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Download free projects to do with your class or at home! Most Nomad Press projects require no special equipment or tools and little to no adult supervision. You can often use ordinary household materials and parts. That way kids can build a simple, do-it-yourself project without spending a lot of money.

 

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Project Templates
Build the Best Swimmer

Build the Best Swimmer

Discover how the connection between swimming and gravity!
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Magnetic Field Viewer

Magnetic Field Viewer

You can see magnetic fields in action with this easy-to-make viewer.
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A Monumental History

A Monumental History

Monuments designed to honor places, events, or people stand in public places across the United States. Some, such as the Lincoln Memorial and the Statue of Liberty, are classic icons. Others, such as the 2,000-pound African Killer Bee located in Hidalgo, Texas, are less than traditional. Monuments are often controversial. What is honorable to one...
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Build a Craft Stick Catapult

Build a Craft Stick Catapult

Ancient armies used catapults in battle. But the catapult has been used as recently as World War I. In that war, soldiers used catapults to toss hand grenades at the enemy. Today, catapults are used to launch planes off the decks of huge ships called aircraft carriers. Because the runway is short on an aircraft...
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Explore Friction on a Ramp

Explore Friction on a Ramp

One part of physics that affects everything you do is friction! Friction is a force that occurs when two surfaces rub against each other. Smoother surfaces generate less friction, while rough or bumpy surfaces generate more friction. Check it out!
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Eat a Water Molecule

Eat a Water Molecule

We now know what the formula for water looks like. What does an actual molecule of water look like? How can we see something that small? Powerful X-ray machinery allows scientists to predict how the atoms in a molecule look. Let’s build a model so we can see, too.
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The STEM in Your Closet

The STEM in Your Closet

Have you ever really thought about what kind of science, engineering, and technology actually go into making your clothes? Now is your chance! The zipper on your jacket was at one time an engineering miracle. The shirt that has built-in protection from the sun’s ultraviolet rays is a scientific innovation that helps to keep you...
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Chemical or Physical?

Chemical or Physical?

In the kitchen, chefs combine and alter food ingredients to create a finished dish. Some of these changes are physical—the food changes form, shape, and size, but the molecules that make up the food do not change. Other changes in food are chemical. When food undergoes a chemical reaction, a new substance is created. During...
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Get to Know the Constellations

Get to Know the Constellations

There are dozens of constellations in the night sky. Some of them are very recognizable once you learn what they look like.
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Make a Model of the Solar System

Make a Model of the Solar System

The sun is at the center of our solar system. All the planets and other objects orbit around it in their own path.
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Phases of the Moon

Phases of the Moon

To understand the phases of the moon, become an astronomer for a month!
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Make a Terrarium

Make a Terrarium

While an aquarium is for fish, a terrarium is for plants. Like Earth, your terrarium will need all the right ingredients in just the right amounts.
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Does Racial Inequality Exist in Your School?

Does Racial Inequality Exist in Your School?

It can sometimes be hard to recognize racial inequality when it doesn’t directly affect you. Take a look at the statistics relating to your own school and see if anything surprised you.
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Listen!

Listen!

Music of the Civil Rights Era arose from several different styles of music, most notably gospel, folk, blues, and jazz. What did these different styles offer? How did they combine to form music that was completely new?
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Planning a Boycott

Planning a Boycott

Segregated buses and trains were only one of the ways whites discriminated against African Americans in the Jim Crow South. A boycott is the act of refusing to buy, use, or participate in something as a form of protest. Why didn’t the African American community use boycotts more often in their fight against segregation?
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Civil Rights Issues Today

Civil Rights Issues Today

For as long as there has been a United States, there have been debates about civil rights. What civil rights issues are people concerned about today? Let’s find out!
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Build the Eiffel Tower

Build the Eiffel Tower

Built in 1889 for the World Exposition, the Eiffel Tower honored the French Revolution. It also showcased national engineering and design expertise to an audience of global visitors. Originally intended as a temporary monument, it remains one of the world’s most visited landmarks. The structure of the tower itself is actually quite simple! To understand...
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Make Your Own Zibaldone

Make Your Own Zibaldone

A zibaldone is the Italian word for “a heap of things.” This is what Leonardo’s notebook was called. He collected a heap of ideas, observations, questions, and experiments on the pages of his notebooks, putting everything he saw or thought into the same book, instead of having different notebooks for different topics. And he used...
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Experiment with Homemade Soap

Experiment with Homemade Soap

Back when Ben Franklin was a kid, making soap was a smelly affair. It’s much easier—and more fun—today. Have an adult help you with the knife and the hot glycerin (soap). Caution: An adult must help you melt the glycerin.
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A Different Kind of BattleField

A Different Kind of BattleField

In the early years of WWI, army recruiters mined soccer games and rugby matches for recruits. According to historian Adam Hochschild, soccer games “proved the single best venue for recruiters.” Arriving spectators would see recruiters wearing sandwich boards bearing the message, “Your Country Needs You.” The game would start with a patriotic speech. Players often...
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My World

