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An illustration of water on a hydrophobic surface. The water forms perfect spheres.

Water

A compilation of water public engagement resources and activities; topics include water quality, pollution, supply, hydrological cycle, properties at the small scale including hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties, bubbles, ice, and clouds. Also included are resources for annual events including Groundwater Awareness Week, World Water Day, Earth Day, World Oceans Day, National Pollution Prevention Week, Coastal Cleanup Day, Earth Science Week, and Imagine a Day Without Water.

Properties and Forces - Including Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Properties

Facilitator showing learners the lotus leaf effect

Lotus Leaf Effect

In this activity, learners explore how some leaves are self cleaning and repel water due to their nanoscale features.
A lotus leaves in a small, man-made concrete pond.

Zoom into a Lotus Leaf video

In this video, learners get an up close look at the tiny nanostructures that give the leaf its unique superhydrophobic behavior.
hand spooning white powder material into cup in Exploring Materials - Hydrogel NanoDays activity

Exploring Materials - Hydrogel

In this activity, learners discover how a super absorbing material can be used to move a small object.
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.
Exploring Products - Nano Fabrics acitivty components including signs, guides, and mini pants coated with nano materials

Exploring Products - Nano Fabrics

In this activity, learners investigate the hydrophobic properties of pants made from nano fabric and ordinary fabric.
Family engaging with sand, plants, and pants

Sand, Plants and Pants

In this activity, learners explore how the application of nano-sized particles or substances can change a bigger material’s properties.
Learner experimenting with magic sand

Magic Sand / Nanosurfaces

In this activity, learners discover that "magic" sand repels water because of a nanoscale hydrophobic coating on the grains of sand.
young learners placing mini teacup in water to see what happens

Exploring Forces - Gravity

In this activity, learners will discover that size can affect the way materials like water behave.
Person looking closely at a cup filled with dirty water

What’s Nano About Water?

In this 30-second video, viewers quickly learn how nanotechnology can filter pesticides and heavy metals out of water.
What is nano about museum labels thumbnails of signs featuring signs of hot-chocolate, hamburger, glass of water, a window, and a toilet

Nano Museum Labels (Graphic Signs)

These museum graphic labels highlight everyday connections to nanoscale science including: chocolate, food packaging, water, a window, paint, a toilet, a soap bubble, fashion, a sock, a pencil, a butterfly, a gecko, a laptop, an elevator, and a local city.
Children looking at Gecko with magnifying glass

Biomimicry

A collection of biomimicry resources and examples of how technology can imitate natural phenomena and processes. Public engagement biomimicry activity examples include: self-cleaning surfaces and fabrics inspired by the lotus leaf effect observed in some plant leaves, sticky materials inspired by gecko feet, photonics crystals using structural color similar to the iridescent properties of some insects, bird feathers, and shells.

Annual Events

 

More Resources

Working with STEM Experts Guide cover including an image of expert  puring a liquid and using a strainer with a girl and her family at a museum public event

Finding STEM Experts