
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.

Exploring Tools - Mitten Challenge
In this activity, learners build a Lego® structure while wearing mittens and discover how difficult it is to build small things when your tools are too big.
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Build a Giant Puzzle!
In this activity, learners assemble blocks to make images and discover how different objects are connected to nanotechnology.
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Exploring Fabrication - Electroplating
In this activity, learners coat a nickel coin with nanometer-thin layers of copper using the electroplating process.
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Exploring Size - Tiny Ruler
In this activity, learners investigating just how small a billionth of a meter is by repeatedly cutting a paper ruler in half.
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Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs): Cart Version
In this activity, learners explore OLEDs through presentations and a spin coater demonstration. Instructions are included for facilitators to pre-make the OLEDs and the spin coater.
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Exploring Properties - Heat Transfer
In this activity, learners investigate how quickly heat is transferred through two different materials.
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Water Roll
In this activity, learners decide how they would distribute water between homes, farms and factories by sliding marbles down a tube into various containers.
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Frankentoy
In this activity, learners make a “creature” by mixing and matching different parts of toys.
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Chemistry Makes Scents
In this activity, learners will use their nose to explore the differences between chemicals with similar structures and use large molecule models to visualize the structural differences.
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Exploring the Solar System: Mission to Space board game
In this activity, learners play a board game in which they represent a team of scientists and engineers sending a spacecraft on a mission to space.
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