The Tweens News | English

February is Black History Month!!!

African-Americans and Canadians have made tremendous contributions to every facet of life—from science to music to athletics. Here are just a few historical African-Americans everyone should know:

 

Sojourner Truth
(1797–1883)

Truth began her life as a slave named Isabella Baumfree. In 1826, she escaped and devoted the rest of her life to the complete abolishment of slavery and the women’s rights movement. She changed her name to Sojourner Truth in 1843.

 

Harriet Tubman
(1820-1913)

Born a slave, Tubman eventually escaped slavery and helped hundreds of Southern slaves escape to the northern U.S. and Canada through the Underground Railroad, earning the name Moses for her determination.

 

Mary Ann Shadd
(1823–1893)

Shadd holds two titles: first female black lawyer and first female newspaper editor in North America. She was one of the first people to push for complete integration and opened the first school in Canada open to all races.

 

Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong
(1900–1971)

One of the most influential artists of all time, Satchmo helped turn jazz from so-called novelty music into fine art. His trumpet technique and style is still copied today.

 

Robert Johnson
(1911–1938)

A pioneer of American blues music, this guitarist influenced rock musicians including Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and B.B. King. Many of his songs are considered blues standards.

 

Jesse Owens
(1913-2005)

As an Ohio State University college athlete in a still segregated America, Owens could not eat meals with his white team members at restaurants or stay in the same hotels or dorms. Instead he was designated to “blacks only” eateries and sleeping quarters. But through it all he remained strong, and at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Owens became the first American athlete in the history of Track and Field to win four gold medals in a single Olympics.

 

Rosa Parks
(1913-2005)

Little did Parks know that one gesture would help spark the civil rights movement of the last century. In 1955, while riding a bus in Alabama, the driver told Parks to give up her seat to a white man. She refused, went to jail, and eventually won a case against the state, changing segregation laws forever.

 

Jackie Robinson
(1919–1972)

The first black player in Major League Baseball, Robinson had bottles and insults thrown his way, yet he still managed to become Rookie of the Year and in his second season, League MVP.

 

Sidney Poitier
(1924–)

In 1963, Poitier became the first African-American to win an Academy Award for Best Actor. As an actor and director, he is often credited as the person who broke the motion picture color barrier, paving the way for blacks in film.

 

Martin Luther King, Jr.
(1929–1968)

This civil-rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner organized large anti-violence demonstrations against discrimination including a march on Washington where he delivered his now-famous speech “I have a dream.”

Source: http://www.kaboose.com/HideTheseForNow/facts.html

Please share this news with your friends and family!

The Tweens News | English

February is Black History Month!!!

What do peanut butter, the gas mask, and the Super Soaker have in common? They were all dreamed up by black inventors. Here are some famous inventions by African-Americans and African-Canadians:

 

George Washington Carver
(1860–1943)

George Washington Carver changed lunchtime sandwiches forever when he invented peanut butter. Born a slave, Carver didn’t attend college until he was 30 years old, but he went on to create 400 new uses for peanuts, soybeans, sweet potatoes, and pecans. These new discoveries transformed the southern United States from a one-crop region of cotton into multi-crop farmlands, providing farmers with hundreds of profitable uses for their land.

 

Madame C. J. Walker
(1867–1919)

Orphaned at age 7, Madame C.J. Walker grew up poor, but her hair-care invention turned her into North America’s first self-made female millionaire. But making money and styling hair wasn’t what Walker was about. Her goal was to empower poor black women and show them how to become successful. Through her hair-care college, Walker trained thousands of working-class black women and gave them the opportunity to become self-sufficient.

 

Elijah McCoy
(1843-1929)

Ever heard the term “the real McCoy?” It comes from an invention made by Canadian Elijah McCoy. His invention allowed trains and other machines to be lubricated while running, and when many imitations showed up, people insisted on the real McCoy. Trains of some sort were an important part of McCoy’s life: his parents, both ex-slaves, escaped to Canada via the Underground Railroad. McCoy is also credited with inventing the ironing board and lawn sprinkler.

