Pluto used to be the ninth planet in the solar system. For a while it was the eighth planet. Now Pluto has been demoted and is no longer a planet at all.You can read the official announcement made in 2006 and see that there are three criteria for planethood,… Continue reading
April 12th is Yuri’s Night, the anniversary of the first human spaceflight, and April 12th, 2011, is the 50th anniversary of the flight. We know you’re not in your classroom tonight, but we think you can kick off a celebration that lasts till Earth Day. Yuri Gagarin was a… Continue reading
One topic engineers often work with now is renewable energy. Look at some of the types of renewable energy available and how engineers work to harness that energy for people to use. Some online resources about different types of energy: A simple information and worksheet page about different forms of… Continue reading
What is an earthquake? An earthquake is movement of the earth that causes shaking and rolling of the earth. This is generally the result of movement of the tectonic plates of the earth, though some recent quakes where I live have, some say, been caused by unsafe methods of… Continue reading
All of the things we make are made from materials of one kind or another. Sometimes they’re made from raw materials, and sometimes we have to make the materials first before we can make objects from them. The science of materials at its simplest is suitable for preschool classes,… Continue reading
Engineering for k-12? It’s not that wild an idea, especially with math and engineering magnet schools springing up around the country. Engineers are problem solvers who use math, science, and creativity to make things work better. These are skills we’ll all find useful in the 21st century. As it happens,… Continue reading
Learn about Greek mythology and the earth science explanation of the seasons by studying the story of Persephone, the goddess of spring. In Greek mythology, Demeter was the goddess of the harvest. She had a daughter, Persephone, whom she loved dearly. As Persephone grew up, she became so lovely that… Continue reading
Jump!, by Scott M. Fischer, is fun any time of year, but we see it as a great choice for the beginning of school, when we all have to get used to getting up and getting going again. The book shows one creature after another sleeping or going about its… Continue reading
March 31st is the birthday of Robert Wilhelm Eberhard von Bunsen, so it’s also Bunsen Burner Day. Bunsen was a modest, sensible man who did plenty of important scientific work in addition to inventing the Bunsen Burner. The big deal about the Bunsen Burner is that it mixes the fuel gas… Continue reading
Christina Rossetti wrote, “Who has seen the wind? Neither you nor I,” but understanding the wind is essential to understanding weather. March is a traditional time to study about the wind. With young children, kites and other wind-powered toys are a great way to introduce the topic. Here are some links… Continue reading
