MAS Interns

Science Rocks!

2009-12-02T12:31:00.000-08:00

I found a blog article relevant to our Science Rocks Presentation! :o)))

The most beautiful types of quartz

via ZME Science

Why the MAS is important

2009-11-22T19:07:00.000-08:00

So, there was a survey done by the American Museum of Natural History that is the perfect example of why the MAS is a necessary entity.

They passed out a survey to see what the public knew about water, and the results were insanely ridiculous:

"Fewer than half of those surveyed answered correctly when asked how much of the planet is covered in water (about three-fourths). Hardly anyone knew how much of that water is drinkable (about 1 percent)."

Sad, huh? I mean, it's water...the stuff of life (literally)....there could be no life on our planet without it. And the public doesn't know diddly-squat about it.

When I see stuff like this it fills me with purpose. Being involved with the MAS means that we'll be able to bridge these gaps for people, which is obviously something that is sorely missing. I hope you guys see this and feel the same!

Click here to read the full article.

~Sara

2009-11-01T16:20:00.000-08:00

I found the following tip to be helpful if you want to set up an interview to look professional. Here's what was on the site we were reading about How to Set a Scene, "Set your F Stop or aperture like the pros. To make your interview look like a “60-Minutes” television show, set your video camera to your lowest (1.6) manual F stop to compress the depth of focus. Set up your camera about 15 feet from subject and zoom into the proper framing, which will further compress depth of focus. To focus, zoom in tight and manual focus on the eyes, then zoom back to the proper framing. The background should appear slightly blurry yet the subject’s eyes will appear crisp."

Film Making

2009-10-28T07:13:00.000-07:00

There are many tricks you can use to make your film more interesting and exciting. Audio is just as important as the visual images are. One way to make use of audio is to record natural noise that can fill any gaps there might be during editing. It is also important to monitor your audio as you go with good headphones. When selecting your scene chose one that will be quiet enough for the audio to be undisturbed but still creates the right effect for your video. Sometimes to accomplish this it is necessary to use many settings and locations to create the illusion of one setting. This can be done by using a variety of shots and angles.

The Scene!

2009-10-28T06:30:00.001-07:00

For all the people that want to do a video for their podcast, one of the most important parts of it is the Scene.Your setting is where scene occurs and is an essential part of telling your story on film. Using a variety of scenes will make your film more interesting. They can be as big as a shot from the space shuttle looking down on the entire planet to as small as a flea on someone’s fingertip.
A bad setting can make a video boring or confusing.Both selecting and taking control of your scene is crucial if you want to be able to successfully capture your actors or host.

In order to do this, first , you need to find an appropiate location for your podcast:

Aerial views or shots from high places such as hilltop or tall building.
Pans of countryside or city showing setting maybe include landmark
Medium shot of building or site where action will take place
Medium shot of room, or location with characters walking into
Close shots of faces of characters in dialog from different angles
Extreme close-ups of items characters are focused on – for example, if we only saw the close-up of the pipe discharging pollution while we listened to Rob’s and Suz’s dialog, that alone would give us the feeling we were looking for that something sinister was happening.
Keep in mind that the real world also contains very small scenes within the larger scene. So don’t overlook things as small as insects, plant leaves, tadpoles, water droplets, and the other elements that together make the greater scene.

Once you have chosen an appropiate location, you need to take control of the shooting enviroment.

1. Minimize visual distractions

2. Remove personal distractions

3.Minimize audio distractions

Filmmaking Trickst

2009-10-28T06:30:00.000-07:00

I thought that it was really great that this website posted a number of personal tricks to assist in filmmaking. A few of the points that I found interesting...

-A clear plastic bag is about as effective as an expansive camera 'raincoat'. All you have to do is cut a slit the size of your camera lens and wrap it tightly with rubber bands.

-Carry an empty nylon bag with you for a variety of reasons. If it is windy while you are filming, you can fill the bag with weights in order to stead your camera. You can also fill the bag with rice, beans, or sand to hold your camera steady if you do not have a tripod.

-If you like to move around while filming, use a shoulder stabilizing brace instead of a tripod. You can hold it in your arms while running or you can place it on your shoulder for slower scenes.

Production - Hosting

2009-10-27T21:26:00.000-07:00

A lot of people in our group are going to be doing interviews where they may want to introduce people. This is similar to hosting, so I thought that the tips listed in the article were helpful. I think that the most important one is to make eye contact with the camera. You want to direct what you are saying to the people listening and make them stay focused and involved in the podcast. News reporters often do this as well as talk show hosts, and many other TV personalities. The following video is a good example of what not to do when reporting, yet you can still see that there is a lot of eye contact made with the camera when those who are physically with the reporter are not being addressed.

Film Production

2009-10-27T20:42:00.000-07:00

Audio is the difference between a good film and an exceptional film. Filmmakers should choose a location which is quite. A shotgun mic or lavaliere mic should be used to pick up sound close to the camera and block background sound. The scene your shot is taken in is also a huge contribution to film making. It is used to capture your audience and keep them focused. Controlling the elements of a scene is important because it will allow you to remove distractions and create a set which would appeal to the viewer. Filmmakers, like photographers, use the law of thirds to position the object to appeal to the viewer's eye. To create this effect, the object should always be looking towards the empty space on the frame. Instead of aligning the object's center with the middle of the frame, position it on the upper or 1/3 down area. The six basic camera shots are;

extreme wide shot
wide shot
medium shot
medium close up
close up
extreme close up

Adding an on camera host will create a more inviting production by interacting with the audience. Looking at the camera with confidence enthuses the viewer. You should be yourself but incorporate animation and excitement as well as knowledge about the subject you're filming. Tripods are used to stabilize the camera.

Producing

2009-10-27T19:58:00.001-07:00

As far as audio is concerned it is important to scope out the scene in which you will be recording. The idea is to take note of the surroundings and the possible distractions that could ruin your recording. When it comes to picking the scene for visual purposes you want to make sure or at least try to pick a place that will allow you to be in control so you can have a wide range of choices with regard to the setting of your shoot. There are a number of shot types that can help you set up the scene, from extra wide shot to close up and even over the shoulder or point of view(from the main character's perspective). If you are on camera try to be animated but keep it natural, be yourself and always remember to make eye contact with the camera. If you are the one running the camera and you need some action shots, say you're chasing some predator during a hunt, you can use a shoulder stabilizer brace that will help with your run n' gun method and it can be used while standing still by just simply bringing it to rest on your shoulder, oh, and don't forget to turn the camera on!

Production

2009-10-27T18:35:00.000-07:00

Audio is important in filming. A lavaliere mic is good to use for filming interviews because it picks up the vibration from the throat, so this could be used when doing our podcast (if accessible). Just like a story, our film should go in a chronological order... we are kinda telling a story. Therefore we should make it as interesting as possible. We can do this by using 'b rolls' or 'cover footage' to help portrait a point. Creative transitional pieces also enhances our film... The rule of third seems pretty cool and interesting, and since it is commonly used in framing interviews to make shots look more professional,we should be familar with it. Its basically dividing the shot into 9 parts, as seen in the pic. In an interview, the eyes of the interviewee should be in one of the upper 'power points' or frames and he or she should be looking in the empty space of the frame.

Assignment for tomorrow!

2009-10-27T15:06:00.001-07:00

Hey guys!

Don St. John, the Web Editor for the Daily Hampshire Gazette is going to come talk to you guys about shooting for news tomorrow. I want you to bring 5 questions to ask him about filming, things you think might come up when you're shooting your footage or trying to piece it together in one cohesive story. I'm going to collect the questions after class, so be sure to have them written down and be ready to discuss filming!

Also, read about Production (the blue box) on The Wild Classroom's Website, and post a little paragraph about helpful information we could use along with a relevant picture....let's make the blog look more interesting!

See you tomorrow!

Sara

Learn from this great website.

2009-10-26T07:32:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone,
This is Webster. I have been using this website to learn to master the art of webmastery. You can learn html,php,css,Mysql and actionscript 3 courses for totally free on this website below. Please if anyone wants to help with the devepment of the flash display on the MAS main website let me know. I will start this project this week. Also watch this cool video about how to make different flash objects display anytime one goes on your website. It's kind of cool. I think we could incorporate this into our flash for the MAS website.

This is the website for learning about the above mentioned courses- http://www.developphp.com/

This is the youtube video on how we could incorporate this changing flash object to make the MAS website cool looking when anyone goes on there. So it doesnt seem like one picture all the time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olp-Hkx0CcA

There are other vids on how to make other flash displays with object/content.

Enjoy!!!!!

5 Legal Points

2009-10-22T15:31:00.000-07:00

1. "If you interview someone for your podcast, you need to consider both copyright and publicity rights issues [...] In many interview scenarios, you may have an implied license to use the materials, but it safest to get your interviewee's written consent or (at minimum) record the interviewee's verbal consent before you use the interview in your podcasts".

2. "If you are interested in video podcasting, vlogging or otherwise including images or video with your podcast, you need to think about potential copyright issues and publicity issues [...] You need to isolate and think about each type of work that may be included in an image or video and identify whether you need to clear each of those works. For example, you will need to identify each piece of music you use and any still images or video footage created by other people and consider whether copyright applies and if so, whether your use requires the copyright owner's permission or whether your use falls within an exception to copyright".

3. "A claim of right to publicity generally arises if you use another person's image, likeness or voice in a podcast without their consent and for commercial purposes, which results in injury to the individual [...] This means that if you use another image, likeness or voice as a way of advertising or soliciting your podcast, you will need the individual's consent".

4. "Generally you do not need permission to make an informational use of a trademark [...] You will need permission if you're making a commercial use of the mark".

5."One method of marking your podcast before distribution is to use the “All Rights Reserved” model. Under this model, you would “reserve” all your copyright-related rights in your podcast by marking it with the © symbol".

5 Key Points in Copyrighting

2009-10-21T15:35:00.000-07:00

5 points from the article:

1. You do not need permission to use work if material the is not covered by copyright.

2. You don’t need to have permission when you are making a “fair use” of the work and when you are using creative commons.

3. There are two kinds of copyright rights, the reproduction right and the public performance right. The reproduction right is when someone reproduces the copyright in a copy and public performance right is to perform the copyrighted work publicly in a play, movie or music.

4. You do not need permission if the material is U.S. Government work.

5. You do not need a permission to use an informational use of a trademark

Legal Information about Podcasting

2009-10-21T06:30:00.000-07:00

5 points from the article that I find interesting are...

1. If you want to use a trademark, check the company's website that owns the trademark, and see if they post a trademark usage policy.

2. You must get consent from someone you interview. The consent should be in writing and it is good to record the person's verbal consent if you wish to publish the interview.

