An extrasolar planet, or exoplanet, is a planet outside the Solar System. Extrasolar planets became an object of scientific inquiry in the nineteenth century. Many astronomers supposed that they existed, but there was no way of knowing how common they were or how similar they might be to the planets of our solar system. The first confirmed detection was made in 1992, arising interest in the possibility of extraterrestrial life. Most of the discovered extrasolar planets lie within 300 light years of the Solar System. Regardless of the precise number of stars with planets, the total number of exoplanets must be very large. Since our own Milky Way Galaxy has at least 200 billion stars, it must also contain billions of planets – if not hundreds of billions.
Precise measurements using the Kepler space telescope have shown that the planet, named Kepler 10b, has a diameter 1.4 times that of Earth, and a mass 4.6 times higher. Measurements of Kepler techniques using astero-seismology showed that the parent star was about eight billion years old – a grandparent among stars of its type. Kepler techniques are similar to the study of earthquakes on the Earth. In addition to the size of the host star, the details of the planet’s and star’s “dance” with each other, and the planet’s radius, the density of the planet can be calculated. Geoffrey Marcy University of California Berkeley marked this as “among the most profound scientific discoveries in human history.”
Since January 11 of this year (2011), astronomers announced confirmation of 518 such planets – with hundreds others awaiting for confirmation pending further investigation. Most are giant planets thought to resemble Jupiter.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12158028
Kepler Mission
The Kepler Mission is a NASA space observatory designed to discover Earth-like planets orbiting other stars. It was launched on 7 May 2009. The mission spacecraft is named in honor of 17th C astronomer Johannes Kepler.
http://www.kepler.nasa.gov/news/nasakeplernews/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=94
Most exoplanets cannot be seen directly through telescopes because bright light from the stars that they orbit drowns them out. Instead, astronomers use a variety of indirect techniques to find them. One method is to look for tiny wobbles in stars’ positions caused by their gravitational interactions with orbiting planets.
Johannes Kepler (1571 – 1630) was a key mathematician, astronomer and astrologer, in 17th century scientific revolution. He is best known for his laws of planetary motion, later developed by later astronomers. Kepler lived in an era when there was no clear distinction between astronomy and astrology, but there was a strong division between astronomy (a branch of mathematics within the liberal arts) and physics (a branch of natural philosophy).
Kepler also weaved religious reasoning into his work, motivated by the religious conviction that God had created the world according to an “intelligible plan that is accessible through the natural light of reason.” Kepler described his new astronomy as “celestial physics”. (Ref: Wikipedia: Johannes Kepler; Exoplanet, Exosolar)
For one of our Fun Learning games on the Solar System and Teaching Space:
]]>It has been a mystery how the European eelpout feed its young as the egg yolk normally would not sustain embryos that develop over six months. A team of researchers from Denmark, led by Professor Peter Skov of the University of Copenhagen, has found out how the eelpout does this amazing unusual feat.
This year, it was discovered by Professor Skov that the eelpout suckles its young embryos while still within their mother’s body, making it the only fish species to suckle its offspring. The egg is also produced and matured in the ovary, by special follicles as with mammals. Fertilization is here whereas the eelpout does not actually have a uterus.
Living to be about 10 years old at full maturity, many Mediterranean countries use this special fish in delicatessen soups. Where most fish bones are commonly white, the bones of the eelpout are strangely green because of a green pigment in their circulatory system.
Mammals (formally called Mammalia) are a class of vertebrate animals whose name is derived from their distinctive feature, mammary glands, with which they feed their young. They are also characterized by the possession of sweat glands, hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex region in the brain.
For more information on mammals, you can check out our learning Scientifica Deck of Mammal Cards that includes 4 fun card games in one: http://www.science-lessons.ca/games/mammals.html
]]>To do this, you’ll collect materials that are found in the classroom or around most homes. For the background, use a regular sized piece of paper. Although construction paper is usable, as is also something with a border, even plain white printer paper will be fine. What will truly create the visual excitement will be the elements that you’ll put on it: things such as small suns, snowflakes or raindrops, clouds, etc. On each of the following steps, have the kids add the creative items.
To create the sun, on a separate piece of paper, draw a sun. You should either use yellow construction paper for this, or if you only have the white, then make sure you color in your sun brightly with yellow marker or crayon. Adding a smiley face inside is a cute extra touch. Beneath the picture, write “sunny.”
On a piece of blue paper, draw (or have the kids draw) a fluffy cloud. If you’re using plain white paper, then again, just color it blue with a marker or crayon. Beneath it, write “cloudy.” You could add a smiley face or maybe a straight mouth, neither happy nor sad, for him.
On another piece of paper, you and your kids should draw a second fluffy crowd, but draw a few raindrops below it. Write out “rainy” below the cloud, and this time, add a frowny face.
For a thunderstorm, draw yet a third cloud, this time coloring it gray. Below it should go lightning bolts. The face on the cloud should look angry.
For winter weather, on a white piece of paper, draw a snowman. Keep it simple: three tiny circles for eyes and mouth and a triangle for the nose. Put stick arms on it and a square hat. Beneath it, write “snowy.”
