Hail Hydrogen!

Hydrogen is the simplest and lightest element on Earth – but by mass, Hydrogen makes up about ¾ of all matter in the universe.  Uncover the hidden depths of hydrogen in these activities.

CONNECT:

• Watch the story of hydrogen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiNRls_pBnU
• Hydrogen is an element of contrasts: necessary to create water – and can be explosive – as seen in this actual hydrogen balloon tragedy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgWHbpMVQ1U
• What do fertilizers, transportation and electricity have in common? Hydrogen! Read all about these uses of hydrogen at https://hydrogeneurope.eu/hydrogen-applications

CREATE:

• Read these kid-friendly facts about hydrogen and do your own hydrogen experiment at https://www.scienceforkidsclub.com/hydrogen.html
• Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is a common household liquid made of molecules with two hydrogen and two oxygen atoms. You can do several science experiments with H₂O₂ at https://diyeverywhere.com/2017/12/11/6-fun-science-experiments-you-can-do-with-hydrogen-peroxide/
• Make elephant toothpaste by following this video’s directions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSWHRwGaOqs

CARE:

• Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)  is sometimes used as medication. Find out its safety factors with kids at https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patient-education/hydrogen-peroxide
• Hydrogen is now powering some cars because it is such a clean and efficient form of energy. See how they work at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5b6SthDbsE
• There are several ways to clean toys, including with Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂); use the guidelines at http://theguidefortoys.com/Blogs1/The-Cleaning-Guide-for-Toys.htm

CAREERS:

Getting a hydrogen-related job may be elemental: as a chemist, scientist, doctor, manufacturer (and seller) or even astronaut! Get energetic with hydrogen!

https://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/careers-hydrogen-and-fuel-cells

https://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2006/07/energetic-future-hydrogen

https://www.nasa.gov/topics/technology/hydrogen/index.html

The Road More Taken

What do you walk or drive on? Paths, streets, highways all mark our communal movement. Don’t just trample them – give them the respect they deserve. And make your own path in doing the following activities.

CONNECT:

•  How are roads made? The answer(s) are available at https://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-do-you-build-a-road
• What was the historical road to roads? Follow the story at http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a4447/the-road-ahead-road-evolution/
•  How did toll roads start? Read about it history in the US at https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/mcdonaldtoll.cfm
•  “All roads lead to Rome.” How did this saying start? Find out at https://writingexplained.org/idiom-dictionary/all-roads-lead-to-rome

CREATE:

•  While you’re on the road, banish backseat boredom by playing these car games: http://www.minitime.com/trip-tips/10-Best-Car-Games-for-Kids-article
• Learn how to read (And make) trail signs: http://howtowilderness.com/trail-signs/
• Play these park and street cleaning games: http://www.cleaning-games.net/park-and-street. Maybe they will inspire you to make your streets clean in real life.
• Make your own rocky road dessert using this kid-friendly recipe: https://planningwithkids.com/2009/06/06/rocky-road-recipe-kid-friendly-version/

CARE:

• Here’s a way to turn community (including streets) clenup into a fun scavenger hunt: http://www.mykidsadventures.com/cleanup-scavenger-hunt/
• Learn how to make and maintain a hiking trail at https://mylandplan.org/content/hiking-0
•  Help reduce and slow down traffic in your street with these activities: https://www.sustrans.org.uk/what-you-can-do/change-your-street/easy-ways-reduce-traffic-your-street
• The Expanded Environment is a non-profit group that tries to help the relationship between biological systems and architecture. They visualize animal movement in order to help engineers to identify eco-friendly human paths and roads. See those animal paths at http://www.expandedenvironment.org/animal-paths/

CAREERS:

Roads can carry you to a career: in urban planning, construction, engineering, road safety personnel. These are some career paths for you to consider:

https://www.brazen.com/blog/archive/job-search/urban-planning-jobs-how-to-get-them-and-what-to-expect/

https://www.sokanu.com/careers/civil-engineer/

https://www.chp.ca.gov/chp-careers

D

Up into the Air

Leaving the ground for the air is exhilarating – and can be hard to do. Take off on these airborne activities about flight.

CONNECT:

• Have you ever dreamt you were flying? Since the beginning of history, people have dreamed of flying, as you’ll see here: https://www.fi.edu/topics/flight
• The Museum of Flight is one of the largest air and space museums in the world. Browse current exhibits virtually at http://www.museumofflight.org/
• What’s the story behind the Wright brothers, who made the first successful flight of a motor-powered airplane? It’s at http://www.wright-house.com/wright-brothers/Wrights.html
• If you've ever been interested in taking a ride in a hot air balloon, this is the site for you: http://www.hotairballooning.com/

CREATE:

• Enjoy a variety of online activities exploring the principles of aviation and spaceflight: https://airandspace.si.edu/learn
• Connect with NASA’s interactive website for students: https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/index.html
• Have you ever wondered what the controls of a aircraft do? you have come to the right place! http://meriweather.com/flight-decks/
• Learn how to make paper airplanes with these easy instructions: https://www.origamiway.com/paper-airplanes.shtml
• Make your own model air balloon by following the directions at https://www.homesciencetools.com/a/make-a-hot-air-balloon

CARE:

• What safe is flying? Here are some comforting facts: http://www.gogetterjetsetter.com/how-safe-is-flying.php
• A commercial pilot answers questions about flying and its safety: https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/how-to-fly-commercial-pilot-flying-questions
• Follow these top ten child air travel safety trips: http://www.airsafe.com/kidsafe/kid_tips.htm
• Have fun watching this flight safety demo by little kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y17u5o5HVeo

CAREERS:

Even if you are afraid of flying, you can have a career related to flight: as a chef, travel agent, mechanic, engineer, and communicator. Let your imaginatin take flight with some of these aeronautic careers:

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/factsheets/FS-2001-09-68-LaRC.html

http://www.nctaviationcareers.com/

https://www.eaa.org/en/eaa/aviation-education-and-resources/eaa-youth-education/work-in-aviation-and-start-your-aviation-career

http://www.learnhowtobecome.org/science-technology-careers/aviation/

https://www.faa.gov/jobs/

http://www.payscale.com/career-news/2011/08/jobs-in-aviation

Building Bridges to Knowledge

The word “bridge” comes from the Germanic term for beam. Bridges can be found on the road, but also in politics and other negotiations as well as in your mouth and as a card game. Let’s stick to the road this time, though, by focusing on bridges used in transportation. These activities will bridge your knowledge.

CONNECT:

• Get down to basics about bridges at http://pghbridges.com/basics.htm
• How long can a bridge be? Why would a bridge make someone seasick? Find out when you check out these bridges: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/bridge/index.html
• What makes bridges so strong? Watch for the answer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVOnRPefcno
• Compare bridge structures at http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/videos/engineering/bridgebuilding.html
• This video shows you that bridges can be beautiful: https://youtu.be/SsUglw23i0g. Which is your favorite?
• Trace the history of bridges at http://theconstructor.org/structures/history-of-bridges/5491/

CREATE:

• Create a trivia game about bridges by using these fun facts about bridges: http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/engineering/bridges.html https://youtu.be/SsUglw23i0g and https://kidskonnect.com/science/bridges/
• Learn how bridges work by making your own suspension bridge: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/educator/act_suspension_ei.html
• Test bridge designs following the directions at http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/26605/build-a-bridge
• Can you build a bridge that withstands an earthquake? http://www.eduweb.com/portfolio/bridgetoclassroom/engineeringfor.html
• Build a virtual bridge at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tech/build-bridge-p1.html

CARE:

• What about animals that need to cross the road? There are life-saving wildlife crossings. See some at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6lWv8enIAw
• Covered bridges are a national treasure. Help preserve these historical landmarks at http://www.coveredbridgesociety.org
• Especially in the winter season, you need to be cautious about bridges. See why – and what you can do at http://icyroadsafety.com/icybridges.shtml
• Bridges can be dangerous! Watch and read about how air can destroy a bridge – especially Galloping Gertie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XggxeuFDaDU
• and https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/TNBhistory/Machine/machine3.htm

CAREERS:

Bridge-related jobs will always be needed. Check out these options:

http://bridges.gbaps.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=571916&pageId=6419602

https://www.nsta.org/middleschool/connections/201412TNTStudentPacket.pdf

https://www.theguardian.com/careers/architecture-career-options

Pick Up Steam

Steam is a lot more than hot air. Steam-related activities start heating up right here.

CONNECT:

• View and read about vintage steam engines at http://www.retroweb.com/steamtrains.html
• Watch steamboats, and hear their steam whistles, at http://www.steamboats.org/index.php
• Did you know that steam flows exist in the New York subways? Dig below the surface at http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/97/nyunderground/docs/nymain.html
• “Pick up steam,” “Blow off steam,” “Full steam ahead.” What do all those idioms mean, and how did they originate? Look them up – and other steam-y phrases -- at http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/steam

CREATE:

• Learn how to steam cook vegetables at http://steamregister.com/cooking-with-kids-bowtie-pasta-and-vegetables/
• Why does water turn into steam? Why does steam take up more room than water? Experiment with steam at http://scienceforkids.kidipede.com/chemistry/atoms/doing/steam.htm
• STEAM is also an acronym for Science/Technology/Engineering/Art/Mathematics. Test some of the STEAM activities at http://showmelibrarian.blogspot.com/p/all-things-steam.html and http://babbledabbledo.com/25-steam-projects-for-kids/
• You can make a model steam engine by following the directions at this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co7U6_bvkOw

CARE:

• How did steam help society? Read the list at http://classroom.synonym.com/did-invention-steam-engine-change-way-people-worked-13612.html
• Steam has enhanced people’s health for thousands of years. Trace the history, and see how to helps now, at http://www.livestrong.com/article/267957-steaming-for-sinus-congestion/
• Steam irons eliminate wrinkles. Discover how it works at http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-a-steam-iron.htm
• The National Girls Collaborative Project is helping girls get interested in STEAM; find out their steps at http://www.ngcproject.org/collaborative/new-york-steam-girls-collaborative

CAREERS:

Over the years, transportation largely depended on steam. Transportation remains a big industry sector. Track down a possible career that can take you places.

• http://www.khake.com/page44.html
• http://www.transportation.gov/womenandgirls/resources-girls
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVVp0t1hfQI