Have I mentioned that if you do sign up for the Experiment of the Week, you’ll be eligible for our weekly drawing? Oh, and the Spangler team doesn’t believe in wimpy gifts. That’s why the winner of our weekly drawing gets a $100 gift certificate to SteveSpanglerScience.com

If you already receive our weekly science experiments and cool videos, thanks for subscribing (and I hope you win). If not, let me be the first to invite you (okay, I hope you win too).

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I’m always searching for other science bloggers, especially the science teachers who find time to teach and blog. Jane Goodwin shared this information about a site called What It’s Like On The Inside and the blogger herself, the Science Goddess - I’m told she’s an amazing science teacher who knows what it’s like on the inside. And when it comes to knowing what makes great, unique teacher gifts, she knows that, too. On the top of her wish list for Teacher Appreciation Day from her students is Instant Worms, the Multi-Study Microscope (she would really like to have 8 or ten or these!), Quirkles, Axle Annie, and - The Science Goddess confesses that this last one is for her, personally, because of her - ahem! - Bunsen and Beaker obsession, left over from childhood but still going strong today!

The Science Goddess has this to say about the products at SteveSpanglerScience.com…

“These look like a great lesson launch—read, do an experiment, then do some writing. . . literacy connections to help build a foundation for inquiry.”

I have a feeling that the FedEx truck will be stopping by the Science Goddess’ lab in the next few days with Beaker stuffed into a beaker (you get the idea), and her students can surprise her with a few other goodies. If you know about a science teacher who blogs, please post a comment and let us know.

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We just wrapped up the final leg of our teacher boot camp tour with workshops in Pittsburgh and New York. While everyone on the team is exhausted, the one thing that keeps the energy high is meeting other teachers who are truly making a difference. I met teachers in both cities who paid to come to boot camp on their own - no funding from their schools or the district. I asked the same question you’re probably asking, “Why did you do it?” One self-funded teacher in the Pittsburgh workshop described answered with this…

I’m a professional who believes that training is important. I think that teachers who isolate themselves to their classroom never grow. I really enjoy teaching science and I came to the workshop to find new ways to get my kids fired up. Once my Principal sees the results, she’ll support more and more. I know it.

It’s tough to believe that we work in a profession where our leaders don’t believe in or support professional staff development, but I can’t help but be inspired by her dedication to teaching and to her students.

I also met these two amazing teachers… Penny Hampshire and Kim Carpenter, teachers at Clawson B.E.S.T. Pre-K. I’ve learned over the years to pay particular attention to the teachers who sit in the front row at my workshops. They either don’t know any better (and they’re going to get soaked in flying soda) or they’re extremely enthusiastic. Penny and Kim were both! Here are two teachers that do more solid science with their Pre-K children than some kids get during their entire elementary school experience. I could go on and on, but just check out the Claswson website - Science Thursdays and enjoy watching master teachers at work.

As always, I invite teachers who attend my workshops to share their comments and take-aways on the blog. Any thoughts from Pittsburgh?

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The winning honeybee is number 5! And yes… I’m in disguise… as a honeybee. There are those people in our office who say it looks just like me… if I were a honeybee. The only thing the bee would have to do is to drink five cups of coffee, run around the office, buzz ideas and cause something to explode. Thanks to everyone who participated in our honeybee contest. If you guessed the winning number (that would be #5), we’ll have an electronic gift certificate e-mailed to you later today. Most importantly, thanks to HelptheHoneyBees.com and Haagen-Dazs for raising awareness around this issue.

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Go ahead… close the books for just one day… put away those worksheets… take a detour from those laminated lesson plans and share a few environmental science demonstrations that inspire your students to think about the Earth differently. We, as teachers, need to let our students see our passion for conserving our natural resources and making the Earth a better place to live. Just to get your creative ideas flowing, here are a few suggestions for Earth Day science demonstrations and activities from our experiment library…

• Clean Air - Denver’s Brown Cloud
• The Amazing Oil Clean-up Polymer
• Vanishing Styrofoam
• Gardening with Water Jelly Crystals
• The Power of Compact Fluorescent Lights

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There’s a sneak peek video just posted on the Ellen Show site with the Dancing Fire demo and the last part of the shooting potatoes segment. If you have a second, post a comment on the show site.

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