Unity of Truth

Seventh Grade Students Make Discovery on Mars

2010-06-22T06:30:00.000-07:00

This is very cool. Click on the link below for the entire article. It's a great example for homeschool students. Kids can accomplish great things too!

7th-Graders Discover Mysterious Cave on Mars

A group of seventh-graders in California has discovered a mysterious cave on Mars as part of a research project to study images taken by a NASA spacecraft orbiting the red planet.

Msgr. Georges Lemaitre

2010-04-10T01:47:00.000-07:00

A beautiful biographic sketch of a scientist priest!

h/t to Kevin

One in a Zillion Penguin Discovered

2010-03-10T18:57:00.000-08:00

As a mom of a houseful of penguin fanatics, I love this:

All Black Penguin Discovered

A "one in a zillion" king penguin is spotted near Antarctica with a bizarre mutation, biologists say that the animal has lost control of its pigmentation, an occurrence that is extremely rare.

The picture at the link is cool.

Science news Link

2010-03-07T03:22:00.000-08:00

Fascinating information on the recent Chile earthquake.

New Catholic Science Blog

2010-03-06T20:11:00.000-08:00

It looks great!

Visit it here.

New Dinosaur Species Discovered in Utah

2010-02-25T05:13:00.000-08:00

Newly Identified Dinosaur Swallowed Food Whole

A mom's wise words about chewing your food likely got lost on a giant, long-necked dinosaur that lived about 105 million years ago in North America. That's according to analyses of four skulls from a newly identified dinosaur species.

Elements Song

2009-10-29T11:43:00.000-07:00

hat-tip Ana

Images from the Refurbished Hubble Space Telescope

2009-09-16T19:02:00.000-07:00

NASA has released a collection of new images taken by the refurbished Hubble Space Telescope after the recent successful repair mission. During the mission, NASA astronauts added new, more sensitive, instruments and repaired two others, among other tasks.

Go here for a collection of images with detailed captions and the option to download them from NASA. Or view a slideshow here.

The Man Who Diffused the Population Bomb

2009-09-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

Solve world hunger, check.

OK so there are still hungry people in the world. But the statistics in this story about Norman Borlaug (whom I have never heard of before now either) would be completely unbelievable, pure fantasy, utopic if it weren't for the stubborn fact that they are true.

Doing some reckoning with those statistics

In 1999, the Atlantic Monthly estimated that Borlaug's efforts combined with those of the many developing-world agriculture-extension agents he trained and the crop-research facilities he founded in poor nations saved the lives of one billion human beings.

Saved a billion human beings!
Saved a billion human beings! with science.

At CIMMYT, Borlaug developed the high-yield, low-pesticide "dwarf" wheat upon which a substantial portion of the world's population now depends for sustenance. ...

From the Civil War through the Dust Bowl, the typical American farm produced about 24 bushels of corn per acre; by 2006, the figure was about 155 bushels per acre.

Saved a billion human beings! with science and personal sacrifice.

Hoping to spread high-yield agriculture to the world's poor, in 1943 Borlaug moved to rural Mexico to establish an agricultural research station ...

In the mid-1960s, India and Pakistan were exceptions to the trend toward more efficient food production; subsistence cultivation of rice remained the rule, and famine struck. In 1965, Borlaug arranged for a convoy of 35 trucks to carry high-yield seeds from CIMMYT to a Los Angeles dock for shipment to India and Pakistan. He and a coterie of Mexican assistants accompanied the seeds. They arrived to discover that war had broken out between the two nations. Sometimes working within sight of artillery flashes, Borlaug and his assistants sowed the Subcontinent's first crop of high-yield grain

.... Africa ....

"...If they lived just one month amid the misery of the developing world, as I have for 50 years, they'd be..."

Saved a billion human beings! with science and personal sacrifice and in the face of criticism

Borlaug became the target of critics who denounced him because Green Revolution farming requires some pesticide and lots of fertilizer. Trendy environmentalism was catching on, and affluent environmentalists began to say it was "inappropriate" for Africans to have tractors or use modern farming techniques

and even of "scientists"

Paul Ehrlich gained celebrity for his 1968 book "The Population Bomb," in which he claimed that global starvation was inevitable for the 1970s and it was "a fantasy" that India would "ever" feed itself. Instead, within three years of Borlaug's arrival, Pakistan was self-sufficient in wheat production; within six years, India was self-sufficient in the production of all cereals.

Saved a billion human beings! The nobel prize is as a wheat chaff beside that.

Great scientist! A Norwegian Luthern farmer. While he certainly didn't do this alone it seems fair to say that it wouldn't have happened without his effort.

Thanks Borlaug. Thanks for the food, the science, the lives, the work, the example and the hope.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203917304574411382676924044.html

Franciscan University of Steubenville Bioethics Conference

2009-09-16T05:22:00.000-07:00

The Value of Human Life Conference
Institute of Bioethics

Friday, October 23, 2009 - Sunday, October 25, 2009 Some philosophers hold that only some human beings have full moral worth and that human beings at the earliest stages of their development are of no more worth than dogs or cats. Other thinkers hold that every human being, no matter what stage of his or her development, has a profound and equal inherent worth. Can that belief be defended by reason? Does human life have value in itself or is it merely of instrumental value? When does human life become valuable? On what basis do human beings have basic rights? When do human beings actually come to be? When do they cease to be?

These and related questions, which underlie many of the most heated controversies today including abortion and euthanasia, will be examined by philosophers and legal philosophers at the Value of Human Life Conference, October 23-25, 2009.

Hosted by the Institute of Bioethics at Franciscan University of Steubenville, the conference will be of special interest to philosophers, political scientists, legal philosophers, bioethicists, and philosophy and bioethics students—both undergraduate and graduate.

Click here to download a Registration Form.

The Value of Human Life Conference

Plenary Sessions

Friday, October 23, 2009

Francis Beckwith, Baylor University
“Human Dignity and Its Discontents”

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Patrick Lee, Franciscan University of Steubenville
“The Basis for Personal Dignity: Acquired Characteristic or Substantial Identity?”

Panel Discussion: Beckwith, Keown, Bradley

John Keown, Georgetown University
“Physicians’ Duties Regarding Palliative Care”

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Gerard Bradley, University of Notre Dame Law School
“Who Should Count as a Person in the Law?”

Plenary Session Speakers

Francis J. Beckwith is professor of philosophy and church-state studies, and resident scholar in the Institute for the Studies of Religion, Baylor University, where he teaches in the Departments of philosophy and political science, and in the J. M. Dawson Institute of Church-State Studies. He has authored or edited over a dozen books including To Everyone an Answer: A Case for the Christian Worldview (with W. L. Craig, J. P. Moreland, InterVarsity Press), Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Mid-Air (with G. P. Koukl, Baker), and his 2007 monograph published by Cambridge University Press, Defending Life: A Moral and Legal Case Against Abortion Choice. In 2010 he will be publishing the book, Politics for Christians: Statecraft and Soulcraft (InterVarsity Press). He also has published nearly 100 articles, book chapters, and reference work entries.

Gerard V. Bradley, a noted scholar in the fields of constitutional law as well as law and religion, joined the faculty of the Notre Dame Law School as a professor in 1992, having taught at the University of Illinois from 1983 to 1992. He earned his BA from Cornell University in 1976 and his JD from the Cornell Law School in 1980. Admitted to the New York Bar in 1981, he practiced law as an assistant district attorney with the New York County District Attorney’s Office from 1980 to 1983.

