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Formula for fitness

Barbara Yost

The Arizona Republic

Arizona, U.S.A., Oct. 15-First it was teasing by schoolmates. Then Bo Campbell could no longer fit into boy-size clothes. His appetite was bottomless, and it seemed only junk food could fill him.

Lena Campbell loved her son so much for what was in his heart that she missed the signs his body was growing too big, too fast for an 11-year-old. It was a fifth-grade field trip into the Grand Canyon, where Bo struggled to keep up with his friends, that convinced Campbell it was time to get help.

Bo is one of thousands of school-age children who have suffered from obesity.

"One of the key issues is that kids who are overweight may not have a lot of obvious health problems now, but down the road there are health issues that could come up," says Peggy Stemmler, a physician and president of the Arizona chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

There's reason to be optimistic.

"The younger you are, the easier it is to change behavior," Stemmler says. "You have a real window of opportunity."

Since 1976, obesity rates have increased in American children from 7 percent to more than 15.3 percent and in adolescents from 5 percent to more than 15.5 percent, according to the American Obesity Association. Complications can include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, bone and joint problems and depression.

Nutritionists say it's often difficult for parents to spot the warning signs or see their children as anything but perfect.

Campbell wants to tell her story, and that of Bo's success, so other parents can recognize when their children are at risk for obesity. Campbell found a way to make her son as great on the outside as he is on the inside.

"If we can do it, anyone can," the Scottsdale mother says.

[Read about Bo as a baby and young child at http://www.azcentral.com/health/diet/articles/1015obese15-CP.html]

It was on that trip to the Grand Canyon that Scott Campbell recognized something had to be done as he watched his son huff and puff climbing out of the Canyon. He told Lena they had to do something for the health of their son.

"I beat myself up for not seeing it," Lena Campbell says. "It made me sick inside."

Success was only a treadmill away. Scott Campbell found Bo an exercise specialist, J.D. Durso of Maximum Fitness in Scottsdale. Within a year, Durso changed not only Bo's lifestyle but that of his family, as well.

"We talked about nutrition, the overindulgence of carbohydrates and choosing better carbs," Durso says. "Lena was very open to discussion."

Durso advised the Campbells to alter their eating habits, cutting out junk foods and preparing healthful meals - whole wheat pastas and whole-grain breads - at home. Not a speck of white flour can be found in the Campbell house now.

They don't eat late anymore. Treats come sparingly. Lena Campbell packs him nutritious lunches, but Bo can occasionally choose to buy lunch at school, even if it's a little off his diet.

Bo is 12 now and in the seventh grade. He's 5-6 and weighs 140 - that's a BMI of 22.6, or normal. He likes to shop for kid clothes - baggy pants, cool T's. His attitude has changed, too.

"I'm more energetic. I'm more included now than excluded," Bo says from a friend's recent birthday party. "I'm able to do a lot more. I'm stronger."

Bo learned from Durso that he can still have all the foods he loves, including party pizza, just not every day and not in excess. Changing his lifestyle was difficult at first, but Bo says it paid off.

"I really enjoyed it because I had success," he says, adding that Durso makes a workout fun.

Durso says not every overweight child needs a personal trainer to lose weight, but he considers it money well spent. Most important, he says, is for parents to spot the warning signs that their family's lifestyle is a recipe for obesity. Classic signs are classmates' ridicule, overweight children crying when they go up a size in clothing and being embarrassed to be seen in a bathing suit.

With a family's support, kids can get back into the swim.

"I think the children can be successful if they have the desire to be," Durso says. "The lifestyle has to change."

http://www.azcentral.com/health/diet/articles/1015obese15-CP.html

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Getting schooled on classes

Parents get taste of what kids learn at Edu-Prize school

Lindsey Collom

The Arizona Republic

Arizona, U.S.A., Oct. 15-A handful of parents and students dipped fingers and brushes into small cups of paint and touched them to the orange paper tacked up in the junior high hallway of Edu-Prize Charter School.

