Five Interesting Facts about Kangaroos

 

Almost all of us know Kangaroo is an animal native to Australia. And this animal is also an icon of Australia.

Even though we are familiar with this animal, some of us do not realize some interesting facts about Kangaroos.  Here are 5 Interesting facts about Kangaroos        

1.                The meaning of the word Kangaroo is “ I don’t know or I don’t understand”.

When an explorer from a European country arrived in Australia he saw a strange animal. Near the animal was an aboriginal people. He asked the person in his own language, “What animal is that”

The aboriginal didn't understand what the Europeans asked, he responded in his own language too, "Kangaroo" which means  I don’t know” Or I don’t understand”.

 

2.            Kangaroos Jump because they have to

You generally see kangaroos jumping around on the grounds that they can't move their legs autonomously.

The structure of their legs renders them incapable of using them to walk. Luckily they can jump at speed of over 35 miles per hour

3.                Australians used to eat Kangaroo meat

Kangaroo meat is high in protein and low in fat, as well as a more sustainable alternative to other meat.

Because the kangaroo population is so high, it’s not a threat to their existence.

4.            The tails of kangaroos act like a third leg.

Not only do kangaroos use their tail for balance, but it’s also like an extra leg.

They have a unique “walk” in which they push off the ground with their tail followed by jumping with their legs.

The force of their tail is the equivalent power as their legs combined.

5.            Kangaroos can’t move backwards.

Because of how huge and muscular their tail is, kangaroos can’t jump backward.

Australia took this as an inspiration for their coat of arms, featuring a kangaroo and an emu.

Both are animals that can’t move backwards, which symbolizes the nation only moving forward. Inspiring!

 

Top Ten Largest Deserts in the World

Deserts are usually considered to be hot, arid areas with vast stretches of sand and dry earth. While this is certainly the case for some regions, all do not fit this description. Precipitation, not sand and heat, determine what areas are deserts. Deserts are found in all continents of the world but the nature and size of these deserts vary greatly. Since deserts are associated with difficult living conditions, they are often some of the world's most sparsely populated regions. In this article, we explore the world's largest deserts. 

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/10-largest-deserts-in-the-world.html

 

1. Antarctic - 5.5 Million Square Miles

The Antarctic is classified as a polar desert. Measuring 5.5 million square miles (14.2 million sq. km), it is the largest desert in the world. Unlike most global deserts, the Antarctic covers the entire continent. In fact, an astonishing 98 percent is permanently covered by a sheet of ice. It is considered a desert because it rains on average only 10 mm every year. Some experts even believe that certain parts located away from the coast have not had rain in the past 14 million years.

2. Arctic - 5.4 Million Square Miles

The Arctic tundra is the only other polar desert in the world. It spans numerous northern countries, including Canada, Greenland, Russia, and Asia. It is second only to the Antarctic, measuring a whopping 5.4 million square miles (13.9 million sq. km). It is also considered a desert due to the lack of precipitation; the frigid air is too cold to hold moisture. While it gets more rain than the Antarctic, it still only receives approximately six to ten inches a year.

3. Sahara - 3.5 Million Square Miles 

The Sahara is the largest subtropical desert in the world, clocking in at 3.5 million square miles (9 million sq. km). Spanning eleven countries, it covers nearly an entire third of Africa. It is most known for its scorching hot climate and mountainous sand dunes that reach as high as 183 meters. Despite these harsh conditions, it is home to numerous desert animals, including camels, lizards, and scorpions. Water sources are rare, but the Sahara does have two rivers and twenty seasonal lakes

4. Arabian - 1.0 Million Square Miles 

The Arabian is the world’s second-largest subtropical desert. Spanning most of the Arabian Peninsula in Asia, it measures approximately 1.0 million square miles (2.6 million sq. km). It is a barren and sandy landscape but is surprisingly rich in natural resources, such as oil and sulfur. Summer temperatures can go as high as fifty degrees Celsius during the day, but drop drastically at night. Locust and dung beetles are native to this bleak region.

