Week of June 20, 2004

Entrenched in War

Hunker down in the trenches, fight as a Canadian World War I soldier and make careful decisions in “Over the Top,” at http://museedelaguerre.ca/ cwm/overtop. In this game, your goal is to dodge the flying bullets that come your way. You’ll take orders from Lieutenant Jarvis, the platoon commander, but your on-the-spot decisions may save a life or cost one. Glance at the key terms in the glossary to prepare for your role. You’ll find out that war is serious and scary, and there’s rarely a clear right or wrong. (This site is no longer available.)

Africans in America

Follow the history of Africans in America, from their arrival in the 1600s to the Civil War, at www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/ home.html. Slavery existed in Africa before Americans arrived, but slavery in America was more oppressive than in Africa. Learn about this difference in The Terrible Transformation. The American Revolution changed the way slaves and other Americans worked together. People challenged slavery for decades. The end of the Civil War was the biggest step toward equality for all.

What a Tough Job

Many kids dream of being president someday, but it can be a pretty tough job. At The American President: A Glorious Burden, at http://americanhistory.si.edu/
presidency, you’ll find out just how hard it can be. If you’re wondering exactly what the president does, head over to Foundations to get an idea of the duties involved. A scrolling timeline lets you see how presidents’ lives changed with history. You can also explore objects that belonged to past leaders, such as the hat Abraham Lincoln wore the night he was shot.

	Climates Around the World What’s the weather like where you live? In my hometown, summer is beginning, school is out, and I’m goofing off outside as much as I can. In some parts of the world, it’s wintertime, and kids may be having snowball fights this very second. So what’s the deal? There are tons of different climates around the world. Even places that are the same distance from the equator have different climates. The first three sites listed below are about locations that are at similar latitudes, and the fourth is about all the different climates around the world. The Everglades Ecosystem www.nps.gov/ever/eco/ Climate and Weather in the Serengeti www.naturalhighsafaris.com/knowledge/naturalhistory/ climateweather.html Himalayas: Where Earth Meets Sky http://library.thinkquest.org/10131/ff.html World Biomes www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm --Amy Ask Amy a Question

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