Taking the Sting Out of Scorpion Venom

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/43922/title/FOR_KIDS_Taking__the_sting_out_of_scorpion_venom

The Arizona bark scorpion is quite small, about as small as a human finger, but it's sting can cause some major damage to a person, and even kill a small child. Every year, more than 200 children get seriously hurt from scorpion stings in Arizona and New Mexico.

There is no FDA approved cure for the poison in the venom of scorpions in the United States. There is, however, one in Mexico and scientists are working hard to get it approved for use above the border.

This article is good for kids because it includes "power words" like vocabulary, at the end of the article, explaining the meanings of the words to the children reading it.

How Down Syndrome Works Against Cancer

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/43950/title/How_Down_syndrome_works_against__cancer

People born with Down Syndrome have an extra chromosome # 21. Most people have only two, one from their mother and one from their father, but people with Down Syndrome are born with a third. Chromosome 21 carries 231 genes, including some that may suppress cancer. A recent study shows that people with Down Syndrome are 1/10th as likely to get a solid-tumor cancer as people without the syndrome.

How to Deal with Swine Flu

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1894129,00.html?xid=rss-healthsci-yahoo

In February, 1976, swine flu struck Fort Dix army base in New Jersey, killing one private and infecting hundreds of soldiers. The president at the time, ordered a vaccine to be distributed amongst Americans costing approximately $135 million. Then an outbreak of Guillain-Barré syndrome broke out caused from the vaccine. This caused 30 deaths by April, 1976.

This is an example of how President Obama should NOT handle the outbreak of Swine Flu. He should not rush into things and have his "experts" come up with a miracle vaccine that will eventually cause some other disease.

Health Benefits of Tea

http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/h/health_benefits_of_tea.htm

Some say tea can be beneficial during pregnancy and illness, while others say it can be harmful. This article suggests that consulting a doctor is a good idea before drinking large amounts of tea. This related article (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080402212206.htm) suggests that drinking a lot of tea is beneficial to your health, but was only published in April, 2008, so was later proved wrong.

Engineered antibodies fight AIDS virus in monkeys

A new breakthrough may have been discovered in the fight against the AIDS virus. Scientists have created an artificial antibody that is carried into the body through a virus that fights against the spread of HIV. The synthetic immune system antibody protected monkeys against the animal version of HIV, SIV. Unfortunately, it will be years before this can be tested on humans. Nine monkeys were given this artificial antibody and than injected with SIV. Three of the monkeys never contracted SIV and the other six that did never developed into AIDS.

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre54g20c-us-aids-vaccine/

New electronic ink display brings e-paper revolution a step closer

With the large mainstream success of Amazon's Kindle, there seemed to be only a matter of time before a new technology came out to surpass the Kindle and display an electronic reader in colored print. The University of Cincinnati has recently developed this technology. An electrofluidic display (EFD) creates a color and contrast ratio of 85% of what paper can display. This EFD display also allows the user to bend or roll up the display as if it was made of real paper.

http://www.gizmag.com/electrofluidic-display/11677/

Brain's Organization Switches as Children Become Adults

A new study has found that a child's brain is organized differently than an adults brain; however, the child's brain functions as capably as an adult brain. Steven E. Petersen, Ph.D., the James McDonnell Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis is studying normal brain development to further understand how developmental disorders and brain injury can affect mental capabilities. Petersen use resting-state MRI to scan the spontaneous activity that occurs in the brain. Petersen found that a child's brain's tightest connections are ones that are physically closest together as opposed to adults whose are distant from each other.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090515093228.htm

Atlantis Mission Offers One Last Lifeline to Hubble

This article is about the last maintenance mission the Hubble telescope will ever receive. The Hubble has been widely acknowledged as the defining technological instrument of our time. Continuous updates to the Hubble have made it 100 times more powerful now than it was when it was first launched in 1990. The Hubble's importance can be seen by the fact it recorded the first picture of another planet orbiting a star, giving credence to the theory of life on other planets. The astronaut crew will be replacing many of the different cameras and lenses on the Hubble and the mission is widely seen as being the most challenging Hubble mission, yet. The astronauts have only this one chance to repair the Hubble.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/12/science/space/12hubble.html?ref=science

Vanessa Church Glacier Melt

This article is from the New York Times and it talks about how the glaciers in Alaska are melting. Though some people thought that by them melting the land would be submerged under water it hasn't. Actually the weight of the glaciers being off the land has cause the land to rise.

www.nytimes.com/2009/05/18/science/earth/18juneau.html?_r=1&ref=science

In California, Desalination of Seawater as a Test Case

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/15/science/earth/15water.html?ref=science

A vast $320 million desalination plant was approved by San Diego Regional Water Authorties. This project ia described by the plubliisher has a test case to find out whether such a large project can meet its goal while safeguarding its Pacific environments.
The article highlighted that this project is the forst large scale desalination operation on the west coast and the largest in the hemisphere.

PBS Series Called Magic Bus on Science

NY Times, "PBS Series On Science Departs for the World of 'X-Men', Nov., 29, 1997

Clement Pisnoy - Summary

The article is about a PBS animated science show called "The Magic School Bus", which has been sold to the Fox network. Ms. Frizzle, the protagonist of the show guides children, usually under 12, with a targeted goal of preventing them from being turned off to science as they progress through elementary school. The TV series is based on the Scholastic books by the same title, which were first published in 1986. The shows are partly funded by the National Science Foundation. Deborah Forte, senior vice president of Scholastic Inc., said "After we did the books we wanted to reach a broader audience, and there were a lot of naysayers...They said, 'You can't possibly teach science animation,' but we did. PBS believed in it, and it turned out that not only kids but teachers and parents really love this show." Ms. Forte also stated that the show was addressing children's losing interest in science after the second or third grade.
All broadcast TV stations must comply with a mandatory 3 hour educational TV mandate in order for the network to receive their license for free.

"Can Happiness Be Inherited?"

The link was not posting. You can find it on sciencedaily.com. Enter the title. "Can Happiness be Inherited?", and it should just pop up. Sorry for the inconvenice.

According to sciencedaily.com and the article “Can Happiness Be Inherited?” studies have been circulating that suggest that parents psychology prior to conception can be inherited by the child conceived. Of course, we know that behavior patterns in parents are passed down to their children to affect a child’s character. It is common part of socialization that a parent’s personality post conception affects a child’s character, since the child is clearly exposed to it. Although common, this study attaches a scientific explanation to why the parent’s mood before the child is even conceived matters in terms of the child.

New Theory Of Autism Suggests Symptoms Or Disorder May Be Reversible

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090401145312.htm

The article "New Theory of Autism Suggests Symptoms or Disorder May be Reversible", suggests that since there is no structure issues with the brains of those who have autism, there is a chance that the disorder can be reversed. Since those who have autism have "dysregulated" brains, it is possible that there is a way to "fix" the disorder. Doctors began researching this theory when they realized that children who have autism seem to lack certain symptoms of the disorder when suffering from a fever. Their behavior seems to change in this situation.

Calcium May Cut Cancer Risk

Source from: http://www.webmd.com/colorectal-cancer/news/20090223/calcium-may-cut-cancer-risk
(WebMD)

Calcium is already well known to help our bone growth but what affects does it have on cancer? This study was to see whether or not higher consumption of calcium can reduce risks of digestive cancers. This study has found that calcium might be able to help reduce the risks of cancer. There are signs that the older men and women who received most of their calcium sources from both food and supplements consumption, had a sixteen percent lower risk of getting cancer in the digestive system than the people who didn’t consume as much calcium. ““Our study suggests that calcium intake is associated with a lower risk of total cancer and cancers of the digestive system, especially colorectal cancer,” write researcher Yikyung Park, ScD, of the National Cancer Institute and colleagues in the Archives of Internal Medicine.””

