Independent Study for Mad Scientists

Here are some free online science-related courses that can be used as Independent Study for interested children. Independent Study is a self-directed learning strategy where the teacher acts as guide or facilitator and the student plays a more active role in designing and managing his or her own learning.

Astronomy Academy - Two different courses of study on astronomy. One is prepared for 7-11 year olds, the other for 12-18 year olds. Each course contains several 'packets' with assignments in them and plenty of information and a final project for the student. The student earns a certificate of completion. They also have free sky maps, phases of the moon and lots more cool stuff.

e-Learning for Kids - Flash, game-like courses for kids 5-12 yrs old. Many subjects. In the science section, you'll find Plants & Animals, Earth's Resources, Every Living Thing has a Home, States of Matter, Fossils & Fossil Records, Body Parts, Nutrition, Lunar Cycle, & Solar System.

Citizen Science for the birds!

This month, we're makng bird feeders. The first of fall is almost here and throughout the winter months and into spring, birds have learned to somewhat depend on bird feeders as a good source of food. Attracting birds to your yard during winter may provide you with a front row seat to the first flights of hatchlings next spring.

Here is a video I took, last spring, of some white breasted nuthatches taking their first flight from the nestbox in our backyard.

As a mad scientist, you may feel drawn to observe these birds and daydream about the time of dinosaurs. Did you know that the closest living relative to a velociraptor is a turkey? Well, check this out!

Scientists need valuable information about birds in nature. There's no one better to help collect it than those of us who love science, and love nature. Scientists are studying the migrating patterns of birds, to ensure that birds have security in the environments they need to survive. You can help.

Join Audubon, birdwatchers and other citizen scientists all over the country for the Annual Christmas Bird Count from December 14, 2009 to January 10, 2010! Don't worry, you don't have to watch birds all day long - or even participate every day of the event. Just check out this website for more information.

Remember, to keep your filling your feeder regularly, so when the bird count rolls around, you'll have a nice variety of birds to report!

While you wait for the big Christmas Bird Count to arrive, practice your bird watching skills. You may want to set up your feeder near a window, so it's easy to see from inside. This way, no matter how cold it gets, you can still record your bird visits! You may also want to keep a pair of binoculars close, so you can get a really good look at the birds who visit. Once the birds get comfortable coming to your feeder on a regular basis, you might sit very still outdoors and see how close the birds will come, then.

If you wish to participate in the bird count, you might want to brush up on the different kinds of birds in your area. There's even a great website that allows you to discover what kind of bird you saw, by choosing your location, and entering some simple details about the bird. That website is whatbird.org! It will really simplify learning to recognize birds at your feeder.

After you've practiced a bit, you can join others at eBird! eBird is a site, like a bird count, except that it's ongoing year round and lets you contribute bird counts from your backyard at any time.

You can also do experiments with your bird feeder. This one, I'm going to tell you about, will even help you attract more birds to your yard.

What kind of food do birds like best?
There are so many kinds of bird food out there, now. Most of them are just different combinations of the same types of things. But, every package will say, "Attracts the MOST birds!" Inquiring minds want to know, which kind of food really attracts the most birds?

1. Buy two or three kinds of bird food and put them out in different feeders. Keep them all in a visible location.

2. On a sheet of paper, make a graph with three columns. Each column is to keep a tally of how many birds visit each feeder.

3. Choose a time of day to watch the feeders for 15-20 minutes each day. Put a tally mark in the right column whenever a bird comes to eat food at a feeder.

When we did this experiment, we learned that birds really do have preferences. Some birds would visit the same feeder everyday and when it ran out of food, they would still go to that feeder first! Some of the birds treated the feeders like an all-you-can-eat buffet, visiting each feeder before flying off. If a bird visits more than one kind of food, at your home, you can mark both columns of food as having had a visitor.

I hope you enjoy your bird feeder and come back to our Mad Scientist Spooky, Kooky Halloween Special in October.

