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STEM and Lego After School Outreach Programs

Hour-long, hands-on sessions available in over 25 different topics.

Available for five, six, seven or more weeks: choose what works best for you!

Led by trained, qualified, and dynamic instructors.

Drake Planetarium and Science Center has 30 years of offering fun, hands-on science programs in after school settings. We offer a variety of outreach STEM and STEAM programs to area educational agencies. Sites can select both content and length of programs to support individual educational needs. Programs are divided into the following topics:

Space Science

Architecture

Archaeology

Chemistry

Engineering

Rocketry

Fractals

Lego Challenge

Art, Math and Design

Girl Power - Girls STEM

Geometry

Aerospace Engineering

Science Maniacs

Invention Series

Robotics

Popular Outreach Subjects include:

*Engineering - Learn the basics of mechanical engineering while building a variety of machines. Everyone will have lots of fun using Lego elements, gears, pulleys, and levers to build working models of amusement park rides and other complex machines while learn how engineers work to improve our lives. Students will brainstorm, design, build, test, evaluate, redesign and share your innovative solutions.

*Crazy Contraptions - Students build all sorts of creations and the wildest working contraptions to compete in coliseum type games. From catapults to football launchers, siege machines to ping-pong poppers and spaghetti choppers to racing machines. Defend the fortress and compete in your own games and challenges.

*Endless Creative Build - Building with LEGOs and other materials can ignite imagination and creativity! Students will brainstorm, design, build, test, evaluate and redesign a number of models that will bring invention to life. Get them thinking like engineers and show them how science improves people's lives by solving every day problems!

*Aerospace Engineering- Students use the engineering design process to design, create, test, and refine a variety of flying and traveling machines. Shock absorbing systems designed to protect astronauts in a lunar vehicle, create their own air and water powered rocket systems. Students create a myriad of models that they get to keep and take home.

*Rocketry – Students will create a variety of flying rocket models, some of which can be taken home. All types of rocketry will be discussed and presented; students will have different challenges to let them test their rocket knowledge. Each session students will make a different type of flying object and then have challenges to test the principles of flight. Wind-tunnel technology, flight principles, and design will be part of each sessions activities. Straw Rockets, Stomp Rockets, Vinegar Rockets, Estes and more!

* Robotics I & II – Robot engineering three different robot builds, robot extensions that allow robots to function in a number of different ways, motorized robot challenges, invention challenges to test robot design. These challenges help students (working in groups of 2) understand the why and how inventors, scientists, and engineers improve people's lives. Students will brainstorm, build, test and redesign - then develop strategies to use to solve a myriad of problems. Mars Rovers, Extend arms, tracks and numerous other adaptations will be used to expand and reinforce the experience students have had in a challenge.

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