Introducing ChopChop: Let's Get Corny!

What is voting? Why (and how) do people vote? Why can’t kids vote? Why are there red and blue states (not to mention donkeys and elephants representing political parties)? How can someone win the most votes but still lose the presidential election? We’re answering kid questions about elections with Bridgett King, a political scientist at the University of Kentucky.  Download our learning guides: PDF | Transcript

Why do we have bones? How do they grow–and how do they know when to stop growing? How many do we have in our bodies? And when we break our bones, how do they heal? What do casts do? And how do you know if you’ve broken a bone? Broken bones are a common occurrence in kids. Up to 40% of girls and up to 50% of boys will break a bone in their lifetime. In this episode, we learn about the role of bones in our body and how to deal with a fractured bone with Melissa Raddatz, a family nurse practitioner at Duke Health System in North Carolina. The first part of this episode is all about bones in general, and we shift to broken bones for the second half. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

How do wind turbines work? How are wind turbines made? What will our energy picture look like in the future? We’re taking a deep dive into wind power, and trying to make the technology understandable, with Josh Castonguay of Vermont utility Green Mountain Power.  Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide | Transcript

Come along to learn all about the wriggling worms that live in the dirt beneath your feet. Earthworms are everywhere, and there are many species of worms yet to be discovered. How do worms communicate? Why do worms have slime? Why do worms come out when it rains? Answers to all of your worm questions with earthworm detective Sam James. Plus, we learn about worm composting with a kid who’s in charge of her family’s food scraps!  Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slides | Transcript

But it’s important to know how to swim if you’re going to be around water! In this episode, Upper Valley Aquatic Center Swim School Director Kana Wyman gives us swimming tips, like how to get comfortable putting our heads in the water, how to float and more. Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slides | Transcript A few tips for getting started: If you don’t live near a pool or body of water, you can learn some primary skills even in a bathtub or using a bucket.  Get used to putting your face in the water by using a bucket or big bowl. Keep your mouth closed and blow air through your nose. Humming can help make sure you’re breathing out. When floating, think about a string pulling your belly button up to the sky. It’s easier to float if you spread your body out, rather than curling into a ball. You may need to swirl your arms or legs to keep your whole body on top of the water. Some people have a harder time floating than others, due to body mass differences. So if it feels hard, it’s not your fault! Check with community swimming pools to see if they offer free lessons. Many pools, gyms or swim schools will offer lessons for kids and adults that are free or subsidized, at least occasionally, to make sure everyone has the opportunity to learn lifesaving swimming skills.