NOV/DEC 2010
ISSN 1010-144x
SEPT
OCT
NOV/DEC
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
dear teacher:
If you haven’t been to the SuperScience Web site lately,
stop on by! We have lots of great material to help
you get the most out of your subscription. As a prereading activity for our cover story, show your students
a multimedia slide show on robots. The hands-on
PowerPoint shows every step of the procedure in “Air
Travel Test.” Plus, you’ll find bonus reproducibles, an
interactive quiz, issue-related Web links, and more!
Sixth-grade teacher Carla Chin tested this
issue’s hands-on experiments.
It’s all online at: www.scholastic.com/superscience
SKILLS & STANDARDS
page
article
4
Science
Mystery:
The Case of the
Prized Penny
Scientific Inquiry: manipulating variables; observing;
gathering data; drawing conclusions; interpreting results
Physical Science: properties of objects and materials;
temperature
Language Arts: reading fictional passages
6
Feature:
The Brain on
Love
Life Science: structure and function; human body; emotion Grades K-4: Characteristics of organisms
and behavior
Grades 5-8: Regulation and behavior
Language Arts: reading comprehension
10
Cool Jobs:
Hurricane
Hunter
Earth Science: climate and weather; severe storms;
forecasting; processes that shape Earth
Language Arts: reading comprehension
Grades K-4: Changes in Earth and sky;
science as a human endeavor
Grades 5-8: Structure of the Earth system;
science and technology in society
11
Hands-On:
Air Travel Test
Scientific Inquiry: manipulating variables; observing;
gathering data; drawing conclusions; interpreting results
Physical Science: properties of gases
Grades K-4: Abilities necessary to do
scientific inquiry
Grades 5-8: Abilities necessary to do
scientific inquiry
12
Feature:
My New Teacher,
Mr. Robot
Life Science: human learning and education
Physical Science: robotics; computer systems;
engineering; technology and society
Language Arts: reading comprehension
Grades K-4: Abilities of technological
design; understandings about science and
technology
Grades 5-8: Understandings about science
and technology
A SUPPLEMENT TO SUPERSCIENCE
Curriculum skills
National Standards
Grades K-4: Abilities necessary to do
scientific inquiry
Grades 5-8: Abilities necessary to do
scientific inquiry
SuperScience Teacher’s Edition • November/December 2010 T1
PAGE 4
Physical science
PAGE 6
life Science
THe case of the
PRIZED PENNY
The Brain on Love
ESTIMATED TIME: 20 minutes
To understand how animals and humans form
attachments and how chemicals in the brain help such
feelings occur.
BEFORE READING
Set a Purpose
Read a fictional science mystery involving the corrosion
of copper. Then perform the experiment and use
deductive reasoning to solve the mystery.
Background
• Until 1982, a penny was made mainly of copper.
After copper prices dramatically increased, the
penny’s composition was changed to 97.5 percent
zinc and 2.5 percent copper.
Discussion Question
• What color is the Statue of Liberty? Can you guess
what the outside is made of? (Answer: The outside of
the statue is made of copper.)
AFTER READING
Conclusion
When a strong acid is poured over copper, it causes a
chemical reaction. Milk contains a weak acid called
lactic acid. Vegetable oil and orange juice contain
different amounts of citric acid. Neither citric acid nor
lactic acid is strong enough to cause copper to react.
Vinegar, however, contains a very strong acid called
acetic acid. This acid will react with copper, turning it
green. So who ruined Ethan’s penny? Tyler did. He is
the one who brought vinegar to school.
Discussion Question
• Why do you think the guilty person wanted to ruin
Ethan’s penny? (Possible answer: He or she thinks
Ethan is a know-it-all and is jealous of his spelling
skills.)
BEFORE READING
Set a Purpose
Background
• The human brain weighs about three pounds. It’s
made up of cells, called neurons, that form an
immensely complex network. Communication
between neurons is the basis of all brain function.
• Neurotransmitters are chemicals that enable
communication between neurons.
