Acknowledgments
“Dream Variation” from SELECTED POEMS by Langston Hughes Text copyright © 1926 by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., and renewed 1954
by Langston Hughes. Reprinted by permission of Alfred Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc.
“Ron” by Tony Johnston Text copyright © 2000 by The Living Trust of Tony Johnston. Used by permission.
“The Universe” by Tony Johnston Text copyright © 2000 by The Living Trust of Tony Johnston. Used by permission.
“Breaks Free” by Frank Asch from CACTUS POEMS Copyright © 1998 by Frank Asch. Reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt, Inc.
“Telephone Talk” by X.J Kennedy Text copyright © 1991 by X.J Kennedy. Reprinted with the permission of Simon and Schuster
Children’s Publishing Division.
Photography Credits
Book Cover: (c) Stockbyte/PunchStock; (tr) NASA/Corbis
Contributor
© Time Inc. All rights reserved. Versions of some articles in this edition of TIME For Kids
originally appeared in TIME For Kids or timeforkids.com.
B
Published by Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, of McGraw-Hill Education, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.,
Two Penn Plaza, New York, New York 10121.
Copyright © 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the
prior written consent of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., including, but not limited to, network storage or
transmission, or broadcast for distance learning.
Printed in The United States of America
ISBN: 978-0-02-207796-9
MHID: 0-02-207796-0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 WEB 13 12 11 10 09
Contents
Issue 1 Main Idea and Details • Word Origins • Time Lines
Sun Belt The Growth of the West .................................................................. 6
Bound Westward and Southward Bound!................................................ 8
Looking at the Past and Present to
(c) JRC, Inc./Alamy; (tr) Francisco Cruz/SuperStock
Predict the Future GRAPHS ....................................................... 12
Cattle ranching has played an important role in
our nation’s economy since the 1600s.
A4TFK_TXNA_I1FP_RD11.indd 5 1/23/09 3:06:43 PM
Issue 2 Main Idea and Details • Synonyms • Maps
Mountain The Old Man of the Mountain .......................................................14
Man When the Floods Come .................................................................16
Super Volcanoes MAPS .................................................................20
Powerful storms may increase the(c) Photodisc/Alamy; (tr) David Noble Photography/Alamy
chances of flooding in coastal areas.
1/20/09 2:01:25 PM
A4TFK_TXNA_I2FP_RD11.indd 13
Issue 3 Compare and Contrast • Antonyms
• Skimming and Scanning
Money
Makers Should Kids Sell to Kids? .............................................................. 22
Kids In Charge ................................................................................. 24
I’m the(c) Mark Peterson/Redux Pictures; (tr) Dan Balilty Dream Variation POETRY ............................................................. 28
BOSS 1/20/09 2:02:19 PM
Kids across the country are starting their
own companies. Will you be next?
A4TFK_TXNA_I3FP_RD11.indd 21
Issue 4 Compare and Contrast • Context Clues • Diagrams
Mr. Mr. Mix-It ...........................................................................................30
Mix-It Butterflies at Risk ........................................................................... 32
Gail Borden’s Very Good Idea DIAGRAMS ................................. 36
Will
(c) Ralph A. Clevenger/Corbis; (tr) Todd Bigelow/Aurora
Monarchs
1/20/09 2:02:44 PM
Always Rule?
These delicate butterflies are in jeopardy.
A4TFK_TXNA_I4FP_RD11.indd 29
Issue 5 Sequence • Connotation and Denotation • Tables
The Sniffing Out Trouble....................................................................... 38
Nose A Healthy Dose of Puppy Love....................................................40
Knows Ron POETRY ....................................................................................44
(c) Tony Gutierrez/Wide World Photo/AP Images; (tr) Photodisc/Getty Images Dogs are being used to make
sick patients feel better.
A4TFK_TXNA_I5FP_RD11.indd 37
1/20/09 2:03:31 PM
Issue 6 Author’s Purpose • Prefixes and Suffixes • Charts
Symbol of A Remarkable Texan, a Remarkable Person.............................46
Freedom What Symbols Say..........................................................................48
Where the Fuels Are in the U.S. TABLES .................................. 52
Former congresswoman
Barbara Jordan
(c) Bernard Gotfryd/Getty Images; (tr) Bettmann/Corbis Speaking Out
for American Ideals
We choose leaders to express what Americans
believe in. Sometimes symbols speak for us too.
A4TFK_TXNA_I6FP_RD11.indd 45 1/28/09 2:09:50 PM
Issue 7 Author’s Purpose • Context Clues • Skimming and Scanning
Madame “Ma” Makes History ........................................................................54
Governor Fearless Females............................................................................. 56
A Time Line for Progress TIME LINES .........................................60
(c) Reuters/Kevin Lamarque; (tr) Corbis Women around the world are taking
powerful roles in government.
A4TFK_TXNA_I7FP_RD11.indd 53 Women in the United States Senate, 2007
1/28/09 2:14:26 PM
Issue 8 Main Idea and Details • Idioms • Photos and Captions
Stars and Explorers and Technology ............................................................ 62
Satellites Eight Is Enough ...............................................................................64
The Universe POETRY ................................................................... 68
(c) Jerry Lofaro/NASA/JPL Space Science Institute; (tr) AP Photo/Gary C. Knapp The ninth planet from the sun
is no longer a planet.
Artist’s illustration of Pluto and its two moons
A4TFK_TXNA_I8FP_RD11.indd 61 1/20/09 2:05:15 PM
Issue 9 Cause and Effect • Context Clues • Maps
Bees Bad News for Bees .........................................................................70
Vanish Coral Reef Rescue .......................................................................... 72
Amazing Atolls DIAGRAMS ........................................................... 76
(c) Gary Bell/Image State/Alamy; (tr) Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesCoral reefs are in hot water.
Can scientists turn the tide?
1/20/09 2:08:52 PM
A4TFK_TXNA_I9FP_RD11.indd 69
Issue 10 Sequence • Homophones • Charts
Aliens Stop the Spartina!........................................................................... 78
Attack A Dino Bone Breakthrough ..........................................................80
Breaks Free POETRY .....................................................................84
(c) David R. Frazier/The Image Works; (tr) Galen Rowell/Mountain Light/AlamyJBuornaes!sic
A 70-million-year-old fossil helps scientists
learn more about Tyrannosaurus rex. 1/23/09 3:12:34 PM
A4TFK_TXNA_I10FP_RD11.indd 77
Issue 11 Sequence • Word Parts • Diagrams
He’s the Dolphin Name Calling .................................................................... 86
Bat Man! Meet a Real-Life Batman............................................................... 88
Night Fliers in the Lone Star State CHARTS .............................. 92
(c) Joseph Van Os/Getty Images; (tr) Merlin D. Tuttle/Bat Conservation International Calling All
Dolphins
New research indicates that dolphins
call each other by name.
