 Weekend
Spotlight: Planet Earth
Planet Earth Activities
Planet Earth Web sites
At Home Activity
Activity Schedule
Explore the
science behind current environmental issues and concerns. Planet Earth
Spotlights runs every weekend, March 1 – June 29, 2003, and
feature fun,
hands-on activities, demonstrations, and projects to make and take home. Topics
include:
- Atmospheres, weather, and air quality
- Energy Science
- Watersheds, Local Biodiversity and Native Plants
Activities:
Be a Space Science Engineer:
Design space probes to visit our neighboring planets. Learn how to monitor a
planet's surface temperature and sample its atmospheric content. Find out what's
in Earth's atmosphere, and play with molecular models to see how different air
molecules affect Earth’s temperature and climate.
Explore Earth’s climate, past, present and future:
Learn about the tools scientists use to study climate, and find out what
climate changes might be in store for California and the Bay Area.
Atmosphere Take-Home Activities:
Make you own mobiles, planetary origami, and working air molecular models with
recycled and reused materials. Draw and paint your own images of Earth from
space to take home or to add to our Spotlights Theme Gallery.
Air Quality Sampling:
Make a small particulate sampling kit to take home, and take part in a Bay
Area-wide study of the particles in the air we breath. Bring the kit back to
Chabot later and examine your sample under a microscope. This activity is done
in partnership with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.
Meteorology:
Build your own weather monitoring station.
Images of Earth from space:
Images of Earth from space offer us beautiful views of our planet, as well as
rich scientific insights about Earth's atmosphere and surface features. See
photos taken from the space shuttle and satellite images and data maps.
Energy:
Build and desk drive a solar powered LEGO car (weather permitting)! Generate
your own power on our electricity-generating bicycle and see how much energy it
takes to power up different kinds of light bulbs. Cook up your own solar treats
(weather permitting).
Watersheds, Biodiversity & Native Plants:
Build, form and observe your own rivers and watersheds with our interactive
stream tables. Learn about the lifecycle of our red wiggler worm friends by
observing them in their worm bin home and under microscopes. You can also learn
more about Chabot's Composting & Waste Reduction Project sponsored by the
Alameda County Waste Management Authority. Test your identification skills of
common garden seeds by taking our Seed Match-up challenge. Build and take home
your own Biospheres in a Bottle (as supplies are available).
Planet
Earth
Web Sites
Can’t come to the Science Center for our Planet Earth activities? Check out
these fun, informative Web sites:
http://www.sparetheair.org
Useful information about a healthier air environment to live in
http://www.aoinstitute.org
Programs and educational material to learn all about water and the plants and
animals that depend on it in the Bay Area
http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/
Amazing satellite photography of the world
You can also visit our partner organizations on the web:
Friends of Sausal Creek:
http://www.sausalcreek.org
Aquatic Outreach Institute:
http://www.aoinstitute.org
Alameda County Waste Management Authority:
http://www.stopwaste.org
Bay Area Air Quality Management District:
http://www.baaqmd.gov
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