3. Several issues concerning podcast copyrights also apply to blog copyrights.

4. I think it is interesting that you do not need to copyright material if it is United States Government work.

5. It is always better to assume that something published is protected by copyright and therefor permission is needed in order to use it.

Possible copyright infringement...

2009-10-20T22:53:00.000-07:00

Hey bloggers,

I wanted to show the class an example of using copyrighted material on a blog.

I stole the weather from http://www.weather.com and just copy and pasted it onto my blog, then I stated it was courtesy of them.

If you want, check it out.

Is it legal?

copyright

2009-10-20T22:17:00.000-07:00

I found this lecture pretty boring, but I understood that all the information on it was very helpful, and it is a good tool for podcasting.
Five things that I found helpful , or that I did not really know were:
1. Written works don’t have to be very well done to qualify for copyright protection; if it is created by someone else, you need copyright permission.
2. You don’t need to use copyright permission when you are using a slogan , title of short phrase, when you are using works that are in the public domain, when you are using a US government work, when you are making a “fair use” of the work and when you are using creative commons –licensed or “podsafe” content
3. There are two kinds of copyright rights: the reproduction right and the public performance right.
4. All the licenses you need for every kind of work are: Licenses For Reproduction And Distribution Of Musical Works, Licenses For Public Performance Of Musical Works, Licenses For Reproduction, Distribution, And Public Performance), and Licenses For Use Of Music Together With Images (or Audiovisual Work), especially I did not know that each kind of work needed a different kind of license
5. You do not need a permission to use an informational use of a trademark

Podcasting Legalities

2009-10-19T07:12:00.000-07:00

I thought that many parts of this reading were a little confusing so I'm not to clear on all of it, but here are some things I learned from it:

1. You do not need permission if:

material is not covered by copyright
text that was covered by copyright is now in public domain
material is a U.S. Government work
if you are making "fair use" of material
if material is under a Creative Commons Licensee

2. Ideas and Facts are not copyrighted.

3. "Federal copyright protection of sound recordings only attaches for recordings created after 1971" (http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Podcasting_Legal_Guide).

4. Videos may include many pieces that are also copyrighted, such as music. All copyrighted pieces of the video need to be checked/credited.

5. Many of the copyright issues that apply to podcasts also apply to blogs!

Important Podcasting Info

2009-10-19T04:40:00.000-07:00

* Copyright! it's important to copyright your work to prevent misuse. It is unfair to put in such hard work and creativity in your project to have someone else use or abuse it without your consent. This should also be taken in consideration when using other people's work... their permissions are required if the material is copyrighted.

*Consent from interviewee! If you including an interview in your podcast, be sure to have a written consent from the person you are interviewing, it is also good to record the person's verbal consent to publish his/her responses.

*Trademark! be careful in including trademarks in your podcast, considering the nature of your podcast to prevent dilution.

* CClicensed Materials! you can save time and protect yourself by google or yahoo searching creative commons licensed content for your podcast or you can even go on the website for a list.

*All Rights Reserved! this is a way to mark your podcats before aring it, be sure to include that you 'reserve all rights' also.

Podcasting

2009-10-18T20:33:00.000-07:00

I think it is important to remember that by making your own content you will be the safest from copyright infringement laws.

However, if you do choose to use already made content from the internet or elsewhere, here are some tips to keep you out of hot water:

1.) If you want to use a trademark, check the company's website that owns the trademark, and see if they post a trademark usage policy.

2.) Using Creative Commons licensed material or CC-licensed material will ensure you have the rights to use copyrighted materials.

3.) According to the Podcasting Legal Guide in CC Wiki, "In the Google Advanced Search page (http://www.google.com/advanced_search), by limiting your search according to “Usage Rights”, this will restrict your searching to find CC-licensed materials only."

4.) It also states, "The Yahoo! Advanced search (http://search.yahoo.com/search/options) page clearly illustrates how you can limit your search results to Creative Commons-licensed works."

5.) According to the site (at http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Podcasting_Legal_Guide#Trademark_Issues), "There are also various content aggregator sites that offer a large amount of Creative Commons licensed works. These are listed at this page: http://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/Content_Curators."

il/legal things about podcasting.

2009-10-18T20:25:00.001-07:00

1.Copyright concent is relevant to podcasts because it applies to creative and expressive works
2. You need publicity rights concern.
3.Need to be careful about trademark laws and make sure not to go against them.
4.be minful of labor laws
5.Privacy laws are important.

Legalities

2009-10-18T16:09:00.000-07:00

1. The main legal issues for us podcasters are related to copyright, publicity rights and trademark issues. Always assume that something is protected by copyright, we should always get permission from the copyright owner unless an exception or exclusion applies.

2. Publicity rights allow individuals to control how any version of their likeness is used for commercial purposes in public. You may need consent from the individual before using their likeness. I’m not sure if what we’re are doing is considered commercial purposes in the public forum but we should still be cautious.

3. Trademark law protects consumers from being deceived as to the source of goods and services, or the endorsement, sponsorship or affiliation of one good or service with another. Be sure not to claim that your service is affiliated with an entity that is trademarked. Basically don’t lie about any affiliation and you should avoid any concerns relating trademark law’s.

4. When is Permission not required:
You Are Using; A Fact, An Idea, A Theory Or Slogan, Title Or Short Phrase or works That Are In The Public Domain. Also any US Government Work or anything that has a Creative Commons-License or is “Podsafe” Content.
Creative Commons' licensed content is usaully “podsafe”.

**Making “Fair Use.**
You may make a “fair use” of a copyrighted text without obtaining permission of the copyright owner. A “fair use” is copying any protected material (texts, sounds, images, etc.) for a limited and “transformative” purpose, like criticizing, commenting, parodying, news reporting, teaching the copyrighted work. You are not violating any copyright laws if you are using something within the criteria of “fair use”, transformative is a bit wishy-washy so I would recommend getting more information on "fair use" offered in the article.

5. Two Misconceptions About Fair Use.
(i) Acknowledgement Is Not Enough.
(ii) Disclaimers Are Not Enough Either.
If your use of some material falls outside of the criteria for fair use it may not be enough to simply acknowledge that fact, you may need to get consent.

I think the best option for our class is to use material that has a Creative Commons license since that material is pre-cleared and is almost always safe to use. For any material that is not Creative Commons it would be best to at least contact the owner of the rights of said material.

Cool Experiment!

2009-10-17T16:20:00.001-07:00

A really cool thing (possible podcast topic!)

2009-10-14T13:18:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys!
My mom called me to tell me about a couple of students from MIT, and I thought I'd share it with you! These two undergrads, Justin Lee and Oliver Yeh created a near-space launch by building a weather ballon, for $150! They bought a camera from eBay, a BoostMobile phone with GPS from radio shack, a beer cooler and a balloon from the grocery store and launched it 92,000 feet into the atmosphere in Boston! They programmed the camera to take pictures every 5 seconds, and the weather balloon touched down in Worcester about 5 hours later. What they're excited about doing is streamlining the process to make the project something that middle- and high-schoolers can do in the classroom. One of the coolest thing about this is that these kids aren't even studying rocket science...one is a computer science major and the other is a mechanical engineer!

I think this would make a really cool podcast if anyone is looking for a neat idea.

Here is their website!

Check out their interview with CNN here:

~Sara :o)

Podcasting Legalities

2009-10-14T09:59:00.000-07:00

1. Get consent from people that you interview in your podcast.

2. Sometimes, citing your sources isn't enough. If it is a copyrighted work, in some cases you may need permission to use it.

3. If the music you are using in your podcast is not directly related to your content (ex: you are not specifically talking about the music being played) then it is probably not considered "fair use".

4. For our purposes we most likely won't need permission to use a trademark. This is because we will not be using it for commercial value.

5. It would probably be benificial to us to see if we can find "Creative Commons" material to include in our podcasts before using copyrighted works, because with a CC work you do not need special permission to use it.

Flash development

2009-10-14T08:24:00.000-07:00

hey guys,
if you want to learn to create the flash display on the mas website. reply and let me know. We will have to meet up as a group and work together. Also talk to Sara for more info. You can download the tutorials from http://www.adobe.com/support/flash/action_scripts/actionscript_tutorial/
Start to practice anytime you're free.

Assignment for Monday, 10/19/09

2009-10-14T08:04:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

Here is the reading for next Monday. It's about the legal stuff behind podcasting. It shouldn't be too difficult to understand, but it's not the funnest thing you'll get to do this semester.

http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Podcasting_Legal_Guide

I would like you to post to the blog 5 things to keep in mind about the legalities behind podcasting. What can we take away from the readings to use in our own podcasting process?

For those of you who aren't doing podcasts for your project, think of this homework assignment as helping your classmates :o)

We're going to be discussing the reading on Monday, and I will be hearing from everyone, so make sure you have something to say!

Also, by the beginning of class on Monday please have Steps 1-3 done on the handout that we gave out today. Send it to me in a Word document via email, and print out a copy to bring to class.

That's all for now. Let me know if there are any issues!

~Sara

Podcast!

2009-10-13T06:56:00.000-07:00

My poadcast topic is going to be about global warming. We hear about this a lot, but if you ask people on the street what global warming is, they probably wouldn't know what to answer. I want to explain , in easy words, the science and the importance behind this phenomenom.
I would probably do some animation or a sketch, trying to make it funny but meaningful.

Podcast Idea

2009-10-11T20:24:00.000-07:00

Adobe Flash Player sounds like a fun tool to use in order to put on an animated skit of some sort to spread the word of science. I feel like we could make a short YouTube clip that would have a central narrator or character finding out information about science that is not commonly known, but information that would be valuable and of great interest to the public. I also thought we could maybe use Facebook in order to make a site of some sort that people could follow, update and comment on in order to keep the talk going about science.

After reading through some of the great podcast ideas from my peers I have thought of a few of my own. I really liked the "student survey" idea of making a short "vod"-cast (sorry sara) with clips that are very brief but give off a common impression. Maybe having a few scientifically-focused questions asked to people around campus that are commonly misunderstood by the public. Pose the question in the beginning of the scene, then show what everyones' two second answer is, and then show the truth, whatever that may be, and then show some reactions. I thought this might be good because if there are misconceptions about science, health, the swine flu, whatever, we could set the record straight while at the same time put it all in a vodcast to spread the word about science. I think its important to find information that would be shocking to most so they will be tempted to spread the word. It could potentially spread depending on what information we could dig up. It would be best to have something that most people believe as common knowledge or what would produce common assumptions that we can then prove wrong.