Professor Bradley participates in numerous professional organizations that involve the study of law and religion and related constitutional issues. With Professor John Finnis, he has served as director of Notre Dame’s Natural Law Institute and as co-editor of the institute’s American Journal of Jurisprudence since 1996. He is president of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars, vice president of the American Public Philosophy Institute, member of the board of advisors of the Cardinal Newman Society, chair of the Federalist Society’s Religious Liberties Practice Group, member of the Ramsey Colloquium on Theological Issues, and member of the board of advisors of the Society of Catholic Social Scientists.

Professor Bradley teaches in Notre Dame’s Trial Advocacy Program, long considered to be among the top-10 such programs in the country. He has also developed a legal-externship program and related ethics course in which students earn credit by assisting actual public defenders in representing indigent clients at the St. Joseph County (Indiana) Court, Trial and Misdemeanor Division.

John Keown, MA, DPhil, PhD, holds the Rose F. Kennedy Chair in Christian Ethics at the Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University. Having graduated in law from Cambridge, he took a doctorate at Oxford. After being called to the Bar, he taught the law and ethics of medicine at Cambridge, where he held Fellowships at Queens’ College and Churchill College. Professor Keown has published widely in his field. His books Abortion, Doctors and the Law, Euthanasia Examined, and Euthanasia, Ethics, and Public Policy have all been published by Cambridge University Press. His work has been cited by bodies including the U.S. Supreme Court and the House of Lords. His most recent paper has questioned the justice of America’s War for Independence.

Patrick Lee holds the John N. and Jamie D. McAleer Chair of Bioethics and is the director of the Institute of Bioethics at Franciscan University of Steubenville. He is known nationally as a keynote speaker and author on contemporary ethics, especially on controversies regarding human life and marriage.

Lee began teaching philosophy at Franciscan University in 1992. In 2007, he was appointed to direct Franciscan University’s Institute of Bioethics, which hosts annual conferences on contemporary ethical issues for healthcare professionals and the general public. As director, Lee defends and articulates the Catholic Church’s position on human life issues through his writings, debates, and public speaking engagements. His expertise includes such hot-button bioethical issues as abortion, embryonic stem-cell research, euthanasia, sexual morality, and same-sex unions.

He recently co-authored a book titled Body-Self Dualism in Contemporary Ethics and Politics (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2008) with Dr. Robert P. George of Princeton University. Dr. Lee has also written the book titled Abortion and Unborn Human Life (Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America, 1996), as well as over 40 articles published in refereed journals and publications.

Conference Schedule

Please note - All conference schedules are subject to change!

Please visit our downloadable forms page to obtain more important information about this conference.

Dice Games

2009-09-04T04:30:00.000-07:00

If you have a couple of die and looking for a cheap yet fun way to reinforce simple math and logic skills then how about learning some new dice games?

Check it out: Dice Play

I do suggest skipping the drinking dice games and stick to the family games!

Appetizer Math

2009-09-03T05:37:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure that this exactly fits into a math & science blog, but if you like to turn cooking lessons into math lessons this Kraft website is a good start:

Appetizer Math

If you're planning a party, this website will help you calculate how much to prepare for each guest. Make sure to look to the links in the left sidebar for:

Vaporized Methane and Saturn's Moon Titan

2009-08-16T05:34:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting discovery: Storm Clouds Found on Saturn's Moon

In many ways Titan's climate resembles that of Earth, but instead of a water cycle, Titan has a methane cycle. Clouds, rain and lakes all exist on Titan, but they are all made of methane. In the moon's frigid climate, any water is frozen into rock-hard ice.

Meteor shower season

2009-08-13T05:13:00.000-07:00

I like reporting on this every year... enjoyed seeing that google has its eyes on the skies these days.

Meet the Economics Professor

2009-08-11T04:26:00.000-07:00

Last week Homeschool Connections held a free webinar to give parents and students a chance to meet & greet the Economics professor. It was a great hour where we all explored the technology and learned about Dr. Harris and his plans for the class.

The course will go beyond the mathematics of economics. For one thing, Dr. Harris will introduce papal encyclicals on social teaching. My daughter and I can't wait!

If you'd like to learn more, you can watch a recording here: Economics 101: Meet & Greet Dr. Harris.

NASA Webinar & Free Stuff

2009-08-10T04:25:00.000-07:00

Last week Domenico Ruggiero gave an awesome webinar on his work at NASA. It was a wonderful learning experience for my family. The great news is that the webinar was recorded and you can watch it yourself at: One Small Step for Parents, One Giant Leap for Homeschool Kids: Insights from a NASA Engineer.

If you have a child with the least bit interest in aerospace, astronomy or engineering, you absolutely should not miss this one.

PLUS, Domenico arranged with NASA to give away all kinds of neat NASA goodies -- posters, decals, rulers, and more. To receive these giveaways drop Domenico an email. He'll email back a form so you can choose what you would like to receive. But don't wait! The deadline is August 19, 2009.

The Kettles Do Math

2009-08-09T04:19:00.000-07:00

Here's a smile for your Sunday morning.

If you're anywhere near my age you probably remember Ma and Pa Kettle. I used to watch those old black & white movies on weekend mornings. You've just got to click play on this YouTube of Ma and Pa's version of arithmetic.

Free E-Book: The Man Who Counted

2009-08-08T06:09:00.000-07:00

We've talked about The Man Who Counted a number of times here and elsewhere. It's a favorite living math book and now it's available as a free pdf file. Personally, I'd rather have a real book to curl up with, but hey it's free!

The Man Who Counted

The Sound of Friction

2009-08-07T06:02:00.000-07:00

Another cool song:

The Sound of Friction

This one is the tune of the 60's classic, The Sound of Silence. The link above takes you to an MP3 file of the audio which is clearer than the video. You may want to listen first before sharing with the kids. I loved it but they do throw in the H word.

Math Pi Song

2009-08-06T05:56:00.000-07:00

This is one video you just gotta watch. It's a song about pi put to the music of Don McLean's American Pie:

Math Pi

Stardate

2009-08-05T07:12:00.000-07:00

I was just driving home from our favorite mechanic shop... and listened to a curious stardate on NPR.

Did you know that the first person to draw the Moon as seen through a telescope was Englishman Thomas Harriot, a part-time scientist and full-time friend of the British rich and famous? His first map of the Moon was based on observations he made 400 years ago tonight.

For more info on this, go to http://stardate.org/radio/program.php?f=today

Quote of the Day: Science/Technology and Human Development

2009-07-10T07:45:00.000-07:00

Technology, viewed in itself, is ambivalent. If on the one hand, some today would be inclined to entrust the entire process of development to technology, on the other hand we are witnessing an upsurge of ideologies that deny in toto the very value of development, viewing it as radically anti-human and merely a source of degradation. This leads to a rejection, not only of the distorted and unjust way in which progress is sometimes directed, but also of scientific discoveries themselves, which, if well used, could serve as an opportunity of growth for all. The idea of a world without development indicates a lack of trust in man and in God. It is therefore a serious mistake to undervalue human capacity to exercise control over the deviations of development or to overlook the fact that man is constitutionally oriented towards "being more". Idealizing technical progress, or contemplating the utopia of a return to humanity's original natural state, are two contrasting ways of detaching progress from its moral evaluation and hence from our responsibility. (Pope Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate)

Online Science Class

2009-07-05T18:14:00.000-07:00

Kris Correira is going to be teaching a 6-week online class called Blood in Sickness and in Health that is about blood physiology and pathophysiology. This is an awesome opportunity for high school students to learn directly from a physician's assistant who also teaches paramedics at community college.

