Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

And play these city environment games.

GoWild NYC (gowildnyc.org)

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)

The Science of St. Nick

"Ms. Miller, can I ask you a personal question?" Angel in Ms. D'Ascoli's class asked this afternoon. "Is Santa Claus real?"

Actually, scientists have proved it! Every Christmas a team of scientists tracks Santa's path from the North Pole using radar. Radar is a way to tell where people and things are. It measures where you are by the invisible waves you let out everywhere you go. In this case, this radar is called "SantaCam." Basically, scientists use a digital camera and take many pictures of Santa as he flies through the air with his eight reindeer.

So yes, Santa is real. Tell your friends. Please also remind them that fake Christmas is in July, not March, which is St. Patrick's month. (Erin go bragh!)

NORAD Santa radar (en espanol)
Radar Online (celebrity news, not about real radar)
St. Patrick's Day Games (GAMES, people!)

Surf for Ocean Games

Can you put these ocean puzzle pieces in motion? With your new ocean map and data table-reading skills, I bet you can!

But can you name all the oceans without the map? :)

Ocean Map Game

Don't Hate Nutrition, Hate the Game

Scienceback is back from break.

Play this food pyramid game!

Gimme 5 food groups!

- Grains (orange)
- Vegetables (green)
- Fruits (red)
- Milk Products (blue)
- Meat and beans (purple)

*The thin yellow line is for oils, like grease and fat.The bigger the slice, the more you should eat from that group. Eat homemade, healthy snacks when you can. Eat a little of each group every day.

Food Pyramid Blast-Off Game (MyPyramid.gov)

Nutrients: Games and Notes

Click here for a Halloween nutrient game!

When we eat, our digestive system breaks food down into nutrients. Nutrients are the chemicals inside food that help us live and grow.

Nutrients react (mix) with chemicals inside our saliva and stomach. When too many of the stomach chemicals (acid) react, we get sick to our stomach and throw up -- and acid burns our throat!

Our small intestine cleans the nutrients with small hairs (villi), like in the picture here. The clean food goes through the intestine tube walls to the blood.

Blood circulates good nutrients. It takes them around the body for energy. Our large intestine gets rid of the garbage left over. We flush out when we go to the bathroom.

The chemical energy from food adds up to make our metabolism. We know our metabolism by how fast we burn calories, a way to measure energy. That's what you'll do in the game.

"Organ-ize This"

Study for this week's "Big Know" with a digestive system game! Match the organ to its job on a human body cartoon.

I didn't make up the "Organ-ize This" title, but I so would've... which I note in my valley girl writer's voice for my girls in Ms. D'Ascoli's class.

Digestive System Game (HealthTrek)