rough science guide - color-2 (Page 2)

The Thinking Person's Reality Show

ADVENTURE ACTIVITY GUIDE

The Thinking Person's Reality Show

For WETA

Director of Outreach and Education

Ferne C. Barrow

Editorial Coordinator

Karen Zill

Designer

Cynthia Aldridge

Illustrator

Christopher Zaccone

Editor

Barbara deBoinville

Executive Producers

Dalton Delan

Jeff Bieber

For the BBC

Executive Producers

Karen O’Connor (Episodes 101-106)

Andrew Law (Episodes 107-110)

Series Producers

Steve Evanson (Episodes 101-106)

Paul Manners (Episodes 107-110)

Project Advisors

Angela Birch

Imperial College of Science,

Technology and Medicine

London, UK

Mike Bullivant

The Open University

Milton Keynes, UK

Kimberlie McCue

Missouri Botanical Garden

St. Louis, MO

Dennis Schatz

Pacific Science Center

Seattle, WA

Kendall Starkweather

International Technology Education Association

Reston, VA

Peter Taylor

The Open University

Milton Keynes, UK

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Educational materials produced

by the New York Hall of Science

Director of Public Programs

& Special Events

Marcia Rudy, Ph.D.

Director of Education

Preeti Gupta

Director of Science

Martin Weiss, Ph.D.

Manager of Public Programs

Sylvia Perez

Supervisor of Public Programs

& Science Theater

Marcos Stafne

Manager of Science Programs

Frank Signorello

Science Program Assistant

Grace Jose

Exhibit Developer

Rita Hoffstadt

Web site

Look for more information about

Rough Science on the World Wide web:

www

.pbs.org/roughscience.

To purchase videotapes or DVDs of

Rough Science programs, contact:

Bullfrog Films

P.O. Box 149

Oley, PA 19547

1-800-543-3764

Order online at www

.bullfrogfilms.com

Closed captioned for viewers who

are deaf or hard of hearing.

All photos courtesy BBC.

INTRODUCTION

Everywhere you look you can see the fruits of scientific effort and technological innovation—

from mobile phones to medicines, from the clothes we wear to the foods we eat. In the

natural world, science has shed much light on the value and function of plants and

animals and the interplay of various life forms and

habitats. Scientists have opened our eyes to a star-

tling, exciting and sometimes bewildering universe,

and technology has given us a host of practical uses

for the discoveries of science.

Yet, in spite of the ubiquitous nature of science,

many people find the subject daunting and inacces-

sible. The Rough Science television series hopes to

change that. By showing how science can be put to

use in everyday life, Rough Science helps viewers

understand that science is a process involving some

basic knowledge, a good dose of curiosity, a little

guesswork, trial and error, and a bit of elbow grease to find solutions.

The Rough Science Adventure Activities Guidebook is a companion to the Rough Science

television series. The guide provides science and technology activities that encourage

collaborative learning and experimentation in an informal setting. Although written for

museum professionals, the guide presents activities of interest to teachers, parents, and

students. The activities could be completed not only in a museum but also at school or

at home. The activities that were chosen for the guide reinforce the scientific method

and inquiry skills, provide interactive, hands-on learning experiences for school age

children to adults, and make science and technology fun and engaging.

To request a Guidebook, please write to Rough Science Guidebook, WETA, 2775 South

Quincy Street, Arlington, VA 22206 or email us at [email protected].

Kate Humble samples homemade toothpaste.

From left, series host Kate Humble, Ellen McCallie, Mike Leahy, Kathy Sykes, Jonathan Hare and Mike

Bullivant admire their map-making handiwork.

ROUGH SCIENCE • ACTIVITY GUIDE 1

WHAT IS ROUGH SCIENCE?

Television Series

A thinking person’s reality show, Rough Science is a ten-part series produced for the Open

University in the United Kingdom by the BBC and presented on American television by WETA

Washington, D.C. In the half-hour programs,

each one set over a three-day period, the cast

of British and American scientists must com-

plete specific tasks using only basic tools and

equipment and the raw materials they find on

their island location. The first six episodes

were filmed on Carriacou in the Caribbean;

the final four were filmed on the Italian island

of Capraia in the Mediterranean. The five

engaging scientists in each episode represent

the fields of chemistry, botany, physics, virology

and biology. See page 18 for biographical

sketches of the scientists. A synopsis of each

episode is on the inside back cover. The science

topics covered in the television series and

related activities include weather and

orienteering; chemistry, biology, and botany;

electricity; astronomy; and physics.

Outreach

The Rough Science television programs serve as a springboard for the education and

outreach activities described in this guidebook. Called Rough Science Adventures, these

activities give viewers the chance to experience challenges similar to those faced by

the scientists in the programs. Because the activities are based on the National

Science Education Standards, science and technology teachers may find them a

valuable source of enrichment in the curriculum. Public television stations as

well as other community organizations can also offer Rough Science Adventures

to their constituents. The

television series and the

Guidebook are innovative

means of involving people of

all ages and backgrounds in

hands-on science in friendly,

recognizable environments.

Web site

The companion Web site,

www

.pbs.org/roughscience,

contains descriptions of each

program, biographies

of the scientists, their pro-

duction diaries, resources for

educators, and additional

challenges that viewers can

try on their own.

Kathy Sykes is hard at work on

an island map constructed

from leaves.

With the intent of creating a celebratory sound, Kate Humble and

Jonathan Hare prepare to manufacture the big bang.

Rough Science Adventures at the Museum

This guidebook was written for museum professionals to use with different

audiences: young people in elementary school, middle school, and high

school, adults, families and groups of mixed ages. It covers a wide array

of science and technology topics that touch on everyday living, and the

activities can be adapted to all ages and skill levels. They also can be

tailored to enhance current museum exhibits and programs. For example,

the activities can be used at a variety of multi-day or one-time only events

such as:

Rough Science Activities

The activities selected for inclusion in the guidebook are similar

to activities already used in museums with multi-age visitors. Like the

television series, the activities have an island theme. They have been

grouped into eight scenarios: Water Quality Control Center, Weather

Station, Island Power Plant, Island Observatory, Island Restaurant, Tropical

Island Day Spa, and Tropical Island Party. (An additional scenario, Island

General Store, appears on the Rough Science Web site.) These scenarios

can serve as the starting point for a variety of museum or community

events described earlier.

Each scenario begins with a brief, scene-setting statement. This introductory

paragraph can be used by the educator as a script to involve the

participants. Feel free to ad lib or embellish as appropriate. Approached

in order, the scenarios provide cumulative learning for participants, but

each is designed to stand-alone. The order of activities may be changed

and activities added from other scenarios. For example, the making soap

activity presented in the Tropical Island Day Spa can be used for Island

General Store, Island Restaurant or Tropical Island Party.

After the introductory paragraph, each scenario issues several

“challenges,” explains the science behind the activity, lists the

needed supplies, and describes step-by-step how to proceed.

Note: A list of scientific supply companies can be found on the Rough

Science Web site, www

.pbs.org/roughscience

, under Discover More.

You may choose to substitute activities that you have developed for your

particular audience or that complement other aspects of your programming.

Alternatively, you may choose to issue some of the challenges to your

participants, provide them with the appropriate materials, tools, and

equipment, and let them come up with a variety of solutions to each

challenge, providing only as much guidance as they need.

• school group visits

• after-school programs

• summer camp programs

• scout badge programs

• sleepovers at the museum

• discovery days

• family nights

Plan to screen one or more

of the Rough Science

episodes as part of your

event. (Tapes can be pur-

chased from Bullfrog Films;

see inside front cover.)

