Science Buddies Blog (Page 62)

Sliding and Friction: Weekly Science Activity

February 26, 2015 11:18 AM

In this week's spotlight: a fun physics activity that turns exploring the relationship between friction and sliding into a cool hands-on exercise. With a rubber band and a stack of coins, families can slingshot the coins on various surfaces to see how the surface affects how the coins slide. This science activity may feel like a game, but there is great science to be observed, so grab a rubber band, make a finger-based slingshot, and let the coins slide! Effect of Friction on… Read more

Students Use Autodesk 3D Design Software to Create Model Playgrounds

February 25, 2015 8:45 AM

Middle school students may think they are too "big" for the neighborhood playground structures, but chances are good they grew up climbing, swinging, sliding, and playing hide and seek at a local playground. Students in an 8th grade class in Berrien Springs, MI brought their firsthand knowledge of playgrounds to the classroom and combined it with imagination, creativity, science, math, and steps of the engineering design process to design their own playgrounds using Autodesk® Inventor®… Read more

16 STEM Projects for Engineers Week

February 23, 2015 10:00 AM

Put engineering in the spotlight and celebrate Engineers Week with one of these 16 STEM projects! Put engineering in the spotlight and celebrate Engineers Week with great hands-on projects and activities like the 16 STEM ideas listed below for K-12 students: Balloon-Powered Car Challenge Keeping You in Suspens(ion) Build a Bathtub Toy Raft Powered by Surface Tension Get Crafty — Create Your Own Durable Paper Doll Build a Brushbot How… Read more

Shoo, Flu!: Vaccine Science

February 20, 2015 8:20 AM

Surrounded by coughing friends and drippy-nosed siblings? What are your chances of getting the flu this year? Discover how your immune system and the flu vaccine work together to keep you healthy. By Kim Mullin Image: CDC/ Douglas E. Jordan Sniffle, sneeze, cough, sigh. The annual bout of flu has already run through our house. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), anywhere from 5 to 20% of the US population gets it each year. Chills, fever, and a sore throat were no… Read more

Dancing Candy Hearts: Weekly Science Activity

February 12, 2015 1:30 PM

Hands-on candy science activity for Valentine's Day. What happens when you drop candy hearts in a glass of soda or seltzer water? In this week's spotlight: a fun chemistry activity for Valentine's Day. If you have conversation hearts candies on hand this Valentine's Day, put a few aside for a fun family science experiment. What happens when you drop one of the candies into a glass of soda? Why? This hands-on science activity makes a great science… Read more

Ocean Currents: Weekly Science Activity

February 6, 2015 8:59 AM

In this week's spotlight: an ocean sciences activity that helps families better visualize how ocean currents move. What does temperature have to do with the speed and direction of ocean currents? Make your own mini ocean model and find out! Ocean Currents: Modeling the 'Global Conveyor Belt' in Your Kitchen (full Science Buddies project idea) Seawater Science: Model Ocean Currents in Your Kitchen (science activity at Scientific American) Read more

Explore Nanotechnology with Paper: Weekly Science Activity

January 29, 2015 9:01 AM

In this week's spotlight: a materials science activity that gives families a hands-on look at nanotechnology. Materials coming out of nanotechnology research are often lighter and stronger than traditional materials. Nanotechnology scientists are working with matter at the nanoscale, which means they are working with individual atoms and molecules. By altering the structure and arrangement of particles, scientists are creating and discovering new materials that have exciting new… Read more

Football Science: Score Big this Super Bowl Sunday with Sports Science

January 28, 2015 9:45 AM

In the days leading up to the big game, in the days after, or even during off-season, you can kick around sports science concepts with your student sports fans. Behind every great sporting event is a lot of science that kids can explore! This weekend, the New England Patriots will pair off against the Seattle Seahawks in Glendale, AZ, for Super Bowl XLIX. Whether you are planning to tailgate or planning to watch the big game from home, you may already… Read more

Bristlebots at the Museum

January 27, 2015 9:00 AM

Participants at a museum sleepover event in Utah may have packed a toothbrush for the night, but likely came home with an extra—a toothbrush robot they built and decorated themselves! Guests at an NHMU sleepover event had a great time making, decorating, and testing Bristlebot robots. Despite the craziness that the main character encounters in the Night at the Museum movie (and its sequels), a sleepover at a local natural history museum can be a… Read more

Soaking Up Sorbent Science: Weekly Science Activity

January 22, 2015 2:00 PM

In this week's spotlight: a environmental engineering activity that encourages families to learn more about sorbents. A sorbent is a material used to absorb a liquid. In the case of an oil spill, cleaning up effectively and quickly is very important. But cleaning up oil from a waterway (and off of wildlife that come into contact with the spill) can be difficult. In this family science activity (or science fair project), students experiment with different sorbents to see which ones are… Read more

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