How would you decode this earth science mystery?

Geo-scientists ran into a glacial mystery when their mapping of glacial material called "drift" revealed an area in western Wisconsin that didn’t have any glacial drift material. They named the place the driftless area. But what really made this driftless area such a mystery was that the entire area of 15,000 square miles was surrounded by drift. This meant that glaciers went entirely around the driftless area but didn’t cover it. Are you kidding? How was that possible?

To find out some of this mystery, watch this video. To really "get with the drift" of what happened here over the past 2.5 million years, take this learning adventure into your classroom, have your teacher download the free Lesson Activity at the bottom of this page so everyone can share in the fun of this inquiry based learning.

Okay, here's the deal. When glaciers advanced across Wisconsin, they reshaped much of the landscape. The thick ice carried boulders, sand, and gravel as it advanced. And when it finally melted and retreated, it left behind all that material. Scientists called it “glacial drift.” This glacial drift of sand, gravel, rocks and boulders covers the ground where the glaciers once were. Earth scientists map areas where this drift is present to recreate the history of glacial activity.

To get the rest of the this story, click "Learn More" below here. Or, if you have the time, also watch the amazing half-hour Emmy-winning documentary from our educational buddies at Untamed Science on "Mysteries of The Driftless". Just click on the movie in the upper right window. We bet you a bag of popcorn that you don't "drift off" while watching it!

These educational partners supported the video and lesson content here for all of us to learn from. They also offer lots of other learning opportunities on their websites. So check them out!

Society, as we know it, would be a lot different if we didn’t have pollinators. Many of the fruits we consume simply wouldn’t exist without them. In fact, the majority of plants are pollinated by what are called “biotic”, or living, pollinators. These include bees, butterflies, beetles, moths, and even bats.

How do these animals help plants reproduce through pollination? To answer that question we need to become botanists, or plant scientists, and take a closer look at flowers.

Flowers contain a stigma, or the female reproductive part of the plant. The stigma is smack dab in the middle of a flower and is something of a bulls-eye for biotic pollinators. Pollinators find the flower and settle upon the stigma to consume nectar. These creatures brush up against the pollen grains found on the stamen, or male reproductive part of the plant. When this pollen sticks to pollinators, the flower has done its job.

The pollinators, lured in with tasty nectar, now carry the pollen grains with them as they visit other flowers. And when those pollen grains contact the stigma of a flower that belongs to the same species…voila. A new plant is born.

Some plants use nitrogen fixation to gather the nutrients from the soil and almost all plants use the process of photosynthesis to make food from the sun. Not sure what these are? Well, watch the video to find out.

Check out this Serious Science video to learn more about these creatures who help feed the world. You’ll also join Caroline and Josh as they investigate the science of nitrogen fixation and photosynthesis. To take your learning even further, download the lesson activities below. Your teacher can download the lessons for free and you can blossom into a plant scientist in no time flat.

If you’ve ever ridden in a car, then you’ve been transported using the combustible chemical reaction of the renewable biofuel called ethanol. Well, at least 10% of your ride, anyway.

The ethanol story begins with a single kernel of corn in the springtime. But rather than tell you the whole story, you can learn by watching the video above. This overview depicts how that single kernel begins the transformation process that finally ends up in your car’s gas tank … with some chemical conversions and help from technology in between. Keep in mind, this video and the related learning materials below are only a introductory "primer" for the greater ethanol story. As with any science learning, also consider and evaluate the validity and sources of the materials, including videos — especially with potentially controversial topics such as ethanol production.

There’s so much more to learn with upcoming STEM-related videos and companion lesson activities; exploring the deeper science, technology, engineering and math, including the social and economic implications, of ethanol. This video and the companion lesson materials are designed for teachers and students to use in the classroom to foster ethanol discussions, or to launch related learning activities that you’ll find at the bottom of this page. You'll also find some helpful educational links below too, including our educational partners at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center,  and KEEP. You'll also find resource links from the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association, the Renewable Fuels Association and our friends at the Department of Energy.

Ethanol is a type of “biofuel” that is commonly blended in with gasoline, which most people use to fuel their automobiles. This “ethyl alcohol” is the same type of alcohol that can be found in alcoholic beverages, (consumed responsibly by adults) and it’s produced in a very similar way from the results of a “bio-chemical” reaction.

 

There's tons more to learn about ethanol history, how they make it, uses, and chemical reactions by opening the "Learn More" icon below. And be sure to share this with your classroom so your teacher can download the free companion lesson activities.

 

Did you ever wonder why we sleep only one night at a time yet bears sleep for five months? How do bumblebees survive winter underground when their body temperature is just above freezing? Discover the answers by watching this Serious Science video!

Learn how to safely navigate and trek the Ice Age Trail as you explore how the past impacts the present. Discover tips and tools for a learning adventure that will boost your health and your brain.

Whether making sand castles at the beach or drinking water from your tap, Glacial Geology Matters. Do you know why?

Discover the answers by watching this Serious Science video and reading the information below. And to take this learning adventure into your classroom, have your teacher download the free Lesson Activity at the bottom of this page so everyone can share in the fun of this inquiry based learning.

