We want to extend our congratulations to Team “NO Limits!” from Westridge Elementary in Littleton, Colorado. They are headed to Destination Imagination’s Global Finals this week to represent their school and state. The team won honors in problem solving and creativity in local, state and regional tournaments to achieve the national invitation.

The competition will be held May 23 – 26  in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The team is made up of three girls and four boys – two 6th graders, one 5th grader, one 4th grader and three 3rd graders. Team members include Kate & Lexi Lubotsky, Davis & Tate Morrison, Jack Isenhart, Tyler Shepard, & Elizabeth Dougherty. The two 6th graders on the team required that they compete against 6th through 8th graders, despite having younger children on the team.

Team NO Limits! from Westridge Elementary with their cart from regionals April 14. (L to R) Tyler Shepard, Lexi Lubotsky, Jack Isenhart, Tate Morrison, Davis Morrison, Kate Lubotsky and Elizabeth Dougherty

Destination Imagination is a non-profit extra-curricular organization that encourages students to learn through creativity, teamwork and problem solving. More than 125,000 kids in the U.S. and thousands in 30 countries across the globe participate in the program each year. Students work to solve challenges and present their solutions at tournaments. DI competitions bring out the best in kids, as they use their imagination and creativity to solve a problem. For more on the Destination Imagination tournaments or how to start a chapter in your school, visit the DI website.

Team managers, Brian & Kim Isenhart say, “Destination Imagination is a program where students learn to work together to solve a multi-level year long challenge. In the process, our team of 3 girls & 4 boys have learned about mechanical engineering, electrical circuits and so much more. They have discovered how fun science is!”

Team “NO Limits!” participated in the Assembly Required Challenge, one of seven challenges that take several months to complete and use mechanical or structuring engineering, science, fine arts, improvisation or community service.

The Assembly Required Challenge asked teams to build a piece of moving equipment that had to support the weight of a team member and pick up and deliver 240 parts.

The motorized cart the Littleton, CO team developed and built, used a hand powered drill attached to a bike chain & sprocket, to turn the carts’ wheels and was powered by 16 AA batteries inserted into a homemade battery holder. Other team members assembled the 240 parts into 40 products. The products were then delivered to a separate area. A team written skit accompanied the process. Everything had to take place within 8 minutes.

The Littleton team won 1^st place at the Jeffco Regional DI Tournament at Alameda High School  & DI’s most prestigious honor, the DaVinci Award, for having a unique approach to a solution, for risk taking and/or for outstanding creativity. At the Colorado State DI Tournament, held at Auraria Campus in Denver, the team won 3^rd place & the Renaissance Award, for outstanding skill in the areas of design, engineering, execution or performance.

Team “NO Limits!” is actively fundraising to have the opportunity to send their team to Tennessee in May. If you would like to support their efforts, checks made out to Colorado Extreme Creativity with Westridge Elementary written in the memo section of the check, may be sent to Dwight Rudolph, the Colorado Extreme Creativity Treasurer, at 7567 S. Depew St., Littleton, CO 80128. Supply your name and address, and Mr. Rudolph will send you a letter for the tax write-off for your contribution.

All of us at Steve Spangler Science send good luck and well wishes to the team and hope they have fun in Tennessee. We will post an update when we find out how they did.

By Blog Editor, Susan Wells

Don’t fear the werewolves and vampires this weekend. An annular eclipse will make it’s way across the western United States.

This Sunday, May 20th in the late afternoon, an annular eclipse of the sun will be visible to the United States and a narrow path across the northern Hemisphere. A partial eclipse will be visible in East Asia, the North Pacific, North America and Greenland.

Solar eclipses happen all over the globe all the time, but this will be the first in the continental U.S. in more than 18 years.

An annular eclipse is a “ring of fire” solar eclipse. A total eclipse is when the moon’s shadow completely covers the sun and makes it dark during the day. This eclipse will cover about 85% of the sun leaving a visible ring.

If you want to see it, set a reminder, because it won’t last long. The eclipse will be visible first along Oregon and northern California at 1:23 p.m. local time. It will last 4 1/2 minutes as it tracks across the U.S. to Redding, CA, to Central Nevada, southern Utah and northern Arizona to Texas. People in the eastern U.S. will see the sun as a thin sliver in the afternoon hours but will end by the time it reaches the East Coast.

