Linked below are the experiment guides for our first, second, and third-grade sessions! Take a peek to see the wonderful science our junior scientists are learning about!
Bottle Rockets
Kids will build their own rockets out of soda bottles and launch them high into the air!
Our SCouts will help your kids make fins and nose cones for their rockets as well as weigh down the tips using play-doh so they fly straight. Kids will be able to customize and decorate their rockets so every rocket is unique.
Our SCouts will make sure that every group has a bottle rocket they are excited to see fly. These rockets really fly high and impress both students and teachers alike.
Our SCouts will explain the physics at work in the rockets. We use a bicycle pump and a special launching apparatus to fill the bottles with air and water. Once launched, Newton's third law takes over: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction! The pressurized air and water exiting the bottles provides the thrust the rockets need to fly.
This is our favorite experiment at Science Outreach and we love bringing it to classrooms! It is so popular with the students that we usually save it as the final experiment of the school year. Kids love making the rockets and then counting down as we launch them to celebrate the end of a great science semester!
Contact us if you'd like to launch Bottle Rockets at your school!
Resources
Bottle Rockets Experiment Guide
Bottle Rockets Part 1 Worksheet
Bottle Rockets Part 2 Worksheet
Catapults
Kids will build miniature catapults from spoons, rubber bands, and popsicle sticks to see who can launch a projectile the farthest!
This is one of our oldest experiments and is perfect for sunny days when the kids can go outdoors and launch mini-marshmallows from their catapults.
The SCouts will show the kids how to build their own catapults step-by-step. This experiment is fun and easy and can be done by kids in groups or individually.
The SCouts will also explain the physics behind the experiment: Potential energy stored in the catapult's spring is converted to kinetic energy when the catapult is launched. We use easy-to-understand language that makes the science easy to grasp for grade school students.
Once the catapults are completed, the students will test them by going outside and launching mini-marshmallows! The SCouts will help the kids make their catapults better and fire farther while also encouraging the students to experiment on their own.
This is a timeless experiment for us at Science Outreach and we can demonstrate it in any setting and time frame. The kids love it and it is a great introduction to science for all ages.
Contact us if you'd like to launch catapults at your school!
Resources
Catapults Experiment Guide
Catapults Worksheet
Earthquakes
Kids will build Earthquake-proof structures out of toothpicks and marshmallows and then test them on our shake tables!
Our SCouts will teach your kids how to connect toothpicks together using marshmallows. We will then give a lecture on earthquakes and invite the kids to guess what kinds of structures can resist the side-to-side shaking of an earthquake.
The SCouts will help your kids build their own toothpick structures and test them out on our shake table. We will begin by asking the kids to draw their designs in preparation for the actual build process.
This experiment is an excellent introduction to the engineering method as it gives kids a chance to plan their designs and then improve them with each consecutive test. We've found that by giving kids simple constraints and goals they can come up with truly creative and inspiring designs!
Contact us if you'd like to build earthquake-proof structures at your school!
Resources
Earthquakes Experiment Guide
Earthquakes Worksheet
Owl Pellet Dissection
Kids will explore the contents of small packages of fur and bones coughed up by owls after they hunt, known as owl pellets.
Using protective gloves and tweezers, students will dissect the owl pellets and compare the bones they find with our provided bone charts.
This is one of our most popular experiments and is sure to be a hit with any classroom. Our SCouts will present a short lecture on owls, their hunting habits, and how to be sanitary while dissecting the pellets.
Contact us if you'd like to dissect owl pellets at your school!
Resources
Owl Pellet Experiment Guide
Owl Pellet Worksheet
Owl Pellet Bone Chart
Strawberry DNA Extraction
Kids will extract real DNA from strawberries, using household substances such as water, soap, and salt. The kids will be able to extract DNA in a form that can be picked up and seen with the naked eye!
This is an amazing experiment that you have to see to believe. Our SCouts will teach kids about cells, DNA, and the genomic code. The students will then cement their understanding by extracting and seeing DNA firsthand.
Following the instructions of the SCouts, your kids will crush strawberries into a pulp, lyse the cells within, and then precipitate the DNA to the surface. The DNA can then be picked up with a toothpick like cotton candy, and be examined.
This is a informative experiment that your kids will remember for years. It is a great introduction to modern biological science and the study of life.
We have done this experiment many times to the point where it is second nature to us at Science Outreach, and we can demonstrate it with ease in classrooms and at field days. Contact us if you'd like to extract strawberry DNA at your school!
Resources
Strawberry DNA Experiment Guide
Strawberry DNA Worksheet
Circuits
Kids will use our macro-scale circuit boards to understand how electricity is conducted through wires as they build their own circuits using batteries and motors.
Our SCouts will teach your kids that a closed loop is required to conduct electricity, as well as explain what electricity is and how it is generated!
Using our specially built wooden circuit boards, kids will connect batteries, motors, lights, and other electrical components to form their own closed-loop circuits. They will also be able to test everyday objects such as coins and paperclips to see what conducts electricity and what doesn't.
This experiment is perfect for introducing your students to electronics. We will show them how easy it is to build a circuit and use battery power to build a simple device such as a light switch.
Giving your kids the opportunity to experiment safely with circuits is an experience that will emPOWER and SPARK their imagination. Contact us if you'd like to experiment with circuits at your school!
Resources
Circuits Experiment Guide
Circuits Worksheet
