Tag Archives: science
All these recipes are basic kitchen-chemistry. With a quick trip to the grocery store (and perhaps the health store for fragrance oils) you’ll have everything you need to mix them at home. Host a spa science party perhaps?! We shared our favorite recipe here… Continue reading
We have had a bunch of great after-school classes happening this semester, and the girls are doing tons of amazing projects. Here, our after-school instructors give us some of the highlights! Continue reading
We were inspired to make these ‘cards’ by the simplicity of using LEDs to add a spark of light to any project. This is a great “wiring 101” project because kids can see exactly how a circuit works, and they can assemble it themselves without stripping wires, adding switches or worrying about being shocked. Continue reading
Robotics was a new theme Curious Jane offered this past summer. In truth, it was a bit of Intro Robotics and bit of Electronics 101. A favorite project – hands-down – was the drawbot. All it takes is a paper cup, a few markers, a small motor and AA batterypack. But we learned the most important piece of all was the small nut, screw (any little item) that we hot-glued to the motor off-center. This tiny bit of weight variance caused the drawbots to dance and skitter all about. With its marker tripod, this off-kilter motion led to some really cool patterns! To try these projects out at home, click through the links at the end of the post – and have fun! Continue reading
From early written history, up through the 1990s, the teenage brain has been characterized as being clouded by dark forces, causing teens to behave in irrational, inexplicable, even dangerous ways. However, in the 1990s, detailed brains scans made possible by new imaging technology showed a massive re-organization and re-modeling taking place during the teen years and even into the early twenties. In the 2000s, scientists examined the teenage brain in light of evolutionary theory and found it to be highly adapted and perfectly wired for the most difficult and critical task humans undertake.
“The New Science of the Teenage Brain” landed in my mailbox last week – the cover story of National Geographic’s October issue and the top of my Sunday reading list. After being blown-away by its findings, I shared it with a friend – a therapist who works with teens. “You should read this fantastic article. Maybe teens aren’t inexplicable; maybe they’re amazing.” She replied, “I know – a lot of people have mixed feelings towards the teen years – confusion, frustration, anxiety, excitement, trepidation… but I find teens absolutely fascinating!” Exactly. Continue reading
At Curious Jane, we use bugs and crawlies for a few different projects. The Red Wriggler Worms we used this year have emerged as our new favorite crawly creature because they showed incredible resilience over seven weeks of camp, and don’t show signs of fading anytime soon. They are super-worms! Continue reading
No matter how many times we make slime, my girls never get tired of this gooey, wacky activity. If you’re stuck inside on this snow day, download the movie “Flubber” on Netflix and unleash this project. Your kids will be super-psyched. It’s made with common ingredients you find around the house. Borax, a laundry additive, is available at most supermarkets and big box retailers. Instructions after the jump. Continue reading
Samantha Razook Murphy is the founder of Curious Jane and Blue Tree. She was inspired to create these unique programs to give her girls, and all girls, a chance to be creative and inventive in a high-energy, collaborative and gender-affirming space. She loves designing, tinkering and figuring out. Samantha is the mother of two girls and lives in Brooklyn, NY. She holds her BA from Yale and Masters in Industrial Design from Pratt. In her spare time she coaches volleyball and rides her bike around Brooklyn.