coming up, feeling the breeze >> hi. my name is sam, and i'm 4 years old, and i want to talk about how wind blows from the air. >> we'll take a look at the science behind wind. then, sweet tooth explained. also ahead, monkey business. this baby monkey is capturing hearts in one zoo in oklahoma.

plus, cereal for a cause the story behind a cereal box domino chain we're in north carolina with details. and secrets of a ventriloquist. we'll introduce you to this puppeteer who is making history and hoping to inspire a new generation of storytellers ♪ make you proud of me ♪ >> this is "nbc nightly news" kids edition welcome back to "kids edition. i'm lester holt. it's great to be with you on a saturday morning we have an awesome lineup today, everything behind the science of those sweet cravings we all have, to a rare birth at one zoo in the u.s and later on, we'll have some fun with puppeteer and ventriloquist megan typhus >> you move your hand for each

syllable you're saying, so if you want to say basketball, i would say bas-ket-ball >> did she just take my voice? we begin with the weather. parts of the country have been hit by extreme weather this week, rain, storms, and even tornadoes, and one young viewer had this question on his mind. >> hi. my name is sam, and i'm 4 years old. and i want to talk about how wind blows from the air. >> all right, sam. great question thank you for that the wind is something all of us experience around the world no matter where we live for more on the wind, we ask our good friend and meteorology dylan dreyer to explain. >> wind is air in motion it's produced by the uneven heating of the earth's surface by the sun, which drives temperature changes. wind is pretty amazing it can change the shape of the land, move the clouds, help fly a kite, and even cause airplanes

to fly faster or slower. wind can also generate clean electricity and help a sailboat across the ocean but sometimes the wind can be so strong and scary lemt's talk more about it. the sun warms the earth's surface. the atmosphere warms too some parts of the earth receive more direct rays from the sun and are usually warmer, such as the equator. other places, like the north and south poles, receive indirect rays, so the weather there is typically colder warm air weighs less than cold air and rises. then cool air moves in and replaces the rising warm air this movement of air is what makes the wind blow. so, what makes wind strong at times and weaker at others well, it all has to do with air pressure did you know we live at the bottom of the atmosphere and the weight of all the air above us

is called air pressure when the air pressure changes, so does the strength of the wind wind always blows from high pressure to low-pressure areas to cry and create a balance. the greater the difference in pressure, the greater the wind speed, especially when that pressure changes over a short distance sometimes the wind at the surface can be so strong that it becomes scary. there are many types of weather phenomena that produce high wind, for example, hurricanes and tornadoes or nor'easters and severe thunderstorms these winds can be so strong they can knock down trees and cause damage, and sometimes power outages. by the way, did you know that the weather instrument used to measure wind speed is called an anemometer that's a fun word to say and guess what else? wind can also play an important role in our lives. wind is important and can supply

one of the cheapest forms of clean energy in the world. windmills can harness the power of the wind to create electricity. and best of all, the supply of wind is unlimited. >> all right dylan, great explanation as always thanks to much some of you might be eating your breakfast right now or you ate already. i get up early, so this time of the morning i'm usually in need of a snack did you know march 4th is national snack day from pretzels to nuts to something sweet, who doesn't love a good snack? what makes some of us crave the sweet stuff? our pal, dr. john torres, looks at the science behind a suite tooth. >> a suite tooth it's not a specific tooth in your mouth it has nothing to do with your actual tooth it means you're a big fan of sweet foods and often crave

them this is a combination of your body and brain telling you you want sugar, and what's trickier, the more you eat sweets, the more you end up craving them a lot of people have a sweet tooth, and that isn't necessarily a bad thing, but you want to be aware of it and not let it make all of your decisions. i have a big sweet tooth i have all my life here are tips i use. if i'm craving something sweet, i try reaching for fruits or yogurt instead of candy or ice cream. also, be aware of where sugar hilds. one sneaky spot, drinks like juice and soda so, try to stick with water and milk most of the time. and eat and drink slowly this way, you can satisfy that sweet craving but consume a bit less sugar most importantly, moderation is key. this doesn't mean you can never have chocolate or cookies because where's the fun in that? but you do want to be aware of how much sugar you're eating and make sure you're eating other foods to get the vitamins and

