Science Book Take-and-Replace Swap

I'm gathering a list of people interested in a Take-and-Replace book* swap. 

Here's how it'll work:

I'm going to pack up a box with science books I no longer need or use.  Some of them are duplicates of books I have, some of them are books I've never found use for despite teaching the topic covered in the book , some of them have just found their way into my collection for unknown reasons.

Some of the objects I'm considering including in the box.  No final decisions have been made - and I won't share the final cut with anyone.  That way it'll be a surprise for the first recipient.

I'll send the box to the first person on the list.  That person can remove as many books from the box as they wish to keep.  But, each book they remove from the box must be replaced with a science book that they no longer need in their collection. 

The books can be used (I expect they would be) and worn, but they should still be usable.  When choosing your replacement items, please make sure your items are in a condition that you would be willing to receive.  Please do not include photo copies. 

The box will be repacked and sent to the next person on the list, and will continue on until it makes its way back to me at the end of the swap. 

The cost of participating will be the cost of mailing a medium-sized Priority Mail flat-rate box - $10.95 if you go to the post office, $10.50 if you purchase your postage online. 

We'll go with the Priority Mail option, because it will keep the cost the same for everyone and it will keep the box moving faster than the other options. 

If you find one or two books that are helpful to you, you should come out ahead!

Participation is open to as many people as are interested - if the list of interested people starts to get too long, I'll start additional boxes so you're not waiting several months to get your turn!

 If you're interested in participating, send me an email in the next week, and we'll get the box(es) going as soon as possible!

*Swap objects are not limited to books (though I suspect most of them will be books).  Other appropriate objects include science DVDs, small games, etc.  Remember the objects all need to fit in the box, along with the other objects that remain. 

Natural Things Quiz Answers

Thanks to everyone who participated in both the Natural Things Swap and the follow-up quiz.  I hope you've all enjoyed it as much as I have.

I'm planning another one for next fall, so watch for more information around the beginning of September.  And keep your eyes open for possible items to swap!

1. Goldenrod

This is a golden rod gall - that bulge (the gall) was once the home for a goldenrod gall larva.  It was nourished and protected by the plant stem until it was time to emerge and finish metamorphosis. 

I wasn't familiar with these before the swap, and am anxious to check out the goldenrod fields next fall to see if I can find more!

2. Soybean seed and seed pod

3. Magnolia Seed Pod

4. Flint

5. Slate

Take the Natural Things Quiz Now!

Earlier this fall, I hosted a Natural Things Swap.  It was loads of fun and I'm looking forward to another one in the future. 

In an effort to share some of the fun with everyone, I've taken photos of some of the objects exchanged and created a quiz in which you try to identify the objects.

Every person who attempts the quiz (and yes, swappers are allowed to enter), is entered to win the prize (more on that in a second).  Each object you correctly identify will earn you an additional prize entry.  There are 8 objects to identify, so if you can identify them all correctly, your name will be in the prize drawing 9 times. 

The quiz will be open for one week.  Next Friday I will reveal the identity of the objects, so make sure you check back in then.


THE PRIZE
Sheri, from Exploring Nature, has generously offered the winner an individual subscription to Exploring Nature Educational Resource. 

Exploringnature.org is an award winning educational website containing more than 5,000 pages of illustrated life science resources with detailed and age appropriate content including animals, plants, biomes, ecology, biology, anatomy, genetics and the human genome, weather, classification, food webs, life cycles - just to name a few.  The site also features movies, interactive games, worksheets, quiz collections, science activities, and teacher aids with new content is added weekly.  Exploringnature.org was developed by published author and science educator Sheri Amsel and is an American Library Association (ALA) pick for their Great Websites for Kids list. 

With your subscription, you'll have complete access to thousands of printable pages - for coloring, for labeling, posters, flashcards, etc. 

Remember, simply trying the quiz (even if you're making a complete guess with every question), gets you entered to win the Exploring Nature subscription!

Click here to take the quiz!

Natural Things Swap Update

Swap boxes are getting packed up to head out to their recipients early next week.  (If you're not familiar with the Natural Things Swap, you can read more about it here).

Thanks to everyone who participated - each and every person who said they wanted to play along made me so happy!

