Outreach Programs

When you can’t come to us, the Science Center will come to you with a variety of hands-on options for your needs! There are three program options for you to choose from:

1. Classroom Programs

The Connecticut Science Center offers unique Science in Motion programs for children K-9th grade, for up to 25 participants, which will excite and inspire your students’ interest in science. These programs are a mix of science demonstration and hands-on activities that are directly aligned with Science Standards, and last approximately 50-60 minutes.

Pricing: The first program of the day is $175.00 and additional programs on the same day are $150.00. Up to four programs in one day. Travel Charges Apply

Please note: Programs require tables and chairs, access to water and/or electricity and 15-30 minutes for set up and clean up. Discounts available for two or more of the same program held on the same day.

• CT K.3 Weather: "Sail Away"

  • Using wind to sail boats. Wind is moving air. Sometimes air moves fast and sometimes it hardly moves at all. Wind speed can be estimated by observing the things that it moves, such as flags, tree branches or sailboats.

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    MA Standards: Earth PreK-2 #3,5; Life PreK-2 #7

• CT 1.1 What Time Is It?

  • Create a sundail and use the Sun's path to tell time.

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    MA Standards: Earth PreK-2 #5

• CT 2.1 States of Matter: "Mystery Detectives"

  • Students will make observations about the properties and characteristics of materials that help us to classify them as solids, liquids, or gases.

    MA Standards: Physical PreK-2 #1,2; Physical 3-5 #2

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• CT 2.2 Plants

  • What if you were a seed-would you be a coconut or a poppy? Examine a wide range of seeds, leaves and flowers to explore the life cycle of plants. A "seed kit" containing four o' clock flowers will be provided, containing everything you need to set up a classroom growing station for yoru students to observe plant growth throughout the year.

• CT 3.3 The Changing Earth: "Let's Rock!"

  • Compare and contrast the conditions under which Igneous, Metamorphic and Sedimentary rocks are formed.

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• 3.4 Papermaking

  • Learn how to reuse and recycle materials rather than discarding them.

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• CT 4.3 Erosion: "Where Does the Water Go?"

  • Investigate where and how water travels on the Earth by creating your own mountain range. Adjust the mountains to see how the moving water changes.

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    MA Standards: Earth 3-5 #12; Earth 6-8 #6

• CT 4.4 Electromagnestism: "Is it Magnetic?"

  • Investigate materials that are attracted by magnets and how magnets react with other magnets.

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    MA Standards: Physical 3-5 #6,7,8,9,10

• CT 5.1a Sound: "Good Vibrations"

  • Sound is a form of energy that is produced by the vibration of objects and is transmitted by the vibration of air and objects.

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    MA Standards: Physical 3-5 #4,11

• CT 5.1b Light: "See the Light"

  • Light is a form of energy that travels in a straight line and can be reflected by a mirror, refracted by a lens or absorbed by objects.

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    MA Standards: Physical 3-5 #12

• CT 6.2 Abiotic Factors: "Soil, Water and Plants"

  • Using seed kits with four o' clock flowers, students will learn how to set up an experimental design to test the effect of different soil types on plant growth. The experimental set-up can be used through-out the year for your students to observe, collect and analyze data.

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• CT 6.3 Meteorology: "What Makes Weather"

  • Investigate the principles behind the molecular movement that forms our weather.

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    MA Standards: Earth 3-5 #6,10,11; Earth 6-8 #3

• CT 7.3 Landforms

  • Investigate how Connecticuts' landforms cam to exist in their present state.

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    MA Standards: Earth 3-5 #4,12; Earth 6-8 #6,7

• CT 8.1 Forces and Motion: "Bouncing Around"

  • Investigate how objects move in a straight line and circular motion. Discover what forces are acting on an object in motion.

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    MA Standards: Physical 6-8 #11,13

Enrichment Programs

• Playing with Polymers (Grades pre-K to 6)

  • It's gooey, slippery, sticky, really slimy and kids love it.

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• Bubble-ology (Grades pre-K to 8)

  • Bubble-ology (Pre K- K-Grade 3)

    Investigate how to make bubbles, why they are round, learn why they float and look at color patterns in bubble domes. Children will also make bubble prints and a bubble wand to take home.

    Bubble-ology (Grades 1-2)

    This workshop investigates different types of bubbles: no- pop bubbles, helium bubbles and the effects of dry ice on bubbles.

    Bubble-ology (Grades 3-5)

    Introduction of bubbles with an emphasis on which brand of three popular dish detergents will produce the largest bubble dome. Children will use math to measure and calculate averages.

