The transit of Venus is a rare astronomical event that has been ...
The transit of Venus is a rare astronomical event that has been well documented throughout history. The most recent transit occurred in June of 2004, and the one before that took place more than 100 years earlier in 1882. This site from the South African Astronomical Observatory provides information and first-hand observations of the 1882 event from Wellington, South Africa. Just prior to the event, an observatory was erected at the Huguenot Seminary for girls, and some of the historical observations made from that site in 1882 are provided here for your perusal.
A video from the Extreme Ice Survey in which Dr. Tad Pfeffer ...
A video from the Extreme Ice Survey in which Dr. Tad Pfeffer and photographer Jim Balog discuss the dynamics of the Columbia glacier's retreat in recent years through this time-lapse movie. Key point: glacier size is being reduced not just by glacial melting but due to a shift in glacial dynamics brought on by climate change.
This web site hosts the materials for an annual middle school competition ...
This web site hosts the materials for an annual middle school competition that consists of four physical science experiments centered on a mystery. The experiments are designed for small groups in a classroom or after school setting. Each of the experiments gives students a clue to solve the mystery. The current year's competition is available to join and the materials from previous years are available for download.
This web site has links to the materials for the 2006 Physics ...
This web site has links to the materials for the 2006 Physics Quest middle school competition, hosted by the APS. The 2006 lesson covers static electricity, conductors and insulators, heat, and optics. These are connected to the life and science of Benjamin Franklin. The experiments are designed for small groups in a classroom or after school setting. Each of the experiments gives students a clue to solve the mystery.
Includes information about the Academy of Natural Sciences educational programs: teacher resources, ...
Includes information about the Academy of Natural Sciences educational programs: teacher resources, information for planning field trips to the museum and women in the natural sciences.
This 440-page report explores how students in pre-K through grade 8 learn ...
This 440-page report explores how students in pre-K through grade 8 learn mathematics, with a focus on number and operations, and recommends how teaching, curricula, and teacher education should change to improve mathematics learning. (A 39-page summary, Helping Children Learn Mathematics, is catalogued separately.) The authors identify five interdependent components of mathematical proficiency and describe how students develop this proficiency. The report presents a portrait of mathematics learning: research findings on what children know about numbers before they arrive in pre-K and the implications for instruction; details on the processes by which students acquire mathematical proficiency; what is known from research about teaching for mathematics proficiency and developing proficiency in teaching. Visitors to this website may read the full text online, download a copy (pdf), or purchase a hard copy.
During World War Two, a fierce battle between American and Japanese forces ...
During World War Two, a fierce battle between American and Japanese forces on Kwajalein atoll left a trail of debris on the deep lagoon floor. This lagoon now has one of the largest collections of well-preserved aircraft in the world. In this video, as part of the first ever film crew allowed onto this secret military base, Jonathan explores a B-25, F4-U Corsair and Dauntless dive bomber still sitting on the bottom of the ocean, as if ready to take off. Please see the accompanying study guide for educational objectives and discussion points.
A list of mathematics journals with articles on the Web and a ...
A list of mathematics journals with articles on the Web and a list of Web sites for printed journals, with tables of contents of issues, abstracts of papers, actual papers, information about submissions and subscriptions, etc. See also the Annual Listing of New Journals in Mathematics file, which notes newly established journals devoted to papers in mathematics, organized by year.
This experimental activity is designed to develop basic understanding of the relationship ...
This experimental activity is designed to develop basic understanding of the relationship between the angle of light rays and the area over which the light rays are distributed, and the potential to affect changes in the temperature of materials. Resources needed to conduct this activity include a flashlight, cardboard, protractor and ruler. The resource includes background information, a pre-activity inquiry exploration for students, teaching tips and questions to guide student discussion. This is chapter 4 of Meteorology: An Educator's Resource for Inquiry-Based Learning for Grades 5-9. The guide includes a discussion of learning science, the use of inquiry in the classroom, instructions for making simple weather instruments, and more than 20 weather investigations ranging from teacher-centered to guided and open inquiry investigations.
This collection contains animations of a nuclear chain reaction, nuclear fission and ...
This collection contains animations of a nuclear chain reaction, nuclear fission and nuclear fusion. It also showcases interactive models of the first atomic bombs and simulation of the "Nuclear Winter" effect.
NASA argues that new observations may upset theories about how solar explosions ...
NASA argues that new observations may upset theories about how solar explosions create and destroy antimatter. Users can view the many colorful animations and short movies obtained from the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI).
This case study looks at how the scientific process really works, particularly ...
This case study looks at how the scientific process really works, particularly in respect to evolutionary biology. Using the example of the discovery of the platypus, the lesson ties in easily with biology or zoology courses. The case study and teaching notes may be downloaded in PDF format. The site also includes a section for instructor feedback where general comments may be read and contributed.
This paper describes the application of findings from the National Science Foundation's ...
This paper describes the application of findings from the National Science Foundation's project on Computational Thinking (CT) in America's Workplace to program assessment. It presents the process used to define the primary job functions and work tasks of CT-Enabled STEM professionals in today's scientific enterprise. Authors describe three programs developing CT skills among learners in secondary and post secondary programs and how the resulting occupational analysis was used to review these programs. The article presents ways this analysis can be used as a framework to guide the development of STEM learning outcomes and activities, and sets of directions for future work.