 

Garrett Morgan
(1877-1963)

Both of Garrett Morgan’s inventions—the gas mask and traffic signal—help save lives. Many soldiers survived the First World War thanks to the gas mask, which prevented deadly mustard gas from entering the lungs. Today, our roads are orderly and less dangerous thanks to traffic lights that come from Morgan’s original idea. Morgan came up with the idea for a traffic light after witnessing an accident involving a horse-drawn buggy and a car.

 

Dr. Charles Richard Drew
(1904–1950)

While researching blood transfusions at McGill University in Montreal and later at Columbia University in New York, Charles Drew realized that blood, like other liquids, could be preserved. His method, now known as blood banking, revolutionized medicine and changed the way doctors could work in remote areas or during times of war. Dr. Drew went on to form the Red Cross Blood Bank.

 

Otis Boykin
(1920–1982)

As the creator of 28 different electronic devices, Otis Boykin symbolizes the modern-day inventor. His electrical resistors are used in home computers, television sets, radios, and guided missiles. He also invented the pacemaker, a medical heart simulator that corrects faulty heartbeats.

 

Dr. Patricia E. Bath
(1949–)

Thanks to Dr. Patricia E. Bath’s imagination, many formerly blind people can now see. Her method of eye surgery allows surgeons to remove damaged or faulty parts of the eye and put in a new lens, something that scientists once claimed impossible. She once said, “The limits of science are not the limits of imagination.” Dr. Bath also co-founded the American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness.

 

Lonnie G. Johnson 
(1949–) 

As an aerospace engineer, Lonnie G. Johnson spends most of his time inventing mechanical and electrical systems for NASA rockets, but he’s best known for another creation: the world famous Super Soaker water gun, which has generated more than $200 million in sales. But it hasn’t been all fun and games for Johnson, who has earned more than 40 patents both for his work with NASA and through his own company, Johnson Research & Development.

Source: http://www.kaboose.com/HideTheseForNow/inventors.html

Please share this news with your friends and family!

The Tweens News | English

It was the 14th of February!!!

Chinese Astrology: Animals Of The Chinese Zodiac!

Each Chinese New Year is linked to one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac.

The following slides will help you figure out which is your Chinese zodiac animal and discover what famous people also share your sign.

NOTE: Since the Chinese New Year is determined by the Lunar calendar, the last day of the Chinese New Year is not December 31st and the first day of the year is not January 1st. The New Year usually begins between January 21st and February 20th. If you have a birthday that occurs in January or February, please consult a Chinese zodiac calculator to figure out your sign.

There are endless variations of the folklore story explaining how the order of the animals of the zodiac were chosen. Below is a popular telling of tale:

When it came time for the Jade Emperor in heaven to decide the order of the zodiac, he invited all the animals to participate in a race. The order of the zodiac would be decided by the order in which animals finished the race.

When the competition started, the ox was leading the pack, but the rat jumped on his back. Since the rat was so light and small, the ox did not realize that the rat was hitching a ride. As the ox approached the finish line, the rat leap off his back and was crowned as the first animal to complete the race.

After all the creatures finished the race, the order was finalized: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.

According to legend, those born in a particular year of an animal are said to possess particular character traits associated with that animal.

 

The Rat

Years: 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020

Positive Character Traits: Charming and ambitious

Negative Character Traits: Short-tempered and sometimes sneaky

Most Compatible with: Dragon, Monkey, Ox

Famous People Who Have This Sign: Ugly Betty star America Ferrera, dancer Gene Kelly, chefs Mario Batali and Julia Child, actors David Duchovny and Hugh Grant

 

The Ox

Years: 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021

Positive Character Traits: Dependable, trust-worthy, patient

Negative Character Traits: Stubborn, hot-tempered in an argument

Most Compatible with: Snake, Rooster, Rat

Famous People Who Have This Sign: Actor Adrien Brody, President Gerald Ford, singer Melissa Etheridge, New Orleans Saints football player Reggie Bush, actress Keira Knightley, model Tyra Banks

 

The Tiger

Years: 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022

Positive Character Traits: Caring, thoughtful, courageous

Negative Character Traits: Rebellious against authority, makes hasty decisions

Most Compatible with: Horse, Dragon, Dog

Famous People Who Have This Sign: Actress/director Jodie Foster, actor Tom Cruise, biologist Jonas Salk, singer Alanis Morisette

