Reenie McMains
Reenie McMains is an award-winning middle-school science teacher who lives happily with a husband, a daughter, Bernese Mountain Dogs, horses, cats and chickens on a 119-year-old Nebraska farm she renovated with her husband.
After only eight years of teaching, Reenie is most recently the recipient of the Presidential Award of Excellence in Math and Science Teaching and the Alice Buffet Outstanding Teacher Award. She came to teaching as an adult, leaving behind a lucrative sales career to find more fulfilling work. She found it in an inner-city science magnet school surrounded by sixth-graders. In addition to the joys of presenting learning opportunities in the classroom, McMains has presented to peers at regional and national conferences including the National Science Teachers Association, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and Middle Schools of America. She has presented on topics ranging from differentiation to scientific field study. Another educational passion has been to expose students to the thrill of international field study and conservation work. She has taken students to biological field stations in Central America and has co-founded a non-profit organization,TinkFrog, to involve high school students and teachers in similar field work.
Reenie has formally written middle-school curriculum, newsletters, website copy, brochure text and multiple grants.
In her leisure time she hikes with her Bernese Mountain dogs, travels the world with her family, reads voraciously and relaxes by photographing and drawing wildflowers.
Latest Articles
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Fresh Chicken Eggs
Nothing compares in beauty or nutrition to the deep golden yolk of a home-grown chicken egg. Diet and lifestyle can determine the quality of a backyard flock's eggs.
Feb 16, 2010
- Reenie McMains
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Birding the Sandhill Crane
From February to late March, a half-million Sandhill cranes descend onto the braided channels of the Platte River in Nebraska, a stop on their annual migration.
Feb 14, 2010
- Reenie McMains
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Pets and Toxic Plants
Lush landscaping, home gardens and decorative houseplants can provide human pleasure yet may unwittingly harbor dog and cat poison.
Dec 23, 2009
- Reenie McMains
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Year-Round Gardening
Successful gardeners know vegetable and flower gardening is a year-round endeavor. Even in the deepest winter there is plenty to be done to ensure a bountiful harvest.
Dec 21, 2009
- Reenie McMains
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Air Travel and Dry Skin
Air travel can be brutal on the human body's tissues, depleting moisture and causing discomfort. Minimize the effects of travel dehydration with these remedies.
Dec 13, 2009
- Reenie McMains
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The Bernese Mountain Dog
With its luxurious tri-color coat, striking size and good-natured personality, the Bernese Mountain Dog is an engaging breed whose popularity is increasing.
Dec 10, 2009
- Reenie McMains
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