The Science of Groundhogs...

Groundhog day is celebrated in the United States on February 2nd each year. The myth that goes with it is that if the groundhog comes out and sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. "In the United States the tradition derives from a Scottish poem:

As the light grows longer

The cold grows stronger

If Candlemas be fair and bright

Winter will have another flight

If Candlemas be cloud and snow

Winter will be gone and not come again

A farmer should on Candlemas day

Have half his corn and half his hay

On Candlemas day if thorns hang a drop

You can be sure of a good pea crop"

(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog_day#Historical_Origins. Accessed February 2, 2008)

But what about the science of groundhogs? Here's a link from the Universityof Michigan Museum of Zoology. You can learn about classification, Marmots, see pictures and learn other names for ground hogs. One starts with, "W." One starts with, "M." You can learn about diet and distribution of groudhogs and about their habits. If you go outside, you might see a groundhog today. You can observe it and make your own prediction about winter.

Do groundhogs have importance? You bet they do! http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/mammals/woodchuck/ is another site about groundhogs and offers a different perspective and some drawings. You might try doing some of your own drawings from your own observations. Or, in todays digital age, you might take some digital pictures. If you are in the United States, you might share your findings with a pen-pal (pen-friend) or e-mail pal overseas.

A third link on groundhogs is from the Smithsonian Institution, http://www.mnh.si.edu/mna/image_info.cfm?species_id=146 gives another name for a groundhog: "whistle pig." Can you whistle like a groundhog? What happens if a groundhog whistles and you whistle back?

Did you know a groundhog is a vegetarian? Perhaps you can eat a vegetarian meal today as part of your traditions of groundhog day. You can discuss vegetarian diets and also talk about groundhogs. Enjoy the day. It may snow tomorrow! (Of course, you can enjoy snow, too, but, it is nice to think about spring!)

(c)2008 J. S. Shipman.

Happy New Year!

May we be blessed with world peace and great science.

Recreation and Stress Reduction over the Holidays

Stress sometimes builds up with exams and holiday shopping coming before the holidays and financial woes afterward, however, there are ways to reduce stress. And, remember, holidays are not about spending away too much money, rather, they are about having fun with your friends and family and celebrating values you share, religious or otherwise.

Recreation is an important part of holiday time, too. One aunt may take the children for paintball or spyder vs3 while another bakes cookies with the smaller children. The main point is to get along and have fun, and...relax. Relaxation helps to reduce stress: http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/relaxation-technique/

So, go for paintball (Ultimate Paintball: Tippmann, Spyder, Smart Parts, Dye, Empire, Draxxus paintball gear Tippmann A-5, Tippmann 98 Custom, Smart Parts Ion, Spyder Pilot ACS plus many more brands- See http://www.pntball.com for Ultimate Paintball: best prices with free shipping.) or go make cookies...or, read a book, or sit down and talk with Mom and Dad. What ever you do, have fun and keep your stress to a minimum.

###

Edits-Jan 2, 2008:

There appears to be a lot of interest in this particular post so I have taken the liberty of adding more stress reducing sites:
http://www.coping.org/growth/stress.htm
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~acskills/success/stress.html
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/stress.html

Welcome to Society of Practical Education in Biology

Please click the link to visit the Society of Practical Education in Biology:
http://www004.upp.so-net.ne.jp/jissen/english.htm

OnVacation? Traveling?

First of all, enjoy your vacation. Relax.

If you are you traveling, did you know that insect, plant and animal pests might travel with you? That is the reason that we have rules about bringing fruits and meats and other items when we travel. It is also the reason that plant crops are inspected and that plants and animals are quarantined when they first arrive in the United States. Following the regulations means...You don't spread pests...or, at least you limit their spread as much as you can.

Here is a United States Department of Agriculture website about regulations and permits:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/permits/index.shtml

Here's a quotation from the Animal and Plant Inspection Service (APHIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website:

APHIS works to protect the health and value of American agriculture and natural resources. APHIS International Services (IS) supports this mission in an international environment by:

(1) safeguarding the health of animals, plants, and ecosystems in the United States;

(2) facilitating safe agricultural trade;

(3) ensuring effective and efficient management of internationally-based programs; and

(4) investing in international capacity-building through various training programs abroad to enhance technical, administrative, and diplomatic skills and competencies.

APHIS' international mission is to protect and promote U.S. agricultural health through internationally-based animal and plant health expertise.

Source:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/international_safeguarding/index.shtml

Other countries also safeguard their people. Some countries are still developing their regulations. It is international cooperation that protects all of us.

Scientists in agriculture or ag-related fields are vital to safe-huarding the public. Are you interested in a career in agricultural science?

Merry, Merry!

Enjoy your family.

