2011 has been a big year for environmental science and research. It is, after all, the international year of chemistry, the one hundredth anniversary of Parks Canada and the year the Bay of Fundy was inducted as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
To commemorate these environmental and scientific milestones, five female students from Riverview, New Brunswick participated in the “Riverview High School Water Project.” Under the guidance of chemistry teacher Ian Fogerty, and with the help of PASCO probeware, Robyn O’Dell, Marlise O’Brien, Rebecca Laffoley, Shandelle Murray, and Ha-Gyoung Yoon mapped and analyzed water quality throughout the Fundy Biosphere Reserve.
After taking measurements of pH levels, temperature, dissolved oxygen, phosphate and nitrates, the team has set out to determine how these properties change throughout the day, while collecting baseline data for a citizen science legacy project.
Their efforts have resulted in an invitation to participate in the Chemistry World Youth Conference in Lima, Peru this November.
We’d like to congratulate the girls on their contribution to science and wish them luck at their upcoming conference. Their passion for science and environmental preservation is nothing short of inspiring.
Students in Camrose, Alberta were given some valuable insight into the world of physics last month, thanks to the help of two hot air balloon pilots.
Brant Leatherdale and Gary Fehr, competitors in the Canadian Hot Air Balloon Championship, paid a visit to sixth grade students at Jack Stuart School to talk about their sport.
According to Leatherdale, hot air balloons can climb up to 10,000 feet, but most flights hover at the 1,000-foot mark.
Nowadays, pilots employ modern technologies – like GPS devices, temperature sensors and communication tools, but the basic science behind the hot air balloon remains the same today as it was when the balloons first took flight in 1783.
Leatherdale and Fehr explained to students how heat from a propane burner causes the balloon to rise and that wind shears help carry the vessel through the sky.
What an excellent, real-life application of physics. We hope the students enjoyed learning about hot air balloons as much as we enjoyed reading about them!
Click here to learn more about Leatherdale and Fehr’s elementary school visit.
A recent article on Parent Central reports that the Toronto District School Board’s four-year ban on electronic devices in the classroom has been lifted.
Starting next September, smartphones, laptops and mp3 players will be allowed in all Toronto classrooms, following a decision by the school board to embrace “the evolving nature of such technology, its value as a tool to enhance student learning and support curriculum delivery, as well as the growing role it plays in school communication.”
Here at Ayva, we have long supported the use of mobile and electronic devices in the science classroom. It’s no secret that the students of today thrive in a technological environment that provides a reliable, interactive platform for learning.
Our PASCO SPARKvue iPhone app has been proven to be a popular teaching aid, granting students and educators alike the flexibility to collect data anytime using their mobile Apple device.
Teachers in other provinces have demonstrated that technology can successfully be integrated into the science classroom. For example Bob Van Duren – a teacher at Hudson high school – uses PASCO’s Airlink2, a single-sensor interface that connects to a Bluetooth-enabled computer, to teach students how to build their own rockets while using PASCO’s sensors to collect and analyze real-time data.
Back in Toronto, teachers have discussed the possibility of integrating educational apps into their curriculums and providing students with the opportunity to text their answers to the teacher instead of raising their hand, providing a better opportunity to assess if “everyone [is] grasping the concept being taught.”
We applaud the Toronto District School Board on their progressive decision.
A combination of cutting-edge technology with a learning-based platform is an effective first step in reaching out – and connecting – with today’s tech-savvy student population.
* photo credit
