Activity Descriptions

Activities are subject to change. Please check this website for final updates on January 16. Updated on December 19, 2008.

Engineering & Technology Building

• Interactive Presentation by Astronaut Barbara Morgan! Boise State University. Barbara Morgan, NASA’s first Educator Astronaut flew aboard the space shuttle Endeavor in August 2007. Learn more about her experiences at NASA and in space. All ages, Room 110, Capacity 150 (45 minutes: 10am, 1pm, 3pm)
  
• Rockets & Satellites INL – An interactive presentation by Kevin Young, Idaho National Laboratory. Learn the fascinating history of rocketry, the basics of rocket propulsion, how rockets are guided and how rockets and satellites have changed our world. All ages, Room 103, Capacity 75 (45 minutes: 9am, 11am, 2pm)
  
• Build and Eat an Edible Aquifer! Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and United Water. Learn how ground water is stored in aquifers, how what we do can affect our groundwater and drinking water, and how good engineering helps keep our water clean. Ages 5-14, Room 215, Capacity 30 (45 minutes: 9am, 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm)
  
• Play with Keva Blocks, Discovery Center - 2nd floor atrium, all ages, as space permits
  
• Play with Uberstix, Discovery Center - 3rd Floor atrium, all ages, as space permits
  
• Build a NASA Glider – A fun hands-on activity by Brian Hawkins, NASA Education Specialist, NASA Ames Research Center. Design and test gliders, and learn about the NASA program and the contributions made by the space program. Ages 6-14, Room 335, Capacity 30 (60 minutes: 9am, 10:30am, 12:30, 2pm )
  
• How to Build a Tree - The McCall Outdoor Science School. Explore how concepts of physics and engineering relate to the structure of living things.
  Ages 8-14, 30 capacity (45 minutes: 10am, 11am, 1pm, and 2pm )
• Lunar Lander - Society of Women Engineers. Design and build a lander for marshmellow astronauts. Ages 5-14, Room 314, Capacity 30 (45 minutes: 9:30am, 10:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, 2:30pm)
  

Micron Engineering Center

• Electricity and Magnetism – Physics Club, Mountain View High School – The physics club from MTVH will be presenting a series of hands-on demonstrations. Ages 8-14, Room 106, Capacity 100 (45 minutes: 10am, 12noon, 1:30pm)
  
• Build a Bridge using West Point Bridge Design software, Civil Engineering Club, Boise State. Design a bridge utilizing software, and test to see if it would succeed or fail. Participants can review the components of their bridge to make modifications and improvements. Ages 8-Adult, Room 103, Capacity 25 (30 minutes – drop in)
  
• Tie Dye Chromatography – Micron Foundation, Inc. Use permanent markers to experiment with the concepts related to chromatography and color separation. Ages 5-14, Room 114, Capacity 40 (45 minutes: 9:30am, 10:30am, 11:30am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm)

Civil Engineering Building

• Wind Tunnel and Aerodesign – Mechanical Engineering Society, Boise State. Experience the breeze of Boise State’s wind tunnel which tests aerodynamic shapes, lift and drag, how models of buildings behave in wind, and how air flows around scale models. Plus the remote controlled airplane designed and built by ME students. All ages, open and interactive.
  
• Mini-Baja/Human Powered Vehicle – Mechanical Engineering Society, Boise State. Learn about design/build vehicle competitions. All ages.
  
• Bungie Barbie! Tina Moore - Learn about physics and springs. Ages 6-13 (upstairs) (45 minutes: 9am, 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm)
  

Applied Tech Building

• Jenga Jedi - URS Washington Division – Learn about forces in engineering while playing Jenga. Ages 6-12, Room 110 (30 Minutes, drop-in)
  
• Jelly Bean Binary – Micron Foundation, Inc. Learn the language of computers. Learn how the computer uses binary code and how to encode and decode with it. Then, using “1s”, “0s”, and jelly beans you will be able to create your own secret messages. Ages 5-10, room 114 (45 Minutes: 9am, 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm)
  
• Star Lab Exporation in a Portable Planetarium - Anne Stafford, Boise School District. Experience how to locate the circumpolar constellations and constellations of the zodiac. View the night sky as it appears this time of year. All ages, Room 118 (45 minutes: 10am, 11:30am, 1pm, 2:30pm)
  
• Ride a Segway - Electrical Engineering Club, Boise State. Learn about the Segway, a self-balancing, personal transportation vehicle that uses computerized gyroscopes and tilt sensors to maintain balance and make riding fun! Ages 8-Adult, Room 122 (As space permits, wait in line)
• Build Wind Turbines - Kuna Science Club. Design and build a wind turbine and test them with a fan. Ages 8-Adult, Room 113 (45 minutes: 11am, 1:30pm)
  

Old Gym / Kinesiology Building– EXPO – Open demonstrations for all ages.

• BlockFest – University of Idaho parents and teacers – Pre-registration required. Bring your child ages 8 monthes to 8 years to enjoy five block-play stations designed to maximize your child's enjoyment and learning.
• Future City Competition - Idaho Society of Professional Engineers. Learn about an exciting regional competition where students create and design a future city.
  
• Mysterious Materials Science - Micron Foundation, Inc. Instant Snow! Magic Sand! What is it? How does it do that? Learn how polymers and mysterious materials are created and where to find them all around us.
  
• SSD Shake-O-Matic – Crucial.
  
• Seatbelt Demonstration – Federal Highway Administration. Live demonstration that will help Idahoans make better Snap Decisions about whether to wear or not wear a seatbelt.
  
• 15,000 Volt Demonstration Board - Idaho Power. Designed to illustrate the properties of electricity. The demonstration will prove the theory that electricity always seeks the quickest path to earth.
  
• What’s a Watt? - Idaho Power. Ride a bicycle that generates power. Feel the energy that powers a light bulb, a computer, and a television.
  
• FIRST Robotics - Mountain View High School. Learn about an exciting high school competition, and local Lego League!
  
• Launching Catapults - Science Olympiad -
  
• Radio Demonstration - HP Boise Amateur Radio Club. Its not your father's Amateur Radio! We cover the world and even space with voice, data and images.... See how amateurs use different forms of transmission to exchange information... See how we help provide communications in times of emergency. See how we learn about things like antennas, RF transmission and reception... See how we can track moving vehicles in real time... See how we have fun!
• Electricity, Vaccums, and Toner Cartrides – Hewlett Packard