    Bubble-ology (Grades 6-8)

    Introduction to bubbles with an emphasis on surface tension of water and investigating the role of evaporation in bubble formation, as they test the effect of different amounts of glycerin on the size of the bubbles. Children will use math to measure and calculate averages.

• Worm World (Grades 3-5

  • Discover the fascinating life of a worm and why they are so important to the natural world.

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    MA Standards: Physical 6-8 #14,16

• It's Electric (Grades 4-6)

  • Electrifying activities to get students static electrically charged with a Van de Graaf generator.

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• Looking through Lenses (Grade 3-5)

  • Using lenses to create a simple telescope.

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• Do You Hear What I Hear? (Grade 3-5)

  • Construct simple musical instruments that produce sound with various pitches, volumes and timbres.

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• Shake, Rattle and Roll (Grades 5-7)

  • Design your very own earthquake-proof building

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• Push, Pull . . . Fling (Grades 5-7)

  • What affects an objects trajectory? Students will investigate forces and motion using small catapults to hit a target.

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• Parachutes (Grades 5-8)

  • Create and test parachutes to determine how air resistance affects your falling sky diver.

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• Energy City (Grades 4-6,7-12)

  • Investigate solar cells, wind power, and other energy sources to design and power your own eco-friendly model town with a power grid. How low can you get its carbon footprint?

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• Watersheds and Shedding Waste (Grade 3-9)

  • Pollution is a big issue. How things end up in our water? We will use a watershed to investigate. What can we do about it? You will develop some methods to clean polluted water.

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• Living in Space (Grade 5-12)

  • Discover what it is like to live and work in space. Investigate the conditions in space and what a human needs to survive.

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• Seeing Sound (Grades 3-10)

  • How can we see sound? A collection of hands-on investigations will help participants use their own senses to observe sound.

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2. Activity Stations

Integrate a Science Night for families or a Science Carnival during the school day for students to complement your School’s curriculum or Science Fair. These station-based programs are formatted to accommodate large groups of participants through a variety of activity stations. (Station based programs can accommodate approximately 90-100 children per station per hour).

Pricing: $200.00 per station per hour. Please note: UV Bead and Polymer stations have a $25.00 Materials fee. Travel Charges Apply

Please Note: Activity Stations require tables, access to water and/ or electricity and 15 minutes for set up and clean up.

• Electricity (Grade K-9)

  • Children will learn about static electricity using a Van de Graaff generator. A hair raising experience!

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• Dry Ice (Grade K-9)

  • Investigate the states of matter using dry ice and participate in some cool experiments.

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• Hovercraft (Grade K-9)

  • Learn the science of riding on a cushion of air with a hovercraft.

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• Polymers (Grade K-9)

  • Discuss how polymers are made by cross-linking molecules and showing a variety of polymers.

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• Air Pressure (Grade K-9)

  • Using a Bernoulli blower, learn the principal of a plane staying in flight.

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• Bubbles (Grade K-9)

  • Learn the science behind the “suds”. Investigate what they are made of, their shape, why they float and many more concepts.

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• Ultra Violet Beads (Grade K-9)

  • Learn about the invisible spectrum using special UV beads.

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3. Assembly Shows

The 45 minute Assembly style shows are designed to get your children and students excited about science in a fun and interactive way. (Available for groups of 100- 250).

Pricing: $450.00 for each Assembly show. Travel Charges Apply

Please note: Please Note Assembly shows require two 6 foot or 8 foot tables, access to water and/or electricity and 30 minutes for set up and clean up.

• The Science of "Suds" (Pre-k to 5th Grade)

  • Captivating, colorful and fun to make, they are also excellent demonstrations of scientific phenomena. Some of the topics introduced are chemical composition, light and color and aerodynamics. The Science of "Suds" is a motivating introduction to the process and substance of science . . .and besides, it's good, clean, fun!

• Stuffee: Your Amazing Body (Pre-K to 5th Grade)

  • Stuffee, this super-sized doll helps children Pre-K through 5th grade learn about the digestion, circulatory and respiratory systems. Best of all, Stuffee can come to you!

    Made possible by the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority. (CHEFA)

• Forces and Motion (Grades 6-8)

  • What does down, must fall up? We live ina physical world governed by physical laws. Although simple, these laws can be a bit deceiving. Investigate the laws of motion and discover a few surprise forces along the way. As a finale, see what pwoer a pencil REALLY has!