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This activity is about making observations of a tree over time. Choose a tree that is near the school and one that changes through the year. A deciduous tree—one that loses its leaves—makes the best subject. Visit the tree and repeat this activit...
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This activity is about visiting a nursery to observe plants, flowers, and trees. Encourage them to look for many different colors, shapes, and smells. If possible, bring back plants from the nursery for children to plant at school or to take home. ...
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This activity is about putting pieces of a branch together to make a whole branch. Take the children for a walk and encourage them to observe trees, with focus on the trunk and branches. Then show them the branch puzzles and challenge them to put a p...
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This activity is about exploring the shapes, sizes, and colors of fall leaves. Take the children on a walk to collect leaves and challenge them to find something interesting about the leaves. Back in the classroom, have them sort the leaves in differ...
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This case study deals with how advancements in science and engineering are often unexpected yet lead to valuable applications. In this lesson, students explore a metal that can be bent and, when lightly heated, “remembers” and springs back into i...
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Harnessing the Color of Nature
In this lesson, students explore how certain organisms, including some plant and animal species, display beautiful iridescent colors when light interacts with nanoscale structures on their surfaces. The activity on structural color and iridescence w...
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This case study features a summary of the history of artificial dye. In this lesson, students learn how artificial dye was accidentally discovered and subsequently used in new applications. They examine indicators as a way to test pH levels and a...
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This case study features a summary of how new products were made to mimic shark skin. In this lesson, students will learn about shark skin and bacteria and a product developed to mimic shark skin. They will focus on how this material was developed ...
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This case study features a summary of an adhesive developed using the same principles as those used by gecko feet. In this lesson, students explore Gecko Feet Adhesives. Geckos are able to hang by one toe from a smooth surface and researchers have ...
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This case study contains a summary of a study on seahorse tails. In this lesson, students consider how researchers studied seahorse tails and then they work together to think of new ways in which the structure can be used to solve real-life problem...
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This case study provides a summary of the history of Corn Flakes. In the lesson, students explore the history of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and the applications of corn-based products that can provide food and energy sources for human consumption. The d...
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Get Fired Up With Friction Lights
This case study provides a summary of the history and science of matches. In the lesson, students consider how matches were discovered and work together to think about new applications for matches to solve real-life problems. Matches, also called f...
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This case study provides a summary of the discovery and history of plastics. Students consider how plastic was discovered and work together to think about new applications for plastic to solve real-life problems. They explore plastics that are not ...
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This case study provides a summary of the invention of Post-It Notes. In this lesson, students learn about the invention which resulted from an accidental discovery that has led to them being a household item. Students also learn about the properti...
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This case study provides a summary of the invention of Silly Putty, along with recipes for students to make toy putty. In this lesson, students explore the unintended discovery of silly putty, as well as non-Newtonian fluids. Students consider how ...