Podcast idea

2009-10-08T11:58:00.001-07:00

My podcast topic is going to be about stem cells and its importance and dangers. I also wanted to create a flash slide for our website. I already discussed it with Sara. I might need some extra help if someone is interested.

Outreach Ideas

2009-10-08T11:49:00.000-07:00

I have a couple of podcast ideas that i shared with Sara already. First one was she suggested me make an introductory MAS slide with flash. Also, We could improve the website significantly. Thirdly I wanted to personally shoot a video on the importance of stem cells. I have an idea also for the kids in case we visited the schools. The idea was to basically take them on a trip into the forest to learn about cool trees(names and origin), animals and more. I bet they will be thrilled to see and learn about animals they hear about in class when the teacher is teaching. At least I had a good experience going to Six Flags to learn about how physics was involved when building the park.

Assignment for Tuesday!

2009-10-07T08:51:00.001-07:00

Hello Everyone!

Since you've all been doing such an awesome job, I'm not giving you anything to do over Columbus Day Weekend. All I ask is that you have a podcast topic picked out for Tuesday (we DO have class Tuesday because it's a Monday schedule) that you can start working on when we get back.

I hope you all have an awesome, restful long weekend!

~Sara

Contact Info for Possible Podcast Locations

2009-10-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

I figured I'd use the extra time to look up some contact info. and post it to the blog so that we'd all have access. Here are some places I thought would be interesting:

New England Aquarium
Press Inquiries
617-973-5213

Franklin Park Zoo
PR Contact:
marlo marketing/communications
617-375-9700
mfogelman@marlomc.com

Woods Hole Science Center
Communications
Sue Barton
(508) 548-8700 x2241

Museum of Science Boston
http://www.mos.org/visitor_info/press_room
Sofiya Cabalquinto
Email: scabalquinto@mos.org
Phone: 617-589-0251

Got One!

2009-10-07T06:50:00.000-07:00

I have a few ideas, but i think what i would like to do the most is a fallow up with class room visits. I would love to develop a live feed web cam hat with a class that we have vised to talk about the things we went over and to see how they are using it in every day life and knowledge. I was thinking that we could use a skype like program to talk and at the end of the chat possibly leave them with a new idea to think about or a small demonstration cooked up that can be done on camera.

Outreach

2009-10-06T22:54:00.000-07:00

I would like for us to do a cool and simple experiment in class, we could record the experiment, all contribute to the editing and post the link on our facebook pages to kinda advertise MAS on a whole. I’m sure not a lot of students know about this… I really want to do an experiment!
As far as the pod cast… I’m still not sure of what I want to do. I’m more prone to doing something regarding health, being a public/community health major. I’m pretty sure something will come to mind. I do well in group work so a collaborative approach is also an option.

Outreach Ideas

2009-10-06T21:17:00.000-07:00

I would really like my project to be geared towards kids. I think that doing a kid friendly project would be more fun, and I also think it is most important to reach out to kids. I would really like to make a game for kids. I think that an online game on the MAS site would be really beneficial to the MAS and for getting kids in to science. If getting a game on the site is too difficult, I think that an educational game we could give to teachers to use in classes would be good too. My ideas for games follow:

1. A game of mixing chemicals to make certain potions that could be used for different things. Ex: Mixing hydrogen and oxygen to hydrate your player, making a drink containing protein for energy, calcium for strength... use helium to fill a balloon to travel... finding all the ingredients you need in the game.

2. A game where you have certain pets and have to take care of them. (Similar to Zoo Tycoon which I played as a kid.)

3. A game where you play doctor and diagnose and treat patients. (Ex: Use thermometer to read temperature, high temperature = flu)

4. A game where you explore different types of land (rainforest, desert, grassy plains, etc) and collect pants for points.

5. A game where you use vectors and velocity to aim for targets to get points.

I am also still completely open to making a podcast, maybe still going along with some of the ideas we have for games. (Using internet sources to simulate the scenarios listed for the games and go through them as a podcast.)

Podcast Project

2009-10-06T21:12:00.001-07:00

I have a few basic ideas for my project. I am really interested in learning to use the programs offered through the course but also am very familiar with Window's Movie Maker. I made a project in my Relationships class in high school using this program and I was very pleased with it. I will most likely try to incorporate nature, maybe taking footage of a guided trail I'm attending with the Bio club. I also would like to capture some animal behavior in order to incorporate my interests with the science outreach idea.

Outreach creation ideas

2009-10-06T20:53:00.000-07:00

I find that when thinking of good affective outreach programs and ideas there are some key things to keep in mind. I think it is extremely important to make sure that the audience we target is very broad, finding ways to target more than just one age group or groups with only one specific area of interest. I can see this being done through video podcasts with interesting pictures, sounds, facts and more. One thing in specific I learned in a communications course (COM287) I participated in here at the university, was the idea of shock value. No matter the topic, using shocking images, sounds and factual information in a video podcast, audio podcast or even through the use of Adobe Flash where we can create animated videos. Actually, the example video podcast on Global Warming that Cecilia posted, is a perfect example of what I mean when I say "shock value" outreach ideas. It is showing something real, something that a lot of us already know but have not really taken into consideration. But when it is portrayed in a shocking animated video, almost making it seem like a joke like this particular video did, it really affects you and leaves a mark in a sense, so that days later you are still thinking about what the message was in the video and its importance to you which then leads to your desire to act.

Outreach

2009-10-06T20:40:00.000-07:00

I don't have any ideas for my podcast yet but I would like to do one geared towards children. I think that creating a podcast for kids would be the most fun for me and it would be a good way to get the attention of children or parents with children if they saw it on the website or something. I think that a good way to get the word around about the MAS would be to attend as many events as possible. Not only will the MAS get around to everyone at the event but if they enjoy what we do or say then they are likely to visit the website and tell other people about the MAS as well. Maybe we could also make fun, colorful, interesting, etc. posters advertising science with the MAS logo and website and hang them up at schools, grocery stores, libraries, etc. in the area. Posters that stand out might get not only kids more interested but especially parents and teachers also!

Outreach Ideas

2009-10-06T20:34:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I'm still scatterbrained about the outreach project. Every time we discuss a new idea I think it sounds great. I think it would be an interesting challenge to make an audio podcast that would catch and hold people's attention. In terms of video podcasts, I like the 'busier' ones better than the 'boring' ones...more pictures, animations, and short clips to keep the viewer interested.

Some topic ideas that I've been thinking about are wild life, marine life, and disease awareness and prevention. I'm very open to doing anything at this point.

I think that if I end up creating a video podcast, it would be fun to poll/question students on campus to see what they know.

Outreach ideas

2009-10-06T20:33:00.000-07:00

I'd really like to learn how to do a podcast with some of the animation software. I think there are some good opportunities to get out into the public and bring some attention to the MAS, farmer's markets, sporting events and the Amherst Common would be good places to set something up. Getting a hold of Heath Hatch would be great for a physics podcast. I have a friend who is a master's student at Umass Lowell and he works across the hall from the lab that tests baseball bats for college baseball, it would be cool to see how that works. I think we could do a podcast that focuses on the physics behind sports(any type), sort of a spinoff of the tv-shows ''sports science'' and ''time warp''. We could possibly do a podcast on how we use ideas in science in our everyday life even though we may not be aware of it. My project for this semester will hopefully be a consensus of where we(the university, the student body, the pioneer valley, the commonwealth) are with regard to our relationship with evolutionary biology and where it is we can go from here. I'd like to interview people about their opinions and knowledge of the field and maybe offer them some topics within evolutionary theory and see where that goes, perhaps I could interview some professors as well. I think it's important for people to understand the basics of Evolution since it is the unifying component within the study of life.

Outreach...

2009-10-06T19:09:00.000-07:00

Some outreach ideas i had was mostly around pod casting. Such as awareness in either Language/learning disability or autism. I'm a communication disorder major and I've learned a lot about these subjects and wanted to do a podcast on one of them. Or maybe do a podcast of a science experiment for kids and adding adobe animation to it. I'm interested in the whole animation and how I could use that to explain the science experiment. Another idea was a podcast of a school visit. Could be posted to the website and hopefully get people to watch it and invite us to do demonstrations.

Outreach

2009-10-06T18:44:00.000-07:00

1. Make the video more interesting by adding some comedy. Example: One time, my friends and I had to give a presentation about the fungi kingdom. We made a parody of the Tyra Banks show, my friend acted like Tyra, I was the guest and dressed up like a mushroom. Then my other friend was the musical guest, and she played a song about the fungi kingdom (by the way she didn’t know how to play guitar nor sing, but she knew how be loud and funny). Everybody remembered our song and by the time of the test everybody sang it.
2. Put on the blog more discussion topics. Talk about something that everyone wants to talk about.
3. Get involved in campaigns (like global warming or something related with science but that the people understand)
4. More publicity around campus and other areas(ex. Flyers)
5. Spreading the word through facebook and twitter, but not only in our site, but trying to get other people with more followers to talk about us.

Assignment for Wednesday, 10/7!

2009-10-05T15:19:00.000-07:00

Helloooooo!

For Wednesday, here is what you should do!

Post to the blog:

5 ideas for possible outreach creation ideas and reasons why you chose them. They could be podcast topics, putting the MAS on social media sites, learning Adobe Flash and creating animations...what do you want to work on this semester?

Read:

Journalism 2.0, Chapter 11 (it's short, don't worry)
Watch iMovie '08 video tutorials here. Watching them all will take about an hour and a half. If you don't have that much time, then just focus on the ones under the headers Enjoy and Rediscover your Video, Making Movies, and Advanced Techniques. I just want you to have a basic idea of how to work around iMovie because we're going to be playing around with video on Wednesday. When you click the link, you'll have to scroll down a little bit to see the full listing of iMovie tutes. Make sure the tab is clicked on iMovie '08, because that's the version we'll have in the BCRC. We do have a copy of iMovie '09 in the lab, and I also have it on my computer, so if any of you decide that your podcast would not be complete without a feature from iMovie '09, then let me know. Other then a few cool features, iMovie '08 and '09 are pretty much the same.

I know I said in class to post to the blog your decisions of where to focus this semester, but just have them ready to share with me in class. I'll come around with a list that you'll just sign up.

See you Wednesday!

~Sara

Stem Cell Research in Missouri.

2009-10-05T00:43:00.000-07:00

I picked this video because of the interest I have for stem cells. I liked the intro. with picture slides and music. Also the producers of this video were able to switch between interviewing scientists to showing diagrams with explainations about stem cells and their capabilities. This is a nice video and explains both what stem cells are and the benefits for humans. The video also explains the politics behind stem cell research in missouri. I couldnt upload the video but the websites url is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUb3dsrR8AA&feature=related
check it out

Science Podcast: Sixgill Shark

2009-10-04T21:28:00.000-07:00

I liked this podcast because it was very professionally done. The makers are actually down in the sea up close to the sharks. The information they gave was very well presented, and the diagrams for explanation were helpful. I also liked when they showed other strange deep sea animals, which could make the viewer more interested in researching and finding out about the other animals that are not examined in this short podcast.

