Winthrop STEM Elementary Magnet School

Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics

Meet Beth, a gardener at the U.S. Botanic Garden. She talks about different types of plants and the Children's Garden.  Please click the following link to view this video:  http://kids.usa.gov/watch-videos/jobs/gardener/index.shtml   

The March equinox marks the moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator – the imaginary line in the sky above the Earth’s equator – from south to north. This happens on March 19, 20 or 21 every year.  To learn more about the equinox please click on the following link http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/march-equinox.html.

Magma is the hot liquid rock under the surface of the Earth, it is known as lava after it comes out of a volcano.  Please click the following link to learn more fun facts:   http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/earth/volcano.html 

Read about the earthquakes in CT lately?  Please click the following link to learn about earthquakes:  http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/kids/

Please click the following link to play "Science Games for Kids"  Forces in Action http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/forcesinaction.html 

Wind is the flow of gases, here on Earth it refers to the movement of air.

• It is caused by differences in air pressure. Air rushes from high pressure areas to lower ones.

• Short bursts of wind moving at high speeds are known as gusts.

• Depending on their strength, winds can be known as a breeze, gale, storm or hurricane.

• Wind direction is given by the direction from which the wind comes.

• Weather vanes are used to indicate wind direction.

• Anemometers are used to measure wind speed. Make an anemometer.

• A knot is a unit often used to measure wind speed. Make a wind vane.

• Sea breezes occur because heat from the Sun takes longer to warm the sea than the land, creating a difference in air pressure.

• Wind can provide energy through the use of wind turbines. More on wind energy.

• Sailing ships use wind to power their movement with the help of sails.

• Many sports and recreational activities make use of the wind, these include kite boarding, wind surfing, sailing and paragliding.

• Solar wind in outer space is a stream of charged particles that come from the Sun.

• Saturn and Neptune feature the fastest planetary winds in the Solar System.

Information found on Fun Science Facts for Kids

 Long Winters Nap

One of the first things you might think about when you talk bears is hibernation. Bear hibernation is different than most hibernating animals. In fact, many scientists would not even classify it as hibernation. True hibernation (like we see in ground squirrels) involves a drastic drop in body temperature but the hibernating animal will awaken occasionally to go to the bathroom and have a bite to eat before resuming hibernation.

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When a bear 'hibernates' it is really in a deep sleep. It's body temperature drops but not drastically and it does not wake up...not even to go to the bathroom or get some food. The one exception is that a mother bear will wake up to give birth to her cubs in January or February.

Why would a bear want to sleep so long? After all you might miss something right? But that is just the point. Since food is scarce in the winter bears figure that if you can't eat you might as well sleep. Bears that live in colder northern regions sleep in their dens right through the winter. In some cases as long as seven months. Once spring arrives, the bear (and possibly some cubs) will emerge from the den with a big appetite.

Helium is lighter than the air around us so it floats, that's why it is perfect for the balloons you get at parties.

The Moon rotates on its axis in around the same length of time it takes to orbit the Earth. This means that from Earth we only ever see around 60% of its surface (50% at any one time).

The average distance from the Moon to the Earth is 384403 kilometres (238857 miles).

The Moon orbits the Earth every 27.3 days.

The far side of the Moon looks quite different due to its lack of maria (ancient pools of solidified lava).

The surface of the Moon features a huge number of impact craters from comets and asteroids that have collided with the surface over time. Because the Moon lacks an atmosphere or weather these craters remain well preserved.

Please click the following link to find information about the moon.  http://stardate.org/nightsky/moon 

Butterflies taste food by standing on top of it! Their taste receptors are in their feet unlike humans who have most on their tongue.

While using energy from sunlight, plants turn carbon dioxide into food in a process called photosynthesis.

Sound travels 4 times faster in water than it does through air.

On average the Atlantic Ocean is the saltiest of Earth’s major oceans.

Footprints and tire tracks left behind by astronauts on the moon will stay there forever as there is no wind to blow them away.

NASA to launch Global Precipitation Measurement Core Observatory (GPM).  Please click the following link to view this video:  http://youtu.be/qjMImIMGHdw

The highest snowfall ever recorded in a one year period was 31.1 meters (1,224 inches) in Mount Rainier, Washington State, United States, between February 19, 1971 and February 18, 1972.

The average snowflake falls at a speed of 3.1 mile per hour (5 kilometers).

A single bolt of lightning contains enough energy to cook 100,000 pieces of toast.

As the wind speed increases, the air temperature against your body falls.  The combination of cold temperature and high wind creates such a severe cooling effect that your flesh can actually freeze.