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Fall is a busy time for squirrels. In most parts of the US, you’ll see them everywhere — walking on wires, searching for food, and driving dogs crazy. How long do they live? Is a squirrel a rodent?  How do they stay warm in the winter? Lets learn more.

1. How long do squirrels live? Compared to a dog or a cat, not that long — on average about one to two years. Some free roaming grey squirrels have actually surpassed 10 years in age, and one squirrel lived in captivity for 20 years. Learn more at bitly.com/2y0g3GV

2. Which is faster, an elephant or a squirrel? According to bitly.com/2yWeBmD squirrels run about 12 miles per hour. An elephant’s top speed is 25 miles per hour. The elephant wins this race, but can’t climb a tree.

3. How far can a squirrel jump… and fall? Squirrels are amazing jumpers… up to 10 feet straight up. See for yourself at https://youtu.be/j7-TtjltFWo. They can also survive a fall of up to 40 feet by using their tail as a parachute. Learn more at  http://bitly.com/2youlSu.

4. Where do squirrels go in the winter? They don’t hibernate, but they do sleep a lot… wrapped in their warm tail. Here are some good links to learn more  http://www.lpzoo.org/blog/what-do-squirrels-do-winter.

5. Is a squirrel a rodent? You’ll find a good discussion about this questions at Mental Floss bitly.com/2xRabQq. Squirrels are rodents belonging to the family Sciuridae. This is a large family of species that include chipmunks, prairie dogs, groundhogs (also called woodchucks), marmots, and flying squirrels.

APPLICATION

Set up a Squirrel obstacle course. We found guidebook (by Darrington, Gardner, Sims and Spivey) that provides step by step plans for making a course in your backyard bitly.com/2xYSRbB.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcBVHzUUEKwnYjdV4Aj1wweYa4ADu6Ptc

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An aquarium lets you bring a small underwater world right into your room.

While tiny fish are hard to pet or take on a walk, they can be fun to watch, and can even have babies. Let’s learn more!

1. The most popular freshwater fish is the Guppy. How long can one Guppy live?
According to PetMD a guppy can live up to three years. They are an ideal starter fish for any fish tank, and the male can grow a beautiful, flowing tail. A female guppy can have live babies every 30 days.

2. What’s the biggest fish ever to live in a fish tank?  Can you imagine having a 40 foot long fish in your fish tank? Obviously you’d need a pretty big tank. At http://www.seethewild.org/whale-shark-facts/ we learn about the world’s biggest fish — the Whale Shark, and the world’s largest fish can grow up to 40 ft. There are several living giant aquarium tanks around the world.

3. What country has the world’s biggest aquarium?  Is it
a) The United States
b) United Arab Emirates
c) Japan

Answer:  According to http://bitly.com/2kPMDp5 the largest fish tank in the world is located in the The United States. Thanks to donation by one of the owners of Home Depot, the Georgia Aquarium’s tank can hold 6.3 million gallons, which is big enough for two Whale Sharks. It’s far bigger than the 2.64 million gallon tank — the second largest — found in a shopping mall in Dubai.

4. How much should I feed my fish? When should I change the water?
At Seaworld http://bitly.com/2jBpNMV you learn all sorts of useful things about getting started with an aquarium. You should only feed the fish as much as they can eat in 2 minutes. And you should change 1/4 of the water every month.

5. What about snails? Clams… and Crayfish?  Can they live in your fish tank? Yes, but you have to be careful because they can eat the fish or create other problems. Visit http://www.aquariumcarebasics.com/freshwater-snails to learn more.

APPLICATION Can you name the fish?  Visit the Australian Fish Museum site, at http://bitly.com/2keQ3P1 and see how many fish you can identify.

