>> ON THIS EDITION OF
"SCITECH NOW," WE SHOW YOU WHAT
IT TAKES TO TRAIN AN ELEPHANT TO
PARTICIPATE IN ITS OWN
HEALTHCARE.
EXPLORE THE ORIGIN OF GUITARS IN
THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.
SEE HOW 3D PRINTING IS CHANGING
THE FACE AND HEART OF MACHINE
AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THE MOVIE
TOY STORY HAS TO DO WITH SCIENCE
CLASSES.
ALL COMING UP NEXT ON THE SEASON
FINALE OF "SCITECH NOW."
HELLO, I'M SIMON PEREZ.
WELCOME TO "SCITECH NOW" OUR
WEEKLY PROGRAM BRINGING YOU THE
LATEST BREAKTHROUGHS IN SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION HERE
IN CENTRAL NEW YORK AND ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.
DOG OWNERS KNOW IT CAN TAKE A
WHILE TO TEACH FIDO TO SHAKE BUT
FOLKS AT THE ROSAMOND ZOO TAKE
TRAINING TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL
TEACHING ELEPHANTS HOW TO HELP
THEMSELVES.
THE ROSAMOND GIFFORD ZOO IS AN
AMAZING RESOURCE FOR OUR
COMMUNITY.
IT'S GOT A HIGH LEVEL OF ANIMAL
CARE BEING ONE OF 231 ACCREDITED
ZOOS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
THAT MEANS ANY VISITOR THAT
COMES THROUGH THE DOOR IS GOING
TO SEE ANIMALS THAT ARE HOUSED
AND ARE BEING CARED FOR TO THE
HIGHEST POSSIBLE LEVEL.
>> SO ZOOS AROUND THE COUNTRY
ARE CHANGING ALL THE TIME TO
HELP BETTER THEMSELVES.
THIS YARD IS YARD IS FOUR ACRES
AND IT HELPS US TO BE ABLE TO
DISPLAY OUR WHOLE HERD AND MIMIC
A WILD SETTING FOR THEM AND IT
HAS HELPED US IN THAT MANNER TO
GET A GOOD SOCIAL STRUCTURE WITH
OUR HERD.
>> THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS
THAT THEY'RE WILD ANIMALS,
SPECIES OF WILD ANIMALS BUT WE
WANT THEM TO BE AS COMFORTABLE
AS POSSIBLE.
WE CAN'T UNDERMINE THE VALUE OF
WHAT PEOPLE GET TO EXPERIENCE
WHEN THEY'RE HERE.
WE WANT TO EXPLAIN IT IN A WAY
THAT'S POSITIVE FOR THE ANIMAL,
POSITIVE FOR THE VISITOR AND
OVERALL, THE PRIORITY IS TO
SUSTAIN THE POPULATION AND THE
INDIVIDUAL ANIMALS AS LOW KEY
AND AS STRESSLESS AS POSSIBLE.
>> COME HERE.
GOOD GIRL.
MY NAME IS ASHLEY SHEPPARD, I'M
A SENIOR KEEPER IN THE ELEPHANT
DEPARTMENT AT THE ROSAMOND
GIFFORD ZOO.
THE TRAINING HERE SEA ZOO IS
BASED ON CONDITIONING, FOR EVERY
ACTION THERE IS A CONSEQUENCE
AND WE USE A HEAVY BASE ON HEAVY
REINFORCEMENT.
ESSENTIALLY WITH THE ELEPHANTS,
A LOT OF THE TRAINING INITIALLY
IS ABOUT RELATIONSHIP BUILDING
AND MAKING SURE THE ANIMAL
TRUSTS YOU.
AND FROM THERE ON OUT WE GO
THROUGH AND HABITUATE THE ANIMAL
TO A SPECIFIC SITUATION WHETHER
IT'S FOOT CARE OR BLOOD DRAWS OR
FOOT WASHES.
BABY STEPS TO GET TO THE FINISH
LINE WHICH IS VERY REWARDING
ONCE WE CAN DRAW BLOOD WITH NO
ISSUES.
>> GOOD.
GOOD GIRL.
>> TALK ABOUT THE IDEA OF
TRAINING THEM TO BE ABLE TO DRAW
BLOOD AND THE T.B. TESTS AND ALL
THAT.
HOW DOES IT HELP YOU KEEP
RECORDS AND PERPETUATE THE
SPECIES?
