Innholdsfortegnelse for November/December 2018 i Faces People, Places, and World Culture for Kids and Children

Don’t let the name fool you—Iceland is not all frigid, ice-covered land. Yes, winter is a season, but so is summer, with its mild, sun-filled days. Read on to discover these five fun facts. 1. Only the best! Space was limited when Europeans first started settling in Iceland, so the Viking chiefs only brought the very best of their horses. The horses on the island now are descendants of these best of the best. 2. Iceland is home to more volcanic activity than anywhere else on early. More than 125 volcanoes (several very active) dot the landscape. 3. The smell may turn some diners off, but fermented shark’s meat is considered a delicacy. Hákarl is made edible by letting it ferment in the ground for five months 4. Prepare for…

A Land of FIRE Iceland is a geologist’s dream. It has more volcanic activity than anywhere else on Earth. The island sits on the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Ridge, which separates two continents. Iceland is also atop a hotspot—a place where very hot rock from the Earth’s mantle pushes up onto land. Iceland’s constant flow of magma (melted or partially melted rock) from the mantle to the surface of the Earth is the perfect recipe for volcanoes. More than 125 volcanic mountains dot the landscape in Iceland. Several of these volcanoes are very active. Six volcanoes have erupted since 2000. At least five major eruptions are expected in the next 10 years. As you can see, the region is changing by the minute. Visitors to Iceland may be shocked by the alien-looking…

Living in Iceland does not always mean a chilly forecast. A steady mingling of cold polar breezes from the north and warmer southern winds from the tropical Atlantic Ocean influences the climate. In addition, the warm waters of the Irminger current (part of the Gulf Stream) meet the colder East Greenland polar current off Iceland’s shores, circling the island in a clockwise rotation. Giant blocks of floating ice can also cool temperatures on shore by several degrees. Because all these air and ocean currents mingle, the weather in Iceland is somewhat mild. There are actually fewer changes in Iceland’s weather than on large continents at the same latitude. In addition, the relative humidity averages about 85 percent, making the air feel much warmer. New York City often has colder winter…

Karl Jonsson, Margret Ingvarsdottir (EENGvahrs-dote-teer), Katrin Jonsdottir (YONES-dote-teer), and Jon Magnusson (MAG-new-son) are members of the same family. Can you figure out who is the father, the mother, the son, and the daughter? Icelanders use an ancient system in which everyone has only one name—his or her given name. To tell people with the same first name apart, Iceland adds a patronymic (PAT-rahnim-ik), a name based on the name of the person’s father. The father’s first name becomes the son’s last or surname, with the addition of the prefix -son. Daughters also take their father’s name as their last name, but add -dottir (DOTE-teer), meaning “daughter.” Icelandic names not only identify people, but also their fathers. Women do not change their names when they marry. In a family with only…

Long ago, on a sunny spring morning, God told Eve that he would come for a visit that evening. Eager to make a good impression, Eve immediately began preparing for God’s arrival. She called to her children, and they ran into the house. “Children,” she said excitedly, “God is coming to see us, and there is much to be done before his arrival. I will give a small task to each of you.” Soon the children were busily embroidering pillows with gleaming silver thread, carving delicate wooden animals, and filling reed baskets with bright, fragrant roses. Eve saved the outdoor tasks for three of her children who were especially fond of playing outside. Dora was asked to weed the vegetable garden. Steinn was asked to clean the animals’ pens. Stefan…

Location: Iceland is an island located in the North Atlantic Ocean just south of the Arctic Circle. Greenland is about 160 miles (260 kilometers) to the northwest. Scotland is about 500 miles (800 kilometers) to the southeast, and Norway is about 600 miles (965 kilometers) to the east. Official Name: Republic of Iceland (Lydveldidh Island—LEETH-vel-dith EES-land) Capital: Reykjavik Population: 339,747 (July 2017 estimate) Area: 39,800 square miles (103,000 square kilometers) Climate: Cool summers and mild winters are Iceland’s norm. Average summer temperatures are between 54° F and 64° F. The temperature hovers around freezing (32° F) in winter. Sunlight is almost continuous from the end of May until the beginning of August. However, from the middle of November until the end of January, Iceland experiences almost no sunlight. Highest Point:…

