The Bradley University Center for STEM Education (Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics) is making available to area teachers some kits and materials that will enhance their efforts to teach inquiry science and mathematics.
One of the goals of the Center is to provide service to area teachers towards the enhancement and improvement of quality inquiry practices in K-16 schools. Sometimes, teachers wishing to do inquiry activities need to locate sources of certain equipment or kits that their school budgets do not allow them to purchase. The Center has started collecting some of these types of materials and is now making them available to area teachers for check-out out on a limited-time basis to use in their classrooms. NOTE: MOST KITS WILL REQUIRE A FEW ITEMS BEFORE USE, EVEN IF NOT STATED HERE. For more information on what materials are needed, please contact the STEM Center.
Most materials and kits can be checked out for two week periods (extensions can be allowed with approval of the Center co-directors).
Items can be checked out by coming to the Center office in Olin Hall Room 3 or by contacting us at 309-677-3001 (or ) during daytime hours weekdays. Please call before coming to check out kits to ensure the kit is not already checked out and someone is available to help you.
ASSORTED KITS (Class Set)
Barbie Bungie Jumping Kit
Parachute Making Kit
Inquiries in Science: Building Ecological Pyramids kit (9-12)
Explore how energy moves through an ecosystem. Students analyze the contents of owl pellets and construct ecological pyramids to represent the data collected. After discussing their results, students are then challenged to apply their knowledge by constructing an ecological pyramid based on the foods they themselves eat. Kit includes enough materials for at least 30 students working in groups.
Inquiries in Science: Carrying Capacity kit (9-12)
Students explore and build several mathematical and computer models of population growth. The activity begins with students using a hands-on model to investigate the population growth of a bird species and translate it into a computer model. They generate and compare J- and S-shaped population curves, then modify and improve their computer models to better reflect a real population. Kit includes enough materials for at least 30 students working in groups.
Inquiries in Science: Determining Agriculture Resource kits (9-12)
Researching local agricultural products and practices is the first step students take in this investigation of agricultural sustainability. Next, they experiment with several farming methods and consider alternative means of growing food. Finally, they apply their findings and develop plans to meet the agricultural needs for a community. Kit includes enough materials for at least 30 students working in groups.
Inquiries in Science: Estimating Human Populations kit (9-12)
Students use a guided-inquiry technique as they work together to collect and analyze historical vital data and demonstrate learning by applying the methods to new data sets. This set includes materials for 32 students working in pairs and groups of four.
Inquiries in Science: Exploring the Nitrogen Cycle kit (9-12)
Students explore the importance of different biotic and abiotic factors involved in the nitrogen cycle. They care for 3 separate tanks (each containing either fish, plants, or bacteria), monitoring the levels of different nitrogen ions. After discussing the results, students apply their knowledge by constructing a complete nitrogen cycle that combines the fish, bacteria, and plants into 1 system. Includes enough supplies for at least 30 students working in groups. Requires purchase of perishable materials
Inquiries in Science: Interacting Populations kit (9-12)
Students work together to observe relationships between organisms. They then design a microorganism ecosystem and study the organism interactions within it. Different types of symbioses between species are identified and the benefits to and impacts on each organism are evaluated. Students also study factors involved in the development of relationships between organisms. Materials are sufficient for 30 students working in groups of 3. Requires purchase of perishable materials.
Inquiries in Science: Investigating Legislation kit (9-12)
Students explore the need for laws to protect our environment and standard of living. The importance of the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts are emphasized, along with the concept of the Tragedy of the Commons. They perform an LD50 (lethal dose, 50%) experiment of a water pollutant on a population of brine shrimp and study the effects of nitrogen dioxide on plants. Part of the Inquiries in Science® series. Note: requires purchase of Investigating Legislation Kit Refill (with Perishables) from Carolina.com
Inquiries in Science: Modeling the Hydrosphere Kit (9-12)
Students discover the basic principles of the hydrosphere. By generating a working model, they investigate the ocean currents and determine what creates and influences both surface and subsurface currents. They then expand their investigation to craft a working water cycle and experiment with how different environmental conditions may affect their model. Part of the Inquiries in Science® series. Materials are sufficient for 32 students working in groups of 4.
Inquiries in Science: Saving Soils kit (9-12)
A Carolina Exclusive! Grades 9-12. Students explore the formation of soil and its physical properties when it reacts with water. Performing 3 different activities over 2 lab periods, they investigate weathering of rocks, particle size composition of local soils, and the rate of permeability of different soil samples. They apply their knowledge to build a model of a slope that’s been cleared for farming and plan how to modify the slope to reduce erosion. Part of the Inquiries in Science® series.
