Modules
Keep the Heat
In this module, participants explore how well various fabrics help a can of hot water retain heat, learning about thermal transport.
Modules
Map and Compass Scavenger Hunt
This economical and easy-to-prepare activity combines learning to use a map and compass in a scavenger hunt format. It can be a standalone indoor activity, or an introduction to the fundamentals of orienteering.
Modules
Archimedes’ Principle — Eureka!
In this module, students will learn about density and its measurement via water displacement. They will employ this knowledge to determine the identities of mystery metals, sleuth out whether the jewelry is real, and more!
Modules
Hooke’s Law — It’s No Stretch!
Many balances familiar to students, such as bathroom or grocery store scales are examples of spring balances. Hooke’s Law defines the relationship between the force applied to a spring or other elastic material to the distance it stretches or compresses. In this module, students will set up and conduct experiments to test the validity of the relationship.
Modules
Materials Science — The Right Stuff
On the first day of this two-part module, students will determine the physical properties of assorted building materials using a range of hands-on tests. The following day, they will use that information to decide the best materials for constructing a given item or structure, pitching their designs to prospective “customers”.
Toolbox
Inexpensive Homemade Materials Testing Jigs
Kid- and budget-friendly testing jigs for measuring various aspects of a material’s strength & more, as featured in the upcoming Materials Science module. These designs are inexpensive, durable, and require minimal tools and skills to construct.
Logistics
Imperfect Data, and Why That’s A Good Thing
Your students’ data is imperfect …the activity is ruined? Not at all! It’s actually a fantastic opportunity to teach some critical concepts about data collection and analysis. Those imperfections can actually reveal a lot about the system being studied, the measurement tools involved, and the experimenters themselves!
Toolbox
Weights and Weighing
The need to weigh or add weight to something is a frequent feature in science activities. Fortunately, not only are there many different options – and what’s “best” varies by activity – but plenty of them are inexpensive or free! Here we discuss what we’ve found to be the most useful and kid-friendly choices.