Health Benefits of Green Tea

Source from: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/health-benefits-of-green-tea and New Promise for Cancer Prevention and Treatment - http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2004/jan2004_report_cancer_01.htm
(WebMD)

Green tea has long been believed and trusted to be a useful device to lose weight and fight high blood pressure and cholesterol. However, recent studies have shown that green tea has even more benefits such as containing antioxidants properties due to catechins. One of the more well known catechins or antioxidants of green tea are the epigallocatechin-3-gallate, also known as ECGC, the compound targeted by many soft drink companies. How exactly does green tea help the body lose weight or combat cancer?

Walnuts May Fight Breast Cancer

Source from: http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/news/20090421/walnuts-fight-breast-cancer
(WebMD)

This study was done on laboratory animals (mice) and research has found that by consuming at least two handfuls of walnuts daily can help restrain the growth of tumor, especially breast cancer. This research was conducted by W. Elaine Hardman, PhD, who’s an associate professor of biochemistry at Marshall University School of Medicine in Huntington. The omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and phytosterols in walnuts help slow down tumor growth. The phytosterols will attach to the receptors of estrogen and this help slows down the growth of tumors especially since estrogen promotes the growths of tumors in breast cancers.

Study Finds No Benefit From Daily Multivitamin

Lisa Mui
Source from: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/09/study-finds-no-benefit-from-daily-multivitamin/
(The New York Times)

The point of this article was to argue that according to new research, multivitamins intake doesn’t help prevent cancer or heart disease. Multivitamins are the most universally used supplement; about half of America’s population uses vitamins or dietary supplements. Americans invests $20 billion dollars a year on the numerous vitamin and dietary supplement products but is it all down the drain?
The study that was done to support this research involved 161,808 women and they were all part of a government-funded Women’s Health Initiative (W.H.I.) research program. After obtaining all the information, researchers were shocked to find that there is no solid evidence to verify that multivitamins providing any benefits at all.

Lyon Diet Heart Study

Source from: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4655 (American Heart Association)

The reason behind this study is to see the effectiveness of Mediterranean diets with people who had a heart attack before. The result of the study was that by following the Mediterranean diet, it can help decrease the chances of having another heart attack. Since there isn’t a specific kind of Mediterranean diet, the diet was only described with certain factors. Which consists of, a lot of fruits, vegetables, bread, cereal, potatoes, beans, nuts, olive oil, and seeds; low amounts of dairy products, fish, poultry, red meat, eggs, and wine. The Mediterranean diet for the Lyon diet heart study was slightly different; it’s higher in alpha-linolenic acid (a type of polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid). It also includes more bread, root and green vegetables, fish, and fruits (must eat everyday); less beef, lamb, and pork (replaced poultry). Butter and cream was also replaced with margarine with high alpha-linolenic acid. This diet had an average of 30 percent of calories from fat, 8 percent from saturated fat, 13 percent from monounsaturated fat, 5 percent from polyunsaturated fat and 203 mg/day of cholesterol.

U.S. Curbs Use of Species Act in Protecting Polar Bear

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/09/science/earth/09bear.html?hpw

This article is about how, from President Bush to President Obama, the Endangered Species Act was judged as inappropriate to curbing the greenhouse gas emissions that scientists have linked to global warming. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar mentioned global risks are generated worldwide, and that it needs comprehensive policies not a “patchwork of agency actions carried out for particular species". Lately environmental groups are arguing in legal terms about the hazardous emissions that are contributing to recent warming, and that it would be impossible for the Department of the Interior to keep an eye on the levels of emissions.

Gecko Vision: Key to Future Multifocal contact lenses?

Nocturnal Geckos are some of the only animals who are able to see colors at nighttime. Scientists hope to use the eyes of the Geckos to create better cameras and contact lenses. Geckos differ from other vertebrates in that they have only cones in their retina. They have a multifocal optical system that allows different ranges of light wavelengths to focus simultaneously on the retina. Their eyes allow them to focus on objects at different distances. According to the article, the multifocal eye would generate a sharp image for at least two different depths. This will help increase the quality of a camera lens as well as useful multifocal contact lenses
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090507164407.htm

New Robot With Artificial Skin To Improve Human Communication

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090430065818.htm

A robot named “Kaspar” has been invented by Professor Kerstin Dauten as a tool to help communication skills with children who have autism. This robot is child-sized and is thought to encourage social interaction amongst the children. The idea behind using a robot is that it can have the ability to react to many different ways that children with autism play with it. Kaspar will also help the children to play in an appropriate and less aggressive way than they are possibly used to with their toys.

“Mites on Hissing Cockroach May Benefit Humans with Allergies”

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090429132243.htm

The article “Mites on Hissing Cockroach May Benefit Humans with Allergies” from Sciencedaily.com, speaks about a discovery to benefit those suffering from allergies. This is due to the mites on the backs of the Madagascar hissing cockroach. These mites decrease the amount of molds that grow on the backs of the cockroach. There were studies conducted with those who specifically work with this bug. Their allergic responses had drastically decreased.

Blue Laser Could Lead to Autism Cure

Lasers could one day cure, or at least aid in the search for drugs that treat diseases ranging from autism to schizophrenia, according to two new studies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University and published in the online issue of the journal Nature.

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/04/29/brain-autism-laser.html

Hawaii's "Gentle" Volcano More Dangerous Than Thought

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/05/090506-hawaii-volcano.html

Hawaii's tourist-friendly Kilauea volcano is famous for its lazy rivers of lava. But a new report says the volcano, known as the world's most active, has a violent alter ego.

Africans Have World's Greatest Genetic Variation

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/04/30/african-genome.html

Africans have more genetic variation than anyone else on Earth, according to a new study that helps narrow the location where humans first evolved, probably near the South Africa-Namibia border.
The largest study of African genetics ever undertaken also found that nearly three-fourths of African-Americans can trace their ancestry to West Africa. "Given the fact that modern humans arose in Africa, they have had time to accumulate dramatic changes" in their genes, explained lead researcher Sarah Tishkoff, a geneticist at the University of Pennsylvania. People have been adapting to very diverse environmental niches in Africa, she explains. Over 10 years, Tishkoff and an international team of researchers trekked across Africa collecting samples to compare the genes of various peoples.

Basking Sharks' Hiding Places Found

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/05/07/basking-shark-track.html


For centuries, scientists have wondered where basking sharks go in the wintertime. Now, they have an answer -- and it's full of surprises.
Basking sharks have long been shrouded in mystery. These fish, which can measure 35 feet or longer, are known to live in temperate waters around the world. Yet, no one has ever examined a newborn basking shark. No one has seen a pregnant female. No one knows where the animals give birth. And until recently, no one knew where they spent much of their time, particularly in the winter.

