Usborne Quicklinks ~ Week 32

History for All ~ Book: 12,000 Years of World History

Pages 152-153

Website 1
Take a virtual tour of Ghent, which in medieval times, was one of the largest and richest cities in Flanders.

Website 2
View sculpted figures from Philip (Philippe) the Bold's tomb in Dijon, Burgundy.

Website 3
Zoom in on the painting "The Arnolfini Marriage". Can you see the reflection in the mirror? (Use the tools to view the image full screen, and then zoom.)

Website 4
See portraits of Philippe the Bold, John the Fearless, Phillip the Good and Charles the Bold and find out more about them.

Website 5
Find out more about art in 14th century Burgundy. (Scroll down and click on the museum links to view individual works.)

Pictures

Map of Burgundy's lands

Science for 3rd Grade ~ No links through our actual book, but here are the related links from an update version of The Usborne Science Encyclopedia.

Wheels

https://www.dkfindout.com/uk/science/simple-machines/wheels/

Gears

https://www.dkfindout.com/uk/science/simple-machines/gears/

Pulleys

https://www.dkfindout.com/uk/science/simple-machines/pulleys/

Light

Website 1
Discover fun facts about light.

Website 2
Try an activity to see which objects absorb the most light. (Click on "Launch interactive".)

Website 3
Watch a video clip about shadows, umbra and penumbra.

Website 4
Find out more about lasers and their uses.

Website 5
Discover how the collision of atoms creates neon light and the auroras.

Website 6
Test yourself on light and shadows.

Pictures

Example path of light waves

Laser

Light and Color

Website 1
Watch a video clip about light and color.

Website 2
Review the electromagnetic spectrum and take a closer look at visible light and color.

Website 3
A short clip about how we see color.

Website 4
Watch a cool experiment about light and color.

Website 5
See how four-color printing works - with a print on a t-shirt.

Pictures

Mixing light

Mixing pigments

Sound Waves

Website 1
Can you "see" sound waves? Watch this experiment and find out!

Website 2
Watch a short video about sound waves.

Website 3
An animated guide to sound and sound waves. (Click on "What is sound?" or "Lesson 1 - Sound Waves".)

Website 4
Carry out an experiment of how sound travels.

Website 5
Find out about the decibels of different sounds with an interactive guide. (Scroll down to the noise meter and click on a sound.)

Website 6
Watch a video clip about how ultrasound works.

Website 7
See how a bat uses echolocation and sound to catch a moth.

The Human Ear

Website 1
Zoom into an ear and find out how we hear. (NB The "stirrup" is also known as the "stape".)

Website 2
An animated guide to how the ear works.

Website 3
Test your knowledge about how ears work with a quiz.

Website 4
Discover how our ears, eyes and brain help us keep our balance.

Website 5
Find out about earwax.

Website 6
A helpful selection of detailed ear diagrams.

Pictures to download

Ear structure

Vestibular system

Cupula

Macula

Steam and Combustion Engines

Website 1
Watch a video about how an internal combustion engine works.

Website 2
Find out more about how an internal combustion engine works.

Website 3
See a working model of James Watt's steam engine.

Website 4
Assemble a model of James Watt's steam engine. (Click on "Steam Engine".)

Website 5
Explore animations of "The Rocket" steam engine, designed by George Stephenson in 1829, then see if you can build it.

Pictures

James Watt's steam engine

Early steam engine, built by Thomas Newcomen

Turbine

Catalytic converter cutaway

6th Grade Science ~ Book: The Usborne Encyclopedia of Planet Earth

See how earthquakes happen

Watch animations of earthquakes
Click on "Plates on the Move" then "Explore How Plates Affect Your World", and click on the red dots on the world map.

How scientists monitor and study earthquakes
Click on "+Flash" to find out more about the San Andreas fault in California.

What to do before, during and after an earthquake

Play a game to make a house safe before an earthquake hits

Find out how NASA monitors faults
Click on "Flash".

Watch video clips of earthquakes of different strengths

Learn about the destructive power of tsunamis
Click on "Animation" at the top to watch a diagram of how a tsunami forms.

Interactive guide to 2004 Asian earthquake and tsunamis

Find out about the ozone layer and try a quiz
Click on "Let's start".

Find out more about the different layers of the atmosphere
Launch a hot air balloon and measure temperature and pressure readings in an online experiment.

Watch an animation about the structure of the Earth's atmosphere

How El Niño causes extreme weather
Click on "El Niño's Reach" to find out how it causes extreme weather around the world.

Map of the main ocean currents
Click on the map to see a larger version.

Earth's natural cycles
Read a good introduction to the key cycles of the Earth including the carbon and nitrogen cycles. (Click on the topics next to "Introduction".)

Find out more about the nitrogen cycle
A clickable diagram of the nitrogen cycle.

How carbon is absorbed and released into the atmosphere
See if you can keep the carbon balanced. (Click on "Start".)

An online guide to global warming and climate change
Investigate the basics, or to see the effects around the world, click on "Take a climate change expedition!"

Animated movie about global warming
Scroll down and click on "Global Warming".

A guide to climate change and how you can help

A video, quiz and lots of information about climate change
Click on the picture to begin.

Global warming facts and our future

Check the vital signs of the planet

See how climate change affects different countries

See photos of different world climate zones

A video introduction to world climates

Go on a virtual expedition of the Earth's rainforests
Click on "GEOsystem" for rainforest facts and maps, and click on "ECOsystem" to find out about rainforest creatures and plants.

Find out about rainforests and the animals that live there
Click on an animal in the photo gallery for more facts and photos.

Visit a rainforest in Borneo and find out why it is threatened