TECHNOLOGY An Australian company has designed a wetsuit that could prevent deaths by making surfers and swimmers look less like shark’s prey. (BBC) Use our resources to learn more about wetsuits and the people who wear them. Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers’ Toolkit. Discussion Ideas Why do surfers and swimmers in Australia wear wetsuits? Read through our … Continue reading Shark-Repellent Wetsuits?
HEALTH Atlanta tops the list of Top Mosquito Cities for the second year in a row. Is your city at risk? (Orkin) Learn more mosquitoes with our excellent animal profile of the pesky pest. Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key content, including today’s MapMaker Interactive map, in our Teachers’ Toolkit. Discussion Ideas According to Orkin, “June, July and August are prime mosquito months … Continue reading Where are America’s ‘Mosquito Cities’?
EDUCATION The U.S. Chemical Safety Board has urged museums and schools to stop using methanol and other flammable chemicals in science demonstrations in light of a flash fire that injured 13 people, most of them children, at museum earlier this month. (Associated Press) Use our resources to learn more about chemistry, and thanks to esteemed colleague Samantha for the heads-up on this great current event … Continue reading Agency Urges a Change in School Science Demos
UNITED STATES How do you live through a voyage when the temperature drops to more than 50 degrees below zero and the air is thinner than that at the top of Mount Everest? You usually don’t. (NPR) Use our resources to understand altitude, air pressure, and their impact on the human body. Discussion Ideas The NPR blog post says wheel-well stowaways are likely to freeze to … Continue reading Boy Survives Flight in Jet’s Wheel Well
ENVIRONMENT A West Virginia chemical spill brought attention to a broader national problem. “We often don’t think about where our water comes from,” or how it could be contaminated, say conservationists. (National Geographic News) Watch these “pictures of practice” to see how students and teachers understand water pollution and water purification. Discussion Ideas “We often don’t think about where our water comes from,” says Steve … Continue reading How Safe is Your Water?