A4TFK_TXNA_I11FP_RD11.indd 85 1/26/09 12:54:49 PM
Issue 12 Draw Conclusions • Prefixes • Graphs
Bullies in Mean Messages................................................................................94
Cyberspace Text Talk ............................................................................................96
Telephone Talk POETRY ..............................................................100
c u Online!
Sending instant messages is
changing the way kids spell,
socialize, and spend their time.
Is it out of control?
(c) James Bennett; (tr) Dean MacAdam
A4TFK_TXNA_I12FP_RD11.indd 93 1/20/09 2:10:54 PM
Issue 13 Fact and Opinion • Prefixes • Tables
Constitution America’s Grand Plan................................................................... 102
Day Is it Snooping or Saving Lives? ................................................. 104
Is Mom Watching You? DIAGRAMS ........................................... 108
(c) Richard Borge; (tr) The Granger Collection, New York Listening In
Should the government monitor e-mails
and phone calls to protect Americans?
A4TFK_TXNA_I13FP_RD11.indd 101 1/26/09 12:55:30 PM
Issue 14 Draw Conclusions • Analogies • Maps
Saving Distant Cousins?............................................................................. 110
Salmon Salmon Run ......................................................................................112
Top 5 National Seashores TABLES ............................................ 116
Clouded in
Mystery
(c) OSF/Hill,M./Animals Animals/Earth Scenes; (tr) Courtesy Kayla CarpenterScientists are learning more
about the clouded leopards
found in Southeast Asia and 1/28/09 2:15:34 PM
on the islands of Borneo
and Sumatra.
A4TFK_TXNA_I14FP_RD11.indd 109
Issue 15 Fact and Opinion • Context Clues • Time Lines
Honoring Hail to a Chief ................................................................................. 118
a Legacy Celebrating American Indian Heritage.................................... 120
Top 5 Tallest U.S. Monuments TABLES .....................................124
Stone Face
(c) Robert Fried; (tr) J. Scott Applewhite/Wide World Photo/AP Images
A giant monument to a Native
American chief is taking shape.
A4TFK_TXNA_I15FP_RD11.indd 117 1/28/09 2:16:33 PM
(c) JRC, Inc./Alamy; (tr) Francisco Cruz/SuperStock Sun Belt
Bound
Cattle ranching has played an important role in
our nation’s economy since the 1600s.
The Growth
of theWest
Cattle ranching was at
the heart of the settlement
of Texas and other parts
of the Southwest. The Granger Collection, New York
The original residents of what is ↑ An artist’s portrayal of life on a mission
There were few Spanish settlers in
now Texas were Native Americans. The Texas. Spain was concerned that the
different groups had their own cultures, French might move west. To try to
languages, and religions. The arrival of prevent this, Spain established missions
European explorers and, later, settlers throughout Texas. A mission was part
changed the course of their history. fort, town, and religious center. The idea
Texas, along with what is now was to convert the Native Americans
California, Arizona, and New Mexico, to the Catholic faith. The Native
were part of New Spain. This was a Americans would learn farming and
vast region controlled by Spain. In the other skills that were part of the Spanish
late 1600s, Spain wanted to protect way of life. The mission would be a
its territory from the French. France source of income. It would also provide
controlled Louisiana to the east. defense against the French.
Cattle and Oil in Texas
1866 First cattle drive from Texas to 1927 Texas longhorn is almost extinct
Missouri; the chuckwagon is invented to as a result of other “meatier” breeds of
feed cowboys along the way cattle being imported from Europe
1675 1850 1875 1900 1925
1690 First longhorn cattle 1901 Oil is discovered near Beaumont,
brought to Texas from Mexico Texas; the beginning of the oil industry
6 • Time For Kids
Corbis/SuperStock
The Texas Longhorn
Texas longhorns are descended from the first Spanish cattle
brought to Santo Domingo by Christopher Columbus. The first
herd was driven from Mexico to a mission in Texas in 1690.
Texas longhorns had characteristics that made them good for
ranchers in the Southwest and ideal for long cattle drives. They could
go long distances without water, find food just about anywhere,
swim rivers, and survive harsh desert and snowy conditions.
Texas longhorn →
The Gold Rush and the Cattle Rush people to California, the cattle boom of
the 1850s brought them to Texas and
Between 1659 and 1795, many Spanish other parts of the Southwest.
missions were established in what is
now Texas. Even more were established Americans continued to move West
in California. The Spanish introduced after the Civil War. Farming took hold.
cattle ranching. Many of the skilled Industries and other businesses grew,
cowhands, called vaqueros, were too. Beginning in the early 1900s, that
Native American. After Mexico won its included the oil industry.
independence from Spain in 1821, most
mission lands became private property. Vaqueros at work ↓
Beginning in the 1830s, new settlers The Granger Collection, New York
started moving into Texas. Land was
cheap and plentiful. The growing
populations in the West made the
demand for meat grow. Railroads also
made it possible to sell beef to markets in
the East. Just as the Gold Rush drew new
1972 Texas oil production 2008 There are approximately
peaks at 3,570,000 barrels/day 14,000,000 head of cattle (of all
kinds) in Texas
1950 1975
2000
1964 2,500 Texas longhorns survive; 2007 Texas oil production is approximately
Texas Longhorn Breeders’ Association is 916,300 barrels/day, though oil continues to
formed to preserve the breed be a major part of Texas’ economy
Issue 1 • 7
Westward
and Southward
Bound!
The population of the
U.S. has been moving
away from the Rust Belt
and to the Sun Belt.
Where is the population of the United Francisco Cruz/SuperStock
States going? The answer, at least
in recent years, is south and west. The ↑ Many families like this one are moving
number of people living in states in to states in the South and West.
the Northeast and Midwest has been
decreasing steadily. Meanwhile, the
population has been growing in states
such as Florida, Tennessee, Texas, Nevada,
and Arizona.
Top 5 States Top 5 States in Percentage
in Population Increase* Increase in Population*
1. Texas 496,751 1. Nevada 2.93%
2. California 303,343 2. Arizona 2.81%
3. Georgia 202,670 3. Utah 2.55%
4. Florida 193,735 4. Idaho 2.43%
5. North Carolina 191,590 5. Georgia 2.17%
*July 2006 through July 2007 *July 2006 through July 2007
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Source: U.S. Census Bureau
8 • Time For Kids
Where’s Everybody Going? Northeast
The United States Census Bureau keeps track of the population -987,262
and population trends in the U.S. It divides the country into four
regions: Northeast, Midwest, South, and West. The map below
shows the states in each region.