APPLICATION Buy a fish tank for about $55. Here’s a link to a starter set with a 5 gal. tank, filter, LED light and pump. That’s everything but the water and fish. One that gets high ratings is the Marineland ML90609 Portrait Aquarium Kit, 5-Gallon. http://amzn.to/2kpSnF1

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcBVHzUUEKwm4SN0mhfIACYAJKvQEarC6&jct=1st2V149pWYADgNU0ynbjSPOcTO1vw

———————————————————————————————————————————————— LittleClickers.com (this page and the associated web site) is sponsored by Computer Explorers. Neither Children’s Technology Review (publisher of LittleClickers) or Computer Explorers has any vested interest in any of the sites listed on this page. Librarians and teachers are permitted to copy this page for non-profit use. To report a bad link, use this form, or contact us. Copyright 2018, Children's Technology Review.

Pokémon collecting has been going on for nearly 20 years. What’s different this summer is the addition of the AR, or Augmented Reality in your mobile phone. Let’s learn more about Pokémon GO.

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1. Where did Pokémon come from? This Wikipedia page http://bitly.com/2aqk3Ev has history of Pokémon, or “Pocket Monsters.”  If you study the URL for the Pokémon company, you can guess the country https://www.pokemon.co.jp/

2. Which is more powerful. A Charizard or a Mew? The strongest characters are listed here http://bit.ly/2amsum6. Answer: Mew.

3. How many Pokémon games and shows are there? A lot. There are now dozens of video games, plush toys, apps and shows. See a full listing on the bulbapedia – a Pokémon encyclopedia http://bit.ly/2a3rOxs.

4. Which Pokémon was first? View the answer to this complicated question on Kotaku (note that we noticed some bad language in some of the comments) http://bit.ly/1ySNELi.

5. T/F The Pokémon GO game was inspired by an April Fools joke. Watch this video made by Google and it explains how Google Maps drive Pokémon GO. The answer is True. Pokémon GO was inspired by a joke https://youtu.be/4YMD6xELI_k

APPLICATION

1.Make your own origami Pikachu- http://bit.ly/2amwOlr

2. How to start Pokemon GO- Here is beginners guide to starting http://bit.ly/29ZLp4y

———————————————————————————————————————————————— LittleClickers.com (this page and the associated web site) is sponsored by Computer Explorers. Neither Children’s Technology Review (publisher of LittleClickers) or Computer Explorers has any vested interest in any of the sites listed on this page. Librarians and teachers are permitted to copy this page for non-profit use. To report a bad link, use this form, or contact us. Copyright 2018, Children's Technology Review.

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Pigs are smart, and can they make good pets. But … did you know that some pigs know how to swim? Let’s learn more about the amazing pig.

1. T/F A pig can weigh more than a car.  At http://bit.ly/1XN3PVU you can see a picture of the world’s biggest pig that weighed 2,552 pounds. That’s more than a small car, such as a Chevy Spark which weighs about 2,300 lbs.

2. How long do pigs live? Most pet pigs live about ten years… a bit less than a dog or a cat. But one lucky pig made to 22 years, setting a world record http://bitly.com/1oTl8ZW.

3. T/F Pigs are messy, smelly creatures. False. Pigs are actually clean creatures. Wonderopolus http://bit.ly/1Qdqbe8 tells us that pigs only roll in mud for sun protection, because they can’t sweat. If you keep them in a clean pen, they like to stay clean.

4. Can a pig swim? At http://bit.ly/1Q0SJJZ you can learn about Exuma Island in the Bahamas, where shipwrecked pigs have learned how to swim.

5. Do pigs live in the wild?  Yes. Texas A&M University  http://bitly.com/1VNkiba tells us a lot about wild pigs. They are good at having babies and eating crops. Called “Feral Hogs,” they can weigh as much as a person, run faster than you can ride your bike (30 mph), and jump over fences.

6. What is a pig’s best sense? Pigs can’t see very well, but they have great snouts, both for rooting and for sniffing. They can even smell a tasty roots when they are underground. Read more at http://nyti.ms/1WTlLwT.

Application:

1. Adopt a pet pig! http://bitly.com/1SdcmRK you can find out if a pet pig is right for you. Hint — ask your mom or dad first.

