Bear 40 YEARS!
June 2020 • Tucson Edition • www.bearessentialnews.com
essential news
®
Wacky, Wonderful Places In This Picture: Find a pair of sunglasses, a paintbrush, a balloon, the word HOT!, a canoe, a slice of pizza, a swim fin, a toothbrush, the sun and the word CAMPS.
FEATURE
NEWS
Travels with Boomer
S ummertime = Fun Time! Virtual Wizard R un
These places are Amazing! Pages 8 & 9
Spotlight on NASA & SpaceX News Highlights page 3
NEWS & more news kids can use Pages 5, 6, 7,12,13 & 14
FAMILIES
CONTEST
P izza Box Challenge! Ice Cream Time AZ SciTech activity page Page 15
Win a prize pack! Back cover
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BEAR 40 YEARS •
www.bearessentialnews.com
June 2020
Swim Season Is finally Here! NEVER SWIM ! ALONE
Even though a child knows how to swim, it doesn’t make the person waterproof.
Active Adult Supervision • Always watch children when they are in or near ANY body of water, without being distracted • Never leave children unattended • Keep young children within arm’s reach of an adult • Designate an official Water Watcher – an adult tasked with supervising children in the water
Barriers
• Pool fencing around pools and spas • Self-closing, self-latching gates • Teach children to never climb over the gate or fence • Install a door alarm from the house to the pool area • Keep pool and spa covers in working order
Coast Guard-approved Life Vest & Classes • All inexperienced swimmers should wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life vest in or near all bodies of water. • Choose a life vest that is right for your child’s weight and water activity. • Arm floaties are toys. They are not a life-saving device and should never replace a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life vest. • Enroll children in swimming lessons • Take CPR classes just in case of an emergency
Decode the Secret Safety Message! ! 6
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1=A 2=E 3=I 4=L 5=M 6=N 7=O 8=R 9=S 10=V 11=W
June 2020 •
e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com
B
News Highlights
An All-American Manned Mission!
Summer Is Time for Fun!
Clean the Windshield—It’s Movie Night!
to limit contact between people, from only allowing one family at a time to access restrooms to limiting concessions. In Tucson, the Cactus Drive-In Theatre is hosting pop-up drive-in movies on a giant inflatable screen three or four nights a week. The people behind the pop-up have a goal of bringing a permanent drive-in theater to the city. Currently, West Wind Glendale 9 is Arizona’s only old-school drive-in still in operation. Drive-ins have actually been around for more than 100 years as they first appeared in the 1910s! The first patented drive-in opened in June 1933 in New Jersey, and it was advertised as a place where the whole family was welcome. The idea really took off and drive-ins gained popularity, especially in the 1950s and 60s. At their peak, there were more than 4,000 drive-in theaters across the United States. That number has decreased over the years and now there are about 330 drive-in theaters still in operation. Who knows, maybe they will regain some popularity this summer if the pop-up drive-ins are successful! photo courtesy of azlocalbusiness.com
Grab your family and ask your parents to dust off their car keys because drive-in movie theaters are popping up across the state and allowing people to safely get out of the house for a little family film fun. The concept is simple: with a large screen that lights up as the sun goes down, people can watch a movie from the comfort of their own cars, much like in the old days! Earlier this spring, as movie theaters remained closed and people were looking for a way to get out of the house, pop-up drive-in theaters began opening across Phoenix. Around the Valley, you can find theaters at a variety of outdoor locations, such as Schnepf Farms and shopping centers. There haven’t been any big new releases for the last few months, so the theaters are showing movies that cater to all sorts of tastes—from classics and horror movies to newer releases, such as “Onward” and “Sonic the Hedgehog.” All of the drive-ins are observing social distancing guidelines and taking steps
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—Lightning delayed the launch by a few days, but when the 260-foot rocket powered its way into the sky on May 30, a long drought for America ended. Dubbed the Demo-2 Mission, on board were long-time astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, heading for the International Space Station (ISS). This was the first time in almost 9 years that an American spacecraft carrying American astronauts lifted off from American soil! The safe landing of the Space Shuttle Atlantis way back in July 21, 2011 marked the end of the shuttle program, and Hurley was the pilot! Up until May’s launch, NASA has relied on Russian spacecraft to get its astronauts to the ISS.
NASA photo
Summer is here and that means it’s time for some fun in the sun! It has been a difficult few months for all of us, and the pandemic has left many people rethinking their summer vacation plans. Fortunately, we live in a state with lots of outdoor options for recreation. The Phoenix Zoo, home to more than 3,000 animals, is reopening this month with shorter hours through Aug. 31. If your family is not quite ready to be around others just yet, the zoo is still offering its Cruise the Zoo option on select days through Aug. 10. Visitors can see some of their favorite animal residents from their car or motorcycle! For either option, tickets must be purchased in advance on the zoo’s website. In Scottsdale, the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park began a phased reopening last month. The 30-acre park is a unique attraction and has resumed offering train and carousel rides. If you are looking for some cooler weather, there are plenty of attractions to check out up north. Located in Williams, Bearizona offers both a walk-through and a drive-thru option to view North American animals in natural habitats. If camping or fishing sound more interesting, the White Mountains may be the right outdoor wonderland for a little summer getaway! Throughout the state, there are several farms you can check out to pick your own produce and roam outside. Schnepf Farms can be found in Queen Creek, and Mortimer Farms is located in Dewey. Arizona is also fortunate to be home to a number of national parks, monuments and memorials. These sites offer the opportunity to check out hiking trails, scenic views and historic sites. The parks are reopening in PHASES, so be sure to check out the National Park Service website before planning a visit. For a truly unique Arizona experience, you can check out Kartchner Caverns. They started running limited cavern tours, by reservation only, earlier this month. No matter what your interests may be or where you are in the state, you’ve got plenty of options for a little fun in the sun this summer!
