Ganas

Jaime Escalante, the Los Angeles math teacher who was the inspiration behind the 1988 movie Stand and Deliver, has died. Escalante died Tuesday, March 30, 2010 after a long battle with bladder cancer. He was 79.



Escalante’s push for students at Garfield High School to learn advanced math inspired Stand and Deliver. Edward James Olmos, who played Escalante in the celebrated movie, confirmed the teacher's death at his son's home in Roseville, Calif., to the Los Angeles Times.

The Bolivian-born educator became famous after the movie, which showed how he taught at-risk, inner-city students calculus and drove them to pass Advanced Placement Calculus tests.

"Jaime didn't just teach math. Like all great teachers, he changed lives," the Times quoted Olmos as saying earlier this month when he helped raise funds to pay for Escalante's medical bills.

"Jaime Escalante has left a deep and enduring legacy in the struggle for academic equity in American education," said Gaston Caperton, former West Virginia governor and president of the College Board, which sponsors the Scholastic Assessment Test and the Advanced Placement exam. "His passionate belief (was) that all students, when properly prepared and motivated, can succeed at academically demanding course work, no matter what their racial, social or economic background. Because of him, educators everywhere have been forced to revise long-held notions of who can succeed."

Escalante left Garfield High in 1991 and moved to a school in Sacramento. He is survived by his wife, two sons and six grandchildren.

Planetary Lander "Egg-Drop" Competition for Florida School

Competition to Take Place at Universal Orlando^® Resort

- Registration Deadline May 7, 2010-

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. (March 25, 2010) – Space Florida, NASA-KSC and the Florida Department of Education have partnered to provide an opportunity for Florida elementary, middle and high school students to participate in an innovative Planetary Lander ‘Egg-Drop’ Competition at Universal CityWalk^®, Saturday, May 29, 2010.

The competition is open to all Florida schools and home-schoolers, and invites Florida teachers and students to register teams through Space Florida. Each team will design and build their own Lander, in which a raw egg will serve as the payload and must survive a drop of nearly 20 feet (just as a real NASA Lander should on the Moon, Mars or an asteroid). Teams must build their Planetary Landers so that they can fit into a 10” x 10” x 10” container, and the Landers may be constructed of aluminum, plastic, wood and/or soft foam. Complete guidelines, prize information and judging criteria are available at Space Florida’s website. Prizes will be awarded in all three categories – Elementary, Middle and High School. Awards will be distributed on the day of competition and include:

• Free admission to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for each of the three group winners, for the date of their choice


• Invitation to attend a Space Shuttle launch (arrangements to be made through Space Florida)


• One complimentary 1-Day/2-Park ticket to Universal Orlando for each member of the three winning teams


• A recognition plaque for each winning team


• Signed certificates from the event sponsors, including one copy for each student

NASA-KSC will provide FREE special Teacher Workshops on May 1 at the Center for Space Education Building in the NASA Exploration Station, offering NASA materials and guidance from aerospace professionals regarding the building of Planetary Landers.

“This is a wonderful, interactive opportunity for teachers and students – to get them excited about science and engineering experiences as they pertain to space exploration,” said Tony Gannon, Space Florida Director of Education. “All the partners – NASA-KSC, Department of Education and Universal are throwing their weight into this engineering project, so it will be an entertaining and rewarding experience for everyone.”

The deadline for Florida schools teams to register with Space Florida is May 7, 2010. Due to the enormous interest in this competition however, team leaders are advised to register ASAP. Applicants should apply for a Registration Package by contacting Space Florida Education Manager Emma Rader, at erader[at]spaceflorida[dot]gov

The Planetary Lander ‘Egg-Drop’ Competition is being offered to Florida students by Space Florida and NASA-KSC to help generate student interest in and promote their understanding of aerospace technology, engineering and mathematics, as well as increase their awareness of organizations that help promote the space industry.

