Three Clouds Activity
The University of Michigan's educational site called Windows to the Universe (last mentioned in the January 6, 1999 Scout Report for Science and Engineering) has added many new lessons to their content. Highlights of these include two activities centered around cloud formation. The Three Clouds uses items such as a jugs and jars, a plastic bag, an aquarium thermometer, and an overhead projector to explore how clouds form and the relationship between the hydrosphere and human activity.
IPM Super Sleuth
Integrated Pest Management is an agricultural approach which works to minimize the use of pesticides. This interactive, kid-friendly website was created by the IPM Institute of North America to teach students in grades one through seven about Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The site utilizes a combination of word searches, crossword puzzles, matching and concentration games, and quizzes to introduce IPM concepts. The complete 114-page IPM Super Sleuth Document is also available for download. S
TriNet
TriNet is a multi-functional seismic network for earthquake research, monitoring, and computerized alerts. The collaborative project among governmental and educational institutions hopes to "create a better, more effective real-time earthquake information system for Southern California." The main focus of the site is the up-to-date availability of earthquake occurrences shown on various interactive maps of California. Other features available include seismic data, emergency response information,
The Virtual Terrain Project
The Virtual Terrain Project (VTP) homepage has a wealth of information about three dimensional environment rendering, as well as links to many different research efforts and papers about the subject. The project's aim "is to foster the creation of tools for easily constructing any part of the real world in interactive, 3D digital form." Several subtopics are addressed, including plant modeling and realistic ground detailing and texturing. An interesting focus is on cultural aspects of terrain re
EnvironmentalChemistry.com
Produced by Kenneth Barbalace with help from Roberta and Julia Barbalace, the EnvironmentalChemistry.com website supplies innumerable environmental, chemistry, and hazardous materials information and resources. Under the Environmental Issues header, students can learn about the chemical and physical properties of asbestos, the Chernobyl disaster, and the proper way to handle household chemicals. One of the newest additions to the website is the Emergency Response Guidebook, which is used during
ECOTOX Database System
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides this database of chemical toxicity. Three individual EPA databases are combined to provide information on chemical-specific toxicity values for aquatic and terrestrial plants and animals. Users can search for research reports by chemical name, species name, or environmental effect. The site has informative help files and browse features. This Web site is useful for evaluating industrial chemicals or for environmental assessment research.
The American Engineering Campaign
The National Society of Professional Engineers developed this Web site to educate people about engineering. "The American Engineering Campaign aims to help people understand just what engineers do, the role engineers have in the many facets of everyday life, and the fun engineers have in their careers." Visitors to the site will find a great deal of information in the Information Kit section. It highlights twenty of the most important engineering achievements of the 20th century and lists some s
Soil as Living Skin
In this two-minute radio program, a soil scientist introduces listeners to reasons why soil is crucial to the planet. The scientist lists functions of soil that include nutrient cycling and water filtration, and he also uses living skin as an analogy for soil. The program, part of the Pulse of the Planet radio show, is available here in text and audio formats. Copyright 2005 Eisenhower National Clearinghouse
Lotto or Life: What Are the Chances?
Students are naturally inquisitive about space science and the topics surrounding the existence of intelligent life in other parts of our Universe. Tapping into this curiosity, this lesson uniquely combines the concepts of astronomy and probability to have students use inquiry, problem solving, reasoning, and communication skills to compare winning the lottery with the likelihood of intelligent life existing elsewhere in the Universe. The site contains all of the information and materials needed
Units and Cylinder Volume
Find the volume and surface area of a cylindical storage tank with a radius of 15 feet and a height of 30 feet.
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry
The first hundred years of Nobel Prizes for Chemistry give a beautiful picture of the development of modern chemistry. The prizes cover the whole spectrum of the basic chemical sciences, from theoretical chemistry to biochemistry, and also a number of contributions to applied chemistry.
Compound Independent and Dependent Events
Compare the theoretical and experimental probability of a compound independent event by drawing colored marbles from a bag. Record the results of successive draws with or without replacement of marbles to calculate the experimental probability.
When did the Grand Canyon begin to form?
This March 14, 2008 entry in the NSDL Expert Voices blog Connecting News with National Science Education Standards deals with the recent finding suggesting the Grand Canyon is two to three times older than commonly believed. Additional links to teaching resources related to earth systems structure, rock dating and the nature of science are provided.
4.1 Environment and education: Wales 1771–c.1782
Childcare, education, working conditions, healthcare, crime … these issues are hotly debated in today's society. They are also issues that Robert Owen, seen by some as a visionary and by others as a knave and a charlatan, sought to address in the early 1800s. This unit uses a series of essays written by Owen to explore the ideas of this important and controversial figure.
Convertible Shoes: Function, Fashion and Design
Students teams design and build shoe prototypes that convert between high heels and athletic shoes. They apply their knowledge about the mechanics of walking and running as well as shoe design (as learned in the associated lesson) to design a multifunctional shoe that is both fashionable and functional.
Fluid Power Basics
Students learn about the basic fundamental concepts regarding fluid power, which includes both pneumatic, which utilize gas, and hydraulic, which utilize liquid, systems. Both systems contain four basic components: a reservoir, a pump or compressor, a valve, and a cylinder. Using the Portable Fluid Power Demonstrator (PFPD), students learn about the properties of gases and liquids in addition to how forces are transmitted and multiplied within these systems.
Muscles, Oh My!
Students are introduced to how engineering closely relates to the field of biomechanics and how the muscular system produces human movement. They learn the importance of the muscular system in our daily lives, why it is important to be able to repair muscular injuries and how engineering helps us by creating things to benefit our muscular health, movement and repair.
Hot Problem Solving
Student teams follow the steps of the engineering design process to meet the challenge of getting their entire class from one location on the playground to the sidewalk without touching the ground between. The class develops a well thought-out plan while following the steps of the engineering design process. Then, they test their solution by going outside and trying it out. Through the post-activity assessment, they compare their problem-solving experience to real life engineering challenges, su
Faulty Movement
In this activity, students are introduced to faults. They will learn about different kinds of faults and understand their relationship to earthquakes. The students will build cardboard models of the three different types of faults as they learn about how earthquakes are formed.
Lunar Lollipops
The students work in teams of two to discover the relative positions of the Earth, Sun and Moon that produce the different phases of the Moon. The students will be given a Styrofoam ball that they will attach to a pencil so that it looks like a lollipop. This ball will be the Moon, the students will be the Earth and a hanging lightbulb will be the Sun. The students will move the “Moon” around them to discover the different phases. They will fill in the position of the Moon and its correspond