 

The Rabbit

Years: 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011

Positive Character Traits: Kind, gentle, naturally lucky, even-tempered

Negative Character Traits: Overly sentimental

Most Compatible with: Sheep, Pig, Dog

Famous People Who Have This Sign: Playwritght Arthur Miller, hairdresser Vidal Sassoon, actresses Lisa Kudrow, Drew Barrymore, and Angelina Jolie, soccer star David Beckham

 

The Dragon

Years: 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012

Positive Character Traits: Intelligent, enthusiastic, brave

Negative Character Traits: Easily tricked, likes to gossip

Most Compatible with: Rat, Snake, Monkey, Rooster

Famous People Who Have This Sign: Authors Roald Dahl and Amy Tan, musician Ringo Starr, actor Russell Crowe, actress Reese Witherspoon

 

The Snake

Years: 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013

Positive Character Traits: Romantic, wise, strong intuition

Negative Character Traits: Vain, stingy when it comes to money

Most Compatible with: Ox and Rooster

Famous People Who Have This Sign: Musician Dizzy Gillespie, tv and radio personality Dick Clark, author J.K. Rowling, actress Sarah Jessica Parker, actor Charlie Sheen

 

The Horse

Years: 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014

Positive Character Traits: Hardworking, cheerful, popular

Negative Character Traits: Rarely listens to advice, can be a chatterbox

Most Compatible with: Tigers, Dogs, Sheep

Famous People Who Have This Sign: Politician Nelson Mandela, singer Aretha Franklin, Grey’s Anatomy actress Katherine Heigl, actress Halle Berry, actor Kiefer Sutherland, action star Jackie Chan

 

The Goat (Ram or Sheep)

Years: 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015

Positive Character Traits: Elegant, artistic, compassionate

Negative Character Traits: First to complain about something, pessimistic

Most Compatible with: Rabbit, Pig, Horse

Famous People Who Have This Sign: Singer Nat King Cole, musician Yo-Yo Ma, actress Nicole Kidman, actor/comedian Will Ferrell, author Toni Morrison

 

The Monkey

Years: 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016

Positive Character Traits: Witty, inventive, good memory

Negative Character Traits: Gets discouraged easily if faced with difficulties, can be distrustful of others

Most Compatible with: Dragon and Rat

Famous People Who Have This Sign: Author John Updike, singer Diana Ross, actresses Naomi Watts and Lucy Liu, actors Will Smith and Ryan Gosling

 

The Rooster

Years: 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017

Positive Character Traits: Deep thinker, confident, determined

Negative Character Traits: Can be a bit of a loner, can be very outspoken

Most Compatible with: Ox, Snake, Dragon

Famous People Who Have This Sign: Comedian Rodney Dangerfield, TV personality Larry King, singer Gloria Estefan, actresses Cate Blanchett and Natalie Portman, actor Jack Black

 

The Dog

Years: 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018

Positive Character Traits: Loyal, honest, can keep a secret

Negative Character Traits: Sharp tongue, hard on others

Most Compatible with: Horse, Tiger, Rabbit

Famous People Who Have This Sign: Singer/actress Judy Garland, fashion designer Giorgio Armani, actresses Michelle Pfeiffer and Kirsten Dunst, actor Matt Damon

 

The Pig (or Boar)

Years: 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019

Positive Character Traits: Tolerant, determined, kind to loved ones

Negative Character Traits: Can be a bit materialistic, overly trusting

Most Compatible with: Rabbits and Sheep

Famous People Who Have This Sign: Politician Henry Kissinger, country singer Loretta Lynn, House star Hugh Laurie, actor Ewan McGregor, cyclist Lance Armstrong, pop star Carrie Underwood

Source: http://holidays.slides.kaboose.com/118-animals-of-the-chinese-zodiac

Please share this news with your friends and family!

The Tweens News | English

Happy President’s Day!!!

 

Presidents’ Day is celebrated in February to honor two of our greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. The holiday is celebrated in the United States on the third Monday in February.

 

Source: http://www.alphabet-soup.net/hol/president.html

Please share this news with your friends and family!

