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Monthly Archives: October 2009

Science Fair Project Experiments

One of the key ingredients to most Science Fair Projects is the experiment. The experiment is what tests your hypothesis. Your goal will be to create an experiment that allows you to test different variable on the same situation. It would be difficult to explain this process without an example, so we will create an experiment to use throughout the entire article. Our experiment will involve testing plant grow with various fertilizers.

                The first thing that we must establish is that a control is necessary. A control is simply one subject (plant in our case) that will not be exposed to any variables. Let say that we want to compare plant growth using these fertilizers: Brand A, Brand B, soil from a compost pile, and soil with manure. We have one variable, the fertilizer, and four test options. The control will be a fifth plant that has no fertilizer added to the soil. The control will give us an idea of the plant growth without the applied variable to compare to. For example, if three of our four plants do very poorly and our variable does not, then it is likely that it was the variable applied to those three samples that caused the poor growth. However, if we have the same situation and the control also does poorly, then there is a greater possibility that there was something else (other than the variable) that caused the poor growth. Examples might include a bad batch of plants from the start or that the plants became contaminated before or during the experiment.

                Another factor that will guarantee better results is multiplying your test subjects. In the experiment listed above, we will have five plants (four variables & one control). If you created multiple sets, let’s say three, of the five plants, then we will gain better results. With multiple sets, we will be more likely to rule out if one subject did worse because it was a weaker or younger plant than the others. If the ‘Brand A’ subject grows the best in all three sets, then it will solidify the results that it truly is the better option. If one does well and the other two do not, then it is likely that the ‘Brand A’ was not the determining factor for the growth in the good one. This technique will also provide as a backup in case of contamination or error. If you have only one set and it gets ruined (gets knocked over by pet, sibling, etc) then you will have to start all over, and that’s even if you are able to due to project deadlines. If you have multiple sets, one can be thrown out without scrapping the project.

The key in every experiment is to set it up so that only one variable is changed among the subjects and that all other remain the same for each. In our example of testing fertilizer, we want to make sure that the type of soil, the amount of sunlight, the amount of water and the temperature are all the same very every subject. Not doing so could throw off your results by having multiple variable affecting the growth of the plants. Then you would not know which variable was the cause of growth (or lack of).

As your experiment progresses, you will want to keep accurate records. In our example for plant growth with fertilizers, you will want to check the plant height, width, color and other features on a regular basis. It would be best to use the same measuring tool each time, measure on a regular schedule (everyday, every other day, etc) and measure at the same time every time. Measuring at different times throughout the day may give incorrect readings because of how much sun light is getting to plant. Remember that the key is to make sure that everything is as similar as possible with all subjects except for the one variable that you want to change, the one you are testing.

Wesley Skiles is creator of www.ideasforasciencefair.com and has worked in fields related to electricity electronics and hydraulics.

5 Classic Outdoor Games Your Kids Will Love

Playing outdoor games is part of growing up. We all have childhood memories of playing our favorite outdoor games with the kids from the neighborhood and our best friends from school. Now it is up to us to pass down the legacy to our children. Show them that playing outside is fun and teach them that physical activity is essential to their wellbeing.

Below is a list of five classic outdoor games your children are sure to love.

1) Hopscotch

Hopscotch is a simple jumping game that is easy to set-up and easy to learn. To play outdoors, all you need is a package of colored or plain white chalk, child-safe items like colored stones for the players to use as their markers, and a patch of concrete to draw the hopscotch board on.

Since there are a number of ways to draw a hopscotch board, experiment with a few different patterns and use the version your children like best.

The classic, old school way to create a hopscotch board is to use chalk on concrete to outline eight blocks in the shape of a lowercase letter “t.” Masking tape can be used as a substitute if chalk is not available or if you are playing indoors. Every player will need to find a small object that can be used as a marker. This is where you can get creative! Just make sure you don’t pick your mom’s favorite breakable figurine. Think more along the lines of a button, beanbag, or bottle cap.

Each player takes turns tossing his or her marker in block number one. The objective is to keep your balance as you hop over block one standing on one foot, then onto block two, three, four, etc. until you have reached the eighth block. To complete your turn, you must jump back through each number back to block two, bend over (still on one foot!) pick up your marker, and jump into block one and out of the hopscotch board. This completes the turn of one player. It is then time for the other players to take each of their turns.

