tWelcome to

the first issue of

CLEVER BIRD!

B b B b BPublished by Super Cool Books / Don Bosco

Do Stuff section curated by William Hooi (www.HacKidemia.sg)Circle of Reviewers: coming soonhttp://www.SuperCoolBooks.comstudio@SuperCoolBooks.com

M a d e i n S i n g a p o r e

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UVHELLO, FRIENDS!Let's have fun learning

Tags: introduction, first issue, contents,

We're delighted to bring you some cool stories and ideas about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

What's inside this issue:

* SAY LESS, DO MORE How to think like a top computer programmer (page 6)

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* THE GREATEST MAP IN THE WORLD It took 15 years to complete (page 11)

* BRAINS AND TRAINS Why we need to travel faster (page 14)

* HACKING SMELLS When your room smells good, you feel good too! (page 17)

* COOL TO KNOW Tell your friends about this (page 21)

* DO STUFF Project resources for kids, parents and teachers (page 26)

TThink: At the end of each article, you'll find some questions for you to work on.

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Draw: If you have a journal, you can sketch these ideas and practise visual thinking.

i Colour the cupcake if you share this

article with a friend.

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2 SAY LESS, DO

MOREHow to think like a top

computer programmer

Tags: computer, programming, beginners, tips,

Scratch,

Computer programmers are the new heroes of our world!

They created all the cool software, from Facebook to Twitter, Angry Birds, Minecraft and Candy Crush Saga.

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These days, anyone can become a computer programmer, as long as you have enough practice.

TIf you didn't already know, a programmer's job is to create a set of instructions that a computer can follow. These instructions are sometimes called "code".

This code must be written with some specific words, phrases and numbers. These make up the programming language.

There are many programming languages. Some of the more common ones are: Python, Ruby, JavaScript, Java, C and C++.

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There are some basic rules that will help you become great at writing code.

Learn by doing

You can read books about programming, and memorise pages of code. But the only way to really master this is to try it out, correct your mistakes, and learn from your experience. The top programmers make lots of mistakes every day. But they are also quick to spot their errors and make corrections.

Keep it simple

A section of programming code might seem complicated and intimidating. But if you look carefully, you'll see that it's actually made up of many short and simple lines.If there is even one mistake in any line, the computer will not be able to deliver the result you want.

You just need to go over each line of code slowly, and make sure everything is perfect.

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Be logical

A computer can't read your mind, or guess your intentions. You need to be very clear about what you want the computer to do, and in which order.

If you tell your sister to "Call mom and tell her we'll be late", your sister will understand what you mean. But when you're programming a computer, you might need to say something like, "Call mom, wait for her to answer the phone, ask her to press '1' to confirm that she's ready to hear the message, and then tell her that we'll be late".

TYou can learn programming with the wonderful Scratch software developed by the MIT Media Lab. Get it here: http://scratch.mit.edu

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Think: Do you know any computer programmers? Find out if they can give you a quick lesson.

Draw: Create a short comic strip to summarise the information here.

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a THE GREATEST

MAP IN THE

WORLDIt took 15 years to complete

Tags: map, geography, co!aboration, Arab, legacy,

Around a thousand years ago, there was a powerful king in Sicily named Roger the Second. He summoned men of different talents to his court so that he could learn from them and make his kingdom even greater.

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One these men was an Arab scholar named Muhammad al-Idrisi. He had travelled across Central Asia, The Middle East and Europe. He was also a talented cartographer, or maker of maps.

TRoger the Second paid al-Idrisi to make a detailed map of the world. It took al-Idrisi 15 years to do this. He hired other scholars to help him with his research. He also interviewed many explorers who had visited distant areas.

The work that he finally produced in the year 1154 was titled "The Book of Pleasant Journeys Into Faraway Lands". In Latin, it is called "Tabula Rogeriana", or "The Book of Roger", after Roger the Second.

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TFor over 500 years, this work was widely respected as the most accurate and detailed work of its kind. Muhammad al-Idrisi had created the greatest map in the world!

TDID YOU KNOW When Clark University (USA) developed a geography software, they named it IDRISI, after al-Idrisi.

Think: How many maps can you spot in one day?

Draw: Make a map of you home, your school, or your neighbourhood.

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C BRAINS AND

TRAINSWhy we need to travel

faster

Tags: train, travel, maglev, progress, Japan,

technology, engineering,

Engineers in Japan are working on a super fast train that will soon change how we all travel.

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The Central Japan Railway Company is building a maglev train line that links Nagoya and Tokyo.

They call this train the "L-Zero". It can go as fast as 500 kilometres per hour, which is five times faster than a car travelling on a highway.

TMaglev is short for "magnetic levitation". These trains use magnetic power to float above the rails, so they can move at twice the speed of bullet trains.

If a journey on a bullet train takes an hour, it will take only thirty minutes on the L-Zero.

This means that people will have more time to enjoy their hobbies, exercise or even get more sleep at home.

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Faster travel will indeed make our lives better!

T Think: How much time do you spend travelling every day? If your friends didn't have to spend so much time travelling, what else could they do?

Draw: Find an illustration that shows how maglev trains work, and copy this in your journal.

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v HACKING

SMELLSWhen your room smells good,

you feel good too!

