By: Debbie | May 8 2012 | Category: NIH Resources, Science and the Arts, Science Lite, Tidbits for Teachers
When eating out at a restaurant, pay attention to portion sizes. Some entrees are big enough to feed two people. Share a plate, or plan to take home half your meal. Learn more about America’s obesity problems by watching the HBO documentary series Weight of the Nation. To find more healthy eating tips, check out NIH resources: http://www.nih.gov/health/NIHandweightofthenation/
For timely updates about science education, STEM, NIH research, and health and medical science, you can follow the NIH Office of Science Education through multiple channels:
By: Debbie | April 19 2012 | Category: NIH Resources, Tidbits for Teachers
Teachers can now order the FREE new curriculum supplement, Evolution in Medicine, sponsored by 11 participating National Institutes of Health (NIH) Institutes and Centers and the Office of the Director. This supplement for grades 9 through 12 allows students to explore evolutionary principles and learn how evolution informs human health, biomedical problems, and disease treatment. The supplement contains two weeks of lessons that are easily integrated into your curriculum and are aligned to national and state standards. Order your FREE copy today!
The following lessons are included in Evolution and Medicine:
Ideas about the Role of Evolution in Medicine
Students learn to recognize that understanding the mechanisms of evolution, especially adaptation by natural selection, enhances medical practice and knowledge. Using an evolutionary tree, explore how common ancestry shapes the characteristics of living organisms.
Investigating Lactose Intolerance and Evolution
Students can understand that natural selection is the only evolutionary mechanism to consistently yield adaptations and that some of the variation among humans that may affect health is distributed geographically.
Evolutionary Processes and Patterns Inform Medicine
Students examine how health and disease are related to human evolution and understand why some diseases are more common in certain parts of the world. Analyze data and apply principles of natural selection to explain the relatively high frequency of disease in certain populations.
Using Evolution to Understand Influenza
Students understand how comparisons of genetic sequences are important for studying biomedical problems and informing public health decisions. Apply evolutionary theory to explain the emergence and spread of infectious diseases.
Evaluating Evolutionary Explanations
Students understand the importance of evidence in interpreting examples of evolution and medicine. Appreciate that natural selection and common ancestry can explain why humans are susceptible to many diseases.
For timely updates about science education, STEM, NIH research, and health and medical science, you can follow the NIH Office of Science Education (NIHSciEd) through multiple channels:
You can read more about Dr. Collins' Bladensburg High School visit in a recent Gazette.net article.
For timely updates about science education, STEM, NIH research, and health and medical science, you can follow the NIH Office of Science Education through multiple channels:
By: Debbie | March 19 2012 | Category: Science News, Scientists in the Community, Tidbits for Teachers
Elizabeth Grice studies the bacteria that live on human skin. Her research sheds light on why chronic wounds don't heal and might point to new treatments for diabetic foot ulcers and other skin conditions.
Read more about Elizabeth Grice in the latest issue of Findings, a publication of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, NIH. For timely updates about science education, STEM, NIH research, and health and medical science, you can follow the NIH Office of Science Education through multiple channels:
By: Cindy, Cynthia | March 1 2012 | Category: NIH Resources, Tidbits for Teachers
NIH announces the first set of LAB Challenge winners; expect more to come!
Today we are excited to announce the first group of winners of the NIH K–12 Lessons About Bioscience (LAB) Challenge. Yes, you read that right. This is the first batch of winners, so don't panic if you don't see your name yet. We received so many great, prize-winning entries that we’re announcing the winners in phases. You could be a winner in the next batch, to be announced April 1st.
You may wonder if the first batch of winners is somehow better than the next one. The answer is no, not at all. It’s just that these were the first ones we processed and identified as winners.
These 28 winning entries are from 60 individual participants. Our youngest participant was 6 years old, and we had a submission from a team that included a Vanderbilt University student, a faculty member, and an emeritus professor. Of the winning procedures, 12 targeted elementary grades and 16 were for middle and high school. It was a nice surprise to see that at least 12 of the winners were original creations, and another 12 were modified from existing sources. Winners come from across the United States, including California, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Puerto Rico.
All of the winners (no matter from which batch) and their experiment procedures will be compiled into a publication that will be free to everyone. This publication will also be published in phases, as each procedure is processed and edited for style and format. We will keep you posted on when they become available, and you can check our Web site for this and other updates any time.