Engage participants in

challenges similar to those

portrayed in the series.

(See Rough Science

Adventure Scenarios section

starting on page 4.)

Take participants on field

trips to natural habitats and

involve them in activities

that relate to the geology,

flora and fauna of the area.

Draw on the resources

the museum already has:

educators, scientists,

engineers, volunteers, and

technology experts on staff.

If possible, invite local

scientists, technology

teachers, and engineers

who may complement your

skills and knowledge.

Connect challenges with

current exhibits and

permanent collections

whenever possible.

How to Organize

Rough Science

Events

• member and corporate events

• teacher professional development days

• holiday programs for the general public

with drop-in workshops

• outreach with community organizations,

libraries, or schools

• field trips to natural habitats

Ellen McCallie employs fire to aid

in the creation of sunscreen.

ROUGH SCIENCE • ACTIVITY GUIDE 3

We want to know if the water on your

island is acidic or basic (alkaline).

Strongly acidic or strongly alkaline

water can be a sign of pollution and

can be harmful to plants and animals

and hazardous to drink. Carry out the

following test to check your water.

You need

a red cabbage

medium-size bowl

grater

strainer

small plastic or glass pitcher

5 clear plastic cups

baking soda

lemon juice

vinegar

cola

distilled water

“island” water (spiked with

something acidic like vinegar)

teaspoon

What you do

Grate one cup of red cabbage into a

medium-size bowl and cover it with 1/2

cup cold distilled water. Let it sit for 45

minutes. When the water turns red, strain

the cabbage juice into a plastic pitcher.

Use the cabbage juice to test for acids or

bases. Acids will make the cabbage juice

turn different shades of red, and bases

will make it turn different shades of blue.

Pour an equal amount of cabbage juice

into five plastic cups. Add 1 teaspoon of

baking soda (which is a base) to four of

the cups. The stronger the acid, the less

liquid you’ll use to get the original color

back. The fifth cup is your control. The

color of the juice in the cup with just the

baking soda is the color that you want to

get all of your mixtures to match.

Add the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon at a

time, to your first cup. How much lemon

juice did you have to add to get the

cabbage juice back to its original reddish

color? In the second cup repeat for

vinegar, and cola in the third cup. The

liquids you need to use the least of are

the most acidic. The liquids you need to

use the most of are the least acidic. The

liquids that don’t change the color at all

are bases. Now that you have a range of

reactions for comparison, test island

water in the fourth cup. What is your

conclusion? Is it acidic or basic?

What’s going on?

Red cabbage juice is an indicator. When

it comes into contact with a base, like

baking soda, it turns blue/purple. When

it’s mixed with an acid, like vinegar, it

stays red/pink. Pure water is neutral —

neither acidic nor basic.

Water can be “hard,” even

though it’s a liquid. Hard water

contains lots of minerals (such as

magnesium and calcium) that

leave deposits in pans and water

pipes. Hard water also makes it

difficult to lather up with soap.

Are you concerned about the lack

of lather when you soap up on

the island? Test your water to

see how hard it is.

You need

What you do

In the small jar mix a teaspoon of

the liquid soap with

cup of the

distilled water to make a soap

solution. In the tall glass dissolve

1 teaspoon of Epsom salts in 2

cups of distilled water to make

hard “island” water. Pour distilled

water into one screw-top jar and

the same amount of “island”

water into the other. Use the

dropper to put one drop of soap

solution into the jar of island

water. Screw the lid on tight and

shake. If the water doesn’t foam,

add another drop of solution,

screw on the lid, and shake it

again. Repeat until the water

foams. Count how many drops of

soap solution you need. Repeat

the experiment using the screw-

top jar of distilled water. Which

water needed more drops of soap

solution to make it foam?

What’s going on?

Distilled water is “soft.” We

can use it as a measure of the

hardness—the mineral content—

of the “island water.” In hard

water the salts (magnesium and

calcium) interact with soap to

form a scum that will not form

bubbles (soap foam). Therefore,

the amount of lather is related

to the hardness of the water.

Test the Hardness of Water

“island” water

two screw-top jars

teaspoon

eye dropper

small open jar

tall drinking glass

distilled water

liquid soap

Epsom salts

measuring cup

WATER

QUALITY

CONTROL

CENTER

That tropical water really

looks inviting! Looks can

be deceiving. Before you

jump in for a swim, do a

little rough science to

check if that water’s as

pure as it looks.

The Challenges!

To determine if the

water is polluted, test

the acidity of the water.

To determine if the water

has a high or low mineral

content, test the hardness

of the water in a soap

solution.

To see what organisms

are in the water, make a

microscope.

To make sure that your

drinking water is safe,

design and build a

water filter.

Test the Acidity of Water

4 ROUGH SCIENCE • ACTIVITY GUIDE

Worried about the quality of

drinking water on the island?

Filtering is one of the best

methods of making water safe

to drink. This filter will remove

small particles from dirty water.

Make your own filtered water

using this method.

You need

2-liter soda bottle with cap

serrated knife

napkins or paper towels

gravel, sand, charcoal, and

cotton balls for the filter

dirty water (if your

“island” water looks too

clean, add cooking oil,

food coloring, pieces

of paper, or tiny

pieces of Styrofoam)

What you do

Remove the plastic

sheath from the outside

of the soda bottle and

screw on the cap. Cut

the bottle in half. Put

the top half of the bottle

upside-down (like a funnel)

into the bottom half. Line

the upside-down half-bottle

with a napkin or paper towel.

Put layers of gravel, sand, char-

coal, and cotton balls inside the

top half of the bottle. (Ask par-

ticipants to predict what they

think each of the filter materials

will remove from the water.)

Remove the bottle cap. Pour the

dirty water through the filter.

(Ask participants to comment on

any changes they notice and how

their observations fit with their

predictions.) Now scoop out each

layer of the filter and examine

what each layer has taken out of

the water. Experiment by putting

the filter materials into the

bottle in a different order each

time. What difference does the

order of the layers make? Clean

the bottle halves thoroughly

before you use them again.

What’s going on?

Different materials filter different

substances from the water. The

slower the water travels

through a material, the

more impurities are

removed. Here the

cotton fibers and

sand create a longer

path for the water

and impurities to

pass through and

solids get trapped.

Charcoal particles

are charged (like a

glass rod rubbed

with a silk cloth)

and they attract

oppositely charged

impurities.

For more activities, see

the Rough Science Web site:

www

.pbs.org/roughscience.

Make a Microscope

Water is full of plants and

animals that are too small to see

with the naked eye. Make a

simple microscope to see if you

can detect any tiny organisms

swimming around in the water.

You need

empty matchbox

piece of thin, transparent plastic

(e.g., from a plastic bag or

plastic wrap)

matchstick

petroleum jelly or lip balm

dropper

scissors

transparent tape

water samples

(e.g. from an “island” pond)

What you do

Cut out most of one of the large

sides of the matchbox sleeve. Be

careful not to cut it all out since

the sleeve still needs to hold

together. Next cut a piece of thin,

transparent plastic the same size

as the end of the sleeve (where

the tray slides in). Tape the plastic

across the end of the sleeve, tak-

ing care to keep the tape right to

the edges. Cut a hole in the side

of the sleeve to allow light to

enter. With the plastic-covered

end up, slide the sleeve onto the

tray of the matchbox (as if to

close the matchbox) with the hole

on the open side. Using the

matchstick, draw a circle of petro-

leum jelly on the plastic. Use the

dropper to place a single drop of

water in the circle. Put another

drop of water (pond water) on

the end of the tray and look at it

through your magnifying water

drop. Very carefully, slide the

sleeve up or down to focus your

microscope. This matchbox setup

can also be used to view other

items like small insects.