Anne Ascoli of Ahwatukee Foothills traced a circle in red with her index finger while hovering over her 13-year-old grandson, who was painting a sword.

"It kind of looks like corn," seventh-grader Chris Ascoli-Beyette said, examining his creation.

The 55-year-old Ascoli laughed, saying that was her guess. They were painting petroglyphs as part of Edu-Prize's quarterly Cottage Fair.

Every nine weeks, families are invited to participate in classroom activities with their children and see what they've learned.

"We focus on the multi-sensory approach . . . and this gives parents a chance to experience for themselves if they're brave enough to step up," said Keith Marshall, a junior high social studies and language arts teacher. "It's a real family environment."

Parents went through their child's class schedule, switching rooms every 20 minutes while teachers helped with activities that mirrored recent studies. Science teacher Chris Burt had groups play a flashcard game that included terms from genetics and cellular reproduction. Parents visiting Shakira Norman's social studies class deciphered whether certain texts contained bias or reinforced stereotypes.

Giving parents a feel for their child's classroom experience entices them to get involved, Norman said.

"This gives them the confidence and desire to be a part of the system," Norman said. "In order for an educational system to work, you have to have all the components working together. Parents are just as crucial as teachers."

Findings from a January 2003 report from the National Center for Family & Community Connections with School in Austin indicate that students with involved parents were more likely to attend school regularly, earn higher grades, pass their classes, graduate and go on to college. Those findings were irrespective of income or background, the report noted.

Chris said he feels fortunate that his grandmother wants to be involved in his education. She went with him to the school's open house and has been enthusiastic, he said.

"She loves me a lot," he said. "She really would do anything to have me feel supported."

Thomas Mike, 44, of Chandler, has been attending his son's Cottage Fairs for more than five years. His son, Tommy Jr., is in seventh grade.

"It's a great experience," Mike said. "The knowledge is overwhelming."

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/tempe/articles/1015Geduprize08Z10.html

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Lakeland kids 'publish' their books

By Linda Theil, The State Journal

HAMBURG TWP, Oct. 14- �Haylee Black, 7, waited patiently for her turn at the publishing center in Lakeland Elementary's media center.

Two parent volunteers used ClarisWorks software to take dictation from individual students. Lakeland students use the center to put their own writing in what their teachers call "book perfect" form.

When it was her turn, Haylee read from her "draft book" of work in progress.

"I have a kitten. Her name is Kenya. She likes to play with string. She sleeps with me on my pillow. She is cute," Haylee read.

After Haylee retrieved her writing from a printer, a parent volunteer proofed the document, and Haylee departed for her second-grade classroom to begin the task of illustrating her work.

"I put my cat in it. I put me in it. I put sparkles on. After that, I tell someone the story, and after that, we put it in the publishing box, and after that, we're all done with our piece of writing," Haylee said. "It's fun."

JOHN M. GALLOWAY/Special to the State Journal

Reading, writing and publishing: After having her book "published," Tiffany Valencia, 8, draws illustrations for her book last week at Lakeland Elementary School in Lakeland.

The publishing center is a project of Lakeland's School Improvement Team.

In the spring of 2002, the committee decided that publishing a single individually created book once a year as they had previously done was not meeting the students' literacy needs.

"The school improvement team decided that one book each year didn't support reading and writing the way we wanted it to," said Laura Heatwole, 40, a parent and team member. "We wanted to make the publishing center more a part of the culture of the school instead of a one-time thing."

Balanced literacy is designed to teach a child the relationship between reading, writing, speaking and listening and guides each child individually through the process.

Kids hit the ground "writing" in kindergarten.

"Years ago, we used to do a Letter People program," said Fran Cox, Lakeland kindergarten teacher and literacy coach. "We introduced one letter at a time and based activities around one letter a week. But we realized that children come in with so many different abilities, a lot of children already know their letters and are ready to take on a whole lot more."

