Archive for the 'Green' Category

A Greener Frog Dissection

Many schools throughout the United States have the frog dissection as part of their science curriculum. Those that are in favor of the “traditional” dissection argue that there is no replacement for a real frog. Emantras Interactive Technologies disagrees and have created a quality frog dissection Ipad app which can be used as an alternative to real frogs. PETA has praised their efforts by recognizing them with PETA’s Mark Twain Ethical Science Award.

“Millions of frogs, cats, pigs, and other animals suffer and are killed for dissection even though modern non-animal teaching methods for biology have repeatedly proved to be superior,” says PETA Vice President of Laboratory Investigations Kathy Guillermo recently.

Emantras Interactive Technologies says that in the near future you can expect more virtual dissections of other animals as well as an updated version of the frog dissection that will include additional systems and an interactive quiz.

UPDATE: This virtual frog dissection has a new version 1.2 which includes everything from the original version plus the following additions:

  • 5 more organs (Spleen, Large Intestine, Gallbladder, Pancreas, and Fat Bodies).
  • Voiceovers for instruction and reading.
  • Detailed labels, information about frogs which includes classification, lifecycle, and organ function.
  • A look into human body vs. frog body.
  • For a sample of the virtual frog dissection take a look at the video below:

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    Ripping Out The Green

    In certain east coast and midwestern communities having anything besides a lawn would be unthinkable.  Having some dirt and native plants in Arizona, New Mexico and certain communities in California is a little more acceptable, depending on where you live.

    It would take great courage to rip out your lawn and replace it with native plants and more trees.  I’m not too fond of grass.  I prefer moss.

    Native plant landscaping is what Ed Begley Jr. is advocating in this opinion piece in the Washington Post.  I’m totally with him.  It’s simply common sense to dot your landscape with indigenous plants.
    Continue reading ‘Ripping Out The Green’

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    Four Years. Go.

    FOUR YEARS. GO.
    Four years is enough time to complete a college degree. It’s enough time to make significant changes in our world for the better.

    It’s also enough time to do irreversible damage to our planet, our schools, our neighborhoods.

    What can you do in four years? If you are teaching eighth grade or seniors in high school, show them this video below. Challenge them to “set humanity on a new course toward a just, thriving and sustainable world.”

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    Add Some Green to Your Classroom

    recycle flickr
    Recycling is good for the environment, but how many of us or our students actually know what happens to the bottles, paper, and plastics once they are collected? Where do they go? What is done to them so that they are reusable? RecycleBank not only has a great reward program to encourage recycling but also a student friendly series of free animations. The animations show how the materials are separated, treated, and shipped all around the world. Take a look at the introduction animation below (49sec). Each animation is also downloadable.
    Continue reading ‘Add Some Green to Your Classroom’

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