Recipe for Successful Writing (PSSA Review) A Review of the Components of a Narrative, Persuasive, Informational, and Compare and

Contrast Created using ideas created by and in collaboration with Mrs. Brumfield

Messiah CollegeInstructional Plan Template for

Elementary, Early Childhood, and Secondary Education

Name: Jenna Max Subject: Language ArtsDate: April 2010 Topic: Writing

Grade: 5 School: Middle Paxton Elementary

A. Instructional Goals and Learning Outcome Learners will be able to identify components of a narrative piece of literature and will be able to compose narrative writing.

Learners will be able to identify components of informational/expository texts and will be able to compose informational/expository texts.

Learners will be able to identify components of a persuasive text and will be able to compose a persuasive piece of writing.

Key Learning: Genre influences organization, techniques, and style of writing.Unit Essential Question : How does genre influence organization, techniques, and style of writing?

B. Pennsylvania Academic Standards

Standard: 1.4.5.B Write multi-paragraph informational pieces (e.g., essays, descriptions,

letters, reports, instructions): Use relevant graphics (maps, charts, graphs, tables,

illustrations, photographs).

Standard: 1.4.5.C Write persuasive pieces: Include a clearly stated position or opinion

and include supporting details, citing sources when needed.

Standard: 1.5.5.A Write with a clear focus, identifying topic, task, and audience.

Standard: 1.5.5.B Develop content appropriate for the topic: Gather, organize, and select

the most effective information appropriate for the topic, task, and audience and write

paragraphs that have a topic sentence and supporting details

Standard: 1.5.5.C Organize writing in a logical order: Use appropriate transitions within

sentences and between paragraphs and include an identifiable introduction, body, and

conclusion.

Standard: 1.5.5.D Write with an understanding of style, using a variety of sentence

structures and descriptive word choices (e.g., adjectives, nouns, adverbs, verbs) to create

voice. Include specific details that convey meaning and set a tone.

Standard: 1.5.5.E Revise writing to improve organization and word choice: check the

logic, order of ideas, and precision of vocabulary.

Standard: 1.5.5.F Use grade appropriate conventions of language when writing and

editing: Spell common, frequently used words correctly, use capital letters correctly,

punctuate correctly, and use correct grammar and sentence formation.

Standard: 1.7.5.A Identify differences in formal and informal language used in speech,

writing, and literature.

C. Essential Content

Narrative: -Dialogue-time order words (time connectors) beginning, middle, end-conclusion-introduction-hook -sequence orderStory elements: characters: antagonist, protagonist, wish, setting, problem/struggle, events, turning point, climax, solution/resolutionInformational: -Essential components: research, facts, thesis statement, topic sentences, conclusion sentencesPersuasive:-purpose is to persuade-Includes: bias, opinion-persuasive essential terms and elements: convince, bias, time order, defend, support, humor, target audience-Scare propaganda tactics: claim, using big names, logos, pathos, ethos, kairos, ads commercials, band wagon Comparison:

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-cue words: also, and, both, same, similar, alike, like, Contrast: cue words: difference, different yet, although, on the other hand, in contrast, but, however

D. Instructional Objective (description of Summative Assessment Strategy)Context / Given Students will administered the PSSA state-wide tests

Performance / Behavior

Capability : Learners will able to demonstrate their knowledge of the elements of each genre of writing

Specific Action : Students will compose several writing pieces (including persuasive, informational, compare/contrast, and narrative) from given prompts on the PSSA test

Quality Students must score above the average state requirements on

the given assessment to demonstrate mastery.

E. Instructional Sequence

1. Pre-instructional Phase (preparation)

To prepare for each lesson, I will start by having student review the elements of successful writing (Using the SMARTboard lesson attached). For each day, we will be covering a different genre of writing: narrative, informational, persuasive, and compare/contrast. To start out each lesson, I will begin with an activating strategy that will have students do a variety of things to review the elements of the genre under study for the day:

-paired heads: identify and list the type of writing that would be used for provided topics/purposes-whole-class discussion of what elements would be necessary for the given genre-Think-pair-share: categorize types of writing within certain genres-Mini-review lesson (if topic proved to be difficult for many students)

2. Instructional Phase (engagement)

For each daily lesson, I will engage the class by explaining the essential content for the day.