Net Migration* by U.S. Census Regions,
2000–2004
West Midwest
220,882 -644,792
South
1,411,172
*Net migration is the change in population caused
by people moving into or out of a region. A positive
number means more people moved into the region
than out of it. A negative number means more
people moved out of a region than into it.
Texas Population, 1900–2000 Source: U.S. Census Bureau
1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000
1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000
3,048,710 4,663,228 6,414,824 9,579,677 14,229,191 20,851,820
1910 1930 1950 1970 1990
3,896,542 5,824,715 7,711,194 11,196,730 16,986,510
Issue 1 • 9
A Changing Economy Meanwhile, high-tech businesses
and businesses that provide services
The main reason people are moving to consumers have been attracting
to the South and West is the workers to the South and West. This
changing United States economy. region is known as the Sun Belt. Of
The area stretching from New Jersey course, people move for other reasons
and southern New York through besides jobs, such as a lower cost of
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, living—especially cheaper housing—
and Illinois was for many years the and better weather.
manufacturing center of the country.
It was known as the Manufacturing Coming to the U.S.A.
Belt. There were plenty of good jobs
in automobile factories, steel mills, Population patterns change for
and other heavy industries. But for a many reasons. One is migration
number of years companies have been of native-born residents within the
moving factories to places where they country. Another is immigration.
can pay people less to do the same In the United States, most immigrants
work, often outside the United States. come into the country through a
Many factories in the Northeast handful of states, called “gateway
and Midwest have closed. The change states.” The six major gateway states
has earned the region a new name: are California, New York, Texas,
the Rust Belt. Florida, Illinois, and New Jersey.
This closed factory shows why the Northeast
and Midwest are called the Rust Belt. ↓
Vince Streano/Corbis
10 • Time For Kids
Information gathered about immigrants in the Getty Images
2000 census showed a changing pattern. While
the majority of foreign-born people still enter
the U.S. through the gateway states, many of
them then move inland. The new pattern shows
that large numbers of immigrants are moving to
Sun Belt states such as Georgia, North Carolina,
and Nevada. Census Bureau Director Louis
Kincannon said, “Like the Westward migration
of immigrants in centuries past, [the movements
of new immigrants] remind us that opportunities
abound throughout the country.”
Spotlight on Texas ↑ Cars line up to cross the
border between Mexico
Today, the combination of a historically large
Hispanic/Latino population and people of other and the United States.
backgrounds makes Texas a racially and culturally
diverse state. The chart below is a snapshot of
Texas’s population as of 2006 compared with the
population of the entire United States.
The Texas State Data Center and Office of the
State Demographer predicts that the population
of Texas will double between 2010 and 2040. It
also predicts that sometime between 2025 and
2035, the majority of Texas’s population will be
Hispanic. There is one prediction that is sure
to come true: Texas will continue to grow and
change along with the rest of the United States.
Population Group Texas U.S.A.
Total population 23,507,783 299,398,484
Hispanic or Latino 35.7% 14.8%
Non-Hispanic white 48.3% 66.4%
Black 11.9% 12.8%
Asian 3.4% 4.4%
American Indian & Alaska Native 0.7% 1.0%
Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander 0.1% 0.2%
Issue 1 • 11
Looking at the Past and Present
to Predict the Future
This line graph from the U.S. Census Bureau begins with the
turn of the century in 1900. It shows how the population
in the four regions of the United States has changed over
the last hundred years. It also predicts how the population
is expected to change in the next decade. Population will
grow in all regions. However, the South and West will have
a greater growth rate than the Midwest and Northeast.
Total Population by Region: 1900 to 2020
140
Key
Northeast Midwest
South West
120
Population by Millions 100
80
60
40
20
0 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020
1900 Years
12
(c) Photodisc/Alamy; (tr) David Noble Photography/Alamy Mountain
Man
Powerful storms may increase the
chances of flooding in coastal areas.
The Old Man of CANADA
the Mountain
Vermont
A much-loved natural sculpture teaches an Maine
important lesson about the forces that shape FFrraannccoonniiaa
Earth’s surface.
NNoottcchh
The Old Man of the Mountain was just a rock Concord
formation in Franconia Notch, New Hampshire. New Hampshire
But to many people, he was an old friend. The Old Man
of the Mountain appeared to be a face, seen from the Massachusetts
side, carved out of solid rock. From chin to forehead,
the face measured 40 feet. It was 25 feet wide.
Joe Lemonnier
Every year thousands of people would visit Franconia
Notch just to say hello to the Old Man. He became so popular
that in 1945 he was named the state symbol of New
Hampshire. In 2000, the New Hampshire quarter
issued by the U.S. Mint featured the Old Man.
A 12,000-Year-Old Man David Noble Photography/Alamy
The story of the Old Man of the Native Americans
Mountain starts about 12,000 years first noticed the
ago, during the last ice age. Back then, Old Man’s profile.
an ice sheet covered North America.
As the ice sheet melted, it created the
mountains that became Franconia
Notch and carved the Old Man.
In 1805 some surveyors claimed to
be the first to see the face. In fact,
though, even in the 1600s, American
Indians told stories of the mountain
with a stone face.
14 • Time For Kids
The End of the Old Man Jim Cole/AP Photo
Even as thousands of people were ↑ In 2003, the granite slabs
visiting and admiring the Old Man collapsed and the Old Man
of the Mountain, natural forces were
destroying it. was gone.
The Old Man was made of five Nature’s Sculptures
slabs of granite. Behind its chin was
a long, narrow cavern. That meant Examples of sculptures carved by
that just about 2 feet of the chin was natural forces can be seen around
actually connected to the cliff. It was the world. Here are two examples
held there by the weight of the other in the United States.
four slabs of granite. It was an
amazing balancing act! Half Dome, Yosemite National Park,
California: This granite dome rises
Through the years, rain and snow more than 4,700 feet above
blew into the cavern and other cracks the Yosemite Valley.
between the five slabs. The water According to Indian
between the slabs froze and expanded, legend, the dome
pushing them apart. This happened shows the face of
again and again for thousands an Indian girl.
of years.
Arches National Robert Glusic/Corbis
Finally, on May 3, 2003, the Park, Utah: The
rock just behind the Old Man of many rock David Muench/Corbis
the Mountain’s chin moved slightly. formations in this
When that happened, the chin high desert area are
fell down the cliff. The rest of the made of sandstone.
Old Man fell almost immediately They have been
afterward. carved by wind,
water, and other
Remembering the Old Man forces over millions
of years.
