Robert+Hanson

The “Better Late Than Never” Science Extravaganza! (your guide to last minute activities)

dfefe Get your cell-fie pose ready and let’s dive in! Fact:
 * Journal revealed that microgravity in space accelerates biological aging by affecting cells known as endothelium. Dysfunction of these cells, which line the interior of blood vessels, are commonly seen in age- and space-related diseases. Found [|Here]
 * Cell phone mitosis [|in a nutshell]

[|Why do we have blood types?] Are you doing a lesson on blood? I can predict that students (both in primary and secondary) will ask why they have a particular blood type and we never really have an answer. This website explains why we give patients blood transfusion that match our blood-type and why it can be so deadly to inject the wrong blood type. Would be worth a good read.

This is [|FoldIt], a computer based simulation that is VERY unique and used for modern day science. FoldIt allows anyone with computer access to shape and mold compounds to anyone who has access to the internet. Interactions between compounds are scored based on whether they make good or bad interactions, like hydrogen bonding. The twist is that scientists will take the compound winning in a certain scenario and actually build them in labs to test. During my undergrad we did this as an assignment and whoever attempted to get a high score got marked a higher amount, in the school we could say whoever is above a particular score will get full marks. Or do this in class as an activity in the computer lab and see how drugs are constructed! (software needs to be downloaded beforehand)

This is a pretty cool experiment to do during the Halloween season,how to extract [|DNA in pumpkins]. All you need are common household electronics. The only drawback is that you need to prepare before the class starts as there is a step that needs some preparation as the solution needs to freeze for one hour. (Not a #LastMinuteActivities)

My jokes never get a reaction from the students…

media type="youtube" key="HDw4gk5pYl8" width="560" height="315" Don't let the video preview fool you. This is one of those role playing activities you can ask your students to do as an assignment to show different chemical reactions. This can also be adjusted to include chemical properties. This video is a bit awkward but it should get the point across. http://elements.wlonk.com/ - This website has valuable resources when you are looking at the periodic table in grade 9 science. These printable periodic tables are all in PDF forms and they give pictures to where every element has use in modern day life. This is a picture guide that highlights interesting facts for the first 100 elements on the periodic table. Each picture is based off the chemical and fact given but each human portrayed has something to do with it. For example, helium, the picture os of a man in a meditative position and appears to be floating. The fact given is that helium is the lightest of all elements. Part 1 - [|Here!] Part 2 - [|Here!] Part 3 - [|Here!]

Physics is Phun!

media type="youtube" key="RtWbpyjJqrU" width="560" height="315" This is Destin, he organizes his own YouTube channel named [|SmarterEveryDay] where he uploads videos related to science. In the video above he looks at the physics behind how a cat will always land on its feet. Other videos have him travelling across the world in places such as Africa where he learned how mud is used to create houses. Check him out! What if: [|You tried to hit a baseball going 90% the speed of light?] Apparently the results is _. You have to read it, no spoilers here. [|Here] are a list of interactive physcis activity for high school. They include wave and sound, mirror and lenses, momentum, collisions, and more!

Thank you! Here are cats! media type="youtube" key="Imeq3GeRttw" width="560" height="315"