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 20th 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!
How did one little bean rise so quickly to such importance as an agricultural crop? 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.
Heck, just a few hundred years ago, American farmers weren’t even sure what to do with the odd little bean that came from China. But all of that changed when industry began to discover the many ways that this protein-packed legume could be used as food sources and in making industrial products.
To discover how the little bean escaped from the holds of old-time cargo ships to become a top crop, watch this video. Then consider sharing the learning adventure in your classroom with the companion Lesson Guide. Let the learning voyage begin... Soy-ahoy!
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!
Before you discover the science behind "Biological Carrying Capacity", consider all the other cool science you can explore on this website that combines learning with fun... that's right, it's legal and it's free. So bookmark us as your source for engaging videos and free lesson activities for teachers and classrooms.
You want the skinny on Biological Carrying Capacity? Then 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.
So if an ecosystem can only support a limited number of a certain species before problems begin happening... how do scientists determine what that number is and what things can affect it?
Fish and wildlife biologists manage natural resources for the overall health of certain species and the ecosystem where they live. But sometimes a healthy ecosystem gets damaged when too many of a certain species eats all the food. Just imagine a swarm of locusts eating all the vegetation in sight. Once an ecosystem gets that damaged, it can impact the health of everything that lives there. So what’s the right balance?
Biologists call the right balance the “biological carrying capacity”. It’s the capacity of an ecosystem to “carry” or support a healthy number of a certain species. For instance, if a forest type supports two healthy bears per square mile, what happens if four bears try to live there? They may eat all the available food and not find enough to remain healthy. Plus, if they eat all the fruit and nuts, they might damage the next generation of fruit and nut plants in the ecosystem. Everything loses.
Hmmm, makes you wonder... what variables can affect the biological carrying capacity of an ecosystem for a certain species?
Ah ha, it's the:
To find out more about how all this works in a lake with different fish species, just click on the "Learn More" below. 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 and discover more!
Comparing the fish life cycles of various species that share the same body of water helps biologists understand the bigger picture of the whole ecosystem.
Want to explore the underwater world of some interesting fish? That's easy! Just watch this video. Then you can learn even more in your classroom with a combination of watching the video and taking part in the fun free Lesson Guide that really dives into the underwater science of understanding fish species. Just download the free Lesson Activity at the bottom of this page to get going.
If you've ever fished in a certain river or a lake, you probably found out that it's home to some very different species of fish. Right? Then it kinda makes you wonder how the life cycles compare between some different fish species that both share the same body of water as their home.
But first, consider this. Fish, humans, birds, and all living organisms go through a “life cycle”. This life cycle begins at birth and lasts until they reach reproductive maturity. Within that life cycle, the organism typically goes through a number of physical changes. They can also have a yearly cycle of various activities or behaviors within their life cycle. Similar organisms that share the same ecosystem can have very different life cycles.
To "dive" into the depths of this topic, just click on the "Learn More" button below. Don't worry, you don't have to hold your breath.
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!