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- What supplies do I need for science class?
- What are some good science books to read for fun?
- What should I bring to class each day?
- How do you make dulce de leche?
- What are the top 7 dangers to the continuation of life on Earth?
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What supplies do I need for science class?
Supply List '08-'09:
• 1.5 inch three ring binder (for science class only)
• pencils
• loose leaf paper
• colored pencils
• metric ruler (cm)
• half dozen plastic sleeves/page protectors
• reinforcements
• highlighter
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What are some good science books to read for fun?
The Great Influenza by John Barry is a historical account of the development
of the medical profession, laboratory science and medical training as a
result of the influenza pandemic that occurred in the early 1900s.
The Emporor of Scent by Chandler Burr is about Luca Turin, a brilliant
scientist who develops a new theory for how smell works. He goes for a Nobel
prize but is met with suspicion by scientists less brilliant than he with a
lot to lose if he's right. The author shows corruption in scientific peer
review process and provides insight into the perfume industry, scientific
secrecy and corporate greed.
The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester chronicles the writing of
the Oxford English Dictionary.
Awakenings by Oliver Sacks is the true story of a doctor's discovery that
comatose patients in a mental ward could be animated by a newly discovered
drug. Robin Williams starred as the doctor, Oliver Sacks, in a movie based
on the book.
Uncle Tungsten is an autobiography of Oliver Sacks. It has fine detail about
the periodic table and the experiments we wish we could do in class but
can't because they're too dangerous!
No Stone Unturned by Steve Jackson is about forensic science and its use to
solve many national and international cases, including determining the
identity of the bodies believed to be those of the last Russian czar's
family.
Five Equations that Changed History by Guillen condenses several centuries
of mathematical and scientific discovery to 5 noteworthy achievements.
Napoleon's Buttons: 17 Molecules that Changed History by Le Couteur and
Burreson is a novel look at history and the chemicals that made it
happen.
The Map That Changed the World by Simon Winchester is a rather dry read but
presents the interesting story of William Smith, the inventor of the
geologic map and the father of the science of geology.
The Alienist by Caleb Carr tells us the story of the first use of profiling
to capture a serial killer. The term "alienist" is an old fashioned term for
what we now call psychiatrists.
Bold Endeavors by Stuster is a look at the history of exploration and the
lessons learned that apply to a mission to the planet Mars.
Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson tells the tale of the hurricane that leveled
Galveston, Texas in 1900.
Obsessive Genius by Barbara Goldsmith is a biography of Marie Curie, nobel
prize winner in chemistry, for her work on radioactivity.
The Perfect Storm by Junger is the true story of the convergence of three
major storm systems at sea. A movie by the same name starred George Clooney.
The Hot Zone by Richard Preston is a true story of an outbreak of the Ebola
Virus in Reston, Virginia.
The Great Mortality by John Kelly is an intimate history of the black death,
the most devasting plague of all time.
Lab 257 by Michael Carroll is the disturbing story of the government's
secret germ laboratory on Plum Island, off of the coast of Long Island, NY.
The Radioactive Boyscout by Ken Silverstein is the frightening, true story
of a whiz kid who, as a teenager, built a nuclear reactor in his backyard.
The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin is the heartbreaking account of the
1888 blizzard in our nation's prairies.
The Great Hurricane of 1938 by Cherie Burns is an account of one of the
worst storms of the century. The hurricane hit Long Island and New England.
A Crack in the Edge of the World by Simon Winchester is the story of the
1906 earthquake that destroyed most of San Fransisco.
The Life of the Skin by Arthur and Loretta Balin, two dermatologists, take
the reader on a tour of the heaviest organ, our skin. They tell us what our
skin hides, what it reveals, and how it communicates.
Animals in Translation by Temple Grandin uses the mysteries of autism to
decode animal behavior.
Dinosaurs in the Attic - An Excursion Into the American Museum of Natural
History by Douglas Preston.
Thunderstruck by Erik Larson - Marconi invented wireless communication at
the turn from the 19th to the 20th century. His story is inverwoven with
another headliner from the time period.
