Using News to interest Students in Science and increase Science Literacy

Here is a quote from today's In the News.  Because the content of In the News, in the left hand column, changes every day, the quote is included here: 

Once-A-Day HIV Drug Promising
Today's drug treatments are quite effective at keepingHIV in check and improving the health and quality of life of those living with the disease; however, the often complex cocktails of multiple drugs must be taken at various times throughout the day, making it challenging to adhere to the regimen. Still, it is vital that patients do so, as missing doses can have serious consequences. A new once-a-day "quad" pill, which combines four different medications in a single tablet, was found to be both safe and effective in a recent study and could make it easier for HIV patients to take their pills as prescribed. More ...Discuss

Ideas for Teachers and Students:

• Students can check the details of this "story" about science with journal articles that are refereed laboratory reports.
• Students can see if there are any politics involved in approval and manufacturing of drug treatments like the one discussed in the quoted article.
• Students interested in sports or medicine can see if there were any famous patients involved in testing new drugs.
• Who were the original researchers working on the proteases involved in drugs for HIV?  How has the internet and rumors on the internet aided or worsened their careers?
• Are there any incidents comparable to the McCarthy Era that relate to the pharmaceutical industry?

Well, these are some heavy questions that just might spark interest in science in someone who previously was uninterested or minimally interested in science.

Here are some more questions:

• Does the statement, " missing doses can have serious consequences," apply to  medications other than those for HIV, too...antibiotics?  TB medicines? malaria medicines?  more?
• Why should aseptic technique be used?
• What is the value of quarantine?  Do any countries use quarantine when it comes to HIV?  Do any not?  Why or why not use quarantine?  What is your opinion?  Can you back up your opinion with references from the technical, refereed, literature?

(c)J S Shipman 2012.  All posts on this blog are copyrighted.

Social Bookmarking Links help spread the Word about Science Education and Science Literacy. What are these Links?

Recently more readers are using social bookmarking links, like the ones found in the share in the left hand column of this blog, and the result is that more new visitors are coming to this web page. I thank you all for that. The traffic to this science literacy blog is steadily growing, though I don't think there is enough traffic to make a movie like the one Julie and Julia. One never knows, however. (Are you smiling? I am.)

Share, "Read about it: International Science Literacy and Education "

WANT TO LINK TO THIS PAGE? The HTML code to copy and paste is under the link. Just copy the link ("Copy Link Location")and paste it where you want it: Read about it: International Science Literacy and Education

Though its use is increasingly frequent, I believe social bookmarking is still a mystery for many. I have elected to include a link to an article that explains the phenomenon that is, "social bookmarking." Here it is:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/help/6915817.stm

Included in the article are the following links and additional information on social bookmarking:

Wikipedia article on social bookmarking

Del.icio.us
To register, go to: http://del.icio.us/register

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Digg
To register, go to: http://digg.com/register

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reddit
To register, go to: http://reddit.com/login

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Facebook
To register, go to: https://register.facebook.com/r.php

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StumbleUpon
To register, go to: http://www.stumbleupon.com/sign_up.php

Note that clicking the share button in the left-hand column brings you even more social bookmarking links.

More Science Literacy...New Links:

Atlas of Science Literacy: American Association for the ... Atlas of Science Literacy (ISBN: 0871686686 )

AAAS - Project 2061 - Using "Atlas of Science Literacy" Workshops ...

Seeds of Science/Roots of Reading - Integrated Science and ... “

News :: Vanderbilt Center for Science Outreach » Blog Archive ... By Jeannie Tuschl News :: Vanderbilt Center for... - http://blogs.vanderbilt.edu/cso/

» Electrifying Science Mr. Romard's 4th grade Blog By mromard Mr. Romard's 4th grade Blog - http://teachers.saschina.org/mromard/

Mennellmedia.co.uk is a Developing Online Resource for Interactive ... Nblak Studios - http://www.nblak.com/

No Dick and Jane in today's classrooms | Cape Fear Newspapers, Inc. By Mike Staton Cape Fear Newspapers, Inc. - http://capefearnewspapers.com/ Students did more guided reading, more independent reading, more social studies and science reading than students in less-effective classrooms, Allington wrote. (Emphasis on, "science reading," is Dr. J's...)

Language-in-Education Policy Making in the Philippine ... By joepadre Multilingual Education/Philippines - http://mlephil.wordpress.com/

There is a need for Congress to formulate a 21st Century Philippine language-in-education policy that elicits the best educational outcome for Filipinos to become life-long learners and critical thinkers who can collaborate with one another to address the problems of national development. (Again, the emphasis is Dr. J's.)

Here's another quote from the same article:

Our present language policy is flawed as it rejects the use in school of the first language of children which is a chronic source of weakness plaguing Philippine Education. Students fail to understand their teacher and their school lesson because the language in school is one they can hardly speak or understand.

Perhaps areas where there are many immigrants, Boston, for example, could take notice of schools in the Philipines where they speak 170 languages. ("The Philippines is a multilingual nation with more than 170 languages. "_)

Source: http://mlephil.wordpress.com/2010/02/24/language-in-education-policy-making-in-the-philippine/; Accessed 2-25-2010.

