By know, you know that too many inquiries can hurt your credit score.
If you are trying to get a credit card with a really good rate, you may
have been shopping around for a while so that you can get the best
possible deal. Chances are, you may have found a few different cards that
you like, but there were a couple of things that you did not like about
each one. Sometimes, you will find one that you like but you have to
pay an annual fee. Other times, you will find one with no annual fee but
there will be really high late charges or other miscellaneous fees.
However, you should not be applying for all of these cards. Looking
through all of the terms for each one of them is one thing, but applying
for all of them is another. Were you aware that making a number of
inquiries could actually hurt your credit score? Well, it can and could
actually end up doing quite a bit more damage than you would think.
The truth of the matter is, every single time that you apply for a
credit card or inquire about any type of a loan or store credit, the
information will show up on your credit report. This is called a "hard
inquiry". A hard inquiry can actually drop your credit score by several
points. Many times, people will apply for different kinds of credit while
they are completely unaware that the inquiries are going against their
credit score. It is actually too bad that this information is not given
to these individuals up front so that better choices may be made.
Another common misunderstanding is that requesting a copy of your
credit report can actually hurt you. However, this type of an inquiry is
called a "soft inquiry" and should never count against your credit
score. If this kind of error ever shows up on your credit report and it is
showing against you, it is very important that you go through the steps
to resolve the error immediately.
Mortgage Inquiries
The credit reporting agencies have made one exception knowing that
today there are so many mortgage companies you can go to for a home
loan. They have made it that multiple mortgage inquiries made within 14
days are treated as one inquiry. You should try to do all your "rate
shopping" within a 30 day period. These inquires are generally not counted
against your score.
Many creditors will look to see the exact amounts of credit inquiries
that you do have on your credit report. Depending on the guidelines of
each creditor, four or more inquiries within a certain time frame of six
to nine months can be considered to be quite an excessive amount. If
they do deem this amount of credit inquiries as excessive, they could end
up denying your credit request. This request and denial will then show
up on your credit report along with any others that you may have. All
of these inquiries will hurt your credit score. So choose what you apply
for carefully and really think about whether or not this new credit
card or loan is worth dropping your credit score by a few points.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Integrated Circuits and How They Affect You
Putting entire circuits on a chip have caused dramatic progress in technology. Do you know that this IC thingy is all about? How does it apply to you? How has their development changed your life? To answer these questions, we must first work to understand them as a whole.
Chips (i.e. Integrated Circuits) are simply that, circuits. Their makeup should not be too far from your grasp, as they are constructed from basic electronic parts. The technology that makes your computer able to run everything from Word to Half-Life is just run by connected transistors, diodes, capacitors, and resistors. The transistors act as amplifiers for all of our household electronics, while the resistors focus on tuning back the effect.
Capacitors allow electricity to be stored and released in varying amounts for special effects, and the diode works to cut off electricity. Through these simply changes to electric current, we are able to send information throughout the device to make everything just work.
Let me take you on a journey from large clunky circuits to the modern day circuitry marvels. The 1950s saw a very important change in the field of electronic parts.
Transistors were invented to replace the bulky and ineffective vacuum tubes that were once necessary for circuits. This let smaller electronics be practical and possible, since you finally didn't need your own power plant to run advancing technologies.
Circuitry became the stumbling block. Computers require the electric signals to flow quickly between the different parts. Old methods of production meant that the chips were just too large to actually be fast enough for practical computing. A new method for building a faster and smaller chip had to be found.
The a smart guy called Jack Kilby came up with a solution. He was just a new researcher left alone in the Texas Instruments laboratory while several of his colleagues were on vacation. While alone, he came up with a radical new way to actually craft chips. The different parts could just be made out of one block of a semi-conductive material.
These parts were put together by metal connections. Gone were the days of unwieldy and ineffective wires for transmitting information from point A to point B. This technique allowed for smaller integrated circuits to be made later on, which ultimately led to the development of the microprocessor.
This might seem simple now. But it took years of innovation to reach where we are today. One integrated circuit led to another until it ended with the mind shatteringly fast chips of today. Hundreds of millions of basic electronic parts are now able to fit on one chip that is no larger than an average fingernail.
Chips (i.e. Integrated Circuits) are simply that, circuits. Their makeup should not be too far from your grasp, as they are constructed from basic electronic parts. The technology that makes your computer able to run everything from Word to Half-Life is just run by connected transistors, diodes, capacitors, and resistors. The transistors act as amplifiers for all of our household electronics, while the resistors focus on tuning back the effect.
Capacitors allow electricity to be stored and released in varying amounts for special effects, and the diode works to cut off electricity. Through these simply changes to electric current, we are able to send information throughout the device to make everything just work.
Let me take you on a journey from large clunky circuits to the modern day circuitry marvels. The 1950s saw a very important change in the field of electronic parts.
Transistors were invented to replace the bulky and ineffective vacuum tubes that were once necessary for circuits. This let smaller electronics be practical and possible, since you finally didn't need your own power plant to run advancing technologies.
Circuitry became the stumbling block. Computers require the electric signals to flow quickly between the different parts. Old methods of production meant that the chips were just too large to actually be fast enough for practical computing. A new method for building a faster and smaller chip had to be found.
The a smart guy called Jack Kilby came up with a solution. He was just a new researcher left alone in the Texas Instruments laboratory while several of his colleagues were on vacation. While alone, he came up with a radical new way to actually craft chips. The different parts could just be made out of one block of a semi-conductive material.
These parts were put together by metal connections. Gone were the days of unwieldy and ineffective wires for transmitting information from point A to point B. This technique allowed for smaller integrated circuits to be made later on, which ultimately led to the development of the microprocessor.
This might seem simple now. But it took years of innovation to reach where we are today. One integrated circuit led to another until it ended with the mind shatteringly fast chips of today. Hundreds of millions of basic electronic parts are now able to fit on one chip that is no larger than an average fingernail.
What is Scientific Inquiry?
Scientific inquiry requires students to use higher order thinking skills as they learn science using a hands-on minds-on approach. Inquiry's foundation has its roots in John Dewey's book Democracy in Education (1916). In this book he describes how true learning begins with the curiosity of learners.
Defining Scientific Inquiry
His research found that student curiosity and involvement real science investigations moves students from passive learners to active learners. This is evidenced when students:
• ask questions during an investigation
• design their own investigations
• conduct investigations using their design
• formulate explanations of findings
• present their findings
• reflect upon their findings
Scientific inquiry causes a fundamental change in science education, moving it away from traditional teaching practices of lecture and demonstration to a collaborative relationship between teacher and student. In these collaborative environments, students take risks without fear of ridicule and begin to think about science. Teachers become facilitators of their student's inquiry by:
• modeling and immersing their students in scientific inquiry
• ask guiding questions which provoke thought and reflection
• allow student creativity in experimental design
• allow students to discover experiments can be successful, yet fail to answer the original question being investigated
Initial confusion by students analyzing experimental findings is not necessary bad, because they are using critical thinking processes. Confusion is good in this setting, because it demonstrates students are trying to determine why they did not find the typical canned answer. Also, a hypothesis can actually result in a non-support statement as a result of the experiment.
Too often students investigate canned labs which result in a guided hypothesis which can only result in supported finding. This leads them to feel when their experiment does not support their hypothesis they failed. They have not failed, however they do not know this in traditional science teaching.
Scientific Inquiry Involves Asking Questions
Student success designing experiments is based on asking the right questions. They need to develop questions which do not lead to yes/no or true/false answers, because the best questions are open-ended and inquiry-based. As students analyze evidence to explain findings, open-ended questions provide the answers they need to formulate meaningful explanations.
Answering questions in a student's own words is important for higher level of thinking and knowledge. A student's own words disclose level of understanding and reveal misconceptions based on prior knowledge and experiences.
Impact of Using Scientific Inquiry
When students make personal connections when using scientific inquiry, internalization of the new knowledge takes place. The key attributes of scientific inquiry-based
teaching and learning result in students:
• learning how to design research
• learning how to ask questions
• internalizing new knowledge
• realizing findings depend on experimental design
• increasing their level of understanding of science
• learning to investigate like scientists
Defining Scientific Inquiry
His research found that student curiosity and involvement real science investigations moves students from passive learners to active learners. This is evidenced when students:
• ask questions during an investigation
• design their own investigations
• conduct investigations using their design
• formulate explanations of findings
• present their findings
• reflect upon their findings
Scientific inquiry causes a fundamental change in science education, moving it away from traditional teaching practices of lecture and demonstration to a collaborative relationship between teacher and student. In these collaborative environments, students take risks without fear of ridicule and begin to think about science. Teachers become facilitators of their student's inquiry by:
• modeling and immersing their students in scientific inquiry
• ask guiding questions which provoke thought and reflection
• allow student creativity in experimental design
• allow students to discover experiments can be successful, yet fail to answer the original question being investigated
Initial confusion by students analyzing experimental findings is not necessary bad, because they are using critical thinking processes. Confusion is good in this setting, because it demonstrates students are trying to determine why they did not find the typical canned answer. Also, a hypothesis can actually result in a non-support statement as a result of the experiment.
Too often students investigate canned labs which result in a guided hypothesis which can only result in supported finding. This leads them to feel when their experiment does not support their hypothesis they failed. They have not failed, however they do not know this in traditional science teaching.
Scientific Inquiry Involves Asking Questions
Student success designing experiments is based on asking the right questions. They need to develop questions which do not lead to yes/no or true/false answers, because the best questions are open-ended and inquiry-based. As students analyze evidence to explain findings, open-ended questions provide the answers they need to formulate meaningful explanations.
Answering questions in a student's own words is important for higher level of thinking and knowledge. A student's own words disclose level of understanding and reveal misconceptions based on prior knowledge and experiences.
Impact of Using Scientific Inquiry
When students make personal connections when using scientific inquiry, internalization of the new knowledge takes place. The key attributes of scientific inquiry-based
teaching and learning result in students:
• learning how to design research
• learning how to ask questions
• internalizing new knowledge
• realizing findings depend on experimental design
• increasing their level of understanding of science
• learning to investigate like scientists
Science Project Ideas
Science Project Ideas are sometimes hard to come by. When your child comes home from school usually in January or February and says, hey Mom and Dad my teacher sent home this note that we have a science project due in three weeks. Here are the details of what we need to do and here is a project board.
You suddenly feel overwhelmed. You were just getting back on track from the Holidays and are dealing with beginning of the year issues like tax preparation and finalizing out end of year work issues. Now you have to help your child find a science project that is interesting enough, creative and unusual, but yet unique enough so that it will not be like the other students science projects at school.
Also children have a tendency to rely on their parents to help prepare much of the project. No matter how much we try we have to help in some capacity.
Here is a science project idea that is simple and easy and that you child can do himself or herself. Depending on the age of your child you will need to supervise them because it uses matches which will need to be lit and batteries.
This science project will also be a great demonstration at a science fair where students need to present their idea and information about why it works.
For this science project idea you will need only three things.
A glass
Matches
2 AA Batteries
You are going to tell everyone that water will burn.
Fill the glass with water.
Drop the batteries in the water and leave them in the water for 30-40 minutes.
Remove the batteries.
Now light a match and hold over the water. The water should ignite and burn inside the glass.
Why does the water light and burn? Did the batteries leak or what energy is been put into the water?
Make sure your child researches those questions above to find the answers. I know you probably want the answers but we provide science project ideas. The kids still need to research why something works the way it does. That is why we make them do a science project so they can research and learn.
You suddenly feel overwhelmed. You were just getting back on track from the Holidays and are dealing with beginning of the year issues like tax preparation and finalizing out end of year work issues. Now you have to help your child find a science project that is interesting enough, creative and unusual, but yet unique enough so that it will not be like the other students science projects at school.
Also children have a tendency to rely on their parents to help prepare much of the project. No matter how much we try we have to help in some capacity.
Here is a science project idea that is simple and easy and that you child can do himself or herself. Depending on the age of your child you will need to supervise them because it uses matches which will need to be lit and batteries.
This science project will also be a great demonstration at a science fair where students need to present their idea and information about why it works.
For this science project idea you will need only three things.
A glass
Matches
2 AA Batteries
You are going to tell everyone that water will burn.
Fill the glass with water.
Drop the batteries in the water and leave them in the water for 30-40 minutes.
Remove the batteries.
Now light a match and hold over the water. The water should ignite and burn inside the glass.
Why does the water light and burn? Did the batteries leak or what energy is been put into the water?
Make sure your child researches those questions above to find the answers. I know you probably want the answers but we provide science project ideas. The kids still need to research why something works the way it does. That is why we make them do a science project so they can research and learn.
Wildly Fun Science Projects
Don't look now, but it's science fair time - time to search for those fun science projects...that also have to be educational. They're not easy to find, but they do exist. Here are some wildly fun science projects. Some of these are so cool that you'll do them later just for the fun of it!
Finding a fun science project isn't impossible. Whether you're looking for an experiment or a demonstration, there are some great ideas that don't cost a lot, are easy to do, and will teach your child basic scientific practices. We have four sons, and over the years we've done more projects than we can count. Here are some of our boys' favorites:
• Find out which citrus fruit has the most Vitamin C? Make a solution with iodine and starch (it's EASY to do!), and test different kinds of citrus juices to see which contains the most vitamin C.
• Take the shell of an egg - without boiling it. This wildly fun project is so cool you'll do it over again for the sheer fascination of it! Soak a raw egg in vinegar, and the shell will come off. The egg membrane is so tough that the shell-less egg will bounce!
• Show how yeast gives of gas. Place a yeast and sugar solution into a bottle, put a balloon on top, and watch the yeast have so much gas that the balloon blows up!
• Watch static electricity work. Grab your wool socks, make a little piece of aluminum foil bounce between your finger and a pie plate.
• Use toy cars to find out about friction! Set up a hot wheels track, and find out how far they will roll across different floor surfaces.
• Are two ears better than one? Hide a ticking clock in a room, and send your friends in to find it - half using both ears, and half with one ear blocked with a cotton ball. (Birthday party idea?!)
Finding a fun science project isn't impossible. Whether you're looking for an experiment or a demonstration, there are some great ideas that don't cost a lot, are easy to do, and will teach your child basic scientific practices. We have four sons, and over the years we've done more projects than we can count. Here are some of our boys' favorites:
• Find out which citrus fruit has the most Vitamin C? Make a solution with iodine and starch (it's EASY to do!), and test different kinds of citrus juices to see which contains the most vitamin C.