Using the balanced literacy approach, children are encouraged to think of a subject, plan how they want to draw the subject, draw the picture and then write about it.

Cox proofreads their writing and puts it in book-perfect form. Initially, the book-perfect form is created by the teacher hand-printing words the student has spoken and attempted to write.

As the teacher introduces the idea of "publishing," she prints the student's words in a page format from her classroom computer or sends the student to the publishing center.

"As our understanding of balanced literacy grew, we saw the importance of the publishing center," said literacy coach and second-grade teacher Sue Ruggles.

"The whole idea is getting students' writing in text form so they see their writing as they're reading. They illustrate the writing and share the writing with their class."

http://www.lsj.com/news/schools/031014_learn_4b.html

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Children thrive with a pet pal in the family

By Celia Hall, Medical Editor

Oct. 14-The spirits of Tom Kitten, Mrs Tiggywinkle and Jemima Puddleduck live on. New research has found that one child in five plays dressing up with the family pet while one in 10, especially young girls, push their pets around in prams.

The survey also found that contemporary culture had an impact on children's activities with their pets. More than half, 53 per cent, watched television or videos with their favourite animal.

A total of 176 pet-owning families took part in the survey. They had between them 338 children, 129 dogs, 94 cats, 22 fish, 30 assorted mice, rats, gerbils and hamsters, 35 rabbits, 18 guinea pigs, seven reptiles, 17 birds in cages, one pony and six groups of poultry.

Nearly half the children went to their pet if they were bored or upset and a third sought out their pet, in this case mostly a dog, if they felt scared. A third went to their pet if they felt poorly, 85 per cent used their pet as a playmate and 37 per cent had their pet beside them when they were reading or doing their homework.

The survey, to be released today at the conference of the Society for Companion Animals, also looked at the risk of zoonoses - animal diseases that can pass to humans.

Dr June McNicholas, a health psychologist at Warwick University said children's exposure to animals in the first year of life reduced the risk of allergies.

Her survey showed that pets had wide access to the household and that hand washing after contact with pets was either rare or not insisted upon.

Children frequently shared food with pets, even when they were not supposed to. Some of them shared their beds. The report says: "Hand washing routines, however desirable, are almost impossible to adhere to.

"For example, many pets are fed at human mealtimes and many share snacks whilst the child watches TV - the one for you, now one for me type of snacks, like crisps and sweets."

Elizabeth Omerod, the chairman of the society said yesterday: "Contact with animals in the first year of life can protect children against allergies and there are other social benefits. Children learn patience. They learn to consider the needs of another and not to put themselves first."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/10/14/npet14.xml&am p;sSheet=/news/2003/10/14/ixhome.html

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N.Y. law encourages kids credit unions

By MICHAEL GORMLEY

ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

ALBANY, N.Y., U.S.A., �Oct 13- Some adults' finances are collapsing like a house of credit cards. Some college graduates aren't paying their student loans. Some college students are inundated with credit card offers that get them deep into debt before their first real job.

So what's next? Credit unions for elementary school students, under a law signed by Gov. George Pataki last week.

But rather than providing a new clientele to pile up more debt, schools and credit unions say the banking facilities will provide children credit to learn how to avoid being adult debtors.

Savings accounts have been in schools for decades.

But credit unions that offer savings and checking accounts, debit cards, ATM cards, even credit cards and loans have cropped up in recent years. The goal is for students to learn to build and protect credit and to budget. Students who seek to be the tellers and managers also learn to handle job interviews and others' money, the credit union officials said.

Credit cards are usually restricted to fifth graders and above and only with a co-signing parent. Loans also are cosigned and balances for credit cards and loans are kept low, usually to no more than $200 or $300.

The New York law allows branches in schools and prohibits teachers, administrators, parents and relatives of the students from joining or using the credit union, according to the law sponsored by state Sen. Stephen Saland, chairman of the Senate Education Committee.