-This will take multiple forms:-verbally teaching the essential content with supplements on the SMARTboard-modeling certain skills, processes, and principles on the overhead or

whiteboard-having students participate in scaffolded/modeled activities that practice writing

or identifying genres of writing pertaining to the topic genre of the day

3. Post-instructional Phase (strengthening/practice) & Extending and Refining

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For each daily lesson, I will provide strengthening activities through supplemental practice activities and graphic organizer booklets for students to engage in to develop competency, fluency, and confidence in the skills and content being taught.

-Activities will consist of: relay writing, story element sort, read and label activities, and short online text examples to read and identify genre and elements of the genre.-A booklet or “recipe book” consisting of graphic organizers for each genre of

writing will be provided for each student. During and after the lessons, students will record essential content and important information regarding each genre within the “recipe card” inside the booklet. This will provide students with an additional form of scaffolding and will give students a resource to use for studying and for future writing composition.

F. Summative Assessment (Consistent with Instructional Objective)

For this unit/lesson, the summative assessment will take the form of the state-wide PSSA Assessments. Students will complete the writing portion of the PSSA’s throughout the week following the lesson. To demonstrate mastery, students will apply their knowledge to score average or proficient on their PSSA assessments.

G. Modifications and Accommodations

-Students with IEP’s will be placed in a small group setting during testing. They will be read all directions aloud and will receive necessary scaffolding according to the regulations of the PSSA’s and according to the accommodations detailed in their IEP.

-For the lesson, students who have difficulty seeing the board may come to the front of the class and sit with a clipboard to take notes and participate actively in the activities.

-I will provide the SMARTboard activity along with all other classroom materials for the lesson online so that students and parents can access the information from home and can receive extra practice with the material (this will also help with our high rate of absenteeism: students will be able to have the necessary information at home so that even if they miss the lesson, the will still be provided with helpful material and supplemental practice with the content covered in class).

H. Resources

1. Materials-SMARTboard Lesson-Student “recipe” booklet- Online source: http://www.fablevision.com/place/library/telefables/eyebrow_story.html-Slates and whiteboard markers-Copies of informational/expository articles-Timer-Scrap paper

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-Overhead markers-Whiteboard markers-Whiteboards

2. Advance Preparations-Make copies of student “recipe” booklet-Prepare SMARTboard supplements for daily lessons-find narrative, persuasive, and informational texts/articles

3. References

SAS - Pennsylvania Department of Education Standards Aligned System. (n.d.). SAS - Pennsylvania Department of Education Standards Aligned System. Retrieved February 8, 2010, from http://pdesas.org

I. Daily Lessons (repeat for each daily lesson)

RECIPE: NarrativeDay 1 Time Expectancy: 1:10-2:20LEQ:1. What are the essential components of a narrative writing piece?2. How do the essential components of narrative impact the message of a written piece?3. Why is using detailed descriptions of people, places, and things essential in a narrative?4. How can I use dialogue to create mood or tone?5. How can I use story elements to create conflict and engage my audience?Anticipatory Set (Expectancy, Motivation, Interest, Attention)

Daily Vocabulary during Narrative Review: Review the power pointNarrative: details, essential components, dialogue; -time order words (time connectors): beginning, middle, end, conclusion, introduction and hook, sequence order; -characters: antagonist, protagonist; -elements: wish, setting, problem/struggle, events, turning point, climax, solution/resolution

Specific Learning Activities and InstructionUse the Smart Board Slideshow to display the Key Learning and Unit Essential Question:

1.) Identify the Genre, Components and How to write a (narrative) Story Activity: Put students in groups of two, play the online narrative story and have pairs identify the genre, and list the components or parts (necessary ingredients) of a narrative story on a piece of paper.

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http://www.fablevision.com/place/library/telefables/eyebrow_story.html If time, have students describe in writing how to write a narrative.2.) Distribute “A Recipe for Successful Writing” booklet and have students turn to the matching recipe card graphic organizer for narratives for students to complete during the review. -Review the components/ingredients of a narrative whole class on the Smart Board -have students verbally share as well as list the components/ingredients of a narrative on the recipe graphic organizer on the Power Point and have them copy it to their recipe graphic organizer. -have students explain in words how to write a narrative listing the steps in order on the Power Point and have them copy it to their recipe graphic organizer.