The video didn't upload correctly, so here's a link to it:
http://untamedscience.com/biodiversity/animals/chordates/sharks-skates-rays/primitive-sharks/cow-sharks/hexanchus/bluntnose-sixgill-shark

Global warming video

2009-10-04T21:05:00.000-07:00

I choosed this video because I am personally interested in this topic. I think everyone should be aware of global warning, even when a lot of people don't really seem to care. This phenomenon involves a lot of complicated science,but this video explain it in a way that people would understand, and more important, that invites people to get involve.http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3pujlkSTqo

also this other one:http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHUnzPEy-nA

Science Vodcast

2009-10-04T20:12:00.000-07:00

This kid's vodcast is cool because he is clearly interested and keeps the audience engaged with good cinematography while also demonstrating the chemical process of fire extracting oxygen from its environment.
There is even a surprise in the climax when the plate stays stuck to the rim of the glass when he picks it up. This kid is good!

Priority Africa - Science and Technology

2009-10-04T19:04:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lKuOlvQBAs

I find this blog to be very interesting and well developed. It includes several interviewees who appear to be credible by their title and professions. The podcast talks about the importance of science and technology in the developing world and the need for establishing science and technology universities in African countries. It also provides a social aspect on women in the continent, as their roles are undermined. One of the female interviewee made a good point that food, water and energy are all related to women, therefore they need to be a part of this developing science and technology economy. I like the topic of this podcast, it seems to be professionally done so the audio and video are of good quality. The French also put a little umph to it.

Science Podcast- National Geographics' Sea Monsters Part 3

2009-10-04T18:30:00.000-07:00

What I really liked about this podcast was that it used video and also slides to present the information. I thought that by being able to listen to the audio and then see in a brief summary slide the information just listened to made the podcast easy to follow and also easier to remember afterwards. I also liked the music and the graphics in the podcast a lot. I thought that they fit really well together and both made the podcast interesting.

In regards to the information in the podcast, my favorite sea monster was the Hesperornis. I thought it was pretty cool that there was a bird that swim with a beak full of teeth.

Science project podcast

2009-10-04T18:14:00.000-07:00

Bad:
This would of been better if we had some sort of introduction to what we were going to see. Maybe had voice over to hear the kids having fun doing the experiment or telling us what was being added.

Good:
Having a link as a source.

Science Podcast

2009-10-04T17:16:00.000-07:00

I thought that this podcast was well done for several reasons. Lakes and ponds are a normal part of New England life and activity, yet it is rare for one to think about the science aspects. I like the narrator of the podcast because she is personable...I feel like she could be my next door neighbor. I thought that the podcast did a great job of making the science facts interesting with the explanations, animations, and easy language. I spend my summers on a lake, so this video had cool personal meaning to me.

Cuttlefish Video Podcast (Vodcast)

2009-10-04T15:34:00.001-07:00

I think that this podcast does a good job for a certain type of viewer. I think that if you are already interested in science and old enough to understand it, it does a great job of giving a lot of information in a little bit of time. It also gives enough information to make you want to find out more. It was well organized and a good lenth for it's purpose. However, I feel that podcasts for this class (if they are being directed to people who we are trying to get more involved in science, that may not be very involved already)should have more exciting visuals. I also think that explanations should be in more common language than in this podcast so that they would be more friendly to those without a lot of background information.

Terrible!!!

2009-10-04T15:34:00.000-07:00

Ben Goldacre of Bad Science talks about Sensationalised Science Reporting from Conrad on Vimeo.

Turtle Podcast

2009-10-03T13:27:00.000-07:00

I thought that this video was a decent example of a well-structured podcast. It was short yet very informational, had more than one interviewee, and also interesting material. The use of interviewing two people rather than one almost made it more official. I also liked the use of different camera shots and effects.

Podcast: The art and physics of pitching

2009-10-03T13:14:00.000-07:00

I chose this podcast of Bill "the spaceman" Lee. I did an the evolutionary biology search and WGBH came up as a source at the bottom and his presentation was among a lot of other really cool science topics. I really enjoyed it because Bill Lee is quite the character, he's actually a pretty smart guy with strong opinions and great baseball knowledge. Also his stories are great, anyone who is a sox fan or a baseball fan should definitely check it out. I was hoping it would have been more science or physics related, he only mentions a few aspects of pitching that involve physics and I was a bit dissapointed by that but it was entertaining and informative nonetheless.

Assignment for Monday, 10/6

2009-10-02T22:06:00.000-07:00

Helloooo Everyone!

Here's the stuff you'll need to do by Monday!

Read Tony Vincent's Podcasting for Teachers and Students, from start to pg. 10 (this should be pretty quick, the pages are filled up with lots of pictures)
Read Journalism 2.0 Chapter 7, Digital Audio and Podcasting
Be prepared to discuss the readings on Monday...I want to hear from everyone! Jot down some notes or questions to bring up during the discussion.
Using iTunes or some of the other podcast hosting sites, find what you think is a good or awful example of a science podcast, and post it to the blog along with your opinion of it. (If you can't figure out how to post the video, just post the title and remind me how to show you next class!)
Recall Peg's lecture about the different areas of focus for the semester. You are all required to complete 3 out of the 4 activities, one of which being developing and outreach tool the MAS can use. The other two you can choose out of school visits, fundraising, or professional networking (conferences). Start thinking about what you would like to focus on this semester. We'll get these set in stone on Wednesday!

Also, we are going to have a guest lecturer come in to talk about blogging on Monday. Mary Carey teaches through the UMass journalism department. Please make a list of 5 questions to bring to class on Monday to ask her about blogging. Again, I want to hear from everyone, so please come prepared!

See you all Monday, and have an AWESOME weekend!

~Sara

Fun Ideas!

2009-09-30T06:47:00.000-07:00

MAKING GLUE WITH KITCHEN MATERIAL

Materials:

skim milk

baking soda

vinegar

measuring cup

measuring spoons

paper towels

rubber band

Procedure: Did you know you can make glue from vinegar and milk? Here's how.

Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to 1/2 cup of skim milk. Stir them together and let the mixture sit for two minutes. The vinegar will make the protein in the milk stick together to form small white lumps called curds. The leftover liquid is called whey.

Next, you'll need to strain the curds since you won't need the whey to make glue. To make a strainer, put a folded paper towel over an empty cup. Push it down in the center so it forms a bowl shape. Put a rubber band around the top of the cup to hold the paper towel in place. Pour the curds and whey into the cup with the paper towel. The whey will go through the paper towel and the curds will stay on top. Wait about five minutes for the whey to drain through the paper towel.

Use a spoon to carefully scoop out the curds. Put them between two dry paper towels and press down to get all the whey out.

Put the curds into another cup, stir in two teaspoons of water and then add one teaspoon of baking soda. The baking soda reacts with the vinegar that's in the curds, producing carbon dioxide. If you hold the mixture up to your ear, you can hear tiny bubbles popping. If this mixture doesn't look like glue, just add some water.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ICE CREAM FROM A PLASTIC BAG

Materials:

1/2 cups milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 tbsp. sugar

4 cups crushed ice

4 tbsp. salt (preferably rock salt)

2 quart zipper bags

1 gallon zipper freezer bags

Procedure:

Seal 1/2 cup of milk, 1/2 tsp. of vanilla and 1 tbsp. of sugar in a quart-size zipper bag, making sure to squeeze out as much of the air you can so the bag doesn't open when you shake it.

Double bag the mixture to avoid leakage. Place the first bag into a second quart-size zipper bag, releasing as much air as possible before sealing it tightly.

Fill a gallon-size zipper bag with crushed ice and nestle the double-bagged milk-sugar mixture in the ice.

Sprinkle 4 tbsp. of rock salt on top of the ice. Though regular salt will also work, youd ice cream won't be as solidly frozen. Rock salt is specifically designed to absord heat and and lower the freezing point of water.

Seal the gallon bag tightly after letting out as much air as you can.

Shake and gently squeeze the bag. You'll need to make sure that the inner bag is constantly surrounded by ice during this process.

Check the mixture about five minutes into shaking it. If it's not ice cream yet, it will be well on its way. Shake it a few minutes more if necessary, then open the bag over the sink.

Leave the bag with ice in the sink to finish melting and remove your ice cream.

Demo Idea: Density Spheres

2009-09-29T22:55:00.001-07:00

Title: Steel Density Spheres
Source: http://www.teachersource.com/Density/DensityKits/SteelSphereDensityKit.aspx
Target Age: Grade 3+
Materials Required: Sphere Kit, Large glass bowl, Water
Prep Time Required: <5 minutes
Demo Time Required: <10 minutes
Description: The two spheres have approximately the same mass and appearance, but different densities and sizes. The smaller sphere sinks, but the larger floats. Before dropping the two in water, ask the class audience what they think will happen. Most likely is that the class will think that either they both sink, or only the large will sink. After you drop the balls into the water, ask the class what they think happened. Let them guess and experiment themselves by feeling the balls or dropping them in the water themselves. This experiment will help teach kids both the principle of density, and also that they should never take anything at face value, and should instead experiment to find out what's really true.

Demo Ideas

2009-09-29T22:55:00.000-07:00

Title: Floating and Sinking Experiments
Source: http://www.sciencekidsathome.com
Target age: kindergarten scientists
Materials: Clear plastic or glass container, water, baking soda, food coloring, rice and raisons and any other small pieces of food items
Prep Time: less than 5 mins
Demo Time: 5 minutes or more

Description: Almost fill container with 3 parts water and one part viegar. Leave room at the top of the container.
Slowly add one teaspoon of baking soda very slowly, adding too much at one time will make it bubble over the top. When the bubbles settle down, slowly add another teaspoon of baking soda. When the bubbles settle, add a few drops of food coloring. notice the liquid is moving and quickly mixes in color. Now comes the fun part! Will the items float or sink? Drop in a few of the first item. usually they will sink to the bottom. Wait a few mins and they will rise to the surface, then sink again. Rice almost seem to dance! The itmes can be watched for hours. If movement seems to slow down, add another teaspoon of baking soda.

What is Happening?

The vinegar is an acid and the baking soda is a base. When you combine them, a chemical reaction produces carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide bubbles build up on the surface of the object, it floats to the surface and releases the gas. Then it sinks back to the bottom to start the process again.

