Some good science links for Kids

Here are some links for kids that will improve their science

Age: 6 and above, Fun multimedia view of solar system
It highlights major planets of solar system. Especially interesting are the view from moons of the planets with the mother planet in the background. My kids had some good fun with it.

Age: 9 and above, Light Waves, Rainbows, and Cheap Sunglasses
Really good video lecture that was given in front of middle school kids by MIT professor. Unfortunately, you have to have a good broadband connection and cannot download the video. I watched entirely and learnt some new things. However, my kids never watched it becuase of bad broad band bandwidth. I wrote them asking them to release as downloadable video, but did not get any reply. Anyway, I am grateful that they have the lecture for free

Age: 15 and above, Physics for future presidents
Clicking on this link will take you to Google Video site having these 25 one hour lectures from Berkely (University of California) from Professor Richard A. Muller. Absolutely fascinating. I have graduated in Physics and yet I learnt lot of interesting concepts. It is a great period to live in, that one can see lectures from premier university in your home!

I downloaded all of them, converted to AVI or MP4 and burnt into two DVDs and watch it in the TV/DVD. TV watching is much better as family can view along with you and gives more respectability of watching a lecture. Sometimes the sounds are loud, but other than that I will recommend every college going kid and adults to watch!

I have some more great links that I collected last few years and put it in the website. Hope you may also appreciate it.

Kids - some puzzles - 6 - 7 year old

Some simple puzzles from coins that kids will like.

Figure on the left below, shows six coins arranged in the form of triangle. By moving two coins, could you make a triangle upside down (as shown right below)? Kids may not enjoy the puzzle itself, but they will be stimulated to make triangles.



Similarly by having ten coins arranged in the form of triangle (as shown in left below), could you make the triangle upside down by moving three coins?

What is the smallest number of coins needed for 15 coins in the form of triangle (as shown in right below) to make is upside down?

More Good Games:

• Here is link for a nice Guessing Number game for kids aged 6 and above. I found this game in Singapore Science Center. If your kid is above 8, ask him/her to find how the number could be guessed. It is based on concept of binary number.

• 3D Tick Tack Toe: This is another game I found in Singapore Science Center. Indeed, it is lot of fun for the kids and helps their orientation skills! One can create this game in your home by using three throw-away CDs, CD writing pen, some books for support and chess pieces as shown in the picture (once can use backgammon or just different colored coins). On each CD, draw a three inch square with CD writing pen, subdivide the square to nine small squares just as in normal Tick Tack Toe. Buid the setup with CD over each other with the edges put between the books for support as shown. The game is similar to tick tack toe, but now one has to put three pieces in any straight line in 3D - in horizontal plane like usual tick tack toe, horizontally, vertically, diagonally or slanted-ly.
• Another good game is 3D Tick Tack Toe, in four planes. This is played against computer and quite challenging even for adult. One good feature is, it notifies you if there is a threat or if you block the threat.

Impending Pandemic - why people show no concern?

Since last couple of years, I feel unsettled for the fact that people are not thinking much about the impending Pandemic. WHO and leading doctors have given dire warning that it is not the question of if, but when that the avian flu will mutate to Killer Flu that will strike the world. It is estimated that 180-360 million people could die.

Since I live in Singapore and my larger family in Mumbai (India), I am especially concerned. Singapore being a traffic hub for air flights or ships, it is almost certain that the pandemic will come to Singapore. It is also almost certain that it will pass through Mumbai (India). Last pandemic of Spanish Flu in 1918-1919, 20 million (of 40 million world wide) Indians died!

While death is a tragedy in itself, even more horrifying is the panic and fear that will make people kill each other, many of us will abandon their spouse on the slight pretext, numerous parents will abandon their small sick children, many neighbors with slight suspicion will lock the door of the suspect victim from the outside to avoiding spread of contagion. I am not imaging this from thin air, these things have happened in the past epidemics. During the plague of 1665 that hit London, people committed horrifying brutalities during the Plague. In Surat (India), during the Plague of 1994, a time when the disease is well understood, things were no better. Most of the doctors ran away out of the city followed by the mass exodus of general population. The people who were leaving the city were at risk of getting killed by locals where they went. Today the bubonic plague is well understood and is contagious and treatable.

