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Public engagement resources for the Monday April 8, 2024 Solar Eclipse
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Group of children and adults using dry ice to make bubbles in Explore Science Let's Do Chemistry Sublimation Bubbles activity

Short Activities

Short activities are brief hands-on experiences lasting less than 15 minutes for small groups of people. They are often presented at a table, cart, or demonstration space in a variety of settings such as a museum exhibit gallery, classroom, or other public or group setting. Multiple short activities can be combined to form a longer activity.

Showing 31 - 40 of 180 results

Learners pour beads into a sieve filter to sort by size

Exploring Size - Ball Sorter

In this activity, learners use sieves with different-sized holes, to sort balls by size and investigate filtering.
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Group of two learners and two facilitators observe as one learner carefully applies drops of water onto colored sand

Exploring Products - Nano Sand

In this activity, learners explore how water behaves differently when it comes in contact with nano sand and regular sand.
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Facilitator and learners discuss their drawn super organism

Building with Biology: Super Organisms

In this activity focused on synthetic biology, learners use the engineering design process to design a single-celled organism to clean up an oil spill to learn more about synthetic biology.
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two learners and a facilitator examine three ice orbs

Exploring the Universe: Ice Orbs

In this activity, learners investigate a sphere of ice and objects hidden inside as a model for icy worlds in our solar system.
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A family of three crafts their rockets out of paper, stickers and tape

Exploring the Solar System: Stomp Rockets

In this activity, learners will build and launch their own air rockets to help imagine the challenges and triumphs of engineering spacecraft.
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Family using thermometer to take temperature of their arm for the Heat Map activity

Exploring Earth: Temperature Mapping

In this activity, learners model the way Landsat satellites use a thermal infrared sensor to measure land surface temperatures.
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The near side of the Moon, as seen by the cameras aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft (NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University, 2017)

Exploring the Solar System: Observe the Moon

In this activity, we can look up from Earth and see the Moon with our own eyes. We can observe the Moon in even greater detail by using tools, like binoculars, telescopes, and NASA spacecraft.
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image of a handprint that was created using heat sensitive liquid crystals suspended in thermal paper

Exploring Materials - Liquid Crystals

In this activity, learners will investigate the properties of a heat sensitive liquid crystal and make their own liquid crystal sensor to take home.
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Person's hand resting a Stained Glass window

Nanoparticle Stained Glass (cart demo)

In this activity, learners make a collaborative stained glass window and a take-away card with pre-made nanoparticle solutions containing silver or gold
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Educator and group of children learning about self assembly using Gummy Capsules NanoDays activity

Exploring Fabrication - Gummy Capsules

In this activity, learners make self-assembled polymer spheres.
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