Monday, October 16, 2000		Kids Chat

National geographic on Web

Hello and welcome back.

Windy: Hey, why are you sounding low? Something seems to be wrong.

Fluppy: You got a scolding or something?

Cliparti: Not exactly. Actually the schools opened last week, and I got my grades.

Fluppy: Did you flunk?

Cliparti: No, stupid

Fluppy: Then what makes you upset?

Cliparti: I have done well in most of the subjects, but I feel how much ever I study, I cannot improve my scores in geography and science.

Fluppy: I guess you need to study more.

Cliparti: Keep your guess to yourself. I told you how much ever I study...

Windy: Do you like science?

Cliparti: To be frank, I don’t.

Windy: So there lies the problem.

Cliparti: So you think since I don’t have any interest in the subject, I don’t do well in it. Well, in that case I won’t ever be able to do well.

Windy: Of course you’ll do well. First of all try and develop some interest. For that you will have to do some extra reading.

Fluppy: Hey, didn’t she say how much ever she studied?

Windy: Fluppy, I am not talking about studying. What I am trying to say is some general reading in subjects related to science. That could be anything, say about space or biological exploration. Now do you follow?

Cliparti: I think I can follow you. You think if I do some interesting readings in such subject, even if it is not related to my topic at school, it will evoke some interest about the subject, and I might be able to fare better in exams.

Windy: Precisely.

Fluppy: Now, you’ll have to buy lots of books, I guess.

Windy: Of course not. To start with, you can look up some interesting sites on the Net. There is a site at http://www.hhmi.org/coolscience. This one is for curious kids. It will explore the wonderful world of biological facts. Ever wondered why snakes are like lizards and monkeys like moose or what is present in the air that we breathe and what is the relation between caterpillars and butterflies? Dive into the miniature world without a microscope and see how you’ll love it.

Cliparti: This all sounds interesting.

Fluppy: Yeah.

Windy: Good! Then there is another one for kids of all ages, at http://kids.msfc.nasa.gov/. This is a good site on space exploration and has interesting facts on space and beyond. There is information on astronauts and some nice projects and games too. You can also log on at http//www.awesomelibrary.org/student.htm. This, as the name suggests, is a complete library for kids of all subjects, be it science, technology, languages or mathematics. You can ask questions, do projects, and play games or do homework. Another nice site is www.nationalgeographic.com/

Fluppy: Just like the TV channel, I suppose.

Windy: Right. It has some amazing facts. From bacteria to snakes to dinosaurs, all are here. If you wish to locate a city or country, check out the map machine. Need to print out a map for school, choose from 600 maps in the Xpeditions Atlas.

Cliparti: I think this should be enough for me for the time being.

Fluppy: And for me too.

Windy: No, you listen to some more. Astro mania is another site at http://www.sheppardsoftware.com that covers the universe. It is also an educational game that has eight levels, and you can choose the subject area you want to cover. Great pictures make it educational as well easy to use. For geography, there is another quiz game that you can try your hands on and see your progress. At http://cascoly.com, you will find global challenge. Cascoly’s unique system will let you decide how difficult you wish to make your game, and then it becomes tougher as you progress. You will come across over a trillion questions without repetitions. You can even select particular countries you wish to include in game.

Fluppy: Now can you pleeeeeese stop all this and tell me some sites for games?

Windy: Fluppy, can you ever think beyond games?

Fluppy: Hey, don’t say like that. Didn’t I listen to all those so-called "educational" sites?

Windy: Oh! Are we not grateful for that?

Fluppy: Of course, you should be.

Cliparti: Okay, now don’t fight. Fluppy, you can log on to www.cbc4kids.ca. Apart from games, you will find a lot of fun stuff. There is a kids club, which has a joke shop, pets and a clubhouse, too. At lab, you’ll come across some groovy experiments and inventions. Know about the endangered species. There is a world of books, which has a vast collection of stories and poems. Read these great books and know about great authors. Further, at time machine, you can see the future today or visit the cultural calendars

Windy: There is a site at www.kidsnetgames.about.com / kids / kidsgames / mbody.htm that has channels on various subjects, which further has loads of sites, based on it. Some such subjects are arcade games, card games, checkers, chess, classic games, dino games, government games, guessing games, magic, mazes, memory games, movie games, pet games, play with math, space games, science games and so on. Here you will come across games for the little ones or the first graders too. You know there are over 700 sites to choose from here.

Cliparti: At www.eduplace.com/kids, you will find the right place for yourself. It’s the kid’s place. It has lots of free games and activities. You will find brainteasers, Web word find, and lots of other good things.

Fluppy: Can you please elaborate on these "good things"?

Windy: Oh yeah sure. Good things mean a very good resource for students studying math, reading, social studies, sciences and ____

Fluppy: Pleeeeeeese, no more studies. God save me!