TED Talks

TED Talks are a great way for older students to expose themselves to current events, learn about recent advancements in science and technology, and gain new perspectives about the world around them, the people who live in it, and how ongoing change will effect both the Earth and its citizens.

Science Blogs to Explore this Weekend

The Da Vinci Science Center offers a variety of blog topics from exploring nanotechnology to taking a closer look at the connection between art and science.

The New York Hall of Science's Explaining Science Blog presents science as a series of humorous, easy to understand comics perfect for a bit of weekend learning.

You can also check out the United Kingdom's Science Museum Blog where you can read about a wide range of science topics, experiments, and discoveries.

Regents Physics Resources

Here are some great resources to help students study for their Physics Regents.

Video Tutorials

Worksheets

Physics Regents Prep 

Youtube walkthroughs of practice exams

Physics at Khan Academy (great video resources sorted by topic)

Mother Nature Network

If you're interested in helping the planet in whatever tiny ways you can, or if you love stepping outside and getting a breath of fresh air, or if you've ever marveled at the complex beauty of nature, you might want to check out the Mother Nature Network. They describe themselves as a simple to understand news site where they "cover the broadest scope of environmental news and social responsibility issues on the Internet."

They have some really beautiful and unique content. Check out this gem I found yesterday, which has a link to a live webcam of a newborn baby bear.

Explore Science this Mid-Winter Break

If you're looking for something awesome to explore this break, I suggest that you check the Exploratorium. There, you can find cool science activities, links to amazing websites, awesome blogs, and interesting videos. And, you guessed it, there's an app for that too.

Explorations in Science: Doctor Michio Kaku

One of the best ways to learn science is from actual scientists! Doctor Michio Kaku is one of my personal heroes/role models. He makes science fun, engaging, and relatable. I suggest checking out his website and browsing through some of the free articles, radio programs, and videos.

SETI

Given the sheer vastness of the universe, the growing number of Earth-like planets that have been discovered, and the logical conclusion of the Drake Equation, it's extremely unlikely that humans are the only sentient, sapient, intelligent, technologically developed form of life in the universe. That's why organizations such as SETI (short for the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence) have radio telescopes pointed to the sky whose sole purpose is to listen out for any messages those intelligent life forms might have sent out our way.

(If you're wondering how this all works, consider this: We currently have the technology to find extraterrestrial planets orbiting other stars, and are perfecting the technology to analyze their atmospheres for water, which is considered the universal requirement for life. Any alien races with the same technology might have sussed out that Earth is a life-sustaining planet and sent a concentrated message our way. The problem with these messages are many. There are so many different frequencies that we're not sure which to listen in on (think of it like this: your friend is going to send you a radio message today, but you're not sure when, and you only have ten radios. However, there are one thousand possible radio stations your friend could be sending this message on.) and some scientists believe that an alien civilization might scatter their message across every frequency to increase the probability of it arriving here at least mostly intact. There's also the problem that there are so many planets, and so much universe out there, and until fairly recently, we weren't sure where to point our telescopes. (Your friend could send you a sky-written message, but if your back is turned, you're still not going to see it.) There's also the problem that messages decay over long distances, such as those between planets, and that the extraterrestrial races might have already given up contacting us and/or are simply not interested in making contact because they have enough friends/problems of their own.

If we ever did get a message, there would also be the problem of interpreting it (it would be a lot simpler if those dang aliens would just speak English, right?) and replying. If we got a message for 80 lightyears away, that would mean that it was sent 80 years ago, and our reply would take an additional 80 years to reach them. Unless these ET's were extraordinarily long-lived, it's likely that we'd be sending a message back to their children or grandchildren. Also, we'd never get to hear how that particular conversation ended, and that'd just be maddening.

You can learn more about the work SETI is doing and read about new developments in their search here. And if you think that this is super-cool/awesome/a worthy cause/kinda a good idea, check out SETI@home to see how you can help for free.

Learn about Bugs and Other Insects

If you're anything like my co-partner, Code Name Queen, you call your mum down when there's so much as an itty bitty spider in the tub or an ant on the counter investigating some melted popsicles at the height of summer.

But if you're anything like me, you absolutely love any little critter that slitters, crawls, or squirms its way through life. You'll poke anything with a stick, and if none are available, you'll get hands-on all over that lil' bugger. If this sounds like you, go head over to the Iowa State University Entomology Department. You can view image galleries of nearly every common gross, cool, and slimy critter here and here. And if you don't fancy sleeping tonight, you can check out a page of notes on the problematic creatures living around, on, and yes, inside you, too. (Just joking about those last two. Probably.)