3. Narrative Relay Activity: 1.) Group students in groups of four and hand out four pieces of notebook papers with two pieces of paper stapled to it per group. 2.) Explain that each group will create 4 complete stories which will have a hook (will be completed last but placed at the beginning, so have students leave the first half of the first page blank) a beginning, middle, end, and conclusion. 3.) Explain that each student will create a title for their story, skip half the page for the hook to be put in last, and create a beginning to their stories which includes a setting and characters for a timed 2 minutes. When the timer goes off, groups of four will rotate their stories clockwise and the next person must read what’s been written, and add to the story keeping in mind there must be a beginning, middle, end, and introduction and hook – (to be added to the top of the first page when all is done) for the same amount of time. When the timer goes off again at 3 minutes, groups must rotate papers, read what’s been written, and add to the story, and so on and so forth each time (which increases one minute with each rotation) until the entire story is written.

Post-instruction Have the groups read all four or their groups’ stories and choose the best to share with the

class. Have groups pick the most expressive reader in their groups to read their story to the

class. After each group reads, have groups huddle to reflect on the elements of that story and provide feedback on the inclusion or omission of needed story elements and share whole class.

***Discuss focus, content, style, and effectiveness***

Review (Wrap-up and closure) -Have the class vote on one story out of all the groups’ stories which should be word processed and added to School Wires and Eagle’s Nest. -Review the necessary elements from the recipe card (turn and tell)(Have pairs quickly from memory list the components/ingredients to a narrative piece)

Extending and RefiningChallenge: Review of Narratives: Students will be given a historical fiction narrative or other narrative prompt and will write a narrative story.

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RECIPE: PersuasiveDay 2 Time Expectancy: 1:10-2:20 LEQ:1. What are the essential components of a persuasive writing piece?2. How do the essential components of persuasion impact the message of a written piece?3. How do effective writers use organizational structures to better persuade4. How does an effective persuader influence his/her readers?5. How do writers select techniques to persuade an audience?Anticipatory Set (Expectancy, Motivation, Interest, Attention)-Read a student example of a persuasive piece and have pairs of students analyze the piece for inclusion of:

1.) An introductory paragraph with a hook and thesis (with three points of argument)2.) Three points or arguments, topic and supporting sentences for each of these three points3.) A conclusion paragraph which restates the thesis. ***Discuss whole class***

Specific Learning Activities and InstructionUse the Smart Board Slideshow to display the Key Learning and Unit Essential Question:

1.) Identify the Genre, Components and How to write a (persuasive) piece Activity: Have students take out their “recipe” booklet and open up to the persuasive recipe-Review the components/ingredients of a persuasive whole class on the Smart Board -have students verbally share as well as list the components/ingredients of a persuasive on the recipe graphic organizer on the Power Point and have them copy it to their recipe graphic organizer. -have students list the steps in order on the Power Point and have them copy it to their recipe graphic organizer.

2.) Begin scenario activity:-Students will be broken up into groups of 4 or 5-Each group will receive one of the following scenarios:

1.) Your school is too hot, there is no air conditioning. You are trying to convince your school to invest in air conditioning.2.) The toy store’s prices are very high. You cannot afford to buy your favorite games. You are trying to convince the store to lower its prices. 3.) You want to have an allowance. Your parents are not fond of the idea. You are trying to convince them that giving you an allowance would be a good idea.4.) You want to own a cell phone. You think it would be helpful and beneficial; however, your parents/guardians do not want to buy you one. You are trying to convince them that it would be a good investment.5.) You want to go out for a sports team, but your friends and family aren’t fond of the idea. You are trying to convince them that it is a good idea and that it would benefit you to go out for the

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team. 6.) You want to set up a lemonade stand to raise money for a charity. Your neighborhood is very strict about setting up stands and selling things along the street. You are trying to convince the neighborhood that your stand would be a good idea.

