5 Excellent Science Experiment Websites by Mary Ellen Ellis

Today I have Mary Ellen Ellis as guest blogger. Please be sure to check out her unique guest post. Guest posts are always welcome, please contact me.

Every great science teacher knows that to grab the attention of students and to reinforce critical concepts, hands-on experiments and teacher demonstrations are essential. Concepts and ideas in science are not always easy for children and teenagers to grasp. Seeing visual demonstrations and performing experiments go a long way towards clarifying these concepts and cementing new scientific knowledge. When you are at a loss for experiment ideas, turn to some of these excellent websites that offer projects on nearly every topic and for a range of grade levels.

Zoom

Zoom comes from PBS and is part of the PBS kids website. The site is related to the kids television show of the same name and offers guidelines for performing experiments seen on the show as well as many, many others. With categories like engineering, chemistry, patterns, and water, Zoom offers kids and teachers a lot of options. The projects are simple and mostly use everyday items such as glue, salt, and marshmallows to illustrate scientific concepts for young children. There is also a page for teachers and parents to give you additional ideas and techniques for presenting the experiments in the classroom.

Science Bob

A teacher and tutor who loves bringing science to life for his students, Bob offers up his best experiments on Sciencebob. He provides science fair project ideas, experiment lists, a blog, a Q and A section, and videos full of fascinating information useful for a wide range of students. The experiments are fun and can be modified to accommodate elementary, middle school, and high school classrooms.

Green-Planet-Solar-Energy

Green energy and alternative fuels are at the forefront of both politics and science. To get students in on the discussion, it is important to include these current topics in the science curriculum. Green-Planet-Solar-Energy is a site devoted to solar power with information on how it works, how to use it in your home, and even more information on other types of green energy. The site also lists several excellent experiments for different age groups. These include building a solar still and galvanic cells as well as demonstrations of radiant heat loss and color and light.

Kitchen Science Experiments

Brought to you by the Naked Scientists, a radio program that brings science to the public, Kitchen Science Experiments is a great site for projects that can be done with household items. A major setback for most science teacher is budget. It can be tough to acquire science equipment when districts are suffering financial woes. With sites like this one, you can find experiments to illustrate nearly any concept using inexpensive items that you and your students have around the house. From bouncing soap to potato arches, students will be thrilled by these projects.

Science Kids

Science Kids is a comprehensive informational website for kids and teachers. It covers a variety of subjects including dinosaurs, chemistry, astronomy, animals, food, recycling, robots, and many more. With an image gallery, experiments, lesson plans, and videos, Science Kids is a great resource. The experiment list is extensive and provides clear, step-by-step directions for simple demonstrations of many scientific concepts.

Photo: Stock photography courtesy of Bigstock

Mary Ellen Ellis writes for Teacher Certification Degrees, a free informational resource for learning about starting a career in teaching.

Many thanks to Mary Ellen Ellis and Charles Sipe, Executive Editor.
Enjoy your reading!