Tuesday, March 17, 2020

How to Make Your Mark as a Brand New Manager

How to Make Your Mark as a Brand New Manager The responsibility of being put in charge of a team comes with a lot of obligation. Of course, the higher ups expect you to meet established goals. But what often gets overlooked is your duty to the employees who report to you. Here are some tips on how to be a straightforward and reliable boss who will gain the respect and allegiance of your staff. Be a LeaderIt’s tempting to buddy up to your employees in order to establish a camaraderie, but the truth is that you are their manager and it’s hard to completely loosen up around you. Make specific requests and realize people will be hesitant to speak out against you if they don’t agree. Make sure they know if the door open for ideas that differ from yours.Be Direct and SpecificIf you have expectations and limitations, lay them out up front. No one likes to spend hours brainstorming just to be told their vision is too expensive or consuming to take on. Time is precious–when you give instructions, think about what you would like to be told if you were the employee in order to be your most productive.Be RespectfulIf you’re taking over a new team, realize that they were a group with ideas and output before you came along. Even if you don’t agree with how they operated before you arrived, tread lightly with criticism–any negativity might seem like a direct attack.Be TrustingWork must go on, even as you get up to speed on your new role. You won’t be able to be directly involved in all the goings on of your team as you get your bearings. Trust that everyone is there to do a good job.Establishing a solid manager-employee relationship from the outset will do wonders for your time at a company. If your team is on your side (and they know your on theirs!) they’ll go the extra mile to perform at the top of their game.

Sunday, March 1, 2020

Acid Rain Science Fair Project Ideas

Acid Rain Science Fair Project Ideas Looking for creative science fair projects? Acid rain is an important, interesting topic. Acid rain (pH less than 5.0) is rain that is more acidic than normal (pH greater than or equal to 5.0). Rising to prominence in the 1960s when Scandinavian lakes became too acidic resulting in fish deaths, acid rain was traced to pollutant emissions from western and central Europe. Today, acid rain is a ubiquitous dilemma that is a serious issue in portions of North America and eastern Canada. Science Fair Acid Rain Project Ideas Explain how acid rain started.Show the rain cycle.What is the major cause of acid rain?How do we combat acid rain? What happens if we dont? Link Resources About Acid Rain What is Acid Rain?  - Article from the EPA includes a detailed diagram of the acid rain cycle.Environmental Protection Agency: Acid Rain Program  - Includes a copy of current laws and regulation.Acid Rain and Plant Growth  - Experiment developed concerning plant growth and acid rain. Recommended Books for Science Fair Projects 365 Simple Science Experiments with Everyday Materials -  The fundamentals of science are brought to life in a years worth of fun and educational hands-on experiments that can be performed easily and inexpensively at home. People who have purchased this book have called it easy to understand and great for the student who needs a project but they arent really interested in the sciences. The book is for both young and older students.The Scientific American Book of Great Science Fair Projects - From creating your own non-newtonian fluids (slime, putty, and goop!) to teaching a sow bug how to run through a maze, youll be astounded at the number of incredible things you can do with Scientific American Great Science Fair Projects. Based on the long-standing and well-respected Amateur Scientist column in Scientific American, each experiment can be done with ordinary materials found around the house or that are easily available at low cost.Strategies for Winning Science Fair Projects - Wri tten by a science fair judge and an international science fair winner, this must-have resource is packed with strategies and pointers for putting together a winning science fair project. Here youll get the nitty-gritty on a wide variety of topics, from the fundamentals of the science fair process to the last-minute details of polishing your presentation. The Book of Totally Irresponsible Science: 64 Daring Experiments for Young Scientists - Introducing 64 valuable science experiments that snap, crackle, pop, ooze, crash, boom, and stink! From Marshmallows on Steroids to Home-Made Lightning, the Sandwich Bag Bomb to Giant Air Cannon, The Book of Totally Irresponsible Science awakens kids curiosity while demonstrating scientific principles like osmosis, air pressure, and Newtons Third Law of Motion.