Even today, people come to the park
to remember it. An online scrapbook
is filled with memories and pictures
of the Old Man. — Lisa Jo Rudy
Issue 2 • 15
When the Floods Come
People are finding ways to adapt to
global warming.
P eople have faced floods throughout history. Now,
with the effects of global warming, flood defenses
that worked well in the past are failing.
How Global Warming Causes Floods
The Earth stays warm the same As Earth warms, weather
way a greenhouse does. Gases in patterns will change. More powerful
the atmosphere, such as carbon storms are likely. In some places,
dioxide, methane, and nitrogen, act we’ll have more rain. Melting ice
like the glass of a greenhouse. They sheets will cause sea levels to rise,
let in the sun’s light and warmth. putting low-lying coastal areas in
They also keep the Earth’s heat danger of flooding.
from escaping. This is called the
greenhouse effect. Scientists think Until now, most countries have
that if too many of these gases are handled the threat of floods by
released into the atmosphere too building dikes and levees. These
much heat will be trapped. This will are basically walls designed to hold
cause temperatures to rise. back rising waters. But levees failed
to protect New Orleans from the
devastating effects of Hurricane
Katrina. Planners now know we
need to go beyond traditional
means as we adapt to living in a
wetter world.
← In June 2007, northern
England was struck by a freak
tropical storm, flooding many
towns and forcing residents
to evacuate.
16 • Time For Kids Gideon Mendel/Corbis
Staying Dry in a Wetter World
London, England, is a city with a England Joe Lemonnier
history of severe floods. In 1983 the
Thames Barrier went into operation. The Netherlands
It is a system of huge barriers with London
floodgates that close when the
Thames River rises too high. The
English expected to shut the gates
about once a year. Instead, they’re
already closing them an average of
ten times a year!
In low-lying Holland, the Dutch
have plans for allowing certain areas
to flood rather than always counting
on dikes to hold back the water.
This strategy will protect big cities
from the worst effects of flooding.
Wolfgang Kaehler/Corbis
In the Netherlands, dikes
like this one have been
the main method for
protecting communities
from flooding.
Issue 2 • 17
How Can We Adapt to Increased Flooding?
Hurricane Katrina was a wake-up call. Scientists say
rebuilding levees isn’t enough. They also recommend
restoring wetlands. Wetlands help reduce flooding by
acting as natural sponges. Around New Orleans, many
natural wetlands have been destroyed as land was
developed for housing or used for drilling.
Barrier islands are also a form of flood protection.
Standing between the ocean and the mainland, they
help reduce flooding caused by storms and by rising
ocean levels.
In the United States and around the world, scientists,
government officials, business leaders, and ordinary
citizens are working on reducing the causes of global
warming. They’re also working on ways to protect us
from the rising water levels that are likely to be part
of our future. — Lisa Jo Rudy
David Eastley/Alamy
Flooding Fast Smiley N. Pool/Dallas Morning News/Corbis
The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale classifies tropical wind systems according to their
wind speeds. The faster wind blows, the more destructive it gets. The scale helps
provide an estimate of the possible flooding and property damage expected along
the coast from a hurricane landfall. Here’s a look at how hurricanes are classified.
Category Winds (Miles Per Hour) Effects
1 74–95 mph Some flooding of low-lying coastal roads
2 96–110 mph Flooding of coastal roads and low-lying escape routes
3 111–130 mph Flooding of sea level coastlands 8 miles or more inland;
evacuations of low-lying residence
4 131–155 mph Flooding of areas as much as 6 miles inland; evacuation of
inland residential areas required
5 Greater than 155 mph Flooding with major damage to all structures located less
than 15 feet above sea level within 500 yards of the shore;
evacuations of all residential areas within 5 to 10 miles of shore.
18 • Time For Kids
BEFORE People enjoy riding AFTER Floodwaters from Hurricane Katrina
the historic streetcars through flow through downtown. Some streetcar lines
were out of service for over two years.
downtown New Orleans.
Rick Wilking/Reuters/Corbis
When Hurricane Katrina was
in the Gulf of Mexico it was a
category 5 hurricane.
Levees were unable to
protect New Orleans from
devastating flooding caused
by Hurricane Katrina.
Issue 2 • 19
Volcanoes can cause damage. But they are powder puffs (bkgd) Royalty-Free/Corbis
compared to super volcanoes. These powerful volcanoes can
send up enough ash and dust to cover whole continents!
A super volcano forms when magma builds up underground
in a chamber that can measure thousands of square miles.
When it erupts, the magma bursts out through huge areas of
land. The explosion can be thousands of times stronger than
that of a normal volcano. Luckily, super volcanoes don’t erupt
often. The map shows where they have erupted in the past.
Asia North Atlantic Ocean Europe
Australia America Africa
Pacific Ocean
South
America
Super volcanoes that Super volcanoes that Elizabeth Wolf
have erupted in the erupted more than
last 2 million years 2 million years ago
20
(c) Mark Peterson/Redux Pictures; (tr) Dan Balilty Money
Makers
I’m the
BOSS
Kids across the country are starting their
own companies. Will you be next?
Should Kids
Sell to Kids?
Young people are signing up to help
pitch new products to their peers.
By Brenda Iasevoli David Klug
Jenny Lieb is like many other JOBS PARENTS HOPE
THEIR KIDS WILL HAVE
16-year-olds. After lunch at her
school in Tallahassee, Florida, she In a recent poll, 504 parents of kids ages 5 to 17
shares sticks of gum with her friends. named the job they would choose for their kids.
There’s nothing unusual here, except
for one thing. She is taking notes on Job Percent of Parents
what her friends think of the gum.
Start a business 25%
Jenny is working for one of
several companies that hire young Doctor 18%
people to help spread excitement
about their products. These Teacher 11%
products include music, movies,
soft drinks, cell phones, and more. Chief of a big company 9%
What these companies are doing is
called peer-to-peer marketing. This Professional athlete 9%
means young people receive free
products to share with their friends. Lawyer 4%
In return they write down whether
their friends like or dislike the Other 24%
product and the reasons why.
It’s not news that companies want
kids to know about their products.
TV and magazine ads are some
22 • Time For Kids
ways that companies sell their stuff. On the other hand, some people
However, peer-to-peer marketing don’t agree with using friends for
is unlike these examples. It involves research. “You won’t know whether
people you know, like your school your friends hang out with you because
friends, not strangers on TV. they like you or because it’s their job,”
says Marilyn Cohen, the director of
Why are companies eager to sign Teen Futures Media Network.
up kids like Jenny? The answer is
money! Kids ages 12 through 19 spent Jenny Lieb (left)
$169 billion in 2004, says Michael shares new kinds of
Wood. He is the vice president of snacks with a friend. ↓
Teenage Research Unlimited.
