Strawberry Apple MuffinsDry:1 1/2 c. Flour (for a healthier twist, use 3/4 c. white & 3/4 c. whole wheat) 1/2 tsp. Salt1 3/4 tsp. Baking powder1/2 tsp. Nutmeg1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

Cut in:1/2 c. Butter, softened

Wet:1/2 c. Sugar1 Egg1/2 c. Milk1/4 tsp. Almond extract

Stir in:3/4 c. Diced, peeled apple3/4 c. Diced strawberries

Sift dry ingredients into a bowl, Mix wet ingredients together Combine the two bowls, and then cut in butter with a fork or in a separate bowl, then stir mix together thoroughly with a pastry blender. in the diced fruits. a spoon or hand mixer.

Spoon into 12 greased muffin cups.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick into the middle of one and it comes out clean.

EasyFried

Chicken

Prep: Drizzle olive oil into a skillet and heat up to med-high.

Start with: 2 lb. Boneless, skinless chicken strips

Dip them one at a time into: ½ c. Buttermilk

Then into a mixture of: 2 c. Flour 1 tsp. Salt

Repeat the dipping process for thicker breading.

Place them in the preheated skillet, leaving a little space between them. Flip when cooked just over halfway through, about 10 min.

Remove when fully cooked. Eat up!

RoastedRoasted Asparagus Asparagus

Break off the tough bottoms (usually about 1-1/2”) of the stalks from:

- 2 pounds fresh asparagus

Toss with:

-Olive oil, about ¼ c. -Salt, to taste, about ¼ tsp. -Lemon Pepper, to taste, about ¼ tsp.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 min. , until tender

Top with:

- Freshly grated Parmesan - Roasted almond slivers (optional)

Bake at 400 for another 1-2 min., until cheese is melted

Glow Wars- In this game, you fight with glow sticks in the dark, preferably in the great outdoors in a cleared area with a little moonlight so you don't injure yourself. Don't forget to make sound effects when your glow sticks are wielded through the air.

Tools:-Glow sticks, glow bracelets, or

glow straws, preferably 2 per player

Variations of play:

The ORIGINAL glow wars is simply sword fighting. When an area of your body is struck by the glow stick, it can no longer be used in the war. The war continues until one player no longer has battle worthy limbs to fight with. If a player strikes another in the face, the offender automatically loses that round.

You can play FREEZE TAG style where you must stand still when struck by the person who is it until another player comes along and tags your glow stick(s).

Make YOUR OWN version with your own rules – have fun and don't poke an eye out!

Glow Toss- Tools: 3 glow necklaces, 3 glow sticks per player

Players: 2+

Mark a line from which you will toss your glow sticks. Lay the glow necklaces out in a straight column at 5, 10, and 15 feet from the line. The first player tosses his glow sticks, one at a time, then the second player, and so on. The players get 5 points for landing in the 5ft necklace, 10 for 10ft., and 15 for 15 ft. If a player gets a glow stick in each necklace, that player gets 75 points total. The player with the most points wins.

Night Guard

Plot: You're a spy. As night falls, you sneak into the office of a known international arms dealer. A mole has informed you that there is a list of the dealer's contacts in the safe which is hidden in the floor under his desk. You have the combination to the safe and the office door, but the door also requires a key, unless you want to set off the alarm. Only the most trusted guards are left on night duty in the office building, for they are left with all the keys...

Number of Players: 3+

You'll Need:-12 sets of at least 2 keys each (make sure they'll jingle when picked up, or you can substitute with something else that will jingle)-A clear area at least 7' x 7' -A blindfold

Instructions: -Choose who will be the night guard first. -Blindfold that player and place him in the middle of the playing area. -Place the key sets around him in a 3' radius circle at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 o'clock (in reference to the night guard). -The other players spread out and, in random order, take turns being the spy and trying to take a set of keys without being caught. -When the night guard hears someone taking keys (either the rustle of the spy moving or the jingling of the keys), he has to shout out what “time” the spy is at (for example, if the spy is directly behind the night guard, then the guard must shout out “6 o'clock”). -The most successful spy gets to be the next night guard. Every time the night guard catches a spy, he gets the set of keys the spy was going for. The night guard is not allowed to move around, but may turn his head. Only one spy is allowed to go at a time. If the guard ends up with more than half the keys, he gets to choose who will be the next night guard. The guard has 36 guesses each game. Once these are used, the game stops. The remaining keys are subtracted from the guard's keys.

