Pbs Teachers: Scientific American: Don't Forget! Memory Tests 9 12

Investigate the science behind global warming with these classroom activities. Compare light and dark objects to see how they respond to light absorption and heat generation, and describe the albedo values of various materials.

Investigate the scientific principles of biospheres, and observe the effects of biological processes on closed systems.

Explore the science of sound and the human ear, and explain how this applies to the operation of cochlear implants for the deaf. Observe how structures can be "tuned" to respond to different frequencies.

Investigate how geneticists use selective breeding to capitalize on hybrid vigor by using colored chips to represent traits in succeeding generations. Use Explain why farmers must buy new hybrid seed each year.

Explore the affect of the aging process on memory, and conduct experiments to test your short-term, or working, memory.

Explore some of the hard questions and issues related to scientific research and project funding. Role-play a mock Congressional hearing to discuss the wisdom of a new scientific venture with no perceivable practical use to mankind.

Investigate the theory that including desert plants such as mesquite and cactus in a diet can help control obesity and diabetes. Design a scientific experiment that will test this hypothesis, using control variables, observation and...

Investigate the invention of the Pathfinder rover's landing apparatus by designing, constructing and testing an original model of a bouncing lander. Compete to see which landers work best to keep the cargo from breaking.

Emulate the work of entomologists and explore biodiversity by collecting insects from different sites and keeping records of various populations. Develop a theory about insects and design a way to test it.

Test the effects of exposure to ultraviolet radiation on living cells by simulating the ozone hole in the lab, then consider how this information might apply to you.