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  • Weather Forecast



    Can we think of life without our daily dose of weather forecast? Not really. This integral part of our daily lives can be defined as the scientific prediction of the atmospheric conditions for a particular place and time.

    Humans have always tried to predict the weather. History says that in 650 BC, the Babylonians analyzed the weather from cloud patterns. In about 340 BC, Aristotle described weather patterns in Meteorologica. The Chinese were into weather forecast since 300 BC. Ancient methods involved examining the sky, the sunset, the clouds etc. 

    The invention of the telegraph in 1837 marked the beginning of modern methods. The science of meteorology, which greatly developed during the 20th century added more accuracy to the forecasts. Then arrived the concept of Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) in 1922. Only after the development of more advanced computers (around the 1970s), that NWP became applicable in weather predictions.

    Today the method consists of the following steps:

    Data collection
    This involves gathering information about atmospheric pressure, temperature, wind speed, wind direction, humidity, precipitation etc. The World Meteorological Organization regulates the entire process worldwide. Important components of this process are weather satellites that ensure more accuracy and global range.

    Data assimilation
    This process involves the combined analysis of the information collected and a numerical model’s latest forecast for that same time span. The result is a meteorological analysis that includes a three dimensional depiction of the dispersal of temperature, moisture and wind.

    Numerical weather prediction (NWP)
    NWP is computer forecasting of the atmosphere and involve supercomputers.
     
    Model output post processing
    This step involves the fine-tuning of basic data before it is declared. This process may take into account statistical methods or comparing and concluding from various other numerical forecasts.

    Forecast presentation to end-user
    This is the last step of the process. Here the conclusions are presented for application in various spheres. The major sectors where weather forecasts are vital are: 

    • Public information: The media is today the main informer. The Internet too is a vast resource now.
    • Air traffic: Forecasts are vital to the daily safety and operations of the aviation industry.
    • Marine: Safety of water transport and commerce is also dependant on weather forecast about wind direction, speed, wave periodicity and heights, tides, and precipitation. The information is transmitted in codes to ship pilots via radio, for instance the MAFOR (Marine Forecast).
    • Utility sector: Electricity and gas service providers depend on weather changes to determine demand and supply. For instance, in severe cold there will be a greater demand of heaters, while in summers for air conditioning.
    • Private sector: Many companies are now analyzing consumer patterns with the help of weather forecast and hence influencing their profits and losses. A common instance is that of superstores, which vary their stocks based on consumer behavior in varying weather conditions.
    • Military purposes: Those on the warfront require pre-flight conditions, as well as forecasts for resource protection at military installations, naval traffic, air force operations. Coast guard weather forecast is also a part of this application.

    The science of weather forecasting has come a long way since the days of the Babylonians. However, it remains a challenge still today to predict nature accurately to prevent property and life loss. Weather Forecast is an evolving science.

  • Worksheets for Kindergarten



    Worksheets for kindergarten is a great concept and helps a child enjoy learning. They are very effective when it comes to teaching the young kids the basics, like the foundations of arithmetic, writing and reading.

    We all have been to kindergarten, which is a division of school for children aged between 4 to 6. Kindergarten plays a great role in our upbringing and makes a whole lot of difference in our lives. It is the stage when we develop the basic skills and the social behavior through games, simple handicrafts, music and interesting exercises.

    You must be aware that the best way of learning is to experience something personally. At this tender age, besides experience, repetition or practicing is very essential to help a child understand better. It is exactly here that the worksheets for kindergarten fit into the picture. If you are confused over what is good for your child then you can take the help of the worksheets for kindergarten.

    The Many Uses Of The Worksheets

    Give your child the opportunity to practice through the worksheets for kindergarten in order to establish a stronger foundation for better learning. The worksheets work wonders in helping the children learn as well as practice the kindergarten subjects like telling time, counting money, writing the letters of the alphabet, and in many more ways.

    It is in the kindergarten years that a child learns to sort and classify objects, counting and comparing the number sets and also learning the meaning of zero. The children learn how to add and subtract the numbers. Recognition of the two-digit numbers also starts at the kindergarten level. Exploring different shapes, performing simple probability experiments and analyzing simple data are all a part of kindergarten learning.

    To enhance the learning capabilities of your child you really need access to the worksheets for kindergarten. It is not that easy to teach a kindergarten child in the proper manner. The lesson plan or the worksheets for kindergarten guides the teacher on how to make the kids play and communicate with each other.

    The lesson plans are flexible and includes not only learning but also games and activities for the all round development of a child. The teacher can also read out stories that inspire the children to share and get along well with the other kids. There should be the inclusion of singing, a playtime and also a naptime.