BEAR 40 YEARS
Outfitted in SPIFFY spacesuits, Hurley and Behnken rode in a SpaceX Crew Dragon spaceship propelled by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, which is partly reusable to save costs. NASA partnered with SpaceX, owned by transportation visionary Elon Musk, to develop this next generation of cargo and crew spacecraft. Gone are the dozens of toggle switches, indicator lights and gauges, replaced by large touchscreen control panels. And if that isn’t cool enough, the spaceship usually flies itself to dock with the ISS! Both astronauts are former military test pilots, and they did get the chance to fly their spaceship manually for part of their 19-hour trip, reaching an orbit 250 miles above the Earth. “We did end up with one stowaway on board our vehicle when we launched today,” Behnken pointed out during a press conference from the ISS. “We do have an Apatosaurus aboard!” The sparkly blue-andpink long-necked stuffed dinosaur named Tremor was picked by the astronauts’ young kids to make the historic spaceflight.
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BEAR 40 YEARS •
www.bearessentialnews.com
June 2020
A Message from the Superintendent Dear School Leaders, I know that the past few months have been among the toughest of your careers. The last part of this school year was filled with unexpected circumstances that few of us could have imagined. Despite the challenges, we must recognize that Arizona’s schools have risen to the occasion to support their students, staff, and families in the face of these uncertain and challenging times. I have never been prouder to be a part of Arizona’s education community, and I am continually inspired by the work our schools have done during this emergency. While our coming school year will also look different from years past, and as the entire world grapples with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, I take heart knowing that our schools will continue to be bedrocks of support, comfort and stability. There are still many unknowns about the future of this virus and its impact on our state. Still, the Arizona Department of Education remains committed to providing the field with as much guidance, support and clarity as possible. With input from public health experts and education leaders across our state, we have developed “Arizona’s Roadmap for Reopening Schools.” It provides a series of recommendations for how schools can approach the 2020–21 school year and offers adaptable considerations to meet each community’s unique needs. Given the fluidity of the public health situation, this will be a living document that will be updated based on the most current information. Please continue to reach out to the Arizona Department of Education with your questions, feedback, challenges and success stories. We will continue to provide you with as much clear and timely support and guidance as possible. Together, we will get through this and make sure all our students and their families have what they need to succeed.
Kathy Hoffman
Superintendent of Public Instruction For information on school openings and COVID-19 guidelines, visit www.azed.gov
Volume 41 • Issue 10
Editor & Publisher
Sales Director & Publisher
Stephen B Gin
Nancy Holmes
City Editor
YR Coordinator
Copy Editor
Art Director
Mike Loghry
Gary Shepard
Renee Griffith
Julie Madden
Bear Essential News for Kids®
is published monthly by Kids’ View Communications Corp. to educate, enrich and entertain children and their families. Content of this newspaper is designed to promote reading and writing skills as well as creativity. Classroom educators are welcome to reproduce any portion of this newspaper for their students. Call or fax Kids’ View Communications for any additional information on stories. Please Call (520)
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ENDORSED BY THE
Arizona Education Association
June 2020 •
e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com
Get the Scoop!
Wizard Run Event with Dad Was Pure Magic! by Reporter Abigail Hernandez Arizona Virtual Academy
5
News Stories Written by Kids— for Kids The Good & Bad Sides of the Coronavirus by Reporter Francis Ali-Osman Roskruge Bilingual Magnet School
This year I had the pleasure of participating in the 2nd Annual Wizard Run. The run first took place in 2018 in Joplin, Missouri. The run is 5K, which is equal to three miles. There is a 1 Mile Fun Run you can do as well. When you register you can choose one of four packages; Broomstick, Phoenix, Owl or Crest. You can also pick one of four colors. I chose the Crest and my dad picked the Broomstick. My shirt was green and his was red. Along with the shirt you receive a custom wand, a medal and a number bib. You can participate in a virtual run. You can complete the race on your own terms. Visit www.thewizardrun.com to sign up. The registration is $45 and it is a really fun run. This is a great opportunity for your family to get out and exercise, while having fun together!
