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I. 3D Periodic Table
After reading about Roy Alexander, I discovered that he lived just a mere 30 minute drive from my home. I called him and we met at a restaurant for lunch last month. The story of his journey in developing and patenting a 3-D Periodic Table, The Alexander Arrangements of the Elements, illustrates the importance of following your dream and never giving up! Here is a man in his 70's who had asked an interesting question of his high school science teacher... "Why isn't the periodic table in 3D as all other things in nature?" The teacher did not have an answer for him. After pursuing a career as a science exhibit designer, the question he had asked his teacher just didn't go away. "As I left work one night in 1965 I saw a list of drawings for an (another designer's) exhibit that included a '3D Table of the Elements' and agreed that this was the correct way to depict anything in nature. Then I discovered that '3D Table of the Elements' was a flat one with 3D letter/numbers. I decided to make a real 3D one, took off my coat, and did it that night. Patenting it was years of hard work. Genius is easy." What is unique about his Periodic table? It is in 3D and is contiguous and continuous. It removes all disturbing discontinuities and displacements in the order of the elements. < And now his 3D periodic table is available for everyone. Why do I say that? Because he ships internationally for the same flat low price as he does in the U.S.- $3.95. That means you can order multiple things and the shipping price stays the same. Amazing wouldn't you say! I don't know how long this will last because the cost of postage is increasing in the U.S. the middle of January. There are 3 versions... II. From NASA
Most machines don't improve with use. Old pickup trucks don't gradually
become Ferraris just by driving them fast, and a pocket calculator won't
change into a supercomputer by crunching lots of numbers. The human body
is different...
FULL STORY at
In recent weeks, writers in the education and mainstream press have questioned and explored what the research says
about the best instructional approaches for teaching science. Unfortunately, terms such as "discovery learning" and
"direct instruction" are being frequently misused and commonly misunderstood. NSTA hopes to clarify the issue and
provide you with insights on this important topic. We encourage you to read the article by NSTA President Anne Tweed,
which will appear in the January issue of NSTA Reports.
http://www.nsta.org.
NSTA has a series of 3 difference books that are just for teachers, If are a getting a little desperate about finding a science fair project, don't panic....
Easy, Instantly Downloadable 24-hour Science Experiments is here to save your day!
• Easy, step by step instructions ~ Hypothesis to Conclusion!
• Quick access to research materials.
• Examples of charts and graphs, and you are given access to Excel and Microsoft Works spreadsheets that are
ready for you to plug in your data... your charts are created like magic!
The reviews have been great! 1st through 8th grade.
We have also added a ton of new science fair books. I invite you to browze.
We have a lot of new biology,
chemistry,
earth science and
physics science kits. Come check them out.
Science Fair Success
Of course, many people make New Year's resolutions… but how many of them actually keep them? According to one study, 23% of resolutions fade away within the first 7 days. But don't let that stop you! The following are 20 of our most effective ways to not only create resolutions, but also help you turn them into reality… 1) First, Take This Simple Test to find out just how serious you are about reaching your goals. If you can't get past this first step, don't just go through the motions because you're "supposed to" make resolutions for New Year's – you're likely to fail. Instead, stop and ask yourself, "What goal is worthy of my time and effort and would be exciting and motivating for me to work toward?" Next, schedule a 15-minute appointment with yourself in your student planner and answer these 4 foundational questions: "Which of my goals did I accomplish in 2004?" (You did have goals, didn't you?) "Could I have done more? If so, what are the reasons I gave myself for not achieving them? (Now's not the time to be easy on yourself.) "Have I set specific, measurable goals for 2005? If not, by what date will I do so?" "How will I apply what I learned last year into 2005 to make the biggest difference in my life?" Fact is, most people reading this issue Science Fair Enthusiasts won't answer these questions. Why? Human inertia: that powerful, life-wasting force that stops many of us from realizing our life's potential. So how do you break through? Take baby steps! Here's how... Step 1: Right now, cut and paste the 4 questions above into an empty document. Congratulations… you've accomplished step 1. Step 2: Schedule 15 minutes in your student planner right now when you'll type your answers to those questions in that same document. The mere act of taking Step 1 can help push you past the human inertia that may have been shackling you in years past. It's a simple technique called "chunking down," or "Swiss cheesing"... reducing tasks into bite-sized, manageable pieces. Taking Step 2 puts a process in place that helps keep you moving forward. Make sure every action plan ends with a step that requires further action! Now, follow these time-tested ways to keep the momentum going... 2) Restructure! Most resolutions don't work because they're no more than wishful thinking… fluff and no more. First, change the verbal structure of your resolutions: Don't say, "I'll go to the gym and lose weight." Instead say, "I'll join the gym tomorrow at noon… exercise three times a week... lose 20 pounds...and once again fit into these old jeans." Assigning dates and numbers gives your goals substance, making them real and reachable. 3) Simplify! The Queen Mary weighs over 81,000 tons – nearly 35,000 tons heavier than the Titanic. Yet the rudder – the part that ultimately determines the direction in which the entire massive ship moves – weighs "just" 140 tons. Compared to the rest of the ship, the rudder is small! But to everyone on board, it's the most important part of all. Ask yourself, “What is the ‘rudder' of my resolutions? What's that one thing that makes all the difference?” 4) Focus on Your Vision – The rest of your life will be shaped by your current vision of your future. Establish a powerful picture of how you want to think, feel, act, and live three years from now. Constantly refer to this vision to guide all your 2005 decisions, goals, actions, and communications. This puts YOU in the driver's seat rather than the "fickle winds of fate." 5) Recognize the Value of Rest – Just as you can't start a car with a dead battery, you also can't think creatively with an exhausted body and mind. A tired body's instinctive goal is relaxation and sleep. Everything else, besides survival itself, is secondary. Listen to your body... give it the rest (and play) it needs to recharge itself... then dive back into your work refreshed. You'll get more done in less time... and have more fun, too. 6) Clean Up Your Life – Messy desks at work... unorganized kitchens at home… overstuffed garages... and lots of loose ends that need tying. All these things pull your attention away from your goals... drain your energy... and chip away at your self-esteem. Make a list of what needs "clean-up." Do at least one each day, if for no other reason than to have a weekend that's yours to spend as frivolously as you wish! 7) Learn More, Get Higher Grades– Feel frustrated? It's time to learn more… develop new capabilities... and take the next step. What kind of grades would you get if you knew twice as much as you do now? Interesting, isn't it? 9) Know Your Own Strengths –Your first question in any endeavor isn't, "What can I do differently?" but "What can I do better using my present talents and abilities?" By focusing first on what you do best, you plan from a position of strength and think in areas that are most familiar to you. Bottom line: You don't have to change everything! You simply have to channel your strengths in other directions. 10) Take Charge of Your Attitude – Do you start your day in neutral? In other words, when you wake up, is your attitude poised to respond to whatever situations occur to you, or do you consciously determine your mindset? Each of us becomes a victim of circumstances – and other people's moods – when we start in neutral. Our mood (and the resulting entire day) is then shaped by the ping-ponging back and forth between some people's good moods and other's lousy ones. Force yourself for just one day to see the positive side in things, no matter how small. The effect snowballs. Read the books, "Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude" by W. Clement Stone, and "The Magic of Thinking Big" by David Schwartz. You won't believe how the change positively impacts your energy, health, effectiveness, and the attitudes of those around you! The Best to You, Madeline / alias Detective ThinkMore If a friend did forward this to you and if you like what you read, please subscribe by visiting...
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