While government of most countries now have good plan for the Killer Flu, they cannot think of all scenarios and it can easily fail. Such top-down approach, while important, is not a fool proof approach. For example, in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, even the USA government was largely unprepared and there was anarchy and looting. With killer flu on rampage, one can only imagine the chaos it might create, especially in developing countries.

A ground level approach is also needed. Here are three things that I can think that government should help ordinary citizens do:

1. Reducing Fear Having knowledge of a disease greatly reduces fear. For example, Bubonic plague does not spread human to human, but mostly by rat-flea-human. A rat that has died for couple of days, could still spread plague because the fleas on the rat are desperate to find another host. Having brief knowledge of the disease can greatly reduce fear. It is a tragedy that the Plague outbreaks can still create fear in people. Killer Flu will not be that easy, as it is contagious and like cold it will spread like wild fire. Still knowledge of the disease will help people take precautions.
   
2. Facing Boldly: Running away from the city is not a good idea. As an individual it is perhaps right thing to do to minimize the individual risk. But as a society, if you are the carrier, you will spread to others. In case of pandemic, it is not even practical to leave the city. The border may be closed while fleeing and you may be in no-man's land and suffer a worse fate. The best thing is to show a soldier spirit and behave like a responsible citizen. Nature on it's part will show enough cruelity. Imagine the parents die of Flu, leaving the kids orphaned! This is quite likely, as Flu kills mostly people with strong immunity (age of 20-35 years) than people with poor immunity (small kids or old people). Knowing that in case I am dead, my kids will be taken care of othera, will make me less fearful and willing to help others.


3. Enough Food Supply: Having a month of food supply in the house is always a good idea. Nower days, canned food, pasta, lentils, rice and even milk is available that can last without refregiration for many years. Keep consuming the old ones and replinishing them so nothing is wasted. Storing in advance is better than hoarding (and depriving others) during the pandemic

The world governments and UN should play more active role in preparing ordinary citizens. Afterall during the height of the cold war, in 1950s, nuclear war drill was a part of an American life's routine and was taken very seriously.

Helping the kids improve

Everyone like to see their kids excel better than their parents and I am no exception. My wife and myself always think ways to make the kids busy with something that can be also educational.

With recent holidays coming, we are desperate to find some creative things that kids can do during the day. Some ideas that come to mind are:

• Writing Essays - Mind Maps - Recently I purchased the book - Mind Maps for Kids by Tony Buzan, who introduced the idea of Mind Map. The book emphasizes that we do not use the right brain creatively, which are into colors, diagrams, dimensions, day dreaming. Instead, we use left side of brain which is into logic, list and words. So by using diagrams (right-side of brain), one can quickly collect the thoughts, remember things and it can be fun. I am skeptic about the use of color as one usually never remember our dreams in color. However, I take Tony's word for now. Recently I got drawing pads and color pens so that I can teach them to draw Mind Map. Since my kids do lot of drawing due to motivation from my wife, I think the Mind Map will take them to next level! I have not tried the Mind Map on my kids as yet nor I have planned how I am going do as yet.
  


• Structuring the language: Recently a colleague told me about structuring thoughts and found it greatly useful. The idea is: when thinking about any topic to write or speak. Think about the main topic and question How some thing happened, Where some thing happened, When some thing happened, What something, Why some thing happened. Suddenly lot of questions spring up in the mind. The answers to these questions are often easy. Collect these question/answers, rearrange and you have an essay! I have seen people, who can do without writing! This can be used in conjunction with the Mind Maps.
  


• Science Center (in Singapore) - I live in Singapore from where the Science Center is at the walking distance. I think science center is great way to learn things. Lately, I am taking my kids to watch the stars and planets via telescope in the science center. I do not see great impact on the kids as yet. However, in my opinion, these positive affirmations will help kids develop positively. Besides, I spend quality time with kids. In USA, I presume the small science museums are fairly common. Universities that have telescope, usually have free public viewing on weekly or monthly basis.