Star crust 10 billion times stronger than steel, IU physicist finds

http://esciencenews.com/articles/2009/05/06/star.crust.10.billion.times.stronger.steel.iu.physicist.finds

Research by a theoretical physicist at Indiana University shows that the crusts of neutron stars are 10 billion times stronger than steel or any other of the earth's strongest metal alloys. Charles Horowitz, a professor in the IU College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Physics, came to the conclusion after large-scale molecular dynamics computer simulations were conducted at Indiana University and Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. The research will appear Friday (May 8) in Physical Review Letters

Swine flu grows global

http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20090506/Note2.asp
The article speaks on how swine flu has now become a pandemic. Also, the article tells us about what the flue is and what it is infecting

Silk’s superpowers

http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20090506/Feature1.asp

The article speaks about the new uses of silk from worms and spiders that have been recently discovered and includes activities for children

Erupting Undersea Volcano Near Island Of Guam Supports Unique Ecosystem

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090505111702.htm


This article speaks about a new ecosystemthat has been created due to erupting undersea volcanoes and new species that have been discovered as a result

Underwater Robot With A Sense Of Touch

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090505061836.htm

This Robot has been created to assist with the fixing of boats at sea. Article talks about the many structures of this robot and how it will help the boating industry

Thirsty Plants Text For Help Interactive Telecommunications Researchers Develop A Device For Plants To Send Text Messages

http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2009/0101-thirsty_plants_text_for_help.htm


A new system called Botanicalls, developed by interactive telecommunications researchers, allows your plants to send "tweets," or short text messages, to your mobile phone or messages to the Internet. Botanicalls provides a method for plants to indicate when they need care. Sensors are placed in the soil with a plant, where it measures the level of moisture. The sensors send a signal to a microcontroller, which determines when moisture is low or when water has been added. Then it can send a wireless signal to an internet-connected computer that can send a prerecorded message to the owner. These messages might include a thank-you when plants are watered, or a warning if the watering is too much.

How Social Insects Recognize Dead Nestmates

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090505124750.htm

The predominant understanding among entomologists – scientists who study insects – was that dead ants release chemicals created by decomposition (such as fatty acids) that signal their death to the colony's living ants. But now, entomologists working on Argentine ants provide evidence for a different mechanism for how the removal of dead nestmates from colonies works. In a recently published article, researchers reported that all ants, both living and dead have the “death chemicals” continually, but live ants have them along with the “life chemicals” When an ant dies, it’s “life chemicals” dissipate and only the death chemicals remain. “It’s because the dead ant no longer smells like a living ant that it gets carried to the graveyard, not because its body releases new, unique chemicals after death.” Understanding the exact mechanism of ant necrophoresis will help researchers develop a more environmentally friendly pest management strategy by which we can achieve results with smaller amounts of insecticide.

Dinosaur-Bird Link: Ancient Proteins Preserved In Soft Tissue From 80 Million-Year-Old Hadrosaur

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090430144528.htm

Research supports earlier results from analysis suggesting that collagen protein survived in the bones of a well preserved Tyrannosaurus rex, and offer new evidence supporting previous conclusions that birds and dinosaurs are evolutionarily related.Collagen extracted from bone fragments of a 68-million-year-old T. rex closely matched the amino acid sequences of modern day chickens.

About 200 New Species Of Amphibians In Madagascar Discovered

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090505061942.htm

Between 129 and 221 new species of frogs have been identified in Madagascar, which practically doubles the amount of amphibian fauna currently known. The finding suggests that the number of amphibian species in Madagascar, one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, has been significantly underestimated. The total biodiversity on the island could be much higher also in other groups, so the actual destruction of natural habitats may be affecting more species than previously thought.

Modified Mosquitoes May Be Anti-Malaria Allies

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/04/090421-world-malaria-day_2.html

Research is being done to try to create genetically modified mosquitoes, with immune systems that have pumped-up malaria-killing abilities. The key would be to find a genetic drive mechanism—some factor that would give the new, malaria-fighting genes a selective advantage and help them spread quickly through wild mosquito populations via breeding. Another option would be to develop antibodies that can fight the parasites' early, mosquito-dwelling forms—and "feed" the antibodies to the insects via human blood. If we vaccinate humans with antibodies that target mosquito-stage malaria, those antibodies could be passed on to the mosquitoes when they feed on treated human blood. The problem right now is that the work is being done using a model parasite—a version of malaria adapted to rodents, rather than humans—and laboratory mosquitoes, which are often genetically different from their wild cousins. Studies done this way haven’t always reflected what happens in nature.

In Mercury Images, Remarkable Features in a Crater

NASA’s messenger spacecraft sent back 1,200 pictures of Mercury from last October. These pictures reveal 30% of Mercury’s surface that has never been seen close up before. Included in these pictures is a view of the second-largest crater on Mercury. They call this the Rembrandt basin and scientists claim that the terrain inside Rembrandt is pristine from the time of the impact about 3.9 billion years ago. Usually, these are covered by volcanic flows. However, Rembrandt’s terrain has formed into ridges and troughs and is unlike any other impact basin seen before in the solar system.




http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/05/science/space/05merc.html?ref=science

Climate and Energy Plans

In a press conference on Wednesday April 29th 2009, Dr Holdren talked about the measures for ways to fight global warming by using geo-engineering. According to Dr Holden, the strategy for climate change has not been efficient in the white house. The purpose of the geo-engineering is for emergency interventions to cool the atmosphere and was opposed by the secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere.

http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/09/science-adviser-lists-goals-on-climate-energy/?scp=3&sq=science&st=cse

To Fathom a Colony’s Talk and Toil, Studying Insects One by One

A University of Arizona researcher has been studying colonies of ants and bees. She tracks each creature individually to watch their behaviors and how they contribute to the colony. She discovered that the behaviors the ants exhibited were closer to Aesop's Grasshopper, rather than industrious ants. There is a great division of labor amongst all of them. In bees, she discovered that they leave "notes" behind that other bees can see. The bumblebees are also able to communicate in a "waggle dance"-something that resembles of figure 8. The communication of a bumblebee is the closet to symbolic language from any creature-execpt for humans.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/science/28prof.html?pagewanted=1&ref=science

Brain Music: Putting the Brain's Soundtrack to Work

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090424114646.htm

This article discusses the fact that brain waves can be "recorded" as musical notes and played back to the person, causing them to relax or become more focused. The music that is recorded is different for each persons brain. The compositions can be especially useful for first response federal agents, police, and fire fighters to combat the stress that inherently comes with their jobs. A group of first response fire fighters will be the first group to be tested as part of this project. If the project is a success we may soon see this become mainstream, which would help people be more productive at work and help people who have trouble sleeping or have jobs that require varying sleep patterns.

Swine Flu Update

The New York Times, April 29th, 2009, science section has a great article on the current swine flu virus that is affecting many people worldwide and which can possibly become a pandemic.  We have been hearing reports of Mexico as the main area of occurrence but cases has been reported in New York, California, Kansas, Texas, Indiana and Ohio. Cases have also been found in Canada, Israel, Spain, Scotland and New Zealand.  Viruses can mutate and evolve into different strains.  The United States has a drug called Tamiflu that is said can fight the virus, but pharmaceuticals companies are still being urged to continue their production of new drugs for new strains of the virus.  The public is being told to wash hands and clean surfaces that may be contaminated, since it is possible to contract the virus not only via airborne, but also by touching a surface and then touching the mouth or nose.

Reference: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/i/influenza/swine_influenza/index.html

---

Big savings on Dell XPS Laptops and Desktops!

How Global Warming Works

I ma worried about the effects of global warming. I have heard of so many negative outcomes if we do not remedy the problem. It can be confusing and scary at times. I found this article that explains what global warming is and how it is being affected. I thought it would be fair to know the facts as well as the consequences. Let us all learn about GLOBAL WARMING!

http://science.howstuffworks.com/global-warming4.htm

Methane Climate Shock Unlikely, Study Suggests

Catastrophic climate change due to a massive release of underwater and underground stores of methane= greenhouse gas, is less likely than previously thought, suggests new research. i am not certain if it is good news or bad. What was thought to be a contributing factor to the climate change may not be; one less factor to worry about. This also means that we moved one step backward by not knowing all that are causing the changes. This study is also published the journal Science.