Salon de Nouveau Goes Green by Reporter Lizzy Barrett, Old Vail Middle School I interviewed Salon de Nouveau owner Tracy Mayfield and Certified Green Circle Salons specialist and aesthetician Ashley Mancino. Mayfield has been in the hair industry for 26 years. Salon de Nouveau is a hair salon and day spa that has been around since 1994. They are partnered with Green Circle Salons. Mayfield went to national hair shows and events where she found out more about Green Circle Salons and later signed on with them in November 2019. Green Circle Salons is an organization that provides a pathway to sustainability in North America by helping salons, spas and barbershops, and they divert up to 95% of their waste from landfills and waterways. Sustainability means the avoidance of diminishing natural resources to maintain a good ecological balance. GCS originated in Canada and provides the world’s first, and North America’s only, sustainable salon solution to recover and repurpose beauty waste. In GCS’s brochure, it mentions that “the beauty industry creates 877 pounds of waste every single minute. All of this can be recovered and repurposed.“ This makes a really big impact on the environment. GCS’s tagline is “Make Beauty Beautiful.” Mayfield also makes her salon environmentally friendly. For example, her salon uses products like
BEAR 40 YEARS
Eufora that are affiliated with GCS. Plus, the salon has made many additional changes within the salon, such as LED lighting and they bring their own personal cups to cut back on waste. Another way Mayfield makes her salon environmentally friendly is by using Ecoheads. Ecoheads are salon showerheads that cut down rinse time by using high pressure. They save six gallons of water per minute. In fact, it cuts back on water use by 65%. Salon de Nouveau recycles a lot of beauty materials such as hair, hair color, foils, nail files, cotton, wax strips, wax sticks, etc. When they send foil out to GCS, they melt them down in order to use the foil for bicycle and car parts. Throughout the day, aesthetician and GCS specialist Mancino checks each trash bin to make sure everything is sorted correctly and sends out the different labeled boxes. Hair foils cannot be thrown into Tucson Recycle because since it has hair color it is contaminated, but Green Circle Salons takes it. Mancino states,”...95% of the waste that we create from the salon is recycled.” They send the materials to Seattle, Washington, which is the closest GCS distribution center. They had four trash cans and now they have one and a half trash cans and the rest of it goes to Seattle.
MORE SALON, page 7 ➧
Everybody is talking about coronavirus. It is all over the world. Did you know there are good things and bad things about it? The good things are better hygiene, more time with family, learning to use only what I have at my house, and being homeschooled by my mom. Coronavirus has taught me it is very important to be clean and protect myself with a mask. It also gave me more time with my abuela because she could not fly back to Texas with the travel block. Since stores were closed I had to make games and crafts and even food with what we have at home. I like creating and before I wasn’t very creative. Also, when schools were closed my mom became my teacher. She is great. She is patient and gives me a lot of attention. It is crazy to think there are good things about coronavirus but there are. Coronavirus is also bad. Because of the germs everywhere I can’t go anywhere. It also stops me from visiting my friends and family. Finally I am kind of scared. A lot of stores were closed because too many people would be there. One of my favorite places is the comic book store. I could not see my friends and family because everyone was quarantined. It is scary to hide from something I can’t see. Coronavirus has good and bad parts. I am trying to think about the good parts only. MORE SCOOPS, page 6 ➧
REPORT FOR BEAR! Call us at:
520-792-9930 sponsors
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BEAR 40 YEARS •
www.bearessentialnews.com
June 2020
B $150 June 1 to July 31 9 one-week sessions beginning June 1 Extended Day Option Available! • Dodgeball & Batting Cages 5120 S. JULIAN DR. #120
(520) 440-4487
WWW.CENTERFIELDHITS.COM
WE ARE OPEN! Golf N Stuff is OPEN and ready for some summer fun! For everyone’s safety, we are following CDC social distancing and sanitation guidelines.
Get the Scoop!
Continued from page 7
Some Puzzling Entertainment by Reporter Aiden Vaughan Esmond Station K–8 During the coronavirus pandemic my family and I have taken up puzzling as a COVID-Hobby. My parents have always enjoyed puzzles and apparently that joy for them rubbed off on me. I built my first 700-piece puzzle when I was about 8 and recently finished a lot more. I first finished a 2,000 piece after two years, and then went into 1,000 pieces. I built a Star Wars one in four days and my next DC Superheroes puzzle in two. My mom and I just recently finished another 2,000-piece puzzle in two days! While we do a lot of schoolwork as kids at home it’s fun to have a break for brain teasers. If you think you might take up puzzling, I would suggest starting out with a 700-piece puzzle if you haven’t done one before. Another thing my family has been doing is escape rooms. They’re really fun and take up a good amount of time. If you decide to buy one, I would suggest EXIT the game. It is really fun and has different levels of difficulty and different box sets. The one my family did was The Sunken Treasure and we are still going to do another one called The Forgotten Island. One last way I’ve been staying entertained is by biking. Every day my sister and I go on a bike ride with our neighbors to get our free lunches. The Vail School District has been handing out free milk and lunches to any students in the Vail School District. Go to your district website or ask around to find your time and location to pick up. Stay safe and happy COVID-Hobbying!