The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson tells the story of the
architecture of the World's Fair of 1893 in Chicago. Another story, that of
a serial killer, is interwoven to give the reader a real sense of what life
was like at the turn of that century.
The Ig Nobel Prizes by Marc Abrahams. There are two of these books. Both are
collections of the world's unlikeliest research. The actual prizes are
handed out at Harvard University in a ceremony that includes the audience
throwing paper airplanes and real Nobel Laureates singing silly songs.
The Loved Dog by Tamar Geller and Cesar's Way by Cesar Millan are the two
best dog training books I've ever read. Both authors have a deep and
meaningful understanding of dogs. Their tips are easy to implement and best
of all, they work!
Kicked, Bitten, and Scratched by Amy Sutherland is a look inside the gates
and behind the scenes of the world's best exotic animal trainer school.
Students learn how to care for and train various species of wild animals.
The students go on to work on Hollywood sets, in sanctuaries and zoos.
Tell Me Where It Hurts by Dr. Nick Trout chronicles memorable clients and
their owners. Dr. Trout is a veterinary surgeon - the modern version of
James Herriot.
The Immortalists by David Friedman tells the fascinating and unknown story
of the collaboration between Charles Lindbergh (first person to fly across
the Atlantic Ocean and NJ native) and Dr. Alexis Carrel (winner of the Nobel
Prize in Medicine in 1912). Together they maintained body parts alive
outside of the bodies they belonged to in their quests for immortality.
The 13th Element by John Emsley is a tale of murder, fire and the quest for
phosphorus. Phosphorus is the 13th element on the periodic table of the
elements. It is one of nature's deadliest creations.
Under a Flaming Sky by Daniel James Brown tells the story of the Great
Hinkley Firestorm of 1894. The fire ravaged northern Minnesota, growing so
large that it created its own weather. As a result of the loss of life and
property, the federal government created the agencies that monitor and fight
wildfires.
Close to Shore by Michael Capuzzo tells of the events of the summer of 1916
along the New Jersey shore when a rogue white shark attacked swimmers.
The Demon in the Freezer by Richard Preston is the story of the eradication
of smallpox and the fight to protect us against biological weapons by
finding a cure for this disease.
The Riddle of the Compass by Amir Aczel is about the invention that changed
the world by making the Italians the rulers of the seas in the 12th century.
Diamond: The History of a Cold-Blooded Love Affair by Matthew Hart follows
the diamond trail. This book reveals the truth behind the movie.
Krakatoa by Simon Winchester is a story of the horrors of the eruption of
this volcano in 1883 and the tsunami that followed. The eruption helped
trigger the anti-Western militancy we struggle with today.
A Buffalo in the House by R.D. Rosen tells the story of a couple who raise
an orphaned buffalo and by doing so highlight their tragic history and make
a case for their protection.
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What should I bring to class each day?
You should bring your binder and a pencil to class each day. You may leave
your colored pencils and metric ruler at home. I'll tell you when to bring
them to class.
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How do you make dulce de leche?
Purchase cans of sweetened condensed milk at the supermarket. Make sure the
cans are in excellent condition. Remove the labels. Fill a very large pot
with water. Put the cans in the water. (Yes, the cans are completely closed.
You haven't done anything to them other than remove the label.) Boil the
water for 2.5 to 3 hours. THIS CAN BE DANGEROUS. YOU MUST HAVE PARENTAL
PERMISSION AND ASSISTANCE. While the pot is boiling, keep an eye on the
water level. A lot of water will evaporate. NEVER let the water level drop
to the level of the cans. Keep adding water so that the pot stays filled up.
When the time has passed, turn off the heat and let the water, pot and cans
cool.
You can remove the cans with tongs but be careful where you put the cans
down as they are hot enough to burn or scorch. When the cans have cooled to
room temperature, open them with a can opener. Enjoy your dulce de leche on
toast, as icing on a cake, as filling in a cake or straight out of the can!
Keep a lid on the can. Refrigeration is not required.
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What are the top 7 dangers to the continuation of life on Earth?
7. Gamma Burst or Black Hole
6. Artificial Intelligence
5. Eruption of Supervolcano
4. Asteroid Impact
3. Nuclear War
2. Plague
1. Global Climate Change
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