The Science of Olympic Winter Games

The National Science Foundation and NBC help students discover "The Science of the Olympic Winter Games" cience and sport. Have you ever wondered ... How angular momentum helps one of the world's top ranked figure skaters Rachael Flatt achieve the perfect triple toe loop? How elastic collision allows three-time Olympic hockey player Julie Chu convert a game-winning slapshot? Or how Newton's Three Laws of Motion propel U.S. Olympic Trials silver medalist and short track speed skater J.R. Celski to the finish line? This is some fascinating stuff!

Be a Martian!

Students learn about Mars. Be a martian! Check out the "Citizen Science Lab Map Room", "Crater City Hall – Town Hall Polling Place", "Crater City Arts District – Two Moons Theater", "Visitor Center – Tourist Mars Atlas", and play the "2009 Pathfinder Innovation Challenge". This site was created under a Memorandum of Understanding between NASA/JPL – Caltech and Microsoft.

Kids Saving Energy

Games, tips, facts, and information about energy efficiency and renewable energy. Fun games and activities for kids who want to save energy! Check out any of the links; "Energy Elf", "Roofus' Home", "Funergy", "Energy Quest", "Energy Science Projects and Activities", and "Energy Kid's Page". This site has been brought to you by the U.S. Department of Energy – Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Zot the Frog!

Biology for Kids introduces students to environmental issues. Create an animal coloring book, learn about invasive species, read stories about interesting animals, play nature games, test your knowledge of the natural world, and make cool stuff and more! This site has been brought to you by the Center for Biological Informatics of the U.S. Geological Survey.

Planet Protectors Club

"Begin Mission" – start the adventure to save Ergon - as a Planet Protector, your mission is to improve the world around you by making less trash! "Activities" – go straight to useful information. "Glossary" – expand your mind with waste-related words. "Teachers" – help kids learn from the Environauts. "Text-only" – dive into hands-on projects. This site has been brought to you by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

PBS Kids Fetch

Choose from tons of different games to play! To win prizes, simply log in whenever you play and earn as many point as possible. The more points you earn, the more prizes you can unlock. Play games again to improve your score. Just join the "G Team" to get started. Create your own account on 'G Team Central'. Watch Fetch! from your very own computer. This site has been brought to you by WGBH Educational Foundation.

Solar System Symphony Game

Sounds of the solar system - hit the key that corresponds to each planet when that planet hits the hot zone to hear a symphony of your own making. Also explore the solar system and find out all the facts you need to know about the planets! With links to check out all that the universe has to offer: Discovery Space; Mars Exploration Timeline; Constellation Interactive; Space News. From the Science Channel.

Wildfire Simulator

This computer model has two purposes: 1) to let you see how certain conditions such as wind speed and direction, affect the spread of a wild land fire; and 2) to show you how to use a fireline – alone or in a conjunction with a backfire – to control a wildland fire. Try it out and see if you can stop the fire from reaching a house! This site has been brought to you by NOVA and PBSKids.

Shape It Up

Experience how mountains, rivers, and canyons were formed. Start off changing the 1st picture to look like the 2nd by choosing a force of nature that would cause what the second picture depicts (wind, water, volcano or glacier). Then choose how many years it would take to make that effect happen. Then, watch your creation take effect. This site has been brought to you by Science Net Links.

Coral Reef Adventure Fun Zone

Play the "Coral Reef Memory Game" to see how good your memory is. Or check out the "Coral Reef Test of Knowledge". Take all that knowledge that you have learned about coral reefs and put it to the test with the "Who Am I?" game. Learn about how plants and animals survive in the coral reef while you put together a picture in the game of "Survival Shuffle". Also check out the desktops and screensavers. This site is brought to you by MacGillivray Freeman Films.

Mechanical Madness

A kinetic sculpture needs your help to make these machines work. Your task: put the missing parts into the correct positions to move the ball from the start to the finish line and move on to the next level. Play tons of different games, and check out the message board. This site has been brought to you by Twin Cities Public Television, PBS Kids.

