You Said It! Forensic Science Product Reviews


You Said It! Product Reviews - Educational Innovations NewsletterTeaching forensic science is always fun—especially when you use equipment like fingerprinting pads, blood typing kits, UV flashlights, and of course magnifiers.  (Don’t forget the Crime Scene Tape!)  Many of our customers swear by these materials as a compelling way to “set the stage” for memorable learning.

If you have a favorite Educational Innovations forensic science product, we invite you to send us a comment below.  We’d love to share your review with your fellow teachers and science lovers.

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Fidget Spinners, Physics, and Sir Isaac Newton


by Ted BeyerTed Beyer, Educational Innovations

Fidget spinners are the latest fad to sweep, seemingly, the world. Love them or hate them, they are everywhere—on playgrounds, in backyards, living rooms, and even schools, although many schools have banned them as being distractions.  But wait just a minute here!  For once, let’s see if we can’t use a fad to teach something.  You see, there is actually a fair bit of science lurking in those spinney things.

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What Does It Take to Be an Engineer?


What Does It Take to Be an Engineer? - Educational Innovations BlogBy Cathy Byrne

This is one of my favorite team-building, icebreaker activities.  It’s also a great way to introduce your students to engineering!  It can be done with students at many different grade levels.  At the beginning of class, I start by welcoming my students to the staff of [Insert-the-name-of-your-school-here] Engineering Company.

I split the class into small groups and tell them: your team has been tasked with constructing the tallest free-standing tower you can build with the materials provided.  I give each team a bag containing 20 pipe cleaners and I let them dive right in.  It doesn’t take long for the teams to figure out that they need a strong base to hold the flimsy pipe cleaners.

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Fossils and Dinosaurs Discussion Starters


Discussion Starters - Educational Innovations NewsletterIt’s easy to start a discussion about fossils and paleontology.  Just ask your students to name their favorite dinosaurs.  Almost everybody has a dino fave!

Depending upon the grade(s) you teach, your discussion may revolve around characteristics and classification of specific dinosaurs… the concept of extinction… or even the field of paleontology.  We’ve amassed a wealth of links and ideas that will help you get your class excited about learning more.  So… start digging!

If you have any ideas for new discussion starters on this topic, share with us in the comments section below, and be sure to browse our selection of fun and educational paleontology and life science experiments!

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Fossils and Dinosaurs TV


EI TV - Educational Innovations BlogAn astonishing amount of information can be learned from fossilized bones that are millions of years old, but what about the many questions that we can’t know for sure?  How fast did dinosaurs move?  Did any species have feathers?  Who picks the names of newly-discovered species?  We may not have any living specimens around to observe, but there are hundreds of excellent videos that share information about what dino life might have been like.

If you find a video that you’d like to share with us, please leave a comment!

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