• Neurotransmitters, either alone or in combination
with others, can influence different emotional states.
• Basic emotions, such as fear, anger, and attachment,
are all processed in the brain and are expressed
similarly in all mammals.
Discussion Question
• Why do you think it could be important for scientists
to understand what happens in the brain when we are
in love? (Answers will vary, but can include: It could
help scientists treat people with emotional problems
due to a brain injury or trauma; it could help scientists
understand why some relationships are lasting and
others are temporary.)
AFTER READING
Discussion Question
• Do you think it would be ethical to sell a love
potion-like drug that could artificially boost a
person’s romantic feelings toward another person?
Why or why not? (Answers will vary.)
RESOURCE
• For more information about Brain and other
American Museum of Natural History exhibits, visit:
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/
RESOURCE
• To learn more about the history of money in the
United States, visit: www.usmint.gov/kids/
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T2 SuperScience Teacher’s Edition • November/December 2010
Pull-out reproducibles
MAP/CHART SKILL
Name: ____________________________________
Date: ________________
Wind Watch
Wind Speed (miles per hour)
Directions: Hurricane Katrina
struck the Gulf Coast of the
United States on August 29, 2005.
Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama
experienced the storm at its
strongest. Katrina ended up being
one of the fiercest and most deadly
storms in U.S. history. Use the line
graph and the hurricane intensity
chart to answer the questions below.
180
170
160
150
140
130
120
110
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Wind Speed of Katrina
Aug. 23
Aug. 24
Aug. 25
Aug. 26
Aug. 27
Aug. 28
Aug. 29
Aug. 30
Dates of Storm
Hurricane Intensity Chart
Tropical
Storm
Less than
39 mph
39-73
mph
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale (5 Categories)
1
2
3
4
5
74-95 mph
96-110 mph
111-130
mph
135-155
mph
More than
155 mph
1.On which day did Katrina first become a
tropical storm?
 August 23
 August 24
 August 27
 August 30
2.Katrina first made landfall over Florida on
August 25, 2005. What category was the storm
on that day?
 tropical depression
 tropical storm
 Category 1
 Category 2
Answers on T8
3.What category was Katrina on August 28?
 Category 2
 Category 3
 Category 4
 Category 5
4.True or false: Katrina’s winds reached their
strongest point after the storm struck Florida.
 True
 False
5.On which day was Katrina downgraded from
a hurricane to a tropical storm?
 August 30
 August 24
 August 29
 August 23
SuperScience Teacher’s Edition • November/December 2010 T3
PERMISSION GRANTED TO REPRODUCE FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY. COPYRIGHT © 2010 BY SCHOLASTIC INC.
Tropical
Depression
TIMELINE SKILL
Name: ____________________________________
1940
Robots in History
Directions: Learn about some key events in the history of robotics by reading
the timeline below. Then answer the questions to the right of the timeline.
1943—Colossus, the world’s first electronic computer,
1950
is designed in Britain. It was built to crack Nazi codes
during World War II.
1946—Scientists switch on ENIAC—for Electronic
Numerical Integrator and Computer—the world’s first
all-purpose computer. It weighs 30 tons.
1960
1961—Unimate becomes the first robot to work on
an assembly line to help build cars.
1966—Shakey becomes the first mobile robot to
visually interpret its environment and execute its
own actions.
1970
1975—PUMA (Programmable Universal Machine for
Assembly) is developed for General Motors. It becomes
widely used in industrial robotics.
PERMISSION GRANTED TO REPRODUCE FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY. COPYRIGHT © 2010 BY SCHOLASTIC INC.
1981—Canadarm, a huge robotic arm, is flown into
1980
space to fix satellites and telescopes.
1989—A lab at the Massachusetts Institute of
1990
44 years after Unimate?
 PUMA
 P-2
 ENIAC
 Guardrobo D1
2.For what purpose are robots
mainly used in the 21st century?
 transportation
 space exploration
 industry
 housekeeping
3.In what year was one of the first
walking robots unveiled?
