Archive for science hobbies
Blending In With Nature
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A Great Horned Owl blends in with the trees it lives in.
This Grey Squirrel also blends with the trees where it lives.
One of things I find fun and educational is spending time in the outdoors, observing and photographing the marvels nature has to offer. In the animal kingdom are those which are brightly colored as well as those which are subdued or camouflaged.
In nature, survival is crucial for the continuation of the species. Being unseen in plain view is nature’s way of achieving just that. Whether it is birds, squirrels or deer, each has been given a color scheme uniquely their own that provides them protection.
Animals that spend a great deal of time in the open use both their color and the time of day to better protect themselves from detection. Owls hunt at night; during the day they perch in trees, where their feathers have a similar texture and coloration to that of tree bark. Deer love to graze in open meadows and fields, yet this makes them vulnerable to predators. Deer depend on their color as well as the time of day to protect them. Evenings offer the best protection; When the sun is low their tan-gray coloration lets them blend in well with their grass and woodland habitat.
A herd of Deer emerge from the woods and onto the prairie as the sun sets.
Take this turkey (left) as it makes its way through the brush, trying to elude me as I try to capture its picture. Its dark color blends in with the shadows as well as the trees and bushes. An animal that continues to feel threatened in the shadows, will escape by running or like the turkey on the right, take flight.
So, the next time you take a walk through the woods or an open field, take a few minutes to look around to see what is really there. You might be surprised at the wildlife hiding in plain sight, wildlife that you’d never notice with just a casual glance.
Aviation Lures Kids Of All Ages
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Lindberg's Spirit of St. Louis is displayed over the City of Paris made from Legos.
It takes team work to fly...err peddle JETS!
There is more to aviation than just airplanes and helicopters. Not only is it steeped in science, mathematics and history…but it’s also a FUN hobby! This past weekend was the Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual Family Flightfest.
Family Flightfest is an event geared to the whole family. For many this was their first experience to get close enough to touch an airplane. Activities included puzzles, flight simulators, coloring, face painting and the assembling and flying of balsa gliders.
Demonstrations of indoor RC helicopters, aircraft and airships as well as free flight, rubber band powered models took center stage and captured the attention of all in attendance.
Two youngsters are locked into AIRPLANE mode!
Aviation history was not only exhibited by the museum’s aircraft displays, but was also showcased by scale modelers who exhibited their treasured collections of plastic and paper scale models.
Design and construction put to the test...ready DROP!
Creativity and engineering skills of both kids and adults were put to the test by designing and constructing an aerial delivery system for an egg drop competition. The task was to utilize plastic shopping bags (as parachutes) and a few other basic resources to protect the egg from damage during a drop from the second level of the museum. It was a cracking experience for most, but there were a few who survived and won prizes.
Family events such as these inspire and cultivate the quest for knowledge. Attend one near you soon; it can open several educational opportunities for you and your children.
Science Fair Project Ideas
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A Young Inventor
If you’re looking for free science fair project ideas, you’ll find what you need at Science Buddies. This site, run by a non-profit organization, offers over 800 project ideas! Use their topic selection wizard or choose from ideas in their ideas directory.
At Science Buddies, you’ll also find news and resources for students, parents and teachers, including articles that guide you from getting started through the completed project. Tools, techniques, and reference information include articles on safety, chemistry, computer science, electricity and electronics, genomics, microbiology, sociology and more.
If you can’t find the answers you seek on their discussion board, pose it to a volunteer scientist on their Ask an Expert Forum.
Resources for teachers include topics related to planning a science fair and science in the classroom.
This looks like a wonderful resource for parents, students and teachers.
Thanks to Geekdad from Wired.com for pointing out this terrific resource!
Photo Credit: terren_in_Virginia on flickr
The Sweet Hobby of Mapling
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Making maple syrup
It’s maple sugar time in Wisconsin and other northern states. Maple sap begins to flow in the spring, while nights still dip below freezing, but daytime temperatures push into the 40’s.