proteins you need to stay healthy. on the opposite end of the spectrum, some people crave salty foods like potato chips. and the same tips work here. try to reach for healthier options like peanuts or pretzels, and be mindful of how much salt you're actually eating whether it's sweet or salty, for the most part, it's all okay in moderation >> dr. john torres, thank you. time for our "pop quiz." this week we're talking about geography. the question, new mexico is one of four states that meet at what is known as the four corners which of the following states is not one of the other three is it a, nevada, b, arizona, or c, colorado? i'll give you a few seconds to think about it >> okay. time's up. the answer is a, nevada. the four corners are new mexico, arizona, utah, and colorado. all of these states are part of

a really beautiful part of the country with some amazing scenery. turning now to this week's "inspiring kids" series, one elementary school in north carolina is getting a lot of attention for a cereal box chain that went viral. and it was all for a great cause. let's get details from our friend laura jarrett >> three, two, one >> reporter: this video showing nearly 2,800 cereal boxes lined up and falling down like dominos at clemens elementary school has captured a lot of attention. p.t.a. farrow burn recorded an posted the video and it's gone viral, more than 34 million views so far >> 69,000 comments >> reporter: she got the idea from a friend, then she went to work mapping out the entire route throughout the school. and with the help of others, the display was built in five hours,

no practice run needed >> it was really fun, and it was an experience i'll remember forever. >> reporter: fourth-grader merritt had the job of starting the chain. >> three, two, one >> i was nervous because i couldn't hear the intercom very well because we were outside but it was way better because all of my class was screaming the countdown, so i wasn't really nervous then. >> one >> like, if one box is going to fall down and mess the whole thing up or what's going to happen >> it went all the way through. >> really fun. >> it was fun because after that we had recess. >> reporter: but it wasn't just for fun. there was a purpose behind this massive cereal box chain >> to donate to the food pantry to help people who are in need >> reporter: that's right. students along with the rest of the clemens elementary community

collected cereal boxes and donated them to the local food pantry kindergartner jackson making a direct appeal to his church. >> i speak on the microphone and told everybody to donate cereal to the pantry, and everybody did. >> reporter: and donated they did. a whopping 400 boxes thanks to jackson's speech alone the clemens, north carolina, food pantry overcome with joy. >> 2,700 boxes will take us through three months every family that comes for the next three months is guaranteed some breakfast >> reporter: kids learning some important life lessons >> it was fun, like, because we get to help our community and have fun at the same time. >> that giving to people at different places that don't have enough money to, like, spend on food, is very, very helpful.

>> i think all of the children through their excitement, they're going to remember this and know what it's like to give back >> reporter: and the school is already making plans for the next one >> laura, thanks very much just ahead, orange crush we're in oklahoma with details on this rare birth and secrets of a ventriloquist. >> hey, kids i'm baby june bug. >> how this puppeteer found he were voice and made history. 's t. yes, the time has come for a fresh approach to dog food. everyday, more dog people are deciding it's time to quit the kibble and feed their dogs fresh food from the farmer's dog. made by vets and delivered right to your door precisely portioned for your dog's needs. it's an idea whose time has come. ♪♪

- you can learn wunbelievable things on the internet-- unbelievably cool

and unbelievably false. remind your kids, just because it's online doesn't mean it's true. keep an eye out for misinformation. the more you know.

welcome back to ""nbc nightly news: kids edition". i hope you're having a great saturday we want to head to oklahoma now, where the recent birth of a bibby monkey is capturing the

hearts of america. let's get details from our friend harry mclaughlin. >> say hell le v low to farrah, one of the newest members of the oklahoma city zoo. farrah is the first francois langer monkey born at the zoo in 26 years to mom, pam, and dad, rippley. >> strictly on mom's milk at this point, but she does try to eat sol ill foods, tries to steal what mom may be eating she's incredibly strong. she tries to explore a little more than her mom wants her to explore. we've caught pam keeping her close to her she's very adventurous already, very brave >> just what makes francois langers unique for tarters, they're born different colors to help them stand out. >> their babies are born bright red or orange. mom and dad are black fur with, like, some white sideburns, and