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...


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I have added another video that I found later:

Here's a Look at a Primary Source Article

Here's a look at a primary source article (related to the September 10th post) via a link. If you can't get a direct link by clicking, your librarian can likely help you get a copy via interlibrary loan, or, you can try the library at a nearby college. Please follow the rules for the links. For example, the patient link is not to be used for educational purposes. It is only for patients. The Medical link does have a 30 day free trial today. Your institution may have access to these or other on-line refereed journal article access.

The genetic response to short-term interventions affecting cardiovascular function: Rationale and design of the Heredity and Phenotype Intervention (HAPI) Heart Study

Here's an activity to try: Draw two interlocking circles for a Venn diagram. Then lable one as Primary source and one as a story about science (or a secondary source). Use the Venn diagram to help you compare and contrast the two articles.

(c) 2008 J. S. Shipman

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.

Scientists meet...

When scientists meet, many ideas are exchanged. People get excited and bring home new research ideas.

You can hold a small scientific meeting with your friends. Get together and present the research you have done since you last met. Have 10 minute formal presentations. Then, take a break, have a snack, and discuss the research. See if you get new ideas for more experiments.

Write an experimental design and submit it to your parents or other supervisors and see if you can do your experiment or another similar one. Remember, those in charge have many things to think about: the budget, time constraints, safety, among others, so, you might not be able to do your experiment, however, designing the experiment itself is fun. Try it.

A Program of Assisted Migration—selectively moving Certain Species to New Locations better suited to their Survival

Here's a topic to think about. Use higher order thinking skills, stepping through the six levels as you explore this topic. Write about what you find out. Don't forget to cite your sources.

Source: In the news---Today (left hand column)

In the News provided by The Free Dictionary

Teachers can come to the International Conference!

Teachers are welcome to attend the Botanical Society of America Conferences.

Teachers get a special (affordable) rate for the conference. Perhaps your school will sponsor you. Information on dates of the next two conferences is shown below. however, you can get much more detail at the BSA website: http://www.botany.org/conferences/

BOTANY 2008 - Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, July 26 - 30, 2008, Joint meeting with the Canadian Botanical Association-L'Association Botanique du Canada, American Fern Society and American Society of Plant Taxonomists

Note that the H.O.T. Skills Wheel Workshop will be held on Sunday at the conference. There are still a few openings if you would like to attend.

Botany 2009 - Snowbird, Utah, July 25 - 30, Joint meeting with the Mycological Society of America, ABLS, AFS, and ASPT

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

Cornstarch and Water Mixture

Water molecules go in between the starch molecules....
Vocabulary: colloid(s); suspension(s); solution(s); matter; molecules


Spangler does the "walk" across a cornstarch mixture tub on Ellen!
(Ellen Degeneres, February 13, 2008)

He tries to talk Ellen into it, but, a member of the audience does it instead...Ashley from LA.

Advice: Go fast. If not, you sink. (Spangler shows how!)

Ashley goes back and forth... She has fun and doesn't sink.

It's a lot of cornstarch!

So, what is the science?

Other "Cornstarch Science"



http://www.kidzone.ws/science/cornstarch.htm


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More Non-Newtonian Fluid Information:

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http://60secondscience.org/activities/cornstarchAndWater.html
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A related journal article:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V8Y-3WRBNP8-1&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=4313de27416a85d7f1143328ba3abab0
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Relate this "Cornstarch Science" to the Science Standards---Lesson Plan: www.nbtc.cornell.edu/education/kitlib/getlessonplan.php?id=51

"Cornstarch Science" teaches about nanotechnology!!!
www.bowlesphysics.com/nano/Nanotechnology.ppt
Note: Some of the videos have spelling errors. Did you catch them? Try to catch errors by proof reading whenever you do any work.

Asking Questions and Pursuing Answers

Keys to learning in science,as in all academic disciplines involves asking questions and seeking answers. In science, students can explore scientific phenomena via investigation and experimentation build essential scientific skills such as observing, measuring, replicating experiments, manipulating equipment, collecting data, organizing and reporting it.

When students choose what phenomenon to study or what investigations to conduct, and what experiments to do, with guidance from the teacher, they are more likely to remember the desired content. In addition, they are using critical thinking skills to formulate the questions. In this way, too, needs of students of various levels and backgrounds can best be accommodated.

Science is not so much studying history of science, rather, it is using historical scientific knowledge to build new knowledge. If students do this from their own starting points, the most overall growth can occur. Instead of gifted waiting and waiting for others and those less talented struggling and struggling while the middle group feels content or waits or struggles, each child can be in his or her own optimum learning environment.

(c) 2008 J. S. Shipman

Sometimes it is fun to start science with a story.

The Tortoise and the Hares run from Sydney to Melbourne
ia a story you will treasure.

Now, let's link it to science and use it as an example of how you could develop a science fair project.

The story has a literature side and a sports side. You might be a literary or sports fan, but, you have to do science. How can you use your interests to your benefit? Can you think of some possible ways?

