Tagged with 'STEM'

More Beaker Creatures have landed on Earth!

Meet the new Beaker Creatures the Swampoids! A slimy bunch that loves all things outdoors and swampy! We brought in environmental specialist, Emilie Hunn, and asked her some questions to help us learn more about our new friends!

What gives the Swampoid’s swampy planet its stinky smell?

"On the Swampoid's swamp planet, dead plants are broken down by bacteria and fungi which adds nutrients back to the soil. During this process stinky gasses are released and that is what gives the swampy planet that stinky smell."

If my Swampoid wanted to visit a swamp here on Earth, where should it go?

"They should head to the Atchafalaya Swamp in Louisiana. It is the largest swamp in the United States and is home to over 200 different wildlife species!"

What makes swamps such slimy places?

"Swamps are slimy places because they are flooded with water for at least part of the year. The soil and plants in these swamps have learned to live in these conditions making them slimier than usual."

What are some adaptations that Earth’s animals have for living in swampy places?

"In order to adapt to these swampy environments, some animals have dark or dirty coloring. This helps them blend in with the dark swamp and less likely to get attacked by a predator. Other swamp animals have developed special gills to help them breathe when they are under water or webbed feet to help them move through the mud."

Why are wetlands an important part of the environment?

"Wetlands are very important parts of the environment as they are home to many of Earth's rarest plants and animals. On top of that they help to store water protecting us from flooding and help to filter water making it clean and drinkable. Many wetlands offer outdoor activities like fishing, bird-watching, and paddling. Go visit a wetland today!" 

Thanks Emilie! We loved learning more about our slimy new friends the Swampoids! Check out the rest of the Beaker Creatures families here! 

Save it for later!

Teach your little learners coding with this easy and colorful activity using the popular toy Mathlink Cubes!

[Updated 4/16/21] By now, we all know that binary code is the mathematical language of 0’s and 1’s and is the only way computers can talk. We, humans, count from 0 to 9 and then start all over. Computers count by only using 0’s and 1’s.

When we begin to think in code, we begin to think like computer programmers. Coding takes patience and is considered a learned skill and mindset. But before diving too deep into all that, let’s begin with a fun exercise on how to translate your own name into computer language.

All you will need for this project is Learning Resources’ Mathlink Cubes and an alphabet-to-binary converter chart. Plan out how many names you will be spelling, and separate two different colored Snap Cubes, representing each shade as a “0” or “1”. Here, we coded two names. (Thanks for the assist from the Learning Resources Buddy Builders.)

Next, consult your binary code chart to reveal the combination for your first letter.

*In the binary code language, there are 8 placeholders for the 0’s and 1’s, otherwise referred to as an 8-bit sequence. The American Standard Code for Information Interchange, or ASCII, is a 7-bit code. For this exercise, we will use ASCII.First, we spell out Michael’s name. Each letter for M-I-C-H-A-E-L will be it's on the 7-Mathlink-Cube-long sequence. Have your budding computer programmer figure what combination to each letter reveals its code.

Each line stands for each letter.

…or connect it to make a long name, just as it would be written.

Next, it's E-M-I-L-Y’s turn. Use the same chart. You’ll see that the letters from P and below begin with 101, starting another sequence.

If you have the time, practice phrases like “Good Morning” or “I Love You” in binary code.

Computers certainly share information differently than humans. But kids will soon find that coding their name will be a real SNAP!