• Take the shell of an egg - without boiling it. This wildly fun project is so cool you'll do it over again for the sheer fascination of it! Soak a raw egg in vinegar, and the shell will come off. The egg membrane is so tough that the shell-less egg will bounce!
• Show how yeast gives of gas. Place a yeast and sugar solution into a bottle, put a balloon on top, and watch the yeast have so much gas that the balloon blows up!
• Watch static electricity work. Grab your wool socks, make a little piece of aluminum foil bounce between your finger and a pie plate.
• Use toy cars to find out about friction! Set up a hot wheels track, and find out how far they will roll across different floor surfaces.
• Are two ears better than one? Hide a ticking clock in a room, and send your friends in to find it - half using both ears, and half with one ear blocked with a cotton ball. (Birthday party idea?!)
Educational Toys, Video Games and Enron
I was watching CBS 60 Minutes and they had an article on Echo Boomers. A prominent professor and pediatrician was told by a fortune 500 executive that the thing that struck him most about the new generation coming into the workforce, was their lack of long term vision. He said that they treated business like a video game, where they would only pursue a goal if there was the reward of immediate results. He also commented that today's young employees cannot proceed in a step wise fashion, cannot accomplish a task in a methodical way. I immediately drew a connection between this attitude and the video game generation. I see kids all the time playing video games by pushing buttons randomly in hopes of scoring points.
The pediatrician noted that the echo boomers had been coddled by their parents, driven to soccer practice, provided with trophies for participating. He had observed that when left to play by themselves without adult organization, they were often lost.
I couldn’t help but think of the Enron scandal, where earnings were fabricated to meet the expectations of the market. I know those involved in Enron are of an earlier generation, but are we teaching similar behaviour through video games. Are we teaching our children that short term results are what matter. If so, how will we ever reach goals like colonizing outerspace, or eliminating global warming.
Educational toys have always been a mainstay of my children’s fun and games. We often use science kits and science toys as fun activities on a rainy day. My children are still impulsive, but they are also prepared to make sacrifices for something that excites them.
I hope video games are a phase, for my great grandchildren's sake.
The pediatrician noted that the echo boomers had been coddled by their parents, driven to soccer practice, provided with trophies for participating. He had observed that when left to play by themselves without adult organization, they were often lost.
I couldn’t help but think of the Enron scandal, where earnings were fabricated to meet the expectations of the market. I know those involved in Enron are of an earlier generation, but are we teaching similar behaviour through video games. Are we teaching our children that short term results are what matter. If so, how will we ever reach goals like colonizing outerspace, or eliminating global warming.
Educational toys have always been a mainstay of my children’s fun and games. We often use science kits and science toys as fun activities on a rainy day. My children are still impulsive, but they are also prepared to make sacrifices for something that excites them.
I hope video games are a phase, for my great grandchildren's sake.
Science Fiction Movies
In recent years, science fiction movies have made a big comeback in Hollywood and I, for one, consider that a very good thing.
I like to be surprised when I go to the movies. I like to see things that I've never seen before and I like to be confronted by virtual realities that I did not even think possible. That's why science fiction movies are my cup of tea.
They traditionally cover a wide range of subjects and themes, including several that are uniquely their own. Today's trend in science fiction puts a premium on special effects, backed by today's cutting-edge technology that can make even the most bizarre scenes seem realistic, such as alien life forms, spectacular battles in outer space, time travel or traveling to other worlds at the speed of light.
Often, science fiction films are purely speculative in nature and are peppered with recurring themes involving science and technology. Other prevalent themes in sci-fi movies are mysticism, magic, the occult and the supernatural, which are also key elements of fantasy or occult/religious movies. In fact, quite a number of films blur the line between these genre, such as Forbidden Planet, Chronicles of Riddick, and the Star Wars series.
It's hard to define precisely what makes a science fiction film because the genre has no universally accepted definition. In fact, science fiction may vary from viewer to viewer in that what is sci-fi to me may be fantasy or horror to you.
If you've been a long-time fan of Hollywood, then you know that science fiction has come a long way. There was a time when special effects meant putting a toy spaceship at the end of a string and waving it in front of a camera or having someone dress up as an orangutan and terrorizing an entire city. Certainly, the special effects in science fiction movies have evolved from the downright laughable to today's breath-taking and awe-inspiring treatments that seem truly realistic. Some of the great milestones in this regard are marked by films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, the Star Wars films, Star Trek: The Motion Picture and The Matrix.
Of course, science fiction films just seem to be getting better by the year, as evidenced by such recent hits as "Lord of the Rings", "I, Robot" and "Superman Returns."
I like to be surprised when I go to the movies. I like to see things that I've never seen before and I like to be confronted by virtual realities that I did not even think possible. That's why science fiction movies are my cup of tea.
They traditionally cover a wide range of subjects and themes, including several that are uniquely their own. Today's trend in science fiction puts a premium on special effects, backed by today's cutting-edge technology that can make even the most bizarre scenes seem realistic, such as alien life forms, spectacular battles in outer space, time travel or traveling to other worlds at the speed of light.
Often, science fiction films are purely speculative in nature and are peppered with recurring themes involving science and technology. Other prevalent themes in sci-fi movies are mysticism, magic, the occult and the supernatural, which are also key elements of fantasy or occult/religious movies. In fact, quite a number of films blur the line between these genre, such as Forbidden Planet, Chronicles of Riddick, and the Star Wars series.
It's hard to define precisely what makes a science fiction film because the genre has no universally accepted definition. In fact, science fiction may vary from viewer to viewer in that what is sci-fi to me may be fantasy or horror to you.
If you've been a long-time fan of Hollywood, then you know that science fiction has come a long way. There was a time when special effects meant putting a toy spaceship at the end of a string and waving it in front of a camera or having someone dress up as an orangutan and terrorizing an entire city. Certainly, the special effects in science fiction movies have evolved from the downright laughable to today's breath-taking and awe-inspiring treatments that seem truly realistic. Some of the great milestones in this regard are marked by films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, the Star Wars films, Star Trek: The Motion Picture and The Matrix.
Of course, science fiction films just seem to be getting better by the year, as evidenced by such recent hits as "Lord of the Rings", "I, Robot" and "Superman Returns."
Alpha Male - The Traits of the Seducing Women
The gift of missing someone is a skill that all alpha male love. It is a skill that does not need much effort to master but create and amplify attraction instantly. However, much discipline is needed to apply this skill; you need to be able to enjoy the benefits of delayed gratification. Being an alpha male means being a matured man which also means you are able to delay your gratifications. Without further ado, let's get you to know more about the gift of missing you.
Since you are investing time in reading this article, I shall make a quick assumption that are committed to make changes to your life. Therefore, you are left with the last weapon to attract women. That is killer alpha male personality. You already have the personality that can attract women, you just need to develop it and bring it all out. Here are some of the killer personalities that can sweep women off their feet.
The first killer personality is being humorous. Humor not only the best medicine but also the best method to get women fast and easy. Humor releases tension in a body and just really grabs people attention. If you are a very funny guy, the dating game will be much easier for you. If you are not a funny guy, do not fret, you can develop this skill.
Being romantic is the next personality that you would want to have if you want to attract attractive women. You should be grateful to those romance novels, you owe your success with women to them. Without romance novels, chances of women fantasizing about meeting their romantic prince charming would be much smaller. However, romance is one thing that is being over-used by many people. Thus, being romantic may not be enough to attract women unless you are really good of course. Otherwise, you may need to develop other personalities to support your romantic instincts.
If you love danger and live for danger, then you fall into the next category of guys that women are attracted to. Women are attracted to guys who are adventurous as they tend to be more unpredictable and their lives are also more exciting. Similarly, the dates they have together tend to be more exciting and more exhilarating too.
Since you are investing time in reading this article, I shall make a quick assumption that are committed to make changes to your life. Therefore, you are left with the last weapon to attract women. That is killer alpha male personality. You already have the personality that can attract women, you just need to develop it and bring it all out. Here are some of the killer personalities that can sweep women off their feet.
The first killer personality is being humorous. Humor not only the best medicine but also the best method to get women fast and easy. Humor releases tension in a body and just really grabs people attention. If you are a very funny guy, the dating game will be much easier for you. If you are not a funny guy, do not fret, you can develop this skill.
Being romantic is the next personality that you would want to have if you want to attract attractive women. You should be grateful to those romance novels, you owe your success with women to them. Without romance novels, chances of women fantasizing about meeting their romantic prince charming would be much smaller. However, romance is one thing that is being over-used by many people. Thus, being romantic may not be enough to attract women unless you are really good of course. Otherwise, you may need to develop other personalities to support your romantic instincts.
If you love danger and live for danger, then you fall into the next category of guys that women are attracted to. Women are attracted to guys who are adventurous as they tend to be more unpredictable and their lives are also more exciting. Similarly, the dates they have together tend to be more exciting and more exhilarating too.
10 Interactive Science Education Websites For Grades K-12
As science teachers prepare to go back to school for the next school year, some have already returned, they are always searching for good online resources to supplement their lessons. It is always nice when someone helps them by previewing science websites and make recommendations.
The best science education websites are interactive, allowing students to make changes to or manipulate variables to observe what happens and share with others. This falls within the boundaries of inquiry-based teaching and learning. Students are developing their own experiments, observing the results, and reporting their findings.
The following websites have been previewed and meet the criteria of interactive and inquiry-based:
FOSS Web - is designed to support Full Option Science System (FOSS) Science K-8 science kits, but anyone can use the interactive activities for grades K - 8.
Volcano Cams - provides real-time views of volcanoes around the world. Students can observe volcanoes and develop their own experiments using these virtual cams for grades 5 - 12.
Explore eLearning - provides simulators for all science concept areas for grades 3 - 12.
Real-time Stream Flow Data across the Nation - by the US Geological Survey (USGS) provides real-time data typically are recorded at 15- to 60-minte intervals and transmitted to the U.S. Geological Survey offices every four hours. Data can be selected by state and county for grades 8 - 12.
Real-time Water Quality Data across the Nation-by the US Geological Survey (USGS) provides real-time water quality data are returned directly field instruments. Data are updated at five minute to one-hour intervals. Data can be selected by state and county for grades 8 -12.
Design a Roller Coaster - allows students to design their own roller coaster. They are building a conceptual coaster using the same physics concepts that are used to design real coasters for grades 6 - 12.
Human Anatomy Online - allows students to explore the Human Anatomy. Each topic has animations, 100's of graphics, and thousands of descriptive links, for grades 4 - 12.
Earth and Atmospheric Kids Crossing - allows students explore water, atmos
phere, and weather for grades 3 - 8.
Recycle City - lets students explore plenty of ways to see how a city's residents recycle, reduce, and reuse waste for grades 3 - 8.
MBG Net - allows students to explore Biomes, Freshwater Systems, and Marine Systems of the World for grades 6 - 12.
The best science education websites are interactive, allowing students to make changes to or manipulate variables to observe what happens and share with others. This falls within the boundaries of inquiry-based teaching and learning. Students are developing their own experiments, observing the results, and reporting their findings.
The following websites have been previewed and meet the criteria of interactive and inquiry-based:
FOSS Web - is designed to support Full Option Science System (FOSS) Science K-8 science kits, but anyone can use the interactive activities for grades K - 8.
Volcano Cams - provides real-time views of volcanoes around the world. Students can observe volcanoes and develop their own experiments using these virtual cams for grades 5 - 12.
Explore eLearning - provides simulators for all science concept areas for grades 3 - 12.
Real-time Stream Flow Data across the Nation - by the US Geological Survey (USGS) provides real-time data typically are recorded at 15- to 60-minte intervals and transmitted to the U.S. Geological Survey offices every four hours. Data can be selected by state and county for grades 8 - 12.
Real-time Water Quality Data across the Nation-by the US Geological Survey (USGS) provides real-time water quality data are returned directly field instruments. Data are updated at five minute to one-hour intervals. Data can be selected by state and county for grades 8 -12.
Design a Roller Coaster - allows students to design their own roller coaster. They are building a conceptual coaster using the same physics concepts that are used to design real coasters for grades 6 - 12.
Human Anatomy Online - allows students to explore the Human Anatomy. Each topic has animations, 100's of graphics, and thousands of descriptive links, for grades 4 - 12.
Earth and Atmospheric Kids Crossing - allows students explore water, atmos
phere, and weather for grades 3 - 8.
Recycle City - lets students explore plenty of ways to see how a city's residents recycle, reduce, and reuse waste for grades 3 - 8.
MBG Net - allows students to explore Biomes, Freshwater Systems, and Marine Systems of the World for grades 6 - 12.
Designing an Educational Website
Focus on teaching
An educational website should be constructed in such a way that it's main focus is teaching. It should focus on high quality content to enrich the learning experience of visitors. Your website should be centered on educational quality, not the quantity of pages (or text) and the look of your site.
If you keep your website interesting, clear and focussed your can presume that your visitors will appreciate your efforts and that they will respond positively. The following outline will present the general guidelines for the construction of an educational website.
Avoid using animations. - Having said that, there are occasions when an animation will aid in the presentation of certain ideas. But, in most cases animations are a distraction to your visitors and the information that you are trying to convey.
Use a white background. - Various background colors have been tested for visitor appeal and when it comes to serious reading, website visitors prefer black text on a white background.
Consistent use of fonts, colors and page layout. All of your webpages should have a common layout and theme. Mixing up text fonts, using too much color variation, and being inconsistent with your page layouts will not do.
Keep individual pages clean and simple. - Anything added should have a purpose (yes esthetics and humour also have purpose, but not of highest importance for this task).
Streamline the site to the busy visitor. - People are in a hurry these days so it is important that your visitors can find what they are looking for quickly. Navigation through your website should be simple and user friendly.
Note: In general, subjective comments, humorous remarks, other entertaining items (e.g. animations) may be provided but should be separate from the core subject being taught.
Organization and Structure
Learning is more likely to occur if there is a logical and sequential organization of information. Learning is maximized when there is a definite structure to learning activities such as a step-by-step tutorial. Tutorials are one of the hallmarks of the internet and find their best use when teaching a subject, idea and/or method of doing something.
Organize your website around your core subject. The website should be structured in such a way that the emphasis is always upon what you are trying to teach. Don't digress, stay on your topic and be as clear and simple as possible.
