Keeping up with the latest research in science is getting easier - wonderful science blogs and news services can inform and engage both you and your students. Depending on the blog or service, you can have the content delivered to your inbox or show up on your browser homepage. Look for the RSS symbol on […]

Recently, a reader asked for ideas on teaching about solar-powered lights. She wrote:

I would like to find an activity that utilizes the solar panels from garden solar lights. I know that I could probably find many broken solar lights and was wondering if anyone has any ideas? Electricity and solar panels are not my […]

Integrating examples from the wide, wide, world of sports into physics or chemistry lessons will really spark students’ interest. These resources take an in-depth look at how chemistry and technology have had a huge impact on all kinds of sports – from golf to paintball and in addition, follow the theme of this year’s National […]

What is the
Largest machine
Fastest racetrack
Coldest place
Emptiest space
Hottest spot
on earth?
It’s the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) that is scheduled to be “turned on” September 10, 2008. The LHC is a gigantic scientific instrument near Geneva, Switzerland that is 100m underground. It is a particle accelerator where two beams of subatomic particles called hadrons will travel in opposite […]

Many kids and adults judge an amusement park’s fun factor by the thrill derived from its biggest and fastest roller coaster. What’s behind the thrills and chills? Ride designers use basic physics concepts involving force, motion, friction, direction, and speed to simulate danger as well as make the rides safe. According to the National Science […]

Summer brings us many pleasures: a long break from school, vacations, lots of sunshine, and the occasional rainbow, all against a background of electromagnetic radiation! Despite the negative connotation “radiation” sometimes carries, it’s often more useful to us than harmful. Here are a few resources to enlighten you and your students.
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Students will enjoy […]

Summer’s here and that means it’s time to head for that clear, cool, and refreshing pool! Did you know that children swallow at least 37 mL of pool water each day they swim for 45 minutes or more? Do you know how many microbes can fit into just 1 mL of water? A lot!
Here are […]

With the increasing emphasis on hands-on instruction, it becomes more important than ever before for science teachers to be knowledgeable about laboratory safety issues. The National Science Education Standards say that students should have frequent opportunities to use a wide range of equipment, materials, supplies, and other resources for experimentation and direct investigation of phenomena. […]

Chemical change is a difficult concept to teach middle school students because of the level of abstraction required. Physical Science Content Standard B of the National Science Education Standards states students in grades 5-8 should investigate materials’ differences with respect to properties such as boiling and melting points and solubility.
Acids and Bases: Kitchen Chemistry
Acids and […]

On March 1, 2007, teachers and students around the world are invited to help launch the International Polar Year 2007-2008 (IPY), a scientific program focused on the Arctic and the Antarctic. From March 2007 to March 2009, thousands of scientists from over 60 nations will be involved in more than 200 projects examining physical, biological […]