Science Buddies Blog (Page 71)

Cardboard Houses: The Pritzker Prize and Inspiring Architecture from Surprising Materials

May 23, 2014 10:00 AM

For this year's Pritzker Prize winner, cardboard and paper have proven to be key materials in designing disaster relief housing. Examples of Shigeru Ban's work force a reconsideration of design, materials science, and civil engineering. Can using recyclable materials make a cost-effective and sustainable difference in the way architecture is approached? With cardboard tubes, paper, straws, and other everyday materials, students can experiment with principles on a small scale that the… Read more

A Super Science-filled Summer Break

May 20, 2014 9:00 AM

Ready or not... into the summer break we go. With school (almost) out for the summer, take stock of some great science activities and challenges that are perfect to help keep kids engaged and actively learning during the break. Science may be even more fun when it is "just for fun"! The long summer break can feel bittersweet for parents who worry about their students whiling away countless hours on the couch or in front of a screen and losing academic ground. Beyond the buzz of vacations and… Read more

Pinwheel Science: Weekly Science Activity

May 15, 2014 12:00 PM

In this week's spotlight: an energy-focused family science experiment that explores the relationship between the potential power of a wind turbine and the source and location of the wind. Using a pinwheel, students create their own horizontal-axis wind turbine and experiment to see how the pinwheel spins when the wind comes at it from different directions—and how this translates into how much weight the wind turbine can lift. A pinwheel is a simple example of a wind turbine, but with… Read more

Durable Paper Dolls: Materials Science Meets Creative Pastime

May 12, 2014 8:00 AM

Joints give paper dolls added life and let little fingers manipulate characters as they play out their roles in an imaginative storyline. But joints also add potential hot spots for damage. A plastic toy figurine may lose its arm, head, or hair, but the life of a paper doll may be even more short-lived! A new hands-on science activity helps kids experiment with paper dolls by putting the durability of certain design and materials choices to the test. Once the best approach is scientifically… Read more

Magic Train Puts Kids on Track with Physics of Magnetism

May 9, 2014 8:24 AM

Assembling a simple wooden train and track with cleverly placed magnetic strips lets kids experiment with a train that levitates off the track and zips effortlessly from one end to the other when pushed. What happens when you add a bit of weight? Put the science question to the test in this fun hands-on science activity and experiment. The allure of a magic trick is something pretty cool to most kids. The quarter pulled from behind the ear. It's a classic sleight of hand passed down by… Read more

Bath Bombs Chemistry: Family Science Activity Spotlight

May 8, 2014 9:10 AM

In this week's spotlight: a family science experiment that promises fizzy fun in the tub (or in a big bucket of hot water). Bath bombs are easy to make at home. You can mix up your own using your choice of additives with the core ingredients. But what makes a bath bomb "fizz" when it hits the water? In this science activity, students experiment with the recipe for making a bath bomb and investigate the role of corn starch and citric acid in the process. What is the… Read more

Galactic Curiosity: Fifth Grade Student Charts a Science Course for the Stars

May 2, 2014 9:00 AM

Sometimes it only takes a tiny spark, a chance meeting, or, maybe, running into an unknown word to ignite an interest that may guide a student into the future. With a string of astronomy science projects and a passion for the night sky that well exceeds the scope of her small telescope, this young scientist shows that elementary school is not too young for astrophysics. Above: Ashleigh with her project display boards from her 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade science fair projects. Students can… Read more

Ball Dribbling Science: Weekly Science Project Idea and Home Science Activity Spotlight

May 1, 2014 10:00 AM

In this week's spotlight: a sports science that looks at the physics of what is going on when you dribble a basketball. After you push the ball to the floor, the ball meets the floor or court and then returns, but it doesn't necessarily return to the same height. What does the surface of the floor have to do with how a ball bounces when dribbled, how much effort a player has to use to keep the ball dribbling uniformly, and what is going on with the energy of the ball in motion? Put it to… Read more

Biochemists: Investigating the Chemistry of Living Things

April 30, 2014 6:30 AM

Students interested in projects involving food science, microbiology, plants, bacteria, and the effectiveness of different medicines may want to learn more about biochemistry as a possible science career path. Biochemists work on a wide range of exciting projects involving chemical processes that happen within living organisms. By Kim Mullin What do the questions in the images above all have in common? Got the answer yet? Some of the projects above appear in… Read more

Symantec Volunteers Put Hands-on STEM Project Ideas to the Test

April 29, 2014 9:00 AM

Symantec employees in multiple locations put a set of Science Buddies Project Ideas to a hands-on test. This team meeting may have felt like a day at school, but by working together to build and test simple motors and shake-it-up energy sources, Symantec volunteers helped Science Buddies make sure that a set of new student science and engineering projects were all set for students. As the volunteers discovered, working through an electronics science project, even one aimed at 4th-6th grade… Read more

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