During the past 2.3 million years, a number of continental glaciers advanced and retreated many times across much of the Midwestern landscape. The last of these glaciers melted and retreated some 12,000 years ago. These massive flowing ice sheets reshaped much of the original landscape here while also depositing a variety of different sediments. So in the end, the glaciers changed much of the surface geology, and it's the geology of the land that affects a great many things in our lives today.

To discover how and why, either read "Learn More" or sit back and watch this video. To take this "cool" learning to a new level, check out the companion classroom Lesson Guide below that will really "reshape" your understanding of this glacial stuff.

Plus, the educational partner noted below supported the video and companion lesson content here for all of us to learn from. They also offer other learning opportunities on their website. So click on their logo to discover more!

Is it possible to identify glacial features while driving down the road? Discover the answers by watching this Serious Science video and reading the information below. And to take this learning adventure into your classroom, have your teacher download the free Lesson Activities at the bottom of this page so everyone can share in the fun of this inquiry based learning.

You might not realize it, but much of the Midwestern landscape that we see today was shaped by continental glaciers between 15,000 to 25,000 years ago. Hey, we wouldn't kid you, it's for real. These glaciers shaped the land in several ways. The ice that flowed slowly across the land both sculpted and deposited certain glacial features under the ice. When the ice front stopped flowing, ice meting at the front of the glacier deposited soils, sand and rocks trapped in the ice and formed other features. Even rivers that flowed on top of and beneath the glaciers deposited sand and gravel that formed some odd features. So what are some of these ice age features and how can we identify them? Okay we know that you're not a glacial geologist, but we'll give you an edge by using your computer.

To learn how, simply watch this video. Yeah, we suppose you could take some notes while you're at it, plus, read the "Learn More" section. To really explore some cool stuff about the landscape, use the Companion Lesson Guide below in your school so the whole class can become earth science geeks.

Plus, the educational partner noted below supported the video and lesson content here for all of us to learn from. They also offer other learning opportunities on their website. So click on their logo to discover more!

How did the research of agricultural scientist George Washington Carver shed light on the importance of nitrogen fixing plants such as soybeans for the health of both our soils and our economy? Discover the answers by watching this Serious Science video and reading the information below. And to take this learning adventure into your classroom, have your teacher download the free Lesson Activity at the bottom of this page so everyone can share in the fun of this inquiry based learning about a legume that uses "nitrogen fixation".

Did you know that soybeans helped poor Southern farmers rise out of poverty at the turn of the 20^th century? One of America’s most famous agricultural scientists made it his life work to bring science out of the lab and into the hands of American farmers.

“The primary idea in all of my work was to help the farmer and fill the poor man's empty dinner pail.  My idea is to help the man farthest down." These are the words of George Washington Carver, world-renowned botanist and inventor who rose out of slavery to revolutionize the South’s agricultural economy. But how did one man accomplish such a feat?  And how does it relate to the science of soybeans?

To find out the rest of this amazing story, watch the video here. To share this learning adventure with your whole class, check out the lesson activities below. And of course there's more to learn in "Learn More".

Plus, the educational partner noted below supported the video and lesson content here for all of us to learn from. They also offer other learning opportunities on their website. Educators are encouraged to evaluate and consider their science sources. Click on their logo to discover more!

 

Ever wonder where the food you eat comes from, and how it arrived at your dinner table?  Or, how the products you use every day came to be? Discover the answers by watching this Serious Science video and reading the information below. And to take this learning adventure into your classroom, have your teacher download the free Lesson Activity at the bottom of this page so everyone can share in the fun of this inquiry based learning.

On the surface, soybeans – small, pea-sized beans that have a relatively flavorless taste – seem rather... unimpressive.  But the origin and history of soybeans is a fascinating tale of early explorers, sea-faring merchants, ancient Oriental cultures, and American inventors and agricultural pioneers. Drawing upon both ancient and modern influences, the soybean has become one of the most important crops and industrial products in human history.

Let’s take a look at how it all began... by watching this video. To really explore more about it, try the companion classroom Lesson Guide. You'll also find more to learn under "Learn More".

Plus, the educational partner noted below supported the video and lesson content here for all of us to learn from. They also offer other learning opportunities on their website. Educators are encouraged to evaluate and consider their science sources. Click on their logo to discover more!

So what is this “sustainable forestry” stuff? Find out by watching this video that's "rooted" in forest science. Then you can also expand your "tree of learning" in your classroom with a combination of watching the video and taking part in classroom fun when your teacher downloads the free Lesson Guide that further explores this topic. So download the free Lesson Activity at the bottom of this page to get started!

We hear the word “sustainability” a lot, but what does it really mean? And how does “sustainability” really affect our lives?

Well, for biological systems such as a forest or a wetland, sustainability is the system’s ability to remain productive over a long time. It needs to continuously “sustain” the health of the system that can contain air, water, soil, trees, and animals. One of the things that can affect the sustainability of a system is the impact of humans consuming vital parts of the system.

To find out more about how all a dynamic forest system works, just open the “Learn More” below here.

Plus, the educational partner noted below supported the video and lesson content here for all of us to learn from. They also offer other learning opportunities on their website. Educators are encouraged to evaluate and consider their science sources. Click on their logo to discover more!