Sunday, July 29, 2007

Natural and Financial Resources

People need to learn sustainability. Whether financial or natural, sustainability is important. [More coming. Check back later]

Water Supply

[This post is under development and will be edited until this note is removed]

The referenced photo (http://www.city-data.com/picfilesc/picc31426.php) reminds us of how precious water is. When I was in grade school, I remember one of the teachers saying that the next war fought would be for water. It seemed such a ridiculous notion. Water was everywhere.

"Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink," the Rime of the Ancient Mariner (http://etext.virginia.edu/stc/Coleridge/poems/Rime_Ancient_Mariner.html). That was hard for us to understand, too. But in a way, it is talking about the same kind of thing that lets salt, or for that matter, sugar, be a preservative. The bacteria that potentially could multiply and destroy the pickles or jam, for example, are surrounded by an aqueous solution. Yet, for them, there is no water. Even the water inside the bacteria is drained out by the forces of osmosis.

Then, think about ivory soap: 99 and 44/100th % pure. Another teacher told u, "Sewer is 99 and 44/100th % pure."

Whatever, the resource, we must learn to get along. We must learn to take care of the resources. We must learn to get along. War always destroys resources.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Writing

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Linking Websites

Adsense Account Signup - information and tutorial on website traffic creation focussing on Google Adsense as a revenue generator.

Activities for a hot summer day!

Here's a link to a simple-to-do, yet challenging thought process, activity.
http://www.thisisby.us/grab_that_cold_soda_can_on_a_hot_day

Enjoy!

Dr. J

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Dragonflies on a summer afternoon...

An article on dragonflies, by Dr J, discussing reducing the global mosquito population while providing topic for art, science, literature and entertainment appeared in TIBU today. Here's the opening and you can follow the link to read more.

Dragonflies offer something for everyone. From techies to artists, children to grandparents, scientists to mosquito-haters, poets to myth-lovers. Most cultures have some stories on dragonflies. Here is a sampling of dragonfly ideas that I have personally selected to share.

For example, the digital dragonfly museum offers a wealth of information on dragonflies (... Based out of Texas A and M University, the museum lists all of these sections: Image Gallery (photos and scans sorted by species) Photos (by photographer) Life History (Ron Lyons´) Emergence Sequence Collection Records Damselflies of Texas Digital Dragonflies Nothing But Butterflies Insects & More Center Home Entomology Home Bioinformatics Page TAMU Insect Collection Other Links Awards. Truly a wealth of dragonfly information, with lots of pictures.

The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon (996 AD) lists things that are better in pictures, such as a snowstorm, and, things that no picture could do justice, such as a rose. Similarly,dragonfly pictures are beautiful, however, do not compare to the alluring beautiful colors as these insects, of the order Odonata, flit about above rivers, ponds and streams in the summer sunlight. That is something to experience first-hand, like chasing after fireflies on a summer evening. In fact one author has linked these insects in the book, Animal Stories from Bellona Island (Mungiki) by Rolf Kuschel (pg 110-111 c 1975, National Museum of Denmark). In it, the firefly and dragonfly go together to get water. Mythical qualities enter the story and the dragonfly ends up losing it’s lantern (http://casswww.ucsd.edu/personal/ron/C VNC/odonata/cultural_odonatology.html, accessed July 18, 2007).
Read more:
Dr-J, a user of thisisby.us, thought you would be interested in this content:
http://www.thisisby.us/register.php?r=2818
the_enchanting_world_of_dragonflies

The Enchanting World of Dragonflies
Reducing the global mosquito population while providing topic for art, science, literature and entertainment

Looking for a bit more money for college...Or, Investing?

These students are, too. As you look at these, remember that AA and A are good credit grades. People with any credit grades may default, so, only "bid" what you can risk to lose, just like using the stock market or other investments, Lower credit grades are more likely to default. Use your judgment. I do not know these people, nor, do I endorse their loans. There are also other students posted at the site that might be more suited to your investment dollars. Here are links to Prosper:

.

Bid on my listing at Prosper, people-to-people lending

Bid on my listing at Prosper, people-to-people lending

Bid on my listing at Prosper, people-to-people lending

Bid on my listing at Prosper, people-to-people lending

Join them if you are looking.
Invitation
Message: Hi, I'd like to invite you to be my friend on Prosper. As friends, we can endorse each other's loan requests, which will help our loans get funded at lower rates. Prosper helps people borrow money from other people online. It's a great alternative to bank or credit card loans, and both borrowers and lenders get great rates. Just click on a link.

- it only takes a minute.

Remember, paying back loans on time is a great way to build your credit rating!
PS: For any investment, even those that look great, be sure you can afford the risk. I remind you to read the Prosper forums for ideas.

Monday, July 16, 2007

If you're a publisher or a parent, look here...

You will be energized to see and read what one parent is doing to get ahead and support her family.

http://kickshawcandies.blogspot.com/

Thanks, Dr-J

.

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Improving your writing and getting paid!