My World

Through the “My World” Survey, people can identify which of the 17 SDGs matter most to them. At www.myworld2030.org, you can take the survey and select six SDG priority areas. You can also view results by country to see what people care about across the globe.
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Investigate a Creation Myth

Investigate a Creation Myth

Nearly all civilizations had their own creation myths. Sometimes, these creation myths were weirdly similar, even if the cultures had no known contact. Let’s take a look at some and see if there is any truth in the stories.
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Write a Fabulous Fish Book

Write a Fabulous Fish Book

Fish have many different fabulous adaptations that help them survive in environments all around the Earth. Write about them!
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Build Your Own Bird

Build Your Own Bird

Birds have beaks, wings, feathers, and interesting feet. Each of these features helps a bird to survive in its habitat.
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Amphibians Near You

Amphibians Near You

Amphibians are found all around the world, except Antarctica. That means there are amphibians living near you! And every amphibian has many adaptations that help it survive. They must be able to find food, take shelter, and stay safe.
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Pipe-Cleaner Reptiles

Pipe-Cleaner Reptiles

Reptiles include snakes, lizards, alligators, crocodiles, turtles, and tortoises. They live everywhere on Earth except in the coldest environments.
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How Are Humans Adapted?

How Are Humans Adapted?

Humans are mammals, too. And we live in many different ecosystems on earth: deserts, tropical rain forests, Arctic regions, mountains, and grasslands.
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Extract DNA from a Strawberry

Extract DNA from a Strawberry

Cells are the basic unit of life. Inside most cells, you’ll find DNA. This large molecule carries all the genetic information for a cell. Simply put, DNA holds the instruction manual for life. Each DNA molecule is a long, thin thread. See for yourself!
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Build a Working Arm Muscle

Build a Working Arm Muscle

How many times a day do you use your arm? In this activity, you’ll create a model of a working arm muscle to see how the muscles in your arm work together to help you bend your elbow and move your arm.
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Choices and Consequences

Choices and Consequences

Risk-taking behavior can offer learning opportunities! And not all risk taking leads to bad outcomes. Taking risks can fall into six categories of risk, all affecting you in different ways. Take a look.
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Make Your Own Mentos Explosion

Make Your Own Mentos Explosion

Chemical reaction or display of physical force? Try this experiment with candy and soda and see what happens.
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Launch!

Launch!

Most older roller coasters are pulled up that first hill. However, some newer coasters have pneumatic launch systems. That means a shot of compressed air launches the coaster up the hill. We’re going to build a simple version of that with a straw that you blow through.
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Investigate Weather

Investigate Weather

How is weather different from climate? Weather can be described as day-to-day conditions. From a bright, sunny day to a snowy day, weather can change quickly. Climate, on the other hand, is made up of long-term weather patterns across many years. Let’s explore some of the characteristics of weather.
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Plant a Mystery Greenhouse Garden

Plant a Mystery Greenhouse Garden

What might be lurking in the soil? Find out by taking samples of soil from three different sites and seeing what grows!
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Edible Climate Zone Map

Edible Climate Zone Map

The world has many different types of climates. The United States has several different climate zones as well. With this edible map, you can tell your family about summer climates—after you chew!
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Archimedes Screw

Archimedes Screw

Greek scientist Archimedes (288–212 BCE) invented a device to move water from a river to a farmer’s field. This device—called the Archimedes’ screw—is a tube with a large spiral inside. When you place the tube in water and turn it, the spiral pushes the water up. Try it!
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Lava Gas!

Lava Gas!

Lava has gas trapped in it. How does it compare to the gas in soda that some people drink?
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Build A Dam

Build A Dam

Can you design and build a dam that keeps water from flooding the area on one side of the dam?
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Create Your Own Barometer

Create Your Own Barometer

Evangelista Torricelli created the first barometer and used it to see when air pressure was changing. Now it is your turn to make a barometer.
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Earthquake in a Box

Earthquake in a Box

Scientists use models to better understand complex concepts and processes. Model what happens during an earthquake and see what new things you discover.
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Air Pressure Experiments

Air Pressure Experiments

Where meteorological natural disasters are concerned, air pressure is often of critical importance. Yet the fact that air has actual weight and that it pushes against objects is difficult to imagine. These simple experiments can show you air pressure in action!
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Make A Roman Coin

Make A Roman Coin

Coins were introduced to ancient Rome around 270 BCE. Before then, Romans traded goods for other goods. Roman coins were made of gold, silver, or bronze and often had the face of the emperor on one side.
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Black-Figure Vase

Black-Figure Vase

We know a lot about ancient Greece by studying their vases, which illustrated everyday life. Want to tell future archaeologists about your life? Make your own Greek-style vase.
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Collar Necklace

Collar Necklace

A fancy, ancient Egyptian collar necklace is called a wesekh. They were originally amulets used to help protect people in the afterlife.
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Design a Cup