What’s going on?

This is a simple type of light

microscope that bends light

reflected by an object to make a

larger magnified image.

Activity adapted from How to

Build a Mini Microscope,

http://physics.about.com

water drop

object

look here

vaseline

tape

matchbox

sleeve

matchbox

tray

plastic

Microscope

Build a Water Filter

paper

towel

soda

bottle

top

soda

bottle

bottom

gravel,

sand,

charcoal

& cotton balls

(inside

paper towel)

Water Filter

Find the Dew Point

The island climate is completely different from the

one you’re used to. How do you avoid getting caught

in a torrential storm or a thick fog? The dew point

is the temperature at which moisture in the air

begins to form dew. It is a way of gauging the air’s

humidity. Here’s a way to calculate it.

You need

tin can paper towel

thermometer bowl

tablespoon water

ice cubes

What you do

Crush the ice cubes in the paper towel using the

back of the tablespoon. Fill the bowl halfway with

crushed ice. Make sure the outside of the tin can is completely dry. Fill the

can with cold water. Place the thermometer in the can. Add one tablespoon

of crushed ice and stir. Continue adding ice until a layer of dew is visible on

the outside of the can. Immediately read the thermometer to find the dew

point temperature. If it’s high, beware! The humidity is high also.

What’s going on?

All air contains water vapor. As air cools (when it comes in contact with the

cold can), the water vapor begins to condense. This is why glasses holding

cold drinks “sweat” in the summertime. The dew point is the temperature

at which moisture in the air begins to form dew. The higher the

dew point temperature, the higher the moisture content of

the air at a given temperature.

Activity adapted from Robert Wood. Science for Kids:

39 Easy Meteorology Experiments.

TAB Books, 1991.

WEATHER

STATION

The weather in the tropics

can be unpredictable. And

there’s no radio or TV station

to turn on and get a reliable

forecast. That’s why you’ll

need a weather station to

figure out what changes lie

ahead. You’ll want advance

warning if that big storm is

on the way. And you’ll want

to know which direction it’s

coming from.

The Challenges!

To calculate the moisture

content of the air, find the

dew point.

To predict changes in the

weather, make a barometer

To find out which way is

North, construct a compass.

To determine the wind

direction, build a wind vane.

Make a Barometer

A barometer shows changes in air

pressure. High pressure indicates

good weather, low pressure

indicates possible storms. By

consulting your barometer every

day, you’ll be able to make

predictions about weather changes.

(This can be a multi-day activity to

compare the daily differences in

air pressure.)

You need

tall glass or jar

bowl

4 paper clips

pen

water

What you do

Slide the paper clips onto the rim of

the glass and space them equally

around the rim. Fill the glass about

two-thirds full with water. Place the

bowl upside down over the glass.

Carefully turn the bowl and the glass

over so that the glass sits upside

down in the bowl. Some of the

water will run out of the glass but

most will stay inside it. With a pen

mark the level of the water in the

glass at the beginning of the activity.

Take your barometer outside into

the open air. Look for changes in the

water level in the glass over time.

(This may take several hours or even

longer than a day.)

What’s going on?

When the atmospheric pressure

of the air rises, the water in the

bowl will be forced downwards

by the weight of the air on the

water. This, in turn, will cause the

water in the glass to rise. A barometer

measures the weight of the amount

of air between the surface of the

earth (the water in the bowl) and the

top of the atmosphere.

Activity adapted from Robert

Wood. Science for Kids: 39 Easy

Meteorology Experiments

. TAB

Books, 1991.

Mike Bullivant devises a rain meter

as part of the island weather station.

6 ROUGH SCIENCE • ACTIVITY GUIDE

Build a Wind Vane

A change in wind direction often indicates an

imminent change in the weather. Be prepared

for sudden change by making this wind vane.

(You can also use the compass you made in the

previous activity to identify the

direction of the wind.)

You need

a long tack

scissors

modeling clay

a plastic pot or

container, e.g.,

from take-out food

ruler

glue stick

thin, colored card

drinking straw

2 pencils with eraser

compass

What you do

Turn the plastic container upside down. Make a

hole in the center by inserting the pencil, sharp

end first. Make sure that it is firmly in place.

With another pencil and a ruler, draw two large

triangles and four small ones on the colored card.

Then cut out the shapes. Glue the small triangles

to the base of the plastic container at equal

distances and on opposite sides from each other

as on a compass. One point of each small triangle

should overlap the edge of the pot, with the

pencil in the middle. Cut short slits in each end of

the straw and insert one large triangle in each

end to make an arrow-shaped “vane.” Push the

tack through the center of the straw and into the

eraser on the pencil sticking out of the pot.

Secure the other end of the pot to a surface with

a ring of modeling clay. Take the vane outside or

to a simulated windy weather area and watch it

swing in the wind. Finally, use your compass to

determine East, West, North and South, and then

label the small triangles accordingly. Now you can

tell which direction the wind vane is pointing.

What’s going on?

The direction in which the vane points indicates the

direction from which the wind is blowing. For

instance, in a westerly wind, the vane points “West.”

Activity adapted from Neil Ardley. 101 Great

Science Experiments

. Dorling Kindersley, 1993,

pp. 14-15.

Make a Compass

Make a compass to determine the different

directions: North, South, East, and West.

You need

needle

magnet

plastic container

a cork (1/4” to 1/2 “ thick)

pen

water

What you do

Fill the plastic container with water. Stroke one

end of the magnet along the needle in one

direction at least 50 times to magnetize the

needle. Lay the needle on the cork, with one end

of the needle in the center. Tape the needle

down. Float the cork in the container of water.

The needle will bob around until it points North,

towards the Earth’s magnetic north. When the

needle settles in position, mark North on the

side of the container. Now you can determine

the other directions and label them East on the

right, South on the bottom and West on the left.

What’s going on?

The Earth’s core is thought to consist largely of

molten iron, which crystallizes into a solid.

Convection caused by heat radiating from

the core, along with the rotation of the Earth,

causes the liquid iron to move in a rotational

pattern. It is these rotational forces in the liquid

iron layer that lead to weak magnetic forces

around the axis of spin. The magnetized needle

in a compass can detect very slight magnetic

fields. No matter where you stand on Earth, you

can hold a compass in your hand and it will

point toward the North. This is amazingly helpful

because you can tell which way to go no matter

what the weather or time of day.

ROUGH SCIENCE • ACTIVITY GUIDE 7

Compass

Some kinds of batteries produce elec-

tricity by a chemical reaction between

two different metals (electrodes)

immersed in acid (electrolyte).

Figure out how to make your own

batteries in case the limited supply on

the island runs out.

You need

two wires with the

ends stripped off

aluminum foil

scissors

small bowl

warm water

salt

tape

6 pennies (copper coins)

paper towels

1.5 volt penlight light

bulb

a paper plate

What you do

Partially dissolve 1 tablespoon of salt in

1 cup of warm water. Some salt should

still be evident in the bottom of the

bowl. Place a penny on the aluminum

foil and draw around it. Repeat five

times. Do the same thing with the

paper towel. Cut out the circles. You

should have six foil circles and six

paper ones. Tape the end of one wire

to a foil circle. Dip a paper circle in the

warm, salty water. Place the foil circle

with the wire on the plate, and put a

wet paper circle and a penny on top of

it. Using all the foil, pennies, and

paper circles, build alternate layers.