Tags: scents, chemicals, DIY, home,

The air fresheners and room deodorants that you buy from a store are useful for making your home smell better.

But did you know that they might also contain chemicals that are not good for your health?

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If you read the labels carefully, you'll find that some air fresheners have small amounts of ingredients that might cause allergies, increase the risk of cancer, and cause side effects like drowsiness and breathing problems.

TBecause of this, many people have started making their own air fresheners!

You'll need:

a spray bottle (you can use a recycled one, but wash this thoroughly first)1 tablespoon baking soda2 cups distilled water10 drops essential oil (pick a scent that you like)

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You can buy small bottles of essential oils from pharmacies, health food stores, supermarkets, or through online suppliers.

TInstructions:

Mix the baking soda and essential oil in a bowl.

As you might know, oil and water don't mix, but with the baking soda, the essential oil will stay suspended in the water.

Spoon this mixture into the spray bottle, and fill it with distilled water.

Shake the bottle hard, and spray the mixture around your room.

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It should smell heavenly, and you won't have to worry about health risks!

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Think: How else can you make your home smell better without using harmful chemicals?

Draw: Create a cool advertisement for your own brand of home made air freshener.

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Z COOL TO KNOW Tell your friends about

this

Tags: dogs, experiments, jetpack, technology,

science fair, project tips,

STUDYING DOG FARTS

How smelly can a dog's fart get? Are all doggy farts equal? Or do some stink more than others? Believe it or not, this is a suitable subject for serious study.

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In 2001, researchers working at the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition in the UK found a way to catch a dog's fart so that they could run tests on it.

They collected farts from eight dogs, and recorded how much hydrogen sulfide the farts contained. They also counted how often the dogs farted.

With the results, the researchers were better able to understand the farting habits of dogs, and how this affected their health.

TFLY YOUR OWN JETPACK

Engineers working for Martin Aircraft are testing a new jetpack invention in New Zealand this year.

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Their model is simple to use. You fill up the jetpack tank with gasoline, strap this onto your back and switch it on. The gasoline powers two powerful fans which help you take off and move through the air.

You steer by using two joysticks, like the ones you use for playing computer games.

If everything goes well, you should be able to buy your own jetpack by 2016. It might not be cheap, though!

THOW TO BE A SCIENCE FAIR

CHAMP

Science fairs are very common these days. If you hope to win a prize with your science project, just remember these three tips.

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T* Start early

You should focus on an area that you're interested in. Try different experiments until you discover a good idea. Then, read as much as you can about it. Finally, ask your teachers to guide you, so that you can avoid the more common mistakes.

T* Do something special

Your project doesn't need to be complicated or expensive. As long it's unusual and it illustrates an interesting science topic in a cool way, your project should attract a lot of interest.

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T* Wow the judges

Find out what the judges are looking for, and make sure your project meets their requirements. Practise answering questions about your project, and make sure you know all the relevant scientific principles. You don't want the judges to think that someone else did your project for you!

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w DO STUFFProject resources for kids,

parents and teachers

Curated by William Hooi (Hacknasium / HacKidemia Singapore)

TWORKSHOPS

HacKidemiahttp://www.hackidemia.com

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Global hacking workshops to encourage kids, schools and tech companies to collaborate.

HacKidemia Singaporehttp://www.hackidemia.sgSingapore chapter of the HacKidemia network.

Leaveanesthttp://lnest.com.sgA Japanese company that promotes science, education and technology learning through fun workshops.

Saturday Kidshttp://www.saturdaykids.sgSchool for teaching kids programming and 3D printing.

Playlabhttp://playlab.meA playspace for kids to mix art and technology.

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Pragmatic Labhttp://pragmaticlab.comClasses for programming web and mobile applications.

TSOFTWARE

Scratchhttp://scratch.mit.eduFree software to teach kids programming basics in a fun way.

Algodoohttp://www.algodoo.comHave fun with physics by drawing and exploring simulations.

Hopscotchhttps://www.gethopscotch.comLearn basic programming with this iPad app.

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THARDWARE

littleBitshttp://littlebits.com/lessonsElectronic toy blocks that teach kids basic engineering concepts.

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SCIENCE

Singapore Science Centrehttp://www.science.edu.sgHome of interactive exhibits to inspire young scientists.

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Nanospacehttp://nanospace.molecularium.comAn online theme park by the Molecularium science education project.

Kidsiteshttp://www.kidsites.com/sites-edu/science.htmList of reviewed science learning sites for kids.

TPROJECTS

Make: Kids & Familyhttp://makezine.com/kids/Make magazine's child-friendly maker resources.

DIYhttps://diy.org/

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Platform for kids to learn, make and share their projects. And earn badges too.

Slyvia’s Super-Awesome Maker Showhttp://sylviashow.comYoung maker Sylvia introduces cool projects for kids.

Look What Joey’s Makinghttp://lookwhatjoeysmaking.blogspot.sgJoey became famous after showing President Obama his marshmallow cannon.

What I Madehttp://www.whatimade.comAmazing projects that designer and crafter Scott Bedford made for his kids.

Instructables: 21 Kid Projectshttp://www.instructables.com/id/21-Projects-Guaranteed-to-Keep-Your-Kids-Busy-This/Kid craft tutorials.

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My Blade Quest

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School of Magical Stories

BukuGuru

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