Weekday Programs

For groups of 10 or more.

Labs

Available September 2–June 30
Monday–Friday at 9:30, 10:30, 11:30 am and 12:30 pm.

Lab-based experiences at the Science Museum add exciting, structured learning to your group's visit. Choose from the following 45-minute labs for students in grades 1–6. Each lab can accommodate up to 25 students. Please request these activities when you make your group reservations.

Electricity Excitement

Watch electricity in action as you create your own simple circuit. Get energized by conductors, insulators, wires, batteries and more!
Virginia Science SOL: 4.3

Simple Machines

Learn about levers, pulleys, screws and more. Virginia Science SOLs: 3.2, 4.2

Space Exploration

Delve into outer space with exciting facts about space history and rockets. Construct your own rocket and launch it. Virginia Science SOLs: 1.2, 1.6, 4.2, 4.7

Weather Watchers

Get wind of the basics of weather systems, weather tools and meteorology. Virginia Science SOLs: 1.7, 2.6, 3.9, 4.6

DNA Extraction Lab

In this hands-on lab activity, you’ll use microscopes to look at onion cells and extract DNA from a smelly specimen! Virginia Science SOLs: 4.1, 5.1, 5.5, 6.1, LS.1, LS.2, LS.13, BIO.1, BIO.6

Medical Checkup Lab

Give yourself a checkup as you measure your blood pressure, calculate your respiratory rate and test your eyesight! This fun lab lets you use real instruments to learn about the human body. Virginia Science SOLs: 6.1, LS.1, LS.3, LS.4, BIO.1, BIO.5

Wonderplace Labs

A children’s discovery space exclusively for scientists age 4–grade 2

Available October 14–December 12 2008, and February 17–May 15, 2009
Monday–Friday at 9:30, 10:30, 11:30 am and 12:30 pm.

Climb aboard the Wonderplace train car for a journey into science exploration and discovery. Wonderplace features a 45-minute hands-on lab bursting with fun science activities, crafts, story telling and creative make-and-take projects. You’ll receive a post-visit packet containing lesson ideas, vocabulary and reading suggestions, and a take-home page with activities families can try at home. Request this program when making your reservation.

Check out these exciting themes

How Things Worked in Ancient China
October 14–December 12 2008

Explore the distant and ancient culture of China as we rediscover their inventions and contributions to today’s society. How did the land, climate, plants and animals of ancient China influence the Chinese people and their discoveries? Investigate the science behind compasses and kites, working with silk, and creating the Great Wall through hands-on investigation. Virginia SOLs: Science – K.1, K.2, K.4, 1.1, 1.8, 2.1, 2.2; Social Studies – 1.6, 2.1, 2.4

Patterns and Puzzles in Nature
February 17–May 15 2009

Why do zebras have stripes and leopards have spots? Are the seeds in a sunflower arranged in a particular sequence? Can groundhogs really predict the weather? Nature offers us many patterns to admire and many fascinating puzzles to unravel. Explore the wonderful and sometimes weird world of plants and animals through hands-on exploration. Virginia SOLs: Science – K.1, K.6, K.8, 1.1, 1.4, 1.5, 1.7, 2.1, 2.5, 2.7, 2.8; Social Studies – 1.6, 2.7

Labs and demonstration fees: $10 per student (includes free admission to exhibit galleries). Add a second demonstration or lab session for $4 per student.

For an additional fee, Wonderplace Lab groups may arrange for prepackaged science goodie-bags filled with age-appropriate items relating to the theme of the visit. To order, call 804-864-1449 at least two weeks before your visit.

Demonstrations

Available all year.
Monday–Friday at 9:30, 10:30, 11:30 am and 12:30 pm

Reserve gallery science demonstrations for your group! Enliven your group’s visit with an exclusive demonstration. These activities are presented by gallery educators on a wide variety of topics. Each demonstration is 30 minutes in length and is available by reservation only. Please request demonstrations when you make your group’s reservation. Choose from the following demonstrations. Each can accommodate up to 25 students.

The Scientific Method

Scientists solve problems by making observations, designing and conducting experiments, and using the scientific method. You’ll be the scientist as you experiment with soda cans. Virginia Science SOLs: 2.1, 3.1, 4.1, 5.1, 6.1, LS.1, PS.1, ES.1, BIO.1, PH.4, PH.7

Supercool: Liquid Nitrogen

How do solids, liquids and gasses respond to extremely cold temperatures? Observe some exciting phase changes using liquid nitrogen in this chilling demonstration on states of matter. Virginia Science SOLs: 2.3, 3.3, 5.4, PS.5, PS.7, CH.5

Bull's Eye! Cow Eye Dissection

Take an up-close look at the structure of a cow’s eye as an educator describes the functions of each part and compares the structures to those found in the human eye. Find your blind spot! Virginia Science SOLs: 5.3, LS.3, BIO.1, BIO.5

Bull's Eye! is made possible by

Air Pressure

Crush a can using only air! Discover how our lungs work. How does a plane fly? This demonstration is an excellent introduction to air pressure and Bernoulli’s principle. Virginia Science SOLs: 2.3, 5.4, 6.6, PH.4, PH.7

Radical Reactions

Colorful flames, a foam fountain, a rainbow in a tube, see chemistry at its coolest! This demonstration highlights some impressive chemical and physical reactions. Virginia Science SOLs: 5.4, 6.4, PS.2, PS.5, CH.5