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Public engagement resources for the Monday April 8, 2024 Solar Eclipse
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Seven New NanoDays Activities for 2011

Vrylena Olney

NanoDays will be celebrating its fourth birthday this year, and the kit's gotten a bit of an update in honor of that birthday. 

In particular, this year's kit includes seven brand-new activities.  All the materials to run the activities are included in the physical kits, but you can also download the activity guides, graphics, signs, and more for each of these activities from our catalog online. 

Exploring Forces: Static Electricity pictured above

The New Hands-On Activities are:

  • Exploring Size: Memory Game

    "Exploring Size - Memory Game" is a card game exploring the different size scales - macro, micro and nano - objects within these different scales and the way these objects are measured. Visitors compete to find matching pairs of cards.

  • Exploring Size: Powers of Ten Game

    "Exploring Size - Powers of Ten" is a card game exploring the relative sizes of various objects. Visitors compete to organize their hand of cards into lists of objects from largest to smallest.

  • Exploring Forces: Static Electricity

    "Exploring Forces - Gravity" is a hands-on activity in which visitors discover that static electricity causes smaller balls to be suspended in a tube while most of the larger ones fall to the bottom. They learn that size can affect the way a material behaves.

  • Exploring Products: Nano Sand

    "Exploring Products - Nano Sand" is a hands-on activity exploring how water behaves differently when it comes in contact with nano sand and regular sand. Visitors learn about the hydrophobic properties of nano sand.

  • Exploring Products: Sunblock

    "Exploring Products - Sunblock" is a hands-on activity comparing sunblock containing nanoparticles to ointment. Visitors learn how some sunblocks that rub in clear contain nanoparticles that block harmful rays from the sun.

  • Exploring Materials: Thin Films

    "Exploring Materials - Thin Films" is a hands-on activity in which visitors create a colorful bookmark using a super thin layer of nail polish on water. They learn that a thin film creates iridescent, rainbow colors.

  • Exploring Tools: Mitten Challenge:

    "Exploring Tools - Mitten Challenge" is a hands on activity in which visitors build a Lego® structure while wearing mittens. They learn that it is difficult to build small things when your tools are too big.