5. Gobi - 0.5 Million Square Miles 

The Gobi Desert is the fifth-largest desert in the world. Spanning parts of Mongolia and China, it measures 0.5 million square miles (1.3 million sq. km). Its terrain is mostly rocks and hard-packed earth, which made it a valuable trade route throughout history. Like all traditional semiarid deserts, the Gobi experiences extremely high temperatures during the summer and frigid temperatures during the winter. It is also considered a rain shadow desert because the Himalayas block out all rainy weather.

6. Patagonian - 0.26 Million Square Miles

Located in Argentina, the Patagonian Desert—also known as the Patagonian Steppe—is the sixth-largest desert in the world. It measures roughly 0.26 million square miles (0.67 million sq. km). To the west lie the Andes, the world’s longest mountain range, and to the east, the Atlantic Ocean. As a semiarid desert, it shares similar characteristics with the Gobi desert. Frost covers the ground during the winter season, but snow is unusual due to the dryness of the region.

7. Great Victoria - 0.25 Million Square Miles

The Great Victoria is a subtropical desert located in Australia. It is the seventh-largest desert in the world, clocking in at 0.25 million square miles (0.65 million sq. km). It is a harsh environment of sand, rocks, hard packed-earth, and grassland. During the summer, temperatures rise up to forty degrees Celsius. As with most subtropical deserts, it is cooler during the winter, but still fairly hot. The Great Victoria receives an average of eight to ten inches of rain every year.

8. Kalahari - 0.22 Million Square Miles

The Kalahari is a subtropical desert located in southern Africa. Spanning parts of Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa, it is the eighth largest desert in the world at 0.22 million square miles (0.56 million sq. km). Interestingly, it is classified as a semi-desert as it receives four to eight inches of rain per year, but twenty during special wet years—ten more than what is generally accepted for a region to be considered a desert. Wild animals such as meerkat, hyena, kudu, and wildebeest call this region home.

9. Great Basin - 0.19 Million Square Miles

At 0.19 million square miles (0.49 million sq. km), the Great Basin is one of the “big four” deserts in North America. It spans multiple states, covering most of Nevada and Utah. Located directly north of the Mojave Desert, it is a dry expanse of clay, silt, and sand; however, as a semiarid desert, it receives a fair amount of snow during the winter months. It is said that at 4,950 years old, a local Bristlecone Pine is the world’s oldest living thing

10. Syrian - 0.19 Million Square Miles

The Syrian—also known as the Syrian or Jordanian Steppe—is the tenth-largest desert in the world, measuring approximately 0.19 million square miles (0.49 million sq. km). It spans multiple Middle Eastern countries, including Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. Despite its name, it covers more of Jordan than Syria. As a subtropical desert, it is a barren landscape of rock and gravel. What wildlife is able to thrive in such an environment is currently under threat from drought, over-grazing, and hunting

Top 10 Longest Rivers in the World

 A river is a large and elongated stream of water that flows continuously from upstream (source) typically freshwater, streaming towards a sea, ocean, lake, or another waterway. Reported from https://www.careerpower.in/longest-river-in-the-world.html  there top 10 Longest rivers in the world

1. Nile River- 6650 Kms

The Nile river is considered to be the longest river in the world. The total length of the Nile river is 6650 Kms. Lake Victoria is considered to be the source of the river. Its flows through Egypt, Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Burundi, Sudan, and South Sudan. 

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2. The Amazon River- 6575 Kms

The Amazon River is undoubtedly the largest river in the world by discharge volume of water. However, its position as the second-longest river in the world is highly disputed as the title has for long been granted to the Nile River in Egypt.

The dispute arises from the determination of the origin of the Amazon. A recent 2014 study claims that the origin of the Amazon can be traced to the Cordillera Rumi Cruz.

3. The Yangtze River- 6300 Kms

The Yangtze River is the world's third longest river and the longest to flow entirely within one country. It is also the longest river in Asia. The river basin of the Yangtze houses one-third of the population of the most populated country in the world i.e., China.

4. The Mississippi River- 6275Kms

The river system comprising of the Mississippi, Missouri, and Jefferson rivers, is regarded as the world's fourth longest river system. The river system drains 31 US states and 2 Canadian provinces.

 The Mississippi River begins in northern Minnesota where Lake Itasca is believed to be the source of the river and drains into the Gulf of Mexico.

 5. The Yenisei River- 5539 Kms

This is the world's fifth-longest river system and the largest draining into the Arctic Ocean. The Selenge River is regarded as the headwaters of this river system. The Selenge River is 992 km long and drains into Lake Baikal.