Dan Balilty
“Most of my friends and I have
never felt that commercials drew
us in,” Jenny says. “But with [peer-
to-peer], you’re actually seeing the
product and trying it out on the spot.”
The Debate:
Should kids market
products to their friends?
Laura Groppe Juliet Schor
is the CEO of the is a professor of
Girls Intelligence sociology at
Agency (GIA). Boston College.
Courtesy Girls Intelligence Agency Courtesy Juliet Schor
YES! Word-of-mouth advertising NO! Kids who work for marketing
is essential today because firms often don’t explain who they
there are so many media are working for. Kids think getting
competing for kids’ free products is cool, but these
attention. If kids like companies act super nice so
something, you win. If they can get you to do what
they don’t, you lose. they want.
They are holding all of PRO CON
the cards.
Issue 3 • 23
KIDS
IN CHARGE
These creative young people prove it’s
never too early to follow your dreams.
By Kathryn R. Satterfield
I f you are anything like the go-getters featured here, you’re
probably very busy! Free enterprise gives Americans the
freedom to choose what to create. These five young people
got an early start creating their own businesses or inventing
new things. Read their success stories to learn more.
LAVTweb Laima’s plan for a Web-design
Laima Tazmin company won first place in an
NFTE competition.
President
New York, New York In 2001, Laima founded LAVTweb.
From her home office in New York
Laima Tazmin started on her career City, she designs Web sites for small-
path when she was 7 years old. business owners and artists. LAVT
“I was a curious kid,” Laima, now 17, earned $25,000 during its second
told TFK. She borrowed her older year, and business is still booming.
brother’s computer books and began The job also has one big plus:
creating Web sites for fun. Her Laima is her older brother’s boss.
hobby became a promising business
idea in the sixth grade. That’s when ↓ Laima Tazmin
she took a class taught by the builds Web pages.
National Foundation for Teaching
Entrepreneurs (NFTE). NFTE Arlan Tazmin
gives kids help and training
they need to dream big and
become business owners.
24 • Time For Kids
Since starting her own business at Shay’s Bones and Biscuits
age 11, Shay Hammond has attracted Shay Hammond
many loyal, drooling customers. Shay
sells homemade dog treats. She was Founder, Owner, Operator
inspired by her lovable mutt, Pancake. Olive Hill, Kentucky
In three years Pancake has grown and
so has Shay’s company, Bones and
Biscuits. It earned about $200 last
year. Three stores sell the snacks, and
Shay also takes orders online. NFTE
recently awarded her a $1,000 prize.
The treats have all-natural Cindy Hammond
ingredients, which could draw new
customers. “Whenever I sold them at ↑ Shay Hammond bakes a
school, everybody would dip them fresh batch of biscuits.
in cheese,” Shay told TFK. “Maybe I
should start selling them to people.”
CPBhriioreBmPfuEeinddxgdedhyceaurDmtKiiv,lelAueslOnatbobffemaicmresgra Buddy Dillenberg had $4,500 saved
up to buy a car when he turned 16.
Alan Dillenberg Instead, he bought a drill press, and
ProPedder Kustoms buzzed into
business. Buddy started making cool
add-ons for his friends’ motorized
scooters, called Go-Peds. He also sold
his scooter parts online. Soon he was
earning up to $1,000 a month.
The 19-year-old won an award for
his work. Buddy says that he was born
to be a business owner.
← Buddy Dillenberg customizes
scooter parts.
Issue 3 • 25
Build
Build Baywear Legend
Luis Villa
Chief Executive Officer
East Palo Alto, California
LbtouyismviVaokillelean’tcshecin.oLgmusimsbeuthtntoietuyr.ghHhaetsasbbtaeoreutnet dhhouwrt Luis VIlla’s company,
aaBmBgbaaaayunkiwnsdeisesantanebfrasiegssLlthetashtgr,iaeneTtgn-list.dkahHe,kiraeehtssacis,noaatdmhnsktedpeaarhnbcnedahyaniedtdhfasoan,ftas. Baywear Legend, sells
bBuusaitynwbgiegcagorelomrrasanktdehsamtboparrneodmcaonolatoerpfuauntl.titeyr.ns belts like these.
Luis, 16, helped start the
then called
company, which was him an NFTE
Latin Style. It earned
atchwoemafrpudta.unNryeo.whHaLseussihsaoyhwsatnshhhaiitsmsettyaheratoitnnhgeahas
what it takes to be a success.
Early Jobs of Presidents
Did you know that every U.S. President had
another job before being elected? For example,
Ronald Reagan was an actor! Most were lawyers
or in the military. Here are the jobs held by the
most U.S. Presidents.
Job Number of Presidents
Military 28
Lawyer 23 Aurora/Getty Images
Educator 12
Businessman 6
Journalist 4
Farmer 4 ↑ George W. Bush, the 43rd
President, was an owner of the
Source: List compiled by Time For Kids
Texas Rangers baseball team.
26 • Time For Kids
Over the Edge Wheelchair Lift Christopher Whetzel, 12, has found another
Christopher Whetzel kind of success. Unlike the others, he
Inventor hasn’t started his own business. But like
them, he has done something remarkable.
Bristow, Virginia He won $10,000 for using his imagination
to help his mom, who uses a wheelchair.
“She’d fall over the side and get stuck,”
Christopher told TFK. So he made
something to help her get back up.
Courtesy Catalyst Marketing Christopher’s invention is made up
of ropes and pulleys. They are attached
↑ Christopher Whetzel’s award- to his mom and the chair. If she falls to
winning invention helps people her right, she can pull on the left rope to
sit up. If she falls to the left, she pulls on
who use wheelchairs. the right rope. Christopher’s invention
won a Craftsman/National Science
Teachers Association (NSTA) Young
Inventors Award.
Make Your Own Budget
A budget is a tool to help you predict how much money
will come in and how much will be spent over time, usually
a year. You should not plan to spend more money than you
will receive. Try making your own budget—you might be
surprised to see how you spend your money!
• Write down every single item you spend money
on each week and its cost.
• Add up how much you earn each week from an
allowance, baby-sitting, or a paper route.
• Subtract the money you spend from the money
you earn.
• Is there money left over?
• If yes, then congratulations! You have some money
that you can save for next week, or next year!
• If no, then go back and look at each item on your
“spend” list to see if there’s anything you can cut.
Issue 3 • 27
By Langston Hughes
To fling my arms wide
In some place of the sun,
To whirl and to dance
Till the white day is done.
Then rest at cool evening
Beneath a tall tree
While night comes on gently,
Dark like me—
That is my dream!
