One hundred things I’m grateful for this year. Comfies to keep us warm during outdoor Thanksgiving dinners Sunshine on a cold day. Sea shells. Hot tea with honey. Chapstick. Rainbows. Umbrellas. Email. Kind strangers. Fluffy towels. The smell of baking bread. Clean water. Babbling brooks. Orange and red trees. Not setting my alarm. Ball pointContinue reading “100 Things to be grateful for right now.”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Does Turkey Make You Sleepy?
Does turkey make you sleepy? Sure there’s nothing better than an nap after a Thanksgiving dinner, but is the turkey to blame? Turkey contains an amino acid called tryptophan. Our bodies metabolize tryptophan to create serotonin and melatonin, hormones which make people sleepy. Contrary to popular belief, however, the sleepiness many people report afterContinue reading “Does Turkey Make You Sleepy?”
What’s so great about Cranberries?
I’m pretty sure you’ll have cranberries on your Thanksgiving table this year. Cranberries are one of the foods that Native Americans taught the Pilgrims to eat, and they remain one of our traditional Thanksgiving foods. But did you know how great cranberries are? Cranberries are red because they contain a pigment called anthocyanin. Anthocyanins areContinue reading “What’s so great about Cranberries?”
White Meat or Dark?
It’s almost Thanksgiving. Which do you prefer – white meat or dark? Why is some turkey meat dark meat and some white meat? Turkey breast is white meat. It is lighter in color, quicker to cook, and dries out more easily than dark meat. Turkey legs and wings are dark meat. They are darker inContinue reading “White Meat or Dark?”
How Do Vaccines Work?
Vaccines are in the news! Hooray for scientists! But how do vaccines work? How does your body fight disease? When germs such as bacteria or viruses infect your body, they attack and multiply which causes illness. Your immune system’s job is to fight the bacteria or virus. You have three different types of white bloodContinue reading “How Do Vaccines Work?”
Winter Magic Pictures – Water cycle and D=M/V
Celebrate the winter in your science classroom with a Magic Reveal Picture! Magic reveal pictures are self checking worksheets that your students can use to practice, review and reinforce a skill. Here’s a magic reveal picture that reveals a pixelated image of a snowman as students correctly identify the vocabulary of the water cycle. ThisContinue reading “Winter Magic Pictures – Water cycle and D=M/V”
Christmas Chemistry Magic Picture
Celebrate the holidays in your chemistry class with a Magic Reveal Picture! Magic reveal pictures are self checking worksheets that your students can use to practice, review and reinforce a skill. Here’s a magic reveal picture that reveals a pixelated image of Santa Claus as students correctly balance chemical equations. This Balancing EquationsContinue reading “Christmas Chemistry Magic Picture”
You’re doing your best.
You’re doing your best. Even if your remote students are early and your face-to-face students feel ignored. Even if your computer crashes in the middle of explaining the rock cycle. Even if you were so busy taking attendance that you forgot to unmute yourself and just explained the homework muted. Even if you forget yourContinue reading “You’re doing your best.”
The Science of Thanksgiving
Here’s a great way to engage students in science during the day or two before the holiday with a science of Thanksgiving themed jigsaw activity or escape room. To play as a Jigsaw: Divide students into groups and have each group research a different aspect of Thanksgiving and how it relates to science. Here areContinue reading “The Science of Thanksgiving”
Do You Sneeze at the Sun?
Do you sneeze at the Sun? You may have a genetic condition known as Achoo Syndrome. Really. Sneezing when you look at the Sun, or sometimes any bright light, is called a photic sneeze reflex. The reflex is known as Achoo Syndrome, an anagram of “autosomal dominant compelling helio-ophthalmic outburst.” It is triggered by aContinue reading “Do You Sneeze at the Sun?”