Relativity There was a young lady named Bright Whose speed was far faster than light; She set out one day In a relative way And returned on the previous night. Einstein developed his theory of general relativity between 1907 and 1915, with contributions by many others after 1915. The final form of general relativity was published in 1916. This…
On the Fifth Day the scientists who studied the rivers were forbidden to speak or to study the rivers. The scientists who studied the air were told not to speak of the air, and the ones who worked for the farmers were silenced, and the ones who worked for the bees. Someone, from deep in the Badlands, began posting facts.…
We had some glorious fall days last week (as well as some much-needed rain). It was perfect weather for the soccer and cross-country teams. I took advantage of the sunshine to visit the lower school at recess. Plans were being made, plots hatched, games created and imagination extended. And plenty of opportunity to run, slide, chase, ride, jump, swing, hang and…
I’m tired of the weasel-worded politicians who trot out “I am not a scientist” when asked a rational question that has the potential to challenge a deeply held, irrational, ignorant ideology. When the threat of a shred of reality, logic, facts, knowledge, evidence, truth, common sense, intelligence or science looms they trot out that lame and deeply ignorant deflection. What…
I learned a great deal about eels from Graham Swift’s remarkable 1983 novel Waterland set in the watery fens of eastern England. The history of the scientific understanding of the eel – Aristotle posited that they sprang from the mud – and the mystery of their epic migration to spawn in the Sargasso sea feature in the story of a…
If you’re thinking about Loving Learning and what all that emerging, integrated and experiential curriculum looks like in the real classroom here’s what a fifth grade parent shared on her Facebook page. It is reproduced here with her permission: A glimpse into why we do everything we can (read spend all of our money and time) to send our son…
Strategic plan outcomes can all seem rather formal and abstract until something like this leaps out and grabs your attention. This story is about a high school teacher, his students, their research and how they made a contribution to the scientific study of invasive species in our region. So … Congratulations to high school science teacher Brent Boscarino and PDS…
It’s a good word grit. It’s short, and it has the good old English language virtue of getting right to the point. It also sets my teeth on edge. Why? Well for one, grit – it seems – has become one of those condescending terms that successful people use to describe what the less successful lack. Gritlessness…
Your one and only chance to see Venus transit the face of the sun. Stay tuned for what’s happening at PDS. It won’t happen again until December 2117. On June 5th, 2012, Venus will transit the face of the sun in an event of both historical and observational importance. The best places to watch are in the south Pacific, but…
There are lots of reasons not to like Facebook and I respect all those many people for whom it is just not their cup of tea. But there is one thing that Facebook is really good for and for which, as yet at least, there is no better alternative. And that’s doing a little institutional bragging – sharing, show-and-tell or…
Look at what happens when Mozart catches fire! What I love most about the video is their reactions. And the physics of course. The story of the experiment was first posted in February, 2010. Preston and Jake continued their research into pressure, sound and waves. This video from May 2011 is the result of that Independent Study. I understand that…
In contrast to Hobbes’ view in Leviathan that we are destined to lives that are “… solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short”, Dr. Dacher Keltner of the UC Berkeley Greater Good Science Center presents the case that we are – in the words of the title of his recent book – “born to be good”. The Evolutionary Benefits of Altruism…
From the NYTimes Scientifically tested tests …there are few indications that the multiple-choice format of a typical test, in which students are quizzed on the specific formulas and bits of information they have memorized that year, actually measures what we need to know about children’s education. Susan Engel was also on The Academic Minute on WAMC this morning. You can…
“To succeed…it’s the fire within that must be lit.” Purpose, mastery, autonomy (mission not money as motivation.) Watch the video and then think of the implications for school. What do we reward students for doing?
It is quite possible that the assigning of grades to school children and college students as a kind of reward or punishment is useless or worse… I’ve discovered an absolute treasure trove of fascinating material: Popular Science has put its entire 137 year archive on line. The quotation above is from Examinations, Grades and Credits by Professor J.McKeen Cattell of…