Comments for Kid Scientist http://kidscientist.com A no-nonsense science blog for kids Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:28:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 Comment on How Do Trees and Plants Help Us? by admin http://kidscientist.com/the-earth/how-do-trees-and-plants-help-us/#comment-65 admin Thu, 26 Jun 2008 03:39:25 +0000 http://kidscientist.com/uncategorized/how-do-trees-and-plants-help-us/#comment-65 Hey Aaron, yep, of course accuracy is key, but we're also shooting at an audience of 4-12 year old kids, so the big challenge is to make things simple enough to understand without dumbing things down. It's a tricky balance! Thanks for your comment. Hey Aaron, yep, of course accuracy is key, but we’re also shooting at an audience of 4-12 year old kids, so the big challenge is to make things simple enough to understand without dumbing things down. It’s a tricky balance! Thanks for your comment.

]]> Comment on How Do Trees and Plants Help Us? by Aaron Baldwin http://kidscientist.com/the-earth/how-do-trees-and-plants-help-us/#comment-64 Aaron Baldwin Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:19:16 +0000 http://kidscientist.com/uncategorized/how-do-trees-and-plants-help-us/#comment-64 Hi, I really appreciate the objectives of your website. However, as a scientist I think accuracy is of critical importance. "We breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. Plants do just the opposite — plants breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen." This is simply incorrect. Both plant and animal cells require oxygen and give off carbon dioxide 24-7 while respiring (breathing). Additionally however, plants take carbon dioxide and utilize it in the production of sugar. The byproduct is oxygen. This is not the same process as is respiration. Thanks Hi,

I really appreciate the objectives of your website. However, as a scientist I think accuracy is of critical importance.

“We breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. Plants do just the opposite — plants breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen.”

This is simply incorrect. Both plant and animal cells require oxygen and give off carbon dioxide 24-7 while respiring (breathing). Additionally however, plants take carbon dioxide and utilize it in the production of sugar. The byproduct is oxygen. This is not the same process as is respiration. Thanks

]]> Comment on What Do Plants Need to Live? by Deanna http://kidscientist.com/the-earth/what-do-plants-need-to-live/#comment-55 Deanna Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:44:18 +0000 http://kidscientist.com/the-earth/what-do-plants-need-to-live/#comment-55 Hi, I really enjoyed the comedy show after the "Science" hour. Thanks! Deanna Hi,

I really enjoyed the comedy show after the “Science” hour. Thanks! Deanna

]]> Comment on What Do Plants Need to Live? by admin http://kidscientist.com/the-earth/what-do-plants-need-to-live/#comment-51 admin Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:10:33 +0000 http://kidscientist.com/the-earth/what-do-plants-need-to-live/#comment-51 There is a huge difference between dumbing it down and using language that's appropriate for their age. If they can't understand what you're talking about in the first place, they're never going to learn it. There is a huge difference between dumbing it down and using language that’s appropriate for their age. If they can’t understand what you’re talking about in the first place, they’re never going to learn it.

]]> Comment on What Do Plants Need to Live? by Colleen http://kidscientist.com/the-earth/what-do-plants-need-to-live/#comment-49 Colleen Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:45:32 +0000 http://kidscientist.com/the-earth/what-do-plants-need-to-live/#comment-49 Fran, thanks for adding your comments - they were quite helpful. Yes, actually, current educational theory says you should be using words like photosynthesis with 5-year-olds; there's no reason to "dumb down" science for kids if it involves explaining things inaccurately such that they'll have to unlearn it later. Science is such a fascinating subject, and I feel sorry for anyone who was turned off to science as a kid. Fran, thanks for adding your comments - they were quite helpful. Yes, actually, current educational theory says you should be using words like photosynthesis with 5-year-olds; there’s no reason to “dumb down” science for kids if it involves explaining things inaccurately such that they’ll have to unlearn it later. Science is such a fascinating subject, and I feel sorry for anyone who was turned off to science as a kid.