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History of

Hunting & Fishing in America

By Nicholas C. Cowey

Hunting and fishing are part of our American culture. Many Americans view these outdoor recreational pursuits as an essential to our way of life. Hunting and fishing are not only

satisfying activities, but beneficial to the environment itself. There are also many economic advantages for communities, businesses, and individuals. This study will show the impact hunting has had on the expansion and development of the Western United States. Quite frankly our country would not be the same without hunting and fishing. Hunting and fishing are necessary to maintain a healthy ecological balance in the food chain. Sportsmen area major source of funding for conservation efforts through state and local agencies.

A Hupa Indian out spear fishing c. 1923 Photograph by Edward S. Curtis

The earliest form of hunting in America was subsistence hunting, done for the survival of the Native Americans that were the first hunters. Buffalo was the most desired meat of the big game animals. There were an estimated 600 million buffalo in America before the Europeans appeared. The Indians usually killed only what they needed. Sometimes this was not possible, for example when an easy method of killing buffalo is to scare a herd over a cliff. Hundreds will die, but only a few are able to be salvaged and utilized. Whites often killed the buffalo for the hides and left the rest to rot. This was part of the government’s plan to win the war against the Indians by exterminating the buffalo, which was their source of food and shelter. William T. Hornaday and other conservationists saw the need to protect the buffalo before it became extinct. Thanks to preservation efforts, the buffalo population is increasing and is no longer endangered. Some of the hunting exploits of the past were done with no regard for conservation.

Punting was a sport in the late 1800’s that involved a cannon attached to a boat. The cannon was loaded with lead shot like a big shotgun. The hunters would get close to a flock of ducks or geese and arouse them to take flight. Just as they started to take flight, the cannon was fired. The object was to kill as many ducks as possible with one shot. Usually 30-40 birds was a decent shot. What seemed like an endless supply of wildlife in the early years would diminish over time - unfortunately for some species, beyond the point of recovery.

The famous ornithologist and artistJohn James Audubon killed every kind

of bird possible for his collection and for the purpose of making detailed

paintings. These paintings are the firstdetailed color records of the birds in

America. Some of these birds areextinct today, but we know what they

look like, thanks to Audubon’spaintings. Although it seems harsh to

kill so many birds, it was the best wayof research in those days. This extensive

collection of birds is still important to modern scientists.

Audubon even reports killing 6 baldJohn James Audubon (1785-1851) eagles on the Mississippi River in one Portrait by John Syme in 1826 day and that they tasted quite delicious.

White-Headed (Bald) Eagle by John James Audubon

The fur trade in North America was a strong influence as early as 1670. Fur trapping companies formed to export furs to Europe. The

fur industry was at its highest point during the years from 1800-1840. The demand for furs in Europe was higher than ever for a new style of fashion. The beaver felt hat, especially top-hats, were so

popular that more furs were needed than the current trapping areas could provide. In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson requested that

two men, Lewis and Clark, lead an expedition west to find new areas of beaver country and a route to the Pacific Ocean. The Lewis and Clark expedition would be followed by others who would discover the rich resources of the untouched frontier. The beaver initially

caused the great expansion into the west. It would be almost half a century later that gold would be the cause of expansion. The

trappers' trails became trade routes, and later, roads for wagon caravans. Many of our highways today were built on these old roads, first carved by trappers hunting for beaver. Most of the furs from the

west came through St. Louis, "Gateway to the West." The fur industry turned towns into cities and brought

important commerce and development to many communities in the west.

American Beaver by John James Audubon

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Adventure Survival Tips(These are fun tips that have been researched, but are not meant to be thought of as professional advice. They are not meant to take

the place of common sense and good judgment in any situation that involves that safety of you or others.)

BEARS~ If you're out and about in bear country, don't try to be quiet so that bears won't find you, they don't like to be snuck up on. Make your usual talking, walking, singing noises so they know you're coming and they'll probably leave the area.

~ After fishing, gut your fish on the shore line, pop the air bladder so the guts will sink, and dump them in the water.

~ You can minimize the chances of being attacked by a bear during the night by cooking away from where you sleep and keeping clothes you've cooked in away from you.

FISHINGIf you don't have fishing gear, reach your hands into the water. Reach them down close to the bottom or at least as far as you can go without putting your head in. When a fish

swims between your hands, grab him around the gills and toss him onto the shore.

