Nexus Research Group - FUN! Science collection

FUN! Science

Copper plating flowers ... a Scientific Journalism article ... build a microscope from junk...

Astronomy / Geology Biology Chemistry Physics neXus Files Science Fair	Welcome to the training room for young scientists. Many activities are based on PREDICT, OBSERVE, EXPLAIN strategies to get students engaged, while others are technical or Science Fair projects we have been involved with.
	Many ideas have developed from questions raised by my children or my students.

EARTH & SPACE	*SCIENCE FAIR IDEAS*
A Kiwi at NASA - Dr Sir William Pickering & NASA To be featured 2004 by NZASE	Fake fossils - make your own "dinosaur bones"	Lunar Lander - use nothing but air to steer a spaceship to safety Science Fair winner 2003
Micro- meteors - collect shooting stars	Rockets - there are two different types here...	Solar System model - Make planets that float in mid-air! Science Fair winner 2003
Stalagmites - create artificial limestone caves!	Sun Gun - shoots the closest star to Earth! Science Fair 2003	Volcano model - make an eruption in your living room!
	Active!...arrange the planets of our solar system	Active!...uncover the hidden secrets of each planet

BIOLOGY	*SCIENCE FAIR IDEAS*
Build a Mouse Sensor - teach your old mouse a new trick. Record animal activity... Best in Fair 2002	Black Box data-logger - Add a sensor to this mobile PICAXE to record data anywhere, then download to your PC Science Fair 2003	Crime Scene Investigation - an application of Biology Award winner 2003
DNA isolation & tests - extract your own DNA! Used by NZ AgResearch	DNA fingerprinting - seperate mixtures using electricity Science Fair winner 2001	Electron Microscope Photo Gallery see the UGLIEST creature on this site...
Make a microscope - see a whole new world! Science Fair winner 2006	Micrograph viewer - share the view with a friend...	Microbiology Lab - bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoa NZMS conference 2001
Tissue culture - grow plants without seed	Video microscopy - video & photograph cells under the microscope NZMS conference 1999	What's in proteins? - turn up the heat and find out!
	Active!...discover how a microscope works

CHEMISTRY	*SCIENCE FAIR IDEAS*
A chemical rainbow - a rainbow in a jar	Black Box data-logger - Add a sensor to this mobile PICAXE to record data anywhere, then download to your PC Science Fair 2003	Crime Scene Investigation - an application of Chemistry Award winner 2003
Dyes and indicators - make your own acid/base indicator solution	DNA isolation & tests - extract your own DNA! Used by NZ AgResearch	Electrophoresis - seperate mixtures (like DNA) using electricity Featured 2003 by NZASE
Fire fighting - take the heat out of the situation	Glass making - makes nice jewellery	Invisible ink - no spills to clean up?
Lemon electricity - discover the power in fruit Science Fair 1998	Magic bottle - amaze your friends!	Another magic bottle
Making butter - shake, rattle and roll...	Milk glue - milk proteins are sticky!	Mystery putty it bounces and stretches!
Naming the Elements - how atoms got their names	A Periodic Table with a difference... PDF format	Rayon - another polymerisation reaction
Rechargable battery - build a rechargable "battery"	Saline Cell Toys - SCT's demonstrate the power of playdough! Science Fair 1999	Sherbet and acids - acid you can eat!
Tea ink - another of the 1001 uses for tea	Testing for acids - using ingredients from the kitchen pantry	What's in proteins? - turn up the heat and find out!
	Wonderful Copper-plating - preserve flowers and leaves as jewellery Science Fair 2006
	Active!...identify these pieces of lab equipment	Active!...weird metals, strange elements hide in this Periodic Table

PHYSICS	*SCIENCE FAIR IDEAS*
A Kiwi at NASA - Dr Sir William Pickering & NASA To be featured 2004 by NZASE	Air pressure - win $5 in this simple bet...	Air Track - save hundreds of dollars by buiding your own! Science Fair 2003 winner
Bending light - step aside Superman..	Bike Indicator - A Primary School student puts a PICAXE on her bike. Science Fair winner 2003	Black Box data-logger - Add a sensor to this mobile PICAXE to record data anywhere, then download to your PC Science Fair 2003
Build a Mouse Sensor - teach your old mouse a new trick. Best in Fair 2002	Crime Scene Investigation - an application of Physics Award winner 2003	FET detector / alarm - "see" static electric fields
Floating - how can concrete float?	Heavy skies - the sky is heavy?	Laser Wars! - Play a combat game in broad daylight instead of in the dark! See the Terminator! Science Fair winner 2003
Lightning - create bolts of lightning...	Lunar Lander - use nothing but air to steer a spaceship to safety Science Fair winner 2003	Magnets - see a magnetic field in 3D!
Mighty Mouse - Light follow/avoid modes, line follow mode and only 8 legs away from evolving into a Cyber Spider!	Mini-submarine - this model is fun to make	Mission: Impossible - Physics stunts in the classroom!
*Mission:Impossible* game - Operate a nuclear reactor in this GameMaker simulation Science Fair 2003**	Motors & Generators - our award winning article! Award winner 2001	Music motor - this motor makes music!
Physics experiments - Determine the value for g, the acceleration due to gravity on Earth. In PDF format.	Physics labels - you will never use!	PICAXE chips - cheap, easy to program chips with almost limitless potential
The Professors Electronic Ear *Science Fair 2003&2005*	Rainbows - create them at will with mirrors	Radiometer - a curious toy for your window sill...
Rechargable battery - build a rechargable "battery"	Robots - build a Dalek, learn about Cybot Bob, ALIS and the new PICAXE controller chips Science Fair winner 1999	Rockets - there are two different types here...
Saline Cell Toys - SCT's demonstrate the power of playdough! Science Fair 1999	Seperating mixtures - using an electric force field Science Fair winner 2001	Sensors from voltage dividers - make your own sensors for the data logger or your PICAXE robot
	Toys from simple circuits - great with junior classes; see what they can build...

The neXus files	Einstein's riddle - can you solve it?	Learning about nothing
Freaky Facts - from journalist Virginia Winder	Shining a light on the future - from journalist Virginia Winder
Planning experiments - how to design school experiments	Professional looking posters - for conferences or Science Fair	Public speaking - how to make a public presentation
Science Trivia - how fast is a sneeze?	What is Science? Is school Science the real deal?	Wise Words from wise people...
Computer games programming - download free software!	Who founded the NRG?	Dr Who? Build a Dalek or a TARDIS

Some of the material included here is adapted from:

"Build-it-yourself Science Laboratory" by R. Barrett (1963)

"100 Amazing Make-it-yourself Science Fair Projects" by G. Vecchione (1994)

Taumarunui High School "Practical Science" by M. Fenton (1995-1996)