Know Your World Extra articles from February 2002

Know Your World Extra archives from February 2002

Mumba to the max: Irish teen becomes music and film queen. (Teen Tracks).(Samantha Mumba)(Interview)
February 1, 2002... Samantha Mumba says that she is unlike anyone else. And that's how she likes it. Mumba, age 19, is on her way to becoming a huge star. Last year, her song "Gotta Tell You" was a big hit. And she stars in a film that's about to be released....

The youngest soldiers: young people fight, kill, and die in wars around the world. (News Feature).
February 1, 2002... How many soldiers would march ahead of troops to draw enemy fire? Or walk through minefields to clear mines? Around the world, a special group of about 300,000 soldiers have to do those things--and worse. Those soldiers are all under 18...

First in war, first in peace: Colin Powell rose through the ranks to make history. (Who's In The News).
February 1, 2002... Colin Powell says that as a child, he was "not a terribly good" student. "I was always a question mark in the family," he said. "I was worried about a lot." Today, Powell is the U.S. secretary of state. He helps President George W. Bush....

The other flag: Americans stand united behind the U.S. flag but are divided about the rebel flag. (News Debate).
February 1, 2002... The United States flag is a big part of our lives. Seeing the U.S. flag makes many people happy and proud. But seeing the rebel flag makes some people angry. The rebel flag is also called the Confederate flag. It was made to represent the...

Beating the winter blues: don't let the winter months get you down. (Reality Check).
February 1, 2002... Does your mood change with the seasons? Some people find that when the temperature goes down, so do their spirits. Those people sometimes feel sad for no reason. They eat more and gain weight. They have trouble sleeping. They can't think...

Taking action: she stood up to school violence. (Teen Tracks).
February 22, 2002... The gang violence had gone too far. Gabriella Contreras couldn't ignore it anymore. She had to act, and act quickly. That was in 1996. Contreras, now 16 years old, was a third grader in Tucson, Arizona. Across the street from her school, a...

Muniz plays Malcolm: making the most of the middle. (Who's In The News)(Cover Story).(Frankie Muniz, actor)(Interview)
February 22, 2002... You know his face--or rather, his faces. The tortured look he gives his mother when she has grounded him. His "Why me?" expression when his parents embarrass him. But who is Frankie Muniz? Is he anything like his TV character, Malcolm...

No limits: they've trained. They've triumphed. Now they will compete. (News Feature).
February 22, 2002... The Olympic Games are ending. But the magic isn't. On March 7, the 2002 Paralympics begin. Those games will be held in the same place as the 2002 Olympics--in Salt Lake City, Utah. All Paralympic athletes, called Paralympians, have...

The jokester: why can't this student stop clowning around in class? (Extra Play).(Play)
February 22, 2002... Characters: Narrators 1 and 2: people who tell the story Erica } students Jake Prince } students Alex } students Mr. Simon: Jake's English teacher Mrs. Prince: Jake's mother Mr. Garrett: Jake's math teacher Mrs....

Rules of fashion: should school officials tell students what they can wear? (News Debate).
February 22, 2002... Many young people like to wear baggy, saggy jeans. Some teens like low-cut pants or shirts that show their navels. Others like to dress in designer clothes that cost a lot of money. But should these clothes be worn to school? Some school...

The magic of laughter: humor can help during hard times. (Reality Check).
February 22, 2002... You wake up late for school. You barely make the bus. Then you see that you're wearing your sister's socks--the ones with the purple and pink stripes! Just then the school bully looks at you. He smiles and points to your feet. Then he says,...

Mystery photos.
February 22, 2002... These photos show two things that you may have seen before. What are they? If you had one of these, you could ride on the breeze. To keep out the light, this works just right. [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] * Mystery Photos: a...

Homophones.
February 22, 2002... Many words sound the same but are spelled differently and mean different things. These words are called homophones (HOM-oh-fohnz). For instance, in the play The Jokester, Jake shoots a rubber band at Erica. But what if his teachers banned...