I Want to Be a Scientist

Rachel recorded this last night, following several discussions we’ve been having over the past few weeks about science and becoming a scientist. Last spring I took Rachel to Chris Simon’s classroom at Independence Elementary School in Yukon Public Schools, and she was VERY impressed with the STEM lessons Mr. Simon does with his students. She specifically mentioned that in this short audio podcast.

Rachel has expressed interest in doing more “Talking Science” podcasts, so we’ll likely do that in the weeks ahead. This past August in Montana, Lucy Gray told me about the Maker’s Faire she attended in San Francisco with her kids and how WONDERFUL it was to experience that DIY culture filled with science and engineering projects. I’d love to bring Rachel and my other kids to a Maker’s Faire at some point. A couple of years ago Nathan Parrow (who I interviewed for a podcast on electric car conversions) was working on bringing a Maker’s Faire to Oklahoma City, which would be hosted by our Oklahoma Science Museum. They needed auto insurance aurora co to cover the electric car so they hired RhinoSure. Another type of insurance that everybody should purchase is trade plate covers from i4mt. One Sure Insurance also covers a big selections a vehicles, like scooters or taxis. It would be GREAT to have a local Maker’s Faire. Nathan also told me he was part of a group that was putting together a space in Norman for DIY / STEM projects. I’m not sure what the status of that initiative is either, but I’d love an update if you have info or a related link to share.

Young people start forming their identities about who they are and what they want to do EARLY in life! We can’t underestimate the importance of providing kids with MULTIPLE opportunities to experience how fun, engaging, and challenging science, technology, engineering and math work can be. This can’t wait till middle school, high school or college!

Last night William Chamberlain saw my Tweet about Rachel’s AudioBoo and initiated a conversation with Krissy Venosdale about Space Camp for Rachel. I’m going to look into those options. About five years ago our son, Alexander, attended a week-long day camp at the Cosmosophere in Hutchinson, Kansas. I’m going to look into camp opportunities there as well as at the Houston Space Center, which we visited in July 2011. I am SO thrilled Rachel is excited about science and STEM, and want to do whatever I can as a parent to further nurture these interests… whether or not her Oklahoma City Public Schools‘ elementary school provides these kind of learning experiences “formally” or not. Hopefully we’ll be able to host some kind of “Scratch Camp” for parents and kids at her school later this fall or next spring.

Touching a moon rock!

What Do Rachel’s Parents Do?

Today Rachel invited Shelly and I to share a short presentation in her 1st grade class, because this week she was “Pooh’s Special Friend.”

Pooh's Special Friend Instructions

Pooh's Special Friend

We were asked to share some information with the class about what we do in our jobs, and especially if we use reading and math in our jobs. This was our presentation. The audio recording runs 21 minutes, 20 seconds.




These were the stuffed animals Rachel brought from home this week, as “Pooh’s Special Friend.”

Rachel's Animals for Pooh's Special Friend

I shared Rachel’s “Getting a New Haircut” VoiceThread, as well as her Zebra Print show from the zoo with her class on my iPad during our ‘talk.’

We passed out slips of paper to all the students with the web address of Rachel’s web show (www.thezebraprint.com) with all her classmates, so they’d be able to go home and see more of her shows!

Technorati Tags:
, , , ,

A gaggle of AudioBoos from the Oklahoma City Zoo

Today was our last day before school begins for the 2009-2010 academic year here in central Oklahoma. Our family spent several hours visiting the Oklahoma City zoo this morning with friends, and we took turns recording a series of NINE AudioBoo messages as we toured around. This was my first time to visit the zoo with my iPhone GS, which has 3G network connectivity— SO much faster than EDGE for mobile uploads like this! If you’re an iPhone owner and/or user and are not yet familiar with AudioBoo, you should be! AudioBoo offers a wonderful free iPhone application which allows people to take photos, record audio, and publish both online from “the field.” Now if you don’t have an iPhone, you can still create phoneboo recordings! I have more options listed on my wiki page for Geo-Storychasing.

Click on the direct links below to see the accompanying photo and Google Map from our locations, where we recorded each short (less than 2 minute) Audioboo. Enjoy!

Lions at the Oklahoma City Zoo (Rachel)

Listen!

The cougar has a tail like Pink Panther (Rachel)

Listen!

The deer’s antlers are in velvet (Rachel)

Listen!

Mexican wolves on the move (Alexander)

Listen!

Meet real Oklahoma skunks (Sarah)

Listen!

Meet the American Bison (Wesley)

Listen!

Grizzly bears in Oklahoma (Shelly, Sarah and Rachel)

Listen!

Beavers and otters at the zoo (Wesley)

Listen!

No swimming: Alligator Pond! (Wesley)

Listen!

We LOVE AudioBoo!!!

Technorati Tags:
, , ,

Behold, The Snack Leader! (Dad’s lyrics included)

This was a hoot tonight: Rachel and I created a five minute podcast I published on my main blog titled, “Behold the Glory and Honor of the Snack Leader!”

