Spotlight on Sources:
Welcome to Renzulli Learning’s Spotlight on Sources, some of our most engaging resources to excite and inspire your students!
This week we are highlighting our favorite STEM & STEAM Activities! STEM & STEAM activities provide unique opportunities for students to explore concepts with real world implications. These activities are perfect for students to try on rainy summer days! Remember your students have access to Renzulli Learning for an entire year! Check out our favorite activities below.
New in Renzulli Learning students can now browse personalized enrichment activities under the interest area of STEM & STEAM. Simply go to My Enrichment Activities and scroll down to Browse by Subject. Check out all of the amazing STEM & STEAM activities we have in our database!
Check out a few of our favorite activities below!
Don’t forget, if you want to assign a weekly activity simply search the title of the weekly activity from your Teacher Dashboard and then send the activity to a student as a favorite! To locate these activities within Renzulli Learning you can SEARCH Enrichment Activities and type in the title of the activity you would like to locate. For more ideas to infuse enrichment activities with your curriculum, please visit the Unit Supplements on the Teacher Site, under “Teach.” We can also link these enrichment resources to your regular curriculum if you send us a theme or topic.
Grades K - 2
Camp Wonderopolis
Summer Program
This summer, attend a virtual science and technology camp! Learn more about the world around us as you explore astronomy, chemistry, botany, zoology, geology, and physics. You'll watch videos, complete hands-on experiments, and browse book recommendations. Most lessons take just 15 minutes to complete. They are aimed especially at grades 2 through 8. The camp is free, but you will need an adult's help to register.
Little Bins for Little Hands: Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano For Summer Fun
Projects & Independent Study
Take science outdoors with a SANDBOX VOLCANO! When the weather is nice, try simple science experiments outside for a real hit with the kids. From pulleys to homemade ice cream, to bursting bags, this baking soda volcano is one of the coolest and easiest science activities for kids.
Science Friday: Go On A Metal Hunt
Projects & Independent Study
It’s just you, a magnet, and a penny—on a quest to find treasures and find out if each one is metal, or not?
Osmosis Science Activities for Kids
Projects & Independent Study
The concept of osmosis is taught to most grade school children at some level. Osmosis is a process where in fluid passes through semi-permeable membranes from an area of high concentration to one of lower concentration. To demonstrate to kids how osmosis occurs in everyday objects, you can conduct simple, inexpensive experiments at home or in the classroom.
Grades 3 -5
Camp Wonderopoli
Summer Program
This summer, attend a virtual science and technology camp! Learn more about the world around us as you explore astronomy, chemistry, botany, zoology, geology, and physics. You'll watch videos, complete hands-on experiments, and browse book recommendations. Most lessons take just 15 minutes to complete. They are aimed especially at grades 2 through 8. The camp is free, but you will need an adult's help to register.
Buggy & Buddy: Chemical Reactions: Make a Penny Turn Green
Projects & Independent Study
Chemical reactions are always surprising for kids to observe! In this science activity we’ll be turning a penny green.
Air and Flight
Critical Thinking
If we can't see air, how can it hold up an airplane? Check out this site, and conduct some experiments to discover the magic behind air!
Science Fun: Duck In A Cup
Projects & Independent Study
This is a fun and easy science activity that has a really impressive result. All you need are a few simple items and you can make a noisy sound device that is a lot of fun.
Grades 6 - 9
Camp Wonderopolis
Summer Program
This summer, attend a virtual science and technology camp! Learn more about the world around us as you explore astronomy, chemistry, botany, zoology, geology, and physics. You'll watch videos, complete hands-on experiments, and browse book recommendations. Most lessons take just 15 minutes to complete. They are aimed especially at grades 2 through 8. The camp is free, but you will need an adult's help to register.
Hot and Cold Chemistry
Projects & Independent Study
Chemical reactions can be classified as either exothermic or endothermic. Exothermic reactions give off energy, while endothermic reactions absorb energy. In this simple experiment, you can create one reaction of each type using household products. Learn by doing!
Science Friday: How To Make A Pop-Up Book With Engineering
Projects & Independent Study
In this activity, you will learn how to make pop-ups by building two different pop-up mechanisms, pick out mathematical patterns that will help you predict pop-up motion, and then apply those ideas to build a card inspired by your favorite story.
Science Fun: Cloud In A Bottle
Projects & Independent Study
Learn how to make a cloud in a bottle with this super simple and really cool weather science activity.
Grades 10 - 12
Science Friday: Movement And Mutualism: Modeling Ecosystem Interactions
Projects & Independent Study
Throughout history across various parts of the world, nature and movement have had significant influences on culture. In many traditional cultures, movement is said to bring life, and through this, the tales and teachings of the journey. Even though traditional dances and teachings are less common today, it is important to acknowledge them and continue to learn from their teachings. In this STEAM learning experience, learn the science behind the relationships organisms have within ecosystems and create representations of them through culturally-relevant dance, honoring the past and carrying the teachings into the future.
Off the Shelf Chemistry Experiments
Projects &Independent Study
Are you ready to try chemistry experiments? These lab experiments use chemicals that can be purchased in supermarkets, drugstores, and hardware stores to teach basic principles and concepts of chemistry. The experiment topics help students learn the relevance of chemistry in their daily lives. Adobe Reader or Microsoft Word is required for the activities on this page.
Science Friday: The Cookie Chemistry Challenge
Projects & Independent Study
Like all foods, the perfect cookie is in the eye of the beholder. Some like a soft, gooey cookie, warm out of the oven. Others enjoy the crispy crumble of a thin treat. Maybe you like any cookie as long as there are no sprinkles? To each their own. However, the condition of a cookie is more than opinion. It is undoubtedly science. Chemistry, if we want to be exact. The chemical state of the ingredients, baking times, and most importantly the ingredients themselves play a huge role in the kind of cookie that emerges from our ovens. In this science activity you will try to create the perfect cookie!
Science Friday: What Did Ancient Civilizations Eat? An Archaeology Lab Experiment
Projects & Independent Study
In this activity, students will simulate a simple but effective technique that archaeologists use to find ancient plant remains and will compare their findings to real archaeological data to make interpretations about food and diet.
Each week, we will send you teaching suggestions and a few examples of our best and most popular resources. For more ideas to infuse enrichment activities with your curriculum, please visit the Unit Supplements on the Teacher Site, under “Teach.” We can also link these enrichment resources to your regular curriculum if you send us a theme or topic.
Thanks for being a part of the Renzulli Learning family and we hope you find these resources helpful.
Your Renzulli Learning Team