Free money: Toyota Tapestry Grant for Science Teachers
August 25, 2008
Toyota and the National Science Teachers Association want to give you a bunch of money. All they ask in return is you use it for an awesome project.
If you’re a middle school or high school science teacher, you should apply for a Toyota TAPESTRY Grant, which I assume is an acronym for something. Toyota and the NSTA will award more than half a million bucks to teachers who propose “innovative projects that enhance science education in the school and/or school district.”
The grants will take the form of 50 large grants (as in $10,000), and 20-32 mini grants ($2500). That’s a lot of dollars. More importantly, that’s a lot of projects, which means you’ve got pretty decent odds of winning some money for your classroom. For full details, click here. You’ve got until January 21, 2009 to come up with something, which is plenty of time to make your idea a good one. -BILL FERRIS
I’m sure you’re familiar with the periodic chart of elements. Here’s a bare-bones rundown of how it’s laid out: hydrogen and helium are hanging out at the top all on their own, elements in the same row have something in common, and so do elements in the same column (but not all columns). And that’s the basic scheme. Cool with everything so far? Great. Now all you have to do is go through the painful, tedious memorization of each element on every square. Awesome, I’ll see you in a week or two.
Not since Mariner 10 traveled to Mercury back in 1974- 1975 has a spacecraft been sent back. That is, until now. The Mariner’s mission was programmed to pass the planet three times. However, all the images captures were from only one side of the planet.
Cartilaginous skeleton, a couple rows of teeth, and cold, black eyes that are ever in search of prey: how can you not love sharks?! Here’s something that might chum the waters of your interest.
Put away your shovels and gloves and allow your students the opportunity to create a butterfly garden without getting dirty or ever leaving the classroom. Create a virtual habitat in your classroom that will attract different butterfly species such as 
I can always tell when a bug has made its way into my classroom. There are a few screams and students jumping on desk to flee from the pest. But not to fear, I always have that one brave student that will just step on it and then life goes back to normal. However, this little classroom interruption is a great teachable moment to engage your students in real world science discovery. How you ask? Well who better to go to then Orkin for the answers?
Okay, let’s be honest — I know that some of you still have maps hanging in your classroom with Germany separated into two distinct counties and the USSR. Or worse, some may not even have a map or globe in your classroom at all. Are you fighting with other teachers for use of the limited reference books in your school’s library? Are your Social Studies or Science books not presenting enough information for your lessons? Well 
Teachers and students from across North Carolina learned the 
Tired of teaching from the text book? Having a hard time fitting environmental science instruction into the school day? Well 
When I was a lad, I hated when math story problems used metric units. Sure, the rest of the world is able to adequately measure stuff despite using the metric system, but I prefer good old American units like inches, pounds, or Fahrenheit. Like Grampa Simpson said, “The metric system is the tool of the devil! My car gets forty rods to the hogshead and that’s the way I likes it!”
Kids enjoy science most when it’s a hands-on experience. Words like “experiments” and “laboratory” (preferably pronounced la-BORE-ah-tory) mean getting out of your seat and doing something, whether that entails 
If you or your students ever take 
Ever wanted to make plastic? Okay, have you ever wanted to make something out of plastic, but didn’t know how? Just curious? 