Structure your subject matter into short concise statements and paragraphs. Don't be frivolous or try to impress your visitors with your knowledge. The object of any educational website is to impart some lasting knowledge to people who are seeking a better understanding of what you are teaching.
Wants, Needs, and Aspirations
Learning occurs more easily when the content matches the wants, needs, or aspirations of your visitors. Relate the information taught to how it affects them or how it will help them accomplish their goals. Visitors must see the relevance of the information to themselves and their lives.
Summary
Everyone is busy. Some people are under-informed and may need more info on particular items. Other people know most of the content you offer and want to find out particular points quickly without having to search through unneeded info.Try to cater to all of your visitors. This can be difficult, but keep in mind the educational website is for the visitors convenience not principally a self expression area.
An educational website should be constructed in such a way that it's main focus is teaching. It should focus on high quality content to enrich the learning experience of visitors. Your website should be centered on educational quality, not the quantity of pages (or text) and the look of your site.
If you keep your website interesting, clear and focussed your can presume that your visitors will appreciate your efforts and that they will respond positively. The following outline will present the general guidelines for the construction of an educational website.
Avoid using animations. - Having said that, there are occasions when an animation will aid in the presentation of certain ideas. But, in most cases animations are a distraction to your visitors and the information that you are trying to convey.
Use a white background. - Various background colors have been tested for visitor appeal and when it comes to serious reading, website visitors prefer black text on a white background.
Consistent use of fonts, colors and page layout. All of your webpages should have a common layout and theme. Mixing up text fonts, using too much color variation, and being inconsistent with your page layouts will not do.
Keep individual pages clean and simple. - Anything added should have a purpose (yes esthetics and humour also have purpose, but not of highest importance for this task).
Streamline the site to the busy visitor. - People are in a hurry these days so it is important that your visitors can find what they are looking for quickly. Navigation through your website should be simple and user friendly.
Note: In general, subjective comments, humorous remarks, other entertaining items (e.g. animations) may be provided but should be separate from the core subject being taught.
Organization and Structure
Learning is more likely to occur if there is a logical and sequential organization of information. Learning is maximized when there is a definite structure to learning activities such as a step-by-step tutorial. Tutorials are one of the hallmarks of the internet and find their best use when teaching a subject, idea and/or method of doing something.
Organize your website around your core subject. The website should be structured in such a way that the emphasis is always upon what you are trying to teach. Don't digress, stay on your topic and be as clear and simple as possible.
Structure your subject matter into short concise statements and paragraphs. Don't be frivolous or try to impress your visitors with your knowledge. The object of any educational website is to impart some lasting knowledge to people who are seeking a better understanding of what you are teaching.
Wants, Needs, and Aspirations
Learning occurs more easily when the content matches the wants, needs, or aspirations of your visitors. Relate the information taught to how it affects them or how it will help them accomplish their goals. Visitors must see the relevance of the information to themselves and their lives.
Summary
Everyone is busy. Some people are under-informed and may need more info on particular items. Other people know most of the content you offer and want to find out particular points quickly without having to search through unneeded info.Try to cater to all of your visitors. This can be difficult, but keep in mind the educational website is for the visitors convenience not principally a self expression area.
Science and Environment: This Unstable Earth
Most of the time, the planet we live on seems like a safe and stable place. But as recent events have proven, colossal forces determined by the physics of the earth slowly build up to be suddenly released in catastrophic earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis that spawn yet more
science and environment concerns for many inhabitants.
Vision was in the process of preparing an article on this subject when the Asian tsunami struck on December 26, 2004, with the catastrophic results we all know too well. Before a horrified worldwide TV audience, the Indian Ocean basin reeled following the massive earthquake and resultant tsunami, which together may have obliterated as many as 300,000 lives. All of us were forcibly reminded that Earth--and all of us along with it--is in fact quite vulnerable.
Bill McGuire, a volcanologist and professor of geophysical hazards at University College, London, expresses it this way: "The Earth is an extraordinarily fragile place that is fraught with danger: a tiny rock hurtling through space, wracked by violent movements of its crust and subject to dramatic climatic changes as its geophysical and orbital circumstances vary" (A Guide to the End of the World, 2002 ).
Each week approximately 10,000 detectable earthquakes shake our planet. About 2,000 of them can be felt, and on average, two of them cause damage. In addition, around 20 volcanoes are erupting at any given moment. Those who find themselves in the way of such traumatic events often wonder whether God is punishing them or whether the world is coming to a cataclysmic end.
ALL SHOOK UP
Earthquakes and volcanoes are probably the most spectacular of all natural disasters.
It is a fact that earthquakes and their aftereffects have caused multiple millions of deaths over the course of human history. In terms of loss of life, one of the most catastrophic was the one that struck China in 1556, killing an estimated 830,000 people. And one of the most devastating in modern times struck Japan on September 1, 1923, registering 7.9 on the Richter scale. The quake, which shook Tokyo, Yokohama and the surrounding area, was followed by a tsunami, numerous landslides, and devastating fires. Within two days at least 140,000 people had died and the two cities lay largely in ashes.
With regard to volcanoes, nearly everyone is familiar with one of the most famous events in history--the 1883 explosions of Indonesia's Krakatau (or Krakatoa), an island consisting of three volcanic cones between the islands of Java and Sumatra. Volcanic activity began in May and continued through August. Pressure built up inside the cones because gas escaping from the magma had no outlet, and like a steam boiler with its safety valve closed, they exploded with a series of powerful blasts on August 26 and 27. Four great explosions over the course of a few short hours hurled rocks into the air, some of which showered down on nearby ships. Inhabitants of the Indian Ocean island of Rodriguez, 3,000 miles away, reported hearing the noise. The force was so great that the northern half of the island (including two of the volcanic cones) collapsed and disappeared. This in turn generated tsunamis, with some waves coming ashore at heights of 130 feet. The destruction resulted in tens of thousands of deaths in the region.
In his book Krakatoa, Simon Winchester records that months later huge pieces of pumice thrown out by the eruption, some weighing several tons, drifted as far as the coastline of Africa at Zanzibar, about 4,000 miles away. Welded to the boulders' upper surfaces were the macabre remains of dozens of human skeletons, together with the bones of animals such as monkeys and tigers that had been killed by the blast.
However, as calamitous as these events were, they seem benign and almost insignificant when compared with the geologic events that over millions of years formed the earth as we know it. Over the past 50 years, remarkable advances have been made in understanding the nature of the earth and the forces and events that formed it. They include the eruption of supervolcanoes and cataclysmic earthquakes, global plate tectonics, the Pacific "ring of fire," the formation of ocean floors, and the formation and movement of continents.
The good news is that according to the geological record, such events develop over a vast expanse of time. The bad news is that in some places, another catastrophic event may be overdue.
TROUBLE BREWING
One example is the caldera under Yellowstone National Park. In the prehistoric past, the area was the site of three great eruptions: one of these spewed out more than 600 cubic miles of solid material. The amount of magma expelled caused the roof of the chamber under Yellowstone to collapse, forming a one-thousand-square-mile caldera. A second series of eruptions freed about 70 cubic miles of magma, which resulted in the 17-mile-wide Island Park caldera. A third cycle of eruptions is thought to have dropped ash over much of North America and to have formed the 30-by-50-mile Yellowstone caldera.
Eruptions have occurred in the Yellowstone area about every 600,000 years. But the last one was probably 640,000 years ago, so some say the next one is overdue. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the three caldera-forming eruptions were, respectively, about 2,500, 280 and 1,000 times larger than the May 18, 1980, eruption of Mt. St. Helens in the state of Washington. "Together," says the USGS, "the three catastrophic eruptions expelled enough ash and lava to fill the Grand Canyon."
According to experts, the science behind another possible Yellowstone eruption is reliable; only the timing is uncertain. The BBC, in conjunction with other sponsors, recently aired a £2.8 million TV docudrama that highlights the potential global fallout from a Yellowstone supervolcanic eruption.
ATLANTIC TSUNAMI?
Although there is disagreement among scientists about the significance of the threat, another disaster waiting to happen could be the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the Canary Island of La Palma.
A number of American and British scientists have been watching a chunk of volcanic rock on the west side of the peak, which cracked and slipped during its 1949 eruption. Larger than the Isle of Man, the massive rock is gradually slipping further and is poised to crash into the sea. A new eruption would likely trigger the event. When this may occur is uncertain, however. No one knows whether it will be in 10 years or in 10,000 years.
Geological hazards specialist McGuire comments: "What is certain is that at some point in the future the west flank of the Cumbre Vieja on La Palma will collapse, and the resulting tsunamis will ravage the entire Atlantic rim."
He adds that "Steven Ward of the University of California at Santa Cruz and Simon Day of University College London's Benfield Greig Hazard Research Centre created quite a stir recently when they published a scientific paper that modelled the future collapse of the Cumbre Vieja and the passage of the resulting tsunamis across the Atlantic. . .
. Without considerable forward planning it is unlikely that the nine hours it will take for the waves to reach the North American coastline will permit effective, large-scale evacuation, and the death toll is certain to run into millions if not tens of millions. Furthermore, the impact on the US economy will be close to terminal, with the insurance industry wiped out at a stroke and global economic meltdown following swiftly on its heels."
SPITEFUL SPIRITS
For centuries the ancients believed that volcanic eruptions expressed the dissatisfaction of the gods. Accordingly, they would offer a sacrifice--generally animal or human--in hopes of appeasing those gods and preventing catastrophes.
Throughout most of human history, natural disasters have been attributed to supernatural intervention. Andrew Robinson, in his book Earth Shock: Hurricanes, Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Tornadoes and Other Forces of Nature (2002), comments on this phenomenon:
"In Europe, earthquakes were God's punishment for sin--according to the Church at least. When a gigantic one laid waste Lisbon in November 1755, the Inquisition responded by roasting the survivors in the fires of the auto-da-fé [literally "act of faith," public execution ceremonies]; while the pessimist Voltaire published first a poem and then, in 1759, his famous story Candide. Both works attacked the Pope--for attributing the earthquake to Man's lack of faith in God--and also the German philosopher and mathematician Leibniz--who optimistically held that God must have sent the earthquake as part of His plan for the Earth. Why Lisbon? Why not decadent London or Paris? questioned Voltaire in the poem: 'Lisbon lies in ruins, while in Paris they dance.'"
Even today natural disasters are often referred to as "acts of God." But is this how such occurrences should be viewed? Are these tragic events from the hand of a spiteful, cruel and angry God who flings natural disasters to earth with the express intention of inflicting suffering on weak and erring humans? Alternatively, are such catastrophes a sign of the end of the world?
NEW WORLD ORDER
In the Bible God describes Himself as a gentle, loving, caring Father who has mercy and compassion on His children (Psalm 103:8, 13). He states that He wants all humanity to prosper and be in health. He expresses Himself as a Being who wants to create a world in which everyone can live in peace and safety, free from the fears of either natural catastrophes or man-made calamities caused by wrong ways of life or misuse of the earth's natural resources (Isaiah 32:17-18).
But we do live in distressing times. Viewing just one day's news prompts one to long for a fundamental change in this world. And the Bible does indeed foretell some very disturbing events to come. Yet, on closer examination, these passages also provide a picture of a time when God will intervene in human affairs to ensure human survival and bring to pass a new and better order of things on this earth.
The traumatic conditions pictured by scriptures detailing the end of this age will one day come to pass, including those that are associated with earthquakes. However, the tendency of some to interpret every devastating event as a sign of the impending arrival of the end of the world is not wise (see "The Word on Earthquakes"). In every case so far, such predictions have turned out to be untrue. The events prophesied in Matthew 24 and the book of Revelation will occur. And they will lead up to the return of Jesus Christ to this earth. However, Christ Himself told us that we cannot know precisely when this will happen (Matthew 24:36).
What should be our reaction to disastrous events that are certain to continue? Shouldn't we be more concerned about our own spiritual condition on a daily basis rather than speculating and worrying that natural disasters are a sign that the end is near? After all, none of us knows exactly when we will die, but in an individual sense the time of our own end could be tomorrow. Wouldn't it be better to prepare for that end and look forward to the fulfillment of the promise that humanity will survive than to focus on the environmental issues that are seemingly out of our control? According to biblical prophecies, there is a new and infinitely better world coming, and it will be free from the devastating disasters of this unstable earth.
science and environment concerns for many inhabitants.
Vision was in the process of preparing an article on this subject when the Asian tsunami struck on December 26, 2004, with the catastrophic results we all know too well. Before a horrified worldwide TV audience, the Indian Ocean basin reeled following the massive earthquake and resultant tsunami, which together may have obliterated as many as 300,000 lives. All of us were forcibly reminded that Earth--and all of us along with it--is in fact quite vulnerable.
Bill McGuire, a volcanologist and professor of geophysical hazards at University College, London, expresses it this way: "The Earth is an extraordinarily fragile place that is fraught with danger: a tiny rock hurtling through space, wracked by violent movements of its crust and subject to dramatic climatic changes as its geophysical and orbital circumstances vary" (A Guide to the End of the World, 2002 ).
Each week approximately 10,000 detectable earthquakes shake our planet. About 2,000 of them can be felt, and on average, two of them cause damage. In addition, around 20 volcanoes are erupting at any given moment. Those who find themselves in the way of such traumatic events often wonder whether God is punishing them or whether the world is coming to a cataclysmic end.
ALL SHOOK UP
Earthquakes and volcanoes are probably the most spectacular of all natural disasters.
It is a fact that earthquakes and their aftereffects have caused multiple millions of deaths over the course of human history. In terms of loss of life, one of the most catastrophic was the one that struck China in 1556, killing an estimated 830,000 people. And one of the most devastating in modern times struck Japan on September 1, 1923, registering 7.9 on the Richter scale. The quake, which shook Tokyo, Yokohama and the surrounding area, was followed by a tsunami, numerous landslides, and devastating fires. Within two days at least 140,000 people had died and the two cities lay largely in ashes.
