Choose Beautiful April 10, 2015

Media shapes us whether we are savvy about the influences behind the ad campaign or not.  Every year, I present to my students about how media influences our relationships about ourselves.  A hallmark in puberty is discovering the importance of who we think we are, relationships with peers and those you are attracted.   I was familiar with the Dove campaigns but I have to say Bravo to their latest installment.  CHOOSE BEAUTIFUL.    Weather you are male or female, we should all look to see what is special about us.  So claim it and walk through the door.

Understanding Mitosis, science needs to thank Henrietta Lacks November 6, 2014

The family of Henrietta Lacks is still in medical debt, but the contributions of this one poor black woman who allowed scientists to replicate cells outside the body are priceless.  Her cells have contributed to more medical break throughs, research and developments in the past 50 years, the number of her cells alive today would reach to the moon and back several times over.  Cell division and growth is called Mitosis and my students are learning about this complicated biology now. Biotechnology is one of the fastest growing industries.

In understanding the stages of the fascinating method in which cells replicate, repair and grow, the city of Atlanta and others celebrated the contributions of this unknown hero

What Makes You Healthy? March 21, 2013

My 7th grade students were asked to answer the question to What makes you healthy?

 Good health and academic success go hand in hand. Healthy children make
 better students, and better students become healthy, successful adults who are productive members of their communities.  In this Unit, we  discussed all aspects of health including physical, mental, emotional, sexual and social aspects of health.  Their mission was  to understand their own health and the health of their community and takes positive steps to improve or maintain good health.    They had to use technology and teamwork.  They are SUPERSTARS and they will lead the way for their community!  Imagine their future, amazing.

Here are a few of their offerings from Period One.

 No JOKE, DONT SMOKE is a story bird project about a girl who can’t stop smoking, and has some pretty serious consequences.   This group threw down a challenge to their friends- Watch until the end, you wont be disappointed! 

WHAT MAKES YOU HEALTHY WEBSITE   — which focused on healthy eating habits and controlling obesity.

 This group of students designed an informative PREZY all about STDs and ways to stay safe.  Look at how professional and mature they are in tackling a topic that many young teen just want to avoid.

– This video tells the tale of peer pressure and smoking.

TEEN SOCIAL PROBLEMS WEBSITE — which is focused on teen social problems and healthy dating.

 This video gives a humorous and simple ideas to avoid pregnancy and the real life consequences of unsafe sex.

DON’T DO DRUGS WEBSITE–  this website is a great overview of drugs and why some people use them and how to avoid them- JUST SAY YES TO TACOS!

This group created a STORY BIRD about the problems of being bullied and becoming a bully.  Click on the link below to see their story of Melissa who doesn’t deal with her anger very well until one day she makes a true friend.  (the following video is a dramatization of the same story.

.http://storybird.com/books/7g9g7hpzer/edit/

Here is a PREZI about NOT SMOKING!   http://prezi.com/76kz0wy6vqif/untitled-prezi/

Here is a PREZI about NOT SMOKING MARIJUANA!  http://prezi.com/fglqwddwinhv/untitled-prezi/

Let’s Hear it for Ms. Lai aka Sailormoon, PhD January 12, 2013

I am so excited to get to work with Huong Lai. She gets to be our in house scientist and inspire young female minds to think and be scientists.   She is currently working on getting her PhD in chemistry from the University of SouthernCalifornia (USC). Her research in Dr. Richard Roberts’ lab focuses on using mRNA display, a technique invented by her PI, to design high affinity peptides that target cancer cell receptors to inhibit cancer growth. She is also attempting to address the evolution of life by studying the peptidyl transferase center of the ribosome.

 

She is also known as her under her alias  aka Sailor moon, who possesses the super triple threat powers of being super smart, way fun and insatiable in her thirst for knowledge. She has faithfully answered the questions of 160 young minds at YOKA and every time she goes to the “Ask A Scientist” box and waves her magic wand of knowledge I am blown away and learn something new.   I recently visited her lab where she spends her time battling evil.  Click here to learn about her research with her advisor ,  Dr. Richard Roberts.

Why we need you, your sister, your daughter, your mother in science August 23, 2012

More food for thought for you young women wondering what you want to do when you grow up.  I wanted to share a chart put together by a wonderful colleague, Ms. Huong Lai, soon to by Dr.  Lai.  Yes, that’s right you can just hold that nobel prize money for a few years down the road.  She’s working on cancer research.

Let’s Hear it For the LADIES!!!!

Women have made some amazing contributions to Science but they still have a long way to go to catch up to the incredible body of work of their male counterparts.  So many women have allowed science to advance but many times we don’t recognize their names with the exception of a very few.  To quote a popular quote from Mao Tse-tung, WOMEN HOLD UP HALF THE SKY.

My personal favorite female scientist is Sally Ride.

Sally Ride was born in the fifties in Southern California.  She died this summer to cancer and is buried just steps from my home, her grave is not marked yet, but I plan on bringing my own daughter and a personal tribute to her to thank her for inspiration.  I  heard of a story that she was the only female student in a physics class and the professor asked her if she was lost and she calmly replied, no, I want to learn physics.  After getting a Ph.D., Ride was chosen by NASA to be an astronaut.  I heard when I was young that to be an astronaut you had to be very committed as well as strong in character, also at that point, all were first borns which I was too so I thought I could do that as well mostly because I am a first born.  The year I graduated from college, 1983, she became the first woman in space as a crew member on the Challenger space shuttle.

She wrote several children’s books about space, including The Mystery of Mars(1999), To Space and Back (1989),The Third Planet: Exploring Earth from Space (2004), andVoyager (2005).

Sources:
NASA
Wikipedia
About: Women’s History