Congratulations to our winners (so far)! Please stay tuned for news of more winners.
About the Challenge
The challenge—developed by the trans-NIH Science Education Resources Group (SERG) and published on the Challenge.gov Web site—was a national call-to-action asking individuals, groups, organizations, and scientists to submit procedures for engaging, hands-on health and life science experiments for grades K–12. Submission guidelines required that the activities should: (1) be geared toward grades K–12; (2) use safe, easily available, and inexpensive materials; (3) take 90 minutes (or less) of in-class time; (4) have at least one clear learning objective; and (5) be related to the NIH mission. Submissions were accepted from June 1 to December 15, 2011, and a panel of educators and NIH scientists are selecting the top entries. The winners receive an electronic NIH K-12 LAB Challenge Winner’s badge and will be listed with their experimental procedures in a final free publication.
By: Cindy | February 28 2012 | Category: NIH Resources, Tidbits for Teachers
This year’s theme: “Rare But Strong Together”
We’ve been thinking a lot about rare diseases in the office this year, as we wrapped up production of our latest middle school curriculum supplement, Rare Diseases and Scientific Inquiry. It’ll help students explore how scientists research rare diseases and treatments and learn about the workings of the human body. It’s almost ready to ship to educators, which is amazing, since it’s time again to observe Rare Disease Day!
The first Rare Disease Day took place in Europe and Canada during our last leap year, Feb. 29, 2008. Sponsored by alliances of patient groups , it was created to raise awareness about rare diseases and improve their treatment and patients’ access to treatment. Over the next four years, dozens of countries have joined in, and last year, more than 60 countries from all over the world participated. NIH celebrates Rare Disease Day at an all- day series of talks, posters, and exhibits on the main campus in Bethesda, MD. The focus is on research supported by NIH, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Organization of Rare Disorders, and the Genetics Alliance. You can follow the events of the day on Twitter: #NIHORDR.
Wearing your favorite pair of jeans is one way to show your support for Rare Disease Day, thanks to a campaign the Global Genes Projectlaunched 2009. The connection? Jeans and genes are universal – as are rare diseases. More than 7,000 rare diseases affect 30 million people in the United States alone, and about three-quarters of these are children.
For more about global campaigns to raise awareness and fund rare diseases resea rch, go to the Rare Project site: http://rareproject.org/ For timely updates about science education, STEM, NIH research, and health and med i cal science, you can follow the NIH Office of Science Education through multiple channel s:
By: Debbie | February 21 2012 | Category: NIH Resources, Science History
This free new E-book details the life of Ruth Kirschstein, M.D., who provided leadership and direction to the National Institutes of Health through much of the second half of the 20th century. Author Alison Davis provides insight into the life of a brilliant scientist who had a positive impact on public policy, public health, and the training of several generations of biomedical researchers.
Ruth Kirscstein was the daughter of immigrant parents who weathered the disgraceful prejudice and stereotyping of women and Jews, which would have prevented her professional contributions if not for her perseverance and hard work. She went on to become a key player in the development of a safe and effective polio vaccine, the first woman director of a major institute at the NIH, and a champion of the importance of basic biomedical research and training programs that provided opportunity to all talented students, especially underrepresented minority students.
For timely updates about science education, STEM, NIH research, and health and medical science, you can follow the NIH Office of Science Education through multiple channels:
When eating out at a restaurant, pay attention to portion sizes. Some entrees are big enough to feed two people. Share a plate, or plan to take home half your meal. Learn more about America’s obesity problems by watching the HBO documentary series Weight of the Nation. To find more healthy eating tips, check out NIH resources: 
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Teachers can now order the FREE new curriculum supplement, Evolution in Medicine, sponsored by 
Elizabeth Grice studies the bacteria that live on human skin. Her research sheds light on why chronic wounds don't heal and might point to new treatments for diabetic foot ulcers and other skin conditions. 
NIH announces the first set of LAB Challenge winners; expect more to come!
This year’s theme: “Rare But Strong Together”
This free new E-book details the life of Ruth Kirschstein, M.D., who provided leadership and direction to the National Institutes of Health through much of the second half of the 20th century. Author Alison Davis provides insight into the life of a brilliant scientist who had a positive impact on public policy, public health, and the training of several generations of biomedical researchers. 
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