Biology

Come and participate in an interactive experiment and learn all about the fun science programs we offer to the community!

Guests will understand the principles of buoyancy by experimenting with their own diver. Participants will be able to- ● Define and understand the concept of buoyancy ● Explain how a fish moves up and down in the water column ● Engage in the scientific process by conducting a water experiment using a diver and playing with the concept of buoyancy.

We will have multiple interactive stations including: 1) Comparative Brain Anatomy- play a guessing game to see which brains belongs to which animal species. 2) Sheep Brain- hold preserved sheep brain and learn about parts of the mammalian brain. 3) Spiker Box- make a cockroach leg dance and learn about how your brain communicates with your muscles to guide your everyday movements. 4) EMG Module- learn how we can use electrical activity from your muscles to control a mechanical claw.

We will have origami creatures, quiz questions, spinning wheel for prizes, and possible "match the anatomy" games.

Sanford Burnham Prebys will be very hands-on with experiments, showing what we do in the lab, yet on lay-friendly level. We will have things for people of all ages to look at and interact with. Last year children used microscopes and peered into fish tanks to observe how DNA changes can dramatically affect the heartbeat of zebra fish—one of the most powerful model organisms used to study vertebrate biology. We will make the science exciting and interesting for all! (Exact experiments TBD).

Oobleck (Non-Newtonian fluid)- Large aluminum trays filled with Oobleck (cornstarch, water, food coloring), and plastic toy animals next to the trays. Kids can poke the Oobleck with their finger or with a plastic toy. They will not be able to penetrate the Oobleck as it will behave like solid. If they slowly insert their finger or toy into the Oobleck, their finger/toy will go in easily and behave like a liquid. They can make a ball of Oobleck and then let it flow between their fingers.

Working alongside San Diego River Park Foundation scientists, kids can conduct a bioassessment of the San Diego River by examining and sorting living aquatic invertebrates (“River Bugs”) in a sample of water collected from the San Diego River! By identifying the types of River Bugs found in our sample, kids can determine whether the River water is healthy!

A hands on activity will be provided based on our Spring into STEAM 2020 theme, which is TBD.

Volunteer scientists will lead kids and community members through a hands-on wheat germ DNA extraction. At the end of the activity participants will get to take home the DNA they extracted on a necklace.

Hands on engineering demos that showcase bioengineering and innovations in diagnostics and disease therapeutics