Tickets into the Universal Orlando Theme Parks are not included in the registration fee; however, competitors may purchase discounted tickets directly from Universal Orlando Group Sales by calling 1-800-YOUTH-15. A special application form providing a discounted rate for this competition will be provided upon request.

About Space Florida: Space Florida was created to strengthen Florida’s position as the global leader in aerospace research, investment, exploration and commerce. As Florida’s aerospace development organization, we are committed to attracting and expanding the next generation of space industry businesses. With its highly trained workforce, proven infrastructure and unparalleled record of achievement, Florida is the ideal location for aerospace businesses to thrive – and Space Florida is the perfect partner to help them succeed. http://www.spaceflorida.gov/.

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SECME Songs & Jock Jams

Whoo-hoo! Two weeks to Olympiad! Let's Get Ready to Rumble!

Jock Jams, Volume 1

Master Teacher Mentors Announced for 34th Annual SECME Summer Institute

Posted by: Deborah Stewart- March 24th, 2010

District Teacher Among Eight Selected Nationally to Lead New SECME Mentoring Initiative

When educators from around the country convene at the 34th Annual SECME Summer Institute set for Clemson University in South Carolina this summer, Northboro Elementary School teacher Kisa Jarrett will not only be present, she’ll be serving as a SECME Master Teacher AND serving the SECME National Advisory Council—responsibilities that last throughout 2010-2011.

SECME seeds - grow diversity in STEM education!

(based on an idea from Shelby Weininger, Class of 2010. Thanks, S.)

Photorealistic Patrick

(based on an idea from CC Lindo, Class of 2010. Thanks, Patrick for posing. And thank you CC, Blaine, and Kevin)

10 Science and Math Applications for the iPod Touch

Science and math applications (Apps) for iPod Touch offer students and teachers excellent tools to help students spend more time learning science content in class and laboratory situations.

Although many Apps are loaded with ads and other distracting information, Dr. David Wetzel recommends several that are free of ads on his website http://www.teachscienceandmath.com/. Visit his site for more information.

iPod Touch Science Apps

LabTimer
ExoPlanet
Worlds Apart
USGS Seismic
NASA
iFormulas
Science Glossary
LabCal
Promega
Mild EleMints

Resource
All of these Science Apps are available from iTunes and are free.

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Math iPod Touch Apps

Math Tutor Lite
ePuzzle
ArithmeTick - Math Flashcards
Graphing Calculator
Pi Cubed Lite
Number Line
Fraction Factory
Freddy Fraction
Basic Math

Why we need SECME more than ever

U.S. Women and Minority Scientists Discouraged from Pursuing STEM Careers, National Survey Shows

PITTSBURGH, MARCH 22, 2010 -- Significant numbers of today’s women and under-represented minority chemists and chemical engineers (40 percent) say they were discouraged from pursuing a STEM career (science, technology, engineering or mathematics) at some point in their lives, according to a new Bayer Corporation survey.

U.S. colleges are cited by them as the leading place in the American education system where discouragement happens (60 percent) and college professors as the individuals most likely responsible for the discouragement (44 percent).

The U.S. K-12 education system falls short, too. On average, the survey respondents give it a “D” for the job it does to encourage minorities to study STEM subjects and a “D+” for girls.

The Bayer Facts of Science Education XIV survey polled 1,226 female, African-American, Hispanic and American Indian chemists and chemical engineers about their childhood, academic and workplace experiences that play a role in attracting and retaining women and under-represented minorities in STEM fields.

“If we want to achieve true diversity in America’s STEM workforce, we must first understand the root causes of underrepresentation and the ongoing challenges these groups face,” said Greg Babe, President and CEO, Bayer Corporation. “We want to knock down barriers. If we can do that, we’ll be able to develop the attitudes, behaviors, opportunities and resources that lead to success.”

