Observation, Public Policy and Science in the news today...Mexican Axolotl (Frog-like Organism)

This story is about the Mexican Axolotl. Note, in the photos accompanying the story, there are plants. Did you see them, or, were you, "plant blind?" Do you think plant-blindness has anything to do with the disappearing frog-like creatures? Do plants play a role in lives of organisms? Do we need plants (Tropical and temperate forests, weeds, crops, herbs) for organisms like axolotls and humans to live? Do some investigating and write an essay, supported with facts you've found, or, experiences you've had. Formulate an opinion on endangered species, such as the axolotl. Indicate a global public policy that you feel would help sustain the Earth. Check with your parent, guardian, teacher, or, supervisor: Should you submit your essay as a letter to the editor of a local paper, or, post it on line? Would it make a good bulletin board? Are any science standards covered by your activity?

Fill your essay (and your mind) with hope. When we educate ourselves and act toward sustainability, we are very capable of achieving sustainability. I believe it is important to carry the message of hope with any activities where we deal with global problems, including extinction, or loss of habitat, among others.

Story:
http://uk.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUKTRE5114WI20090202

Film (in Spanish): http://uk.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=98040&videoChannel=82

Birds, birds, birds...

Winter Birds...

Project FeederWatch

Bird Guide

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/birds/

http://www.whatbird.com/

http://www.pbs.org/lifeofbirds/

http://www.savingcranes.org/

[Under Development: Bird resources are added periodically. Feel free to add some others in the comments.]

Australian Ideas for Science Education

Here is a link to Australia K-6 ideas:
http://science.uniserve.edu.au/school/curric/k_6/ouroz.html

For example, you can take a virtual field trip to Australia.


You might like to compare and contrast Australian environmental weed control methods with Control of invasive species in your own country.

Science of Transistor Radios

Today's column listed an article on the transistor radio:
Transistor radio story posted October 18, 2008

The story offers a good way to interest some people in science and engineering. For example, a comparison and contrast could be done on the effect of transistor radios and MP3's on teen culture, someone might want to build a transistor radio or a computer, one might study electricity, someone else might study sound waves. A news story on historical development of the transistor radio could, thus, lead to a class full of students working on science activities, all different, yet, linked by the transistor radio. Because the students could select something of interest to them, it is likely they would be engaged in their studies.

More Sources:

1. http://www.vintageprojects.com/radio/transistor-radio.pdf
2. http://www.pcmech.com/byopc/
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathkit
4. http://www.retrothing.com/2006/03/heathkit_h8_dig.html
5. http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2006/06/23/the-new-heathkit-personal-computing-systems/
6. http://www.heathkit-museum.com/hvmhstory.shtml
7. http://www.heathkit-museum.com/computers/hvmec-1.shtml
   
8. [Please add more in comment sections, if you know of good links. Thanks.]
   

Have fun,

Dr. J

4-H National Youth Science Day

"On October 8, 2008 the 4-H Youth Development Program is launching the first annual 4-H National Youth Science Day to help build America's future science, engineering, and technology workforce."

Click here to learn more (This is the old link. new one below).

Movie clip 2008

2009 Link: National Youth Science Day

"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
4-H Reveals National Science Experiment
to be Featured [during]
Upcoming 4-H National Youth Science Day
"Chevy Chase, Md. (September 8, 2008) –
National 4-H Council today announced details of the first-ever National Science Experiment (NSE), the designated science activity of 4-H National Youth Science Day (4-H NYSD) to be held October 8, 2008.

The National Science Experiment will focus on the environment and will use science principles to teach youth across the country about the importance of water conservation.

Science education expert Steve Spangler worked closely with 4-H and Dr. Bob Horton, 4-H science education specialist for The Ohio State University Extension, to create the NSE and related activities, which will be made available to the 6 million 4-H youth plus parents, teachers, students, and youth organizations nationwide.

# # #
For more information, please contact:
Karyn Barr
Karyn@allisonpr.com
202-223-9260
-or-
Allyson McMahan
amcmahan@fourhcouncil.edu
301-961-2915

Allison & Partners National 4-H Council

Solar power leads to sustainability... What do you think?