Space Station

Important parts on the space station are failing! You need to fix the parts before the station is doomed forever. Your space suit is outfitted with oxygen and a fueled jetpack for the spacewalk mission. Move yourself around using the jetpack according to Newton's Third Law of Motion. ("For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.") But be careful! If you move too quickly between the repairs, you'll run out of fuel. And if you spend to long in space, you'll run out of oxygen. Balance your oxygen and fuel use carefully to complete the mission. This site has been brought to you by Twin Cities Public Television, PBSKids.

Planetary Rescue Challenge

Your goal is to provide needed parts to space colonists at the furthest reaches of the Solar System. But first you need to practice your skills launching rescue packages on earth. Then you'll be ready to attempt planetary missions. Play lots of different games, and check out the message board. This site has been brought to you by Twin Cities Public Television, PBS Kids.

Nanobots

Your mission is to guide the nanorobot to the end of the obstacle course safely. Forces behave very differently at the nanoscale, so you'll have to conserve your energy and pay close attention to the positive and negative charges. Use your charge flippers to take advantage of these charges as they pull and push your nanorobot. Watch out for obstacles and the water drops, and use the items in your inventory wisely! Once you've mastered the navigation, you can try your hand at building a course of your own for others to attempt. Good luck! This site has been brought to you by Twin Cities Public Television, PBS Kids.

EekoWorld

EekoWorld is designed to help children between the ages of 6 and 9 learn about the important role they can play in taking care of the earth. EekoWorld (Environmental Education for Kids Online) features an engaging and interactive format that invites children to explore, experiment, and collaborate as they learn about conservation and the environment. This site has been brought to you by Bean Creative, CPB, and PBS Interactive Inc.

Sid the Science Kid

The "Sid the Science Kid" web site is designed to further develop children's natural wonder and build a strong foundation for early science exploration. Play games, view video clips, and try different experiments. Brought to you by the Jim Henson Company and PBS Kids.

TryScience Eperiment

Pick one of the atom cards and choose one of the experiments to try on your own! Play different games, experience optical illusions and watch how different experiments work. By IBM and nysci.

TryScience Extreme Challenge

Do you have what it takes to win the Ultimate Race? Find out with the Tryscience Extreme Challenge! Compete on seven courses in four sports - mountain biking, kayaking, rock climbing and snowboarding. You must train and apply the science behind the sport to beat the challenge time and earn each course medal.

Discover Extremes at Starfleet Academy

Choose a Star Trek character you would like to be. Enter a username and password (don't forget the password; otherwise you will have to start from the beginning). As you advance in levels, you will receive new features in your crew quarters.

Kids Science Challenge

Science fair project ideas! The video is an overview of Kids Science Challenge topics: Imaging Sports on Mars, Bio-inspired Design, and Forensics. Learn about what the scientists and engineers are challenging you to do: come up with ideas or inventions that no one has thought of before! Enter your winning idea today and win cool prizes! This site has been brought to you by the National Science Foundation and Pulse of the Planet.

ForgeFX Simulations

"Learning Simulation Software". This interactive 3D simulation allows players to work on the development of a piece of virtual machinery, capable of launching giant paintballs into the air. Using the Design and Test Methodology, players must create their hurling machine so that it is capable of hitting the multiple targets within the virtual world. This site has been brought to you by ForgeFX, LLC - Interactive 3D Simulations, Serious Games, and Training Simulations.

Invention Playhouse

Exploratory play is about asking questions: "What happens when I do this?" "What if I did it this way?" Experimenting with materials and pushing their limits encourages us to consider a wide range of possibilities when problem-solving. Playing around with objects and ideas helps us see that there may be more than one solution. Play Tinker Ball – How many different ways can you help the ball reach its goal? Explore our assortment of objects to create your own paths, learning as you go. This site has been brought to you by the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

Pocket Change Games

Try out these games from the United States Mint! Play action-filled games, adventurous games, create your own art, solve puzzles, learn facts, and find out more about coin collecting! Click on different links to enjoy animations, information on coins and medals, keep in touch with United States Mint happenings and holidays, join the collector's club, and find out how the US mint has changed over the years. This site has been brought to you by The United States Mint.

