Has anyone seen my breakfast?

mikey — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 14:20:42 +0000

The word Oviraptor means “egg thief,” after a fossil specimen was found on top of a pile of what was thought to be Protoceratops eggs. The image below is from Howard Temperley’s In the Days of Dinosaurs.

What Makes a Planet a Planet?

mikey — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:01:25 +0000

How do you solve a problem like a planet?
Meeting in Prague in August of 2006, the IAU (International Astronomical Union) ruled that, in order for a celestial body to be referred to as a planet, it must meet three criteria: 1) it must be in orbit around the sun, 2) it must have sufficient mass for its gravity to force it into a nearly round shape, and 3) it must be able to clear the neighborhood around its orbit. The controversial ruling placed Pluto into the classification of dwarf planet, causing editors of astronomy-related books to bang their heads on their desks incessantly.

Earth as Mother

mikey — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 02:53:26 +0000

Ancient people believed that Earth was a god, and the Greeks referred to Earth as the mother Gaia (GUY-uh). She was also the mother of many of the other gods, including Zeus. Imagine someone telling Zeus that he had to eat his vegetables or go to bed! There’s a story…

Robert Schumann Aphorisms

mikey — Thu, 27 May 2010 13:23:01 +0000

Composer Robert Schumann was famous for his aphorisms (observations containing some degree of truth) and well as his music. This image is one of several from the 2006 Ravinia One Score program.

When you play, do not concern yourself with who may be listening.

Hairs Looking at You, Kid.

mikey — Thu, 06 May 2010 13:27:22 +0000

On average, head hair grows about half an inch a month. But some people’s hair grows more quickly than other people’s. (From Kids Discover Skin.)

How does your hair measure up?

What’s in a Name?

mikey — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:35:21 +0000

I’ve always believed that everything can be renamed, according to its purpose. This image is from Great Games by Williamson Publishing, a great kids book on gaming activities of all kinds.

Let's play, ummm, something! Anything!

Both Sides of Wind Power

mikey — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:21:02 +0000

The upside of wind power is that it works even in the dark (unlike solar power), and it’s something that we don’t need to import. The downside is that wind power doesn’t work when the wind doesn’t blow. In addition, the wind can put a lot of stress on turbine blades, and people complain that they make whirring noises. What do you think?

Images are from Solar and Wind Power, Reader's Digest Children's Books

Reduce, Recycle, Reuse

mikey — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:09:45 +0000

Recycling doesn’t have to be a chore. It can be fun if you find a way to make it interesting, especially if you consider that it’s like putting money in the bank. For more information on recycling, click here.

Find a way to make recycling fun. Be sure to use your imagination.

America’s Carbon Footprint

mikey — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:11:34 +0000

Americans burn one-quarter of Earth’s energy in their cars and air conditioners. But they make up only five percent of the world’s population. With available technology, such as energy efficient lights and better home insulation, Americans could cut their energy usage by 80 percent. For more information, see the Earth issue of Kids Discover. ©Kids Discover magazine

The Geologic Time Scale

mikey — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:38:34 +0000

The geologic time scale is split into four major eras–Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic, and are subdivided into periods. The number beside the era or period in the infotoon below shows how many years ago it began. I thought it would be fun to show it as walk through the park. This would also make for a great class project as well. For more information, see the Earth issue of Kids Discover magazine. We start at the Precambrian…

Click for a larger image. MYA=millions of years ago