Extracting DNA from a strawberry

"Mommy, I'm bored..." Yes... you've heard it so many times. Especially during Summer. You've tried your best from Khan academy to making oobleck at home... I found this youtube video about DNA extracting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPGKv53zSRQ and this one really catches her attention. First... I talked about DNA and chromosome and cell... Then on the day she said I am bored, I was ready with the activity.

She prepared the materials, I helped with the measurements. Following the step by step instructions, she was so excited to be able to extract DNA from a strawberry.

One of the boredom busters you can try this summer... What do you think?

"Skyscraper" summer program at Friend's School

Skyscrapers... skyscrapers... yes, we are building skyscrapers... These are not ordinary skyscraper models...  They are all build by summer school students grade 5-8 at Friend's School in Boulder.

The program runs by Conny Karman, from IDEA It Lab, July 20-24, 2015. Students explore how to draw front, side and top view of a structure, basic architecture design and then they design and build their own model. 

In addition to that, these models also pass the "mother nature" test... We provided our cutting edge "shake table" and also the new and improved "wind tunnel" for students to test its model. 

Students have the opportunity to show their models during our "show and tell" session. Parents, grand parents are welcome to the event. It's a great way to spend your Summer... 

Wouldn't you agree?

IDEA it lab programs available through schools. We focus on Summer, after school and GT enrichment program. If you are interested to have IDEA It Lab come to your school, please visit www.ideaitlab.com. 

Summer Enrichment Program at UNCO - Greeley

Dream it... Build it...! At SEP 2015, you will find models of dream houses. From colorful house including its landscaping design, bubble under water house, hexagon house, to a two story dream house... yes...we have the models. 

These models are created by students grades 5-10 as part of Summer Enrichment Program that runs annually by University of Northern Colorado. Conny Karman, from IDEA It Lab, had the opportunity to share her talent in architectural design.

The program runs July 5-18, 2015. In addition to students from all over the state including Illinois, Wyoming, Texas, Nebraska, Arizona, we have students comes from all over the world including China, Taiwan and France.

Students learned how to draw front, side, top view. They put their new skills to practice to draw the room they are in. Then, students explore the basic architecture skills including exploring geometric shape in architecture and learning to use bubble diagram to organize their design.

Then using all their new skills to work, they design and make their dream house models.

At the end of the program, students share their models to their parents and friends... The best part is, they got to bring their models home...  It's a great place to spend your Summer... Wouldn't you agree?

IDEA It Lab: Hands-on activities for little engineers - Fibonacci numbers

Topic: Applying math - Fibonacci numbers can be found in daily life.
Architects use Fibonacci numbers and Golden Ratio as tools to measure beauty. When they design a building, they would consider the proportion and measurements according to Golden Ratio, 1.618
It is amazing to find this ratio in nature.

Video to view: Nature By Numbers
Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkGeOWYOFoA

Activities: Observe the world around you. See if there is any proportion or shape even color that caught your eyes. See if you can find a certain ratio on the object you are observing.