Today's visitors include people from:

			United States
			In order of numbers visiting:	-
			United Kingdom
			Canada
			India
			Netherlands
			Russian Federation
			Japan
			Greece
			Serbia And Montenegro
			Spain
			Portugal
			Austria
			Australia
			France
			Philippines
			Mexico
			Germany

Thank you for visiting.

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

Another Garden, in Montreal...

Edit 11-29-07...In response to comments:
http://read-about-it.blogspot.com/2007/11/helsea-physic-garden-home-of-original-u.html

More Virtual Tours of Botanic Gardens

Hakgala Botanical Gardens:


Toronto Botanic Garden:


Batumi Botanical Gardens:


Bucaresti Botanical Gardens:

Mash two good ideas together and get synergy

Mashups help with Trip Planning

Google Maps and Amtrak Mash and other Train Tips

Originally published on Aug. 04, 2007 at 06:43pm

Mash two good ideas together and get synergy. Amtrak and Google Maps mashup to provide a map of train routes. Synergy and energy to plan your trip. If you are planning to take the trains, remember to bring a bottle of water and a wash cloth, along with your easy to carry luggage. Read more.

School starts bringing the Holiday Season

Whenever the holidays were approaching we would be very excited because we could get a book that we had been wanting all year. Careful selection went into the choice of each book. Now that we are grown, we still look forward to getting whatever book we want. That is just one of our family holiday traditions, amid the food and the festivities.

You must have traditions, too: Favorite recipes, special songs, sledding down the hill at Smith's farm, hot chocolate by the fire...

The holiday season is just a few months away! First Halloween, then Thanksgiving, and before you know it, you'll be stuffing stockings! Christmas, Eid, Hannukah are special times families gather. Maybe you celebrate a special holiday that few others do. But, typically, the holidays are time to gather with family and friends, to think and reflect over the past year, and to look forward to the future year with goals and plans.

Many holiday traditions involve gift giving. It is important to pay attention to the family budget. No sense going into debt for the holiday gift giving. That will only bring stress. You can write a poem, or make drawings, or wash the car or bake a cake or in a million other ways let someone know you think he or she is special. Make jam, cook breakfast, keep your room clean without being asked. I am sure you can think of many ways. But if your budget allows for splurging a bit, don't worry, CouponChief* is here for you. Just remember not to over do it.

You can make a wish list of your household family members (and pets...) and think of the most amazing gift you would make or buy for them, if you could. These coupon offers may help:
Target

$5 Off $50

Email It More Target Coupons

The Children's Place

15% Off your entire order

Coupon Code: CHIEF77 Expires: Mon, Sep 3rd

Email It More The Children's Place Coupons

* CouponChief.com is a wholly owned subsidiary of Coupon Chief, Inc. They say, "Here at Coupon Chief, we strive to provide a one stop coupon deal and discount resource for our Web site visitors. Our focus on customer support and providing up to date coupon codes and promotional deals and discounts is unparalleled in the online shopping e-commerce industry."

Travel is a great part of your child's education

Many people are traveling at this time of the year. Even if you are at home all summer, you can act like a tourist for a day or two. Try new restaurants, go to museums. What about going to the botanical gardens, the park or the zoo? Talk or write about what you see. Draw pictures, too. You don't have to be a great speaker, writer, or, artist, yet. Just enjoy the process. Develop ideas. Write a persuasive essay about where you'd like to go, or, a descriptive essay about where you've been. Focus on one aspect, such as science...what scientific things did you learn on your trip? Did you see lichens (http://ocid.nacse.org/lichenland/ ), for example?

Remember travel, whether local or global, is a great part of education. Vocabulary is developed as you see new things and learn what they are. Traveling across states and or countries contributes to geography knowledge. And, in a car full of people, skills for getting along are developed. "Geography," is a classic car game: http://www.liveandlearn.com/cargame.html.

If you are you looking for hotels, motels, resorts, or vacations rentals. Check out this web site. It may have something just for you and the pricing on Hotel Reservations seems competitive, ... Great discounts are available, even for global travel.

Remember the famous back-to-school essay that focuses on your summer vacation...before you go away think up some questions that will give you something interesting to write about. Check out this: (http://www.abcteach.com/free/w/writingbrainstorm_summervacation.pdf) after you have thought up some of your own ideas. Discuss the similarities and differences with those found here.

Have a great trip. Relax. Eat, sleep and play well. Go back to school rested and full of ideas. Post some of your trip events, drawings, and essays here. I can’t wait to hear of your adventures.

Has anyone else got any tips? Add them to the comments.

Happy Birthday, Shelly!

Hope you have the happiest of birthdays and many happy returns!

Slit Science

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

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

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

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

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!

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