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  • Discovering Sand and Sand Paintings

    Book Chapter |

    This activity blends social studies and art with math and science. First, students will explore the visible characteristics of sand, and then they will make Navajo-style sand paintings with paper, glue, and colored sand…

  • Heat Exchange in Air, Water, and Soil

    Book Chapter |

    The Earth is composed, at least at the surface, of soil/rock, water, and air. How do the heat exchange properties of these three very different substances compare, and what effect, if any, do they have on climate and…

  • Developing a Model of the Earth’s Inner Structure

    Book Chapter |

    How much do your students know about the Earth’s interior? This activity will provide them with a hands-on experience, as well as with appropriate terms and concepts. Students discover what makes a good model as they…

  • Determining the Size and Shape of the Blind Spot

    Book Chapter |

    What exactly is the blind spot? It is the place where the optic nerve meets the back of the retina. Because no sensory cells are present in the retina at the meeting point, a “hole” is created in the field of view of…

  • Investigating Perception and Illusion

    Book Chapter |

    For a motivating and baffling experience, try this investigation of perceptual illusions and their causes. It allows students to observe, analyze, and compare a variety of optical illusions, and also to create their own…

  • Determining the Relationship Between Height and Hand Length

    Book Chapter |

    For a motivating and baffling experience, try this investigation of perceptual illusions and their causes. It allows students to observe, analyze, and compare a variety of optical illusions, and also to create their own…

  • Exploring Cellular Shape Using Area

    Book Chapter |

    In this activity, students are challenged to maximize the area enclosed within the limited perimeter of a string “cell membrane,” using area formulas as they do so. This is an open-ended activity that will challenge…

  • Surveying Science and Mathematics on the Internet

    Book Chapter |

    In this activity, students will explore the internet for interesting science and mathematics websites. They will be guided by an activity sheet as they identify, summarize, analyze, reflect on, and compare websites.…

  • Please Pass the Pollen: Flowering Plants, Pollination, and Insect Pollinators

    Book Chapter |

    This high-interest activity provides an opportunity for students to learn more about the natural world while they hone their investigatory skills. In the activity, student groups investigate pollination, insect behavior…

  • Examining Current Events in Science, Mathematics, and Technology

    Book Chapter |

    The national standards in science and mathematics call for these subjects to be taught from personal and social perspectives, thus strengthening students’ decision-making skills. Preeminent science educator Paul DeHart…

  • The Tower Challenge

    Book Chapter |

    This activity is an exciting and highly interactive opportunity for students to exercise their creativity and design skills. Working in cooperative groups, students are challenged to explore the geometry of tower design…

  • Designing and Constructing a Load-Bearing Structure

    Book Chapter |

    We rely on many structures to bear loads. Examples such as bridges, chairs, shelves, tall buildings, and even our own legs must support weight consistently and effectively. But where do the human-designed examples come…

  • Investigating the Pinhole Camera and Camera Obscura

    Book Chapter |

    In this activity, students explore the nature of light, including the fact that it travels in straight lines, by building and using two visual tools. The first is a simple pinhole camera—a box with a pinhole opening.…

  • Recording Images Using a Simple Pinhole Camera

    Book Chapter |

    In this lesson, students develop and expand their observational skills and technological understanding by building and operating a pinhole camera. The interdisciplinary connections are in the realm of application in…

  • Learning About Levers

    Book Chapter |

    We see, use, and enjoy levers daily—in the operation of pliers, the action of a seesaw, or the beauty of an Alexander Calder mobile. In fact, parts of the human body are levers; think of the knee, elbow, and other…

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