Click the link to watch the recording.
Mini Lesson 1: The Digital Divide and Inaccessibility Within Communities
Tag: #STEM
Little Library at the South Pole
There are now Little Free Libraries on all seven continents! We are thrilled to introduce the first Little Free Library in Antarctica, which was established by Dr. Russell Schnell at the South Pole.
The South Pole Little Free Library is Schnell’s 37th installation. He built his first library in 2013 for his daughter’s home in St. Louis followed by another for his own home. Since then he has created libraries for locations like Mount Fuji, Japan; an Aboriginal area in Warrnambool, Australia; and a First Peoples Cree reserve in Maskwacis, Alberta, Canada. Schnell prides himself on using recycled materials whenever he can. He has eight more libraries ready to be installed, plus requests for more.
History of Little Library
In 2009, Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin, built a model of a one room schoolhouse. It was a tribute to his mother; she was a teacher who loved to read. He filled it with books and put it on a post in his front yard. His neighbors and friends loved it, so he built several more and gave them away.
Read more here.
Educators! Win a Gift Card to Insomnia Cookies!
Educators! Click the link and take a quick survey to WIN a gift card to Insomnia Cookies!
All About Artic Foxes
Artic Foxes are native to the Artic tundra areas within the Northern Hemisphere.
Artic Foxes thrive in some of the coldest conditions on earth due to their thick and dense coats of fur. Their thick fur coat keeps the foxes body at a toasty 104°F. Their feet also have a layer of thick fur, like built-in snow boots. Arctic foxes also have fur-covered paws that work to keep their bodies warm in the winter.
Arctic Foxes are meat and opportunistic eaters.
Artic Foxes are known to hunt and eat small rodents called lemmings. They even eat fish, birds, and large predators such as polar bears and wolves.
Artic Foxes seek shelter in burrows known as fox den’s.
These dens are built by the fox family and passed down each generation. Yes, Arctic fox dens are used for many generations—some are as old as 300 years. The Arctic Fox’s den has several entrances for security.
Artic Foxes are solitary animals.
During the Fall months, Artic Foxes are solitary animals and preserve fat but do not hibernate. In the Spring months, these Foxes live as families and breed and raid Fox puppies.
These foxes are fast!
The Artic Fox can sprint up to 50 kilometers or 31 miles per hour!
Artic Foxes live 3 to 6 years.
The mortality is much higher during the cub years and ranges as high as 75%. The oldest Fox recorded was 16 years old.
Artic Fox Activity
Wildflowers-What Kind You Should Be On The Lookout For This Summer?
Black Eyed Susan’s
Black Eyed Susan’s are the most popular wildflower in America. These bright flowers can be found in open fields and can reach up to 3 feet tall each. Butterflies, bees, and a variety of insects are attracted to the flowers for the nectar. Expect these flowers to bloom between June and October of each year.
Common Milkweed
Common milkweeds can be found throughout the United States, however, they are more prominent in the eastern states. These flowers are high in fragrance and attract varying types of pollinators including the Monarch butterfly. The Monarch butterfly is known to lay their eggs in the milkweed plant. These flowers bloom midsummer.
Pink Evening Primrose
The Pink Evening Primrose is native of the southeastern region of the United States. This wildflower spreads rapidly and tends to push down other plants when planted. It is suggested to grow this plant within a container to prevent wide spreading.
Fox Glove
This beautiful and unique flower is native to Europe and the Mediterranean region. Although extremely beautiful, Fox Gloves are poisonous. Fox Gloves produce 20 to 80 purple-pink flowers ranging in different colors. Foxglove’s bloom from June to September.
Spiderwort
Spiderwort is native to North America, South America, and Central America and blooms in the spring. Spiderworts can grow up to two feet. When a Spiderwort is cracked open, the stem of the secrets a white, sticky substance that becomes thread-like and silky once hardened (similar to a spider’s web). This is why the flower is named Spiderwort.
New England Aster
New England Aster flowers are native to Northeastern United States. It is recommended that these plants receive full sunlight. These flowers range in colors of white, purple, yellow, and pink with yellow centers.
Plains Coreopsis
Plains Coreopsis plant is commonly found in Canada, northeast Mexico, and much of the United States. This plant is an annual flower. Planters can expect several months of bloom and color until Fall/Winter. It generally reaches 3-4’ in height.
All About Seals
Environment
- Seals live in the cold ocean waters of the Arctic or off the coasts of Antarctica depending on the type of seal.
- Fur seals and sea lions live in the Northern Pacific between Asia and North America and off the coasts of South America, Antarctica, southwestern Africa and southern Australia.
- Harp, ringed, hooded, spotted, bearded and ribbon seals live in the Arctic. Crabeater, Weddell, leopard and Ross seals live in the Antarctic.
- Seals also make caves to live within.