We Are Open! 6503 E. Tanque Verde Rd. Call (520) 296-2366 ext. 13 for reservations!
www.golfnstuff.com
FREE Golf Pass! (with the purchase of another at the regular price) 36 Holes of the Worldʼs Finest Miniature Golf Arcade • Skee-ball • Wet nʼ Wild Bumper Boats • Cool Go Karts • Batting Cages Group Rates
6503 E. TANQUE VERDE RD. • 885-3569
Expires 8/30/20
TUSD1.org
June 2020 •
e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com
More Salon
Continued from page 5
The salon charges a $2 ecological fee on every visit as part of this program. “We’re creating less waste and by doing so we’re helping the community and the environment,” states Mancino. Salon De Nouveau also collects clipped hair and sends it to GCS where they make hair booms. Hair booms are hair stuffed inside nylon stockings. These are used out in the ocean to clean up oil spills. Oil spills are really dangerous and it can impact the environment. Spilled oil can hurt living things because of its poisonous chemicals. Luckily, hair booms can resolve this dangerous issue because hair is like a sponge. In 2010 in the Gulf Coast, there was a really big oil spill that affected a lot of the wildlife there, and people found out that hair can help resolute this tragedy. Salon De Nouveau feels really good about helping the environment. Mayfield says,”...being the owner, I have the platform where I feel I can really make a difference.” She says that less in landfills is so much better than more in landfills. “At Salon De Nouveau, I am glad to be a part of whatever I can to help the world and be a better part of the community.” MORE SCOOPS, page 12 ➧
Boomer’s
Summer Fun Activities Time for
SLIME! If you’re ready for some icky, gooey, slimey fun, just follow Boomer’s easy recipe below—and get ready for some gross-out fun!
You’ll need:
a cup, ice cream stick, white liquid glue, measuring cup and teaspoon, six ounces of tap water, one-and-a half teaspoons of borax, food coloring, jar with a lid and a resealable bag.
Instructions: 1. Dissolve one-and-a-half teaspoons of borax in a half-cup of water in the jar and label the jar “borax.” 2. Measure about two ounces (60 ml) of glue and pour this into the styrofoam cup. 3. Add two ounces (60 ml) of water to the cup and stir with the ice cream stick. 4. Add a few drops of food coloring to the cup and keep stiring until the liquid is all one color. 5. Add two ounces (60 ml) of the borax mixture to the glue-and-water mixture. Stir with the wooden stick. What happens to the mix as you stir it? 6. Continue to stir the mix until almost no liquid remains. 7. Remove the silmy goo from the cup and try rolling it from hand to hand or roll it up into a ball in your palm. Have Fun, and see you next month!
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BEAR 40 YEARS •
www.bearessentialnews.com
June 2020
Boomer Bear Visits...
Wacky, Wonderful Places!
W
hile you might not travel far from home this summer, you can still visit some fantastic places online and in these pages!
HOOVER DAM
June 2020
Through engineering and architecture, it’s amazing how humans can reshape their surroundings. One spectacular area is partly here in Arizona with the massive Hoover Dam and its beautiful bypass bridge! If your family is driving to Las Vegas from Arizona along US Highway 93, you’ll get to see the Hoover Dam—one of America’s Seven Modern Civil Engineering Wonders. Started by the federal government during the Great Depression, workers poured the first of the dam’s 4.36 million cubic yards of concrete in June 1933. Built to hold back the mighty Colorado River, this arch-gravity type dam is 726 feet tall. It opened on March 1, 1936.
The Hoover Dam created America’s largest reservoir—Lake Mead. When filled, the lake covers 247 square miles. Arizona, California and Nevada use water from this artificial lake. Ongoing drought and states drawing too much water have steadily lowered its water level. But Lake Mead remains a great spot for family fun, with boating, swimming, fishing and water skiing. Just don’t forget your sunscreen, sunglasses and a sunhat! The road leading to Hoover Dam is winding and traffic would often get snarled. So the government rerouted US 93 to a spectacular four-lane bypass bridge called the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, which opened in 2010. This Colorado River crossing spans 1,060 feet and is 900 feet above the river! The massive twin arches that support the bridge are the widest concrete arches in the Western Hemisphere, and it is the second highest bridge in the United States.
Palm Jumeirah, UAE
Don’t forget to take lots of photos when you travel—and share them with your family and friends!
This man-made island extends into the Persian Gulf. Can you tell how it got its name? Palm Jumeirah is in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. Construction on the fancifully shaped archipelago began in the summer of 2001 and took several years to complete. The palm tree shaped area, made from sand DREDGED from the gulf and stones from the mainland, is home to many hotels, resorts and homes. The crescent is a breakwater, but it is split into three sections to allow some circulation of the seawater. The crescent surrounding the inner palm island is 650 feet wide and about 10.5 miles long. Palm Jumeirah was meant to be the first of three planned offshore developments. The other two have not been completed. Six states along the Persian Gulf, including Dubai, merged in 1971 to form the United Arab Emirates. A seventh state joined in 1972. The country has flat coastal plains, sand dunes and mountains to the east. About 85 percent of the population lives in the three largest states or emirates—Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.
