Search results

Downloadable

Water is precious

In this activity, students are introduced to the concepts of everyday water use and water conservation. They discover the importance of water through story and discussion.

Video

Stellar scintillation

This resource explores a concept belonging to the Meriam (Mer) people of the Torres Strait who have long understood the importance of stellar scintillation to their lives. and the ways it can prove useful in understanding our environment. This activity involves watching a video of an elder playing a Meriam star song and ...

Text

Billabongs

Understanding life cycles and the seasons allowed Indigenous Australians to survive. In this resource students will learn about life cycles involved with billabong species alongside seasonal calendars to understand the way their natural world works. In this activity students will work in groups to research an organism, ...

Text

Shadows

This activity invites students to explore the phenomena of shadows and investigate the question, 'How can you change shadows?' Students work with shadow phenomena outdoors, indoors, or both to figure out how to change the size, shape, and position of a shadow. The activity is designed for use at home or in a classroom and ...

Text

Balance

This activity invites students to explore the phenomena of balance and investigate the question, 'Can you find at least three different ways of balancing three identical weights on a balance board?' Students work with a simple balance (e.g., a ruler as the balance board, a toilet-paper-tube fulcrum, and coins as weights), ...

Text

Bubbles

This activity invites students to explore the phenomena of bubbles and investigate the question, 'What happens when you blow a lot of bubbles?' Students blow dome-shaped bubbles on a flat surface to investigate the properties of bubbles and combinations of bubbles. The activity is designed for use at home or in a classroom ...

Text

Pendulums

This activity invites students to explore the phenomena of pendulums and investigate the question, 'What happens to the swing speed of your pendulum when you change one of the variables?' Students test one variable at a time to figure-out the effect of length, weight, and release point on how long it takes the pendulum ...

Text

Ramps and rollers

This activity invites students to explore the phenomena of rolling objects down a ramp and investigate the question, 'What happens to a roller when you change the ramp by making it steeper?' Students experiment by rolling balls or cylinders down a ramp, and observe how the ramp's steepness affects how far their roller rolls ...

Text

Corner Reflector

This activity invites students to use two hinged mirrors create a kaleidoscope that shows multiple images of an object. The activity includes a list of tools and materials required, assembly instructions, what to do and notice, an explanation for the underlying science of what students observe and suggestions for further ...

Text

Critical angle

This activity invites students to explore how light is reflected from the underside of a water surface. The activity includes a list of tools and materials required, assembly instructions, what to do and notice, an explanation for the underlying science of what students observe and suggestions for further activities.

Text

Inverse-square law

This activity invites students to explore why the world gets dark so fast outside the circle of the campfire. Using simple equipment, students can investigate the inverse square relationship for light spreading out over an area. The activity includes a list of tools and materials required, assembly instructions, what to ...

Text

Mirror reversal

This activity invites students to explore the directions that mirrors reflect images. The activity includes a list of tools and materials required, assembly instructions, what to do and notice, an explanation for the underlying science of what students observe and suggestions for further activities.

Text

Outdoor Shadows

This activity invites students to explore how outside shadows changes over time and relate this to the movement of the Sun and Earth. Students are asked to go outside and trace an outline of their shadow, wait a while, try again, and observe and record how their shadow has changed. The activity includes a list of tools ...

Text

Output of a Solar Cell

This activity invites students to measure the efficiency of solar cells as they convert sunlight to power. The activity includes a list of tools and materials required, assembly instructions, what to do and notice, an explanation for the underlying science of what students observe and suggestions for further activities.

Text

Personal Pinhole Theater

This activity invites students to build a pinhole camera using a large cardboard box and simple materials. The activity includes a list of tools and materials required, assembly instructions, what to do and notice, an explanation for the underlying science of what students observe and suggestions for further activities.

Text

Separation Anxiety

This activity invites students to explore colour chromatography, a technique that uses capillary action to separate different types of ink at different rates. The activity includes a list of tools and materials required, assembly instructions, what to do and notice, an explanation for the underlying science of what students ...

Text

Cold Metal

This activity invites students to investigate why, when you touch a variety of materials, some will seem warmer or colder than others, even when they're at the same temperature. The activity includes a list of tools and materials required, what to do and notice, an explanation for the underlying science of what students ...

Text

Convection Currents

This activity invites students to explore convection currents in water. Warmer water rising through cooler water bends light, allowing students to project its motion onto a screen and observe the flow. The activity includes a list of tools and materials required, what to do and notice, an explanation for the underlying ...

Text

Melting Ice and Rising Seas

This activity invites students to investigate how melting ice is a factor contributing to sea level rise. They explore whether the location of melting ice on Earth affects the way sea level rise occurs by making a model of seas, ice and continents. The activity includes a list of tools and materials required, what to do ...

Text

See Inside a Seed

This activity invites students to examine the baby plants inside the seeds we eat and explore the various structures that protect and feed a developing plant embryo. The activity includes a list of tools and materials required, what to do and notice, an explanation for the underlying science of what students observe and ...