Welcome to ScienceSpin Primary!
Welcome to ScienceSpin! Our issues are designed to help you meet National Science Education Standards and make learning science fun. On the Web site, you will find useful, issue-related links and either an experiment or a reproducible to use with your students. Check back each month to see what we have in store.
November/December 2009
We hope that you and your students stay healthy during yet another cold and flu season. This issue teachers students how to protect themselves from those illnesses. They will be able to tell the difference between the two. They will also learn about the novel H1N1 virus (previously called swine flu) and what scientists are doing to prevent it from spreading.
Links
Click here for more about germs and hand washing (and free reproducibles).
Click here for more about the flu.
Sincerely,
Rachelle Kreisman
Editor
ssp@weeklyreader.com
October 2009
Astronauts recently went on the fifth and final mission to the Hubble Space Telescope to make repairs and add instruments. In this issue, students will learn about that mission and why Hubble is important. They will also view a diagram to learn how photos are sent from Hubble to Earth.
Link
Click here to learn more about Hubble.
Click here to watch a video about how Hubble works.
September 2009
Our first issue of ScienceSpin looks at new research about the sense of taste. We hope you and your students enjoy the issue!
Link
Click here for more information, lesson plans, and experiments on the sense of taste.
May/June 2009
Return of the Island Fox
Good news for the island fox! That fox, which lives on the Channel Islands off the coast of California, is back from the brink of extinction. In this issue, students will learn about the endangered animal’s success story. They will also learn how living things are connected by the food chain.
Web Link
Click here to watch videos, see photos, and learn more about the island fox.
April 2009
Cool Car!
Earth Day is April 22. This issue is about environmentally friendly technology, with a focus on electric and hybrid automobiles. It includes the latest news about some new and upcoming electric cars. We hope this issue sparks your students' interest and encourages them to find ways to "go green."
Web Links
Click here for more ecology lessons.
Click here for science experiments.
February/March 2009
Amazing Magnets
Scientists recently tested an automated bus that runs on an invisible track. What makes the bus work? Magnets!
In this issue, students will learn about the bus and how it works. They will also learn the basics about magnets, including natural magnets found on Earth.
We hope this issue inspires students to experiment with magnets and come up with their own inventions.
Web Links
Click here for more magnet activities
and a short video that teaches
students about magnets.
January 2009
This Is a Plutoid
The International Astronomical Union has recently reclassified Pluto as a plutoid. If students are confused about the latest change, they are not alone. In this issue, students will learn the differences between a planet, a dwarf planet, and a plutoid.
Web Links
Click here to learn more about our solar system and plutoids from NASA.
Click here to learn more about NASA's mission to Pluto.
November/December 2008
Fighting the Flu
In this issue, students will learn about the flu and why experts say kids should get the vaccine.
Web Links
Click here to see a video showing how the flu virus affects the human body.
Click here for a child-friendly flu fact sheet.
October 2008
Hot News!
In this issue, students will learn about a volcano that recently erupted in Chile.
Try this experiment with your students:
Make a volcano in the classroom. Place a small empty jar, such as a baby food jar, in the center of a shallow foil pan. Shape a mountain around it with wet sand or mud. Fill three-quarters of the jar with vinegar. Add four drops of red food coloring and stir. Spoon small amounts of baking soda into the jar until it overflows. Discuss ways in which this demonstrates a volcano erupting.
Web Links:
For more information about volcanoes, visit FEMA for Kids.
September 2008
Surprising Animals
In this issue, students will learn about rare creatures in Brazil.
Learn about endangered species: Around the world many amazing species are in danger of becoming extinct. Download a reproducible with a table and questions about endangered species here.
Web Links:
For more information about endangered species and links to activities, visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Kids' Corner.