These periodical cicadas won’t be back in Bloomington until 2034 & 2038!
Day in the Life of an EEB Grad Student: Emmi
Meet an Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior (EEB for short) graduate student from IU and learn about her fascinating research with microorganisms! Counts toward Prospective Prof badge.
Psychology and Brain Sciences Puzzles + Coloring Pages
Coloring Pages Word Search Crossword Puzzle Brain Maze
Roving Naturalist: Seed Bombs
Gather some local seeds and make a bomb of color go off in an empty lot near you! Counts toward Crafty Scientist badge.
Migration Sensation
Enjoy the autumn bird migration with videos and activities from the Ketterson Lab! Counts toward Avian Ace badge.
Ohm’s Law Demonstration
Ohm’s Law relates electrical voltage, current, and resistance. This video demonstration will teach you all about Ohm’s Law. Counts toward Materials Master badge.
Physics Grad Students Describe their Research: Blake
Blake Forland uses machine learning to look for the production of two Higgs bosons in ATLAS. Counts toward Particle Wrangler badge.
Health Academy Part 3: COVID-19, Vaccines, and your Health
Learn about safety best practices you should adopt for your health during this pandemic. Plus, learn about COVID-19 research at IU. Counts toward Hot Shot badge.
Motor Neurons Part 1 – Build a Neuron with Playdough
Step-by-step instruction on building a neuron with playdough (includes recipe to make your own playdough). Counts toward Junior Ethologist badge.
Astronomy in Color
Make your own beautiful, full-color images of space! Counts toward Space Cadet badge.
Bacterial Viruses
Make a paper model of a virus that makes bacteria sick. Learn about the differences between bacteria and viruses and the potential of using viruses to cure disease. Counts toward Micro Hero and Crafty Scientist badges.
Solar System Coloring Page
Let your creativity shine through with our coloring page of the planets of the solar system!
VOLCANO!
Our trash can volcano eruptions are a highlight of Science Fest every year! This video explains the basics of volcanoes and how a trash can volcano can serve as a model for real-life volcanoes. Counts toward Rock Star badge.
Make a Brain Hat
Coloring and craft fun with your brain. When you are finished, you can wear a brain on the outside of your head!
The Secret Language of Mice: Choose your own Adventure
A clickable story game where you can play as a mouse and interact with another mouse, making decisions along the way that impact the outcome of the story! Counts toward Mouse Whisperer and Science Gamer badges.
Geology Coloring Pages
Twelve geology-themed coloring pages from Indiana Geological and Water Survey to spark your geotivity!
Motor Neuron Coloring Page
Color a neuron!
IU Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology Coloring Pages
Coloring pages featuring excavation, surveying, and photography.
Scavenger Hunt Through the Bookshelves
Lead the Sciences Library through a scavenger hunt through your bookcase! Find your favorite book, a science theme book, a book someone recommended to you, and a book you would recommend to a friend, and then tell us about them! Answer the questions after each book, and at the end take a picture with your favorite or science theme book and share it with us! Counts toward Bibliomancer badge.
Day in the Life of a Microbiology Grad Student: Caroline
Ever wonder what a Biology graduate student does all day and why? Or how research performed in a lab at IU can impact your life? Counts toward Prospective Prof badge.
The Human Eye
Make your own paper plate eyeball after watching the video, “Human Eye – The Dr. Binocs Show.” See if you can remember all the parts of the eye and what they do! Counts toward Junior Visionary badge.
Child Scientists Needed: Birth to 8 Years
Do you have an Infant? Toddler? Preschooler and/or Kindergartener? You and your child can participate in studies that investigate all aspects of early child development.
Make your own Playdough
Ingredients: 1 cup flour 1 cup water 2 teaspoons cream of tarter 1/3 cup salt 1 tablespoon vegetable oil Gel food coloring Instructions (Stovetop): Mix together all the ingredients, except the food coloring, in a medium saucepan. Cook over low/medium heat, stirring. Once it begins to thicken, add the food coloring. Continue stirring until the […]
Make Artificial Snow
With two household ingredients, you can make your own artificial snow! Counts toward Kitchen Chemist badge.
ATLAS Experiment Coloring Book
Learn what it’s like to work in the ATLAS collaboration by exploring the ATLAS Coloring Book.
Biology Coloring Pages
These coloring pages pertain to biology subjects like photosynthesis, evolution and Darwin, wearing a mask to fight COVID-19, and the animal cell.
Experiencing Hearing Loss
Want to know what it speech sounds like when you have hearing loss? Watch this video to find out! Counts toward Hear-O badge.