Learning about Wolves

Wolves, like every other organism on this planet, are a vital component of our global ecosystem. You can learn more about them here. Besides, don't you owe it to your furry, friendly canine friends to learn more about their ancestors? (Please disregard the previous sentences if you are scared or/harbor any kind of dislike or resentment towards Fido.)

Science Sites for Kids

On the linked webpage, you can find a great list of science sites for young learners. The website is fairly old, so some of the sites may have moved or been erased by link rot, but the majority are still working. You can also check out the main website for more collections of websites ranging in topic from dinosaurs, history, math, and space to comics, coloring, and crafts.

Study Physics Online

Whether you're a middle schooler interested in physics or a high school physics student looking to study for a test, the following resources might interest you. In the Physics Classroom, you can learn the alpha particle to zeroth law of thermodynamics of physics. Then head over to Physics World to test yourself on what you've learned. (Make sure you check out the lists of physics, science, astronomy, chemistry, and biology resources on the sidebar while you're there!)

You can also check out Physics 2000 for something a little more advanced.

If you still can't get enough science, go check out this website about the new and exciting field of nanoscience.  You can also check out Science Daily for news from a wide range of disciplines.

Science Fair Project Ideas

Are you looking for an idea for your school's next science fair? Science Buddies can help. Just enter your grade level and answer a short questionnaire about your interests and hobbies, and you'll be presented with a list of fun science fair projects specially chosen just for you.

You can also check out their blog for weekly science experiments you can do right at home with your friends or family. If you're looking to pursue a career in science or engineering, Science Buddies can help you browse through and narrow down your options and see a sneak peek of what the future could have in store for you.

Explore the National Museum of Natural History

If you're looking for something fun to do this Sunday, why not take a virtual trip to the National Museum of Natural History? Let yourself roam the halls of the geology hall, meet your ancestors in the Hall of Human Origins, or look on in awe at the Ancient Seas exhibit.

If virtual tours aren't your cup of tea, you can explore a variety of topics on the Smithsonian website, including The Evolving Earth and the Diversity of Life. You can also take a peek at their Ocean Portal, or head over to their blog, where you can browse through a news archive stretching back 100 years.

Cloud Creatures, Beach Excursions, and Backyard Gardening: More Ideas for Parents of Young Children

When I was young, I had the good fortune of living five minutes from the nearest shore. That shore just happened to be a narrow bay fed by the Atlantic Ocean, but at the age of four, I thought it was a sea. In the warmer months, my mother used to take me down to the bay with a shovel and some sturdy baggies. I would hop over the rocks and try to pet the ducks while my mom pointed out the prettiest seashells and the roundest rocks. After abandoning my quest to befriend the local wildlife, each object would be subject to my careful inspection. Only the best pebbles and the most awe-inspiring shells would go into the baggie. As I gracelessly toddled around on the sandy beach, my mom would explain how the ocean churned the rocks over many hundreds or even thousands of years to make them smooth, how sand was formed by waves crashing against stone and how our beach had formed when those particles from far-away places washed up upon the land. She told me about some of the different creatures living in the bay, and still other creatures who were dependent on those animals. She also explained to me that the bay was not, in fact, an ocean, but it took a couple of years (and a visit to an actual ocean) for that to fully sink in.

Trips to the beach can be a great learning experience for young children. Just make sure to research the beach beforehand, as many of today's beaches contain contaminants such as oil or industrial pollutants, glass shards that can be dangerous to little hands, or biting/stinging native creatures that should not be ventured near. It should also be noted that beaches pose a drowning hazard if children stray too close to the water and are too young or unable to swim, or if they get caught in an offshore rip current.

If you live further inland, or the weather does not permit a beach excursion, you might want to consider taking the fun to your own backyard. Arm your little one with a shovel and a bucket and allow them to do a little bit of digging in a designated area. You should carefully supervise this activity, making sure to point out which little critters to leave alone and which bugs are okay to play with. If your child finds any rocks under the ground, ask them if they can guess how they got there. You can also have a discussion about gardening. Talk to your child about the importance of respecting and protecting planets. Tell them about the importance of fertilizer, and explain to them how plants photosynthesize energy from the sun. You might even want to start a small compost pile or have your child help you start a flower, vegetable, or herb garden.