Demo Idea - Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream

2009-09-29T20:49:00.000-07:00

Title: Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream
Source: http://chemistry.about.com/od/demonstrationsexperiments/ht/n2icecream.htm
Target Age: PK - 12th grade
Materials Required:
5 or more liters of liquid nitrogen
gloves and goggles recommended
large plastic or stainless steel punch bowl or salad bowl
4 cups heavy cream (whipping cream)
1-1/2 cups half-and-half
1-3/4 cups sugar
1 quart mashed fresh strawberries or thawed frozen berries
additional half cup of sugar if you are using unsweetened berries
wooden spoon
wire whisk
Prep Time Required: 15 Min
Demo Time Required: 5 Min (pouring in liquid nitrogen and stirring)
Description:

This recipe makes a half gallon of strawberry ice cream. First, mix the cream, half-and-half, and sugar in the bowl using the wire whisk. Continue mixing until the sugar has dissolved.

If you are making vanilla or chocolate ice cream, whisk in vanilla or chocolate syrup now. Add any other liquid flavorings you might want.

Put on your gloves and goggles. Pour a small amount of liquid nitrogen directly into the bowl with the ice cream ingredients. Continue to stir the ice cream, while slowly adding more liquid nitrogen. As soon as the cream base starts to thicken, add the mashed strawberries. Stir vigorously.

When the ice cream becomes too thick for the whisk, switch to the wooden spoon. As it hardens more, remove the spoon and just pour the remaining liquid nitrogen onto the ice cream to fully harden it.

Allow the excess liquid nitrogen to boil off before serving the ice cream.

Experiment- Invisible Ink

2009-09-29T18:29:00.000-07:00

Title: INVISIBLE INK

Source: http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/experiments/invisibleink.html

Target Age: Elementary

What you'll need:

Half a lemon
Water
Spoon
Bowl
Cotton bud
White paper
Lamp or other light bulb

Instructions:

Squeeze some lemon juice into the bowl and add a few drops of water.
Mix the water and lemon juice with the spoon.
Dip the cotton bud into the mixture and write a message onto the white paper.
Wait for the juice to dry so it becomes completely invisible.
When you are ready to read your secret message or show it to someone else, heat the paper by holding it close to a light bulb.

Why this Works?

Lemon juice is an organic substance that oxidizes and turns brown when heated. Diluting the lemon juice in water makes it very hard to notice when you apply it the paper, no one will be aware of its presence until it is heated and the secret message is revealed. Other substances which work in the same way include orange juice, honey, milk, onion juice, vinegar and wine. Invisible ink can also be made using chemical reactions or by viewing certain liquids under ultraviolet (UV) light.

Demo Ideas

2009-09-29T17:06:00.001-07:00

All these experiments came from this website;
http://www.theteachersguide.com/Sciencedemos1.htm

Some offered sources, some didn't, and some information is slightly different but the concepts and experiments are straight forward. It did not offer any idea of how long each experiment would take to prep and perform but I think most of them are pretty cut and dry while the scientific method experiment might take a bit longer.

1.
Subject Area: Physics Concepts
-Volume
-Change of State
-Volume of Gases
-Atmospheric Pressure

Grade: Middle-High School

Title: THE COLLAPSING CAN

Materials:
One empty aluminum can (354 ml)
A Hot plate or burner
Large bowl of water
Tongs to hold pop can

Procedure:
Put about 5 ml of water in the pop can (just enough to cover the bottom).
Heat the can over the hot plate or burner.
Let the water boil vigorously.
In a single motion, remove the pop can from the burner and INVERT it in the bowl of water.
Submerge the opening to the pop can in to the water. The can will IMPLODE instantly.

Questions:
What was in the can besides water?
What happens when water is boiled?
What do you think will happen if the can is inverted in the bowl of water?
What happens to the air in the can as water vapor is formed?
What force is working on the outside of the can?

Rationale:
Before heating, the can was filled with water and air. By boiling the water, it changes states, from liquid to gas (water vapor). The water vapor (steam) pushes the air that was inside, out of the can. By inverting the can in water, we are cooling the vapor very quickly and constraining the potential for rapid flow of air back into the can. The cooling condenses the water vapor back to water. All of the vapor which took up the interior space of the can before is now turned into a few drops of water, which take up much less space. This causes the pressure to drop and the atmospheric pressure is therefore pushing on the can and crushing it.
The total force working on the outside of the can is the total of the can's surface area in cm. multiplied by 1 kg.

Application:
Production of vacuum containers
Home canning

2.
Subject Area: General Science

Grade: Middle School

Title:MAGIC LID

Objective: To show students that atmospheric pressure is not just a downward force, but is a force acting in all directions.

Materials:
1-one gallon jar
1-glass dish large enough to cover mouth of jar
Procedure: Fill jar completly full, so the meiniscus stands high. Place glass plate on top of the jar. making sure that no air is trapped between jar and glass plate. Then quickly turn the jar upside down. It may take a couple of times to get this right, so this should be done over a sink area.

Questions:
What will happen to the plate? Will it fall or stay in place?
What causes the plate to stick to the jar?
What conclusions can one draw from this?
Is atmospheric pressure greater than water pressure?
How tall would a cup have to be in order for the water pressure inside to overcome the atmospheric pressure outside?

Rationale: This is an application of atmospheric pressure. Most students think that atmospheric pressure and the force of gravity have only a downward effect, the latter is true, but atmospheric pressure exerts force in all directions. This is what allows the plate to stay attached to the jar.

3.
Title: B Squared (Burning Balloons)

Source: Robert Ruisinger

Grade: 7-12 (chemistry)

Materials: One balloon filled with water, one balloon filled with air to an equal volume, and matches.

Procedure: Hold the lit match to the balloon filled with air and it will pop immediately. Next, hold the lit match to the water balloon and notice that it will not pop. It is advisable not to hold the match in one place for too long, because it may eventually pop! You may want to one before the other one, depending on your application.

Concept: The air balloon explodes immediately because the heat from the lit match quickly burns through the rubber wall. The water balloon, does not explode because the water inside absorbs the heat and disperses it throughout the volume of water. It does not let the rubber wall get to it's melting point. You can tie this demo into a lesson on heat capacities, melting points, heat absorption, conduction, etc. . Credits: South Windsor High School, South Windsor, CT 06074

4.
Source:Toni Orso

Subject Area: General Science
Grade:(7-12)

Concepts Covered by Demonstration: Scientific Method

Title: The Black Whole

Materials:
A coffee can which is specially constructed (a slanted metal piece attached on the inside to keep water in.
A glass of water

Procedure:
Hold the coffee can above the observers to ensure that they can not view what is inside.
Pour a glass of water directly into the coffee can. Note: do not let observers see inside to coffee can.
Tip the can over on the side which will allow no water to spill out of the coffee can.

Questions:
Describe exactly what you observed.
Based on your observations, describe or draw what might be in the coffee can.
Are you making an educated guess about what occurred?
What is the scientific word for making and educated guess?
How might you collect further information to support your educated guess?
Write down some examples in which scientist have made educated guess about natural events that occur to try to explain what is happening in the world.

Rationale: This demonstration is an excellent way to introduce the Scientific Method because it deals with observing and recording those observations. Furthermore, the students can make an educated guess (hypothesis) about what might be occurring.
Students can also be introduced to the idea that in science there are many wonders that scientist can not fully explain. Scientist can only make observations and try to collect as much information as possible and based on the knowledge they gain from these observations they can hypothesize about what is happening. For example, scientist did not actually see the dinosaurs that lived during the Triassic Period; However, they can predict because of the evidence that was left behind in the fossil record.
It is important to inform the students that even though their educated guess about what was inside the coffee can was correct, that they would have to do millions of test to state that it was because in order for a hypothesis to become a fact or theory an enormous amount of data must be collected to support the hypothesis and millions of tests must have taken place.

Demo Idea

2009-09-29T17:06:00.000-07:00

Title: Diving Ketchup

Source: http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/00000090

Target Age: Elementary and Middle School aged students
Materials Required:

Plastic soda bottle (1-liter size works great)
Ketchup packets from a restaurant
Tall drinking glass
Soda bottle cap
Water

Prep Time Required: 10 minutes

Demo Time Required: 10 minutes (or however long you want to perform the experiment!)
Description:

1. First, you'll need to perform a œfloat or sink test to see how the ketchup packet works. Fill the bowl with water and drop the packet into it. If it floats, great! If it sinks to the bottom, no sweat. This shows that atmospheric pressure in the packet is pressing hard enough on the air bubble inside the packet to sink it. If this happens, you get to make more trips to your favorite fast-food restaurant to find a ketchup packet that just barely floats!

2. Scrunch the packet in half lengthwise and carefully push it into the soda bottle. Fill the bottle full to the brim with water and screw on the cap. Squeeze the sides of the bottle and hold the squeeze to make the packet sink. Let go and it rises.

Demo Idea

2009-09-29T16:19:00.000-07:00

Title: Outrageous Ooze

Source: http://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer/ooze.html

Target Age: young children

Materials Required:
-newspaper
-measuring cups
-1 cup of dry cornstarch
-large bowl or pan
-food coloring (if you want)
-1/2 cup of water

Prep Time Required: 10 minutes to prepare ooze

Demo Time Required: 5 minutes to explain and 5 minutes to play, or as long as kids want to play with their ooze for

Description (Preparing the Ooze):

1. Put newspaper down on your counter or table top.
2. Put the cornstarch into the bowl. Add a drop or two of food coloring. (Use whatever colors you like.) Add water slowly, mixing the cornstarch and water with your fingers until all the powder is wet.
3. Keep adding water until the Ooze feels like a liquid when you're mixing it slowly. Then try tapping on the surface with your finger or a spoon. When Ooze is just right, it won't splash--it will feel solid. If you Ooze is too powdery, add a little more water. If it's too wet, add more cornstarch.

Description (What's Going On):

Ooze is made up of tiny, solid particles of cornstarch suspended in water. Chemists call this type of mixture a colloid.

As you found out when you experimented with Ooze, this colloid behaves strangely. When you bang on it with a spoon or quickly squeeze a handful of Ooze, it freezes in place, acting like a solid. The harder you push, the thicker the Ooze becomes. But when you open your hand and let your Ooze ooze, it drips like a liquid. Try to stir the Ooze quickly with a finger, and it will resist your movement. Stir it slowly, and it will flow around your finger easily.
Your finger is applying what a physicist would call a sideways shearing force to the water. In response, the water shears, or moves out of the way. The behavior of Ooze relates to its viscosity, or resistance to flow. Water's viscosity doesn't change when you apply a shearing force--but the viscosity of your Ooze does.