Dinosaurs

With this site there are three links to click on – "Dinosaur Info", "Dinosaur Collections & Exhibits", and "Interactives". These links have everything from "What You Want to Know", "History of the Collection", and "Virtual Tours". This site has been brought to you by the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Dinosphere

With this site, start off on level one and work your way up by playing games, making your own movies, and reading books! Click on the "Kid's" link and learn about dinosaurs, get a virtual tour of the dinosaur museum, and click on the dinosaur profiles to learn all the facts about dinosaurs! This site is presented by The Scott A. Jones Foundation from The Children's Museum of Indianapolis.

Explore Nature

These interactives originate in the galleries of the Canadian Museum of Nature.  Even if you can't make it to the museum, you can enjoy a virtual experience! Click on lists to learn more about fossils, mammals, and birds. Play any of the featured games listed. This site has been brought to you by nature.ca, the Canadian Museum of Nature. 

Veggie Tales

This is a veggie filled site! Don't worry, they're not the kind you eat, it's the Big Idea Fun site filled with VeggieTales. Click on "Penguins" and you can choose from different 3-2-1 Penguins! games, click on "Jonah" and watch different movies from your computer, click on "VeggieTales" and play different VeggieTales games or print off coloring pages, and click on "LarryBoy" to play different games made by LarryBoy! This site has been brought to you by Big Idea Productions.

Exploratorium Snacks

Lots of great experiments to try. These pages are full of Snacks...but they're not the kind you eat. They're the kind you can learn from and have fun with. Exploratorium Science Snacks are miniature versions of some of the most popular exhibits at the Exploratorium. The Exploratorium, the museum of science, art and human perception, San Francisco, California.

Kids Planet

Kids Planet by Defenders of Wildlife. Check out the Especies page, where you can learn all about 50+ endangered species. Read about "The Web of Life" which tells about different wild animals and how they live. Play Wild Games or print out coloring pages to learn more about animals and the environment! "Defend It!" shows you what you can do to defend our wildlife, environment, and earth. World Wide Wolves is based on a report released by Defenders of Wildlife outlining the condition of the world's wolf populations.

Dragon Fly TV

Tons of experiments to try, information about how things work, play games, and also share ideas about anything on their web site message board. Meet the hosts of Dragon Fly TV, and download games and more to your podcast. From PBS Kids.

Thinking Fountain

Lots of experiments to try, including growing your own mold, a section called "My Mind Map: From Bread to Fungus Farmers", fun facts about things like the "Banana Pusher" toucan, and how to use a mylar balloon to demonstrate that warm air rises. By the Science Museum of Minnesota, this site has interesting facts, experiments, and more.

Robots and Us

Learn all about robots and how they work: Low Life Labs was created by the Learning Technologies Center at The Science Museum of Minnesota. This is an imaginary environment where cockroaches, ants, and similar creatures are studied. Robots are then built using the knowledge gleaned from these creature's natural adaptations to their environment. Moving, sensing, thinking and being "labs" are all explored through this site, including exploring how humans and robots move around, get information about the world, and how robots can be more like humans. In the thinking lab, participants can actually be a part of the Common Sense project of MIT and USC.

Station Spacewalk

NASA has developed a new video game, Station Spacewalk, to give young people the virtual opportunity to experience the thrill of working on a mission to the International Space Station from their computers.

The new video game is based on actual work astronauts performed during the course of several NASA missions. Players can virtually navigate their way through mission critical tasks. Furnished plug-ins need to be installed, but it will be worth it.

Amazing Space: Explorations

Learn some fundamentals of astronomy, and find the answers to your questions about space. Telescopes From the Ground Up, Comet Facts, Myths & Legends, Galaxy Hunter, and Hubble Deep Field Academy are just a few of the areas to explore on this NASA website.

Got Fun?

From the Wisconsin Dairy Producers, their own Kidz Zone with games, puzzles, a dairy farm tour, a coloring page you can color and print out, and quizzes - all about our favorite state's dairy products!

Engineering Interact

Interactive science & engineering (for 9-11 year olds) includes games involving light, sounds, forces & motion, earth & beyond, and electricity. Go undercover with Silicon Spies! Brave the rides with ParkWorld Plot!Launch yourself into Alien Attack! Also find out how engineers use science, including: How is science used to help people? And What exciting new inventions will we be using in the future?

