Blog
Unlocking The Second Layer Of Genetics – World Science Festival
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us-f9epWuuA&w=728&h=408] The arrangement of the letters in your DNA sequence is not the only thing that shapes you—there’s also the mechanisms that decide what genes get turned on or off, and when. Recently, a...
SciNews Mar 9
Smelly hands, caffeine and cholesterol, ultra-cold, Einstein and Pluto might be a planet again. What more could you ask of SciNews? This eclectic collection of current science news is brought to you every Monday and Thursday. Stay tuned for more. Biology Nice to...
Garbathon or Garbage-athon
Contributed by Les Asselstine. Our students can and should take responsibility for litter on the schoolyard and in the neighbourhood. Here are some possible activities. Regularly collect litter from the schoolyard. Sort litter and classify it according to the rate at...
Elastic Energy and Wave Motion
Would you like two great experiments for teaching the Elastic Energy section of grade 12 physics (SPH4U) and the Waves unit of grade 11 physics (SPH3U)? Computer technology (web camera, video analysis software) used in both...
SciNews Mar 5
Apples that don't discolour, peanut allergies, sunglasses on demand, mummy X-rays and so much more. This eclectic collection of current science news stories is brought to you by STAOBlog. SciNews is published every Monday and Thursday. Stay tuned for more. Biology...
How Far Are We From Teleportation?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_xuqasP6yE] If the idea of teleportation conjures up visuals from Star Trek, you should put those fictional teleports aside. Quantum teleportation, if it’s real, is more about extracting information about an object, and...
Mapping Your Organs and Mystery Meat
Engaging Students in Grade 10 Organs & Organ Systems. By Leila Knetsch Curriculum Connection: Grade 10 D/P Science, Cells and Tissues Unit Diagnostic Map Your Organs Main Lesson Lesson: Organs and Organ Systems – focus on Circulatory, Respiratory, Digestive, and...
STAO Safety Question – Fire Extinguisher Use
Question to STAO Safety Committee: Should teachers be trained on fire extinguisher use? Response STAO does not have a position as regards this training, nor is it required by regulation. There are some organizations (National Research Council in their book, Prudent...
Interactive Science Notebooks – Building Paper Bridges Grade 5
By Lisa Ng. Overview As the need arises for educators to teach beyond the surface of the iceberg, a new era of documentation between the teacher and students have emerged - the Interactive Science notebook. Interactive notebooks are about more than gluing sheets on...
The origins and effects of water pollution: An investigation of the economic, social, and environmental issues related to drinking water
By Varsha Patel. Curriculum Connection: Grade 11 University Chemistry (SCH3U), Solutions and Solubility unit Sample Issue In developing countries, thousands of people – many of them children – die every year from drinking contaminated water. Many of these countries...
There Was No First Human
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdWLhXi24Mo If you traced your family tree back 185 million generations, you wouldn't be looking at a human, a primate, or even a mammal. You'd be looking at a fish. So where along that line does the first human show up? The answer may...
How Herd Mentality Protects us from Infectious Disease
In the following video, the Globe and Mail's Hannah Sung explains how higher vaccination rates protect communities from catching diseases like measles. Click this link to launch the video: http://fw.to/sGWuZCK