Inquiries in Science: Simulating Succession kit (9-12)
Students set up and observe an ecosystem advancing through the stages of ecological succession. They then use these observations to track changes and predict the outcome of their ecosystem. As a final activity, students modify their simulation to represent a disturbance and show how it affects the successional sequence. Part of the Inquiries in Science® series.
Inquiries in Science: Sustaining Ecosystems kit (9-12)
In this exploration of ecosystems, students begin by individually observing different biotic parts (including plants, animals, and decomposers) of an ecosystem they model. From these observations, students determine specific biotic and abiotic factors needed for a functioning ecosystem. Applying this knowledge, students work together to construct a complete ecosystem and build a new model. Part of the Inquiries in Science® series.
Inquiries in Science: Testing Water Pollution kit (9-12)
Explore the causes and effects of water pollution with this laboratory activity. Students first perform a serial dilution to grasp the concepts of ppm and ppb. They test the water in their area for contaminants, including dissolved oxygen, nitrates, and phosphates. The lab concludes with students designing and conducting their own experiment to determine the effects of water pollution on living organisms. Kit includes enough materials for at least 30 students working in groups.
Inquiries in Science: Tracking Endangered Species (9-12)
Students set up a balanced micro-community using Demoslide systems. After the community is established, they introduce an alien species and investigate the resulting population dynamics. Through these experiences students explore several factors that endanger a species and understand some of the reasons for preserving threatened populations. Kit includes enough materials for at least 30 students working in groups.
Building Blocks of Science® A New Generation: "Sky Watchers" Kit (K-3)
The Sky Watchers Unit Kit includes a Teacher’s Guide and enough supplies and apparatus for a class of up to 24 students. During the unit, students directly observe the Sun, Earth, Moon, and solar system. Students describe the differences between the daytime and nighttime skies, then use models and demonstrations to investigate Earth’s rotation on its axis, its revolution around the Sun, and its tilt relative to the Sun. They experiment to explore the effects of the Sun’s light and heat on Earth, trace the path of a shadow, and compare temperatures in sunlight and shade. Students study the Moon and identify the monthly pattern of its phases. Finally, they synthesize information about the planets and their relative size to construct their own solar system models.
Building Blocks of Science® A New Generation: “Understanding My Body" Kit (K-5)
A supplemental health science unit for young learners. It consists of six lessons, each of which may be sub-divided and taught in separate sessions as suits your grade level and scheduling needs.
Building Blocks of Science® A New Generation: "Light" Kit (K-5)
Introduce young learners to physical science and the properties of light. Students conduct experiments using cardboard tubes, flashlights, mirrors, convex and concave lenses, glow-in-the-dark objects, and light sticks to learn firsthand about light and how it behaves. They explore the concept that light travels in straight lines and document what happens when it strikes transparent, translucent, and opaque objects. Students design experiments to investigate the concepts of reflection, refraction, and absorption. They use diffraction grating to discover that white light is made up of a spectrum of colors that appear in predictable patterns. The unit culminates with students connecting light and temperature change to the concept of conduction.
Building Blocks of Science® A New Generation: "Human Bodyworks" Kit (K-5)
Human Bodyworks consists of 12 activities that explore the muscular, skeletal, nervous, digestive, respiratory, and circulatory systems. Students build models and perform experiments that simplify complex anatomical structures and functions of the human body to a level of elementary understanding.
Unit Kit includes a Teacher's Guide, complete with hands-on activity instructions and blackline masters, and enough materials for a class of 30 students. Consumable items can be replaced by purchasing a prepackaged Refurbishment Set.
GREAT EXPLORATIONS IN MATH AND SCIENCE (GEMS) KITS
GEMS "Investigating Artifacts" Kit (K-6)
Making Masks, Creating Myths, Exploring Middens
This unit weaves together three activities related to anthropology and archaeology and to diverse Native American and world cultures. Students sort and classify natural objects found on a class walk, then make their own masks from these materials. They create their own stories to explain natural phenomena and learn how ancient peoples evolved myths/stories to explain and represent the natural world. They learn that a midden is an archaeological term for deposits of artifacts earlier peoples left behind.
Then teams of students sift through “artifacts” in shoe box middens. A major scientific thread in all activities relates to inferences that can be drawn from varying evidence. Resource sheets provide information on Native American and world masks, myths, and archaeological sites.
GEMS "Frog Math" Kit (K-3)
In an artful interweaving of mathematics and literature, these activities jump off from one of the well-known “Frog and Toad” stories, “The Lost Button.” The story leads to free exploration of buttons, then sorting and classifying and a Guess the Sort game. Students design their own buttons and use a graphing grid to organize data. They also “guesstimate” the number of small plastic frogs in a jar and lima beans in a handful to develop the valuable life skill of estimating.
