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September 11, 2001
Thirteen years ago, it was September 11, 2001. It was a beautiful, sunny day. But it was a day many people will always remember because of something that happened that morning.
Four airplanes were hijacked. "Hijacked" means that some bad guys took over the planes and intended to do harm to all the passengers. Two of the hijacked planes were crashed, on purpose, into the two World Trade Center Towers in New York City. Everyone on the two planes died, and many people in the towers died, too. There was a tremendous fire, and the two towers collapsed. Many fire fighters rushed upstairs into the towers to help. They were also killed.
A third plane was hijacked and it was flown into a special building in Washington, D.C. The building is known as the Pentagon. It is where many of our country's top military officials meet. Everyone aboard that plane died, too, as did many workers in the Pentagon.
A fourth plane was hijacked, too. It is believed that the bad guys (known as terrorists) intended to fly this plane into the White House to kill the president. But the passengers on the plane tried to stop them. The passengers bravely fought the bad guys as the airplane flew out of control. This fourth airplane crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Yes, it was a sad day in the USA. But even so, there were many brave people who tried to help. Think of the fire fighters. They gave their lives trying to help others. And there were many people who tried to help the survivors as they rushed from the burning buildings.
We also may think of the people on the fourth airplane who tried to stop the terrorists. They did not want their airplane to hit the White House! They gave their lives, bravely, to do the right thing.
Now, it is 13 years later. But America will never forget the events of September 11, 2001, and we will never forget the brave heroes who tried to save others.
The Role of Dogs on 9/11
After the terrorist attack and the collapse of the Twin Towers in New York City on September 11, 2001, Cynthia Otto took care of the search-and-rescue dogs. Years later she established the Working Dog Center, where young pups are put through specialized training to prepare them to help victims of disaster.
Otto made this comment about these rescue animals: "There are so many jobs now that dogs are vital to rescue efforts."
The Flight(s) of Amelia Earhart(s)
Amelia Mary Earhart was a famous female aviator. She was the first lady to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. Amelia lived in a time when opportunities to do such things were scarce. In 1937, she attempted to fly around the world. She flew a long way, but didn't make it. She and her navigator, Fred Noonan, were lost in their Lockheed Electra airplane over the South Pacific, near Howland Island.
Today, there is a young lady named Amelia Rose Earhart. Although she is not related to the Amelia of the 20th century, she feels a special connection to the original aviatrix.
The 21st-century Amelia has begun her own flight around the world. She is closely following the flight path of the first Amelia. She is well-connected with social media, and you can follow her adventure. Go to www.flywithamelia.org.
Have a good trip, Amelia Rose Earhart!
Bulletin: She made it! Amelia & copilot Shane Jordan safely touched down today in Oakland, California.
Please see the Amelia Earhart bulletin board on your way to the lab!
Amelia Mary Earhart was a famous female aviator. She was the first lady to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. Amelia lived in a time when opportunities to do such things were scarce. In 1937, she attempted to fly around the world. She flew a long way, but didn't make it. She and her navigator, Fred Noonan, were lost in their Lockheed Electra airplane over the South Pacific, near Howland Island.
Today, there is a young lady named Amelia Rose Earhart. Although she is not related to the Amelia of the 20th century, she feels a special connection to the original aviatrix.
The 21st-century Amelia has begun her own flight around the world. She is closely following the flight path of the first Amelia. She is well-connected with social media, and you can follow her adventure. Go to www.flywithamelia.org.
Have a good trip, Amelia Rose Earhart!
Bulletin: She made it! Amelia & copilot Shane Jordan safely touched down today in Oakland, California.
Please see the Amelia Earhart bulletin board on your way to the lab!
Earth's Journey Around the Sun
We know that Earth travels around the sun in 1 year. It is called an "orbit," and takes exactly 325.26 days. Earth does not orbit the Sun in a perfect circle, however. It is a sort of squashed-down version of a circle, called an ellipse. It is sort of egg-shaped, but not exactly egg-shaped.