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/04/24/methane-climate.html

Darwin’s Biography, His Research, Theory, And What He Did Not Know

This paper entitled "What Darwin Didn't Know" states that Charles Darwin (1809-1882), a naturalist, had a great vision of evolution when he made a 5-year naturalist trip to South America and saw signs that plants and animal species were not fixed and permanent.  It wasn't until twenty years after his trip, in the year 1859 that he published a book titled, "On The Origin Of Species" that detailed his theory on evolution.  He however knew that much more research needed to be conducted.  Darwin's work has had significant scientific relevance for more than 150 years.  His theory on evolution basically stated that, "all life is related, species change over time in response to natural selection and new forms replace those that come before."  Evolution is believed by many to be the way that biology works, and it is seen as the central organizing principle of life on earth.  Darwin's theory encompassed di scoveries made in geology, like the constant motion of continent, and in genetics, when the first fossilized ancient human called the "Neanderthal Man" was discovered.  The paper under review discusses Darwin's biography, his research, his theory, and what he didn't know.

 

Reference:      Hayden, Thomas. "What Darwin Didn't Know."  Smithsonian. Feb. 2009. vol. 39, issue 11, p. 40-48.

 

---

Big savings on Dell XPS Laptops and Desktops!

webquest

This is virtual knee surgery and is awesome, and enjoyable. The website edheads.com provides science lessons and science games for children. This game assists in the teaching of anatomy and is appropriate for grade 5 and above http://edheads.org/activities/knee/index.htm


_nick

Sonar Can Cause Temporary Deafness in Dolphins

This article taken from the New York Times explains the reason as to why dolphins may become temporarily deaf. It focuses on experiments done using sonar pings and different levels. The conclusion of the experiments proved that dolphins suffered hearing loss for at least 40 minutes after being exposed to the high levels of sonar pings. Although the experiment was proven, it was only consistent in those dolphins who ranged within 45 yards of the sonar source for several minutes.

Webquest:Apple Trees throughout the Seasons

Since I currently deal with Pre-K students at work, I chose this simple webquest. It is appropriate for their age and cognition. Although it is incomplete, it has enough to work with the children. It has a way to assess the students as well. The topic is something that the students are familiar with regardless of their background. It has many books suggestions related to the topic. It pertains to K-2 grade. Everyone has eaten an apple before in the classroom. Of course in the US

http://www.gis.net/~tweets/webquest/index.htm

Study Finds Pattern of Severe Droughts in Africa

'Global warming resulting from human-generated greenhouse gases is likely to exacerbate these droughts and there is an urgent need to bolster the resilience of African'

"390 million people in Africa living on less than $1.25 a day are smallholder farmers that depend on two things: rain and land,” Kevin Watkins, director of the office of Human Development Reports of the United Nations described in the article. The article details the regions in Africa that are and will continue to be affected by drought. Seemingly, these continents are not only impacted by poverty but natural disasters resulted from the lack of financial means. This article is very similar to the other one that I have posted earlier.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/17/science/earth/17drought.html?ref=science

Coral Fossils Suggest That Sea Level Can Rise Rapidly

I just thought I might post every single article that deals with the destruction of our planet. This article deals with the rise of the ocean from 6.5 to 10 feet with a span of 50 to 100 years. This sudden jump in sea level was able to be identified from coral fossils in Mexico. The article was also published in the journal Nature, as well as, the New York Times. Global warming is evident and scientists are urging people and government to do something abou it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/science/earth/16coral.html

Third-World Stove Soot Is Target in Climate Fight

If your salary was $2 a day, would climate change be you primary concern? Apparently, the brick huts, with a mud cookstove that are used to cook food in Asia and Africa is pouring soot into the atmosphere. A big source of black carbon is emitted in the atmosphere; also ranked second in the dissolution of the climate. This article is published in the New York Times. I thought it creates a conflict between starving to death or save the climate change.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/science/earth/16degrees.html

The Origin of The Land Under The Sea

This paper entitled "The Origin of The Land Under The Sea" states that submarine volcanic lava is responsible for the development of land under the sea.  Geophysicists performing research have determined that volcanoes form ridges all around the world.  These ridges are eventually pulled apart by the earth's crust.  The gap left after these ridges are pulled apart are then filled in with hot material or lava from deep within the earth's rocky interior leading to the development of land under the sea.  Researchers have tried to determine how the lava travels to the earth's surface and where it originates.  Some answers have been provided.  The interaction between solid rock and lava, and the examination of blocks of old seafloor that's now exposed has helped in providing these answers.  This can result in a good science project to demonstrate to students the entire process of land formation under the sea.

Reference:

 

Kelemen, Peter. B. "The Origin Of The Land Under The Sea."  Scientific American. Feb. 2009. vol. 300, issue 2, p. 52-57.

 

---

Save money by eating out! Find great dining coupons in your area.

Shark "Virgin Birth" Confirmed

This story taken from the National Geographic News in October 2008 includes the confirmation that certain mammals are able to fertilize their own eggs without the help of a mate. A shark in the Virginia Aquarium has proved that this was possible. Although the shark is not a survivor; before her death a DNA test was administered to find answers to questions that many had. The exam proved that the embryo only showed maternal genetic material. Scientists are trying to figure out the reason for self fertilization. Reproductive abnormalities are possible in a surviving embryo. Others might show signs of weak immune systems. Scientists do not know the actual cause of the mothers death but haven't ruled out her abnormal pregnancy.

A new Puzzle Challenges Math Skills

Ken Ken, is a new numerical logic puzzle from Japan. The name means loosely "cleverness squared". This game shares some properties with Sudoku. The game is based on logic challenge in which numbers are filled in the square of a grid. Follow the rules of the game, you may enjoy this game.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/09/arts/09ken.html

Disease in a warming climate

http://www.nature.com/news/2009/090409/full/news.2009.361.html


It seems that climate change can be the blame for a lot of different issues. The rise of infectious diseases is one of them. To say that the climate change is the sole reason for the rise is very unfair and studied enough. There are plenty of other reasons why diseases spread in the manner that they do. Some scientist feel it is not helpful putting the blame on climate control because it limits the work done to find out what is the true reason for a wide spread of different diseases.

Is Salt Nature's Antidepressant?

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090317-salt-antidepressant.html


This article speaks about how salt can possibly lead to a happy life. In a study conducted on mice, it was seen that mice with a low sodium intake seemed to be a little bit more depressed than mice who receive salt. This salt intake pertains to land animals, including humans. This does not give any of us an excuse to binge in salt because too much salt has other health risk factors. Studies will continued to see if the relation between salt and happiness is truly a link.

Bird With "Human" Eyes Knows What You're Looking At

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/04/090407-birds-human-eyes.html


This article spoke about a particular bird, the jackdaw, who has very similar eyes to the human. Dark pupils and very silvery irises. It is thought that the bird uses their eyes to communicate in the same manner as humans. We already knew that we as humans shared the ability to communicate with our eyes, but it was not known whether or not any other species can do the same thing. It is now known that this particular bird, the jackdaw, can do just that. The question remains if they can utilize what they understand about their eyes to interpret what we, humans, are thinking or communicating.

Origin of Land Under The Sea to be uploaded to BLOGSPOT

---

Save money by eating out! Find great dining coupons in your area.

Boxes to Save Penguin Chicks?

Penguins are finding it hard to survive in the warm climate of Africa. These African penguins are victims of predators.The kelp gulls are the most popular predator. These gulls work as a team to distract the penguins while the gulls steal and crack open the eggs taken. Their numbers have also decreased due to overfishing and polluted waters. Nesting boxes have been placed to encourage the penguins to reproduce as well as protect the penguins and its eggs. To find out more about these penguins, you may click on the link and watch the video.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/04/090402-southafrica-penguins-video-ap.html

Dissenter on Warming Expands His Campaign

Global warming is nothing to worry about according to Marc Morano. Mr Morano use to work for Senator James Inhofe, who is the leading Republican on the Environment and Public Works committee. I found this article interesting because it talks about how Mr. Morano is trying to debunk global warming and he has followers who also believe that global warming is a "scam".

