What's the Difference?

Let's go fly a kite. By flying a kite, class members observe the difference in air flow. The class notices the characteristics of banners tied to the kite string to determine where wind turbulence stops. Adding an anemometer to measure...

Determining whether or not something is living can be more difficult than it seems. Put your young scientists to work defining their own criteria to identify life, then work with three samples to see if they are alive or not. 

Have you ever tried to light ice on fire? With methane hydrate, you can do exactly that. The ice forms with methane inside so it looks like ice, but is able to burn. The lesson plan uses group research and a hands-on activity to help...

During World War II, there was a shortage of cream of tartar and other baking products, so baking soda was introduced as an alternative. A fascinating video explores how people used to make breads and some takes a look at some of its...

While often used interchangeably, the distinction between accuracy and precision is critical for many scientific endeavors. Discover the importance of consistency for precise results, and the need for accuracy in the field of research,...

Chemical reactions are happening all around us every second of every day, but what exactly causes these changes to occur? Using easy-to-understand analogies, this video explains how the concepts of enthalpy and entropy determine the ways...

Groups suspend objects within layers of liquids to determine the densities of different liquids and compare them to the densities of objects calculated in Part 1. The groups then carefully test their calculations by layering the liquids...

How high will it bounce? Groups determine the height different balls bounce off of different surfaces. By performing the necessary calculations, they determine the initial and final momentum of the balls. The included worksheet provides...

Did you know that poison and venom are not the same? Both are toxic, but poison must be inhaled, ingested, or absorbed, while venom must be injected into a wound. The narrator explains that some toxic compounds may be used for good, as...

Every human is unique, from our thoughts and actions to our DNA. Scientists spent billions of dollars and over a decade to map the human genome, the sequence of DNA within one human being. Since the project was completed ten years ago,...