Watch this video and think about it. Compare and contrast your life to what you see in this video. Evaluate it based on what you know of science of solar power and on your own value system. Try writing about it. Do you know of other ways to use science to improve sustainability of the Earth and concurrently end poverty? Does charity overlap with science? Reflection using your science skills helps make informed decisions...


###
I have added another video that I found later:

Ages 6 to 12 Try to Win a Scholarship with Peanut butter?

(Be sure to have parent or guardian permission.)
Work a chance at winning a scholarship into your science lesson. Talk about balanced nutrition, peanuts and where they fit into the food pyramid, how they can be part of good nutrition, what proteins and fats are , and other peanut butter - science related topics.

Then, learn about a scholarship for the "Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich," at Jif.com.

Create some sandwiches, take pictures. Eat a great lunch, wash up, and then,... enter the contest.


USA only... (But, perhaps you know of some scholarship opportunities in other countries we can post here???)

Deadline: 11-14-08. Do your best. Good luck.

Teaching Science? Where does your school stand?

Here's a video done by children for adults:

So, what can you do about it?
Teachers, please note, you can teach science and math at the same time, or, science and literature at the same time., or, science and history at the same time. You can teach science on the playground or when you go for a walk.

There are grants you can get to get equipment for your school.

Parents, please note, you can have an after school homework club where a group of kids are supervised by one or two different parents every day. You can check your child's homework. You can volunteer at school. You can take your children to museums, botanic gardens, zoological gardens and observatories. You can go for a walk at a national park. You can volunteer at school. You can talk with your chil and his or her teacher(s).

Youth, you can study. You can find something you are interested in and study science standards through that subject area.

You can all write to your polititions.

You can use resources in the left hand column of this blog.

What do you think about organic farming? Can it save energy and water? Here are some videos on this topic. Make up your own mind about what you think. Remember to evaluate if there is bias in any information you read or see on this topic, including these videos. Checking for bias is an important higher order thinking skill.












under development
.

Higher Order Thinking Workshop a Success

If you are a school teacher or are concerned at all about science education and you were near Vancouver, I hope you attended. Dr. J S. Shipman led a dynamic group of scientists and educators through activities leading to exciting science lessons...Lessons where students learn, under guidance, how to direct there own science learning. Why is that so important? Because during your lifetime, the world changes and keeping up with new developments in science, or even finding them yourself, can lead to your survival.
. . . TM
An updated version of Bloom's Taxonomy applied in a new way, the H.O.T. Skills Wheel is key to building student confidence in their own ability to think deeply about and be creative in sciences like botany and ecology.
. . . TM
Trying Shipman's H.O.T. Skills Wheel will lead to independent learners who can become great global citizens. Read more here. Contact Dr. Shipman through the, "Read more here," link and then clicking Dr. J's name at that link if you would like to find out more. You can send an e-mail.

Via the internet, participants were also able to connect with the ideas of Dr. Suzanne Kapelari. They had opportunities to try out Plants Cafe, too.

Computers, Proteins, Enzymes, Cheese

Computers, Proteins, Enzymes, Cheese
Watch this video, if you please.



Compare and contrast this video to the one posted yesterday. You might want to use a Venn diagram and write an essay on the comparison and contrast.

Integrated Science of Cheese Making

First, enjoy the film:


Plants, sheep, dogs, microbes...
Botany, agriculture, microbiology, cooking, culture, Italy

What science do you see?

A history of cheese-making from Switzerland is presented at http://www.swissworld.org/en/switzerland/swiss_specials/swiss_cheese/history_of_cheesemaking/

More information on cheese-making : http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20041013/Feature1.asp

http://www.goat-cheese.co.il/thecheese1.html gives information on cheese-making in Israel.

Some great pictures: http://www.farmhousecheeses.com/cheese_making.shtml

Here's a Science Fair Guide you might find useful:

A Public Library Resource on Science Fairs:
http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/projectguide/

Remember that scientists use art and writing. They are imaginative. They also pay attention to detail. Some important words for science fair (among other words) are:

control

versus

experimental

replicates

replications

duplicate

triplicate

quadruplicate

repeatability

fact

opinion

statistics

Do you know what these words mean?

Do you know why they are important?



(c)2007 J. S. Shipman

If a tree had no leaves...

could you tell what tree it was?