 1943
 2005
 1989
 2010
4.The world’s first computer was
built for what purpose?
 assembling cars
 breaking codes
 patrolling buildings
 fixing telescopes
5.Which robot was the first to be able
1996—Honda releases P-2, a humanoid robot that
can walk, climb stairs, and carry heavy loads.
industrial robots are in use worldwide.
2005—Guardrobo D1 patrols buildings in Japan,
checking for dangers such as intruders and fires.
2010—The South Korean government plans to place
2010
1.Which robot was developed exactly
Technology unveils Genghis, one of the first walking
robots.
2000—The United Nations estimates that 742,500
2000
Date: ________________
robot teachers in 500 preschools by 2011. The robots
will help students learn English.
T4 SuperScience Teacher’s Edition • November/December 2010
to visually assess its environment?
 Shakey
 Canadarm
 Colossus  Genghis
BONUS: If you could create a robot,
what would you design it to do?
Explain why. ______________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Answers on T8
Reading Comprehension
Name: ____________________________________
Date: ________________
Fact or Opinion
PAGES 2-3: NEWSBLAST
Directions: Identify whether each statement is a fact or an opinion.
1.Merlin is smarter than the average dolphin. ________________________________________________
2.Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the Himalayan Mountain Range.______________________
3. Wearing a bike helmet while cycling can reduce a person’s risk of injury. ________________________
4.People will not want to buy a helmet that smells when it’s cracked. ____________________________
5.Usually, tectonic plates move too slowly for us to detect. _____________________________________
false Statement fix-it
PAGES 6-9: THE BRAIN ON LOVE
Directions: Circle the incorrect word(s) or phrase in each sentence. Write the correct word(s) below it.
1.Emotions such as love are controlled by the heart.
________________________________________________________________________________________
2.Neurotransmitters are electronic messages that communicate information from one neuron to
another. ________________________________________________________________________________
3.Montane voles form long-lasting pair bonds with their mates.
PERMISSION GRANTED TO REPRODUCE FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY. COPYRIGHT © 2010 BY SCHOLASTIC INC.
________________________________________________________________________________________
4.Scientists recently developed an oxytocin injection to help strengthen bonds between people.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Short answer
PAGES 12-15: My New Teacher, Mr. ROBOT
Directions: Answer the following questions in complete sentences.
1.How did scientists change RUBI so it played a crying sound when students handled it roughly?
________________________________________________________________________________________
2.List two abilities robots need to be able to interact socially.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
3.Why are teaching robots more like teaching assistants than teachers? __________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Answers on T8
SuperScience Teacher’s Edition • November/December 2010 T5
PU L l - O U T R E P R O D U C I B L E S K I L L S P A G E S
Be a Quiz Whiz
READING COMPREHENSION
Name: ____________________________________
Date: ________________
No-Sweat Bubble Test
Directions: Read each question below, then use the article “My New Teacher, Mr. Robot” (pp. 1215) to determine the best answer. Completely fill in the bubble next to the best answer.
tasks?
A taking attendance
B teaching languages
C teaching shapes
D all of the above
2.What does a neuroscientist study?
A the brain
B computers
C robotics
D all of the above
3.Scientists say robots must be able to _____
to be successful teachers.
A laugh
C speak and gesture
B interact socially D give detention
4.To read facial expressions, RUBI analyzes
the ___ of its students’ faces.
A eye movement C chin shape
B skin tone
D muscle movement
5.Which is NOT one of RUBI’s parts?
A screen
B video-camera nose
C arms
D wheels
7.What do computers need in order to
perform a task?
A a keyboard
B a program
C a screen
D mechanical arms
8.What happened to RUBI on its first day of
school?
AIt ran out of batteries.
BIt malfunctioned and shut down.
CIt didn’t respond correctly to a student.
D Students ripped off its arms.
9.How did RUBI’s developers fix the problem
that happened in the previous question?