No students have been ensnared in credit debt from the credit unions, according to financial officers in two long-standing programs.

"Our experience has been wonderful," said Natalie McLaughlin, education partnership coordinator with the Community Federal Credit Union based in Plymouth, Mich. "With the rise of bankruptcy rates, financial institutions are very concerned about that with young people," she said. "We're hoping it sinks in."

About 1,200 students in 17 schools are members of the credit union. They can apply at 13 or 14 years old for a Visa credit card with parental permission, but that is rare, she said. Most students get the card when they are 15 or 16.

"Parents have really been requesting that students get credit cards so they can learn to use them before they go to college, so that allure of having multiple credit cards can be controlled by parents better," she said.

Students use credit to buy on the Internet and to secure cellular phones as well as for emergencies. One boy borrowed against his savings to buy printing supplies for brochures to advertise his own business of doing chores around the neighborhood. A girl borrowed for a new bike for a newspaper route and paid it off from her earnings.

"My kids used debit cards and they learned a lot," said Leni Hockman of Alternatives Federal Credit Union that has operated the Dollars and Dreams program in the Ithaca, N.Y.-area for 13 years.

"My son has been a great example of a kid who couldn't keep a quarter in his pocket," she said. "Somewhere along the way he learned the value of savings ... so as a little one wanting a Sega (computer game system) he saved enough money to do that and it sort of changed his whole way of thinking around, that 'I can do it by savings.' That's the point."

�http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/apbiz_story.asp?category=131 0&slug=Kid%20Credit%20Unions

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ROLE MODEL

Woman's Love Of Children Makes Her A Hero In Their Hearts

--Angela Lee

La Plata, Mo.--This week's Heartland Hero is described as a woman who never turns her back on anyone and is always ready to lend a helping hand.

84-year old, Buna Wood, of La Plata, Missouri has spent her life, surrounded by the laughter and innocence of children. Life has not always been a fairytale but despite a few hardships here and there, Buna Wood, loves life.�� She says, "I've had a good life and I could live it all over again and never change a bit."

Wood has taken care of children most all of her life, starting at the age of nine, she walked the younger kids to school. She adds, "I went to homes, and took care fo kids and took them to school, cause we had three miles to walk.� That is really far and they were too little to go by themselves."

She is the oldest of seven, a mother of ten and even now, helps to take care of seven little ones.� She helps to get them ready for school and even prepares a little snack when they return. Granddaughter, Paula Sullivan adds, "She still goes.� She's had two hip surgeries.� That is more than I could ever handle. Every morning she watches my daughter and feeds her before she reads to her and she takes care of the other kids, way more than I can ever do." Sullivan says her grandmother has an unconditional compacity of love, and that she's a woman who's never turned her back on anyone.

Wood says it is important that, if you can do something to help somebody, it also helps you. She adds, "Never, ever think you're better than anyone else; Never. And look around and there's always somebody that can use your help if you want to put it out."

Wood advises, simply make your bed every day and that will give you a good day.

Buna Wood was nominated by her teenage granddaughter, Cassie Wood of� La Plata, Missouri.

http://www.ktvotv3.com/Global/story.asp?S=1480770&nav=1LFsIVYL

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ROLE MODEL

Jaguars teaching kids teamwork

By Nyree K. Bowen, Community Relations

�

Oct. 13-Tuesday, October 7 was a special day for NFL players in all 32 league cities. Over 300 players volunteered at local United Way agencies as part of the NFL and United Way's Fifth Annual Hometown Huddle Day, a national day of community service.

Despite rain throughout the day, Jaguars players and staff, along with volunteers from United Way of Northeast Florida, were host to more than 70 kids from various agencies across Jacksonville.

