This activity challenges students to visualize compound transformations of hexahedral dice to determine their right- or left-handedness. Ideas for implementation and support are included along with printable sheets of both types of dice.
Featuring slow-motion footage of insects in flight, this video adapted from NOVA explores the engineering challenge of designing a robotic aerial vehicle that flies like a bug.
This interactive resource adapted from the National Park Service profiles rocky coast environments and describes how various geologic features form.
In this video adapted from the Encyclopedia of Physics Demonstrations, learn how plotting the changes in an object's position on a graph can provide information about the object's motion.
Learn about rotational forces by watching astronaut Jeffrey Williams spin objects onboard the International Space Station in this interactive activity adapted from NASA.
How did Rutherford figure out the structure of the atom without being able to see it? Simulate the famous experiment in which he disproved the Plum Pudding model of the atom by observing alpha particles bouncing off atoms and determining that they must have a small core.
Astronomer Carl Sagan discusses the possibility of time travel in this audio-enhanced interview from the NOVAWeb site.
Add different salts to water, then watch them dissolve and achieve a dynamic equilibrium with solid precipitate. Compare the number of ions in solution for highly soluble NaCl to other slightly soluble salts. Relate the charges on ions to the number of ions in the formula of a salt. Calculate Ksp values.
This animation adapted from NASA shows the orbital paths of spacecraft in NASA's Earth Observing Fleet that are a source of wide-scale, primary research about Earth.
Part One of this video lesson will explore the science that explains soap bubbles, as well as the application of this knowledge to other areas, such as architecture and biology. We first introduce the concept of surface tension. In Part Two of this video lesson, students will learn where the colors of soap bubbles come from and also learn what soap bubbles and telescopes have in common. The students will first make a connection between light and waves waves and will then go on to explore various characteristics of waves through a series of classroom activities.
This brief article describes the historical contexts in which two types of cipher (code), the shift and the substitution cipher were used. The math concepts involved are substitution, inverse operations and letter frequency analysis.
This article describes the basics of thermography or thermal imaging, and how this technique can inspire a data collection activity to teach about heat transfer and energy efficiency.
Dope the semiconductor to create a diode. Watch the electrons change position and energy.
Dope the semiconductor to create a diode. Watch the electrons change position and energy.
In this activity students try to visualize 3-D shapes from given 2-D silhouettes (projections). Students can describe, draw, model or relate their ideas to objects in their environment. With several possible answers for each silhouette, students become more familiar with using the terms and describing the properties of solid figures. The Teachers' Notes page includes suggestions for implementation, discussion questions, ideas for extension and support. A warmup activity called "Skeleton Shapes" is offered (cataloged separately). [Note: "torch" in the UK = "flashlight" in the US.]
This activity gives students practice drawing straight lines with a ruler and looking for and categorizing shapes, for example, by the number of sides in polygons. The Teachers' Notes page includes suggestions for implementation, discussion questions and ideas for extension.
This article, written for students in grades 4-5, introduces the concept of albedo and describes the shrinking of Arctic sea ice. Modified versions are available for students in younger grades.
In this adapted ZOOM video segment, cast members calculate how much water they each use during a typical shower. They compare their results to their original predictions.
Why do the lights turn on in a room as soon as you flip a switch? Flip the switch and electrons slowly creep along a wire. The light turns on when the signal reaches it.
Why do the lights turn on in a room as soon as you flip a switch? Flip the switch and electrons slowly creep along a wire. The light turns on when the signal reaches it.