    If the worksheets for kindergarten can be manipulated in the proper way then the children can have better education, better interaction, better activity and eventually go on to become smart and sensible human beings.

  • Yoga for Kids


    There are many yoga centers, which exclusively organize sessions of yoga for kids to nurture their tender minds and bodies. Yoga is a very holistic technique of relaxing distracted minds and gaining composure. This helps kids develop an intimate relationship with their inner self and the surrounding world.

    Yoga began in India as an ancient spiritual practice, with each position holding a certain spiritual significance. Although many people in the U.S. think that yoga is about exercise, yoga practitioners do not separate the spiritual from the physical. Learning yoga can be a good opportunity not only to increase strength, flexibility, and balance, but also to learn about a venerable spiritual system. Yoga brings a sense of intense awareness and peace to the practitioner, along with physical benefits.

    You cannot deny the fact that a kid has many activities to take care of. Starting right from attending school to curriculum classes, sporting activities, etc. they have to face it all. Hence, if you expect so much from your kid, then remember that yoga for kids is indispensable to let them survive in this competitive world.

    The Benefits Of Yoga for Kids

    • Yoga enhances the stamina, ability and mental balance.
    • It enables you teach the kids alphabets and numbers in a singing mode and they can learn about their body in a fun manner.
    • The songs and the chants that they practice in yoga classes improve their speaking skills.
    • Yoga strengthens the digestive system and helps get rid of various internal complexities like, gas and constipation.
    • Their memory and learning capabilities are also improved.

    Speaking of the physical benefits of yoga for kids, you can be well assured of the improvements in body flexibility and strength. At the same time yoga classes rejuvenates their minds and gives them the inner strength to encounter life’s challenges with great ease.

    Yoga is a non-competitive activity, which influences the thinking process and awareness that they are slowly developing. Besides, they can grow a passion for things they previously used to hate or fear. Studies have always been a major problem area, which many kids find almost impossible to cope up with. Yoga can enable them to overcome this fear/hatred; it instead, helps develop an attachment for studies.

    The Yoga Postures

    To get started with yoga for kids, it is important to seek the help of a right instructor. Actually, only a capable instructor can teach the right postures and tricks. Many yoga postures immensely benefit kids. Sukhasana works wonders in breathing problem. The ‘Dog’ and the ‘Cat’ yoga postures augment the body flexibility. The other yoga postures incorporate Mountain, which improves posture, self-awareness and Uttanasana II that stretches the legs and body. Trikonasana, Warrior Ii and Virabhadrasana II are other yoga postures, which strengthen the body parts.

    Yoga for kids include a few more asanas like Vrikshasana Trikonasana, Janu Sirshasana, Naukasana, Bhujangasana Dhanurasana, Garudasana and many more.

  • Birds of Prey


    Amongst the winged species of the animal kingdom, people are most ignorant about the birds of prey. In fact, it is surprising to note that there are quite a few in this world who don’t know hawks from eagles or that the owl is actually a nocturnal bird. Still many more don’t even know what actually a bird of prey is and would gleefully declare a robin to be one.

    What is a Bird of Prey?

    A bird of prey is also known as a “raptor”. The raptor is a bird that stalks its food primarily using its talon. It usually has a sharp and arched beak along with a keen vision. Remember, how the eagle spots and then swoops down from high above the skies on a tiny field mouse that has just peeped out from its burrow.

    Classifications Amongst Birds of Prey

    Birds of prey can be diurnal or nocturnal, that is those that hunt during the day and those that hunt at night. The diurnal birds of prey either belong to the order Accipitriformes or Falconiformes.

    There are sub-groups within these orders too. For instance, if you consider the Accipitriformes group, the following are the sub-classifications:

    1. Sagittariidae: The Secretary Bird belongs to this group.
    2. Accipitridae: Our familiar hawks, eagles and kites fall in this category. Some other birds of this group are buzzards and Old World vultures.
    3. Pandionidae: The Osprey is a prime example of a bird of prey belonging to the Pandionidae group.

    Amongst the other diurnal birds of prey, falcons are Falconidae, belonging to the order Falconiformes.

    The owl is a nocturnal bird of prey belonging to the Strigiformes order.

    It is obvious that there exists significant differences amongst the raptors of the various orders and genus, but delving into their individual characteristics, you will also notice striking similarities, apart from the fact that they are birds of prey.