PALM JUMEIRAH
BEAR 40 YEARS
Page 9
Cappadocia, Turkey If you visit central Turkey, whimsical earth formations called fairy chimneys might send you on a flight of fancy! These conical structures reach up to the sky in unique, fantastical shapes. Millions of years ago volcanic eruptions in the region resulted in tons of ash and lava that then turned into rock. This soft rock was easily shaped by wind and water, to become the fantastical shapes that dot the landscape and spark human imagination. Due to the MALLEABLE nature of the volcanic rock in Cappadocia, early humans carved tunnels and caves into the rocks and valleys. Later people created homes and even ornate churches in the rock faces. Some of the complex tunnels form underground cities that extend nearly eight stories below! The natural elements created quite the spectacle aboveground, too. The distinctive cone-shaped rocks look like columns, castles and even mushrooms—some going up about 13 stories, or 130 feet! Turkey straddles both Asia and Europe, with the main landmass residing in Asia. The large peninsula is called Asia Minor or Anatolia. The country has hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The capital of Turkey is Ankara. Modern Turkey was founded in 1923.
CAPPADOCIA Hoover Dam, USA
•
Machu Picchu, Peru
MACHU PICCHU
The striking view from high in the Andes Mountains shows the terraces and structures like the Temple of the Sun, built by huge stones put together without any mortar. The Incans built this impressive CITADEL in the 15th century, but ancient peoples were building terraces in the Andes over a thousand years ago to grow their crops. Terraces are like steps— flat areas cut into the sides of mountains and hills to create farming areas on the steep slopes. These “steps” slow the water that runs down the mountains, providing better irrigation for crops and saving precious topsoil from being eroded. The terrace walls also help insulate the soil, keeping roots warm during the cold mountain nights. Peru and neighboring Bolivia are where the potato was originated. Ancient Andean farmers also cultivated squash, peanuts and a quinoa-like plant. The country has tropical rainforests to the east, dry deserts to the west with the Andes mountains dividing the regions. The ancient civilization of the Incas fell when Spaniards colonized the Americas. Peru declared independence from Spain in 1821.
LANGKAWI Langkawi Sky Bridge, Malaysia Langkawi is an archipelago, or string of islands, along Malaysia’s west coast. If you want a bird’s eye view of the coastline and mountainside, try taking the cable car up to the Langkawi Sky Bridge. This 410-foot curved pedestrian bridge is 2,300 feet above sea level and provides a panoramic view for those who are not afraid of heights! The bridge is on Pulau Langkawi, the main island of the Langkawi archipelago. The bridge is supported by steel cables suspended from a single tall tower. The bridge was lifted into place by helicopter. It was constructed in 2003 and 2004 and opened to the public in 2005. The bridge was closed between 2012 and 2015 for maintenance and repairs. It now boasts a glass walkway in the middle section, letting visitors marvel at the rainforest below. The tropical country of Malaysia, containing many mountains, hills and coastlines, is split between the southeastern Asian peninsula bordering Thailand and the northern portion of the island of Borneo. The total area is slightly bigger than the state of New Mexico. The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia achieved independence from Britain in 1957.
WHERE NEXT? If you and your family have the opportunity to travel to an interesting location this summer, please share your story and photos with Bear Essential News!
Happy Travels! Feature images: shutterstock.com
Page 8
BEAR 40 YEARS •
www.bearessentialnews.com
June 2020
Boomer Bear Visits...
Wacky, Wonderful Places!
W
hile you might not travel far from home this summer, you can still visit some fantastic places online and in these pages!
HOOVER DAM
June 2020
Through engineering and architecture, it’s amazing how humans can reshape their surroundings. One spectacular area is partly here in Arizona with the massive Hoover Dam and its beautiful bypass bridge! If your family is driving to Las Vegas from Arizona along US Highway 93, you’ll get to see the Hoover Dam—one of America’s Seven Modern Civil Engineering Wonders. Started by the federal government during the Great Depression, workers poured the first of the dam’s 4.36 million cubic yards of concrete in June 1933. Built to hold back the mighty Colorado River, this arch-gravity type dam is 726 feet tall. It opened on March 1, 1936.
The Hoover Dam created America’s largest reservoir—Lake Mead. When filled, the lake covers 247 square miles. Arizona, California and Nevada use water from this artificial lake. Ongoing drought and states drawing too much water have steadily lowered its water level. But Lake Mead remains a great spot for family fun, with boating, swimming, fishing and water skiing. Just don’t forget your sunscreen, sunglasses and a sunhat! The road leading to Hoover Dam is winding and traffic would often get snarled. So the government rerouted US 93 to a spectacular four-lane bypass bridge called the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, which opened in 2010. This Colorado River crossing spans 1,060 feet and is 900 feet above the river! The massive twin arches that support the bridge are the widest concrete arches in the Western Hemisphere, and it is the second highest bridge in the United States.
Palm Jumeirah, UAE
Don’t forget to take lots of photos when you travel—and share them with your family and friends!
This man-made island extends into the Persian Gulf. Can you tell how it got its name? Palm Jumeirah is in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. Construction on the fancifully shaped archipelago began in the summer of 2001 and took several years to complete. The palm tree shaped area, made from sand DREDGED from the gulf and stones from the mainland, is home to many hotels, resorts and homes. The crescent is a breakwater, but it is split into three sections to allow some circulation of the seawater. The crescent surrounding the inner palm island is 650 feet wide and about 10.5 miles long. Palm Jumeirah was meant to be the first of three planned offshore developments. The other two have not been completed. Six states along the Persian Gulf, including Dubai, merged in 1971 to form the United Arab Emirates. A seventh state joined in 1972. The country has flat coastal plains, sand dunes and mountains to the east. About 85 percent of the population lives in the three largest states or emirates—Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.