I thought I would post this even though there is not much information in the article about why he thinks it is a scam it does post his website. In case anyone wanted to find out more information on it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/10/us/politics/10morano.html?ref=science

DNA Test Outperforms Pap Smear

This New York Times article discusses an eight year funded program that decreases the risk of cervical cancer amongst women. It also touches on matters of gynecology as well as outcomes of cervical cancer in third world countries due to the socioeconomic status of particular communities. Pap smears are annual exams administered to women by gynecologists to check for any signs of cervical cancer. It is believed that a DNA screen will be more efficient and administered less in finding these pre cancerous symptoms. However, the DNA screenings will also consist of a cervical scraping, but it is mixed with re-agents and read by a machine.To find out more about this topic, just follow the link below.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/health/07virus.html?ref=science

Saturns Largest Moon Bulges in the Middle

This article from the New York Times consists of information about the largest moon of Saturn. Scientists have discovered new information about Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. Although it was already known that the moon has sand dunes, lakes of liquid methane and a possibility of icy volcanoes, it is said that the shape of Titan is somewhat similar to that of earth. It is bulged at the middle and somewhat squashed near what would be the north and south poles. The rotation is similar to that of earth as is the similarity in shape. The same side of the moon is always faced toward Saturn. Scientists believe that the planets gravitational pull is the reason for the deformation of Saturn’s largest moon.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/science/space/07obtitan.html?_r=1

The giant orange moon Titan – larger than the planet Mercury – can be seen at upper right of this Hubble image of Saturn.

Public Policy That Makes Test Subjects of Us All

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/science/07tier.html?ref=science

As you've seen in the news today, new legislations are taking place in the food industry and restaurant chains to cut salt intake by half over the next decade. However, this article argues the other side to it, as what would happen if our body takes less salt that what is usually accustomed to. When testing for a theory, one must always see the two sides of the story. This is a lash against the antifat campaigns deriving today in NYC in order to stop obesity rates from increasing.

Answering Baseball’s What-Ifs

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/science/07diam.html?ref=science

This article is about answering questions about the decisions taken during a baseball game, considering what would have happened if the player didn't, for example, go for the sacrifice bunt. It states the importance of statistics, and questions the reliability of using simulations to prove the move was a success. Comparing simulations to humans is not the best conclusion to make, since humans, aside from computers, have emotions. If you love baseball, read this article!!!!!

Empire State Building Plans Environmental Retrofit

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/science/earth/07empire.html?ref=science

This article speaks about a new project in the Empire State Building, whereas it's going green!!!!! This goes in connection with Mayor Bloomberg's advances in making the city sustainable in times of environmental crisis. The Empire State Building wants to show an example through the advantages and successes of how an old building like itself can become sustainable. And the article mentions the changes wont be noticeable. This is good to point out especially when environmental studies is the hot topic these days.

Fear Lurks in Chile Volcano Shadow

Having heard about the Alaskian Volcano I came across another older information on Volcanoes. Volcanoes are becoming quite frequent in this era. Scientist beleives that the Chaiten Volcano erupted on May 2,2008 was inactive for 9,370 years. Three months after its eruption coats ofashes from the volcano continued to spread over nearby communities.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/10/world/americas/10chile.html

Concrete Is Remixed With Environment in Mind

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/31/science/earth/31conc.html?_r=1&ref=science

Concrete Is Remixed With Environment in Mind

This article talks about a concrete job on the new bridge above the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis. The bridge was built to replace one that collapsed in 2007 and killed 13 people. It is constructed almost entirely of concrete embedded with steel reinforcing bars, or rebar. The CO2 emissions associated with them are accounted for in electricity generation and steel making. They help reduce the concrete’s carbon footprint.

Boys and Girls Together, Taught Separetly in PS

This article is about a school where fifth graders ,boys and girls are separeted in their classrooms. Major, Blomberg gave freedom to the Principals to create single-sex classrooms. Some teachers and parents think that this new change has been helping to the children in term of behavior and academic development.

Room Change for Monday, March 30!!!

Hello Everyone,

This is just a (reminder) notice about Monday's session. We will not be meeting in the normal room. Instead we will be meeting in 2615 James Hall. 

The class will also be staring a bit later than usual. We will begin at 6:45 due to a class in session in the room at our normal start time.

Because of the late start, YOU CANNOT BE LATE! We will start the activity as soon as we are set up settled in the room.

See you there.

Vitamin D Deficiency May Lurk in Babies

The article talks about the above condition and a number of other diseases that may be due to Vitamin D deficient in breast milk. Doctors agrre that the breast milk is the best. However, research are now encouraging mothers to supplement breast feeding with Vitamin drops.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/26/health/research/26rick.html

Poison Gas May Produce Clean Energy

The world's largest dead zone, "The Black Sea" may be chock-full of life- sustaining energy. The influx of toxic waste from European countries have caused a decline of oxygen in the water. Subsequently, the creation of a high concentration of hydrogen sulfide, a poisonous gas, now exits in the water. Scientist beleive that if hydrogen is harvested from this poisonous gas, it could produce a new form of clean energy for Europe.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090324-black-sea-energy.html

Polluters, Beware: These Eco-Police Officers Are For Real

This article is from the NY Times and it talks about a group of police officers whose job are to check up and enforce environmental laws. They go to stores that have complaints against them as well as just stopping into to various places. There are only about 20 people on this force but they are real police. They can ticket and arrest people who are in violation of the law.

They investigate things such as stores selling undersized fish, businesses that have oils and noxious substances leaking onto the streets and even stores that refuse to take peoples bottle deposits.


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/nyregion/26ecocops.html?_r=1&ref=science&pagewanted=print

Scientist Examined Asteroid Remains

I forget to include the site.It is submitted below.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/science/space/26asteroid.html?ref=science

Scientist Examine Asteroid Remains

The article stated Scientist were able to track an asteroid on a collision course with earth, this was a first time phenomena. They watched it exploded in the atmosphere and were able to pick up remnants off the ground. This occured on Oct.5th,2008. Richard Kowalski spotted a white moving dot on his computer at an observatory on Mount Lemmon in Arizona. He sent the cooridinates to his colleagues at the Minor Planet Center at the Havard- Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. They all watched this explosion and was in awe at this sight.

Strange Particle Created

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090320-news-particle.html

An unexpected new subatomic particle has been discovered in Illinois' Fermilab atom smasher. Scientist beleives that this discovery may break all known rules for creating matter. The article drew my attention seeing that my final presentation is on the topic of Matter. This new particle is called Y (4140). Researchers are not sure what this particle is made of.

eMints National Center

These resources are useful for educators to use in theirs classrooms.http://www.emints.org/ethemes/index.shtr.

Say No to Drugs Webquest

http://www.hobart.k12.in.us/kaiserclass/no/intro.html

Welcome fellow deputies! Thank you so much for joining the force to help kids say no to drugs! Your help is very important to us. The more people we have to spread the word, the better chance we have to save young kids from the dangers of drugs! It is your mission to create a short slide show presentation that will be used to teach kids how and why to say no!

Chocolate Chip Cookies: To eat or not to eat!

http://collier.k12.fl.us/weblessons/cookiewq/index.htm

Description
"Hello! Let me introduce myself. I am Inspector Chips. I am on a mission, and I will need your help. It has come to my attention that "Chocolate Chip Cookies" may be harmful to your health... We need to work together as a team to gather clues that will lead us to facts and help us solve our mystery."