farrah has a very bright redhead. >> reporter: typically, their fur changes from reddish-orange to black in six months to a year did you know in the wild, francois langers can be found on cliffs outside of forests? and they're also known as francois leaf monkeys because of their primary diet >> their die set made up of mostly leaves. they have a special stomach that helps them process all those leaves we give them a lot of trees to help with that >> reporter: sadly, they're considered an endanderred species in the wild. >> there's about 2,000 left. about 50% of their population has decreased over the decades this is due to hunting, habitat loss their forests are broken into fragments, which makes it harder to forage and eat and stay together as a troop. >> reporter: thankfully, there are ongoing conservation efforts to help save them. >> china and vietnam, and both

are actually setting aside special land, special forests to preserve their home country and their home range and then to kind of protect the monkeys. >> reporter: as for farrah, she'll continue to test new things, while ultimately sticking close to mom for the next year or so, marking an important milestone for the species and the oklahoma city zoo. >> this is the first time that we've actually paired francois langers, my team, so we're really excited i think they are a very understudied primate species, so there's not a lot known about them we like learning about them, contributing to the species as a whole. thanks what cutie well, march marks women's history month, a time to celebrate the achievements made by females and there's one young woman using her voice and creativity to pave the way for future storytellers, making history and

hoping to inspire kids to reach for the stars. ♪ i just wanna make you i just wanna make you ♪ ♪ proud proud of me ♪ ♪ just wanna make you proud of me ♪ >> in a world of make-believe, megan piphus is bringing her imagination to life. ♪ proud of me, me, me ♪ love of when she was 10. >> when i was 10 years old, i had just changed to a new elementary school and had to make new friends, i was super shy. i went to a puppetry conference with a few members from my church i was exposed to women ventri ventriloquists, and i saw myself being able to open up just like them and make something come alive in that moment so, i went home, i told my parents i wanted to become a ventriloquist.

>> you're the valedictorian. that means you're the first to go >> and she did just that >> we were working on making a gift for grandma's birthday. >> in 2021, megan piphus made history becoming "sesame street's" first full-time female black puppeteer. >> i still don't know what i want to do yet >> my goal is just to inspire girls to achieve whatever dream they have no matter their background, their zip code, or no matter the color of their skin >> and there's no stopping her achievements megan just released a children's album hoping to inspire all kids to dream big ♪ i just wanna make you proud of me ♪ ♪ make you proud of me ♪ >> joining us now is megan piphus megan, great to have you on. >> thank you so much for having me >> i didn't catch the name of

your friend. >> i'm baby june bug >> june bug. i like that name i like your outfit, by the way >> thank you it was something i thought you was going to wear. >> mine is in the cleaners basis black-and-blue today it's great to have you on. explain, you are a puppeteer and a ventriloquist. for kids watching, can you explain the difference >> yeah. it means she a little crazy. she gots lots of voices. >> as a puppeteer, i can move pucketts like june bug, but as a ventriloquist, i can talk without moving my lips >> talk without moving your lips >> that's right. when i talk with june bug. >> i sound like this >> and of course my eyes immediately going toward june bug. >> that's right. >> during the conversation >> it brings the character even more so to life because you believe he's real. >> i'm a real boy. >> i want to get into this how do you do it first to start it off, we have one of our kid questions.

>> okay. >> hi, megan how do you talk with your mouth closed >> how do you talk with your mouth closed >> yeah. mes moms do it >> i can teach you how there are only certain letters of the alphabet you have to close your mouth for like b. a you don't -- >> i'm saying a right now and my lips aren't moving >> you can push out the same amount of air, aa, and it looks like you're not moving your lips for b, i replace that let we are another let that are sounds similar. b, b >> say that in a sentence. >> you wanted to say basketball, replace the b with a d >> basketball. >> that's right. >> and that applies for basically every letter that would normally require our lips together >> that's right. there's about seven letters we replace the letters with >> you started this at a really

early age. i know you practiced a lot i want to play another question from one of our viewers. >> okay. >> hello we're both from japan. how do you practice to be a puppeteer? bye! we love ""nbc nightly news: kids edition" >> and this was my point a lot of work went into where you are today. tell me how much work. what kind of things have you had to do? >> i met june bug when i was 12 years old, but i've been a puppeteer since i was 10 years old, so around your age is when i started. you can practice by taking your own hand -- you want to do it with me? >> yeah, yeah. >> take your hand, and we want to mimic how we move so, open the mouth like this you don't want to open the entire mouth >> how you doing, june bug >> like that drop your bottom thumb like this if you move your whole mouth, you puppet will look like this >> very slight >> slight opening of your bottom thumb, and you move your hand