With regard to volcanoes, nearly everyone is familiar with one of the most famous events in history--the 1883 explosions of Indonesia's Krakatau (or Krakatoa), an island consisting of three volcanic cones between the islands of Java and Sumatra. Volcanic activity began in May and continued through August. Pressure built up inside the cones because gas escaping from the magma had no outlet, and like a steam boiler with its safety valve closed, they exploded with a series of powerful blasts on August 26 and 27. Four great explosions over the course of a few short hours hurled rocks into the air, some of which showered down on nearby ships. Inhabitants of the Indian Ocean island of Rodriguez, 3,000 miles away, reported hearing the noise. The force was so great that the northern half of the island (including two of the volcanic cones) collapsed and disappeared. This in turn generated tsunamis, with some waves coming ashore at heights of 130 feet. The destruction resulted in tens of thousands of deaths in the region.
In his book Krakatoa, Simon Winchester records that months later huge pieces of pumice thrown out by the eruption, some weighing several tons, drifted as far as the coastline of Africa at Zanzibar, about 4,000 miles away. Welded to the boulders' upper surfaces were the macabre remains of dozens of human skeletons, together with the bones of animals such as monkeys and tigers that had been killed by the blast.
However, as calamitous as these events were, they seem benign and almost insignificant when compared with the geologic events that over millions of years formed the earth as we know it. Over the past 50 years, remarkable advances have been made in understanding the nature of the earth and the forces and events that formed it. They include the eruption of supervolcanoes and cataclysmic earthquakes, global plate tectonics, the Pacific "ring of fire," the formation of ocean floors, and the formation and movement of continents.
The good news is that according to the geological record, such events develop over a vast expanse of time. The bad news is that in some places, another catastrophic event may be overdue.
TROUBLE BREWING
One example is the caldera under Yellowstone National Park. In the prehistoric past, the area was the site of three great eruptions: one of these spewed out more than 600 cubic miles of solid material. The amount of magma expelled caused the roof of the chamber under Yellowstone to collapse, forming a one-thousand-square-mile caldera. A second series of eruptions freed about 70 cubic miles of magma, which resulted in the 17-mile-wide Island Park caldera. A third cycle of eruptions is thought to have dropped ash over much of North America and to have formed the 30-by-50-mile Yellowstone caldera.
Eruptions have occurred in the Yellowstone area about every 600,000 years. But the last one was probably 640,000 years ago, so some say the next one is overdue. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the three caldera-forming eruptions were, respectively, about 2,500, 280 and 1,000 times larger than the May 18, 1980, eruption of Mt. St. Helens in the state of Washington. "Together," says the USGS, "the three catastrophic eruptions expelled enough ash and lava to fill the Grand Canyon."
According to experts, the science behind another possible Yellowstone eruption is reliable; only the timing is uncertain. The BBC, in conjunction with other sponsors, recently aired a £2.8 million TV docudrama that highlights the potential global fallout from a Yellowstone supervolcanic eruption.
ATLANTIC TSUNAMI?
Although there is disagreement among scientists about the significance of the threat, another disaster waiting to happen could be the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the Canary Island of La Palma.
A number of American and British scientists have been watching a chunk of volcanic rock on the west side of the peak, which cracked and slipped during its 1949 eruption. Larger than the Isle of Man, the massive rock is gradually slipping further and is poised to crash into the sea. A new eruption would likely trigger the event. When this may occur is uncertain, however. No one knows whether it will be in 10 years or in 10,000 years.
Geological hazards specialist McGuire comments: "What is certain is that at some point in the future the west flank of the Cumbre Vieja on La Palma will collapse, and the resulting tsunamis will ravage the entire Atlantic rim."
He adds that "Steven Ward of the University of California at Santa Cruz and Simon Day of University College London's Benfield Greig Hazard Research Centre created quite a stir recently when they published a scientific paper that modelled the future collapse of the Cumbre Vieja and the passage of the resulting tsunamis across the Atlantic. . .
. Without considerable forward planning it is unlikely that the nine hours it will take for the waves to reach the North American coastline will permit effective, large-scale evacuation, and the death toll is certain to run into millions if not tens of millions. Furthermore, the impact on the US economy will be close to terminal, with the insurance industry wiped out at a stroke and global economic meltdown following swiftly on its heels."
SPITEFUL SPIRITS
For centuries the ancients believed that volcanic eruptions expressed the dissatisfaction of the gods. Accordingly, they would offer a sacrifice--generally animal or human--in hopes of appeasing those gods and preventing catastrophes.
Throughout most of human history, natural disasters have been attributed to supernatural intervention. Andrew Robinson, in his book Earth Shock: Hurricanes, Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Tornadoes and Other Forces of Nature (2002), comments on this phenomenon:
"In Europe, earthquakes were God's punishment for sin--according to the Church at least. When a gigantic one laid waste Lisbon in November 1755, the Inquisition responded by roasting the survivors in the fires of the auto-da-fé [literally "act of faith," public execution ceremonies]; while the pessimist Voltaire published first a poem and then, in 1759, his famous story Candide. Both works attacked the Pope--for attributing the earthquake to Man's lack of faith in God--and also the German philosopher and mathematician Leibniz--who optimistically held that God must have sent the earthquake as part of His plan for the Earth. Why Lisbon? Why not decadent London or Paris? questioned Voltaire in the poem: 'Lisbon lies in ruins, while in Paris they dance.'"
Even today natural disasters are often referred to as "acts of God." But is this how such occurrences should be viewed? Are these tragic events from the hand of a spiteful, cruel and angry God who flings natural disasters to earth with the express intention of inflicting suffering on weak and erring humans? Alternatively, are such catastrophes a sign of the end of the world?
NEW WORLD ORDER
In the Bible God describes Himself as a gentle, loving, caring Father who has mercy and compassion on His children (Psalm 103:8, 13). He states that He wants all humanity to prosper and be in health. He expresses Himself as a Being who wants to create a world in which everyone can live in peace and safety, free from the fears of either natural catastrophes or man-made calamities caused by wrong ways of life or misuse of the earth's natural resources (Isaiah 32:17-18).
But we do live in distressing times. Viewing just one day's news prompts one to long for a fundamental change in this world. And the Bible does indeed foretell some very disturbing events to come. Yet, on closer examination, these passages also provide a picture of a time when God will intervene in human affairs to ensure human survival and bring to pass a new and better order of things on this earth.
The traumatic conditions pictured by scriptures detailing the end of this age will one day come to pass, including those that are associated with earthquakes. However, the tendency of some to interpret every devastating event as a sign of the impending arrival of the end of the world is not wise (see "The Word on Earthquakes"). In every case so far, such predictions have turned out to be untrue. The events prophesied in Matthew 24 and the book of Revelation will occur. And they will lead up to the return of Jesus Christ to this earth. However, Christ Himself told us that we cannot know precisely when this will happen (Matthew 24:36).
What should be our reaction to disastrous events that are certain to continue? Shouldn't we be more concerned about our own spiritual condition on a daily basis rather than speculating and worrying that natural disasters are a sign that the end is near? After all, none of us knows exactly when we will die, but in an individual sense the time of our own end could be tomorrow. Wouldn't it be better to prepare for that end and look forward to the fulfillment of the promise that humanity will survive than to focus on the environmental issues that are seemingly out of our control? According to biblical prophecies, there is a new and infinitely better world coming, and it will be free from the devastating disasters of this unstable earth.
Educational Toys - Not Just for Kids
“Dad, can I help?, my 7 year old son Jack pleads
“Not right now buddy, it’s a little tricky”, I grunt as I try to install a new lock in the front door, sweat trickling down my brow. Why is it he always wants to help when I’m trying to do something important? Something that requires my full attention and a great deal of skill which I seem to be lacking.
Duh?, I think to myself, what am I complaining about, I should be thankful that he wants to do more than sit in front of a video game for hours. I should be thankful he’s looking for a challenge. That he wants to create something of lasting value that he can be proud of. And most important, that he wants to be part of a team, with his dad. How cool is that?
“Jack, next weekend we’ll do a special project together, I promise”.
“Dad, can I help?, my 7 year old son Jack pleads
“Not right now buddy, it’s a little tricky”, I grunt as I try to install a new lock in the front door, sweat trickling down my brow. Why is it he always wants to help when I’m trying to do something important? Something that requires my full attention and a great deal of skill which I seem to be lacking.
Duh?, I think to myself, what am I complaining about, I should be thankful that he wants to do more than sit in front of a video game for hours. I should be thankful he’s looking for a challenge. That he wants to create something of lasting value that he can be proud of. And most important, that he wants to be part of a team, with his dad. How cool is that?
“Jack, next weekend we’ll do a special project together, I promise”.
“Oh, sweet Dad, what?”
“You’ll see buddy, it’ll be really cool.” Now I think, great, so now what have I gotten myself into?
So what would be a good project for a middle aged accountant and a 7 year old to do on a Saturday afternoon. Well, replacing the front lock had taken me the better part of a day and left my one hand with a lengthy cut from a chisel and the other with several blisters. So I immediately dismiss home improvement projects which could result in a trip to the emergency room or at least a severely bruised ego. I instead decide to scour the vastness of my very own neighborhood toy store for a fitting solution.
My criteria is simple. It needs to be a project, something we accomplish, not just a toy we pull out of the box, put batteries in and it goes. Where’s the fun in that, and besides we have an entire afternoon to kill. It needs to be something that a 7 year old can participate in but challenging enough that he’s going to have to ask questions and accept help, just like starting a new job. And it needs to have an element of creativity, I hate reading long step by step instructions which is probably why I still wait for the start of a TV program and then press record on my VCR.
I browse through a myriad of science kits and eventually settle on Energy Wiz, a kit with dozens of projects and experiments all related to electricity, motors, magnets, wind and solar power. What I like about the kit is that we can start off small and progress to more complicated projects. I also like that it contains most of the materials we need, but that we may also have to find a few household items. This should add to the challenge and demonstrate to Jack that not everything in life comes in a neat little package. But best of all, the instruction booklet has lots color pictures.
The instructions are simple and there are lots of pictures of how things we see everyday use these same principles.
Well the kit is a big hit! Jack and I start off burning a hole through a piece of paper with a magnifying glass. Then on to building a solar powered car. I’m amazed when Jack uses the magnifying glass to increase the speed of the car. Hey, that’s not in the book. Hmm! maybe he’s on to something. Seems like a good time to make hydrogen and oxygen from water, fuel cells are not too far down the road you know. Then we make a battery using nails, vinegar and salt. Jack asks where’s the French fries. Mom calls, it’s dinner time.
We both whine, “Just five more minutes. Pleeeasse”.
“You’ll see buddy, it’ll be really cool.” Now I think, great, so now what have I gotten myself into?
So what would be a good project for a middle aged accountant and a 7 year old to do on a Saturday afternoon. Well, replacing the front lock had taken me the better part of a day and left my one hand with a lengthy cut from a chisel and the other with several blisters. So I immediately dismiss home improvement projects which could result in a trip to the emergency room or at least a severely bruised ego. I instead decide to scour the vastness of my very own neighborhood toy store for a fitting solution.
My criteria is simple. It needs to be a project, something we accomplish, not just a toy we pull out of the box, put batteries in and it goes. Where’s the fun in that, and besides we have an entire afternoon to kill. It needs to be something that a 7 year old can participate in but challenging enough that he’s going to have to ask questions and accept help, just like starting a new job. And it needs to have an element of creativity, I hate reading long step by step instructions which is probably why I still wait for the start of a TV program and then press record on my VCR.
I browse through a myriad of science kits and eventually settle on Energy Wiz, a kit with dozens of projects and experiments all related to electricity, motors, magnets, wind and solar power. What I like about the kit is that we can start off small and progress to more complicated projects. I also like that it contains most of the materials we need, but that we may also have to find a few household items. This should add to the challenge and demonstrate to Jack that not everything in life comes in a neat little package. But best of all, the instruction booklet has lots color pictures.
The instructions are simple and there are lots of pictures of how things we see everyday use these same principles.
Well the kit is a big hit! Jack and I start off burning a hole through a piece of paper with a magnifying glass. Then on to building a solar powered car. I’m amazed when Jack uses the magnifying glass to increase the speed of the car. Hey, that’s not in the book. Hmm! maybe he’s on to something. Seems like a good time to make hydrogen and oxygen from water, fuel cells are not too far down the road you know. Then we make a battery using nails, vinegar and salt. Jack asks where’s the French fries. Mom calls, it’s dinner time.
We both whine, “Just five more minutes. Pleeeasse”.
“Not right now buddy, it’s a little tricky”, I grunt as I try to install a new lock in the front door, sweat trickling down my brow. Why is it he always wants to help when I’m trying to do something important? Something that requires my full attention and a great deal of skill which I seem to be lacking.
Duh?, I think to myself, what am I complaining about, I should be thankful that he wants to do more than sit in front of a video game for hours. I should be thankful he’s looking for a challenge. That he wants to create something of lasting value that he can be proud of. And most important, that he wants to be part of a team, with his dad. How cool is that?
“Jack, next weekend we’ll do a special project together, I promise”.
“Dad, can I help?, my 7 year old son Jack pleads
“Not right now buddy, it’s a little tricky”, I grunt as I try to install a new lock in the front door, sweat trickling down my brow. Why is it he always wants to help when I’m trying to do something important? Something that requires my full attention and a great deal of skill which I seem to be lacking.
Duh?, I think to myself, what am I complaining about, I should be thankful that he wants to do more than sit in front of a video game for hours. I should be thankful he’s looking for a challenge. That he wants to create something of lasting value that he can be proud of. And most important, that he wants to be part of a team, with his dad. How cool is that?
“Jack, next weekend we’ll do a special project together, I promise”.
“Oh, sweet Dad, what?”
“You’ll see buddy, it’ll be really cool.” Now I think, great, so now what have I gotten myself into?
So what would be a good project for a middle aged accountant and a 7 year old to do on a Saturday afternoon. Well, replacing the front lock had taken me the better part of a day and left my one hand with a lengthy cut from a chisel and the other with several blisters. So I immediately dismiss home improvement projects which could result in a trip to the emergency room or at least a severely bruised ego. I instead decide to scour the vastness of my very own neighborhood toy store for a fitting solution.
My criteria is simple. It needs to be a project, something we accomplish, not just a toy we pull out of the box, put batteries in and it goes. Where’s the fun in that, and besides we have an entire afternoon to kill. It needs to be something that a 7 year old can participate in but challenging enough that he’s going to have to ask questions and accept help, just like starting a new job. And it needs to have an element of creativity, I hate reading long step by step instructions which is probably why I still wait for the start of a TV program and then press record on my VCR.
