>> here's what's happening on "teen kids news." >> it's something some kids do on purpose and others do by accident. either way, it can really hurt your grades. i'll tell you what it is in my report. >> i'll tell you how teens are using mother nature to help protect mother nature. >> in sports, we'll see why young pitchers need to play it safe. >> coming up, i get to spend the day with some knights. i'll tell you all about it. >> and we're just getting started, so stay tuned.

>> welcome to "teen kids news." i'm mwanzaa. >> and i'm livia. here's our top story for this week. >> teens are often under a lot of pressure to do well in school, but that doesn't mean it's okay to copy someone else's hard work and pass it off as your own. teachers call it "plagiarizing," but, as we see in this report, you can also call it cheating. and don't think you won't get caught. >> you've probably heard the word "plagiarize," but what, exactly, does it mean? >> when you take somebody else's words or ideas and you use them as your own. >> that's exactly right. in fact, the word "plagiarize" comes from the latin word for "kidnap," only instead of stealing a person, modern

plagiarizing means stealing someone else's work. now, most of us won't copy another person's work exactly. we know that's cheating. but what if we rearrange things a little? >> everything is changed around just slightly just so you can call it your own piece of work. everybody does it. it doesn't mean it's right or wrong, but it happens. >> it depends how much you change the words around. if you change the words around a lot and it really sounds different, then it's not. [ record screeches ] >> sorry. rearranging the words does not get you off the hook. unless you're stating something commonly known, an historical or scientific fact, if the information and ideas are not your own, you need to cite the source. to cite, or make a citation, is to state where the idea came from. >> it's certainly okay to get information from books or download information from the internet and put that wording into your own words, but you still need to cite it, so quoting and rephrasing both need

to be cited in the same way. >> we talked with a college professor because a survey for "the chronicle of higher education" says students are arriving on campus with bad habits. college presidents say plagiarism is increasing, and they blame the internet. so much information is available online that it's where most of us turn first nowadays, whether we're working on seventh-grade homework or a senior project. >> i use the internet to do class research all the time. >> i use it to look up stuff if it's not in the textbook. >> because it's more convenient than books and you don't have to go through a process of a library. >> the experts tell us online research is fine so long as you cite the source of the information just as you would if you took it from a book. keep notes as you go along and don't fall into the "cut and paste" trap, thinking you'll go back and find the sources later. >> a lot of times, what happens is a student hasn't really

managed their time properly, so they're in a rush to finish the paper, so they'll forget to cite something or they'll turn some phrases around, using their own language, thinking that that's okay. >> along with taking time to cite your sources, it's a good idea to find out just how your particular teacher wants you to do it. that can vary from class to class and grade to grade. >> i think in terms of what middle schoolers should do, especially, is get into good study habits and not rush things or get things going there at the last minute. >> whether you're plagiarizing on purpose or by mistake, keep in mind that educators are using computers, too. >> just as it's easier for students to inadvertently cheat because of the internet, faculty also can use the internet to catch it. oftentimes, a faculty member will recognize a phrase as a little off, maybe based on who the student is, and they'll

simply take that phrase and throw it into google, and they'll realize where that came from. >> plagiarism has probably been around since humans first started writing, though with stone tablets, it took longer. i'm emily for "teen kids news." >> there's a lot more ahead, so stick with us. >> "teen kids news" will be right back. s k

>> the soldier's medal is an award for army soldiers during peacetime who do something very brave, perform a brave act, like running into a house and saving children. they're not in combat, but

still, they did something brave. >> too many of us take nature for granted, but, as harry reports, mother nature needs us to pay attention and take action. >> these teens are heading out for more than just a hike. they're taking steps to help protect one of our most vital natural resources. all across america, toxic chemicals from cities and farms are polluting the water in our lakes, rivers, and streams. the nature conservancy is working to do something about that through its leaf internship program. >> "leaf" stands for "leaders of environmental action for the future," and it's a program that takes kids in from high school and kind of just brings them straight out of their element and gets them to work on different preserves in different states across the country. >> now, once we get that grass layer off a few inches, then we're gonna start measuring, and i'll show you how we're gonna measure down 8 inches with that plumb line and string. >> these interns are learning

