Earth’s Daily and Seasonal Cycles
K to Grade 3 /
K to Cycle 1 (primary)
Duration: 60 minutes
What is our primary source of heat and light? How do Earth’s daily and seasonal cycles affect everyday life? Giant Sun and Earth globes, and various activities, introduce concepts of heat, light, day and night. Explore the changing seasons through hands-on activities in the Museum’s inflatable planetarium. (ST37)
Pushing and Pulling Forces
K to Grade 3 / K to Cycle 1 (primary)
Duration: 60 minutes
What happens when you push or pull an object? Hands-on activity stations illustrate how gravity, static, magnetic, and muscular forces cause objects to move. Apply different levels of force to objects and see them move, attract, repel, or change direction. Find out which forces are applied through direct contact and which interact at a distance. (ST51)
Exploring Objects and Materials
K to Grade 3 / K to Cycle 1 (primary)
Duration: 60 minutes
Can objects be made of more than one material? Use your senses to identify objects by how they look and feel. How do you make paper, plastic, and glass? Where do they come from? Hands-on activities illustrate how materials are produced, recycled, and how they canbe fastened together to form objects. (ST4)
On-line activities on Materials
Liquids and Solids
K to Grade 3 / K to Cycle 1 (primary)
Duration: 60 minutes
Investigate the properties of materials through an exploration of liquids and solids. Probe the differences between the three states of matter, interactions between liquids of different densities, solids that dissolve in liquids, and buoyancy. Design a boat and see how much weight it can support. (ST5)
On-line activities on Materials
Energy and Forces - NEW!
Grades 1 to 3 • K to Cycle 2 (primary)
Duration: 60 minutes
Explore the role that the Sun, air, and water play in energy production. Discover how these natural forces are harnessed and their impact on our everyday lives. Hands-on activities reinforce the understanding that everything that happens is the result of some form of energy. (ST8)
Science Seesaw and Simple Machines
Grades 1 to 3 / Cycle 2 (primary)
Duration: 60 minutes
Explore the principles of force and movement with this introduction to simple machines and the effects of friction. Explore the terms “work” and “load” as you look at the basic principles of levers and inclined planes. Investigate a multitude of mechanical devices that have changed the way we live. (ST7)
Structures and Shapes
Grades 1 to 3 / Cycle 2 (primary)
Duration: 60 minutes
Experiment to discover the characteristics of different structures and how they are designed to meet specific needs. Try building a tower or bridging a river to learn which geometric shapes are the strongest. This workshop encourages students to use their problem-solving skills while exploring mechanical devices and building structures. (ST9)
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