Does the story help you think up a "do-able" experiment?

Here are some hints:
control vs experimental
rules for animal experiments
physiology
turtles
tortoises
speed of different animals
data
repeatability
aerobic exercise and blood oxygen content
blood oxygen in people of all ages
sports medicine
exercise and health
when being slow wins, health=wise
results
drawings, photos, charts
...
Add your own brainstorm and then write an experimental design. Post any questions.

(c)2008 J. S. Shipman. All rights reserved

Wash your Hands: Stay Healthy

The simple act of washing your hands with soap (bar soap) and water can help prevent many diseases.

Sleeping well and building your immune system is a good idea, too. Kimchee pickles, raw fermented cabbage (sauerkraut) and yogurt with live cultures help build up your probiotics thus using ecology of the body's communities of good microorganisms to enhance your health.

You can read about the bird flu at:
http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Global+spread+of+H5N1

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

Biotechnology and Nobel Prizes

The Eye of the Donkey game teaches PCR Method. I was surprized at how much the students loved this game. They also said they answered questions on the state final exam correctly because of the game. You might want to read more before you play the game, to improve your chances of winning!!!

Find teacher resources by clicking this link.

For more educational games based 0n Nobel Prize-winning ideas, click here.

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.)

Plant Kinematics....More on Plant Movement

One of the characteristics of living things is response to environment. Usually we think of plants as fairly quiet in terms of moving, when compared to animals. Check out the plant kinematics sites and the Kew Gardens video to review plant movement.

Can you speculate or guess why plants move? Make a list of all the posibilities. Can you imagine ways to test the possibilities? Draw a picture to show how you could test your ideas. Discuss the ideas with your family.

Now, think about your thinking. What kinds of "cognitive" or thinking processes did you use?

What can you learn from one plant?

Pick one plant, say potatoes, or chicory, or a tulip...or, any plant you like. What can you learn from that plant? Many subjects overlap with botany.

The selected plant: _______________________________________________________

Writing: Can you write an essay or a paper about your plant. Be sure to cite sources. Can you write a poem about your plant?

Art: Can you draw your plant? What colors are found in your plant? Is paper made from your plant?

History: Did the plant have an effect on human history? Does the plant have its own story?

Math? What is the growth rate of the plant? How big are the seeds? How big are the leaves? What is the range of sizes for leaves?

Classification and organization? How would you classify this plant? What characteristics would you use? How do other scientists classify it?

Geography: Where is the plant found in nature?

Biology: What lights affect the plant? Reds? Greens? Blues? White? Does day length affect the plant? What is the life cycle of the plant?

Chemistry: What chemicals are found in the plant? Does pH affect the plants growth? Does salt?

Music: Is the plant used to make musical instruments? Can you write a song or a symphony about your plant? Can you do a spring concert based on songs your class wrote about flowers?

(c) 2007 J S Shipman.

Chelsea Physic Garden---Home of the Original U-tube

Here's another Botanic Garden for the Virtual Tour, and a comment/link (That I think is about it...)
"本日の旅写真は、イギリス・ロンドンから。ロンドンと言えば悪名高きロンドン塔ですが、それはまたの機会に譲るとしまして、、そのすぐ近くを流れる、テムズ河沿いを歩いてみました。それでちょっと見つけたのがこれですが、…ちょっと遠くてわかりにくいですね。ズームアップしてみましょう♪
あ、これを撮影したのは Chelsea Physic Garden の近くですが、ロンドンブリッジ近くのテムズ河沿いに、いくつも見られます。" (Source: http://valvane.blog17.fc2.com/category10-1.html)



What is U-tube? Do you know? Google this: Chelsea Physic Garden U-tube.

So, there's a difference between U-tube and YouTube!

Thanks to Sarah K., who left a comment at the "Montreal Garden Tour," I've added the Chelsea Physic Garden.


Here's more...Singing in the Garden at the Fete (But, there's a tour after this in the video below.:


Here's the walking tour...Don't get dizzy:



Now, here's a hint about the U-tube: http://aob.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/os-48/4/1013

Can you write a paper on Rosalind Franklin?

FRANKLIN, ROSALIND ELSIE

Chemist/Biologist (1920 - 1957)

"Rosalind Franklin received her degree in Chemistry in 1951 from Cambridge University. It was while working as a research associate for James Randall at King's College that she was the first to recognize the helix shape of DNA." Source: http://www.astr.ua.edu/4000WS/FRANKLIN.html

Tips on writing a biography can be found at :

1. http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/biograph/
2. http://www.infoplease.com/homework/wsbiography.html
3. http://homeworktips.about.com/od/biography/a/bio.htm
4. There are many other other sites on writing biographies. If you need more, use a search engine and look for, "writing a biography."
   

Post your biography in the comments if you like if your an adult or if your parent/guardian helps you.

Here's an extra assignment:
Many times, people pick on Wikipedia. Others like it very much. What do you think? How does the information found on Wikipedia about Rosalind Franklin compare and contrast with information on other sites or that you found in books or research papers? Have you read any of Rosalind Franklin's original publications?