Monday, March 5, 2001		Kids chat

Learn about volcanoes and quakes

Hello kids and Welcome to our weekly chat.

Fluppy: Chat? What chat? Do you think our poor friends have time for chat? They are all down with examination fever.

Cliparti: That is all the more reason for us to welcome them to our chat.

Windy: True. Not only to give them a break from studies but also to help them in their lessons.

Fluppy: So you’re starting some kind of coaching.

Windy: No, stupid. As usual we are suggesting some good sites that would prove useful to them.

Fluppy: Yeah, of course!

Cliparti: What do you think the most difficult subject is?

Windy: Science, I suppose, at least for me.

Fluppy: ...and social studies and maths and languages, at least for me.

Cliparti: Ha, Ha! By the way, off the record, do you find any subject simple?

Fluppy: Off the record, NO. no.

Cliparti: I guessed so. Anyhow, I have something exactly for you. This is education for kids. You’ll find it at http://www.edu4kids.com/. You’ll find the maths section filled with flashcards, tables, games drills, time and money problems. For your vocabulary and alphabets you can go to the language section. Of course there is science that deals with the table of elements. Then comes social studies to teach the world geography. Go ahead and exploit this Internet resource that will cover almost all your subjects.

Windy: Some students, I’ve seen, have a special knack in some subjects. For example, some seem to be born scientists.

Cliparti: Some may be born, but the rest can strive to be one.

Windy: Easier said than done!

Cliparti: No, it’s not that. Basically, I feel, for a good knowledge, all you need is lots of interest.

Windy: And that you are born with.

Cliparti: And you can cultivate it too.

Windy: I don’t think so.

Cliparti: Why not? Nowadays there is so much of reading material and activities available, which are bound to attract you.

Fluppy: Provided, of course, if you read it!

Windy: Heh, Heh! Very funny!!

Cliparti: Cool it guys. Like, for example, if you visit http://www.science-kids.com/main.htm you will come across some super learning activity books. The lively and humorous text is bound to capture your imagination. You can learn the concepts of physics, chemistry and biology, all with loads of adventure.

Fluppy: What if we want to learn science and not physics, chemistry and biology?

Cliparti: Why, all this physics, chemistry and biology is science.

Windy: He means since he has just general science and no demarcations into these subjects.

Cliparti: I get it. I have science library adventures for you too. You can go to www.eduplace.com/kids/sla/index.htm. and find activities and adventures for yourself. Starting from grade K, I to grade 5 and 6, there are loads of adventures. Learn about the green house, woodlands, the dinosaurs or water’s journey all the way drip dropping, till grade 3. See for yourself how insect metamorphoses and lightning and other sky wonders or space world. Learn about the volcanoes and earthquakes; help to save the earth, the rain forest. Experiment with the microscope and visit the miniature world. All this as an adventure.

Windy: This sure sounds to make the little ones curious about the things around them.

Cliparti: Eventually this curiosity will create an interest within them.

Fluppy: Which will make them more educative and knowledgeable.

Windy: And in turn, to a scientist?

Cliparti: So you agree.

Windy: You’ve convinced me.

Cliparti: Thanks, if I really have.

Fluppy: Hey, what kind of short sentences are you talking in? Have you forgotten your vocabulary?

Cliparti: You think so?

Fluppy: Of course. Look at your sentences. They seem to be so incomplete.

Cliparti: So what do you suggest?

Fluppy: I suggest that, yes, Windy should suggest some good vocabulary site.

Windy: Hey, why bother me? Why don’t you do it yourself?

Fluppy: Because I don’t feel like.

Windy: Neither do you remember any!

Fluppy: As if you remember.

Windy: Of course I remember.

Fluppy: Then why not prove it?

Windy: Sure, why not? Ariolic memler is a powerful vocabulary tool at www.ariolic.com. It uses a unique algorithm to well verse you not only in English but any foreign language. With words over two lakhs, you can learn and improve your vocabulary at ease. To prove myself further, I will tell you of another site that will improve your language. Log on to www.studysaint.com/main.htm. This is a free language learning software. Simple to use, it helps you browse language-learning sites across the net and build a library by selecting vocab and grammar points you want to keep. You can further print out your files in a handy dictionary and even exchange your files with other language learners right on the site.

Fluppy: Okay, so you’ve proved you remember sites. But both of you have forgotten one thing.

Cliparti: What’s that?

Fluppy: You’ve talked of reading material in all the subjects except one.

Windy: Why? We’ve covered all, science, maths, social studies, languages. What else is left?

Cliparti: Nothing that I can think of.

Fluppy: Think hard.

Cliparti: I give up.

Windy: I give up too.

Fluppy: Computers. What else. Don’t we have computers as a subject in school?

Windy: Yes. How did slip my mind? Anyhow I have this excellent site at www.velsoft.com. You can learn all about computers, be it basic or some language or operating system. Know about Microsoft or programming or the Internet from velsoft.com. You can even get to know the various books available on computers. Not only that but 67 computer courses especially for schools in one CD.

Cliparti: Hey, Fluppy are you taking some intelligence pills? It was really brilliant of you to have remembered this.

Fluppy: Thanks. I guess its just growing up with Internet!

Windy: Internet makes your grey matter work?

Fluppy: Now, what’s this grey matter?

Windy: See, he isn’t that brilliant!

— Ira Verma