>> VERY EARLY ON EVEN IN THE
QUARANTINE PERIOD, EVERY AN PAL
GOES THROUGH A QUARANTINE PERIOD
FOR 30 DAYS.
WE FORMULATE A PLAN, WHAT ITS
FAVORITE FOODS ARE, WHAT IT
LIKES AND DOESN'T LIKE.
WHAT ARE OUR GOALS GOING TO BE?
THE FIRST GOAL IS TO GET IT TO
GO INTO A CRATE SO IT'S NOT
STRESSED WHEN WE MOVE IT FROM
THE QUARANTINE AREA TO ITS
EXHIBIT HOME.
THAT WILL BE THE FIRST THING.
AND IT COULD BE A FIVE OR 25
STEP THING, DEPENDING ON THE
ANIMAL.
IT STARTS TO BUILD THE BOND OF
TRUST BETWEEN ANIMAL AND KEEPER.
>> A LONG, LONG TIME AGO IF WE
HAD TO SEA DATE AN ANIMAL
SPECIFICALLY IN AN ELEPHANT
PROGRAM, WE WOULD BRING THEM TO
A RESTRICTED AREA AND GIVE THEM
A DRUG TO RESTRICT THEM.
NOW WE TRAIN THEM TO DO THE
MEDICAL PROCEDURES WITH NO
STRESS.
STEADY.
GOOD.
>> SOME PEOPLE MIGHT SAY OR IT
MIGHT SEEM A LITTLE
COUNTERINTUITIVE IF WE WANT THE
ANIMALS TO FEEL AT HOME, WE
SHOULD GET THE HUMANS AS FAR
AWAY AS POSSIBLE.
WHAT YOU GUYS ARE GETTING HUMANS
CLOSER TO THEM AND IT HELPS
THEM.
>> HISTORICALLY AT ZOOS IT
WASN'T REALLY AN ISSUE OF DAILY
TRAINING.
THAT WASN'T REALLY PART OF
EVERYONE'S DAILY ROUTINE FOR
KEEPERS AND THEIR ANIMALS.
IT WAS WHEN THERE WAS AN ANIMAL
INFIRM SOMEHOW OR NEEDED TO GO
TO ANOTHER ZOO OR CONCERN YOU
HAD TO MOVE IT TO ANOTHER
EXHIBIT, IT WAS A STRESSFUL TIME
FOR THE ANIMAL AND THE STAFF.
YOU WOULD EITHER HAVE TO DART IT
IN THE CASE OF A LARGER ANIMAL
WITH A DART GUN AND TRANQUILIZER
AND TRANSPORT IT THAT WAY AND
FOR SMALLER ANIMALS, IT WAS
NETTING THEM MAYBE OR CATCHING
THEM IN A SMALLER CONTAINER OR
SOMETHING.
THOSE DAYS ARE LONG GONE
FORTUNATELY FOR BOTH ANIMAL AND
KEEPER AND THE VETERINARY STAFF.
>> WHAT GOES ON IN THIS ROOM?
>> THIS IS OUR VET VETERINARY
HOSPITAL TREATMENT ROOM.
A LOT OF OUR SMALLER PATIENTS
COME HERE FOR REGULAR
CHECKPOINTS ALL THE WAY UP
CHECKUPS OR DIAGNOSTIC
PROCEDURES OR SURGICAL
PROCEDURES.
THIS IS MUPPET, AN ADULT FEMALE
NORTH AMERICAN PORCUPINE HERE
FOR A REGULAR CHECKUP HER ANIMAL
KEEPER IS GIVING HER A TREAT AND
I'M WATCHING HER TO SEE HOW SHE
IS CHEWING, HOW SHE LOOKS, USING
HER CLAWS AND PAWS AND HER EYES
ARE CLEAR, NOSE IS CLEAR.
I CAN DO THINGS LIKE LISTEN TO
HER HEART.
>> WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN BEING A VET FOR MUPPET
HERE AND BEING A VET FOR FIDO AT
HOME?
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF
DIFFERENCES.
THERE ARE MANY, MANY DIFFERENT
SPECIES THAT WE SEE HERE AND
EACH SPECIES HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY AND
PROBLEMS THEY DEVELOP WHICH
COULD BE DIFFERENT FROM A
DOMESTIC ANIMAL.
WE TRY TO APPLY DOMESTIC ANIMAL
MEDICINE AND UNIQUE THINGS ABOUT
EXOTIC ANIMALS TO OUR EVERYDAY
JOB.
