kits detail

Animal Studies, Grade 4, STC
By caring for and observing three animals from different habitats-the dwarf African frog, the fiddler crab, and the millipede-students learn about what animals need to survive, the primary parts of their anatomical structure, and the ways in which they are suited for life in a particular environment. Students create and maintain individual logs in which they record their observations of each animal over time. These observations focus on animal behavior, including methods for food getting, movement, and protection. Toward the end of the unit, students apply what they have learned about structure, habitat, survival needs, and behavior to study a fourth classroom animal: the human. They also conduct an animal research project and decide how they will present their findings to the class.

Balance and Motion, Grades 1-2, FOSS
We live in a dynamic world where everything is in motion, or so it seems. But not everything is moving the same way. Some things move from one place to another. Other things go around and around in a rotational motion. Still other things are stationary, stable for a time, balanced on a thin line between stop and go. These are the global phenomena that students experience in this module, Balance and Motion.

Balls & Ramps, K-1, INSIGHTS
This module builds on children's prior experiences with balls and how they move. Children focus on two themes: the properties and characteristics of balls and some of the factors that affect the way balls behave. Children begin by comparing how a wide variety of balls roll and bounce; next make their own balls out of clay and many other materials; and then explore the movement of different balls as the balls roll down ramps, through tubes, and around bends.

Changes of State, Grade 2, STC
Students expand their understanding of solids, liquids, and gases by exploring changes in state. They investigate freezing, melting, evaporation, and condensation of water. In a sequence of lessons, students produce a mixture of two solids and a mixture of solids with liquids and observe the results. They work through several methods to separate mixtures: sieving, filtration, evaporation, and chromatography. The students set up races that involve sugar dissolving in water and observe the effects of particle size and water temperature on the rate at which the sugar dissolves. They also observe crystals formed as a result of evaporation. Students observe some changes that occur immediately and some that occur over time, and they begin to recognize the characteristics of chemical reactions. They investigate rusting, and they observe and collect the gas formed by mixing an effervescent tablet in water. Students have several opportunities to practice their new skills in lessons in which they devise ways of separating a mystery mixture and plan and carry out investigations that involve other changes.

Circuits and Pathways, Grades 3-4, INSIGHTS
Students develop a basis for understanding electricity by exploring its properties in simple circuits. They start by sharing what they already know and what they would like to know about electricity. They are then given an opportunity to use batteries, wire, bulbs, and motors to explore the concept of a complete circuit. With this knowledge and experience, students work with series and parallel circuits, fuses, and the concepts of conduction and resistance. At the end of the module, students apply all they have learned to make and solve electric mystery boxes.

Color Analyzers, Grades 5-8, GEMS
4 sessions. Students experiment with diffraction gratings and color filters in a series of challenges and observations to study light and color. They also apply concepts and patterns to create and decipher their secret messages using a "color analyzer." Teacher background information on color and light is provided.

Discovering Density, Grades 6-8, GEMS
5 sessions. Students investigate the concept of density through a series of challenges with different liquids that form colorful layers when poured together; for example, they try to layer liquids in a straw. They create their own mixtures, make calculations and predictions, and examine how heat affects density. Then they examine various real-life scenarios involving density. 

Ecosystems, Grade 5, STC
Students begin the unit by setting up a terrarium in which they grow grass, mustard, and alfalfa plants. They then add crickets and isopods. They also set up an aquarium into which they introduce snails, guppies, elodea, algae, and duckweed. By connecting the terrarium and aquarium bottles to create an "eco-column," students are able to observe the relationship between the two environments and the organisms living within them. Using test eco-columns that contain only plants, students simulate the effects of pollutants-such as road salt, fertilizer, and acid rain-on an environment. Students then use a food chain wheel to make inferences about the effects these pollutants might have on their own miniature ecosystems. Later, students read about, explore, and discuss the Chesapeake Bay as a model ecosystem. They analyze this ecosystem from the viewpoint of various users-waterman, dairy farmer, land developer, recreational boater, and resident-and present their findings to the class. This activity enables students to appreciate the trade-offs that must be made to reach mutually acceptable solutions to environmental problems.

