The girl munchkin is always proud to identify gneiss. She looks for the characteristic striping. Gneiss is metamorphic, and the stripes form when intense heat and pressure--deep in the earth--turn granite or diorite into a sort of putty. The minerals are able to move a little, and sort themselves out into layers of like-minded (or … Continue reading how gneiss
The Yellow Jacket Hover Fly, Milesia virginiensis, is a biological mimic. It reaps all the benefits (if you call making small children scream a benefit) of being a stinging insect without actually having to expend the energy to make venom. Specifically, this hover fly mimics the Southern Yellow Jacket, Vespula squamosa. However, the whole hover … Continue reading Who Wore It Better?
Over on Facebook, I've been posting free reading resources that I learned about in my early-summer whirlwind tour of librarian and writers conferences. I thought I'd gather them all in one place here on the blog. Summer Reading (Part 1): E-books Epic calls itself the "Netflix of Children's Books." I looked at the list and … Continue reading The Free Books Roundup
Visited the Highlands Nature Center today. The boy munchkin found this fantastic field guide to scat. He was particularly interested in beavers, since beavers have been rerouting all of the water on my grandfather's farm. If you break beaver scat with a stick, it looks like sawdust. Because, you know, beavers.
Keep Reading Over at the Smore site!
This picture doesn't do it justice. This is a super-mega-gargantuan box of paper straws. Many thanks to Aardvark Straws for donating them. I had mentioned to Jim Ries at One More Generation that I was trying to use more paper straws when doing science activities with kids and teachers, but the cost was adding up. … Continue reading Ever wonder what 1745 straws looks like?
It's really, finally going to be released. I'm still working on some last minute details with my fabulous editor (thanks Rachel Ledbetter), but Once Upon an Earth Science Book was listed in the Spring Catalog, so it's really, finally (yes, really, finally) happening.
I had lots of fun last night at Little Shop of Stories doing a show for the Atlanta Science Festival. I don't often get to really talk with the kids at my shows, but I got to meet a bunch signing books afterward--including these sisters, who took up my challenge to go over to the … Continue reading Atlanta Science Festival=A Great Time!
...And almost a dozen local (and local-ish) children's authors and illustrators will be signing books at the Wonderful Little Shop of Stories, this Sunday, March 13 from 2 to 4. See the whole lineup here!
The Atlanta Science Festival--that fabulous week of (mostly free) science activities for all ages--is almost here again! It will be March 19-26 at venues all across the Metro area. I'll be presenting at the fabulous Little Shop of Stories on Thursday March, 24 from 6-7. Be sure to check out the complete listing of events … Continue reading Atlanta Science Festival
Once Upon a Science Book 