Hands-on Science
Explore STEAM up close with hands-on activities!
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A Smashing Time with Nuclei at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams
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
Model a nucleus with magnetic marbles for protons and neutrons, then shatter it to bits like the scientists at MSU's Facility for Rare Isotope Beams! FRIB is a world-class facility for producing and researching rare isotopes that are nonexistent on Earth. This is your chance to learn more about FRIB research and to create unique nuclei.
Learn more about A Smashing Time with Nuclei at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams
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A Crash Course on Molecular Diffusion
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
Let's explore collisions from various perspectives. From tabletop demonstrations, microscopic observations, and computer simulations our exploration will reveal the conservation of momentum in each collision. By aggregating numerous collisions, we'll illustrate diffusion—an essential phenomenon in biology and chemistry. A simulation featuring a bacterial cell will demonstrate how diffusion influences molecules of diverse shapes and sizes.
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Activities with Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum and Leslie Science and Nature Center
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
The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum and the Leslie Science and Nature Center showcase a variety of STEM-based activities for folks of all ages to explore. From understanding magnetism to creating invisible objects, there is a whole world to discover right at our station.
Learn more about Activities with Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum and Leslie Science and Nature Center
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All Water Is Connected and Ours to Protect
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
We have a lot of water in the world, but very little of it is safe to drink. Stop by our booth and find out how you can protect the water from your tap to the Great Lakes and beyond! Join us for a water trivia game and watch a visually dazzling groundwater model of how our water is connected above and below ground. We will also offer tips on how you can be a water steward.
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Amazing Animal Adaptations
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
Animals are amazing! From spots to stripes and horns to teeth, animals are equipped with a wonderful array of adaptations to help them survive in the wild. Join Potter Park Zoo as we explore skulls, pelts, antlers, horns, and teeth and learn about some of the fascinating, cool, and sometimes weird physical and behavioral adaptations found in the animal kingdom.
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Animal Brain Scanner
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
It’s time for the toys to get a check-up! Play with stuffed animals to learn how brain scans are conducted.
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Animal 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
Compare structures across species and be amazed by what you find!
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Aquatic Adventures
Presented at the following times:
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facilitiy Room 2202
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facilitiy Room 2202
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
The Aquatic Adventures program at Fenner Nature Center teaches students about wetland ecology through hands-on exploration of aquatic flora and fauna. Equipped with collection and identification tools, students delve into the world of aquatic macro-invertebrates at various life stages, study adaptations enabling wetland plants to thrive, and encounter cold-blooded inhabitants residing in wetland ecosystems.
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Bird "Egg"stravaganza
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
Interested in learning more about bird eggs and nesting behaviors of Michigan birds? Bird eggs have their unique shape, size, and coloring depending on the species. Join Michigan Audubon to explore their hands-on bird egg display. Learn about different types of bird nests, and pick up some new vocabulary. Can you match the bird to its egg?
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Birds, Bugs, and Seeds: Food Webs in Action
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
Would you like to know more about our feathered friends and how you can lend them a hand? The W. K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary has been protecting bird populations since 1928, and we would love for you to join us! Come visit our booth to discover more about the Bird Sanctuary, try eating like a bird, and learn how you can help birds in your own backyard.
Learn more about Birds, Bugs, and Seeds: Food Webs in Action
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Brain Break with MSU 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
Relax with neuroscience-themed coloring and games!
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Build Your Own Brain Hat!
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 MSU neuroscientists to build a brain hat to take home!
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C. elegans: The Tiny Worm with a Big Impact
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
Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), microscopic roundworms, serve as potent model organisms in biological research. Their cost-effectiveness, rapid growth, and transparent nature make them valuable for observing anatomy and development. Despite their small size, at 1 mm long, C. elegans offer vital insights into molecular and cellular processes, gene regulation, and function, sharing multiple organ systems and genes with humans. In this program, students will observe C. elegans' movement in various environmental chemicals and extract DNA from strawberries, illustrating fundamental genetic concepts.
Learn more about C. elegans: The Tiny Worm with a Big Impact
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Cell City: The Diversity of Cellular Life
Presented at the following times:
Saturday, April 13, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facilitiy Second Floor, North Wing
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facilitiy Second Floor, North Wing
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
You’ve heard that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell, but what is the cell’s recycling center? Come explore Cell City, where you can learn what jobs each organelle does to keep the cell running smoothly. Afterward, MSU Cell and Molecular Biology graduate students will introduce you to real microscopic plant, animal, and bacterial cells so you can see the world of cells for yourself!
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Chemistry and the Human Senses
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
This presentation will discuss the chemistry associated with the human senses of vision, smell, and taste. Poster presentations will provide scientific principles behind the human senses while hands-on activities will keep kids of all ages involved and engaged!
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Color a 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
Color different structures on plaster brains and take them home with you!
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Blood, Bones, and Brains: Inside the Body with the Anatomage 3D Table at MSU Libraries
Saturday, April 13, 1:00 - 4:00 PM at MSU Main Library Digital Scholarship Lab
Appropriate for: Kindergarten and Pre-K, Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
This is your chance to “go inside” the body, identifying bones, organs, and systems! The Anatomage Table is the only fully segmented real human 3D anatomy platform and is the most technologically advanced 3D anatomy visualization and virtual dissection tool. You'll get a chance to view and interact with the other 3D visualizations, including reptiles, mammals, birds, and even see inside a scanned mummy!
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Exploring the Science of Light
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
Explore the science of optics and photonics through presentations, demonstrations, and conducting science on site. We'll discover the applications of optics in our daily life, from cameras, LCD displays, and 3-D movies to optical communications. Our interactive demonstrations and hands-on activities will explain interesting optical phenomena, including light transmission and reflection, polarization, and lasers.
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Are You the Next Olympic Athlete? Measuring Motor Skill in Health and Disease
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
Movement plays an important role in our life--from everyday activities like walking, to activities like sports or dance that require years and years of practice. But do you know how well you move? In this presentation, find out how technology can be used to understand how to measure human movement and motor skills, and how we can also use this knowledge to help people with movement impairments.
Learn more about Are You the Next Olympic Athlete? Measuring Motor Skill in Health and Disease
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Coloring, Creative Math, and Computers
Sunday, April 14, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at STEM Teaching and Learning Facility Third Floor, North Wing
Appropriate for: Elementary school age, Middle school age, High school age, 18 years and above
What started as a puzzle for map makers turned into a famous mathematical problem that went unsolved for over 150 years, until a computer solved it. As participants solve this problem by coloring in a map of the U.S., they will get familiar with a fun and different area of math often not taught in school: graph theory. From sudoku puzzles to GPS navigation, this math powers some of the most exciting computer programs in use today.