Then tape the other end of the wire to

the last coin and put it on top. This is

your battery.

Test the battery with the light bulb.

Attach the end of one wire to the

metal terminal end of the light bulb.

Wrap the end of the other wire

around the metal shaft of the

light bulb. Can you see the

bulb light up?

What’s going on?

The metal atoms in the foil

dissolve into the electrolyte

(the warm, salty water) and

electrons are left behind.

Electricity is created when

the electrons flow through a

circuit (the foil circles and

paper circles soaked in warm,

salty water). When the metals

eventually dissolve completely

into the electrolyte, no more electrons

are formed and the battery stops

working. The first battery (Volta’s Pile)

was developed about 1860 by Alessandro

Volta. He stacked discs of copper, zinc,

and cardboard soaked in salty water

in alternate layers and measured an

electronic current.

Activity adapted from Neil Ardley. 101

Great Science Experiments. Dorling

Kindersley, 1993. For instructions on

creating a similar battery, see

http://isaac.exploratorium.

Island

Power

Plant

Once you’ve taken care

of basics like food and

water, you’ll want to

experiment with ways

to create your own

electricity and

electrical gadgets.

Why don’t you employ

a little rough science to

create a power plant

on your island?

The Challenges!

To power things, make

your own battery.

To drive a paper wind-

mill to create a breeze,

build an electric motor

To see things at night,

make your own flashlight.

Make a Flashlight

When you’re on the island, you can’t just flick a switch and turn

on a light. There isn’t a constant electricity supply. But with a flashlight,

you’ll be able to see around your room at night and even venture outside for

a walk — moonlight or

no moonlight.

You need

sharp pencil

screwdriver

aluminum foil

plastic tape

Make a Battery

8 ROUGH SCIENCE • ACTIVITY GUIDE

3 pieces of wire with bare ends

empty dishwashing liquid bottle

2 batteries with 1.5 volts each

2 brass paper fasteners

a light bulb in a bulb holder

paper clip

scissors

cotton

Build an Electric Motor

It’s hard to sleep at night because of the heat.

How would you go about building a simple motor

to turn a paper windmill and create a breeze?

When a current passes through a coil of wire it

turns the wire into an electromagnet which

interacts with a permanent magnet to make the

coil spin. The spinning coil is a basic motor.

You need

5 small magnets (available at

electronics stores)

2 large paper clips

plastic, paper, or foam cup

2 feet of solid insulated 20-gauge

copper wire (non stranded)

masking tape

a 1.5 volt D cell battery in a battery holder

2 alligator clip leads (available at

electronics stores)

wire strippers

broom

What you do

Wind the copper wire around the end of a broom

handle to create a coil with a 1-inch diameter.

Take each end of the wire and wrap it around

the coil to hold the coil together. Leaving about

2 inches of wire sticking out from each end, strip

the insulation off these two ends using wire

strippers. Attach three magnets to the bottom of

the cup with masking tape. Turn the cup upside-

down and lay two magnets on top. (The magnets

underneath create a strong magnetic field and

keep the magnets on top in place with no tape.)

Unfold one end of a paper clip and tape it to

one side of the cup so that the rest stands up

above the cup. Unfold the other paper clip, and

tape it to the other side of the cup. The paper

clips will form a cradle for the coil. Attach one

end of the coil to one paper clip and the other

end of the coil to the other paper clip. Spin the

coil and adjust the height of the paper clips to

make sure that there is around 1/16 of an

inch between the coil and the top of the magnets.

Adjust the clips to make sure the coil stays

balanced and centered. Put the battery and

battery holder beside the cup. Attach one end

of an alligator clip to a battery terminal and the

other to a paper clip. Attach the other alligator

clip to the other battery terminal and the other

paper clip. Spin the coil to start it turning.

What’s going on?

The current running through the coil of wire

creates an electromagnet. What does this mean?

As with a bar magnet, one end of the coil has

become a North Pole, and the other a South

Pole. Each of the three magnets attracts its

opposite pole and repels its like pole of the

coil, causing the coil to spin.

ROUGH SCIENCE • ACTIVITY GUIDE 9

What you do

Cut the top off the empty dishwashing liquid bot-

tle. Tape foil shiny side up to the inside of the bot-

tle top. Use the pencil to make two small

holes in the side of the bottle near the bottom.

One hole should be about an inch below the other.

Firmly attach two pieces of wire to the bulb hold-

er. Tape the top of one battery to the bottom of

the other to make one long battery. Tape the third

piece of wire to the bottom of the battery. Tape

one of the wires from the bulb-holder to the

exposed terminal on the battery. Put the long bat-

tery in the bottle, carefully threading the wire

from the bottom battery through the lower hole.

Stuff cotton in the space between the batteries

and the walls of the bottle to keep the batteries in

place. Thread the wire from the bulb-holder through

the top hole in the bottle. Attach paper fasteners to

the two wires poking through the holes and push in

the fasteners.

Put the bulb-holder on top of the battery and tape

the center of the bottle top over the bulb. In other

words, put the bottle top on back-to-front so that

the aluminum foil is visible. Bend the paper clip and

fit one end under the lower paper

fastener to make a switch. (When the switch is

turned, current flows from the battery along the

wires to the bulb.) Press the other end of the paper

clip against the top fastener and see the flashlight

light up.

What’s going on?

There is a thin wire (a filament) inside the bulb

that glows white-hot when current flows through

it. The light reflects off the foil to produce a

bright beam of light.

For more activities, see the Rough Science Web

site: www

.pbs.org/roughscience.

Make a Star Clock

It’s night and you want to figure out the time by reading the positions of the

stars. Before the invention of clocks, people told the time by the movement

of the stars across the night sky. You can do the same using your star clock.

You need

star clock template or print from the Lawrence Hall of Science Web site:

http://www.lhs.berkeley.edu/StarClock/starclockprintout.html.

scissors

brass paper fastener

sharp pencil

What you do

Carefully cut around each star clock circle and poke a hole through the mid-

dle of each one. Place the small circle on top of the large circle. Push a

paper fastener through the holes in both circles and spread the fastener open

on the back of the clock. Go outside, look up at the sky, and using your star

clock find the Big Dipper and the North (or Pole) Star. Face the North Star. Put

your thumb over the current month. Slide

the outer circle around so that your

thumb is at the top. Turn the smaller disc

carefully until its stars line up with those

in the sky. You can now read the time in

the window. (If you are on Daylight

Savings Time, add one hour.) Compare

the time with your wristwatch to see how

close you get. It’s better to do this activity

when the moon is not full. A full moon is

so bright that it becomes difficult to see

the stars.

What’s going on?

The North Star never appears to move

because the Earth’s axis, the imaginary

line drawn from pole to pole through the

center of the Earth, points almost directly

to the North Star. The stars that appear

to revolve around the North Star are known as circumpolar stars. In mid-

northern latitudes, these stars appear to circle around the North Star without

rising or setting. The star clock estimates the time based on where the stars

appear relative to the North Star.

Activity adapted from Lawrence

Hall of Science. Earth, Moon,

and Stars. Regents of the

University of California, 1986.

Star Clock

brass

fastener

large

circle

small

circle

Island

Observatory

On the island, far away from

polluting lights and smog of

the city, you check out the

spectacular night sky. Using

a little rough science, study

the solar system while you

enjoy the solitude.

The Challenges!

To calculate time at night,

make a star clock.

To identify what’s in

the night sky, make a

telescope.

How to locate the North Star.