What's the Matter? WebQuest

This WebQuest is suitable for 2nd or 3rd Grade.Students have to investigate and conclude the reson for the changes in property of their Skating Rink. It was frozen ice, then the next day it was a pool of water, then the water disappeared. The students have a big skating competition coming up. Their coach told them to query this mystery before the big game.
http://questgarden.com/68/38/1/090321182414

Webquest: Health & Nutrition

Healthy Meals for a Healthy Life : http://www.slideshare.net/guest542f60/nutrition-webquest

This webquest promotes a healthy lifestyle for students. It requires students to come up with a nutrition plan for the week and then comment on if they followed it and what foods they did and did not like.

Mr. Sarvaris’ Web Quest of Knowledge and Power : http://www.teacherweb.com/NY/MassapequaHighSchool-AmesCampus/YouAreWhatYouEat/wqr2.stm

This webquest asked the students to look at an athlete with a "special situation", such as diabetes or being a vegetarian and take a nutrtion plan and make it work for their special situation while also providing the athlete with the nutrition he/she needs.

Webquest: Matter is no laughing matter

http://www.mcs.k12.nc.us/wq/labarre/matter/introduction%20and%20task.htm

This is a second grade Science and Language Arts WebQuest designed by Nicole LaBarre. Students have to find the defintion of matter. What in the world is matter?

Task:
It is up to YOU and YOUR PARTNER to find out! Put on your lab coats and get out your microscopes. You are on your way to earning your junior scientist awards. All you have to do is investigate three types of matter. Good luck and happy learning!

WebQuest: What's the Matter?

What’s the matter? WebQuest is for 1st and 2nd grade.

In this Webquest, the students have to investigate what is the matter with matter. The students become matter detectives and have to find answers.

This is the task:
You will become the "Matter Detective" and investigate the problem with the states of matter. The world is counting on you to put the states of matter where they belong. So put your coat and hat on and don't forget your spy glass and find out what is the matter with matter.

http://yorkcountyschools.org/mes/what's%20the%20matter%20webquest/index.htm

Webquest

Animal Adventures

http://www.rockwood.k12.mo.us/ellisville/firestone/habitatwq/index.html

Happy Habitats Travel Agency is sponsoring a contest for an all expense paid excursion to one of four habitats around the world. You are an animal that has always lived in a zoo and is interested in visiting your native home land. You task will be to investigate and learn about the habitat where your species originated. You will research information about body coverings, food, water and shelter. You will then create a diorama showing yourself enjoying the habitat you wish to travel to. Your project will be evaluated by the Happy Habitats Travel Agency to determine the contest winner. Good Luck!

This has been designed for first graders.





Butterfly Changes

http://www.rockwood.k12.mo.us/woerther/harmon/butterflywebquest/intro.html



Your task is to learn and explore how a butterfly changes from an egg to adult through metamorphosis. This particular webquest is designed for first graders as well and their task is as follows:

1. Learn the 4 stages of the butterfly's life cycle.
2. Explore different web pages to learn about the different stages of metamorphosis.
3. Write complete sentences that explain each stage of the life cycle in the butterfly journal. Illustrate each stage in your journal.
4. In the back of your journal, write a story telling the class where your butterfly flew away to live.

Properties of Matter- WebQuest

This webquest is suitable for a 4th Grade Class. IT looks at the Staes of Matter, ice, water and air. Human beings are made of matter. All living and non-living things are made of matter. The differrent links put students on a journey in the world of "matter".
http//questgarden.com/76/51/3/090211142216/process.htm

Webquest

Building a New Habitat

http://teacherweb.com/IN/PNC/DSAZooHabitatWebQuest/index.html

This webQuest is for students to work on in groups of three and each student would be given specific roles (zoologist, contractor,and researcher) to create a presentation. The objective is to choose an animal that's not in the San Diego Zoo and research about the animal so that students can create a realistic and natural habitat for the animal.

Light+ Water+Temperature = a Beautiful Plant?

http://teachers.emints.org/FY04/colemang/plantexpwebquest/index.html

This webQuest is for fifth graders to create an experiment to see which houseplant is best to grown at a school setting and what specific locations. I really liked this webQuest because it incorporates research, observation, scientific method, thinking skills, hands-on work, and creativity.

WebQuests: "Head in the Clouds" and "Weather"

http://questgarden.com/78/48/0/090319053859/index.htm
This webquest is titled "Head in the Clouds". It asks for children to assume the role of a meteorologist, where they must present to the rest of the class the different type of clouds. They are to research links provided in the webquest. In the end, they provide the class with a PowerPoint and lecture, and give them a study sheet on the important terms to know.
This webquest helps children assume the role of the teacher, and how it is to teach on clouds. However, this can only be effective if they have been exposed to using PowerPoint. It doesnt really ask them for measurements, or collecting any data-- this is just for mere presentation skills.

http://questgarden.com/73/22/1/081118131437/index.htm
In "Weather", children are weather reporters, and they must report the forecast of an assigned city. Links are provided so they don't get lost navigating the web, and worksheets are given so they keep track of their data. Here, students will graph the weather over a period of ten days. then they will gather the information and present to the rest of the class.
Children must be exposed to weather and temperature before doing this webquest. It can help them on their presentation and organization skills. It's a long task-- thus the teachers must make sure chikldren are on the right track of completing this project.

Matter is no laughing matter! Webquest

http://www.mcs.k12.nc.us/wq/labarre/matter/index.htm

This webquest is designed for 2nd grade students to learn the different types of matter. It is interdisciplinary, combining both science and language arts skills. It requires the children to find and write about different types of matter in their classroom, while working in pairs. It uses "circle maps" as a teaching tool, as well as a computer program called "Kid Pix," which must be a drawing program because it asks children to draw what they see. The evaluation rubric was clear and simple, easy for second graders to use by themselves.

Generally, it was easy to use, but the links were hard to read because they were yellow against a gray background.

Web Quests

http://teacherweb.com/IN/PNC/SBriggsWebQuest/index.html
The first web quest that I accessed was called “The Lost Food Pyramid”. This site was very easy to access, especially since it was geared for grades K-2. It was very colorful and the pictures made it easy to navigate. The students had to build their own food pyramid based on information provided by the teacher. I feel that this would be very effective to create students who are conscious of healthy food choices. This is allowing students to make decisions about what healthy goods they feel are best to focus on in the pyramid. The students will also be developing ways to encourage other students to make healthy choices when eating.

http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/education/projects/webquests/quilts/
The second web quest I found was called “A Stitch in Time”. It focuses on creating a new historical quilt for the Museum of Natural History in regards to African, Amish, and Native American quilting patterns. This site is also very easy to naviagte and geared towards children in grades 3-5. This project seems a lot more interesting since it is interdisciplinary. It is focusing on history and art patterns in history. I really enjoyed this web quest because even in college I enjoyed looking at quilting patterns of the past. This is a great way to foster creativity in a group project. I feel that this project would be very effective. It is allowing students to use their creativity to create history in their own eyes. I feel that many classes would enjoy doing a project like this one.

The Magic of Matter Webquest

http://www.ripley.k12.oh.us/lindnert/MatterWebquest/matter.html

In this webquest, the children learn about matter. They learn about the different types of matter and how to classify it.

I thought this webquest was rather difficult to navigate because the directions weren't very clear. The teacher might have given the students more directions in class or in a handout.

Let's fly away! Butterfly webquest

This butterfly webquest was really nicely laid out. It has many links to find the information that the students would need.

For this webquest the students work in groups, decide what type of butterfly they want to be and then create a webpage, PowerPoint or a poster that shows the information they have obtained.

http://www.newton.k12.ks.us/tech/butterfly.html

Where In The Weather Am I?