>> WE STORE THE INFORMATION OF
EVERY SINGLE ANIMAL EVERY SINGLE
DAY OF ITS LIFE SO TO SPEAK.
SO ANY EVENT IN THE ANIMAL'S
LIFE IS LOGGED INTO THE SYSTEM.
SO SIMPLE THINGS FOR INSTANCE
THE WEIGHT OF THE ANIMAL WILL BE
LOGGED INTO THE SYSTEM THE DAY
IT WAS BORN WILL BE LOGGED INTO
THE SYSTEM.
SO BEFORE WE HAD TO TYPE OF
RECORD KEEPING, IT WAS WORD OF
MOUTH SO TO SPEAK AND TRYING TO
FIND OUT WHERE ANIMALS COME FROM
AND SOME WE WOULDN'T KNOW THE
GENETICS OF THE ANIMALS.
WE WOULDN'T KNOW WHERE THEY
ORIGINATED, THAT WOULD MAKE IT
DIFFICULT TO THE BREEDING
PROGRAM BUT IT IS STORED EVERY
SINGLE DAY.
>> YOU GO FISHING?
GOOD.
>> PENGUINS ARE TYPICALLY VERY
SKITTISH TYPE SPECIES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED
TO ESPECIALLY SURE ONCE WE
STARTED A COLONY HERE WAS TO GET
THEM AS COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE INITIALLY
STARTED WITH THE COLONY WAS THE
SCALE TRAINING.
BASICALLY GETTING THEM
CONDITIONED TO COME IN AN AREA
THAT IS NOT AS FAMILIAR TO THEM,
MAKING IT A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE
FOR THEM AND REALIZING NOTHING
BAD HAPPENS OUT HERE, THAT WE
HAVE OUR ENTIRE COLONY THAT WE
GET ON VOLUNTARY EACH AND EVERY
MONTH WITHOUT HAVING THE STRESS
OF PICKING THEM UP AND HAVING TO
TRANSPORT THEM SOMEWHERE FOR
THOSE PROCEDURES.
>> SOUNDS LIKE A BALANCING ACT.
ON THE ONE HAND WE ARE SORT OF
TRAINING WILD ANIMALS WHICH
MAKES THEM LESS WILD BUT ON THE
OTHER HAND IT MAKES THEM MORE
LESS STRESSED OUT.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT
THEY'RE WILD ANIMALS, SPECIES OF
WILD ANIMALS.
WE WANT THEM TO BE AS
COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE WHEN
THEY'RE IN PROXIMITY OF PEOPLE.
YOU CAN'T UNDERLINE MINE THE
VALUE OF WHAT PEOPLE GET TO
EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY'RE HERE BUT
WE WANT TO EXPLAIN IT IN A WAY
THAT IS POSITIVE FOR THE ANIMAL,
POSITIVE FOR THE VISITOR AND
OVERALL, THE PRIORITY IS TO
SUSTAIN THE POPULATION AND THE
INDIVIDUAL ANIMALS AS LOW KEY
AND AS STRESSLESS AS POSSIBLE.
>> FOR HUMBOLDTS IN PARTICULAR,
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS BEEN
REALLY GREAT FOR US IS THE FACT
THAT WHEN WE OPEN THIS EXHIBIT
IN 2005, WE WERE TOLD AMONGST
MANY, MANY VERY CREDIBLE
FACILITIES, DON'T EXPECT TO SEE
ANY BREEDING WITH YOUR COLONY
UNTIL THEY BECOME SETTLED AND IT
MAY TAKE ANYWHERE FROM THREE,
FOUR, FIVE YEARS.
AND SO WE STARTED THE
CONDITIONING WITH THEIR TRAINING
RIGHT AWAY, GETTING THEM AS
COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE,
CONDITIONING COMING IN AND OUT
AND TRYING TO MAKE IT SO
COMFORTABLE FOR THEM THAT WITHIN
THE FIRST YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO
SUCCESSFULLY HAVE A REPRODUCTIVE
BREEDING COLONY AND HAD CHICKS
IN THE FIRST YEAR OF US OPENING.
THAT WAS RARE, AND WE WERE
ECSTATIC ABOUT THAT.
WE MIGHT MOVE IT AROUND, IT MAY
HAVE COME OREGON FROM ANOTHER
ZOO.
WHILE IT'S HERE, WE WANT TO MAKE
ITS LIFE AS ENRICHED AS
POSSIBLE.
