Kids Science Challenge – Get Your Free Activity Kit

It’s great to see the Kids’ Science Challenge in full swing after the team at Pulse of the Planet put so much time and effort into making this a quality experience for kids and teachers. We first got involved in the planning stages of the project when Jim Metzner, Executive Producer of Pulse of the Planet, contacted me to discuss the initial plans for the Kids’ Science Challenge and how we might get involved with the development of the science activity kits. The great news is that the Kids’ Science Challenge is completely funded by the National Science Foundation, so there are absolutely no costs to enter and participate, and the deadline for entries has been extended to February 28th, 2009, so there’s still plenty of time to get students involved in their classrooms or after-school science clubs.

The organizers of the Kids’ Science Challenge are looking for teachers to help 3rd to 6th graders come up with entries for the competition. Along the way, they have a suite of online activities for kids and their teachers to explore, and curricula that are aligned to national science education standards. The first 1000 Kids’ Science Challenge entrants receive hands-on science activity kits.

The Kids’ Science Challenge is a nationwide competition where kids learn about four fun scientific fields and then submit a question, problem, or experiment to be solved. The scientific fields are: flavor science, water quality, skateboard engineering, and the search for life in outer space. Winners will visit and collaborate with the scientists and turn their ideas into a reality – and they’ll be featured on Pulse of the Planet radio programs www.pulseplanet.com, Kids’ Science Challenge video podcasts or Dragonfly TV.

The Kids’ Science Challenge web site, www.kidsciencechallenge.com, includes downloadable science projects, fun videos, educational games, and lesson plans for classroom or after-school use, aligned to national science education standards.

The first 1000 kids to enter the competition will receive free science activity kits, which include a fingerboard (mini-skateboard), water test strips, flavor-tasting strips, and a CD with a secret coded message from “aliens.” Complete instructions are included. This is a great opportunity for a group science learning experience.

To set up a Kids’ Science Challenge team, check out the Teachers and Parents page on www.kidsciencechallenge.com or contact [email protected] for more information. Here’s the inside scoop… they’re sending out special prizes to the next few teams who sign on, so now is a great time to enter!