WATER RESCUEIf someone is drowning and you jump in to save him, make sure you bring something for him to hold on to besides you. A panicked drowning person may pull you both under.

ESCAPENeed to break down a door? Don't use your shoulder – ouch! Try kicking it down with the bottom of your shoe. Aim your kick just to the center of the door from knob and lock.

ICE TREKIf you're going to be crossing icy areas, you might want to bring along a long rope and some big nails. An ice axe and crampons (clamp-on ice shoes) wouldn't be a bad idea either.

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Outdoor Project

“Tin Can” Telephone

Tools & Materials:-String (that isn't stretchy)-2+ disposable plastic cups-Knife or scissors to cut string-A hole punch and a nail to poke holes-Trees or posts to anchor cups to

Instructions:1.) Decide how long you need the string to be in order to go from where one cup will be to where the other will be. Allow room for a knot to be tied in each end.

2.) Poke a hole in the bottom of each cup, 3.) Punch 4 holes in sets of 2 on oppositejust big enough for the string to go through. sides of the cup, about ½ an inch fromThread the string through each hole from the rim. Thread string through these andthe bottom of the cup and tie a knot in each tie it to whatever you are going toend. anchor the cup to.

4.) Make sure your connecting string is pulled tight, but not so tight that it will get pulled through the bottom of the cup. If the connecting string is too long or too short, fix the problem by adjusting the anchor strings rather than the connecting string, if possible. Your setup might look something like the above pictures.

Get creative. Set up multiple communication posts. Be sure the connecting string is visible and doesn't cross any path ways, so no one will run into it.

Your setup of communication posts might look something like the above layout.

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Wisdom of ProverbsHighlights from Proverbs 131 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke. 3 He who guards his mouth preserves his life, But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction. 7 There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches. 9 The light of the righteous rejoices, But the lamp of the wicked will be put out. 12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.

DEFERRED- Delayed, postponed.DISDAINS- To think of as unworthy.

14 The law of the wise is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death. 18 Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction, But he who regards a rebuke will be honored. 20 He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed. 22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. 24 He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.

REGARDS- To take into account, to consider.

Highlights from Proverbs 26

3 A whip for the horse, A bridle for the donkey, And a rod for the fool’s back. 7 Like the legs of the lame that hang limp Is a proverb in the mouth of fools. 11 As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly. 12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. 17 He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.

FOOL- Someone who lacks sense.TALEBEARER- Someone who spreads secrets or gossip.

18 Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death, 19 Is the man who deceives his neighbor, And says, “I was only joking!” 20 Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases. 21 As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife. 28 A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, And a flattering mouth works ruin.

STRIFE- Conflict, struggle.FLATTERING- Insincere complementing.

Highlights from Proverbs 211 The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD,Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. 2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts. 3 To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. 4 A haughty look, a proud heart, And the plowing of the wicked are sin. 5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty. 7 The violence of the wicked will destroy them,Because they refuse to do justice. 12 The righteous God wisely considers the house of the wicked, Overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness. 13 Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be heard. 14 A gift in secret pacifies anger, And a bribe behind the back, strong wrath.

HAUGHTY- Proud, snobbish.DILIGENT- Persevering in accomplishing a task.

15 It is a joy for the just to do justice, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity. 16 A man who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest in the assembly of the dead. 17 He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not be rich. 20 There is desirable treasure, And oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it. 21 He who follows righteousness and mercy Finds life, righteousness, and honor. 23 Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles. 25 The desire of the lazy man kills him, For his hands refuse to labor. 26 He covets greedily all day long, But the righteous gives and does not spare. 31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But deliverance is of the LORD.

INIQUITY- Sin.COVETS- Greedily desires

Highlights from Proverbs 6 1 My son, if you become surety for your friend, If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, 2 You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth. 3 So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; For you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; Plead with your friend. 4 Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids. 5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. 9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep— 11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.12 A worthless person, a wicked man, Walks with a perverse mouth;

SURETY- Someone who will pay someone else's loan if that person does not pay.DISCORD- Tension or strife.REPROOF- Voiced disapproval.

14 Perversity is in his heart, He devises evil continually, He sows discord. 15 Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy. 16 These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.20 My son, keep your father’s command, And do not forsake the law of your mother. 21 Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck. 22 When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep you; And when you awake, they will speak with you. 23 For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life, 30 People do not despise a thief If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving. 31 Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; He may have to give up all the substance of his house. INSTRUCTION- Provision of knowledge and direction.DESPISE- To think of with disgust, to loathe.SEVENFOLD- Seven times as much.

