Sequences of Activities

What’s Under Our Feet?

How are rocks and fossils formed? How do tectonic plates shape Earth’s surface? Find out in this sequence of 3 activities.

All About Animals

In a sequence of 3 activities, learn about the life cycle of animals and about animal camouflauge. Learn a cool way to find out what some predatory birds eat.

Soil – It’s Alive!

By doing 4 activities, learn about earthworms and other organisms that live in soil. Did you know these organisms put nutrients into the soil?

Forces and Motion

In 4 activities, explore mechanical and magnetic forces by observing colliding objects, building simple machines, and experimenting with magnets.

Physical & Chemical Properties

In this sequence of 3 activities, design ways to separate household materials. Then, observe chemical reactions using small amounts of cooking ingredients and by baking cookies.

About You

Compare what you look like to people around you. Build a magnifier to compare your fingerprints, hair, and skin. Which characteristics are inherited? Find out in this sequence of 3 activities.

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— What’s Under Our Feet? —


1. Rock Cycle

There are three main ways that rocks form. Listen to a catchy song to learn about the ways rocks form and their cycle, then use crayons to model the cycle yourself!

2. Fossils

Learn about how fossils are made, different types of fossils, and what a paleontologist does. Then make your own imprint fossil and cast of it too!

3. Tectonics

Learn about the movement of Earth’s continents. Explore what the world looked like millions of years ago and how plate tectonics are responsible for the way Earth looks today.

Extra: STEM Chats – Geology!

Geologists Sarah and Jabari discuss the importance of rocks and show some of their favorite rock samples! 

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— All About Animals —


1. Life Cycles

Explore the life cycles of living organisms and make your own life cycle wheel.

2. Camouflage and Mimicry

How do animals use camouflage and mimicry to avoid predators and capture their prey? Learn about some cool animal mimics, go on a quest to spot hiding animals, and finally play a game to see how effective even simple color camouflage can be.

3. Owl Pellets

Dissect a virtual owl pellet and learn about the unique adaptations that helps the owl be a successful, stealthy predator.

Extra: Ask a Scientist – Bats!

Navid (a student from CA) chats with Cortney (bat researcher & SfS instructor from MA) about bats.

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— Soil – It’s Alive! —


1. Food Webs

What role does a decomposer have in a Food Web? Learn about decomposers and make a Soda Bottle Compost.

2. Earthworms

Learn about earthworms by completing a virtual dissection. Understand how they are essential in keeping soils healthy.

3. Soil Nutrients

Learn about all the crazy organisms that live in the soil.Then grab your shovel and go see which ones you can find in your backyard!

4. Microscope Mysteries

Build your own simple magnifier to look at earthworms and other creatures you find in the soil!

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— Forces and Motion —


1. Collisions

What happens to the energy when objects collide? Play Ring Taw to investigate!

2. Simple Machines

Learn about the six simple machines. Make and study two fun simple machines, the pulley and the inclined plane.

3. Magnetism

What materials are attracted to magnets? How do magnets affect each other? Investigate and compare any magnets you can find in your house, how they interact with each other, and how other materials interact with them.

4. Building a Magnet Detector

Use your knowledge of magnetic forces to construct a magnet detector from household items. Then, use it to sleuth out hidden magnets!

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— Physical & Chemical Properties —


1. Separation of Substances

Separating mixtures of materials is important in the lab and in the recycling plant! Try three challenges, using physical properties of materials to separate mixtures.

2. Chemical Identification

Observe evidence of chemical changes, and try to figure out the difference between two common kitchen chemicals.

3. Chemical Reactions

Learn about chemical reactions, then experiment on a delicious reaction of your own by baking cookies!

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— About You —


1. Hereditary Traits

What traits can be inherited? Learn about Hereditary Traits then observe the people around you for some common inherited traits.

2. Fingerprinting

All fingerprints are unique! Take your own fingerprints and compare them to others then try your hand at fingerprint analysis!

3. Microscope Mysteries

Build your own simple magnifier to look at your fingerprints, skin, and hair!

Extra: Learn about Fingerprints with a Forensic Scientist

In this video, forensic scientist Michelle shows you how to dust for "invisible" latent fingerprints, which you leave on nearly everything you touch!

 

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