Talking Tapes | When You Want Your Students To Make Noise!


Tami O'Connor, Educational Innovationsby: Tami O’Connor

On a field trip with my 5th grade students to a local science museum, we saw one of the science instructors conduct a lesson on sound. It was such a simple idea, with easy-to-find materials, that I brought it home to do with my Girl Scout troop the following week.  Since then, I have modified and expanded the lesson so it would fit any elementary or middle school grade lesson plan on sound.

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Great Balls and Fire! Smashing Steel Spheres with Video


Tami O'Connor, Educational Innovationsby:  Tami O’Connor

When two 1-pound, 2-inch diameter, chrome steel spheres are smashed together, enough heat is generated at the point of contact to burn a hole in ordinary paper!  This dramatic demonstration has been a favorite of students in every grade for as long as I have been teaching!

Smashing Steel Sphere Demo KitThere are a few considerations when allowing students (especially younger ones) to conduct this activity on their own…  First, the spheres are pretty heavy, so if they were either dropped on a foot or onto a nice tile floor, the result would not be good.  Also, be sure that the only thing between the spheres is paper or aluminum foil.  Fingers caught between the colliding spheres would not  be happy.  Finally, all participants should wear safety glasses, as it is not unusual for a small piece of paper to fly off after the spheres collide.

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