A Dr. Wang Explains the Chemistry of Plants

A Dr. Wang Explains the Chemistry of PlantsWeike Wang, an eminent chemist and molecular biologist, is no stranger to finding new ways to apply molecular and atomic techniques in order to gain insight into the biology of plants. In addition to his work with plants, Wang also specialized in the development of biotechnological sciences.As a molecular biologist, he has been a pioneer in discovering the importance of cell signaling and its role in regulating gene expression in plants. He has developed a wide range of tools to elucidate the signaling pathway in plants that leads to the proliferation of plant cells. This led him to study the life cycle of root-tip cell division, the production of leaves and the division of cell divisions in plants.While serving as Associate Professor in Chemistry at the University of California, Los Angeles, Wang collaborated with several partners in the field of biotechnology to develop methods to produce high yields of tomatoes using natural processes. Hi s work in this area enabled the development of some of the first 'green' tomatoes that are healthier and more nutritious than their conventional counterparts. After the release of these green fruits, he received several awards for his achievement.Wang's goal was to maximize the use of this new resource to provide greater benefits to the consumer. With the help of the Nano technology, he has designed a unique product - Angel's EnvyTM - that has resulted in significantly improved taste and nutrition.Chemistry is a branch of science which deals with the study of substances. In plants, the study of chemistry refers to the study of the chemical reactions that take place inside of the cells in order to generate specific chemicals.In all the research projects that Weike Wang conducted, he used molecules that were structurally dissimilar to the ones we see in nature. This new study was referred to as the chemical replacement theory and it was used to address the question 'Are there any mole cules that have not yet been discovered by science?'Chemistry is a great tool for us to improve our lives and give us new concepts to improve the way we do things in the future. If you want to learn more about chemistry, you can visit the links below. You can also find out about science and technology related to Chemistry at the website of The Science Education Commission.

Chicks, Bonnets and Chocolate Eggs Learning About Easter Traditions in English

Chicks, Bonnets and Chocolate Eggs Learning About Easter Traditions in English As we regularly see in these posts, learning a language is about so much more than simply vocabulary and grammar. It is also about the traditions and customs that are practiced in countries where the language is spoken.We are about to celebrate Easter and this is a great opportunity to learn some new traditions and the vocabulary that surrounds them in Anglophone countries.Easter TraditionsEaster Saturday is generally spent decorating boiled eggs and then hiding them around the house and garden. On Easter Sunday, children look for them in what is called an Easter egg hunt. Parents tell their children that the eggs have been brought by the Easter bunny in an Easter basket. People also exchange gifts of chocolate eggs.Many families observe the religious aspect of Easter as they day in which the bible tells us Jesus was Resurrected from the dead. Easter Sunday mass is one of the most popular ceremonies in the liturgical (religious) calendar. If people do not attend Sunday mass they can attend the Easter Vigil, a mass which takes place on Easter Saturday night. This is a ceremonial event with many candles and priests dressed in special robes. Easter marks the end of the 40 day period of penitence, fasting and self-denial called Lent.Easter Sunday dinner is another important part of the day. It is common to eat roast lamb or roast ham. This is normally served with baked potatoes, a selection of vegetables and dressing.Hot-cross buns are a special sweet treat at Easter. They contain dried fruits like sultanas, raisins and citrus fruits as well as spices. They are marked with a cross on top as a symbol of the cross on which Jesus was crucified.  In the United Kingdom, Easter Sunday afternoon can be spent participating in a competition called pace-egging in which decorated Easter eggs are rolled down grassy hills. Those who compete in the game are called pace-eggers.  Girls can compete in Easter bonnet competitions when they wear special hats they have decorated with f lowers, eggs, ribbons and Easter chicks (baby chickens).  QuestionsWhat Easter traditions do you practice?Which traditions mentioned above are similar to the customs of your country?Is Easter an important celebration in your country?Let’s watch a video on making Easter eggs for the young and the young at heart in your life this Easter.Did you find this blog helpful? Feel free to share it on Facebook and Twitter.

