
Discover STEM!
This is a fun-filled day full of various STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) activities for all ages. Come explore and discover something new and exciting!
- Date: Saturday, March 22, 2025
- Location: Calkins Science Center (CSC) building and Cook Hall on GRCC’s downtown campus. View campus map
- Time: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
- Cost: Free!
- Free parking: Available from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. in Parking Ramp A (corner of Fountain St. and Ransom Ave.) and B (corner of Bostwick Ave. and Lyon St.).
Activities
- Musical Instruments | CSC 403/405: Sit down and construct a musical instrument out of everyday materials.
- Math Play | CSC 406: Games! Games!! Games!!!
- Geology Gems | CSC 427: Explore rocks, fossils and cool minerals in the geology lab!
- “At-Home” Astronomy | CSC 440: What can astronomers learn from craters? How do we know what stars are made of? And just how big is the Solar System? Come explore the wonders of space in a classroom not so far away!
- Artistic Robots | CSC 444: Be an engineer by designing and building your own artistic robot. Work through design challenges to make your robot move around and spin to draw pictures using markers!
- Balloon Cars | CSC 503: Participants will build lightweight gas-powered vehicles using a balloon, tongue depressors, straws and rubber bands, then test their cars on our race track. Successful tests are awarded with cheers and applause, and participants will get to keep their cars.
- Gooey, Stretchy Science Fun! | CSC 505: Get ready to mix, stretch and squish your way through the science of slime. Best of all, you get to take your slime home to keep the fun (and science) going!
- The Green Planet | CSC 530 (Greenhouse): Step into the greenhouse, where beautiful butterflies flutter all around! Get ready to observe these delicate creatures in action while learning about their life cycle and the plants they love.
- Succulent Propagation | CSC 531: Join the GRCC Garden Club in the Greenhouse of Calkins Science Center! This activity will have members of the community discover various aspects of plant biology! Community members will also learn about plant reproduction and will make their own succulent/plant arrangement to take home!
- Heart Attack, Stents and Balloons | CSC 330: Participants will be able to see how plaque buildup in coronary arteries can stop blood flow and cause heart attacks. Demonstration of how balloons and stents can be used to fix blocked vessels and save lives.
- Be a nurse for a day! | CSC 432: Participants will practice skills that nurses use to take care of people (check blood pressures, listen to heart and lung sounds, check blood pressures and use a mechanical lift), make their own stethoscope and even get to check out our simulation mannequins that blink, talk and breath!
- Biology Crafts and Snacks | CSC 106: Come and check out our free drop-in tutorial support offered for all GRCC Biology students. Please enjoy scienceinspired arts and crafts suitable for all ages along with some light refreshments!
- Face Painting and Tattoos | CSC 202: Unleash your inner artist at our face painting and tattoo station where science meets spectacle in a dazzling display of creativity!
- John Ball Traveling Zoo | CSC 204: John Ball Zoo educators will dive into the fun world of animal play and share how zookeepers keep animals happy and healthy. Plus, get up close and personal with live zoo animals — don’t miss this exciting chance to meet some amazing creatures!
- Forensics — Fingerprints | CSC 205: Step into the role of a forensic fingerprint examiner to reveal the identity of the cookie thief. Leave with your very own unique fingerprint card.
- Vermicomposting: Composting with Worms | CSC 228: Families will be able to make a minicomposting container with worms, check out worm poop under the microscope and learn about composting opportunities, not only in their backyard but around the community.
- Owl Pellet Dissection | CSC 232: Explore and dissect an owl’s pellet to learn what an owl eats by identifying the bones and other material in the pellet. Fun for all ages!
- Microbe Madness: Crafting Edible Bacteria Plates | CSC 241: Unleash your creativity to make your very own bacteria plates with delicious pudding and candy — no icky stuff here! Get ready for a hands-on, messy and totally tasty microbiology adventure!
- Glow Germ Hand Washing | CSC 242: Come see glow in the dark “germs” and see how good you are at washing them away from your hands!
- Extracting DNA from Strawberries! | CSC 243: Embark on a berry exciting adventure to explore the world of genetics and discover what DNA looks like.
- Twist into the Fun of DNA! | CSC 243: Join us for a hands-on DNA Craft Station at STEM Day! Build your very own DNA model while learning about the incredible blueprint of life. Come twist, loop and create — because science can be sweet!
- Exploring Psychology: Sensation, Perception and Mindfulness | CSC 303: Come explore a variety of interactive activities in psychology, including optical illusions, mindfulness activities and miniscience experiments!
- Zoology | CSC 305: Get up close with some amazing reptiles, amphibians and even a few creepy crawlies! Meet slithery snakes, frogs and a fascinating tarantula, all while learning what makes these creatures so unique. Touch, observe and discover the science behind their amazing adaptations. Are you brave enough to touch one? Come find out!
- Just Breathe | CSC 306: Participants will be able to see how our lungs work within our body and what happens if we were to lose our breath.
- Escape the Anatomy Lab | CSC 327: Enter the anatomy lab..... and then solve puzzles using your brain and other organs around the room — in order to escape!
- Eye Dissection | CSC 331: Discover the amazing anatomy of your eyes by dissecting a cow eye. Please make sure smaller surgeons have a parent helper due to using dissecting equipment.
- Skeleton Detective | CSC 339: Learn about the human skeleton by playing detective and trying to figure out where each bone fits into the human skeleton. Each person will have a stack of human bones and a full skeleton to try and solve the puzzle of “what goes where?”