Electric Circuits, Grade 4, STC
Students are first introduced to the basic properties of electricity as they learn about electric circuits and the parts of a light bulb. Next, students learn about conductors and insulators and about the symbols used to represent the parts of a circuit in circuit diagrams. Students also explore different kinds of circuits, learn about switches, construct a flashlight, and investigate the properties of diodes. Finally, students apply their knowledge and skills to wire a cardboard house.

Environments, Grades 5-6, FOSS
All living things depend on the conditions in their environment. The study of the relationships between one organism and its environment builds knowledge of all organisms. With this knowledge comes an awareness of limits. Changes in an environment can be hard on organisms. Such knowledge is important because humans can change environments. To do so without awareness of possible consequences can lead to disasters. The Environments Module consists of six investigations that introduce students to these basic concepts in environmental biology.

Growing Things, Grades 2-3, INSIGHTS
This module starts with a tour of the school neighborhood, giving students a chance to observe the variety of plants growing around them. Then, as students grow their own plants, they observe the development of germinating seeds, measure and record growth and change, and design and conduct simple experiments to explore the factors that affect plant growth.

Habitats, Grades 2-3, INSIGHTS
Students examine their own basic needs and the needs of other living things around them. They explore the school building and neighborhood to determine how these areas meet their own needs. They then study some of the small creatures they find on the school grounds and the physical factors that affect these creatures' habitats. Finally, students "invite" an organism into the classroom for several days of close observation to determine what behaviors and adaptations of the organism allow it to meet its needs in its particular habitat.

Human Body Systems, Grade 6, INSIGHTS
In this module, students look at how three different body systems work together to help their bodies function. They begin by looking at the needs their bodies have in order to perform a variety of physical tasks. As the module continues, the students engage in a variety of activities that demonstrate how the digestive, circulatory, and respiratory systems work interdependently to provide the cells in the body with the nutrients and energy they need.

Lifting Heavy Things, Grades 2-3, INSIGHTS
As this module begins, students are asked to think about what it means to make work easier. They then try out experiences and challenges using levers, planes and pulleys, and explore the advantages and disadvantages of each. At the end of the module, they are challenged to analyze a construction site that has no power and decide which simple machine is most appropriate for each task.

Liquids, Grades 2-3, INSIGHTS
Students explore the unique characteristics of liquids, compare different liquids, and explore how solids and liquids interact with each other. They discover how three liquids-corn syrup, oil and water-behave in isolation and how these liquids behave when mixed. Students then investigate floating and sinking and some of the variables that affect how solid objects behave in liquids of different density.

Living Things, K-1, INSIGHTS
This module builds on the natural curiosity and excitement young children have for the natural world around them. Throughout the module, they observe the changes in a tree; examine the plants and animals living in and around the tree; and look at other living things nearby. Children think about and discuss the many needs of plants and animals and the dependence living things have on one another. Using these experiences, children build terraria in the classroom.

Magnetism and Electricity, Grades 3-4, FOSS
The Magnetism and Electricity Module consists of five sequential investigations, each designed to introduce or reinforce concepts in physical science. The investigations provide opportunities for students to explore the natural and human-made worlds by observing and manipulating materials in focused settings using simple tools.

Measuring Time, Grade 6, STC
In the first part of this unit, students explore the use of natural phenomena, such as the phases of the moon, to keep time. In the second section, students conduct experiments using some of the instruments that have been used to keep time throughout the centuries. They build and experiment with a water clock and investigate the characteristics of the pendulum. Finally, they apply what they have learned to assemble and evaluate a clock escapement and modify the device in order to make it more accurate. The unit provides students with an opportunity to learn how to measure time, to investigate machines, to explore concepts such as energy and motion, and to learn about the science of astronomy.

