We have reached Day #8 in our 12 Days of Wonder. Today’s spotlight science toy is Big Bag of Science.
Steve Spangler Science is celebrating the 12 Days of Wonder and highlighting our top 12 science toys and kits that are perfect to put under the tree. As blog editor, social media coordinator and mom of two budding scientists, I will share my review of each product. Steve Spangler Science also found 12 respected, popular mom bloggers to each test and review one of our 12 science gifts. I will include a link to their blogs and their honest reviews of each gift idea at the bottom of this post. Today, Jill from Single Mom on a Budget shares her review. The kit is also the Deal of the Day. So check our blog every day for the next few weeks to learn all about our 12 Days of Wonder.
Ann Bridgewater, a teacher who traveled to Denver all the way from Hong Kong to attend Science in the Rockies this year, shared a very cool project with us. She uses UV Color Changing Beads to craft Mixed Up Chameleons for a little craft/science/literacy lesson all rolled into one.
Ann weaves embroidery thread in and around the beads to make a chameleon shape. (You can Google this if you need a pattern.) She used black pony beads for the nose, eyes, and feet. Then she reads The Mixed Up Chameleon by Eric Carle. Her students then take their chameleons out into the sunlight to detect UV rays with their beads. The once white and black chameleon is now colorfully mixed up.
What a fun idea to bring a character to life while mixing a little science and literacy.
Our customers are always coming up with unique and creative uses for our science toy products. Marilyn Daggett from Arizona designed duck necklaces with sun energy beads to trade on an upcoming Quacker Factory cruise in October.
Marilyn purchased a pack of our Color Changing UV Beads a few years ago to monitor her sun exposure at the urging of her dermatologist. She had about 500 left over and decided to create necklaces to trade with friends during the cruise. She mixed the UV Beads with crystal and plastic beads along with the duck lamp work beads.
The cruise sets sail in October to several ports of call including the Bahamas, St, Thomas and St. Martin. Quacker Factory is a very popular brand of clothing that sells exclusively on QVC and offers cruises for about 500 of their most dedicated fans. The ladies (and some of their husbands) bring ducky-related items to trade and share during the cruise. Marilyn has made about four dozen necklaces to trade.
She thought they’d be perfect for monitoring sun exposure and fun to wear. (We agree.) Only a few of
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The Caring Strategies Summer Camp in Louisiana, held a science summer camp this year. Caring Strategies is a non-profit center that holds trainings, camps and events throughout the year for children.
Among the activities and lessons taught in science camp this summer, the children learned about UV rays, the power of sunlight and the need to use sunscreen. Each student made a bracelet out of Color Changing UV Beads. The teachers at Caring Strategies explained UV light to the students, then had them come up with their own theories and hypothesis for what would happen when the white beads were taken outside.
After theorizing and making their bracelets with the beads, the students ventured outside. What happened next demonstrates the true Wow! factor when children are able to make their own discoveries.
For more on the program, visit the Caring Strategies website and watch their science camp video to see how the students performed their experiment and what they learned.
Come party with Steve Spangler Science and UV Skinz Tuesday, June 29th from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. PST and learn about the myths and truths of sun protection. You will also have a chance to win some fabulous prizes during the party.
We will be using hastag #uvskinz and also have a special tweetgrid (http://is.gd/d7Zgh) set up for the party. The link will be passed out to everyone who RSVPs.
During the party we will be asking you the myths and truths about sun protection. Your answer might just win you a prize!
We will have a total of 10 prizes to pass out during the Twitter Party. That’s one every 6 minutes.
Join Susan Wells, Social Content Coordinator for SteveSpanglerScience.com and Kalisha Frazier from UVSkinz.com as your hosts. Please RSVP at UVSkinz.com with your twitter handle to be eligible to win giveaway prizes. You also need to follow @uvskinz and @spanglerscience.
By Blog Editor Susan Wells