On the next page are some stick figure activity sheets. Make as many copies as you need. There is one for each of the above chapters. Fill in the scene with more props, animals, colors, people, whatever you think should be there. Little kids can just color on them. There's lots of room for improvement, so have at it!

Sri Lanka

Tea Plantation

Sri Lanka

National Flag

Continent: AsiaSize: 40,768 sq. mi. (65, 610 sq. km.), slightly larger than West VirginiaPopulation: 19.5 millionPopulation density: 770 per sq. mi. (297 per sq. km.)Legislative Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura KotteLargest City & Commercial Capital: ColomboReligion: Buddhism 70%; Hinduism 16%; Christianity (mainly Roman Catholic) 7%; Islam 7% Ethnic Groups: Sihalese, 74%; Tamil, 18%; Muslim 7%; Burgher (descendants of Dutch and Portuguese colonist) and others 1%Languages: Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8%, English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10% of the populationLife Expectancy: 76 female, 72 male

This island nation just southeast of India is known for its Ceylon tea.

Arab traders used to refer to it as “Serendib” meaning, ”Island dwelling place of lions”. The island was know as Ceylon when it

became independent from the UK in 1948. Then, in 1972, the country became a

republic and changed its name to Sri Lanka.

History

The Vedda, or “forest people” are thought to be the first people on the island. This scantily-clad tribe believed in animism – which is basically the religion that everything has a spirit, from humans and animals to lightning and sand, and that there is no separation between the physical and spiritual worlds. Today, there are only about 2,500 Vedda left in Sri Lanka.

The first Sinhalese to arrive in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C. were probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced in 247 B.C. during the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa. Great civilizations developed at the cities of Anuradhapura, from c. 200 B.C. to c. A.D. 1000, and Polonnaruwa, from about A.D. 1070-1200.

In the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty established a Tamil kingdom in northern Sri Lanka. The Portuguese arrived in 1505, and gained control of the coastal areas. This included the establishment of Kotte in the western lowlands as their chief city. They maintained this “rule” until the Dutch took over in 1656. The island – with the exception of the highland country with its capital at Kandy – was ceded to the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and the entire island – including the highland country – was united under British rule by 1815. Sri Lanka gained independence from the UK on February 4, 1948, became a republic in 1972, and adopted a new constitution on August 16, 1978.

Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists as the Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) erupted into civil war in 1983. On May 18, 2009, the government announced their military victory over the LTTE. Since the end of the conflict, the government has resettled tens of thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs), and has begun a number of massive infrastructure projects in an attempt to help rebuild the economy.

The Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, considered one October 1947, Independence Square. The of the most holy sites in Sri Lanka. It reputedly formal ceremony marking the start of self rule. It houses an actual tooth of Gautama Buddha, included the opening of the first parliament by the founder of Buddhism, from his 2nd visit to the Prince Henry in the presence of D.S. Senanayake, Island over 2,000 years ago. the first Prime Minister of Ceylon.

Right: Colombo at night. Left: Sri Lanka is home to a variety of animals including elephants, crocodiles, leopards, jackals, deer, boars, monkeys, and water buffalo.

Capitals Although the official capital is Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Colombo is the former capital and still the economic center of the country. Over 2,000 years ago, the Port of Colombo was known to Chinese, Arab, and Roman traders. Today, this major port city handles 30.9 million tons(mt) of cargo annually*, and is home to 5,648,000 people; more than a quarter of the population of the entire country.

Imports/Exports Imported goods include textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery, and transportation equipment. Exported goods include textiles and apparel, tea and spices, diamonds, emeralds, rubies, coconut products, rubber manufactures, and fish. The value of imported goods in Sri Lanka is equal to $11,600,000,000 USD (2010 est.), and the value of exported goods is equal to $7,908,000,000 USD (2010 est.). [*Compare to Shanghai as world leader at 590 mt]

Stilt fishing is a tradition that is Tea pickers at a plantation. A market in Kandy. native only to Sri Lanka.

Sigiriya is one of Asia's major archaeological sites. It has a complex urban planning layout largely from the fifth century A.D. by Prince Kasyapa. So many stories have been told and romanticized about this ancient city and former capital, that

few true facts remain. We do know that Sigiriya is centered on a giant rock which rises 656 feet (200m) above the surrounding landscape. It showcases a unique composition of architecture, gardening, engineering, hydraulic technology, and art. Some of the surface to surface hydraulic systems in the western park still work today. This symmetrical park is thought to have been reserved solely for the use of royals.

