This issue of KIDS, dated March 25, 1998, was written and produced by eighth grade students of the Cherokee Middle School in the Madison Metropolitan School District, located in Madison, Wisconsin.

Note from the students: Why did we do a site on science experiments? In our science classes we are doing a self-directed project in which we make up our own experiment and research it. Our teachers asked us to find sites with science experiments to help give students examples and ideas.

The KIDS Report is published with the support of the Internet Scout Project and the National Science Foundation.

Chemistry Experiments You Can Do at Home Reviewed by Brian B.

Chemistry Experiments You Can Do at Home is an interesting and informative site. It has many experiments that are easy and fun to do. Experiments are organized by group. The groups are gases, reactions with oxygen, solutions, tests for substances, and miscellaneous experiments. I really liked the combustion and rust experiments. The site gives you a list of materials, the procedure, observations, and a discussion at the end. It also warns you what you shouldn't do. If you click on one of the words that is highlighted it will bring you to a chemistry glossary. In the chemistry glossary you can find the definitions for most, if not all, chemistry terms.
URL: http://tqd.advanced.org/2690/exper/exper.htm

Energy and Science Projects for Students Reviewed by Peter Y.

Here is another cool site. While we all wait for the next football season and the Packers next try for the Super Bowl, try some of these fun experiments and watch the Bulls and the Indians pick up their respective championships. There are activities like finding out how much energy is in a peanut, how long different brand batteries work, or the power in a lemon. There also is making your own lightning, finding the power from water, splitting the hydrogen and oxygen in water, and lots of other fun experiments. This site is simple and fun. So if you have some time between baseball and basketball, check this site out!
URL: http://www.energy.ca.gov/education/projects/projects-html/projects.html

Hands-On Technology Program Reviewed by Erica S.

Watch your head! It may be under construction, but there are still plenty of good hands-on experiments at this site. All of the experiments require minimal materials. This site is great for teachers looking for quick and easy science experiments, because the projects are set up like worksheets. There are no answers to the problems, so it's up to the students to find out "why." Graphics are used well and make the site more appealing. There are separate pages with a list of materials for a class of twenty-four and a page for teachers describing the educational value of the experiments. So teachers, check this site out!
URL: http://www.galaxy.net/~k12/scihome.html

Helping Your Child Learn Science Reviewed by Katie B.

Are you looking for cool science experiments? Then you should come and check this site out. It has sixteen different experiments from bugs to television. There are also ideas for activities to do out in the community. This is a fantastic site for kids as well as adults. The thing that I don't like is that the whole site has a gray background with only blue writing. The few pictures are also not very intriguing. Other than the fact that this site is not visually interesting, it's wonderful! I recommend it for people of all ages.
URL: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Science/index.html

Life Science Resources Reviewed by Wrede S.

Life Science Resources is a site that has links to biology labs that you can do at home or in the classroom; it also has two fun demonstrations that teachers can do for students when introducing a topic. There is a miscellaneous category that has links to various articles, chat rooms, and comments about science and about the site. The experiments each have four parts that enable you to do them correctly at home or at school. There is a background section that explains the "why" behind what happens, a problem that asks what you're going to find out, a materials list that tells you what you need, and a procedure that gives you a detailed description of how to do the experiment. The demonstrations are short, interesting and educating. I would say that this site is good for just about any age, because if you have the materials, anyone can do the experiments.
URL: http://chem.lapeer.org/Bio1Docs/
[Note: This URL has been updated to reflect a change in address. This is not the original URL reviewed.]

Newton's Apple Reviewed by Wrede S.

This is a great site for all ages. It contains more science experiments than anyone will ever need. It covers a wide variety of topics, ranging from information about Newton's Apple's new season, to experiments, to a place to ask your nagging science questions. The home page includes links with summary paragraphs, which makes it very organized and easy to navigate. The links do not all lead to experiments, but we decided that all of the links were good enough to review the home page. This site is also a great resource for teachers. If you have a topic for which you need a science experiment, just look it up and they probably have it. Whether you're a teacher or a student, if you need a science experiment, this is definitely a place to go.
URL: http://www.pbs.org/ktca/newtons/

Nye Labs On-Line Reviewed by Katie B.

Have you ever heard of the television show "Bill Nye, the Science Guy?" Well, this is the show's site. There is lots of cool stuff here. They have a link called "the demo of the day." It is an experiment that you can do at home. They also have information about the show. Some things on the site require special plug-ins like Shockwave. The link that I find the most useful from Nye Labs On-Line is the Web Search; it provides a list of other useful science sites. I really enjoy this site and I hope you will too, so check it out!
URL: http://nyelabs.kcts.org/

Real Time Experiments Reviewed by Erica S.

Looking for some cool sites to try with your class or alone? Yes? Then check out this site. The experiments use everyday items (there's a whole page on things to do with your computer) and are fairly simple (there are some you'll need adult supervision on). These experiments aren't really great for science research projects, but they are still pretty fun. It loads fairly quickly and the pictures add to the experiments. Also, if you want to try some brain teasers, get ideas for science fair projects, or learn more about the site, you can go to the main home page through a link at the bottom.
URL: http://BrianJones.CTSS.ColoState.edu/experiments.html

Reeko's Mad Scientist Lab Reviewed by Erica S.