Cassiopeia

North Star

the Plough blade

Big Dipper

10 ROUGH SCIENCE • ACTIVITY GUIDE

Make a Telescope

When you first look up to find the Big Dipper to orient

your star clock, you may have trouble seeing it. Why don’t

you make sure you’ll find it by making your own telescope?

Even if you find the Big Dipper and the North Star with

ease, your telescope will help you to see the moon and

thousands of other stars in much greater detail.

You need

2 convex lenses of different focal lengths (e.g., use

2x and 4x lenses from drugstore reading glasses)

a cardboard tube at least as long as the sum of

the two focal lengths of the lenses

pen

tape

What you do

Fix one lens to each end of the tube with tape. Take care

not to obscure the view through the tube. Mark the end of

the tube with the shorter focal length lens. This will help

you figure out which way round your telescope is. Look

through this end.

What’s going on?

Telescopes use lenses to bend the incoming light. The

first lens (objective lens) gathers light and bends it into

focus and provides a small, upside down image of the

object you’re looking at. The second lens (the eye-

piece) then magnifies the object so that you can see it

better. When the two lenses are combined, you have a

telescope that magnifies the image.

For more information on how telescopes work,

see www

.howstuffworks.com.

Jonathan Hare and Kate Humble concoct a transmitter.

Suggestions for other activities

To understand the position and distance of different

planets and the sun, make a model of the solar system.

To understand the rising and setting of the sun at

different points on the Earth, make a solar calculator.

To measure the height of celestial objects in degrees,

make a clinometer.

To track the stars that you see, make a

constellation chart.

ROUGH SCIENCE • ACTIVITY GUIDE 11

Island

Restaurant

If you’re on a tropical island,

it’s great to know there is a

restaurant where the food

is fresh and the mood is

mellow. After you’re through

with your rough science,

don’t forget to make a

reservation!

The Challenges!

To cook meals for your

guests, make a solar oven.

To grow herbs and spices,

build a terrarium.

To provide warm water,

build a solar water heater

Build A Terrarium

Spice up your food and garnish

dishes with herbs and spices

grown in an herb terrarium

(herbarium). Your restaurant

will become an instant hit once

customers realize that their

palates will be pampered

with subtle flavors. Building a

terrarium is much easier than

tending a garden, and it’s low

maintenance.

You need

a glass or plastic container,

such as a candy jar or

picklejar, with a wide

mouth and tight-fitting lid

potting soil

potted herbs

colored stones

shells

water

soap

paper towel

What you do

Do some research to select

herbs that need similar

conditions (soil, light, water)

for growth. Take care to choose

plants that will not outgrow

the container. After cleaning,

rinsing, and drying the container

thoroughly, fill it full with

potting soil. Place the plants

in the soil at a depth similar

to that in their pots and press

Make a Solar Oven

Nothing beats home cooking! It’s your restaurant and you’re the chef. Get

creative with the menu. In fact, get creative with the oven. Make your own

solar oven to prepare exquisite meals for your guests.

You need

a box with a lid, e.g., a pizza box

black construction paper

aluminum foil

heavy plastic laminate

glue

transparent tape

scissors

ruler

magic marker

straw

What you do

Draw a square on the lid of the box and cut along three sides of it. Fold

back along the uncut side to form a flap that opens and shuts. Line the

inside of the flap with aluminum foil, smoothed over and glued into place.

Cut a piece of plastic to fit very tightly over the hole you created in the lid

of the box by forming the flap. Use enough plastic to overlap the underside

of the flap. Seal the plastic by taping it to the underside of the flap. (The

plastic has to be tightly sealed to make sure that no air can escape from

the oven.) Line the bottom of the box with foil, and glue it into place.

Again, take care to smooth out all wrinkles. Cut out a piece of black

construction paper to fit on the bottom and tape it in place. Close the lid

(including the plastic window) and prop the flap open, facing the sun. Move

the box around to get the maximum amount of sun into your oven. Try

cooking something like s’mores. Compare the solar oven with the solar

water heater, described on the next page.

What’s going on?

Energy, radiating from the sun, reflects off the foil. This heat energy is

then stored in the oven.

For more information on solar-powered technology, see

http://www

.solarnow.org/pizzabx.htm.

12 ROUGH SCIENCE • ACTIVITY GUIDE

Make a Solar Water Heater

Wash the sand off after a dip in the ocean with a relaxing warm shower hooked up to a solar water

heater. All it takes is a few simple objects and plenty of sunshine!

You need

water jug black paint

large fish tank with a lid paintbrush

aluminum foil water

transparent tape cardboard, with an area

thermometer greater than the base of the fish tank

What you do

Line the sides of the tank with aluminum foil, inside and out, and tape the foil firmly in place. Paint

the bottom of the inside of the tank black. Place the cardboard in a spot that is in the sun all day.

Place the tank squarely on the cardboard. Once the paint is completely dry, fill the tank with water.

Put the lid on the tank. Use the thermometer to test the temperature of the water every half-hour.

If it gets too hot for a comfortable shower, remove the lid until the water equilibrates with the

outside temperature.

What’s going on?

Sunlight (infrared energy) passes through the glass and is absorbed by the water. Water has a high

heat capacity (able to absorb and hold heat). A black surface absorbs some of the light (sunlight).

If trapped, as it is in this case by the insulation

(the foil), the heat (energy) accumulates and is

reflected into the water so it gets warmer. The

heat energy cannot escape as easily back through

the glass so the water stays warm.

Kathy Sykes devises an ingenious

electrical coil to facilitate cooling

the scientists’ surroundings.

ROUGH SCIENCE • ACTIVITY GUIDE 13

the soil down around them.

Squeeze water from wet paper

towels to moisten the soil around

the plants, but do not overwater

or you will kill them. (If you

need to, you can add more water

at a later date.) Decorate your

terrarium with colored stones

and shells. Close the lid tightly

and place the terrarium where

the plants will receive the light

they need. You have created a

self-sustaining ecosystem.

What’s going on?

The lid traps air inside the ter-

rarium. Plants use carbon dioxide

and sunlight during the day to

produce food and oxygen through

photosynthesis. At night, they

use the oxygen to create more

carbon dioxide. The water

trapped inside the terrarium is

absorbed through the roots of

the plants. It moves up through

the stems and evaporates

through the leaves. Like rain, the

water will condense on the top

of the terrarium and drip back

down to the bottom. The oxy-

gen, carbon dioxide, and water

are therefore constantly being

recycled by the plants.

Tropical

Island Day

Spa

Hot and sweaty from the

tropical sun? What better

way to recover than a

luxurious day in a spa?

Before you slather on that

facemask and kick back in

the sauna, you’re going to

have to figure out how to

create the essentials for a

day of pampering yourself!

Discover the rough science

behind what happens in a

day spa.

The Challenges!

To remove some of those

layers of grime, make

scented and textured soap.

To clean those pores and

keep your skin hydrated and

beautiful in the sun, create

a facial mask

Leave that astringent

cucumber mask on too long

and you’ll look like a prune!

On an island you won’t have

a watch or clock so construct

a sundial.

Add Scent and Texture to Soap

Soaps are made by boiling oils and fats with an alkali. Because this takes a

long time and can be dangerous, we’re going to use shredded olive oil soap

as our base and add oils and flowers for scent and texture. For safety, ask

the soap makers to tie back long hair and roll up their sleeves. Supervise

young participants. To dry the soap quicker, place it in the sun or in a low

oven for 15 minutes.