    Some Interesting Facts About Birds of Prey

    1. The hawks have been proven to be amongst the most intelligent of all birds, as measured on the avian IQ scale that concentrates on their dietary habits and has been devised by the Canadian scientist Dr Louis Lefebvre. Care for a MENSA membership?
    2. The name of the genus that harriers belong to, that is “Circus”, is derived from the particular habit of these birds of circling the skies in search of prey.
    3. Not all owls are nocturnal. The Pygmy Owl hunts during the twilight hours, that is during the dawn and dusk hours, while there are also owls, namely the Burrowing Owl and the Short-eared Owl, that hunt during the day.
    4. The word “hawk” is also used loosely to mean any bird of prey.
    5. The word “eagle” usually meant the Golden Eagle in England before 1678.
    6. The huge pupil of the eagle is the reason behind its sharp eyesight. Large pupils cause minimum dispersal of the light that enter the eyes.
    7. Fossils of falcons dating back to 50-million years have been found in Germany.

    Birds of prey form an interesting aspect of study for the ornithologists and the laymen alike.

  • Math Game


    The great thing about a math game is that it tickles your gray cells to no end. It is thus no wonder that math games have been the rage throughout the ages fascinating both kids and grown-ups.

    Maths games range from the very simple that are actually child’s play to the immensely complex that have remained unsolved through the ages. Scholars have labored over many a game of math, resulting in theoretical developments in the realm of mathematics.

    Gracing the Hall of Fame of legendary maths games are the ones invented by the ancient Greek mathematicians, the most famous among them being Archimedes’ Cattle Problem. The sheer complexity of this game can be gauged by the fact that some of its solutions turn out to be numbers with 206545 digits.

    The Rabbit Problem is another ‘who’s who’ of math games. And wizards and laymen have raked their brains trying to figure out how many pairs of rabbits can be produced in a year from another pair of rabbits if every month each pair begins a new pair which from the second month on becomes productive?

    It was not only Jacques Saunier, of The Da Vinci Code fame, who was fascinated by the Fibonacci Sequence. The sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, … where each number is the sum of the preceding two has mesmerized mathematicians enough to have a whole body of mathematics dedicated to it.

    Then there is the Kirkman’s School Girl Problem that assumes a towering importance in the modern theory of combinatorics. The game is all about figuring out how 15 girls can walk in 5 rows of 3 each for 7 days so that no girl walks with any other girl in the same triplet more than once.

    Some famous chessboard problems involving the use of mathematics are the Eight Queens game where you have to arrange eight queens on a chess board so that no two can attack each other and of course the ancient Arabian game on grains of wheat, 1 on the first square of the chess board, 2 on the second, 4 on the third, 8 on the fourth and so on.

    These mathematics games are not mere food for thought. They constitute important educational tools to guide your kid through the basics of mathematics. Children learn best when they can derive some fun out of the teaching.

    In fact, this is the credo of the numerous online sites that offer free tutoring on mathematics. These sites are replete with maths games of all kinds and different difficulty levels. These games aim to impart the logic behind maths through fun and frolic. In fact, the idea has caught on like wild fire and these days it is not uncommon to find a tutor attempting to teach the kids the basics of group theory with the Rubik Cube.

    You can also devise simple math games for your kid to have fun with. Something as simple as asking him to get three cookies from the jar or counting the number of kittens will help him with his counting. Board games are fun ways to brush up your kid’s sequential math understanding. You can even ask your kids to keep scores of the games so that he gets his addition fundamentals spot on.

    When it comes to learning maths, the math game is a great one for mixing business with pleasure.

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  • Animal Classification Chart

    Animal Classification of Invertebrates and Vertebrates



  • April Fools Day



    The 1st of April is celebrated as the April Fools Day. Most of the countries consider it to be a national holiday. On this day, hoaxes and practical jokes of a great variety are cracked among friends and neighbors. People also send their close relatives fools errands and make them the butts of ridicule. The April Fools Day is now celebrated across the net too.

    The April Fools Day hoaxes are only pranks and fair games. Nowadays, different media houses too organize such fun games to entertain public. There are a number of monthly journals too, which prepare such things too in their April version.

    There is no initial date to be regarded as the first April Fools Day. The closest possible date that can mark the beginning of this celebration can be 1582, in France. It is a custom that might have developed in different countries at the same time. The April Fools Day is primarily the day when people celebrate the arrival of Spring.

    Prior to the year 1582, the New Year was celebrated for long eight days, beginning from March 25th and ended in April 1st. During the Georgian rule, a new calendar was introduced, where the New Year was marked to be on 1st January. But an inflexible sect continued to celebrate the New Year on 1st of April itself. The local populace called this backward class the fools . They were often subjected to ridicule and fools errands.