There are a quite a few factors that determine whether a player is out and loses a turn. These things include failure to place your marker in the proper block for that particular turn, stepping into the block your marker is in, and losing your balance while attempting to pick up your marker. A player is also considered out if he or she steps on a line or uses both feet to hop into the next block. That player then loses his or her turn and must leave the marker in the block to try again after all the other players have taken their turn.

2) Red Rover

This game is fun when you have a big group of kids involved. Pick teams of equal size. Each team member holds hands tightly to create a chain. One side starts by picking someone on the opposing team to invite over to their team. Everyone shouts, “Red Rover, Red Rover, send Emily right over!” Emily then breaks free and runs toward the other team. The goal is to break the link of the other team. If Emily is successful, she gets to pick someone from that team to join her team. If Emily is unsuccessful, she has to join the opposing team. This continues until one side has all of the team members. The best thing about this game is that everyone is a winner in the end!

3) Four Square

Much like hopscotch you can create your own four square arena by drawing one with chalk or using masking tape. You will also need a rubber ball, or any ball that is good for bouncing. Draw or lay out a large square that is divided into four inner squares. There is one person per square. The first player in the top square bounces the ball to the player in the square to the left of his or herself. This sets off the play. Everyone has to use hands to bounce the ball, in one bounce, around the square until someone fumbles and is out. The players rotate bringing a new player into the square to replace the person who fumbled. A person is out if they catch the ball, if it takes more than one tap to bounce the ball to the next person, or if a person steps out of his or her designated square. The goal is to move up into the top square. Like Red Rover, in this game, everyone is a winner.

4) Tag

Tag is one of the oldest and most exciting outdoor games for children. An added benefit of playing tag is the level of physical activity – it is a great source of exercise! While there are many variations of this classic chasing game, two remain the most common with kids today: traditional tag and freeze tag.

In traditional tag, one person is chosen to be “it,” the person who must try to catch the others. When the person who is “it” touches another person, that person must chase after another and the game continues.

Another variation of tag is freeze tag. The player who starts out as “it” can tag as many people as he or she likes. When the person who is “it” tags a player, that player must stands still or “freeze.” The frozen players can only be unfrozen once a free player crawls in between their legs. The object of the game? For the “it” player to freeze all other players. As you can imagine, freeze tag can go on for quite some time if players are fast!

5) Duck Duck Goose

This is an all time favorite. All the players sit in a circle. The “it” player walks around the outside of the circle tapping the other players on the head saying, “duck, duck, duck, etc.” When he or she gets to the person they choose to be the new “it” person, they say “Goose!” The “goose” then has to chase the other player and tag them before he is able to sit down in the goose’s spot. If the “it” player gets to the seat before being tagged the “goose” is the new “it” and the game continues.

These are five classic old-school games that every child should know. While a playground with swings and slides and monkey bars is always fun, nothing beats these basic games you can play almost anywhere. With spring in the air, now is the perfect time to take your kids and their friends outside and show them how to have a good time. Get going!

Alicia Randall is a full-time nanny living in Santa Fe, New Mexico, who writes about topics related to children’s play in her spare time. For more information on playground equipment, please visit www.swingset.com.

Lisa Austen is a mother of three from Sacramento, CA. She writes about topics related to children’s play in her spare time. For more information on Playground Equipment, please visit www.swingset.com.

Choosing Age-Appropriate Games For Kids

Selecting the best games for your kids is just as important as choosing the right books, TV shows or movies. Many argue that games provide a huge benefit to your child and can even help in their development. Think about what your kids can play by using these tips as a guide.

1. Learn about the rating system. The Entertainment Software Ratings Board is sometimes referred to as ESRB. The ESRB puts out seven different ratings to games.
Each rating is listed on their website, but here is a brief summary.

- Early Childhood (EC) – these games are ok for children aged 3 and older. Fully age- appropriate.

- Games rated with an “E” (stands for Everyone) indicate that they are safe for children that are above the age of six. There is very minimal use of violence and mild language.

- Rating of Everyone 10+ (E 10+): These video games are suitable for ages 10 and up. There will be some mild violence, mild language and slightly suggestive concepts.

- Rating of T (Teen): These games are suitable for teens aged 13 and older. They may contain crude humor, violence, suggestive concepts, and gory images. These might also have strong language.

- Video games that are rated ‘M’ (for Mature) are only appropriate for kids aged 17 and older. They may contain gory images, some sexual content and strong language.

- Games that are only suitable for those who are 18 or older are rated AO, or Adults Only. These games may contain nudity, violence and/or sexual content.