Now have someone, on a separate sheet of paper, draw a picture of your school. Take responsibility for getting letters to spell out “Our Weather.” The letters and picture should be stapled on a small bulletin board. This will be your permanent weather chart. All of the weather pieces should go in an envelope, placed near the chart, at the children’s level. After you’ve taught your lesson on weather, each day have one child change the weather chart for that day’s expected weather. Who knows? You just might inspire a future meteorologist!
For our Fun Weather Games, you can visit these pages:
http://www.science-lessons.ca/games/weather8.htm
http://www.science-lessons.ca/games/weatherbingo4.html
]]>To perform this interactive exercise, you’ll need some rubber gloves, a large bowl, ice, water, an outdoor thermometer and some solid vegetable shortening. Before you begin, explain to the kids that whales, dolphins, seals and porpoises are mammals, not fish. Among other things, this means that they are warm blooded. Explain that a warm-blooded sea creature’s body temperature stays constant and doesn’t adjust to the surrounding temperature. And make sure they know that in order to maintain a constant temperature, these sea mammals need a way to stay warm when the area around them gets cold.
Now explain that the way these animals stay warm is through an extra layer of “insulation” beneath their outer skin. Tell them that the activity they’re about to do will show how this blubber keeps the animal warm. Divide the students into several groups. Give each group a large bowl filled with water and plenty of ice, and a rubber glove beside it. Coat each glove with a layer of vegetable oil and have the children repeat the action, putting on the glove and submerging their hand. Ask them to write down their responses.
Have each student put on the glove and submerge their hand in the ice water and tell if they think the water is warm, cool, fairly cold, or very cold. Now, again, ask them to write down how cold they felt the water was. Almost everyone will report that their hands are much warmer with the vegetable oil. Explain to the students that the vegetable oil protects the hand from the cold water in exactly the same way that the blubber protects the whale or dolphin from the icy water around them.
Your students will have a lot of fun with this. More importantly, they will have a greater appreciation for how Mother Nature has protected some important sea animals.
Here is our 52-Card Deck on Mammals that includes 4 fun Interactive Learning Games:
http://www.science-lessons.ca/games/mammals.html
]]>1) several pictures of mammals
2) index cards
3) books or websites about mammals, and
4) some mammal take-home sheets
Once you have the materials, start by showing your students pictures of five mammals that are quite different from each other. For instance, a dog, rabbit, whale, kangaroo and monkey. Inform the children that each picture is a picture of a mammal. Explain that “mammal” is a class of animals, just as reptiles, fish and birds are other classes. Next, ask your kids to brainstorm and tell you things that the five animals have in common. Mark their answers on the chalkboard. If they are stumped, ask leading questions such as “How do they give birth? How do each of them move? What keeps each of them warm?” Once you have an accurate list of characteristics, title the list “Mammal Traits.” Then review this list and explain that these are common among all mammals.
At this point, your students should know how all mammals are alike. Now point out differences among each of them. For instance, some mammals are meat eaters, while others eat plants or insects. Some mammals are usually on the land, while others spend the majority of their time in the sea.
Next, play the “Mammal Mystery Game.” Ask the kids to select a mammal that they want to learn about. They’re not to tell their selection to anyone except you. Now give the students an index card and have them research their mammal via online and printed resources. On the card, they should note 8 to 10 clues that will tell what animal they are researching, without actually naming the animal. Once the students are done, ask each of them to present one clue and let the rest of the students try to guess the animal. If they do not guess, he / she gives another clue, until the audience finally guesses which mammal it is. Then move onto the next student.
Finally, do a search on the Internet for “mammal activity sheet” or “mammal handout.” Once you find a good one, print it out and give one to each of your students as homework.
Here is our 52-Card Deck on Mammals that includes 4 Fun Interactive Learning Games:
http://www.science-lessons.ca/games/mammals.html
]]>When it’s time to teach your elementary kids about oceans and sea life, it’s a great idea to decorate your classroom in an ocean theme. There are lots of ways of doing this.
Here are a few favorite ones:
Give the children a preview of the types of sea creatures that they’ll be learning about starting next week. Ask them if they have favorites. If so, write on the board each of their name and their favorite sea creature. Give them a day or two to find out as much as they can about their favorite. Have them write interesting facts about the creature on index cards. You can provide magazines or books to help them.
By the way, be sure to let your students take home the sea creature that they created earlier in the week, as a memento of the fun and educational time they had. Their parents are sure to enjoy displaying these!
Here is our fantastic card deck for identifying and describing facts of many Ocean Creatures. It contains 4 games in one complete with all instructions:
http://www.science-lessons.ca/games/ocean.html
]]>Let’s talk about the nest first. On a day when the weather is not too chilly, take the children outside and go on a nest hunt. Have them look in an area with plenty of trees for a real nest. As you look at it together, (or talk about it if you don’t happen to find one that day) explain to the kids that the birds build their nests one stick, or leaf, or piece of paper at a time. Tell them also that the bird must first hunt for all of the materials needed to build the nest.
