Sunscreen - Does it make a difference?

Scout did a science project this year -

Sunscreen - Does it Make a Difference?

 

We purchased some UV sensitive paper and wiped 3 kinds of sunscreen on them, one for each strip. 

We left it out in the sun for almost 20 minutes and checked our results.

We placed a coin on one of the strips as our control. 

 The coin would be an example of if you wore a swim shirt to cover up with instead of putting on sun screen.

The top strip had spf25 of a non-waterproof sunscreen made by Clinique.

The second strip was spf25 non-waterproof made by origins.

The bottom strip was spf100 waterproof and sold in a big bottle.

After one minute, 20 seconds.   We had also put it on in different levels.  Less towards the outside, and more towards the center, to see if amount of sunscreen applied made a difference.  You can see the blue paper where the sunscreen is dry, and where it looks more white is where the sunscreen is still moist. 

It appears at this point, all three work exactly the same.

 After 2:39 it looked like this.  Seems that each one worked the same, And it appears that we may have rubbed some of the UV solar paper off with the moisture of the sunscreen...that's why it isn't so blue as the edges. 

We decided to keep going to see if there were any major changes with time.  After almost 20 minutes there was a lot of black.  Not quite sure what was going on there. Something either with the UV paper or the sunscreen reacting.

In the end - we took off the coin and compared it to the rest of the paper.

YOU be the Judge!!

 

As a Floridian, I can tell which friends of mine have pools and which don't.  Those with pools all know to send your kid out swimming and playing with a swim shirt on (rashguard) not sunscreen.  We know that sunscreen just washes off within the first 20 minutes anyway, and clogs the pool filter, scums up the water, stains the side tiles, and creates a slippery deck because it leaves a slippery film on your body after it touches the water.  Unless you put it on an entire half hour before swimming, so it is completely dry and soaked into your skin, it just washes away as soon as you get in. If your body feels soft and moist like you just put lotion on, it's not soaked in enough. 

 

We always use a swim shirt, long sleeve if possible, and for our legs and faces we apply the sunscreen before getting in the car to go to the beach.  That way - when we get there and the kids want to run, they can!  We reapply the sunscreen after an hour of swimming in the ocean.  It's always washed away by then.

Driving Already

Scout LOVES to help out with the car.

 

 

Geocaching

As part of our orienteering lessons, we did some GEOCACHING.  Scout and Shelby took Sierra for her first time and showed her how fun it was to find treasure and make trades.  They came home with some fun toys. 

This one didn't have any toys in it, but we still found it!

Fronts, Temperature, and Weather

 

Today we learned about the sun's energy and how it heats up the top layer of ocean water creating a thermocline. 

 

We did an experiment where we put water into a tray.  We dyed some very hot water red, and some cold water blue.  We poured the water into opposite sides of the tray and watched as they swirled around each other creating vortexes.

 

It also showed us how cold fronts interact with warm fronts.

 As part of our temperature study, we each made a homemade thermometer.  As the air heats up, the blue water will rise inside the straw.  You can mark off different heights on the straw just like a regular thermometer.

 

Panama is explaining how the blue water rises and falls inside the straw with the temperature.   

On a previous day we did an experiment with Thermoclines

 Here the kids are pouring in the hot red water and the cold blue water.

The blue settled to the bottom and the red stayed on top.  After about 5 minutes, they had mixed their temperatures and the water was purple.

Wildlife Conservation - Population Sampling

 

Today we learned how to calculate the population of species in an area. 

We dragged nets through the bay and put all the fish and organisms we found into a bucket of ocean water.  We counted each species we found and labeled it on a chart.  

Taking more samples over time gives you a better idea of how the area is doing.

 

Now we know what kinds of fish are in abundance, and which ones aren't thriving.

 

These are some Portuguese Man-O-War Jelly fish - their sting can be deadly. 

This creature is called a Sea Hare - It's a slug looking thing that eats Sea Lettuce (like a rabbit) hence the name.  It has two tentacles sticking out the top of his head and his end is narrow.

 

Dissection - Squids, Rays, Sharks and Fish

We had 5 or 6 different dissecting classes throughout the year, each time it was a different species.  We did Squid, Shark, Rays, and Fish.