Design a Cup

Become an ancient Aztec or Maya artisan in this activity.
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Tilt Sensor

Tilt Sensor

Make a simple tilt sensor with LED lights that indicate which way it's leaning.
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Draw Your Own Cartoon

Draw Your Own Cartoon

Start your creative juices flowing by drawing your own cartoon.
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Create a Paleontological Diorama

Create a Paleontological Diorama

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Behind the Scenes

Behind the Scenes

Go Behind the Scenes!
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Kite Aerodynamics

Kite Aerodynamics

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Make a telescope!
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Design a Space Robot

Design a Space Robot

Think of what planet you would like to explore and design a robot based on the planet you chose.
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Rock Face

Rock Face

Use a rock as a skull to mold clay around to create a face.
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Uncovering Your Family History

Uncovering Your Family History

Like the stories surrounding the beginnings of Rome, most families have stories that have been passed down from generation to generation that may or may not be completely true.
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Write a Letter in Greek

Write a Letter in Greek

Using the chart, write a letter to a friend. Because the symbols are so different from the letters of the English alphabet, it’s almost like writing in code. In some cases the sound of a word is more important than its English spelling. For instance, you’ll notice that the Greek alphabet doesn’t have an F....
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Make Your Own Gordian Knot

Make Your Own Gordian Knot

One legend says Alexander conquered Asia by solving the puzzle of the Gordian Knot. According to a prophecy, whoever untied this endless knot would rule the continent. Alexander took the direct approach—he cut the knot open with his sword. Today, a “Gordian knot” means an unsolvable problem. No one knows exactly what the Gordian Knot...
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Make Your Own Shake Table

Make Your Own Shake Table

Architects and engineers who design buildings in areas prone to earthquakes try to create structures that will be stable if an earthquake hits. a shake table is used to shake a model and see what happens. It makes the same motion as an earthquake. You can see what it’s like when you build your own...
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Make a Culture Collage

Make a Culture Collage

We use the term Renaissance to define the years in Europe from the 1300s through the 1600s. Is there one word or phrase that defines the era we live in right now? Let’s make a Culture Collage and see if we can find one.
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Try Styrofoam Printing

Try Styrofoam Printing

Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press during the Renaissance. Before this invention, books were made by hand. The text was copied word by word. The printing press made the creation and distribution of books much easier, so more people could have access to books and read them. In this activity, you’ll try your own method...
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The Human Body in Art

The Human Body in Art

Leonardo was one of several Renaissance artists who dissected human corpses. Why did they do that? To better understand the form and function of the human body, which they believed was created in the image of God. To them, the human body—inside and out—was a work of wonder.
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Can You Guess the Scent?

Can You Guess the Scent?

Many of the world’s most popular spices are grown in India. Can you guess what they are without peeking?
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Design a Poll

Design a Poll

Often, data is collected using a poll or survey. A poll or survey asks questions about people’s opinion on a topic. In this activity, you will design and conduct your own poll.
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Take a Turing Test

Take a Turing Test

In 1950, an English computer scientist named Alan Turing (1912–1954) devised a test to tell a person from a computer. You’re going to try this with a Chatbot. This is an online computer program that is designed to mimic a human.
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Observing Forces Of Motion

Observing Forces Of Motion

When something moves, a lot is going on that we don’t see. But we can make deductions based on our observations of different movements! Try moving different objects on different surfaces and see what you learn.
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Designer vs. Maker

Designer vs. Maker

The growth of factories and mass production allowed companies to separate the design of products from their manufacture. It became easier to produce goods that were affordable for many people. At the same time, separating design from manufacturing can cause some problems. In this activity, you will explore some of the differences between craft-based design...
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River Watching

River Watching

Observing things closely is an important part of being a scientist. In this activity, you’ll watch a river to see what you can notice about it.
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Be a Wetland Detective

Be a Wetland Detective

Is there some kind of wetland near your home? Do you live near a river or lake? Or next to the ocean? Ask an adult to help you identify a local wetland to explore.
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Ocean Journal

Ocean Journal

Captain James Cook (1728–1779) was a famous British explorer. On his journey to the Arctic Ocean, he kept a journal and recorded his observations about Arctic ice. Today, scientists use Captain Cook’s notes to understand how sea ice in the Arctic is changing. You, too, can record your observations in a science journal. Who will...
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Lake-Top Living

Lake-Top Living

What happens when a lake grows and shrinks according to the season? How do people live and work on a lake that’s always moving its shores? Residents on Tonlé Sap in Cambodia solved this problem by building a floating village. Imagine you are building a brand new floating village. What do you think would be...
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Power Paper

Power Paper

Think about some words you might associate with paper, such as thin or rip, and then think of the words you might associate with a textbook, such as heavy. Do you think that sheets of paper could support the weight of one of your textbooks? Why or why not?
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A-maze-ing Tunnels

A-maze-ing Tunnels

The underground city of Derinkuyu was made of a series of tunnels and caves, which could fit about 20,000 people! The city had stables, cellars, storage rooms, and chapels, just like an aboveground city. You can make your own tunnel city.
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Engineer a Beaver Dam

Engineer a Beaver Dam

Beavers are amazing engineers. Do you think that you can build a dam as well as a beaver? This is your chance to try. Design, create, and test your own model of a beaver dam.
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The Nuclear Debate

The Nuclear Debate

Do you think President Truman’s decision to use nuclear weapons was justifiable, either militarily or morally?
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Who Makes It?