 

The Tweens News | English 

 

 

Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14th every year. It is a day to display affection. People send cards, called valentines, to their friends, family, and loved ones. Verses on valentines often rhyme and express love and affection. Sometimes valentines contain humorous pictures or puns – but almost all ask, “Be My Valentine.” 

Valentine’s day is a great day to celebrate our friends. School children decorate their classrooms with bright red paper hearts. They exchange gifts, candy, flowers or “valentines.” 

---

Valentine’s Day Ideas! 

 

Some people say that Valentine’s Day was invented by stores and shops to give people one more reason to buy stuff.

But to enjoy the day with your guy or your friends you really don’t have to spend any money at all! Here are a few ideas.

This year, Valentine’s Day is on Sunday. If it is a nice day, go for a nice walk in the park or even sledding in the snow!

You could also a prepare a picnic for the afternoon, simple and delicious. Pack a couple of sandwiches, a couple drinks, and some homemade cookies. This is much cheaper and maybe even more special than going to a restaurant.

In the afternoon, you could agree to see a movie. You have two options. You could rent a movie and stay home watching it, or you could look to see what’s playing in the movies and head out for the afternoon to the cinema.

How about an inexpensive gift? You could get your friends chocolate. Or if you want something that will last, make them a CD. A used book can also be a great present.

Any other ideas for a great Valentine’s Day?

---

Selena Gomez - Valentine’s Day With Fans In Philly! 

 

Donning a sparkly black dress, Selena Gomez rocks out with the crowd at The Gramercy Theatre in NYC on Thursday night (February 11). 

The 17-year-old actress/singer looked to be having a great time and even had some special guests show up — American Idol’s Katharine McPhee and Days Difference, who opened for her. 

Selena sat down with MTV backstage and dished on her Valentine’s Day plans. She shared, “I have a show in Philadelphia, so I’m kind of excited. My fans will be my valentine, which is fine by me. And I’m really happy. I’m actually glad people are coming to the show, ’cause it’s Valentine’s Day … so hopefully I’ll enjoy a good show with my fans.” 

She continued, “We have a lot of confetti, and I made sure it was pink and silver and stuff that’s very Valentine’s Day-esque. But other than that, I think it’s going to be an awesome show to be able to celebrate with my fans.” 

ARE YOU GOING to see Selena in Philadelphia?

---

Selena Gomez Dreams Out Loud With Doves! 

 

Selena Gomez shows off a sneak peek of her new fashion line, Dream Out Loud by Selena Gomez, in these new pics just posted on her Facebook. 

The 17-year-old actress wrote along with them, “July is going to be a big month this year, July 15th is the launch of my new clothing line Dream Out Loud I have some pictures below, July 22nd I turn 18, and July 23rd Ramona and Beezus is released in theaters.” 

Sel continued, “Also www.selenagomez.com will launch in less than two weeks I don’t have an exact date yet but, you can see more of Dream Out Loud at my website when it launches. Thank you all so much for supporting me and giving me the ability to do everything I have always dreamed of doing. You are all the best.” 

WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED FOR — Dream Out Loud, Sel’s 18th birthday or Ramona and Beezus? 

 

 

 

 

 

---

Justin Bieber Chases Jasmine V In ‘Baby’! 

 

Justin Bieber follows close behind Jasmine V in this behind-the-scenes look for his upcoming music video, “Baby.” 

The 15-year-old singer explained, “We’re kind of going off of Michael Jackson’s ‘The Way You make Me Feel’ where he’s trying to get the girl’s attention and following her around.” 

Justin’s “Baby” featuring rapper Ludacris is currently #12 on iTunes. Have you bought it yet? 

---

Here Are The Official Videos For “We Are The World”!

1985:

2010:

Source: 

- http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/valentines-day/about.html 

- http://www.wambie.com/tuttifrutti_us/news/VALENTINE_S_DAY_IDEAS-new_en-2543.html 

- http://justjaredjr.buzznet.com/2010/02/12/selena-gomez-valentines-day-with-fans-in-philly 

- http://justjaredjr.buzznet.com/2010/02/13/selena-gomez-dreams-out-loud-with-doves 

- http://justjaredjr.buzznet.com/2010/02/13/justin-bieber-chases-jasmine-v-in-baby 

Please share this news with your friends and family!