Kite Flying – High Flying Physics
By · CommentsMix McGraw, a competitive kite flyer known for flying 230 kites at once, says “flying a kite is more than flying a kite.” Humidity, the material the kite is made from, the altitude … all these factor into how high and how long it will stay in the air. The wind, itself, is temperamental. An avid flyer for 30 years, McGraw acknowledges kite flying as an ever-changing challenge.
Of course, not everyone works so hard to fly a kite. Most of us would be classed as “casual flyers.” We put a kite in the air for the fun of it, and just enjoy the wind and the sun our faces. In the northern states, kite flying is a right of Spring, a hobby enjoyed by young and old alike.
Whether you’re into casual or expert kite flying, Kites for Everyone: How to Make and Fly Them
Learning how to make a kite along with your children or grandchildren is time well spent. So, given the choice between picking up a pre-made kite at Wal-Mart or making one myself, I’ll choose the latter. Why not learn first-hand about how your choice of materials affects the flyability of your kite?
It’s a gorgeous Spring day in Wisconsin. Are you ready to go fly a kite?
Related Products: More Kite Flying Resources
Related Articles (Off-site): High-flying physics
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.
Bee Keeping – Another Sweet Educational Hobby
By · CommentsThe hobby of bee keeping is part science, part art. There’s far more to it than deciding you’d like to produce your own honey. If you’ve ever wondered what’s involved, today’s article by Jeff Davies will cover the basics:
Beginners Guide To Keeping Bees
If you are considering keeping bees as a hobby or as a sideline business, here’s a quick beginners guide to keeping bees as there are things you will want to keep in mind before making a start.
There are many factors involved with making money with what the honeybees produce, so you might want to start doing it as a hobby first.
You will have to spend some money in the start-up of beekeeping, before investing any amount of money in your beekeeping project, you might want contact beekeepers in your area, as a rule, they will more than happy to share their experience with you and in most cases point you in the right direction for local beekeeping equipment.
In making the decision of becoming a beekeeper, you will want to consider the safety of family, friends, and neighbors. You wouldn’t want someone to get stung that is allergic to bee stings. You will also want to consider whether or not you have a location that would be conducive to keeping bees.
Clothing and Equipment Needed For Beekeeping
One of the most important pieces of clothing a beekeeper wears is the veil. Bee stings on the face can be very painful and there is the possibility of damage to the eyes and ears.
Wear white or light colored coveralls. If you are not using boots, do not wear dark socks. Boots that fasten over the coveralls or in the coveralls should be worn, A wind breaker jacket will help you to avoid being stung. Pants, veil, sleeves should be fasten securely to prevent bees from getting into your clothes.
You will need at least one hive, again a great place to start looking for equipment will be with local beekeepers or beekeeping society’s in and around your area.
You can buy this equipment new or used. If it is used you will want to make sure it is in good condition, also have it examined by the Apiary Inspection Service for any possibility of disease. The equipment will cost around $250-$450.
You could build your own hives, which isn’t to difficult, if you have the time, just make sure you have the dimensions correct because bees will build combs where you least want them.
How to Handle Bees
One of the tips you will want to learn is when to manipulate bees, it’s best to open and examine the bee colonies on days that are warm and sunny with no wind Bees will usually tolerate a moderate beekeeper manipulation for 10 to 15 minutes. It is best not to keep the hives open any longer than you have to.
Acquiring Bees
There are several ways to acquire bees, no matter which method you choose spring is the best time to purchase bees, established colonies will cost you more, but they can be worth the extra money.
Nucleus colonies (nucs)
The nucleus colony is a smaller colony of bees taken from an established colony.
Package bees
The package of bees consists of 2 or 3 pounds of bees, and a queen in a separate cage (Beginners should be able to handle them easily).
Queen Management Techniques
When a colony is not performing well, it is common practice to introduce a new queen into the colony.
Introducing a New Queen
The most common practice of introducing a new queen requires an introductory period of about three days, the queen is placed in a cage and is fed by the colony bees though the wire gauze covering the cage. The only way she can be released is by the worker bees eating a candy entrance, or the beekeeper can decide to release the queen into the colony manually.
The success of the colony depends largely on the quality of the queen. As a beekeeper you may notice a difference in the production of honey from one colony to the next. The difference in production can depend on several factors, one of which is the queen.
Obviously this beekeeping guide for beginners is just a quick look at what’s required, my advice is to do your homework before you start buying equipment, get all the information so you can make an informed decision as to whether bee-keeping might be for you.
About the Author
Are you looking to start having fun with Beekeeping as a pass time, but don’t no where to start? Would a complete beginners guide help?. Visit The Novice Beekeeper for details.
Photo Credit: YuvalH on flickr
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
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
Take Time to Notice the Bugs!
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“Embrace the bugs … Bring them into your classroom, you’ll have science everywhere,” says Terri Swain, director of High Pointe Child Care at Southern Indiana’s Early Childhood Conference.
Bugs are fascinating to preschoolers, or at least they can be if we don’t teach our kids to be afraid of them. Exposing our children to the outdoors and nature at a very young age, helps them develop confidence, learn about interesting tiny creatures, and influences their attitudes as they grow older. More than that, when you inspire their curiosity about nature, it helps to get them hooked on learning.
85% of a child’s brain is developed by the age of five. At this young age, their brains are forming new connections, developing the capacity for lifelong learning. As parents, grandparents, and educators, we have the wonderful opportunity to stimulate their brain development through something as simple as getting our children engaged in the outdoors … and taking the time to notice the bugs!
Photo Credit: ceeshek on flickr
Related Products: Preschool Books About Nature
Related Article (off-site): Educators Embrace Science
Just What is an Educational Hobby?
By · CommentsHow do you separate education, hobbies, craft, and leisure recreational pursuits into tidy little categories? Why would you want to?
A hobby, according to Webster’s, is “something that one likes to do or study in one’s spare time; favorite pastime or avocation.” An educational hobby would then be “something educational that you like to do or study in your spare time.” That pretty much leaves it wide open, doesn’t it?
In the months ahead, you’ll see this blog get much more active. In addition to the topics already covered, we’ll talk about gardening, reading, camping, bicycling, science, scale modeling (for both history and manual dexterity) … in short, anything that we find interesting that can in the least bit relate to an enjoyable, educational endeavor. We’re going to cast a broader net and have some fun with it.
What do you consider an educational hobby? What would you enjoy reading more about?