Who Makes It?

Supporters of globalization promise that global trade will expand the wealth of countries by lowering the price of goods, increasing worker wages, and increasing economic growth. In this activity, you will investigate where the products you use come from and evaluate the impact of global trade on these countries.
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Conduct an Interview

Conduct an Interview

The Vietnam War ended in 1975, which means that many people from this era are still alive today. Despite the many books and films that have been made about this war, the best way to get a personal understanding of this period is by speaking with someone who remembers it.
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What If?

What If?

The Space race ended with a walk on the moon. What might have happened if the Soviet Union had won the race? What might have happened if the U.S. space program had continued? Do some brainstorming and come up with some ideas!
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Shake Hands On It!

Shake Hands On It!

You can make patterns by drawing and making objects. You can also make patterns with your own body! Find a partner and see what shapes you can make with your hands.
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Darwin's Finches

Darwin's Finches

In 1835, Charles Darwin visited the Galapagos Islands, in the Pacific Ocean. While there, he noticed several different types of finches. These birds were very different from the finches Darwin had seen in England. The finches on the different islands had beaks of various sizes and shapes. A finch's beak structure determines what it can...
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Simple Bridges from Ancient Times

Simple Bridges from Ancient Times

Bridges are not easy to construct. With all of the different types of support, it is important to pick the correct one for the area. Let's start with some paper models to get an idea of which bridge is the strongest.
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Kitchen Paleontologist

Kitchen Paleontologist

When paleontologists discover fossil bones, they are usually scattered over an area. Sometimes the bones of more than one creature are mixed together. Perhaps the bones can be put together, but a piece is missing. This activity will give you an idea of what paleontologists do.
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Reflection

Reflection

If you have been around a lot of clean ice and snow during the day, you know it can be hard to see because it is so bright. Ice acts as a reflector. When the sun's rays hit clean ice, most of them bounce back up into space. This makes it harder for the sun...
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Can You Spot Mercury?

Can You Spot Mercury?

Although it's one of the brightest objects in the sky, seeing the closest planet to the sun isn't easy. As seen from Earth, it never strays far from the sun's blinding glare. Many famous astronomers are rumored to have never seen the elusive planet.
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The Statistics of Slaughter

The Statistics of Slaughter

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Paint the Oregon Trail

Paint the Oregon Trail

In the nineteenth century, many artists used the American West as a canvas for artistic expression—George Catlin, Frederick Remington, and Charles Marion Russell are some of the most well known. Art of the American West presented the artist's perspective of specific events and or locations. Whether the subject was a cowboy, Native American, or a...
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Where Were You When?

Where Were You When?

Many people in middle school and high school don't have memories of the 9/11 attacks because the event happened before they were born or when they were too young to form memories of it. You can learn a lot about the personal impact of terrorism by asking people where they were and what they remember...
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Peach Blossom Scroll

Peach Blossom Scroll

In the seventeenth century, an artist painted the fable The Peach Blossom Spring on a long piece of silk called a handscroll. Handscrolls are viewed from right to left. Design your own handscroll based on the fable.
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Makerspace Journal

Makerspace Journal

Both engineers and scientists keep track of many things. They write down observations about what they see around them and questions they have as they work on projects. Scientists record the steps they take each time they work on a scientific project while engineers write down the changes they make to their inventions. Create a...
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Use Art to Show Life and Death During the Holocaust

Use Art to Show Life and Death During the Holocaust

During the Holocaust, people created art while living in ghettos, concentration camps, or while in hiding. These pieces of art documented life in these places and showed events from the artist's perspective. Created by professional artists and everyday people, these works of art provide a lasting snapshot of life and death during Hitler's rise to...
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Be a Sky Watcher

Be a Sky Watcher

It is not possible for you to observe a comet each night, but you can observe the moon and the stars. In this activity, you are going to observe the stars during the period of a week using only your eyes. Write down your observations and draw pictures in your science journal.
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Microscopes

Microscopes

Microscopes have come a long way since the Dutch first created compound and simple microscopes. A microscope is simply an optical device that magnifies objects. Many standard microscopes have built-in light sources to improve the view. We call them light microscopes. These compound microscopes have a lens in the eyepiece and more lenses closer to...
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Through the Years

Through the Years

Some of the inventions we use today existed long ago, but in completely different forms. The telephone that Alexander Graham Bell patented in 1876, for example, looks much different from the smartphone you might carry in your pocket today. In this activity, you will research a product and create a timeline showing the development of...
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Point A Masterpiece