PALM JUMEIRAH
BEAR 40 YEARS
Page 9
Cappadocia, Turkey If you visit central Turkey, whimsical earth formations called fairy chimneys might send you on a flight of fancy! These conical structures reach up to the sky in unique, fantastical shapes. Millions of years ago volcanic eruptions in the region resulted in tons of ash and lava that then turned into rock. This soft rock was easily shaped by wind and water, to become the fantastical shapes that dot the landscape and spark human imagination. Due to the MALLEABLE nature of the volcanic rock in Cappadocia, early humans carved tunnels and caves into the rocks and valleys. Later people created homes and even ornate churches in the rock faces. Some of the complex tunnels form underground cities that extend nearly eight stories below! The natural elements created quite the spectacle aboveground, too. The distinctive cone-shaped rocks look like columns, castles and even mushrooms—some going up about 13 stories, or 130 feet! Turkey straddles both Asia and Europe, with the main landmass residing in Asia. The large peninsula is called Asia Minor or Anatolia. The country has hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The capital of Turkey is Ankara. Modern Turkey was founded in 1923.
CAPPADOCIA Hoover Dam, USA
•
Machu Picchu, Peru
MACHU PICCHU
The striking view from high in the Andes Mountains shows the terraces and structures like the Temple of the Sun, built by huge stones put together without any mortar. The Incans built this impressive CITADEL in the 15th century, but ancient peoples were building terraces in the Andes over a thousand years ago to grow their crops. Terraces are like steps— flat areas cut into the sides of mountains and hills to create farming areas on the steep slopes. These “steps” slow the water that runs down the mountains, providing better irrigation for crops and saving precious topsoil from being eroded. The terrace walls also help insulate the soil, keeping roots warm during the cold mountain nights. Peru and neighboring Bolivia are where the potato was originated. Ancient Andean farmers also cultivated squash, peanuts and a quinoa-like plant. The country has tropical rainforests to the east, dry deserts to the west with the Andes mountains dividing the regions. The ancient civilization of the Incas fell when Spaniards colonized the Americas. Peru declared independence from Spain in 1821.
LANGKAWI Langkawi Sky Bridge, Malaysia Langkawi is an archipelago, or string of islands, along Malaysia’s west coast. If you want a bird’s eye view of the coastline and mountainside, try taking the cable car up to the Langkawi Sky Bridge. This 410-foot curved pedestrian bridge is 2,300 feet above sea level and provides a panoramic view for those who are not afraid of heights! The bridge is on Pulau Langkawi, the main island of the Langkawi archipelago. The bridge is supported by steel cables suspended from a single tall tower. The bridge was lifted into place by helicopter. It was constructed in 2003 and 2004 and opened to the public in 2005. The bridge was closed between 2012 and 2015 for maintenance and repairs. It now boasts a glass walkway in the middle section, letting visitors marvel at the rainforest below. The tropical country of Malaysia, containing many mountains, hills and coastlines, is split between the southeastern Asian peninsula bordering Thailand and the northern portion of the island of Borneo. The total area is slightly bigger than the state of New Mexico. The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia achieved independence from Britain in 1957.
WHERE NEXT? If you and your family have the opportunity to travel to an interesting location this summer, please share your story and photos with Bear Essential News!
Happy Travels! Feature images: shutterstock.com
10
BEAR 40 YEARS
www.bearessentialnews.com
• June 2020
Boomer’s Boredom-Busting Activity Page
Let’'s Work Together! Two American astronauts have just made the trip to the International Space Station and will conduct important tests that may benefit us here on earth in the future. Meanwhile, Boomer is helping to keep things clean! Color Boomer in Space!
You Can Make a Big Difference! Can you think of ways to be helpful from home? List some of your ideas on the lines below.
Enter to WIN a fun family board game of
Being Helpful Is Contagious! • Help a neighbor clean their yard • Walk a friend or neighbor’s dog • Help a teacher keep the classroom clean and in order • Set the table at meal time, and help clean the kitchen afterwards
• Help a sibling or friend with homework if they need it • Have an online chat or check in with a friend from your home • Soon, you’ll notice that others are following your example, too!
Visit Boomer at BearEssentialNews.com Go to: “CONTESTS!”
