Create a reusable shopping bag!

The museum has been giving away Reusable Bags, as our member giveaways, for a few years now...which everyone loves! I just found a contest though Kroger to design your very own bag. If your bag gets the most votes, then it becomes the design for Kroger's reusable bag and you win $1000.00 dollar Kroger card! Whoop Whoop, that is music to anyones ear now-a-days!

Here is my design, vote for it! If you create a bag, let me know and I will vote for yours! Good luck and let mother earth serve as your artistic inspiration!

-Kristen!

Citizen Science- Celebrate the Ocean!

Hi everyone, Nancy here.

Year of Science participants are celebrating the Ocean and Water during the month of June.

Given that school is winding down for many North Carolina students and teachers, it is no doubt that many of them will be heading for the beaches and enjoying the ocean. Many students and teachers use their beach visits as learning opportunities by taking photos of animals that they may have seen, bringing back shells, egg cases or other artifacts and writing journals about their experiences.

If you're planning a trip to the beach this summer or want to know more about Ocean Literacy, check out this link to read blog posts from NOAA's Assistant Administrator for Research, see videos on scientific ocean drilling, play games and participate in a Species Naming Contest for the Bonaire Banded Box Jellyfish!

The Resource Center has lots of books available about the ocean as well as a massive shell collection that visitors can choose shells from to observe closer at home so if you don't make it out to the ocean, we can help bring a little bit of it to you to explore over the summer.

Stay tuned and stay curious,
-Nancy

Cool Tools: 2,4,6,8, Who Do We Appreciate?

Hi everyone,

Nancy here.

If you started doing the cheer up in the caption but had a little trouble filling in the blank, allow me to assist: TEACHERS!

Today, May 9th brings to an end national Teacher Appreciation Week, a week designated so that students and their caregivers and families and Parent Teacher Organizations take time out to recognize and celebrate their teachers for all their hard work.

So, for you teachers, I wanted to share a hot tip on an event that our friends at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University are doing beginning on Sunday, May 17th from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m.

This May and June the Nasher Museum of Art will be participating in a special project, the FUNDRED DOLLAR BILL PROJECT, that is encouraged for you to do with your students. It is a collaborative nationwide project intended to support the rebuilding of New Orleans by making the environmental conditions safer for its residents. The project's idea was created by artist Mel Chin, and he needs 3 million people to create FUNDRED DOLLAR BILLS. A FUNDRED DOLLAR BILL is a student-designed and created $100 bill.

The project is easy to implement in your classroom and is linked to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study Competency Goals in Science: Science K-12 Strand:Science in Personal and Social Perspectives.

You can even find a lesson plan to help guide you on the project's website.

If you make FUNDREDS with your students, you can contact Julie Thomson (julie.thomson@duke.edu, 684-8816) at the Nasher Museum so that they can be included in an exhibition at Golden Belt.

Looking for more ways to link art and science in the classroom? We can help you get started. Just contact us in the Resource Center via email or by phone at 919-220-5429x356.

Stay Tuned, Stay Curious , Happy Mother's Day and Congrats to all our local college graduates!

-Nancy

Cool Tools: Hey Kool Aid! Oh Yeah!

Hi everyone, Nancy here.

I am a bit of a vintage TV commercial connoisseur and thought the old Kool Aid ads were hilarious. You'd see these children out playing sports or games in the hot sun. The one thing they know that can bring them relief is a nice, ice-cold pitcher of their favorite flavored drink mix. So they beckon for the giant mascot represented as said ice-cold pitcher and he breaks through a brick wall bringing the children something cool and fruity to drink. I have been calling for him myself when I am outside walking in Explore the Wild on hot summer days and he has yet to surface. Oh well...

So, I promised in this episode that I'd provide a food-based activity for you all to try. It is one I created for our Summer Science Camp, "Snack Science". One of the days, we focus on food that contains crystals. We examine sugar and salt crystals and look at the crystalline structure. We put a teaspoon of each in some bug boxes with a lid that acts as a magnifier. It is a great way for children to really get a good look at the individual crystals.

We also look at powdered drink mixes like Kool Aid and use it in activities from everything like chromatography to making a textured and scented modeling dough. Making dough is a great activity. Not only does it introduce science process skills like measuring, comparing and observation, but it also teaches children to follow directions in order to perform an experiment and create something they can use for fun sensory enrichment.

