Classroom Programs

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Classroom Programs

Experience an adventure in science without leaving the classroom. The following classroom programs include a general introduction to a science topic by an OMSI educator who then guides students through hands-on, interactive activities. OMSI classroom programs are designed to accommodate up to 30 students.
$135 per hour long program with 2-hour minimum booking
$150 per hour long live animal program with 3-hour minimum booking
$240 per 2-hour long program
Travel fees may apply

Subject Areas: Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Engineering, Live Animals, Multi-Science, Physics, Space Science

Biology

Amazing Whales
Students marvel at these enormous creatures as they crawl inside a 40- or 60-foot, life-size, inflatable whale. Young marine biologists take a close-up look at whales and dolphins, examining baleen and learning about the communication, feeding, behaviors, and various species of the amazing mammals. Room requirement: 50x30 ft. with an 8 ft. ceiling. Topics: anatomy, behavior, whale ecology. Grades K-5, 1 hr

Animal Innards
If your students have the guts, so do we--squid guts that is, and plenty of 'em! Young biologists use proper dissection techniques to explore the insides of a squid and discover firsthand where the beak and ink sac are. The two-hour version features the dissection of a shark by the instructor. Topics: anatomy, animal classification, dissection, lab procedures. Grades 4-12, 1 or 2 hrs

Bug Me!
What has six legs, three body parts and hundreds of eyes? You guessed it: an insect! Students discover how insects' bodies change as the grow and how they survive in a world where they are one of the smallest living creatures. Participants can also design their own insect to take home. Topics: camouflage, insect anatomy, life cycles. Grades K-3, 1 hr

Dangerous Decibels
It's time to discover just how important it can be to "turn it down." With the help of scientific tools, students measure sound, learn about decibels, and make models of the inner ear. They'll explore sound, study the way it travels, and learn how to protect their hearing for years to come! This class was developed in cooperation with Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). Topics: hearing health, physics of sound, sound measurement, anatomy. Grades K-6, 1 hr

Going Batty!
Explore the intriguing world of bats and learn the truth about one of the most misunderstood and beneficial creatures on earth. Students discuss communication and feeding, learn how to identify different types of bats from around the world, and take home their very own bat creation. Topics: adaptations, anatomy, behavior, bat biology. Grades K-6, 1 hr

Flights of Fancy
From the beginning of time, people have wondered how birds fly. By investigating the skeletal structures of raptors, students see for themselves how these amazing creatures soar through the air. Students make a model of a wing, explore various principles of flight, and see how these aerodynamic animals have inspired modern day inventions. The 1-1/2 hour session features student dissection of an owl pellet. Topics: adaptations, anatomy, biology, classification, physics. Grades 3-8, 1 or 1-1/2 hrs (for 1 1/2 hours, add $80 lab fee)

Forest Wonders
This class enhances young people's understanding and appreciation of forests: Oh! To Be a Tree! explores the parts and needs of a tree with grades K-1; Forest Cycles looks at the life cycle of trees and forests with grades 2-3; A Forest Story explains forest succession in the Pacific Northwest with grades 4-5. Topics: tree structure and diversity, forest cycles, forest succession. Grades K-5, 1 hr

Micromania
Students scope out microscopic marvels of everyday objects, while learning how to carefully use a real microscope. They examine snakeskin and go eye-to-eye with an insect. In this class, even the youngest students have a successful microscopic experience! Topics: lenses, magnification, microscopic vs. macroscopic, scientific equipment. Grades K-2, 1 hr

Microscopic Zoo
What kinds of amazing, tiny creatures can be found in a single drop of pond water? Students discover the answer as they learn to prepare slides and identify several species of live microorganisms. This program teaches microscope skills and gives students insight into an incredible microscopic world. Topics: animal adaptations, aquatic ecology, habitats, scientific equipment. Grades 3-12, 1 hr, $40 lab fee

Sharks!
Finally, a class you can really sink your teeth into! Study the amazing adaptations of sharks as OMSI instructors guide students through the systems and organs of the fascinating spiny dogfish shark. The 1-hour version features a single shark dissection by an instructor. The 2-hour version includes dissections by students and is appropriate for grades 7-12 only. Topics: anatomy, animal classification, dissection, lab procedures. Grades 4-12, 1 or 2 hrs (for 2 hrs, add $6 lab fee per student)

Chemistry

Cowabunga Chemistry
Chemistry has never been so much fun! Students perform amazing chemical reactions as they measure and mix ingredients and discover substances with strange and surprising properties: polymers. Two different gooey, slimy concoctions are made by each student for the ultimate in chemistry fun. Topics: chemical reactions, chemical safety, liquids, polymers. Grades K-5, 1 hr

