Science Buddies Blog (Page 113)

In the Wake of Shake

January 13, 2010 9:03 AM

While smaller US earthquakes made recent news, like the 6.5 magnitude shake in Northern California that was felt up into central Oregon, the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck near Port-au-Prince, Haiti yesterday, has brought earthquakes into the foreground of national news and media reports - and thus in the awareness of students. According to reports, the quake in Haiti, an area where earthquakes are not common, was the strongest in 200 years. The world map of earthquakes in the last 7… Read more

Lab Notebooks

January 6, 2010 10:42 PM

Journals and log books are used by researchers and writers in almost every field. To make note of "what we do as we do it," we keep a record. To ensure we don't forget what happened on this day, we jot down a quick note. To remind ourselves later of the affect of this agent on that substance, we document. A quick look at samples from the over 13,000 pages recorded (often in reverse, mirror-image cursive) by Leonardo Da Vinci shows the range of materials that can appear in a notebook -… Read more

A Healthy New Year

December 29, 2009 8:13 AM

In a blink, the hustle and bustle of December holidays has passed, and the close of the year and the start of the new year is upon us. Do you have "goals" for the New Year? Are you hoping to do more of "this" or more of "that"? The first of January is notoriously a day of making resolutions to help guide the year as it begins to unfold. While resolutions run the gamut from serious to playful, getting in shape is a resolution many share. A casual poll of friends and family members may turn… Read more

Double Cookie Duty

December 15, 2009 2:42 PM

Image by Geraldine, via Wikipedia Commons Earlier this month I looked through the Science Buddies' library of Project Ideas for cooking projects that seemed perfect for the holidays, for winter break, and even for snow days when young scientists and their parents may be cooped up indoors. With two kids of my own, I thought some lab-time in the kitchen might be fun. I realized this week that I may have missed a great project! This is one that I know will be a hit in… Read more

Scientist's Pick: Worth a Smile

December 1, 2009 8:41 AM

Note: This month's "Scientist's Pick" is from Science Buddies' lead staff scientist, Sandra Slutz. Did you miss last month's "Scientist's Pick" write-up? Do you speak Ollie? ~ Science Buddies' Editorial Staff Project: That's a Real Smile! ...or is it? Scientist: Sandra Slutz Science Buddies' Difficulty Level: 5-7 Maybe it's the fact that the holiday season is starting, or maybe it's the funny antics of my toddler - but either way I've been noticing people's smiles. And the truth… Read more

The Holiday Kitchen: A Hands-On Lab

November 30, 2009 10:07 AM

As post-Halloween sugar highs ebb and trick-or-treat stashes wane, the days of pre-packaged, ready-to-eat treats give way to the smells of freshly-baked bread, pies, cakes, gingerbreads, and a variety of other family favorites. Indeed, as the year winds down and the days shorten, the kitchen can become an epicenter of activity. With classroom potlucks, family dinners, and a string of potential holiday gatherings dotting the calendar for November and December, the making and… Read more

A Look at Zero-G

November 19, 2009 10:58 AM

Shortly after finding out she was one of thirty teachers selected to participate in a Zero-G flight as part of the Weightless Flights of Discovery Program, sponsored by Northrop Grumman, Erin Moore, an eighth grade teacher at Lincoln Avenue School in Illinois, gave Science Buddies an inside look at her sudden shift from "teacher" to "astronaut" - in her student's eyes. Her awareness that her students had already put her in orbit, left her faced with a philosophical decision: correct their… Read more

Leafy Science

November 12, 2009 8:56 AM

Earlier this week, I talked about a paper chromatography project that offers a perfect opportunity for younger students to observe the pigmentation of Autumn leaves and then a make-your-own-markers project that can turn a pile of leaves into a set of homemade art supplies. For a different spin on fall foliage, the "Leaves and Light" project (no longer available) explores the two kinds of chlorophyll present in plants and the degree to which the color and wavelength of light affects the… Read more

Fall Chromatography

November 10, 2009 8:39 AM

Mashing a pile of fall leaves offers a colorful demonstration of "extraction" and sets the stage for paper-towel-based chromatography. One of the things that I often miss living in the Bay Area is the definitive visual change of seasons. Having spent many years in Appalachia, I grew up with the splendor of Autumn unfolding around me each September, the array of intense reds and golds giving way to barren branches poised to hold ice and snow through the winter months. It's very… Read more

Calling All Computer-Savvy Girls!

November 4, 2009 6:33 AM

The November 15 (2009) deadline for the 2010 NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing is approaching. All US high school girls in grades 9-12 (excluding previous winners) are invited to apply. Awardees receive both cash and technology prizes. For more information and complete application details, visit https://www.aspirations.org/. The annual NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing is organized by the National Center for Women & Information Technology and is sponsored by Bank of… Read more

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