This year's activity took place on the Jaguars' old practice field adjacent to ALLTEL Stadium. The event featured an exciting field day experience designed to emphasize the importance of teamwork and what it takes to be a team member in the community. The event highlighted seven key reflections of TEAM: Accountability, attitude, respect, compromise, cooperation, tolerance, and togetherness.

The Jaguars players partnered with participating youth to reinforce these important fundamentals through the field activities.

The program kicked off with a roaring welcome from a few of The Roar cheerleaders and a short motivational talk from defensive back James Trapp. Some of his fellow teammates who joined him on this special day were linebacker T.J. Slaughter, wide receivers Cortez Hankton and Matthew Hatchette, offensive lineman Marques Ogden, quarterback Quinn Gray, defensive tackle Matt Leonard, running back Joe Smith, center Brett Romberg, punter Chris Hanson, long snapper Joe Zelenka and corner back Kiwaukee Thomas.

http://www.jaguars.com/Story/3203.asp

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Kids serious about sport�

The young competitors on the BMX circuit dream of being high-earning professionals.

By JOSEPH MALDONADO, Daily Record correspondent

October 13-As Christopher Fisher of Taunton, Mass., pedals his bike across the finish line, a judge begins shouting out the places of the competitors. Fisher has just finished seventh out of eight, and he is not happy.

Christopher was one of 843 racers to compete at last weekend�s Quaker State Nationals, an official BMX event at John C. Rudy County Park in East Manchester Township.

Christopher throws his bike to the ground, and cries openly in frustration. Though he is only 8 years old, he places a lot of pressure on himself to win, according to his father, William.

Christopher is not alone.

Over and over, kids come across the line and perform the same bike-throwing ritual.

�In about five minutes, he�ll be over it,� William Fisher said.

In fact, as his 3-year-old sister, Courtney, rushes over to congratulate him on a good race, Christopher grins and goes back to enjoying himself. Most of the kids angry about losing recover in about the same amount of time.

Most of the riders in the big weekend event were young amateurs like Christopher.

Some racers didn�t seem old enough to be in kindergarten. In many instances, the trophies were bigger than the children who won them.

But while the pressure got to some of them, a majority of competitors came across the finish line with smiles.

Hundreds of parents took turns waiting at the finish line to give their racers hugs and high-fives. Soon after that, they were on the phone making celebratory calls, as if their child had just won the Super Bowl.

�As parents, we really are proud of them no matter what,� William Fisher said. �But it�s a race and some of these kids care a lot about winning.�

It is the dream for some of these racers to turn professional some day. If they can make it to that level, the reward for winning and cost of losing will increase dramatically.

The entry fee to compete this weekend was $45. Much of that money went into a pool that professionals can earn from. It will also help pay for trophies and other overhead.

�Pro races paid anywhere from $80 to $875 this weekend,� said Clayton John, president of the American Bicycle Association, which sanctioned the event.

But some racers will have paid a lot of money to travel, sleep, eat and race in York County, only to leave empty-handed.

�We live two miles away and still spent between $400 and $500 this weekend,� said Dave Cunningham of York. �This is not a cheap sport to participate in.�

Dave and his wife Kelly had two children race over the weekend � 13-year-old Brandyn and 8-year-old Heather.

They say the sport is sometimes nerve-racking to watch. Heather has already been involved in a face-first accident this year that left her face bruised.

�Her helmet absolutely saved her,� Kelly Cunningham said.

But Heather was quick to get back on her bicycle to race again.

�I can�t believe she keeps doing it,� her mother said. �But our kids� desire for competition makes our support worthwhile.�

http://ydr.com/story/sports/14426/

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BOOKS

Help kids learn about mushrooms in their yards

CAROLINE PARR

Date published: 10/14/2003

IF YOUR LAWN looks anything like mine, you've got a terrific crop of mushrooms this fall.

They come in all shapes and sizes, from ghostly white ones the size of dinner plates, to delicately fluted ones in shades of brown and gray, to bright orange ones with dark speckles.

