad, created along the
Euphrates, is the largest lake, covering an area
that is 80 kilometers (50 miles) long and about 8
kilometers (5 miles) wide.
3 Climate
Average temperatures for Damascus range from
about 21 to 43°c (70 to 109°f ) in August and
from about -4 to 16°c (25 to 61°f ) in January.
Average rainfall ranges from less than 25 centimeters
(10 inches) in the eastern three-fi fths
of the country to around 125 centimeters (50
inches) in some mountain areas.
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Article 4 on Syria:
4. Syria. Isaiah Gafni, Eliyahu Ashtor, Oded Tavor, Judy Feld Carr, and Moshe Ma'oz. Encyclopaedia Judaica. Ed. Michael Berenbaum and Fred Skolnik. Vol. 19. 2nd ed. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2007. p388-397.
388 ENCYCLOPAEDIA JUDAICA, Second Edition, Volume 19
centage of Jews in their student bodies. Jews continued to be
active in local civic life as well.
In early 21st century the Jewish population numbered
approximately 9,000.
Bibliography: Rosenstock, in: AJHSP, 54 (1964), 183–97;
Provol, in: AJA, 16 (1964), 22–40; B.G. Rudolph, From a Minyan to a
Community: A History of the Jews of Syracuse (1970).
[Bernard G. Rudolph]
SYRIA, state in southwest Asia. Although constantly subject
to changes, the country’s boundaries were primarily: Ereẓ
Israel to the south, Asia Minor (Turkey) to the north, Mesopotamia
to the east, and the Mediterranean to the west.
Biblical and Second Temple Period
For its earlier history see *Aram; *Aram-Damascus. During the
late biblical era the political history of Syria is somewhat similar
to that of Ereẓ Israel, as both territories were either subject
to the great powers of the east (e.g., Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia)
or disputed by two or more prominent empires. (Under
subsequent Roman rule the two districts were often considered
one entity, with jurisdiction over the area in the hands
of the Syrian governor). During the Hellenistic period Syria
served as the administrative center of the *Seleucid Empire,
with *Antioch as the capital. With the collapse of that empire
the country passed briefly into the hands of the Armenians
and was eventually conquered by *Pompey (64 B.C.E.). The
defense of Syria became strategically vital to the Roman Empire
because it was the eastern outpost bordering on the perennial
enemy, in the form of the Parthian and subsequently
the Sassanid empires. In 616, Syria was briefly controlled by
the Persians under Chosroes II and was recaptured by the
Byzantines only to fall to the Muslims in 636.
Dating back to biblical times, the Jewish community in
Syria developed due to the proximity of the Jewish center in
Palestine. Thus, according to Josephus, Ezra was commanded
by the Persian Xerxes to appoint judges among the Jews “to
hold court in all of Syria and *Phoenicia” (Ant. 11:129). During
the Second Temple period, the Jewish community apparently
thrived, and even Roman governors of Syria were known
to fall under the influence of the Jewish multitudes (cf. Philo,
Legatio ad Gaium 355–367). Similarly, Josephus, in describing
the tribulations of the Jews of Antioch, begins by stressing
that “the Jewish race, densely interspersed among the native
populations of every portion of the world, is particularly numerous
in Syria, where intermingling is due to the proximity
of the two countries. It was at Antioch that they especially
congregated, possibly owing to the greatness of that city, but
mainly because the successors of King Antiochus [Epiphanes,
175–164 B.C.E.] had enabled them to live there in security”
(Wars 7:43). These Jews therefore flourished and were in a position
to send costly offerings to the Temple at Jerusalem. The
community was granted citizen rights equal to those of the
Greeks (ibid.; cf. Apion 2:39, where these rights were granted
by the founder of the city, Seleucus I Nicator), and this probably
caused considerable envy of the Jews, which erupted
into violence upon the declaration in Palestine of the great
war against Rome (66 C.E.). Jewish influence was also felt in
*Damascus, where a majority of the female Greek population
had strong leanings toward Judaism. This, however, did not
prevent the Greeks of that city from slaughtering the entire
Jewish population of 10,500 with the outbreak of the Jewish-
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I then went to Middle School Search: Entered Syria in full text mode in search field;
I clicked on the “Country Reports” category, and got the following result:
Article 5 on Syria:
Syria. By: Aliprandini, Michael. Our World: Syria, 2006, p1-6, 6p; Reading Level (Lexile): 1150; (AN 16492742
Title:
Syria.Find More Like This
Authors:
Aliprandini, Michael
Source:
Our World: Syria; 2006, p1-6, 6p
Document Type:
Country Report
Subject Terms:
ETHNOLOGY -- Syria
GEOGRAPHY
SYRIANS
Geographic Terms:
MIDDLE East
SYRIA
Abstract:
Presents an overview of the Syrian Arab Republic, or Syria, a country in the Middle East. General information; Details on the people and culture of the country, including information on the population, native people, health care, education, food, arts and entertainment, and holidays; Description of the geography and environment of the area, with focus on the topography, natural resources, plants and animals, and climate; Overview of the country's economy, industries, agriculture and tourism; Structure of the government; Fun facts.