Diet
- Seals are known to eat fish, but they will also eat eel, squid, octopus and lobster.
- A seal mom milk can be 50% fat and baby seals can drink 2kgs a day!
Other Facts
- It is estimated there are 2 million to 75 million individual seals, according to the IUCN.
- Seas prefer cold water! That explains why they are found in Antartica!
- In the wild, seals can live for up to 30 years with females having a higher life expectancy than the males.
- Seals can sleep underwater!
- Seal baby and mom recognize each other with a wild call after experiencing separation.
Best Seal Spotting Locations in Long Island, NY
Jones Beach Energy and Nature Center – Wantagh.
Atlantic Marine Conservation Society – Southampton.
Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island (CRESLI) – Westhampton Beach.
Meerkat Facts- The Small and Mysterious Animal
Environment
- Meerkats are specially adapted to living in the harsh desert environment.
- Meerkats can live in pretty much any dessert. However, Meerkats live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, Namib Desert in Namibia and south-western Angola and in South Africa.
- Their social cooperation within a large group and their extensively burrowed tunnels helps them to survive in arid African deserts.
- Meerkats will also share their burrows with beetles.
- Despite living in the desert unbelievably meerkats do not need extra water in their diets. They get all the moisture they need from the insects and grubs they eat.
Diets
- Meerkats are insectivores, which means most of their diet is made up of insects.
- However, they are also known to eat small mammals, snakes and snake eggs, birds and bird eggs, grubs (an insect’s wormlike larva) and even poisonous scorpions.
- Meetkats also enjoy eating fruits and vegetables.
Body Structure
- Very small catlike carnivores, their faces often have a curious look, seemingly taking in everything in their surroundings.
- They have long bodies and short flat ears and are able to stand on their hind legs.
- The color of their coat can be gold, silver, brown or orange, with dark patches around the eyes.
- They can dig their own body weight of dirt within a few seconds and their high endurance enables them to build elaborate tunnels.
- Meerats can live up to eight years in the wild.
- Meerkats are immune to venom and can handle a bite from a poisonous snake.
All About Leopards
This spotted, fierce cat has many interesting features. Read more about the leopard below!
Habitat
- Leopards are found in Africa and Asia, from the Middle Eastern nations to Russia, Korea, China, India, and Malaysia. Consequently, they live in a wide variety of habitats including forests, mountains, deserts and grasslands.
- Leopards can live in a range of geographies and climates, from deserts to rainforests, woodlands, grasslands, savannas, forests, mountains, coastal areas, shrublands, and swamps.
- Studies have shown that leopard subspecies vary in their coloring depending on the area where they reside. Some leopards have different pads on their paws due to their habitat.
Behaviors
- Leopards are skilled climbers, and like to rest in the branches of trees during the day.
- Leopards are active at night when they venture out in search for food. They mostly spend their days resting, camouflaged in the trees or hiding in caves.
- Leopards communicate with each other through distinctive calls. For instance, when a male wants to make another leopard aware of his presence, he’ll make a hoarse, raspy cough.
- Leopards are predominantly solitary animals that have large territories.
- Each leopard spends most of its life in its own territory. And to warn other leopards to stay away, they leave scratches on trees, and urine scent marks around their areas.
Body Structure
- Leopards tend to have distinctive dark spots called rosettes, which create beautiful patterns against their otherwise light fur.
- Black leopards however have dark fur which makes it difficult to see the spots. They appear almost solid black and are often called black panthers.
- Snow leopards have, fur-covered feet act as natural snowshoes – helping distribute their weight over soft snow and protecting them from the cold.
- A leopard’s height can range from 57 to 70 cm and they can reach a length of 90 to 160 cm.
- Females typically weigh between 17 and 65 kg, and a male usually weighs anywhere from 31 to 75 kg.
Famous Leopards
- Bagheera- The Jungle Book
- Sabor- Tarzan
- Makucha- The Lion Guard
Thanks to Africa Freak and Nat Geo Kids !
How to Format a Word Document Using the “Styles” Feature
Learn how to format your Word document using the ‘Styles’ feature in Microsoft.
Microsoft Word has a tools known as styles, which help in formatting a document. The styles tool can be found in the Home ribbon of Microsoft Word.
The purpose of Styles tool is to allow the user to classify certain formatting characteristics as a specific ‘style.’
To create a style, select at least one word you wish to format. Then, change its formatting specifications to match the style you wish to create.
Once your selected word(s) are formatted to your specifications, you can then tell Microsoft Word to make these specifications a ‘style’ by going to the style menu and clicking “New Style.”
The new style window should appear, allowing you to specify the characteristics of your new style. It should already contain the formatting specifications, so all you’ll need to do is name it and then click OK.
You should now see your newly created style within the Style menu.
By Marilynn Andrews, M.A.
The Preschoolers Connect 