Transportation Wealthier families can afford cars, but the average person uses the buses and trains as well as bicycles and motorbikes. Most Sri Lankan cities and towns are connected by the Sri Lanka Railways, the state-run national railway operator. The first railway line was inaugurated on April 26, 1867, linking

Colombo with Kandy. The length of Sri Lankan railways is around 900 mi. (1,449 km). The total length of Sri Lankan roads exceeds 57,000 mi (91,907 kilometers), with a vast majority of them being paved. The government has launched several highway projects in an attempt to bolster the economy. There are also fourteen paved airports and four unpaved airstrips in the country.

Education Sri Lanka has a literacy rate of 92%, much better than that of its northern neighbor, India, at 61%. Their school system dictates nine years of compulsory schooling for every child. Most schools educate grades 1-13 in the same school.

Houses Those who can afford it make their houses of brick, reinforced concrete, and tile. Those who are poorer often build their houses of woven palm branches, wood, and other readily available materials.

Right: House being rebuilt after 2004 Tsunami.

Left: circa 1910 (colorized) Sri Lankan villagers beside their woven palm branch hut.

Food & Clothing Sri Lanka has been influenced in these areas by surrounding countries as well as the west. Colombo has McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Pizza Hut. Even so, boiled rice with curried vegetables and/or meat along with spices, as well as sambols (spicy side-dishes), pappadam (a thin, crisp bread), and chutney still make up the typical Sri Lankan lunch and dinner. The most common breakfast food is called “hoppers” which are wafer thin cup-shaped pancakes made with rice flour and coconut milk. They are eaten with poached eggs, curries, honey, and other add-ons. Another common dish is the ceremonial dish of kiribath, translated “rice milk”, a kind of rice pudding made by cooking the rice in thick coconut cream.

Kiribath meal.

Most Sri Lankan men wear a sarong, meaning “sheath”, a strait skirt strongly resembling the women's redda, which is a wrap around skirt. With these sarongs, men usually wear a button up shirt much like those of western style. With the redda, women wear blouses occasionally accompanied by a type of sari. Trousers are worn by most men of upper class and are becoming more common amongst men in general. Some men even wear a T-shirt and shorts. Some Vedda still don their traditional clothing - only aloin cloth for the men and only a skirt for the women.

Native FruitsBeing a tropical country, Sri Lanka is blessed with a huge variety of fruits such as bananas, mangoes, rambutans, pineapples, papayas, wood apples, cashew apples, melons, mangosteens, passion fruit, and guavas.

Mangosteen – These distinct Southeast Asian fruits are said to taste like a mix between grapes and strawberries.

______________________________________________

MAP ITTerrain: Mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central

interior.

Coastline: 833 mi (1,340 km). Sri Lanka is known for its golden-copper hued sand.

Elevations: Low: 0 mi. at the Indian Ocean,High: 1,568 mi. (2,524 km) at Mount Pidurutalagala

Land Use:Arable land: 13.96%Permanent crops: 15.24%Other: 70.8% (2005)

Weather: Sri Lanka has a tropical monsoon climate with a northeast monsoon Dec.-Mar. and a southwest monsoon Jun.-Oct. with average monthly temperatures of 78-82 F (26-28 C) and average monthly rainfall of 2.5-14.1 in. (6.3-35.8 cm.)

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"Go West young man..." were famous words said by Horace Greeley, editor of the New York Tribune. When in 1862 Congress passed the Homestead Act, many people decided to take the government up on their offer of land, by making the land productive. By the end of the century, in 1890, Congress declared that there was no more West and that this great age of adventure had ceased. No more long cattle drives, no more stagecoach, no more daring explorations-what happened to this great age? In the 1880’s were many new developments that brought about the decline of the Wild West.

One of the first developments that brought about the decline of the West was the introduction of railroads. The railroad industry began before the Civil War, but the first transcontinental railroad was not completed until 1869. The railroad production greatly affected the West. "But it must be said that the western railroads had done much to hasten the settling and closing of America’s last frontier."1 On the other hand, the railroads in the beginning were beneficial, because, "The western railroads solved the problem of distance, bringing many settlers to the new lands and opening up eastern markets for western agricultural production."2 The railroad greatly enhanced the work of the cowboys but the railroads also destroyed it.

