December 7, 2015
by: Priscilla Robinson
Remembrances of Gifts Past
If I look back upon the presents that had the greatest influence on me, they were all gifts that made me wonder, encouraged me to play cooperatively, or gave me a sense of confidence and independence. Those same values have often trickled into my lessons as a science teacher, my priorities as a parent, and even the way I play with my grandchildren.
Many of us are working hard to raise a generation of thinkers, doers, and life-long learners… but do we have enough time in our busy days to make the kinds of smart holiday purchases that will help carry that forward? How much multi-tasking can one mere mortal manage?
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College level, Elementary level, High School level, Middle School level, Physics | Tagged: Educational Innovations, fun experiments, hands-on activity, homeschool, parent friendly, PBL, phenomenon based learning, phenomenon-based science, science | 
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Posted by Donna Giachetti
November 18, 2015
by: Priscilla Robinson
With the Halloween cobwebs retired and my Jack-O-Lantern wilting in the compost heap, my thoughts and energy turn toward Thanksgiving. This year undoubtedly will be filled with family, friends, feasts, and laughter. In past years, after the meal and second slice of pie, I have enjoyed keeping the kids focused with decorating gingerbread houses as adult family members enjoy time together cheering on their footballs teams or gaining bragging rights during epic board game battles. Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted by Donna Giachetti
November 2, 2015
by: Linda Dunnavant
Experimenting with Fall Leaves
Autumn is here! Football season, sweater weather, hay rides, pumpkin spice lattes… I could go on and on, but I think we can all agree that the leaves changing colors is the main signal that fall is upon us. This is a magical time of year, and students will love this engaging, hands-on lesson that is appropriate for elementary and middle school students. Let’s start with some background. Read the rest of this entry »
2 Comments | Chemistry, College level, Earth Science, Elementary level, experiments, High School level, Middle School level | Tagged: DIY, Educational Innovations, experiments, fun experiments, green science, halloween fun, hands-on activity, homeschool, parent friendly, PBL, phenomenon based learning, phenomenon-based science, science, science fair project, variables | Permalink
Posted by Donna Giachetti
October 20, 2015
by: Priscilla Robinson
Autumn is such a magical time of the year. Leaves change and landscapes are transformed with flaming red, vibrant gold and jolly orange. It’s almost magical: pumpkins start to appear on porches and black cats, scarecrows, and goblins stand ready to greet passersby.
Yesterday, as I sat sipping my coffee, transfixed on the seasonal changes of the Portland skyline and surrounding hills, my iPhone awakened with a familiar ring. It was Henry, my three-year-old grandson in Seattle.
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Posted by Donna Giachetti
October 16, 2015
For this edition of In the News, we’re sharing some of our favorite reports on creepy bugs, bats and creatures that GLOW… in other words, things that go bump! in the night.
Let’s start with SMALL spooky science stuff:
The American Museum of Natural History has a wonderful web page devoted to the creepiest, crawliest species—for example, the Goblin Spider and the Zombie Ant. Read on if you dare!
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Posted by Donna Giachetti