Microworlds, Grade 5, STC
Students examine everyday objects as well as microorganisms with a variety of magnifying devices. They begin by investigating several common objects with the unaided eye. Using a variety of lenses, including hand lenses, acrylic spheres, and water drops, they learn that a magnifying lens must be transparent and curved. Next, students use a microscope to view inanimate objects. They learn proper focusing and lighting techniques, as well as how to prepare slides. Students prepare a section of onion skin and observe its cells. Students' attention then turns to living specimens. Using a microscope, they view three microorganisms-Volvox, Blepharisma, and the vinegar eel. They study the cell structure of these organisms and observe how the organisms feed, grow, and multiply. In a final challenge, students use the microscope to examine cultures they have grown from hay and grass infusions. 

More than Magnifiers, Grades 6-8, GEMS
4 activities. Students are amazed at what they can do with just 2 lenses. As they explore the properties of lenses and magnification, students are challenged to make their own simple cameras, telescopes, and slide projectors using materials provided in the kit. They discover that lenses have quantifiable properties that determine their suitability for different applications. 

Myself and Others, K-1, INSIGHTS
Children look at themselves and their classmates, and explore similarities and differences in such characteristics as height, eye color, and hand size. They become aware of how they are similar to those children they may see as different because of a physical characteristic (such as skin color) and how they are different from those children they may otherwise see as similar. This module helps to create a positive, supportive atmosphere in which children can realize and appreciate that although each of them is unique, they all share many similar characteristics.

Of Cabbages and Chemistry, Grades 4-8, GEMS
4 sessions. Is it an acid or a base? Students find out by using red cabbage juice as an indicator. Testing reveals that chemicals can be grouped by their acidic or basic properties. Students then discover how acids and bases relate to their everyday lives. 

Pebbles, Sand and Silt, Grades 1-2, FOSS
The Pebbles, Sand, and Silt Module consists of four sequential investigations, each designed to introduce concepts in earth science. The investigations provide experiences that heighten students' awareness of rocks as earth materials and natural resources. They will come to know rocks by many names and in a variety of sizes. Pebbles and sand are the same material-just different in size.

Plant Growth and Development, Grade 3, STC
Students observe each stage in the life cycle of a simple plant. Working with Wisconsin Fast PlantsT ( Brassica rapa ), which germinate, mature, and go to seed within a 40-day period, students plant seeds and watch the seedlings emerge. Later, they thin and transplant seedlings. As they watch their plants grow, students learn that plants need nutrients from the soil, as well as water and light, to thrive. As the unit expands to focus on the interdependence of living things, students cross-pollinate the flowers with dried honeybees. Finally, they harvest mature seeds and determine seed yields. These experiences deepen students' understanding of the characteristics of living organisms and their relationship with and dependence on their environment.

Properties Kit for Grades K-1, DSM II
Students explore Properties with thirteen hands-on activities and the Delta Science Reader. To make sense of the world, a child must develop the capacity to classify and sort. Because students love to explore things with their hands, free play with kit contents is the first step in every session. Students use their hands and eyes to classify and sort by color, size, shape, and texture. They work with balances and other equipment to compare and contrast objects by weight, buoyancy, magnetic attraction, and material composition. As they practice distinguishing and grouping objects, they also build two vital vocabulary skills: describing and explaining.

In the Delta Science Reader Properties, students are introduced to the concept of matter and some of the properties that distinguish one object from another. Students read about the properties of solids, liquids, and gases. They observe that some objects sink while others float and that some objects are magnetic while others are not magnetic. The book describes how a geologist uses properties in her work. Students also read about how water can change.