how to build a rain garden. they're preparing the ground in a special way so the plants they put in can help trap harmful chemicals carried in rainwater runoff. >> so, a rain garden really collects that and processes it so that the pollutants are dispersed within the garden and not within the rivers and streams that we rely upon for our drinking water. >> another advantage to this kind of garden is that it's designed to collect and store rainwater. that means less watering is needed. >> so, using a rain garden could definitely cut down your water usage from, like, pulling out a hose 'cause you're just using natural water that's already been given to you. >> there are leaf internships with all kinds of activities for teens who want to learn more about their natural environment. >> the goals for the nature conservancy's youth program is really to empower young people to pursue and care about our natural world, so we're hoping to turn kids on to careers in this field. >> this summer with leaf has definitely shown menthat i want to work in the conservation

field. my major for -- well, that i plan to major in in college -- is geology or earth science. >> i guess you could say the internship certainly helped plant the seeds for her future career. to find out more about the leaf program, check out the link on our website. >> if you're happy and you know it, maybe you donclap your hands to show it. researchers say happy people tend to talk more than unhappy people, and their conversations are different. instead of small talk, people who are happy tend to engage in meaningful conversations, sos next time someone just says, "nice day," tell him to cheer up. hc nes

>> if you're on the pitcher's mound in a ball game, you want to throw as hard as you can, but, as tyler reports, you need to concentrate on more than just striking out the batter.

>> in a typical game, you can throw the ball more than 100 times, and that's why there's a serious catch to pitching. trying too hard too soon can pun you on the bench with a major k bone injury. >> bones are growing and when they get stressed during the stresses of throwing, particularly throwing a baseball really hard, those bones can get injured. >> dr. david altcheck knows all about baseball injuries. he's the medical director for the new york mets. with the help of a young pro named rob semerano, the doctor is helping kids learn how to protect themselves and their future. >> don't throw a baseball as hard as you can while you're still growing. don't throw it when you're really tired, and listen to rob and learn how to throw it correctly. >> ...so all my energy is going in one direction. bring that knee up, step, and throw. all one motion. there we go. much better. i think one of the most common mistakes that young players make is throwing all

arm, so to speak. they don't use the big muscles in their legs to help generate the energy and transfer it up to their upper body to their arm, idand it puts too much wear and tear on the elbow and shoulder joints. >> the safe kids u.s.a. program teaches that a healthy pitching career takes more than power ann precision. >> one, two, three... >> it takes an overall commitment to the health of your body, from learning the right way to warm up and stretch to knowing what's in your favorite foods and drinks. the experts helping these kids to learn come from new york's prestigious hospital for special surgery. >> i learned how to keep my body healthy by eating the right foods, like calcium to help my bones grow healthy. >> and before you even start throwing the ball, you have to exercise and loosen up yourself. >> the message these experts want kids to take home is that pain is not something you should ignore. don't try to tough it out.

>> but as soon as they get to the point where there's point tenderness, there's pain or soreness, or they can't move their arm, these are all signs that there's something wrong with that kid. there is no game that's worth winning at the expense of some youngster's well-being and his health. >> how true. if you protect your bones while they're growing, you have a better chance of staying in the game in the future. >> so, you're trying to do the healthy thing at the fast-food restaurant, and you choose a salad. nicole says, "not so fast." >> quick -- what has more unhealthy fat at a fast-food restaurant? a salad or a hamburger? >> hamburger, of course. >> a hamburger has more unhealthy fat. >> a hamburger 'cause it's, like -- it's just unhealthy and all the grease and everything. >> actually, it's not a fair question because it depends on more than just the lettuce you're eating. >> salads are a great option at a fast-food restaurant -- lots

of great vegetables, all the things we're looking for, but there's a problem when you start adding things to your salad. >> colleen thompson andalad. ellen shanley are the authors of "fueling the teen machine." okay. so, here we have a premium caesar salad with grilled chicken from mcdonald's and a quarter pounder without cheese. colleen, how do they compare? >> let's see what we have here. perfect salad. what a great choice, right? so, we've got the veggies. we've got grilled chicken -- a really good option. quarter pounder, no cheese. what do these guys have inen common? well, once you start adding the dressing to your salad is when you can get into trouble. this particular dressing, the creamy caesar that they can offer with this salad, has as much fat as the amount of fat in that quarter pounder without cheese. >> how much fat? >> 18 grams in one packet of salad dressing compared to 19 grams in your quarter pounder without cheese. >> wow. so, what do you suggest? >> there's some great options. you can have -- perhaps use