National Parks in the west have scheduled eclipse viewing events. This will allow for some spectacular photo opportunities.

I have always been fascinated with eclipses. The last solar eclipse I remember, I was in elementary school and we went out on the playground with our makeshift paper viewers. One of my favorite books as a child was “Who is Eating the Sun?” I have read that book to my children, and for the first time, they will be able to experience what we have learned about only in books.

How do you view the eclipse without burning your eyeballs?

Regular sunglasses won’t give the protection needed. Without special glasses, don’t look at the eclipse for more than a fraction of time. You won’t burn your eyes from dangerous solar radiation only visible during eclipses. The damage comes from staring at a solar event like this for a long period of time. To protect your eyes, many astronomy shops and National Park gift shops will have cardboard glasses that offer protection from the UV and visible light. Or go geek and use the highest grade of welding goggles. They will also protect your eyes.

Don’t look at the eclipse through your camera. You may want to use a solar filter to protect both your eyes and your lens.

You can make your own pinhole camera by poking a hole into an index card or other stiff paper. Focus the sun’s image onto another card through the pinhole. You can watch the eclipse progression without damaging your eyes. I’ve never had much luck at this technique. You can also check out the Exploratorium in San Francisco to learn how to make a pinhole camera with a Pringles can.

If you aren’t located in the right spot, or there are clouds in your area, like they are forecasted in Denver, you can also watch the eclipse online or from the space station. Space.com will host a live stream of the solar event.

The next total solar eclipse will happen on August, 21, 2017.

We’d love to see your photos, taken with caution and no eyeball burning. Leave us a photo on our Facebook page, Tweet us @SpanglerScience or mention us on Pinterest. We’ll feature some of the best next week on our blog.

Bubbles! Bubbles! Bubbles! My bubbles!

It’s one of the most memorable scenes from Finding Nemo. We also love bubbles at Steve Spangler Science. The science of bubbles is as fascinating as bubbles are engaging.

First, start with a good bubble solution. The secrets behind great bubbles are dish soap and glycerin. Just don’t use the antibacterial dish soap. Dawn works the best.

Glycerin is the true secret to the best bubbles because it keeps the bubble hydrated. A bubble will pop in the air because the water evaporates. The glycerin will hold onto that water and extend the life of the bubble. But don’t let it touch your skin. Oil and dirt are the enemies of bubbles.

The best bubble blower is a pipette with the end cut off. Just remember to blow through the pipette and not suck.

How do you make a round bubble a square? Start with a cube structure. You can make one with straws or sticks. Dip the cube into a bucket or container of bubble solution, then, using your bubble blower, carefully drop a round bubble into the center of the cube. Square bubbles!

We have you covered for all of your bubble needs –  pipettes, glycerin, bubble solution, gloves, square bubble maker and more, visit our Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles page. For experiments and more on the science behind bubbles, visit the Square Bubble experiment.

If you were at Weather and Science Day last week, you saw our giant flying sausages, the Solar Bags.

Solar Bags are 50 feet long and are made from a very thin plastic. When inflated, the black plastic heats the air up inside the Solar Bag. The air expands and the bag floats in the air. Our fabulous and dedicated Steve Spangler Science crew ran across the outfield at Coors Field last week to fill the balloons up with air. We filled the stadium with Solar Bags.

Steve also gave 800 teachers, cub scout and girl scout leaders Solar Bags to take back to their group for a hands-on learning experience. If you are a teacher or educator that received a Solar Bag, we have a homework assignment for you. Give your students or kids a little lesson in the properties of air and inflate your Solar Bag. Take pictures and videos of the experience and upload on the 9News site under the SendIt tab. Your video may be featured on upcoming episodes with Steve Spangler.

You can also use dry cleaning bags for a classroom demonstration. Using a heat source on the ground, completely deflate the dry cleaning bag. Hold the bag over the heat source with the open end down. Warm air is less dense than colder air, so the bag should begin to inflate and float.

We recently came across this video by SooToday.com‘s reader Phil Sabine making its rounds on the Internet. In the video, Sabine takes a cold bottle of water, turns it upside down and then taps the bottom. The water instantly begins freezing from the bottom down to the top.

Is it magic? A slight of hand? Or did he switch the liquid in the bottle to something other than water?

The answer to all of the questions is no, there is no trick. The solution lies in the science behind the freezing temperature of water and how ice crystals form. This is also referred to as Supercooled Water.

