Lesson: Hovercraft Racers       

In this lesson, students in grades 7 - 9 will gain first-hand experience on how friction affects motion by building a hovercraft from a balloon and compact disc (CD). They will learn that a bed of air under a vehicle significantly eases its slide over a surface and how this knowledge helps engineers design moving objects so they can be controlled.

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Feature: Riverside Treat

The world's first amphibious ice cream truck set sail on the Thames in London last month. Created by Cadbury ice cream in celebration of National Ice Cream Week (May 30th - June 5th), the truck will be touring UK beaches and selling tasty treats on land and sea. While the van is unlikely to withstand any serious storms or pirate attacks at sea, it can travel at close to six mph while playing jangly tunes.

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K-12 News:  Learning Slides in Summer  

Many students will lose a month of learning this summer, according to a sweeping new study on summer learning by the nonprofit RAND Corporation and the Wallace Foundation. Moreover, the setbacks are cumulative, affecting pupils from low-income families disproportionately and all but guaranteeing a permanent achievement gap. The study also found that quality summer programs can stave off the summer slide.

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To follow the Elementary and Secondary Education Act's overhaul, visit  ESEA Watch.