Nuclear Science

I'm prepping classes for fall and one topic in the New Physical Science course is Nuclear science.  There are loads of resources: NEED, NEI, EPA, Know Nukes, and American Nuclear Society.  Here are lessons and topics for middle school and high school students.  (Elementary lessons are here.). Detecting Radiation in Our Radioactive World is a good place to start if your kids are in Physical Science or a Physics First program.  First things first.  What is radiation?  What is Nuclear energy?  The Boy Scouts Nuclear Science BadgeThis EPA radiation exposure guide has good background information.  Hey, you could earn a badge or patch!  The Boy Scouts Nuclear Power Badge is practically a lesson plan.  (The Girl Scout Get to Know Nuclear Patch has ideas for all elementary aged children.). Either one has a pretty comprehensive guide.

For years, I used Science, Society, and America's Nuclear Waste guide as a source to organize a unit on nuclear energy.  This guide is old; I learned about the guide during a teacher seminar at University of Virginia.  Scroll through the TOC and try this activity about isotopes,  Pennium (Pennium is also here.).   I usually have kids do Calculating Your Personal Annual Dose.  (Here is a similar worksheet.).   NEED  has several good activities and an excellent description of nuclear power.  I like to conclude with some information about How Does a Nuclear Power Plant Work?  Visit a Nuclear Power Plant.  Really.  Most nuclear plants have visitor centers open to the public.  Call ahead because  they do close to the public if there is a threat alert.  The Nuclear power plants are located on this map.   

Home School Farm Science

My son, Fr. Josh, has parishioners who home-school their children on a farm.  One income source for the family is puppy breeding.  What a source for science and Economics!  The family breeds German shepherds and Spaniels, both popular breeds.  In fact, the S. family researched Top Ten Dog Breeds to determine which puppies to breed.  The S. family is aware of hip dysplasia in German shepherds and sires the pups with champions free of the genetic defect.

Science starts with German Shepherd Genetics.  Lessons should begin with a background for Genetics and Punnett Squares.  Kids can use the dogs' coat colors to predict the fur colors for puppies in the litter.  The S. family had two prize dogs sire one female--unintentionally.  Can puppies in the same litter have more than one father? Yes!  The S. family is having all of the puppies' DNA tested to determine parentage.  What a great science lesson! What is DNA?  How is the DNA tested?  Is the test reliable? 

Puppy sales are terrific for Economics, too.  What is the annual cost for kibble?  What about vet fees?  Which vaccinations and treatments are needed?  How much do they cost?  What are the costs per Puppy?  How much is it to transport the puppy to her new home?  Are there marketing costs?  Phone costs?  Isn't this fun?

I love lessons with practical applications.  The kids can do research to help the family learn more about the breeds they sell.  Cool!

Electricity Workshop

The Physics class is working through a series of electrical activities: Electronic Circuits Workshop with Snap Circuits, Escience Lab with Snap Circuits, Paper Circuits, and Squishy Circuits.  BTW, the link has complete lesson plans for squishy circuits including recipes for the play dough.  We are also providing battery packs, alligator clips, and bulbs, with bulb holders, and asking kids to light the bulb.  The Physics class is going to play with everything and design a lesson for a group of high schoolers in the Co-op for Monday.  Snap Circuits kits run from $21-100.  Goodwill often has sets for less.  More to come Thursday.  Squishy Circuits sells kits worth considering.  I often buy a simple kit for the instructions or lessons.  The $10 kit isn't a bad deal if you have only one or two children working on circuits.

Tech Update For TI 84

I'm in the midst of concluding Physics and planning Chemistry.  You know how I love technology!  If you have a TI 84 graphing calculator, you can use it to connect digital sensors with EZ Link connector and a temperature sensor or probe.  This one probe and TI activities enables home-school students to add digital skills to their portfolio.

Molecular Models in Biology

One science tool frequently available on Goodwill's website is The Molecular Model kit or similar molecular models.  I like organic molecule kits for the kids to use to learn how to build organic or biochemical molecules, in lab exercises, such as Building Glucose.  Start with Goodwill to see what's available.  I Have the kids use Lab-aids to build carbohydrates, lipids, and protein molecules.  Lab-aids offer individual sets, too.  I find kids have no idea what glucose or any organic molecule is.  Consequently, we invest time letting the kids just build models.  Build and display glucose when you tackle photosynthesis and cellular respiration.  Whew!

Apologia: Prep for Biology

Biology is a pricey subject to teach.  Now is the time to get out-fitted before Fall, while you have time to shop! I suggest buying a skeleton during Halloween.  Target often has them for $15-20.  Goodwill has oversized anatomy books which I use as anatomy posters. Human Anatomy from Taj Books is also available from Amazon.  I've used these poster anatomy book pages for groups of 12.  Shop Goodwill for a microscope and Amazon for a set of microscope slides, such as this set of 25.  Goodwill online is also a terrific source for dissection kits--even specimens!  I scored Frog lab once!  This frog dissection simulation was an alternative when barred at the church education wing.  We used it as prep for the younger kids before we moved off site to do dissections.  Search Goodwill first to see what they have in terms of dissection kits like this one.

Now is the time to copy and test materials.  I like to use The Biology Coloring Book occasionally.  (Teachers may copy a page or two and use it for a class without violating its copyright, provided the material is for class use.) I almost always have kids color the plant and animal cells.  There are several online--these aren't that great for high school.

Start downloading Flynn activities for the Ecology unit: Butterfly Camouflage and The Lynx Eats the Hare.  Bryan Mawr has loads of Biology materials.  I like Dragon Genetics.  Another student favorite is Create a Baby Lab.  I love to use this early in the Genetics unit.  Along with Genetics is DNA.  The lab I use is Paper Clip DNA Replication.  Look for the paperclips on sale in August.  If you are not conversant with DNA and RNA, try this out ahead of time.  Summer is the time to test DNA extractions from wheat germ or split peas.  Test dish detergent, soft soap, laundry detergent, etc. with ethyl and rubbing alcohol.  Make sure the meat tenderizer is fresh.  Try to vary the times and amount of salt.  Compare different processes.  This makes a great summer activity!  While we're prepping for next year, let's try DNA Bracelets!

Apologia Physics: Electrostatics

Arrrggh!  I wish we had had the forethought to do electrostatics on a dry, cold, winter day!  Here are the labs we're using: Sticky Tape, Sticky Tape 2, and Electrostatics in Your Home.  The issue is relative humidity.  These tips--especially the hair dryer help.  The real issue is the high relative humidity: Electrostatics and Relative Humidity and Properties of Water.  The guys basically read the labs and then spent two classes using trial and error to play with electrostatics.

Summer Science Ideas

My favorite six year old, Paul, is nearly seven.  Already in first grade he is bored.  We work together diligently; frankly, the problem is Paul is gifted and regular school work is dull.  Now, like all young children, he needs those lessons in Math and English.  Paul needs stimulus outside regular school lessons.   Here's the rub: gifted children frequently feel punished for being smart.  So, the answer is fun that teaches all summer!   Paul like coding.  One idea is Scratch, a coding site from MIT.  The librarian recommended 29 Games to Create with Scratch by Max Wright.  Now, I like science.  So, I scout for fun kits: DIY super balls, Bubble gum kit, Edible Chemistry, DIY Gummies, and Slime.  Now, except for super balls and slime with polyvinyl alcohol, I like to look for DIY options: Homemade gummies, and bubblegum recipe.  We have loads of fun during the summer: Scout camp, VBS, swimming, and board games.  But, summer is the perfect time to slip in a little science enrichment.