A They replaced a faulty processor inside
RUBI.
B They developed a longer-lasting battery
that could make it through a school day.
CT
hey programmed the robot to cry if it
was treated roughly.
D They decided to make another robot.
10.
6.Which of the following could be an alternate
title for this article?
A The History of Robots
B Robots in the Classroom
C Parts of a Teaching Robot
D Kids Who Build Robots
T6 SuperScience Teacher’s Edition • November/December 2010
What is this article’s main idea?
ARobots that interact with humans have
complicated programming.
BRobots make great teachers.
CRobots are being used in some classes
to help teach lessons and do some tasks.
DRobots have many useful functions.
Answers on T8
PERMISSION GRANTED TO REPRODUCE FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY. COPYRIGHT © 2010 BY SCHOLASTIC INC.
1.Teaching robots are used for which kinds of
PAGE 10
Earth science
PAGE 12
Physical Science
Hurricane
Hunter
My new teacher,
Mr. Robot
BEFORE READING
BEFORE READING
Learn why scientists fly into these severe storms.
To learn how teaching robots work and why they are
being used in some classrooms.
Set a Purpose
Background
• Hurricanes are very large circular storms that swirl
around a calm, middle area called an “eye.” An
average hurricane measures about 482 kilometers
(300 miles) across—that’s greater than the width of
the state of Georgia!
• Hurricanes can dump up to 2 meters (6 feet) of rain
in a single day. Wild winds blow at least 119
kilometers (74 miles) per hour.
• Storms that form in the Atlantic Ocean are called
hurricanes, while those that form in the western
Pacific Ocean are called typhoons. Storms that form
in the Indian Ocean are known as cyclones.
Discussion Question
• Do you ever check the weather forecast? If so, why?
(Possible answers: So you know to carry an umbrella
in case of rain; so you can decide how to dress
appropriately for the weather; so you can stay indoors
if the weather is going to be dangerous.)
AFTER READING
Discussion Question
• Why do you think it’s important to give people
information about a hurricane’s strength and the
direction in which it’s traveling? (Possible answers:
People can prepare by gathering supplies and
protecting their homes; evacuation orders can be
made in the case of strong storms in vulnerable areas;
people can have time to leave an area if they have to
evacuate.)
RESOURCes
• Hurricane Force: In the Path of America’s Deadliest
Storms by Joseph B. Treaster. (Kingfisher, 2007).
• For more information on hurricane-hunting
scientists, visit this site: http://www.fema.gov/kids
/huhunt.htm
• For hurricane basics, check out: http://teacher.
scholastic.com/activities/wwatch/hurricanes
Set a Purpose
Background
• Highly programmed teaching robots are already
serving as teachers’ aides in South Korea and Japan.
They’re designed to teach students different
languages, including English. Robots are also being
created specifically to work with children who have
special learning needs, such as those with Asperger’s
syndrome. Some experts feel robots are well-suited
for this task because they are infinitely “patient” and
can perform repetitive therapies tirelessly.
• To perform social interactions, teaching robots are
guided by artificial intelligence software that allows
them to be fully autonomous.
• To recognize whether a child is smiling, RUBI
analyzes his or her facial expression. It can compare
expressions against a database of 70,000 faces.
Discussion Question
• What are some robots you have used, seen, or heard
about in the news? What are some jobs those robots
perform? (Answers will vary.)
AFTER READING
Discussion Question
• What would be some pros and cons of using robots in
the classroom? What are the pros and cons of using
robots to replace humans in certain jobs? (Answers
will vary.)
• If you were to invent a new robot, what kind of
function would it perform? What would it look like?
What would be its name? (Answers will vary.)
RESOURCEs
• Robot
(DK Eyewitness) by Roger Bridgman. (DK
Children, 2004).
• Robots
by Cliff Gifford, illustrated by Frank Picini.
(Atheneum, 2009).
SuperScience Teacher’s Edition • November/December 2010 T7