Everyone knows the freezing temperature of water is 32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 degrees Celsius. When this temperature is reached, the water molecules freeze by forming ice crystals. It’s easier for the water molecules to turn to ice on top of already formed crystals.  Ice crystals build on existing ice crystals to eventually freeze the entire bottle of water.

What starts the freezing ice crystal process? 

The process of starting the ice crystals is called “nucleation.” This starts from an impurity or scratch or piece of dust on the container holding the water. In this case, the water bottle. One ice crystal attaches to the imperfection, and the others grow on top.

What if the water bottle does not have an imperfection or impurity? Nucleation cannot begin, and the water stays in its liquid state. Even in temperatures below the freezing point. This state is called “metastable.” The water stays liquid until something kicks off the nucleation process.

In the SooCool video, Phil turns the bottle upside down and smacks it. This is enough to start the ice crystals to form and build on top of each other as they freeze down the bottle.

The water in the bottle isn’t frozen solid, but more slushy.

For an experiment, take a case of water and place it in the freezer. Keep all of the bottles in the same position and try not to make any dents or flaws in the plastic. Wait overnight and check the water. Some of the bottles may still be liquid. If this is the case, try different techniques of shaking, hitting or disturbing the water in the bottle to see if the water will instantly freeze.

Instant Freeze Soda

Did you know soda will also instantly freeze? Here’s a video of Steve demonstrating this on 9News. You can also read step by step directions and the science behind the Instant Freeze Soda on the experiment page.

Our annual Weather and Science Day reached a new height this year with the launch of a weather balloon during the event. The weather balloon was launched with help from The Edge of Space. During it’s flight, it reached the edge of space at a height of 93,000 feet. That’s higher than Mount Everest and higher than what a military jet can fly (50,000 feet). The balloon drifted northeast and landed hours later near Synder, Colorado.

Weather and Science Day May 2012 Courtesy 9News.com

Beaker “piloted” the weather balloon along with three flags from 9News, the Colorado Rockies and Steve Spangler Science. The balloon also had three cameras onboard that recorded hours of flight footage. You can see Beaker at the edge of the heavens and his violent fall back to earth after the balloon ruptured.

Weather Balloon with Beaker. Courtesy 9News.com

The underlying lesson was to work with The Edge of Space people who love flying balloons as hobbyists. Their dedication and passion to ballooning was inspiring.

Launching a balloon from Coors Field in the middle of the day isn’t as easy as it sounds. The balloon was going to take a journey up through aircraft flight patterns and could potentially be very hazardous. The FAA granted us special permission and diverted air traffic for 10 minutes for the launch.

This was the biggest Weather and Science Day, and although we do not have official numbers yet, we definitely had the biggest crowd ever.

The weather balloon was the biggest piece of Weather and Science Day, but it wasn’t all we did.

Students, teachers and weather and science fans also learned about the science of air, solar energy and the freezing and expanding powers of liquid nitrogen during the one hour event.

Liquid Nitrogen explosion during Weather and Science Day Courtesy 9News.com

Watch The Spangler Effect for an upcoming special half-hour episode dedicated to the weather balloon launch, flight and science behind it.

The 4th graders at Willow Creek Elementary and their amazing teacher, Lisa Heaton, took a lesson out of the books, literally, and tested their rocket-building skills.

They read Homer Hickam’s book, Rocket Boys. Then they set out on their own to design and build a rocket out of construction paper, tape and clay. That’s it. No engines or explosives helped launch these rockets into the air. They simply used air pressure.

I first learned how to make the PVC Rocket Launcher several years ago while speaking to teachers at Space Camp for Educators in Huntsville, Alabama. This hands-on rocket activity is an extension of the normal space unit that is standard at this grade level across the school district.

Each student was given two launch tries. Some of the rocket designs were great while others just blew up on the launch pad. For those that failed the first attempt, they had to go back to the drawing board to reanalyze their designs, fix the flaws and head back out for the second launch. The success rate for the second launch was well above 80%… and the young rocket engineers were amazed to see their success.

Every student placed their rocket on the launch pad and expected success. When some experienced failure, it gave them a chance to go back, learn from their mistakes, and try again. Failure is the best learning tool a student can acquire.

This is what sets spectacular teachers apart from ordinary teachers – taking a grade-level standard, adding a hands-on activity and making it home to the dinner table that night. This lesson made a book come alive, taught the science of rocket design and air pressure, success and failure skills and so much more.