I browse through a myriad of science kits and eventually settle on Energy Wiz, a kit with dozens of projects and experiments all related to electricity, motors, magnets, wind and solar power. What I like about the kit is that we can start off small and progress to more complicated projects. I also like that it contains most of the materials we need, but that we may also have to find a few household items. This should add to the challenge and demonstrate to Jack that not everything in life comes in a neat little package. But best of all, the instruction booklet has lots color pictures.
The instructions are simple and there are lots of pictures of how things we see everyday use these same principles.
Well the kit is a big hit! Jack and I start off burning a hole through a piece of paper with a magnifying glass. Then on to building a solar powered car. I’m amazed when Jack uses the magnifying glass to increase the speed of the car. Hey, that’s not in the book. Hmm! maybe he’s on to something. Seems like a good time to make hydrogen and oxygen from water, fuel cells are not too far down the road you know. Then we make a battery using nails, vinegar and salt. Jack asks where’s the French fries. Mom calls, it’s dinner time.
We both whine, “Just five more minutes. Pleeeasse”.
“You’ll see buddy, it’ll be really cool.” Now I think, great, so now what have I gotten myself into?
So what would be a good project for a middle aged accountant and a 7 year old to do on a Saturday afternoon. Well, replacing the front lock had taken me the better part of a day and left my one hand with a lengthy cut from a chisel and the other with several blisters. So I immediately dismiss home improvement projects which could result in a trip to the emergency room or at least a severely bruised ego. I instead decide to scour the vastness of my very own neighborhood toy store for a fitting solution.
My criteria is simple. It needs to be a project, something we accomplish, not just a toy we pull out of the box, put batteries in and it goes. Where’s the fun in that, and besides we have an entire afternoon to kill. It needs to be something that a 7 year old can participate in but challenging enough that he’s going to have to ask questions and accept help, just like starting a new job. And it needs to have an element of creativity, I hate reading long step by step instructions which is probably why I still wait for the start of a TV program and then press record on my VCR.
I browse through a myriad of science kits and eventually settle on Energy Wiz, a kit with dozens of projects and experiments all related to electricity, motors, magnets, wind and solar power. What I like about the kit is that we can start off small and progress to more complicated projects. I also like that it contains most of the materials we need, but that we may also have to find a few household items. This should add to the challenge and demonstrate to Jack that not everything in life comes in a neat little package. But best of all, the instruction booklet has lots color pictures.
The instructions are simple and there are lots of pictures of how things we see everyday use these same principles.
Well the kit is a big hit! Jack and I start off burning a hole through a piece of paper with a magnifying glass. Then on to building a solar powered car. I’m amazed when Jack uses the magnifying glass to increase the speed of the car. Hey, that’s not in the book. Hmm! maybe he’s on to something. Seems like a good time to make hydrogen and oxygen from water, fuel cells are not too far down the road you know. Then we make a battery using nails, vinegar and salt. Jack asks where’s the French fries. Mom calls, it’s dinner time.
We both whine, “Just five more minutes. Pleeeasse”.
Educate Children the "Fun Way" with Inquisitive Teacher Supplies
Teaching children can be difficult if no one is having fun. Both the teacher and children can be miserable. That's why so many teacher supply stores have opened on the Web in recent years. Many teachers have discovered that adding a few inquisitive (and fun) educational supplies to their classrooms brings better learning and a happier atmosphere for years and years. You can make learning fun for your students and improve morale for an entire classroom using just a few of these. Success Training that's not "Boring" Find teacher supplies that bring learning to life. What's better - reading from pages in a book or seeing the real thing? Children today are programmed to learn from what they see and hear. They watch television and videos, they play video games, use computers, etc. All these activities focus on seeing and hearing - not reading.
Sure, children must learn to read their school curriculum. But why not add some interesting visual objects to the classroom to enhance what they are learning. Here are some examples: *Spanish Class: For an elementary Spanish class, give each child a Spanish beanbag. Have them read some Spanish text or memorize some words, and then allow them to shake the beanbag when they know the answer to a question. Another idea for this class is to teach them some songs in Spanish and let them make up simple skits using the Spanish language. *Math Class: If you teach an elementary Math class, use flash cards and have students compete to see who can tell the answer first. Students love games and competitions! You can also divide them into teams and give the winning team a reward. *History Class: For older students, use study slides with important events to teach dates, places and names in history. These help to simplify the memorization process when many dates and events must be studied for a test. *Algebra Class: If you teach an algebra class, you understand that some kids love it, some hate it. There are great books for teachers and parents to show you how to help all students learn algebra. One example is the helpful book titled "Helping Students Understand Algebra Step by Step." *English Class: For elementary English students that are just learning to read and write, use Phonics programs to boost learning. These have been proven by experts to work for years. All these classroom supplies and learning materials can usually be found easily at an online teacher supply site. And, there are many other classroom supplies and teacher resources to aid you such as congrats stickers, charts and seals, crowns, reward ribbons, teacher's aid DVDs, posters, maps, games, projectors, classroom furniture, etc. Helping Children Strive to do their Best Using unique educational supplies, you can actually boost the morale of your students and create a great learning atmosphere. This helps you interact with students and get to know them one on one. You can help them achieve success in your class and many others to come. Use these products to create an environment where kids can excel. Set individual goals for each student on a weekly basis.
Reward them for reaching their goals. If possible, have a set "game day" once a month where you and the students play a game just for fun. They will love you for it! Students need to know that their achievements are getting noticed. Use teacher supplies such as stickers and achievement ribbons to show them how proud you are. If you have a student that doesn't want to participate, allow him/her to be the one in charge on the team occasionally. Remember, leaders want to do their best and they expect it of their teams as well! These are just a few ideas to get you started with fun learning. You can find hundreds of teaching products and educational help aids at online teacher supply stores, and often at a great price.
Sure, children must learn to read their school curriculum. But why not add some interesting visual objects to the classroom to enhance what they are learning. Here are some examples: *Spanish Class: For an elementary Spanish class, give each child a Spanish beanbag. Have them read some Spanish text or memorize some words, and then allow them to shake the beanbag when they know the answer to a question. Another idea for this class is to teach them some songs in Spanish and let them make up simple skits using the Spanish language. *Math Class: If you teach an elementary Math class, use flash cards and have students compete to see who can tell the answer first. Students love games and competitions! You can also divide them into teams and give the winning team a reward. *History Class: For older students, use study slides with important events to teach dates, places and names in history. These help to simplify the memorization process when many dates and events must be studied for a test. *Algebra Class: If you teach an algebra class, you understand that some kids love it, some hate it. There are great books for teachers and parents to show you how to help all students learn algebra. One example is the helpful book titled "Helping Students Understand Algebra Step by Step." *English Class: For elementary English students that are just learning to read and write, use Phonics programs to boost learning. These have been proven by experts to work for years. All these classroom supplies and learning materials can usually be found easily at an online teacher supply site. And, there are many other classroom supplies and teacher resources to aid you such as congrats stickers, charts and seals, crowns, reward ribbons, teacher's aid DVDs, posters, maps, games, projectors, classroom furniture, etc. Helping Children Strive to do their Best Using unique educational supplies, you can actually boost the morale of your students and create a great learning atmosphere. This helps you interact with students and get to know them one on one. You can help them achieve success in your class and many others to come. Use these products to create an environment where kids can excel. Set individual goals for each student on a weekly basis.
Reward them for reaching their goals. If possible, have a set "game day" once a month where you and the students play a game just for fun. They will love you for it! Students need to know that their achievements are getting noticed. Use teacher supplies such as stickers and achievement ribbons to show them how proud you are. If you have a student that doesn't want to participate, allow him/her to be the one in charge on the team occasionally. Remember, leaders want to do their best and they expect it of their teams as well! These are just a few ideas to get you started with fun learning. You can find hundreds of teaching products and educational help aids at online teacher supply stores, and often at a great price.
Educational Problem Solving
Abstract
This article introduces the educational solutions module of the world’s most recent personal and professional problem solving site, describing competitive offerings, the customer profile, problem-oriented solutions, target markets, product offerings, and usability features. It concludes that the module is a major contribution to the information superhighway.
Introduction
The aim of this article is to introduce to the world the educational solutions module of the world’s most recent personal and professional problem solving site. The article is addressed to those readers who may have an educational problem bogging them and who may therefore be looking for a way out of their predicament. The reader may be a parent, child, or student.
It is a common fact of life that we all have problems and that we are often frustrated or we tend to lash out because of our inability to find accessible and reliable information about our problems. This specialist site fills this need – as our pragmatic friend for solving our educational problems.
To be of the greatest use to people a problem solving site must combine pragmatic discussions of their personal or professional problem with merchant products that provide more detailed information. Typically, the web site will provide free information in the form of news, articles, and advice, which direct the visitor on what to do to solve her problems. Complementing this, the web site will also provide merchant products which discuss in detail how the visitor can go about resolving her problem. This means that the most effective, visitor-oriented problem-solving site will be an information-packed commercial site – and so is the world’s most recent personal and professional problem solving site and its specialist sites.
The approach that we have adopted below is to describe competitive offerings, the customer profile, problem-oriented solutions, target markets, product offerings, and usability features.
Competitive Offerings
The following are the top educational sites on the Internet, along with their offerings.
US Department of Education. It defines the US education policy and provides information on financial aid, educational research and statistics, grants and contracts, and teaching and learning resources.
Educational Testing Service. It provides a range of test resources.
FunBrain.com. It provides educational games for K-8 kids.
PrimaryGames.com. It provides fun learning tools and games for kids.
GEM. It provides educational resources such as lesson plans and other teaching and learning resources.
Education World. It provides advice on lesson plans, professional development, and technology integration.
NASA Education Enterprise. It provides educational materials and information relating to space exploration.
Spartacus Educational. It is a British online encyclopedia that focuses on historical topics.
Department for Education and Skills. It is a UK government department site that offers information and advice on various educational and skills topics.
Times Educational Supplement. It offers teaching news, teaching & educational resources, and active forums to help UK teachers.
All these sites are useful in the domains that they cover. Their main limitations are as follows:
1. They tend to cover only a very narrow segment of the educational market.
2. They do not take as their starting point the daily educational needs of the typical family.
3. They lack a problem focus; i.e., they do not formulate the typical learning and educational problems that pupils, students, and parents face on a daily basis.
4. As a result of the preceding point, the solutions offered are not as incisive (i.e. as problem-centred) as they could be.
5. They do not offer merchant products that deepen the visitor’s understanding of her problem and of the consequent solutions.
The educational solutions module of the world’s most recent personal and professional problem solving site addresses these problems by targeting a multiplicity of market segments, adopting a customer profile that fits the typical education-pursuing family, considering the specific needs or problems that this family may face, offering incisive (problem-centred) solutions to the various problems, and offering a range of merchant products that deepen the visitor’s appreciation of her problems and of the solutions that are applicable to them.
Customer Profile
The customer profile or target visitor characteristics of the educational solutions module is the same as for all specialist sites of the world’s most recent personal and professional problem solving site. The site has been designed to meet the needs of visitors who have an educational problem bogging them. It is designed for both males and females, even though it is often convenient to refer to just one sex when writing.
This visitor uses search engines to research information about her personal or professional problem, with the intention of finding solutions to it. The visitor is serious about solving her problem and is therefore willing to buy products that help her to achieve her mission, provided that she can find reliable and honest information about relevant products so that she can make an informed decision about which ones to acquire. This information will help her to apply her finances economically, and hence avoid wasting money.
The visitor will want a money-back guarantee so that if a product does not live up to expectations or if she were misled into buying a product she can get a refund. Such a guarantee absolves her of purchase risks.
The visitor is intelligent (without necessarily being a genius), educated (without necessarily being a PhD), computer literate (without necessarily being a computer guru), and money-minded (without necessarily being a freebie hunter or an unemployed person). This of course does not mean that freebie hunters or unemployed persons cannot gain a thing from the site. To the contrary, there is a great deal of free information on the site. Just that it is hard to see how anyone can gain the full benefits of the site without buying products.
The visitor wants high quality information products (usually in digital form) and wants to pay the cheapest price for these (without paying so much emphasis on price that she compromises quality). The visitor also wants free bonus offers that are attached to the purchased goods.
The visitor is self-reliant and can cope on her own by reading, digesting, and applying advice about her problem until she solves it or discovers that she needs help from a professional, at which point her acquired knowledge will help her to reduce her consulting fees. As a result of the knowledge gained, the visitor will be able to assess consultants in order to avoid incompetent or fraudulent ones.
Problem-Centred Solutions
Our free solutions are organised in the form of pragmatic articles that are written by top experts. Each article addresses a specific daily problem, but does not go into detail. It explains the problem and tells the visitor what she must do to solve her problem. However, it does not tell the visitor how she must solve it – this is too much for an article. To find out about the how, the visitor must buy a product (usually an e-book or e-book set) that goes into greater depth.
nitial solution to a visitor’s problem are as follows:
Signs of a Gifted Child – Informs parents on how to identify whether or not their children are gifted.
Essential Parenting Lessons for Enriching Your Child’s Education – Teaches parents how to enhance their child’s education.
Using Positive Affirmations to Be a Better Student – Teaches students how to use positive affirmations to improve their performance.
They Are Just Afraid of Writing – Teaches writing skills to students
How Can Parents Encourage Their Children to Read? – Shows parents how they can improve their children’s reading skills.
Test Preparation Tutoring – Discusses the topic of tutoring students to prepare for tests or exams.
Test Taking Strategies – Discusses various strategies for taking and passing tests or exams
Playing and Winning the Scholarship Game – Describes how to win scholarships.
How to Get a Scholarship to a UK University – Describes how to win scholarships to a UK university.
Saving Money for College – Instructs students on how they can save money in preparation for college.
Student Loans: When Your Educational Dreams Can’t Compete with the Cost – Explains to students the benefits of a student loan.
Education Loans Can Fund a Higher Degree to Boost Your Career – Also explains to students the benefits of a student loan.
The Secret to US Department of Education Loans – Teaches students how to get a US DoE loan to finance their higher education.
Student Loan Consolidation - Save Money, Pay Less, Spend More – Explains to graduates how to make use of loan consolidation to reduce their student loan repayments.
Higher Education: Finding the Right College for You – Explains to students how to find the right college or university for their higher education studies.
Mobile Learning – An Alternative Worth Considering – Explains the concept of mobile learning and its place in education.
Online Degrees - Is Online Education Right for You? – Analyses the merits of online learning as compared to traditional learning.