>> WE ARE HERE TO DISPLAY THE
ANIMALS AND MAKE SURE PEOPLE SEE
THEM AND MAKE A CONNECTION BUT
WE ARE ALSO HERE TO CONTRIBUTE
TO THE SURVIVAL OF THE WILD
POPULATION.
>> IN ANOTHER SIGN THAT FOLKS AT
THE ROSAMOND GIFFORD ZOO THAT,
THEY WELCOMED A MONKEY BORN AT
THE ZOO IN SEPTEMBER.
MOST OF US KNOW THE END RESULT,
AWESOME MUSIC BY THE LIKES OF
STEVIE RAY VAUGHN OR BB KING BUT
THE START OF GREAT GUITAR SOUNDS
HAPPENS LONG BEFORE THE ARTIST
WALKS ON STAGE.
IN FACT FOR THOUSANDS OF
GUITARS, IT BEGINS IN THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST.
>> WHEN STEVE MCMINN LOOKS AT
TREES, HE TRIES TO SEE THEIR
FUTURE.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO PREDICT, YOU
THINK MAN, I COULD CUT A 12 OUT
OF THE BUTT HERE.
THIS PIECE WOULD SLICE NICELY.
>> FOR DECADES MCMINN HAS
SUPPLIED THE GUITAR INDUSTRY
WITH TREES GROWN FROM ALASKA TO
OREGON.
HIS CUSTOMERS INCLUDE AMERICA'S
BIGGEST GUITAR MAKERS.
AT HIS SHOP, IT SPLITS THEM AND
LISTENS TO THE RESULTS.
>> I FIGURED SOMEBODY COULD DO A
BETTER JOB PROVIDING WOOD FOR
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS THAN HAVE
BEEN DONE.
>> IN THE COURSE OF A YEAR,
WE'LL CUT ENOUGH WOOD FOR THREE
TO 400,000 GUITARS.
>> LATELY MCMINN HAS BEEN
LOOKING FURTHER INTO THE FUTURE,
TRYING TO HELP MAKE THE GUITAR
INDUSTRY MORE SUSTAINABLE.
GUITARS USE SOME OF THE RAREST
WOODS ON EARTH.
THEY COMMAND A HIGH PRICE MAKING
THEM TARGETS FOR POACHERS IN
PARTS OF THE WORLD ALREADY HIT
HARD BY DEFORESTATION.
>> ITS INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO
LEGALLY ETHICALLY SOURCE WOOD
FROM THE TROPICS.
>> SO GUITAR MAKERS ARE
INCREASINGLY ENTRUSTED IN
GETTING OUT OF THE TROPICS FOR
THEIR WOOD SUPPLIES.
>> ONE PLACE IS MCMINN'S
BACKYARD.
THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST IS HOME TO
THE FAST GROWING BIG LEAF MAPLE
TREE.
>> MAPLE IS A CLEAN GREEN LEGAL
LOCAL WOOD.
WE ARE INTERESTED IN SEEING
WHETHER WE CAN PROVIDE THEM WITH
A SECURE SUPPLY FOR THE
LONG-TERM.
>> TO FIND OUT, HE PARTNERED
WITH JIM MATTSSON.
MATTSSON STUDIES TREES IN
VANCOUVER BRITISH COLUMBIA.
BIG LEAF MAPLES LIKE THESE ARE
COMMON IN THE REGION BUT VERY
FEW OF THEM WILL DEVELOP THE
BEAUTIFUL APPEARANCE GUITAR
PLAYERS WANT.
>> WHEN WE THINK OF WOOD, WE
MOSTLY THINK OF WOOD THAT LOOKS
LIKE THIS, WITH A STRAIGHT
GRAIN.
BUT IT'S ALSO DULL IN ITS
APPEARANCE SO MANY PEOPLE LIKE
TREES THAT HAVE DEFECTS.
>> DEFECTIVE OR FIGURED GRAIN IS
POPULAR FOR DECORATIVE ITEMS BUT
NOBODY HAS FIGURED OUT HOW TO
GROW MAPLE TREES TO LOOK LIKE
THIS.
>> YOU FIND IT'S VERY RARELY IN
NATURE.
SO WHAT CAUSES THE DEFECT?
>> MATTSSON HAD A HUNCH.
IN OTHER KINDS OF TREES, THE
WAVY GRAIN IS GENETIC.
SO MATTSSON BEGAN TAKING SAMPLES
OF THE MAPLE TREES AND CLONING
THEM IN HIS LAB.
