ExperiementsFamily FieldtripsSwan Lake Nature Study AreaThere's a wetland in our neighborhood! Less than a 10-minute drive away from O'Brien STEM Academy is Swan Lake Nature Study Area, a magnificent wetland with tons of bird-watching opportunities.
From O'Brien, take a right out of the parking lot on to Stead Blvd. When you get to Lear Blvd., turn right. Follow Lear Blvd. until it turns in to a dirt road. Follow the dirt road to the left until you get to the parking area. There is an excellent interpretive boardwalk trail with signs that explain the local ecology, plant life, and animal life. Visit Swan Lake at different times of the year to see dramatically different water levels, and different types of migratory birds. Lake TahoeAbout an hour's drive away from us is the largest alpine lake in North America. In addition to being a beautiful, clear lake surrounded by mountains, the water flowing out of Lake Tahoe is the beginning of the Truckee River, which is where we get all our water.
There are several great hiking trails where you can explore the geology and ecology of the area first-hand. An easy one to do with your family is the Tahoe Meadows Interpretive Loop, slightly past the summit on Mt. Rose Hwy. Ice Cream Recipe
Homemade PlaydoughMany students have expressed interest in the recipe for playdough that I use for the Fossil Record lab. If you are making playdough at home, especially with younger siblings or without adult supervision, I would recommend that you use a different recipe from what I used and make the uncooked variety. There's a good recipe at THIS LINK.
No-Cook Playdough Recipe Warning: Do not eat! Keep away from dogs and other pets. Playdough contains enough salt to cause a dangerous salt imbalance. Ingredients: 1/2 cup salt 1/2 cup water 1 cup flour (add more if it is too sticky) food coloring (optional) Mix the salt and flour together, then add the water. Stir until water is fully mixed in to the mixture. Add a few drops of food coloring and knead until the color is fully mixed in. You can add more food coloring to make the color brighter. If your playdough is too sticky, knead more flour in to it. |
Science Songs |