A Frog Pond board game helps students develop strategic-thinking skills. The Hop to the Pond Game focuses on probability and statistics. In the revised guide, all grade levels play the fair version of Hop to the Pond with six frogs. Then grades 1–3 play the unfair version with 12 frogs.
GEMS "Math Around The World" Kit (5-8)
With a wide range of games and other challenges from many continents, Math Around the World sets mathematics within a multicultural and international context. Each game can be presented as a two or three session activity or at a stand-alone learning station. Complete presentation instructions help make the mathematical concepts more explicit and powerful for all students. Games included are: NIM, Kalah, Tower of Hanoi, Shongo Networks, Magic Squares, Game Sticks, Games of Alignment, and Hex.
GEMS "Involving Dissolving" Kit (1-3)
In this series of highly “involving” activities, students learn about the concepts of dissolving, evaporation, and crystallization. Using familiar substances, they create homemade “gel-o,” colorful disks, and crystals that emerge on black paper to make a “starry night.” Does the substance disappear? If not, where does it go? Could it ever come back? As young students ponder these ideas and gain experience mixing and observing differing solutions, they benefit from this very positive early experience with chemistry.
GEMS "In All Probability" Kit (3-5)
If your students groan at the mention of statistics, or go blank when you bring up probability, you might ask what they want to be when they grow up. Wall Street mogul? The next Freud? TV meteorologist? Well, there you go: they'll be using statistics and probability all the way up the ladder. This unit makes these subjects fun, and makes real-world connections students will use all their lives.
Students dive into probability as they play games using coins, spinners, dice, and Native American game sticks. They investigate chance and probability with concrete materials, learn how to gather and analyze data, make predictions, and draw conclusions. As they gain direct experience, they also build confidence in their ability to explore probability and statistics. The guide provides background information on these themes, with information on real-life connections and careers. The activities provide a solid basis for the development of much-needed (and often neglected) real-life understandings and skills, stressing cooperation along the way.
GEMS "River Cutters" Kit (6-8)
Students create river models using a dripper system and diatomaceous earth. They acquire geological terminology, see rivers as dynamic, ever-changing systems, and begin to comprehend geologic time. The concepts of erosion, pollution, toxic waste, and human manipulation of rivers are explored. Students gain understanding of models and experimentation and the unit can be used as the springboard for full investigations.
GEMS "Of Cabbages and Chemistry" Kit (4-8)
Students explore acids and bases using the special indicator properties of red cabbage juice. The color-change game Presto Change-O helps students discover the acid-neutral-base continuum. They learn that chemicals can be grouped by behaviors, and relate acids and bases to their own daily experience. An “Acid and Aliens from Outer Space” extension activity can be presented to reinforce student learning or as an assessment. The unit is an excellent lead-in to the GEMS guide Acid Rain.
GEMS "Treasure Boxes" Kit
This guide features a veritable treasure chest of activities, interweaving mathematics and literature with cooperative learning and the interest engendered by collections of small everyday objects (the “treasures”). Student enthusiasm is off the scale—and so is the rainbow of mathematical and scientific concepts that students experience!
Mathematics strands explored include discrete mathematics, statistics, number, logic and language. The educational sequence of these activities is designed to build real-life understandings of graphing, sorting, and classification while encouraging cooperation and appreciation for the many ways we can recycle and reuse materials.
GEMS "Real Reasons fot the Seasons" Kit (6-8)
This GEMS guide is aimed at helping students arrive at a clear understanding of seasons as they investigate the connections between the Sun and Earth. Along the way, students take a “Trip to the Sun,” determine the real shape of the Earth’s orbit, evaluate actual data on world temperature and hours of sunlight in different locations, and model how the angle at which sunlight hits the Earth affects its concentration.
Throughout these engaging activities, students gain important standards-based science and mathematics content and develop abilities essential in scientific investigation. A CD-ROM, included with this guide, offers a rich collection of helpful resources, software programs, and web links.
GEMS “More Than Magnifiers” Kit (6-8)
In this ingenious unit, students use the same two lenses in different ways to create optical instruments, and in so doing find out how lenses are used in magnifiers, simple cameras, telescopes, and slide projectors. They learn that lenses have certain measurable properties that can help determine which lenses are best for specific purposes. This guide brings into practical “focus” important understandings related to physics, optics, and light, and makes a great connection to the GEMS guides Color Analyzers and Microscopic Explorations
GEMS "Hot Water and Warm Homes" Kit (4-8)
Students build model houses and hot water heaters to discover more about solar power. They conduct experiments to determine the effects of size, color, and number of windows on the amount of heat produced from sunlight. An introductory activity is an on-paper experiment about growing plants that defines the concepts of a controlled experiment, variable, and outcome.