Weekly Website Review

It’s Time for Kids!

Have you ever wanted to have news about children, not adult, topics? Time for Kids is time for kids!! http://www.timeforkids.com/news  What’s so unique about this website, you ask? Instead of adult reporters, kids report the news! Time for Kids also publishes a popular magazine; my younger brother collects TFK magazines!

And why is TMF so amusing?  It has news written by kids and news from around the world.  It helps you with homework (a big plus J).  You can view photos and videos or go to mini-sites and read about a variety of topics.  Check out extras at TMK Extras tab; and of course buy TMK products like magazines and books.

In the Homework Helper section, TMK teaches you writing tips, how to write A+ essays, and how to be a grammar wizard. http://www.timeforkids.com/homework-helper  In Photos and Videos, re-watch Olympic highlights and see exclusive snapshots!  Don’t like the Olympics (which I doubt any of you wouldn’t)?  View other videos and pictures. http://www.timeforkids.com/photos-video  In Mini-Sites, read book reviews, movie reviews, Olympics, video game reviews (yes, video games!), and special months such as the Black History Month. http://www.timeforkids.com/mini-sites  The common Extras tab includes information about which companies and programs Time for Kids teams up with. http://www.timeforkids.com/extras  The Store tab is where you can buy all TMK products including: colorful magazines, 3D, Scientific, and other types of books.

Do you feel like this summer is one of the most blistering summers yet?  Well, I certainly do! According to TMK reporters, about 63% of the country is in somewhat of a mild drought and the other 46% is going through huge droughts. http://www.timeforkids.com/news/hot-and-dry/43366  A drought is when rain does not fall for a long time.  For Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, this year is a nightmare.  This drought is serious because no rain means no crops.  And no crops mean less to feed the animals and most importantly: us!

I would recommend this website to anyone who wants to know what is happening around the world and get help with homework too!  TMF is definitely the website to learn if our country is having trouble or is running smoothly and to learn about news of other countries.  I hope you enjoy this natural, colorful website just as much as I did reviewing and learning about it.

Weekly Website Review

DOGOnews!!!

           

When a computer opens to the DOGOnews homepage, articles everywhere invade the screen.  The top of the page has a News, Maps, and Sites tab.  Aspiring writers can write reviews of their favorite books or movies in the Book and Movie sections.

                This website specializes in news about every topic you can think of.  Under the News tab, check out Current Events, Science, Sports, Social Studies, Did You Know, Green, General, Entertainment, International, Amazing, Fun, and Video sections.  In Maps, you can look at the entire Earth online.  Drag and rotate the map with your mouse to see an overview of any place on Earth.  At Sites, read reviews of websites on different subjects such as New, Math, Science, Social Studies, Art, Brain Games, Little Kids, and Curious Kids.

The common weakness of most websites is they have no games.  But not DOGOnews!  I found Professor Garfield in Sites > Brain Games:  http://www.dogonews.com/external_sites?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.professorgarfield.org%2Fpgf_home.html&return=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dogonews.com%2Fsites%2F2011%2F3%2F8%2Fprofessor-garfield.  In this game mission, you must save the Earth by going through obstacles to get to the “off” switch. These obstacles are mini-missions that you either unscramble words to fill in the blank or have a game of Memory.  Enjoy!

                Let’s say you’re stuck in a dumpster and can’t get out.  Now think of a bear in a dumpster that can’t get out! That’s exactly what happened. Recently in New Mexico, a few cubs (baby bears) were stuck in a dumpster.  Lucky for them, Shirley and Tom Shenk came to the rescue! The couple drove their pickup truck and dropped a ladder in the dumpster.  They drove a few yards away and watched the cubs to make sure they got out.  And sure enough, the cubs climbed up the ladder to safety.  This is not the first time the Shenks saved this family.  They have saved them two times already.  Let’s hope those bears don’t go back in the dumpster! Read full article on… http://www.dogonews.com/2012/7/30/video-of-the-week-baby-bears-get-stuck-in-a-dumpster-again

                I definitely recommend this website!  It’s packed with hilarious and serious news and videos.  The Book Review and Movie Review tabs are very unique and really opened my eyes!!!  DOGOnews is a deluxe website!

Weekly Website Review

Science, Science, Read All About It!

For those of you who are science fanatics… you’ll love this week’s website!  Science News for Kids is all about science:   http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/.  You can read hooking articles and learn outrageous facts and new vocabularies from the articles!

Science News for Kids’ strengths are that it has everything there is to know about science.  It’s tabs on Atoms and Forces, Earth and Sky, Humans and Health, Life, Tech and Math, and Extra.  However, it doesn’t have games, which is the only drawback of this website.

Studying what you love is the way to go!  This is what I learned from Science News for Kids.

Wayne Maddison was 13 when he first became interested in spiders.  He pursued his interest in spiders and eventually studied spiders in college.  Maddison now works traveling to remote jungles in search of new species. 

Michael Dorcas started keeping pet snakes in his family pool at age 10.  After college, he started studying one of the biggest snakes in the world: the Burmese Python.  It could grow up to 20 feet long and swallow alligators, crocodiles, and deer WHOLE!!!  He also works in the Florida Everglades by finding and killing Burmese Pythons as they are not native to the Everglades.

Read more about these appealing jobs that people do at http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/07/cool-jobs-studying-what-you-love/.

I rate Science News for kids a 9.5 out of 10 because it lacks games.  However, if you focus mainly on information and not games, then this website suits your brain perfectly.  So, enjoy the website and have a happy Tuesday.

South Street Seaport in Flames

BREAKING NEWS:  FAULTY ELECTRICAL WIRING LED TO SEAPORT FIRE

On July 14^th a three-alarm blaze broke out at South Street Seaport at around 4PM. Hundreds of tourists and visitors were enjoying their day.  Smoldering dark plumes of smoke hovered over Manhattan and could be seen across the river from Brooklyn!  Thirty-three fire units responded to the fire with about 140 firefighters. The flames were located under the thick timber planks which were hard to cut through. As if that wasn’t enough, the firefighters had to put out the flames in boiling temperatures from the fire and weather. Coach Jen and I could see the smoke from her apartment. We thought it was fog!

                Fire officials say the fire was caused by faulty electrical wiring. The wires under the seaport were used to provide power for lights and vending machines. The fire turned enormous due to the extremely flammable wood planks. Besides, part of South Street Seaport was built in 1985.  Its age didn’t help either.

This fire could’ve been extremely dangerous. Good thing the brave firefighters hosed the flames in under two hours.

Now, if you have a fire in your house…

1.       Create an escape plan and possibly a Plan B

2.       If you are in a room with one door, check to see if there is a fire behind the door by

a.       Looking to see if there is smoke coming from cracks under (if there is, don’t open your door).

b.      Lightly touch the door if you don’t see smoke. If it is hot, don’t open the door.

c.       Briefly touch the doorknob. If it’s warm or hot, don’t open the door!

3.       If 2a-2c are negative, slowly open the door and crawl on your hands and knees. Remember to STAY LOW!

4.       Don’t bring favorite toys or stuffed animals with you when you exit. You need to be outside as quick as possible.

5.       Once outside, DO NOT GO BACK IN! Not even for a family pet!

6.       If you can’t get out the only door in your room, open your window and yell or call for help. DO NOT HIDE UNDER A BED OR CLOSET as this will make it incredibly harder for firefighters to find you!

7.       If you catch on fire, don’t panic. Like they teach you in pre-school, STOP, DROP, AND ROLL!!!

Hope you’ve enjoyed my report!  Signing off from River Edge NJ:  Summer Blogger/Reporter Nicholas Ng.