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At Mystery Science, our mission is to help children stay curious. Young children love to ask questions. They’re naturally curious about the world: “Why does it get cold in the winter?” “Why do we need to cook our food?” “Why are flowers so colorful?” The sad fact is, by the time most children reach middle or high school, they've lost this curiosity. Every scientific conclusion began as a mystery. Someone wondered something about the world, and they set out to investigate it. At Mystery Science, we believe that if you take a child’s questions seriously and help them to investigate, their natural curiosity will develop into a scientific perspective on the world. This ability to think scientifically is fundamental to any career or subject a child chooses to pursue as an adult. It's the ability to look at a question or problem, systematically investigate and collect evidence, and come to an independent conclusion. This is why our mission is to help children stay curious. We believe teachers and parents deserve better resources to help children investigate the mysteries of this endlessly fascinating world!
Plant Adventures: This unit develops the idea that plants are truly alive and face challenges every bit as dramatic as those of animals. Students will learn that plants have needs, and will reason from evidence to understand how plants meet their needs. Their attention will be drawn to exciting connections they can observe in their everyday world: why forests are dark, why trees grow so tall, and more.
Material Magic: This unit develops the idea that by taking advantage of the properties of materials, we can solve many problems in our lives. Students will develop an appreciation for the manmade materials of everyday objects, and learn to recognize that those materials are chosen based on their properties. Through hands-on investigation, students will explore the material properties involved in meeting basic needs (such as clothing and cooking). They’ll consider the solid and liquid states of matter to understand why plastic was invented. The unit ends with a brainstorming activity about futuristic inventions that might be possible using new materials.
Work of Water: This unit helps students develop the idea that water is a powerful force that reshapes the earth’s surface. Students see that water isn’t just something we drink. It carries sand to create beaches, carves out canyons and valleys and, as ice, scrapes entire areas flat.
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