    Pranks and jokes cracked during the April Fools Day range from small to elaborate ones. Some practical jokes are kept up the whole day before the victim realizes what day it is. Whatever the prank is, the charlatan ends the game by crying April Fool and bursts forth in laughter.

    Celebrations of the April Fools Day is all about enjoying unlimited fun and turning a friend the prey of your prank.

    The celebration of April Fools Day in different countries

    It is generally believed that Europe has derived its concept of April Fools Day from France, since France was the first country to celebrate the New Year on 1st January during the reign of Charles IX. According to the French and Dutch references, they too regard the date of 1st of April to be the April Fools Day.

    In England, the April Fools Day began to be celebrated from the 18th century. In Scotland, the custom of harassing friends is known as hunting the gawk or the cuckoo. In France, this is known as poisson d’avril. The zodiac sign for April is a Fish , and is believed to be caught easily.

    People Of Scotland celebrate the April Fools Day for forty-eight hours. The second day is called Taily , symbolized by the kick me sign. In Mexico, the April Fools Day is celebrated on 28th December. It is the day when king Herod mercilessly killed small children. Later it became a day when people would mourn lightly, involving pranks and trickery. Chaucer too referred to the April Fools Day, in his Nun s Priest s Tale.

    Thus, April fools Day is celebrated across the world with a lot of mirth and light-hearted ridicule.

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  • What is Light?


    by Nancy Sutthoff

    If you were to ask someone the above question they may well
    look at you as if you were either joking or just a bit nutty.
    They may even tell you they think you are. That
    is fine. They will not have
    read this article so therefore, they may think they know what light is, but they
    won’t have the whole story. You
    will.

    Light is not as simple as it seems to be.

    Since the beginning of time, humans have strived to
    discover and understand what light is exactly. In simple terms, light is energy.
    Therefore,
    scientists who study light are called Physicists. Physics
    is the study of energy and matter. The
    effects of energy on matter, and the effects of matter on energy.

    Sunlight/Solar Energy

    The light we receive in the form of daylight from the
    sun is officially called Solar Energy. Solar energy also provides food for the Earth.
    This is how: Light from
    the sun contains a vast amount of energy that, if tapped into, has a great deal
    of power to be obtained. From the very beginning plants have used the sun to
    create energy. Animals such as reptiles use it to maintain their body
    temperature. We humans have only recently begun to explore the potentials of one
    of the most valuable resources available to us; the sun.

    Plants use light to make their own food. Plants are also
    known as autotrophs, which means they are able to make their food from the light
    of the sun. They make their food through a process called photosynthesis.
    Through photosynthesis, plants are able to take the energy from the sun’s rays
    and turn it into a type of energy that they are able to use. All green plants
    use this method. Some bacteria are also known to use photosynthesis.

    Color

    Color is the thing we perhaps notice most about light in
    the world around us. But why we see colors the way we do all has to do with
    light. The reason something appears to be the color that does is that the object
    is absorbing all the other colors of light except the ones we see, which are
    reflected back to our eyes. If something absorbs all the colors, it appears
    black, if it reflects everything, it appears white. Color comes from what is
    called the visible spectrum of light. This spectrum goes from red to orange to
    yellow to green to blue to indigo to violet, all the major colors of the
    spectrum, and everything in between. An easy way to remember this order is to
    remember Roy G. Biv, much liked the colors of the rainbow. Scientists measure
    the wavelengths of light in this spectrum in nanometers or billionths of a
    meter. Red has the longest wavelength, and violet has the shortest. So, what
    color we see depends on the wavelength of the light we absorb into our eyes. The
    primary colors of light differ from the primary colors of solid objects such as paint (red, blue and yellow). The primary colors of light are blue, green, and red. From these colors, every other color
    can be made.

    Activities:

    • Draw a rainbow, or use a prism to create a miniature rainbow that you can observe.
    • Get three flashlights, and cover the ends with red, blue, and green cellophane. Shine different combinations of light on a piece of white paper and see what colors you get.
    • Find out if your town uses and/or has facilities to make solar energy usable for utilities (electricity, heat, water). If so, see if they offer tours of the premises so you can SEE how light is energy.

  • Earth Day Crafts



    Earth day is an occasion to ponder over problems like environmental pollution and animal species extinction. Children can be made aware of their roles and responsibilities through Earth Day crafts and similar activities. Most people celebrate April 22nd as Earth Day whereas others celebrate it on vernal equinox.