Using Podcasts to Boost Learning for Kids with ADHD

Using Podcasts to Boost Learning for Kids with ADHD Plenty of students struggle to pay attention in classrooms. But children with ADHD struggle to focus, process information quickly, and translate information into learning and understanding. At times, traditional classroom teaching methods fall short for kids with ADHD. Fortunately, today there are a many tools and techniques available to supplement classroom teaching for kids with a variety of learning styles. Many of these tools embrace a multi-sensory approach, where kids engage with new material not just visually but also through their other senses of hearing, touch, and sometimes even taste and smell. For kids with ADHD who are auditory learners, Podcasts are a highly accessible and often underutilized resource when it comes to alternative methods of learning new information. Before I share some of my favorite podcasts, heres a little more information about what makes them so great for supplementing learning for kids with ADHD (and kids without ADHD!): Enhanced learning. Engaging hosts, dynamic storytelling, fascinating topics, and connecting big concepts with everyday life are just some of the reasons that the podcast format connects so well with kids and helps them focus and retain detailed information. On top of this, podcasts are often short. They pack a lot of information and entertainment into a snack size format that is just the right length for a child who struggles to pay attention for long periods of time. Reduced screen time. Parents are often encouraged to limit their kids screen time (Ive written a few posts about why this is so important for kids with ADHD. But the inevitable question from parents is: if I remove screen time, whats the alternative? Well, audio podcasts are a great alternative! They offer an engaging experience without a screen. They can go anywhere. Have player, will travel. You can play podcasts in the car, on the bus, on your phone any place that you have an audio player (and some headphones). They cost nothing. Unlike audiobooks, podcasts are often free and sometimes they are even more interesting to kids than an audiobook. Today there is a growing catalog of kid-focused podcasts available, with something that every child with find interesting. Figuring out which podcasts are best can take some time, so heres a list of some of my favorites to get you started: But Why? A Podcast for Curious Kids tackles questions like Why do leaves change color? or Who invented words? Topics are submitted by kids (using the voice feature on your phone), making the podcast responsive and engaging. Try asking the Buy Why? team about challenging topics in science and math to help your child grasp abstract or confusing topics. http://butwhykids.org The Past and The Curious. Comedic performances help make history come alive in this highly entertaining podcast. In addition to the terrific storytelling, the producers are working on a companion graphic book that should be fun for kids. http://thepastandthecurious.com/ Tumble: Science Podcast for Kids. In each episode, science is brought to life through extremely engaging storytelling. The producers have a strong belief that science is not something that is simply something that you do or memorize, but instead is a process that is comprised of mistakes, false starts, failed experiments and learning and that builds on itself over time. This process is what drives the storytelling and educational material in this podcast, making the underlying message highly compelling to kids - especially those who have struggled and failed and need encouragement to keep trying. http://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/ Brains On! A different science lesson is tackled in each episode, allowing you to find at least one that fits your childs interests. To the delight of many children, there are also some non-classroom science topics (ahemThe History of Boogers and Farts!). Just the kind of highly entertaining, yet educational, material that will get even the most skeptical child hooked on science podcasts. https://www.brainson.org/ Stuff You Should Know. Sometimes better for teens than younger children, this podcast explains the ins-and-outs of historical moments or key concepts in math and science. Youll find topics like, What is an invasive species?, The Gettysburg Address: Short and Sweet or The Great Wall of China, to name a few. https://www.stuffyoushouldknow.com/ The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd. At first you might think this podcast is all fun, as Dr. Floyd tries to overcome a wide cast of nemesis. But in order to win, Dr. Floyd has to learn about history and so too will your child. Super hero meets history in this podcast! http://www.doctorfloyd.com/ Wow in The World. Produced by NPR, this show is all about fascinating facts from around the world and is focused on space, science and technology. https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510321/wow-in-the-world ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.