The Jupiter riding on the first transcontinental railway as Indians look on from the hill above.

The 1880’s were the peak of the railroads, because many of the railroad lines were finished during this decade. In September 1883 the last spike of the Northern Pacific was driven. The Northern Pacific went clear across the northern states, and greatly aided in the transportation across the continent. In 1883, a second Southern Pacific line across Texas and Louisiana from Sierra Blanca to New Orleans was built. This railroad line, connecting to the main Southern Pacific line, aided in the cattle industry production. The Canadian Pacific was also built in 1885, which gave more railroad lines to the Northern part of the country, connecting it to the Great Plains region.

Another development that aided in the decline of the West was the settling of farmers. When the farmers began moving west, it was due to the development of the railroads and new farm technology. With these new rail lines, many new farmers were able to go across the country to develop the land that had originally been for the cattle. This was partly due to the development of barbed wire by Joseph Glidden in 1874. Barbed wire "revolutionized land values and opened the Great Plains to homesteaders by providing a cheap means of fencing, which enabled farmers to stake out free homesteads."3 Farmers not only used barbed wire to stake out their land against other farmers, but also against the cattle that herded through the open range. Barbed wire helped cause the decline of the West. On the other hand, the ranchers who anticipated that barbed wire would ruin their ranching began to use it to their advantage when they quit the open-range method to one of settlement. Once the West had been settled, there was nothing else left but to grow each small town into a large one with production.

Another reason that the cattle business subsided was a hard winter in 1886-1887. This winter wiped out many of the rancher’s herds and caused them great discouragement by the loss of their cattle. This became the worst recorded winter in the Great Plains Canadian region. Along with barbed wire and other new technology, this hard winter helped eradicate the long-range cattle-drives of the West. Barbed Wire

The development of railroads, farming, settling, and technology in the 1880’s caused the decline of the West. The settlement of the West has become an American National Pastime to reminisce about. Many books and movies have been written about this time, for the settlement of the West was a romantic idea to the American people. The settlement of the West was of great interest to the American people. For as Frederick Jackson Turner said, "Up to our own day American history has been in a large degree the history of the colonization of the Great West."4 This statement clearly portrays American sentiment towards the rise and fall of the Wild West.

1 John F. Stover, American Railroads (Chicago: University of Chicago Press,.1961), 103.2 Ibid., 66.3 Howard R. Lamar, The New Encyclopedia of the American West (New Haven, Conn.:Yale University Press, 1998), 80.4 Michael R. Lowman, George Thompson, and Kurt Grussendorf, United States Historyin Christian Perspective: Heritage of Freedom, 2nd ed. (Pensacola, Fla.: A Beka BookPublications, 1996), 330.Article cover photo: "The Cow Boy" c. 1887 in Sturgis, Dakota Territory by John C. H. Grabill (1866–1934)

The Killer Whale

Scientific Name: Orcinus Orca

Class: Mammalia (mammals)

Order: Cetacea (whales, dolphins, and porpoises)

Family: Delphinidae (dolphins)

Average Length: 24 ft. (9.1 m.) Record Male: 32 ft.(9.8 m.)Record Female: 28 ft.(8.5 m.)

Average Weight: 5.5 tonsRecord Male: 10 tonsRecord Female: 7.5 tons

Babies: The mother usually has only one baby at a time. The baby is called a calf, and typically takes 15-18 months to develop before birth. At birth, the calf can be up to 8 ft. (2.4 m.) long and weigh 400 pounds (181 kg.). Babies have either black or gray with yellow-orange coloring. This yellow-orange color fades into white as the calf gets older. Weaning (getting the baby to eat adult food instead of nursing) begins when the calf is about a year old, and by the age of two the baby is completely weaned. It is estimated that 37%-50% of killer whales die before they reach 8 months old.

Life Span: Females: average 50 years, but can live to be 90 years old. Males: average 29 years, but can live up to 60 years.

Diet: Killer whales eat fish, squid, whales, porpoises, seals, sea lions, walruses, birds, and even some sharks.

Home: All oceans

Although killer whales live all over the world, they prefer higher latitudes (areas farther away from the equator) and coastal areas. The largest population is believed to be in the icy waters of the Antarctic. It is estimated that there are roughly 25,000 of them there.

Killer whales hunt in packs, also known as pods, of 4-40. The dorsal fin (the fin on its back

that sticks up) can get up to

6 ft. (1.8 m.) high on males.