Mushrooms appear so mysteriously and look so enticing that children are drawn to them.

But anyone who's read "The Story of Babar" by Jean de Brunhoff knows what can happen if you eat wild mushrooms.

When Babar the elephant leaves the city for a visit to his childhood home in the forest, he finds that the old king "had eaten a bad mushroom. It poisoned him and he became ill, so ill that he died."

No child who sees the picture of the wrinkled old elephant, green with illness, lying next to a pair of bright red, spotted mushrooms, will ever forget it. (The story ends happily, of course, when Babar himself is crowned the new king and marries his beloved Celeste.)

Peter Murray explains just how mushrooms grow in his easy science book, "Mushrooms."

First he shows readers the mycelium and explains how it feeds the fungus. Then, a bit of wet weather helps the mushroom to reproduce, and next thing you know, those ghostly umbrellas are pushing up through the ground.

Murray discusses edible mushrooms but is careful to point out that more than half of all mushroom species are either unappetizing or even poisonous. "The best rule is, look but don't taste!"

In her book, "Mushrooms," science writer Millicent Selsam begins with a bit of history. "Mushroom stones" that may have been used in religious ceremonies were carved in Mexico and Central America 4,000 years ago, while mushrooms appear in Egyptian art, in Greek and Roman writings, and in medieval herbals.

Today, mushroom growers use compost to grow the fungus commonly known as button mushrooms, the ones found in the local grocery store. The black-and-white photographs are not as dramatic as Murray's, but elementary school readers will appreciate her more detailed explanation of scientific processes.

Sylvia Johnson has also entitled her book "Mushrooms," but this offering for older readers combines beautiful photographs with more detailed information about the differences between fungi and ordinary green plants. Everything from parasitic mushrooms (including one that sprouts from the pupa of a moth!) to the origins of fairy rings to the beautifully named puffballs, earthstars and stinkhorns is covered.

"The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet" by Eleanor Cameron may not be scientifically accurate, but this simple science fiction tale has been a favorite of third- and fourth-grade readers for generations. Chuck and David are two ordinary boys who answer an ad in their local paper for "a space ship about eight feet long, built by a boy, or by two boys, between the ages of eight and eleven "

With guidance from a mysterious astronomer, Mr. Bass, who adds the all-important rocket engine, the boys fly to the planet Basidium, where they must save the mushroom people from a most horrible fate. Luckily, their pet chicken, Mrs. Pennyfeather, has joined them on the voyage, and she plays a key role in saving the Basidiumites.

Finally, share Mirra Ginsburg's picture book, "Mushroom in the Rain," with your preschooler to find out what happens to a mushroom in the rain. You and I won't be a bit surprised to discover that it grows!

http://www.freelancestar.com/News/FLS/2003/102003/10142003/1121910

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Karate kid�

By Parna Sarkar-Basu / News Staff Writer

Tuesday, October 14, 2003

WESTWOOD -- Nine-year-old Matthew Haddad recently earned his black belt in martial arts, making him the youngest student in Westwood and possibly in Massachusetts to earn the honor.

Haddad, like coach Steve DiOrio and family, is extremely proud of his accomplishment.

"I feel great because I've made history," said the young student. "I worked hard at it."

"Matt is a very willing student. He got the maturity and discipline sooner than most kids do," said DiOrio. "In addition to physical skills, he is very disciplined and self motivated."

"As far as I know, in our style" Matt is the youngest student in Massachusetts to get a black belt, said DiOrio. However, it is difficult to confirm since there are so many schools and programs in the state, he said.

"This is really a milestone," said his mother, Debora, an Everett Street resident. "The skills he learned will stay with Matt his whole lifetime."

Haddad joined the Recreation Department's karate class while in pre-school. According to his mother, that was the only class he could attend that did not conflict with after school activities.

"He is very focussed and really enjoys the program," Debora said.