-Each group will need to create three points of argument for the scenario provided CHALLENGE: if time, students should provide a thesis, hook, intro, and conclusion-Each station will take 3 minutes, and students will rotate to each station once-At the very last station rotation, students will create a thesis for their given scenario

Post-instruction After students have finished their station rotations, we will review each scenario,

having each group share points of argument they came up with ( students who wrote the thesis for the scenario will share this as well)

Discuss valid arguments and target audienceReview (Wrap-up and closure) -Review the necessary elements from the recipe card (turn and tell)(Have pairs quickly from memory list the components/ingredients to a persuasive piece)

Extending and Refining-CHALLENGE: choose your favorite scenario and write a short persuasive piece using any three points of argument

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RECIPE: Informational/expositoryDay 3 Time Expectancy: 2:55-3:30LEQ:1. What are the essential components of an informational writing piece?2. How do the essential components of an informational writing impact the message of a written piece?3. How does the topic influence the structure I use in writing an informational piece?4. How can I use nonfiction text features to explicitly show relevant information to extend my audience’s knowledge?Anticipatory Set (Expectancy, Motivation, Interest, Attention)

Show the slideshow focusing on hooks (did you know, Jeepers creepers, etc…) Show students article and have them identify what type of writing it is:http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Stories/AnimalsNature/Spring-peepers Discuss whole class—highlight elements of an expository piece

Specific Learning Activities and Instruction1.) Identify the Genre, Components and How to write a (informational) piece Activity: Have students take out their “recipe” booklet and open up to the informational recipe-Review the components/ingredients of an informational whole class on the Smart Board -have students verbally share as well as list the components/ingredients of a informational/expository text on the recipe graphic organizer on the Power Point and have them copy it to their recipe graphic organizer. -have students list the steps in order on the Power Point and have them copy it to their recipe graphic organizer.

2.) Begin Sorting and Labeling Activity-Have students break up into groups of 4 or 5 -Supply each group with an informational piece that is cut up into parts: topic sentence, thesis, examples, supporting details, conclusion…-Have students sort them and place them in order of how they would appear in the informational piece-Once sorted, have students read the entire piece and identify the subject and thesis-Each station will be 3 minutes long-After 3 minutes, rotate stations and begin sorting next article

(Articles are attached in appendices)

Post-instruction After students have finished their station rotations, we will review each article,

having each group share the order they placed their strips in and will share what part of the piece each strip was (ex: thesis, supporting detail, etc…)

***Discuss subject, sequence, and time order***Review (Wrap-up and closure) -Review the necessary elements from the recipe card (turn and tell)(Have pairs quickly from memory list the components/ingredients of an informational piece)

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Extending and RefiningCHALLENGE: Find an educational article online that would be an example of a piece of expository/informational text—line it up with your recipe card from your booklet

RECIPE: Compare/contrastDay 4 Time Expectancy: 1:10-2:20LEQ:1. What are the essential components of a Compare and Contrast Piece writing piece?2. How do the essential components of a Compare and Contrast writing impact the message of a written piece?

Anticipatory Set (Expectancy, Motivation, Interest, Attention) Word Splash : have students come to the SMARTboard and write cue words that

remind them of compare contrast Discuss Show Venn Diagram of comparing and contrasting on SMARTboard

Specific Learning Activities and Instruction1.) Identify the Genre, Components and How to write a (compare/contrast) piece Activity: Have students take out their “recipe” booklet and open up to the compare/contrast recipe-Review the components/ingredients of a compare/contrast whole class on the Smart Board -have students verbally share as well as list the components/ingredients of a compare/contrast text on the recipe graphic organizer on the Power Point and have them copy it to their recipe graphic organizer. -have students list the steps in order on the Power Point and have them copy it to their recipe graphic organizer.

2.) Have students complete compare/contrast Venn Diagram activity

Each student will create 2 venn diagrams on a scratch sheet of paper-Each subject set will have its own venn diagram:

-Provide students with the first two subjects: Ex: a baseball and a football-Have them (individually) come up with 3 similarities, and 3 differences-Have them label the Venn Diagram accordingly

-Provide students with the second two subjects: going to school and playing a sport-Have students think outside the box for both similarities and differences (challenge them to go beyond the obvious)

Post-instruction-Have students share their similarities and differences-Have students share order words and cue words that they would use to compare/contrast the two subjects***discuss physical, characteristics, traits, etc… to find differences or similarites***

Review (Wrap-up and closure)

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-Review the necessary elements from the recipe card (turn and tell)(Have pairs quickly from memory list the components/ingredients of a compare/contrast piece) Extending and Refining

CHALLENGE: Have students choose their own two subjects and produce a venn diagram graphic organizer to show similarities and differences-Then, compose a compare/contrast essay about the two subjects (ex: movies, genres, music, buildings, etc…)

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Appendix AInformational pieces:

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Stories/AnimalsNature/Spring-peepers

Tiny Frogs Ring in Spring

April 6, 2009

Peepers fill their vocal sacs with air until they look like a balloon, then they let out a "peep" as they release the air.