To make scented modeling dough, you'll need:


1 cup flour
1/2 cup of salt
2 tsp cream of tartar
2 tbsp unsweetened powdered drink mix
1tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup of water
food coloring to your liking

Put dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Stir together .
Add oil and water. Stir until dough is formed. Add food coloring to create hues.
Knead the dough on a floured surface until it is the same color and all of the drink mix crystals have dissolved.
Have fun playing with the dough, rolling it flat, making a ball and whatever else you try!
NOTE: Keep your play-dough in a plastic resealable bag to keep it fresh so it will last a long time.

Incorporate kitchen tools like crust crimpers, garlic presses, cookie cutters and rolling pins to create new shapes. Enjoy!

You can do some online research yourself or contact us for more ideas on how to incorporate Kool Aid in your hands-on activity. Check out this link about how you can use it to dye wool!

Stay tuned and stay curious,
-Nancy

Citizen Science: What to do with all those batteries?

So, how many items do we all have in our homes that are battery operated. I stopped counting at 25 (of course I think most of my daughter's toys consume batteries to make some noise ). Batteries are everywhere, and are of many different types. The other day while replacing a few I started wondering how to properly dispose of these things and came to a few realizations... Not all batteries are created equal!!

Most of the batteries that we purchase are alkaline batteries and unfortunately there aren't many recycling options for these. Fortunately legislation was passed to rid these disposable batteries of mercury and other harmful materials which previously was leaching out of landfills. The trouble is billions of the batteries are purchased by Americans every year and there are being used once and then discarded.

What can I do (or should I do) you may ask. Well think about using a rechargeable battery when possible. Yes, they do cost more money upfront but, you get many more uses out of them so the payback period is short. It would cost a ridiculous amount to operate my digital camera for instance if I kept putting disposable batteries in it. Additionally the main types of rechargeable batteries can be recycled at many easily accessible locations. So really it can be a win-win decision to buy rechargeable batteries for many of your devices.

We use A LOT of batteries in our DPS science kits too, Elecrticity and Magnetism uses 60 batteries per kit!  That adds up pretty fast when you are sending out 14-20 kits every rotation! 

As for how batteries work, here is a link to some great information. And, for those that are really curious and want to do some hands on experiments with making a battery or electrical energy source out of household items, the SERC has a Science in a Suitcase kit that will allow you to do just that!  

Citizen Science: 2009 Year of Science (YoS)

YAY! YoS, finally a whole year dedicated to learning, teaching, communicating and discovering more about science!  I am very excited about 2009:)

To many teachers and parents science can be a little bit over whelming and understandably so...but if you break it down to the fundamentals, it is pretty easy to develop a child's curiosity and desire to investigate and learn more about science.  

The scienctists behind YoS have set out to make science easy and fun to communicate to one another. They have broken science down into 12 topics, one per month, then into grade groups, giving examples of activites, images, teacher resources and assesment tools...these folks have really covered their bases!  

January's topic is : Process and Nature of Science; Communicating Science.  The title sounds a bit long and once again over whelming....but use this flow chart to help you discuss science with your kids.  Start by asking them what they want to learn about (science related), read them stories about that topic and about the scientists involved.  Ask them questions to get their wheels spining, try to re-create the experiment or do an activity that goes along with their topic.  

You can rent a Science in a Suitcase kit that includes activities and materials already prepped and gathered, our Schoolyard Science kit  would be GREAT for understanding the nature of science & communicating science!!  If you would like to set up an appointment to come in and see the resource center, email me at kristenw@ncmls.org.  

I will be back to talk about Febuary's topic:  Evolution.  If you have any Evolution activities that you would like to share, please do so! 

Citizen Science: 2009 Year of the Gorilla (YoG)

Welcome 2009!  We in the science community have long been waiting your arrival.  If you didn't know, 2009 is going to be a big year for science; it is Year of the Gorilla and the Year of Science!

But first, YoG!  There is a huge push to protect our last remaining gorillas, their habitat and to secure a place for their future in our future.  There are many who advocated for this cause including; Jane Goodall, World Assocation of Zoos and Aquariums, the Convention on Migratory Species and many others.

There are many ways in which you can become involved in this global project!  First is to educate yourself about the species, become knowledgable about what challenges are facing gorillas, read The Gorilla Agreement, donate to the fund or purchase a cute stuffed gorilla!   

And for you educators, here is a great information page including links and questions for your students!  And if you are feeling extra inventive, you could even make a gorilla Jeporady game!

I will be talking more about YoG, as well as The Year of Science 2009 in the coming weeks!  So, keep checking back for more information...and if you have anything that you would like to add or discuss- feel free to leave a comment or email me!  