Investigating Chemistry
Explore chemical composition and reactions through experiments with flame, dry ice and mystery compounds. Laboratory safety skills and problem-solving techniques are developed through structured experimentation. The two-hour version allows students to measure the energy content of various foods. Topics: acids and bases, changes in state, chemical safety, properties of compounds. Grades 4-8, 1 or 2 hrs

Kiddie Chemistry
In this time-tested favorite, young students perform exciting experiments as they study mixtures and chemical reactions involving changes in color, temperature, and states of matter. They watch solutions change right before their very eyes! A great introduction to the basics of chemistry. Topics: chemical reactions, chemical safety, gases, liquids, solids. Grades K-3, 1 hr

Radical Reactions
Enter the exciting world of microchemistry. Students explore a variety of chemical reactions by designing experiments, predicting the outcome, and analyzing the results. Proper laboratory skills and safety are stressed, making this chemistry class both exciting and safe. Topics: chemical safety, experiment design and analysis, properties of compounds. Grades 4-8, 1 hr

Science and the Early Artist
Concepts of mixing and change are a simple introduction to chemistry for young scientists. Students use hands-on art to learn how mixtures and changes, or "reactions", occur. Concepts of color and light are explored through mediums including paint, color paddles, and chromatography. Getting messy is part of the fun, so be prepared. This class works best in a non-carpeted space. Topics: simple chemistry, light and color mixing. Grades PreK-K, 1 hr

Earth Science

Extreme Weather
Hurricanes, tornadoes and lightning, oh my! What causes these exciting, yet dangerous, weather conditions? How can we track them and protect ourselves? Learn how meteorologists study these storms and predict the changes in conditions. Topics: earth science, meteorology, extreme forms of weather. Grades 3-5, 1 hr

Let's Rock!
A rock is just a rock...right? Wrong! Young geologists learn about the tremendous forces that shape the world and discover how rocks are formed. Students use a variety of tests to identify minerals and witness an erupting model volcano. The 2-hour version explores geologic structures and more in-depth mineral testing. Topics: rock classification, rock cycle, plate tectonics, mineral identification. Grades 4-8, 1 or 2 hrs

Prehistoric Dinosaur Puzzle
How do scientists study animals that disappeared 70 million years ago? Students become young paleontologists digging for fossils and learning how to reassemble a whole dinosaur from just a few pieces. Students take home a cast of a Velociraptor claw they make themselves. Topics: adaptations, fossil evidence, fossil formation, paleontology. Grades K-3, 1 hr

Weather Whys
Why do the clouds look different? How can we tell what kind of weather is coming? Students explore these questions and more as they make observations of the world around them and figure out what causes the weather to change. They deliver a weather forecast, make a weather vane, and learn to identify the various types of clouds. Topics: earth science, meteorology, weather forecasting. Grades K-2, 1 hr

Engineering

Imagineering
Challenge imagination and creativity! Students confront open-ended problem solving as they design and build motorized writing machines they get to take home. The 2-hour version allows students to build models of various machines. Topics: designing, engineering, motorization. Grades 4-12, 1 or 2 hrs, $40 lab fee

Live Animals

Presented by herpetologist Brad Tylman and associates of Brad's World Reptiles.

Focus: Rainforest
Rainforests are a current issue of study in today's classrooms and this presentation reinforces concepts such as biodiversity, conservation, and sustainable use of resources. Students also see and touch a variety of the world's most beautiful and unusual tropical animals. Topics: biodiversity, ecology, metabolism, migration, thermoregulation. Grades K-12, 1 hr

Oregon Native Species: Reptiles and Amphibians in Your Backyard
Ever wondered what was slithering, crawling and hopping around your neighborhood? Explore the local reptiles and amphibians across the Pacific Northwest. From the coast and mountains to the valleys and desert, each habitat contains fascinating creatures. Learn more about these animals and the challenges they face in an ever-changing world. Topics: habitat diversity and loss, changing habitats, indicator, endangered, threatened and invasive species. Grades 3-6, 1 hr

Run, Slide, Swim or Hide
Why do animals behave and look the way they do? This hands-on program invites students to see, touch and handle a variety of exotic animals. Students discover how different animals adapt to demanding and challenging environments. Topics: adaptations, animal classification, characteristics. Grades K-12, 1 hr

Snakes: Up Close & Personal
Do snakes always bite? Are they all venomous? Are they slimy? Learn answers to these and many other questions about an often-misunderstood group of animals. The program includes opportunities to closely observe and touch a variety of snakes that few have seen before. Topics: life cycles, predator/prey relationships, phobias, reptilian adaptations. Grades K-12, 1 hr