You need

2 saucepans, 1 large, 1 small

1-lb. bar of olive oil soap

grater

plastic or glass droppers

a selection of herbal tea bags (chamomile, green tea, fruit flavors)

teapot or pitcher

essential oils such as lavender, geranium, vanilla, sweet almond oil

(You can buy herbal teabags and essential oils in health food stores.)

dried flowers

oatmeal

tiny squares of candied fruit

a blunt object such as a butter knife

a cookie tray

What you do

Shred a bar of soap using the grater. Place the large pan on a burner and fill

the bottom with enough water to cover the bottom of the small pan that

you place inside the large pan. Take care to make sure that the inside of

the small pan stays completely dry, and that there’s always water in the

large pan. Place the grated soap in the small pan. Heat the large pan slowly

on a medium flame till the soap melts. Add 1/4 of a cup of strong tea (that

you have made) to the soap, mixing it in thoroughly. Spoon the soap mixture

onto a cookie tray in six equal measures. Knead, or mill, each soap mixture

with a knife. When the soap firms up, add your choice of essential oils using

the droppers. Continue to knead until the soap is hard enough to pick up.

Form it into a shape, then roll your bar of soap in dried flowers, oatmeal,

or candied fruit. Allow the soap to dry completely before you use it.

What’s going on?

Soap molecules have both fatty acid and salt-like

properties. The latter allow the soap to dissolve

in water, while the fatty acid properties allow the

soap to dissolve dirt and oils. The combination of

the two sets of properties gives soap its ability to

dissolve grease in water.

Ellen McCallie is the beneficiary of the sunscreen she con-

cocted, administered by host Kate Humble.

14 ROUGH SCIENCE • ACTIVITY GUIDE

Construct a Sundial

Whether your skin is oily or dry, it can benefit from

a facial mask. Mixing eggs with mint and honey will

make masks suited to oily skin; yogurt and cucumber

will help rehydrate dry skin. Put slices of cucumber

over your eyes while your mask is drying.

You need

What you do

In a small bowl, mix grated cucumber, yogurt, and

dried milk with a whisk to create a moisturizing

mask for dry skin. Mix egg, chamomile flowers,

fresh mint, and honey with a wisk in another bowl

to produce an astringent mask that will tighten

pores in oily skin. Apply the mask that matcher

your complexion to your face for 15 minutes,

and then rinse it off with warm water.

What’s going on?

The yogurt mask increases the flow of sebum (oil

produced by glands in your skin) by causing your skin

tissue to expand. The astringent (an agent that contracts

tissue to reduce secretions) mask made from mint

shrinks skin tissue and reduces the sebum flow.

Create a Facial Mask

eggs

cucumbers

plain yogurt

instant nonfat dried milk

chamomile flowers

fresh mint and honey

small bowls

whisks

graters

You have to watch how long you wear that facial

mask. So let’s make a timepiece for the spa.

You need

sundial template

a magnetic compass

card stock

elastic string with metal ends

atlas

What you do

Copy the sundial template onto card stock.

Fold the tabs to an angle that corresponds to

your latitude, as shown on an atlas. Then fold

down both tabs to form the base of the sundial.

Open your sundial to form a 90-degree angle

and fold in the supporting tabs. To finish the

dial, attach the elastic string through the holes

at the top and bottom at the points where all

the hour lines converge. This string is the

gnomon (pronounced no-mun) and casts the

shadow to indicate the time. To provide accurate

time, the sundial (1) must be orientated with

the gnomon pointing North/South; (2) must be

located where a shadow will be cast by the

gnomon most of the day. (Note: one can move

the dial from window to window as the day

progresses.) For greater accuracy, see the

Equation of Time chart on the upper face of

the sundial. A magnetic compass may be used

to determine the North/South line. Because of

the difference between magnetic North and

true North, the sundial reading could be off by

an hour or more. The

variation will depend

on the local difference

between magnetic and

true North.

What’s going on?

Your location on Earth

in relation to the sun

determines the time

where you are. Because

the Earth rotates as it

travels round the sun,

the date is also very

important. Compare 5 o’clock in the afternoon

in July with the same time in December. Your

watch or clock measures standard time. Your

sundial records solar time, which is not the

same. According to solar time, noon is when the

sun is directly overhead. Even though noon in

Boston, New York and Miami happens at the

same moment in standard time, there would be

noticeable differences if you measured noon at

all three locations in solar time.

Activity adapted from Sun Sculpture & Sundial-

Making Kit. New York Hall of Science, 2002.

For information on making other sundials, see

http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/

- Liftoff to

Space Exploration: A Space Sciences Project.

For more activities, see the Rough Science

Web site: www.pbs.org/roughscience.

Mike Leahy and Mike Bullivant

fashion a sundial.

ROUGH SCIENCE • ACTIVITY GUIDE 15

Make Paper

You need to let people know when and where to come to the party. But first

you’ll need some paper to write your invitations.

You need

plain office paper, newspaper, magazines, egg cartons, toilet paper, paper

bags, old cards, nonwaxed boxes pre-soaked in warm water, tissue paper,

napkins, or construction paper (any of these types of paper or a mixture)

sponge

screening from a window or door

an old picture frame or other wooden frame

plastic tub large enough to accommodate the wooden frame

blender or food processor

white felt or flannel fabric

staples or tacks

liquid starch

2 cookie sheets

What you do

Rip the paper into small pieces and place it in a blender until half full. Fill

the blender up with warm water. Blend slowly until there is no trace of paper

and the pulp is smooth. Staple the screen to the frame as tightly as possible

to make a deckle. Fill half the basin with water and add 3 blenders-full of

pulp. (For thicker paper, add more pulp.) Stir well and add 2 teaspoons of liquid

starch. Submerge the deckle in the pulp and gently shake it until you have an

even covering on top of the screen. Lift the deckle above the water level and

let it drain off. (If the new paper on top of the screen is too

thick, take some pulp out of the tub. If the paper is

thin, add more pulp and re-stir.) When the deckle

stops dripping completely, carefully place one

edge along an edge of fabric and gently

ease the paper out of the deckle on top

of the fabric. Press out as much water

as possible with the sponge. Make

sure the paper has come apart

completely from the deckle. Stack

the fabric and paper pieces on a

cookie sheet. Put a piece of

fabric on top of the top sheet of

paper and cover the pile with

another cookie sheet. Press well

to remove any remaining water.

Gently separate the sheets of

paper and hang them in the

sun, or lay them on sheets of

newspaper, until they are dry.

What’s going on?

Paper is made from plant fibers –

old rags, trees. By chopping up the

paper, you are recycling the fibers in

the old paper to make new paper. The

liquid starch helps to prevent inks from

soaking into the paper fibers. For more infor-

mation on making paper, see http://www

.pioneer-

thinking.com.

Tropical

Island

Party

On vacation let your hair

down. What better place

for a party than a tropical

island paradise? But who

would have thought that

rough science could help

make you the perfect host?

The Challenges!

For original invitations, make

your own paper.

To wake up the party

poopers, create botanical

noisemakers.

For refreshments, offer

homemade ice cream

and soda.

What’s a tropical party

without ice cream? Take

the temperature down a

degree or two by making your

own chocolate ice cream.

You need

What you do

In the glass, mix one spoon of

cocoa powder, two spoonfuls of

milk, and one spoonful of

cream. Put some ice in the

bowl and cover it with lots

of salt. Put the glass on

top of the ice and

pack ice around

the glass.

Cover all the ice with

salt. Place the dish towel

over the bowl and leave the

ice cream mixture to set for an

hour. Voilá — delicious chocolate

ice cream!

