Answer: Clean Water and Traveling Around the World

Last week, Ms. Hoffman asked you for help in figuring out how to find clean drinking water without having to contribute to pollution with a lot of plastic water bottles. Did you come up with any ideas?

Luckily, Ms. Hoffman has found a good answer that works well for her while she is traveling. She uses a tool called a Steripen.



This tool uses something called ultraviolet, or UV, light to sterilize water. Have you heard of ultraviolet light before? The sun gives off UV light and it can sometimes be bad - it is what causes you to get a sunburn. But, it also can kill off bacteria and viruses. The bacteria and viruses are the things that can make you sick!

This has been a great tool for Ms. Hoffman.

Clean Water and Traveling Around the World

Last week, Ms. Hoffman asked you to learn a little bit more about clean drinking water around the world. This week she will tell you a little bit more about how she finds clean water no matter where she goes.

In many countries, the water that comes out of the sink is not always clean for drinking. Sometimes it has germs and bacteria in it that can make people sick. Here is an article to help you learn more. 



Ms. Hoffman definitely does not want to get sick while she is traveling so she had to find clean water. Some people think that the only answer is to buy bottled water. But plastic bottles can be very bad for the environment. Read about why here.

So, what should Ms. Hoffman do??? Do some research about how to find or make clean drinking water. Write some ideas in the comments!

Earth Day ideas: Water Around the World

Teachers: this website offers a lot of information about water around the world and some activities you could do with your students.

http://www.kidsgoglobal.net/the-issues/water

Clean Drinking Water Around the World

Think about water for a minute. Is water important? Why?



Read some of these random facts about water. Did you know all of that? Ms. Hoffman is guessing that maybe you didn't take the time to read all of the bullet points on that website so she pulled out two that she really wants you to think about.

• Most people around the world have access to clean drinking water but it is a major problem in poorer areas of the world. Water pollution and low quality water can lead to dangerous bacteria, disease and viruses such as E coli and Cryptosporidium.
• Drinking water is needed for humans to avoid dehydration, the amount you need each day depends on the temperature, how much activity you are involved in and other factors.

Did you know that there are a lot of places that don't have access to clean drinking water? What do you think happens to people who don't have clean drinking water?



Here is more Information about clean water around the world. Some of that information is pretty sad and scary isn't it?

Want to learn more or know how you can help? This website will give you a lot of information. Learn more.

Answers: Safari in Singapore

Ms. Hoffman asked you what nocturnal meant and she gave you a picture for a clue. Did you figure it out??

Nocturnal means that an animal stays awake at night and sleeps during the day!

The special safari in Singapore was at night! It was exciting for Ms. Hoffman to see a lot of animals that are normally only awake at night! Here are a few more animals she saw.

Porcupine

Otters

Hyena

Bat

Crocodile

Safari in Singapore

Ms. Hoffman went to a special safari in Singapore. A safari is a place where you can see lots of different wild animals. This safari was special because it was so she could see nocturnal animals. What does nocturnal mean??

Look at the picture for a hint.

Leopard

Cradle of Human Kind, South Africa

Did you know that scientists believe humans evolved from a common ancestor that came out of Africa?  In fact, they believe that humans came out of South Africa. Ms. Hoffman got to visit a place called the Cradle of Human Kind. This is a place near Johannesberg, South Africa where many of the oldest hominid fossils have been found. That means they found of really really old human like creatures. They weren't exactly like humans, but they were pretty close!

Read the quote on the stone. What do you think that means?

Plants the Dinosaurs saw??

Ms. Hoffman got to visit a place called Kirstenbosch Gardens in Cape Town, South Africa. She saw many beautiful plants and animals. But, she was a little sad to learn some things about some of the plants she saw. Some of them are close to extinction. We learned about extinction when we talked about the quagga. Did you know that plants can go extinct too?

There are many plants in the garden and in the Cape Town area called cycads. These plants have existed since the dinosaurs were around.  That means that the dinosaurs saw and maybe ate plants that look almost exactly the same as the ones I saw.

Here are some pictures of what they look like:

The sad thing is that some of these amazing plants are going extinct. Again, it is because people are overtaking their land. Hopefully we will continue to try to save these amazing plants. 

Some plants are already extinct.

Is there anything you can do to help protect plants?

What is a Quagga?

Have you ever heard of a quagga? I'm not surprised if you say you haven't. Quaggas were a special kind of zebra that lived in southern Africa, but they are extinct now. Do you know what extinct means??

A picture of one of the last quaggas ever. 

Extinct is a word that means that there are no more in the whole world. Quaggas are extinct - so there are NO MORE quaggas in the entire world. The last quagga died more than 100 years ago. How do you think that happened?

A painting of a quagga.

The reason the quaggas went extinct was because it was hunted by humans. We also took over its land so it had no place to live. We humans have to be very careful about what we do to the world - otherwise a lot more animals will go extinct.

Answers: Why is it summer in the USA and winter in southern Africa??

Ms Hoffman has been cold here in South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia. It is winter here... Even though it is July and so hot there in the USA. Why is it winter here and summer there?

The answer has to do with how the earth moves around the sun and how the earth is tilted. Look at the diagram.


See how one part of earth is always closest to the sun, either the north or the south? The place that is closest has summer. In June and July the northern part of the world (where the US is) is closest or has summer. At the same time, the south part of the world (where South Africa is) is farthest away has winter.

Why is it summer in the USA and winter in southern Africa??

Ms Hoffman has been cold here in South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia. It is winter here... Even though it is July and so hot there in the USA. Why is it winter here and summer there?

Write down our discuss your ideas with a friend. Check back for answers tomorrow!

What are diseases?!

In the last post, I talked about the vaccinations I needed to get. They were:
1. Typhoid
2. Polio
3. Japanese Encephalitis

What are these diseases?  Use the CDC website to find out more about each one!

Answers: Shots, Shots, Shots!

Here are the vaccinations that Ms. Hoffman should get for each country:
1. Botswana - Typhoid, Hepatitis A
2. Thailand - Typhoid, Hepatitis A
3. Cambodia - Typhoid, Hepatitis A
4. Laos - Typhoid, Hepatitis A
5. Vietnam - Typhoid, Hepatitis A
6. India - Typhoid, Hepatitis A

Ms. Hoffman got a Hepatitis A vaccination in 2007 so she does not need another one. She did get Typhoid. Also, she decided to get two others. She got Japanese Encephalitis because she will be in southeast Asia for more than 1 month and polio because India my require it!

Shots, Shots, Shots! (Vaccinations)

When you travel to other countries, it is important to make sure that you do not get sick. Some people choose to get vaccinations. Ms. Hoffman decided to get several vaccinations. She had to decide which vaccinations she needed to get. Can you use this website to figure out which shots she needs to get if she is going to these countries:
1. Botswana
2. Thailand
3. Cambodia
4. Laos
5. Vietnam
6. India

The website is from the CDC (Center for Disease Control). The CDC is an important government agency that tries to make sure that everyone stays healthy!

Write in the comments which vaccinations Ms. Hoffman should get!