less, right? we could go with half a packet of dressing, or there's other options out there. there's low-fats, there's light dressings. you can save a lot of calories and keep the healthy salad. >> so, remember -- salad is a smart choice as long as you're smart about what you put on it. for "health bites," i'm nicole. >> this reminder is brought to you by the national road safety foundation. don't forget -- february 29th is the deadline for the "drive 2 life" contest. anyone in grades six through 12 can submit an idea. the concept should be for a psa that runs from 30 seconds to two minutes. to enter, you need to send in a script or a storyboard. however, do not send a video. i won't be accepted. the creator of a winning concept gets a $1,000 prize and a trip to new york city, where you'll work with a professional director and crew to turn your vision into a reality. for more information and an entry form, go to...

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recommended cancer and prevention screenings. plus, fifty percent off brand name prescription drugs... if you're in the donut hole. so i can get the prescriptions i need... to stay healthy. word sure gets around. [ male announcer ] tell your friends and family. learn more at medicare.gov or call 1-800-medicare. share the news. share the health! >> in the days of old, when knights were bold and tv hadn't yet been invented, lords and ladies would spend the day watching jousts and swordplay and consider themselves contented. if you've ever wanted a taste of what it must have been like to live during the middle ages, carina can show us faster than you can say, "king arthur."

>> it has all the trappings of a royal tournament in 11th-century spain. knights on horseback proudly displaying their colors as they prepare to compete in tests of skill and valor. welcome to medieval times in lyndhurst, new jersey. >> i play the green knight. his name is don temple, and he is the most arrogant and probably the best knight there is. >> it's a unique kind of dinner theater. guests don't just come tos dine -- they come to be transported back in time. >> they will experience horses, knights fighting, knights jousting. they will get to eat with their hands. they get so much. they will get to see kings, the princess, everything. >> wait. did he say, "eat with their hands"? [ rewinding ] >> ...eat with their hands. >> visitors have to eat with their fingers because in the 11th century, utensils were tools of witchcraft, so to not eat with your fingers was kind of a sign that you were a witch or a wizard or something like

that, so you'd probably be burned at the stake. so we kind of encourage people to eat with their fingers at all times. >> that's certainly good to know. an you're being entertained. and although these knights are actors, the physical demands of the role are very real. >> takes a lot of hard work and effort to be a knight at medieval times. you have to train for a period of usually six to eight months. you've got to learn how to ride a horse. you've got to learn how to fight with all the weapons, as well as >> jousting is one of the hardest skills to master. only the most experienced riders get to do it. the rules are rather simple. two fully armored knights face each other, and when the signal is given, they charge at each other with lowered lances. >> basically, it is the first man to be dismounted off his horse by the other guy hitting him. then there was also how much you broke of your lance on their shield. the bigger a hit on them, the more your lance broke, and you got points as you went through

the tournament. and you ended up winning by the amount of points you had or if you knocked your opponent off the horse. >> sword fighting, even when carefully rehearsed for the show, isn't for the faint of heart, either. >> its most interesting point of our job is to fight hand-to-hand with swords, you know, and it's dangerous, but we're all well-trained, and we do it to the best of our ability not to hurt each other. >> they're real swords, but they are made with a modern metal called titanium, so they are a bit lighter than real steel swords would be. you can see that when they spark together when they hit. [ swords clang ] >> andrew explained that their costumes are specially designedn with safety in mind. >> we have gauntlets and gloves that are used for protection, but they're not what they would have had in the medieval age. our belts are thick-gauge leather so that we can hit each other in the belts at certain points in the show, and the thicker the leather, the less we're gonna hurt each other. >> i asked juan if he could teach me a few sword-fighting skills. >> first step, you need a sword.