To fling my arms wide
In the face of the sun,
Dance! Whirl! Whirl!
Till the quick day is done.
Rest at pale evening . . .
A tall, slim tree . . .
Night coming tenderly
Black like me.
Getty Images, Inc.
28
(c) Ralph A. Clevenger/Corbis; (tr) Todd Bigelow/Aurora Mr.
Mix-It
Will
Monarchs
Always Rule?
These delicate butterflies are in jeopardy.
For one man, mixing
chemistry and clay leads
to new discoveries—toys!
S ometimes Maelo Cordova
spends the day shaping
modeling clay. Other times he
tries out doll makeup or races Todd Bigelow/
miniature cars. Surprisingly, Aurora
Cordova is not a kid. He’s a
chemist. He uses his knowledge ↑ Chemist Maelo Cordova shows off
of chemistry to make toys. one of his slimiest inventions.
As a kid in Puerto Rico, Cordova Cordova studied chemistry in
asked questions. What is in shampoo college. He now works for a big
that helps it clean hair? How can I toy company.
mix cleaning products to get out At work, Cordova mixes
spots? In high school, Cordova chemicals and performs experiments.
discovered the name of his hobby: But he does his homework first. “I
chemistry. He loved learning how like to spend time investigating what
substances combine to make I’m looking for before I get in the
new stuff. lab,” Cordova explains.
The process he loves is called For one project, he was asked
a chemical reaction. A chemical to make icky, sticky play slime.
reaction occurs when two or more His recipe was a little off. The goo
substances are mixed together. In came out harder than he wanted,
the process of mixing, the atoms in and he almost tossed it into the
the original substances break apart. trash. Instead he saved it. He later
They then combine to make a new patented his mistake. He called the
substance. The starting substances new invention flubber. Says Cordova,
are called reactants. The results of “In science, you never throw
the reaction are called products. anything away.” His next mistake
may turn out to be even more fun.
30 • Time For Kids
It’s Elemental Light Up the Night Photolibrary.com
Everything in the world is made of Some chemical reactions
different combinations of elements. produce light. One example
An element is a substance that contains is a toy you may have seen.
only one kind of atom. It can’t be It is a plastic tube that glows
broken down into a simpler substance. in the dark. The tube is filled
A compound is a combination of two with a liquid substance.When
or more elements. Some compounds you bend the tube, a small
are familiar. One of these is sodium container inside it breaks.
chloride. It is a combination of the This releases another
elements sodium and chlorine. You substance. A chemical
know it as table salt. reaction between the
two substances takes
An atom, however, is made up of place. The product of
even smaller particles. The particles the reaction is light.
that make up all atoms are: protons, The light makes the
neutrons, and electrons. Protons have dye in the tube glow
positive electrical charges. Unlike in the dark.
protons, electrons have negative
electrical charges. Neutrons are
electrically neutral.
Great Chemistry Sodium
Chloride
This table lists some famous
chemists and their achievements. Table salt is made up of sodium
and chloride atoms.
Name Birth Country
Date of Birth Achievement
Robert Boyle 1627 England First to use scientific methods to study
chemistry
Irene Curie 1897 France Created new radioactive elements
John Dalton 1766 England Discovered theory of matter based on atoms
Discovered oxygen and that water is made of
Antoine Lavoisier 1743 France oxygen and hydrogen
Arranged all known elements in a chart called
Dimitri 1834 Russia the periodic table
Mendeleyev 1833 Sweden Invented dynamite, an explosive
Alfred Nobel Issue 4 • 31
Butter f lies
at Risk
What’s causing problems for these Monarchs swirl
beautiful insects? around a tree
in Mexico, and
Something is harming the monarchs. One of the largest hibernate in
butterflies in North America, monarchs are famous California (right).
for their long migrations covering thousands of miles.
Yet the number of monarchs is dropping. Severe weather
conditions and habitat destruction are putting the butterfly
population in jeopardy. Some butterfly experts say that the
number of monarch butterflies has been cut by 25 percent.
In recent years the weather has been hard on the fragile
insects. Experts say that unusually cold temperatures, rain,
and droughts have caused monarchs to die in large numbers.
These conditions have also prevented new butterflies
from hatching.
Will They Return?
Monarchs are very sensitive to change because of the
long distances they travel. They cover thousands of miles
each year, flying between their winter homes in Mexico
or Southern California and their summer homes in the
Midwest. Other animals also migrate. And many travel much
farther. A bird called the Arctic tern goes round trip between
the Arctic and the Antarctic and back every year. Like the
Arctic tern, a type of gray whale has a long migration. It
travels 12,400 miles from Baja California in Mexico to
waters off Alaska and back. The longest migration ever
recorded is by the sooty shearwater. Every year this bird flies
40,000 miles from New Zealand to the northern part of the
Pacific Ocean to find food.
32 • Time For Kids
(l) Richard R. Hansen, Chris Sharp, Gilbert S. Grant/The
National Audubon Society/PR; (b) James L. Amos/Corbis
The monarchs don’t travel as
far as animals like the Arctic tern
and the sooty shearwater, but their
journey isn’t safe. Every year as many
as 100 million monarch butterflies
leave Mexico for the first leg of the
migration. It’s hard to imagine that
such a large number might be in
danger. Yet many scientists tell us
that the danger is very real.
Issue 4 • 33
Loggers in Mexico have cut some of the forests where Darrell Gulin/Corbis
millions of monarchs spend the winter. They also use weed
killers that can destroy milkweed, the monarch’s favorite
food. There are only 14 places in Mexico where monarchs
spend the winter. In California there are 25 winter homes
for the butterflies. In both areas development is destroying
these winter homes. Unless steps are taken to preserve
their habitats, the monarchs’ migration could
become a thing of the past.
“If we lose the whole migration, we
lose one of the nation’s most magnificent
phenomena,” said Chip Taylor, a professor at
the University of Kansas. “These butterflies are
the symbol of richness of biological diversity.”
34 • Time For Kids
Mark Newman/ImageState/Jupiter Images PureStock/Jupiter Images
Chasing
Butterflies
“Butterflies spoke to me,” recalls Jeffrey Glassberg.
As a 5-year-old, he started to keep lists of butterflies he spotted in his
backyard in Long Island, New York. Now chasing butterflies has become his
daily work. He is a lepidopterist (lep•i•DOP•tuh•rist)—a scientist who studies
moths and butterflies.
Glassberg chases these fluttering insects all over the United States, Canada,
and Mexico. He visits mountain meadows and draws maps that show where
species live and the places they travel to. “Studying butterflies is an activity
that is good for the planet and a lot of fun,” says Glassberg. Plus, “you are
always outside in warm weather. What’s not to like about that?”
