Guide Students to Discover the Molecular World

"The kits and models were just perfect for my and my students’ needs. They were colorful, easy to manipulate, durable, and, best of all, came with ready-to-use handouts and videos. While attending Modeling in the Molecular World, I gained the confidence to use these new resources. My students tell me time and again how much more they understand the concepts after using the models with the phrase “Oh, I get it now!” or “That makes so much more sense.”

- 3DMD Model Teacher Tanya Monet-Bakken, Ripon Area School District

We love working closely with educators passionate about modeling with their students. Apply to become a 3DMD Model Teacher to share innovative strategies with other teachers at conferences and to develop new classroom activities with us! Attend a future Modeling the Molecular World session to become eligible for the program and dive deep into the molecular world.

Thank You, Summer Staff!

After a successful summer creating kits and models for the school year, it's time to say goodbye to our seasonal interns. While we're sad to see them go, we wish them well in their schooling and thank them for their hard work ensuring kits and models arrive to you in top condition! We said farewell by taking them to the Bust'n'Stuff rage room owned by Gene, a retired science teacher of 20 years. Thanks again, and good luck!

Science Spotlight

For over thirty years, Walter K. Dodds, PhD, has worked to improve water quality and to better understand nutrient cycling, nutrient criteria, the value of water, and nitrogen cycling as an investigator at the Konza Prairie Biological Station and lead of the Kansas Ecological Forecasting Initiative. Dodds' recent research has focused on aquatic ecology on Konza Prairie, nitrogen uptake retention and cycling in stream ecosystems, quality and quantity of suspended solids in Kansas rivers, nutrients and algae in streams, virtual fences, cattle, and stream riparian protection. Dodds is currently with the Division of Biology at Kansas State University as the Edwin G. and Lillian J. Brychta chair in biology. You can learn more about the Dodds lab and their efforts to understand how human influences affect water quality and biological integrity and promote useful dialogue about humankind's impact on ecosystems and global environmental problems by visiting their website.

Make Water Come to Life!

Quality water is vital for human health. Help your students investigate how easily water picks up heavy metals, salts, and other pollutants through the Water Kit^©. Great for developing model literacy, the engaging and magnetic molecules allow you to teach the basics of molecular water attractions and repulsions. Then, you can model more complex topics like polarity, water adhesion, cohesion, capillary action, the states of matter, and build ethane and ethanol. Once students have a solid understanding of water molecules, you can teach them about issues the planet currently faces with water by pairing it with research from people like Dr. Dodds.