VanCleave's Science Fun

Your Guide to Science Projects, Fun Experiments, and Science Research

ABOUT THE SOUND PICTURE

With mouth wide open, vibrating air coming up the throat from the vocal chords leaving the open mouth and spreading in all directions. Hi, I am Janice VanCleave, author of 50+ best-selling science experiment books for children ages 4 through high school. I taught science for 27 years and now am creating this science website.   My scream was not staged. The picture was to be of two adult cats, which I was holding. A microsecond before the camera snapped, the two cats dug their claws into my skin as they prepared to leap out of my arms. A picture like this is great for making inferences. Kids could make "guesses" as to why I am screaming. They would be drawing on facts from the photo, such as I look like I am in pain or maybe I am just pretending.

Sound Supplies and Sound Investigations

Educational Innovation Sound Supplies A black and yellow logo for Educational Innovations. A place to find fun science supplies.

Science Craft: Water Striders

How to Make and Test a Water Strider Model

While it is not a high-tech robot, you can design paper insect models that will stand on water.

The two diagrams show the side view of an insect drawn on a folded index card. The cut out model stands on water due to surface tension.

Yes! The Insect Pattern is very crude, but it does have three pairs of legs and three body parts.

Discover for Yourself

1. Fold a 3-by-5-inch index card in half with the long sides together.

2. Use the pattern shown to draw an insect on the folded card. Note that the insect diagram shown has three body parts–a head, thorax, and abdomen. The three pairs of legs are attached to the center body part- the thorax.

3. Cut out the insect, cutting along the red dashed lines, cutting through both layers of paper.

4. The dark dashed lines show where the bottom of each leg is bent.

5. Stand the paper insect  on the surface of  water in a bowl.I must admit that my water strider model is a bit lame. I’d appreciate a better model to display. Send your ideas to   CONTACT JANICE.