Holiday Fun!

Random Fact #2

A polar bear’s skin is black. Its fur is not white, but actually clear. 

 

Random Fact #1

The average human eats 8 spiders in their lifetime at night.   

Eco-friendly kangaroo farts could help global warming: scientists

Story found by Paige (8th grade) 

SYDNEY (AFP) – Australian scientists are trying to give kangaroo-style stomachs to cattle and sheep in a bid to cut the emission of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming, researchers say.

Thanks to special bacteria in their stomachs, kangaroo flatulence contains no methane and scientists want to transfer that bacteria to cattle and sheep who emit large quantities of the harmful gas.

While the usual image of greenhouse gas pollution is a billowing smokestack pushing out carbon dioxide, livestock passing wind contribute a surprisingly high percentage of total emissions in some countries.

“Fourteen percent of emissions from all sources in Australia is from enteric methane from cattle and sheep,” said Athol Klieve, a senior research scientist with the Queensland state government.

“And if you look at another country such as New Zealand, which has got a much higher agricultural base, they’re actually up around 50 percent,” he told AFP.

Researchers say the bacteria also makes the digestive process much more efficient and could potentially save millions of dollars in feed costs for farmers.

“Not only would they not produce the methane, they would actually get something like 10 to 15 percent more energy out of the feed they are eating,” said Klieve.

Even farmers who laugh at the idea of environmentally friendly kangaroo farts say that’s nothing to joke about, particularly given the devastating drought Australia is suffering.

“In a tight year like a drought situation, 15 percent would be a considerable sum,” said farmer Michael Mitton.

But it will take researchers at least three years to isolate the bacteria, before they can even start to develop a way of transferring it to cattle and sheep.

Another group of scientists, meanwhile, has suggested Australians should farm fewer cattle and sheep and just eat more kangaroos.

The idea is controversial, but about 20 percent of health conscious Australians are believed to eat the national symbol already.

“It’s low in fat, it’s got high protein levels it’s very clean in the sense that basically it’s the ultimate free range animal,” said Peter Ampt of the University of New South Wales’s institute of environmental studies.

“It doesn’t get drenched, it doesn’t get vaccinated, it utilizes food right across the landscape, it moves around to where the food is good, so yes, it’s a good food.”

It might take a while for kangaroos to become popular barbecue fare, but with concern over global warming growing in the world’s driest inhabited continent, Australians could soon be ready to try almost anything to cut emissions. 

 

Top 100 Science Discoveries of 2007!

We touched on some of the great stories of 2007 in class… check out the rest of them.  

 www.discovermagazine.com/2008/jan/year-in-science-2007   

GS 2007 Christmas Program!

The kids did an excellent job.  Grade 7th narrated Jesus’ birth while the children of Good Shepherd sang the nativity songs in order.  It was one of our best shows.  Happy Holidays.  

How you catch a cold

I found this great website- About.com .  You can view videos on just about anything, from what happens in your ear during an ear infection to what goes on in your upper respiratory system during a common cold.  Check it out!  

www.video.about.com/coldflu/Upper-Respiratory-Infection.htm  

 

Resolutions for 2008!

In addition to your own New Year’s Parenting Resolutions, this year, how about helping your kids, even your preschoolers and younger school age kids, come up with some New Year’s Resolutions?

With the rise in childhood obesity, continued parental complaints about discipline and behavior problems, and continued teen problems, such as drug and alcohol use, some New Year’s Resolutions to be healthy might be a good idea.

This year, the American Academy of Pediatrics has made it easy by providing these 20 New Year’s tips, which you might talk to your child about trying, depending on their age: 

Preschoolers

• I will clean up my toys.
• I will brush my teeth twice a day, and wash my handsafter going to the bathroom and before eating.
• I won’t tease dogs – even friendly ones. I will avoid being bitten by keeping my fingers and face away from their mouths.

School Age Kids

• I will drink milk and water, and limit soda and fruit drinks.
• I will apply sunscreen before I go outdoors. I will try to stay in the shade whenever possible and wear a hat and sunglasses, especially when I’m playing sports.
• I will try to find a sport (like basketball or soccer) or an activity (like playing tag, jumping rope, dancing or riding my bike) that I like and do it at least three times a week!

 

• I will always wear a helmet when bicycling.
• I will wear my seat belt every time I get in a car. I’ll sit in the back seat and use a booster seat until I am tall enough to use a lap/shoulder seat belt.
• I’ll be nice to other kids. I’ll be friendly to kids who need friends – like someone who is shy, or is new to my school
• I’ll never give out personal information such as my name, home address, school name or telephone number on the Internet. Also, I’ll never send a picture of myself to someone I chat with on the computer without my parent’s permission.

Teens

• I will eat at least one fruit and one vegetable every day, and I will limit the amount of soda I drink.
• I will take care of my body through physical activity and nutrition.
• I will choose non-violent television shows and video games, and I will spend only one to two hours each day – at the most – on these activities.
• I will help out in my community – through volunteering, working with community groups or by joining a group that helps people in need.
• I will wipe negative “self talk” (i.e. “I can’t do it” or “I’m so dumb”) out of my vocabulary.
• When I feel angry or stressed out, I will take a break and find constructive ways to deal with the stress, such as exercising, reading, writing in a journal or discussing my problem with a parent or friend.
• When faced with a difficult decision, I will talk with an adult about my choices
  • I will be careful about whom I choose to date, and always treat the other person with respect and without coercion or violence.
  • I will resist peer pressure to try drugs and alcohol.

   

 

Merry Christmas!

Let’s ring in kindness, plenty of hope, and blessed peace on earth.  Let’s ring in joy and faith and love as we ring in Jesus’ birth!  Wishing you peace this holiday season and for 2008. Ms. Bhakta 

Is genetics a huge puzzle to you?

Do you have trouble telling a gene
from a chromosome from a base pair?
Then check out Current Science’s latest
animated film, “Tracing Genes,” and find out what those terms mean and how
they’re related.
http://www.weeklyreader.com/genetics/