Here is the script I wrote and read for the first three minutes of the podcast.

In the hallowed halls of government, academica, and scientific research institutions, you may have heard of awards such as these:

The Nobel Prize.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The Congressional Medal of Honor.

To a five year old preschool student, however, these awards are nothing compared to the honor, the prestige, and the glory of one hallowed title…

The right to be… the honor to be… for a single day… the one and only

Snackleader!

[Star Wars Throne Room Theme music]

Yes, the glorious snackleader!

As the chosen snackleader, it is your duty and privilege to be the unquestioned student leader of the day.

Yours is the privilege to select and bring the snack of the day. The snack everyone in your class will eat. The snack you truly love, and want to share with others.

As the snackleader, YOU are the designated line leader of the day. This means EVERYWHERE the class goes, YOU are the leader. You are the one in front. You are the one all other students look to for guidance and direction. Where YOU go, the class will follow. This is the weighty responsibility, as well as JOY, of the class SNACKLEADER.

The obligations of the Snackleader do not end there, however. For it is to the Snackleader ALONE which falls the privilege of SHOW AND TELL for that day. The Snackleader is permitted, and the Snackleader ONLY, to bring something from home– a prized possession, a work of original art, a family pet, or a favored toy, to show and explain to the ENTIRE class. It is the duty of the SNACKLEADER to uncover the mysteries of this item, to reveal to everyone the meaning and significance which this single object holds in the mind of the Snackleader.

As other children in the class sit quietly and listen to the moving stories of the Snackleader, the spotlight of the educational world falls to this one individual. In the spotlight. On the stage.

Honored and recognized. Hailed and hallowed. Behold her in all her glory: The Snackleader!

Rachel (since she can’t read very much yet) didn’t read a script, she just recorded her section impromptu. It seriously IS a huge thrill for her to be the snack leader in her class starting on Thursday. I think it is great her teachers provide students with this opportunity to be in the spotlight and be able to make so many important choices in their classroom for the day.

Technorati Tags:
, , , ,

Mother’s Day Podcasts 2009

We recorded short, 3-5 minute Mother’s Day Podcasts for our mothers today for Mother’s Day, which is coming up this Sunday. These podcasts were inspired by Carol Anne McGuire and her wonderful students. These were the questions we used for our interviews.

1.Tell me your favorite thing about your mother.
2. What does your mother do every day when you are away at school?
3. What does your mommy look like? (How would you describe her to someone who has never seen her before?)
4. What does your mom like to do when she is not working?
5. What does your mom like to eat?
6. How do you show your mother that you love her?
7. How does your mother show you that she loves you?
8. If you could give your mom anything in the whole world, what would you give her?
9. What makes your mom smile really big?
10. What have you learned from your mother?

These audio podcasts are published to a special page created with iWeb on MobileMe, and were also uploaded to EduBlogs.tv (for free) so they could be embedded here and on other websites.

Rachel:

Sarah:

Alexander:

Wesley:

Technorati Tags:
, , , ,

Podcast04: Highlights of our family vacation to Jemez Springs, New Mexico

This podcast by dad, brother, sister, little sister and mom includes reflections on the highlights of our family vacation to Jemez Springs, New Mexico. We also discuss geocaching. It was recorded on Friday, June 6, 2008.

Show Notes:

  1. Our vacation photos on Flickr
  2. Jemez SpringsNew Mexico
  3. Jemez Springs Bathhouse
  4. Laughing Lizard Inn & Cafe
  5. San Antonio Campground, Santa Fe National Forest – USDA Forest Service

Podcast03: Reflections on Los Alamos and the Development of the Atomic Bomb

This podcast was recorded on Thursday, June 5th, 2008, in Los Alamos, New Mexico at the Bradbury Science Museum. In this podcast, Wesley Fryer reflects on the role Los Alamos played in the ending of World War II in the Pacific theater of combat and inauguration/start of the atomic/nuclear age.

Show Notes:

  1. Bradbury Science Museum – Los Alamos
  2. Los Alamos National Laboratory
  3. The Manhattan Project (WikiPedia)
  4. Podcast214: Surrender of the Japanese to the United States Aboard the USS Missouri (a retelling in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii)
  5. Photos of and aboard the USS Missouri in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (December 2007)
  6. The Sadako Story
  7. “Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes” (Eleanor Coerr)
  8. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (Japan)
  9. Valles Caldera National Preserve
  10. Jemez Springs, New Mexico

The best fried pies in Oklahoma

Whenever our family drives from Oklahoma City to Dallas on interstate 35, we love to stop at Davis, Oklahoma, and enjoy some fried pies. I recorded a short video podcast from Davis interviewing Nancy, who inherited the recipe for her fried pies from her mother and grandmother. Nancy’s fried pies are located off exit 51 on I-35 between Dallas and Oklahoma City, just east of the highway.

I found this post from June 2006 by Jon Berry that includes some photos of the fried pies and where they make them. Yum!