If you have any question of the impact this one activity made on Ms. Heaton’s students, visit her teacher blog, LisaHeaton.com and read their comments.

Homer Hickam’s 1998 book, Rocket Boys: A Memoir,was based on his life as a young boy in Coalwood, West Virginia, as an aspiring rocket scientist. It was made into a movie, October Sky, in 1999.

Rocket Boys has been translated into eight languages and has received many awards. It was selected by the New York Times as one of its Great Books of 1998 and was an alternate Book-of-the-Month selection for both the Literary Guild and Doubleday book clubs. It was also nominated by the National Book Critics Circle as best Biography of 1998.

If you are a teacher and are interested in making your space unit come alive, here are some resources offered with permission from the Space Academy for Educators and the U.S. Space Camp.

• How to Make PVC Rocket Launchers
• Rocket Boys Unit Plan
• Rocket Boys Curriculum Part 1
• Rocket Boys Curriculum Part 2
• Rocket Boys Curriculum Part 3
• Rocket Boys Curriculum Part 4
• Rocket Boys Curriculum Websites

By Blog Editor Susan Wells

We can now add Cover Model to the list of accomplishments that Steve Spangler has achieved. He is on the cover of Speaker Magazine this month as The New Mr. Wizard.

Steve has been a member of the National Speaker Association for years and has been a keynote speaker at its conferences.

The article chronicles Steve’s rise to success from performing at church and birthday party events on the weekends with his parents, to doing over 4,500 school assemblies, to toy designer and teacher trainer.

Magic and speaking have always been an important part of Steve’s life and career. Pick up a copy of Speaker Magazine and find out how he turned a few videos on a fledgling website called YouTube into a paid gig on their new network.

Another interesting fact about Steve – he knows how to surround himself with talent. Our own Shawn Campbell took the photo for the cover.

Do you know how much sugar is in that can of soda you drink every afternoon? It’s well known that sugar accounts for the high calories in soda that lead to weight gain and unhealthy habits. But just how much is in that can and what about diet soda?

Start by placing different types and brands of soda into a bucket of water. Which ones will float and which ones will sink? Classify and take notes. Then move to the science behind your results. Why do some float and why do some sink?

Start with comparisons – we are going to use Coke and Diet Coke in our example. Both cans are the same size and hold the same volume 355 mL. The regular Coke weighs about 384 grams while the Diet Coke weighs 371 grams. The regular Coke has 140 calories, the diet Coke has zero calories. Are the calories the thing that makes it weigh more? Sort of.

The regular Coke has 39 grams of sugar. But what does that mean? About 18 packets of sugar in one can of regular Coke.

The reason the regular Coke sinks is the sugar content. If you drank one can of soda every day for a year, you would consume 32 pounds of sugar!

For more on the Science of Sugar, watch this week’s episode of The Spangler Effect where Steve goes beyond the sugar in a can of soda and makes some very sweet discoveries.

By Blog Editor Susan Wells

Every time I help out in the classroom, I am in awe of what my children’s teachers do every day. Not only do they have the responsibility of molding, shaping and educating young minds, but they also must deal with a constant influx of small issues. One child wants to share what they did over the weekend; another lost an earring and their ear hole will close in five minutes if it isn’t located; another is sitting at their desk without a pencil or the ability to locate another; another needs a book;  someone else left their lunch at home; and another is wandering aimlessly around the classroom. Let’s not also forget the meeting at the coat rack about why someone can’t play with the others at recess. And that is just in the first five minutes of the day.

Teachers wipe noses, bandaid boo boos, soothe hurt or upset feelings, go on search and rescue missions, serve as a mediator along with trying to educate young minds.

Even though both my mother and father were teachers, teaching is not in my blood. I know I’d either be huddled in the fetal position by the time the bell rang every day or I’d be crushing fragile souls with “just find it yourself!” I don’t have the patience or stamina to be a teacher.

That’s why I am so appreciative of what my children’s teachers do every day. They should be put on a pedestal and celebrated every day. Teacher Appreciation Week is May 7 – 11th this year. Make sure you honor and thank your children’s teachers for everything they do day in and day out. And don’t forget the other professionals at the school – the art, music and PE teachers, the office staff, school nurse and classroom aides. It’s a big list, but all of these people are helping to prepare your child for the world.