Hearing Aid Technology
Learn how hearing aids have changed over time due to new technology and fitting of hearing aids on different populations.
Colored Fire with Metal Salts
This video will show you the different colored flames when metal salts are ignited and the explanation behind this cool visual. Counts toward Mage of Colors badge.
Lilly Library Science Fest Coloring Book
Color prints from the collections of the Lilly Library.
EARTHQUAKE! Part 1
Start off your adventure learning about seismology with an introductory video from IU EAS graduate student Elizabeth Sherrill and a video about how seismometers work by seismologist Dr. Michael Hamburger. Counts toward Master of Disaster badge.
Flow Cytometry
Take a virtual tour of the Flow Cytometry Core Facility and learn how we use this technology to measure tiny things like bacteria, plant pollen, and cancer cells. Then make the concepts of flow cytometry into game by pretending that small colorful objects you find around your home are “cells”! Counts toward Micro Hero badge.
EARTHQUAKE! Part 3
Part three of our introduction to seismology series is an exercise about the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale which is used by seismologists to determine the magnitude and epicenter of earthquakes of the past. Counts toward Master of Disaster badge.
Benham’s Disk
The Benham’s Disk (also often called Benham’s Wheel, Benham’s Top), is a very handy, and nice illustration of color science.
Defeating the Boredom of Quarantine while Staying Safe
In a world where everyone is stuck in their homes for months on end, one physics club tries to alleviate their boredom through socially-distanced low-budget experiments.
How do Rivers Work?
Watch rivers evolve in real time in these small-scale physical experiments. Counts toward River Ranger badge.
Optical Illusion Fun
See five different optical illusions and discover why we perceive them that way! Counts toward Mind Bender badge.
Illuminating Science: Quorum Sensing
Learn how bacteria communicate with each other to accomplish group behaviors. Counts toward Micro Hero badge.
Geologic Time and Paleontology Game
Download and print a geologic timescale and a set of ancient animal cards and use the clues to put the ancient life in the time period where it belongs. Counts toward Science Gamer badge.
Restoring Biodiversity with the BUWP
Learn about biodiversity, ecosystem services, and green infrastructure with the Bloomington Urban Woodlands Project.
Make your own Science Notebook
Make a 3-hole pamphlet stitch notebook. Counts toward Indiana Pwns badge.
Build and Use a Solar Car
Get your free kit and see your own solar car in action. Learn about solar cars and how they can revolutionize our society.
I Love You with All of My Brain
Featuring “I Love You with All of My Brain”, an original song by Taylor and the Nerds. Counts toward Mind Bender badge. Counts toward Mind Bender badge.
Wear Hearing Protection
How to protect your hearing
Changing the Color of a Light Emitting Diode (LED)
This video will show you how temperature can affect the color of an LED. Counts toward Mage of Colors badge.
Friends Come in All Sizes
Read and color this short story to learn about the mutually beneficial relationship between small, soil-dwelling worms and their bacterial partners. Counts toward Micro Hero badge.
Physics Grad Students Describe their Research: Ashley
Ashley Brooks searches for a new type of Higgs boson with the ATLAS experiment. Counts toward Particle Wrangler badge.
Test Activities
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Converting Mechanical Energy to Electricity (Piezoelectricity)
Come learn about Piezoelectricity, where mechanical energy can be transformed into electricity. Counts toward Materials Master badge.
Hoosier Resilience Heroes
Color your way to resilience!
A Day in the Life of an Isotope Geochemist
Follow along with geochemist Dr. Arndt Schimmelmann, as he shows us how he uses scientific glass-blowing to isolate natural gasses for study. Counts toward Rock Star badge.
IU Greenhouse
Take a virtual tour of the beloved Biology Building Greenhouse on the Bloomington campus of Indiana University. Enjoy beautiful photographs and fun facts for some of our special plants as you virtually wander through the peaceful conservatory rooms. Counts toward Botany Buff badge.
Field Guide to Crane Behavior
Learn more about crane behaviors from courtship and mating to nesting and chick rearing. Then, go out into the field and record your observations!
Health Academy Part 1: Physical Activity and your Health
Join the IU School of Nursing and IU Health GOAL program as we discuss the importance of physical activity and your health. Counts toward Hot Shot badge.
Plants Get Sick Too
Put yourself in the shoes of a plant pathologist and go on a mission to find “new plant pathogens” out in nature! Counts toward Botany Buff badge.
Playing a Game Causes Changes in the Brain?
