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Exploring Tools: Special Microscopes
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners use a flexible magnet as a model for a scanning probe microscope (SPM). They learn that SPMs are an example of a special tool that scientists use to work on the nanoscale.
Giant Museum: Create a Scale Model
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In this activity, learners will predict the size of a giant scale model of a comb or other rectangular object, then make one. If you tripled the size of a dollar bill, could you sit on it?
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Earth's Water: A Drop in Your Cup
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This creative lesson plan provides a visual way for learners to gain knowledge about the finite amount of fresh water on Earth and encourages the discussion of the various ways to conserve this resour
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Pocket Solar System: Make a Scale Model
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This fun and simple hands-on astronomy activity lets learners build a scale model of the universe with little more than adding machine tape.
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Biobarcodes: Antibodies and Nanosensors
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In this activity/demo, learners investigate biobarcodes, a nanomedical technology that allows for massively parallel testing that can assist with disease diagnosis.
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Full of Hot Air: Hot Air Balloon Building
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In this activity, learners create a model of a hot air balloon using tissue paper and a hairdryer. Educators can use this activity to introduce learners to density and its role in why things float.
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Straws and Airplanes
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Create airplanes from straws and geometric shapes. Test them out to see how far they can fly, or how accurately they can be aimed.
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Cook Up a Comet
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In this activity (on page 5 of PDF), learners use dry ice and household materials to make scientifically accurate models of comets.
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Clay Beams and Columns
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In this activity, learners make or use pre-made clay beams to scale and proportion. Specifically, they discover that when you scale up proportionally (i.e.
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Modeling the Night Sky
Source Institutions
In this two-part activity, learners explore the Earth and Sun's positions in relation to the constellations of the ecliptic with a small model.
Build a Bridge
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In this activity, learners use recycled materials to build a bridge that holds as many potatoes as possible. They investigate weight, height, strength, and measurement as they seek design solutions.
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Black Holes: No Escape
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This fun and simple hands-on astronomy activity lets learners experiment with marbles and weights to discover some basics about gravity and black holes.
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Garden Poles
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In this activity, learners build large-scale structures and cantilevers in a series of "building out" challenges with garden poles and tape.
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Topographic Investigation: Map an Underwater Surface
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In this activity, learners create a map of a hidden surface using a "sounding stick" -- a technique similar to how underwater maps were once made.
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It's all Done with Mirrors
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This fun and simple hands-on astronomy activity illustrates the path of light as it reflects off of mirrors and how this is used in telescopes.
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The Size and Distance of the Planets
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In this activity, learners investigate the concepts of relative size and distance by creating a basic model of the solar system.
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Moonlight Serenade
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In this activity, learners act as the Earth and observe how different angles between the Sun, Earth, and Moon affect the phases of the moon we see each month.
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Toilet Paper Solar System
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In this activity, learners build a scale model of the solar system using a roll of toilet paper.
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The Thousand-Yard Model
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This is a classic exercise for visualizing the scale of the Solar System.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/square_100/public/resource_images/smile-000-000-003-672.jpg?itok=lHstYPZ-)
Balloon Nanotubes Tabletop
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This activity introduces learners to the structure and properties of carbon nanotubes.