Scout is holding up the "pen" of the squid.  It's the only "bone" or hard part in the entire creature.  After Panama help her pull it out, he showed her how to dip it into the squid's ink and write with it.  GROSS!

 

Scout learned how to identify the different organs, and if it was male or female.

 

 

 

 Bally Hoo

Wildlife Conservation - Invasive Species

Today we learned how to identify a fern that isn't originally from the Miami area.  It's growing all over and Deering wanted us to help pull it all up.  They only want native species in their landscape.

 

We worked in the heat of the day for 2 hours.  We were soaking hot! Scout looks less than thrilled.  But we were able to fill 5 trash cans worth of this invasive fern.

 

We identified it by its leaf pattern.

Things to do in Miami

KID FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES!!!

Living in Miami has been a blast!  If you have a chance to visit - these are some places to go!

Kirby Boardwalk  - Awesome walk down a boardwalk out into the Everglades. Half mile long. Take water.  Outhouses available at parking lot.  Wear sunscreen.  Sometimes the bugs here are actually attracted to you when you wear bug spray - so, no repellent.   Near by is the Oasis visitor center for Big Cypress National Preserve.  Alligators can been seen there.  You can also take a walk down some trails out into Big Cypress / Everglades - Bring water.  It can get very muddy during our wet season, June-November.  Pretty dry the rest of the time.
You can also go on an nice walk through the everglades on a boardwalk at the National Park in the south entrance - the Anhinga Trail.  There is also airboat rides near there, and Robert is Here fruit stand (see below) is also located near there. 

  

 Key Biscayne - Bill Baggs State Park is a great beach to take your family.  It's where the locals go and not nearly as party-oriented as South Beach.  $20 for a couple of chairs and umbrella is really nice too.  Bring some fresh fruit to snack on and water.  There is a restaurant there as well as outdoor showers to clean off the sand and bathrooms.

Crandon Park on Key Biscayne is also a fabulous beach.

Rated top 10 in the nation.

Coral Castle is pretty amazing. It's a wonderful place to walk around and look at the stone work and carvings.  It's like going to Narnia.

 Shark Valley State Park - See alligators, bike ride, look out tower, take a tram ride (2 hrs but it's listening to a tour guide explain all about the everglades and totally worth it!!)  This tram ride is my favorite place to take visitors when showing them the Everglades because of the tram tour.

Air boat ride - I use the one right across the street from Shark Valley because it's only $10 per person.  The ride is 45 minutes long and cotton balls are provided as ear plugs.

 John Pennekamp State Park - This is a MUST VISIT on Key Largo. Here you can rent canoe or kayak for $12 an hour and canoe through the salt water mangrove trails. I also take my visitors snorkeling, diving, and especially on a glass bottom boat ride!!!!  The gift shop is great too.  There's also lots of seafood places around if you want to have local fish for lunch.

 Fairchild tropical garden - if they like to see the lush vegetation, take them here. We went when Chihuli had his glass art on display.

Miami Zoo - rated top 10 in the nation.

Fruit and Spice Park - I love to take my company here.  It's just a short stop in the gift shop. (Frankly, I think the park itself is boring unless you have a tour guide telling which kind of tree you are looking at.)  The gift shop has a fruit sample section where they can taste all the weird and different fruits that are in season, like dragon fruit, breadfruit, jack fruit, lychee nuts and stuff you've never heard of before.

Robert is Here - This is the best place to buy fresh produce - they have all the weird stuff too like dragon fruit if you wanted to bring anything home to eat. They have about 20 different flavors of honey and tons of local fruit preserves in all flavors.   Also, they have the best shakes in the world!!!  All the flavors like guava and strawberry key lime, sapote, and mamey.  They have about 30 flavors.  My favorite is banana/coconut cream pie.  It's also very close to the south entrance of the Everglades, in Homestead.

If you have small kids, go to Pinecrest gardens to play in the fountains and splash park.  You can walk around the trails and see a lush jungle landscape, giant banyan trees, feed the fish, and see a herd of iguanas basking in the sun near the lake.  There is a playground and a small petting zoo as well.

