When Pets Experiment: Adorable!

Meet Oscar and Felix! Fancy rats, domesticated brown rats (Rattus norvegicus), who we adopted from Heartland Small Animal Rescue in September. We've observed dozens of their experiments as they adjusted to their new home and while earning their trust. By far, their most adorable experiment involves the new bubble! 

I believe they are experimenting because they're adorably committed to methodically testing the nature of reality. Their goal, while they won't articulate it, is to verify the validity of their hypothesis: if they move forward, continuously, then they will be able to adventure around the apartment. They are, with out really knowing it, replicating their evolving hypothesizes. Above are Oscar and Felix testing their first hypothesis: if they lay very, still, then they will adventure. This hypothesis was falsified. Later they tried to adventure while each moved in an opposite direction (falsified) and then by rocking back and forth (also, falsified). 

Today, Oscar was the first to figure out how to rock the ball just enough to gain momentum. Adorable, butt waddling momentum...until he hit the wall. 

Learn to love science. Or at the very least, learn to appreciate it.

So many of us, even I, struggle with science (and math). This can leave us disliking, even hating, science. Science is hard. But luckily for us: we all think like scientists to manage life's challenges, we're all inherently curious, & this sets all of us up to master scientific concepts. If you, or someone you know is struggling to master science, you might feel like your inherent curiosity can't help you. Maybe you feel like you couldn't tap into this resource if you knew where to find it.

Maybe you're a parent who'd like to foster positive interactions between your child & the natural world but you feel overwhelmed by all the other nurturing you do. You may even feel you're not equipped to effectively connect your children to nature in our built-up world.

This is where I come in.

I am enthusiastic about connecting students of all types to science & nature; to foster their intrinsic curiosity; to inspire them to overcome obstacles in their learning process; and to creatively link concepts to their collected knowledge. I'm dedicated to strengthening scientific literacy and fostering positive connections with science & nature. I developed “Learn To Love Science; Biology Tutoring & Science Camps" for biology students of all ages in need of tutoring as well as science camps (and birthday parties) for junior scientists from age four to eleven.

I truly believe that every student is a scientist & in strengthening scientific literacy & fostering positive connections with nature! Welcome to my new blog, come back to read about teaching science; life in & after graduate school; volunteering in a play zoo; science camp updates; and inspiring ways to connect to the natural world for you & your family!