Increase your ability in math and science from playing a game? Blocks rock! Counts toward Mind Bender badge.
Hoosier Geology Quiz
Test your knowledge of Indiana’s rocks, fossils, and geologic history.
You’ve Got a Friend in Me: Plants and Their Microbial Partners
How do microbes on the surface of seeds affect plant growth? Find out with this hands-on experiment. Counts toward Botany Buff badge.
A Day in the Life of a Paleontologist
Meet Anne Kort, a paleontology graduate student, and learn about her research. She uses 3D virtual models of fossils to understand mammal radiation following the end Cretaceous mass extinction. Counts toward Rock Star badge.
School of Nursing Health Academy
A downloadable coloring page that shows various different nurses tools that are used in a health screening.
Determining Noise Levels
Have you ever wondered how loud the sounds you hear everyday are? Or how loud the environments that you are in? Could these sounds you listen to potentially be damaging your hearing? Counts toward Hear-O badge.
Day in the Life of an EEB Grad Student: Mackenzie
Meet an Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior (EEB for short) graduate student from IU and learn about her research with plants. Counts toward Prospective Prof badge.
Music: Science and Culture
Explore the science behind the music you hear, learn more about cultural aspects of music, and build your own instruments. Counts toward Indiana Pwns badge.
Indiana Bird Field Guide
Assemble this guide, become familiar with some local feathered friends, and then head outdoors to record the birds that you see. Counts toward Avian Ace badge.
Knowledge Quiz Sample + Instructions
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Health Academy Part 2: Balanced Eating and your Health
What makes up a healthy diet, and how does this lead to better health? Let’s watch our student nurses explain MyPlate with IU Health GOAL and learn how to create your own. Counts toward Hot Shot badge.
The Secret Language of Mice: How a Mouse Hears High Frequencies
Click through an interactive investigation to learn about the secret language of mice, and what our ears have to do with it. Counts toward Mouse Whisperer badge.
See how Scientists Peek in on the Brain at Work
Take this tour of the IU Psychological and Brain Sciences Imaging Research Facility with Dr. Sharlene Newman, and learn how it works to scan brains. Counts toward Mind Bender badge.
Virtual Escape Room
Welcome to the Locked Library Escape Room! Travel through the library looking for clues, solving puzzles, and answers riddles to escape the library before morning. Counts toward Bibliomancer and Science Gamer badges.
Day in the Life of an EEB Grad Student: Mary
Meet an Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior (EEB for short) graduate student from IU and learn about her fascinating research with birds! Counts toward Prospective Prof badge.
A Day in the Life of a Trace Element Geochemist
Dr. Shelby Rader, a lab isotope geochemist, shows you some of the fun experiments she gets to do each day, including dissolving solid rocks and separating them into their base elements! Counts toward Rock Star badge.
Anatomy of the Eye
Watch a video then take a quiz to test your knowledge. Counts toward Visionary badge.
Subatomic Swirls
Watch this video about the “subatomic swirls” to learn about the smallest subatomic “lego pieces” that together build up everything in our physical world! Counts toward Particle Wrangler badge.
The Secret Language of Mice: Introduction
Learn how mouse communication compares to human communication. Counts toward Mouse Whisperer badge.
EARTHQUAKE! Part 2
Part two of our introduction to seismology series is all about location, location, location! Counts toward Master of Disaster badge.
What Happens When a Dam Breaks?
Get a birds eye view of the aftermath of the Edenville and Sanford dam failures courtesy of Earth and Atmospheric Science drone pilot Steve Scott. Counts toward River Ranger badge.
Can you hear these sounds?
As we age, our ability to hear certain high frequency sounds diminishes. Listen to these sounds and see if you are able to hear them all! Counts toward Hear-O badge.
Roving Naturalist: Queen Anne’s Lace
Who would have thought Carrots could be so pretty? Daucus carota, or Queen Anne’s Lace is a biennial that is also known as wild carrot. Join City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation’s Kate Seader to learn more about this local wildflower. Counts toward Early Bloomer badge.
Walking Water
Join STEM Outreach for a fun activity to learn about water and its properites! Can water walk? Let’s find out! Counts toward Crafty Scientist badge.
Effect of Temperature on Materials
We drop things in liquid nitrogen to see the effect of temperature on different materials properties.
Day in the Life of a GCDB Grad Student: Allie
Meet a Genome, Cell, and Developmental Biology (GCDB for short) graduate student from IU. Counts toward Prospective Prof badge.
Day in the Life of a Microbiology Grad Student: Kaitlin
Meet a Microbiology graduate student from IU and learn about her fascinating research with viruses! Counts toward Prospective Prof badge.