for each syllable you're saying. so for basketball, i would say bas-ket-ball >> did your hand just take my voice? >> so, do it again i want to see the movement of june bug >> bas-ket-ball. >> okay. >> i like to play basketball >> you like to play basketball >> i'm not very good >> i'm not very good as a ventriloquist. you landed your dream job on "sesame street." what was that like i mean, that's got to be the all-star for a ventriloquist >> yeah. i never imagined that i would get to "sesame street. i grew up watching it as a child, and i even had a "sesame street"-themed birthday party when i was 3 years old i submitted an application to the jim henson company in 2017 i wasn't expecting to hear back, but in 2020, the producers had time to go through old submission from the jim henson company, and one of the producers saw my application and reached out and asked if i'd be interested in working with "sesame street."

so, i trained and i learned and joined the cast in 2021. >> is it a pretty small community of people who do what you do >> assumer small community >> you think so? >> yeah. >> it is, but it's a very supportive community, so it's -- immediately after i joined "sesame street" i was surrounded by the greats who were willing to teach me and to learn so, also, i practice by learning from others. >> you just released a new children's album tell me about that >> mr. lester, i have a question >> sure. >> do you have any snacks? >> do we have -- oh, my goodness do we have any snacks? our snack person is off today. >> june bug, i can get you snacks you take a break >> okay. i'll take a break. she didn't feed me before we got here >> we'll get you some snacks >> i'm sorry, lester >> that's okay >> i should feed him next time >> tell me about this album. >> i released a children's music album last year. so, beyond being a pum tear, i'm

a creator. so i love creating stories and songs. i released an album co-produced with bootsy collins and sara baptist, and we brought the music to life with puppets >> the puppets sing? >> that's right. june bug sings "make me proud. >> you have a wonderful singing voice. >> thank you i enjoy singing. doing more music this year june bug and i are working on an album but the soul children of chicago, a choir that's been around for over 40 years >> i remember them i used to live in chicago. this is obviously a very important project for me >> that's right. it's very important to me to use music and puppets to inspire kids to pursue their wildest and most unique dreams i'm a full-time pum ppeteer. >> we've lot gotten a lot of response one more question. >> i'm jocelyn from michigan my question is, what would you say to black girls like me

tryi trying to get into puppeteering or getting into the arts >> terrific question >> wel first, i'm excited that you're interested in pup etdry it took me many years to find my path i found first what made me come alive, and that was telling stories and singing songs. i used puppetry as a mode to do that i tried working -- i was an ad sales intern at nbc. >> were you? >> i was i worked in public relations i worked in dance, musical theater. i did lots of different jobs in the arts until i found what made me come alive. and i learned that was making children laugh and smile by doing puppetry >> every time i've been around a puppeteer or ventriloquist, they walk in the room with a puppet, people smile right away. it's this ultimate, you know, social moment of breaking any tension in the room. what's that like to have that

ability? >> it's like awakening someone's imagination. it doesn't matter if you're 2 years old or 80 years old. there's a part of your mind that wants to believe that something that doesn't exist right now can happen, and that's the -- the essence of hope is believing in something that can happen that doesn't exist right now. when i bring june bug to life, i'm bringing something inanimate to life. it really makes i think the soul and the heart smile and laugh to see something that's not real. >> you two have certainly brightened our day here at ""nbc nightly news: kids edition". great to have you on thanks so much hope to see you again. >> yes thanks, lester >> and june bug. >> i'm still down here so much fun. that's going to do it for us parents, just a reminder, if your child has a question about any top nick the news, email a video to us. you can also follow us on instagram @nightlykids

and a program note -- catch a new episode of ""nbc nightly news: kids edition" every thursday on nbcnews.com and youtube and streaming on the weekends on "nbc news now. remember to take care of yourself and each other. have a great weekend

good morning. it is saturday, march 2nd, 2024. this is a live look outside. interstate 80 in the sierra this morning. the chp forced to shut it down yesterday evening into this morning. almost looks like a, the slopes there. thank you so much for starting

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