This video segment adapted from NOVA features a variety of scientific perspectives ...
This video segment adapted from NOVA features a variety of scientific perspectives on the age old question, "Are we alone in the universe?" Animations make vivid the improbability that we could intercept a radio wave signaling extra terrestrial intelligence.
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (ASDM) has been quite the authority on this ...
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (ASDM) has been quite the authority on this unique region of the United States for well over 50 years. With funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), they have been able to create this extensive digital library which documents the area's landforms, animals, plants, minerals, and landscapes. On the homepage, visitors can search the entire collection, and they may also wish to browse the collections, which include sections like "Animals", "Minerals", and "Biotic Communities". The "auto-suggestion" feature is a nice touch, as it suggests possible species and names, such as "salamander" and "eagle". Each entry contains a high-quality photograph, a detailed description, and other relevant information. The site also includes a section of "Kids' Pages", a FAQ area, and an area for those who might wish to contribute to the project.
This collection contains documents about arms control, nuclear deterrence and nuclear proliferation. ...
This collection contains documents about arms control, nuclear deterrence and nuclear proliferation. Principle documents include: The Baruch Plan, Churchill' s "Iron Curtain" Speech, Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace Speech, Sec. of Defense McNamara's "No Cities" Speech, Sec. of Defense McNamara's "Mutual Deterrence" Speech. The collection also contains documents about recent nuclear events in North Korea, India and Pakistan.
In this engineering activity, learners will get acquainted with the basics of ...
In this engineering activity, learners will get acquainted with the basics of wind energy and power production by fabricating and testing various blade designs for table-top windmills constructed from one-inch PVC pipe and balsa wood (or recycled materials). This lesson plan is divided into three parts. In Part I, learners explore outdoors and examine where wind comes from. In Part II, learners review the power equation and wind as an energy resource. Finally, in Part III, learners work in groups to construct and test their wind turbines. During each section, learners can view video segments that are linked to this resource.
This Astronomy Picture of the Day is a photograph of Robert H. ...
This Astronomy Picture of the Day is a photograph of Robert H. Goddard with the first liquid-fueled rocket that he successfully launched in 1926. Text and links provide further information.
This outdoor activity/field trip requires a place where minnows swim, such as ...
This outdoor activity/field trip requires a place where minnows swim, such as a local pond or brook. Learners are challenged to find out how minnows respond to various fishing lures, then design and test the most effective minnow attractor. The instructions offer suggestions for low-tech fishing poles made with thin wire and a twig, bamboo cane, or dowel stick.
The impact of natural disasters is made vivid in this video segment ...
The impact of natural disasters is made vivid in this video segment adapted from NOVA. A small town in Iceland, prepared for recurrent avalanches, is devastated when one takes a new and damaging path.
This BBC Web site comes loaded with interactive multimedia features on evolution ...
This BBC Web site comes loaded with interactive multimedia features on evolution and the animal kingdom. Users can view 3-D images as well as video and audio clips of prehistoric creatures, play an interactive evolution game, and much more. The Web site also includes dozens of comprehensive, downloadable lessons plans and worksheets for students age 7-14 (click on Teachers to access these materials). The lesson plans encourage offline investigation and problem solving, but also provide links to relevant features within the Walking with Beasts Web site. The use of certain online features, with their engaging visuals and interactive design, should make these lesson plans especially appealing to students.
In this physics crime lab or demonstration, learners pretend they are criminologists ...
In this physics crime lab or demonstration, learners pretend they are criminologists and must find the "muzzle velocity" (speed of the bullet as it leaves the gun) of a gun used to commit a crime. Learners build an apparatus to fire a dart from a plastic toy gun into the open end of a cut-off plastic water bottle which has been stuffed with a plastic bag and suspended as a pendulum. Knowing the mass of the dart, the mass of the water bottle-bag combination, and the vertical rise of the water-bottle bag combination with the dart in it, simple energy and momentum considerations are used to find the muzzle velocity of the dart.
In the open ocean around the Bahamas, pods of wild Spotted Dolphins ...
In the open ocean around the Bahamas, pods of wild Spotted Dolphins frolic in the sunshine. Sometimes, they get bored and approach boats. In this educational video, Jonathan joins dolphin expert Wayne Scott Smith to learn how dolphins interact with each other. Jonathan learns how to play the Bandana Game, a game of -keep away- that the dolphins invented and like to play with Scott. Please see the accompanying study guide for educational objectives and discussion points.
This experimental activity is designed to develop a basic understanding of the ...
This experimental activity is designed to develop a basic understanding of the interrelationship between temperature and pressure and the structure of a device made to examine this relationship. Resources needed to conduct this activity include two canning jars, two large rubber balloons, a heat lamp or lamp with 150 watt bulb, and access to freezer or water and ice. The resource includes background information, teaching tips and questions to guide student discussion. This is chapter 5 of Meteorology: An Educator's Resource for Inquiry-Based Learning for Grades 5-9. The guide includes a discussion of learning science, the use of inquiry in the classroom, instructions for making simple weather instruments, and more than 20 weather investigations ranging from teacher-centered to guided and open inquiry investigations.