What’s going on?

The salt lowers the freezing tem-

perature of the ice. This actually

makes the ice colder. The ice

absorbs heat from the ice cream

mixture. The ice cream gets cold-

er and colder until it eventually

freezes.

How about using flavors

other than chocolate?

Lemon, vanilla, orange,

or raspberry?

Make Ice Cream

cream

milk

ice cubes

dish towel

cocoa powder

tablespoon

salt

large glass bowl

16 ROUGH SCIENCE • ACTIVITY GUIDE

Make Lemon or Orange Soda

Throwing a party is thirsty work! You’ll need something to quench

your thirst and give you the energy to keep dancing all night. Make a

refreshing soda from a few simple ingredients.

You need

a lemon or orange

a glass

water

sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

What you do

Squeeze a lemon or orange and put the juice in the glass.

Add an equal volume of water and some sugar till your

drink tastes sweet enough. Stir in the baking soda and

stand back as your drink fizzes.

What’s going on?

Baking soda is a chemical compound called a carbonate. Lemon and orange juices contain acids. When a

carbonate and an acid are mixed, they produce a salt. Baking soda is a buffer. In the presence of an

acid, carbon dioxide gas is released, producing the bubbles in your drink. A similar reaction, producing

carbon dioxide, is used in certain fire extinguishers.

Additional scenarios, activities, and ideas can be found on the Rough Science Web site:

www

.pbs.org/roughscience.

Mike Bullivant seeks sustenance for the

team with calabash fruit.

Suggestions for other activities

To make sounds like a horn, recorder, drum,

and whistle, make musical instruments from

natural materials (willow sticks, vines, tree

branches, shells, blades of grass).

To have neat jewelry to wear, make

bracelets and rings from plants.

Make Botanical Noisemakers

You don’t want anyone to miss the fun!

Let everyone know where the party is with some

rattles, shakers, and other noisemakers.

You need

dried beans, peas, rice, nuts in shells, or other dry seeds

2 aluminum pie plates

empty film canisters and lids

empty plastic bottles and lids

craft sticks

tape

scissors

What you do

Place a handful of beans, peas, nuts, or seeds between two pie plates and then tape the plates

together around the edges. Use a pair of scissors to make small slits in the bottom of the canisters,

and insert craft sticks through the holes. Put different amounts of rice inside the film canisters and

put on the lids. Put other plant materials inside the plastic bottles. Shake them to different

rhythms.

What’s going on?

Sounds come from vibrations. Shaking the noisemakers causes the beans, rice, or other plant

materials to hit against the pie plates and vibrate, thus creating sound.

Activity adapted from Jill Frankel Hauser and Loreta Trezzo Brare. Kid’

s Crazy Concoctions.

Williamson Publishing, 1998.

ROUGH SCIENCE • ACTIVITY GUIDE 17

THE ROUGH SCIENTISTS

Mike Bullivant — chemist

Mike Bullivant works part-time as a course manager in the chemistry department at the Open

University and part-time as a TV/video/CD-ROM/radio presenter. Bullivant studied chemistry as an

undergraduate at the University of Wales (Cardiff) and went on to do research for a doctorate in

organic photochemistry at the Universities of Cardiff and Nottingham.

Vanessa Griffiths — biologist (episodes 7-10)

Longing as a child to be the next Jacques Cousteau, Vanessa Griffiths followed her passion to become

a marine biologist, earning her degree in marine biology at Liverpool University. After college Griffiths

spent a year doing field research at the marine station on the Isle of Man, then went on to get her

master’s degree and teaching certificate. She now teaches ecology at the Orielton Field Center in

Pembrokeshire in the United Kingdom, where she has introduced hundreds of school children to the

vast marine life that can be found in an afternoon at the beach.

Jonathan Hare — physicist

Jonathan Hare studied physics at Surrey University. During his doctoral studies in chemical physics at

Sussex University, he was involved in some of the first pioneering work on Buckminsterfullerene, the

60-atom molecule that earned a Nobel Prize for its discoverers. This work led from astronomy via

chemistry into a new area of material science. Hare currently manages The Creative Science Center

and is part of the Vega Science Trust at the University of Sussex, which creates science programming

for television and the Internet. He also works as a consultant on educational programs for

multinational corporations.

Mike Leahy — biologist

Mike Leahy left school by “mutual agreement” while studying for his final high school exams and

began an apprenticeship as a motor mechanic. Leahy was an active member of the environmental

movement during the late 1980s and early 1990s, and while still a mechanic, he studied for a biology

degree at night school. At the age of 26, armed with a high school degree, he left his work in

mechanics to study for a degree in environmental biology at Oxford Brookes University and gained a

honors degree within two years. Leahy moved on to Oxford University where he earned a doctorate in

virology. With 14 publications in international journals, he is now considered a leader in the field of

influenza virus replication.

Anna Lewington — botanist (episodes 7-10)

A writer and educator, Lewington is perhaps best described as a ethnobotanist for her studies of the

ways plantsare used by various peoples of the world — from the indigenous tribes of the Amazon rain-

forest to our own modern culture. She graduated from Birmingham University and earned her master’s

degree from St. Andrews University. Lewington has authored numerous books and articles on the ways

humans use plants.

Ellen McCallie — biologist (episodes 1-6)

Ellen McCallie grew up in St. Louis and is a tropical ecologist and educator. She spent a year in Bogor,

Indonesia, as an American Field Service (AFS) exchange student before attending Grinnell College in

Iowa, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in biology with a concentration in environmental science.

McCallie then spent a year as a Fulbright scholar, conducting research on the pollination of agroforestry

trees in the Amazon basin. Her graduate research was conducted in Timor, Indonesia, focusing on

alternatives to slash-and-burn agriculture. McCallie became the first education curator of the

Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House and Education Center in St. Louis before starting her own elementary

science curriculum business. She is currently the coordinator of interpretation in the education division

at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis.

Kathy Sykes — physicist (episodes 1-6)

Kathy Sykes is a science communicator working on a variety of projects, including serving as director of

the Cheltenham Festival of Science in the United Kingdom. She was previously head of science for

Explore@Bristol, a new hands-on science center, developing ideas for the content of the institution. Sykes

is a physicist, with a doctorate from Bristol University and is still doing post-doctoral research there. She

completed her first degree there before going to teach math and physics in Zimbabwe for three years.

THE ROUGH SCIENTISTS

18 ROUGH SCIENCE • ACTIVITY GUIDE

ROUGH SCIENCE EPISODES

Led by host Kate Humble, five scientists are challenged to put their collective scientific knowledge

to practical use. Transported to isolated locations, they are presented with a series of tasks, with

two notable restrictions: they must complete their work within three days and, with the exception

of a rudimentary tool kit, they must use only indigenous materials. A synopsis of each episode is

provided below along with brief details of the science challenges (indicated in bold type).

Episode 1 – Mapping it Out

Kate Humble and the team of five scientists take up the challenge of charting the sights and

sounds of their tropical island. Starting from scratch, they have to make an accurate scale map,

botanical paper and inks, and a sound-recording device. The team members have very good

heads for math and plenty of versatile local plants to get them started, but impassable mangrove

swamps and tropical downpours soon seem intent on scuttling their plans.

Episode 2 – Bugs and Barometers

The team has to pit their wits against nature – and bugs – in the latest challenge. Can they get a

biology lab (antibacterial cream), microscope and weather station (barometer, hygrometer,

anemometer) built and tested on their tropical island? With only a basic toolkit to work with,

the island’s plants and seaweed have to be employed – and with nothing but clear skies weather

forecasting can still be a little problematic.