Where in the Weather am I? This is a webquest about weather in different regions of the United States. This webquest is for kids in grades 3-5. The children work 3 in a group. Each child has a job, the navigator, the reporter and the data keeper.

The kids read the letters to find out what state Floyd Flood is in and then learn information about the weather for that particular region.


http://euphrates.wpunj.edu/courses/ciee_611/lovell/lesson-template1.htm

Solar System WebQuest

Although I tried to stick with my topic of energy, I couldnt resist this topic of the Solar System for more reasons than one. The object is for the student to become an astronaut and search the nine planets in our solar system. The task includes;

• collecting data from each planet.
• choosing a favorite planet.
• sending a cyber postcard to an earthling.

However, before the last step of sending a cyber postcard to an earthling is completed. Students must not forget to report into Mission Control (the teacher). The information collected should consist of the following;

• The order the planet is from the sun.
• Does the planet have any moons?
• If yes, how many moons does it have?

The children must be sure to remember to take turns with their partner in order to have equal access and contribution to the assignment. immediately following is the link for the "Solar System WebQuest"

http://home.mchsi.com/~dlwantuch/

Electric Energy WebQuest

What is a web quest?
A web quest is a learning based activity used by educators. All of the information gathered by the students is taken from the World Wide Web. I came across a web quest titled "Electric Energy."

I chose this site because this is the topic in which my group is working on for our lesson plans. Although there are many forms of energy, Electric Energy is very popular as well as important in our everyday lives. This web quest is proving just that. The task of this web quest is to research Electrical Energy use in the 1740's and compare it with the use of electrical energy in the 1990's using the Internet.Specific information was given to be researched such as;

• You will find out what happened when Ben Franklin flew a kite in a thunderstorm.


• You will discover what homes were like in the 1740s. What kinds of energy did they have?
  


• You will create dioramas of a home in the 1740s and a home in the 1990s.
  


• You will use magazines to find pictures of things that need electricity to operate.

The process is for the web quest is very specific and laid out in and organized fashion. It is to be done with a partner and can be chosen from a list of various character's.

The assessment includes the children now taking the role of the teacher and sharing the information gathered. The focal point being on the differences of the 1740's and 1990's. Immediately following is the link for the web quest titled"Electric Energy."


http://www.nashua-plainfield.k12.ia.us/projects/karen/

WEBQUESTS

Clement Pisnoy ED 38 3/22/09

A webquest is a learning activity that is commonly used by people in the field of education. Webquests are internet links that direct you to a webquest site, which, in turn, involves activities like role playing, research, and experiments. According to Wikipedia, a webquest is an "inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the Internet, optionally supplemented with videoconferencing." Learners using webquests generally work in cooperative groups. Each learner is given an active role to play.

An example webquest URL is: http://www2.franciscan.edu/Webquests/weather/
This webquest is titled "A WEATHER INVESTIGATION"
This webquest makes students choose a camp in Ohio, which they will attend four times a year and they must complete the webquest in order to determine what types of clothing and what type of weather will happen during a particular month. The webquest also involves the creation of a poster,which contains the following information:

1. Average High and Low of temperature
2. Record High and Low of temperature
3. Average precipitation
4. Record precipitation
5. Types of severe weather possible
6. Hours of daylight for the day in the month
7. Clothes needed for camp

After the poster is made, the students make an artistic representation of themselves performing a camp activity and the weather for that day.

The webquest involves 3 people:

1. Navigator: controls the keyboard and mouse
2. Recorder: records the data found
3. Reader: reads information from computer and other sources

WEBQUEST 2

http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/education/projects/webquests/paper/navbar.htm

PAPER OR PLASTIC

The webquest is about recycling, where the students make a poster that promotes recycling. Students take on the roles of for or against paper or plastic, and learn more about re-usable resources.

Butterfly

http://its.guilford.k12.nc.us/webquests/butterfly/monarch.htm

This websquest is more of an introduction as to what butterflies are. After doing this webquest children will be able to answer simple questions such as : Is a butterfly an insect? Is a butterfly the same as a moth? Do butterflies live everywhere in the world? They will also learn fascinating facts about one of nature's most colorful creatures. One thing that I liked about this website is that a lot of the information the class will need to know has to be found on the internet. This gives students the oppurtunity to learn how to use the different resources provided. This webquest also correlates well with a literacy lesson because at the end of it the children will be able to write a poem about butterflies.

Metamorphosis- Discovering the life cycle of a butterfly

http://its.guilford.k12.nc.us/webquests/butterflies2/butterflies.htm

With this webquest chi;dren will learn and explore how a butterfly comes to life through "Metamorphosis". They will learn the 4 stages of the butterfly's life cycle and will be able to answer questions about each stage of the life cycle. With the help of graphic organizers and other visual aids, students will have a good time recreating the step-by-step processes of a butterflies life.

Robot Fish to Detect Ocean Pollution

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090320-robot-fish-video.html

Scientists will soon relese a robot fish modeled after a carp into the waters of Northern Spain to collect data on pollution and transmit this information back to the research center. This robot fish will set of in 2011, but as of right now it is still "swimming" in the London Aquarium. The fish will detect hazards such as chemical spills and fertiler runoffs, and will allow officials to understand the impact pollution has on the water in the area. The scientists also want to make sure that the robot fish is not mistaken for prey by other fish, or that it does not disrupt the natural environment in the water.

Daily Temperature Webquest

http://www.my-ecoach.com/project.php?id=10496&project_step=17028

The Students work in groups of three and will compare the temperature in their city as the day goes by, by checking it online starting at 8:00 A:M. Than a different member of a group checks the weather conditions at 12:00, and finally the third member checks the weather at 3:00. In this webquest, the students not only learn about using the internet, but the also learn about how temperature changes throughout the day.

The Quest For The Moon

http://www.geocities.com/computer8teacher/index.html
This webquest will help students learn about the size and weight of the moon, its orbital period, the phases of the moon, the theories of the origin of the moon. The students will also theorize if there is any ice or water on the moon.

Weather Webquest

http://davidson.k12.nc.us/webquests/weather/weather.htm

This webquest if very interactive for students. It requires students to visit website on local weather for five days in order to observe weather patterns. Students also observe cloud formation, national weather and climate. Students must graph their data on spreadsheets, which allows them to experience different programs.

A Weath Investigation

http://www2.franciscan.edu/Webquests/weather/

This webquest allows students to see how weather changes during different months. It also demonstrates to students that weather is always changing, as they have to discover record temperatures and precipitation.

Weather Watch: Searching for Home Insurance

http://questgarden.com/46/32/5/070206083643/

In this webquest, students will act as insurance agents. They will research weather threats (tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, etc.) and where they occur in the United States in order to develop an idea of what type of insurance should be recommended to customers based on where they live.

Weather Warning!

http://j.torbit.home.mchsi.com/weather/index.htm
(3rd grade)
This WebQuest will serve as the culminating activity for a weather thematic unit. This way, the children can connect their previous weather knowledge with an understanding about how weather can drastically affect people’s lives.
Through this WebQuest, students will present a newscast. They will pretend it is the day of a weather disaster. The children are expected to work together to create a newscast to teach the other students about their weather event.

"The Butterfly Life Cycle" Webquest

"The Butterfly Life Cycle"

All living things have a life cycle. During some animal's life cycle, there isn't much change. A butterfly is an animal that changes many times. A butterfly changes four times or has four stages of life. This WebQuest will help you discover the four stages of a butterfly's life.

