Microbes: Friends or Foes? Plant seeds harbor microbes on the surface of their seeds. Find out how these microbes either help or hurt plants. What Do Microbes Do For Plant Growth? Protocols Materials Checklist At Least 6 Seeds of One Type (seeds can be from fresh
Astronomy in Color
Introduction Full color pictures in Astronomy are actually created by taking several images at different wavelengths of light, assigning colors to those images, and then stacking them on top of each other. Play around with the various color combinations and see what you can
Motor Neurons Part 2 – Electric Fish Demonstration
Motor Neurons in Electric Fish We typically think that the job of motor neurons is to transmit information from our brain to our body to help us move around and interact with the world. Interestingly, some species of animals also have specialized motor neurons that can help them interact with the
Speech & Hearing Coloring Pages
Celebrate the Sounds of Your Life! Protect your ears. If the noise is too loud, walk away, turn it down (Turn it to the Left), or use ear plugs. Materials Checklist Printed Coloring PagesCrayons, colored pencils etc.
Astronomy at IU
The Astronomy department's activities at Science Fest are always popular. This year, the IU Astronomy department has been extra busy preparing for the eclipse with everything from community workshops to preparing the solar telescope for livestreaming. Meet the scientist behind it all, Dr. Caty
EARTHQUAKE! Part 2
Before you Begin Make sure you understand Earthquake! Part 1 before tackling this challenge! Earthquake Location with Michael Join Dr. Michael Hamburger again for a video explaining how seismologists locate earthquakes using seismograms. Then put it into practice with an
Geologic Time and Paleontology Game
Ancient Life Matching Game You spent all day yesterday using a brand-new time machine to study prehistoric organisms which are plants, animals, or single-celled life forms that are now extinct. You went to bed dreaming of these creatures when you woke up to some strange noises. Oh no! You left
Friends Come in All Sizes
Meet Nema the nematode and her friends the bacteria Did you know that all animals depend on bacteria to develop and thrive? Read and color in this short story to learn about the mutually beneficial relationship between small, soil-dwelling worms and their bacterial partners. Download the flat
The Secret Language of Mice: How Does Isolation Change Communication?
Mice: model organisms Did you know that researching mice can teach us about our own bodies and behavior? Although we don’t look alike, mice and humans have a lot in common biologically. Humans and mice share how we develop, all major organ systems, and about 95% of our genes, the genetic
Flow Cytometry
What is flow cytometry? Flow cytometry is a laser-based technology that characterizes cells based on different cell features. These features include size, complexity (how much “stuff” is inside the cell, and how smooth or rough the cell surface is), and most often fluorescence – light that
“What is a Material?” Coloring Book
The Secret Language of Mice: Choose your own Adventure
Choose your own Mouse Communication Adventure Coloring Pages Look for the page that matched your Communication Adventure ending! Materials Checklist Printed coloring pagesCrayons or other coloring medium Mouse Vocalizations Mouse Love Mouse Friendship Mouse Conflict
My Eye Exam
Let's get an eye exam with Maiwenn! Have you ever wondered what it’s like to get an eye exam or what an Optometrist does? Check out this video to see what it’s like to get an eye exam at the Atwater Eye Care Center. Extra Credit
Están listos para el eclipse solar total de esta primavera?
Aquí tienen todo lo que necesitan saber. (Are you ready for the total solar eclipse this spring? Here's everything you need to know.)
Restoring Biodiversity with the BUWP
Restoring Biodiversity Biodiversity Quiz
The Wild Journey of a Bacterial Cell
A Microbial Story Follow a bacterial cell as it alters its physiology to survive diverse environments and encounters with strange and sometimes dangerous microbes. Logarithmic Scale Worksheet Extra Credit
Secret Codes – Part 1
Materials Checklist Printed Decoder WorksheetScissorsPencil Introduction Codes are being used to transfer messages secretly from one person to another, so that other people who see the message can't read it. There are many different types of codes, and we use them every day, for
Braille Alphabet
The Braille system is used by people who are blind to read and write. The Braille system uses a set of raised bumps or dots that can be felt with your finger. Each set of dots is a character in an alphabet. In this activity, you will create your own braille alphabet with just paper and glue. You
Keep Your Eyes Safe During the Eclipse
We all know that we should never look directly at the Sun. It's tempting to look directly at an eclipse during the partial phases because, well, there's not as much Sun showing. But a partial eclipse is just as damaging to your eyes as looking at the unobstructed Sun.
Forensics Frenzy – Detective Simulation
Hello, Detectives! A valuable shell was stolen from the Biology Building and we need YOUR help to find the culprit and track it down! Follow along with the video and the clues presented here to determine which suspect is responsible. Make sure to think about potential motives and each of the four
Eclipse Activities to Look for at Science Fest this Year
To find the eclipse activities, to go the Activities page on the Science Fest web site. Click on the Department filter button and then select "Eclipse-specific" from the menu.
