Tuesday, May 19, 2015

App Review: DIY Sun Science

DIY SUN SCIENCE is a science app designed to help families and educators learn about the sun through hands-on activities.
Designed by NASA and The Lawrence Hall of Science at UC-Berkeley, the app features multimedia information about sun science and thirteen hands-on activities.
The app’s inviting interface encourages users to conduct investigations using common household items, explore images and videos, or view live images of the sun.
The Activities section is divided into sunny day activities and projects that can be done any day. Each investigation begins with a question such as “What does the sun look like over time?” or “Can you spot the sunspots?”. Each activity includes a brief overview, age level, time commitment, materials, and step-by-step instructions. It concludes with an explanation of the science behind the activity, related videos, and other information.
The Images + Videos section provides to image galleries and short video clips on topics such as the dynamic sun, studying the sun, and Sun-Earth connections. It also sun videos from the past 48 hours.
The Sun Observatory section shows lives images of the sun from a NASA satellite. A slider is used to compare features as seen in different wavelengths. Students can explore different ways to look at the sun, learn more about the sun, and solve sun a puzzle.
Librarians will want to work with classroom science teachers to integrate this stunning app into the STEM curriculum.
Many of the activities and resources can also be accessed through a website at http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/do_sci…/diy_sun_science.