Forensics Frenzy – Detective Simulation
Join the Science Outreach Society for a fun forensics activity! A shell has disappeared from the Biology Building. Use your detective skills to figure out, “Who done it?” Counts toward Science Gamer badge.
Ectopic Eyes on Fruit Flies
How does a cell decide to be an eye? Counts toward Grub Scout badge.
Cabbage pH Meter
Learn how to make your own pH indicator solution that you can use to test the pH of things around the house. Counts toward Kitchen Chemist badge.
Getting to Know Cranes
Learn about the International Crane Foundation and make a paper crane. Counts toward Avian Ace and Crafty Scientist badges. (instrucciones en Español para grulla de papel)
Planet Temperature Calculator
Want to know what it takes to make a planet habitable? Counts toward Space Cadet badge.
Stroop Test
Take the Stroop test, a color and word game that shows how your brain processes two different types of information. Can you tell the difference? Counts toward Mind Bender badge.
Citizen Science: Tree Leaf Monitoring
Go outside and make observations of tree leaf color and life stage. Counts toward Eco Warrior badge.
Tour of IU Glass Shop
Meet craftsman Don Garvin and tour the Chemistry Glass Shop. Counts toward Chemistry Champ badge.
Physics Glass Tricks
Do you want to learn some simple but cool tricks to show to your friends and family? Physics can help you!
Meet Little John the Tortoise
Little John might be staying home for this year’s Science Fest but that does not mean you can’t learn more about him! Can you guess how much he weighs and what he eats?
Weathering at McCormick’s Creek State Park
Join IU EAS faculty member, Dr. Andrea Stevens Goddard, on a virtual field trip to McCormick’s Creek State Park to look at how different types of rock weather over time. Counts toward River Ranger badge.
A Visit with the Giants
A tour of some of the Research and Teaching Preserve’s largest trees. Counts toward Eco Warrior badge.
Lava Lamp
Join STEM Outreach to make a lava lamp! Let’s learn about density and attraction and how those play into the making of a lava lamp! Counts toward Crafty Scientist badge.
Roving Naturalist: Elderberry vs Pokeberry
Despite their somewhat similar appearances, elderberries and pokeberries are not related. Join City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation’s Kate Seader to learn the differences. Counts toward Early Bloomer badge.
Science Libraries Coloring Pages
Explore your creative side with two coloring pages created by the Sciences Library and share your creations with us!
Meg in the Egg Coloring Book
This coloring book tells the story of a crane named Meg from her egg incubation to hatching at International Crane Foundation headquarters.
A Puzzle For Your Thoughts?
From the Lilly Library, make the Slocum Puzzle Collection trihexaflexagon puzzle. Counts toward Bibliomancer Badge.
“What is a Material?” Coloring Book
Come read and color our coloring book titled, “What is a Material?” You will learn about different types of materials all around you!
Secret Codes – Part 2
Test your permutation cipher know-how. Counts toward Cipher Seeker badge.
Groovy Patterns and Surface Tension
Surface tension is an invisible force holding liquids together. In this DIY experiment, people can take household items and explore what happens when you lower the surface tension of milk while making groovy patterns using food dye. Counts toward Mage of Colors badge.
At Home DNA Extraction Lab
Step by step protocol for the extraction of DNA from a strawberry using common household items. Counts toward Chemistry Champ badge.
Earth & Atmospheric Sciences Coloring Pages
Download these coloring pages showcasing the diverse range of earth and atmospheric science disciplines!
The Drake Equation
Ever wonder if humans are alone in the Universe? We can estimate how many intelligent civilizations exist in the Universe by approximating different variables! This app estimates the number of intelligent civilizations based on the guesses you give it. Counts toward Space Cadet badge.
The Secret Language of Mice: How Does Isolation Change Communication?
Decoding the secret language of mice helps us understand how our communication changes after social isolation. Counts toward Mouse Whisperer badge.
Molecular Machines
Listen to Rachel talk about designing machines at the molecular level. Counts toward Materials Master badge.
Welcome to the Molecular Structure Center!
For the Birds
Watch Eva Cusack and friends catching, banding, and releasing birds to collect important data. Counts toward Eco Warrior badge.
My Eye Exam
See how fun and easy an eye exam can be! Counts toward Junior Visionary badge.
Roving Naturalist: Common Jewelweed
It’s easy to see this understory Jewel of a “weed”. But did you know they spread their seed by bursting their seed pods open?Join City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation’s Kate Seader to learn more about this local wildflower. Counts toward Early Bloomer badge.