The Angara river rises from Lake Baikal near Listvyanka and flows through the Irkutsk Oblast of Russia and finally joins the Yenisei River near Strelka. The Yenisei finally drains into the Arctic Ocean. The total length covered is 5,539 miles.

6. The Yellow River- 5464 Kms

Called the Yellow River for its color, it is the result of huge amounts of loose sediment in the water, this massive river is also known as the Huang He. Its basin is considered to be the birthplace of ancient Chinese civilization, and it still holds great value for the country, both practically and symbolically.

7. The Ob-Irtysh River- 5410 Kms

The Ob-Irtysh, also known as the Ob River, represents one of the three great Siberian rivers, along with the Yenisei and the Lena. It extends from the Altas Mountains and flows into the Arctic Ocean.

8. The Parana River- 4880 Kms

Located in South America, the Parana River is one of the longest rivers in the world and the second-largest on the continent. Its name is an abbreviation of the Tupi expression para rehe onáva, which translates to "like the sea."

9. The Congo River- 4700 Kms

Previously known as the Zaire River, the Congo stretches in a curve across the continent of Africa and has the distinction of being the only river to cross the equator twice. It's also the deepest river on earth, with depths of over 700 feet in some places.

10. The Amur River- 4480 Kms

Extending along the border between northeastern China and Russia, the Amur River also known as the Heilong Jiang is the tenth longest river in the world. While the word amur is thought to originate from a term for “water,” the Chinese Heilong Jiang translates to "black dragon river."

4 Tips to Develop a Good Classroom Environment

Becoming a good teacher is the desire of anyone who has decided to pursue 

the profession as  an educator. To become a good teacher, it’s important to be organized.

 Create lesson plans, objectives, activities, and assessment plans well before each class day.

 Get your students interested in learning by fostering a positive, supportive, yet challenging 

classroom environment. To develop a good classroom emvironment is one of important factor

 for the success of a teacher

This article will describe the tips for the teachers on how to develop a good classroom environment, as follows :

1.     1.  Create a daily objective for your students.

 This is your way of providing a roadmap for your students, it shows them that you’ve put thought into the day’s work and you know where it is heading. It's best if the objectives are clear, brief, and realistic. As each objective is completed, remind your students of what they’ve accomplished together.^[1]

·      For example, in a high school literature class, an objective might be to complete a close reading of a particular poem by the end of the period.

·      Some teachers find it helpful to post that day’s objectives on the board.

·      It’s okay if not every objective is met every day. In some cases, it's better to follow the flow of a particular conversation, instead of railroading back to the original subject matter.

 

2.    2.   Listen to your students. 

Ask them open-ended questions after they’ve made a statement. Encourage them to ask you questions as well. Show that you are listening to them by nodding your head or gesturing for them to continue. Give them eye contact while they are speaking and try your best not to interrupt, unless you must redirect the conversation.

·      Being an active listener shows your students that you respect their voice in the classroom. They will be more likely to give you respect as a teacher in return.

·      It’s also a good idea to model for your students how to respectfully listen to someone while disagreeing with them. You might say, “I’m not sure I agree with what you are saying, can you tell me more? Or, does anyone else want to jump in?”

 

3.      Keep students on task. 

Set time limits for classroom exercises or activities. In discussions, use your responses to their remarks as a classroom management tool. For example, you might say, “I really like what you are saying. How do you think it connects with objective number five?”

  4.      Push your students to succeed. 

Try to create an environment in which your students will be constantly intellectually challenged. Let them know that it is okay to fail on occasion. You want to strike a balance between setting too high of goals for them and being a push-over. Use your students’ progress to guide your way. They should be steadily improving, but not without considerable effort.

·      For example, you might give a short, advanced-level reading assignment to high school students and ask them to use a dictionary to look up unfamiliar words. If used sparingly, this is a great way to challenge students to expand their vocabulary.

