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Merry Christmas!

 Hydrogen

ArgonYou can view a full slideshow here.  

This was a wonderful opportunity for our kids to do "real science" at a very young age.  Our kids vary in age from 5 to 11.  Every one of them was engaged and having fun!!  For more resources check out these great materials:

• Phet Simulations
  • Molecules and Light
  • Bending Light
• Spectral Fingerprints Activity-- We used this as a follow-up activity!
• Spectra Database
• Spectral Lines

Last week, I had a rare moment alone with our Kindergartner. On our way to soccer practice he asked me to play a math game with him.  Music to my ears!  We began with basic addition and subtraction facts.  After a few minutes, he asked me if we could learn something new.  Again, music to my ears!  So, I thought I would push the envelope, negative numbers.  Here's how the conversation went:

Mom: Andrew, let's pretend we live in Barrow, Alaska.  Okay?

Andrew: Ooooh, it's really cold up there!  I'll need my fuzzy hat.

Mom: Yes, you will!  I am so glad you brought up the weather.  I want to ask you some questions regarding temperature.  Let's pretend the temperature outside is four degrees Fahrenheit.  

Andrew: That is so cold! I bet it's snowing.  I wish it would snow here!

Mom: Me too!  After the sun went down, though, the temperature dropped five degrees.  What is the new temperature?

Andrew: Let's see.  I start at four and go back five places. (Note: I teach addition and subtraction using a number line.)  So, that would be three, two, one, zero.  Zero!  Is it zero?

Mom: Well, let's see. If we start at four and go back to zero that's only four places.  Remember, the temperature dropped five degrees.

Andrew: Oh yeah, that's right.  Well, three, two, one, zero, negative zero.  No, no.  You can't have a negative zero.  Negative one.  Mom, is it negative one?

Mom: Wow, very good!  Yes, it is!  How did you decide on the answer negative one?

Andrew: Well, it can't be zero.  I knew it had to be below zero.  So, I thought about negative one.  Can we do another one? I like this negative weather math game!

Like any good mother we continued to do several more problems.  Andrew was so excited and proud of himself! He knew he was doing "big boy math" and couldn't wait to share the good news with his older brother and sisters.  As a math teacher, I was excited because a door has been opened.  

As I worked through several weather examples with our five year old, I began to wonder why we wait so long to introduce the concept of negative numbers.  Sure, he may not have an expert understanding, however, a foundation as been laid.  During our conversation, he mentioned that he had heard of negative temperatures on television.  When trying to solve the original problem, he was able to draw upon that prior knowledge and apply it to a new situation.  Very exciting!  As someone who works with many Pre Algebra and Algebra students, I know negative numbers can be a stumbling block causing hours of anguish.  With our children, I have chosen to introduce the idea early fending off future fears.  Hopefully, the forecast will be sunny and bright!

PS I am currently creating K-4 materials centered around our "negative weather math."  I'll share when finished.  

• Create a Toontastic Halloween movie.  Check out our kids' creations for inspiration!
• Get the creative juices flowing with Create-A-Monster!  Have kids create their own monster, then either write a story or send an e-card to spook their friends and family.
• For DSi fans, use Flipnote to animate your favorite spooky tale.
• Check out the Scooby Doo and the Haunted Halloween iPad app.  There's a great post on Geek Dad highlighting the cool features.
• Have kids create a jack-o-lantern glyph or a mad monster! 
• Tame your own Moshi Monster!
• Enjoy spooktacular fun with A Halloween Coloring Book app then share your creations with family and friends.
• Create a Lego Halloween!  Use your imagination and everyone's favorite building blocks to design your own haunted house where you can bring your monsters to life!  Check out this Monster Mash!

Happy Halloween!

In this experiment, simple household ingredients are gathered to explore the phase change of water.  The goal is for kids to see that NaCl (aka table salt) lowers the freezing point of ice making the ice  "colder." Obviously, this is what makes the ice cream freeze.  I have included a lab activity sheet in which you can record your observations and conclusions.

Enjoy!

Afterwards, we discussed that motion involves movement.  We discussed the three basic types of movement:

• straight line
• vibration
• curve (aka loop-de-loops!)
• rotation

Next, they explored motion graphs involving the one and only Moving Man.  Adapted from a high school lesson, elementary-level kids are able to explore advance concepts such as velocity and acceleration.  They had so much fun!  The website offers several resources for teachers to use.  I chose materials posted by Sarah Borenstein.  Implementation was simple and the kids were able to complete the activity independently.  To give you an idea of the type of activities included in the lab, I wanted to share responses from the last question. 

************************************************************************************Lab Lab Question- Write a story to interpret the following motion graph.

Ellie (3rd grade):

A man was under a tree.  He was tired and decided to go back to his house.  Along the way, he dropped his keys and stopped to pick them up.  "Wait a minute!  These aren't my keys," the man said.  So, he ran back to the tree to search for his keys.  

