ScienceWorks Online
Engineering: Spotlight on Willie Klassen
Engineers design and make many of the objects around us. Willie Klassen is an engineer who works at Schilling Robotics. Learn more about how Willie became an engineer, some of his favorite things about engineering, and what you can do if you are interested in a career in engineering. Underwater Robotic Submarines Willie helps build…
Read MoreGalaxy Collision Simulator
Galaxy Collision Simulator Instructions Quick start – try these two icon buttons – try pressing the Rewind Simulation icon (in pink) to restart the current simulation and then press the Switch Camera icon to watch it from three different vantage points (click the Switch Camera icon multiple times to move sequentially between the 3 views).…
Read MoreBuoyancy Testing: Will it Sink or Float?
Buoyancy Buoyancy is the upward force of a fluid on an object that is immersed in it. Put simply, the more buoyant an object is, the more likely it floats in a fluid. In this activity, Ash and Linus test some objects in water, to see which will sink and float. Buoyancy is related to…
Read MoreMae Jemison Featured Scientist
Meet Mae Jemison Mae Jemison is today’s featured scientist in the spotlight. Mae Jemison was born in Alabama in 1956, and grew up in Illinois. She became interested in science as a young student, and excelled in school. She started college when she was just 16 years old, and earned degrees in chemical engineering and…
Read MoreWhat Does a Wildlife Forensics Scientist Do?
There are many kinds of science in the world, and even a greater variety of scientists who practice them! Today, Maya is talking with Johnnie French, a Forensic Scientist, Collections Manager, and specialist in Morphology, at the National Fish and Wildlife Forensic Laboratory. Johnnie manages a huge collection of wildlife specimens, from rare types of…
Read MoreBuild a Diddley-Bow Stringed Musical Instrument
DIY Diddley-Bow Objective: To build a basic diddley-bow in this do it yourself activity. The diddley-bow is an instrument much older than a viol, harp, or lute- it is a modification of a stringed instrument from West Africa. Difficulty Level: Easy (8-14 year olds) Easy with help (6-8 year olds) Kids younger than 6 can…
Read MoreWhat Does an Architect Do?
What kind of jobs do scientists do? Have you thought about how your home was designed and built? One of the people who designs homes is called an architect. Maya had a chance to talk with Lissa recently. Lissa is an architect who designs homes in high-rise buildings. Watch this interview to learn what questions…
Read MoreSpace Station Docking Simulator
Launching astronauts into space is just part of a mission. One of the most important parts involves docking with the International Space Station (ISS). In celebration of the NASA SpaceX Demo-2 space mission, ScienceWorks has produced a docking simulator that lets users pilot a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and attempt to dock with the ISS in…
Read MoreSwim in a School of Fish
Have you ever wanted to swim in a school of fish? What would you have to know to be good at it? What rules could you use to stay together and what patterns can we notice when animals move together in groups? You can use this program to see what that’s like and test out…
Read MoreDIY Spectroscope
Objective: Would you like to hold a rainbow in your hand? With a spectroscope, you can! You can make this device from simple materials you have at home. Then you can use it to learn more about light emitted around you. Difficulty Level: Easy (ages 8-14)/Easy with help (ages 3-8) Safety Note: Never look directly…
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