At this point in our orbit, we are actually 3 million miles closer to the Sun than we are in June. But it's so cold! Yes, it is the season of winter. Because of Earth's tilting on its axis (at about 23 degrees), Earth's North Pole is faced directly away from the sun now. So, we in Earth's Northern Hemisphere receive less of the Sun's energy this time of year. Less energy means less heat! We have winter. Interestingly, our neighbors in the Southern Hemisphere are experiencing their season of summer now!
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We know that Earth travels around the sun in 1 year. It is called an "orbit," and takes exactly 325.26 days. Earth does not orbit the Sun in a perfect circle, however. It is a sort of squashed-down version of a circle, called an ellipse. It is sort of egg-shaped, but not exactly egg-shaped.
At this point in our orbit, we are actually 3 million miles closer to the Sun than we are in June. But it's so cold! Yes, it is the season of winter. Because of Earth's tilting on its axis (at about 23 degrees), Earth's North Pole is faced directly away from the sun now. So, we in Earth's Northern Hemisphere receive less of the Sun's energy this time of year. Less energy means less heat! We have winter. Interestingly, our neighbors in the Southern Hemisphere are experiencing their season of summer now!
went.
One Sunday Morning....
This is a true story. It's a little bit sad, but there is a very happy part at the end.
Last summer, just after school was out, I traveled to Atlanta, Georgia to see two of my favorite singers: Tony Bennett & Jackie Evancho. Tony Bennett is 84 years old. Jackie Evancho is 13. It was a wonderful concert! They even sang a duet together: "When You Wish Upon a Star."
My 3 dogs & I stayed a few more days just to relax at the motel. On a very early Sunday morning, we took a walk along a road in a fairly wooded area. Up ahead there was something unusual. What was it? I had an idea what it may have been, but I hoped I was wrong.
As we walked closer, I saw that a mother deer had been hit by a car. She had died. Even sadder, there were two tiny fawns (baby deer) that were laying right beside her. It seemed like all 3 animals were dead.
But as we got closer, I noticed that one of the fawns blinked her eye at me. She was alive! Oh, my. What could I do? My dogs stopped barking. I told them to "Sit" and they obeyed. I went to the baby deer and put my hand on her neck. Indeed, I felt a pulse. She was alive!
We rushed back to the motel to try to locate an emergency animal hospital. We found one, but it was about 50 miles away, in Marietta. I scooped up the fawn in a couple of motel towels and off we went. Where was the animal hospital?
After asking several morning walkers and making several phone calls, we found the hospital! Was the deer still alive? I hoped and prayed that she was. The hospital was expecting us, and they came out to the car to help. We brought the baby deer inside.
The veterinarian checked her over. Was she okay? "Your fawn is newborn. She is just fine!" I was so happy to hear it. But now what? I could not take the deer home, and she was much too young to be placed back in the woods.
There is a nature preserve near Atlanta called the Chattahoochie. They found some folks to take care of our baby. They would care for her for many months, until she was ready to be released back into the woods.
When we returned to Memphis, I called the animal hospital in Georgia that had been so kind. They said that the little deer was doing fine!
I often think of that day, and hope and pray that motorists (people who drive cars) don't find themselves in such a hurry that they are careless. Sometimes I remind our schoolchildren that they, too, will probably drive a car some day. What kind of drivers do we want to be? Are we going to be careless, or are we going to be careful?
This is a true story. It's a little bit sad, but there is a very happy part at the end.
Last summer, just after school was out, I traveled to Atlanta, Georgia to see two of my favorite singers: Tony Bennett & Jackie Evancho. Tony Bennett is 84 years old. Jackie Evancho is 13. It was a wonderful concert! They even sang a duet together: "When You Wish Upon a Star."
My 3 dogs & I stayed a few more days just to relax at the motel. On a very early Sunday morning, we took a walk along a road in a fairly wooded area. Up ahead there was something unusual. What was it? I had an idea what it may have been, but I hoped I was wrong.