]]> Comment on The Truth About Cavemen by Ross Scott http://kidscientist.com/creatures/the-truth-about-cavemen/#comment-38 Ross Scott Sun, 02 Mar 2008 16:39:25 +0000 http://kidscientist.com/uncategorized/the-truth-about-cavemen/#comment-38 it's kindda weird how we came from "cavemen".i don't like the fact that once my anceistors had to live n a cave. i know i could NEVER do that. there's like no TV! it’s kindda weird how we came from “cavemen”.i don’t like the fact that once my anceistors had to live n a cave. i know i could NEVER do that. there’s like no TV!

]]> Comment on Ten-year-old Boy Builds Backyard Snowmaking Machine by Ken http://kidscientist.com/weather/ten-year-old-boy-builds-backyard-snowmaking-machine/#comment-33 Ken Fri, 01 Feb 2008 18:54:20 +0000 http://kidscientist.com/uncategorized/ten-year-old-boy-builds-backyard-snowmaking-machine/#comment-33 I love this story. Being the co-owner of www.snowathome.com I’m proud to say Forest bought our SG4-LED Snowmaker kit http://www.snowathome.com/our_products/SG4_LED_U_Build_Kit.php So easy a 10yo could build it! SNOW Forest SNOW! I love this story. Being the co-owner of http://www.snowathome.com I’m proud to say Forest bought our SG4-LED Snowmaker kit http://www.snowathome.com/our_products/SG4_LED_U_Build_Kit.php
So easy a 10yo could build it! SNOW Forest SNOW!

]]> Comment on What Do Plants Need to Live? by jeffrey http://kidscientist.com/the-earth/what-do-plants-need-to-live/#comment-32 jeffrey Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:51:12 +0000 http://kidscientist.com/the-earth/what-do-plants-need-to-live/#comment-32 In fact, Fran, there are lots of plants (like algae) that don't need soil, and hundreds of species of plants that don't do photosynthesis (they are parasites of photosynthetic plants). So if you really want to get technical, and I know you do, your explanation isn't totally accurate either. In fact, Fran, there are lots of plants (like algae) that don’t need soil, and hundreds of species of plants that don’t do photosynthesis (they are parasites of photosynthetic plants). So if you really want to get technical, and I know you do, your explanation isn’t totally accurate either.

]]> Comment on What Do Plants Need to Live? by admin http://kidscientist.com/the-earth/what-do-plants-need-to-live/#comment-31 admin Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:24:00 +0000 http://kidscientist.com/the-earth/what-do-plants-need-to-live/#comment-31 Yo Fran, thanks for weighing in with the straight poop, but I have to say, the way you're approaching this suggests to me that you're the kind of teacher that made me hate science when I was in elementary school. This post was written for a five-year-old. Obviously it glosses some stuff over. Do you use words like "photosynthesis" with kindergardeners? Yo Fran, thanks for weighing in with the straight poop, but I have to say, the way you’re approaching this suggests to me that you’re the kind of teacher that made me hate science when I was in elementary school.

This post was written for a five-year-old. Obviously it glosses some stuff over. Do you use words like “photosynthesis” with kindergardeners?

]]> Comment on What Do Plants Need to Live? by Fran Ludwig http://kidscientist.com/the-earth/what-do-plants-need-to-live/#comment-30 Fran Ludwig Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:07:41 +0000 http://kidscientist.com/the-earth/what-do-plants-need-to-live/#comment-30 Please correct your inaccuracies: Plants respire (breathe) the same way as animals do, they take in oxygen (to release their food energy) and give off carbon dioxide (as the food is "burned" ). Plants do not get food from the soil (even though fertilizer is mistakenly called "plant food"). They get nutrients such as nitrogen from the soil and use these to make their own food through the process of photosynthesis. This is the process where plants take in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. As a science teacher, I spend a lot of time trying to get kids to use words correctly. Thanks, Fran Ludwig K-5 Science Coordinator Lexington (MA) Public Schools Please correct your inaccuracies:
Plants respire (breathe) the same way as animals do, they take in oxygen (to release their food energy) and give off carbon dioxide (as the food is “burned” ).

Plants do not get food from the soil (even though fertilizer is mistakenly called “plant food”). They get nutrients such as nitrogen from the soil and use these to make their own food through the process of photosynthesis. This is the process where plants take in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen.

As a science teacher, I spend a lot of time trying to get kids to use words correctly.

Thanks,
Fran Ludwig
K-5 Science Coordinator
Lexington (MA) Public Schools

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