← Alabama, Idaho, and Texas are a
few of the places that recognize
the Monarch as their state insect.
The Life Cycle of a Butterfly Adult—comes out of cocoon
as full-size adult
Butterflies, like all insects, go through
several stages during their lives. They
change from one stage to the next in a
process known as metamorphosis.
Pupa—rests inside a cocoon
Larva—hatches from egg as
caterpillar, which sheds skin a
few times as it eats and grows
Egg—starts life Joe Lemmonier
as fertilized egg
Issue 4 • 35
Gail Borden’s The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc./Jacques Cornell photographer
Very Good Idea
In 1852, Gail Borden was on a ship heading home
from England to the United States. When his ship
hit rough seas, the cows on board got so sick they
could not be milked. This meant the babies on board
had to go without milk for a while. Borden, a dairy
farmer, started thinking of a way to keep milk for
long periods of time without spoiling.
After experimenting for several years, Borden had
come up with a way to process milk so that it wouldn’t
spoil. It was based on the concept of removing a lot
of the water in raw milk and adding sugar. The sugar
is what keeps the milk from spoiling. His product was
called condensed milk. Here’s how it’s made.
Milk Robb Kneebone 1 2
Condensation Milk STERILIZATION EVAPORATION
Raw milk is Water is
Process flash-heated to removed from
185°F (85°C) to the hot milk in
sterilize it. the evaporator.
Heat
Robb Kneebone 5 4 3
36 PACKAGING INOCULATION CONCENTRATION
The milk is transferred The milk is cooled. Under vacuum
to sterilized cans that In a process called pressure, the milk is
are vacuum-sealed. inoculation, sugar, in concentrated into
the form of powdered a syrupy substance
crystals, is added. that is 30–40% solid.
(c) Tony Gutierrez/Wide World Photo/AP Images; (tr) Photodisc/Getty Images The
Nose
Knows
Dogs are being used to make
sick patients feel better.
Clever canines are learning helpful Photodisc/Getty Images
new tricks that could save lives.
By Bill Doyle
Dogs might have the latest weapons in the fight against
cancer: their noses! Researchers at California’s Pine Street
Foundation (PSF) say they have trained five dogs to smell
cancer on a person’s breath. This could be exciting news.
Millions of Americans develop cancer each year, but many
cases can be successfully treated. If the cancer is found early
enough, there is still time to stop it from spreading.
Something to Wag About A dog’s sense of smell can discover
harmful things like explosives,
Dogs have 20 to 40 times as many narcotics, and cancer. ↓
smell receptors as humans do.
These are special odor-sensing cells
in the nose. Also, a dog’s sense of
smell may be 10,000 to 100,000
times stronger than ours. But can
dogs really smell disease?
PSF researcher Michael Eric Gay/Wide World Photo/AP Images
McCulloch says yes. “We were very
surprised by how accurate they
were,” he told CNN. “They were
identifying who had cancer, and
they were also saying who didn’t.”
38 • Time For Kids
McCulloch and his team asked four Does the Nose Know?
healthy people and one with cancer to
blow into plastic tubes. Special material No lab test for cancer has given more
in the tubes trapped the contents of correct results than this experiment.
each breath. The tubes were then placed The results are so amazing that many
one yard apart. Finally the dogs were experts question the dogs’ sniffing
allowed to smell the tubes. power. They wonder if there were other
reasons why the dogs did so well. For
Each dog had been trained for three example, they thought the way the dog
weeks to sit when it smelled the odor of handlers behaved could have affected
cancer. Ninety-nine percent of the time, how the dogs acted.
the dogs sat next to the tubes blown into
by patients with lung cancer. The dogs However, most experts agree that
were right 88 percent of the time about this study is important. The information
breast cancer. could help scientists create a simple
breath test for cancer in the future.
Nosy Dogs Once again humans may be getting a
helping paw—or nose—from their best
Who are the dogs behind the noses in the Pine animal friends.
Street Foundation’s experiment? Read on to
learn more about them. Dogs to the Rescue
There were five dogs. Dogs in the Pine Street Foundation experiment were
trained to sit when they smelled cancer. How well did
The dogs were 7 to 18 months old. they perform? Take a look at this table to find out.
There were three Labrador retrievers and Breath Number of Number of
two Portuguese water dogs. Sample Times the Times the
Dogs Sat Dogs Kept
There were three males and two females. Down Standing
They came from Guide Dogs for the Blind Breath from 564 10
in San Rafael, California, and from dog lung cancer
owners. patients
They were picked for two reasons: they Breath from 4 708
were eager to sniff objects, and they healthy
listened to commands. patients
Issue 5 • 39
A Healthy Dose
of Puppy Love
A new study shows that Stockdisc/PunchStock
dogs can be good for your health.
By Kathryn R. Satterfield
Dogs are called “man’s best Man’s Best Friend
friend.” Now a study shows new The study focused on 76 patients
reasons why they really are our best who were in the hospital for heart
pals. Researchers at UCLA Medical problems. First the patients were
Center in Los Angeles, California, split into three groups. Some
say that dogs can be good for were visited by human volunteers
people’s health. with dogs. Others were visited by
people only. The third group had no
visitors. Then the researchers wrote
down how the patients felt before,
during, and after the visit.
← Anna Britton, 88, hugs
Kirby, a therapy dog
who visited patients at a
hospital in Los Angeles.
40 • Time For Kids (bl) David McNew/Getty Images; (br) Brand X Pictures/PunchStock
Researchers found that dog visits made Eugene Spencer, left, smiles as
the patients feel better. Patients who had Bart, an Australian shepherd,
been visited by dogs felt 24 percent less and his owner, Linda Babinec,
scared. Those patients who were visited right, visit Spencer at Baylor
by just people felt only 10 percent less Hospital in Dallas, Texas. ↓
scared. After just 12 minutes with
dogs, patients’ hearts and lungs Tony Gutierrez/AP Images
seemed to be working better.
The UCLA researchers reported
the study to the American Heart
Association. The Pet Care Trust
Foundation paid for the study.
The dogs used were therapy dogs.
This means they were trained to
behave a special way around the
patients. There were large dogs, like
Burmese mountain dogs, and small
dogs, like miniature schnauzers.
STRESS BUSTERS
Scientists are able to measure the stress a person feels.
The chart below shows how 12-minute visits from dogs
can help lower the amount of stress in patients.
Patients’ Visitors Patients’ Amount of Stress
No visitors Rose an average of 7 percent
Human volunteer only Dropped an average of 2 percent
Human volunteer and dog Dropped an average of 17 percent
Rob McClurkan
Issue 5 • 41
Warm and Fuzzy Findings (l), (r) Rob McClurkan
The fact that furry friends can help
people feel better might seem like old
news to pet lovers. After all, animals
have a history of helping people. For
example, trained monkeys can carry
things for people in wheelchairs.