’RP’ means the game has not yet been rated by the ESRB. This will only be used in advertising until the game has been released to the public.

2. Check the description. After looking at the ESRB rating, look on the back of the case to see if it is the right game to choose for your child. You should seek out themes or the type of content that you do not want to expose your child to. Also, read to see if the subjects or themes may benefit your child. Search out the games that encourage the kind of learning you want for them.

3. Keep in mind your child’s age and ability when selecting games. Try to purchase games that are easy to play, if they are new to computer games. Get a start with games that have easy instructions and are pretty easy to play with no prior knowledge. If it is too hard to use, your child may not have any interest in the game that you got for him or her.

4. Select games with additional features. The game may be more fun for the child if it has added extras like a steering wheel or dance pad. Try to find games that extend play further than the control console.

5. Try the game out yourself. You should rent the game and try it out yourself first before you consider buying it. Play with the child as well to see if he or she takes an interest in it. Make sure that your kids respond positively to the game before you actually go out and buy it.

Tiffany Provost writes about Games for kids and Hobbies for HowToDoThings.com.

Sports Injuries are No Child’s Play

Games are definitely fun, especially for children. But playing in sports can turn into a hospital emergency for your kids. Statistical data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that annually close to 800,000 children suffer from injuries that are related to playing sports; and a big chunk of this number are linked to basketball, baseball, football and soccer. In the same study, it has also been found that over 60% of the injuries are associated with damages in the joints.

For most parents, sports injuries are an acceptable risk for all kinds of sports; in other words, if you do not want your child to get wet, then do not allow him or her to frolic in the rain. But the thing is that long after a sports injury has healed, certain complications may sprout later in your kid’s life. And the most difficult backlash may come in the form of osteoarthritis.

Yes, it is true! Sports injuries can put your child five times more prone to osteoarthritis than someone who has not experienced any abuse in the joints. And while osteoarthritis may come out years later, even after the sports injuries have completely healed, children of today—especially those who love to play sports—are exposed to greater risks of joint diseases. Indeed, osteoarthritis and other joint diseases are no longer confined to the 50- or 60-year-old age brackets; members of the younger generations who have experienced sports injuries may suffer the symptoms of various joint and bone diseases as early as in their late twenties.

But this should not deter you from allowing your child to be out there playing basketball, baseball, football or soccer; the benefits of getting your child involved in sports are clear and incontrovertible. The issue at hands is how you can best protect your child’s joints and bones from being injured in a game; doing so will greatly diminish his or her chances of acquiring joint diseases like osteoarthritis later in life.

Surely, you know a lot about preparing your child’s body for any game; stamina and resistance play important roles on how a player, young or old alike, will perform in any physical sport. But the key to an injury-free playtime is wearing the right protective gear. Giving your child added security against traumas common in any physical sport may be the smartest thing to do.

For a basketball fanatic, injuries in the knee joints can be considered common aside from sprains and ankle strains. So suit up your child with elbow and knee pads; you can also add eye goggles and a mouth guard.

In baseball, swinging the bat and throwing balls may take their toll on your child’s muscles. But all the sliding on the base plate and the risk of being hit by a ball can pose a more serious injury that can afflict joints and other bone tissues. Your child’s basic protective gear should include a batting helmet, elbow and knee pads, protective gloves, and shin guards.

If your child plays football, sprains and torn ligaments are the most common types of injuries to look out for. Invest in sports gear like helmet, chest and shoulder pads, shin guards, and, of course, the right shoes. Soccer is another form of football, but in this sport your kid does not need a helmet nor chest and shoulder pads; shin guards and pads on the elbows and knees will do.

Indeed, osteoarthritis and other joint diseases have become the leading causes of disability in the US; and the victims keep on getting younger each year. Protect yourself and your child from the symptoms of these diseases such as stiffness and pains in the joints. While sports injuries sustained by your child may cause osteoarthritis much later in his or her life, it is good to know that there are specially-formulated products that can improve the health of one’s joints. When the day that osteoarthritis does arrive, you can use products like Phosoplex to help you deal with joint diseases. Visit www.Phosoplex.com for more details.

Sharon Bell is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine http://www.healthnfitnesszone.com.