Coloring Our Feathered Friends
Coloring Pages What does it take to be a successful tree swallow? Color in these pictures of tree swallows doing what they do best: competing for nest sites, fending off intruders, and taking care of their chicks. Extra Credit
The Secret Language of Mice: How a Mouse Hears High Frequencies
Exploring Behavior with Our Feathered Friends – Part 1
Materials Checklist • Pen or pencil Exploring behavior through the eyes of a bird Let’s learn to observe, wonder about, and measure behavior like a real-life behavioral biologist. We’ll do this using videos of a bird that spends every spring right here in Bloomington – the fabulous
EARTHQUAKE! Part 1
Welcome! Geophysics graduate student, Elizabeth Sherrill is here to introduce the Science Fest 2020 seismology series and explain how to earn your Master of Disaster badge. How Seismometers Work Resident IU faculty member and seismologist, Dr. Michael Hamburger explains.
A Visit with the Giants
Our Magnificent Trees Michael Chitwood, IU's Research and Teaching Preserve property manager, will introduce Science Fest visitors of all ages to our magnificent trees, sharing their history and cultural uses and attributes.
Will the Weather Cooperate on April 8?
Bloomington weather in April is notoriously unpredictable and there is no telling what it will be like on April 8th. We’ve had rainy day Science Fests in the past, which hasn’t dampened anyone’s fun, but we'd rather not have clouds for the eclipse.
Health Academy Part 2: Balanced Eating and your Health
Healthy Eating Ever heard of the saying "you are what you eat?" Thinking about the food you eat and the nutrients you are getting directly impacts your health. Food Categories. And action! Follow along as School of Nursing students lead an IU Health GOAL
Motor Neurons Part 1 – Build a Neuron with Playdough
Materials Checklist Playdough, store bought or homemade (see recipe if you'd like to make your own) Motor Neurons Neurons are types of cells throughout the nervous system that send messages to one another. One type of neuron, a motor neuron, transmits signals from the brain to a part of
Hoosier Resilience Heroes
Let’s meet a few heroes. Hoosier Resilience Heroes are people who care about the environment, especially the plants, animals, and people that call Indiana home. They live in every part of the state. They practice and encourage habits that protect the air, water, and climate. Color these
Personality Quiz Sample + Instructions
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Secret Codes – Part 2
Before you Begin Make sure you understand Secret Codes - Part 1 before tackling this challenge!
The Secret Language of Mice: Introduction
How do mice hear such high frequencies, how do they respond to different kinds of signals, how does social isolation affect communication?
Music: Science and Culture
Welcome! This activity will help you explore these and other questions: What is sound? What makes sound? What is music? What is culture? Make an Instrument Learn to make three different instruments at home using items that many people have in their
EARTHQUAKE! Part 3
Before you Begin Make sure you understand Earthquake! Parts 1 & 2 before tackling this challenge! Introduction The Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale provides scientists with a method to quantify the shaking generated by an earthquake, as experienced at any point at the
Make a Brain Hat
Materials Checklist • Coloring materials such as crayons• Scissors• Clear tape or white glue* *If you use glue, we recommend using clothespins or paper clips to hold the joints while they dry. Make a Hemisphere Hat We have provided both labeled and unlabeled patterns so that you
What Happens When a Dam Breaks?
On May 19, 2020 the Edenville Dam in Edenville, MI failed. Fortunately no lives were lost, but 10,000 people were displaced or evacuated, more than 2,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, and tens to hundreds of millions of dollars in damages occurred. This dam failure released floodwaters
Weathering at McCormick’s Creek State Park
Weathering and Erosion Weathering causes rocks to disintegrate through physical breaking or chemical dissolution. Weathered rock material is then subject to erosion – the process of separating the weathered material from its source. Words that are often used to describe the process of erosion
Solar System Quiz
Countdown to Science Fest – Eclipse Edition!
It’s not often that a natural phenomenon as awesome as a total solar eclipse passes through Indiana. But this year, on April 8, 2024, that is exactly what will happen. And Bloomington is right in the middle of the eclipse path!
Motor Neuron Coloring Page
Color a Neuron For an extra challenge, label the parts of the neuron. Check the Build a Neuron with Playdough activity for clues. Materials Checklist • Crayons, colored pencils etc.
Citizen Science: Tree Leaf Monitoring
The Citizen Science of Phenology Monitoring Inspired by Nature’s Notebook, a project of the National Phenology Network Phenology is the study of the life cycles of plants and animals. In this activity, you are going to make observations about the phenology of tree leaves. It’s a
Lilly Library Science Fest Coloring Book
Color our Collections Materials Checklist • A printer and paper• Crayons or colored pencils
Science Fest – Eclipse Edition VIEWERS FOR YOU!
Science Fest - Eclipse Edition is your one-stop shop for all things eclipse. There will be eclipse models, eclipse demonstrations, eclipse measurements, eclipse music, eclipse art, eclipse magic, eclipse stories galore . . . and there will be eclipse viewers, for free!
Plants Get Sick Too
Introduction Just like you and me, plants can get sick too when they become infected with a pathogen. Out in nature, there are a variety of different bacteria, fungi, viruses, and nematodes that infect plants. Some of these pathogens live deep within the soil and infect the roots while others
Wear Hearing Protection
How to protect your hearing
Join a Community Science Eclipse Project
Even if the weather threatens to spoil the eclipse for us, it will get dark during the eclipse on April 8. We will notice it and so will animals.
Indiana Bird Field Guide
Materials Checklist Printed Field GuideStapler Assemble your Guide Print double-sided so that the pages flip on the short edge Layer pages together and fold all together along the center line between pages 11 and 12 Staple along fold to secure the pages together If you