Summer Readers: Keep Sizzlin'

Everything that makes up our surroundings and contributes to our ability to live on Earth is part of the natural environment. Protecting our environment is a concern that everyone, no matter what his or her age, can share. We hope this week’s HOT SPOT inspires you to learn about the environment. This week's HOT SPOT sponsor is the Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI).

This week’s HOT SPOT activity

MOSI’s new adventure has quite a bite. Dinosaurs! is a 5,000-square-foot exhibition that brings guests up close to creatures that once roamed the Earth more than 150-million years ago. Did you know that dinosaurs may have sipped the same water molecules you used when you brushed your teeth this morning? There's as much water in the world today as there was thousands of years ago. Actually, it's the same water. During this week, look in the St. Petersburg Times for pictures of things that contain water. Cut or print out all of the pictures you find to create a collage. At the end of the week, write a poem about the images you found and the importance of water in our lives. Post your poem on the cabinet above the sink, on the bathroom mirror or on the refrigerator to remind your family to conserve water. Share your poem with others in this blog. Just click on the comment button below to share your thoughts.

If you want to participate in the Summer Reader program, go to tampabay.com/nie/summer for details on how to get started.