Air Pollution Dangers

Air pollution affects so much more than just the air we breathe. Everything living has a need for clean, breathable air, from humans and animals, to plants and trees. These needs make fighting air pollution a major priority for everyone, to help heal and protect our planet and future.

Air pollution is a common issue among large cities, anywhere in the world. High volumes of traffic, large industrial areas, and dense concentrations of people all contribute to the amount of pollution in the area. The effects of air pollution reach around the globe, wreak havoc on people, plants, and animals. Changes to air and water quality create dangerous and even deadly situations. Here are just a few of the dangers of air pollution.

Breathing polluted air can cause damage to the heart and lungs. Similar to the effects of smoking tobacco, inhaling the particles in polluted air can cause people and animals to develop heart and lung disease that could eventually prove fatal  

Those with certain medical conditions may find that high levels of air pollution aggravate their symptoms. People with asthma, allergies, and diseases resulting in breathing problems are usually the worst affected.

Plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen as their “breathing” process. When pollutants are present in the air, plant life will breathe these particles in, as well. This causes serious problems within the cells of the plant, resulting in poor growth and possibly death or the plant.

The residue from the chemicals and pollution in the air deposits itself onto plants, preventing necessary photosynthesis from taking place. Without the ability to receive proper sunlight, plants quickly discolor and die.

The moisture in the atmosphere picks up the dangerous chemicals and pollutants in the air, creating even further problems for the environment. The resulting acid rain can find its way into ground water and other waterways, creating a dangerous situation for plants, animals and humans alike.

Air pollution contributes to water and soil pollution that can be disastrous for all living creatures.

By Jeanette Joy Fisher

Kids Story (Narrative Text)

The Little Pink Rose

Once there was a little pink Rosebud, and she lived down in a little dark house under the ground. Once there was a little pink Rosebud, and She lived down in a little dark house under the ground. One day she was sitting there, all by herself, and it was very quiet. One day She was sitting there, all by herself, and it was very quiet. Suddenly, she heard a little tap, tap, tap, at the door. Suddenly, She Heard a little tap, tap, tap, at the door.

"Who is that?'' she said. "Who is that?''She said.

"It is the Rain, and I want to come in'' said a soft, sad, little voice. "It is the Rain, and I want to come in''said a soft, sad, little voice.

"No, you cannot come in,'' the little Rosebud said. "No, you can not come in,''said the little Rosebud.

A short time later she heard another little tap, tap, tap on the window pane. A short time later She Heard another little tap, tap, tap on the window pane.

"Who is there?'' she said. "Who is there?''She said.

The same soft little voice answered, "It is the Rain, and I want to come in!'' The same soft little voice answered, "It is the Rain, and I want to come in!''

"No, you cannot come in,'' said the little Rosebud. "No, you can not come in,''said the little Rosebud.

Then it was very quiet for a very long time. Then it was very quiet for a very long time. At last, there came a little rustling, whispering sound, all around the window: rustle, whisper, whisper. At last, there CAME a little rustling, Whispering sound, all around the window: rustle, whisper, whisper.

"Who is there?'' said the little Rosebud. "Who is there?''Said the little Rosebud.

"It is the Sunshine,'' said a little, soft, cheery voice, "and I want to come in!'' "It is the Sunshine,''said a little, soft, Cheery voice," and I want to come in!''

"N -- no,'' said the little pink rose, "you cannot come in.'' And she sat still again. "N - no,''said the little pink rose," you can not come in to.''And She sat still again.

Pretty soon she heard the sweet little rustling noise at the key-hole. Pretty soon She Heard the sweet little rustling noise at the key-hole.

"Who is there?'' she said. "Who is there?''She said.

"It is the Sunshine,'' said the cheery little voice, "and I want to come in, I want to come in!'' "It is the Sunshine,''said the Cheery little voice," and I want to come in, I want to come in!''

"No, no,'' said the little pink rose, "you cannot come in.'' "No, no,''said the little pink rose," you can not come in to.''

By and by, as she sat so still, she heard tap, tap, tap, and rustle, whisper, rustle, all up and down the window pane, and on the door, and at the key-hole. By and by, as She sat so still, She Heard tap, tap, tap, and rustle, whisper, rustle, all up and down the window pane, and on the door, and at the key-hole.

"Who is there?'' she said. "Who is there?''She said.

"It is the Rain and the Sun,' said two little voices together, "and we want to come in! "It is the Rain and the Sun," said two little voices together, "and We Want to come in! We want to come in! We want to come in! We want to come in!'' We want to come in!''

"Dear, dear!'' said the little Rosebud, "if there are two of you, I s'pose I shall have to let you in.'' "Dear, dear!''Said the little Rosebud," if there are two of you, I s'pose I shall have to let you in to.''

So she opened the door a little wee crack, and in they came. So She opened the door a little wee crack, and in They CAME. And one took one of her little hands, and the other took her other little hand, and they ran, and ran, and ran with her, right up to the top of the ground. And one took one of her little hands, and the other took her other little hand, and They ran, and ran, and ran with her, right up to the top of the ground. Then they said, -- They then said, -

"Poke your head through!'' "Poke your head through!''

So she poked her head through; and she was in the midst of a beautiful garden. So She poked her head through; and She was in the midst of a beautiful garden.

It was springtime, and all the other flowers had their heads poked through; and she was the prettiest little pink rose in the whole garden! It was Springtime, and all the other flowers Had Their heads poked through; and She was the prettiest little pink rose in the whole garden!


