Science Buddies Newsletter: February 2012: New Kits, Classroom Activities, and Science Exploration

More Classroom Activities!

Science Buddies Classroom Activities help educators integrate hands-on science exploration in the classroom. Each short activity includes guides for both facilitators/educators and students. The following classroom activities were recently added:

Coin Toss-up (Math)
Investigating Surface Tension with Paper Fish (Physical Science)
How Does Gravity Affect Root Growth? (Life Science)
Lifting with a Lever (Physical Science)
Measuring Wind with Your Own Wind Meter (Environmental Science)

Development of the Classroom Activities listed above was made possible by generous support from Chevron. Chevron also sponsors the Geology Interest Area at Science Buddies.

Science Buddies Serves as 'Resource' Partner for Google Science Fair

The 2012 Google Science Fair is underway! Building on the success of last year's fair, Google is emphasizing the importance of a question. What's your question? The Science Buddies Project Guide can help students prepare Google Science Fair project submissions. See our blog post to find out more about the question that led to one of last year's winning entries.

Fresh Science Connections

Step-by-Step Alternative Energy
Innovative tiles capture the kinetic energy in a footstep and turn it into electricity. This exciting experiment in renewable energy will be on display at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Understanding Solar Activity
We are approaching the midpoint or solar maximum of Solar Cycle 24. It's a great time to learn more about sunspots, the approximately 11-year solar cycle, and the way the sun's magnetic orientation flips during each cycle. Plus, increased solar activity leads to amazing aural displays.

Are Feathers Safe?
Has public fear of disease being carried by birds changed the way you view feathers? A parent's concern over feather safety suggests potential areas for student science exploration.

Licorice Root for Dental Health?
A recent study suggests that licorice root may help prevent dental-health issues, including the formation of cavities.

A Wandering Wolf
The movement of a lone wolf in California, far from other packs, has sparked public interest in wolf behavior. Students interested in wolves or patterns of animal movement can learn more by analyzing wolf movement data in the Where, Oh Where, Do the Wild Wolves Wander? zoology Project Idea.

New Science Buddies Science Fair Kits

More science project kits are now available! Science Buddies Kits make it even easier to procure the materials needed for science fair or at-home science projects. We have added kits for the following Science Buddies Project Ideas to our full line of Science Buddies Kits:

All orders are processed by our partner, AquaPhoenix Education, and 10% of the purchase price helps support Science Buddies.

Submit Your Chemistry Project for a Chance to Win!

Encourage your students, grades 6-12, to enter the 2012 Rosalind Franklin Chemistry Contest, sponsored by the Astellas USA Foundation. Deadline: April 1, 2012. See full contest guidelines.

Successful Project Display Boards

Our March newsletter will contain a special focus on project display boards, sponsored by Elmer's Products, Inc. The final step in getting ready for a science fair or presentation, the display board gives students a chance to bring the entire project together in one visual ensemble for others to view. Have you or your students created a winning project display board? If you'd like to share a photo of your display board for possible use in a Science Buddies story, please email the photo to SciBuddy@sciencebuddies.org with the following information: your name, grade, and the city and state in which you go to school or teach.

Looking for a Perfect Project for You?

Our Topic Selection Wizard can help guide you to a science project that fits your areas of interest and meets science fair requirements. Give it a try today!

Science Buddies | PO Box 5038 | Carmel | CA | 93921