Describes a regional science fair in Indiana. Presents guidelines for organization and registration, rules and regulations, display and presentation, science fair advancement opportunities, and other competitions. (SAH)

Introduces a stoichiometry experiment using Legos or other building-block car kits. Determines the mass relationship between the required components and the final product. Includes both instructor information and a student activity sheet. (YDS)

Introductory students design and carry-out experimental procedures to determine the identity of three unknown gases from a list of eight possibilities: air, nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, helium, methane, and hydrogen. Students are excited and motivated by the opportunity to come up with their own experimental approach to solving a…

Presents a microscale pH titration technique that utilizes an automatic pipet. A small aliquot (1-5 mL) of the analyte solution is titrated with repeated additions of titrant, and the pH is determined after each delivery. The equivalence point is determined graphically by either the second derivative method or a Gran plot. The pipet can be…

Presents an activity that can be used for acid-base chemistry, everyday chemistry, or food chemistry. Investigates the rising in baked goods. Includes both instructor information and student activity sheets. (YDS)

During a snow bank exploration, students noticed "ice caves," or pockets, in some of the larger snow banks, usually below darker layers. Most of these caves had many icicles hanging inside. Students offered reasonable explanations of ice cave formation--squirrels, kids, snow blowers--and a few students came close to the true ice cave-formation…

The human hand is made up of four fingers and one thumb. This month's "Home Connections" activity will help students understand the importance of the thumb for doing simple, everyday activities. Most primates (humans, apes, and Old World monkeys) and some other animals have opposable thumbs. Humans can move their thumb farther across their hand…

This activity compares different kinds of candy to the different types of rocks based on direct observation. Students are asked to make observations about candy samples and how they are formed. The formation of candy and the formation of rocks have many similarities; for instance, Andes Mints show definite layers and it can be inferred that they…

Through the author's home science program, MOS, the author aims to widen the walls of the school lab. MOS stands for "My Own Science." It is work that students choose and carry out on their own about once a week throughout the year. They are also responsible for keeping track of the time spent working on the activities using log sheets. With a…

As the winter Sun rises, four of the five visible planets, Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter, will be found over the eastern and southern horizons. The two inner planets, Mercury and Venus, will both rise about an hour ahead of the Sun and will be visible just above the southeastern horizon at sunrise for about the first half of January. Look …

The study of the basic concepts in physics naturally lends itself to real-world analogies and hands-on activities in the classroom. In 2006, science teachers at the United Nations International School searched for a way to go beyond the classroom in order to combine an adolescent's real-world interests with a whole-body, kinesthetic activity. They…

In this activity, students mix mystery chemicals in a freezer bag to produce reactions that are unexpected. As a result, one chemical seems to disappear, the bag expands, and then the bag turns hot and cold. Participants then ask questions and design their own activities to answer their self-generated questions. The research cycle continues until…

An exercise that engages students in asking their own questions is provided and a description on the way in which it was applied in a large introductory chemistry-class is presented. Suggestions are offered to instructors regarding the way the exercise needs to be used, including several variations applicable to different topics in general…

Throughout each month, the Moon appears in conjunction with planets and stars along the ecliptic. A conjunction occurs when, in this case, the Moon lies in the same direction as a star or planet. From our perspective, the object looks close. February is no exception, and there will be several opportunities on both sides of the Sun to locate…

In the unit described in this article, students discover the main principles of navigation, build tools to observe celestial bodies, and apply their new skills to finding their position on Earth. Along the way students see how science, mathematics, technology, and history are intertwined.