Maple syrup festivals abound this time of year. Attending one or visiting a local sugar shack provides you an excellent opportunity to satisfy your sweet tooth, learn how maple syrup is made, and spend some quality time outdoors with your family.
Bob and Janet Hansen of Atkinson, New Hampshire, turned an interest in maple syrup production into an old-fashioned, educational hobby. With their property lined by mature Sugar Maple trees, all they needed was instruction and basic maple syruping supplies. Now, with just 10 tapped trees and working out of their garage, they produce enough syrup for friends and family.
Even 10 taps are a lot of work. Consider that it takes about 40 gallons of sap to make just one gallon of syrup. Expect about five weeks of consistent effort, beginning when the sap starts to flow. Janet says, “It’s a small price to pay, though, for the wonderful taste of pure homemade maple syrup.”
For more information about maple syruping in Wisconsin, visit Enviromental Education for Kids! Those Marvelous Maples
Related Off-Site Article: Pat’s Kitchen: The sweet science of maple sugaring
Photo Credit: Mfour on flickr
All Clues Lead to the Letterbox
Posted by: | CommentsOne of the many reasons we began Educational Hobbies Blog was to learn about new hobbies … new to us, anyway. Each author has children, two have grandchildren. It’s fun to stumble across new things we can do with the kids and/or enjoy as adults. Today, I stumbled across an interesting hobby called “letterboxing,” where you follow written clues to find hidden treasure.
Letterboxing with Kayleigh
Letterboxing.org describes the hobby as “an intriguing pastime combining navigational skills and rubber stamp artistry in a charming ‘treasure hunt’ style outdoor quest.” It’s an international hobby where “placers” hide small, waterproof containers that hold a rubber stamp and a log book. They then post navigational clues on the Letterboxing.org website, where we can find instructions to follow, all over North America. (I found directions to a letterbox hidden at a park that my husband and I frequent in Town of Menasha, Wisconsin.)
Letterboxes are hidden in trees and under rocks in public locations. You’ll need to take the obvious precautions as you turn over rocks and poke around in underbrush. Let’s not mar the fun with a snake or spider bite.
They don’t come in a standard shape or size; some are no larger than a film canister; frequently they’re small Rubbermaid containers. Any smallish container with a tight fitting lid is a potential letterbox.
You bring your own inkpad, personalized rubber stamp, and log book on a letterboxing hunt. Depending on the particular instructions you’re following, you may also need a simple compass.
When you find your treasure, you stamp the enclosed log book, possibly also signing your name and general location. Then you stamp your personal log book with the stamp from the letterbox as a record of your find.
It’s that simple, yet it builds skills related to navigation and observation. I’m going to give it a try this week. What about you? Is this this the first you’ve heard of letterboxing? Please leave a comment and share your experience.
Photo Credit: elvis_pelt on flickr
Related Off-Site Article: McKinney Roughs nature program just part of day of adventure
Origami Blends Art and Science
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Origami is not an easy children’s hobby, according to Professor Duk Lee of Asbury College. “Rather, it is a serious art and science.” Lee is a Kentucky-based artist, scientist and educator. His interest in origami began with studying its usefulness to teach mathematics.
Origami is the traditional Japanese art of folding paper into decorative shapes without the use of glue or scissors. It uses only a small variety of folds, combined in creative ways to make intricate designs. Usually, designs begin as a square sheet of paper, with different colors or prints used for each side.
So how does this creative endeavor lend itself to mathematics? According to Wikipedia, some geometry problems cannot be solved using a compass and straightedge, but they can be solved using only a few paper folds. Moving beyond paper, problems solved through origami have resulted in the deployment of large solar panel arrays for space satellites.
Origami clearly is one of the more creative and educational hobbies.
Sources:
Mathematics of Paper Folding on Wikipedia
Exhibit Focuses on Art, Science and Math of Origami
Image Credit: fdecomite on flickr
Related Products: Origami Books & Resources
