Engineering, Technology, and the Application of Science
Rosie Revere: Engineer (miSci, virtual, off-site)
Learn about the science of engineering through an engaging story and hands-on engineering project. Then build your own take-home flying machine and test and improve its performance.
Program length: 35–45 minutes
Best for grades: K–2
Engineering Mission (miSci, virtual, off-site)
Following the engineering process, participants design, build, test, evaluate, and redesign a shock-absorbing system that protects marshmallow “astronauts” or a rover while they land on the Moon or Mars.
Program length: 35–45 minutes
Best for grades: 3–8
Erie Canal Ticket to Ride (miSci)
Discover the Erie Canal through a hands-on, inquiry-based learning experience that explores the science, technology, and history of innovation in Upstate New York. Students will understand the physics behind the workings of the Canal, including friction, buoyancy, and Pascal’s Law. Using the engineering process, participants build a lock model based on the Erie Canal’s lock system.
Program Length: 45 minutes
Best for Grades: 3–7
Life Science
Insect Invasion (miSci, virtual, off-site)
What makes a butterfly an insect? Discover the amazing world of the butterfly, learn the basics of their anatomy, understand their lifecycle, and see their fascinating metamorphosis! Students will also use their artistic skills to create a model of the four stages of the life of a butterfly.
Program length: 35–45 minutes
Best for grades: Pre-K–3
Dino Discovery (miSci, virtual, off-site)
How are dinosaurs different from other animals? What happened to the dinosaurs? What did they eat? What is a fossil? Explore the prehistoric world as you learn how to identify dinosaurs while holding real fossils and creating your own Dino-fossil to take home.
Program length: 35–45 minutes
Best for grades: K–3
Optical Illusions (miSci, off-site)
Trick your eyes and brain with optical illusions and discover how artists have used techniques to trick us for hundreds of years. Learners will observe a real cow’s eye dissection and learn about how the parts of the eye work together to create our sense of sight.
Program length: 35–45 minutes
Best for grades: 3–8
For classes younger than Grade 3, a recorded cow eye is observed in place of a live dissection.
Crime Lab Science* (miSci, virtual, off-site)
Learn about forensic science and how evolving technology helps scientists and detectives discover the truth about mysterious criminal cases. “Detectives in training” participate in a mock investigation where they identify the main types of fingerprints, explore the science of chromatography, learn about DNA and how to extract it, and use evidence to identify the culprit.
Program length: 35–45 minutes
Best for grades: 3–8
Earth and Space Science
Spinning in Space (miSci, virtual, off-site)
Why is it light during the day and dark at night? Learn about Earth and its relationship to other bodies in the solar system. Students discover, through kinesthetic activities, the movement of the Earth, Moon, and Sun system and how this causes common phenomena such as day and night.
Program length: 35–45 minutes
Best for grades: Pre-K–5
Just a Phase* (miSci, off-site)
This program investigates Earth’s closest neighbor, the Moon. Students explore lunar phases by creating and observing a scale model of the Earth-Sun-Moon system, identify the phases of the moon, and discuss how and why they occur.
Program length: 35–45 minutes
Best for grades: 2–5
Shadows From Space: The Science of Eclipses*
In this workshop, students will learn about the patterns of movement that the sun, moon and stars make and make a model to show how both Solar and Lunar eclipses work.
Capacity: Up to 25 participants
Program length: 35–45 minutes
Best for grades: K–5
Physical Science
Fun with Physics* (miSci)
Physics is everywhere, even when we play! Students observe and identify different forces by observing Bernoulli’s principle, falling objects, gyroscopes, and more. In the second half of the program, participants create a toy helicopter to illustrate the concepts they have investigated.
Program length: 35 – 45 minutes
Best for grades: 3–8
Dry Ice* (miSci, off-site)
Explore the states of matter with some super-cold chemical ice! Participants watch as objects freeze before their eyes, bubbles float on an invisible bed, and clouds of gas erupt from the lab table. Learners also observe the process of sublimation, where a solid becomes a gas without first becoming a liquid.
Program length: 35–45 minutes
Best for grades: 1–8
Liquid Nitrogen*(miSci, off-site)
Nitrogen is a gas that can become a liquid! Participants observe uncommon states of matter including liquid boiling at room temperature. Through fascinating demonstrations, learners discover how liquid nitrogen is made and used in science, and the curious effects that extreme cold has on a variety of materials.
Program length: 35–45 minutes
Best for grades: 2–8
The Magic of Electricity*(miSci, off-site)
What is electricity, and where does it come from? Explore the different types of electricity and see how it is generated and used in this shocking program!
Program length: 35–45 minutes
Best for grades: 2–8
Chemistry
Science Solutions (miSci, virtual, off-site)
Did you know that the famous toy Silly Putty® was accidentally developed by General Electric engineer, James Wright? Bounce into the world of chemistry by mixing different ratios of ingredients to make the best bouncy ball!
Program length: 35–45 minutes
Best for grades: 2–5
Field trip experiences are $15.50 per student, $21 per adult, and $19 per senior and include a self-guided exhibition tour, a Planetarium show, a hands-on STEM program, pre- and post-activities for teachers, and a room for having lunch at the Museum. Teachers with a certified NYS teaching ID are admitted at no cost. The minimum number of students required is 10. Your visit may be customized to meet your interests and needs. Click here to view our current Planetarium offerings and exhibitions.
If you would like your program to be presented virtually, classes or groups will be invited to join a private Zoom or Google session to connect with the science communicator at miSci. Two weeks prior to a scheduled virtual program, miSci will send a package containing the required supplies to your school or organization.
The fee for each virtual program is $180 per 25 students, which includes materials for hands-on experiments.
The fee for most off-site programs is $180 per 25 students, which includes materials for hands-on experiments. The fee for the Optical Illusions program is $200 per 25 students, and the fee for the Dry Ice or Liquid Nitrogen program is $235 per 25 students. For all off-site programs, the fee for additional students is $7.20 each. Mileage is charged for all off-site programs.
Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. Please inquire during booking for details.
*These programs can be adapted for students up to grade 12.
To request a program contact Cindy DeMarco, miSci’s Reservationist, at cindy.demarco@misci.org or by phone at (518) 382-7890, ext. 228.