Trees in Winter

Post under development...more later...

In winter, deciduous trees have already lost their leaves. You remember the autumn foliage season, when the leaves fell, don't you? So, how can you tell trees in winter?

Surprisingly, witch hazel flowers in winter, so that one is easy to tell...but, others? But, especially on a warm winter day...when snow is melting, but, it's not yet spring... you might like to take students for a walk. In preparing lessons, you might consider a walk where you use a key to identify trees. Cornell has a booklet for children 8 to 12 that adults will also find helpful: http://srb.npaci.edu/cgi-bin/nsdl.cgi?uid=/2007-05-23T18:23:11Z/D6C24D0D88B737E70B034467BBB04500/treeswinter.pdf

Winter, well, that's when a "twig key" comes in handy.

A site that can help you learn the vocabulary of "twigs" is: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/students/clas_act/winter/dressup.htm

Branching patterns and bark are also useful for identification.

If you are more interested in computers than walks outside, but, still want to work on winter trees, try: branching and computers...

More tree links can be found at: http://ddc.hampshire.edu/simforest/links/link_descriptions.html

Tennessee trees

physiology

From Tesselation and Fractals to Stretch Reading in Science

Here's a playful way to learn some advanced math that applies to science. Enjoy! http://wchow.home.znet.com/koch.htm

Here's a link to a pineapple fractal...Fractals are found in nature. This link goes to a photo taken by Dr. Ron Hurov who works in the botany of commercial pineapple production. http://www.geocities.com/wenjin92014/botany/pineapple.htm

One of Ron Hurov's papers is at this link. You can try reading scholarly works in botany and other fields as part of "stretch reading."

"Stretch Reading," invented by Dr. J, is needed in the sciences where vocabulary words are developed every day as we discover new things. First, just skim the paper and look at the graphs and pictures. Then, circle any words (on a photocopy) or list words in your notebook that you don't know. Now, just try to get the gist of the article in one sentence. This might be as simple as, "The article is about pineapples, whatever they are." As you look at more and more articles, you will find yourself more able to understand them. Do not worry about understanding when you first start. Even medical doctors and PhDs need to learn new words and especially if they switch their area of reading a bit. For example a biopsychologist may have to learn new jargon to read electrophysiology papers. So don't worry, even if every other word is one you don't know. You are getting yourself comfortable with the unknown. You are stretch reading. (More on that later.) When there is something that interests you enough, I have no doubt you will attack it to the point you understand it. And, you won't be afraid to tackle it. You might also like: Reading Science.

(c)2007 J. S. Shipman

Convection, Conduction, and, Radiation

Today, a student asked me a question about conduction, convection and radiation: "I am always confused between the difference of conduction, convection and radiation. What is being used in pouring hot water from a thermos?"

Students will often ask things that are assigned as homework. This might have been a homework question, or, it might have been genuine curiosity. I am always glad when students are curious.

I've taken the liberty of discussing the topic here because it is a topic on many state standards.

For these types of questions, try to guide a student in finding an answer. In this way, he or she is likely to remember the content learned. Here is a sample set of guiding questions and activities. I have also included some movies. Your students might be able to make movies that are more exciting and helpful to them. Review the "Botany Beat" or Tomato movies for some ideas. Here is one student's movie:




First, have you defined all the words? (You can use the dictionary links at the bottom of the page. Be sure to note down the date and the source you used.)

Conduction is ________________________________________________________
Here is a simulation on conduction:


And, here is an animation about conduction:



Convection is ________________________________________________________

Here is a movie on convection currents:


What do hot and cold have to do with convection?


Here's another convection movie showing some experiments and relating them to every day life.





Radiation is ________________________________________________________

Here is an animation on radiation and convection:


If you have trouble remembering them, try writing the definitions three or four times , or, try drawing a picture or writing a song about each one.

Also, try discussing these ideas with your friends or where you get snacks after school or with a mentor or adult in your family or community. These things can help you to remember them.



Did you brainstorm about them?



Do you have a thermos? If you don't have one, try to borrow one, otherwise, the question will be hard to answer.



If you put hot water in a thermos, can you feel the heat outside the thermos when you hold it?