Lexile:
1150
Full Text Word Count:
2587
ISBN:
1-4298-0202-2
Accession Number:
16492742
Persistent link to this record:
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mih&AN=16492742&site=ehost-live
Database:
Middle Search Plus
Translate Full Text:
Syria
Contents
1. GENERAL INFORMATION
2. PEOPLE & CULTURE
3. ENVIRONMENT & GEOGRAPHY
4. ECONOMY
5. GOVERNMENT
6. FUN FACTS
The Syrian Arab Republic, or Syria, is a Middle Eastern country bordered by Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, and the Mediterranean Sea. Despite contentious relations with many of its neighbors, Syria officially subscribes to an ideal which would unify all countries in the Arab world into a powerful regional force.
Recently, Syria has been singled out by the United States as a sponsor of terrorism, but such political rhetoric tends to obscure the broader picture. Like other Middle Eastern countries, Syria has a complex modern culture informed by a patchwork of diverse peoples, and includes some of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
GENERAL INFORMATION
· Official Language: Arabic
· Population: 20,314,747 (2007 estimate)
· Currency: Syrian Pound
· Land Area: 184,050 square kilometers (71,062 square miles)
· Water Area: 1,130 square kilometers (463 square miles)
· National Anthem: "Homat el Diyar" ("Guardians of the Homeland")
· Capital: Damascus
PEOPLE & CULTURE
Population: Syria has a young population that is growing at a rate of 3 percent annually, one of the fastest rates in the world. Life expectancy is about seventy years for females and sixty-eight years for males. The country is ranked 110th on the Human Development Index.
Population density is 98 people per square kilometer (254 per square mile) and most dense in the western portion of the country; the Syrian Desert, in the southeast, is the least dense. Over half of the population now lives in urban centers. Damascus is the largest city at 2.3 million, followed by Aleppo at 1.6 million. Other major population centers include Homs, Hama, and Latakia.
Arabs make up 90 percent of the population. The Kurds, who generally occupy rural areas, are the largest minority. Armenians, Jews, and Palestinian refugees are also represented. The Bedouin, nomadic tribesmen who tend livestock, have decreased greatly in number as the government has sought to make them settle.
Islam is the dominant religion, and 74 percent of the population adheres to Sunni Islam. Sunnis are found throughout the country and form a majority in most regions. The Alawites are the largest religious minority. They practice a unique form of Islam, the precepts of which are largely kept secret. Once repressed, their lot has improved over the last three decades since the major politicians of the period have come from this minority. They generally live in rural areas of the province of Latakia. Other Muslim sects include the Druze and the Ismailis. Greek Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Nestorians are four of the Christian sects. The Christian and Jewish populations tend to inhabit urban centers.
The vast majority of the Syrian population speaks Arabic, a Semitic language. Arabic can be divided into three forms: classical Arabic, the language of the Koran; Modern Standard Arabic, which is used on the radio and in newspapers throughout the Arab world; and the dialect or dialects spoken in each Arab country. Syrian Arabic, which shares characteristics with Lebanese Arabic, varies throughout the country. The differences of grammar, accent and colloquialisms within the dialect are such that the origins of the speaker are discernible.
Native People: Most ethnic groups represented in Syria have long histories in the country itself or in the region. The modern population largely lacks a national identity and is divided by ethnicity, rural versus urban backgrounds and, above all, religious persuasion. Loyalty is given to one's family and group rather than to an overarching national ideal, and there is often extreme distrust between groups. The government has attempted some Arabization of non-Arab groups, but in general the groups hold to their native customs and beliefs.
Education: Primary education, lasting six years, is free and compulsory. It is followed by six years of secondary education, divided into lower and higher levels. There is also vocational training at the secondary level.
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Question 4 about a boa story or poem:
Clicked on Literature; then Litfinder; selected stories and poems; I put boa as the search tem and go many hits, so I added the word “Bite” to the search field, as well as the word bit and bitten; I opened several poems and short stories but did not find any incident as described in the question.
Question 4: Poem about a Boa Constrictor-
I finally found a citation for the poem using LitFinder Database. I got mis-hits when I just looked for "boa" but found it easily when I typed out "boa constrictor". Litfinder shows that it is a poem by Shel Silverstein on page 45 of his book "Where the Sidewalk Ends". It does not have the complete text though, just the citation and the first and last lines. Googling the words however brought up the full-text on poemhunter.com.
May 31, 2008
Question 1: Video on photosynthesis and one-page paper
Answer: Found several things in e-library curriculum
Used: keyword = photosynthesis
Limited to video and articles
Question 2: a) Polar Bear Day at the Library b) lexile level = 300-500
Answers: Article with pictures found in Encyclopedia of Animals.
e-library curriculum has a lot to choose from Also, MAS Ultra Student Research Center Teacher Resources Search Keywords PolarBears AND Science (Elementary Education)
Question 3: Report about Syria; 5 sources; 8th grade
Answer: e-library curriculum type in “Syria” select limiters
Question 4: kids’ story or poem about a boa
Answers: Couldn’t find it in LitFinder or Literary Reference Center “Googled” it and found a song by Peter, Paul and Mary “I’m Being Swallowed by a Boa Constrictor" Typed keywords boa and constrictor into our Kid’s Catalog and found several
books about Jimmy’s Boa; also, Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends
with a poem entitled Boa Constrictor.
Extra Credit: Define and identify two regions of alpine tundra.
Answer: Facts On File Science online: Click Advanced Search Alpine AND Tundra
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