Make an atomic mobile. Discover what elements make up the solar system and how they are created.

FOR STUDENTS

		Online Field Journal: Compare Activity for grades Kindergarten through 5 No matter what the weather or season, you can explore nature with these 11 online challenges. See just how good your observation skills are by comparing butterflies, leaves, reptiles, fish, and more.
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		The Formation of the Solar System Article for grades 3 through 12 About 4.6 billion years ago, our solar system came into being. This comic strip explains the processes that led to the creation of the planets and the asteroid belt.
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		Atomic Mobile Activity for grades 3 through 8 All living things contain carbon, the sixth element on the Periodic Table. Make a mobile of this elemental element with scissors, wire, pipe cleaners, and clay.
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		Exploring Density Activity for grades 3 through 12 Why do some materials sink to the core of a planet while others float to the crust? This experiment uses marshmallow fluff and molasses to illustrate the concept of planet differentiation.
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FOR STUDENTS...MORE CHALLENGING

		What's the Composition of the Universe? Activity for grades 9 through 12 Can the universe be contained in colored sprinkles? Find out by using confetti or sprinkles to create samples that show the abundance of elements in different substances found in the universe.
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		The Abundance of Elements in the Sun Activity for grades 9 through 12 What’s the universe made of? Scientists tackle this puzzle by studying the composition of the different objects contained in the universe. In this activity the object is the Sun, and the tools are the periodic table and a graph.
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BACKGROUND FOR EDUCATORS

		Video Gallery: Special Relativity and the Exploration of the Evolution of Matter Article for grades 9 through 12 Imagine building a machine to study an isolated one millionth of a second in time. That's just what scientists at the Brookhaven National Laboratory have done. Find out why.
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		Arthur Ross Hall of Meteorites Exhibition Materials for all grades up to 12 Hundreds of times each year, a rock survives the fiery trip from space and lands on Earth. Take a look at some of these "fallen stars" that have been recovered from around the globe.
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Discover Einstein and his ideas and theories about light, matter, and energy.

FOR STUDENTS

		Nobody's Perfect Article for grades 3 through 8 Perfection certainly wasn't something to strive for, according to Einstein. In fact, he believed that messing up was a part of being successful—an idea that, itself, has proven relevance.
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		Eye on Einstein Activity for grades 3 through 8 I spy a CD player—or is it a product of Einstein's revolutionary thinking? Actually, it's both. What other Einstein-inspired inventions can you find?
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		Train of Thought Activity for grades 3 through 8 Take your imagination on a wonderful, mind-bending trip with these "thought experiments" worthy of Einstein himself. With this train, it truly is all about the journey.
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		Einstein in Time Article for grades 3 through 8 Considered a genius by the world, Einstein once said, "I have no special talent, I am only passionately curious." Take a quick look at where Einstein's curiosity took him—and the world.
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		Light, Matter, and Energy Article for grades 3 through 8 Who was this genius named Einstein, and where did he get all his great ideas? Find out with this virtual tour of the many ways he changed science. It might just inspire the genius in you!
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BACKGROUND FOR EDUCATORS

		Einstein Books for Adults Reference List for grades 9 through 12 Considered the world's most intriguing genius, Einstein has inspired hundreds of writings. Here's a short list of some of the most enlightening looks at his life and ideas, including some he penned.
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Explore gravity and how forces and motion shape the universe.

FOR STUDENTS...MORE CHALLENGING

		Weightlessness on Earth Curriculum Materials for grades 6 through 12 Who said daydreams are a waste of time? One of Einstein's flights of fancy led to the equivalence principle—the knowledge that while an object is in free fall, it's free of gravity's effects.
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		Journey to a Black Hole Article for grades 6 through 12 If you could take a trip to a black hole, would you? Before you answer, take a peek at what you'd encounter. The trip certainly would qualify as adventure travel!
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		Newton's Laws of Motion and Gravity Applied to Meteorites Activity for grades 6 through 12 Did it all start when an apple bopped Isaac Newton on the head? This activity explores some of the ways his fundamental laws are expressed in our dynamic solar system.
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		Gravity: It's Universal Article for grades 9 through 12 We owe our lives to gravity. It holds the atmosphere to Earth and keeps us all from falling off into space. Not to mention that without gravity, the stars and planets—including Earth—wouldn't even exist!
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Investigate the properties of light. Build a spectoscope, investigate white and colored light, and learn how light carries information from distant objects.

FOR STUDENTS

		White Light and Colored Light Curriculum Materials for grades Kindergarten through 4 When does mixing every color under the rainbow create pure white rather than a murky brown or black? When light, not paint, is the medium—and you're subtracting, not adding, color.
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		Gathering Light Curriculum Materials for grades Kindergarten through 8 While refracting and reflecting telescopes use different means of collecting light, the same principle applies to both—the bigger the aperture, the more light collected.
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		Light Quest Activity for grades 3 through 8 Particles and waves, reflection and refraction—how enlightened are you about the subject of light? Find out with Light Quest!, a kid-friendly trivia game.
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		Building a Simple Refracting Telescope Curriculum Materials for grades 5 through 8 What could Galileo see when he looked through his telescope? Build a refracting telescope with lenses similar to the ones he used, and see the answer for yourself.
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		Detecting UV Light Curriculum Materials for grades 5 through 8 You can't see the Sun's ultraviolet rays with your eyes—you just see their results on your freckled, tanned, or sunburned skin. Build a bracelet that immediately detects these invisible rays.
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FOR STUDENTS...MORE CHALLENGING

		Building a Spectroscope Curriculum Materials for grades 6 through 12 White light is a mixture of all colors of visible light, but it doesn't always include every color of the rainbow. Build a spectroscope, and view the spectral fingerprints of different light sources.
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		Light: Its Secrets Revealed Article for grades 6 through 12 Did you know that when you look at a star, your eyes are capturing light that traveled all the way from the star to your eye? Learn more about how light carries information from distant objects.
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		Seeing the Light Activity for grades 6 through 12 This simple experiment eases the task of understanding daily and seasonal cycles of day and night. See firsthand why the length of daylight changes along with your location on Earth.
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BACKGROUND FOR EDUCATORS

		John Michell and Black Holes Article for grades 9 through 12 Imagine gravity so strong that even light is contained by its force. When a country parson first described black holes in 1783, the concept was so ahead of its time that it was mostly ignored.
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