LEAP into Science!
Don't miss the chance to LEAP into Science! with great activities every month focusing on a different scientific theory.
LEAP into Science! is funded by the National Science Foundation, and supported by KUED and the Natural History Museum of Utah.
Schedule
October: Science of a Simple Sort
People naturally sort or group things in order to find, display, or compare them more easily. Scientists have sorted or classified living things so that we can better understand our complex natural world. Using observation and classification skills brings order to our hectic lives.
November: Get the Facts
We are surrounded with more and more information every day. How do we know what to believe? Kid scientists will learn the difference between facts and inferences!
December: Measure Up
If you wanted to know how far you could jump, you might jump from one place to another and then measure the distance with a ruler or tape measure. BUT what did people use before tape measures? How did they measure distances, lengths, or widths? This lesson invites children to explore non-standard measurement as a way of learning how and why people developed standards for measuring things.
January :Mystery of the Monster Bug Shadow
Children intuitively know that there is a relationship between light and shadows, but they don’t fully comprehend it. We notice the shadow (the dark shape on the ground or wall) more than the light creating it. We also see that shadows appear similar but not identical to the objects creating them. This hands-on exploration of light and shadows is sure to enlighten any group!
February: Sound Sleuths
Sounds are a part of our everyday experience. The vibrations that cause them can be felt, heard, and seen. A keen observer can learn a lot from using her senses to explore sound – and children will do just that! Children may start off as noisemakers, but they will quickly progress to sound sleuths who can listen to and describe all of the things they see, feel and hear vibrating. That is sound science!
March: Balance Shmalance
We balance all the time with little thought. We bend over to pick up a stone, walk along curbs, run up and down hills and steps, and manage to carry heavy book bags on one shoulder – all without falling over. By understanding and manipulating balance, even a clothes pin can stand on its head. Balance is something to celebrate and explore!
April: Make a Splash
Water is all around us. It’s in our showers and baths, in our drinking glasses, in the clouds, and in oceans and lakes. Have you ever wondered about why water forms droplets when it rains, or on your skin after you come out of the shower? Or why it clings to your windows after a storm? In this workshop, children will have fun exploring and testing the unique properties of water.
May: Mirror, Mirror
Everything we see, we see because of light! When light bounces, it is called reflection. Light travels in a straight line, unless an object gets in its way. Light reflects off different objects in different ways depending upon the surface it hits. If an object is smooth and shiny, a beam of light will bounce off of it in a predictable direction. You can use this phenomenon to play with light and aim it at a target of your choice!
Location: Chapman Branch
Contact Information: (801) 594-8623