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Big Learning News 3-23-04 |
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Big Learning News Welcome to Big Learning News, and a special welcome to our new subscribers. Questions or comments? Just reply to this e-mail. Advertise in Big Learning News or on BigLearning.org. Our rates are reasonable and our subscribers have excellent taste, at least in newsletters. E-mail for rates and other information: info@biglearning.org . Forward Big Learning News to all your smartest, most well-informed friends. Check Your Spam Filter: If you or your ISP have toughened your spam filtering recently, take a moment to set your filter to allow email from kcole@biglearning.org . Table of Contents New on BigLearning.org: Science Fair Project Links
New on BigLearning.org: Science Fair Project Links Is your school science fair coming up? Check out the project idea links on BigLearning.org, at http://www.biglearning.org/sciencefair.htm . Bird Books for Early Spring The crocuses are up and a few robins have been sighted. Does the approaching springtime makes you think about exploring nature again? These two books may give you some bird-related events to look for as you venture outdoors. Urban Roosts: Where Birds Nest in the City by Barbara Bash (Little Brown & Company, 1992). There's plenty of nature in the city, and Urban Roosts can help you find it. Many species of birds have adapted to city life and build nests in predictable places - you just have to know where to look. This book includes drawings and descriptions of common urban birds and their preferred nesting and roosting spots. Some city birds nest year-round, which makes them perfect for early spring observations. On the Wing: American Birds in Migration by Carol Lerner (HarperCollins, 2001). Sightings of migrating species herald the coming of spring. This book describes nine types of migration habits, including long-range and east west migration. It includes maps of inter-continental "migration highways" and ranges of migrating species. Even more fascinating is the science behind the migration - scientists are beginning to understand how birds find their way and what triggers their migration. Throughout, the writing is clear and engaging. If you've noticed robins appearing or geese on the wing, this is a great way to understand more about your observations. Web Site The other day I heard someone say, "I read them the riot act." "Where did that phrase come from?" I wondered. Luckily I knew about Phrase Finder. The site had this to say about the Riot Act phrase: "In English law the control of unruly citizens was the responsibility of local magistrates. If more than twelve people didn't disperse after the Riot Act was read to them the magistrate could order their arrest. No longer applies in law as the 1715 Riot Act was superseded by the 1986 Public Order Act." Phrase Finder has meanings and explanations of hundreds of common idioms. Web Site What would it be like to be standing in the middle of the Alaskan Tundra? How about on a beach in Baja California? With Don Bain's virtual guidebook, you can find out. Not really a guidebook at all, this site is a collection of panoramic Quicktime movies of sites throughout western areas of Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. You just click on each site name, and then use your mouse to spin the view through a full 360 degrees. It really is the next best thing to being there.
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