Point A Masterpiece

Does pointillism really work? Create your own pointy artwork to find out.
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Cook a Hoe Cake

Cook a Hoe Cake

The simple cornmeal pancake has long roots in America. It was George Washington's favorite breakfast. The dish gets its name from a flat pan called a hoe griddle. Enslaved people did not have this type of griddle. Instead, they baked their corn cakes on garden hoes in fires near the fields where they worked. Try...
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Build a Model of the Arm

Build a Model of the Arm

The arm is made of three main bones: the humerus, ulna, and radius. These bones support the arm and provide attachment points for the muscles that move the arm. Joints at the shoulder and elbow give the arm a wide range of motion and flexibility. In this project, you will build a model of an...
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Explore Different Types of Government

Explore Different Types of Government

Every form of government has key features and characteristics that define it. For example, in a democracy, the citizens vote on laws and policies, but in a totalitarian country, the ruling party makes all decisions about public and private life. In this activity, you will explore how different forms of government would impact your classroom...
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Create a Shakespearean Timeline

Create a Shakespearean Timeline

Every writer, artist, musician, or other cultural visionary is at least partly a product of their time. What might the history of Shakespeare's era have contributed to the poems and plays he wrote that we enjoy today?
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Extract Your Own DNA

Extract Your Own DNA

In the movie Jurassic Park, biologists extract dinosaur DNA from mosquito-like bugs that were preserved for millions of years in amber. Today's scientists have not yet turned this fiction into fact, but you can easily see your own DNA in your own home.
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Measure the Movement of Plates

Measure the Movement of Plates

You'll need to have a lot of patience for this project. If you stick with it, you'll have a great understanding of how the continents move! Ask an adult to help you find a location where it is safe and acceptable to use pins that will remain undisturbed for at least a month. You don't...
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Predator and Prey Journal

Predator and Prey Journal

Good scientists keep track of many things. They write down the things they wonder about and the questions they ask. They record the steps they take in the scientific method. Create a special notebook to help you keep track of what you do and learn about predators and prey.
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Greek Gods Memory Game

Greek Gods Memory Game

Greek gods and goddesses were linked to symbols or objects that reflected their interests and personality. Many had more than one symbol. In this game, you will design one playing card for each god and goddess and one for their corresponding symbols. You can use images of the gods and their symbols within this book...
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How Light Travels Experiment

How Light Travels Experiment

Scientists know that light travels very quickly. In this experiment, you will discover if light really does travel in a straight line.
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Backyard Bioengineering

Backyard Bioengineering

Bioengineering has been around for a long time. People look to nature to design products that fit certain needs. We can also simply observe nature and see how it works. Inspiration can strike and you might be able to think of a way to improve an existing design.
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Take a Walk Through Time

Take a Walk Through Time

Life began on the earth a very long time ago. Compared with when life first appeared, humans have been around for a very, very short period of time. This activity will help you think about geologic time compared to human time.
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Talking Trash

Talking Trash

The trash people throw out reveals a lot about human behavior. Prehistoric garbage dumps, called middens, are gold mines of information for archaeologists. Trash can reveal when people from a culture lived, what technology the people used, what the environment was like, and how the people obtained their food. In this activity you will examine...
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Building Bridges

Building Bridges

Forces act on everything, even things that are standing still. Engineers need to understand forces when they build structures such as bridges. Let's see how different bridges support the forces that are placed upon them.
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Converting Units

Converting Units

Chemistry uses many types of measurements. Some of the most common include distance, mass, time, temperature, volume, density, pressure, amount, concentration, energy, velocity, molarity, viscosity, and electric charge. Each of these can be measured in different ways. For example, mass can be measured in pounds, ounces, grams, and kilograms. Because of these differences, chemists must...
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Burning Fossil Fuels

Burning Fossil Fuels

Burning fossil fuels releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the earth's atmosphere. Large quantities of carbon dioxide are linked to global climate change. Humans release on average annually about 64 trillion pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. That is like releasing 3.2 trillion watermelons into the sky every year. Since greenhouse gases are...
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Compare the Decades

Compare the Decades

In 2008, a recession took place in the United States that seemed to echo the Great Depression of the 1930s. Called the Great Recession, it was a time when unemployment spiked in 2008 and 2009 and many people lost their homes. How was this recession similar to the Great Depression?
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What is Religion?

What is Religion?

