Blog
Challenging the Views of Stephen Hawking
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PorED1i9fs8 Imagine having the nerve to argue against Stephen Hawking – certainly the best known and one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists of our time. Physicists Gerard ’t Hooft and Leonard Susskind disagreed with Hawking's...
FREE Teacher and Family Day at the Ontario Science Centre-Nov 29
You're Invited! You and your family are invited to a free day at the Ontario Science Centre including a special science show. Date: Saturday, November 29, 2014 Special Show Time: 10 to 11 a.m. Exhibit Halls: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parking: free before 10 a.m.; $10 after...
Pneumatic Toys: How to Build Toys Out of Wood with Your Children
>>> A book review by Sylvia Welke. Stan Taylor, a long-time science teacher, STAO member, and contributor, has written a great little manual for building cool toys that demonstrate the principle of the multiplication of force. Not only can this instructive...
SciNews – Nov 17, 2014
This regular feature of STAOblog brings you a sampling of the latest science news that would be of particular interest to your students. Incorporate these stories into your lesson. Or, use them as a "cool attention-grabber" at the start of class. Above all, enjoy...
Tennis Anyone ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pSNyawA0KE This may not be the conventional way of serving a tennis ball but it's a great application of conservation of momentum. As the ball and racket rebound off the ground, the racket transfers some of its momentum to the ball....
Bigger than Brontasaurus – Dreadnoughtus!
In September 2014, paleontologists working in Patagonia, Argentina, uncovered what may be the largest known animal ever to walk the Earth. The dinosaur, named Dreadnoughtus schrani, had an estimated mass of 59 tonnes – equivalent to seven African bull elephants. It...
Set an Example – An Ecology Centre in Your Schoolyard
By>>> Canadian Wildlife Federation. Guess what? Your schoolyard is an ecosystem, too. It's a great place for play at recess, but it can be much more than that. It's a perfect spot to practise sustainable development. Why not use it to create an ecology study...
SciNews – Nov 14, 2014
This regular feature of STAOblog brings you a sampling of the latest science news that would be of particular interest to your students. Incorporate these stories into your lesson. Or, use them as a "cool attention-grabber" at the start of class. Above all, enjoy...
#STAO2014 TweetUp Nov 13 &14
@bpcaverhill, @albertfong, @carolynhlgt, @kristianlevey, @megomam, @dmelegos, @MahfuzaLRahman, @staopres, @htheijsmeijer, @staoapso, @staoconference invite you to a TweetUp on Thursday and Friday from 3:00 to 3:30 pm in the Exhibit Hall foyer. This is an opportunity...
Why We Are Made of “Star Stuff” – Reactions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bm479V8qPs&feature=youtu.be As Carl Sagan famously said, “We are made of star stuff.” Whoa. It’s a mind-boggling thought, but what exactly did he mean? Check out the video to find out... Thanks to the American Association of...
Screening for Safer Chemicals using HMIS
Elephant Toothpaste is a popular demonstration to introduce the concept of decomposition reactions. The chemical reaction involved is the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide into oxygen gas and water. The reaction is very slow at room temperature....
Seven Layer Density Column
By Steve Spangler Stack seven different liquids in seven different layers. Anyone can stack blocks, boxes, or books, but only those with a steady hand and a little understanding of chemistry can stack liquids. What if you could stack seven different liquids in seven...