Lexie Language Challenge Week 5

Lexie Language Challenge Week 5 Week 5! Almost there! Current Progress Check Total Completed Sessions = 15 Upcoming Sessions =    4 sessions per week Hi Everyone! How are you doing with your Language Challenge?! I have already finished 15 sessions, only 5 more to go! I am pretty confident that Ill be able to complete the challenge and win the 300ITC (30USD) reward! What Ive learned is that as long as you stick to your plan (3 to 4 lessons per week), finishing 20 sessions in 6 weeks actually is not difficult at all! And the best thing about this whole experience is I am getting used to speaking French regularly.   Learning French is now a regular part of my life now!   I wouldnt say that I have huge progress in French but the change is pretty obvious I am not scared of talking with native speakers anymore, and we can talk about varies topics now, such as pollution issues in China etc (my teacher is in France so this was something that she was very curious about as its in the news every where!) For the record its NOT that bad as we all live here! I am learning grammar by myself (via text book) because I want to use 100% of my time during the sessions to practice speaking and listening.   I think this is a great method where you self-study focusing on reading, grammar and vocabulary and then use italki solely for speaking and listening.  I also ask my teachers many questions about my self-study. So far my method of learning a language is simple.  Its repeat, repeat, then.repeat! The same way a baby learns! What do you think? Hope you are doing well with your Language Challenge! We are so close to completing the Challenge now! Good luck! Lexie Language Challenge Week 5 Week 5! Almost there! Current Progress Check Total Completed Sessions = 15 Upcoming Sessions =    4 sessions per week Hi Everyone! How are you doing with your Language Challenge?! I have already finished 15 sessions, only 5 more to go! I am pretty confident that Ill be able to complete the challenge and win the 300ITC (30USD) reward! What Ive learned is that as long as you stick to your plan (3 to 4 lessons per week), finishing 20 sessions in 6 weeks actually is not difficult at all! And the best thing about this whole experience is I am getting used to speaking French regularly.   Learning French is now a regular part of my life now!   I wouldnt say that I have huge progress in French but the change is pretty obvious I am not scared of talking with native speakers anymore, and we can talk about varies topics now, such as pollution issues in China etc (my teacher is in France so this was something that she was very curious about as its in the news every where!) For the record its NOT that bad as we all live here! I am learning grammar by myself (via text book) because I want to use 100% of my time during the sessions to practice speaking and listening.   I think this is a great method where you self-study focusing on reading, grammar and vocabulary and then use italki solely for speaking and listening.  I also ask my teachers many questions about my self-study. So far my method of learning a language is simple.  Its repeat, repeat, then.repeat! The same way a baby learns! What do you think? Hope you are doing well with your Language Challenge! We are so close to completing the Challenge now! Good luck! Lexie Language Challenge Week 5 Week 5! Almost there! Current Progress Check Total Completed Sessions = 15 Upcoming Sessions =    4 sessions per week Hi Everyone! How are you doing with your Language Challenge?! I have already finished 15 sessions, only 5 more to go! I am pretty confident that Ill be able to complete the challenge and win the 300ITC (30USD) reward! What Ive learned is that as long as you stick to your plan (3 to 4 lessons per week), finishing 20 sessions in 6 weeks actually is not difficult at all! And the best thing about this whole experience is I am getting used to speaking French regularly.   Learning French is now a regular part of my life now!   I wouldnt say that I have huge progress in French but the change is pretty obvious I am not scared of talking with native speakers anymore, and we can talk about varies topics now, such as pollution issues in China etc (my teacher is in France so this was something that she was very curious about as its in the news every where!) For the record its NOT that bad as we all live here! I am learning grammar by myself (via text book) because I want to use 100% of my time during the sessions to practice speaking and listening.   I think this is a great method where you self-study focusing on reading, grammar and vocabulary and then use italki solely for speaking and listening.  I also ask my teachers many questions about my self-study. So far my method of learning a language is simple.  Its repeat, repeat, then.repeat! The same way a baby learns! What do you think? Hope you are doing well with your Language Challenge! We are so close to completing the Challenge now! Good luck!