2010 Palm Beach County SECME Seconday Olympiad

2010 Palm Beach County SECME Secondary Olympad schedule

Santaluces High map

We are going to meet in the lobby of the Auditorium located on the north side of the school at 8 AM.

Directions from I-95:
· Exit Hypoluxo Blvd. Go West approx. 2 miles to Lawrence Road (you will see the school on the north side of the road),
· turn north on Lawrence Road (light), go to the access road on the north side of the road, turn right,
· go to the second parking lot (student parking lot), park in front of the auditorium.

For more detailed directions, click on http://tinyurl.com/SeminoleRidgeHigh to Mapquest from Seminole Ridge High to Santaluces High School, 6880 Lawrence Road, Lantana, Fl.

Aviation History in March: March 16, 1926 - Robert Goddard launches first liquid propellant rocket

Aviation History in March: March 16, 1926 - Robert Goddard launches first liquid propellant rocket

Robert H. Goddard constructed and launched the first liquid-propellant rocket to achieve flight. The rocket, launched on March 16, 1926, at Auburn, Massachusetts, was damaged upon impact. The flight reached an altitude of 12 meters (41 feet), lasted 2.5 seconds, and covered a horizontal distance of 56 meters (184 feet).
Goddard experimented with liquid-propellant rockets before anyone else, but details of his work were so poorly known that he had little direct influence on later technological developments. Goddard recognized that liquid propellants could provide more energy for propulsion than an equal weight of gunpowder or other available solid fuels. In his earliest rockets, he placed the engine at the top of the vehicle and the fuel tanks below. However, he soon found that this "nose drive" arrangement was too unstable, so he placed the motor at the bottom, as in all modern rockets. Almost all of Goddard's liquid-propellant rockets burned liquid oxygen and gasoline.

Olympiad Appeal

Dear Community Partners,

President Obama said last January in a speech, “The nation that out-educates us today is going to out-compete us tomorrow.” On Saturday, April 10th, students from 13 middle schools and 11 high schools will rise to the challenge and compete in the Palm Beach County SECME District Olympiads to showcase their education. Students square off in engineering competitions: design and build model cars; bridges; VEX robots; and water bottle rockets. In addition, students compete in general knowledge games at the Brain Bowl; and in literary and artistic competitions with essays, mission patches, banners, and posters.

We are requesting a small donation for the 2010 Palm Beach County SECME Regional Competition. Your personal, business or organization’s assistance will help provide awards and incentives for students who are competing at this year’s Olympiad. All of the students in the contests attend schools in our community. Your assistance will help encourage these “gladiators of grey matter” to continue to strive for excellence in education.

Please consider donating $25, $50, $100 or more. It is an investment in our schools with immediate benefits for our SECME students. Any donation is very much appreciated.

Make Your Own Mission Patch with IMAX Hubble 3D

Just to start brainstorming about the water bottle rocket mission patch

Math Days 2010

High School DILs,


Attached is the flyer announcing the 2nd annual Palm Beach Atlantic Mathematics Competition on Saturday, May 1, 2010. Last year’s completion was a great success in large part due to its unique format and use of computer technology.

Please note that registration is limited to the first 20 teams responding by April 21, 2010. Also note that the Publicity Release needs to be completed for each student competing.

Thank you!
Diana Snider
Secondary Mathematics Program Planner
Curriculum Development and School Improvement
snider[at]palmbeach[dot]k12[dot]fl[dot]us

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[Ed. note: the following announcement occurs at the same time as the SDPBC SECME Secondary Olympiad. I include it for future reference]

Registration for the sixth annual Math Day at Florida Atlantic University is now open. Math Day 2010 will be held on Saturday, April 10, 2010, on the Boca Raton Campus of Florida Atlantic University. If you are a high school student who likes and enjoys mathematics come for a day of excitement and fun, with a chance to win prizes and to learn more about mathematics. If you are a teacher, come to see your students compete and to meet your college colleagues.

