Square Dance

We wanted to invite you to the Centre tonight for a ‘KOSSS Square Dance Team’ performance at 7:00 (Wednesday May 23^rd).  The team consists of 16 Keewaytinook Okimakanak students who attend various high schools in Thunder Bay.  They are students who have taken an interest in extra-curricular activities and have been practicing throughout the academic year.

 

The show is free to interested members of the public and will be followed by a meet and greet with the students and members of KO, including Goyce Kakagamic and Geordi Kakepetum.  Bannock and juice will also be offered after the presentation.  There is no cost for individuals or their families to attend this event.

 

We hope to see you there! 

 

Thank you,

Is Niceness In Our Genes?

The Huffington Post  |  By Amanda L. Chan

Posted: 04/ 9/2012 5:59 pm

 

Niceness may be predicted, in part, by our genes, a new study suggests.

Researchers from the State University Of New York at Buffalo and the University of California, Irvine found that actual niceness — defined as feelings of social responsibility and charity — corresponded with possessing a gene that produced a certain kind of receptor for oxytocin and vasopressin — two hormones that are linked with sociability and niceness.

“We aren’t saying we’ve found the niceness gene, but we have found a gene that makes a contribution,” study researcher Michel Poulin, Ph.D., an associate psychology professor at the University at Buffalo, said in a statement.

For the study, published in the journal Psychological Science, researchers took saliva samples from 711 study participants, to see whether or not they had the receptor-producing genes for oxytocin and vasopressin. The study participants were surveyed about their world view — whether the world is more good than bad, or vice versa. They were also surveyed about what they thought about civic duty (like whether you should always report a crime) and doing things for charity (like what your thoughts are on giving blood).

“Study participants who found the world threatening were less likely to help others — unless they had versions of the receptor genes that are generally associated with niceness,” Poulin explained the statement.

That’s because these specific receptor genes likely help a person to still want to help others even if he or she feels threatened by the world, he added.

This isn’t the first study to find a genetic component to virtuous attitudes and behavior. Last year, researchers from the University of Edinburgh published a study in the journal Biology Letters showing that for women especially, traits of selflessness seem to be genetic. That study included 1,000 pairs of twins (both identical and fraternal), the Daily Mail reported.

For the study, the researchers asked the study participants how likely they were to do things like pay more money to ensure access to universal medical care, ABC Science reported. The researchers found that female twins who are identical were the most likely to be generous in this circumstance.

“Having identical and non-identical twins allows you to understand whether there is a genetic factor at play,” study researcher Gary Lewis told ABC Science. “Identical twins, which share 100 per cent of their genes, are more similar than non-identical twins, who share only 50 per cent. You can infer genetic influence because of that biological fact.”

So if some people around you seem more generous, open and interested in helping, it could be — at least in part — a matter of the genes they were born with.

Is dyeing baby chicks for Easter cruel?

• April 3, 2012 2:29 PM | By Community Team

From:http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/2012/04/should-dyeing-baby-chicks-be-considered-animal-cruelty.html

Baby chickens coloured with nontoxic dye are sold as Easter gifts in many parts of the U.S. As the holiday approaches, people debate if the practice is cute or cruel. (Photo: Getty Images)

Festive tradition or animal cruelty?

The widespread practice of dyeing baby chicks for Easter is coming under fire from animal rights workers in the U.S. this week.

From far away, the candy-coloured chickens look a lot like toys – bright, fluffy pom-poms that could be used to stuff a child’s Easter basket. And this is precisely why the practice is coming under fire, as some argue that it turns live birds into easily discardable “holiday playthings.”

“Humane societies are overflowing with these animals after Easter every year,” Don Anthony, of the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida, told the New York Times. Another farmer notes that children frequently grow bored of the chickens within a short period of time and often return or ditch them altogether.

Poultry experts and fans of the tradition argue that as long as the dye used is nontoxic, the chicks aren’t physically harmed in any way. Some chickens are actually coloured inside their shells as embryos (explained here), and all chicks shed their coloured fluff after a few weeks as feathers grow in.

What’s your take on dyeing chicks? Should this practice be banned everywhere? Why or why not?

Vote here;  http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/2012/04/should-dyeing-baby-chicks-be-considered-animal-cruelty.html

City of Dryden needs your help and wants your input.