Photograph by George Grall

More Photos:

Spring peepers are found in wooded areas and grassy lowlands near ponds and swamps in the central and eastern parts of Canada and the United States. These loud amphibians are rarely seen, but as temperatures begin to rise in March and April, the males certainly are heard. Their peep… peep… peep creates an other-worldly whistling sound that, to many, is the first sign of spring

Spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer) are tan or brown in color with dark lines that form an X on their backs. They grow to about 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) in length, and have large toe pads that act as suction cups for climbing.

They are nocturnal creatures, hiding from many predators during the day and emerging at night to feed on ants, beetles, flies, and spiders.

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When the warmer weather arrives, male frogs attempt to attract a mate with a spring serenade. The frogs normally perform in trios. The one who starts each round usually has the deepest voice. The "vocal sacs" under their chins allow the frogs to “sing.” They pump the sacs full of air until they look like a full balloon, then let out a loud "peep" while discharging the air. They “peep” about once every second. These chirps can often be heard as far as a half-mile away.

After a female and male peeper mate, the female lays her eggs in water and spends the remainder of the year in the forest. During the winter, they hibernate under logs or behind loose bark on trees. The music dies down during the cold months, but the chirps of peepers will soon be heard again, sounding the coming of spring.

Text by Lyssa White

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Honeybee Mystery

September 2, 2008

Although the 22-percent smaller size of starter honeycomb cells on the right cannot easily be seen, the tighter, more natural spacing helps honeybees better survive varroa mite infestations.

Photograph by Jack Dykinga/ARS/USDA

All across the United States, honeybees are flying away from their hives and dying. Empty hives are causing a lot of worry about some important food crops.

Bees give us a lot more than delicious honey. They are pollinators—they enable plants to produce the fruits and nuts we enjoy by carrying pollen from one plant or flower to the next. The wind pollinates oats, corn, and wheat, but many other plants (like apple and cherry trees and melon vines) depend on insects, bats, and birds.

Animals pollinate about one out of every three bites of food we eat.  And in the U.S., millions and millions of bees kept by human beekeepers fly around doing a lot of this important work for food crops.

Professional beekeepers raise honeybees, box them up, and send them on trucks to fields where farmers grow food. Bees live in groups of about 40,000 individuals called colonies.

California’s almond crop alone depends on about half the bees in the country, about 1.5 million colonies! The bees pollinate in the almond groves for about six weeks, and then

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are sent on to work other crops. But now the almond crop and many others could be in trouble with so many bees dying.

“The colony is what we call a super-organism,” says Dr. Jeff Pettis of the Bee Research Laboratory at the U.S. Agricultural Research Service in Beltsville, Maryland. “When a lot of the bees die, the whole colony is at risk.” Researchers like him at government and university labs all over the country are trying to figure out why so many bee colonies are dying.

However, explains Pettis, bees are hard to study. Most die away from the hive, so researchers don’t have dead bodies to examine. And when researchers return to a hive after two weeks, about half the bees they studied on their first visit will be dead, replaced by new ones in the natural life cycle of bees. 

Making detective work even harder, these busy insects fly up to two miles away from their hive in search of pollen and nectar from flowers. So when bees pick up diseases or get exposed to poisons in their environment, it is hard to know exactly where that happened.

“It isn’t like studying a large animal like a cow that doesn’t move around much and is easy to find out in the cow field,” says Pettis.

Researchers do have some ideas about what could be affecting bee health. They could be sick from poisons widely used to kill insects, or they might not be getting enough good food to stay strong. Also, tiny insects called mites feed on bees. “Any or all of these things could be weakening the honey bees,” explains Pettis, “and then a virus or bacteria could be doing the killing.”

Pettis is hoping for a solution, because bees are so important. “Here’s a good example of what pollinators like bees give us,” he says. “You can eat plain oatmeal every day and get by, and oats are pollinated by the wind. But if you want to add some blueberries or strawberries or nuts to your daily oatmeal, those are the things you have to thank pollinators for. Bees are worth protecting because their work adds so much to our diet.”