Defining religion can be a difficult task. Often, our definition of religion is shaped by our family, experiences, traditions, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and many other factors. Understanding these influences in your life can be helpful as you compare and contrast the five major religions in this book. Ask a group of friends or classmates...
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Make Bracteates

Make Bracteates

Norse craftsmen hammered images onto thin metal discs called bracteates. Archaeologists have found bracteates with images from Norse myths. In this activity, you are going to make your own.
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Marshmallow Tower

Marshmallow Tower

Try the Marshmallow Challenge, a fun and quick design challenge that thousands of people have attempted.
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Make a Cardboard Arcade Game

Make a Cardboard Arcade Game

In 2011, nine­-year­-old Caine Monroy built working cardboard versions of his favorite arcade games in his dad's auto parts shop, including a basketball toss and a tabletop soccer game with plastic army men. A customer named Nirvan Mullick liked Caine's Arcade so much, he invited lots of people to come and play. Mullick also made...
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Track a Viral Infection Map

Track a Viral Infection Map

Infection from a virus is called a viral infection. It can be transmitted from person to person. Do you know how many people can be infected from one person? Let's find out!
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Paint with Soil

Paint with Soil

Soil from different locations can be different colors, depending on what it's made of. Since ancient times, soil has been used for painting. You, too, can create works of art with soil!
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Who's In Charge?

Who's In Charge?

What would your life be like if you were ruled by someone who didn't follow the rules or made up their own rules? Here's your chance to find out!
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Sending Signals

Sending Signals

Neurons send signals by releasing chemical neurotransmitters across a synapse, the space between neurons. The axon terminal releases the neurotransmitter, which moves across the synapse and attaches to receptors on the dendrites of a nearby neuron. This generates an electrical signal that goes to the neuron's cell body. If enough input signals are received, the...
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Honey Bee Journal

Honey Bee Journal

Keep track of all you do and learn in a special Honey Bee Journal. As you add more pages, your journal will start to look like a flower!
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Make a Poetry Journal

Make a Poetry Journal

Most poets carry a notebook around with them wherever they go. Why? In case they think of something when they're not at their desk! Inspiration can happen at any moment, and it's a great idea to keep all of your poetry thoughts and drafts in one place.
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Signal Lantern

Signal Lantern

Robert Newman was the caretaker of the Old North Church. On the night of April 18, 1775, he climbed the tall steeple in total darkness. When he reached the top, he lit two lanterns and held them to the window. This signaled to the patriots on the other side of the river that British troops...
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Tetrahedron Forcebuster

Tetrahedron Forcebuster

Civil engineers rely on triangles for many constructions. it is the strongest shape. The tetrahedron is a shape with four triangular faces (think of the pyramids of egypt). Test how well triangle power can resist pushing and pulling forces. Ask an adult to help you thread the sewing needle and supervise as you use it....
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How Far Can You Go?

How Far Can You Go?

Why do some animals migrate so far, and some stay so close to home? This activity will help you think about why different kinds of animals travel different distances when they migrate. For this activity you will need a few people: one to call out animal names, and the others to be migrating animals.
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Salt Water Experiment

Salt Water Experiment

Trapped in the middle of the ocean with no freshwater to drink? No problem! There is a way to make salt water good to drink.
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Carnation Creation

Carnation Creation

Here is a really fun way to watch capillary action in action.
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Make Your Own Freshwater

Make Your Own Freshwater

The water cycle takes salt water from the ocean and turns it into freshwater. When the salt water evaporates, it leaves the salt in the ocean. When the water vapor cools and turns into rain, it falls as freshwater! This is how rain fills lakes and rivers with freshwater. In this activity, you can explore...
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Night Watch

Night Watch

When does your night start? It can change every season. One way to keep track is to make your own night watch.
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Map Your State's Natural Resources

Map Your State's Natural Resources

Make a three-dimensional map to give you an understanding of the natural resources in your state. This map will include natural resources found in your state, such as fish or forests, but not products made by them. NOTE: This activity requires going online. Ask an adult to supervise while you are on the Internet.
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Make Your Own Longhouse

Make Your Own Longhouse

The Iroquois men built their longhouses in the spring when the trees were young and flexible. Longhouses were large enough for 20 or more families to live in. Native Americans used materials that they found in nature. They believed that nothing should go to waste. Build a longhouse using as many natural resources as you...
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Underwater Viewer

Underwater Viewer

A lot of life cycles happen under water, where you can't see them. With this underwater viewer you'll be able to get a peek at the action. Have an adult with you when you use this viewer near any body of water.
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On the Straight and Level

On the Straight and Level

In the introduction you made a plumb bob that used gravity to make sure things are vertical. Now you can make a water level, a tool that uses gravity to make sure things are straight across! The water level works because when water is in a confined space, gravity makes sure the top of it...
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Anemometer

Anemometer

An anemometer measures wind speed. The Wright brothers used a handheld anemometer to estimate wind speed when they tested their flying machines. You can make an anemometer to record wind speed near your home.
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Electroscope

Electroscope

William Gilbert used a device called a versorium to test an object's charge. You can make a similar device to see static electricity at work.
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Make Your Own Soap Boat

Make Your Own Soap Boat

The colonists' trip to America took two or three months by sea on large ships. The ships could be about 100 feet long. These ships had to carry enough supplies for the long journey. Some of those supplies were food and water, clothing, guns and gun powder, tools and candles. The colonists brought the things...
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Make a Rainbow Myth Window Hanging

