Submit Your Experiment!
We hope you get lots of ideas from our new blog, but we especially hope it will inspire you to share your own experiences. All of these experiments are submitted by teachers and parents from all over the world who have actually tried these activities, so you know that they work. You probably have a science activity that would be great to share as well. To submit your idea, just click below. Just like you, we especially like submissions that include pictures or videos to help our visitors see your experiment in action. . _
Teaching about insects with a Floating Paperclip.
Ellen Kahue, a teacher in South Carolina cleverly used our Floating Paperclip experiment (link below) to teach how water strider insects are able to move across the surface of water without sinking. Understanding surface tension can be a bit tricky, but once you see a paperclip "float" on water, the concept begins to make sense. Students were challenged to get the paperclip to float on their own. If you've ever tried this, you know it can be very difficult...unless you know the secret. Ellen used the lesson to show how water striders take advantage of surface tension. These insects ...
“Shocking” results from a Leyden jar experiment.
> This is a clip from a show that highlighted some of Ben Franklin's science experiments. The host is actor/comedian Kevin Pollak. Here we are demonstrating one of Franklin's favorite gadgets called a Leyden jar. It was invented in 1745 by Pieter van Musschenbroek and it became an important invention for studying electricity. A Leyden jar is able to store large amounts of static electricity. The more it is charged with static, the stronger the voltage becomes in the jar. In this clip, actor Marc Evan Jackson is really getting shocked by the Leyden jar, and his reaction is quite real. While the ...
Students in The UK use balloons to explore the scientific method.
Students at the Blanford St. Mary's School in the UK put the Scientific Method to work. A morning with balloons flying across your room is always a great way to start the day. This is why year 2 students at the Blanford St. Mary's School in The United Kingdom were challenged by their teachers Rosemary Rees and Sarah Thornton to answer a science question that was part of our Balloon Rocket experiment. (see link below) They were asked, "Does the shape of the balloon affect the distance the rocket travels?" This became a great way to bring the SCIENTIFIC METHOD ...
New Zealand students study density with Blobs In a Bottle.
Ian Stewart, a teacher at the St. Andrews School in Hamilton, New Zealand was looking for a way to make learning about density a hands-on experience. Then he stumbled across our Blobs In a Bottle lava lamp experiment (link below) at sciencebob.com. The students got to work creating their own blobs in bottles as they explored molecular polarity and liquid density. They used different shaped bottles to see if it changed the effect, and they added different colors as well. Ian reports the experiment was a success and the students were able to bring their experiment home to keep the ...
Featured Posts
Experiment While Making A Bouncy Ball
Print This Post Amy Huntley is a former science teacher and Mom that runs a great blog where she shares activities that she has done with her family. This exploration of polymers and bouncing balls caught our eye and we were happy that Amy would share it with us. We’ve adapted it just...
Create Bubbles & Heat With Simple Chemistry
Print This Post Sarah Toney homeschools four active boys ages 2, 4, 6, and 8 in Tennessee. She recently tried out a simple experiment to help her boys observe a cool chemical reaction. For Sarah’s experiment you will need: 1 tsp (5ml) dry yeast 1/2 cup (120 ml) hydrogen peroxide (should...
Make A Static Powered Dancing Ghost
Print This Post Today we were playing around with some balloons (which we often do when things get slow) and we had an idea to add a Halloween twist to a familiar static experiment. It is really quite a lot of fun and super simple. For this bit of spooky science you will need: A piece of tissue...
Halloween Science Experiments & Ideas!
Need ideas for your Halloween party, or just some all-around Halloween fun? Here’s a few great ideas to get you started. GLOWING DRINKABLE BEVERAGES Did you know that tonic water will glow under a blacklight? We didn’t either. The quinine in the tonic water glows a very cool looking blue...
The Lincoln High Dive – A Newton’s Law Experiment
Goat a few minutes? Here is a simple experiment that has impressed both students and adults that have tried it. It is also a great way to observe Newton’s First Law in action. You will need: A Lincoln penny (or other small coin) A piece of card stock or stiff paper A film canister (baby food jar,...
Add Color To Flowers Using Science
Print This Post Many florists sell colored carnations, but I think it is more fun to make your own! And you can learn a little something about plants in the process. Best of all, you can make the flowers just about any color you want. Start off with some white carnations from your local florist. ...
Fun With a Blacklight
As we get ready to open up our new on-line science store later this month, we have had a lot of fun testing products. We recently received a box full of fluorescent minerals which we will make available in small kits. In the name of quality control, we decided to set them up and see how well they fluores...
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