Hands-on Science
Explore STEAM up close with hands-on activities!
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Digging The Past: Learning Through Artifacts with MSU’s Campus Archaeology Program
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 1202
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
A range of interactive activities will be available at the Michigan State Campus Archaeology Program's table at Science Fest 2024 to educate attendees about the field of archaeology and the process of generating knowledge about previous human civilizations through material culture. Participants in Science Fest will have the opportunity to observe exhibits from CAP's digs on the MSU campus, reconstruct ceramic vessels, identify objects, and gain knowledge about stratigraphy, excavation, and laboratory work related to archaeology. Visit us to see how archaeologists decipher historical evidence left by others!
Learn more about Digging The Past: Learning Through Artifacts with MSU’s Campus Archaeology Program
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Dip Your Toes Into the Shifting Sands of Michigan's Beaches
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Third Floor, West Wing
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Coastlines are extremely dynamic systems, making them vulnerable to storms, changes in water level, and human disturbances. Understanding coastal erosion in the Great Lakes is imperative to protecting Michigan’s beloved beaches and the economic, recreational, and environmental benefits we all depend on. Coastal scientists use drones, iPads, and remote-controlled boats equipped with the latest geospatial technology to map changes in coastlines to better understand the constantly changing landscape and find solutions to our most critical questions.
Learn more about Dip Your Toes Into the Shifting Sands of Michigan's Beaches
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Discover the Limitless Potential of Your Brain!
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Third Floor, West Wing
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Dive into the intricate world of the organ that makes you unique: the brain! This hands-on experience welcomes participants of all ages to examine brain slices and practice mounting rat brain sections onto slides. Explore your handiwork under the microscope to gain insights into the brain's structure and how distinct regions contribute to regulating various behaviors. Join us to discover the limitless potential within your brain!
Learn more about Discover the Limitless Potential of Your Brain!
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Dress Like a Neuroscientist
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2130
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
See how a neuroscientists dress for work. Pretend you are a neuroscientist and take pictures!
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Experience the Joys of Modular Origami
Presented at the following times:
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2202
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2202
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Modular origami or unit origami is a two-stage paper folding technique in which several, or sometimes many, sheets of paper are first folded into individual modules or units and then assembled into an integrated flat shape or three-dimensional structure. Making modular origami is an enjoyable activity that helps develop hand-eye coordination and attention to detail, enhances geometrical reasoning and mathematical learning, and fosters emotional development, such as perseverance and teamwork. The Japanese Studies Program staff and student volunteers want to share with you the joy of making origami!
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Explore the Tiny World Beneath Our Feet
Presented at the following times:
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2202
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2202
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
When we spend time in nature, our attention is drawn to the obvious elements such as rivers, trees, birds, and flowers. It's easy to overlook the intricate world teeming at ground level. The forest floor continually receives organic additions like sticks and leaves, fostering a dynamic microcosm with various small organisms. Davison Township Parks will introduce you to this miniature ecosystem, guiding you on how to replicate and explore it in your backyard, schoolyard, or local park.
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Exploring Plant Cells
Presented at the following times:
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 3202
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 3202
Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
The Plant Cell Atlas is a community of researchers working to understand and map plant cells and inspire the next generation of students. At the Plant Cell Atlas booth, you can use microscopes to explore plant cells and enter a raffle to win a digital microscope. While visiting our booth, learn about Dr. Marie Clark Taylor, the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in botany from Fordham University. Dr. Taylor was also a pioneering science educator and popularized the study of live plant cells under microscopes in classrooms.
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Fantastic Plant Diseases & Where to Find Them – Exploring Plant Pathology with S.P.O.R.E.
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Third Floor, West Wing
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Dive into the world of plant pathogens with S.P.O.R.E. (Student Phytopathological Organization for Research and Education) at Michigan State University. Our plant pathology graduate student organization welcomes all ages to explore various plant pathogenic microorganisms and their symptomatic host plants. Discover the historical and agricultural significance of plant diseases in Michigan. The first 100 participants aged 18 and under will receive free magnifying specimen jars!
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Fish You Well: Using Zebrafish to Study Development and Disease
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Third Floor, West Wing
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Our exhibition highlights the zebrafish as a captivating animal model for basic and translational research purposes. Zebrafish possess distinctive characteristics such as transparent embryos and rapid external development, which contributes to their usefulness in various research inquiries, particularly the progression of an organism from an egg to an adult. We will present interactive activities for all ages, including the opportunity to observe zebrafish embryos at different developmental stages, track the movement of food through a live zebrafish's digestive system, select fish with specific traits, and gain knowledge on how we can modify the zebrafish's DNA using a tool called CRISPR.
Learn more about Fish You Well: Using Zebrafish to Study Development and Disease
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Geometrical Shapes and Physics
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 3202
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Problem: How can we obtain the maximum area of a polygon whose edge lengths are fixed? This is a well-known mathematical puzzle were we will demonstrate an experimental solution that takes into account the physics of force balance. This mathematical issue will be demonstrated by using a bike pump and a bike tube that has plastic tubes wrapped around it! Based on the common-sense understanding that water takes up the maximum volume permitted, the desired shape will naturally arise if we visualize a polygonal garden pool with movable sides! The outcome is the "experimental" demonstration of a well-known geometric theorem.