>> okay. >> here you go. all right. that is espada. [ sword unsheathing ] one-handed sword. i have one, as well. to begin, feet shoulder-width apart. bend the knees. sword extended just so we cross. all right. now you're gonna step forward with your left leg. i'm gonna step back with my right. now take your sword out behind you and swing for my shoulder. step. and step at the same time. >> and step? >> yep. [ swords clang ] good. try to hit the edge. it sounds a little better. good. now you're gonna take it up my sword, take it to your other side, and come here. and step. [ swords clang ] aha! again. >> okay? >> do it again. and now swing. step. [ swords clanging ] >> [ laughing ] whoa! >> good job. you did well. >> thank you. >> so, now you've learned the basics of sword fighting. if you ever do get in a sword fight, you have some skills to use to defend yourself. >> thank you. >> congratulations. good job. >> coming up, we'll get up close and personal with the knights' weapons of war.

girl: hi, mom. hi, sweetie. [ beep ] man: how's it going, buddy? i'm bored. [ beep ] i think i'll ride my bike. [ tv playing ] [ beep ] it may never be this easy to help your kids find balance, but you have more power than you know. the we can! parents' handbook and web site can help you maximize that power. you'll learn how to help kids choose healthier foods... and how to make it fun for them to get active. who can help kids maintain a healthy weight? we can! visit the we can! web site for a free parents' handbook, plus tips, tools, and resources. a message from the u.s. department

of health and human services. 's our connectin to our community it's our lifeline to the emergency information we need it's a free service that provides free entertainment. but one day soon, it could be taken away. there's a movement among special interest groups to limit free antenna tv and millions of americans who depend on it would lose out. let's tell congress to keep free antenna tv as part of our communications future. always free and always local. [ cellphone rings ] ♪ yeah, i just picked her up. we should be there in 20 minutes... [ girl #1 ] who is it? [ girl #2 ] oh, it's him. where is he? i know. yeah. i know. hold on... ♪ [ crash ] [ screams ] [ laughs ] [ crash ] [ crash ] yeah. [ crash ]

[ swords clank ] >> we're back at medieval times, where juan is giving me a behind-the-scenes tour. this is the armory for the show. everything is modeled after weapons that were really used during the middle ages. i was surprised to learn that some of these weapons didn't actually start out as weapons. >> now, the axes and the flails were actually -- these were tools first. i mean, axes are used to chop wood and everything else, and eventually, they became weapons out of necessity and then eventually got changed into actual war items. this is to really, you know, do damage to people. it has a spike on the end for killing on the top, so you wouldn't chop wood with this. then we have the bola or flail. now, this eventually came from a threshing tool for grain, but it would be a stick on a chain, and they would just thresh grain to

separate the wheat from the chaff, but then they added it to a chain, to a heavy ball and spikes, which this one doesn't have for safety, and it became a weapon of war. though you did have to be well-trained to use this, since it could come back and hit yourself, as well. >> [ laughs ] the next weapon was one i had already used -- the sword. i learned that there are many different kinds of swords. >> this is more like a broadsword in the sense that you have a sharp edge on both ends so you can stab with it and you can cut and slice with it. and the largest version of that would be the mandoble, or the two-handed sword 'cause you can now use a two-handed grip with it, or if it wasn't too heavy, you can still use it with one hand. and, as you see, it's definitely longer, and there's been swords, especially the scottish claymore, which could be basically about almost 6 feet. [ swords clang ] some of the swords would weigh anywhere from 10 to 50 pounds. >> whoa. thank you. [ laughing ] whoa. it's heavy. >> a little heavier. even though these are titanium, they still have some heft to

them. >> by "heft," i guess he meant "heavy," and it really was. next, came the shields. >> these were used for jousting. they were a little longer, and they have the emblem of the knight on them so that you recognize their standard. >> that was important because few people could read in the middle ages, so designs were used to identify the knight. >> when you have a helmet on, you all look the same. >> the designs not only told you who the knight was but what rank he held in society. >> they all gave different information and things, so someone could look at it and knew exactly who that was and where their standing was in the social hierarchy. >> the designs were often woven into a coat the knight wore over his armor. it was called a coat of arms. what mes thknight different from all other knights? it's me. experiencing history has never been so much fun. and that's... the point. at medieval times in lyndhurst, new jersey, for "teen kids news," i'm carina.

>> that's it for this week. thanks for joining us. >> we'll see you next week on "teen kids news." >> write to us at... >> here is a shout-out to american troops serving in central and south america.