October 17, 2017
Teaching 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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Leave a Comment » | College level, Elementary level, forensic science, High School level, Middle School level | Tagged: Educational Innovations, experiments, forensic science, fun experiments, hands-on activity, homeschool, science, variables | Permalink
Posted by Donna Giachetti
September 29, 2017
by Ted Beyer
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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Leave a Comment » | College level, Elementary level, experiments, High School level, magnetism, Middle School level, Physics | Tagged: discrepant event, DIY, Educational Innovations, experiments, fun experiments, hands-on activity, homeschool, Newton's First Law, Newton's Second Law, Newton's Third Law, parent friendly, PBL, PhBL, PhenoBL, phenomenon based learning, Physics, physics demonstration apparatus, science, science fair project, STEM, variables | Permalink
Posted by Donna Giachetti
September 15, 2017
by Tami G. O’Connor
As elementary school teachers, we aim to help our students become scientifically literate (among many other things). But let’s face it: too often we have limited time for science instruction during the school day. Still, we know that kids just love science! They’re always eager to learn more about the world around them, especially when they’re having fun while they’re learning.
But what can we do when our science teaching time is so limited in school? How do you get students involved in scientific discovery outside the classroom? Sure, you can give them homework, but many kids find simply reading about science unappealing. You want your students to LOVE learning more about science… not dread it.
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1 Comment | Elementary level, energy, experiments, life science, magnetism, Physics, STEM | Tagged: discrepant event, DIY, Educational Innovations, elementary science, experiments, fun experiments, hands-on activity, homeschool, parent friendly, PBL, PhBL, PhenoBL, phenomenon based learning, science, science fair project, STEM | Permalink
Posted by Donna Giachetti
August 25, 2017
By 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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2 Comments | College level, Elementary level, experiments, High School level, Middle School level, STEM | Tagged: Educational Innovations, engineering, experiments, fun experiments, hands-on activity, homeschool, parent friendly, PBL, PhBL, PhenoBL, phenomenon based learning, science, STEM, variables | Permalink
Posted by Donna Giachetti
August 17, 2017
by Priscilla Robinson
Science teachers aren’t the only ones energized about the eclipse of the Sun. People everywhere are anticipated to take time on Monday to view this cosmic phenomenon. All of North America will be in its path, with a huge swath of the United States witnessing a total solar eclipse. From Salem, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina, twelve states are in the path of totality. So whether you are a teacher just back to school or a parent trying to make some final summer memories, check it out. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for you and the kids.
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Leave a Comment » | astronomy, Earth Science, Elementary level, High School level, Middle School level | Tagged: DIY, eclipse, Educational Innovations, fun experiments, hands-on activity, homeschool, parent friendly, science | Permalink
Posted by Donna Giachetti