Science-U at Home offers two new hands-on experiments
Two new videos of at-home science experiments that children and their families can conduct are now available on the Science-U at Home website, science-u.org. The “Spherification” and “Plastic Milk” videos follow former Science-U campers in the Penn State Eberly College of Science who are learning and conducting the experiments and include detailed materials lists, directions, and discovery questions for learning.
“As the heart of science at Pennsylvania’s land-grant institution, the Eberly College is focused on the key missions of research, education, and outreach,” said Caitlin Teti, director of the Office of Science Outreach in the college. “Science-U at Home offers some of the science experiences we present on campus to almost 450 students each summer to audiences across Pennsylvania and beyond, via science-u.org and public broadcasting. Sparking curiosity and a passion for discovery at an early age is critical to developing future leaders in STEM fields, and broader access to these early experiences increased that impact.”
The videos will also appear as episodes on WPSU’s public broadcasting channel. Science-U at Home programming is a production of WPSU in partnership with the Office of Science Outreach in the Eberly College. The programming is made possible by funding from the EQT Foundation, which supports communities by creating access to opportunities for growth and enrichment.
“What we love about producing this content is that kids will have so much fun that they won’t even realize they’re developing critical thinking skills,” said Kristian Berg, senior producer at WPSU-TV. “Each experiment and activity emphasizes asking questions and seeing what happens, and grown-ups don’t need to be scientists themselves to do the experiments. All of the science is explained in the ‘How it Works’ section of our website, so they can help their curious kids make new discoveries.”
“Spherification” — which teaches the science behind popping boba, what is commonly used in bubble tea — and “Plastic Milk” — which walks views through how milk used to be used to create plastic — are part of 47 at-home experiments available for families to explore on the website. Experiments can be filtered by difficulty, how messy they are, how long they take, and whether they should happen indoors or outside. The science-u.org website also offers additional themed activities that can be done with items you already have at home and additional videos that answer common science questions.
To watch the two news videos, tune visit science-u.org. You can also find the latest episodes on PBS Passport. Learn more about additional K-12 educational opportunities and outreach activities through the Penn State Eberly College of Science's Office of Science Outreach website.