2. Make your own piggy bank http://bit.ly/WBrYEP

3. Make a pig plate http://bit.ly/1Ova6OU

4. Tell some pig jokes (but keep it clean) http://bitly.com/1QH47rL

———————————————————————————————————————————————— LittleClickers.com (this page and the associated web site) is sponsored by Computer Explorers. Neither Children’s Technology Review (publisher of LittleClickers) or Computer Explorers has any vested interest in any of the sites listed on this page. Librarians and teachers are permitted to copy this page for non-profit use. To report a bad link, use this form, or contact us. Copyright 2018, Children's Technology Review.

It’s the biggest reptile in North America and can live 50 years. Let’s learn more about Alligators!

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1. What’s the difference between a crocodile and an alligator? At the Crocodilian website http://bitly.com/1LAP6sc  you learn that they may look similar, but they are actually two completely different types of reptiles. The Alligator has a shorter, stronger snout that can crack open a turtle shell. The crocodile’s snout can catch fish in salt water.

2. Where do alligators live? Discover magazine http://bitly.com/1KiEgUk  shows where in the USA you’re most likely to find an alligator. They say there are about 5 million living in warm swamps in the southern USA.

3. Can I keep a small alligator as a pet? According to this article, http://bit.ly/1xS3iCy , some people try to keep small alligators, like the dwarf caiman female as pets. But it never ends up with a happy ending. Find out why http://bit.ly/1yGpSF8 .

4. What do alligators eat? With 74 teeth and skin especially adept at sensing vibration, alligators are fierce predators known as lurkers who quietly stalk their prey, and then lunge attack with amazing speed. Find out what they like to eat, and see how they hunt http://bit.ly/1DYTJds

5. How large was the biggest alligator ever? This past August, a family in Alabama captured an 800 pound alligator as part of a population control program. Read how they captured this giant alligator in their local newspaper http://bit.ly/1p5ycbg .

APPLICATION

1. Where can I spot an alligator in the wild? If you are headed to Florida anytime soon, visit one of these nature preserves. http://bit.ly/11o5Tw8

2. Create you own toothy alligator card http://bit.ly/1wokRJW

3. Play some silly online games, with an alligator theme http://bit.ly/15sx3n0

Check out some awesome alligator videos

———————————————————————————————————————————————— LittleClickers.com (this page and the associated web site) is sponsored by Computer Explorers. Neither Children’s Technology Review (publisher of LittleClickers) or Computer Explorers has any vested interest in any of the sites listed on this page. Librarians and teachers are permitted to copy this page for non-profit use. To report a bad link, use this form, or contact us. Copyright 2018, Children's Technology Review.

How long can you tread water, swim, or hold your breath?  What’s the fastest swimming living creature?  Here are some interesting sites and videos that have the answers, and you’ll never even get wet. Remember that all watersports, especially diving, can be dangerous, so never swim or dive alone.

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1. What animal is the world’s fastest swimmer?  At livescience.com http://bit.ly/1korc9a we learn that award goes to a 10 foot long sailfish, who can swim about the same speed most cars go down Garden State Parkway — about 68 miles per hour! Think you could out-swim a sailfish? If you put this speedy fish in a pool to swim a 200-meter race, he could do it in less than 10 seconds. Olympic gold-medalist Michael Phelps takes 1.42 minutes for the same distance at 4.7 miles per hour.

2. What is the sport “free diving” about? At http://www.aidainternational.org you can learn about athletes who compete to see how far they can dive under the water on a single breath. The world record is nearly three football fields deep. This sport can be very dangerous.

3. What is deepest free dive ever? Meet Austrian diver Herbert Nitsch http://www.herbertnitsch.com who can dive over 200 meters straight down which means holding his breath for almost 9 minutes!  At http://bit.ly/1un7xKQ you can read about the 5 deepest free dives ever completed.

4. How long can a human hold his or her breath? At http://bit.ly/1nCizXw you can learn about Croatian freediver Goran Colak who broke the Guinness World Record by holding his breath for 22 minutes and 30 seconds. But he cheated, sort of. He didn’t use regular air. He did something very dangerous and took a deep gulp of pure oxygen.

