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SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

Snacks Alive!

Science Snacks are hands-on, teacher-tested activities that bring explorations of natural phenomena into the classroom and home. These Snacks explore different living things from big to small. What makes us different? What makes us the same?

Science activity using light projected through a drop of water to reveal an abundance of tiny organisms

Plankton Projector

Light projected through a drop of water reveals an abundance of life.

Science activity that explores growth rates for cultured cells

How Many HeLa?

Dividing cells expand exponentially.

Science activity to investigate earlobes

Ear Sort

Do your ears hang low—and what do textbooks know?

Science activity to explore variations in skin color and tone

Color Me Human

Explore variations in skin shade and tone.

Science activity demonstrating diffusion in cells

Agar Cell Diffusion

Use agar cubes to investigate how size impacts diffusion.

A science activity to discover the diversity of insect life in your neighborhood

Backyard Bug Bonanza

Get outside and discover the diversity of insect life in your neighborhood.

Science activity to simulate natural selection among predators and prey

Bean-Counter Evolution

Discover the meaning of evolutionary fitness in this predator/prey simulation.

Science activity that explores the properties of soap films and relates them to the properties of plasma membranes

Cellular Soap Opera

Use soap film to model a cell membrane.

Science activity to discover how a variety of traits in a group of living specimens can impact evolution

Critter Comparison

Observe physical and behavioral differences in locally collected creatures.

Science activity that demonstrates neuroplasticity

Distortion Goggles

Distort your vision and see what your brain learns.

Science activity to explore underwater color perception

Deep Blue

Submerge yourself in underwater color perception.

Science activity that uses falling dominoes to model signal transmission in a neuron

Domino Effect

Falling dominoes model signal transmission in a neuron.

Science activity that uses de-shelled eggs to explore diffusion and osmosis in cells

Naked Egg

Watch de-shelled eggs swell and shrink in different fluids.

Science activity that demonstrates photosynthesis

Photosynthetic Floatation

Show that gas is produced during photosynthesis.

Science activity that experiments with brine shrimp behavior

Plankton Rainbow

Shine some light on brine shrimp behavior.

Science activity to make a mini indoor compost pile

Tiny Hot Pile

Microbial decomposers heat things up.

This work was supported by the Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health (NIH) under Science Education Partnership Award Number R25OD016525. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.

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Attribution: Exploratorium Teacher Institute