Open-and-go lessons that inspire kids to love science.

Science curriculum for K—5th grades.

90 sec
  • Hands-on lead students in the doing of science and engineering.
  • Standards-aligned science lessons Cover core standards in 1-2 hours of science per week.
  • Less prep, more learning prep in minutes not hours. Captivate your students with short videos and discussion questions.

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This looks like a ball. But it isn’t a ball. What do you think it is?
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It’s an armadillo! It has tough skin which protects it like armor. But why do you think it needs to roll into a ball?
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They don’t have “armor” on their bellies! But when they’re rolled up, their bellies don’t show, so every inch of them is protected!
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Eggs are easy to crack open. If you squeezed one in your hands, how easy do you think it’d be to break it?
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An egg’s shell is actually strong! Look at how many weights you can stack on an egg! Why would having a strong shell be helpful?
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When a mother bird sits on her eggs, she won’t crush them--even if it’s a really heavy bird like an ostrich!
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You might have seen seashells at a beach before. But what is a seashell? Why can you find seashells on the beach?
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Hint: Think about animals that live on land. What land animals have shells?
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Check it out! Some snails live underwater! Spiral shells protect their squishy bodies. Their shells will one day wash up on a beach!
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Here’s the skeleton of a common fish. How strong do you think its skeleton is? Could a hungry animal bite a fish like this?
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Most fish can be bit--their skeletons look like this. But this colorful pinecone fish has a surprise inside... (Go to next slide!)
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Most fish’s skeletons don’t protect them. But this pinecone fish has way more bones than most fish--its bones act like armor!
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This fossil fish also had “bone armor” on its skull! It lived millions of years ago and grew almost as long as a school bus.
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Crocodiles don’t have shells, but their backs are super strong like armor. Can you guess what makes their backs so strong?
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They have dozens of extra bones on their backs (and sides!), right under their skin.
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Many of their extra back bones are pointy on top--here’s a close up of one. You can see the points through their skin!
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Voting for this episode is now closed. Would you like to vote on the most recent poll?

We pulled three questions from our jar. Which question do you want to explore?

  • How is cheese made?

    -Glenn, 2nd Grade

  • Why do animals have tails?

    -Eowyn, 4th Grade

  • How many stars are in the sky?

    -Danna, 3rd Grade

Why do snakes shed their skin?

Watch the video to discover the answer and don't forget to vote for next week's question. There are mysteries all around us. Have fun and stay curious!