Just Cause

A hypothesis is a science guess. We use it to guess the cause of an effect. As scientists we guess causes. We observe (see) effects.

A good hypothesis takes "If _______, then _________" form. The "if" is the guess, or cause. The "then" is the observation, or effect.

Say I drop a penny from the tallest building in the Bronx:

If I drop a penny from the roof, then the penny makes a hole in someone's head on the ground.

Doctors create hypotheses all the time! They observe someone is sick, then explain why. The same is true of earth scientists: They see the Earth is polluted, or dirty, then tell us how we can make it better.

What do you hypothesize the Bronx will look like after 100 years of pollution?

*Graphic courtesy edventures.com

Kid and Play

You are a kid. Play these pollution games.

The pollution games are from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The picture is from early '90s pop rap duo Kid 'N Play, stars of House Party.

Kid 'n Play, the cartoon (NBC, via YouTube)

My New Earth Day Album Drops Next April 22

Now let me remind you that you are the science kings of 163!

"I Pollute"
Southsidebronx Tweensounds
Big Mo Records
I pollute
Soon as I get up and turn on the TV I pollute
And when I drive my car or take the D I pollute
Sometimes when it's hot and I need AC I pollute
And when I listen to an iPod track by Jay-Z I pollute
So kids don't bring your trash to me, please, 'cause I pollute
And kids, don't bring your clean water to me, 'cause I pollute
Please believe it unless your home is airtight with a dustbuster
Then don't bring your stuff around me 'cause I pollute

That's right I tell the truth and the whole truth
When it come to energy I'm not reducing like I'm supposed to,
reusing like I'm supposed to, recycling like I'm supposed to
Conserving materials like I'm supposed to
I don't understand when Al Gore says we have to clean the earth
Puttin' earth tone suit clips on YouTube across the earth
Somebody told me that global warming's just a cover
Just soon as a new president's elected he's gonna put another
Watchdog on the prowl when I'm dirtying the park
If I could, man, I'd probably try to find a different park
Yeah, yeah, they say I'm against conservation
But when I step up to them, I'd go back, it's OK, pollution
Believe me, kids, I heard Ms. Miller's students know their sci
And that the students learn ecology in sci
Now the moral of story is conserve 'cause hey
The earth's resources are precious—it's rich!
So don't pollute!

Air Pollution Game (SmogCity2.org)

Image courtesy arborday.org

Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grade Science Teacher?

Welcome back from break!

There's a new TV show on FOX called Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Since you are a 5th grader, or the parent of one, I think you know the answer. Either way, try the TV show's 5th grade science quiz game.

Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? (FOX)