Multi-Science

Crime Lab
So many clues, so little time! Students put their science skills to the test in this exciting, interactive forensics class. As they piece together the evidence of a crime scene, students see firsthand how fingerprints, footprints, and fibers can help catch a criminal. The 2-hour version includes DNA extraction and individual dusting and lifting of fingerprints. Topics: forensic science, evidence analysis, analytical thinking. Grades 1-6, 1 or 2 hrs

The Science of Lewis & Clark
Lewis and Clark were more than just famous explorers; they were also scientists! In this interactive class, students use problem-solving and observations skills to delve into the scientific fields of cartography, astronomy, anthropology, and biology--Lewis and Clark style! Topics: geography, natural history, astronomy, art and culture. Grades 2-5, 1 hr

Tombs & Treasures
Students embark on a journey through time and enter the mysterious world of archaeology. As they dig into the past and decipher hieroglyphics, students learn to use the tools and methods of the archaeologist and unravel secrets of ancient cultures throughout Europe, the Americas and Africa. Topics: anthropology, archaeology, past cultures, art. Grades 3-5, 1 hr

Wee Wonders in Science
This introductory class has little ones exploring the wonders of physical, earth, and space science. Experimenting with color mixing, creating a sandstone rock, levitating objects and stacking magnets are just a few of the activities in this station-based class. Topics: animal habitats, force, geology, magnets, movement, natural structures, physics. Grades PreK-K, 1 hr

Physics

Do You Hear What I Hear?
Music is one of the first things all human beings respond to. Why? This class helps younger learners explore sound, waves and vibration, how our ears work, and ways we use our sense of hearing. Young children will marvel in the auditory delights of this class. Topics: physics of sound, human ear and hearing process, physiology and response to sound. Grades PreK-K, 1 hr

Funtastic Physics
Sir Isaac Newton is hiding in your toy box! Students explore the laws of physics while playing with everyday toys. They then join a videotaped space mission and predict and observe how the toys act in the weightless conditions of space. Topics: action/reaction, force applications, inertia, momentum, Newton's three laws of motion. Grades 3-5, 1 hr

Jolts, Volts & Wires
Electrifying activities to get students charged! Students observe static electricity up close with the help of a powerful Van de Graaff generator. They create their own electrical circuits with a variety of equipment and learn how electricity is generated. Topics: generation and transmission of electricity, safety, conductivity. Grades 2-8, 1 hr

Marvelous Magnets
Just what is attraction? Students explore the wonders of magnetic energy and discover how magnets attract and repel. They "magically" levitate a magnet and investigate their own magnetic marvels. They'll never look at refrigerator magnets in the same way again! Topics: magnetism, attraction, repulsion, physics. Grades K-2, 1 hr

Space Science

Space Exploration
Space exploration has enabled humans to observe the wonders of the universe--detailed images of Saturn's rings, the chemical makeup of Mars' soil, and the composition of a comet--all without sending humans into space. In this class, the budding space scientist experiments with the physics required to launch a spacecraft into orbit, manipulates a robotic arm and decodes and analyzes binary code in the form scientists receive it from space. Topics: space science, astronomy, physics, technology. Grades 4-8, 1 hr

Where in the Worlds
Climb aboard the Spaceship OMSI and blast off on a journey through space! Discover the fascinating planets and moons that make up our solar system. Young scientists learn about phases of the moon, qualities of atmosphere and space, and create their own air-powered rocket to launch their imaginations. Topics: astronomy, space science. Grades K-2, 1 hr

Your Galactic Address
Many concepts of space science are presented as students learn how our planet fits into our vast universe. How are we affected by the orbit and rotation of our planet? How would your weight and age change if you lived on Jupiter? Answer these questions and more as you explore our solar system and beyond! Topics: astronomy, space science. Grades 3-5, 1 hr

Set-Up

Classroom programs require advance set-up time and clean-up time ranging from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the program title, and most require a small amount of reset time between sessions. Once a program is set up, it cannot be moved easily from room to room. If you schedule multiple sessions of the same program title in one day, it is best to have each group of students rotate through the same room. Unless otherwise specified, most programs require a classroom type space with tables or student desks (in some cases desks may need to be grouped to make larger "tables"). Some programs may require floor space, water access, electrical outlets, and/or a projection screen/white wall. Your scheduled educator will inform you of their specific needs in the week prior to your program date.

For more information or to register, contact:
OMSI Program Sales and Registration
1945 SE Water Ave., Portland, OR 97214
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Phone: 503.797.4661
Fax: 503.239.7800