Grabbing a Bite to Eat
In this activity, students will perform an experiment that replicates the dilemma that birds face in acquiring food from a confined area. Students will be given a variety of objects to use as “tools,” and will explore various ways of extracting the food item from an enclosed shoebox without directly using their hands. Students will compare and contrast which tools worked best, and use problem-solving skills to design and develop unique methods for extracting the food item from the shoebox.
Ugh, A Bug! Get To Know Insect Anatomy
What are the distinguishing physical characteristics of an insect? Observe live crickets to learn the function of various insect body parts!
Physics Of Giant Pumpkins
Pumpkins of the Atlantic giant variety can weigh more than 1,800 pounds.
Flower Anatomy
In this activity, students will discuss the various methods by which pollination can occur in flowers or plants. Students will dissect and identify the different parts of a flower, hypothesize the function of each part, and discuss the importance or relevance of each part to pollination.
The Color Of Flowers
In this activity, students will perform an experiment to find out where flower colors come from. Students will extract petal juice, use acid and base indicators, and observe chemical reactions to investigate how the amount of acid or base influences the color of a petal.
Lilliputian Landscaping
In this activity, students will examine the different materials gardeners add to their soil, and discuss how these materials are important for plant growth. They will learn how to build a sustainable terrarium by adding a waterbed, mixing their own soil and transplanting a small plant into their terrarium.
Lighting Up Celery Stalks
In this activity, students will conduct a series of hands-on experiments that will demonstrate how the working of these veins, known as capillary action, enables water to travel throughout the length of a plant. Students will learn how the forces of water cohesion and adhesion contribute to the process of capillary action.
The Secretly Speedy Life Of Plants
Plants have a reputation for staying put. But some plants are moving so quickly, we can’t see their motions.
Bad Days For Bats
The white nose syndrome disease affecting bat populations has put one species of bat at risk of “regional extinction” within the next 20 years.
Can Underwater Parks Protect Coral?
With global threats like ocean warming and acidification, it’s a tough time to be a coral.