A refuge is a place set aside to protect wildlife and to help make sure the Earth’s ecosystem isn’t threatened. There are many wildlife refuges around the world. They not only protect wildlife and their habitats, but can also be visited! Here are just a few of the amazing animals that gain!
Elephants & Rhinos
Several African countries joined forces. They wanted to protect the stomping grounds of elephants and rhinos. This collaboration created the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, or KAZA. The vast protected land is nearly the size of the entire country of Sweden!
Giant Pandas
Giant Pandas can find refuge at the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuary in China. The sanctuary spreads over several different provinces, making it the largest and most important panda habitat in the world. This widespread sanctuary allows for the panda population to grow by limiting new building and roads through the area.
Orangutans
In Borneo, a large island in Southeast Asia, orangutans are protected by the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation. In their facilities, the foundation heals and rehabilitates orangutans that are in critical danger. These rescued primates are then reintroduced into the environments that are protected by the foundation. After being released, teams keep track of the released orangutans to make sure that they stay safe.
Sea Turtles
Sea Turtles in America are protected by organizations like the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. It was created to protect the turtles. It also monitors and protects the habitats and shorelines critical to the survival of the species.
Tigers
Thailand is home to the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary. This sanctuary is a 1,200 square-mile refuge for tigers. It also provides shelter for other animals that support the local ecosystem. The sanctuary’s efforts to stop poaching have prevented illegal hunting. This has helped the devastatingly low number of Indonesian tigers grow from 35 to 90. That’s almost a 160% growth rate!
Manatees
Manatees can't survive for long in water temperatures below 68º. The Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge was established. It was created to protect these large and gentle sea mammals. The water in the refuge is fed by springs and keeps the underwater environment at an almost consistent 72º. Each year, about 600 manatees find their way to the refuge.
Get Involved!
There are many, many more animal sanctuaries around the world. If you are interested in helping threatened animals, track down a refuge or sanctuary near you. Get involved.
This fun and fascinating project is based on the traditional bobbing for apples game. This game has been a staple at Halloween parties. It is also popular at state fairs and other festive events.
NOTE: In this use, “bob” means to cause something to move up and down quickly, like these apples!
Clean bucket or other deep container
Tablecloth if working indoors
Water
3 apples (more if you want to use this project as a game)
1. Remove the stems from the apples.
2. Fill the bucket until it is almost full.
3. Without using your hands, pick up an apple with your teeth.
4. Notice what happens when you try to bite the apple.
Observation
You should have observed that when you attempted to bite the apple, you pushed it down. This made it difficult to bite before it popped back up. Why?
The Science
Density. The apples float because their molecules aren’t as tightly packed as the molecules in the water.
Just because something is heavy doesn't mean that it can't float! It's all about density and surface area.
Now you can play the traditional Bobbing for Apples game.
*If you want to take this project further to test it, try taking something else from your home to see if it floats. Check with a parent to see if using that item is okay.
For you shut-ins, looking out the window in a constant reminder of winter’s shorter days and chillier times. But that doesn’t have to be the case at all! Now, you can totally change the view and your perspective with these colorful window clings!
Materials Needed
2 or 3 bottles of white school glue Food coloring or liquid watercolors
Glitter glue (optional) Clear page-protector sheet A few toothpicks
1. Add some drops of food coloring or liquid water colors into the glue. Mix well with a toothpick. Place lid back onto glue and shake vigorously until no more white shows through. Repeat this for the different colors.
2. Place the template into the page protector sheet.
3. Use the glue to outline the hearts on the plastic sheet.
4. Fill in the shapes with different colors. Keep it within the outline. Optional: Sprinkle glitter onto the wet glue.
5. Set the sheet aside in a safe place and let dry for a day or two.
HINT: If a cling doesn’t stick because it’s really cold, use a hair dryer. Warm it for a couple of seconds. Then, right away stick it to the window.
6. When the clings start to release from the plastic, stick them to your favorite clean window. Show off your Valentine’s Day spirit!
When you use a match to light a candle, both give off heat and light. But where did that heat actually come from? This experiment will show that heat doesn't always need a flame and bright light. In fact, there is a little bit of stored energy, or potential heat, trapped inside pretty much everything around us. It’s just waiting to be set free.
Materials Needed
Fine steel wool with no soap
White Vinegar
Two disposable cups
Latex gloves & goggles
Copy paper
Hole puncher
Thermometer
Fold the paper in half and punch a hole as close to the middle as possible. Set it aside.
Put the gloves on. Separate some of the steel wool and place it in one of the cups.
Pour a few tablespoons of vinegar into the steel wool and let it soak in for about a minute.