Luc (4th Grade):

A man was climbing in a tree.  He fell out and broke his arm.  "Ouch!" he cried.  "I need to go home and get my phone." He started home and then stopped to think.  "Wait a minute! I am close to the hospital right now. I think I'll just walk there myself."  So, he headed to the emergency room.

************************************************************************************

Finally, as a fun reward, the kids tried their luck at the super awesome, Graphing Challenge game.  Shhh, don't tell them their "reward" was really learning in disguise.  Our little secret!!  All in all, they had a fun week exploring motion while tackling advance concepts.  Super proud of them and more importantly, excited they had fun learning!

NEW AQUATIC SPECIES FOUND!

A new dolphin specimen has been found off the southeastern coast of Australia previously thought to be a bottlenose dolphin.(Image supplied - Luciana Moller: Flinders University)

    Of the dolphins that live around Melbourne, scientists thought this new species, the Burrunan dolphin (the Aboriginal name for, “ large sea fish of the porpoise kind”), were bottlenose dolphins until recently.  Analysis and DNA studies of the skull show two different specimens of the dolphins.                                                   

Prior research had shown that the DNA of the Burrunan was different from the bottlenose, but there was not enough evidence to support a new species.  Kate Charlton-Robb of Monash University and her colleagues researched the skulls of dolphins in various museums as well as more DNA analysis to prove that the Burrunan dolphin was a different dolphin.                                                      

“This is an incredibly fascinating discovery as there have only been three new dolphin species formally described and recognized since the late 1800s,” said Kate Charlton-Robb.  Now that the Burrunan dolphin has been recognized as its own species, it may meet the criteria to qualify as one of Australia’s endangered animals.

Resources:

• BBC News
• ABC Adelaide
• National Geographic

Afterwards, we "Set the Record Straight" by reading a novella on National Geographic Education.  The kids were amazed to learn that geography not only involves the study of the physical features of a region, but the cultural, economic and biological features as well.  The short answer questions following the novella were used to initiate a Socratic discussion related to geography and we discussed the recommended vocabulary.  I am excited about this year, but more importantly, so are the kids! 

This art app allows children (or parents!!) to create, manipulate and personalize their own monster. There are great tutorials that take you through all of the various features, such as how to rotate and scale various body parts.  Upon finishing their creations, kids can share their monsters with the world via Facebook , Twitter or email. 

So, here's the scoop! My mind is exploding with possibilities of how to integrate Create-A-Monster in the learning environment.  In an earlier post, I gave a few suggestions for lesson starters and have been bouncing around ideas since.  I would LOVE to hear from you! The new year is just beginning and Halloween is around the corner, what are your ideas?

Contest Details: Create an original lesson idea for integrating Create-A-Monster in the classroom.  Be creative! Have fun! Then, submit your ideas in the comments section.  From the entries, I will choose five people to receive the promo codes.  Hurry! The deadline for entry is Wednesday, September 7th.  After the contest is over, I will publish the ideas in a post for everyone to share.  It's a win-win situation!

Resources: 

• Just for Fun 
• YouTube Channel
• iTunes

BEWARE: You are headed for MONSTER size fun!

Aimed at middle school students, the Cell and Cell Structure app takes students on a journey into the cell as they explore the basic building block of life.  Upon launching the app, you have three options from which to choose: All About Cells, Videos, or Interactive Activities.  The All About Cells section provides the "notes" for the journey.  Students explore a sideshow of three-dimensional images and can read information about topics such as "What is a cell?" or "Benefits of a Multicellular Organism." The videos provide an in-depth exploration of specific topics such as an explanation of mitosis in both plant and animal cells.  Currently there are only four videos, but more are planned to be included in future updates.  The material presented in these sections complement any middle-school life science course by providing visually stunning 2-D and 3-D imagery, using accurate vocabulary and presenting information beyond the standard course of study.  Finally, the interactive activities provide students a chance to practice and apply the material through word searches, flashcards and quizzes.  Scores are recorded on the quizzes allowing teachers to measure student progress. 

Cell and Cell Structure should greatly enhance any biology course by providing students a fun and exciting way to learn about cells.  The interface is extremely user-friendly and kids should have zero trouble navigating through the various sections.  The images are absolutely amazing!  Our 9 year old was captivated and found himself lost in the cellular world for quite a while.   Our 11 year old really enjoyed the interactive flashcards and the slide showcasing the Venn diagram of the plants versus animals cells.  She told me she was "excited to use this in school this year."  That is every homeschoolers dream!  

As a homeschool mom and educator, this is by far one of my favorite educational apps.  It goes beyond the need of meaningfully integrating technology by showing a glimpse into the future as we shift to a more global, internet-based classroom.  Webinars, online textbooks, digital learning, and social media are reshaping the landscape of education.  The team at Emantras recognizes this trend.  Appropriate for middle through high school, this app provides not only an exciting journey into the cell, but an exciting journey into the future of education.