 Experimenting with Creativity: Integrating Arts in the Science Classroom
Experiential learning is a useful and student-centred teaching strategy that incorporates a holistic education paradigm, and is very easily integrated into the science classroom. It allows for students to become more emotionally involved in learning experiences. As such, incorporating the arts, which also elicit strong emotional connections from students, would particularly useful in an experiential education context. The Grade 8 Fluids unit provides an environmental education link that allows holistic education to meet experiential learning and the 5E instructional model in the classroom. By Katherine Kerley.
 Education for Sustainable Development in the Elementary Classroom
Sustainability is related to social and environmental problems that impact the environment, the economy and society. Education plays a vital role in carrying out sustainable development. Education for sustainable development (ESD) aims to help people develop attitudes, skills and knowledge to make informed decisions for the benefit of themselves and others, now and in the future, and to act upon these decision. But what does ESD look like in the classroom, and the elementary classroom in particular? The author delves into this question further. By Katlyn Davis.
 Sound Reflects!
This fun demonstration will illustrate that sound travels and can reflect off solids. By Mehrdad Wellington.
Hot STAO Website: Voyager – The Interstellar Mission
Where are Voyagers 1 and 2 right now? This website gives you their locations in real time. Reviewed by Stan Taylor.
Elements Hot Review: Dreadful Fates: What a Shocking Way To Go
This book is full of stories concerning the demise of famous and not-so-famous individuals. Intriguing? Read on. Reviewed by Stan Taylor.
 The Sun: Part of a Balanced Breakfast
This activity can be used to demonstrate how to use renewable energy from the sun as an alternative to non-renewable energy sources. It also provides an opportunity to reuse materials originally created for another purpose. By Blake Bowley.
Children’s Literature and the Science Curriculum
A quality children’s literature program needs to be correlated with ongoing science lessons and units of study. It can enhance and enrich the science curriculum. Learn more about how to integrate a love of reading into the science curriculum. By Dr. Marlow Ediger.
 The Great Silly-Putty Experiment
In this engaging activity, students make their own silly putty slime. By Rachel Eisenberg and Kate Higgins.
 Singin’ the Black and Blues
Unless you are a troglodyte and never leave your cave, you most likely see the sky every day and maybe even some nights. Kids often ask, “Why is the sky blue?” Or if they saw a beautiful sunset or sunrise, they might ask, “Why is the sky red?” Come to think of it, why is the sky black at night, even though we can see thousands of other suns? Investigating colour and light. By Diane Fisher. From NASA’s Space Place Newsletter.
| STAO Hot Review: 365 Days of Astronomy – Your Daily Astronomy Podcast
365 Days of Astronomy is a project that was started as part of the IYOA in 2009, and has published one podcast every day, for all of 2009, 2010 and 2011. Its creators are hoping to keep it alive during 2012 as well. The podcast episodes are written, recorded and produced by people around the world. It is truly a global astronomy phenomenon. Find out why this site is so intriguing. By Shayla Gunter-Goldstein.
 Calendar and Science News
Science Fairs, contests and workshops… oh my! So much to participate in this coming winter/spring 2012!
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