What’s the attraction?
What amazing creatures live in a single drop of pond water? Students learn to prepare slides and zoom in on microscopic wonders like the stinging tentacles of a pint-size predator and the beating heart of a tiny, translucent crustacean. This program teaches microscope skills and gives insight into an incredible microscopic world. Topics include animal adaptations, aquatic ecology, habitats and scientific equipment.
This program is specifically designed for grades 4 through 8.
OMSI 4 All
OMSI is committed to making science-fueled fun available for all in our community. Please inquire about our financial assistance programs for school and community programs.
Need Help Planning?
We know what it takes to coordinate groups of students—we’ve been doing it for years! Contact us to find answers and resources for painless planning.
Booking + Program Logistics
Looking for more information? Explore quick details about our programs below. View our travel programs map to see when we will be in your community. Find all the details and learn more about OMSI’s outreach programs.
OMSI supports educators with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) requirements by providing corresponding programming, opportunities, and resources for them and their students. Reach out to learn more about specific ways that OMSI experiences align with and support science standards.
This program has capacity for 34 students per session.
This program has a two session minimum booking requirement.
Programs must be scheduled with at least two weeks’ advance notice. If you have questions, please contact us at 503.797.4661 or register@omsi.edu.
This program requires access to a room with a water source.
This program has an additional lab fee of $40.00 per session.
We’re always willing and excited to come to you. Travel fees may be required and vary based on schedule and distance from the museum in Portland, OR. If you are located less than 40 miles from the museum, there are no travel fees.
OMSI plans regional trips throughout the year. Check out our Traveling Programs Map to see when we already plan to be in your region. If you are located more than 40 miles from the museum, travel fees are charged as follows:
- By scheduling a program when we’re in your area (per our Traveling Program Map), each school pays $175 per instructor per day, in addition to the program cost. No mileage is charged.
- If we make a special trip to your school (when we’re not scheduled to be in your area per our Traveling Programs Map), each school is charged 65¢ per round-trip mile (subject to federal rate changes) and $175 per instructor per day, in addition to the program cost.
- Visits to areas beyond the boundaries of the map are available by request and travel fees are negotiated on a case-by-case basis.