Located inside the National Air and Space Museum, the Barron Hilton Pioneers ...
Located inside the National Air and Space Museum, the Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight Gallery highlights the world of aviation in the 1920s and 1930s. During this period, flight technology rapidly advanced, aviation records were made and broken in quick succession, and African Americans gained increasing prominence in the field. Visitors to this site will get a preview of the materials contained in the museum through four sections: "Military Aviation", "Black Wings", "Civilian Aviation", and "Rocket Pioneers". In the "Black Wings" area, visitors will learn about pioneers like Bessie Coleman and then view an interactive feature on the accomplishments of the Tuskegee Airmen. Moving on, the "Rocket Pioneers" section features the work of early innovators such as Robert Goddard, who created the world's first flying, liquid-fuel rocket.
Students hypothesize whether vinegar and ammonia-based glass cleaner are acids or bases. ...
Students hypothesize whether vinegar and ammonia-based glass cleaner are acids or bases. They create designs on index cards using these substances as invisible inks. After the index cards have dried, they apply red cabbage juice as an indicator to reveal the designs.
Students learn the basics of acid/base chemistry in a fun, interactive way ...
Students learn the basics of acid/base chemistry in a fun, interactive way by studying instances of acid/base chemistry found in popular films such as Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and National Treasure. Students learn what acids, bases and indicators are and how they can be used, including invisible ink. They also learn how engineers use acids and bases every day to better our quality of life. Students' interest is piqued by the use of popular culture in the classroom.
This audio excerpt captures the beginning of Bayard Rustin's 1967 "Freedom Budget" ...
This audio excerpt captures the beginning of Bayard Rustin's 1967 "Freedom Budget" speech, describing the social and economic impact of racism over time.
This interactive shows the extent of the killing of lodgepole pine trees ...
This interactive shows the extent of the killing of lodgepole pine trees in western Canada. The spread of pine beetle throughout British Columbia has devastated the lodgepole pine forests there. This animation shows the spread of the beetle and the increasing numbers of trees affected from 1999-2008 and predicts the spread up until 2015.
This lab manual describes Franklin's thoughts on the electrical nature of lightening ...
This lab manual describes Franklin's thoughts on the electrical nature of lightening and the use of lightening rods. It includes descriptions of historical experiments and studies and electrostatic experiments with simple and inexpensive generators and Leyden jars.
This lab manual uses a letter by Franklin to motivate experiments studying ...
This lab manual uses a letter by Franklin to motivate experiments studying static electricity. The experiments explore the transfer of electric charge during the charging and discharging of Leyden jars. The material includes detailed descriptions of how to set up classroom experiments using inexpensive materials. The manual also includes historical references and pictures.
This item is part of a set of nine educator's guides for ...
This item is part of a set of nine educator's guides for high school physics teachers exploring Benjamin Franklin's historic experiments. This page focuses on the topic of electrostatic induction. It integrates historic text and drawings with the author's annotations and ideas for applying Franklin's theory in labs designed for the modern high school science classroom. It includes a 1750 letter by Franklin describing an accident resulting in his own near-electrocution.
This lab manual integrates Franklin's first letter about conductors and Leyden jars ...
This lab manual integrates Franklin's first letter about conductors and Leyden jars with detailed explanations for setting up similar experiments in the classroom using simple materials. It also includes historic photographs and drawings of early generators.
This item is one in a series of nine educator's guides on ...
This item is one in a series of nine educator's guides on Benjamin Franklin's experiments. This page, focusing on the famous kite experiment, features Franklin's historic letters and descriptions, as well as related drawings and schematics from the 18th century. The author provides insight into the history of electrostatic investigations. Related resources integrating classroom labs and activities are available within the series.
This resource integrates historical documents and drawings to explore Benjamin Franklin's experiments ...
This resource integrates historical documents and drawings to explore Benjamin Franklin's experiments using lightning rods. It includes a translation of a 1752 experiment conducted in France, full text of Franklin's letters on the subject, and historic journal articles describing how to use lightning rods to protect buildings. It is part of a larger collection by the author, where related activities for the modern physical science classroom are also available.
This lab manual describes experiments motivated by letters of Ben Franklin describing ...
This lab manual describes experiments motivated by letters of Ben Franklin describing studies of static electricity. It includes explorations of the effect of dielectrics in capacitors and the creation of electrostatic motors. Descriptions of experiments using simple and cheap materials are provided a long with historical descriptions and images.
This material outlines Franklin's thoughts regarding atmospheric electricity. It includes explanations of ...
This material outlines Franklin's thoughts regarding atmospheric electricity. It includes explanations of this theory and how clouds might become charged. Historical materials and images help explain the material.
This web site contains materials regarding the scientific work of Benjamin Franklin, ...
This web site contains materials regarding the scientific work of Benjamin Franklin, and lab exercises related to experiments he performed. Writings and historical observations are integrated with lab descriptions to give students a better insight into his work. Videos of some of the experiments are also provided.
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