An Online College Education Overview – Reviews the whole concept of online learning.
Finding the Right Quotation for Your Paper or Speech Online – Shows writers and speakers how to find the right quotation to use in their writings or speeches.
Collaboration: An Important Leadership Development Skill – Explores the useful concept of collaboration and its role in leadership development.
At the end of each article is a list of merchant products that supplement the article’s content. A link is also included for accessing the educational product catalogue
Target Markets and Product Offerings
Now let us turn to the target markets and their associated product offerings. We have positioned the segments to address the various needs of a visitor over a period of time, and at any given time a customer may belong to one or more of the market segments. There are three general classes of products offered: ClickBank products, Google products, and eBay products. Google and eBay products are presented on each page of the site. ClickBank products are grouped into product categories that match the target markets. These categories and their markets are as follows.
Children and Parenting. This consists of visitors who want parenting solutions for improving their children’s upbringing. Their needs are met through the Children and Parenting section of the educational product catalogue.
Difficult Admissions. This consists of visitors who want to learn how to get admission into top universities. Their needs are met through the Difficult Admissions section of the educational product catalogue.
Esoteric Needs. This consists of visitors with unusual needs. Their needs are met through the Esoteric Needs section of the educational product catalogue.
Financial Aid. This consists of visitors looking for scholarships, grants, or loans. Their needs are met through the Financial Aid section of the educational product catalogue.
Leadership Skills. This consists of visitors looking to develop their leadership skills. Their needs are met through the Leadership Skills section of the educational product catalogue.
Learning. This consists of visitors who want to improve their learning ability. Their needs are met through the Learning section of the educational product catalogue.
Mental Speed. This consists of visitors who want to explode their mental speed. Their needs are met through the Mental Speed section of the educational product catalogue.
Positive Affirmations. This consists of visitors who want to transform their negative dispositions into a positive mindset in order to improve their performance. Their needs are met through the Positive Affirmations section of the educational product catalogue.
Speaking. This consists of visitors looking to improve their speaking skills. Their needs are met through the Speaking section of the educational product catalogue.
Tests and Exams. This consists of visitors looking to master exam technique. Their needs are met through the Tests and Exams section of the educational product catalogue.
Writing. This consists of visitors looking to improve their writing skills. Their needs are met through the Writing section of the educational product catalogue.
Usability Considerations
Usability has been enhanced to make it easy for the visitor to find solutions to her problem, by following these steps:
1. The first thing the visitor sees are a set of articles whose titles represent the specific problem area they address. The articles are accessed from the Educational Problem Solving menu of the navigation bar to the left of the screen or from the Educational Problem Solving main page. By scanning these articles the visitor can identify whether or not her problem is covered. If not the visitor can check the educational product catalogue through the Product Catalogues menu of the same navigation bar, to see whether a product exists that answers her query. If she finds nothing she knows that her problem is not addressed. She can proceed to the Related Sites pages, which are accessible from the left navigation bar.
2. If the visitor finds an article that addresses her problem then she can begin to explore that; at the end of the article she will find products that discuss her problem more deeply. She can also access the educational product catalogue through an article page.
Conclusion
This article has introduced the educational solutions module of the world’s most recent personal and professional problem solving site. The article has examined competitive offerings, the target customer profile, problem-oriented solutions, target markets, product offerings, and usability considerations. It concludes that the module is a major contribution to the information superhighway.
A A Agbormbai is the editor and webmaster of Personal and Professional Problem Solving - a web site that fills a vacuum on the Web. He has a PhD from Imperial College London and enjoys an interdisciplinary upbringing having worked or studied in aerospace engineering, information systems development, and management. The educational solutions module is one of many specialist sites of Personal and Professional Problem Solving.
This article introduces the educational solutions module of the world’s most recent personal and professional problem solving site, describing competitive offerings, the customer profile, problem-oriented solutions, target markets, product offerings, and usability features. It concludes that the module is a major contribution to the information superhighway.
Introduction
The aim of this article is to introduce to the world the educational solutions module of the world’s most recent personal and professional problem solving site. The article is addressed to those readers who may have an educational problem bogging them and who may therefore be looking for a way out of their predicament. The reader may be a parent, child, or student.
It is a common fact of life that we all have problems and that we are often frustrated or we tend to lash out because of our inability to find accessible and reliable information about our problems. This specialist site fills this need – as our pragmatic friend for solving our educational problems.
To be of the greatest use to people a problem solving site must combine pragmatic discussions of their personal or professional problem with merchant products that provide more detailed information. Typically, the web site will provide free information in the form of news, articles, and advice, which direct the visitor on what to do to solve her problems. Complementing this, the web site will also provide merchant products which discuss in detail how the visitor can go about resolving her problem. This means that the most effective, visitor-oriented problem-solving site will be an information-packed commercial site – and so is the world’s most recent personal and professional problem solving site and its specialist sites.
The approach that we have adopted below is to describe competitive offerings, the customer profile, problem-oriented solutions, target markets, product offerings, and usability features.
Competitive Offerings
The following are the top educational sites on the Internet, along with their offerings.
US Department of Education. It defines the US education policy and provides information on financial aid, educational research and statistics, grants and contracts, and teaching and learning resources.
Educational Testing Service. It provides a range of test resources.
FunBrain.com. It provides educational games for K-8 kids.
PrimaryGames.com. It provides fun learning tools and games for kids.
GEM. It provides educational resources such as lesson plans and other teaching and learning resources.
Education World. It provides advice on lesson plans, professional development, and technology integration.
NASA Education Enterprise. It provides educational materials and information relating to space exploration.
Spartacus Educational. It is a British online encyclopedia that focuses on historical topics.
Department for Education and Skills. It is a UK government department site that offers information and advice on various educational and skills topics.
Times Educational Supplement. It offers teaching news, teaching & educational resources, and active forums to help UK teachers.
All these sites are useful in the domains that they cover. Their main limitations are as follows:
1. They tend to cover only a very narrow segment of the educational market.
2. They do not take as their starting point the daily educational needs of the typical family.
3. They lack a problem focus; i.e., they do not formulate the typical learning and educational problems that pupils, students, and parents face on a daily basis.
4. As a result of the preceding point, the solutions offered are not as incisive (i.e. as problem-centred) as they could be.
5. They do not offer merchant products that deepen the visitor’s understanding of her problem and of the consequent solutions.
The educational solutions module of the world’s most recent personal and professional problem solving site addresses these problems by targeting a multiplicity of market segments, adopting a customer profile that fits the typical education-pursuing family, considering the specific needs or problems that this family may face, offering incisive (problem-centred) solutions to the various problems, and offering a range of merchant products that deepen the visitor’s appreciation of her problems and of the solutions that are applicable to them.
Customer Profile
The customer profile or target visitor characteristics of the educational solutions module is the same as for all specialist sites of the world’s most recent personal and professional problem solving site. The site has been designed to meet the needs of visitors who have an educational problem bogging them. It is designed for both males and females, even though it is often convenient to refer to just one sex when writing.
This visitor uses search engines to research information about her personal or professional problem, with the intention of finding solutions to it. The visitor is serious about solving her problem and is therefore willing to buy products that help her to achieve her mission, provided that she can find reliable and honest information about relevant products so that she can make an informed decision about which ones to acquire. This information will help her to apply her finances economically, and hence avoid wasting money.
The visitor will want a money-back guarantee so that if a product does not live up to expectations or if she were misled into buying a product she can get a refund. Such a guarantee absolves her of purchase risks.
The visitor is intelligent (without necessarily being a genius), educated (without necessarily being a PhD), computer literate (without necessarily being a computer guru), and money-minded (without necessarily being a freebie hunter or an unemployed person). This of course does not mean that freebie hunters or unemployed persons cannot gain a thing from the site. To the contrary, there is a great deal of free information on the site. Just that it is hard to see how anyone can gain the full benefits of the site without buying products.
The visitor wants high quality information products (usually in digital form) and wants to pay the cheapest price for these (without paying so much emphasis on price that she compromises quality). The visitor also wants free bonus offers that are attached to the purchased goods.
The visitor is self-reliant and can cope on her own by reading, digesting, and applying advice about her problem until she solves it or discovers that she needs help from a professional, at which point her acquired knowledge will help her to reduce her consulting fees. As a result of the knowledge gained, the visitor will be able to assess consultants in order to avoid incompetent or fraudulent ones.
Problem-Centred Solutions
Our free solutions are organised in the form of pragmatic articles that are written by top experts. Each article addresses a specific daily problem, but does not go into detail. It explains the problem and tells the visitor what she must do to solve her problem. However, it does not tell the visitor how she must solve it – this is too much for an article. To find out about the how, the visitor must buy a product (usually an e-book or e-book set) that goes into greater depth.
nitial solution to a visitor’s problem are as follows:
Signs of a Gifted Child – Informs parents on how to identify whether or not their children are gifted.
Essential Parenting Lessons for Enriching Your Child’s Education – Teaches parents how to enhance their child’s education.
Using Positive Affirmations to Be a Better Student – Teaches students how to use positive affirmations to improve their performance.
They Are Just Afraid of Writing – Teaches writing skills to students
How Can Parents Encourage Their Children to Read? – Shows parents how they can improve their children’s reading skills.
Test Preparation Tutoring – Discusses the topic of tutoring students to prepare for tests or exams.
Test Taking Strategies – Discusses various strategies for taking and passing tests or exams
Playing and Winning the Scholarship Game – Describes how to win scholarships.
How to Get a Scholarship to a UK University – Describes how to win scholarships to a UK university.
Saving Money for College – Instructs students on how they can save money in preparation for college.
Student Loans: When Your Educational Dreams Can’t Compete with the Cost – Explains to students the benefits of a student loan.
Education Loans Can Fund a Higher Degree to Boost Your Career – Also explains to students the benefits of a student loan.
The Secret to US Department of Education Loans – Teaches students how to get a US DoE loan to finance their higher education.
Student Loan Consolidation - Save Money, Pay Less, Spend More – Explains to graduates how to make use of loan consolidation to reduce their student loan repayments.
Higher Education: Finding the Right College for You – Explains to students how to find the right college or university for their higher education studies.
Mobile Learning – An Alternative Worth Considering – Explains the concept of mobile learning and its place in education.
Online Degrees - Is Online Education Right for You? – Analyses the merits of online learning as compared to traditional learning.
An Online College Education Overview – Reviews the whole concept of online learning.
Finding the Right Quotation for Your Paper or Speech Online – Shows writers and speakers how to find the right quotation to use in their writings or speeches.
Collaboration: An Important Leadership Development Skill – Explores the useful concept of collaboration and its role in leadership development.
At the end of each article is a list of merchant products that supplement the article’s content. A link is also included for accessing the educational product catalogue
Target Markets and Product Offerings
Now let us turn to the target markets and their associated product offerings. We have positioned the segments to address the various needs of a visitor over a period of time, and at any given time a customer may belong to one or more of the market segments. There are three general classes of products offered: ClickBank products, Google products, and eBay products. Google and eBay products are presented on each page of the site. ClickBank products are grouped into product categories that match the target markets. These categories and their markets are as follows.
Children and Parenting. This consists of visitors who want parenting solutions for improving their children’s upbringing. Their needs are met through the Children and Parenting section of the educational product catalogue.
Difficult Admissions. This consists of visitors who want to learn how to get admission into top universities. Their needs are met through the Difficult Admissions section of the educational product catalogue.
Esoteric Needs. This consists of visitors with unusual needs. Their needs are met through the Esoteric Needs section of the educational product catalogue.
Financial Aid. This consists of visitors looking for scholarships, grants, or loans. Their needs are met through the Financial Aid section of the educational product catalogue.
Leadership Skills. This consists of visitors looking to develop their leadership skills. Their needs are met through the Leadership Skills section of the educational product catalogue.
Learning. This consists of visitors who want to improve their learning ability. Their needs are met through the Learning section of the educational product catalogue.
Mental Speed. This consists of visitors who want to explode their mental speed. Their needs are met through the Mental Speed section of the educational product catalogue.
Positive Affirmations. This consists of visitors who want to transform their negative dispositions into a positive mindset in order to improve their performance. Their needs are met through the Positive Affirmations section of the educational product catalogue.
Speaking. This consists of visitors looking to improve their speaking skills. Their needs are met through the Speaking section of the educational product catalogue.
Tests and Exams. This consists of visitors looking to master exam technique. Their needs are met through the Tests and Exams section of the educational product catalogue.
Writing. This consists of visitors looking to improve their writing skills. Their needs are met through the Writing section of the educational product catalogue.
Usability Considerations
Usability has been enhanced to make it easy for the visitor to find solutions to her problem, by following these steps:
1. The first thing the visitor sees are a set of articles whose titles represent the specific problem area they address. The articles are accessed from the Educational Problem Solving menu of the navigation bar to the left of the screen or from the Educational Problem Solving main page. By scanning these articles the visitor can identify whether or not her problem is covered. If not the visitor can check the educational product catalogue through the Product Catalogues menu of the same navigation bar, to see whether a product exists that answers her query. If she finds nothing she knows that her problem is not addressed. She can proceed to the Related Sites pages, which are accessible from the left navigation bar.
2. If the visitor finds an article that addresses her problem then she can begin to explore that; at the end of the article she will find products that discuss her problem more deeply. She can also access the educational product catalogue through an article page.
Conclusion
This article has introduced the educational solutions module of the world’s most recent personal and professional problem solving site. The article has examined competitive offerings, the target customer profile, problem-oriented solutions, target markets, product offerings, and usability considerations. It concludes that the module is a major contribution to the information superhighway.
A A Agbormbai is the editor and webmaster of Personal and Professional Problem Solving - a web site that fills a vacuum on the Web. He has a PhD from Imperial College London and enjoys an interdisciplinary upbringing having worked or studied in aerospace engineering, information systems development, and management. The educational solutions module is one of many specialist sites of Personal and Professional Problem Solving.
How to Look For Easy Science
Are you beginning to look for those easy science fair projects for your kids to do this school year? Of course you are, as well every other parent whose child is interested in science. Here are a few points to consider in finding what you are looking for.
First, get the right project. Make sure that the science project you are searching for is suited for your child's age group and school grade level. These curriculums are specifically designed for a child to easily complete on their own without any help.
Second, clear directions. Step by step instructions is very important because it helps in the progression of the experiment and keeps a child focused on the success at each stage of the project. Younger kids are visual learners so look for directions with pictures it will help to motivate them.
