Science & Math Elementary Exploration
(formally Elementary Science Olympiad)

Tentative Events

A is for Anatomy
Interested in blood, guts and tissues? Then this event will keep your heart pumping!!

Aerodynamics / Flight
Design your best paper airplane and then work to refine it. Helicopters, paper rockets, and rocket balloons may also be available.

 Alien Arithmetic
Students will play a computer game in which they do arithmetic in a different based counting system much like an alien might do that has a different number of fingers than we humans have.

Alternative Energy
Can a car run on hydrogen? Come ride along and see!

An Unknown Story
Students will gain experience in pattern recognition and writing a generalized expression or equation. Hands-on manipulatives will be used.

Archeological Dig
Students will dig through the sand in search of “archeological treasures”.

Base Exploration
Students will be introduced to other bases, and use manipulates to explore counting and operations.

Base Ten Store
Students will use manipulatives to explore the idea of trading in our base ten numeration system.

Beginning Botany
Students will investigate the wonders of the botanical world in this “all about plants” event. Investigate the root below the soil surface, compare stages of growth, and discover why you owe your very life to these green creatures!

Bio-diesel Activity
Would you like to see a car that runs on grease from foods? This bio-diesel car can use the oil from French fries. Come and investigate. Other activities related to alternative energy sources complete this activity.

Biology Displays
Students will have the opportunity to view a wide variety of biological phenomenon, including owl pellets in various stages of dissection, fungus growth, and daphnia under the microscope.

Bridge Building
Students will build a bridge out of straws and paper clips. The bridge should span the greatest amount of distance and be able to hold at least one chalkboard eraser.

Cardboard Construction
Build a small house from cardboard. An easy clip-together kit will allow you to discover your architectural side!

Chemistry Demonstration
A showcase of chemical reactions that will demonstrate chemistry at its finest. ONE SHOW ONLY

Chemistry for Beginners
Students will investigate atomic structure from the very beginnings. Blocks of periodic table elements, marbles and game board will simulate energy levels allowing the students to discover the basics of chemistry.

Circuit Wizardry
Students will have an opportunity to investigate simple circuits. Make the buzzer ring! Make the light bulb shine and challenge your knowledge of electricity!

Color Wheel
Each student will investigate color mixing using Red, Blue and Yellow food coloring, paper towels and a template for their “wheel”.

Computer Programming
Each student can try his or her skills at programming. Students use a simple software program whose goal is to program a robot to retrieve an apple. The software has more than one level and is quite challenging.

Deep Blue Sea
What organisms can you find in the deep blue sea? Come and “sea” what you can learn about the deep blue sea and the animals and plants that live there. Climb into our “aquarium”!

Dinosaurs
Students will have an opportunity to learn more about creatures from long ago. Dinosaur hats and mazes add to the fun.

Does the Big Guy Swing Faster?
Strange as it may seem, weight does not determine how fast a pendulum swings. Prove this and investigate what effect the length of the pendulum has on its swing.

Don’t Bug Me
Do you know what a praying mantis looks like? How about a monarch butterfly? We have all kinds of insects and bugs for you to identify. We also have identification books for the difficult-to-recognize insects. There are bugs from Michigan and around the world.

Estimania
How many? We have lots of opportunities to practice your estimation skills! This event features a series of quantity-based puzzles that challenge you to think in terms of space and numbers. How many lollipops in the jar? How many pennies can line up along a meter stick?

Fossil Hunt
Students can see how fossils are made, look at fossils, and place them on a geologic era chart. Come and investigate life history at its finest. After you’ve hunted for fossils, stop by and make one of your very own. Students will make a fossil of a leaf in plaster.

Heat and Temperature
Do you know the difference between heat and temperature? Can you make liquids boil by the heat in the palm of your hand? Can heat be used to move objects? Come and investigate!

Herpetology Society
Herpetologists love to share their knowledge of amphibians and reptiles. Come pet your favorite snake!

Icky Gooey Eyes
Learn about eye function by seeing and dissecting eyeballs.

Impression 5 Science Center
Our friends from Impressions 5 Science Center will be making slime – an all time favorite!

Leaf and Tree Finder
Do you know what a maple leaf looks like? How about an acorn? What tree does it come from? Various questions and activities that involve leaves and trees.

Making and Using a Key
“What’s that?” Learn how scientists determine which organism is which.

Macroscopic Cell
Walk through our giant cell and discover different organelles. See the difference between a plant and animal cell.

Magnets
Is this magnetic? This event features magnets. Students will investigate what is magnetic and what makes an object magnetic.

Moon Craters
Ever thought about how the craters on the moon were made? This event investigates the relationship between asteroid size and crater size. Do you think larger asteroids made larger craters? Is there a ratio between the size of the asteroid and the size of the crater? Use of kitchen materials can help us simulate the crater making process and explore these questions.

Mystery Bags
Is that a marble or a rubber ball? What is in the Mystery Bag? The Mystery Bags hide objects from view and challenge students to use their other senses and the scientific method to discover the contents. Can you use your powers of observation to solve the Mystery Bag?

Origami
The ancient art of paper folding has a science within it. Come help with squares, angles, and folds to create recognizable shapes from paper.

Pond Study
Investigate the large and small of a pond. Look into a microscope and see the living things in a drop of pond water. Make a food web of things in a pond. Identify a lily pad or a cattail. See our “indoor” pond.

Planetarium
Only four shows available with preference given to students! This show features the current sky without clouds or cold!

Robots
Investigate the science of robotics with the popular Lego’s Mind Storm kit. See if you can program the robot to follow your commands.

Rocks and Minerals
Rock and mineral displays are featured. Descriptions included with experts to answer questions. Geodes and assorted specimens available for purchase.

Roller Coaster Science
Investigate the ups and downs of our K’nex roller coaster. Measure speed and velocity!

Rubber Band Catapult
Use a catapult to see how far you can shoot a rubber band and learn about potential and kinetic energy!

Science of Music
How do different musical instruments make sound? Does a drum have different pitches? Learn about different musical instruments, pitch, vibration and how to make them work. Come make beautiful physics with us. This event features instruments from many cultures.

Spider Webs
Learn about different kinds of spiders and their webs. Children can build a spider web using frames; string and tape, and then test their web by trying to catch “prey”.

Spirals
Learn all about spirals and how to make them.

Tangrams
The ancient Chinese puzzle of seven pieces challenges you to think in different shapes. Can you use only seven pieces to make the house, the graduate, or the rabbit? You’ll have to be very clever to move these shapes to just the right spot!

Veterinary Technician
Ever wondered what’s inside a racehorse? Are their muscles like human’s muscles? What does a dog need to grow healthy? This event explores the possibilities of working with animals from the “inside” out!

Zap
This event will be all about static electricity.

And more…….