Hannah Davis receives her Yellow Belt from Chuck Norris
Kick Start From Chuck Norris and his Wife
Trip to Philadelphia Teaches about U.S. Independence
By Imani Ross-Hall
July 11, 2009
Editor’s Note: Imani Ross-Hall, is a Kid Reporter for Scholastic News. She is on vacation with her family. She is her blog: My Vacation to Mount Rushmore.
John Trumbull’s painting, Declaration of Independence, depicting the five-man drafting committee of the Declaration of Independence presenting their work to the Congress. The painting can be found on the back of the U.S. $2 bill. The original hangs in the US Capitol rotunda. Photo Credit: Library of Congress
We would like to know what you think? We would like to hear from you what you are doing with your family this summer dan@youngchronicle.com
July 4th is the celebration of a new beginning. The fourth day of the seventh month is the day I always believed the Declaration of Independence was signed, binding the original 13 colonies together as a united nation.
But I recently discovered that is not accurate. During the summer my family is learning a little bit more about our American History by visiting the many historic sites in my city. We are doing this mainly because the fascination of discovering the little details that have fabricated our side of the world has always made my family curious.
Recently, we visited Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We also visited the Second Bank of America, the First Bank of America, and many other places around the Birthplace of Independence. But, it was Independence Hall that gave us the most information about our prestigious signers of the Declaration. About 80 percent of Independence Hall has been the same since it was built around 1732. The rest was restored to look authentic.
Many people do not understand the signifigence of Independence Hall. Originally it was called the Pennsylvania State House, but later, after the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, it became Independence Hall because it was the birthplace of our independence from the Great Britian.
During the tour we went into the signing room and the supreme court room. The picture above is the most accurate portrait of the signing of the declaration. The signing room is an accurate recreation of that picture. I really wanted to learn more, so after the tour, I asked the tour guide (who was a park ranger) a little more about Independence Hall. Here are a few of the things he told me:
July 4th is not the day the Declaration of Independence was signed. It is the day Congress adopted the document and had it printed so that it could be distributed and read to the public. The first public reading was in Philadelphia on July 8. None of the signers were present at that reading. It was not signed by the founding fathers until August 2, 1776. George Washington did not sign the Declaration of Independence because he was busy fighting the British!
If you are interested in learning more about how we became the United States of America, you should come to Philadelphia and check out all the cool historic places here. The best part is…most are FREE! But if you can’t come, you can always go online and take a virtual tour. A good place to start is the National Constitution Center.
Source: Scholastic News Online
Day At Mount Rushmore
by Katy Slagel
Scholastic News
July 11, 2009
Editor’s Note: Katy Slagel, is a Kid Reporter for Scholastic News. She is on vacation with her family. She is her blog: My Vacation to Mount Rushmore.
We would like to know what you think? We would like to hear from you what you are doing with your family this summer dan@youngchronicle.com .
You can see eye to eye with these four presidents-if you are 465 feet tall!
As soon as I got home from school on that very last day, I was so excited I thought I was going to explode! My dad, step-mom, sister and I were driving all the way to South Dakota from Michigan to see Mount Rushmore.
I have always wanted to see it, and my dream came true that day. Lots and lots of packing was on the schedule, but it was totally worth it when we got there.
I was blown away when I gazed up at the carefully sculpted masterpiece. It was difficult to think that this sculpture was once a towering mountain, and that more than 400 men and women worked on the monument for 14 years. Building began in 1927 and ended in 1941. I couldn’t believe that so many people dedicated their lives to build Mount Rushmore for just $8.00 a day, which was a lot of money back then. They had to work really hard. To get to the top of the monument they had to climb 506 steps! Some did this every day.
The sculptor was Gutzon Borglum, who died the year before the carvings were finished. His son was in charge of Project Lincoln the final two years of the work.
A great deal of the sculpting was done with dynamite! More than 800
pounds of stone was blasted off the face of the mountain. Did you know that each President’s head is as tall as a six-story building? Or that each president’s nose is 20 feet long, each mouth is 18 feet wide, and their eyes are 11 feet across? As soon as I saw the four humungous presidents cut from rock, I knew exactly who they were: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.
When it was time to leave Mount Rushmore, I didn’t want to go. Everything there was so fascinating! If I ever go to Mount Rushmore again, I hope we can stay there longer!
Source: Scholastic News Online
Magical Nature Journey -Forest Baby
Harry Potter” Star Charged with Planting Ten Cannabis Plants
July 10, 2009 by Dan
Filed under Entertainment
By Fox News
July 10, 2009
The 19-year-old actor will have to appear in court later this month for the charges stemming from an April arrest.
Waylett, who plays Potter bully Vincent Crabbe, was busted when cops pulled over his vehicle in London and allegedly found eight bags of marijuana. He was taken to a nearby police station before a team of officers raided his mother’s home in Camden, the Daily Telegraph reports.
A Metropolitan police spokeswoman said the actor would appear in court late this month and “is charged with producing a Class B drug, nearly ten plants of cannabis.”
The plants – valued at more than $3,000 – were allegedly found among DJ equipment and a Playstation, the Telegraph said.
Waylett may face up to 14 years for cannabis production, while the maximum charge for cannabis possession is five years.
Source: Fox News
Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com
Splish Splash Baby
Splish Splash Baby — powered by flowgo.com
Fun With Music Sing Along Disney Pt1
Funny!!! Lion King Song!!! ( The lion sleeps tonight)
Keep Kids Safer Around Medicine
By SafeKids
July 9, 2009
Editor’s Note: Please check out the video in our video section.
We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com
Each year, more than 1.2 million children ages 5 and under are unintentionally poisoned and 44 percent of these poisonings are from prescription drugs and other medications.
What young kids see and reach, they usually put in their mouths and as their mobility and capabilities increase, they can reach medicines and household products wherever they’re stored.
It’s important for adults who are around children to keep medications away from little hands-even if you’re not a parent. Twenty percent of the prescription drugs accidentally taken by children 4 and under belong to someone who doesn’t live with the child.
Is it medicine or is it candy?
Safety Tips
To help prevent medication-related poisoning, follow these safety tips:
- Store medications locked out of children’s sight and reach.
- Buy child-resistant packages when available, but remember that although child-resistant packaging is not 100 percent childproof, it has prevented hundreds of deaths.
- Keep products in their original packages to avoid confusion.
- Don’t take medicine or vitamins in front of kids and don’t call them “candy.”
- Don’t leave medicine in your purse or an unlocked kitchen or bathroom cabinet. Don’t put it on the kitchen counter, bedside table or leave it unattended while you are using it.
- Read labels to find out what can be poisonous. Keep those things separate from toothpaste, soap and other things you use every day.
- Always read labels, follow directions and give medicines to children based on their weights and ages. Only use the dispensers packaged with children’s medications.
- Don’t involve children as “helpers” with your medication. They should not remind you to take medicine or bring you water.
- Tell grandparents and friends about avoiding medication poisoning when your family visits their homes.
Q&As of the Week
Q: What are some of the most common poisonous items for children?
A: While medicines are one of the causes of poisoning in children, children are also poisoned by products such as cosmetics, cleaning substances, plants, toys, vitamins, pesticides, lead, and carbon monoxide.
For more info, visit www.usa.safekids.org/poison