KidScience

KidScience is an index of experiments that can be conducted in school or at home. In the app, users can find experiments by tapping the “Search By” option, which allows users to find experiments by name, ingredients, age group, science type, or amount of time. Once an experiment is found, users are presented with its overview, recipe for completing it, images representing it, and a video of it. (Please note: Many videos require an in-app purchase to access.) Additionally, users can tap the “Add to Favorites” option to bookmark the experiment or “Add to Shopping List” so the list of ingredients for the experiment are transferred to the “Shopping List” feature in the app. Users can also share the experiments over social media and email.

Instructional Ideas

1. As an extra-credit or extended-learning project, teachers can allow students to choose an experiment listed in this app and conduct it at home. Next, teachers can have students report on the experiment to the class. Some ideas to include in the report are pictures and/or videos of the student conducting the experiment, an explanation of what the student learned from conducting the experiment, any artifacts saved from the experiment, and ideas for future experiments.
2. To encourage personal hygiene, teachers can have students complete the “Hand Washing Experiment” in this app. This experiment can be conducted in the classroom. At the end of the experiment, teachers can have students write an explanation about why they think or why they don’t think hand washing was important. Students should be required to refer to this experiment in their explanation.
3. Teachers can inform students that they are required to conduct an experiment, but they can limit the type of experiment. To do so, teachers can tell students, for example, that their experiment must include an egg, Diet Coke, or a drinking straw (these limitations can be found in the “In My Pantry” feature). Next, teachers can require students to complete the experiment either at home or in school. Finally, students can report to the class about their experience conducting the experiment. Some ideas for the report include: (1) what they learned from conducting the experiment, (2) the biggest challenge they encountered during the experiment, and (3) if they would recommend other students to conduct the experiment.
4. Teachers can show students a video of an experiment in this app. Next, teachers can ask students: (1) Would you like to conduct this experiment? (2) Is this experiment interesting or not interesting to you? (3) Have you conducted a similar type of experiment? Students can respond to the prompts in writing or orally.

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