Come one, come all! Reeko's Mad Scientist Lab has experiments for people of all ages. The experiments range in difficulty, but they're all pretty easy. Almost anyone would be able to perform the "advanced" experiments, though adult supervision is advised. Only simple and inexpensive materials are required. Everything is worded cleverly and invitingly. The graphics are detailed and add to the site's overall appearance. There are links to other interactive experiment sites as well, but the link is kind of hard to find (it's about halfway down the page next to Rumor Alert). If you're looking for interesting and easy science experiments, make sure this site is on your list.
URL: http://www.flash.net/~spartech/ReekoScience/ReekoIndex.htm

Science Experiments Reviewed by Brian B.

This site has several interesting experiments. Some of them are easy, but others are more challenging. The site has moving pictures that catch your eye. This site gives you a list of materials that you will need for the experiments. The most interesting section to me was the movies, thanks to Edison. I would suggest this site to children ages 8 to 12.
URL: http://www.edisonx.com/kids/experiments.html
[Note: This resource may no longer be available. Can you help us find it?]

Science Quest Reviewed by Peter Y.

We all know that the Packers are the best football team in the NFL, but do you know how to get an egg into a bottle where the opening is smaller than the egg? In this site, you not only learn about how it works, but you can find out how to do the experiment yourself. The experiments are at the pre-high school level, first year biology level, advanced biology level, and experiments anyone can do at home with adult help. I already mentioned the egg in a bottle air pressure experiment, but there is an experiment with carbohydrates, protein, the classic baking soda volcano or soda fountain experiment, a water/oil density experiment, and more. The organization is very easy to use, and the experiment steps are clearly written. You can e-mail experiments that aren't included, and if it's good, they'll put it in a special section. This is a great site.
URL: http://tqd.advanced.org/3542/main1.html
[Note: A ThinkQuest representative has verified that this site no longer exists.]

Sports! Science @ The Exploratorium Reviewed by Pete R.

Sports! Science at The Exploratorium is a very cool site. It is like a "The Way Things Work" site for sports. I know a lot about baseball, but I learned a lot of things about the science of baseball that I didn't even know existed. Other sports included in this site are mountain climbing, bicycling, hockey, and other topics like the way a ball bounces. This is one of the best science sites, and I encourage you to check it out.
URL: http://www.exploratorium.edu/sports/index.html

The Best Medicine Reviewed by Katie B.

Do you have an upset head? Then check out this site for some Alka-Seltzer brain medicine. This is a site all about experiments that you can do with Alka-Seltzer tablets. The experiments are already written for you, so you just have to have fun doing them. They have experiments that deal with temperature, color, and reactions that compare the amount of Alka-Seltzer. The nice thing about the experiments is that in the conclusion they explain what happened and why; that way you aren't left stranded and not understanding what went on. So the next time your head is feeling fuzzy, come and get a big dose of this Alka-Seltzer site!
URL: http://www.alka-seltzer.com/experiments/experiments.htm

The Experiment Page of The Kansas City Museum Reviewed by Pete R.

The Experiment Page of The Kansas City Museum includes fun experiments that you can do at home. Since the materials are mostly household items, they are easy and safe. It includes step-by-step directions on how to complete the experiments. The site also has colorful pictures that can help you complete the experiment with ease. After the experiment is completed, it explains what happened and why it happened. I would recommend this site to anyone who likes science and wants to learn more.
URL: http://www.kcmuseum.com/xper.html

The Franklin Institute Science Museum Reviewed by Katie B.

Are you completely baffled at what in the world El Ni-o is? Then this is the site for you! This site is called The Franklin Institute Science Museum. It has information on current science topics, like El Ni-o. It explains all about El Ni-o in simple terms that are easy to understand, and they also give you an experiment where you can try to simulate El Ni-o in the comfort of your own home. The other topics that this site covers are weather, biology, and life in the city. This site also has links to places where teachers can find information and ideas and where kids can go to ask expert scientists all of the questions that have been puzzling them for years. So get rid of those gnawing questions and find out what in the heck El Ni-o is at this way cool site!
URL: http://sln.fi.edu/tfi/welcome.html

The T.W.I.N.K.I.E.S. Project Reviewed by Erica S.

Did you ever wonder what would happen to a Twinkie if you tried to roast it over a campfire? Well, some college guys decided to find out. They tested whether or not a Twinkie will conduct electricity, if a Twinkie is intelligent, what happens when a Twinkie is put in water, or a Microwave, whether it will burn, and more. This site also offers photos of the test subjects before, during, and after the tests were performed. Though it's easy to read, younger kids probably wouldn't understand a lot of the words used in the write-ups. The site loads fast, even with all the photos. This is one of the most amusing sites I've ever visited, because the tests and write-ups were done as serious scientific articles. It's undoubtedly worth visiting.
URL: http://www.twinkiesproject.com/

You Can with Beakman and Jax Reviewed by Peter Y.

Ever wonder why feet smell, why the acid in your stomach doesn't kill you, and why the Orioles are the best baseball team? Well, the Indians just have great talent, teamwork, and drive to win, but you can find the other stuff out in You Can with Beakman and Jax. Mucus protects our stomachs, and tiny plants and animals grow on our feet. But how do glasses work? This question and others are answered at this site. There also are pictures of space. If you finish with this site, there are many good links to follow.
URL: http://www.beakman.com/index.html

These Internet resources were evaluated on the basis of the Site Selection Guidelines that the students developed. Questions and comments can be sent to teacher Cindy Koehn, ckoehn@madison.k12.wi.us

Copyright Susan Calcari and the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, 1994-1998. Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of the KIDS Report provided the copyright notice and this paragraph is preserved on all copies. The Internet Scout Project provides information about the Internet to the US research and education community under a grant from the National Science Foundation, number NCR-9712163. The Government has certain rights in this material.

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Wisconsin - Madison or the National Science Foundation.