Science Trek to be held at the Idaho Museum of Natural History May 19

Science Trek 2023 is designed to get 3rd-5th grade students involved in our Idaho State University community. Learners will see how Bengal scientists work and explore the worlds, demystifying science and showing that anyone can become a scientist. This will be a fun afternoon/evening of learning and exploration on May 19from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. 

Registration is required, first come first serve, and closes May 8. Registration fee of $45 includes a shirt, an orientation physics show, and sneak peeks into fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. For over 30 years, Science Trek has served as a gateway for young scientists to learn more about their natural world. Third- through fifth-graders are invited to explore new frontiers with the Idaho Museum of Natural History and Idaho State University.  

Class options include: 

• Charging into Chemistry: Learners will be able to execute simple procedures in the chemistry lab and describe appropriate safety precautions to observe while doing so.
• Compounding - Ice Cream in a Bag: Learn about pharmacy compounding, and how the science background helps make fun activities while learning about STEM fields.
• Dive into Fossils: Join Museum Paleontologists as they dive into the fossil record of Idaho.
• Magic Molecules and Microbes: Introduce learners to microbiology by showing them different organisms and to introduce them to DNA as the genetic material in the cell.
• Make, Launch, and Keep a Water Rocket: Learners will come to understand what makes something more or less aerodynamic with water rockets.
• Nuclear Detective: Learners will travel to the Nuclear Reactor center on campus to use Geiger Counter to find a radioactive source and get an understanding of how a chain reaction works at a nuclear reactor.
• Owl Pellet Dissection: Did you know owls don't chew their food, but swallow it whole? When they're done digesting, they spit up all the indigestible bits; mainly bones and hair. These owl pellets can tell us a whole lot about owls, their diet, and even how environments have changed over hundreds or thousands of years! 
• Problem-solving, troubleshooting, and Team Building: Learn that communication and teamwork is essential to innovation and problem solving using laser mazes, force balance challenge, or Legos.
• Python Turtle Graphics: Learn how to write and execute Python code to draw pictures using Turtle Graphics
• Robotics Arms and 3D Printing Technology: Learners will know about various types of robotic arms: Industrial Robots and Co-Robots. Get basic information about how to work with them and get familiar with 3D Printing technology.
• Trashcano: Learn about the role of gasses in explosive volcanic eruptions. Learners will make and test hypotheses about eruption sizes in relation on LN2 volumes.  

Science Trek has been a mainstay activity within the Pocatello community for the past 31 years. Founded by retired Education Curator, Rebecca Thorne-Ferrel, Science Trek has been running so long that adults who attended as children now volunteer to help to run the event. 

For more details on the events at the Idaho Museum of Natural History please visit imnh.isu.edu. The Museum has been serving Idaho since 1934. You can help support Science Trek online.