Grades 6-8
Article
Sorting Arthropods for Identification
Identifying arthropods is a challenge—even for someone who spends his days identifying Australian ground spiders at the museum. Get tips for making the sorting process easier.
Article
Saving El Imposible: A Biodiversity Puzzle
Journey to El Salvador for a visit to El Imposible, where you have to go on horseback or foot to see the entire forest. This national park has been called the "Jewel of Central America."
Article
Investigating Plant-Arthropod Interactions
In her search for answers, this doctoral candidate mostly came up with more questions—a result that made her happy. Learn why she thinks the best part of discovery is following a trail of questions.
Article
Maintaining an Arthropod Collection
Because dragonfly wings tend to lose their iridescence soon after they are killed, hazardous chemicals are sometimes used to "fix" the colors before they fade. But there are safer alternatives.
Article
Express Yourself!
You don't have to speak the same language, or even speak, to understand when someone is happy or sad. Explore how and why our brains have evolved to read facial expressions.
Hands-on Activity
Make Your Own Creatures of Light
Ever wonder why some organisms flash, blink, or glow? Discover how by making your own land and ocean creatures that generate light.
curriculum materials
For Educators: The World's Largest Dinosaurs
For 140 million years giant dinosaurs called sauropods roamed Earth. Help students investigate the success of the largest land animals ever with this practical and printable exhibition guide for educators.
Article
Trip Up Your Brain
Solving math equations, reading books, even thinking about thinking, the brain's abilities are amazing. But it can be fooled. Find out how with these fun and easy experiments.
Article
The Butterfly Kingdom
Taiwan may be a small island, but it's home to more kinds of butterflies than any almost other place in the world — about 400 species have been discovered by scientists. Find out why.
Article
If Rocks Could Talk
Whether 4.5 billion or 900 years old, every rock has a story to tell, giving us clues about the history of the Earth. Explore these stories by looking at igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.
