Cork and Wine Bottle Trick
You probably received the e-mail showing a guy who taught everyone how to remove a wine cork that had been pushed completely into the bottle. The video included no verbal explanation, but viewers learned that the secret to the trick was the…
Brevard Teachers Do It Right
As a general rule, I think teachers have a difficult time being in the spotlight, especially when it comes to receiving awards. I was honored to be the guest speaker at the first annual PRISM awards dinner in Orlando, Florida where two Brevard…
Teachers Create Science Buzz – Science in the Rockies 2007
It's been called a"Mr. Wizard-style" training camp for teachers who are looking to add more purpose and piazza to their science lessons. The three-day intensive training called Science in the Rockies is targeted at early childhood…
Exploding Watermelons
I love Halloween. One of my favorite activities is to "carve" pumpkins using a simple reation inside the fruit. First, you carve the face then carefully replace pieces. After creating a reaction by generating a gas inside and igniting it (ask…
The Deep Voice Gas – Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6)
It was fun to see David Willey on The Tonight Show this evening doing some nice variations on the classic sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) demo. This is the inert gas that is six times heavier than the air we breath. If you breath in helium (six times…
Water Flowing Uphill?
Not exactly... but this stuff is really cool. It's probably best described as a self-siphoning gel. The chemical is called polyethylene oxide or Polyox and it has an incredibly large molecular weight - about 4 million. When the powder is mixed…
New YouTube Channel for SteveSpanglerScience
We've stuggled with the decision of where to host our science demonstration videos. It really comes down to accessibility and it's tough to beat YouTube.com So, we uploaded our first round of science demonstration videos on our channel called…
Remembering Mr. Wizard – A True Inspiration
As I was driving home this evening, I received a call from a fellow science teacher who shared the news of the passing of Don Herbert. As I reflect on the impact Mr. Wizard had on science education and me personally, I can't help but be thankful…
Young Rocket Scientists Inspired by Homer Hickam
Only a very cool teacher gives this kind of homework to her students... "Using only construction paper and tape, I want you to design a rocket." Lisa Heaton, the Gifted and Talented teacher showed her students a specially designed rocket launcher…
Blogging in 5th Grade: Students Use Blog to Share Science Experiences
What does a penny, a balloon and some spinning action have to do with learning how to become a rocket scientist? Mrs. Heaton's 5th grade Gifted and Talented class is currently reading the book October Sky by Homer Hickam Jr. But they're not…