 

Kit Tidbit: Finalizing Science in a Shoebox

We are almost done working on the prototypes for Science in a Shoebox! We have written, re-written and are on the final copy of each activity guide. To refresh your memory, we chose three Science in a Suitcase topics: Eco Explorers, Rocks and From Seed to Plant. We pulled some activities from the existing kit and also wrote a few new ones! Each Shoebox comes with enough materials for 5 people, books, non consumable supplies (hand lenses, trowels, specimens), a recommended literature list and a vocabulary page.

These kits allow you to explore different activities, connect what you learned with real life practices, learn more about the professions involved and share your new knowledge with others! We are getting ready to jump back into our schedule of Second Science Saturdays after the holidays, so we will let you know what our guests think!  If you would like to rent a Science In A Shoebox, email me at kristenw@ncmls.org.  

Citizen Science: "One Simple Change For A Brighter Future"

The company 'Lamp Corporation' is promoting a new energy efficient green fundraiser campaign titled "ONE SIMPLE CHANGE FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE." The fundraiser contains a 4 pack of 13 watt CFL light bulbs compared to your traditional 60 watt light bulbs. This fundraiser is for any school or charity that wants to do something good for itself, the community and the environment.

Check it out! And remember October 3rd is National Change a Light Day!

Cool Tools: School is in session!

Hi everyone, Nancy here.

Can you believe it? Durham Public Schools (DPS) Staff, Students and Teachers on the traditional calendar are already in their second month of school.  We have already got our first round of science kits back to refurbish as our friends on the Year-Round calendar have tracked out. We are very busy in the resource center and at our off site location at Durham Public Schools Internal Services preparing to turn these science units around so that they will be ready for the next rotation.

Over the summer,SERC staff had the pleasure of sitting alongside DPS teachers at a staff development session at Oak Grove Elementary. We were treated to two dynamic hands-on sessions on the 6 E Model of learning. There is a great article here from the National Science Teachers Association that talks about the model and how it is changing learning in the classroom by reaching all kinds of learners and creating lasting connections. DPS teachers are implementing this method in their science instruction and it's design is also providing opportunities for cross-curricular learning in math, language arts and social studies as well as physical education and the arts.

The SERC has 6E resources available for review in our library for pre-service educators and current teachers. Parents and caregivers are welcome to peruse these to gain a better understanding of what their children are experiencing and we can give you tips on how to support your children's teachers.

There are two links I got from the workshops that I found very useful and I wanted to share them. The first is Teachnet, a website that has lesson plans and ideas in all subjects that other educators contribute.

Mathematics is a strand that is pervasive throughout our school career and our lives. A fun way to learn and review math concepts is through my second recommendation, analyzemath.com. As I'm helping my 13 year old with his schoolwork, I find this site to be helpful, especially for someone like me who has "fuzzy" recollections of middle and high school math. The site has all kinds of math concepts and has engaging computer-generated problems to solve.

Don't forget the SERC for all your "Back to School" resource needs. Besides our extensive science collection, we have a wide array of math games and manipulatives (suitable for Pre-K-5th grade) available for loan.

Here's to a great school year!

Stay tuned and stay curious,
-Nancy

Cool Tools: Bird Feeder Activity!

We talked about posting activities for people to do at home, so here is the first one..pretty basic!

What you need: A bowl of Cheerios (plain)
Pipe-cleaner (one per feeder)
What to do: Thread Cheerios onto the pipe-cleaner, you should fill it up! Then, bend the pipe-cleaner into a circle and twist the tips together to secure the feeder. Now you have created a bird feeder in seconds! You can hang them on a tree or outside of a window to watch the action! Its quick, cheap and environmentally friendly!!! Don't forget to remove the pipe-cleaners from the tree when the birds are done.
Want to do more? An option for continuing this activity is to make lots of these feeders and hang them all over your yard, at many different heights! Observe and keep a log of the feeders!

• Write down everything you see
• The different species of birds at each feeder
  
• Are the same species of birds at every feeder or just that one because of its height?
• Can you see the birds beaks?
• Draw comparisons between all the birds
• Whose feeder still has the most Cheerios after one week, whose has the least?
• Which height is the most popular?

There are many more things you can do with this simple idea! Play around and let me know of any cool observations!!

