Overview

The possible combinations are HUGE! Take a workshop on Engineering Design, Magnets and Electricity, or Static Electricity. Plus join a knowledgeable guide as you tour our exhibits here or at Pavek Museum.

Additional Information

All workshops and tours support Academic Science Standards.

Workshops available for Grades 4-6:

BATTERIES, BULBS, AND WIRES

After a simple primer on circuits, students get a giant pile of—you guessed it—batteries, lightbulbs, wires, and fun gadgets. The challenge? to build anything and everything from the simplest of circuits to complex creations. Easily scalable for any level, this is the perfect blend of circuitry and inquiry to leave students wired for discovery. Cost: $220 first program, $120 each additional on the same day

STATIC ELECTRICITY

A Bakken instructor will lead your students through a number of experiments where they will get to experience static electricity first hand. This engaging and energizing presentation has a hands-on focus allowing students to learn about electricity by experiencing its effects, asking questions, and creating their own experiments to try, leaving the students excited to learn more about science. Cost: $220 first program, $120 each additional on the same day *Due to challenges presented by humidity, this program is not offered from May-Sept.

NANO, NANO: THE SCIENCE OF THE SMALL

The nano world may be tiny, but it still wows students as they discover the differences in how small objects behave and explore ideas behind some of today's cutting-edge science. Students see demos and try group-based experiments to reveal some small discoveries with big implications. Cost: $240 first program, $140 each additional on the same day

Magnets and Electricity

Students will discover the interaction between magnetism and electricity through hands-on experiments and demonstrations. This entertaining workshop allows students an opportunity to explore a robust collection of magnets and magnetic forces as well as the mechanics and use of electromagnets. Bakken educators will introduce participants to current-day innovators who are still discovering new ways to understand magnets and electricity today. Cost: $150 first program, $80 each additional on the same day

COLOR ME CURIOUS

Radiant reds, bright blues, and plush purples are all around us. But where do these colors come from? In this 60-minute workshop, learn about the history and science of natural colorants, familiarize yourself with pH as a chemical property of substances, and explore how scientific knowledge can inform human art. Using colorants and chemical solutions, students will produce a beautiful palette of colors that they will use to create their water color masterpiece. Cost: $240 first program, $140 each additional on the same day

FROGS, VOLTS, AND VINEGAR: ENGINEERING ELECTRICITY FROM PAST TO PRESENT

Alessandro Volta may have invented the battery over 200 years ago, but his invention is just as useful today and still provides some very entertaining experiments. Through his story, students experiment with batteries to power simple devices and explore the innovation process for themselves. Cost: $240 first program, $140 each additional on the same day

SCIENCE OF LIGHT: THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH

Transparent, translucent, opaque, oh my! In their quest to tell the greatest story ever told, Bakken educators and student volunteers wonder why only some materials create shadows, try experiments with a light source, discover how to bend light using a prism and share the greatest shadow show on earth. Hilarity ensures as they uncover that there's more to light than meets the eye, guiding students through engaging demonstrations of how light and shadow function in the real world. Program Length: 45 minutes Cost: $350 first program, $250 each additional on the same day

War of the Currents

Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, and the story of their feud provide a gateway into learning about the science, engineering, and history of electricity and how we generate it. This show engages students in thinking about this tricky topic through interactive storytelling, humor, and some fascinating demonstrations, including a finale that will leave students feeling energized about science. Program Length: 45 minutes Cost: $350 first program, $250 each additional on the same day

Magnets and Electricity Package

This package uses our Magnets and Electricity Package workshop to give students a hands-on introduction to electricity generation then builds upon that with our entertaining and electrifying War of the Currents show, giving students both a more profound experience with the content and the extra jolt they need to be excited about science long after it's over. Cost: please contact us for details and pricing

NANOSCIENCE PACKAGE: SMALL AND SMALLER

Start with our fascinating Small Stuff, Big Deal Assembly as an introduction to the cutting edge of science on the smallest scale, then build on that understanding with an inquiry-driven Nano workshop. Students will take apply the basic ideas and excitement generated by the show to getting up close with demonstrations and work on small group challenges to get an understanding of this small science and its big possibilities. Cost: please contact us for details and pricing

Round Robin One-Day Residency

For an entire grade who wishes to stretch their experience and make connections across a few topics, this one-day residency option is an excellent opportunity to dig deeper. A team of Bakken educators will come to your school and teach either 3 or 4 different programs concurrently; then classes will rotate between them until everyone has experienced all the programs. A graphic organizer that travels with each class is used to help students track connections between the classes and allows each program to build on those before it, no matter what order they are seen in. Cost: please contact us for details and pricing

Multi-Day Residency

To make your Bakken experience really last, book a multi-day residency. String together a collection of workshops and/or assemblies that allow students to follow a scaffold-ed arc, specially constructed by the Bakken team from the topics you select. Fit these visits into a few days in a row or have us visit once a week for several weeks to allow to programming impact to stretch wider and go deeper, leaving students with a strong content base and the excitement to carry on the exploration beyond the confines of the program. Cost: please contact us for details and pricing

Workshops are typically 45-60 minutes in length.