 

Note :

1.      The source of the article https://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Good-Teacher

2.      Some pictures are taken from google

  

Active Learning and Its important

 “Active learning is generally defined as any instructional method that engages students in the learning process. In short, active learning requires students to do meaningful learning activities and think about what they are doing” (Prince, 2004). Active learning is very important because students will be more enthusiastic and learning outcomes will be maximized

 

By using strategy active learning students are doing more than simply listening; the aim is skills-development rather than just conveying information; students engage in activities (e.g. discussion, debate, application of principles) aimed to promote higher-order thinking (such as critical thinking, analysis etc). Simulations are becomingly increasingly used in International Relations as tools for active learning, and are well suited to particular topics, however here I wanted to think more broadly about the ways in which active learning could be integrated into any and all lecture topics. Next week I will post a list of strategies for active learning that could be easily integrated into large lectures, including a wide variety of ideas for varying what students are doing, seeing and hearing.

Promoting active learning in lectures has many benefits for student learning. The drop-off in concentration can be limited by using a different approach to learning each 15 minutes (which means changing the way students are engaged, rather than changing topics). Active learning promotes recall and deeper understanding of material, as students are engaging with the content rather than simply listening to it. There are also equity benefits that flow from active learning, as lower-performing students have greater benefits from active learning than students who are already achieving high grades. Another equity outcome from active learning is that using different modes of delivery supports students who have different learning styles. There are clear ethical as well as pedagogical benefits to the use of active learning techniques.

Interacting with content through active learning has some compelling advantages over ‘delivery mode’ lectures. It helps to maintain student concentration and deepens learning towards the higher-level skills like critical thinking. It also helps to engage students who might otherwise struggle. This does not mean doing away with spoken lectures, rather it means integrating different ways of engaging with the material at regular intervals throughout the lecture. Next week I will offer a range of possible strategies for making lectures more interactive. Students report that active learning can enhance learning, be more fun, and can help maintain concentration.

Note:

1.      The source of article https://www.e-ir.info/2015/10/08/what-is-active-learning-and-why-is-it-important/

2.      Some pictures taken from google.

How To Make New Friends

 

Friendship has an important role in our lives.  Friendships can have a major impact on your health and well-being, but it's not always easy to develop or maintain friendships. Understand the importance of social connection in your life and what you can do to develop and nurture lasting friendships. That's why we should have lots of friends. Those

who only have a few friends need to add as many new friends as possible

In this article, we have shared several smart tips that can help you make new friends. Read on.

1. Get in Touch with Friends of Friends

Typically, people share common interests with friends of friends. So, you can ask your friends about their friends. Reach out to them to see if it works out. And in most cases, it does work for most people.

2. Organize a Meet-Up

You can organize a local or online "meet up" with individuals who have similar interests as you. It's a good idea to join an online friendship club as well.

3. Borrow a Dog

If you have a pet dog, you can take it to a nearby dog park. There you may be able to make friends with other dog owners. You can also borrow a dog if you don't have one already.

4. Go to a New City

Although it may be a bit intimidating to go to a new city on your own, you should try it. You can get a good book, sit in a park and wait for someone to approach you. Alternatively, you can also get to someone and start a conversation.

5. Spend Time with Co-Workers

If you are an office worker, you can have lunch with your co-workers. It will give you plenty of time to spend with your colleagues. Maybe you can make friends with some of them.

6. Try Adult Leagues

In many cities, you have adult leagues that may help you get in touch with like-minded people. But if you are not into team sports, you can join a yoga studio or gym. Regular visits can help you meet many familiar faces.

7. Visit a Local Supper Club

You can pay a visit to a nearby Supper Club with the hope to see new people. At these clubs, you can eat, drink and make friends with the type of people you like the most.

8. Take Pictures

If you like taking tons of pictures at a party or event, you can make friends with many people. All you need to do is ask them if they are on Facebook. This way you can send them the photos they like and make friends with them in the process.

9. Attend Cultural Events

Usually, attending cultural events is free. For instance, you can attend an art exhibit, concert or play.

10. Open Up

When you talk to a like-minded person, make sure you open up to them. This is important to build trust and make a stronger bond of friendship.

11. Be a Volunteer

It's a good idea to offer your help or services as a volunteer. This will help you make new friends while contributing to the community.

So, if you are thinking of making new friends, we suggest that you try out the tips given in this article. This will help you get rid of your boredom and spend quality time with good friends. Good Luck

Notes :
1. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10091844

2. Some pictures are taken from Google