To protect the calves, a pack

of killer whales will form a

circle and swim with the

calves in the center.

Killer whales are smart and are often trained for performance.

The killer whale, also commonly known as an orca, is actually a large dolphin. God gave the killer whale, and all dolphins, lungs to breathe with. So, in order to do this, they come to the surface and breathe air through their blow hole, located on top of their head. When they reach the surface of the water, they contract the muscle that holds their blow hole closed, and they inhale air into their lungs. It's estimated that killer whales can hold their breath for up to 15 minutes, but they usually surface for a breath of air every 4 or 5 minutes. When you see water being blown from the blow hole, the orca is exhaling used air which clears the outside of the blow hole area of any water that would otherwise be inhaled.

Like all cetaceans, killer whales use underwater sound for orientation, feeding, and communication. These sounds include clicks, whistles, and pulsed calls. When orcas use echolocation, they emit sounds which travel through the water. The sound waves then bounce off objects and back to the orca. The orca interprets the received sound waves to determine the distance, size, and other characteristics of objects, including prey. Killer whales also have keen hearing and eyesight, both above and below water, and a good sense of touch.

(Page 52 is a reproducible coloring page.)

The shape and size of the white markings on killer whales varies. They are divided into 4 types (types A, B, C, & D) based on these markings, as well as diet, region, and adult size. Notice the differences in designs between these orcas:

Type C Mother & Calf Type B

-Bible: Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright ©1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

-Foreign Lands: Information taken from the CIA World Fact Book and numerous other resources.

-Adventure Survival Tips Liability: These are fun tips that have been researched, but are not meant to be thought of as professional advice, nor are they meant to take the place of common sense. Dabble Magazine, LLC. is not liable for any accidents or injuries resulting from following advice in this or any of our articles. Always obtain professional advice and use good judgment when safety is involved.

-“Maps” that are photos taken from space are originally from the NASA Blue Marble Project.

-All photos below are from: commons.wikimedia.org (there is no filter on the search tool, so I don't recommend letting your kids use this site). Underlined websites are listed to fulfill copyright licensing. If you wish to know more about the licensing, or want to download a copy of the photo for yourself, you may use the listed link.

Adventure Article: History of Hunting and Fishing in America by Nicholas C. Cowey1 A smoky day at the Sugar Bowl--Hupa--Public Domain by Edward S. Curtis c. 19232 John James Audubon Portrait Public Domain by John Syme c. 1826 3 The White Headed Eagle Public Domain by John James Audubon4 The American Beaver by John James AudubonAdventure Survival Tips:1 Grizzly Bear Alaska (1) – by Shellie (http://www.flickr.com/people/85853969@N00)Foreign Lands: Sri Lanka1 Tea Plantation (also in table of contents) – by Mckay Savage2 Temple of Tooth – by McKay Savage3 Sri Lanka Independence – Public Domain4 Elephants in River – by Aidan Jones5 Colombo at Night – by Dyl866 Stilt Fishermen – by Bernard Gagnon See: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stilts_fishermen_Sri_Lanka_02.jpg 7 Tea Pickers – by Christophe Meneboeuf 8 Kandy Market – by Angelo Juan Ramos (http://www.flickr.com/people/86518301@N00)9 Sigiriya Rock (left side of page) – by Santhoshj10 Sigiriya (right side of page) – See: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sigiriya-palau2.jpg11 Train Station – by Christopher (http://flickr.com/photos/47038415@N00)12 House Construction – by Sarvodaya Shramadana (http://flickr.com/photos/49268158@N00) from Colombo, Sri Lanka13 Ceylon Village – Public Domain14 Kiribath – Public Domain15 Sri Lankan Family – Public Domain16 Mangosteen – Public Domain17 Sri Lanka Map – CIA World Fact Book, Public Domain, editedCreatures: Killer Whale1 Whales Jumping – Public Domain through U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration2 Whales Performing – by chung-tung yeh (http://flickr.com/photos/28084931@N00)3 Type “C” Mother & Baby – Public Domain through the United States Federal Government4 Type “B” Killer Whale – Public Domain through the United States Federal GovernmentTimes Past: The Decline of the Wild West1 "The Cow Boy" c. 1887 in Sturgis, Dakota Territory Public Domain by John C. H. Grabill2 The Jupiter riding on the first transcontinental railway Public Domain3 Barbed Wire by mikecpeck (http://flickr.com/photos/49502991649@N01/268338)