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Get Your Hands Dirty: The Science of Soil Judging
Presented at the following times:
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 3202
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 3202
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Soil judging has long been an essential field technique that many have utilized for interpreting what the land can best be used for. As soil judgers, we enter into soil pits to analyze the vast qualities that our soils have within them and with this delineation we can reach conclusions for uses such as agriculture, construction, and conservation. Soil judging communities exist all throughout the nation in our collegiate teams and throughout the world in our international teams. Being able to read and interpret the land can provide a connection with nature, a network of people who appreciate the science, and a great skill.
Learn more about Get Your Hands Dirty: The Science of Soil Judging
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Go with the Flow: Exploring the Movement of Water!
Presented at the following times:
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2202
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2202
Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Explore how Earth’s water systems are connected through the flow of water! In this interactive exhibit, participants will engage with physical models and digital demonstrations to explore how water moves through the environment Participants can pour water onto a 3D printed landscape and watch how it makes its way downstream, digitally place a drop of water somewhere in the U.S. and follow its path to the ocean, and observe how water moves along Earth’s surface as we add water to physical model.
Learn more about Go with the Flow: Exploring the Movement of Water!
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Goofy Goggles
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2130
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Complete tasks while wearing vision-altering goggles and learn more about sight.
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Greater Lansing’s Saginaw Aquifer in a Cup
Presented at the following times:
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2202
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2202
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
We use water for many conveniences, like laundry machines, dishwashers, showers, and faucets, without ever stopping to think about where all that water comes from. All of the water in the tri-county area of Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham counties is subsurface. We all depend heavily on groundwater, whether it comes from a public utility or a private well. Join us as we construct the Saginaw Aquifer in a cup and discover everything there is to know about groundwater!
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Hidden Water
Presented at the following times:
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2202
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2202
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
The average American uses more than 2,000 gallons of water per day, and only about 100 of those gallons end up in the drain. What about the remaining 1,900? We use about 95% of our water for "hidden water," or the water needed to make the goods and services we use daily, like our electricity, clothes, and even coffee in the morning. Discover the water footprint of commonplace items and how "hidden water" is vital to all facets of our existence.
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How Science Tackles 'Zombie' Molecules
Presented at the following times:
Saturday, April 13, 3:00 - 3:30 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 1201
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 1202
Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are man-made chemicals that have been used for more than five decades. They are in our food packages, clothes, water, cars (even new electric vehicles), food, cleaning products, and so much more. It is nearly impossible to not be exposed to PFAS, which lasts a long time in the environment and in our bodies. And, unfortunately, humans and animals can face health problems like cancer from PFAS. We are going to show how science can be used to remove PFAS from humans and the environment.
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Defeat the Robots! Save the Day by Outwitting the Robot Guards!
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 3202
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
To save the day, you must get past the robots protecting their command center. You must get as many units past the guards as you can because their movements are dictated by a secret set of instructions (an algorithm). With known performance levels, we have created multiple sets of defender strategies for various environments. In this interactive exhibit, participants will learn about algorithm design and analysis while seeing how well they can perform against our strategies.
Learn more about Defeat the Robots! Save the Day by Outwitting the Robot Guards!
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Explore What It's Like to Be a Physician Assistant
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 1202
Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Physician assistant (PA) students will lead participants through a brief case study on sprained ankles, a common injury, especially in young athletes. Starting with a patient checklist, participants progress through stations. The first involves learning the history-taking process for the presented patient and ordering an x-ray. At the second station, participants interpret x-ray results, gaining knowledge about their use and safety and basic foot/ankle anatomy. The third station covers essential care for a sprained ankle (RICE and taping). Additionally, participants gain insights into the PA's role in medicine, with prompts for basic medical questions related to a common injury.
Learn more about Explore What It's Like to Be a Physician Assistant
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From Door Knobs to Phone Screens: Identifying Microbial Contaminants in Daily Life
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 1202
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Michigan State University’s Nano-Biosensors Lab will demonstrate the processes used to isolate and detect microbial contaminants. This will be done through presenting bacterial strains in petri dishes. The color, size, and grouping are different for each species of bacteria. Swabs of everyday objects like phones, doorknobs, or bathroom stalls will also be grown on petri dishes. This will allow people to identify which microbes they encounter daily and the differences in their appearance. Additionally, the demonstration will include the process of using magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and gold nanoparticles (GNPs) to capture and detect the presence of bacterial contaminants present in everyday encounters. The MNPs allow for the capturing of bacteria through its magnetic properties. The colorimetric properties of GNPs allow for detection of target bacteria.
Learn more about From Door Knobs to Phone Screens: Identifying Microbial Contaminants in Daily Life
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From Sticky Hairs to Spines: Exploring the Hidden World of Plants
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 1202
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Why do leaves have hairs? How can a carnivorous plant catch its prey? Learn how botanists answer these questions with the MSU Herbarium. Join us as we take a closer look at the diversity of plant adaptations using botanical specimens. Visitors of all ages will have the opportunity to look through microscopes at the hidden world of plants! Learn how to mount and take home your herbarium specimen!
Learn more about From Sticky Hairs to Spines: Exploring the Hidden World of Plants