Science Buddies Blog (Page 113)

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

An Hour Here, an Hour There

November 3, 2009 11:54 AM

Does it take you a bit of time to settle in once the time changes? Did you or members of your family wake up earlier the day after the time changed? Do you notice already the changes in available light during the day? Do you know "why" the time changes? Did we gain an hour or lose an hour? Aren't there just 24 hours... regardless? It's interesting to note that while observing Daylight Savings Time is not mandatory in the United States (and not even all states participate), Daylight Savings… Read more

The Golden State Star Party - II

November 2, 2009 9:21 AM

Photo: Kenneth Hess, 2009. Specs: Stack of 17 images, 85 minutes total exposure time on a Nikon D3. The telescope was an Astro-Physics 155mm f7 StarFire EDF Triplet Apochromatic Refractor. [View full-size image.] I wrote earlier about my trek to the northeastern corner of California to attend the Golden State Star Party. My objective was to photograph a galaxy, and after checking out the pristine skies during my first night of observing, I selected my targets: M81 and M82, a… Read more

Trick-or-Treat Science

October 29, 2009 8:48 AM

A Jack o' Lantern made for the Holywell Manor Halloween celebrations in 2003. Photograph by Toby Ord on 31 Oct 2003. Source: Wikmedia Commons Giant four-foot spiders climbing the sides of houses, carved pumpkins perched along stairwells of houses, ghosts dangling from eaves, and R.I.P. stakes in lawns here and there bring tidings of all things Halloween. And though Trick or Treat for Unicef boxes did make their way home, there is little doubt that after… Read more

Scientist's Pick: The Physics of an Ollie

October 19, 2009 11:12 AM

Note: A core team of scientists at Science Buddies work on an ongoing basis on the development of science fair project ideas that are grounded in real-world science and current events and are engaging. Working to excite a wide range of students, our scientists often work on projects that uncover and highlight the science that underwrites even everyday activities. Each month, we'll be asking one of our scientists "What's your favorite project idea from the ones you've recently authored and why?"… Read more

Everyday Tasks, Simple Machines, and Engineering Projects

October 15, 2009 8:22 AM

In his second "Road to the Science Fair" blog entry, Chicago-based guest teacher-blogger Brian shared questions raised as he met with staff and colleagues to talk about their upcoming science fair. Brian was prepared with an impressive set of well-considered and solid answers. He and his school are well on their way to organizing their first fair! One of the things Brian mentioned is that he and his colleagues have decided to allow students to enter Rube Goldberg Machines in the school… Read more

Getting Teachers On Board for Our First Science Fair

October 12, 2009 12:58 PM

Hi. This is Brian again... a science teacher in Chicago and guest blogger at Science Buddies this fall as I work to help organize our school's first science fair. What I'm discovering is that when you decide to run a science fair, you have to have some clear goals and objectives. According to Science Buddies' "Guide to Planning a Science Fair," the first two steps in planning a science fair are to set the date and set the goals. The goals for my school's first science fair are pretty… Read more

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