Below you will find a detailed, alphabetical list of the kits available for checkout. Educators and Afterschool Providers can reserve kits utilizing the online reservation request. Kits are on a 1st come - 1st serve basis, please call 209 468 4880 or check the calendar below to see if a kit is available.

Reservations must be submitted by Thursday, ONE week prior to the designated pick up date.

Click here to reserve a STEM Kit

Kits are $20 for up to four weeks at a time. Must be paid at the time of pick up, payable by check, cash or district journal. All kits are FREE of charge to participating TOPS schools.

Attached is the Resource Check-Out Agreement that must be signed by BOTH the site administrator and educator PRIOR to the kit pick-up. Please download the form HERE

*Chemicals will NO LONGER be included in the kits.

* Kits are NOT California NGSS aligned, use for support only.

Splish! Splash!

Earth Science

Theme: Matter

Topic- Properties of Water

Water has properties which allow it to interact with gases, solids and other liquids.

· Molecules and Water .

· Absorption

· Floating and sinking

· Venn Diagram

· Water displacement

· Water molecules and soap

· Buoyancy

· Bobbers

· Liquids and solids

· How water moves in tubes

· Water displacement

· Water pressure

Crawlers, Hoppers and Fliers

Life Science

Topic -Insects and other small creatures

Theme- Structures and Interactions

Living things have observable structures that help organisms live and interact with the environment.

· Critter sort-Venn Diagram

· Mathematical reasoning

· Bee bodies

· Pollen

· How critters move

· Critter observation

· Ink bugs

· Animal anatomy

Huff n Puff

Earth Science

Topic- Properties of Air

Theme-Patterns that change

The earth is surrounded by a blanket of air that moves, contains moisture and can be warmed or cooled.

Weight of air

· Air holds water

· The force of air

· Air pressure

· Moving air

· Air Bags

· Suction Cups

· Push and Pull of air

· Air has energy

Drops, Bubbles, and Balance

Physical Science

Topic-Solids, liquids and gases

Theme- Matter

Matter has different properties, comes in different states and can change states.

· Molecules and Atoms (milk/soap)

· Water drops stick together

· Surface Tension

· Bubbles-gas and air

· Gases-make in a bag

· Flubber-elastomer

· Matter-solid, liquid, gas

Seeds and Sprouts

Life Science

Topic-seeds

Theme- Structure

Seeds have observable structures that help create, nourish and protect developing new life.

· Classification

· Venn Diagram

· Explore parts of the seed

· How seeds travel

· 3 main parts of a seed

· Number skills

· Pea pods and statistics

· Floating seeds

· Capillary action

Nitty, Gritty, Dirt and Fossils

Earth Science

Topic-Properties of Dirt and Fossils

Theme-Patterns of Change

The earth is very old and constantly changing.

· Paleontologists

· Fossils

· Earthquakes and Avalanches

· How soil forms

· Different parts of soil

· Sand timer (sundials, hourglasses, etc.)

· Mini-landfill

· Sandpaper

Power Connection

Physical Science

Topic-Magnetism/Electricity

Theme-Systems and Interactions

Magnetism and electricity have basic properties, which allow them to interact with each other.

Magnetism/ Repel and attract/ Venn diagram/ Magnets-solids, liquid, gas/North and south pole/Energy ball-circuit/ Magnetic force/ Induction/ Conductors and Insulators/ Boat float (engineering)

KIT Includes: Teacher Needs to Supply

A-2 Catch and Chase

• 16 (8 pairs) round magnets

A-3 Hands Off!

• Clear 9 oz cups (16 oz OK) Water in pitcher
• Paper clips 4-8 sponges or terry towels
• Strong Magnets (e.g. ring magnets
• Paper
• Cardboard
• Paper bags

B-1 Floating Doughnuts

• Pencils
• Ring magnets

B-2 Power Ring

• Energy balls

B-3 Balance of Power

• 2 Blance scales
• Clear tape
• Strong magnets
• 2 film cannister or objects to prop up magnets
• 1 box large (jumbo) paper clips
• C-1 Hang On!
• 16 magnets (2 sets of 8 of a kind)
• 8 small boxes of paper clips

C-2 Switch On, Switch Off

• 8 sheets of aluminum foil 16 “D” cell batteries
• 18 small bulbs
• 1 roll masking tape
• 8 sets of test items (fabric, rubber bands, pens, plastic metal…)
• 8 zip top of lunch bags

C-3 Boat Float

• 32 4-in Aluminum foil squares Water
• 8 “wands” (paint sticks) with small magnets 4-8 sponges or paper towels
• 32 large (jumbo) paper clips
• 8 clear pans (e.g. deli pans)
• 16 half sponges (to prop up pans)
• 4 clear tape rolls in dispenser

Eggs! Eggs! Eggs!

Life Science

Topic- Eggs

Theme- Structure

Eggs have observable structures that help create, nourish and protect developing new life.

· Measurement, circumference

· Osmosis

· Inside of an egg

· Spinning eggs-Inertia

· Animals with eggs

· Arches and Domes

· Egg Drop

· Animals that hatch from eggs

· Math: a dozen

Boulder Boulders!