Here's a link to TIBU, a great site for improving your writing. Parents might want to check it out and use your value system before letting your children on the site, but there are many teens and college students, among others, writing there. Don't use any identifying information in user names, however and do stay aware of what your child does on-line. Enjoy.

http://www.thisisby.us/register.php?r=2818

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Temperate Deforestation

http://www.forestsforever.org/logowordsthin1.gif
There's a website where you can get information on deforestation of the Sequoia's

Temperate deforestation is an important issue, even though you hear so much more about tropical deforestation. In my mind, I have a book about it. Stay tuned for more on this topic.

J

Accidents happen

Car Accident Injury - offering information and locating available services for accident victims.

In the US, get the forms on line or at your local police station.

Prosper grows

Integrity is an important part of any education. P2P lending counts on integrity. Prosper is a key place for P2P, People-to-people lending. Remember that your name is important, Honesty and integrity are part of that name. Prosper is a place that lends a helping hand when many banks won't. But, if people fail to keep their word, P2P will not succeed. I believe it will succeed because we strengthen our selves and our nation with values like honesty and integrity.

Friday, July 13, 2007

Vocabulary Development

Over the summer you can strengthen your vocabulary. When students swear, I suggest to them it is because their vocabulary isn't developed sufficiently to have word to express accurately how they feel. This idea of words being able to express thoughts and sentiments is an important concept to convey in a population where most students are continually exposed to swearing in their lives outside of school.

I believe that if you have a well-developed vocabulary, you are more able to express what you want to say. Some students understood that. They began studying vocabulary.

But, the point is, to truly integrate that vocabulary into their brains, they need to use it. Summer is a perfect time to put that use to work. Practicing new words can be fun. A big vocabulary helps you understand more in life. What new word did you learn today?

(c)2007 J. S. Shipman

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Twenty Minutes Twice a Week

Summer is a good time to review what you've learned over the last year. Twenty minutes twice a week, or even three times, is all you need for a good review. Since we learn as we progress through life, this applies to everyone, not just to, "students." (But if you are a high school student, let me suggest high school ace as a great review site.It is even good if you are in grade school or out of school completely, in my opinion. :-) ) Reflecting on what we've learned over the last year helps us make the learning more permanent. Having structured time to do that, helps us integrate that knowledge into our brains. Have fun doing it. Don't let it be a chore but rather a pleasure. Learning and reviewing are fun.

(c) 2007 J S Shipman

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Jane Colden teaches Us

Jane Colden, heroine of the botanic world, and now famous for her, "garden." I went to Jane's garden. I saw plants that you used to find everywhere around where Jane and I grew up. Well, Jane, in what became Coldenham, and me in the Town of Wallkill. Well, we grew up in different time frames, but, we shared a passion for the plants in our region, and for the study of plants in general, botany.

So, I thought, what is so special about Jane's garden? Those are the plants found everywhere here. But , Jane had foresight. Because everywhere here is now full of cement and shopping malls and macadam and houses and apartment buildings and, everything but plants. Well, there are some landscaped plants, but, it's hard to find those, "ordinary," plants of Jane's garden.

Preserving native plants saves our environment. Maybe you can plant a copy of Jane's garden...or, of the Garden Jane would have made, had she grown up in your region. Do you know the native species? How could you find them out?

(c)2007 J. S. Shipman

Sunday, July 8, 2007

Keep up on Science over the Summer

Find some NOVA Science videos you can watch for free here. They are close captioned for the deaf, too. Enjoy and report back in the comments what you liked/disliked/learned...

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/programs/index.html




(c) 2007 J. S. Shipman

Update your Computer Skills: RSS and Atom

http://www.ovelha.org/pasteler0/2007/07/08/rss-feeds-for-those-who-dont-know-rss-feeds/
is a great link for understanding RSS and Atom. I recommend you read it to understand how your children (and you) can benefit.

(c)j S Shipman 2007

Please don't play with Fireworks: Here's one Reason Why

http://community.livejournal.com/bayarea/2007/07/05/ tells of a girl who lost her arm in the Bay area. The father is offering a $10K reward for information.
Thank you,
Chris Isner [The dad]
chrisisner@hotmail.com

The reward might be nice, but, the arm is better. May the best surgeons rise to the task. "Blown to smithereens" is hard to fix.

Courage to the girl. Don't let anything stop you from becoming a success in life. Though traumatic, this is just a challenge to get beyond. You can!

Family Time and Academic Success may require Making Family, too! What?

Family time builds skills needed for life, including those needed for academic excellence. Time spent sharing values and ideas with your children and other relatives is time well spent. Whether you watch a Friday night TV show (like wrestling) and laugh while you discuss it, or write letters back-and-forth between Auntie and niece, whether you bake brownies or chocolate chip cookies, whether it having a coke with a foster mom, or a talk with Granddad, read Alice in Wonderland with a cousin, whether you have a game night, go bike riding or hiking together and/or go worship together, spending family time conveys values that help build necessary skills like listening, being attentive, self-confidence and self-direction. Plus it is fun. Children of families that spend such time together usually do well at school. And, they have someone show up or call on parent-teacher night.