"The Four Seasons" Webquest

"The Four Seasons"

This WebQuest is for first grade students to learn about the four different seasons and what kind of weather happens in different seasons. Grades K-2

'Brain decline' begins at age 27

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7945569.stm

Although I tend to agree that brain decline begins at an earlier age than previously thought, to think that it begins at age 27 is absolutely terrifying. Our brains, like our bodies, should be in their prime during our 20s and to find out that our minds "dwindle" before the age of 30, is really a frightening thought.

The studies being done are showing that doing brain exercises such as puzzles and tests of brain speed help slow the aging process.

Thwarting Tree Poachers

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/39402/title/Thwarting_Tree_Poachers


According to this article, the earth’s tree cover helps store carbon dioxide and moderate ground temperatures. We know that because of the increase in green house gases trees are important to maintaining the earth’s temperature. It has been known that for years people are cutting down forests to provide the demand for the wood. Many trees are being destroyed at enormous rates and something needs to be done to protect the trees. The article states that “a new U.S. regulation that went into effect earlier this week has the potential to dramatically dampen trade in those poached trees”. There is the Lacey Act which protects certain species from being poached and traded. When this Act was originally signed it was only designated for wild life and game. In the years that it has been in affect (over 108 years), it has was amended to prohibit interstate or international importation of protected or illegally gained species.

Roadkill GPS Navigation System to Protect Animals

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090311-roadkill-GPS.html

A new technology in Australia can help car owners avoid accidents, and not harm the wildlife population in the are by installing what researchers are calling the "roadkill GPS system." This system can be installed in cars, and can be used like a regular GPS device, expect it alerts the motorists when they are approaching roadkill spots. Technologists are currently negotiating with car rental companies to install this device in their cars, because they believe it would limit the amount of dead animals in the area.

A Better Battery? The Lithium Ion Cell Gets Supercharged

Two researchers have developed battery cells that can charge up in less time than it takes to read my short article summary. The work could eventually produce ultra-fast power packs for everything from laptop computers to electric vehicles. Reachers have found a way to get a common lithium compound to release and take up lithium ions in a matter of seconds. The compound, which is already used in the electrodes of some commercial lithium-ion batteries, might lead to laptop batteries capable of charging themselves in about a minute.

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=better-battery-lithium-ion-cell-gets-supercharged

Moon-Smashing Probes: Are the Data Worth the Damage?

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090306-moon-crash-nasa.html

NASA scientists a new moon smashing mission, which is becoming known as a decade long tradition. This is being done for future lunar exploration, to determine if there is reservoirs of ice on the moon. Scientists warn that any time you hit the moon with such severe impact, the impact would obviously causes damage and when you hit it so many times. However, lunar sample experts disagree, and say that meteors crash at around 15 miles a second, ten times more any human impact, which wreaks a lot more havoc on the lunar surface. Also because the moon has no athmosphere, the debris won't move around and contaminate anything.

New Assignment

Prof.

You indicated in your email that we should let you know by 4/6/09 about the method of presentation we would like to use for the latest assignment. Did you mean 3/6/09 and if so, is the assignment due on 3/9/09?

Andy Frederick

"Power Struggle"

http://www.popsci.com/node/24984

“Power Struggle” was an article written by Seth Fletcher. This article is about Chevrolet producing a new vehicle that runs on a battery. This battery weighs in at 400 lbs and is 6 feet long. It has 300 individual three volt lithium ion cells that are bundled together. The battery is one of the best technological advances in electrical storage equipment ever engineered. This battery has the power to go 40 miles before it runs out of energy.

-Regina Flit.

Sticky Fingers Leaves Credible Biometric Evidence

Stick Fingers

Sticky fingers leaves credible biometric evidence is the subject of the how humans and animals develop fingerprints, use fingerprints, and leave fingerprints behind as markers in places that they touch. The article discusses research done to legitimize its uniqueness and how it has become one of most widely use method to identify individuals. Other biometric identification methods like dental records, iris scans, DNA or genetic markers, face and gait recognition are mentioned. The author also touches on the changes in the structure of fingerprints and how different diseases can affect this structure, but still not affect its uniqueness from individual to individual. This article provides interesting material which can be very exciting to youngsters and which can be taught in interesting ways ¾for example, it can be introduced to elementary students via a detective fact finding mission, so that they are encourage to participate and learn about the subject as they are involved in the activity. I suggest you take a look at this article.

Reference: Judson, Olivia. "Sticky Fingers." Natural History. Dec. 2008 /Jan. 2009. Vol. 117, Iss. 10, p. 16-20.

---

Access 350+ FREE radio stations anytime from anywhere on the web. Get the Radio Toolbar!

UPDATE on The Global Fish Crisis

I forgot to add the source of the information.  Here it is below:

Montaigne, Fen.  Global Fish Crisis.  National Geographic, Apr. 2007, vol. 211, issue 4, p. 42-69.

---

Access 350+ FREE radio stations anytime from anywhere on the web. Get the Radio Toolbar!

A Global Fish Crisis - The Giant Bluefin Tuna

I read an interesting article which reports on the devastating ecological effects of overfishing around the world.  I thought I would share its content with you since it deals with the near extinction of one of the world's great wonders in the animal kingdom of which we are all part of.  We've seen the extinction of the dinosaur and many other creatures, and wonder what it would be like to see these animals and have them be part of our ecosystem.  The article focuses on the giant bluefin tuna and its rare structural attributes, like its buttered belly meat, that makes it one of the most attractive catch to serve as suchi and steak in the Japan, American and European markets.  Other species also suffer or have suffered the same fate, example, the cod, the swordfish and sharks.  Bycatches are also caught in nets and left to suffocate and then dumped.

Fishermen use strategies that involve the use of fleets of purse-seine boats and spotter aircrafts to locate and haul in millions of tuna.  Additionally, tuna ranches are20springing up all over the Mediterranean, where bluefin tuna are caught and transferred to coastal sea cages, fed oily fish to give their flesh a high fat content greatly prized in Japan.  They are then killed offshore, and frozen.  The spread of tuna ranching also mean that bluefin are being wiped out at all stages of their life cycle.  Japanese companies stockpile thousands of tons in giant freezers.  The result of these events is that an "ecological and economic suicide" is being committed leading to the depletion of the ocean's bluefin tuna, shark, cod, haddock, sea bass, hake, red snapper, orange roughy, grouper, grenadier, sturgeon, plaice, rockfish, and skate among other species.  Governments have done little to alleviate these situations and this global fish crisis continues.

---

Access 350+ FREE radio stations anytime from anywhere on the web. Get the Radio Toolbar!

In a Lonely Cosmos, a Hunt for Worlds Like Ours

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/science/03kepl.html?_r=1&ref=science

A spacecraft called Keplar will orbit around the sun in search for planets like ours, in hopes of finding life and making contact with various planets. Keplar is set to take off this Friday. Even if Keplar comes up empty handed, the results will still be there, says one researcher, because that will mean the Earth is really rare, and we might be the only species of life in the universe. Scientists are ready for any surprises that Keplar brings at them in its discovery.

CLASS CANCELLED - MARCH 2ND

The title says it all. Be safe and stay warm.

Assignments are still due. A new assignment will be posted/emailed shortly.

EAP

class?

Hey!! Will there be class tonight?

Car Crashes to Please Mother Nature

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/02/arts/television/02twen.html?ref=science


"24" has decided to go green. The hit Fox television series is now trying to do their part in helping control the amount of carbon dioxide emissions. The show is known for its adventure, story line, and the amount of car crashes that happen. The cast and crew have all planned to help lower the amount of carbon dioxide the show emits in the air by making personal sacrifices, for example, viewing scripts electronically and driving hybrid vehicles from and to the sets. Its a step forward towards slowing down global warming. I wonder how many more shows will follow suit?