Science Outreach Programs

SCIENCE EXPLORATION STATIONS

The Walled Lake Outdoor Education Center is ready to provide your school with an AWESOME Hands-On Science Experience. Our Science Exploration Stations are similar to science centers. Your school can decide if the students rotate through stations or if they travel around the room experimenting with their desired activities at their own pace.  

We are willing to help design an event that works best for your school. We will work with you to determine the number of activities, the length of time and the price based on your expectations and the number of students. (Events range from 10-20 kits and cost $450-$1000).

What the WLOEC will provide:

1. We bring 10-20 Hands-On Science Activities where students are able to experiment/investigate/observe Scientific Wonders. Students will get a chance to experience Science Activities in all 3 major scientific realms: Physical Science, Earth Science, and Life Science.
2. Science Activities that are age appropriate for grades kindergarten- 6th grade.
3. All of our Science Activities meet Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCE’s) for the State of Michigan. A copy of our Activity Summaries and the GLCE’s that are related to them are available if you desire to see them.
4. Science Kits that are completely stocked with all of the materials/information guides necessary to run the activities for the allotted time frame.
5. We are flexible with the time frame depending on your school’s needs.
6. Two WLOEC staff members will arrive 1 hour before the start of the program. The staff members will set up activities then train the volunteers 30minutes before the event begins. (Please have the tables ready)!
7. Two WLOEC staff members will stay throughout the duration of the event. They will be there to answer questions, supply additional materials, guide volunteers, and to assist in the cleaning up after the event.

What YOUR school will provide:

1. VOLUNTEERS…10-20 or more volunteers (depending on the number of activities and the time frame of the event). It is always better to have more than not enough! The volunteers can be parents, teachers, NHS students, etc. They must be responsible and mature enough to work with the students and the materials appropriately.
2. Volunteers need to arrive 30 minutes early for their “training” session. The WLOEC staff will train each volunteer to run 1 activity for Science Night.
3. Volunteers need to be prepared to stay for 15-20 minutes after the program to help clean up their activity.
4. 10-20 (6-8 feet) tables (one per science kit). These tables need to be set up in a large area (gymnasium, cafeteria, etc) BEFORE our staff arrives.
5. Access to water and some type of sink/drain. Custodial closets work well.
6. Access to 2-3 electrical outlets.
7. A lot of kids and parents who want to have fun learning about science!! 

FAMILY SCIENCE NIGHT

The Walled Lake Outdoor Education Center is ready to provide your school with an AWESOME Hands-On Family Science Night. Our Science Night is similar to an Open House. Students and Parents can arrive/depart at any time within the 1.5 hour time frame. Participants are able to travel around the room experimenting with any/all of the activities. The cost is $650 within a 25 miles radius of the WLOEC.

What the WLOEC will provide:

1. We bring 20 (or more) Hands-On Science Activities where students are able to experiment/investigate/observe Scientific Wonders. Students will get a chance to experience Science Activities in all 3 major scientific realms: Physical Science, Earth Science, and Life Science.
2. Science Activities that are age appropriate for grades kindergarten- 6th grade.
3. All of our Science Activities meet Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCE’s) for the State of Michigan. A copy of our Activity Summaries and the GLCE’s that are related to them are available if you desire to see them.
4. Science Kits that are completely stocked with all of the materials/information guides necessary to run the activity for the 1.5 hours.
5. We can serve up to 500 people with the 1.5 hour time frame. We have the ability to work with larger groups if needed.
6. Two WLOEC staff members will arrive 1 hour before the start of the program. The staff members will set up activities then train the volunteers 30minutes before the event begins. (Please have the tables ready)!
7. Two WLOEC staff members will stay throughout the duration of the event. They will be there to answer questions, supply additional materials, guide volunteers, and to assist in the cleaning up after the event.

What YOUR school will provide:

1. VOLUNTEERS…20 or more volunteers. It is always better to have more than not enough! The volunteers can be parents, teachers, NHS students, etc. They must be responsible and mature enough to work with the students and the materials appropriately.
2. Volunteers need to arrive 30 minutes early for their “training” session. The WLOEC staff will train each volunteer to run 1 activity for Science Night.
3. Volunteers need to be prepared to stay for 15-20 minutes after the program to help clean up their activity.
4. 20 (6-8 feet) tables. These tables need to be set up in a large area (gymnasium, cafeteria, etc) BEFORE our staff arrives.
5. Access to water and some type of sink/drain. Custodial closets work well.
6. Access to 2-3 electrical outlets.
7. A lot of kids and parents who want to have fun learning about science!! 

Family Science Night Slideshow

SCIENCE NIGHT PLANNING GUIDE

YOUR DATE

6:30-8:00 pm

-There must be a minimum of 20 volunteers for Science Night. 1 volunteer is needed to run each of the 20 Science Stations. Having more than 20 volunteers is always a bonus! 

