Ruxz_M-rbu5hJUPoenSULdy6Wzk The Science of My Life

Monday, January 15, 2024

Freezing Bubbles- Winter Science

We are experiencing subfreezing temperatures in Southern Idaho this week.  Usually this time of year we spend skiing, but I just don't handle negative windchill temps anymore.   So in the last days of my holiday break,  I'm trying some new winter science experiments.  Today is all about Freezing Soap Bubbles.   You can find great instructions and tips online,  so my suggestion is to try it out!  Have a helper with you so they can capture the freezing crystals before the bubble pops.   This experiment takes patience and no wind.  Good luck!!  

https://www.steampoweredfamily.com/activities/creating-the-perfect-frozen-bubble/#Instructions

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Breakout Edu Live Events

Breakout Edu school kits are great team building  activities.   The games are designed for groups to solve puzzles and challenges,  and eventually get the physical cases open.   Right now the company is providing daily puzzles and a chance to win prizes for classrooms and homes.   These are short and fun topics that families can engage in. 

https://www.breakoutedu.com/

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Idaho Codes and IPTV Partnership

I am copying the email/post we received from our local school district.  I am grateful for all the STEM opportunities that our families can pursue.   It looks like they are offering free curriculum to the first 1000 students that sign up.  Maybe that will be lifted during the stay at home orders.  


IDAHO CODES
Idaho Codes is a collaboration between the State of Idaho, Idaho Technology Council, local businesses, and Code to Success that offers an online web development program for the students in Idaho. By introducing computer science principles that can be learned at home or in the classroom, we prepare students to work remotely with the skills to embrace the digital economy.
Idaho Codes provides access to all Jr. High and High School students during COVID-19 and beyond with the mission to utilize coding as a relevant skill for the challenges of tomorrow. Idaho Codes is opening a pathway for students in Idaho to improve their future.

Friday, April 10, 2020

Easter Eggs and Natural Dyes

There are so many ways to bring science into your homes, especially during holidays.  This fun graphic explains how you can color Easter eggs with natural dyes!   Hold the line by following guidelines about social distancing!


Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Signs of Spring and Journey North

This morning on a short walk (nearby, with just my dogs), I noticed tulips and daffodils starting to bloom.   Their bright colors reminded me of one of my all-time favorite sites for Citizen Science.  Journey North is a wonderful resource that focuses on migratory behaviors of animals large and small (literally gray whales to hummingbirds), and plant life cycles as well.  It has a fabulous collection of maps, reporting prompts, and activities for families, classes, and communities.  You can report when you see tulips emerging and blooming, butterflies migrating through your neighborhood, or birds of prey returning to nesting sites.   It teaches geography, global climate and planting zones, and all kinds of lessons in migration.   There is a section for educators and that is all of us!

https://journeynorth.org/
https://maps.journeynorth.org/map/?map=tulips-spring&year=2020

This picture was taken a few years ago...it's a beautiful day today!!



Monday, April 6, 2020

CSI Herrett Center Reptile Revue

I have loved the virtual museum, zoo, and aquarium tours streaming to our laptops.  I think the Georgia Aquarium set the bar high when they broadcast their penguins out for a walk to visit all the other exhibits.  For the time being,  we are being invited to places large and small to learn about unique ecosystems and species.

As I checked the Georgia Aquarium site today for updates, I found a delightful reference and invitation to practice Mindfulness while watching some of their webcams.  Yes, please!!

https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/mindfulness/

At CSI we have a great team that manages the Herrett Center and Centennial Observatory.  Tomorrow, they are hosting their popular Reptile Revue remotely.  Search @HerrettCenter for their Facebook Live event tomorrow at 4 PM MST

Teachers and parent-teachers, I want to point out the Educator Guide on their website.  I look forward to visiting again soon!   https://herrett.csi.edu/index.asp


Sunday, April 5, 2020

Letterboxing while you socially distance...scavenger hunt hiking!

I have been an avid letterboxer for over 10 years.  I have dragged family, friends, and strangers on these deliberate hunts in all kinds of places.  Sometimes it has been a wild goose chase (in Lake Tahoe and on the shore of Puget Sound, and southeast Alaska to name a few memorable hunts) but most of the time, we find a hidden box right where the clues lead us.  The small containers have a stamp and a logbook for finders to document their success.  These boxes are hidden in plain site all over the world, and I have loved discovering new places as I follow the directions.  They are placed on tops of mountains, and underneath park benches.  They are NOT supposed to be left in national parks or other restricted areas, but they are near entrances in West Yellowstone and other popular tourist destinations. 

You can find clues using a variety of apps and websites, but I stick with
https://www.atlasquest.com/
http://letterboxing.org/

Look up your area and see if anyone has hidden a box to find.  Geocaching is related, but I like the no-tech features of letterboxing.  As you safely explore the world around you, enjoy a new hobby!  It is so fun!