New Jason Project

Do you having a budding scientist that you are attempting to guide, but you feel lost? Check out the Jason Project. This is a fabulous resource brought to you by National Geographic. The Jason Project offers 3 units. First is Operation: Resilient Planet. It takes students to Earth's critical ecosystems to investigate nature’s strategies for regeneration, learn ecosystem management, and understand their responsibility for protecting our ecological future.Operation: Monster Storms transports the student to the center of Earth's most extreme weather events.And Jason's newest unit is Operation: Infinite Potential - understand the types, forms, and transformation of energy and our global dependence on energy resources to shape an effective strategy for the future.

These units are available for purchase - but you can download the units in PDF, or even better in my opinion, you can use the Jason Project Online Versions for FREE. All you need is to create a free online account and you have full access to these units.

Some of the highlights from the free, online interactive curriculum in the Operation: Infinite Potential Mission Center includes:

• Full-color versions of the Operation: Infinite Potential student edition, with images, diagrams, animations and videos
• Interactive games and digital labs, like Coaster Creator, that let students experience real science in the classroom
• Online extensions and resources to customize your use of Operation: Infinite Potential in the classroom
• A Digital Library allows searching for resources by state standard and subject matter
• Biographies of the Team Members, including Host Researchers and Argonauts
• An online community with message boards, live researcher chats, and online science projects.

 

Blogging Can Be Hard!

Blogging can be hard work. For awhile I was going strong, but have faded in recent months. Now it is time to ramp things up a bit. With ideas abounding for the next school year I should be able to find some great web based educational applications.

Flash Graphic of the Building of the International Space Station

Here is a link to a flash graphic of the building of the international space station.
http://i.usatoday.net/tech/graphics/iss_timeline/flash.htm

Hands On Science Projects

If you have kids that enjoy building and creating check out Science Toys you can Make With Your Kids. There is something for everyone here with clear, simple instructions. Many of the projects will involve buying so basic supplies at a hardware store, but there isn't anything too expensive needed. I will have to see which one the kids would like to try, but I was interested by the, "Make a Solar Cell in Your Kitchen."

Here is a list of the projects available:

Online Applications for Biology

Biology in Motion is a growing collection of interactive learning activities for biology.A couple of samples are:

I can see lots of future biology fun! 

Thanks D. Gregg for the tip.

(Oh and it is FREE)

More Great Science Experiments

Thanks to Tess, a commenter on this blog, who pointed out another great resource for science experiment ideas. Steve Spangler Science, which is an online science supply store, has a whole section of their website devoted to science experiments. One that caught my eye was the Seven Layer Density Column.

Many of the experiments have a video demonstrating the experiment as well as related experiments.

The Winnie the Pooh Guide to Blogging

Do you blog but no one seems to read it? Do you feel there is no one listening?  Or perhaps your kids are blogging and feel this way. If so check out The Winnie the Pooh Guide to Blogging. It is a cute article that may get you thinking in a new way.