As in previous years, Math Day is an opportunity for mathematics faculty and mathematically inclined students of high schools in Palm Beach, Broward, Martin and Dade counties, and for math faculty at Florida Atlantic University, to get together, get to know each other, and share their appreciation of mathematics. Students can register as individuals or be registered by a teacher as part of a team. Students registered as part of a team are also automatically registered as individuals and can take part in all competitions.

Registration is free and is on a first come, first served basis. It will be held open until 200 students are registered or until 5PM of April 9, whichever happens first. Depending on the number of participants, late, at the door registration might be allowed. To register, please click on the link for Math Day 2010

Book It! Most Improved (Week 10)

MOST IMPROVED STUDENT RANKING

Seminole Ridge High has proudly implemented a school-wide reading initiative since 2005 called Book It! All students at SRCHS are required to read a book of their choice during a designated 20-minute block of time every day. Students must acquire a certain amount of points each quarter by passing a Reading Counts quiz for each book they read. The program was developed and monitored by the media specialist and supported fully by administration.

Below is a chart of the students who have increased their Book It! points the most - thus the Most Improved. We looked at the students points from the second nine weeks and then compared the points to this nine weeks. The increase in points was the measure used in the ranking.

MOST IMPROVED STUDENT RANKING

Tenth Week- March 8-12, 2010

Ranking this week	Student Name	Grade Level	# of pts from 2nd nine weeks	# of pts for this nine weeks	INCREASE from 2nd nine weeks
1st	Ralph Regis	12th	31	309	278
7th	AJ Fandrey	11th	33	217	184

Our future is determined each and every day, when our children enter the classroom.

The President's Weekly Address: Education for a More Competitive America & Better Future

In his weekly address, President Barack Obama announced that on Monday, his administration will send to Congress the blueprint for an updated Elementary and Secondary Education Act. That will overhaul No Child Left Behind, the latest step from his Administration to encourage change and success in America’s schools at the local level. The plan will set the ambitious goal of ensuring that all students graduate from high school prepared for college and a career, and it will provide states, districts and schools with the flexibility and resources to reach that goal.

Happy Pi Day!

Pi Day is held to celebrate the mathematical constant π (pi) (in the mm/dd date notation: 3/14); since 3, 1 and 4 are the first three decimal digits of π. March 14 is also the birthday of Albert Einstein and the two events are sometimes celebrated together.

OK Go -- This Too Shall Pass

It's all conservation of momentum.

Symphony of Science - The Poetry of Reality

Science is built up of facts, as a house is built of stones; but an accumulation of facts is no more a science than a heap of stones is a house.
- Henri Poincaré (1854 - 1912), Science and Hypothesis, 1905

Facts are not science - as the dictionary is not literature.
- Martin H. Fischer (1879 - 1962), Fischerisms, 1944

The Symphony of Science is a musical project by John Boswell designed to deliver scientific knowledge and philosophy in musical form.

Symphony of Science - The Poetry of Reality
featuring Michael Shermer, Jacob Bronowski, Carl Sagan, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Richard Dawkins, Jill Tarter, Lawrence Krauss, Richard Feynman, Brian Greene, Stephen Hawking, Carolyn Porco, and PZ Myers, promoting science through words of wisdom.

Science Board urges actions to prevent further slide in US S&T competitiveness

Science Board urges actions to prevent further slide in US S&T competitiveness
By Physics Today on March 8, 2010 2:49 PM

On the heels of it's recently released report showing a surge in high-tech investments by China and other Asian nations, the National Science Foundation's National Science Board has urged the Obama administration to gauge the quality of federal research programs and to create a new cabinet-level council to address US innovation and competitiveness issues. In a report released last month, NSB also called on the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to lead a government-wide assessment of key research areas, benchmarking the quality of those programs against those of other nations’.

Thank you!