Guide dogs help blind people get
around. Many children’s hospitals
have programs that bring in animal
visitors, including horses, to cheer up
the young patients.
Owning Pets
(cl) Ingram Publishing/Alamy; (cr) IT Stock/PunchStock; Dogs lower stress in people. But many people find any kind of
(bl) Digital Archive Japan/Alamy; (br) Comstock Images/Alamy pet calming, whether it’s furry or scaly. Here’s a look at the most
popular pets in the United States.
Pet Percent of U.S. Number of Pets
Homes with Pets in the United
Dog States
Cat 39%
Freshwater fish 34% 73.9 million
Bird 13% 90.5 million
Other small animal 6% 139 million
Reptile 5% 16.6 million
4% 18.2 million
11 million
42 • Time For Kids
Before the study there was little Hearing Dogs help owners who have
proof that therapy animals make trouble hearing. The dogs jump up or use their paws
us healthier. Nurse Kathie M. Cole when they hear important sounds, like telephone
was a member of the UCLA Medical rings and smoke alarms.
Center study. She hopes that
doctors and hospitals see the good Service Dogs help owners who have
effects of using therapy animals. trouble moving around. They can pull wheelchairs
and turn lights on and off.
“Dogs are a great comfort,” said
Cole. “They make people happier, K-9 Dogs help their police owners.
calmer, and feel more loved. That is They chase criminals and find dangerous things
huge when you are scared and not by sniffing.
feeling well.”
Rob McClurkan
Dogs can carry things for people
in wheelchairs. ↓
Lawrence Migdale/Photo Researchers
G.K. & Vikki Hart/Getty Images Issue 5 • 43
By Tony Johnston
His name is Ron
and he’s a good dog.
When I call, he’s there.
Goes everywhere I do, only farther.
Does everything I do, only rougher.
When I growl, he growls tougher.
When I’m sad, he puts his nose
close to my face and just waits.
Ron makes a good pillow;
his fur is plush, like a bear’s.
And he doesn’t eat much.
Sometimes he licks me.
Ron likes me, but I don’t own him.
He comes and goes, like steam.
Never musses my bed, where he sleeps
at night, because he’s made up
of light things—
like air, like dreams.
44
(c) Bernard Gotfryd/Getty Images; (tr) Bettmann/Corbis Symbol of
Freedom
Former congresswoman
Barbara Jordan
Speaking Out
for American Ideals
We choose leaders to express what Americans
believe in. Sometimes symbols speak for us too.
Barbara Jordan
didn’t let anything
stop her from serving
her community.
Owen Franken/Corbis ↑ At the 1976 Democratic National
Convention, Barbara Jordan gave
a speech that made history.
W hen Barbara Charline Jordan was in
high school, she decided she wanted
to become an attorney. That doesn’t seem remarkable
until you know a few more facts. Barbara Jordan was
African American. It was the 1950s, before the Civil Rights
movement had brought about so many changes in our A life-size bronze
society. In Texas where Jordan was born and raised, only statue honors Barbara
one law school in the state admitted African Americans. Jordan in the Barbara
But in 1956, Jordan graduated at the top of her class Jordan Terminal at the Artist/Photographer Bruce Wolfe
from Texas Southern University. Three years later she international airport in
graduated from Boston University Law School. Austin, Texas.↓
A Commitment to Service
Jordan was only the third African American woman to get a
license to practice law in Texas. Believing it was her duty to
serve the people of her Houston community, her state,
and her country, she decided to run for public office.
In 1966, she was elected to the Texas State Senate—the
first African American woman ever to serve there.
Jordan still didn’t stop. In 1972, she was elected to
the United States House of Representatives. This was
another first. She was the first African American
woman from a southern state elected to the House.
46 • Time For Kids
Top American Speeches
5 of the 20th Century*
Rank Speaker Occasion Memorable Line Date
1. Martin Luther King, Jr Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C. “I have a dream . . .” August 28, 1963
2. John F. Kennedy After being sworn in as President of “Ask not what your January 20, 1961
the United States country can do for you . . .”
3. Franklin D. Roosevelt After being sworn in for his first term “The only thing we have March 4, 1933
as President of the United States to fear is fear itself.”
4. Franklin D. Roosevelt Speech to the nation after the “December 7, 1941, a date December 8, 1941
Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that which will live in infamy…”
drew the U.S. into World War II
5. Barbara Jordan Keynote address to the Democratic “Who, then, will speak for July 12, 1976
National Convention at which Jimmy the common good?”
Carter was nominated for President of
the United States
*Source: Poll conducted by researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Texas A&M University.
In Congress, Jordan worked hard to get Wally McNamee/Corbis
justice for people who didn’t always have
someone on their side. She was respected ↑ In 1994, Barbara
by those she worked with in Congress. Jordan received the
Presidential Medal
In 1976, Jordan gave the keynote address at of Freedom from
the Democratic National Convention. She was President Bill Clinton.
the first woman and the first African American
to have that honor. She spoke of the importance Issue 6 • 47
of unity, equality, and accountability. Many
believe her inspirational speech helped Jimmy
Carter win the presidential election that year.
Lessons from a Great Teacher
When Jordan left Congress, she became a college
professor at the University of Texas. She taught
public affairs and ethics. Even though she had a
serious illness, she taught for 17 years. She died in
1996. But Barbara Jordan’s life, her work, and her
powerful words continue to inspire people today.
What
Symbols
Say
Daniel Dempster Photography/Alamy A symbol is an object or an image that
represents something else. The symbols
↑ Countries, states, and of our country and state tell what we
organizations use flags value as citizens.
as symbols.
The Meaning Behind Our National Symbols
Bennett, Darren/Animals Animals - Earth Scenes Symbols are important. They are designed
to communicate their meaning quickly and
↑ The bald eagle stands for clearly. The people responsible for choosing and
strength, courage, freedom, designing the symbols that represent the United
and long life. States of America took their jobs very seriously.
The Bald Eagle
The bald eagle became our national bird in 1782.
Its approval followed years of debate. The bald
eagle was chosen to symbolize the United States
for two main reasons. First, it is the only kind
of eagle that is native to North America and
nowhere else. Second, people admired the eagle
for its strength, courage, freedom, and long life.
These are qualities Congress wanted for the new
nation and its people. The most famous opponent
of the eagle was Benjamin Franklin, who thought
another native American bird—the wild turkey—
would be a better choice.
48 • Time For Kids