    A few crafts for your children to make are:

    Papier Mache Globe:
    This is a messy activity but teaches the children a lot of geography. Make glue by mixing 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of water till it is thin and runny. Stir the mixture into 4 cups of boiled water and simmer for three minutes to give the glue a consistency. Then cool it for use. Tear one-inch wide newspaper strips without worrying about the length. Make each kid blow up a balloon. Dip the strips in the glue, remove the excess and stick them around the balloon. Stick at least three layers of strips. Dry the balloon overnight after sticking each layer of strips.

    Once completely dry – this might take a few days – the balloon will automatically burst, separate from the papier- mache, leaving a papier- mache globe. Draw the map of the earth showing whatever you want to.



    Earth Pendant/ Earth Light Catcher:
    Take an earth printout and place any flexible transparent paper over it. Spread blue glue on the flexible paper over its ocean part and the green glue on the continents. Fix an unbent paper clip at the top in the glue to attach a string. Peel the glue once it has dried. Now attach a string to hang the craft in a window.

    Pine Cone Bird Feeder: Prepare a food mixture by mixing ½ cup vegetable shortening, lard or suet with 2 ½ cups cornmeal or uncooked oats and blend well. Get bird foods like dried chopped fruits and nuts, sunflower or millet seeds. Take a pinecone and tie a string to it. Cover the cone with the food mixture and roll over the bird food. Now hang it on a tree.

    Magic Leaf Drawing: Place a real leaf on a flat surface. Place a paper over it and crayon it. The leaf appears magically on the paper.

    Paper Evergreen Tree: Fold and cut in half a construction paper piece. Put the halves together and fold again. Opposite the fold, draw half of an evergreen tree. Cut along the line to get two identical trees. Fold the trees in half, barely creasing the centerline so as to mark the tree. Make a slit in the lower half of one tree and another in the upper half of the other. Slip the trees together along the slits. To make the tree stand well and prevent the slits from flopping over, tape the top and bottom of the trees with a clear tape. You may draw pinecones for added attraction.

    For bigger trees take two pieces construction papers and fold them to make a narrow rectangle. Draw a tree opposite the fold and proceed as earlier. You get a big tree – perhaps a fitting tribute to the earth on Earth Day.

    These Earth Day crafts are simple yet it would an enjoyable and educative experience for you and your children.



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  • Christmas for Kids



    Christmas for kids is a very special occasion where they get an opportunity to dine and have fun with the whole family. Christmas for kids always seem extraordinary with the Christmas tree, the taste of Turkey, the excitement of opening the wrapper of the biggest and the most gorgeous present kept quietly for the kid under the Christmas tree and singing aloud the lovely Christmas carols. All are so lovely, all are so sensational the excitement of childhood Christmas is a thing to be cherished for the entire life.

    How can you make Christmas for kids special and unforgettable?

    Why don’t you arrange for a party for your kid and his friends in your family? Nothing can please your kids more than a party.

    Ideas for a Christmas party

    • The invitation card for the Christmas party should be made very special and gorgeous. The cards are mostly shaped like star, snowflake or a Christmas tree.
    • You should choose an appropriate theme for the Christmas party. Some wonderful ideas would be the workshop of Santa Claus, Jesus in Bethlehem or a landscape full of shining white snow.
    • A Christmas party can never be without some exciting activities. You can make the children sing Christmas songs and you can even make them play games of different sorts. You can even arrange for decoration competition, baking and treasure hunt. Some parents even ask their children write letters to Santa Claus asking for gifts and blessings.
    • However, Christmas for kids can never go without delicious simmering foods. Hot chocolate, ginger bread, snowman faced sandwiches and sweets wow! Your kids would want to have more and more of such stuffs.

    Christmas Crafts

    Christmas for kids is so special that the little ones are always busy running about doing different types of things. You can make your kids prepare fantastic invitation cards. In fact, especially during this time of the year the kids can make use of their skill and imagination to work on crafts, which are both interesting and innovative.

    What do you need to make cards for Christmas for kids?

    • Rubber stamps and ink pads
    • Stickers, glitters and other shining decorations
    • Blank cards or construction papers
    • Crayons and markers of all colors

    Finding a Christmas tree

    A Christmas for kids cannot go without looking for a perfect Christmas tree in the woods. Take your kid to the forest one afternoon and ask him to select the right Christmas tree. Some state forests have special areas for growing Christmas trees where you can go and cut the one for yourself, which you think, would be the most appropriate.

    Christmas for kids is a happy moment for all your kids, so its time you should prepare yourself and your kid for a blast.

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