Everyone has made a baking soda volcano at some point in their lives. Isn’t it time we give kids something a little more interesting, and challenging, like a near space balloon or a robot building contest? Here are a few experiments you might want to try at home.
Build a Computer
The Raspberry PI is only $25, and it’s a small unit that packs a big punch. It’s meant to bring computing to the masses, but it makes for a fun tool to teach kids about hardware. If you are so inclined, you can search Craigslist for a used computer and take it apart. Then you can let students collaborate in groups to assemble the hardware and install a Linux distro (which are free to download). See if you can challenge students to install and run their favorite game, or try to install art software and create a fun picture.
Weather Balloons
A high altitude weather balloon can record data from the stratosphere such as flight path, atmospheric conditions, and pictures of space or the Earth below. Weather balloons come in different sizes, and you can attach a small payload with a message from the school or something you can use to test the effects of near-space exploration (like seeing if fruit will freeze after spending time in the stratosphere, or checking a data logger to visualize the findings).
Just remember that you need a clear day, and someone trained to handle hydrogen or helium to coordinate a successful launch.
Bio: Sky-Probe sells weather balloons for science experiments and other projects. If you are interested in seeing the stratosphere for yourself, contact Sky-Probe.