Episode 3 – Time and Transmitters

The scientists find they have to borrow some wartime tricks when challenged with building a

transmitter and radio – but will they be able to communicate across their tropical island base?

There’s also an accurate portable clock and a botanical kite to design, and, once again, the

island’s natural plants and resources get the scientists thoughts running in strange new directions.

Episode 4 – Feel the Heat

The challenges don’t come much tougher than this as the team of scientists tackles the task of lowering

the temperature on their sweltering tropical island base. The chemistry of cooling paradoxically seems

to involve heating things up first. With just three days to complete the task of making ice, as well

as producing working thermometers and sunscreen, their patience is soon simmering.

Episode 5 – Sun and Sea

The challenge of building an underwater light to examine the marine life around their tropical

island base finds the team grappling with natural power sources (filaments and phosphorus from

cow bones). The scientists find they need a little human elbow grease to generate electricity to

charge up a battery.

Episode 6 – Science of Celebration

The science of sound and fireworks helps the team devise ways of going out with a bang in the

last set of challenges on their Carribean island. Tasked with creating a concert and spectacle to

light up the Caribbean night sky, the scientists find they are struggling to find harmony, while

their pyrotechnics seem to generate more heat than light. Can they turn it around to stage a

spectacular finale?

Episode 7 – Mediterranean Mystery

Swapping their high-tech labs for a disused prison, the five scientists are ferried to a mystery

Mediterranean island where they must pool their collective wits. Can they work out their exact

latitude and longitude, manufacture an insect repellent from scratch, and improvise a radio

from an old saucepan?

Episode 8 – Simmering Shutterbugs

Our scientists have worked out where they are on the globe, but can they now master a series of

science-based challenges using just the natural resources of the island? Can they improvise a

low-tech camera and film, make a compass to get their bearings, and dye a flag. Seawater,

seaweed and urine prove to be indispensable ingredients, but things don’t quite go to plan.

EPISODE DESCIRPTIONS

ROUGH SCIENCE • ACTIVITY GUIDE 19

Episode 9 – Power Supplies

In this episode, two of the team go head to head in a race

to generate power, while the others set about building a

pharmacy. They extract and dispense a string of natural

remedies, including an antiseptic made from myrtle and

olives, and an anti-flatulent from fennel seeds.

Episode 10 – Sustenance and Sayonara

Wrapping up their stay on their isolated Mediterranean

island, the scientists face the challenge of using their science

skills to put food on the table. One of them faces an epic

struggle to make soap to clean the dishes, while two other

team members improvise toothpaste from seaweed,

seashells and mint. They also try to make a record player.

RESOURCES • BOOKS

Kathy Sykes feels success is at hand in the

creation of an underwater flashlight.

Books

Ardley, Neil. 101 Great Science Experiments. Dorling Kindersley, 1993.

Bosak, Susan. Science is…: A Sourcebook of Fascinating Facts, Projects and Activities.

Reprint ed. Firefly Books. 2000.

Browning, Marie. Natural Soapmaking. Sterling Publications, 1999.

Day, John A., Shafer, Vincent J., and Peterson, Roger Tory. Peterson First Guide to Clouds

and Weather. paperback. Houghton Mifflin Co., 1998.

Doherty, Paul, and Rathjen, Don, eds. Science Snackbook: Teacher Created Versions

of Exploratorium Exhibits. The Exploratorium, 1991.

Graf, Rudolph F., and Sheets, William. Build Your Own Low-Power Transmitters: Projects

for the Electronics Experimenter. Newnes, 2001.

Greene, Alan. Primitive Photography: A Guide to Making Cameras, Lenses and Calotypes.

Butterworth-Heinemann (Trd), 2001.

Harris, James G., and Harris, Melinda Woolf. Plant Identification Terminology: an

Illustrated Glossary.

Spring Lake Pub., 2001.

Hauser, Jill Frankel, and Braren, Loretta Trezzo. Kids’ Crazy Concoctions. Williamson Publishing, 1998.

Hodgson, Michael. Basic Essentials: Weather Forecasting. 2

ed. Globe Pequot Press, 1999.

Home Made Best Made: Hundreds of Ways to Make All Kinds of Useful Things.

Reader’s Digest General Books. Reader’s Digest Adult, 1998.

Kerrod, Robin, and Holgate, Sharon Ann. The Way Science Works. DK Publishing, 2002.

Lawrence Hall of Science. Earth, Moon, and Stars. Regents of the University of California, 1986.

_______. Electricity. Regents of the University of California, 1983.

_______. Height -O-Meters. Regents of the University of California, 1988.

_______. Hot Water and Warm Homes from Sunlight. Regents of the University of California, 1986.

_______. Of Cabbages and Chemistry. Regents of the University of California, 1989.

_______. Secret Formulas. Regents of the University of California, 1996.

Levabre, Marcel. Aromatherapy Workbook. Inner Traditions International Ltd., 1997.

20 ROUGH SCIENCE • ACTIVITY GUIDE

Web sites

Astronomy & Space

http://www.astrosociety.org/education

http://spacelink.nasa.gov/

http://spaceplace.jpl.nasa.gov/spacepl.htm

http://spacescience.nasa.gov/education/educators/index.htm

http://science.nasa.gov/ssl/pad/solar/sunspots.htm

Biology/Botany

http://www.herbalgram.org

http://www.herbal-medicine.org

http://www.herbreference.com

http://www.wilderness.org-

http://www.worldwildlife.org

General Science & Technology Activities

http://www.col-ed.org/cur/science.html

http://www.exploratorium.org

http://www.ology.amnh.org/

http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/windows3.html&edu=high

http://www.howstuffworks.com

Metric Conversion

http://www.pbs.org/roughscience (interactive metric converter)

http://www

.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/unitsprint.html (printable conversion chart)

Sound & Electricity

http://www

.smm.org/sound

Timekeeping & Sundials

http://www

.physics.nist.gov/time

Weather

http://www.nasa.gov

http://www.noaa.gov

http://www.oceanconvservancy.org

RESOURCES • WEB SITES

Liles, J.N. The Art and Craft of Natural Dyeing: Traditional Recipes for Modern Use.

University of Tennessee Press, 1990.

Mayall, R. Newton and Mayall, Margaret W. Sundials: Their Construction and Use. Dover, 2000.

McGee, Harold. The Curious Cook: More Kitchen Science and Lore. John Wiley & Sons, 1992.

Miller, Susan. The Soapmaker’s Companion: A Comprehensive Guide with Recipes, Techniques,

and Know How. Storey Books, 1997.

Monihan, Kevin, and Douglass, Don. GPS Instant Navigation: From Basic Techniques to

Electronic Charting. Fine Edge Productions, 2000.

Murray, Michael T., and Pizzorno, Joseph. Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. Prima Publishing, 1997.

Rogers, Kirsteen, and Dowswell, Paul. The Usborne Complete Book of the Microscope.

EDC Publications, 1997.

Trionfante, Jeffrey V. Sunclocks: Sundials to Make and Use. Jvt Publishers, 1999.

Wood, Robert. Science For Kids: 39 Easy Meteorology Experiments. TAB Books.

ROUGH SCIENCE • ACTIVITY GUIDE 21

Rough Science is a co-production of the BBC and Open University in association with WETA Washington, D.C.

Major funding is provided by the National Science Foundation. Corporate funding is provided by DuPont.

Rough Science was supported, in part, by the National Science Foundation. Opinions expressed

are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Foundation.