Kris is planning a whole physiology series, so this is only beginning. With the early registration discount, this course is very inexpensive.

Course Description:
You won't faint at the sight of blood in this virtual class! We'll explore what blood is and does, how it is made, how it clots, and blood typing. We'll also look at how blood is tested in a medical laboratory, what the results are when a person is healthy and how it changes in illness. Each student will present their own research into a specific blood disorder of his or her choosing.

This course is designed for high school students. If your student is younger than high school age and would like to participate please contact homeschoolconnections@gmail.com.

Fee:
The regular price is $75. However, there is a generous discount for early registration. Register by July 15, 2009 and receive a discount of $25. If you register between July 16 and August 15, the discount is $15.

Registration:
Go to Science: Blood in Sickness and In Health. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the Register button and then follow the instructions. We take Visa and Master Card. If you prefer to pay by check, or have any questions, please don't hesitate to email Maureen Wittmann.

Materials Needed:
The course includes a blood typing and microscope lab for which you will need to order supplies. Ordering information will be provided and will cost around $20.

All other materials will be made available free online.

Dates and Time:
This is a six-week course. Classes will begin Friday, September 18, 2009 and meet every Friday through October 23, 2009. The time will begin 3:00 PM Eastern Time and end at 4:15 PM.

Enrollment Period:
Enrollment is currently open and will close on September 11, 2009. This will provide students time to learn about the educational software Moodle and the instructor time to provide a syllabus and welcome letter.

Homework:
1) Read the material listed each week.
2) Two labs, one where the students determine their blood types one week and another where they examine slides another week.
3) They will give a final paper and presentation.

Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping. It is up to the parent to record the grade in their child's transcript.

Misc. Details:
Mrs. Corriera will be available via email in between classes to answer questions and take comments.

Recordings of the classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.

Equipment Requirements:
Students are required to have high-speed internet. A headset with microphone is required. You can find them reasonably price at Amazon. To check your connection with the online classes visit: http://www.webex.com/lp/jointest/.

Instructor's Biography:
Kris Correira is a homeschooling mom to 3 boys. She works part time as a physician assistant in an busy emergency department and a paramedic instructor at a community college; she is also a volunteer science teacher for her local homeschool co-op. She has inspired a love of science in her children through lots of hands-on learning and science books without any textbook or curriculum. See what experiments she has for fun hands-on science homeschooling.

Click here to learn about other homeschool online classes.

Homeschooling Human Anatomy and Physiology

2009-07-03T06:07:00.001-07:00

I was googling images of blood (for a science class) and came across this blog:
Studying Human Anatomy.

It appears to be part of a university (or perhaps high school) course. Each day, between January and May 2008, there was a picture and a question posted. Students were invited to post their answers in the comments.

My three oldest kids all desire to go into the medical field and so love this subject. I'll plan to use this blog to encourage their science education. It's a fun way to encourage investigation into science.

Thank you to whoever created it!
'
NOTE: There are posts on human reproduction.

NASA, Science, Engineering, and Homeschooling

2009-06-30T08:54:00.000-07:00

Addendum: The webinar went great and now you can watch the recording!

This is going to be one awesome webinar! And it's free!

Webinar Description:
One Small Step for Parents, One Giant Leap for Homeschool Kids: Insights from a NASA Engineer

For over 50 years, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has inspired generations of people. Domenico Ruggiero is one of those inspired individuals. He will seek to convey some of the same enthusiasm and interest in science-related topics he has carried within himself since childhood. He will also share some of his experiences of working for NASA’s space programs and what children can do to increase their chances for a similar career path. Parents will take away from this webinar a greater appreciation for a variety of NASA-related topics that they can share with their children in an effort to further their interests in science fields of study.

Presenter's Biography:
Domenico Ruggiero, age 32, and his wife are the parents of two young boys with, God-willing, more blessings to come. Domenico is employed at the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida where he has worked for most of his professional career. He presently serves the NASA Constellation Program as a Systems Engineer for Booz Allen Hamilton. Prior to this role, he served the Space Shuttle Program as a Orbiter Structures Engineer for United Space Alliance. Although his childhood passion has always been aviation and space, working for NASA has contributed to his expanded science interests.

Homeschool Online Class: Economics

2009-06-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

I have exciting news for you all as I pull together the fall courses for Homeschool Connections. In addition to Dr. Rioux who is teaching Philosophy, another Benedictine professor will be teaching a course. Dr. Harris is a wonderful, young associate professor with a love for economics as well as a love for the Catholic Church. This beautiful combination provides for an exciting and educational experience for his students.

The course is Principles of Economics and Catholic Perspectives. The regular price is $160 and there is a hefty discount for early registration. Register by July 08, 2009 and the price is only $120. Register by August 10 and the price is $135.

Course Description:
This course is intended to introduce students to fundamental concepts of economics. We will develop the use of economic reasoning to answer basic economic questions in a rational manner. It also aims to provide a thorough understanding of many economic concepts, including marginal analysis, demand and supply, and market equilibrium analysis. The class is intended to assist students in using critical thinking to solve problems. A series of applications will often accompany the course material. In addition, the class will include a review of Catholic Social Teaching and its role within the economic realm.

Course Outline:
Session 1: Introduction and marginal analysis
Session 2: Market demand analysis
Session 3: Market supply analysis
Session 4: Market equilibrium
Session 5: The market system and the role of government
Session 6: Utility and consumer behavior
Session 7: Catholic Social Teaching
Session 8: Catholic Social Teaching

Dates and Time:
This is a eight-week course. Classes will begin Tuesday, September 08, 2009 and meet every Tuesday through October 27, 2009. The time will begin 3:00 PM Eastern Time and end at 4:15 PM.

Enrollment Period:
Enrollment is currently open and will close on September 3, 2009. This will provide students time to learn about the educational software Moodle and the instructor time to provide a syllabus and welcome letter.

Materials:
Microeconomics by McConnell and Brue, 15th edition (ISBN 0072340371)
This is an older edition that is fairly cheap bought used and easy to locate online.
We'll also use one or two papal encyclicals toward the end of class, most notably Centesimus Annus by Pope John Paul II. Encyclicals can be found online for free.

Homework:
Homework will be assigned and graded. However Homeschool Connections does not provide record keeping. It is up to the parent to record the grade in their child's transcript.

Professor's Biography:
Dr. Harris is an Associate Professor in the Economics Department at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. After obtaining his undergraduate degree from Benedictine College in 1997, he earned his M.S. from Iowa State University in 1999 and his Ph.D. from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2008.

His areas of research interest Catholic Social Teaching, the history of economic thought, and social economics. After spending time as a full-time volunteer working with the poor and under served population of Milwaukee, he taught personal finance classes before coming to Benedictine.

He and his wife, Jackie, live in Atchison with their three children, Helen, Clare, and Luke.

Misc. Details:
Dr. Harris will be available via email in between classes to answer questions and take comments.