Source: Story Soup Kids

Manfaat Try Out

Apa yang kita amati di berbagai sekolah terutama berkaitan dengan akan dilaksanakannya Ujian Nasional (UN), di mana sekolah-sekolah mencari berbagai terobosan untuk dapat meningkatkan kualitas dan kuantitas lulusannya. Oleh karena itu strategi yang dilakukan adalah melakukan gerak cepat, terarah dan hasilnya memuaskan.

Banyak hal yang dilakukan oleh sekolah untuk mendongkrak agar nilai UN lebih baik. Tidak hanya sekolah-sekolah, pemerintah daerah pun baik tingkat provinsi maupun kabupaten/kota melakukan berbagai terobosan, sehingga daerah yang bersangkutan akan memperoleh peringkat terbaik.

Memperhatikan standar kelulusan yang ditentukan Badan Standararisasi Nasional Pendidikan (BSNP) pada UN setiap tahunnya terus meningkat, hal ini dirasa cukup berat. Oleh karena itu, sekolah selaku pengemban tugas untuk mencerdaskan kehidupan bangsa melakukan berbagai upaya agar siswanya mampu mencapai kriteria kelulusan tersebut.

Upaya yang dilakukan sekolah dalam mempersiapkan siswa antara lain mengadakan bimbingan belajar, les, remedial, try out UN. Bahkan, membagikan standar kompetensi lulusan dan ruang lingkup materi yang diujikan kepada siswanya yang akan menghadapi UN.

Try out UN setiap tahunnya telah dilakukan semua sekolah baik tingkat SMP/sederajat maupun SMA/sederajat. Try out yang dilakukan biasanya pada tingkat provinsi, kabupaten dan kota dilakukan satu kali hasilnya belum menggembirakan. Kemudian beberapa lembaga kursus dan bimbingan belajar juga tidak kalah geraknya melaksanakan try out bagi siswa-siswa yang mengecap pendidikan di lembaga yang bersangkutan. Demikian pula lembaga-lembaga kursus terkenal juga memberikan kontribusi nyata dengan melaksanakan try out kepada siswa-siswa kelas terakhir untuk mengikuti program try out baik untuk tingkat SD, SLTP maupun SLTA. Mereka melaksanakan program try out ini kadang-kadang atas partisipasinya saja, tanpa memungut biaya.

Belum lagi berbagai organisasi masyarakat dan kalangan organisasi kemahasiswaan melaksanakan progran try out bagi siswa-siswa pada tingkat terakhir, dan kegiatan ini mereka melakukan kerja sama dengan pemerintah daerah.

Hasil try out UN tahap pertama ini, meskipun belum dapat dikatakan sebagai kemampuan maksimal siswa karena memang sebagian materi pelajaran yang belum diberikan, namun pada dasarnya sebagian besar soal yang di-try out-kan bersumber dari materi yang sudah disajikan. Penyusunan soal diambil dari materi pelajaran kelas I, II dan III, dan tidak menutup kemungkinan soal-soal diperoleh dari berbagai sumber media massa, dan materi tersebut berkait erat dengan kisi-kisi dari materi yang sudah diajarkan oleh guru di sekolah. Tentunya tidak terlepas dari kurikulum yang berlaku, akan tetapi mungkin ada hal-hal baru yang tidak pernah diajarkan oleh guru.

Paling tidak, hasil try out tahap pertama ini memberikan gambaran, sebagian besar siswa belum menyiapkan diri dengan belajar sungguh-sungguh. Tidak menutup kemungkinan, sebagian besar siswa terbiasa belajar santai sehingga tidak begitu siap mengahadapi try out UN yang diselenggarakan dan hasilnya pun cukup menghawatirkan.

Maka dari itu, perlu dilaksanakan try out kali kedua, ketiga dan seterusnya. Karena semakin sering dilaksanakan try out ini, maka akan memberikan dampak perubahan terhadap hasil-hasil selanjutnya, artinya setiap kali dilakukan try out nilai skor akan lebih baik dan meningkat.

Try out ini bisa dilakukan berkali-kali hanya dapat diselenggarakan di setiap sekolah, dan sekolah yang sering melaksanakan try out akan terlihat nyata nilai UN-nya meningkat.

Nilai yang diproleh siswa dari try out UN, sesungguhnya merupakan hasil belajar. Hasil belajar yang dicapai siswa dipengaruhi dua faktor utama, yaitu dari dalam diri siswa sendiri dan lingkungan. Faktor dari siswa berupa kemampuan, besar sekali pengaruhnya terhadap hasil belajar. Clark (1981) mengemukakan, 70 persen hasil belajar siswa di sekolah dipengaruhi kemampuan siswa dan 30 persen oleh lingkungan. Dan, lingkungan belajar yang paling dominan mempengaruhi hasil belajar di sekolah adalah kualitas pengajaran gurunya. Semakin baik kualitas pengajaran guru, maka akan berdampak terhadap kulitas belajar siswanya.

Kiranya try out yang dilakukan oleh sekolah lebih diefektifkan, karena hasil penelitian menyeburkan bahwa try out yang dilaksanakan oleh sekolah, masyarakat, pemerintah telah memberikan dampak memuaskan bagi hasil UN. Mari kita lakukan bersama, semoga.

Source:Xpresi.com, www.ronaldorozalino.com.