Category: science
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Excellent Videos on Hawaii Volcanos to Share with Students
I love YouTube and specifically having YouTube on our family AppleTV. Last night I discovered a series of excellent videos on YouTube about the recent spike in volcanic activity in Hawaii on the Big Island on YouTube, and I’ll share three of the best ones. Since Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park closed on Friday (May 11,…
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Learning at the March Oklahoma STEM Consortium Meeting
This afternoon for lunch and after lunch, I had the wonderful opportunity to join our 6th and 7th grade science teachers at the bi-monthly meeting of the Oklahoma STEM Consortium facilitated by Anissa Angier (@AnissaSmiles). Anissa is the “K12 STEM Instructional Facilitator” for Edmond Public Schools, and has been helping organize and lead this group…
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Lessons Gleaned from the Life of Joseph Priestley
Tremendous benefits await those who generously share their ideas with others. Leaders should not shy away from the challenges of developing professional expertise in multiple domains. Regular collaboration and networking over excellent food and drink can prepare the mind as a fertile field for the cultivation of life-changing thoughts. New technologies can present novel opportunities…
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Backyard Astronomy Laser and iPhone App
This evening I ordered the “Z-Bolt Extreme Temp Green Laser (14° ~122°F – Constant On/Off)” online for $108. I based this purchase primarily off this 2006 review of another Z-Bolt astronomy laser, the recent article for Sky and Telescope, “Some Pointers on Using Laser Pointers,” and some other online reviews which recommended getting a laser which works in…
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Inspired by Ashley Vance’s Biography of Elon Musk
Elon Musk (@elonmusk) is not only an inspiring and fascinating person, he’s also one of the most important entrepreneurs of our times who is combining technology with hard work and engineering smarts to solve some extremely challenging problems we face as a human race. Today I finished listening to the biography of Elon Musk by Ashlee Vance (@valleyhack)…
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Interactive App and Software Options for Human Anatomy Classes
One of the science teachers at my school recently asked me to do some research on available apps as well as hardware/software options for interactively demonstrating and teaching human anatomy to students. Here’s what I emailed him tonight: I’ve done some research about app options for human anatomy / dissection and this is what I’ve…
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Amazing Animated Space Films: Wanderers and New Horizons
Videos about space have been some of my favorite things to share with 4th and 5th grade STEM students the past two years. Yesterday I added several new space video links to my STEM curriculum “Curiosity Links” page, which my friend Bill Casebeer shared with me this weekend. The first is a short film (just under 4 minutes…
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Inspirational STEAM Video by Janna Levin
This week for our first 10 minute “curiosity links” time in STEM class this semester, I’m sharing the video, “Janna Levin: I’m Still That Same Kid. It’s part of the series NOVA’s Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers. Janna’s description of how she felt challenged growing up because she loved BOTH art and science makes this a…
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2015 Classroom Challenge: STEM Curiosity Links
As 2014 draws to a close and we look forward to what 2015 will bring, I’d like to share a simple and fun classroom challenge with you: STEM Curiosity Links. For the past two semesters, I’ve made a point of sharing several STEM “curiosity links” with my students at least once per week. On days I share…