These free, downloadable science activities are great for quick classroom experiences or fun student take-homes. For in-depth lessons and more detailed science explanations, see the source books listed for each activity or schedule one of our hands-on workshops.
Activities from National Chemistry Week 2005, The Joy of Toys (813 KB PDF)
- Color Change Toys
- Wall Walkers
- Diving Toys
- Glitter Wands
- Glow-in-the-Dark Vinyl
- Grow Creatures
- Hand Blasters
- Hand Boilers
- Magic Ink
- Magic Sand
- Mystical Tree
- Shrinky Dinks
- Silly Putty
- Self-Inflating Balloons
- Bubble Solutions
Activities from National Chemistry Week 2007, The Many Faces of Chemistry (1.1 MB PDF)
- Aspirin Tablets Can Differ
- Capturing Carbon Dioxide
- Hand-Boiler Distillation
- Inky Elevators
- Kool-Aid Dyeing
- Look at One Part Per Million
- Marbling with Shaving Cream
- Recycling Paper
- Sense-Fooling Pie
- Sunscreens and SPF Ratings
- Trapping Particles
Activities from National Chemistry Week 2008, The Chemistry of Sports (1.5 MB PDF)
- Science of Athletic Shoes
- Let's Break a Sweat
- Bubble Blowup
- Calories in Snack Foods
- Effects of Chlorine on Germs
- The Bounce of Playgrounds and Gym Floors
- Chemical Heat Packs
- If the Shoe Fits
- Playing with the METS
- Polyurethane Foam
- Effects of Wax on Sliding
- Electrolyte Content of Sports Drinks
- Sunscreens and SPF Ratings
- Surface Tension and High Diving
- Temperature Effects on Ball Bounceability
- Test Your Reaction Time