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Welcome to the Iowa Science Phenomena website! The goal of this website and service is to create, curate, collect and share a growing collection of user-generated, media-based, standards aligned, science phenomena resources for use in Iowa classrooms, as well as support Iowa teachers as they continue to implement phenomena-based and place-based teaching practices.

There are several ways you can be involved in this project:

Questions? Please contact us at phenomena@iowapbs.org.

Colors of Iowa Sunrises

At sunrise, the sun is coming above the horizon and creates a beautiful mix of many different colors. There are many different reasons that these colors are so vibrant in Iowa specifically.

Thicker Fur in Winter

Animals, including dogs, change their bodies and lifestyles with the seasons and other situations in order to survive.

Sundogs Visible Around Sun

Sundogs are colored spots of light visible around the sun during cold temperatures.

Derecho Storms in Iowa

A derecho is a widespread, long-lived wind storm that is associated with a band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms.

Butterfly Characteristics

Understanding butterfly characteristics can tell us even more about these creatures and the environments they live in.

Winter Storm Preparation

Weather forecasting can help us safely respond to severe winter weather.

Cracks in the Blacktop

Damage from weather is often visible in roads and blacktop.

Rivers and Streams

Evidence of weathering and erosion is visible through rock cutouts, changes in the shape of the land and water bodies, and sometimes the damage left behind.

Building Animal Nests

Animals such as birds and squirrels build nests in trees and bushes outdoors.

Rapid Chilling of an Emptying Carbon Dioxide Canister

Releasing carbon dioxide from a canister will cause the canister to feel colder, even causing frost to form when all of the gas is expelled rapidly.

Snow Tracks

Multiple animal tracks are visible in the fresh, morning snow. There appear to be three sets of tracks that seem to come close to the backyard of a house.

Helium Balloons Deflating

One set of balloons in two different settings. In one setting, the...

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