Recordings of the classes are provided to students within 24 hours and available for 6 months.

Equipment Requirements:
Students are required to have high-speed internet. A headset with microphone is required. You can find them reasonably price at Amazon.

To check your connection with the online classes visit: http://www.webex.com/lp/jointest/.

Registration:
Go to: Principles of Economics and Catholic Perspectives. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the Register button and then follow the instructions. We take Visa and Master Card. If you prefer to pay by check, or have any questions, please don't hesitate to email Maureen Wittmann.

In doing our polling, a lot of students asked for an economics course. In fact, here in Michigan and several other states a semester of economics is a math requirement for graduation. So, I suggest enrolling early in case the course fills up.

Click here to learn about other homeschool online classes.

Homeschool Science: Cohesion and Adhesion

2009-06-16T17:59:00.000-07:00

Update: Kris' webinar went great! You can watch and listen to the recorded webinar at: Science at Home: Adhesion & Cohesion. Make sure to click on the video and chat icons at the top right to get the full effect.

Kris Correira's second free webinar in her At-Home Science series is scheduled and ready for you to register. And it's a pretty exciting subject too:

Cohesion, adhesion, surface tension, capillary action--this webinar will explore them all through a variety of experiments put together with whatever I can manage to find around the house.

So who is this Kris Correira you ask? Oh my, how could you not know Kris! Well, here's your opportunity to meet a lovely as well as dedicated homeschool mom:

Kris Correira is a homeschooling mom to 3 boys. She works part time as a physician assistant in an busy emergency department and a paramedic instructor at a community college; she is also a volunteer science teacher for her local homeschool co-op. She has inspired a love of science in her children through lots of hands-on learning and science books without any textbook or curriculum. See what experiments she has for fun hands-on science homeschooling.

Kris also has a great blog you really should check out: Science At Home.

Homeschool Connections is able to bring this webinar to you for free thanks to our oh-so-generous sponsors:

Emmanuel Books

Love 2 Learn

Please visit their websites and thank them for their sponsorship.

I look forward to see ya'all on Tuesday, June 30th at 8:30 PM Eastern time. And, hey, bring the kids. We had fun at Kris' last webinar watching the live static experiments so I'm looking forward to seeing what cool experiments Kris does for my family on cohesion and adhesion.

Quote to ponder: Idolatry of Science

2009-06-02T19:01:00.000-07:00

"The fatal flaw in our developed societies and their idolatry of science—because that's what it is, a form of idolatry and avarice for power—is that their idea of man is too vain and too despairing, too big and too small at the same time. We're less than gods but more than smart monkeys. And the glory God intends for each of us can only be found one way, through one Man." - Archbishop Charles Chaput, Using and Being Used

Homeschool Science and Static Electricity

2009-05-19T05:29:00.000-07:00

To view Hands On Science: Static Electricity, click here.

Kris Correira's first ever Hands-On Science webinar went great! It was so fun to watch her do live experiments for us as she explained what was happening and why. She kept an eye on the chat and answered our questions through it all. I can't wait until the next one in the series.

In this first webinar of the Hands-On Science series, Kris Correira will explore the power of static electricity and share how you can bring the same science experiments to your home either for fun or for homeschool.

Kris Correira is a homeschooling mom to 3 boys. She works part time as a physician assistant in an busy emergency department and a paramedic instructor at a community college; she is also a volunteer science teacher for her local homeschool co-op. She has inspired a love of science in her children through lots of hands-on learning and science books without any textbook or curriculum. See what experiments she has for fun hands-on science homeschooling.

To view Hands On Science: Static Electricity just click here and scroll down to click on View. Watch with the kids if you can.

Scuderi Air Hybrid Engine

2009-05-01T15:55:00.000-07:00

The Scuderi Air Hybrid Engine is a variation on an internal cumbustion engine may be able to boost fuel efficiency by as much as 50%, thereby saving energy as well as reducing emissions.

Math and Science Redo

2009-04-20T00:23:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Here's the link to the recorded event for free download: Bringing Joy to Your Math and Science Lessons. Everything went great!

I'm redoing the math/science webinar. If you missed the first one and you'll be around today at 2:00 PM Eastern (1:00 Central) then come join me.

I've rented a small (very small) office in town for my Homeschool Connections work. The Internet connection is awesome so my previous problems with audio and video glitches will now be nothing but a memory.

I hope to see some of you there!

The Pope and Science

2009-04-19T07:15:00.000-07:00

Quote of the Day:

“Science can purify religion from error and superstition. Religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes.”

Pope John Paul II

Free Homeschool Resource: Static Electicity Webinar

2009-04-13T04:11:00.000-07:00

Kris Correira of At Home Science fame has developed a series of free webinars to help homeschoolers teach science. These should be way fun as Kris will be performing live experiments you'll be able to see on live streaming video. All brought to you by Homeschool Connections.

Science At Home: Static Electricity

In this first webinar of the Hands-On Science series, Kris Correira will explore the power of static electricity and share how you can bring the same science experiments to your home either for fun or for homeschool.

Kris Correira is a homeschooling mom to 3 boys. She works part time as a physician assistant in an busy emergency department and a paramedic instructor at a community college; she is also a volunteer science teacher for her local homeschool co-op. She has inspired a love of science in her children through lots of hands-on learning and science books without any textbook or curriculum. See what experiments she has for fun hands-on science homeschooling.

Free Homeschool Resource: Math & Science Webinar

2009-04-08T14:28:00.000-07:00

The math and science webinar went well last week. Oh, there were a few glitches (I'm always my worst critic) but the attendees loved it. If you weren't able to make it there, you can still attend the recorded event -- for free no less. You can watch it, download it, and even email it to friends.

Bringing Joy to Your Homeschool Math and Science Lessons:

Literature isn't just for reading! You can teach math, science, language arts, and more using living books. This is the third in a series of three talks on the topic of teaching through real books.

Have you ever said out loud, "I hate math!" Or, "Math was my worst subject!" Was science always a tough subject for you? Do you struggle wondering how you can bring the fullness of the subject to your children? If so, you've come to the right place.

In this talk Maureen Wittmann shows you how to let go of your math and science phobia and keep from passing it onto your children. Math can be fun and interesting. Really. You just need to look at it in a new light. Science can go beyond the kitchen experiments and come alive in a child's imagination. Really.

Maureen brings lots of books with her for show and tell. You'll leave this online seminar loaded with book titles, fresh ideas, and practical tips. You won't want to miss it!

Maureen is the author of For the Love of Literature: Teaching Core Subjects Through Literature published by Ecce Homo Press, available from your favorite bookseller or maureenwittmann.com.

Eagle Cam

2009-04-06T14:07:00.000-07:00

There is a webcam at Duke Farms at Rutgers University of an bald eagle’ nest. There are 2 eggs and a chick who hatched this morning. We've been watching off and on today. Very cool!

On Oprah: "The Stem Cell Debate is Dead"

2009-04-06T06:39:00.000-07:00

hat-tip American Papist

Free Math Lessons K - 12

2009-03-26T05:25:00.000-07:00

In the blog entry about free K - 8 math lessons Kris of At Home Science left a comment with another free math program, only this one goes to 12th grade.

I have not used this program, but I do want to mention an entire math program, K through 12, available for free through a web site in the UK (they are well aware that many US homeschoolers are using it.) It is the Mathematics Enhancement Programme or M.E.P. We started using it this year and it as been an excellent fit for our family.