The City of Dryden needs your help and wants your input.   Please take a few minutes to complete this survey;  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NX86VPW

Thanks.

Great Video’s and some local stars… Who do you see that you know?

 

 

 

 

Science Olympics

 

We are looking for students who would like to participate in a Science Olympics that may also include students from Sioux Lookout and Red Lake.

Science North has asked DHS to host a Science Olympics on March 30^th (Friday).  The program would likely run through the morning, however, we are trying to get RL and SLO on board as well, so it may have to be later… will be firming that up asap.  In order to make it successful, we need a minimum of 30ish students to participate.  Hopefully we can get a cross section of students in all grades.  I also need 3 or 4 volunteers to help run the stations.

 Please encourage your classes to participate in this event.  Being more than one class in length, it may be difficult to get many to commit, but it is important that students attend the entire event rather than popping in and out.  We need to make this clear to the students from the start.

 There is a cost – $5 per student which is manageable.

 I went and saw this event in Kenora in the fall… a very good activity… lots of fun and interaction for the students!

 I have listed information below regarding the activities that are being run at the event.  Students need to sign up in teams of 4 – any combination is acceptable.  We need a mimimum of 8 teams and a max of 20

 Blind Circuit - Teams must build a circuit using provided components that is an exact replica of a circuit with parts hidden from view.  They must also draw an accompanying circuit diagram.

Indent-i-frog – Teams will see how the removal of several species can crash an ecosystem by playing a revised form of Jenga.  They will also have to identify 5 Ontario frog species.

King of the Hill - Teams will design and build a vehicle that will climb a hill, cross the crest, and prevent their opponent from crossing in the opposite direction.

Superball – Teams will mix a solution of sodium borate and polyvinyl alcohol to produce a bouncy ball.  They will have to determine how much of each substance will create the largest and bounciest ball.

Conifer Competition – After learning how to use a dichotomous key to identify 5 Ontario tree species, teams will have to compete to not get all “Twisted” up!

 

If you have students that are interested, please have them put a team together.  The signup sheets for teams will be distributed before the March Break.

Adopt a whale challenge…

On Monday I got to spend some time at the Vancouver Aquarium.   During my visit I saw many high school students completing a scavenger hunt.   I realized that my students woud never get an opportunity as a class to visit the aquarium and decided to try and find a way to bring the Vancouver Aquarium into our class.   As a result I learned about their Adopt  a wild killer whale program as a way to raise research money.   I therefore challenge my classes to raise enough money to adopt a killer whale before the begining of May. 

For more information visit;  http://killerwhale.vanaqua.org/

Classes will need to raise one of the following to be sucessful;

Basic Adoption Package : ($64 plus shipping) Adoption certificate ID photo and biography of “your” whale CD “Blackfish Sound” – featuring the sounds of BC’s killer whales. Narrated by Dr. John K.B. Ford Annual members’ newsletter, “Blackfish Sounder” Membership for one full year which entitles you to receive updates on the whales and the next issue of the Blackfish Sounder Operation Orca Adoption Package: ($87 plus shipping) All the benefits of the Basic Adoption package plus… The book “Operation Orca” by Gil Hewlett and Daniel Francis.

Discovery Adoption Package: ($120 plus shipping) All the benefits of the Basic Adoption package plus… The bestselling book, “Transients” by Dr. John K.B. Ford and Graeme M. Ellis Current and past issues of the annual members’ newsletter, “Blackfish Sounder”.

Class Adoption Package: ($89 plus shipping)Great for school groups! All the benefits of the Basic Adoption package plus… Personalized Adoption Certificates for each student Current and past issues of the annual member’s newsletter, “Blackfish Sounder”.

Pod Adoption Package: ($50 per whale plus shipping)All the benefits of the Discovery Adoption package for your chosen pod. Choose a pod/ matriline at $50 per whale in the group. Minimum three whales per pod.

Research Patron: ($500 plus shipping)All the benefits of the Discovery Adoption package plus… Beautiful matted killer whale print by a Canadian artist.

Research Ambassador: ($1,200 and above plus shipping)All the benefits of the Research Patron package plus… Framed certificate and ID photo