Homeschool Family Science Night- Tomorrow, Wed. January 29!

Homeschool Family Science Night is  tomorrow evening, Wednesday, January 29!  Bring your whole family out to celebrate and explore science and technology! You can still purchase tickets!

Date: Wednesday, January 29, 2014

 

Time: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm (drop-in)

 

Address: 2705 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton

 

Highlights: Hands-on Labs and activity stations hosted by George Mason University College of Science, the Maryland Science Center, the Society of Women Engineers, and Digital Kidz. Meet Albert Einstein in two zany, interactive performances of “Einstein Alive!” Student projects will be on display for the Science Fair and Show-What-You-Know Expo. Plus, door prizes will be given away. Just added: Stellogix astronomy and science store of Fairfax will have student science equipment, models, and kits on display including microscopes and prepared slides to view. They will have select scientific equipment for sale at a 15% show discount.

Hands-on experiments, lab stations, and activities:

• DNA Extraction: Extract the DNA from wheat germ and take it home. (Presented by the Maryland Science Center)

• Clangers: Explore the physics of sound with materials such as string, wire, and slinkies. (Presented by the Maryland Science Center)

• Makey-Makey: Turn everyday objects into touchpads while exploring what common materials conduct electricity. Students will create new computer keys to control a video game. (Presented by the Maryland Science Center

• Robotics Demonstration: Test LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3, the latest generation of robots. Learn about graphical programming language and experiment with sound, displays, and recorded voices to make robotics show emotion in a demonstration of the field of Human Robot Interaction (HRI). (Presented by Digital Kidz)

• Dry Ice & the Gas Laws: Witness how temperature influences the density of gases (Presented by George Mason College of Science)

• Van Der Graaf Generator: Explore electrons and charge (Presented by George Mason College of Science)

• Microscopy: Examine “Mother of Thousands Plantlets” (Bryophyllum daigremontianum), fruit flies, and pollen under a high-powered digital microscope. (Presented by George Mason College of Science)

• Plant Science: Discover conditions influencing the rate of photosynthesis (Presented by George Mason College of Science)

• Geology and Gems: Explore the chemistry of the rocks beneath us (Presented by George Mason College of Science)

• Chemical Weathering: Identify how weather changes the earth’s surface (Presented by George Mason College of Science)

• Snap Circuits: Create unique electrical circuits with modular snap-in components while learning how electrical engineers tackle design issues. (Presented by the Baltimore-Washington Chapter of the Society of Women Engineers)

• LEGO Construction Zone: The atrium is converted to a construction zone with tens of thousands of LEGO components for young engineers and architects to innovate and construct. 

 

Einstein Alive! The whole family can meet Albert Einstein in the Einstein Alive! Learn about physics, the theory of relativity, and Einstein’s contributions and eccentricities through the antics of living history performer and scholar Marc Siegal. Marc will bring Einstein to life in two zany performances with audience participation, demonstrations, songs, and humor!

 

Science Fair Students in grades 3-9 are invited to participate in the Compass Science Fair. This is a judged competition, and a good opportunity for a first time science fair project.

 

Show-What-You-Know Expo Younger students in grades K-5 can show off a favorite science topic, invention, or hobby in the Show-What-You-Know Expo, a fun showcase of students’ STEM interests and hobbies. (Homeschoolers in 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade can participate in either level depending on readiness.)

 

Guidelines for the Science Fair and Show-What-You-Know Expo are available online.

 

Admission is on sale through the Compass store. (Note that this event is being handled through the “Store” tab instead of through class registration.) Online/credit card payments are accepted through PayPal. Event open to all area homeschoolers. Admission is $6.00 per person for Compass families, or $10.00 per person for non-Compass families.