Exploratorium
Bird in the Cage
When your life science class is learning about the eye and how it works, you can add this activity as a demonstration of how the retina holds an afterimage. After staring at a red, green, or blue bird shape, pupils glance at a cage and...
Exploratorium
Water Sphere Lens
With a Florence flask or fishbowl, make a double convex lens and use it to examine an image. Because of the refraction, the image will be inverted. A simple explanation is provided here for you to share with your class as they...
Exploratorium
Persistence of Vision
Ahoy, matey! Peer through a special telescope to explore the persistence of vision. The telescope has only a thin strip with which to view the world, but as it scans the area, your eye and brain work together to create a complete...
Exploratorium
Peripheral Vision
Life science learners discover the range of peripheral vision. They compare the angles at which they can detect motion, colors, and detailed shapes.
Exploratorium
Magnetic Pendulums
Passing a copper wire coil through a magnetic field influences another coil to also sway. It is with this demonstration that you can teach your physical science fans about electromagnetism. Note that the assembly requires about an hour,...
Exploratorium
Magnetic Shielding
Elementary magnetologists investigate magnetic shields using a variety of materials in a "shielding sandwich." While the activity isn't novel, it is engaging, and this particular resource includes a brief explanation of the phenomena...
Exploratorium
Bernoulli Levitator
Two versions of this activity are presented for you to choose from when teaching about Bernoulli's principle in your physical science class. One is a hands-on activity, while the other would be best used as a demonstration during...
Exploratorium
Whack-a-Stack
Go wild as you hit a stack of wooden blocks to demonstrate Newton's first and second laws of motion. The blocks at the top of the stack stay put as you knock one at a time out of the bottom. Note, however, that you will need to visit a...
Exploratorium
Whirling Watcher
Pupils put together their own stroboscopes so that they can observe how cyclically moving images appear to merge into a singular object. This, and several other activities published by the same source, illuminate the way the brain...
Exploratorium
Your Sense of Taste
A simple and sweet activity shows students how important smell is in interpreting flavor. Pairs of pupils hold their noses and eat Life Savers®, only to find that they can't identify the flavors until they let go. You will appreciate...
Exploratorium
Holding Charge
Slide paper over a plastic straws to generate static electricity, and then stick that straw to glass, a wall, or even your own hands! This is a science activity that students can use to show parents what they learn in school whenever...
Exploratorium
Hand-Held Heat Engine
See the direct relationship between pressure and temperature using these classic science toys. As individuals hold the glass bulb, the liquid inside reaches it's boiling temperature, which is just a bit above room temperature. As the...
Exploratorium
Far Out Corners
Construct a three-dimensional optical illusion when your class is exploring vision and how the eye and brain work together. Three concave corners are mounted inside of a black box, but as a light is shined upon them, they appear to be...
Exploratorium
Falling Feather
Whether or not Galileo actually dropped balls from the Leaning Tower of Pisa, this demonstration will solidly demonstrate that objects are accelerated at the same rate, regardless of mass. You will, however, need a vacuum pump and a few...
Exploratorium
Fading Dot
Fuzzy edges cause an image to fade from view in an activity intended to demonstrate how vision works.
Exploratorium
Eddy Currents
Make electromagnetic eddy currents evident with this demonstration. You will need to gather a few materials from the local hardware store and a strong neodymium magnet, but the visual value is well worthwhile.
Exploratorium
The Dipping Bird
If you have or want to order the dipping bird demonstration, it is useful for showing how evaporation and changes in the pressure of a closed system cause cyclical motion. After teaching about pressure, consider setting this little guy...
Exploratorium
Depth Spinner
Put a new twist on your collection of optical illusion activities. Affix the linked printable spiral to a drill, record player, or some other rotating tool. Have learners stare at the spinning disk for only 15 seconds and then look away....
Exploratorium
Cylindrical Mirror
Using flexible mirror-like paper, physical scientists experiment with images produced by curving it and looking into its reflective surface. They find that concave mirrors cause reflected light waves to cross and actually flip the image...
Exploratorium
Circles of Magnetism IV
Hang a strip of foil on a stand and form a loop out of it. Then attach the clips of a battery-operated circuit to the loop to see its sides repel each other. This simple demonstration is applicable and easy to add to your lecture on...
Exploratorium
Diamagnetism
If you are attracted to activities dealing with diamagnetism, here is a rare find that you will appreciate. With a neodymium magnet and a few common materials, move a pair of juicy grapes without touching them. Though the fruit is...
Exploratorium
Cardboard Tube Syllabus
Construct paper tubes and then try out a few optical illusion tricks:
See a virtual hole in your own hand
Get a grasp of how the eyes combine images
Notice that one eye is dominant over the other
Reveal how your eyes adjust to...
Exploratorium
Bubble Suspension
Create a cushion of carbon dioxide gas to float some soap bubbles on. Many concepts can be demonstrated through this activity:
Carbon dioxide gas is more dense than air
Bubbles are semipermeable, allowing only carbon dioxide to diffuse...
Exploratorium
Exploring Pattern Blocks
Here's a great lesson that uses one of the best manipulatives there is: pattern blocks. Elementary schoolers must fill in a variety of shapes using specific amounts of pattern blocks. This forces them to do some spatial mathematical...