Lava Lamps

• Description: Our educational program staff will lead your class through an experiment with a lava lamp. Each student will make a lava lamp with the materials they have at home. After making the lava lamp, the staff will take the students through an experiment with the lava lamp that aligns with your grade level standards.

• Duration: 20-45 minutes depending on the grade level and depth

• Materials needed:

  • • Vegetable Oil (or other oil)

    • Water

    • Food Coloring

    • Original Alka Seltzer Tablets (or vinegar and baking soda)

    • A clear container with a lid (like a water bottle)

• SC Education Standard:

  • • 5th Grade:

      • 5.S.1A. The practices of science and engineering support the development of science concepts, develop the habits of mind that are necessary for scientific thinking, and allow students to engage in science in ways that are similar to those used by scientists and engineers

Moon Sand

• Description: Our educational program staff will lead your class through an experiment with moon sand. Each student will make moon sand with the materials they have at home. After making moon sand, the staff will take the students through an experiment with the moon sand that aligns with your grade level standards.

• Duration: 20-45 minutes depending on the grade level and depth

• Materials needed:

  • • 1 cups all-purpose flour (not gluten free)

    • 1/8 cup baby oil or another oil that you'd prefer

    • A Ziploc gallon bag

• SC Education Standard:

  • • 5th Grade:

      • 5.S.1A. The practices of science and engineering support the development of science concepts, develop the habits of mind that are necessary for scientific thinking, and allow students to engage in science in ways that are similar to those used by scientists and engineers.

      • 5.P.2B.1 Obtain and communicate information to describe what happens to the properties of substances when two or more substances are mixed together.

Static Electricity Balloons

• Description: Our educational program staff will lead your class through a grade level appropriate discussion on electricity and being safe around electricity. Student will make a model to show how static electricity works to understand the need to be safe around electricity in their home, school and neighborhood.

• Duration: 20-45 minutes depending on the grade level and depth

• Materials needed:

  • • Tissue paper or tissues or toilet paper or a paper towel

    • A balloon

    • A pen or a marker

    • Scissors (kid friendly if you have them)

    • Tape

    • Piece of paper

• SC Education Standard:

  • • 5th Grade:

      • 5.S.1A. The practices of science and engineering support the development of science concepts, develop the habits of mind that are necessary for scientific thinking, and allow students to engage in science in ways that are similar to those used by scientists and engineers.

Water Filter

• Description: Our educational program staff will lead your class through a grade level appropriate discussion on water quality, how water is delivered to their home and the water cycle. Then students will make a water filter and experiment with materials to determine which items are better for filtration.

• Duration: 30-60 minutes depending on the grade level and depth

• Materials needed:

  • • A plastic bottle, empty and clean (may be a two liter or smaller)

    • Utility knife or scissors (make sure a parent comes to the video to help you our with this part)

    • Dirty water (make your own with stuff like coffee grounds, dirt, crunched-up old leaves, cooking oil, or tiny pieces of foam)

    • Measuring cup

    • Spoon

    • Pencil and paper

    • Any of the following filter materials as you can get: activated charcoal (available in the fish section at a pet store), gravel, rocks, pebbles, sand (coarse and / or fine), cotton balls

    • Coffee filter (A bandanna, old sock, napkin, or paper towel works too!)

• SC Education Standard:

  • • 5th Grade:

      • 5.S.1A. The practices of science and engineering support the development of science concepts, develop the habits of mind that are necessary for scientific thinking, and allow students to engage in science in ways that are similar to those used by scientists and engineers.

      • 5.P.2B.6 Design and test the appropriate method(s) (such as filtration, sifting, attraction to magnets, evaporation, chromatography, or floatation) for separating various mixtures.

Solar Oven

• Description: Our educational program staff will lead your class through a grade level appropriate discussion on the sun, heat transfer, energy sources and how electricity is produced. Then students will make a solar oven and experiment with the solar oven to determine best placement and time of day to harness the energy from the sun.

• Duration: 30-60 minutes depending on the grade level and depth

• Materials needed:

  • • Shoe box with lid (or some kind of box)

    • Scissors

    • Roll of aluminum foil

    • Thick clear plastic sheet, plastic wrap or freezer zip lock bag

    • Clear tape

    • Thin wire, stick or pencil

• SC Education Standard:

  • • 5th Grade:

      • 5.S.1A. The practices of science and engineering support the development of science concepts, develop the habits of mind that are necessary for scientific thinking, and allow students to engage in science in ways that are similar to those used by scientists and engineers.

• This program discusses how electricity is generated, conductors and insulators, simple circuits, and the hazards of electricity.

• Duration: 45-60 minutes depending on the grade level and depth

• SC Education Standard:

  • 5th Grade

    • 5.E.3B.3 Construct scientific arguments to support claims that human activities (such as conservation efforts or pollution) affect the land and oceans of Earth.

    • 5.E.3B.4 Define problems caused by natural processes or human activities and test possible solutions to reduce the impact on landforms and the ocean shore zone.