Grades 6-8
Curriculum
Detecting UV Light
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.
curriculum materials
Building a Spectroscope
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.
Article
Telescopes: Super Views from Space
It probably comes as no surprise that telescopes do a better job of collecting light and observing outer space than your eyes. But do you know why? (Hint: the answer is NOT magnification!)
Article
Let's Talk With Melanie Stiassny About the Oceans
Living on land as we do, it's easy to forget this is a water planet. Yet life appeared about 3.5 billion years ago in the ocean, and instead of leaving, most things stayed there.
Article
Let's Talk With Sean Murtha About Dioramas
What makes a great diorama? Learn how this museum artist had to develop new techniques in order to create background paintings.
Article
Let's Talk with Ian Harrison about How Marine Animals Breathe
When in comes to breathing under water, marine organisms breathe in different ways. Some absorb oxygen through their skin, some rely on gills, and others gulp air into their gas bladders.
Activity
Evolution
Natural selection plays a large role in the evolution of a species. The following activity demonstrates this concept.
Curriculum
What Makes a Dinosaur a Dinosaur
Can you walk like a dinosaur? Hint: The movement is not like lizards, crocodiles, and other reptiles; instead, it's more like birds. Investigate what else birds and dinosaurs have in common.
Article
Selecting a Site
What should you think about before selecting a site to study? The answer depends on what you want to know. Get tips from working scientists about how to hone in on the perfect site for you.
Article
How to Identify Plants in the Field
When it comes to identifying plant species, making mistakes is part of the process. That's why this botanist and curator recommends, "Never erase anything!"
