Snakes—scaly, slithering, hissing reptiles that fly? If you disagree, don’t let their lack of wings fool you into believing they can’t! There are some snakes that can glide through the air as far as 100 feet! How do they do it with out wings? Scientists are interested in their ability to glide as it may answer mechanical and aerospace questions.
There are five recognized species of flying snakes that are found in western India and Indonesia. These snakes are thought to be strictly tree dwellers and are rarely seen coming down from their comfy canopy homes. Scientists aren’t quite sure why or how often flying snakes fly, but it’s likely they do to move from tree to tree with out having to slither down just to climb back up another one or to escape predators and even hunt for food.
These flying snakes have the ability to rotate their ribs which allow them to flatten their bodies. The term “flying” isn’t necessarily what they do since they don’t gain altitude, but instead they are able to glide and they are very good at it. From high up on tree branches, flying snakes can fling themselves out of the tree then flattening their bodies into a concave C shape to trap air beneath them to seemingly slither through the air!
New research is investigating how the snake’s technique of gliding works and if their findings can be applied to mechanical problems with identifying the best air flow for smaller wind turbines.
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Cardboard crafts are genius and so much fun! The materials are budget friendly and they create hours of entertainment in both creating and playing—especially if it is large enough to climb into. So, instead of tossing out the huge refrigerator box from your latest kitchen appliance purchase, bring the final frontier to your living room with these tips on how to build a DIY cardboard space ship that you and your Blaster can enjoy!
What you’ll need for this project is simple—cardboard boxes or one huge refrigerator box, some duct tape or packing tape, a pair of scissors, paint, and a kid’s imagination!
Start off by helping your Cadet sketch out what they think their space ship could look like, especially they gadgets inside. This way you can incorporate all of your kid’s ideas to make the sketch come to life! Then gather all of your tools and materials and start creating, getting your kids involved with as much of the process as possible.
To make this cardboard vessel more interactive, place bottle caps or corks for “buttons, switches, and knobs” on the inside instead of just painting or drawing them on. To keep your little ones busy for longer, you can create astronaut costumes that they can wear while playing.
After you are done, your Cadet will be so proud to know that they had a hand in making this fun new toy themselves! Help your Blaster equip their newly built space craft with blankets for comfort along with snacks and water to replenish their energy for hours of
out-of-this-world fun! Visit our Pinterest page for inspiration on how you can transform your home into an amazing indoor space adventure, starting with spaceship made of cardboard!
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With all the different topics kids learn in school, some subjects may be tougher than others to master. This is where extra practice can yield big results from your littlest learner to your oldest student. Worksheets are a great way to exercise various subjects and a great resource for parents who want to give their kids a boost in specific school subject areas. Give your kids a breath of fresh air from the routine subject drilling they experience at school with these fun and free worksheets that will allow your kids the freedom to further develop their learning.
Math can be a tough subject for kids to master, but by learning this subject in a fun way, your kids will find reason to excel. From addition to geometry or from kindergarten through the 7th grade, Math Blaster has stimulating Math Worksheets to fit your child’s needs.
Science is an essential subject that children start to learn of at a very early age. By encouraging them to understand scientific concepts through JumpStart’s, fascinatingly fun science worksheets designed for pre-k learners on through 5th graders. Your child will learn important problem solving and critical thinking skills.
Click here for more educational resources!
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St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner! Will you be celebrating it with your friends and family? What way to show off the St. Patty’s Day spirit together by celebrating it with lots of green. Green clothes, green foods, and yes—even green drinks! Here is a kid friendly recipe for and Irish Cream Soda Float that you and your Blaster at home can make and enjoy for St. Patrick’s Day!
Photo by: viviandnguyen_
St. Patrick’s Day Cream Soda Float -
What you will need:
Mug
Green Maraschino Cherries and syrup
Green food coloring (optional)
Cream Soda
Vanilla Ice Cream
Steps:
Have your kids count out two Green Maraschino Cherries from the jar and place them into the mug.
Next have them measure about a 1 1/2 tablespoons of the Green Maraschino Cherry Syrup and add that into the mug.
Help your kids pour the Cream Soda into the mug, filling the mug about 3 quarters to half way with the soda. If you feel as if your drink is not green enough, add a couple of drops of green food coloring and mix.
Add in one scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Have your kids garnish the drink with St. Patrick’s day favors like a green squiggle straw and a plastic gold spoon.
This recipe will be great to get your kids involved in the preparation process. Simply measuring and counting the ingredients you need will help turn your kitchen into a math classroom this St. Patrick’s Day! Your Irish Cream Soda Float is a delicious treat that your whole family can enjoy.
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