Back in the 1700s, Isaac Newton identified the properties of an ideal liquid. Water and other liquids that have the properties that Newton identifies are call Newtonian fluids. Ooze doesn't act like Newton's ideal fluid. It's a non-Newtonian fluid.

There are many non-Newtonian fluids around. They don't all behave like Ooze, but each one is weird in its own way. Ketchup, for example, is a non-Newtonian fluid. (The scientific term for this type of non-Newtonian fluid is thixotropic. That comes from the Greek words thixis, which means "the act of handling" and trope, meaning "change".)

Quicksand is a non-Newtonian fluid that acts more like your Ooze--it gets more viscous when you apply a shearing force. If you ever find yourself sinking in a pool of quicksand (or a vat of cornstarch and water), try swimming toward the shore very slowly. The slower you move, the less the quicksand or cornstarch will resist your movement.

*I copied the directions and explanations directly from the website so for more details check out the website listed under sources.

Demo Ideas

2009-09-29T09:09:00.001-07:00

Title: Chinese Spouting Bowl

Source:Educational Innovations

Target Age:All who are interested by what appears to be magic! (Young and Old!)

Materials Required: (1) Chinese Spouting Bowl ($179.95), (1) Spouting Bowl Pad ($14.95), Isopropyl Alcohol, Soap and Water

Prep Time Required: About five minutes to get everything ready to work.

Demo Time Required: The reaction happens very quickly. The more practice you have with the bowl the better you will be able to create the desired reaction.

Description: What you do is put the brass bowl onto a damp towel or Spouting Bowl Pad (something that will prevent it from slipping but allow it to still vibrate). Then after you wash your hands thoroughly to rid them of any and all oils, and after you have cleaned the bowl with isopropyl alcohol, you fill it up half way with clean water.

Then you dip your palms into the bowl to get them wet.
You place your hands on the handles of the bowl and rub them back and forth, from finger tips to the bottom of your palm.

Soon the vibrations will build so much that the water reacts by shooting out of the bowl, up to 20 inches!

More pictures and a more accurate description can be found here.

Demo Idea: Clear Spheres!

2009-09-28T20:45:00.000-07:00

Title:
Clear Spheres aka Jelly Marbles aka Water balls
Source:
http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/product/clear-spheres-kit
Target Age:
Kindergarten and up (while they can be enjoyed at any age, they might be dangerous to really young kids)
Materials Required:
flasks, water, clear sphere pellets, big bin with water, clear glass brownie pan, paper w/ MAS logo
Prep Time Required:
Need at least 3 hours in advance to let the balls grow
Demo Time Required:
the demo itself will probably take about 5 minutes with the reveal and explanation, but the people we are showing them to should be given ample time to play with them :o)
Description:
We have 2 identical flasks, one with plain water, one filled with water and water balls. We ask the viewers of our demo if they notice anything about either flask. We have a volunteer first stick his hand into the flask with just water, and then have them stick their hand in the flask with the water balls in them and be surprised. We explain that the water balls are made of this special polymer, or chain of molecules, that are super-absorbent. We show them a dry pellet, and a fully-grown water ball and tell them that the pellets absorb water up to 300x it's original size. We also say that they look invisible in water because they refract the same amount of light as water does, which means that our eye perceives these water balls to look the same as water does. We show them the clear glass brownie pan that has nothing but water balls in it. The brownie pan is sitting on top of a picture of the MAS logo, which looks jumbled. We ask a volunteer to pour water in and the crowd to unscramble the message. See the video below for more experiment ideas!

Assignment for Wednesday!

2009-09-28T20:38:00.000-07:00

Hello again everyone!

For reading, please read Journalism 2.0: How to Survive and Thrive, Chapter 5 about Blogging. Please do this for class Wednesday so we can have a discussion! (w00t)
The link is to your right on the blog sidebar, under Internship Reading Material. When you click on the link and get to the actual website, you have to scroll down a little bit on the page that it takes you to. The reading is in the gray box on the left/centerish on the page....ugh, know what? I'll just post a picture...

Please note the spastic arrows. Double click for a closer look.

Here is the blog assignment due before Wednesday's class. Please have it posted to the blog by 9:00AM!

On Wednesday, I'm going to be doing a simulation of a typical school visit. I'll show you some of our tried-and-true demos that have been a hit so far with the youngins. Your task is to do a little background research and post a cool demo or experiment that you've found!

Some places you might want to check out:
Educational Innovations
Steve Spangler Science

Here is a format to post, to make your life a little easier...and if there is a video or pictures, post that too!

Title:
Source:
Target Age:
Materials Required:
Prep Time Required:
Demo Time Required:
Description:

+any pictures or videos

Use the label Demo Ideas for this assignment!

I'll post an example for this above!

See you Weds!

~Sara

disposable shoes!

2009-09-27T21:57:00.000-07:00

It was a normal day in seventh grade. I had the most boring math class in history, but this is what I usually think after every math class I have ever take. After the torture of the ecuations and numbers, it was time of my biology class, which I really liked, not because of the science, which I was not very into in seventh grade , but because of my cool teacher; he is one of the funniest men I have eve met.

He came into the room with his usual colombian coffee in one hand and his books in the other. " I have a surprise for you kids" , he said. The big surprise was about a state contest. Every kid in
the state from 7th to 12th grade was invited. the contest consisted in creating a new object, that had never been invented before, and it had to be oriented to science, the sky was the limit. But that was not all, the winner will get 1000 dollars.

All the kids went crazy; after school, they all went to their houses to work on their projects. I did not know what to do for mine, and I did not have time to work on it either; I had to got to my ballet practice and then my gimnastics practice, then sleep if I was lucky.

By the end of the day I was exhausted. My feet hurted more than any other day and I was desperate for something to release the pain.Out of the nothing I grab some analgesic gel and put in on a disposable clinical hat that I wore as a shoe. My pain was gone, and then I had an idea: What if there was a shoe that could release pain everytime you wore it? I got it!

The next day I grabbed a creosote bush from my backyard, some eucalyptus, mint, and some ethylic alcohol. I asked my school if I could use a lab, and I made a substance out of this plants, then I put hte substance on the disposable shoes that I made with my mom's help. the product was ready, a disposable shoe that is analgesic,decongestant, prevents athlete feet, and that made your feet smell nice!

In this moment was when I realize that I maybe do like science, not because of the books, or the weird formulas that nobody actually likes, but because of what science can do for you, or in my case, for my feet.

Oh , and guess who won the contest?

Informal Science Xperience

2009-09-27T21:54:00.001-07:00

I havent really had a real "wow" science experience. However, the one thing that does come to mind is the time my father explained to me about the female menstrual cycle. Now I know some men might find this topic a bit awkward, and believe me it was for both of us at first. Having my father sit me down in a casual setting, explaining to me the actual scientific process of ovulation using his vocabulary of course, really got me fascinated on how the body works. Our bodies are created in such an ingenious way that there will always be something new to learn about it. That experience also proves how the knowledge of science is important. As for guys, talking about something like this might make you uneasy but its good to overcome that feeling because it’s a natural and important process that you may have to explain to your daughter in the far future!

3rd Grade Field Work?

2009-09-27T19:04:00.000-07:00

One day back in elementary school, I remember talking about bugs and animals one day in class. At recess, me and a friend set our minds to bug searching for bugs. After crawling around in the grass for a while we found a massive dead grasshopper in the sandbox. We proceeded to "dissect" it by it apart by the joints and inspecting it. Even at this young age I was really inspired and interested in animals and biology.

Science Experience

2009-09-27T17:59:00.000-07:00

I have had many science experiences outside of the classroom. The first one that I can remember took place in the fourth grade. My class was working on the annual science project which consisted of a research project and a presentation. My topic was focused on the evacuation of Pompeii during a volcanic eruption in the 1st century. Instead of giving an oral presentation, I made a paper mache volcano and made the volcano erupt using baking soda and water. I remember having so much fun making the volcano with my mother and the class loved the volcano eruption.

Science is electric!

2009-09-27T17:51:00.000-07:00

When I was in the 5th grade I had a teacher named Mr. Sadaski who was a retired electrician. In his class we used to conduct all sorts of science experiments with electricity. For example, my friend Juan and I made a "calculator" for practicing times tables. We wired all of the equations on one side to all of the answers on the other, and made it so if you connected the right equation (e.g. 4x4) with the right answer (16), a light bulb would light up and indicate you were right.

In order to get all of the kids interested in science and electricity Mr. Sadaski would bring an old generator to class and shock everyone. He would have everyone in the class hold hands in a big circle and the people on the end would touch both ends of the generator when he cranked it and everyone would get a little shock. Since there were so many of us, the shock wasn't enough to hurt anyone, but it sparked an interest in electricity in many of my friends. Juan ended up going to trade school to become an electrician, and I worked with Mr. Sadaski as an electrical apprentice two summers ago. He's a teacher I will never forget and thats due largely to his "outside of the box" teaching techniques.

Science Fun Outside of the Classroom

2009-09-27T16:08:00.000-07:00

I have always enjoyed science outside of the class mostly because of influences from my dad and my grandmother. My grandmother lived on a small farm in Connecticut and there were always animals around. My aunt who didn't live to far from her worked for a wildlife reserve so whenever she had too many animals to take care of she would send them over to my grandmother's house. I used to love helping her take care of all the different animals she would have there. The most memorable of these animals for me were two baby chickadees and two baby flying squirrels. I remember feeling so proud that my grandmother would trust me to feed the chickadees all by myself.

As I got older my dad became more of an influence when it came to science outside of the classroom. He has always been interested in science, in particular chemicals and the way things work. During long car rides he would explain how our eyes see, or how a lava lamp works. If I ever had a question as to why something was the way it was my dad would know or help me look it up. In fourth grade for a science project he helped me build my own lava lamp. We researched the chemicals needed and how to put everything together. My dad still has our lava lamp and it still works (only for short periods of time though). I remember this being really fun because we were able to make something ourselves that I previously had thought you could only buy already assembled in a store.

FIRST SCIENCE LOVE

2009-09-27T12:40:00.000-07:00

When i was about 7 years old I was very close with one of my cousins, Cheryl. One day when we were running around the woods we found a few dead bugs and a few injured bugs and we collected them all in one of those old bug cages ever child used to have. After a little while we got what we thought would be a great idea! We took an old wooden box from the garage at her house and painted the words BUG HOSPITAL on it. We took it upon our selves to rip broken or injured legs off of limping bugs and replace them with parts from dead bugs that we had found using both scotch tape and super glue. It was really fun, even though the patients kept dieing haha. We couldnt understand that it was not very good what we were doing or that it was not beneficial in any way, but we thought that we were scientists. So from then on I have had a lot of fun in the sciences figureing things out, like why those legs wouldnt work when we put them on other bugs!!!
___________Jack

Informal Science Experience

2009-09-27T10:59:00.001-07:00

As a kid I always enjoyed science. I like to be outside, and I was always curious about how things worked. However, only a few experiences have really stuck with me.