Earth Science

Topic-Rocks and Minerals

Theme- Scale and Structure

Rocks vary in hardness, crystal form, color and other properties. Their chemical makeup is different and they form under different conditions within the earth.

· Sorting of Rocks & Minerals

· Venn Diagram

· Luster, metallic and nonmetallic

· Scratch & Vinegar Test (Hardness of Minerals)

· Properties of Rocks (weight, size & magnetism)

· Uniqueness of Rocks (color, shape & size)

· Making Crystals

Build and Balance

Physical Science

Topic-Structure

Theme-Scale and Structure

The supporting power of a structure is dependent upon the design of the frame and materials used.

· Make shapes and evaluate the strength

· Marshmallow & toothpick tower (stability of structures)

· Column strength

· Center of gravity

· Mobius strips

· Make Tetra triangles (tetrahedrons)

· 3-D shape building with toothpicks or straws

· Paper neck chain

· Kaleidoscope

Wiggly, Squiggly

Life Science

Topic-Earthworms and Mealworms

Theme-Structures and Interactions

Invertebrates such as worms and even larvae sense their environment and make choices. These choices are usually predictable and are probably inborn.

· Gummi Worm Exploration

· Earthworm Exploration (you provide)

· Model of how an earthworm moves

· How to read a Celsius/Fahrenheit thermometer

· Math (battleship-like) game

· Explore mealworms (you provide)

Some Like it Cold

Earth Science

Topic-Weather

Theme-Systems and Interactions

Global weather is the random, continuous change in our atmosphere brought about by the heating and cooling of air, water and land masses.

· Ping pong wind checker (wind speed)

· Beaufort Scale

· Weather vanes

· Tornado tube

· Balloonometer (air pressure)

· Explore changing temperatures

· Thermometer race (cold, room temp vs. warm water)

· Polymer exploration (storage of water)

· Swirling snakes & the movement of warm air

· Small vs. large bodies of water

Let the Force Be With You

Physical Science

Topic- Simple Machines

Themes- Systems and Interactions

Machines are devices for increasing or decreasing or changing the directions of forces.

· Levers

· Inclined planes

· Screws

· Wheel size

· Reducing Friction

· Exploring ways to lift a load (Newton)

· Rough surfaces

· Work and Windmills

· Gears and Belts

Newfangled Creatures

Life Science

Topic-Animal Adaptations

Theme-Systems and Interactions

Organism have adaptations for coping with their environments and surviving to reproduce.

· Sorting creatures by features

· How animals move

· Design Camouflage

· Design ways animals eat

· Design physical features that attract a mate

· Design defense systems

· Make creatures with cards

Galactic Odyssey

Physical Science

Topic- Astronomy and Space

Theme-Systems and Interactions

Astronomical systems are bound by gravitation, made up of the same kinds of matter and obey the same laws of nature.

· Inertia (Newton’s 1^st Law)

· Momentum (Newton’s 2^nd Law)

· Action and Reaction (Newton’s 3^rd Law)

· The Planets

· Planet Distances

· Unfolding Universe Model-size and distance

· Moon Model

· Lunar Eclipse Model

· Constellation Maker

· Pendulums and Gravity

· Circular and Elliptical Orbits

Come Fly With Me

Physical Science

Topic- Aerodynamics

Theme- Systems and Interactions

If the forces acting on an object do not cancel out, they cause a change in the motion of the object.

· Gravity

· Air Resistance

· Air Pressure

· Bernouli’s Principle

· Helicopters

· Flight

· Gliders

· Ailerons and Spoilers

Eye Spy

Life Science

Topic- The Eye and Vision

Theme- Structures and Systems

The outside world enters our minds through the mechanics of the eye. The eye receives two-dimensional images that the mind processes to perceive as three-dimensional objects having depth and color.

· Lenses

· Persistence of vision

· Bernham’s Disk

· Afterimages (retina)

· Rods and Cones

· Stereovision

· Diffraction Grating

· Vision

· Pinhole Glasses

A Delicate Balance

Earth Science

Topic-The Environment

Theme-Systems and Interactions

The rise in average temperatures globally over the past decades may be due to human activities that increase quantities of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere; water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane…

· Effect of liquids on stones (acid)

· Mixing CO2 gas with water

· Packaging/container evaluation

· Dry Ice Exploration (you provide)

· Make your own paper with paper pulp

· Sublimation

More than Magic

Physical Science

Topic-Chemistry

Theme -Solutions and Reactions

Reactions and interactions indicate properties of matter.

· Kitchen powder testing: acid, solubility and indicator test

· Indicators (cabbage juice, bromothymol blue, phenolphthalein, indicator paper)

· Cleaning pennies with salt and vinegar (hydrochloric acid)

· Dissolving vs. not mixing

· Neutralizing acids and bases

What’s Cookin?

Life Science

Topic- Nutrition and Nutrition Testing

Theme- Reactions and Interactions

Reactions and interactions indicates properties of foods.

· Exploring fats

· Exploring starches

· Exploring Vitamin C

· Building a food pyramid model

· Calculator use: whole numbers and decimals

· Effect of acid on teeth (using eggshells)