Getting Excited About Science is an approved vendor for the Chicago Public Schools. We are able to accept approved/authorized Purchase Orders from the schools. In the past week and a half we have been at 3 different Chicago schools for science programs for 4 school assemblies and one math – science night program.
Over the years we have brought science to dozens Chicago Public Schools.
The Denver International Airport just built the “greenest” large parking lot in the world according to the Dever Post. There are solar pannels and windmills. Here is the link.
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_16676095
Many other parking lots are being built with porous material and other strategies that allows rain water to reach the ground and not “run off”. The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL has a great new parking lot built this way.
There is a trend across the USA to make the football, baseball, basketball and hockey stadiums more energy self sufficiant. The Philidalphia Eagles will have the first major stadium where all the energy is generated on site. They will use a combination of solar, wind, biodisel and low flush toliets. Read this article. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/18/sports/football/18stadium.html?_r=1
The Green Getting Excited About Science shows uses only electricity generated by the 300 watt energy bike and solar panels.
We are happy to perform for many 6th, 7th and 8th grade middle school students each year. In November and December 2010, Getting Excited About Science will be at Hadley Jr. High for gifted student programs.
The middle school science programs are geared for the students in an unique way. The hovercraft was upgraded to hold up to 250 lbs. This will hold any middle School or Jr. high student and most adults. The shows also are a bit faster paced and include some demonstrations not suitible for younger audiences like the bed of nails. In the winter of 2010, we performed for Southwestern Illinois College
in Granite City, IL (About 30 miles from St. Louis, MO.) and gave the students there a interactive science show. This picture with a happy student Gyroscope made it to the newspaper.
Recently New York City mayor proposed that a standard design on an electric taxi be used in most of the major cities. By doing this the cities can have cleaner air and cut greenhouse gasses. The electric taxis will also be a visible way to promote a greener living and working enviroment. I think the idea is fantastic
http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-science/20101105/AS.Hong.Kong.Mayors.Climate.Conference/
I am always excited to perform in Quincy. On election day 2010, Getting Excited About Science will be at 2 Quincy schools. I believe this area has more caves that are used for commercial use than anywhere I else that I have traved. Even Google is looking at the Quincy Caves for underground storage. Look up this link for the story.
http://www.connecttristates.com/news/story.aspx?id=443899
There is a road that runs along side to the mighty Misissippi river and the big limestone bluffs. There are big industrial style garage doors leading into the hill sides and underground. These doors are big enough for a 2 way road in which big trucks can deliver goods and take goods out. These caves keep all goods around 52F. They are also dangerous. Last time I was in the area, a truck hit a support collum and debris from the “ceiling” fell, killing a worker.
This area is only about 16 miles from Hanibal, MO where Mark Twain wrote about those caves with Tom Sawyer. Our Science shows were in the greater Hanibal area for WOW Children’s Museum (traveling to 15 schools) a few years back.
Caves have been used for centuries to store goods and they always have a story to tell. I saw some smaller caves this summer near Chippewa Valley, WI and in S.E. Kentucky.
The teacher’s workshop scheduled for Nov 4 in Skokie, IL is sold out with a waiting list. There is a second workshop for 3rd – 6th grade teachers on Jan 20. I look forward to these workshops every year. Last year the workshops were in Elgin and in 2008 they were in Glenview. I always learn something from a teacher or two each workshop.
Here is the link. Lets all do our part. Recently I found out that 15 recycled 1 gallon milk jugs can make 1 pound of durable plastic lumber. Tagent Technologies in Aurora, IL was kind enough to let the show use samples of the lumber and bags of pellets made from the milk jugs.
This past week there was a science and engineering festival in Washington DC. Public science fairs and fesitvals are orruring across the country. From fall 2008 to August 2009 Chicago had science events as part of Science Chicago. Getting Excited About Science participated in events and performed close to 75 shows all over the metropolitan Chicago. St. Louis had a science week during summer 2010. Here is the link to the national festival.