When you return to the classroom, tell the students that, based on what they learned, they are to make their own bird’s nest. Tell them to use supplies that they find in the classroom (Make sure there are things in the classroom such as paper, sticks, grass, yarn, etc.). To hold the pieces together, provide something like clay and then watch your kids’ creativity shine!
On another day, continue your study of birds by having your children make an actual bird feeder. Here are some possibilities:
A couple of projects like this will not only teach your kids about birds, but will make your kids love these winged wonders.
And here is our Interactive Learning Card Deck with 4 Fun Games on Birds:
http://www.science-lessons.ca/games/birds.html
]]>The first part of this science lesson is making a solar system using candies for planets. It doesn’t show you the true size difference but it does bring out some of the main characteristics. The second part is about the fantasy of living somewhere within it!
Part 1: Creating The Solar System
You can either draw your orbits on black construction paper, or a paper plate.
Sun – Butterscotch
Mercury – Orange Jujube
Venus – Nestle’s Sno Caps;
Earth – Blue Skittle;
Mars – Red Skittle;
Asteroid Belt – Candy Sprinkles;
Jupiter – Peppermint with Red Hot stuck on top;
Saturn – Lemon Drop with Twizzler wrapped around;
Uranus – Green Jujube;
Neptune – Aqua Skittle;
Pluto – Tart ‘n’ Tiny;
Sweet Tarts and Mini-M&Ms are also possibilities. Be creative!
You can also give each student a planet and let them guess how far they would be from the sun. Start by giving where Pluto is so they have an idea of the area; then have them measure the correct amount.
Using the web link called Exploratorium is a fun converter that can make your solar system any size:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/solar_system/index.html
Part 2: Planet Postcard
Students choose their planet of preference to be from, pretend they live there, and they write to a friend describing their planet. Some specs to write about could be the temperature, humidity index, colors of the terrain, craters, life forms. Then instruct them to make a planet tourism advertisement where persuade people to come to their planet and visit!
Here is one of our fun games about the Solar System:
http://www.science-lessons.ca/games/space.html
]]>Because of its rarity, it has been cut and divided to be shared amongst museums and researchers around the world. It is now helping researchers find out more about the universe in a different time/space, the formation of minerals inside asteroids, and minerals that may match to its makeup inside the Earth.
Meteorites have been found on the Moon, on Mars, and in places where they have landed on Earth, and generally range in size from marbles to basketballs, though some are very large. A meteorite is made by nature, originating from outer space, before it falls to and collides with the Earth’s surface, sometimes leaving a crater. As it travels through space, atmospheric pressure causes it to heat up until it forms a fireball emitting light sparks. In this state, it is often referred to as a shooting or falling star that if you see with the naked eye from Earth when looking up into the sky, you can make a wish upon it during its flight. Falling meteorites have reported to cause damage to people, livestock and land, so better to wish upon it fast, and then step out of the way!
For more information on meteorites and the pallasite chunk being researched this week at the Royal Ontario Museum, you can visit these websites:
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2010/07/21/rom-meteorite-pallasite-saskatchewan.html
For short video:
http://www.cbc.ca/video/player.html?category=News&zone=technology&site=cbc.technology.ca&clipid=1549385557
And for a fun learning game for the solar system, you can go here:
http://www.science-lessons.ca/games/space.html
]]>When emphasis is placed on grading, children become more concerned with achieving the grade than on the journey in achieving the grade, sometimes associating their “goodness” then, with the grade. An achiever-style A/B student can show achievement and success, though more often than not, it can be detrimental to the student’s self-esteem. The child’s struggle and focus can become a goal for the teacher’s acceptance, literally surpassing the learning aspect altogether.
Pedagogue, Alfie Kohn calls this “chasing the carrot” or “avoiding the stick” in his text What Does it Mean to be Well Educated? (2004). Kohn suggests that rewarding students for a certain grade can be as damaging as punishing for not having done so. Both methods skip over the central core of a student – the natural joy and thirst for learning. This natural thirst and joy for learning is present in children, so obviously in the early years. Though once introduced to the system of grading, the child can subconsciously develop strategizing – a subtle form of innocent manipulation to work at receiving that age-old important authority / parental / teacher’s acceptance.
Focusing on the importance of grades can breed memorizer students – those who practice memory techniques to give back to a teacher what the student thinks the teacher wants, rather than the optimal learner students. Even though memorizing can be an effective study tool, memorizing is not likely the quality learning result that a teacher truly wants for the student.
Where grading may be an important part of the educational system, it is only effective if minimal importance of it is placed upon the psyche of the child. Introducing games in the curriculum of a child’s schooling reminds the child that learning is by its very own nature, supposed to be fun. Designing curriculum that regularly incorporates left-brain/right-brain activities such as spatial functioning card games, both encourages the child to desire learning again (what was once a natural thing), and while literally developing new healthy dendrites in the child’s growing brain.
For an example on Teaching Through Inspiration, here are some of our Fun Interactive Science Learning Games:
http://www.science-lessons.ca/games/mammals.html
http://www.science-lessons.ca/games/ocean.html
http://www.science-lessons.ca/games/birds.html
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