Getting a black belt is more than just mastering the kicks and chops. In addition to repeating the moves, "they have to show some ability to teach," DiOrio said.

"I teach them the art and they internalize it," said DiOrio. "I inspire it but in the end, it does come out of the kid. Every junior black belt is an apprentice teacher."

Westwood has eight junior black belts with an average age of 11 to 12 years old and Matt is an assistant instructor to DiOrio.

"Little kids look up to him and he really enjoys it," said his mother.

This summer, eight martial arts students took the test, five for first degree and three for second degree black belts, said the instructor, who has been teaching professionally for the last 12 years.

"The purpose of the test is to make them do things they have done hundreds of time but do it under pressure," said DiOrio. It is to see how the students respond under pressure, not "bring fighters into this world."

http://www.dailynewstranscript.com/news/local_regional/wstw_karatekid10142003.ht m

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Children's gathering in Tutong�

�

By Abd Hamid HAR, Borneo Bulletin

�

Tutong, Brunei, Oct 14- More than 1,000 primary school students from Tutong District took part in a children's gathering yesterday. The District Officer of Tutong, Awg Hepnie Abang Haji Abu Hanifah was present to grace the event.

Aside from some of the fun activities organised - such as 'blow the balloon till it pops', treasure hunts, quizzes and 'sweets-collecting race' - students from Tutong I and II also put up an aerobic exercise show. There were performances by Sekolah Rendah Sengkarai as well.

http://www.brunei-online.com/bb/tue/oct14h21.htm

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SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY

This dome brings stars to earth for children

Express News Service

New Delhi, October 13: Stargazing is always fun but as the students of DAV School, Sreshtha Vihar, found out today, one needn�t crane the neck looking skywards.

The students had a dome-shaped giant planetarium as classroom and a computer-generated starfield simulating before them images of the night sky. We are talking about a portable planetarium that brings astronomy, earth science and weather right into the classroom.

Dehradun-based Constellation Mobile Education & Learning Technologies (CMELT) showcased the portable Starlab Giant Planetarium from the stable of Learning Technologies Inc. Deep Bali, partner in CMELT, said: ��The planetarium is designed as a learning instrument and meant to trigger scientific enquiry among students.��

Claiming this to be the first in India, Bali said the portable planetarium can also be used by NGOs and institutes for special children. ��It�s convenient and saves on the time and expense of a field trip.�� he said.

The planetarium consists of an inflatable dome with an array of projection cylinders. The dome is made from nylon-reinforced, flame retardant and industrial grade fabric. It can accommodate up to 90 children at a time. It has an entrance tube 4.5 feet high and 4 feet wide. Air vents keep the temperature comfortable. The dome can be made ready in 10 minutes.

Students enter the dome and sit around the borderline. Using a rotating projector and projection cylinders, images are revealed on the dome�s periphery from inside.

At Rs 100 per student for a one-hour show, it was fun at its best. ��We had till now read about galaxies and the Milky Way in books. Today, it was as if these had come alive,�� said Ankur, a student.

Instructor Siddharth Trivedi, who is also a partner in CMELT, said the focus in such programmes is on interaction. ��Students are free to ask questions at any time during the show,�� he said. The topics vary from astronomy, earth science, physical science, geography, weather patterns to navigation.

��As far as astronomy is concerned, over 3,000 stars are projected to a limiting magnitude of 5.5 with the 14 bright stars individually lensed to produce intense pinpont images,�� said Bali. The star locations are accurate to within one minute of right ascension and 6 minutes of declination.

He informed that the global tectonic projection is based on the work of Dr Paul D. Lowman on the continental drift theory at the Goddard Space Flight Centre. This map shows active ridges, faults, spreading centers and volcanic activity over the past 1 million years.

�

� http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=65584

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SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY BRINGS KIDS TOGETHER

Uganda, Tanzania Children Join UN's Schoolnet

By Wairagala Wakabi, The East African (Nairobi)

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