-Volunteers need to arrive 30 minutes early for their "training" session.

-The Walled Lake Outdoor Education Center Staff will train each volunteer to run 1 activity for the Science Night. Volunteers must be prepared to stay 15-20 minutes after the program to help clean up the activities (8:15-8:20).

-Volunteers must be prepared to spend the ENTIRE time at their assigned station unless you are splitting shifts between volunteers. Stations without volunteers will be closed down (safety comes first!). 

-Please confirm with volunteers 1-2 days before the event.

-We will need at least 20 (6-8 feet) long tables. These tables need to be set up in a large (gymnasium, cafeteria etc...) BEFORE our staff arrives.

-We will need access to water and some type of a sink/drain. Custodial closets work well.

-We will need a mop and mop bucket. 

-We will need access to 2-3 electrical outlets.

-We will need 2-3 trash cans. 

*Advertise Science Night. Place information on your school website, Facebook or send a school-wide email. Send home flyers. Have teachers talk to students about it during class!

Science Activity Kit Summaries

Your school can choose 10-20 kits (depending on your event) from the activities that are listed below. We hope the summaries below help you select activities that are best suited for your desired program. If you have further questions about the activities, our staff will be happy to guide you and provide more details about any of the hands-on science kits.

Physical Science:

Slime Time: Students investigate the different states of matter by making slime using household materials. This make and take activity will have the students wondering about the "state" of slime!

Rotocopters:Students make paper helicopters to explore the science behind air pressure and gravity. Students have the opportunity to compare their paper creation with the seeds from some common trees!

Balloon Rocket Racers:  Students have fun experimenting with different size and shape balloons to learn about force and motion. Grab a family member and have a "race" with your balloon rocket.

Sink or Float? That is the big question that students will answer during this buoyancy investigation. Watch students test their predictions about whether certain items will sink or float.

Make a Boat...Make it float! Students create a boat (that will float) out of tin foil. Then, they challenge their knowledge of density to see how much "freight" their boat can load without sinking.

Centripetal Force... How can you swing a bucket and keep water from spilling from it? Students will be amazed!

Electrical Flow... Conductors or Insulators? Students will test to discover what materials electricity flows through with ease. 

Circuit Center... Can you create a circuit that allows the electricity flow through the wires and light the bulb? How does it work?

Trajectory... Students test their toss to discover how the distance of a target effects the trajectory of the ball's path.

Water Drops a Coin... This surface tension activity will surprise the students as they count the number of water drops that fit on a penny...nickel...dime!  

Roller Coasters... Force and motion become lots of fun as the students build their own roller coasters.

Bubbles are a Blast... Students investigate surface tension while making bubbles.

Levers Lighten the Load... Students experiment with adjusting the fulcrum of a lever to minimize the effort that it takes to lift a load.  

Magnets...Students learn to identify characteristics of magnets through experimentation. Then, they have the opportunity to explore the wonders of magnetism is various activities.

Pencil Poke and Polymers... This fascinating activity will have the students wondering...HOW? Can you poke pencil through a plastic bag filled with water without causes a leak?

Dancing Raisins... Students observe the laws of buoyancy by using simple materials. They discover why the raisins are "dancing" in the soda!

Static Electricity... Students continue to giggle at and wonder about static electricity. This hair raising, balloon moving activity is a timeless hit!

LIFE SCIENCE

Owl Pellets... Students study what owls eat by dissecting owl pellets. Whooo wouldn't think that this activity is fun?

Mighty Bird Bones... Students construct an model to help demonstrate how an essentially hollow bone can be so strong!

Vermicomposting... Students can dig in and discover how worms help our soil!

Check Your Heart Rate... Students record how their heart rate changes with increased exercise. How is this good for you?

Fingerprint Fun... Students observe their own unique fingerprint. Is it a whorl, an arch, or a loop?

Fingerprint Forensics... Students use their knowledge of fingerprints to solve a "Who Done It" crime.

Balance... Students use balance boards and simple yoga poses to discover the best techniques for balance.

Earth Science

Mystery Minerals...Students conduct simple tests on 5 different minerals. They will discover the names of the minerals based on the results of these tests.

Rock Categorization... Students answer riddles about several samples of rocks that represent igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks.

Tornado Machine... Students observe a tornado machine and then they make a tornado in a water bottle.

Archaeology Dig... Students use tools to excavate "treasurers" out of an archaeology mold.

Impressive Impressions... Younger students enjoy making fossil imprints in dough.

Topographic Maps... Students make a "mountain" out of clay and then discover how to create a topographic maps using cross-sections of their mountain model.