Kids Health Site

Find out "What you don't know about Nick Jonas", get homework help, and learn how the body works on this website. Topics include everything from Feelings to Kids Talk, Staying Safe to Movies & Games, and an "In the Spotlight" area for learning about things like the Swine Flu. This one also has a Teens site and a Parents site, and an entire Kids site En Espanol!

ADHA Kids Stuff

The American Dental Hygienists' Association has created a place for kids to find answers to questions about the dentist, and also to have a lot of fun. Kids can play games like Wermz and UFO Attack or go to some Very Cool Links to more games, general fun, and even homework help! Add in the Tooth Facts for Kids, and you'll find everything you ever wanted to know about your teeth.

Whyville - Virtual World

Whyville invites children ages 8–15 to a virtual world of educational entertainment. Whyville is a virtual world where boys and girls from all over the real world come to chat, play, learn, and have fun together. You design your face, earn clams by playing games, hang out at the beach, and go to town events at the Greek Theater. You can start your own business, buy a car and give your friends a ride, or write for the town newspaper. Created by CalTech scientists, Whyville has built-in security and offers kids and teenagers numerous educational games.

Science4Kids

If you are looking for science education sites that have some fast answers with limited activities, you might want to look at one of these sites:

Chem4Kids.com is a free website that teaches the basics of chemistry to all ages. It has sections on atoms, matter, elements, the periodic table, biochemistry, and reactions.

Biology4Kids.com is a free website that teaches the basics of biology to all ages. There are sections on cell structure, cell function, the scientific method, classification, microorganisms, invertebrates, plants, vertebrates, and animal systems.

Physics4Kids.com is a free website that teaches the basics of physics to all ages. It has sections on motion, light, thermodynamics, sound, waves, electricity, magnetism, and modern physics.

MyPyramid Blast Off Game

An interactive computer game where kids can reach Planet Power by fueling their rocket with food and physical activity. "Fuel" tanks for each food group help students keep track of how their choices fit into MyPyramid. From the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Sci4kids

Bridging the gap between science, agriculture, and you. This site by the U.S. Department of Agriculture features Dr. Watts, a lightbulb-headed scientist surrounded by a colorful collage of objects that link to such varied subjects as remote sensing and outerspace to the environment to weird science stories!

Ranger Rick's Green Zone

Determine your green IQ, visit the Greenway house to find eco-friendly household tips, watch an animated Ranger Rick consider the environmental effects of bottled water or create a green-focused Mad Lib. This is a fun website from the National Wildlife Federation.

Nab the Aquatic Invader!

Nab the Aquatic Invader! is a fun way to learn about aquatic invaders. Be a Sea Grant Super Sleuth. By doing the activities and playing the games on this site, you will learn about nature and be inspired to help the environment by "nabbing" these pesky critters and seeing that you can make a difference. You can check out lots of unusual species that create real problems in the Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf, and Great Lakes regions.

Energy Kids Page

Fun and games, energy facts, energy history and an energy calculator are just some of the cool things to do on this website from the Energy Information Administration. Energy Ant has puzzles, a quiz, riddles and field trips he has taken that you can follow along with. Energy history and energy people is a really interesting part of the website!

Glossopedia - An Encyclopedia for Kids!

Scroll over a photo of caribou and see all the places on a world map that you can find them! Click on the photo of the caribou and find out everything you ever wanted to know about them. Also find out about geography and places, technology, nature and environment, earth and space, chemistry, people and cultures, and much, much more! This site also offers and option for kids to make their voices heard on "Tell us what you think".

Energy Hog

Meet Inspectors Hector and Irene as they help you become an official Energy Hog Buster. Go to Hog Buster Training Camp, play Hog and Seek and five different training games, learn about an Energy Hog scavenger hunt, and more.

Neutropolis

From the Department of Energy, this site features a mythical city know as Neutropolis and provides information about nuclear energy and its many uses in separate tracks directed at younger, intermediate and advanced students [grades K-12]. It contains games and challenges, ideas for science projects, and college and career opportunities.
 

