Hands-on Science
Explore STEAM up close with hands-on activities!
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Human Brains!
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
Look at real human brains with neuroscientists from MSU!
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Investigate How Sugary Foods Affect Our Health
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 health is impacted by gene-environment interactions in several ways. We must comprehend how this process operates so that we can make wise decisions about our health. People can better understand how genes and environment can impact health by playing the computer game Sand Rat. To plan and conduct an investigation to determine how sand rats can develop diabetes when fed sugary lab food, participants use the online sand-rat simulation.
Learn more about Investigate How Sugary Foods Affect Our Health
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Life Without Water
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
Visit the Water and Life Interface Institute booth to explore the fascinating world of life without water! Enjoy astronaut ice cream samples, create a seed necklace, examine rare resurrection plants, observe water bears under a microscope, and understand the science behind studying organisms that endure extreme dehydration, including plants, animals, and fungi. (Nondairy astronaut foods will also be provided.)
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Lithography: How Chemists Make Tiny Computer Chips
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
Semiconductor chips are becoming increasingly smaller with greater computation capabilities. Lithography, a chemical/physical process, forms intricate patterns on chips by depositing materials through masks. In our daily lives, a parallel concept is found in screen printing graphic artworks on canvases or t-shirts. Engage in a hands-on activity to grasp lithography fundamentals using affordable materials like cardstock stencils and paint. Additionally, observe micropatterns created on chips in the lab using an optical microscope.
Learn more about Lithography: How Chemists Make Tiny Computer Chips
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Make a Neuron
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
Learn about the different parts of neurons and use craft supplies to make your own to take home.
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MI Diaries: Tell Your Story for Linguistic Analysis
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 3106 & 3107
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Since April 2020, MI Diaries has been gathering weekly "audio diaries" from Michigan residents through a mobile app. In partnership with Inquiry Arts, we showcase the process of collecting, sharing, and linguistically analyzing these stories. Visitors will explore word choice and pronunciation variations, and they will have the opportunity to contribute their own stories to the project.
Learn more about MI Diaries: Tell Your Story for Linguistic Analysis
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Mi Water Source! Enviroscape Education Demonstration
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
Mi Water Source! Enviroscape Education Demonstration strives to heighten awareness about water importance and health protection. Using an interactive 3D model, the program illustrates how daily activities can lead to water pollution and contamination. Emphasizing the impact on drinking water sources like surface water and groundwater, the demonstration guides students on reducing these effects to safeguard both water quality and public health.
Learn more about Mi Water Source! Enviroscape Education Demonstration
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Mindfulness with Neuroscientists
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
Come learn about the importance of mindfulness for our health and do a short, guided meditation with MSU neuroscientists!
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Mirror Tracing
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
Join neuroscientists to try and trace a shape by looking at only your reflection!
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Nature Speaks if You Listen: Using Your 5 Senses to Uncover the Secrets of the Natural World
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
Ever wondered what nature truly sounds, smells, and looks like? Dive into a world of endless possibilities as you rediscover your sense of wonder. Engage your senses of sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste to explore the myriad secrets that nature eagerly shares—if only we take the time to listen.
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Nervous Breakdown
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
Watch how a neurologist evaluates your nervous system.
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Neuroscience Face Painting
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
Show off your love for neuroscience with face paint!
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Parkinson's Perspectives
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
Learn how certain tasks are more difficult with Parkinson’s disease.
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Phantastic Physics! Interactive Science Demos
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
Join WAMPS (Women and Minorities in the Physical Sciences), a graduate student organization! Explore captivating topics such as matter, energy, force, electricity, magnetism, waves, motion, sound, light, and color alongside our current MSU students.
Learn more about Phantastic Physics! Interactive Science Demos
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Play in the Sand and Make it Rain to Create Landforms and Study Watersheds
Presented at the following times:
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2101
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Room 2101
Appropriate for: All Ages
Uncover the secrets of water flow and watershed dynamics through interactive exploration with our Augmented Reality Sandbox. Users can simulate rain on the sand, shaping rivers, lakes, hills, and developments, revealing the human impact on the environment. This educational tool generates a topographical model with contour lines and simulated water, serving as a free resource from the Greater Lansing Regional Committee for Stormwater Management and the Eaton Conservation District that aids residents in enhancing watershed health and safeguarding the Grand River Watershed.
Learn more about Play in the Sand and Make it Rain to Create Landforms and Study Watersheds
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Playing with Pressure ‒ East Lansing Public Library Wonder Lab
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
Discover the wonders of science with the East Lansing Public Library's Wonder Lab! Dive into interactive activities focused on investigating pressure. Explore how changes in pressure impact the behavior of gases and liquids, their interactions with surrounding objects, and how engineers leverage pressure to create fascinating machines. Join us for a hands-on journey into the world of pressure and its exciting applications!
Learn more about Playing with Pressure ‒ East Lansing Public Library Wonder Lab
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Protect Your Brain
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 your brain is protected in your head!
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Race for Perfection
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
Join neuroscientists to see how fast your brain can make your hand solve a puzzle!
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Material Science and Medicine: How Optical Fibers Can Inhibit Pain
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
MSU scientists have innovated soft and implantable fibers capable of delivering light to major nerves throughout the body. By genetically manipulating these nerves to respond to light, these fibers can transmit pulses of light to inhibit pain. Notably, the optical fibers exhibit flexibility and can stretch with the body, showcasing a breakthrough in pain management technology.
Learn more about Material Science and Medicine: How Optical Fibers Can Inhibit Pain
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Particle Journeys: From Deep Space to Deep Underground
Presented at the following times:
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility, Room 3202
Wednesday, April 17, 7:00 - 7:45 PM at Abrams Planetarium
Saturday, April 20, 4:00 - 4:45 PM at Abrams Planetarium
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
Subatomic particles come in many shapes and sizes. Some of them travel billions of years from deep space to reach our instruments on Earth. Through a number of hands-on activities and demos, we will introduce the audience to the fundamental particles that make up matter. We will also introduce the special telescopes we use to capture such particles coming from outer space. We are a group of particle physicists and astrophysicists who've joined hands to study some of the most elusive objects in the universe.
Learn more about Particle Journeys: From Deep Space to Deep Underground