March 11, 2010

Good Morning:

On behalf of the College of Engineering and Computer Science and the Engineering Student Council at Florida Atlantic University, we would like to extend a sincere thank you for your participation in the Engineering Week 2010 Celebration. It would not have been possible for us to offer the high level of programs, forums, activities and events for our students without your assistance.

With your help, we were able to provide added opportunities for our students to learn more about the engineering profession and to inspire them to excel. E- Week activities featured a visit with Astronaut and FAU alumnus Steve Swanson, an Engineering Leadership Forum, engineering presentations, a brain bowl and a Green festival that included exhibits, competitions, robotics demonstrations and middle and high school students’ participation.

Again, thank you for taking time out of your busy day to support FAU Engineering and Computer Science students. We look forward to working with you in the future.

Sincerely,

Brenda Simmons, Director
Division of Engineering Student Services
College of Engineering & Computer Science
Florida Atlantic University
Phone: 561-297-2680
Fax: 561-297-2781

Email: Brenda[dot]simmons[at]fau[dot]edu
College of Engineering and Computer Science Website:
http://www.eng.fau.edu
Division of Engineering Student Services Website:
http://www.dess.eng.fau.edu

A Haiku on Olympiad preparation

Green wheels and grey bodies.

SECME, Ignite Minds through STEM!

Silver swoosh from Sun.

Fixing US STEM education

Article from Ars Technical: Fixing US STEM education is possible, but will take money

World Maths Day 2010 is over!

World Maths Day is all over! Congratulations on a new World Record!
- 1,133,246 students and 56,082 schools from 235 countries have united to set a new world record by correctly answering 479,732,613 questions.
- The validation process now starts for the winners in each category, and the leading countries – results will be posted by 9.30am Tuesday 9 March.
- 2011 will be even bigger with World Maths Day becoming part of the The World Education Games. Everyone is invited to unite the world in learning! This is the global education event, where all students and schools from around the world are invited to unite to set a new world record for the numbers of questions correctly answered in maths, spelling, and science.

It doesn't matter who you are, or where you are, this is a chance to be a part of the next World Record.

The World Education Games takes place on the first 3 Wednesdays in March:

World Maths Day - 2 March 2011
World Science Day – 9 March 2011
World Spelling Day – 16 March 2011

There will be a medal tally by country across the whole Games, and correct answers will be tracked in the Mathometer and the Sciometer and the Spellometer.

Don’t forget to add these dates to your school planner.

Technical Drawing for Mousetrap Car

EDITOR'S NOTE: For a change, the comments are being left ON. I welcome and would appreciate your thoughts -- this technical drawing has not been scored yet, so it will be interesting for your feedback to compare & contrast with the judges. Just keep it (pardon the pun) constructive! :D

Excerpt of technical drawing for mousetrap vehicle

Technical Report for Water Bottle Rocket

EDITOR'S NOTE: For a change, the comments are being left ON. I welcome and would appreciate your thoughts -- this technical report has not been scored yet, so it will be interesting for your feedback to compare & contrast with the judges. Just keep it (pardon the pun) constructive! :D

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TEAM SILVER Technical Report on Water Bottle Rocket excerpt

Introduction
In the 2009/2010 SECME competition, our mission was to construct an efficient water bottle rocket that could remain airborne for the longest period of hang time. In order to achieve this goal, we had to not only go through the process of trial and error, but also, apply our knowledge of physics. We needed to have a mastery of areas such as aerodynamics, Newton’s Laws of Motion, gravity, acceleration, air resistance, momentum, inertia and the ability to make precise and accurate calculations and plan each step accordingly. In the process of building these rockets, we enhanced our life skills, such as responsibility, hard work, teamwork, and of course, ingenuity.

Design Background
In the process of building the water bottle rockets, we had to keep in mind a variety of topics and apply our knowledge of physics in order to be successful in doing so. The competition requires the boundaries of 76 cm for a height value and a 16.5 cm for a radius. Before beginning the complex process of designing an efficient rocket, we looked at previous models for guidance and ideas. We also received instructions from our SECME coordinator. After learning and witnessing what design performs best, we began our construction.

