Science Buddies Blog (12 results)
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June 29, 2015 8:00 AM
What makes drops of water on a penny appear to pool together on the top of the penny as a large drop rather than run over the sides? Attraction of the water molecules holds the surface of the water together until the amount of water is too great and spills over the edge. This attraction results in surface tension—something we can see visually in the way the droplet may seem to hold together as a jiggly whole rather than flowing freely over the edges of a surface. You can see surface…
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June 26, 2015 8:00 AM
Book four in the Nick and Tesla series lands the twins in a museum mystery. To get to the bottom of the plot and save an exhibit of animatronic scientists and inventors, the kids build a clever gadget glove that introduces readers to a set of fun DIY wearable electronics projects!
We are big fans of the Nick and Tesla series, and with book four,
Nick and Tesla's Super-Cyborg Gadget Glove: A Mystery with a Blinking, Beeping, Voice-Recording Gadget Glove You Can Build Yourself
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June 25, 2015 8:00 AM
Use paper chromatography to explore the colors used to make different colors of marker ink!
What color dyes are in your favorite marker ink? Try paper chromatography to find out!
What color dye molecules are combined to make your favorite marker color? From creating with paint or colored pencils, you probably know that mixing certain colors makes predictable colors. Blue and red makes purple, for example. But what color molecules are used in a purple…
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June 23, 2015 6:00 AM
A test tube of phytoplankton offers a no-mess way to let kids observe biochemical processes, circadian rhythms, and bioluminescence. Move over fireflies, phytoplankton live longer, which makes them a great option for home science.
On the first night of a fifth grade camping trip earlier this year, our group leader shuffled us all down to the beach in the dark. The kids were on a phytoplankton mission, and the dark beach was the place to be. The students…
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June 22, 2015 9:00 AM
Bright summer light is perfect for exploring solar energy. Science Buddies' kid-friendly science project ideas make it fun and easy!
By Kim Mullin
Summer is almost here, so get ready for fun in the sun! With school out, there will be plenty of time to play in the water, eat popsicles, spit watermelon seeds, and much more. What do you like to do with your summer days?
Learning through Exploration and Discovery
When deciding how to spend your free time this summer, be sure…
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June 18, 2015 12:30 PM
Try this hands-on science experiment to learn about the golden rules of photography and improve your photo compositions.
When you take a photo, do you put the subject right in the center? What happens to the same photo if you move the subject to the right of the frame, or to the left? These are questions a photographer asks herself every time she gets ready to snap a photo. Where should the subject "go" in the frame? In making this decision, a…
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June 15, 2015 7:00 AM
Another great read aloud book puts the engineering design process in action and in the hands of a charming young girl who has an idea for something she wants to build—and sets out to bring her idea to life.
The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires (Kids Can Press) is a wonderful story for young engineers. Similar in concept to Rosie Revere, Engineer, The Most Magnificent Thing is the story of a young girl engineer and her best friend, dog. From the outset, readers are told that…
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June 11, 2015 11:00 AM
Build bridges from paper to explore civil engineering in this family STEM activity. Does the shape of the materials make a difference?
What helps make a bridge strong? In this family science activity, explore bridge engineering with kids by making paper bridges that stretch between stacks of books. How does changing the shape of the materials (the paper) change the strength of the bridge? This is a fun and creative science activity you can do with kids…
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June 10, 2015 11:00 AM
The new Raspberry Pi Projects Kit gives kids a chance to explore computer programming and electronics with a suite of creative projects using their own Raspberry Pi. After working through the Science Buddies activities, Adventures in Raspberry Pi is a great way to explore other things to do with Raspberry Pi and move on to programming with Python.
With the Raspberry Pi Projects Kit, students can get up and running with a brand new Raspberry Pi (probably hooked to the living room TV!) and…
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June 8, 2015 8:00 AM
Don't miss this rhyming pair of picture books for STEM-focused summer reading. Each offers a charming illustration of engineering spirit. Kids can be engineers, too!
For boys and girls alike, Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David Roberts offers an exciting story of the engineering process and the importance of working and reworking designs.
If you pick this book up, be prepared to read it out loud. Told in a singsong rhyme, this is the story of Rosie, a little…
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