“The colony is what we call a super-organism,” says Dr. Jeff Pettis of the Bee Research Laboratory at the U.S. Agricultural Research Service in Beltsville, Maryland. “When a lot of the bees die, the whole colony is at risk.” Researchers like him at government and university labs all over the country are trying to figure out why so many bee colonies are dying.

However, explains Pettis, bees are hard to study. Most die away from the hive, so researchers don’t have dead bodies to examine. And when researchers return to a hive after two weeks, about half the bees they studied on their first visit will be dead, replaced by new ones in the natural life cycle of bees. 

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Making detective work even harder, these busy insects fly up to two miles away from their hive in search of pollen and nectar from flowers. So when bees pick up diseases or get exposed to poisons in their environment, it is hard to know exactly where that happened.

“It isn’t like studying a large animal like a cow that doesn’t move around much and is easy to find out in the cow field,” says Pettis.

Researchers do have some ideas about what could be affecting bee health. They could be sick from poisons widely used to kill insects, or they might not be getting enough good food to stay strong. Also, tiny insects called mites feed on bees. “Any or all of these things could be weakening the honey bees,” explains Pettis, “and then a virus or bacteria could be doing the killing.”

Pettis is hoping for a solution, because bees are so important. “Here’s a good example of what pollinators like bees give us,” he says. “You can eat plain oatmeal every day and get by, and oats are pollinated by the wind. But if you want to add some blueberries or strawberries or nuts to your daily oatmeal, those are the things you have to thank pollinators for. Bees are worth protecting because their work adds so much to our diet.”

Researchers do have some ideas about what could be affecting bee health. They could be sick from poisons widely used to kill insects, or they might not be getting enough good food to stay strong. Also, tiny insects called mites feed on bees. “Any or all of these things could be weakening the honey bees,” explains Pettis, “and then a virus or bacteria could be doing the killing.”

Pettis is hoping for a solution, because bees are so important. “Here’s a good example of what pollinators like bees give us,” he says. “You can eat plain oatmeal every day and get by, and oats are pollinated by the wind. But if you want to add some blueberries or strawberries or nuts to your daily oatmeal, those are the things you have to thank pollinators for. Bees are worth protecting because their work adds so much to our diet.”

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I scream, you scream, we all scream for . . . ow! That cone of vanilla fudge swirl has done it again: The sweet treat has quickly given you a bad headache. But don't blame the ice cream — it's not acting alone. The roof of your mouth, your nerves, and your blood vessels (blood vessels are tiny tubes that carry blood through your body) are to blame, too!

Here's the scoop on what happens. When you eat or drink, food or liquid touches your palate (say: pal-it) before you swallow. Your palate is also known as the roof of your mouth. You can feel your palate with your tongue.

When something very cold touches the center of the palate, the cold temperature can set off certain nerves that control how much blood flows to your head. The nerves respond by causing the blood vessels in the head to swell up. This quick swelling of the blood vessels is

what causes your head to pound and hurt. Some people call this a "brain freeze," even though nothing is really happening in the brain — it's all in the blood vessels of the head.

And ice cream isn't the only food that can make your head hurt. Anything that's very cold — like ice pops, slushy frozen drinks, and even cold soda, water, milk, or juice — can make the blood vessels swell.

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A headache from ice cream or another cold food usually lasts about a minute or so, although it can feel like much longer. This kind of headache almost never lasts more than 5 minutes, and it goes away on its own. And although you may feel pain, it's not dangerous and doesn't mean that anything is wrong in your body.

Want to lick your ice cream headaches? Some doctors say that simply eating cold foods more slowly can help prevent brain freeze. You can also try warming foods up a tiny bit in the front of your mouth before swallowing them. And if you start to feel an ice cream headache coming on, take a break from the cold food for a minute or two. That way your palate will warm up a little so you can enjoy the rest of your chilly dessert.

Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MDDate reviewed: June 2007

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Don’t Sweat It:You’re Covered

ACSChemistry for LifeTM

ACS PublicationsHigh quality. High Impact TM

ACS Green ChemistryChemistry for Life

MAIN LOGO PILLAR BRANDS ENDORSED BRANDSAmerican Chemical Society ©2008 www.acs.org/kids

Think about when you sweat. After running around at recess? Playing sports? Just standing in the sun on a hot summer day? In each of these cases, your body is trying to get cooler. When you are hot, you sweat. Your body makes sweat inside tiny coiled tubes buried in your skin, called sweat glands. The average person has over 2 million of them! Sweat is released onto the surface of your skin through small openings called pores. It may not feel like it when you’re sweating a lot, but the water in your sweat is always drying on your skin. As it dries, it carries away some of the extra heat from your body. This process is known as evaporation.

What are Electrolytes?Besides water, you release minerals called electrolytes. Your body needs electrolytes so your nerves can talk to each other, your muscles can contract and move as they’re supposed to, and you maintain the right balance of water in your cells. The most abundant electrolytes found in your body are sodium, potassium, and chloride. When you sweat, these electrolytes come together to form salts that give sweat a salty taste.Keeping the right amounts of water and electrolytes in your body is important. Without enough of either, your muscles can become weak or can cramp up. You may also get a headache or feel dizzy.

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Water is BestFor exercise or play that lasts 30 minutes or less, drinking plenty of water is best. Our bodies usually get enough electrolytes from what we eat and drink during the day. For example, bananas and potatoes are full of potassium. Do you have any ideas of foods you may eat that contain electrolytes? You can check nutritional labels on food packages or ask a family member or teacher. Athletes who are very active for long periods of time can lose a lot of electrolytes as they sweat. In that case, they need to replace these electrolytes. That’s why you may see athletes gulp sports drinks as well as water as they play. Remember, to do your best at sports, stay hydrated with plenty of water. Luckily, you do not have worry about staying cool; your body has it covered—with sweat!

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Plants That Eat Trash! from Celebrating Chemistry

Did you ever wonder what plantseat? Mostly, they take thingsthat humans don’t want, like carbondioxide and manure, and turn theminto things that we do want, likeoxygen and food.

We eat plants tostay healthy, and we burn plants forfuel. We even use plants for woodto build houses, but plants can do alot more. Scientists are using plantsto clean up pollution. Plants canhelp to clean air, to clean soil, orto clean ground water.

The process of using plants toclean up pollution is calledphytoremediation (fi'-toe-re-me'-de-a'-shun). “Phyto” means plant,and “remediation” means to remedyor cure. So, using plants to helpclean up the environment is reallya way to cure our planet ofpollution that may harm us,other animals, or other plants.All plants help to clean up the airby taking in carbon dioxide andgiving out oxygen for us to breathe.Some plants, like spider plants andasparagus ferns, can also removecigarette smoke and other pollutantsfrom the air.

Trees may be used to clean ground

water. The trees take in the dirtywater through their roots, and sweatout clean water through the poresin their leaves. The pollution stayslocked away inside of the tree untilit dies.

Pine trees have been used in thesouthern United States to clean upground water pollution, becausethey grow very quickly. The pinetrees can also be used for lumber.Other trees that clean water areeastern cottonwood trees, hybridpoplar trees, and juniper trees.Scientists have also used trees toclean not only the ground water,but also the soil. The plants soakup the pollutants in the soil alongwith water. In some cases, theplants take the pollutants apart. Inother cases, the plants simply soakup the pollutants and hold on tothem. Poplar and mulberry treesare the ones mentioned the most.Smaller plants like alfalfa andryegrass can be used as well.

Plants can also team up with bacteriain the soil. The bacteria eat thepollution first and convert it intoplant food. Then the plants soakup what is left.

Using plants to clean up pollutionmakes good sense, and the processresults in cleaner air, cleaner water,and cleaner soils.

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How to Make a Peanut Butter and Jelly SandwichPeanut butter and jelly sandwiches are popular amongst children and adults. Yes, anyone can make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. But can you make a good one? Here are a few tips to create a childhood favorite snack.

Instructions1.

Step 1

Using a knife, spread a generous layer of peanut butter on one slice of bread.

2.Step 2

Clean the knife with a napkin or use another knife so the peanut butter and jelly don't mix in their containers.

3.Step 3

Spread jelly or jam on the other slice of bread. Use slightly less jelly than peanut butter.

4. Step 4

Put the two pieces of bread together with the peanut butter and jelly sides facing one another. Cut the sandwich in half for easier eating.

Source: http://www.ehow.com/video_1323_make-peanut-butter.html

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