5. Who made the longest swim without flippers? According to the Guinness Book of World Records (per this obituary http://bit.ly/XnGmB7) Veljko Rogošić holds this record with a record breaking 50 hour swim, without flippers.

A RIDDLE: Two people fall off a cruise ship in the ocean. One is fat and the other is skinny. How long will they be able to tread water?  According to http://bit.ly/1oQpxsI the answer for most people is about 30 minutes. The answer depends on many factors. Are you a good swimmer? Is the water cold? How much body fat do you have?  Body fat makes you float better, so a skinny person will sink faster. In a warm Caribbean sea, a person in good shape could tread water for much longer, in part because they’d be more buoyant in the salty ocean water.

———————————————————————————————————————————————— LittleClickers.com (this page and the associated web site) is sponsored by Computer Explorers. Neither Children’s Technology Review (publisher of LittleClickers) or Computer Explorers has any vested interest in any of the sites listed on this page. Librarians and teachers are permitted to copy this page for non-profit use. To report a bad link, use this form, or contact us. Copyright 2018, Children's Technology Review.

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1. How long is the longest leaf in the world?  At http://www.raffiaonline.com/about_raffia.html you can visit a store that sells leaves that grow in Madagascar, Africa, on the Raffia Palm. The palms grow a thin leaf up to 60 feet in length. It has many uses including making doll hair, ribbons, and hula skirts.

2. Can a leaf kill you? At Popular Mechanics http://bit.ly/160fqbf you learn about ten of the most deadly leaves, some even contain poison. Admire them, from a distance.

3. I’m stuck in the woods. Which leaves can I eat for food? At the Art of Manliness http://bitly.com/14mxgXo you can find 19 plants that could save your life, by serving as food. These include the dandelion., and clover

4. Why do leaves change color? At http://www.foliagenetwork.com you can explore the reasons why a simple green leaf turns to red, yellow, or even purple each fall season. Or you can watch this video for a quick explanation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljPU1nDVq-0

5. How much weight can a leaf hold?  At the Kew gardens http://bitly.com/17BvXmf  you can read all about the giant amazon water lily, with a leaf  that can grow more than 8 feet  across, and support the weight of a child.

Applications

One of the original teddy bears, donated by the Michtom family and on display at National Museum of American History. Photo: Smithsonian

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Some people call them stuffed animals. The toy industry says “plush toys.”

Others say Beanie Babies, Teddy Bears, Webkinz or Build-a-Bears. Whichever you prefer, everybody seems to love stuffed animals. How much do you know about them? Let’s explore!

1. Why are they called Teddy Bears? Visit http://bit.ly/T5zmpa –  the Smithsonian’s blog, to learn how the “teddy bear” came to be. It was created by Morris and Rose Michtom, New York City candy shop owners, and part time stuffed animal makers. When they heard about President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt’s bear hunt, and his refusal to shoot a wounded bear, they sewed together a stuffed animal and gave it to the President. They went on to start their own toy company, the Ideal Novelty and Toy company, to sell their ‘teddy bears.’

2. T/F. Are there beans in a Beanie Baby? False. At http://www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Bean-Bag-Plush-Toy.html you can learn how a Beanie Baby is made from start to finish. (They use small plastic pellets, called poly beads.)

3.What’s the stuff inside a stuffed animal?  At  Beary Cheap http://www.bearycheap.com you can see some of the materials that professional stuffed animal makers use. They say that the right filling helps you get that “take me home” feel. Most modern stuffed animals use materials such as,  poly beads (inside a beanie baby), plastic pellets (also called poly beads) and polyester fill. Older stuffed animals use cotton batting, cotton balls, newspaper, pebbles, or even rice.

4. How big is the world’s largest stuffed animal? Visit  http://bit.ly/VDWVGN and you can see a giant stuffed animal on a mountain in Italy that is 200 feet long. It was made by a group of artists, called Gelitin, in 2008.  It is so big, that it can be seen from Google Earth. The giant bunny took five years to build and it is made of soft, waterproof, materials and stuffed with straw.

