Center staff will present special demonstrations and programs to groups.
Advance registration is necessary to ensure that staff and facilities are
available. Typical demonstrations are described below, lasting about
one-half hour.
Cost for each in-house demonstration is $2.00 per person with a
minimum charge of $40.00 per demonstration (minimum charge does not
apply for regularly scheduled demos on Wednesdays at 2:00 pm).
Hands-on group activities are
$3.00 per person with a $45.00
minimum.
Cart demos are free with purchase of admission fee.
These demonstrations and others are also available as outreach
programs, where center staff will travel to a school or other group to make
one or more presentations.
Prices: $100.00
for the first demo/hour and $75.00 for each additional demo/hour.
Travel time and
mileage fees will apply
to all locations outside the Bemidji area.
Demonstration Topics
Starlab.
This is a portable planetarium where people observe the night sky at any
time of the day! Learn about stars, constellations and planets and how
they appear in the night sky on any day and hour of the year. With
starlab, up to 20 star-gazers can study subjects ranging from
constellations of different cultures, the positions and motions of
planets, telling time with the stars, navigating by the sky, cycles of
the sun and moon, the reason for seasons and other facets of astronomy.
See the Starlab
home page for detailed information. Ages 8 and up.
Standards reinforced/fulfilled:
Grade 3 earth and space science; the universe
Grade 4 earth and space science; the universe
Combustion.
Fire! It has fascinated human-kind for all of history. Whether seen as
a life-giving tool or death-dealing disaster, its power is a force we can all
relate to. In this demonstration clouds of fire flash into the air, metals
burn and balloons explode. All of these phenomena and more are woven into a
discussion of the basic nature of a chemical reaction using combustion as an
example. Ages 9 and up.
Standards reinforced/fulfilled:
Grade 6 physical science; chemical reactions
Cryogenics or States
of Matter. This is a study of
conditions, substances, and processes at extremely low temperatures. Using
liquid nitrogen, the presenter shows how substances change from solid to
liquid gas, describes the nature and importance of thermal energy in matter,
illustrates the behavior of heat, demonstrates how substances change when
their temperature is varied by hundreds of degrees. Ages 8 and up.
Standards reinforced/fulfilled:
Grade 2 physical science; structure of matter.
Grade 4 physical science; structure of matter.
Grade 6 physical science; structure of matter.
Animal Menagerie. This
program introduces visitors to the live
animals on display at the Science Center. Discussion includes the care
and feeding of animals as pets, proper handling techniques, and
interesting facts. All ages.
Standards reinforced/fulfilled:
Kindergarten life science; diversity of organisms
Grade 2 life science; interdependence of life and
flow of energy and matter.
Grade 3 life science; diversity of organisms and
interdependence of life
Grade 4 life science; diversity of organisms
Grade 5 life science; biological populations
change over time.
Raptors
Rule. This is an exciting opportunity to get a close up view
of live raptors and learn about the characteristics that make raptors
different from other birds. Learn about various raptors found in
Minnesota and their habitats. Learn what you can do to help preserve the
environment and protect these spectacular creatures. All ages.
This
program reinforces some of the Minnesota state Life Science Standards in
kindergarten through 5th grade.
Bats. Bats
are interesting creatures and deserve our respect. This program helps to
understand these often maligned creatures. Ages 5 and up.
Standards reinforced/fulfilled:
Grade 2 life science; interdependence of life and
flow of energy and matter.
Grade 4 life science; diversity of organisms.
Pushes
and Pulls. This program demonstrates forces and how simple
machines multiply them. Ages 8 and up.
Standards reinforced/fulfilled:
Grade 2 Physical science; motion.
Grade 5 Physical science; motion.
Grade 6 Physical science; motion.
Grades 9-12 physical science; motion
Air Pressure. We
all live at the bottom of an ocean of air. Just as water pressure is
caused by the weight of water, atmospheric pressure is caused by the air
piled above us. This demonstration will show how we are all affected
by air pressure. Ages 8 and up.
Unique Properties of
Water. Learn all about water and why it does such amazing
things. Ages 12 and up.
Insects and Spiders. Learn what makes
an insect an insect and how it is different from a spider.
Cart
Demonstrations
Cart demonstrations are informal, abbreviated versions of
group demonstrations that are temporarily moved (using a cart)
onto the exhibit floor where visitors can interact with a staff
person if they choose. These demos are included with the
admission price and occur on most Fridays at 2:00
pm.
Hands-on
Group Activities
Rocks to
Sand. Investigate sand samples from around the world. Learn
what sand is made of and where it comes from. Discover the difference
between gravel, sand, silt and clay. Several fun-filled hand-on
activities are offered
Sensational
Senses. Experience your sensational senses with hands-on
activities involving touch, taste, sight, smell and hearing. Ages 6-12.
Limited to 20 participants
Standards reinforced/fulfilled:
Kindergarten life science; human organism.
Grade 1 life science; human organism.
Macroinvertebrates.
For ages 9 and up. Explore the world of lakes and streams and the
small creatures that call this home (seasonal).
HSC Demonstrations -SUPER SIZED !
Headwaters Science Center is upsizing its
demonstrations to serve large venues and large audiences. Science
demonstrations–short shows that entertain while illustrating basic
scientific concepts–have been a mainstay of HSC’s educational offerings
since its beginnings. Thousands of Center visitors (students of all
ages!) have been thrilled by clouds of flame and wondered at banana
hammers, the strange properties of water, and many other phenomena over
the years, both in the Center and at outreach programs presented almost
everywhere. So far, these thousands have accumulated in small groups.
Our demonstrations, or “demos,” as we call them, have been presented to
small audiences in classroom-size venues. Lately we have discovered that
there is a demand for larger shows that can communicate to hundreds of
people at once using larger, more exciting effects. To accommodate this
demand, the program committee has initiated an effort to “super-size”
five demos that have been perennially popular: Cryogenics, Combustion, Pushes and Pulls,
The Unique Properties of Water, and Air Pressure.
All of us who present these demos have enjoyed them in
their original forms, but we must admit, making them bigger will be a
lot of fun! Every model must be enlarged so that it is visible from the
back row of a large auditorium. Every effect must be made bigger,
flashier, and more outrageous to hold the
mental focus of, and communicate concepts to, an audience of hundreds.
The brainstorming to come up with ideas to accomplish this has been
engaging, to say the least, and the experimentation to see what will
work best has been even more fun.
Combustion.
Fire! It has fascinated human-kind for all of history. Whether seen as
a life-giving tool or death-dealing disaster, its power is a force we can all
relate to. In this demonstration clouds of fire flash into the air, metals
burn and balloons explode. All of these phenomena and more are woven into a
discussion of the basic nature of a chemical reaction using combustion as an
example. Ages 9 and up.
Bats. Bats
are interesting creatures and deserve our respect. This program helps to
understand these often maligned creatures. Ages 5 and up.
Sensational
Senses. Experience your sensational senses with hands-on
activities involving touch, taste, sight, smell and hearing. Ages 6-12.
Limited to 20 participants