Effects of Online Gaming on Kids

The influence of technology in the field of gaming continues to grow at a rapid pace. As computer and video games have increased exponentially in popularity over time, they have caused significant impact upon popular culture. This form of entertainment has spawned many fads. Video game culture has evolved in time, particularly in connection with internet culture. Today, one can see the impact of computer and video games in politics, television, popular music, and Hollywood. A lot of research is conducted to study its effect on lifestyle and behavior of the wow powerleveling gamer especially kids. Online game is the most sought leisure activity followed by kids now days. Computers play a major role in shaping the future of kids. Days are gone when children loved to indulge in outdoor activities, rather than running or playing outside children spend most of their time playing online games. Online games surely have an impact on minds of kids’ .Taking into consideration it positively is a great mind exercise and helps kids explore many new things. It includes improvement in recursive and proactive thinking, increased sociability, and improved interpretive skills. Research shows that the children who played online games were more active and had sharper minds than their other counterparts. Some video games have been specifically designed to teach people about a certain subject, expand concepts, reinforce development, understand an historical event or culture, or assist them in learning a skill as they play. Computer and videogames also receive much more negative critics because games are often coined with issue such as mindless entertainment, enhanced social recluse, sexism and consumerism. Research shows that kids who play violent video games showed an increase in emotional arousal – and a corresponding decrease of activity in brain areas involving self-control, inhibition and attention. There was a research conducted on a group of children where two action games were included the first game was the high-octane but non-violent racing other was the ultra-violent. The team divided children into two groups, and randomly assigned the kids to play one of the two games. Immediately after the play sessions, the children were given MRIs of their brains. The scans showed a negative effect on the brains of the kids that played ultra-violent for 30 minutes. That same effect was not present in the kids who played non-violent.

Children all over the world seek love and peace from video games, in order to escape abusive parents, siblings, and classmates. The psychological effects of computer games. Some video games lead to aggressive behavior others lead to aggressive thoughts. Much of the debate about gaming deals with the relationship between aggressive behavior and the negative content found in the games. Some studies have purported that there is a correlation between depression and playing computer games. Some psychologists and parents’ groups have criticized video games because they believe they cause children to sit alone infront of computer for many hours in a row, interacting with a machine (although chatting can be considered a more socially open environment) rather than running and playing outside as they exercise and improve their social skills by playing with other children. They claim that video games can be even more addictive to children than TV and therefore more likely to isolate them socially in this way. People often think that increased game usage necessarily means increased depression, alienation, and lost of sense of community.

Everyone who plays video games has a different reason for playing and the usage of the game leads to different effects for each individual person. Childhood upbringings, peer influences, pressures at school, and family issues are all factors that have a strong connection with the effects of gaming on individuals. So if a person’s reality doesn’t counter that which is on the computer and television screen, than a child may aim to make the game he plays a reality. From this idea we see school shootings, increased drug usage, and depression. Sure video games maybe therapeutic for some people, but the small amount of people who are negatively affected by gaming impact many. So just like one alcoholic can cause a car accident that can kill twenty people, increased promotion of violence coupled with real life graphics can do the same thing.

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Get Great Used Video Games at Discounted Rates

Over the past few decades, video games have evolved to become one of the best forms of entertainment. Its popularity has grown immensely among the younger generation. It is regarded as one of the best means for spending one’s time with one’s family and friends. Unlike earlier versions, today, video games are much more entertaining as the graphics and other technologies have improved.


If you are really into video games, it’s not a bad idea to go for some of the used games. This will help you save money while giving you a wider variety of entertainment at an affordable price. It is also a good idea if you want to go back to your childhood days and find used video game systems, although it may be very difficult to track down the old used systems. Still it is possible to find the one you might have been searching for.


If you are about to purchase the used video game, then you will have to check out all the local stores near you. There are very few stores where you will find those used video game systems.


You can also check out the Internet. There are some sites where they sell the older used video games and systems. The internet is probably the easiest place to find these older systems. Another option you might consider is a garage sale or flea market. If you can find a game system you like there, you should be able to find a store where they sell games for that system.


Once you find the game or system that you want, you should definitely test it out to make sure it works properly. There are various sites where you will find a very limited collection of used video games today. The prices are very affordable compared to the new video games. You will even come across many discounts if you search properly. Another important thing is to find out about the history of the game, if possible. That way you can determine how it was maintained and be assured that it will last you a good while without hassles or trouble.


There are numerous types of video games that are available today, and there are frequent changes in the video games and systems. So it won’t be a bad idea to get a used video game just in case you have to dispose of it later on. You won’t have much regret since you haven’t had to pay a fortune for it.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for computers, laptops and software. When shopping for used computers, used laptops and used software, we recommend you shop at only the best online stores for used computer, used laptop, used new and used laptops software.

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