Cool Series on Catholic Scientists

2009-03-25T11:40:00.000-07:00

Dr. Thursday is doing an amazing series of short biographies of Catholic scientists. Check out the index to the series here:

GKC's Favourite: Catholic Scientists

Free Geometry Puzzles for Littles

2009-03-25T05:14:00.000-07:00

Visit Homeschool Freebie of the Day on Friday, March 27th for this free ebook:
204 TRIANGLE PUZZLES TO TEACH GEOMETRY (PDF)

Description:
"With just five simple cutout triangles, you can introduce younger students to the abstract language of arithmetic known as geometry. Great puzzles both for learning and fun!"

Free Math and Physics Videos

2009-03-24T05:50:00.000-07:00

More free stuff online.

Khan Academy

The Khan Academy is a not-for-profit organization with the mission of providing a high quality education to anyone, anywhere.
We have 700+ videos on YouTube covering everything from basic arithmetic and algebra to differential equations, physics, and finance which have been recorded by Salman Khan. He has also developed a free, adaptive math program available here.
To keep abreast of new videos as we add them, subscribe to the Khan Academy channel on YouTube.
The entire video library is shown below. Just click on a category or video title to start learning from the Khan Academy!

Free K-8 Math Lessons

2009-03-23T05:45:00.000-07:00

Free online math program: AAA Math.

I haven't tried this out myself but looks good for supplemental practice. Leave a comment if you've used it yourself and let us know your opinion.

Favorite Math Games

2009-03-22T07:48:00.000-07:00

A nice blog post from Trivium Pursuit: Favorite Math Games.

So, what are your favorite math games?

Thank You Ecce Homo

2009-03-21T16:19:00.000-07:00

I am really happy to let you all know that Living Math is not the only sponsor for the upcoming webinar on teaching math and science through literature. Our other sponsor is Ecce Homo Press, publisher of the ever popular Little Flowers Girls Club and Blue Knights Boys Club materials, the Glory of America series, Little Women Hospitality Program, and more. They are also the publisher of my book For the Love of Literature which is the inspiration for this webinar.

The math and science webinar is already full with a long waiting list. If you didn't get around to signing up yet, don't fret as I'll make sure to let you all know when the recorded event is available.

In the meantime, thank you to all the Homeschool Connections sponsors!
Living Math
Ecce Homo Press
Love2Learn
mater et magistra

Thank You Living Math

2009-03-18T04:59:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited to announce that Living Math will be one of our sponsors the upcoming math & science webinar. We're able to bring these homeschool webinars to you for free thanks to the generosity of our sponsors.

Make sure to check out Living Math's website where you'll find lots of tips and reviews to help you bring a true appreciation of math to your homeschool.

If you're planning on purchasing some living math books, please consider linking from the Living Math website as it helps them keep the website running.

More Cool Homeschool Science Blogs

2009-03-17T05:18:00.000-07:00

Home Chemistry

Home Biology

Fun Schooling

Handbook of Nature Study

Math and Living Books

2009-03-16T07:19:00.001-07:00

Some years ago Leslie Payne of Heart and Mind (now mater et magistra) wrote an excellent article on creating a love for mathematics, on getting beyond the "I hate math" and "math is my worst subject" phobia. I found it on the Internet recently and I strongly suggest giving it a read: Poetic Math.

If you get the wonderful Emmanuel Books catalog, you will notice that they have a section dedicated to Poetic Math inspired by this article.

Also, I'll be talking about this in the upcoming webinar: Bringing Joy to Your Homeschool Math and Science Lessons. If you can't make it on April 1st, please know that the event will be recorded and available for free download.

Homeschool Math Blog

2009-03-15T06:09:00.000-07:00

I trust that everyone had a lovely Pi Day yesterday and has recovered from all the celebrations.

Here is a math blog I discovered today that is well worth checking out:
Homeschool Math Blog
I love blogs with name that get right to the point!

Interesting news...

2009-03-06T05:05:00.000-08:00

Vatican-backed conference snubs creationism

Read it here.

Another Catholic Science Blog

2009-03-06T04:27:00.000-08:00

The Deeps of Time

You'll also find a link at the top of the sidebar to your right. Go check it out@

Celebrate Pi Day

2009-03-05T05:06:00.000-08:00

Pi Day is right around the corner. The parades, the parties, the speeches. Well, okay, maybe it's not that big of a deal but hey we can all still have a good time celebrating pi and instilling a joy for mathematics into our children. So, go visit Katie's Homeschool Cottage and find some great ways to Celebrate Pi Day.

Green Comet Approaches Earth

2009-02-18T16:22:00.000-08:00

Comet Lulin is now approaching earth. This beautiful comet is unusual in a couple of different respects. For one thing, its color is greenish due to the cyanogen (CN) and diatomic carbon (C₂) it contains. And for another, it is approaching the sun "backwards" and is expected to leave the solar system once it swings around the sun. The comet has never yet been close to the sun, so that it retains many of its original gases.

There's also a neat story behind its discovery by a Chinese teen. See here for more.

Cross-posted with Rejoice in Hope.

Napier's Bones and How They Work

2009-02-18T08:41:00.000-08:00

Paula mentioned Napier Bones in the comments section on Lattice Multiplication and so I found a YouTube on it . . .

Slow-Motion Lightning Video

2009-02-13T06:39:00.001-08:00

This is really neat (and only takes 30 seconds to watch):

hat-tip Jennifer's Favorite Links

Math Rich Comic

2009-02-11T06:09:00.000-08:00

Hat Tip: Living Math Forum

Indexed

I've only reviewed a sampling so, as always, parental controls should be in place.

How to Do Lattice Math

2009-02-10T08:57:00.001-08:00

The kids and I have been viewing Basic Math from The Teaching Company. One thing we learned was how to do lattice multiplication. The video below is a very basic demonstration of the method. I don't think it's any faster than the traditional method of multiplication but the kids have a lot of fun doing it and showing off to visitors. If a new method gets them excited about doing math then I'm all for it!

I'll try to find a YouTube of a more complicated problem than the one shown in this video so you know what to do with larger numbers that need to carry. Hopefully, I'll have it posted in the next day or two. In the meantime, maybe you can figure it out for yourself.

Charlotte Mason and Homeschooling Science

2009-02-06T05:09:00.000-08:00

There's a new, cool science blog for you to check out: Science of Relations. If you're especially fond of a Charlotte Mason education then you really must check it out. You may recognize the author Kris from At Home Science.

Google Goes to Mars

2009-02-04T10:13:00.000-08:00

Electroblogster posted recently about additions to Google Earth, and now there's also Google Mars. Fun and educational, the images are composites made from NASA data. The tool works similarly to the more familiar Google Earth, with three available views: Elevation (shaded relief), Visible, and Infrared.

Links at the top enable navigation to different regions or types of formations; you can also view landing sites for the spacecraft that have surveyed Mars -- or crashed in the attempt. Finally, a "stories" link brings up a list of locations with associated articles at the joint NASA/JPL/ASU THEMIS website. The picture above is a thumbnail of one of the posters available for download at the THEMIS site.

Cross-posted with Rejoice in Hope.

