Informal Science Education

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Hands-on Science at Home: Needless or Necessary?

Some of us grew up with fantastic science teachers. Mrs. Russell, Mr. Steward, and Mr. Landis are names that you won’t necessarily recognize, but they’re the three science teachers I’ve had in my entire lifetime. I will never forget them,…
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5 Non-Volcano Kids’ Science Activities Using Vinegar

Vinegar is a smelly staple of science educators everywhere. The solution of acetic acid is the most often-used, simple acidic solution in the lab, and it’s non-toxic and safe to be handled. It’s no wonder that vinegar is a key component…

Kitchen Scientists: Let's Make Jam!

Hello kitchen scientists.  Whenever you mix two or more things together, you're doing science - specifically, chemistry.  In the kitchen, chemists are at work every day!  Kitchen science is something we can all do, and usually the results…

A Matter of Balance

One of my many "parlor tricks" is to leave a restaurant with the salt shaker balanced on a single grain of salt. My kids just sigh and take it for granted now. It might look like a magic trick, but the the salt shaker balancing act is really…
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The Spangler Demo Team Does the Reverse #ALSIceBucketChallenge

Steve Spangler and his demo team was challenged by a few of our fans and customers to join into the #ALSIceBucketChallenge. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-isdVBUFCFI We are a science company after all, so we had to add a science spin to…
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The Beauty of Clouds

Ever since I was little, clouds have fascinated me.   A simple little visible mass of condensed water vapor floating in the atmosphere,  I realize, but mesmerizing, nonetheless.  Storm clouds have especially intrigued me over the years,…
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Connecting the Dots Between Each Lesson

Yes, it's true;  I use all kinds of science in my writing labs to help my students connect the dots,  from one cool thing to another.  I've done this for many years.  And guess what: this WORKS. Here's the thing about learning: everything…

Backyard Archaeology

There is genuine archaeology in your back yard; you don't have to travel to Greece, or Pompeii, or the La Brea Tar Pits to discover archaeological artifacts and fossils, you know.  More often than you think, these things (maybe not the dinosaur…

Back Yard Geology: Crinoid Stems

There are crinoid stems everywhere; they were once so prolific they covered the bottom of the sea like a crop of wheat! The Midwest was once part of a great prehistoric sea, and where there is a sea, there are sea creatures. Where there WAS…
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Science Takes a Summer Vacation – Selfies from the Road

Although our science kits and materials don't sit on the shelves in our distribution center for long, they are still granted a summer vacation, like all of our human staff members at Steve Spangler Science. Our science kits are also not exempt…