As we walked closer, I saw that a mother deer had been hit by a car. She had died. Even sadder, there were two tiny fawns (baby deer) that were laying right beside her. It seemed like all 3 animals were dead.
But as we got closer, I noticed that one of the fawns blinked her eye at me. She was alive! Oh, my. What could I do? My dogs stopped barking. I told them to "Sit" and they obeyed. I went to the baby deer and put my hand on her neck. Indeed, I felt a pulse. She was alive!
We rushed back to the motel to try to locate an emergency animal hospital. We found one, but it was about 50 miles away, in Marietta. I scooped up the fawn in a couple of motel towels and off we went. Where was the animal hospital?
After asking several morning walkers and making several phone calls, we found the hospital! Was the deer still alive? I hoped and prayed that she was. The hospital was expecting us, and they came out to the car to help. We brought the baby deer inside.
The veterinarian checked her over. Was she okay? "Your fawn is newborn. She is just fine!" I was so happy to hear it. But now what? I could not take the deer home, and she was much too young to be placed back in the woods.
There is a nature preserve near Atlanta called the Chattahoochie. They found some folks to take care of our baby. They would care for her for many months, until she was ready to be released back into the woods.
When we returned to Memphis, I called the animal hospital in Georgia that had been so kind. They said that the little deer was doing fine!
I often think of that day, and hope and pray that motorists (people who drive cars) don't find themselves in such a hurry that they are careless. Sometimes I remind our schoolchildren that they, too, will probably drive a car some day. What kind of drivers do we want to be? Are we going to be careless, or are we going to be careful?
Gas Facts:
How did you get to school today? Did you ride in a car? It takes energy to move the car -- and you -- down the road. Where does that energy come from? Chances are, it came from deep underground. People drilled down into the rocks and found a black, sticky goo we call "petroleum." The word "petros" means "rock."
The goo is boiled, purified, cooled, and "distilled." That is, the goo is turned to a sort of steam, and then it is turned back into many liquids. One of those liquids makes a fine fuel for our cars. We know it as "gasoline."
The next time you go to a "gas station," that's exactly what goes into the "gas tank" of your car!
They sell it by the gallon. It costs about the same as milk, perhaps a little more. But we can't run a car on cow's milk. It probably wouldn't moooove!
Polar Bears:
Have you been to the Memphis Zoo lately? A Polar Bear may swim just inches from you. Very exciting!
Next time you're in the lab, check out the World Wildlife Calendar by the homework box. You'll see a prize-winning picture of a mother Polar Bear and her young cub.
Polar Bears are classified as marine mammals because they spend most of their time in the sea, particularly the Arctic Ocean. Their official scientific name is "Ursus maritimus." 4th graders will recognize the "Ursa." It is Greek for bear. Maritimus is Latin for "ocean."
How did you get to school today? Did you ride in a car? It takes energy to move the car -- and you -- down the road. Where does that energy come from? Chances are, it came from deep underground. People drilled down into the rocks and found a black, sticky goo we call "petroleum." The word "petros" means "rock."
The goo is boiled, purified, cooled, and "distilled." That is, the goo is turned to a sort of steam, and then it is turned back into many liquids. One of those liquids makes a fine fuel for our cars. We know it as "gasoline."
The next time you go to a "gas station," that's exactly what goes into the "gas tank" of your car!
They sell it by the gallon. It costs about the same as milk, perhaps a little more. But we can't run a car on cow's milk. It probably wouldn't moooove!
Polar Bears:
Have you been to the Memphis Zoo lately? A Polar Bear may swim just inches from you. Very exciting!
Next time you're in the lab, check out the World Wildlife Calendar by the homework box. You'll see a prize-winning picture of a mother Polar Bear and her young cub.
Polar Bears are classified as marine mammals because they spend most of their time in the sea, particularly the Arctic Ocean. Their official scientific name is "Ursus maritimus." 4th graders will recognize the "Ursa." It is Greek for bear. Maritimus is Latin for "ocean."