Make a Rainbow Myth Window Hanging

In the Bible, God creates the rainbow as a symbol of his promise never to send another flood to destroy mankind. For the ancient Greeks, the rainbow was the goddess Iris. She carried messages from Earth to the heavens. The Norse believed that a rainbow bridge connected Middle Earth with Asgard, the home of the...
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Reading Seasons from a Shadow

Reading Seasons from a Shadow

Each day the sun appears to move across the sky from east to west (actually the sun stays in place and the earth spins on its axis). Although the sun may seem to rise and set at the same spot on the horizon each day, the path it takes between those two points varies over...
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Knitting Spool

Knitting Spool

Before the power loom was invented, weaving and knitting were slow, tedious tasks. Try hand weaving with your own knitting spool. With a few simple items and some yarn, you can create a knitted tube that you could use as a bracelet, belt, or skinny scarf!
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The Right Footing

The Right Footing

A pagoda's tiers hold up to the force of powerful winds by moving independently. Shibam's mud skyrises also stand up to the force of wind. But Shibam is vulnerable to floods. Experiment with natural materials to build foundations, determining which best stand up to the forces of wind and water.
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Make a Hanging Garden

Make a Hanging Garden

King Nebuchadnezzar (NEBUH- KUHD-NEZ-ER) ruled over the Babylonian Empire from 605 to 562 BCE. He married Queen Amytis (A-ME-TIS) of Media, an area in what is now the country of Iran. According to legend, Queen Amytis was quite homesick for the lush, green mountains of Media. King Nebuchadnezzar had the Hanging Gardens built to cheer...
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Aeolipile

Aeolipile

In this project, you can recreate the work of the Greek mathematician Hero, using water instead of steam. The basic principle of action and reaction is the same—for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. As the water shoots out of the holes in the carton, it pushes on the carton with an...
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Loom and Cloth

Loom and Cloth

This activity gives you a sense of how much work it was for Maya women to weave clothing by hand for an entire family.
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Make Your Own Sundial

Make Your Own Sundial

Shadows change direction depending on the time of day. As the earth rotates and the sun moves across the sky, shadows also move. In the morning, your shadow will stretch out behind you to the west, but in the evening it will stretch to the east. The shadow on your sundial does the same thing.
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Build a Miniature Bullboat

Build a Miniature Bullboat

Native Americans living in the Great Plains, including the Mandan and Hidatsa tribes of the upper Missouri River area, weren't just hunters. They also fished in the many rivers that wind through the Plains. Some of these rivers, like the Missouri and Knife Rivers, are so big that Native Americans needed boats to cross them....
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Cloud Forest Terrarium

Cloud Forest Terrarium

The Andean cloud forest is found on the eastern slope of the Andes Mountains. The warm, humid air from the Amazon basin makes its way up the mountains where it is blocked by cold, denser air there. The trapped air drops its moisture in the form of clouds and mist, quenching the thirst of the...
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Make Your Own Victory Banner

Make Your Own Victory Banner

During World War II, families made patriotic banners called victory banners or sons-in-service flags to show their support for their sons, fathers, and brothers battling far away on the front lines. Banners were hung from a window or door at the front of the house where everyone could see them. The banners were white rectangles...
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Covered Wagon

Covered Wagon

Covered wagons were about 10 feet long and 4 feet wide. They were covered by canvas laid over the top of a wooden hoop frame. A team of oxen usually pulled the wagon, which held most of a family's food and supplies for the 4- or 5-month journey. They could hold up to 2,500 pounds...
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Juggling Sticks

Juggling Sticks

Juggling sticks have been around for thousands of years, but no one is quite sure how they made their way to Europe. Some people believe that they may have come to Europe from China (where they were called Devil sticks) along the Silk Road with Marco Polo. The Silk Road was an ancient trade route...
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Ring and Pin Game

Ring and Pin Game

Native Americans played many games. The games varied by tribe, and many were based on physical skills. The point of many of the games was to help improve hunting skills. Foot races improved speed, hideand- seek games were good practice for being silent, and archery games sharpened a hunter's aim. Are you surprised that Native...
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Lean-to Shelter

Lean-to Shelter

If you don't have access to a backyard full of branches, you can use any sort of stick or pole such as broom or rake handles, ski poles, or garden stakes. You could build your lean-to up against the wall of a building. If you decide to do this, you may want some other stabilizing...
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Make Your Own Berry Ink

Make Your Own Berry Ink

The ancient Egyptians used brightly colored minerals to make ink, but you can use blackberries to make homemade ink to use on your papyrus.
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Build a

Build a "Mini-Yurt"

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Invisible Ink

Invisible Ink

One way to send secret messages during the Revolutionary War was to use invisible ink.
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Make Your Own Marshmallows

Make Your Own Marshmallows

Ancient people used a plant to make marshmallows, but that's not how we make them today. If you've never created your own marshmallows before you're in for a treat! They're easy to make, and they taste fantastic! Make sure you have adult supervision.
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Make Your Own Compass