If none of the above are an option for you and your child, go for the classics. Wait until a partially cloudy or mostly sunny day, lay out an old blanket in an open space, and lie down to watch the clouds together. Encourage your child to see shapes in the clouds, and to make up stories about them. You might even want to turn this into a back and forth exchange, where you start the story, your child continues it for a sentence, and then you do the same. This'll probably result in a bit of giggling all around. If you want, you can also discuss how clouds form, and talk about how weather influences our daily lives.

These suggestions are mainly geared towards parents of younger children, but they can all be modified to become a learning and bonding experience for a guardian and a child of any age.

Explore Natural History

The American Museum of Natural History is a great resource to learn about science and nature. If you live in NYC, you might want to consider swinging by the museum over Mid-winter Break. The suggested admission is rather pricey for adults, but remember that low-income families always have the option of paying a lower donation, no questions asked.

However, if you live too far away or don't feel like venturing out into the blistering cold, you can explore the Museum right from the comfort of your computer chair/couch/bed. You can visit the Museum's blog to learn about exciting news in the field of natural history, click here to learn about awesome dinosaur discoveries, or follow this link to explore the universe.

You can find a more comprehensive list of the topics on the Museum's website, including whales, volcanoes, food, and climate change, right here.

Resources for Going Green

Whether you love living on planet Earth or you'd rather be an alien living in a distant galaxy billions of light-years away, Earth is the only planet we have, at least for the foreseeable future. In light of the hundreds of new articles, research papers, videos, and campaigns focused on the effects of pollution, the dangers of global warming, and the worrisome loss of bio-diversity happening right now, it's becoming increasingly important for citizens to be well-educated on the problems facing today's society and how they can do their part to slow rising temperatures, decrease carbon emissions, and stop the extinction of hundreds of species with which we share this planet.

At Recyclebank, you can learn more about recycling, composting, and cutting down on household waste. You'll earn points for doing so. Once you have enough points, you can redeem them for awesome rewards like movie theatre tickets and virtual magazine subscriptions. It's learning at it's most rewarding!

In the Environmental Protection Agency's game Recycle City, you can "see how... people {can} reduce waste, use less energy, and save money by doing simple things at home, at work, and in their neighborhoods."

You can learn more about the issues at the EPA's official website as well.

You can also calculate your individual carbon footprint and get advice on how to lessen your impact on the environment right here.

Lastly, if you are interested in learning even more about this topic, please check out Rachel Carson's novel Silent Spring.

Become a Citizen Scientist with Zooinverse

Have you dreamed of making a difference in the world? Have you ever wanted to help real-life scientists make exciting new discoveries at the cutting edge of science? While you're waiting to become a scientist yourself, you can make your dreams come true by becoming a citizen scientist with Zooinverse.

You can help scientists classify galaxies, examine solar flares, explore the lunar surface, find planets around distant stars, analyze weather on Mars, discover more about the formation of stars, take a peek at the edges of black holes, organize sun-spot sightings, discover near-Earth asteroids, learn more about Earth's climate, hear whales communicate, explore the ocean floor, find and classify animals in the Serengeti, spy on penguins, track genetic mysteries, uncover the building blocks of the universe, and much, much more.

Junior Rangers Program

If you're going to be visiting a national or state park sometime in the near future, you might want to consider becoming a Junior Ranger. You'll learn a lot about the environment and the various types of wildlife and vegetation living in each park, and you'll even get a cool Junior Ranger patch for your efforts. Even if you're not going to be taking a trip to a park anytime soon, you might want to check out the National Junior Ranger Program Booklets to learn more about fossils, the night sky, the wilderness, the Underground Railroad, and marine life. You can visit the site right here. 

Learn about the World's Biomes

Our planet is home to millions of different species of billions, if not trillions, of creatures. However, pollution, mining, urbanization, global warming, factory farming, oil spills, and the lumber industry are all contributing to the continuing loss of biodiversity on Earth. That's why it's more important than ever to learn about Earth's biomes, the creatures who live there, and what we can do to stop and reverse the loss of biodiversity. You can learn about biomes here and visit World Wildlife Fund's website to learn more about biodiversity and what you can do to help.

NASA Activities and Resources

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's virtual site has over two dozen fun activities and lessons for learners of all ages interested in astronomy and cosmology. You can also play a couple of NASA's fun educational games right here.