P.S. Watch out for Squirrels! They LOVE Cheerios ;)

Kit Tidbit: Science In A SHOEBOX? A new edition at the SERC

As many of you know we have something called "Science In A Suitcase" (SIAS) kits here at the Museum; which can be rented by educators, parents, home schoolers, etc. They are one of the great resources in the SERC, but a new thought has popped up. What about creating a science kit that is very similar to our SIAS kits, but smaller...really small...something a parent can rent and complete in a weekend??? So- we let our minds wander a bit and then came back to the table with this new idea.

It will be smaller, have between 3 and 5 activities for each topic, still have the activity guides and the kits will have all the materials included (i.e. hand lenses, books, field guides...). And so Science In A SHOEBOX was born! We chose 3 kit topics from our SIAS kit list to start with: Rocks, Eco Explorers and From Seed to Plant. I have already started creating the prototype for the Rocks kit, now I have to create a little activity guide, gather ALL the materials for the kit, find a functional container for the kit and then show it off and see how it goes!

I am excited that we are going to be creating these mini-SIAS kits! They are going to be less expensive to rent then the SIAS kits and will hopefully be more functional for the average parent, babysitter or awesome parent whose child is having a birthday and has run out of ideas to keep the kids busy!!

So, right now I am at a stopping point with this little project. I am hopefully going to be able to take pictures soon and I will get them up so you will be able to see all of my works in progress!!

Now, I have some questions for you! Would you be interested in Science in a Shoebox? What kits or topics would you like to see us adapt for smaller groups? How many kids should Science in a Shoebox be set up for - is 5 kids enough, or should we provide enough materials for up to 8 kids? Let us know in the comments section!

Kid Tidbit:Raise a Reader

Hi Everyone, Nancy here.

One of things I love about working here at the Museum of Life and Science is that I am surrounded by great books both in my office (behind Play to Learn) and in the SERC. I love to read and it's so good to have access to resources that assist me in planning fun activities when I'm out in the community.

The Museum is pleased to be a community partner with the Durham County Library (DCL). Megan and I greeted library patrons and shared some butterfly experiences at the Summer Reading kickoff in June. You can learn more about the program by visiting the DCL's website. Also, Megan, Kristen and I have been spending part of our summer with patrons at the historic Bragtown branch, talking about all kinds of insects. The millipede, hissing cockroaches, crayfish and tarantula have been joining in on the fun too! Our last visit for the summer there was in August. We had a great time talking with the children about ladybird beetles or ladybugs as they are more commonly known. They play an important role in our butterfly house as they help eat all the aphids or plant lice off of the tropical plants. They serve as natural biocontrol so that there's no use of harmful chemicals.

Many of our books come from Scholastic Publishing. Their website is a great launching pad for families wanting to foster their children's interest in reading. There are suggested book lists for different age groups, activities, links to your child's classroom home page through Scholastic and tips on how to help with your child's education at each developmental stage and grade level. This is also a great site for caregivers, educators and librarians.

We have lots of great books available in the SERC for loan and you can visit your local library as well. You can even browse Durham County Library's catalog online.

Oops! My library books are actually due back soon! Thankfully, another service they provide is online renewal...

So many of our staff here are avid readers and swap books back and forth with each other. One of our departments even started their own book club!

"So many books, so little time."
-artist Edward Gorey

Stay tuned and stay curious,
-Nancy

Citizen Science: Light Up The Night

Hi everyone, Nancy here.

As the nights have been getting cooler, my family and I have been spending more time sitting outside together on our porch and I have noticed that we haven't seen as many fireflies or "lightning bugs" as my son calls them. We went out last night and took part in our usual ritual of catch and release but didn't end up finding very many. My son was perplexed as to why there weren't very many. My husband thought it had something to do with the temperature.

Megan (also of SERC fame) found a post about this initiative that the Boston Museum of Science is doing to track fireflies and learn more about why they seem to be disappearing. There is some great information on this site to help you get involved in this project. It is a great family science opportunity. Check it out!

Stay tuned and stay curious,
-Nancy

Nice to meet you!

Greetings friends!

Nancy here. Most of you have seen me out and about either at the Museum or out in the community sometime over the last 10 years. Many of you call me "the Museum Lady" and I have been proud to serve teachers, families and students in our Resource Center.

We hope our blog will be a launching point for you to make all kinds of science, math and life discoveries. We can't wait to hear about some of the cool things you have done and hope you'll share your experiences with us.

I haven't been the most computer savvy (but I'm excited to learn more!) and I'm certain some of you will sympathize with me as I begin my blogging journey. You have always been able to call, email me and come by and visit. Think of these posts as another way we can stay in touch.

Stay tuned and stay curious!

-Nancy