There has been growing criticism that K-12 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education in the United States is insufficiently preparing students for college and the workforce. Teachers interested in revamping their curriculum with live demonstrations of scientific phenomena may wish to consider demonstrating basic principles of physics and chemistry by making a lemon battery [...]
Archive for the ‘Chemistry’ Category
DIY Makers Bring Neuroscience Research to Everyone
Posted by ginac on December 2nd, 2011
Enterprising engineers and graduate students are creating low-cost devices and methods for conducting basic neuroscience research. Using iPads, apps, blue LEDs, and other off-the-shelf items from Radio Shack, products like Backyard Brains are cropping up to support the DIY biology hacking movement. Building affordable scientific instruments is perhaps the biggest hurdle to accessible research in [...]
Posted in Biology, Chemistry, Electronics, Make, Science, technology 
Tags: backyard brains, Biology, DANA Foundation, DIY, hacking, Makers, Neuroscience 
Comments OffQuantum Camp Teaches Advanced Calculus and Physics to Homeschoolers
Posted by ginac on November 4th, 2011
An ambitious summer camp and tech school for homeschoolers in Mountain View, California, is fast becoming a full-fledged mainstream school. At Quantum Camp, youngsters dive into advanced physics, math, and technology. The founders, of course, are physics and math experts. Ryan Nurmela taught entry-level physics as a lecturer at California State University, San Francisco and [...]
Immigrant Science Award Finalists Credit Attitudes
Posted by ginac on November 1st, 2011
Children of immigrants took 70 percent of the finalist slots in the 2011 Intel Science Talent Search Competition, an original-research competition for high school seniors. According to LiveScience.com, only 12% of Americans are foreign born, so statistically, “one would expect only one child of an Indian (or Chinese) immigrant parent every two and a half years [...]
Posted in Biology, Chemistry, Culture, Diversity, Eclectic Homeschooling, Physics, Science, social change, technology Tags: culture, family values, immigrants, intel science award, Science, science award, success, tolerance Comments OffHowtoons: Geeky Comics Show Kids How to Make Stuff from Household Items
Posted by ginac on February 26th, 2011
Howtoons is a comic-based website full of rich comic strips containing ingenious instructions on how to make things using basic science and engineering principles. Aimed at 8 to 12-year olds, Howtoons uses rich, colorful animation and a fun story to engage children’s natural interest in humor, comic strips, and having fun. Our youngster gravitated to the marshmallow [...]
Posted in Activities, Art, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Programming, Eclectic Homeschooling, Ecology, Environmental Conservation, Interdisciplinary, Make, Music, Physics, Science Tags: Arts, comic, Comic strip, Howtoons, Online 2 Comments »DIY: How to Extract DNA
Posted by ginac on July 29th, 2010
Juan Enriquez, Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Harvard Business School of Life Science Project, wrote a book entitled ‘As the Future Catches You: How Genomics and Other Forces Are Changing Your Life, Work, Health, and Wealth’. An excerpt from his book reads The dominant alphabet is rapidly becoming the language that codes for [...]
Posted in Activities, Biology, Chemistry, Experiments, Online Tools, technology Tags: DNA, genetics, Harvard, homeschool, Juan Enriquez, Learn.Genetics, Science, science experiments, University of Utah Comments OffSophisticated Science Gadget How-Tos on Scitoys.com
Posted by ginac on December 31st, 2009
Scitoys.com has an impressive array of science gadgets that kids and adults will enjoy making. The website even has an online store that sells everything you need to make some of the gadgets. However, your local RadioShack should have much of the items needed. What sets this website apart from most other science websites for [...]
Posted in Biology, Chemistry, Eclectic Homeschooling, Electronics, Gifted, Math, Physics, Science Tags: Electronics, homeschool, Science, science projects Comments OffMake: Science Room – A Homeschool Science Fan’s Wish Come True
Posted by ginac on December 14th, 2009
Homeschoolers that are interested in science, particularly chemistry, will love the Make: Science Room website. The Make: Science Room website provides free chemistry lab experiments, offers advice on setting up a home lab, provides tips for maintaining a lab notebook properly, and offers professional quality glassware kits so that kids can learn to use real [...]
Get Ready for Wolfram|Alpha Homework Day Oct.21
Posted by ginac on October 20th, 2009
Wolfram|Alpha, the online worldwide computation engine is hosting Homework Day on October 21, 2009. There promises to be a lesson plan showcase for all levels (K-12 and beyond), a chance to interact with the Wolfram|Alpha experts, and an amazing line up of thought leaders. The event kicks off online at noon and doesn’t end until [...]
Homeschool Learning Strategy: Learn by Helping Others Learn
Posted by ginac on September 9th, 2009
Sometimes the best way to learn about something is to try to explain it to others. A very successful strategy for us is to have our homeschooler learn about something and then help others learn about it, too. We don’t worry about every detail, the idea is to get him thinking about what the important [...]
