Falling Leaves

Activity: Pick a tree to watch during the fall. When the leaves start changing colors, try and predict how long it will be before leaves starting dropping off the tree. Notice from which side of the tree leaves fall first. Are all the trees losing their leaves at the same time? Try and see if […]

Football Plays

Activity: Compare a football with other kinds of sports balls; baseball, tennis ball, etc. Observe what happens when you throw them. Try throwing them straight up in the air and then a forward pass. Next try bouncing them on a hard surface (Not in your living room!) Also try catching them. Observe the differences. Questions […]

Acorns, Food or Seeds?

Activity: Look for an oak tree with acorns. Sometimes as you are walking along the sidewalk you see many acorns lying on the ground, under a tree. Sometimes they are still attached to the tree. Notice the leaves and bark of the tree where you find the acorns. Look carefully at one of the acorns, […]

Shadow Play

Activity: Autumn is a great time to notice how the shadows from the sun on earth are changing. Shadows become longer starting in the fall. In the morning or afternoon, trace your shadow at the same time in the same place with a piece of chalk over a couple weeks.If your child is not familiar with […]

Video: Everyday mySci helps nurture a child’s natural curiosity

From the playground to the pool to the ballpark, science is all around us. Through Everyday MySci activities, the Institute for School Partnership at Washington University in St. Louis helps parents nurture their child’s natural sense of curiosity, wonder and discovery. The debut 30-second video, Everyday MySci: Introducing Plant Life, shows parents how a walk […]

ISP's mySci adds teacher leader certification program

The Institute for School Partnership is taking its mySci program to the next level, introducing a new initiative aimed at building teacher leaders in school districts. The mySci Leader Certification Program will train mySci teacher leaders to support their colleagues in implementing the innovative mySci science curriculum. “We think this can be transformational for the […]

Where's the Shade at the Ballpark?

Activity: The next time you are at the ballpark, notice if you are sitting in the shade at the beginning of the game.  As the game goes on, notice which inning the batter is in the shade.  Pick a part of the stadium, like the scoreboard, and see what inning or what time it gets […]

How Are Waves Formed?

Activity: The next time you are at the pool or even the bathtub watch carefully the different waves you can make, depending on what you do with your hands. Try these different techniques to see which ones makes the most interesting wave: Push the water away from your body with your hands. Pull the water […]

Where Can We Find Space Words?

Activity: See how many words you can think of that are about space. For example, stars or planets or the names of rocket ships that have explored space. Then look around the grocery store. How many items have space names? What about cars on the road? How many models have space names? Questions to Ask: […]

How Does Wind Help or Hurt the Batter?

Activity: The next time you are at the ballpark, test out the wind factor. First, determine how much wind there is and what direction the wind is blowing.  Hold up a paper napkin. Is there any wind? Can the napkin end fly up in the air? (A lot of wind!)  What direction is the wind […]