Science Buddies Blog (Page 1)

July 27, 2016 12:32 PM

In this family STEM activity, students can use ordinary table sugar to test the accuracy of their oven. Does the temperature inside the oven really match the temperature it shows? Find out with a kitchen science experiment! The Melting Point of SugarWhen following a recipe, you are typically given both a temperature for the oven and an amount of time that the food should cook. If you have ever pulled out a tray of brownies, a cake, muffins, or cookies only to find they aren't done when the… Read more

Diabetic Alert Dogs and Your Breath

July 27, 2016 12:30 PM

A recent study from the University of Cambridge may have pinpointed one of the chemicals diabetic alert dogs smell when they detect low blood glucose. Above: data from a recent UK study shows a correlation between levels of isoprene in exhaled breath and low blood glucose. Study findings were published in the July 2016 issue of Diabetes Care. Earlier this summer, we wrote about Diabetic Alert Dogs (DAD) and the ways in which they can… Read more

Heat Domes and Cooling Science

July 25, 2016 1:25 PM

Can science help you beat summer heat? As a Heat Dome presses down on parts of the U.S., students can explore practical, real-world, cooling strategies with hands-on science experiments and activities. Above: The NOAA posted the above map on July 18, 2016, with warnings of a heat dome in parts of the U.S. The map shows predicted high temperatures on that day, based on NOAA's HRRR Model. Hot weather may go hand in hand with summer in many areas of the United States, but the summer heat… Read more

Water Treatment Center Science

July 21, 2016 11:45 AM

In this family STEM activity, kids model the process a water treatment plant uses to turn murky water into clear water. Water Treatment Science Clear water doesn't necessarily mean safe-to-drink water, but you definitely don't want to drink water that looks dirty, murky, or otherwise has things visibly floating in it. Water that is collected in water treatment plants, however, may be exactly like that in the beginning, turbid water full of floating… Read more

Pair Pokemon GO with a Classroom Cybersecurity Activity

July 20, 2016 8:00 AM

Reports of PokÃ©mon GO being hit by a DDoS attack have only added to the smash hit game's server troubles in recent days. A clever classroom activity helps students understand how a DoS attack works and encourages them to think about strategies to help prevent this type of cyber attack. Denial of service (DoS)—It's a cyber attack that aims to disrupt a system's ability to respond to requests from people (or other computers) trying to access its servers. The general principal… Read more

Toothbrush Robots at Home

July 14, 2016 11:00 AM

You won't even need batteries to do this family-friendly robotics activity with your kids. Explore robotics design with a fun low-tech setup! How does the slant of toothbrush bristles affect the way a bristlebot-style robot moves? Simple Robot for Kids Robots are fun for kids of all ages. With a few electronics parts, kids can make and explore simple robots like Bristlebots and Art Bots that skitter around on toothbrush, brush, or even magic marker legs. Projects like these make excellent… Read more

Bug and Insect STEM Roundup

July 11, 2016 11:00 AM

Hands-on STEM projects for K-12 students that want to get hands-on with insects, worms, and other species in the backyard. Take advantage of warmer weather and time outside for bug, worm, or flying insect science this summer with your kids. Bug, Insect, and Nature-focused Projects for Students Are There Bugs Under Your Feet? Ask a Cricket, 'What is The Temperature?' Bug Vacuums: Sucking up Biodiversity Will Different-colored Lights Affect… Read more

Binocular Vision Eye Science

July 7, 2016 11:00 AM

In this family STEM activity, put your eyes to the test... alone and as a working unit! How do your eyes work together to help you see? Eye Science Your eyes help you see what is in front of you, but have you ever thought about how your eyes work together (with your brain) to make sense of what you see? We have two eyes, but together our brain processes a single image. How does this work? When you look through a pair of binoculars, you place each eye in front of one of the eye pieces.… Read more

Fourth of July Science

July 1, 2016 11:00 AM

Pair summer celebrations with fun hands-on science ideas! From water bottle rockets to the science behind fireworks and an LED dance party glove, we have suggestions to help light up and launch summer fun! A Spectacular Display of Summer Science! The following project ideas and activities fit right in with summer celebrations, fireworks, parades, nighttime fun, and the thrill of launching things like water bottle rockets: Fun with… Read more

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