By Donna Giachetti
These days, eating bugs is in the news more often than ever before. Even the dreaded murder hornets, it seems, are a delicacy in parts of the world! I’m always delighted when science intersects with popular culture, and edible bugs are definitely one of those instances.
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Biology, College level, Earth Science, Elementary level, High School level, Middle School level | Tagged: edible insects, Educational Innovations, entomophagy, insects | 
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Posted by Donna Giachetti
By Julie Pollard
“When am I going to ever use this?” “Why do I even need to know this?” These questions are the bane of the science teacher’s existence—or at least of mine. Even though science is woven into every aspect of every day of our lives, my middle schoolers just can’t seem to make that leap. They’re like frogs who don’t know how to jump. They still think of science as something done by nerds in white coats in labs.
During our unit on ecosystems and competition, my students seem to struggle with the concept of competition for abiotic factors. They have no problem relating to the predator-and-prey, competition-for-food aspect of competition—which makes sense, if you’ve ever watched eighth grade boys racing for the last slice of pizza.
8 Comments | Biology, College level, Earth Science, High School level, life science, Middle School level | Tagged: Biology, ecosystem, Educational Innovations, life science | Permalink
Posted by Donna Giachetti
By Ted Beyer
There are certain days in history that pretty much anyone who was alive at the time can remember as though it was yesterday. Times of trial and triumph. Heart-wrenching times like September 11th, or the day Kennedy was shot, or the Challenger. And then there is the day that we landed on the Moon.
2 Comments | astronomy, College level, Earth Science, Elementary level, High School level, Middle School level | Tagged: apollo 11, astronaut, Educational Innovations, homeschool, nasa, parent friendly, science, space | Permalink
Posted by Donna Giachetti
By Priscilla Robinson
Snowflakes! They arrive in flurries, storms and blizzards, not to mention “Winter Bomb Cyclones!” I’ve always thought the science behind snowflakes is amazing.
A snowflake begins when a tiny dust or pollen particle comes into contact with water vapor high up in Earth’s atmosphere. The water vapor coats the tiny particle and then freezes into a tiny crystal of ice. This tiny crystal will be the “seed” from which a snowflake will grow. The process is called crystallization.
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Posted by Donna Giachetti
by Priscilla Robinson
Spring in the Pacific Northwest comes with a fanfare of germinating seeds, blossoming flowers, and budding trees. As a science educator, I like to jump on Mother Nature’s bandwagon to bring this burst of plant life into my classroom with a variety of biology experiments and activities. What your students see every day can bloom into teachable moments. These learning ideas will help you make the most out of the magic and science of spring.
Leave a Comment » | Biology, Earth Science, Elementary level, experiments, life science, Middle School level | Tagged: DIY, Educational Innovations, fun experiments, gardening, gardening for kids, green science, hands-on activity, homeschool, hydroponics, parent friendly, PBL, phenomenon based learning, phenomenon-based science, polymer crystals, science, seeds, summer science, variables | Permalink
Posted by Donna Giachetti