Guest Post 7 Sites to Find Inspiration for Creative Writing

Guest Post 7 Sites to Find Inspiration for Creative Writing 7 Sites to Find Inspiration for Creative Writing Creativity is one of the most essential elements in every written work. And for writers who are writing a novel or even other materials that requires personal creativity, it can be really difficult. There are just times when you cannot get the inspiration you need to be able to write. When this happens, you find it extremely hard to let your creativity flow. But with the help of these 7 sites, you can easily find inspiration for creative writing (READ: Tips from an Irvine English tutor: 5 steps for surviving literature class). 1. Writing This site is free to join and very easy to use. As a known online community for writers from different backgrounds, writing.com has been widely popular among writers ever since 2000. With this website, you get to have a creative environment where you can access various writing tools and other opportunities to find inspiration. The site makes it easy for you to create your own writing portfolio and share your work. On top of that, you can also interact with other fellow writers. You can share ideas and collaborate with others that can surely bring out your creative side. 2. Inspiration for Writers When you cannot find inspiration to start or to finally complete your work, you can access the site Inspirationforwriters.com. The site is home to really useful materials that you can use for your writing. If you want essential tips to further improve your writing, Inspirationforwriters.com has a blog where you can read useful articles. You can also sign-up for their newsletters and even download their Workbook. Aside from the online resources that they provide to writers, the site also offers editorial services. If you are in need of professional editors who will review your work, you are the right place. 3. Boston Globe Before you can really become an effective writer, you need to be a wide reader first. It is essential that you are aware of what is going on around you. All writers read different materials as they use these to inspire them to write about something. One great site is the Bostonglobe.com. With this site, you get to read interesting features and other content in various categories from sports, politics, lifestyle, etc. Just click any category you want and you get to have a list of various articles that you might find worth reading. From any of these content, you can find inspiration. 4. Storybird Creating a pure written text can be quite dull especially if you want to make your work more visual and creative. By using the platform of Storybird.com, it is now much easier for you to do visual storytelling with just a few clicks. This site is for writers, artists and readers who want to make visual stories in just a matter of seconds. The platform is very easy to use. You can start creating your story, add visuals and share it online. In addition to creating your story, you can also interact with other writers and readers with the site’s global community. 5. Best Essay Tips Just when you really cannot find inspiration, there are websites like Bestessaytips.com that can help you with your writing. The site provides various writing tips that you can use. Apart from their useful tips, they also offer free samples to help you in making your own research. When you see the content, at least you get to have the idea as to how you can finally start your own work. 6. Protagonize Writers dream of not just creating their work but also to publish and share it with their readers and other people. Thanks to the Internet, there are sites like Protagonize.com. This site allows you to create your own work. But apart that, it also makes it easy for you to publish and to share your writing with the rest of the world. You can also collaborate with other writers and even get in touch with your readers. 7. The Story Starter Let’s face it. When you read any content, the moment you read the first sentence and you find it really dull and boring, you wouldn’t bother to read everything from start to finish. That is why it is essential for writers to capture the interest of their readers even with the very first sentence of their work. With the site, Thestorystarter.com, you get to have an online generating tool where you can generate the first sentence. Just type in the certain words or keywords and the tool will automatically generate the sentence relevant to what you are looking for. Creative writing is an arduous task among writers. But with the help of these sites and tools, it is much easier for you to finally find inspiration to jumpstart your work or to finally finish your work in such a way that you get to create a written work that will capture the interests of your readers and will showcase your talent and creativity as a writer. About the author: Cindy Bates works as a freelance writer and editor. She used to write articles and share her knowledge and experience in educational sphere. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us post about.

Huge surge in school expulsions - Tutor Hunt Blog

Huge surge in school expulsions New government report reveals huge surge in school expulsions New government report reveals huge surge in school expulsionsSchoolsAstonishing new figures from the department of education show that there has been a 15% rise in the number of pupils who were expelled from state schools between 2015-16 and 2016-17. The figures rose from 6,685 to 7,720 - disturbingly high statistics for something so serious as expulsion, even though they represent the whole of the UK. A 15% rise in expulsions over 2 years is a precipitous increase, and many head teachers have said this is due to cuts to recent cuts in mental health and behaviour programmes. Government representatives have said that expulsion should only be used as a last resort - but one would think that it is always the last option anyway, since there is of course nothing further the school can do once the pupil has been permanently excluded. The figures correspond to 0.1% of the school population being expelled a year, up from 0.08% the previous year. While this percentage looks reassuringly low, it should be noted that this actually amounts to somewhere around 40 pupils per day being expelled. The concerning matter is what happens to these pupils after they have been permanently excluded. It can be hard to gain admittance to a school at the best of times, and with the cleanest of introductory letters - trying to get into a new school after having just being expelled from another may well prove to be a challenge. Of course the longer it takes, the further behind the pupil will get in their studies - and even if they somehow manage to be accepted into another school with convenient alacrity, they may find their new peers studying different parts of the syllabus. There is of course an argument that no pupil should ever be expelled. Upon accepting a pupil, that school takes on the responsibility for their education - by expelling the pupil they are abnegating that responsibility, and passing the issue onto someone else. The reality is however that some pupils are just so disruptive that they dominate each lesson, and unduly impinge upon their colleagues` learning. In this case there can perhaps be no other option but expulsion. Some of the results of the report, entitled Permanent and Fixed Period Exclusions in England: 2016 to 2017, make for depressing reading. Those pupils residing in the poorest areas are apparently four times more likely to be permanently excluded - and (perhaps most concerning) children who have a recognised special educational need account for about half of all expulsions. The leader of the Head teachers union, the Association of School and College Leaders, Geoff Barton, was clear that funding cuts and restrictions of children`s services (such as youth clubs) are to blame for the recent rise in pupil exclusions: `Schools have had to cut back on the individual support they are able to give students, making it more difficult to provide early intervention, and prevent behavioural problems from escalating. At the same time council support services for vulnerable families have been cut back, meaning that schools are having to pick up the pieces. `Schools only exclude pupils as a last resort and when all other avenues have been exhausted. The government needs to provide the funding that`s necessary to provide support at an early stage.` The report revealed that 83% of expulsions took place in secondary schools - an interesting statistic in itself. The most common reason for expulsion was cited as Persistent disruptive behaviour. This reveals that pupils are most likely to be excluded for an accumulation of misdemeanours, committed over a period of time, rather than a single bad deed. School Standards Minister Nick Gibb commented that the government will be looking into the findings of the review, and will be developing alternative options for pupils who find themselves outside mainstream education: `Whilst we know there has been an increase in exclusions there are still fewer than the peak ten years ago. `We recognise some groups of pupils are more likely to be excluded than others which is why we launched an externally-led review to look at how schools are using exclusions and why certain groups are disproportionately affected. `We are also transforming alternative provision to improve outcomes for children in non-mainstream education, which is backed by a ?4m innovation fund.` 19 months ago0Add a Comment