Third, use simple materials. Having to buy specific items and equipment can get expensive so cut your cost and find those specific projects that use items found in your own house or outside in nature. Another reason for household products is that it makes it easier for your child because they are already familiar with the items. With simple materials readily available your child will be motivated to conduct their science experiment more than once.
Fourth, find something unique. Science fairs usually have a number of duplicate projects on display. So make a point of searching many books and websites taking notice of the ones which repeat often because most likely they are the ones that you will see duplicates of.
Finally, I encourage going to the library because books may seem outdated due to the speed and quick searches on the internet but they are still around. You never know, the old beat up book you overlook and dismiss may be the very book that has the best and easiest science fair projects of all.
First, get the right project. Make sure that the science project you are searching for is suited for your child's age group and school grade level. These curriculums are specifically designed for a child to easily complete on their own without any help.
Second, clear directions. Step by step instructions is very important because it helps in the progression of the experiment and keeps a child focused on the success at each stage of the project. Younger kids are visual learners so look for directions with pictures it will help to motivate them.
Third, use simple materials. Having to buy specific items and equipment can get expensive so cut your cost and find those specific projects that use items found in your own house or outside in nature. Another reason for household products is that it makes it easier for your child because they are already familiar with the items. With simple materials readily available your child will be motivated to conduct their science experiment more than once.
Fourth, find something unique. Science fairs usually have a number of duplicate projects on display. So make a point of searching many books and websites taking notice of the ones which repeat often because most likely they are the ones that you will see duplicates of.
Finally, I encourage going to the library because books may seem outdated due to the speed and quick searches on the internet but they are still around. You never know, the old beat up book you overlook and dismiss may be the very book that has the best and easiest science fair projects of all.
How to Look For Easy Science Fair Projects
Are you beginning to look for those easy science fair projects for your kids to do this school year? Of course you are, as well every other parent whose child is interested in science. Here are a few points to consider in finding what you are looking for.
First, get the right project. Make sure that the science project you are searching for is suited for your child's age group and school grade level. These curriculums are specifically designed for a child to easily complete on their own without any help.
Second, clear directions. Step by step instructions is very important because it helps in the progression of the experiment and keeps a child focused on the success at each stage of the project. Younger kids are visual learners so look for directions with pictures it will help to motivate them.
Third, use simple materials. Having to buy specific items and equipment can get expensive so cut your cost and find those specific projects that use items found in your own house or outside in nature. Another reason for household products is that it makes it easier for your child because they are already familiar with the items. With simple materials readily available your child will be motivated to conduct their science experiment more than once.
Fourth, find something unique. Science fairs usually have a number of duplicate projects on display. So make a point of searching many books and websites taking notice of the ones which repeat often because most likely they are the ones that you will see duplicates of.
Finally, I encourage going to the library because books may seem outdated due to the speed and quick searches on the internet but they are still around. You never know, the old beat up book you overlook and dismiss may be the very book that has the best and easiest science fair projects of all.
First, get the right project. Make sure that the science project you are searching for is suited for your child's age group and school grade level. These curriculums are specifically designed for a child to easily complete on their own without any help.
Second, clear directions. Step by step instructions is very important because it helps in the progression of the experiment and keeps a child focused on the success at each stage of the project. Younger kids are visual learners so look for directions with pictures it will help to motivate them.
Third, use simple materials. Having to buy specific items and equipment can get expensive so cut your cost and find those specific projects that use items found in your own house or outside in nature. Another reason for household products is that it makes it easier for your child because they are already familiar with the items. With simple materials readily available your child will be motivated to conduct their science experiment more than once.
Fourth, find something unique. Science fairs usually have a number of duplicate projects on display. So make a point of searching many books and websites taking notice of the ones which repeat often because most likely they are the ones that you will see duplicates of.
Finally, I encourage going to the library because books may seem outdated due to the speed and quick searches on the internet but they are still around. You never know, the old beat up book you overlook and dismiss may be the very book that has the best and easiest science fair projects of all.
Science Fiction Books for your Children
Helping hands to select science fiction books for your children
Science fiction , it is a popular topic among both the children and the elders; this creates the interest to come along with that. Nowadays lots and lots of books are been published in this topic. The style and language used in one book will not be the same as in the other. So to select a book for your child some considerations are to be taken care of.
1.When you start to select a book just turn it to the middle and checkout the comprehension used in the book. Then compare that with your children's knowledge.
Without considering this you will not be able to choose a book for your child.
2. You must think about the sensitivity of your child. Some children may dream of a monster while lying sleeping and some may not. This brings the difference between the children. Some may get afraid and some may not after reading certain books. So it is always better to see the sensitiveness of the child.
3. Decide the violent content of the book. The book contains aliens, monsters and some strange characters and these characters may be killed. So you are in a stage to decide the maturity level of your child, and the maturity level is to be considered in advance.
4. It is better to ask a librarian about the type of book you are about to buy. He may suggest some books with more fantasy things and with lots of fun. He may recommend some books or he could suggest some author names too.
5. Suggest the appropriate books for kids as they grow older. Suggesting books meant for kids will limit there knowledge and the level of knowledge of your child will only be kiddish when he grows older. Thus giving advance books and the books meant for the elders to read will let them to improve their knowledge.
6. The books from award winning companies and from the authors will fetch your child a lot of knowledge. Newbery and Caldecott award winner books will be more informative and this will gain your child knowledge.
7. Nowadays internet search for each and every product is available. It is better to move on to the internet search finally. Internet has lots and lot of books especially on science fiction topics. You may also gather some information regarding books from there.
8. Some children may like fantasies when compared to violence, so it's better to take in their choice. This will help you to clear your confusions in buying a science fiction book to your children.
Science fiction , it is a popular topic among both the children and the elders; this creates the interest to come along with that. Nowadays lots and lots of books are been published in this topic. The style and language used in one book will not be the same as in the other. So to select a book for your child some considerations are to be taken care of.
1.When you start to select a book just turn it to the middle and checkout the comprehension used in the book. Then compare that with your children's knowledge.
Without considering this you will not be able to choose a book for your child.
2. You must think about the sensitivity of your child. Some children may dream of a monster while lying sleeping and some may not. This brings the difference between the children. Some may get afraid and some may not after reading certain books. So it is always better to see the sensitiveness of the child.
3. Decide the violent content of the book. The book contains aliens, monsters and some strange characters and these characters may be killed. So you are in a stage to decide the maturity level of your child, and the maturity level is to be considered in advance.
4. It is better to ask a librarian about the type of book you are about to buy. He may suggest some books with more fantasy things and with lots of fun. He may recommend some books or he could suggest some author names too.
5. Suggest the appropriate books for kids as they grow older. Suggesting books meant for kids will limit there knowledge and the level of knowledge of your child will only be kiddish when he grows older. Thus giving advance books and the books meant for the elders to read will let them to improve their knowledge.
6. The books from award winning companies and from the authors will fetch your child a lot of knowledge. Newbery and Caldecott award winner books will be more informative and this will gain your child knowledge.
7. Nowadays internet search for each and every product is available. It is better to move on to the internet search finally. Internet has lots and lot of books especially on science fiction topics. You may also gather some information regarding books from there.
8. Some children may like fantasies when compared to violence, so it's better to take in their choice. This will help you to clear your confusions in buying a science fiction book to your children.
Educational Baby Games and Toys
Educational Baby games and toys are so important, they stimulate your babies brain, creating interest and arousing curiosity for further development of their mind. When your baby is born their eyesight is blurry. In the first two months of their life they can only focus on objects eight to ten inches in front of him, so the first colours your baby sees are black, white and red. Lets make their environment exciting.
Education Baby games and toys should be bright. The brighter the better! Bright colours, moving objects, classical music and textured toys will all help to stimulate your baby, as he begins to discover his whole new world.
Baby educational games and toys will help your baby to learn about the world in a fun and safe way, they will have more fun with a toy if it's stimulating to the sense of sight, hearing, touch, taste or smell than they would if it was just cute or pretty.
As your baby grows, you will want educational toys that help your child learn eye-hand coordination and develop their large and small motor-control skills, you will also need educational baby games and toys that stimulate social and language development, imagination, and creativity.
The first senses babies use to learn, are sight and sound. When your baby is born their favourite sight is you, and they love to hear your voice. Now you can sing to your hearts content, they will love it.
So what else do baby need?
Not a lot, so don't go over the top with toys, they don't need it and neither does your bank account. It won't be long before they will want every toy and game there is, so be sensible while you can.
Interaction is your great fun learning game, seeing you, listening to you, giggling and laughing at you. But you cannot be your child's only entertainment system, you will need some time out!
So lets look at some other toys and games that your baby will love.
Up to eight weeks old your babies favourite sight and sounds are human faces and voices, they will also enjoy watching brightly coloured mobiles, wind-chimes and cot-toys, if clearly in view, they will focus best on hand-held toys that are 8 inches from their face and will respond to soft music and being rocked gently.
At twelve weeks your baby can focus for longer on mobiles and cot-toys, they will also be able to see them at a greater distance. He will show a preference for bright colours and look at them for longer, but he will still have more interest in human faces and large pictures of faces, he will also enjoy wrist rattles, musical toys and squeaky toys.
From three to six months he will start to grasp a toy that is placed in his hand, and will begin to reach for toys. Your babies favourite early toys will be lightweight rattles and colourful teething rings, he will have learned to use both hands and will start to play with foam bricks, soft balls, cuddly soft toys or grip-toys with an internal squeak.
He will love floor activities up to the age of nine months, large bright activity quilts are a good idea, as is a activity centres. He will also love colourful toys with interesting designs and textures to study during quiet play, and of course, noisy toys for rattling and banging will have them enjoying and laughing.
Their first books should be brightly illustrated and made from "Chew Proof" card or Textured Fabrics, push and pull along toys will encourage walking and be a great aid for balancing.
Learning to walk is a fabulous time for your baby, but can be testing on you, as they will be everywhere, and while trying out their newfound skill, there will be bumps, cries and tears, and some of those will be yours.
The average ages for walking is between nine and thirteen months, but remember, this is only guideline so don't be concerned if they're not quite on the move yet.
The timing is determined by your baby's muscle strength, his ability to balance and most importantly, his personality, his motivation and confidence. The weight of your baby may also play a part; a heavier baby will take longer to get up on their feet.
Give plenty of praise when he starts walking, they need encouragement just like we do, but don't try to rush him along if he's not quite ready, if he is pushed to quickly he may go back to crawling until he feels ready to give it another go.
Walking Aids or 'Walkers' come in many shapes and sizes, from simple baby learning toys such as Building Block Trolleys to Walkers that develop from simple aids to ride on toys, as you toddler's skills develop.
Baby ride on toys, are great for developing and strengthening the muscles in his legs and arms, the best one of all, has to be The Rocking Horse. This is excellent for learning to keep their balance and start their pretend play, there are others such as sea-saw and trikes, but you can't beat the classics.
This form of play benefits all toddlers. It improves mood, appetite and quality of sleep and brings better general health, it also develops their muscles, increases their strength and agility, and improves their co-ordination,
Just a quick note about the First Pair of Shoes
While your baby is still crawling, shoes are largely there for decoration, although it's important that they are not too small.
When children start to walk, they often curl their toes, so it's better for children to go barefoot or wear socks for as long as possible. The bones in a child's feet are very soft and can easily be damage, which can lead to posture problems.
Wait until your child is walking unaided, and ready to walk outside, before buying his first pair of shoes and please get his feet measured by someone who's properly qualified.
But it's not just baby games that your baby will need, he'll also enjoy physical contact and will enjoy being massaged, and this will help relax your baby, keep his joints flexible and encourage muscle coordination.
Massage will also give you confidence in handling your baby and help you get to know him.
Ask your doctor about massaging your baby, it is important to get the right information before you start.
Food is a brilliant way for children to learn it stimulates your baby's sense of taste and smell by allowing him a wide variety of tastes and textures, it is important to allow your baby to experiment and see how your baby reacts to different foods and varying taste.
Eating food with his hands is natural and beneficial, and should be encourage.
So many children come to fear food by having to eat everything on the plate, others become fussy eaters through not being taught to experiment with food.
Most importantly remember that you are your baby's super hero; he looks up to you for the best start in life and what you do and how you react in his environment, will be reflected in him, he will follow in your footsteps.
You can make a difference
Your baby will grow more now, in the first year of his or her little life than at any other time, both physically and mentally.
Education Baby games and toys should be bright. The brighter the better! Bright colours, moving objects, classical music and textured toys will all help to stimulate your baby, as he begins to discover his whole new world.
Baby educational games and toys will help your baby to learn about the world in a fun and safe way, they will have more fun with a toy if it's stimulating to the sense of sight, hearing, touch, taste or smell than they would if it was just cute or pretty.
As your baby grows, you will want educational toys that help your child learn eye-hand coordination and develop their large and small motor-control skills, you will also need educational baby games and toys that stimulate social and language development, imagination, and creativity.
The first senses babies use to learn, are sight and sound. When your baby is born their favourite sight is you, and they love to hear your voice. Now you can sing to your hearts content, they will love it.
So what else do baby need?
Not a lot, so don't go over the top with toys, they don't need it and neither does your bank account. It won't be long before they will want every toy and game there is, so be sensible while you can.
Interaction is your great fun learning game, seeing you, listening to you, giggling and laughing at you. But you cannot be your child's only entertainment system, you will need some time out!
So lets look at some other toys and games that your baby will love.
Up to eight weeks old your babies favourite sight and sounds are human faces and voices, they will also enjoy watching brightly coloured mobiles, wind-chimes and cot-toys, if clearly in view, they will focus best on hand-held toys that are 8 inches from their face and will respond to soft music and being rocked gently.
At twelve weeks your baby can focus for longer on mobiles and cot-toys, they will also be able to see them at a greater distance. He will show a preference for bright colours and look at them for longer, but he will still have more interest in human faces and large pictures of faces, he will also enjoy wrist rattles, musical toys and squeaky toys.
From three to six months he will start to grasp a toy that is placed in his hand, and will begin to reach for toys. Your babies favourite early toys will be lightweight rattles and colourful teething rings, he will have learned to use both hands and will start to play with foam bricks, soft balls, cuddly soft toys or grip-toys with an internal squeak.