Iceland is a fierce place of mischievous trolls, active volcanoes, and pristine glaciers. Its otherworldly landscape and climate have shaped a cuisine all its own. From the very beginning, people have had to become creative chefs, lest they starve. Icelandic food walks the line between delectable delicacy and simple sustenance. NORDIC NIBBLES The dietary mainstays haven’t changed since the time of the first Viking settlers. In fact, if you invited a Viking family over for a traditional dinner, your menu wouldn’t really surprise them, but your appliances definitely would. Customary fare continues to include seafood, lamb, dairy, and all sorts of salted and pickled foodstuffs. Iceland’s seafood and lamb are among the best in the world, due in large part to strict environmental regulations that help maintain the pure waters…

Look closely at the Icelandic alphabet. Notice that most of the 34 letters are just like ours, and they come in the same order. In fact, short a (a) and long a (á) are now listed together in the Icelandic dictionary, so you do not have to hunt in two different places for these or any other short-long vowel pairs. Two Icelandic letters are especially interesting: þ, or “thorn” as it is called, and ð, or “eth.” þ is a very ancient letter. The oldest English language (Anglo-Saxon) also had this letter because our language was once closely related to the Viking languages. During the Middle Ages, þ was gradually replaced in English by “th.” But in some old manuscripts, þ looked exactly like y. When printers began to set…

Iceland is the eco-friendliest country on Earth. While it doesn’t hurt that the whole country sits on a geologic hotspot that is alive with volcanic activity, Icelanders have earned their title. They have made tough decisions to use clean energy and learned to use their natural resources to their advantage. Basically, Icelanders have learned to maximize the magma just beneath their feet, in spite of its dangers. GEOTHERMAL POWER What do swimming pools and fresh-baked bread have in common? In Iceland, they are both heated by the Earth. A resourceful Icelander named Snorri Sturlusson used geothermal energy (the heat of the Earth) to keep his backyard pool warm in Reykjavik—a thousand years ago. The pool was recently restored and is as warm to the touch as it was when Snorri…

Ingredients • 1 ½ cups of softened butter (3 sticks) • 1 ¾ cups of powdered sugar • 2 cups of flou • 1 tbs of vanilla extract Instructions 1. Place the butter in a large bowl and soften, either via a microwave or by leaving it at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes. 2. Using a hand mixer, whip the butter and then add the sugar. Combine well. 3. Mix in the flour and vanilla. 4. Once you have a smooth dough, shape it into two long rolls that are approximately 2 inches thick. Cover with plastic and chill in the refrigerator for several hours. 5. Heat the oven to 375°F and begin cutting your cookie dough into thin slices. 6. Place your cookies on a greased baking tray…

Gleðileg jól (gle-the-leg yole)! Merry Christmas! Put on some new clothes (just in case you meet the Christmas Cat), bring your appetite (the ptarmigan is almost ready), and let’s find out how Icelanders celebrate the season. Iceland’s winter nights are long and dark. On the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, there are only a few hours of daylight. Yet, Christmastime is bright and colorful. Twinkling lights and glowing Advent candles chase away any gloom. Homes and buildings are festooned with decorations, trees are trimmed, and cheerful cards are sent. Even the Northern Lights come out to decorate the night sky. Icelandic schools usually hold a party on the last day of classes before Christmas break. Students visit friends, munch on tasty treats, dance, and sing carols. You…

With no warning, a massive volcanic eruption sent a column of ash about 30,000 feet into the sky. The eruption occurred close to a group of islands off the southern coast of Iceland’s mainland. So great was the 1963 eruption that it could be seen in Reykjavik, 65 miles away. Iceland itself is thought to be a series of volcanic islands joined together more than 15 million years ago. It is located over one of the earth’s “hot spots,” a place where the thinness of the mantle permits large amounts of energy and materials to escape. What made the eruption so remarkable was that it formed a new island in only a few years. Scientists had assumed that volcanic islands took thousands of years to form. By 1967, the ash…

Books are big in Iceland’s capital city. It was named a UNESCO City of Literature in 2011 for its outstanding literary history. The Icelandic Sagas are widely regarded as the basis for Norse mythology. No need for bug spray in Reykjavik—there aren’t any mosquitos. Dogs were banned in Reykjavik from 1924 to 1984 because many believed they were farm animals. Now it is a city of cat lovers. About 20,000 cats roam around Reykjavik, which is one cat for every 10 people. Puffins, small black and white sea diving birds, are plentiful in Reykjavik. Boat tours take tourists into the waters off the city to see the birds in their natural habitat. The crime rate in Iceland is very low. Police don’t carry guns. Children in Reykjavik are trained to…