STEAM activity

Related Pages

• Biomimicry Toolbox
  By applying nature’s design lessons, we can create solutions that help support a healthy planet. This digital resource site from the Biomimicry Institute provides a quick-start guide to biomimicry, introducing the core concepts and methods that are essential to successfully incorporate insights from nature into design. https://toolbox.biomimicry.org/
• Project: Light and Optics: Building the impossible kaleidoscope
  In this section we will build a toy called the Polariscope. As you can see from the above photograph, the Polariscope makes patterns of beautiful colors, somewhat like a kaleidoscope, but by an entirely different mechanism. Learn more in this lesson project by Sci-toys. https://sci-toys.com/scitoys/scitoys/light/polariscope.html
• Science Snack: Rotating Light
  White light is made up of all the colors in the rainbow. When polarized white light passes through a sugar solution, each color’s direction of polarization is changed by a different amount. The colors change as the depth of the solution changes or as the polarizing filter is rotated. Try it yourself in this activity from the Exploratorium. https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/rotating-light
• Video: "Human powered" sun clock - Human Sundial
  Video presentation about Human Sunclock making process. For more information please visit www.suncanisat.com or send inquiry via e mail.
• Video: How To Make Polarized Art With Household Items
  Easy instructional video on how to make a polarized light mosaic out of everyday items. Great project to do at home or for students learning about light polarization.
• Video: Show Me Some Science! Polarization of the Sky
  Bees are capable of remarkable feats of orientation and navigation; they have a very strong sense of direction. Find out more in this easy experiment.
• Activity: Twisting light
  How does a third polarizer make light pass through crossed polarizers? Find out in this activity from Cienascao. https://www.sciensation.org/hands-on_experiments/e5087p_twistingLight.html
• Article: Monitoring Solitary Bees Using Open Technology
  “Bees in the Backyard” is a citizen science technology project to investigate the nesting behavior of Mason bees, by Mike Teachman, amateur bee enthusiast and Paul Perrault senior field applications engineer.
• BioSTEAM: Make an Interactive Polarized Light Visualizer!
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• Lesson plan: How mimicking nature inspires new inventions
  When you think of nature and the 3.8 billion year-long process of evolution, do robots come to mind? How about robots designed to have a flea’s powerful legs? Or Japanese bullet trains inspired by the Kingfisher? In this NewsHour lesson, students will learn about biomimicry — an innovative method in which nature inspires new inventions to solve some of the world’s toughest problems. Students will design their own invention using biomimicry to address an issue in their school, home or community. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/lessons-plans/lesson-plan-design-a-nature-inspired-invention-to-solve-a-human-problem/
• Project: Invisible Art- Mosaics, Polarized Light, and 3D Glasses
  This simple project capitalizes on the ability of certain materials that not only polarize light but twist it, and of 3D glasses to see that light as various colors. https://www.instructables.com/id/Invisible-Art-Mosaics-Polarized-Light-and-3D-Glass/
• Project: Locating the Sun by Polarizing Sunglasses
  Anti-glare polarizing sunglasses reduce ground reflected polarized rays. They can be used to locate the Sun even when it is hidden from view by clouds or by the horizon. In this way, they can even do the main task of "sky compass" and similar instruments. Find out how to make it yourself in this project by Industructables.
• Project: Polariscope
  This is a quick 'n dirty way of building a cheap polariscope. https://www.instructables.com/id/Polariscope/
• Project: Polariscope
  Make your own polariscope from polarizing film and old 3D glasses in this project from Industructables.
• Project: Polarized-Light Mosaic
  Using transparent tape and polarizing material, you can make and project beautifully colored patterns reminiscent of abstract or geometric stained-glass windows. Rotating the polarizer as you view the patterns makes the colors change. https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/polarized-light-mosaic
• Project: Polarizing Cellophane Tape
  This special cellophane tape exhibits brilliant colors when placed between two polarizing filters. When one filter is rotated, the colors change. Beautiful cellophane images can be produced which can only be seen when placed between two polarizing filters.
• Project: Shadows and Time
  This simple activity visually records the movement of the sun and the shadow it casts during various times in the day. Do it yourself with this simple activity by Make it Your Own. http://make-it-your-own.com/shadows-time/
• Tutorial: Ultrasonic Sensor HC-SR04 and Arduino Tutorial
  In this Arduino Tutorial we will learn how the HC-SR04 Ultrasonic Sensor works and how to use it with the Arduino Board.
• Video: 10 Ultrasonic Sensor Projects
  This video is about 10 Ultrasonic Sensor Projects you can make yourself.
• Video: How Bees See
  Dr Adrian Dyer invented this mechano-optical device, which emulates the 7,000 individual lenses of a bee's compound eye. Find out more in this video.
• Video: Linear Parabolic Solar Reflectors- A Practical Experiment for Students
  The BioSTEAM artist, Ana MacArthur, chose a parabolic shape for the site specific installation, Pollinator Concentrator. In this practical activity/experiment, learn about parabolas, make a parabolic solar reflector, and then investigate its ability to focus sunlight.
• Video: PHYSICS GIRL EXPERIMENT- Only some humans can see this type of light
  Join Physics girl on a tour of polarized light and learn how to do a simple project to see the invisible.
• VIDEO: UV Light - Demos & Experiments - AAPT Films
  Experiments on Ultraviolet Light and Fluorescence are performed by James Lincoln for the AAPT Films Project. Also explained are the three colors of UV and phosphorescence.
• Video: Wonderful experiment with polarized light
  This video is about simple experiment with polarized light. All you need is polarized glasses (for 3D films) and LCD monitor as source of polarized light. Take some transparent plastic things and get ready to say "WOW!".