Help improve Science a Text Book

If you don't like science or if you do, you can write and be considered for publication in a WeBooks science book. You can join if you are interested in improving science education. You can join in if you home school, or go to a public or private school. You may write in any language as long as you include an English translation. You must be of legal age to submit work, however, a parent or guardian may submit for those under age. The entries will be edited prior to publication in a text. In a way, this is global, "brainstorming," for a new book. Your participation is welcome. What you post may also guide the development of interactive technology and laboratory exercises for science classes. Please do join in and improve science literacy.
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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.

LOL, Parents!

Parents, click on this link for a humorous(to adults)story.
http://scienceblogs.com/clock/2007/09/pay_attention_in_biology_class.php

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

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!

Bank Fees and School Math

http://reddit.com/goto?id=1sdsr

Reading the article by putting the above link into your search engine, might give you the courage to overcome math phobia. It could boost motivation to learn about percent and interest and addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. It could make you want to use your math skills in other classes, like science, but not only science, not only classes, but using math for connections to real life. ...Might be worth doing math homework every night!

(c)2007)J S Shipman

H.O.T. Skills

Higher order thinking skills are under development in young minds! What does that mean? In Elementary school, some children already have higher order thinking skills. Parents and teachers help them to develop more. By high school, students should be capable of developing their own higher order thinking, as should adults. We all need to think to solve problems, make decisions, create things, analyze data and perform the tasks our various roles require.

Some students make it all the way through high school without developing their H.O.T. skills, however. These students are readily identified because they think the teacher is not teaching if he or she doesn't tell them what to think...what the answer is. This teacher, though, is the true teacher. The one who shows students how to use their own brains. The one who says, "You can do it."

Coming soon: Ways to develop your child, or your own, H.O.T. skills.
(c)2007 J. S. Shipman

Earth Days (Beyond April 22,2007)

Resource: Website resource: Vascular Plant Image Gallery
http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/gallery.htm

Source: ase.tufts.edu/frenchalps/Syllabi/2007%20Syllabi/ENVST105%20syllabus.doc -

The source gives many text resources. The web site connects to images. The mind connects to fields of flowers and to global sustainability.

The Easter Botanist...Well, she's famous for her bunnies

Beatrix Potter was a great scientist, botanist, mycologist, author and creator of Flopsy, Mopsy...and of course, Peter Cottontail.

At the website, http://www.the-scientist.com/news/home/53057/, you can read more about beloved Beatrix Potter and the science she so enjoyed.

All sources in this note were accessed today. (c)2007 J. S. Shipman

Plants that look like stones???

A fascinating point from nature is mimicry. The viceroy butterfly mimicking the monarch, for example. But, did you know of plants that mimic stones? Go to http://www.botany.org/planttalkingpoints/stone.htm and find out more. Report back what you think.

Popcorn Popping...That's Science!!!

"Of course you recognized that sound! It’s popcorn popping, and people in the United States consume nearly 17 billion quarts of popcorn each year. But did you ever wonder why kernels of popcorn explode when heated?"

Go to http://www.botany.org/planttalkingpoints/endosperm.php and find out more. What a good activity to share with your family: Having popcorn and talking science!

Rejoice

Peace on Earth

Mental Seeding...It's Planting Time, again.

Mental Seeding

Breathe in the silence
Then open your eyes.
Look at all the evidence,
Breathe out in sighs.

Look up above and
See the clouds, sun, moon,
Or stars numerous as sand
In desert dune.

Smell the scented wood,
Aroma of pine.
Lift your heart toward all that's good.
Feeling just fine.

Go to the city,
Visit children's schools,
Also schools, town and country,
Learning not fools.

Many things to learn
And see one, two, three
If you're a living to earn.
Math, Science, History . . .

Theater, Art and Music.
Balanced with reading.
Listen well when teachers speak
Mental seeding.

J. S. Shipman

Copyright ©2006 JS Shipman

Toxic Mold

Are you affected by toxic mold? Do you know what it is? Send a comment.

"For basic information and resources on mold, go to our Mold Resources page. This page contains an introduction to molds; basic mold cleanup; ten things you should know about mold; asthma and mold; floods/flooding; health and mold; homes and mold; indoor air regulations and mold; large buildings and mold; schools and mold and indoor air quality; and other mold-related resources and links. You can find a brief introduction on mold (from our Mold Remediation Guidance) at www.epa.gov/mold/append_b.html"

Source: http://www.epa.gov/mold/index.html Accessed on April 5, 2007.

Parents, Have you been to your child's school lately?

Are you seeing that homework gets done? Does your student listen well and respect others? Is he or she ready to learn? Let your children know you care by talking to them, and by talking to their teachers. As a teacher, I call parents often. I suppose some students erase the tape messages. But, enough get through. Very few parents, however, make it a point to check in at the school. Want to improve education? Encourage your child to learn. Education improves with more parent and guardian input. Mentors are a big help and often parents are the main mentors. Education leads to understanding. Understanding leads to peace. What do you think about that?

Science Fair Ideas

Students need to think deeply about science projects...not just do anything. Try working all summer on yours. The experience is for learning...not just to get a grade. Start with what you know and reach into the unknown with testing and experimenting. Try to get a mentor. Look at the "Botanical Society of America" (Google it...)for ideas.

Watch your money grow

Listing 117379

Mental Seeding

Breathe in the silence
Then open your eyes.
Look at all the evidence,
Breathe out in sighs.

Look up above and
See the clouds, sun, moon,
Or stars numerous as sand
In desert dune.

Smell the scented wood,
Aroma of pine.
Lift your heart toward all that's good.
Feeling just fine.

Go to the city,
Visit children's schools,
Also schools, town and country,
Learning not fools.

Many things to learn
And see one, two, three
If you're a living to earn.
Math, Science, History . . .

Theater, Art and Music.
Balanced with reading.
Listen well when teachers speak
Mental seeding.

J. S. Shipman

Copyright ©2006 JS Shipman