If you are at a loss for how to say thank you, we have a few suggestions beyond the Starbucks cards and body lotion.

Gift Certificates
Teachers spend an average of $2,000 to $3,000 a year out of their own pockets on classroom supplies. A gift certificate to Steve Spangler Science allows the teacher to choose exactly what they need or want for the classroom. You can send them immediately via email or have them delivered to the teacher’s door.

Steve’s Hands-on Science Experiment Books
Your teacher introduced you to thousands of amazing hands-on science experiments this year, so Steve Spangler’s Fire Bubbles and Exploding Toothpaste and Naked Eggs and Flying Potatoes books are the perfect gift to say thank you. Both books are filled with a great collection of experiments and are now only $20 for the set.

Beaker Mug
Keep your teacher sipping in style with this scientifically modeled Beaker Mug. This mug, handcrafted from a real beaker, is a must for your favorite science teacher. They’ll never need to worry about someone “borrowing” their mug again. Theirs is the awesome Beaker Mug!

 Tie Dye Lab Coats 
Every year I give my kids’ teachers a lab coat. After several years at the school, it’s fun to see all of the teachers we have touched. So after a fun-filled year with your teacher, show them your appreciation with a Tie Dye Lab Coat. It’s a guaranteed hit and your teacher will love the way they look in their brightly colored lab coat. Safety has never looked quite so good.

These are some big ideas as gifts for the end of the year, but you don’t have to go big to show how much you care during Teacher Appreciation Week. Have your child write a note to their teacher, give them a plant, school supplies or a special treat. For more ideas, visit our Teacher Gifts page or for more crafty ideas and do it yourself ideas, visit our Pinterest Teacher Appreciation category.

Kim Hill, a first grade teacher at Hayes Elementary School in Ada, Oklahoma, brought her love of science to the Cap Haitien Children’s Home in Cap Haitien, Haiti, this past February.

The Cap Haitien Children’s home is a Christian orphanage housing over 60 children. Its mission is to provide a loving and engaging atmosphere to help each child grow to become an educated citizen of Haiti.

Kim traveled to Haiti with her arsenal of science experiments. The first science experiment was polymers and Insta-Snow. When Kim began creating a blizzard on an island where snow is unheard of, the children were in disbelief. It was snowing in Haiti!

As the children mixed water with the white polymer powder, snow grew before their eyes. Discoveries abounded and pretty soon the snow was flying through the air and sprinkled in hair. Who knew you could have a snowball fight in Haiti?

Smiles were everywhere.

Her proud daughter, Carly Hill, shared pictures on Twitter and emailed us saying, “Without the help of Steve Spangler Science these children would have never been able to experience playing with snow. As you look at the pictures you can see that by the glow in their faces this was truly a memorable experience for each child at the Cap Haitien Home. Thank you Steve Spangler for your love of science and the gift of snow in Haiti!”

Thank you to Kim and Carly for sharing your love of science with the world’s children at home and abroad. From the photos, it is obvious you engaged and helped each child at Cap Haitien to flourish and grow. You made learning memorable.

For more information on the Cap Haitien Children’s home please visit the websites:

http://www.caphaitienchildrenshome.org

http://chchblog.blogspot.com

Tornado season and extreme weather have come early to parts of the midwest already this year. Tornadoes cause widespread damage and loss of lives. But what is the science behind what causes a tornado to form?

Tornadoes are funnels of spinning air. The winds may reach 250 (400 kilometers) an hour while they bounce and run across the land. They usually form during thunderstorms or supercells. A tornado forms when changes in wind speed and direction cause a horizontal spinning effect within the cloud. Rising air moving up through the cloud tips it vertically.

A funnel cloud does not reach the ground; a tornado touches the ground. The twisters don’t last for long, but can travel at speeds of 10 to 20 miles per hour on the ground.

Even though tornadoes occur around the world, the United States is a hotspot, especially along an area nicknamed “Tornado Alley” which includes eastern South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, northern Texas and eastern Colorado.

To make your own tornado in the safety of your home or classroom, take a plastic bottle and fill it with water. Turn the bottle upside down, blocking the opening with your hand. Start swirling the water and let it empty into a bucket. You can also create a tornado in a bottle by connecting two plastic bottles with a Tornado Tube. Both water tornadoes are formed when air rushes into the bottle and pushes the water out.

