Homeschool Science Days

Fall 2023 opportunities for homeschoolers at Clemson University!

All labs take place on Clemson University’s campus in the Science Outreach Center… For only $20/student, your child will engage in the following hands-on STEM exploration:

WHERE? Basement of Jordan Hall (G26-G30), Clemson University
COST?  $20 per student
WHEN?  See below for dates and times
TIME?  All labs run from 9:30 am-12:00 pm
QUESTIONS?  culsoc@clemson.edu or 864-656-9939

Parents’ Role

Our Laboratories can hold up to 32 participants each; however, we will not have 32 participants in each lab. Once you arrive, we will direct you to one of our two laboratories. There will be space for some parents to sit in on the lesson. However, due to space limitations, not all parents will be allowed into the lab. Parents are asked to stay nearby, either in the lab, the waiting area directly adjacent to the labs, or close by on campus in case of an emergency.

Tuesday, August 22nd

Air Pressure and Flight – FULL
(ages 8-12) 

In this lab, students will:

• Explore air pressure using bottles and balloons
• Discover Bernoulli’s principle
• Apply principles of air pressure to flight

Acids/Base – FULL
(ages 8–12)

 In this lab, students will:

• Discover the difference between acids and bases
• Investigate indicators
• Explore how electricity can produce acids or bases
• Use indicators to test common materials

Wednesday, September 13th

The Amazing Life of Honey Bees – FULL
(ages 8–12)

 In this lab, students will:

• Discuss honey bees and their role in pollination
• Explore the honey bee life cycle
• Observe dead honey bees using a microscope
• Design, build, and test a pollination device

Osmosis and Diffusion – FULL
(ages 8–12)

 In this lab, students will:

• Use change in mass to determine if osmosis has occurred
• Participate in the “Challenge of the Barriers” to explore diffusion
• Apply diffusion to mobilize color

Wednesday, October 4th

Forensic Methodology – FULL
(ages 8-12) 

In this lab, students will:

• Use a microscope to evaluate “poison powders”
• Perform chemical analysis on “poison powders”
• Investigate blood typing
• Inspect fingerprints

Light and Color – FULL
(ages 8–12)

 In this lab, students will:

• Learn about the electromagnetic spectrum and how we see color
• Explore light, color, and diffraction by building a spectroscope
• Design and build a kaleidoscope
• Investigating how light can play tricks on our eyes

Tuesday, November 7th

Enzymes – FULL
(ages 8-12) 

In this lab, students will:

• Explore enzymes in the foods we eat
• Discover the properties of enzymes and what makes them work and not work
• Build apple juice filters to determine if an enzyme can make a liquid clearer

Acids/Base – FULL
(ages 8–12)

 In this lab, students will:

• Discover the difference between acids and bases
• Investigate indicators
• Explore how electricity can produce acids or bases
• Use indicators to test common materials

Wednesday, December 6th

Forensic Methodology
(ages 8-12) 

In this lab, students will:

• Use a microscope to evaluate “poison powders”
• Perform chemical analysis on “poison powders”
• Investigate blood typing
• Inspect fingerprints

Chromatography, Spectrophotometry, and Standard Curves
(ages 13+)

 In this lab, students will:

• Separate dyes using column chromatography.
• Identify the dye by finding the wavelength of maximum absorbance.
• Use micropipettes to make dilutions of a standard solution.
• Measure absorbance of dilutions using a spectrophotometer.
• Graph data. How close will your data be to a known value?

Cancellation Policy: Withdrawals prior to a week before the date of the registered session will be assessed a 25% processing fee; these withdrawals must be received in writing (an email is sufficient). Alternatively, withdrawals prior to a week before the date of the registered session may be credited for the same academic year. Withdrawals made within the same week of the registered session will not receive a refund.