To start with, we used a basic design of two 2-liter bottles. We found that some of the most simplistic designs easily had a longer lasting trajectory, ranging from seven to twelve seconds in air, from some of the more complex designs that only had a maximum of six seconds. To begin with, we cut off ¼ of the total height of one of the 2-liter bottles, or 14 centimeters. We then filled the cut bottle with newspaper. This added weight will serve the purposing of balancing the rocket once in midair and keeping it steady to prevent too much torque, or spin, from occurring. The goal of rocket designing is to balance the weight of the bottle, so that the bottle can reach its maximum hang time. If the bottle endures too much spin, it will not be aerodynamic and will not fly efficiently. Once adding the extra mass of the newspaper, we proceeded to tape the remaining ¾ of the bottle to the whole one. The whole piece serves as the water chamber, where the water will be stored and then exit once the rocket engages flight. The ¾ piece serves, as stated before, as more mass to balance the rocket and provide a steady flight. The whole bottle’s opening is faced downward when gluing on, as the ¾ piece is faced upward, producing two openings in the structure. After developing the basics of the rocket, we continued to make the rocket more aerodynamic to enhance our rocket’s performance.

Our next task would be in designing the nose cone of the rocket. To do so, we used a template designed by our SECME coordinator. The nose cone should be designed out of a thick type of paper; we used manila folders to construct this part. We used an entire sheet of a folder, making the dimensions of the cone to be 20.3 centimeters by 30.5 centimeters, minus the area cut out to make the cone’s shape. After cutting out the cone, we rolled it up and placed it on the top of the ¾-cut part of the bottle, our front. After fitting it, we then taped it on. To finish our design of the rocket’s nose, we added on a paper towel roll with a golf ball placed at the top of it. This is used to serve the same purpose as the newspaper did; it isn’t necessary, but it does enhance the performance because it adds more mass to the structure of the bottle, which balances it. We used a paper towel roll with a length of 22.6 centimeters.

Once finishing the upper parts of the bottle, the only part that remained was to design the fins. The fin design is very significant in the rocket’s flight. When the rocket is descending after reaching its maximum height, it begins to accelerate as it falls back towards Earth due to gravitational force. During the rockets descent, its center of mass begins to move backward due to its loss of water, which presented most of the mass on the journey up. In order to balance the rocket, the fins are placed near the bottom of the rocket. Also, if the fins are designed properly and the conditions are right, gliding may occur rather than a simple vertical, up and down motion of the rocket. Gliding increases the hang time significantly. We found that like the design of our rocket, simplicity works best. We used a triangle-like design for the fins. It measured 5cm on one of its sides, 10.5 cm on the other, and 23cm for its hypotenuse. We then spaced a total of four fins equally over a circumference of 30.48 centimeters. We glued them on and made sure that it was secured to ensure that it wouldn’t fall off the rocket when it’s traveling at a maximum velocity of after designing the fins, nose cone, and structure, our rocket was complete.

Cogitator

Cogitate

Etymology
Latin cōgitō (“‘to think’”).

Pronunciation
IPA: /ˈkɒdʒ.ɪ.ˌteɪt/

to cogitate (third-person singular simple present cogitates, present participle cogitating, simple past and past participle cogitated)

1.(intransitive) To meditate, to ponder, to think deeply.
2.(transitive) To consider, to devise.


COGITATOR
noun
1. A person who cogitates; a thinker

Seminole SECME 'Hawk Talk' newsletter Spring 2010

Seminole SECME 'Hawk Talk' newsletter Spring 2010

In this issue of the Seminole SECME "Hawk Talk" newsletter
- Excerpts from Essays
- Save the Date: Saturday, April 10th: SDPBC SECME Olympiad
- SECME Spotlight on the Sen10rs, the Class of 2010. Oh, the places they'll go!
- Drop It, Build It, Fly It, Launch It, Thrill It at the South Florida Science Museum
- GreEngineers at Florida Atlantic University during National Engineers Week.
- Hawk debut in the 20th annual National Science Bowl hosted by the US DOE
- Partners with Pierce Panthers

Click here to download a PDF copy of our
Seminole SECME 'Hawk Talk' newsletter Spring 2010 issue.