The tornado effect is not just limited to the air and water. Fire tornadoes can occur during a wildland fire. The fire whirls just like a tornado among the trees. As the heated air from the fire rises, strong air currents (often whipping through the trees) cause the air molecules to spin (often referred to as angular or rotational momentum) which shapes the flame into a tornado.

This week is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Colorado. Make sure your family has a plan in case a wind tornado or a fire tornado threatens your area. It’s also good to have a list of essentials to take with you in case you have to get out right away.

**Tornado facts from NationalGeographic.com. 

What kind of cereal do you eat in the morning? Are you a Fruit Loops kind of person or more serious, like a Total cereal eater? Whatever you eat, turn the box to the side and look at the ingredients. If your cereal is “iron fortified” what does that mean? Is there really iron in your flakes?

Here’s an easy way to test for iron – take a bowl and pour a little water in it. Float a few flakes on the water. Then take a powerful magnet, like a Neodymium Magnet and without touching the flakes, try to make them move and follow the magnet through the water.

That proves the magnet is having an effect on the flakes, but is it really iron that is causing the attraction?

Nails for Breakfast Experiment

In this next experiment, take a plastic zipper bag like a Zip-loc and put a handful of flakes inside. Pour water in to completely soak the flakes. Then shake and mix the solution until the flakes have dissolved and you have a soupy mixture. Place your Neodymium magnet in the palm of your hand and place the bag of cereal mixture on top. Slosh the bag around so that the magnet has a chance to touch all of the solution. Next, turn your hand over and carefully remove the magnet from the bag. A small droplet of iron should be collected under the magnet.

General Mills has been fortifying its cereals with iron for 25 years.

Metallic iron is digested in the stomach and eventually absorbed in the small intestine. If all of the iron from your body were extracted, you’d have enough iron to make only two small nails. You are truly eating nails for breakfast.

Eating Nails for Breakfast Science Kit from Steve Spangler Science

For the science behind this and complete step-by-step instructions, visit the Eating Nails for Breakfast experiment page.

Who else but Steve shows up at a television studio and makes a request to hang a 16-pound bowling ball from the ceiling? It’s for science, silly, and a lesson in the Laws of Motion.

9News Anchorman Mark Koebrich helped Steve demonstrate energy and motion. When hung on a rope, the bowling ball becomes a pendulum. The ball swings back and forth. If Steve swings the ball and adds energy by pushing it like a kid on a swing, the ball will swing back farther than where it started.

If Steve asks Mark to stand in front of the swinging ball and lets it go, the ball should return only to its starting point and not go beyond it. This demonstrates that you only get out what you put in.

The key is not to move when the bowling ball comes swinging back at your head.

There is a life lesson in this experiment as well – you only get out what you put in.

Q: Tell us a little about who you are…
A: I am a very personable and outgoing person who loves to make the best out of every situation. I feel as though no man or woman is better than the next and that we all need to work close to one another to really expand our horizons in life. Having the privilege to work for such a great company has allowed me to have a multitude of opportunities that I never thought were possible or that I would ever even come across in my life. I have been with the company now for 3 1/2 years and still wake up every morning excited to come to my job and work with my friends. It really takes a unique work environment to be able to say that your coworkers are not just team members but lifelong friends and that is one of my favorite things about working at Steve Spangler Science.

Q: What do you do at Steve Spangler Science?
A: I help oversee the production of the fun kits and educational products that we provide to our great customers. I also oversee the coordination of having Goodwill come into our facility to help produce some of our products which in turn helps us out a lot by keeping our production demands down. Thank you Goodwill!!!

Q: What do you like best about what you do?
A: I love knowing that the product I touch not just only helps further and expand the education of kids but also puts the fun back in science. Being able to work here gives me a comfortable feeling of knowing how much the company gives back to the community in various ways. It helps me understand the significance of a family owned and operated business and the importance of the great morals they work and live by.

Q:  What is your favorite Steve Spangler Science moment?
A: My favorite moment(s) would be when we were able to go down to Weather and Science Day at Coors Field. Having that many kids and teachers that are excited to learn about science/education is incredible and really wow’s me till this day. I am hoping to see this breathtaking event come together again this year. Keep your fingers crossed!

Q: What is something you wish every SSS customer knew?
A: I want every SSS customer to know how much we appreciate your feedback as well as input. We put so much hard work and dedication into our product and ordering process that we are always in search of how to improve on it to make the best experience for our customers. Thank you — all you guys ROCK!!!