If you missed out on this year's swap, you'll have a chance to play along virtually in the coming weeks - there will even be prizes! 

Keep watching for more information!

Reminder: Sign Up Now for Natural Things Swap

Just a quick reminder: you have through Friday night to sign up for the Natural Things Swap.  A few of the objects you can expect to receive in your swap box:

• Ohio flint
• Shells
• Slate
• Magnolia seed pods
• Skate egg sacs
• Golden rod galls
• Black walnuts

Add your object to the list and join the fun! 


PS For those of you who have already signed up: an email with more details will be on its way Friday night or Saturday.

Update: Natural Things Swap

I'm getting together a nice group of people participating in the Natural Things Swap, but would love to include more.  It's truly an activity that will be enriched with every addition to the group. 

I know there are some of you debating participating, but feeling like you don't have anything unique to contribute... I just wanted to share a quick story and let you know that the things you walk by every day and take for granted are great objects to swap.

When I was deciding what I should contribute to the swap, I initially considered including maple leaves or helicopters (maple seeds) because they are simple enough for me to collect - I just have to walk a few feet outside my door.  But, I sort of rejected that idea because living in the upstate New York/Vermont region, maple trees hardly seem like anything unique or worthy of swapping.  They line my street and just about everywhere else around here. 

Ironically, one of the people participating in the swap commented to me that she really hoped she'd get some "big leaves" from the northern part of the country as part of the swap.  She lives in southern Texas, and her students have no idea how large leaves grow to be.  Needless to say, I'll be including some maple leaves in my swap packages after all (unless, of course, someone else would like to include them, in which case I'll use something else).

At the end of the day, those common objects (the ones you've already crossed off your list of possibilities) are probably some of the best to include.

If you're looking for lessons in which to include your newly acquired natural artifacts, Sheri's Specimen Collection and Classification activity may be a good place to begin.  It's focused on the animal kingdom, but you could use it as a jumping-off point to create a similar activity to include the plant-based objects.

Also, I wanted to quickly mention that while this blog is largely written for educators (formal and informal), you don't need to be a teacher to participate.  My 5 year old son is having a ball talking and thinking about what objects we should include in the swap and is nearly bursting to find out what other people will be sending  us.  I think it will be a fabulous experience for him, as well as a chance for me to build up my collection of objects for teacher workshops and my someday-return to a classroom.


So, consider joining in the fun.  Click here for the details of what's involved and then send a message my way to get your name on the list!  And, if you're still unsure or have questions, send them my way. 

Natural Things Swap

Are you looking to expand your collection of natural objects to make learning more interesting?  Interested in starting a collection of objects to play What Is It? 

Consider joining the Natural Things Swap. 

You'll collect a bunch of, for this example let's say, acorns.  You'll place each acorn in its own small bag and label it (or find a way to label it without the bag).  You'll mail all of the labeled acorns to me.  In return, you'll receive a box containing a sampling of the objects other people collected and sent to me. 

Ideas for objects to collect:
Seed pods (acorns, small pine cones, gum balls, buckeyes, etc.)
Pressed leaves
Shells/Egg cases
Small fossils
Nice rock specimens

Make sure you don't send anything that could rot or otherwise begin to smell...

How Many Objects:
Next week I will let you know how many people have expressed an interest in playing along.  You're welcome to send enough for everyone, and in turn you'll get back an object from everyone participating.  You're also welcome to only send a few objects, but keep in mind that you'll only receive back as many objects as you send. 

Cost:
You'll need to pay for the postage to mail the objects to me.  You'll also need to send $5 to cover the cost of mailing the collection back to you.  I'll provide you with my PayPal information, or you can include the payment in the box you mail me. 

If you want to play along...

1. Send me a message letting me know you want to play and what object you plan to send my way (only one person per object - we don't need to all exchange acorns...)
2. Share this swap with your friends, so they can play along too!
3. Collect your objects.  Clean them if appropriate and label them.
4. Mail the objects to me by the end of October (that date could be negotiable, let me know if you have a conflict and I'll consider making a change).
5. Make sure you've made your $5 payment - if you don't pay, you won't get a box back!
6. Check your mailbox for your arriving collection. 

So, what do you think???  You've got until 11:59 pm EDT on September 9, 2011 to let me know you're interested!