WHEN THE TREES GET BIG ENOUGH,
MATTSSON WILL BRING THEM HERE
AND TURN 50-ACRES OF OLD
FARMLAND INTO A FIGURED MAPLE
PLANTATION.
IT COULD TAKE 10 YEARS BEFORE
MCMINN KNOWS WHETHER HIS
EXPERIMENTS ARE WORKING.
HE'S WILLING TO WAIT.
>> LEFT TO MY OWN, I WOULD
RATHER JUST HAVE TREES.
PERIOD.
>> IF MCMINN DOESN'T SEE
GUITARS IN THEIR FUTURE, AT
LEAST HE'LL HAVE TREES TO LOOK
AT.
>> 3D PRINTING IS OPENING
FASCINATING POSSIBILITIES FOR
THE FUTURE OF MEDICINE.
GOT A PROBLEM WITH AN ORGAN?
JUST PRINT A NEW ONE.
>> THIS LAB AT LAKE FOREST
UNIVERSITY'S INSTITUTE FOR
REGENERATIVE MEDICINE LOOKS
PRETTY MUCH LIKE ANY OTHER LAB.
LAB COATS, MICROSCOPES, THERE IS
A DEVICE TO WARM AND PREPARE
SAMPLES, LOTS OF SAMPLES IN A
TRAY.
AND IN THE BACK OF THE LAB,
THERE'S A MACHINE THAT LOOKS
PRETTY MUCH LIKE THE STANDARD 3D
PRINTER.
LOTS OF INK RESERVOIRS AND
NOZZLES, A COMPUTER TO PRINT AND
A PRINTER THAT BUILDS A MODEL
LAYER UPON LAYER.
HOWEVER THIS DEVICE IS ANYTHING
BUT YOUR STANDARD 3D PRINTER.
>> YOU KNOW THE STRATEGY IS THAT
THE WE TAKE A VERY SMALL PIECE
OF TISSUE FROM OUR PATIENT, LESS
THAN HALF THE SIZE OF A POSTAGE
STAMP.
WE THEN PLACE THESE CELLS ON
CARTRIDGES LIKE YOUR INK JET
CARTRIDGE.
INSTEAD OF USING INK, WE USE
CELLS.
WE PRINT THE STRUCTURES ONE
LAYER AT A TIME AND AS WE PRINT
THE CELLS, WE ARE ALSO PRINTING
THE STRUCTURE THAT HOLDS IT.
THE GLUE, IF YOU WILL.
SO WE CREATE THE STRUCTURE
TOGETHER.
>> THIS IS THE INTEGRATED TISSUE
AND ORGAN PRINTING SYSTEM.
WHAT IT PRINTS IS ALIVE.
THERE ARE TENS OF MILLIONS OF
LIVING CELLS SUSPENDED IN A GEL.
THERE IS ALSO A PRECISE LAT IS
WORK OF MICROCHANNELS,
200-MICRONS WIDE IMPRINTED INTO
THE SYSTEM.
THE VESSELS ALLOW BLOOD, THE
NUTRIENTS TO FLOW THROUGH THE
TISSUE.
THE PRINTED ORGAN MADE FROM THE
PATIENT'S OWN CELLS IS DESIGNED
TO BE SURGICALLY IMPLANTED BACK
INTO THE PATIENT.
>> YOU KNOW THE INTERESTING
THING IS THAT YOU ARE USING THE
PATIENT'S OWN CELLS TO CREATE
THESE TISSUES AND ORGANS SO
BASICALLY A BODY RECOGNIZES THEM
AND ADAPTS THEM AS THEIR OWN.
BLOOD VESSELS AND NERVES WILL
GROW INTO THE TISSUES AND
THEY'LL BECOME FUNCTIONAL INSIDE
THE BODY.
>> THE FRAMEWORK IS A 3D MODEL
CREATED FROM AN X-RAY OF THE
PATIENT'S ACTUAL ORGAN AND
BECAUSE EACH ORGAN HAS
SPECIALIZED CELLS, THE TISSUE
SAMPLE IS TAKEN FROM THE
SPECIFIC ORGAN TO BE PRINTED AND
A PROTOCOL IS DESIGNED TO EXPAND
THE CELLS.
>> WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY, YOU ARE
TAKING THE PATIENT'S OWN CELLS
AND WE ARE USING A GLUE-LIKE
SUBSTANCE BUT WHEN THIS GETS
IMPLANTED INTO THE PATIENT, THE
CELLS REMAIN BUT THE GLUE GOES
AWAY AND IT GETS REPLACED BY THE
PATIENT'S OWN GLUE.
