Monthly Archives

June 2014

Earth's HistoryGeology

Dinosaur Tracks

Scientists often have to use indirect evidence to infer information about extinct species. Children (and adults!) often find it hard to understand how a footprint can tell a scientist anything about the animal that made it. Use this "mystery solving" activity to help explain how information can be collected from indirect evidence. You will need to do a little advance preparation for this activity. You'll need some play dough or other soft modeling clay and…
Cheryl Taylor
June 20, 2014
ForcesPhysics

Learning about Buoyancy in the Pool

Buoyancy seems like a simple concept, but to fully understand it on a scientific level can be a challenge for students. Introduce the concept to your younger elementary kids in a fun way while playing in the pool this summer! Buoyancy is based on Archimedes' Principle that states, "Any object, wholly or partially immersed in a fluid, is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object." Very…
Cheryl Taylor
June 10, 2014
EnergyPhysics

Teaching Kids about Consumerism and Conservation

Let's face it, the advertising world targets your kids every day. What child hasn't been disappointed after saving for months for a toy, only to find it doesn't measure up to what the commercial promised? In my science classes I teach my students how science can be used to objectively test claims made by advertisers . . . in other words, how to be wise consumers. Here's a fun idea that actually came from one…
Cheryl Taylor
June 1, 2014