These free, downloadable science activities are great for quick classroom experiences or fun student take-homes. For in-depth lessons and more detailed science explanations, see the source books listed for each activity or schedule one of our hands-on workshops.

Activities from National Chemistry Week 2005, The Joy of Toys (813 KB PDF)

  • Color Change Toys
  • Wall Walkers
  • Diving Toys
  • Glitter Wands
  • Glow-in-the-Dark Vinyl
  • Grow Creatures
  • Hand Blasters
  • Hand Boilers
  • Magic Ink
  • Magic Sand
  • Mystical Tree
  • Shrinky Dinks
  • Silly Putty
  • Self-Inflating Balloons
  • Bubble Solutions
Activities from National Chemistry Week 2007, The Many Faces of Chemistry (1.1 MB PDF)

 

  • Aspirin Tablets Can Differ
  • Capturing Carbon Dioxide
  • Hand-Boiler Distillation
  • Inky Elevators
  • Kool-Aid Dyeing
  • Look at One Part Per Million
  • Marbling with Shaving Cream
  • Recycling Paper
  • Sense-Fooling Pie
  • Sunscreens and SPF Ratings
  • Trapping Particles
Activities from National Chemistry Week 2008, The Chemistry of Sports (1.5 MB PDF)

 

  • Science of Athletic Shoes
  • Let's Break a Sweat
  • Bubble Blowup
  • Calories in Snack Foods
  • Effects of Chlorine on Germs
  • The Bounce of Playgrounds and Gym Floors
  • Chemical Heat Packs
  • If the Shoe Fits
  • Playing with the METS
  • Polyurethane Foam
  • Effects of Wax on Sliding
  • Electrolyte Content of Sports Drinks
  • Sunscreens and SPF Ratings
  • Surface Tension and High Diving
  • Temperature Effects on Ball Bounceability
  • Test Your Reaction Time