SO SIX MONTHS LATER YOU ARE LEFT
ONLY WITH A PATIENT'S OWN TISSUE
AND ORGAN.
>> SO FAR, THE RESEARCH TEAM HAS
IMPLANTED INTO HUMANS FLAT
STRUCTURES SUCH AS SKIN, HOLLOW
TUBULAR STRUCTURES SUCH AS BLOOD
VESSELS AND WINDPIPES AND HOLLOW
NON-TUBULAR ORGANS SUCH AS A
BLADDER AND A STOMACH.
BUT THOSE TISSUES AND ORGANS
WERE HANDMADE IN THE LAB AND THE
CUSTOMIZED SCAFFOLDS WERE COATED
BY HAND WITH THE PATIENT'S
CELLS.
WHAT YOU ARE WATCHING IS
RESEARCH INTO THE FUTURE OF
REGENERATIVE MEDICINE.
3D PRINTERS THAT CAN SCALE UP
THE PROCESS SO TISSUES AND
ORGANS DON'T HAVE TO BE TAILOR
MADE.
>> HOW CAN WE ACTUALLY
ACCELERATE THE PRODUCTION OF
SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE
ARE WORKING ON.
FOR EXAMPLE TISSUES AND ORGANS.
>> AND THE FUTURE IS PROMISING.
THE NEW PRINTING SYSTEM WITH ITS
BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGY OF
MICROCHANNELS HAS CREATED 3D
PRINTED MUSCLE AND BONE THAT HAS
BEEN SUCCESSFULLY IMPLANTED IN
ANIMALS.
THOSE MICROCHANNEL IS ALLOWED
BLOOD VESSELS AND NERVES TO
GENERATE AFTER IMPLEMENTATION.
>> FOR US, OF COURSE, IT'S ALL
THE CHALLENGES EVERY DAY, YOU
KNOW, HOW DO YOU SOLVE THIS
PROBLEM.
HOW DO YOU SOLVE THIS OTHER
PROBLEM?
SO THERE ARE ALWAYS CHALLENGES
THAT HAVE YOU TO FACE AND THAT
HAVE YOU TO TRY AND SOLVE.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE THERE IS JUST
ONE BIG EUREKA MOMENT.
IT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK THAT
GOES BEHIND MAKING SURE THESE
TECHNOLOGIES DO AT THE END WORK.
>> TO INFINITY AND BEYOND.
NO, NOT THE NEXT TOY STORY
MOVIE.
IT'S A SCHOOL IN FLORIDA
TEACHING STUDENTS SCIENCE CAN BE
FUN.
CENTENNIAL MIDDLE SCHOOL IN DADE
CITY FLORIDA IS A STEM MAGNET
SCHOOL.
KICK OFF THE SCHOOL YEAR,
THEY'RE HOLDING A CYBER CHASE
STEM FAIR.
>> WE ARE TRYING TO GET THE
STUDENTS TO REALIZE THAT THE
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING
AND MATH, NOT ONLY ARE THEY
GOING TO BE BENEFICIAL TO THEM
IN THE LONG RUN AS FAR AS
CAREERS AND JOBS THAT HAVEN'T
BEEN INVENTED YET THAT THEY
MIGHT BE COMPETITIVE FOR, BUT
ALSO JUST TO REALIZE THAT
LEARNING AND CRITICAL THINKING
REALLY CAN BE FUN.
>> TEACHER BOBBY STARLING IS IN
CHARGE OF THE STEM FAIR WHICH
GOES ON ALL DAY FOR THESE SIXTH
GRADERS COMPRISED OF SIX
INTERACTIVE STATIONS.
>> THERE IS ONE THAT IS TO
INFINITY AND BEYOND WHERE THEY
ARE TESTING TO SEE IF THE SHAPE
AND SIZE OF FINS AND NOSE CONES
AFFECT THE AIR DYNAMICS OF WATER
ROCKETS THAT ARE LAUNCHED.
IN ANOTHER STATION THEY'RE USING
SOME VIRTUAL REALITY WITH GOOGLE
CARDBOARDS AND EXPLORING UNDER
WATER REEFS AND LOOKING FOR
SIGNS OF HEALTHY AND UNHEALTHY
REEFS.
ANOTHER STATION THE SPEAR-O WILL
PAINT FOR THEM.
