Fun / Kids

Hands-on Science


Want to turn kids on to science? The best way is to make science lessons either interactive or an adventure, and though many sites are jam-packed with scientific information, few offer both interactivity and adventure. The sites here, however, enable kids to direct their own learning or describe adventures and experiments in faraway places. As a result, these resources are likely to engage kids' minds and get them excited about science.

The Best

The Exploratorium in San Francisco was one of the first hands-on museums for kids, and its ExploraNet is just as likely to elicit delighted shouts of "Cool!" This is a rich vein of hands-on exploring that features several small experiments and one large, regularly changing interactive exhibit. When we checked in, the large exhibit was "Diving Into the Gene Pool." Each of its five sections provided rich text explanations of some aspect of genetics. We also saw one interesting opportunity to interact: While reading about the genetic differences among fruit flies, you can click on images of those insects to see how individuals differ and learn what causes the differences. ExploraNet also includes a collection of smaller but more interactive science experiments. Wisely designed, these experiments all make good use of the knowledge that the viewer is sitting at a computer, not walking through a museum. For example, the Bronx Cheer Bulb uses the old raspberry cheer to demonstrate visual effects such as how to make a monitor screen vibrate and appear to shift. Each interactive exhibit explains how and why it works. Finally, ExploraNet has a large collection of home and classroom projects with step-by-step instructions and aids for teachers and parents. All told, this site will keep kids, parents, and teachers engrossed for hours.

The New South Polar Times is a biweekly newsletter written by the staff of the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. It is a delightfully chatty and kid-oriented publication that is fascinating and educational even if you aren't particularly interested in science. Descriptions of everyday life at the South Pole are vivid and well-written. It also is chock-full of science: It discusses, usually in quite understandable terms, the science experiments conducted at the station. One recent project was creating a telescope that can withstand the South Pole's extreme weather. The newsletter regularly responds to questions e-mailed by young readers. The site also includes back issues and ideas for teachers about how to use the newsletter as part of a science curriculum.

The Rest

Here's one bit of hands-on science that many kids would like to keep their hands off: Interactive Frog Dissection. Yup...it's just what it sounds like. Dissecting a frog in biology class is a rite of passage for many teenagers. This site is a great place for squeamish kids to learn about the dissection process without feeling embarrassed. The frog images are not as gross as the real thing. After receiving step-by-step instruction, you pin down four parts of the frog, then click where the skin and muscle incisions should go. When you finish, this site describes the innards of the frog. No, it's still not pretty, but it's much less intimidating for many kids than dissecting a frog in class surrounded by peers. For the budding high school biologist, this site is a must.

Solar System Live is a lovely way to view our solar system in motion. You set viewing parameters such as the time and date you are viewing and your location on earth. This site is a bit short on explanation, which may make it less appealing to younger kids. Still, it is fascinating for astronomy newcomers and those who are learning their way around the heavens.

There's nothing new about Helping Your Child Learn Science. In fact, the date posted on this U.S. Department of Education page is August 1991. There's nothing attractive about this page, either: It's entirely text. Nevertheless, it's a treasure trove of science activities that kids and parents can do together, featuring 16 science experiments and 12 community activities. Learn how to set up the experiments and what to look for. The community activities initially seem obvious, like going to the zoo, but there are good suggestions about games and other suggestions to enhance such visits.

The JASON Project was founded in 1989 by Dr. Robert D. Ballard, the discoverer of the sunken R.M.S. Titanic. During annual scientific expeditions to places like the Galapagos Islands and Hawaii, scientists here communicate with kids via satellite. You'll find many links to other Internet resources related to the subject of the expedition. Also, after the expedition it serves as a repository for some results. There are diary-like letters from expedition participants and photos that explain the expedition, but few explanations of the research results. This site could be an excellent way for kids who can't get to the regional interactive sites to follow the expedition. However, the JASON Project doesn't take advantage of this opportunity.

The Online Interactive Projects site is part of NASA's The Internet in the Classroom initiative. It is similar to the JASON Project in that it features regularly scheduled expeditions and experiments that kids and their teachers can follow. This site depends more on the Web than the JASON Project, but it still isn't particularly interactive. Rather, kids simply follow along as the scientific work proceeds. Nonetheless, there's a lot of good scientific information here, most of which is part of journal entries by scientists released periodically during the experiment. Kids can e-mail questions to the scientists.

Australia's Telerobot on the Web is a fun idea that gets old fast. You view images of a robot arm in an Australian laboratory and issue commands to move it. The goal is to get the robot to pick up blocks; after you issue a new command, you see an updated image. Initially, it is fascinating to use your keyboard to control a robot halfway across the world, but the site provides no information about the science behind the project. As a result, this site isn't very educational.

Click The Bones You Wanna See is a cute but limited site. When you click on a specific bone of a human skeleton, you'll hear a young child saying the name of the bone.

by David Haskin

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Internet Life Vol.1 No.1 Winter 1995