Bayside market place is a tourist market down my the cruise ships dock.  Here you can get a picture taken with a python, parrot, monkey, or alligator.  You can buy trinkets and clothes, eat food from around the caribbean, and get souvenirs.  They have a live band, and restaurants.  You can also take different touring cruises around the islands to see the millionaire houses including Will Smith and Vanilla Ice.  You can get a henna tattoo and piercings as well.

Brickell Ave. - The street with all the skyscrapers. Home to 150 banks worldwide.  This is Downtown Miami at it's finest.

Coco Walk and Old Cutler - We drive down this road so my visitors can see the beautiful houses and magnificent trees. Coral Gables just past miracle mile has a beautiful section too.

 Then, of course there is South Beach.  The spring break hang out.  I usually just drive up Collins Ave. and my visitors take a quick look.  It's not really my family's style and culture, but I hear Lincoln Ave. has some fun shopping and sight seeing, and the beach is big.  They have rainbow sections and topless sections and lots of hard bodies on display.  This is where all the clubs are, and those that want to see and be seen.

Actor's Playhouse on Miracle Mile in Coral Gables frequently has children's plays as well as acting classes your child can join.

Adrienne Arsht Center frequently has concerts, shows, broadway, and the Nutcracker at Christmas time. 

Miami Childrens Museum

Planetarium

Lion Safari

Butterfly World Garden

Fishing Charter - Wanna fish in the ocean but not pay hundreds?  This place is great - can accommodate up to 50 people and is super reasonable priced.

Grapeland Water Park - Miami's only water park... kinda sad since it's such a hot city... I guess they expect us to go to Orlando. 

Sea Turtle Hatchling Release - this is totally fun.  Kids/families get to learn about the turtles and watch them get released into the ocean.  You MUST have reservations. We did the one on Key Biscayne.

These are some more attractions:

• Everglades Alligator Farm: South Florida’s oldest alligator farm is near the main entrance of Everglades National Park. It offers guided airboat tours plus alligator, snake, and wildlife shows. 40351 SW 192 Avenue; Homestead, Florida 33034; 305-247-2628.
• Flamingo Gardens: Flamingo Gardens, established in 1927, has more than 3,000 tropical and sub-tropical species of plants and trees in its 60 acres and also has the largest collection of Florida native wildlife in the state. 3750 S. Flamingo Road; Davie/Ft. Lauderdale 33330; 954-473-2955.
• Jungle Island: Jungle Island offers animal shows, exhibits, streams and waterfalls plus hands-on animal interactions. 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail; Miami 33132; 305-400-7000; www.JungleIsland.com
• Patricia and Philip Frost Museum of Science: The Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science offers educational programs, exhibits, a Planetarium and the Batchelor Wildlife Center. 3280 South Miami Avenue; Miami 33129; 305-646-4200.
• Pérez Art Museum Miami: PAMM includes 200,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor program space, including art galleries, a waterfront restaurant and bar and an education center. 1103 Biscayne Blvd.; Miami 33132; 305-375- 3000.
• Sawgrass Recreation Park: This attraction in Broward includes airboat rides and an animal exhibit area with more than 100 mammals and reptiles, including a Florida panther. 1006 N. Highway 27; Weston 33327; 954-389-0202.
• Young At Art Museum: The Young At Art Museum includes permanent galleries, studios, a teen center and recording studio and a preschool and early childhood learning center. 751 SW 121st Avenue; Davie 33325; 954-424-008.

Gymnastics

For 4 hours each week, Scout comes to Gymnastics.   She loves it and can climb the rope faster than anyone in her class.  She's getting big muscles in her arms as well.

Piano lessons

For music class this year, Scout took piano lessons.  She loves them and is making lots of headway.  She practices every day and meets with Debbie Carr once a week.  She even wrote her own song.  Her favorite thing about piano is to know how to read music and all the symbols.

Making dog treats

We are making dog treats to train Bindi. 
We took Bindi to the park - she didn't pull on her leash this time
 and walked right next to us... gobbling up all the treats along the way.