Q: What is your favorite science experiment?
A: I would have to say my favorite is WCIB-250 Cloud in a Bottle. It still till this day amazes me to see a cloud right in front of you. My second choice would be WEXB-050 Bouncing Bubble Kit just because who doesn’t love to bounce a bubble in your hand. If you haven’t tried either one, you are missing out.

Q: What do you like to do when not on the job?
A: I like to stay active, especially outdoors. I love snowboarding, hiking, camping, spelunking, and running outside just on a random path to see where it ends. Enjoying time with my family and friends is definitely the highlight of my days though, no question about it.

Q: Anything else you’d like to share?
A: “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln
I live my life by this quote because of its importance and truth. I ‘m just saying…

Steve visits many science fairs throughout the year and listens to students share their projects. This spring, he found a young man who did an amazing project on the Greenhouse Effect. Saul, a second grader, didn’t just research his topic, he turned it into a true science fair project.

The greenhouse effect is actually a natural process that keeps the Earth warm in the vastness of space. When the sun’s rays hit the Earth, some pass through the atmosphere and some bounce back into space. The rays that pass through are absorbed and warm the Earth. The heat is radiated back up into the atmosphere and absorbed by greenhouse gases. The Earth stays warm.

The burning of fossil fuels releases more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The gases include carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. These gases have heat-trapping abilities. For more on the greenhouse effect, check out National Geographic’s Interactive graphic.

Saul’s experiment tested the effects of carbon dioxide in heating a small biosphere. His control jar contained only dirt and air, his first test jar had dirt and a plant, symbolizing the rainforest and the second test jar contained dirt and carbon dioxide gas. He used a lamp as the heat source. The jar with the carbon dioxide had a warmer temperature than the other two.

This was a creative and unique science fair project that went beyond the Diet Coke and Mentos experiments and dove into a real world problem. Congratulations to Saul for one amazing project.

Greenhouse Effect Definition Source: National Geographic.com

Here’s an easy and inexpensive way to get kids excited about science. All you need is a few pencils or cooking skewers, water and some plastic bags. This experiment is perfect for early childhood learners, preschoolers or even older children with a little adult supervision. Sharp pencils and skewers can also poke holes in your skin.

This is a good experiment to do outside, over a sink or tub to catch the drips. Fill the plastic zipper-lock bag with water more than half full. Don’t use sandwich bags or you will get wet. Seal the bag and then take your pencils or skewers and carefully poke them through the bag and through the water, out to the other side.

Are you getting soaked? You shouldn’t be. There may be a few leaks and drips, but the bag should seal itself around the pencil and keep the water from spilling.

How does this work? The plastic bag is made of polymers. Polymers are long chains of molecules. When you poke through the plastic, you are stabbing between the long strands of polymers and the bag seals itself around the pencil keeping the water inside. Just watch out when you remove the pencils. Shower time!

Have you ever felt like you were walking on eggshells? In this last eggs-periment before the Easter holiday this weekend, you will be. Before you hard boil those eggs, place them on the floor and walk on them. Beware, you will probably break a few of them while practicing this demonstration, so have a few extra on hand and make sure you completely clean up the mess to avoid Salmonella poisoning.

Eggshells have the reputation of being very fragile and easily broken, hence the saying about walking on eggshells. So actually walking on them sounds out of the question. But what if eggshells are really much stronger than we think?

The thin, outer coating of of an egg is strong enough to withstand the weight of your body.

Materials

• A few dozen eggs that are in egg cartons (Select large-sized eggs)
• Large plastic trash bag
• Bucket of soap and water (and some disinfectant)
• Barefoot friends

For the complete experiment, the science behind it and a science fair connection, visit our Walking on Eggs Experiment on SteveSpanglerScience.com.

Do you love crystals? Are you looking for a creative way to color Easter eggs? How about a little kitchen science to kick off the spring weekend? This activity covers all three.

A crystal geode takes thousands of years to grow a crystal inside. That’s a lot of waiting, not to mention you have to find the geode and then crack it open. I’m not sure anyone has a spare thousand years on their hands. If so, I want to meet them.

If you are not that patient or want to work that hard for your crystals, an Egg Geode is eggs-actly the right geode for you. They require some patience and time, but not anywhere near what a real geode takes.