Conversely, children who lack that, "family time," often struggle to do well. The ones that do, it seems to me, make their own family time. They find a mentor at a store they frequent, or at a church, temple, or mosque, or at 4-H, Scouts or The Boys and Girls Club, in the Police Athletic League, or an after-school program, sport, or other youth activity. They typically make family to have family time with. They succeed because they make their own way. They create their own enrichment, visit the zoo and museums and botanic gardens. They do their homework without being told. They make and are their own "family." They stay focused and succeed. It can be done.

(c)2007 J. S. Shipman

Saturday, July 7, 2007

Pour some Milk in each of Two Saucers

Pour some Milk in each of Two Saucers
And keep a group of children (or adults) busy all afternoon
by Dr-J

We all know about milk.. It's white, It has calcium. You drink it. Children will come up with more ideas about milk than grown-ups, often. So, you put out two saucers (Paper cake plates work fine.) and pour the milk. Then what? Discuss the milk, and , then?

Take some food coloring, pretending the saucer is an analog clock face, drop a drop at 12, 3, 6 and 9. Do not stir. Don't even move it. And, please don't shake the table.

Okay, so the milk sits there. And the colors sit there, though, they do spread out a tiny bit. Now, take just one drop of an effective dish detergent (I use Dawn or Palmolive) and drop it in the center. Light show... I won't tell you what happens you have to watch.

The key to staying busy is to come up with a hypothesis or educated guess as to why what happens happens. Of course, you can search the web...but my experience is that you come up with the wrong answer, even from sites describing this activity.

So, let's make it a real experiment...what hypotheses did you have? The fat content? The calcium? Diffusion? There must be magnets somewhere? Oh, great, we have hypotheses. How can we test them? How can we make an experiment. You see for our first experiment, the plain milk saucer just sat there. And, we can compare the saucer with the milk and colors and detergent to it. But, it isn't identical except for one factor because two factors are different: colors and detergent. So how can we set up a controlled experiment where we check only one factor.

You think it's fat? How can you check? I have done a series of these tests and so, I know now. But for you to know, trust me, you can't just read it on the internet. I did find one correct answer out of about 6000 I found on the topic.

The point is, you are doing science because you don't know. And, when you are doing science, that's when it's fun. Of course you have to be confident that your ideas are good...as good as anyone's, and, you have to think about what you are doing and why. You have another hypothesis? What is it? Oh, you think it is because of the acid. Hmm. What acid is in milk? Do you know other household acids? Oh, lemon juice...yes, yes. I see, vinegar. Do they have anything in common with milk?

How many saucers do you have out now?

(c)2007 J S. Shipman
See also: http://www.thisisby.us/pour_some_milk_in_each_of_two_saucers
Pour some Milk in each of Two Saucers
And keep a group of children (or adults) busy all afternoon

Enjoy!!!



(c)2007 J. S. Shipman

Update 1 Oct 2012:
Here is a link to a video that might be used by students to think about what is happening in the science activity and experiments discussed in this blogpost:
http://evl.vcsd.k12.ny.us/safevideos/Video.aspx?id=VGoJuLX3BQQ (Paper clips floating Scott Thompson, Wisconsin Public School System, and, ExpertVillage.com (Source:  http://evl.vcsd.k12.ny.us/safevideos/ Video.aspx?id=VGoJuLX3BQQ, Accessed 1 Oct 2012)).  Can you think about how it might be related?

(c)2012 J S Shipman

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Sign Language Help

I came across this on Prosper but it looks like a good source of Sign Language Info...

Financed with Prosper, people-to-people lending

(C)2007 J. S. Shipman

A Wrinkle in Time

An ad just came on my blog for Madeleine L'Engle's book. Oh, that was one of my favorites when I was in third or fourth grade. I loved it. I still remember the characters. I gave a copy to a boy who had immigrated here. He read it when he was in sixth or seventh grade. It's now among his favorites. I hope you read it. Whatever your age, it holds some treasures for you.

Reading another book? Post your mini-book report in the comments!

(c)2007 J. S. Shipman

Drive Safely

Summer has a lot of distractions. I was stopped at a red light. People ahead of me were stopped. People beside me were stopped. The person behind me walloped me. I ended up in the hospital. I hurt. All because the driver didn't pay attention.

People driving cars need to pay attention. It is a responsibility. If the driver just tapped my bumper that's one thing. But to go at the speed he was going along Memorial Drive? Of course someone would get hurt.

Remember you could get hurt. People's children, maybe your children...could get hurt. So, please focus when you drive.

Have a good summer.

(c)2007 J. S. Shipman

Car Accident Injury - offering information and locating available services for accident victims.

The Fish are moving North---Chesapeake Bay Crabs now NYC Crabs

The Fish are moving North
Chesapeake Bay Crabs now NYC Crabs
by Dr-J
in non-fiction> opinion
on Jul. 05, 2007 at 08:25am

Here's something to read. Here's the link.

http://www.thisisby.us/register.php?r=2818

You can write there, too. It can be a creative rainy day activity.

Sunday, July 1, 2007

Reading Science

Slowly studying a small part of text, or a chart or graph, may be the best way to read some science. What do you think about that? How do you read science. Let us know.
What science have you read this week? Please share your comments.
(c)2007 J. S. Shipman

See also: Stretch Reading