Google Earth goes underwater

2009-02-03T10:03:00.000-08:00

Google Earth has the power to fascinate and educate. It looks as though it is about to take another leap. New features (ver 5.0 starting Monday) include historical imagery (see cities grow), ocean floor data, and "touring". You can imagine the possibilities and/or read about some of the implications here.

Video: Snake Shedding Skin

2009-02-02T07:53:00.000-08:00

Amazing . . .

Wintertime Loveliness

2009-01-31T07:03:00.000-08:00

A beautiful close-up of snowflakes:

Snowflakes under the microscope

H/T to Ann @ Holy Experience

Teaching Math and Science with Real Books

2009-01-28T12:03:00.000-08:00

Here is a direct link to information on the Bringing Joy to Your Homeschool Math and Science Lessons webinar.

Student Concerns About Evolution: Open for Discussion?

2009-01-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

Professor Michael Reiss, writing in the Guardian (UK)'s blog, suggests that students be allowed to raise doubts about evolution. He says:

So how might one teach evolution in science lessons, say to 14 to 16-year-olds? Many scientists, and some science educators, fear that consideration of creationism or intelligent design in a science classroom legitimises them.

For example, the excellent book Science, Evolution, and Creationism published by the US National Academy of Sciences and Institute of Medicine, asserts: "The ideas offered by intelligent design creationists are not the products of scientific reasoning. Discussing these ideas in science classes would not be appropriate given their lack of scientific support."

I agree with the first sentence but disagree with the second. Just because something lacks scientific support doesn't seem to me a sufficient reason to omit it from a science lesson. When I was taught physics at school, and taught it extremely well in my view, what I remember finding so exciting was that we could discuss almost anything providing we were prepared to defend our thinking in a way that admitted objective evidence and logical argument.

So when teaching evolution, there is much to be said for allowing students to raise any doubts they have (hardly a revolutionary idea in science teaching) and doing one's best to have a genuine discussion. The word 'genuine' doesn't mean that creationism or intelligent design deserve equal time.

However, in certain classes, depending on the comfort of the teacher in dealing with such issues and the make-up of the student body, it can be appropriate to deal with the issue. If questions or issues about creationism and intelligent design arise during science lessons they can be used to illustrate a number of aspects of how science works.

This sounds very reasonable to me. Note that Prof. Reiss very clearly says that he does not consider creationism or intelligent design theories to be scientifically valid. All he says is that if students have issues with evolution -- say because their parents are into creationism -- it makes a lot of sense for their biology teacher to discuss their concerns with them.

What does it say to the student when the teacher merely pooh-poohs their concerns or dismisses them without discussion? It seems to me that the most likely two outcomes are:

the student decides the teacher is clueless -- therefore the science is suspect, or
the student decides his parents are clueless -- therefore their religion is suspect

Neither strikes me as a good thing. Rather, it seems far wiser to address students' concerns.

Members of the Royal Society do not agree; many called for Reiss's resignation from his position as the Society's Director of Education. It doesn't seem to much matter that what Reiss actually said and what they imagine he said are two different things.

Cross-posted from Rejoice in Hope.

Webinar: Teaching Math and Science with Literature

2009-01-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: All Homeschool Connections webinars are now free.

Save the date: April 1, 2009

I'm presenting an online talk on teaching math and science through real books at Homeschool Connections. I'd love to hear any suggestions or ideas from Unity of Truth readers. What would you like to hear in such a talk? I really love promoting real books in our homeschools. And the idea of teaching math with literature is really very foreign to most people.

I've given a similar talk several times before, but that talk encompassed all school subjects. What I'm doing for Homeschool Connections is break down that talk into three talks and expanding on each school subject. One in Feb. on history, one in Mar. on art and music, and one in Apr. on math and science.

I'll also talk about incorporating religion and faith into these subjects, how to efficiently use your library, building literature unit studies, how to bring joy into your homeschool studies and more.

If you're not familiar with webinars -- it's a really neat way to reach homeschoolers via the Internet. Especially those who may have a hard time getting to a conference or finding local suport or just needs something to beat the February Blahs. In fact, as a side note, Homeschool Connections is hosting free chats once a month -- Mom's Night Out While In -- starting Feb. 19th.

If you're interested in learning more, visit the website. There you can sign up for the free chats or future webinars. You can also download past webinars (click on: Recorded Sessions).

There is a fee for some of the events but you'll get more than your money's worth from these events. They're informative, motivating, and a plus to your homeschool.

The webinars are limited to 30 participants to keep it intimate. As I give the talk (you'll be able to see me via a webcam and I have a Power Point presentation you'll see too), you'll be able to participate in the chat room -- either sending questions or comments to me or to the rest of the audience. It's really all very fun -- I suggest giving it a try once or download the free webinar I did on Classroom Organization 101.

I look forward to hearing your ideas and suggestions!

News species of catfish

2009-01-22T19:23:00.000-08:00

Pretty interesting stuff!

International Year of Astronomy

2009-01-21T05:16:00.001-08:00

Read about it here!

And learn about how you can sign up to receive a Galileoscope here!

A Special Full Moon Tonight!

2009-01-10T08:39:00.001-08:00

Amidst the negative daily news from my google news side widget, I found one nice one:

If skies are clear Saturday, go out at sunset and look for the giant moon rising in the east. It will be the biggest and brightest one of 2009, sure to wow even seasoned observers. Read more here.

Teaching the Scientific Method

2009-01-06T08:24:00.000-08:00

Steps of the Scientific Method from Science Buddies.

Crave the Wave Websites

2009-01-05T08:17:00.000-08:00

The Science Olympiad competition Crave the Wave is a tough one. The first thing we do is build a notebook for the event, which can be brought into the competition. The kids use notebook dividers to separate the topics and then fill it with sample waves, graphs, definitions, etc. The following websites will get you started in the study of waves, whether you do Science Olympiad or not.

Waves:
Wave lesson:
http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/Class/waves/u10l1a.html

Mechanical waves:
http://www.mcasco.com/p1mw.html
http://electron9.phys.utk.edu/phys135d/modules/m10/waves.htm
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/waves/u10l1c.html

Wave interference:
http://id.mind.net/~zona/mstm/physics/waves/interference/intrfrnc.html
http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeoacw1/wave_interference.html

Doppler Wave:
http://archive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/Cyberia/Bima/doppler.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doppler_effect

Seismic Waves:
http://www.seismo.unr.edu/ftp/pub/louie/class/100/seismic-waves.html
http://www.geo.mtu.edu/UPSeis/waves.html
http://sunshine.chpc.utah.edu/labs/seismic/index.htm

Wave Reflections:
http://www.kettering.edu/~drussell/Demos/reflect/reflect.html
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/sound/reflec2.html

Wave Refraction/diffraction:
http://www.coastal.udel.edu/ngs/waves.html
http://www.walter-fendt.de/ph11e/huygenspr.htm

Wave parts:
http://id.mind.net/~zona/mstm/physics/waves/partsOfAWave/waveParts.htm

The Reasonableness of the Universe

2009-01-02T09:52:00.000-08:00

(cross-posted from Studeo)

Ria surprised John and I with a beautiful book as a New Year's present. It's Benedictus: Day by Day with Pope Benedict XVI. We actually got to open it just after midnight, in the very first moments of the new year. :)

Here's today's quote. It's awesome.