Materials

• Egg
• Paintbrush
• Glue
• Food coloring
• Alum powder (look in the spice section of your local grocers)
• Water
• Scissors
• Paper towels
• Bowl
• Beaker/glass
• Spoon
• Pushpin

Activity

1. Start with getting the yolk and goo out of the egg. Use a pushpin to carefully poke holes at either end of the egg.

2. Put your mouth on one hole and carefully blow out the egg insides through the other. You can blow it into a bowl to scramble later or throw it out.

3. Carefully cut the eggshell in half, down the egg’s length, with a pair of scissors. Pull off any little pieces around the edges.

4. Keeping caution and careful movements, wipe out the inside of the egg with a paper towel. Get it as clean and dry as possible.

5. Drop a small amount of glue into the egg and use a paintbrush to spread it around. Try to cover the entire interior surface, all the way up to the edges, of the egg with glue. Add more glue if needed.

6. Before the glue dries, cover it generously with alum powder.

7. Wait for it all to dry overnight. Here is where you can throw caution to the wind and pick up some patience.

8. Come back the next day and bring two cups of water to an almost boiling point. (That’s 473 mL to all scientists and everyone outside the U.S.). Pour the heated water into a beaker or glass. Add 30-40 drops of food coloring and 3/4 cup of alum powder and stir.

9. Let the solution cool for about 30 minutes.

10. Once the colored alum solution has cooled, place the egg, opening up, into the solution. Push the egg to the bottom of the beaker with a spoon and allow the egg to sit in the solution for 12-15 hours. That’s a long time, right? Good thing you practiced patience by waiting for the glue to dry earlier.

11. After the 12-15 hours have passed, check out your egg. It’s grown crystals! Carefully remove the egg and place it on a paper towel or drying rack to finish the geode-creation process.

For the science behind this activity and how it works, visit our Incredible Egg Geode experiment page.

Join us for the third annual Weather & Science Day on Wednesday, May 2nd at 10:30 AM, before the Rockies game against the Dodgers at Coors Field.

Weather and Science Day 2009 resulted in a Guinness World Record for the Largest Physics Lesson. Weather and Science Day 2011 resulted in the stands exploding with a choreographed song played by everyone in unison and a giant cannon shooting clouds across the outfield. What will happen at this year’s Weather and Science Day? You’d better sign up to make sure you don’t miss the fun.

Students and their teachers can purchase special rate tickets for Weather and Science Day and stay for the game. The science demonstrations and weather lessons will be along the first base line. Students will then move to their assigned seats for the game.

Weather and Science Day is for school groups, but any science enthusiast who has a ticket to the game can come early and join in the excitement for learning.

Schedule May 2, 2012 – Coors Field

9:30 a.m.                        Gates A, B, and C Open
10:30 – 11:30 a.m.       Weather & Science Wonders
1:10 p.m.                          Rockies vs. Dodgers

Special ticket rates are available for schools, and bus parking is free:

• Rockpile: $4
• Upper level: $11
• Mid-level: $15
• Outfield Box: $18

Schools will receive a special bus pass and parking.

The Rockies ask that everyone attending Weather and Science Day arrive as early as possible. The wait to enter the ballpark could take up to 30 minutes.

For additional information and to purchase tickets, call 303-312-2208 or email donnellyr@coloradorockies.com. Or visit the 9News.com story about Weather and Science Day.

Prohibited Items
*Glass bottles and aluminum or metal cans (including aerosol cans, aerosol sunscreen)
*All hard-sided coolers and containers, regardless of size
*All soft-sided bags and containers larger than 16″x16″x8″
*Sticks or clubs (including signs attached to sticks)
*Beachballs, balloons and other inflatables
*Any fruit or vegetable larger than a grapefruit must be sliced
*Insulated coolers, cups and thermoses larger than 22 oz.
*Boxes (to hold sack lunches, etc.)

Permitted Items
*Plastic beverage containers
*Soft-sided bags or containers 16″x 16″x 8″ or smaller
*Insulated cups or thermoses 22 ounces or smaller
*Food items
*Umbrellas during the threat of inclement weather. Please only compact umbrellas (28″ – 34″ span).
*Paper or plastic cups with permitted beverages
*Potato chip or nut cardboard cans with metal tops or bottoms

Curious about what happened last year or want to relive the fun? Visit our Science and Weather Day page.