Give Blood—It's a Race Against Time!

Give Blood—It's a Race Against Time!
Join the Big Red Bus and the little mousetrap cars as National Honor Society and SECME students host Florida’s Blood Centers for an on-campus blood drive 7:30-2:30 Tuesday, March 23. The drive’s theme draws attention to the urgency for donors: every two seconds, someone in America needs blood.

And for every pint of blood donated, SECME will run a ‘mousetrap vehicle’—racers built by students and powered solely by the energy release of a mousetrap spring. In the district’s annual engineering Olympiad, students compete to see whose mousetrap vehicle goes the farthest.

The process for whole blood donation usually takes about one hour; the blood collection itself is usually about 10 minutes. All donations are processed and available for use within 48 hours, but blood can only be stored for 42 days, and blood platelets expire after five days! So the blood bank has a constant demand for donors.

For additional information about donating blood, contact NHS sponsor Mrs. Shawna Ahmad: ahmadsh[at]palmbeach[dot]k12[dot]fl[dot]us

SECME submissions: Mission Patch

Seminole SECME Rocketry Team Silver Mission Patch & Statement
excerpt
by Linh Pham, Angie Adjei, and Cindy Dosch

"Within the flame is our “growing mind” that we cultivate using the soil of SECME as our education. SECME serves as our source of knowledge; it enables us to take our potential that much farther. All around our growing mind are things that S.T.E.M. stands for: science, technology, engineering, math. The chemical is being used as nutrients for our growing minds and science. The science nurtures us and makes our mind grow. It makes us question and solve the world around us…. The water bottle rocket symbolizes engineering. It flying off stands for how we project our ideas and how far it will take us in life. It also represents how we project our ideas and how far it will take us in life…. The mission patch reflects on what we stand for in SECME and what our expectations are, to soar and reach new heights"

Free FCAT Breakfast for Students at McDonalds

From: Your local McDonald’s owner/operator
Subject: Free FCAT Test Day breakfast for students

McDonald’s® understands how important a healthy, well-balanced breakfast is before taking an exam like the FCAT. McDonald’s would like to ensure that children in our area start off their test day with a nutritious meal. On Tuesday, March 9th only, between 6-9 a.m., parents can bring their child to any participating McDonald’s restaurant in Florida, for a
FREE Egg McMuffin®,
bag of Apple Dippers,
and a milk or orange juice.

This is the first year for this program and we are asking for your help to “spread the word” to your administration and parent organizations.

It’s important for us, as local business owners and parents ourselves, to contribute to the well-being of children in our hometown. Our menu includes many healthy options. For example, it may surprise you to know that our apple dippers supply three times the recommended daily value of Vitamin C. Please feel free to visit www.mcdonalds.com/qualityfood to learn more about our healthy options.

We appreciate your commitment to educating our young people.

Your Palm Beach Treasure Coast
McDonald’s Owner/Operators

Diggin’ Dinosaurs: An Adventure Millions of Years in the Making

Discover many of the most feared terrestrial carnivores including the massive Giganotosaurus and other larger-than-life predators, like the Tyrannosaurus rex. Watch a Monolophosaurus attack and a Tuojiangosaurus fight for its life! Beware the Velociraptor guarding a clutch of eggs! This hands-on exhibit enables you to learn about dinosaurs by handling fossils, excavating a skeleton, or taking a turn at the Wheel of Dinosaur Misfortune.

On exhibit from January 16 through May 2, 2010 at the
South Florida Science Museum