The more we know of the universe the more profoundly we are struck by a Reason whose ways we can only contemplate with astonishment. In pursuing them we can see anew that creating Intelligence to whom we owe our own reason. Albert Einstein once said that in the laws of nature "there is revealed such a superior Reason that everything significant which has arisen out of human thought and arrangement is, in comparison with it, the merest empty reflection." In what is most vast, in the world of heavenly bodies, we see revealed a powerful Reason that holds the universe together. And we are penetrating ever deeper into what is smallest, into the cell and into the primordial units of life; here, too, we discover a Reason that astounds us, such that we must say with Saint Bonaventure: "Whoever does not see here is blind. Whoever does not hear here is deaf. And whoever does not begin to adore here and to praise the creating Intelligence is dumb"... God himself shines through the reasonableness of his creation. Physics and biology, and the natural sciences in general, have given us a new and unheard-of creation account with vast new images, which let us recognize the face of the Creator and which make us realize once again that at the very beginning and foundation of all being there is a creating Intelligence. The universe is not the product of darkness and unreason. It comes from intelligence, freedom, and from the beauty that is identical with love. Seeing this gives us the courage to keep on living, and it empowers us, comforted thereby, to take upon ourselves the adventure of life.

Very cool periodic table showing electron shells

2008-12-04T13:32:00.000-08:00

Two teens in our local homeschool group are teaching a science class for kids aged 9-12. Last time, they handed out this very cool periodic table:

Instead of element symbols, electron configuration diagrams occupy the center of each element box. Running your finger (or eye) along row 5, for example, you can see why the palladium atom is smaller than the rhodium even though it has one more electron. I love it!

You can also find larger electron configuration diagrams for each element; they are indexed here.

This periodic table would make a great accompaniment to Mary Daly's Chemsitry 001 or other chemistry course. Also helpful when studying the physics of elementary particles.

Click on the Chemistry label below for a couple of other intriguing periodic tables.

Fathers of Science

2008-12-02T17:21:00.000-08:00

The Catholic Church has always respected reason, perhaps more so than the rationalists themselves. She has also long been a promoter and supporter of the sciences.

On March 12, 2008, the John Templeton Foundation made the announcement of the winner of its annual Templeton Prize, which honors achievements engaging the great questions of life and the universe. The $1.6 million prize for 2008 went to Michal Heller, a Polish cosmologist and professor in the faculty of philosophy at the Pontifical Academy of Theology in Cracow, Poland. What makes Heller additionally remarkable is that he is a Catholic priest. ...

As a priest-scientist, Fr. Heller is not unique. Rather, he stands in a long and great tradition of learned priests who were both scientists and men of faith. Some are well-known to history, such as Roger Bacon, the 13th-century Franciscan who stressed the concept of "laws of nature" and contributed to the development of mechanics, geography, and especially optics. Others are obscure. All, however, left a lasting legacy on their eras in learning, science, mathematics, and practical progress.

Above all, the priest-scientists offer a powerful lesson to Catholic apologists: There is no reason to stand mute when the name Galileo is wielded like a cudgel and the Church is savaged as an enemy of human progress. Apologists and well-read Catholics can point to these priest-scientists and declare forcefully what Fr. Georges Lemaître-discoverer of the "Big Bang"-robustly proclaimed in 1933: "There is no conflict between religion and science."

Read the full article at Fathers of Science (This Rock: September 2008) for many examples of scientists who exemplify this fact.

Meteor Caught by Police Cam

2008-11-23T20:38:00.000-08:00

Amazing meteor footage from Canada
Hat tip AmericanPapist

Identifying the Parts of a Microscope

2008-11-19T10:12:00.000-08:00

Today we're working on the parts of a microscope.

Here's an interactive website for practice:
Name the part of the microscope and then click on the dot to see if you're right.

Here's a page to printout if you prefer that method

Finally, here is a pretty good article not only on parts but how-to use a microscope

Waves and Other Physics Videos Online

2008-11-17T10:41:00.000-08:00

An introductory resource we found for the Crave the Wave event is an online video from the PBS series The Mechanical Universe . . . And Beyond. Actually, this series covers all kinds of great physics topics.

They're written for high school to college level but the ones we viewed would also work with middle school students, especially if viewed with a parent.

You could buy the DVD's but why when you can stream online for free? Though I do admit that it would make for easier viewing on a full television screen instead of a little square on a computer screen. You could check your public library or Netflix for availibility.

How a Candle Works

2008-11-15T07:31:00.000-08:00

This is a fascinating little exposition on the candle. It's really amazing - be sure to watch closely at the end, especially, when he relights the candle by the lighting up the "smoke" from the extinguished wick!

Studying Waves in Science

2008-11-11T09:31:00.000-08:00

Science Olympiad season has begun again. We started meeting with our homeschool team, Creative Science Investigators (CSI) about a month ago. We're now knee deep in our science studies.

One of the events we're preparing for is Crave the Wave. This is the study of waves. You know, light waves, sound waves, and so many more.

Today, I'd like to share a really neat website from The Physics Tutorial that would be very useful to you in your homeschool in the study of waves.

Waves and Wave-Like Motion has prepared lessons for you in the study of waves, particularly sound and light waves. The lessons are perfect for your middle school student, though they would prove useful in supplementing grade or high school lessons too.

Voting and Homeschool Blog Awards

2008-11-10T16:02:00.000-08:00

Voting has begun for the 2008 Homeschool Blog Awards. Go check out all of the nominees -- you may find a new favorite. Of course, I hope you'll vote for Unity of Truth while you're at it.

14 year old helps his scientist-dad

2008-11-08T05:38:00.000-08:00

A neat recent news on a 14 year old boy helping his scientist-dad!

Read it here.

Lots of Science Links

2008-10-24T00:02:00.000-07:00

Find loads of cool science stuff at The Frugal Educator. Free.

A View into the Womb

2008-10-23T16:15:00.000-07:00

From GE Healthcare, inventors of the "4D" ultrasound, this cool page features a prenatal timeline of growth and development from 6 weeks gestation to full term. By clicking on the week, you can see an ultrasound image of an unborn child of that age, plus relevant developmental information. For example, Week 6 notes that the heart beats "at around 100-115 beats per minute," while important developments in Week 9 include: "hands that flex at the wrist" and "visible fingers and toes." The picture shown is their image of an unborn baby at 16 weeks. See more here.

Great resource to accompany study of prenatal development or simply to marvel at the complex process.

Another fun page GE offers is a "virtual 4D ultrasound."

Oxford Lectures for Free

2008-10-23T15:37:00.000-07:00

Ever wanted to attend Oxford just to see what they know? Here's a sample - lecture podcasts:
http://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/

The Visual Elements Periodic Table

2008-10-21T14:38:00.000-07:00

A few posts back, Ana linked to a really cool Periodic Table that had videotaped experimentations for each element. Here's another cool online Periodic Table. Check it out with the kids!

Hat Tip: At Home Science

Balloon in a Bottle Experiment

2008-10-16T17:58:00.001-07:00

I didn't realize that Mr. Wizard had passed away until I stumbled upon this YouTube.

The kids and I just borrowed some Mr. Wizard videos from the library a few weeks ago. I'll have to do a little searching and see if I can find some of him on YouTube. In the meantime, enjoy this little tribute and balloon experiment:

Check out other Steve Spangler videos on YouTube.