June 2020 •
e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com
Write to Boomer Bear at Bear Essential News • 2525 E. Broadway Blvd., #102 • Tucson, AZ 85716 or e-mail your letters to boomer@bearessentialnews.com Dear Boomer, Do you know any good books for when we’re stuck at home? I really like Harry Potter, John Green and Ransom Riggs. I miss meetings at Bookmans! Stay safe! A.H. Dear A.H., I’m really glad you’ve been reading so much—you have great taste, too. John Green hit it big with his awardwinning first book, “Looking for Alaska.” And his fourth book, “The Fault in Our Stars” took him to the top of the New York Times Best Sellers list in 2012. Ransom Riggs wrote the hit book, “Miss Peregrine’s
Home for Peculiar Children,” which was also made into a movie. A former Young Reporter of mine loves the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson. To start from the beginning, his first book is “The Angel Experiment.” These young adult fantasy novels center around Max Ride and her family, referred to as “the Flock”—human hybrids born with wings. If you find a good book, send me your book review. The good news is that Bookmans is open again. We’ll let you and your parents know when our Young Reporter Nights will start. Readers are winners! Boomer Bear
Boomer’s Summer
Crossword Fun! Clues DOWN: 1) Megalodon 2) Cry loudly 3) Creating 5) Lawn 8) Move in water 9) Place to fish or boat 10) Summer break or trip 12) Perspire 13) Two-wheel transport 15) Eat on a blanket 16) Enjoy a book ACROSS: 2) Given 4) Super ____ 6) Uses oven 7) Kids & plants do this 8) Summer shoes 10) Promise 11) __ seen on TV 14) Make s’mores near this 17) ___ & crafts 18) Desert dog 19) Frozen treat
Dear Boomer, I am homeschooled, so I am enjoying school very much. We are operating pretty well. But I also miss some things that we cannot do because of this COVID-19. I think my favorite one of them (I’ve been missing) is we can’t go anywhere like museums or aquariums. I know we can do virtual visits, but that isn’t as much fun. Yours truly, K.D. Good news, K.D.— One by one, these places are beginning to reopen! With the coronavirus still infecting people here in Arizona, the challenge is how to best keep visitors and employees from passing along the virus. The ArizonaSonora Desert Museum and the Tucson Museum of Art should be open now. And fun places where you can get moving like Golf N’ Stuff and Skate Country are open—just keep your hands clean and remember to social distance! Enjoy, Boomer Bear
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Hi Boomer! The kind of technology that I would like to write about are computers and rockets. Your friend, N.S. Dear N.S., Be sure to check out my In the Spotlight story about astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley becoming the first humans to fly a SpaceX Crew Dragon spaceship. They made it safely to the International Space Station. This is the first time in almost nine years that an American-built rocket has carried people into space. Technology rocks, Boomer Bear Dear Boomer, What I like best about Bear Essential News are the hidden pictures on the front cover because it’s fun! — T.M. Dear T.M., That’s my favorite part, too! Your friend, Boomer Bear
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Stay at Home Order Is Lifted by Reporter Diya Bhattacharya BASIS Oro Valley
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It’s no secret that 2020 has been a very interesting year so far. What started as a new year and a fresh start took a quick ugly turn to a dangerous pandemic. This pandemic has caused many changes in people’s lives. The situation was caused by a now infamous virus called COVID-19, an infectious disease that has proved quite powerful. In response to this pandemic, most states placed stay at home orders. Our own governor, Doug Ducey, placed one on March 31, 2020. He recently lifted this order which releases Arizona from lockdown. However, there are mixed feelings about the order being terminated. The stay at home order expired on May 15, and nonessential stores were able to open. This decision had positive and negative effects on people. Some people think it is absolutely necessary to keep the stay at home order for much longer to prevent the spread of infection. Others believe it needs to be over as soon as possible to put food on the table for their families. Since the order was lifted, we have seen an increase in infections. According to The Arizona Daily Star, infections have increased since the order was lifted. On May 15, the total amount of infections in Arizona was 13,169. On May 22, the total amount of infections in Arizona was 15,608. The amount of infections has increased by a significant amount after only a week of everything opening. This brings up a valid question—why has the order been inactivated when the infection rate is climbing? When the stay at home order began, the people who took a severe hit were small business owners. For these hardworking people, each day out of work brought questions about how to feed their families, pay their rent and have a roof over their heads. Being unemployed caused serious consequences which our government has been trying to resolve, but there is a limit to how long people can stay at home. No one knows how long the effects of COVID-19 will be with us. At some point, people must go back to work. In April, Arizona hit a record high unemployment rate of 12.6%. Now that the state has reopened it should go down. Throughout this pandemic, each decision made has both positive and negative effects on everything. There is only so much we can do individually to decrease the negative consequences, but we can still do something. People can wear masks, practice social distancing, and do your best to help your community in the best way you can. Who knows how long the virus is going to stay with us? Be compassionate to those who are struggling, and be patient with those who are making lifechanging decisions. I guarantee this isn’t easy for them either. This pandemic has changed our lives, but if all of us come together then we will come out of this stronger than ever.