What about if you put your hand over the thermos, can you feel heat, even when you are not touching anything?



What if you compare putting a plastic spoon into the hot water with putting a silver spoon into the hot water. What happens?



Think of things you know, for example:

The sun rays radiate.

The convection oven has heat rise and fall in circles.

A copper wire conducts electricity.

Now, think again about the question. When you pour hot water from a thermos, do you feel heat without touching it?



Does some heat stay in some matter, yet move?



Does some heat transfer from the hot water to the bowl or sink you are pouring it into?



Now that you have thought about all these things, and tried some of them, I think you can be confident of the answer that you develop. Be sure to back up the answer with why you picked it. You might speak, write and draw your answer, too. Let me know what you find out. Write back if you are still stuck. Dr. J

Related links:
http://home.howstuffworks.com/thermos1.htm

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/phy99/phy99x81.htm

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/mentoring/project_ideas/Phys_p032.shtml

http://www.comsol.com/showroom/gallery/1448.php

Update... 2009
rockytop.adams12.org/growlercore/documents/Weather_notes.ppt
http://www.accidentalscientist.com/2009/08/conduction-convection-and-radiation-and.html
(c)2007, 2008, 2009 J. S. Shipman

Teeter-totter your way into math...

Algebra can be fun! Click on this link and see. Such math skills help you learn science, too. (Once you read the directions, hit the close button and you will see the teeter-totter in full.)

Biotech for K-12: Insulin

On-line study of insulin
Animated U-tube Movie on insulin

Did you pick cabbage?

In a previous post, What can you learn from one plant?, you might have picked a plant to study. If you picked cabbage, here are some links of interest.

Here's a line drawing

Here's a link to Cabbage Chemistry

.

Interested in Plant Activities? Try TickleMe Plants™

Here is a message and a suggested activity from Mark and Larry Chipkin.
Ever grow a Plant that Moves when You TICKLE it?

“Daddy come quick my plant just moved when I tickled it” my daughter Rebecca screams from her bedroom. You can imagine the excitement in my house. My daughter Rebecca and I have successfully grown aTickleMe Plants™ that close their leaves and lower their branches when we tickle them. With proper care they can even produce pink puff ball flowers

Here is all you have to do
to grow your own TickleMe Plant™!

Materials:

• TickleMe Plant™ Seeds
• Flower pot or cup with hole on the bottom
• Soil

Directions:

1. The day before you plant your seeds, soak them in warm water overnight.
2. Fill a flower pot or cup ¾ of the way with soil.
3. Plant three to five seeds by covering them with 1/8 inch of soil.
4. Water your seeds gently.
5. Place your newly planted seeds in a room that receives bright light or sunlight for part of the day.
6. Temperatures in the room should be above 70 degrees.
7. Water before the soil dries out.
8. That’s it! Your plants will begin to grow in less than a week.

The first two leaves will not be ticklish. In about three weeks, the second set of TickleMe Plant™ leaves will appear and they will move when you tickle them. TickleMe Plants™ are best grown as house plants and can even be placed in a bright location outside during the warmer months. They are frost sensitive, so be sure to bring them inside before the cold weather arrives. They produce pink puff ball flowers.

TickleMe Plants™ can live for a year or more and grow to about one foot plus in height.

What is a TickleMe Plant? Native to Brazil, TickleMe Plants™ can be found growing wild there and in other tropical areas. The scientific name for the TickleMe Plant™ is Mimosa pudica. It also has been called shy grass, sensitive plant and other names throughout the world.

To learn about the natural history of the TickleMe Plant™ go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensitive_plant

Don’t be surprised if you find yourself and your children more sensitive to plants. To learn more about growing TickleMe Plants™ or to order seeds go to www.TickleMePlant.com Seed packets sell for $4.95. Complete growing kits and TickleMe Plant greenhouses make great gifts too. TickleMe Plants also can be found at many science museums such as: Boston, Chicago, The Exploratorium(California) and The Liberty Science Center (New Jersey).

Larry Chipkin Co-Owner of the TickleMe Plant™ Company. He and his daughter Rebecca love their TickleMe Plants. He wants every child to have a positive experience growing this amazing plant! Contact Larry@ticklemeplant.com for any information 845-350-4800.