First 24 Hours of an Embryo's Cells

2008-10-15T13:34:00.000-07:00

A zebrafish, from 64 cells into 20,000 cells (explained here):

With a newly developed microscope that uses a sheet of light to scan a living organism from many different dimensions, scientists were able to track the complex cellular organization of a zebrafish embryo as it grows from a single cell to 20,000 cells.

Hat Tip: American Papist

Calculus and YouTube

2008-10-14T12:56:00.000-07:00

I don't know if anyone else will find this funny but as one who majored in applied mathematics in college I found it hysterical. I knew guys just like this . . .

Possible First Photo of Exoplanet Around Sun-Like Star

2008-09-23T14:29:00.000-07:00

At left is a picture taken by the Gemini Observatory. Astronomers are hopeful that it is a photograph of an planet (the small object in the upper left) that orbits a sun-like star -- the first yet taken.

From the story on Space.com:

This distant world is giant (about eight times the mass of Jupiter) and lies far out from its star (about 330 times the Earth-Sun distance). But for all the planet's strangeness, its star is quite like our own sun. ...

Further study will be needed to prove that the planet is in fact orbiting around the star ...

The strange planet so far from its parent star is unexpected based on current theories of star and planet formation. For comparison, the farthest planet in our solar system, Neptune, lies only 30 times the Earth-sun distance away from the sun.

The Tears of St. Lawrence

2008-08-11T13:13:00.000-07:00

It almost time for the annual Perseid meteor shower. This year, the moon will set early, leaving a good window of pre-dawn hours. The peak is expected Aug 12, around 7am EDT. That means that western US observers will get the best view. Still, anyone with dark skies should get a good show. See more here.

From this article, I just found out that the Perseid meteor shower is also known as the fiery "Tears of St. Lawrence" in honor of the Roman martyr whose feast day is on Aug. 10. I love those connections!

Photo credit: NASA
Hat tip: my husband

Science at Library Thing

2008-07-29T05:49:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for living books for science, from a Catholic homeschool mom's world view, then check out AtHomeScience's Library Thing. She has books from preschool to advanced and all are well tagged.

Get your library card out!

PS Check out her blog while you're at it: At Home Science

Sky Gazers Set For Big Event

2008-07-27T05:27:00.000-07:00

Sky Gazers Prepare for Solar Eclipse Friday August 1st.

It's the first in two years.

Teaching Company: High School Math

2008-07-26T04:13:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting for what seems like forever for The Teaching Company to put their high school math courses on sale. Finally, the day has come. And just in time for the school year.

If you're not familiar with The Teaching Company, they provide videos/DVD's of college and high school courses by the best of the best professors. All of their courses go on sale at least once a year, often for 75% off.

If you see any courses that you absolutely must have but are not on sale, EBay is a good source. I've seen them scooped up there for very reasonable prices. Cheap in fact. And, some public libraries carry them as well.

Brilliant Noise

2008-07-25T04:02:00.000-07:00

One more from Semiconductor.

Brilliant Noise from Semiconductor on Vimeo.

Brilliant Noise by Semiconductor: Ruth Jarman and Joe Gerhardt

Avaliable on DVD! with 12 alternate soundtracks semiconductorfilms.com/WorldsInFluxDVD.html

Brilliant Noise takes us into the data vaults of solar astronomy. After sifting through hundreds of thousands of computer files, made accessible via open access archives, Semiconductor have brought together some of the sun's finest unseen moments. These images have been kept in their most raw form, revealing the energetic particles and solar wind as a rain of white noise. This grainy black and white quality is routinely cleaned up by NASA, hiding the processes and mechanics in action behind the capturing procedure. Most of the imagery has been collected as single snapshots containing additional information, by satellites orbiting the Earth. They are then reorganised into their spectral groups to create time-lapse sequences. The soundtrack highlights the hidden forces at play upon the solar surface, by directly translating areas of intensity within the image brightness into layers of audio manipulation and radio frequencies.
Lots more info here:
semiconductorfilms.com/root/Brilliant_Noise/BNoise.htm
...this version suffers a bit from the internet compression. The original version is much better.

Semiconductor 200 Nanowebbers

2008-07-24T05:30:00.000-07:00

More cool video from Semiconductor.

Semiconductor 200 Nanowebbers from Semiconductor on Vimeo.

For ‘200 Nanowebbers', Semiconductor have created a molecular web that is generated by Double Adaptor's live soundtrack. Using custom-made scripting, the melodies and rhythms spawn a nano scale environment that shifts and contorts to the audio resonance. Layers of energetic hand drawn animations, play over the simplest of vector shapes that form atomic scale associations. As the landscape flickers into existence by the light of trapped electron particles, substructures begin to take shape and resemble crystalline substances.

Magnetic Movie

2008-07-23T05:19:00.000-07:00

This is way too cool. Watch with the kids!

Magnetic Movie from Semiconductor on Vimeo.

The secret lives of invisible magnetic fields are revealed as chaotic ever-changing geometries. All action takes place around NASA's Space Sciences Laboratories, UC Berkeley, to recordings of space scientists describing their discoveries . Actual VLF audio recordings control the evolution of the fields as they delve into our inaudible surroundings, revealing recurrent ‘whistlers' produced by fleeting electrons. Are we observing a series of scientific experiments, the universe in flux, or a documentary of a fictional world?

More info here www.semiconductorfilms.com/root/Magnetic_Movie/Magnetic.htm

An Animate Projects commission for Channel 4 in association with Arts Council England.

Looks like something a super villian from Spider Man or Super Man would harness and attempt to use for evil.

Videos of the Periodic Table!

2008-07-22T19:21:00.000-07:00

Featured by the University of Nottingham... check it out here!

New Evidence for Earth’s Geological History

2008-07-20T07:26:00.000-07:00

New Evidence for Earth’s Geological History as reported in the Deeps of Time, a new blog on Science and the Catholic Faith. Check it out!

The Man Who Counted

2008-07-19T18:49:00.000-07:00

Is The Man Who Counted, a fun read about number puzzles, antithetical to our Catholic Faith? Feel free to chime in with your opinion.

Books for Science Olympiad

2008-07-18T05:29:00.000-07:00

This is still a work in progress, but I've put up a Science Olympiad account over at Library Thing.

If you're not familar with Library Thing it's an online tool to keep track of books in your library. It's very cool and it's a free service up to 200 books.

For our Science Olympiad team's account, I'm posting books we've used in the past to prepare for competition. I'm hoping that it'll help not only our team but other teams find resources to prepare for competition.

Please feel free to leave comments on books you've found useful.

2009 Science Olympiad Events

2008-07-16T07:53:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Science Olympiad events are up at the national site. Go check it out!

Even if you're not involved in Science Olympiad, it may give you some good ideas for teaching science this or next school year.

My oldest son got a perfect score in science on his ACT and I give a lot of credit to Science Olympiad.

Homeschoolers are eligible to start their own Science Olympiad teams. It is a lot of work, but if you can find other dedicated parents you can pull it off.

Help firefly research this summer

2008-07-03T12:36:00.001-07:00

From: Ecological Society of America

I am a firefly researcher and I have been collaborating with the Boston Museum of Science on a Citizen Science Firefly Survey on-line. We are interested in the distribution of firefly populations and we need your help.

Please follow this link to the website to participate in the survey:
https://www.mos.org/fireflywatch/

Thank you,
Kristian Demary