AEROSPACE

Do you want to learn about space flight and aerodynamics? Whether you’re flying kites, hot air balloons, airplanes, or rockets, it’s all about the moving through air and space. Members will:

• Develop an interest in and understanding of science, engineering and technology.
• Develop problem solving and logical reasoning skills.
• Improve communication and teamwork skills by working the way scientists and engineers do - in teams.
• Develop responsible attitudes about science and how science relates to the real world and people’s lives.
• Gain experience in problem solving and decision-making using science process skills.
• Develop knowledge and skills related to Aerospace.

Choose from a variety of hands-on activities to help youth learn aerospace facts including the 4 forces of flight: Lift, Drag, Weight and Thrust.

Straw Rockets (grades K-2)

Create a rocket that can be launched from a drinking straw – then, modify the design to see if you can make the rocket even fly farther! Youth will build a rocket with straws and mailing labels. Once built, youth will have the opportunity to test and learn about the factors that influence the flight of their rocket. (30 minutes)

Pop Rockets (grades 3-6)

Alka Seltzer rockets might very well be the classic science experiment.  Incredibly easy to put together and launch, these diminutive rockets are good entertainment with tons of potential for the type of trial and error experimentation that makes an excellent first foray into the field of physics. *Requires outdoor space. (30-60 minutes)

Rockets to the Rescue (grades 3-8)

The 2014 National Science Experiment, Rockets to the Rescue, provides young scientists the opportunity to explore how aerospace engineering can be used to solve real world challenges—such as food distribution in emergency situations—to make a positive impact in our world.

Students will be challenged to design a rocket that can accurately deliver food to a specified target. This hands-on activity will have students defining the problem, designing a solution and optimizing the design solution to the real-world problem of delivering food to an area cut off from the outside world due to a natural disaster. (45-75 minutes)

Building a Rocket (grades 4-12)

In this project, youth will learn about aerospace foundations such as lift, drag, and other interactions from when an object interacts with air by exploring and building rockets. Aerospace and rocketry is a project that can turn anyone on to being a rocket scientist! Knowledge is gained through the construction and flight of model rockets. Order a rocket kit (approximate cost $10-$15 per rocket*) and build as a class. Two class meetings are required for this program. The first meeting is a lesson building the rocket (1 hour), and the last meeting will be to launch the rocket.

BIOLOGY

DNA Bracelets (grades K-2)

What makes you… you? Your genes! Genes are the code in each of the cells in your body that decide your different traits: what color your hair is, how tall you’ll grow, and all kinds of other things about you.

Join us to create your own DNA bracelet by answering questions about what makes you unique! After you answer these questions, you will see that your DNA bracelet is uniquely yours! (30 minutes)

DNA Model (grades 2-5)

What IS DNA? Have you ever seen a DNA Helix? You might already know that organisms have DNA to guide individual traits, but do you know how DNA is formed?

Join us to learn about genes, what nucleotides are, and how it all comes together to build your own DNA model. *Note: does include the use of candy for building.* (30-45 minutes)

DNA Strawberry Dissection (grades 5-8)

DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid—it is so important, it’s well protected within the cell. Join us to extract DNA from strawberries! Strawberries provide a good plant source and have 8 copies of DNA in each cell, so there’s plenty to extract. Using just a few ingredients, youth can become scientists and watch the process of DNA separating. (45-60 minutes)

ENERGY

Biofuel Blast (grades 4-8)

Students will actively participate in a demonstration of how organic materials can be converted to fuel to supply energy. They will observe how yeast can break down processed sugars through fermentation, and have the opportunity to combine yeast and sugar with a variety of other ingredients to make biofuels. This program uses water bottles, balloons, sugar, yeast, and other ingredients and watch the release of carbon dioxide and ethanol.

Biofuel Blast has been adapted as a science fair project, and students can learn the basics of following the scientific method while doing Biofuel Blast. (45-60 minutes)

Wired for Wind (grades 3-6)

As the world’s demand for clean energy sources increases, so has its interest in wind power. Wired for

Wind helps youth better understand the physics of wind energy, while also learning the basics of renewable and nonrenewable energy.

Youth will work in groups, think like engineers, and build a wind turbine to produce electricity. They will have the opportunity to then test their designs and measure the energy output by using a multi-meter. (45-60 minutes)

ENGINEERING

Junk Drawer STEM (grades K-6)

Join us for some fun junk draw STEM challenges! We will be exploring engineering designs, physics, and construction basics through different projects with materials found at home.

Some options may include marshmallow catapults, paper bridges, penny spinners, and origami. (30-60 minutes)