by Ted Beyer
Nikola Tesla. Amazing guy. He came up with a huge number of inventions, but outside the scientific community he is largely overshadowed by his better known contemporary, Thomas Edison. Tesla developed a stream of innovations that we use every day—things like AC power, fluorescent lighting, on and on.
What you might not know is that Tesla, when working on electric light in February of 1894, came up with the concept for what we now call the Plasma Globe.
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College level, electricity, energy, High School level, Middle School level, Physics | Tagged: Educational Innovations, electricity, energy, PBL, phenomenon based learning, phenomenon-based science, Physics, physics demonstration apparatus, science, STEM | 
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Posted by Donna Giachetti
By Priscilla Robinson
This summer, during a visit to Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky, I had an experience that reminded me of why teachers and parents should emphasize good hygiene and disease prevention habits to our children. Whether fungal, bacterial, or viral, pathogens can be real threats to humans—and to wildlife. Preventing the spread of infectious disease is something we can ALL do, if we are taught the proper steps.
Leave a Comment » | Biology, College level, Earth Science, Elementary level, High School level, Middle School level | Tagged: disease transmission, Educational Innovations, germs, Glo Germ, hands-on activity, homeschool, parent friendly, PBL, phenomenon based learning, phenomenon-based science, science | Permalink
Posted by Donna Giachetti
Let’s face it—slime is funny stuff! You don’t have to be a slug or snail to appreciate the humor in this slippery, squishy, non-Newtonian fluid. Enjoy our slime humor!
If you have a favorite cartoon or joke, we invite you to share it as a comment below.
Leave a Comment » | Chemistry, College level, Elementary level, High School level, Middle School level, Physics | Tagged: Educational Innovations, homeschool, parent friendly, PBL, phenomenon based learning, phenomenon-based science, science, Slime | Permalink
Posted by Donna Giachetti
Slime, oobleck, and other non-Newtonian fluids are always fun to present in class because they’re so surprising and… well… gooey! Whether you’re teaching in kindergarten or college, non-Newtonian fluids are always a hit. They are also a fantastic way to start a discussion on polymers, cross-linking, viscosity, and many other important chemical principles.
Leave a Comment » | Chemistry, College level, Elementary level, High School level, Middle School level, Physics | Tagged: Educational Innovations, experiments, fun experiments, homeschool, parent friendly, PBL, phenomenon based learning, phenomenon-based science, science | Permalink
Posted by Donna Giachetti
Certain things need to be seen to be believed. Two guys playing soccer in a pool filled with slime—without sinking!— is certainly in that category. Enjoy our collection of educational (and entertaining) videos about non-Newtonian fluids. We think you’ll want to share them with your students. Who knows, maybe you’ll build your OWN pool of slime! If you come across an interesting video on slime, oobleck, or other gooey substances, please share with us in the comments section below. Read the rest of this entry »
2 Comments | Chemistry, College level, Elementary level, High School level, Middle School level, Physics | Tagged: density, Educational Innovations, homeschool, parent friendly, PBL, phenomenon based learning, phenomenon-based science, science, Slime | Permalink
Posted by Donna Giachetti