He will love floor activities up to the age of nine months, large bright activity quilts are a good idea, as is a activity centres. He will also love colourful toys with interesting designs and textures to study during quiet play, and of course, noisy toys for rattling and banging will have them enjoying and laughing.
Their first books should be brightly illustrated and made from "Chew Proof" card or Textured Fabrics, push and pull along toys will encourage walking and be a great aid for balancing.
Learning to walk is a fabulous time for your baby, but can be testing on you, as they will be everywhere, and while trying out their newfound skill, there will be bumps, cries and tears, and some of those will be yours.
The average ages for walking is between nine and thirteen months, but remember, this is only guideline so don't be concerned if they're not quite on the move yet.
The timing is determined by your baby's muscle strength, his ability to balance and most importantly, his personality, his motivation and confidence. The weight of your baby may also play a part; a heavier baby will take longer to get up on their feet.
Give plenty of praise when he starts walking, they need encouragement just like we do, but don't try to rush him along if he's not quite ready, if he is pushed to quickly he may go back to crawling until he feels ready to give it another go.
Walking Aids or 'Walkers' come in many shapes and sizes, from simple baby learning toys such as Building Block Trolleys to Walkers that develop from simple aids to ride on toys, as you toddler's skills develop.
Baby ride on toys, are great for developing and strengthening the muscles in his legs and arms, the best one of all, has to be The Rocking Horse. This is excellent for learning to keep their balance and start their pretend play, there are others such as sea-saw and trikes, but you can't beat the classics.
This form of play benefits all toddlers. It improves mood, appetite and quality of sleep and brings better general health, it also develops their muscles, increases their strength and agility, and improves their co-ordination,
Just a quick note about the First Pair of Shoes
While your baby is still crawling, shoes are largely there for decoration, although it's important that they are not too small.
When children start to walk, they often curl their toes, so it's better for children to go barefoot or wear socks for as long as possible. The bones in a child's feet are very soft and can easily be damage, which can lead to posture problems.
Wait until your child is walking unaided, and ready to walk outside, before buying his first pair of shoes and please get his feet measured by someone who's properly qualified.
But it's not just baby games that your baby will need, he'll also enjoy physical contact and will enjoy being massaged, and this will help relax your baby, keep his joints flexible and encourage muscle coordination.
Massage will also give you confidence in handling your baby and help you get to know him.
Ask your doctor about massaging your baby, it is important to get the right information before you start.
Food is a brilliant way for children to learn it stimulates your baby's sense of taste and smell by allowing him a wide variety of tastes and textures, it is important to allow your baby to experiment and see how your baby reacts to different foods and varying taste.
Eating food with his hands is natural and beneficial, and should be encourage.
So many children come to fear food by having to eat everything on the plate, others become fussy eaters through not being taught to experiment with food.
Most importantly remember that you are your baby's super hero; he looks up to you for the best start in life and what you do and how you react in his environment, will be reflected in him, he will follow in your footsteps.
You can make a difference
Your baby will grow more now, in the first year of his or her little life than at any other time, both physically and mentally.
Science Experiments For Kids
In high-school science was always one of my favorite subjects. I was one of those students always pestering the teacher with questions about why stuff happens. As I was cleaning out some of my stuff last week, I found a collection of my science experiments for kids. As they don't really help me anymore, I have decided to post a couple here.
So here are some of my science experiments for kids
Baking Soda and Vinegar Rocket
Equipment -
• Baking Soda
• Vinegar
• A one liter Bottle
Method -
1. Fill the bottle with about an inch of vinegar
2. Fill a small bag with baking soda and loosely seal it
3. Put the bag in the bottle
4. Put the lid on the bottle
5. Shake for 5-10 seconds
6. Throw and run!
Baking Soda Volcano
Equipment -
• 6 cups flour
• 2 cups salt
• 4 tablespoons cooking oil
• Plastic soda bottle
• A deep dish
• Warm water
• Red food coloring
• Detergent
• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• Vinegar
Method -
1. Mix 6 cups flour, 2 cups salt, 4 tablespoons coking oil, and 2 cups of water to get a smooth and firm mixture
2. Stand the bottle in the dish and mould the mixture into a volcano shape. Do NOT cover the hole or allow anything inside it
3. Fill the bottle about 2/3 of the way with warm water that has had red food coloring in it.
4. Add 6 drops of detergent into the bottle
5. Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda
6. Slowly pour vinegar into the volcano
7. Watch
Invisible Ink
Equipment -
• Baking Soda
• Paper
• Water
• Paintbrush or Swab
Method
1. Mix equal portions of baking soda and water
2. Using the paintbrush, write a message on paper, using the mixture
3. Allow time to dry
4. Hold the paper near something hot (like a light bulb) to make the ink turn visible
So here are some of my science experiments for kids
Baking Soda and Vinegar Rocket
Equipment -
• Baking Soda
• Vinegar
• A one liter Bottle
Method -
1. Fill the bottle with about an inch of vinegar
2. Fill a small bag with baking soda and loosely seal it
3. Put the bag in the bottle
4. Put the lid on the bottle
5. Shake for 5-10 seconds
6. Throw and run!
Baking Soda Volcano
Equipment -
• 6 cups flour
• 2 cups salt
• 4 tablespoons cooking oil
• Plastic soda bottle
• A deep dish
• Warm water
• Red food coloring
• Detergent
• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• Vinegar
Method -
1. Mix 6 cups flour, 2 cups salt, 4 tablespoons coking oil, and 2 cups of water to get a smooth and firm mixture
2. Stand the bottle in the dish and mould the mixture into a volcano shape. Do NOT cover the hole or allow anything inside it
3. Fill the bottle about 2/3 of the way with warm water that has had red food coloring in it.
4. Add 6 drops of detergent into the bottle
5. Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda
6. Slowly pour vinegar into the volcano
7. Watch
Invisible Ink
Equipment -
• Baking Soda
• Paper
• Water
• Paintbrush or Swab
Method
1. Mix equal portions of baking soda and water
2. Using the paintbrush, write a message on paper, using the mixture
3. Allow time to dry
4. Hold the paper near something hot (like a light bulb) to make the ink turn visible
Geology Activities-Inspiring Life-Long Learning with Fun
Do you need geology activities? For a classroom? Homeschooling? Something different for an after school program? Maybe you don’t know how much you need them.
If you’ve ever taken a walk in the woods with a young child, you’ve probably observed a natural love of rocks and minerals. Shape, color, texture…any of these can warrant special notice, a quick pick-up and a drop in the pocket. Once home, those same rocks can spark a memory or an imagination of how it came to be there at just that spot in the path.
A love for the natural world is so universal that if you drop “rocks and minerals” into a Google search you’ll find over 9 million websites from countries all around the world--and lots of these are directed to children or made by children. On a short search, I encountered sites by teachers for students, by avid rock hounds for aspiring rock hounds, by colleges, universities, and museums, and by folks who just LOVE rocks!
That’s why we recommend starting a geology club.
Geology Club In Ohio
Last year, Kathy Koenig of Cincinnati started a geology club for 7 and 8 year-olds. Being a teacher, she wanted to inspire kids in a subject she knew would be lots of fun. She also wanted to give the students plenty of opportunities for some genuine science work. She planned out a years worth of geology activities and lessons.
The Basic Plan
The club met for eight sessions monthly throughout the school year. Students paid $25 for the year-long club, all of which was to be used to purchase specimens, experimental materials, and geology activities, that could then be owned by the students. Kathy searched hard to find resources who would give her a lot for her money. (That’s how she found us at www.fossilicious.com!)
Attendance
Would you be surprised if you found out that this geology club had nearly 100% attendance, even on Friday afternoons after school? That’s what happened! Even on the last day of the week, kids were thrilled to spend time LEARNING!
The students worked with:
• crystals and crystal growing
• classification of minerals
• the practical uses of minerals around the house
• the rock cycle and the events that lead to different formations
• how fossils are formed
• how to identify and dig for fossils
• and, of course, starting their own fossil,rock and mineral collections.
Careful Planning And a Little Help
While Kathy planned the sessions and led the meetings, parent volunteers were there to support the students in their geology activities. Most of the meeting time was spent in hands on geology activities with real specimens. The extra adult support allowed more of the children to be eng
If you’ve ever taken a walk in the woods with a young child, you’ve probably observed a natural love of rocks and minerals. Shape, color, texture…any of these can warrant special notice, a quick pick-up and a drop in the pocket. Once home, those same rocks can spark a memory or an imagination of how it came to be there at just that spot in the path.
A love for the natural world is so universal that if you drop “rocks and minerals” into a Google search you’ll find over 9 million websites from countries all around the world--and lots of these are directed to children or made by children. On a short search, I encountered sites by teachers for students, by avid rock hounds for aspiring rock hounds, by colleges, universities, and museums, and by folks who just LOVE rocks!
That’s why we recommend starting a geology club.
Geology Club In Ohio
Last year, Kathy Koenig of Cincinnati started a geology club for 7 and 8 year-olds. Being a teacher, she wanted to inspire kids in a subject she knew would be lots of fun. She also wanted to give the students plenty of opportunities for some genuine science work. She planned out a years worth of geology activities and lessons.
The Basic Plan
The club met for eight sessions monthly throughout the school year. Students paid $25 for the year-long club, all of which was to be used to purchase specimens, experimental materials, and geology activities, that could then be owned by the students. Kathy searched hard to find resources who would give her a lot for her money. (That’s how she found us at www.fossilicious.com!)
Attendance
Would you be surprised if you found out that this geology club had nearly 100% attendance, even on Friday afternoons after school? That’s what happened! Even on the last day of the week, kids were thrilled to spend time LEARNING!
The students worked with:
• crystals and crystal growing
• classification of minerals
• the practical uses of minerals around the house
• the rock cycle and the events that lead to different formations
• how fossils are formed
• how to identify and dig for fossils
• and, of course, starting their own fossil,rock and mineral collections.
Careful Planning And a Little Help
While Kathy planned the sessions and led the meetings, parent volunteers were there to support the students in their geology activities. Most of the meeting time was spent in hands on geology activities with real specimens. The extra adult support allowed more of the children to be eng
Best Way To Become An Alpha Male
The best way to become an alpha male is get out of beta male traits. Don't get me
wrong at this point I have absolutely nothing against beta males; on the contrary I love them. It is funny to see how they are talking with women or dealing with other alpha males. In fact I think the world would be very boring if everybody would be an alpha male. But this article is not about beta males or the other billions of men in the world it is about you. Maybe you want a definition of an alpha male then sorry but I can't give you one it is impossible to define this. Being an alpha male is a way of life, it starts from the moment you wake up. Becoming an alpha male is a status you have to deserve. True you are out of control with some things such as your height, your family or your skin colour (unless your name is Michael Jackson) but for all the other things you are in control.
Alpha Males are masters in controlling the situation they life in their own world and don't take orders from anybody. The society has a role for you and beta males are taking it whether they like it or not. Today's society doesn't allow it that you are rich and especially not that you are good with women. It looks like a big conspiracy but it is funny to see that most people will give you "advice" like be nice, buy women drinks, work hard and so on. An alpha male never takes orders from someone else.
Most if not all of the alpha males are self-employed. Of course it takes a lot of risk but I don't like it if someone tells me what to do and especially not if they are telling me how to do it. Being your own boss is by no mean a big step in the right direction.
There are rich alpha males and rich beta males; there are good looking alpha males and good looking beta males. The opposite is that beta males will brag about it. If you say to a woman I have a house with an indoor swimming pool and a six-pack you are seeking for approval. Always make sure that a woman finds this out on her own. This way you are a little bit mysterious in her eyes.
Look good an alpha male follows the latest fashion trends. Most men don't as much value like women do to clothes and fashion but you have to do it. It is important that you pay attention to your shoes. Next time you go shopping pick out two pair of shoes you like and ask a woman for her opinion. This way you know what women like but on the other hand you have a reason to start a conversation with her. Shaving is important as well and I'm not only talking about your hair. In some circumstances it is recommended that you have a beard to obscure acne-scarred cheeks for example.
A cool hair style is also important most and here is a little yet effective secret.Ironically enough most real alpha males go to gay male barbers they know which hairstyles women like.
Keep in mind this was only a brief description of the alpha male so body language and tone voice are also very if not more important. But remember the best way to become an alpha male is get rid of your past beta male life.
wrong at this point I have absolutely nothing against beta males; on the contrary I love them. It is funny to see how they are talking with women or dealing with other alpha males. In fact I think the world would be very boring if everybody would be an alpha male. But this article is not about beta males or the other billions of men in the world it is about you. Maybe you want a definition of an alpha male then sorry but I can't give you one it is impossible to define this. Being an alpha male is a way of life, it starts from the moment you wake up. Becoming an alpha male is a status you have to deserve. True you are out of control with some things such as your height, your family or your skin colour (unless your name is Michael Jackson) but for all the other things you are in control.
Alpha Males are masters in controlling the situation they life in their own world and don't take orders from anybody. The society has a role for you and beta males are taking it whether they like it or not. Today's society doesn't allow it that you are rich and especially not that you are good with women. It looks like a big conspiracy but it is funny to see that most people will give you "advice" like be nice, buy women drinks, work hard and so on. An alpha male never takes orders from someone else.
Most if not all of the alpha males are self-employed. Of course it takes a lot of risk but I don't like it if someone tells me what to do and especially not if they are telling me how to do it. Being your own boss is by no mean a big step in the right direction.
There are rich alpha males and rich beta males; there are good looking alpha males and good looking beta males. The opposite is that beta males will brag about it. If you say to a woman I have a house with an indoor swimming pool and a six-pack you are seeking for approval. Always make sure that a woman finds this out on her own. This way you are a little bit mysterious in her eyes.
Look good an alpha male follows the latest fashion trends. Most men don't as much value like women do to clothes and fashion but you have to do it. It is important that you pay attention to your shoes. Next time you go shopping pick out two pair of shoes you like and ask a woman for her opinion. This way you know what women like but on the other hand you have a reason to start a conversation with her. Shaving is important as well and I'm not only talking about your hair. In some circumstances it is recommended that you have a beard to obscure acne-scarred cheeks for example.
A cool hair style is also important most and here is a little yet effective secret.Ironically enough most real alpha males go to gay male barbers they know which hairstyles women like.
Keep in mind this was only a brief description of the alpha male so body language and tone voice are also very if not more important. But remember the best way to become an alpha male is get rid of your past beta male life.
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