After a minute, remove the steel wool, and shake out the vinegar over the sink.
5. Wrap the steel wool around the base of the thermometer and place it in the clean cup.
6. Place the paper over the cup, making sure the thermometer shows through the hole.
7. Take note of the temperature and then observe it for five minutes before recording the final temperature number.
Observation
What did you notice during those five minutes?
The Science
You should have observed the temperature rising and the steel wool starting to get rusty. Here’s what happened: Things like steel wool are held together by chemical bonds which need energy to stay together. But they are stored under some 'pressure,' like people having a tug-of-war.
The vinegar helps break some of those bonds, acting like a little helper to weaken the 'grip.' The iron atoms rush to combine with oxygen from the air. They form a highly stable new compound (rust). When the stored energy moves into this new, tighter arrangement, the 'extra' energy is released. This release is known as an exothermic reaction, which is why the temperature went up during our observation time.
To start our celebration of, well, celebrations, let's explore this very ancient word, jubilee. We will also see how it came to be. Jubilee comes from the Old Testament of the Bible, meaning it’s over 3,000 years old. That’s a lot of celebrating, but of what? In the Bible, jubilees celebrated important religious events. They served as reminders to stay focused on the important things in life and the gifts that God has given.
Celebrate Freedom
Slavery and debt-bondage were nearly universal in the ancient world. Sadly, they still exist in some forms today. In the ancient Near East, Mesopotamian, Babylonian, and Assyrian kings occasionally canceled debts. They freed many slaves, usually at the beginning of their reigns or to keep order in a crisis. Ancient Israel made this a law and practiced it every seven years. Now, that’s a jubilee!
Celebrate Health
It's not just important to celebrate health, but appreciating and celebrating things that matter actually makes you healthier! Think about it. It’s difficult to be sad while celebrating something. A life filled with celebrations can lead to a happier life. Happier lives are longer.
IMPORTANT POINT Not every celebration has to be filled with cake and balloons. They can be personal and something that brings joy or happiness to your life!
Change the Now, Change the Future!
There's a reason we call it the gift. If you look at right now, you will see this very moment is a great gift! Always remember that how you look at things affects your entire outlook in life. Just by appreciating the people around you and where you are, you change your outlook. When that happens, you also change the outlook of others. Now that’s something to celebrate!
Celebrate Also Means Appreciate!
It’s easy to celebrate when things are going well. It’s more difficult when things are hard. That's precisely when it’s important to focus on the good things in your life. Learning from hardships is a crucial step in overcoming adversity. Celebrating and appreciating what you have helps you navigate the challenges and bumps in the road.
Nearly everything has a bright side. Look for the positive and celebrate it!
When is a fish not a fish? When it’s a starfish! Despite the famous name, starfish are not actually fish. Do you think Patrick from SpongeBob SquarePants knows that? We’re pretty sure he doesn’t mind as they’re both stars in their own right!
Aside from their unmistakable shape, what makes a starfish such a star? Starfish are invertebrates, which means they don’t have spines. They belong to a category known as echinoderms, which also includes sea urchins and sea cucumbers. Cucumbers? Ok, maybe this will help…
There are about 1,900 different starfish species in oceans and seas around the world. Some species can live in polar regions, while others inhabit tropical areas. The smallest starfish are about one inch across; the largest can be up to three feet! That’s a big star! While most starfish have five limbs protruding from a central disc, some species have more! And if an accident or a predator removes one of the limbs, starfish can grow them back!
Dancing with the Stars!
To move, starfish don’t use their long limbs in the way you guess. They have tiny tubes that act like feet under their bodies, propelling them. Their little “tube feet” contract and extend. They clasp onto surfaces. This allows them to pull their whole bodies in the direction they want to move. This can be a slow crawl or bouncy when they are threatened.
Stepping Out with the Starfish
So, as a collection of limbs, how does a starfish eat? Those starry limbs connect to a central body. The central body holds two stomachs: one that breaks down starfish meals. The other stomach absorbs nutrients. Because starfish have no teeth, these two stomachs execute the same role. Additionally, they can even turn inside out to grab and hold food for digestion. And remember those little tubes that help the starfish move? They're pretty powerful at holding things, so they can actually crack open shells of oysters, clams, and mussels! Now that’s star power!
Dressing with the Stars!
As the celebrities of the seas, starfish can deck themselves out in many colors. Some starfish are bright orange, yellow, and even red. Others are purple, green, and blue. Some starfish have patterns, like dots, swirls, or stripes, woven into their colorful exteriors. These colors and patterns work as camouflage against predators or for attracting mates. Yeah, they’re also great for showing off for the camera!