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June 2020 •
e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com
Sea Life Is in Danger by Reporter Anastasia Bradley Sonoran Science Academy East Sea life is dying, and our oceans are getting dirtier every year. This happens when we dump our garbage and plastic in the oceans. When we throw out plastic products, such as water bottles and LEGO pieces, most of the trash ends up in our oceans. In 1975, the National Academy of Sciences estimated that 14 billion pounds of garbage was being dumped into the ocean every year. That’s more than 1.5 million pounds per hour, and only 1% of our plastic ends up in landfills. This is harmful for sea life. Plastic and garbage looks like food to the animals, and when they eat plastic it can make an animal sick and it might die. When a bigger animal eats the dead animal, the bigger sea creature gets sick as well. Is there a way we can reduce the amount of plastic thrown out every year? The answer is yes, the people of Sweden actually found a way to reuse it! They melt the plastic in extreme heat, over 212°F. When the melted plastic cools down, they shape it into a new product and then keep it in a special freezer. After a few days, the old smushed plastic will be something like a new water bottle. Even though this process is a good way to reduce the plastic we throw out, it can’t be a permanent process. Tons of plastic products are made every year. The least we can do is follow the 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
Prep Meals with Dream Dinners by Reporter Madison Divijak Dove Mountain CSTEM K–8 Dream Dinners provides a location to prepare meals ahead of time for freezing and cooking at home. There is a Dream Dinners in Northwest Tucson that I have visited with my mother to make meals for our family. Some of the foods that people make at Dream Dinners are pizza, soups, chicken dishes, tacos, steak and seafood. On their website, Dream Dinners says that it has been “Living its mission of growing great kids and strong families.” When families are busy Dream Dinners helps families to not have to worry about making dinners. If you do not have the right ingredients you need to make a meal, then go to Dream Dinners and they will have the ingredients you need. The meals change each month. My family enjoys the meals we put together at the store and eat at home. Visit dreamdinners.com to learn more.
What Is the Coronavirus? by Reporter Tegan McCarthy Sahuarita Middle School Coronavirus or COVID-19—we’ve all heard of it and there’s been a lot of stories but what is it and how does it really affect us? First of all, what is it? It was first thought to be an infection of the upper respiratory system, affecting the nose, throat, sinuses, and the bronchial tubes. (Recent reports show that it can affect other organs and blood vessels.) The first confirmed case was on Nov. 17, 2019 in Wuhan, China. Now, how did it start? Nobody is sure, but some scientists believe it started in an animal which was killed and sold for food. One reason the virus spread so fast was because the outbreak started around the time of the lunar new year, and people migrated and traveled around the world and spread it across. For the last question, how does it affect daily life? It caused many restaurants to close or do take-out only. Many schools closed and made students do online courses, yet it’s not the same as normal schooling. Well there is one good thing, now we can bond with our pets and close family! Remember: just stay safe, stay home and wash your hands! MORE SCOOPS, page 14 ➧
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Partners in Education Lunch Looks at the Future of Work by Reporter Rori L. Divijak, Dove Mountain CSTEM K–8 Chamber; David Dore, Pima Community College At the end of January I attended the Marana President; Doug Wilson, superintendent of Marana Chamber of Commerce Partners in Education Unified School District; Cathie Luncheon at The Highlands Raymond, State Director of at Dove Mountain. I Career and Technical Education, attended with the Dove and Greg Wilson, Dean of Mountain CSTEM K-8 Applied Technology at Pima principal, aka my mother. Community College. A middle school student These speakers, along with and I had the opportunity students from Mountain View to attend to speak to local High School, and the two of business leaders. Prior to us from Dove Mountain spoke the luncheon, many of those about our experiences to go in attendance came by along with the theme of the our school and a group of luncheon, The Future of Work students talked about what and Its Impact on Schools. is special about our school I was amazed by the great and provided guests with a opportunities our K–8, high tour of our campus. school and community colleges Guest speakers at the Adam Velazco (left), Rori (center) provide to prepare us for luncheon included: Audra with Dr. Wilson (right) our future. Winters, the CEO of the
Adventures from Our Crazy Family Fishing Trip! by Reporter Maximus Bradley Sonoran Science Academy On our fishing trip, we went to Parker Canyon Lake. When we got on the water, the motor would not start. A couple minutes later we had drifted close to the shore. When we got close enough to the shore that my dad could jump on the land and tie off the boat, we fished from the shore. I caught one fish, my twin sister got one also, my big sister got zero fish, my mom caught four fish, and my dad got two. Together we got eight fish in all. The fish we caught were six rainbow trout, one largemouth bass and one bluegill. We fixed the motor and we trolled to see if we got more fish by doing that. We got no fish by trolling, so we were fishing on the shore again—but we got no more fish for the rest of the day. So we went back to the boat launching place, got our stuff together and we went home. I had a blast at Parker Canyon Lake. I hope we go there again.
e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com
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June 2020
Milk supplies calcium and other nutrients to help you stay healthy. Drink 3 to 4 glasses every day for a strong and hard-working body.
Three servings of dairy (milk, cheese or yogurt) every day helps you get the nutrients you need to build strong bones!
Color the milk, cheese and yogurt.
Whole milk
(color swirl won’t work with low fat or fat free)
Bowl or dish with tall sides, at least 5" 4 tbsp baking soda
1 cup white or rice vinegar Optional: food coloring
Optional: 1 tbsp dish soap in a small bowl or cup Optional: Cotton swabs or toothpicks START
FINISH
When baking soda and vinegar are combined, it creates a fizzy, foamy, fun reaction. That’s because baking soda is a base and vinegar is an acid. When certain bases and acids mix, a chemical reaction occurs that creates a bubbly explosion!