Get Lost: The Compass Game

This PBS/Nova site includes an interactive game that lets you find your way with a compass. The game begins "Look around you - glacier after glacier, peak after peak. It's breathtaking! Inspiring! Easy to get lost! 

Meet the "Greens"

The GREENS is a site for kids about sustainability and green living. Through the animated episodic adventures, a blog, kids' mail, and regular updates, this site explores green living, sustainability, ecology, environmental care, and social equity. It nudges kids to research, to challenge, to discover, and to take action where ever and whenever they can to help keep the planet green.

PBS Zoom Science

This terrific site by PBS Kids has activities from the show, Zoom Games, and Zoom Science that directs you to "make hot science with your cool ideas". It would take you a really long time to check out all the different things to do on this website!

Safety for Kids website
from Wisconsin Public Service

This website has fun games like the Voltinator, Shock Blocker, and the Pipewinder, along with safety checks for kids and parents in the Wisconsin Public Service Electrical and Natural Gas Safety Worlds. Check it out!

National Geographic online for Kids!

Games, articles, e-cards, milk-carton adventures, and even homework help abound on this treasure trove of a website. Greatly expands on the National Geographic Explorer in-school magazine.

The Wonders of Physics
– Just for Kids page

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has a Wonders of Physics Traveling Show, and this Just for Kids page has lots of cool experiments to try at home, such as Vortex in a Bottle, Fusion Cookies, and many more!

139 Science Questions
answered by Professor Gizmo

Professor Gizmo has amazing science presentations on VideoJug.com. As he says, "Life explained on film." Watch him demonstrate science principles involved with Planet Earth, Space, Animals, and Things We Cannot See to name a few.

The Yuckiest Site on the Internet

Another Discovery Kids website, this one has Yucky Fun and Games, Ask Wendell the Worm, Your Gross & Cool Body (ear wax, funnybones, and digestion), and more on this fun site . . .

Science Fun & Activities from the
American Chemical Society

Activities, games, puzzles, articles, chemist interviews, and even a careers page. Some of the activities are available in Spanish also, and by the end of summer 2008, there will be a completely parallel site in Spanish. The site has a new organizing scheme to help teachers find activities that fit the curriculum. 

Professor Shakhashiri's Lab - Science Fun

Chemistry Professor Bassam Z. Shakhashiri has a collection of at-home science experiments to add joy to your science experience. From floating soap bubbles to dancing raisins, to fizzing and foaming, and making things glow in the dark, there is sure to be something to pique your interest.

Launchpad/Launchball

Launchpad is packed with over 50 exhibits, electrifying shows and lively demos, all from the wonderful world of physics. Inspiring you to explore and question the world around you, Launchpad is for curious and creative 8-14 year olds. Capture your shadow, launch a rocket, spin like a skater or control a magnetic cloud in this stylish new gallery. Developed by the Science Museum of London for learning the concepts of motion, forces, electricity, magnetism, light, and so much more. Students will also learn about problem solving, trial and error, strategy, and critical thinking. Additionally, you can create your own challenges and share them with your friends.

"Eye Teasers"

This fun powerpoint has some great "eye teasers". Cool eye illusions and easy ways to trick the human eye. Click on the powerpoint page to go to the next slide, and hit your escape key to close the powerpoint.

 

For 5th through Middle-School Students:

Science News for Kids

Science News for Kids is a web site devoted to science news for children of ages 9 to 14. Check out the Weekly Science Scoop, and Science Snapshots. It offers weekly stories, hands-on activities, books, articles, and teacher materials. Choose from plenty of different links to check out – PuzzleZone, GameZone, SciFiZone, SciFairZone, LabZone, and TeacherZone. This site has been brought to you by Society for Science & the Public.

Medical Mysteries on the Web

As you enter a futuristic world, you will help solve medical mysteries in infectious diseases. Online games, or missions, called Medical Mysteries, are designed for middle school science students. Developed at the Center for Technology in Teaching and Learning, based at Rice University in Houston, this site aims to present information about infectious diseases in an engaging way.

PBS Fidget

Design challenges for middle school students. Learn about engineering as you solve challenges. Solve challenges and save the fidgits. Build your own rooms for your fidgits and share them with your friends! Brought to you by PBS Kids.