Reading the Environment, Grades 3-4, INSIGHTS
Change is all around us. In this module, students explore changes in their environment. They start by examining their immediate surroundings and think about three questions--What was it like before? What changes have happened?, and What changes do we predict will occur in the future? They then look more closely at the processes of weathering and erosion. As students continue their explorations, they use time lines to help them understand how long change takes, leading to an exploration of rocks and fossils. Throughout the module, students develop skills in analyzing change by mapping the changes in a small area in the school yard. Finally, groups of students use their knowledge and experiences to write a biography of a hypothetical rock statue in their community.

Simple Machines, Grades 5-6, DSM II
Students explore Simple Machines with twelve hands-on activities and the Delta Science Reader. By measuring force as they lift, push, and pull loads, your class will determine the mathematical relationship between force and work. Students build and/or operate classroom versions of the six simple machines: lever, wheel and axle, pulley, inclined plane, wedge, and screw. They investigate how (and how much) each one makes work easier by magnifying, modifying, transferring, or changing the direction of the applied force. By calculating such factors as gear ratios and the negative effects of friction, students discover the tradeoff between force and distance. Students also identify and examine household or other everyday simple machines.

In the Delta Science Reader Simple Machines, students explore the world of simple machines and the energy that makes them work. Students read about the six simple machines; the inclined plane, the lever, the wheel and axle, the pulley, the wedge, and the screw.  As a result, they will understand the difference between simple and compound machines. In biographical sketches, students meet ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes and modern inventor Lillian Gilbreth, and discover how they put simple machines to work. Students also read about the scientific formula for calculating work, the many levers in the human body, and how a roller coaster works.

Sound, Grades 2-3, INSIGHTS
This module helps students become more aware of the nature of sound and of the diversity and abundance of sounds around them. They begin by listening to sounds on tape. They then make their own sounds with their bodies, with drums, and with other instruments-exploring vibration, pitch and volume, and the transmission of sounds. Throughout the module, students are also asked to compare the qualitative characteristics of the sounds they hear.

Sound, Grade 3, STC
Third-graders use tuning forks, slide whistles, strings, and other sound-producing objects to investigate the characteristics of sound. Students learn that sound is caused by vibrations, and they explore how sound travels. They learn about the relationship of pitch and volume to the frequency and amplitude of vibrations. They discover, for example, that they can alter pitch by varying the length or tension of a string. Constructing simple stringed instruments, they discover how they can increase the volume of the sound produced by the strings. Students investigate the characteristics of another common sound-producing mechanism-the human vocal cords-and build model vocal cords. They also learn about the anatomy and functioning of the human ear. They apply what they learn in the unit by designing and building musical instruments or other sound-producing devices.

Stories in Stone, Grades 4-8, GEMS
8 sessions. Use this kit to fascinate students about how igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks form. Working in small groups, students use a boxed set of 10 pre-numbered rock and mineral samples to learn how rocks and minerals differ and then classify the samples. "Mystery rocks" are included to challenge students' classification skills. 

The Senses, K-1, INSIGHTS
Children are provided with a variety of experiences that encourage them to use all their senses to more closely observe and describe objects and phenomena around them. They compare, sort, and classify objects by various properties. They compare their senses one to the other, raising questions of what it would be like to be unable to hear or see.

Water, Grades 3-4, FOSS
Water is the most important substance on Earth. Water dominates the surface of our planet, changes the face of the land, and defines life. These powerful, pervasive ideas are introduced here. The Water Module consists of four investigations in which students explore properties of water, changes in water, interactions between water and other earth materials, and how humans use water.

Weather, K-1, STC
This unit introduces first-graders to the concept of weather and how it affects their lives. Using a variety of tools, students observe, discuss, measure, and record data on cloud cover, precipitation, wind, and temperature. They learn how to read a thermometer and construct a rain gauge to measure precipitation. They also study cloud formations and use a wind scale to estimate the speed of wind. To apply their new skills and knowledge, students compare their own weather predictions with an actual weather forecast and use the weather data they have collected to form generalizations about the weather in their own locale.