Audiology Puzzles
Test your audiology knowledge with our crossword puzzle, word find, and dot-to-dot. Counts toward Science Gamer badge.
Microbiology Coloring Pages
Do you want to know more about Microbiology? Print out these coloring pages to explore Microbiology research at IU and learn fun facts!
Chemistry Magic Show
Look on as the Evil League of Evil have their annual meeting to discuss how to take over the world! Watch the zany demonstrations and listen to the bad jokes.
Motor Neurons Part 2 – Electric Fish Demonstration
Learn about how weakly electric fish from South America use specialized motor neurons to communicate with one another! Counts toward Junior Ethologist badge.
Coloring with Nanoparticles
Nanoparticles of the same material can take on different colors just by changing their size and shape. Modify the shape and size of nanoparticles to color with different digital “nanoparticle solutions”. Counts toward Mage of Colors badge.
The Wild Journey of a Bacterial Cell
Follow a bacterial cell in this amazing animated adventure by IU Biology professor & microbiologist Jake McKinlay, then color your own bacterial adventures. Counts toward Micro Hero badge.
Roving Naturalist: Purple Coneflower
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is a common prairie plant found growing in natural areas and in landscaped beds throughout Indiana. Join City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation’s Kate Seader to learn more about this local wildflower. Counts toward Early Bloomer badge.
Electron Microscopy Center
Dr. David Morgan talks about the electron microscopes at IU and what they can be used for. Get a look at the largest microscope at IU. Counts toward Chemistry Champ badge.
Braille Alphabet
In this activity, you will create your own braille alphabet with just paper and glue. You can use this to feel and memorize the braille alphabet! Counts toward Visionary badge.
Hearing and How it Works
Look inside the ear to learn how hearing works, then see what you’ve learned in our short quiz. Counts toward Hear-O badge.
Solar System Quiz
How well do you know the planets of the Solar System? Answer these 5 questions to show you know your stuff! Counts toward Space Cadet badge.
Secret Codes – Part 1
Learn about permutation ciphers! Counts toward Cipher Seeker badge.
Roving Naturalist: Goldenrod
Solidago, commonly called goldenrods, is a genus of about 100 to 120 species of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. Join City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation’s Kate Seader to learn more about this local wildflower. Counts toward Early Bloomer badge.
Coloring Our Feathered Friends
Coloring pages showcasing bird behavior.
Interview with Scientists of Different Backgrounds
Watch an informative interview with scientists in Chemistry with a variety of backgrounds.
Exploring Behavior with Our Feathered Friends – Part 2
See a pair of tree swallows attacking a fake (decoy) tree swallow that’s been placed at the entrance to their nestbox. Scientists use these fake intrusions to measure aggressiveness in the territory-owning birds. Counts toward Avian Ace badge.
Rock Candy
Follow these instructions to make your own rock candy! Counts toward Kitchen Chemist badge.
Personality Quiz Sample + Instructions
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Video Demonstrations of Weird Physics
Demonstrations of the Polarization of Light Chromatic Polarization Polarization by Reflection Polarization by Double Refraction Polarization by Scattering Polarization by Liquid Crystal Polaroid Glasses Strange Behavior of Rotational Motion Rotational Motion Electricity Electric Motors
Post-It Adhesive Strength
Post-it notes are an everyday item which evolved from a failed search for a strong adhesive. Learn about how soft materials like adhesives can support a surprising amount of weight through their ability to conform to a rough surface. Counts toward Materials Master badge.
Physics Grad Students Describe their Research: Erin
Erin Ewart describes her work with elusive neutrinos. Counts toward Particle Wrangler badge.
Honey Bee Development
How do these important insects grow from tiny eggs to powerful pollinators? Counts toward Grub Scout badge.
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 Pages Crayons, colored pencils etc.
Bloomington Urban Woodlands Project
Learn about biodiversity, ecosystem services, and green infrastructure with BUWP. Counts toward Eco Warrior badge.
Exploring Behavior with Our Feathered Friends – Part 1
Watch up-close videos of tree swallows in action and follow along with activities that teach some of the techniques scientists use to help understand how and why animals do what they do. Counts toward Avian Ace badge.
Physics Grad Students Describe their Research: Jeremy
Jeremy Goetz talks about transmission of signals in the brain.
Conociendo las Grullas
Información sobre el hábitat de las grullas, y cómo hacer una grulla de papel. Para parches de Avian Ace y Crafty Scientist . (English-language paper crane instructions)