HAVE YOU TAKEN THE NO STRAW PLEDGE YET? (AND MANY OTHER THINGS)

What do you know about plastic straws?  They're fun to drink out of for about ten seconds, but after that where do they go?  Turns out they're kind of a nightmare.  Plastic straws are too small for recycling machines and end up in landfills for hundreds of years before biodegrading or cause big problems for land and marine wildlife.  Miss Amy's 2nd grade class wants to do something about this!  Will you join us? 

Check it out: Bans on Plastic Straws in Restaurants Expand to more Cities.  Will Aspen be next?

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Our scientist of the week, Mr. Andrew, showed us that not only humans can dance, but raisins too! Turns out if you mix water, baking soda, and vinegar a chemical reaction occurs that creates carbon dioxide.  If you put some raisins into the mixture they are dense and sink. But the gas created starts to form bubbles around the fruits wrinkly skin and brings it floating back to the top.  Then the bubbles pop when they hit the air and the fruit sinks again. This happens over and over making the raisins look like they're dancing.  You can try this at home with baking soda and vinegar or soda water.  Check out the video on the left for directions.  So cool!

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Hippo Roaming Loose for Months in Southern Mexico

Our reporter of the week, Miss Baylie, shared a fascinating article about a 1,320 pound hippo on the loose in swampy southern Mexico.  Here's the weird thing, hippos are not native to Mexico and no one knows where it came from.  Hippos are one of the most dangerous animals on the planet as they tend to be aggressive and are massive.  Environmental agencies are working to capture the hippo safely and relocate it, but have not had much luck yet.  Locals beware!  Will we ever see a loose hippo at AES?

Breaking News: Free-roaming Hippo Transported to Zoo in Southern Mexico

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Our secret reader, Mr. Seth, read us a Dr. Seuss book we'd never heard before--I Wish I Had Duck Feet.  It was a hilarious book with a wonderful message.  After dreaming about many different useful adaptations (like duck feet or deer horns or a very long tail) this little boy realizes that the most useful (and practical) thing to be is himself!  We talk about that all the time in first grade.  Even if someone is a better reader or dancer than you, everyone has such unique qualities to share.  Sometimes we have to practice gratitude for just being ourselves.  Thanks Seth and Silas!

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Have a safe, wonderful, restful, energizing break!  Can't wait to see everyone on April 3rd.