Appleseeds articles from April 2002

Appleseeds archives from April 2002

Deserts -- what and where. (Where in the World?).(deserts are regions that usually get less then ten inches of rain or snow a year and they can be hot or cold)
April 1, 2002... The Sahara is the world's largest hot desert. A desert is an area that is very dry. Any region that usually gets less than ten inches of precipitation (rain or snow) a year is a desert. Ten inches a year is not much: New York City gets about 42...

Exploring the Sahara.(the world's largest desert)
April 1, 2002... SAHARA FACTS The Sahara is huge--the largest desert on Earth. It covers about 3.5 million square miles in North Africa. That is about as big as the whole United States. Some scientists think that the Sahara will shrink by the year 3000....

Sizing up the Sahara. (By the Numbers).(desert extends over 3,500,000 square miles)(Statistical Data Included)
April 1, 2002... The Sahara is huge. It extends over 3,500,000 square miles of northern Africa. A square mile is the area that would be covered by a square of one mile long and one mile wide. Can you size up these Sahara math challenges? 1. A section of...

Did you really see that? Tricks of the desert. (By the Numbers).(mirages in the Sahara desert look real but are not really there)
April 1, 2002... Imagine that you're a thirsty traveler crossing the Sahara. It's been three days since you've seen anything but sand, scorpions, and camels. But wait a minute. Do you see that lake? It's glistening, icy-cool.... Look again. That big blue...

Desert survival tips.(traveling in the Sahara)
April 1, 2002... Traveling in the Sahara is tough. High temperatures, blowing sand, and scarce water are challenges. Desert dwellers have adapted to this environment, but travelers who are not familiar with the Sahara can put their lives at risk. Below are some...

The Tuareg: 21st-century nomads.(people of the Sahara desert)
April 1, 2002... Imagine living in the Sahara with the Tuareg people... Well before dawn, the Tuareg families begin their daily chores. A group of elders sits talking around a small campfire. Dark-blue turbans cover the men's heads. The elders talk of the...

Meeting the blue people of the desert.(nomadic Tuareg of the Sahara)
April 1, 2002... The Tuareg people have been called warriors, pirates of the Sahara, and the "blue people" of the desert. Sounds scary, but the day I met them, they were so happy to see us. The women clapped and sang, while the men danced in their dark-blue...

The remarkable and useful date palm.(desert plant)
April 1, 2002... The feathery leaves of date palm trees rising above an oasis were a welcome sight to explorers and desert caravans. After miles of nothing but heat and sand, these trees signaled the presence of fresh water for thirsty men and animals. The...

The amazing camel: ship of the desert.
April 1, 2002... Knobby knees, a humped back, and an awkward gait make the camel a comical sight. But camels, or dromedaries, have been carrying people and supplies across desert areas for thousands of years. They have also provided their owners with meat to...

Going to Timbuktu.(history of West African city)
April 1, 2002... "Going to Timbuktu" is a saying that means going to someplace that is remote--very, very far away from other places. Timbuktu is a real city, however, in the West African nation of Mali. Today, you can fly to Timbuktu. But 1,000 years ago,...

The Sahara Desert.(Poem)
April 1, 2002... THE SAHARA DESERT The Sahara desert has many features, And in it live various creatures. There are gerbils and a breed of fox, and a hedgehog that hides under rocks. Gazelles, deer, and hares-- I don't think there...

White gold: the Sahara salt trade.
April 1, 2002... During the cool months from October to March, camel caravans arrive in the desert city of Timbuktu every few days. A caravan is a group traveling together. Led by Tuareg and Arab traders, the caravans have traveled from the salt mines of...

Make a salt painting. (Fun Stuff).
April 1, 2002... To Make Colored Sand Spread newspapers over the area where you will be working. Place 1/2 piece of colored chalk in one of the plastic bags. Add about 1/4 cup of salt. Close the bag, leaving a little air space at one corner. Using the...

Brother camel, sister date palm. (Reading Corner).(Islam's story of the creation of man)
April 1, 2002... Most people who live in the Sahara are Muslims. A Muslim is someone who practices the religion of Islam. This religion shares many beliefs with Judaism and Christianity. Muslims believe in the same God as the Jews and Christians. They believe...

Branching out.(books about the desert)(Bibliography)
April 1, 2002... Ready for adventure? Read 52 Days by Camel: My Sahara Adventure (New Adventure Series), by Lawrence Raskin with Debora Pearson (Annick). What's it like to live in Egypt, one of the countries in the Sahara Desert? Read The Day of Ahmed's...