|
 |
In this issue:
*February Break Vacation Camps are enrolling all over Westchester for next week!
*Summer Camp locations are announced!
* Cool Science News: Cloud Seeding
*Upcoming Open House for Mad Science Summer camp at the Armonk Tennis Club!
* NYC Public Libraries offer free Mad Science programs.
*Featured Scientist and "In the Lab" Vocab.
* WNET's Celebration of Teaching and Learning conference details at the bottom.
|
|
|
February Break Vacation Camps! |
 |
 |
|
During your school break Mad Science is offering fun half day camp programming and shows through recreation departments and libraries all over Westchester!
Learn the physics of toys, build your own flying stunt plane or travel to the center of the earth! Programs can range from single to multiple days and are appropriate for children currently in grades 1-5.
Click the icon above or any of the towns where we are offering camps (listed below) for more details about the programs offered and registration.
|
|
|
Summer Camp locations for 2010 are posted! |
|
Mad Science is excited to once again offer exciting half day camp programs this summer at the various locations below. You can build your own curriculum week to week or join us for an entire summer. Plus, at select locations you can register by May 1st and receive an early bird discount!
The Chapel School in Bronxville, NY
Camp Armonk at The Armonk Tennis Club in
Armonk, NY
74th St. M.A.G.I.C. on the U.E.S. of Manhattan
Dino Dig USA in Mamaroneck-Plus our Wed. Spring afterschool semester begins here on 4/7. Sign up by 3/24
And don't forget our Tues. Spring afterschool club at
The Scholastic Store in SoHo, NY
Registration Deadline 3/23-Clubs start week on 4/6 To register for any of the aforementioned programs click the flashing icon below!
|
|
Science News: Cloud Seeding |
|
In July of 1946 a scientist by the name of Vincent Schaefer discovered the principle of cloud seeding while experimenting with super cooled clouds in the hope of generating ice crystals. Schaefer succeeded using dry ice.
Within the month, Schaefer's colleague Dr. Bernard Vonnegut (brother of novelist Kurt Vonnegut) is credited with the development of a new method for cloud seeding which involved silver iodide.
The first successful attempt at 'creating' precipitation by seeding clouds was accomplished in November of 1946 in Western Massachusetts by dumping 6 pounds of powdered dry ice into a cloud from an airplane, causing snow to fall on Mount Greylock.
These days, cloud seeding is being used in several countries in order to bring rain or snow to areas that require precipitation. China in particular has a much used cloud seeding system which has brought rain and snow to its arid northern regions. In October of 2009 China reported its earliest snowfall in 22 years which they claim is the result of their cloud seeding program. |
|
|
Free programs at the New York City Public Libraries |
|
The NY Public Libraries offer free Mad Science workshops and shows to the public quite often. Check by clicking here to see which NY Public Library programs are occurring near you this winter. |
 |
|
Quick Links |
|
 |
| Mad Science of Westchester & Manhattan
Toll Free 877-948-8319 |
| madscience@optonline.net
* Teachers, look for us at at WNET's Celebration of Teaching and Learning at the NY Hilton on March 5-6th. We'll be there alongside our good friends from Applebee's demonstrating the coolest science field trips around! A link can be found below:
http://thirteencelebration.org/ | |
| Experiment Corner (or how to look cool in front of your kids):
Crystal Snowflakes |
|
What You Need:
-string
-wide mouth jar
-white pipe cleaners
-borax (found in the laundry aisle of the market)
-pencil
-boiling water
-blue food coloring, if desired
-scissors
What you do:
1. Cut a pipe cleaner into three equal sections.
2. Twist the sections together at their centers to form a six-sided snowflake shape. Cut to fit inside the jar.
3. Tie the string to the end of one of the snowflake arms and tie the other end of the string to the pencil. Test to make sure the snowflake hangs into the jar without touching the bottom.
4. Fill the jar with boiling water, then add borax, one tablespoon at a time, to the boiling water, stirring to dissolve after each addition. The amount used is 3 tablespoons borax per cup of water. It is okay if some un-dissolved borax settles to the bottom of the jar.
6. If desired, you may tint the mixture with food color.
7. Hang the pipe cleaner snowflake into the jar so that the pencil rests on top of the jar and the snowflake is completely covered with liquid and hangs freely.
8. Leave overnight.
9. Look at the pretty crystals!!! You can hang your snowflake as a decoration or in a window.
What's going on?
As the water evaporates it leaves dissolved minerals behind that cling to the pipe cleaners and form these awesome crystals. |
|
|
Mad Science will be returning to Camp Armonk's Open House
on Sat. March 6th from 12-2PM
Come check out their amazing facility & campgrounds while we demonstrate some of the cool science we'll be doing there this summer.
|
 George Washington Carver
Born in 1865, Carver is internationally known for his achievements in agricultural chemistry. Not only was Carver the first black graduate from Iowa State University, but he has also received a number of awards for developing over 300 uses for peanuts, soybeans, sweet potatoes and clay.
Carver's passion for helping local farmers meant that he never took any profit. His focus was always to help mankind and to make the most use out of common things. Carver spent the latter years of his life at the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute (now known as Tuskegee University) as the school's agricultural director.
 Garrett Augustus Morgan
Garrett Augustus Morgan, a Kentucky native, is the mind behind many great inventions which impact our lives. These include the gas mask which was used during World War I as well as a safety hood and smoke protector for firefighters.
In the early 1920's, Morgan had a successful career in the newspaper business, which eventually allowed him to purchase a car. While driving around in Cleveland, Morgan noticed that intersections were particularly unsafe. This realization led to the invention of the traffic light. The T-shaped pole he constructed had three signs that popped up interchangeably: red "stop", green "go" and another red "stop in all directions", for pedestrians. Morgan eventually sold this invention to General Electric, which played an equally important role in re-inventing the traffic light to what we recognize today.
In the Lab" Vocab (share & discuss with your children)-
Chemistry:(noun) the science that deals with the composition and properties of substances and various elementary forms of matter.
Electronics: (noun) the science dealing with the development and application of devices and systems involving the flow of electrons in a vacuum, in gaseous media, and in semiconductors. |
|
