Backyard Games Contest

This came through on my FB wall, and I wanted to share it with others.

http://www.clifkidbackyardgame.com/

A few weeks ago, we played Pin-aqua in the backyard!   Great idea~ but it wasn't original so I don't think we can submit the idea.  Get out and PLAY!

iSTEM under way at CSI

Teachers from across the state have the opportunity to attend one of 6 iSTEM conferences this summer, and they are all awesome!   Yesterday I watched the presentation  from Art Benjamin, a Mathemagician that really knows his numbers!

http://www.ted.com/speakers/arthur_benjamin

If you are a K12 teacher in Idaho and you haven't heard about iSTEM, please check out their page on the State Department of Education.  Registration opens in March every year, and they are full in a matter of days.  It is free, and teachers walk away with great tools and resources to use in their classrooms.

http://magicvalley.com/news/local/educators-learn-hands-on-ways-to-teach-science-math/article_e46e8c9c-a401-5782-b8ca-d5b1b5062ee2.html

Let's have a Maker's Faire!

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865604978/Build-your-own-leisure-DIY-and-STEM-meet-up-in-Maker-type-of-playtime.html

Who's with me?

Camp Team Pictures

This is the last post for the Burley Science Camp.  I have to say that everything turned out really well, and we had the most ever campers participate.  I had a great team of teachers from Minidoka and Cassia school districts, and they ranged in grade levels from 1st-7th.  I am so glad they choose to be camp teachers each year.

Here are the rest of the campers.  Next year we will probably split them up into smaller groups.  We had so many register the first day that our classes were big!  That's a good problem to have, but it made some of the projects and experiments harder to get through in the time that we had.  Always something to improve each year!  See you at the Science Camps in July!

Wrapping up the GAMES in Burley

We had a great day outside at Science Camp.  The Junior Campers learned about solar energy, and the power of light.  They made solar ovens and used special paper to do art projects with help from the sun.   I am so grateful for Rosie Davids and UI 4H Club members for hosting these 15 lucky kids!

Most of the kids went on a Math Hike.  OK....that sounds pretty sad but each station gave the campers an opportunity to learn something about numbers, patterns, or measurements you can find in the natural world.  My favorite was probably fibonacci hopscotch, but I also loved watching the kids tell stories about their "tree cookies" by counting the rings and learning about life cycles.   They used binoculars and magnifying glasses to look for the smallest of creatures, and I am glad the weather cooperated.

The oldest campers had their turn building the robots out of electric toothbrushes.  Of course these kids totally planned to use these in their mouths so that they didn't have to manually brush.  I told them it wouldn't be the best idea.

A great rainy day for the egg drop!

Well, when we pass out the evaluations tomorrow, I think I know what everyone will write in as their favorite activity.  The kids design capsules or contraptions that can keep a raw egg safe during a drop from, say, a fire truck bucket ladder.   This morning I looked at the forecast and it said the weather would clear by the afternoon.  At 2 PM it was still drizzling, but the firemen came anyway and it was AWESOME!  And the weather did clear, so there!  In other news, we started the Junior Science Camp with 4H Rosie and they had all kinds of fun learning about dinosaurs and volcanoes.   We have one more day and then you will have to wait for the Gooding and Twin Falls Science Camps in July.

Science Camp continues in Burley!

What a busy and wonderful day for Science and Engineering!  I could hardly keep up with our classes today as they worked on so many projects.   In 2-3 grade, they built different kinds of catapults with legos,  and then popsicle sticks.  In 4-5 grade, they learned all about chemical reactions and air pressure.  They blew off poppers and tested diet coke with mentos, and even made lava lamps.  In 6-7 grade, they chose the best day to build and fly a kite.  I have seen some great team building exercises, and the teachers have been so awesome!  I am grateful for this team of dedicated professionals because they are willing to try new things and say YES to GAMES!

Science Camp Day 1

We had a great time today as the GAMES were played.  The 6-7 grade class met with MC ROCS and the high school robotics team taught them to program NXT Lego robots.   The 4-5 grade team worked on engineering activities then built a nanobot from electric toothbrushes!   The 2-3 grade class learned about solar energy and played versions of I Spy  along with other science games.   Can't wait until tomorrow to PLAY ON PURPOSE!

 

 

Daytona Beach Marine Science Center

My mom happens to be from Daytona Beach, Florida.  Tough life I know.  I have loved to spend time there throughout my life, and we just got back from another great week.  Our favorite spots are right at the inlet, called Ponce Inlet for Ponce de Leon.  Our lighthouse is there, and also this new to me Marine Science Center.  If this had existed during the years we visited my grandparents , I would have spent most of my time here.  It is a small operation, I am sure carried by volunteers.  It is mostly a sea turtle rehabilitation center, but there are a few interactive exhibits to keep tourists busy during their visit.  We had a great time on a cloudy afternoon.  I am grateful to people that are willing to give so much time and energy to these endeavors.  It is worth a visit if you ever find yourself in the area.  And please climb the steps of my lighthouse at Ponce Inlet!