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Group of children and adults using dry ice to make bubbles in Explore Science Let's Do Chemistry Sublimation Bubbles activity

Short Activities

Short activities are brief hands-on experiences lasting less than 15 minutes for small groups of people. They are often presented at a table, cart, or demonstration space in a variety of settings such as a museum exhibit gallery, classroom, or other public or group setting. Multiple short activities can be combined to form a longer activity.

Showing 71 - 80 of 180 results

Two girls discuss their ideas for flying cars with toy car props to a facilitator

Exploring Nano & Society - Flying Cars

In this activity, learners imagine and build a flying car out of small foam pieces while having conversations about future technology.
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Memory Metal activity components including signs, guides, hair dryer, memory metal, and bucket.

Exploring Materials - Memory Metal

In this activity, learners compare the properties of a memory metal spring to an ordinary spring.
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Learner experimenting with magic sand

Magic Sand / Nanosurfaces

In this activity, learners discover that "magic" sand repels water because of a nanoscale hydrophobic coating on the grains of sand.
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a group of learners build UV color changing beaded bracelets

Exploring Properties - UV Bracelets

In this activity, learners use ultraviolet light to change the color of beads that contain photochromic dye.
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Paint tubes and a paint brush on top of paper colored with blue paint

Interference Acrylics: Painting with Structural Color

In this activity, learners explore structural color by comparing acrylic paint and interference acrylic paint
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A group of learners observing a cloud that was made in a plastic bottle

Exploring Earth: Investigating Clouds

In this activity, learners create a cloud in a bottle and explore it with laser light.
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Learner investigates the crater made in the sand after dropping a weight into the sand box

Exploring the Solar System: Craters

In this activity, learners drop objects of various sizes and shapes into a tub full of sand and other materials, to simulate the formation of a meteorite crater.
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two learners and a facilitator watch a soapy solution with dry ice make a giant bubble filled with smoke

Sublimation Bubbles

In this activity, learners explore sublimation by capturing carbon dioxide gas in soapy bubbles sublimated from dry ice.
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Sustainable Futures logo in full color

Sustainable Futures collection of public programs

In this collection of activities, learners explore sustainability science concepts in a variety of activities.
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While sitting at a table, one child points a small transmitter at a vacuum-seal container that has a key finder inside, and another child holds a smartphone up to the other side of the container.

Radio Explorers: Messages from Space

Learners investigate the differences between sound and radio waves in a partial vacuum.
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