Discovery Day Boxes
Thanks for participating in our pilot Discovery Box program, in lieu of our traditional Discovery Day! Here you'll find additional resources for your Boxes. Pickup is happening at the Small Business Center, 190 Central Park Square, 8am-5pm Tuesday-Friday, July 6 - July 9.
Need glue, tape or scissors for some of the activities? Visit projectY cowork (150 Central Park Sq) Monday-Friday 8am-5pm to borrow materials and free access to the space! There will also be cups & pennies available for the Mars Half-Life Activity (Teen/Adult Box) at projectY cowork as well.
Build a MARS ROVER
courtesy of Los Alamos resident Mark DeVolder
share your finished Rovers with mainstreet@losalamos.org or post in the Facebook group for your Certificate of Completion!
Enterprise ROBOT DANCE CONTEST
Robot Dance Contest Overview/Instructions
Enterprise Robot Dance Contest Submission Page (Facebook)
or enter on TikTok or Instagram with #DanceForRobots
Activity VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS
How to Build an Electroscope - Bradbury Science Museum
Solar Car - Pajarito Environmental Education Center
Wind Lift - Pajarito Environmental Education Center
Scavenger Hunts & Walking Activities
Homesteading Era Scavenger Hunt - Teens/Adults
Manhattan Project Scavenger Hunt - Teens/Adults
Homesteading Era Scavenger Hunt - Young Learners
Manhattan Project Scavenger Hunt - Young Learners
"Cece Loves Science" - StoryWalk®
Flubber Activity
How does it work? Check out this explanation from Donivan Porterfield, American Chemical Society - Central NM Local Section:
The primary component of Metamucil is Psyllium fiber. Psyllium fiber is produced from the husks of the Plantago ovata plant’s seeds. Harvested from fields of the plant in the Gujarat and Rajasthan regions of India.
The Psyllium fiber, when mixed with water, forms a hydrogel – a polymer matrix that is hydrophilic (loves water) and thus can contain a significant proportion of water within its structure. I expect the heating of the Metamucil and water allows the quicker, more effective incorporation of water within the polymer structure, forming the hydrogel.
The Psyllium fiber is a natural polymer that bonds quite well with water to form the hydrogel. As well the excellent linking within the Psyllium fiber polymer structure provides the excellent cohesion of the “flubber.” The resulting “flubber” feel is typically described as “viscoelasticity” (combining viscosity and elastic properties).
Some may be familiar with another natural polymer – sodium alginate (isolated from seaweed) that is used in some food products as a thickener. It can also be considered to form a similar hydrogel.
Other Resources
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Thank you to all of our partner organizations for contributing ideas and materials to the ScienceFest Discovery Boxes this year!
Box activity & material sponsors:
American Chemical Society – Central New Mexico Local Section, Bradbury Science Museum, Del Norte Credit Union, Enterprise Bank & Trust, Jacob Torres and The Space Chile Grow a Pepper Plant Challenge, Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) and the Los Alamos Dept. of Public Utilities, Los Alamos County, Los Alamos County Environmental Services, Los Alamos County Transportation, Los Alamos Creative District, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, UbiQD, UNM-LA, U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management.
Box content ideas:
Explora, Girl Scouts of NM Trails, Los Alamos County Library, Los Alamos Historical Society, Mark DeVolder, National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, RoboRAVE International.