Make Your Own Compass

Before to the compass, sailors used landmarks and the position of the sun and stars to tell them which direction to sail. They often kept within sight of land, in case it became foggy or cloudy. The invention of the compass allowed sailors to navigate safely away from land. A compass's magnetized needle aligns itself...
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Simple Energy Car

Simple Energy Car

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Make a Manga-style Sketchbook

Make a Manga-style Sketchbook

Hokusai made his own sketchbooks and filled them with drawings of what he saw each day. Make your own manga-style sketchbook with staples, glue, and paper.
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Egg Bungee Drop

Egg Bungee Drop

Zip your egg in a clear pouch and see if it can survive a wild ride. if it can’t, use trial-and-error to make adjustments—and try, try again! HINT: You can substitute a hard-boiled egg to cut down on mess. Speaking of mess, the ziplock bag could burst, so you might want to conduct your experiment...
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Use an Abacus

Use an Abacus

Place numbers onto your abacus by pushing earthly and heavenly beads toward the midway mark of the skewer. For example, the number 7 consists of 1 heavenly bead (representing 5) plus 2 earthly beads (representing 2) at the midway point. Let's add 148 and 312 on our abacus.
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Make Your Own Plastic

Make Your Own Plastic

While this recipe doesn't involve boiling lilies or eggs, combining the following ingredients over heat will result in a natural plastic that you can shape, dry, carve, and paint, very similar to Leonardo's plastic glass.
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Swim Paddles

Swim Paddles

Even at a young age, Ben was a good observer and inventor. When he was swimming, he saw that some kids could swim faster than others. Ben decided to experiment with ways to make himself go faster both on the surface and under the water. He believed that the size of a swimmer's hands and...
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Make a Papier-Mâché Globe

Make a Papier-Mâché Globe

Earth isn’t just your home. It also provides the precious natural resources you need for survival. Our planet seems huge and invincible. Yet the earth is surprisingly vulnerable, and it’s our job to take care of it. A globe is a three-dimensional model of the earth that includes its continents and oceans. You can use...
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Leopard Mask

Leopard Mask

Make your own leopard mask complete with whiskers and spots.
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Skateboard Ramp Design

Skateboard Ramp Design

Your town is looking to design a skateboard park and they have asked for suggestions. You and a group of your friends have some ideas for ramps and would like to submit them to the committee.
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Kinetoscope

Kinetoscope

The kinetoscope was a wooden box used to look at images made on a kinetograph. A kinetograph took many quick pictures in a row. People paid a nickel to look through a slit in the box to see the images in motion. You can make your own kinetoscope and motion picture. NOTE: You will need...
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Rocky Treats

Rocky Treats

With this project, you can see how molecules that are separated can come back together—and then you get to eat the results! CAUTION: An adult needs to help with the boiling water.
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Barter Chart

Barter Chart

When you barter, you have to decide if one thing is worth as much as another thing. Think of six different kinds of candy. Are they all the same size? Do you like them all equally? What would it take for you trade them?
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Passive Dynamic Mini-Walker

Passive Dynamic Mini-Walker

A passive dynamic walker doesn't need a motor or actuator of any kind. Its only power source is the force of gravity! Also called a ramp walker, this system of walking works best on a slightly downward-tilted surface. Give it a little push and gravity will pull it downhill the rest of the way. This...
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Warbling Wineglasses

Warbling Wineglasses

Ben Franklin was an inventor, composer, and musician who lived from 1706 to 1790. He created the glass armonica, which was a popular musical instrument of the time made of glasses mounted on a revolving spindle, played with a moistened fingertip. Where did Franklin find the inspiration for the glass armonica? At a musical performance...
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Blood Spatter Patterns

Blood Spatter Patterns

Blood spatter is a collection of blood spots, which may be different sizes and shapes depending on how they were formed. Blood spatter differs depending on the amount of blood, the speed of the drop, the angle at which it hits the ground, and the distance the drop travels.
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Credit, Then and Now

Credit, Then and Now

The 1920s saw the birth of consumer credit, with charge accounts at stores, credit cards, and installment loans. Today it's hard to imagine modern life without these kinds of credit. Yet in both eras, families often found themselves in severe financial hardship due to overusing easy credit and then not being able to pay their...
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Dominant vs. Recessive Traits

Dominant vs. Recessive Traits

As Mendel discovered in his pea plant experiments, some human traits are controlled by dominant and recessive genes. Parents pass the genes that control these traits to their offspring. Which inherited traits do you have?
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What's in a Name? City Naming Project

What's in a Name? City Naming Project

If you've ever wanted to live in Sarahville or Adamsburg, here's your chance to name your own city!
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Design Your Own Official Seal

Design Your Own Official Seal

Now that you have some ideas for symbols for your country, use them to create your micronation's official coat of arms and a seal. Seals were originally designs pressed into a soft piece of wax with a mold. A seal put on a document shows that a person or government official has approved it. Today,...
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Chart of Businesses

Chart of Businesses

Business is part of our everyday life. In this activity you'll organize businesses into a chart so it's easier to see how businesses affect your life.
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