THEY'RE MAKING BLACK LIGHT
PAINTING AND ANOTHER STATION IS
CATAPULT LAUNCHING SO THEIR
STUDENTS ARE BUILDING CATAPULTS
AND THEY'RE TESTING TO SEE HOW
ANGLE AND FORCE AND SPEED AFFECT
THE TRAJECTORY OF THE
MARSHMALLOWS.
ANOTHER STATION THEY'RE USING
SUMO JUMPING DRONES AND THAT WAS
A MATH FOCUS THERE.
AND THEY'RE USING A 21ST
CENTURY INVENTION KIT TESTING
CIRCUITS AND CONDUCTIVITY AND
CREATING DIFFERENT CIRCUITS THAT
ARE MUSICAL.
THEY MAKE GAME CONTROLLERS OUT
OF PLAY-DOH, GUMMY WORM PIANOS.
>> YOU JUST HAVE TO HOLD THE
GROUND AND TOUCH IT AND IT ALSO
IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR THE
STUDENTS COLLABORATING WITH EACH
OTHER AND YOU CAN SEE THE
CRITICAL THINKING THAT WAS GOING
ON IN THE MAKEY MAKEY STATION
THERE THE CYBER CHASE PROGRAM.
>> ALL OF THE LESSONS THAT THE
WE ARE DOING TODAY ON STEM DAY
ACTUALLY CAME FROM PBS LEARNING
MEDIA RESOURCES.
A LOT OF THOSE WERE CYBER CHASE
RESOURCES SO THE STUDENTS
ACTUALLY HAD SOME LEARNING
BEFORE WE WENT OUT THERE.
WE USED THAT LEARNING TO KIND TO
FOCUS ON OUR STEM DAY TO HAVE
THEM TEST THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND
HYPOTHESIZE AND EXAMPLES.
WHEN THEY DID THE VIRTUAL
REALITY EXPLORATION, USING THE
GOOGLE CARDBOARD GOGGLES TO
INTERACT WITH SOMETHING THAT HAD
THEM AND THEY WERE SUPER
ENGAGED.
>> THE INTERACTIVE ROCKET LAUNCH
PROGRAM HELPED STUDENTS PREPARE
FOR LAUNCH DAY.
>> THE INTERACTIVE THUNDER
ROCKET LAUNCH IS SOMETHING THE
KIDS LOVE BECAUSE ANY TIME THAT
THEY ARE ABLE TO ENGAGE AND
INTERACT WITH THINGS, I THINK
THE LEARNING STICKS AND THEY'RE
REMEMBERING WHICH ROCKET DESIGN
THEY PICKED THAT WENT THE
FARTHEST AND THEN THEY ARE ABLE
TO APPLY WHAT THEY DID THERE
DIGITALLY TO THE ROCKETS THEY
LAUNCHED TODAY.
>> ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR
SESSIONS WAS AT THE CYCLONE
MAKER'S ROOM.
>> THE DESIGN SQUAD INTRODUCED
THE STUDENTS TO MAKEY MAKEY, THE
INVENTION KIT SO THEY WERE ABLE
TO RELATE TO HER AND SHE HAS FUN
AND MAKES CONTROLLERS OUT OF
GUMMY WORMS TO PLAY A FETCH PBS
KIDS GAME.
>> MYKA WILKS IS IN SIXTH GRADE
ENJOYS BEING CREATIVE WITH HER
MAKEY MAKEY KIT.
>> THE LESSON IS ABOUT CIRCUITS
AND MAKING GAME BOARDS, SEE IS
WHAT IS CONDUCTIVE AND NOT
CONDUCTIVE AND WHAT IS AN
INSULATOR.
YOU CAN CONNECT CIRCUITS AND
MAKE COOL THINGS.
A MAKEY MAKEY PIANO OR MAKEY
MAKEY GAME BOARD.
>> SOME STUDENTS USE BY PLAY-DOH
AND GUMMY WORMS.
THEY CREATED A GAME CONTROLLER
USING PLAY-DOH.
>> THE GAME CONTROLLER WAS ON A
WEBSITE YOU CAN GO ON AND FIND
ALL KINDS OF PROGRAMS AND WHAT
WE WERE DOING WAS THE MARIO
BROTHERS SO IT TAKES WHAT YOU
CAN DO ON THE COMPUTER AND MAKES
IT BIGGER CONTROLLERS SO IT'S
EASIER TO ACCESS THAN HAVING
YOUR FINGERS CRAMMED UP ON THE
KEYBOARD.
>> THE LESSON IS ABOUT
CONDUCTIVITY AND WHY SOME
MATERIALS WORK BETTER THAN
OTHERS TO CREATE A CIRCUIT.
