School + Community Programs
All Programs
Portable Planetarium
Bring a unique space science experience to you with OMSI’s portable, museum-quality planetarium. The portable planetarium brings the night sky inside with live presentations and films. Various lessons are available for different age groups of students. This program is specifically designed for grades K through 12. Looking for more information? Explore quick details about our […]
people and place, sensory exploration
program at your site
Science Festivals
Bring the spirit of OMSI to your community. We fill 12 to 15 tables with science equipment and challenges guaranteed to thrill youngsters, perplex adults and offer an unforgettable science experience. During school hours, we recommend that classes or grade levels rotate through every 45-60 minutes. For family nights and larger scale events, OMSI educators […]
science skills and core concepts, sensory exploration
program at your site
Going Batty
Explore the intriguing world of bats and learn the truth about one of the most misunderstood and beneficial creatures on Earth. Students learn about bat diversity, echolocation and diet. They’ll also practice using a mist nest, the tool field biologists use to capture and study live bats before releasing them back into the night sky. […]
people and place, science skills and core concepts
program at your site
Identity
What makes you, you? Students use hands-on science to extract their own DNA and real forensic techniques to examine their own unique fingerprints. Topics include forensic science, evidence analysis and analytical thinking. This program is specifically designed for grades 2 through 8. Looking for more information? Explore quick details about our programs below. View our […]
people and place, science skills and core concepts
program at your site
Human Systems
What happens to french fries after you eat them? How do you lift, throw, run and jump? What helps you think and learn? Students explore the skeletal, digestive, nervous, muscular, respiratory and circulatory systems, while learning how to take their own vital signs and keep their body healthy. Topics include human anatomy and body systems. […]
people and place, science skills and core concepts
program at your site
Energy Options
How does a wind turbine generate electricity? Can we use solar panels in Oregon? What makes energy renewable? Students explore energy options and draw conclusions about how we can best meet our energy needs. Topics include energy, generation of electricity, technology, engineering and Earth systems. This program is specifically designed for grades 4 through 8. […]
design and industry science, people and place
program at your site
Float Your Boat
Young engineers will experiment with sinking and floating objects then use their new knowledge to solve creative challenges. This program is specifically designed for grades PreK through 1. 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 […]
design and industry science
program at your site
Fun-tastic Physics
Students explore the laws of physics while playing with everyday toys. They join a videotaped space mission and predict and observe how toys act in the weightless conditions of space. Topics include action/reaction, force applications, inertia, momentum and Newton’s three laws of motion. This program is specifically designed for grades 2 through 5. Looking for […]
science skills and core concepts
program at your site
Earth in Motion
Duck and cover! In this class, students become earthquake experts, studying the tectonic forces that trigger quakes and engineering structures to withstand them. We’ll also learn how those same tectonic forces work slowly over millions of years to sculpt mountains, shift continents and shape the land we live on today. Topics include plate tectonics, earthquakes […]
people and place
program at your site
Down With Gravity
How slow can you go? In this gravity-defying workshop, students are challenged to reduce a falling ball to the slowest speed possible through a maze of obstacles. This program is specifically designed for grades 2 through 5. Looking for more information? Explore quick details about our programs below. View our travel programs map to see […]
science skills and core concepts
program at your site