Orbit: Science for kids on the move!

Did you know that American bison help prevent grasslands from turning into forests by body-slamming young trees? And that they once lived in herds so enormous they stretched all the way to the horizon?
This week, we travel to the grasslands of Montana with Dr. Andy Boyce, a research ecologist at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Discover why bison live in herds, how they defend themselves from predators, and why scientists call them a keystone species. Along the way, you'll learn how these giant mammals help shape entire grassland ecosystems simply by grazing, digging, dust bathing, and being itchy!
➡️ Part of the Wild Critters USA series, created with PBS Nature and the National Wildlife Federation https://linktr.ee/wildcritters
➡️ Learn more about American bison from the Smithsonian National Zoo: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/american-bison
🖍️ Free Wild Critters USA coloring pages: https://www.cumbrekids.org/color-along
💬 Submit your kids' questions! https://www.cumbrekids.org/questions
💛 Support this podcast by joining The Curious Club: https://www.cumbrekids.org/curious-club
Orbit Family Conversation Starters!
If you could have one bison superpower, which would you choose and why?
Why do you think animals like bison choose to live in groups instead of by themselves?
How can one animal help create homes for many other species?
Continue learning as a family!
Think about a prairie ecosystem compared to a forest ecosystem. What plants and animals might live in each?
What are some examples of predators and prey that live in the wild - similar to grizzly bears and bison!
Visit a local zoo to see bison in person and observe how they move, eat, and interact with one another.
➡️ Explore the Smithsonian's Great Plains Science Program: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/conservation/great-plains-science
➡️ Visit the Smithsonian's "Bison: Standing Strong" exhibit: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/exhibits/bison-standing-strong
➡️ Learn more about American Prairie and bison conservation: https://americanprairie.org/
More from Cumbre Kids
🎧 More podcasts by Cumbre Kids in English and Spanish: https://www.cumbrekids.org
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Did you know a single Mojave Desert tortoise burrow can become a shelter for rattlesnakes, owls, kangaroo rats, and many other desert animals?
This week, we explore the Mojave Desert with wildlife biologist Brianna Fogel from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Learn how desert tortoises survive in one of North America's harshest environments, why they spend so much time underground, and why scientists call them a keystone species that helps support an entire desert community.
➡️ Part of the Wild Critters USA series, created with PBS Nature and the National Wildlife Federation
➡️ Learn more about desert wildlife with Ranger Rick Magazine: https://rangerrick.org/
➡️ Learn more about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: https://www.fws.gov/
➡️ Free Wild Critters USA coloring pages: https://www.cumbrekids.org/color-along
💬 Submit your kids' questions! https://⁠⁠www.cumbrekids.org/questions⁠⁠
💛 Support this podcast by joining The Curious Club: ⁠⁠https://www.cumbrekids.org/curious-club
⁠⁠Orbit Family Conversation Starters!
If you could design the perfect desert burrow, what would it be like and which animals would you invite to share it?
Why do you think some animals can survive in places that seem too hot, too cold, or too dry for people?
What would happen to the Mojave Desert ecosystem if desert tortoises disappeared?
Continue learning as a family!
Draw your own desert tortoise burrow and decide which animals might use it for shelter.
Explore a map and find the Mojave Desert. How is it different from where you live?
Look for other examples of keystone species and the important roles they play in ecosystems.
🎧 More podcasts by Cumbre Kids in English and Spanish: https://www.cumbrekids.org
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A message for parents about our values: https://www.cumbrekids.org/our-values

Discover the wild side of America with Orbit’s brand-new Wild Critters USA series!
Join us as wildlife experts from the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute answer real questions from curious kids about alligators, bald eagles, desert tortoises, bison, and more.
Perfect for summer road trips, family adventures, and screen-free learning for kids ages 3–11.
➡️ A special summer series celebrating America’s wildlife in partnership with PBS Nature and the National Wildlife Federation
➡️ Explore more with National Wildlife Federation's Ranger Rick Magazine: https://rangerrick.org/
➡️ Learn more about PBS Nature: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/
💬 Submit your kids' questions for upcoming episodes! ⁠⁠www.cumbrekids.org/questions⁠⁠
🎨 Free coloring pages for all episodes: https://www.cumbrekids.org/color
🎧 More podcasts by Cumbre Kids in English and Spanish: ⁠⁠https://www.cumbrekids.org
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A message for parents about our values: ⁠⁠https://www.cumbrekids.org/our-values

❄️ Do air conditioners actually make cold air? How was air conditioning invented? And what does an HVAC technician do all day?
In this episode, HVAC instructor John Vernon helps Orbiters discover the surprising science behind air conditioning. Learn how refrigerant carries heat, why compressors are so important, and how air conditioning changed homes, schools, hospitals, and cities around the world.
This episode is part of our Cool Jobs series with Level Up Texas and Texas A&M University's Office for Youth Engagement.
➡️Level-Up Texas: https://tx.ag/cooljobs
➡️ Skillpoint Alliance (https://skillpointalliance.org/), a nonprofit organization that helps adults prepare for skilled trades careers through hands-on training programs.
💬 Submit your kids' questions! https://www.cumbrekids.org/questions
🖍️ Coloring pages for each episode! https://www.cumbrekids.org/color-along
💛 Support this podcast by joining The Curious Club: https://www.cumbrekids.org/curious-club
Orbit Family Conversation Starters!
If you could invent something to make life more comfortable, what would it do?
Would you enjoy a job where you solve puzzles and fix machines? Why or why not?
Continue learning as a family!
Find every vent, thermostat, fan, refrigerator, freezer, and cooling system in your home.
Draw a picture showing how heat moves from inside a house to outside through an air conditioner.
Watch a family-friendly video about how air conditioners work.
🎧 More podcasts by Cumbre Kids in English and Spanish: https://www.cumbrekids.org
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A message for parents about our values: https://www.cumbrekids.org/our-values

Ever wonder how hurricanes form, why they spin, or why some storms get names? Join Rob, Hank, and cohost Milam as we explore the wild science of hurricanes with meteorologist Steve LaVoie from the National Weather Service! 
💬 Submit your kids' questions for episodes! ⁠⁠⁠www.cumbrekids.org/questions⁠⁠⁠ 
Special Middle School episode extra: YouTube
After listening: 3 questions for your family:
What did you learn about hurricanes?

Steve was very interested in weather when he was a kid. Do you have one favorite topic, like Steve, or do you enjoy learning about many topics?

If you could name the next hurricane, what would you name it and why?

Keep learning! Activities based in this episode: 
Create your severe weather plan! https://www.weather.gov/ama/severesafetyplan 

See if your name is on the Hurricane rotation! https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutnames.shtml

Print a Hurricane Tracking chart: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/tracking_charts.shtml 

NOAA Jetstream, an online school for weather:  https://www.noaa.gov/jetstream 

Hurricane hazards video series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwcHGAEiieU&list=PLGSuh25eUsgFsswOq3DVrhg3lzBylEMSt 

Learn about the Coriolis effect: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIyBpi7B-dE 

💛 Support this podcast by joining The Curious Club: LINK
🎧 More podcasts by Cumbre Kids in English and Spanish: ⁠⁠Learn more⁠⁠
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A message for parents about our values: ⁠⁠LINK
This work was funded by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM)-Gulf Research Program, Grant # SCON-10001601 (PI: Ayça K. Fackler, Co-PI: Lourdes Cardozo-Gaibisso). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of NASEM.