Activities | Science Buddies Blog (Page 23)

Bird Science: Weekly Science Project Idea and Home Science Activity Spotlight

October 3, 2013 8:00 AM

In this week's spotlight: a pair of zoology science projects that encourage families and students to use their observation skills to learn more about birds. What can you deduce about a bird's lifestyle or habitat by looking at its feet? More than you might think! Both the independent science project and the family science version guide students in an engaging bird feet scavenger hunt. The closer you look, the better, so pack a picnic lunch and head to a nearby park or… Read more

Probability and Playing Cards: Hands-on Family Math

September 27, 2013 6:00 AM

A deck of cards provides a concrete look at probability and chance in a hands-on math activity that easily scales up and down in difficulty to match the experience of your students. A Deck of Cards Four suits. Thirteen cards in each suit. Twelve face cards. Four aces. Twenty-six red cards. Twenty-six black cards. Using these simple facts about a deck of cards, many math questions and scenarios rise to the surface! How likely is it that you will draw an ace from a full deck of cards?… Read more

Soil Science: Weekly Science Project Idea and Home Science Activity Spotlight

September 19, 2013 8:30 AM

In this week's spotlight: a pair of environmental science and geology projects that let families and students investigate a biogeochemical cycle, a kind of reuse and recycling process that helps support an ecosystem. In either the independent science project or the family science version, students create and cultivate a miniature biosphere, called a Winogradsky column, to explore the relationship between available nutrients and the microorganisms that grow in a sample of… Read more

Rooftop Gardens: Weekly Science Project Idea and Home Science Activity Spotlight

September 5, 2013 9:00 AM

Science Buddies Hands-On Projects: Science and Engineering for School and for Home In this week's spotlight: a pair of environmental engineering science projects for a hands-on look at the benefits of taking a rooftop approach to going and growing green. Can rooftop gardens help you keep your house cooler and lower your energy bill? Explore with a student science Project Idea or a hands-on family science activity: Rooftop Gardens: Are They a Cool Idea? (full Science… Read more

Fizzy Chemical Reactions: Weekly Science Project Idea and Home Science Activity Spotlight

August 29, 2013 6:09 AM

In this week's spotlight: a trio of chemistry science projects for fizzy, science fun. When you drop an Alka-Seltzer® tablet into water, a chemical reaction begins. What influences the rate of this reaction? Explore the role of temperature on the reaction with the student science Project Idea, a hands-on family science activity, or a classroom activity: Plop, Plop, Fizz Fast: The Effect of Temperature on Reaction Time (full Science Buddies Project Idea) Carbonation Countdown: The… Read more

Moon Size Science: Weekly Science Project Idea and Home Science Activity Spotlight

August 22, 2013 9:00 AM

(Moon rise image credit: Thomas Fietzek, Wikimedia Commons) In this week's spotlight: a pair of human biology and health science projects to help students and families better understand the way our eyes perceive the full moon rising. If you have noticed that a full moon sometimes seems very big and then smaller as it rises, you have seen the full moon illusion in action. Learn more about Emmert's Law and experiment to find out why and how our perception of the moon's size changes based on… Read more

Meteor Science: Weekly Science Project Idea and Home Science Activity Spotlight

August 8, 2013 1:00 PM

In this week's spotlight: a pair of astronomy science projects perfectly timed for this year's peak Perseids meteor shower activity. Most meteors that pass through the Earth's atmosphere burn up before they hit the ground. But what happens when a meteorite hits? In this pair of hands-on science activities, students and families experiment to find out how the size of a meteorite is related to the size of the resulting crater. Craters and Meteorites (full Science Buddies Project… Read more

Species Science: Weekly Science Project Idea and Home Science Activity Spotlight

August 1, 2013 5:27 AM

In this week's spotlight: a pair of science projects for buggy, backyard exploration. What does it mean for an area to be have a lot of biodiversity? Why is this important to the health of an ecosystem? How do scientists measure biodiversity? You can explore by doing a study of the biodiversity of insects in your own backyard using a homemade bug collector. This week's hands-on science project and activity guide either an independent project or a family investigation. How many types of… Read more

Fruit and Gelatin Science: Weekly Science Project Idea and Home Science Activity Spotlight

July 25, 2013 6:20 AM

In this week's spotlight: a pair of science projects from the kitchen. Is a gelatin-based fruit salad in your recipe book of family favorites? What fruit do you add? Will any fruit work? Put it to the test with this week's hands-on science exploration and investigate what the enzymes in certain fruits have to do with whether or not a gelatin will solidify properly when a fruit is added. Which Fruits Can Ruin Your Gelatin Dessert? (full Science Buddies Project Idea) Solidifying… Read more

Hula Hoop Science: Weekly Science Project Idea and Home Science Activity Spotlight

July 11, 2013 8:30 AM

In this week's spotlight: a pair of science projects perfect for burning off some energy and getting your "spin" on. What is the secret to a good hula hoop? Experiment with the weight and size of different homemade hoops to see how each affects your ability to keep a hoop in motion. What's the best combination? Can you hula hoop longer with a lighter or heavier hoop? Why? Motion Mania: Applying Physics to Hula-Hooping (full Science Buddies Project Idea) Swiveling Science: Applying… Read more

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