Hey, I’ve posted a new episode on my podcast, Science Teaching Tips.

Episode: 26. Discovering Pi

TI staff educator and math enthusiast Lori Lambertson describes how to find her favorite number.

Enjoy!

I am a science education and communications consultant -- view my website for my full range of services.

I just had to share the neatest activity that I saw at the California Math Council conference at Asilomar last month. And I loved it for more reasons than just because it was created at my old haunt, the Exploratorium.

You know those clear plastic trays that you get your salad bar goodies in? You can use them to do math, too. They stack very neatly on top of one another, with just a slight separation between each tray. So, if you draw a single outline from a contour plot on each one, when you stack them together you get a three dimensional contour map. It really has to be seen to be believed — the contour just pops out at you, it’s quite impressive. The one linked on this page is of a paraboloid, but I found the one of a saddle function (sorry, no picture!) to be more impressive. It gave me a 3D understanding of the shape that I think I couldn’t grasp by looking at plots on two-dimensional paper.

Here is a link to the deli-tray math activity. Note that you can also use this to plot constellations, like the big dipper and orion.

Or, obviously, topographic maps for geology!

I am a science education and communications consultant -- view my website for my full range of services.

Hey, I’ve posted a new episode on my podcast.
Check it out; I think you’ll like it!

Title: Science Teaching Tips
Episode: Hands-on Science
When staff physicist Paul Doherty began to teach, he started by doing lots of demonstrations. But now, he explains, he has students get their hands on the science, which helps them to understand the calculations.
Paul Doherty’s Web site: www.exo.net/~pauld

Enjoy!

I am a science education and communications consultant -- view my website for my full range of services.

The answer seems to be yes! Even though polar bears are white, their hair is actually colorless. I found this out by looking at a great site, Everyday Mysteries, run by the Library of Congress. You can browse tons of questions, and their interesting science answers, compiled by the expert reference librarians at the Library of Congress. Aren’t librarians great?

Here’s a link to the polar bear posting itself. The reason we can’t see through the “transparent” hair directly to the polar bear’s skin (eek! naked polar bear!) is that the hairs are hollow. The air inside the hollow space in the hair bounces the white light from the air back to our eye, sort of like millions of tiny mirrors tilted at tons of different angles. The result is that we see a white bear.

In that same LOC posting is an interesting tidbit — bears at some zoos were turning green! Why? There was algae growing inside the hairs… so those hollow spaces weren’t reflecting white light anymore, but green light. How embarrassing for the poor polar bear.

Note that polar bear hair is NOT a fiber optic. You can see my earlier posting about that.

I am a science education and communications consultant -- view my website for my full range of services.

I’ve posted a new episode of Science Teaching Tips — Science Snacks for the Classroom

24. Survival Guide

It’s tough for a new teacher to keep up with everything from labs to professional development. TI teacher coach Arlette Manders provides a potpourri of tips on how to make life a little easier.

Enjoy! — Stephanie Chasteen

I am a science education and communications consultant -- view my website for my full range of services.

Some of us really like geeky humor… if you’re one of them, check out my website page on science geek humor. Such gems as the Proof that Girls are Evil, and Scientifically Accurate Warning Labels.

I am a science education and communications consultant -- view my website for my full range of services.

Wow, I just saw a great YouTube by a science teacher on climate change. He frames the issue in terms of risk management. Rather than “who’s right?”, he asks “which scenario would we rather risk?” The one where we waste money to try to save an earth that’s fine as it is, or the one where we neglect to address the issue and are visited by multiple disasters? This is a common way to attack the issue, but the video is very well done. As my friend who sent it to me said, “ten minutes well spent!”

I am a science education and communications consultant -- view my website for my full range of services.

I’ve posted a new episode of my Science Teaching Tips podcast…

Episode: 23. For the Love of Math

TI staff educator Lori Lambertson explains her philosophy of integrating math and science in the classroom, and how she puts it into practice.

I am a science education and communications consultant -- view my website for my full range of services.

Hey, the NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) has a new podcast, called Lab Out Loud, just for science teachers. It looks like they’re trying to serve the professional development needs of teachers much like I have with my Science Teaching Tips podcast. You can check out their podcast at http://www.nsta.org/publications/laboutloud.aspx.

I think this is a great way to get content out to busy science teachers. Their podcasts are longer than mine (around 30 minutes), and it looks like they’re mostly based on interviews with people who have something to do with science education. Let us know what you think!

I am a science education and communications consultant -- view my website for my full range of services.