The NCSciFest team has compiled some great resources related to each session of the UNC Virtual Science Expo. Scroll down to find activities and other opportunities to explore the topics!
Click here to view descriptions of each session.
Watch the recording on YouTube
STEM Storybooks for various ages: Expert recommendations about STEM storybooks - examples include The Most Magnificent Thing, I See Patterns, Bear in a Square, and many more.
STEM for One, STEM for All, a series of tips for daily STEM ideas.
Learn about STEMIEFest, a new professional development showcase brought to you by the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute. Watch a 15 minute documentary about STEMIEFest.
Watch the recording on YouTube
Check out Marti the Hammerhead learning resources from the Galapagos Conservation Trust.
Learn how to draw Marti and other characters from the storybook.
Meet the presenter, Dr. Alex Hearn.
Watch the recording on YouTube
The NCSciFest team worked with UNC's Department of Physics and Astronomy to set a Guinness World Record! You can build your own Galilean Cannon to see if you can top our achievement.
The American Physical Society has great Physics at Home experiments to try. One of our favorites is to make ping-pong balls float. Check out the instructions here.
Physicists come from all walks of life and work in all sorts of jobs, including at universities, in the government, or for private companies. Check out some profiles of physicists to learn more about careers in physics.
Watch the recording on YouTube
Learn more about the BARCODE Galapagos project.
Consider these discussion questions to think about before the event.
Meet the presenters: Jaime Chaves, Corbin Jones, Diana Pazmiño
What is Environmental Justice? Check out this excellent introduction courtesy of our friends at the Piedmont Alliance.
The following websites will be valuable for teachers and students to investigate environmental justice features in North Carolina:
-EPA's Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool
-Interactive maps, including some NC-specific case studies
-The NAACP has a great list of resources, including a teacher's guide to teaching about EJ
This article highlights concerns of arsenic in drinking water in North Carolina.
Watch the recording on YouTube
Learn more about the UNC Children's Research Institute and check out the answers to some frequently asked questions about pediatric clinical research.
During the session, we'll be doing an activity to learn about the science of washing hands. To follow along, gather the following materials: ground pepper, a bowl of water, liquid soap, and paper.
We recommend the book Germs Make Me Sick! by Melvin Berger. Here's a read-along if you don't have a copy. And here's a lesson plan to accompany the story.
Check out these other activities and lesson plans:
-Kelvin's Germ Worksheet
-Activity Guide: Glitter Germs
-Lesson plans from the CDC to teach kids about the flu
Watch the recording on YouTube
Environmental Health Resources from the Center for Public Engagement with Science that include activities, lessons, and fact sheets. Examples include:
-Activity: Asthma Demonstration
-Activity: What Does Asthma Look Like?
Some introductory YouTube videos: How do lungs work? and How does asthma work? from TED-Ed and Immunology of the Lung from Nature
Tips to Keep Your Lungs Healthy from the American Lung Association
Watch the recording on YouTube
Check out Marti the Hammerhead learning resources from the Galapagos Conservation Trust.
Learn how to draw Marti and other characters from the storybook.
Meet the presenter, Dr. Alex Hearn.
Watch the recording on YouTube
STEM Storybooks for various ages: Expert recommendations about STEM storybooks - examples include The Most Magnificent Thing, I See Patterns, Bear in a Square, and many more.
STEM for One, STEM for All, a series of tips for daily STEM ideas.
Learn about STEMIEFest, a new professional development showcase brought to you by the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute. Watch a 15 minute documentary about STEMIEFest.
Watch the recording on YouTube
The Galapagos Initiative: Saving the Enchanted Islands - This article explores some of the dangers facing the Galapagos islands and the research being done to protect them.
Check out this short video from UNC Research to learn what ocean waters tell us about El Niño.
Meet the presenters: Amanda Thompson, Diego Riveros-Iregui, and Adrian Marchetti
Watch the recording on YouTube
Build your own galaxy! Dr. Sheila Kannapan helped develop this activity that uses simple craft materials to explore the structure of galaxies.
The NC Statewide Star Party has developed and curated some wonderful activities, including:
-Moon Observation Journal
-Oreo Moon Phases
-Make a Cardboard Rover
Stellarium is a free open source planetarium for your computer that lets you explore the night sky. Check out Morehead's tutorial on YouTube for a primer on how to use it.