One I shared in class was the 6th grade science fair at my school. People could basically design their own projects with few limitations. All of the grades would go and visit the fair from PK to 5th. Because of this, by the time you were in 6th grade you knew how much the younger kids were going to look up to you. This made it that much more important o put a lot of time and effort in to your project so you could have the coolest one. Another reason this was important was because the 7th and 8th graders who had already done a fair were going to come and judge your projects and those that won would get prizes. It was really a school wide event that the students really looked forward to no matter what age group they were in. I think the best part about this fair was that it got kids to really take initiative in getting involved with science. They weren't just doing it because their teachers said to. We all had our own motivation.

Another experience that I really loved was raising ducklings in the 2nd grade. We had the ducks from the point at which they were eggs. We kept them in a back room in an incubator until they hatched. Every other day our teacher would take us back two by two to look at the eggs and see if they had changed. There was a light we shined on them so we could see inside. Then we got to watch them hatch one day. We all got called in early from recess to see the process. After they had hatched we got to keep them for the rest of the year until we gave them to a farm. Every student that wanted to take them home got to sign up for a weekend. I remember having them in my house and feeling responsible for taking care of these small animals even just as a second grader. I really cared about the ducklings which motivated me to really observe their growth process even at such a young age. I think that living animals are a great way to get kids involved, especially if they feel that they are responsible for part of taking care of them.

In the 5th grade we also raised Monarch Butterflies. We got them as eggs, which then became caterpillars, then they formed a chrysalis, and then they became butterflies. We let them go after this but we had a tag put on their wings. We then had a website where people would report seeing butterflies with tags on them. Our class would check the site continually, and one of our classmates actually had a butterfly that was reported seen in Mexico, which is where we learned they migrated to. It was exciting to know that we had raised these butterflies and that they were migrating just like we had learned about. It was a great way to make what we had learned real to us.

INFORMAL SCIENCE: A TRIP TO SIX FLAGS NEW ENGLAND

2009-09-25T11:17:00.000-07:00

During my last year in Burlington High School in Burlington Massachusetts. I took an honors physics class with Mrs. Flanagan. I loved physics soo much I would spend extra time with Mrs. Flanagan to get to know more about physics and its laws.
On a thursday afternoon we were learning about friction,G force, normal force and centri. Force of attraction. We were also learning about displacement, force of attraction between atoms and how to calculate their force. So as a class we all decided to have a field trip to a place where we could learn more about physic and at the same time have fun. So we all came to a conclussion that we wanted to go to six flags new england.
At six flags we rode the superman and batman man of steel roller coasters. We then regrouped afterwards to discuss about how physics revolved around the making of the roller coaters and basically everything in the park. It was amazing.

Eureka

2009-09-25T08:37:00.000-07:00

From a very young age I was always asking questions or at least thinking about questions concerning how it is that I, we, the whole planet got to be the way that it is. How do plants do whatever it is that plants do? Why do animals behave the way they behave? What are the universal laws of nature? I suppose some of my questions where being answered in pieces, each school year offered more and more information that helped put the puzzle pieces together but I still yearned for a view that was comprehensive, something that unified all the fields of science. What torture it was to get tidbits that seemed related but didn't quite fit so snug, then I was introduced to the theory of Evolution.
It was fascinating reading Darwin's words, so elegant and poetic yet so easy to read and understand. His argument was plain and simple and it relieved a hidden truth that gave me that eureka moment; their is common descent between organisms on every and any scale, life came to be and what we see today is the result of Evolution. I was first introduced to the idea of Evolution in high school but it was not until I got to Umass did I begin exploring the theory more deeply, it is a passion that has given me a sense of resolve while sparking my intrigue to a level I didn't think possible. Every time I feel lost or confused I try to think about how Darwin would approach that problem, reasonably, rationally and with a keen eye for observation, the result is that I get to create many eureka moments from thinking in terms of evolutionary theory.

Courtney Brooks- The Woods

2009-09-24T17:32:00.000-07:00

There have been many times throughout my life when I could identify a situation as an informal science experience. The most memorable and impressionable times would have to be the summers I spent at my grandfather's house when I was ages 7-13. He lived in an area surrounded by woods, which I found, was the most interesting place to be. It began my passion for all forms of wildlife. My cousins and I would pretend we were famous explorers as we wondered the wild. I, the most daring, was never afraid to catch snakes, salamanders, toads, or other squirmy critters. I would often bring them back with me and make a substitute habitat in a big container because I had made up my mind, that these were my pets. That is, until my mother would discover the animal I managed to catch and scream at me (esp. if it was a snake) to let it go, mainly because she is petrified of them. I was always trying to examine animal behavior. At the time I just found it cool, but looking back, I would spend hours fascinated by watching a toad eat crickets or collecting frog eggs and waiting for them to hatch. I realized that I was extremely excited about animals during this duration in my life. I wanted to be a veterinarian. Since this time, I have put a lot of thought into my career and have begun exploring medicine. I am still indecisive at this point, but know I have a passion for animals. In my life I have had many animals... snakes, birds [I have actually hatched and raised quails twice], lizards, cats, dogs, a horse, rabbits, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, and once I took care of a baby squirrel for three days...

Blog Assignment for Monday

2009-09-24T08:03:00.001-07:00

Hey Everyone!

Yesterday in class we discussed different forms of informal science education. In my opinion, one of the coolest things about science is that eureka moment everyone has when they see something they think is interesting. It's a unifying and universal experience that we all share at some point in our lives, which I think is something that is really unique to science.

Yesterday we discussed different experiences that we've had that have made us think differently about science. I know I mentioned the owl pellets I dissected in 5th grade. For class on Monday, I want you to post an experience you've had like this...something that went above and beyond the normal class lecture or textbook. If you can't think of a time when this happened to you, try to brainstorm ideas of what we could do as a group to make that happen for someone. Have fun with this assignment, and I will see you on Monday!

Sara

Introduction

2009-09-23T16:53:00.000-07:00

Name: Matthew Panechelli
Year: Junior
Major: BDIC-Evolutionary Biology and Science Education
Hometown: Franklin, Ma
Why did you get involved in the internship?

I have always had a passion for Biology and this internship should fit my BDIC major very well, you could say the MAS is a perfect fit for me.

What do you hope to get out of this class?

I hope to gain some technological/multimedia skills that I severely lack. I also hope to have some fun experiences when we visit local schools. Hopefully this class will lead to bigger things.

What do you like to do for fun?

I'm open to almost anything, I'm a bit of sports nut, animal fanatic, movie buff, part time coach potato(anything on the discovery channel or natgeo) and would like to get outdoors more often by taking up hiking/camping.

What do you want to do when you graduate college?

I'd like to teach but I'd also like to take part in some research in the evo-bio field. My BDIC major is designed to create an educational initiative with regard to science,biology, and evo-bio, so hopefully I'll have some interesting adventures in that regard.

Any other fun facts about yourself?

My father's side of the family were and are farmers so cow tipping is not cool. I like mini-golf and sometimes I like golf when I'm not terrible at it. As a youth I used to spend every summer with my twin brother chest deep in the pond across the street from my house, digging up and catching whatever critters we could. I'm a closet nerd, the Land Before Time is quite possibly the best movie ever and it has inspired me to create an animated series of biolog learning videos for kids. I like to eat(you name it and I'll probably eat it), I like to go fishing, worked with 4-14 year old kids at a Daycare for roughly 5 years. Mitt Romney took my financial aid away from me when I had a 3.4 at Umass Dartmouth so I shoveled concrete for 4 years before regaining my independent student status. I like people but not pretentious ones. I'm obsessed with trying to answer some of the most interesting questions concerning life and the natural sciences, therefore I'm kind of a jack of all trades and master of none to some degree. Going green is going to be very interesting and I'd like to travel at some point( I want to make a list of the coolest things in the world to see and do and get after it).

Cecilia Prado

2009-09-23T08:01:00.001-07:00

Name : Complete is Santa Cecilia Prado Guerrero ( not kidding) , but just call me Cecilia

Year: freshman

Major: Pre-Med / Political Science , weird combinatination , I know, I am really passionate about both of them and I really want to help to improve my country's health care program.

Hometown: Monclova, Coahuila , Mexico.

Why did you get involved in the internship? I am addicted to school activities, I thought this would be a cool thing to do, besides, I am really good teaching kids and teenagers about topics.

What do you hope to get out of this class?A good experience.

What do you like to do for fun?I dance, play soccer, go for a run,watch movies, camping, organize parties with my friends, go to soccer games,travel, read, go to sports games and yell at people , and I am very into politics.

What do you want to do when you graduate college?I want to get into Medical School, become a surgeon, and coming back to Mexico.

Any other fun facts about yourself? I like to do a lot of outdoor activities, The craziest things always happen to me , I get crazy when it comes to politics, I always have soemthing to say, I went to two missionary trips in Mexico, and I used to teach cathechism to little kids and teenagers.

Webster

2009-09-23T07:58:00.000-07:00

My name is Webster
I was born on July 23rd ,1987
I'm double majoring in both Biology(pre-med) and microbiology
Burlington,Ma
I got involved with this internship because of the passion I have in spreading good things about science. I love to talk about what I have learnt and to allow others to share what they have absorbed from science. Discussions about scientific findings and how it's changing our world is amazing.
I hope to get more knowledge about science and how it's a good outreach.
I like to read new scientific research findings about stem cell research in my spare time.
I want to head to medical school after graduation. My intent it to become an endocrinologist or a neurosurgeon.
I love to read scientific books and I am a big fan of stem cell research.

Rose Schack

2009-09-23T07:57:00.000-07:00

Year: Freshman

Major:

Biology/Pre-Med

I got involved with this internship because it looked interesting, different, and a good way to get involved with science. I hope to get a different kind of experience from this class as opposed to sitting and listening to a professor lecture.

After I graduate I would like to go to medical school to become a dermatologist. In high school I went to a vocational school for Cosmetology and discovered that my interests were not so much in styling hair as they were in the science behind hair, nails, but especially in skin. One thing I especially enjoyed in my high school was the way we learned in my Cosmetology class. We did a lot of hands on activities and the class felt more personal because of the ways we interacted with each other and with our teachers; I think this class will be very similar to that style of learning. I hope that this class can get younger kids excited about science by combining it with their other interests, like learning about the science behind skin did for me!

