Science Buddies Blog (Page 79)

Science Projects that Double as Halloween Costumes

October 21, 2013 10:17 AM

If you are still thinking about what to wear this Halloween, you might find you can combine a science project and your costume needs to good, possibly ghoulish, effect! My favorite Halloween idea this year is low-tech. I saw a "stick man" figure homemade costume, and I can't get it out of my head for its sheer simplicity—black electrical tape on a white shirt and pants. It is an unusual and fun twist on the classic DIY white tape skeleton costume and perfect for someone who loves to… Read more

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

October 17, 2013 8:00 AM

How does the rate of decomposition compare for different items and materials? Set up an indoor composter to find out! In this week's spotlight: a pair of environmental science projects that help guide families in an investigation of different biodegradable and compostable items. Do all environmentally-friendly items decompose at the same rate or as completely? With a homemade indoor composter, you and your students can run your own experiment and see… Read more

A Trick of the Eye for Halloween

October 14, 2013 9:30 AM

Exhaust your eye cones in just the right way, and you can enjoy the spookiness of seeing something that isn't really there! The screenshots above are from a project a student created using Scratch to demonstrate afterimages.Seeing something that isn't there can be spooky, right? That's what I thought one morning this month when I got out of the car after dropping my kids at school and saw a giant "phantom" in the basement window of the house next store to mine. After doing a… Read more

Falling Objects: Weekly Science Project Idea and Home Science Activity Spotlight

October 10, 2013 9:40 AM

In this week's spotlight: a pair of physics science projects that encourage families and students to put a classic question to a hands-on test. Does a heavier object fall faster than a lighter one if both are about the same size? What role do gravity and inertia have in explaining what happens when two objects of differing weights are dropped at the same time from the same height? Put it to the test! What Goes Up, Must Come Down: Conduct Galileo's Famous Falling Objects Experiment… Read more

Saved by the Clot

October 9, 2013 11:00 AM

How does the human body "turn off" bleeding from an injury? Why do some people bleed too much? This October, a cool experiment lets you investigate blood coagulation! By Kim Mullin Don't Drink the Science What you mix up doesn't have to be green, but this green combo (it's not a smoothie!) fits in great with Halloween spookiness. The mixture shown in the blender is part of the procedure from the "Blood Clotting to the Rescue: How to Stop Too Much Blood from Flowing" science… Read more

An Apple for the Science Fair

October 4, 2013 9:30 AM

Apples are perennial favorites for pies, but how about for science experiments? Absolutely! From chemistry to food science and beyond, apples are the perfect vehicles for scientific exploration. By Kim Mullin With fall apples weighing down local trees, the timing is just right for apple-based hands-on science! Gather a few apples and sit down with your students for some hands-on fruit science. (Image: Wikipedia)Crunchy fresh apples, apple pie, apple cider... can't you just smell… Read more

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

Science Buddies Asks Teachers "How Are We Doing?"

October 2, 2013 10:00 AM

Teachers weighed in recently to let Science Buddies know about science events and projects at their schools and how Science Buddies fits into the science education puzzle in their classrooms. The Value of Hands-on Science Learning; The Value of Science Buddies In a recent survey, teachers gave Science Buddies outstanding marks for its array of free resources that support teachers, students, and parents in areas of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. In… 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

Helping Teachers Approach Next Generation Science Standards

September 24, 2013 4:30 PM

As administrators and school boards around the country consider the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), Science Buddies is helping teachers begin ramping up, now, for some of the ways in which traditional classroom science projects and assignments may change. Side-by-side Comparison Science Buddies teacher resources and blog posts help teachers prepare to incorporate the engineering design process more widely in their classes. Rhode Island, Kansas, Maryland, Vermont, and… Read more

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