These recommendations are tailored for organizations and clubs such as libraries, planetariums, science centers, astronomy clubs, and scout troops.
Children of all ages can investigate different aspects of ice, its properties and presence in our solar system. Consider conducting activities during events. This topic is particularly suited for Earth Day events and an evening telescope observing session (if planets are available for observing in the evening). Check out this topic's Featured Activity section for more information on Earth Day.
Consider getting in touch with local astronomical societies, planetariums and museums, local scientists (astronomy and geology departments at nearby universities are a good place to start), and NASA's Solar System Ambassadors -- ask them to join your events and share their experiences or resources with the children.
Be sure to submit photographs, artwork, music, or words of your community enjoying your activities to Share Your Stories.
Activities
| Making a Comet in the Classroom | This demonstration of the composition of a comet uses dry ice and several common ingredients to make a nucleus that will release jets of gas and sublimate over time. |
| Explore! Ice Worlds! | Discover our most precious resource -- water -- in its frozen form through three suites of activities. The All About Ice suite of activities sets the stage for exploring ice: through hands-on experiences, children observe various properties of ice, such as its appearance to the various senses, melting point and density. Ice in the Solar System activities investigate different types of ices, discover on what planets and moons they exist, and learn about the scientists exploring these ice worlds. Ice on Earth activities investigate where ice is on Earth, how important ice is to our planet's climate, what changes in polar ice could mean for our future, and, finally, what children and their families can do to help mitigate those changes. |
| Exploring Ice in the Solar System | The Exploring Ice in the Solar System education unit examines the importance of water in the form of ice in the solar system. From hands-on experiences with ice, the unit moves on to investigating ice in everyday life, in polar regions on Earth and throughout the solar system. |
| Antarctica Activities and Experiments | Ice crystals, critter cams, igloo recipes and more. Brush up on your polar science with these great experiments. |
| Dirty Ice Snow Cones | Build edible "dirty snow cones" to engage in discussions of water ice on Mars. |