Rhys Ursuliak

2009-09-23T07:53:00.000-07:00

Freshman
Bio Major
Lancaster, MA
I was looking for a new biology class to replace a gened that I dropped right as I received the recruitment email.
I'm really hoping to get more experience as to what a biologist actually does, and I love being on the public side of things.
I love going out and wandering around with friends, around town or around campus.
I really don't know what my plans are after college. I'm not quite sure what they are in college even.
I was born in NJ, lived in CA, and moved to MA before 2nd grade. I go to Canada every summer to visit family!

Mr. Nathan Davies

2009-09-23T07:52:00.002-07:00

My name is Nathan, but my friends call me Nate (for the most part).
My plan is to graduate in 2010 with a Bachelor's in Journalism with a cultural anthropology minor.
I grew up in Turners Falls, a village in the town of Montague, 20 minutes north of Amherst.
I got involved in this course solely because I trust Sara's judgement and could use the credits, not to mention science is cool!
I hope to get some good training with youngsters in the science department and also learn how to better project positive ideas on people in the community. And to get down with science!
For fun I spend a lot of time with friends, I ride my mountain bike and kayak and scuba dive and sail in the sun when I can and snowboard in the winter when I can't. I enjoy spending time with my younger siblings and friends and I like bringing positive energy to people around me, especially when they need it.

I think informal science education is learning science having fun! Experience science as it lives, not as it is in the text book!

Nikki's

2009-09-23T07:52:00.001-07:00

Nekeisha Nixon
Junior
Public Health Sciences
Springfield, MA

I got got an email and I checked out the MAS website, i found it to be very interesting as I've always had a weird passion for science and how things work. I have never done anything like this before, so i thought it would be a good learning experience.
I hope to learn more about science and I'm very excited to work with kindergarten kids.
I consider myself pretty boring, but my favorite past time is hanging out with friends and family especially when good food is present.
After I graduate, I hope to pursue my Masters in Public Health for a better chance of getting in my career field.
Fun Facts:::: I love to cook and experiment with different types of foods. I'm West Indian/Jamaican. I'm a MAJOR procrastinator!

Sara Cody

2009-09-23T07:52:00.000-07:00

Name: Sara Cody
Year: Senior, 2010
Major: Journalism, Minoring in Biology and Art History
Hometown: Franklin, Mass
What do you like to do for fun?
One of my all-time things to do is go to the movie store, rent a movie, buy tons of candy and just stay in in my jamies watching a movie and pigging out. I like hanging out with people, going to art museums, going to Red Sox games, and doing arts and crafts.
What do you want to do when you graduate college?
I'm not exactly sure what I want to do when I graduate college. I know I want to write a book to get it published. And I want to go to grad school at some point for science writing. I'm really into multimedia journalism.
Any other fun facts about yourself?
I have really bendy fingers. And I love talking with people.

Gabriela Baquerizo

2009-09-23T07:50:00.001-07:00

Name: Gabriela 'Gabby' Baquerizo
Year: Senior
Major: Communication Disorder
Hometown: Boston the 617'

~Why did you get involved in the internship?

I joined the MAS internship last year and I had a blast! I learned new and different things I wouldn't think had anything to do with science. I joined because I love working with kids and seeing how they interact when new things are presented to them. It amazes me that kids do have interest in science. I also joined because I was interested in how to make a podcast. It was hard work but all worth it at the end.

~What do you hope to get out of this class?

More information about what MAS has set for this year. Also more school visits!

~What do you like to do for fun?

I play sports, softball and soccer. Music is a big thing, so whenever I'm bored I start listening to my Ipod and the fun beginnings. I like to hang out with friends when I'm not busy, who doesn't right? Finally, drawing!

~What do you want to do when you graduate college?

Well I recently got a management position at my job, so I think I will work for a year. Afterward I plan on applying to grad school. Some school close to New England.

~Any other fun facts about yourself?

*I'm a fan of Lil Wayne and Beyonce! lol. .. . I'm also facebook addict ->Theres no cure for that yet. .. . I love comedy: Kat William being in my list of top 5. .. .and I have a bad habit of cracking my knuckles and ankle

Jack Mulone

2009-09-23T07:50:00.000-07:00

Hello,
My name is John Mulone but I answer to Jack. I am a Microbio major and really enjoy everything about it. I hope to use my degree to go into biotech sales in the European market as it is currently stronger than our own. Plus, who doesn't want to be based out of Rome!!!
I am also training in jiu jitsu heavily at the moment and studying for my CDL. I can pretty much sell salt to a slug if needed and have no problem with placing my morals aside in order to do so.
I am very outspoken and in some sense weird. I always enjoy a good conversation and even more so a debate. I have a tendency to say things that I do not actually believe in order to get a rise out of people and spark an argument.
Working with people is a very strong point for me. I much prefer to be in front of a group relaying my ideas and being the center of attention. The larger the crowed the better i perform.
I never accept anything for what it is and will challenge it to the end. I will help anyone to the best of my abilities and will never admit to not being able to perform a given task. I rec climb quite consistently both trees and rocks. If anyone wants to give it a go just let me know! Feel free to ask for anything or just chill whenever.

Bailey Mannix

2009-09-23T07:49:00.002-07:00

Class year: 2012 (sophomore)
Major: Communications, Minor: Biology
Hometown: Brookline, MA

I got involved with this internship because it combines my two interests really well. I was in BioTAP last year. I loved the program and learned a lot from it, but one of the things that I learned was that although I love biology, it wasn't the right major for me. This class allows me to still be involved with biology, while combining it with what I really feel I want to do.

I hope this class will give me good experience with presentations. I have never worked with podcasts before, so I am excited to learn about them. I also love working with kids, so I'm really excited about the school visits.

Outside of school I try to keep busy. I like having a packed schedule, so I'm usually up for trying new things. Recently, I have been trying to teach myself to paint. I still have a lot of work to do. I also play golf. I have been playing since I was really young and played varsity for four years in high school. I haven't been playing a lot in the past year, so if anyone wants to, let me know! I also love listening to music and I'll try listening to just about anything. I really don't like classical music, but other than that I'm not too picky. I'm really excited about Jay-Z coming to UMass!

I have absolutely no idea what I want to do when I graduate.

Courtney Brooks

2009-09-23T07:49:00.001-07:00

Courtney Brooks

Freshman
18 years old born December 23, 1990 [Christmas babyyy]
Biology
Rochester, NH
Want to explore science other than BIO
I would love to work with/observe animal behavior. Once I was sitting outdoors and I started watching a spider. After approx. 10 minutes, a daddy long legs wondered into this particular spider's trap! I was astonished as I watched the significantly smaller spider slowly but surely attack the daddy long legs... I guess I am easily amused.
I horseback ride, spend a lot of time outside, hike, and work as a waitress.

Initially I wanted to be involved in medicine but more recently I have begun resorting back to my old feelings... wanting to work with animals. I am very interested in research.
I compete in horse shows across New England. I am completely comfortable around all types of animals ex. snakes, lizards, spiders etc.
Fears- Sharks and Hornets

2009-09-23T07:49:00.000-07:00

Name: Julie Pulda
Year: Senior
Major: Biology
Hometown: Worcester, MA
Why did you get involved in the internship? The internship sounds like a great way to get involved with science outreach in a unique way.
What do you hope to get out of this class? I hope to be able to reach out to the non-science community because science is an enormous part of everyone's lives. I also hope to conquer my fear of snakes...that's a reach though.
What do you like to do for fun? I love to travel, play sports, play the piano, spend time with my friends and family.
What do you want to do when you graduate college? I would like to go to medical school and get my masters in public health (eventually). In the future, I hope to practice medicine and health education internationally. Immediately after I graduate, I would like to work or volunteer abroad in a 'developing' area. I am always in search of 'paid adventures'.
Any other fun facts about yourself? I lived in South Africa for a year and I'm obsessed with Sub-Saharan Africa. I'm allergic to peanuts. I love playing sports, including 'extreme' sports. I'm related to Henry Winkler (The Fonze). I am a classically trained concert pianist. I fall all the time.

Get to know the interns!

2009-09-23T07:26:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

In order to get to know each other, and the blog a little better, grab a picture of yourself off the internet and post a few things about yourself to the blog!

Name
Year
Major
Hometown
Why did you get involved in the internship?
What do you hope to get out of this class?
What do you like to do for fun?
What do you want to do when you graduate college?
Any other fun facts about yourself?

Doug's Internship Experience!

2009-07-20T11:05:00.000-07:00

"In one of our first meeting in Peg’s Molecular Evolution class last year, she commented on the need for cohesion among scientific ideas. She was speaking of a collection of papers she assigned us that discussed various principles and methods of inferring phylogenies. Beyond the monotonous studies on computer programs, neighbor-joining, and tree building, she was trying to teach her flock that we need a solid foundation in the material before we pressed on. She said, almost as an afterthought, that “science in a vacuum is just an indulgence”. She was referring to the papers specifically, but the quote caught me as having a broader appeal; hearing one scientific idea or theory without a sense of its place or importance is insipid and pointless.

This introduction to science is what makes the MAS so important. Beyond providing a website and school visit, the Academy is taking strides in the expansion of science education, a priority in a changing world. My internship was a positive learning experience for me because it not only showed me how much professional educators care about their material, it also offered first hand experience in informal education, outreach, and organization. Working with the MAS was an illuminating experience, to be sure.

I have to admire Peg’s commitment to the Academy, a long overdue organization in one of the great bastions of Western knowledge. The oldest constitution still in use in the world today is that of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, penned by John Adams in 1778, a decade before our national constitution. While serving as a rough draft for the later US Constitution, Adams included a few words on education that he privately thought were too radical to pass. He wrote: “Wisdom and knowledge, as well as virtue, diffused generally among the body of the people [are] necessary for the preservation of their rights and liberties. And as these depend on spreading the opportunities and advantages of education in various parts of the country, and among the different orders of the people [that is, everyone], it shall be the duty [not something they might consider, but the duty] of legislatures and magistrates in all future periods of this commonwealth to cherish the interests and literature and the sciences…”. Here, we have to applaud Adam’s vision and thank Peg and her industrious interns for their work. 1778 was a long time ago, but better late then never, eh?"

-Doug Taylor

Join the Science Outreach Course!

2009-07-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

If you are interested in

Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science or Math)
Journalism or Writing
Education
Filmmaking

Then this course is for you!

EARN 3 CREDITS!

Develop science outreach materials, including video and audio podcasts, blogs, and hands-on demonstrations
Utilize multimedia techniques to develop MAS website
Participate in science outreach activities, including K-12 classroom demonstrations

Class will meet Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:30-12:00
in Morrill III Room 306

Email Sara at cody@massacadsciences.org