University of Richmond Symposium to Impact Design of Outdoor Spaces and Education

Photo: Ginny Sullivan/Wendy Banning

Because of society’s emphasis on new technology, daily outdoor play for many children has become a part of the past. Most children spend only 1% of their time outdoors. Our children's access and opportunities to play in natural spaces has severely decreased over the past decade. Studies have proven that the more time children are “plugged in” their health and social skills begin to suffer. It is now time for us as a community to work together with our schools to take action. The University of Richmond is addressing this “Nature Deficit” by convening a Sustainability and Nature Symposium on Wednesday, April 17th and offering a Summer Institute for Educators in July. 

Question Your World: What's a Cloaked Nanoparticle?

Everyone’s familiar with the old fable about the wolf in sheep’s clothing. In this story a wolf dresses up like a sheep and sneaks past the farmer to go straight to his fluffy targets. Well, a similar story is currently unfolding in the medical field and it could have a huge impact on cancer patients. Check out the latest Question Your World Radio Report from the Science Museum of Virginia.

Bringing Gardens to Bloom for the Blind: VCU School of Engineering Makes it Real

Walinski

The colors, textures and landscaping at Richmond’s Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is all but hidden from people who are blind and visually impaired. But not for long. Christina Walinski, a Virginia Commonwealth University Engineering student and her professor, Dianne T.V. Pawluk, Ph.D., are creating a wireless device that could aid those with impaired vision to better experience the garden on their own.

Virginia Teams Win Spots at World Robotics Championship

FIRST robotics championship VCU

After a two-day tournament in Richmond that tested their teamwork and ingenuity, six Virginia high school teams have won the right to compete at the FIRST world robotics championship.

Question Your World: What Makes Pi So Special?

pi

Science and math fans around the world have been celebrating Pi day for a while now. Pi is the 3.14 number that helps us understand circles, so what better day to celebrate than March 14? So the question is, what makes Pi so special? Listen to this week’s Question Your World Radio Report from the Science Museum of Virginia to learn more about Pi.

Virginia Wind Festival and Kid Wind Challenge 2013

Spotsylvania High School's Kid Wind Challenge Team

The Virginia Center for Wind Energy at James Madison University is hosting the second annual Virginia KidWind Challenge on March 16th, 2013 at Thomas Harrison Middle School in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Thomas Harrison Middle School is the proud new owner of a small wind turbine installed through the Virginia Wind for Schools program in November 2012. (Click here to see THMS's wood turbine being installed.) This Saturday’s event is being held in conjunction with the Virginia Wind Festival, and is free and open to the public. 

March in Richmond... That Means Robots!

First Robotics

Bearing names like “Loose Screws,” “Polka-Bots,” “RoboWarriors,” and even “Geeks in Just Their Underpants,” forty-eight scholastic robotics teams from across Virginia converged on Richmond Saturday, March 2, 2013 for the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Virginia State Championship.

Question Your World: How Does Sugar Impact Our Brain?

sugar

How does sugar impact our brain? Well, this is a tale of two sugars - glucose and fructose. Both occur naturally, but one of them has a vastly different way of communicating with your brain. In one corner we have glucose, commonly found in pineapples and oranges among others. The consumption of this sugar registers a “full” feeling in the brain. So basically you eat enough of the foods with this in it and your brain thinks “Oh boy, I’m stuffed.” Now, in the other corner you have fructose, commonly found in sodas and canned foods. This is where the sugar story gets fascinating. Consumption of foods high in fructose does not register the “full” feeling in the body. Weird, right? Learn more in this week’s Question Your World Radio report by the Science Museum of Virginia.

Connecting Teachers and Science with Local Resources

Kids Raised Garden

Why is it important for every child’s education to include play and hands-on activities in nature? What is the significance of outdoor play for children with learning deficiencies? How do teachers find the resources needed to make connections between classroom instruction and real world experiences? These questions and many more will be explored in an upcoming Conference for pre-K – 5th grade teachers. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, St. Joseph’s Villa and the Virginia Association of Science Teachers (VAST) Region 1 are collaborating to help teachers make connections between science, nature and the classroom at “Natural Connections: Place-based Strategies for Teaching and Learning,” March 15 and 16th.

Mermaid Hales Teaches Children How to "Help Save the Bay"

Mermaid Hales reads to children

My name is Hales Parcells and I am a student at the University of Virginia, studying Environmental Sciences. I have been passionate about the ocean ever since I was a little girl playing on the beach. I spend a lot of time studying the mysteries of the ocean and the more I learn, the more I am aware of all of the harm that we humans can cause. Stories about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the ever-present trouble of whaling, and recent oil spills continually strike a chord in my heart. I want to find a way to help save our oceans and share this desire with others. That’s why I became a mermaid.