Free Museum Admission Day, Sept. 26, 2009

Smithsonian Magazine invites everyone to Free Admission Museum Day on September 26, 2009.

Find a venue near you and download the free admission card.

Near Metro Atlanta, Georgia (where I am); you can choose among these places..

The High Museum of Art

The Center for Puppetry Arts

and several local history museums..

Free DVDs on Evolution Science

Receive your free DVDs on evolution science, or other topics, completely free from Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Even the shipping is free.

In total, there are 26 items from which to choose. The list of free items includes DVDs about evolution, medicine, anatomy, biology, genetics, and a cd-rom that includes five virtual labs.

After you've chosen your free items, let your kids play around on the Cool Science for Curious Kids site, which is also a resource offered by HHMI.

Homeschool At the Georgia Aquarium

The GA Aquarium is a great place to spend an interesting afternoon. From September 11 to May 14, homeschoolers can enter the Learning Loop for $11 and one chaperone per two children enters free on certain days. The designated Homeschool days are every second and fourth Thursday of the month, at 1:30 p.m. Make a reservation and learn more at the GA Aquairum website!

Homeschool At Zoo Atlanta

Zoo Atlanta is inviting homeschoolers to experience the zoo in wonderful new ways at reduced prices. With your Declaration of Intent, your young scientists, zookeepers and animal lovers are entitled to visit the zoo for special programs at a less expensive cost!

Your Zoo Membership can be reduced by 10% with your Declaration of Intent. My family received the discount last year, simply by presenting the document at the ticket counter when we purchased our annual membership.

There's more.. The zoo has recently posted an announcement for a Homeschool Nightcrawler event on August 22nd. A nightcrawler is a sleepover at the zoo with lots of special extras like exclusive tours, breakfast, and night walks and activities.

Another program is the Homeschool Zoo Academy which my son participated in last year. The HS Zoo Academy Program begins September 2, but you can jump in at any time from September to May. He thoroughly enjoyed it and requested to return to the program this year. The program is held twice a month, a Tuesday or Wednesday, and runs from 1pm to 3pm. The Academy leads guided tours through the zoo, activities, games and includes animal encounters. Even without a membership, this is one of the most affordable ways to visit the zoo. The programs are each $10/members and $12/non-members, with one parent receiving free entry for each registered child. Of course, the academy space is limited and the parents must entertain themselves with their own tour of the zoo while the kids participate in the academy program. But, from my son's opinion, it's worth it.

There are also Homeschool Field Trip Days the first Tuesday of each month. The Zoo offers a deep discount on these days for anyone with their DOI. $8.00 per person!

The Zoo is a great place to expand your knowledge of animals and have a great fun-filled time. If you haven't been in a while, check out the new Parakeet Aviary. It was loads of fun and puts you face to face with the colorful birds. That's my hand in a photo snapped by my 5 yr old son.

The Lost Ladybug Project

The Lost Ladybug Project needs the help of scientists, such as yourselves. You see, there are two types of ladybugs that have dwindled in number over the past decade and are becoming very difficult to find. The 9 spotted Ladybug (Coccinella novemnotata) and the 2 spotted Ladybug (Adalia bipunctata) are in danger of disappearing forever.

Scientists are asking for our help, in the field. It's up to us to locate, collect, observe and photograph ladybugs. We're specifically searching for ladybugs who have 2 spots or 9 spots. Though, information about finding other types of ladybugs or finding zero ladybugs can also be useful.

Did you ever wonder why ladybugs are called ladybugs, even though some of them aren't ladies? Do you wonder what ladybugs eat and why they are so important to the environment? And, maybe now, you wonder why 2 spotted & 9 spotted ladybugs are harder to find than other kinds. Take a look at the Ladybug Field Guides, other printables and activities on the Lost Ladybug Project website, then whip out your camera and hunt for some ladybugs. There are probably some waiting for you in your backyard, today!