>> WATER IS VERY CONDUCTIVE AND
YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF THEM UP
THERE HAVE MOISTURE IN THEM.
LIKE GUMMY BEARS HAVE MOISTURE
AND SO DO BANANAS AND THE
PLAY-DOH DOES HAVE THE MOISTURE
TO KEEP IT MALLEABLE.
>> IN THE READY SET LAUNCH ROOM,
STUDENTS ARE LEARNING THE
SCIENCE BEHIND AN ANCIENT
DEVICE.
>> WE MIX SCIENCE WITH HISTORY.
THEY'RE ABLE TO TAKE A CATAPULT,
ANCIENT TOOL AND LOOK AT THE
KINETIC ENERGY.
THE KIDS BUILT THEIR OWN
CATAPULT AND LAUNCHED
MARSHMALLOWS.
>> AS A HISTORY TEACHER AT
CENTENNIAL MIDDLE, CLAY LOVES
COMBINING HISTORY AND SCIENCE
AND WATCHING HOW THE STUDENTS
RESPOND.
>> THEY GOT VERY COMPETITIVE.
THEY ALL WANTED TO HAVE THE
LONGEST SHOT.
STARTED OUT THE FIRST CLASS SHOT
15, THE FINAL CLASS SHOT 22 AND
A HALF FEET WITH A MINIATURE
MARSHMALLOW.
AMAZING.
>> PRINCIPAL RICK SAYLOR
EXPLAINS WHY THEY WANTED TO
BRING A CYBER CHASE STEM FAIR TO
THIS NEW MAGNET SCHOOL.
>> WE THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT WAY
TO JUMP START THE YEAR AS A STEM
MAGNET SCHOOL TO GET THE KIDS
EXCITED ABOUT LEARNING AND USING
DIFFERENT TOOLS AND STRATEGY
THAT THEY CAN USE TODAY AND
CARRY THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE
YEAR IN THEIR LEARNING AS THEY
ACHIEVE THE NORMAL STANDARDS WE
WOULD TEACH DURING A NORMAL
SCHOOL YEAR.
TODAY WHAT I SAW WAS I ALWAYS
CALL IT AS A TEACHER, A LIGHT
BULB EFFECT.
THIS WAS NOT JUST A LIGHT BULB
BUT A SUN GOING OFF IN THE KIDS
BRAINS AS YOU WATCH THEM ENGAGE
IN THE LEARNING.
WHETHER IT'S A MAKEY MAKEY
STATION OR THE ROCKET, USING THE
DRONES, THE VIRTUAL REALITY,
WHEREVER THEY WERE, YOU COULD
SEE THE EXCITEMENT AND LEARNING.
>> FOR BOBBY STARLING, IT'S ALL
ABOUT PREPARING FUTURE
SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS.
>> THE EXCITEMENT THAT THEY HAVE
FROM THIS DAY IS GOING TO CARRY
THEM FORWARD AND GET THEM
INTERESTED IN SOME OF THOSE STEM
CAREERS AND THERE ARE KIDS
TALKING ABOUT WANTING TO BE
ENGINEERS AND THERE ARE KIDS
THAT WANT TO DESIGN ROCKETS.
SO THIS GIVES THEM A SPARK OR
IDEA WHAT MAYBE THEY COULD LOOK
FOR IN A CAREER WISE AND BET
THEM EXCITED TO MOVE FORWARD.
>> THAT'S IT FOR THIS SEASON OF
"SCITECH NOW."
WE HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED OUR
EFFORT TO BRING YOU ALL THE COOL
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STORIES
THAT ARE HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN
OUR CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNITY.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAM,
JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON
FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS
AND THOUGHTS.
I'M SIMON PEREZ.
WE HOPE TO SEE YOU NEXT SEASON
ON "SCITECH NOW."
ON THE NEXT "SCITECH NOW," WE
LOOK BACK AT THE PAST SEASON AND
HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE VERY BEST
IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND
INNOVATION THROUGHOUT CENTRAL
NEW YORK.
FROM THE CUTTING EDGE ANIMAL
CARE AT THE ZOO TO THE SCIENCE
BEHIND YOUR FAVORITE.
EXPLORE ONCE MORE HOW THE GREAT
MINDS OF OUR REGION ARE USHERING
THE WORLD OF TOMORROW TODAY ON
THE NEXT "SCITECH NOW."
NOTE7
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