Oil Refining

A Closer Look for middle school students. Energy is a hot topic these days. Understand more about the science involved. Science NetLinks has developed a new interactive for students to explore how and why oil is transformed into energy and all its usable forms. Get introduced to the history of petroleum and the chemistry of how it is refined from crude oil to everything from the gas in your car to the road you drive it on. This site has been brought to you by Science Net Links.

Selene: A Lunar Construction GaME

A NASA Science Opportunity for Students Ages 13-18: Learn about the Moon through Engaging Gameplay. As part of a NASA initiative to study videogame learning, the NASA-sponsored Classroom of the Future created Selene: A Lunar Creation GaME. Players form the early Moon and then pepper the surface with impact craters and flood it with lava. Along the way, a geologist guides players through the history of the Moon.

Astro-Venture by NASA

Search for and design a habitable planet with Astro-Ferret! NASA's astrobiology website offers multimedia interactive geology and biology modules for grades 5-8 about earth's structure and the flow of energy. In each module students change one variable at a time, observe changes, and draw conclusions.

Virtual Body  [for MS level]

This interactive website lets you explore the human skeleton, heart, digestive system, and brain.

 

For 4th and 5th Grade Students:

The Amazing Food Detective

The Incredible Adventures of the Amazing Food Detective is a fun and free interactive, online video game for kids aged 9 to 10 that teaches healthy eating and activity habits. In the colorful cartoon game, available in English or Spanish, players solve the cases of eight diverse kids who need to learn healthy habits.

The Great Plant Escape!

Help Detective LePlant unlock the mysteries of plant life. You will find that plants are an important part of your life. We will need your help to find clues, do experiments, and solve problems as we journey into the world of plants. It promises lots of fun, but remember, you're here to solve a mystery! From the University of Illinois Extension. And if you like, you can also check out the Adventures of Herman the Worm!

Internet Science Adventures for 5th graders

Sandia National Laboratories hosts this great site for online science learning. Check out the astronaut that floats across the page when you click on the Earth and Space Science section, or take a Chemistry Cruise quiz.

 

For Pre-Schoolers:

Ready, Set, Learn! for Pre-Schoolers

This wonderful site by Discovery Kids and the National Science Foundation is great for the pre-school set, with music, activities, print & play sheets and more, based on their favorite characters from TV shows, including Paz, Wilbur, Peep, and their friends.

 

For Teachers:

Learning Science

A free and open learning community for sharing newer and emerging tools to teach science. Developed for teachers and students, we find the best science interactives & resources in the world. Framed by the National Science Education Standards, we are a research & review web site. This site has been brought to you by Learning Science.
Here are sub pages:
http://www.learningscience.org/physci.htm Physical Science
http://www.learningscience.org/lifescience.htm  Life science
http://www.learningscience.org/earthsci.htm  Earth & space science
http://www.learningscience.org/scitech.htm  Science & Technology

Careers in Science

Engineer Girl

Turn imagination into reality with a future in engineering! This site is to help encourage women to enter into the engineering field. Read about the Engineer Girl essay contest, find out information about engineering careers, view profiles of women engineers, and find out what classes to take in high school to pursue an engineering career. Also click on links to view engineers exploring the galaxy, to talking to engineers about any questions that you may have! This site has been brought to you by The National Academy of Sciences.

Kids Do Ecology

Learn about ecology! Find out what ecologists do, what a work day is like for an ecologist, how you can become an ecologist, how much an ecologist gets paid, types of careers in ecology, where ecologists work, and information on other environmental careers. This site has been brought to you by Kids Do Ecology, and NCEAS.

Become an Engineer

Design your future to design our future, become an engineer or surveyor! Watch the "Design Our Future – ACEC California" video to learn more information. Download movies and flyers for educational and career purposes. This site has been brought to you by ACEC CA.

Try Engineering!

Sometimes the best way to understand what engineers do is to try your hand at it! This website has a ton of fun stuff to do, including a fast paced trivia game; design a parachute, a steel highway bridge or a roller coaster; learn about simple and compound machines while you explore the House and Tool Shed; design a machine that serves lunch and more!