Financially struggling Universities to be bailed out - Tutor Hunt Blog

Financially struggling Universities to be bailed out Financially struggling Universities to be bailed out, says labour Financially struggling Universities to be bailed out, says labourUniversitiesWe have all heard the slogan `Too big to fail` - the assertion that certain institutions, primarily financial ones, are so interconnected and vital to the economy that they must be protected from market forces. Whereas a failing business would go bust, a failing bank will be bailed out. Should universities also fall under this category? Are they, along with banks, not so important to our society that they should be rescued with tax payers money if they are facing closure. Or if they are facing financial hardship should they be left to fall? Under new plans unveiled by Labour it seems that struggling universities could be rescued from going bankrupt, protected from `rampant` market forces. The Office for Students (Ofs) currently has the powers to regulate universities, and is able to offer financial aid - but there are limits to how much fiscal support it will be able to provide. The very idea of a university going bust will be surprising to some, with people being of the opinion that only businesses can go bankrupt, and that universities don`t seem to be structured along such lines as a corporation or commercial outlet. The fact is that, since the higher education sector is effectively a competitive marketplace, universities can certainly fail financially. They have huge overheads: having to cover the salaries of scores, perhaps even hundreds of teachers, lecturers, and other staff members. They will also have maintenance charges, costs for equipment, and may also have to pay rental charges for the buildings and land they use. If these financial obligations are not met, they will go under. Universities are of course in competition with each other - all vying for a customer base that generally only make a single purchase. The marketplace isn`t one where, if you lose the shopper to another company one day, you can entice them with your wares the next: for most students selecting a University is a once in a lifetime decision. Though it is rare for universities to go bankrupt, it is certainly not unheard of, and there are reports that 3 major Universities are on the brink of bankruptcy at this very moment. Chris Skidmore, the Universities minister, has recently stated that `providers may, in a small number of cases, exit the market altogether as a result of strong competition`. We certainly seem to have entered a more uncertain time for universities - the financial stability they enjoyed in the past seems to have gone, a point made by the director of the Higher Education Policy Institute think tank Nick Hillman, who was former adviser to the universities minister Lord Willetts: `A university going bust is more likely than at any other point in the last generation,` There are however some who oppose the protective measures - the shadow education minister Angela Rayner has recently pointed out how the OfS, an institution that one might expect to be steadfast in proposing pecuniary aid to struggling universities, has said it would `not bail out providers in financial difficulty`. Being an opposing party politician, it may come as no surprise that Mrs Rayner went on to critique the conservative party for the current state of higher education in the UK: `The Tories have unleashed a failed free market experiment in higher education. They have created a system that goes to the very heart of their ideology - a system where market logic is imposed on public goods and where the forces of competition run rampant at the expense of students, staff and communities. `Students would be left with immense uncertainty about their futures and entire communities would lose one of their major academic, economic and social institutions. Education is a public good and should be treated as such. Our universities are there for all of us.` There is a general feeling that there`s soon to be a serious review of the state of student finances, and that the financier Philip Augar is going to advocate a cut in tuition fees. An initial annual figure of around 6500 was tentatively proposed, with this rising to 7500 after many universities complained. One thing is certain - if there are reductions ahead, this will mean a significant drop in income for many universities. While many students will celebrate more affordable fees, the long term results may mean many smaller universities will struggle to remain solvent. 12 months ago0Add a Comment