Sources used for this story include: “Rai… Heaven: Where Rocks Go Wandering,” by Tim Cahill (National Geographic). The world still holds many wonders that science—so far— cannot explain. As you learn about the three mysteries described, see if you can hypothesize any scientific...

As a child, Joseph Priestley noticed something that would influence the rest of his life: If you keep a bug in a jar for too long, it will die. At the time Joseph Priestley didn’t understand why that was true—nobody did. No one really studied the air; it was something everyone took for granted.

In 1927 a Roman Catholic priest and scientist Georges Lemaitre proposed what later became known as the Big Bang theory of the origin of the Universe, based on work by Edwin Hubble who theorized and then proved that the Universe was getting bigger and bigger. Many scientists have discovered other...

Activity time: 20 minutes Materials for Activity Cork and Needle Compass....

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Story, "The Power of Water" Optional: A computer with Internet access, and a large monitor or digital projector Preparation for Activity Read the story and prepare to share it with the group. Read the discussion questions....

Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity Pennies (one per participant) Drinking straws Construction paper, lightweight cardboard, or manila folders Scissors, including left-handed scissors Tape String Clean, recyclable objects such as plastic yogurt lids, aluminum or tin cans, etc.

Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity Leader Resource 1, Building a Solar Oven - Instructions Cardboard pizza box, a ruler, a marker, a box knife or sharp scissors, aluminum foil, black construction paper, clear plastic wrap, and glue A stick, large straw, or wooden spoon A tin pie pla...

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Clear glass jar with metal lid A hammer and a nail, and modeling clay A large marshmallow and a plastic straw, for each participant who will try the experiment (Optional: Kitchen vacuum sealer may be used instead) Preparation for Activity Using the...

From The Kids' Book of Awesome Stuff (Brotman-Marshfield Curriculum, June 2004). Used with permission. Take a deep breath. The air you just breathed in is different from the air you just breathed out. The air you breathed out is a gas that can suffocate you if too much of it gets in the air. That...

We gratefully acknowledge Dawn Publications for permission to use the text of the children's picture book The Tree in the Ancient Forest by Carol Reed-Jones. This is the ancient forest. This is the three-hundred-year-old tree That grows in the ancient forest....