This activity invites K–5 students, in both English and Spanish, to explore the phenomena of rolling objects down a ramp and investigate the question, “What happens to a roller when you change the ...

One of our light sources in action during a Light Play experience. I think it’s great to think so deeply about the things that we use in our tinkering activities however, the specificity of what we ...

Tinkering Library of Exemplars. This library categorizes over one hundred video clips according to our Learning and Facilitation frameworks.We studied 50 learners at the Exploratorium divided across ...

Make a simple mini-motor. A coil of wire becomes an electromagnet when current passes through it. The electromagnet interacts with a permanent magnet, causing the coil to spin. Voilà! You’ve created ...

How do you put a straight rod through a curved slot? If you see a straight rod and a curved slot, common sense says the rod can’t possibly fit through the slot. But if the rod is angled and rotated ...

Store up an electric charge, then make sparks. Tired of electrostatic experiments that just won’t work? This experiment will produce a spark that you can feel, see, and hear. Rub a foam plate with ...

A colored object may look different against different-colored backgrounds. In this investigation, you'll discover how colors seem to change when you place them against different-colored backgrounds.

Gelatin can do much more than just wiggle and jiggle. Gelatin can be used for much more than a sweet treat. It can also act as a smoked lens—which allows you to view total internal reflection—or as a ...

Discover the outer limits of your eyes. Test the limits of your peripheral vision with a homemade version of a protractor. With the help of a friend, you can measure how much you can see out of the ...

When we think about objects that respond to magnets, fruit usually doesn't come to mind. Watch a rare-earth magnet repel a grape and discover different kinds of magnetism. A note on magnets: Only ...

The distribution of the mass of an object determines the position of its center of gravity, its angular momentum, and your ability to balance it. Place a lump of clay about the size of your fist ...

Polarizing sunglasses cut road glare better in some positions than in others. When light reflects from water, asphalt, or other nonmetallic surfaces, it becomes polarized—that is, the reflected light ...