Science

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Ellen DeGeneres Wants Giant Smoke Rings!

It's official... I'm flying out to be a guest on the Ellen DeGeneres Show next week. Back in April of 2006 when a producer on the show originally contacted our office, I asked for your suggestions on experiments to do with Ellen. Lots of people…

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…

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…

First Geyser Tube Now Available – Powered by Mentos

We're excited about the official launch of our new Spangler Geyser Tube. Think of it as the perfect Mentos loading device to trigger a 30 foot geyser of soda. Just load the Mentos candies into the tube, lock the nozzle in place and pull the…
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Mentos Geyser Hits the Classroom… But Some Teachers Don’t Get It

It has the potential of being the most popular science fair project of all time. The Mentos Geyser is definitely fun to watch, but some teachers are missing the opportunity to use the activity to teach science. Over the last few weeks, I've…

Television’s “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” Called Today…

Steve... you've got a call on line 4 from a person who says she's from the television show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Do you want to take it? Hello, this is Steve... The person introduced herself as a producer for the television show who…

Mad About Science Magic – Should Magicians Be Responsible for Teaching Science?

Should magic tricks be used as a way to teach science in today's classrooms? This question and about a dozen more were asked of me during an interview for an international magazine for the Society of American Magicians. The author of the article,…

Apply for the Christopher Columbus Award

The Christopher Columbus Awards Program combines science and technology with community problem-solving. Students in grades 6-8 work in teams with the help of an adult coach to identify an issue they care about and, using science and technology,…
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My Inspiration… Don Herbert – The “Original” Mr. Wizard

A popular guest on the Johnny Carson Show, Don Herbert was truly an inspiration to an entire generation of science enthusiasts. I remember watching him as a kid and being impressed by the fact that while he was amazing, he didn't have a laboratory…