5. Can I put a stuffed animal in the washing mashine?   At the Dollar  Stretcher you can find all sorts of tips on cleaning stuffed animal. For general cleaning, try baby wipes, or a damp cloth to spot clean the animals fur. Or, you can sprinkle a little baking soda on your animal, leave it  for about 20 minutes, then, brush it off. Remember to brush your animal with a soft bristle brush to avoid damaging the fur. Some animals can even be washed in the washing machine (as long as it’s on the delicate or gentle cycle).

5. Is my stuffed animal worth any money? Here’s how you find out. First, check the tag. The tag  can tell you who made your stuffed animal. The tag may also have the date your stuffed animal was made. Next, visit the manufacturers website to find out more details about your stuffed animal. Then, look at the condition of your stuffed animal. Is it like new or worn? Finally, check sites like eBay, http://www.ebay.com/, or Doll Values http://www.dollvalues.com where you can learn a lot about similarly priced toys. Did you know one Steiff teddy Girl sold in a Christies auction for  $171,600.00. http://www.bornrich.com/entry/worlds-expensive-teddy-bears.

———————————————————————————————————————————————— LittleClickers.com (this page and the associated web site) is sponsored by Computer Explorers. Neither Children’s Technology Review (publisher of LittleClickers) or Computer Explorers has any vested interest in any of the sites listed on this page. Librarians and teachers are permitted to copy this page for non-profit use. To report a bad link, use this form, or contact us. Copyright 2018, Children's Technology Review.

SIDEBAR

Attributes of a Quality Stuffed Animal Not all plush toys are created the same. Here are some attributes of quality:

• Non-allergenic materials.
• Solid stitching that can survive.
• Weighted with poly-beads.
• Look at the eyes and the nose. These are very important for making the animal look real.
• Washable
• Meaningful. Might resemble a former pet or something of significance.

At http://www.serengeti.org, the official site of the Serengeti National Park, you can start your journey in the photo gallery. The pictures of the land, the animals and the people are amazing. Click on Discover Serengeti to begin.

A new tree frog has been discovered on the Serengeti plains.At http://www.calacademy.org/research/herpetology/frogs/serengetifrog.htm you can read about how a young boy made this important find.

Next, you can try your hand at being a wildlife photographer at http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/serengeti/multimedia/serengeti-game.html. Drive your vehicle around the plains to find and capture animals on film. Make it back to safari camp before dark and you can watch a movie of your photos.

Want to know more about the people who live in the Serengeti?

Go to http://www.maasai-association.org/maasai.html to see pictures and read an article about the Maasai, one of the tribes that lives in this area.

For more fantastic photos, visit http://www.jao.com/africa/serengeti. Here you’ll view 16 pictures of lions, giraffes, antelope and more.

Lions live in the Serengeti, and there’s a big research project there to help us learn more about the “King of the Beasts”. At http://www.cbs.umn.edu/lionresearch_2 you can find answers to frequently asked questions on the Serengeti lions.

Want to learn about fish? Try visiting these cool sites for fish-themed pictures, videos, games and activities.

See Dragons of the Deep– Leafy Sea Dragons are amazing creatures that look like little floating dragons. This site gives you lots of cool pictures and information. http://divegallery.com/Leafy_Sea_Dragon.htm

Tour an Aquarium–in Hawaii!

http://www.waquarium.org/

You can visit the Waikiki Aquarium without leaving your house! This virtual tour takes you to dozens of exhibits where you can learn about all kinds of water life.

Name that Fish

http://www.austmus.gov.au/fishes/

This site from the Australian Fish Museum has lots of pictures and activities. We liked the Identify- A-Fish game.

Visit the UK National Aquarium

www.national-aquarium.co.uk/behindthescenes/

Want to see the grocery list needed to feed all the fish at this United Kingdom aquarium? This site lets you take a peek behind the scenes of daily life at an aquarium.

Set Up Your Own Fish Tank

www.seaworld.org/infobooks/Aquarium/Aquarium.html

If you’re getting ready to set up your own aquarium, this site has lots of useful tips and information.